Magnes swears loudly as the wolf aims to rip him bloody, the dwarf makes a quick step and again stabs at the beast with his weapon.
"Tryin' ta make a meal outa' me? trust me when I say I ain't worth the trouble."
The Dire Wolf leaps at Magnes, but just in the right moment, Magnes lifts his spear, and the beast is impaled upon it.
With snapping teeth in front of his face it takes a few moments for Magnes to stop flinching and realize that the wolf had stopped, quite dead, on his spear. the eight hundred pound wolf with the fulcrum at... Magnes looks down to confirm his fears in the straining shaft of wood underneath him
"Well.. s**$. The dwarf says as the pull of gravity forces the wolfs corpse down and the butt of his spear up, right into his groin.
"Oh ancestors and first cinder that hurts..." the dwarf groans weakly as he collapses jelly legged in front of the beast.
"Damned dog."
Well, that was intensive couple seconds I have to say. Especially how you Magnes wasted that wolf with your spear Bhalur touts as dire wolf dies.
At least I didnt waste my ammo here. But just to be sure I better keep it ready for action
"I'll be quite glad to act tha' mighty hero fer ya once I've recovered mehself." The Dhouvarr says quite obviously in pain. "Once'm back up I've a restorative fer Sabrik."
"A good thing I sought out company." Rhialla says with a moment of relief, walking over to the animal to pull her spear from its corpse on her way to help Sabrik up.
"Are you going to be alright Sabrik?" Rhialla says as she offers a hand up.
"I have never seen a wolf that big, do you suppose its pelt will fetch twice the price of a normal one?"
"Tha Big ugly thing?" The dwarf says groaning as he stands back up.
"I doubt we'd get much beyond proving we killed it to the nearest town. Though I suppose you could mount the thing and sell it to a noble hoping to impress his friends. Don't suppose any of you are taxidermists? Seems a shame to leave it to rot here on the side of the road." The Dwarf says as he examines the great wolfs corpse squatting next to the hole his spear had driven and measuring things with his thumb.
"that's the fate they seem to have though, some wolves this big find others like 'em go live in the deep forest and terrify things in packs. Others though, they don't find such. They eat and eat with nothing to hold them back. Wildfires with fur they are, and eventually they burn out."
"If you are hurting for money, the pelt of any animal fetches a healthy sum."
"Magnes I think you have done enough for now. I shall use the Myst to heal Sabrik's body from that nasty wolf bite."
Koija walks over to Sabrik. "If this is the first time you experience this, it might feel a bit weird."
Koija weaves the ambient Myst around him and slowly guides it into his Hanbo. It starts pulsing like it did before. Koija raises it into the air speaking an incantation. "ミストヒーリング" He then lowers the hanbo towards the wound on Sabrik's body. When the Myst connects with his body he can feel a weird tingling sensation slowly move throughout him.
Everyone else sees that the wound slowly starts closing.
Koija then turned back to Magnes and Rhialla. "I do not think I would be much assistance in skinning the wolf, but it's pelt and fangs would indeed be a good bartering item. And then it's killing still serves some purpose other than us staying alive."
After having traveled for another hour you reach the overgrown ruins of a small stone fort with a single tower. On Bhalur's map it is shown as Fort Lonbrac.
Koija investigates his surroundings, also perceiving how the myst flows in this area.
"I wonder if anything is still inside these ruins." Koija ponders out loud.
You spot three burly and muscled humanoids with long arms, thick torsos, relatively short legs and mossy green skin on the wall. They are armed with bows.
The myst is dense.
Magnes looks over in the direction of the fort Oi, Koija you see anything over there? Looks kinda ominous to be honest."
"I think more trouble ahead. Don't know what they are but there are 3 humanoids armed with bows on the wall. They have mossy green skin, short legs and thick torsos."
"It doesn't seem they have noticed us yet. What should we do?"
"tha'sounds kinda like hobgoblins. And ya say they haven't spotted us? Figure they might be using the fort over there to raid caravans and such off the road. Or who knows they might just be keeping watch over the rest of their tribe and are traveling. Though if racial sterotypes are to stay correct then I'd put meh beer money on tha' first option."
As others are not really going for the dire wolf, Bhalur takes it upon himself and borrows a dagger from one of his companions to begin the skinning process and gathering of meat.
Dividing the meat, fur, fangs to small piles and the rest of the body dumping a bit deeper in the forest as Bhalur gives a small prayer Nature gives, nature takes. Your body shall feed and nurture the forest where you came from
Well, I dont know what we should do about these Hobgoblins. Should we try to go around or just walk forward or take care of them I dont see yet the reason to, well, kill them but I don't think we should either try to search for it
"If we are going to fight, let me know before rushing in. Weaving the ambient Myst takes time and I'd rather be ready before they start shooting arrows my way."
