Tag: kobold

#Lore24 – Entry #228 – Helica Month #16 – Raiders from the Untamed Lands

Excerpt from the Journals of Azita Gaji, Explorer of Helica, Seeker of Knowledge, Blessed of Saghirah

Our return to San Granalle was a somber one.  Though the city had begun to heal, the devastation was still as an open wound.  There was but a single dock that had been rebuilt, much of the remaining populace was living in tents and poorly constructed hovels, and the sense of loss was overwhelming.  Even with the aid of the Church and its Beasts, recovery was slow.  Worse, there was a new threat to the town, one that perhaps sickened me more than that of the Transgressor and its spawn:  bandit raiders from the Untamed Lands, who had smelled blood, and were now emboldened to sweep across the vulnerable lands once held quite secure and guarded by San Granalle.

We did not tarry long in San Granalle, for the sight of the suffering people spurred us forward on our Crusade against the Transgressor.  As we headed north into the Kinarrora Highlands, our group would be a formidable one, as, at the behest of Esekia, we had joined forces with Tephysea and her retinue, and would remain thusly tied through the next long leg of our journey.  We would make a detour before we would reach the next Amaranth’s temple, though, for a fire was burning in Esekia’s heart, and we would see these bandits dealt with quite harshly in the name of Phyresis.  Tephysea seemed more amused by this than sympathetic to the plight of the weakened survivors but decided that she and her people would assist our endeavor.

We joined with the forces mustered by the Church of Phyresis on the far western edge of the Highlands, arriving to the sounds of battle as mounted forces clashed, the shear numbers of the raiders, bolstered by the might of many monstrous tribes, orcs, kobolds, goblins, and gnolls, threatening to overwhelm the defenders rapidly.  Neither side expected the coming of two Amaranths upon the field of battle, the combined might of Cinza and Makani tearing through the horde’s ranks without mercy.  With the aid of Zubayr, myself, and the Sylvanae warriors and mages of Tephysea’s retinue, our summoners were quite safe.  The horde was forced to retreat from the front, giving us time to recover and aid our allies.

Seeing our intervention as a sign from the One True God, the bloodied forces of Phyresis had their morale bolstered, and so, after a few days to recover and refortify the borderland, we drove into the Untamed Lands like a dagger into the heart of the raiders.  Though our journey was filled with dangers:  from the sheer numbers of monstrous foes to powerful tribal shamans and even former members of the Order of the Tamers, and not the least of which were several attempts to assassinate our summoners, requiring us guardians to be ever vigilant, we would prove victorious in the end. 

Along the way, we would see signs of the devastation of the Transgressor, either from past battles, or more recently destroyed settlements.  I believe I may have been the only one amongst the Phyresian forces that held any sympathy for our enemies, for they were driven by desperation, the need to flee the devastation of the Wicked One just as much as any other peoples.  Did that give them the right to invade a broken land and ravage its people?  No, certainly not, for they could have attempted to ally with us.  Perhaps they had tried; I am not privy to the details of prior negotiations, if there were any, but Phyresis has long held that the monstrous races were inferior to humanity and Sylvanae. 

Once we finally claimed the head of the leader who had spurned the raiders ever forward, our task was mostly done.  Our ranks had continued to be bolstered by the Church as we drove deeper into the Untamed Lands, and though occupation was not on the table, the Church would take much in its wake.  All monstrous races who were found were killed outright, and the humans who were captured or surrendered would be reeducated as Beasts to serve the One True God.  Many treasures would be taken, and though I took little for myself beyond books and scrolls that I had found intact, I did claim a runic blade from one of the commanders we had faced.

It had been a long and bloody affair, taking several months, but with it done, we could at last return to the Crusade we had originally set out upon, to attain the remaining Amaranths and ultimately to face the Transgressor.  It will be some time before I can come to terms with the horrors of this campaign, and what its long-term implications may be.  I will have many sleepless nights to come, I am certain.

#Lore 24 – Entry #109 – Sci-Fi Month II #18 – The Obstinate Phoenix

From the Personal Logs of Captain Durgen Silvercask, decryption algorithm successful, translated from original Dwarven Script:

She is certainly a decorated vessel, that I cannot deny, but were I to say that I had no reservations about her being attached to this expedition, I would be lying to myself.  She has nearly reached three consecutive centuries of service, so I suppose the brass wanted to give her an easy assignment before they may finally decommission her.  I’m honestly surprised she hasn’t met that fate sooner, given her rather…unique record.

Let’s see…in the dozen battles she’s been part of during that time, she has been severely damaged in all of them, even crash-landed on a planet’s surface twice.  And yet, somehow, each time, she’s been able to recover herself enough to get back home, even turning the tide of two battles that she returned to after getting knocked out of the fight, one of those having been after she crashed. 

