, putting her hand on her mouth as that came out much to loud "No Jimmy, that's too dangerous." her eyes begging you to stay here.
"Could we not simply wait here, until it goes away?" Gwen asks.
"It's probably here for the same reason we are, so it probably wont just go away I fear." Jimmy muses, "Anyone got any other ideas?"
Tauriell rolls her eyes. "And all that for some old stones standing in a forrest. How about I find a bear and lead it here to scare that cloaked thing away?"
Gwenhwyfar asks in an excited tone "You could do that?" the irony completely lost on her.
Tauriell facepalms herself and mutters "We are all going to die here." shaking her head in disbelief.
Jimmy kind of just sits there looking at the two of them. Not quite sure what to make of them
Gwenhwyfar is unsure if she should be afraid, embarrassed or confused. She looks at Jimmy for guidance.
As Abomentolor gets bored, he gets up, says "Follow me please." downs his potion of mage armor and steps out of the concealment. Boldly approaching the black cloaked figure he starts shouting, as soon as he is in hearing distance.
Tauriel replies with desperation in her voice "As I said, 'we are all going to die', it wasn't meant as suggestion for a goal to achieve!"
With that she gets up, takes her bow fro her shoulder, nocks an arrow and estimates the distance. Stepping out of the concealment, just enough for the cloaked figure to notice her.
Or would be able to, if he succeeds to take his eyes off the Fiery Gnome.
"Gwen, stay with me, they should have this, if things get bad for one of them we will move to help." Jimmy whispers to her
"But if he get's hurt? I can't heal him from here!"
If he gets hurt, we will be able to get to him before he dies, unless he gets hurt so badly that you couldn't possibly save him at all." Jimmy urges her, trying to convince her not to run into the clearing
For a moment, Oz thinks he hears something, and turns for a moment. "Armor?" he asks aloud. 'Company, perhaps?' he thinks for a moment. He starts to approach the noise a bit, drawing his throwing axe once more. "C-c-come on... out, hm?" And that's when he notices the gnome clad in magical armor.
"Ah... Fantastic." is all he says as he begins to twirl his weapon. He reaches out a hand to gesture towards the group as they come out of the woodwork. One gnome, and a woman. "A p-pleasure...Do not mind me. I'm simply h-h-here on... a... pilgrimage." he explains. "Though... I wouldn't mind some assistance. I believe... t-that... we can help each other." he explains, twirling the axe slower.
"I knew it! You touched something, and now you're in over your head. What have you done, pray tell!" and pointing to the strange weapon, maybe obsidian, he adds "And put that thing away you are making me nervous!"
He laughs a bit when he points at the throwing axe and asks him to put it away. "Ah, well. I can't do t-that... can I?" he says, gesturing towards the weapon, throwing it up in the air and catching it by the circle grip. "Hmm... Actually... Now that you mention it I didn't touch anything. That said, I... do... sort of... know... a way to get past this easy, yes?" he says, gesturing towards the woman in the distance.
"First... Don't get to close to it. Or it'll acknowledge your presence." he says, pointing the glass axe towards the woman.
"You tell me of a very good reason, not to put that thing away, or me getting nervous will become a very painful experience for you. Last warning, if you do anything else but stow it away with that thing, you're toast!"
With that he changes his talking posture to a more combat ready pose, lifting his hand in starting position for the gesture.
Tauriel puts herself in readied stance and informs Gwen and Jimmy "It's getting tense, ready yourself for a charge!"
She has her bow ready to shoot in hand, but still aimed at the ground not to ruin the chance to get that over with without bloodshed.
Jimmy steps out of the trees and next to Tauriell, gesturing for Gwen to step up as well.
"Let's be civil about this. How about we all put down all the pointy things and see if we can figure a way out of this that doesn't involve any burning or an axe in someones skull?"
Gwenhwyfar stands up, steps behind Jimmy and takes a look at the scene.
To prove his point, Jimmy drives his trident point first into the ground
"Exactly what I said, but Mr. 'I'm so cool with my axe here', wouldn't comply!" Abomentolor says without taking his eyes off the cloaked figure.
"I like the idea of "Mr. Outnumbered" as a name in these circumstances, but... that... b-b-being said." he sheathes his throwing axes back with the other 9, evenly. 5 on each hip. "Honestly speaking, gnome, y-y-you should be less excitable... b-but... well... you are a gnome." he says tilting his mask to be diagnoly on his face.
