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Opening gameplay
The road to Thistletop has been difficult. If you had not been skilled in the ways of the wild, and had not had Shalelu's directions, the place may have proved impossible to find. After several days journey from Sandpoint, however, you make your way there.
You know you are coming to the edge of the coast, but the forest is so dense that you cannot see the end of it. The briars and thistles that grow so rampantly in Nettlewood are even more dense and tangled here, close to the shore. Although not quite dense enough to block the sound of waves crashing on the unseen shores to the west, the undergrowth is certainly thick enough to block sight and access to the coast. Few trees grow this close to the edge of the sea, but the briars themselves often reach heights to rival them; here, the patch is nearly twenty feet high.
Jian breathes deeply, testing the air and getting a bit of brine from the nearby sea. He glances around, searching for any obvious (or not so obvious) ways forward. Even if the briars might be hindering the others, they seem to part way in front of Jian, and the young man makes his way around easily.
"These Thistletop goblins could use a new groundskeeper," Ilysaria remarks blithely as she leads her slim white horse, Suitor, through the treacherous overgrowth. Although she chooses her steps with care, the light lavender fabric of her gauzy dress inevitably snags on a briar every now and then, causing tears which the Calistrian seems to pay no mind to. It might have proved terribly distracting for her two companions if not for the dark leather armor and breeches that peek out from underneath the tattered fabric.
"What do you make of this?" she asks Jian as the group comes upon the towering patch of briars. "This can't be natural, can it?" Lys turns to regard the other half-elf as she waits for his answer, a smirk curving up one side of her painted lips as she sees just how far back he is. "You needn't walk so far behind me, you know. I can't imagine the view from back there is as appealing as it usually is," she says, reaching up to pat Suitor's neck for emphasis.
The growth does seem to be natural.
All three of you are able to fairly easily make out something. You find a cleverly constructed, rigid mat of thistles and nettles that are concealing the entrance to what appears to be, now that you are looking at it more closely, tunnels. Looking down, it appears that these tunnels will allow you to move throughout the maze of nettles and briars. It won't be easy; the tunnels were clearly designed for Goblins, and Johannes and Ilysaria, you will have to hunch down to avoid being damaged by the thick, sharp brambles. Jian, your bond with nature sees the brambles themselves move out of your path, and your movement is unhampered.
It is difficult so see, but it seems the paths branch off in several directions.
What would you like to do?
Jian quirked a brow, though he doubted Ilysaria could see him from where she stood. He had certainly not grown used to the more experienced woman's teasing, and he felt a flush begin to grow hot upon his cheeks.
"I think this is natural, actually. I just think no one has tended this area in ages! I'm not sure how well poor Suitor will do here...we'll have to be careful with him," Jian said, ignoring Ilysaria's jibe as best he could. He was a young man with purpose, but he would be the biggest liar in the world if he tried to say that he hadn't gawked at his beautiful companion more than once.
Jian crouched down, analyzing the area. Perhaps there would be evidence of recent passage through the area.
Jian, you, as well as anyone that cares to look, can easily make out the telltale clawed footmarks of Goblins. This area has been heavily traversed, and recently. You see other tracks in keeping with Goblin Dogs.
More strange is the evidence of very large drag marks on the ground. It is going through the tunnels. It would appear that something quite Large, and heavy, was dragged through as dead weight. If you wish to, those marks are clear enough to follow.
Jian turns to his companions, pointing out the drag marks.
"We could wander blindly...but if they dragged something through here, chances are they took it out somewhere, too. My vote is for following that and seeing where it leads. What do you think, my friends?"
Ilysaria turns to face forward, inordinately pleased with having gotten a rise out of Jian. She shouldn't have been really; considering the man's monastic background, there was little sport in trying to make him blush. But being sporting had never been a major concern of Lys's, and after days out in the wilderness, she had to entertain herself somehow. Still, as fun as it was too rile him up now and again, the priestess took care to ration out her teasing lest she put Jian off conversation altogether.