I’m not sure if the gods of fortune are blessing her or cursing her, but her name is certainly appropriate regardless. 

She’s a rather unique vessel even without that remarkable record; I’ve spoken to her current captain, Raryliss Steelforger (with a family name like that, I’d almost have thought she was a dwarf, given her build, but she’s undeniably a kobold, of the silver-scaled variety), at some length about her history.  Somewhat experimental when she was constructed, the Phoenix is a rare joint construction effort between the dwarves and kobolds.  Though we’re certainly not as hostile to one another as we used to be, we still don’t mingle too often.  Still, that’s a dwarf-designed skeleton inside the Phoenix, the bulk of construction made using that unique kobold dragon’s breath forging process combined with tried-and-true dwarven construction methods.  Was and still is the largest such construction made with the kobolds’ breath, and what an endeavor that must have been.

She’s been refitted multiple times, but the Phoenix remains a battlecruiser at her heart.  She’s something of a hybrid with her current configuration, what her captain has dubbed an “assault carrier”.  She’s packing the biggest guns of any of the battlecruisers in the fleet and has a pair of (admittedly small) hangar bays for launching escort fighters; she’s got her own fighter group stationed aboard, the Summer-Flame Dragons, I believe is the correct translation, all kobolds.  Most of her crew are kobolds, with the bulk of the others consisting of rattenvolk and gnomes, and after her first refit, that’s historically been the case.  Suppose that would make sense as to why she’s been able to overcome such terrible damage time and again; credit where it’s due, those folk can certain repair anything if it’s at all possible.

Whatever the makeup of her crew, the Phoenix is a fine vessel, and though I’m still not sure what to make the exact nature of her record, I’m certain she will prove to be a valuable addition to the expedition.  I was a bit concerned when I was made aware of a certain technician who has a reputation as something of a jinx being aboard her, but Captain Steelforger assures me that, now that Engineer Longtail is aboard a kobold ship, they’ll have nothing to worry about.  Doesn’t exactly deny what the security department had uncovered about the tech, really makes her record seem a bit more like intentional sabotage, but perhaps there’s more to it than that.  I’m hardly an expert on kobold culture, after all, so I’m not aware of what other connotations the captain’s statement may have.

 

#Lore 24 – Entry #98 – Sci-Fi Month II #7 – Potential Threats (Aboard Ship)

 

From Personal Logs of Gravius Scharaiden, Chief Security Officer, assigned UEF-04 Maharani Morgiana, decryption algorithm successful, translated from original Aerian script.

Clusterfuck doesn’t even begin to describe this stupidity.  I would prefer a clusterfuck to this any day.

Captain Silvercask has expressed his concerns to me about the personnel assignments aboard the ship.  I share these concerns.  He has tasked me with analyzing the personnel assigned and requested a report on possible security issues.  Guessing this will take a few hundred pages.  Copy of important details follow.

Report Summary, Highest Threats:

