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

[Alethan]

Rhybek

Rhybek thanks Neegan for his healing powers. "Yeah, that just about sorted it all out there, brother."

To Ablesforth, he says, "I'm not sure how many are left. 3 floors total including the ground floor? If so, then just 20, as we cleared out most of one floor today. Now... we could wait for more to come out when they get low on food, but we're not quite set up for a siege..."

Then he turns his attention back to the kobold, giving him some more food to put him at ease.

[in kobold]

"So three floors an then Rrowlin's floors? What about back doors or cellars? Any way in aside from that front door? And what about these forest-ones? They the gray-skinned creatures we heard about? What do you know of them?"

[Marullus]

Despite the lackluster truthtellings to Eruanna, Ablesforth's healing magic aids the injured dwarves, though Neegan's puncture through his clavicle still requires some mending.

When asked about the grey-skinned humanoids, the kobold shakes his head. Instead, he begins on a schizophrenic rant about talons, teeth, fur, feathers, wings, scales, dread eyes, chicken heads, and more. He may still be inebriated, but Rhybek can make little sense as to what kind of creatures there forest ones are.

The kobold greedily eats the newly proffered food. When Rhybek extends his questioning to the weaknesses of the Kobold's defense, he simply shrugs, chewing anew.

Date: 7:20pm, 13 June 2021
Light: Sun
Distance travelled: ~9 miles today
Injuries: Neegan (minor injury)

Rhybek CHA [4d6] = 17

Descriptions already provided:

Finally, you see an ancient stone tower, thousands of years old - of age with the earlier foundations - and in disrepair, tumble-down stonework dispelling any intimidation it might provide. Most of the roof remains intact, repaired within the past few decades at least, and smoke rises from the chimney into the gloomy, overcast sky.

Date: 1:15pm, 13 June 2021

The size and activity level of the tower imply there are considerably more reinforcements within. The forest wraps around the tower's land, but on the far side - the massive wood is about 300' beyond the tower to north, northwest, northeast, and east -- a place you might consider fleeing to but much too far to back up to for safety.

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

[Alethan]

OOC: Options...
1. "most of roof intact" means that some of it isn't. A good thief could climb up the tower, gain entrance through the roof, secure a rope, we take out the leader types, Bob's your uncle, and the rest of the dogs go running.

2. Check outbuildings for any signs of additional entrances.

3. storm the castle via the front door and see what we can see!

[Zhym]

Speaking on behalf of the thief:

1. Makes sense, but the trick is doing it without the occupants of the tower noticing. Fingers could probably climb the wall, but all it takes is one kobold on the roof to knock him back down. Or worse.

2. Checking outbuildings might also draw some more kobolds out of the tower, letting us fight them on more equal terms.

3. Storming the front door wouldn't be Fingers's first choice. Or second.

[Alethan]

2. Checking outbuildings might also draw some more kobolds out of the tower, letting us fight them on more equal terms.

Rhybek is good with 2.

[Rusty Tincanne]

If these wee-beasties are out and about at night, we're probably better off farther away. Why not hunker down for the night, then head in in the morning?

[Zhym]

"Doesn't sound like the forest is too safe," says Fingers, holding Sprinkles and looking anxiously into the trees. "Maybe we should try one of those outbuildings now instead of waiting."

[Dram]

Neegan will volunteer to see if the one of the out buildings are safe. Fingers you to come with me to clear one buildings. Your trap finding skill would be of use.


Neegan good with option #2

[Rusty Tincanne]

Ablesforth reminds the group that, by Erruana's grace, he can see traps for a time, But I think she'll be wanting a confession or two.

[Marullus]

You have two hours until dark if you want to go back now. Spellcasters still need sleep before recovering spells. Let me know what you do and when, then I'll move forward. Before dark? During night? Wait til morning?

[Alethan]

Rhybek

Rhybek studies the kobold for a moment, then speaks. "We have a few hours of daylight left. We could move to one of the abandoned structures. It might offer us better protection against these... these furry, scaly, winged forest creatures. But we'd be more open to a sneaking attack by the kobolds."

"We could keep camp here - one or two people staying here to watch the prisoner, while the rest of us try and lure some kobolds out. The one difficulty with this plan could be that many kobolds come out to attack us, many more than what we can handle. It's how I would do it. And we'd have the additional challenge of our healers and users of magic without their powers."

He shrugs. "Maybe better to camp here by the stream, set up watches of two through the night, and then examine the out buildings in the morning."

[Zhym]

"If we get inside a building, only a few kobolds could attack us at once," responds Fingers. "Um, unless they just set the outbuilding on fire. That would be bad."

He blows his nose loudly into a piece of cloth. "I don't think they'll send everyone out. It'd leave the tower relatively undefended. They aren't sure what we're doing, either, or where we are. Probably."

[Rusty Tincanne]

Burnin'd be a bad way to go, and if we run, they'd be there to shoot us with enough arrows to make us look like one of them porkee-pines. I'm off the mind to stay here with a cold camp. If a forest beast comes, we can give it this feller. If this feller's pals come loping along, we do the same.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Just to clarify. Ablesforth has a really bad feeling about setting up camp in a dilapidated outbuilding next to a tower full of hungry kobolds. He has a better feeling about extinguishing the campfire and staying a short distance away from where we are. If the others want to go to one of the outbuildings, he is unlikely to join you.

[Zhym]

Okay. We'll wait until morning then explore outbuildings.

[Marullus]

The group sets their watches, considering extinguishing their campfire and giving up the warmth at the risk of having an unrestful night. In the end, they chose comfort and warmth. The night passes uneventfully, the sun rising low and early, as it tends to in this far northern clime, brightening the horizon at almost 4:00am. The group finally has enough rest and begins to rouse for their day when it is almost 6:00am.

Fingers rises and stumbles to the edge of the campsite to relieve himself, Sprinkles padding along beside him. Suddenly Sprinkles stops, growling then barking loudly at the bushes just opposite the place Fingers chose for his business. A creature squeals and flaps up into the air at the barking - it has vivid red skin and a body and face like a skink's, but with the overly-large, flighty eyes of a squirrel. It has clawed feet, a pair of feathery wings, and spines on its back. It is a little under two feet long with twice that in wingspan. It screeches and flaps, scared away by Sprinkles, and disappears northeastward towards the forest.


Date: 5:51am, 14 June 2021
Light: Sun
Distance travelled: None today
Injuries: Neegan (minor injury)

[Zhym]

Fingers finishes his business. "Hey guys," he says, pulling his trousers up and turning around. In that order. "I just saw the weirdest thing. It was a...well, I dunno what it was. A red spiny bird-squirrel?"

[Alethan]

Rhybek Baerdrum

Rhybek raises an eyebrow and makes a face of concern, "While lookin' in yer trousers, man???"








I assume you were setting it up for that...

[Zhym]

Fingers makes a snort of a laugh. "If I were describing what's in my trousers, I'd"—he glances at Able again and slouches.

"Nevermind."

[Dram]

Neegan- Rouses still half asleep. What flew outta your trousers!!