Amberdale 0 : "An Introduction to Amberdale" by PDabble Games - Part 2
The Padre invokes his deity to heal the wound he has suffered as Farmer Bill crawls out from under the wagon.
"You folks were just marv'lous!" he exclaims expansively, "You really showed them dangly little critters! That was so good to see that I'm gonna pay you for the ones you killed right now!"
So saying, he produces a pouch from within his shirt and slowly counts out twenty gold pieces. From the look of them - the mint's stamp rubbed almost smooth - they have been in circulation for a very long time.
"I tell you what," the farmer adds with a decisive nod, "If you're willin' to find out where the rest of them little buggers went and finish 'em off, I'll even pay you for them as well - five gold for each pair o' ears ya bring me."
Seeing that the group is ready to charge off into the trees immediately, he quickly raises a hand to stay them,
"After ya get me safe 'n' sound to town, o' course."
Flushed with their success, the group have no hesitation in agreeing. First, however, they loot the bodies of their fallen enemies, then toss the remains into the bushes alongside the road.
The remaining trip to town passes without incident and the group soon returns to the scene of their great (and thus far, only) battle, intending to follow the tracks left by the fleeing kobolds deep into the forest.
Stormstrider has no difficulty in following the creatures' tracks in the soft earth, and leads the group to a huge, ancient tree that stands almost a mile from the road. Although not a great deal taller than the trees that surround its clearing, this ancient oak has a massively thick trunk, nearly 50' in diameter. As they approach, the adventurers can see a 10' wide opening near the base of the tree. The interior is dark, but even at this distance, they can hear the squabbling, sibilant voices of the kobolds within.
Mantreus attempts to sneak up to the tree to spy on the kobolds, but just as he approaches, the noise of the argument suddenly ceases. Mantreus freezes beside the opening, wondering if he has been detected.
A moment later, this question becomes irrelevant, as Stormstrider impulsively calls on the kobolds to surrender. Instantly, all hell breaks loose.
As Mantreus turns and dashes around the tree to get out of sight (just a moment too late, as it turns out), a kobold - more foolish or brave than the average - leaps out of the opening and fires a wild crossbow shot over the fleeing rogue's shoulder. More crossbow bolts fly out of the opening toward the others, whose hiding places in the trees prove less than well-chosen. Ulfgar in particular is badly exposed and attracts no less than five of the remaining bolts. Fortunately for the stocky Dwarf, he has his shield raised, and the attacks glances harmlessly off this metal barrier.
Both the Padre and Gabrielle are similarly lucky, but Stormstrider is all but felled by a bolt that tears through the fleshy part of his throat, inflicting critical damage.
As the Padre moves to tend to the injured Stormstrider with a cure minor wounds, Mantreus shoots back at the visible kobold. His shot is just as wide as the creature's. However, Ulfgar's axe is far more deadly, as the reckless Dwarven fighter charges out of hiding to strike the creature down ... and incidentally leave himself exposed to every kobold sniper in the tree.
Gabrielle fires an arrow into the opening, in the hopes of keeping the kobold's heads down, but it is nowhere near enough to prevent the volley of fire that now sweeps over the exposed Ulfgar. Three of the eight bolts strike home, staggering the fierce Dwarf backward, but miraculously failing to find any vital point.
Perhaps if the injured Ulfgar had charged into the tree itself, his sheer ferocity would have overwhelmed the kobolds, already disheartened by their failure to kill him where he stood, but instead he chooses the path of discretion, and runs to the side, joining Mantreus about twenty feet to the right of the opening.
His bleeding wound stanched, Stormstrider runs to the left of the tree, followed by Gabrielle. Cursing folk who run away before he can properly tend them, the Padre rushes to the aid of Ulfgar, sacrificing another spell for a cure light wounds.
Deprived of targets, the kobolds seem to be staying put, and none of the group is eager to brave another volley like the one that almost felled Ulfgar. As the seconds tick by, it seems that they are in a deadlocked position.