  • The Elves – Personal biases against elves aside, elves should always be considered suspect and treated with sufficient caution. Too many worked under DSM previously, many more are associated with the Great Houses in some way.  Always scheming, always plotting, always running long games to twist things to suit their whims.  Can’t trust any of them.  Reports of malfunctions and sabotage have come from previous UEF missions.  No proof, but makes sense that DSM wouldn’t take being left out of the ruling council lightly.  Always suspect elvish involvement.  See Section 2 for information on suspicious individuals.
  • Corporate Entanglements – The idea that multiple corporations could function together successfully was ludicrous. They like to spout cooperation and equality for the media, but each of them are vying for a bigger piece of the pie than the others.  Dozens if not hundreds of corporations of every size and type, too many possible dangers.
    1. Veylani Transport is in charge of the ASC; somehow that girl has managed to keep the top spot and pulled several other big names around her to keep her there. She’s romantically involved with a dark elf though, Fenrou Varmyrl, big name in their for-profit prisons, suspected he’s much more than that, though.  Likely she’s compromised, though partnership with the prison corp kept DSM away during hostile takeover attempt.
    2. A3 wants resources, and they want their people securing them. Dwarves are greedy, they’ll do whatever it takes to make sure they get first rights to mine whatever we come across.  Trust them to prioritize these resources over any other concerns, though it’s likely they’ll sacrifice others before any of the dwarves onboard; at least they still value loyalty to their own kind.  Hopefully they’ll start with the elves when it comes to sacrifices, at least.
    3. ASC – The Aphelion Station Council has become unstable. Lots of arguing since it expanded from the Big Three it was initially founded with.  Basically your typical nightmare bureaucracy now, composed of over a hundred entities.  Expect conflicting orders from the top.  They will test loyalties, try to extort compliance in some way or another.  Agree with shifting personnel around; some will need to be watched more closely.
  • Racial Tensions – Expect frequent arguments at least, violence more likely. Elves don’t get along with anyone, can barely stand each other.  Dwarves, orcs, and kobolds have long-running hatred that hasn’t died yet.  Kerryn, equinarians, and halflings are hard to provoke, but tend to band together against threats.  Ferians are loose cannons, likely to fly off the handle at the slightest provocation; watch the male ‘dogians and female ‘katians especially.  Aerians and orcs get along better than some, don’t expect two warrior societies to get along all the time, though.  Rattenvolk keep mostly to themselves and the bowels of the ship, so if sabotage is going to happen, they’re likely the ones to do the dirty work.  Gnomes are wildcards, can’t predict them.  Succubi will entangle themselves with whoever gives them the best offer, then try to manipulate others to their side. 
  • Religious Conflict – There is a reason aerians usually don’t have faith in the gods. They’re like anyone else, always squabbling, pushing conflicting beliefs.  Those serving the whore goddesses will cause trouble just by their nature, stoking passions and twisting people one way or another.  The Mausolians will seek death at any opportunity, wouldn’t trust their recommendations on most things; expect any sudden deaths and assassinations to be their fault.  Expect the orcs following their war god to want a fight whenever possible, even if peaceful solutions would be best; can’t really fault them there, always prefer a fight myself.  Wouldn’t even trust the followers of the librarian goddess not to cause problems, either; probably some militant ones there who will start trouble if they smell a secret to uncover. If any followers of Saressh happen to have a prophetic vision, though, might actually pay attention to that.  Studied history enough to know that goddess at least has an above average success rate on her predictions, so I guess maybe she’s not entirely useless.
  • Untested Tech – This ship’s an accident waiting to happen. Pushed it through trials too fast, too many hands have touched it during the refit.  Last shakedown had some issues that were supposedly being fixed, but don’t count on it.  That docking frame on the hull, that’s just asking for trouble; one ship goes up, and the rest of them are not far behind.  Don’t like the idea of those robot drones being onboard, either; haven’t been tested enough, still likely to suddenly develop a killing impulse like previous robotics; keep the AI on a short leash, or dump them into deep space the first chance we get. 
  • ASD – Can usually trust an arcanist more than a priest, not that that says much, but the Arcane Support Division is as big a mess as anything else. Too many ties to too many corporations, too many old loyalties, too many abrasive personalities.  Division lead, Tallfoot, she’s unstable; not sure how she managed the spot.  Guess maybe pickings were slim by now.  Lots of new blood, too many straight out of school to be counted on in a crisis.  They’ve got their own dress code; should be in uniforms like everyone else.  Special treatment is bad for everyone. 

 

Report continues…

 

#Lore 24 – Entry #97 – Sci-Fi Month II #6 – UEF Defense Squadron 04-1, “White Tigers”

 

From the Personal Journal of Sorisana Kelvaris, starfighter pilot, assigned UEF-04 Maharani Morgiana, translated from Elvish script.

I wouldn’t be hasty enough to say that I’m in the clear just yet, and I might’ve gotten a little more attention than I’d wanted today, but still, it’s been better than ten years now, so maybe I pulled off the vanishing act successfully.  Another week or so and I should be in the clear, on the way into the deep black, a distant star system we call Marchosias, and dangers we couldn’t possibly imagine just waiting for us to stumble upon them.  Still, whatever horrors may lay out there has to be better than facing the queen bitch of DSM again…

Our final trial flights were held today at the request of Captain Silvercask, but it was mostly for the squadron commanders to try to weed out anyone else who didn’t belong on this trip.  No more washouts, so I guess that means we’re the best of the leftovers; all the other good pilots were shipped out on the first three UEF motherships months ago.  Maybe I’m being a little cynical?  I didn’t see any signs of trouble in the other pilots myself, just the typical hotdogging and bluster I’d expect from starfighter jockeys.  Of course, if all those years drudging in the corpo salt mines taught me anything, it’s that you’ll never see someone’s true nature until they’re under pressure and pushed to their limits. 

