Rescue Mission (Part 3)

Log Info

• Title: Rescue Mission, part 3
• Emitter: Cryosanthia
• Characters: Dax, Aryia, Culix, Landau, Karasu, Jinks
• Place: The forests of Alexandros
• Time: Sunday, July 18, 2021, 2:03 PM
• Summary: The rescue party is on the trail of the adventurers, but first they trip a few of the kobolds' defensive traps on the way out. Once free of that, they track through the woods. This goes badly, and they decide it would be best to camp overnight than arrive at their destination in the dark. The night passes uneventfully, they follow the previous adventurers to a military encampment, for kobolds. A plentiful number, if not very well trained. There is a suspicious tent, which Culix investigates while the others watch. Nothing is found inside, there are no signs the adventurers entered the camp, although tracks suggest they were spying from the same position as the rescue party. Unexpectedly, the Swiftclaw rider appears, and alerts the Kobolds to the adventurer's presence. Chase is given, with Dax dragging their kobold guide, Jinks, and then Landau to safety, while Aryia, Culix and Karasu making their escape on their own. The kobolds abandon pursuit, but they have been spotted, the rider might pursue.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  Appearing, in Order  =-=-=-=-=-=-=
Dax          5'0"     110 Lb     Human             Female    A 5' tall red haired human with piercings and tats.
Aryia        4'8"     110 Lb     Shadow Elf        Female    A heavily scarred mul with a tired look about her.
Culix        3'2"     36 Lb      Goblin            Female    Beady-eyed goblin female in leathers and hood.
Karasu       5'9"     125 Lb     Human             Male      Clearly a man of Xian decent with dark hair and eyes.
Landau       5'9"     140 Lb     Human             Male      A Cerenzan with a quarterstaff, wide-brimmed hat.
Jinks        3'4"     39 Lb      Gnome             Male      A gnomish fellow in fancy garb and jewelry.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  NPCs of Note  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Loci                             Kobold            Female    A competent road guard leader
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  As the GM  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Cryosanthia  6'9"     291 Lb     Sith-Makar        Female    A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

The Kobold leadership, a redscale, a greenscale and a bluescale, have given the adventurers a plethora of information and escorted them to the edge of their exile camp.

Seyardu's appeal for aid seemed well received, and they were preparing to accompany the group. Until Loci arrived, with Jinks in tow. The gnome had been suspiciously swimming in their river and not drowning fast enough. Gnomes, never drown fast enough. Also with her are some of the returning party, and additional reinforcements.

For whatever reason, this incensed Rekki, the redscale, requiring Gilla and Blubbs to calm her down. A task which may take a while, and they thought best done in the camp. Which is a pity, as the three Kobold leaders have some impressive equipment which includes masterwork armour, unusual racial weapons and a truly ridiculously sized Thunderbelcher which each struggles to hold. There seems to be some argument over who gets that honour also.

In any case, the group can have Loci help them out if they so desire. She has a chain shirt and a spear, much less impressive, and it appears originally made for a goblin.

She, and the party at left on a game trail as the leadership heads back to camp. She points off into the forest, "That way. Traps too."

Culix is a little relieved that the rather trigger happy redscale is headed back to camp, though she does spare Jinks' still soggy form a glance, and a tilt of her head, before setting her eyes back ahead to the path. "'course there's more traps." she says then, keeping her beady eyes peeled less she accidentally step on one again.

Karasu - nominally the backup in question, has offered little in the way of introduction of himself, or conversation either. At least he has introduced himself. Enough to say his name and when he does the raven on his shoulder lets out a soft caw as if introducing itself as well.

Karasu however doesn't translate for the bird, and instead moves forward to see what he can of the path ahead. He doesn't place himself at the front of the group, but his dark eyes scan the foliage; clearly looking for the dangers they were warned of. He will follow whomever /is/ inclined to lead.

GAME: Culix rolls perception: (3)+8: 11
GAME: Karasu rolls perception: (4)+6: 10
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+10: (17)+10: 27
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+10: (2)+10: 12

Jinks seems entirely unapologetic for his role in destabilizing political relations with the local group of militant lizards... but at least he doesn't go out of his way to antagonize them further? His leather doublet is open and the silken shirt beneath has almost dried in the day's heat. His boots still squelch as he walks, though. "The missing adventurers weren't in the river near the bridge," he'll finally offer once they've left the bulk of the kobolds behind. He stops and manipulates the quiver loose of the belt on his hip, holding the arrows inside and upending the container to spill silty water, a few pebbles, and a tiny silver fish that flops on the path. This keeps him busy while the more adept hunt down traps.

GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d8+1: (8)+1: 9
GAME: Landau rolls perception: (6)+11: 17
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+10: (13)+10: 23

"This whole endeavour is nebulous. We were meant to ascertain the fate of the party before us, and possibly provide some scouting of..." The cerenan magic user drifts off with a shrug, possibly due to present company. And now there are traps for some reason, because of course there are. Landau gingerly uses his quarterstaff to test the earth before him as he continues to kvetch more to himself than anything, having had to report to the explorers guild about having made contact and understandably missed from information in the interim once he is escorted back. An incredibly uncomfortable situation being outnumbered more than usual by the kobolds to where the rest of the adventurers were being steered.

