"HURRAY!" The two guards cry in unison before leading you to the large tent in the center of the clearing that the camp is in.
You manage to stay hidden as you follow the group through the goblin camp. However, while passing one of the tents near where the tent your friends are being lead to, you hear something that sounds like stifled sobs and soft, almost panicky whispers.
You are lead into what must have once been a grand tent, but has since been stained and ruined by the goblins now using it. Several warriors stand guard here, each flanking the path to the throne. A goblin, that you can only assume is King Krosk, sits flanked by a dozen goblin women in scanty silks and fine cottons.
"Your Kinginess! I present the dippy-mats," one of the goblins that escorted you here announces while scraping low in a bow.
"I see," the king, dressed in a fine robe, though it bears a few stains, says before turning to all of you, specifically Anna.
"I see, but why are you here," he asks.
"Oh great king!" cries Anna. "As the most important goblin, we have most important questions to ask you. There are things we must know that only you can tell us!"
Mei stand beside her "charge" keeping an eye for danger.
she says very little allowing those who have concocted this idea see it through to fruition.
Krosk nods at Anna's words.
"Yes, Krosk knows the answer," He stands up, looking straight at all of you, or is it just one of you? He makes his way down between the rows of guards. "Krosk knows many things. Krosk even knows why you here."
He passes Anna, then Bruno and Alruc, to stand before Mei.
"Krosk knows, and the answer is yes," he tells her in a breathy whisper.
The sound is coming from the tent at your back. It doesn't take long to find a poorly patched rip to slip in through.
Inside you find three young women in little else but their shifts. All of them are bound hand and foot. Near the flap of the tent a large goblin sits in a chair, his soft snores barely heard above the youngest of the three captives' sniffling.
"Quietly," one of the others whispers, "or you'll wake the guard."
I move quietly to side of tent and examine it looking for a weak spot or seam that I can quietly cut.
Help you escape;stay quiet.
I motion at one of the girls and "jump" her to the shadow outside the tent.
Anna whirls around in surprise, vest nearly falling off her head, as the king approaches Mei and... possibly hits on her?
Alruc grunts over his tusks and watches the goblins closely.
The first impression of danger will grant that goblin an arrow to the chest.
Bruno land against the tent pole lazily flipping a rock between his fingers.
CAo fiddles with his ring again and tilts his head at the chief, You want to answer all our questions then?
Mei takes a step back when the goblin chief stands before her. You may want to return to your throne chief. I am not available. she says coldly to Krosk.
The captives all grow very quiet as you free them. It takes a moment to explain what you intend to do, but they do as you ask and try not to do anything that would hinder you as you port them out one at a time.
Krosk looks crestfallen at Mei's refusal of his advances.
"Krosk understand. Krosk sees you need time. It's not you, it's Krosk," he says before turning to Cao, "Yes, Krosk wants to answer your questions."
"Good," says Anna, crossing her arms. "We'd better get started."
No one seems to notice you or the girls as you teleport them out of the tent. You leave the snoozing guard behind and join the three young women outside.
"Yes. We should," the goblin king says as he heads back to his throne and his harem of goblin girls. "What is it that you wish to know?"
Cao gestures to Anna with a smile. "Ask the hardest things first before his compliance fades..."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Figured it better to ask permission than beg forgiveness, but would you mind if I gave you something interesting to deal with?
Anna fidgets nervously. "Me?" She had hoped one of the others would speak up and not leaving the talking - and thinking - to her.
She shifts closer to Cao and whispers, "Are you sure there isn't someone better?" She's sure she'll mess it up somehow.
Not your place, some in Ironwall might have said.
But, she's part of a group that's managed to talk its way deep into the heart of goblin territory, isn't she? They've been successful so far, haven't they? What do goblins care about street urchins and gutter rats? This isn't even a proper city!
She just has to stop thinking of him as a king and think of him as a rabble-rouser that needs to be asked some hard questions.
Her stances widens. Her shoulders straighten. She smiles a predatory smile at the king and begins.
"What were goblin tracks doing around the destroyed caravan of..." Princess? Lady? Miss? She doesn't remember. No matter, the interrogation must go on. "... a gentlewoman?"
Alruc looms, wishing he were killing goblins rather than conversing with them.
Mei moves to stand beside Anna, placing a hand on her shoulder. she says nothing but gives her an unspoken assurance she is here to support.
all the while keeping a careful watch for trouble.
Cao giver Anna a nod and a look that seems to exude "of course, it'll be fine" to the rogue.
Cao would speak if he needed to but the goblin seemed to fancy human women and that was worth a hundred honey words and then some....
You spot a convenient tent that appears empty. One jump later, you and three young women are in a tent, just as the last goblin is walking out the other flap. After the girls calm again, you manage to get them to the edge of the forest. after a few more strategic jumps. Finding a hiding place is a little harder.
