Event 7: Kazmojen's Bazaar

"Kazmojen usually wears black plate mail armour and he hides his face behind a visor. He wields a dwarven-made weapon, I think," the former barkeeper says.

"He usually eats his meals in his room. If he is not there, he is in the grand chamber that he has made his slave's bazaar. But I also serve the food for all hobgoblins here."

"Where is his room and the grand chamber?  Are there any guards in his room? How many hobgoblins will be in the grand chamber with him?  Is he expecting a meal soon?  What is his favorite food to eat?  Do the goblins accompany you when you serve his meal?"

"Usually the hobgoblins take his food and delivers it to him. But I think they have to go through the grand chamber all the time. Gryffon points at the western door of the dining hall. Behind this door."

"Ah, and he is not expecting any meal soon. Proper meals are only served every 24 hours and it is still some time until then."

Aeofi nods in a friendly fashion and then one by one gestures her friends over to her where she can talk to them without being overheard by the cook.

"He is untrustworthy.  He would sell his grandmother if it would help him I think.  But that is something between him and his gods."

"We can not leave him here.  He is not interested in risking himself for us.  And there is no expected food delviery for some time."

"I say we take him back to Cauldron and hand him over to someone who won't let him come back down and warn the slavers.  We can take the goblin up with us when we do so."

"Then we come back and free the other slaves behind the statue."

"Still leaves us plenty of time to rest and recoop spells.  And then we can use Zephaniah's impersonation magic to slip us into the great hall where we can at least get the jump on the guards at the front door so to speak."

"What say you all."

Aeofi also takes a closer look at that door mentioned.  She continues to speak in a lowered voice.

"And does that cheap and nonsturdy looking door look like the entrance to a grand hall to you.  Looks more like a back door or a side door to something."

"This bartender is not playing it straight with us.  I am pretty sure of that."

Kollin moves with Aeofi to hear what she has to say, "I agree...I don't think he's in it for us, only himself.  I think he gave all he is going to give.  We have to take him back like you say, and that will be one less goblin too, filthy things...gods do they stink."

Zephaniah shakes his head.  "I sense that the bartender won't betray us, but let's take him to the surface anyway (OOC: Better Sense Motive check than the others)."  He asks the bartender, "But first, tell me what Kazmojen's favorite snack is and do you have any ready?"

"The other flaw in the plan involves resting overnight.  They will find the missing or dead guards by then, and we lose all hope of surprise.  Let's go get the gems from that statue so Kollin can buy some better armor.  I'll go buy a scroll of Alter Self. Then we come back down here and take out Kazmojen first.  The slaves can wait a bit longer."

Aeofi nods.  But seems a little at a loss.  Then she spits it out.

"Fine.  But all I can offer is my rapier and crossbow as I have no spells left with any real affect in combat." 

"If you insist...," Gryffon Malek begins as Zephaniah asks him about the favorite dish of Kazmojen, "let me take a look in my larder."

He then opens the door of the dining room opposite to the kitchen.

Four slabs of meat hanging from hooked chains are the skinned, dried corpses of four Medium-size monsters: a giant lizard, a krenshar, a hunting bat, and a snake.

"Probably the giant lizard..." Gryffon muses.

"Gryffon, before we take you back to Cauldron, can you fry up that lizard and make it tasty for Kazmojen?  Some of us will stay here with you while the others go get the gems, and then we all get out of here. I'm sure your fiancee will be thrilled to see you."

OOC: Aeofi, why don't you buy some scrolls for the combat?  And you still have your wand.

The room next to the kitchen is the pantry. If you search the jugs, flasks, pots, casks, and sacks on the stone shelves, you will find various edible foodstuffs. Most of the food consists of edible fungi, mold, small vermin, and seasonings.

"Will you do me any harm if I didn't?" Kazmojen's cook asks Zephaniah when he asks him to cook one of Kazmojen's favorite dishes. "I have already told you that I don't like your idea..."

"You won't be involved.  We're taking you back to Cauldron as soon as you're done.  I'm going to feed it to him myself.  I'm just not much of a cook..."

  "No, no," the cook rejects the idea. "This will only be traced back to me. And if your plan fails!" He shakes his head fervently.

"I know it was my plan.  But maybe we should go and free those others behind the statue before going back to Cauldron."

"Someone can stay here and the rest can go and we will meet back here in a few minutes."

Aeofi scratches her chin as she thinks out loud.

"Fine. I'll cook it myself after we come back here.  The slaves will be guarded.  We shouldn't weaken ourselves further.  Let's get rid of the slaver first.  You both can have whatever money you need from the gems from my share to buy your armor and scrolls."