Eyes may be peeled, but not enough. As the group heads down the trail several traps are set off. Culix and Karasu seem to spring the same trap, a heavy log full of sharpened spikes that swings down across the path.

Exactly the kind that she tripped earlier, except this time the wire was spotted too late and she's battered by the beam. Karasu is able to avoid the effects.

Landau's efforts appear fruitful, until he hears a quiet 'tang' and feels a sting on his leg. Followed by a spreading numbness.

The Kobold 'guide' Loci, tags along behind the group, watching. Perhaps evaluating the effectiveness of the concealment. She also snaps up Jink's little fish and eats it.

GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d3: (1): 1

Culix setting off one trap was bad enough, setting off the same one- or at least the same type- again on the way back through is downright mortifying. However, her embarrassment is swiftly knocked out of her as the wooden beam catches her across the chest and sends her sprawling, undignified, on her backside in the scrub. Clutching her chest and curling up at the rather painful strike as she tries to remember how to inflate her lungs again. She gasps for breath, and drags herself to her feet. "Taara's Tits that hurt." she croaks horsley.

GAME: Karasu rolls heal: (13)+6: 19

"Some days Coyote laughs with you," mutters Jinks to himself after the log comes swinging and the gobber goes flying. Hanging back proved to be the correct call. The cursing would seem to indicate it's not dead, at least. "So now are these traps from the kobolds playing at peace--" he glances at their escort gulping down live fish-- "or another group? I missed the 'summit.'"

Karasu manages to deftly avoid the trap by stepping back at the faint sound that the trap makes, but the person beside him is not so lucky and goes down. The goblin is not the only one. Gently Karasu bends down, meeting the Cerenzan's eyes briefly. "I can treat this, I am certain that the traps are likely poisoned." With that as a bare explanation Karasu looks at the wound, picking a nearby plant and rubbing it none-to-gently over the affected area. "It will draw out the poison."

The raven on his shoulder gives a soft sound as he rises to his feet and he frowns at his companions. "We should go single-file. Lower the risk of being attacked by further traps."

"Theirs." Culix croaks Jinks' way as she tilts her head back towards the Kobold still somewhat following them. "Reckon you can show us where the rest of the traps are?" she wonders back of her, rubbing the ache away from her chest as she moves back into line with the other adventurers. "If anyone has a potion on 'em, I'll give you fifty gold for it." she adds then to the other adventurers with her as she plods along.

GAME: Aryia rolls reflex: (16)+9: 25

His sonorous diatribe cut short by the icing on the cake... namely being stuck in the leg by some primitive contraption hidden along the game trail, Landau nods solemnly in response to Karasu's words, and impromptu treatment after wincing of course,"Likely so." he agrees, flexing his fingers about the staff in his hands as the pressure over the open wound and the plant secretions meet.

Jinks grunts and looks again at the 'good' kobold. Some day he may be able to inspect one without narrowing his eyes suspiciously but it certainly won't be today. "Hold back," he tells Culix, waggling his fingers and clearing his throat as he walks over. He hums, stops, clears his throat, and sings a few bars before pushing his fingers through the air to find the threads of the Hymn. The ethereal threading plays across his hands like sparkling glitter before he lightly touches the gobber's arm.

Aryia waves a hand a Loci as they go along, her pointing along the path with a raised brow. Nodding along at any direction she receives, the shadow elf carefully places foot and hand where directed, avoiding any major issues.

Aryia waves a hand a Loci as they go along, her pointing along the path with a raised brow. Nodding along at any direction she receives, the shadow elf carefully places foot and hand where directed, avoiding any major issues.

"Ours. Yup." Loci the local guide says, staring back at Jinks, her face expressionless. "Thought wanted try them."

She leans to look around the gnome, then grins very widely at Culix, "other adventurers go past fine. Ok. I help."

She scurries up past everyone to the front of the line and then walks the trail, "Where I step."

She makes some big, exaggerated strides, as if mocking the gait of larger folks, her tail waving about side to side. Occasionally she's careful with it. "There. There. Another." Wires, rocks, strange branches are pointed out.

GAME: Jinks casts Cure Light Wounds. Caster Level: 3 DC: 15
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d8+3: (7)+3: 10
GAME: Jinks rolls Knowledge/Geography: (9)+7: 16
GAME: Jinks rolls Survival+2: (6)+0+2: 8
GAME: Aryia rolls survival+2: (7)+3+2: 12
GAME: Aryia rolls survival+2: (7)+3+2: 12
GAME: Jinks rolls Survival+2: (17)+0+2: 19
GAME: Culix rolls survival: (3)+0: 3
GAME: Culix rolls survival: (1)+0: 1 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Culix rolls stealth: (14)+14: 28
GAME: Aryia rolls stealth: (9)+10: 19
GAME: Karasu rolls survival: (4)+2: 6
GAME: Karasu rolls survival: (20)+2: 22
GAME: Karasu rolls stealth: (9)+7: 16

The Kobold leads the way. Traps are indicated. After roughly twenty minutes, she stops pointing them out, "Safe area ends." Safe holding a different meaning for her than others.

A little further down the path, there are some broken branches. Loci looks around, then points with her spear into the woods, "Leave path, I think."

At which point, it's up to the adventurers to find the trail.

