Die, Dog, Die! - Round 6 - concluded
Stepping back into melee to provide a flank to Alden, Claudia swings trying to connect with the feral goblin dog, but again, a slight adjustment from the rider keeps the mount from any harm.
The shift of the mount can't stop Priscilla's arrow from hitting the mark, after wending through and around a difficult crowded melee. The arrow wounds the rider for the third time.
Staggering up to the pair of invaders, Rotomo musters his strength for one more blow, his heavy cudgel smacking the rider clean out of his saddle, killing him before he hits the ground.
Suddenly riderless, the goblin dog bites randomly, choosing Claudia to strike at as it shifts away from the enemy combatants. The rat-like front teeth bear down on Claudia, rending her skin and causing her serious damage.
Pursuing the dog, trying to kill the last beast, is Alden. His professional blade work hurts the dog, causing it to limp from its own wounds.
End of Round 6
Die, Dog, Die! - Round 7
20 Claudia (mage armor, 1hp dmg)
18 Priscilla (2hp dmg)
17 Rotomo (shillelagh, 11hp dmg)
12 Goblin Dog (8hp dmg)
11 Alden
Holding is side, to staunch the flow of blood, Rotomo pursued and dropped his club as he raised his other hand pointing at the fleeing dog. The forces of nature answer his call and a small storm burst pursues the hound.
As a standard action, you can create a storm burst targeting any foe within 30 feet as a ranged touch attack. The storm burst deals 1d6 points of nonlethal damage + 1 point for every two cleric levels you possess. In addition, the target is buffeted by winds and rain, causing it to take a –2 penalty on attack rolls for 1 round. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
Priscilla winces as she spots Claudia getting attacked by the dog, but she knew that no one could do anything about that until the threat was eliminated. She draws another arrow and shoots, hoping to put the animal out of its misery.
Die, Dog, Die! - Round 7 - concluded
Conjuring forth another glob of acid goo, Claudia hurls it from the end of her staff onto the wounded goblin dog. The acid hits the beast, sizzling flesh and the dog, with a wounded cry of pain, goes down in a heap.
End of Combat
Rotomo takes three deep breaths and lets out a loud cry and slaps Claudia on her back, "Aarrgh! Well done woman." Just as quickly he composes himself and his normal stony visage returned.
He stoicly turned to his companions with a sneer, "Let us check on this noble." The towering druid limped over to the noble and knelt down checking on the man's dog as he asked, "You still live?"
As you stand around panting from the adrenaline and exertion of combat, the trembling nobleman approaches you before you can get far in his direction, crying "That was magnificent! Exquisite! How you rode to my rescue! Amazing!" he rushes forward to clap you on the back and shake your hands in his dandyish manner. You can see the man is dressed in finely tailored clothes with his long dark hair pulled back in a short ponytail. He carries a fine wooden walking stick and wipes perspiration from his face with a lace kerchief.
As he sees, Claudia, the dark Varisian beauty, he literally stops in his tracks. "Whoa!" he says out loud despite himself, and then begins to fashion lavish attention on her. "You really must show me how you do those tricks with that staff! You were wonderful driving those little menaces to the grave." and the like.
At some point he remembers himself and clears his throat meaningfully, "I must say, I forgot to properly introduce myself. I am Aldern Foxgolve, of the Magnimar Foxgloves, it is my distinct pleasure to meet you all, and to thank you for saving me. And you are?"
The druid pointed a meaty thumb at his own chest,"Rotomo, Shoanti, of the Shriikirri-Quah," as he quickly turned and strode toward the fallen dog to see if he could lend aid.
Pris sighs, unstringing and stowing her bow as she moves over to talk to the surviving noble, who seemed almost patronizingly congratulatory. Certainly they had done well, but not without having sustained some serious injuries. "Priscilla," she responded, nodding to Aldern and stepping up next to Claudia with her hands on her hips. "Freelancer," she adds, feeling as though her introduction is a bit inadequate. She glances over to the fallen dog where Rotomo was already rushing - he probably knew more than she would about helping the poor thing, if it could be helped. "You see any other greenies 'round here?"
The nobleman, Aldern, nods briefly at each of you as you introduce yourselves, but its clear his concentration is fixed on Claudia. "And you, my dark-haired beauty?" he says, transfixed.
