The Kobolds of Mount Gorgon

[Killian and Lairion continue to engage the shadowy figure whilst Krod engages the giant mimic. Killian produces the ghost gem in an attempt to capture the spectre and succeeds]
 
Ingenious! Absolutely ingenious! You know I actually forgot he had that. It'll be interesting to see how we can utilise this in the future.
Note- The composition of the ghost gem only allows for capture and not for control. An attempt to summon the spectre again will have to be a last resort, because the creature within the gem retains it's memories and we were the enemy.
 
A brief encounter with a farm lady on the outskirts of the hamlet revealed very little other than she is a drunk and that her livestock is being poached. I'm not getting involved with this one, I have no time for scum. It's down to Killian and Lairion - let's hope they get the information they want.
 
Searching the remains of the mimic doesn't yield much in the way of resources. A few small trinkets here and there, but ever little helps in this journey. After a good half days travel from the ambush site, we come across a hamlet. A maximum of about six buildings - most of them being farms. All of which seem to be currently in the process of being vacated. After wandering around we come across a merchant selling strange meats. I approach and enquire about the dragon in the mountains. Upon further investigation this man is not an official merchant and decide to use our new found authority to loosen his tongue. After which he decides to divulge a lot more information about what has been happening. The dragon is terrorising the hamlet , which compromises things as our task was just to investigate if the rumors were true. Then it is revealed that the dragon is simply reacting to the livestock - possibly for food and it is actually a group of Kobolds that are terrorising the surrounding areas.
Thanks to this information we have an idea of what to do. I gently persuade the chap to move his wares elsewhere as we don't operate with complete authority. He is more than willing... until the other two get involved.
 
After conferring with Killian and Lairion, we decide to create a hide on the outskirts of the village near the base of the mountain to identify the main source of the problem.
Note- creating the hide takes the rest of the day to complete - approx four hours. A rudimentary design overall but one to note for the future, especially with the introduction and adaptation of magical wards.
 
[Krod sleeps all the way through the night as he had stayed awake the previous night crafting the bow "Rock branches, true heart". Killian and Lairion alternate watches. On the transitional period between watches when both are awake, early hours of the morning, they spot a party of Kobolds raiding the hamlet, confirming the information that was given to us.]
 
I feel a lot better today. After conferring with the others, we decide to head up the mountain and confront the kobolds and possibly the dragon. Our original task was to confirm the dragon sightings for the wizards enclave. This goes beyond the writ. However I think we have an obligation to the town of Rel to make sure the dragon will not be a threat.
Note- Our combined knowledge of dragons suggests they can be reasoned with. Their nature is fickle, but they are very intelligent. Personally I don't want to engage the dragon. Reasoning with it will have it's own set of challenges. Let's hope it doesn't get that far.
 
God's the mountains are treacherous!
 
Fascinating! What are these markings? It's in draconic! ...ahhhh!
 
[Krod triggers a magical trap and plummets into a pit and is silenced. Killian and Lairion continue up the mountain a short way, not realising that Krod is actually a magical image being played by a kobold. Upon discovering this the kobold gets away and krod rejoins them. However, their presence is now revealed.]
 
Near the summit, a cave leads into the mountain itself. We have to risk going forth to get out of the conditions outside. Naturally we look for traps. Instead we come across the kobold clan. We approach in peace hoping not to start a fight. Graknar, their leader, is too fanatical to reason with. Everytime we try to ascertain what the dragon is here for and how we can help, so as to not cause harm elsewhere, we are brushed aside with his beliefs in this dragon.
Note- The dragon in question we discover is a red dragon called Ignathraxis. The kobold worship Ignathraxis as a God. According to legend there is a great treasure buried beneath the lands of Mount Gorgan. Dragons already accumulate vast hordes of treasure. This dragon is looking for something else, maybe that's our bargaining chip if we come across it.
 
Blast it all! They don't want to listen, fine! Let's wipe these kobolds away.
 
[Killian, Lairion and Krod engage the party of kobolds in combat. Krod uses a 2nd level web spell to ensnare the majority, while Killian and Lairion engage in melee. Killian teleports to engage Graknar the leader, hoping to end the fight quickly by killing the leader. Lairion engages at range, picking off a few at a time. Krod encounters another small party coming from the west and engages by using 1st level Thunderwave, catching all of them in it's reach. Killian and Lairion finish off the remaining, including Graknor himself.]
 
