Valamont capitalizes on the momentum from dropping the hobgoblin, dashes forward past the pair of goblins, rolls up onto the forge and brings his axe crashing into one of the remaining hobgoblins.
HP: 15/15
AC: 15 (11 T / 14 FF) (+2 vs AoOs from moving)
CMD: 14
F/R/W: +4/+2/+3 (+1 vs mind effecting, +2 vs enchantment)
Arcane Pool Used: 1/3
Prepared Cantrips (4): dancing lights, daze, flare, ghost sound
Prepared 1st Level Spells (2+1): chill touch [X], shield [ ], shield [ ]
-Ongoing Effects-
Arcane Strike +0/+1
Spell Dance (+10 movement speed, +2 AC vs AoOs): 5/10
Bless +1/+0, +1 vs fear: 5/10
Luc cheers Valamont, glad that his shot is able to turn the tide of battle.
With Diurn's final blast of energy channeling, Adolphus is restored to vigor, the heavy gashes on his neck and face seem to be magically stitched up a little more.
He yells at the hobgoblin that had knocked him unconscious, then just rolls out of the way so the halfelves can go in on the remaining enemies.
Darthal swings again at the nearest goblin, and wonders who these newcomers are. Nobody else ought to be in the Malachite Fortress, there's only the one entrance from the top.
Pick to face: for damage.
Heartened, he yells again: "Rescue is here! Rise, and fall upon your tormentors!"
Goblins: AC 15, T 13, FF 13
Hobgoblins: AC 16, T 12, FF 15Goblin #1 is badly injured.
Diurn’s healing energies soothe your wounds once again, and finally bring Adolphus back from unconsciousness.
Luc takes careful aim at the hobgoblin that attacked him and shoots the creature right between the eyes. It falls to the ground dead immediately.
Valamont gracefully moves around the goblins, easily dodging their attacks, and relieves hobgoblin #3 of its left arm. The creature screams in pain and falls.
Darthal continues his attack on the goblin standing on the anvil, and hits again, the pick driving into the goblin’s other knee. It looks badly injured, but still stands.
Maple shuffles forward and attempts to attack the sole remaining hobgoblin, but the longsword is clearly too heavy for her, and she misses horribly, banging the sword against Fellian’s sword as the half-elf attacks the hobgoblin, causing both to badly miss. The hobgoblin laughs evilly at the display, but his laughter turns to a gurgle of blood as Fario puts his longsword through the creature’s throat. The half-elf then climbs up on the altar twirling his shortsword in his other hand. He nods to Darthal and says, ”No need for these poor slaves to fight. Your party and the two of us have this well in hand.”
The goblins look unsure of themselves and wildly look around the room, but seeing no good avenue for escape, swing wildly at Darthal. The goblin atop the anvil gets small some measure of revenge for the two picks to the knee the dwarf inflicted, though the attack his little force behind it. The other goblin misses badly.
Goblin #1: 1/11 hp
Goblin #2: Dead
Goblin #3: 10/10 hp
Hobgoblin #1: Dead
Hobgoblin #2: Dead
Hobgoblin #3: Dead
Hobgoblin #4: Dead
Sondor Ironfold: 0/1 hp
Jeneer Everdawn: 3/3 hp
Maple: 9/9 hp
Valamont whirls the axe around his body in a flourish before chopping into the side of one of the remaining goblins. As he does so, he offhandedly replies to an unheard question, "No, I don't know who these two are, but they're helping, so stop complaining!"
HP: 15/15
AC: 15 (11 T / 14 FF) (+2 vs AoOs from moving)
CMD: 14
F/R/W: +4/+2/+3 (+1 vs mind effecting, +2 vs enchantment)
Arcane Pool Used: 1/3
Prepared Cantrips (4): dancing lights, daze, flare, ghost sound
Prepared 1st Level Spells (2+1): chill touch [X], shield [ ], shield [ ]
-Ongoing Effects-
Arcane Strike +0/+1
Spell Dance (+10 movement speed, +2 AC vs AoOs): 6/10
Bless +1/+0, +1 vs fear: 6/10
Darthal switches targets, taking a 5' step to I10 over the fallen body of one of the hobgoblins and swinging again, hoping to catch the goblin by surprise..
Pick to spine: for
Given the uncertain footing, he probably misses.
Valamont's greataxe chops deep into the goblin's side, dropping the creature instantly.
Darthal's attack just barely misses the agile goblin.
Round 6:
Not wanting to waste any more bullets on goblins (they are expensive!), Luc moves to H10, drawing his short sword in the process and stabs at goblin #3, who is flanked by Valamont.
