Boudra, realizing that something's going on in the shrine, hurries down the porch. When she sees the two hobgoblins--and the damaged altar--her face darkens with anger. She only glares at them and puts a hand on Bree's back to steady the other woman, but the whole area (without her noticing) suddenly seems to get slightly dimmer, slightly grayer, almost washed out in tone.
Move: 15' to Bree
Standard: Cast bane
As the axe bites into his shoulder the dwarf grunts in pain, catching the spinning steel ball and wielding it in his fists. Grinning through the pain at the Ironfang who struck him, he barks, "You lot aren't bad, but I can do you one better!" With a shouted word in dwarven, the dorn-dergar bursts with light and a small shower off sparks--when he lunges forward, the impact rings like a hammer upon an anvil, with another small spray of sparks.
Round 2, Initiative Count 19
As the battle continues, as others are either taking new wounds or still suffering from existing wounds, Cedric takes the opportunity afforded by still having the whole party within his channel's influence but the enemy is behind walls from him and he doesn't have to risk undoing the work the others have already started doing. The divine energy radiates strongly from his symbol of Erastil. For the time being he maintains his position so that he can do this again if he has to, but still remains close enough that getting behind Thorek to reach into the fight is still an option if he doesn't.
Cyrioul steps back to get away from the melee, then flicks a finger towards the hobgoblin on the right. "Ignere," he calls, and a burst of light and color erupts in the doorway
"More of them? When will this stop," Lily says as she moves up and fires off an arrow.
Feeling emboldened by the healing energy, Bree drops her bow and whips out her rapier. "Thanks for the help, Cedric."
"No one defiles a church in my town."
The rapier's blade glances off his armor (most likely), but Bree's arm pulls back to a guard position.
"Why I am not surprised?" Caladra says to no one in particular when the hobgoblins from inside the shrine start attaking. She grunts slightly as she lifts the sword over her head and brings it down heavily on the nearest hobgoblin as best she can.
Caladra swings into the doorway.
Thorek hits the two-weapon fighting hobgoblin.
Lily stares at the two-weapon fighting hobgoblin, but her arrow misses.
appear to be affected differently by Boudra's casting of bane
Cedric again channels to heal the wounds of the party.
is unaffected by Cyrioul's casting of flare
Bree damages the hobgoblin in front of her.
The 'red' hobgoblin at Thorek, but neither can get past his armor.
The 'green' hobgoblin with his longsword,
with a fierce cry the dwarf swings powerfully.
Frusterated with her first attempt at striking the hobgoblin, Caladra pulled back her blade and attempted another, albit with a slightly different striking pattern in hopes of a different result.
Caladra is unable to connect with the hobgoblin.
Thorek hits!
Lily sighs as she watches her arrow fly off course. She knocks another one and lets it loose at the enemy directly in front of her.
Round 3, Initiative Count 19
With the log-jam at the door preventing any good positioning, Cedric once again calls upon the power of Erastil for growth. He circles around to behind everyone else, then doubles in size for the second time today. With his hew size and increased reach, he tries thrusting his, now much bigger, longspear at a downward angle over the shoulders of his comrades and through the door at the hobgoblin on the other side.
- +2 str / -2 dex
- Melee attacks +0 (+1 str, -1 size)
- Ranged Attacks -2 (-1 dex, -1 size)
- +2 CMB (+1 str, +1 size)
- +1 CMD (+1 str, -1 dex, +1 size)
- -2 AC (-1 dex, -1 size)
- 1 fewer AOO/round (-1 dex)
- large longspear threatens 15'-20' instead of 10', deals 2d6 damage instead of 1d8
Lily takes down the hobgoblin ranger.
Cedric becomes large, but still misses the hobgoblin.
@Cyrioul, yes.
"Grease please! Bree says as she steps away from the hobgoblin.
The pain of her wound causes her dagger to fly wild, but at least she can gain a moment's respite.
Seeing Bree dart back, Boudra follows her and lays her hands on the grievous wound. It begins to knit back together of its own accord.
Cyrioul pulls a wand from his belt, points it at the remaining hobgoblin, and speaks a command word that coats the hobgoblin's sword in a disgusting layer of grease.
Seeing Bree carefully take a step back, Caladra stepped forward, a cocky grin on her face. Surely now without the shrine concealing most of the beast, she'd be able to hit.
Stepping into the shrine Thorek continues to press the hobgoblin.
Cyrioul uses a wand. The hobgoblin onto his sword.
Bree steps back and Boudra heals her.
Unwilling to do anything but fight to the death, the hobgoblin at , whose return strike misses yet again.
Thorek steps forward and hits the hobgoblin with a staggering blow.
