Episode 4

Our brave group heard the falls before they saw them, the murmur of water growing to a roar as they approached the waterfall base. Their confidence high, the heroes expected to have done with this cult in short order.

Most of the group heard the sounds of many non-human voices over the din of the falls, and saw several kobolds through the trees. The largest kobold carried a now-familiar dragon scale shield, and stood in the centre of a small circle of standing stones. Just inside the stones a ring of runes graven into the ground glowed with a blue light. The waterfall was visible beyond, and the stream flowed south and west from the pool beneath. A dozen other reptilians stood in and around the shallow stream, most holding javelins and spears; a kobold slinger surveyed the area from near the waterfall.

Surprise at there being no human cultists in evidence, and boredom at fighting yet more kobolds, gave the heroes only a moment's pause before they rushed to engage.

Most of the group rushed to attack the dragonshield. Xagoth was the first across the circle of runes, but appeared to suffer no ill effect. In the initial stages of battle Xagoth and Aravin killed two kobolds, but the slinger targeted Flinch with a stinkpot, and the involuntary convulsions the stench caused put Flinch off her next few shots. Flinch also copped a spear from the skirmisher.

The dragonshield couldn't stand the assault of the main group of attackers, and succumbed to Xagoth and Walf (the latter assisted by John's cunning call).

Over the next few seconds of battle several more kobolds were dispatched, with the heroes in good shape thanks to good luck, skill, and the healing Flo provided. The slinger, now severely wounded, croaked "Irontooth must be warned!" and shuffled toward the waterfall.

As well as confirming that there must be a cave entrance behind the curtain of water, this action promised a world of further pain should the escaping kobold be permitted to draw further opponents into the battle. In response Xagoth made two quick attempts at a Hellish Rebuke, killing the slinger in a blaze of demonic flame.

Flo and the others wondered again at the wisdom of bringing a warlock to fight against a demonic cult, but quickly turned back to mopping up the few remaining kobolds.

With the battle over, there was no time to relax. A quick inspection of the area showed three possible entrances to the base: the waterfall itself, and smaller cave openings in the cliff to each side of the fall.

Walf declared his intention to "go in through the side bit and see if it joins back up. If I see any gods damned lizards I'll smash their disgusting heads in. Listen for shouting." A quick consultation among the group had Dexter employing his spectacular stealth entering the opening on the opposite side of the waterfall, Florence and Aravin entering through the waterfall as surreptitiously as possible, and John and Xagoth joining Walf in the main assault.

This plan was put into action and Walf, Xagoth and John stepped into the small cave and into a small group of kobolds. Sword and dark force dispatched two immediately, and the clamour of battle brought many more kobolds running into the cave.

Meanwhile Flo and Aravin moved into the curtain of water and paused, imagining a crowd of evil cultists ahead. They could dimly see shapes through the rushing water. Aravin readied a spell then stepped clear of the water, blazing forth a thunderwave at the kobolds in the large cavern he found himself in. This and Flo's lance of faith took out two of the red-scaled enemy.

Dexter had entered the third cavern unseen, finding the two kobold guards distracted by the sounds of the fighting elsewhere. One died immediately with Dexter's shuriken buried in its neck.

All three groups were now engaged with the enemy, and there was no sign of human, elf, or dwarf cultists. Agrid the gnome had confirmed the presence of the cult. Who or what is Irontooth? Is this cave system the cult base the group were looking for? Or have our heroes been lured into a deadly trap?

Only time will tell.