Chapter 2: First Foray

[Chimi]

Yorp the Kobold

The doglike creature's ears lay back at Astrid's words, rankling at her dismissal. "I've answered your questions, and given you what I promised. Even I tell you about my clanmates when their best chance is ambush if you do not let them go." He draws himself up, standing as tall and proud as a kobold can...at least one surrounded by killers and with his hands bound together. "Your 'rule of law' doesn't care about me, but I keep my word." Stepping up to Dejrik, he lays his little paws on the macehead that killed his clanmate and glares at him as he speaks. "I only want to save my kin. No harm to you, no safety for the wizard. I say it."

 

[trulyElse]

Dejrik Garraksen

"That's settled."  Dejrik says to the party at large, putting his mace back on his belt. "Until anything proves otherwise, I trust him."
He turns to Yorp. "I trust you. I hope you appreciate what that means."

[Cirlot]

Tala Silvergrave

"Bargained well and done."

 

It's not clear if the words are to the Kobold, the cleric speaking to herself or directed to someone else entire but Tala's lips curve into a thin, sad smile as the oath is struck and the agreement made.

 

"Spine and sense besides, well said - " stepping forward, Tala knelt and began un-kotting the kobold's bindings.  Had she a dagger, she mussed, she'd have cut the bonds quite symbolic like: as it stood she had to settle for trying to recall whether the rabbit was to enter it's burrow or flee.  Or was it a rabbit and a tree?  Sighing, she continued.  " - word for word then.  If you can convince yours to flee - and flee far, if they can, the Duchy will be no kinder than we given cause - we'd have done each other a service. Your aid is still required, at least so long as we're here, but If we all live long enough to see an 'after' to this enterprise we'll find new terms or part."

 

Finally loosening the knot, Tala began winding the rope back up about her arm into a bundle and then looked to Astrid; each word corresponding to another loop upon the thread.

 

"I share your concerns, but e'en if we don't trust for trusts sake then we can trust to purpose.  This keeps them and theirs alive.  No sense ambushing us now, and had that been the aim they would have had no cause in letting us know any of their kin even remained."

 

The thought is punctuated with a final yank upon the rope and the tying off of the coil. Tossing the rope into a pack, Tala stood.  She hadn't missed the hesitation to Yorp's tongue when the kobold had mentioned "some food and . . .  stuff," this was likely not the clans only trove but so be it.  If it meant an emptier hold to explore and less of their blood shed, it was a tithe worth paying.  And the quiet jangle of coins in her own pack dulled even that minor sting of potential avarice.   
 
"Leastways, I find it hard to credit fault in arguing first not for themselves but for their kin."

 

"Anyway, as Dejrik says, 'tis settled.  Where are we to next?"

 

[hoverfrog]

Stoyan Barakovsen

Stoyan nods approvingly at Dejrik's use of the oath of steel, "It is no small thing to swear on a weapon like this. The kobold has my trust too, as much as I would give any non dwarf anyway." Which meant that he would watch his coin purse and his back at all times around these honourless dogs.

Show Stats

STRENGTH 14 +1 to hit and damage

INTELLIGENCE 9

WISDOM 11

DEXTERITY 7 -1 AC, and range attacks

CONSTITUTION 13 +1 hit point

CHARISMA 12

 

Hit Points: 7/7

Armour Class: 3 (Plate Mail (3), Shield (Bonus of 1), DEX (Penalty of 1))

THAC0: 1d20+1 Battle Axe 1d8+1, 1d20-1 Crossbow16; 6 1d6

Actions

 

 

[Powderhorn]

"Well, all that done then, let's get a move on.  I figure if I can raise enough money, I can earn some extra favor.  Frey needs a new temple, and I'm sure such an eminence wouldn't mind being a bit transactional."

[LarsWester]

Golon

Quite pleased that his imploring the dwarves and clerics to spare a kobold for questioning had turned out so fruitive Golon smiles as Tala frees Yorp.   He walks up the kobold offering a hand in friendship.  "Yorp will be nice to us and we'll be nice to him ,right?  Shall we continue on then and secure this evil magic user for the law?"

 

[Chimi]

Yorp the Kobold

Yorp takes a moment to rub feeling back into his unbound wrists, daring to feel a moment of hope that despite the tragedy, he and some of his band would survive. The dwarfs, at least, spoke of their strange honor in a way he'd never thought could be applied to his kind. When Golon offers his hand, Yorp takes it, awkward and fumbling with the size and culture difference, his fingers both rough and fuzzy with fur between pads. He looks a little confused, but brushes it off. "Bide here a moment and rest, or continue on and I will find you. Only a moment, for my kin to gather our belongings and leave." And with that he turns and scurries off deeper into the castle.

