The Evil of Ravenholm - Chapter 2: The Ashen Mountains

[iDragow]

As the vision of the fighting reached the bugbear, he would retreat a few steps back so as to remain hidden from view, and hold his arm back to signal the others to stop. He stared around the corner for a few moments to make sure that they were still unnoticed, and then turned back towards his companions.

"Looks like a fight up ahead. I think our best bet would be to wait it out and see who wins. Then just kill the rest. They'd be tired and wounded... easy pickings."  

[Arc Vembris]

"Seems a pity." Hars hangs her lantern in the air and begins twirling her blades around idly. "We could pick who wins, then just kill the rest, eh?"  

[joe-dude667]

Cain liked Grashuk's idea, but the Kenku was still curious about who was fighting. Without his allies noticing he stepped back into the shadows and made his way forward to see who was fighting. Not so he could attack, just so he could watch.

[[31 Stealth.]]  

[NayrVentess]

Pelloth can't see anything more than the wooden door, hanging slightly ajar which he has already noticed...

As Grashuk seems patient enough to see the results of the fight before rushing in, Cain decides he wants to see the fight in action. Sneaking past the unaware Grashuk and Hars, Cain can see that in the large room up ahead are a group of humans fighting a large force of kobolds. Some dead kobolds already litter the floor, but the humans don't seem to have lost any of their number...yet, a few look likely to go down to the swarm of kobolds soon. There are six humans, and about fifteen kobolds still standing. The humans are all wearing the armour of Valleta, mostly chainmail except one human who is wearing plate. They all wield longswords, again the exception is the plate armour wearing man who is swinging a heavy flail with practiced precision. ((Unless anyone disagrees, I assume you wait until the fight is finished))  

[Vorastrix]

Pelloth shrugged, "I doubt it, but killing more kobolds sounds fun." Pelloth then moved to the door and strode in as if he not only belonged, but owned the place and just eyed all those within.  

[joe-dude667]

Cain patiently waited for the humans to kill the last of the Kolbolds like Grashuk suggested.  

[NayrVentess]

As Pelloth pulled the door wide open and began to stride in, he felt the 'floor' give way beneath him. Fortunately, the warlock was nimble enough to jump back, thus avoiding falling right into pit trap. To advance further into the room Pelloth, you will need to jump over the gap (an athletics check of 11/21 depending on a running start). In the room, past the pit trap, are seven wide eyed kobolds. They seem surprised by your presence, although a few also seem annoyed that you avoided their 'ingenious' trap. The room appears to be similiar to the one you were in earlier, with many bunkbeds around the sides, a few tables and chairs and two more wooden doors leading out of the rooms north wall. They don't attack straight away, these kobolds seem quite curious about you.

Cain, Grashuk, Hars and Daelos waited in the dark corridor. In was only a few minutes later that the humans 'won'. They might not consider it a full victory though, because a few of the kobolds fled, yapping angrily, and the humans suffered the loss of half their number. Only three remain, one being the heavy flail wielding soldier; all three look weary and you doubt they will put up much of a fight. As you make your preperations to attack, the supposed squad leader says to his men, "I hope this book is worth all these lives..." With that Daelos voices his concern, "I thought they were here to repair the castle...odd." If you want to attack, roll initiative, they are too far away to get a proper surprise round on, unless you use ranged attacks/stealth to get closer. Of course you don't have to go in all guns blazing...  

[SporkMaster5000]

As Gerash watches Pelloth not fall into the pit, he steps up behind the drow, and decides that civilized discussion is not the best way to negotiate with kobolds. He unleashes his favorite skinning method on the closest creature by means of an example, and declares in a voice that booms with malevolence and arcane embellishment, "Tell us where the ancient book is hidden or Sholoruk will be the least of your concern!"

((cloud of daggers (9 vs. the closest one's reflex, but there'll be auto damage if he's a minion) and 23 intimidate on the lot of them))  

[NayrVentess]

Gerash summoned his cloud of daggers, his mind was elsewhere though and they didn't immediately strike the kobold he aimed for. Despite the fact that he wasn't attacked, the pathetic kobold let out an anguished scream and looked to the heavens with wide eyes. But when he wasn't cut down, the kobold half smiled and looked at the daggers floating around him, his friends gave the daggers a quizical look too. Just when he thought he was invincible though, the daggers surrounding the little kobold plunged deep into his frail body slaying him instantly. At this point Gerash terrifies the remaining creatures with his booming demand, you swear one of them shat himself in his fear... The kobolds simultaneously begin yapping at each other and at the both of you. A few seconds later, five of them push the other one forward, almost until he falls in the pit trap, but he stops himself. Voice quivering with terror, he speaks in surprisingly good common, his speech however is hampered by his fear. "B..bu..book, it isz not here...thesze d..du..doorsz only lead to more of usssz." He then points at you two...no, through you, "Go that way....then right, then sztraight on. Then you in big room...go right, down, down down...Book down there somewhere...I not know for szertain..." He then stands there, a very scared look on his face.  

[SporkMaster5000]

"There now, that wasn't so hard," Gerash remarks to Pelloth, but keeps his eyes fixed on the trembling kobold. While the volume of his voice no longer benefits from magical enhancement, the malevolence, and implication that he would kill any and all of the kobolds on a whim is just as strong. "If you want to earn a reward for your help, show us the way yourself. If you don't want to come with us, the drow had some fun in mind," he gives Pelloth a smirk and allows the spokesman and any of the other kobolds with a sense of self-preservation the chance to come with before he turns back down the hall and leaves the drow to decide the fate of any stragglers.  

[NayrVentess]

The Common speaking kobold, apparently smarter than the others, and far more interested in self preservation, bends his knees and jumps over the pit trap. He almost falls but grabs onto the side with his arms, he manages to pull himself up, and follows Gerash without a look behind at his fellows, who are cowering together as Pelloth looks them over.  

[iDragow]

Grashuk would look to the other three and nod over his shoulder to the group of humans. Once more whispering, he asked them: "Anything you guys want to try before I simply challenge them? I'd like for this to take as little time as possible."  

[Arc Vembris]

Hars slips into her elven form and walks toward the survivors. "Don't act crazy, they might run."  

[NayrVentess]

(Does anyone go with Hars? Pelloth, are you going to kill the kobolds or simply leave them and go with Gerash?)  

[Vorastrix]

Pelloth would have killed them all, but then a fun thought occurred to him. Choosing one at random, he pointed his rod, and it died grasping it's head screaming. That same gaze that had sent the creature to his doom swept across the remaining creatures as the darkness that was his pact swirled around him. "since none of you wanted to help, i give you a choice, you can kill each other until one remains and i will let him live, or you can die like your friend there and i will send your soul to Zehir."