Keep on the Shadowfell: Session 12

The goblin in the far cell was a sorry sight. Small, battered and bruised, and wearing only rags, he was sat hunched over in one corner, the meagre bedding wrapped around his thin shoulders.

As the adventurers peered in through the cell bars, the goblin seemed to shrink even more into the corner. “Don't kill me, please! I'm no threat to powerful and wise adventurers like yourselves!”

“Who are you?” asked Eilonwy.

“I am Splug, a weak and feeble goblin, and if you let me out, I will be your loyal servant.”

“Kaza wants to know why you're in that cell,” said Kaza. “Tell Kaza why the other goblins locked you up, or Kaza will blast you!”

Splug looked at Eilonwy. “Head wound?” he asked. She nodded.

Splug turned back to Kaza. “I was found stealing food and ale. The other goblins don't like me and they don't feed me. And Balgron beats me because he thinks it's funny.”

“Who is Balgron?” asked Gilee.

“He is the leader. He is the big fat goblin who runs things round here. Let me out and I'll tell you where he is.”

“You're a goblin. You'll only attempt to escape.”

“No! No!” protested Splug. “Let me out and I can be useful. I can carry things, tell you things, I can be your loyal servant, if you give me a little food and a little beer. Please?”

Eilonwy pondered the situation for a few moments. “Alright, we'll let you out, but we're going to have to tie a rope to you to make sure you don't run off.” She opened the cell doors and Doomgrad went and tied a length of rope around Splug's neck.

“It burns, it chokes!” cried Splug, as Doomgrad dragged him from the cell. Doomgrad handed the rope to Gilee. “Stupic, fat halfling” muttered Splug under his breath

“So, Splug, where is this Balgron character?” she asked. Splug led the party off to a nearby set of doors.

“Through here is where Balgron and the other goblins eat and sleep. If Balgron isn't here, he'll be at the excavation site.” Jia once more crept down the passageway, her footfalls making no noise. In the chamber ahead sat two goblins playing a game of cards. As soon as Jia dived out of cover to attack, one of them grabbed an alarm bell that sat on their table and began to ring as though his life depended on it. Unfortunately it was unsuccessful in saving his life as the other adventurers came in and cut him down. Meanwhile Eilonwy saw Splug fleeing from the combat, the length of rope that Gilee had dropped trailing behind him. “Damn,” she swore. “My rope!”

More goblins poured into the room from behind heavy curtains, but Eilonwy's holy flames killed many as they grouped up to get into the chamber. Gilee and Doomgrad began cutting down the others. At the back of the group, a larger, fatter goblin could be seen. Seeing his troops falling before the Blue Moon Corps, he fled back the way he came.

Within moments, they had killed the remaining goblins, and chased after Balgron. However, the chamber where he had fled was unoccupied. No sign of a secret passageway could be found, however, they did loot Balgron's treasure chest, taking a large sum of gold coins and magic wand suitable for a wizard.

They left the goblin's quarters and headed in the only direction they had not explored, east from the room with the pit where Bakaan had fallen and been attacked by rats. A flight of stairs led down some distance. At the bottom, the corridor continued to the east. Some distance along, a narrow passageway led south, their lanterns only illuminating a few yards of the darkness.

Ignoring this dark passage for the moment, the party continued east and found a large chamber, with extensive areas of the floor dug up. Many tons of earth had been removed, leaving only small areas of the original flooring intact, connected by narrow wooden planks that acted as bridges. Four goblins stood in the room, on the various remaining areas of the floor. Balgron stood on the edge of the area connected to the stairs, and was shouting at the other goblins.

Jia ran forwards and sank her blades in his back before he could react. Giving a scream of pain, he turned, but Gilee's sudden charge knocked him off the edge where he was standing, and he fell to the bottom of the room, some ten feet below.

Seeing the sudden attack by the adventurers, the other goblins all drew their crossbows. A withering hail of bolts began to batter the party. Avoiding the rickety plank leading further into the room, Jia leapt over a wide gap to engage on of the goblins. As she did so, two large lizards, ran up the ramp that led to the lower level and began biting at Gilee and Doomgrad.

Keep on the Shadowfell: Session 11

While Jia muttered to herself about the unfairness of the whole thing, the others readied themselves for further explorations. The passageway to the west soon led to a room with a number of closed doors. From behind one came the sounds of conversation, goblin voices muffled by the thick wood.

“We'll set a trap for them.” Bakaan outlined the plan. “We will hide round the corner of the passageway, while Jia approaches the door. She opens the door, surprises the goblins, and flees back to us here. They will chase after her, and we ambush them.” Approving nods greeted this suggestion.

The plan worked flawlessly. Almost.

Jia approached the door while the others made ready for the coming combat. She flung open the door to the room, surprising the goblins inside. A quick glance revealed that the room was a torture chamber, with rack, cage, firepit, half a dozen goblins and a hobgoblin torturer with a red hot poker that he was using to demonstrate his butt-stroke technique.

Feigning a shocked face, Jia fled as fast as her little legs could carry her. She reached the safety of her companions and drew her weapons for combat.

At this point the plan fell apart. Not being quite as stupid as kobolds or as mindlessly aggressive as orcs, the hobgoblin torturer sent a couple of the goblins out to scout for traps. As soon as one of them spotted the party round the corner, they fled back to the relative safety of the torture chamber, leaving the adventurers with only the dangerous “frontal assault without mercy” tactic.

A battle swiftly broke out at the door of the torture chamber, but Jia's sword and strength pushed the goblins back into the room. Goblin sharpshooters opened fire on the party. Doomgrad was able to push into the room and attack the torturer, getting his attention and allowing Jia to get behind him and plant both her blades in his back.

“Jia! Hit him again!” shouted Bakaan. She did, and the torturer dropped dead with her dagger buried in his ear.

Gilee pursued one of the sharpshooters who retreated into a large cage in the corner of the room. Thinking she had him trapped, she followed behind him. However, the goblin darted past her through the bars, and slammed the door shut. With an ominous click, the lock shut fast. The goblin laughed at her in the cage, but was surprised when she thrust her longsword through the bars at him and skewered him. She pushed the dead goblin off the blade, and with a quick flex of her shoulders, pushed the door open, shattering the lock.

Doomgrad, meanwhile, was pushing two more sharpshooters down a passageway lined with cells. Although he was slowly whittling them down, their technique of stepping back each time he approached and shooting him was taking it's toll. It was only when additional magical aid arrived, in the form of Kaza and Eilonwy, that the outcome of the fight was finally decided.

A swift search of the room turned up a couple of interesting discoveries. Firstly, the hobgoblin torturer had been wearing a suit of magical hide armour, which the party soon took possession of.

And secondly, one of the cells was occupied.

