Part 8 continues the story...
Using the few moments of surprise they have gained they charge straight into your ranks. One of them charges straight for Pedrov but does not manage to hit the man. Another leaps upon Bodewin and slashes viscously at the halfling, cutting a deep gash across his chest. A third one jumps upon Ghordon and stabs the man in the arm. The fourth one heads straight for Bollas and plunges it's sword deep into the mans abdomen. The last one dives for Salinor and somehow manages to find a crack in his defenses as he cries out in pain as its sword bites deeply into elven flesh. The large kobold brandishing the battle-axe strikes out at Jimbob but does not manage to hit the elusive elf.
Maintaining their drive the kobolds continue their assault. The one upon Pedrov continues its assault, wielding its short sword in a mad frenzy that is barely parried by the large mans bronze mace. The one attacking Bodewin strikes out at the small man as he attempts to flee, lodging its short sword deep into his back and out his chest (2hp). The kobold removes its blood-dripping sword from the halfling's body as he slides across the floor.
The one upon Ghordon launches a wild swing only to land its hand hard upon Ghordon's lantern, causing burning to oil to cover its arm! The small creature drops its sword and falls to the ground in an attempt to douse the flames.
The one sparring with Bollas grins deeply as it sees the blood rush from his now open wound and though it swings again, this one is parried by the thief.
The one upon Salinor, inspired by it's ability to bypass his armor strikes out again. This time it's attack is deflected by the elf's armor. The larger kobold with the battle-axe swings yet again at Jimbob and misses him by a wide margin.
Bollas returns the kobolds strike with one of his own, and like the kobold he is fighting, he misses.
Jimbob swears: "Damn, another fat ones! Where the Hell do they grow these ones?" He unsheathes his sword and starts to fight, yet the large kobold dodges his swing.
Salinor strikes out with his sword and is greeted by the sight of spurting blood as he wounds the kobold attacking him. Apparently it is a major wound as the creature falls to the floor.
Gwynth strikes out for the kobold that has just slain Bodewin but misses. Ghordon stabs at the burning kobold at his feet and notices it is already dead.
The large kobold with the axe suddenly falls to the ground, a smiling Finster rises up from behind it, bloody dagger in his hand. Pedrov strikes out with his mace and shatters the head of the kobold attacking him, he is heard to laugh maniacally as the creature's body hits the floor.
Cirdan, upon seeing the large kobold go down, changes his target to the one upon Bollas, he hits and kills it.
Seeing it's leader fall in battle, the remaining kobold attempts to attack Gwynth, only to trip upon the fallen form of Bodewin and impaling itself upon Gwynth's outstretched sword.
"Damn," Jimbob says, "they got Bodewin! They will pay for that... but for now, let's just take all his money and equipment!"
Pedrov wades through the dead bodies stepping on as many kobolds as possible and kneels down at Bodewin's lifeless body and says, "May you now find rest, weak one" and closes Bodewin's eye lids and breaks out in laughter for no apparent reason. He turns to the party with a smile on his face and says, "you may now plunder the dead."
Breathing hard from exhaustion and bleeding from several spots, Bollas collapses to the ground. "I need to rest." He grinds out obviously in pain. "Those damn rats took a pretty good bite out of me. I'll need to patch these holes before we go on. If anyone can help out, I'd be grateful."
Gwynth approaches Bollas and helps him with his wounds. "They do not look too bad, he should make it. Wasn't that quite a surprise? Too bad about the halfling, he was small but tenacious. Let's see what he has on him that we can use and move along out of here", she states breathing a bit heavy from the battle.
After Gwynth helps to stop the bleeding, Bollas thanks her then announces to the group in general he'll be bringing up the rear... at best.
"I wish I could help...but I am no healer." replies Ghordon, looking at his own wounds. "Perhaps we should head back to the keep for a little rest."
"How hurt is everyone? I'm not hurt at all. I think we shall continue before they gather people for the next attack, The only thing that worries me is that these Kobolds are getting bigger and bigger," says Cirdan.
Jimbob: "I am still in pretty good shape, but I am not sure it's wise to stay here if some of us are too weak. Although I could fight a little more."
