To Save Sonuklola(IC)

[Droid Tony]

The gnome kingdom of Sonuklola has existed for centuries high up in the Molten Mountains in a long valley. While the gnomes of Sonuklola were fairly isolationists, they still welcomed limited trade, especially from other gnomes. Located far off normal paths, only a few outsiders knew the exact location of the kingdom. Most had to use gnome guides. The kingdom of Sonuklola sit on top of several large gold mines, and the nearby mountains have some spots of precious jewels. Along with mechanical odditys, goat, sheep vermin products and mushrooms make up the bulk of the gnomes trade.

The kingdom of Sonuklola was a safe place, guarded by it's airships, ram riders and rocky rangers. Until a little over a year ago. The Army of Darkling Flame moved down from the north and put the kingdom under siege. The gnomes fought hard for their homeland, but lost the war. The Kingdom of Sonuklola became an occupied land. Under the watchfull eyes of the armies commander, the red dragon Surkhazaraktura, most of the gnomes were kept enslaved.

Just six months ago the dwarven paladin Lolatta Runeheart lead an Army of Light and Stone to free the kingdom.....but it failed.


Our story picks up at just over a year after the invasion


The Wayward Bird tavern is a large stop over tavern located along the main trade road.

[Toliudar]

A decrepit old gnome in a tattererd long coat perches on the front of a chair at a table for four. He is wearing face makeup that accentuates the deep frown he already sports. A bottle of wine and five glasses are set carefully around the table.

Spoiler: Appearance

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An old gnome with a long shabby coat and purple boots smiles wearily at you. He is wearing heavy face paint that darkens his face and twists his mouth into an exaggerated grimace of sadness. He's holding a battered wide-brimmed hat in his hands, twisting the brim nervously.

Spoiler: Statblock

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Shanks the Clown (Dubetz Stephens)
Male Neutral Gnome Cleric / Shadow Adept / Shadowcraft Mage, Level 10 (6/1/3), Init 7, HP 60/50, Speed 20'
AC 17, Touch 13, Flat-footed 15, Fort 12, Ref 8, Will 19, Base Attack Bonus 4
+1 Dagger (Eager Enchantment) +1 (1d3-2, 19-20)
Shadow Mage Armour (+4 Armor, +2 Dex, +1 Size)
Abilities Str 4, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 22, Cha 16
Condition Shield of Faith - converted to Silent Image/Mage Armour
Greater Resistance

[JbeJ275]

Directly to his left sits another gnome, this one looking a little more nervous and energetic, he has a number of large instruments and accessories forged of brass and with an arcane look to them. A badger that's nearly as tall as him stands by the feet of his chair with a look of concern. He isn't looking at the wine, instead staring down into the table with a look of despondent desperation.

So then, do any of you know how to go about this? I know you are all very talented but what can we do that two armies can't?

[Thundercracker]

Armand Hossti

Baron Armand Hossti is a healthy looking man with brown hair and eyes, and usually impeccably dressed. He wears a breastplate for protection, along with a sparkling platinum circlet. When on the road he will wear a normal brown traveling outfit but when in civilization he wears an expensive looking tunic with threads of silver or platinum woven through it, several gem encrusted rings, and a rich dark blue cloak.

“There should be a resistance to the occupation or a leadership in exile,” Armand said, “our first task should be to find them and link up with them. We might also try to contact what remains of the dwarven attack a year ago, to learn from their missteps.”

[Toliudar]

"Shanks the Clown"

The old gnome takes a sip of the wine.

"Those are good ideas. I have also thought that we might try to follow the invaders' supply chains. If they are shipping the wealth of our beloved Souklola somewhere, it might lead toward the leadership of this horrid invasion."

[Droid Tony]

A middle aged halfling male walks over, with a middle ages halfling woman:

Hobble Haybelly "Well met, good folks. I'm Hobble Haybelly, owner of this fine establishment. This is my wife, Aleasia, our cook and Fransa my daughter and your waitress. I could not help but hear you folks. The fall of Sonuklola is such a sad thing. They were good people. And they brought a lot of trade through here. Sure have seen bussines fall off in the last year."

