DOWNLOAD THE PDF - Quick Encounters #1
"Quick Encounters" are plug-ins for virtually any adventure or campaign series. These events can act to fill a gap in the action or even as a launching off point for other adventures. Each Quick Encounter has some campaign hooks as well as ideas for scaling the encounter for higher or lower level as needed.
This "Quick Encounter" is for 1st level characters, but could probably still present a slight challenge to level 2 characters.
"The Imp made me do it!" is a story of what happens to those devilish familiars after they have outlived their evil masters. Many are able to return to their native plane, but every so often, the tiny devils decide they like it right where they are. In these instances, the devil will usually find itself another master to serve and pervert to its own ends. Some, however, revel in the idea of becoming a puppet master, dominating the low intelligence of various goblinoid tribes they encounter.
The latter is where we find ourselves in this "Quick Encounter". Grixzl, an Imp and formerly a familiar to a none-to-goodly wizard, has maintained his presence on the material plane and begun the process of creating his own "kingdom" among the kobold tribes in the area. Grixzl has already subverted the leadership of one clan and, when this encounter begins, he is in the process of moving on to a rival clan across the valley. Grixzl and his kobolds inhabit one of the caves in the bluffs high above the trail in the base of the valley in which the PCs find themselves. The valley floor itself is mostly forested with a few small lakes and clearings from time to time and a small, winding trail following a stream up its entire length.
This encounter should be timed at such time as when the PCs are preparing to camp for the night. Near midnight, the kobolds along with their new master move down from the cave and prepare to assault their rivals on the other side of the valley. They become aware of the groups campsite and after careful deliberation (or as close to that as kobolds ever get), they decide to go around the camp to avoid the stinky humans. It is in the process of going around they are themselves ambushed by a pack of hungry wolves eager for a quick meal.
It is the ensuing combat that draws the attention of the party - and presumably draw their presences to the battle. The kobold war party initially consists of 12 kobold foot warriors, 8 mounted kobold calvary riding trained dire rats, 1 kobold alchemist and Grixzl. The pack consists of 12 wolves who see the plump rats as a tasty dinner. No matter how long it actually takes the PCs to get to the combat, by the time they arrive, the kobolds (with the significant help of their devilish leader) have run the wolves out. Not without sustaining some unforeseen losses, however. The war party loses 6 of their dire rats and the kobolds riding them - they were the primary target of the wolves - as well as another 4 of the kobolds on foot.
The PCs come upon the remnants of the war party just as the last of the wolves is leaping into the forest. The kobolds themselves have definitely lost the taste for battle and the remainder of the group breaks as soon as they spot the humans entering their midst. Grixzl, having no desire appear weak to his minions, makes a stand for at least a round or two before fleeing. The kobolds flee straight back to their cave to hide. It is only about 1/2 mile away and they immediately post sentries to warn if the wolves or the humans come calling.
For purposes of this encounter, the assumption is the PCs will eagerly hunt down the devil and his kobold clan, if not that night then in the morning. Grixzl assumes they will be coming and sets his minions to work setting a few traps for the party in advance of their arrival. When the group does arrive, the sentries shriek and run into the cave, hoping the traps will do the work for them. In the end, the party will likely prevail - slaying the remaining kobolds and defeating the impish devil.
The intent for this encounter is for it to take roughly 30-45 minutes of game time. There are no plot twists or conspiracies to uncover, just a straightforward hack and slash! Good luck! When the Quick Encounter begins, read the following:
1. Wolves and Rats - The sun has set on another day in your journey. Once again you have set up camp and prepare for a chilly night's sleep after a bone-jarring day of travel. The valley you have entered, while less traveled than some more traditional routes, promises to shorten your trip by more than a week. Caravans and other groups avoid this part of the mountains because everyone back in town says it is infested with feral goblinoids of all types. Now finishing your second day walking up the narrow trail in the bottom of the vale, you still have yet to encounter a cross-looking squirrel, let alone any goblins or other nasty creatures. It is around midnight that very night when you think your luck in that particular area has come to an end.
