Quinn wiped a spatter of the hobgoblin’s blood from his face and tapped Calliae on the shoulder with the tip of his quarterstaff,”That was quite the, uh, show of martial prowess.” He easily slid back into his role as an “elder.”
With the second hob surrounded, he was sure that the best thing he could do at the moment was stay out if the way. Which worked out fine since Felix had begun to feel anxious and was trying to get past Quinn to the attackers.
William's quarterstaff shatters the hob's skull, with a spray of blood. The soldier wobbles, barely maintaining his feet.
Having taken a vicious blow Calliae hangs back near Aubrin while the others deal with the remaining invader.
Fed up and seeing the hobgoblin is on his last legs, Raska attacks with a renewed vigor, "Won't you just die!"
Raska rushes to the doorway and surveys the town, taking a long, hard look and assessing the damage, the enemy numbers, and any potential casualties.
He calls back into the shop, "How are we doing? Is anyone hurt? Aubrin? Calliae? It seems the entire town is under siege!"
Raska's stab, weak though it is, is enough to finish off the last hob, and he collapses to bleed out next to his victims on the shop floor.
Outside, the town is bloody chaos: houses and market stalls burn, screams of pain and death fill the air, and dozens, perhaps even hundreds, of hobgoblin soldiers roam the streets. At the center of it all is the black onyx tower, looming four stories taller than any other building in Phaendar save the Taproot Inn itself, and from the archway entrance at the base, yet more hobs continue to pour forth.
As Raska looks around, Aubrin pushes herself to a sitting position, although she hisses in pain and clutches her ribs as she does so. "It... it sounds like there’s an army outside the door. How did they fall on us without being seen? These damn plains are so flat you can see an elk from two days off, let alone an army!" She winces and presses her hands against the bloody hole in her chest. "They sound large. Too large to fight on the ground like honest fools. We need to gather what we can, cross the bridge, and hide out in the Fangwood. I — I know a few secrets that may keep us safe. Should probably figure out how to take down the bridge while we’re at it, else they’ll just march themselves across before we have the chance to hide."
At this point, no one living remains in the shop's main room besides the five of you, and Aubrin - everyone else has fled, one way or another. Aubrin recommends stripping the hobs' bodies for their weapons and armor, for those who are lacking such, and she offers her longbow and longsword to anyone who might use them.
Quinn stepped out of Felix's and the skunk wasted no time in rushing one of the corpses and gnawing on an ear. He chided the familiar, ”Could you conduct yerself in a more appropriate manner?!” The skunk dropped its tail and made its way back to Quinn.
Once the two hobs had been stripped of their possessions Quinn eyed the scroll and wand. It had been a long while since he had added any spells to his book. Too long, in fact, He cursed himself for not having his magic reading cantrip ready. ”I might could decipher what shecrets the shcroll holds. Even without one of my tricks. The wand should be no problem at all.” He leaned on his quarterstaff a bit, ”Mayhaps one of the more 'physically inclined’ would prefer to divide the other things between themselves, hmm?”
Quinn found himself idly looking over one of the shelves again. He had been in a shop like this in Westcrown...Aubrin’s wincing yanked him from the memory before it could begin and he glanced about the shop.
”Am I wrong or did Oreld run abandon us through the backdoor?”
"I agree, we must flee."
Calliae moves to the door to the back room and knocks loudly, "Oreld, the attackers are dead, you can come out. We need to flee."
While waiting for an answer she turns to Quinn, "You. You're an arcanist of some sort, right? Do you have any idea what magic that scroll holds."
"Oreld, you there? I know you trapped the door, disable it and come out." While standing there Calliae pressed her hand against the cut delivered by the hobgoblin invader. It would require stitches, or magical healing.
Calliae's calls receive no reply. Seeing her wounds, Aubrin raises her flask and toasts your successes so far, sending healing energies washing over the group .
Searching the shop for useful supplies, while much has been destroyed a a consequence of the fighting and escaping, the group can still find three vials of antiplague, five bottles of bloodblock, a bottle of fire ward gel, and two flasks of defoliant. A well-used marble mortar and pestle (likely of some worth) sits on the desk.
