Kobolds: The Lying Table

Log Info

• Title: Kobolds: The Lying Table
• Emitter: Cryosanthia
• Characters: Halani, Tawyse, Aryia, Seyardu
• Place: W03: Druid Grove
• Time: Sunday, May 15, 2022, 2:11 PM
• Summary: Barclaiigh arranges a meeting between the kobolds and interested adventurers in the Yggsdrassil grove, around a fallen menhir nicknamed 'The Lying Table'. Representing the Kobolds are the blue-scale of the trio, Blubs, the garter-snake patterned one from Sunkeh Hope, Loci, and the blackscale who has identified himself as 'The Will of Uskvutha' and claims to serve the dragon's interest. Also present is Endril, the leader of the party that had to be rescued, and was rescued by Aryia, Seyardu, Jinks and others. Some time has passed, some things have developed. The fourth member of Endril's party, Qio, remains a prisoner. The Witch-Queen has been creating undead kobolds, and the the voiuvre who was slain appears to be back in the sand castle. The kobolds share these details and the adventurers decide, a coordinated, concurrent attack will prevent the groups from reinforcing each other. If possible, the regular kobold soldiers are to be spared. The group splits up, preparing to castle and take Knight and Queen.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--<* W03: Druid Grove *>--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

The silence of the woods is only broken by its wildness. The clamour of squawk and the scratch of claw becomes almost hushed, only to erupt again and prove that this sacred place is at its heart, untamed. The great branches of Ygdrassil's Sapling rise from the center and then outwards. Its limbs hold every sort of wildlife, from the hooting owl to the forest leopard, and are broad enough to provide shade for Gilead's wild hounds. It would take more than a dozen giantborn to surround its base, with arms stretched broadly and limbs straining.

Here is Wild, with the roar of beast contrasted with the solitude of the forests. Surrounding the tree lies open ground composed of dirt and a mixture of wild grasses, rocks. Along one side of the grove is a place where the shamans and hunters craft bonfire and rest after an evening's gathering and gossip. A multitude of races may be seen here, though in particular those of the shamanic followings--many humans, sildanyari, oruch, and sith-makar among them. Shamans, however, are not the only number--hunters shelter here, or come here for gossip, ritual, and social exchanges. The Grove becomes a place at once both sacred and a community's heart.

Some of these hunters serve as silent, armed guards around the perimeter. Hedges composed of thorn and bramble add to the border's enforcement. Though Nature perseveres, it is also peaceful and wild, kind and savage, and those of the Green must from time to time stand their ground against the Blight and Unmakers.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  Appearing, in Order  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Halani       5'4"     120 Lb     Human/Xian        Female    Shortish, dusky skinned woman with almond shaped eyes.
Aryia        4'8"     110 Lb     Shadow Elf        Female    A heavily scarred mul with a resolved look about her.
Seyardu      5'6"     150 Lb     Sith-Makar        Female    A friendly silver sith-makar with a perpetual squint.
Tawyse       3'0"     33 Lb      Gnome             Female    An orange-haired Gnome in green leather armor.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  NPCs of Note  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Blubbers 'Blubs'                 Kobold            Male      A blue-scaled gunslinger 'hero' kobold.
Loci                             Kobold            Female    A garter-snake patterned Kobold from Sunken Hope.
The Will of Uskvutha             Kobold            Male      A black-scaled kobold that claims to serve a dragon.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

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

The Druid Grove, Yggsdrasil Union.

The druids, spearheaded by Barclaiigh, have arranged a meeting of the minds. Large and small, the bodies that come with them are arranged in a circle in a grove surrounding the 'Lying Stone'. The stone is so named because it was once a standing monolith used in a mid-autumn celebration, that fell over. It was decided that its unexpected choice would be honoured and it remained where it lay.

That it can now serve as a convenient, natural negotiating table where people aren't always speaking the whole truth, only perpetuated the nickname. There are a several smaller rocks and logs which serve as seats. Even the smallest can support the largest jotun without cracking or creaking. They are not easy to relocate.

Seated on one is a kobold in scalemail, with a helmet and spear. The armour seems to have been expertly refitted from some other small humanoid, likely a goblin based on the helmet's ear holes. The gear is well cared for and the Kobold's scale colours resemble a garter snake. She's known to a few adventurers as Loci.

Sitting beside her on a log, instead of a rock, is a blue scaled Kobold. He, for he is recognizeably male to those who can determine such things, has scale mail that seems custom crafted and fitted, down to a long nose piece and peak-scales that armour the top of his tail. He has a pair of dark tinted goggles, currently pushed up on the helmet, but often covering his eyes and giving him an owlish look. In addition, he has a gunbelt with two holsters sized for dragonspitters so large they're practially hanging to his ankles. Only one holster has a weapon, the other is empty. The dragonspitter is remarkably complex looking, and seems entirely artifice powered. The blue-scale is part of the self-identified triumverate of 'hero kobolds', called Blubs or Blubbers.

