Session 9 & 10: "It's the little things in life that kill you!"

30 July 2024 & 6 August 2024

21st Day of May 1492 

Weather: Clear.

High Temperature: 16 degrees Celsius.

Low Temperature: 7 degrees Celsius.

Mission:  Find the Embalmers

Campaign:  Forest of Wyrms

Location(s):   Serpents Cowl Village, Embalmers Building, Undercity.

Present:  Barlyn, Zinalla, Seraphina, Brielle, Glepper, Elysande & Dameun. (4 Guards)

The chamber was searched and the only items of use were taken by Brielle, a large pouch, and Glepper, a small pouch. The group concluded that whomever had been here had already left. The cage had held the Carrion Crawler had either been opened by whomever had fled or the creature had broken out, although there was no indication that this was so. They retraced their steps and searched the first room more thoroughly. They found a quantity of items, all of which seemed to have been discarded or dropped.

                                        

Brielle: "It would look like the previous occupants left in a hurry, as we didn't pass them on the way in I presume the 'rock fall' has something to do with their departure!"

Zinalla: "I think you are correct Brielle. Perhaps they triggered some kind of trap to prevent us following them? Barlyn can you shed light on this?"

Barlyn inspected the rock fall, pulled his beard a few times and came to a conclusion:

Barlyn: "This is no ordinary rock fall, it is recent, there are no props to shore the gap up so I surmise they triggered a trap, whether an original one or one of their own making. The problem is shifting the rocks, Elysande would have no problem doing so but I fear without shoring up the roof another collapse may cause us injury or trap us on the wrong side of a new fall".

Elysande had already started to shift rocks and boulders but stopped as a trickle of small rocks started to cascade from the ceiling.

Zinalla: "You, guards, head up to the surface and bring back wood to shore up the ceiling so we can progress."

Guard: "No, we are not here to do your fetching and carrying. You want wood, you go get it."

Barlyn: "Ok, what about using the cage in the other room, the bars are strong enough to support the roof as we dig. Elysande with some help could push the cage further into the breach/hole we dig but there is only one entrance, we need 2. Um.......of course the goo substance we could use that to melt the bars, create a second hole and stop the utter destruction of the cage by dowsing it with water once we create a second hole!"

Brielle: "Marvellous idea, I have some glass vials, I'll make sure the vial and stopper are immune to the goo and if you strapping lads move the cage, we are good to go".

It took 5 hours of careful digging, pushing but the plan worked. Brielle and Zinalla collected the goo. They cleared the entrance, secured the roof from further collapse and proceeded through.

More loose items were scattered on the floor of little worth. Glepper and Seraphina scouted the room and found an other set of steps leading down. They followed it for 100ft. The passage way was rough cut, rough steps when the drop was severe. Barlyn stated it looked like the diggers/tunnellers had been following a softer vein of rock, the harder rock left behind created a strong, safe passage. By the looks of the pick and chisel strikes he thought they could have been caused by Kobold tools.

Moving stealthily to maintain quiet they cautiously moved down the passage. It twisted, turned, and closed in from the sides and above. A tight squeeze at ties, especially for someone the size of Elysande, but they made it to the bottom. Glepper could see a set of steps and a dim light shinning in a room. Moving to the bottom of the steps he could see huge rusted metal blades jutting out of cracks in the walls, and rusted spikes projecting down from the ceiling almost to the floor. This room may have once been trapped heavily, but someone had triggered them, apparently without getting killed. The traps were never reset and now seemed rusted in place. A light source could be seen in the north west corner and he could just make out the hinges of a door in a small alcove/entrance.

There was a clear path, several in fact, from the stairs to the door. Glepper continued as stealthily as he could and realised the trap had been sprung but not reset so there was no danger there. Glepper cautiously listened at the door then quietly opened it and stood in a corridor, the others had followed him into the room.

Brielle cast light onto Seraphina's sword and she proceeded north up the corridor as Glepper moved to the corner south. Barlyn moved past Glepper to the nearest of 3 doors he could see. Caution to the wind, Barlyn, kicked open the door to this small chamber. Seraphina could see the corridor continue onwards, just make out a door on the east wall but could smell something cooking in the north west corner, the aroma hinted at something delicious.

