Revenge of the Kobold King
After rescuing the children the party was able to relax, recuperate and find time to spend their share of the loot.
A few weeks later, whilst lounging in the Sitting Duck Tavern, talk circulates that the towns newest lumber camp with the Darkmoon Forest has been hit by unknown assailants, with many killed and nearly two dozen men & women missing. The Gavel of the lumber yard, the obnoxious Thuldrin Kreed approaches the party and asks them to investigate and states he is willing to pay 4000gp if they travel to the lumber yard, deal with the menace and bring back survivors. In addition Kreed wants to send some of his men with the party. Unable to negotiate a higher fee with Kreed and not liking his manor the party declined and decided to investigate on their own.
The ever impetuous Farren left the tavern straight away to head out. Tostig, on hearing the party turned down a reward approached Kreed directly and faired slightly better in his negotiations securing 800gp for each and 1000gp for himself. Tostig also refused the aid of Kreeds men. Returning to the party and advising them of his deal they noticed Farren was missing. Hastily gathering supplies the party headed out.
They caught up with Farren a couple of hours later and made camp. During the night, Hogradin was convinced he heard movement just outside of his darkvision and called out a challenge. Who ever or what ever was there disappeared into the night. The party headed into the Darkmoon after gaining rough directions from the nearest lumber camp outside the forest. As on previous trips, the Darkmoon was dark and gloomy under the dense foliage.
Heading deeper into the Forest the
party encountered a twitch arm on the trail closely followed by a one armed Troll
carrying a dead dwarf. The Troll moved forward to reclaim his arm and farren,
concerned it was moving to attack unleashed his new spell, lightning bolt. The
Troll was quickly despatched. Heading deeper into the Forest, smoke began to
hang heavy in the air. The trees surrendered to a clearing revealing the
damaged and burnt lumber camp. The buildings were largely intact but still smouldering
and bodies littered the ground. The dead comprised of both the camps
inhabitants and Kobolds. Some of the Kobolds looked like they had crawled from
a grave.
The party moved into the clearing.
Roscoe & Farren headed into the nearest building. As Roscoe opened the interior door, a trap was triggered, with 3 crossbow bolts fired, causing minor injury only to be then rushed by 3 Kobolds that were swiftly dealt with. Lia and Hogradin spotted an unconscious lumberjack on an unsteady looking wooden tower with an “undead” Kobold hovering above him. Lia moved to climb the tower with Hogradin holding the rickety step ladder and Ulthgar keeping watch. As Lia moved up the ladder, a stack of logs behind the tower came loose and smashed into the tower collapsing it. The unconscious lumberjack was thrown clear but Lia and Hogradin were buried under the collapsed tower. Tostig headed to the large building to the left and opened the door to see a mass of Kobold Zombies feasting on the remains of some unfortunates. Tostig quickly closed and sealed the door.
Whilst Ulthgar helped Lia and Hogradin escape from the Ruble, Roscoe and Farren exited the building they were investigating. Roscoe was attacked from behind by an invisible assailant. As Tostig moved in to help Roscoe, Farren went to the same door Tostig had just sealed and hearing noises from within, tried to open the door. Roscoe and Tostig eventually managed to dispatch the invisible Kobold. Just as Lia and Horgradin emerged from the rubble, the door Farren was investigating burst open and a mass of Zombies boiled out. Lia called upon her god and destroyed the undead, saving the hapless Farren.
Kobold Ambush!
The Party decided to continue
their search of the lumber camp. Heading towards the large fairly intact
building to the East. Opening the door revealed a spacious cabin filled with
beds, a common table in the middle and a chest along the North Wall. On two of
the beds there were twitching forms under the blankets. As the party moved into
the room, two corpses twitched upright, shedding the blankets and a swarm of
locusts poured out of gaping mouths. The party beat a hasty retreat and shut the
doors, deciding to leave to locust be for now.
Farren headed over to what appeared to be the burnt out ruin of a Smithy. Peering in the ruined door, Farren spotted the burnt corpse of a burly man slumped over the forge. Without waiting for Roscoe to check the area, Farren blundered in triggering a trap that bought the remains of the Smithy tumbling down upon him. Only his hand was left sticking out the rubble. Lia rushed over and cast a cure spell on the hapless mage, saving him. As Lia began to dig out Farren, she was attacked by spiders. The battle was swift and the party killed the spiders and dug Farren out.
Only one building remained unsearched, what looked like a damaged stables. The party headed over. Roscoe peered through the damaged walls to see all the stalls destroyed and a large pit in the centre of the stables. Before further investigation could take place, the party came under attacked. A Kobold Druid, its skin a sickly green colour appeared out the Forest with a Monstrous Scorpion companion and cast lightening storm on the party, injuring Lia, and Ulthagr. Roscoe manged to dodge out the way. As the party moved in to deal with the Druid, they came under attack from the rear by another “invisible” foe. The battle was fierce and injuries taken before the Druid, Scorpion and “invisible enemy were deal with. The Druid almost got away, but succumbed to his wounds.
After a bout of healing, the party moved to investigate the Stables and came under attack from an Azlanti Beetle. The Beetle proved a fearsome foe, but was eventually dispatched, but not before crashing into the building with the locust swarms and knocking down a wall. Fortunately, the swarms headed into the forest and did not trouble the party. Roscoe headed into the building vacated by the locusts to check the chest, nearly getting caught by the trap he inadvertently triggered, only his lightening reflexes saved him. After all that the chest was empty.
