dotting
|
It is currently the 13th of the Autumn Harvest. You are currently on the road to Solace through the Darken Wood.
The air surges fierce and sweet, carrying the clear musk smell of the woodlands. The soft murmur of stirring leaves, of insects, and of small animals fills the landscape. The clear highland sky blushes with the end of day and fades into starry sleep. This is home.
From this rock outcropping the valley below seems peaceful, untouched. Dense forests of pine carpet the mountainsides, varied only by thick aspen woods. The mountains, deep blue in the distance, circle the valley floor and form a soft highland bowl.
It is a wonder that any beautiful places are left in the world. Before the Cataclysm, the days were calm and ordered; nothing was unexpected. Now the world is changed: its change has taught two great lessons
First, no beauty not even that in this valley is safe. All the riches of the past could not protect the ancient peoples. Gold has no value in the world now: it is too soft for swords or armor. Steel is the most valued metal of all, though each small kingdom has its own currency and
exchange.
Secondly, no magic lasts forever: true clerics cannot be found, nor have clerics with miraculous powers been known to exist since the time of the Cataclysm nearly 300 years ago.
Five years ago, you and your friends parted to search for a true cleric. Tonight, you meet on the road to Solace Town and None of you have found any sign of true clerics through all your travels.
The bushes to your left rustle. Suddenly, dark shapes scurry from the woods on both sides of the road. Their yello wgreen skin pales against their heavy black armor; their twisted faces glare from the evening darkness. They crouch in a large circle about you, well beyond sword range.
A stout pony struggles up onto the road, sagging beneath a flabby figure much the same, although larger, than those who surround you. The pony rider suddenly turns his head toward you and yells, Onyx demands the blue crystal staff! Forfeit the staff now or die!
Bel steps forward and glares down at the rabble.
"Step back. Who are you and what do you want? What is this staff you ask about?"
Beliminorgath will attempot to intimidate the mob, if possible.
Intimidate:
Striking a defensive stance, the young half-ogre mumbles, "This staff is under my protection, and is not for the likes of you..."
In a confident fashion, the heavily armored lad slowly draws his great blade, as if to emphasize his companion's bravado.
As though more intrigued by things she doesn't know than by immediate danger, Larissa cocks her head, raises one eyebrow, and asks, "Who's Onyx?"
My left hand goes for one of my hidden daggers at the small of my back resting on the hilt. I step in behind Urgo and turn to watch the others at our backs.
Ah great, a fight...
Moondancer looked around at the companions with whom she had recently been reunited. It had been a long five years, and tiring, but her heart sang to hear Bel's bass rumble and Urgo's mumbling conviction. She saw Rael going for his knife while Larissa sought to distract the rider with questions.
"If we have the staff, it is because the gods have willed it. I hardly think goblins deserve it more," she says, nocking an arrow to her bow and stepping next to Rael.
|
|
The chubby hobgoblin on the horse looks at Urgo in surprise, mouth agape he can barely utter, So you do have it. Onyx, she will be most pleased. Now hand it over. Before they take a step forward, two step back from the massive minotaur in your midst and run. The other eight including the mounted one draw their longswords and begin to encircle you.
Go ahead and roll initiative
I spin around drawing a dagger with my left hand while making arcane gestures with my right, with a final flourish I throw some coloured powder and a burst of scintillating light envelopes some of the hobgoblins who are circling behind us.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Urgo stands somewhat non-chalant, his great blade resting on his shoulder, waiting for combat...
"To arms Urgo! I doubt these goblins s will simply jump on your sword!" Moondancer shouts over her shoulder as she raises her bow and lines up a shot at one of the fleeing goblins.
Urgo jumps at Moon-dancer's comment, then giving a sheepish grin, "Oh, were they attacking?"
Initiative:
Moondancer curses as her arrow flies over the shoulder of the fleeing hobgoblin.
Urgo, acting last, watches the goblins move to attack them and picks the largest collection or the friend in the most trouble and wades in!
Stepping forward, Bel slashes at the goblins before him.
Attack-melee:
Damage:
bonus attack-melee:
Damage:
|
|
Moon Dancer 18 fires an arrow but it seems to go wide.
