Using my move action after making a ranged attack to attempt to hide at a -20 penalty for sniping.
Petrahk's electrical arrow spears the dragon, who screams in anger.
The dragon spits acid at Xakroo.
The party is up.
Poxy moves closer to Xakroo. "Don't forget about the drool"
As a swift action he lights Xakroo's bow on magical alchemical fire adding flaming to all his attacks (1d6 fire).
Then he throws a bomb at the dragon.
Maintaining his distance, Kryptyk tosses his starknife twice more:
Trinket focuses her magic into her blade and cartwheels forward, laughing madly all the while!
Then she lunges at the dragon with her amazing Dragon-Slaying-Hero's-Blade!
Harik shoots at the dragon.
HOLY-!!! Xakroo screams as the acidic breath goes in his direction, Alright, no more Mr. Nice Kobold! He pulls out a load of dragonbane arrows, and fires at the dragon.
Zarvak sees the dragon attack, and races off to the other side, hoping to flank it or ambush it from a different position.
Alaka shoots at the Dragon.
(the 1d6 is acid, which likely does nothing against this dragon)
She misses badly.
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The dragon falls down dead under your flurry of arrow, bombs, and starknives.
Harik helps you collect a few coded documents from the dragon's lair and the druid's room. You then help the injured Charnesardo Rangers back to your home base, and take some time to determine what you should do next. You also carefully educate Harik in how to be good. (I'm assuming that Petrahk and Alaka take the lead in this)
After the dragon falls, Poxy walks over to Xakroo. "Ummmm curious Poxy is wondering if you saved any of the dragon drool?"
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"Someone skilled in the methods of recovering body parts from slain prey should probably take point on resource recovery from the deceased. There's a LOT that can be put to use from a dragon body, and even in a reasonably quick fashion, too." Petrahk states with an almost eager gleam to her eyes.
"Equally important is to check for all of the resources the dragon may have amassed here, as it will be important for the rangers in the days, weeks, and months to come."
"It's hard sometimes to do the thing your gut is telling you is the *right* thing to do when your brain is telling you that you should do the pragmatic thing. And that can give you both an upset stomach AND a killer headache. The trick is to figure out why and how you can do the thing your 'gut' is telling you and also be smart about it. And then there's the whole appearances thing.
Everyone assumes that folks who 'look' bad must *be* bad when in reality they're just like everyone else, and may or may not have had poor life choices or haven't had a chance to be a better person.
You're kind of lucky in a way though you might not feel like it given that it's hard to explain and put a claw on the sensation, but when you do the 'gut' thing, it's 'paying things forwards'.
It might not feel like it, but every time someone does something AWESOME to help others, that gets remembered, and the stories last longer and then someday when you're really up against a wall and don't have much in the way of options someone will come along and help YOU out... and you won't even realize that it's because someone or something is watching out for you, because you were watching out for other people.
And... to be honest, I'm still kinda figuring it out myself. I used to be a bit more selfish and self-centered and it kinda bit me on the butt so it was a learning experience."
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Xakroo just looks at Poxy with an irritated look, Why yes Poxy, I'm completely coated in its drool. Help yourself.
When they return, Xakroo headed to a nearby stream to take a bath, simply because he knew no human would want him to smell like rotten dragon breath-even Zarvak was avoiding him due to the stink. Once he was all cleaned up, he headed back to the cave and sat next to the raptor's nest; the little dinosaur jumped onto him with happy squawks and chirps, and the kobold returned the gestures with chin scratches and laughter. Within minutes, the two settled down to take a nice nap.
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Trinket backflips her way atop the dragon's back and poses dramatically!
"HEROIC VICTORY!"
After holding her pose for a solid half-minute (all the better for her fans to remember it!), Trinket laughs. "A-HAHAHAHA! VILLAINS NEVER WIN!"
Then she scampers down to the others. "I don't know why they always seem to think they will! Silly villains!"
She cleans off her shiny new sword and pokes the dragon.
"You weren't very tough, you know. I was expecting... more. You know? Some heroic wounds! And some death-defying stunts!"
She shrugs. "Oh, well. That sure was fun."
Then she looks over at Petrahk. "You want to take parts from the dragon? Like Hero's Trophies?! Neato! I've never done that before, but I know a whole lot of heroes who do! What kind of stuff do you need?!"
