Journal – Session 2
Commissioned by Lord Jessup Holtsbridge to eradicate the scourge of kobold bandits menacing the trade routes to and from the settlement of Folkestone, a party of six bold adventurers – Barrack, a plain-spoken dwarven Fighter, powerful wielder of the hammers favored by that strong and dour race; Marik, a reptilian dragonborn Warlock, heir to an ancient and proud lineage, but inescapably bound to a pact granting him supernatural powers; Jaeran, an elven Cleric upon whom the gods have granted a measure of divine power as a reward for his faith; Syxia, a tiefling Rogue, dark daughter of a cursed bloodline, her ancestors given to the infernal worship of fiends; Tolinyr, an eladrin Wizard of the Feywild, wielder of potent magic; and Ur-Kadar, dragonborn Paladin of Bahamut, the Platinum Dragon, a holy warrior dedicated to upholding the tenets of his faith and protecting the weak with his battle axe – found and eliminated a band of the small, reptilian creatures; upon questioning the lone survivor of the battle in the kobold caves, the adventurers were told of a larger force of kobolds, who maintained a large, well-protected cave lair not far from the smaller outpost that had just been eliminated by the heroes.
The party members easily followed the general directions that the surviving kobold had provided, and the information appeared to be accurate. The scrubby grasslands soon gave way to rocky, wooded hills, and the party soon had to lead the horses rather than ride them. The kobold dragonshield they had questioned had indeed been truthful, and the information the wretched creature provided led them to the tribal lair of the kobold bandits – a stronghold carved into the rocky slope of a range of hills. As the creature had indicated, the main lair of the kobold tribe was a cave complex on the opposite side of a 30-foot gorge. Syxia carefully scouted ahead, and discovered that the only way across the chasm was a small, free-swinging rope bridge that was swaying dangerously over the rocky gorge below. In addition, the bridge was well-guarded on both sides; on the near side of the gorge, just past the forested hills where the party was hiding, two small towers could easily be seen, each nearly 10 feet high. These towers appeared to be watchtowers of old, the ruins of an earlier realm now fallen; the ancient guard towers were crumbling, and now served as little more than lookout posts, rather than stout defensive works. However, the ancient watchtowers still made effective lookout posts for the kobold guards seen on the ramparts and near the towers. The party noted that on the near side of the gorge (the side on which they were hiding), the bridge was guarded by only one kobold warrior and a kobold slinger, the latter posted on the tower and keeping a careful lookout for signs of danger.
Looking across the gorge, the party saw two makeshift towers, obviously erected by the kobolds in a rather hasty manner (clearly, these were not the proud ruins of an ancient empire, as were the crumbling towers across the gorge) – which were really just large piles of rocks outside the cave entrance – could be seen; these were manned by a number of kobolds, and slingers were observed perched on the watchtowers. In addition, the wide entrance to the cavern complex was guarded by a fierce guard drake, a kobold skirmisher and several kobold warriors. A huge fire, ringed by rocks and boulders, was positioned to the left of the cave opening.
The party carefully discussed several plans of attack, with Syxia arguing for a direct assault. Cooler heads prevailed, however, and the planning turned to subterfuge. Of obvious concern was the potential that the wily kobolds would cut the rope bridge before the party could make it across or while they were engaged and stuck out on it – a fall from the decrepit bridge onto the rocks below could easily be fatal. After much discussion, the group decided the best course of action was for Tolinyr to use Syxia's powerful Dust of Disappearance (replicating the power of an experienced Wizard) to turn invisible, sneak up to (and then across) the bridge, and then attack with surprise, using his arcane Flaming Sphere power to guard the opposite side of the bridge. The other party members would then rush to the bridge, and try to hold and cross it. The plan was carefully laid out, and it met with success. Tolinyr was able to cross the bridge and keep the kobold defenders at bay while Barrack, Syxia and Ur-Kadar eliminated the kobolds guarding the approach to the gorge before navigating the bridge (despite the incoming barrage of sling stones). While Syxia lightly bounded across the bridge, the heavily-armored fighting-men required more caution to avoid being thrown into the gorge. Once on the other side, Syxia furiously unleashed a barrage of daggers to blind a number of the kobolds while Ur-Kadar’s dragon breath and Barrack's hammer worked together to crush the other kobold defenders. After blinding a dragonshield warrior who was leading a number of kobold warriors, Syxia used an expertly-executed positioning strike, and forced the dragonshield off the cliff and into the gorge. Relying on his elven accuracy, Jaeran provided deadly arrows to go along with Tolinyr’s Flaming Sphere and Marik's slashing halberd. Marik also used his Warlock’s curses, which marked many kobold attackers, reducing their effectiveness.
