Shadows of Verdanth IC

[CGforever!]

Shadows of Verdanth

Spring has arrived in the land of Verdanth, the border realm of the human kingdom of Aloria and the vast forests of the Verdant Reach. The spring rains have started, accentuating the melt coming off the Sky Pillars. The light greens and purples of early spring have appeared in the bushes and trees, bringing color to the bleached landscape of ranch heath and scattered farms that dot Verdanth.

This is the year you decided to leave to become an adventurer. The Heartfire Festival, a weeklong celebration and merchant moot, seemed like the best place to start. Everyone comes out of their respective dens after a long winter cooped up, excited to gather and share and make plans for the coming year. People trickle to Coranth, the realm capitol, from all over Verdanth, and the locals gladly host them in what amounts to a large party, spread over about a week, before the hard work of the year starts.

There are normally feasts, contests of skill, dances, markets, and music during the first few days, which are more of a fair. After that, things calm down and many people leave back for their homes, though the merchants and other businessfolk stay to continue their deals and planning. The locals continue to walk up and down the mile-long length of wagons and carts to peruse the wares and enjoy the scenery and atmosphere.

This year, however, is different. Riding in from afar with caravans of halfling merchants, you hear of trouble starting last year in Verdanth, specifically Coranth. The closer to Coranth you get, the more you learn. Last autumn, Verdanth began suffering raids by small bands of hobgoblin raiders coming out of the Verdant Reach. The unmounted hobgoblins were likely no match for the fine mounted warriors and knights of Verdanth.

However, as winter rolled in, Coranth itself was attacked during the night, and many folk died. Some people said that Palespire Keep itself was breached, and others still that some of the Morieths fell, though Coranth still stands and the Morieths still rule, as far as you know. Many people along the way mention that they aren't going to the festival this year, and more and more of the people traveling with the caravans drop out along the way.

The morning of the last day of travel, you wake up to see that less than half of the group you started with is still camped with the caravan. Along the road you pass and are often questioned by bands of mounted warriors, sometimes led by knights of Verdanth, who look grim and serious. Many are bare black-armored outlanders with sneering glances and wolfish grins, none of whom are wearing the standard of Verdanth. Even the knights wear a dark-grey/black tabard instead of the usual green.

There are few folk out and about today, which is odd considering that the festival is just starting. Normally people would be streaming in along the roads and cart paths. Before long, you see the Palespire, the tallest part of Palespire keep, the white-stone seat of power of the Morieth family, rulers of Verdanth under the king of Aloria.

Coranth sprung up between the keep and the forest edge, and has quickly grown into a large town in the past couple generations, and will likely keep growing into a city due to the prosperity the kingdom has seen since the Godkin war two dozen years back. Verdanth in particular has grown quickly, thanks mostly to its limestone quarries and horse ranches.

As you pull in along the roads to Coranth and town becomes visible, you see a steady increase in the number of soldiers roaming around and guarding certain areas. You see the gathered wagons of the festival, around the crossroads, just outside the forest verge between it and Coranth. Not nearly as many are present as you had hoped. Coranth itself looks bare and foreboding. A new stone wall had started construction at the base of the keep, cutting out a run-down section at towns-edge and looking to continue around the rest of town, but stopped unfinished, a shorter wooden wall starting where the stone one left off.

The new wall continues for a ways, then becomes a dike-and-ditch studded with wooden spikes, which continues around town as far as you can see. A wooden gatehouse covers the road into town from the crossroads. There are armed and armored people all over the town, along the wall, at the gatehouse, on roofs even. Few unarmed townspeople can be seen, and most that can are the workers constructing the wooden wall and fortifying the ditch.

You arrive at the festival gathering at the crossroads at some point in the early afternoon, it's difficult to tell with the cloud cover. The road into Coranth is bare of people or wagons. The road along the forest is lined with wagons and carts on both sides for several hundred yards, people and animals aplenty. The road into the forest is lined with camps and camped-wagons. On the forest side of the crossroads stands the Hearthstone Inn, a long barn-looking building set among the young outer-forest trees and thick field. An old and weathered signpost stands right at the roads' corner, the top post having long been torn off and replaced with a newer post.

"Old Road" - the highest post, pointing south along the road into the forest.
"To Karstone" - pointing west, the road running parallel to the forests' edge.
"Coranth" - pointing along the road into town.

The Hearthstone, and its owner Torum, is widely known, given its' location. Old Torum has seen a lot, or so it's said. The Inn is the busiest place in sight. Seems like a good place to figure out what to do next...

http://i42.tinypic.com/333wfus.jpg

All around the inn, carts and wagons spread along the roads' edges, and dozens of people are milling about, talking and preparing for what little festival looks to be happening. Plenty of people are coming and going to and from the inn.

Most of the first floor of the building is made of white/light-grey limestone, as is the chimney sticking up from the far side of the Inn. The rest is timber covered in lath, and the roof is thatch. All of which is standard for buildings in Coranth. The door is thick oak. The two windows are set high up and are made of thick glass, nearly impossible to see through during the day. The second floor window is a single pane of clear glass, the only inlet for sunlight, and looks over the roof of the small stable that houses the horses of the Inn's guests. There is no sign displaying its' name.

Small trees, thick grass, and various shrubs and bushes grow up around the Inn, giving it a shady, overgrown look. The field and small trees continue to the forest verge where the mature trees take over, and in the distance are the tops of the nearest section of the Sky Pillars, capped with snow and still visible even more than a weeks travel away.

It's chilly this time of year, and today was cloudy with light drizzle here and there, so the chimney is spouting woodsmoke, which brings the mind around to the perceived warmth inside.

http://i39.tinypic.com/2wqcs35.jpg
An extremely basic map of southern Verdanth and the furthest west section of the Verdanth Reach, known as the Whitewood or White Forest. Verdanth is a thin, long realm extending along the forest edge up to the uplands of the Sky Pillars. The furthest west square is Karstone. The other square is Coranth.

(I figured I'd give you an actual picture of what little geography I've given you so far.)

The interior of the Hearthstone is a bit warmer than outside, and much louder. The light is dim, coming only from the dark first floor windows, the solitary far-end window, the hearth, and two dim lamps hanging from the balcony above the bar. The inn smells of woodsmoke and ale. There are probably three dozen people inside, and it's loud enough that anyone more than ten feet away couldn't hear you talking. In here, people seem happier and more lively than outside.

The Inn is split in half, longways. On the entrance side, the Inn is a single floor, an open space from floor to loft. Two rows of long tables with benches extend to the left along the windows, up to a trio of booths extending out from the stable-side wall. A bar extends along the middle of the Inn, with a dozen stools on your side, and large kegs and casks on the other. A few small tables sit in the space between you and the hearth. An open space extends from the door to the hearth and the hearth-side of the bar, which is the entrance to the bar. This area is clear of people - a sort of lane. Past the hearth is a raised wooden floor, which contains a stairway leading up to a balcony, which runs over the bar all the way to the window on the stable side. A few small two-chair tables run along the railing of the balcony, and a few people sit up there.

The far half of the Inn is two floors, the second of which contains half a dozen rooms. A hall extends past the booths between the stable and the bar, and the space beyond is probably a kitchen or storage area. The hearth itself extends all the way up the wall to the ceiling, and has a large stone bench/fireplace around the firepit, upon which people sit while drinking and talking.

The floor of the Inn is slate, and all the furnishings are wood. Mounted deer and a solitary boar hang from this side of the balcony railing, and simple paintings of pastoral and sylvan landscapes dot the clear areas of the window-side wall. A huge male Auroch head and neck extends from the mantle of the hearth, its' horn tips extending some six feet from the wall, easily the crowning feature of the Inn. Someone sitting by theirself under it is playing slow, unintrusive music on a fiddle.

Behind the bar stands a slim, small, old bald man wearing simple dull colored clothes with a towel thrown over one shoulder. He takes, refills, and gives back drinks while listening to what must be mostly one-sided conversations. His gaze flicks toward you as you walk in, then back to whoever was talking at him. He looks calm and somewhat bored. A couple of young ladies walk slow cycles around the floor with trays of drinks, mingling and chatting as they go. An older woman comes out from the hallway with a tray of food every once in a while, taking a tray of wooden plates and bowls back with her.

As you walk in and take in the scene, heads from all over the inn look in your direction, noting your gear and bearing, and many keep looking as you go about your business.

@Aoleth, Bran, and Elrith: Almost everyone in the Inn stares as you walk in, many with open mouths and looks of astonishment. Elrith in particular with her golden hair and battle-scythe.

The folk at the Inn range from poor to better off and from local to clearly foreign. A few dwarves sit together at the bar, many halflings sit among the humans, a few gnomes are scattered about, but most are human. Many carry weapons, so its not so strange that you are armed, though no one you can see is armored. Many others are sitting next to wares from outside.

People are scattered all about the first floor, and though there are no empty tables or booths, nobody minds if you sit next to them. The atmosphere is open and people are here to converse.

The humans of Verdanth are typically on the slender side, light of complexion, and have brown or reddish hair. Eye colors vary, as does height. Voices tend towards light/high. Most people wear leather or hide/skins/fur, though its all fairly nicely made and unbarbaric looking.

The farms of Verdanth are for the people of Verdanth, none of the produce gets exported, so there are few real farms, but plenty of livestock ranches. (No cotton, no cloth) Many people tend animals, and animals are a common sight pretty much anywhere there are people.

[Giddon]

Iver walks in with a smile on his face. He is excited to finally reach the festival. As he makes his way into the inn and towards the bar, he notices the looks people are giving the elves, but thinks nothing of it.

"Good afternoon!"He says excitedly to the barkeeper, as he takes a seat at the bar. "I'll have an ale, if you would be so kind." As the bartender hands him his ale, he looks to his right and says "Strange times no?"

[Hbgplayer]

Orik strolls into the inn, happy to be out of the chilly weather. He is happy to have been dispatched by the high council of the Temple of Moradin to gain real world experience, but he is slightly worried about the level of tension in the area.
He twirls his still relatively short, dark brown beard with his right index finger as he surveys the room. He notes the small group of fellow dwarves in the room, as well as the fact that the group of elves that were in the caravan entered the inn just ahead of him.
He instinctively moves his right hand down to check that his holy symbol still hangs from his neck before moving to the bar.
"I'll take a pint of yer strongest Dwarven logger, good barkeep," he orders. He hears the question of the elf seated a few stools away. "Aye, that they are," he responds, "Did ye just come in with that caravan that just got into town?"

[leafman]

Rovild enters and quietly takes a seat near the door. He motions to one of the girls carrying drink trays, "Water, in a mug, please." He leans back in his chair, taking in the sights and sounds of the tavern.

[JustPlayItLoud]

Bram walks into the tavern, grinning wryly. He'll try to find a seat near a corner somewhere to get a good view of the patrons. He'll keep an eye out for someone who looks like they're alone and have already gone a little overboard with the drink. He'll need a room and some food eventually, and there's no sense in paying for it himself. Pick pocket someone, maybe? Or maybe just befriend someone who's too drunk to be stingy?

[Seharvepernfan]

Aoleth walks in and does his best to avoid the eyes of all the people staring at him, refusing to react. After taking in the scene, he moves over the raised-floor section, and sits on it near the hearth, with his back to the wall. He settles in to wait and listen while avoiding as much attention as possible, and slowly lays his hammer across his lap.
He's rarely seen so many people at once and in such close quarters, and never this many non-elves.

Listening for word of what's going on in Verdanth, specifically about any hobgoblins. He knows something is up with elves, but he's taking a passive approach to figuring out what it is.

[Earl of Purple]

Frig enters the Hearthstone Inn, and stares quite openly at the aurochs head. He'll look around for somewhere to sit, choosing to head towards the same table as Bran. "Hello there, mind if I sit down?" Mr. Happy the Toad croaks from his position on the gnome's shoulder.

[CGforever!]

@Orik: A nearby dwarf glances at you and snorts in amusement.

The barkeep ignores the dwarf, asks for a silver, walks a ways down the bar, disappears under it for a moment, then reappears with a full mug and hands it to you, taking your coin, while walking back to the one-sided conversation he came from.

@Rovild: The girl glances at you while serving at a nearby table, nods, and continues her cycle.

People come and go frequently. Most come in to meet others and talk, and to have a lunch or a drink. It doesn't seem like anybody is really here to drink, except maybe the dwarves, but they're socializing with each other at least. You see a few odd people here and there - an eccentrically dressed gnome with a toad on his shoulder, a (blonde!) she-elf wearing scale and a battle-scythe. Possibly the biggest elf you've ever seen walks through the door dressed like a grugach brave. He wanders over to a quiet spot and sits by himself.

You notice that a young man sitting at the same table as you are is looking at you as he drinks from his mug. When you glance back at him, he smirks and looks out over the floor. "Seems like a bad time for a festival, don't it." He shakes his head looks back at you, "Can you believe some of these fools are going to camp out'na open?" He takes another drink and looks back to the crowd. The way he's dressed, you'd guess he's a local.

@Bran: You find a spot at the back booth closest to the stables. People stare at you like they're amazed that you're here. With the attention you're getting, your thief instincts warn you away from doing anything at the moment. Most of the people here aren't really here for drinking, so much as meeting friends and gossiping and otherwise socializing. The only people really drinking that you notice are the dwarves at the bar. Plenty of people are on the merry side, however.

While you're studying the crowd, an odd-looking brightly-dressed gnome with a large...toad... on his shoulder approaches and asks a question. Naturally, the toad croaks as well, as if asking the same question.

@Aoleth: The stares follow you past the hearth to your spot on the floor, but are diverted towards a rakish half-elf and a (blonde!) elf warrior. After a minute or so, most of the stares dissipate, with a few people glancing at you every once in a while.

A serving girl looks in your direction, but hesitates and decides better of it, avoiding you. Once you start to listen, you hear people talk about the festival, mostly about it being so small this year and people not coming due to attacks and all the soldiers about. Most of the people who look at you are talking quietly to those near them, obviously they don't want you to hear.

Eventually, you hear "hobgoblins" mentioned and you zone in on that conversation. You catch odd bits about the keep being attacked, certain people being murdered, houses set fire in the night, rebels fighting alongside hobgoblins, "...hiding in Whitewood", "...saw an elf skulking down the alley past Asara's the other day, garbed in black...", "...think she'd really do it for them?"

The gist is that hobgoblins have been attacking by stealth at night (on some nights), and they have allied with a rebellious faction of Verdanth humans. Somehow, elves are involved in the matter, but not on the lord's side. You know that elves and hobgoblins are bitter enemies, so something strange must be going on.

You're catching bits and peices through this approach.

[leafman]

Keeping his eyes on the elves, Rovild asks the young man, "What happens to people that camp out in the open?"

