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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 4460009" data-attributes="member: 16069">Chapter 1 Part 2 Getting Cold FeetGAME DETAILS- Outstanding Quests1) Recover the Green Dragon Hide for Teldorathan (Status: Ongoing).2) Kill Kobolds and collect their heads for Lord Warden Markelhay’s bounty (Status: Ongoing).3) Discover what “greater intelligence” is stirring up the Kobolds for Nemozaran- who is the Horned Lord? (Status: Ongoing).The adventurers creep north, Daja a little discomforted, her feet are freezing but she’s not one to complain.The chamber ahead is huge, the cracked and broken stone flagged floor seems to circle a second, much smaller, chamber in the centre of the room, Vik goes for a wander, and is soon spotted, a squawk and a leathery skinned avian heads over to make a meal of the rogue, the others take notice and soon all hell breaks loose.CRASHSomething immense falls and smashes into the already crushed stone flagged floor, whatever it is it’s enormous, and at the moment unseen although the rumbling noise signals it’s approach, the adventurers scatter as a pair of Kobolds armed with slings climb atop the walls of the central chamber and from there rain down glue, fire and stink filled pots.If this wasn’t enough another pair of Kobolds descend from a hidden ledge to engage our heroes, while two more heavily armoured kobold warriors guard a shaman of some sort who fires freezing ice-balls at the explorers.And then rumbling into sight comes the huge boulder which circles the central chamber crushing all that it encounters in its journey.GAME DETAILS- Encounter Level 4 [975 XP]Rolling Boulder Trap [Level 3 Blaster], Spiretop Drake [Level 1 Skirmisher], Kobolds- Minion [Level 1 Minion], Skirmisher [Level 1 Skirmisher], Slinger [Level 1 Artillery] (x2), Dragonshield [Level 2 Soldier] (x2) & Wyrmpriest [Level 3 Artillery (Leader)] (including Skirmisher & Minion fled from previous encounter)The fight is long and hard, and drains almost all of the fledgling parties resources- Vik despatches the spiretop drake with a little help and then clears out the kobold slingers, although one flees and escapes the lair altogether. Falco and Daja mow down the kobold combatants and then head over to deal with the wyrmpriest and his dragonshield side-kicks, Lambrini and Talwyn follow the armoured pair in their circuit providing all the covering fire they need, they easily manage to stay out of the way of the boulder, and thus it is done- the kobolds vanquished, the Skull-Kicker Clan no-more, although Chief Grog declares with his dying breath “… this is not the end.”DM NOTES- now that's more like it, none of the players actually hit the deck but at least two of them came close to embracing the crushed stone-flagged floor, I like wyrmpriests, I predict more of them in the adventurers immediate future.Now for the discoveries, firstly Lambrini has a new staff- courtesy of Chief Grog the kobold wyrmpriest, a +1 Staff of the War Mage, war mage- Lambrini likes the sound of that.Secondly a letter, also discovered on the Chief.“Chief Grog, Skull Kicker Clan The Time is Now, launch your attacks, the Nentir Valley will ring with the sound of your steel- make them pay- destroy all that stand in our way. My Lieutenant will stay with you for but a while, to see my word is done… Do not fail me, my lieutenant is not known for his patience. The Sign of the Bloody Hand is abroad. The Horned King.”Which about wraps it up for proof of some greater intelligence being behind the kobold attacks, perhaps the bumbling old mage Nimozaran has not quite lost his wits. However this new piece of information raises more questions than it answers- who is the Horned Lord, and why does he work this kobold uprising, but more pressing is who is his lieutenant, and where is he?Which leads to discovery number three, Vik notices something in an alcove and investigates, the stone work is all wrong- he calls the other adventurers over and- ohh Daja’s feet are freezing, blocks of ice. A chilling draft forms a low mist before the wall- whatever is behind it is icy cold.There forces almost spent the intrepid adventurers decide that whatever lies beyond the once secret door will wait until they are recovered, they do their best to make the chamber defensible, set watch, and settle down for a well-earned rest.Which is exactly what