The group of kobolds to the east started toward their northern comrades. The archer’s fall and transformation startled, spooked, and dissuaded them, and they hesitated. The group of kobolds to the south charged forward and followed Rhiann, Iyaca, and the Gnomes toward the northern Kobold group. All in all, it looked like a fox chasing the hounds. As individuals separated thirty feet from the nearest lance their screams became audible. The kobolds to the west held their ground and concentrated on keeping the road to the west and Jack’s Refuge blocked.
Longbeard, Donovan, Alden, Rudy, and Rhiann reached the northern group of kobolds. The powerful experienced Gnomes made short work of their first opponents. Donovan’s great strength powered his axe through their shields. Most kobolds managed to parry fewer than three rounds before they fell. Emotion and adrenaline fueled Rhiann’s first foray into hand-to-hand combat. Rhiann had read every book on the subject in Thynna’s libraries and carried a Magick sword. Exeter felt nigh weightless in his hand and parried the unfortunate Kobolds’ blows. Rhiann’s every swing destroyed one of the goblin-like enemies. Donovan Ten-names clobbered Kobold after Kobold. By the time the southern cluster reached the battle, the Gnomes and Rhiann had already dispatched their northern foes and turned and met them head on. The number of the southern clutch was reduced by two unfortunates dumb enough to stop at p-Mayard’s corpse and try to lull out the arrow with the Tuscon fletching from the dead Shapechanger. The fletching maintained its lethality. Dibbit five-names fired repeatedly and dropped four kobolds in the eastern lot. All the while the Gnomes’ disciplined halvsies remained in a cluster in the fringes of the field away from the battle. p-Mayard’s stallion broke and ran through the kobolds to the west and gravely injured two enemies. The Gnomes quickly overcame the southern group of Kobolds. A few survivors dropped their weapons, broke away, and ran for the woods to the south of the road. Two Gnomes suffered minor injuries. Thirty-one kobolds’ bodies littered the field. Reinforcements filtered into the group of kobolds to the west. Longbeard Nineteen-names and Donovan Ten-names angrily pulled lances from the ground and hurled them toward the kobolds. Two kobolds fell. The silence spells centered on the lances silenced their screams. Both the east and west groups of kobolds drifted backward toward the road’s exits from the field.
benjamintowe 