The kobold runs down the passageway. Tyler and Loman are on its heels.
B8. Rescuing Hak
This large cave has a twelve-foot-high ceiling. Dozens of well- chewed deer bones lie scattered around the cave.
On the other side of the cave is an allosaurus! The kobold happily hops onto Hak’s back and rides it around for a moment. They both seem very pleased to be near each other once again.
The kobold introduces herself as Nighttail.
Seeing the large lizard Red hides behind the person in front of her eyeing the creature warily.
While watching Nighttail ride around on her Allosaurus Airak beguan singing a song, almost to himself as he often does.
"I'm bringing home a baby dinosaur
Won't my mommy fall right through the floor
I'm bringing home a baby dinosaur
Ouch! He squished me!
Flat as a pancake!
I'm bringing home a baby dinosaur
Won't my mommy hide behind the door
I'm bringing home a baby dinosaur
Tromp! Tromp! Tromp! Tromp!"
At first Loman shows a glint of bewilderment at the creature before them, but then returns to an unamused state and comments; "If that thing tries to eat us, I am not taking the blame."
Nighttail smiles a toothy grin at Red, "It's okay, Hak only gets the bad guys!" She makes an exaggerated biting motion much like a wolf would.
Hak seems to appreciate the compliment, brushing it's head under Nighttail's hand.
Nighttail tries to assure Red, "You can pet Hak if you would like. He likes it when you scratch him under the chin."
Nighttail demonstrates.
Tyler seems hesitant to allow Red to do that.
after a moment, with obvious hesitation Red attempts to scratch Hak under his chin.
Not seeing any hostile reaction Red scratches Hak with a little more confidence before turning to the rest, waiting for signs that they are moving on.
Tyler removes his hand from his sword as Hak seems pleased with Red.
A thick layer of straw covers the floor of this cave. The cave’s northern end hooks around a corner to the east, and is out of sight from the south.
As Borin's foot is about to make a step around the bend, Nighttail warns him, "There is a dart trap there!"
Borin's foot stops mid step as he turns to look at Nighttail.
"Are ye sure?"
Borin remains motionless...
Nighttail moves to the front of the group. She looks around for a moment, "There it is!" She points out a trip wire, [b]"Just step over this, and no one gets hit with greenblood."[b] She looks for approval much like a dog would upon retrieving a toy.
The group avoided the trap, and traveled down through a hole. They began making their way through a muddy passageway when Borin stopped.
A large pool of dark water sits in the middle of this large but low-ceilinged cavern. Two kobolds flank the water, and the water shifts about. Inside of the water two large snapping turtles emerge.
Airak thanks Nighttail.
Upon spotting the Turtles Airak enters the chamber and spots the Kobolds. He skirts the pool and takes a swing at a Kobold.
Trying too hard to avoid the pool the swing goes wild.
Impatient of Borin, Loman squeezes past and follows Airaks' move and enters the room. Seeing him go right, Loman goes left and goes straight for the other Kobold.
Loman doesn't even think twice as he swings wide, the sword going right through the defending Kobold like butter. Loman stands amazed at his own feat as one half of the monster falls into the pool and the other motionless to the floor.
Borin trips over the rubble attempting to make his way to the defending kobolds. He nearly stumbles into the water with the snapping turtles.
Borin nearly falls on his ass getting out of the way of the lunging turtle.
Loman jumps back out of reach of the snapping turtles bite.
Airak surprises himself with an uncanny parry of a kobold spear.
Distracted by Borin's near careen into the pool, Airak over-swings and misses by a hair.
Loman speaks quizzically to the large turtle, puzzled by its actions."Your slave master is dead, why do you still attack?"Loman sheaths his sword and lowers into a defensive crouch (total def.) while trying to get a read on the animal.
AC=20
Borin follows the lead of Loman and attempts to defend himself.
Loman gets the feeling the turtles are just defending their territory. If the group were to leave, they would not bother you anymore
Airak manages nearly knock the kobold's spear out of his hand. The kobold staggers back to keep the spear in his hand.
Loman is too fast for the turtle as it continues to lunge at him.
The other turtle nearly bites through Borin's armor.
Borin takes a swing at the turtle.
