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Last Stand of the Dorinthians
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<blockquote data-quote="Deuce Traveler" data-source="post: 3438851" data-attributes="member: 34958"><p>After a good rest, the party carried on into the room with the large, stone staircase and the mummified kobold corpses. The burnt and hacked spider corpses still littered the floor. Right when Rix, who was taking the lead, stepped into the room, a familiar pair of lips appeared.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: yellow">"Invaders! Robbers! The children of the dragon will slay you all!"</span> It again repeated its hesterical message in the same order as before. It seemed not to recognize the party.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: sienna">"Might I recommend that we don't wait for spiders to come crawling down on us again this time?"</span> Rix jibed at his companions. With his wounds healed he was back to his wise-cracking, sardonic self.</p><p></p><p>Kel scampered through the room, his eyes scanning the ceiling and walls and watchful for any sign of movement.</p><p></p><p>Alexander answered as he was disposed to carry on: <span style="color: Blue">"Then better take the lead, I'm not enthusiastic about being peppered with kobold bolts."</span> Alexander examined closely the blood-filled carvings on the blade strapped to his wrist. <span style="color: Blue">"I want to get done with the mission and move against the previous owner of this."</span> He was silent for a pair of seconds. <span style="color: Blue">"I can but hope that these strange magics have their origin in the invaders... as well as controlling bodies who should be resting, they might be the source of this magical control."<em>Will we need to make any more of this errands before earning enough trust?... as soon as this finishes, I'll propose scouting of enemy-taken territory.</em></span> DM's Note: Alexander's dialogue might be confusing, but the character had been intending on visiting the Tallione Imperials who were responsible for wiping out a wooded sanctuary he had frequented. He did recover a portion of a Tallione blade that he had tied to his wrist and used as a punch dagger as a reminder of the slaughter he had seen.</p><p></p><p>Rix took the lead as the party moved up the stairs from the room with the dead spiders. The party travelled for a short time, finally reaching the web covered ceiling. Silas used a new torch to burn them away before the party reached the last steps, which were just below the ceiling. A close inspection revealed a hidden passageway above them.</p><p></p><p>The kobold checked for traps, then opened the passage. The ceiling slid to the side, but several boxes that were stacked on top of them fall through the opening, almost crushing the nimble Rix. The rest of the party also avoided being hit by the tumbling boxes. The party members watched in surprise as these crates fell into the darkness below, and announced their stop at the bottom with the loud splinterings of wood. (DM's Note: Rix made his reflex save, the other adventurers made easier reflex saves, then the kobolds in the other parts of the fortress failed their listen checks to hear the crates crash nearby. Just damn.)</p><p></p><p>The sounds echoed through the halls, but no one came to investigate. After a few tense moments, the party moved through the opening, finding themselves in a small storage room. It was a 15 foot by 15 foot area. A wooden door was to the east, which Rix searched for traps. He found none. After Rix did his work, Alexander neared the door and stuck his ear to its surface and listened.</p><p></p><p>Meanwhile, Rix poked around the storage room, examining the various boxes and their contents.</p><p></p><p>Rix rummaged quietly through the crates. They held equipment, and Rix was lucky enough to find the following:</p><p></p><p>3x Torches</p><p>1x Mirror</p><p>100x crossbow bolts</p><p>4x light crossbows</p><p>25x small traveler outfits</p><p>2x Rope (50 ft)</p><p>1x Grapple</p><p>And a small bag of silver coins (estimating 500 silver)</p><p></p><p>Alexander heard another door open in the distance and the shuffling of at least five creatures, in his trained estimation. They did not come closer to the door, however, nor did they speak. After a moment, Alexander could hear someone humming a strange tune, as if the person were lost in thought.</p><p></p><p></p><p><span style="color: Blue">"Probably we have another squad behind this door, the place this door takes us to is another room so there should be no problem if we be swift."</span> He then stepped back from the door, asked Rix if he found anything useful, and added, <span style="color: Blue">"If you went there first... without us..."