[--Lime--]

Elrith enters the Hearthstone, and is struck by the weight of gaze turned upon her. She's not unused to being stared at, especially carrying a scythe around, but there's perhaps something different. The other elves seem to be getting given the eye as well. Quickly, she gravitates towards Aoleth, and stands just behind his right shoulder, almost beside him.

"This is hardly the welcoming festival atmosphere I was expecting. I wonder why that should be..." she says to him in Common, in a low voice. Then, she seems to collect herself, and becomes instantly more formal.
"I've seen you travelling with us, but I don't believe we've spoken. I'm Elrith," she begins, and extends her left hand to shake.

[JustPlayItLoud]

"Heh, be my guest, I certainly don't own any seats but this one. And it's not like I could possibly be drawing any more attention to myself here."

Bran continues eyeing the room casually, grinning all the while. Hopefully, he thinks, an opportunity to divert some coin into his own pocket will present itself soon.

[Earl of Purple]

"Thank you. It's always good to meet nice people in new places, much better than it is to meet nasty people pretty much anywhere at all. My name's Friggulus Dratifrex Dathrii, and this is my toad, Mr. Happy. Pleased to meet you." Frig holds one hand out to shake as Mr. Happy hops onto the table.

[Giddon]

Iver hears the response of a nearby dwarf and decides to grab his ale and seat by his side. "Hail friend" says the young man with a smile and waving his hand. "Indeed I arrived with the caravan, or what is left of it. We were a great many more when we started our journey. How about yourself, were you in the caravan? I am not very good with faces."

[Seharvepernfan]

Aoleth watches Elrith approach and stand next to him. ("So much for a low profile.") He gives her a wan half smile and raises his left arm up to clasp hers. "(Common) Lady Elrah." He bows his head, then raises his right hand and warhammer a tad and says, "Aoleth Weirway, or Talon." Aoleth is a bit rusty around the edges.

Also in a low voice, "I don't know much, but I think elves are involved in the fighting here in Verdanth, and not on the home side. We're not welcome." He looks around at the people staring their way. "We shouldn't conspire in a corner together." He glances back at her while getting up, "Thirsty?"

That was all in common, btw.

[Hbgplayer]

"Aye, I was a part of the caravan as well," Orik responds, while quizzically glancing at his fellow dwarf who snorted at him, "so much for a friendly reception, eh?"

[JustPlayItLoud]

Bran returns the hand shake, not yet making eye contact with the gnome.
I'm sorry to inform you that you haven't met anyone nice here yet, but keep trying, I'm sure they're out there"
Bran continues looking about as he speaks, eyes flitting from person to person. As he pauses in speaking his eyes finally come to rest on Friggulus and he chuckles once "Never let anyone say a gnome won't go out of his way to get seen. Nice frog, er toad, by the way. They call me Bran" he continues "the Bastard. You'll probably see why soon"

[Earl of Purple]

"You seem nice enough to me, though the nastiest people are oft those pretending to be nice." Friggulus then looks down at his attire and frowns. "Is there something wrong with how I'm dressed? I like it, myself; I thought it was nice and colourful. Well, I'm a long way from home; fashions change in different lands." Frig smiles again now, as Mr. Happy hops around the table.

[CGforever!]

@Iver: You caught a half-hearted "You got that right." before turning to Orik.

@Iver & Orik: The dwarf who snorted says "Nay lad, 'nother dwarf is always welcome to drink wit us." He nods at Iver, as if to include him well. "I just wouldn't call anything ol' Torum here has 'strong', 'dwarven', or a 'lager' for tha' matter... He looks into his mug. "More like mule piss."

Torum, without looking up from the mug he's cleaning, says in a dry, annoyed voice, "(Dwarven) You're drinking it, aren't ya?" His dwarven is flawless, and spoken with familiarity. "Paid for it, too." Other patrons within earshot stop their conversations when he talks. He has a strong prescence and is obviously respected by those at the bar. The dwarf looks a bit chastised.

Your lager is, in fact, pretty good. This dwarf must have just been giving Torum a hard time.

@Rovild: The young man stares back at you as if trying to figure you out. "You ain't from 'round here. Do ya know what you've walked into? Hobgoblins, my friend. Bit of a war we got ere, though it's all been in'na shadows so far." His stare goes blank for a moment. "The only hobgoblins I seen were dead."

The blonde elf walks over to the sitting athletic elf. They greet each other and exchange a few words, then the athletic elf stands up and motions towards the bar.

After a moment, he looks out at the other patrons again, "Though I 'spose they wouldn't be much safer 'nwhere else, 'cept outside Verdanth." He looks back at you and raises his mug. "Bad time for a festival."

You feel a tingle in your head.

@Bran & Frig: Most of the people looking your way lose interest since you're clearly not about to do anything dramatic or violent, and they avoid eye contact with Bran as he gazes around. The other two elves began talking to each other, which also helped draw the stares from you.

As Mr. Happy leaps onto the table and begins hopping around, the other two patrons in the booth (humans - travelers, by their outfits) stop their private conversation, look at each other, lift their mugs, and motion that they would like to get out of the booth. "Excuse us."

Inside Hearthstone Inn (WIP.2) Minus all the people...http://i43.tinypic.com/mj4t3a.jpg

[JustPlayItLoud]

"Hey, I meant no offense friend, just an observation. A human or elf dressed the way you are would doubtless be some foppish, arrogant noble. A dwarf dressed that way would be clearly insane. A gnome dressed that way is just a gnome" Bran's eyes continue looking about the room, still hoping for an opportunity, "Well, at least they're done staring for the most part, maybe this isn't a bust yet. But I like you, you're an interesting character Frig, mind if I call you Frig? Maybe we'll have the opportunity to make some money together. Since neither of us is ever going to blend in here, we may as well stick out together. And besides, it's bad luck to swindle a gnome."

[Earl of Purple]

"Sure, you can call me Frig. Mr. Happy calls me Frig, don't you Mr. Happy?" The toad turns his dour, slightly sad face to the gnome and gives a slightly mournful croak. "Oh, yes, sure." Friggulus jumps up and gets out of the way for the human travellers, seemingly unaware that they wish to leave due to the actions of himself and his toad.

[Hbgplayer]

Orik raises an eyebrow at the exchange between the bartender and dwarf, and hesitantly takes a sip. It is surprisingly good, given the comments made. "I don't know, it seems decent to me. Not quite on the same level as that brewed by Dwarven brewers, of course, but good fer human stuff!" Orik replies in dwarven, before turning back to Iver.
"Sorry about that. What's yer name again?" He asks.

[Giddon]

"Iver Fir at your service Master...?" Asks Iver with his hand extended to oficialize the introduction

[leafman]

"Excuse me." Rovild gets up from the table and makes his way to an empty seat at the bar. He keeps his head down, trying to concentrate on listening in on the conversations of the other patrons.

[Hbgplayer]

"Orik Ingeitum, servant of Moradin, and hardly master of meself, let alone anyone else," Orik responds as he shakes the offered hand.

[CGforever!]

@Bran & Frig: The two elf warriors approach the bar, and most people are watching them. More people are leaving than entering, now. Neither of the serving girls have come near your booth yet. The older woman comes back out from the back room carrying a tray with plates of warm food and moves out to the tables. She slows upon noticing the elves, keepin an eye on them as she sets plates down among seated people. She walks back towards the ...kitchen? with at least two plates of food that didn't get served. She seems a bit perturbed.

(This is probably all Bran's observation, I get the feeling Friggulus isn't all that perceptive.)

@Orik & Iver: The dwarf stares down at his mug in shame and quietly mutters, "(Dwarven) Oh, I know it." The other dwarves laugh among themselves, probably at him.

A couple of elf warriors approach the far end of the bar. Torum doesn't seem at all bothered by them, and slowly makes his way towards them. The dwarves don't seem to care, either. The hearth side of the bar goes quiet.

@Rovild: The young man apologetically chuckles, "Didn't mean to scare you, friend."

The two elves approach the hearth side of the bar as you walk towards it. Most people are watching them warily, expectantly. More people are leaving than entering, now.

You find a seat to the right of the dwarves and a brawny armed/armored human. The dwarves are mostly joking with each other and laughing, one of them seems ashamed of something and the others seem to find it funny. The one nearest you is talking to the human, they are introducing themselves to each other. A man to your right is boasting to the barkeep, Torum, about something inane, making it hard to hear the people further towards the end of the bar.

You catch bits and peices in between his boasting, "...can't believe she'd do it, doesn't seem like her at all...", "...she just got back from 'em, maybe they turned 'er.", "...don't know, hobgoblins?" The boaster goes quiet as Torum moves towards the end of the bar to the elves, he is watching to see what happens. The other people to your right go quiet or mutter to themselves quietly, also watching.


@Aoleth: Elrith nods, and walks with you towards the bar. Most people are looking at you, many sideways, as if expecting danger. More people are exiting than entering now. The barkeep, Torum, moves towards your end of the bar.

[Giddon]

"Well Orik, how about we join our fellow dwarf at the bar here since he has cordially invited us, and I'll refill your mugs" Iver signals for the bartender and cordially asks for another round for them. "So friends, here for the festival? Or well, what is left of the festival?"Iver has a smile on his face, he is obviously enthusiastic about finally being able to talk about not only the festival, but what has been happening around town lately.

[JustPlayItLoud]

(In Elvish) "Hey there! How's it feel to get looked at like a half-breed? Looks like we're losing the popularity contest in this bar. Care to join me and the gnome over at the pariah table?"

[Hbgplayer]

"Seems like a reasonable suggestion to me," Orik replies as he moves with Iver. He looks around the Inn as Iver asks his question, and can't help but notice the sudden hush as the two elven warriors move to the end of the bar.
"Aye, I came fer the festival, amoung other reasons," he responds to Iver's question. He then turns to the group of dwarves and asks why the elves are getting such a frosty reception.

[Seharvepernfan]

Aoleth leans his hammer against the bar, then crosses and rests his arms on it. Ignoring the stares and bar-wide hush, "Are our kind welcome here, Torum?" He indicates Elrith with a tilt of his head.

When the half-human in the far booth calls out to him, he calls right back with a mirthless grin (though honestly highly uncomfortable), "(Elven) I think even half-orcs get better treatment than this! I'm getting answers right now, and yes! as soon as the lady and I get a couple of drinks." He looks back to Torum with a slightly raised eyebrow.

If he and Elrith are welcome, he asks if Torum has any wine, elven or not, and if not orders a couple of ales, either way, his treat.

[--Lime--]

Elrith doesn't enter into the conversation in Elvish. She feels conspicuous enough already without the punters wondering what secrets the elves might be discussing.

Noting Aoleth's pertinent question to Torum, she eagerly awaits his response. In the meantime, she calls over to Bran in common - seemingly more for the benefit of the suspicious patrons than anyone else.
"That'd be lovely - we'll be over in just a moment." she says, indicating that the sentiment of the Elvish had been harmless.

[Earl of Purple]

"What? I don't speak Elvish." The gnome, who really isn't the most perceptive of people most of the time, glances around and sees the elves. "Oh, were you inviting them over?" Seems that Friggulus missed Elrith's response, which would have let him know for certain.

Mr. Happy crawls back towards his master.

[leafman]

"Not many people do, little man, not many people do." Rovild comments aloud. He stays facing the bar and takes a sip from his mug as if he hadn't said anything at all.

[CGforever!]

Everyone: As Bran and Aoleth converse in elven, the entire floor goes quiet, music stopping, until Elrith speaks, then the talking starts again as a quiet muttering, with most people looking at the scene going on at the bar. The dwarves went quiet last, talking right through the elves, only hushing once they noticed the rest of the floor go quiet.

Torum eye-sweeps the floor with a look of consternated resignation, stopping his gaze on Aoleth. Loudly enough for everyone to hear, he speaks in a calm but annoyed tone, "Aye, all are welcome at the Hearthstone, provided they behave themselves. I'd prefer my patrons not leaving in fear." With those last two words he looks back out over the floor, including the crowd in his scorn, as if saying they ought to be ashamed themselves. After that, the crowd mostly turns back to themselves, many indeed looking a bit ashamed or worried, a few still watching the bar, and a minority getting up to leave. The noise of conversation and the music pick back up, but not quite as boisterous as before.

There are perhaps 2/3 the amount of people left as when you first entered.

"Boren, would you mind getting some wood for the hearth?" It wasn't quite a question, and Boren, a man at the bar, gets up quietly and moves for the door. "Jaen, lass, would you serve our guests in the booth?" A serving girl looks up, and Torum indicates the half-elf and the odd gnome. She nods and makes her way to the booth.

Somewhere in the crowd, one opinionated man states, "Mad, letting them drink here!" Torum acts as if he didn't hear.

@Iver and Orik: The dwarf next to Orik answers Iver quietly without looking up, "Aye, we're here fer tha' fest'val." Another dwarf, the one past him, speaks to Orik, "Honestly, lad, I've no idea. Folk 'ere are havin' some hob troubles, as are we, but we were 'ere afore the snows, n' nobody treated elfkin this way. Na that I mind, meself, heh." The first dwarf looks up, his shame apparently gone, and says to you both, "We're outta Karstone."
Torum, while speaking to the elves, moves your way, takes Ivers' coin, and serves your new drinks. Three silver, Iver. That includes your first drink.

"Thank ye, lad." "Aye, thanks lad." The farthest two dwarves also raise their mugs to you and nod grimly.

Iver probably can't tell, but Orik thinks these fellas are probably laborers or apprentice craftsmen, and are around his age, on the young side, except for the second one from him, who is closer to middle age. They are dressed normally for dwarf commoners, and armed with cudgels. From their lack of traveling attire, you guess they either rode in in wagons or are staying at the inn.

@Aoleth and Elrith: Torum looks at you while moving back towards the seated dwarves and serving them new drinks. His eyes are narrowed and his tone is serious, as if he's instructing a youth about how what they did was wrong and he's not sure if they understand. "You're fools for being here, and you should damn well know it. Since you clearly don't, I'll spell it out for ya. The rare few orclings we get comin' through here are treated fairly, if with a bit of suspicion, but then the people here don't suspect them of bringing war and death.

He finishes serving the dwarves and burly human, then walks to the far end of the bar and picks up something from behind the stacked casks against the wall. He walks back to you with a slender frosted-glass bottle mostly full of dark liquid and two glass cups. Someone walks down the stairs behind you. His voice quiet, he starts again with a calm and mild tone, "This is from Starfall, not many people ask for it." He pours you each a drink. It's a dark wine, smooth and cool. "I'm not sure where ye came from, but know this: your folk in the Reach got fed up with their neighbors and went and stirred up the hornet's nest. They hunted down and slew a handful o' green wyrms, then went and pushed out the hob trash the greens rule over. 'm glad they did, the bastards finally got what was coming, but where do ya think them hobs had to go if not through here?" He leans away and coughs harshly a few times.

