The Secret Alliance

[BlueWizard]

The Secret Alliance: {The Elven Pact}
Eons ago the elves created a great defense against the evil dragons as they tried to dominate the world. The elves formed an organization that became known as the Secret Alliance. Today it still exists mostly to protect the little good and positive magic left in the world as well as the people who harbor it. This expanded to include the gnomes, dwarves, hobbits, and fey, as well as the elves as the evil of the world sought to destroy more and more. Taking with it not just lives, but altering nature to aberrant forms. The rise of humans and orcs on this earth was a bigger threat to world balance than ever that of the Terror of the Dragon.

An elf to most peasant humans was a myth, mostly because the human empire spent an epoch eradicating the 7 ancient kingdoms of the elves. Now nothing remained of the old cities... at least in the known world.
Common humans only believed in the 'dirty' humanoids. These remote humans refused to believe that orcs, goblins, or even ogres could become reformed from evil.

The world is mostly dominated by an evil empress of theOLD EMPIRE {Called the Lemurian Empire by Scholars}. This empress wields such unheard of god-like power that all good is forced to leave or die by evil wild-magic or rain of fire. Good priests and three schools of good wizardries combine to be the fire-power and leadership of the Northern King, and have kept the empress' evil powers away, mostly...

The legend of the Hammer is understood in different ways. Currently held in the Thor-temple at Roethton. Some always knew it was always in danger here. Among the humans here, the god of the hammer was called Thor; he was known by another name in other places, but all were of the same ilk. The land of the North served this god most of all, and every peasant called Thor's name when in this most frightened state. Next in the Northern people's hearts came Odin, a wise and crafty soul. The nobles served the god, Bahamut, the platinum dragon, the elegant prince of gods. All aligned to good, this was the way of the good humans in the North.

For the past 30 years peace had reigned, but now goblin peace treaties have been broken, and now even the hobgoblins and bugbears are grumbling. The human armies have kept them at bay, but only time will tell.

Most of you were told by someone to come here, to the great temple of Thor in the hills. It wasn't supposed to be on fire, and where did all the bodies come from?

The non-humans were still persecuted horribly by Northern peasants. There was a long history with these hearty folk. On display in the village center near the temple was a wall of burning goblins on stakes as far as the eyes could see.

The great wooden temple in the center of the city was in flames. A few young priests were here hopelessly fanning the flames, mostly burning their beards. Others merely splashed it with water. Only a great deluge would quench these flames. Now it would be best to get people to safety... many were running awfully close to the growing blaze.

Amid the chaos a faint cry is heard from inside. There might be people alive inside!

Welcome, Future Alliance Members: :smallcool:
Sabriel: deathslayer7 {Elven druidess}
Bruug: Ipphli {Ogre, companion of Sabriel?}
Shrike:Bushranger {a local mysterious scout?}
Daen- Cespenar {a private man from a faraway place}
Liam: Wiz {A passing young wise man?}


{OOC- Post description, and perhaps entry from where you might've come upon this scene in the distant hills of the North in the village of Roethton.}

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

Sabriel is average among her people. Among humans, she is considered to be a little below average, but not by much. She tries to keep her past secret, as well as her features. It's not like many people to openly welcome a half-elf into their arms, let alone an elf. With her piercing green eyes, and dark brown hair swirling behind her as she walked, Sabriel may have passed for a human. May have, if it wasn't for her graceful walk and features that distinguished her from everybody else. The smell on the breeze smelled of fire.

Coming into view of the village, Sabriel did not expect the next few moments to be as she saw it. From afar, she had seen gray smoke in the air. Now, as she neared the village, she saw black smoke rising.

Turning to her companion, Bruug, she says We need to get to the village now. I hope you don't mind if we run. She had only met Bruug for two days, yet she found his companionship pleasent enough.

And with that, she sets off at a quick pace, with Sam keeping up with her, but out of sight.

Nearing the village, she sees the temple on fire, and some priests and civillians were trying to quench the fire. Little hope of that she thought. As she neared the temple, she heard a cry from inside. Turning to the nearest priest she asks

Who is inside!?

ooc:

it's late here, so i wont be able to post until tomorrow morning. Good night people.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug, standing at a mere 8 feet, was considering short among his people. Lanky, black hair brushed his shoulders. Shrewd, brown eyes peer about, showing little expression.

At the little elf's urging, Bruug grunted and picked up his pace a bit, although he didn't run; it wouldn't do to leave her behind. His scale mail clinked as his greatclub and axe bang slightly as he moves beside to Sabriel. At the sight and smell of smoke, the ogre frowned.

Seeing the temple on fire, Bruug turns to Sabriel to see what she'll do. Upon hearing the cry, he turns towards the building. He peers at the building, trying to tell what part of the building it seems to be coming from.


Listen check [roll0]
How big is the building? Could I fit inside of it without having to crawl?

[Cespenar]

Daen

Daen can be seen as a bit short in the norms of the North, but his well-built body and lean figure tells a bit more of him than just "short". His middle-long black hair paired with a set of dark brown eyes along with his somewhat exotic features tell the tale of a land far away, but Daen rarely speaks that much of himself.

Returning from work, which consisted simply of cutting down wood, Daen's jaw drops open at the sight of all the smoke and fire in the village he only started to fit in. Muttering a curse in a foreign language, he repeats it many times in Common too, as he runs through the devastated remains of the town. Surprisingly, he finds his tiny cottage unburnt and undamaged.

Heh. It was probably too shabby for anyone to notice.

Darting in the cottage, he gathers what few belongings he has and puts them on. As he darts back outside, he hears a cry just above his hearing threshold. With a determined look on his face, he sprints towards the temple, passing closely by a beautiful woman and a towering figure, both which he was too busy to take notice of, and jumps right into the burning building.

[roll0]
[roll1] (both for searching in the building)

Oh and also, he starts to hold his breath. He can hold it without danger for 16 rounds (Con score), but he can take only move actions. If he takes standard actions too, the duration is reduced by 1 round.

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

A red-haired young woman bursts out of the woods some distance away, running as hard as she can, then coming to an abrupt stop, eyes wide, as she takes in the sight of the flaming temple...and has the ghosts of her past overwhelm her...

The young lady then known as Dorothy Williams had been a bit of a street urchin, and the subject of much teasing from those who considered those her betters. One day she'd had enough and went to strike back, punching one of the bullies in the face...but before her fist could connect with him, a bolt of lightning flew from it, laying the older boy out cold. She'd run directly home, scared to death...and that night, a mob with torches had surrounded her home, and demanded that the "perverted sorceress" be handed over. Her parents had refused. And the mob had set fire to the house. Somehow, and she still couldn't recall exactly how, she'd escaped, although sometimes in her sleep she still heard the screams...

She'd wandered for a time, until she met a fellow traveler, a dark-skinned elf who was a follower of Eilistraee, who understood her postion and helped her learn how to survive. After awhile she'd struck out on her own, and started to take jobs, hiring out, sometimes as a guide, sometimes as a...well, she liked to think of it as 'troubleshooting'. And always practicing, trying to refine the power she had inside, literally sometimes at her fingertips but just out of reach. And that was what she'd been doing out in the woods, having set up a target and attempting to call the lightning, when she'd caught the first whiff of smoke.

Staring at the burning temple, one thing the dark elf had said to her, late one night as the fire burned low and they were both in melancholy, contemplative moods, rises up in her mind.

All this has happened before, and all this shall happen again.

Hearing a call for help and seeing somebody running into the fire, Shrike snaps out of her deja vu, and hurries forwards.
Is somebody still in there?!

Spot: [roll0]
Listen: [roll1]

Now if I can only get rolls like that in combat! :smalltongue:

[Deathslayer7]

Liriel

As she sees others go straight into the building, she curses in Elven under her breath.

Turning away from the priest, whether he gave an answer or not, she says to Bruug.

I'm going in, you dont have to come if you dont want too.

And with a running start, she too enters the temple yelling at those before her.
Spread out and search!

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug watches the pretty elf lady run into the building, clearly torn. After a moment he runs after her. He begins searching for the source of the cries, as well as listening for them to repeat.


Listen [roll0]
Spot [roll1]

[BlueWizard]

The entrance to the temple is open, and mostly full of flames. There is fallen beams on the inside, and trapped behind the flaming wood are the shapes of a few more young priests. These men wear armor and actually are trying to lift a burning fallen beam from another acolyte. Bruug actually frightens the men inside when he peers in. Though Sabriel nearby comforts them.

The whole town is awed when the ogre and elf pair enter the village square.

You all will see several woman impaling dead goblins on spikes, raising them, and then planting the stakes in the ground as reminders. All this as the men tried to battle the blaze. When the ogre, Bruug, enters everyone just freezes. The scene hear is quite disgusting.

The one called Daen bursts into the square to see what looks to be a marauding ogre, but with the elf near he realizes that the 8 foot tall creature was actually trying to aid someone in the temple. He apparently pays them no heed and bursts into the fire and spots the trapped acolytes. Clearly the beam was too heavy to move off the fallen man himself.

The one called Shrike by the locals of the young urchin heard very familiar voices. Definitely some of the young fellows who offered to buy her dinner and a drink at the pub. {Drinking age 16, in the North for Pub visiting.} She also saw the Yuanese fellow run right under the ogre's legs into the temple.
Did she see ogre? Yep. And it seems like he's the one helping.

The village ladies, once seeming so sweet, now spitted the naked goblins with as little care as if they were splitting open a cow for meat. A gruesome act.
The temple was a loss. Only the old priest could've saved it, and he was no where to be seen.

Sabriel can move in if she wants to risk possible fire damage. {It will involve dexterity...:smallamused: Players can roll}
There are other doors from the main hall, and a stairway up and down. The upstairs looks completely burnt however...

[Wiz]

Liam

Liam returns to the temple, but drops the food he was carrying as he looks in horror at the burning building. He starts forward suddenly, realizing that what he had come here to examine was probably even now being devoured in the flames, but then he pauses, watching the burning blaze...

Knowledge is worth almost anything... but not my life.

Then there is a cry from the building and he realizes there is someone alive in that inferno. He watches four different people charge into the building. He follows behind, and hears the woman up ahead shouting for the others to split up their search. He waits there, watching which direction the others go, and takes whatever direction is left, looking for the ones who made the cry.

Search: [roll0]

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug frowns as he realizes he wouldn't be able to get inside this way. He runs back outside and runs to the right side of the building, looking for a side door, or even a window, anything to indicate a side way in.


Assuming I find one, go inside the door. Or, if only windows leading to rooms, try to find one not full of flames and make a door.

[Cespenar]

Daen

Daen looks around frantically for the old priest, but had to be satisfied with a trapped acolyte. Without a thought, he runs to their aid and grabs the fallen beam from a free spot. He turns to face the other armored men.

