Shawnacy's 4E D&D Game!
The battle against the summoned Vicejaw was off to a fierce start! The Dragonborn Kratash swooped in for a critical strike against the creature's health. The others proceeded to pelt the monster with their attacks, daunted by the sheer physical endurance of the beast.
Then, with a swift blow, the Vicejaw disappeared into thin air! Had they defeated it? Was it un-summoned? Nay, the news was not so good for our adventurers-- they watched with awe as the dust on the floor shifted about, indicating some kind of movement-- the beast was invisible!!
Thinking quickly, the group spread out to prevent escape and began flinging water from their waterskins to weed out the creature's whereabouts. Adia was the luckiest (or perhaps unluckiest), finding that the water she'd flung crystallized in mid-air and shattered upon the floor right in front of her. She mere feet from the deadly Vicejaw.
The party did their best to fight the invisible monster, but hitting what you can't see is not an easy task. Before long, a shroud of shadows radiated out from the vicinity of the beast as a large pair of jaws lashed out and grasped poor Grendmir, dragging him back to the darkness from which they emerged.
The battle raged on, the party making their best efforts to damage the monster. Soon the shadows vanished and Grendmir was released. The beast appeared to be on its last leg, and was soon rendered to its knees by the brave adventurers. A final bolt of chaotic energy put the beast to rest.
Elated to finally be freed, the captured girls threw their arms around each adventurer in a mighty embrace. Alas, the group was not out of the woods- er, cave, just yet. Adia decided to scout ahead, taking efforts to move as silently as possible. Rounding the corner, she spotted several figures heading their way. As she reported her findings to the party, the dragonborn in the group recognized the conversation as being about the sudden silence. Assuming the worst, the party geared up for battle.
Errik, however, plotted a cunning strategy. He and a few others would lure the approaching kobolds in with the sounds of their kin in need, then open up with various area-of-effect attacks.
The plan worked perfectly. The kobolds rushed in, armed for a fight, and were immediately greated with face-fulls of fire, courtesy of the halfling wizard, followed shortly by a dragon breath and whirlwind attack from the others. The kobolds had barely a chance to react before more than half of their forces had fallen.
Finally realizing what was happening, the kobolds dropped their weapons in surrender. It then dawned on the party: perhaps the kobolds had not intended to be hostile in the first place. They had, after all, fallen into a trap.
After a lengthy conversation with the kobold leader, it was discovered that the kobolds had not kidnapped the missing trio after all. They had wandered in looking for the lost dragon's treasure. Responding to the potential threat, the kobolds had taken them hostage to use for their summoning ritual. Furthermore, the Vicejaw, which lay dead and desecrated in the corner, had not been their intended effect.
While Adia deigned to deliver the two girls back to their homes, the rest of the group had the remaining kobolds show them the way to the underground river entrance. The realization that they had slaughtered what were mostly peaceful creatures deeply fazed some; others strode on, undaunted.
Upon reaching the den where the group was initially attacked, Errik was suddenly overcome by some uncontrollable force-- a drive if you will, which led him to discover a secret passage of which he could have not had any previous knowledge. This passage led to a room with but a single interesting thing in it (or so the party thought, anyway): there was a bed with a crowned skeleton lying in it.
Kratash, being the fortuned-loving dragonborn that he is, went immediately for the crown. As he reached for it, however, the skeleton sprung to like, grabbing the scaled warrior and whispering unto him that which sent shivers down the spine of all who heard: "He is returning... The Devourer..." before collapsing to the bed once more.
Before the group could take time to process these new circumstances, the sorceress Serin looked up as a sickening splortch! eminated from the ceiling. She had just enough time to realize that a Green Slime was descending upon her before she was covered in the acidic ooze. It stung and burned her flesh, but she could feel her wild magical powers lending resistance to the creature's effects.
With naught much else to do, and taking to heart the old adage, "Kill it with fire," Errik immediately doused the creature (and poor Serin) with a scorching burst, sizzling the gelatinous ooze and eliciting a cry from the woman trapped within. Kratash, being a much kinder soul than the halfing, rushed over to help Serin shake off the ooze, which burned him as well.
The gesture was appreciated and successful, shaking the ooze from Serin's body. Alas, the goop had not decided to end its meal so quickly and latched right back on. The halfling continued his onslaught, quickly lowering the health of the ooze and likewise the health of his trapped compatriate.
The ooze latched onto Kratash after being shaken off once more. Its health failing, however, it was easily slopped off and blasted into nothingness by the cleric of the group.
Having had enough adventure for one day, the team decided to head back to town, where they were welcomed with open arms to free services at the inn.
The next morning the adventurers were hailed as heroes, and well-met with the town's man-in-charge, a sturdy man by the name of Drake. He offered the group advice on where to head next, as well as agreeing to leave the kobolds underground in peace provided that they stay to themselves.
Errik, proud to be called a hero for the first time, glady played up the adventure and showered fireworks over the town to spell out the name "Loreno." The town would surely not forget that name for a long, long time.
The party, wanting for bigger fish, decided to head for the city. South it was!
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Personal notes for my character: She feels like shit for the kobold incident and now feels like she has to make it up to them someday. Furthermore, she will be thinking long and hard over the value of life and assumptions made.
What this means game-wise is that her attacks will probably now default to knocking sentient, somewhat-civilized beings unconscious instead of killing them. I saw in the Player's Guide we have that choice, so she'll probably do that, and decide to kill/restrain them afterwards.
Hugs and kisses!
check."