The group gathers together and grabs their horses. The growing party sneaks behind the buildings and stays to the shadows. Chaos continues to reign in the streets. It doesn't take long to get the Oreld's Fine Shop.
Oreld’s Fine Shop—labeled with a small shingle hanging out front—is one of the few buildings in town made entirely of stone. Mortared white blocks form the walls of this odd shaped cottage. Scorch marks that shift in color from black to dark blue to glimmering violet mar one wall. The door to the shop stands open and bloody footprints lead inside.
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There's now nearly twenty of us, plus horses and crates piled high on a floating disk; it's time and stealth that are our enemies thinks Arun as he looks around the group from alongside Caleb, his jet-black horse. We few appear to be earning the respect and trust of the townfolk - I dread that lead them into their doom.
Seeing the blast-marks of the side of the shop, Arun tries to evaluate what might have caused such polychromatic discolouration
Seeking out the eyes of the other leaders of the group, Arun points at the open doorway of the store, "I say we leave Kinning and Jet to guard the wounded cleric and the others, while we few deal with whatever's inside: quick in, grab what we can, quick out. What do you say?"
’that’s a fine looking shield, odd symbol, I wonder why she looks embarrassed. Nodding his head, ” It makes sense tae protect what’s most valuable.” nodding toward the front door, ” Shaa we join th' others an' heed tae oreld’s shop?” He then hoists his pack and heads to the door.
’that’s a nasty scorch mark, a cruel thing to do to stone, but wood would have burned, why would anyone build with wood when this quality of rock is available.’ Looking at the odd building and the damage, then the bloody footprints, Brunner nods in agreement with Arun, ” Quick in an' it, that’s smart. diz anyain recognize th' fit prints?”
common Shall we join the others and head to Oreld’s shop.
common Quick in and out, that’s smart. Does anyone recognize the foot prints?
Goblins in the building?' hearing there are goblins in the building, Brunner hustles around to the front, pulling his dorn dergar out as he moves.
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Arun holds up a hand behind him to indicate two enemies, and points into the shop where the noise of looting is coming from.
He then raises his hand and contracts it into a clawlike grip, before pointing at the nearest of the hobs. .
If he feels that the enchantment has worked, he calls out with an imperious tone,
If Arun feels his spell has been resisted, he will tell the others, and either leg it back round the corner, or hide behind the others if they advance. Either way, he seeks some meat shield between him and hob swords...
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Unable to see a target, Jean-Pierre calmly delays.
Bahram moves to the edge of the building, bow drawn.
The hobgoblin drops his weapon and starts walking out of the shop. The other begins following him.
The charmed hobgoblin awakes from his stupor as Bahram's arrow hits him in the side as soon as he steps out, but is now unarmed. The second hobgoblin calls out in goblin:
Fergal moves up behind JP, Rusco at his side. "Sounds like trouble, s'truth." He brandishes his staff, his expression grim.
Jean-Pierre steps forward , and fires a brace of arrows into the first goblinoid.
Khaz double moves up next to Brunner. JP's second arrow finds its mark and he drops the hobgoblin that was already injured.
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Bahram, though Shirin is left with the non combatants, uses tactics the two learned together. Loosing arrows on the move.
’One hobgoblin down, one to go.’ Brunner steps forward, lengthening the chain on his dorn dergar, swinging it over his head. ” By Torag, ye wulnae see th' end ay thes day.” He releases it at the hobgoblin.
common By Torag, you will not see the end of this day.
JP delays his move until he sees another threat. Bahram moves and looses an arrow, but it sails past the hobgoblin. Brunner steps up and crushes the enemy with his reach weapon. The hobgob lies motionless. Arun moves to get a better view of the inside of the shop. Sounds of metal clashing and cries of pain continue to fill the night air. The inside of the shop falls silent.
Fergal hustles over to Brunner, Rusco at his heels. "Alright, mate?" he says, looking and listening for more trouble.
Khaz moves into the doorway, his hammer at the ready.
Khaz looks into the room and sees a hobgoblin holding a bomb in on hand and a chain leash in the other. On the other end of the leash is a man with a spiked metal collar around his neck. The human male is gagged a torn piece of cloth.
The hobgob throws the bomb at Khaz.
"This is my house and my slave. Leave or die!"
’A hobgoblin with a prisoner, this ends now.’ Brunner moves into the home, stepping to the left, moving near enough to strike at the hobgoblin with the dorn dergar. ” Ye ur huir uv a croose, tae lat at thes puir toon an' nae expect retribution.”
Bahram, seeing the bomb catch Khaz and hearing shouts from within, bustles forward and ducks into the building proper. Lifting his bow he looses a hasty shot at the slave taker
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Content to shelter at the doorway from explosions while the frontline fighters resolve the issue, Arun hot-foots over to the far side and stands with his back against the wall waiting for the chance to enter the shop.
"What in the nine Hells was that!" he yelps.
In the hope of being remotely helpful, he reaches out and imbues the smoking, slightly scorched dwarf with magical protection. .
Brunner steps into the room and swings wildly at the Hobgoblin. He loses his balance a bit and swings wide of his target. Bahram moves in and unleashes an arrow. It finds its mark, but does minimal damage. The Hobgoblin laughs at the human. Arun assists Khaz.
Jean-Pierre moves into the building , and takes a shot.
Combat With Power Attack, Rage and bloodline
Filled with pain and rage, Khaz gave in and ran straight at the hobgoblin, screaming a wordless battlecry as his hammer burst into flames.
Fergal enters behind his companions, head on a swivel looking for any more surprises. "Everyone alright, then? That was not expected, sure enough."