Keep on the Shadowfell: Session 10

Pale sunlight greeted the Blue Moon Company as they set out the next morning. Early morning fog had settled between the hills, and to the party is seemed that the landscape consisted of small islands floating on a sea of white.

Heading north towards the keep, following directions given to them by Valthrun, they followed a worn track, overgrown and disused. By mid morning the fog had been burned off by the wan sunlight and the landscape had change, becoming more forested. The track wound through the forest, and as they approached their destination, they began to see the ruins of rough stone buildings, perhaps farms or homesteads that had been settled around the keep.

At around midday, the track opened out into a large clearing in the middle of the forest. In the centre of the clearing stood the ruins of the keep. Fallen stone blocks, and ruined and burned timbers lay around in piles. The remains of one tower stood to the western end, and the largest pile of stones indicated the location of the central keep.

The party approached warily, looking out for attack.

“Kaza is cold,” remarked the wizard. The temperature had indeed dropped, and all the woodland sounds that had accompanied them on their journey here had ceased. Birdsong, the whirr of insects and the rustling of the breeze in the trees had vanished. An oppressive aura hung over the ruins.

“I feel as though someone is watching us.” Jia looked around, attempting to spot the hidden observer.

“Most likely it is the influence of the rift between our world and the Shadowfell that causes this feeling. It is to be expected,” replied Eilonwy. “Corellon grant me the grace to remain firm in this tainted place.”

A quick search of the ruins revealed the presence of a stairway leading into the bowels of the earth, and the party headed down. Ahead shone the light of lanterns. Jia crept forwards stealthily, her crossbow held in her hand.

At the bottom of the stairs a chamber opened out, the roof held up by four thin pillars. Passages led away from the other three cardinal points, and to the south, between the pillars, Jia saw a goblin. Leaning against the wall, his spear held in the crook of one arm, he seemed not to see her as she crouched in the shadows.

She slowly raised her crossbow, closed one eye, sighted along the bolt and took careful aim at the side of the goblin's head. Drawing one deep breath, she slowly let it out halfway, gently squeezed the trigger, felt the kick as the bolt was launched...and watched as it soared over the goblin's head and clattered off the wall above him.

Instantly alert, he gripped his spear in both hands, and looked about for threats. He didn't see the rogue as the rest of the party ran down the stairs and into the room. Bakaan, brave leader that he was, ran across the room at the goblin, and failed to see the tarpaulin that was stretched out on the floor between the pillars. Dyed the same colour as the stone underfoot and sprinkled with dust, the tarp was designed to defeat those who charged recklessly into the room. As Bakaan ran onto the sheet, the thin threads that connected it to the pillars snapped, and he plummeted to the bottom of a hidden pit, landing with a bone jarring crunch. He pushed himself to his feet, only to be assaulted by a horde of large rats that flowed from holes in the pit walls. Sharp biting teeth began to attach themselves to the exposed parts of his flesh, and he yelled in pain.

Above him, the rest of the party found themselves in combat with more goblins. Sharpshooters opened fire with crossbows with surprising accuracy, while goblin warriors took up covering positions. Jia, Kaza and Eilonwy exchanged ranged fire with the sharpshooters while Gilee and Doomgrad attempted to get into cover. However a sharpshooter in a flanking position down one of the side passage also opened up, forcing them to crouch where they could to avoid the withering crossfire.

Kaza decided that their situation was desperate, and she once more summoned forth the ball of spitting fire that had defeated Irontooth. This she sent down the side passage to scare away the flankers, allowing Gilee to push forwards in an attempt to get at the other sharpshooters. Doomgrad also ran down the side passage to get at the ambushers.

Down in the pit, Bakaan was suffering from the continued rat assault. Bleeding from dozens of small wounds, he swung his sword at the rats, and although some fell dead, their furry companions continued to bite and chew. The combination of the pain of the bites, and the shock of the impact at the bottom of the pit conspired against him, and he fell into unconsciousness. Unimpressed, the rats continued to bite his prone form.

Fearing for the brave Tiefling, Eilonwy and Jia sprang into action. Swiftly tying a rope around the nearest pillar, Jia began to climb down, while Eilonwy bathed the bottom of the pit in holy fire, scorching many of the rats and healing Bakaan of some of his wounds.

Doomgrad and the flaming sphere had driven off the sharpshooter who had been flanking the party, and chased after him down another passageway. As he did this, Gilee fought her way down the passageway toward the main group of goblins, her sword a tide of iron that pushed the goblin warriors backwards.

Jia arrived at the bottom of the pit and her arrival attracted the rats who began to attack this new threat. She looked in horror at Bakaan's blood soaking the stones.

“Oh, Gods, he's dead!” she thought, ”And I never got to tell him that I-”. However at that moment, Eilonwy's healing magics brought Bakaan back to consciousness. Within seconds he was on his feet and had climbed up the rope with an almost superhuman speed. Jia found herself alone at the bottom of the pit, facing a horde of rats, while the fallen warlord was alive and safe at the top.

“Oh, arse!” she exclaimed.

Gilee defeated the last of the goblin warriors and ran forwards into the room where the sharpshooters were located at the same time that Doomgrad and the blazing sphere surged in from the side passage. Met with a furious rain of highly accurate crossbow bolts, Gilee was badly injured. Eilonwy, following up from the room with the pit was forced to expend more of her magics to heal the wounded warrior.

The arrival of Doomgrad, Gilee, Kaza's flaming sphere, Eilonwy and Bakaan spelled disaster for the remaining goblins, and soon the sharpshooters were dead.

Behind them, Jia pulled herself from the pit, muttering under her breath.

Keep on the Shadowfell: Sessions 8 & 9

The next morning, the group were up bright and early, intending to make an early start. Over breakfast, they discussed their adventures.

“Kaza feels more capable this morning,” began Kaza. “As if she's become more powerful overnight.”

Gilee nodded in agreement. “I also feel that way. It's very strange.”

“Not really,” commented Eilonwy. “Over the past few weeks we've defeated dozens of kobolds, completed quests, and killed a dragon. We've survived ambushes and we've travelled far into danger. These experiences will surely have an effect on us. We have learned many lessons, some of them hard and painful. It is only natural that we will begin to feel more capable, more powerful.”

“More healthy,” said Doomgrad.

“More skillful,” said Jia.

“More able to gauge the flow of battle,” said Bakaan.

“Indeed.” Eilonwy looked round at her companions. “So, now that we've reached a new level of competence, is anyone up for collecting more kobold ears?”

After breakfast, the party set out once more in the direction of the kobold lair. The air was cold, and a thin mist lay over the foothills, but they were unassaulted as they approached. Ahead, they could hear the sound of the waterfall that the kobold lair was reported to conceal.

Leaving the rest of the party some distance away, Jia crept forwards, moving stealthily from one patch of cover to another. A small stand of trees provided her with a satisfactory hiding spot, as she cast her eyes over the scene.