</span></p><p></p><p>Kel shouldered his bow and swiftly drew his longsword <span style="color: seagreen">"Well, I for one am sick and tired of scuttling through the shadows and filth down here,</span> the elf said, his voice steady. <span style="color: seagreen">"Let us sally forth and get to the bottom of this mystery"</span></p><p></p><p>Silas opened the door for his sharp shooters, Dartis and Rix. Inside they saw a kobold in light robes humming a tune and holding a crystal over a small plate of burning coals, which provided enough light for Dartis to fire, as Silas and his torch were behind the door. Five other kobolds stood and looked aimlessly into the space ahead of them. Rix's crossbow bolt slammed into the creature, along with one of Dartis' two fired arrows. With a grunt, the robed kobold fell, twitched and died, the crystal in his hand falling to the table with a clink. Alexander and Kel charged inside, but no further action was needed. The other five kobolds stood unmoving.</p><p></p><p>Inside the room was a large central workbench that the robed kobold was using. Several tools laid about, and Silas' recognized enough of them to realize that they would be valuable to a mage seeking to develop his own magical items. At a casual glance, Silas saw equipment that could be used to make potions, scrolls, and wondrous items. He valued them at 500gp. The crystal that fell was unlike the ones that the party had gotten from the troglodytes and otherwise found. It was clear in appearance.</p><p></p><p>A logbook was also found on the workbench. Quickly flipping through it, Alexander saw that the first half was written in gnomish and the rest in kobold. A strange-looking chair and several crystals were drawn roughly in the book.</p><p></p><p>The chair shown in the logbook was also visible in the far corner of the 30 foot by 50 foot room. It was a smooth chair made of petrified wood. Kel recognized the chair as made from special silvan wood that has been petrified over time. A bar extended from the back of the chair, and on the top of the bar was a hollowed dome that rested over the chair and had a crystal-shaped hole on the top. Several straps and clamps had been added to the chair's arms and where a person's legs would lie. A chill ran through the adventurers as they recognized the chair from their dreams...</p><p></p><p><em>The image fades, then a new one takes its place. A strange, hairless humanoid creature holds a struggling kobold in its arms, then straps the the smaller creature to a chair with a strange helmet-like contraption. The device is lowered onto the kobold's head, and you feel your blood run cold as the creature's struggling grows weaker, then stops, the intelligence in its eyes disappearing as its pupils turn white and mindless. </em></p><p></p><p>After looking at the book, which Alexander promptly handed to Rix, the half-orc said <span style="color: Blue">"Part of it is written in kobold..."</span> He ignored the fallen body and the still-standing kobolds. He retrieved the battleaxe he had taken from the gnoll at the goblin fort, held it two-handed, and approached the chair. No one stopped him. Once he was in front of it he calmly declared, <span style="color: Blue">"This is not meant to be."</span> Shaking his head for a moment, he then brought down the axe heavily -almost savagely- upon the helmet-like contraption... his face an expression of dead-seriousness.</p><p></p><p>Rix had just enough time to flip through the journal and realize that the second part was written by a kobold shaman, when he was jolted from his examination by the jarring sound of an axe meeting stone.</p><p></p><p>Alexander attacked the chair with his weapon, his muscles straining with anger and rage as the axe laid deep gashes into the petrified wood. The ringing of the sound was nearly unbearable as it bounced off the walls of the room. The helmet-dome portion of the chair took the brunt of the half-orc's strength, bending slightly and cracking along the extended bar.</p><p></p><p>A greenish glow appeared around the chair and helmet, and ancient runes became visible. They were a form of sylvan, so old that even Kel did not recognize the majority of the words. Two words were recognizable by him, however: 'revered' and 'knowledge'. He shuddered when he realized how old this civilization that created this item must have been.</p><p>The hairs on the elf's magically sensitive body began to stand on end as the air crackled.</p><p></p><p>With one last grunt, Alexander struck a final blow, rending the bar from the chair. Another strike caused the fallen dome to crack. Instead of stopping the build-up of energy, the chair glowed brighter and the energy in the room stronger so that the others noticed the building charge.</p><p></p><p>As the party stared in amazement they heard a gasp of terror by the far door and noticed a kobold observing them. Before they could react, the creature began to shout a warning and shut the door as he fled.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: blue"><em>Deliver us from evil.