Lucian is puzzled, as he understands part of what the faery tells them, but not fully - "I still don't know what these 'shots' are for..." - he actually smiles at the notion, then turns to the others and the faery - "Well then, I guess first things first - are we going to take care of those goblins now or what?" - he questions.
"That 'hole' that allows travel" - he tries to address it as if it was but a common thing - "Even if we could use it to go somewhere and grab some additional gear, how would we pay for it - I mean... I've got a few dollars in my pocket but... That's it - and somehow I doubt they would be accepted here" - he shrugs.
"I see." Phillip says studying the stone in the faery's hand. "It is rare a gift. Can I see it?" He offers out his hand and turns to the others.
"I'd vote to at least check out the goblins first. See what our options are."
"We shouldn't visit a place with bad spirits." Miya's voice was low with apprehension when she spoke of the pool the faery had mentioned.
Miya listened as Lucian discussed their lack of currency in this land, something she had already considered and mentioned earlier. She simply nodded her head in concurrence.
"We will not waste the faery's gift, if the travel is a one time thing."
She focused her gaze on Paul, the faery, and returned to the issue of the acorns...er shots she given to Luc back in the forest. "How will these shots work on the ogre or goblins? What does it actually do and how can it aid us? What advantage will it provide us?"
Phillip had mentioned that they check out the goblins and then figure out what to do next. Miya was concerned that if they did that, then they would be noticed and a fight would ensue ... She was not afraid for herself so much as for some of the others like Adam. "There is a large group of goblins, Phillip. I have a feeling that if we all go and check them out, that we may have to fight them. The faery did say she'll take us to them when they sleep. I don't like going in with so little protection. But if that if the will of the group, then I will defer and protect you as best as I am able if something were to happen."
Miya's unusual sapphire-blue eyes gave none of her inner thoughts away. She had never fought such mythical creatures, yet she believed in her training and in herself. Well, as much as any nineteen year old could.
She focused her gaze on Paul, the faery, and returned to the issue of the acorns...er shots she given to Luc back in the forest. "How will these shots work on the ogre or goblins? What does it actually do and how can it aid us? What advantage will it provide us?"
"Exactly" - Lucian reinforced Miya's words.
Phillip had mentioned that they check out the goblins and then figure out what to do next. Miya was concerned that if they did that, then they would be noticed and a fight would ensue ... She was not afraid for herself so much as for some of the others like Adam. "There is a large group of goblins, Phillip. I have a feeling that if we all go and check them out, that we may have to fight them. The faery did say she'll take us to them when they sleep. I don't like going in with so little protection. But if that if the will of the group, then I will defer and protect you as best as I am able if something were to happen."
"They should be asleep now" - Lucian nods at Phillip - "Correct Paul?" - he adds, turning to the faery.
"Would you say we should scout them out first, maybe just one or two of us, before moving in decisively?" - he again turns to Miya - "We could all move into a safe distance, then one or two of us scout ahead and report back. Then we make a decision"
"Would you say we should scout them out first, maybe just one or two of us, before moving in decisively?" - he again turns to Miya - "We could all move into a safe distance, then one or two of us scout ahead and report back. Then we make a decision"
As Miya waited for Paul to answer Lucian's question, she answered her friend,
"Yes. I think that's best, Luc. I'm pretty good with scouting and quiet on my feet. I'm offering to be one of the two."
Phillip nodded to his friends. "Sounds good to me. I can hang back. I'm not particularly stealthy."
He began reaching for the stone in the faery's hand. "Paul, is there anything you can tell us about how the goblins are laid out?"
As the others were waiting on the faery to speak, Miya drew her sports bag and began taking out the oil, powder and cloth to polish her weapons. The routine helped settle Miya and clear her mind. So much had happened in less than a day. She sat down, a little apart from the others so as to not risk injury to them as she worked.
The wakizashi was still sheathed, so Miya started with the katana, lying loosely in her grip.
Her hand moved with practised caution and rhythm as she cleaned the surface, mindful of the very sharp edge. She could not afford rust and mould to form on her weapons, not when she was so far away from home.
"Okay, Phillip, you stay in the back." Without lifting her eyes from the Japanese sword in her hand, Miya quietly enquired, "Lydia, will you be scouting ahead with me?", remembering the few times they had wandered into the woodlands in their local area.
Lydia grins widely. She'd been feeling a bit like a fifth wheel, not confident about how to deal with the frenetic little creature or her shots, cute as "Paul" might be but now here was the chance to help out in a way that more suited her abilities.
"Of course I'll scout with you Miya!" the shy girl tells her friend.