GAME: Jinks rolls Stealth: (20)+11: 31

"I'm sure there's a ridgeline to follow around here... well, maybe 'sure' isn't the word. 51/49." Jinks levels a hand glittering with rings so his palm is towards the ground, tilting it left and right. "... certainly looks different without the mists." He smooths down his goatee in thought and then just shrugs; the wilds certainly aren't his bailiwick.

GAME: Landau rolls survival: (15)+5: 20
GAME: Landau rolls survival: (7)+5: 12
GAME: Landau rolls stealth: (10)+2: 12

Aryia is silent as they go along, her not mentioning much aside from a gestured suggestion. She did not know this place, and forests were... she wasn't used to them. But traveling through the dark was a nice change of pace. She thought they would get there during the night. But a nice nap before actually doing work was welcome.

GAME: Dax rolls survival: (12)+9: 21
GAME: Dax rolls survival: (11)+9: 20
GAME: Dax rolls stealth: (1)+2: 3 (EPIC FAIL)

Culix sighs a breath of relief as Jinks mends her possibly cracked rib from that blunder, and she follows along. "Look, footprints." she says at one point along the road, pointing out a divet in the path that could be just about anything, other than footprints. But she seems certain that's what it is. Thankfully, her suggestion is outnumbered by more experienced eyes, so she huffs, sticks her hands in her back pockets, and bends to reason following the others along. Likewise, she's more than happy to travel by the dark afforded by the forest canopy.

When it comes time to set up camp, she shrugs, "Oh, yeah, got myself a bedroll when I signed up with the guild. Aint had to use it yet." she says then, to anyone who'll listen, as she sets down her backpack and begins sifting through it for the odds and ends one needs to survive in the wilderness.

Karasu hardly says anything, which makes it so that he's not very helpful in directing the group along their path though he seems to know the direction well enough. Well enough to redirect those who might have led them astray otherwise. His steps through the forest are light and he hardly makes a sound save when he - often - is forced to lead Culix back to the group.

There's a bit of tracking to do? Dax has some eyes for that, she's been able to survive alone on islands, and other places for a time. Tracking animals and the sort, but she's sipping from her flask as she walks. "Wellllllll, there be a lady on top of some hill" she pauses her song a moment, "I ferget the name, maybe a mountain..." she sips again, the nods, "Wellll, there be a lady on top of a mountain, I say she's a mighty fine lady indeed! Then she rides a... " Mutter mutter, stumbling over some words, "An' that's when she lost her head, ohhhhh an' that's when she lost her heaaaaaaad!" Better than 99 mugs of ale down the hatch, for sure. Looking down though, squinting, letting her rotating light work if its dark, "That's tracks fer sure." She points and walks while drinking her way to follow the other adventurers.

"This I think was unwise." Landau's twopenny wisdom is spoken to the air as much as anything else, he is an old hand at travelling... at least apon trade routes, but a woodsman he is not and moves with as much unpracticed stealth as he can muster seeing as that is the unspoken consensus despite feeling silly doing so. Using his stick to fend off low hanging brush and branches (it pays after all to limit your interaction with unfamiliar environments) their care affects their travel speed and nightfall comes upon them sooner than they would wish, and when dusk begins affecting sight the magic user sighs and slows upon their path, "We should make preparations for finding a campsite." he says assuredly, brown eyes finding those adventurers who don't flit like ghosts through the undergrowth, "Spoor is markedly harder to find when the light is low."

Aryia is relieved once they find a spot to rest, though she is content with sleeping on the ground with her cloak pulled over her. She finds a spot away from Karasu on the opposite side of camp, her staying up a bit to keep an eye on things. She, of all of them here, was one of the better ones suited for pitch black night. Though eventually, she dozes off against a tree.

Culix scofs at Landau, "Sure, for you." she says to him absently. "I can see just fine." she adds after a moment. She rolls out her bedroll somewhere near Aryia, having noticed her avoiding the other adventurer, "Got beef with that guy or somethin?" she wonders of her, but leaves the Mul be as she goes to doze off, taking her own spot and trying to get comfy. She tosses and turns a lot- used to sleeping rough, but not where there are so many biting insects and animal noises. She does eventually manage to drift off though.

"Eat a berry found... on the ground..." Dax says, rocking back and forth sitting on a rock, "'ave a morning sitting around. Ohhhh hey yo heeyyy, then careful wit' yer lannnterns by the starry night." Squinting a bit, she shakes her head, "No, no, that fer sure ain't the words. Somethin' about explosion..." She sips some more of her flask, reaches up and scritches at her tightly braided, "Here's to a witchless night..." Tilting back her flask she drinks, tilting her head back, then she slides off her rock and crumples onto the ground. Where, she has her own completely unaware evening rest.

If Karasu notices that he's being avoided, he doesn't seem aware of it. He finds his own spot on the edge of the group away from the others to sit. It's is difficult to tell if the man sleeps or not, but certainly its as though his raven does not. At least one pair of black eyes is always open. Always watching. Karasu is a silent companion to the group.

A night in the woods.

It could go terribly, it doesn't. A fire is avoided, too likely to smoke and draw attention, leaving everyone to eat cold meals and find places to bed down.

Loci scavenges around and manages to kill a bird as well as pull up some roots. The Kobold is a messy eater, and largely keeps distant from the others. Although Dax might find her close at times, and her stash of alcohol lower than it should be. Finally she flops out under a bush.

