Zeva Journal (Session 5)

After nearly getting slaughtered in the woods we decided that rather then being sitting ducks waiting for them to come, we would attack the kobolds head on. Max healed Goldar and we set on our way. I was still quite weak from the blood drain.

We approached the southern-most tower ruins. We were prepared to see our little scalies, but we didn't expect was a giant centipede to emerge from the ground. It was the biggest thing I've ever seen. I tried to get some shots with my bow but again I was clumsy and kept missing. Goldar ran straight at it and got it some. Iuz using his new technique fired several arrows at it at one time. With my arrows dwindling and by bow ineffective any way. I dropped it and ran at the beast while drawing my rapier. When I got close, something inside took over, and I was able to flip out of the way preventing the giant from possibly hitting me. I was able to finally connect with sword but didn't do too much damage. Iuz unfortunately got too close and the beast chomped on him something good. Iuz backed off and surprisingly Max took down the giant bug with hit tiny stone. He'll probably turn the incident into some sort of religious teaching in the future.

Enron (not having much else to do during the battle with the centipede) noticed that in one of the bigger towers there were some kobold guards on the remains of a second story. We formed a plan to lay siege to them. After the last couple of days these creatures were certainly on my last nerve. Enron cast a sleep spell on them and got one. Goldar ran under the platform drawing their fire. He leapt up and unknowingly chopped a sleeping one in half with his axe. The fired on us but didn't get any one. Enron got off another sleep spell and I ran up to the edge and began to climb up.

When I got up there all the creatures were dead except the one closest to me. My mind went black with rage. I could hear nothing. I only saw the hate for that kobold and all the hurt they put me through. I ran my rapier straight through its little head and scrambled its brains. I came out of my bloodlust to hear Enron and Max screaming at me not to kill it. It was too late. I regret wasting the little creature. I probably shouldn't have been so unthinking. However, Max has this crazy notion that the kobolds are just sweet innocent forest creatures like duckling, bunnies or fauns. He needs to come to realize that they are evil little vermin in league with the dark magicians who are creating the metal abominations and attacking Lord Cerwyn's town. Talk about being blinded.

After defeating the four guards we happen to spot two more coming back from fishing. Wrong place wrong time for those two. They tried to make a run for it. Iuz wasted one with his arrows. We decided to be nice and let one live. We regrouped on the platform after I kicked down the knotted rope used to climb up what was left of the outer wall. We tied the little bug up. I scared the crap out of him. Enron spoke to the thing in its language. It barked some things back at him. We were able to use him to keep the guard shift from discovering us. We were able to rest a big and plan for next move.

Speaking of planning Enron and Goldar are always getting into it. The little know-it-all is always trying to tell us what to do. Which is what you expect from a Halfling wizard, but the barbarian seems to be quite uncharacteristically the strategist. Well, if you think running straight into combat a viable strategy.

We decided to try to sabotage whatever was creating the smoke from the kobolds hideout. After discovering a total of six vents we plugged them up. Iuz and I wanted to go back to Branton after but Goldar and Enron wanted to stay and fight what ever came out of the hole. We stayed. The group positioned itself outside the entrance. Enron told us that they were using powerful magic to protect their lair. (Maybe even thick headed Max could see how "innocent" these creatures truly are.) Stupidly we brought our new "slave" to the entrance. Trying to use him to lure out some beasts. He must have barked something that warned them instead of luring them. He got free of his bindings and scurried into the wall of "death smoke".

From the curtain of haze came four human sized cloaked figures. The were slow moving and having difficulty climbing out of the hole. Smartly we stayed up on the high ground. Climbing down and fighting would not have been easy. We were able to get some shots off slowing their climb and knocking on down. One of the four tumbled back and broke into pieces. These were those "metal men". They had no flesh at all! As the metal men made their way slowly out of the opening, six kobolds came out behind them and opened fire.

I was hit. I took out one with my bow but my arrows were dwindling fast. Three, two, one, my arrows flew out and missed their intended targets. My bow as now useless. Iuz was able to pick the rest of the creatures who didn't flee off. Goldar and Max smashed their way through the last two automatons.

Finally the group decided to travel back to Branton and report out finding to Lord Cerwyn. It took a few day travel to get there and I was able to recover from all my weakness and battle wounds. I thought a lot about my current melee techniques. I fight pretty well with my rapier. I don't use a shield because it will off balance me and impact my combat moves. Wouldn't it be better technique to fight with two small swords instead of my one rapier. They're just as light and the stabbing technique is the same. I'll have to work on my off-hand strikes to make it work.