The sounds of wolves snapping and snarling erupts in the forest somewhat near to your camp. Shortly thereafter the wolves are joined by various squeals and shrieks before a small explosion is heard, the flash of it bright in the dark night. Bright and close. You judge it to be no more than 100 yards from your campsite. Earlier in the evening you and your companions had waved off the howling of a wolf pack more than a miles distant, if the sound in the valley could be judged correctly. Now it would seem they have crept much closer to you, but you appear to not be the target of their hunger.
The wolves have ambushed Grixzl's raiding party, targeting the dire rats and the kobolds riding them. When the party arrives, the last of the wolves have been chased off leaving a bloodied troupe of kobolds behind.
First Round: Kobolds: Flee immediately upon their initiative, blending back into the forest and getting away as fast as possible
Kobold Alchemist: Not much braver, but he sees his leader is staying, so he takes the time to throw one bomb at the nearest PC and then uses his move action to fall back into the forest
Graxzl: Angry at the wolves and having just quaffed a Potion of Bull's Strength, Graxzl sees the PCs as a way to vent his fury. With that being said, he is not stupid. While he runs towards the interlopers, it only takes him a few seconds to realize his war party has fled him. He casts
Suggestion (DC 15) on the nearest PC, telling him to stop his or her attack. If he does not take any damage in this round (including from being hit, but absorbing it via DR), he will press into the second round; otherwise he flees.
Second Round:All Kobolds: They continue to run. The party is not likely to catch them in the forest at night.
Graxzl: Turns
Invisible and moves towards the next nearest PC for a sneak attack next round.
Third Round:Graxzl: If he has still not been hit, he will use the cover of his invisibility to sneak behind one of the PCs for a sneak attack (1d4+1d6+2 / Poison).
Fourth Round: Graxzl: If he remains unscathed at this point, he counts himself lucky - goes
Invisible one more time and flees the area, back to the cave.
Kobold (12 - 4 mounted, 8 on foot)
XP 100 ea.
Kobold warrior 1
LE Small humanoid (reptilian)
Init +1;
Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +5
DEFENSE
AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+2 armor, +1 Dex, +1 natural, +1 size)
hp 5 (1d10)
Fort +2, Ref +1, Will –1
Weaknesses: light sensitivity
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee spear +1 (1d6–1/x3)
Ranged sling +3 (1d3-1)
STATISTICS
Str 9, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 8
Base Atk +1; CMB –1; CMD 10
Feats: Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills: Craft (trapmaking) +6, Perception +5, Stealth +5; Racial Modifiers +2 Craft (trapmaking), +2 Perception, +2 Profession (miner) Languages Draconic
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Crafty (Ex) - Craft (trapmaking) and Stealth are always class skills for a kobold. |
Kobold Shaman (1)
XP 200
Kobold alchemist 1
LE Small humanoid (reptilian)
Init +1;
Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +5
DEFENSE
AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+2 armor, +1 Dex, +1 natural, +1 size)
hp 5 (1d10)
Fort +2, Ref +1, Will –1
Weaknesses: light sensitivity
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Bomb, Alchemy +4 (1d6/x2)
Sling +3 (1d3-1)
STATISTICS
Str 6, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 9, Cha 8
Base Atk +1; CMB –1; CMD 10
Feats: Throw Anything (bonus), Weapon Focus (Bomb)
Skills: Craft (trapmaking) +6, Perception +5, Stealth +5, Craft (Alchemy) +4; Racial Modifiers +2 Craft (trapmaking), +2 Perception, +2 Profession (miner) Languages Draconic
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Brew Potion, mutagen, Throw Anything, Bomb 2/day, Alchemy Craft (trapmaking) and Stealth are always class skills for a kobold.
Bomb (link): 2/day may throw a fire bomb dealing d6+1 points of damage. Mutagen: +2 AC, +4 to Dex, 1/day
Equipment:
1 Banshee Ballerina firework, 1 Smokestick |
Dire Rat (4)
XP 135
N Small animal
Init +3;
Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +4
DEFENSE
AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 11 (+3 Dex, +1 size)
hp 5 (1d8+1)
Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +1
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.
