Summary

In "The Kobold Quest (part 2)" from the Medium Adventurers League, the protagonist, having defeated a wolf, proceeds to a village where they learn of a farmer's plight: kobolds have taken his rams and possibly harmed his shepherd boy, threatening his livelihood.

Abstract

The narrative continues as the protagonist, after killing a wolf and looting its remains, ventures into a valley leading to a village. Upon arrival, the hero is directed to a distressed farmer whose sheep are in jeopardy due to kobold interference. The kobolds have not only taken the rams for use as mounts but also may have harmed the farmer's shepherd boy. The farmer, grateful for the hero's willingness to confront the kobolds, bestows two vials of healing potion. As the protagonist approaches the kobold-infested caves, they are ambushed by three mounted kobolds, initiating a combat encounter with a medium challenge rating, where the hero must roll 15 or higher to succeed in battle.

Opinions

The author's use of interactive elements, such as requiring dice and paper, suggests a preference for immersive and participatory storytelling.
The old man's warning to "be careful" implies a sense of foreboding and danger ahead, emphasizing the seriousness of the kobold threat.
The farmer's gift of healing potions indicates a community appreciation for the protagonist's quest, reinforcing the theme of heroism and altruism in the face of adversity.
The narrative's requirement that the hero must engage in combat without the option to flee underscores the gravity of the situation and the hero's unwavering commitment to the quest.
The description of the kobolds using the farmer's rams as mounts and potentially harming the shepherd boy paints the kobolds as antagonists, creating a clear moral conflict within the story.

Fiction | Game | Medium Adventurers League ⚔️

The Kobold Quest (part 2)

The locals are in trouble–but how much trouble?

This is part of a story that works as an interactive game. You’ll need to have some paper and dice at the ready! Click here to go back to Part I of Trouble With Kobolds. Or return to the beginning of the Medium Adventurers League. Find a reminder of the rules here.

The wolf falls at your feet, slain. You snoop around the area before moving on.

You gain 5 silver pieces.
You gain 3 wolf teeth.

Wiping the blood from your hands, you move on.

Soon, the path begins to descend. You follow as it loops through a valley, and you cross a small wooden bridge. Ahead is a small village.

You are close — you know it.

Pausing to catch your breath (wow, perhaps you need some fitness training, hero…?) you take a drink from the nearby stream, then proceed to the cluster of hovels.

You ask some locals in the village about the farmer you seek, but they seem wary and fearful. Eventually, an old man points to a small farmhouse with a barn, high on the flank of the hill. “Be careful,” he murmurs.

You begin the steep walk uphill, grunting from the exertion. You can see sheep, and caves beyond. Yes — this is it. You have to pace yourself, but after about twenty minutes of walking up the hillside, you see a farmer approaching, dressed in a hat and baggy clothes.

You gesture towards his flock. “Hey, man. I thought the kobolds took your sheep?”

He makes a face, then spits. “Only the rams. Without them, my flock can’t breed. I’ll be ruined.”

“They killed the rams?”

“Nope, though they have killed and eaten some ewes. The rams they use as mounts, and have them tied up in the big cave, in the cliffs up yonder. But I think the vile creatures harmed my shepherd boy. A local villager — he’s been missing for days.”

You grunt, looking up towards the caves, and patting your weapon. Most are tiny cracks in the cliff face, but one cave is very large, and you can see smoke rising as if from a camp fire.

“Right. I think I can see where I need to go.”

The farmer reaches into the pocket of his loose smock, and pulls out two small vials, each containing a green swirling liquid. “Thank you, brave stranger, for taking up this quest. Good luck — and if you are hurt, try this herbal tincture that I sometimes brew.”

You have gained:

Healing potion (2 vials).
Using one vial restores 3 points of health.

You can use a healing potion at any time, including during combat. You can't use it to increase health beyond its starting maximum level.

The caves stink even before you get close. The smell of smoke is bad enough, but there is something worse… And as you get closer, you realise it is the smell of rotten human flesh. You see the prostrate body of a human teenager. He must be the shepherd boy.

Just as you are taking in the sight, three figures, all mounted on rams, charge out from the cave and attack.

Encounter: three kobolds mounted on rams.

Challenge rating: Medium (roll 15+).
Roll using brawn or magic.

If you succeed, you slay one kobold. The remaining kobold(s) will continue to fight.
If you fail, one kobold hits you. Subtract 1 from health, and then try again, or choose from the options below.

If you defeat the kobolds, click here to see what happens next. If you are killed, click here. In this battle, you can’t flee, because the mounted kobolds are too fast.