Dravite catches one of the goblins with his hook and it staggers over the edge of the platform and crumples at the base inside. Hudak's foe descends to the yard below in two pieces.
The party is currently in two places - on top of a platform (Hudak, Elisile and Dravite) and by the gate (Alwyn, Lo'j and Gurney, Larken, Illes and Vethran). The platform is 10' high and its top is half inside and half outside the compound, so you can jump or climb (down a knotted rope) to get into the goblin compound from there. The platform is 35' due west of the gate (the other platform, with the Slept goblins, is 30' east, for reference, and both are situated on corners of the pallisade). The gate, as mentioned above, is ajar, you can just go through it with no hindrance to movement.
Inside the pallisade is a compound, mostly comprising packed earth and rubbish. It is irregular in shape, but the single edifice within is a giant hut/hall, abour 70' in diameter, with a conical thatched roof and wooden and wattle-and-daub walls, which occupies the north-western portion of the enclosure. The entrance to this hall is about 45' north-east from the platform and 30' north (bearing slightly west) from the gate, and faces roughly south-east. Smoke rises from a hole at the peak of the building.
In the compouns are two goblin dogs and three adult goblins, spread across the open space mainly in the south-east portion of the yard, plus a gaggle of goblin children.
We are still on the same initiative sequence, starting at the top of the order with Vethran.
For the guy inside:
Spoiler:
It's lucky these goblins are dumb, or I might be in real trouble. Davos sits on the floor, surreptitious sawing at the bonds which tie him to one of the four stout wooden pillars holding up the roof of this smokey, reeking hut the goblins think of as their castle. The goblins left him in his armour and, while taking away his obvious weapons, missed the small knife he uses for eating. With a goblin guard only nominally keeping an eye on him, it was fairly easy to manouevre the utensil out of his pouch and into his hand and begin cutting through the rough rope chafing his wrists.
However, that was only his immediate problem. The hall acts as the main living area for the tribe, and is usually pretty crowded. The goblin chieftain, sitting in his horse skull throne in front of the fire pit, snarls and grumbles with his lieutenants, a grotesque-looking canine-rodent hybrid slumbers to one side and various goblins of lesser rank amble about or fawn to the king. The place is crowded with the little devils - about twenty, including the king and hangers on, are inside, and more come and go from the ladder disappearing into, presumably, caves or caverns below.
So, as the rope finally parts and Davos frees himself, he realises that a dash for freedom would likely lead to a very swift end. He will have to wait for developments...
At that instant, a shout of alarm comes from outside the hall, followed by what sound like death shrieks. After brief moment of surprise, the goblins inside begin to mobilise, and the goblin guard steps away. Davos's equipment and weapons are just a few tanatlising feet away. But what is going on outside?
There are about 20 goblins in here, plus a particularly large goblin-dog. You are armoured, but your weapons and equipment are in a pile about 5' away (stupid goblins). There is one goblin within melee range at the moment, and he is distracted. You are also about 15' away from the entrance to the hall, which is to the south, but there is another goblin nearer to it. Plus, quite a large number of goblins could close with you and engage you in melee within a round. However, they think you are still tied up, so you have the advantage of surprise.
Right!
*Dravite lays his hook before him on the platform, kneels and pulls out his bow, lining up a few arrows, then scans the compound for targets.
*
My arrows will fall like rain!
Davos surveys his surroundings and decides to stay put for the moment.
Davos will wait a few rounds to see what happens. If it looks like he can make a break for the entrance without taking any AoOs, he will. If he can, he will grab at least his sword, but won't risk becoming trapped in the hut with the goblins for his equipment (I'm assuming they didn't take his holy symbol; if they did, he won't leave without it). If other humans enter the hut and they don't look evil, he dives for his weapon and stands to fight the goblins beside them.
