"I'm starting to reconsider the idea of killing her. She seems to be even more abhorrent than most goblins are. Wanting to help kill your own chief! How wicked!"
"Don't worry. It seems most of the local goblins are dead. We found a wash-up old half-corpse of one who seems to want to show us where we can kill more. She's most unpleasant."
And Corinna's by the gate. Navior didn't move Aago in the map since we were out of combat.
"How about it Gilfroy? Gnomes don't have a lot of love for these little fiends anyway, right?"
The goblin is on her feet and wary now, after Walthus' little rope adventure, her eyes darting back and forth uncomprehendingly as the people who broke into her home decide her fate.
Rajah steps forward with a hand up, "Hold a moment, Walthus. I do not see any reason to tie her up or kill her. What has this creature done to deserve such a fate? Because she is a goblin, and because she is here, we are going to tie her up or possibly kill her? Who are we to decide her fate when all she has done is talk to us? I do not recall her brandishing a weapon and using it against us. Do any of you? I am also curious as to when this group decided to claim themselves judge, jury, and executioner?" He looks around at them all, awaiting an answer.
Walthus starts to raise a hand in protest, but then lowers it, looking somewhat chastised. "A fair point," he says. "The goblins have shown little mercy to their victims, but we'll be just as bad as they if we don't show mercy to them. Besides, it's highly unlikely this one took part in any of the raids, although there's no telling what she did in her youth."
"Besides, do you really think me telling here that we're only tying her up is really going to mollify her in any way? Put the rope away."
To Old Foofeleh, he says, "Sorry about that. My friends are worried that, while we're dealing with the rest of the goblins in your village, that you'll come up behind us and start slitting throats, so they we just going to tie you up. They've agreed now that that's not a nice plan, and that things will be better if we just all start trusting each other."
When Gilfroy has repeated his message in a louder voice, Old Foofelah draws herself up in a dignified manner and turns her beady eyes evilly on the others. "Old Foofelah has no slicer! Old Foofelah cannot slit throats! Old Foofelah cannot even reach throats ... except for two short Longshanks," she amends.
As Gilfroy translates, Rajah can't help but smile at the last bit from the little old gnome. "Well, unless there is anything else we can possibly learn from her, I suggest we gather the others and continue on. Darkness waits for no one. You who are hurt, gather around and I can mend a bit of your wounds. I'll check with the others to see if they are in need of healing as well."
"Goblins don't get that old and decrepit by being warriors. I bet she's a shaman or witch woman. Allowing her freedom of movement is a bad idea.
"I suppose we could bring her with us," Walthus suggests.
"So she can scream a warning to whatever is waiting for us? Next idea please."
"I agree with Malan," Melon pipes up, "goblins don't live long by being nice. And from what Gilfroy explained she's some sort of adviser to the goblins."
"Goblins don't get that old and decrepit by being warriors. I bet she's a shaman or witch woman. Allowing her freedom of movement is a bad idea.
"No, no they don't. Maybe she has survived this long because she has avoided such warrior ways. Until she has proved a threat to us, we leave her be. We are wasting time on a goblin who has no intention of fighting us. Again, why are we standing around, wondering what we are going to do with her?" He then turns to Melon. "It doesn't matter whether she is nice, or, and advisor of some sort or not. We let her be. Now if we make it to the next wave of goblins and she is there aiding them, well then we'll do what needs to be done. Until then, she is to be left alone."
"She's clearly not stupid and suicidal; otherwise she would've attacked us already. Not attacking us is just a survival strategy." Melon sighs, "But okay. I don't see why she should be stupid enough to aid us against the next wave of goblins - she will have figured out that these goblins aren't a match for us. Maybe they have a champion, or that chieftain. Though she apparently doesn't like him. Oooo - maybe that's a bluff. Somebody ask her about the chief again."
"She's clearly not stupid and suicidal; otherwise she would've attacked us already. Not attacking us is just a survival strategy." Melon sighs, "But okay. I don't see why she should be stupid enough to aid us against the next wave of goblins - she will have figured out that these goblins aren't a match for us. Maybe they have a champion, or that chieftain. Though she apparently doesn't like him. Oooo - maybe that's a bluff. Somebody ask her about the chief again."
1d20 + 6
Gilfroy shrugs. "So, old woman, tell us about your great and mighty new chief again. How powerful is he? How capable a fighter? And Fat Slorb? Sounds imposing and terrifying."
