Something feels... not right. The doors to this place were locked from the inside, he could have escaped easily. The tunnel in the basement leads to the beach, the goblins came up from the beach and he hid in the tunnel? Something just doesn't add up. Logically he should have escaped from the front or jumped out of a window.
His brow furrows as he asks the man a question.
"So the goblins came from the beach, and instead of leaving you hid in the tunnel that they came from which would require more effort than jumping through a window or sneaking out the back and yelling for the guard? I apologize, I must sound very rude, I am called Nover, what was your name?"
The young half-elf approaches to within a few feet of Nover. He looks out into the hallway fearfully for a moment. "Like I said, my name is Jensen. I was down here getting some glass ready for a sales journey, and I just panicked and hid in this room, since it was close by. I was hoping they would just go west and take the stairs up and not even look this way."
"Where is everyone? They didn't leave and they're not upstairs."
"Sadly we have news about your employer," Enna watches for any hint of guilt on the man's face as she carefully chooses her words. "he was slain along with the rest of your coworkers. Goblins happen to be a nasty lot... wouldn't you agree. We will escort you to the surface, after you tell us where you have stashed your sister." Enna gives the man a hard stare, hoping she was correct in her guess... otherwise this was going to look very stupid on her part.
At Enna's words the man does not hesitate, but attempts to lash out at Nover.
Surprise Round: Mystery Man, Enna
The man does some crazy ninja stuff, waving his arms around before trying to strike at Nover with ill intent.
Nover is struck hard by the man's fist, caught unawares as he is.
Enna nods her head, as if to say she had expected this from the outset. Magical energy leaps to her fingertips as she casts the spell she has for this very situation, a bolt of green light reaches out and pierces the half-elf in the chest. "We need him alive."
Enna hears a grunt of pain come from the half-elf, who then proceeds to skirt past the still-surprised Nover out into the hallway.
Again the half-elf winds up, thrusting both hands forward towards the sturdy dwarf.
The half-elf's second attack is less successful, hitting the dwarf's thick armor with a loud clang, but little other effect.
Round 1: Tsuto, Togog, Elaina, Zella, Enna, Nover
Nover's muscles tense.
Alive? This coward doesn't deserve that, but if Ms. Enna believes we should I can try.
Nover begins to see red at the sight of the cowardly man and swings his hammer with all of his might. Unfortunately the sudden strike of the man disoriented him enough to send his hammer wide.
"Everyone's in my way again!" Elaina pushes past the other ladies and heads towards the intersection at the bottom of the stairs.
Doubting that she could get a clear shot through everyone to the helf-elf, Zella chooses to cast Grease underneath him.
I hope he falls on his ass.
"Treacher," Togog snarls, "betrayer! Angradd guide the blow that strikes you down!"
I only have so much energy to play with. I hope the others can take him down. Enna muses over her current difficulties, having had no practice at playing soldier meant that she had little practice at use of her magic past the ever useful read all night spell. It is a poor craftsman who bemoans his tools, one just has to make due with what is at hand.
A globule finally seems to fly straight.
Togog really gets into the spirit of things, shouting about treachery and imploring the gods for assistance. He reaches forward, giving Nover a little extra luck with the blessings of Angradd, ready to leap forward to engage the half-elf should Nover fall.
Elaina complains about the thick dwarven bodies that always seem to be planted in front of her, and turns and hurries the other way, presumably to cut off escape attempts from the nimble foe.
Zella casts a spell, coating the area under the half-elf with grease, secretly wishing he embarrasses himself. Her wish is rejected, as the man keeps his feet with relative ease.
Enna send a glob of acid flying forward, but having to aim around two thick dwarves throws off her aim enough to miss. (-8 due to cover (-4 for Togog, -4 for Nover))
Even with the inspiration of his cousin, Nover is still stunned from the heavy blow the half-elf landed, his swing missing badly.
End of Round 1
Current Condition:
Nover - 10 hp down
Mystery Man - 4 hp down
----------------------------------------------------
Round 2:
'Jensen' takes another couple of swings at Nover, the right hand connecting solidly, then backs away, grinning widely as he glides over the greasy spot with relative ease. His grin quickly is replaced by dismay as he spies Elaina behind him, cutting him off.
Initiative: Jensen, Togog, Elaina, Zella, Enna, Nover
Elaina runs the rest of the way down the hall, happy it wasn't filled with goblins or glass or otherwise blocked. She steps up behind the mean fellow...
and slides through the grease, running into the wall but keeping her feet.
She swings at the unhelpful half-elf with her scimitar.
"Angradd heal your wounds, that you may battle on," Togog whispers.
Converting 'Bless' to Cure Light Wounds and using on Nover.
Spinning his hammer to the side Nover swings his hammer with the side of the weapon.
"Tell us where Ameiko is or die holding your tongue!"
Unsure what else to do at the moment, Zella tries to get lucky with a bow shot at the half-elf.
Enna readies her staff just in case the Half-elf some how tries to run past her.
Togog reaches forward and heals some of Nover's wounds with the blessing of his god.
Elaina dances forward and delivers a devastating hit to the half-elf, the man practically withering under the brutal assault.
Zella fires an arrow into the melee, but like Enna can not find a purchase for her arrow while trying to avoid her companions.
Enna readies an action to whack the half-elf, should he try to run the gauntlet and get past her.
Nover will never know (well, I guess he might when the mystery man wakes up) if the half-elf intended on answering his demand as the side of his hammer connects with the man's head, dropping him to the ground in an unconscious heap.