While he was talking, someone walks past you and sits an empty mug on the bar in between a couple of the people sitting on your end, then continues walking towards the stable wall. You notice that the people near you are watching and listening with rapt attention, their eyes wide. Behind you, you hear a few logs thrown in the fire, then a few more set on the hearth.

"Well, they did, and have been since last year. According to our new lord Sorn, his sister Elrah even snuck 'em in the Palespire to help her overthrow their father. Lot a folk died that night, including old lord Saern and his men. Thing is, lord Sorn blames the elves for putting this all together and backing his sister. Lady Elrah got back from her stay with the elves of the Reach just last year." He finishes with an arch look, letting all that sink in.

Boren moves back to his seat at the bar.

"The wine is on the house. Might be the last thing ye ever drink." He coughs to the side again and chuckles. Smiling, he says, It's like what a gnome I once knew used to say: '(Elven mixed with some language you don't know) 제가 Leave after좀 순 nightfall, 무을 찾기 flee into 위해 the forest, 온, 맹세 him and 해 the 요 gnome too!' (Common) It means: know when to fight, know when to run, but most importantly, know when to drink!"
He chuckles again and raises the bottle in a mock toast before moving back down the bar to put it away.

Boren asks as he walks by, "What was that all about?" Torum doesn't respond.

@Rovild: The boastful man at your right was Boren. Read the two above spoilered texts - you hear them both. While the dwarves are talking, a female arm sits a mug of water in front of you. When Torum mentions the gnome quote, the two elves' eyes widen, and they don't seem to find it as funny as he did.

@Bran and Frig: The serving girl, Jaen, starts heading in your direction. At the bar, the other serving girl serves a drink to a human woodsman. Torum speaks to the elves while serving the dwarves and a burly human warrior some new drinks, then moves into a corner you can't see around, and walks back to the elves with a bottle of wine and a couple glasses. The dwarves and the human talk among themselves, the dwarves raising their mugs to the human, who smiles a bit sheepishly.

Jaen arrives at your table with raised eyebrows, "Can I get you sirs something?" She notices Mr. Happy and eyes him with thinly concealed unease.

Torum speaks to the elves for a minute, who, along with the other people at the far end, listen raptly while drinking. Someone from upstairs comes around the far end of the bar, sitting their mug on the bar near Torum before heading your way and around the corner towards the stables. After they leave your sight, you hear a door open and close. Boren comes back inside with an armload of logs from out front, putting about half of them in the fire and sitting the other half onto the hearth before retaking his seat next to the woodsman. More people are leaving the inn.

[JustPlayItLoud]

Bran lays four silver pieces on the table in response to the waitress' query. "Well, sweetheart, these are all the money I have to to my name. But I don't think I'll be able to figure out how to make more without have a drink first. So I guess what I'm trying to say is bring me the most that this will get me, if you please"

[Earl of Purple]

"Do you have any tea?" Friggulus is hopeful, and has no idea how much tea would be. "I could pay for you if you'd like, Bran. If your tastes are't too expensive, anyway; I don't have much." Frig genuinely means it, too.

"Mr. Happy, come here, boy." Frig noticed the gaze, and thinks it might be best to have his familiar somewhere safe. Mr. Happy obeys, and hops into Frig's lap where he is deftly transferred back to the gnome's shoulder.

[Hbgplayer]

Orik listens to the barkeeper talking with the elves down the bar, and his eyebrows rise in surprise several times. "Ah! Yeah, that would probably get people pretty upset," Orik says to no one in particular. "Sure hope the festival ain't canceled due to some misunderstanding," he adds as an after-thought before turning back to his drink mates.
"How long have ye all been here?"

[Seharvepernfan]

Aoleth stares down at the bar with a serious look on his face, trying to digest everything that was said. Of course, he already knows about the elf realms hunting down the dragons and their subsequent battles with the hobgoblins, there wasn't much fighting left when he finally got there, which is one of the reasons he chose to travel and adventure, but this is new to him. No elf would ever ally with a hobgoblin, or so he'd like to think.

"...I appreciate the drink, Torum." Aoleth looks over to Elrith and indicates that he's heading over to the booth. As he nears the end of the bar where Torum is putting the wine away, he speaks across the dwarves to Torum, "Was Elrah the type to do such things?"

[--Lime--]

"Thanks for the drink," Elrith says to Torum, "And for the warning. I'm not from the Reach, so I appreciate the information."

She follows Aoleth's gesture, and heads over to the booth. She doesn't stop with him at the end of the bar, but continues on to sit with the others. Elrith looks at the bald-yet-sideburned gnome quizzically, but doesn't stare. She knows what it's like to be looked at with curiosity.

"I'm Elrith," she says, and turning to Bran, warns him "Seems there's a racial war on in these parts, and Elves are giving people round here the thick end of it. Might be best not to linger in this tavern..."

She's seen how humans and alcohol mix, and if it isn't with a loss of grace then it is often with an increase in violence.

[CGforever!]

Aoleth and Elrith: Torum waves off your thank-you's without looking, as if he expected and was pre-emptively annoyed by them.

@Bran, Frig, and Elrith: Jaen accepts the silver with a nod and looks over at Friggulus, "I'm sorry fella, we don't have tea, care for anything else? Miss?" She looks at Frig and Elrith in turn. If she is harboring any racial prejudices, she is hiding them very well.

Iver, Orik, Rovild, and Aoleth: Torum finishes putting away the wine and turns back to face Aoleth, looking him straight in the eye, "I was as surprised as anybody when I first heard what happened. I still have a hard time imagining her doing it." He seems to be looking inward as he speaks that last sentence. He casually breaks off from the conversation to attend to something at the other end of the bar.

The (maybe) oldest dwarf looks over to Orik from Torum with a bit of a delay, probably thinking about what Torum just said. "We rode in this mornin' with the shipment from Karstone." The third dwarf over pipes in, "We work long shifs at tha quarry, so we git long breaks in b'tween. Luck o' tha draw we got time off fer tha fest'val."

Iver asks curiously "Shipment of what?"

The first dwarf answers, "Armor."
The second dwarf, "We make it fer tha lord o' Verdanth as payment fer lettin' us quarry the stone here'bouts." "We'll prob'ly hitch a ride back with some ah these merchants. Not safe walk'n 'bout naked with hobs roamin' all o'er tha place." (Naked is a dwarf term for anything less than metal armor)

The second dwarf looks Iver and Orik over and with open curiosity asks, "So, Orik, did I hear ya say ye were a priest o' Moradin? And Iver, lad, I take it yer a warrior?" "By tha way, ahm Veld o' Clan Loderr, this is me brother Valder, me cousin Ilde, and our frend Ferden o' Clan Sodern." They each nod in turn.
(Orik: Loderr is dwarven for Lode-miner or Lode-seeker, and Sodern means something like metal-joiner)

[Hbgplayer]

"Aye, I am cleric of the lord Moradin," Orik replies, "Ah, well met, sirs. I am certain that Moradin smiles down upon your clans. I will certainly pray for you." He says in response to their introductions.

[Giddon]

"Yea, I'm a warrior. Came here to the festival looking for opportunities to earn some coin, adventuring." Iver looks around, noticing the diminishing public. "The festival seems to be close to a bust, but something tells me that my sword arm might come in handy to help, what with all the trouble around."

[--Lime--]

Elrith motions to her full glass of wine, and says "No, thank you, I'm fine."

She's waiting to see what the two at her table have to say. Did they know about the war? Is that why they're here? Looking to fight on whose side? Why are they together? Their names? And just what is a toad doing at the table?

[Earl of Purple]

"In that case, I think I'll have some water. As cold as possible, please. Don't boil it." Frig nods and then turns to Elrith. "Hello, I'm Friggulus Dratifrex Dathrii, and this is Mr. Happy." The toad croaks mournfully. "Me and Bran here were talking about my clothing. What do you think?"

As a reminder, here's his description again:
He's taller than the average gnome, and apart from a pair of bushy sideburns he's clean-shaven, including the top of his head. The sideburns and his eyebrows are dark brown, nearly black, and his skin has a slight reddish tint. He's always smiling, showing off a gap in his teeth. He has a black hand with two thumbs tattooed to his head.

He has a pair of sturdy boots on his feet, leather breeches that has been dyed blue, a simple belt, a patchwork shirt seemingly made of pockets, a pair of gloves; one dyed purple, the other green, and a yellow cloak. Slung over his back is a slightly battered backpack. Clipped to his belt is a purple scroll-case marked with a two-headed snail symbol, an unadorned flask, a selection of multi-coloured pouches containing magical reagents, a simple sling and the accompanying small bag of bullets and a simple-looking sickle with a worn ash-wood handle. Most of his equipment is marked with the same two-thumbed hand tattooed to his head, produced through the Arcane Mark spell.

[JustPlayItLoud]

"They call me Bran. The Bastard. I imagine you can guess why. I came to these parts looking for opportunities to make some coin, and also because none of the guards here recognize my face, at least not to my knowledge"

[Seharvepernfan]

Aoleth walks over to the booth, placing his javelins against the bar side wall and sitting his shield and warhammer against the booth and table as he sits.

"I like bastards." He says, frowning thoughtfully, mockingly.

"Nothing for me." He lifts his glass towards Jaen a bit.

"Friggulus, you dress like a mage, if nothing else." He looks Frig over. "I wager that you don't concern yourself overmuch with stealth?" He smiles at Mr. Happy, poor thing doesn't look too happy.

[leafman]

Rovild turns to Iver, "I don't think the merchants have much to spare. The only coin you'll find here is what you scavenge off the corpses of hobgoblins."

[Giddon]

"Well one can always hope" Iver seems slightly dissapointed. His enthusiasm dies away as he realizes the place is quieting down more and more. He starts playing on top of the bar with a worn down, almost ancient-looking, silver coin.

[JustPlayItLoud]

"I'm certainly starting to think coming to this town was a mistake. Usually I've managed to...'procure' at least a little coin by this point"

Bran looks around the bar again, hoping for one last opportunity to run a con.

"I don't suppose any of you have need for an impertinent scoundrel for hire?"

[CGforever!]

@Orik and Rovild: The dwarves begin to respond to your comments when your attention is torn to the sound of a scream, probably female, from outside the inn to the east (stable side).

@Iver: The dwarves smile at Orik's promise.

Valder momentarily pauses in surprise when the woodsman to your right speaks. "Eh, lad, the lord o' Verdanth is prob'ly hirin' swords left n' right. Fightin' with his own kin, who've allied with hobs to boot! I'm sure yer sword arm 'l be well paid." He nods to accentuate his statement.

@Aoleth and Bran: Jaen begins to respond to Friggs' order when your attention is torn to the sound of screams coming from outside the inn to the east (stable side - your side).

@Elrith: Jaen starts to respond to Friggs' order when something tears your attention away, but you're not sure what. You notice Bran and Aoleth stiffen.

@Friggulus: Jaen looks back at you with a bemused and slightly perplexed look, then replies, "Water, non-boiled, comin' right up!", ending with a determined nod. She smiles and departs for the back area.

[--Lime--]

Elrith wants to tell Frig that he looks wonderful, highly colourful and meeting people so different the elves she grew up with was exactly the reason that she struck out on her own. However, she remembers the way the knights who trained her conducted themselves, and instead of gushing excitedly settles for a somewhat stony "Well, you're certainly... individual."

As Bran stands up and bellows across the bar, Elrith sinks slightly in her seat. With him calling out loudly next to her, it's hard to make out what she just heard. Looking back at Bran - and Aoleth too, she notices - who has visibly stiffened, Elrith feels compelled to ask them both "What seems to be the matter? What has you so on edge?"

[JustPlayItLoud]

"Well, that isn't likely to be a good thing. This place is dull though. Shall we?"

Without waiting for a response, Bran gets up from the table and walks toward the exit.

[Giddon]

As Valder speaks Iver's gaze goes from his coin to the Dwarf. When he finishes speaking, Iver throws the coin slightly into the air, catches it again and puts it back in a small pouch. "Well, that is an option" he says in response to the dwarf's suggestion "I don't know how I feel about fighting a war that isn't my own and less with so little knowledge"

He then turns over to the woodsman who had been quietly sitting down until just a few moments ago. "I guess not all hope for action is lost eh?"

[--Lime--]

"Not a good thing?" says Elrith, mostly to herself, "But what isn't a good thing? Where are you going?" she asks Bran, following him out the door, scythe at the ready.

Perhaps he'd overheard something about getting rid of the elves? If only Elrith could make sense of the noise she heard. Still, to be on the safe side, as she is leaving the Hearthstone, she calls back to Aoleth
"Come on, Aoleth, something's wrong. Let's go!"

[leafman]

"True." Rovild slips a silver coin under his mug and replaces it on the bar. He calmly gets up and walks out the door, not wanting to alarm the patrons. Once outside, Rovild readies his bow, and moves as quickly and quietly as he can toward the source of the scream.

[Hbgplayer]

When Orik hears the scream, he instinctively reaches for his warhammer with one hand and his holy symbol with the other. "What was that? [Did any o' ye hear that?]" Orik asks, slipping into his native language for the second question while looking around. Since he sees several other patrons leap to their feet and hurry out the stable doors, reaching for weapons, Orik also gets to his feet without waiting for a response and moves through the door, pulling his weapon.

[Earl of Purple]

"Might be because I am a mage. Not a good one, not yet, but one day. I chose the colours to help everyone out there that's too big to notice me and not bump into me, or trip over me, or use my head as a beer mat." Is Frig's response to Aoleth's statement.

Then everybody starts to get up and leave "Wait, what's happening? Where's everyone going? *sigh* I suppose you might have to wait for your bath, Mr. Happy." Making sure that his toad is still safely sat upon his shoulder, Friggulus hops off his stool and hurries after the leaving group. He doesn't reach for his weaponry, though.

[Seharvepernfan]

"We heard screams outside, be ready!" Aoleth is up and arming himself, shield and hammer in hands. Noticing that several armed people are moving to the front door, he moves towards the back area and stable side door, aiming to head out through the stables. "Bran, speak of devils and they appear." He says quietly to himself, whilst grinning fiercely, eyes wide.

[Giddon]

Iver glances around confused. ""Wait Orik, what? What are you takling about? And what was that last bit?" Noticing several of the most well armed patrons moving out, he leaves three silver coins on the bar and moves towards Torum. "Friend what is going on why the sudden rush of movement?"

[CGforever!]

The patrons in the Hearthstone start to react to all the armored warriors and odd characters in the room all getting up at once and moving for the doors. People are visibly nervous and tense, most muttering between themselves, some talking loudly, making it hard to hear each other speak. Many stand up and move towards the bar and stairs, seeking to get out of your way and group-up just in case. The music stops again and there is a loud clattering of benches, tableware, and booted feet on the slate floor.

