23 Mai 534, The Tomb of Zoltar, Outside the Village of Mere, Barony of Gulluvia
The party had just released all the prisoners in the cells of the kobold lair: Two kobolds who quickly disappeared as soon as everyone's backs were turned, and Duzin, a goblin with a great distaste for the the kobold leader, Tarex. But things quickly transitioned to the old kobold woman around the corner, cooking up a pot of soup, a full larder of misbegotten items from caravan raids, aiding her cooking.
The party members were afraid to converse with, less she be far more powerful than she appeared, and in a similar vein, were forced to keep an eye on her for the same reason. She did not protest as they rummaged through her larder. Beulah found the only item of any interest, a small jar of a clear blue *shining* liquid. She tucked it away in her pouch for safe keeping.
Working past a door next to the larder, they descended some steps until they reach a room of statues. Beulah deduced that the statues were those of Warriors of Zoltar, the God of Peaceful Death, but it was Hugo that figured out the necks of the statues were separate pieces and could swivel. As they could hear certain whirling and clicking noises made when the heads were turned, the party spent considerable time trying to figure out what combination created whatever mysterious result.
But kobold hunger was far more powerful than adventurer logic.
A portion of the far wall swung open, and a lone kobold strolled into the room, complete with a bib tied around its neck, like it was preparing to eat. The party quickly slew the original kobold, but two others quickly came into the passageway. One of the pair was killed and the other ran away, with Beulah in pursuit.
After finally killing the runaway kobold, the others caught up and found themselves inside a catacomb. Searching netted little, save Slothina somehow getting caught into a magical trap that covered her with hundreds of tiny reflective mirrors (akin to a modern day disco ball). Luckily the blue flame of the continual torches only mesmerized a few of Slothina's friends.
Moving into a second portion of the catacomb, the party split up. Hugo looked around, Beulah peered down a peculiar corridor making the faintest of noises and the rest stayed in between, still amazed by Slothina's curse.
The party members were afraid to converse with, less she be far more powerful than she appeared, and in a similar vein, were forced to keep an eye on her for the same reason. She did not protest as they rummaged through her larder. Beulah found the only item of any interest, a small jar of a clear blue *shining* liquid. She tucked it away in her pouch for safe keeping.
Working past a door next to the larder, they descended some steps until they reach a room of statues. Beulah deduced that the statues were those of Warriors of Zoltar, the God of Peaceful Death, but it was Hugo that figured out the necks of the statues were separate pieces and could swivel. As they could hear certain whirling and clicking noises made when the heads were turned, the party spent considerable time trying to figure out what combination created whatever mysterious result.
But kobold hunger was far more powerful than adventurer logic.
A portion of the far wall swung open, and a lone kobold strolled into the room, complete with a bib tied around its neck, like it was preparing to eat. The party quickly slew the original kobold, but two others quickly came into the passageway. One of the pair was killed and the other ran away, with Beulah in pursuit.
After finally killing the runaway kobold, the others caught up and found themselves inside a catacomb. Searching netted little, save Slothina somehow getting caught into a magical trap that covered her with hundreds of tiny reflective mirrors (akin to a modern day disco ball). Luckily the blue flame of the continual torches only mesmerized a few of Slothina's friends.
Moving into a second portion of the catacomb, the party split up. Hugo looked around, Beulah peered down a peculiar corridor making the faintest of noises and the rest stayed in between, still amazed by Slothina's curse.
And once her glimmering form turned back to normal, the earth shook, not from an earthquake or large monsters, but that of a dozen kobold warriors coming around the corner near Beulah.
The combat was fierce, but the party reigned supreme, with only seconds kobolds escaping past the group and towards the secret door that Hugo had just uncovered a few seconds prior to the attack.
A minute or so afterwards, a loud roar came from the secret door, and the three kobolds returned with their leader, a kobold five foot tall, with two set of muscular arms, a three pronged whip tail, and red glowing eyes.
Tarex the Everchanging hated to be disturbed.
His first claw attack slew Duzin the goblin outright, and then he disappeared, only to reappear behind Slothina on the other side of the catacombs. The heroes focused their fighting on Tarex, while Leroy and Jenkins held off the three other kobolds. Soon Leroy fell.
Then Bodo.
Then Beulah.
Then Hugo.
After Jenkins finally dispatched the last of his kobolds and came over to fight the monstrous beast, he too was quickly dropped. But they all had wounded the beast enough that Slothina, with her own life perilously close to ending, smacked the Tarex in the head with her maul, finally killing him.
Slothina stood alone in a room with all her friends and foes lying motionless on the ground. She stumbled to each of each of her teammates, shaking them, crying out their names, futilely trying to stop bleeding although she had no clue how to do it. She ultimately slumped to her knees and let out a long, mournful cry.
After that cry, she could see a small crowd gather a bit aways from her. It was a collection of kobold women and children, and the old kobold cook. The old lady rummaged through Beulah's effects, pulled out the strange shining blue liquid, and in broken Gulluvian asked Slothina, "Which two you want saved?"
Slothina picked Hugo and Beulah. The old lady gave each half of the liquid and they each revived.
She then motioned to the other kobolds to help heal everyone. Most of the kobolds were quite dead, they completely ignored the goblin, but they were able to save Jenkins as well. Alas, both Leroy and Bodo were quite dead.
The old kobold explained that since Slothina "The Monstrous One!" defeated Tarex in combat, she was the new leader, but the giant warrior declined. She would let the kobolds stay there so long as they stopped attacking the village or any caravans. Everyone agreed that was fair.
Before they left, the party got to rummage through what remained of the laboratory some mad wizard built in the tomb, well after it was initially abandoned. His lingering experiments may have caused some of the weird mutations on the kobolds, but no one will ever know for sure.
DM Notes: Finally, completion of a "full" module. This one "The Transmuter's Last Touch" a d20 module that was originally only two bucks for a hard copy! (It's still available for $2, as a pdf on Goodman's website).
Page 266 of the RC talks about when a PC goes to 0 hp or below, may regular Saving Throws vs death ray. Make them and your character is just mostly dead. Fail, and they are completely dead, short of raising, resurrection, etc... I was surprised when I called for the rolls, everyone but Bodo, made them.
Magic items for this adventure: Short Sword +1, a scroll with magic missle on it, and for Slothina, Queen of the mutated kobolds, and a Maul +1.
Next #11 Beware... The Leaf Rustler!
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