Finster looks over the dead, wiping his blade clean on the clothing of the dead Kobold with the battle-axe, searching the body for any thing useful. He only pauses a moment to look up at the party members who are wounded, and the dead form of poor Bodewin, reminding him self that, that could have been him or any other party members lying there instead,"rest in peace", mumbled Finster in a low tone.
Finster looks over at Bodewin's, possessions, out of respect for the fellow thief he leaves the body be, and suggests that they should bury the poor soul, out of respect, and so that no creatures may, dismember it or find it and know we were once here, though they probably already know that the party is here, since, a few bloody battles were fought in this area.
"I want the gold," Says Gwynth!
Gwynth looks around at her exhausted friends and says, "So, where do you guys want to head to now? Let's pick a direction and get moving!"
"Lead on, and we will follow, Gwynth," says Salinor.
Finster begins to tap lightly on the stone walls and then turns back, "I suggest we go through that door over their!"
Gwynth looks about her at the group and smiles, saying, "Alright, then, through the door it will be! Let's go!"
Through the door the party finds what passes for a kobold throne room. This 20' square chamber is decked out with old run-down furniture, mis-matched blankets, heaps of cloth, and piles of bowls filled with fungus and rotting meats. Several faded tapestries adorn the walls and a throne made of animal skins over a frame sits against the far wall upon a low dais.
What appears to be a large sleeping area covers the floor to the left of the throne, complete with moldy pillows and old moth-eaten blankets.
Salinor and Finster begin to search the walls for secret doors and finishing up with a careful search of the throne.
"Ewww how fantastic." Bollas mutters from the back of the group. He suppresses a stomach-churning reflex to gag at the myriad of rancid smells. "May I suggest that once the room is secured by the appropriate people, the rogues search the room for traps? I would hate for anyone to fall to deadly trickery after having fought our way here." He waits to see what the group does before searching for traps or false walls.
Beneath the throne Salinor and Finster uncover a locked chest. Finster quietly checks it for traps while Salinor continues checking the walls.
"No traps found by me," states Finster.
Jimbob takes a quick glance into the chamber at the sound of Finster's voice and then returns to his guard duty.
Salinor returns to the walls to continue his searching while Finster, pleased that he found no traps on the chest, begins to pick the lock, his eyes wide with excitement, as his mind races wondering what the box possesses.
Cirdan stand where he is and looks around to see if anything happens. "It is good to be on alert all the time with these creatures" he says.
Finster gives the lock a stern look, and attempts to open the lock once more, mumbling "damn thing is trickier than I thought".
Pedrov says, "If no one else is going to lock the chest, then it is time to do this my way!" With that he raises his mace above his head and gets ready to crack it in half.
As the mighty Pedrov prepares to launch an attack against the hapless chest Finster pops it open. "I knew I'd get it eventually," the thief remarks.
Sparkling off the torch and lantern light is a vast assortment of coinage. It is hard to tell what metals they are made of, but they do shine!
After finding no secret doors or other items of interest in the room, Salinor suggests the party make a quick estimate of the treasure and gather it. The he turns to Gwynth, "Well, Gwynth. Do you think it is time to return to the Keep and divide the spoils? We do have a number of injured party members. Perhaps it would be wise to return for now and plan our next adventure."
Gwynth looks around at the squalor and replies, "Yes, let's return to the keep. We have not found much here and we do need a rest. Everyone agree?"
Cirdan looks at Salinor "this is just the first of all the caves we shall explore."
"Or correct me if I wrong" he says to Gwynth.
"I agree," says Ghordon.
Finster agrees," we should return, and divide up the loot, amongst our selves", spoke the thief, his eye sparkling like the coins in the chest.
"Agreed' say Bollas. "Some rest and recuperation would be most welcome.'
Deciding that returning to the keep is the only sensible solution, the party gathers together and checks their equipment. Finster begins pulling coins out of the chest when he is pushed aside by the over zealous Pedrov. The cleric leans over and grasps the chest in his two hands picking it up with ease and throwing it under his left arm.
"Quicker this way," replies the pale cleric.
"Let us be off," speaks Gwynth whilst adjusting the grip upon her sword,
"Jimbob, anything out there?"
"No ma'am, unless you count the bodies outside the door here!" The elf replies with a grin and a wink, then turns back to look out the door.