Jian's concern for Suitor turns her smirk into a sweeter, softer smile, though one that she takes care to hide from the men. Her smile quickly falters at the thought of leaving Suitor hitched in the middle of the Nettlewood while they explore the tunnels. But duty outweighs her sentiments, and with a sigh Lys begins to hitch Suitor to a nearby tree. "From what Shalelu told us, we haven't much time to spend blundering about the woods. If you think the tunnels are the quickest way to our target, then we should go through the tunnels."
Taking a thick blanket out from Suitor's saddlebags, Lys carefully drapes it over the horse's back. Next, she takes out a day's worth of feed, placing the open sack on the ground in front of Suitor. "Pace yourself. I don't know how long we'll be gone," she says as she strokes his mane, genuine affection lacing her tone.
Ilysaria- while he would have to Squeeze, and I might require a Handle Animal check, Suitor could make it through the tunnel.
Yeah, Jian can absolutely roll Handle Animal. I'll go ahead and do some stuff for Suitor as well :)
Jian glanced over at the brambles, then back at Suitor. He walks over to the horse and gently strokes it's mane, speaking soothingly in Elvish. Jian had always found the melodic language to be soothing when interacting with animals.
Jian, Suitor, at this point, is familiar with you, and often seems to respond to you better than Ilysaria. Suitor certainly like Lys, but you have a much easier time getting the horse to fall in line.
Suitor blinks his eyes slowly, and his tail twitches idly. As you stroke his mane, Suitor nuzzles your hand, enjoying the attention. If the horse had had any nervousness, your words and demeanor seem to have put Suitor at ease.
"Cayden's cup, I don't much like the looks o' this," mutters Johannes as he examines the tunnels. "These gobbos 're more clever than I'd want 'em to be if'n they're buildin' tunnels, yeah? Ah well, nothin' for it. Jus' glad I'm down here instead of up there with the rest o' you!" Johannes chuckles at the thought of his companions' discomfort. Knowing Jian, he'll probably get through without so much as a scratch, but Lys and Suitor were in for a time. Still, the lovely lady was a might bit tougher than she looked, and a couple of gobbo tunnels weren't going to stand in their way.
Before they plunge into the darkness, Johannes fills his tankard with cider and takes a swig before offering it to the others. "A bit o' Cayden's Courage, friends?"
Jian shakes his head, declining the Halfling's offer.
"I find my courage to be sufficient...at least for now! I'll let you know when that changes, my friend."
With that, Jian grabs Suitor's reins, and carefully leads the warhorse through the bramble filled tunnel.
The tunnels are cramped. Suitor has a difficult time, but with Jian leading him and helping avoid the brambles, the horse is able to squeeze through without incident.
You follow the tracks, and are heading to the northeast. After several hundred feet, you emerge. No creatures are are around you. To the north is a rope bridge, swaying slightly in the breeze, connecting to an island. The island is small, but has an impressive, one story stockade. The stockade has several watchtowers, though nobody appears to be manning them.
A thick wall of brambles hedges the path around you, but there is a large, clear path leading south. The path branches off to the west, and also continues a bit south.
What do you do?
Jian looks around, surveying the area. He purses his lips as a plan begins to form.
"Well friends, if I were a betting man, I would wager that our goal lies in that stockade over yonder! However, I'm not a fan of leaving our backs unguarded or having the terrain unknown. These brambles will prove a difficult barrier for you and our foes alike...but not to me. I'm not too poor a hand at moving quietly, either. I could move through the brambles and get the layout of the area, and then report back. What do you think?"
Ilysaria watches the bond between Jian and Suitor with a subdued sort of awe. Seeing how responsive her horse was with the tall half-elf might, in other circumstances, have been enough to make Lys a little jealous, but considering Jian was using his animal affinity so that she didn't have to leave Suitor behind she feels nothing but gratitude. "Thank you," she says softly as she passes the reins to the man.
After allowing herself the brief, tender moment, Lys turns to give their halfling companion a sardonic look. "You're concern is touching, Johannes. Truly." She declines his offering with a smile and a shake of her head, for his and Jian's benefit more than anything. "I shouldn't partake just yet. Alcohol and whips rarely pair well together. But why don't you ask me again once we've put down the last of the goblins," Lys suggests, winking to the Caydenite before disappearing into the tunnels.