The battle against the kobolds defending the cave opening was over quickly, despite the seemingly endless waves of kobolds coming from the caves beyond. However, an attack from the rear caught Jaeran by surprise and a well-aimed gluepot from a kobold slinger immobilized him on the bridge as he was attempting to join his comrades. When several kobolds led by a dragonshield approached from the rear, while he was balancing precariously on the bridge, things began to look tenuous; but the Cleric prayed for guidance, and unleashed divine power that slew three of the kobold attackers. He then freed himself and escaped the bridge. While the noble heroes held the cave mouth, the Wizard's Flaming Sphere burned down the bridge to prevent any further rear assaults; the remaining kobolds advancing from the wooded terrain on the other side of the gorge melted away into the rugged terrain.
With the cave entrance finally secure, the party regrouped, summoned their courage and made their way in. Tolinyr provided a magical light that allowed the party to see inside the cavern (but that also yielded any chance of surprise). The cave entrance opened into a large, irregular cavern with three passages connecting the chamber with caves deeper in the complex. Inside the room were a large number of kobold warriors, as well as two skirmishers and four slingers; the latter were strategically positioned behind small, natural cave walls providing them with cover. The center of the room was empty and was conspicuously avoided by the kobolds, which gave the party a hint that there was probably a pit trap or two waiting for them in the general vicinity (especially given the known shifty and underhanded propensities of the kobolds). Ur-Kadar and Barrack pressed forward, battling numerous foes in brutal melee combat, keeping close to the walls as they advanced. The Warlock and Rogue pressed forward as well, intent on working as a team to combat the massed kobolds. As the pitched battle shifted, Ur-Kadar and Marik took the left side of the cavern, while Barrack and Syxia proceeded up the right. The kobolds were as tricky as they were rumored to be, and had placed an additional trap on the right that caused the rocky wall of the cave to collapse. Syxia’s reflexes and training allowed her to skirt the falling hazard of rocks and rubble without trouble, but Barrack was not as evasive; he was injured by the trap, but his innate dwarven stability saved him from being pushed into a large pit trap in the middle of the room. With the trap exposed, the party made quick work of the remaining melee combatants, forcing the kobold slingers to retreat.
A quick exploration of the place revealed that the tunnel to the left led to a small cave in which a groundwater pool that served as the kobolds’ water source was situated – the water in the pool, no doubt fed by an underwater spring, was cool, clean, clear and refreshing. Doubling back to the large cavern, the party discovered that the tunnel to the right led to a large room littered with bundles of straw and flea-ridden, poorly-stitched dire rat hide blankets; the dank place clearly served as the common sleeping chamber for the kobold tribe. Needless to say, the room smelled rather noxious and foul (as Syxia loudly – and continually – pointed out).
Following the center cave passage leading from the entry chamber, the party found that they could go forward some distance in the twisting passageway before it turned into another cavern. Tolinyr's magical light again proved valuable, as it revealed a number of kobolds awaiting the party on the other side of a section of the curved cavern. Syxia charged in, unable to control herself (her hot, Hell-cursed blood forcing her to seek danger), only to spring another kobold trap. After ill-advisedly charging into the room, she was bloodied by a volley of slingstones. There were several kobold slingers positioned behind a ledge of rocks that could not be seen from the earlier vantage point of the party. The heroes reacted quickly to save their companion: Ur-Kadar turned the tide as he rushed toward the kobold slingers, jumped atop the ledge and unleashed his fiery dragon breath, scorching the ambushers.