"Okay, on three. One, two...and THREE!"

[roll0]
Also, if the smoke isn't that concentrated at this time, he doesn't have to hold his breath. I had mentioned it just in case.

Edit: Lame forum roller. Hmm. At least we have the Aid Another action.

[Deathslayer7]

I will risk going in. What roll do i make?

Sabriel
Sabriel jumps through the flaming door, hoping that she wont burn too much of her cloak, or herself for that matter. If she sees anyone, she will go to them immediately. If not spot check/listen, and she will call out to others.

Anyone in here!?


spot [roll0]
listen [roll1]

[BlueWizard]

OOC- If I make rolls they will be hidden... as in the case below: The fire roll was a dex-check. I made'em, Sabriel's fine for now...

The Temple of Thor:
Bruug sees that with aid and his immense strength the fiery beam will be no trouble. Daen is licked by the flames {d:1-fire}, but able to help the fallen man. When the handsome fellow {Liam} in the scholarly robes enters to help, you all can easily do the task. This was actually a wooden support arch. In fact it is off, as Liam gets there.

One of the acolytes that was trying to help speaks slowly to the ogre, hoping he understands. "There's a cave-in below! There are more priests down there, but we can't move the fallen wall!!" Bruug has likely never been in a human dwelling, not of this style and architecture, at least. {OOC-Definitely at least seen giant sized homes and residences.} The main hall easily fit Bruug as it was quite spacious, and once housed a painted statue 30 feet tall of Thor. Bruug will fill the hallways, though he thinks he could fight if given elbow room.

The stairs down are stone as are the walls, and it seems the fire has not yet filled the passage downwards. Every other pathway is on fire, and the roof was beginning to come down! Even the main doorway behind you is burning.

The three uninjured acolytes will begin to sprint towards the exit, carrying the wounded man with them. They don't seem to want to dilly-dally. "Unless you can move the boulders, come quickly!", says the injured one, looking over his shoulder.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug grins as he shakes his head and moves towards the passageway downstairs. He examines the fallen wall, trying to see the best way to move it without bringing the rest of the structure down on his head.

[BlueWizard]

Bruug heads down the narrow stairway, he is sweating from the heat, and can feel a lack of air, but it seems cooler down below.

He gets to the collapsed wall, and moves it with an easy strength check, hoisting it aside as if it was scrap wood. It breaks and crumbles, but he is able to make a crawl-space that he can get through.

Normally, non-acolytes come this far. The main worship chamber above is as far as the common man goes. There are four unconscious men scattered down the stairs unconscious, and it looks like there might be more down farther.

The moment that Bruug moved the wall however, a great gust of air swept past him sucking the fire toward the stairs down! This also causes the door to collapse as the four acolytes just get to safety.

{OOC- This is where my famous retro-ing can come in to play. I still need to think it would have been done.:smallwink:}

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

Seeing the four men fleeing, she charges in the direction they came from. She will also cast goodberries. After they flee through the exit, she sees it come crashing down. Great, now she needed to find a new exit.
[roll0]

She will run afterwards, and try to find anyone. Unless of course she heard them shouting. Then she will go downstairs.

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

Shrike hesitates for a long moment; although she will never admit it, she's slightly afraid of fire, although that might well be understandable...although seeing everyone else rushing in to help, she swallows hard, musters her courage, and hurries inside after them to do what she can.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug bellows out to the others, "More down here!" He waits for the others to come, then moves down the stairs to look for more, and possibly a way out.

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

Hearing Bruug's shout, Shrike turns to hustle in his direction.

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

Hearing Bruug shouts too, she is suprised that he came in, but goes toward his voice.

[BlueWizard]

Bruug has dug into the lower chambers of the temple, and has made his way to a large chamber at the foot of the stairs. Another worship chamber, but this one secret, and only for the priests. Something bad happened here and it wasn't the priests of Thor's fault. A great devilish diagram, and blood covered altar stained the silver and gold pedestal that once held the Great Hammer of Thor.

It was gone. The Hammer. In the pedestal on the dais was strapped a man, wheezing. There were other acolytes down here as well, but the man on the altar was the only one moving.

He was a handsome man, and completely naked. Part of the diagram was drawn on him, and it looked as if he was to be split open and sacrificed. There are also dead priests and goblins here. The athletic man opens his eyes and is a little surprised when he first sees Bruug.

Shrike and Sabriel following after are much relief to him, he gasps and points to the shadowy walls of this dark temple. The air had been cut off in here, and it is now beginning to fill up for now. "Exit... only old man... few others know... the wall... a switch..."
Those of you living in the village recognize this man, a non-priest that was good friends with the church. His name was Cathar, and he might've been a rogue, but no priest nor warrior. He normally wore leather armor, but today his endowed bod was on full display. A nasty knife lay next to him, ready to splay him open. The blood of the diagram and drawings seems to be from a now dead woman that is all mashed in one dark corner.

Some of these fallen priests are dead. When Liam sees this he recognizes it to be divinely Hellish magic ritual, and perhaps some form of conjuration.

[Deathslayer7]

spot: [roll0]

Sabriel

Sabriel quickly rushes up to the man, and casts cure light wounds. That is if he needs healing.
[roll1]

She then looks at the wall for the switch. If successful, she will point it out, if not, she looks back to the man and at his injuries.

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

Shrike's cheeks turn a little red at Cathar's condition - but only a little. Partially because of her total disgust at what had obviously been going on down here...

She nods, saving her breath, and hurries over to the indicated wall, looking for the switch that she takes to mean as a way out, mentally sending a request to Eiliastree for the Dark Maiden's aid.


Search: [roll0]

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug walks over to see whether any of the other cultists are alive. After checking them, he walks over to the old man. He picks him up and carries him over to the wall, waiting for one of the others to open it for them. He glances over at Sabriel. "Save humans on stairs? Or they bad too?"


Spot [roll0]

[Wiz]

Liam

The only thing Liam hears now over the sound of the fire is the shouting of some deep voice below. Since that would be the basement of the temple, hewn out of the native rock it would also be the place most likely to find survivors so he follows the shouting downward.

[BlueWizard]

The man looks completely recovered with the cure from Sabriel. As Sabriel heals him, she finds she must resist his natural charm as he gazes upon her. He seems charmed by her closeness.

The only thing he wears is a blood covered signet ring. It is a very fine ring with black and purple crystals, carved in black is a dragon, faintly visible and set in a platinum band. He doesn't delay once healed, and urges Sabriel to look up. He seems to get better quickly!
"The roof here will collapse soon! There is a passageiway through it... I believe the goblins tunneled up from below. We didn't stand a chance."

Of the people, Shrike remembered from this town, of any skill. All were dead in this room. Three great warriors of Thor were now on their way to Valhalla. Only the athletic Cathar lived of the experienced veterans. A few farmers and the local blacksmith was dead too.

Bruug will see that 6 men still lived down here. Some are coming to. You all are noticing that air is getting low again, as the fire has now cut you off from the surface.

Cathar angrily motions to the wall, "There's a switch in the wall... it will open a secret passage that most of these priests knew nothing about!"

Liam will see that the person who made these Hellish markings was of excellent skill and of moderate power.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug ignores the men that are waking up and goes to the ones still unconscious. He sets down the Cathar and begins carrying the others over to the wall until they are all laying there. He turns to the wall and begins looking it over himself.


Search [roll0]

[BlueWizard]

Bruug easily snapped the ropes of Cathar, and went to the downed men.

Cahar is up quickly, kissing Sabriel on the head in thanks as he goes. He makes his way to the secret switch and opens the wall. Not bothering to cover up, he motions into the dark passage. A cool tattoo of a lake scene is on his backside. Very intricate in detail, hard to see in the shadows. There are several torches that light this chamber.

The passage is dusty, with lots of little footprints in the stone. Bruug will have to stoop to enter the secret passage.

Pieces of debris are beginning to fall.

[Wiz]

Liam

Liam pauses to look at the markings here. He frowns, trying to puzzle out their meaning in greater detail.

Use Decipher Script: [roll0], or Knowledge - Arcana: [roll1], whichever is more appropriate. If Spellcraft is better, it uses the same kind of roll as Knowledge: Arcana.

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

Shrike angrily clenches and unclenches her fists as she surveys the carnage.
Is that the slightest hint of a spark across her knuckles once?
They'll pay for this. I swear I will make them pay.

When the secret door opens, she turns to the mighty ogre.
Grab those who can't move and get them out of here!
She then turns to head down the tunnel, her red hair streaming behind her from the breeze of her passage.

[Cespenar]

Daen

Daen spent almost all of his time trying to help the ogre, carrying people and such. Now that some of them are waking up, he tries to quicken the process and tell them briefly about what's going on, and gets them on their foot. Then he waits till everyone entered the passage and follows from behind.

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

As the priests are just waking up, Sabriel gives out a berry to whoever is conscious, or starting to become conscious.

She quietly tells them Eat this, it will make you feel better.

Then she will help a priest out into the secret tunnel.

[Wiz]

Liam

Having finished gleaning any bit of information he could from the diagram, Liam begins helping others out through the secret passage.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug grabs those priests that are still unconscious and carries them into the tunnel after the others. He glances at the footprints, then around the tunnel warily. He speaks quietly to the old man."Goblins came through secret tunnel?"

[BlueWizard]

Liam can see this could call a minor devil of sorts... that is if it was used properly. Though Liam knows studying this stuff too much could cause him to go a little insane.
{OOC- Yes, I use insanity, but it is more for fun role-play additions.}

Daen notices that 3 of the 6 men can stand with help, but are whoozy. The three fallen living men are bloody and are in need of healing. Bruug can actually carry two with relative ease, without causing the 'little' things any more damage.

Sabriel's berries are the strength the 3 shaky priests need to move.

Daen is able to safely carry the last human and the group moves onwards through the secret passageway. It leads to a tiny spiral stair that Bruug has to slow down a lot to move through with 2 unconscious priests. Behind you the roof of the secret worship chamber begins to fall in, as the wooden parts above begin to collapse.

Liam is last, for he has looked at some evil magic of a divine source, it is hard for him to pull away from. Like watching a trainwreck wagon's crash.

At the base of the tiny stair is a storage room. This room is carved out of the very rock of the earth. The most notable feature is a fine mirror that peeks from behind a tarnished, yellowed slip-cover. There are also many old musty crates and boxes here, but the polished brass frame is of fine detail.

Cathar points at a recently dug hole in the ground still rushed. "The goblins came from here, they are better sappers than many humans give them credit for. I am sure there's a way!"
The hole leads into darkness.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug's eyes seem drawn to the mirror. He walks over to it and looks at it more closely. He glances at the others, then at the hole, looking at it dubiously. "Need wake these two up. Not sure me can go through hole with them." He looks over at Sabriel expectingly.