'Now that is how a drarven hammer should be used,' Brunner smiles a grim smile when he sees Khaz finish the hobgoblin. He stops swirling the dorm dergar, and walks up to Khaz, resting his hand on his fellow dwarves shoulder. speaking in Dwarven. "Uill bhuail, Khaz. Torag thu a 'riochdachadh gu math an-diugh."
Turning to the man he tells him "We will hae ye free in a jiffy." He then quickly searches the Hobgoblin for a key to release the human.
common"We will have you free in a jiffy.
The smiles leaves the hobgob's face as Khaz's hammer does its best. He drops dead to the floor. Brunner finds a key to the shackle on Oreld's neck. He takes the gag out of his mouth and frees him.
Oreld is frantic as Brunner sets him free from his shackles. "Thank you very much, Brunner. I thought I was a goner!" He turns to the others. "I am Vane Oreld. I cannot thank you all enough." He stands to his feet and dusts himself off. He is bruised up quite a bit. He has a large gash in his hip.
Oreld speaks up. "In the next room, there is a cellar door under the rug. I had the others go down there for safety!"
Bahram bustles past at this news heading straight for the trapdoor and tries to pull it open.
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Yoink!In a flash, the most useful items from the store were added to the heap on the floating disk, with a few additional items added instead to the saddlebags outside.
Whilst busying himself with loading up on provisions, Arun called over his shoulders to the others, "C'mon, we said quick in, quick out. We better get moving here. My call would be to vendezvous with the rangers we left to recon the bridge. Oh !" here he snaps his fingers, "I nearly forgot! Oreld, do you by any chance have any catalyst we could use to blow the bridge out of town? We must protect the retreat of the townsfolk into the forest !
Winded after channelling the divine anger of his god, Khaz slapped Brunner good naturedly on the shoulder. While he said nothing he hadn't forgotten how his ring had flared to life. He kept glancing at it expectantly, hoping that it would point him towards the completion of his oath. But, as he had seen no such further sign, he took it to mean that Torag wanted him to oppose the hobgoblins.
'I am glad Oreld is ok, we need to get that cut looked at.' Brunner gives Khaz a knowing smile but doesn't say any more. 'I'd say more to Khaz but I don;t want any of our human friends to be jealous of the comradery between two true followers of Torag.'
He then returns to Oreld, "Hauld still an' lit me tak' a swatch at 'at leg." Tearing part of Oreld's shirt off of the tail, he wraps it around the leg and tells him, "Ye will be braw, jist keep it clean an' wrapped."
Turning he looks to see who Oreld had hidden in the basement, he then asks. "Is thaur anythin' else we shoods brin'? waur gonnae blaw th' brig."
common"You will be fine, just keep it clean and wrapped."
common"Is there anything else we should bring? Were going to blow the bridge."
Bahram runs to the back room and throws the rug back. As he grabs and pulls the trap door, Oreld yells out "WAIT!!!" It is too late. Acid sprays in a 10' line from the door to the common room. Bahram is the only one in danger.
He sees the acid just in time and dodges out of the way. "Oh my...in the confusion, I forgot about the trap I set. I am glad it didn't injure anyone."[b] Oreld thanks Brunnner for healing.
He turns to Arun [b]"Oh yes...of course. I have some stump remover over there."
Brunner and Bahram see three humans in the cellar. "Oh...thank the gods. We thought we were dead!"
The group finds quite a bit of vegetables.
'Bad business this, we need to get out of town.' As the group comes in to help gather the supplies, Brunner, nods to Oreld, Then asks. "It looks loch they wanted ye as a prisoner, did they say anythin' specific as tae wa?"
Fergal and Rusco step outside to wait for the rest of the group. There's been no dull moments since I met these folks, s'truth... I wonder where this'll take us. Hopefully... we'll get the chance to do more good along the way. World's got enough bad already...
Fergal reaches down to pet Rusco and play with him while they wait, slipping him little bits of dried meat from his pouch.
"Jin ursin!"
Bahram stares down at the acid splash as it fizzes, imagining what it would have done to his flesh.
"Come on, we need to go"
Bahram is last out of the place, making sure everyone is out. Reuniting with Shirin he makes the provisions that are his to carry secure and then makes ready to move off.
Khaz says nothing. Rather, he starts moving, leading the way towards the bridge.
The group moves on to the shrine.
A wooden deck surrounds the front of an octagonal structure with broad archways leading into a place of worship. To its left stands a moss-encrusted stone monument. Carved birds, branches, and fruits decorate the wooden supports of the temple’s entryway. A dead villager is curled up on the wooden deck before the temple.
The group enters the shrine. A hobgoblin is in mid swing, destroying a wooden image of Desna. When he sees the adventurers, he flees through the back door. A body lays in front of the altar.
Khaz takes off after the hobgoblin, confident that he can catch up with it. "After it lads. If it escapes it'll warn the rest!"
this may come in handy, better than rope at least. Brunner gathers up the shackle and places it in his pack. Nodding his head in agreement with Bahram, helping Oreld along he follows the others out of the building. "Ye ur reit sairrr knecht, we shoods be oan uir way tae th' shrine."
'Killing the innocent, these hobgoblins are earning themselves a reckoning.' Brunner stops on the wooden deck about to check the dead villager. Hearing the noise from inside as Khaz calls out, Brunner enters the shrine, seeing the body in front of the altar he quickly moves beside it. "Tha eile fhulang, Torag mo chuideachadh a shàbhaladh dhaibh."
dwarven:"There is another victim, Torag help me save them."
Bahram turns on his heel and exits the way they had come in as Khaz moves out of the back door, letting out a shrill whistle as he does so. Shirin crosses his path at speed as he meets the track.
Grabbing the reins, Bahram swings himself up only the saddle and the two make off after the Hobgoblin. Calling The creature out Bahram looses an arrow.