I’ve been assigned to the Morgiana’s first squadron, designated the “White Tigers”, with the callsign “Tiger 3”.  The squad’s mostly composed of elves and kerryn, with a couple humans, one male ferakatian, and a couple kobolds in the mix; makes sense, quicker reflexes and all.  The higher ups told us these were randomly assigned, but most of the pilots assume that it’s a ranking system, so going by that and what I could glean from my brief interactions with the squadmates, I’ve got at least a dozen laser designators aimed right at me.  It’s bullshit, but that’s just how it is; they’re competitive by nature, after all.  The Tigers’ primary responsibility will be defense of the Morgiana and her support ships of course, but I imagine we’ll be handling a majority of the scouting operations as well, at least for initial system entry and planetary approach.  My primary assigned ship is a Stellar Drake III-class fighter, good all-round specs, average firepower and defense in its current configuration, above average speed, with capability of being specialized for various roles depending on need thanks to the modular design.  Veylani may make impressive transports with that philosophy, but Star Dragon Shipyards is where you go to for starfighters, no matter what the dwarves or elves say to the contrary; that rivalry with the kobolds will never end, I think.  I’m not proud enough to deny that.  DSM could learn a thing or two from either, but profits over everything else and all that.

As to the standouts in the squadron, “Tiger Leader” is a kobold, goes by Chirzed Flametongue.  Don’t know much about him personally, but the name’s familiar at least, has a decent enough reputation, gained some fame during the border conflict a decade or so ago.  Seems like a solid choice for a commander, even has his own customized fighter.  I could see the disdain on Erlareo Enmaris’s face immediately when he found out who was in charge, and he’s got a couple other elves who also made the squadron playing the role of his lackeys, so that’ll be trouble down the line.  I’m sure he’ll approach me eventually and try to weave me into his machinations too out some misplaced notion that we elves should stick together.  The kerryn are as easygoing as ever outside the cockpit, even if the lot of them have that predatory gleam in their eyes while they’re flying.  Can’t really get a read on the ferakatian yet; I’ve always had trouble discerning ferian body language.  Can’t even remember his name either; did he even tell us?  Curious…will have to look into him further, I think.

Though I’ve not used my arcanist talents for some time, now that I’ve been officially assigned a ship, I’m not going to take any chances.  I was able to weave a subtle enough ward upon it, so I’ll know if anyone tampers with it.  Until I get to know the support techs better this might be an annoyance, but I think it’s worth it; at least I’ll know what they touched.  There are several elves among the ground crews, and any one of them could be a DSM plant, and though the magic I used to change my appearance has long since settled into my bones (so no need to worry about anyone spotting the lingering spell aura there), there’s always a chance someone will figure out who I am.  I worked for that department long enough to know never to underestimate them.  If one of the onboard arcanists finds out, then it’s simple enough to explain that I know a few tricks that I don’t exactly advertise; I guarantee there are plenty of others who are part of this mission who do the same.

The squadron has been given leave until our official departure, barring an emergency, so I’m going to spend some time practicing my marksmanship outside the cockpit.  I’ve still not mastered the revolver I’ve taken to carrying, not like Shi, anyway.  I’m a pretty good shot, but nothing like her.  True, I might be a little silly trying to emulate a gunslinger like her, but she left an impression on me back then.  I’ve still got the scars on my chest and back to prove it, little reminders of what I owe her.  I’ll probably never see her again, but who knows?  We’ve both got a few hundred years at least left in us, gods willing, so maybe I’ll have my chance to pay her back for that mess…

 

#Lore24 – Entry #91 – Fantasy Month #31 – Draconic Disappearances

 

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos:

Finally, we return to a proper topic!  And no sign of any Yurisayan priestesses anywhere!  Yet.  I’m still on guard, and shall be for another several days, I’m sure.

Dragons.  They are an everyday sight in some form or fashion, for they are the primary symbol of the Empire. The very arcane magics wielded by arcanists across the face of Andyllion are based upon their legendary spellcraft, and the very language of the arcane is Draconic, or, to those who are capable, even High Draconic.  Supposedly the kobolds are descended from the dragons, and some even still possess a version of their legendary breath.

And yet, true dragons have not been seen upon the world since before the Great Cataclysm.  Many who haven’t educated themselves in the matter assume they were wiped out during the Cataclysm, but in fact they were gone for a substantial period of time before then, perhaps for hundreds if not thousands of years.  There are lesser descendants of dragons in the form of drakes, but these are essentially wild animals in comparison to a true dragon, possessed of a fraction of the intelligence, none of the arcane ability, and the largest of them only reaching the size of a young adult dragon at best.

It would be safe to assume that the ancient dragons perhaps were aware of the coming apocalypse, given the timing of their vanishing.  Records and tales indicate that they were quite long-lived, filled with knowledge that we of this time cannot begin to fathom.  Certain historical records do exist indicating that when dragons once ruled the world, there existed alongside them great technological wonders that have simply been impossible to replicate. 

The question remains, however:  what happened to the dragons?  Given my study of the subject, I lean towards either of two theories being the most likely explanation.