Miya looked up and smiled at Lydia. She appreciated the older girl's courage. "Good, then it is settled. Lydia and I will scout ahead. Luc? You could follow close behind because your army expertise will be useful. Josh, Phillip and Adam stay right back, out of sight, until we know what's going on with the goblins and their secret lair."
The polishing cloth slid with ease along the steel as Miya worked the blade to perfection.
A few moments later, the light braying of sheep can be heard as Robin leads the animals back into their fenced area. He nods at the group, and pauses only for a moment at the sight of the small female faery.
"I see we have some company. Well, I'll go get a thimble of ale for your guest." He smiles and nods, entering the house. Derrick cocks his head to the side in that knowing way and slumps down in the doorway, a furry footmat.
Paul looks over to Lucian, taking a few skips towards him, leaving the stone for Phillip to take. She stands on his shoe and looks up into his eyes.
"Well, some things aren't sposed to be big, no? Throw the shot, and make something big, that'll sure suprize them gobbies. Whatever you like, throw it at and FOOM! bigger!"
Doing an aerial backflip, she flutters into the sky spiraling up, till she hovers in the center of the group, about seven feet off the ground.
"and Aye, they should still be sleepin', them gobbies. Can't hurt to go have a peek first, but ole Paul is only gonna take you there once."
***
Josh seems to bring himself back a bit, now that things are beginning to be more tactical. He never really had a knack at that sort of thing, but it had always interested him. He had poured over many stories of historical battles, and loved RTS games.
"I can be pretty sneaky too. I could come around from a flanking position and get a look from a different angle. Maybe just circle the area and see what I see."
He seemed to be excited to get into the thick of things, embracing the situation more and more.
Adam merely nodded, sitting hunched by the embers. He scratched at his cheek. "Whatever you guys think is best." Although he put on a smile, his friends knew it was just for show. There was something else on his mind, but he wasn't ready to speak.
"Ok then" - Lucian nods at Paul - "And if I throw it at myself?" - he smiles, then turns to the others.
"Are we going guys? Shall we do this scouting, and then decide how to proceed?" - he begins gathering the sparse gear he has.
Shouldering her backpack, Lydia tucks the crossbow into its straps against her left side as she had earlier in the day. It feels less awkward this time around, like something she could get used to. The quarterstaff is something she thinks she could get used to as well. She's capped each end with the hockey tape, extended far enough down the shaft so that she can grip and comfortably swing the weapon two handed. A second pair of tape grips the size of a single hand each equally divides the length of the staff, making for what she believes will be a versatile weapon, especially with no refs around to blow the whistle and call penalties for cross checking or spearing.
"Scout then decide," she agrees with Lucian and looks to Miya for confirmation.
Miya sheathed her polished wakizashi and put it away, leaving her katana free and in her hand. She lifted her bags over her shoulders and turned her unusually bright sapphire eyes on Luc and Lydia. "I'm ready. And Josh, don't take any risks from whichever side you decide to come in from."
Looking for Robin by the front door, she smiled and communicated simply, "We are going to scout the goblins' lair now as the faery has said they are sleeping. Then we'll decide what is to be done with them and the ogre. Be safe and we hope to see you and Derrick soon."
She gave the others one last look and began walking toward the woods/forest. Quietly, she spoke to the faery, "Well, Paul, please lead the way."
"Sounds good." Phillip grabs the other quarterstaff and his backpack, trailing after the others. He studies the faery stone intently, trying to memorize it's look and texture and seeing if he feels anything unusual from it.
Would a Spellcraft roll would tell me anything about the stone?
bleh...I guess not :)
Paul nods heavily, and with much enthusiasm as the group comes to a decision. "Off we go, after the gobbies!" she says with a wide grin.
At first it seems difficult to keep up with the small creature, as she zips away with considerable speed, but before anyone can call out, she is back and fluttering through the air. She leads you into the forest as the sun is just beginning to go down down.
Just a ways further in than Paul was originally found, the forest thickens, the trees almost never further apart than 3 feet or so. The roots coil around the surface, mostly obscuring the dirt ground, and often there are dark thorny bushes as well. The keen eyed (Per:18) see the same slashes in trees every so often, but after a while, even those stop showing up. The innate sounds of the forest also seem to dim, till almost the only sounds are your breath ans a soft chirping of what must be crickets or locusts is the only noise at all.
After about two hours of pushing through, the groups comes to a rather shallow creek, only about 6 inches deep of shockingly clear water. Paul dips in for a moment, shooting out of the water and spinning like a top, fine sprinkles going out in all directions. There are a number of pinkie sized mushrooms that grow just at the edge of the creek, and although Paul tells you "Them's tasty", Adam shakes his head in silent warning.