The main battle was then joined. The large natural cavern was guarded by a number of kobolds – dragonshields and skirmishers, as well as ordinary warriors. A fearsome-looking kobold chieftain wielding a magical battle axe confidently strode into battle with the front-line party members, who quickly found themselves surrounded by a number of kobold attackers. At this time, two new and deadly opponents made their appearance – a sinister hooded and cloaked kobold wyrmpriest wielding a magical orb, and a fierce spire-top drake – and things began to look dark for the heroes. The party managed to avoid yet another shifty kobold trap that involved the kobolds rolling a large boulder off of a ledge, straight toward the area where several party members were engaged in combat in the middle of the cavern. The natural path of the boulder led through the cavern and along the winding passageway that led to the main chamber.
A large group of kobolds charged forward, led by their chieftain, and the stalwart defenders of the party formed a defensive wall to stop the rush. The wyrmpriest continued to hurl flaming orbs at his foes from a distance, while simultaneously inspiring the kobolds to rally around the chieftain. Syxia had been in the rear, battling the remaining kobolds that had not swarmed Barrack and Ur-Kadar, and she felled several of them, taking full advantage of her Rogue abilities to deal crippling damage to her foes. The chieftain proved a formidable opponent, as a mighty blow from his axe connected with Ur-Kadar’s knee and immobilized the holy warrior. Striking back with steadfast determination, the combined blows from Ur-Kadar and Barrack slew the mighty kobold chieftain before he could do further damage.
With the chieftain dead, the kobolds on the cliff above the fighting rolled another large boulder down the incline in another attempt to crush party members beneath the great stone. As the spire-top drake flew through the cavern seeking to rake party members with its deadly claws, it was brought down by Marik, who downed the drake in front of the rolling boulder using the terrible, eldritch power known only as the Curse of the Dark Dream. After being wounded by the boulder, a flanking attack by Syxia killed the beast. Jaeran’s healing words were needed as combat drew on, and the divine power he channeled to his allies proved crucial. On the opposite side of the cave, the kobolds that were using their position on the rocky outcropping as cover were finally overcome by Tolinyr. Attacking at the last with his longsword rather than with arcane magic, his blade dripped with the black, ichor-like blood of the reptilian kobolds.
As the tide clearly turned against the kobolds, they fell back and rallied around the wyrmpriest. The wyrmpriest unleashed a furious blast of fire that was worthy of a young dragon. The shields of Ur-Kadar and Barrack deflected the heat and flame and the heroes stood their ground, unrelenting. His power waning, the wyrmpriest and his remaining followers soon were lying dead on the cavern floor. The exhausted party members mended their wounds and rested from the brutal exertions of combat. They looted the kobolds, and wrested the magical battle axe of the kobold chieftain from his dead, taloned hands (the axe was claimed by Ur-Kadar). The wyrmpriest’s magical orb was claimed by Tolinyr, and Syxia collected the gold and silver coins the kobolds had managed to steal from hapless merchants and travelers on the caravan road. Each party member received a share of the kobold treasure, and the magic items went to those who could best put them to use. It was beyond dispute that each party member proved his or her worth in the fight.
As Lord Jessup Holtsbridge had directed that the heroes return with some proof that they did indeed eliminate the kobold raiders, it was decided that the head of the chieftain and the robes of the wyrmpriest, along with the magic items recovered from the kobold leaders, would establish that they had completed their quest. The body of the spire-top drake was also carried back to Folkestone (and was ultimately given to Meldrick, innkeeper of the Crested Cock – after arrangements were made with the local taxidermist – who announced its mounting over the main fireplace in the comfortable tavern that was a part of his establishment).
Upon returning to Folkestone, the town guards informed the party that Lord Jessup would like a report on the elimination of the tribe of kobold bandits. The group proceeded to the Keep and gained entrance. Unfortunately, the lord was away, but Greven the magistrate was available, and he was pleased to receive them. He asked for a full report, including evidence to reinforce the statements made by the party members. The group provided details about their conquest of the caverns and provided as proof the head of the kobold chieftan, the robes of the wyrmpriest and the carcass of the spire-top drake, as well as the treasure and magic items found in the caves. Greven accepted this evidence of the success of the quest, and authorized payment of 75 gold pieces to the group from the lord’s treasury.
