GM Nel's Kingmaker Campaign
Game Master CRobledo

Heal check on Bingo: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

Once Bingo is pulled behind Kaeso, Mornaura squats next to him and gives him a cursory checkup.

"Everything alright? Can you stand and fight? Need a potion?"

She'll get him up and/or give him a potion if he needs any help.
If not, she'll get out her sling and bullets.

Once Bingo is pulled behind Kaeso, Mornaura squats next to him and gives him a cursory checkup.

"Everything alright? Can you stand and fight? Need a potion?"

She'll get him up and/or give him a potion if he needs any help.
If not, she'll get out her sling and bullets.

"I'm okay. I can fight."

Bingo's at 2 HP.

Slice time. No power attack, attack defensively instead.

1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (4) + 6 - 4 = 6

+2 AC till next turn

"Trying to keep the beast back. Finish this guy!

Round 4:
Kaeso <--
Bingo (prone)
Dris (prone)
Edwyn
Centipede
Mornaura
Norn (+2 AC)

Centipede: -27 hp

Kaeso reconsiders using the hammer, and takes another shot with the bow. I can't keep missing forever, can I?

Longbow: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11 Damage 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

Apparently I can. Kaeso blushes at his ineptness, and starts to reconsider farming as a career.

Bingo stands up and gets out his bow.

Drispeera will just keep lobbing acid at it. Nobody likes you, you oversized worm. Why won't you just die, already.

ranged touch: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
damage: 1d3 ⇒ 2

Edwyn loads a crossbow bolt (move action) and fires at the centipede

Point Blank Shot: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Edwyn's bolt strikes true, sending the giant beast screaming to the bottom of the chasm, where Dris and Norn see it coil and finally lay lifeless...

Mikmek, coming out from a little hiding spot behind a corner, is somewhat baffled.

"Maybe... maybe I trust you and Grabbles dead, yes? Uhhh, maybe we go back to village..."

"Yea, that's the way, Edwyn! Great shot!" Kaeso claps him on the back. He looks down in the chasm again, wondering if there might be some sort of treasure. He takes another peek over the edge, now that the centipede is dead.

Perception 1d20 ⇒ 20

Ha! Now, I roll a 20.

Seeing the vermin drop behind the edge and how Drispeera and Norn relax shortly after, Mornaura casts Light on a small rock and drops it into the chasm, then peers over the edge.

"Looks dead."

Walking back, she grins at the kobold.

"Well, if you want to take Grabbles' head back to your village or anything, the corpse should still be in the cavern on the other side of the chasm - and don't worry, there's a way around it. I'll lead you if you want."

Edit: Good idea, Kaeso! And great timing, with Mornaura throwing you a light down there the very minute. ^^

"Cayden Cailean walks with us this day. That is all. Bingo, how injured are you?"

Edwyn channels energy
1d6 ⇒ 3

"I'll live, I'll not be doin' any heavy liftin' fer a while but I'll live. Thank you all for pullin' me sorry ass outta the fire."

"Hmm" He looks Bingo over.

"Everyone gather around"

Edwyn channeled energy twice more.

1d6 ⇒ 5
1d6 ⇒ 1

"It's not a problem, you lot pulled me out of the grasp of those things. Helping you guys and girls out are least I could do."

Drispeera dusts herself off and peers into the darkness, also looking for anything of interest. I wonder where that last mite got to? Maybe the centipede ate it? Maybe Kaeso should go check. I suppose we should go back and make sure we got everything. Norn, Bingo? Are you alright?

"Allright here. I could definitely use a good night's rest, but so far so good. I say we go a few miles off this tree and set camp before returning this statue."

"I find Norn's suggestion most prudent." Edwyn nods in approval reloading his crossbow and slinging it over his shoulder.

Assuming there's nothing down in the crevasse.

"A camp? Sure. But, will you all promise to join me in a feast, complete with lots of beer and meat, when we get back to the trading post? Perhaps we could scare up some fresh venison, and swap stories."