[The Bushranger]

People always underestimate that what they're afraid of and don't understand.
Shrike's tone is bitter as she says this, as if she has personal experience of this prejustice.
I'm Shrike, by the way.
She gives Sabriel a small smile, and nods to Bruug and Liam. She seems to be giving Cathar the cold shoulder...

She steps over torwards the mirror , intriguied by it. Strange that something like this would be hidden away down in this hole... And she reaches to pull away the cover...

[Cespenar]

Daen

Keeping it mostly silent, Daen examines the storage room and finally fixes his eyes on the hole in the ground. Lying the wounded man gently near the wall, he takes a random pebble (if he could find one) and drops it through the hole.

[roll0]

[BlueWizard]

The mirror is a strange one, and as Shrike removes the mirror's covering Cathar is frantically yelling, "Come on!! Quickly!" Though he stops when Shrike and Bruug stop to examine the mirror.

The pebble that Daen drops down the hole plops about 10 feet down, and in the nearby torchlight {Cathar now has a torch}, Daen can just see the outline of a few rough ladders.

Cathar seems just as interested as everyone else in the mirror once it can fully be seen.

One moment you look at your reflection, between metalwork detail of two Great Thors holding hammers up. Between them is the polished silver mirror. The image changes for only a moment, but all of you saw the hills and forest surrounding the temple for just a second. You all thought you saw it.
Cathar studders, "Dddid you...?" But, quickly looks up because of the crash above.

Above the roof crackles, the secret worship chamber is likely now buried. A flash of flames comes down the stairs following Liam, the last of your group to come to the secret storage. A fearful expression clear on his face, and it has no doing of his own to get there.

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

I didn't do anything! All I did was pull off the cover.
Shrike throws her hands in the air and takes a step back, then whirls around at the crash and flames.
I vote we get out of here. Now.

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

I can only do so much for them. she says to Bruug

Cast Cure Minor Wounds, once on each.
+1 hp each.

They are on their own from now on. I cannot do anything else.

[BlueWizard]

Daen sees the woods as he looks at the mirror. This time the image stays.

Sabriel can see that the little healing wouldn't be enough, but at least they were a little more stable for lowering into the goblin tunnel below.

Cathar gasps, as he touches the mirror's frame delicately, "What do you suppose it is? Perhaps a valuable... treasure... of seeing?"

Shrike can easily hop down the hole. Bruug would be uncomfortable down there.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug glances over and sees the mirror, and the image in it. He looks over at Sabriel and points at the mirror. "Magic mirror. It take us away?"

He picks up a pebble and, as gently as he possibly can, tosses it at the mirror's surface.

[BlueWizard]

The pebble goes through the mirror, and lands in the wood that materialized before Daen's eyes.

[Cespenar]

Daen

"What... how?" His accented words falter as he draws closer to the mirror, almost enthralled by the vision. Reluctantly, he extends a hand and touches the mirror.

[BlueWizard]

Daen's hand goes into the mirror, and he feels a cool breeze on the other side.

The fire above is getting hotter.

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

Shrike looks back and forth between the hole and the mirror.
I don't really care about the 'how'. All I know is that it's a way out and it doesn't look like there's anybody waiting in ambush, which you can't say about the hole.
She swings her arms around in a limbering-up motion, behind her back, then across her chest, then back at her sides as she readies to jump.
So I say we take the magic mirror ride.
And with that, the fiery-tempered redhead jumps through the mirror...

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug shrugs before picking up the men. He moves towards the mirror, but stops just before it. He looks at Sabriel. "You come too?"

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

Sabriel stared in astonishment as the pebble exactly went into the mirror. It wasn't possible. Mirrors weren't supposed to do that, yet it did. Seeing Shrike jump through it, she just barely hearing Bruug asking her if she was coming.

She nodded her head slightly, and goes in after the half-orc.

[BlueWizard]

Shrike appears in the wood, she can tell by the black cloud of smoke that she is relatively near the Temple. There is an altar here, it is ancient with dedications to Thor carved in the white stone.

The ogre is next with two men and then Sabriel. They pop out onto the shrine, and see no place to go back to.

Those in the basement will see those who stepped through in the mirror.

[Wiz]

Liam

Liam comes up from behind and seeing the other's go through the mirror, follows suit and escapes into the woodland scene. "Let's get out of here!"

[Cespenar]

Daen

Persuading and helping the men go into the mirror, Daen is last to go in and disappear to the other side.

"We left the way open." he exclaims. "I hope the fire will cover our track."

[BlueWizard]

Once Daen helps the last man through and steps through the himself mirror the party is all at the ancient shrine. It is mostly grown over.

The basement of the temple a distant memory it seems.
Cathar is amazed, as are the rescued men.
"I can't believe it. I thought we'd be crawl through bloody-hell... goblin tunnels! Probably their crap and disease all down there."
He looks to the column of smoke. He is still naked. "What now?"

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

Well, for starters, there's this concept called 'modesty', you might have heard of it, so you could try maybe finding a fig tree and picking a leaf from it or something.

Shrike sighs and looks back torwards the temple...and her shoulders slump. Between her rant and having gotten away, the adrenalin high is wearing off...and the full horror of what has happened is finally sinking in. She bows her head and begins whispering an appeal to Eilistraee for the souls of those who had been good to be rewarded...and for those responsible to find their reward as well, in the Demonweb Pits.

[Wiz]

Liam

Liam looks around, slowly and carefully.

Take 20 on Spot - result 20. ;)
Is this merely the ruins of the temple we just left, or someplace similar?
Does it seem to be the same place but somehow different (as though in a parallel historical version)? Does it seem to be the same place but possibly in a different time frame?

[BlueWizard]

This is someplace new, that few know about, let alone any of you. This seems to be an abandoned shrine maybe a mile from the big temple still on fire.

Cathar laughs at Shrike and grabs his crotch. "That better."
He motions to the fire, "Let's see what we can... but there are goblin tunnels beneath here, that might swarm with their filth. There must be another way down to them"

[The Bushranger]

Shrike rolls her eyes and sighs deeply. Men...

She shakes her head, and turns to examine the area. Well, the tunnel does have to have another end to it somewhere. Are there any known places around here that goblins like to hang out at?

Search check for any useful objects that might be laying around the abandoned shrine...she'll take 20. So that's Search=27.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug shifts the two unconscious men a bit, then begins walking towards town. "Me no fear gobbos. Me want get rid of little men soon." He does glances from side to side as he walks though, obviously keeping an eye out.


Spot [roll0]
Listen [roll1]

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

We should head back to the temple soon. I have a question though. How did you manage to stay conscious when everyone one else was unconsicous? she says turning to Cathar and asking him, looking directly at him.

Modesty didnt bother Sabriel, as elves shared hot springs together, and more ofthen than not, 100 years is a really long time, so most elves dont have that problem.


sense motive to see if i can tell if he is lying.
[roll0]

[Cespenar]

Daen

"Once we return these men home, we should come back and investigate." Daen states calmly, with a hint of anger. "Whoever did this must pay."

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

I totally agree with you.
Shrike looks away from a moment, then sighs and goes back to her searching.

[BlueWizard]

Sabriel looks to read Cathar, and can't, but she can tell he'd be a good poker player. Cathar moves close to Sabriel, "I was out cold! I came to when you all made a ruckus coming in." He seems annoyed at the insinuation.

Cathar laughs as Daen speaks, "I know who did this. The goblins. They raided and destroyed it from the inside. Crafty for goblins, maybe wizards or the empress? We should get the injured back."

The other priests are in agreement and will assist in caring unconscious people. One will ask, "What happened to the villagers? Did we win?" He looks at anyone for answers.

At this point Shrike's careful eyes spot a broken amulet, or perhaps a second piece of an amulet. There are runes on it, written in celestial. It is off in the woods behind the shrine as if someone threw it here years ago. Shrike only saw a bit of it under the shrubbery, it had wedged itself in the branches of the brush. Shrike with care can get it without scratching herself.

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

Wizards...it's always wizards in the end, isn't it.
From her tone, it's clear the redhead has no love lost for the users of arcane magick...

She trails off and squints as a glint of light off of something catches her eye. After a moment's investigation, she reaches into the bushes and comes out with a broken amulet.
Closest I can come to a check for retreving-without-scratching looks to be Escape Artist: [roll0]
And a Knowledge (Nature) check to identify the bushes the amulet was stuck in: [roll1]
Shrike lifts the amulet up to the light and looks at it, frowning, then turns to the others. Can any of you read this?
She looks to the elven druidess first, guessing she'd be the most likely to know.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug stops and sets the two priests down, letting their own take care of them. He walks back to the group and looks at everyone. At mention of wizards and the empress he frowns. At the priest's question he shrugs. "Town still there. Women put gobbo bodies on poles."

[BlueWizard]

Shrike can get the amulet with no trouble.
The priests look in horror at what the ogre says, and they will insist that you hurry back to the town.
From this approach you will see a well-dressed woman in black leather, organizing the goblin staking parties. She is about 25, very attractive with an incredible athletic and lithe body. She has brown hair, cut in a 20's bob. She has sharp brown eyes that will pick-up on the party's approach to town.
"Ella! Ella! What're you doing?" says a priest.

The woman stops her instruction, she seems to be building a line of these dead goblins with home parts and female labor. She is clearly not a peasant and begins sizing each of you up as a pro, even those of you somewhat familiar. She gives Shrike a curt nod. Her eyes look at Liam, and he sees a hint of a smile.
Cathar quickly introduces you to her, "May I introduce Ella, the fair leader of our town." Right now she is covered in goblin's green blood.

"Hello. I heard someone rushed into the inferno. Very brave of you." She smiles at all of you. Her eyes seem drawn next to Daen. She doesn't seem very pleased to see any of you. "I haven't seen a hobbit around here for sometime. And looks like you gnomes missed the ship, what brings all of you to my home? Especially you two." She seems very suspicious of all of you. The last part directed at Shrike and Daen, this is the first time they've met the legendary wealthy woman of the land, who has an estate not far from the village center. Her eyes though look to Liam, as she speaks.

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

I guess we should presume she gave the amulet to Sabriel?

There's a hint of colour in the redheaded scout's cheeks, but she holds herself straight and proud - at least, so she hopes anyway.
It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am. I was with those who helped out at the temple, and when the priests heard about what was going on in town, they hurried us here - that's why we're here.

Diplomacy check: [roll0]

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

Sabriel will look at the amulet Shrike found, but she has never seen it before, and shakes her head.

Upon seeing Ella, she lets Shrike do the talking, and stands next to Bruug.


doubt i can identify the amulet. If i can, i will change my post.

[BlueWizard]

Ella nods, "I didn't take you one to be a hero, Shrike."
How she knew the name is anyone's guess.