He is a little on the stocky, whiney side.

Translation spells, like Truespeech were provided.

Barclaiigh, the meeting arranged and the peace mission at the hot springs accomplished, returned to Alexandria with Shilde to spread the word, discretely, that some kobolds were looking for assistance. They also decided to sit out the meeting and the determination of what that assistance would look like.

"Hi, I'm Endril," One of the responding adventurers, a human and a fighter by his gear, starts off, introducing himself. "I'm the leader of the group that was captured by the Witch Queen's kobolds. Nanjusha, Aseaecrnoss, and Qiolveylraed are my companions and were captured also. Other members of the explorer's guild, with Loci's help there, rescued me, Ace and Jusha."

"They... don't want to see kobolds, right now, so I'm representing us." He sighs, sinking forward, "I'm not interested in Trygve's genocide, or getting involved in the kobold's civil war. My main goal is getting Qoi out, and... well. He was a bit on the shady side. I'm surprised he hasn't escaped already. Before we get to planning, maybe we can get some introductions. Some faces are new and some... are had to look at."

Ah, right, the kobolds, that was something else that was festering while other things were going on, like werewolves and new boats and catching up with one's sister and dealing with this stupid fu-

A mul'neissa woman is there, familiar to almost everyone at the table. She's changed a bit since their first dealings with all of this, from the simple clothes and uncertain look, to now decked in a battle tested verdant jacket and- wait, her hair is dyed a bright verdant green to match her jacket, and bobs about in curls.

She pushes it out of her face. She's clearly not happy about it.

Coupled with that, and being so far away from places she used to, she stands up after Endril gives his introduction and spiel. She didn't need any translation services, as she provides her own. For those that can't understand her, the gist of her motioning is understood. Hands flick, fingers twist and snap in a deluge of a soliloquy.

"I'm A-R-Y-I-A. Aryia."

Or, maybe not. She sits back down with a >thunk<. <Handspeech>

One of the others gathered is dressed in forest-green leather armor, and instead of a rock, the Gnome is settled upon a very large rhinoceros beetle. She glances about as people stand to talk, and listens intently to the adventurers plight.

Tawyse declines to introduce herself, content to listen for now.

"Um... hi!" The blue kobold hisses, his draconic comprehensible. He sounds uncertain, looks nervous, the way he doesn't look very long at anyone. He pulls his goggles down over his eyes, then a moment later pushes them back up on his helmet. His words are rushed and a little breathless. "I'm Blubbers, I'm friends with Rekki and Gilla. So, ah, Rekki told me, 'Blubs, you don't tell them this I'll break your tail', so.. uh... yes. Rekki wants to rush into the Cathedral, thunderbelchers blazing and blow the whole place up. She wants to... ah... things to the Witch Queen with Jenny that you just shouldn't do."

Blubs squirms nervously in place, "So, that's Rekki's plan. Her plans are... kinda..." The bluescale's voice trails off. He doesn't look at Tawyse at all. Nope. That bug is unforgettable.

Seyardu was seated down with everyone else, looking just slightly uneasy. That did not stop her from listening to what was shared. The cleric sighs and looks around at those present. "While a bold plan, it is one that would likely cause numerous losses and no guarantee of success given the outnumbered away from the lake. And any action such as that would breed resentment for years to come if we truly do want to bring those their back to our side."

Loci is looking at the ground, avoiding eye contact with both Endril and Blubbers. She speaks trade, the spells making her seem a bit more eloquent. The grass and the base of the Lying Stone seem to have completely grabbed her focus. "I'm Loci. Uskvutha's Deep, what you call Sunken Hope, that and the lake is my home. We always lived there and the Witch Queen was always in charge."

She hisses a long exhale, "She was... normal, until Blubs, Rekki and Gilla showed up with all their fancy inventions and stories about how we could be better if we followed their code. These guys, they're amazing. We live in underwater mud houses, and they were saying we could be a trading and manufacturing city, a big hub, they'd show us how. We didn't have to sacrifice to Thul anymore. We could be godless."

"The Witch-Queen was threatened, started increasing her power, since we all liked this idea. She said Uskvutha wouldn't want us abandoning her and her god, but Uskvutha... no one has seen her in generations."

Loci shrugs, "She was losing, until all these other kobold tribes, leftovers of tribes, showed up. Adventurers had been trying to kill them all, and they sided with her. One day it came to a crisis and most of us were driven out. I still have friends there, they said I picked the wrong side."

"A few still talk to me and tell me things." She claws at the ground. "Priestess Seyardu is correct. Except, no one is loyal to the Witch Queen. Really. They just think she'll win in the end and aren't used to doing things differently."

The way the scarred mul'neissa woman stares at the blue scaled kobold with an intense, shimmering gaze. Scrutinizing, then, approval? Though such agreement to busting in the front door was dashed away when Seyardu mentions that'd probably end in a lot of loss of life. Oh, right. We're trying to do this as clean as possible, not 'get it done', she reminds herself.

