As we left Ilia’s office, we turned west on the wide dirt road boarded on both sides by warehouses. Up ahead we could see the town hall, the tallest building peeking up though the haze and dust. My long-sleeved chain hauberk was on outside my clothes, with the leather jacket functioning as padding. Jimmies short sleeved byrnie was worn similarly. Our weapons and my shield were stashed in our inventories, I remembered the warning Sara had given me about being robbed for our weapons. I’d thought about putting the armor under a layer of clothes, but we’d need larger clothes to pull that off.

We hiked up the road, scanning left and right, observing everything we could. I marked shops I wanted to revisit later. We stopped at a shop Ilia marked on the map, with a grey wooden sign with a picture of a potion bottle and the words “Adventure Alchemy”.

As we went in through the wood and glass door, a small bell rang, and portly elderly Polynesian looking man in a stained and thread worn robe that was once blue bustled out and to the counter.

Eyeballing our armor you could see his manner change, deciding we were paying customers. Straightening and putting on a bright smile. “How may the house on Wailani, the house of the heavenly waters, serve you adventurers?”

I caught his eye and said, “We’re looking for basic potions, health, mana, regen, whatever you can recommend.”

“Ah, excellent, first let me recommend a small pouch to hang on your belt for rapid access potions. Next, we are selling 1 basic potion of heal, mana, stamina or regen 1 bronze Knut each. I also have Iron Skin, Haste and Skill potions for 2 knuts each. Potion prices go up quickly from there.

“We don’t need the rapid access pouch thanks. We’ve got that covered. What do skill potions do?” asked Jimmy.

The old man smiled and said “They affect your mind and help you to learn skills you practice while under the influence more quickly. They are excellent for new adventurers, such as yourself. “

I pulled out a silver Knut holding it up where the old man could see “What about a bulk price? 6 heal, 2 mana, 4 regen, 4 Iron skin 2 haste and 4 skills plus 4 stamina potions for this?”

The old man pondered a second, “I’m interested, may I suggest swapping 2 of those for a Cure Poison? Deeper in the Kobold Cavern you will face poisoned weapons. Also, I don’t sell them here, but I’d suggest a backup weapon for both of you.”

I bowed slightly to the old shop keeper, “I thank you for your wisdom, can you trade 2 heals for those? We have a few heals already that we picked up in Plainsford.”

Here we saw the first truly genuine smile from the old man, his eyes twinkled “Ah Sara, excellent woman and a good healer. How was she?”

“Excellent all things considered, she needed cash to get her son an enchanting tome, so she sold us a lot more gear than I’d ever expected. This one” and I hooked at thumb at Jimmy, “spent a lot of time helping Marguerite in the garden.”

The old guy’s eyes twinkled even more, “Any friend of Sara, is a friend of mine, even if his squire is hitting on her daughter. I recognized both those sets of chain, and I don’t think a couple fish like you could have taken it from her. So, let’s call it a deal and I’ll throw a little something in as a token of my esteem for Sara.

I laid the silver knut on the counter, and he began passing us potions, I split them evenly with Jimmy. The old guy then went to a dusty chest behind the counter and opened it with a key, pulling out a worn parchment. He bustled back over to us.

“I used to sell these, but they never moved them as quickly as I’d hoped, and now it’s a touch out of date. It’s a map of the first 2 floors of the Kobold Cavern. The monsters may have moved about, but the terrain should be reasonably accurate.”

Bowing more deeply I said “My thanks sir, may we know you name to send your greetings to Sara? We plan to visit again in a few weeks.“

“I am Kaimi Wailani, I would be honored for you would remember me to Sara. We were not in the same group, but we often adventured together.”

“Thank you sir, we need to hit the dungeon next, any advice?”

“Watch out for archers staring on the 3rd level, the first 2 are just melee, but the numbers increase as you delve deeper. Also, these Kobolds are just magic creations of the dungeon, you can tell because they rot away in seconds, leaving loot behind. So don’t feel bad fighting them. Lastly, the monsters will respawn, so only rest more than a few minutes in the safe rooms. You boys have fun, and remember cash gets you into a dungeon, but constructive cowardice and guile get you out alive. Don’t push your luck. You can always earn another entrance fee.”