Sabirel thinks it is a holy relic of sorts.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug looks the woman over, then turns to Sabriel. He asks her "What we do now? Me no think we should stay."

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

We can't leave yet Bruug. Sabriel says with a small sigh. We wait it out and see what happens.

[Cespenar]

Daen

Daen stands perplexed at the aggressive manner of the woman. He opens his mouth, preparing for a harsh comeback, but is fortunately interrupted by Shrike. He listens to her while gazing sharply at Ella.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug scratches his head, looks at the woman and the gruesome trophies she's having erected, then back at Sabriel. "Why we stay? Me no like it here. And me no think she want us here anyways." He looks over Ella, a frown on his face.

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

Sabriel looked at the ogre. It didn't take much to make him uncomfortable, yet this woman and village did it with ease. She momentarily wondered what he might have done to be worried.

Sighing again, Sabriel tried explaining it to him why they should wait.

It's like when you do a job Bruug. You either do a good job and get praised, or you do a bad job and get yelled at. You can only do one or the other. In this moment, we did a good job and now we must get praised.

She hoped she explained it well enough to him.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug frowns, then shrugs. The ogre looks over at Ella. "We do good then? You happy we save your men?"

[BlueWizard]

Ella smirks at Bruug, "Yes. You did an excellent job. I can give you very little reward, but I believe the village is at a loss right now." She looks at Daen, then to Sabriel, "I can offer you myself. I'm indebted to you." She suddenly kneels respectfully before Sabriel and Daen. This seems to surprise the women spitting goblins.

"The caves. We should look in the goblin caves." Cathar says, with annoyance.

Ella nods, "If you insist, but I'm not going alone down there. I was going to organize a hunting party, I am sure their goblin lairs have plenty of treasure to loot. I think we should exterminate these buggers. And Cathar, you can go if you insist."

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

Suprised mirrored Sabriel's face. Of all things, she was not expecting this. She helps Ella to her feet and says

I do not need any money to do a good deed, but if you consider yourself in debt, than I ask you to consider that if I or any of my friends shall have need in the future, and they invoke my name on their behalf, then give them the help they need. Is that fair?

As to those goblins, I am weary from healing so many people in such a short amount of time, and I need to go rest. I must also go collect my packmule that i left on the outskirts of the village. I will join you if i may, but I fear that I may not be very helpful.

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

Shrike shrugs a little, scuffing the ground slightly with one foot.
I...was caught in a fire once when I was younger. It's not very nice. I had to do what I could.

Her slight blush becomes quite noticable when Ella bows, however she manages to recover and starts to smile at the thought of collecting some loot.
I'd be happy to help out with the extermination duties, if you'd like.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug glares at Ella. At the mention of killing the goblins, he shrugs. "If pretty elf lady goes into caves, Bruug will go too." He glances sideways at the poles, then looks back at Sabriel. "Me no let gobbos, or anyone else, hurt you." He looks at Ella and Cathar as he says this.

[Cespenar]

Daen

Daen is simply dumbfounded by the woman's actions. As she kneels before them, Daen looks around desperately, wondering if she was being sarcastic, but then apparently decides otherwise, and responds in a stiff bow.

"We did what we had to..." he mumbles, voice fading.

Hearing the talk about a counterattack, Daen clears his throat and declares in a serious tone, "I'm in too."

He then looks at his newfound companions with renewed interest.

[BlueWizard]

Ella is quickly up and will pull close so Daen can smell her apple-blossom perfume waft over him. She will keep close to Daen and the elven lady. Ella will agree to Sabriel's plan and lead her and others {?} to the edge of town where Sabriel's pack mule is still tied. The pack-mule is nervous, and watching the fire with great unease. The whole temple has now collapsed.

Ella seems quite pleased by all of you, and definitely makes a show of walking with those returning to the village center. "Cathar should go with you. He's an expert in dungeon crawling. I hear he's been in every sewer pipe of the empire." She bites her teeth and cringes a little, as if this was not necessarily a compliment. Cathar isn't sure whether to smile.
"I'll wait here."
Ella will watch as the fire smolders into the giant pit that was the temple basement. "That was expensive... and old..." She sighs as if she'll be the one to shell-out money for it all.

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

The redhead notices Daen's look-see over his companions, and raises an eyebrow in response, wondering what's going through his mind...

We'll get 'em for you, ma'am.
Shrike looks on for another moment, then sighs a little and pulls her bastard sword out of its scabbard, looking it over closely and checking its edge.

[Wiz]

Liam

Liam frowns at the lady. "If you still want to know what I'm doing here, I was examining an artifact in the temple. One which is no doubt destroyed." Perhaps the reason for her susupicion is you may realize at this point that Liam has a southern accent. "I think going after the goblins is a good idea, if we can organize ourselves."

ooc spoiler
I apologize for the lack of posting last night, I was a little upset yesterday over some personal news. I dutifully went through my list of games, but missed this one as I hadn't moved it into the main area on my computer. Problem corrected now.

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

After picking up her packmule, Sabriel turns to the group.

A few questions I need to ask. First, how big is this dungeon, and second how many people are going to come with us, and how long will it take to organize them.

I would prefer either we start early afternoon, or next morning if at all possible.

She waits for the others thoughts on this.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug shrugs. "Me go when you ready, elf lady. If you say you need rest, we rest."

[BlueWizard]

Ella and Cathar look at each other and shrug when Sabriel asks for the dungeon's size. Ella answers, "It is likely very large. The goblin underground has always been vast in these hills."
She looks at all of you, "If you need rest... I can make arrangements. There is no Inn here, but I'll give you all full range of my barn."

She will lead you a ways to her estate along the main road. She will leave the chaos behind, as the fire is still burning, and scores of goblins still lay dead.

[The Bushranger]

That sounds alright with me.
Shrike re-sheathes her bastard sword as she goes to follow Ella.
Trying not to watch the other woman too closely as she walks...
To distract herself, she eyes the various goblin corpses, expecting them to have already been looted but checking just the same. It's a good distraction.

Blanket Search check for leftover goblin goodies: [roll0]

[Wiz]

Liam

Liam nods, "Lead on then... we need to rest, and also plan."

[Cespenar]

Daen

Feeling uncomfortable being so near the weird woman and under the responsive look of Shrike, Daen quickly averts his gaze and looks around, trying to find a "safe" place for his eyes.

"I'm not tired, but I will comply if you choose to rest." He throws a quick look at the group.

[BlueWizard]

Shrike will notice several common items of use, but nothing of worth. Even the weapons were wooden and crude. Their armor was leather and made of ratskin. Lots of ratskin!
The women of the village are still gathering the ratskins into a great pile. There is a debate as to use them or burn them with the elder ladies.

Ella looks about as she leads you on. "It is suggested you stay in my barn... despite the noises you might hear in my woods. At night... dark creatures come out. Don't say I didn't warn you."

She will whisper something in Liam's ear.

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

Thank you Ella, and I'm sure we will take your advice soundly enough. Please know that when the sun rises, we are going to go into the dungeon, if any villagers are going to come with us, have them meet us at the entrance at sunrise.

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

Thanks for the warning. I'll keep that in mind.
She raises an eyebrow at Daen, wondering why he seems so uncomfortable, then returns her attention to not watching the noblewoman as they walk...no, not watching at all...

[BlueWizard]

Ella chuckles at Sabriel, "The only villagers that will be going will be Cathar."

"I will...?"

"These people aren't warriors. They are here as defense. Only when evil invades their home do they fight. Many of these people will never recover from this tragedy."

"I want to know how you know of another entrance?" Cathar looks suspiciously at Sabriel.

Ella does too, "Yes, do the elves know something we don't?"

Ella continues to lead on toward her estate.

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

Secret entrance? I know of no secret entrance here. We elves may know a lot, but our knowledge is particularly limited to the studying of magic rather than towns.

On the other hand though, it seems both of you seem to know something about this secret entrance. Care to tell us?

[Wiz]

Liam

When Ella whispers in Liam's ear, he looks puzzled, but then nods in agreement to something.

[BlueWizard]

Ella looks at Sabriel and frowns. "I'm not sure, but there are some old caves to the East of here. Cathar knows where they are. The old kings usually fill them with cement, but eventually the goblins tunnel out. You can seek there... Cathar will show you the way. I'm not quite ready to... join you yet."

She seems pleased with Liam's agreement.

She will lead the group to a small barn, there are actually a few in this clearing in the woods. The roads here are cobbled, and go on toward her mansion that is barely visible above trees in the distance.

Ella will wait for Liam to go with her, as a servant emerges from the barn.
"Clean up the barn, and prepare it for sleeping. Liam, if you're ready?" She will take the wizard's arm, as if he were an escort.
Ella's farm-hand looking servant nods to the request, and then goes back in the barn. She turns to the rest of you.
"I will have breakfast brought to you in the morning. Any suggestions? Questions?"

[Wiz]

Liam

Liam uses his best Southron manners, escorting the lady to her mansion. "Would now be an inappropriate time to ask why you wished to speak with me privately, Lady Ella?"

[The Bushranger]

Shrike shakes her head a little. No questions here, ma'am. And thanks for the place to stay.
Liam might notice his being the recipient of a brief, slightly jealous?, look...

[Cespenar]

Daen

Glancing at Liam in a weird way, Daen bows again at Ella, albeit briefly and silently, as his way of saying thanks.

[BlueWizard]

{OOC- To demonstrate how I will handle split parties...}

Ella's Barn: {Daen, Sabriel, Bruug, Shrike}
Liam and Ella made their way along the strange cobblestoned path deeper into her estate. She gave a little nod good night to the rest of you, but seemed more interested in speaking with Liam the wizard.

When the hostess is gone, the scroungy looking farmhand waves you in. This barn has no animals, and looks to be sort of converted to sleeping areas. Though he'll have to spend some time setting things up without help. This is mostly a hay barn, and about the only place for Bruug to stay comfortably would be the main haypile in the wagon. There are cabinets full of bedding.

"Jegger." Patting his chest and smiles the farmhand to Sabriel, "Never seen a real elf.... yer pretty." He seems not phased at all by the ogre. Shrike and Daen had seen this fellow around in their time here, but he probably didn't leave Ella's estate much.


The Mansion: {Liam}
Ella's walk with Liam, takes him through a thick maze, built from the woods. She makes several calls into the woods, Liam guesses she is warning her guards she comes, for he saw nothing. And it almost seemed the woods shifted as they passed.

Someways nestled in the wood is a high wooden wall, beyond was the two story, sprawling estate of Ella. Liam will be surprised at the fort and garrison that surrounds Ella's mansion. There are no uniforms, and most of the men look like peasants in animals skins.

On the walk, Liam got the feeling he made her nervous.
"I watched you as you came to the temple. What did the hammer tell you? The wizards will hunt you, be careful of the power you seek." She will pull close to him....

