For the first time the cheer comes out of Zarbuzel's voice-Sadly no. Challo has not been seen here since near the end of the Goblinblood War. Some say she felt her duty was fulfilled and she moved on to fight other evils. Some say that she went one too many times into the Chitterwood searching for something and never came back. Whatever the truth, she no longer resides in Umok.
Zarbuzel smiles and his voice picks up again-Maybe that is why Torag has sent you to us. One paladin leaves and another arrives to fill that role? Although to be truthful, the goblins have not been much more than a nuisance since the end of the War. Well that, and since we stopped allowing open fire in town.
Have some more broth, and tomorrow I will start you on some potage or oatmeal depending on what your temperament will allow.
After a few days you are able to get up and move about the town.
Questions and actions?
Become familiar with the lay out of the town and the defenses.
Find out what having open fire in the town has to do with goblins.
Get an explanation of the debt owed, is it gold or something else.
Try to find out more about the goblin threat to the town, is it really only a nuisance.
Try to find out what Challo may have been searching for in the Chitterwood.
The town is built at the edge of the western Aspodell foothinlls, on a low rise overlooking the Chitterwood. There is a 5' trench and wooden palisade surrounding it.
A main road runs through the center of the town on a N/S axis and there are farms along the East side of town running towards the mountains. On the West side of town you can see where the fires have ravaged the Chitterwood, pushing the border of the forest back more than a mile from Umok's walls. There is new growth, but the 10 years since the Goblinblood War have not been near enough time to make it significant. Umok's citizens continue to prune the new growth to allow for good line of sight from the defenses.
Zarbuzel explains to you that goblins are inordinately fascinated by fire and that an open flame is an invitation to raiding. As a consequence the townsfolk have taken to using alchemically treated stones for heat and cooking as well as various light spells for illumination.
Your debt would usually be cleared through an act of service to the town, but the custom does allow for one to pay it off instead.
The goblins have conducted only minimal raids since the end of the War as their population was largely reduced with some tribes being completely annihilated. Over the years the raids have increase in frequency and severity, but nothing close to the levels during the War.
Zarbuzel tells you that Challo believed the goblin tribes were far too coordinated and that something or someone must have been controlling them. With most folks just trying to survive no one had time or energy to investigate Challo's theory. Since she was just visiting family at the outbreak of the War, no one is sure where she really went to but no one has heard from her in almost eight years.
Join Zarbuzel on patrol or see what other service can be done to pay the debt.
Zarbuzel-Actually, it would help us most if you would venture into the Chitterwood and see what the tribes are up to. Our patrols towards the mountains do not encounter much resistance besides the odd orc or bandit group, but none of us are willing to venture deeper into the forest than the burn line.
He rustles through some items looking for something-Before she left Challo was studying this. She said that none of us were to touch it, but it is so beautiful I hated to throw it out or try to destroy it.
He extends his hand towards you holding a glass case which contains a large green gem quite similar to the one you discovered in the tomb of Tabor the Magnificent. You can see tendrils of evil energy wisping out from the stone, licking against the glass container.
She said something about this maybe having something to do with the Goblinsblood War.
“Thanks, I will check out the woods to see what I can find.”
Put the glass case in backpack.
You make your way out into the Chitterwodd and find the first part of your journey quite odd. You can feel eyes watching you leave, those being the friendly gnomes of Umok, and you can feel eyes watching you advance. Who the second set of eyes belong to you have no idea but you know they don't have your best interests in mind.
The mile or so between Umok and the burn line is filled with the charred bones of fallen goblins. You can only imagine what the conflagration must have been like when the forest went up in flames and you wonder how many goblins must have perished then and over the years for so many bones to clearly be jutting up out of the ground.
You pass the burn line and wander into the deep forest of the Chitterwood.
You hear a goblinish squeal ahead at the exact moment that a small group of six goblins bursts from the underbrush charging towards you with a net. We gets food!
At the same time a bow thrums from the trees further back and a pair of arrows comes whistling out at you.
-2hp
You smash one of the goblins into paste while the remaining five try to snare you in their net.
Two more arrows come buzzing in:
-4 hp
Another green foe is crushed by your hammer. He's best be delicious!
Arrows!
“My dwarven friends tell me goblin stew is delicious!”
-4hp
A third goblin is crushed by your hammer and the survivors drop the net and rush back into the forest.
