Rushed Diplomacy: -10 on Diplomacy roll. In draconic: "Stay your weapons. We did not come here to fight, nor to steal anything from you. We only came to recover a ring that was stolen from a friend. You understand the importance of helping a friend? Yes, you do; for that is what your comrades are doing right now; helping a friend. But that's unnecessary! We can help you, even if its just as a connection to the above world; we can help you find those things that are hidden from you. Maybe one day we could even make you a home aboveground, giving you the option rather than the necessity of living down here."
<There is barely enough room for your own people in the above world. We see more than you think. Will there be any room for us? I think not...>He makes a closed fist, and all talk ceases...the parley is over.
...
Kobold Team 1d20+2=18
vs
Tyri 1d20+5=7
Eiryls 1d20+4=14
Mathias 1d20+0=8
Ari 1d20+7=23
Gracewyn 1d20+0=17
Ari moves quickly, tossing a vial at the rightmost caster, who's rapidly chanting in a low raspy tongue.
1d20+5+1(Pbs)=19 vs Ac 16
Miss chance/Concealment 20%, 1d100=95
Damage! 1d6+1(Pbs)+2d6(Sa)=8
With a hiss and a pop, one of the casters is engulfed in a plume of flame. Oddly, he doesn't seem to be in pain...he merely sits cross legged and allows himself to be consumed.
....
The Kobolds strike back!
After a few hastily barked orders, the bow-bolds reach for their belts and reach for small, spherical devices-they look like tiny beetles carved from stone. They shake the devices vigorously, and toss them in front of the line-beyond the reach of the spears.
The beetles begins to hiss and spit when they land, and the kobold fighter line raises their shields warily...
1d3=2
1d3=1
...
The remaining caster gestures at Grace with a snorting evocation.
1d20+6=8 VS Dc 13
...
Grace frowns as she suffers a sudden diminution of size and mass, becoming about half her current dimensions. She's about a foot shorter than Ari, now.
Grace is affected by Reduce Person! (Size changed to Small), Duration 2 minutes/I believe powerful build still helps here, though
After a moment, he begins casting once more.
...
The Spearfighters remain in place, preparing for the charge.
...
Eirlys flits toward the leader in a deadly rainbow shimmer, glaring eyes boring into her enemy. His spear rises to meet her...but, she darts around it in a flashing zig zag-a lightning bug with a sting.
1d20+5=15 vs Ac 19
Miss!
1d20+7=26 vs Ac 17
Crit Threat? 6+7=13, nope!
Damage 1d3-2=1
Kobold Leader is Affected by Iron Guards Stare
...
Mathias orders his skeletons forward into the hedge of spears-better they take the blows...
1d20+3=20 vs Ac 13
1d20+3=8
1d20+3=15
1d20+3=21
1d20+3=8
Damage Rolls
#1/1d6+1=7
Dc 17 Standstill Vs Skeleton Reflex 1d20+1=9
Fail!
#2/1d6+1=
1d6+1=4
Dc 14 Standstill vs Skeleton Reflex 1d20+1=16
Pass!
#3/1d6+1=
1d6+1=2
Dc 12 Standstill vs Skeleton Reflex 1d20+1=3
Fail!
The Kobolds, understanding they've little chance to harm the bones with their spears, instead create a fence of tripping and blocking prongs that effectively halt the Skeletons from moving forward-everytime they step forward, a spear jabs at a knee, or forces it back onto loose ground. They are well trained in holding ground this way.
...
Grace, however reduced, still picks her moment to attack-waiting for the spears to slow before wading forward and attacking the Leader.
1d20+5-4=11 vs Ac 16
Miss!
Given her fierce little friends distraction, and her improved agility-being small isn't all bad-she slips his probing long spear and leads foot forward into a powerful arcing strike on the leader and the closest of his mates.
1d20+7=27 vs Ac 17
Crit Threat? 1d20+7=25, Crit!
Damage 2d6+4x2=20
1d20+7=17 vs Ac 15
Damage 2d6+4=16
:O
In a sweeping flash, the front line of kobold warriors-including their leader-is utterly decimated as Grace bisects two in a single cut. And she's not even full sized!
The Kobold captain lands on the ground with a pained wheeze. He favors Grace with a glance and a few words.
<...well struck. Your convictions are matched by your strength. I did not wish to die here, in this lonely place, so far away from my home...but, we do not choose where and when...I will find you again, great warrior, in the next life. We will meet again.>...
Tyri, last of all, whirls a magic missile at the remaining caster-whose confidence is remarkably shaken at this point.
1d4+1=2
Dc 12 Vs Con Check 1d20+4=18
Though hurt by the blast, he continues to invocate.