An hour more, and Paul slows considerably, staying closer to the group.
***Those camping trips tell you that there is only a few hours left of light, probably giving you just enough time to get back before dark.***
It's then that you seem to come to a very thick copse of trees indeed. Several of them grown so close that they wind around each other. Paul gestures excitedly and zips past.
When you climb around this particular group of foliage you see a small valley below, about 100 feet away. Dark twisty vines line both sides of it, and creep almost to the bottom. There is another area about 100 foot radius mostly cleared of the thick vines, and dotted about are several large stones, some man sized, some twice that, but all of them carved into crude depictions of people, all hugging themselves with a pained expression. Dotting the rest of the cleared area are small firepits, each only about a foot wide,thin lines of smoke winding up from them. At first count there seems to be about a dozen goblins scattered about all sleeping heavily. In the very center of the area there is a rock lined pit, deeper than you can see, about 15 feet across.
Phillip studies the faery stone as they follow the trail, scribbling down notes in a pocket notebook, periodically crossing out things and scratching his head.
Frowning he slides the stone in his pocket and starts rummaging through his backpack. "Anyone hungry? I still have some snacks leftover here. Let's see...soda, trail mix, Cheetos, Funyuns...oo, Snickers. Only two...and a little melty. Anyone want half?"
As they reach the clearing, he settles into a crouch at the edge of the woods, still licking the stray melted chocolate from the Snickers wrapper and his fingers.
In a low whisper he says, "Now that we're here, it seems a little...unnerving to think of attacking them in their sleep. Think we can trap them in that pit? Assuming there's nothing in there."
When Paul leads the group away from Robyn's homestead, Lydia gives the dog one last hug and pet, then checks to see if the crow is trailing her. She hopes that Neville is benign and not anything like what Phillip suggested, some evil strangers familiar sent to observe them or something.
She takes the half-Snickers when Phillip offers, eating it slowly to savour the candy since it seems fairly certain that chocolate will not be common in this world.
"It does seem like dirty pool to attack them when they're sleeping," she agrees when her friend expresses his reservations. "But they outnumber us, they are nasty and vicious--that one was trying to kill Derek!--and there's supposed to be an ogre around here somewhere. What if he's in the pit? Maybe we can find a better place to make a trap or a place to lure them where they can only get at us one or two at a time, like they do in the westerns when a posse is chasing them, that kind of thing..."
As they walked, Miya declined the offer of food as her focus was solely on their surroundings and being prepared for anything lurking in the woods. Plus, she had enough to eat back at Robin's cottage earlier in the day.
Moving back, toward the edge of the forest, so she was standing close to the others (not sure where Josh is at the moment, since he was coming from a different angle), Miya gestured to Paul and quietly asked the faery, "Paul, are you able to get closer to that pit without being noticed and come back to tell us what's inside, please?"
Paul flits down to Miya at the mention of her name, hovering inches from the girl's face. She purses her lips and raises a tiny eyebrow.
"Well, I guess I could look. Kinda wanna know myself...have an idea..."
and before finishing her thought, shoots down into the clearing, straight above the pit, and then like a rock, drops straight into it.
Minutes later, she comes back, lighting down on Phillip's shoulder.
"Lotsa junk in there, some shineys, and I didn't go far in, but was snoring...pretty loud. Think there's a big fella in there."
Adam crouches silently by everyone else, breathing heavily. He cocks his head to the side at Paul's words. Mumbling something under his breath, he clutches his backpack close to his chest.
Phillip swallows, eyes wide and whispers. "Big fella? As in ogre? Uh, maybe not such a good idea after all."
He scratches at the 5 o'clock shadow on his neck. "Maybe we watch the place and wait for them to go out hunting or whatever? Especially the big guy. Then scrounge around in the pit to see what we can find?"
"That's not a bad idea. Or, if only a few of them go hunting, maybe we could ambush just those guys out in the forest so we have to fight less of them at a time. If we're lucky, they'll wonder where those guys went and send out a few more for us to beat up, but that's getting ahead of things for now."
Miya listened and then quietly added,
"The goblins are protecting the ogre. That's why they sleep around the pit he sleeps in."
"I think Lydia is onto something -- if we split them up and take them on as a smaller group? But that means we have to distract them somehow and divide them up..." Miya bit down on her bottom lip as she concentrated. "If they go hunting, they'll be armed and more dangerous. There's got to be a better time to ambush them in smaller groups."
Miya looked over her shoulder toward the goblin's camp site. Her eyes scanned the area, trying to formulate a plan using any available resources.
