Icemonth the 18th, 2:20 PM. Gun, Nevah, and Fjord crept to the south end of the cavern and listened hard both to the northeast and the south west passages. We heard nothing down either side however Gun was convinced that there was something to the northeast – a prickle on his skin, a faint shift of something on rock. Enough to alert the assassin. To the southwest at the limit of the infravision range the ground took on a change of heat from blueish green to yellowish orange. We discussed what it could be. Heat source? Steam vent? Not sure but we opted not to go and look.
Instead we drew up into roughly 2 across and started walking northeast, Fjord in the front checking every few feet for anything trap like. About halfway through, he did spy holes in the north and south walls of the passage, about ankle height. We discussed options and guessed that they might have been spike or maybe piton holes – right now though they were missing. The thieves in the group guessed they might have been trip lines but were now empty. We continued on with care.
After 60 odd feet there was a side passage that went south, perhaps 15’ wide, and the passage kept going again to the east but turning slightly southeast as the passage continued. Fjord was able to tell that maybe 50’ or so down the south side passage was another spray of heat on the floor. Gun was sure this is where the noise was coming from but the heat at the end of our visible range was ruining any further infravision.
It was decided that Fjord would go first, maybe cross the space to the other side. But when he stepped out, three bolts fired out – one punched into his leg, and the other two were mancatcher style, like a set of bear traps. And the cables on them were taut. And then we heard a barking command and WHOOSH – Fjord was yanked forward and dragged into the darkness. WTH!?!
Yandr stepped around to try and help find Fjord but again, three bolts were fired – one hit his shield and he splintered it, but the other 2 mancatcher styles hit him. He drew his sword, was knocked on his ass – and WHOOSH! Another party member was dragged ahead.
Fjord was pulled at a great speed, through hot coals, past a fuck ton of kobolds, up a thin slope and into a cramped cage where he hit with a thump, was crushed in, and then the heavy steel door was slammed closed and two pins were slid in and threaded in place. Two boars were dragging his cart past here and into the next room, kobolds around him, stabbing and beating at him.
Yandr had a similar experience, but sitting up he had some hot coals slide into his armor, he tried hitting the cable but no good, and he attempted to brace himself before hitting the cage but slipped and was smashed within, also beaten and the door slammed closed and pinned. He tried to attack but was unable to get a good attack in. They were dragged into the next cave past a big hole where boulders had been shoved down, providing the impetus to capture the group.
The rest of the party was unsure what to do. Sling stones filled the hall hitting at anyone who would dare to sneak to the next hall. Kobold voices were taunting us and we did not have a good idea to get through. As for the other two, they were confronted by the kobold chief, a painted warrior in chain armor and carrying a magical flaming short sword. There were 6 honor guard kobolds as well, also well armed and armored.
They grabbed out at us, wrapping Fjord’s right hand and Yandr’s left leg in tightly bound ropes, they were then attached to the boars and pulled taut, dragging the respective limbs out of the cages. The chief in poor common went to Fjord first and told him he had one chance, give up .. yes no? And Fjord was unsure, nervous, and said, “Brian…”
“Not Yes!” the chief howled and hacked down the sword, severing the three smaller fingers and about half of Fjord’s hand from his body, the enchanted blade cauterizing the wound. He was screaming, the group could hear it down the hall. The same was howled to Yandr who refused to give up and he too was struck, this time his left foot was 1/3 severed away, three smaller toes, boot hacked up, wound cauterized. The two men were in agony, crippled, and the chief talked to his people. They left 6 kobolds here as they went back to the other room – two on the boars, 1 watching the prisoners close, the other watching from a bit further away.
Gun attempted to sneak quietly past the entrance, heading for the other corridor curving to the south beyond this one, hoping it would link up. He went into the gloom, eyes peeled, infravision fired. After some 90 or so feet, he could see a 50’ slope of collapsed stone to a passage below this one. Not what he expected. But when he went to turn back, he heard a rattling noise and was surprised to see a 9’ rattlesnake here. It lunged at him, sinking its fangs into the halfling, and paralyzing him. He was frozen in place as it coiled around him, brought his legs together, and unhinged its jaw to bite, chew, and eat the halfling from the feet up!
The party wanted to go and find Gun, it's been too long, and we waited not answering the kobolds as they taunted at us. Eventually we managed to get past the passage and made our way down towards where the halfling had gone.
As for the others, it was not going well. Yandr managed a lay on hands on himself but he was bad off. Fjord tried to saw at the rope connecting his hand to the boar but it was difficult and then he gave up. Yandr tried to draw his short sword but the kobolds there beat at him until he was disarmed. Fjord then tried to undo the pins – but made each set tighter as he could not get the idea of left loosy righty tighty right – making it impossible for him to now get out. He would need a hammer to hit the pins, so he hoped to get his thieves tools out.
Yandr then tried to use a healing potion but was get just getting beat up for it so he drank it, pissing the kobolds off. They then saw Fjord try to use his thieves tools so hit him a bunch and took the tools away. Then Yandr hoped to set himself on fire and dumped a flask of oil on himself but he only managed to get half of it on him. Twisting and flopping around he tried to make a spark but couldn’t do that and they threw a bucket of water at him from the pig trough, diluting the oil. This was not working at all.
The Chief came back and talking to Fjord, said that he’d be a slave. So they heated up a branding iron, dragged him from the cage, took his stuff, and then pressed it on his lower right face and jaw. The smell of burnt flesh and pain was enough to knock him out – and he hit 0 hit points.
The rest of the group had gotten down to Gun and saw the snake had eaten him now up to his thighs. A few arrows were fired and the snake bit again, sinking poison into Gun before spitting him out. Hrimvir then came up and WHAM – flattened the snake’s head, killing it. But Gun died from the poison’s after effects. So Carl prayed to Odin and got the halfling back to positive hit points. But he was still paralyzed for at least an hour and a half. So we opted to carry him and start heading back.
Yandr wanted the Chief to save the half ogre and agreed to be a slave in his place. So they poured some rot gut down his throat but no luck. So the Chief gave a prayer to the kobold god and got Fjord back to 1 hit point. He was down to his underwear. Was given his crossbow and no bolts. Then the 5 honor guard kobolds escorted him back down the passage up the beach area, and ordered him to walk up the river or he’d be killed. Never return. So crying, alone, and crippled, he entered the water and started walking up stream, eventually getting to the 1st side beach area where he stopped and curled himself up, waiting and hoping his friends would come back.
The group had been hiding at the passage and saw all this. They waited for the kobolds to return and go back down the passage before daring to sneak past, go to the beach area, and head up the stream to eventually find Fjord. He was healed a bit and we talked about the kobolds, the chief, how many there were, and that Yandr took Fjord’s place so the half ogre would be let go.
The Chief explained to Yandr that they were here to keep the dragon, Netherithraxus, safe from being ripped off. Slavers from Highpoint, a woman named Vylaria, comes and borrows money from the dragon but never pays enough back. The Chief helps to keep the dragon’s hoard from being plundered. Since Yandr has his numbers, they were going to have him see the hoard tomorrow and compare it to the books. Sleep well, most likely kill you in the morning.
The group slept, resting early, and were up by 5 AM. We studied quick, made sure we were set to go, and headed back down the river, a few more endure elements were cast. We snuck up the beach and back to where the kobold lair was. We were discussing how we were going to go in there and take them out, hopefully while sleeping for now. 5:40 AM, Icemonth the 19th.
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