This otherwise bare room had one distinguishing feature. The stone around the door had been pulled over its edges, as though the rock were as soft as clay and could be moved with fingers. The stone of the door and wall seemed hastily melded together.

Seraphina moved towards the smell and was rewarded by a huge stew pot hanging from a thick iron tripod over a crackling fire in the corner of this chamber. A hole in the ceiling allowed some of the smoke from the untended fire to escape, but much of it expanded across the ceiling and was starting to roll down to fill the room with a dark fog. Other details were difficult to make out, but the cook must be nearby, because it smelled like a good soup was cooking. Seraphina poured the contents of her waterskin on the fire to attempt to stop the smoke. The water and flames produced a lot of steam and this cloud rolled across the floor.

Barlyn and Glepper had moved along the corridor to the south, running west to east. They chose the middle door and Barlyn again kicked the door of it's hinges. A cluster of low crates surrounded a barrel in the centre of this chamber. Atop the barrel Barlyn could see a stack of copper coins and two stacks of cards, one face up. Meanwhile, atop each crate rested a fan of five, face-down playing cards. As he moved into the room a Kobold popped up from behind the crates and fired an arrow at him. The arrow skidded off his shield and luckily distracted a 2nd Kobold moving to attack Barlyn from behind.

Glepper slipped into the room and drew his dagger blade across the throat of the 2nd Kobold. It's lifeless body fell to the floor. Barlyn leapt over the stack of crates and bashed the Kobold that shot at him with his shield, his aim to knock it out and gain a prisoner.

As the misty steam cleared the group were assailed by Kobolds who had approached unseen. 3 attacked Seraphina, 2 attacked Elysande, now standing in the entrance to the room as 2 archers let loose arrows at Brielle, who had moved to the east side of the room ahead of Elysande. Prepared spells were let fly, Seraphina brandishing her short sword, glowing with magical light, caused one of the Kobolds to take flight in fear of the sword. The other 2 were emboldened and attacked. 

The fight was desperate as a fire-snake rider was causing some distress to Elysande. Zinalla thrust his sword through any gap he could find to pass Elysande's bulk and strike any Kobold he could see. Brielle cast sacred flame but it was hard to hit the Kobolds.

Guards: "Hey you lot deal with this we will make sure this room is secure"

Zinalla shook his head as the door slammed shut.

Elysande saw a gap as a Kobold fell and moved forward allowing Zinalla into the room to assist. Dameun not knowing whether to head north or south, decided north. Using his staff as a pole vaulter would he attempted to clear Elysande, land in the room beyond to aid his struggling comrades. He failed miserably. Not only did he fail but he fell backwards into the corridor and knocked himself out. Elysande was pushed forward by the blow from Dameun's miss timed pole vault and fell to the floor. The Kobolds in the room pushed their advantage causing many hits. 

Brielle used her Bracers of the Dagger for the first time and both daggers flew with unerring accuracy, killing a Kobold outright, (they would return back to the bracers by the magical power in them). 

Zinalla healed Dameun but in the gloom did not see the Kobold standing on his back ready to strike Dameun. Dameun, shrugging off the effects of being knocked out stood up and the Kobold on his back was thrown off. Zinalla seeing the Kobold struck and Dameun finished it off. Elysande stood up and using his battleaxe smashed it down into another Kobold, Killing it instantly. The group finally took a breather as they surveyed the destruction in the room around them.

Barlyn, seeing the Kobold was still conscious, slapped him, a little to hard. Barlyn heard the Kobolds neck snap.

Glepper: "Well that plan went well, my heavy handed Dwarf!"

Dead Kobolds lay everywhere. Elysande thanked Zinalla for killing the fire-snake and rider.

They regrouped in the large room and took healing where they needed it. A new plan was devised, expecting more trouble they decided to scout with stealth and then advance in one direction.

Zinalla: "Hey, you lot in the room, come out and join us, it's safe."

Guards voice: "Yeah, ok we believe you but we'll make sure your retreat is safe if you need to, ok!"

Glepper and Barlyn scouted the room to the north north. It was empty except for another unlit torch stand.

Looking around the room Seraphina recognises a wooden stand in the opposite corner to the stew pot.

