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[Tiruin]

Feleris hesitated to answer, was he that transparent with his actions?

Spoiler: Thought Conflict (click to show/hide)

'Well, first if you do try to help up Vusted _{and to a lesser extent, Stromgand}, then you would be buying extra time for your allies to navigate the Fortress...'
'I concur, but guess who is leading them. Ravena, the one who cursed Ochita earlier, the Blackguard who spent her nights with the very person who led you here.'
'The camp has no more protection, the mages have left on their own, Halbarad is with you...Even if you do make it in time, before dawn, how would you sneak over to Vusted without alerting Stromgand or anyone else? And how will you convince him away? From what I remember, he was honor-bound to the oaf. But...you did warn him subtly.'
'It would be a waste to even try then; you still have to watch over Lwy'nna, or to be truthful-...'
'Don't speak her true name! Thinking of it, more so! Many can breach your only sanctum here and eavesdrop on whatever you think.'
'Just ask for her opinion. You are no match for an Elder Dragon alone. And we've made up our choice.'

{...Lwy'nna, we're going with the nice dragon-lady.}

"I'm...Staying here." He felt no regret, he had warned Vusted, though not in the way he would've liked. At least his conscience was appeased.

Go on with Ravena's plan. Do not head back to warn Stromgand's camp.

And head to sleep if possible. It's already Second Watch.

[micelus]

"I thank you none the less, cousin." With that, Saren withdrew, her mind full of anxieities.

[Dwarmin]

Ravena snorts, a mixture of respect and disdain. Feleris has the feeling she might have been secretly hoping that he would have warned them on her behalf.

"Very well. I shall meet you all in the morrow, with aid to pass the fortress walls-for now, I must play my final part. I cannot save my Stromgand...but perhaps I can comfort him before the end. I owe him that much..."

Ravena seems to sigh...then she growls in anger, and shifts within her in skin-a moment later, a large purple scaled Dragon, wreathed in living shadow, appears in her spot. She towers over Feleris by at least 10 ft-and her horns and oversized crocodilian fangs are blood red. A large clubbed tail flicks idly behind her, occasionally thumping the earth as if to make a point. For all her size, her true form is still indistinct-it seems the shadows cling to her scales like armor, and her scales are like bizarre mirrors that cast false reflections and fake images. Looking directly at her makes one dizzy and slightly nauseous.

She casts a long glance over each person present with large, luminous eyes-the same blue shade as her human form, if colder, somehow.

Then she takes to the sky, flapping a pair of bat like wings-flying in the direction of Stromgands camp.

Lwy'nna seems to smile comfortingly, patting Feleris on the shoulder gently.

{"Oh, I feel you now. Feleris Friend will make many more of hard decisions soon. This is not the last..."}

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Rhogar offers a better deal...

The Kobold seems to snicker.

"Would not respect Kettle, if he did not try, eh?

Help you in good faith, then. Your God oath is to not kill Kettle, and he will help you find the path...

Kettle only wants to live tomorrow, Dragon-Man. Is that so wrong?"

...

Rhogar hears a wheedling, annoying voice buzz in his ear.

"Ahem. Legios, God of Oaths here. Usually I don't arbitrate these minor issues, but Kron called in a favor...I know you can both hear me. Can we assume the terms are thus?

One Rhogar Steelscale swears that Kettle the Kobold shall not die by his own hand. While I'm willing to forgive obvious stupidity or betrayal on Kettles part to excuse violence, I must insist you not directly allow Kettle to die by your actions-as in say, throw him in front of a horde of angry Orcs to delay them, if Kettle wasn't the one who summoned them. While you might get away with it technically...I wouldn't like it. Not a bit.

In return, Kettle swears he will in good faith, lead Rhogar through a 'safe' path into the fortress. This can be interpreted in many ways, since every path contains a great deal of danger...but in this case, if Kettle does so honestly and openly, the terms of the agreement will stand.

Kettle obviously puts his life and freedom up in the bargain. Rhogar swears by Kron, which means if he breaks the Oath, Kron takes full responsibility in the eyes of the Law.