---

We showed our tokens and had our names written down in a ledger with our 4 total entrance tickets. As we entered the private area, there was a large map on the wall of the first level. I compared it to mine, and made notes of different monster concentrations on our map. We both gazed at the map, trying to absorb as much as we could and commit it to memory, If we have to flee, we’ll be glad we took the time.

We approached the one grey stone wall of the large entrance and spoke to 2 very large tough looking gentlemen who flanked the iron door in the large grey stone wall. “May we enter sirs? Also, any advice?”

“Sure, go ahead, 2 bits of advice, 1 you are going to enter in a safe room, you can tell from the pool in the center. Memorize what the pool looks like so you can recognize safe areas in the future. No monsters will chase you there. Lastly, Kobolds are short, and will target your knees and lower legs. Watch out. Have a nice crawl lads. Oh, the dungeon is instanced, so you’ll have the whole thing to yourselves.” And he waved us through a swirling multicolored portal.

We stepped into it and had the strangest fizzing feeling, like our blood had all be replaced with a carbonated drink. After just a split second our life as a fizzy drink ended, and we were in the dungeon.

The room was small, maybe 20x20, at its center was a reflecting pool, with a statue of a heroic kobold holding a sword up high. I used my Id function on the water in the fountain.

[Pure mana laced drinking water, will make recovery faster.]

We dumped all our river water and filled up on water from the pool. We put on all of our gear, then strode into the next room.

This room was roughhewn from the same grey stone as the previous one. At the far end was a pair of kobold’s slouched in the doorway. Each was holding a spear about 4’ long and had a square scutum leaned up next to them. I made a “use your bow” gesture with my hands to Jimmy, and he swapped to the bow and let loose an arrow. It grazed one of the kobolds scaring both. They jumped to their feet and rushed us, I took a step forward, leaving Jimmies lane of fire clear. I took melee stance my shield across my front and my sword horizonal above it to meet their charge. Another arrow flew past, digging deeply into the Kobold he’d grazed before’s leg, dropping it in a tangle of limbs.

As the other kobold entered my range, I batted its spear tip aside with my sword, and thrust into its chest, using Its momentum against it, the sword penetrating deeply. I twisted my torso, using the blade of the sword to twist the kobold off the blade.

As I turned back to check the first Kobold, I saw it had risen shakily to its feet, another arrow blossomed from its chest, and then a third, before it fell.

My rings buzzed and I checked the messages

[Loot Generated – Success x2]

Wow, We’d have to come back here and grind when I got my tome, adding to your total mana pool is excellent.

I remembered that the kobolds would dissolve soon, so I grabbed their spears and chucked them into my inventory, before touching the slightly glowing corpses.

Both corpses disappeared and I received 2X [Minor Fire Monster Core].

I tossed one to Jimmy and we moved into the next room. In the next room, there were 8 kobolds, with spears and shields. They were lined up guarding the exit door, and not moving.

“Jimmy, pull back to the door, and light them up with arrows. We’ll keep falling back till they rush us. If I yell follow me, line up right behind me and I’m going to run to maneuver us. Form up shoulder to shoulder for melee when I stop.”

Jimmy took his time behind my shield, the Kobolds hid behind their shields, leaving the top half of their heads and their lower legs open only. Jimmy loosed a few arrows and the kobolds blocked them.

I whispered “watch their eyes, wait for them to be distracted. We are not in a hurry, if they let us plink away, it’s all to the good.”

Jimmy nodded and his next shot was perfect, one of the kobolds turned it’s head slightly to talk to his neighbor and ate an arrow to the brain pan in reward. He dropped like a sack of sand. Jimmy rapidly fired again, catching another kobold in the side before they were able to close gaps.

“Great job jimmy, just like that. I may need to get a crossbow too, if the Kobolds are going to be this dumb. Keep it up” I said.

Jimmy replied “I’ve only got 14 more arrows. We’ll need to both carry a few score for each bow. With our unlimited inventory, there is no reason not to.”

“Agreed.”

Jimmy picked off 2 more kobolds before they got brave enough or angry enough to rush us, their high pitched voices shrilly keening a war cry, and their feet flashing beneath the shields. I took one step back and Jimmy copied me. This way the wall hits the doorway and get broken up just as they enter our best range.

Jimmy was on my right, we’ll have to plan better for next time, as I’m right-handed and the better sword. I’ll just have to surprise them from the middle this time.