Larissa 13 casts mage armor
Rael 10 will spin around catching 2 of the hobgoblins in the arc of his spell who immediately shield their eyes.
Bel 5 steps forward and lashes out at the HOBgoblins before him but their martial training allows them easily to dodge the attacks of the minotaur.
Hobgoblins 4
1=MD, 2=L, 3=R, 4=B, 5=U
2 of the blinded hobgoblins move to attack Rael
miss
miss
While a third moves to attack
hit
Two move into position to attack Bel.
hit
hit
The last of the group move to grab the Blue Crystal Staff from the one who mentioned he had it.
miss
miss
hit
Urgo 3 swings but it goes wide.
Fewmaster Toede 2 moves into position away from the bulk of the combat and yells Kill them! Get the staff!
Rael 5/21
Bel 4/25
Urgo 18/31
Bel and Urgo consider yourselves flanking and thus have advantage on your attack rolls.
Seeing the deep, red wounds left on her companions by the hobgoblins' blades, Moondancer decided it was time to even the odds. Shaking the bells wrapped around her arm in a slow, gentle cadence, she muttered the words of a spell and pointed languidly at the rear rank of hobgoblins, whose eyes abruptly rolled up into their skulls as they crashed to the ground, snoring loudly.
Her defenses in place, Larissa takes the offensive.
,
Urgo grunts with the palpable hit. The half-ogre shoves one hobgobbie back a step with a kick and tries to open him up!
Bel once again lashes out with his scimitars, striking the enemy before him.
Attack-melee:
Damage:
Bonus Attack-melee:
Damage:
Rael draws his shortsword and circles around his unblinded assailant before stabbing at him and then quickly darting away.
|
|
Sorry for the delay, I didn't realize it was my turn.
2 of the hobgoblins ran due to Bel's threat.
3 went to sleep from Rael's spell.
Urgo takes down one with a mighty swing.
Rolling again for Bel's advantage
Another gets taken out from Bel's two massive swings of his scimitars.
The last three begin to run
Fewmaster Toede makes one last attempt to grab the staff before taking off on his mount, however being distracted by his men running he is going to have a disadvantage.
Urgo tries to fend off the ugly hobgoblin!
|
|
Fewmaster Toede rips the staff of Urgo, a wide smile goes across his face then he races off on his horse where it is almost immediately sent to sleep. (Don't horses sleep on their feet?) Toede sent off balance from the sudden stop flies ass over tea kettle flinging the staff in the mud. He gets up, leaving the staff, and takes off running.
Urgo steps up and picks up the bundled staff reverently. "Filthy goblins... He broke the strap."
Moondancer considers putting an arrow in the fleeing hobgoblin's back, but concern for her friends takes priority. Going to Urgo, she checks that the half-ogre has secured the staff again then tears strips from a spare shirt to bind his wounds. Once done she moves on to Bel and Rael.
"What exactly do you have there, Urgo my friend? And where did you find it?" she asks. "That hobgoblin seemed to want it badly, for whoever this Onyx is. We should be careful on our way into Solace. There may be more of the same sort."
Bel also rushes to where his friend has retrieved the staff.
"Well lets hope we do not see him anytime soon. Are you O.K. Urgo?"
When Moon-dancer begins tending his wounds, he gives a melancholy smile and says softly, "I'm okay, tend to Bel and Rael first. They look like they are barely hanging on. I'll be okay until you finish tending their wounds."
Turning to the minotaur as he moves up, "Me? You look like you've been mauled by a mountain cat. I'll live, my friend. We should move soon, lest the goblins come back, and in greater numbers."
"Rael! Are you alright? You got hit pretty hard back there."
I walk back onto the road from the bushes, holding my bleeding side. " Yeah, one of them got me alright. " I pull my hand away and look at the wound. " It's deep and I feel a little woozy. Doesn't look life threatening though. "
Bel just now seems to notice the wounds inflicted upon him by the goblins.
"Now that you mention it, I do feel a little ..off!"
"Larissa, why don't you check the bodies for anything interesting while I bind these wounds. Bel, Rael, let's get off the road and into those trees."
Moondancer leads the wounded men into the shade of the nearby trees, singing a relaxing song as she binds their wounds.