Melee bite +1 (1d4 plus disease)
Special Attacks disease
STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 4
Base Atk +0; CMB –1; CMD 12 (16 vs. trip)
Feats Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Climb +11, Perception +4, Stealth +11, Swim +11; Racial Modifiers uses Dex to modify Climb and Swim
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Disease (Ex)
Filth fever: Bite—injury; save Fort DC 11; onset 1d3 days; frequency 1/day; effect 1d3 Dex damage and 1d3 Con damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Constitution-based. |
Graxzl, Imp
XP 800
Rogue 1*
LE Tiny outsider (devil, evil, extraplanar, lawful)
Init +3;
Senses darkvision 60 ft., detect good, detect magic, see in darkness; Perception +7
DEFENSE
AC 17, touch 16, flat-footed 13 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 natural, +2 size)
hp 16 (3d10); fast healing 2
Fort +1, Ref +6, Will +4
DR 5/good or silver; Immune fire, poison; Resist acid 10, cold 10
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft., fly 50 ft. (perfect)
Melee sting +10 (1d4+2 plus poison)
Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th)
Constant—detect good, detect magic
At will—invisibility (self only)
1/day—augury, suggestion (DC 15)
1/week—commune (6 questions, CL 12th)
STATISTICS
Str 10 (14 with Bull's Str), Dex 17, Con 10, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 14
Base Atk +3 (+5 w/ Bull's Str); CMB +1; CMD 15
Feats Dodge, Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +9, Bluff +8, Fly +21, Knowledge (arcana) +7, Knowledge (planes) +7, Perception +7, Spellcraft +7, Stealth +9
Languages Common, Infernal
SQ change shape (boar, giant spider, rat, or raven, beast shape I)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Poison (Ex)
Sneak Attack (Ex) +1d6 (as per rogue ability)
Skill Focus (Stealth)
Sting—injury; save Fort DC 13; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Dex; cure 1 save. The save DC is Constitution-based, and includes a +2 racial bonus. |
2. The Approach - The kobolds flee up into their cave with Graxzl following behind. He is angry, but does not blame his followers for fleeing the humans. He appreciates they would have all likely been destroyed had they stayed to fight. He also assumes the humans will follow them to their lair. As such, he orders the survivors to immediately begin setting up traps for the soon-to-be intruders.
The cave is less than half a mile from their campsite and a blind troll could follow the trail left behind by the fleeing kobolds. In all likelihood, the PCs decide to wait until morning to follow the kobolds. If they do not, use the remaining 10 wolves as incentive to stay close to the fire for the rest of the night. The wolves can be used to keep the PCs in check, but only attack the party with the pack if they should disregard the signs they should wait and attempt to find the kobolds at night.
The next morning it takes less than an hour to get to the cave. When they arrive, read the following:
Just up the slope, you spot a hole in the earth. You are perhaps 50 feet from it when two small reptilian humanoids scramble from previously unseen perches in the rocks. With a series of screeches and yelps, they flee into the cave.
3. The Kobold Cave - When the group makes it to the entrance of the cave, read the following:
The cave entrance is small, but not so much so that you would be cramped where you to enter. You will have to go in one at a time, however. From inside you hear more of the yelping and dog-like barking as the vermin within ready for you.
Walking into the entrance, there is a spiked pitfall. The kobolds have not dug a
Punji spike trap right inside the entrance.
Punji Trap
CR 1/2 XP 200
Type mechanical; Perception DC 20; Disable Device DC 20
EFFECTS
Trigger location; Reset manual
Effect spikes (atk +10 melee, 2d4); spikes hold the target in place; the trap can be escaped with a DC 20 Disable Device check, DC 20 Escape Artist check, or DC 24 Strength check.
4. Fork in the tunnel -
After only about 20 feet, the tunnel splits into two different directions. Down the right tunnel, although pitch black, shouts and yelps can be heard. It sounds as though a small crowd of the humanoids have gathered there. Down the left tunnel there are no sounds, but a soft yellow light, perhaps a torch glows softly around the corner.
The kobolds have setup two traps down the right hallway. The first is a tripwire trap that will trigger a pot of alchemist fire to drop and explode in the hallway. The second one is after that, but before the next room. It is simply caltrops spread along the floor.