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While mentoring Harik, Trinket attempts to teach him how to be a good person, the exact same way that she learned: on heroic tales of HEROES! She is often heard telling him epic tales meant to inspire teamwork, heroics, a love of the underdog, that can-do attitude, determination and, of course, the importance of self-sacrifice! (Heroes always win! Until they die to save others! Which is a win, too!). She teaches him to pose dramatically, make an astounding entrance, monologue, verbally joust with your Arch Nemesis, and always remember to SMILE! Smiles are very important.
Oh! And a hat! All the greatest heroes need a dashing hat.
She spends a good deal of time searching around for the perfect hat for Harik, Finding nothing suitable she instead hunts down the fanciest feathers she can find. Then she adds them to his helmet, forming in a glorious wreath of red and grey robin's feathers around it's edge, and topping it off with brightly coloured plumes from a bluejay sticking out the top. It looks terribly dashing.
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Harik pretends to be only politely interested in the hat Trinket made, but all of you occasionally see him trying all the different angles he can wear it.
Alaka pulls Trinket aside.
Um, do you think you could make me a hat that maybe looks like fire? That would be cool! I could give you some money for it. I have extra.
Trinket grins widely. "My, dearest Alaka Zam! Princess of Hero-flames, honoured servant of the Great Queen of Fire, and Fellow Mentor to Hargak the Redeemed Hero-In-Training!"
She holds her hands behind her back... and pulls out an amazing Hero-Hat!
"...IT'S ALREADY DONE! Ahahahahaaha! I worked on it all week! Do you like it! See the different colour feathers really give it that billowing flame look. And I made you a collar, too! Cause it's AMAZING! And YOU'RE amazing!" She nods wisely. "It just made sense. Plus, I got Poxy to cover it in flame retardant! So it won't catch on fire even if you get too burney! Neat huh?!"
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Petrahk attempts to not be TOO jealous of Alaka's new headgear, because it really is spiffy and neat to draconic tastes.
She responds by politely clapping for both Trinket's crafting as well as Alaka.
"Not that I want to see you wear it or anything, but how does it fit?" she inquires with a bit of a deadpan tone of the cleric.
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Alaka is amazed at the new hat, which looks more like feathers than fire, but still awesome, and puts it on immediately.
I look like Firegirl! Zap. Zap-zap-zap. she says, while shooting sparks out of her fingertips. She accidentally hits Harik with one, but luckily it doesn't set HIS hat on fire, so everything is okay.
She grins at Petrahk. It fits great!
I used to just look like a normal goblin, but now I look like a super-power master of fire goblin! Firegirl to the rescue!!
She keeps shooting sparks, not really noticing that people are pulling all of the combustibles out of her way.
She pauses and says thoughtfully ... I might have to take it off if I am pretending to just be a torchmaker again though. I don't think anyone would believe that Firegirl could be that boring.
She usually thinks that Trinket is over the top, but this time she thinks she is perfect, and when she notices her standing there after her thoughtful side comment, she runs over and gives her a big hug. THANK YOU, Trinket!!!
Xakroo just smirked at the antics going on as he tried to fit in Zarvak's newest leather armor; not an easy task as the raptor was giving annoyed chirps and growls. I know girl, he cooed, petting her muzzle, But that fight with the dragon made me realize I can't afford to lose you. So any protection will help-at least you'll be able to run in this.
Aubrin the Green seen Xakroo trying to outfit Zarvak, and hands him a small pot of a salve. "She may find the armor a little irritating at first. This will help when you take the armor off for the night."
A few days later, Aubrin tells you that a representative of your allies, the Charnisardo Rangers, has come and is asking to meet with you.
After you have gathered, the ranger explains, "As we’ve begun pacifying the forest and rounding up the scattered remains of the Ironfang Legion here, reports keep coming in from the Hollow Hills to the west of aggressive hobgoblin activity. A few more refugees trickle in every day from communities and caravans put to the sword. If we keep absorbing exiles at this rate, we soon won’t be able to feed or house them all. It’s becoming increasingly obvious that the Legion’s attack on the Fangwood was a diversion to keep our Rangers from engaging their main forces to the west. Now it sounds as if they’ve secured the whole of the Nesmian Plains and are reaching north of the Marideth River. We’re still reeling from our own losses, but we need more intelligence if we’re going to keep the Legion out of the Fangwood, let alone push back. We know almost nothing about the Ironfang Legion’s activities beyond the local lieutenant’s name: Kosseruk. She’s seized dozens of villages at this point—the closest is Radya’s Hollow, a mining village only thirty miles due west. We’ve not received any word back from the messengers we’ve dispatched to the largest town in the area, Longshadow, but whether that’s because it’s fallen or because our messengers have been captured, I’m unsure. The Rangers can keep the forest secure for now, but we don’t have the power to offset a major offensive if they finish in the Hill and turn east. If anyone is going to stop the Ironfang Legion, we need to know what they’re up to, and we need new allies and resources."