Surviving goblins flee in ones and twos to the north, in some cases leaping to their death off the cliff at Junker's Edge rather than be captured. Sheriff Hemlock and his men manage to capture a pair of the snarling beasts but they are so spastic and feral that nothing can be gleaned from them easily.
The town has routed the invasion, but not without a price. Smouldering buildings, wounded citizens and at least a dozen sheet-shrouded dead mean that Sandpoint is hardly interested in finishing up the Swallowtail Festival. Townsfolk retreat to their homes to hide or recover from the day's horror. Merchants pack up their wagons, tents are folded, and many begin to depart from Northgate. As they pass, many stop to thank you for your bravery in defending the town.
Not long after the battle has ended, the innkeeper Ameiko Kaijitsu, approaches where you stand. "Never would've thought the little bastards had it in them to attack the town in force, but these are strange times." She muses, obviously thinking of something, but snaps back from her reverie quickly. "Look, you stood up for Sandpoint at the risk of your own lives. That means something. Least I can do is offer you free room and board at the Dragon for a week. Please, I'd be honored to have the local heroes stay with us."
As Rotomo approaches the dog, he can see it is clearly dead, and there will be no reviving it.
"I am not a hero Mistress Kaijitsu. On the Storval plains to see the right and not do it is cowardice," Rotomo replied. "Nevertheless thank you for your generosity, the gift is much appreciated."
"Strange times indeed," agrees Pris, a bit thrown by all of the violence - in the fight, she acted mostly on instinct, but seeing all of the wounded and the dead... she supposed that she had her modicum of real combat experience to thank for getting out of this one alive. "I'm certainly not one to turn down a free room," nods Priscilla. "Damned decent of you."
While Aldern Foxglove hangs around, hoping for a kind word from Claudia, Ameiko steers you to the first-aid area where Zantus and his acolytes are treating wounds the best they can. Father Zantus smiles at you, "Thanks the heavens for the heroes of Sandpoint! They gave of their own blood to save us. Let us staunch their wounds and celebrate their courage!" He prays devoutly to Desna, and the air is filled for a moment with the flapping of the previously released swallowtails. One alights on each of you filling you with a warm tingling sensation that heals your wounds and restores some of your lost vitality.
"My name is Claudia. It is nice to make your acquaintance. As far as teaching you, I don't really know how I do what I do anyway, so I'm afraid that I wouldn't be able to teach you." she says to Aldern Foxglove.
When Ameiko appears, Claudia says "Thank you for your offer. It is most kind. I would also like to have a word in private with you when the opportunity presents itself."
Claudia also thanks father Zantus for the healing.
Foxglove is not put off so easily. "Well, if you can't teach me such tricks, the least I can do is to invite you all to dinner. I really do insist -- saving my life and all. My lodgings are at the White Deer." He points to the nearby inn that you saw when you first entered the town, the one wiht the grumpy Shoanti innkeeper. "Come at 6, and I will treat you to a find dinner. What do you say? It'll be a magnificent good time, eh?"
The nobleman is more than slightly annoying, but he does seem to have puppy dog eyes for Claudia, and is friendly enough in a sappy way.
Knowing it is bad luck to refuse to share the fire of a person whose life you have saved Rotomo answered, "You honor us with your offer. We will be there."
Pris rolls her eyes at the man's persistence, but concedes anyway. "I certainly wouldn't say I'm a fan of that establishment, but I suppose it would be rude to refuse such a generous offer. And you do owe us."
The rest of the evening is spent picking up the pieces of the shattered village. Families tend to their wounded, claim their dead, or simply limp home silently thanking their lucky stars to have come through unscathed.
Fires are put out, a few stray goblins are put to the sword or chased from town, but ultimately, finally, things quiet down. Weary, worn, and wounded, you stumble back to the Rusty Dragon and tumble into bed, asleep almost before your head hits the pillows.
You sleep dreamlessly. The sleep of the righteous. The sleep of heroes!
Claudia does indeed accept Aldren's invitation, and enjoys whatever meal is laid out. She politely by quite firmly rebuffs his advances, however.
Claudia does indeed accept Aldren's invitation, and enjoys whatever meal is laid out. She politely by quite firmly rebuffs his advances, however.
Not used to sleeping in a bed Rotomo woke up feeling sore. He stretched and rubbed his back as he thought, I think I'll be sleeping on the floor from here on out.
He preformed his morning ablutions and meditated before heading down to the delicious smelling breakfast.