The night passes uneventfully. There are noises, some concerning, but nothing comes crashing into the camp. Stars are barely visible through the canopy of leaves, only here an there might be a patch of exposed sky, enough to see a single bright point. Otherwise, it's dark. Very dark.

Then it lightens, and then morning comes. Birdsong rouses everyone and the Kobold is off hunting one with a hangover, and then dresses herself in her armour.

Everyone else gets ready, resumes tracking. It is even slower going and another day for their trail to go cold. There was no rain, at least, and as the sun has risen enough to make the light sensitive squint the trail ends at a clearing.

To the north, there is the ridgeline, turned into cliffs that border a lake. There is an area cleared of trees and fashioned into some sort of training ground. There are practice dummies, targets, and a few places with cover.

There are also, roughly fifty Kobolds being very slow to wake up.

The night was filled with snoring for Dax, and some alcohol theft she was unaware of, nor will be aware of even upon rising. She doesn't remember how much she drinks, just that she's rather low and needs to save it for a big battle or the like. Liquid courage, after all, and so her flask gets stored. She eats mostly jerky and it takes her a long while to let her head pounding to die down. Once it does, they've come upon a kobold camp and she whispers, somewhat loudly to those nearby, "Well, I think we found the kobold camp." She nods her head, astute as always.

The shadow elf awakens and nibbles on some dried food as they go along, the morning sun a bit annoying to her, but no where near as much for the kobold leading them. Once they get there, Aryia squints at the clearing across the way. She asks with a few gestures, knowing some would understand her, "So what is the plan?" <Handspeech>

After waking, excusing herself to water the flowers and digging some jerky from her backpack to munch on for her breakfast, Culix packs up her bedroll and gets back to the trail with the rest of the squad. Her attempts at tracking are no better this day than the first, but as they finally draw near to the camp, she hunches low and creeps along to get a closer view of the place. "tch. Don't fancy waking all them up for a scrap." she hisses over her shoulder at the other adventurers. Her eyes go to the tent off a ways, "Wonder what's in there though. Could be more lizard folk, could be something else. Reckon it's worth figuring out, either way."

Karasu stares at the forces arrayed before them and shakes his head. Facing /that/ head-on would certainly spell the end for them. He starts to move his hands but then abates and murmurs instead. "It might be best to retreat and inform those who gave us this mission that a larger, more aptly equipped force is needed." His tone is dry and suggests that he is not pleased with what has been found.

Jinks groans and winces when the sounds of the camp coming alive rouse him. He's slow to get moving this early and offers no shortage of swears trying to stretch a night sleeping against a tree trunk away before sliding back into his coat and harness. By the time they're moving the gnome's stomach is complaining audibly about the lack of foresight vis-a-vis a possible overnight stay and meals what might be missed. "I feel like we've met our contract locating this place," he responds after watching Aryia speak with her hands and listening to the rest. "We make note of the location and return to the city to inform the interested parties. Then we're paid." His tone has that easy-peasy ring to it and he nods when Karasu voices similar sentiment.

"If you feel like you've already led a full life you could always scout the tent and see if the missing adventurers are being held within." The gnome adds after waiting a moment for his stomach to stop grumbling.

The Kobolds seem unaware. From what can be seen, they have the same garter-snake patterns as Loci does. Their equipment is much worse, slings and spears that are little more than sharpened sticks with the end charred in a fire. They have leather harnesses.

Four appear a little better equipped, and also in charge. A leader and a second, which Loci confirms, pointing out two, "Priests. Heal, and the Hard ones."

Getting closer would require more sneaking.

Squinting a bit, Dax opens her mouth, then shuts it, then opens it again and speaks, "If I'member correctly, weren't we 'spose ta figure out what happened ta the folks 'fore us? Now, I see a lotta lil' folks but I ain't seen none fit the description of an adventurer." She shrugs a bit, though, squinting still as she looks out over the camp.

Having the usage of a simple bedroll Landau did not become diverted by watches or meals, simple pocket jerky being devoured before becoming diverted by prayer and the study of a simple leather bound tome its cover bare of label or embossment. Lucky indeed that there was no interesting developments during the night whereupon he slept the sleep of the dead.

Travel next day is lacking even the few words that he usually utters, the armor he hides beneath the travelling clothes making barely a sound after its donning that morning. When they finally come across the encampment the magi-user frowns, and turns his attention to Karasu and Jinks as they speak in turn seemingly speaking with one voice, and then to Loci,"This is beyond us for the time being. It is a military encampment rather than a skirmish level engagement. The fate of that former adventuring party..." he drifts off, his shoulders shrugging helplessly,"My woodscraft is not good enough to say if they made their way directly here."

GAME: Dax rolls survival: (1)+9: 10 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Aryia rolls perception: (19)+12: 31
GAME: Dax rolls stealth: (9)+2: 11

While looking for tracks, Dax kind of steps out trying to follow some of them, "I think there be... oh... wait, nope." And she then moves back into the cover of the nearby area. She just wandered out and then back in before shaking her head, "Nope, they stop, no one can find these folks. Probably stolen into the depths, never ta be seen from again." Her eyes get big for a moment as she shakes her head slowly, and solemnly, "Poor souls, ripped apart by witchcraft, I'd wager."