Emerging from the goblin tunnels, Lys picks a few stray brambles from her hair before sparing a glance for her surroundings. She isn't quite sure to make of the empty watchtowers. For Sandpoint's sake, she prays it's just another example of goblin thoughtlessness rather than their being to late to stop the raid. Hopefully, they've left the front door open for us, too.
Lys considers Jian's idea, the pursing of her lips telling just how little she likes the idea. Sure, Jian had shown himself to be more than capable of holding his own in a fight, but that knowledge didn't make his plan of splitting up any more palatable. Still, there is wisdom in it, she has to admit; this briar-filled forest was more his element than hers or Johannes's, and Lys can see the virtue of proceeding with more caution than her typically impulsive nature would call for. "Don't be too long. You wouldn't want us to start without you," she teases, taking Suitor's reins back from him.
Here is what Jian reports back;
As you move south, you can see that the path branching to the west extends on for some time, and has other branches along it. Moving to the south, you detect a cloying, musky scent lying heavy in the air. You also spot a matted nest of red and black hair to the east. Moving a bit towards it, you make out the sleeping form of a Firepelt. Looking at it's size, though, you can tell this is no ordinary animal. Though you lack one yourself, you are well-versed enough in the Druidic arts to recognize an Animal Companion when you see one.
Continuing further south, you come to see a "clearing" though in this part of the Nettlemaze, the briars have actually grown high and thick and formed a sort of ceiling. Light still filters through, and visibility is unaffected. A tangle of vines hang from the thorny ceiling of this chamber, each suspending a clattering collection of bird skulls, rib bones, teeth, and other bits of gruesome decor. In a few places the vines droop all the way to the floor. A large nest of nettles and thorny vines sits to the south, a halo of half-eaten dead birds and rats indicating that whatever sleeps there eats in its bed.
In the nest of nettles, sitting cross-legged and seemingly meditating, is a Goblin. Unlike most you've seen, he is wearing loose, flowing robes. He does not detect you.
Jian makes it back to the party and reports his findings.
What do you do?
Jian returns to his companions, none the worse for his quick exploration.
"Didn't keep you too bored, I hope? I wouldn't want to leave you to idleness...whips and alcohol, right? Anyway, I found a sleeping Firepelt and a robed Goblin. I think it's a Druid and his Animal Companion. There was more to the southwest, but I think leaving such foes at our backs is asking for trouble. I think we should try to take them out. Here's what I'm thinking; of the two, the Druid is certainly more dangerous. Johannes and I can attempt to sneak over to the Druid and begin combat quietly. As soon as it starts, though, his Firepelt would be off to help. Lys, you could remain here, and as soon as the Firepelt makes it's way towards us, you could begin harassing it with your bow. Once we deal with the Druid, we can finish off the Firepelt.
It's either that, or I rush in, make some noise and take some hits while Johannes strikes from stealth and Lys covers my back.
What do you think, friends?"
Johannes happily sips on his cider while Jian does the scouting. It was nice to let someone else do the looking around for once, while he gets to sit back and enjoy the company of the lovely Lys and a cup of his own brew. It was almost enough to make him forget that they were about to mount an assault on a fortified goblin stronghold.
When Jian returns, the break is over. "Oy, you know how I feel 'bout atackin' from the shadows. Cayden says an honest beating is better than a cheatin' vic'try. I like the first plan, me and Jian, mixin' it up together. What says you, Lys?"
Lys pauses her stroking of Suitor's mane as she considers Jian's plan. She resumes her ministrations a few moments later, keeping her voice light as she asks, "Am I a lion tamer now, just because I know how to handle a whip?" In truth, everyday since arriving at Sandpoint had presented a new challenge for Lys to overcome, a test to discover what she was and wasn't capable of. As it turns out, she's found that there is a great deal that she is capable of that she would never have considered before. However, killing an animal outside of self-defense doesn't seem to be one of those things.
"I could subdue it," she mentions casually. "Temper the strength of my lashes so that they render the cat unconscious without doing any lasting harm. If it woke to find its master dead, what are the chances it would just run off into the wilderness and pose no more danger to us?"