Diurn charges the closest opponent.
Luc moves in and with a swift motion, beheads the remaining goblin.
The two half-elves relax and sheathe their weapons, introducing themselves as Fellian Shard (the one who climbed on the anvil first) and Fario Ellegoth.
Fario says, "You must be wondering where we came from and what we're doing here. To be honest, we've been following you the past few days. You see, we're friends with Elethor Ashstaff, who was kidnapped several weeks ago."
Fellian picks up the story. "We immediately began investigating, and turned up that quite a few people have been kindapped in the last three months, and nobody seems to care. Unfortunately, we couldn't find any leads. When we heard about the missing children at the Lantern Street Orphanage, we went there and asked around, but the halfling mistress...what was here name?"
"Gretchyn Tashyyk," Fario supplies.
Fellian lets out a cackling laugh. "Yes, that's right. Suspicious old lady, not that I blame her. Anyway, we weren't able to find out much there either. Then we heard about your group, and thought you might find something we missed. Sure enough, you did!"
Fario puts his hands out wide, a smile on his face. "We weren't sure if you'd be amenable to our assistance, so we followed you. But when we saw you, big fellow," he points to Adolphus, "nearly die, we couldn't just sit back and watch. And so here we are."
Fellian laughs again, the cackle louder, but seeming good-natured. "Here we are."
Adolphus manages to get to his knees and stand up, albeit wearily.
"I assure you, it was as surprising for me as it was for you. I left myself a little too open there at the end."
Darthal looks keenly at the newcomers, trying to figure out if they're telling the truth, or if this is, once again, a cunning elven plan to have the dwarves be the fall guys, somehow. It's only happened 235 times in the last three millennia, after all.
Sense Motive:
Valamont cleans the blood and mess from his new axe then nods approvingly at it, "Brutally efficient, but the weight's all different. It'll still take some getting used to." He stows the axe then extends a hand in greeting to Fario and then Fellian. "Thanks for the help. I'm Valamont." He turns to hop down and tend to the captives but stalls for a moment to chastize his sword.
"No, I'm not going to introduce you. -Noooo, I don't care if you think he's roguishly handsome. -What? Uugh, no!"
Shaking his head in amazement, he approaches Maple and smiles warmly, gently taking the over-sized sword from her hands. "Thanks for your help, too. You wouldn't happen to be one of the missing Cauldronites, would you?"
Luc smiles at the elves. "Thank you for your assistance, Luc Dantes at your service." He extends his hand, should the elves shake it. "Pretty sneaky of you to be following us all this time without us knowing, but it was all in good cause, so no harm, no foul. Now what? You going to continue traveling with us?"
"Perhaps you could aid us by escorting these refugees back up to the surface. I would give them a little gold to help them get back on their feet, and to at least feed themselves after being thus harshly treated, but I fear we do not have much in a spendable form."
Adolphus aids any of the other fallen or injured, if he is able.
The fair cleric approaches the newcomers.
"Diurn, cleric of Arshea. What dieties do you patronize?"
Darthal moves over to the rescued prisoners and examines them. "Who are you? How are you doing? Do you need food or water?" He is particularly interested in the female dwarf. "What clan are you from?" He provides food and water from his rations and waterskin, if any are in immediate need.
While talking with them, he also carefully sizes them up to see if any are sufferers from nightmares, as he is, or if any of them are behaving oddly or as if they had been mentally influenced.
Sense Motive: for any hunches
Darthal Sense Motive (Fario & Fellian):
Fellian & Fario Bluff:
Darthal Sense Motive (hunches):
Fario claps Adolphus on the back and helps the knight stand. "It happens to the best of us."
Nodding to Luc, Fellian says, "If you would have us with you, we'd be delighted to help. This place seems full of nasty critters. Did you see that room full of filth back there? I can't imagine what lived there. Part of it was a chair made of dried feces and blood!"
Maple smiles bitterly at Valamont's compliment, and lets go of the sword reluctantly. "Name's Maple. Was kidnapped by some sneaky weird creatures couple weeks ago, put to work in here all day every day." She points to the female dwarf and male halfling in order and continues, "Sondor Ironfeld and Jeneer Everdawn. Sondor's husband sold into slavery a month 'go. She ain't been right since. Jeneer...he never said a word."
In response to Diurn's question, Fellian looks over. "We have the honor to be followers of Ketephys."
Sondor looks blankly at Darthal and says nothing. She takes the food and eats it mechanically.
Something odd about those two Darthal thnks, but says nothing. I will keep an eye on them.. Then the halfling's words penetrate.