"Trespassers," Krosk says, "they were trespassing on Gug'lurch lands."
The goblins snicker at the almost none answer.
Anna lifts her chin, undaunted by the goblins' laughter.
"What did you do with them?"
surv =
stea =
It's not a very comfortable place, and the girl's white gowns stick out like beacons if someone happens to look at it wrong, despite your best efforts at camouflage, but they are hidden fairly well, and it is time to check on your companions.
"We fought the trespassers until they surrendered, then brought them here to be judged," the king answers honestly.
"Judged by whom and how?" Anna wants to know. "This noblewoman is of an important family. To avoid war with the city, you might be better off releasing her."
"We are holding them here in the camp. Judgement has not happened," the goblin king stated. "Now, are you going to ask something interesting? Krosk is bored."
Mei was not much of a diplomat, and she knew even less of the ways of goblins. but she did know one thing.
This King's claim did not sound right.
Krosk! she says interrupting him, those people did not trespass on your land. they followed the established road. you claimed such road without treaty nor talks. what we saw at the sight was not just an attack but unwarranted torture. On behalf of the human nations, your land shall not come within 100 feet of any established trade roads.
mei obviously tried to keep her silence but the image of what she saw at the scene of the attack burned inside of her, she was not amused at this creature's arrogance. She had seen it before, a long time ago.
I head back into the camp jumping from shadow to shadow outside tents and listening to see if I hear my comps.
Cao purses his lips as Mei brings up more...complex...matters. The elf begins to fiddle with his ring by habit but says and does nothing in the interest of seeing the reaction...
Anna smiles at Mei's defiance, feeling encouraged.
"This is a serious matter, King Krosk. You could have a lot of trouble coming your way if the city decides to come after you. Their guard is large and powerful, and if we found you, they can too. On the other hand, if you were inclined to let the people go as a show of good faith, it would be easy to forget this ever happened."
It doesn't take long for you to make your way back to the central tent. Inside, you can hear your companions trying to reason with the goblin.
Krosk gives a lip flapping sigh at both Mei's and Anna's words.
"So Whats? We's kills a few humans an' now youse all yelly an' stuff," the goblin king says, obviously annoyed. "Perhaps Krosk would be more entertained if you ask questions while fighting. What do you say," he muses. The other goblins in the tent chitter in anticipation.
"You seem to forget," he adds, turning his attention to Anna and Mei, "this not human camp, this Gug'lurch camp, and Krosk Gug'lurch king. Krosk already answer questions, now Krosk bored."
"You want us to fight goblins? That could be arranged, I think."
Alruc looks over to his pit-fighting compatriot and back at Mei.
"Do we tussle?"
"I'm sure we can find some way to amuse a goblin, and if it has to be at the point of a sword..." Anna shrugs.
If successful I "reach" out and flip bruno's pouch to let him know I am nearby. I also "reach" out and levitate a small item behind krosk's head.
*****
No obvious lieutenants or heirs. Krosk looks pretty young for a goblin king.
You easily find a hiding place and make your hole.
You feel your pouch being flipped.
Krosk claps his hands together in wicked glee.
"Yes! Yes, Krosk is pleased! You three, fight the big green one," Krosk points out three guards and motions for them to fight Alruc.
Bruno smiles to himself. Good ol Jyste. Always there when you need him. This fight would be I've quick, but he stood by ready to help in case his brave traveling companion got into trouble.
Once the king indicated goblins to attack him, he draws and looses an arrow at the closest one before dropping the bow, drawing his shield and rapier.
Arrow to hit, piercing damage.
"Finally! Now goblins die!"
Cao folds his arm and frowns slightly but does not interfere....
If there is--- I have total of 20bs i believe max --- I wanna do so by "reaching"
Mei realizes that this may not be her fight, she steps back beside Cao, but keeping her unsheathed spear at the ready to protect her charge.
The goblin gurgles once before falling over and clutching his throat. The other two, look at each other, then at Alruc before screaming, more in terror than rage, and charging the orc.
They swing wildly, missing their opponent by inches, and leaving themselves open for a counter.
Goblins: AC 14, HP 6
1: 6
2: 6
Goblins aren't the most sporting fighters, from what Anna's seen so far; she sneakily keeps a dagger at the ready to hurl at any goblin employing dirty tricks, should Alruc need her help.
"Ha, HA! Stupid little runtys. You're fighting a real warrior now, not some soft human noblewoman and her kin!"
Alruc moves around the wild swings from the gobbos, returning blows with his rapier and keeping his shield up to block their blades.
to hit; piercing damage.
Underestimating the goblins' speed, his rapier misses its mark. For now.