After the encounter with the halflings and the mad dwarf, the party makes its way swiftly around the horn of the mountains and into the forest. Travel slows considerably once the forest deepens and at times you must dismount your horses to get through the dense brush. On the evening of the 8th day on the trail you come across a clearing in the woods with a small stream flowing through it. It seems familiar to some of you...
Tom stops his horse and looks over the clearing. Pretty soon he smiles and turns his horse to the others. "Thorvald, Draymun, do you guys remember this clearing? We camped over there on the rise or rather will camp. Best be on guard, this place is probably crawling with goblin."
ReplyDelete((I can't see the post about the camp, since it's blocked at work, but from the map, it looks like we camped on the rise across the stream. That's probably the best place to camp, if we get there and I can't recall if that campsite had been used before.))
"By Thunor's beard!" Thor exclaimed, realizing the same thing as Tom, and probably Draymun as well. "It is Thunor's Fist!" Seeing the confusion on the face of a few of their companions, Thor decided to explain.
Delete"We travelled through here on our way to the druid grove," he began, "there was a lightning strike that had destroyed an old tree, a sign that Thunor had blessed this place. We made camp knowing that Thunor would watch over us, and he did. As Tom has said, this place is crawling with dirty filthy goblins. We were ambushed here, goblins stumbled upon our camp late at night. But Tom's quick reflexes foiled their ambush and we turned the tables on them. Some of them escaped, however," Thor trailed off, thinking back to the battle of the blaze that had nearly cost them so much.
"I am in favor of setting camp here again. Thunor has watched over us once, he will do so again," Thor proclaimed confidently, turning from the group, he dismounted his horse and went off to say a few words of thanks to Thunor.
Shade whispers to the group, "I know a spell that may assist us in this venture... Shall I begin?"
ReplyDeleteRayla stops the plodding mule and looks around her. She has never seen this spot. When the group was here just a few months ago she was still living in a hovel with her abusive husband. She ponders the changes a few months has brought about. The thought of a fight with goblins would have terrified her back then. Now instead of fear she feels excitement building as she recalls her spells and checks her weapons. She glances at retreating back of the mighty Thorvald and then smiles at Shade and whispers, “Just what do you have in mind, then?”
DeleteShade motions the party to the party that they should find cover or hide and then not looking to see if they comply, he casts a spell that allows him to throw his voice as if it came from someplace else and he casts out into the gloom in a low, guttural goblin, "Ah, I'm lost again! Damn these lands! What I would give to see another goblin 'gain and get a drink o'grog!"
ReplyDeleteThe sound of the voice is small and is absorbed by the stillness and quiet of the grove. If there are goblins about, they either can't hear the voice or don't approach it.
DeleteShade turns back to the group, "This ploy didn't work, either goblins have gotten to be as smart as Toms mule or they are not around, either way caution is best.... I have another idea." Pulling forth a length of twine and gathering up small pieces of metal and odd bits he strings up a line of some sort of trip wire. "Tom, your knowledge of the trails might be able to aid us here, maybe gather together things that might crunch underfoot and place them on likely approaches farther out from the tripwire, that way our sentries will have their vision added by the sounds of approaching harm."
ReplyDeleteRayla scowls at the wizard and mutters under her breath, “If that wizard thinks he’s going to let some dirty goblins drag my best cookware around he can just think again.”
DeleteDigging into her pack she comes up with some caltrops, a rope and grappling hook and a crowbar. She grits her teeth and smiles at the wizard, “Will these help,” she asks?
Not even slightly surprised by the ever resourceful dwarf maiden Shade looks up from trying to tie a piece of twine to a stick bug as a mobile tripwire, "Yes why good heavens it will! Talk to Tom or Dray to find the best positioning for the Caltrops but that crowbar... Yes I think this will do nicely!" Shade spins a quick circuit looking at his handiwork and then steps askew falling over the twine, pulling down the crowbar and grappling hook to fall at him and his Raven. "Oh that damnable bird, always mucking everything up, go scout the woods around here or something he titters at the now agitated avian. It seems to have much to caw at him about before flying off. Shade untangles himself from the mess and starts over again, this time only falling over the twine twice before completing a mad crisscross of thin, nearly invisible wire and a few well positioned metal objects, like a crowbar leaning amid a bunch of brambles leaning precariously over a sauce pan that Shade found somewhere. Surveying his handiwork he takes an egg from a pocket, a slightly rotten smell going with it, and he sets it in the path under some leaves... "There! Perfect!" Then he sets off to grab some grub.
DeleteDraymun scans the area as the others begin setting up their nightly precautions. As he notices the landmarks Tom points out, he flashes a sad look at his old friend for the briefest of moments. He recalls the epic battle and the near fall of his Ranger companion... just prior to his final disappearance. As if caught in a mental battle with himself, he lowers his gaze to the ground before shaking his head slowly.
ReplyDeleteAs his face returns to a visible level he smiles and looks to Thorvald with a grin, "On the bright side, we don't have any hired hands to be kidnapped this time, eh?"
((That was actually the fight after the one we had here, this was a rout of goblins lying on the ground and shooting us. But yeah, thank you for the sentiment. If you weren't confused, ignore me, too much time around Shade))
ReplyDeleteTom works with Draymun by building early detection traps. He hobbles the horses and mule before the evening begins.
Rayla hands the 2 sets of caltrops to Tom and Draymun then asks, "Do you think I should build a fire tonight?"
