Session 32 Report

General Summary

The morrow after our eventful arrival in Brashville, the Bannermanes were loaded back up onto the airship and set off for the mountain range to find Chauffeur’s lair. It took the better part of a day to locate it, but locate it we did! We were also asked to keep an eye out for a colorful gryphon, not our main task but I glanced about as we were flying. All we could find were marks to indicate we were near the lair. When it came to getting off the airship, there wasn’t any room to properly land, and that left us with an interesting dilemma of finding a safe way down for Ord. After much deliberating and refusal of magical assistance, the lass decided to just toss herself overboard! I managed to look over just in time to see her catch onto a tree, snapping it down to slow her momentum and leave her with a safe landing. That was quite the show, I couldn’t’a done it better me self! Moon Planter was next to depart without offering any assistance, not the most gentlecolt of gestures. That left me to give Cher gentle descent down, Shabaka doing the same with Tangent. Nevertheless we entered the mouth of the cave and began our expedition! Almost immediately we came to a fork in the road, one path leading to a small room with shovels and brooms, a curious sight but not as curious as Shabaka’s decision to take a few of the tools as if they’re worth a lick of sea salt. We took to the other path to the other path where Cher narrowly avoided getting her hoof caught in a trap, a reminder to her that Moon Planter and I would typically take lead—but it seems now that second point will fall onto our new, robust party member.. I can’t I mind all that much. Where I’m typically not fond of the narrow caves we’ve found ourselves in, I didn’t mind having to squeeze by today! Moon Planter’s keen eye spotted a kobold scurrying deeper into the cave, I’m not very familiar with dragon culture and this was my first time in a lair, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.. We avoided one more trap along the way and Shabaka used a decoy to trigger a third before stumbling upon a room of sleeping bags and other amenities that we didn’t have much time to explore before camouflaged kobolds leapt out at us! They got the jump on us, and I took a pretty nasty swing from a pickaxe as a result. As we were, the lot of us were somewhat split as Ord and Moon Planter were further ahead serving as the front line, leaving me and the casters in the back to fend off the droves of kobolds that fed through the tunnels, one of which receiving a nasty blow from Moon Planter as it tried to slip by, getting put to sleep immediately. Nimble, slippery little bastards they were, we did our best and landed hits for the most part, though I swear I heard Moon Planter getting a bit frustrated further down the cave. I can only imagine the gruesome battery that he and Ord put on their runts. Stabs and pokes were exchanged, Shabaka found it appropriate to stay out of reach and leave Cher and Tangent open to attacks as they expertly used their magic and healing abilities to assist, and the whole time I’m wondering where Chauffeur was, or if we had the wrong cave… That question was answered soon enough as a thunderous roar and blaze of fire erupted further down the cave. The kobolds froze in place, seemingly startled and almost scared and as a result not willing to fight any longer. Everyone stood down as Chauffeur appeared, apologizing that he forgot to let the kobolds know of our expected arrival. That was rather annoying, but everyone was still alive and well. We walked past the kobolds to follow Chauffeur further to his sleeping quarters. There, negotiations began over earning ourselves a bit of Aetherstone, prepared to barter with whatever we may have, we were caught off guard by Chauffeur’s request to have us ask his mother to move out… Apparently she’s living further up the mountain range, encroaching in his territory to keep an eye on him… How familiar. A’course, me circumstances weren’t the same, I can still understand where Chauffeur’s coming from. It’s that reason that I feel I should be able to easily talk to the mother. He assured us she was friendly to adventurers and we’d find no battles or fire for our attempt. We were only able to secure promise of a single Aetherstone however, a bit disappointing, but if all goes well it should be the easiest and most harmless bulk yet.