@Rovild: As you approach the door, the other patrons move away from it, so that by the time you get to it, you have a large space to yourself, and can hear outside easier. You quickly notice the sound of a group of people trotting towards the inn, likely in a line. They are coming from towards the stable side. Three of the people from the booth are moving your way along the window-side wall. You open the door and walk outside while arming your bow. As soon as you do, you notice a handful of armored figures rounding the stables corner and moving towards you.

The first few are eye-catching - tall, strong, squarely-built, with dark reddish-brown, dull orange, or grey skin, black studded leather, and blood red clothes underneath. The first couple carry longswords and light wood shields with red painted designs, and have javelins in their off-hands and on their backs. A couple past them have javelins in their main hands and longswords in their off-hands. They are wide-eyed and murderous-looking. They aren't making much noise for their speed. You easily recognize your hated foe: hobgoblins.

Behind them, and much noisier, you see a couple of splintmail wearing humans carrying longswords and heavy wood shields. They look rough, unshaven, hard, and brutal. They wear a light green tabard over their mail, which has a coat-of-arms on it with some white designs, but you don't look at it long enough to get the details.

You can hear more coming from around that side of the inn. They saw the door open and have already registered your appearance as you take in theirs. They raise their weapons and shields a hair and begin moving faster, though without vocalization.

Not that you're paying much attention, but you notice that the crossroads are largely empty of people, the few you see are running away or staring wide-eyed from behind cover. You can hear fleeing screams in the distance.

The nearest warrior is at the far side of the woodpile, perhaps sixty feet away. The door provides you with half-cover from their direction, should that matter.

You can use a move action now (away from them in any direction) and roll initiative after (with me doing the rolling for that), or you can try to take your turn now before they get to you. If you choose the later, go ahead and roll initiative for yourself. If you're confused, pm me.

@Orik: Ilde and Ferden both acknowledge that they heard something, a scream. All four dwarves move off their stools and grip their cudgels, ready to fight if need be.

The woodsman to the right of Iver also moves out the door, himself ahead of you, but waits till he opens the door and moves outside before arming his bow. He pauses immediately thereafter, not even past the door, staring towards the stables, his face alert and serious. You easily hear the approach of many armored people from around the stable side of the inn.

You have two basic options: a move action now (away or otherwise taking place in your square) and I roll initiative for you afterwards, or roll initiative for yourself and try to take your turn now before whatever it is gets to you. You're not sure what's coming, but you may not be able to react in time if it's danger. If you're confused, pm me.


@Iver: The dwarves to your side get up and wield their cudgels, ready to fight. The farthest two, Ilde and Ferden, both say something to Orik in dwarven. As you turn to Torum, you see that he has produced a loaded light crossbow from somewhere, and holds it ready while staring towards the door with a serious face. "I don't know, lad. Ready yourself!"

@Bran, Elrith, and Friggulus: As you approach the door along the window side wall, you see a woodsman walk out and a dwarf wielding a warhammer and necklace-pendant following close behind. You can hear the sound of armored people moving along the outside wall from the stables towards the door.

@Aoleth: You walk down the short hallway between the bar and stable wall, and you see a doorway to your right that leads to a kitchen judging by the smell and sounds rolling out from it. There is an opening at the end of the hallway on the left, and as you turn it you see a wood door, which must be the stable door. As you open it, you can hear the sound of many armored people moving around the outside of the stable and the corner of the inn to your left towards the front door.

It opens into a shadowed, thatched-roofed area that feels like outside and smells like a stables. The floor is covered in hay. There are stables with horses, who are snorting nervously or in agitation. You can see daylight to your left past a short swing-gate. Trotting past are a stream of armored figures, some wearing black studded leather over red - hobgoblins, some wearing splintmail under green tabards - humans, all carrying shields and longswords, some with javelins. None of them are looking your way.

The swing-gate is perhaps thirty feet from you. The inn wall is stone, the stables are wood. The stone side is clear, the stables form the outer wall.


I'll have a graphpaper grid up with my next post.

[leafman]

Rovild draws back his bowstring, sighting up the lead hobgoblin and looses the arrow. Sure of his aim, he moves back inside the tavern and out of the way of the door. "Hobgoblins!"


Initiative [roll0]
Attack: [roll1]
Damage: [roll2] (favored enemy)
5ft step inside and to the left of the door if possible
We are rolling here right? I wasn't supposed to roll in the OoC thread instead was I? I can't remember.

[JustPlayItLoud]

"Finally something exciting happens. Let's do this!"

Bran moves closer to the door, drawing his shortbow and getting ready to head out into the fray with the others.

[Hbgplayer]

"Hobgoblins?" Orik asks, stunned, as he looks around the woodsman in front of him, and mutters several curses under his breath in Dwarven. "Moradin, may you give me your Divine Favor to aid me in fighting these enemies of Dwarven kind," Orik prays, casting the spell Divine Favor on himself while drawing his Warhammer fully and taking the shield that he had strapped to his back and strapping it to his left hand.

Initiative: [roll0] :smallsigh:

[Giddon]

"Oh boy, things are going to go down eh?"Iver says excitedly, but with an ounce of nervousness seeping through his voice. He draws his Greatsword and is on the ready.

I don't know if I'm supposed to roll initiative but I will anyways [roll]1d20+2[\roll]

[Seharvepernfan]

Aoleth watches them run past the stables for an instant before turning and sprinting as fast as he can back towards the front door of the inn. As he moves back into main room, he calls out to the dwarves at the bar, "Hobgoblins! Watch the stable door!" He gets as close to the open front door as possible, hopefully to an adjacent square where he and two others can surround the entrance square. He left his javelins standing against the bar side wall next to the dwarves, so maybe them or some other people can help out.

[CGforever!]

Hearthstone Interior Map: http://i42.tinypic.com/20fx0qr.jpg

Aoleth - T6
Bran - Q5
Elrith - P5
Friggulus - O5
Iver - N9
Orik - U5
Rovild - U4

The four tables include the benches in their drawings. All the patrons are along the hearth side of the bar and in the area near the stairs. Torum is opposite Iver. Each square is 5ft.

When you move, list what squares you move through and how (like if you charge, jump, etc.).

@Rovild: Your nerves get the best of you and you can't get your arrow drawn and aimed in time to shoot the hobgoblins before they get to you. The leading hobgoblin charges you and swings in a downward arc at your left shoulder and neck, but he mis-timed his attack and swung too early, the sword swishing through the air just in front of you. The other four hobgoblins run into the space along your left side, and you let loose at the nearest one to you. His sudden stop throws you off and you miss, your arrow flying off into a wagon on the other side of the road - THUD!

Three of the hobgoblins on your left are close enough to take advantage of your opening, and they all attack you at once. Two of them slash at you with longswords, cutting through your studded leather and gashing deeply across your chest and stomach, a third stabbing you somewhere with a javelin - you are already losing conciousness as that third hit registers, the pain is greater than anything you have ever experienced.

As you pass out, you hear Orik chanting behind you and someone running across the floor inside, yelling something. You fall to your side, the loud noises around you growing quiet and everything going dark.

Your hatred for goblinkin rages through your mind at this. You pass out furious that you couldn't return the favor.

You are at -7 after the third attack hits.

@Orik: You can read Rovild's spoiler.

As you finish your spell and equip your shield, the hobgoblins have already cut the woodsman down. There was nothing you could do. He falls against the open door, laying on his right side. The hobgoblins look to you with bloodlust in their eyes and blood on their weapons.

@Aoleth: I took the liberty of jumping you over the first table in your path, you succeeded easily. A dwarf from the bar is just finishing a spell and equipping his heavy shield as the woodsman just outside the door is cut down by the first of the hobgoblins. Your blood runs hot at the sight of the murdering hobgoblins and you feel the rage burning inside you...
The only one you can see is standing in V3 and he wields a javelin in his main hand, and a longsword with a light wood shield in his off hand.


None of the rest of you can see what happened, but you all heard the sounds of steel tearing flesh and the woodsman grunting in pain. Orik and Aoleth look absolutely furious. You notice that the dwarves have all moved towards the stables.

The patrons of the inn start screaming in fear and anger, and have stampeded to the raised-floor section and the stairs.

Initiative Order:

1. Aoleth
2. Bran
3. Me
4. Frig
5. Me
6. Me
7. Me
8. Elrith
9. Iver
10. Rovild
11. Me
12. Me
13. Me
14. Orik (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0090.html)

[Seharvepernfan]

Aoleth never stops his run, moving right into the breach and standing between the fallen woodsman and the hobgoblins. With wordless fury, he smashes his warhammer into the first hobgoblin out the door.

Move action into U4, through Orik's square. Excuse me.
Attacking the hobgoblin in U3.

Warhammer: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]
just in case...
Critical: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

[Hbgplayer]

Orik is momentarily stunned when he sees the woodsman infront of him so injured by the hobgoblins attack, and is about to cast a spell when he is hit from behind and stumbles into and has to grab a chair to keep from falling over when the elf rushes by him. He's about to curse him, but stifles himself when he sees that it is attacking the Hobgoblins.
Seeing that the elf is between him and the hobgoblins, Orik reaches down and grabs hold of the injured woodsman and pulls him back through the doorway (to U-6) while trading and casting Cure Minor Wounds for Detect Magic.
Orik then stands up and moves back to the doorway, and readies himself for combat.

[JustPlayItLoud]

Bran will move to U7 and attempt to take a shot at the hobgoblin at U2, since any hobgoblins will have cover, but that one at least isn't engaged in melee.

Attack [roll0] (the hobgoblin gets +4 AC from cover, right?)
Damage [roll1]

[CGforever!]

Map: http://i43.tinypic.com/att2iu.jpg

Aoleth swings at the bloody-sworded hobgoblin, but his choke on his warhammer is too short from his run across the inn, and his swing is thus too short, whipping through the air before the hobgoblin.

After his swing, Bran fires an arrow over Aoleths right shoulder, which only narrowly misses the hobgoblin in front of Aoleth, skidding off the back ones' leather shoulder pauldron.

The hobgoblin on the other side of the door from Aoleth jabs his sword in the way of Aoleth, hindering his shield arm and ability to dodge attacks from the hobgoblin he is facing.

The hobgoblin in T4 aids the hobgoblin in U3 against Aoleth. Hobgoblin T4 is now Hobgoblin 1.

[Earl of Purple]

Friggulus hears sounds of combat and takes a piece of cured leather from one of his pockets as he chants mystic words, casting Mage Armour on himself. When that is complete he puts the leather back and loads his sling. He also steps to O6.

I think that's how it works.

[CGforever!]

Map: http://i39.tinypic.com/219xnqt.jpg

The hobgoblin in T3 runs around his fellows, moving into V4 with his shield raised, attempting to stab Aoleth with his longsword while blocking Aoleth's incoming attack. Aoleth turns on the incoming hobgoblin with his warhammer, smashing into its collarbone with a loud cracking noise. That hobgoblin freefalls onto its back with an abrupt wheeze, the air blown out of its lungs, preventing its attempted scream.

The hobgoblin in V3 immediately rushes forward over its' fallen ally, its' shield arm raised, and tries to plow past Aoleth. Aoleth swiftly ducks and uses his suddenly lower center of gravity to block the hobgoblin and push it back, but it keeps its feet.

The hobgoblin in U3 steps forward and swings at Aoleth in a powerful downward slash, which Aoleth blocks with a quickly thrown shield thurst.

Elrith runs up to stand beside Orik, her scythe raised and ready to attack anyone besides Aoleth who comes through the door.

Aoleth made an attack of opportunity, dropping hobgoblin 2. Hobgoblin three tried to overrun Aoleth, and hobgoblin four made an attack.

[Giddon]

Iver runs in a straight line to U9. "Oi! I can help you fellows!" A tinge of anxiousness on his voice.

If I had my sword drawn that's great, if not I will do that the next round.

[CGforever!]

Map: http://i44.tinypic.com/i4g6c8.jpg

The first of the splint-mail clad human warriors moves towards Aoleth, nearly beside himself with fury, "WHAT?!" He moves into T3 and points his sword at Aoleth and abruptly shouts "PREPARE TO DIE!!!" It's so sudden and violent that it rattles Aoleths nerves and leaves him shaken.

The hobgoblin in U2 takes the opportunity to dash around its' ally and tries to plow through Aoleth, who, though shaken, suddenly steps forward and blocks its' overrun before it can gather enough momentum, forcing it back into square V3, though it manages to keep its' feet.

The other human moves around the skirmish, absorbing the scene looking for somewhere to jump in. He looks vicious and eager to kill. You can see that their light-green tabards have a coat of arms flanked by a rampant white pegasus and a hippogriff.

Orik drops his hammer, lunging forward and grabbing a hold of Rovild, dragging him from under Aoleths' frantic stand and back towards safety. Orik chants a short prayer, casting an orison that stops the blood flowing from Rovilds' wounds.

From behind all of you, a strong male alto voice rises above the din and sings a fast-paced and ominous ballad, "Green-wings o'er-sky a-bove,
stal-kers through the-trees,
We-fought for-my last-held love,
back-to the crim-son sea!"
The voice is powerful and sends a rush through your veins. You feel braver just hearing it.

Aoleth is shaken and takes a -2 penalty to attacks, ability checks, and saves for one round.

Orik had to drop his weapon in order to drag Rovild back and cast the spell, and didn't have time to pick it back up.

Rovild is stable at -8, his turn was just before Oriks'. EDIT: -7, my bad.

Everyone except Rovild gains a +1 morale bonus on saves vs. charm & fear, and to weapon attack and damage rolls.

[Seharvepernfan]

(!!!)

Eyes wide, heart pounding in his chest, Aoleth makes a snap decision to attack the hobgoblin directly in front of him one more time before moving back through the door.


Warhammer: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]
just in case...
Critical: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

Makes a 5ft. adjustment into U5, no move action that I can think of. AoO the first opportunity that arises, block all overruns.

[JustPlayItLoud]

Bran nocks another arrow and lets it fly at the only combatant not currently engaged in melee (W2 standing in U1), hoping for a hit this time.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[CGforever!]

Map: http://i39.tinypic.com/ix3tw6.jpg

Aoleth makes a quick underhand swing at the hobgoblin in U3's left-side ribs, connecting with an audible CRACK! before retreating back into the inn. That hobgoblin wheezes abruptly, unable to breathe.

Brans' second arrow flies past Aoleth and passes the warriors' shield, smacking into his armor and ricocheting off. He glances down in surprise.

The hobgoblin on the other side of the door dashes around its ally and tries to plow past Aoleth with a shout of anger and frustration, "RAAAAGHH!!"