Aryia holds a finger up, her squinting heavily at where they came from. She looks down at her feet, brows raising. As she's pressed against the ridge, she crawls off to the side and gets up to a kneel. She snaps her fingers to the group. "Look, look. They came to this spot. Then spread out. Didn't look like they left. No kobolds came up here. They may be down there, or hiding in the woods nearby." <Handspeech>

Culix points a finger Dax's way and nods her head, "Right. Don't reckon we'll get paid if we just tell 'em we lost track an' saw some kobolds. Could be the kobolds got 'em. Could be something else did." she says and then shrugs her shoulders. "I reckon I could steal in and back out of the tent without bein noticed, but I wouldn't mind knowing theres folks'll get my back if I find trouble there." she says then. "If you're willing to wait here, and back me up if I come running, then I'll check it out. Else I'll leave it to you to explain to the client why we give up the goose so easy."

She turns to watch Aryia's handspeech, squinting in concentration and picking up the odd gesture, "Here, down there, woods..." she manages to gather. And then peers back towards the camp. "I reckon I ought to take a peek in the tent. 'sides, they might have something valuable in there."

Karasu holds his fingers to his lips, trying to get the party to be a little quieter with the Kobolds being a little more active thanks to Dax. He motions to Culix, and gives a thumbs-up, indicating silently that he approved of the plan suggested by her. Then he gets a dark look in his eyes and motions for Culix to come closer. "I can reduce your size, making you much harder to see. If you get into trouble, I will release the spell and you will return to your natural state."

Jinks pulls a little dagger from under his coat at the small of his back and draws the tip carefully along the flap of a pouch to break a wax seal. He stows the weapon and starts fingering between a handful of tightly-spooled scrolls within. He issues a heavy sigh but finally finds the object of his search and shoves a single scroll into the sleeve of his doublet. "I'll go so far as the woodpile with you. I can distract a handful of pea-brained lizards in a pinch but I'm not spilling my insides out to make sure you get away safe."

The camp Kobolds are looking at the treeline, and clearly squinting from the light. They seem complacent, until their leaders hiss and bark at them, at which point they swiftly armour up.

Not that putting a shoulder strap on and picking up a spear takes much time.

After which they mill about, getting into formation. Two distinct troops, with the 'Hard' warriors inspecting them. Their seconds, the identified healers, wander about a bit more.

At the suggestion from Culix, her face becomes flooded with worry. But, it was one of the best ways of figuring out what to do next, and she knew it was how Culix felt useful to people. She holds up a finger, her reaching behind her back and into her shirt. They fidget with something, before the sound of leather unraveling comes from her sleeves. From each sleeve, she pulls out two long pieces of weathered leather, inscribed with magic sigils.

She holds them out towards Culix with one hand, and puts her other one on the goblin's shoulder. She stares at them, hard. And squeezes her shoulder. "St- s-f-," she whispers.

Culix offers a grin at Aryia, "Aww, aint you sweet? But don't you worry. I reckon the private guards the nobles hire are a might sharper'n this lot. 'sides- look at 'em. They're sunblind." she says, pointing out as they squint. She wraps the cords around her upper arms and then rolls her shoulders, feeling the weight of her- honestly already pretty light- equipment lighten more. She pulls the hood of her cloak up, wraps it about her, and then she creeps alongside the edge of the encampment, moving as far off to the side, near the woodpile, and away from the troops, as she can before she approaches.

GAME: Culix rolls stealth+11: (13)+14+11: 38
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (10)+5: 15
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8+8: (8)+8+8: 24
GAME: Jinks rolls Stealth: (1)+11: 12 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Jinks rolls Stealth: (15)+11: 26
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (6)+5: 11

Dax stays back at this point, imagining what terrible things have happened to the prior adventurers. Though before the small ones depart she offers, "If ya need help, jus' shout, and I'll make a ruckus. I figure I can survive a bit longer'n you and yours out there. That'd be a distraction worthy to get attention." Then she lets them wander off, all sneaky like.

GAME: Culix rolls perception: (6)+8: 14

Jinks doesn't have a cloak but at least his adventuring outfit has far-less sparkly jewelry. He reaches behind his back and steadies the lower tip of his shortbow before skulking off after... well, the lazy wind that smells very vaguely of passing gobber. Who knows where Culix actually is? He makes it as far as the woodpile and then hunkers down, pulling the scroll from his sleeve and eyeing the assembled murder of kobolds.

Karasu moves a bit away from the space that the kobolds continue to look at. He suspects that the group has been spotted and doesn't wish to be caught. With that done he watches the pair disappear into the kobold camp, and hides himself as best he can to watch the movements of the kobold military.

Aryia moves a bit out of the way as well, though she fidgets with her shoelaces, her metal cestus, twiddles her thumbs while laying against the ridge. Occasional glances over are stolen to the kobold base, her looking clearly worried about her gobbo friend.

The camp is unaware of the infiltration, as the gnome watches from the woodpile and the tiny goblin explores the tent. She can easily walk under the lowest bunk-beds, although it is not quite the land of giants experience it would be if these barracks were for regular sized humanoids.

The Kobolds are getting ready for something. Their leaders seem more anxious and keep glancing towards the cliffs. One set of kobold troops approach the practice dummies, spread out amongst them and start stabbing.

The second set moves away from the adventurers in the woods, lining up on the targets that are between them. It presents a conundrum. If they're any good, the party isn't in any danger. They should be well outside of sling range, and most of the shots should hit the targets and stop.