"Ah, shoot." Priscilla mutters the next morning, after a brief workout. "Can't believe I left that dagger behind..." Still, she gears up, hiding her remaining weaponry at various places throughout her outfit, but leaves her bow behind. After yesterday she doubted anyone would blame her for bringing it along, but she felt like it might be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Besides, if security wasn't tighter than ever right now, they might have bigger problems. She practically skips downstairs, excited for a filling meal after the rough battles yesterday.
Claudia joins the others for breakfast, saying "So, perhaps we should talk about what happened yesterday and what we're going to do about it? People are already calling us the heroes of Sandpoint, which means it's likely that we'll be asked to investigate the cause of the attacks."
"Also, has anyone seen Alden?"
The breakfast is delicious and more than a few of the patrons in the dining room of the Dragon stop by to say thank you or smile and wave at you. It seems what Claudia says is true...
As you are finishing the last of the bacon and biscuits, Sheriff Belor Hemlock enters, making a beeline for your table. "Mind if I join you? Have something to discuss." Assuming you invite him to sit down, the sheriff relates a bit of news.
"Had a visit from Father Zantus early this mornin'. Seems there's a strange goings-on in the boneyard connected to the new cathedral. One of the burial vaults has been opened unexpectedly. Teh caretaker, a lame man named Noffer Vask was doing routine chores in the area early, and noticed the open door. Zantus came to me, and I thought, with your experince goblin fighting and all, maybe you'd want to join me and take a look. I expect its a gobbo run to hide in there, but could be something else. What do you say?"
There is no sign of the paladin of Sarenrae but he had not stayed in the Dragon either Perhaps he was standing vigil again at the cathedral.
"I can't speak for the others Sherriff, but I would be happy to help."
Assuming the others are as agreeable, Hemlock gives you a few moments to gather your gear and make ready to investigate the disturbed burial vault.
Once ready, he leads you out of the Dragon and back up the hill from the harbor-side part of Sandpoint to the north end of town and the newly opened cathedral. Along the way, you pass the Sandpoint Theater, where new lettering announcing a new show is being painted on the marquee. The larger-than-life owner of the theater is Cyrdak Drokkus and when he sees you with the sheriff, he rushes over to speak with the group.
"The Heroes of Sandpoint!" he cries hugging each of you in the way all show business producers seem to share. "What good fortune! I was just telling my assistant that you are the biggest ticket in town! Simply the biggest! My new show opens tomorrow evening I insist that you come as my guest! Now, now, I won't take no for an answer. When the town hears you'll be there, my show is sure to be an opening night hit! I'll have tickets sent over to the that rattrap of an inn Ameiko runs. Really, you can do so much better than the likes of her..." His facial expression scrunches up comically as he shows what he thinks of her. "Aaaanyway, please come as my guest. I really do insist."
Rotomo nodded his agreement and followed the sheriff.
At Cyrdak's remarks Rotomo's face begins to turn red while his hand rested on his club, "I suggest you refrain from mocking Mistress Ameiko."
Priscilla is a degree less than agreeable at the bar - "Listen, I may be fine with putting down a greenie or two if they're up in my face, but if you actually want me to go out and do some extermination, it's gonna cost you a bit of silver or gold." She holds up her hands, one finger raised on her left and three on her right. "For goblins, 1 silver per head or three for the whole day. Sorry, but this is my job." Once Pris receives some promise of payment, she will gladly go along with the others.
She gathers her bow and quiver from her room and follows the rest. When confronted with the threat of physical contact with a man that seemed to be 90% enthusiasm, she went pretty much completely limp for the affair - being a third of his size certainly didn't help her comfort. Her expression becomes a bit haughtier as the man insults their host, and the halfling plants her hands on her hips. "I truly do not understand why everyone in this town seems to be angry with her. It's rude, and definitely not the way to endear yourself to the..." She pauses, clearly not relishing the words, "The 'Heroes of Sandpoint'. Besides, if someone doesn't approve of her or her lovely establishment, how could I trust any sort of artistic judgement from them?"
Claudia doesn't snicker at Pris' comment, but only just.
Hemlock rolls his eyes as Priscilla demands payment for helping out around town. "Mercenaries of Sandpoint doesn't have the same ring t it, does it?" he asks acerbically. He does agree that you can keep any loot you find, and in fact, he will offer you some of the gear found on the goblin bodies as they cleaned up the place. "Not a lot mind you, but its something."