</em>[/blue]</span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue">Rix gaped at Alexander, <span style="color: sienna">"Fool.. you think we'll be able to find out what powers lie within that when it lies in splinters! Creating a racket, you've called the entirety of them down upon us."</span> He stuffed the book aside into his pack along with a few of the other items he had picked up in the store room. Rix grabbed the coins, the mirror, restocked his bolts from the store room, and grabbed the crystal that the kobold dropped as well as the book. </span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue">Dartis raced to the door to fling it open, bow in hand.</span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue"><span style="color: Blue">"Would it have told us anything else than what we already knew?"</span> Alexander regretted the noise, <span style="color: blue"><em>but I had to do it.</em></span> The half-orc slowly unsheathed his scimitar as the increasing unholy glow bathed the room.</span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue"><span style="color: Blue">"We don't know the complex, we can ambush groups exiting the complex if needed... but if we want to stand a chance we must retreat <strong>now!</strong>"</span></span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue">Dartis opened the door, concentrated, and fired his bow at a group of kobolds outside. A smile of triumph spread across his face, which was soon replaced with a look of worry. In a hurry, he closed the door. At first he was unsure which of the fleeing six kobolds was the controller, but he took his best guess by aiming at the one that looked more animated. He fired his arrow and his aim was true, slamming into the back of the kobold and bringing him down. Dartis' smiled as he realized he took down the right one, since the other five either collapsed or stood unmoving. The smile disappeared, however, when he saw a crowd of a dozen or more kobolds streaming from down the long corridor towards the party, their masters hiding behind the bodies of their slaves.</span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue"><span style="color: sienna">"Bar the door,"</span> Rix snapped. <span style="color: sienna">"We go out the way we came."</span> Crouching quickly next to the dead robed kobold, he ruffled through his robes for any items, hidden or otherwise.</span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue">Dartis and Rix held the door closed with their shoulders as Alexander and Kel grabbed some crates and attempted to block the door. From the sounds of things, a large group of kobolds were scratching and pushing against the barriers. Things weren't looking so good inside the room, either. A bolt of energy arced like green electricity, nearly striking Silas who was busily stuffing away the crafting tools for his own use.</span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue">Silas grabbed for the most valuable of the items first. As the bolt sizzled past, he turned and made for the door back through the storeroom and out the trapdoor, not wishing to tempt the fates with a longer stay.</span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue">Rix had taken time to rifle through the corpse of the kobold shaman on the floor. With a quick search of the robed kobold, Rix had just enough time to find a well-crafted dagger, a smooth amber stone, and another clear crystal. He also found a bracelet similar to the one found on some of the other kobold controllers.</span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue">The other party members squeezed into the storage room as a number of mindless kobolds were able to open the door slowly, inch by inch.</span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue">Seeing Rix scavenging the bodies, Alexander moved next to the kobold and exclaimed -somehow exasperated- <span style="color: Blue"><strong>"Haste!"</strong></span> Then he grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him along.</span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue">As the party began to go down the hatch, the kobolds outside came through the door. Alexander took the rear, but had no chance to act as arcs of energy moved from the damaged chair and struck the creatures, killing those in the lead. With a grimace, Alexander closed the secret hatch as he descended.</span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue">The party travelled down the stairs, through the crypts, and to the metal rungs leading to the room with the door that was barring the troll. Silas dropped his second torch onto the ground by the bottom rung as he climbed. Dartis led the party upwards. After a long while he reached the top rung, and the fighter opened the secret hatch. He was shocked to find five kobolds struggling to remove the bar to the tunnel with the troll, guided by the nervous commands of a sixth kobold. He scrambled to stop them, followed by the rest of the party.