Zyphlryx touches the vials strapped to his bandolier and smiles. He is ready to move in when Kadosh gives the signal. He is so preoccupied, in fact, that he doesn't even notice that Broomzad has already headed over to poison the pinkskin stew...
The men sit down and greedily consume their awful pinkskin food. Well, two of them don't because they're on guard duty. Though Pepin infused the gross food with delicious centipede meat the pinkskins don't seem to appreciate it much. You watch as the guards lazily circle, taking breaks often to stare stupidly at the night sky or smoke rolled tobacco. The men at the campfire pass around bottles and gaze into the light, ruining their night vision as they burp and fart. They seem to be farting a lot. Revolting.
Just as you're wondering whether the poison worked, one of them grabs his stomach and staggers to the latrine. His fellows laugh when he rips his pants down halfway there weeps as he soils himself. Then another one cramps up…
You undercook the stew? One of the pinkskins breaks the cook's nose. CRUNCH! Blood splatters and the other men laugh. The pinkskin who threw the punch moans and his stomach before staggering off the latrine trench too, eliciting more mean-spirited chuckles and commentary.
Imperius attempts a woodsy siren-song. The men are not in the mood. Someone's messing with us! Another one points. Some filthy kobold! Kill 'em!
The men near the trench groan and pull up their trousers…
Pinkskin 3 draws his wapon and charges! He runs straight into a spike trap!
He narrowly avoids the worst of it but it' still funny to see the spike graze his leg, drawing a bloody line.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Pinkskin 3
➤ Broomzad
Pinkskin 1
Pinkskin 4
Tough Pinkskin 7
Zyphlryx
Kadosh
Tough Pinkskin 5
Pinkskin 2
Pepin le Beouf
Tough Pinkskin 8
Tough Pinkskin 6
Imperius
Broomzad moves over to pinkskin 3, and makes a surprise attack!
Broomzad feels his shortsword slide through the back of the pinkskin's abdomen and up into his heart. Then. he sneaks off, but steps on a twig that snaps…
Pinkskin 2 uses two actions to yoink his trousers up past his ankles and cinch his belt, removing the clumsy condition. Then he moves forwaard…
Pinkskin 4 looks rather green as he does the same.
Tough pinkskin 7 rushes ahead!
He hits the other trap but dances out of its way at the last moment; again it only grazes his skin.
He punshes the kobold…
… the Imperial Imperius easily dodges the awkward jab.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Broomzad
Pinkskin 1
Pinkskin 4
Tough Pinkskin 7
➤ Zyphlryx
➤ Kadosh
Tough Pinkskin 5
Pinkskin 2
Pepin le Beouf
Tough Pinkskin 8
Tough Pinkskin 6
Imperius
Zyphlryx moves out of the underbrush and hucks an alchemist's fire at #5, hoping to catch some of the tents on fire as well.
The pinkskin screams. The tent ignites. Chaos reigns after a heroic point well spent.
Kadosh is up!
HP 16/16
AC 18
Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +4
Hero points: 1
Focus Points: 0/1
Effects: gravity weapon
Kadosh mutters a quick word and his fangwire seems to grow slightly heavier in his hand as he rushes toward the nearest pinkskin, swinging it at him.
Kadosh garrots his target with a heavy wire. Urp! The pinkskin's eyes go wide in surprise, glittering in the firelight.
Tough Pinkskin 5 draws a dagger and leaps at his fire-slinging assailant —
— missing by a finger's width!
Pinkskin 2 draws his own dagger and runs at Zyphlryx:
… failing miserably.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Broomzad
Pinkskin 1
Pinkskin 4
Tough Pinkskin 7
Zyphlryx
Kadosh
Tough Pinkskin 5
Pinkskin 2
➤ Pepin le Beouf
Tough Pinkskin 8
Tough Pinkskin 6
Imperius
Pepin can't pass on the opportunity to have two imbeciles within his reach. Targeting 3 and 7.
He then flings some fire at #1.
Both of the horrible humans judder in the arc, before Pepin throws a screaming ball of cabbage into his target's face, lighting his head aflame and ending his existence.
Kobolds… will… DIE!
Tough Pinkskin 8, having escaped almost all of the horrors thus far, draws a shortbow and fires at the inventor:
He finally draws blood. "This is human forest, we'll wipe you out!"
Though pinkskin 7 pulls up his trousers, cinches his belt, and runs forward. "Someone get a bucket!" Whether he means it for the fire or his stomach is hard to tell.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Broomzad
Pinkskin 4
Tough Pinkskin 7
Zyphlryx
Kadosh
Tough Pinkskin 5
Pinkskin 2
Pepin le Beouf
Tough Pinkskin 8
Tough Pinkskin 6
➤ Imperius
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Imperius drops his crossbow and draws his rapier, thinking the won't be able to keep away from this pink skin. "Oh, that can't feel good there, pinkie. You sure you don't need to run to the latrine?"
He then stabs at the pink skin tough, trying to kindly give him another way to expel the detritus from his guts.
|
"Had enough yet?"
The frightened pinkskin lets out a dismal hiss of foul-smelling gas as he crumples at Imperius's regal feet.