The kobolds on the end tried to squeeze in and hit us as a unit, but all they did was squeeze the two middle kobolds out of line. I took the spears on my shield, then whipped out my sword over the top, cutting the neck of the kobold diagonally to the right of me. I then ducked under my shield, and stabbed around my shield and into the Kobold in front of me. As they crashed into my shield, I felt my sword go home strongly, shocking my arm backwards. Yet the kobold in front of me didn’t go down. I pulled my sword back and notice that Jimmy had taken a step back. I moved back with him, so we were still protecting each other.

I checked our opponents and only 2 were up, as I stepped back, Jimmy smashed his axe onto the kobold facing him with a shout, bashing it with its own shield. I flicked my sword out, cutting Jimmy’s Kobold on the shoulder deeply, and it’s shield began to sag. I had entered that peaceful place where the noise and violence fell away, and combat because something like zen meditation.

BAM! Something punched into my side, knocking the breath out of me. I’d taken my eyes off the Kobold in front of me too long. It had come through the door, jumped out to the side and got an attack on my open side past the shield. I angled my shield and backed up on to jimmy protecting my side, trying to catch my breath. Zen was GONE mutherfucker!

The kobold chuckled evilly and grinned at me, waggling the tip of its spear to taunt me. I concentrated on my ring, to get a few moments of healing out of it, before the kobold attacked again. I braced for impact, carefully tracking the spear so I could knock it far enough off line to protect us both. I heard the kobold behind me make a wet gurgling noise. I hoped Jimmy was free to help.

Instead, I felt jimmy move away from me, I saw him going wide and swapping back to his bow. Good idea, I need to keep the kobold distracted. I slammed my shield into the bastard, hitting the kobold hard. My knee hip and shoulder bracing the shield for extra force..

The kobold stumbled back and fell, landing on his back, and immediately catching an arrow for his trouble. I stepped up and chopped into the kobold with my sword slaying it. I checked where the Kobold had speared me in the side, there was no blood, my chain had held, but I had a hell of a bruise.

I looked around. All the bodies were still in place. I grabbed up all the spears and shields, if nothing else, they could be thrown. Then I went about collecting more cores.

You loot 8 [Minor Fire Monster Core].

I decided to try something. Players can crush the core for mana, so I held one in my fist so it was touching my healing ring, and thought about healing my side. Warm energy drowned my pain, the mud colored smoke curling into the ring with a gentle hissing sound… in a few moments, my bruise was gone. Awesome, wasteful, but if we got really hurt, that was a good trick to have in our back pocket.

We got organized, and moved deeper into the dungeon. We’d keep going until we were having a hard time with the Kobolds. After which we’d work our way out, going backwards through the respawned monsters we’d handled.

Even so, I’m thinking I wasted this free delve, we should have gone and geared up more at Stonehammer and Sons, and done some training. This would have allowed us to could go deeper, earn more. On the other hand, I did have a good feel now for what we needed to fight kobolds next time we came. I just hoped this delve paid enough to pay for another. I need to nail down the price of a delve for 2 of us, or this anxiety was going to keep eating at me.

I guess whether it was a good idea or no, boils down to how much delves cost, once I’m paying for them. I passed 4 cores to Jimmy, and then we got stuck in.

---

Jimmy and I had ground ourselves all the way to the first floor boss chamber. I never thought we’d delve this deep. Firstly, the monster core trick for healing with my ring, also worked on arrows and gear. I guess that’s why it was called Fix0 not Heal0. Pump mana and it fixes whatever, Super handy. I’d burned up 2 monster cores doing it, and I suspect it was wasteful as all get out, but it’s kept us delving deeper. As long as our net monster cores kept going up, we’re hopefully good. Using the core crushing trick with Burnin8 was fun as heck, but not really worthwhile. As it turns out, monsters that drop fire cores are fire resistant, add scales to that, and I was better off using my sword. I was looking forward to my next ice or water monster though. Burninate!

I peeked into the last room, and it looked as the map had described. A large room carved out of grey stone with a throne and curtains at the far end. 10 kobolds wandering about, and a giant (maybe 4’) musclebound kobold sitting in a throne. The map said that the chest and the level exit were both behind the throne curtains.