Nearby trees show the scars of errant sling-bullets, suggests they are not great marksmen. Marks-lizards. Slingers. The pre-emptive relocation of Aryia and Karasu seems proven.

Culix disappears into the brush, creeping alongside the camp for a while, before breaking from it and creeping her way along the camp. The ground is not entirely even, which is perfect, as she keeps to low points and keeps distant from the soldiers going through their morning inspections. She draws near to one of their apparent leaders, relatively speaking, laying low against the ground for several long moments until the kobold turns its attention away and she darts past him, disappearing into the tent.

Several tense minutes later, she emerges again, and begins to make her return journey through the camp and back towards the adventurers hopefully still waiting for her at its outskirts.

GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (16)+5: 21
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (12)+5: 17
GAME: Jinks rolls Stealth: (14)+11: 25
GAME: Karasu rolls sense motive: (13)+7: 20
GAME: Aryia rolls sense motive: (12)+10: 22
GAME: Culix rolls stealth+13: (16)+14+13: 43

The kobolds are clearly just milling about, at least from Dax's idle looks into the camp. She stands up, walks further back into the trees, then comes back to the gathering. Then settles, then up again, stretching, then sitting. Then back to moving about, she doesn't walk to make herself more visible but she's certainly not able to just sit calmly and still. She looks at her orcish claws, then back to the kobolds then back to her weapons. She checks, and re-checks her bow, then looks up again. "Are they there yet? I mean, they've been gone a bit."

Culix makes her way back across the camp, slipping behind the back of the Kobold leader as they turn their back, and then making a straight line for the brush. While she passes, just incase Jinks can't see her, she pulls out her dagger and catches the light on it to reflect over towards the woodpile- hopefully he gets the message- and then continues for the treeline.

Once there, she creeps back towards the party's original position, emerging silently from the brush- pulling back her hood at the same time. "Nothin. Jus' sleepin spots for the Kobolds. Don't seem like our adventurers was ever here. Even if they did kill 'em and dump the bodies somewhere, I reckon they'd have kept ahold of their bits and pieces. Armor, trinkets, weapons- the like. I don't reckon our adventurers was ever in this camp, personally."

Noticing the heightened alertness of the Kobolds Landau follows Karasu's suit and withdraws further into the treeline, there is no payoff to remaining silhouetted against the overlook of the encampment and thus withdraws. When sequestered in a small blind, the magic user begins mentally flipping through all of the options available just in case the worst comes to pass,"If thats what your search suggests..." the cerenzan trails off meaningfully,"And I have no recourse to gaining further information myself I am afraid."

Jinks strolls back to rejoin the group as he slides the scroll back into his pouch. As soon as that's all secured he's retrieving his flask for another drink in an attempt to quiet his stomach. "I already checked one river for bodies," offers the gnome before anyone gets any ideas. He turns his head, one eyebrow quirked as he attempts to spot the rest of the group.

"Well, if that ain't a kick in the teeth. Maybe the fell'rs we be after are jus' somewhere else makin' camp? There were talks of that dragon, an' whatnot. A good look around maybe worth the effort." Dax comes to the conclusion that was talked about just before Culix left and shrugs her shoulders, "But I ain't none sure where the tracks lead, like they up an' disappeared. Maybe one of the pointy eared fancy folk be able ta discern better'n I." Aryia's previous comment having gone completely without notice by Dax, of course, since she doesn't speak in sign language.

Aryia sighs in relief as Culix comes back. She squints across the way and shakes her head. "Welcome back. I think they saw us maybe. But they ended up looking like they might have saw something else, but there's nothing. I think they're just really paranoid." <Handspeech>

Karasu silently takes note of the kobold's odd behavior, and as the rest of the group returns heads slightly deeper into the forest. It would bode ill for them to be noticed now. "We have few options but returning left to us." He offers quietly, as quietly as he can and still be heard. "They came through here but do not remain. We do not have more tracks to follow."

Commands are barked. The wooden dummies are attacked by spears. The target dummies are assailed by sling bullets. Which mostly miss. So the grass, the underbrush, the trees all bear the brunt of bullets whistling by and bouncing off things. Most fall short, even standing behind the targets the adventurers aren't at risk. The ones further back in the woods are completely safe.

"hiss" Loci says, staring north at the cliffs. She's been silent throughout most of this.

There's nothing there.

Until there is.

A swiftclaw appears, climbing right out of the notch in the cliff. It's carrying a rider, a Sith'Makar in heavy armour that has the greenish tinge of living steel. It's a darker, more verdant colour than the rider's scales, also green, as is the swiftclaw's, whose patterns run more towards yellow. On the breastplate is a purple rose.

No, a black rose.

All of the kobolds immediately tense up, the leaders more than their followers, in anticipation of some harsh criticism. Their worries are not unfounded.

