Amused at Kane's reaction to her Eilyn let him scoot away a little and moved around to sit across from him. She crossed her legs at her knees and leaned forward while she listened to what he wanted to know. Smiling then she said, "Why I can make plants grow." She thought through what to say and then continued, "I can walk through the forest without trouble, I don't even leave tracks if I don't want to, I can grow plants into clothing for myself," she gestured with her hands and golden energy flowed into her leafy garment and made it grow to cover more of her and then recede back to it's original, scandalous, design, "I can even grow a small barrier very quickly now for cover. I can also do this..." she began to gesture and golden energy slipped into her clothing and pulled out a seed then she sent it flying at the wall, growing it into a very big thorn which slammed against the stone surface. "I can even give it extra power to push the target away from me."
Intrigued by Kane's suggestion of striking back at the hobgoblin forces, Griffo chimes in with a suggestion. "I've been developing some new techniques as I've been getting closer in touch with the natural world around us. I can now take on the shapes of animals of the forest for a little while. Eventually I should be able to more but my skill at doing so is limited. The best part, however, is now I can become a bird which might gives us a chance to do some real scouting for a change. I'm certainly willing to give it a go," he says enthusiastically.
"Sorry, Minto old boy, you won't be able to come with me if I do go flying. But I'll come back to you. I promise."
Minto hangs his head and whimpers a little.
Eilyne looked at the wolf as he whimpered and said, "It's alright Minto, you can keep me company when Griffo goes flying..." Her eyes teared up a little as she suddenly remembered the loss of Rocky but she handled it better and kept her grief from coming out, "I could use it."
"I, um, try to hit things?" Surma offers after scratching her head for a bit.
Kane pulls out his journal and begins jotting notes to himself as the others explain themselves, writing for a bit before his movements begin to indicate that he is drawing shapes of some sort. Finally, though, he nods and closes the book. "As for me... I'm pretty good with a bow... and I've... I've got a little bit of magic to back up everyone else... I think I have a plan... It's been a while since I've visited Armado's Acre, but if my memory serves right... we have enough to strike them hard..."
Kane closed his eyes and started to count out on his fingers before nodding. "...yes. We should have plenty of time. If we leave by first light, we should arrive by the afternoon... we should get some sleep. I'll brief Aubrin on the plan, set up an alarm, and... we'll convene in the morning... it's time to strike back... if my estimates are right, and we hit them hard enough... we can disrupt a lot of their patrols in the Fangwood... our first step to taking back Nirmathas..."
You rest and prepare to head out of the caves. In the morning, before you depart though, the sentries on duty shout in alarm. A hobgoblin has come to Misthome!
Indeed, as you emerge to confront the potential threat, you see a lone hobgoblin wearing a gleaming breastplate emblazoned with the insignia of the Ironfang Legion as well as a fine, maroon cloak. An axe is at his belt. He sits aside a hulking, black-furred wolf the size of a draft horse clad in leather barding.
"Interesting. I was expecting troglodytes, not humans," he says. "I am Corporal Fahrak of the Ironfang Legion, second-in-command to Sergeant Scarvinious. I came to recruit the Children of Stone into our ranks, but since you appear to have taken over their caves, perhaps I should extend the same offer to you? There's no reason you have to die needlessly when you could prove to be valuable assets to the Legion. I will happily offer you the payment I prepared for the troglodytes in exchange for your loyal service. I promise you will live full lives as beloved slaves of the coming empire if you abandon your foolish goal of resistance and serve as my agents."
Eilyne was rather startled at the appearance of the hobgoblin outside. The fact the so called second-in-command spoke to them instead of attacked was even more interesting. Likely it was only because he was apparently alone and they obviously weren't but still it was surprising. While she didn't necessarily agree with what the Ironfang Legion was doing she was still curious about this offer. She had little connection with humans even though she technically was one and wondered what he could mean by "Favored Slaves". She raised one eyebrow questioningly as she shifted towards the undergrowth to one side and asked, "What exactly do you mean by 'Favored Slaves'? What would that mean for us if we were to agree?"
"You would be treated well, given food, shelter, and creature comforts," Fahrak says. "In exchange, you would serve as turncoats against your people, weakening their towns and cities so that our army can take them with minimal violence. Your names would be lauded as heroes among our new empire!"
Surma blinks and slowly cranes her head towards her ranged focused compatriots.
Kane was surprised to hear that a hobgoblin was approaching them... and peacefully? Something was up... arriving at the scene, Kane scanned the area, looking for other enemies as he listened to this hobgoblin's proposition. Bow at the ready, his eyes turned back to Fahrak as he explained his purpose.
He was ashamed to admit his first instinct was to agree. A peaceful resolution? It was exactly what he would like! No fighting... no danger... it sounded nice.
"...I only want one thing. If you can get it for me, I'll consent to this plan."
Fahrak grins, revealing a mouth full of sharp teeth. "Of course! What is it that you want?"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Kane remained silent a moment, looking at the ground before speaking quietly...