We’d collected some benches and tables in previous rooms, it was time to trot them out. Jimmy started shooting at kobolds, dropping the first one with a shot to the chest that dropped him like a bag of rocks. I started stacking the furniture in the door to make a barricade. I was trying to stack them so they locked together and couldn’t be pulled out. Then I grabbed another monster core and started using Fix0 to see if I could stick them together. I got a good weld in 2 places, then the core burst into smoke in my hand. Apparently, that took way more mana than sticking arrows and chainmail back together. Instead, I pulled out Kobold spears and started weaving them through to furniture to make it more difficult to disassemble. I glanced up, the kobolds had followed the standard pattern and formed a shield wall at the far side. The leader Kobold, aka Kobold the Barbarian, stepped behind his troops and started shouting. He was carrying a larger spear and shield to match his stature. The spear was probably 6 foot. A 6’ spear was long enough to be trouble from the second line of a shield wall. I started throwing spears at the wall when they got about halfway across the room. I wasn’t very good at spear chucking, the spears seldom went straight or hit with much power. I did manage a few cuts on arms and legs. I also made one opening for Jimmy to drop one with an arrow to the neck.

The kobolds kept up their steady march towards us, the Kobold the barbarian clearly giving commands.

When they got 10 or 12 feet out, instead of throwing for accuracy, I started throwing spears as hard as I could, as fast as I could, trying to stick them into shields and make more openings for Jimmy. About 6 feet out leader kobold clearly called charge and they jogged up to our pile of junk keeping a nearly perfect line.

I pulled another monster core, and used my fan of fire attack at full power, in a hope to light some spears and shields on fire. MY Ring got hot and my arm tingled as power coursed through us both. When the mini dragon men hit the wall, I shifted to a 6’ blow torch flame and tried to hit the kobolds in the face as well. I had managed to burn several spears pretty wel, and despite the fire resistance l was keeping the scaly shield lizards distracted. I shifted to my sword, and with hard fast chort chops, I was able to break several spears off at the burned area, leaving them just charred sticks. I laughed at disarming them, felt very clever... for a second. The kobold spearmen who’s spears I broken pulled out of the shield wall, and went back and picked up all the spears I’d chucked at them, badly, and made a pile behind their shield wall. Whelp, that didn’t turn out to be such a good idea. I’d literally just re-armed my enemies.

I was able to use my sword to blast one of the spears stuck into shields bending the Kobolod over at the waist, making an opening for Jimmy, who dropped another Kobold with an arrow high into its ribcage. That kobold rolled away hiding under it’s shield and started to drag itself back towards the throne keening in pain. Cover, good idea, these buggers were getting smarter as we got deeper into the dungeon. No stronger, except for bosses, but more numerous and more clever both.

Barb Kobold called out another squeaking command, and the wall took a step back and started attacking the barricade instead of us. They were out of my range with my sword. I briefly considered throwing shields at them, trying to make openings for jimmy’s last few arrows, but thinking of how the spears came back to haunt me, I had a better idea. The barricade was breaking up quickly as furniture for kobolds doesn’t have to be super sturdy.

I pulled another core, Yes I know I just said, I needed to save them, but I was worried about this fight. I put my shield back into my inventory, and gripped the fire core in the fingers of the hand wearing Burnin8. Soon smoky power leaked out of the get and thrummed up my arm and through the ring. God I needed this power for myself. Ina bright blue lance of flame, I began to burn a smokey hole into the closest shied right where the hand grips were. If I can make the shields handles break, and the shield hard to block with, we’d be well off. I’d burned a circle about 6’ across deeply in one of the shields and moved on to the next. Just as I did so, a spear suddenly shot out at me, coming from around the corner of the wall and thrusting at my face. I swerved my head out of the way and tried to block the spear with a forearm, the sharp blade skittirng and catching In the mail. I picked up a gash on my arm and fell backwards on my ass for my trouble. Rolling to my feet, I went back to sword and shield, this guy was just too clever for me to pull stunts like putting my shield down. I looked again, and as I suspected the Kobold the Barbarian was do where in sight. That clever little bugger.

That Big Kobold was smart, he’d suckered me with the shield wall and snuck around where I couldn’t see him. He started hewing at the barricade as well with the edge of his spear, now that his surprise was lost. Soon his arm was reaching out and pulling pieces of debris out of the barricade, clearing a path for his men. He kept his black glittering eyes on me the whole time just peeking around the corner. I tried to chop at his arm but he was too fast for me to catch. I need a good ranged weapon. The ring was bad ass, but barely damaged Kobolds.