Quinn feigns confusion and looks over his shoulder, ”Me?” He scratches at his beard and shrugs, ”I don’t have the appropriate trick to just read what magic the shcrolls contain. I would need to attempt to decipher them the ol’ fashioned way and I cannot guarantee the results.” A sudden wave of fear hit Quinn from Felix as he spoke and he realized that he had been absentmindedly waving the wand of magic missile around as he spoke.
Outside, the town is bloody chaos: houses and market stalls burn, screams of pain and death fill the air, and dozens, perhaps even hundreds, of hobgoblin soldiers roam the streets. At the center of it all is the black onyx tower, looming four stories taller than any other building in Phaendar save the Taproot Inn itself, and from the archway entrance at the base, yet more hobs continue to pour forth.
As Raska looks around, Aubrin pushes herself to a sitting position, although she hisses in pain and clutches her ribs as she does so. "It... it sounds like there’s an army outside the door. How did they fall on us without being seen? These damn plains are so flat you can see an elk from two days off, let alone an army!"
Raska's stomach turned as he witnessed the carnage rampaging through his beloved town, "It might have something to do with that dark tower. Nothing about that seems right to me. They're gushing from it like a freshly tapped keg of wine. The whole town is overrun..."
"They sound large. Too large to fight on the ground like honest fools. We need to gather what we can, cross the bridge, and hide out in the Fangwood. I — I know a few secrets that may keep us safe. Should probably figure out how to take down the bridge while we’re at it, else they’ll just march themselves across before we have the chance to hide."
After he takes a moment to steel himself, Raska is quick to action, "Yes, you're right. We need to get out of here while we still can. Everyone, grab what you can." Raska quickly swaps armor with one of the savage warriors, a fitting memento of the battle they were doomed to lose.
"Oreld, you there? I know you trapped the door, disable it and come out."
"Trapped, you say? Here let me have a look at it." He walks over to where Calliae is trying to get Oreld to open up, "We've no time for games." He reaches into his pouch and pulls out a small leather satchel of intricate tools and sets to work.
William take a look out the door, "That black tower is trouble. Don't know how it got here though. We need to gather everything we can and get out the back of this place if we can, even if we have to go through a window. Heading out the front door is likely to gain attention from the hobgoblins." He then starts picking up everything not nailed down and throwing it into the extra backpack. "We don't know what we might need, so take everything. Anything we leave will just go to the hobgoblins. Got that door open yet?" he adds while looking at Raska.
Edvard stabs both of the hobgoblins a couple more times saying nothing, although clearly this is personally motivated. Turning after making sure the hobgoblins are dead, he will grab his pack and help loot the bodies, including taking their unit insignias. Once that is completed he will finally say "we should save as many people as we can during ou retreat. The old man would tell me to save all of them, but there are limits."
After looking around one last time he will add "my name is Edvard."
Raska hasn't managed to get the trap loop unhooked yet, but he's still working on it too.
Aubrin nods at William and Edvard's words. "There'll be people and supplies 'round town we can grab before we head for the bridge. The Inn, the Trading Post, the Shrine..."
Got that door open yet?" he adds while looking at Raska.
Raska grunts, "I'm working on it, I'm working on it!"
After a few more seconds of fiddling, Raska gets the loop off of the handle on the door's back side without setting off the trap, and then can open the door. Beyond is a workroom and part-time clinic , and beyond that a small but comfortable-looking bedroom. There is a window in the bedroom, for those looking for escape options that don't involve the front door, but - despite Vane ushering several patrons through the back door - the window is currently closed and locked from the inside.
The workroom has several items of possible note: the equipment on the worktable can be assembled into a portable alchemist's lab, there is a locked cabinet against one wall, and there are notes covering the worktable for something Vane calls his "stump remover," which he apparently planned to demonstrate during the festival tomorrow. It is a potent explosive mixed from a combination of animal dung an alchemically-refined lamp oil.
Kneeling, Quinn ushered Felix into the satchel that hung diagonally across his body. Once the skunk was secure he stood and nodded to Edvard, ”Quinn. And that lousy creature you just saw was Felix.”
When Aubrin mentioned people and supplies in town he bristled a bit, ”I enjoy a good heroic tale as much as the next person, but I would prefer we not end up dead.”
As Raska opened the door Quinn turned, hoping to spot Oreld in the room beyond.
And almost missed the rug that had been hastily pulled over a hidden door, "Look! Do you shee how Oreld would've left us for Pharasma?" The words came with more anger than he had intended.
