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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Medriev" data-source="post: 4493932" data-attributes="member: 21864">Chapter 4 - Valiant Defeat (Part 1)Small glades of trees led up to a cliffside waterfall, where a stream tumbled from the top of a rocky overhang. The water descended the side of the hill and flowed away to the southwest. This was the place marked on Lord Padraig’s map and as they reached it the companions were in a grim mood. They had taken Deloak to Sister Linora’s shrine that morning and promised to take word to his family in Eveningstar once the kobolds had been dealt with. Sister Linora, meanwhile, had agreed to send word quietly to Lord Padraig that the cultists had been dealt with so that his men could clear the cellar of its bodies.“I hear something,” said Enlishia. “I hear voices despite the waterfall.”“Kobolds,” said Mandratan then. “Several kobolds lurk in the trees to the right.”A javelin came from the trees to the right then, driving into Lavren’s leg. He cursed, annoyed more than anything that the crimson tinged leather armour that he had taken from the thief at the inn had been damaged. Another javelin struck his shoulder and he turned towards the trees where two kobolds lurked. Another javelin drove into Lavren’s leg then and he staggered, fearful he would be felled without even seeing his foe. Erlmoor drew forth his sword and charged at the kobolds in the trees. When he reached them he swung out with his blade and cut one down in a heartbeat. Lavren loosed crackling black energy in a bolt towards the nearest kobold and blasted it from its feet to land in the undergrowth. From the trees ahead then came a clay slingshot much as they had seen when first they had been attacked on the East Way. This struck Mandratan on the left arm and then burst, covering that side in a stinking liquid that made the wizard retch as he smelt it. More came from the trees around Erlmoor then, these armed with spears, one of which was stabbed into the dragonborn’s leg.“Deal with the others,” he called back to his companions. “I shall slay these.”Enlishia began loosing arrows into the trees though whether she struck any foes she could not tell. Dulvarna charged into the trees and cut down the first kobold she met. Two others were ahead of her, one the sling wielder and another with a spear. Another emerged from the trees and crossed the path before the companions to more trees to the left of them. How many there were, Dulvarna did not know. She hoped only that they had not walked into a trap.Behind Dulvarna, Erlmoor saw another kobold burst from the trees to stab at him with a short sword. He parried the blow downwards but still it drove painfully into his left leg just above his knee. This new foe drew back then and Erlmoor saw that it held a dragon scale shield on its left arm as some that they had faced on the East Way. Mandratan moved forward to stand beside Dulvarna and then extended his wand, uttering a spell. Flames burst from the ornately carved wooden stick then, searing through the trees in front of him. A kobold fell amongst the trees while the others who were there shrank back and cowered. As the flames cleared, leaving only smoldering trees and undergrowth, another kobold burst through the trees to block Dulvarna’s way. It thrust its spear at her and then cursed as she ducked back.More came from the trees at the front of the group then while at the right, Erlmoor faught on, cutting down another kobold with a mighty swing of his blade. Lavren lent aid by hurling black blasts of crackling energy into the trees wherever a kobold could be seen. Ahead of him a spear pierced Dulvarna’s thigh and forced her back a step. Enlishia moved to the left to attack the slinger and another kobold with arrows from her bow. She began firing into the trees but heard no foe fall and cursed her aim again. A javelin was hurled back at her, striking a tree next to the archer. She smiled then, thankful that she was not the only who was aiming poorly this day.Mandratan retreated before the kobolds and loosed a silvery bolt from his wand that struck an enemy in the chest. Another came forth from the right then, stabbing clumsily at Dulvarna. The warrior stepped back and then parried another spear thrust. To his right Erlmoor cut down another kobold and with a roar, turned on the other foes he faced. He would breath soon, Erlmoor decided as his rage mounted and all of these dark creatures would fall before him. Lavren loosed more dark fey energy into the trees and the slinger responded, hurling a clay shot at Enlishia. It struck her in the chest and covered her in sticky glue that ran down her and then hardened quickly, freezing her in place. She answered with arrows, felling a kobold warrior and then turning her bow upon the slinger. In front of her, Dulvarna faught fiercely, slashing her blade into the shoulder of one kobold and then driving it on into the side of another. Both fell to the ground before her, bleeding heavily, their lives ebbing away. The last two kobolds that Erlmoor faced came at him then, one driving its spear into his hip and forcing him back. He staggered and another drove its spear into his shoulder. He gathered his acid breath in his throat, ready to wrathfully bring down his foes. Behind him, Mandratan loosed another silvery bolt that struck the last kobold before Dulvarna. It struck the creature in the belly and the kobold sank to its knees. It stayed there, desperately seeking to summon its strength to rise.Erlmoor roared and breathed acid at last, felling another of the kobolds in screaming agony. The dragonborn began to pray then, calling forth a golden to guard Dulvarna while he pressed forward against the dragon shield kobold before him. Behind the paladin, Lavren began cursing the dragon shield in elvish and then uttering an incantation that would call forth flames from within the small humanoid. The flames fizzled and died before they were born and Lavren cursed himself then. To his left, Enlishia was struck by a sling stone and sent reeling. She turned back and threw down her bow then, drawing forth her sword. She charged the kobold, smiting him in the shoulder with her blade as she reached him. On the right, Erlmoor staggered as the dragon shield drove his spear into his side this time, driving the plate there into his flesh. Mandratan saw his plight and loosed a silvery bolt at the last kobold before him in haste, seeking to aid the dragonborn. Alas, the bolt flew wide and the kobold yet lived.Erlmoor slashed at the dragon shield who took the blow on his shield and then he retreated, seeking to drawn the creature out of the trees. It came forward and Lavren lashed out with his wand, hurling crackling black energy that struck the kobold in the side. It faltered but came on with its sword before it. Meanwhile, the kobold sling wielder fell back before Enlishia and then fled through the trees until it emerged on the trail that led to the waterfall. It loosed a stone then that struck Enlishia on the top of the head and sent her reeling. She spun, felt dizzy nausea and then she fell as blackness took her. Dulvarna saw Enlishia fall and, with a cry of anguish, drove her blade into the belly of the kobold before her and rushed after the slinger. To the right, the dragon shield emerged from the trees and dived at Erlmoor but the dragonborn stepped back. Mandratan saw it come forth and turned, loosing a silvery bolt of force at the creature that struck it in the shoulder. Again it faltered but still came forward.Erlmoor struck at the kobold but it took his sword easily on its shield. Black, crackling energy seared past it as it ducked down and then it was surging at Erlmoor once more. Dulvarna reached the slinger just as it wildly loosed a stone towards her. She drove her blade into its chest and let it fall at her feet. Behind her, the last kobold surged at Erlmoor and drove its blade into his hip, forcing him to stagger and all but fall to one knee. A silver bolt from Mandratan struck it in the side then and stopped the killing blow. Erlmoor lashed out as the kobold faltered and split open the kobold’s breastbone. It fell to the cold grass at his feet and died there.</blockquote>

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