</span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue"><span style="color: orange">"Capture the controller!"</span> barked Silas as he stepped forward, fingers of his right hand splayed before him. Intoning words of arcane power he gestured and pointed towards the kobolds struggling with the bar.</span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue">Dartis successfully tackled the kobold controller, followed by Rix, who unsuccessfully tried to remove the bracelet from the controller's arm. Silas came out next and lit two of the mindless kobolds on fire, but they were able to remove the bar as Kel and Alexander came out of the tunnels last.</span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue">There was an inhuman shriek of laughter as the door was pushed open. The troll burst forth and ran amock, slaying the kobold nearest to the door. Uncontrolled, the other kobolds stood unmoving in front of the monster, acting as a defensive, unwitting line of meat in between the party and the creature.</span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue"><span style="color: blue"><em>The rest of the kobolds will arrive in just seconds!</em></span> Alexander rushed off to open the door leading to the outside, and stood beside it while waiting for his companions to exit the chamber, keeping his gaze fixed on the troll rending kobold corpses. He kept his scimitar unsheathed.</span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue">Dartis dragged the controller kobold with him toward the door. <span style="color: Green">"Everyone out,"</span> he shouted to his comrades. Then to the kobold struggling in his arms.</span></p><p><span style="color: blue"><span style="color: Green">"If you have any wish to stay alive you will order those others to attack the troll."</span></span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue"><span style="color: orange">"By the twisted rune of Ithul!"</span> cursed Silas. Holding the torch ahead of him like a shield, Silas backed quickly away from the troll. He followed after Alexander and Dartis to the exit of the kobold lair.</span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue">Rix hustled away from the troll. <span style="color: sienna">"Take him. We'll need some answers."</span> He got in the lead and then called back towards Dartis, who was struggling with the controller. He thought for a moment, remembering the controlling bracelet in his pack, retrieved it, then slipped it on. <span style="color: sienna"><em>This is going horribly, its all the half-brained orc's fault. Destroying that chair, ridiculous. Righteousness my scaly...</em></span> His thoughts trailed off in a series of blood curdling curses directed at his idiot companion, the troll, the brainless kobolds, and the whole situation.</span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue"><span style="color: blue"><em>The first step is complete, now chaos should ensue in the herd...</em></span> When they all came through, the half-orc closed the door and prayed for the kobolds to arrive soon enough to the room so as to get the precious time needed to escape into a hiding place. <span style="color: Blue">"The Huntress will provide somewhere we can take cover... and plan the next move."</span></span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue">Meanwhile, the kobold Dartis had wrapped in his arms nodded in agreement as he pulled him away, and said in bad common <span style="color: purple">"I want live!"</span> The remaining kobolds made futile attempts to kill the troll, but at least they were slowing him down. The troll didn't seem to mind, and bit deeply into the shoulder of another mindless creature, raining blood over itself. DM's Note: Rix thought that he might be able to control the kobold drones, but each bracelet was attuned to one controller. It was the controller in Dartis' arms that caused them to fight the troll.</span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue">Rix attempted to control the kobolds with the bracelet, but there didn't seem to be magic in it, as if the power had died with its owner.</span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue">Alexander led the charge to the surface. As the party burst forth from the door, they surprised three small groups of kobold drones and their controllers.</span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue">The first group was 30 feet in front of the door. The second group was slightly to the right and 10 feet away. The third group was more to the left and 25 feet away. All three controllers looked astonished to see the adventurers coming out at the speed they were.</span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue">Alexander continued leading the charge! <span style="color: Blue"><strong>"Fall back behind me!"</strong></span> Exclaimed Alexander as he launched himself over the nearest startled kobold. <span style="color: blue"><em>Let the troll meet the kobolds running after us...