"Good job everyone. Now let's tie him up and drag him with us while we keep looking for Ameiko. Maybe if he wakes up we can ask him a few questions."
"Look! It's a giant-human-sized goblin just like I said! He's the tallest, he must be the leader."
Coming down from his battlerage Nover looked very apologetic. He didn't mean to knock the man out so soundly. He just wanted to rough the man up so he'd tell the group where Ameiko was.
"Oh... I um. I apologize for knocking the man out before he could answer our questions. He punched me and I panicked. Also it's not a goblin Elaina. It's a half-elf."
Using his boot he rolls the half elves face into view.
"Looks like that'll leave one hell of a mark all along the side of his face."
The man groans as Nover nudges him over, his brow furrowing. Otherwise, silence reigns.
"Let's lock him in a closet. Or we could heal him till he wakes up. This looks like a closet." Elaina steps over the unconscious man and tries the door in front of her, treading carefully on the slick floor.
Paragon of restraint and caution that she is, Elaina starts opening more doors. This one proves to have another occupant. Ameiko lies on her side, facing the door. Her dark eyes squint in the party's magical light, and it is apparent that she has been badly beaten. Her hands are bound behind her back, her legs are bound together, and strips of leather form a crude gag.
Zella gasps: "Ameiko!"
Moving into the closet, Zella takes her dagger and cuts Ameiko's bonds and removes her gag. "What happened Ameiko?"
"Do ye need healing, lass?" I ask, kneeling beside Zella, ready to channel Angradd's blessings if required. "That 'shroom-sucking half-elf," I mutter.
"Of course she needs healing, or did you not notice the bruising and lacerations?"
Enna lets the emerald flames within her soul blanch out to sooth Ameiko's wounds.
"Ameiko! What are you doing here? We were on tour and got separated from the group... Just kidding, we're here to save you!"
"My brother Tsuto ambushed me when I came to speak with him! That bastard!" Ameiko's blemishes fade from a bright red-purple to an ugly dark yellow from Enna's weird thing she just did.
"Tsuto said some b&#~* named Nualia was in charge of all this, and that she has some other mercenaries working for her. Said I should make myself scarce for the next several weeks." She thinks for a moment, then her eyes widen. "I have to go warn my father!"
"Uhm, Ameiko, it's a bit too late for that I am afraid. When we found your father upstairs he was already beyond any help that we could give. I am sorry dear."
As the news hits Ameiko, Zella also thinks on what she told them about Tstuo. "If Tsuto has more information on what is going on, we need to take him back to the jail and have the deputies watch him until he recovers enough to answer more questions on what is going on here."
Elaina hands Ameiko her waterskin. "Behind what? The goblins? What's the point? Is Sandpoint built on ancient Nualia family burial grounds? The only Nualia I know is buried here, so it's a possibility. She seeks her dead twin. It makes sense."
Ameiko takes the news of her father's demise stoically, a slight watering of her eyes the only indication of her distress. She absently takes a few sips of the proffered water, looking understandably distracted.
Letting his hammer and shield fall to the ground with a slump he moves forward to Ameiko and opens his arms for a hug. He knew how painful losing your parents could be, especially if it was to a violent end.
"It'll be alright, it won't be the same, but it will be okay. I think we can see what we can do about this Nualia figure. If the goblins are behind all this then the tunnel to the beach should point us in the right direction. Perhaps there are some clues over in that direction."
"We should probably take a day to recover, Ameiko go home. You've been through enough for a lifetime all in just a few days. Get some rest."
Ameiko hugs Nover, squeezing him tight before nodding. "Yes. Yes, going home seems like the right idea. Only...home is the manor now, isn't it?" She laughs without mirth, shaking her head.
I breath a small sigh as Nover comforts the girl. Such kindness, beyond the needs of vengeance, gives me more hope for him than a mountain of goblin corpses.
As for Ameiko... I can see the strength in her. She'll thrive despite the terrible misfortunes she's suffered... and I can only regret that I wasn't able to prevent them, and how little comfort I've been able to offer.
"Endure, lass," I murmur, laying my hand her shoulder around Nover's embrace. "Angradd's strength be with you in this time."
"Ok, let's get Ameiko out of here, take this here fellow to the jail cell and have him locked up and then I think we should come back down here to make sure this building is cleared of all goblins."
Elaina stands by, looking down awkwardly. She likes Ameiko, but she was never very good at expressing sympathy. "What about the goblin tunnel? We can't leave it. We're winnin' right now."
Letting go of Ameiko, the dwarf gives a puzzled look to Elaina.
"We can go through that tunnel to the beach and see what's on the other side or we can seal off the tunnel for a bit, get Ameiko home, turn in the guy I hit with my hammer to the sheriff, get some rest and go look for this Nualia person tomorrow. I'll deal with what I can see right now and protect right now. Unless you want to leave the town defenseless we can go down that tunnel."
"How are we supposed to seal off the tunnel? It's made of rocks. How do we know the goblins won't get through, or have another tunnel in another building? Isn't there a militia or something to send I mean who the hell protects these people? If we don't go now the bad guys will know these ones failed."
Nover sighs.
"Right now, WE protect these people. Many of the guards met their fate in the goblin attack during the festival. Currently the sheriff is away recruiting some more guards from Magnimmar and getting some reinforcements to keep the peace around the town. Right now what we can do is shove as many boxes of glass that would be sold into this here tunnel and block it off while waiting for the sheriff to return. We can't leave the town defenseless."