Expedition: Baxtaw - Seeking Scatha's Lair - 23 July 2021

[Jernau35]

Shall we go back to the clothing room? Or just keep going with theses two goombas in tow until we find somewhere suitable?

[Zhym]

Let's interrogate them—nicely—here. It'll be easier than trying to drag them around with us.

[Jernau35]

Piers tries his nice guy approach with their prisoners."Listen closely you two. We're not here to kill you. We're not here to kill any goblins. If you leave us alone, we'll leave you alone. We're looking for the dragon".

"We know that there's a secret way here to get to the dragon. If you show us where it is, and how to get to him, we'll let you go. And, we'll give you lots of money too." He holds up a pouch of electrum pieces and jingles it.

"Do we have a deal? You take us to the dragon and you get rich. Does that sound good?"

[Marullus]

The pair of goblins looks at you, dubious and uncertain, as you crouch at the base of the portcullis by Dorbeck's flaccid corpse, his shield lying in a puddle of blood, his axe propping up the portcullis bars.

Piers makes an offer in their language, shaking the pouch of electrum coins.

The first seems ready to agree. "Yes, yes! Galbix says yes. We take you the back way to the dragon, and you face it! You cut us free." the second, who is introduced by the first as Hunbrlex, raises an eyebrow. "Coins first. And we don't go down with you. We not stupid. You get what you want an' us too. You get secret way, we live with coins."


Date: 3:10pm, 26 July 2021
Light: Bremen's Torch (3:20pm)
Effects: None.
Injuries: Dorbeck (Dead), Baxtaw (Moderately Wounded), Bremen (minor wounds), Stantz (minor wound), Clouson (minor wound), Baxtaw (minor wound), Lug (superficial wound)

[Rusty Tincanne]

Bremen stands guard up the hallway towards where the dead goblins are, crossbow at hand.

[Zhym]

Lug shrugs and waits for Bremen to make the call.

[Jernau35]

Piers steps a little closer to Hunbrlex, takes the symbol of Baudh from around his own neck, and holds it up in front of the goblin. "This, Hunbrlex, is the sign of my god, Baudh. He is the source of justice, of law, of honor. These words may not mean anything to you. But they do to me. These are words that guide my life and my actions. I've given you my word that you will not be harmed, and you will be released. If you keep your part of this deal, then I will certainly keep mine."

"You may have the money now. But we'll let you go when we know it's safe to so. Otherwise, what is to stop you running off and coming back with more of your friends?" Piers gives the goblin a dry smile. "I think you're getting a good deal Hunbrlex. We could have just killed you a few minutes ago when you attacked us."

Piers turns to the others and translates the gist of the conversation so far.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Another missed update before my post!

Bremen reminds asks Piers to add a few things. One. They've murdered one of us. Two. They are already tied up and don't get to make demands. They stay tied up until we are out of their thrice-damned caves. Three. We have a spare, so one peep out of them... One move that we think looks suspicious... He dies and I get my rope back. Four. Either they start leading or we just kill them now. And tell them if they do good, we'll leave them Dorbeck's food, too.

Bremen asks Father Clauson to gather up Dorbek's valuables. He looks at Dorbek's shield as Clauson hefts it. Hey. That shield looks really nice. Probably an heirloom, knowing the dwarfs, but anyone need one until we can get it back to Idmi d'dum?

That is Thundred's old shield, which Clay had for a bit. So... metagaming spoiler alert: It is +1 (-2AC total). Stantz and Lug are the front line fighters right now.

[Zhym]

"Maybe you shouldn't be in on quesitoning the gobbos," a grinning Lug tells Bremen. "You make 'em crap their pants. So do I. We like it that way."

"We can always kill 'em later if they try to get cute, but let's let Piers play nicey nice for now, 'kay?"

Lug uses a big damn two-handed sword, But his only weapon that's even close to being magical is Rhybek's axe (+1 v. winged & flying) . . . which, now that I think about it, I'm not even sure if Lug can wield one-handed. So Lug may not be able to use the shield either way.

[Rusty Tincanne]

+1 vs winged and flying... That could be handy against a dragon.

Bremen acknowledges Lug's point. He backs away from Piers again, resuming his vigil of the hallway.

[Dram]

Baxtaw stays back and lets Piers question the prisoners. His bow in hand pointed in the direction of the last goblin attack. Give them half the coin now and half when they show the door way.

[Marullus]

Lug's magical handaxe is meant for throwing - it is one-handed.
Corrected: Lug has Rhybek's magical battleaxe. It is two-handed, 1d8.

Clauson strips Dorbeck's corpse of its chainmail armor and shield, leaving the impaled dwarf lying in the hallway in his undergarments. Dorbeck's battleaxe still props up the portcullis.

The party discusses how much to threaten or appease their goblin prisoner guides. Piers hands them the pouch of electrum, but leaves their hands bound behind their backs, holding the other end of the ropes. They lead up the hallway, followed by Piers who holds their leashes and Bremen who holds the torch, shortly arriving at the scattered corpses of their dead goblin companions, already looted by Bremen. One dwarven shortsword was given to Osana, six others lie on the floor. The goblins also still wear their chain armor, and there's a few goblin-made bows left behind as well. The goblins look down at their companions as they pass, but say nothing.

After the corpses, the party comes upon an intersection in the grand hallway. An archway on the left side opens into a dark chamber, the floor littered with bits of leather armor and the trash of goblin living. An archway on the right side opens into a tall chamber with an arched ceiling like the one below, this one also dark. By Bremen's torchlight, you see the dim outline of a small dwarf-sized building within the larger chamber.

The goblins glance into the darkened archways, but silently continue up, leading further along the hallway, waving you forward urgently.

(Bremen, subtract another torch)

Date: 3:30pm, 26 July 2021
Light: Bremen's Torch (4:20pm)
Effects: None.
Injuries: Dorbeck (Dead), Baxtaw (Moderately Wounded), Bremen (minor wounds), Stantz (minor wound), Clouson (minor wound), Baxtaw (minor wound), Lug (superficial wound)

[Rusty Tincanne]

torch deducted. He's has 3 left after this one.
Bremen whispers to Piers, asking him to find out what the building is.

[Jernau35]

Piers addresses Galbix, who seems more cooperative. "Galbix, what is that building in there? Are there any goblins in there?"

[Marullus]

"Cracked old leather," replies Galbix absently, "dwarven stitchers. Shhh. Up this way."

[Zhym]

Lug follows along, looking as innocuous as a huge man-giant with a big damn sword possibly can, but ready to skewer the little runty goblin if it leads them into a trap or ambush.

[Marullus]

Continuing on?

[Rusty Tincanne]

Is he saying they have dwarf prisoners? Let's set'em free. I know where they can get some armor bow and swords.

Ask him.

[Marullus]

The goblins snicker. They think Bremen is funny. And Dumb. "Dwarves all dead. Long time. Scatha can't resist the scent of their blood."

[Dram]

Baxtaw- Ask them if there is any danger in there? It may be a good place to rest and get our spells back once we find this secret door.