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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 3762480" data-attributes="member: 16069">Thanks again, much appreciatedDungeon Crawl Classics #2 The Lost Vault of Tsathzar Rho An Adventure for First Level CharactersTurn 20: The EliteBack in the library Bec totters, then swings hard- smashes another Kobold Footman to the ground, launches himself at the conjured Dire Rat, the creature leaps at him, he stumbles back to avoid it, blinks his eyes, the rat hasn’t moved, he swings half-heartedly- misses by a mile.Ala dodges in, stabs down, the Dire Rat turns to mist and swirls away.Jim screams again from the corridor.“I said they’re coming…”, and sotto voce, “whatever they are.”He fires, twice, Rapid Shot, the first with his magic arrow- the result two head shots, two dead Elite Kobolds, these too are the twisted Kobolds Newt is fighting- even more vicious and feral-looking.Back in the library the Kobold Wizard swigs at a potion then leaps and runs up the wall and on to the ceiling. “Ha ha… Fools…”“Smidgin”, another Magic Missile slams into the Wizard, he doesn’t look best pleased with Anya.Cas and Bec are fighting the one Kobold Footman left, however the strange Kobold seems able to duplicate itself, shadows form and fall left, right and centre- they both hit air.Back in the temple Newt stands his ground as the three Kobold Elite warriors approach.“Screw you lot.”He slings his last Thunderstone at the threesome.BOOOOOMIt explodes on a Kobold’s armoured midriff, the creature slumps to his knees, bleeding from ears, nose and eyes.The other two Kobold Elite are staggered.Newt tosses aside his crossbow, draws his Heavy mace and gestures for them to approach.“Come on then, you’re going to need new dentures by the time I’ve done with you.”FWUNGJim hits another Elite Kobold back in the corridor, the creature slumps to the floor, dead. Jim throws his bow aside and hefts his battleaxe- the six remaining enemies charge towards him.“Death to the intruders.”“The Abomination is Lord.”They mumble and chant as they fling themselves into the fray.Back in the library, Ala stabs hard at the remaining Kobold Footman, that’s so far holding his own against all of them, she too misses.The Kobold Wizard sprints along the ceiling, out of the library, and into the corridor, stands directly above Jim.“Smidgin”, the final Kobold Footman in the library bites the dust.“Help Jim”, Anya shouts and points the way- Ala, Cas and Bec struggle to obey. Swish hops out to stand next to Jim, to guard him.Ala, Cas and Bec arrive as the Kobold Elite smash into them, the fight is joined, lots of blows go astray, it’s a confusing mess within the melee. Cas manages to land a decent blow, his longsword biting into the body of one of the Kobolds, the creature falls dead.Anya watches through the door, it’s hard to see what’s going on, shadows of Kobolds seem to form and cluster, spectral shapes flail and slice, and the adventurers locked in the death struggle don’t know which to attack- a bolus of dark energy seems to grip the melee.Standing on the ceiling above the scrum the Kobold Wizard swigs from another potion bottle, which is harder than you think when you’re hanging upside down.Back in the Temple Newt’s initial confidence is getting dented, as is he, both of the Elite Kobolds score hits, not deep cuts, but enough for him to reconsider his position.In the corridor, Ala is shoved out of the fight; she looks up and spies the Kobold Wizard on the ceiling, about to gulp down yet another potion.“Bastard.”Ala quickly unstraps her shield, launches it at the Kobold Wizard, like some giant discus, the fiend dodges just in time but in doing so spills the entire contents of the flask.He doesn’t look happy, drops the empty potion bottle into the furious melee below, and then moves, at lightning speed, a little away from the fight, quick turns and draws a wand.“Duck.”Ala does, others try but they’re fighting for their lives.“FLAME-ON”The Kobold Wizard screams, a thick wedge of fire rolls over the combat, crisping, a little, Bec, Cas and Jim. An Elite Kobold stumbles from the melee on fire, the creature charges away, flapping helplessly as it burns, hits a statue and collapses to the floor for a little more break dancing before it expires.The shadows flee in an instant- the way is clear.Swish bashes another of the Kobolds over the head; it sinks to the floor- dead. Bec smashes his great club down on another, dead, turns the stroke to a baseball batter’s swing and decapitates yet another- the Kobold’s head goes skittering off further down the passage.Leaving only one of the Elite Kobolds left, it bolts, as does the Wizard on the ceiling- both head back towards the Temple, where Newt is.