Seraphina: "Yes it’s a torch”. She lit the torch as Brielle's light cantrip was beginning to fade. 

Barlyn, drawn to the smell coming from the pot over the now extinguished fire, dipped the ladle into the pot and tasted the stew. Quick thinking Barlyn dipped it it another 3 times before declaring the stew safe to eat. But filled his mess tin for good measure.

Dameun (shouted): “Food come and get it . Barlyn's tasted the food and says its fine."

Elysande and Seraphina carried the remains down to the room the guards were in and left it outside. The guards quickly opened the door and dragged the stew left overs into their safe haven.

Seraphina: "It's quiet, perhaps too quiet".

Barlyn & Glepper checked the room to the north.

Barlyn looked down the corridor to the north heading east.

Barlyn (whispering to Glepper): "Looks clear but I'm sure there is a room further down."

Seraphina moved to the door in the rooms east wall. She listened intently. Everyone stopped moving around and making a noise to help her. Deftly checking for traps and finding none, turned to Elysande:

Seraphina: "Fill your boots". 

Elysande opened the door. It swung inward. Although Seraphina could see a little way into the void she couldn't see the far wall.

Dameun passing by the room whispered to Seraphina:

Dameun: "It's a room, there's a door at the far side but something is blocking it".

Seraphina, her sword still shinning from Brielle's cantrip, moved into the room. It was empty, although the door in the east wall had a table upturned and jammed tight against it. 

Seraphina decided to listen at the door in the large room but couldn't hear anything on the other side. She left the room and closed the door.

An arrow flew into the room from the south. It struck Elysande in the arm. He charged off down the corridor into the darkness. 

Brielle: “Enemy corridor where guards are” 

Elysande: “IVE HEARD ENEMY RUNNING AWAY”.

Zinalla followed but stopped and called for Elysande to come back. 

Zinalla: "Elysande, come back, we must stay together. You can't see in the dark!"

Meanwhile Brielle moved to the gap between the two rooms.

Zinalla and Brielle get Elysande to come back into the room where there is light. The plan hastily made is to push along the eastern corridor scouted by Barlyn and Glepper. Dameun wanted to move with the group but it was decided he would keep watch at the rear making sure they weren't being followed.

 

Seraphina remained in the junction of the 2 rooms so she could see the group and Dameun. Brielle cast the cantrip light onto Seraphina's sword and her own staff. 

Barlyn and Glepper whispered. Glepper moved off as Barlyn watched from behind. Glepper could see more of the room ahead. Double doors in the east wall and barrels and crates seemed to be stacked haphazardly around the room. Seeing Glepper stop Barlyn moved up closer. 

Whsipers 1: "Hey can you hear something? I thought I did".

Whispers 2: "Yeah, I think they're hear.....get ready".

An arrow slammed off the stone work above Gleppers' head! Anyone taller would have been struck.

Barlyn: "throw something in Glepper!!”  As a 2nd arrow whizzed past their heads. 

Glepper: "Bloody Kobolds!"

Glepper ran into the room and threw a dagger to his right. He was rewarded by seeing the Kobold, who had just stood up from behind some crates to fire his bow, look in horror as the dagger skimmed expertly across the top of the crate and slam into it's left eye socket. The Kobold was dead before it realised it had been hit. 

Glepper:  “I’ve got dibs on his stuff". and drew a 2^nd dagger.

Barlyn moving into the room as fast as he could, changing his best axe into his shield hand and drawing his 2nd hand axe from his belt, followed Gleppers example and attempted to throw the axe at the 2nd Kobold to the left of the room. However, Barlyn got all tangled up and his throw clattered to the floor and he also managed to drop his best axe too.

Hearing the fight Zinalla, Briell and Elysande moved up in support. Seraphina shouted to Dameun to close up. Dameun moved away from the corridor and back towards Seraphina.

Dameun: "We've got company! Kobolds moving towards us." He let fly his prepared Sacred Flame cantrip.

Zinalla moved around the crates to attack the 2nd Kobold as Barlyn retrieved his axes. Brielle moved towards the corridor entrance heading south out of the room.

Brielle, back turned to the corridor let fly her Sacred Flame cantrip she had prepared.....only to miss as the Kobold deftly side stepped it.