"So they need a display of the Witch Queen's power not working that well to waver their confidence in her." A neutral gesturing that isn't as thrill seeking as kicking in the front door guns blazing. <Handspeech>

"I'm for teleporting in, grabbing Qio, and teleporting out." Endril says, shifting in his seat and clanking in his armour. "Leave the kobolds to manage themselves. If I was the teleporter of our group, that's what I'd do, but that's Qiolveylraed's talent."

"Something similar, like get a companion braclet charm to him and yank him out that way, could work. Or if you can plane shift, or take others." He looks at Aryia and Seyardu, "You've gotten more powerful than us, it's really how you want to do it."

"So some Kobolds are fighting for the Witch Queen, and others are fighting against her?, the Gnome wonders, standing up on the beetle's back. "We'd be intervening in a civil war, of sorts? Is that.. the best idea? I mean, I'm no expert of history, but civil wars tend to be really messy, if the books I've read are at least somewhat truthful."

"But, well, sitting around means that things go far worse and it spreads. And popping in, grabbing Qiolveylraed, and popping out, while bringing your friend to safety, might aggravate the situation further. So maybe... maybe we go in and ask them all to sit down and work their stuff out? And in return for our negotiating assistance, they let Qio go."

"Yes, we do need to rescue Qio, of they wish to be rescued. But they may not, and it will cause further complications. I understand the desire to not have anything to do with their internal struggles, but resolving this is an equally important concern, at least to myself."

The cleric sighs. "If they can be convinced to not work with her, that is ideal. But we have not put a good limb to the front with how adventurers have treated them in the past, which has lead to this situation to begin with."

"They ate me." Endril stares at Tawyse. He's surprisingly free of scars. He gestures a guantlet at Loci and Blubbers, "These two had nothing to do with it, so I can be civilized, but I've no interest in their friends' lives, sparing or taking. Nanjusha and Ace, they're still shaken."

"Guys, guys," Blubs interrupts, showing palms to Endril and Tawyse. "Loci's friends, well, Loci can tell you about her friends, but they're not bad, they just do what they're told. The Witch Queen... she isn't going to negotiate."

"Loci?" the bluescale looks at the garter kobold.

She stares at the grass and the stone.

Aryia glances to the kobolds, the gnome that finally pipes up, and to Seyardu. "Qio must be bound there by something if they won't leave on their own volition so easily. Maybe wards similar to Alexandria that prevents teleporting." She mouths something after these gestures, probably some choice curse words of annoyance.

She does puff up a bit proudly at being noted they've surpassed the adventurers they were once saving. Though she doesn't get to hark about it much before she looks to Loci.

Frowning, she smacks the table to get her attention. "We're here to talk. Talk," she motions to the kobold, staring at them with that unsettling glowing gaze. <Handspeech>

Halani has been here the whole time. And not hidden, or anything like that. She was asked to be here by a certain black-eyed gnome dandy, though her exposure to the kobold crisis has been peripheral at best. Unsurprising that she was mostly left alone, aside from a few glances wondering why she is even here. An adventurer, but unaffiliated with Endril ahd his crew. Sitting at the base of a tree on the edge of the circle, she might have almost been sleeping. Now her eyes open and she wakes up, climbing to her feet and brushing the twigs and dirt off of her backside. "Sometimes.. sometimes talk makes it worse, yeah? Sometimes the king or queen or general or chief use 'negotiations' to show how right they are, twisting words and meanings and making their way even more right, yeah?" A pause. "Sometimes use peace talks as a way to trap, trick, feint."

The Gnome falls silent, though her expression begins to take on an annoyed tone. She gestures to the Monk, and nods. "She is quite correct. While there may be violence in the near future, regarding this matter, we're here to talk things out."

Tawyse eyes Halani while she speaks, and shrugs her shoulders at the end. "True, sometimes negotiations are used to further someone's schemes. But... are we honestly going to discuss slaughtering a whole bunch of Kobolds in order to rescue one person? Or to take away the Witch Queen's power? Even if that is what happens in the end, we should at least make the attempt to avoid casualties on a large scale. Haven't the lands suffered enough of such in recent history?"

The Gnome's eyes narrow at Halani, "Or are you suggesting we use the promise of negotiations as a ruse for such a trap or trick to get us close to Qio?"

"The Witch-Queen did something to Corr." Loci says quietly. "He's my friend. Was my friend. He would give me inside secrets. Then... he missed a meeting. The next time, he was different. All the colour was gone from his scales, and his eyes glowed, and he ... felt menacing."

"He told me he'd never fail her again, and that I should never see him again." Her hiss turns into a gurgle and the garter kobold goes silent again. "That it was the will of Uskvutha."

