Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Lazybones's Keep on the Shadowfell/Thunderspire Labyrinth
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 4431335" data-attributes="member: 143"><p>Chapter 15</p><p></p><p></p><p>“Maybe those kobold bandits we fought were stragglers,” Mara said. “I examined the shields that the dragonshields were carrying, and they were old, worn. I’d heard that there was a band following a dragon in an old keep near Fallcrest that was taken out by a group of adventurers a few months back. It’s possible that these were survivors from that group.”</p><p></p><p>They were making their way back toward Winterhaven, making decent time as the afternoon sun started down on its path toward the western horizon. They were taking a more direct route this time, knowing that they’d hit the King’s Road regardless of whether their course shifted slightly from their destination. Elevaren remained back with Douven Staul, listening to the exchange between Jaron and Mara. </p><p></p><p>“I don’t think so,” the halfling said. “From what the priestess of Avendra said, Jayse was escorting a pretty strong group that included a wizard, a cleric, and a dragonborn paladin. They would have been able to handle a group twice the size of the one that attacked us.”</p><p></p><p>“So you think there’s a lair nearby?” Mara asked. </p><p></p><p>“I’m just saying that there might be more to this than we can see. Kobolds aren’t typically this aggressive. Sure, they might raid a farmstead if they think they can get away with it, but attacking armed bands of adventurers?”</p><p></p><p>“They might have a leader putting some spine into them,” Elevaren pointed out. Jaron turned and nodded at the eladrin, but then started looking around. </p><p></p><p>“Wait, where’s Beetle?”</p><p></p><p>* * * * * </p><p></p><p>Beetle was enjoying their journey. The halfling, having never left Fairhollow before, was finding the world outside to be a wondrous and diverse place. There were new sights, sounds, and smells around almost every corner. Sure, there were some bad folks that had to be put down, and the town had been a little confusing, but overall the changes had been welcome ones for the diminutive halfling. </p><p></p><p>He didn’t even notice that he’d wandered off until he looked up and saw the kobold watching him, not ten feet away. </p><p></p><p>It was a skirmisher, clad in light armor with a short stabbing spear clutched in its right hand. It blinked at him. </p><p></p><p>Beetle blinked back. Then the halfling drew out his dagger, yelled at the top of his lungs, and charged at the kobold, which turned and darted away. </p><p></p><p>The kobold was fast, but Beetle kept pace, even as their path traveled through some dense brush and into a small forest. They’d only been running for about thirty seconds when the kobold led him into a small clearing ringed by ancient trees. It sprang over a small mound of scattered leaves and twigs, and darted behind a fallen log. </p><p></p><p>Beetle was only a few steps behind it. He triggered the snare in the pile of leaves and fell onto his face. He moved like an eel, slicing through the leather cords tangled in his legs with a single stroke of his dagger, and was back on his feet within three seconds. </p><p></p><p>In that time, three kobold dragonshields had emerged from behind the trees to face him. The skirmisher was still there was well, too, taunting him with a draconic laugh from behind the log. </p><p></p><p>Beetle lifted his dagger, stepped forward into a menacing stance, and then turned to run. </p><p></p><p>He found himself facing another kobold that had emerged to block the path he’d taken into the clearing. This creature, though it barely came up to his chin, radiated menace. It was clad in hides that were streaked with ochre and decorated with odd totems, and it wore an animal skull as a helmet. </p><p></p><p>Beetle recovered quickly, and started to dive past the unnatural creature. But before he could win clear, it opened its jaws wide, and sprayed a fog of acid into the halfling’s face. </p><p></p><p>Beetle staggered back, crying as the acid seared his face and burned in his eyes. He sensed something behind him and lashed out with his dagger, only to carve empty air. He never even saw the kobold that slammed the hilt of its sword into the back of his skull, and he was only semiconscious as the dragonshields ruthlessly bound him with thick leather cords. </p><p></p><p>By the time they picked him up, he was no longer aware of anything.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lazybones, post: 4431335, member: 143"] Chapter 15 “Maybe those kobold bandits we fought were stragglers,” Mara said. “I examined the shields that the dragonshields were carrying, and they were old, worn. I’d heard that there was a band following a dragon in an old keep near Fallcrest that was taken out by a group of adventurers a few months back. It’s possible that these were survivors from that group.” They were making their way back toward Winterhaven, making decent time as the afternoon sun started down on its path toward the western horizon. They were taking a more direct route this time, knowing that they’d hit the King’s Road regardless of whether their course shifted slightly from their destination. Elevaren remained back with Douven Staul, listening to the exchange between Jaron and Mara. “I don’t think so,” the halfling said. “From what the priestess of Avendra said, Jayse was escorting a pretty strong group that included a wizard, a cleric, and a dragonborn paladin. They would have been able to handle a group twice the size of the one that attacked us.” “So you think there’s a lair nearby?” Mara asked. “I’m just saying that there might be more to this than we can see. Kobolds aren’t typically this aggressive. Sure, they might raid a farmstead if they think they can get away with it, but attacking armed bands of adventurers?” “They might have a leader putting some spine into them,” Elevaren pointed out. Jaron turned and nodded at the eladrin, but then started looking around. “Wait, where’s Beetle?” * * * * * Beetle was enjoying their journey. The halfling, having never left Fairhollow before, was finding the world outside to be a wondrous and diverse place. There were new sights, sounds, and smells around almost every corner. Sure, there were some bad folks that had to be put down, and the town had been a little confusing, but overall the changes had been welcome ones for the diminutive halfling. He didn’t even notice that he’d wandered off until he looked up and saw the kobold watching him, not ten feet away. It was a skirmisher, clad in light armor with a short stabbing spear clutched in its right hand. It blinked at him. Beetle blinked back. Then the halfling drew out his dagger, yelled at the top of his lungs, and charged at the kobold, which turned and darted away. The kobold was fast, but Beetle kept pace, even as their path traveled through some dense brush and into a small forest. They’d only been running for about thirty seconds when the kobold led him into a small clearing ringed by ancient trees. It sprang over a small mound of scattered leaves and twigs, and darted behind a fallen log. Beetle was only a few steps behind it. He triggered the snare in the pile of leaves and fell onto his face. He moved like an eel, slicing through the leather cords tangled in his legs with a single stroke of his dagger, and was back on his feet within three seconds. In that time, three kobold dragonshields had emerged from behind the trees to face him. The skirmisher was still there was well, too, taunting him with a draconic laugh from behind the log. Beetle lifted his dagger, stepped forward into a menacing stance, and then turned to run. He found himself facing another kobold that had emerged to block the path he’d taken into the clearing. This creature, though it barely came up to his chin, radiated menace. It was clad in hides that were streaked with ochre and decorated with odd totems, and it wore an animal skull as a helmet. Beetle recovered quickly, and started to dive past the unnatural creature. But before he could win clear, it opened its jaws wide, and sprayed a fog of acid into the halfling’s face. Beetle staggered back, crying as the acid seared his face and burned in his eyes. He sensed something behind him and lashed out with his dagger, only to carve empty air. He never even saw the kobold that slammed the hilt of its sword into the back of his skull, and he was only semiconscious as the dragonshields ruthlessly bound him with thick leather cords. By the time they picked him up, he was no longer aware of anything. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Lazybones's Keep on the Shadowfell/Thunderspire Labyrinth
Top