At that moment, a man known as Desh (the town weaver) rushed in, and demanded an audience with Lord Jessup. He exclaimed that “frogmen” had taken his children (Soria and Ghaelon) and pleaded with Greven that town guards be immediately sent to look for them in the trackless swamps to the northeast of the town. Greven was sympathetic to Desh’s pleas, but told him that Jessup was tending to matters outside the Keep and that it would take time to find him. Greven did not have the authority to send troops out on his own and time was of the utmost importance. Ur-Kadar proclaimed that he and his friends would go after the frogmen and attempt to rescue the children. The group quickly obtained information from Desh before setting off for the swamplands. Greven thanked the party and wished them good luck.
The party made its way to the eastern gate of Folkestone, quickly talking to townsfolk along the way in an effort to gather as much information as they could about both the swamp and the “frogmen.” They learned that creatures that could be described as “frogmen” had been spotted by a number of citizens several times before, but the strange creatures had never before been so bold as to attack. Based on the information provided by the townfolk, the heroes were able to discern the general direction in which these “frogmen” (known to Jaeran as bullywugs) had retreated. The elf’s keen eyes, in conjunction with the information they had successfully gathered, led them deep into the swamp, and after several hours of hard trekking through the dismal marshes and trackless mire, they came to a small clearing. The air was heavy and humid, and the light was failing as the sun was going down. Through the cypress trees, the party could make out a makeshift camp and an estimated 20 bullywugs, as well as several large frogs. The bullywugs were croaking and groaning in their strange, alien language, and were so involved in their own activities in the camp that they did not notice the heroes hiding nearby. The party also spied a roaring fire and two bullywug thugs carrying the two children, still alive, tied to a pole. The party quickly surmised that the children were soon going to be served as the main course at a tribal feast, and so they lost no time before launching a surprise assault.
Having never faced such creatures, the party did not know what to expect. They quickly learned that their enemies charged into combat with a mighty leap that was very dangerous. The killer frogs’ tongues proved to be a very dangerous threat, as they could use them to wrap up and drag their prey using great strength. The giant killer frogs of the swamp were over two feet in length, and were equipped with razor-sharp claws and teeth; they combined the worst ferocity and killer instincts of large predators with the ability to move through swamps and marshes with great swiftness in order to strike and avoid retaliation. One of the killer frogs wrapped its long, sticky tongue around Ur-Kadar’s waist, and struggled to drag the Paladin into a pool of murky water. The common bullywugs were no match for the party but their leader proved to be much tougher. Following the struggle with the giant killer frog, in which Ur-Kadar nearly ripped its tongue from its fanged mouth, the bullywug leader leapt into battle. With a staggering blow, he brought a stunned Ur-Kadar to his knees, dragon-like blood pouring freely from his gaping wound, before he fell to the muddy ground, where he fitfully passed in and out of consciousness. Jaeran responded with divine power, healing the Paladin and quickly returning him to his feet. The big dragonborn’s eyes burned with determination and with one mighty blow, he critically wounded the bullywug champion with his magical axe. The frog-like creature croaked its death-throes as a cascade of bile and blood arced into the air. With the leader slain, what remained of the bullywug tribe fled into the trackless swamps in the gathering darkness, their will to fight destroyed. The heroes untied the children and returned to Folkestone as quickly as they could.
The party members received a heroes’ welcome upon their return to the town, and they enjoyed the attention. Desh was so happy to see his children safe and sound that he paid the party 25 gold pieces and awarded Barrack one of his prized family heirlooms, a magical war hammer. Although not of dwarven make, the craftsmanship was nonetheless excellent (notwithstanding the enchantment laid upon the hammer), and Barack vowed to use the weapon with pride. Meldrick, innkeeper of the Crested Cock (the inn where the party had decided to stay upon their initial arrival in Folkestone), proclaimed one week of free room and board for the heroes – it is merely incidental that his business might increase if the locals knew that the new heroes of the town were going to be there; in fact, every night since their return has been one long celebration in the common room and tavern of the Crested Cock, as travelers and townsfolk alike talked (and argued) about the heroes and their exploits. It seemed to everyone concerned that with the heroes basing themselves in the town, the grim mood in Folkestone had lifted. Any shadow that had fallen over the town was certainly lifted for a time, if not banished altogether.
