Rising early the next day, our band of intrepid heroes sets out to gather what information they can on the kobold troubles. The little they have already heard sends them toward the Lord Warden. Setting out on the most direct path, they soon discover, to their annoyance, that there is a toll on the Five-Arch Bridge. After a short bit of grumbling, each heroes coughs up their copper, under the watchful eyes of Sergeant Thurmina, and heads East across the bridge.
The group makes its way to Moonstone Keep, where they are able to secure an audience with Faren Markelhay, the Lord Warden. Informed that the heroes are interested in helping with the recent goblinoid troubles on the old King's Road, Faren quickly meets with the heroes, sharing what information he has and inquiring about news from beyond Fallcrest. The exchange goes well, and the Lord Warden tells the heroes the standard bounty of 25 gold per kobold can be claimed by collecting their scalps. He also tells them he will pay each of them a bonus of 100 gold coins if they can provide some evidence that an end has been brought to the kobold threat. Faren then turns the group over to one of his councilors, Emmon Smythe.
The councilor seems somewhat impatient to be away from the adventurers, but he does try to be helpful. He manages to pull his eyes away from the Lord Warden and the business of state long enough to inform the heroes that the head of the Mages' Guild, the High Septarch, has expressed some concern about the overly organized of the kobolds over the last few months. Smythe then answers a few more trivial questions for the Heroes, but it becomes apparent to Caelyn that Luxa's attention is wandering, dangerously, toward silverware and chalices. Additionally, something about the councilor is giving Leeandra a cold chill - she can't quite put her finger on it, but something about the man troubles her instincts.
The heroes leave the Keep, discussing the option of going to see the High Septarch. Maxim, however, talks them out of it, expressing his desire to prove himself on this challenge even if something more sinister and arcane is motivating the kobolds. In the end, the group heads South into Lowtown (joyfully avoiding the toll on Five Arch Bridge) to purchase a few additional supplies at Sandercot Provisioners. They decide to take a quick lunch on the Market Green before gathering their packs and heading out of town, heading West on the old King's Road.
The party leaves Fallcrest in the early afternoon, cheerful enough to be setting out and doing something, despite Autumn winds carrying the chill of the North down into the Vale. After about three hours of travel, Kaedir and Leendra find signs of a trail heading South into the Cloak Wood. Kaedir believes this is the path the Kobolds use to haul their loot back to Kobold Hall. After a quick once over of their gear and weapons, they party heads South, falling to their planned marching order (Caelyn, Maxim, then Luxa, with Leeandra and Kaedir bringing up the rear to form a triangle).
A little more than two hours later, our heroes reach the ruins of an old castle, certainl they have found Kobold Hall. A brief survey of the area shows only a few sections of the ruins are still intact, most of the remainder having been destroyed in some ancient seige, reclaimed by the wilderness, or scavenged and hauled off. Almost immediately, Kaedir is able to determine that most of the tracks in this area head in or out of the largest section of ruins, what once would have been the Keep proper.
Cautiously approaching the keep, the heroes are pleased to find they have gone undetected so far, likely thanks to the predominantly nocturnal tendencies of the kobolds. Once within the ruins of the keep, Luxa discovers a simple, stone trapdoor in the back corner of the room. After Luxa inspects it for traps and finds none, Leeandra decides to try and open it, using her dagger to pry it up. The trapdoor reveals a cut stone corridor below, and a few minutes later our heroes have slipped quietly down into the warren of tunnels beneath the old keep.
No comments:
Post a Comment