Priscilla's rejoinder and Rotomo's threat wipe the grin off the face of the showman, Cyrdak, but only for a moment. Like the emprssario he is, nothing seems to faze him for long, at least outwardly. "Captial, captial! I jest about the lovely Ameiko, of course I do. And her inn is well...unique, shall we say. Maybe not to everyone's tastes, but to each their own. Can't please everyone all the time, as we say in show business...Now, then about those tickets, I will make sure they are
arrive at your lodgings, you just make sure to be there 'k?" He nods along in a very patronizing way, but turns to leave, taking a last glance back up at his marquee.
Moving on you pass the Red Dog Smithy, where two hounds of the same name lie sunning themselves near the road. The harsh clanking of the place is only broken by the string of foul curses, some extraordinarily creative in composition, that blast forth from the open air blacksmith's forge. The smith, an short man with a hugh barrel chest and carefully waxed handlebar moustaches, shouts at you as you pass. "Well if it ain't the $%#@@ing heroes of %^&@ing Sandpoint. I'll be @#$%#!ed" he stalks forward, mallet in hand, blacksmiths apron covered with ash. "I'd like to shake your mother#$%%^^ing hands. Names Korvut, Das Korvut. If you need some $@#$^ mended or some ^&&*%#ing armor made, well I'm the $%^@ing guy to call, eh? Give you %$#@@$%ing half off the first job, $@##$$ if I don't!"
He shakes your hands each, vigorously, and the power in his arms and shoulders is readily apparent. But despite the foul mouth, he seems quite friendly and soon returns to his forge complete with more audible clanking and cursing.
Claudia can only sputter as the blacksmith comes out to meet the group like a whirlwind of energy and then is gone before she can even respond.
Outlanders, Rotomo thought ruefully as he listened to the blacksmiths foul language and shook his hand firmly. Thank the ancestor I have little use for items made of metal.
Priscilla has difficulty keeping up with all of the curses being thrown her way, but nods along politely with Korvut's expletives. "I, uh.. certainly," Priscilla mutters, thinking to how often she loses those daggers. Perhaps she'd have to take him up on that offer, although she might have to keep that conversation short.
After Kovut stomps back to his forge, Hemlock clears this throat a bit embarrassed by the language from the smith, and moves you on through the town towards the cathedral and the strange circumstances around the vault in the boneyard.
Before you arrive, you are interrupted once again. As you pass what must be a bakery from teh smell emanating from it, an elderly woman hobbles out with a long loaf of steaming hot bread in her hand. "These must be the Heroes of Sandpoint, eh Belor? Well, for their good turn, here is a loaf right from the oven. I'm sure Sherrif Casp will make sure they are well taken care of, eh? Have you seen Casp, Belor? He's been gone such a long while. I think its about time he came home to me and the little girls. Don't you? Perhaps he's out chasing down those goblins? Like a good lawman should, I guess."
The woman has a confused look in her eyes, but is kind and gentle in bearing and manner. Her daughter, a full grown woman, who could be pretty but looks tired and harried instead, comes out of the bakery and escorts her mother back inside. "Please excuse Mother, Sheriff Hemlock. She is still confused about what happened to Daddy. She has good days and bad days, and...well, this is one of the bad ones. Keep the bread though. And the heroes are welcome to a free loaf in the shop anytime!"
She smiles embarrassed, does a little curtsey and retreats with her mother back inside.
Hemlock sighs, and looks more burdened than you have seen him since you met. "That's Alma Avertin, and her daughter Aneka. Alma's husband was the sheriff before I got the job. He was....killed. IN the line of duty. It's been hard on her, even if it was years ago."
"I'm very sorry. She seems like a nice lady."
Intrigued Rotomo asked, "How was this man killed?"
"Unfortunate," Priscilla says, simply. Though she was also curious to how the man perished, she supposed that any town that had a big enough concentration of goblins to invade it would make the sheriff a dangerous position to hold. She felt a bit embarrassed by the offers, though. She really hadn't done much in the fight, Rotomo and Alden's strikes and Claudia's magic had done most of the work. Pris hadn't even delivered any killing blows to the goblins...
Hemlock is clearly uncomfortable talking about it. "The goblin attack is not the first trouble Sandpoint has had. The Recent Unpleasantness started with a crazed loner named Jarvis Stoot, who murdered 25 people in town before being found dead. His last victim was old Sheriff Casp Avertin who was close to catching the killer. I found Casp dead, and the Stoot dead by his own hand. A demon-worshipper of some kind..." he trails off.