Kaeso will attempt to carry the statue of the Kobold god, "as long as this is ok with you, Mikmek? I promise I won't drop it."

"Feasting and Brew huh? Then what are we waiting for?"

Drispeera drapes her arm through Norn's. Shall we go?

"Yah, let's git outta this hole," agrees Bingo.

"I don't want to rain on anyone's parade," the witch says while heading out of the burrows, "but have you forgotten that we wanted to cross the river, cleanse the bandit camp and make sure the Staglord's corpse drifts by our wet ghost friend so that he may find peace? Once we've accomplished all that, we can feast as long as you want."

"Ghost friend? I fill like you may need to catch me up on that one. Perhaps over some of Kaeso's drink?"

The party finds a nice spot to camp outside the now vacant mite lair. Mikmek has made himself useful, gathering firewood and small rabbits for everyone to eat that night. He seems very eager to return the statue to his tribe.

Mornaura, I know we've got a lot to do, but I'd like to get better armor, and we might as well enjoy a bit of properly cooked food and some good fellowship.

Besides, he whispers, it might be fun to watch Norn, Bingo, Edwyn, and Drispeera trying to be civil. . . just remember to hide the knives! Kaeso grins.

"So tell me, what brings you folks out here to the stolen lands?"

Kaeso looks around at his silent companions, wondering if it something he said. "We had a bit of bandit trouble at the farm, and I thought that maybe I could do more good away from home then at home. Maybe I was meant for something more than plowing fields." He pauses, gazing into the fire. "Truth be told, home was getting difficult anyway. So, I saddled my horse, and signed up to fight down here."

"I've my own reasons for bein' here. I'll say no more for now," mutters Bingo.

"Everyone deserves privacy and secrets Bingo, I'll ask you no more on the subject. As for you Kaeso seems like maybe you have found what you were looking for."

"Aye, I've found adventure and an opportunity to use my strength for good. But how much good?" Gesturing to the wild lands around the camp, he continues: "This is good land, with good people, but there's no king. The swordlords can't take care of it, that's for sure. I don't think they even intend to. Someone needs to bring some law."

"Maybe I shouldn't say this, but look at us. Two strong fighters, some truly fearsome spellcasters (you should see them in action), the brave halfling, who I think might be the bravest of us all, and now you? Maybe we could do something great here. . . "

Drispeera is still pointedly ignoring Edwyn, as she makes a big fuss of prestidigitating the dents out of Norn's armor. She appears to talk to him while addressing Edwyn's earlier question.

All my siblings at the noble House D'Lith are powerful clerics and fighters and adventurers. Always bragging about their exploits, and laughing when I wanted to go along. And if I ever asked for help well they ignored me too. Apparently, all they thought me good for was trading off my fantastic beauty to a rich old geezer in Restov for some coin.

My bridal caravan was raided, my escorts were killed, and all my beautiful gowns and jewels pawed over by those filthy bandits. -sobs- Then they, they were about to have their wretched way with me, but they couldn't decide which of the brutes was to have me first. -shudders- I was able to escape during their arguing with only the cloths on my back.

Kaeso-- you are such a dear good-hearted lad. Perhaps your nature is more forgiving than mine. Where are these good people you've mentioned? Aside from Oleg and Svetlana, all we've met are bandits, kobolds, giant pigs, mites, crazy hermits, and ghosts.

I agree that once the land is made safe that people may wish to move here. There seems to be more than enough land. I'm not so sure about... laws... -she sniffs in distate- The most lawful creatures we've met are kobolds, and I'm not sure they are good role models -- no offense meant, little TicTac-- However *leadership*? Yes, we could certainly offer them that. I... I mean we, could certainly be great leaders. I would never ignore the pleas of one of our citizens that asked for my help.

Mikmek wakes up in the morning, and breaks down the little tent he stole from the mites's lair on the way out. "Tallfolk,..." he gives a quick up-down look at Bingo before turning his attention back to the party "..yes, well. Are we ready to go? Mikmek is eager to return the statue to the tribe. End the war! Save kobold people."

