- It’s Noon by the time we return to the Inn at Basilisk Bluff
- We talk to Cronen, and tell him about the prophesy.
- Cronen expresses his gratitude that we’re there and helping. “When you get back, could always use strong hands. Come down to the tavern and join us!”
- For someone with noble blood, he’s very down to earth.
- Rem’e spends some time working on bullets; he heads to the blacksmith’s shop – Lexera let’s him work there. “Sure – get to it, just stay out of my way.”
- Ariza takes a walk to check out the town.
- Liadan visits Habistaw.
- Just as she goes to knock on the door, he opens “Hey you’re back! Ready to get the kobolds?”
- “Well…”
- “I made something for you” holds up two vials with pink liquid. “This one’s for you, this one’s for Rhun. This is reduce person potion – everything shrinks with you. Will work for a full 90 minutes, but only for 90 minutes. So good hunting – – you’ll come back in one piece, I’m sure. What else?”
- “Anything else when the potion wears off?”
- “The pumpkin turns back into a carriage, oh yes!”
- (Str -2, Dex +2, +1 hit, +1 armor class)
- L: “Thank you. You mentioned some spells you have …. I’m interested in looking at them.”
- “Sure! What would you like – I have quite a collection of spells.”
- “Anything intersting for the kobolds? What’s your specialty?”
- “Divination of course – I am Habistaw the Divine.”
- They discuss different spells. “Fireball? Maybe your not up to fireball yet …. might be a little advanced for you.”
- They continue to talk about this. He gives Liadan tea. They have a lovely hour hanging out.
- Rhun wanders into a sunny field, thinking about what’s going on.
- Rem’e returns to speak to Habistaw – see if there is anything to be done about his low light vision.
- “Rem’e! how wonderful of you to join us – we were just having tea.”
- Rem’e explains his low light vision as a flaw.
- “I do have a spell called dark vision that would help you.”
- Rhun is soaking in the sun. Try though he might, meditating … even in the sun there’s a corrupt thread running through him that he cannot shake.
- Ariza does her jaunt around the village. She finds where Tuxel’s house is. It’s shuttered and closed. Most other houses are open, letting the breeze in. The buildings are mostly brick and adobe. Thatched roofs. There are watchmen on the walls.
- Afternoon wears on – we reconvene, discuss our day and have dinner. Liadan and Rhun talk about what’s going on with Rhun … decide that Liadan should get a divination spell from Habistaw to look for a solution.
- Rem’e asks Rhun directly about what’s going on. Rhun and Rem’e have a good exchange about this – Rhun confesses that it has something to do with his father. Ariza is staying on the other side of the table, wary of magic gone wrong. Rem’e is empathetic, and Rhun feels better. Liadan is sketching on the tablecloth – wondering about spells that might help.
- Door to inn opens, and a tall figure stalks in, in cloak and skins. She is an elf, blonde hair done in a tight braid behind her, armed to the teeth. Eveyone gets quiet when she walks in — the quiet spreads through he dining room. She’s look for an empty table.
- A mocking voice speaks up: “Look who finally slithers in – too busy getting twigs out of her hair to honor a contract” … the speaker is Tuxel Wu.
- The new arrival is Heminile the ranger: “I don’t work for you you perfumed turd fairy.”
- “You don’t work for anyone – as shown by the elf heads we found in the fields.”
- Heminile grabs her weopon and stalks forward.
- Cronen: “ENOUGH! Heminile sit down.”
- Conversation slowly returns … but farmers have deer in the headlights look; some of the soldiers are nodding their heads at Tuxel’s words and shooting dark looks towards Heminile.
- Cronen and Warsh head over to Heminile – they have an energetic hushed conversation. Heminile couldn’t care about what Cronen and Warsh are saying “I’m too damn busy to be babysitting some greedy traders on the trail.” After a few more words, the three of them separate. Someone brings Heminile some food, and then everyone else leaves her alone. Heminile keeps looking towards Liadan … elf? What’s an another elf doing out here?
- Liadan orders an extra drink and approaches Heminile, with Rhun in tow. She eyes us, mostly looking at the beer. She gives Rhun a dismissive look, and then asks Liadan, “What tribe are you?”
- “From New Albion, from Maplewood.”
- She says “I’m from the Redwood. Why are you here?” (she is forlorn)
- “We travelled with Warsh”
- Note: she didn’t thank us for the drink.
- We sense motive: she has an innate drive to protect the land and defend the people. Redwood elves
- Rhun asks “What was your business that kept you from the caravan?”
- H: “Took out a sabretooth that was troubling the area… not that any of these people care that I saved their hides.”
- L: “What do you think of Habistaw?”
- H: “Oh that? Ha. So you’re going to kill some kobolds? Nasty little scavengers.”
- We get to bed and spend one more day, before Rem’e’s armor is ready. Liadan checks in with Habistaw… Liadan detects magic on Rhun, senses nothing.
- Rem’e crafts a few more things
- Habistaw is tinkering in his room … we knock. Habistaw greets us at the door – doesn’t invite us in, though. We ask about the problem Rhun had with his channeling. He doesn’t think he can help us…assuming that the problem is something else… and he sends us to Stephano.
