Ripnugget

“Ripnugget”
Rise of the Runelords episode
Episode no.	Episode 15
Date	2008
Game Master	Abbe
Characters	Dorothea Nathaniel Nell Velicia
Episode chronology ← Previous Next → "Thistletop's Defenses" "Faltering Loyalties"
Rise of the Runelords chapter list

In this chapter the heroes face the goblin warchief.

Ripnugget

We took a short rest catching our breath. I and Dorothea searched through a few storage rooms nearby while Nathaniel and Velicia put bandages on their wounds. There were nothing of value, but we found a barrel with more vinegar. Why did they have that? We were gathering to press on through the double doors when they opened and we charged the surprised big leader of the whole tribe living here, Ripnugget, riding on a lizard, Stickfoot. He wore a crown that looked like a mix between a crown and a jesters hat. Behind him were one of the female cheering goblins we knew from the attack on Sandpoint and a group of about six more goblins.

Ripnugget and Stickfoot.

I was standing next to a corner and threw my dagger at him. Velicia used her magic on both Ripnugget and Stickfoot. Nathaniel slashed at him with his longsword leaving wounds. I threw my dagger once more leaving a big bloody gash in it's chest and then I ran back around the corner and hid. I appeared, threw my dagger and disappeared again. As I turned and ran back out of sight, I noted that Nathaniel hit Ripnugget particularly nasty with his sword that burst to flame setting Ripnugget on fire. I worked hard to not be predictable but how many ways can you deceive them by throwing a dagger around a corner? It was growing thin and I stayed in the entrance hall after throwing my dagger. Stickfoot had been slain and the cheering goblin had backed up further into the room beyond, but still aided her boss. The other goblins used a hide and strike tactic somewhat similar to mine, but throwing javelins. Nathaniel was heavily battered by Ripnugget and even though being defensive and drinking healing potions he was still heavily wounded and the heavy beating dazed him. I concentrated hard, following the the edge of the dagger with my left hands fingers and suddenly grabbing it threw it toward Ripnugget. He dodged it behind the door frame. With a curse I cartwheeled back behind the corner.

From my hiding place, gathering strength for my next attack I just barely saw how Velicia, that had no previous wounds, in just a moment was hit by javelin after javelin. She staggered and fell from yet another javelin. Nathaniel tried to protect Velicia by attacking Ripnugget even more ferociously. As I jumped out around the corner and threw another dagger I saw Dorothea pouring a healing potion down Velicias throat. Coughing she came back to life and got up. Hiding behind my corner I was joined by Velicia and it got a little crowded. I moved out into the entrance hall and threw my dagger just barely missing him lodging it deeply into a door frame just before it appeared in my hand again. I turned and ran out the entrance instead and hid outside.

This wasn't working. We had to change tactics before any of us got killed. I decided to run straight into the middle of the fight. As I charged I did a hand flip passing a goblin who was trying to stab the dazed Nathaniel, to get to Ripnugget. With an acrobatic move I buried the dagger deep in the goblin leader, killing it, rolling on to my feet in front of Nathaniel, giving him cover from the hiding javelin throwers. When the rest of the goblins realized that Ripnugget was dead they retreated and with me following them it soon turned into a flight.

We were in a terrible state, heavily wounded and had used half of all the healing potions. We were all tired from the hard fighting and with the fort empty we decided to take a longer rest recovering our strength before continuing down the stairs. We actually don't have to go down there but Velicia is insisting, saying that she knows that there will be magical treasures down there. I just think there will be an insane woman called Nualia trying to free that evil demon Malfeshnekor as Tsuto wrote in his diary, or in other words, trouble.