William walks in after the others and looks around. He motions to the rug "Perhaps he went down there. We should check. Raska, can you check that for traps first?" He then turns to Edvard, "I'm William Grove. I grew up around here. Sorry to see the town in such sad shape today. Aubrin is right we need to rescue as many as we can and get what supplies we can on the way out. This stump remover may be of use at the bridge. Anyone know where it is?"
After a minute or so of searching the workroom, William has assembled the necessary ingredients for the stump remover. The notes are detailed and very precise .
Raska turns to the large man, "Well met, Edvard. I am Raska Edan. If you've been in Phaendar for any length of time you've probably heard of me. All the rumors are true." His eyes shine at that last and he flashes Edvard a quick, hard smile. He turns to the back room, "Now, let's see about this trap door..."
After a quick scan of the room, "The trap door seems to be unlocked and there're no traps that I can find. I did, however, find a compartment in this worktable." He shows the party the tied, folded envelopes. If the party is ready to depart, he will stuff them in a pouch for later, otherwise he will untie the string and examine their contents.
The envelopes do not contain writing, but rather two different kinds of fine, glittering dust.
"Look! Do you shee how Oreld would've left us for Pharasma?" The words came with more anger than he had intended.
Aubrin gives the wizard a narrow look, still coughing heavily. "Not everyone's a hero, Quinn. You of all people should know that." She coughs again, and some blood flecks appear on her lips. She wipes them away with an annoyed expression, then stoops to open the trapdoor.
Below there is a cellar, cut from the raw earth and smelling strongly of mud and moist herbs. Vane Oreld is indeed down there, along with four of his patrons that he escorted to the (hoped-for) safety of the cellar. Seeing Aubrin's smiling face, Vane algives a shout of relief and quickly leads his small group up into the workroom, which quickly becomes rather crowded.
William tells Oreld and the others, "Grab everything you can. We need to get out of town. Anything you leave will be used by the hobgoblins. Oreld, where is this stump remover of yours? We can use it at the bridge."
Oreld motions to the components William has already collected. "I haven't mixed the formula to completion, so what you have is what there is." He does however produce a key and unlocks the nearby cabinet, withdrawing a variety of alchemical components. "These will be useful, as long as I have my lab," he explains.
As the others start introducing themselves Calliae also joins in,"My name if Calliae. I'm Phaendar's resident fey." The last part is accompanied by a smile, though the under the current circumstances it does not reach her eyes.
"Good to have you save Oreld. I suggest we move and as fast as we can. If we move along the west side of the square we can pick up as many people as possible. Though I guess it's best to avoid the square itself."
William looks at Calliae hard for a moment and then says, "That's the longer way to the bridge, but we have can rescue more people and pick up more supplies. How about we head out the back of here, and move along to Trading Company keeping a row of buildings between us and the square as much as possible?"
"That's a tactically sound plan, friend. I didn't catch your name." says Edvard to William.
"We should gather what food we can from here as well. Sorry friend," Edvard says to Oreld "but I would assume that you would rather us take it than leave it to fill their bellies."
Edvard then proceeds to load up his pack with non-perishable food (sausage and vegetables mostly).
Aubrin's words had cut him deeper than he cared to show and so Quinn stood impatiently as the group decided over the best course of action. He tapped his staff on the floor as he waited, listened and weighed his options.
Finally, he leaned his staff against the wall and stretched with his hands above his head. He groaned and lost shed the old man persona for good, "Well alright then. If we're gonna do this let's get to gettin'. There's just enough good people in this town that I'm willing to risk my neck."
He took a moment to make sure that his light crossbow was loaded and let it hang from it's leather strap at his waist, "Plus, I'll probably stand a better chance with you all anyhow. But I suggest we go to the Shrine. In times of crisis people will always turn to beings of higher power for help."
"We should gather what food we can from here as well. Sorry friend," Edvard says to Oreld "but I would assume that you would rather us take it than leave it to fill their bellies."
Edvard then proceeds to load up his pack with non-perishable food (sausage and vegetables mostly).
Vane nods, motioning for the other refugees with him to do the same.
Quickly, the newly-formed group readies itself to leave. The rear window isn't spacious, but with plenty of hands to help everyone is able to climb out through it swiftly - the truth is, it's hard to feel like leaving is the better choice.