Broomzad is up!
"Ah, I see. No answer to that. Stupid pinkskin!"
Flank… traaaain!
Pinkskin 4 waddles over to attack broomzad!
Kobolds die!
— though Broomzad nimble dodges he still gets nicked!
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Broomzad
Pinkskin 4
➤ Zyphlryx
➤ Kadosh
Tough Pinkskin 5
Pinkskin 2
Pepin le Beouf
Tough Pinkskin 8
Tough Pinkskin 6
Imperius
HP 16/16
AC 18
Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +4
Hero points: 1
Focus Points: 0/1
Effects: gravity weapon, Hunted Prey (no. 4)
Sizing up the foe in front of him, Kadosh brings his fangwire to bear. Unfortunately, he's so fixated on the idea one of them may be sneaking up behind him (it's what he'd do if he weren't already in the middle of this fight), he misses badly. Twice.
Zphylryx steps back from the pinkskins and looks for an opening.
#5 has clearly left their right side completely unprotected. Excellent. He whips up a quick alchemist's fire to take advantage.
Flampes leap and dance merrily, comsuming the first that that was lit aflame. Zphylryx produces another alchemist fire and lights up another pink skin — as well as his canvas tent!
We'll wipe the forest clean of you!
The flaming pink skin shoves his way past the flamingg tent into a flank with his alchemical foe and strikes.
The man's flesh sizzles a little more before it goes out.
Pinkskin 2 nods. Time to die, vermin!
Though the pink skin strikesthrice — with a flank — he only manages to cut the lucky alchemist once.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Broomzad
Pinkskin 4
Zyphlryx
Kadosh
Tough Pinkskin 5
Pinkskin 2
➤ Pepin le Beouf
Tough Pinkskin 8
Tough Pinkskin 6
Imperius
Pepin steps forward and sets the microwave to "high" on 4 and 6.
The chef' microwave catches one in the face; the other pink skin dodges the worst of it!
"We'll hunt you all down! Focus fire!" Pinkskin 8 moves back and fires two shots at the most injured kobold he can find… Zyphlryx!
he drops the alchemist with an arrow to the neck.
Ears for Graywolf.
Pinkskin 6 moves forward and grabs a bucket of stew, and splashes it onto the flaming tent, putting it out!
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Broomzad
Pinkskin 4
Kadosh
Tough Pinkskin 5
Pinkskin 2
Pepin le Beouf
Tough Pinkskin 8
Zyphlryx
Tough Pinkskin 6
➤ Imperius
”No kobold ears today, pink skins!” yells Imperius. ”But yo u shall burn for your insolence!”
He moves into flank yelling at #4 and stabs!
|
Broomzad tries to take advantage of the flanks to sneak attach the pinkskins. He strikes at #4.
He then moves, so as not to be flanked himself.
Broomzad's target gasps as he falls. The kobold then drops #2!
Kadosh is up!
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BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Broomzad
➤ Kadosh
Tough Pinkskin 5
Pepin le Beouf
Tough Pinkskin 8
Zyphlryx
Tough Pinkskin 6
Imperius
HP 16/16
AC 18
Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +4
Hero points: 1
Focus Points: 0/1
Effects: gravity weapon, Hunted Prey (no. 4)
Kadosh hisses as he's left with no good options. Leave the one softskin alone, and it would probably kill Zyphlryx, just because that's what these thugs would do. I mean, it makes sense, it's absolutely what Kadosh would do, but that doesn't help him.
He closes in, swinging his fangwire in a brutal, blood arc.
Kadosh garrots his target to death!
Pepin is up!
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Broomzad
Kadosh
➤ Pepin le Beouf
Tough Pinkskin 8
Zyphlryx
Tough Pinkskin 6
Imperius
”Anyone going to help Zylphlryx?”
Pepin casts Heal on Zyphlryx.
"We will burn your homes and dangle your bits from the trees as a warning to others of your kind!" (in common)
pepin heals Zyphlryx, who blinks awake. Make sure they stay down!]
Pinkskin 1 aims at Broomzad! The kobold uses Nimble didge on the first attack.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Broomzad
Kadosh
Pepin le Beouf
Tough Pinkskin 8
➤ Zyphlryx
Tough Pinkskin 6
Imperius
Zyphlryx's eyes snap open and he scrambles to his feet, his eye on the remaining tents as he heads toward them.
Let's get out of here! Pinkskin 6 runs away!
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Broomzad
➤ Kadosh
➤ Pepin le Beouf
Tough Pinkskin 8
Zyphlryx
Tough Pinkskin 6
➤ Imperius
Imperius moves up, waving his scepter at #8.
"I suggest you run as well. Tell your masters that this forest is not theirs to chop down. The Truly True Truescales own this forest, and we are going to defend it!"
He then waves at the pink skin to leave.
Kadosh hisses, perhaps as much -- more, even -- to himself than to Imperius.
"Never tell them what we're going to do. Otherwise they'll expect it!"
The pinkskins run off. You set torch to their camp, the tents burn brightly.