Commissioned by Lord Jessup Holtsbridge to eradicate the scourge of kobold bandits menacing the trade routes to and from the settlement of Folkestone, a party of six bold adventurers – Barrack, a plain-spoken dwarven Fighter, powerful wielder of the hammers favored by that strong and dour race; Marik, a reptilian dragonborn Warlock, heir to an ancient and proud lineage, but inescapably bound to a pact granting him supernatural powers; Jaeran, an elven Cleric upon whom the gods have granted a measure of divine power as a reward for his faith; Syxia, a tiefling Rogue, dark daughter of a cursed bloodline, her ancestors given to the infernal worship of fiends; Tolinyr, an eladrin Wizard of the Feywild, wielder of potent magic; and Ur-Kadar, dragonborn Paladin of Bahamut, the Platinum Dragon, a holy warrior dedicated to upholding the tenets of his faith and protecting the weak with his battle axe – found and eliminated a band of the small, reptilian creatures; upon questioning the lone survivor of the battle in the kobold caves, the adventurers were told of a larger force of kobolds, who maintained a large, well-protected cave lair not far from the smaller outpost that had just been eliminated by the heroes.
The party members easily followed the general directions that the surviving kobold had provided, and the information appeared to be accurate. The scrubby grasslands soon gave way to rocky, wooded hills, and the party soon had to lead the horses rather than ride them. The kobold dragonshield they had questioned had indeed been truthful, and the information the wretched creature provided led them to the tribal lair of the kobold bandits – a stronghold carved into the rocky slope of a range of hills. As the creature had indicated, the main lair of the kobold tribe was a cave complex on the opposite side of a 30-foot gorge. Syxia carefully scouted ahead, and discovered that the only way across the chasm was a small, free-swinging rope bridge that was swaying dangerously over the rocky gorge below. In addition, the bridge was well-guarded on both sides; on the near side of the gorge, just past the forested hills where the party was hiding, two small towers could easily be seen, each nearly 10 feet high. These towers appeared to be watchtowers of old, the ruins of an earlier realm now fallen; the ancient guard towers were crumbling, and now served as little more than lookout posts, rather than stout defensive works. However, the ancient watchtowers still made effective lookout posts for the kobold guards seen on the ramparts and near the towers. The party noted that on the near side of the gorge (the side on which they were hiding), the bridge was guarded by only one kobold warrior and a kobold slinger, the latter posted on the tower and keeping a careful lookout for signs of danger.
Looking across the gorge, the party saw two makeshift towers, obviously erected by the kobolds in a rather hasty manner (clearly, these were not the proud ruins of an ancient empire, as were the crumbling towers across the gorge) – which were really just large piles of rocks outside the cave entrance – could be seen; these were manned by a number of kobolds, and slingers were observed perched on the watchtowers. In addition, the wide entrance to the cavern complex was guarded by a fierce guard drake, a kobold skirmisher and several kobold warriors. A huge fire, ringed by rocks and boulders, was positioned to the left of the cave opening.
The party carefully discussed several plans of attack, with Syxia arguing for a direct assault. Cooler heads prevailed, however, and the planning turned to subterfuge. Of obvious concern was the potential that the wily kobolds would cut the rope bridge before the party could make it across or while they were engaged and stuck out on it – a fall from the decrepit bridge onto the rocks below could easily be fatal. After much discussion, the group decided the best course of action was for Tolinyr to use Syxia's powerful Dust of Disappearance (replicating the power of an experienced Wizard) to turn invisible, sneak up to (and then across) the bridge, and then attack with surprise, using his arcane Flaming Sphere power to guard the opposite side of the bridge. The other party members would then rush to the bridge, and try to hold and cross it. The plan was carefully laid out, and it met with success. Tolinyr was able to cross the bridge and keep the kobold defenders at bay while Barrack, Syxia and Ur-Kadar eliminated the kobolds guarding the approach to the gorge before navigating the bridge (despite the incoming barrage of sling stones). While Syxia lightly bounded across the bridge, the heavily-armored fighting-men required more caution to avoid being thrown into the gorge. Once on the other side, Syxia furiously unleashed a barrage of daggers to blind a number of the kobolds while Ur-Kadar’s dragon breath and Barrack's hammer worked together to crush the other kobold defenders. After blinding a dragonshield warrior who was leading a number of kobold warriors, Syxia used an expertly-executed positioning strike, and forced the dragonshield off the cliff and into the gorge. Relying on his elven accuracy, Jaeran provided deadly arrows to go along with Tolinyr’s Flaming Sphere and Marik's slashing halberd. Marik also used his Warlock’s curses, which marked many kobold attackers, reducing their effectiveness.