About a dozen kobolds were in a small clearing in front of the waterfall. Mist from the crashing water obscured the area, but Jia could see that there was a dark entrance behind the waterfall itself. Loading her crossbow, she motioned for her companions to approach. Once they were in position, she took careful aim, slowly squeezed the trigger, and watched as the bolt flew wide of the mark.

Her companions ran forwards to defend their isolated rogue friend, but none of the kobolds had heard the buzz of the bolt as it flew into the sky. However, their ability to hear the approach of Doomgrad in his plate armour was much better. Rapidly marshalling their superior numbers, they had surrounded the paladin, and one kobold had managed to thrust his spear at the wizard.

“Kaza is unprotected!” she cried. “The kobolds have got into the pocket!” Her time of danger soon passed, as Gilee swung her blade with vigour, cleaving kobold to left and to right. With Eilonwy's magical assaults, the kobolds soon found their numbers greatly reduced.

One skirmisher to the rear, seeing the devastation being caused amongst the ranks of the lizard creatures, shrieked, “Irontooth must be told!” and fled between rocks in the cliff face.

Presently, the kobolds were defeated, and the group immediately set to the grisly task of acquiring a pile of ears. After a few minutes, they had collected the ears, and, covered in kobold gore, proceeded into the secret entrance the kobold skirmisher had fled into.

Immediately they realised that the kobolds had used the time to rally their defences, and here, in their lair, they had the advantage of knowing the terrain. Dragonshields blocked the party's way, and behind them stood skirmishers and a goblin wearing a chain mail shirt and wielding a large axe. A large tusk protruded from his lower jaw, almost reaching to his right eye. This tooth was covered in iron, and it became obvious to the adventurers who he was and where he got his name.

Gilee and Eilonwy headed round to the waterfall, hoping to flank the kobolds. However, unbeknownst to them, a horde of kobolds, led by a wyrmpriest, had the same plan. The kobolds burst through the falling water, and began to concentrate their attacks on Eilonwy. Gilee, aided by Jia who came up to assist, began to fight their way through to the cleric, who was doing her best not to die.

Kaza, sensing that the battle was turning against the adventurers, brought forth her most powerful magics, and conjured a sphere of roaring, spitting flame amongst the ranks of the kobolds. As the flame scorched the kobolds, Bakaan and Doomgrad swung their weapons with mechanical precision, felling the kobolds as a woodsman would fell a tree.

Irontooth now entered the fray, swinging his axe in wide arcs. At the same time, the wyrmpriest emerged from the waterfall, and added his considerable magical prowess to the efforts to kill Eilonwy. At that moment, however, Gilee and Jia were able to engage the kobolds surrounding her and she was able to escape.

Inside, Kaza's flaming sphere was causing mayhem in the ranks of the kobolds, many of them falling dead from the punishing flames and searing heat. The sweat of concentration was seen falling from Kaza's forehead, as she concentrated on the incantations that kept the sphere under her control. With a final fiery blast, she caused the sphere to engulf Irontooth, and he fell to the floor.

“Kalarel and Orcus, prepare my way, I come to your dark embrace” he whispered as he lay on the cave floor, and died.

Outside, the remaining kobold minions had been dispatched, and Eilonwy, Gilee and Jia closed on the wyrmpriest. He screamed defiance, but to no effect. Within the space of a few seconds, he lay in the stream, his blood staining the waters red. The kobold threat was defeated.

The party explored the now empty cave, and found signs of a sudden exit. The female kobolds, the young and the elderly had fled through a passage in the back of the cave which emerged some way into the hills. The tracks leading further into the hills were soon lost in the dust and dirt.

Back in the cave, the party found that Irontooth the goblin had carried a small silver key. This they were able to match to a sturdy wooden chest they found in what were Irontooth's quarters. In this chest they discovered a significant sum of gold coins, well over 400, and a magic suit of dwarven chainmail, which they quickly decided would suit Gilee, though it would need some size alterations made to the next time they were in Fallcrest, what with her being a tall human woman, and the armour being fitted for a short fat dwarven male.

Also in the chest was a message scroll.

“Irontooth,” the message began. “My spy in Winterhaven suggests we keep an eye out for visitors to the area. It probably does not matter. Soon I shall have the artifact from the dragon's grave, and with it I shall be able to open the rift fully.

“Once I have achieved this feat of magical prowess, I shall await with great eagerness for the servants of Lord Orcus to join us. Then shall the bothersome town of Winterhaven serve as food for Lord Orcus' table.

“You have served me well, and in doing so you have served Lord Orcus well. Great rewards will be yours in the days to come.

“Kalarel”

Eilonwy looked up at the others after reading out the scroll. “Well, it looks like we've confirmed that this Kalarel chap is in the area.”

They returned to town to receive a heroes' welcome. Villagers came out to cheer once the news was revealed about the end of the kobold menace. Lord Padraig was also excited to hear of their exploits, but was less pleased to hear about the presence of an Orcus cult in the area.
“Valthrun may have more information for you on this,” Lord Padraig said when he had heard the story. He called for the old man who had accompanied him to the inn when Eilonwy had first introduced herself.

Valthrun the Prescient, the town's sage and scholar did indeed have more information.

“The ruins of Shadowfell Keep to the north of town hold a secret known to few people. Many years ago, scholars and mages from Suzail discovered a portal to the Shadowfell, the elemental plane of Shadow. A keep was built over the keep, to defend it from those who misuse it, and to prevent the denizens of the Shadowfell from coming into our realm.

“The keep was given into the care of a knight of the Purple Dragons, Sir Keegan. He moved here with his family and his retainers, and settled here. However, the influence of the Shadowfell had an effect on Sir Keegan. One night, he killed his wife and children, and slew his most trusted advisors. He turned on his own troops and it was only once he had killed many of them that they were able to force him deep into the passages under the keep where they dispatched him.

“This was the end for the keep. None would stay there any longer, and soon it was deserted. An earthquake a few years later destroyed the upper levels, but it is rumoured that the lower levels still stand and that Sir Keegan's ghost searches the passages for his slain family. Goblins and other foul creatures are also rumoured to live there.

“If this Orcus priest is in the area, he must intend to open the portal to the Shadowfell and unleash Orcus's hordes of undead on us.”

This story of grim death and destruction was greeted with silence. Eventually, Lord Padraig spoke. “Lady Eilonwy, you and your companions have freed us of the kobold threat. Now I must ask that you to save us from this new threat. I regret that I am unable to send troops with you, but our forces are small and will be needed here. I have faith that I can place the survival of Winterhaven in your hands. You must travel to the Keep on the Shadowfell. This is our most desperate hour. Help us, Blue Moon Company. You're our only hope.”