"Fat Slorb not terrifying," she replies with disgust. "New Chief only keeps Fat Slorb around to talk to goblins so they don't fall over under New Chief's words. Unless you mans can be talked to death, mans have nothing to fear from Fat Slorb. New Chief...." She hesitates. "New Chief says he has mighty bow, can shoot mans dead from a mile away." She clicks her tongue. "Old Foofelah has never seen this, and Old Foofelah was there when New Chief was borned! Old Foofelah said to leave New Chief in swamp and try again, but no one listens to Old Foofelah. Sad day for Licktoad tribe. Old Chief rode wild pig with tusks and skewered Longshanks on his spear. Got six mans on his spear before stopping to pull them off. Old Foofelah seen it!" She chuckles in appreciation of the image.
"So killing and hurting people and having everybody listen to your opinions is pretty much all there is to you, isn't it?" Gilfroy asks, wrinkling his nose like he smells something bad (which he does).
The goblin tugs at her ear, scowling. "Old Foofelah cannot hear when short Longshanks mumbles," she complains.
"Well, that's taught us virtually nothing useful," Walthus says. He sighs. "As your guide, I suggest we move on to this Moot House and find the chief. If we're not going to tie this old one up or kill her, then we should leaver her here in this hut. Perhaps there's a way we can lock or bar the doors so she can't run off and find reinforcements--not that I think there are many reinforcements for her to find."
"Uh huh! Sure you can't," Gilfroy scoffs, knowing perfectly well he said that loud enough. "Then hear this...we're moving on to find your chief and this map. If you try to stop us, or warn the others, we won't kill you in battle, but we will take you with us, tied up, to find the treasure, and leave you there for the skeletons to find."
Bluff not necessary since he means what he says.
Intimidate: (no size modifiers)
Noting that the conclave in the doorway seems to be coming to some conclusion, Corinna perks up a little. "Oh, good. Are we ready to move on now?" She glances aside at Aago. "Shouldn't we burn this whole place down when we leave? If there are any more of them hiding out there in the swamp, they'll just come back and start over, won't they?"
Melon regroups with Corinna and Aago just in time to catch Corinna's suggestion, "Well, if we do that, we should also kill the old goblin. If we leave any alive, but burn this place down, the survivors will just go infest a new home."
Corinna shrugs. "That would be fine by me, as long as it's farther from my home. One can never really wipe out goblins, can one? The 'Heroes of Sandpoint' I've heard so much about certainly never managed it, and neither has Shalelu in all her years. If it's not these goblins, it will be other ones." She glances back at the pile of dead dogs. "I don't care where they rebuild as long as it's further from town."
"I like the idea of burning everything down. Even if we kill the rest of the goblins, something else might come along to roost here. We might as well make it a little more difficult for them and not right on the Old Fish Trail."
Aago shrugs. "But we can do it after we take care of the goblin chief, if you want."
"I am with Walthus. Since we are not to kill this one, let us leave her and continue on."
Leaving the old goblin behind in the hut, you move off in search of this Moot House that she told you of. You pass through few huts as you search south and east. Each one is empty of any goblins and what furniture they contain is mostly scraps, things the goblins have either stolen or found and have tried to convert from one purpose to another (for example, in one hut, an old wagon wheel has been covered with a ratty blanket to serve as a really poor table).
It doesn't take long, however, to locate what must be the Moot House. It is the largest building in the village (which really doesn't say much) and by the looks of it, probably the only one to contain multiple rooms. Other than that, it's not in much better shape than any of the other buildings.
Leaving the old goblin behind in the hut, you move off in search of this Moot House that she told you of. You pass through few huts as you search south and east. Each one is empty of any goblins and what furniture they contain is mostly scraps, things the goblins have either stolen or found and have tried to convert from one purpose to another (for example, in one hut, an old wagon wheel has been covered with a ratty blanket to serve as a really poor table).
It doesn't take long, however, to locate what must be the Moot House. It is the largest building in the village (which really doesn't say much) and by the looks of it, probably the only one to contain multiple rooms. Other than that, it's not in much better shape than any of the other buildings.
"So...," Corinna breathes nervously, "you lot will go in and fight them, and I'll stay out here and make sure nothing gets past you?" She makes sure the bolt is set into her crossbow properly.
"Sounds like a plan," Aago whispers back. "Call out if you see anyone out here."
He looks ahead to Walthus and Malan. "So are we going in, or waiting for an invitation?"