Elrith swings her scythe at the shouting hobgoblin, but the wall forces her into an awkward position and the hobgoblin easily lifts his shield to block the swing. Aoleth tries to smash the hobgoblin rushing into him with his warhammer, but didn't time it right, swinging too late, the hobgoblin already ramming into him. Aoleth tries to use his superior agility to force the hobgoblin back, but the past few seconds have been extremely stressful for him and he just couldn't get into position and muster enough force. The hobgoblin plows over him, knocking him onto the floor.

Elrith takes the opportunity to attack the suddenly vulnerable hobgoblin, but misjudges her swing, her scythe swishing through the air before her without touching anything. Orik shouts angrily at the hobgoblin, unable to attack him due to not having his hammer ready.

The hobgoblin rushes past Elrith and Orik, moving into T7 and stabbing at Bran with his bloody longsword. Bran tries to dodge, but the attack is too sudden and quick, and the blade goes straight through his armor into his stomach. Bran falls to his back with an anguished shout and quickly passes out. The hobgoblin shouts in satisfaction. The patrons of the inn begin screaming for real. Bran is at -2.
Ok, what just happened:

Elrith made a readied attack and missed.
Aoleth made an attack of opportunity and missed.
Aoleth failed his dexterity check against the hobgoblins strength check.
Elrith made an attack of opportunity and missed.
The hobgoblin continued his movement and attacked bran, succeeding.
(rolled a 20, but didn't confirm, and then rolled max damage)

The new intiative order is:

1. Aoleth
2. Bran
3. Me
4. Elrith
5. Frig
6. Me
7. Iver
8. Rovild
9. Me
10. Orik

[Earl of Purple]

Friggulus moves to Q7 and starts swirling his sling. I'm not sure if he can get a shot off (it's a diagonal, if so; every other square counts as two squares); if so, he'll take it, if not he'll shoot when he can. He might not have the range, either.

[CGforever!]

Map: http://i44.tinypic.com/8x4vh0.jpg

Frigs' sling bullet strikes the hobgoblin in its back with a THWAP! The hobgoblin grunts and stumbles in pain, shooting Frig a vicious look. You dealt 2 points of damage.

Hobgoblin 3 runs into the inn, sword raised and violently shouting something in a language you can't understand. It darts past Elrith and Orik, moving around its ally and stepping over Bran, then goes straight for Iver. As soon as it gets within his reach, Iver steps forward and swings his greatsword, catching the hobgoblin on its left shoulder and slashing all the way to its' right hip, through its' armor, ribcage, and abdomen. Blood and viscera paint the floor between them. It screams in pain, and, its' momentum completely halted, falls to its' knees then flat on its' face.

The screams get even louder and more hysterical, but amidst them there is a violent cheer from the men among the crowd, almost drowning out the singing voice.

Hobgoblin 4 moves out of sight towards square X4. It looks dazed and about to pass out.

[Giddon]

Iver smiles excitedly finally being able to collaborate in the fight. "Someone has to get the door and protect the downed warriors!" He says in a commanding tone. "I'll take care of the other hob inside."

As soon as he finishes saying that he takes a small step towards the nearest hobgoblin and takes a swing of his sword.

5ft step into T8 and attack the goblin
Attack:[roll0]
Damage:[roll1]

Just in case:
Crit Confirm: [roll2]
Extra Dmg: [roll3]
Also I will for the rest of this battle always take the first attack of opportunity i get

[CGforever!]

Map: http://i41.tinypic.com/zu4428.jpg

Ivers' swing bashes the hobgoblins' shield out of the way and tears horizontally through its abdomen despite its' too-slow attempt to lean back. The hobgoblin screams in anguish, which is drowned out by the even-louder cheering from behind Iver. Blood splatters across Bran, Orik, and Rovild, and a string of its bowels slip out and to the floor as it drops its' sword and clutches at them with its hands. With a look of fear and hatred, the hobgoblin passes out and slumps forward onto the slate.

The first of the splintmail-clad humans enters the inn with a look of excited rage, stepping over Aoleth and in-between Elrith and Orik to square T6. Without a word, he lunges forward at Elriths' midsection with a swift and sure thrust, seeking a quick kill. Elrith steps back in time with the thrust, which just barely stabs between the scales of her armor, the tip of his sword penetrating only a few inches. Elrith gasps in pain, tensing her entire body but otherwise keeping her stance and bearing. The crowd behind Iver stops cheering suddenly, and you hear a few startled gasps. Elrith takes 2 points of damage.

Hobgoblin 5 drops its javelin and switches its' longsword to its other hand while running into the inn, jumping over Aoleth and darting past the human warrior to slash at Iver. It approaches quickly, but with a look of caution and fear. It sees the bodies of its fellows, the gore splattered everywhere, and the five-foot length of bloody steel in Ivers' hands. Its' shield raised before it, stance wide, it makes a sudden but half-hearted jab at Iver, more worried about staying alive than dealing damage. Its' blade strikes Ivers' torso despite his attempt to avoid it, but it skirts off his scale harmlessly.

The other human warrior charges straight ahead with a look of wide-eyed brutality, slashing Aoleth with his sword in a downward arc, "STAY DOWN!" His sword blows past Aoleths' shield, jerking it aside, and chops right through his studded leather and ribcage in a splash of blood. Aoleth roars in pain as the human shouts in triumph. Shock and confusion can be heard from the crowd behind Iver. Aoleth takes 9 points of damage.

Aoleth is no longer shaken (though he should be!).

Initiative is now:

1. Aoleth
2. Bran
3. Elrith
4. Frig
5. Iver
6. Rovild
7. Me
8. Orik

Its' Oriks' turn.

[Hbgplayer]

Orik's satisfaction with Iver's decimation of the two hobgoblins quickly turns to horror and rage as the two humans attacks, and in particular the injury to the elf Aoleth. Turning to face that human, Orik shouts "The god Moradin commands you to drop all of your vile instruments!", casting the spell Command while stooping down to pick up his warhammer.

DC 14 Will save to negate, unless the +1 bard song bonus applies to spells as well.

[CGforever!]

With a look of surprise and confusion, the warrior drops his sword. It clatters off the entry stone and settles between his feet.

The hobgoblin facing Iver steps back and cuts at Orik with its' longsword when he bends to grab his hammer. Orik weaves and moves his shield to block, but the blade gets past and clangs off his shoulder pauldron. With a snort, the hobgoblin quickly turns back to Iver, afraid to leave its' eyes off him for more than a second.

The warrior facing Elrith turns and lunges to slash at Orik as well, his blade also striking Oriks' armor, skittering down along the scales of Oriks' back. With typical dwarven confidence in armor, Orik feels the weight of the attacks and grimaces at his foes as he grabs the hammer. The human curses as Orik picks it up.

[Seharvepernfan]

("...that hurt.")

Aoleth surges to his feet, he isn't done yet. These fools will die for what they've done today. "Dwarf, I owe you my life!" He snaps a silently ferocious stare on the human who sliced him, blood running cold. He steps forward silently and swings.


Rage: HP: 5, F+4, W+3, AC 16, Str 19, Con 14, 5 round duration
Warhammer: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]
hopefully...
Critical: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3] or +18?

If this human goes down, Aoleth takes a 5ft. adjustment forward to stand over him and quietly intone "(Elven) Stay down."

[--Lime--]

Elrith faces the warrior who has entered the tavern. She'd hoped to be able to keep the patrons safe - despite their prejudices, they hadn't harmed her. Clearly, they were not threatening the marauders and that made it clear that the intruders had to be stopped.

As Elrith spins back from trying to dodge the sword attack, she puts the momentum into her scythe, aiming to rend him from hip to hip.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

If crit:
Confirm: [roll2]
Damage:[roll3]
I'm not sure if the +1 damage from the song gets multiplied, so I left it out.

[JustPlayItLoud]

I appear to have missed by turn, so I'll roll to stabilize now.

[roll0]

[CGforever!]

Map: http://i40.tinypic.com/wmf3pl.jpg

The warrior facing Aoleth brings his shield up in a desperate block, and grunts as it absorbs the blow. His eyes go wide at the strength of the attack.

With sudden speed, Elriths' scythe swishes under the warriors' shield, shearing through his splintmail and tabard, slicing a foot long gash into his abdomen before coming to rest. He stops suddenly and stands still for a moment, then screams as Elrith removes the scythe and his bowels spill out onto the floor. He stumbles to his knees, his screams become a gurgle as he vomits on himself while dropping his blade and clutching his midsection. With a clatter of metal on stone, he plops over on his side, having passed out from shock.

From the far side of the inn, you can hear the dwarves yelling, -hold'n em' over 'ere!"
"They're comin' in!"

You realize that Torum is the one singing. He continues his verse, holding a loaded light crossbow, focused but alert.

Bran drops to -3.

[Earl of Purple]

Friggulus lines up his hands and starts chanting, aiming a Ray of Frost at the hobgoblin in T7.

Not sure how ranged touches work, sorry; I can't find a description in my Player's Handbook. So here's the damage roll. First time I've used the roller; hope it works.

[roll0]

[Giddon]

Iver smiles, and says "Time to keep the streak" He five foot steps to U7 and viciously attacks the hobgoblin right next to him


att [roll0]
dmg [roll1]

confirm [roll2]
crit dmg [roll3]

Cleave (just in case)
att [roll4]
dmg [roll5]

confirm [roll6]
crit dmg [roll7]

Will take first AoO possible, and if I hit if Im not wrong I get to cleave the warrior next to me, so I'll post that attack just in case

[CGforever!]

Map: http://i42.tinypic.com/28rlbgn.jpg

A thin pale-blue ray sizzles through the air from Frigs' hand, tearing between the hobgoblin and Orik to smash into the hearth with the sound of twinkling ice, leaving a patch of frost breathing thin fog upon the stones. Frigs' expression matches the one on Mr. Happy.

Iver quickly steps forward to straddle Bran, then makes a swing at the hobgoblin, but overconfident from his last two attacks, swings too early and misses the hobgoblin entirely. The hobgoblins' eyes go wide as the attack comes, and as soon as it misses, he steps backward and begins to run, leaving no opportunity for Iver or Orik. He runs straight at Frig, who nervously braces himself, but then turns and runs up over the table and benches, knocking over mugs and plates, then to the end of the bar, ready to turn the corner.

The human warrior, seeing the hobgoblin flee with wide eyes, decides that is a good idea, withdraws from Aoleth and runs back toward the stables, his mail clanking into the distance.

[Hbgplayer]

"If you all want to pursue them, I'll be right be hind, I'll just stop the bleedin' on this man," Orik says, watching the remaining two bad guys run off before moving over to Bran, and kneeling down next to him (V-7). Orik gives the man a through look over, then looks up, towards Torum and shouts: "I need several clean towels, ASAP!" After getting them, Orik starts bandaging Bran's wounds with them.
Orik is using his heal skill to stabilize him. If I fail twice in a row, then I'll spontaneously cast Cure Minor Wounds, but I would like to keep as many spells as possible. My heal modifier is +6, since the PHB says that I don't know if I failed or not until he makes his next turn.

[Seharvepernfan]

("Coward!")

Aoleth snaps a glance over his shoulder to make sure everyone else is fine, then immediately sprints after the fleeing man. As soon as he closes, he brings his hammer down on the back of the mans' neck.

Moves to N3, which is 40ft., or one move action.
Rage: HP: 5, F+4, W+3, AC 16, Str 19, Con 14
Warhammer: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]
hopefully...
Critical: [roll2]
Damage: [roll]3d8+16

[CGforever!]

Map: http://i44.tinypic.com/2zom810.jpg

Torum, continuing to sing, walks out from the bar over to Orik and throws him a fresh cleaning rag, one hand holding his crossbow.

Aoleth quickly catches up to the fleeing warrior, his warhammer smashing into the mans' neck with a CLANG! The man screams and nearly falls, stumbling along in his run. Those of you in the Hearthstone hear the sounds and grin.

Elrith rushes along parallel to the hobgoblin, stopping her momentum to round the last table at J5.

Orik stabilizes Bran.

[--Lime--]

As Elrith gives chase, she shouts to Torum: "That hobgoblin's going to run straight into the dwarves! Why didn't you shoot him?!"

[Earl of Purple]

Friggulus clambers onto the table at P8, pointing his finger at the hobgoblin in J9 and repeats the incantation.

Ranged touch attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Giddon]

Iver sees the bogeys flee and quickly gives chase, "They can't get away!" He runs in a straight line to J7 and gets ready to intercept the escaping hob.

If for some reason I miscalculated how far I can run, Ill go as far as I can in a straight line

[CGforever!]

Map: http://i39.tinypic.com/11b0vtd.jpg

Friggulus runs up the bench onto the table, also knocking plates and mugs ascatter, and fires another thin pale-blue frost ray at the hobgoblin. The ray sizzles through the air behind the fleeing hobgoblin, coating the corner of the floor and the wall in a thin layer of rime.

Iver rushes along parallel with Elrith, also trying to catch the hobgoblin. He slows his momentum to round the corner at the far end of the tables.

The hobgoblin flees towards the stable door, disappearing from sight amid the surprised shouts of the dwarves blocking the door. You hear the sounds of a scuffle amid all the shouts. Someone got attacked.

Aoleth: The warrior stumbles away from you towards the stable gate as if he's about to pass out any second. You can hear several armored people trying to bash in the stable door, screams echoing out of the stables in fury and fear. You can barely make out the sounds of your allies in the inn rushing around and shouting.

[Hbgplayer]

Orik, seeing the hobgoblin rush into the stable, decides to try to cut him off at the outer stable door and grabs his hammer while standing up and hustles out the door in the direction of the stable. (Ends round in square Q-2 at hustle speed of 40 feet)

[Seharvepernfan]

"I'll be back for you!" Aoleth swears at the warrior as he runs past, heading out wide past the swing-gate. He quickly scans the scene, ready to charge at the first apparent enemy.

Aoleth runs to F2, unless he sees enemies just inside the stables waiting to ambush him, or perhaps taking cover with ranged weapons farther in and facing him, in which case he runs to D or E4. I'm expecting them to all be near the door and trying to get through it into the inn, and I'm going to charge them all the way from F2 if so. If Aoleth does go to F2, he drops his shield.

[--Lime--]

Elrith silently curses, having lost sight of the hobgoblin. She rushes into the small room, scythe at the ready

Elrith goes to J11

If the hobgoblin is in I11, J12, or J12 Elrith attacks it with the scythe
If the hobgoblin is in H13, I13, J13, H11, or H12
---> Then Elrith will go to I12 and attack the hobgoblin

I don't see how Elrith will be able to set up a flank without provoking an AoO but if there is a way, she'll try.