"Then we had the fire in the old church which killed Father Tobyn and his daughter. That fire led to the building of the new Cathedral which we see here. It's been a hard few years here."
He leads you on to the front of the Cathedral where the scenes of chaos from the night before are still readily apparent. Scorched wagons, burnt building, overturned tables and litter but at least the bodies have been removed.
At the steps of the church, Father Zantus meets you the scar from his wound the night before already fading. "Thank you for coming. When the groundskeeper mentioned the open tomb, I was worried one of our invaders from last night had made his way inside. Nothing has gone out or come in, as I have one of my acolytes watching the place, but got the Sheriff to go inside."
Zantus walks you back around the cathedral to the boneyard entrance and up to the burial vault that stands in a 20x20 square. The stone door, which usually seals this place, is clearly pushed to the side. Nothing but darkness can be seen inside from your distance.
"You wait inside now, Father. We'll notify when we've checked it out." says Hemlock, and the priest and his acolyte move off towards the main building.
You notice the name on the burial crypt is Tobyn. The same name that Hemlock mentioned as the dead priest just earlier. The ground around the vault is churned up, clearly there has been traffic here.
The druid listened to the sheriffs explanation and thought, Did they root out all the Demon worshipers?
Rotomo bent down and examined the grounds surrounding the crypt. With the expertise of a man who has spent a lifetime hunting and tracking across the Stoval Plains he interprets the puzzle written on the soft earth, "Looks like six goblins and something bigger, about man sized, climbed the wall in the back and went to the tomb."
Pris grimaces at the thought of a man managing to kill 25 people, and was not even caught? He could've easily kept killing, especially with the sheriff dispatched... she shook her head at the invasive thought, nodding patiently at Zantus's description of the situation, and peered to Rotomo's side, still unable to look over him even when he crouched.
Kneeling on one knee, she strings her bow, already worried at the implications of this. "So there might be something bigger than gobbos in there?" The halfling shakes her head. "Six of 'em, too." Once she finishes, she stands, bow kept ready in her hand. "Hope the father doesn't mind a little greenie blood in his tomb."
"A moment please." Claudia will draw upon her heritage to wrap herself in bands of force, before saying "Okay, I am ready to proceed."
Hemlock watches the group track and follow the goblin prints, impressed. "So we know the gobbos made it back here, and they had help too." says Hemlock scratching his head. "Why? Guess we may never know. Well, let's see what's in there." The sheriff makes to step up to the vault door which is up a small flight of stairs. They all pause a moment while Claudia engages her magical warding spell.
Content to let the Sheriff lead Rotomo followed with his club drawn.
Priscilla will stick close behind the sheriff, able to do more good with her bow than in the front as a target - still, she's close enough to jump in and provide support if need be.
Hemlock draws his own longsword and carefully climbs the steps up to the partially open vault door. Looking back once to make sure you are ready, he puts his off-hand on the door and pushes it open. It hardly moves at first, the weight and age of the hinges try to hold it fast, but the sheriff leans into it a bit, and as he does, light from the clear late summer morning spills inside the crypt for the first time in years.
Before anyone's eyes can register what is inside, a bony clawed hand reaches out of the tomb! A pair of animated skeletons stand in the doorway, shrieking their anger at those of flesh and blood! Hemlock shrinks back in surprise, but you see his jaw set in determination as the battle is joined.
The Desecrated Vault - Round 1
18 Hemlock
13 Blue Skeleton
9 Red Skeleton
7 Claudia
7 Priscilla
4 Rotomo
Hemlock swings at the Red Skeleton, catching it full in the body, but his slashing blade seems to not have much effect against the fleshless foes as the sword caroms off some of the bony parts.
Scrambling out into the light of day, Blue Skeleton makes an attack on Hemlock from the side, while Red keeps him occupied at front. Hemlock is caught in a whirlwind of claw attacks, and manages to keep a few from landing, but each skeleton lands an attack and scratches the sheriff who looks hurt, but not seriously.
Pris feels a shiver run down her spine as she pulls up her bow, sighting towards the zombie attacking the sheriff - "This can't be good," she mutters, loosing the arrow. She had heard of animated skeletons before, but had never seen one in the flesh... or lack thereof. Still, with little time to think, all she could do was act.
Expecting goblins Rotomo is confused as he swings his club at the unfamiliar creatures attacking the sheriff.