The first theory is that the dragons simply left Andyllion, known as the Great Draconic Migration theory.  Records indicate that dragons were often revered or feared by the lesser races while they were here, sometimes worshipped as gods themselves, and were often responsible for ruling over many of the greatest civilizations, as the number of draconic ruins we have discovered may well indicate.  In the history as told by the civilized kobold peoples, who once served dragonkind as loyal retainers, there came a time in which their true-dragon masters began withdrawing from the world, relinquishing their leadership roles and pulling themselves away from the lesser races.  This was the case for the goodly dragons, at least; those of an evil nature were more likely to remain to plunder the remaining holdings of their now-departed enemies, ruling as tyrants and hoarding wealth, until their inevitable destruction.  Regardless, there are tales that have been passed down within kobold society in which they worked tirelessly for centuries, gathering up the wealth of their masters and relocating it into the great cities that were supposedly built for dragonkind.  Once these dragons had enclosed themselves within their fortified cities and withdrawn from the events of the world, there is little in the way of record as to what happened.

What there is, however, are many ruins that have been studied in past centuries which indicate the distinct possibility that the dragons had constructed some form of great arcane portals, which they used to travel to worlds or planes unknown.  Though long destroyed and dormant, these portals are, as recorded in various records, massive in size, easily able to accommodate the largest of dragons.  The information pieced together from various ruins have been used by modern-day arcanists to create the typical teleportation circles and short-range translocation spells currently in use, in fact, and though it is kept under the strictest of secrecy, supposedly the Emperor himself possesses a working example of one of these portals, which could allow him to travel to any part of the Empire, likely why there is a push for frequent expansion.  The Dragon Isles themselves, long sought after by treasure hunters, is rumored to contain the last of the great dragon cities, and perhaps it too holds one of these portals, maybe even still intact and working.  One can certainly dream.  Could it be that the draconic portals of ancient times were able to reach even further, to the very stars themselves?  Or into realms beyond, the elemental planes, the realms of the gods, the hellish abyss the demons call home, or perhaps worlds we cannot begin to imagine?  Perhaps.

The second theory to explain their vanishing is more esoteric, but nonetheless compelling.  What if the dragons never truly left us?  What if they are still here, walking amongst the lesser races, completely unaware of their true nature?  What if the dragons decided that they needed to change their very nature, to perhaps enter a period of dormancy for whatever reason that only they would know, and their essences, their draconic souls, were refined, changed, and diffused throughout the world and into the lesser races?   Could this perhaps explain the prevalence of draconic imagery and their remaining presence in our imagination even though thousands of years have passed since they vanished?

This is the Soul Transference theory, which posits that the dragons, foreseeing the coming apocalypse as an event they simply could not survive in their natural state (though one would be hard-pressed to imagine something as powerful as a dragon being unable to withstand what many lesser races managed to survive), and collectively worked to change the very essence of their souls.  Per the theory, dragonkind as a whole, or mostly so, for there are those records of evil dragons tormenting the lesser races for some many years following the draconic withdraw, somehow forced a rapid and unprecedented evolution into beings of pure energy, which was then spread across the planet and infused into the many lesser races. 

Though initially one may scoff at the theory, one must pause to consider the very nature of the dragons.  These beings were far more complex than simply massive reptilian creatures.  Their essence was closely tied to the very fabric of the magic that fills our world, as evidenced by their mastery over all forms of magic as we understand it; they did not perceive magic as we do, into distinctly separate types (arcane, divine, and natural), rather simply as the foundational essence of the world to be manipulated as they required, thus enabling them to use any form of magic as easily as another.  Perhaps it is our nature as “lesser beings” that we cannot fathom how this is possible, thus requiring us to separate our magics into distinct types, unable to make use of more than single form?  Their entire bodies, then, were filled with this magical essence, draconic life-essence, vitae draconis, if you will, which may explain how such incredibly large creatures were capable of flight and moving their massive bulk around at all, and without consuming a city’s worth of food daily.  What if the Great Cataclysm would taint the very essence of magic that sustained them, and would have essentially acted as a poison that would have doomed them to oblivion?

Thus, to retain their presence within the world, they conceived of Soul Transference, transforming themselves into the beings of pure magical energy that would merge into the lesser races.  This could explain why certain individuals are gifted with either a greater understanding of the arcane arts than others, why they are capable of learning what is known of High Draconic, or those who are possessed of a natural ability with magic that requires honing one’s instincts instead of long hours of study.  This could also explain why these naturally talented sorcerers eventually begin to develop some draconic features (scales appearing on their skin, claws and horns and the like).  This could likewise explain why some kobolds are much larger than others, and why these individuals have a more strongly draconic countenance and often exhibit greater control and power of their breaths, and their own efforts to reproduce children that possess these traits typically fail; perhaps there are only so many dragon souls to go around?