Alchemist Fire Tripwire
CR 1 / XP 400
Type mechanical; Perception DC 25; Disable Device DC 25
EFFECTS
Trigger proximity; Reset manual
Effect Alchemist Fire (1d6 damage), Multiple Targets (everyone in a 10' radius), target must spend 1 full round putting out the flames or take an additional d6 fire damage the next round. Reflex DC 18 for no damage
Hidden
CaltropsCR 1/2 XP 200
Type mechanical; Perception DC 20; Disable Device N/A (can pick up or avoid)
Effect: Covers the 5' area leading into area #5. BAB +0. Anyone stepping through the square is attacked. They get no armor, dex or magical modifiers to AC. If they are wearing shoes, they receive a +2 to their AC.
Victim takes 1 hp damage and has his movement reduced by 1/2. See
Caltrops for more information.
5. Kobold's Hovel -
Once the PCs reach the caltrops, the sounds from this area stop. All of the kobolds in the area scramble to hide amid the junk and debris that constitutes their living area. Most of the kobolds and all of the rats are in this room. When the PCs entire with a light source, all the immediately see (without a perception test) is the rats who then scramble to get out of the light.
It smells absolutely horrible in this room. The sounds you heard before have stopped, the only noise remaining is the same persistent clawing and scratching sound rats make in the rafters of your house back home. The area is covered in debris of all types. There are some digging tools, bits of armor, some wooden weapons or spikes, broken metal weapons, scraps, tree trimmings, utensils, but mostly piles of refuse. Mounds of it. Everywhere. From where you stand, there does not appear to be any other exit from this room.
The rats will only fight if cornered or if one of the kobolds manages to get mounted on it. The kobolds will remain hidden as long as they can, but once one of them is found, they will fall upon the PCs with the fury of those trying to protect their home. Once combat is joined, they will not flee.
Kobolds (8)
Dire Rats (4)
6. Graxzl's Den -
In the hallway leading to Graxzl's small chamber, there is one final trap. A snare trap, commonly called an Ettercap's Noose is here. If one of the PCs is snared, the four remaining kobolds and the kobold alchemist will charge out of their hiding spot in Graxzl's chamber and focus their attacks on that person.
Ettercap Noose
CR 1 / XP 400
Type mechanical; Perception DC 20; Disable Device DC 20
EFFECTS
Trigger location; Reset repair
Effect +15 CMB check (grapple)
Upon your approach to what appears to be a rather small chamber, the light source there suddenly goes out. The room is now pitch black and eerily silent.
If the trap was disarmed, there are 4 kobolds, the kobold alchemist and Graxzl in this chamber. They are hiding behind a few rocks and other debris, waiting for the PCs to enter. Because the room is so small, only 1 melee type is able to enter at a time. Additionally, due to the debris and free space only one ranged character will likely be able to assist as well. As the kobolds begin to drop, as many as three PCs can get into the room.
Use the tactics above for Graxzl. If at anytime he is below 5 hit points, he attempts to flee using
Invisibility and running from the cave. The kobolds fight to the death, they have nowhere else to flee. The alchemist uses his 2 daily bombs before switching to his sling.
Loot:
1 Potion Cure Light Wounds
1 Potion Darkvision
1 Potion Sanctuary
Wizard's Spellbook - This is a simple, unadorned spellbook. Notes on improving the efficiency of each spell crowd the margins, most of them hopelessly misguided.
Value 275 gp
Spells
2nd—fox’s cunning, scorching ray
1st—alarm, feather fall, obscuring mist, mount, shield, shocking grasp, silent image, sleep
0—standard plus jolt [UM] [errata removes 0-level spells]
46gp in coins and small gem stones scattered about the room
1 Masterwork Shortsword
CreditsThis product was written under the Pathfinder Open Gaming License and is free for personal use. No reproductions of this product are authorized without written consent by the author.
Written and produced by Matt Everhart, 2013
Artwork by Matt Everhart, 2013
Leave your comments and find more information about this and other adventures at:
http://www.koboldcompany.com