"There is a third option. My magic could pacify the animal and send it away. If we deal with the druid, then it will likely just go back to being a normal Firepelt. If we do that, though, we'll likely lose the element of surprise, as magic isn't usually quiet. We could also simply stabilize them afterwards if you're concerned."
"If'n that's how you want it, gimme just a bit to pray to Cayden. His blessing can grant us a little bit o' peace an' quiet while you do your thing, Jian."
Jian quitked his mouth, thinking.
"I worry that that will similarly alert the Goblin, if suddenly all sound cuts out around him. What do you think, Lys?"
Lys gives one last pat to Suitor's neck before moving over to Jian and Johannes, already uncoiling the long braided leather whip in her hands. "Like Johannes said, we should go with your first plan. You two go make nice with the goblin, and I'll see to it that his animal friend is kept... occupied." To Johannes, she adds, with her signature half-smile, "Best to save our prayers for when we really need them."
Once they are prepared to set out, Lys does her best to imitate the stealthy way that Johannes moves while taking care to follow Jian's footsteps.
Jian nods.
"Johannes, before we go, perhaps you could use a charge from this wand on me? I've not the skill but I know the magic within will be useful."
Jian offers up his wand of Mage Armor to Johannes.
"Wotcher," Johannes says, draining his tankard. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he takes the wand and examines it. Looks like yer av'rage ev'ry day wand o' mage armor, he decides. Waving it in front of Jian, he recites the three or four most common magic words for wands of this type, and it activates without issue. "Howzzat fer ya, Jian? Let's mix it up!"
Despite his natural inclinations for jolly noise and his god's preference for a fair fight, Johannes's experience helping to free slaves has taught him the pragmatism of going undetected. He's not half bad, but even trying to walk in Jian's wake, he seems to snap a twig or rustle a leaf that was wholly undisturbed by someone twice his size. He's just got that nature magic about him. He couldn't quite explain how Lys and Suitor were quieter than him, though. "Jian I get, but how's the horse sneakier than me?" he whispers to the others.
Your rolls and stealth are successful. If you open up the tactical map, you will see the enemies near you. Feel free to take your actions! You have a surprise round.
Jian creeps through the brush, counting on his Druidic powers and his years of training for bodily control to keep his footfalls silent.
Jian's hand flies to his waist, grasping for a hilt. In one smooth motion, he pulls his urumi from his waist. The flexible blade uncoils, ready to strike.
When close enough, and when he he sees the other in position, Jian gets close to the Goblin and takes a mighty cut, bringing all his strength to bear.
Lys stops a fair distance away from the firepelt, watching the magnificent creature as it slumbers. Once she hears her companions begin engaging the druid, she breathes a quiet sigh through her nose and starts swinging her whip in slow circles over her head, preparing to give the wildcat a rude awakening. "Sorry about this. But you'd thank me later, if you could."
Quick as a snake, Lys lashes out at the firepelt, bringing her whip down over its back with a resounding crack.
Following Jian, Johannes circles around to the front of the goblin, drawing his rapier. "Wakey wakey," he says to the meditating goblin before stabbing at him with his rapier and clocking him across the jaw with his tankard. "Too much drink'll go t' yer head!"
All of your attacks successfully hit. Ilysaria, the Firepelt seems to cringe from your whip. It has been demoralized for 2 rounds.
Johannes and Jian, the Goblin you've attacked seems on death's door.
So we have Initiative Order;
- Johannes and Ilysaria
- Jian
- Tangletooth
- Gogmurt
Players, since all three of you are first, feel free to post your actions whenever.
Lys feels more than a twinge of sympathy for the firepelt, but she doesn't relent for a moment, continuing to press her attack with every confidence that the wildcat's circumstances will be markedly improved once it wakes and is no longer bonded to its cretin of a master. Before the sound of her first strike has fully cleared the quiet grove they find themselves in, the Calistrian priestess is already winding up for her second strike. There was no reason to prolong the suffering of such a beautiful creature after all.