Attack (using Smite Evil): [roll0] (Subtract 1 from this if the hobgoblin is somehow not evil)
Damage: [roll1] (again subtract 1 if hobgoblin is not evil)

Any corrections will be done in the OOC thread so you know I haven't edited this based on roll results.

[CGforever!]

@Aoleth: http://i44.tinypic.com/woc46.jpg
As you are pulling off your shield, you can see half-a-dozen warriors trying to break in the stable door. It's dark in the stables, and you can't quite make out who is who, but those you can see appear to be black-armored hobgoblins, similar to before. From the door itself you can hear metallic clanking, probably more splint-clad human warriors. The horses in the stables are snorting and nervously stomping and pawing the ground.

Three of the figures closest to you look in your direction as you appear.


@Elrith: http://i44.tinypic.com/rvjaxc.jpg
You hear a muffled thump and something metal clatter against stone, then the dwarves making noises in surprise. As you enter the hall-room, scythe raised and ready, you instantly notice the hobgoblin you were pursuing laying on the ground to your left, bloodless. Three of the dwarves are piled up against the door, crowding behind it and (for the moment) still successfully keeping it mostly closed. It is partially open, and you can hear angry voices shouting from the other side. A sword blade is sticking through the gap, keeping the door from closing. You hear occasional thuds, which push the door open towards you, before the dwarves push it back, accompanied by metallic clanking from the other side.

A dwarf is standing to your left on the other side of the hobgoblin, cudgel held up, shock and surprise in his eyes. The door opens from his side, and he was apparently trying to bash that sword blade down, standing ready to attack anyone who got through.


@Iver: You see Elrith rush past you into the hall-room ready to strike, but she lowers her scythe upon entering, and visibly relaxes.

[Earl of Purple]

Friggulus hops off the table (to P9) and then runs towards where he saw the hobgoblin he'd been shooting at go through the door. His aim is to get to J11.

I'm not sure if Friggulus can run that far; if not, he'll get as close as he can. He won't do anything else this round.

[Giddon]

Iver sees the patrons spreading out and decides its best to check out the stables, thus he hustles to I11 to get into better position.

[CGforever!]

@Iver, Frig, & Elrith: http://i43.tinypic.com/mw5xxu.jpgIver rushes forward into the hall-room past Elrith and Frig, then, seeing the look on the dwarf guarding the door, stomps over the hobgoblin to take the dwarfs' place. The dwarf then moves behind its' fellows, who continue to hold the door closed.

@Aoleth & Orik: http://i41.tinypic.com/kaydf.jpgThe stumbling warrior sees both of you on either side and realizes he has nowhere to run, so with a look of fear and uncertainty, he moves in-between the log pile and the swing gate, clearly trying to just stay out of your way.

[Hbgplayer]

While Orik is jogging to get into position, he notices the warrior that he assumed the elf had taken care of, and the one he commanded to drop everything he was carrying, trying to get out of the way and hide. He pauses momentarily, struck with indesicion. He doesn't like the thought of attacking an unarmed opponent, but he hates the idea of leaving a known opponent at his back. Suddenly, an idea strikes the cleric, and he continues jogging to H-3 and stops there, readying himself to attack the man.

[CGforever!]

@Aoleth: The closest two hobgoblins turn to face you and adopt defensive stances, weapons up and eyes glaring. One in the back does likewise, but with a javelin. The human warriors pay you no attention, if they notice you at all, focused completely on trying to bash in the door, and failing. They keep shouting angrily in frustration.

@Elrith, Frig, & Iver: The warriors on the other side of the door try to bash it in, and it bulges towards you, but the dwarves hold it shut. You can still hear angry and frustrated shouting on the other side.

You can hear Torums' singing coming closer.

@Orik: The warrior raises his shield, but otherwise doesn't react. You get the impression that he is out of ideas and energy, his mind dominated by fear and pain. http://i40.tinypic.com/2qw2dmd.jpg

[Seharvepernfan]

Aoleth bares his teeth and charges towards the two hobgoblins while unsheathing his dagger. At the last second, he darts into an open stable and throws the dagger at the wall-side hobgoblin. He then grips his warhammer in both hands and mentally prepares for their assault.

Move to F9, then E9. Draw dagger during move, throw it at Hobgoblin 7 from square E9.

Dagger (thrown): [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]
hopefully...
Critical: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

[--Lime--]

Elrith moves into position and readies herself to attack with her scythe.

"Okay, I think we're ready," she says to the dwarves holding the door. "Open up and let's let 'em have some!"

Not sure which way the door opens (which side it's hinged on)

If the door is hinged on H11/H12 then Elrith goes to H13

If the door is hinged H12/H13 then Elrith goes to I13

She readies an attack.

[Earl of Purple]

Frig takes a step (to J12) and starts muttering, casting Magic Weapon on his sling. He then prepares to shoot the sling when the door is opened at anything on the other side.

[Giddon]

Being in position, Iver waits for the door to open and readies himself to slash the first enemy that comes through the door.

I ready an attack against the first enemy that comes through the door

[CGforever!]

Map: http://i39.tinypic.com/28ib5sw.jpg

@Aoleth: The farthest hobgoblin throws a javelin at you as you run towards them, but it was ill-timed and ill-thrown. You can hear it thud into something wooden behind you. The horses snort and jump in surprise, their movements shaking their stables.

The hobgoblins brace themselves as you approach, their faces snarling in expectation. They curse in Goblin as you dive sideways and throw your dagger, which skitters off the far wall and bounces off the armored human.

@Elrith, Frig, & Iver: As Elrith speaks, the dwarves move back towards the corner behind the door, and the dwarf beside her also moves back as she comes forward. He clearly doesn't want to be directly in front of the opened door.

The door flies open abruptly, two splint-clad human warriors almost stumble through. They look into the room without moving forward, having heard Elrith speak. They look vicious and ready to kill, but also a bit surprised at the contents of the room. They hesitate. They are basically identical to the earlier warriors. All around them stand perhaps half-a-dozen hobgoblins, also similar to those from before. The one standing directly behind the two humans is noticably slimmer and smaller than the others.

The dwarves that were blocking the door continue moving along the wall into open positions around the room.

Orik: The warrior raises his shield and watches your every move, anticipating an attack and focusing completely on defending himself. His face is blank, only his eyes show his fear.

[--Lime--]

It's in Elrith's nature to give everyone a fair chance to right their wrongs, so it's only natural that she declares forcefully, ""Surrender now and you will be tried fairly!" Even so, Elrith does not really expect them to listen.

She does not know the laws of this land well, but it is, after all, the land these raiders decided to attack, and their laws must prevail. That is as fair as she can guarantee.

[Hbgplayer]

Orik tightens his grip on his war-hammer, then relaxes it slightly, staring at the man across their sheilds. "If you leave now, I won't hurt you any more! That is as generous an offer that I be willing to offer, take it or leave it." Orik tells the man, stepping aside to I-3 and motioning to allow the man to escape.

[CGforever!]

Map: http://i42.tinypic.com/i3xnxx.jpg

The lighter-built hobgoblin in square F12 gestures with his left hand and chants, casting a spell. You don't see any visibile effects.

The hobgoblin in G11 roars in outrage as the dagger flies past him, rushing straight towards Aoleth, longsword brandished and ready to kill. As he appears in front of the stable, Aoleths' hammer is already mid-swing. The warhammer lands its' diagonal downward arc solidly on the hobgoblins' right shoulder, crushing down and crumpling the hobgoblin almost instantly. It collapses to the floor silently, unconcious before it hits the ground.

The hobgoblin in F11 roars and moves forward as well, stepping on top of its' ally as soon as the unlucky creature is down. Its' sword flashes quickly in the dim light, too fast for Aoleth to dodge, smacking painfully into the leather of his left shoulder and chest, but failing to penetrate.

The spellcasting hobgoblin hustles to F10.

Torum appears around the corner of the bar next to Aoleths' javelins, still wielding his crossbow and singing.

The first of the two humans stares confused for an instant, "...what?!", but the action behind him quickens and bolsters his morale, and he rushes forward towards Elrith. Elrith, loose and ready, unleashes her waiting scythe, which flashes over the mans' shield, tearing through the splintmail and tabard over his chest, tearing a long gory gash. The man roars in pain as blood spurts over Elrith and Iver.

Iver, also ready, swings as well, his greatsword flashing in a diagonal upward arc under Elriths' scythe and the mans' swordarm. His blade whacks into the warriors' torso, but the angle is poor and the blade skitters off.

The warrior, now beyond reason, continues his forward rush into Elrith, who tries to bring her scythe back in a return swing, but the timing and angle are off, and the scythe merely raps into the splint. She does, however, position her feet and weight correctly, taking the man off balance, then muscles him back and off his feet. He falls to the ground at H12, flat on his back. Iver smiles.

Ivers' blade is up and ready when the man falls, and it flies down faster than the eye can see, shearing through tabard, splint, skin, and ribcage, ending the mans' scream and bringing forth a fountain of blood. The man looks blanky to the ceiling, staring unseeing.

The other warrior standing in the door looks up from his fallen ally and meets seven pairs of eyes looking back at him. Overwhelmed, the man turns and runs. From square G13, another hobgoblin appears and runs behind the fleeing warrior, unwilling to face whatever made the man run. The hobgoblin looks into the room as he passes, and you catch a fleeting glimpse of terror on her face before she disappears. You can hear their clanking run take them out of the stables.

The dwarves cheer and raise their arms in victory, patting Elrith on the back.

I figured it would be simpler if everyone saw this all at once. Nobody but Aoleth is aware of the hobgoblins fighting Aoleth, and Orik is probably more than a bit concerned at the appearance of two enemies.

[Seharvepernfan]

Face blank, eyes hard, mouth grim, Aoleth silently continues his attack, ignoring the wince-spawning pain of his chest wound and new shoulder bruise.

Attacks H6.
Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]
hopefully...
Critical: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

If H6 goes down, he makes a 5ft. adjustment into F9.

[Earl of Purple]

Frig sees the hobgoblins start to flee and heads to F12; if he can't make it, he'll try to stop in G12. Regardless of where he stands, he'll shoot his sling at the fleeing foes, specifically the one in F10.

I'm not sure how far he can move at the moment, since he's going through Elrith's square.

1d20+1+1 to attack (no BAB, no Dex bonus, +1 size, +1 Magic Weapon
1d4+1+1 to wound; extra +1 from Magic Weapon.

[CGforever!]

Map: http://i39.tinypic.com/15z4cux.jpg

Aoleth, at the end of his rage, throws one last mighty swing, which the hobgoblin barely bashes aside with its' shield in a desperate block. His energy spent, Aoleths' arms become heavy and leaden and he can't quite catch his breath.

Frig dashes past Elrith over the slain warrior and out into the stables, putting a lead ball to his swing. With a WUPWUPWUP, Frig winds up his sling and lets loose, the ball indenting the hobgoblins' helmet with a dull thud. The ball sticks into the helmet, the hobgoblin collapses silently.

The warrior Orik spares stays in his little nook, a dull smile spreading across his face at the appearance of his two allies.

[Hbgplayer]

Orik's eye's widen in surprise and worry as he sees the hobgoblin and human run out of the stable and stop, and even more so at the smile that the man he gave a chance to leave. "Ach, OK, buddy, no more mister nice guy," he says to himself in his native tounge as he steps back to H-3 and swings with all his might, not attempting to spare the man's life now, as he feels that he is an aggressor again. As he swings, he hollars at the top of his voice: "HEY! I COULD USE SOME HELP OUT HERE!"

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]
I will roll to confirm possible critical hits in OOC

[CGforever!]

Map: http://i39.tinypic.com/v5v6mh.jpg

Orik steps forward and swings his hammer, which blows right past the warriors' shield into the splintmail of his upper torso. The hammer strikes the man, but the splint diverts the strike away, Orik almost losing his balance as a result. The man gasps and winces, not smiling anymore.

The hobgoblin attacking Aoleth, snaps his head to look at Frig for an instant, before growling and returning his attention to Aoleth. He swings his longsword again, eyes fierce with pure hatred. The blade follows Aoleths' dodge unerringly, stinging Aoleths' already wounded chest, but again failing to penetrate the studded leather guarding it. The hobgoblin shouts in frustration as it tears away to keep up with its' allies.

Torum moves through the jubilant hall-room and out into the stables to stand behind Frig, still singing and wary. His voice rises steady over all the other sounds of the moment, providing a constant background, both bold and brave.

[Giddon]

Iver hears the rustling outside and fears that there's still a lot of trouble to deal with. "You should all take care of the other door, lest the enemies catch us from our backs!" He says in a strange seriousness to the fellow dwarves and Elrith. "I'm going to help outside, its about time we tackle this problem head on."

Iver hustles into G10, ready to position himself for whatever is ahead.

[--Lime--]

Elrith is shocked as Iver kills the man sprawled helpless on the floor. She stands in stunned silence as the dwarves pat her on the back - were they glorifying what just happened?

Worse still, the colourful Frig skipped through the door and appeared to be attacking fleeing people in the back - what were these people like? Such dishonourable actions, and such disregard for life and morality. Were they to be as bad as those who had just attacked?

Finally gathering her senses, Elrith rushes out to the stable, ignoring Iver, shouting as she does so:
"What are you doing? They're no threat to us - they're running away! Don't murder them!"
Laws existed for a reason, she thought, and Elrith was not about to disregard all she stood for.
"Try to stop them, not slay them!" she adds.

She runs towards the wide barn door after their foes.

Elrith hustles to F6

[CGforever!]

Map: http://i41.tinypic.com/20gy2o1.jpg

Seeing their allies fleeing, falling, or pinned down, the human and hobgoblin warriors outside the stables flee in opposite directions. They have no desire to fight the group chasing them when so outnumbered.

[Seharvepernfan]

Aoleth runs up beside Elrith, hardly in any shape to be pursuing the fleeing warriors. He looks over to her with raised eyebrows and a frown, "(Elven) They deserve death, Elrith, it is hardly murder!"

Moves to G6, takes a readied action to attack hobgoblin six if he moves within range.

[Hbgplayer]

Orik notes the Hobgoblin and human warrior running away and, once again, moves out of the way of the man in front of him, motioning for him to leave. "This be yer las' chance, human," Orik growles, reverting back to the accent he grew up with in the temple.

[Earl of Purple]

Friggulus stays where he is, and doesn't do anything. Though he keeps his sling out and reloads it.

Elrith gets a bit of a confused look as she rushes past him.

[CGforever!]

Map: http://i43.tinypic.com/ejd0qo.jpg

Orik steps aside, and the warrior immediately begins moving out around the swing gate and in front of the stables. The last hobgoblin stares at Elrith and Aoleth for a moment, glances at Orik and the stumbling human, then growls and moves off with the human around the haystack side of the stables.

Torum walks up behind Elrith and Aoleth, his voice echoing out of the stables.