Keep on the Shadowfell: Sessions 6 and 7

With the danger passed, the party were able to concentrate on the grizzly task of removing the kobold ears. As they performing this butchery, Bakaan turned to Eilonwy, and asked, “I never asked when you hired me, but what are we known as? Eilonwy's Band? Koboldbane?”

Eilonwy stood up, a kobold ear in one hand. “We don't have a name.”

“Really?” The warlord was surprised. “All the best adventuring bands have names. Like the Black Blades from Waterdeep, and The Dalekeepers.”

“How about Eilonwy plus special guests?” asked Eilonwy.

“How about The Iron Boot?” commented Doomgrad. The others seemed impressed. Then, clenching his fist, he continued, “The Iron Boot, inside which is a Silk Stocking!”

“Hmmn, maybe not,” frowned Eilonwy.

As they gathered their ears and climbed back into the wagon, the discussion continued. Over the next hour, as they approached Winterhaven, the suggestions, some sensible (“The Stalwart Hand”), some less sensible (“Kaza and the Headwounds”), flowed thick and fast. Eventually they came to an agreement as they pulled up to the gate of Winterhaven in the fading evening light. Two well armed guards stood at the gate, alert to their approach.

“Evening travellers, you've made it here just in time, we are about to close the gate for the night.” One of the guards stepped forwards. “Are you looking for accommodation for the night?”

“Yes, we are,” Doomgrad replied, his voice deeper than ever. “We are the Blue Moon Corps here at the instruction of Lord Markelhay of Fallcrest with a message for Lord Padraig of this town.”

“Well, I can recommend the Wrafton Inn, it's has good local ales and the food is also good local fare. Rooms are inexpensive, and Salvana Wrafton, well, she's an excellent host.”

“I see,” said Eilonwy. “Sounds good.”

“Not that a recommendation means much, as it's the only inn in the village,” commented the second guard. Soon the newly names Blue Moon Company had settled in at the inn, and were feasting on roast lamb, chicken, and a variety of local vegetables, washed down with some imported wine.

As they were filling their faces and dribbling gravy down their tunics, a middle-aged man in fine attire came in, accompanied by an elderly gentleman in a blue robe who carried a tall walking staff. The innkeeper, Salvana Wrafton, greeted the two men with a bow, and showed them to a small booth in the corner of the inn.

“I bet that's the local noble, that Lord Padraig,” commented Gilee through a mouthful of half chewed potatoes. Eilonwy nodded in reply, placed aside her napkin and walked over to the booth the two gentlemen were sat in.

“Excuse me, but may I assume you are Lord Padraig?” she asked.

“I am, young lady. Please, how can I help you?”

“I am Eilonwy, leader of the Blue Moon Corps, a band of experienced adventurers. We are here at the request of Lord Markelhay of Fallcrest. He asked that we travel here and present ourselves to you, and give you this letter of introduction.” She handed over the letter, and Padraig cracked the wax seal. After reading for a few moments, he chuckled, and passed the note to the old man at his side.

“Lord Markelhay says that you performed a great service for him, eliminating a kobold lair that was troubling Fallcrest,” Padraig said

“Yes, my lord, that is true,” replied Eilonwy. “We also slew the dragon that was coercing the kobolds into attacking.”

“Yes, his letter says as such. He also said that you would be willing to help this village in dealing with our own kobold infestation. These kobolds, and the occasional goblin that has been seen with them, are troubling travellers in the area and are attacking outlying farms. Although we have strong defences here in Winterhaven, we have few professional soldiers to rid the are of this threat. I would appreciate it if you could perform for us the same service as you did for Lord Markelhay. I am certainly willing to match the 5 gold pieces that he was paying per ear.”

“Do you know where their lair is, my lord?”

“I am afraid I do not. The day to day running of the town prevents me from hunting them myself, however some of the villagers may know more. I suggest you speak to some of the farmers, and perhaps Ninaran, the local elven hunter. She may have some idea of their whereabouts.”

“Thank you my lord. We will do our best to rid you of this kobold menace,” Eilonwy bowed as she rose.

Later that evening, the cleric was able to talk to Ninaran, the elven hunter, who was sat alone by the fire, sipping wine. From her, Eilonwy was able to discover that the kobolds had a lair behind a waterfall some five miles to the south east, further into the foothills of the Thunder Peaks. The next morning, the party set off in search of the kobold lair.

They soon found themselves in battle with kobolds. As they travelled along the road, a small group of the lizard-like beasts ambushed them. Consisting of four kobold dragonshields and a wyrmpriest, and aided by a single goblin archer, the party soon found themselves badly outflanked. With kobolds attacking from all sides, it was only through the great skill and strength of the party, and the leadership of Bakaan, who managed to rally his companions and give the party a little cohesion, that they were able to emerge victorious. However, they had suffered some unpleasant wounds and rather than attempt to tackle the kobold lair when at less than full strength, they took the decision to head back to town to lick their wounds and to think on how they could prevent such ambushes in the future.

Keep on the Shadowfell: Sessions 5

Jia woke early the next morning, and went downstairs to the inn's main lounge in search of breakfast. Expecting to be the first of the group to rise, she was surprised to see Bakaan, the warlord that Eilonwy had hired, sat drinking coffee and reading a book.

“Hello again,” he greeted her. Ignoring him she sat at a different table. A sleepy serving maid took her order for bacon, sausage, eggs, mushrooms, toast and a large cup of tea. Once the maid had left, Bakaan sat down opposite her. “You've gone for the full Cormyr breakfast I see. I prefer a simple breakfast, I have no real appetite when I first awake.”

“Look, whatever your name is,” replied Jia, “I don't mean to be rude, but leave me alone. Don't try to ingratiate yourself with me. You're not a part of this group yet. You're a hanger on, you're nothing. Plus you look like a demon. You're a waste of space until you've proven yourself.” She paused as the maid brought in her tea. Once the maid had left, she turned back to him.

“You're the FNG. Now go over there and wait by yourself until we leave.”

The tiefling sat silently, looking at her thoughtfully, as if about to reply, but after a few moments he bowed his head to her in acknowledgement, stood and went to sit by himself near the fire.

A few minutes later Doomgrad and Eilonwy came downstairs and joined her at the table. “Come and join us Bakaan” Eilonwy called over to the tiefling.

He looked over at them, caught Jia's glare, and replied. “Thank you for the offer, but I have eaten already. I'd prefer it next to the fire, I feel the cold so in the mornings.” He turned back to his book.

“Well he's a friendly soul” commented Doomgrad. Overnight, it seemed as if his voice had deepened.

“He's a damn FNG,” replied Jia. “Ignore him.”

“Oh, not this again, Jia, please?” asked Eilonwy. “You were like this when Kaza joined, and she's a valuable member of the group. You like her.”

Jia continued to eat breakfast and said nothing.

After breakfast, the group headed off to the keep to hand in the Kobold ears and get their reward. Lord Markelhay's seneschal, Luther, was pleased to see them, and even more pleased to see the ears and the bone mask.