The party carefully makes its way out the door and down the corridor. A few turns' later light from outside the cave shines in the distance. Finster steps ahead of the party and signals for Bollas to join him. The two thieves slowly creep ahead to survey the scene.
"We saw some kobolds enter and then leave the cave when we were last here," explains Gwynth to Pedrov.
The two thieves return and state the way to be clear . . .
Several hours' later, as dusk approaches, the party returns to the keep. They are greeted by friendly words and hearty slaps upon the back by the men at the gate. A few minutes later the small band enters the tavern for a round of drinks, courtesy of the barkeep.
Sitting around a large wooden table the group lets out a collective sigh of relief. "So," begins Gwynth with a smirk on her face," How did we do? Anyone care to take a peak in that chest and count our coinage? More importantly, how many of you wish to venture there again?"
Within the chest is found:
203 copper coins
61 silver coins
22 electrum coins
14 gold coins
1 small purple gem
"Good! Jimbob says with a smile, I wouldn't go as far as to say we are rich, but this is certainly a beginning! I suggest we rest a bit, get back in shape and go back there... we will be dining on goblin soup very soon!"
"I recommend we split the coinage equally between all of us and a short game of cards for the purple stone," says Pedrov, "winner takes it?"
"Sounds like a fair split.' remarks Bollas. "But what of the armor and weapons of the fallen? Did they also carry treasure? We should make an attempt to sell their gear, or distribute it appropriately within the group.' Bollas leans back and grimaces as one of his wounds is pulled uncomfortably. "Regardless, it will take some time for me to regain my health before I can return, which I have every intention of doing.'
"That does sound like sound advice Bollas, but none of us bothered to carry back our dead," remarks Gwynth.
Salinor empties his tankard and speaks to the group. "Well, I have also brought back two items of possible value from our adventure." He places the bone scroll tube and bejeweled necklace on the table. "I plan on having these appraised in town tomorrow. The proceeds should increase our bounty."
Pedrov takes the bone tub in hand and pops off the cap, unfurling the scroll within he begins to read. After a few moments he looks up at Salinor, "You should have mentioned this earlier! This a clerical scroll of three spells! Two Cure Light Wound spells and a Hold Person spell! This we should keep, and seeing as how I am the only one capable of using it, I suggest I hold on to it!"
"With eight people, some of this treasure will not be so easily split," remarks Gwynth over her glass of wine. "Perhaps when we find the value of Salinor's jewelry we will be able to divide these coins a bit more equally?"
While the party relaxes and enjoys a fine meal a thin man walks over and introduces himself. "Hello great ones, my name is Earl Jones and I couldn't help overhearing that you have recently returned from a grand expedition against the forces of evil!"
"Tis true," remarks Salinor, "Are you here to toast us or tease us?"
"Well," begins the man somewhat taken aback, "I'm actually interested in that trinket over there," he says while pointing at the necklace found by Salinor. "I deal in jewelry and, I was wondering if I could have a look at it?"
Salinor takes a moment to appraise the situation and then beckons the man forward.
He takes several moments to look it over and wipe away some of the grime. "I'm willing to give you 320 gold coins for this. It needs a bit of work, looks like a rat wore it for a while."
A few snickers erupt from around the table before Salinor answers the man, "320 gold coins you say?" After a quick look around the table Salinor nods his head in approval.
"I will return shortly with your money." He begins to walk away when he suddenly turns back, "If you have any other gems or trinkets, please do look me up while I am here?"
"320," whispers Bollas, "Maybe our little trip paid off after all!"
Finster stands up, "I will return shortly, need to visit the outhouse." With those words he heads for the door of the tavern.
"OK," begins Gwynth," with the 320 gold coins from the jeweler we will have 334 gold coins,203 copper, 61 silver and 22 electrum. Seeing as how there are eight of us we will each get 41 gold, 25 coppers, 7 silvers and 2 electrum."
"Wait a minute," chides Salinor," what about the extra 6 gold, 3 coppers, 5 silvers and 6 electrums?"
"That will pay for our feast, of course," she replies!
Finster returns at this point with a slight flush in his complexion, "I feel much better now. Has the jeweler returned yet?"
