Daichi still looks dazed as he looks up at the group around him. "I... do not think it matters out here Derric-san." He shakes himself, trying to regain his focus. "Perhaps we should try to find some cover from the storm. Or at least keep moving. This is not weather to be out in if something has happened to us."
Wiping the rain out of her eyes, Jayna says, "I agree let's go. Standing around in the rain isn't a good idea." Jayna follows anyone who starts walking away.
Leo wipes his face and says, "I feel like... there's some kind of hole, something that is very important that I'm forgetting."
He frowns slightly. "I don't like it. It seems like some kind of evil is afoot, but it is too cunning for us to confront it directly."
Derric shrugged his shoulders before smiling, "Well the gods do tend to play tricks on mortals although I doubt Daikitsu and Shelyn would do something like that except maybe help us so we can finish a taste that we have yet to complete. You know like rewind time or alter time so that we can accomplish a great deed or quest. But that would anger the goddess of death herself, Pharasma since it means a lot of theological stuff that would probably hurt my head thinking about it."
He laughs a bit but returns to smiling, "But cheer up! It could be worse. And with a little time, hard work, and the power of friendship we can accomplish anything!"
"And Jayna, being in the rain is like being in the snow: except the rain isn't frozen that's all. Besides, I don't why everyone is complaining: I'm the one with drenched fur, and yet I'm all smiles!"
He bursts out laughing.
We're standing in mud, may have damaged brains, and it's raining. On top of that something might try to attack us at any moment, and he's happy to be here? She looks confused by Derric's good cheer. "Snow doesn't drip down your nose it floats gently on the air, and makes the world so quiet you can hear yourself think. It doesn't make the world dark, but lightens even the darkest night."
Jayna casts dancing lights. She puts the four lights in a square around the group. "Hopefully that will help us see where we are going, and keep things from sneaking up on us."
Tired of standing in the middle of a swamp Jayna heads in the direction where she thinks Sand Point is. She slogs through the swampy mud her shoes heavy with water and muck. She looks miserable.
"I am not certain what could have caused this strangeness, but I suppose we could be far worse off than we are. Being wet and having a headache is not the end of the world. Though goblins might be the end of our lives if we stand here waiting for something to happen. Let us just... what were we doing out here again? I have no idea which way to go if I do not know what we are doing."
The kitsune thought for a moment before replying, "We were...ah yes, we were trying to locate the goblins who had been attacking travelers, caravans, and Ameiko. They're armed with fireworks so we best be careful. Plus we met a strange monster that attacked us as soon as we entered the swamps. Of course we drove it off but it's best we be careful. And thank you Jayna for the light. I can see with starlight and moonlight but with the rain that might be a problem, but with these lights of yours I can see a good bit again."
Derric smiled a bit.
"C'mon, then. The goblins likely aren't going anywhere either, so let's finish this - sooner out of the rain, at any rate," says Leo with one of his characteristic half-smiles.
"Hey Runt, could you, perhaps, untie one of my hands? I could heal that wound for you."
Rishana's call had managed to attract Runt's attention. The goblin scampered over to her, moving between the stilts of the house. He checked her rope before coming around to look her in the eye. "You hungry? Thirsty? You sleep long time, kitty kitty sleep too."
Derric hummed a bit while it still rained. Deciding it was okay, he shook himself off. Unfortunately, this also drenched his companions. Seeing the results of his actions, the kitsune laughed before apologizing.
"Sorry about that. Didn't realize that I was that close to the rest of y'all. Still, at least I'm not the only one who will be smelling like a wet dog."
The kitsune smirked and added, "But it's alright. Hopefully, the storm will let up soon."
He smiled as he watched and listened to the rainfall and the storm booming overhead.
"Calming isn't it. The rain...the lightning...the storm clouds...the very swamp we're in. Nature is simply the brushstrokes of the gods. The same goes for each sunrise and sunset. Our world is a canvas upon which the goddess herself paints such endless beauty. Daikitsu herself aids us in creating communities and families so that we may enjoy the beauty that Shelyn has bless us with."
Derric smiled at his poetic sermon wondering if he should share such feelings with Ameiko.
Leo says quietly, "Look - that ruined village. Perhaps it was once part of the greater Sandpoint community, but it's in total disrepair now. Exactly the kind of place that monsters like to move in."
Derric nodded in agreement to the paladin.
"Better be careful and keep our voices down."
Derric tried to see if he could notice anything.
Derric quietly took his sword out and held it at ready just to be on the safe side.
"I can think of little else that would be out this far in to the marsh," Daichi murmurs, keeping his voice low to avoid attracting attention. "Let us approach carefully and see if the little menaces are about." He begins to move closer to the village, using the trees to keep out of sight so he can get close enough to observe unseen.
