Session #3: Region A.3

Though still trapped within the dungeon and weary from their battle with the kobolds, the adventurers have a renewed sense of confidence after their latest victory. Esme takes the kobold wizard's spellbook and bracers (which showed themselves to be magical after her divinations) while Bardobis takes its very fine dagger. Gordak stands guard at the doorway while Daeran binds the wounds of the kobolds' captain. The dwarf warns that they should probably not stay here long. "These rooms are unstable... the stones cry out. We should move on soon."

"That's fine with me," replies the halfling. "But what do we do with them?" He motions to the prisoners. "I don't like the idea of taking them back to our campsite. If one of them escapes, we won't be safe there anymore." Gordak nods in agreement.

"We must learn what we can from them," says the wizardess. "They may know where to find food and water and fuel."

"All I want to know is how to get out of this pit," replies Gordak. "And I'm pretty sure we can't learn that from them, or else they wouldn't be here."

Daeran manages to improve the kobolds' attitude to unfriendly (from hostile) with some help from Esme who translates. When the priest suggests cooperation to escape from the dungeons, the humanoids actually become friendly (Diplomacy check 17). Despite the objections, the cleric releases them and uses his last orison to offer minor healing to the wounded leader. Before handing them their spears, he has Esme tells them, "you all fought bravely, but we must put old battles aside. Your survival and freedom depends on us now." The kobolds nod and Daeran turns to the others and says, "none of us are ever alone with them. Understood?"

The new alliance leaves the rubble-filled chamber and cautiously returns to the safe room. Bardobis deactivates the trapped door, but keeps his method hidden from the kobolds. Esme meditates and Daeran sleeps while the dwarf and halfling keep watch with the kobolds. Their leader rests also. Bardobis cannot speak with them, but he tries to teach them how to play cards. This helps the four hours pass until Esme leaves her trance and begins to study her spells. The priest and kobold captain continue to sleep and Bardobis joins them.

Once Daeran and the kobold leader awaken, they begin to discuss the current situation with Esme there to translate. The kobolds arrived in the dungeon some time ago led by a rat-man sorcerer named Longtail. Others came, too... orcs, troglodytes, and an ogre. They were all promised treasure, but the kobold suspects that Longtail was looking for something else, too. When the sorcerer disappeared to search for whatever he came to the dungeon to find, the different tribes began to bicker amongst themselves. Without Longtail there to keep order, the bickering turned into fighting, with the kobolds & trogs on one side and the orcs with the ogre on the other.

The dungeon was divided between the rival factions, but soon a third force came into play: foul, unnatural monsters suddenly began to spread throughout the corridors and rooms. The former enemies were willing to join together in order to survive against this new threat. But it was futile. The numbers of monsters that attacked were overwhelming. The group of kobolds that the party found was one of the only remaining pockets of humanoids left in the dungeon. There may be a few others, as well. The chambers that the kobolds were using as a lair is to the north, but the leader thinks that area has been overrun.

Once the party has rested, regained spells, talked with the kobolds, and eaten (Gordak even shared some of Bardobis' rations with the kobold captain), it was time to depart. Daeran was down to one flask of lantern oil. Gordak has torches, but who knows how long they would last? The most critical mission is to find fuel followed by food and fresh water. Secretly, the companions want to find this Longtail and question him, but the kobolds fear him.

The group leaves the camp walking two abreast: Gordak and the kobold leader in the front with Daeran, Bardobis, and Esme each with a warrior by their side. They pass the chamber where they had battled the kobolds and continue north. After passing through a door, the group comes to a fork with one corridor continuing north to a door and another passage turning east into darkness. They decide to head north, away from the damaged area.

Beyond the door, the hallway turns east and seems to turn into a tangle of labyrinthine passages. Eventually, the corridor leads south and then east again where a hall of doors is found. The group tries the first doorway on the left, which as been left ajar. Inside, the room appears empty, but suddenly everything appears lost in blackness and a familiar leathery fluttering is heard. The kobolds (perhaps wisely) bolt for the exit and retreat down the hallway. Meanwhile, Gordak is attacked (8 dm.), but he is able to prevent the creature from wrapping its webs about his face. He counterattacks, but cannot connect.

More fluttering is heard as a second creature descends from above. Daeran hears the thing swooping for him and narrowly ducks out of the way. Neither the newcomer nor the creature thrashing atop the dwarf's head do further harm. Esme feels ahead of her in the darkness to try helping the priest, but her sword thrust does not find the mark. Bardobis has the same predicament -- he cannot find his enemies to fight them. Daeran swings towards where he heard his opponent flap off to, but hits only empty air.

Gordak still cannot strike his assailant, but at least the creatures are not having any better luck (rolls: 9,4,1). The wild melee continues fruitlessly for a while longer, but then both the dwarf and cleric are struck. Daeran's head is very nearly enveloped by the foul beast, but he fights it off.

Bardobis is the first member of the party to land a serious blow (like the first time the group ran across one the things). Perhaps lucky more than skilled, he again skewers the creature right through despite not being able to see (confirmed crit. with flank, 10 dm.). Gordak is free, but the darkness remains. Esme follows with a lucky thrust of her own (confirmed crit. with flank, 10 dm.) and quickly the last attacker falls to the floor. Simultaneously the blackness dissipates and Daeran's lantern once again gives forth its radiance.

Each party member gets 150 xp, and the kobolds are nowhere to be found.