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"I will have need of defenses and infrastructure before I will have need for combat. I must remain quiet, lest I am discovered and sealed more properly. The Kobolds will be my first allies."
You're not so much speaking as you are thinking a little loud at Angela, who flutters over to the Seal over an orderly and well-made entrance to a hewn mining cavern. It is a series of chains - made in a spiraling, runed sort of alloy of gold, iron, and silver - that hold tight a stone inscribed with an angelic rune. Angela's magic erodes a few links of that chain, a massive effort that almost causes her to wink out entirely. She recovers, however, as the magic fades from the seal, and the whole thing falls to the floor. It crumbled into useless slag and broken stone immediately, a fine smoke rising from the ruins.
Heavy steps rise from the cavern, and out of the darkness step two Kobolds. They are small - barely three feet tall at most. But to us, they are giants. One is larger than the other, covered in plates of iron. On closer inspection they are scavenged shields and bits of armor banged into shape for his wide-shouldered and stout form. He holds a mattock that has one end broken off and fastened onto the other, and straps on his arms and legs further give the impression that this is not one of the typical, cowardly sorts of kobolds.
The other is elderly. His scales are worn, grey, and a scar along his back describes a wound that had removed several of them. He walks with a surety that his milky eyes would have you believe is despite a blindness, and needs no cane. The only iron on his body is strapped along his arms, small short plates that form two armgaurds covered in strange runes.
The smaller one approaches the throne.
"This one is Sees From Darkness." he introduces himself, "Guided and protected by He Who Mines Heads." he gestures at his guard, who grunts, smacking the haft of his weapon into his palm. "This one remembers the ancient pacts and deals we made with the Lord Above. This one remembers the days of bondage that the Lord Above freed us from. This one hopes you will do the same again."
"...Again? Your people are again chained?" I ask, concern leaking into my words. You had freed them, earning their loyalty, from one of the darker human kingdoms. Kobolds are strong, but dislike conflict, making them excellent slaves. They were thus chained when you recruited them to your side - their freedom to mine and craft in peace in exchange for their work for you. "Who has done this thing? Who has clapped you in irons again?"
"No kingdom endorses slavery in this day and age. That time is... supposedly... over. But in the dark, as this one knows, things not worthy of the light often hide." Darkness states. Mines grunts angrily. "Us two and a group of capable youths escaped one such camp, only to find our hatchery here sealed. A holy place, chained by the Beings Of Light. The oil of our hope had burned low. And then the hatchery was freed. This is the doing of your servant, Lord Above, and of you."
Mines grunts angrily, slamming the short, broken end of his mattock against the stone floor. He points at you, slamming the mattock again twice, pointing at the direction they came. His free hand slaps his chest, three times, and he lets out an impressive cry of anger.
"Mines-Heads desires the freedom of our people, and asks the question I wish to ask more directly: Will you free our captured people?"
>I am limited in my capability, as you can see. But it is a worthy initial goal. We will turn our eyes to the slavers - a good way to begin my campaign.
>Your people shall be freed in the fullness in time. I wish to revive the old pacts and deals. Will you carve the earth for me once more?
>I cannot yet free your people. When we are stronger, more powerful, we shall descend on these slavers like a collapsing mine shaft. For now...I have need of you.
>Something else to say?
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