Fingers: The Kobold Tower: Part II - 13 June 2021

[Zhym]

Neegan- Tends to his wounds. That was a dam good shot my friend.

"Yeah," says Fingers with exaggerated swagger. "That's totally what I meant to do. I lined up the—"

He spots Ableforth and slouches. "Uh, thanks. Totally lucky shot," he says sheepishly.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Upon hearing he exchange, Ablesforth looks up from his work of crushing the skulls of the kobolds. His grim expression turns to a smile at the honesty from the archer. Brother, I heard-tell you had a good showin' at the Festival. Too bad them targets wasn't dog-heads, eh? He pounds down on the last of the frozen kobolds.

When the group reunites, Able stays alert to the horizon, looking out for any activity that might indicate more kobolds. With my prayers, I can freeze one more group of these things and I can see where their traps'll be for a time. Other than that, I can knit together some wounds. Brother Idriss, what more magic might you have that'll help us? And what about them papers we found with the flies? Anything good?

[Spearmint]

Idriss

"The papers relate to arcane writings, mystic incantations of an experience I have yet to learn. I think there are few with such knowledge, the Dukes' sage perhaps being one of the most skilled in such arts. They need more study, perhaps I may use their wordings to inspire an immediate answer though that seems a waste of valuable wisdom. So my skilled arts are in my previous 'circus' vogue. I have yet to be blessed with healing hands like yourself. Eruanna in her enlightened wisdom calls me to follow upon a very narrow and untrodden path."

In other words, I have little offensive magic,

[Marullus]

Ablesforth the cleric sets to the grim task of crushing the skulls of the four immobilized and helpless kobolds with his heavy setting-maul. Each tiny dog-like skull pops wetly at the forceful impact, terror in their conscious eyes but unable to scream. Neegan binds his severe wounds, his face pale. Rhybek contemplates the still unconscious kobold. Idriss explains the intricacies of magical learning. Fingers tells the truth and is commended by Able.

You stand about 150' from the tower's base. The heavy wood door is barred, but the dilapidated out-buildings look unprotected. Movement in the upper windows lets you know you're being watched, but never expose themselves clearly. The lower windows are just narrow slits to discourage illicit ingress.

Date: 1:50pm, 13 June 2021
Light: Sun
Distance travelled: ~8 miles today
Injuries: Neegan (severe injury), Rhybek (minor injury)

[Alethan]

Rhybek Baerdrum

Rhybek studies the tower for a bit. He tries to determine how many kobolds could affect them with ranged attacks, should they approach the front door.

He also studies the foot path wear on the ground between them and the tower, looking for what might be signs of the kobolds avoiding certain areas that may be trapped.

[Marullus]

Roll [1d20] against your INT, please.

[Alethan]

Rhybek knows nothing.

INT roll (INT=10) [1d20] = 18

[Zhym]

Fingers cottons on to what Rhybek is trying to do and tries to suss out the tower's defenses for himself.

Int check (11): [1d20] = 12

But he can't make anything of it.

"Look, we're in no condition for a frontal assault on a tower that's ready for us. Let's back off. Maybe we can starve them out by killing anyone they send out of the tower."

The boy looks over his shoulder at his backpack. "Assuming they don't have more than a week of food, I guess."

[Alethan]

Rhybek

Speaking of food... Rhybek takes a few minutes to assess the food gathered by the kobolds at this point. He gathers what might be edible.

[Zhym]

"Oh yeah," says Fingers, as if just remembering, "We've also got that prisoner. Let's drag him back a ways and question him." Taking his own advice, he ties the kobold's hands and feet and drags him away from the shadow of the tower.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Idriss's answer quickly screws up Able's mind. So... The papers won't help then? Okay. Then let's take this feller and find some shelter. If he won't talk, we'll do him like the others. Won't do to have him running around to kill us in our sleep. And it ain't right to leave him trussed up to starve. It's a kindness, really. He looks at the tower a moment, thinking how nice it would be to see how it was built up close.

