Session 23: Kobold Revolution

Characters Present: Zoran, Luan, Brannor, Andy, Grusnarv

Recap

Having struck a bargain with the Gauth in the caverns below, the party returned to Gluttony’s ballroom with an unexpected ally. The Gauth agreed to help them kill the sin in exchange for magic to feed upon — specifically, one of the collected sin stones. Now, with Brannor attuned to the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind and approximately one hundred enslaved kobolds ready to revolt, the final confrontation was at hand.

Narrative Summary

“They may take our lives, but they will never take our freedom!”

The elevator rose, carrying the party and their monstrous ally back into Gluttony’s domain. The sin still waited in his ballroom, distracted by the kobolds he’d enslaved. Grusnarv stood among the captive creatures in their breeding chambers, seeing their desperation and hearing their chants of “tiki-taki” — somehow, he’d become their prophet.

This was the moment.

Grusnarv delivered a speech that would echo through Barovia’s cursed halls for years to come. His words were pure William Wallace: “Fight and you may die! Run and you’ll live — at least for a while. And dying in your beds many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day until that day for one chance? Just one chance! To come back here and tell Gluttony that they may take your lives, but they will never take your freedom!”

The performance check was a natural 19 plus 12 — a total of 31. The kobolds erupted. They armed themselves with broken instruments, sharpened bed slats, and improvised weapons. They cut their arms and painted their faces with blood. They chanted: “Tiki-taki! For the prophet!” The revolution had begun.

The Epic Entrance

The doors burst open. The party marched through a corridor of frenzied kobolds playing war drums and distorted music — the happy kobold melodies twisted into something fierce and defiant. Grusnarv had organized them into specialized platoons:

• The Blasters (wind instruments) - Following Brannor, the giant dwarf
• The Strings - Following Andy
• The Percussion - Following Zoran
• The Choir - The “Improv Guys” following Grusnarv and Luan

Luan cast Enlarge on Brannor, turning the already massive half-giant into a towering huge creature. The party had twenty kobolds each, forming a small army.

Gluttony turned toward the commotion, confused: “Who the fuck are you?”

The Buffs of War

The inspired kobolds provided incredible battlefield support:

• Blasters: +1d4 to attack rolls
• Percussion: +10 movement speed or disengage as bonus action
• Strings: Enemy loses one legendary action and has disadvantage on concentration
• Choir: 1d8 temporary hit points per round

But maintaining inspiration required performance checks each round — and failure meant losing these crucial bonuses.

Battle in the Ballroom

Brannor activated the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind. For the first time in living memory, true sunlight blazed through Gluttony’s domain. The massive paladin became a golden warrior, radiating holy light in a 30-foot radius. The kobolds saw the sun for the first time in their captivity and wept with joy even as they prepared for war.

The fight was brutal and chaotic:

Zoran moved with supernatural speed enhanced by Greed’s transformation, striking with quarterstaff and radiant fists. His perfected body allowed him 120 feet of movement per turn.

Andy opened fire with his matchlock pistol, silver bullets tearing through Gluttony’s loose, skin-draped form. Each hit sent chunks of flesh flying.

Luan, in enormous bear form with green fey fur, stood on a table and fired starry wisps from his eyes.

Grusnarv cast Erupting Earth, creating difficult terrain and bludgeoning the sin with stone and soil.

Brannor charged forward as a huge glowing figure, axe raised, kobolds rallying around his divine light.

The Gauth (whom the party couldn’t decide to call Gary, Gavin the Gauth, or John Tervolta) floated into the chamber, firing eye rays of fire, necrotic energy, and force at Gluttony from behind.

Gluttony’s Wrath

The sin was more dangerous than they’d anticipated. Disadvantage from sunlight hampered his attacks, but he possessed a terrifying arsenal:

Lashing Tongues: Slimy appendages shot from his body, grappling and pulling victims toward his mass. One caught Zoran, dealing 14 bludgeoning damage and requiring a strength save to escape.

Stomach Acid Bombs: Gluttony vomited haggis-like sacks that exploded in 15-foot bursts, dealing acid damage. The first volley killed several kobolds instantly, reducing Brenner’s platoon from 20 to 19.

Legendary Actions: Despite the strings’ disruption, Gluttony could still act between turns, though with reduced frequency.

Psychic Punishment: Whenever someone missed an attack against him, they took 6-8 psychic damage as his twisted hunger lashed out at their minds.

The Living Lair: At initiative 20, the ballroom itself attacked — food and debris flew through the air as lair actions.

The Shedding

Gluttony suddenly dropped his outer layer of skin like a grotesque cloak. His body became lean and swift beneath, moving with terrifying speed. He charged toward the kobold musicians, trying to end their buffs. His reach extended 15 feet through flesh tendrils.

Andy’s kobolds — The Strings — were decimated by concentrated attacks. The music that had been disrupting Gluttony’s legendary actions wavered as musicians fell.

The Breath Weapon

Then came the moment that turned the tide.

Gluttony’s mouth opened impossibly wide. His body sucked inward, drawing in air and compressing his grotesque form. Then he vomited forth a 30-foot cone of stomach acid and partially digested matter.

The cone caught Zoran, Luan, Brannor, Andy, and dozens of kobolds.

