Buu runs Scales

[WaffleLord]

Aeren Tatallaner

Aeren takes note along the way of the different tales told by the goblin. "No sense in losing a decent plot because the main characters are out of fashion." He also listen for any clues the goblin may let slip about their goal and what they may expect there.

Spoiler: Actions

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Insight - (1d20)[17]

[Ridai]

Ruvora merrily heads towards Fort Gobbo.

Spoiler: OOC

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The plight of the Fighter: effing nothing in terms of skills.

[Dimers]

During the hike, Dearie shows herself a little skittish, fading into cover at any sign of trouble. She hides well and moves quietly (not a hard feat for someone so light), and if anything were to actually happen along the way, her stealth might give the group an edge.

Spoiler: sneaky sneaky

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I'd like to be Hidden if trouble comes along. Stealth in humanoid form: (d20+9)[14]

[Rakaydos]

Zar, meanwhile, keeps an eye out for the terrain, wildlife, and anything that might snag his robes. it would be embarassing if he was revealed by mischance.

(d20+6)[8] nature

[Buufreak]

While wandering and trecking for what seems like hours, Morrik tells some folk tales of his people. The great Gob that ate every piece of magical gear he came across. The most feeble and cowardous Gob that somehow managed to survive through even the worst of disasters and battles. And finally, Sinruth, their fearless leader, one in a long line of leaders who, much like any new head of a tribe has done in the past, completely change the ideals and goals of the group. Sinruth seems hellbent on sticking it to the city of Brindol, for they were their greatest disgrace in the past. His only wish is to uphold the old values of the Red Hand, exalting the appropriate powers, and getting his due revenge, even at the cost of the entire tribe's lives.

And finally, after the long haul, you arrive at Rivenroar. Or, really, what is left of it. The high peaks, towers, and walls one would expect of an actual castle have all degraded and eroded into not much more than piles of rocks. And not particularly evenly shaped or sized rocks, at that. Morrik leads you in through what must have once been a courtyard of some sort, passed a battered and dismantled wooden gate that now had many small blades and arrows stuck to it, and finally to what seems to be the only part of this entire place that is remotely kept: stairs. The mouth isn't very wide, perhaps 10 feet wide and at its best points likewise 10 feet of head clearance. Not much a problem for Goblins, and lucky for the party that none stand any taller than Zar, though he may wish to duck at places throughout the keep.

Morrik merely grins and waves to beckon the party. "Come, come! Yes! This way to secret Gob lair, with many secret Gobs left still to bring destruction!" He pauses for a moment. "Err. To no long bring destruction, cuz taller friends stop them!" He doesn't sound the most absolutely convincing, or even convinced that his new companions will stop them all, but he tries.

[Ridai]

Ruvora, at the front of the group, answers Morrik's explanations with a ferocious thumbs up. "You got it, basher!"

And she merrily follows with craghammer and shield in hands, a skip in her step, and warsong in her heart. She already enjoyed the many tales she heard along the way, some first-hand experience is called for right now.

[WaffleLord]

Aeren Tatallaner

After committing as much to his practiced memory as he can the strange stories of the variety of Gobs and of Sinruth, Aeren looks about him at the ruins of Rivenroar disappointedly. While change must come to all things, the bard always feels a touch of sorrow that creative architecture must suffer in the name of violence. As they move towards the stairs, he loosens his sword in its scabbard and draws his wand. "Secret gobs. Not if they are as loud as this fellow," he thinks.

[Buufreak]

Morrik attempts to protest the forward march down into the catacombs. "Wait. Uhh... Does talls not worried? There still many not dead Gobs to be found!"

[Dimers]

"That's what we're here for," Dearie says, her voice combining reason and anxiety. "But come to think of it ..." She takes a deep breath and in a brief moment transforms into a rat, her gear disappearing into her form. Then she squeaks and faces forward.

[Ridai]

"Well squeaked, Dearie!" Ruvora commends, continuing onwards. Today she learned that Dearie is sometimes in a ratsy mood, so that adds to the experience.

[WaffleLord]

Aeren Tatallaner

Stepping to the edge of the stairs, the bard peers down (up?) to see what might await them. When he is sure he has seen all there is to see, he ventures inside at a cautious pace. "And so, our tale beings..."

Spoiler: Actions

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A quick perception check before venturing onward - (1d20+4)[7]

[Buufreak]

At the bottom of the run down stone stairs, an open room, and well lit! Roughly 50ft wide, and 25ft deep, with a pair of seemingly magically suspended braziers that periodically throw a small bolt of flame back and forth as the move in a swinging pattern too and fro across the room.