"The night the Ironfang Legion attacked, my father and I were in a Chernasardo hunting lodge along the river... I managed to escape, but my father stayed behind to fight. I can't imagine he survived... the Legion took my father from me... and I want him back. Can you do that? Can you bring my father back?"
Surma’s face kept a stoic tone, though it wanted dearly to show off a sadistic grin as her fingers twitched, eager to grip her new axe.
The hobgoblin's grin turns to a scowl. "I'm afraid that's not going to happen. Your father could have surrendered, but he chose to fight. He chose to die. Don't make the same stupid decision as him. Join us!"
Eilyne, having made it to the trees and slipping from sight behind a tree, said, "Hmmm, an interesting offer, but there is a problem with it, I have no people here. I know of no other of the fey here so what people would I be helping you undermine hm?" That she was talking gave her location away rather readily but she was still out of sight for the moment at least and protected should the hobgoblin attack.
"...you know what? Everyone else said the same thing... he was stupid... guess that's how he got the name 'Mad' Madigann..." Kane's head hung as he wiped a tear away with his free hand. "But... he was always looking out for me... teaching me... I wish I could've done something like this while he was alive... might've made him proud..."
Kane lifted his head, eyes still tearing up, but a stern expression on his face. "You've delivered your message! Now I've got another! You go back to this Scarvinious, beaten and with your tail between your legs, and you tell him this! This forest is under my protection, and if he's not gone from his camp by the time I get there, I'll rain all the fury of Erastil down on you, him, and any other lackeys I find!"
Kane raised his bow and leveled it at Fahrak, pulling back the string as the bow began to glow brilliantly with light, before concentrating at the center and forming into an arrow of pure light. "I am Kane Madigann, son of 'Mad' Jack Madigann, and Champion of the Fangwood! And when you get to the other side... you tell my father... THAT HIS SON IS JUST AS MAD AS HE WAS!" Kane released the string, letting the arrow fly true and explode in a brilliant burst of light, encompassing both Fahrak and his big dog.
As Kane raises his bow, Fahrak draws his battleaxe and spurs his dire wolf forward!
Both the hobgoblin and his mount manage to shield their eyes from the burst of radiance. Fahrak growls in pain as the light singes him.
Surma lets out a howl as she charges the hobgoblin.
Griffo casts a magic fang spell upon his companion and says, "Go get that hobgoblin, Minto. Drag him down." And then he jogs 30 feet forward, grateful and somewhat amazed to be going as fast as he is thanks to the magic boots.
Minto bounds forward to get at the hobgoblin, snapping at him.
Griffo enchants Minto's fangs and sends the wolf forward, striding along in his wake. Minto lunges at Fahrak, biting through his greaves and drawing blood, though he fails to drag the soldier off his mount.
Surma charges in with a howl, her axe slicing deep into the hobgoblin's gut.
Roaring with rage, Fahrak directs his dire wolf towards Surma. The huge canine snaps at the skinwalker, but she narrowly dodges its snapping jaws!
Fahrak swings his battleaxe with two hands down at Surma, but it clangs harmlessly against her new armor!
Reeling from the impact against new armor Surma's retaliatory swing is off by a bit.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Kane pulled back a bit more as before stopping and stamping the ground. A long, thin pole shot up next to him, grabbing it midair and loading it into his bow, taking aim at the hobgoblin again before launching it. Right before impact, it shatters into hundreds of sharpened shards, ready to slice through the warrior.
Minto presses his attack, trying to grab on and drag the hobgoblin off his mount, but the lurching of the dire wolf keeps him from latching on.
Griffo reaches into his haversack and pulls out a tanglefoot bag. In an effort to make sure hobgoblin can't ride out in escape, Griffo flings the bag at the dire wolf.
The bag disgorges its contents all over the dire wolf, making a sticky mess.
A creature that is glued to the floor (or unable to fly) can break free by making a DC 17 Strength check or by dealing 15 points of damage to the goo with a slashing weapon. A creature trying to scrape goo off itself, or another creature assisting, does not need to make an attack roll; hitting the goo is automatic, after which the creature that hit makes a damage roll to see how much of the goo was scraped off. Once free, the creature can move (including flying) at half speed. If the entangled creature attempts to cast a spell, it must make concentration check with a DC of 15 + the spell’s level or be unable to cast the spell. The goo becomes brittle and fragile after 2d4 rounds, cracking apart and losing its effectiveness.
With the fighting begun Eilyne moved out from behind her tree and just close enough to be in point blank range for her attack. She gathered the energy with sweeping gestures and sent it into the seed she tossed out sending it flying out like a wooden spike at the hobgoblin.
Eilyne hurls a wooden spike into Fahrak's chest. It burrows deep into his flesh, blood pouring from the wound.
Kane conjures a spear and fires it into the hobgoblin's side. He groans as it impales him as well, splinters leaving bleeding injuries behind.
Minto misses with his attack, but Griffo's tanglefoot bag splatters the dire wolf, entangling the beast and sticking it to the ground!