“A dragon? You slew a dragon?”

“It was only a small one. It was bigger than four times the size of Gilee.” said Doomgrad “But smaller than eight Gilee's”

“Erm, yes, well, that's very...erm... interesting,” replied Luther, not sure what to say.

“Kaza and her companions are very glad to have killed the beast,” said Kaza. Luther looked at Eilonwy.

“Head wound?”

“Head wound.”

At Teldorthin's forge, they handed over the green dragon hides they had recovered, and were pleased at being able to sell the white dragon hides they had gathered. More cash came their way.

“Shouldn't we give Thorfinn his share?” asked Jia. “He did earn this after all.” But despite their efforts to find him, it appeared that he had left town already.

After lunch, a runner from the keep brought them a message, saying that Lord Faren Markelhay wanted to see them himself. They quickly made their way to the keep and were swiftly shown into Markelhay's study.

“Ah, the famous dragon slayers, I take it?” He beamed at them, and waved a hand at them indicating that they should sit. “I thought I should thank you personally for dealing with the kobold threat. You have done the town of Fallcrest a great service.”

“Kaza believes that it was her duty to banish these creatures to their graves,” announced Kaza.

“Head wound?” asked Lord Markelhay.

“Head wound,” replied Eilonwy.

“Anyway, I would be grateful if you could perform another service for me. Some five days to the east, on the road to Highmoon, is the small settlement of Winterhaven, ruled by a friend of mine, Lord Ernest Padraig.” Lord Markelhay laid a cloth map of the area on his desk showing the area.

”He is also suffering from kobold attacks, but there have also been sightings of goblins. The kobolds by themselves are a relatively minor threat to the town which has substantial defences. However, the presence of goblins hints at a greater threat, perhaps from orc tribes from higher in the Thunder Peaks. As he has only a small citizen militia at his disposal, he has asked if I can send any bands of adventurous souls his way. I'm sure he will match the agreement I had with you regarding the kobold ears and payment. Would you be willing to travel to Winterhaven to assist him?”

“We would be glad to assist, my lord,” replied Eilonwy. “We will gather our supplies and leave in the morning.”

That afternoon they spent some of their hard earned cash on a new covered wagon, and two new horses, who were swiftly named “Champion” and “The Wonder Horse”. Doomgrad also insisted that they buy a large dog to help guard the horses. Once they were done shopping they returned to the inn. Wisara Osterman, the innkeeper, informed them that a second messenger had visited them, inviting them to the Moonsong Temple to see the High Priest.

Curious, they ventured forth into town once more. The temple, an elegant building of white marble with soaring minarets held a commanding view over the lower part of the town. Introducing themselves to one of the temple acolytes, they were shown through to the High Priest's quarters.

High Priest Ressilmae Starlight, an elven priest of Corellon, greeted them warmly as they entered.

“I am so glad you could join me. I have heard all sorts of tales about you during the day, and I wished to see the mighty dragon slayers in person.”

“Kaza is pleased to meet you, your eminence,” said Kaza.

“Head wound?”

“Head wound,” replied Eilonwy.

“Anyway, I was wondering if you would be able to help me, as a situation of grave importance has arisen.” He sat down in a seat beside the fire. “ Towards the end of last year, I heard from the mother temple of Corellon in Suzail about a dangerous man who had escaped from temple custody. This man, by the name of Kalarel, is a worshipper of Orcus, the demon prince of the undead. Having spent some time in Suzail and Marsember preaching of Orcus' might, he was apprehended by temple guards and placed in custody, but managed to kill three guards and was last seen fleeing north from Suzail. My concern is that a report of a man matching his identity has been seen not far from here. I doubt there is much truth to this report. Surely he would have fled far from the lands of Cormyr. I would appreciate it if you would investigate this and report back to me. Although the temple is not rich, as running costs for a building like this are high, I may be able to find some funding for you, say two hundred and fifty gold pieces.”

“We would be honoured to help,” replied Eilonwy. “However we are already contracted by Lord Markelhay to travel to Winterhaven to the east to assist the town with a recent kobold threat.”

“Ah, well this is truly a case of serendipity, as it just so happens that the report I received regarding Kalarel's recent appearance came from one of my colleagues in-”

“Winterhaven,” interrupted Eilonwy.

“Indeed,” smiled the high priest. “Lord Markelhay's seneschal is a Corellon worshipper and informed that you would be travelling that way, and I thought, why not kill two birds with one stone?”

The next morning the party set out along the road to Winterhaven, rain streaming from the wagon's covers. Doomgrad and Gilee sat up front, Doomgrad in his armour, Gilee in her armour and a very fetching frilly bonnet she had aquired from the market. Over the course of the day, they passed through the relatively settled areas round Fallcrest and into more frontier terrain. By the end of the day all signs of settlement had passed and the road had become little more than a well used track. No traffic had passed them in either direction all day.

Doomgrad pulled the wagon off the road as twilight began to fall. A hollow between two low hills gave them some scant shelter from the elements, but the evening's wind still stirred the flames from the small fire they lit to cook their meal. Dividing themselves into three watches, they prepared for sleep.

Jia was woken by Eilonwy for the middle watch, and when she climbed from the wagon Bakaan was waiting for her.

“I'm sorry if I have done something to upset you,” he said.

“I said, don't speak-” she began, but he raised his hand to silence her.

“Please, let me finish. I will stay on my side of the fire, you may stay on yours. I am sorry you feel this way, but I will respect your wishes. You are not the first person who has reacted as you have. Being a tiefling brings with it certain social...consequences. I do not desire to antagonise you further, so I will leave you to your watch.” He left her and went to stand on the far side of the fire from her.

She stared at him for a few moments, then turned her back on him and concentrated on the dark landscape. However, after a few minutes she found that her gaze returned to him as he stood, lit in the flickering light of the low fire.

The night passed peacefully, and the party pushed on towards Winterhaven. The next three days and nights passed without incident. However, on the fifth day of travel, as the wagon was passing through a narrow gully, a small band of kobolds accompanied by a goblin jumped from rocks to the left side of the wagon and ran forwards, shouting warcries.

Doomgrad immediately brought the wagon to a halt, and dived from the running board, closely followed by Gilee. The others jumped from the back of the wagon to engage the kobolds. Kaza ran round to the right side of the wagon to take up a good position to unleash a magical assault, but was surprised by two more kobold crouched behind a boulder.

Doomgrad and Gilee soon began to cut down the kobolds, aided by Eilonwy and Jia. However, Kaza found herself being attacked by the kobolds, and while dodging their blows was unable to use her magic to best effect. Bakaan, seeing her in peril, ran to her aid, but the kobold dragonshields were a match for him and Kaza. While suffering some nasty wounds, Bakaan was only able to land a single blow, though that was a mighty one, staggering the kobold he hit. It was not until Doomgrad and the others had dispatched the kobolds and their goblin leader and were able to come to their assistance that Bakaan and Kaza were out of danger.