[The Bushranger]

Shrike selects a reasonable-looking area and starts fixing it up to her liking, rolling out her bedroll as she keeps an ear cocked to Jegger's 'complimenting' of the elven druidess.

[Cespenar]

Daen

Daen sees that the servant needs some help, and gets to it right away without even unpacking his stuff. While carrying hay over here and there, he throws a look at Jegger and tries to ask rather casually,

"So, what about these 'dark creatures in the night'? I heard them quite a few times too but never seen them."

[Wiz]

Liam

Liam looks at Ella. "The hammer told me nothing specific, though the runes upon it have to be some of the oldest signs of power I have ever seen. Still, I did mark them down, incompletely. It's much like solving a puzzle... first you have to find all the pieces." As she presses close to him, he looks her in the eyes, "I was always too good at what I do... my potential is why my master thought I should be far from the Southron Queen. She broooks no rivals... even potential rivals." The evening moves on as she asks him more... and their coversation continues late into the night.

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

Thank you Jegger. That's very kind of you. But if you will excuse us, I would like to talk to my companions alone.

Good night. she says to him as he heads out.

She waits for him to leave before continuing on, making sure to hear his footsteps leaving.

Well, it seems you two know who Bruug and I are. May I ask you who you are and why you ran into the temple?

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

I'm called Shrike, at least nowadays anyway. It's like I said to Ella...I was in a fire once when I was younger.
Shrike's voice is tight and it's obvious she's working hard to keep her emotions in check.
Because I was different...they burned down my house with my family inside. I can still hear them screaming...I couldn't save them...I couldn't let someone else die like that.

[BlueWizard]

The Barn: {Shrike, Daen, Sabriel, and Bruug}
The horse stalls are now converted, semi-private rooms. The doors are about 5 feet high, but plenty of room to set up a bed. There are several feather cushions on frames that Jegger will help pull out.
He is surprised by Daen's help, which will speed this up greatly. "I thank you. Lady Ella usually has me do it all. No warnings, either."
Jegger gets a little nervous when Daen brings up the night creatures.
"Oh, Lady Ella doesn't want me talkin' about them. Best to stay indoors. I be here with you. Got me a little room up in the loft." He points up a few flights of ladders about 30 feet up.

When Sabriel asks him to step out he is a little hurt, "They say your people are selfish..." He grumbles and then waits outside picking berries in the woods.

The barn is a good safe defensive place should someone try to get in tonight... you think.


The Mansion:{Liam}
Ella won't believe a word of Liam's about the Hammer, and tries to work him all night long. She will keep the wizard up, perhaps a little later than he's used to {all that book study needs sleep:smallwink:}. She shows him the backside of her tall spacious home, a little hill's valley nestled behind her wall all to herself. A stream from above even flows down here and under the earth, providing her with fresh-water.

It is a dream home, with a pool designed from a run-off aqueduct from the stream, and even connects another with the home. Liam guesses she has running water, he's seen sophistication in school like this. She has magic lamps, and even automated doors that open.

Liam will see much of her land, but little of her home.

"You must need a little tongue loosening..."
After her tour she will seduce him in the wood.... fade to black here.... And will then continue in the mansion...

[Cespenar]

Daen

After finishing the preparations, and while the elf is sending Jeggar away, Daen starts to unpack and stuff his belongings in his "room". He throws back a look at Jegger's response about elves, but keeps it to himself. Listening to Shrike's sincere response; Daen, again, feels a little uncomfortable as "his turn" comes.

"The people of the temple accepted me in a time of need. I simply owed them this. At the least."

He looks at his feet for a while, then clears his throat, recovering himself.

"Uhm... anyway, I think it's best if we'd stand watch, one at a time. What do you think?"

[Wiz]

Liam

Liam lies in languid lassitude. "Ella, I truly do not know more than I have revealed to you... though I'd happily make something up if I thought that was what you wanted." He lifts his head with some difficulty, "Are you sure you don't have some dryad or nymph blood in your family?" He admires her form, "Then again, I suppose not... by legend I should be struck dead."

[BlueWizard]

Barn:
When you are ready to let the day pass and for night to come, decide on watch order. Jegger will insist that he can sleep in his loft.

Regardless, at midnight you will all hear loud horrible shrieks in the night. Blood-curdling as if someone was being cut open... alive!


Mansion:
Ella smirks, "We may have dragon... or elf blood. That's what the ancient legends say of our family. I think we have some fey, so I tend to go with the elf theory." She seems sincere with Liam, and will lay in bed with him all night... unless bothered for some reason.


OOC- Unless people have plans in the evening, I'll skip to the morning. Up to you all.:smallcool:

[The Bushranger]

Shrike will suggest that the watch order be Sabriel, herself, Bruug, then Daen, watching the latter curiously, wondering why he seems so nervous...

This would put her up at midnight, although if not she'd be awake in an instant - almost literally. Her bastard sword quickly coming out of its scabbard.
What in the Nine Hells!

She might recognise the sounds? Knowledge: Nature: [roll0]
And a Spot check: [roll1]

[Cespenar]

Daen

Flipping out of his bed even before he's totally awake, Daen grabs his sword with the sheath and looks around, adrenaline rushing in his veins.

"I never heard them this close before..." he mumbles, and looks upon his companions in a questioning manner, as if asking what to do.

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

Before Sabriel goes to bed, she will apoligize if she seemed selfish, but she wanted to get to know her companions better, and that included him.

Sabriel immdiately wakes up when she hears the scream.

[roll0] knowledge nature to see if i can recognize the scream.


Ella did say to stay inside the barn, and I for one will heed her advice.

She sends a mental link to her wolf, who is sleeping outside somewhere, to be careful.

[BlueWizard]

Barn:
The scream is faraway. It sounds like a human woman to both Shrike and Sabriel. Cathar stands up wearing a nightgown now. "Just... go back to bed..."
He lays back down in his stable's bed.

Mansion:
Liam is even farther away, and currently at this moment has Ella's butt in his face.

[Ipphli]

OOC: Sorry for the lack of posts. My part of town lost electricity, and so no internet access. But its back now, so I am too.


Bruug

Bruug shifts the hay a bit before setting his gear next to the large pile. He glares at Jegger at the selfish comment, but doesn't do more than give a low growl. He listens to the others talk, saying nothing. He agrees with the sentry schedule and instantly goes to sleep.
Unfortunately for the others he snores rather loudly. :smallsmile:

With the scream, Bruug instanly sits up and ***** an ear. After a moment he shrugs and lays back down, mumbling something about sloppy work.

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

That sounds like a very good idea, yeah...
A sharp eye might note that the sword is trembling just a little in the redhead's grip before she slips it back into its sheath and closes her eyes, remembering some of the things her mentor had tried to teach her and breathing deeply, working to calm her nervousness.

[BlueWizard]

Mansion:
Deleted scenes to be on the up-coming mage-video Liam does Ella.


Barn:
After some trepidation the group here manages to get to sleep, though for the next three hours the watch inside the barn will continue to hear horrible distant screams.

In the late morning, about 10 am, Ella will arrive with 2 young female servants in black tunics. They all ride a wagon with Ella and Liam guiding it to the barn. Two fine draft horses pull the expensive black painted wagon, with a lot of metal gear on and in it.

The servant girls will hop out the back, and begin to set-up their mobile kitchen on the wagon, and will cook whatever you want, that they can make.

{OOC- It is morning and the group is together again.}

[The Bushranger]

Shrike looks a little disconcerted, the distant screams having kept her awake a good part of the night. She manages a smile for their hosts, though, and goes to assist the servant girls in preparing breakfast. Bacon and eggs, simple and plain fair for her...

[Cespenar]

Daen

After a short uneasy sleep, Daen was already awake when the wagon arrived, being the last watch and all that. He wanders around, trying to find a water source to dunk his head in, and after that he goes near the wagon, leaving a watery trail behind.

He looks at the mobile kitchen the maids are setting up, and tries to decide on a meal to choose. Considering that he is uneasy around even this level of luxury, he can only imagine how it was in the mansion. So, after some thought (and lots of indecision), he decides to stick to whatever the others are having.

"Uh... I'll take bacon and eggs too, thank you."

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

Sabriel kept hearing the distant screams, but she fell asleep sometime after midnight. When, she did not know.

She rised around 8 am, and just sat there and waited quietly.

When Ella came in with her whole kitchen, Sabriel was quite shocked. She had never known kitchens could be mobile.

I wish only for eggs and toast please. she says to them.

When they only nod to hear her request, she says thank you.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug slept soundly for the rest of the night, screams not being anything new to the ogre. In the morning he followed Daen's example and dunked his head, then went out to meet the party from the mansion. He licks his lips at the smell of the food and asks for the bacon, eggs, and toast. A lot of them. After getting his food he glances at the others as he walks a bit away and begins noisily gulping it down.

[Wiz]

Liam

Liam looks a little tired, but very happy. He tackles a large breakfast, eggs, bacon, fried potatoes, toasted bread, and the strongest equivalent to coffee he can find (coffee if available). As he eats, he looks at the others, "So, does anyone have thoughts on the best way we can approach this goblin situation?"

[The Bushranger]

Well, Shrike says around a mouthful of egg, I think 'go in, start hacking away, and don't stop until they're all dead' is one good way to go about it.

[Cespenar]

Daen

Daen pauses with a piece of bread in his hand and throws a look at Shrike to see if she is joking or not. He then shrugs, however, and continues to eat.

"A sound strategy."

[BlueWizard]

The two servant girls cook to order, and it is a fabulous breakfast. These girls have excellent skill. And yes, Ella has coffee. Probably the best coffee or tea selections Liam's ever seen.

When Ella hears about what is the best plan she speaks, "I figure Cathar will lead you up to the hills. There's a bunch of caves there. I bet the goblins have tunneled out at least one of the blocks by now. It has been a while since the old king filled the hole with cement."

Ella will be eager to set you on your way. Cathar will be quite slow in getting ready, and seems in no hurry to go. Either way, it won't be long until Ella is ushering you off in the direction of the caves.

[The Bushranger]

Shrike returns Daen's querlous look with one that says she's completely serious.

She thanks the girls and Ella for the breakfast, and prepars her gear for the day's work. Raising an eyebrow at Cathar's slowness - it's been niggling at the back of her mind that he's been seeming a little too eager, perhaps, to have at the gobbos...

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

Sabriel was lost in her own thoughts. She ate her breakfast rather slow, and couldnt help but watch Liam come back together with Ella. A sly smile spreds across her lips, but is quickly covered by sadness. She heaves a heavy sigh and finishes her breakfast.

The other thing that bothered her was that Ella and Cathar weren't telling them everything. Not much she could do about that though.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug walks over to Sabriel after he's done eating. Hearing her sigh and seeing the look on her face he frowns. He leans down and whispers to her."What wrong pretty elf lady?"