Aleasia Haybelly "As far as is known, none of the royal family or anyone offical made it out before the fall. Most Sonuklola's don't travel much ever."

Fransa Haybelly "We get almost no news from inside the kingdom. "

[JbeJ275]

Yes, indeed. I was far away at the time but had journeyed in and out on occasion, still many of my friends are inside and that worries me greatly. I was hoping to hear of their safety, or of their predicament but it seems the kobolds are still hiding their fates away.

[Book Wombat]

Meredith
Sipping from her glass, Meredith looks at the other four sitting around the table, two gnomes and two humans. "They also brought work for me, showing them the region and such. Well anyway, about the mission."
Directing the question to the two gnomes, "Do you know a way we could get in Somuklola? I only know the main way there and that's probably well guarded."

[Toliudar]

The old gnome pauses before responding.

"There are places that I know, which would be difficult to fortify. the surfaces of rivers at night, and so on. The greater challenge will be staying out of harm's way once we're in. We have no idea how much the homeland has changed in our absence."

He looks down, clearly unable to continue the thought, and then glances around the table, hoping that someone else will speak.

[JbeJ275]

I may be able to put together some of the old airship routes, make a dash across with summoned eagles or with other methods of flight, but he's right. I know a little illusion magic both nothing that lasts the way we need it to.

[Thundercracker]

Armand

“Anyone have any divination?” Armand asked, “if not, I can fly in invisibly at great altitude, see if I can find the rest a good route. It’s not going to be much good without a plan though. Anyone have any contacts with the dwarves? Some of that army must have made it out.”

[Droid Tony]

Hobble Haybelly comes back over with an older dwarf male in gray clothing.


Aesrick Gravelglove "I'm Aesrick Gravelglove and I was there. There is only one pass into the valley, the south pass. That leads to the trade town.But it's a bottle neck. We did not even make it that far. Once they set loose that gold mechanical dragon, it was all we could do to run away>"

[Thundercracker]

Armand

“Would a small group be able to circle around the back?” Armand asked.

Spoiler

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made a minor adjustment to inventory, replaced ring of protection with ring of sustenance.

[Book Wombat]

"I might be able to help with information, though it might not be that specific." Meredith adds, "That's the thing with divinations, sometimes they work and sometimes they don't."

[Droid Tony]

Aesrick Gravelglove "Aye, a small group, like less then a handfull could do it. The mountains are filled with gnome paths and trails. But you got to be careful, the gnomes have lots of traps, and the worst are the illusions. They make it look like there is a path or an hand hold or even just solid ground....but when ye step on it there is nothing there. Also the mountains are partoled, by goblin weregoats.



Sonuklola is in a valley that is a big oval. South Pass is the only easy way in. Right in the valley is TradeTown, about as far as most folks make it into the valley. It's a small town, made all for trade

The gold mines are in the mountains, north, east and west. The big one is the royal mine to the north. The east one is owned by three familes, and the west one is an open one for any gnome.

Lots of little mountian streams flow into the valley, though mostly only the west ones have gold. The north has the big, big waterfall. Up on that mountain side is the gnomes Glittering Temple in the waterfall. That froms into the river that flows into the lake right in the middle of the valley.

The lake has the capatail city on one side and their work town on the other. The rest of the valley is just about all farms with no more towns."

[Thundercracker]

Armand

“So... the invaders are after the gold?” he asked.

Spoiler

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at this point, do we know anything about the enemy? What their racial makeup is, where they came from?

[Droid Tony]

Aesrick Gravelglove "Aye, they be after the gold.....but also the gnomes. all them craftsfolk and smiths And maybe some of the gems too."

Spoiler: OOC

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Kobolds

[Thundercracker]

Armand

“If there was a mechanical dragon, it sounds like the kobolds have gotten some of the gnomes to work with them,” Armand said, “where did they come from, underground?”