"But if we are strong enough to overpower those guards.  And free the slaves."

"Well then we can devote or full energies towards the more powerful foe.  And we can also see how many slaves are left.  I have a guilty conscience of even thinking about leaving them here for a moment longer now that I know where they are and we can get them out."

"We must free those prisoners first before we do anything else.  They have suffered enough."

"And you have to admit.  Ever captive we have interrogated has given us a bit more information on the leader of this ring of slavers and ... well information can be a better weapon than the sharpest of blades."

"Kollin.  What do you think.  You lead now after all."

Kollin shakes his head, "If we free the slaves, Kazmojen will know and we will be in full combat when we are not at a strength to do it, this also leaves our cook friend and the goblin unattended and not safe.  And we certainly can't split up, we are barely strong enough with all of us together.  We should take them into town, to a guard, buy some scrolls or potions or whatever it is we need and come back and take out Kazmojen and free the slaves.  Then we can get the gems from the statue at our leisure and head back into town for a nice restful night to finish the day with a bath, hot food, and a soft bed." 

"Kazmojen will soon know so or so.  And can you honestly leave those slaves in his hands under under captivity."

"Perhaps I don't understand the map.  But those slaves are separated from his main compound are they not.  The guards that are there can not be his best can they."

"Kollin I implore you to reconsider that.  To leave them in bondage and sufferance is inhumane.  And more importantly.  What happens if we fail in assaulting Kazmojen.  They will remain forever in bondage."

"Our goal is to return the orphans.  And all the other slaves.  And then to prevent this atrocity from continuing by removing the threat to Cauldron."

"But I have to agree with Zephaniah here.  If we are returning to the city ... we need to take those gems with us.  Think of the wounds you have incurred.  The armor."

"We aren't of the strength to fight anything.  If we go back up to the city, we will be leaving the slaves anyway...a few more hours is not inhumane...long enough to run up and ensure the safety of the cook and the imprisonment of the goblin, and to ensure we are strong enough to save them.  Otherwise we have to let them go of by themselves while we go half strength to fight more hobgoblins to save the captives....dead heroes can't save lives you know."

OOC: I'd like to see the group coming to a decision soon. As Zephaniah wants to spend some money for a scroll of alter self, you probably have to get the gems or any other treasure first, before you go to town.

If you want to get these gems today, I don't see that it will make a difference whether you get them now or after you have bought some other stuff in town.

So the question is: Do you want to climb/fly the statue? At least Kollin and Zephaniah seem to be in favour of it.

You can then savely return the barkeeper to Cauldron and turn the goblin over to the town's guard. At that time, Fario and Fellian will be available again having taken over their hobgoblin. Note, however, that Fellian has run out of his more potent spells for today.

"I'm tired of debating.  Aeofi, you asked for Kollin's decision, and he gave you one. Are you going to abide by it or not?  If not, then you're in the 'free spirit' category with us."

OOC: After having spoken to Kollin's and Zephaniah's player, I assume that the party moves into the room with the statue and the gems first. Though the party has not yet come to an agreement what to do afterwards, re-equipping is a common wish by everyone. And you will need some money first.

So you walk back into the room with the statue. Nothing has changed since you have left this room a short time ago. The statue is as peaceful as ever.

Kollin approaches the statue, but when he attempts to climb it in order to be able to retrieve the two gems in the eyesockets, the mass of chains hanging over the statue suddenly stirs.

It uncoils rapidly from the legs and the torso of the statue and immediately attacks Kollin, trying to constrict him (OOC: failed grapple).

The statue remains inert.

OOC: I need your actions.

Initiative

• Taryn (11)
• Aeofi (11)
• Cyprianus (11)
• Kollin (9)
• Animated mass of chains (6)
• Zephaniah (4)
  

Kollin shouts out, "Someone!!  Distract it (Aid other) so I can cut these things in half!"  He grabs his longsword with both hands and brings it down on one of the chains (or multiple if he can catch them:) with a yell.  (Two-handed-Power Attack, +3 dmg)

  Cyprianus supports Kollin the way he suggested. "I won´t be able to handle this alone, I presume," says the monk who is still in a bad shape.

OOC: Aeofi's and Taryn's actions are still missing.

"Never said I wouldn't.  I asked him to reconsider is all." 

"And as I am doing this because Kollin says we do it.  I hope to not see anyone else.  Go off on there own because they feel like it."

"Like it or not we elected Kollin and he leads when we are adventuring."

Aeofi pulls a crowbar from her backpack and prepares to use it to break open the lengths of any chain holding Kollin thereby freeing him.