"Clever stay away from da dragon"

"Busy" the kobold nodded "very busy, no way through" he then shook his head at the request to pass through, putting his hand up to stop Fiene.

Fiene was indeed charming and kobolds weren't inclined to cause harm to him but weren't quite willing to do favours for free either.

"Do you build the traps too?" he asks, reaching into his pouch.  "I think there was a pit back there.  Praise Ras, we didn't fall in, but I did find these nearby.". He holds out 3 silver coins, letting them reflect in the lantern's light.  "I would hate to have to go back that way and fall in if you have to fix it."

The glint of silver received a hissed murmur from the kobolds. The lead kobold rubbed his scaly chin and waved a hand at the other eight kobolds and pointed behind him to where the sound of industry and work could be heard and then held up all his fingers "lots of us" he nodded eagerly "more silver for passage?" the kobolds seemed agreeable to negotiation.

Fiene pauses, tilting his head slightly..  "That way is clear? not a dead end?". He digs out 6 more silver, offering 2 for the leader and one for the rest.

"Yes I let you pass" the kobold agreed, it waved to the kobolds who moved to one side of the chamber to allow exit through the east corridor. The kobold then came forward his scaly hand outstretched to receive the silver pennies "work crew" he pointed toward the noise of hammers to the east "you have silver to pay foreman?"

ooc: I'm confused.  Are there two groups of kobolds?

There are the kobolds you can see and are talking to. There is also the noise of hammering and work further to east.

Fiene eyes the greedy little bugger.  "Some." he says dropping the coins into its palm.  "How many work?  You take me. You talk, tell him to let us go past. I give one to each." he directs, gesturing with his lantern.

ooc: Ah, I thought the noise was coming from the 8 here and he could only see the one talking clearly..

With a greedy little smile the kobold nodded "I speak to foreman for silver penny and you pay work crew one penny each" he held up all his fingers "many work crew" Fiene could hear the hammering and other noises of the work crew.

The kobold led Fiene through the room of faces with big eyes and into room of ten foot tall faces with open mouths. A crew of eight kobolds were busy fixing cracked mortar around the faces and in the gaping mouths, whilst two other kobolds watched. The two watchers stood nearby to the two entrances to the room. The kobold barked and hissed as he entered the room and one of the watchers came forward with hand outstretched to Fiene.

Ermengard followed cautiously, her fear showing clearly on her face. They were surrounded and greatly outnumbered if anything went wrong with the plan.

Fiene was fairly certain he was being taken advantage of, and this was likely more money than they normal saw.  He wished he understood kobold rather than orc, but they was nothing he could do about it now.  "You work hard. I give pennies, we go, you stay, work hard.". Once they reach the eastern corridor. He doles out the requisite pennies.

The chambers of tall carved faces passed Fiene returned to the rough limestone corridors of Stonehell. The corridor south had a door in it. The corridor east carried on into darkness.



OOC Day: 3. Time: 2:10pm. Turn: 30. Weather: Cloudy. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 30'

Lantern oil used
Fiene: 28 Turns - lit

"Let's go south, and see if it leads to the stairway." Fiene says, "Then we can come back this way, and see about these rooms."

To the south passed the door Ermengard and Fiene came to the crossroads with the rusty metal signpost 'Da Dragon's Den'.

Satisfied that they are not lost, and able to make their way back to the surface, Fiene moves to the eastern door, and listens at it in the usual way.

There was nothing heard through the door, when Fiene opened the door the first thing he noticed was the smell. The smell of death, linens and chemicals. What he saw was a room twenty foot by twenty foot. Hung from hooks in the ceiling were fresh humanoids corpse wrapped in cloths, the floor wet with water streaked with blood.

Further back in the room Fiene spotted the beady eyes of ten giant rats which chittered in response to the opening of the door. On the inside of the were signs of chewing.

OOC No one is surprised. Declare your actions and I will roll Initiative for both sides.

Day: 3. Time: 2:20pm. Turn: 31. Weather: Cloudy. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 30'

Lantern oil used
Fiene: 29 Turns - lit
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:31, Sun 11 Apr 2021.

Fiene drops his pole, and digs for a flask of oil.  He wasn't sure how aggressive the rats would be, and perhaps, after seeing the door, they just wanted out. He makes sure to stand clear of the doorway.

The rats either hungry or desperate for freedom were quicker than Fiene and rushed toward the door. Sharp pointed teeth bit at Ermengard's legs as her and Fiene stood in the doorway. Instinctively Ermengard stabbed down with her spear but neither rats teeth or spear inflicted any wounds.

OOC Fiene has his oil flask in his hand. He can move and perform an action.

"Make clear!" Fiene calls, backing even further clear of the door. "I think they just want out." He said hopefully, now that they have started to scatter and his oil would be less effective.

OOC The giant rats are still in a swarm at the door. They haven't scattered yet if Fiene wanted to do something to a group of them.

If you are moving which direction? Are you backing against the wall or running north or south? He can move and drop/pour the oil.

ooc: I'm assuming the door swings out (since he was able to see chew marks). if they seem to be attacking, He will throw the oil into the middle of them. Following up with the lantern next round.

But is they seem to be running. He will move whichever way the door swings to try and be behind it.(against the east wall)

The rats were scrambling at the doorway, those at the front biting at Ermengard those behind climbing upon each other to get at the two adventurers or out of the room.

Fiene was able to pour out and splash the swarm with oil. Then a moment later he tossed the lantern into the midst of the rat swarm. Four of the giant rats died in the flaming oil. The remaining rats scattered in fear of the flames, retreating to the darker corners of the room.

OOC Yes the door swings out.

As you have already declared actions I completed the next round too. Fiene won Initiative and threw the lantern.

Fiene grabs his pole and works to drag the lantern clear of the fire.  Once out, he pushed the door closed.

The lantern was still in one piece when Fiene fished it from the fire with his pole. The pole was singed on one end. The rats afraid of the fire kept to the dark corners of the room and Fiene shut the door.

Fiene let the lantern cool enough to touch, and checked to see if it was still safe to use. "I doubt there was anything in there worth opening the door again for." He says.

If the lantern is good, he will check its supply and fill it with oil as needed, and they will head north then to the east passage.

If it's not good, they will go south to the stairs, intent on returning to town to rest and resupply.

The lantern seemed intact and whole with no leaks. Fiene refilled the lantern. The passage headed east and another corridor headed south.



OOC Day: 3. Time: 2:40pm. Turn: 33. Weather: Cloudy. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 30'

Lantern oil used
Fiene: 29 Turns - then refilled 1 Turn - lit