"Eh, we got no idea whats hiding in that castle. an'I ain't no scout. Les we can figure what we are up against I don't much like our chances."
"If these hobgoblins are raiding travelers on the road, then they could be involved in the disappearances. There may be evidence of their involvement inside. Although... they are showing themselves too early, they may just be trying to keep people away. I need to get closer. If they are friendly they might have useful information for us."
"Err.. well if ya can talk to em I'm all fer not chancing an arrow to tha' spleen. Not sure if were discussing' the same type of critter but if you feel you can convince them go right ahead. Tell 'em we got wolf meat and liqour if they've an interest in trade."
Without another word Rhialla sticks to cover and advances on the fort.
Magnes then turns to the rest of the group speaking quietly "An' on the even odds tha' these goblins are not the cuddly type I suggest any of ya that have one take out your ranged weapons and get ready to punch some holes in those ones. Take a spot you at distance ya' feel comfortable with an'ready fer trouble."
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Rhialla's heart is pounding as she stalls a moment to look back at her companions. Seeing them ready their bows, she is both reassured that they'll back her up, but also concerned that this will probably end in bloodshed. She begins humming the tune to "Ambaraun, oh Ambaraun" in her head to try to deal with the stress, although it is difficult keeping quiet.
Rhialla continues to advance on the fort...
Pondering for a moment Bhalur Better for Rhialla to find out. Shaer would be flying target for the hobgoblins. No place to hide in the sky and she is not really the sturdiest from our group he contemplates while watching Rhialla moving stealthily forwad.
Preparing his Crossbow in order to support her if something goes wrong
Steeling herself for the final approach she listens for indication of more hobgoblins or perhaps prisoners and looks for any traps that might be nearer to the door. When the time is right she makes her final move toward the tower, when the humanoids atop the tower are attending their patrol to someplace else.
At the door, Rhialla equips her wooden shield and pulls her longsword, readying to kick in the door.
Rhialla, you successfully sneak up to the doorless gate to the grounds inside the fort. You see five hobgoblins at a camp at the grounds inside the fort. They are armed with longswords and battleaxes. They haven't spotted you.
Rhialla only hears her heartbeat and her nervousness has risen her humming from being entirely internal to a whisper.
Kevroth cleans his weapon out as he watches Bhalur skin the great beast.
Deciding that it would be better to be prepared if an attack comes on them suddenly, he loads a new cartridge right away, being careful to keep the muzzle pointed slightly down and away from his companions.
Kevroth half raises his musket as soon as he sees the goblinoid faces, then as Rhialla creeps forward, Kevroth speaks in a quiet tone, "I do not have much experience with Hobgoblins, and none of it pleasant. Are you saying that they can be other than hostile?"
"Its still rainin' an there's trees in the way. I doubt they could spot us if they wanted to. With you on a horse you can probably ride in to back her up if she needs it." Magnes says pausing in thought "We should have probably decided on a signal for needing back-up before she left. Crap."
Rhialla stands in the doorway (tactically to keep the number that can reach her as limited as possible) and channels The Loving Lady's vision to detect evil.
If they are evil she will chuck a spear at the closest one and shouts loud enough for the party to hear her, "You are surrounded, surrender and your lives will be spared. Refuse and know that Larafae has no love for the wicked and does not give second chances"
If that's too much for the surprise round, then intimidation is more important.
"Lovely day to share a fire, especially with the Loving Lady's faithful?"
Magnes glances to the lion man, and then back to his horse. "No respect eh? the dwarf says to the horse before moving to catch up with the Lion man.
" Most of meh tricks work better closer. Best be joinin' ya."
@Kevroth
"Well ya remember this ones all about the love an'peace. So I doubt she'll let us move on without tryin' tha gentle aspect. But if they don't happen to like that idea if you don' happen to remember she drove that spear of hers damned far into that dire wolfs hide. I expect she'll love and pieces em' at tha' point."
"Lakto Gabro! Hab Ka Aratheël!"
The biggest of the hobgoblins who wears a helmet which covers the top half of his face, a wolfpelt on his shoulders, and a scale mail, and is armed with a greataxe, looks at the spear whizzing past him and then at Rhialla.
"Surrounded, you say? By you and who?"
"Lay down your arms and come find out peaceably, or take the hard route you brigand. Think carefully before you decide." Rhialla draws her sword from the earth where she planted it and readies to attack the first one that attacks her.
"Pretty sure tha's our job right there." Magnes says as he looks at the Hobgoblins on the roof.
"Go help out our lovely princess, I'll keep these ones interested."
"Listenin'to tha' lady'd be the best option. I've fire plenty enough to burn send ya'all to yer momma screamin' otherwise!"