"Sold? To whom? How...?". He splutters to a stop, starts again. "What else can you tell us, 'Maple? Who is down here besides these goblin-folk? How many other slaves are down here? Anything you can remember may be helpful."
"Don't know who bought him. Hobgoblins," she spits on one of the corpses, "sometimes take some of us to 'auction.' Never seen 'em again. Han't seen ever'body down here, but guess there's ten or so. Some kids came down few days 'go, but kept them in different cell."
Maple pauses and thinks, spitting on a different hobgoblin corpse. "Only really see the hobgoblins. Might be others down here. Certainly weren't the hobbies kidnapped me. Weird critters, skulking around, gray skin and nasty look about them."
Darthal rapidly reviews the list of missing participants. Far too many of them. At least some of their fates are now known. But who is buying slaves, and where are they taking them? Surely not to the surface somewhere, or the locals would have known...
Which leaves the deep caverns, and the things that dwell there, far below the delvings of the Dwarves. Nameless, foul, abominable, they gnaw and twist in the darkness that is not darkness to them.
Still -- "Are there any children here?" Darthal asks Maple. "Have you seen any recent captives? Anyone besides the hobgoblins and the gray folk? Have you seen any other slavers, heard them speak of more of their kind, or other types? Please, lady, anything you can remember will be vital!" How vast are these caverns, how many are behind the operation?
"Told you, some kids came down few days 'go, but kept them in different cell. Don't know what happen to them. All I seen was hobgoblins and the little goblins. Hobbies treated 'em almost bad as us slaves. Best I can reckon, there's ten of us from Cauldron down here." Maple pauses and thinks for a moment, then says, "Hobbies didn't say much, but did catch one name. Kazmojen, something like that."
Diurn nods approvingly at Darthal's line of questioning.
"Let's stay on the trail of the kids. Where is the quickest way to the kids? Can you draw us a map?"
"Door to the south a dining hall. West door from there big hall, fancy pillars and windows open into darkness. Hobbies said we'd all end up there some point. West door exits fortress to bridge to a walkway and door to west leads into 'nother building in the rock. Through that door where they kept us."
"Think I've seen only a bit of this place, though."
Valamont nods appreciatively at Maple, then turns to the rest of the group. "It sounds like the children are nearby, but I'd hate to leave these three here should more hobogoblins come to check up on things." He taps his finger in thought, then looks down at his sword. "Yes, that's quite a fine idea." He looks up to Fellian and Fario, "You pair wouldn't be willing to escort these fine folk back up to Cauldron would you? Presuming you want to return to Cauldron?" His last question is directed back to Maple and the other two newly freed prisoners.
"I need a bit of a breather, myself. Unless we have more healing magic? I could assist them in the escort."
"Perhaps nobody heard the noise we made," Darthal says, "but I grow increasingly wary of these seemingly careless foes. We should not split up down here among our enemies. Let us all quickly shepherd these folk to the stairway up, and then return to try and rescue others. I suggest we try first the last door Maple refers to, where they kept the other slaves. There is at least some chance that if any noise is heard from there the others will assume it is merely the disciplining of slaves, and not an aarmed invasion."
"So what are we doing?", says Luc, as he cleans his gun.
Diurn grabs his holy symbol and casts a healing spell.
Diurn says:
"Let us go. Lead with your best dwarf, so that is Darthal. Onward. Adolphus, I'll work more channeling into you, but the healing is more efficient if you let me stay ahead of you. Sometimes I can people from hitting me."
Adolphus nods in gratitude to Diurn. "A good plan. Lead on, Darthal. You seem to have a better knack to navigating this confusing place anyway."
"Since you two seem to be able to move very quietly around here," Darthal says blandly to Fario and Fellian, "could you please take the lead and scout out the way?" We didn't notice them at all before they showed up. And I don't trust them. Not very much, at least.
The party escorts Maple, Sondor, and Jeneer back to the surface. Keygan is surprised to see you return with two halflings and a dwarf, considering you went looking for children. Sondor and Jeneer say nothing as Maple leads them out to the city, but the female halfling issues you her profound thanks.
Back in the Malachite Fortress, Fario and Fellian readily agree to scout ahead for the party. Following Darthal's suggestion, they turn their attention to the south door. The party arranges itself in battle formation a few paces back while the two half-elves listen at the door. After a moment, the half-elves signal the all-clear and open the door, revealing what is clearly a dining room. Four tables with accompanying benches scatter the room, their tops littered with empty tankards, smashed pottery, and moldering scraps of food. Two pairs of doors in the north and south walls exit the room, as well as one door to the west.
