Grave Robbing Kobold Poppy of the Technicolor Nightmare

Chapter 1

While not the most intelligent species of all the lands, by a fair margin I may add, your average Kobold still has an intrinsic way of resourcefulness about them, and a deftness of skill and self-preservation not often found in other lesser species. Interestingly, this does not extend to their ability to barter or accrue wealth - ideal marks for a table of cards, for instance - or perhaps they simply have an entirely different system of valuation.

Their heightened senses make them exceedingly difficult to corner, their wiles and tendency towards tricks making them difficult to predict. This may or may not be accredited to their relatively low intellect, but for the most part they make for the most exquisite prey and present the most rewarding chase, pushing both hunter and hunted to their limits. It is after all the fruit whose skin provides the most onerous obstacle which offers up the sweetest of flesh.

The Hunt

Master of Spots Hunter

Poppy had never been a good Kobold, not like his brother Peppy who could do no wrong. Where Peppy seemed to possess the Midas touch, finding luck at every turn, Poppy’s tale was a sad string of one bad turn after another. Which had ultimately led to his quite spectacular death, ironically turning out to be the change in fortunes he had always sought in life yet had never found.

The Sacred Flame had not been meant for him of course, though find him it had. His attunement to all Colors had consistently been his most favored trait, and while it had made him a pariah as a youth, his iridescent ability to mix, fade, blend and otherwise bend Light was what had granted him this final journey on behalf of a peculiar and penultimate client. The details were fuzzy, apparently dying does that, but Poppy remembered dancing flames, moving shadows, and a high-pitched scream.

“Be gone ye filth!” he exclaimed, swinging his scythe in a lazy arc towards the malodorous zombie in his path. “This bounty belongs to me you pile of pus,” he continued as the disgusting being stumbled aside, leaving his path open to the tomb ahead.

As crypts went it was rather unremarkable, but if Poppy was good at one thing, it was following his nose and ears – well what passed for nose and ears now - towards the scent of treasure. And what a fortuitous run he had been blessed with, after his accidental stumble through the Fire and consequent eviction from The Quantum Shadow. After shedding his old mortal self and being resurrected something else, his unique and multi-colored bony form had become his new sigil of status and renown.

Reaching into his pouch, he withdrew a rancid strip of flesh and dangled it in front of Sniff. His familiar had not fared as well in their metamorphosis; however, Poppy was not one to waste potential and had discovered that, with the right kind of motivation, his zombie rat could still sniff out nearly anything.

“Go on Sniffles, find what I seek, and this fabulous feast will be yours!” He waved the putrid meat once more before stuffing away, and watched the disgusting thing amble away, burrowing into the grave. Channeling a trickle of magic to let the light bend ever so slightly around him, he sat down to relax and have a well-earned rest while his familiar did all the hard work. He had a very good feeling about the potential of this looting, perhaps even something worthy to present to the High Lichs? Lost as he was in these delightful thoughts, he was somewhat baffled by a sudden presence before him, peering down as if they could penetrate his illusion.

“Ah yes, here you are little Kobold,” came the deep voice from beneath a deep dark hood. “Oh yes, we can see you quite well, despite your tricks. No need to stand, this will take but a moment.” Scrambling nonetheless, Poppy stood and took two steps back.

“What devilry is this?” he asked unsteadily, shaking his scythe menacingly.

“Fret not, Refracted One, we are not here to do you harm,” the figure said still motionless. “We have been following you, and my Master sees great potential, should you be willing to aid us. In a few moments your… pet will return to you bearing a seemingly unremarkable bauble. All we ask is that you keep it safe for now, and when the time comes you must bring it to a very specific place. Fail to do so, and you may find your future… less fortunate.”

“How do you know me?” asked Poppy, looking around. The mindless zombie nearby had lost interest and seemed not to notice the ethereal figure.

“My time here is short. You must make your choice. I can only advise you, do make the correct one, for my Master is as generous to those who obey as he is intolerant of those who do not.” With that the figure popped out of existence in a shower of purple sparks.

Startled, Poppy jumped back with a squeal as something nibbled at his skeletal toes. “Sniffles!” he cried out, swatting at the damned thing. Looking indignant, his familiar beady eyes looked meaningfully towards his pouch, something gleaming between his petrified jaws.

“Ah, sorry old chap, something has me on edge, here, a trade then,” he said as he took out the rancid treat again, Sniff dropping what appeared to be a medallion of sorts into his outstretched hand.

Slightly larger than a typical coin, it was wrought from a dark metallic metal, engraved by a single rune on both sides; one showed Infinity, the other Omega.

“Hmmm most peculiar,” he muttered stuffing it into his pouch setting off after Sniffles who, after quickly devouring his snack, had run off again, his undead nose catching a whiff of yet another prize. Yes, this is most certainly going to be a fine day, he thought as he followed his familiar, the thought of more loot pushing the arcane encounter to the back of his mind.

Entered by: 0xa23C…9953 and preserved on chain (see transaction)