Though typically not associated with the theory, I hypothesize that certain individuals who have recorded frequent dreams of dragons in some form or another, may actually be reliving past-life experiences and memories of ancient times when they were once what we know as true dragons.  Perhaps this would also explain why some are so driven to explore the ancient past, and seemingly have the uncanny ability to locate lost relics with a “gut instinct”; dragons were known to acquire vast amounts of treasures, after all, and could supposedly know if a single coin was missing from their hoards, indicating some kind of link with objects of great wealth. 

Again, I could continue for some time discussing the intricacies of these theories, but I have duties I must attend, and I would not want to be late, lest Mother decide to step back into the gutter for her choice of tomorrow’s topic.  Perhaps I shall return to it later on; it is certainly one of the topics of which I most enjoy a spirited discussion.

 

#Lore24 – Entry #70 – Fantasy Month #10 – Dragon-blown Glass and Metal

 

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos:

 

Ah, a lovely topic today, for I rarely have cause to delve into the arts, for certainly the dragon-blown crafts of the kobolds are certainly art.  I say of the kobolds, but the nature of dragon-blown glasses and metals are, as the name suggests, originally the domain of the ancient dragons themselves, preserved through the ages by their dedicated servants who remained after they vanished from the world.

Though many would proclaim the dwarven smiths to be the best craftsmen around, a strong case exists for the kobold master artisans to be considered equals in such praises.  Though far rarer than dwarven craftsmen, the kobolds’ draconic heritage grants them quite a unique advantage when working with certain materials, namely metal and glass.  I can only surmise as to the truth of the matter, but the general enmity that exists between dwarves and kobolds, at least those within and around the Empire, may have its origins in the ongoing argument over who can craft better weapons and armor; the kobold master glassmakers have a decided lead in that area, while the dwarves remain the best stonemasons upon the face of Andyllion. 

Kobolds, by their very nature, are capable of a very limited form of draconic breath, the nature of which is determined by their particular draconic heritage, and they have adapted the draconic method of crafting using that breath in their work.  The masters of the art have trained themselves to such a degree as to have a much greater and more potent form of breath than the average kobold and exhibit a much more finely-tuned control of that breath, using it to alter the very makeup of the material which they are crafting.  Though one would assume a fiery breath is used, any form of kobold breath can be adapted using their secret techniques, from icy cold, to acid, to lightning and even the rarer variations, each having a unique effect upon the items crafted, which will inherit some of the elemental nature of the breath that forged them.

As to the nature of dragon-blown glass, it is exceptionally more resilient than standard glassware, able to survive drops of several feet without chipping or breaking, lasting for many centuries and having been known to survive even shipwrecks and collapsing buildings in some cases.  Further, depending on the nature of the breath that forged the item, it will maintain an essence of that breath, and display unique properties.  A dragon-blown teapot crafted using a fiery breath, for example, will keep its contents piping hot for hours, whereas a carafe blown by a cold breath will keep its contents cool for hours, even in the heat of a desert environment.  Many of the most rare and delicate arcane ingredients are stored in dragon-blown bottles and jars, and the best arcanists use dragon-blown alchemical equipment.

When it comes to dragon-blown metals, standard iron and steel weapons tend to retain elemental properties of the breath that forged them, meaning that they will either resist that particular element in the case of armor or a shield, or produce an elemental effect upon a strike from the weapon (a wound caused by a weapon blown by an acidic breath would cause an acidic burn upon the flesh, for example), making these weapons highly sought after when dealing with the likes of trolls and other rapidly healing creatures, or those that have an elemental aspect to their nature, or in areas where magic is unreliable or nullified.  When used upon other metals, such as mythril, the effects are heightened, or may be entirely different depending on the nature of the forge, and the metal is generally made more resistant to damage and erosion.  It is not unheard of for multiple kobold master smiths to combine their efforts into single items of great power, blending or altering the effects of their breaths in astounding ways.  Supposedly one of the armors favored by the Emperor himself was forged by kobold smiths centuries ago.

I should also note that some examples of true dragon-blown glasses and metals still exist, but are exceptionally rare and worth kingdoms, basically priceless.  Though likely never to see the light of day again, the Emperor is known to have at least three examples of these crafts within his personal collection, handed down from the very start of the Empire.  Rumors abound that one can still find such treasures hidden within the Dragontail Isles, but the ancient magics still keep explorers away from the archipelago, aside from the Tip of the Tail, a small island commonly called Cypress Isle due to the abundance of such trees growing there.  If I’m not mistaken, there are also examples of such ancient crafts found across the seas, held within the city of Arcavarlon.