Borin nearly smashes the turtle.
"Take care of that filth,"Loman nods to the Kobold," And get the others by, I will keep this guy distracted. He won't care about us once we are past his little home here." Loman looks back to the turtle and draw his quarter staff, "Sorry big guy, if I am gonna try and save your friend over there I can't have you nipping at my heels." Loman concentrates hard to strike at the right place...
Attack(Non-Leathal, -4)
Airak takes advantage of the Kobold's retreat and advances with an excited swing but is once again overzealous.
Loman's mercy gets the better of him as the turtle manages clamp down on his ankle.
The kobold takes advantage of Airak's swing throwing him off balance and drives a spear into his shoulder.
Tyler hearing the sounds of his allies being hit, hands the care of the wizard to the merchant and moves to the front. He calls down divine power to heal his allies.
Loman try's again...
Attack(Non-Lethal, -4)
Before the turtle can recover from its attack Loman places a hit square on its head. Bonk! He then moves over to the other fallen turtle.
With the rush of adrenaline from the stab wound and sudden euphoria of healing Airak makes a solid blow, crumpling the kobold to the ground.
Airak's gaze halts on the water, and he carefully wades in after something.
Loman, standing next to the downed turtle that Borin laid into, casually waves his hand over the wound he made and speaks an obvious divine spell component.
Loman looks up from his work, curiously looking at Airak.
Loman continues to observe Airak
The turtle remains unconscious.
You catch a glimpse of some turtle eggs in the direction Airak is heading. He doesn't seem to be aware of them. He is looking at something metallic near them.
concern crosses Lomans face "Airak! Wait! Be carful of their eggs."
Heeding Loman's warning Airak quickly adjusts his course to avoid the eggs. Then stopping he reaches in and draws out a brightly shining longsword of excellent craftsmanship.
No longer hearing the sounds of combat curiously Red enters the chamber to see what all the fussing is about. Upon seeing the unconscious turtles she stops cautiously waiting and watching.
Airak studies the sword wondering how something so fine could end up in an old cave under their town.
"This bares the mark of the Baroness' house, I wonder how it got down here."
Tyler remarks, "Strange, we should ask her if the light ever lets out of this place"
The party makes it way around the pool to the other side. They find a single small palet heaped with furs sits against the south wall of this cave. There is an exit on the right wall from the entrance.
As Borin steps into the room, there is a sudden movement to the left. Barely noticeable in the palet, an aged kobold’s eyelids flutter open to reveal milky, blind orbs.
In the common tongue, he speaks " I can tell by your scent that you are strangers here. If my nose tells the truth, you bring the destruction I foretold. Good... good. I had hoped to see our ruin before journeying to the afterworld, but I will settle for listening to it. Beware the great scaly beast, strangers. He seems to speak reason, but his words are poison. And his bats, the ones he called from the darkness... they are harbingers of lunacy and chaos... Dread Lord Aeteperax will surely be your doom as he has been ours."
Tula Belhaim would become the town's founder.
Loman speaks frustrated, "Oh let me guess, because the filthy thing talks you don't want me to kill it?". He takes a sharp glance at the other Kobold in the group then promptly exits the room.
Red Stares at the kobold with cautious curiosity but flinches a bit at Loman's tone of voice. She stares at Loman but doesn't respond.
Airak cautiously approaches the kobold, the heavy mace in one hand, the long sword in the other. He frowns at Loman's reaction, but quickly returns his attention to the kobold.
"Aeteperax has long since perished. None shall fear him any longer."
The venerable kobold attempts to retort, but falls still. He does not stir again.
Nighttail responds weakly, "That was Jakkol, he was the only other one trying to stop the big ugly stupid" She launches into a different language for a few words,
After dispatching another group of koblds, they move into another passage. It continues straight ahead but there is a room to the right.
The northern half of the chamber consists of a two-foot-deep bowl-shaped section of smoothed stone covered with leaves and downy bird feathers. Carefully nested in this space are dozens of scaly, green-tinged kobold eggs, each about the size of an orange.
In front of the eggs, stands two robed kobolds with their staves in a defensive stance. They are not blocking the way forward, only the way to the eggs.