Pixie Rogue's Adventures in Darkmoon Vale

Game Master Pixie Rogue

Nox will put his bow away and take a 5 foot step towards the fray, quickly drawing his rapier as he moves.

Gilgar, there are two kobolds in reach - the one that attacked you is out of Graymoon's reach, the other has been trading blows with the elf. You are up!

Gilgar snarls and attempts to shorten the kobold that attacked him by at least a hammer strike...

1-handed MW Adamantine Warhammer Attack + Raging: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21
MW Adamantine Warhammer 1-handed damage + Raging: 2d6 + 5 ⇒ (2, 5) + 5 = 12

That should do it! Graymoon is up!

Seeing the dwarf's opponent fall, Graymoon tries to end his battle, as well.

Attack: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 6 + 2 = 21
Damage: 1d8 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 7 + 2 = 12

Wow. What are the odds we would have the exact same rolls? I will have to confirm when I get on my other computer, but I know those hit and I'm pretty sure that puts both of them out for the count.

Round 8
18 Glenna Delays again
10 Kobolds Spellcasting is heard and another kobold charges in, provoking AoO from Gilgar and Graymoon
07 Nox Stows his bow and draws his rapier to get up close and personal
06 Gilgar Staggers the charging kobold and then finishes him off with the follow-through; Completed 3rd rage round
03 Graymoon Staggers his erstwhile foe.

I see I confused myself, having Gilgar and Graymoon take extra attacks this round. They are in the bank for next round.

Round 9
18 Glenna Delays
10 Kobolds The warriors continue to fight while the spellcaster makes a hasty retreat.
07 Nox Stows his bow and draws his rapier to get up close and personal
06 Gilgar Kills his chain-wielding pest; Completed 4th rage round
03 Graymoon Kills his staggered enemy.

The chain-wielding kobolds don't know when to quit...

vs Gilgar, fighting defensively: 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (10) + 6 - 4 = 12
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3

vs Graymoon, fighting defensively: 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (4) + 6 - 4 = 6
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6

The spellcaster, being slightly smarter, flees down the tunnel.

There are no immediate threats. End of combat unless you choose to pursue the escapee.

We still have someone to save I beleive, but we do have the group above waiting for us

The halfling bard was a prisoner with his friend, an elf mage, before the children were brought in. They had nearly given up hope of escape when the kids were brought in and the purpose - rescuing the children - gave them the resolve to make a plan and act on it. The elf and one of the boys were caught nearly right away, but Glenna was able to escape with the boy. You have found all of the others you were expecting to find. Only the elf remains.

Spitting on the kobold carcasses, Gilgar wheels around in search of more enemies, or even the sound of approaching foes. If he hears none, he'll end his rage, slump against the wall gasping for breath, and bleed...

I say we regroup before going after the elf. We need to get the children out of here and to replenish ourselves

With a concerned look at the dwarf, Graymoon moves into the mouth of the tunnel looking for threats. Seeing none, he sheathes his sword and starts gathering weapons and tossing them into the cauldron. "Don't want others to come in and use these on us, too."

When it's done, the following has been collected:

Small masterwork heavy pick
Small light pick (6)
Small spiked chain (4)
Small vials of viscous green fluid (12)
Small javelin (8)
Small dagger (2)
Small masterwork studded armor
Small studded leather (4)
Small short spear (2)

Some of the armor is a little the worse for wear. The metal mining helmet worn by the strongman kobold has been crushed nearly flat, for example, so the ranger ignores it.

When he's done, he drags each of the bodies to the pit below the cauldron and lets them drop.

"A rest is a good idea. I think the room above this would be easily defended - the doors are stout and the cauldron is the only way up. We can prevent its operation from up top."

I agree. Glenna, why don't you and Gilgar ride up first.

With a wink, the halfling says, "Finally, someone is talking sense!" and she climbs into the cauldron.

Having regained some of his spent energy, Gilgar pushes away from the wall and walks, mostly steadily, to the cauldron. Climbing in he calls up "Friends a'comin' up! No stabbin', ye hear?"

A round face peers down the shaft. "Oh! Raise the big pot!"