Jimmy launched two arrows at him, but the cunning SOB dodged those as well. Jimmy yelled “Out, going axe!”

Okay we were out of arrows and it’s all melee from here on out. I had an idea, I swapped my sword for one of the 4’ spears, and held it by the butt. I then rested it on my shield, my arm as far back as it could go. I stabbed out as hard as I could at the shield, I’d charred over the kobolds hand. With a grunt of effort, I slammed the spear into the shield and straight through, pinning that kobold’s shield and hand into its ribcage with a shout. I twisted the spear raising the kobolds shrieks higher, locking the barbs in its torso and then dropped the spear. Ducking back behind my shield I just barely picking off a spear thrust from the leader with my shield, instead of my torso.

I’d better not repeat that trick, he’d nearly gotten me while I was distracted. This Barbarian asshole was effecivelyt keeping me mostly out of the battle, making it his wall of kobolds against Jimmy. The Kobold I’d just stabbed fell out of line and stepped back. I heard the leader shout something, and he walked back, using his shield and started helping the crawling Kobold back to the throne area.

I turned to Jimmy and said “We need to get a lot more arrows. Those guys are barely hiding”

Jimmy made a sour face and nodded, clearly looking at all the openings there were for archery now that the kobolds are pretty sure we were out of arrows. He panted “And a couple long spears. This barricade was a great idea, but we’re not geared up to really take advantage of it.” While we had a break, I swapped my rings, so the Heal0 was behind my shield and Burnin8 was under my basket. I could inventory the sword, blast and call it back if needed. This was a more logical arrangement when I had a shield.

Jimmy had, excuse the pun, jimmied up a kobold shield for his off hand, that left his hand free for the axe when he needed it. He tucked in close on my right side, keeping my sword, the most dangerous melee weapon in the middle of the hallway. We started kicking the broken furniture out at the Kobold line. We slowly advanced and at the same time piled up more debris in front of the kobolds and the entrance to the room. The Leader had disappeared again, I suspected he laid in ambush along one wall or another.

I talked out of the side of my mouth, “Jimmy, if we exit the door way, watch for the leader, I suspect he’s hiding to ambush on of us to one side or the other to blind side us if we push forward. So, we’re not going to.” Jimmy nodded, and we settled about 4 feet inside the hallway, waiting for the Kobolds. There were 7 of them still fighting, and only two of us.

I heard hissing whispers again, but couldn’t tell from where. The shield wall advanced to about 2 feet from the exit and formed a curved wall, making a kill pocket for us to have to attack, and waited. It’s called a kill pocket, because you step forward to fight and are attacked from 3 sides, when you can at best defend two. I noticed the corners of the kill pocket were too far forward and over rotated, making it weaker there.

I noticed their spears were high and their shields low, their aggressive faces showed they were no longer worried about ranged attacks. They were convinced sword and axe rang is all there was. They were unafraid because we swapped to melee weapons. I needed to fix that. I took a half step forward, and jimmy matched me. After about 30 seconds, I relaxed, hung my shield a bit too, clearly resting. I dropped my sword back behind me, and swapped to a spear, grabbing it by the butt again, resting the tip just inside my shield to hide it. I flipped it up and, in a flash, I stepped forward and lashed out stabbing the shield kobold who was at the corner of the pocket closest to me in the neck. I then stabbed again instantly at the one next down the line as quickly as I could. The plan was to hit the second one while everyone was still stunned at attack on the first one and pull back before they regained focus..

I immediately leapt back into place with Jimmy. I then stepped back the original half step. I’d dropped the first target cold, ripping out its throat. The second target, I felt the spear penetrate, but I can’t tell much more than that. That kind of attack the essence is speed. Accuracy gets sacrificed. I cycled back to sword asap, and got ready for a charge. I wasn’t walking into their kill pocket, so I needed to convince them I had them exactly where I wanted them, that way they’d come to me. A kill pocket, plus numbers, plus the secret spear kobolds, was just too many advantages for them if we attack normally.

The whispering came again, as blood started to drip on the floor beneath the second Kobold I’d hit. The Kobold started limping back towards the throne as well shooting glares and hissing curses at me as it went. He was pissed, but he staggered and fell about a third of the way back, laying on its shield the little warrior didn’t get up. The remaining 5 kobolds moved to make a smaller kill pocket. This time the corner kobolds were a half step back and staying at a 45 Their glittering back eyes shifting between us.. This made them much safer from a surprise thrust like that last attack I’d done. The fuckers learned fast.