"Believe me," she replies earnestly, "if I see anything out here, you'll hear me."
"Do you think you'll be safe waiting outside by yourself?" Melon inquires quietly. "Well... I say by yourself - you've got that vile goblin granny for company."
"Do not worry, Melon. I will be out here with her."
Corinna looks anxiously over her shoulder when Melon mentions the ancient goblin, then offers the Blue Rajah a grateful smile when he speaks up. "I'd just be in the way in there: probably take an arrow meant for a goblin or end up a hostage. The first thing they teach you the first day of wizard school is not to get in the middle of a brawl," she jokes nervously.
Malan thinks back on having been felled once today and wishes he'd memorized Shield. He opens the door and sees?
...FIRE!
As soon as Malan opens the door, a small goblin wearing ladies bloomers breathes a gout of flame in his face.
Touch attack:
Fire:
As the flames clear from Malan's face, he sees a four goblins in the room beyond. One of the four stands upon a 10-ft tall chair with a ladder on its side. He wears a crown made out of red feathers that stick straight up like spiked hair. He holds a longbow in his hands.
Order: Goblin #7, Chiggo, Corinna, Malan, Aago, Melon, Gilfroy, Gutwad, Walthus, Blue Rajah, Reta.
From around the corner, goblin #7 reaches past the oddly-dressed, fire-breathing goblin and swipes at Malan with his dogslicer, nicking the elf's leg.
Next Up: Corinna, Malan, Aago, Melon, Gilfroy, Gutwad, Walthus, Blue Rajah, Reta, Goblin #7.
Chiggo cackles with glee at breathing fire, takes aim, and unleashes a vicious kick at Malan's squishies.
Kick:
Damage:
Fort DC 11 or be stunned for 1 round
Then the little goblin backs up five feet and drinks a swig from a large metal jug.
First, it was a burst of flame in his face, then a nick to his leg, and now a kick between the legs. Malan has not had a lucky time since opening the door mere moments earlier.
Next Up: Malan, Aago, Melon, Gilfroy, Gutwad, Walthus, Blue Rajah, Reta, Goblin #7, Chiggo.
Corinna backs up to a vantage point where she has a better view of the door of the Moot House.
Next time Aago gets to open the door.
Malan casts Daze on the goblin with the bow (Will sv DC13)
Caster Level
Then he steps in and strikes at the fire breathing, squishie kicking goblin.
Rapier: arcane pool (+1), spell combat
to hit damage
confirm crit: arcane pool (+1), spell combat
to hit damage
Aago swiftly drops into his fighting style and advances behind Malan. Catching sight of the goblin to the side of the door, Aago snaps his left foot out in a kick toward the goblin's midsection.
Melon drops into a defensive crouch and steps forward slightly, to where Aago had been.
Corinna moves to take up position at the edge of the next walkway, beside the remains of a burnt, crumbling hut.
With great speed, Malan casts a spell and steps into combat, stabbing the fire-breathing goblin through the shoulder, heavily wounding him, but not quite bringing him down. On the tall chair, the goblin (presumably Chief Gutwad) teeters slightly and blinks repeatedly, looking quite dazed.
Aago then moves forward and tries to strike at #7 around the door frame. The goblin steps out of the way and laughs at him.
Melon moves up behind Aago.
Next Up: Gutwad (dazed), Walthus, Blue Rajah, Reta, Goblins #7, Chiggo, Corinna (subject to readied action), Malan, Aago, Melon.
Gil casts another bless spell.
He stays put as well.
Gil casts another bless spell.
He stays put as well.
Gil casts another bless spell.
He stays put as well.
Right, sorry, forgot he was in a hut. If he backtracks to T71, he should be able to get everybody (except perhaps Rajah), so he'll do that first.
Right, sorry, forgot he was in a hut. If he backtracks to T71, he should be able to get everybody (except perhaps Rajah), so he'll do that first.Gil casts another bless spell.
He stays put as well.
As Gilfroy casts his spell, everyone suddenly feels slightly more motivated and invigorated. Inside the hut, Gutwad teeters on his teeter chair. Outside, Walthus looks for an opportunity to get inside and help .
Next Up: Reta, Goblin #7, Chiggo, Corinna (subject to readied action), Malan, Aago, Melon, Gilfroy, Gutwad, Walthus (subject to delayed action).
Unable to take in the situation from his vantage, Rajah waits for the others to move in.