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

Just thinking about the past Bruug. Just thinking about what I left behind, and what could have been.

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

The redhead looks up from adjusting her scabbard, trying to get it comfortable, and tries to give the elf what she hopes is a reassuring, cheering smile.
A friend of mine said once that while we should never let go of the past we shouldn't necessarily let it control our future.
She looks down, the smile fading.
Lady knows I've been guilty of that lots of times...

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

A smile spreads across her face at Shrike's words, and she even manages a small chuckle.

I haven't let go of the past, but sometimes, it won't let go of me. Don't you find it odd that a ogre and an elf are traveling together? I know I would. It seems to me that fate has other plans for me than to be...

She stops abruptly, realizing she almost said her secret, and to a complete stranger at that.

Anyway, an elf and ogre don't have much of a life beyond those of their homeland.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug shrugs as he listens to Sabriel. "You help Bruug, so Bruug help you. Pretty elf lady says we kill gobbos, we kill gobbos. We go kill gobbos now?" He looks around at the others to see if they're ready.

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

We go kill goblins now Bruug. She stands up and stretches a little bit.

Turning to Cathar, she asks him Are you ready?

[BlueWizard]

Cathar groans, but will lead on into the hills. It will be a couple hours of walking through the woods. Cathar suggests an order, with him close to the middle. He'll point the way, he says.

It is a long walk, but the air is nice, and the temperature fair.

{OOC- A general marching order single-file and two-by-two would be suggested for future DM references on long journeys. OOC thread would be good place for that discussion.}

[The Bushranger]

<earlier>
Shrike's smile returns a little at having cheered the elf slightly.
Yeah, although I guess I've gotten used to odd sights like that. I spent several years wandering in the company of a drow, so I don't find it quite as odd as most others would, I suppose.
She would like to learn more, but won't press. She of all people knows the importance of privacy...

<now>
As the party moves off, she moves torwards the front of the group, the better to scout from.

Move Silently: [roll0]
Spot: [roll1]
Listen: [roll2]

[BlueWizard]

The morning walk is nice in the forested mountains, but the pockmarked rock face of this portion you were led to looks sickly. Many years of goblin wars and explosions, have left this land an eyesore. Cement was hardened and covering everywhere. There were boulders of cement, and even piles of cement rock littering the hills here. No tree life came near this ugly slope.

There were several potential caves, and Cathar looks at them all, "Well, now we just need to figure out which one..." He looks at them, as if trying to figure out where to go. "Not much of a tracker myself..." he mutters.

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

Thankfully for us, we don't have to rely on you for our tracking.
Shaking her head, Shrike moves a little away from the group and looks over the caves, looking for any signs of recent life.


Survival: [roll0]
Search: [roll1]
Spot: [roll2]
Listen: [roll3]

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

If she fails, I'll have Sam pick up the heaviest scent from the caves.

[Cespenar]

Daen

While Shrike is examining the caves, Daen turns back and checks out the road that they came from, if just for the sake of doing something.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug stands there, idly scratching himself as he looks around, waiting for others to figure out where to go.


Spot [roll0]
Listen [roll1]

[Wiz]

Liam

Liam sits down to await the judgement of others more experienced in this area.

[BlueWizard]

Bruug notices splintered wood in front of one cave, and as Sam the wolf sniffs out the correct one, he will crinkle his nose in the direction that Bruug is looking. Sabriel's wolf can communicate that it smells of goblin dung in that direction. Sam thinks going there will only make his sinuses sore and irritated.

Sabriel does have a good idea of where one to start, especially with Bruug's eagle-eyes.

Cathar groans, "Fine then... let's go. I just want a fair cut of what ever we find..." He seems in a very dower mood.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug heads towards the cave, pulling his axe as he does so.

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

Pull your fair share of weight, and get your fair share of the loot.
The redhead slips a dagger out of her belt and holds it ready as she follows Bruug in.

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

Good job Sam, she whispers quietly to the she-wolf.

She quickly follows the others in.

[Wiz]

Liam

Liam stands and walks forward, ready to take his place.

[Cespenar]

Daen

Unsheathing his sword calmly, Daen again takes the rear.

He smiles briefly, though, at the notion of the "fair cut".

[BlueWizard]

The cave that Sam sneezes at will stink horribly as you get near it. You will see why the wolf and his sensitive nose wanted no where near it.

This must be the cave. Just inside the entire ground looks to be a feces dumping ground for goblin dung. All of you just about puke.
{DC Fort 14 to not puke; if puke DC Fort 10 or -1 from nausea.}

Cathar covers his mouth, not puking, but turning a little green, "Ah Sh@#! I hate goblin crap!"

There is no way to enter this cave without stepping through several inches of feces... it looks as if many goblins have tracked their feet through it, judging by the sunken footprints in the stinky stankness.

[The Bushranger]

Fort save 'A': [roll0]
Fort save 'B': [roll1]

Shrike

That just...eww....like....
As the stench sinks into her nose, she finally spins away and has breakfast attempt a return-to-sender.
After a moment, though, she straightens up, wipes the back of her hand across her face, checks her boots, and, holding her nose, wades in...

[The Bushranger]

((Grr, forgot you can't edit rolls into a post...)

Spot: [roll0]
Listen: [roll1]

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

fort 1: [roll0]
fort 2: [roll1]

[Deathslayer7]

ach my bad.

Sabriel


saves for wolf.
[roll0]
[roll1]


Sabriel herself cant quite keep her stomach down, and leans against the wall, puking her own breakfast. Wiping her mouth, she grimaces at the bad taste in her mouth, and the horrible smell in her nose.

Seeing her wolf puke also, Sabriel realizes that this stench must be filthy to make even a wolf puke.

[BlueWizard]

Sabriel is ill, but Sam is fine. Shrike pukes, but recovers.
Bruug hardly notices the smell, however Daen loses it!
{Fumbled first save... not second} Daen is able to check himself however, after puking.

Liam is another unfortunate one, and ralphs then gets woozy.
{-1 to all actions}

"Go on." Cathar urges with no interest to contnue.

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

She will gingerly put her foot in the waste, and wrinkle her nose and mouth in digust as it sinks in a little. She would definitely need a good bath after this. She continues to walk in, with Sam following.

[The Bushranger]

Shrike continues into the cave.

Spot: [roll0]
Listen: [roll1]

[Wiz]

Liam

Liam steps forward through the waste, and making it to the other side waves his hands and makes a few gestures, and suddenly his boots are clean again.

Cast Prestidigitation

"Anyone else?" He smiles.

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

No thanks.
She actually sounds a little disgusted at the display of magic...

[BlueWizard]

Cathar can only dream of seeing Sabriel bath as he watches her enter right in front of him. There is a slope going up to the cemented caves, so he's got a great look at her butt in his face. Liam and Daen behind will see the man lasciviously ogle her elven ass.

The cave is about 50 feet up the slope, and once you go in it slopes steeply down, and you will need to go slow, or risk sliding down the cave-floor of goblin dung into the darkness. You will need light, but also be careful, there have been some miners who have blown themselves up in areas of large bat guano stores.... goblin dung is mostly just nasty and icky.... Goblins eat anything, including their own kind.

Shrike will not see anything, but with everyone taking their time, the group reaches a fork with 3 paths ahead. All removed cement from the ancient blocks the walls still had chunks of the man-made rock left stuck to them. The cement could be seen where it wasn't chipped from the cave walls. Rough mining tools of the goblins are seen occasionally, but the place looks to have been dug maybe years ago time ago.

As you are deciding where to go next, a squeaky noise will come from the passage branching to the left.

[Cespenar]

Daen

Wiping his mouth with his hand, Daen continued on with a disgusted look in his face, such as "I wasn't expecting these when I volunteered." He stops with the rest of the group as they come upon the fork, and hear a noise from the left-hand passage. He solemnly waits for a more knowledgeable person to make the choice.

A moment later, he whispers to Liam, who was close.

"Are you capable of magical light?"

[BlueWizard]

Cathar has 2 torches and a tinder box, which he will only carry if he has too.
He doesn't really want to do much.

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

Shh...I think I heard something.
Shrike peers into the darkness down into the leftmost tunnel...

Listen: [roll0]
Spot: [roll1]

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

she will motion for silence with her hand, she will then pull an arrow out of her quiver, and cast light on it.

She looks down the left pathway if she can see anything.

If not, she will nock the arrow, and shoot it down the hallway.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug barely notices the smell. He stops as Sabriel does, then continues on. At the fork, he peers down the passage where the squeak came from.


First off, sorry about the delay. Moved yesterday.

Spot [roll0]
Listen [roll1]
And I have darkvision to 60 feet...

[BlueWizard]

Bruug will be one of the first to spot it, but what you see in the low light of the distant shadows of Cathar's torch about 120 feet away is the form of a goblin pushing a wheel-barrow. In the rickety squeaky wooden wheelbarrow is a ginat smelly mound of goblin feces, and it looks like he's come to take out the trash.

{OOC- You will have a moment before the goblin sees the light, and scary ogre.}

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

Spotting the goblin, Shrike edges up against the nearest wall of the cave, holding her dagger ready...

Move Silently: [roll0]
Hide: [roll1]

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

Readied action to shoot the arrow once he spots us.

[BlueWizard]

The goblin spots you quickly, and Sabriel lets her notched arrow fly!

With one clean shot she drops the goblin with only the tiniest of squeaks.

It is now dying in a heap near its wheelbarrow full of crap.

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

She motion forwards with her hand, and goes to where the goblin lays dieing. She will kill it, if it is still living.

OOC:

i find that awesome that I dont even have to roll to kill a goblin. If only i could do that with every enemy. Damn, and here i thought i was so good. :smallbiggrin:

[BlueWizard]

OOC- I rolled. It was an easy strike. He wore no armor.

Sabriel executes the weakling goblin swiftly.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug moves forward and peers about, looking and listening to see if there are any more goblins about.


Spot [roll0]
Listen [roll1]

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

Nice shot. Shrike gives Sabriel a grin as she relaxes, still holding her dagger but not tensed for action anymore, giving the now ex-goblin a cursory glance. She figures he probably doesn't have anything worth taking, and even if he did it'd be the elf's right to take it anyway.
Remind me to get a bow with a longer range, alright?
She peers deeper into the cave, figuring that where there's one there's likely to be more.
Spot:[roll0]
Listen: [roll1]

[Wiz]

Liam

Liam glances at the goblin and the wheelbarrow, "I wonder how long it will take them to miss their santiation crew."

[Cespenar]

Daen

Somewhat impressed by the sudden display of skill that Sabriel has just shown, Daen grins briefly but otherwise keeps silent.