"First squad! Break left!" the Padre roars, attempting to bluff the kobolds into surrender, "Second squad, move into positions!"
There is no apparent response from within the tree, so Mantreus and Stormstrider begin to search for some sign of a second way into to the tree, hoping that the kobolds have all their attention focussed on the main entrance. Unfortunately, they are searching the trunk of the tree, when in fact the kobolds' "back door" is a tunnel leading to a concealed opening inside the tree line.
Spooked by the Padre's Bluff attempt, the kobolds have meanwhile fled down the tunnel and are now beginning to emerge into the forest, while the Padre continues to issue orders to his imaginary cohorts. Finding there to be no sign of any troops, the malicious little dogmen filter back toward the clearing and prepare to unleash an ambush.
The surprise attack doesn't quite come off as well as it could - some of the ill-disciplined kobolds open fire before their comrades are in position. However, the attack still catches the party while they are badly spread out. The group's immediate reaction compounds the problem, as Mantreus and Ulfgar both race to support Stormstrider and Gabrielle, who are the party members under fire.
The Ranger and the human Fighter both fire back at the kobolds, as does the Padre, but none have any success. Unfortunately, the Cleric has been left alone and dangerously exposed by the recent movement of Ulfgar and Mantreus: a position that is about to be shown up as very vulnerable.
A pair of crossbow bolts slam into the tree near the Padre's head as two more kobolds open fire. He feverishly cranks his crossbow to reload.
Meanwhile, Mantreus races toward the trees about 50' from where the other kobold snipers are firing, and practically runs into another trio that is moving up to flank the party. All four fire reflexively with their crossbows, but only Mantreus connects, dropping one of the three kobolds.
Ulfgar races to the Rogue's assistance as Gabrielle and Stormstrider fire ineffectually into the trees, with Gabrielle suffering a light wound in return.
The crossbow fire against the Padre is much more effective, however: both of the next two bolts slam into him, and the pain and shock instantly sends him into unconsciousness.
The two kobolds left facing Mantreus change weapons and stab at him with their spears, one of them inflicting a light wound. However, seconds later Ulfgar charges into melee, killing another of the small humanoids. Using the distraction as a chance to get out of the melee, Mantreus moves toward the fallen Padre.
Seeing Gabrielle and Stormstrider still trading fire in a losing battle with the kobolds (who inflict another light wound on Gabrielle), Ulfgar exhorts them to charge into melee, slaying another kobold as proof of the success of this tactic.
Mantreus attempts to bandage the Padre while being fired upon by the two kobolds who felled the Cleric, but fails. Luckily, he escapes harm in the process.
Ulfgar, Stormstrider and Gabrielle all charge the group of kobolds who have been peppering them with crossbow fire, forcing the dogmen into melee combat. Unfortunately, none of them manage to connect. However, the kobolds are just as unsuccessful with their own attacks.
Mantreus again attempts to heal the Padre, and again fails. This time, however, he does not manage to evade the crossbow bolts that come flying his way, and his injuries collapse him into semi-consciousness. Believing both of their targets to be slain, the two kobold snipers rush to their comrades' aid against the three remaining adventurers.
There follows a period of almost farcical ineptitude on both sides, with only one wound (an insigificant scratch by a kobold on Stormstrider) actually being scored in the next three exchanges of blows.
And then finally, the adventurers superior strength and skill takes effect, and the remaining kobolds are slaughtered in the space of a few seconds, landing only one more weak blow in the process (this time on Gabrielle).
Stormstrider quickly rushes to use his healer's kit on the Padre, and the Cleric's bleeding is finally stopped.
All of the party are sorely wounded, with one of their number unconscious and another able to move only with assistance. Still, this does not prevent them from looting the bodies of the dead kobolds before they head back to town to get healing for their wounded Cleric. One must have priorities, after all.