Category: Phandelver Player Notes and Diaries

It has been a long time since I have written anything. We have become involved in some evil beings’ plans. I don’t recall when last I wrote anything, but since then we’ve traveled far and wide, down south to the Greenfields and back north to the wonderous city of Waterdeep. I have met many kobolds, but none from a tribe that recognizes my color.

Honestly, I am disappointed with my race. Instead of honorable or mighty descendents of dragons, I found sniveling servants waiting to be ordered about by almost anyone. Most of the kobolds I’ve met have chromatic scales, with black, green, red, and some blue being prominent. Because of this, I think I need to learn more about the metallic dragons. Research and book learning are not easy for me. I don’t have the patience for it.

But I did manage to find a book on good dragons in Balders Gate, and learned something of them – they seem to be most impressive. I think I’d not be even writing this if I’d not almost died going after some gems in a pool of water, but I manage to live through it with the help of my companions. And it has me wonder, if I’d died, who would really worry about it? What mark would I have made?

After my close call, I sent out a heartfelt prayer to Bahamut, the god of good dragons, seeking some enlightenment. Tiamat seems to have followers and cultists aplenty, where are his allies?

I think he answered me, if it was not all just a fever dream. A dragon so large it seems impossible, and golden like my scales, appeared in my dream, and said she’d been assigned to keep an eye on me. That Bahamut had deemed me to young to take into his service, but thought I might yet grow into something. So I have something to look forward to. If I manage to keep myself to the ideals the gold dragons value, perhaps they’ll see fit to take me into their service, or at least give me some advice from time to time.

Well, we managed to find the dwarf and rescue him, and clear Waveecho Cavern.

Now we’re on our way south to the town of Greenest. 

We arrived, only to find the town on fire and being attacked by kobolds.  Kobolds?   They refuse to speak with me, and even attack me on sight.  I’m at a loss, and somewhat stunned, but managed to react in combat despite my shock and reluctance.  This is the first time I’ve ever seen other kobolds, and I’m trying to remember what my parents told me of them and trying to determine what they chose not to say.

Unlike halflings, they would say, different tribes of kobolds are inherently hostile to one another.  That must be why they are hostile to me, despite our shared heritage.  Also, they seem to all be different colors – and all of them are chromatic, not metallic.  I wonder if that is why they were aggressive to me. Is it because they’re descended of chromatic dragons who follow Tiamat and not metallic, like me, who tend to follow Bahmut? Does that hatred mean I’m going to be attacked by all chromatic kobolds?

Still, it disturbs me, all the more so when I find they’re allies with human dragon-worshipping cultists.  What is it with humans, can’t they worship their own ancestors and leave ours alone?

We destroy three groups of kobolds and make it to the keep while the blue dragon flies overhead.  I’m not sure he’ll attack the keep, but we’ll see.  The villagers and soldiers inside are immediately hostile to me, thinking I’m one of the other kobolds, but my party convinces them otherwise. 

This is going to require some thought and introspection. Perhaps I need to capture someone or talk with them in a peaceful environment? Will all chromatic kobolds attack me on sight? Will my own tribe even know I’m one of them or will the Darkhorn tribe attack me as an outsider? Will I ever be accepted by other kobolds? Although my parents raised me well, they didn’t teach me their language – a cultural thing, and I think, one of self protection. Instead they had a librarian teach me draconic, perhaps expecting I’d eventually go back to my own kind. But did they know I’d be greeted with hostility?

And… What about dragons? Are they just as bad?

We have failed. Failed in our quest to rescue our employer from the clan of goblinoids. The shame of our failure weighs on the party, especially the dwarf Baern. I suspect it bothers the elves as well, but they appear to have little difficulty concealing their worries. I also suspect it bothers the Tiefling not at all. But I think the dwarf is hit the hardest, as it was a fellow member of his race who was slain before our eyes by that cowardly bugbear.

Oddly enough, I find myself closest in kinship with the dwarf – a traditional enemy of my people. This does make me wonder what I will find when I do find a clan of kobolds – will I be disappointed or will I be welcomed by them? After my experience with the small green dragon, I’m suspecting I will be disappointed.

The dwarf seems to appreciate similar things to myself – a good wine or ale with hot food, and a pipe after the meal. I realize those comforts are a result of my halfling upbringing, but all the same… That he is not wiser as a result of his advanced age is a mystery to me, I expect if I reach his age of over sixty years, I should possess a great deal of knowledge.

As we head back to Phandelver, our tails limp in defeat (a metaphor, the only tails in the group are mine and the Tiefling, and hers seems to have suffered no hint of shame), I wonder what other unpleasant experiences and revelations might be awaiting me in my foray into the life of an adventurer.