</em></span></span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue">Silas cursed again, though with a bit more volume this time. He flung the torch down behind him. Gripping his staff in both hands, he followed in Alexander's wake.</span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue">Rix darted after the others, crossbow in hand. <span style="color: sienna">"I'd rather rely on my own wits than some vague goddess,"</span> he snapped at Alexander as they made their way onto the surface.</span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue">Rix fired his bolt first, killing the farthest controller. Silas broke ranks and attacked the nearest kobold with his staff, injuring him severely. Kel assisted, also breaking rank and striking the injured controller down with his blade. Finally, Alexander charged forward and swung his weapons with such force that the kobold controller he targeted was split in half.</span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue">The party seemed to be home free. They had a prisoner, and the only threats around them were the fifteen mindless kobolds milling about aimlessly, and the victorious roar of a slaughtering troll deep in the tunnel behind the group. It would seem that the trap meant for the party was about to be sprung on the pursuing kobold tribe.</span></p><p><span style="color: blue"></span></p><p><span style="color: blue">Next: The gnomes are under attack!</span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Deuce Traveler, post: 3438851, member: 34958"] After a good rest, the party carried on into the room with the large, stone staircase and the mummified kobold corpses. The burnt and hacked spider corpses still littered the floor. Right when Rix, who was taking the lead, stepped into the room, a familiar pair of lips appeared. [color=yellow]"Invaders! Robbers! The children of the dragon will slay you all!"[/color] It again repeated its hesterical message in the same order as before. It seemed not to recognize the party. [color=sienna]"Might I recommend that we don't wait for spiders to come crawling down on us again this time?"[/color] Rix jibed at his companions. With his wounds healed he was back to his wise-cracking, sardonic self. Kel scampered through the room, his eyes scanning the ceiling and walls and watchful for any sign of movement. Alexander answered as he was disposed to carry on: [COLOR=Blue]"Then better take the lead, I'm not enthusiastic about being peppered with kobold bolts."[/COLOR] Alexander examined closely the blood-filled carvings on the blade strapped to his wrist. [COLOR=Blue]"I want to get done with the mission and move against the previous owner of this."[/COLOR] He was silent for a pair of seconds. [COLOR=Blue]"I can but hope that these strange magics have their origin in the invaders... as well as controlling bodies who should be resting, they might be the source of this magical control."[I]Will we need to make any more of this errands before earning enough trust?... as soon as this finishes, I'll propose scouting of enemy-taken territory.[/I][/COLOR] DM's Note: Alexander's dialogue might be confusing, but the character had been intending on visiting the Tallione Imperials who were responsible for wiping out a wooded sanctuary he had frequented. He did recover a portion of a Tallione blade that he had tied to his wrist and used as a punch dagger as a reminder of the slaughter he had seen. Rix took the lead as the party moved up the stairs from the room with the dead spiders. The party travelled for a short time, finally reaching the web covered ceiling. Silas used a new torch to burn them away before the party reached the last steps, which were just below the ceiling. A close inspection revealed a hidden passageway above them. The kobold checked for traps, then opened the passage. The ceiling slid to the side, but several boxes that were stacked on top of them fall through the opening, almost crushing the nimble Rix. The rest of the party also avoided being hit by the tumbling boxes. The party members watched in surprise as these crates fell into the darkness below, and announced their stop at the bottom with the loud splinterings of wood. (DM's Note: Rix made his reflex save, the other adventurers made easier reflex saves, then the kobolds in the other parts of the fortress failed their listen checks to hear the crates crash nearby. Just damn.) The sounds echoed through the halls, but no one came to investigate. After a few tense moments, the party moved through the opening, finding themselves in a small storage room. It was a 15 foot by 15 foot area. A wooden door was to the east, which Rix searched for traps. He found none. After Rix did his work, Alexander neared the door and stuck his ear to its surface and listened. Meanwhile, Rix poked around the storage room, examining the various boxes and their contents. Rix rummaged quietly through the crates. They held equipment, and Rix was lucky enough to find the following: 3x Torches 1x Mirror 100x crossbow bolts 4x light crossbows 25x small traveler outfits 2x Rope (50 ft) 1x Grapple And a small bag of silver coins (estimating 500 silver) Alexander heard another door open in the distance and the shuffling of at least five creatures, in his trained estimation. They did not come closer to the door, however, nor did they speak. After a moment, Alexander could hear someone humming a strange tune, as if the person were lost in thought. [COLOR=Blue]"Probably we have another squad behind this door, the place this door takes us to is another room so there should be no problem if we be swift."