- We go to Stephano. Stephano gives us a curt nod. He has some skins on the wall. If we didn’t know better he’d be a ranger. He’s weathered, perhaps between 30 and 50 … laugh lines. He’s leathery and tough.
- We talk a bit … he advises checking with the powers of Sarenrae, looking at Rhun skeptically. …Something definitely not right about a cleric whose channeling has gone awry.
——————————————–
- Third day arrives
- Studded leather armor is prepared. Rem’e heads to Lexera. Good armor.
- We stock up on what we need for travel – Liadan has the map and prophesy.
- About 2 ½ days of travel, goes near the original mine of our first travels. Trip is uneventful – no hobgoblins or ankhegs.
- We find the lair – it is hard to find – it is a hole in the ground in a rocky outcropping. A small search of the area shows some evidence of the kobolds passing … a little bit of debris, but not much. Rem’e looks around for larger footprint … doesn’t see anything. Grass is pretty thick – all springy, some matted grass … but not much else. Liadan looks at the geography … she sees some game paths that the Kobolds use, but not much else.
- Ariza looks for traps but finds nothing; Rem’e also looks for traps.
- Ariza heads into the tunnel – high stealth. Rem’e also high stealth. Rhun casts light on Reme’s soap on a rope to give him light. 🙂
- Tunnel lowers straight down (50 degree drop) and then levels and then pitches pretty fast. (Squares are 3’ not five. Ceilings about 4’ tall. )
- Liadan and Rhun take shrinking potion after which they are about the same size as Ariza… follow the others to a landing … we listen: hear some chatter, but Liadan can’t make out what it says. (Draconic, though)
- Ariza senses for trap – senses a magical trap. Has NO trouble (crit!) – she moves one pebble out of the way, and removes it — senses it was some sort of magical alarm.
- Ariza heads forward in front, stealthily – notices another trap ahead. We can hear kobolds up ahead. Liadan can tell they are arguing about a game of dice. We can’t tell how many.
- Ariza stealths up next to the trap and takes a look – is a pit trap; some hide covered with dirt — pretty well camouflaged to look like stone floor. The rest of us hang back – Ariza checks out the room with kobolds: there are half a dozen of them rolling dice in a chalk circle on the floor (maybe marbles). They don’t notice her but remain intent on the game.
- Rem’e pulls Rhun and Liadan forward — we come forward and ready magic.
- BATTLE:
- Rhun gets pulled forward by Ariza, but trips!
- Ariza jumps ahead and dazzles the front kobold.
- Rem’e shoots at the front kobold – down!
- Liadan: hits dazzled one with two MM and it goes down
- Kobolds:
- One attacks Ariza, misses
- One attacks Rhun, misses
- One attacks Ariza, misses
- Rhun attakcs with scimitar, confirmed crit – down!
- Ariza attacks – nicks a kobold
- Rem’e shoots one in the front – hits; one in the middle goes down.
- Liadan steps forward misses
- Kobold swings at Ariza, misses
- Rhun runs around Liadan and strikes last kobold with scimitar, it goes down.
- We follow the kobold that fled – ARiza finds trap, and is fixing it. While doing so a bunch of arrows come down the hall, one grazes Ariza
- More kobolds up ahead
- Ariza throws a dagger and breaks it on the ceiling
- Rem’e has his soap on the rope out, and takes a shot at the one in the middle – drops
- Liadan: moves to the front and casts sleep – all 5 remaining drop.
- Following Ariza’s lead, we coup de gras all five.
- Ariza moves forward and find a mine: flecks of gold in the walls, some tools.
- Rem’e looks the other way to the North … Ariza moves up to the North and finds no traps.
- We enter a storage room with ropes and tools.
- Moving forward, the floor gives way below Ariza – the pit opes up, but she quickly hooks an arm on the edge looking down on a line of spikes on the bottom. Rem’e helps her out.
- We can hear a chanting up ahead in draconic – sounds like a prayer. A large room looms before us – a statue of Asmodeus is on the far wall!
- Reme: runs forward and takes a shot at the guy in the back (hit!), then rapid reloads.
- Ariza: tosses a dagger and hits! Throws another dagger at same.
- Liadan: MM – goes for kobold in the back – hits, but still standing
- Kobolds:
- one in the back is nonplused, spills around some words in draconic – the air around Ariza, Rem’e and Liadan explodes in pain. Ariza feels the cacophony of sound slamming her into the wall. Rem’e can only put hands over his ears and is stunned. Liadan – hurt and stunned as well.
- Two more run up on Ariza – first one stabs her, the second one does not – his spear breaks on the wall behind.
- Two others loose arrows at Rem’e – one hits, one doesn’t.
- Rhun comes around the corner, sees the mayhem and with some trepidation channels energy – heals his companions significantly …and breathes a sigh of relief.
- Rem’e shakes off his stunned state
- Ariza strikes a kobold in front, and drops him
- Liadan also comes to.
- Kobolds:
- Some words from the kobold cleric, and an earth elemental erupts from the ground … punching Rem’e with a big fist.