And then a curious happenstance. Valaera seeming comes to an awkward halt, mid gait. Seemingly petrified for what feels like minutes, she suddenly disappears. And then, perhaps curiouser, each of you have a strange visual illusion. Or perhaps hallucination? It is a form of text, in your own native tongues, that simply reads "Searching for Party Member..." After a moment or three, it changes to "Member Found!" And appears Nymphaea.

[Ridai]

"Huh," is heard from Ruvora. "Val must be needed elsewhere. But Lady Haela sent us a new friend! Hello there! I'm Ruvora Sunhammer. We are currently going into this gobbo fortress and seeing how it goes!" She grins, as she is wont to do.

[Snowbluff]

Nymphaea Caerulea
Nymphaea Caerulea, Hamadryad Paladin|Warlock
Init +0 HP /27 Bloodied 13 Healing Surge 6 ( used /10)
AC 20 Fort 14 Reflex 14 Will 16 Speed 5
Str 8 (-1) Con 14 (+2) Dex 10 (0) Int 14 (+2) Wis 12 (+1) Cha 19 (+4)

Sitting on the ground is a woman with neck-length and wild green hair and flawless olive skin. Her eyes and lips are naturally dark. Her head is adorned with leaves and living twigs. She wears a suit of armor with patterns on it that mimic her body and nature. It is covered with leaves over parts of the shoulders, as well as on the waist cape. She's cross-legged, with her hands on her knees and her eyes closed in meditation. The words Ruvora stir her, and she opens her eyes and slowly turns them towards them to party, examining them. When she sees Aeran, a corner of her mouth twitches ephemerally into a half smile, but this soon fades as many people have in the eyes of the Dryad.

Nymphaea slowly stands up and elects to properly introduce herself. "Salutations. I am Nymphaea Caerulea, Dryad of no particular forest," she says with a curtsy. "The stars have whispered to me, and implored that I arrive here. However, I am unsure what a 'gobbo' is. Is this a parlance of recent invention?"

[Rakaydos]

"The local Goblin tribes have been particularly vexing as late." growled a particularly large and imposing robed figure. "We set off to resolve this matter to the local township's satisfaction."

[Ridai]

Oh. Oh my. By Haela's mighty biceps, that is a pretty, pretty lady indeed. Losing Val's disembowelingly muscular beauty stings, but there is always hope that Nymphaea is similarly adept at gutting foes.

Zar perfectly covers the moment of drinking in the hopefully deadly beauty, Ruvora pointing her huge craghammer towards him with a confirming nod. "Exactly what Zar said. Zar's our most excellent mage friend. There's also Aeren, our most canny bard," Aeren is gestured towards with her well-worn shield. "and there's also..."

Ruvora looks around, searching for a moment, before going "ah" and pointing her craghammer to the close-by rat, hoping no other rat has snuck around them in the meantime. "There's also the adorably named Dearie, who does a wonderful job at opening the gates of battle on fools with just her hands and feet and putting 'em right in the dead-book. And I guess with her ratsy teeth at the moment, too." Introductions accomplished! The grin remains plastered on the warrior dwarf's face framed by a red mane of hair, dressed in rugged mail and sturdy clothes and boots that have seen many miles.

[Dimers]

Dearie resumes her more familiar shape, blushing somewhat. As a human she seems charming enough, but her plain traveler's outfit isn't doing her any favors. She curtsies back to the dryad and adds, "That goblin is Morrik. He's with us as sort of a guide, unless he decides to join his tribe in attacking us." Dearie gives Morrik a look. Then she goes to carefully investigate the magic floating braziers. "I wonder if these can be moved ... I could use more shadows here to hide in."

[Ridai]

Ruvora heads into the room as well, looking at the braziers. "Those must be decorations, right? There's too much of a gap and fancy bits to be defenses."

[Snowbluff]

Nymphaea Caerulea
Nymphaea Caerulea, Hamadryad Paladin|Warlock
Init +0 HP 27/27 Bloodied 13 Healing Surge 6 ( used 0/10)
AC 20 Fort 14 Reflex 14 Will 16 Speed 5
Str 8 (-1) Con 14 (+2) Dex 10 (0) Int 14 (+2) Wis 12 (+1) Cha 19 (+4)

Nymphaea's expression remains placid as Zar explains the gobbos and Ruvora introduces the party. She doesn't seem to notice the stares, or if she does, she does not protest. "Fascinating," she says, as her eyes slides towards Dearie. A finger taps against the dryad's lips as she ponder aloud. ". This one has seen many strange creature over many seasons. But among them there have been few that possess this sort of ability. Pray tell, Miss Dearie, are you cursed... or blessed?"