I'm willing to tack on an additional item, if you both wouldn't mind? I can fix the Kobolds legs for the duration of the deal-violation or completion of the oath will cause the injury to reassert itself."



Kettle thinks for a moment, and nods hurriedly.

[Zako]

((Well, now things are getting interesting...))

Rhogar thought about it for a moment, before replying:

"I request a ammendment to the definition of a 'safe path' in this deal. He should lead me down a path with the least threat to my well being, and while I understand that there will be challenges, he should at least tell me openly and honestly about any that we find.

Other than that, I agree to the oath and will honour it faithfully for as long as it takes to complete."

[Dwarmin]

Kettle nods quickly and fearfully, his face betraying nothing.

"Very well-the Kobold agrees to fully and truthfully divulge the threats therein, one can reasonably expect to face.

The deal is signed. Good luck, mortals!"

The buzzing fades. Rhogar feels an itching on his left arm-when he looks down, he sees a blue tattoo of a weighted scale on his palm. Kettle raises his Kobold claw and shows the same marking, albeit red instead of blue.

The Kobold shrugs.

"Kettle wonder why he is always gets into these things...does two-leg Dragon man have a name, anyway?

Understand if you'd keep it to yourself, too."

[Zako]

Rhogar sighed, letting out a small bit of frustration and relaxing a bit.

"This isn't the first time that I've talked to gods. I've apparently have a knack for getting into situations involving them quite a lot. I wonder if this will continue for as long as I live..."

Rhogar turned and started heading back to his camp, to check his equipment and take a moment to see the progress of his opponent with the bracelet. He called over his shoulder to the kobold behind him as he walked, fingering the bracelet idly.

"You can call me Rhogar, and I also wonder why these things also keep happening to me at times...

Come, we will need to rest if we are to make good time. We will leave early in the morning."

[Dwarmin]

Rhogar cocks one eye and concentrates quickly on the bracelet..

Rhogar Detection 10

vs

Foe Resistance 5+2

Modifiers: Foe/+2 Used Often

Rhogar manages to get a distinct image of his Orcish foe standing in a field of Kobold corpses, breathing steadily-his long hacking blade dripping blood. He doesn't seem injured. The Orc rolls out his shoulders and moves to his cot to sleep.

Kettle nods, hopping along on his now uninjured legs. He speaks in a rapid chattering voice, hardly pausing to catch his breath/

"Rhoooo-gaaar. Greeting you. Kettle is not real name, but good enough.

One must be careful who you give your name to in this place. Names are power here.

Ahh, but don't worry on Kettles account-power of names must be *given* from owner, not just passed along.

Also in the open? Usually not good. Suggest uh...line of sleeping powder. Silver, Ash Wood, Salt and Honey in star-and-circle around camp, the more ingredients the better. Keeps out the hungry blood things, or at least makes it harder for them to smell you.

Does Rhoogar have these things, maybe? Those are items of power here, Kettle knows. Already being useful I am, yes."

[Zako]

"Hmm... It appears that there are suddenly a lot less kobolds in the world. And Rhogar is only part of my full name.

And no, I don't believe that I have much of any of those, salt perhaps. We shall have to keep an eye out for them. If it helps, one of us can take watch while the other sleeps."

Rhogar sits down by the fire once again, taking off his helmet and placing it with the rest of his gear, keeping his hammer close at hand.

"So. Tell me about these blood things. How dangerous are they? What do they look like and how big are they? How do they hunt, in singles or packs?"

[Dwarmin]

Kettle taps the ground once with a tiny claw.

"Dangerous? Very. They do not feel like like living things. They kill you and make you one of them. They can make you sick, make you one of them that way, even after battle.

They look like...whatever they were before. The Red Blood takes over the body. Kettle seen Blood Troll, Blood Man, Blood Spider, Blood Kobold...even Blood Dragon.

Very bad, all of them.

They always come in groups. Never alone. Sleep in day, hunt in night."