The battle against the kobolds defending the cave opening was over quickly, despite the seemingly endless waves of kobolds coming from the caves beyond. However, an attack from the rear caught Jaeran by surprise and a well-aimed gluepot from a kobold slinger immobilized him on the bridge as he was attempting to join his comrades. When several kobolds led by a dragonshield approached from the rear, while he was balancing precariously on the bridge, things began to look tenuous; but the Cleric prayed for guidance, and unleashed divine power that slew three of the kobold attackers. He then freed himself and escaped the bridge. While the noble heroes held the cave mouth, the Wizard's Flaming Sphere burned down the bridge to prevent any further rear assaults; the remaining kobolds advancing from the wooded terrain on the other side of the gorge melted away into the rugged terrain.
With the cave entrance finally secure, the party regrouped, summoned their courage and made their way in. Tolinyr provided a magical light that allowed the party to see inside the cavern (but that also yielded any chance of surprise). The cave entrance opened into a large, irregular cavern with three passages connecting the chamber with caves deeper in the complex. Inside the room were a large number of kobold warriors, as well as two skirmishers and four slingers; the latter were strategically positioned behind small, natural cave walls providing them with cover. The center of the room was empty and was conspicuously avoided by the kobolds, which gave the party a hint that there was probably a pit trap or two waiting for them in the general vicinity (especially given the known shifty and underhanded propensities of the kobolds). Ur-Kadar and Barrack pressed forward, battling numerous foes in brutal melee combat, keeping close to the walls as they advanced. The Warlock and Rogue pressed forward as well, intent on working as a team to combat the massed kobolds. As the pitched battle shifted, Ur-Kadar and Marik took the left side of the cavern, while Barrack and Syxia proceeded up the right. The kobolds were as tricky as they were rumored to be, and had placed an additional trap on the right that caused the rocky wall of the cave to collapse. Syxia’s reflexes and training allowed her to skirt the falling hazard of rocks and rubble without trouble, but Barrack was not as evasive; he was injured by the trap, but his innate dwarven stability saved him from being pushed into a large pit trap in the middle of the room. With the trap exposed, the party made quick work of the remaining melee combatants, forcing the kobold slingers to retreat.
A quick exploration of the place revealed that the tunnel to the left led to a small cave in which a groundwater pool that served as the kobolds’ water source was situated – the water in the pool, no doubt fed by an underwater spring, was cool, clean, clear and refreshing. Doubling back to the large cavern, the party discovered that the tunnel to the right led to a large room littered with bundles of straw and flea-ridden, poorly-stitched dire rat hide blankets; the dank place clearly served as the common sleeping chamber for the kobold tribe. Needless to say, the room smelled rather noxious and foul (as Syxia loudly – and continually – pointed out).
Following the center cave passage leading from the entry chamber, the party found that they could go forward some distance in the twisting passageway before it turned into another cavern. Tolinyr's magical light again proved valuable, as it revealed a number of kobolds awaiting the party on the other side of a section of the curved cavern. Syxia charged in, unable to control herself (her hot, Hell-cursed blood forcing her to seek danger), only to spring another kobold trap. After ill-advisedly charging into the room, she was bloodied by a volley of slingstones. There were several kobold slingers positioned behind a ledge of rocks that could not be seen from the earlier vantage point of the party. The heroes reacted quickly to save their companion: Ur-Kadar turned the tide as he rushed toward the kobold slingers, jumped atop the ledge and unleashed his fiery dragon breath, scorching the ambushers.