Surma attempts to finish off the hobgoblin warrior, but Fahrak parries her axe strike.
"You'll never defeat...the Legion!" Fahrak snarls. Despite his grievous wounds, he continues to attack. The wolf snaps at Surma as well, but neither of them manage to hit the sword devil.
”YES. WE. WILL!” Surma howls as she swings again.
Kane remained silent, still angry and restraining tears as he pulled an arrow from his quiver and knocked it, firing it again at the hobgoblin. "...they've already lost..."
"Though it pains me to say it, I think the training the dire wolf has undergone may reveal us if we let it get away. Minto, shift target. Take down the wolf," Griffo commands. "Forgive me, great hunter. But this has been your last hunt," he says to the dire wolf as he draws for his scimitar and strikes out in an effort to swiftly end its life of conflict.
Minto dutifully shifts his attention to the dire wolf. But the shift from hobgoblin to wolf has his timing off and he fails to get a solid bite.
Eilyne fires another thorn, but it doesn't pierce Fahrak's armor.
Kane shoots an arrow the hobgoblin, but it likewise fails to penetrate his defenses.
Griffo moves up and slashes the dire wolf with his scimitar, scoring a light hit. Minto snaps at the beast, but fails to hit.
Surma lands a solid blow, her axe biting deep into Fahrak's gut. He groans and sags in his saddle, his axe falling from nerveless fingers. Blood pours from the vicious wound, staining his wolf mount's fur.
With a howl of fury, the dire wolf snaps at Griffo. But the nimble halfling dodges its slavering jaws!
Eilyne was annoyed that her thorn glanced off of the hobgoblin's armor but was pleased when Surma seemed to take him down. She heard the wolf's howl of fury and wished that they could spare it from death. It likely wasn't the creature's fault it was involved in all of this after all. She called out to Griffo, "Do you think you can calm the wolf? I would rather not have to kill the creature."
Surma keeps her axe up as her eyes shift back and forth between Minho and the large wolf.
Kane drew another arrow and leveled it at the wolf. Truth be told, the wolf's defeat wouldn't break him, but if the others wanted to try and spare it, he'd do his best to help. But he had a job to do, and if the wolf couldn't be calmed, he'd have to put it down.
Might be a mercy at this point, given its owners...
Griffo backs up. "OK, we'll give this scroll a try, but even if it works we may need to keep this fellow restrained so he can't make his way back to the army. Heel, Minto."
Minto disengages to stay at Griffo's side as the halfling gets out his scroll of calm animals and invokes the stored magic within.
The dire wolf howls and thrashes as the magic of the scroll fails to affect it. Eilyne and Kane both launch their attacks, striking the wolf and badly wounding it.
Surma lets out a quick sigh before bringing her axe down on the giant wolf.
Surma's axe slices into the wolf's flank, and the big beast goes down.
In the aftermath, you search through Fahrak's possessions. Among them is a note wrapped around a fat ruby. The note is written in crude but legible Common:
My troopers carry this gift to you to show our intentions. Together we can tear our enemies to pieces, their arms ripped from their living bodies, and their heads screaming as we wrest them from their necks. We've slaughtered or enslaved all in the human town save for a few weak stragglers now lost in the woods. We can hunt them down as one, or we will be done with your claims to this region.
There's also a map on a piece of hide that seems to show the location of a hobgoblin camp nearby.
Griffo goes to the dire wolf to hold its eyes closed and offer some easement of suffering until it passes. "Go to your rest, Great Wolf. You need no longer feel the yoke of the hobgoblin's cruelty."
Surma crouches and gently puts her hand on the wolf's neck. "There's bunnies to chase with your brothers and sisters in the next field over, go on, they're waiting for you."
The massive wolf lets out a final whimper as its breathing comes to a shuddering halt.
Kane takes a little while to examine the gear pulled from Fahrak as the others tend to the wolf. It wasn't that he was heartless about it... he just didn't know how to address it without breaking down. He pocketed the alchemist fire and smoke sticks in the meantime.
Having a look at the letter, Kane clenched it slightly in his hands before standing up and looking in the direction they needed to go. "We have to hurry now. If he was their second in command and he doesn't return within the next few days, they'll know we're here and keep sending soldiers."
"Lovely."
With the wolf shaking off the magic of the scroll Eilyne felt a pang of sadness. She may not care much about it's fate but she did care a little, particularly since it wasn't the direwolf's fault it ended up on the wrong side, and there was a slight tear that leaked from her eye as it breathed it's last.
She watched as Kane searched the hobgoblin's body and came up with the equipment and then turned to keep watch while they mourned and looted. As Kane spoke up about their lack of time now she nodded and said, "Yes, he's right. We need to move quickly to deal with the camp before they know we killed that one." She pointed at the former second of the enemy camp. "The sooner the better for us. At most we have a day or so more than he told us but let's not waste them." She looked back towards the cave, "Do we bring our small army or leave them here?"