Kobolds burst into the room from the corridor to the south and a fire-snake mounted Kobold from the double doors.

Brielle took an arrow in her left shoulder.

Zinalla miss timed his swing at the Kobold behind the crates.

Glepper strikes out with his daggers and is rewarded by a good strike. The Kobold lunged forward with its spear but missed.

Glepper: "almost not quite!”

The Fire-snake rider lunged at Glepper and missed. Barlyn moves toward Brielle.

Glepper attacked Fire-snake, then ducked behind the crates. Zinalla misses the Kobold a 2nd time.

Brielle swung round, activated her Bracers and 2 daggers flew out hitting a Kobold with deadly accuracy.

Elysande charged forward and hurling caution to the wind swung his mighty battleaxe at the Fire-snake and Kobolds. The axe bit deep into the Fire-snake and then it broke free and swung into the two Kobolds decapitating them both.

The Kobolds charged into Dameun as Seraphina moved into cover.

A Kobold wielding 2 daggers launched a deadly assault on Glepper, Glepper parried the strikes with his dagger. Elysande caught on the back foot as the mounted Kobold and Fire-snake struck back failed to parry the blows. Glepper's counter strike was blocked.

Barlyn struck a Kobold as Glepper was struck. Glepper knew the blade was poisoned as he could feel it coursing through his body. Zinalla swung his blade a 3rd time and struck the Kobold, dead.

Brielle hearing Seraphina's shouts ran out of the battle and headed back to Dameun and Seraphina. Brielle seeing the Kobolds let fly her bracers again strikes a Kobold and kills it. 

Dameun succumbed to the poison from multiple hits fell to the floor.

Elysande and Zinalla, light source taken from them (Brielle)'s staff were swinging in the dark. Mostly missing their intended targets. Glepper and Barlyn, not hampered in the dark slashed out to left and right, trying to even the odds and turn them in the groups favour.

The two Kobolds closed in on Brielle and Seraphina. Seraphina struck a Kobold but although it was badly hurt it lunged with it's spear. Seraphina barely parried the blow. Brielle and the 2nd Kobold both missed each other.

The fight in the other room was frantic. Blow and counter blow, parry and counter parry. The Fire-snake and rifer had taken sever damage and their blows were missing more than hitting. Zinalla blindly swinging missed the Fire-snake and struck Elysande. Glepper managed to parry another blow from the Kobold assassin. Barlyn missed his strike but the Kobold missed Barlyn, Glepper could feel strength returning to his body as his body fought off the effects of the Kobold poison.

Seraphina and Brielle were tiring. The Kobolds were getting frustrated. Seraphina finally struck the Kobold facing her with enough strength to kill it. Brielle' again cast her cantrip Sacred Flame, and watched the flame devour the 2nd Kobold. 

Elysande and Zinalla finally got the better of the Fire-snake and felled it with blows, the Fire-snake showered them with flaming bile as it's body split open from the blows.

Glepper, struck again, was close to death as his final blow took down the Kobold assassin.

The Kobold fighting Barlyn was fighting like a maniac, Barlyn failed to parry. Taking stock Barlyn launched his own attack. Barlyn struck the final Kobold down. The group in this room took stock. Glepper was shaking on the floor as the poison again coursed through his body but he was strong and managed to fight the poison and push death away for a 2nd time.

Seraphina slowly walked back to the others. Seeing the destruction and death in the room she looked down:

Seraphina: "Dameun's dead!"

Brielle knew that her healing skills could not bring back Dameun from the dead. He was gone.

Players Information:

Taking stock and searching the bodies.

From the Fire-snake rider:

A beautifully crafted cloak.

A lance +1/+1 (can be used as a halberd)

off the bodies

31,000 copper pieces

Glepper off the Kobold he killed and claimed dibbs: 500 copper pieces

From Dameun:

2 finely crafted daggers

1 quarter staff (his arcane focus)

1 longsword

1 x 1d4 healing potion

Backpack (Claimed by Barlyn)

Bedroll (Claimed by Barlyn)

Waterskin (Claimed by Barlyn)

pouch containing 2342 copper pieces

Experience points:

Glepper and Brielle have gained level 3.