The Evil of Ravenholm - Chapter 2: The Ashen Mountains

[Vorastrix]

Pelloth considered for a few moments, and then shrugged saying. "Let's just wing it. If they try to kill us, we kill them. If not, we find out what they know, and if you like, you can then kill them."  

[SporkMaster5000]

"Suppose that works," Gerash said. With a firm grasp of his orb he swing the door open. Despite their agreement he was ready to shoot at the slightest provocation, even if it wasn't likely to be lethal. He'd survived this long by putting down threats before they became lethal, not after. Being undead had gone a long way toward that, but he wasn't going to test its limits just yet.

((open the door and ready magic missile against anything behind the door that does anything I can misconstrue as threatening))  

[Arc Vembris]

((How big is the trapdoor? Is it a hatch for us to access, or are we in a giant hopper ready to drop us into something? Given the latter, is there something to grab onto should we suffer a sudden floor deficiency?))

"Looks like these critters are remodeling. If that was the bouncer, I wonder what kinda clubhouse this is."  

[NayrVentess]

Gerash swings open the door, which creaks loudly as its hinges almost snap off. Hearing the door open, the rooms inhabitants turn and look. As the small group of small reptilian creatures sees Gerash and Pelloth in the doorway, their eyes go wide. Gerash notices their fear, but also the fact that a couple of them are holding crude daggers, thats a threat right there. Gerash's Orb glows slightly and a missile of magical force shoots towards the closest dagger wielding kobold. It hits him smack in the face, smushing it in on itself and killing the little bugger instantly. As the body falls to the floor with a thump, the rest of the kobolds, of which there are three, drop any weapons that they are holding and stand transfixed staring at the death dealing wizard and his drow ally behind him. You notice that they, and now you, are in a small-ish room which smells rather foul. Four bunk beds are crammed up against the right and left walls, and a three legged table and a few chairs lie scattered on the stone floor. It would seem that the table and chairs were knocked over in a fight, because the three kobolds are standing over a dead human adorned in the armour of Valleta. There is also a door behind where the kobolds are.

Hars, the trapdoor is a hatch in the ground yes, you can open it from your side. To avoid any chance of falling through, both you and Grashuk step off the wooden trapdoor, but you can now open it if you like and have a look at what is below you.

As Cain is standing in the room, wondering what to do, he hears some footsteps approaching from the dark corridor to the south end of the room. Standing cautiously, he eventually notices that the footsteps belong to none other than the elven Bloodstone Stalker, Daelos. The elf smiles at Cain as he notices him, "Ah, Cain! A pleasure to see you again. Do you know where the others may have got to by any chance?" He is standing far enough away from you, Cain, so that if you charge at him, he will have time to fling the dagger in his hands towards you.  

[SporkMaster5000]

When the kobolds drop their weapons Gerash gives a small frown of disappointment, he'd expected armed kobolds to jump at intruders. Clearly he gave them too much credit. He looked at the dead kobold, hoping it wasn't the smart one of the group, "If you don't want to share that one's fate, start talking about what you're doing here, and where he came from," the wizard gestured at the dead human.  

[Vorastrix]

Pelloth didn't want to be left out, so he drew is own implement ready to attack. He couldn't decide whether an eldritch blast, or one just falling down screaming would be a more intimidating death. As such, he waited to make his decision after one of them talked.  

[joe-dude667]

Cain's heart fell when he saw the Elf. His allies had been eaten, and the only one he wished was dead was still alive. at least there was a chance he could still kill him.

"They got eated." Cain muttered as he took the Kruthic off his neck and let it run around his hands. "I'm trying to get out of this place. You can keep looking for your bone all if you want, but with my friends dead I have no reason to be here."

Deciding he'd rather leave this conversation, Cain made his way to the door and opened it, hoping for a way out. Underground was no fun at all.  

[Arc Vembris]

Hars opens the trap door and has a looksee what's inside with the aid of her lantern.  

[NayrVentess]

The trio of kobolds with Gerash and Pelloth look very worried, you also notice that their rough scale like skin is a crude iron colour. One of them opens his mouth a few times, revealing sharp yellow teeth, a few of which are broken or non-existent. He seems to be trying to remember how to speak. "We...are here.....live. He..." he points to the dead guardsman, "come......in tunnels.....you too." He gives you a nervous smile, which he seems very bad at, hoping beyond hope that you will let him go.

Daelos frowns when Cain mentions that the others have died, but he says nothing. He also gives a very quizical look when Cain mentions 'looking for his bone'. When the feathered avenger opens the door, he walks up behind him and says, "Well, I might as well come with you, and keeping look for the tome." Cain, you see behind the door a large room. It is empty, but there are three corridors leading from it; one north, one east, and one west. And as Cain is standing there, Daelos behind him, he notices a large wooden trapdoor open from the ceiling of the room...

Hars opens the trapdoor and shines her lantern down into the rather empty room below her. It isn't a far drop if you would like to jump down, you won't take any damage.  

[SporkMaster5000]

Gerash raises a brow at the less-than-eloquent kobold, wishing he could find out if it was a better conversationalist in draconic. "Do you know anything about a tome hidden in these tunnels?" he asked, "An old book," he clarified, trying to keep the conversation as simple as possible. If the lizards lived here and could show them to their goal he might see fit to actually let them continue living. They would've proved more helpful than their strangely absent stalker, to say the least.  

[iDragow]

With Hars shining light down the trapdoor, Grashuk decided that he should be leading from the frontline. While the Changeling held the door, the Warlord would hop down the opening, landing heavily on his feet.

Even though he didn't have a light to brighten the area, the Bugbear's first reaction is to draw his b*****d Sword and lift it threatening while he scanned the area quickly.  

[Arc Vembris]

Hars nimbly hops down behinds Grashuk, scanning the darkness for threats with her lantern casting a steady magical light.  

[NayrVentess]

A different kobold attempts to communicate with Gerash. "Book....? It....uhhh....Sholoruk." As the kobold mentions that last word, almost certainly a draconic name, the others smack him over the head, as if he shouldn't have said that. The kobold that spoke then looked very disappointed with himself, as the other two natter angrily at him in draconic.

Hars and Grashuk jump down, displacing some dust from the ground. As they look around, they may be somewhat suprised to see Cain and Daelos standing only a few feet away from them.  

[joe-dude667]

As the giant form of Grashak fell from the sky, Cain squealed with delight before running towards the Bugbear and embracing him in a tight hug.

"GRASHUK!!!" He shouted in his high pitched squawk. "I thought you were all eaten by the big beastie!"

Seeing Hars seconds later, he cackled excitedly.

"And you're okay too! Are the other okay? Where did you go?!"  

[SporkMaster5000]

Gerash summoned his standby swarm of force blades around the kobold that had yet to address him. As they rent the lizard, he spoke very sternly in a volume adequate to drown out any dying cries the creature made, "Let me clarify: I'm not going to kill you if you don't answer me, I'm going to kill you in terrible, painful ways if you don't answer me. Now either tell me what you know or make peace with your gods." Gerash gave up on appealing to the kobolds' intelligence when it became clear that watching one of their own drop like a rock at the pair's entrance didn't make them the most frightening beings in the lizard's little world. Base fear, however, was always an option to appeal to.

((15 vs. ref if i can't just auto-hit puny kobolds. 11 intimidate the survivors))