Kingmaker Session Dec. 4th

Kingmaker Session Summary via Will (with proper name corrections by Brian):

You may recall that last time we broke up in the middle of cleaning out a dungeon full of mites.  We picked up from there.

Most of the session was occupied with finishing with the mites – there were ten left, plus two more giant centipedes (thankfully not as dangerous as the really enormous one that we ran into last time).  The only really notable part of that battle came when Verdessa managed to roast Grendel's buttocks with a Flame Bolt while trying to target a centipede through his legs, at the very same moment that a mite jabbed poor Grendel in the groin. Oh, and Telvin managed to trip and fall twice in a row on the same mite.

We also discovered a hatchery for more centipedes, and destroyed the eggs, except three that Verdessa collected to make an omelette.  Once we scoured the place for treasure, we headed back to the surface.  Little John was exceptionally grateful to get out of the cramped mite caverns, and stretched until his lumbar vertebrae popped, which made him feel a lot better.

After resting (remaining days till Stag Lord fails to receive tribute from Kressle: 16), the party headed south to the encampment of the Sootscale Kobolds, led by Mikmek, the kobold we freed from the mites last time. Once there, Mikmek persuaded the guard -- Nikpak -- that the time had come to take out Tartük, the shaman who had led them in the worship of old Sharptooth, a nasty god thing who is evil and, um, you know, not very nice. Together they led us into the kobold lair, where the two of them persuaded

Chief Sootscale of the same -- the Chief, after a brief internal struggle, smashed the idol of Old Sharptooth that the party had found in the mite lair.  The chief, plus Mikmek, and two nameless kobolds, led the party to Tartük.  The area was quite cramped; Dunk, Little John, and Grendel waited outside while Verdessa, Raynor, and Telvin went in with the kobolds.

They found Tartük brewing some foul reddish concoction in a cauldron, his raven familiar perched on his shoulder.  Chief Sootscale had angry words with him, Tartük cast Shield on himself, and the fight was on.  Chief Sootscale and one of the nameless kobolds went toe to toe.  Raynor blessed everyone (except Tartük), and Verdessa summoned a mighty eagle which promptly killed Tartük's raven.  Telvin worked his way around Tartük and struck him a firm blow in the back (10 damage).  Tartük turned on him, raised a wand; Telvin was overcome with fear, and fled.  Chief Sootscale swung and missed, the nameless kobold gouged Tartük quite badly, and then Raynor stepped in with his rapier and coolly stabbed the shaman through the heart.  Telvin, who had in his terror fled the room and embraced Dunk, came to his senses to find Dunk slapping him.  "Let us never speak of this again," he suggested to Dunk.

Ecstatic at Tartük's demise, the kobolds all ran from the room and began celebrating out in the main chamber.  The party could hear some kind of song begin out there, seemingly involving the words "yub yub", as they efficiently stripped Tartük and pocketed some treasure which (cough cough) probably belonged to the kobolds.  Oh, and they found what appears to be Svetlana's wedding ring.

During the celebration, Dunk approached Chief Sootscale with the idea of converting him and his tribe to the worship of Torag.  This has not yet been resolved; the party has indeed made an alliance with the Sootscales, but the Diplomacy and Knowledge (Religion) checks to see if the party can convert them or not got put off till next session.  After all the XP got added up, we're getting reasonably close to level 2.

All in all, a most satisfying session.  Next meeting is the 18th; we'll probably finish up the conversion attempt and then return to Oleg's.  I figure Little John is going to get left there on guard duty […] though Little John is very handy in a fight, we're just going to park him till [his player] can rejoin us.