Missing Caravan

[GM Marvel]

[OoC: HUH?  I was sure I added an updated map to my last post which I why I pointed out where Jonath stopped "To where your hallway passes above the lower hallway."  Oh well, here it is... ]

Jonath moves a little bit (5') closer where he sees to his horror, scores of Kobold bodies laying all around the room. From this distance it's difficult to see what killed them but he does note the lack of any blood.

[Betimi]

Betimi waves the party forward, moving to a point about 20' behind Jonath so that even if the party fully illuminates her, Jonath will be just outside the party's circle of light.

[GM Marvel]

Jonath continues to move slowly down the passage being alert for anything to jump out to ambush him.  He suddenly stops, looks around and moves close to the west wall.  He examines the wall then looks back at the rest of you and whispers, "Some sort of Dart Trap.  Should I try to deactivate it or look for another way around?"

[Betimi]

"I'd look for a safe way to avoid it if you can Sir Jonath. I do not want you getting injured trying to disarm it."

[Nacesh]

"I respectfully disagree. Other ways around may contain less obvious traps. An apparent safe way is more likely a deathtrap. That said, kobold darts tend to be poisonous. Be careful."

[GM Marvel]

Jonath looks back and forth from Betimi to Nacesh and back. "I'm not too shabby at disabling traps [+6] but I'm not an expert. Does anyone else have a vote?"

Tomeal shrugs and whispers, "This is your quest. I'd rather not vote but I will in the event of a tie."

[Selina Parcellus]

Selina places a steady hand on sir Jonath's shoulder. "I trust you, sir Jonath. I believe you can disable this trap."

[GM Marvel]

Jonath blinks and then says, "Welp, give me one of those vials of antitoxin we found a while back."  When the group fishes one out of a bag he downs it. [Jonath gains, +5 alchemical bonus on Fortitude saving throws against poison for 1 hour]

"Well, here goes nothing..."  

Jonath then pulls out his tools and gets to work.

"OOps!" [Failed by more than 5.  Sets off the trap!]  A dart flies out of the hole and sticks him in the hand.  

"Ouch!" [Thank the gods for the antitoxin!  He takes 2 damage though.]

"Well, this trap has to be manually reset so for the moment this trap is safe to pass through.  I don't see any more hazards so lets go..."  

Jonath sets off toward the room but only gets a few feet when there's an audible 'click'...

"FACK!" Another dart flies out, this time puncturing his shoulder.  [Search failed.  3 Damage!  Made his save though!] 

"Well I did tell you guys I'm not an expert..." This time he takes his time searching [Take 20] and doesn't find any more traps.

You all finally make it to just outside the room.  There are a couple dozen dead Kobolds laying around the area.  Their bodies appear withered and dried up.  As if all the moisture had been sucked out of them.  From the looks on their twisted faces, whatever happened was intensely painful.  In the middle of the room, on the warm, softly glowing circle, are scores of broken egg shells.  Their contents that were once baby Kobolds in various stages of Embryonic development, are now tiny withered Embryos which never had a chance for life.

Tomeal covers his mouth and whispers, "Well I guess we know why we've been encountering hardly any Kobolds."

[Selina Parcellus]

Selina heaves a sigh, then places her hand on Jonath's shoulder before he can go any farther. A spark of magic precedes the flow of her healing as she channels her spells into him. "That should keep you closer to your best. But I fear that may be the last of Selune's aid that I can grant."

She seems to recall that the kobolds really disliked him for some reason, so she holds one of her last spells ready for when they face them once more.

[Mardak Trannyth]

"Don't worry moonshine, Jonath will be gettin ol' Mardak's aid.  Next time Jonath, open yer ayes.  Tha' info would be free."  Mardak shoves himself into the circle of death.  "Okay, let's look fer anything tha' might look like family belongings, or somethin' tha' belongs ta kids.  The lil' shits method of death was obvious, somebody farted.  I call that a 'come from behind victory' if'n ya be askin' me!"   He chuckles at the crude yet fitting joke.