 

[matt_s]

Yeah, go kick 'em out the door. We will immediately proceed to find this magic wielder wherever he hides. Sounds like those pipsqueaks got the depths below, so I reckon the wizard is up there somewhere. Time for a climb, I reckon.

 

 

[Eric]

Yorp bounds ahead and disappears behind one of the fallen stones near the front of the keep. The hole he dives into is so small that no man, dwarf, or elf could squeeze through. There's loud yipping from below, then silence. A handful of moments, then a minute passes. And then Yorp reappears, alone.

 

[hoverfrog]

Stoyan Barakovsen

Stoyan takes a wander around to ensure that there are no more surprises, "Looks like we have the front door or a climb."

Show Stats

STRENGTH 14 +1 to hit and damage

INTELLIGENCE 9

WISDOM 11

DEXTERITY 7 -1 AC, and range attacks

CONSTITUTION 13 +1 hit point

CHARISMA 12

 

Hit Points: 7/7

Armour Class: 3 (Plate Mail (3), Shield (Bonus of 1), DEX (Penalty of 1))

THAC0: 1d20+1 Battle Axe 1d8+1, 1d20-1 Crossbow16; 6 1d6

Actions

 

 

[Eric]

Stoyan satisfies himself that there are no more "surprises" to be had in the courtyard. The only way in--unless one is of kobold stature--is the front door. The double doors are oaken and in significantly better condition, appearing to have been maintained somewhat recently. There are oiled iron ring handles that would allow either door to be pushed inward.

 

Some time has passed during the Yorp-interrogation, treasure-digging, kobold-ousting, and courtyard-examining. It is now TURN 15.

[hoverfrog]

Stoyan Barakovsen

"We need someone to check that these doors aren't trapped," Stoyan points out, moving back ten feet from them in case anything should charge through the doors, "I know little of such things."

Show Stats

STRENGTH 14 +1 to hit and damage

INTELLIGENCE 9

WISDOM 11

DEXTERITY 7 -1 AC, and range attacks

CONSTITUTION 13 +1 hit point

CHARISMA 12

 

Hit Points: 7/7

Armour Class: 3 (Plate Mail (3), Shield (Bonus of 1), DEX (Penalty of 1))

THAC0: 1d20+1 Battle Axe 1d8+1, 1d20-1 Crossbow16; 6 1d6

Actions

 

 

[Powderhorn]

"Wouldn't our newfound ally know?"

[Cirlot]

Tala Silvergrave

Tala waffled her hand in a ~mayhaps yea, mayhaps nay~ motion.

 

"If Yorp and his kin t'were the one that trapped it, yea; if it was the magician - why warn them when 'tis an entrace they do not use?  Besides - " cricking her neck first one way, then the other, the cleric nodded to the tiny hole in the stonework the kobold had vinished into before shrugging once more, limbering up her shield arm in readiness for what was to come.  "If it be trapped, we lack the means to deal with it, less Yorps fingers prove cleverer than my thinking.  It's either open, or climb, and a fall will kill more surely than a maybe-trap might. "

 

"And here's to Freya that those be not my last words."  The thought ended with a sigh, and a kiss of the falcons-wing pendant about Tala's neck.  Then, squaring up to the door, shield pressed against the wood, she called back over her shoulder even as her feet dug in, finding purchase against the weight end resistance of the door.  "ON THREE!  ONE.  TWO.  THREE-"

OOC

Count is to give other players a chance to intercede (don't want to unilaterally hijack things) but otherwise Tala's gonna push open the door: STR mod is +1 if she needs to make an open-doors check.

 

Edited December 23, 2022 by Cirlot (see edit history)

[Chimi]

Yorp the Kobold

"NOP!" Yorp yelps, scurrying on over to Tala and the door, waving his unarmed hands to back her away from the door. "Boss say Big Boss say traps traps traps. Not go anywhere because stabs and holes and spikes, stay safe in Warren and here outside. And..." Yorp sighs and shrugs. "And if human gets stab in fingers and choke and die, dwarf probably behead Yorp, so...let me."

 

Once Tala backs a few feet away, Yorp leaps up to grapple one of the iron rings and haul himself up, doing his best to inspect the metalwork, looking for tricks, traps, and general shenanigans.