"Lies. I am the Will of Uskvutha." An ominous hiss comes from behind Aryia. A kobold steps out of her shadow, literally. Black-scaled, his patterns are matte, oily, shiny, all in black with some reflecting a sheen and others absorbing all light. His hide is tight on his head, looking like a living skull, his horns curving forward and down. He clasps a hand over his fist and bows to Halani, "Teacher."

Standing straight, his head turns to Aryia, "A show of force is always an option. Teacher is correct. Those holding the reins of power do not reliquish it lightly and must be made to do so."

He grins like a skull smiling, "Beat her face in and she might negotiate then." He nods at Tawyse's words, "Wise. What do you know of the forces against you?"

GAME: Aryia rolls knowledge/local: (8)+2: 10 (vs DC20)
GAME: Seyardu rolls knowledge/local: (18)+2: 20 (vs DC20)

Uskvutha is the black dragon that took over the lake a long time ago, and brought kobolds in to undermine the human town 'Bright Hope' so that it sunk into the lake. Then she hung around as ruler for a while and left, leaving the Witch-Queen in charge.

GAME: Seyardu rolls knowledge/religion: (17)+9: 26 (vs DC15)

"Like it or not, the city is at fault in some shape or form. And if I am being completely honest, I do not have the brightest views of the governing bodies in general." Seyardu states, shaking her head just slightly. "So if there is a way to do something right since they are so often incapable of doing the right thing, then I would wish to help. And whether or not the kobolds at sunken hope can be reformed or brought over, those who broke off deserve to live with safety and stability. That is why I would do what I can to help."

"I am sorry Loci, but your friend may have been affected by those in charge who are raising the dead to serve them. This is yet another reason they need to be dealt with. If they can be shown how they are taken advantage of by the witch and the knight from before, then perhaps they can realize that things can be better. If that requires eliminating the witch, then so be it. They were made to sink the town by a black dragon, but said dragon is gone now. If they return, is unknown."

And then there was another kobold there. Seyardu squints at them, then at Halani. "Well then. It seems that there is more to this. Speak openly and plainly."

Aryia all but whirls around as someone is much to close for her comfort, eyes wide as her hands sputter moonlight as fingers twitch. A beat to pause and take in the black scaled kobold, to calm. And... teacher?

She glances to Halani, perplexed.

"Who the fuck are you?" she asks hastily. "And don't do that shit again unless-" This is a talks, Aryia, cool it. Her fist curls, and she huffs out her nose. "Just don't do that."

She plops down into her seat, annoyed. <Handspeech>

"So it sounds like we dethrone the bitch to me," Aryia adds as an afterthought. <Handspeech>

"Perhaps you care to elaborate then?", Tawyse ask of the new, blackscale guest. "What do you know, then, of the forces against us?"

Halani doesn't respond initially to Tawyse or Seyardu, though she can't help grinning a little bit at Aryia's reaction. Instead she responds to the new kobold in kind, fist in hand, bowing her chin over it. When her head raises again, the grin is broad. "Heya, Willy! Knew I'd see you again, yeah?" Her pleasure is genuine, or at least it seems so. Then she looks at the others. "This little guy is.. well, he said. The Will of Uskvutha. Yeah, that's his name. Uksvutha's a dragon.. he works for her.." The words start tumbling out as if the islander feels a bit of urgency to get the information out in the open. "My friend Jinks had a conversation with him a couple months ago. He's here to... well, he can tell you that." Probably because he'd tell it much, much better. "But he can help, yeah?"

She lets out a breath then, huffing some of her hair aside before she reaches up and tucks it behind an ear. "Look, I wasn't saying what we should or shouldn't do.. just pointing out some things. I was.. you know.." Halani struggles for a bit, pushing the palm of her hand against the side of her head, before shrugging and holding her hand out, pointing her finger down and moving it in circles. "Stirring, yeah? Making sure nothing falls to the bottom? Big thing is knowing this Witch Queen as much as you can before deciding what you want to do." Another pause, then a shrug. "Don't think she's the negotiating kind, from the sounds of it.."

Loci makes a quiet trilling noise that cuts off. She remains staring at the ground, and silent. Blubs scoots along on his log and puts a hand on her shoulder. He clunks his head to her helmet and repeats the calming sound. "Corr was very brave."

The black-scaled kobold meanwhile, grins widely at Aryia, a smiling death's head. Tauntingly, he rejects her warning with, "I might. It would be educational. I enjoy the hard lessons."

His grin is turned towards Halani, his knuckles cracking as he makes a fist. "Ask teacher."

Somewhat more serious after this display, the blackscale answers the gnome. "Several tribes of kobolds live in Uskvutha's Deep. Only Loci's tribe are aquatic, the others live on platforms and use boats. They have been trained as coordinate squads, the area is heavily trapped."

"In the centre of Uskvutha's Deep, is the former church of Althea. It has been desecrated and devoted to Thul, and the Witch Queen is there. She never leaves. It is warded, the area suffers a constant rain, and she is surrounded by her hand picked forces."