Trinket returns Firegirl's hug. "HERO POWER!" She exclaims, striking a dramatic pose.
"Never fear, nameless Amazing Hero Ranger! The HEROES ARE HERE!" she thrusts her fist into the sky then points at Ranger. "The Amazing Hero Trinket and her great super friends will save the day!" After a moment she takes a gander at the maps. "Where is our fist mission?"
Xakroo thanks Aubrin for the salve, and then goes to talk with the ranger.
Marideth River? he questioned, I've heard of a kobold clan that's there...never met them myself, but from stories I've heard in my old clan, they're a pacifistic sort-territorial, unfriendly, but they won't attack unless they're being attacked. Then again...any kobold clan is smart enough to run from a big enough threat, so if they aren't dead or captured, they've probably fled the entire region.
He did ponder over the idea of allies, and asked, What allies do you think would be helpful in this time? Doubtful any settlement would be of much help other then soldiers and supplies...if only I could go back to my old clan, I could try to convince them to aid us.
Alaka nods at the meeting when they mention Radya's Hollow and is glad they told them which direction to go, since she had never heard of it. Kosseruk and Longshadow are also both unfamiliar, but she is still eager to help, and decides to suggest they go to the one where they have directions.
I'm in to go wherever you want and find stuff out. Should we start at Radya's Hollow?
Over the time everyone's been recouping at the headquarters, another goblin wanders in looking for a new home. His clothes are damp from head to toe even though it's not raining out.
"Hi! I'm Dripple. I found out you guys are fighting tha hobogobos, and that some goblins that, well, um, don't get along with normal goblins have been helping out. Do you need more help? I can spit and zap stuff with zapping spit power! Someone said it was called hydro-can-E-spit. I think the E stands for electric, which I guess is the fancy word for zap."
"Wow Hydrocaneespit? Impressed Poxy thinks that sounds amazing! Um thoughtful Poxy was thinking peoples here needs better protection. Too many hobogobos and other bad things everywhere. So determined Poxy has decided to stay here with all the lost peoples. Maybe Alaka and Trinket and Kwiazy and Zarvak and the kobolds need a new hand! Dripple should go with them on their secret missions!"
"Well Dripple... We fit in by not really fitting in, so I'm sure you'll do fine. I think we were just about to get moving."
"Thanks! Can my pet come too? He's a fish! Or maybe a snake."
Dripple sudenly remembers what his pet is. "Oh that's right he's an eel - a zappy one. Come out and meet everyone, Tickles!"
Dripple pulls a transparent bag full of water out of his backpack. Inside is a young electric eel. Dripple touches the bag near the eels face and gets a shock. "Haha Tickles, that tickles!"
"Clever Poxy thinks dripping Dripple isn't the zappy one! Zappy Tickles is the zappy one! Dripping Dripple is drippy and CHILLY!"
"Oh that explains why I can't zap anything but Tickles, and why my feet are so cold!"
Xakroo just...stared at the new goblin. He had no idea what to say to the little oddball newcomer, other then, Er, welcome to the team Dripple...make sure not to get killed.
Kwiazy rushes up to the gathering of friends, new and old, performs a deep bow, with a wave of his hat as a flourishing finish to the gesture.
"Ah, friends and heroes!!! Kwiazy missed you all... but iz back now. Kwiazy has been with the refugees, helping, and missed much fun and excitements, Kwiazy wants to hear all abouts them."
He looks over the faces of his friends and frowns as he notices at least one is missing and there is at least one new face among them... He gives Dripple a long look, but with a smile on his face, indicating no judgment in his appraisal. "Hi! Me iz Kwiazy! New face welcome! or iz me new face now?... whatever... what name me call you?"
"Thanks! Is great to have a team! Isn't it, Tickles?"
He greets Kwiazy when he arrives. "Hi, I'm Dripple! Nice to meet Kwiazy, isn't it, Tickles?" Dripple lets go of his bag with an eel in it, which just levitates in place as Dripple extends his hand for a handshake like big people do. It's dripping wet, though.