Kobold Hall: Session 4

Exhausted by their efforts in clearing the manor house of the kobolds, the party decided that sleep and a meal was in order. They cleared an area of the detritus left behind by the kobolds, and settled down for a rest. For the next few hours, they chatted about their exploits.

“Us, a bunch of itinerant caravan guards,” remarked Thorfinn, “defeating a horde of kobolds. Who'd have thought it?” So happy at their victory was he that he didn't notice Eilonwy's cold, appraising stare.

Eventually, Eilonwy roused the others and they set out to discover what other dangers awaited them. Opening the secret door they had found earlier, Jia again scouted ahead of the others. The passage was rough, low and dank. Only in places was there any evidence of the walls being hand carved, and most of the rock was covered in a slimy grey mould. As they moved along the passageway, an unnatural coldness crept over them, and the grey mould was replaced by a rime of frost.

Having travelled some two hundred yards or so, Jia espied ahead a natural cavern, glistening faintly. Carefully creeping forwards, she arrived in a natural cavern, with ice covered walls, and a frozen pool in the centre. From the roof of the cavern some forty feet above, light shone down through a shaft that reached to the surface. All was silent.

She moved forwards to examine the pool, while the others entered the chamber behind her. As she bend down at the edge of the pool, from behind a wide pillar of rock sprang a young white dragon, some twenty five feet long, with wings thirty feet wide. Screaming in Draconian, it danced forwards across the surface of the frozen pool, it's claws giving it purchase on the slippery ice. From its mouth it breathed a gust of shockingly cold air at the adventurers, like a blizzard from the northern wastes.

Recovering from the icy assault, Jia quickly fired her crossbow at the dragon, but to no effect. The front line fighters arrayed themselves around the dragon, and began a barrage of blows, aided for once by Thorfinn's staunch leadership. However, the dragon's leathery scaled hide turned aside many of the blows. Eilonwy and Kaza began a magical assault, with Kaza shouting, “Kaza casts her Sleep spell! The dragon is unaffected! Kaza curses!”

Jia crept behind the dragon and pulling out her short sword began stabbing at its tail. However, the dragon turned on her, and grabbing her in its claws picked her up and bit her viciously, icy white teeth sinking deep into her flesh. It dropped the unconscious Jia and turned back to Doomgrad and Gilee.

Eilonwy ran forwards to help the prone rogue, her healing magics sealing Jia's wounds and bringing her to conciousness. However, the dragon took the opportunity to fly out of reach of the fray, and once more opened its jaws to breathe icy shards of death at the party. This time, only Jia was hit, but not badly. Doomgrad moved to Jia, and saying “Don't worry, I'm going to touch you in that special way that only a paladin can touch a woman.” His caresses soon soothed away her hurts and eased her pain.

Following this disturbing cross species encounter, the close combat specialists ran forwards to engage the dragon once more, and Kaza also closed with the dragon. Shouting “Kaza casts Burning Hands at the dragon! Kaza has hit! And injured the dragon badly!”.

However, she had strayed within reach of the dragon's claws, and had to quickly duck below its attacks.

Doomgrad and Gilee, aided by Thorfinn, continued their unrelenting onslaught against the dragon. Sensing defeat, the dragon began to take off in an attempt to flee via the rock shaft in the chamber's roof, but its youth and inexperience proved to be its downfall. As it began to flap its wings, Doomgrad swung his longsword, and his blade pierced it's icy breast and impaled its heart. Crashing to the floor the dragon shuddered once, and died.

The adventurers were unable to believe what they had just accomplished. Doomgrad sat on an icy rock, and wiped his sword clean, contemplating his new title, “Doomgrad Dragonslayer”.

Once the shock had faded, they examined the room, looking for the dragon's fabled horde. All they found was an iron bound wooden chest, and the dragon's bedding which contained the green dragon hides that they had come to reclaim. Jia attempted to pick the lock, but the cold, and her injuries, meant she was unable to do so, so Thorfinn spent a few moments smashing the hinges with his warhammer. Inside they found a pile of gold coins, a pearl in a small felt bag (“I wonder if the bag is significant” enquired Jia), and a longsword in a black leather scabbard. This magical Longsword of Lifedrinking was regarded with some trepidation by the party.

“It is an evil thing, created by demonic powers,” said Doomgrad, drawing it and examining the dull grey blade and haft with black leather and dark gems. “I should take it. As a paladin I am most suited to resist its corrupting temptations.

“It is a blade crafted by men,” commented Gilee, “for dwarves or elves would not fashion such an evil thing. As a human it falls to me to dispose of such a terrible weapon, so I should take it.”

Kaza's eyes shone with a certain Dwarven curiosity. “As a wizard, Kaza should take the sword. Perhaps she can use her magical abilities to remove the taint.”

Thorfinn's desires were more obvious and less well hidden. “I can hardly hit a barn door when I'm holding the handle. I should take this as it would make me less crap.”

Jia was silent, as she shoved the cash and gems in her pouch while the others were otherwise engaged. It was only as she was prizing the teeth from the dragon's mouth that Eilonwy saw her and forced her to hand back the loot.

Bickering about the ownership of the sword, the party left the way they came, climbing back out of the kobold's lair into the early morning sun. Their argument was quickly stopped when they saw the remains of Carter the Unstoppable Cart Machine. Overnight, left tethered outside, he had become Carter the Easily Accessible Wolf Meal.

Distraught, they made their way back to the cart, untouched on the road where they had left it. Loading their gains on the cart, they dejectedly walked back to town pulling the cart behind them. The journey back to town took all day, and, exhausted, they arrived back at Fallcrest just before the gates to town were locked for the night.

Making their way back to the Silver Unicorn inn, all thoughts of collecting their rewards forgotten for the moment, they left the cart with the stable boy and went inside to find warmth and sustenance.

Inside they were greeted by Wisara Osterman, who saw them to a table and soon serving staff brought them an array of fine foods, roast chicken, roasted potatoes, sausages, steak and kidney pie, and fried fish with yamps and capers, and a supply of fine wines.

Once their bellies were full and their aches soothed by the alcohol, they began to smile at their good fortune. Dragon slayers! They were dragon slayers!

At that point a voice said “Thorfinn? Is that you, Thorfinn?” They turned to see a suave looking tiefling walking towards their table.

“Bakaan?” Thorfinn looked shocked.

“Thorfinn?” asked Eilonwy, “Is this a friend of yours?”

“Allow me to introduce myself,” said the Tiefling. “My name is Bakaan, and I am an old colleague of Thorfinn. We met some years ago at Warlord College in Suzail.”

“Warlord College?”