There's some discussion up top, then. "Set your feet, grab the rope, and HEAVE! Set your feet,..."

Once the cadence is started, the cauldron rises quickly to the top and you see several proud children and a beaming Dwarven monk looking back at you, happy with what they did.

OK, the support crew and rescued folk have managed to work out a pretty good system for the cauldron and you find yourselves in the upper chamber pretty quickly. What are your plans, what watches do you intend to set, what precautions are you taking, etc.?

I am not sure yet what my access will be this week. See you when I see you. Have a great week!

Do we want to try to get the children back to town?

If we don't stick it out, the dude we're trying to rescue is gonna be dead, if he's not already... I don't think leaving is an option. Unless we wanna send part of the group with them.

Gilgar's thoughts would be to temporarily disable the cauldron so it can't be lowered/raised while we rest, put sleepers up against doors so they'll be awakened if the doors are opened (I remember them opening into the room, but I might be mistaken), and set a watch order.

They do open in. The tunnel to the east had no door, of course. You have no shortage of volunteers for watches. Each child will help, if you let them, except the boy Savram that was cornered by the skeletons - he's a bit traumatized. You have the halfling bard Edgrin, halfling sorceress Glenna, elf ranger Graymoon, dwarf monk Aggo, and the two of you.

I think that 5 shifts of 2 hours with the halflings taking the first 2, then the elves, and then Gilgar. That should give the darkest times to the elves and let Gilgar get fully restored from his rage.

That's fine. Note that you are underground, so the darkness is constant and less of a factor in scheduling watches. Aggo has darkvision and can assist during any of the watches. Kimi works with the kids and they take turns, also, even if the 'adults' don't ask them to do so.

Two Perception checks for each watch, please. Simple 1d20 rolls for any NPCs you don't know the bonus for is fine.

1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28 perception 1
1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22 perception 2

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12 perception 1
1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18 perception 2

Perception 1: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8 (Oh, for the love of...)
Perception 2: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

The heroes announce their plans for watches and their many allies sort themselves into supplemental shifts. The kobold spellcaster insists on taking a watch with the one he considers the leader of the heroes, so he takes the shift with Nox. He assigns his surviving warriors and the erstwhile slaves into the other four shifts. The kids, Edgrin the halfling, Aggo the monk, and Laucian the illusionist each find a shift.

The first shift is quiet. Glenna, Aggo, and Jerrdreg the kobold awaken the next shift and go to sleep. Likewise, Edgrin, Kimi, and the first kobold warrior see no sign of threats. They awaken Nox and Kerrdremak the kobold shaman-in-training for the third shift. (They prefer to let Nox awaken his wolf though Kimi seemed willing to take on the task.)

By the way, this is the first rest since the last level-up. Make sure that you give yourself the appropriate number of spells, etc., for resting. When you take your turn at the shift, consider yourself rested and ready for the following day - I'm not going to quibble over how many hours you rested. That includes ability damage and hit points recovered.

Gilgar will slug down a couple of potions of clw...

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

LOUSY DICE...

Nox will hush the kobold with a finger to his lips, and then point towards the room as he sets the candle down and moves into the shadows, circling the 'elevators' towards the sound.

1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10 stealth

Perrin, seeing Nox's sense of urgency and actions will pad to his side sniffing at the air.

1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8 Perception by scent
1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13 Stealth

Kerrdremak's eyes get wide, but he nods. Rather than stop talking, though, he changes the subject. "There will come a day, pinkskin longshanks, when the inheritors of the draconic bloodline will once again rule the world. We, the kobolds, will be supreme above all but the dragons themselves. You will see."

You hear no further sounds from the other hall.

After several tense minutes waiting, hand on hilt, for further noise, Nox hears nothing further. Kerrdremak continues his patter of kobold propaganda, but stands and moves to where he can see into the rough hall.

Looking at the druid, he shakes his head. Not seeing anything in there.

Moving over by Nox and Perrin, he whispers, "There was no one in there before, right? When everyone bedded down? Why would there be noise in there now?"

An intelligence check if you feel you need a hint, sir.

1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24 intelligence

Um, OK.