"If the braziers do not bar our way, I will wonder what will intercept us in the near future. I will follow your lead." She falls in line behind Ruvora.

[Dimers]

Dearie laughs. "Oh, cursed, definitely, but we can talk about my mother-in-law some other time."

[Ridai]

"Hey Morrik! Where to to meet yer buddies?" Ruvora asks. He will likely guide them right into the thickest concentration of gobbos, and that sounds pretty alright! "No hard feelings if you wanna fight on their side there!"

[Snowbluff]

Nymphaea Caerulea
Nymphaea Caerulea, Hamadryad Paladin|Warlock
Init +0 HP 27/27 Bloodied 13 Healing Surge 6 ( used 0/10)
AC 20 Fort 14 Reflex 14 Will 16 Speed 5
Str 8 (-1) Con 14 (+2) Dex 10 (0) Int 14 (+2) Wis 12 (+1) Cha 19 (+4)

Nymphaea slowly blinks at Dearie's statement, while turning her head to look away. It's a simple albeit odd gesture to appear non-confrontational. "I am unsure what is meant by, but I will wish you good health."

She faces towards the room, and taps her lips again. "If there are no objections and no information condusive to ascertaining a more suitable direction, I will elect that we march to the chamber to our left. Do be mindful of the fire. As slow and ieffectual as it seems, I do believe it would be wasteful to injure ourselves with it."

[Buufreak]

Morrik stammers. He was half heartedly hoping that his part in this was done and he could make for the stairs and start a new life as a... what was it called... "siterzen?"

"Uh... Gobs are... well... many place. Go down there to not Gobs, but bigger than Gob scaley things. Then over there is glowy dead room and fountain. And then there be Gobs. Probably whole Tribe. Tallers sure we can't return to safe city?"

In order, he points ahead (North), to the right (East), and then left (west).

[Ridai]

"Morrik, you did your part. If you want ta go back to the burg, go right ahead. We still got folk to meet," Ruvora answers with an encouraging nod, telling Morrik he is really, actually free to go, then she heads left.

[Dimers]

"Wait -- let me scoot ahead a little before we rush in," Dearie interjects. She opens the left door a smidgen, shrinks down again into her rat shape and scuttles through.

Spoiler: stealthy scout stuff

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A few active Perception checks as I move along: (d20-1)[17], (d20-1)[8], (d20-1)[15]. If one of those is good enough to beat my own initial Stealth check ((d20+13)[22]), then I figure I'm not being stealthy enough and will try again ((d20+13)[14]). I expect goblins to be able to see fine in dim light, so I want to use cover instead of darkness to stay hidden. Another advantage of being Tiny, there -- you can hide behind a wider variety of objects.

[Rakaydos]

Zar waited in the back, slouching foward in the relatively low celeings, his disguise pulling in ways that Deiry may not have entirely allowd for. Fortunately the dimness helped conceal any features that may have been exposed.

[WaffleLord]

Aeren Tatallaner

Slowly returning to the real world from his daydreams, Aeren acknowledges and introduces himself to the newcomer, though still uncertain he is not still dreaming. "An armored hamadryad. Fascinating." With sword and wand drawn, he walks into the room with the others, following Ruvora left.

[Dimers]

Dearie returns from her brief trip and reshapes so she can speak instead of squeak. "There's a room right away with lots of flimsy-looking lads and lasses, a couple missile-flingers in the back, and one guy I'd peg as the leader -- just because he's a full head taller than the rest and has sneer lines on his face. Let's go get 'em." She stands away from the door to let the ever-eager Ruvora through first, following quickly behind.

[Ridai]

Not missing a beat, Ruvora is already kicking down the door, barging straight into the room with hammer and shield in hand.

"Oy bashers, grin 'ose mustard chompers! Tha ride's comin' ta yer kip!" she announces at resounding volume, beelining it straight to the gobbos.

[Snowbluff]

Nymphaea Caerulea
Nymphaea Caerulea, Hamadryad Paladin|Warlock
Init +0 HP 27/27 Bloodied 13 Healing Surge 6 ( used 0/10)
AC 20 Fort 14 Reflex 14 Will 16 Speed 5
Str 8 (-1) Con 14 (+2) Dex 10 (0) Int 14 (+2) Wis 12 (+1) Cha 19 (+4)

Nymphaea curtsies again when Aeran recognizes her presence, before drawing her blade and readying herself for battle. "I will provide you succor in the coming battle," she says softly. There is a hint of sadness in her words as she stares far past the charging Ruvora.

Spoiler: init if needed

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(1d20)[1]