[Giddon]

Iver sees the fleeing enemies and suddenly realizes the battle is won. "Hmph, so they are retreating, well I am going to make sure none of them try to come back"

He runs to G5 and looks around make sure no one tries to come back. "We definitely should've tried apprehending one to learn what they wanted" He says to himself and sighs.

[--Lime--]

As Elrith sees the warrior run past the door, she isn't aware that Orik has let him go. Sticking to her last statement, she wants to stop the man, but not kill him.

Running up behind the warrior, she tries to take his feet out from under him, snatching at his ankles with her scythe.

Trip Attack
Melee Touch: [roll0]
Opposed Strength Check: [roll1]
(I don't get the 1.5x for holding the thing I'm tripping with with two hands, do I? If I do, please factor that in)
Drop weapon to avoid being tripped if necessary
If the attack succeeds and he tries to stand up, he provokes an attack of opportunity and Elrith will aim to deal non-lethal damage with her scythe which would be a +1 modifier, I believe

[CGforever!]

Elrith quickly catches up to the stumbling warrior, her scythe sweeping in between his legs and getting tangled. The warriors' momentum and weight were more than she expected, and she gets pulled down while running. However, the shock and impact are too much for the man, and he collapses to the ground, silent.

He just dropped to -1.

[Giddon]

"Well I think the worst is over for now!" Iver goes inside the inn and checks on the wounded. Does anyone have any means of helping these people?

[Earl of Purple]

Friggulus looks rather pale. He sits down where he is, looking at the hobgoblin he hit with his sling. "What... What should we do with the bodies?" Mr. Happy hops out from where he had been stashed and croaks loudly, so Friggulus picks up his toad and starts stroking him gently.

[Hbgplayer]

Oriks looks at Elrith incredulously as she, from what he can see, attacks the fleeing man he just let go.
What do you think your doin'?? Why are you attacking an unarmed man who was retreating, that I just allowed to go, no less!" Orik yells, visibly upset.

[--Lime--]

"I just took his feet out from under him, and he hasn't got back up. I didn't mean to hurt him..." she says, shooting a dirty look at Frig. "If he wakes up - and I fully expect he will - we might yet get some answers."

As she grasps the man under his armpits - after checking for and removing any weapons she finds - Elrith starts to drag the fallen warrior back towards the inn.
"Torum," she asks, "Do you have anywhere secure to put him until we can hand him over to the law around here? Or some rope, at least?"

[Seharvepernfan]

("Four of them got away...")

Aoleth walks out from the stables. He stares coldly at the fallen man, his grip tight on his warhammer. The man deserves death, but Aoleth has no wish to cause a fight with these people, and they could get information from him.

He says quietly, "Are you to let those retreating go?", mostly to himself. The wound on his chest is debilitatingly painful, his every breath draws a wince, and he is breathing quite hard at the moment. He looks out to the keep. "I imagine "the law" will be here any minute."

He looks to the dwarf, "Are our friends in the inn going to survive?" Aoleth is worried about Bran and the woodsman, but he has no intention of aiding the fallen human and hobgoblin warriors. He then looks back into the stables, at Friggulus standing past the fallen hobgoblins. He grins and shoots Frig a thumbs-up.

[CGforever!]

@Iver: Some of the people in the inn cheer as you come in, and some are in shock still. After it gets calm enough for you to speak and ask your question, you get mostly downward glances and uneasy/unsure looks. Then, slowly, a few people from the crowd: a halfling caravaner, Jaen, and a man that looks like a traveler, step forward to do what they can. Bran and Rovild are stable anyway.

The human warrior and some of the hobgoblins groan and writhe in pain, though unconcious. One of the hobgoblins you cut is perfectly still. There is blood everywhere, and more is still pouring from the untended. A few people in the crowd are retching.

Outside: You can hear the retreating warriors fleeing into the woods. The horses in the stables are still whinying, snorting, and stomping the ground in agitation and fear. A few of them bucked at the stable wall. The hobgoblins are spasming wierdly, blood dribbling from their mouth or ears. They aren't making any noise, though. The one with a lead ball lodged in its' helmet is lying with eyes wide open, they rolled up into its' head.

Torum walks out from the stables, looking each of you over in turn. His face is frowning, but his eyes shine approval. He clears his throat, and in his quite-different normal speaking voice, "It doesn't look to matter, lass. He's not going anywhere. Besides, our fearless sheriff and his mercs' are headed our way right now." He lazily lifts an arm towards the town gate, and sure enough, a dozen armored, mounted riders are approaching. And the wind began to howl! HEY!!!
The dwarves appear from the doorway, peeking out to see how things went.

[Hbgplayer]

Orik, still scowling at Elrith, quickly examines the man. "He's certainly not going to wake on his own, that final attack you made is mortal unless someone does something, and I'm hesitant to help those that attacked us first, even if I won't attack an unarmed, scared man." He then turns to address Aoleth's question. "Unless someone attacked them since I was last in there, they should be fine," he says as he looks up in the direction of the noise.

[Earl of Purple]

Frig continues to sit in the stables, staring at the hobgoblin he felled. He's shaking, and pretty much the only reason he hasn't started to cry is because he's stroking Mr. Happy.

[Seharvepernfan]

Aoleth stares at the approaching riders. He feels a bit of dread welling up."Torum, any advice?"

[Giddon]

"Well I guess the fallen warriors will be fine for now" Iver is a bit worried about having unconscious allies laying around. He then hears the elf talk and looks at him. "I agree, Torum it would be nice to know if you have any advice, most of us are strangers and from the cold reception the elves received I can't help but think they won't be treated cordially by authorities"


After he is done talking Iver takes out from his pocket his old coin and starts fidgeting around with it. Now that the rush of adrenaline is gone he is nervous about what will happen now.

[CGforever!]

Torum keeps staring at the approaching riders. There look to be about a dozen of them. He is silent for a moment, then speaks, "I doubt ye would make it far if ye were to run for the trees, and if they caught ye ye'd suffer for it. You fought the hobs' and rebels, and dozens of folk saw ye."

He looks each of you in the eyes as he says this, "Watch your mouths, be smart, and cooperate. An' speak up for your friends." He nods towards the door of the inn.

The riders will be at the inn within a few rounds.

[Earl of Purple]

Frig seems to have calmed down a bit now, and stands up and heads out of the inn, slightly shaky still. "Ahoy! What's happening?" He's just about getting over killing something for the first time, with Mr. Happy on his shoulder. He's not smiling, though; he's still a bit too shocked at surviving when that hobgoblin isn't due to his actions.

[--Lime--]

Elrith sits the man she's holding up against the wall, goes back, and picks up her scythe, before returning to beside her prisoner. She uses it like a leaning-post, with one hand on the top and the other by her side. Elrith figures this is a suitably non-confrontational pose, as she'd have to turn the scythe upside-down, switch hands, and rotate the shaft 180 degrees in order to take a proper grip.

[Hbgplayer]

Orik turns around and begins walking towards the door of the stable while re-sheathing his Warhammer, intending to check up on the people that he stabilized in the inn.

[Seharvepernfan]

Aoleth simply nods at Torum and stands his ground. He watches the riders approach with as calm an expression and stance as he can.

[CGforever!]

@Orik: The dwarves crowd around the door as you approach. "Wha' happened?" "Is everythin' arright?" As you move into and through the inn, you can hear some of what happens outside, the voices audible though you don't catch the words.

The riders come racing up to the crossroads, mud splashing, their horses' breath leaving streams of fog in the air. The horses are all unarmored coursers, unadorned except for their saddles and bridles. The lead rider is wearing black half-plate with a charcoal grey and black tabard. He, and half of the rest have heavy shields strapped to their arms, longswords on their belts, and spears near at hand. His shield is painted grey with a rearing black stallion. The other riders are adorned in either unpainted half-plate or splintmail with similar tabards, or black scalemail, all helmed. The other half are holding powerful-looking composite longbows and wear open-faced helms.

One man, young and noble-looking, with unkempt dark-brown hair and stubble, rides behind and beside the lead rider. He wears a chain shirt over leather garb, and carries a longbow as well. He seems confident and eager, almost wolfish. He is scanning the distance as he comes, drawing an arrow to his bow. The other bowmen do as well.

The riders swarm up around Torum and those near him, the lead rider speaking through his visored helm in an angry and commanding voice, "Torum, where are they?" The man in the chain shirt stares at the Aoleth and Elrith with intense, yet cold, interest. He then looks to Torum as Torum speaks, "A handful ran behind the inn towards the wood." The bow-wielders immediately ride off around the inn to either side, the man in the chain shirt leading. The horses snort and thunder off, their hoofs tearing up the wet dirt and grass. You can hear them plowing through the tall grass, bushes and young trees to the back of the inn.

The breeze shifts, blowing warm smoke from the hearth-chimney towards you. It muscles out the smell of wet earth, hay, and dung, bringing the odor of woodsmoke.

The remaining riders slowly spread around those present in a circle, gripping their spears and pointing them in your direction. You can't see any of their faces, but you can feel the menace of their gazes and posture. They are silent. They see unsympathetic to you.

The leader speaks again, his voice harsh and authoritative, his words clearly enunciated and overstated, "All of you, drop your weapons. Back into the inn. Move!" He moves his courser out of the way, giving you a path in the direction of the inns' front door. Torum walks towards it slowly and surely, as calm as ever. He has a disdainful and annoyed expression on his face. He sits his crossbow on the woodpile as he walks past it.

@Elrith: The men closest to you aim their spears in your direction, backing up their leaders' order. If they are at all appreciative of your unthreatening stance, they aren't showing it. None of them give any indication that they notice or aknowledge the presence of the man laying behind you.

[Hbgplayer]

"The rest of the attackers fled into the woods after it was appearent that they were being defeated. Now it seems as if the local sheriff has shown up," Orik replies in Dwarven to the other dwarves. He continues to walk across the room to the woodsman that was cut down earlier, and fully checks his wounds to be sure that they did indeed stop bleeding. "Blast, I wish I had some potion so I could heal these folks!" Orik curses to himself.

[--Lime--]

Elrith follows Torum's lead as closely as she can - if Torum puts his hands up, so does Elrith. If he walks into the inn, so does Elrith. She meanders to the woodpile next to her, places the scythe on top of it, and shrugs the shortbow off her shoulder, putting that down too. To be on the safe side, Elrith also deposits her quivers of arrows from her hips.

Forgot to say, Elrith propped the man up, sitting, so his back leans against the wall in E4. Her equipment is in H4

[Giddon]

Iver seems uneasy with all the orders being shouted and the menacing men coming forward. He decides its best to remain quiet for a change. He deposits his great sword with a bit of anxiousness on top of a table, and then puts his axe right beside it. He then walks inside and stands by the rest of the warriors that helped in the fight.

[Earl of Purple]

Friggulus also complies, placing his sickle and sling next to the scythe on the woodpile. After a moment's hesitation, he puts his spell component pouch next to them. Most of his spells don't need any additions, so it's not too big a disadvantage. He'll follow Torum and the others into the inn.

[Seharvepernfan]

Aoleth drops his hammer and follows Torum into the inn, showing no concern over the riders' threats. He expected this kind of behavior and he's letting it blow over.

[CGforever!]

As you walk to the door, some of the riders move ahead of you and dismount before you get to it, walking in ahead of you. The rest do so after you go through. The first riders pause as they enter, apparently surprised by what they see, then fan out and face you as you enter. You are herded towards the small round tables to the right of the entrance.

The dwarves, those caring for Bran and Rovild, and the crowd in the back freeze as the riders herd you in, suddenly tense. There is a long, suffocating silence as the riders regard the scene. Then, the lead rider sheathes his sword and walks towards the bodies while looking all around. He turns back around to face you.

"What happened here?" His voice is strong, but quiet. A no-nonsense tone. There is complete silence in the room, except for the hearth fire, which crackles and spits occasionally. You're not sure who he directed his question to, since Torum stays silent.

Through the silence, you can still hear the other riders off in the distance, the thunder of their hooves and the crashing of brush barely audible.

[Earl of Purple]

"Hobgoblins attacked. I don't know where they came from; I wasn't paying enough attention, I'm afraid. They tried to enter through the front door, but that half-elf stopped them and these people" gesturing at everyone involved "helped. I tried shooting them with ice rays, but kept on missing. Some humans joined the hobgoblins, and the fight moved over to the stables and outside. I ran over to the stables to help those gentlemen over there" meaning the dwarfs "keep them from getting in through the stable door, and Torum helped with his singing and crossbow. After that they started running away, I don't know where to. I didn't see what happened to him, but he was fighting to defend the inn." Friggulus means Rovild with the last bit. Friggulus doesn't mention names; he only knows Bran's, and doesn't want to guess or use nicknames they might not like.

He also leaves out that he killed one with his sling; they'll be able to tell that by looking at the body, and that was his first kill and hasn't quite got his head around it yet.

[Giddon]

"What the gnome said." Iver looks at all the fellow warriors, "We heard screams, and before we knew it we were surrounded by hobgoblins and warriors. We were just trying to help the innocent inn people" Iver seems a bit nervous, since he is more used to talking with his steel than with his words.

[--Lime--]

"Came for the festival, stayed to save patrons, I suppose." shrugs Elrith. "To clarify, I've not met any of these people before. I guess we just share the same sense of virtue."

She looks at Frig, and thinks, Well, broadly...

[Seharvepernfan]

"I walked into the wrong inn in the wrong town, that's what happened." Aoleth drolls.
"But hey, it's not all bad. I got to see what my ribcage looks like." He glances down at his chest wound.

He smirks, but his eyes are hard. Aoleth doesn't exactly appreciate being effectively held captive. He already knows that he isn't going to be getting along with the ol' sherriff.

[Hbgplayer]

"Pretty much what they all said. I was sittin' at the bar when I heard the scream of someone outside, and rushed to this door," Orik says, nodding towards the nearest door, "but this fellow here was already going out the doors, and was cut down almost immeadiatly. I managed to stop his wounds, so provided he's given proper care, he and that man over there will live," Orik finishes pointing at Bran.

[CGforever!]

As Friggulus speaks, the lead rider turns his black-armored visage in his direction. When Frig finishes, the man speaks, again quietly but strong, "Jord, Xeln, clean up." He calmly motions towards the door and outside with his right hand. Two men in black scalemail turn, nod, and walk out the door immediately. You can hear them walking slowly towards the stables. He raises his arm towards his other men, palm out, and they back off a bit, standing the butt of their spears on the floor. Two men face you, one faces the door.

He then listens to the rest of you speak in turn, his only movements being to turn his head slightly towards the person speaking. His gaze lingers on Aoleth a bit longer than the rest. When Orik finishes speaking, the man pauses for a moment, thinking. He then turns his head towards Torum. He waits.