Caladra cries as the sword bites deep into her. Through bared teeth she and stubbornness she stays standing. She looks back, eyes shaking then back at the hobgoblin. She strikes back at the hobgoblin, though not as much strength is behind the swing
Cyrioul uses a wand. The hobgoblin holds: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17 onto his sword
Cyrioul uses a wand. The hobgoblin holds: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17 onto his sword
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Round 4, Initiative Count 19
Frustrated, Cedric returns to normal size. He takes a step up behind Caladra and tries, once more, to stab the Hobgoblin. At this size it's a difficult task, but he waits for his opening and thrusts! at just the right moment to hit the thing right in the neck.
The hogboblin takes Cedric's thrust through the neck, snapping the head off so that it only is attached by a string of flesh on the side.
From the single-sword wielding hobgoblin you get
- studded leather armor,
- light steel shield,
- longsword,
- longbow, and
- 20 arrows.
From the dual-wielding hobgoblin you get
- 2 potions of cure light wounds (not identified yet),
- 2 alchemist's fire,
- padded armor,
- composite longbow (+2 STR) with 20 arrows,
- handaxe,
- masterwork battleaxe,
- backpack,
- bedroll,
- blanket,
- mess kit (UE),
- small tent, and
- 3 gp
Additionally she had enough food and water to provide 3 Provision Points.
A sack of loot sits in the middle of the temple and contains
- an elm wand of magic missile (12 charges (not identified yet)),
- a silver cup (15 gp),
- a hand-sized darkwood carving of a butterfly (20 gp),
- three bottles of Oldlaw whiskey (20 gp each),
- 100 gp worth of gold dust,
- 27 small semiprecious stones (worth 1 gp each),
- 76 gp, and
- a round ivory amulet engraved with Erastil’s bow-and-arrow holy symbol strung on a leather thong (10 gp).
A few of you notice an overlooked alcove holding
- 150 gp worth of silver dust,
- an aegis of recovery(UE) (not identified yet), and
- a wand of cure light wounds (21 charges (not identified yet))
Bree casts detect magic and tries to identify a few items.
potion1: CLW
potion2: CLW
wand1:
wand2: CLW
necklace:
"Tastes like a healing potion and a healing wand. Should come in handy. Not sure what this wand and necklace are though."
"We should check the rectory for survivors and then get moving."
As they gather the various useful items together and sift through the loot the Hobgoblins had already gathered, his gaze fixes on the ivory holy symbol of Erastil. All of a sudden the other sounds and activity going on around lose all of their importance. The blood seems to drain out of his face as he picks it up. He holds it in his cupped hands and falls to his knees. His teeth clench and tears carve clear streaks though the collected grime and blood of several battles on his face.
He knows this symbol. There's only one way the Hobgoblins could have it in their loot stash. Any hopes he might have had about meeting up with the senior cleric on the way out of town have vanished, and Cedric realizes that this is the second time he's lost a father to the monster-soldiers.
Letting the others distribute and identify the rest of the treasure as they may, he instead says a quiet prayer to Ol' Deadeye on his mentor's behalf, and slips the fine symbol around his own neck. There it can serve as a reminder of the weight of those that have been lost today, and the seriousness of the responsibility of protecting those that they haven't yet.
After a moment's concentration, Cyrioul nods affirmatively at the wand. "Yes, I can make use of this." Yet after the same amount of time spent looking at the necklace, he shakes his head. "I'm not focusing correctly here - perhaps we can try discerning this item later, Bree, once we are more safe."
Cyrioul gives Cedric space for the time, trying to help the group get the gear stowed and in the hands of the townspeople following them.
Bree lays a hand on Cedric's shoulder as they head out. "There will be a reckoning. These filth have MUCH to answer for." She stares off into the distance for a moment, steels herself, and opens the door leading to the rectory (or whatever they want to refer to the little side cottage as).
Boudra follows the others into the shrine, eyes alert for any danger. When Bree identifies the wand as a healing wand, Boudra nods and points affirmatively to herself. If no one objects, she tucks the wand into her belt.
Her eyes also linger on the dark wood butterfly. Unlike Cedric, she doesn't actually recognize the object--and it doesn't, in truth, seem to be meant as a holy symbol. But still, it seems to her like a sign.
As Bree comforts Cedric, Boudra hurries over to Caladra. You're hurt. Let me help, she signs.
Lily follows Bree and says,"Listen. Now is not the time to be making plans for revenge. Those people outside need us and the last thing they need is us getting killed."
Bree nods. "Don't worry. I'm focused on the here and now. Dad always said, survival is step one." She gives Lily a thumbs up.
Caladra winces leans against the doorway. Stupid gob she thinks as she watches the others. "I could use one of those potions now if you don't mind," she says once they identify the potion of cure light wounds. "That or some old fashioned healing."