Spoiler

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I could use a bit more direction, feeling kind of lost tbh. How about everyone else?

[Droid Tony]

Aesrick Gravelglove The word you are looking for is enslaved. The kobolds enslaved the gnomes into making things for them.

I'm not really sure where the kobolds came from....it's a whole bunches of small tribes, so I'd guess all over."

[Thundercracker]

Armand

“Maybe there’s a way to exploit that,” Armand said, “there must be someone who had unified the tribes. We just need to know more.”

[JbeJ275]

I know quite a lot about magic, I may be able to help us find a way through the old g one trails without falling prey to their own arcane traps, if we can get some weapons that work properly against lycanthropes maybe we can hunt down some of these ware goats before they alert others. Get into the land at least, from there we can try to do good.

[Droid Tony]

A female gnome in plain gray robes floats through the cealing and lands on the floor in the middle of the room.

"Sorry, I'm late. Got a little star crossed. Wel met, I'm Phaneeddwal Whindlewhistle a BueatyLight of Sheyanna Flaxenstrand. I'm glad you all could make it.

So long story short, I looked into my Destiny Sphere, "

She pulls out a small black crystal sphere from a pocket of her robe and lets it go with her hand. The sphere floats in the air for a moment, then floats down and rolls along the floor until it hits a table leg and stops.

"And saw that you here....might...have the destiny to save Sonuklola.

I was with the army of light too, so if you have any questions, just ask, "

[Thundercracker]

Armand

“Well met, Beauylight, Armand Hossti,” Armand said, “do you have any knowledge of the kobolds and their allies, and their origins? Any knowledge you could share with us would be appreciated.”

[Toliudar]

Shanks

Out of respect, Shanks rises as Phaneeddwal makes her spectacular entrance. As a veteran showman, he recognizes the ability to read the room.

"A pleasure, Phaneeddwal. Hmm. Whindlewhistle? Of the Noddlenock Whindlewhistles?"

He offers Phaneeddwal his chair, and goes to the bar to get another glass and another bottle of wine, both of which he sets down in front of her.

"Thank you so much for your help. As Armand said, if your experience back home could suggest an access route that your destiny sphere recommends, we will prepare to help."

[3drinks]

Remaining silent, the second prince takes in the information from everyone else, choosing not to speak on matters he doesn't know. Better to remain silent than open mouth and appear a fool. Often, silence is the most powerful language after all.

[Book Wombat]

Always interested in new things, Meredith queries Phaneeddwal, What does your Destiny Sphere do? And how does it work?

[Droid Tony]

Phaneeddwal Whindlewhistle walks over to take the open chair, but when she goes to sit down she falls right through the chair to the floor. Then she just shakes her head and stands back up.

"Ahem. Well, the kobolds. Lots of them are outcasts from all over, tribe less ones. The rest are mostly small tribes, small weak tribes. All sort of banded together in the tribe less army.

The rest of the army is really just a mixed bag all all sorts of creatures and folks....you know typical evil greedy folks.


And, well, the destiny sphere shows a persons destiny. It's simple enough, just look in it and think about your destiny. It does not really show a path, nothing that clear. You know, more vague stuff."

[Thundercracker]

armand

Spoiler

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knowledge arcana to have a clue why the gnome fell through the chair: (1d20+9)[11]

“Looks like we’re going to have to scout around a bit,” Armand said, “I’m thinking we ignore the main entrance and check the mountainous trails in the rear, see what we can see. Can anyone else fly all day? I’ll scout ahead and see what’s there and report back while you’re on your way. Would be nice if someone came with though.”

[Droid Tony]

Spoiler: Armand

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There are plenty of spells that let one pass through solid objects. Any illusion figment would also be able to pass through objects.

And, of course, any Incorporeal Creatures can ignore solid matter too.

[Book Wombat]

"I can't fly, but I do have some other tricks with which I might be able to help with scouting"