The blackscale draws a rough layout on the Lying Stone, town, cathedral, and the lake. In the lake, he draws an island, makes it with a hat. "This is the Sand Castle. There is an ally of the Witch Queen there. The Knight you speak of." He gestures towards Seyardu.

Willy, as Halani calls him, answers one observation of hers but not the other. "The Witch-Queen will not suffer traitors to live. She will demand the heads of all the insurrectionists. Blubbers, his friends, Loci's, and enough garter kobolds to be convinced the threat is gone. That is how negotiating with her would go."

"It is what I would ask for, if I ruled."

GAME: Aryia rolls sense motive: (9)+22: 31
GAME: Seyardu rolls sense motive: (6)+19: 25

Truthful, and evil.

"I do not expect her to be the negotiating kind, yes." Seyardu nods. "I believe she, and the knight and not quite dragon will all need to be dealt with. either driven off or otherwise."

"Whether that is during or after the rescue of the mul'niessa or not remains to be seen."

"But, I will make myself clear. If we are helping the kobolds of sunken hope, it is not to replace one tyrant with another. That will not do. It is my hope that the kobolds outside of the city, and those within Alexandria will be able to coexist with time. And it is for that reason which I have come up with a proposition."

Aryia's brows knit as the black-scaled kobold calls her out. "Education for you, annoying for me, messy for everyone else," she cooly gestures before crossing her arms to watch as Willy draws a map out for everyone.

She glances about it, pulling out her journal and copying it down as best she can.

A glance back to the information sharing kobold. She tilts her head to the side. Then gives a slow nod. "You're fucked up. I like that. Thanks for the insight." She seems unphased by the underlying morals of the black-scaled kobold. In fact, she looks rather grateful to have a realistic viewpoint added to this. One that she subscribes to but doesn't share often.

She glances to Seyardu. "I agree with the silverscale. No tyrant swapping. But uh.." she trails off, confused and curious at what Seyardu wishes to propose. <Handspeech>

Halani returns the Will of Uskvutha's grin, then rubs at the side of her face for a reason, while not apparent, that probably has to do with her last meeting with him. Then with conversation turning ahead she settles back again, folding back to the ground and leaning against the tree, not looking at the table directly, but her eyes remain open, her attention still on the assembly of mismatched representatives. "Jinks would want as few people hurt as possible," she supplies, remembering the whole reason she is here. "If there's a vote or something, yeah? But he's also convinced the Queen's gotta go. And if it means putting another 'tyrant' in place.. well, not all tyrants are bad. I mean.. some peoples still have kings and queens and stuff, yeah?"

"They're not bad!" Loci warbles, loud and sudden. "They're scared and they don't know what to do, and there's all these new strange kobolds that want to kill humans, and it's our home! When we wouldn't do what she wanted she found ways to make us. They'll fight because they have to, because they're being watched, but they aren't... they aren't 'True Believers'."

"Most of them aren't." She murmurs.

The bluescale continues to trill at the garter-kobold, "We'll save them. They'll save them."

"Well, now I feel like shit." Endril adds, shaking his head and looking at the silverscale, "what do you propose? I'm not sure a handful of adventurers are going to cut it."

"You have more." The blackscale hisses, closing his mouth and hiding his teeth. "The Will of Uskvutha, and four Hero Kobolds, and what they bring. What do you bring, Blubbers?"

The blue-scale looks over at the other kobold, timid in his body movements. His voice is less shakey when he answers, "Guns. Trained troops. All the exiles, we've drilled them in squad combat, and safe take-downs. No killing, that's the code. Even Rekki follows it, sometimes she forgets but she made the vow too."

The black-scale nods at this information. He's facing away from Aryia, his arms folded, but the mul'niessa can see his fingers moving just for her, "Watch your back.." <Handspeech>

"We were going to leave," Blubs looks over at Halani, "Rekki and Gilla and me, we have to spread the word. Teach kobolds how to make guns, and don't kill, that's what got gobbos treated as people. Once we're done here, find other kobold tribes to help." He sounds sincere.

"Would Jinks? That comes as a surprise to me to some degree. But I can never tell." The cleric shrugs. "But I can agree with that desire for as few people hurt as possible."

"It is not a solution for the current problem, at least, it would be much to slow to provide any meaningful amount of support for now. But in the long term, I feel like it would do good." The cleric continues. "But I have managed to convince some of the priests and priestesses at the temple of Althea that the cities treatment of the kobolds outside of the walls should be reconsidered. What was done with the guarding of the bridge resonated with some of them, as it is much like their own teachings to watch over and improve the lands one calls home. If there are a few kobolds who would be willing to work with and in the temple of Althea under my supervision, they would be welcome there. The teachings of the goddess are not foreign concepts, with their focus on the community, family and helping others."