[Zako]

Rhogar knew these creatures were bad news, and posed a real threat to him, seeing as he was alone.

"How do they make you sick? How can one fight such, doubtlessly magical, creatures effectively? And most importantly, is there a cure to this sickness?"

[Dwarmin]

The Kobold nods along, speaking slowly, as he would to a child.

"It's a blood sickness-they break the skin, blood gets into yours...not good. Armor helps. So does killing from afar. Only fight hand to hand when desperate, Kobolds do-or just run away, even better.

As for killing, they die easily enough, usually burning, hacking them with swords or axes, smashing them apart with hammers and maces-arrows and spears no good. Must be quick-quick, since they can heal very fast.

...Cure? Blood Sick can sometimes live a while if they have strong soul-Holy Places in fortress provide strength to resist corruption.

But usually, they do not. Best cure is fire. Don't survive that cure, obviously."

[Zako]

"So, don't get close if possible, kill them quickly, don't get sick."

Rhogar stared into the fire for some time in silence before turning back to the kobold.

"Tell me about the fortress, what often kills the most out of the people that come here? What else lives in there that you know about?"

[Dwarmin]

Kettle points to himself.

"Killing? Us, most of time. The Great Dragon commands many Soldiers-Kobolds, Orcs, Trolls, Lizardfolk, Humans...we know the ruins better than anyone, though only the upper levels and only some parts.

We slay many before they can even enter, or otherwise make their task that much harder-stalking them, ambushing them, harrying them. Sometimes we merely follow, waiting until you are weakened after a fight with creature of the fort...and then we will attack.

We have done it, over and over again."

The kobolds eyes light mischievously.

"Great Dragon Sithyr'Sone is our Lord and Master, very cunning and powerful. As long as he commands us, we will continue to repel invaders like you, Rhoogar. As long as he commands us, yes...he is very smart-he can speak and direct us with these rings."

Kettle taps his left hand-he's wearing a tiny ring that has the face of a snarling Dragon, and it's face is green, and it's eyes are clear, but Rhogar gets the impression it would light us or something if the Dragon was trying to communicate with Kettle.

"Hah! Don't worry about Ring. Kettle only get one because he leader of Kobold band which you just chased away. Kettle not be leader of anything for very long, and Great Dragon will not care about a small one like me.

Ah, threats?

Other than Dragon, Kettle knows of a few powerful foes-Master Hellhound Erenadhas patrols the deep forges. He's a hungry one...

Great Bat King Flickersting controls the bottomless divide, that which we do not cross.

The Ruins are still prowled by the Vampire Spirit of Human Wizard Ambrosious and his concubines. Sithyr'Sone has signed a treaty with him in exchange for sacrifices, but he will be eager to hunt Seekers like you."
 

[Zako]

"Well, now I have to face Demons, Probably oversized rodents and vampires. Great. As if I don't already have enough troubles...

What can you tell me about these Masters and so called kings, and about the places they live in? What do they typically do, and what are their usual hunting methods and grounds?"

[Dwarmin]

Kettle grins.

"Hellhound swims in the hottest Molten Rivers like a fish in water. He prefers ambush...but once he starts fighting, he never stops. You can tell he approaches the Magma Imps cease their cackling. Only warning before he eats you whole.

Flickersting will wait till you try to cross the great divide-then he will strike, pitch you down into the black abyss, or eat you otherwise. Very hard to hear him coming, but careful one can hear the great black wings echo from afar. That is only warning-Flickersting is smart, knows to glide silently when approaching prey.

Ambrosius is Wizard, as said. Many spells he can use. Also a Vampire spirit-he prefers to catch live, eat later-or feed to concubines. The spiral tower is his, but he wanders the entire ruins when hungry. Must be careful to guard mind, as well-certain...powers he and his women have, can dull the mind. They say the lights of his eyes can make one a slave to him.

...

Ahh! Kettle being helpful, yes? He tells you so much, maybe things he need not even tell. Can Rhoogar tell back?

Kettle would want to know why you are here-and why you seek the Shining Source. Knowing that no-one has ever found it before?"