Arriving at Branton we were received with an even colder shoulder then usual. Was it the new half-orc barbarian? We went to the smithy and Argyle let us in on the current happening. Due to Lord Cerwyn spreading his militia too thin and us being away for too long. Pargo, Goldar's traveling buddy, was able to break into the keep and lock it down. Mox, Enron's "beloved" mentor, has moved into the keep as well along with Pargo's cronies. No one knows of Lord Cerwyn's condition.

I was able to replenish my arrow supple from Argyle and we decided to search Mox's place. Iuz went off to see the herb lady. I really want to know what his fascination is with that hag. We arrived at Mox's to discover that it had already been ransacked and that his familiar may not have faired too well.

Iuz joined us and now we have to plan our next move.

Zeva Journal (Session 4)

Of course the Elves are involved! We’re always up to something.

We decided to make another trip down river with some iron. This time we would be ready for an ambush. The little scalies wouldn’t know what hit them. Arriving at Tekem, we met up with this beast of a half-orc barbarian (is there any other kind?) shoveling shit for some pay. Goldar became quite interested in our little adventure.

After some drinking and some planning we decided to speed up our shipment by a day or so to throw the kobolds off guard. To do this we faked the shipment by padding it with rocks. Partially down the way we would feign an issue with the raft and camp out.

Just as we predicted the little scabs fell for it. During our first watch they pounced. We were ready. Iuz and Goldar took out most of them. My blading skills were certainly off. They did, however, get me in the deepest part of my meditation cycle.

We decided to rest for the night and track the slimy bugs in the morning. Jarak took the raft down river to Branton. I hope getting a quarter of a load is better then no load at all. We followed Iuz deep in to the forest for several days. Having a couple of great hunters on the team kept the food supply going. Apparently there was much kobold activity and even a trail of sorts which made following them pretty easy.

We stopped along this trial where Iuz signaled that something was up a head. Goldar ran up to find a halfling hurt by some kobolds. Moronically, he ran to help the halfling who turned out to be a kobold sorcerer in a magical disguise. The slimy spellcaster created an area of grease which made Goldar fall flat on his ass. Then came the arrows down from the trees. We were ambushed!! I definitely should have seen it coming. Enron was able to put a couple of the maggots asleep. I picked two off with my bow. Goldar wasn’t having that great of a time getting hit a second time by the sorcerer’s grease spell. He tried to make up for it by hurtling through the air to hack one of those bugs in half. The leap was jaw dropping but he missed. Lucky for us the kobolds weren’t used to fighting in the trees and kept dropping their bows. When they tired to climb down some of them fell and broke their little necks.

We captured the sorcerer. Between Goldar, Iuz and me, we instilled quite a bit of fear in him but it was Max who (being the Holy Roller that he is) got most of the information out of him. He told us about how they were giving the iron ore to the Elves but having very well made hand axes in their possession made me think something else is happening as well. I know our “Master of Serpents” friend is pretty untrustworthy but he’s the friendliest Elf I’ve ever met.

After getting what we could out of him we decided to continue our trailing of the kobolds with him in tow. We followed the tracks all the way out to a cleared section of the forest near a pond and some smoking tower ruins. Our guess was that this was the camp. Iuz investigated and reported back. We needed to camp if we were going to lay waste to their hideout.

Once again like clockwork, I was woken by a little scalie bug pointing a stick at me. I looked off to my left to view Goldar in a bloody heap. Off to my right I saw a scalie riding a gigantic vicious weasel. I knew this wouldn’t be good.

I attacked the one next to me and positioned myself to kill the rider of the weasel. The gods of war were not looking favorable upon me this evening either. My exhaustion was too much causing me to miss most of my swings. After a while I was able to get in a couple of good jabs with my rapier and take down the rider. However the creature attached itself to me and drained my blood. I become very week as my blood poured out of the bite.

We were able to scare the remaining ones off but we were in a really bad state. They obviously know we were coming. Goldar was on death’s door and I’m none to healthy. Max was out of healing and Enron was out of magic as well. I believe this was the toughest night of our lives. We have to defeat these bastards if not for the town’s sake then for Iuz’s ego.