Nox, to Kerrdremak Because kobolds can crawl through cracks that the rest of us cannot. There is a crevice in the floor of the next room. If you don't mind, please place yourself such that you will be able to keep anyone from surprising us

The kobold shaman is a bit unsettled by the idea, but he nods, positioning himself well away from the tunnel, but facing it, for the rest of your watch.

When your watch is complete, Kerrdremak awakens one of 'his' warriors and speaks to him. The little fighter nods and takes up Kerrdremak's position for the duration of his watch. Graymoon and the boy Jurin are on the same watch, but there is no disturbance and they wake up the fifth watch.

This time, the warrior tells Kibbo where to watch and what to watch for. With some obvious nervousness, he settles in while the recently-rescued boy Hollin and Laucian find spots nearby.

In the end, only the mysterious footsteps interrupt the evening's rest. Spellcasters requiring preparation have time to do so and other daily resources are once again at full.

So you have rested and have your full complement of class abilities for a new day of kobold-bashing. What's the plan?

Back into the fray. We need to protect the elevator as it is the only way back up that we know of, and we need to send a group after the remaining captive

You have quite the cast of characters to assist you in either of those tasks. Two rescued kobold slaves, three kobold rebels whose lives you spared, five children of varying eagerness to assist, a dwarven monk, a halfling sorceress, a halfling bard, an illusionist, Nox/Perrin, and Gilgar. I think that's everyone. Feel free to solicit their opinions, but it's up to you and the Gilgarian.

We barricade what portals we can, quiz the kobolds about the ones we can't barricade (i.e. do the tunnels dead-end, link up with other tunnels, etc.), and figure out how to guard them based on that info. I think we should take one or two of the rebels with us as guides, leaving the other bound securely. I think the monk, bard, sorceress, rescued kobolds, and all the kids (with the exception of the determined little girl, if she wants to go) should stay here. The illusionist can come with us, provided he's got some spells to contribute (I know we rested, but I'm wondering about spell components and other consumables). Those are my thoughts.

We question the rebel kobolds for information regarding the potential paths we, and the enemy kobolds, could take

Gilgar beats them for their insolent silence! LOL

And the beatings continue

The former slaves, cowed by the scowling longshanks, think very hard, but really don't know what to say.

The adept, the leader of the small cadre of rebels that you interrupted in their complaining, thoughtfully responds. "Many tunnels, two or three important places. You see room below - two tunnels, yes? Tunnel on left go to heart of warren, but stealthy warriors hide and guard. Very dangerous. Other tunnel go to mine. Mean boss works slaves like these two until they fall down. He scare them, they fight anyone. He dies, they probably run away. Mean boss big like this," he points at Gilgar's chest muscles, "but small legs, like chicken." The slaves' eyes widen and they laugh and clap, "Yes, yes, chicken legs! Chicken legs!"

Gilgar recalls that this is a pretty apt description for the kobold that hit him pretty hard - he had a helmet of some kind and a heavy pick. Could have been a miner.

Frowning at the capering former slaves, he continues, "Nothing in mine. Keep digging for shiny good-good for queen while hatchlings starve. Past mine is slurk kennel. Kapmek is Honored Slurk-Wrangler. He very dangerous. Other tunnel, past ambush, is intersection to many rooms, another maybe ambush spot. Past is hatchery and young - you must leave them so the Truescale tribe can survive! They are not responsible for taking of your hatchlings!" He is very worried about this possibility, that you might kill the children, and he does not even try to hide it.

"We ain't fer killin' babies." Gilgar states resolutely... "Where'd priz'ners get took tuh?"

He considers the dwarf for only a moment before continuing, "OK. Mekapa is midwife in hatchery - she might know more, doesn't like king much, either. Before hatchery, go right-claw and down steps, come to tunnel with screamy mushrooms. Past these is den where most of tribe sleeps. Not sure if they will fight or let you pass to king's chambers. After king's throneroom, you find crazy shaman's room. That where children were held."

As he describes the path, Glenna and the bard appear to be ticking off memories and nodding. When the kobold adept is done, the two halflings nod in confirmation, making sure he doesn't see so as to avoid offending him.