Like Derric, Leo draws his sword, but he stays about 20' back - enough that he can charge into the fray if needed, but also to help keep the sounds of his armor from carrying as readily and giving away the group's position (though with luck the rain might help on that count).
Jayna pulls the dancing lights into the shape of a humanoid. That should give us some light, and might scare whatever is in there a bit.
Moving slowly forward, she looks carefully in an attempt to determine if there are any clues about what might have happened or if there are monsters about.
"There are at least three people inside. Two who seem to be about human size and one smaller. The humans are bound and the other is not. Perhaps a goblin and prisoners. There is also some sort of animal near the gate that seems to be asleep. Either a guard animal of some kind or perhaps an injured wild beast. I see no one else. I believe we should move carefully when we enter."
"What's our best route of entry to get to the people?"
"It seems that we could go straight through the gate without much trouble. It seems to have been broken open by something. There do not seem to be any guards and it is much easier than trying to scale a wall."
"Not sure but we have to take out that guard in order to free the prisoners. I could toss my spear at the guard but I'll have only one shot. Plus, while it'll mean one less goblin, we don't know how many more are in there or if there more prisoners nearby that we can't see," the kitsune whispered.
"Not sure I could sneak past the guard animal. Don't goblins hate dogs? I wonder what it could be..."
"It looks like a cat actually. It is rather hard to tell from here. It is most certainly asleep or unconscious though. Even the rain does not seem to be disturbing it."
Jayna says, "Can anyone hear what is being said inside the shack? Can we peek into the shack and see what's going on before just busting in? If I could sneak up and see the goblin from a window I might be able to daze him before anyone gets hurt."
"That might work actually," Derric said.
"So any volunteers?"
Jayna begins sneaking up to the back of the shack Daichi pointed out.
Jayna begins sneaking up to the back of the shack Daichi pointed out.
[dice=Stealth]1d20 - 1
Jayna begins sneaking up to the back of the shack Daichi pointed out.
[dice=Stealth]1d20 - 1
Jayna begins sneaking up to the back of the shack Daichi pointed out.
[dice=Stealth]1d20 - 1
As Jayna crept forward she stepped on what must have been the only dry stick in the whole swamp, as it snapped under her weight it sent out a crack easily heard by the prisoners and goblin not far away. Runt, the goblin, jumped like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar and turned to face the sound.
Daichi resists the urge to facepalm as Jayna manages to alert the goblin. He ducks back out of sight, getting as close to the wall as he can while staying out of sight.
Jayna's eyes get huge as she realizes she's stepped on the only dry thing in the whole village. She does her best to look lost and pitiful. Hopefully whomever is in the shack will at least think about taking pity on her instead of attacking first.
Derric's ears flattened against his head when Jayna stepped on the twig.
He held back a hiss doing his best not to make any noise as he held his katana, ready to charge if things started to downhill which they might any second...
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Runt was shock still for a moment, his eyes scanning the darkness.
Spotting Jayna his mind began to race, terror shook his tiny body. With a yelp he threw his hands in the air and bolted for the nearest stairs, "Bony men are back!" he screamed.
Derric's eyes went wide.
"Well, someone do something! I can't throw my spear as I might hit Jayna!"
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Daichi steps out from behind the trees to give himself a clear line of sight. He takes a deep breath before performing a short kata, small rocks lifting off the ground and swirling wildly around him. He slams his foot against the ground and fires a spike of earth at the goblin's unprotected back.
The tiny goblin was struck full force by the spike. He stiffened a moment, standing straight and stock still like a children's caricature of a goblin. Slumping forward he fell face down in a puddle, his blood mingling with it and turning the muddy water a dull red.
"Leo help me cut the ropes of those tied up!"
Running over to the first prisoner, Derric began cutting the ropes.
Rishana: Daichi easily stands out, as do Derric and Jayna. The only one hard to see in Leodegrance as he stayed back a bit.
Derric: Technically the closest is Sanga as she's just outside the gate, but she's also unconscious and a cat. Next is Rishana and 30 feet away is Kiko.
The ropes easily part under Derric's blade freeing Rishana from her bonds.
Jayna realizes that there are probably more goblins. She casts a spell. She is engulfed in a slight shimmer for a moment and then it disappears.
She moves toward the tied up prisoners.
Leo surveys the positions of his team and then moves up onto the village-like area, keeping within arm's reach of Jayna in case anything goes awry - ready to step in if a fight materializes.
Seeing the goblin go down, Daichi quickly moves to the gate, checking the inside for any signs of movement and taking a moment to check on the cat. Hopefully it's not hostile when it wakes.