Constitution saving throws:

• Luan (as a bear): 25 — succeeded, taking 16 acid damage
• Zoran: 13 — failed, taking 33 acid damage
• Andy: 15 — failed, taking 33 acid damage
• Brannor: 18 — succeeded, taking 16 acid damage

But Andy used his Aura of Protection as a reaction, raising Brannor’s save with his charisma bonus.

The acid was devastating. Kobolds dissolved into red mist. Player characters staggered, their flesh burning. The battlefield became a nightmare of melting bodies and screaming victims.

The Fall

On his next turn, Gluttony pressed his advantage. A tongue lashed out and grabbed Brannor (grappled despite his massive size). Then Gluttony bit down with his acid-filled maw.

The sunlight from the Holy Symbol winked out as Brannor fell unconscious — 19 piercing damage plus 15 acid damage. The ballroom plunged back into shadow, lit only by torches.

Zoran went down next, overwhelmed by accumulated damage and unable to deflect another massive hit.

Two of the party’s strongest fighters lay dying on the floor. The kobolds’ music became ragged with despair. Grusnarv tried desperately to re-inspire his remaining musicians (rolling only a 10), but their morale was breaking.

Desperation

With friends down and the battle on a knife’s edge, the remaining party members fought with everything they had:

• Luan maintained his bear form, knowing his constitution kept him alive
• Andy prepared his silver bullets, knowing they dealt double damage
• Grusnarv rallied his kobolds: “Grab the knives! It all comes down to this. Our friends are down. If we miss our shot now, this might be over. So give it all you got!”
• The Gauth continued its barrage, its hatred of Gluttony undiminished

The DM mentioned special healing rules: the first down could be brought up with a medicine check, the second required magic (potion), the third required more powerful magic, and the fourth meant permanent death. Stakes had never been higher.

They discovered that silver weapons dealt double damage to Gluttony, while fire and necrotic barely affected him. Radiant damage worked normally. The party’s best hope was Andy’s matchlock pistol loaded with silver bullets — if he could keep hitting.

The Cliffhanger

The session ended mid-combat with the battle’s outcome uncertain. Brannor and Zoran lay unconscious, making death saving throws. The kobold revolution was faltering as their prophet struggled to maintain morale. Andy loaded another silver bullet. Luan roared his bear’s fury. The Gauth’s eyes blazed with hunger and hatred.

Gluttony, wounded but far from defeated, opened his massive maw once more.

Key Discoveries & Decisions

• Grusnarv became a prophet: His legendary William Wallace speech (31 on performance!) inspired the enslaved kobolds to revolt, organizing them into an army
• Kobold platoons: The party divided 100 kobolds into specialized units that provided powerful buffs when inspired
• The Holy Symbol’s power: Brannor activated the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind, creating true sunlight for the first time in Barovia — giving Gluttony disadvantage on all attacks
• Gluttony’s lair: The ballroom itself was a dangerous lair with initiative 20 actions (food bombs, environmental hazards)
• Gluttony’s arsenal: The sin has lashing tongues (grapple), acid breath weapon (30-foot cone, devastating damage), psychic punishment for missed attacks, and can shed his skin to move faster
• The Gauth’s alliance: Gary/Gavin/John Tervolta attacked Gluttony from behind with eye rays, honoring the bargain
• Silver vulnerability: Silver weapons deal double damage to Gluttony — Andy’s matchlock pistol became their most powerful weapon
• Resistance: Gluttony barely takes damage from fire and necrotic, but radiant damage works normally
• Special death rules: Characters can go down multiple times but with escalating requirements to revive — eventually leading to permanent death
• Two party members down: Brannor and Zoran both fell unconscious from the acid breath weapon, leaving the party in desperate straits
• Kobold casualties: Many kobolds died throughout the battle, especially to area attacks, weakening their buffs

Open Threads

• Will they survive? Brannor and Zoran are making death saving throws while Gluttony prepares another attack
• Can the kobolds hold? Their morale is failing as their numbers dwindle and their prophet struggles to inspire them
• What happens if Gluttony wins? The party has no escape route — this is do or die
• The Gauth’s feast: If they win, will the Gauth honor its bargain to not harm the party, or will it turn on them?
• The freed kobolds: If they survive, what happens to the remaining kobolds? Can they escape Barovia?
• Gluttony’s loot: What treasure or power does a deadly sin possess?
• Caston’s fate: Still existing somewhere between life and death as a spectral consciousness
• How many sin stones remain? They gave one to the Gauth — the inventory needs updating

Notable Quotes

“Fight and you may die! Run and you’ll live — at least for a while… would you be willing to trade all the days from this day until that day for one chance? Just one chance! To come back here and tell Gluttony that they may take your lives, but they will never take your FREEDOM!” — Grusnarv’s legendary William Wallace speech (rolled 31)

“Tiki-taki! Tiki-taki! For the prophet!” — The kobold battle cry

“Blasters! Give me an A! Follow the giant dwarf!” — Grusnarv organizing the kobold army

“Little ones, get behind me!” — Brannor activating the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind

“You are supposed to kill me, not bring it here, you little one!” — Gluttony seeing the Gauth

“Grab the knives! It all comes down to this. Our friends are down. If we miss our shot now, this might be over. So give it all you got!” — Grusnarv rallying the remaining fighters