[BlueWizard]

Nothing will come for quite some time, and after 10 minutes you will begin to smell the fresh stench of new goblin feces from the wheel barrow. Those sickened will automatically puke up the water you likely refreshed yourself with and any remaining bile.

Cathar looks to you guys, "Please tell me we don't have to go that way. Goblin crap means more goblins.... We just want the Hammer right? You really gonna give it to Lady Ella when we get it back? Or you guys going to keep it? Its dangerous to hold on to." He is forced to hold his arm over his nose, as he looks from hole to hole.

[Cespenar]

Daen

Daen throws a grim look to Cathar's side.

"Personally, I don't care much about the Hammer. It's just that whoever organized this massacre will pay. Simple as that."

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug looks over at Cathar, scowling. "Me thought gobbos take hammer? So to get hammer, we go after gobbos?"

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

After wiping her mouth off - again - the redheaded scout looks over at Cathar and raises an eyebrow.
Is there some reason you don't want Lady Ella to have it?

And now, something that has been anticipated for some time...
Sense Motive: [roll0]

[Wiz]

Liam

Liam purses his lips after throwing up again, "Strange. I seem to remember that we were going to extermnate the goblins, and that there should be plenty of treasure to make it worth our while. No mention was ever made that we would bring the lady the hammer." He looks at Cathar, "Or were there assumptions or promises made while I was elsewhere? Besides, if the hammer belongs to anyone, it's the priests."

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

Sabriel returned momentarily after puking the little stomach that was left.

Wiping her mouth, she says

I agree with Liam on this. No mention of any hammer was made, so why do you mention it now?

[BlueWizard]

Cathar blushes, at all the questioning. Shrike thinks he is hiding something.
"Uhm, look! The hammer was clearly taken by them, and well, truly Ella is the leader in these lands. The priests obviously couldn't protect it. I am just thinking... do you have a better plan. Unless you think letting an ogre be Thor's guardian is at all called for? I have no reason for Ella NOT to have it... I was just saying..." Everyone can tell he's hiding something.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug walks over and leans close to Cathar, sticking his face right in front of Cathar's. "You tell truth, or me beat you with your own arms. Now."


Should I even bother rolling intimidate?

[BlueWizard]

Cathar yells angrily at Bruug, and backs away from him, "Don't you threaten me, ogre! You don't know what you're %$#@ing with! What do you want to know? The truth that Ella might not be the best choice to wield this Hammer? I know the goblins got it! I just think we can find a more appropriate home for it. Unless you plan on wielding and protecting it all yourselves?"
Cathar turns sarcastic after his initial angry burst.

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

Quiet! Both of you! she hisses at them. Unless you want the goblins to know we are here, I suggest we continue moving on as quickly and quietly as possible.

We will talk later about this Cathar. You and Ella send us here without informing us fully as to what we are dealing with, and thus you have fooled us with your half-truths. You may have placed us in unnecessary danger, but for now, let us get this hammer and then argue later what we are going to do about it.

She will then turn around, and continue going forward.

Turning back to Bruug she says. I will need your eyes Bruug as well as my own. You can see in the dark whereas I cannot, so you must tell me if anything is ahead of us. If anymore goblins come, I will quietly put an arrow in them before they notice us and raise an alarm.

ooc:

Hope no one minds, but I wish to take the lead, along with Bruug behind me. Or Bruug in front, that works too.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug looks at Sabriel. He turns and growls at Cathar quietly. "Me watching you." Then he turns and walks after Sabriel, moving ahead of her when he can.

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

Shrike shakes her head at Cathar and turns to follow Sabriel and Bruug.

[Wiz]

Liam

Liam whispers to the man in front of him. "I'm watching you too... from right behind you, Cathar."

[Cespenar]

Daen

Daen gestures to in front of them with his unarmed hand, as if saying "Let's move on.".

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

Already having moved on ( :p ), the redheaded scout follows Sabriel and Brugg deeper into the cave.

Spot: [roll0]
Listen: [roll1]

[BlueWizard]

{OOC- Feel free to role-play. I love it. And reward XP for good r-p. Anyway, I'm back!}

Into the Goblin's Lair:

Sabriel takes point and leads on down the passage. You carefully all pass the crap-wagon. Bruug actually bumps into it, he's so big, but it only adds a little to the crap that already covers your boots.

This corridor snakes off to the darkness at a sharp angle even more left, and down into the earth. The air doesn't get cleaner, but now only smells like a bad fart. Traveling quiet won't be needed, for the chaotic goblinoid drivel comiong toward you hurt your ears the closer you got.

Ahead... the best to Sabriel's ears could tell... there was a great chamber of some sort and many, many goblinoids. Shrike would agree with this assessment's.

[The Bushranger]

((^_^))

Shrike

Sounds like we've hit the mother lode.
Shrike starts to reach for the bastard sword strapped to her back, but pauses. Although she would much enjoy wielding her father's weapon, the truth of the matter is that she isn't quite entirely comfortable with it just yet. Sometimes its balance isn't quite right in her grasp...and while there's at least one member of the party who she wouldn't mind "accidentally" losing his head, the others, she would.

So instead of the sword, she selects her mace, taking it in a tight grip as she tucks her dagger back into its sheath.
So, are we ready to go in and knock some heads?

[BlueWizard]

Cathar mutters, "There's a lot of goblins in there.... maybe send the ogre in first. See what happens." He smiles politely at Bruug as if to jest.

[Cespenar]

Daen

Daen tightens the grip on his bastard sword.

"Any strategy?" he mumbles, keeping his sentences brief to breathe in less goblin crap.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug glares at Cathar, before looking at the others. "Me go first. Maybe scare little gobbos."

[Wiz]

Liam

Liam glances over shoulders, looking ahead... does there seem to be light coming from ahead... fires or torches?

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

I dont know if you will be able to intimidate them Bruug. They have more courage in numbers.

[BlueWizard]

The closer you get, Liam will notice some light. Likely mostly fires to cook or heat.

Bruug will notice that the passageway gets smaller as he goes on.

There could be over a hundred of them, it is loud!

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

We may just have to fight our way through. Although I would rather not. Any ideas besides trying to intimidate them?

[Wiz]

Liam

Liam Shrugs, keeping his voice low, "Well... we might want to fight them from the passageway, rather than run into the room... that way they couldn't surround us."

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

Leaning against the wall of the passageway for a moment, Shrike closes her eyes and concentrates, holding her left hand up before her. For the slightest instant, there's the faintest hint of a bluish-purple spark at her fingertips - then it's gone, leaving the mind wondering if there was ever anything there at all in the first place. Blast and dammnation, if only I could control the power I could fry the whole lot of them in one go!

That sounds like it might be a good idea, she agrees with Liam before continuing. No offense, but perhaps someone...smaller should sneak on ahead to try and see just what we're dealing with first and report back?

[BlueWizard]

In moments Shrike will be able to scout ahead, return, and tell you all there are 4 hobgoblin guardians, but beyond is mostly a nursery of sorts with female and children goblins. The hobgoblin guards don't see Shrike because they are partially blinded by the low-light which effects their vision. Shrike sees the hobgoblins' with spears as shadows against the room.

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

...and I don't know about you, but I didn't come down here to kill those folk like they did to us. We're better than that. I'd suggest we try and take out the guards - but let the others live. Make an example, as it were.

[Wiz]

Liam frowns, thinking...

I'm getting a wierd feeling here... how many goblin colonies open up a sealed entrance just to use it as a toilet? Not to mention all the goblins being impaled outside... as though trying to provoke them. Now all of us who were witnesses to what happened inside the temple are conveniently being sent to kill the selfsame goblins, and now there is this undercurrent that we are to transfer the hammer to the "true" leader. Are we being set up here? Did the goblins even start this whole mess? Now this entrance we were led to is taking us down to a bunch of women and children.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug shrugs. "Little gobbos grow up someday. But if Sabriel say no kill, me no kill." He looks over at Sabriel, awaiting her response.

[BlueWizard]

Cathar looks to Bruug, "I'm with this guy lets kill them all now. Before they get to be big 'gobbos'."

[Cespenar]

Daen

Daen lowers his sword and throws a freezing look at Cathar.

"I think we may have a thing or two to speak with Ella." he says in a grim voice.

[BlueWizard]

Sabriel will notice two small cave-snakes slinking along the cave walls from the rear of the group. Cathar will notice them as well, and stares curiously at the seemingly harmless snakes. They are about 20 feet behind you.

[Deathslayer7]

A small goblin now will grow into a big goblin later. A big goblin later is another goblin that will terroize this village, if they did terroize it she said. Bruug can you speak goblin? she inquires.

But watch out behind you, there are some snakes.

She then knocks an arrow and shoots at one.


This is under the assumption that they size small or bigger.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[The Bushranger]

Shrike spins around and raises her mace, trying to get a bead on the snakes - and to see if there are any more!

Spot:[roll0]

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug looks over in the direction of the snakes, then back at Sabriel. "Me speak gobbo. Why you ask?"


Spot [roll0]

[Wiz]

Liam

Liam looks thoughtful, "Speaking to them might be a good idea... perhaps we can find out who started this whole mess in the first place. Talking is always preferable to fighting if you can arrange it."

[BlueWizard]

Cathar waits for a decision. And will go along with whatever you all decide.

[Deathslayer7]

Very well, kill all but one of the guards. Let Bruug interigate the last one. From then on, we must move quickly. No doubt we will raise the alarm.

Any questions? No? Then let us go. With that, she motions Bruug to go into the room, and nocks her own arrow.

[BlueWizard]

Bruug is by no means quiet as he leads the way.

The moment he is spotted the hobgoblin guardians begin to scream and panic.

The hobgoblin guards will run toward the back of this great chamber. You cannot see all of this great dark chamber.

[The Bushranger]

Shrike swears under her breath and rushes the nearest guard, her mace swinging around for a blow to the head...

Initative:[roll0]
Attack: [roll1]
Damage: [roll2]
Skirmish damage: [roll3]

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

Sabriel will shoot one of the guards in the back.


[roll0]
[roll1]

[Wiz]

Liam

Liam waves his hands in strange gestures and mutters arcane-sounding words as he tosses a pinch of sand into the air.

Attempt to catch at least two of the fleeing guards with a Sleep spell.
Initiative: [roll0]

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug runs forward and attempts to cut one of the guards down.


Initiative [roll0]
Attack [roll1]
Damage [roll2]

[Cespenar]

Daen

Following the ogre and scout by their flanks, Daen attacks the guard that he can readily catch.

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

[BlueWizard]

Cathar whips out his bow and fires a hurried shot that lands among the firepits beyond. He seems annoyed to even have to pull out his bow.

Daen moves quick and tries to hit the hobgoblins in chain armor. His attack glances off their armor.