The scaled knight points a lance at the woods, hissing loudly, "rainbow roar sizzle growl roar click"

Dax finds herself carrying an extra thirty pounds as Loci leaps onto her back and attaches herself to her pack. The garter-kobold hisses loudly in her ear, "chomp" <unknown>

GAME: Landau casts Burst of Radiance. Caster Level: 6 DC: 17
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+11: (11)+11: 22
GAME: Landau rolls 5d4: (10): 10
GAME: Landau rolls 1d4: (1): 1
GAME: Landau rolls Acrobatics: (9)+2: 11
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (18)+6: 24
GAME: Landau rolls 1d4: (4): 4

The others are suddenly worried, and scared, and oomph, there's a bit more weight on her back as well. Dax, stops, she turns and faces the oncoming knight and sort of waves her hands in the direction of the smaller folk still back here with her. "I'll take up the rear." Orcish claws at the ready, extra cushioning on her back, she waits …

"Elune." Landau states emphatically as the world narrows into a tunnel upon the entrance of the kobold rider, his well honed sense of self preservation means he isn't well caught off guard... or rather, he reacts quickly when he is in danger. A hand grasps at the holy symbol about he neck the magic user begin chanting a prayer swiftly having already mentally prepared this course of action earlier when he was in the blind. Before the rider can even move a solid burst of light explodes about the pair, the dark skinned man booking it before he can see the result of his handiwork... leaving the pair dazzled by the arcanery.

GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (5)+6: 11

The radiant burst dazzles the rider, and mount. They mill about on the edge of the cliff, almost slipping over the edge.

Several of the sling-Kobolds are caught in the burst. Already sunblind, it doesn't help, and they're a confused mess. Some load slings, others drop them and run for spears. A few stand, blinking in confusion.

"Go! Go! Go!" Loci is disappointed in her choice of mount. The Dax does not move.

Jinks made quite clear his stance on self-sacrifice for the greater good, so it should come as no surprise when the gnome pivots on his heel and heads for the treeline. He attempts to hop over low brush but ends up stumbling when he fails to clear the undergrowth and then rebounds off an evergreen's low branches when they fail to yield to his slight frame. He takes the blade from its scabbard on his hip while groping for a path through the trees with his other arm and tossing a glance back over his shoulder.

GAME: Aryia rolls acrobatics+2: (19)+11+2: 32
GAME: Karasu rolls acrobatics: (20)+7: 27
GAME: Culix rolls acrobatics: (17)+10: 27

Karasu is glad for the sudden burst of light, and in the wake of that burst makes great haste through the forest to get out of the area. He doesn't bother with stealth and subtlty at the moment. The kobolds are likely distracted by the light in any case, and he can't risk trying to sneak around in unfamiliar territory. Better to simply flee. Which he does, ducking and weaving through the underbrush as though its not even there.

They were called out. Aryia's face pales, her hopping to her feet and stumbling back as kobolds start to gather and the rider gives orders. She looks to Culix and nods at her. "Better get those back," she gestures quickly before straight up bolting back the way they came. Bushes and brush be dammed, as the shadow elf forgoes any pathing and leaps over anything in her way. Absolutely no way she was getting caught in the middle of no where with all those kobolds. Nope. Nope. Nope. <Handspeech>

GAME: Landau rolls Acrobatics: (15)+2: 17

"Shit, we're made. Run for it!" Culix hisses when the Rider and his mount appear. She drops into a low run, and then makes for the deeper woods without delay. She jumps clear over the struggling Jinks, and then she's away, ducking and dodging around low hanging branches and hopping over protruding roots, keeping her head down. Her cloak snags on a branch, and she yanks it off to leave it behind as she continues her flight.

GAME: Dax rolls strength: (7)+3: 10
GAME: Dax rolls cmb: (14)+9: 23

Waiting for everyone to clear, Culix is the last one, and so... Dax turns and starts to move. She sees Jinks still there, for a moment she looks on after the others and is just going to run past him. She's already got one passenger, then she stops, and grabs Jinx, hefting him up and onto her shoulder, "Yer heavy fer a loud mouth." Comments the shortish human woman as she starts to move towards the fleeing group. Last in line, towing along extra weight, at least she'll have good protections if she's shot at by arrows…

GAME: Aryia rolls acrobatics+2: (19)+11+2: 32
GAME: Karasu rolls acrobatics+2: (18)+7+2: 27

If there was one thing Aryia was good at, it was fleeing. She held no qualms about it, no guilt, and never second guessed herself as she did so. Small hills and valleys came, but they were lept over. Some boulders were in her path, but a leap, a kick of a tree, and a flip cleared her.

Like a bat out of hell, Aryia is putting some heavy distance between herself and certain death.

Karasu doesn't look back. Instead he focuses on the path ahead until it blurs before him. His world narrowing down to fitting his body between the branches. He can see Aryia ahead of him and mimics her movements. Jumps where she jumps, crouches where she crouches. It's a familiar rhythm the siren song of which leads him further and further from danger.

GAME: Culix rolls stealth: (11)+14: 25
GAME: Dax rolls athletics: (16)+10: 26

Culix continues running through the woods away from the approaching Kobolds, ducking another branch, she spies some thick brush and she near skids to a stop, turning off the relatively clear path to move through the brush, hoping that splitting away from her path will afford better protection from the coming small army of kobolds.

The redhead is definitely strong, but the weight of questionably dense small folk still puts a damper on her move. She starts to get a good trod going, one foot then the next, rocking back and forth, till she's kind of thumping the ground in a slowish run. A tree, she steps onto it and hops down the other side, some branches... gone from the whisking rapier in front of her, some underbrush... well, it's just torn as she runs. "Keep on goin'!" She calls ahead, to prevent any waiting around. Her poor human senses don't detect no one even paused... they just ran off without the stragglers.