You recover two crossbows, two shortswords, a suit of hide armor, a shortbow with 7 arrows, a shiny signet ring with the image of a flaming hawk (worth 5 gp), shiny coins (5.12 gp), a rusty iron scroll tube that contains three scrolls of heal, and several long and short tools that can be used down in the warrens (sledge, shovel, hand drill, trowel).
You also find a map that leads to some ruins in the forest. It's partly scratched out, as if the person was renaming it: "Droskar’s Crucible — Lumber Consortium"
Now, it's getting dark. You can track the pinkskins but the map is probably where they're going. You can also report to Queen Qweenzeenk.
Kadosh is thrilled with the find. Grabbing one of the shiny silver coins -- he knows the pinkskins are on the silver standard, so that's going to be most valuable to them -- he finds a loosely hanging branch (even if he has to help create one) and sets the coin under it, with a thin string connecting the two. Once a pinkskin comes along and tries to claim the coin, they'll be brained by the branch.
He smiles proudly.
"Now, we should report to the queen, to let her know what we've done."
Imperius signs mightily. ”Report back to Aunty? Why? Why not pursue these pink skins. The darkness will hold no problems for us, and they can’t see in the dark
“Besides, she will just tell us what we did wrong…”
Imperius signs mightily. ”Report back to Aunty? Why? Why not pursue these pink skins. The darkness will hold no problems for us, and they can’t see in the dark
“Besides, she will just tell us what we did wrong…”
Zphlryx, careful to not say that Imperius is correct, grabs the map and begins to lead the way. They will bring more pinkskins. It's best to pick them off in small groups.
"She will tell us what we did was wrong either way," Kadosh says, with a shrug. "But if we do what she tells us, she knows it's her fault, even if she won't admit it. But if you say we should track them, we will."
"I think we should do what we have always done. Hole up in our caverns and set traps everywhere so we are ready for them when the fools come for us. I vote for heading home."
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You head back to the Warrens. Queen Qweenzeenk is sitting in her throne, enjoying her siny new marble eyeball.
Oh. Her shoulders slump when she sees Imperius. You're not dead? What are the Pinkskins doing? Did you bring me a yummy shiny fish? You better have…
”Dead? Us? Ha! It’s the pink skins who are dead, your highness.”
He worriedly turns to his friends to see if anyone thought to bring a fish back…
"It was the pinkskin's fault that our precious fish were gone. We dispatched them, and followed them to their camp, and killed more of them. We let a couple live to tell their leaders that we rule this wood, not them."
Queen's voice rises as she realizes no one brought her a present… Good… so WHERE'S MY YUMMY
After being thrown out of the throne room with nary a "good job" Vras the necromancer — Queen Qweenzeenk's consort — slides out of the shadow and whispers to you: return tonight… I will soothe the queen's ire… and we will have next steps.
In the meantime, you can visit your kobold friends, and make a gather information check about Graywolf.
Kadosh lays low -- sticking to the shadows and staying out of sight as much as possible -- hoping to avoid attracting any notice before his return.
The chef, though. He seems smarter than Kadosh had realized. He certainly appreciates that another kobold understands how they best survive. He sidles up to the fellow Truly True Truescale. "What do you think?" he asks in a quiet voice. "Will they let us stay in our caverns, or force us back out?"
Zphylryx doesn't feel much like talking about wolves.
Or listening about wolves.
Or fetching fish.
He finds the idea of more pinkskin-ing to be distasteful, but is confident that they've not seen the last of them, so knows it to be the proper next move. He holes up, waiting for word from Vras.
Pepin is of little help.
|
Imperius saunters over to Zaadragrank's shop. The hunter has a shriveled old grey wolf ear nailed to the back wall of his workshop. He tells Imperius when he was younger he fought a grey-colored warg and almost killed it, but ended up taking its ear instead.
He thinks its a nice decoration and is surprised to hear about a warg working with Pinkskins and asking for kobold ears. It must be old Greywolf! He must want to extract a pound of revenge for a 3-ounce ear! Kill him. Bring his whole head back and we'll stuff it!
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You are getting quite the reputation around the warrens as problem-solvers! Over the coming days the fish roll in, and so do the jobs.
Mihoothe holds up her shiny sword of Iomedae and yammers at you in ye olde butchered commone, which she thinks sounds very knightly: Forsooth! One of our own hath been taken. Qropmudroonk the Younger hath gone out to hunt squirrel in the forest and hath not returned. Trackeths have beene foundth near the olden squirrel rangeth. Ye Holy Booke of Iomedae sayeth ye shall go find and save thy neighbor from the neer-do-welle þinkskins and smiteth them in righteous fury. Go forthe and fulfylled ye quest!
Brenzil the apothecary is making the most deadly poison yet, but he needs special magic mushrooms from Hag's Hollow, a bag of bloated guano roaches, and White-Footed Yeast from the deepest darkest cave.
He asks Kadosh as a apprentice poisoner, and Pepin as kobold cook to undertake this important task.
Broomzad has always wanted to smitethe something in righteous fury! But mostly he likes eating squirrel. He's happy to give the rescue of Qropmudroonk the Younger a try too.
"To the hunting grounds!"