Dripple may always be soaked, but that just means he's probably the cleanest goblin anyone has ever met.
Trinket reaches up, doffs her magnificent sparkling hat and bows to the new hero. "Greetings, fellow Hero! I am Trinket Sparkleplume, Hero Extroardinaire and champion of many adventures!" Trinket returns to standing and places her fine hat back on her head. She gestures grandly at her companions. "These are my fellow Hero-friends! We're the great and amazing Super Heroes and Protectors of the Survivors of Phaendar!"
She smiles brightly. "It's nice to meet you Dripple! And you too, Zappy!"
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"It looks good on you, Firegirl." I'm not even jealous. Good of Trinket to find something nice for Alaka...
The more recent arrivals get a bit of a squint and an upraised eyeridge, even as she considers what the nameless ranger has offered about Longshadow.
"We should probably head in the direction of Longshadow. That sounds like a sizable community and we need to determine what the status is there, and if the couriers have made it through, and if not, what can be salvaged there. However, it's dangerous to go alone so if the rest of the team has a better idea let's do that, then?"
...who did I piss off? Petrahk thinks as she watches the newer, shorter arrivals. Some of these goblins sound like they couldn't put two numbers together.
"Hello... 'Kwiazy', 'Dripple', and 'Zap'. I am Petrahk Jadetalon, a mighty and powerful dragon here to help Trinket and the rest until we are either victorious, or I make enough coin to sleep on regularly. I think the first is going to happen sooner." she offers with a toothy smirk. She also appears to be a kobold, if one bearing a lot of draconic markings.
The dragonette motions grandly to Harik. "Not that we had anything to do with it or anything, but Harik has started to feel that gut-feeling of this invasion being a wrong thing. He is attempting to understand it, and even if we don't think we can, we should trust him and give him support. Being an outsider in strange lands is very hard."
That's right! Harik is a good hobgoblin. He's going to stay here and help out the good guys for now, but we should go off to help in Radya's Hollow. Maybe we can get the miners to help. And then we should go see what is going on in Longshadow... if anyone knows where that is. Radya's Hollow is 30 miles straight west though, so we know how to get there.
To Dripple she says Hurry up and get ready, fish-guy. We need to leave soon.
After cleaning his starknife and putting it away, the cloaked kobold looks over the newcomer and the apparently not so new goblin he'd never seen before.
"The name is Kryptyk. They talk a lot, especially Trinket. I don't"
"That's ok cloaky Kryptik, Tickles doesn't talk much either!" He looks a little askew at Trinket and the large lizard that apparently thinks she's a small dragon. "His name is Tickles, not Zappy, but he is zappy, so I guess I can understand the mistake."
"Tickles the fish-guy is ready to go. All he needs is his house, and he's already in it!" He holds his bag of eel out toward Alaka to demonstrate its readiness.
"Me happy meet you Kryptyk the almost silent. New friends soon be good friends!" Kwiazy says cryptically. "What you new people do? Iz good to know up front so we fight better together against bad things. Too many bad thingz right now... Anyway, me like to cut big things into little pieces." He tilts his head to one side, waiting for a reply from Kryptyk and Dripple.
"I can do lots of things with water and ice! Shoot water... Shoot ice... Make water less stinky... Cover something in slippery ice... Slow stuff down with ice... Knock something over with water... Make a shield of ice... Move water around... Oh and slip and slide to move ME around!"
Dripple demonstrates the last two by levitating his eel bag again and summoning a torrent of water at his feet to push him around as he runs faster than the average goblin. "See I'm so fast!"
"I try to help in unobtrusive ways if possible. But if I must I try to stab things from the darkness when I can."
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Trinket nods at the map. "Yes, yes. Radya's Hollow first, and then Longshadow. A fine plan! NAY! A SPECTACULAR PLAN! Very heroic!" She poses dramatically and grins. When Dripple and Tickles make a fancy water demonstration Trinket grins and claps. "Wonderful! But, stay away from Firegirl! Your water might put out her fire!"
The arrow shooter realized he forgot to formerly introduce himself, so after clearing his throat he gestures, I'm Xakroo, the Arrow Shooter. And this pile of feathers, teeth and claws is Zaravk. He chuckled the last bit as he scratched underneath the raptor's muzzle, making her lift her head up gently and give a purring squawk with closed eyes.