GAME: Landau rolls Acrobatics: (3)+2: 5
GAME: Landau rolls Acrobatics: (2)+2: 4
GAME: Landau rolls Acrobatics: (15)+2: 17
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (16)+6: 22
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (7)+6: 13

Jinks is starting to make that choking-wheeze noise that small dogs with smushed-faces make. But being carried uncomfortably is better than being left to the mercies of the budding Cold-Blood Insurrection. He lifts the rapier and slashes down on a branch, pushing it back only to have it whip back and crack him in the face. "PTP! PTP! PTP!" he tries to spit out the leaves.

The underbrush is giving the kobolds difficulty. All the bushes are just the right size to hold them back. They struggle, beating at them with spears.

This enrages the rider, who roars and stomps towards them.

It has the unintended effect of making most of them cower on the spot, completely eliminating progress.

Loci meanwhile, holds onto Dax's ear.

GAME: Culix rolls stealth: (13)+14: 27

Despite his early lead after Dazzling the rider, it seems it wasn't quite enough as Landau scrambles to make his egress a far more permanent one, only to face an obstacle. A small earthen barrier, a barrier to safety... a real cliff hanger as the slender mage struggles to hold onto the lip of the edge, just tall enough to present a barrier to both mount and man.

GAME: Dax rolls athletics: (3)+10: 13
GAME: Dax rolls athletics: (10)+10: 20

The terribleness of the branch, hitting Jinx in the face, her ears being pulled on, Dax is having a problem. "Fer cryin' outloud, don't eat the leaves, what're you doin', ow, ya mangy lil' snouty person you, don't grab the earrings, it ain't like I don't have enough things ta grab onta." She says, to no one in particular, what with all her armor and spikes and things. She continues moving though, pushing through bushes, and acting like some parent with kids on each of her legs, still not quietly but definitely moving better than the kobolds behind her.

One foot in front of the other. Avoid roots. Take the jumps. Don't mess up. Aryia's footfalls are hard and fast, leaving a clear trail to those that wanted to track her. But she is quick, and fast. And her trail takes some across and through barriers that would make people second guess traversing.

Just get back to the main road, Aryia thinks to herself. Just get back to the main road. And all will be well.

Keeping low and to the Brush, Culix creeps away from the area, moving slower than the others- but leaving much less of a trail to follow, and taking an oblique route that separates her from her adventurer companions for the time being- two trails are more difficult to follow than one, after all, even if hers is rather more subtle. She slips off into the cover of the deeper forest, taking a circuitous route around to work her way eventually back towards the direction Aryia and the others were running.

GAME: Jinks casts Grease. Caster Level: 3 DC: 15
GAME: Dax rolls athletics: (18)+10: 28
GAME: Landau rolls acrobatics: (8)+2: 10
GAME: Landau rolls acrobatics: (7)+2: 9

Jinks spots the remaining tallman struggling to find handholds and navigate passage up and over the rise. He skips the over-dramatic flourish this time, concentrating instead on finding the breath to sing and conjure the spell. A flick of the wrist and Landau's clothing has taken on a nice sheen. Hopefully that helps; the gnome's kit is woefully inadequate in this circumstance.

Pausing a moment to see if Landau needs help, and hearing the weird sounds of witchcraft from close to one of her ears, Dax's eyes get a bit bigger. She takes in a deep breath and then starts heading further away. She charges through some bushes and past some trees. She settles Jinks on the ground and pries Loci off her back, then sets her on the ground. Taking in a big breath, she huffs it out and looks back, "Well, ferget me not, I thought that fella'd be right behind us..." She comments and then sighs, turning back, "Gonna need a drink afta this."

The pursuing Kobolds get their act together, and determine paths through the underbrush, and actually help each other through them. It's slower going, but they're still in pursuit.

Although quite far behind.

Dropped, Loci gives a startled look at Dax, then a snarl-sneer at Jinks. She only has to outrun one person here. The gnome! With a hiss, she dashes off.

Despite having arcane assistance, Landau is having genuine difficulty in descending the small cliff, his wrist being caught in a rock crevice his grasp having slipped with help.

GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (17)+6: 23

The kobolds finally reach where the party was spying on them. Pursuit continues!

GAME: Landau rolls acrobatics+4: (8)+2+4: 14
GAME: Dax rolls athletics: (20)+10: 30
GAME: Landau rolls acrobatics+6: (15)+2+6: 23

Running back, Dax sees Landau still struggling and jogs off in that direction. She moves over to him and he's trying to climb past something? Sure thing, "Alright, hold on!" She growls and just shoves, pushing as hard as she can up into the air, lifting, heaving, and ho-ing to aid the human with a small experiment in flight before soon following after him.

The party scatters into the woods. The Kobolds follow, but they're hampered by several things. Their small size, their desire to stick together, their interest in not being lost and eaten by forest creatures, a general fear of adventurers. They're afraid of the rider commanding them, but once they're out of their sight they become less committed to the chase.

Especially as it seems the adventurers have completely vanished.

After falling down a greased cliff, the Kobolds call it off. They aren't skilled at forest-craft either, and while everyone crashed their way to freedom for the most part, they don't make much attempt to track. Instead, they return and report.

Which might get the rider after them. All the better to split up and regroup later.

-End