Well that wasn't fun! Let's just hope we don't have to fight a dragon now. I think we should head back and report what we've found. At least now the kobolds are one less problem to deal with. A dragon is beyond us.
Note- contents of the remains of the kobolds;
-Rot Grub Pot x2. The kobold throws a clay pot into a 5-foot-square space within 20 feet of it, and it breaks open on impact. A swarm of rot grubs emerges from the shattered pot and remains a hazard in that square.
-Scorpion on a Stick x2. The kobold makes a melee attack with a scorpion tied to the end of a 5-foot-long pole. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 9 Constitution saving throw, taking 4 (1d8) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
-Skunk in a Cage x2. The kobold releases a skunk into an unoccupied space within 5 feet of it. The skunk has a walking speed of 20 feet, AC 10, 1 hit point, and no effective attacks. It rolls initiative and, on its turn, uses its action to spray musk at a random creature within 5 feet of it. The target must make a DC 9 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target retches and can’t take actions for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. A creature that doesn’t need to breathe or is immune to poison automatically succeeds on the saving throw. Once the skunk has sprayed its musk, it can’t do so again until it finishes a short or long rest.
-Wasp Nest in a Bag x2. The kobold throws a small bag into a 5-foot-square space within 20 feet of it. A swarm of insects (wasps) with 11 hit points emerges from the bag and rolls initiative. At the end of each of the swarm’s turns, there’s a 50 percent chance that the swarm disperses.
-Basket of Centipedes x2. The kobold throws a small basket into a 5-foot-square space within 20 feet of it. A swarm of insects (centipedes) with 11 hit points emerges from the basket and rolls initiative. At the end of each of the swarm’s turns, there’s a 50 percent chance that the swarm disperses.
(Kobolds make the most obscure devices and traps. on the outside they appear as useful as childrens toys or minor hazards but I can't deny the ingenuity it took to create such a contraption. Thankfully having two of each "device" allows for a field test to be carried out one and an improvements to be made on the other).
-Alchemist’s Fire.
-Acid.
(Excellent both can be used as ammunition as part of the catapult spell I cast)
-Coins: 120 gp and 250 sp in a mix of tarnished coins found in a pouch on Graknar or hidden in a kobold's pack.
-Jewelry: A small ruby worth 50 gp, likely an offering to Ignathraxis.
Trinkets: A bronze statuette of a dragon (10 gp). A crude idol made of melted coins, shaped into a dragon's likeness (5 gp).
-Potion of Fire Resistance.
-Smoldering Scimitar (Uncommon): A scimitar with a faint ember-like glow. When drawn, it produces harmless smoke. Deals an extra 1 fire damage on a hit. (One of the other two should make use of this in combat, a minor magical property but has potential to be enhanced and replicated).
-A Bag of Sticky Goo: Can be thrown up to 20 feet to create difficult terrain in a 10-foot square (lasts 1 minute).
-A Bottle of Screeching Powder: When thrown, creatures within 5 feet must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be deafened for 1 minute.
(The items here provide a bit more utility than the other contraptions, defiantly want to discover how to replicate these items for the future).
-Basic climbing gear and pitons. (Handy for navigating the mountain).
-A crude map of Mount Gorgon with draconic runes marking the lair. (The draconic symbols being areas of impotance such as traps).
-Journal of Graknar: A weathered notebook filled with draconic prayers, ramblings about Ignathraxis, and mentions of "the treasure within the mountain."(A good find to prove the findings within the mountain, no doubt the treasure refers to whatever the dragon is looking for or it already existing hoard).
-Graknar’s Talisman (Wondrous): A dragon-shaped amulet made of obsidian. Once per day, the wearer can cast Hellish Rebuke (DC 13) as a reaction when they take damage. (The spell produced by the talisman is good as a reprisal to an attack, very useful for usage in melee combat).
 
We make our way back down the mountain feeling somewhat relieved. I think further investigation into the mystery treasure is required to get to the bottom of this.
That's interesting - the villages have come back! That's interesting - they're armed! Oh what now?