After a few breaths, Torum, who was looking right back at the man, finally speaks up, as if suddenly realizing the man was waiting for him, "Aye. Ask them." He nods and glances towards the crowd by the stairs.

The man stares at Torum for a few breaths longer. "I see." He takes a few small steps towards the bar, stepping around a spreading pool of blood. He looks at the people tending to Bran, then to the dwarves. They look at him almost fearfully, their faces wide-eyed and attentive. He turns to face you again. "Then on behalf of Lord Sorn Morieth and the people of Verdanth, I congratulate you for your courage and service to the realm." He lifts his shield arm towards the crowd, speaking as if reciting from a scroll. "Lord Sorn would like speak with you and show his appreciation. We will escort you to the Palespire and ensure that these men receive the care they need. A carriage is on its' way."

He then turns to face the crowd, "Once our men ensure that the area is safe, we will allow you to leave. Until then, have a seat, finish your meals or drinks if you wish."

Torum is let up. He, Jaen, and the other serving girls begin ferrying trays and drinks to the seated people as the lead rider moves about that area, speaking to people one at time.

You can hear the two soldiers outside walk in through the stable-door and drag the body out before closing the door again. They eventually return through the front door. Wearing open-face helms, you can see satisfaction on their faces, though they aren't exactly smiling. They walk across the floor and speak to the lead rider.

The two men then speak to Torum, who walks behind the bar and produces the bar to the front door, which the men bring back to the front door and put in place. They then resume standing watch over you. One of them asks if you have all your things.

Apparently you are to remain seated and wait until the carriage arrives.

[--Lime--]

"My 'things' are outside on the woodpile," she replies coldly, "And without them, you would not have found the patrons so intact."
Wincing slightly at the pain in her abdomen, Elrith decides that this would be a good time to take the weight off her feet.

Then Elrith motions subtly with her head in the direction of the booth she vacated when the attack started. Clearly, she wants to sit with her new allies and talk a while.

Sitting down and sliding along so the others have easy access, Elrith reaches across and takes her nearly-full glass of Elven wine, left untouched in the commotion.

[Earl of Purple]

"If I could take my sickle, bits pouch and sling, I'd be happy. Well, happier, anyway." Frig nods, although he'll head to the booth with Elrith. He's unaware she disagrees with some of his actions.

[Giddon]

"If its no problem I'll have my sword and axe back, they are heirlooms and don't like leaving them for long" Iver grabs his weapons, and he looks at the greatsword with a bit of relief as he sheathes it. He then takes a seat back at the bar and starts playing with his ancient coin again, flipping it into the air and letting it fall into the palm of his hand, as he quietely thinks about the events of the evening.

[Hbgplayer]

Orik narrows his eyes suspiciously at the man's ability to seemingly communicate with others with out speaking, but doesn't say anything and takes Elrith's hint and moves over to the booth.

[Seharvepernfan]

"Nope."

Aoleth, seeing the others get up and go to the booth, rises to do likewise. He shows the warriors where his javelins are, and picks up his sack of food. He joins the others at the booth, reclaiming his glass of wine, and takes notice of where the warriors are currently standing. Just in case.

[CGforever!]

You sit at your respective seats for a few minutes before you hear horses outside again. There is some rustling noises near the stables, then a knock on the front door. The warrior guarding the door says something to those outside, then lifts the bar. The door opens, and the wolfish man in the chain shirt walks in, along with a couple of the bowmen riders. He speaks with the man who let him in, then walks back out, his men trailing him.

Perhaps fifteen minutes later, you can hear even more horses approaching, this time from the crossroads, along with the sounds of pulled wagons. You can hear men speaking loudly to each other outside, probably giving and recieving orders, and the wagons are moved about. Soon thereafter, the lead rider, the sheriff, walks over to your side of the floor with the other two half-plate wearing men.

"The carriage has arrived. Follow me." The command is gone from his voice. He orders you as if stating a fact. He walks towards the door while the other two men stand and wait for you to follow him.

At the front door, he turns to back to you, "Would you prefer to carry these men to the wagon?". Aoleth and Iver carry Rovild, Elrith and Orik carry Bran. Outside, the warriors are standing around the frontside of the inn in a wide circle. The spear wielders facing inward, the bowmen mounted and facing out. An enclosed windowless carriage sits just outside the door, a door at its' back stands open.

By the stables, there is a normal uncovered wagon, where a couple of paired warriors are helping each other lift and throw the corpses into it. They have the dead hobgoblins and rebels piled on the ground, with a pile of weapons nearby, half of which are yours. Once they are done, they help you gently place Bran and Rovild in the wagon, away from the other bodies.

You are then escorted back to the carriage. You notice its' door swings inward, and can be barred from the outside. It is also padlocked. The whole thing is heavy and sturdy, and it's wheels are filled in with wood, no spokes can be seen. The wagon and carriage drivers are conscripts in padded armor. They hold crossbows, and seem nervous and uneasy, looking back and forth as if expecting trouble.

"You will be taken straight to the Palespire." He points to it, perhaps half a mile away, on the far end of the town. It has begun raining, though it is more of a light mist than droplets. Your breath fogs the air, it is colder now than before.

[Hbgplayer]

Orik's step faulters slightly upon seeing the "carriges", but quickly resumed, frowning deeply. He stops completely upon seeing that they were to put the two injured men. "Ok, you know what? I think I'll stay with these two until they can be healed completely. You folks go on to "meet" the Lord." Orik says, displaying confidence he certainly wasn't feeling.

[Earl of Purple]

Friggulus will collect his weapons, though he'll frown slightly at the wagons. "Is there anything I can do to help, Iver?"

Assuming that they were introduced in the time before the carriages arrived.

[Giddon]

"I don't really think we can do much more than to put these men in the wagons and hope they will be healed" He then looks at Orik, "Besides, Orik said he is going with them no? Let us just go with these soldiers and see where things lead us," He pauses for a moment "Frigg was it?"

He seems glad that the gnome is so friendly, and that Orik is taking care of the warriors, but he is becoming uneasy again about the whole affair. He takes his ancient coin and clasps it in his left hand, seemingly reassured by the pressure of the metal in his hand, he carries on helping the soldiers with the unconscious men and then steps towards the suspicious carriages.

[Seharvepernfan]

While carrying the woodsman, Aoleth whispers to Iver, "I don't like the looks of this. Any ideas?"

I don't see anything that we could do, but he'd ask anyway.

When faced with the carriage, Aoleth stares into it as if he will never leave it again. Seeing no other option, he swallows his fear and steps into the carriage. Perhaps Friggulus can get us out with magic if it comes to that.

[--Lime--]

Elrith, having made sure Bran is secure in the wagon, approaches the leader, but maintains a good distance of around fifteen to twenty feet. She can see that they're jumpy, and doesn't want to spark trouble.

"I understand you are concerned for your safety," she says, gesturing towards the spears pointed at the group, "But you must understand, we feel the same. Except for our friend Orik, who wishes to watch over the wounded, we'll ride in the carriage, and unarmed, but with the door open, if it's all the same to you."

Elrith knows that this is a moot request. If they wanted to, they could overpower her group, killing each where they stood. Still, it would make her new allies more at ease, and there was nothing wrong with that.

[Earl of Purple]

"OK. If you're sure. And yes, I'm Frig." He'll then go and climb into one of the carriages. He's not especially happy about it, but he'll go along with it for now.

[Giddon]

"I really don't think there's much we can do, except we haven't done anything wrong, that's our biggest defense" He says to Aoleth and Frig. "For now our best course of action is to all act together and help each other"

[CGforever!]

The sheriff stares at Orik for a moment. "As you wish." He turns to walk back to the carriage.
When Frig approaches the weapon pile, the riders warn him away from it.
When Elrith speaks, he faces her and replies, "No." He finds your lack of faith disturbing.

He stands beside the door motionless, then waves his arm into it. You sense impatience. Aoleth gets in. With no other options, everyone else except Orik gets in as well, and the door is pulled closed. You can hear the bar and lock set into place. Outside, you can hear the riders speaking to each other and saddling up. It's completely dark in the carriage, and it quickly gets hot and stuffy. You are all pressed in fairly close with little room to yourselves. In armor, with wounds, this is exceedingly uncomfortable.

The carriage rumbles off. The ride is fairly smooth, probably due to the road being muddy from the damp weather. A few minutes in, the ride becomes bumpy. You start to hear echoes of the wheels on the stone, it sounds like you are riding through a town, though you don't hear anything else. Shortly after, it feels like the carriage is moving uphill slightly.

Eventually, the carriage stops and you can hear the riders speaking with someone. The carriage pulls forward a short ways then stops again. You can hear the riders dismounting, and a door closing. Then, an armored person walks to the back of the carriage, turns a key in the lock, unbars the door, and pushes it in. Cool, fresh air rushes in, allowing you to breathe fully. Despite the circumstances, you find it refreshing.

Orik: The wagons are pulled from the inn to the gate into town. The only people you see are the conscripts digging the ditch, placing the wood-spikes, standing around with shield and crossbows, or patrolling in small groups led by black-armored outlanders. As the wagons pull down the main street through the town, you see very few people out and about. Those you do see keep their gaze down and hurry along their way. None of them stop to talk or otherwise seem very happy.

You see men peer down from rooftops, conscripts with crossbow and curious expressions, or sellswords with suspicious frowns. The riders surround the wagons, never speaking or turning their eyes from ahead. When you look forward, you see the street continue straight all the way to Palespire keep, gently rising as it goes.

The buildings out by the gate are smaller and lower-class than those near the main-street and the keep. Those near the street and keep tend to be both larger and taller, and closer together. The last section of the street before the keep rises relatively steeply, and has no side streets.

Between the last buildings and the keep is a stone bridge over a natural-looking chasm of white stone, overgrown with creeping vines, which haven't quite sprouted bloom this early in the year. The walls of the keep are bare and white, with cross-shaped arrow slits and a let-down drawbridge. With the Palespire rising from behind, it almost looks like a titanic skull and bone emerging from the ground.

The portcullis is raised, and two half-plate armored guards stand at the gate. They let the wagons into the courtyard with a brief conversation that you can't quite hear.


The sheriff stands at the door, and out behind him you see a white-stone courtyard shaded by a wall of similar stone which rises out of sight. He steps aside, letting you out. You are in a castle courtyard, near the gatehouse. The large wooden gate-doors are closed, though the portcullis is raised. A couple of half-plate-and-tabard wearing men stand flanking it and facing you, shields on their arms and longswords in hand. Their tabards and shields are the same as the sheriffs’.

http://i49.tinypic.com/117cmdw.jpg
1. The Palespire
2. Keep
3. Chapel
4. Gatehouse
5. Barracks/under areas
6. Enclosed wagon
7. Open wagon
The blue line is 120ft. long

The Palespire rises high above the walls and keep on the left (northeast) side of the courtyard, its’ doors wide and tall, likely to allow horses through. Following a spiral around the outside of the structure, a series of cross-shaped arrow slits rise from just above the doors to the very top of the tower, wrapping around it three times.

The keep itself rises a little over half as high as the tower, and continues across the back side of the courtyard – it is the only square sided structure in sight, aside from the gatehouse. The doors to the keep are heavy stained-oak, reinforced with iron. Above and beside the doors are a couple of similar arrow slits. Above them, another row covers the courtyard. From there to the crenellated battlements on the roof of the keep extend two additional floors of small reinforced windows. You can’t see how far the keep extends back.

Between the keep and the gatehouse, along the wall, stands another smaller structure, this one with no windows or arrow slits, just a heavy reinforced door. Above the door, embossed from the stone is the shape of a kite shield. Emblazoned on the shield is a fist holding a downward-striking lightning bolt.

Ringing this side of the walls, a series of two-story stables, storage areas, workshops, and resting areas sit under a wooden overhang roofed with thatch. The ground level is open to the walls, supported by stout wood beams, the upper levels are enclosed behind lath-covered walls – likely barracks. The walls themselves are about ten feet thick and thirty-feet tall. A couple of doors flank this side of the gatehouse, likely the stairs to the barracks.

Outer wall to outer wall, the whole structure is perhaps 120ft. wide. All the visible stone is white, as is the lath of the barracks. This, combined with the overcast skies, gives the whole scene an unnatural feel. As if you are disconnected or far away from the real world. You get the feeling that the keep is fairly empty, since you hear no sounds of activity or town life. Actually, when you stop to listen, you do hear the sounds of clanking from within the keep, likely a smith hard at work.

The other wagon with Orik, Bran, and Rovild sits in the courtyard as well. The riders are taking their horses to the stables. The sheriff has been standing by your wagon, letting you look around in silence.
"Doff your armor and leave your equipment here. I will lead you to a washroom. You will prepare yourselves to meet Lord Sorn. Your friends will be cared for by the priests." He raises his arm towards the building with the shield symbol.

He waits while you leave your armor and gear in piles on the ground. While you are busy with that, several white-robed men come out from the chapel carrying stretchers. Their faces are blank and uninterested. They seem fairly rough, if clean-shaven, for priests, but they lift Bran and Rovild in turn with care, disappearing into the chapel.

A couple of the riders reappear from the stables to stand next to you. When you are finished, the sheriff leads you into the keep, and the riders follow of the rear.

[Hbgplayer]

Orik carefully studies the stone masonry of the castel on the way in, naturally intrested in all things stone. After they arrive in the courtyard and the priests come out, Orik tries to remember what god they serve from the symbol they wear.
After they take the two injured men, Orik obeys the orders of the Sheriff, albiet uneasily.

Knowledge (Religion) Intelligence Check: [roll0]

[Earl of Purple]

The gnome shrugs and turns away when warned away from his weapons. Hopefully somebody was smart enough to hide away a dagger or something- surely somebody was smart enough not to hand over all their weapons. Frig doesn't hide any of his weapons so couldn't have gotten away with it.

When they arrive at the destination, he'll take off his backpack and pouch belt, noticing the flask of acid he'd forgotten about when he left his weapons behind. He'll try to unclip it from his belt and stuff it up a sleeve temporarily. Hopefully the wash room isn't a bath house or somewhere he has to remove his clothing and will just involve washing his hands and face.

If he's successful, he'll walk behind the guard showing him around and try to hide it better whilst he's unobserved.

Hopefully I've gotten this right: [roll0] and that's a dexterity check to hide the flask of acid.

[--Lime--]

After meeting flat denial on a simple and harmless request, Elrith reckons she has the measure of the man. She follows silently, awaiting further instruction.

[Giddon]

Iver is a bit surprised with everything thats happening, taking in the scenes of the Palespire, the injured men and the stuffy carriage. He keeps thinking about how far he has come and thinks what trouble they might be in.

He complies with any orders and tries to keep close to Orik and the people he has already met. He fidgets with his coin nervously most of the time.