Aryia leans an arm against the Lying Stone as she watches Halani speak. "Tyrant is a bad thing. I hate tyrants. You can have good rulers. Trust me, I used to worship fuck face tyrant number one."

He attention snaps towards Loci, her blinking a few times as she tries to parse the general mood of the table.

She glances to the black-scale. Squint, frowns, then looks away towards Seyardu. Just going to let that threat go and file it away like a proper mul'neissa should.

She blinks. Frowns more, then shakes her head as her hands say, "Yeah, that's a good idea. Up to them though."

A gesture to Blubs. "Can go hand in hand with what Seyardu has in mind perhaps." <Handspeech>

Loci is having a bit of a breakdown, overwhelmed. Blubs is nervous, Willy is smug and confident. Endril is feeling guilty about being selfish.

"Well.. I've known Jinks since he was this little, yeah?" Halani explains, holding her hand above the ground at about.. how tall Jinks is today. So it really isn't very illuminating. Maybe the islander thinks it's funny. "He's good people, and... better than he was. Almost back to what he used to be." Then she grins, moving that hand and her other in a helpless shrug gesture towards Aryia. "Maybe the word means something else for you, yeah?"

And then Halani's attention shifts to Blubs. "You do what you gotta do. You know you best, yeah? Don't need folks here telling you what to do." Her head settles back, then, and her eyes close again.

Blubs blinks at Seyardu's suggestion. It's clearly something that never occurred to him. "Um, ah, yes. There's a few I can think of, might be interested, I can get them together for you."

Loci inhales, seemingly settled. "I'm better. Thanks."

"Task. At. Hand." The Will of Uskvutha says firmly, fixing his gaze on each of the adventurers. "How will you attack. Where will you attack?"

"I still like hitting the Witch-Queen hard where hides." Endril suggests, shrugging with a clank, "I'm not a military strategist. And I figure 'who rules next' comes after we get rid of the current one."

"Succession isss. Tricky." The black-scale confirms. "A small group could sneak into the Cathedral. You would not get an army to sneak in."

He hisses thoughtfully for a moment longer, tapping his index claws together. He even makes a little 'evil steeple'. "The Knight at the Sandcastle... that one, you might negotiate with, but if it failed and was not at the same time as other efforts, the Knight would alert the Witch-Queen."

"I can not account for too many at once, and they will need to be on their best behavior to put the best foot forward in the city, but I believe you can find those up to the task." Seyardu nods, even offering an approximation of a smile. "We will do what we can to help those at the lake Loci, as many as we can. Do not despair, things will get better."

"I have not forgotten the task at hand, no." Seyardu sighs. "But a plan without preparation for the future can lead to a power vacuum that can undo any good we manage to do."

"The knight and their sibling both will need to be dealt with, but the main threat is the witch queen. If there are any who can deal with the knight, they could be fought off to prevent them reinforcing the witch king while they are attacked."

Aryia rubs her chin, seemingly uncaring about people having a mental break at the table. "It'll be fine, we're here," she assuages. Or, perhaps not.

She nods to the black scaled kobold. "Yes, I think we can do a small scale incursion to deal with this. The aftermath we can-"

She stops, then looks wide eyed at Willy. "Wait, back up. The Knight? The asshole that's pretending to ride a creature but its all one being? They're back? Did that egg-"

She tenses her jaw. "I wanted to smash that thing so fucking bad. Fuck, I hate mercy sometimes." She glances to Seyardu pointedly at this as she rises to her feet and starts to pace. <Handspeech>

Halani's eyes remain closed. "Best way to stop a bad guy from becoming bad is to kill it when it's a baby, yeah?" Halani throws out there. "Because you know that's what they'll become, yeah?" The islander really isn't that helpful.

Blubbers nods, listening to Seyardu's requirements, and giving Loci another pat on the shoulder. She seems settled and is listening for now, her head bobbing at the reassurances.

The black kobold grins at Halani's suggestion, nodding approval. "Yes. At the sand castle there is, at times, a knight, a dragon, and two princesses. The Witch-Queen sends troops to attack, but it seems planned as the dead are collected and returned."

Loci shudders.

"I have been observing." Willy elaborates, showing his teeth again, "it is my kind of crazy. I will handle the Sandcastle, if you wish."

It only seems like a slightly terrible idea.

"This is the first I heard about two princesses. There was one before, and that was part of the initial exploration party. This is concerning." Seyardu replies, looking to Aryia, and shaking her head. "It is easy to say in hindsight what the best choice would have been. And I take responsibility for that decision, but I can not take responsibility for Jinks' actions that led to the dragon being aware of it in the first place, and returning to get it. If he had still said where it was, and the dragon had gone to the area to find it destroyed, what would have happened? Again, it is easy to assume the worst of what happened, but what could have is often times just as uncertain."

"That is, I do not know if that is a good idea. The knight and the dragon creature are both dangerous. They do need to be dealt with, but they can not be taken lightly."