[Marullus]

Your group pulls back about a mile from the tower, finding a suitable place to camp near a spring located in a low swale in the flowing landscape. The kobold is trussed and hauled along with you. You have a quiet afternoon, no sign of pursuit from the tower, until the kobold wakes as the evening begins to get long.

Date: 7:00pm, 13 June 2021
Light: Sun
Distance travelled: ~9 miles today
Injuries: Neegan (severe injury), Rhybek (minor injury)

[Zhym]

Do any of us have non-crappy charisma? If so, maybe that's who should do the questioning.

[Marullus]

Ablesforth and Rhybek are the most likeable among you, meaning they are about average among townsfolk. Fingers just barely wins the least-likable-guy-at-the-party prize over Idriss and Neegan, all three of you lacking some form of acceptable social graces.

[Zhym]

As the group leaves the tower, Fingers considers hanging back to take pot shots at anything that emerges. But it's safer to get some more distance. At the camp site, but (hopefully) before the kobold wakes up, Fingers takes Ableforth to the side. "Your god's big on truth, right?" he whispers. "Wanna try to get it out of the kobold here? We gotta know how many kobolds are in that tower, where any traps are, that sort of thing."

[Alethan]

OOC: Rhybek can also speak kobold, which might help.

Rhybek Baerdrum

Rhybek tries the kind approach first... While keeping the kobold's feet secured to a tree near their camp fire, Rhybek frees one of the kobold's hands (its left hand, if that matters) and gives it some food and water.

{in kobold} "You've had a bit of a rough day, mate. If you cooperate with us, then I can make sure you have a better day tomorrow. What's yer name?"

OOC: Also, how much was Rhybek able to scavenge by way of food the kobolds had already dug up?

[Marullus]

You collected four man-days of turnips, potatoes, and greens which the kobolds were harvesting when you arrived.

The kobold wakes and eyes you warily. You've seldom seen so scrawny and anemic a humanoid - he's pathetic even for a kobold. The tumble over how own feet leaves his entire side blossoming in bruise and he can't move that much without wincing. He is clearly dubious and untrusting of your intent, seeing as how he's tied up and dragged out of sight of his home and with all his companions likely dead. As Rhybek offers him decent food and drink, however, it makes the difference. He warms up enough to at least provide some answers.

In Kobold:

Asked his name, he emits a feral noise. You might as well interpret it as "Yip."

"Rrowlin is the big tooth. He an' his toughs," he holds up six tiny fingers, then nods, "They keep the book rooms to themselves, up top. The rest of us..." he makes hacking marks horizontally below his first hand, showing three floors. He holds up two hands a moment, "yeah, about that many fit on each. Crowded, but warm. Safe from the forest-ones, though. Stone walls safe. Even me, even me sleeps on bottom floor."

Date: 7:10pm, 13 June 2021
Light: Sun
Distance travelled: ~9 miles today
Injuries: Neegan (severe injury), Rhybek (minor injury)

[Rusty Tincanne]

Assuming a translation has been given here:

So we've got ourselves four tens worth of these things to deal with? To steal a bunch of turnips and taters from these dogs? Ablesforth spits. I suppose it's worth it, seeing as they said they's takin' stuff from humans. Hey. What humans is that? The farmers near town or is there others? And what's he mean by "forest-ones"?

Ablesforth offers healing to Neegan and Rhybek, squeezing his eyes shut while hilding his holy symbol to pray for them.
Erruana, these two says they want some healing, and I can't think of a reason they'd go lying about that.

Neegan CLW [1d6+1] = 1+1 = 2
Neegan CLW [1d6+1] = 6+1 = 7

Rhybek CLW [1d6+1] = 3+1 = 4

[Spearmint]

Idriss

"Get him to tell us more about the 'forest-ones'. Could be similar to those I heard other folk talk about in the tavern. I think the captain of the guard had one locked away in the town dungeon." Idriss thinks about the 'book room. What could be up there. Books, more scrolls, bread recipe leaflets?

Can we get a description of the tower. How high, wide, windows single door, fire escape, thinking that we don't necessarily have to get in through the door, why not by pass it and scale the wall?

[Rusty Tincanne]

Or maybe they've got a cellar we could sneak into...