This session, Soldier Number One is back from training and is joined by Johnny the Ranger, Temaukel the Illusionist, and a new adventurer, Buffy the vampire slayer Half-Elven Cleric.
The party decides to sail to Ashes Island in the hopes to find some treasure or answers. SNO and Johnny pitch in together to hire a mercenary, MarTony the longbowman.
They set out for the island on Frank's boat and go immediately inside the dungeon upon arriving there. It is March 1 and upkeep costs are paid.
They hear woodworking sounds inside the dungeon and cautiously approach. Buffy uses her infravision to make out 12-13 small humanoid figures. They see her as well (no surprise) and begin questioning her in several monster languages. Both parties now discover that they speak Goblin, and parlaying begins.
These are Kobolds that are employed by the Orcs that live further into the dungeon. They are tasked with making boats and sailing equipment. The party negotiates passage and promises the Kobolds that they'll kill the Orcs and share some of the loot. The Kobolds seem alright with the plan.
The party explores the dungeon further in the direction indicated by the Kobolds, passing over a bridge that hugs the wall of a deep chasm in the cave. They eventually find the orcs in their quarters. Only half of the Orcs are there, the other half being outside doing... something.
Battle starts. Buffy and Temaukel both attempt spells, an area-of-effect Curse spell for Buffy and a close-up Color Spray spell by Temaukel. We discuss area of effect, spell ranges and segments. Result: Buffy can safely cast the spell by aiming it at the furthest wall of the 30'x30' room; Temaukel will get his spell off if the very near Orcs that are charging the party at this moment don't get to him first. Luckily Johnny protects Temaukel while he's casting (the Orcs randomly target him) so the Color Spray goes off. Two of eight Orcs are downed, and the Orcs fail a morale check and surrender. A very short battle with no one injured!
The Orcs surrender their treasure (not without trying to give them less than they really have first...) and the party retreats, giving the Kobolds some of the coins on their way back.
Now Johnny suspects that the orcs are up to no good, and that they're preparing to invade Trilo by boat. He makes his case to Giorno the Liutenant of Trilo, who is not quite convinced. Giorno requires some proof of the Orcs' intention! So the party decides on a rescue/kidnapping mission to bring back some of the Kobolds to testify.
They go back to the island and actually convince all of the Kobolds to go along with them, by promising large sums of gold and the opportunity for the Kobolds to have their own cave/place to live in Trilo's vicinity. The 13 Kobolds accept and travel back with the party to Trilo (the party has to wait for the sun to set – the dice give no random encounters).
The Kobolds find temporary housing in Giorno's actual dungeon. They testify that the Orcs just intended to explore the Blue Mountain that appeared next to Ashes Island about a month ago. Seeing that they seem not to be preparing to attack, Giorno refuses to send men to deal with the orcs, to the disappointment of some of the adventurers.
The total haul this session was 230 gold pieces. Soldier Number One will search a suitable cave for the Kobolds around Trilo. Johnny will "try to convince some Scuba Divers" to explore the submerged base of the Blue Mountain. Buffy will look for vampires and paint her wooden stakes using her limner profession. Temaukel will look for mercenary soldiers.