From the description, it sounds like the enclosure is 100+ feet diameter. Call it 120. The gull was being played with outside the enclosure, on the far side … if we can see it flying away it’s probably gained some altitude to get above the wall, and has probably flown out as well as up. A gull probably has similar stats to a raven, fly speed 40. Say it got a single move action on the surprise round, puts it at approx 160 feet. Sounds like a good estimate to me, until Aubrey confirms (he’s back on UK time, so depending on jetlag probably wont be posting for another 7 or 8 hours).
"Oh crap..." Alwyn watches in horror as the gobin corpses tumble off the watch platform before hittng the ground with loud thuds. "Someone inside is bound to notice that. It's time to move." He drives the point of the greatsword into the dirt and pulls his javelins out of their sheath. "Choose your targets. I'm going for the closest dog."
Davos surveys his surroundings and decides to stay put for the moment.
Davos will wait a few rounds to see what happens. If it looks like he can make a break for the entrance without taking any AoOs, he will. If he can, he will grab at least his sword, but won't risk becoming trapped in the hut with the goblins for his equipment (I'm assuming they didn't take his holy symbol; if they did, he won't leave without it). If other humans enter the hut and they don't look evil, he dives for his weapon and stands to fight the goblins beside them.
You have your holy symbol - they haven't really frisked you yet.
Straight line - maybe 120', but there is a big hut with a peaked roof in the middle which obscures the view from the gate. By foot, at least two rounds of movement around the pallisade.
Blast... I had hoped to get a shot off while I could still see it. Probably a red herring, anyway.
Working on the assumption that the group won't wait for the goblins to come to them (why would today be any different than every other day?), Larken slings his bow and draws his rapier.
I think that's it. If I still have a move I slip in through the gate, and move to one side to clear it for anyone else coming through.
I am going to shoulder through the main gate, and begin shouting (in goblin)
"Feces-demons of Thistletop, your nightmares have stormed the gate of your war-hovel. Surrender now, and you may find an accomodation that does not involve the death of every warrior of your tribe."
Intimidate: 18+8=26
I am going to take a total defense action this round, and if I can, ready a free action to release Gurney should anyone come running at me with a pointy object.
The two remaining goblins in the yard, plus the children, decide that fighting Lo'j is not a favoured option. The kiddies run hither and thither, piping voices shrieking.
If you speak Goblin:
Spoiler:
"A dog! The nasty longshanks has a dog!"
The adults, meanwhile, head for the hut. The two goblin dogs, however, growl and look ready to charge. On their turn.
Consternation immediately breaks out as the booming yell comes from outside. Davos's guard runs to the entrance, peers round the flap, and begins yammering.
For Davos only, and only if he speaks Goblin:
Spoiler:
"The longshanks from the human town! They are here!"
For Davos again:
Spoiler:
The chief leaps to his feet and lifts up his mighty (for a goblin) warhammer and roars (in the way only a goblin can roar)...
For Davos again, and only if he speaks Goblin:
Spoiler:
”Let them come – we shall ambush them in out great hall and their skulls shall be our trophies!”
I still don’t know what languages Davos speaks – if he actually speaks Goblin I don’t have to go berserk with the spoilers, but it won’t be that useful after this chapter.
No, Davos doesn't speak goblin. He speaks Chelaxian and Celestial.
Davos mutters a quick prayer to Sarenrae, and begins the gestures of a summoning spell, trying his best to be discrete and hoping the goblins don't notice.
Not sure if the rules allow for this, but I'm going to give it a shot anyway. Here are a couple of checks in case you need them.
Is there an alternate Summon Monster list for the Pathfinder gods? If not, I'll use summon monster II to summon a celestial bombardier beetle. I want it to appear as close as possible to the goblin king. Stats are in my profile, in a spoiler tag beneath my spells.
OK, I think it is Dravite, though he has posted that he is putting down his hook and taking out his bow. After that it is Alwyn, who wrote that he is putting down his sword and taking out his javelins. After that is is Illes, though he is away for a bit and cannot post easily. I will DMPC him...
Illes begins to sing a warsong, inspiring his allies to martial feats now that the big fight with the goblins has now commenced. Everyone gets +1 vs Fear and Charm, and +1 to hit and damage.