Since Maple described coming from the west wall, Fario gestures to Darthal asking if he should listen at the door.
Darthal nods to Fario, then examines the table. Does it look like just bad table manners, or are the scraps older (e.g., hobgoblins took the place a while back but just haven't cleaned up since, versus "they were messy for morning breakfast").
Also, what sort of food? Is this where the slaves eat, or where the hobgoblins do? Or has someone else been dining here?
"It is suspicious. Where are they?"
As Fario listens at the door, Darthal looks over the tables. The bits of moldering food looks like the fairly recent remnants of sloppy eaters. It seems to be the place the hobgoblins use to eat.
Fario signals for your attention, and he points to the door. Using hand gestures, he indicates that he hears speaking coming from the next room.
Valamont nods in understanding then whispers loud enough for everyone to hear, "So do we deal with the voices beyond that door first or should we check behind these doors first? It'd be pretty bad to get pinched between two hostile groups."
"Listen quickly," Darthal whispers, "but let the rest of us gather quietly at this door."
Adolphus moves up towards the door, lifting his blade in preparation for combat.
Diurn cuts Adolphus off and smiles.
"I can take a hit too. Let me on the front line for a while."
VP:
Fario Will save:
Fellian Will save:
Valamont moves to each of the side doors quietly, listening at each, and hears nothing. The party arranges itself around the western door and Diurn opens it, revealing a grand chamber. Four malachite pillars support the twenty-foot-high ceiling. Hanging from an iron brace mounted near the top of each pillar is an iron cage containing a giant beetle that sheds an infernal orange light. The southern half of the chamber rises five feet, and a wide white staircase leads up to the raised floor. Just past the top of the stairs, an eight-foot-tall iron post erupts from the floor. Iron shackles hang from the top of the post, attached to three children – two girls and one boy. Five narrow windows carved into the south wall stand open to the darkness beyond. Standing around the room are four hobgoblins.
A 5-foot-tall muscular figure clad in black plate armor stands on the staircase. In one gauntlet, he clutches a wicked looking dwarven urgosh. In the other, he grasps a chain ending in an iron ring clamped around a human boy’s neck. Behind the short figure crouches a vile predator with a hide as thick and tough as leather. Wicked ebony quills run from its head, tail, and back. The creature emits a low howl that grates on your ears and mind.
The armor-clad figure seems to be conversing with a creature that looks like an ash-skinned dwarf with sharply pointed ears and yellow eyes wearing robes encrusted with mold and holding an open bone box filled with coins.
When the door opens, the armor-clad creature seems to stop in mid-conversation and looks your way, an expression of extreme annoyance on his face. ”So, you must be the ones who slew Xukasus and left his body for us to clean up. Not a good way to make a first impression. Why have you come here and interrupted my negotiations? Speak quickly, and speak well. You’ve already caused me enough trouble, and I need little incentive to kill the lot of you.”
Valamont whispers to the others, "Looks like a howler and a durzagon are there too. Maybe the durzagon is the 'half-a-dwarf' the Star of Justice mentioned? Be ready!" Valamont acts on his own advice and quietly intones a defensive spell (shield).
HP: 15/15
AC: 19 (11 T / 18 FF) (includes shield)
CMD: 14
F/R/W: +4/+2/+3 (+1 vs mind effecting, +2 vs enchantment)
Arcane Pool Used: 1/3
Prepared Cantrips (4): dancing lights, daze, flare, ghost sound
Prepared 1st Level Spells (2+1): chill touch [X], shield [X], shield [ ]
-Ongoing Effects-
shield rounds: 1/20
Darthal growls a curse under his breath, and casts guidance on Sir Adolphus. "May the One Rock lend weight to your will and weapon!". He stares hard at the dwarf-like creature, trying to figure out if he's ever heard any tales of this sort of thing before in all the accounts of dwarven legends.
"Stop these abominations. By Arshea, the prisoners must be free."
Diurn's symbol of broken shackles on his shield, he advances with his flail looking of some baddies to hit.
"Durzagons have poisonous beards," Darthal growls. "Don't let him get close enough to rub it on your chests.". He dredges through his memories for the formal challenge appropriate to such beings. (Yes, there is such a challenge -- being dwarf-born, they have the rights of their blood, unlike goblins or the mindless gibbering abominations of the deeps.). "Misbegotten slaver, six-fathered son of slave or slut, greetings and defiance! Tell me your name, that it may be carved upon your wooden coffin.". He brandishes his pick.