they don’t get, a little under six hours later they are awoken swiftly by Vik, kobolds are investigating the chamber- perhaps a patrol has returned to the nest, actually it is the kobold slinger that escaped earlier that has lead this errant group back to the lair, hell-bent on vengeance.The tables are turned however, the adventurers make a much better fist of ambushing the patrol, they smash through the kobold minions with ease only to be confronted by an electric blue scorpion some six feet long- from the tips of its claws to spike of its stinger.GAME DETAIL- Encounter Level 1 [500 XP]Kobolds- Minion [Level 1 Minion] (x8), Slinger [Level 1 Artillery] (x2) & Stormclaw Scorpion [Level 1 Soldier]DM NOTES- couldn't resist adding a little something, I'm not going to let them take an extended rest as and when they please, just a minor inconvenience that's all.The scorpion looks to be a formidable opponent and yet is soon demolished in a wave of metal and magic, the kobolds are once again routed, this time chased and killed- not one survivor.The adventurers rest again, safe and secure in their dreary surroundings.DM NOTES- the scorpion didn't even hit them, dead in two rounds- bastards, next time there'll be two scorpions, just you wait and see.A new day dawns, the 8th of the month of Eleint, known as “The Fading”, in the year 2008. Sun shines, birds sing and a cool breeze plays through the leaves and branches of the trees, it’s warm enough to make the ordinary folk feel content, almost happy, with their lot. However underground things are not so “joyous”, the adventurers have little in the way of packed lunch, leaving Fallcrest in a rush, they breakfast on curling sandwiches, chewing tobacco, and a packet of slightly soft p’shew nuts.Replete, who am I kidding, with rumbling bellies they head over to investigate the once secret door, eventually Vik prises it open and leads them down a short flight of stairs. A chilly narrow corridor in which crusts of half-melted ice mingle with loose rough stones, the adventurers press on quietly and emerge into an enormous chamber, the floor ahead is icy, although still traversable if care is taken.Those adept in the art of sneakery head in to investigate, and soon discover a half-awake White Dragon, Vik and Talwyn creep back to tell their tale.GAME DETAIL- Encounter Level 3 [750 XP]Young White Dragon [Level 3 Solo Brute]DM NOTES- Yes, a dragon. It’s at this point that the players, not their characters mind, get a little concerned, a dragon, at first level- seems to be the consensus; D&D 4E a nice change of pace.A plan is formed, the chamber has two pillars to hide behind and a frozen pool of water at the centre, the dragon is curled resting behind the second, the furthest away, pillar.The adventurers creep about as far as they can go, taking care to avoid the frozen pool and to make use of the pillars for cover, Lambrini and Talwyn a good distance away from the beast- the artillery, Vik as close as he can get- which is just the other side of the pillar to the dragon, and the tanks- Daja and Falco ready to rush, read slip and slide, into the fray.The dragon doesn’t hear a thing.DM NOTES- You should have seen the dice rolls, culminating in the Young White Dragon’s perception roll “1”.Action.The trap is sprung and before the Dragon has a chance to stir the beast takes a backstab attack to the rear courtesy of Vik, two arrows from Talwyn and is scorched and screaming by Lambrini’s Flaming Sphere.GAME DETAIL- Over the course of the fight the players manage three rolls of “20”, and courtesy of Maptools, so no surreptitious nudging, while the dragon hits only three times and spends both of its Action Points in doing so. One more thing, the fight lasts three rounds.Whether more by luck or good judgement the great beast is soon set upon on all sides, Vik continues to cut and slice at the rear of the creature, Falco and Daja use their holy powers to tear at the beast- head on. Lambrini’s Flaming Sphere continues to burn, make that char the cold loving dragon, there’s even time for Talwyn to abandon his bow and take to slicing at the thing with his dual scimitars.It’s soon over, and celebrated with radiant smiles, although the dragons last words still echo in the icy chamber, “catch your breath, for it has just begun.” The Young White Dragon, the Horned Lord’s lieutenant, is gutted- literally. Its head removed, hide removed, heart removed, taloned claws removed; all that’s left at the end is a pile of stinking flesh and bone.  