Kaeso says to Drispeera "I bet if we brought a bit of order, you would see the good people. Take Wenry, for example. People do what they have to do to get by. But you may be right. Mikmek, I'm ready to go!" He saddles his horse, and mounts. "Norn, could you hand me the statue?"

Norn rummages through his pack to find the statue. "Not a problem." He chucks it at Kaeso, who catches it easily. "I guess we should get going." Norn breaks down his tent, and double checks that Mikmek did not help himself to any rations that night.

After a night of rest, Drispeera agrees. Yes, lets return this ugly thing to Chief Sootscale. The sooner we're rid of it the better.

The trek back takes only about two hours. Norn gives Mikmek a lift on his horse, and although a little uneasy, the kobold manages to make it all the way there without falling off the beast.

After securing the horses outside the mine, the party readies to enter the kobold's dwelling again. Mikmek talks to the door guard, and tells him about the recovery of the idol. The guard's eyes open wide, and he and Mikmek do what can only be some kind of kobold "high-five". After a few second of them talking Draconic too quickly to pick up, the cheerful mikmek comes over to the party, "Ok, ok. Let's go in. I'm sure chief sootscale will be sooooo happy! We can finally end the war with the stupid blueheads!"

The two kobolds wait for the party to go in.

Fine. Maybe it will be warmer in there, at least. Let's go.

"Sounds good ta me. Keep yer eyes open, tho, they are kobolds, after all."

The party comes into the old mines. It is apparent that these mines are no longer in operation, but provide the kobolds with a nice cozy home. the party passes a few kobolds on the way to the chieftan's room, as well as the shrine where the statue is supposed to rest. Mikmek give it a quick bow on the way.

Just a few more feet inwards is the "throne room" as the kobolds call it. It is just a fancy chair for a small creature, atop a small old silver vein, giving the rock it sits on a slightly shiny color. A few torches have been lit here to help the tall folk see in the caves.

Atop the chair sits a kobold, whose only defining feature is the fact that his scales are an ashen gray instead of the usual red. He stands up, and says in a heavily accented Taldane: "Mikmek! You have come back from the lair of the ugly blue-heads! We thought they killed you! Welcome home! But tell us! Tell us of your friends and the statue. What is of it!"

Mikmek looks up at Kaeso with his big eyes, motioning him with his head to step up and address the chief.

Kaeso gulps, looks over at Drispeera and motions her over, and speaks:

"Begging your pardon, but I am slow of speech. We are pleased to return your statue, won by conquest of the mites--er, blue-heads." He holds out the statue.

To Drispeera, whispering in his back-country elvish: "Could you charm them? I know they're kobolds and all, but we might be able to get some help in our own wars. Besides"--flashing a quick smile--"Who could resist you?"

How did he learn elvish? Some kind of backstory there.

Drispeera gives Kaeso a warm smile and turns to the kobolds.

It is as my brave friend says. We went to the giant Sick-Amore tree and vanquished the ugly bigheads. We crushed their leader Grabbles easily in combat. The tribe of bigheads at the big tree is no more.

And now, we wish to return this... she winces slightly noble statue of your God to you. But two things we must discuss first. #1- You promised us treasures for this deed. We wish to have the treasures back taken first by the human bandits. And #2- You must promise not to attack the bigses of this land. No attacks on elves, or humans, or the not-quite-as-big-but-still-incredibly-fierces (she indicates Bingo).

What say you? Will you be our allies for profitable trade? Or shall we count you among the enemies we will soon crush, and forget their unworthy names?

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16
Intimidate: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20

Chief Sootscale ponders on these words. "Although blue, you are very different from little big-heads. Our numbers are few after the war with the ones called mites. We actually have no desire to war with the big folk. We are... simple in our ways. We want to hunt and grow. Make our tribe large again. We no make tribe bigger by more war. Our numbers were great before. Now only a few dozen of us remain."