[/COLOR] He then stepped back from the door, asked Rix if he found anything useful, and added, [COLOR=Blue]"If you went there first... without us..."[/COLOR] Kel shouldered his bow and swiftly drew his longsword [color=seagreen]"Well, I for one am sick and tired of scuttling through the shadows and filth down here,[/color] the elf said, his voice steady. [color=seagreen]"Let us sally forth and get to the bottom of this mystery"[/color] Silas opened the door for his sharp shooters, Dartis and Rix. Inside they saw a kobold in light robes humming a tune and holding a crystal over a small plate of burning coals, which provided enough light for Dartis to fire, as Silas and his torch were behind the door. Five other kobolds stood and looked aimlessly into the space ahead of them. Rix's crossbow bolt slammed into the creature, along with one of Dartis' two fired arrows. With a grunt, the robed kobold fell, twitched and died, the crystal in his hand falling to the table with a clink. Alexander and Kel charged inside, but no further action was needed. The other five kobolds stood unmoving. Inside the room was a large central workbench that the robed kobold was using. Several tools laid about, and Silas' recognized enough of them to realize that they would be valuable to a mage seeking to develop his own magical items. At a casual glance, Silas saw equipment that could be used to make potions, scrolls, and wondrous items. He valued them at 500gp. The crystal that fell was unlike the ones that the party had gotten from the troglodytes and otherwise found. It was clear in appearance. A logbook was also found on the workbench. Quickly flipping through it, Alexander saw that the first half was written in gnomish and the rest in kobold. A strange-looking chair and several crystals were drawn roughly in the book. The chair shown in the logbook was also visible in the far corner of the 30 foot by 50 foot room. It was a smooth chair made of petrified wood. Kel recognized the chair as made from special silvan wood that has been petrified over time. A bar extended from the back of the chair, and on the top of the bar was a hollowed dome that rested over the chair and had a crystal-shaped hole on the top. Several straps and clamps had been added to the chair's arms and where a person's legs would lie. A chill ran through the adventurers as they recognized the chair from their dreams... [i]The image fades, then a new one takes its place. A strange, hairless humanoid creature holds a struggling kobold in its arms, then straps the the smaller creature to a chair with a strange helmet-like contraption. The device is lowered onto the kobold's head, and you feel your blood run cold as the creature's struggling grows weaker, then stops, the intelligence in its eyes disappearing as its pupils turn white and mindless. [/i] After looking at the book, which Alexander promptly handed to Rix, the half-orc said [COLOR=Blue]"Part of it is written in kobold..."[/COLOR] He ignored the fallen body and the still-standing kobolds. He retrieved the battleaxe he had taken from the gnoll at the goblin fort, held it two-handed, and approached the chair. No one stopped him. Once he was in front of it he calmly declared, [COLOR=Blue]"This is not meant to be."[/COLOR] Shaking his head for a moment, he then brought down the axe heavily -almost savagely- upon the helmet-like contraption... his face an expression of dead-seriousness. Rix had just enough time to flip through the journal and realize that the second part was written by a kobold shaman, when he was jolted from his examination by the jarring sound of an axe meeting stone. Alexander attacked the chair with his weapon, his muscles straining with anger and rage as the axe laid deep gashes into the petrified wood. The ringing of the sound was nearly unbearable as it bounced off the walls of the room. The helmet-dome portion of the chair took the brunt of the half-orc's strength, bending slightly and cracking along the extended bar. A greenish glow appeared around the chair and helmet, and ancient runes became visible. They were a form of sylvan, so old that even Kel did not recognize the majority of the words. Two words were recognizable by him, however: 'revered' and 'knowledge'. He shuddered when he realized how old this civilization that created this item must have been. The hairs on the elf's magically sensitive body began to stand on end as the air crackled. With one last grunt, Alexander struck a final blow, rending the bar from the chair. Another strike caused the fallen dome to crack. Instead of stopping the build-up of energy, the chair glowed brighter and the energy in the room stronger so that the others noticed the building charge. As the party stared in amazement they heard a gasp of terror by the far door and noticed a kobold observing them. Before they could react, the creature began to shout a warning and shut the door as he fled. [color=blue][I]Deliver us from evil.