Forum

[Medriev]

“It is fine blade,” said Dulvarna as he held the sword he had taken from the dragon’s hoard up to the light of Telkya’s torch. “But I would save it to use against something other than kobolds.”
“You are sure there are more here then,” Erlmoor rumbled in response as he sheathed the blade on his back beside his old sword and cast a wary glance towards the south western passage. Dulvarna was determined to explore the passage lest more servants of Caustrex yet lurk in the caverns.
“Are you not?” Dulvarna asked. “This was a dangerous dragon and it would surely have more creatures than the handful we slew serving it.”
“Perhaps,” said Litiraan. “And perhaps not. Even if more do remain they will be little threat without the dragon.”
“They were a threat to Winterhaven when first we came there,” Lavren spoke up. “We leave no enemies behind to harry others.”
“Agreed. No evil should be left here to endanger others who use this pass,” Erlmoor said.
“Then we are decided,” Lavren said, lighting a torch of his own and starting into the wide passage.

The others looked at each other and Dulvarna and Erlmoor started after the elf, they followed. The passage narrowed a little ahead and split into two, both of which then rejoined while climbing up and then descending into a wide cavern with a cooking fire burning in its centre. The fire sent up plumes of choking smoke that gathered and crawled about the ceiling. The eastern side of the room held a latrine and a narrow tunnel headed up to the north west. They followed this tunnel and soon emerged into another cavern with its own haze of smoke hanging near the ceiling and slowly leaking out through cave mouths at the far side that overlooked the canyon. Clustered into several small groups were familiar short, dog-headed reptilian humanoids. Roughly half of the kobolds were armed with slings and daggers and the rest carried crude spears. The bonfire that was the source of the smoke burned at the centre of the room.

Dulvarna raised her blade and rushed at the nearest kobold, clambering up the escarpment that raised the room above the entrance passage. Her blade sang out and slashed into the kobold’s shoulder sending it reeling away. A javelin clattered off the stone next to the warrior woman but Dulvarna paid it no mind. Telkya strode forward behind her companion, throwing her torch to the floor ahead of her and raising her amulet. She uttered a prayer and bolt of golden light lanced out to strike the kobold that Dulvarna faught. It fell back into the north wall of the cavern, sorely wounded.
Beyond the entrance, other kobolds raised their spears and came forward while another whirled its sling above its head to hurl a clay pot at Telkya.

The missile fell well short but the terrible smell of the concoction within still reached the priestess’ nostrils and made her gag. Another clay pot struck the floor in front of Erlmoor, again far short of the mark but again the horrible smell wafted forth. Another kobold rushed at Dulvarna from the right and stabbed at her with its spear but she brought her blade down and swatted it aside. From around the corner next to the fire, another kobold came and stabbed out with its spear, driving the point into the elf maid’s leg. She cried out and fell back and as she did so, another clay pot struck the stone in front of her. The kobolds took up an ululating war cry then and more came forward, one rushing at Dulvarna and stabbing at her. The spear nicked the warrior woman’s arm and she fell back before the growing number of enemies.
Another kobold rushed towards Telkya and Lavren threw down his torch to raise his wand. he uttered a curse at the nearest enemy and unleashed a black bolt of energy that seared into the creature’s side. The creature was thrown to one side and collapsed on the floor, unmoving. Erlmoor charged forward then to aid Telkya, his blade singing out as he shouted a challenge to one of the kobolds she faced. His sword bit into the creature’s right arm and spun it back against the escarpment that led up into the chamber.

Litiraan came forward behind the dragonborn and raised his wand to loose a silver bolt at the same kobold. It struck the creature in the chest and hurled it back into the rock once again. Another kobold rushed to the edge of the raised platform and stabbed at Erlmoor with a javelin but he swung his blade around to the left and knocked the thrust aside. Enlishia raised her bow and loosed an arrow that drove into the kobold’s throat, throwing it backwards to lie unmoving on the floor. She fired again and her second arrow drove into the left arm of one of the kobolds battling Dulvarna, throwing the creature back from the warrior woman. Dulvarna nodded her thanks and then raised her blade again as more kobolds came forward.