 

 

 

The Curse of Cypress Isle – An Island Hexcrawl Adventure

This is the other big RPG idea I currently have in development.  For whatever reason, I had begun watching the Curse of Oak Island on the History Channel (man, I’m old enough to remember when the History Channel was awesome, and actually showed stuff that wasn’t ‘reality’ TV and Ancient Aliens…) a few months ago.  I had already been looking into other RPG systems to try that weren’t D&D 5e before WotC did their OGL thing back in January, and had been looking for a more old school experience in general.  Then, one day, the idea just struck to do an adventure based on the Oak Island story!

The possibility of buried treasure is one that will always get the PCs eager to go adventuring, and with as many twists and turns as the Oak Island story has, it’s ripe for adaptation into an adventure.  I’ve just started reading a book about the history of the island, and it’s fascinating just how much effort has gone into plumbing that island’s depths, physically and historically.  And how best to handle such a story of long lost treasures in adventure form?  Why, a hexcrawl, of course!

 

Hexcrawling for Fun and Profit

I’ve been fascinated with hexcrawling for several months now, and have wanted to try it out in a proper game sooner or later.  The last time I did a hexcrawl was probably…early to mid 2010s, a year or two after the Kingmaker AP was released, probably.  I used the first book of that as a base for a game I ran for a couple of friends who were quite keen on building up their own kingdom.  It was a fun game, and lasted several months best I can recall, though it was never properly ended.

I had attempted to develop a test-bed post-apocalyptic setting for my (currently on hold) homebrew revision of the Star Wars Saga Edition system, with the original idea being to do a hexcrawl there just to try out different elements of the system as they developed, but due to some life and medical issues, I had to stop working on it.  The idea is still there, as indicated by my #Dungeon23 project, but in a slightly altered state.

The urge to do a proper hexcrawl is strong, though, so when the Great OGL Kerfuffle of 2023 happened and I found myself delving deeper into the OSR, the time seemed right.  D&D 5e was already on the way out at our table, and this seemed like a great opportunity to make the leap to something different.  I’ve started a Pathfidner 2e game, running the Abomination Vaults and associated adventures, and having ran one game, enjoyed the feel of the system immensely already.  Yet, I also purchased the Castles & Crusades starter bundle, and have been eyeing those awfully hard.  Ideally, once the Abomination Vaults have been cleared, we’ll take a break on PF2e (unless things change, I’ll likely run the Ruby Phoenix AP as a follow up) and try out C&C.  And what better way to do that than to do an old school hexcrawl adventure?

 

Inspirations and Ideas

With the Oak Island story firmly in mind, and the urge to develop an old school hexcrawl strong, I began writing down all the ideas that came to mind.  There needed to be a treasure of course, some legends about the island, a history of failed attempts to recover said treasure, a bunch of traps and obstacles, villainous types to impede the party, so many things!  I started off with the original idea, though, and wanted to keep my focus on the Oak Island legend and history.

To that end, my goal is to create an island environment that is necessarily larger than the Oak Island, but retaining some of the key details about the real hunt for the treasure.  Some physical details of the island will need to be represented, like the Money Pit, the Swamp, flooded tunnels, the mysterious rune stone, and ruins of previous inhabitants.  Further, the historical aspects will need to be referenced, such as possible ties to a disgraced knightly order, rumors of pirate activity, previous expeditions that have failed, etc.  There is a lot of history there, and as I’ve been reading the book (Curse of Oak Island:  The Story of the World’s Longest Treasure Hunt by Randall Sullivan), it’s quite murky at times.  Translating that into a fictional account for a fantasy world will be quite the interesting challenge.

But, seeing as this will be set on a fantasy world, there will need to be plenty of fantasy elements added into the mix as well.  The old D&D adventure ‘Isle of Dread’ was the first place I looked to for inspiration.  It is a hexcrawl itself, though the plot elements are few if any; it’s mostly a giant sandbox to explore.  But there are plenty of good things to pull from it.  Its island is quite large, so will likely be a good way to scale Cypress Isle, and has a variety of random encounters and inhabitants, ranging from undead to dinosaurs to various savage tribes.  As a quick aside, probably my favorite encounter in the book is with an ankylosaurus that is whacked out on loco weed.

But,  I don’t want to just make a sandbox; I want there to be some history there, and something of a plot line to follow, however meandering it might be.  So, I started thinking about my fantasy setting.  I need to work on developing it more, as it’s basically the ancient history period of my sci-fi setting, so there should be plenty to delve into there.  To that end, I’ve begun considering when exactly this adventure will be set in the timeline, what factions are around, who claims Cypress Isle, and why the treasure is there in the first place.  It’s turning into a very interesting exercise to say the least.