“Smidgin” Another Magic Missile thumps into the back of the Wizard, the creature turns to face Anya, she’s really for it.Jim quickly recovers his bow, working purely on instinct, notches an arrow and lets it fly- it strikes the Kobold Wizard in his left leg, passes through, the Kobold screams and lifts his leg- then struggles for a second, one foot still firmly planted on the ceiling, the other kicks air, then he falls…CRACKAnd lands awkwardly on the floor, neck clearly broken.Newt meanwhile, back in the Temple, finds his balance, swings and connects with a Kobold’s head; it staggers back, a face full of mace, and collapses. The second Kobold checks the odds; another of his kind flees towards him, in pursuit is Bec, decision made- he scarpers.Newt drops his mace, scrambles for his crossbow, and before the creature has got thirty feet.THUNGIt grows a crossbow bolt from its back.Bec barrels past him, chasing the last one down.“SAAA-NNNND-WIIIII-TCHHH.”A minute or so later Bec returns, all smiles.The Goodman Gang head back to the library, leaving Jim back out in the corridor to keep an eye on things.“Well that went better.” Ala states.The others nod.“Bec try to retain a little more control when you’re raging, I’m on your side guy.” Cas offers, Bec looks embarrassed, nods. “No biggie, it’s ok, you haven’t got me yet.” Cas checks himself over, then smiles at the giant man.Everyone has a minor injury or two, or worse. Ala does the best she can to get them back to full health.Newt has pockets full of the three-fingered pendants, so many so he can’t remember which belong to the party treasure, and which are the ones he’s stolen.Anya meantime stalks the shelves, selecting texts, seemingly at random, her Detect Magic spell in full operation, this after ransacking the body of the Kobold Wizard, she grabs the Burning Hands Wand, seen in action earlier. Also on the shelves she discovers the Wizard’s Spellbook, it’d take a chisel to remove the smile from her face.They rest.“Did you see any… shadows?” Anya eventually asks.“Only when I was watching the fight, out there”, she continue, points back to the corridor, where Jim stands, “I thought I saw something- shadowy creatures, surrounding the Kobolds.”Nobody says anything for a while, eventually Cas cracks.“Tricks of the light, probably the sunrods, the black walls, polished- quite a sheen… Tricks of the light.”But nobody believes him.“I tell you what I didn’t see… in the fight.” Ala stares pointedly at Newt.Newt holds her gaze, not flinching.Time expands till everyone is watching the confrontation.“I don’t think we ought to…” Cas starts.“Well?” Ala cuts Cas off.“You stick to what you’re good at… Whatever that is? And I’ll do my job.”Newt looks away.“You’re a coward.” Ala spits back.Newt turns back, glares at her, then after a moment, calms down, and smiles.“A coward? If you’re asking if I’m frightened… Then yes, I am. That would be the normal reaction. If you’re asking me to give my life for… oh hang on, for what exactly, you don’t even know why you’re here- what you’re fighting, and for what.”Ala goes to speak but Newt jumps back in.“You’re pathetic- you don’t even know who you are?”The silence thickens.“That’s not…” Cas starts.“I’d give my life to save another, those that I call my friends.” Ala growls.Newt smirks then shrugs, gets up quickly, and wanders off.Cas snakes an arm out to Ala.She pushes him away.  Twenty minutes later they head back to the Temple chamber to check out the door to the north, where the last pack of Elite Kobold warriors came from. The passage outside the library, the one that Jim has been guarding, also ends in a door; they decide to leave it for later.“Never leave an enemy behind you.” Jim states.Cas grins, as do the others- most of them.The Temple, now they can take a leisurely look, contains dozens of frescoes of the same blue robed man, in various all-action poses- sending down bolts of lightning, binding a scorpion demon inside a pentagram, and many others.“Any idea who he is?” Anya asks Cas.The Paladin shakes his head.“Ala?”“No.”The huge figures that hold up the ceiling each possess a holy symbol, somewhere about their person, Cas and Anya tick of the deities represented-“St. Cuthbert.”“Boccob.”“Wee Jas.”“Heironeous.”“Pelor.”“Olidamara.”“Corellon.”“The Green Man.”“Odd”, Anya adds, “none of whom are in anyway associated with Kobolds, or Evil. Whatever this place once was, well… it isn’t anymore.”