With Kergi down you quickly dispatch the remaining two soldiers. Jasmine makes her back to the bridge and Filon swims back to the shore (on the other side of the bridge)
The alchemist fire does it's job and the wooden support beam begins to creak as it weakens.
You gather what loot you can from Kergi and the other soldier and then quickly make your way across the bridge with the rest of the survivors.
A ceiling of smoke hangs over the city, reflecting the orange glow from burning houses. Ash drifts in the air like falling snow. The screams of townsfolk have died away, leaving an eerie silence broken now and then by the howling of wolves or the harsh tones of the Goblin tongue. Bodies lie in the streets, sprawled in pools of blood where they fell. It seems everyone else in town may be imprisoned or dead except for the hobgoblin invaders. Phaendar has fallen.
There is nothing more for you here and so you head into the forest.
potion of cure light wounds (3),
potion of endure elements
mwk breastplate
mwk heavy steel shield
mwk dagger
mwk cold iron scimitar
mwk light crossbow with 20 bolts
Studded leather (2)
Heavy Mace (2)
animal harness
backpack
bedroll
compass
crowbar
manacles (2)
signal whistle
silk rope (50 ft.)
small tent, 16 gp
Provision Points (4)
"Ooh, this is terrible, terrible!" Zith lifts his golden mask to rest on his head, revealing his disappointingly normal gnomish face. There are no fangs or disfigurements.
"Did you see that tower rising out of the soil? It isn't natural, it isn't! And all those poor souls, dead and dying, or slaves to those, those brutes! What are we to do now? Where can we turn for aid? There must be something we to do to avenge our neighbors and loved ones, or at least to warn others about the danger of this encroaching army?"
Zith tries to make a preliminary plan for the night ahead, given what supplies they've gathered.
See discussion for breakdown of survival.
The first thing is to distance yourself from the city that broken bridge will only slow the Ironfang legion for short while they will likely send patrols to hunt for survivors soon.
The next thing to worry about is wild animals and monsters that might be lurking in the woods looking for a quick meal and finally you will need to consider your supplies. You only have enough to feed your group for a few days at most.
Zith gathers the commoners, instructing them to gather up supplies to construct shelter.
Finding a place to build a shelter would come first. Your still only twenty feet from the burning bridge. I don't recommend setting up camp here.
Morde looks at the loot and grabs the crossbow.
Not my favorite weapon, but better than nothing.
"I do know a place further down the road in the woods where we can hide for a day or so. Maybe gather what we can and then make a run for it!"
Betto stomps on the head of the last hobgoblin.
"Let's gather the people from outside of town! My kin are that way!"
Radok nods. "Let's make a run for that then. We can pick up those outside the town as we go, but we don't have the time to collect everyone."
"This is quite the tragedy, but now is not the time to dawdle. We must get moving and with haste." Zelik helps over see the distribution of the weapons and armor to those with them and sends Lola high into the sky to scout.
Filon, his features slightly more bestial, clambers back towards the group, water dripping from head to toe. His voice has taken a deeper huskier tone as well for the next several minutes.
"Good job on the bridge! So we are off then?"
He huffs and puffs while nodding in agreement with Izithrael's assessment of the unnaturalness of the tower.
"Let's see to Betto's family and be gone from this forsaken place."
You go out to the outlaying farms and gather Betto's family and a few of his neighbors. (lets says add 6 more commoners to the survivors and gather and additional provisions
You then head into the woods. Morde knows were there is a hunters lodge in the woods about a day away the lodge can only house a small group but there will be some useful supplies there and maybe some people unaware of the danger.
"I hope this lodge we;re going to has everything well need for the next few weeks?.....
Though I guess I could think of this as a camping trip like the ones with the family."
Morde shakes his head.
"It is a place to sleep, and it has a few provisions. Just for emergencies but still. And for sure not enough for weeks!"
Shrugging he continues. "But it is better than nothing. And we can forage a few supplies and equipment."
Betto embraces his family, glad to see them all in one piece.
"We have to leave the farm for a time, take everything we can carry! We will return, once we've beaten the hobgoblins!"