Outside, Phaendar is a maelstrom of blood and chaos. Several buildings are on fire, and troops of hobgoblins sweep through the streets, running down fleeing villagers or knocking in doors in search of captives or treasure to loot from the dying town. It is a small comfort, really, that since they all appear to be coming from the tower in the Market Green, the Ironfang Legion has yet to establish any kind of perimeter around the town. Traveling through the Market Green or on the main road that surrounds it (known locally as the Greensedge) is likely to be exceedingly dangerous - though in extremis if you just started running, it might be a coin flip as to whether you'd live to see the far side - but moving through the smaller side streets on the tiny town's periphery is likely to be much safer.
A few moments later, you arrive at the rear of the Phaendar Trading Company, trying to keep out of sight of the main streets. creeping up to the edge of the building, you can look out onto the front of the space. A signpost by the road announces the clapboard wooden shop and barnlike smithy sharing a single large, stone wall to be the Phaendar Trading Company. The smithy’s double doors stand open, revealing a large, still-glowing forge within. Two slaughtered goats and a dead horse fill an adjacent animal pen. Many fresh scratches and dents mar the trading post’s heavy wooden door, and a chair leg juts through one broken window. Small flames lick at the thatch rooftop where a red-hot iron has been tossed. In the central courtyard between the animal pen and the shop, three Ironfang warriors, all bearing signs of injury, watch the flames flickering and slowly beginning to spread across the Trading Company's roof.
Once Oreld emerges from the cellar, Raska hands the dust over to him, "Here Oreld, you can probably do more with this than we can."
At the point of indecision, Raska's temper flares, "Save your introductions for later. We move or we're dead. We head west, counter-clockwise, hitting all the major points before turning north and blasting the bridge once we cross it. Any questions? No? Good. Gather what you're bringing and let's move."
He waits until everyone is ready and leads the group out of the window, keeping his eyes peeled for any danger, and trying to be as inconspicuous as possible.
"We should take them." whispers Edvard. "There are probably supplies in the trading company that we can use, and there may be survivors as well. We will want to be quick and quiet about it though."
"A volley from people with ranged weapons while you, Raska and I advance, Edvard?" William says as the spy the group.
"That should work."
Quinn hustled over by the signpost in an effort to gain a more clear view of the hobs."I'm still not a fan of this plan," he grumbled before calling upon one of the abilities from focusing his time on conjuration. And aimed his attack at the hob closest to the building.
William charges forward and attacks the closest hobgoblin.
Edvard will delay until Callie goes then move in between the two Hobgoblins and stab the one to the east of him
At the suggested course of action Calliae nods and takes out her sling and a bullet. She then takes aim and attacks one of the hobs.
Although Calliae's and William's attacks don't land meaningful hits, Edvard and Quinn combine their efforts to put one of the hobs down fast.
Once the battle is joined Raska rushes south, a dagger at the ready. He skirts the sword arms of the attackers, placing himself in an advantageous position with Edvard.
The fire continues to spread along the roof, smoking heavily.
The two surviving legionnaires turn their blades against William and Edvard. Although Edvard's foe is visibly hampered by the wounds he has already suffered, William's opponent skilfully knocks aside his staff to stab him in the shoulder, and the eldritch warrior feels his collarbone crack beneath the blow.
,
,
As the others seem to have the combat well in hand Calliae instead focuses on the fire. She does however draw her shield, just in case.
William takes a step forward and attacks the hobgoblin between him and Edvard.
With one hob down and one stuck between Edvard and William, Quinn turned his attention to the hobgoblin between Edvard and the burning building.
As he launched the glob of acid he heard the what sounded like a bucket of water being dumped onto the fire and looked away before seeing if his volley had found it's target.
Calliae's sudden dousing makes the flame spark and smoke even more heavily, but does not put it out; she despairs of being able to create enough water fast enough alone. But there is the trough in the animal pen across the yard, and Oreld and the other followers who are currently just crouching behind the Trading Post...
William manages to feint his way to an opening with his staff, sending one end into the Legionnaire's ribs and making them crack. Behind him, the third hob shouts in pain as acid sears her flesh.
Raska watches as the water douses the flames, but as they continue to spark and sputter he glances over at the others as they cower in fear. With a sneer he bellows, "Oreld, gather the others and deal with the flames. The water trough! Do it now!"
Raska steps over to flank the hobgoblin closest to the wall and takes a quick stab at his exposed rear.