Goblin Quest - Roaghaz to Riches

The Goblins' Last Stand

  The Bayside Stranglers stood at the entrance to the cavern, bloodied and exhausted. The air reeked of charred kobold flesh and alchemical fire. Behind them, the winding tunnels of the kobold warren bore the scars of their relentless advance—scorched walls, shattered bone piles, and still-smoking corpses.   Gooch’s rage had burned out. Gakk was down to his last ten arrows. Healing was all but spent. Xmoak stood with Toothy in his hand, the acrid sting of his own fire magic still clinging to his nostrils.   And now, in the dim green glow of phosphorescent moss, they faced Chief Roaghaz.   The kobold chieftain stood atop a jagged stone dais, his scaled arms spread wide in mockery of a king receiving his subjects. Behind him, the cavern walls shimmered with crude dragon carvings, their twisted forms looming over the goblins like leering specters. The air itself seemed heavier here, charged with something old, something watching.   Then Roaghaz spoke.   "You think you can trespass in the lair of the Blood Vow Tribe with impunity? I am Roaghaz, and I serve the great Lord Aeteperax! He rewards his supplicants for ferocity and faithfulness. We shall add your bones to those hanging on these walls, and our great lord shall sup on your flesh!"   With a snap of his claws, the chamber erupted into chaos.  

Battle in the Chief’s Den

 

• Webbed and Trapped! Roaghaz’s first spell unleashed a wave of thick, glistening webs, anchoring the goblins in place.
• Mirror Image! Three illusory copies of Roaghaz flickered around him, their snarling faces twisting in and out of view.
• Magic Missile! Xmoak barely had time to react before bolts of pure arcane force slammed into him, sending him reeling.
• Desperate Strikes! Gakk fired arrows wildly, each shot striking an illusion until only the real Roaghaz remained.

The goblins fought like cornered rats, hacking through webs and striking wildly at the chief. Roaghaz, confident in his magic, struck from afar, hurling bolts of acid and darting behind cover.   But the goblins were relentless.

• Gooch fell repeatedly, then crawled back up, blood pouring down his face.
• Roaghaz snarled, breaking his silence for the first time. "Why won’t you die?"
• Xmoak’s fire burst against Roaghaz’s hide, blackening his scales.
• Gakk struck true, an arrow piercing Roaghaz’s shoulder, sending him staggering.

However, the Chief of the Kobolds would not be denied his victory. A barrage of magic missiles felled Gooch for the final time. Xmoak attempted a desperation ingestion of an Elixir of Dragon's Breath, but before he could use it Roaghaz used an acid splash to eliminate him from the equation. Gakk continued his pursuit, but the corrosive damage from an acid arrow ended the combat. With the three goblins down, the kobold chief’s arrogance turned to desperation. He hissed in pain, eyes darting around the chamber. Then, he turned and fled.   Xmoak's body lay still on the cavern floor, his breathing weak. Then, beneath his tattered eyepatch, something stirred. The skin beneath it bulged unnaturally, the wound bubbling with dark, coagulated blood. A wet, sickly squelch filled the air as Xmoak’s parasite familiar emerged—a grotesque, glistening toad-like creature with twitching limbs and beady, calculating eyes.   The parasite wasted no time. It scanned the battlefield, its slimy skin quivering with urgency. It had seen potions before—recognized their shape, their scent. Without hesitation, the creature sprang forward, its short, awkward limbs carrying it across the uneven cavern floor in erratic, jerking motions. It stopped near a collection of scattered potion bottles, sniffing at them.   Its bloated throat pulsed as it considered its options. Then, instinct took over. It grabbed a vial with its slick, dexterous tongue—the same kind it had used before to sustain its host. Scurrying back with surprising precision, it perched atop Xmoak’s chest, pried his lips open with its clammy digits, and poured the liquid down his throat with deliberate care.   For a moment, Xmoak remained motionless. Then, his body shuddered as breath returned to his lungs. His fingers twitched, and his eye fluttered open. The eyepatch lay discarded beside him, soaked in blood.   He was alive.   And somewhere in the darkness, the parasite nestled back beneath his flesh, disappearing once more beneath the ruined socket.   Moments later, the others joined him. This fight was not over.  

The Kobold Egg Chamber – Roaghaz’s Betrayal

  The goblins pursued him through the warren, forcing their way past the sticky remnants of the web spell.   Roaghaz stumbled into a final cavern—the kobold hatchery. Here, a warm glow emanated from bioluminescent moss, reflecting off hundreds of kobold eggs nestled in careful rows. A handful of kobold warriors stood near the eggs, weapons in hand.    Roaghaz turned to them. "You will fight for me! Kill them!"   But the kobolds did nothing.   Roaghaz’s pride shattered. With a shriek of rage, he turned on his own kin, slashing his claws across the throat of the warriors who had hesitated.   A deep croak rumbled from the far side of the chamber. The Slurk—a massive, bloated toad-like beast, once a guardian of the kobolds—had seen enough. With a thunderous lurch, it lunged at Roaghaz, its thick mucus coating the stone floor.   By the time the Bayside Stranglers reached him, the damage had been done. The kobold warriors were dead, as was the slurk. Chief Roaghaz was covered in slime, binding him. The goblins wasted no time in unleashing Hell, and with a final, agonized shriek, Roaghaz collapsed.   The tyrant of the Blood Vow Tribe was dead.  

Returning to Belhaim – A Name from the Past

  Back in Belhaim, the goblins reported to the Baroness. They presented the kobold chief's head, announcing that the kobold threat was ended. However, he did mention something about worshipping someone named Aeteperax.   The Baroness was shocked. Aeteperax was a dragon slain over 1,000 years ago by the town’s founder, Lady Belhaim.   But then came the true question: If Aeteperax was dead… why did the kobolds still whisper his name?