"To be honestly with guests, we never even want war with the blue heads. But, but we told after they took statue that unless we go to war, Old Sharptooth, our god, would be so angry he would let us all die. Shaman told us 'you must go to war now, and defend the kobold god from blue infidels, or die by mighty Sharptooth's hand!'. So I do what I must to save people. We go to war."

"But now, we can finally declare war over!"

Mikmek jumps up and down a bit, and addresses the chief in a squeaky voice, "Sir, do you want me to get shaman here? He prolly want to see statue back!"

Quickly, Chief Sootscale raises his palm, "NO!!" He calms himself quickly, "No, Mikmek, no... I... I have better idea..." He looks over to Kaeso, "heavy armor guy.. can I have statue back now?" Chief Sootscale extend his little paw out, letting Kaeso bring it over.

Kaeso politely hands the statue to Chief Sootscale, and then steps back.

The chief takes the statue and cradles it in his arms. His breathing starts to quicken, and he raises it above his head for all the kobolds to see. He starts to looks around the room triumphantly.

After a full sweep of the room the face of the kobold chief changes to anger. With now blood-red eyes, he does a tiny jump and hurls the statue against the floor in front of his little throne-mound. The statue SHATTERS into a million pieces!

All the other kobolds freeze and fall silent. A few of them drop to their knees and protect their heads with their hands as if the ceiling was going to collapse upon them. The chief stands there silently as well, breathing heavily.

The tension is almost palpable...

After a few more seconds (that seemed like minutes), Chief Sootscale raises his little spear triumphantly. "Sootscales! We have been deceived! Shaman say if statue is lost, we all die and turn yellow! Look at us! Nothing has happened! The shaman is a fraud! He made us go to war for no reason at all. We need answers!"

"Tall folk, come if you wish. You friends of kobolds now. We go demand justice for our fallen friends from purple shaman!"

The chief hops down to the lower level, and starts heading to the back cavern.

Drispeera gives a nonplussed look at the shards on the floor. Well, I woulda done that for ya. That thing was wicked ugly. She shrugs In for a copper, in for a platinum I guess. Shall we go?

Kaeso nods. "I'm in." He hefts his warhammer, and gets ready to follow the chief.

Edwyn, Mornaura? Still with us?

A quick walk finds the party at a much larger chamber, even than the "throne" room you were in before. Spacious quarters for a kobold, the room is littered with fine furs and the walls are lined with wood planks, a nice change from the carved rock outside. Small veins of silver ore are still visible through some of the looser planks.

In the room, a purple kobold is preparing some kind of potion or brew in a bubbling cauldron. He has a feathered headdress, and on his shoulder rests a black crow.

"Tartuk! We come for justice. For our fallen kin. You lead us to false war. Kill many. You need to answer for them!" the kobold chief mutters angrily.

Tartuk looks up, and looks at everyone in the room. His lips curl into a grin and says in perfect Common, "BAH! You weaklings! Do you think I cared for the survival of this poor tribe!? I have decimated dozens of other tribes! Tribes of your filthy, disgusting, scaled kind. I was close with you, Sootscale. Thank these humans and elves your tribe is still here at all!"

"Humans. I have a proposition for you. These kobolds are vermin. They lie, pillage and steal. They would have committed genocide on the mites of the Old Sycamore if they were any stronger. Help me purge them from the Greenbelt, and I will leave, giving you this mine. I am sure any kingdom would be able to restore it and profit from it."

"Ya want to wipe out yer own people because they're filthy and disgustin'? Yer a twisted little git, ain't ya? Why don't ya jest leave iffen ya don't like 'em?" asks Bingo.

Hmm... a purple kobold. I haven't heard of those before. They're about as common as well... blue elves. I think I smell a Dire Rat, or a Giant Boar, or something icky and pungent...

Drispeera invites the party over for a quiet huddle. Whaddaya think guys? I'm inclined not to trust this Sootscale. Even if we helped him, I don't think he's the type to keep his promises. I have no love for kobolds either, but they usually keep their agreements. What do you guys think?