Isla Monstruo, Shock and Awe

Session 5

 

When last we left our intrepid adventurers, Tanner and Teddy had rushed forward and drop kicked the kobold commander onto the causeway right in front of the oncoming turtle crocks.  That effort ended Tanner’s shapeshift returning him to his usual diminutive size.  The commander looked back toward his foes, flipped them the bird, and slipped into the water.  The group was left in the middle of an unhappy crowd with at least two turtle crocks charging right for them…and now…

 

              Yuri is beginning to sober up and it sucks!  He convinces his companions to retreat *cough* advance further into the island.  Well, he convinces all but Warren who delivers his trademark pelvic thrusting taunt to the turtle crocks.  Guato Scout is beginning to think Warren is part of a lost Guato clan blood line with how often the barbarian is air-thrusting.  The group moves on to the next causeway where they encounter their first real resistance.  Several kobolds are zipping toward them on wheeled planks.  Some, presumably guards, wear leather armor covered in razor blades.  Their planks sport triangular barbed rams mounted like fixed lances.  The other kobolds look like nobles and have no obvious weapons.  Warren does his usual taunt to great effect.  The guards take the lead and are about to charge the group when Teddy swells his chest and roars a primal challenge…or that was the plan.  He actually scares off the onrushing kobolds who execute tight turns and vanish ahead of the group’s advance.

              Now clear, the group moves on to the island.

The four-acre expanse is completely covered by rock and water features breaking up herb gardens, bonsai trees, and meditation circles.  It looks like they have had some good luck after all.  Two of the turtle crocks can be seen on the first island, blitzed out of their minds.  The locals are using them as furniture.  The other four have been engaged by local guards but it is clear the turtle crocks have the upper hand in this confrontation.  Broken kobolds and splintered wheel-boards are flying everywhere.

The group decides to keep heading deeper into the island-city state.  Rather than get bogged down in the island’s maze-like paths, they charge cross-country making directly for the other side, Teddy grabbing fresh greens and snacking as they go.  Half way across the island, they encounter an ambush force.

              Thirty or so kobolds with bladed leather armor and wheeled ram planks have lined up in two ranks around the far side of a smooth stone depression.  Some of the kobolds’ planks are bent up in the front keeping them upright.  These kobolds have paired hand weapons which they flourish in anticipation of the upcoming battle.  The kobolds have planned well.  They are primed to savage the group if they spread out or flank them if they pull left or right.  A brutal fight follows.  Yuri uses magic missile to obliterate a warrior.  Warren taunts the enemy, because of course he does, and charges left where he delivers a rising sword swing paired with a pelvic thrust to split a kobold and board in half length wise.  Gore fountains everyone in a ten-foot radius.  Tanner shifts into a dire beaver forming his version of the wonder twins with Teddy.  They charge forward stomping kobolds while Guato Scout shouts profanity at the enemy while raining arrows at their lines.  It isn’t all one-sided.  The kobolds have an unusual combat style.  They zip around lacerating their opponents with their blade armor as they pass.  Warren and Tanner are lightly wounded in the exchange.  The group breaks free and runs to the island’s far edge where they encounter yet another problem.

              While two of the turtle crocks followed the group from behind, the remaining two swam around the island in a perfect pincer movement.  Now they are waiting off shore to either side of the upcoming causeway ready to hit the group no matter which direction they go.  Yuri convinces the group to take a hard left around their island’s rim.  The edge is formed from a smooth gently sloping stone ramp that is perfectly uniform as far as the eye can see.  This plan has them curving back the way they came but avoids three of the four giant amphibians.

              A running battle follows as the group tries to out-pace the incoming turtle crock.  Worse, they can hear their original two pursuers following, all be it at a distance.  Tanner turns into a porcupine and projects a storm of quills at their enemy.  This draws the first blood they’ve been able to manage.  Guato Scout helps with his bow but the monster isn’t dissuaded.  Warren meets it at the water’s edge after yet-another-taunt.  He leaps into the beast’s mouth to deliver a killing blow through the roof of its mouth into its brain.  As he does this, the creature’s jaws snap shut on its halfling executioner in its death throws.  It rolls into the water, pitting Warren against his mortal enemy, a good washing.

              A confused battle follows as Yuri does his best to avoid direct combat while staying close enough to keep several light spells active—enough so his friends can help Warren and fend off their amphibious foe.  Warren is not able to force his way out of the crock’s mouth but finally remembers his adventuring kit.  He retrieves a hatchet and cuts his way free.  His head breaks the surface just long enough to desperately grab a breath of clean air when he feels something pulling him back under.  Another turtle crock has his pants in its mouth and seems dedicated to drowning him.  Meanwhile, the wonder twins dive in and out of the water several times as Yuri is forced to renew their light by floating his hat on the surface.  They finally believe they’ve found the body of Warren’s foe only to find they’ve found a second very-much living turtle crock instead.  Tanner has his hands full convincing Teddy to not mindlessly face their amphibious foe in single combat and to let Yuri’s hat go—the dire beaver has taken a liking to the accessory.  Warren cuts himself free of his pants while everyone gathers on the beach.  Teddy and Tanner manage to get back on shore just as Torgar guards engage their previous opponent in the water.  Here it becomes clear the little folk are optimized for marine movement and combat.  The huge turtle crock is no match for a swarm of marine adapted kobolds defending their own territory.

              The group is confronted with one-last crock between them and the now abandoned causeway.  With one final push, they fell the beast as Tanner cycles through several shapeshifts, finishing with a spectacular decapitation from Warren’s sword—pants less but deadly.  The group is wounded and low on resources but the causeway is clear to the fourth island.

 

What will they do?

 

Find out next time on the next session of isla monstruo.