Ari 1d20+7=23
Kobold Team 1d20+2=18
Eiryls 1d20+4=14
Mathias 1d20+0=8
Gracewyn 1d20+0=8
Tyri 1d20+5=7
...
Though sorely wounded, the Kobolds press on-the barrels have been emptied into the ditch, and now the remaining Kobolds seem to be taken orders from another of their kind...he was the warrior to the left of the former Captain, the right having been killed.
<...Prepare for retreat! Light the sparkers!>...
Ari tosses an acid flask at the remaining caster, grimacing.
1d20+5+1(Pbs)=20 vs Ac 17
Miss chance/Concealment 20%, 1d100=44
Damage! 1d6+1(Pbs)=3
Dc 13 Vs Con Check 1d20+4=9
With a hiss and a curse, the Kobold caster loses his concentration-sorely wounded, he drops his chants...and flees back across the ditch, hopping over nimbly.
...
The other Kobolds follow afterwards, fleeing in an ordered rout. On instinct, Grace's sword flashes out...
1d20+7=14 vs Ac 15
Miss!
And only just whisks the air above a Kobolds head.
...
Once the last Kobold is over the line, a small heated rock is tossed into the liquid-which at this point, is revealed to be highly flammable. A wall of fire fills the passage, forcing everyone back. The Skeletons are about to charge through the fire before Mathias stops them.
Then....of course, those little beetle devices I mentioned earlier choose the next few seconds to explode-a gout of acid splashes both skeletons-fortunately, they were the only ones in range. Everyone else has perhaps taken a step back, but the bones remain standing, watching with interest.
1d4x1d6=12
1d4x1d6=5
Reflex Saves
Skele #1 8, 5 vs DC 12
Skele #2 9, 5 vs Dc 12
The skeletons stand for a moment more-before the acid dissolves their bonds of magic and sinew-they collapse in sizzling heaps, the only friendly casualties of the entire encounter.
...
The fire rages, but the group pulls two of their kills away-it's possible the petals could fly over the flames with a bit of skill and risk of singing, but the others would have to risk a very possibly fatal jump.
Before deciding what to do, they begin poring through the kobolds belongings.
- [+1] Steel Breastplate
The prized armor of the Kobold Captain, likely taken from a dead Gnome of Halfling judging by the markings-it's been well taken care of. It gleams with dull green magical runes, indicating a simple enchantment of reinforcement. It's likely to magically resize itself to whomever claims it. It has a strong smell, however...
-Undecipherable Kobold Map
It certainly looks like a map, though it's very difficult to decipher-it almost looks like a surrealist painting. It will take some time, an intelligence check, and working knowledge of Draconic to unlock it's mysteries.
-Live beetle in Cage+Food
This little fellow is a sort of Beetle, a small vermin that dwells deep underground-this specific one has a dull red shell, and when he flicks his wings, a deeper and hotter glow can be seen underneath. There is a small bag of assorted baits tied to the cage for food-and the cage itself has a few pieces of gem and glass inside, scuffed from play. Judging by it's liveliness, it was well taken care of-perhaps even as a pet. It's currently making a keening sound that manages to be quite sad and pitiful, for a beetle, and clawing at it's cage toward it's now dead owner.
-2x Small Sundark Goggles
These smoky lenses help any underground dwelling race acclimate to the harshness of the suns rays.
-2x Tiny Bottles of Oil
It smells of strong cinnamon enough to clear your sinuses. Both are marked with a symbol of a Kobolds claw in wax and the draconic word for 'Oil' in a parchment tag on the stopper.
-Small Studded Leather Armor
This armor is fitted for a small being, around halfling sized-it's made of Chitin, which is a tough material that is very flexible, reducing the Armor Penalty by 1.
-Bag of Hotrocks
At a loss at what else to call them-these tiny stones are rubbed vigorously in ones hand, and quickly produce a heated chemical reaction. They can be used to light campfire or flammable oil. Ari has heard of such things and made them from time to time, but he has never seem them in a natural form as they are here.
-2xSmall Shortsword
A tiny blade with a sawtoothed edge, designed for both utility and war. It's design is not like anything you've ever likely seen.
-2xSmall Buckler
This tiny shield is actually the shell of some sort of insect, molding to fit onto an arm. It's fairly light, providing a reduction in armor penalty of 1.
-2xSmall Longspear
This vicious looking barb has a hook on the underside that can be used to shunt, catch, and push away opponents. It's made of poorly worked steel, though serviceable.
-50 GP in rings, coins and trinkets
Most of them seem to be melted down from larger pieces of metal-the smaller coins actually bear a Draconic face of some design on one side, and a ratty Kobod tail on the other.
All party members gain 300 XP for an incredibly one sided encounter!