No, Davos doesn't speak goblin. He speaks Chelaxian and Celestial.
Davos mutters a quick prayer to Sarenrae, and begins the gestures of a summoning spell, trying his best to be discrete and hoping the goblins don't notice.
Not sure if the rules allow for this, but I'm going to give it a shot anyway. Here are a couple of checks in case you need them.
Is there an alternate Summon Monster list for the Pathfinder gods? If not, I'll use summon monster II to summon a celestial bombardier beetle. I want it to appear as close as possible to the goblin king. Stats are in my profile, in a spoiler tag beneath my spells.
Hmm, good thought. This came up recently in another game, and I rules then that it needed a Concentration check of 15 + spell level and a DC 20 Bluff check, though the Bluff was high as the potential recipients of the spell in that case were standing there looking at the caster. For you, I would say the same Concentration check and a DC 10 Bluff check (since you are effectively forgotten about). You kinda rolled randomly there before I got a reply in - try again with new rolls, it'll be a shame to waste a spell as your first action in the game.
Don't know about alternate lists for Summoning in Pathfinder - not that I am aware, though there were rules a few years ago in Dragon (remember that?) which give a general rule of thumb on the CRs of summoned monsters if you wanted to vary the lists. What did you have in mind, though the beetle seems reasonable to me? I don't think they have done a write-up of Sarenrae and said what the associated animals might be, so we are on our own for the moment.
Hmm, good thought. This came up recently in another game, and I rules then that it needed a Concentration check of 15 + spell level and a DC 20 Bluff check, though the Bluff was high as the potential recipients of the spell in that case were standing there looking at the caster. For you, I would say the same Concentration check and a DC 10 Bluff check (since you are effectively forgotten about). You kinda rolled randomly there before I got a reply in - try again with new rolls, it'll be a shame to waste a spell as your first action in the game.
FWIW, according to the Rules Compendium, "discreet spellcasting" is a Sleight of Hand check (opposed by Spot) that can't be done untrained. This has come up several times in our games and, with the exception of a skill trick from the Complete Scoundrel, seems to be the only "official" way to hide spellcasting. Naturally, as you are the DM, it is entirely up to your discretion. I just thought I would let you know what appears to be the "official" word.
Hmm, good thought. This came up recently in another game, and I rules then that it needed a Concentration check of 15 + spell level and a DC 20 Bluff check, though the Bluff was high as the potential recipients of the spell in that case were standing there looking at the caster. For you, I would say the same Concentration check and a DC 10 Bluff check (since you are effectively forgotten about). You kinda rolled randomly there before I got a reply in - try again with new rolls, it'll be a shame to waste a spell as your first action in the game.
FWIW, according to the Rules Compendium, "discreet spellcasting" is a Sleight of Hand check (opposed by Spot) that can't be done untrained. This has come up several times in our games and, with the exception of a skill trick from the Complete Scoundrel, seems to be the only "official" way to hide spellcasting. Naturally, as you are the DM, it is entirely up to your discretion. I just thought I would let you know what appears to be the "official" word.
I was unaware of that, so thanks. I used the method that I used in the Other Eberron Campiagn when Mirra went and cast Charm on a guy in the pub. I'll stick with mine, as it can be done untrained and I'm happier with that, but with the proviso that you can either misdirect (using Bluff) or conceal (using Sleight) depending on the circumstances and what skills the PC has trained.
I'm still not really clear on the scene here, but, this'll work...
Vethran steadies his crossbow and takes another shot at the nearest open target.
Just shooting at the closest goblin that isn't engaged in melee already. If none, then I'll shoot the nearest one that IS in melee. Attack: 15 + 3 = 18. (Add bonuses or penalties as applicable.) Damage: 8. Nice. :D
Did you ever actually step inside the compound? Hudak is the only one there at the moment.
I was waiting just outside the gate, but I thought Alwyn and Lo'j had gone in as well? If that is incorrect, then I am holding action until two people go in before me.
