1d20+21
Ari quickly kitbashes some bit of medicinal cloth and various chemicals to counter the Troglodyte Stench-favoring a heavy citrus scent that will hopefully provide some defense.
He'll need to study an actual sample of Trogstink (That just sounds so agreeable) to make a true countermeasure, however. It occurs to him 'Trogstink' might be an excellent weapon in it's own right...
Fragment Nose plugs: These small pieces of cloth are heavily scented of Oranges. The user gains +2 to saves against hostile effects based on smell. Each plug lasts an hour, and blocks your normal sense of smell.
Meanwhile, Grace pulls a loose stalactite out of it's mooring and plugs up the small hole. Nothing will be coming this way for awhile!
....
The Party forms up-two skeletons in front, two in back, and most of everyone behind Grace. Torches are lit and light rocks are carried-though even with the dim light, it's likely these creatures will see you coming before you do them. The cavern becomes even wider as they pass onwards-with evidence of more inhabitants here, mostly dung and bones-scattered about. All is empty for now, however. Several time, noises and sighs flicker at the edge of your vision-but, if you strain you see nothing but indistinct shapes. After a time, it begins to weigh on the mind.
At last, they come to what amounts to a campsite-small 'beds' (little more than piles of filth), random collections of trash, and a cold firepit in the center with a few embers still burning-whoever was here cleared out very recently.
A quick check reveals the camp is empty, save for a curious parchment-located in a cracked oaken chest, in what amounts to the largest tent. It seems some sort of leader resided here...
Opting for speed, Tyri reads it out loud-it's in Draconic, though barely legible and filled with grammatical errors.
1-My nayme is Seezer and I am so strong. The Gret Maww cayme to my dream and say 'lift yerself into my gretness'. Seezer alway gret warrior of Trogsons, now he is so much better-Great Maw guides my bloes to smyte, smyte, smyte the enemie! They run in fear of Trogson Seezer, now...Paladyme Seezer!
I am riting this for my love, Thhhckr, who will respekct me if I am more smart fer riting this.
2-Seezer find token of gretness, of Maws Favorite-mighty blowing horyn on bodee of man cast into abysss. It Changes in my haynd-now it makes a place hollowed in his nayme...Priestess says to blow the horyn to help clan-power full warding magic against the whyte. The whyte will fall..
3-Visits to lair on this day. Many small beings-little rat people, with yapping voices. I yearned to smyte them, but Thhckr commands me not to and I listen. Speaking of little yapping beings-offer friendship and allianyce...they have many more of them, they said. Many hundreds or thousands, under city. One day, we will greatly ryse, they say...Thhckr says she will think uponst it, but in pryvte she say it is a good idee. We will help them for now-until Trogsons rule once more.
Seezer will be among them when they ryse, he hope.
4-Seezer go an adventuring today. Yappers dig dig-very good at dig diging, yappers are-dig dig small hole near entrance. They sayid it will be 'link' in great chane of mighty strronghowlds-very fast to go from place to place, and no sun or beings eyes upon them. Seezer laff, what happening. Yappers dug into monster whole! Big Un monsters eats whole lot, came from ceeling in swoops. Very funneee. Seezer goes to slay wyings-things. They will taste finely, maybee better if also eatying yappers. Great Maw sayz nothying going to waste.
...
Seezer slayz many wyings, but biggest wying is cunning and evades rath for today. Seezer promise to dine on hyem!
5-Seezer is afeared, today he misplacetaken Cleaver, cymbol of Gods Powers and Wrath. Woz very worried...culd not fight...then, Thhckr bryngs me NEW Cleaver, sayd it is mighty new instrument of God.
But were is olden Cleaver? Woz much more powerful, made pretty death noises...
But Seezer is strong now-Cleaver is Gods Power, and as long as Seezers hands hold it he is invisible...unbeatable...
~Most Recently~
?-Seezer makes rules without Thhckr-she will respeckt me more now for being leading. Great taking of bodyies from abyss on this day-too many to carrie bak quicklee and there are other hunters in abyss hungry too. Order rule all to carry meat back home, will leave Guyht to watch entrance. He is stupid and lazy, but if he dosenot fall to slumber, we should be warn'd if trouble arrives.
Trouble, yes. Seezer hears wurds from angry yapper-not nough for traps, more meat, stop stepping on tail hah hah-yapper yapping bought people-beings in city, tripping traps and making noise. They have the living bones among them-foolsish! Thhckr would seize the bones in the Great Maws nayme and turn them against.
Seezer will stop riting now-he must pick treasure from bodyies first, or others will steal-eye on beautiful golden belt of the Dwarfpeoples. But must go. Yappers always steal, but Seezer cannot hurt them...much...
Not knowing what to make it, they move onwards.
...
The first line of defense comes from ahead-two small caverns and a trench dug into either side of the stonewall, much like the one at the entrance-all covered with a camouflaging blanket. Upon approaching, the party spots about a dozen small, rat-lizard like beings milling about, pouring dark black liquid into the trench through casks much larger then they.
Though small and ugly, each one of the beings is armed and armored in a manner that befits their natural dexterity, and all of them have longspears, small shields and tiny razortoothed swords on their belts-half of them also have bows and slings. Many of them are also wearing what looks like trophies on their necks, arms, ankles and skinny tails-gold, silver and bronze for the larger ones-bones and teeth for the small ones. Most of their armor is either stolen scraps of larger pieces, or a weird form of insect skin the learned ones of the group called chitin, which nevertheless conforms to their bodies perfectly-while making them much harder to see.
No knowledge checks here-these are Kobolds. Vicious little creatures who'd probably rule the world if they were only a few feet taller. If you ask them, anyway.
There's no visible panic as the adventurers approach-in fact, the largest Kobold (It's the only term for him, and he's wearing what looks like well designed Gnomish steel) shouts orders to his fellows to form up-and six Kobolds line up with spears, with him in the center. Four Kobolds bring up the rear of this group, two in armor, carrying bows-and two clad in richly designed robes and rags. They begin waving their hands and gesturing.
The rest of the Kobolds continues to empty the liquid into the pit, going faster now.