When Cedric falls to his knees Thorek turns away to give him his privacy--and to hide his own growing sense of despair, for he'd seen no sign of the dwarves he'd come to check on. Moving back outside, he checks to make sure the townsfolk are staying hidden and watches the path for any hobgoblins.
Once satisfied that they weren't about to come under major assault, he turns back towards the smaller building to the side of the shrine, uncoiling longer loops of chain as he goes.
When you investigate the shack, you find three people. They will tell you that this shack is Noelan's. He was the caretaker of the shrine. His assistant Rhyna was at the shrine, and told them to hide in the shack, but the last they saw of her was her being captured and dragged off.
You collect:
- 3 1-st level commoners
- 4 Provision points
Aubrin suggests that you make for the bridge, "While we might find some more folk, our chances of confronting larger numbers of the hobs is growing."
Boudra stays Caladra's hand and pulls the wand from her belt. Touching the other woman gently on the shoulder, she moves the wand over her wounds.
All but the very lightest of the wounds close up, vanishing entirely as the wand's magic flows into Caladra with a burst of warmth. Boudra nods firmly and then moves off, scanning the refugees to see if they need any healing.
At Aubrin's suggestion, she nods and stows the wand back in her belt. She looks around at the others, clearly ready to move out.
"Agreed. While I'd not wish Rhyna's fate on anyone, we're not in any position to get to her now. Who is leading the way?"
Cyrioul will stay towards the rear of the party, with a wand in each hand.
Face grim, Thorek asks the newcomers which direction Rhyna had been taken. He stares in that direction hard. "I can't leave my kin behind. Perhaps they were captured too...we can send the civilians on ahead, if the Ironfangs are rounding people up there must be a holding pen nearby." His knuckles are white from their grip on the dorn-dergar's chain.
Caladra pats Boudra's hand and looks at her with a smile. "Thank you," she said and signed it as well, one of the few signs she knew by heart. With that, she stood strait and rolled her shoulders to losen her stiff muscles magical healing always seemed to give her.
She looked over at Thorek after hearing his words. "Thorek, I know what your going through. You and I are cut from the same cloth so know that it hurts when i say this: we need to get out of the village. You want to save your clansman, I want to save my neighbors, but if this last fight has showed me anything its that we can't save them if we die. We need to go, plan, and survive. Then we can save those we need to save."
Cedric returns to his feet, grateful for the sympathy he's received. He pulls himself together as best as he can, those few moments are all the time he can spare for grief right now.
"Yes, to the bridge," he says as he collects himself. "We've had success this far by catching the Hobgoblins by surprise in small groups. Wherever they're keeping the captives will surely be more heavily guarded by more competent troops. Hopefully we shall get a chance to liberate the captives, but at least the captives are alive. Our top priority has to be taking care of our refugees. We can worry about the captives after we make sure these people don't join them."
He would, of course, be all for a rescue mission under better circumstances. It's technically possible that his mentor was captured instead of killed, though it's unlikely he would have surrendered, and he would like to be able to know what happened to him with more certainty.
Bree nods to Cedric. "We're pushing our luck, Thorek. Let's get these folks to safety and then perhaps we can scout the area and see what we're up against. Our group versus their army doesn't stand a chance without a plan."
The scarred dwarf squeezes his eyes tight and takes a few long, slow breaths. Then he opens them and turns to walk towards the bridge. "This isn't over. Let's get these people safe and then figure out our next move."
Colorful gobs of lichen and moss dapple the ancient, basalt bridge here at the Marideth’s narrowest crossing. The ravine below drops twenty feet into raging whitewater and jagged, exposed boulders. To the northwest stands a ramshackle shed and a weathered but sturdy-looking wooden crane. Twentysome bloody and motionless bodies litter the ground, and above them flap banners painted with an ominous, fanged red shield. To the north, three hundred feet past the bridge, a wall of trees and ferns marks the edge of the Fangwood.
As you approach the bridge, you hear a single shout in goblin "Phakama! Indoda umhlwa iyeza," followed by a high-pitched whistle.
Caladra points out the heavily armored hobgoblin in the middle of the bridge.
The Trooper at Thorek, hitting him for
Cyrioul leaps to respond to the arrow, darting north to seek cover in a nearby tree before brandishing his elm wand and chanting a word of command...
...he watches as the bolt of force mildly jostles the trooper.
"Not sure how many more surprises I can take." Bree sprints to grab cover behind one of the bridge's stanchions. Ducking down, she tries to see if anyone, friend or foe, is near the crane or shed.
Caladra hurries behind Bree, greatsword in hand, hoping to make a difficult target for the archer.
Lily's just going to take a pot shot at the archer.