The main battle was then joined. The large natural cavern was guarded by a number of kobolds – dragonshields and skirmishers, as well as ordinary warriors. A fearsome-looking kobold chieftain wielding a magical battle axe confidently strode into battle with the front-line party members, who quickly found themselves surrounded by a number of kobold attackers. At this time, two new and deadly opponents made their appearance – a sinister hooded and cloaked kobold wyrmpriest wielding a magical orb, and a fierce spire-top drake – and things began to look dark for the heroes. The party managed to avoid yet another shifty kobold trap that involved the kobolds rolling a large boulder off of a ledge, straight toward the area where several party members were engaged in combat in the middle of the cavern. The natural path of the boulder led through the cavern and along the winding passageway that led to the main chamber.
A large group of kobolds charged forward, led by their chieftain, and the stalwart defenders of the party formed a defensive wall to stop the rush. The wyrmpriest continued to hurl flaming orbs at his foes from a distance, while simultaneously inspiring the kobolds to rally around the chieftain. Syxia had been in the rear, battling the remaining kobolds that had not swarmed Barrack and Ur-Kadar, and she felled several of them, taking full advantage of her Rogue abilities to deal crippling damage to her foes. The chieftain proved a formidable opponent, as a mighty blow from his axe connected with Ur-Kadar’s knee and immobilized the holy warrior. Striking back with steadfast determination, the combined blows from Ur-Kadar and Barrack slew the mighty kobold chieftain before he could do further damage.
With the chieftain dead, the kobolds on the cliff above the fighting rolled another large boulder down the incline in another attempt to crush party members beneath the great stone. As the spire-top drake flew through the cavern seeking to rake party members with its deadly claws, it was brought down by Marik, who downed the drake in front of the rolling boulder using the terrible, eldritch power known only as the Curse of the Dark Dream. After being wounded by the boulder, a flanking attack by Syxia killed the beast. Jaeran’s healing words were needed as combat drew on, and the divine power he channeled to his allies proved crucial. On the opposite side of the cave, the kobolds that were using their position on the rocky outcropping as cover were finally overcome by Tolinyr. Attacking at the last with his longsword rather than with arcane magic, his blade dripped with the black, ichor-like blood of the reptilian kobolds.
As the tide clearly turned against the kobolds, they fell back and rallied around the wyrmpriest. The wyrmpriest unleashed a furious blast of fire that was worthy of a young dragon. The shields of Ur-Kadar and Barrack deflected the heat and flame and the heroes stood their ground, unrelenting. His power waning, the wyrmpriest and his remaining followers soon were lying dead on the cavern floor. The exhausted party members mended their wounds and rested from the brutal exertions of combat. They looted the kobolds, and wrested the magical battle axe of the kobold chieftain from his dead, taloned hands (the axe was claimed by Ur-Kadar). The wyrmpriest’s magical orb was claimed by Tolinyr, and Syxia collected the gold and silver coins the kobolds had managed to steal from hapless merchants and travelers on the caravan road. Each party member received a share of the kobold treasure, and the magic items went to those who could best put them to use. It was beyond dispute that each party member proved his or her worth in the fight.
As Lord Jessup Holtsbridge had directed that the heroes return with some proof that they did indeed eliminate the kobold raiders, it was decided that the head of the chieftain and the robes of the wyrmpriest, along with the magic items recovered from the kobold leaders, would establish that they had completed their quest. The body of the spire-top drake was also carried back to Folkestone (and was ultimately given to Meldrick, innkeeper of the Crested Cock – after arrangements were made with the local taxidermist – who announced its mounting over the main fireplace in the comfortable tavern that was a part of his establishment).
Upon returning to Folkestone, the town guards informed the party that Lord Jessup would like a report on the elimination of the tribe of kobold bandits. The group proceeded to the Keep and gained entrance. Unfortunately, the lord was away, but Greven the magistrate was available, and he was pleased to receive them. He asked for a full report, including evidence to reinforce the statements made by the party members. The group provided details about their conquest of the caverns and provided as proof the head of the kobold chieftan, the robes of the wyrmpriest and the carcass of the spire-top drake, as well as the treasure and magic items found in the caves. Greven accepted this evidence of the success of the quest, and authorized payment of 75 gold pieces to the group from the lord’s treasury.
