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Message: <blockquote data-quote="tool" data-source="post: 5314200" data-attributes="member: 94749">Session 2 - Activity 1E (partial)Activity 1E After successfully navigating the crude kobold traps, you come into an open cavern. Its decorated with the crude trappings of a poorly developed tribal culture. Kobold dung litters some of the floor and your nose curls at the fragrance it provides. Looking across you see the opening to another cavern. Blocking that opening is the rest of the kobold tribe. Your two groups eye each other, both unsure of the next step as you tower over them, and they number near 20. Time seems to slow down for a while, then an important-looking kobold in the hides of a mountain lion, and wearing a skull from the same animal, starts to shout and gesture. His words start the work the kobolds up into a frenzied state as their confidence grows, realizing the numbers they have on you (those who understand draconic understand he wants to loot you and make an offering to the god). A crude but sturdy portcullis drops behind you. It look like its designed to keep out beasts or predators. Hands on weapons ready to draw, you pull in a final breath before the confrontation and try to make peace with your probable death. Just as you are about to rush the mob high-pitched chittering and hissing noises, like that of giant insects, is heard and begins to grow. The kobolds begin to look less sure of themselves. They look about nervously trying to determine where the noise is coming from, not even sure if you are the cause or not. The important kobold shouts more in an attempt to stave the kobolds waning confidence. The chittering grows and grows, filling up the room. You can't determine where its coming from either. Suddenly insect-like chitinous creature burst from the earth to the right of the kobolds putting them between you in a 'L'. These new creatures charge the kobolds without hesitation. Kobold Skirmishers (5)Kobold Dragonshield Kobold WyrmpriestKobold Slingers (4)Kobold Minions (12)　Kruthik Hatchlings (18)Kruthik Young (10)Kruthik Adultadjust as needed　　Tactics: The kruthiks will not attack the PC's until all kobolds are dead. Any kobold level 2 or more will only attack the kruthiks Obstacles: The room will be litered with Kobold dung. Movement into a square with kobold dung requires a DC 10 acrobatics or athletics skill check. Failure causes the PC to stumble and sufer -2 to defense. Loot: The kobolds do not have any loot to offer　-------------My Notes------------- I think it’s fair to qualify this activity as a near-disaster. I struggled with the idea of a band of individuals (being level 1) just waltzing right into a kobold lair as if “hey no big deal. There could be an entire tribe of kobolds in there but we’ll handle it”. So it ended up being really important to me to fill the cavern up with a number that made me feel good. Then I had to think of a way to save the PC’s asses and I came up with the kruthiks. I’m thinking I should have saved something like this for when they are of higher level and I can plug in some n-1 or n-2 monsters in addition to minions.  That left me with 2 mistakes. The first was that I painted myself into a corner where I was rolling WAY more dice then the PC’s. The second was that for some reason I envisioned the PC’s joining the kruthiks in taking down the tribe of kobolds. Of course what really happened was that they sat and watched to see what would happen. I do a poor job of executing or flat-out recognizing different monsters special powers as I’m trying to rush through the encounter as fast as I can.  I also didn’t do a good job of setting up the map. I liked the kobold dung pile idea, but I didn’t provide a choice between risking the poop for a tactical advantage. I gave the kobolds 4 piles of junk that they hastily prepared for the intruders to provide their ranged attackers with cover. Also, I didn’t do a good job of writing up the activity with the thought of lighting. Kobolds, I realized after running the encounter, have darkvision. However I gave the PC’s unhindered vision. I should have described them as more moving shapes and paid attention to lighting issues. I hope to remember that in the future.  This one encounter took up the whole night and drained everyone’s souls. I will make efforts to never do that again. I’m grateful that my players are patient and understand that I’m learning too.</blockquote>

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