“Oh, yes, myself and Thorfinn were in the same classes in the first year of college. I myself have just qualified summa cum laude, and am looking for an adventuring party to join.” He sat down at the chair at the head of their table, and poured himself a goblet of wine. “So what happened when you dropped out at the end of the first year, Thorfinn? Did you find fortune as a merchant, as you claimed you would? Are these your employees?”

Eilonwy turned to Thorfinn. “You mean to say you never graduated from Warlord College?” she asked, stunned. “What was that certificate you showed me when I hired you?”

“Er, it was, it was my mumble-mumble-mumble,” he replied.

“Your what?”

“My dishonourable discharge papers. I forged them to say honourable discharge,” Thorfinn admitted.

Eilonwy turned red with anger, and pointed one finger at him. “Thorfinn. You're fired. Get out.” Thorfinn got up from the bench, picked up his pack, and left the inn.

“So, Bakaan”, the cleric said, turning to the tiefling. “You're a warlord looking for work, you say?”

Bakaan simply leant back in the chair, sipped his wine, and smiled.

Kobold Hall: Session 3

While Thorfinn was berating the drake over the loss of his shin, Jia took the opportunity to scamper up the table that Doomgrad had conveniently placed. Darting forwards she stabbed at a kobold stood behind the drakes. It was only when Jia's vicious strike slid past his ear and sliced the end off his hand rolled cigarette that he realised she was there. Dropping his fag end to the floor, he turned to face her.

In the main room, the remaining slinger began firing a barrage of stones at Kaza. After receiving a couple of nasty blows, including one to the head, she suddenly began talking in the third person, “Kaza is firing a Magic Missile! Kaza hits! Kaza is stunned that she got a spell to work!”

Eilonwy ran forwards to throw healing magics at the two party members facing the drakes, but her magical prowess was not enough to keep Thorfinn concious as the drakes took more bites from his body. Swearing as he passed out, the warlord slumped to the floor. Doomgrad ran forwards to aid Gilee, only to receive serious wounds himself. However, the blows from the warrior and the paladin were beginning to tell on the drakes.

Jia finally managed to stab the kobold on the stairs behind the drakes, and moved into a flanking position where she could make best use of her short sword. With additional healing magics and the staunch fighting abilities of Doomgrad and Gilee, the kobolds and their drakes were soon no more.

Once more the party took a few minutes to bandage their wounds before pressing on. Searching the two alcoves, they soon found a small stash of coins and gems, apparently the kobolds' betting funds.

Jia stealthed forwards once more. The next chamber she came to was a large one, with two raised areas and, strangely, a wide wall in the middle of the room on which two kobold slingers kept watch. Arranged against the party were the two slingers, and on the far side of the room stood two kobold guardsmen, and the leader of the kobolds, wearing his distinctive bone mask. A small flying drake swooped around the room.

A sudden barrage of crossbow bolts and magical energies killed one of the slingers and badly injured the other. Shouting commands, the kobold leader, a Wyrmpriest of Tiamat, pushed forwards to the lip of the alcove he stood on. His guards pushed forwards to either side of the room to take up flanking positions.

The party moved into the room, and were shocked to see a large spherical stone drop from the second raised alcove, and proceed to roll around the room. Thorfinn and Doomgrad, having swiftly defeated one of the Wyrmpriest's guards, ducked out of the way of the rapidly rolling stone into a handy narrow corridor.

On the far side of the room, Gilee engaged the other kobold guard. The small flying drake harried the magic users and the rogue, sweeping past them and making swift biting attacks. Kaza blasted away at the small drake, “Kaza fires magic missile! She misses! She fires again!”. Jia fired crossbow bolts at the drake, unable to swipe at it with her short sword as it flew by.

A final magical blast defeated the remaining slinger, and as the stone rolled past their hiding place, Thorfinn and Doomgrad rushed the Wyrmpriest. Unfortunately, Thorfinn made it to the Wyrmpriest first, inadvertantly blocking Doomgrad's path.

The stone rolled round to the far side of the room, with the party dodging out of its path. Gilee hacked apart the remaining guard with a series of vicious strikes, and then turned her attention to the flying drake. Between them, Gilee, Jia, Kaza and Eilonwy soon defeated it.

The Wyrmpriest launched a blast of freezing energy at Doomgrad and Thorfinn, but this was not enough to save him. Thorfinn struck him a vicious blow, which in combination with the spells cast by Kaza and Eilonwy, soon had him bleeding his life blood over the rough stone floor.

As the clamour of battle faded, the party looked around for further foes, and realise that they had defeated the kobolds, forever ridding the town of Fallcrest of this particular threat. Congratulating themselves on a job well done, they searched for any valuable items and started collecting Kobold ears.

Kaza took a look at the staff that the Wyrmpriest had been using, and realised that it was a magical Warstaff. Grasping it in her hands, she felt the magical power imbued in the staff flowing through her. “Kaza has found a magic staff!” she announced to the others, and continued searching for other magical adjuncts. She was unsuccessful, but did find a small silver key, and a map of the room, showing the location of a secret door.

The party examined the area where the door was supposed to be, and soon discovered a small concealed keyhole. With a swift twist of the silver key the secret door opened before them, revealing a narrow, rough-hewn passageway, leading down into the darkness. Their time in Kobold Hall was not over yet!

Kobold Hall: Session 2

Once they had spent a few minutes bandaging Thorfinn's multiple wounds, they found their way onwards blocked by the portcullis. A short way beyond the portcullis was a prominent lever in the wall. Eilonwy instructed Doomgrad to go and pull the lever, and once more he forced his way through the bars despite his large stature (at 4'5” he was reputed to be the tallest halfling alive, apart from the famed Fungo The Rackstretched).

Long on brawn but short on brains, Doomgrad looked at the lever for a short while while he pondered the situation.

“It may be a trap,” he said eventually, “Kobolds like traps.”

“Just pull the lever,” called the rest of the group, prepared to sacrifice him in an effort to continue on towards the loot. Standing back, he pushed the lever down with his sword, and with a juddering clanking, the portcullis rose into the ceiling.

Jia scouted on ahead a short distance, stealth her watchword, and found herself in the remains of a wine cellar. Ruined bottle racks surrounded the walls of this large room. On each side of the room, in an alcove previously reserved for wine, stood a suit of armour. At the far end stood a crude altar, where four kobolds were busy worshipping. Stealthily making her way forwards, Jia took cover under a large table, and loaded her crossbow pistol. Taking steady aim at the head of one of the kobold, she let fly the bolt, only to curse as the firing mechanism stuck momentarily, sending the bolt wide.

The kobolds, alarmed by the sudden attack, easily spied Jia's companions as they rushed into the room, but missed her as she crouched down in cover. As they ran forwards, a fusilate of bolts fired at them from the visors of the two suits of armour. Gilee was struck, but Doomgrad was able to duck down behind one of the tables, sure that the bolt would not be able to hit him, despite him being the tallest, strongest, widest halfling paladin in 6 counties. Luckily, the bolt missed him as he pushed forwards.