I did my best impersonation of the hissing laugh that kobold in the second room had used on me. You could see it pissed off the shield kobolds. The leader was till nowhere to be seen. We stood and stared at each other for another couple minutes. I whispered to Jimmy to hold his position. I’m going to go do something stupid. If it went wrong, I was going to high tail it back to him and we’d fight from there. I normally looked down on people who pulled off this between the shield wall stuff, but I needed to convince that leader kobold that staring at each other was giving me the advantage. I needed him to rush us. If they attacked us in the hall, not only would their numeric advantage be partly neutralized, their 4-foot spears would be at a disadvantage as if they went shield to shield with us.

I tucked myself in against the wall, angling my shield to protect my right side. I kept my sword horizontal above my shield and started doing lots of little fakes, like I was trying to fake out the kobold in the center of the shieldwal. I locked eyes on him and gave him my best shit eating grin. But my eyes were really watching all of them. One of a warriors first lessons is to unfocus the eyes and watch everything, not just where his eyes were focused. This was a lesson I’d learned well and long ago.

The three on my side of the wall were taking me seriously, not trusting my feints. I started getting them twitchy and reacting. I added noises ala bad king fu movies. The two farthest from me were clearly excited at the idea of stabbing me when I made my move. When I had them good and twitchy, I jumped forward hugging the wall. The obvious read was that I was going to attack the corner kobold as I had last time. but instead of taking a second step forward, I did a big lunge diagonally, blocking myself with my shield corners, and thrust my tip into the opposite side corner kobolds head in a deep lunge. I threw a quick shallow wrist moulinet into a shield to distract them. Immediately, I leapt back again, bouncing off the far wall. I leapt back using the wall for cover. I lined up with Jimmy trying to see what good my thrust did. I’d torn open the kobolds head and put a big gash down one side. It bled like crazy, blood running down the side of its face and into one of it’s furious eyes, but didn’t seem hinder the kobold. Nor did I lure out the leader. His location was still unknown.

God, I need a ranged attack spell, I needed to zot these bastards. Or even better an AOE spell. I mentally shouted “MAKE ME A MAGE!” at Gar.

4 shields, one hidden master, against the 2 of us, and Jimmy was learning, but it was still his first day of melees. We desperately need a tower shield for Jimmy. Not equipping us was a massive oversite and we were reaping the harvest of that stupidity now. With one of the top squires or knights I’d fought with for years, we could column charge out one corners and kill these guys in a hurry. If I did that with Jimmy he was going to get hurt, or worse. If I went alone, and guessed wrong, I’d get ganked by Kobold the Barbarian as I ran out.

Bah, I was going to have to keep being stupid and hope my armor would protect me. I stepped up into the middle of the hallway, a foot or so this side of the exit. I started throwing fast light flick shots at the corner kobolds. I was watching the corners and shadows, trying for a lucky shot, or to lure the leader into giving away his hidey spot. I was taller than these kobolds, and had longer arms. But they periodically stole my hold the spear by the butt trick and threatened get me with it if I got sloppy. As long as they held the spears at the balance point though, I had the range advantage and the only one who could really get me was the leader with his longer spear. But to do that, he’d have to give up his surprise. Basically, we were playing chicken, and wearing myself out. I knew that If I slowed, the leader would hit me by surprise. Dammit do I need some ranged attacks.

I noticed the right-side corner kobold had his spear down low, acting exhausted, like he was hoping to surprise me with a shot to my leg next time I went high with my shot at him. It was actually a pretty good trick, except my knight, the guy I fought with the most in my years of SCA, used a trick similar to it all the time. We called it “the tiered old man”.

Time to take advantage and drop another kobold. I faked left, leapt right, locked my shield against the right-side wall, and started pounding on the far-right kobold with my sword, after about 3 shots It dropped, a bloody mess.

Bam! I felt a heavy blow to my hip from the left side. I felt it pierce the mail and dig deep. I limped back. Looking as I went. I’d found Kobold the Barbarians hidey-hole, but this hip damage was going to slow me down. I didn’t trust the Kobolds not to jump me now that I was hurt, so I swapped my sword for a health potion and drank it. Then swapped back to my sword. Okay, I have to say it. Magic inventory is awesome! Well, as long as the enemy has no ranged attacks.