Lia went back to treat the injured lumberjack they had rescued, Thelgrin. Thelgrin told the party that before he was knocked unconscious, Thelgrin saw prisoners being dragged to the West, towards the ill named Cold Marrow. Hogradin remembered hearing that this was an ancient Azlanti burial site. After resting up, the party headed West into the dark foreboding woods towards Cold Marrow.
The hapless Farren managed to fall into a pit, which turned out to be a musty Crypt of a Dwarven Warmaster. Ulthgar investigated, retrieving a beautiful shield and longsword.
Continuing on to the Cold Marrow. As they approached, the party suddenly noticed the oppressive silence. The only sounds of that of the party themselves. The Forrest gave way to a clearing revealing a hill, and on the side nearest them a mound of earth & clay. Broken stairs led up the mound to two giant menhirs, at the base of which were two stone disks, carved with runes. Lia, using decipher script managed to identify one short passage:
“A dread curse falls upon those who enter here unless they carry the gleam of the stars on them”
The party also notice two dead Kobolds by the dark entrance to the hill a few yards further on.
Cold Marrow
Whilst trying to decide what the
Azlanti script (“A dread curse falls upon those who enter here unless they
carry the gleam of the stars on them”) meant, the party searched the area to
see if they could pick up more clues, to no avail. However, they did find a Gem
of Brightness lodged under one of the stone disks. Roscoe, getting bored,
approached the Barrow entrance and was immediately attacked by Shadows. 
The party came to Roscoe’s aid quickly dealing with the threat, but not before the Rogue suffered at the Shadows ghostly touch.
Deciding to venture into the
mound, the party passed through the dark foreboding entrance. On entering each
party member felt a cold jolt, but otherwise seemed unaffected, except Hogradin
who felt is if an icy hand was settled around his heart. Venturing forward
slowly, the party were drawn by the sounds of bubbling water. The cavern they
entered had a fountain at each corner, although one was just broken rubble with
water pooling around it. As they were passing through Water Elementals rose
from the intact fountains and attacked, but they were dealt with swiftly.
Heading deeper into the mound they entered caverns with ornate carvings, although old and crumbling, adorning the walls and ceiling. Drawn by sounds ahead the party ventured deeper, ignoring two side passages and dealing with another air creature on route, a Belker. They entered into a wide gallery filled with crumbling statues and the remaining Kobold raiders, all Zombies. These creatures were swiftly dealt with and the party moved on into the last chamber, revealing a raised dais upon which sat a Sarcophagus of carved coral.
Standing atop the Sarcophagus was the undead Kobold King flanked by his undead guards. Lying beside the Dais, were a couple of unconcious and badly beaten lumberjacks. Battle was joined and brutal, particularly as aiding their king from behind the party was 5 Wights. Eventually the party prevailed, finally slaying the King and his minions.
With his last breath the King called out “Drazmorg”
Triumphant Return
With
the King finally slain forever !?!?!? Lia dished out healing and the
Party made ready to leave. However, before they could leave, Farren
insisted on studying the Azlanti murals & carvings and the party
wasted time hanging around for the young mage. Finally, Farren
announced he was ready to leave, and the party retraced their steps
checking a couple of caverns they didn’t have chance to on the way in,
recovering some loot and dealing with a wraith.
On reaching the
outside of the Cold Marrow, the party decided to make camp to give the
rescued lumberjacks and themselves a chance to rest. The night passed
uneventfully, but on awaking in the morning, Hogradin found that all
his teeth were loose and began falling out……The party retraced their
steps through the Darkmoon Wood. The party chanced upon a statue of a
befuddled looking halfling reaching for a kukuri at his belt. As the
party stopped to examine the statue, they were attacked by a
Cockatrice, that was swiftly dealt with.
At last, they neared
the edge of the wood and were greeted by a band of tough looking men
led by Boss Payden “pay day” Teedum, Thuldrin Kreeds right hand man and
chief enforced. Teedum demanded that the party hand over the
lumberjacks and the Crown. The party decided to object to Teedum’s
demands and battle was joined. The fight was tough, with Teedum proving
much better than he looked, but a combination of brute force &
spells enabled the party to prevail. During the fight the lumberjacks
had fled towards Falcon’s Hollow and out of harm’s way.
With
many of the party injured they decided to rest and heal themselves. On
waking up, Hogradin cried out announcing he was blind now as well has
having lost all his teeth. Farren & Lia consulted and decided
Hogradin was cursed on entering the Cold marrow. The party decided to
rest a bit longer so Lia could commune with her God and pray for a
Remove Curse Spell. Once the spell was cast Hogradin’s eyesight started
to come back, and it appeared his teeth were regrowing.
The
party returned to Falcon’s Hollow to a hero’s welcome as the
lumberjacks had spread the word of their victory and Thuldrin Kreeds
treachery. The party tried to confront Kreed but his walled enclave
“The Perch” on a small hill overlooking Falcon’s Hollow was heavily
guarded and the party could not gain entrance. However, they know they
had made a powerful enemy.
After resting in town at the Goose n
Gander Ale House, travellers were talking about a Lord far to the East,
one Captain Tolgrith, who was offering Land, Gold and Tiltle to help
open a trade route through Bloodsworn Vale. Deciding that with Kreed’s
enmity, it was probably a good idea to leave Falcons Hollow, at least
for now. The party signed on as caravan guards heading east
towards Bloodsworn Vale.