DeleteTom answers, "Dig a hole and put the fire in there, safer and allows us to have a hot meal and coffee and isn't seen from as far. If there are goblins near, they probably know we are here anyway. Don't sleep close together and don't nod off on your watch. I'd even maybe have those that don't care about spells to sleep in their armor. Not as restful, but we are close to Bremel."[/b]
DeleteTheir preparations finished, the weary travelers settle in for the night. Not trusting entirely to the early alarm system, they set diligent watches for the night:
ReplyDeleteFirst watch: Draymun & Tom
Middle watch: Twiggy & Thor
Morning watch: Rayla & Shade
In the middle of the night, as the second watch is just settling back into their cloaks and drifting into the sort of day-dreams that only come in the middle of the night, Thor and Twiggy both hear a rustling and rattling noise coming from the bushes to the north followed by a whispered goblin curse.
ReplyDeleteThor moves from his sentry post slowly and deliberately, moving one foot at a time and ensuring to make as little sound as possible. When he reached the first of his sleeping friends, he placed a hand firmly on Tom's shoulder and sqeezed firmly until he saw the white of his eyes in the moonlight. When Tom looked at him, Thor motioned with a flick of his head toward the north, where he heard the goblins coming from. Without a word, he moved on to Draymun, repeating the silent ritual.
DeleteWhen he'd roused the first two, Thor moved on to wake Rayla and finally Shade. When everyone was awake, Thor moved northward as he withdrew his mighty greatsword and ensured that he held the blade within his shadow, he didn't want to warn any of the intruders with a glint of moonlight on metal.
As he waited for the inevitable battle, he considered calling out a challenge in the goblins own language, perhaps throwing them off guard. Right now, however, they had an advantage and he did not want to warn the goblins that anyone in the camp was awake.Setting his jaw, he remained silent and readied himself as he felt the rage building within him...
While Thor wakes everyone up, Twiggy climbs up the nearest tree. Before readying his bow, he rummages through his Bag of Holding and finds the butter he’d stashed in there before leaving the inn where he’d been performing. He rubs a bit of butter between his hands and casts a Grease spell on the ground between the camp and the rustling noise they’d heard. Then he perches on a branch above the camp with his bow readied.
ReplyDeleteYou hear more rattling from the bushes and then a loud clang as your alarm system is cut to the ground. Then the forest is silent.
ReplyDeleteThe party may act. There are no enemies visible. There is a patch of Grease to the north of your camp and Twiggy is in the large tree in the center of the clearing. The tree is whole and unburnt.
Shade stands by Twiggy's tree and casts a quick incantation into a small brass horn, suddenly his voice, speaking goblin and alternating inflections and volume begins saying "they are behind me!" "There are more by the river!" "They are cloaked in magics to look like us!" "The enemies are amongst us!" "Kill the big goblin!".... All of these phrases seem to come from different places in the bush, hopefully causing the goblins to distrust their fellows or where the enemy might be.
ReplyDeleteHoping to confuse the goblins even further, Rayla extends her arms and begins to chant softly. Soon a heavy fog rises from the nearby stream and drifts to the north.
ReplyDeleteFinished with the spell, Rayla steps behind Twiggy's tree.
DeleteThe field north of you fills with fog as you move into position. Even knowing that Shade is casting a spell, you might find your stomach momentarily drop as you hear goblish voices whispering and cackling in the night.
ReplyDeleteThere are sounds of confusion from the forest and you hear a great roar, multiple yelps and the clanging of metal. Those who speak goblin hear "get off me, imps!" and "hold on now, hold on now, I'm Gruzbeak, you know me!" This outburst is followed by shrieking and more weapons clashing.
At the same time, a few arrows fly out of the darkness to the east of the infighting, hitting no one.
ReplyDeleteTwiggy's hair begins to stand on end.
From her place behind the tree Rayla touches Twiggy's foot and motions for him to hand her two of his arrows. Bending to the ground she gathers up some dry grasses and ties them around the tip of Twiggy's arrows.
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ReplyDeleteShade smiles at his deception, savioring what he knows cannot last long. Looking to find where next he might best employ his services he surveys the field and remembers the details Thorvald had conveyed about that previous battle. Preparing his crossbow for use and checking the bolt is set properly Shade fires into the woods, hoping that blind luck will lead his strike to hit home. ((Roll 13+1+1=15))
ReplyDeleteThe bolt flies into the darkness.
DeleteTwiggy thanks Rayla for the tinder on his arrows. When he hears the goblins’ commotion, he also notices that his hair feels all crazy. The meticulously styled red hair is waving around on top of his head, as if he were close to a source of lightning. Or if he had a thousand orange antennae. My hair hasn't had this much body in a long while, thinks Twiggy wistfully as he tosses his head. But then he notices his arm hairs are standing on end too, which is never a good look for an elf. He finally realizes that the lightning charge probably means he’s about to get himself into trouble. Again.
ReplyDeleteTwiggy remembered that from the earliest days in the Loft, young elves are taught to recognize the signs of impending lightning. Since they lived in the tree tops, it was critical to everyone’s survival to be aware of dangers and act: Move to the center of the village, climb to the lowest branches, and if absolutely necessary, get down on the ground flat.
Twiggy gracefully swings down from the tree branch and lands softly on the ground. He heads over to where Thor is standing at the ready. Maybe some of Thorvald’s good luck will rub off on me, he hopes. But just in case, I’ll make sure I’m lower than Thor. He grinned, knowing that his old friend would agree. Twiggy kneels down on one knee, ready to take action if it’s needed.
Having done what she could to help Twiggy light up the grease, Rayla moves back and joins Tom.(Assuming Tom's at range somewhere back of the melee fighters.)
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