Then turning back to her friends, she continued quietly, "We're supposed to stop them from coming after Robin and Derrick. Scrounging around in the pit doesn't sound like the best use of time, although I understand why Phillip wants to -- I mean, I think I do. He wants to find weapons, money and such we can use when we go into town, right Phillip? I think we could send in one or two quiet footed people while they sleep and steal any weapons we can see. This would leave them defenceless apart from any natural means to protect themselves. It's a dangerous tactic but better than leaving them within easy reach of the goblins."
Phillip nods along with the conversation. "Yeah, I was hoping to find something of value in the pit to sell or trade in town. And if we could find some scraps of clothing or at least a cloak, then one of us could go into town a bit incognito and get clothes for the rest of us."
He pulls out his Rubik's cube, twisting it through its paces as he mulls over the plan. "Splitting them up seems like a good idea. You're right, there is the concern of them going after Robin. I guess we should go after any group that heads out in that direction. Taking their weapons sounds good, too, but risky like you said. Do you think you guys could grab them all in one trip?"
Miya nodded at Phillip's clarification/confirmation of what he was hoping to find inside the ogre's pit.
At his question regarding the taking of the goblin weapons, Miya looked across to Lydia and Josh and answered quietly, "Perhaps if Josh, Lydia and I were to do it, we may manage to take most, if not all the weapons. But we don't have much time and we can't afford for even one of the goblins to wake. Lydia, Josh, what do you think? I will protect you as best as I can as well as grab as many weapons as I can carry. We need to be super quiet and quick or else we won't succeed."
Lucian had been silent during the conversation so far and she wondered what he thought of the plan and whether they could count on him to provide immediate backup. "Luc, this is where your army training will come in handy. What do you think of the plan to take as many of their weapons as possible while they sleep? And will you be at the ready in case we need some goblins pounded if they wake mid weapon theft?"
Adam growled, but caught himself and lowered his volume, a frown on his face.
"I'm ready for whatever we need to do. I know it doesn't sound...fair. But I think our best bet is to kill as many as we can while they sleep."
Although the light was dim, his left eye seemed extra vibrant, and as he perched himself on a nearby branch under the thick canopy above, he clutched his bag even tighter, absently playing with the zipper.
"...but I'll go along with whatever you all think."
had just crept from back around from the south, and had a nervous smile on his face.
"Wow. Goblins. You cant see as well from here, but that place is littered with dead birds and rats. Filthy. Don't really see a way to flank them though. Seems pretty straightforward. Though I'm no tactician." he gave a muffled chuckle.
He seemed a bit offput by Adam's apparent ruthlessness, but answered Miya directly;
"Sounds like a plan to me...They mostly seem to have small blades and spears, I think we could probably get a good chunk of them and get away with not too much problem."
Lucian had indeed been silent, debating to himself as he had always done when a chance for a deadly, decisive strike was upon his platoon, against defenseless opponents.
"I don't want to simply move in on them and murder them while they sleep" - he comments - "So I agree with the idea of instead taking their weapons" - he nods.
"But... I don't think this will deter them from continuing in the region, and harassing Robyn further, perhaps even more aggressively" - he ponders - "I agree with most of the plan - stealing their weapons, and if they notice us we hammer them" - he pauses for a moment then adds - "But I think we are tip-toeing around the main issue - we need to take care of that ogre. I think that has a good chance to break up the goblin's organization and resolve in staying in the area"
Quietly, Miya responded to Lucian,
"I'm all for taking down the ogre. I'm just unsure how we're going to achieve it with those goblin sentinels. So, yes, let's get as many of their weapons as we can. Lucian, have you got a plan re taking care of the ogre? I'm willing to hear it out now before we proceed any further."
Josh seem excited, absently making low swishes across top of the underbrush. Like he often did, he was already playing out the scene is his head. The light falling on the group just so, and the background music soft yet ominous. He looked out at the scene, and for a moment, it was almost if he made that box with his fingers...you know the one where directors are lining everything up? He put on a half serious look and locked eyes with Lucian.
"Yeah, man. What's the plan? We going Ghost Recon on them? Pincer manuver? Order 66?...wait, no that's if we have someone on the inside. Anyway, you've got the knowhow, right, man? What's the call, how do we do this?"
In hushed tone, Miya continued, "Lucian, you are probably the strongest, most trained, to take on the ogre. I shall back you up, of course. But I think we have an added advantage of the shot Paul gave us. She said if we throw it, we can make something bigger. We could make Luc bigger..." Miya looked around the circle, trying to gauge her friends' thoughts/feelings on using the shot Paul had exchanged for Lucian's watch earlier in the woods.