I only had 3 more healing potions, trading a Kobold for a healing potion was a losing proposition for me.

I needed to come up with a better plan. I knew where the leader was. There were 3 shield kobolds left.

I guess it’s time for bold stupidity, instead of careful stupidity.

I whispered to Jimmy “I want you to stick close to me. I’m going to hit the right most Kobold and blast him out of place. I’m going to act like I’m hitting the center, then swerve right at the last second. I want you directly behind me for that. Then we are going to run into the backfield. You job then is to stick with me on my left, be defensive. Only take a shot if you are sure, you can get it for free. I mean only if a light shines down from heaven and a voice says “Take the Shot”. Otherwise your job is to stay alive. If we get separated, your job is to stay alive and stall, give ground if you need to, don’t get stuck. We’re going to use a tactic called “Run and Gun” where we run around and take advantage of our speed and anyone who gets distracted or exposed. Watch me, when I take off and shout go, get behind me and follow.

Jimmy and I sauntered up and started sniping at the corner guys again. I faked a huge blast that would leave me wide open for the center and yelled GO and ran full tilt sticking my shield into the gap between the wall and the right most kobold, then I stepped in knocking it back. The kobold took a step back off balance lifting it’s shield. I threw a back edge wrap shot, cutting deeply into its back and spine. I then turned and tried to crimp the middle shield man, pushing him against his neighbor. He got a wrap to the back as well, Dropping him. The Leader and the last kobold were formed up and ready for us, screaming what mush be Kobold Curses before I could advance again. No more free shots. The leader was immediately behind the shield and spear kobold. His longer spear easily reaching over the other kobolds head. One spear would be easy, but we had to keep both spears busy. We kept advancing, and pushing the kobolds around. They kept backing up, slowly they circled the room. The spear kobold was focused on me, as Jimmy was being defensive. I took a big step left and the kobold turned. Jimmy’s Axe took a big chunk out of the kobolds shoulder. It lost the use of its arm, the arm hanging useless with the shield on it, blood covering it’s side in a rush. We started pushing them back faster, my sword and their spears dancing a sparkling flamenco of steel. Tapa tap tatpata tap…The leader glanced over his shoulder and started backing up into the corner with the throne. He kept glancing back and started to curve still retreating, preventing his duo from getting stuck in the corner. We kept pushing trying to take advantage of the wounded shield kobold, but they kept slipping and sliding. As we turned our back to the curtain behind the throne I kept glancing, as 2 ambulatory kobolds had gone there earlier in the battle. As we moved away, nothing came from the curtain. Good they’d left. I focused back on the battle ahead of me, weaving my sword into a new pattern, trying to take the spearhead off the shaft. Attacking the wood as me moved. Jimmy got another light from heaven and chipped the shield kobold dropping it dead. Now it was 2 on one, we needed to get inside the spears point. It was just a matter of time, but now alone the leader kobold was much faster, we kept up our dance of steel, moving much faster now, rushing to get inside his point, him running backwards to keep us out. We circled the room again, faster and faster, jogging now between dashes. As we began our third circle, I heard a noise from behind us and Jimmy screamed. “Behind , argh!”. I glanced and there were 3 kobolds, bloody but their wounds healed and another caster in robes. I’m guessing a cleric. Jimmy had turned to face them, blood running down one leg where he’d been stabbed. Now we were on the defensive. The kobolds trying to push us into each other.

I glanced back expecting the worst, but the leader was looking at Jimmy, chortling. I knocked the leaders spear up, leapt into a thrust, stabbing my spear through his gut, wrenching it out with a twist and a rush of blood and intestines.. I took time for one quick chop at his neck, since there was a healer on the field. Then turned and rushed into the wall of kobolds facing Jimmy, not trying to kill them, just bowling them over. I felt a hard hit on my mail, but not sheer pain. I spun and ran full tilt at the cleric who’d just stabbed me with his dagger as I bowled past. I had to trust Jimmy at my back, with the three shield and spear kobolds. I heard a ‘Chthunk’ sound as I ran, and hoped it was jimmy hitting one of the three horizontal kobolds with his axe.

