The Red Mother - 11/16/2018

The clutch quickly finds their way back to the kobold cave system where they first came together. Meattus and Sitara observe that the cave entrance is now much larger than it used to be, they are able to clearly stand within the opening, whereas before they would have to slouch to avoid hitting their heads. They also noted that the rock and dirt on the trail is clearly loose. They explain this to Lillishandra, who as always, is completely oblivious.

The group decides that it may be best to try to lure any occupants out of the cave rather than to potentially have a fight within its confined area. Meattus makes bird noises. A huge red-skinned ogre moves from the cave entrance claiming that he hears a quail dinner from outside. One of the Red Boyz stands in the clearing outside the entrance, not noticing the clutch hiding in the brush.

The adventurers gain the advantage with a sneak attack. Meattus and Lilli land all their blows, and Sitara lands the killing blow striking the ogre solidly nearly cleaving him in two with her battle axe. Meattus quickly and effortlessly (despite the ogres size) moves the corpse into the brush. The group finds two vials of healing (5d4) that Meattus keeps, a well made silver inlaid dagger (+1) - that goes to the group stash, and 200 gold pieces that goes to the group stash. Lilli makes the comment this ogre looked like the one that was trying to tax them at the bridge.

The group goes back to the brush and Meattus makes the bird noises once more. Three more red-skinned ogres come out of the cave. Two appear to have been drinking, another has a large club and door - that appears to double as a shield. They discuss the idea that the ogre before may be playing a trick on them. They call to their 'slaves' - six kobolds shuffle out.

Meattus calls to the slaves in draconic - 'Kobolds, we are here to free you! Your friend Dekin sends us!' The bluff failed miserably as the call caused the Kobolds to know exactly where the clutch was and the battle starts.

The kobolds all miss with their surprise attack. The ogres followed suit and engaged each member of the clutch separately. Lillishandra cleanly lands a flurry of attacks - each one landing. Her last catching the ogre off guard and knocking it prone. She yells to the kobolds to help their master - this causes the kobolds to become intimidated and they flee.

Sitara executes two solid attacks - one magically enhanced causing her blade to flash with a radiant light before deeply cutting the ogre before her.

Meattus follows up by raising his head, his eyes a piercing yellow, and growling 'KORSHOJ' in the draconic language. He appears to suddenly increase in size, and his hair stands on end. He resembles that of a wolf about to lunge into battle.

The ogres scream in frustration and go to return to the blows. The ogre before Lilli gets back to its feet, the one before Meattus lands a blow, just grazing the now wolf like barbarian - one would have thought it would have done more damage than what occurred. The ogre before Sitara critically lands a strike knocking the wind from the paladin. The remaining kobolds miss Meattus, and scratch Sitara.

Our paladin now severely wounded from that massive attack quaffs a healing potion. Her injuries quickly mend themselves.

Meattus lands two attacks with his silver great sword.

The monk in a blazing feat of speed lands four attacks upon the ogre that recently stood. The ogre must not have had a chance to gain his footing as she lands her fourth and final blow, he tumbles back to the ground.

Two kobolds that were engaged with Meattus decide to help the stumbling ogre. Meattus takes this opportunity to slice one in half with a back swing. The other, seeing his friend killed, runs in terror away from the bloodshed.

The ogre before Meattus again grazes the skin of the barbarian. The wolf like half-orc growls mockingly at the scratch made. The ogre engaged with Sitara misses while a desperate kobold manages a graze. The ogre in front of Lilli gets back to his feet.

The next round of battle was a massacre. The clutch all land their attacks and take each ogre down. The remaining kobolds turn and run with the death cry of the final ogre. Meattus snarls and yells to the fleeing kobolds, 'Dekin frees you!' in the draconic word.

The group finds three healing potions (5d4) and each takes one to add to their personal inventory. They also each add 200 gold pieces to their personal stash.

Meattus decides to bury the kobold that he killed during his rage. He felt very remorseful that the kobold died during this battle, especially after finding the backpack he had contained the rocks removed from his slave efforts.

The clutch sneaks into the cave, being cautious in the event there are more Red Boyz. The eyes of the half-orc spied an ogre yelling to a group of working kobolds, "Red Mother needs to get out!"

The clutch takes this opportunity to perform a sneak attack and killing blow on the slave driver. (He had a healing potion (5d5 that Lilli takes), a long sword +1, a set of keys (3 that shimmer), and 250 gold that goes to the party slush fund.) All the kobolds scatter with the death cry of their previous master. Meattus snags a kobold by the neck as it attempted to run by. The barbarian growls a question of, 'What is back there!?' The kobold cries that death is back there, to run away! It further explains after nipping at Meattus that a large powerful ogre is stuck and we all must run away. Meattus lets the kobold go.

The group decides that Lilli should sneak down and see what is going on below as they heard the cries of what sounded like a human infant. Sitara, obviously enraged by the activity of the Red Mother was adamant they need to tend to this issue.

Lilli starts to silently make her way down the tunnel when she hit a patch of loose stone and slid the remainder of the way down the tunnel, tumbling to a stop before the largest ogre she had ever seen. She backed up quickly on all fours toward where she fell. As she looked up she saw the ogre had a human infant in her hands. Lilli cries to the group - as she does so, the ogre looks to her intently. Lilli felt an overwhelming sense of power but shakes it off. The ogre mother states, 'Your mind is powerful, you have a strong sense of will.' Meattus helps the monk to her feet and calls to the ogre to give the baby up. Sitara and Meattus convince the ogre to give up the baby and they will leave. The Red Mother does as she's told, and gives the baby up. Lilli takes the baby and runs up the path she slid down to try to hide the infant and keep it from harm. Meattus follows her briefly to ensure she makes it up. Sitara stares down the Red Mother her hand on her battle axe.

As Lilli reaches the top of the path she sees a large, lithe humanoid being appear before her - out of thin air. She appears to be an intelligent ogre. She says to tell my friends to run, it is a trap. Lilli unsure of what to do yells to her friends to leave! Meattus looks to the paladin, seeing that she will not leave without force, and growls as he grabs her by the armor, and drags her up the path. Sitara quickly glances behind her to see the being that spoke to Lilli. She immediately recognized it as an 'oni'. As Sitara made it to safety, the Red Mother disappears in a mist, along with the cave in behind her, spikes fall from the ceiling, and the infant disappears into dust. The Oni also disappears - Lilli yells out in her innocent voice, 'Could we at least know your name!?'