Another set of inspirations were rather obviously, namely Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider, Uncharted, and the like.  Action and adventure, with dangerous traps and puzzles.  Specifically, I’m interested in big traps, like mutli-room event kind of traps.  That will require coming up with some interesting way to handle some of those big cinematic events, basically trying to give everyone something to do during a high-intensity, action-packed scene.  Plus, there’s the Tomb Raider 2013 reboot that was specifically set upon an island with supernatural beings and wild weather that is a massive source of inspiration.

As I wrote my initial few pages of notes, I quickly came to the decision that I’d like to have kobolds be a part of the adventure.  I’ve always enjoyed kobolds, especially as they seem to have taken on more draconic aspects over the years.  I’ve actually seen them as something of a draconic race for some time, and had tentatively had them be the only link to the long lost dragons in my sci-fi setting, claiming proud heritage despite their small stature.  Interestingly, this kind of goes back to that Kingmaker inspired game I ran, in which there was a particularly skillful kobold ranger who happened to be out hunting the humans that were invading their territory, and had setup a whole zone full of traps, having something of an archery sniper duel with one of the players (orc inquisitor), who eventually managed to make the kobold an ally. 

So, kobolds are in.  They love traps, and a treasure hunt adventure should be full of them.  Are they the primary antagonists of the adventure?  Why are they so keen on protecting the secrets of Cypress Isle?  I feel like there needs to be something deeper here than just the local kobold tribes being the standard enemies within the adventure.  Something more to the history of the island. 

Oh my…I seem to have opened the door to something much, much larger…

 

Kobolds, Dragons, and A Much Larger World

This idea came about most recently and has greatly expanded the original scope of “make an island hexcrawl adventure” into something that an entire campaign could be built upon. It started with developing the kobolds into something more robust as a race, specifically tying them much more closely to dragons.  As such, they will be sharing some draconic aspects, specifically scale colors and some additional traits (like elemental resistances, potentially water breathing, magic, maybe even weaker breath weapons), which is likely how they will be separated upon the island (basically into their own tribes).  Also, they will likely be training drakes as mounts and guard animals.

But…that can’t just be it.  There needs to be more.  Why are they so closely tied to dragons, and why do they call this island home?  What’s so special about the island besides the fact that there’s a treasure here that outsiders would desperately want, even though they’ve been getting killed for centuries trying to get it?  Why is this particular treasure so special?

Well, this is where I started delving much deeper into the history of the world (likely the very same world that the city of Arcavarlon is located upon), and began to consider the dragons. By the time of my sci-fi era, they’ve not been spotted in the galaxy in thousands of years.  Perhaps they were already gone from the fantasy era by the time this adventure takes place, and had been for hundreds of years at least.  There was a world-shaking cataclysm at one point, so perhaps they had somehow sensed it was coming and made plans to leave, and in doing so they gathered up their treasures and took as much as they could with them?

Ah, but keeping the original Oak Island in mind, perhaps the dragons were working with retainers and allies, perhaps a knightly order dedicated to them, who would eventually find themselves disgraced by the world at large due to actions that were recorded by history to have been disgraceful and traitorous to the powers that be.  Perhaps the kobolds were actually the closest servants of the dragons, and perhaps the dragons had their own sacred empire, in a far away land that outsiders were rarely, if ever, permitted to see. 

Ah, but what if during the course of the cataclysm, the world was reshaped?  Earthquakes, tidal waves, all that kind of thing?  So, what if, this sacred dragon empire, perhaps once a massive continent on its own, now lies beneath the waves, and Cypress Ilse is but one of several islands that formed the highest peaks of the original continent?  “The Dragon’s Tail” sounds like a fun name for a group of islands, and fitting given the history.

So, perhaps Cypress Isle is the last island in the chain, and maybe the only one that can be safely reached.  Maybe there are terrible storms and hazardous seas that keep people away from what lies further along the chain, and those who venture into the islands are never seen again.  Thus, the treasure of Cypress Isle may simply be riches, or it could be a way to get further into the chain of islands, and eventually into the heart of the ancient dragon empire itself. 

As you can see, this went from a simple island adventure to something much grander in scope; this could literally be an entire campaign.  The Cypress Isle adventure can still be developed as a standalone adventure, and likely will be for starters, but I am likely going to continue with developing the larger project now, and creating something much grander in scale.  I’ve already got a lot more details formed in my notes, and will be refining them as I go, but I’ll leave those to a future update.  For now, this is the basic overview of the Curse of Cypress Isle project, and an idea of where it may eventually lead.  What do you think about it?  Am I aiming too high, or does this sound like an interesting concept? 

Let me know what you think!

Feel free to hit me up over on my Discord server or even follow me on that Twitter thing what I made.

Until next time, out!