With an effortless motion, Lys sends the tail end of her whip toward the firepelt once more; with a quick flex of her slim arm it reverses course with a vengeance, leaving pain and a deafening snap in its wake. On instinct, Lys catches the fall with her free hand and stretches her whip out in front of her, preparing for the beast to retaliate.
"Still standing? Have a drink on me!" Johannes brings his tankard down solidly on the battered goblin's head, doing him in for good. "Tip your waitress," he quips.
Johannes- you manage to drop the Goblin! It is currently bleeding out.
Ilysaria- your blow strikes true! The Firepelt doesn't seem like it can act in it's full capacity; your strikes have certainly added up. It is, however, still conscious.
Jian?
With the Goblin having fallen, Jian will move to the firepelt. He has no doubt that Ilysaria has the situation well in hand, but he is interested in ending the conflict as soon as possible. Not wanting to harm the hunting cat permanently, Jian held his trusty urumi in one hand, and stepped close, giving a stiff punch right behind the Firepelt's ear.
Jian, that strike drops the Firepelt, rendering it unconscious. You are effectively out of combat. The Goblin is in bad shape, also unconscious and seemingly near death.
His wounds shown no signs of clotting.
What do you do?
Jian cares little for the Goblin, and makes no effort to keep it from death. Instead he begins searching the Goblin for valuables, casting Detect Magic to attempt to identify any magic items.
Jian, you find several items. Looking at the accoutrements, you believe you were correct; this was a Goblin Druid.
You find two Potions of Cure Light Wounds, a Wand of Produce Flame (34 Charges), and a Wand of Tree Shape (4 Charges).
You also find leather armor, sized for a Goblin, that detects as magical. There is also a small sized sling and spear, though those seem mundane. Finally, the Goblin was wearing a cloak; this too seems magical.
Jian, having lacked a proper tutor in magical arts, is still learning how magic functions. He looks over the items, puzzled. He turns to Ilysaria and Johannes, indicating the items.
"I'm not quite sure how to figure out what they do, but I think they're magical. The wands have Druidic magic, so I'll keep those. We also found some potions! Perhaps each of you should take one?"
Lys looks up at Jian from where she's crouched next to the unconscious firepelt, checking its vitals. "Thank you, but I'm not in the habit of taking drinks from strange men." The teasing glint in her eyes makes it clear she isn't referring to the goblin. Satisfied that she's done no lasting harm to the firepelt, Lys stands and begins coiling her whip. "You should hold onto one, though. Or Johannes can have mine, too," she says with a nod to the halfling. "In case you'd like to have something else to fill that tankard of yours with."
After taking quick stock of their surroundings, Lys asks, "You said there was more to the southwest? Should we scout there, too, or head back to the fortress?"
Jian smiled a bit.
"No denying I'm a bit odd! Care to examine these other things though? As for where to go, yes, there seems to be more here. It's probably a good idea to fully scout the area so that we know we'll at least have a secure escape route. Shall I take another walk through the forest?"
Ilysaria looks over the goblin's other belongings at Jian's behest, but, due to her unfamiliarity with the arcane, all she sees is potentially ill-fitting secondhand armor. "That's quite alright. I doubt we have the same measurements anyway," she demurs, lip curled slightly at the thought of wearing anything that's been on the wild goblin's body. Her features smooth back into her neutral expression a moment later. "But Johannes might. To be honest, I think you would look rather dashing in that cloak."
Lys is not the least bit surprised when Jian advocates for the more prudent course of action. "Don't be too thorough," she says, her tone light but the jest doing little to hide her eagerness to begin their assault on Thistletop proper. Still, she lets the men go about their careful planning and scouting. Vengeance would come for Thistletop soon enough.
Jian nods over to Johannes.
"Give these a look while I explore a bit."
Jian again moves through the brush, seeming to meld into the forest itself.
[spoiler=Jian]Once again, your use of the brush seems to help protect you from detection. You don't find much of note as you explore the area, but you do find a couple of things. There are several Goblin Dogs in a sort of kennel; they are chained to stakes set in the ground. There is also a group of about five Goblins farther to the west.[/dice]