He believes it too.
"We'll try this lodge. And if it's not safe, we'll make it safe!", he says, cracking his knuckles.
"Ah it is so nice to see that your family is safe, a small blessing on an other wise cursed day. Yes this lodge sounds like a wise next move.
Happy to see Betto's family safe, though worrying that their numbers were getting fuller, Filon walks with the others "We should try to avoid any more fighting..."
Filon trails off as his face goes white as very fresh memories of the attack on the town threaten to eat at the edges of his thoughts. He focuses, plying a meditation exercise passed down from his old tribe in order to deal with stress. Refocusing he continues briefly.
"Maybe a small group should walk ahead, to make sure our path is clear.
Once we get to the lodge we can work out our next move."
Reassured that his family are safe, Betto is willing again to focus on the bigger picture.
"I'm not the stealthiest but I have good eyes. I volunteer!"
"Someone there'll know what to do!" Zith adds, trying to sound hopeful. The real worry was that the army wouldn't stop at Phaendar--why would they? And if they are mobilizing, is there anywhere that's safe? He keeps this thought to himself for the time being, instead staying with the wounded, offering them draughts of conjured water.
Radok nods. "I am still weary from the previous fight, so I will stay with the main group."
Morde holds Betto for a moment and shakes his head.
"I will scout ahead. You are... to noisy!"
"Fair enough, but holler loud when you want backup!"
"Lola shall accompany you, she may not be able to tell me what's happening, but if there is danger she will sense it and so too shall I"
As Lola, Zelik's familiar, takes flight Zelik locks in his step with Filson. "That was some battle back there, really more a massacre, it saddens me greatly knowing that so many that I have come to know as friends did not make it out, but we did. And it is our duty to hold steadfast and to endure. I have known many great and powerful elves in my day and I sense within you the same sort of greatness. Here take this and see if you can gleem any knowledge from it." he reaches into his pack and pulls out a book ornately bound in black leather with swirling red script scrawled across its face. "I once had a tome full of spells, much more powerful than these but that was long ago in another life." He reverently hands the book over to Filion. "please do keep it safe
Grease, Disguise Self, Summon Monster 1, Ray of Enfeeblement, Magic Missal, Infernal Healing, Mage Armor, Mount, enlarge person, Color Spray
Most are written in common or celestial, but Infernal healing and Ray of Enfeeblement are written in Infernal
You are proceeding towards the cabin when there is a rustling and a man come running out of the woods almost bumping into Mord. Covered in wounds and holding a bloody rapier he panics and take a jab at Mord. His strike is lightning fast and is very accurate as he aims for a vital spot.
His eyes go wide as he seems to just now realize what he has done and he turns to run.
His init to run away if you beat this then you act before he start to run.
"I would help you but my abilities of sneaking are rather pitiful. I do know an Alchemical trick, a magical secret of Elven kind that can allow me to blend in with my environment for several minutes. But it would be no good for this."
Filon seems somewhat taken back by the gesture of Zelik. "I don't know about greatness, I am just a simple practitioner of Alchemy, trying to make my way in this world. Now I guess I'm just trying to survive like everyone else. I knew a few who perished, but not as many as most I suspect."
He smiles, albeit grimly, smokey char lining his narrow Elven features.
"It's nice to have someone who has seen much in this world, as well who can appreciate the science and beauty of magic."
Filon flips through the book, pausing at the Infernal Languages, unable to decipher them. "Hmm, from what I can read, most of these can't be made into Alchemical Extracts, though a few can. I appreciate this, most are not so forward with their talents. I'm sure in this life or the last, your talents will be needed now more than ever."
Filon pauses again.
"Uh, I don't understand. Do you want me to hold on to this for the time being? Wouldn't it make sense for you to keep it? I would gladly learn from it later when we have time, of course, but I wouldn't presume to take something so precious.
Morde holds Betto for a moment and shakes his head.
"I will scout ahead. You are... to noisy!"
Jasmine replies to Morde's words
"Um, I might be just as quite as you and I also might notice things better?..."
