STORY ARC #4: A Hero of Pendown
Kobold Combat Crisis!
A chapter of a ‘choose your own’ adventure
You can read the opening of The Hero of Pendown here, a ‘choose your own’ tale started by Jonathon Sawyer. You can also return to read the previous chapter here.
You wade closer, still up to your ankles in the brown liquid, then draw your sword. “Die in battle, fiends!” you shout.
The nearest kobold flinches, its eyes widening and its scaly head seeming to shrink down to its shoulders. Just as well, for your sword whistles though the air, a hair’s breadth above where its scalp was a moment before.
Well done, hero — you managed to chop off the top of its mop handle!
“Hold on, now,” calls out Eshami. Her words fall on deaf ears; you are angry, and ready for combat. Your sword swishes out again and again.
But the kobolds are speedy, and they dodge your blows.
As you are fighting, a stern and very deep voice rings out. Not Eshami’s voice. It says: “Come to Miishlo… Serve Miishlo!”
Huh?
You now feel a thump over the back of your head, and another. Many kobolds are beginning to cluster around you now, whacking at you with mop handles, and it is all you can do to parry, as you and Eshami are pushed back.
At least you are no longer in the deepest part of the dirty water. And from behind you, once again the strange voice rings out… “Come to me, Manling,” it commands.
You glance behind, and see a large hatch leading below decks. Could there be some kind of aquatic creature within…?
As they continue swing the mops, the kobolds are now chanting, “Miishlo! Miishlo!”
You kick off your soaked boots, and then…
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