- Kobold attacks Ariza with spear, but misses; the next one hits
- Rhun leaps forward touching the earth elemental, inflicting moderate wounds — the holy light of Sarenrae courses through him, and the creature is hurt but does not fall (10pts of dmg)
- Rem’e shoots at the earth elemental — the thing crumbles to nothing! Rem’e regains his grit – he looks seriously PO’d right now.
- Ariza – attacks kobold with daggers; hits twice – damages but does not drop it.
- Liadan – force missile on one engaged with Ariza: does some damage
- Kobolds
- cleric conjures another earth elemental that smashes Rhun
- Rhun – runs past elemental who smashes him again on the way by (ow!), runs to the cleric but fumbles! Kobold parries his scimitar with a mace and it goes clattering across the room under the earth elemental.
- Rem’e: takes a shot at the elemental with focused aim – blows a big chunk of rock off of it, and rapid reloads
- Ariza: hits the same kobold she’s been engaged with who falls dead; attacks the next one, and it also falls!
- Liadan charges up a shocking grasp and strikes at the elemental, but it dodges out of the way
- Kobolds:
- Cleric casts fear against Rhun, but Rhun shakes it off.
- other swung with spear and missed
- elemental misses liadan
- Rhun steps toward cleric and FUMBLES! (again!) Misses and takes a point of damage
- Rem’e shoots the elemental
- Ariza steps up behind cleric, flanking and attacks with rapier – gives a terrible wound but he remains standing
- Liadan sends her energy into the elemental – it crumbles to dust
- Kobolds
- Cleric steps back and spreads hands
- Ariza takes an attack opportunity and CRITS! (confirmed!) — gives him a mortal wound, gnome stabs him from behind, and he looks at Ariza in fear and rage, and collapses!
- Remaining kobold attacks Rhun – Rhun to zero!!
- Rhun: staggered and casts cure moderate wounds on himself, dodging attack of opportunity.
- Rem’e shoots remaning kobold, and drops him – and regains his grit. All dead!
- Rhun opens curtain, and there is a passage there. Ariza looks for traps there, finds nothing. Rem’e examines statue of Asmodeus – and finds a secret door behind the statue. Ariza checks for traps behind the statue – finds none.
- Rem’e and Ariza open secret door – to find a hoard fit for a dragon! Ariza checks for traps and finds none.
- Rhun examines the northern room and finds nothing (fumble!!)
- An eastern passage leads out of the room with the statue. Ariza finds another pit trap – we hop over that and head to the East
- A three way fork meets us – Ariza finds another trap to the south. To the north we smell a strong odor of a kobold dump – it wreaks.. Ariza does a quick survey of the norther room and she is rushed by five giant rats and six more kobolds! (it’s almost like they knew we were coming a were trying to hide…. 🙂
- BATTLE!
- Rem’e runs up behind Ariza and loads a flare – and shoots into the fray – even the rats squeal in pain from the blast of light.
- Ariza drops back to the intersection and prepares
- Rhun drops into the hallway to the south of the intersection and prepares a crossbow bolt
- Liadan steps to the west of the intersection and prepares
- RATS run forward and attack Rem’e and miss him — Rhun lets loose his bolt, but misses
- Rem’e takes a five foot step back and shoots at the dire rat in front of him – blows him away!
- Ariza takes a look down the hall that runs to the northeast – and finds another intersection
- Rhun shoots a bolt but misses
- Liadan hits a rat with a force missile – causes a little damage
- RATS Two rats head down the hall but miss Rem’e
- Rem’e – rapid reloads and crushes the the one in front
- Ariza steps forward and finds no traps as she goes — as she steps forward rocks fall and block the passage to the north. Ariza jumps out of the way and takes no damage …we hear a cheer from the kobolds in the sesspit
- Rhun jumps forward and attacks rat in tunnel with Scimitar, but it jumps out of the way
- Liadan follows Ariza
- Rem’e blows away the final rat in the hall
- We are not pursued by rats or kobolds from the dump
- We start to get nervous about the time – we head back and head south of the intersection – as we head forward, an arrow flies from the south and hits Ariza (ow) – at the same time, Liadan and Rhun begin to grow back to full size.
- L and Rh crawl past Rem’e who covers our retreat. We return to the first landing and take a breather.
- We turn back and head to the Asmodeus statue room – allowing Rhun and Liadan to keep watch. Rhun examines the hoard – there are dozens of rough gold bars. About 10gp each, silver chalice set with stones, jeweled dagger – masterwork …probably an arcane focus for some wizard … Liadan gets a vibe from it – but no detect magic.
- 150 gold bars (1500gp value), 36gp, 280sp, 1100cp, silver cup 190gp, masterwork weapon worth about 300gp.
- Ariza has six alchemist’s fire bags – she makes two traps with alchemist’s fire in the south and east of the intersection. She then heads to the north to throw fire at the group. As she rounds the corner, there is a pile of refuse being built up …kobolds are barricading themselves in.
- Ariza sets another trap just to the east of the statue room, and we hunker down with a watch to try and spend a night in the chamber – when we try to rest, there are arrows coming down at us. We’re not going to get rest here.