[/I][/blue] Rix gaped at Alexander, [color=sienna]"Fool.. you think we'll be able to find out what powers lie within that when it lies in splinters! Creating a racket, you've called the entirety of them down upon us."[/color] He stuffed the book aside into his pack along with a few of the other items he had picked up in the store room. Rix grabbed the coins, the mirror, restocked his bolts from the store room, and grabbed the crystal that the kobold dropped as well as the book. Dartis raced to the door to fling it open, bow in hand. [COLOR=Blue]"Would it have told us anything else than what we already knew?"[/COLOR] Alexander regretted the noise, [color=blue][I]but I had to do it.[/I][/color] The half-orc slowly unsheathed his scimitar as the increasing unholy glow bathed the room. [COLOR=Blue]"We don't know the complex, we can ambush groups exiting the complex if needed... but if we want to stand a chance we must retreat [B]now![/B]"[/COLOR] Dartis opened the door, concentrated, and fired his bow at a group of kobolds outside. A smile of triumph spread across his face, which was soon replaced with a look of worry. In a hurry, he closed the door. At first he was unsure which of the fleeing six kobolds was the controller, but he took his best guess by aiming at the one that looked more animated. He fired his arrow and his aim was true, slamming into the back of the kobold and bringing him down. Dartis' smiled as he realized he took down the right one, since the other five either collapsed or stood unmoving. The smile disappeared, however, when he saw a crowd of a dozen or more kobolds streaming from down the long corridor towards the party, their masters hiding behind the bodies of their slaves. [color=sienna]"Bar the door,"[/color] Rix snapped. [color=sienna]"We go out the way we came."[/color] Crouching quickly next to the dead robed kobold, he ruffled through his robes for any items, hidden or otherwise. Dartis and Rix held the door closed with their shoulders as Alexander and Kel grabbed some crates and attempted to block the door. From the sounds of things, a large group of kobolds were scratching and pushing against the barriers. Things weren't looking so good inside the room, either. A bolt of energy arced like green electricity, nearly striking Silas who was busily stuffing away the crafting tools for his own use. Silas grabbed for the most valuable of the items first. As the bolt sizzled past, he turned and made for the door back through the storeroom and out the trapdoor, not wishing to tempt the fates with a longer stay. Rix had taken time to rifle through the corpse of the kobold shaman on the floor. With a quick search of the robed kobold, Rix had just enough time to find a well-crafted dagger, a smooth amber stone, and another clear crystal. He also found a bracelet similar to the one found on some of the other kobold controllers. The other party members squeezed into the storage room as a number of mindless kobolds were able to open the door slowly, inch by inch. Seeing Rix scavenging the bodies, Alexander moved next to the kobold and exclaimed -somehow exasperated- [COLOR=Blue][B]"Haste!"[/B][/COLOR] Then he grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him along. As the party began to go down the hatch, the kobolds outside came through the door. Alexander took the rear, but had no chance to act as arcs of energy moved from the damaged chair and struck the creatures, killing those in the lead. With a grimace, Alexander closed the secret hatch as he descended. The party travelled down the stairs, through the crypts, and to the metal rungs leading to the room with the door that was barring the troll. Silas dropped his second torch onto the ground by the bottom rung as he climbed. Dartis led the party upwards. After a long while he reached the top rung, and the fighter opened the secret hatch. He was shocked to find five kobolds struggling to remove the bar to the tunnel with the troll, guided by the nervous commands of a sixth kobold. He scrambled to stop them, followed by the rest of the party. [color=orange]"Capture the controller!"