The unseen archer is undeterred as two more arrows come zipping in at you:
Move forward to attack the archer(s).
-11 hp
-1 hp after LOH
Almost by divine providence you are able to make out a branch of a tree almost 100' away that is twitching. You can just make out the small form of a goblin in cover that is steadily firing arrows at you.
Take cover behind a tree and return fire.
You hear a squeal of terror as your arrow find its mark and see the goblin flee deeper into the forest.
Clearly it doesn't look like he liked getting as much as giving.
Search the bodies of the dead goblins.
They have a few odds and ends that may be valuable to goblins but are worthless to you.
Continue on
You move deeper into the forest for about 30 minutes or so before you spy out two groups of goblin warriors preparing to swarm forward and attack you. They apparently think they are camouflaged.
There are about 10 goblins in all and you find it unlikely that they are alone. You have a round of free action before they work up the nerve to charge.
Can you clarify, does Ang believe there are more than 10, but he can only see the 10?
Ang can see two groups of five. His experience with goblins to this point is that with this many and in their home terrain, it is highly unlikely that there would be all these grouped warriors without someones(s) leading them.
The group of five earlier with the net had the archer, the goblins in the Mistwood had a clear leader and a champion. A few goblins (3-4) might wander about leaderless but not this large of a group.
Ang believes there will be more than the ten he can see.
Fall back.
The small horde of goblins rushes forward, baying in frustration as they see you pulling back. Arrows follow your retreat and you can just make out the form of a goblin-like creature that stands as tall as any human, muscular, with gray-skin and tiny, observant looking eyes. It seems to be barking orders to the pair of goblin groups.
Can Ang reach the big goblin to melee?
If not keep falling back.
Monty Python: Run away!
You would have to make it through the onrushing swarm of goblins, which you think you can do but it would leave you exposed to the archer and whatever the larger goblin can do.
Two more arrows fly at you:
Run away
You get out of range of whomever was firing arrows at you but the large mass of goblins continue to chase you. Their familiarity with the forest and faster pace mean you are going to have to stand and face them at some point. Their yelps and cries increase in volume as they get closer and you think it may be sooner.
Turn to meet the goblin horde. Attack if possible.
-9hp
The remaining nine goblins don't even pause as you smash down their fellow. They swarm about you, but only five are able to attack at a time, three flanking.
Is the big goblin moving forward?
-10hp
The big goblin stands in the background barking out harsh commands as another of his minions goes splat. He looks back into the forest behind him from time to time.
Keep retreating if possible while fighting, 5' step or whatever can be done.
-18hp goes to -4hp after LOH
You crush another goblin as you slowly fall back. The larger gray-skinned barks another order to someone behind him in the forest and a bow twangs as arrows fly at you. The leader goblin looks like he is preparing to fight.
The grey goblin flicks a pair of daggers at you as his visible minion count drops to 6 and arrows continue to fly in.
-33hp, -21hp after LOH
The five remaining goblin warriors swarm about you as the grey-skinned one pulls two kukris out and prepares to wade into melee with you. Arrows continue to fire relentlessly.
-29hp, -13 after LOH
Activate smite evil vs big guy so +4AC vs him.
The smaller goblins let out yelps of glee as they see you finally miss them-Ghunchik going to dos for yous now metal man!
The five smaller goblins fall back and the arrows stop firing as (Ghunchik?) the grey-skinned goblin moves forward, kukris flashing-You should not have come into the forest pretty boy!
-29 hp
Six 20's in six rounds for the goblin horde.
The grey-skinned goblin grunts in discomfort and you hear a few ribs break. The air wheezes from his lungs as he slashes out at you wildly.
You feel a satisfying crunch as your massive hammer blasts into the grey-skinned goblin's leg, shattering it, with blood fountaining out from the protruding bones. His eyes looked stunned for a few moments before they glaze over and he dies.
Once again the remaining goblins flee in terror after seeing their leader die. There is no retort from the hidden bowman and the forest is quiet except for the yipping cries of routed goblins.
That was close
Drink a potion.
Then search the dead goblins.
-19hp
The regular goblins had nothing of value, but the grey-skinned one had treasure worth 250GP, 2 MW kukris, and a chain shirt. The forest remains quiet as you conduct your search.
Take the loot and head back to town to rest and recover.