Aryia looks at Halani. Blinks. Then snaps her fingers at her from across the table to get her her attention. "That's fucked thinking, I wouldn't be here if that was the case," she chastizes, frowning and stepping back with her arms crossed.

The talks seem to be wearing on her, her brow furrowed in a scowl as she swings her gaze about. It rests on Seyardu. "Whatever," she waves dismissively, sensing herself getting internally heated.

She resumes pacing to vent some steam, little flecks of shadow following after her footfalls. After a moment, she gestures more, "Look, little fucker got the jump on me of all people, they can probably handle the Knight. Besides, we can't put our eggs all in one basket. We're probably going to have to attack both the queen and the knight at the same time for us to have a chance at it working. Queen gets no reinforcements." <Handspeech>

Halani's eyes do open at the sharp sound of Aryia's fingers snapping. She 'listens', nods.. the grin returns. "Yeah... it is fucked thinking, yeah?" The word rolls oddly off her tongue, unfamiliar with using it.. but seemingly familiar with its meaning. "Sounds like three groups, then? One for the queen, one for the knight, one for the wayward friend of Endril, yeah?"

Endril is an expert at hiding his expressions, or maybe that's a side effect of having his face chewed off. He doesn't react at all to the baby killing suggestions. "Well, last we heard, Qio was with the Witch-Queen."

"She's keeping him close, to make magic items for her." Loci confirms, still not looking at Endril.

Endril nods, "There still are three battlefronts. If something isn't done about the town garrison, they will respond to her call for reinforcements. Unless..." He stares rather pointedly at the blue-scale.

"Rekki, Gilla and I can try to capture the town, take prisoners." Blubs suggests, "They might not fight as hard against us. We will be dis-advantaged, as they will be trying to kill, and most certainly will against humans and their ilk."

'Sssssssa', the blackscale hisses. "If you do not time it right, the Witch-Queen will come to reinforce them. Leave the Knight and the Sandcastle to me. It will be the tale of legends. Too bad none will witness it."

The black kobold tilts his head, glancing at Halani, "Unless you wish to come, Teacher."

"That could work, yes. It may be dangerous, but all avenues must be considered and covered. And with the other threats handled, it will mostly be other kobolds in the village." The cleric nods, but it is followed by a sigh. "There is no pleasant way for this to be done. If the witch queen is left, she will only cause more trouble in the future, find others to raise as undead. We can slay her so that will not happen, and so we may prove she can be opposed."

Aryia just huffs at Halani, her logic being thrown back against her. She drops it. The mute was growing tired of this back and forth.

She ceases her pacing and rests on her back foot, nodding along with the others. "That sounds like an actual fucking plan. Endril and gang can focus on getting your friend out while we deal with the Queen."

She's totally not imagining the titles she'd get from that. She buffs her nails on her jacket, apparently having similar thoughts to that of the blackscale. She looks to him, to herself, then to Seyardu. Black, grey, white.

Poetic.

Anyways. "Sometimes Seyardu, dilly dallying around to find a smooth way to do things just ends up with more people getting hurt."

She shrugs to the blackscale. "Bring back their head or something to prove you did it. Regardless, by this point, their transgressions are too far. It's clear."

She jabs the Lying Stone with a pointer finger, right on the lair.

"We slay the queen." <Handspeech>

"Your fight would be legendary, Willy," Halani agrees wholeheartedly. "Be amazing to watch, yeah? Or be a part of? Maybe, maybe. See what Jinks wants. I gotta make sure he stays alive, too. So, we'll see!"

"Yesssss." The black kobold hisses, making a fist and cracking it tight. There's that wicked grin, part smile, part hunger, "bring the gnome. In case we need... to negotiate."

The hissing chuckle the follows suggests more dire consequences.

"Look," Endril slaps his gauntlet on the table, "I'm going to be no good against the Witch-Queen. Ace and Nanjusha wouldn't either. We lost to her once, and Ace still can't sleep with the lights off." He exhales, facing Blubbers, "but we said we'd help you. So, we'll help take the town, but you're in charge, because... I don't know if we're going to lock up if something twigs a bad memory. You, and Gilla and Loci... please... don't assign any of us to Rekki. At least Gilla, she might be drunk all the time but she's sane."

The bluescale nods, taking it in. "I'll let them know. This is how it should be, and Loci, it's your town and your friends. You're going to have to step up."

There's a sharp inhale of breath by the garter-kobold as that sinks in. She nods. "I will. I think, at least a day to get everyone organized."

The bluescale nods.

Three sets of lizard eyes turn towards the other schemers.

And one human pair.

Halani holds out one her hands, then closes her four fist fingers and stucks the thumb in the air. A moment later she rolls back to her feet. "Alright. See if I can find Jinks tonight, yeah? Tell him about this.. he might want to find some of you to talk to. Who knows. He has a funny brain," she adds at the end, thumping her forehead a couple times. "And we meet back.. where?"