Bruug also gets to the hobgoblin guards as they turn to run. The ogre lays one out, and the guardian Daen failed to stab now bleeds dying on the ground.

Shrike's armor deflects off another hobgoblin, and lands near a female.

The goblinoids all panic, there are also female hobgoblins here, so there is a variety. All seem to have no interest in fighting. The 3 last hobgoblins are frightened as they decide they have to fight or face shame among their own people. The attacks manage to scratch Bruug only a little. {-5}

Sabriel's difficult shot into combat is way off.

Liam puts two of the hobgoblins to sleep and they lay down.
At this the last one screams for help loudly in goblin-tongue.

End Round 1------------------------------------------------>

Initiatives:
Cathar
Daen 8+2
Bruug 10+0 {d:5}
Shrike 3+6
Goblinoids
Sabriel 1+3
Liam 1+1

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

Swearing roundly in Undercommon, Shrike lunges forwards to try and take down the last of the guards with her mace.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]
Skirmish damage (if she had to move 10' or more to get to him): [roll2]

[Cespenar]

Daen

Daen swings high with his bastard sword at the same target, the last hobgoblin guard.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

Sabriel will go over to the sleeping goblins and disarm them.

[Wiz]

Liam

Liam seems to be looking around, seeing if another blast of magic might be required... in reality he's keeping a surreptitious eye on Cathar, watching what he does.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug looks around for another entrance into the cavern and moves to block any reinforcements that will surely be coming. He'll yell at any goblins he sees (in goblin), "You stop! We talk!"

[BlueWizard]

Cathar fires a shot and slays a fleeing female goblin in the distance.

Daen is swift and executes the last standing hobgoblin. All four are on the ground in seconds.

Bruug will see several passages on the far side of this great smelly chamber of goblin fire-pits. When the ogre speaks goblinoid, this causes the goblins to run even faster.

Shrike moves up ready to kill, but sees that Daen was there ahead of her. She can fan out with Bruug if she wants. All the female goblins are running for the several far passages. They scream loudly and annoyingly.

Sabriel disarms the sleeping hobgoblins in chain, she sees the other two are dying, but still alive.

Cathar gives Liam a smirk, when the wizard watches him take the long shot across the room near a firepit.

End Round 2------------------------------->


Initiatives:
Cathar
Daen 8+2
Bruug 10+0 {d:5}
Shrike 3+6
Goblinoids
Sabriel 1+3
Liam 1+1

[Cespenar]

Daen

As he sees him drop the fleeing female with a happy face, Daen turns back, slowly walks up to Cathar and throws a heavy punch without even a twitch.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug stands so as to cover the other side of the cavern. At Daen's outburst, he glances over, seemingly not understanding what happened.

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

Starting to look for other targets, Shrike spins around at hearing Daen's outburst and, seeing him slugging Cathar, turns to head in their direction, a deep scowl forming on her face.
Finally showed his true colours, did he? What did he do?

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel

Sabriel will motion Bruug over while Cathar is distracted with Shrike. Talk to one of the goblins Bruug. Find out what is happening please. And see where the hammer is. She will pat him on the shoulder, then turn to see what is happening betweent Cathar and Shrike.

[BlueWizard]

Cathar fires another shot into the distance and kills another female goblin, before Daen can take a swing at him Cathar avoids it easily. "Hey! Hey! Hey!!! I'm on your side!"

Bruug will see some of the passages are nooks, others are actual corridors into the rock. The goblins flee like mad from the lumbering ogre that speaks their tongue!!

Shrike holds near Cathar. He frowns, "Hey, I did nothing, but kill goblins! Breeding goblins! They only stink up the land. Just look at this place!"

The goblins continue to flee, a few little ones are left behind in their panic.

Sabriel will see that her only to options left of goblin are the 4 hobgoblins, and two of these were still dying. The other two still slept like babies.

Liam will have seen Cathar and Daen's scene play out before him.

End Combat------------------------------->

{OOC- I am ready to drop out of initiatives here, unless pursuit of goblins or combat with Cathar is to continue.}

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

Shrike is fairly well fulminating by now. Whatever else they may be, they were no threat to us and had nothing to do with the assault on the village. If you come down here and start slaughtering them then you're no better than they are, they'll just come back and kill more of us, then we come back and kill more of them, and we all wind up losing!

[BlueWizard]

Cathar softens as Shrike 'informs' him. "I apologize. These things eat babies. I don't like them."
Daen and Liam notice that Cathar is a much better archer than he was letting on. His shots across the great dark chamber were far and in low light. He's likely far better than any of you.

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel will let the two goblins bleeding to death die. She didnt particulary care for them, but she didnt like them either. She will have Bruug with her she lightly slaps one of the goblins awake, when Bruug is sitting on top of it or something, so it cant run away.

[Cespenar]

Daen

Daen stops and gazes at Cathar as he dodges his punch with ease. He snorts a laugh.

"They eat babies, you kill helpless females. I think you should get along well." He continues looking at him for a second or two, and then breaks his gaze to take his place in the rear.

[BlueWizard]

Bruug is already across the room as the group moves across together. The area so big the group can afford to spread out. This was a great living area with blankets and fire pits, and other implements of a primitive camp lifestyle. The hobgoblins are armed and have imperial coppers. {Worth the same as Northern Coppers, but minted in imperial lands.... long ago; some dead emperor.}

Cathar falls in with the group and saves his arrows.

Not much of worth is turned up in a quick search, but there isn't much time for anything else, for the females sound like they have raised the alarm. A gong deeper into the other passages sounds.

"Ah crap." he pulls out a red potion bottle and drinks it. His muscles buff up. Liam recognizes Bull's Strength.

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel will quickly motion for Brugg to interrogate the goblin. Now!

[BlueWizard]

{DM Retro: The snakes were fired upon and they dodged, then retreated into shadows. Sorry...:smalleek:}

Both dying hobgoblins by a miracle stop bleeding and stablize as they lay there. The other two are awakened and restrained as needed.

These two hobgoblins are frightened and begin to wake up.

At this point Daen at the rear of the group will notice the 2 snakes peeking out of the entrance to this chamber, just in the dim low light of the fire pits.

The hobgoblins seem utterly frightened of them, and see them and hyperventilate in utter terror.

[Wiz]

Liam

Liam watches all that goes on without commentary up til this point. He then looks at Cathar. "So... what's the plan Cathar? How are you supposed to escape when we've hopefully gotten you to the hammer? Do you have some item that allows you to teleport back to the lady?"

[The Bushranger]

Shrike glares at Cathar for a moment longer, then turns away with a huff.
Presuming nobody beats her to them, she collects the weapons off the dead hobgoblins ((ooc: what kind of weapons are they armed with?)) - then says something particulary vile in Undercommon when she hears the gong. Turning, she starts to say something, then stops when she sees how terrified the hobgoblins are. Turning to see what's got them bothers, she spots the snakes; scowling, she throws out one hand torwards them, trying to call up her electricity...

BW, it's up to you if she manages to turn one of 'em into a crispy critter. ^_^

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug taps the hobgoblin on the shoulder to get its attention, then asks it roughly. "Where hammer from town? And why you attack town?"

[BlueWizard]

Cathar backs away from Liam, "Hey, I'm trying to help here!" He still seems to be hiding something.

When Shrike threatens the hobgoblin she manages to shock it as her hand crackles, but does little damage. It does scare this hobgoblin.

The hobgoblin is terrified as Bruug speaks to it. "Hammer? I have a hammer in me lair! I steal no hammer! I no attack humans ofvillage! I stay and guard females! You take my hammer!" This scared guard seems to be telling the truth as it squeals in goblinoid.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug shakes his head. "Tribe attack humans? Or humans attack you?"

[BlueWizard]

"We no attack anybody!!" the creature squeals.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug glances over at Sabriel. He speaks quietly. "He say they no attack nobody." He turns back toward the hobgoblin. "What you know of human town near here?"

[The Bushranger]

Shrike looks rather pleased at the electrical display, but shakes her head at the distinct lack of information. Or confirming information, anyway...

Drawing her shortbow, she nocks an arrow and, aiming for one of the snakes, lets fly.
Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Deathslayer7]

Sabriel immediately frowns and turns to Cathar, rasing her bow at him.

You lied to us this entire time. Why are we actually here?

Out loud she says, This goblin says that they didnt attack anyone, so tell me what really happened.

[Wiz]

Liam

Liam frowns at the hobgoblins declaration, "Then again... perhaps it's not to get the hammer we are here. Assuming the hobgoblin's not lying, which I think is a good assumption given his motivation... then they don't have the hammer. Meaning this is all a wild goose chase, and perhaps a very experienced warrior is here to see that these brave witnesses to the events in the temple don't make it out alive?" He looks at Cathar, "What's the real story, because you know that we know your fabrications are wearing thin."

[Cespenar]

Daen

Seeing the weird reactions of the hobgoblins, Daen turns to Bruug.

"Bruug, ask them about the snakes. They seem to fear them for a reason."

He also focuses on Cathar for the while, readying his sword in case he tries anything suspicious.

Readied action to attack Cathar if he initiates a hostile action.

[Ipphli]

Bruug

Bruug looks at Daen, then back at the hobgoblin. He asks it quietly. "Why you fear little snakes?"

[BlueWizard]

The snake leaps away from Shrike's arrow shot. Both snakes try to move more into shadows of the room. They are partially concealed in shadows.

The hobgoblin scared, speaks softly in goblinoid. "Know... nothin... know nothin' of humans! We be good! We follow the human King's laws!"

As Sabriel conforts Cathar he backs away seeming to like the elven lady's angry attention. "Hey... Hey! Look! I'm... I'm getting a cut to get this Hammer out of here to some rich imperial buyers. I'll let you in on it. It's a big score. Not even Ella knows of this. Trust me." He seems satisfied at saying this, and he seems the most convincing of anything he's ever said once.
He seems very uncomfortable that Liam joined the interrogation.

The hobgoblins look to the shadows in regard to the snakes, and the talking one bites his lip, "I can't..."

[Wiz]

Liam

Liam smiles, nastily, all the varying events going on around are not unnoticed by his quick mind. "You were tied up at first... down below, ready to be sacrificed by someone. You made a deal with Ella, but now you're working an angle for yourself. Perhaps you want to tell us more... or maybe, tell Ella more... if those are her snakes?"

[The Bushranger]

Shrike

Scowling at the retreating snakes, she tucks away her bow and turns to face Cathar.
'Trust me', he says. 'Trust me'. Ha ha hardy har har. As if!
shing
That's the sound of her bastard sword coming out of its sheath.
Now this? This I trust. This is my daddy's sword, and it hasn't tasted blood since he died.
She manages not to stumble over the last word there.
Now I'm kinda thinkin' it might be just a bit...hungry. And right now you, not-so-good sir, are looking remarkably like an appetizer.