Thorfinn once more found himself in the thick of the fighting, and once more received the brunt of the attacks, but some timely magical assistance from Eilonwy and Kaza gave him the opportunity to crush a kobold skull. Meanwhile, Gilee and Doomgrad were busy occupying the remaining kobolds, giving Jia the opportunity to sneak out and get into a flanking position. With a lunge, she rammed her shortsword through the back of the neck of one of the kobolds, and with a cruel twist severed his carotid, spraying Doomgrad in a shower of blood. Within moments the remaining kobolds were felled.

Examining the altar, they found crude representations of Tiamat, the Dragon God of Chaos, and some coins which they quickly pocketed. Once more they took a few moments to bandage their wounds, and pressed on.

Taking care for more traps, Jia scouted ahead. Down a short staircase she came to a rough chamber, not part of the original cellar, where a strange sight met her eyes. The kobolds had set up some sort of strange game room, where they would swing a rock on a rope at skulls placed on tables. As she watched, one of the kobolds managed to get a hit on a skull, which stuck to the slime covered rock. “Kobold bar billiards, it seems” she thought.

Reporting back to the party, they decided that they needed to do something about the rock, as being hit by a rock the size of your head, being swing at you with force, could cause a nasty contusion.

“Don't worry, my powerful mystical magical mojo shall defeat this vile trap,” Kaza informed them.

“You're just gonna catch it with Mage Hand, aren't you?” asked Gilee.

“Yes,” replied the crestfallen wizard.

They crept clanking down the steps and prepared themselves. Kaza summoned up her powerful mystical magical mojo, and caught the rock mid swing. The kobolds, surprised to see a glowing, floating hand stop their game of Skull-Skull-Stone mid swing, were rightly outraged, and as the party rushed forwards they began to cast sling stones and javelins.

This onslaught of missiles was met in return by an onslaught of a more magical nature from Eilonwy and Kaza, who managed to kill some of the weaker goblins with a scorching burst. Doomgrad used the opportunity to grab one of the tables that the kobolds has used for their game and use it as a ramp up to the alcove they were playing their game from, as Gilee and Thorfinn burst through doors at the far end of the room.

On the far side of the doors they were met by a pair of large lizard creatures the size of a large dogs, which rushed forwards. These guard drakes immediately attacked, and one of them sank his sharp teeth into Thorfinn's leg, biting off a large chunk of flesh and swallowing it whole. Thorfinn's language turned the air blue.

Kobold Hall: Session 1

The party found themselves in the town of Fallcrest, having travelled there as caravan guards from Arabel in Cormyr. After a week in the town, they came to the conclusion that they needed a source of income to pay their accommodation bills.

Asking around, they were directed to Moonstone Keep, home of the local noble, Lord Warden Faren Markelhay. Outside the main guardhouse, they found the town noticeboard, used for the advertisement of things such as town meetings, group gatherings, etc., and also offers of work. On the board, they found a couple of notices that attracted their attention.

Firstly there was a job offer from Lord Warden Markelhay himself, advertising a bounty on kobold raiders who had been attacking travellers between Fallcrest and the town of Winterhaven, some three days travel to the west. The group asked at the keep, and were introduced to Lord Warden Markelhay's seneschal, Luther Gethsemane. He explained that a bounty of 10gp was being offered for each pair of kobold ears, with a 100gp bounty offered for the bone mask reported to be worn by the kobold's leader. The group gladly accepted the commission, and were given directions to the kobold's suspected base of operations, a ruined and deserted manor house some fifteen miles from town.

Secondly, there was a notice from the town's armourer and weapon smith, a dwarf by the name of Teldorthan “Goldcap” Ironhews, asking for a band of bold adventurers to assist him in recovering some stolen goods. As there were no bold adventurers in the region, the party decided to speak to him themselves. Presenting themselves at Teldorthan's forge, he informed them that a valuable cargo of green dragon hides had been stolen by the kobold raiders. As he had been intending to use the hides to make an item for Lord Warden Markelhay himself, he was very keen on getting them back, and was offering a 200gp reward for their return.

The party were happy that they could combine the two jobs, and quickly prepared for the journey. Expecting to be loaded down with huge sums of gold and magic items, they purchased a cart and carthorse, who they immediately named Carter.

They travelled down the road, but by late afternoon had encountered no traffic. About a mile to the south of the road they spied the ruins they were looking for, in the fringes of a small wood. Carefully approaching, they saw that the manor house was in a very poor condition. Half of the roof was gone, and walls had collapsed. The manor's grounds were overgrown, and ivy and other climbing plants had covered the remaining structure.

Venturing into the ruins, the party found some signs of recent habitation. A path had been cleared through the rubble, and following this, they found themselves in the remains of the manor's kitchen. A set of stairs led down to a cellar area.

As they reached the cellars, they were greeted by the sight of a storeroom, smashed crockery and broken boxes pushed towards the walls. Strangely, in the centre of this room was a pit, some 20' by 10', from which a noxious looking green vapour was rising. On the far side of the room stood a kobold, holding a sling. As the kobold shouted a warning, Jia fired a bolt from her crossbow pistol at him, and injured him badly. The kobold fled around a corner, and the party surged into the room. As they did so, two more kobolds, both skirmishers, rushed out from the passage the slinger had fled down. At the same time, two more skirmishers and another slinger joined the fray from a side passage, squeezing through the bars of a portcullis blocking the way.

Bravely pushing forwards, Thorfinn found himself surrounded on three sides by the kobolds, and received a number of wounds, each of which caused him to curse enough to turn the air blue. However, his constant calls of “Hit 'em harder!” bore fruit as Gilee attacked a kobold and having unbalanced him with a brutal strike to the shoulder, pushed him into the pit with her shield. With a wail the kobold fell into the glowing green slime, and disappeared from sight.

“Don't drop them in the pit! We need the ears!” shouted Gilee's companions, and contritely she forced her way forwards to assist Thorfinn.

Meanwhile, Doomgrad rushed at the slinger behind the portcullis, who was surprised and shocked to see the paladin make his way through the bars of the portcullis, despite being as tall as a dwarf, wearing full plate armour and wielding a longsword as tall as he was. However his shock was short-lived, as Doomgrad cut him down with a pair of powerful blows.

Eilonwy and Kaza kept up a concentrated magical assault on the kobolds, though no one was quite sure if Kaza was aiming at the kobolds or the cellar walls. Jia crept up to assist Thorfinn and Gilee, and once Doomgrad joined them, the kobolds were soon dispatched. After a few moments to catch their breath, someone asked the question they were all thinking.

“So how do we get the one in the pit out so we can get his ears?”