At that moment, a man known as Desh (the town weaver) rushed in, and demanded an audience with Lord Jessup. He exclaimed that “frogmen” had taken his children (Soria and Ghaelon) and pleaded with Greven that town guards be immediately sent to look for them in the trackless swamps to the northeast of the town. Greven was sympathetic to Desh’s pleas, but told him that Jessup was tending to matters outside the Keep and that it would take time to find him. Greven did not have the authority to send troops out on his own and time was of the utmost importance. Ur-Kadar proclaimed that he and his friends would go after the frogmen and attempt to rescue the children. The group quickly obtained information from Desh before setting off for the swamplands. Greven thanked the party and wished them good luck.
The party made its way to the eastern gate of Folkestone, quickly talking to townsfolk along the way in an effort to gather as much information as they could about both the swamp and the “frogmen.” They learned that creatures that could be described as “frogmen” had been spotted by a number of citizens several times before, but the strange creatures had never before been so bold as to attack. Based on the information provided by the townfolk, the heroes were able to discern the general direction in which these “frogmen” (known to Jaeran as bullywugs) had retreated. The elf’s keen eyes, in conjunction with the information they had successfully gathered, led them deep into the swamp, and after several hours of hard trekking through the dismal marshes and trackless mire, they came to a small clearing. The air was heavy and humid, and the light was failing as the sun was going down. Through the cypress trees, the party could make out a makeshift camp and an estimated 20 bullywugs, as well as several large frogs. The bullywugs were croaking and groaning in their strange, alien language, and were so involved in their own activities in the camp that they did not notice the heroes hiding nearby. The party also spied a roaring fire and two bullywug thugs carrying the two children, still alive, tied to a pole. The party quickly surmised that the children were soon going to be served as the main course at a tribal feast, and so they lost no time before launching a surprise assault.
Having never faced such creatures, the party did not know what to expect. They quickly learned that their enemies charged into combat with a mighty leap that was very dangerous. The killer frogs’ tongues proved to be a very dangerous threat, as they could use them to wrap up and drag their prey using great strength. The giant killer frogs of the swamp were over two feet in length, and were equipped with razor-sharp claws and teeth; they combined the worst ferocity and killer instincts of large predators with the ability to move through swamps and marshes with great swiftness in order to strike and avoid retaliation. One of the killer frogs wrapped its long, sticky tongue around Ur-Kadar’s waist, and struggled to drag the Paladin into a pool of murky water. The common bullywugs were no match for the party but their leader proved to be much tougher. Following the struggle with the giant killer frog, in which Ur-Kadar nearly ripped its tongue from its fanged mouth, the bullywug leader leapt into battle. With a staggering blow, he brought a stunned Ur-Kadar to his knees, dragon-like blood pouring freely from his gaping wound, before he fell to the muddy ground, where he fitfully passed in and out of consciousness. Jaeran responded with divine power, healing the Paladin and quickly returning him to his feet. The big dragonborn’s eyes burned with determination and with one mighty blow, he critically wounded the bullywug champion with his magical axe. The frog-like creature croaked its death-throes as a cascade of bile and blood arced into the air. With the leader slain, what remained of the bullywug tribe fled into the trackless swamps in the gathering darkness, their will to fight destroyed. The heroes untied the children and returned to Folkestone as quickly as they could.
The party members received a heroes’ welcome upon their return to the town, and they enjoyed the attention. Desh was so happy to see his children safe and sound that he paid the party 25 gold pieces and awarded Barrack one of his prized family heirlooms, a magical war hammer. Although not of dwarven make, the craftsmanship was nonetheless excellent (notwithstanding the enchantment laid upon the hammer), and Barack vowed to use the weapon with pride. Meldrick, innkeeper of the Crested Cock (the inn where the party had decided to stay upon their initial arrival in Folkestone), proclaimed one week of free room and board for the heroes – it is merely incidental that his business might increase if the locals knew that the new heroes of the town were going to be there; in fact, every night since their return has been one long celebration in the common room and tavern of the Crested Cock, as travelers and townsfolk alike talked (and argued) about the heroes and their exploits. It seemed to everyone concerned that with the heroes basing themselves in the town, the grim mood in Folkestone had lifted. Any shadow that had fallen over the town was certainly lifted for a time, if not banished altogether.
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