"If we can put the ogre out of commission, the goblins may surrender." Miya didn't know that for certain, but it wasn't everyday she came across goblins.
"We'll have to improvise on this one" - Lucian begins - "IF we manage to get all the weapons from the goblins, we are in an advantageous position to simply move up to that pit, pepper the creature from above, and simply keeping it from climbing up" - Lucian smiles.
"This is an optimistic perspective however - so my suggestion woould be on the one hand, retrieving as many weapons as possible from the goblins, and on the other draw them away from their encampment" - the man grabs a stick and starts drawing in the dirt - "If group retrieving the weapons is detected, they should draw them to the right side of the encampment" - he draws a rough arrow to the right - "On the right side, we'd have the 'hen group' - ready to take them on a merry go round, while the strike team puches through the center up to the pit"
Standing up, he looks at his companions - "If the group relieving the goblins of their weapons is not detected, it reverts to their choice positions - strike or hen - and the plan remains the same - hen drawns, strike moves in"
He looks at the encampment in the distance - "I am still not sure what each one of us can do... So you guys tell me if you are 'hen' or 'strike'"
"I volunteered to be one of the people taking the weapons and I will go through with it, if you guys are okay with it. If we successfully accomplish it, I will then become part of the "strike" team."
"However, if we need me ready and waiting in the 'strike' position, then perhaps Lydia and Josh can move forward to retrieve the goblin weapons and I will wait in case they are detected. Just let me know where I'm needed and I'll be ready with my swords to act accordingly."
"I can try to sneak into the camp to get their weapons. So me and Josh or me, Josh and Miya go in. If any of them wake up, we head to the right of the camp and lead the goblins away while the rest of you handle the ogre?"
Lydia thinks for a moment, giving her friends time to clarify any details of the plan she has missed and then unshoulders her backpack. Kneeling on the ground, she unpacks her textbooks and binders so that the bag is mostly empty.
"For the weapons," she explains, "I can come back for my books later."
"I think Miya should be in the ogre group. There's a lot of goblins but they're small and we kind of know what to expect. We have no idea how badass the ogre is. Your swords are the best weapons we have and you are our badass."
"Alright then, I'm in the strike team against the ogre. Lydia and Josh will attempt to take the weapons while the goblins sleep." She tried giving Lydia a confident smile, appreciating her bravery.
"I'm the badass? Nah, that would be Luc", looking over to the male in question and winking. "But thanks for thinking so, Lydia."
Looking down at the katana in her hand and knowing the wakizashi was in the bag, Miya was relieved that her family's weapons had come into this world with her.
"Yes, my swords are very sharp. That ogre should be wary."
Miya pulled her sports bag from her shoulder and placed it on the ground, busying herself with removing the wakizashi from its sheath and stowing the sheath back inside and securing the bag to her back again. Now she had both her swords ready.
Phillip grips his quarterstaff uncertainly. "Sounds like a plan. I'm probably best as bait leading the goblins away."
"I'm the badass? Nah, that would be Luc", looking over to the male in question and winking. "But thanks for thinking so, Lydia."
"Oorah" - Lucian states with a smile, opting for not shouting the typical marine battle cry, for the sake of discretion.
Retrieving the handaxe, he swings it once or twice for good measure, then grips it with both hands, and swings again. Frowning he adds to his companions - "This axe is of no use with two hands - I cannot put enough weight behind the swing... If you find a shield, let me know. I may put it to good use" - he adds to their 'infiltrators'
Lydia nods at Lucian. "We'll get everything we can and keep an eye out for a shield while we're at it."
"Phillip, if you want to be bait for the goblins, why don't you head over to the right of the camp where we're going to lead them if they wake up? Take my staff with you and, if I need it, I can grab it from you on the go. That's prolly better than me carrying around while I pick up goblin gear, don't you think?"
"Adam, will you be in the group attempting to lead the goblins away from the camp if they wake or will you remain here as we attempt to stop the ogre?"
"Sure, that makes sense." Phillip takes Lydia's quarterstaff, grasping one staff in each hand. "Okay, I'll circle around to the right and wait for you."
He turns to Josh and Adam. "You guys want to join me?"
"Josh is coming with me, right Josh?"
With that, Lydia turns and picks her way through the underbrush and into the goblin encampment. She heads for the nearest weapon and slides it gently into her backpack. Then she moves to the next and adds it to her bag, taking care to move slowly so as not to jostle the various crude blades and clubs against one another.
"Yes, let's do this, Lydia!"
Phillip heads around the edge of the clearing to the far side, looking back periodically to make sure Adam is following.