The kobold cleric was running fast, but I was faster, I faked high, and threw a low wrap to the leg, cutting in deeply with the back of my sword. The kobold fell, but as it landed its hands moved frantically and light flashed from them. I chopped at the hands, trying to interrupt the cast, and both the kobolds’ hands flew away blood spurting. I stopped over it, and in two chops removed its head from its body. The first rule is always “Healers die first”.

I turned and stared to see the Leader getting up again, behind jimmy. I’d been to slow the heal got off. He wasn’t’ healing himself, he was healing the best warrior. I sprinted at the musclebound kobold full speed and bowled into it with my shield as I had the wall before. I was starting to feel like a ping pong ball pouncing around the room.

I stomped on the kobolds spear, and stomped my other foot on its hand, shattering it. The leader hissed in pain, pulled a dagger out and stabbed it through my calf below my chain and behind my leg armor. I began to drop, but angled myself so my knees landed with all my weight on to the kobold’s chest with a crunching noise. I punched it in the neck with my shield edge repeatedly, till its form was still. I turned to check on Jimmy. He was running backwards fending off the two spear and shield kobolds who were trying to out maneuver him, as we’d done to their boss. I thought, heal as hard as I could and pulled the dagger out of my calf with a scream of pain, and dropped it on floor, my head woozy. I drank my heal potion, and crushed a core, before leaning on my shield to lever myself upright. I shouted “Jimmy I’m back up hold them a second longer.” He didn’t’ answer but his face and body became more focused, more intent.

As I felt my leg knitting together. I took a wobbly step, but my leg held, I took another and it was stronger. In a few steps my head started to clear, and I jogged at the remaining shield kobolds flanking them. Jimmy had turned their backs to me and I just decapitated one without warning. The blade passed through the firsts neck and chopped deeply into the others shoulder while it was still looking at its buddy in confusion at the squawking noise it had made.

Jimmy and I stood Huffing and puffing looking about the room. That had been far too close.

After a few seconds of staring, I said “Jimmy, if you have a heal potion left, drink it.” Jimmy blinked a few times in confusion and his axe swapped for a potion and he drank. I started inventorying the bodies and gear, too tired to search them. I next went over to the throne and curtains and took them too. Revealed behind them was a chest, and a door with a big 2 on it and several large blood stains on the floor.

I turned “Jim, you okay with stopping here, I feel pretty wiped out after that fight. I think my adrenal gland is spitting dust right now.”

Jimmy nodded and waved his hand as he walked around picking up anything I’d missed.

I examined the chest, then opened it with my sword. The chest came open normally, no traps. I inventoried its contents, only looking enough to tell there were no heal potions there. I pushed the chest with my foot and it moved, so I inventoried it too.

Jimmy was breathing normally but looking a bit like a limp dishrag himself. “You want to use the necklaces, I’m beat. I don’t think I can fight my way back to the first safe room” He said.

Lets go back to the hall and rest, if the room respawns before we are rested, we use the necklaces. The first of the shield Kobolds Respawned, not noticing us. Jimmy caught my eye.

I nodded and pulled the necklace out and activated it, cursing the expense. We’d over extended ourselves, and were literally paying the price.

---

After the dungeon dive, we headed to the Town hall and checked my email box. There was a letter from Gar as expected, but also a letter from Ms. Agatha.

The letter from Gar said that he was up to date on what happened at the gate chamber and was working to solve the missing tome from his end. Gar also said that my attempts to bypass the lack of a tome were clever, but that it had bugged my magic. He and Wes’s sister had worked on it, and thought they had it licked, but If I had any big troubles with it once I got my tome, to think “System->BugReport and describe the bug as best I could. The bug would get generated and he was set up to get the bug report quickly.

Aggies was more to the point, it told me that the grey lady, was in fact the Head of the Recruiting department Carol Ann Beisler, and almost certainly the one who sucked me into this world to begin with. Agatha was preparing to burn her personally for it, as much as she’d burned the Recruiting department already. She also recommended hanging near to a mail box for the next few weeks and to check it daily.

While I was reading those letters a third came, this one from Wes. His letter reported that he’d talked his sister into running with us for their practical, and that they be joining us in Pekaton in a few days.

I replied to all the emails that I’d made Pekaton safely, and was going to work the dungeon here for a few weeks. I’d prefer to do so till I had my tome, but wasn’t sure my money would last that long.

Jimmy and I headed for Stonehammer and Sons and Ludus Treekiller, our lessons learned. We had one more delve and we were going to be prepared for it.