While mord was ahead of the group somewhat the rest of you probably hear a shout as he got stabbed.
With the sound of yelling, Betto races forward.
Jasmine see it before it happens and goes for a tackle to push the attacker to the ground before the attack
"yes, yes, of course I probably shouldn't be just handing off my work to anyone, but it is nice to be in the company of someone who understands my writings" he takes the book back and stows it in his pack. "As for greatness we are all great in our own way, but no real alchemist is merely a "simple practitioner" the art of alchemy is an astounding combination of beauty and brashness and one must be great to peruse its intricacies. Ah it sounds as though our scout is in a spot of trouble and Lola seems uneasy as well" Zelik adds as he begins to double his speed to catch up.
Meanwhile Lola chases the fleeing man deftly fluttering high in the air above him.
Zith barely has a chance to look up before the fight unfolds ahead...
Radok, hearing cries, begins to make his way to catch up with the forward group.
Before:
"Well, if you know how to move, you should join me."
Filon's pace quickly changes to a run as well.
Jasmine is not able to stock the attack from happening but she can try to knock him down moments after. Try a cmb.
The man is terrified and running away you can try a diplomacy check to calm him down.
Jasmine manages to tackle the man to the ground before he can flee.
"Ahh! Please don't kill me me!" he screams.
Betto arrives a bit late for the excitement.
"Who are you?", he demands.
"Edran...Ebran Kalos from Taldan. I'm a traveler who was staying at the Taproot in Phaendar when it was attacked.."
You vaguely recall that this man was at the Inn when the attack happened but he slipped away on his own rather than join you when you left.
Zelik hobbles up shortly after and catches what the man said about being from Taldan. "Edran, my friend, we too refugees trying to put some distance between ourselves and the invading force. They are sure to come looking for us. What brought you to Phaendar? Are you a trader?"
Morde looks at his wound and curses, then quickly weaves a blessing to lessen the wounds.
"Do I look like the enemy, you fool. Do I have tusks? A city dwellers!"
@Zelik "A merchant? No I'm just a wanderer who was hired on as a guard for a caravan coming for the Festival." His fear is genuine and he is clearly pretty shaken up but you don't sense any deception from him.
Taldor is indeed very far away however and his dress and manner of speech is like a locals.
@Mord "I apologize, I panicked! I thought I'd be safe when I reached the forest but I bumped into a hobgoblin patrol, three of them with a thing that looked like some monstrous dog. He shows his leg were he was bitten. I killed the dog and I was running from the hobs who'd nearly killed me when I bumped into you."
Filon moves to catch up. He begins to look Morde over once he arrives to make sure the man did not need any assistance, and then realizes Morde is healing himself.. "Let me know if you need any assistance." He says to the Hunter.
Filon then turns his attention to this Edran. "May I inspect that wound, please?" Filon doesn't really wait and bends over to see the bite.
Jasmine picks herself up after the man starts answering the groups questions.
The bite is deep and very likely very painful the man also has several cuts and bruises. The average person would likely be dead but it looks like he is only hanging on by a tread. (2/16 hp)
"How far away is the patrol, we should try to avoid them if we can?" Zelik asks Edran.
Zith comes running up with Zelik; not out of breath, mind you, it's just that his shorter legs slow him down... "You don't talk like a Taldan. I mean to say, you don't sound bossy and entitled! How far are the hobgoblins?" His voice lowers to a whisper. "It might be they are near upon you now, and therefore near upon us. We must be silent as growing roots, as soft as willow leaves."
The man looks around nervously "I don't know but they can't be too far and there is bound to be more patrols. If you don't mind I'd very much like to join your group. I split from your group at the tavern because I thought I'd have better chances on my own. I see now that it was a mistake..."
Zelik smiles at the man "There is in logic in going it alone, but it does appear that strength in numbers is our best bet under these circumstances. If you can keep up I see no reason that you should not join us. But I do not presume to speak for us all." Zelik looks around for agreement.
"Eh, a man can make mistakes. Gods know I have. I've no objection."