[/color] barked Silas as he stepped forward, fingers of his right hand splayed before him. Intoning words of arcane power he gestured and pointed towards the kobolds struggling with the bar. Dartis successfully tackled the kobold controller, followed by Rix, who unsuccessfully tried to remove the bracelet from the controller's arm. Silas came out next and lit two of the mindless kobolds on fire, but they were able to remove the bar as Kel and Alexander came out of the tunnels last. There was an inhuman shriek of laughter as the door was pushed open. The troll burst forth and ran amock, slaying the kobold nearest to the door. Uncontrolled, the other kobolds stood unmoving in front of the monster, acting as a defensive, unwitting line of meat in between the party and the creature. [color=blue][I]The rest of the kobolds will arrive in just seconds![/I][/color][I][/I] Alexander rushed off to open the door leading to the outside, and stood beside it while waiting for his companions to exit the chamber, keeping his gaze fixed on the troll rending kobold corpses. He kept his scimitar unsheathed. Dartis dragged the controller kobold with him toward the door. [COLOR=Green]"Everyone out,"[/COLOR] he shouted to his comrades. Then to the kobold struggling in his arms. [COLOR=Green]"If you have any wish to stay alive you will order those others to attack the troll."[/COLOR] [color=orange]"By the twisted rune of Ithul!"[/color] cursed Silas. Holding the torch ahead of him like a shield, Silas backed quickly away from the troll. He followed after Alexander and Dartis to the exit of the kobold lair. Rix hustled away from the troll. [color=sienna]"Take him. We'll need some answers."[/color] He got in the lead and then called back towards Dartis, who was struggling with the controller. He thought for a moment, remembering the controlling bracelet in his pack, retrieved it, then slipped it on. [color=sienna][i]This is going horribly, its all the half-brained orc's fault. Destroying that chair, ridiculous. Righteousness my scaly...[/i][/color] His thoughts trailed off in a series of blood curdling curses directed at his idiot companion, the troll, the brainless kobolds, and the whole situation. [color=blue][I]The first step is complete, now chaos should ensue in the herd...[/I][/color][I][/I] When they all came through, the half-orc closed the door and prayed for the kobolds to arrive soon enough to the room so as to get the precious time needed to escape into a hiding place. [COLOR=Blue]"The Huntress will provide somewhere we can take cover... and plan the next move."[/COLOR] Meanwhile, the kobold Dartis had wrapped in his arms nodded in agreement as he pulled him away, and said in bad common [color=purple]"I want live!"[/color] The remaining kobolds made futile attempts to kill the troll, but at least they were slowing him down. The troll didn't seem to mind, and bit deeply into the shoulder of another mindless creature, raining blood over itself. DM's Note: Rix thought that he might be able to control the kobold drones, but each bracelet was attuned to one controller. It was the controller in Dartis' arms that caused them to fight the troll. Rix attempted to control the kobolds with the bracelet, but there didn't seem to be magic in it, as if the power had died with its owner. Alexander led the charge to the surface. As the party burst forth from the door, they surprised three small groups of kobold drones and their controllers. The first group was 30 feet in front of the door. The second group was slightly to the right and 10 feet away. The third group was more to the left and 25 feet away. All three controllers looked astonished to see the adventurers coming out at the speed they were. Alexander continued leading the charge! [COLOR=Blue][B]"Fall back behind me!"[/B][/COLOR] Exclaimed Alexander as he launched himself over the nearest startled kobold. [color=blue][I]Let the troll meet the kobolds running after us...[/I][/color] Silas cursed again, though with a bit more volume this time. He flung the torch down behind him. Gripping his staff in both hands, he followed in Alexander's wake. Rix darted after the others, crossbow in hand. [color=sienna]"I'd rather rely on my own wits than some vague goddess,"[/color] he snapped at Alexander as they made their way onto the surface. Rix fired his bolt first, killing the farthest controller. Silas broke ranks and attacked the nearest kobold with his staff, injuring him severely. Kel assisted, also breaking rank and striking the injured controller down with his blade. Finally, Alexander charged forward and swung his weapons with such force that the kobold controller he targeted was split in half. The party seemed to be home free. They had a prisoner, and the only threats around them were the fifteen mindless kobolds milling about aimlessly, and the victorious roar of a slaughtering troll deep in the tunnel behind the group. It would seem that the trap meant for the party was about to be sprung on the pursuing kobold tribe. Next: The gnomes are under attack![/color] [/QUOTE]
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