There’s also a chest tucked away in the freezing ice chamber, and within gold coins, a beautiful translucent pearl, a green dragon hide in pristine condition, and best of all a beautifully crafted scimitar which proves to be magical, the +1 Lifedrinker Scimitar is claimed by Daja, her new holy weapon of choice, the blade is etched with myriad symbols of the Raven Queen.Most remarkable, inside the lid of the chest is imprinted one red bloody hand, which generates an awkward silence.Falco eyes the crowd and shakes his head, there's a black cloud on the horizon, he's sure of it.And so an hour or so later, enough time for the adventurers to stamp the chill from their bones, the five emerge victorious from Gloomhall and into the warm sunshine of the Nentir Vale.The wind whips through the trees, cooling their backs, all is well in the world, save perhaps for the two individuals that are ruining what would otherwise be a perfect day by screaming fit to burst.The heroes scramble, the sound is coming from the road, not far off from the ruins in which they stand, the road being the King’s Road, the great byway to Winterhaven and beyond.Through the undergrowth they charge and into action, ahead two young lads, the eldest no more than fifteen, scream and shout and hare down the road, heading straight for the adventurers, behind the pair charges a mammoth mammal, a Dire Boar, a woodland lord, the huge tusked beast stands nearly six feet tall at the shoulder. The creature is all gnashing fury, the reason for this plain to see, its fur charred and smouldering- clearly someone has been drawing its ire.The adventurers swing into action, and remarkably swiftly slay the thing, although not before Daja is made to sit down hard to consider her options. But before anyone can affect a hunters pose, one foot on the Boar’s carcass, and proclaim “job done”, racing down the road come a bevy of kobolds and their carapaced comrades.GAME DETAIL- Encounter Level 3 [750]Dire Boar [Level 6 Brute] & then Kobolds- Skirmisher [Level 1 Skirmisher] (x2), Slinger [Level 1 Artillery] & Fire Beetle [Level 1 Brute] (x2)DM NOTES- thought I'd try another 6th level creature on them, soften them up for the Kobold Patrol, this time with a pair of flaming fire beetles, especially cool as in previous adventures (and editions) the players viewed fire beetles as mobile torch providers. Battle is joined, and the adventurers are soon wreathed in flame, this time it’s a slugfest, although there victory is never in doubt, the beetles are cut down quickly, which buys some time for the kobold slinger who escapes the fracas when things start to look decidedly dodgy. Their enemies vanquished, again, the adventurers calm and care for the two young lads.They’re from Oakhurst, a small village a good five miles up the King’s Road, further away from Fallcrest their now ex-home, towards Winterhaven, they’re sons of the Miller there.“What’s the rush laddies?” Falco asks, and wags his beard in their faces, when the boys begin to struggle, eager to get on, and so it transpires that a group of kobolds had the temerity to pass through Oakhurst the previous night, smashing and looting while the inhabitants slept. Movan, the eldest of the young lads, has enough woodcraft to follow a trail- they have tracked the kobolds to this spot, but were scared by sounds in the undergrowth. That’s when the Dire Boar caught up to them, made mad by the kobolds and their fire beetle companions.“Why are you shaking still? Do you know where the trail is leading?” Falco asks and grips tight their shoulders.“The Ubler Farm, that way.” Duvan, the youngest lad points.Talwyn nods, a large group of kobolds have indeed recently headed in the direction indicated. The young lads look sick, Falco makes a decision, “then we’ll go and pay a visit too.” Until next time.DM NOTES- Kobold Hall/Gloomhall.The first scenario presented is of course the scenario in the DMG, no major changes save to add a few pertinent details to graft the thing to the campaign arc of Chapter 1. The incidental encounters were assembled likewise in order to further the story goals.DM NOTES- Experience Points.1265 XP for each character, total 1963 XP each, they need 3000 XP to get to level 2.</blockquote>

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