"They know where the camp is." Loci points at Aryia and Seyardu, "and Jinks knows. I showed him."

Blubs nods, "it makes the most sense. Priestess Seyardu can meet the applicants also."

"To kill a queen, yes. The less time we give them, the better to prepare, the better, but we must not be hasty, either." Seyardu nods. "It seems a fair course of action. I would not expect you to return to fight them, but they must be dealt with. And if the city is turning a blind eye to these goings on, then someone needs to. Meeting at the camp sounds Ideal. I will need time to make preparations, and we can meet there. Best everyone is briefed together on what to expect, and how we will all be acting."

Aryia glances to Endril, ignoring the wicked kobold. She'd deal with him later. Her face softens at the thought of Ace, and she gets disarmed just like that. "Yes... the town. Best you guys go there then. We'll handle the queen."

She sharply exhales. "Could put a notice up at the guildhall for help with the Knight. Some people jump at the chance to fight something rough."

She looks to all the eyes on them. A grey hand rubs at her face. "Try to not get yourselves killed out there, alright?" she lamely platitudes to everyone. "I'm going to punch more boulders to get ready."

She takes a step away towards the path out of here. "Yeah, can show you how to get there. Tell the older couple of mul'neissa that stay the Fernwood you want to talk to me and that you're someone I won't deck in the face. They can reach me," she gestures mostly to Halani. "You can't miss them."<Handspeech>

Halani gives another one of her grins, puts two fingers to her forehead and then extends them in Aryia's direction. "You got it!" she tells the angry pugilist. And then, "You really punch boulders? I'd like to see that one day, yeah?" A clap of her hands, then brushing herself off again, Halani steps away. "Alright. Things to do, people to see, yeah?" And off she goes.

"Okay, well, safe travels all." Endril stands, and adjusts his armour.

The kobolds stand as well, the blue and the snake coloured one. The black one that's snake-like in other ways is already standing.

They seem so small, when everyone else is on their feet. Waist high to most, so short for such big problems. 'Just Kobolds', with the weight of the world carried on their scaley shoulders. Their world.

OOC

<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Oooh. Okay. That's good. So a bit of OOC, then I think we can go to end-poses. How I'd like to handle this is, as you've planned, there are 3 battles happening at the same time. If it's all NPCs, I can just figure out how it goes off camera and you find out later. If you want to be in it, then you can only be in one per PC, obviously. Taking the town, I see as a T2 with a bunch of friendly NPCs or NPCs only, and it would be kind of experimental. The Witch-Queen is the main one, and T3 and PCs only. The sand castle, also T3, but with Willy and so NPC could also be NPC only. I'd want to do the town and sand castle before Witch-Queen. As she will call for reinforcements, and how those other two scenes go determine if any show up and when."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Halani, do you want to get with Jinks and see if you'd rather do Sand Castle? I can't run a PrP with only 1 player."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "if you have T2 alts you want to try taking the town, that's do-able and we can say Endril roped them in."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "it's going to be like the Stone Talon scenes I ran last year, where it's more 'big turns' and your skill checks determine extra damage rolls or defense, and you roll like 4 or 5 full attacks in a row."
<OOC> Aryia nod. "Skiel may like that."
<OOC> Halani can talk to Jinks, for sure, and yeah, I don't expect a solo PrP by any means. I'm easy, good with whatever, even if it means Halani not being in a PrP, and her participation/whatever being behind the scenes, only written about. <OOC> Aryia also big nod at that. "I thinkif you put a thing up for T3 posting, you might some people out of the woodworks to come since T3 is dry as a desert"
<OOC> Cryosanthia nods
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "I'm aware..."
<OOC> Aryia hug in sand
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "partly why I'm keeping Pae at level 10"
<OOC> Aryia also nods at moving to end poses
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Okay, I'll do mine, then you can put yours on"
<OOC> Seyardu says, "I can't remember the last time I got to do something not open level with Sey"
<OOC> Halani is also T4 now, so might be problematic for this PC to be in a PrP anyways.
<OOC> Aryia says, "was with miki's tower"
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "when did you turn T4?"
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "I thought you were level 14"
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "it'll be fine"
<OOC> Aryia is 14
<OOC> Aryia says, "soon to be 15"

Starter pose for another scene
The snarling sounds first, distant, but insistant and geting closer. The crunch of underbrush is easier to follow, and soon resolves into Munch approaching the grove, with something in his hand. Some, THING, in his hand. An argry, snarling thing, it's claws occasionally scratching at the golems arm, but unable to pierce the armored skin. It's a little like a large rat, a mottle of pink and yellow skin, wet red eyes and bulbous mounds for ears. It's almost ugly enough to be cute, but not quite, so it's just really ugly. The golems fingers are clamped around it's neck, forming a sort of collar, tight enough to keep it from escaping, but trying not to hurt... whatever it is.