The Offerings

After the pathetic struggling as Grok bound and gagged each of the band that captured Ryena his temper cooled a little. He could feel the tense rage of his muscles relax a little after knowing the tables have turned. In the shadowy dim light of the dawn began to rise the party was overwhelmed at the monster that was revealed, Grok spoke in seemingly an alien tongue to the adventurers. The only ones that understood him was Ryena and the elf, for in all his conversations with Ryena he did not speak the common language of the world, he was told this by Ryena after a moment of confusion, he spoke an old language, one of dragons. Grok only was frustrated at the discovery another trick by the sisters just for their amusement.

"So what will we do with them?" he growls

"Well, my pet we need to find out how they knew where to strike. If we just killed them then there probably would be another band of mercenaries attempting this again."

Grok begins pillaging the parties supplies his hunger was growing since his last small snack in the woods several hours ago.

"I do not know much about these things Ryena but I think we should perhaps take them back to a more secure place."

Ryena grins at the struggling party members, In her mind she speaks to Grok "We should blindfold them to prevent them from learning where we are going. I do think its a bad idea sitting here in the middle of the woods. Gather their things and steeds we will use their horses."

The horses whined in freight as Grok approached them, he fumbled with tying the creatures together as they struggled to flee. he mumbles a curse at the stupid beasts. He communicates with Ryena that perhaps she should deal with the horses.

In the bits of the conversation that Omag, the elven alchemist heard she did not know what to make of the creature that captured her and her companions. It was obviously some sort of abomination of goblinoid and dragon, but seemed too docile for either species. Some how the witch managed to tame a beast like that then they have underestimated her. Now she could only think of how to escape this situation, a thought on most of the other party members as well. The only one with a spec of hope in his pocket was Reward, in all the commotion of the night his pet Manta was able to remain hidden from the creature. He whispered softly when their enemies were not paying attention, the little sable was tucked away in his tunic, though gagged the creature understood to remain hidden, years of dangerous situations Manta knew sometimes it was better to hide until his friend gave him a signal. Here's skin itched around his neck and where Grok touched him, he had a terrible allergy when goblins were around, he knew that the monster was definitely at least part goblin. He wanted badly to stab the beast with his glaive. Catla still in her calm demeanor just had a silent prayed to her goddess of light for salvation. Burhiue seethed in anger, mostly at the stupidity of Here, and not posting two guards on the witch.

Grok just watched their prisoners as he threw everything in sacks as he looted their possessions, not knowing what was valuable he just tossed everything in. After everything was loaded he make some makeshift blindfolds out of bags and tied it over each prisoners head. Then after slinging the sacks of goods he loaded them up on the backs of the horses. Ryena took one as her steed and lead the procession back towards the way they came into the badlands. Though Grok noticed they were not heading back to her cave but rather another path.

"Where are we heading?" the mental message from him

"To a place nearby, it will be much closer than my lair, though we might have to offer one of these prisoners as payment"

The sun rose in the sky and it was nearly half a day since they set off and Grok began to feel a light weariness. After more than a day of running around he was surprised he wasn't exhausted. The badlands turned into rocky hills and after traversing up and down a few times another trail emerged leading them for hours Grok could make out a black spec at first, it grew into a large boulder and eventually a ruin of a castle. Like out of his fantasy games back in his old life a black fortress of some evil lord. Spikes with skulls of various creatures dotted the entry.

When they approached the gate the party was greeted by small lizard like creature, only 3 foot tall standing on the crenelations of the wall
in a snake like manner "Who goessss there?"

Ryena responds with "Fishmongers!" confused for a second given that they are in basically a desert Grok asks mentally "Fishmongers?"

Ryena responds "The hosts have their quirks, its a password of sorts"

As they communicate in that minute the gate shifts open with a clank and moan and a dozen of the small lizard creatures march out with spears, one of them with a feathery helmet greets Ryena

"Ssssso we hasss guesssts, the queen will want to ssspeak to you for a pricesss" Ryena offers the feathered headed one a small coin purse they looted off of the party "We have things to trade kobold, she points at the sacks and prisoners." he stares "Yess, I will take you to the queen."