“Right, ready- let’s head off again.” Cas leads the way north to the door.“CAS”, Ala screams as he passes the last line of pillars, two amorphous creatures leech from the pillars, strings of ichor and goo drip from them, the first lashes out scratching hidden claws down Cas’s back, through his armour, and deep into his flesh.The Paldain screams. Jim dodges back, as the second creature lashes out at him.“DEMONS”, Anya screams. The adventurers scatter; fan out, around their new foes.“Magic weapons”, Anya states and, “Smidgin”, a Magic Missile ploughs into the side of one of the Lemure’s. Ala slashes through the one on Cas, her weapon barely scratches the creature. Jim smashes his battleaxe into the Lemure menacing him, the creature screeches, claws at the air and staggers back.Cas and Ala fight on against the other, once again shadows twist around the creature, they’re both mesmerised, swing wildly, neither connects with the creature which lurches forward leaving a viscous trail, the Lemure rakes its claws down Cas’ face. The Paladin lurches back blood cascading down his cheek.Bec hefts his great club, lifts it way above his head, and drives it down on the other Lemure, which is already injured.SPLATThe creature concertinas and then explodes, a melted wax like substance liberally coats the area, and the combatants, then slowly dissolves into nothing, the creature is destroyed.Cas swings off-balance, misses again. Ala connects, but leaves barely a scratch. The Lemure cackles and bubbles filth down itself, suddenly splits- vertically, leaving two wavering halves, a battleaxe clearly visible protruding through its midriff. The creatures face fades from Cas and Ala’s sight, eye-sockets ooze to the surface, as it now faces Jim, it  claws at Jim’s axe, tries to grab it, the Ranger swiftly heaves it out of the creature and dances back, the Lemure collapses into a stinking pile of filth- bubbles some more then vanishes.“OK. Is there anybody else here that keeps seeing shadows?” Cas asks.Ala, Bec and Jim nod.“Oh you can see them now?” Anya asks.Cas, bows his head, then nods- looks up at Anya, mouths “sorry.”“What are they are?” Ala asks.“I don’t know but I think this place is under some sort of terrible curse. The Kobolds, the way they look- there’s a darkness here.” Anya states.Cas nods, “The fiends are evil, that’s obvious- I can feel their auras, but there’s something else here, something not… right.”“I think we can bet on encountering more Kobold abominations, as we go on.” Jim states.The others nod.“Right then, again, the door.” Cas leads them off again.Into another black stone passage, this time only five feet wide, it ends in a t-junction, the group head left to a door, which is wide open.Inside a foul-smelling room lit by guttering torches, a torture chamber, the adventurers cautiously move in.“This is… This is…” Cas begins and finishes off by drawing out his light mace and smashing the rack that stands before him.“Smash it all up.” Ala confirms, staring pointedly at Newt, they set to work.It takes a while, all that’s left of use, in the end, are a set of thumbscrews, they avoid destruction by being safe and secure in Newt’s backpack.“Feel better?” Newt asks.“Yes.” Cas nods.“Much.” Ala concludes.The group traipse back out of the chamber, and follow it over, to another door, once again, open. Beyond is a very odd looking chamber.An L-shaped room, more of the black rock, there are six portrait-sized curtains around the walls, as if there are… portraits, what else, behind them. Perhaps they’ve wandered into some strange Kobold art gallery.“Can I have sandwich?” Bec offers.“This place gets weirder and weirder.” Jim strides into the chamber.“Sandwich?”“Alright Bec… later.” Jim adds.Anya mooches into the chamber, wary, there’s a bunch of papers on the floor, and a crude looking short ladder, she heads over.“SANDWICH?”“You alright big guy?” Jim worries, he passes a cheese sandwich to Bec.Bec begins to shuffle forward, holding the sandwich in his hands in front of him.“SANDWICH?”“CAS, Ala- Bec’s… gone funny.” Jim tries again.“You’re alright big guy. Calm down. Don’t you want your sandwich?” Jim places his hand on Bec’s arm.Bec stops his shuffle; the others close in on him, all except for Anya, she’s reading.“That’s strange… they’re…” Anya states.“SANDWICH? SANDWICH?”Bec bursts free from the gaggle of concerned on-lookers, quick-shuffles forwards to one of the concealed portraits, and flings open the curtain.RRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRFire consumes Bec.Next Turn: Going Elemental</blockquote>

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