"Thank you." Jimmy sighs with relief at a fight avoided. "I am Jimmy Fiddle, these are my companions, we are here to investigate the ruins." introducing himself to the strange figure
"Well, finally." says Abomentolor, relaxing a bit, taking his arms down. "But you speak of being a Gnome as if it's a disability. Let me tell you I'm proud of being a Gnome."
Gesturing to the mask he asks "What are you, and are you proud of that? Or what are you hiding your face for?"
"Ah, no, I meant no offense. It's just... normal... for, well... a gnome to be jovial. I would know, right?" he says, tilting the mask in the other direction. "I am a fetchling, after all." he says as he slips the mask back to the normal state.
He begins to walk forward, hands out wide and far away. "As for that, it's just a traditional thing to do for those of us that follow the darkness." he points out. "Mind you, that's not as evil as it sounds... Folks... always seem... to be bothered... w-w-w-when I s-say that." he explains. "It's mostly an excuse to seek out adventure in deep, dark areas."
"Well, thats interesting." taking the offered hand. "It means, you are from the Shadow plane if I remember right? That would explain the affinity to darkness."
"Abomentor Goblinburner, by the way, and your name is?"
"Oz Torm. Darkness has always been my friend, but I... well... the Philosophy of the Dark called to me for different reasons. Regardless, that's a conversation for later... isn't it?" he asks, pointing towards the rune-covered woman on the altar.
"It appears... you have to say you affiliate yourself with a... Xanderghul?" he states, plainly. "I queried what would happen... a-a-and... well... if you don't, she... kind of shakes you to your core." he claims, showing his still-jittering hand. "It's not enjoyable." he says with a shrug.
Abomentolor takes a look at the woman standing there. He announces "I'll check if it's magic" not to startle Oz, and casts detect magic on the woman.
"Well it is, propably illusion school, but we'd need someone who didn't skip wizard school to tell what exactly."
"Gwen? What can you make of it? You know magic right?"
As it looks like conflict is over and actual examination seems due, Gwenhwyfar puts down her backpack and fetches the journal and the pencil box. She starts drawing the platform with th ewoman on it.
As Jimmy asks she responds "Sure, I could try." With that she puts the journal down, gets up and starts casting, assessing the aura of the woman.
But in doing so steps to close and triggers the now identified Major Image.
As the woman begins moving again, as if adressing you, but the voice you all hear is not audible, but in your head in some telepathical way
"Servant of the blessed Runelord Xanderghul, I speak on behalf of the mighty lord of this land.
As you have come to this place, you no doubt seek the great gifts that mighty Xanderghul has to offer, and they shall be yours. All the great Xanderghul asks in return is your supplication and statement of devotion to the powerful lord of these lands.
I await your reply so I may relay it to the great one."
Then the woman stands still like before gazing into the distance.
Gwenhwyfar freezes as she hears the voice in her head with thoughts eratically running around in her head closing in on panic she says "Oh mighty lord... Xanderghul,... I'd like to have what you offer..."
and rummaging through her brain trying to remember what Mr. Torm said she comes up with "your always devoted servant Sabina", not willing to tell her own name to that magic thing, hoping the woman wouldn't notice.
And with that the the image smiles and nods her head at Gwenhwyfar before disappearing in another flash of light. In the wake of her disappearance, the envoy is replaced with a token—a stone medallion emblazoned with a rune of a seven-pointed star.
Gwenhwyfar holds her breath, and as she realizes the image is gone and she didn't get shaken to the bone she switches from close to panic to overexcitement.
"I did it! I won! I even got a prize!" with that she hectically turns back to the journal. "I have to write all that down. Mrs. Heidmarch must know." and starts scribbling the request and her answer into the book.
Then she continues to complete the picture from her memory.
Which has only a rough likeness to the woman. Then she starts taking meassurements with her staff and sketches a map.
While you are all distracted by the voice in your head, some Goblins sneaked up on you. Their obvious leader charging in, riding on top of a wolf.
You are on the fundament of a former building, 6x6 sqares, two foot above the ground. To the south is a stair leading down. In the middle is the 2x2 square platform where the woman stood. East and west you have the only two remaining walls. These walls each have two openings, arched doorways.
The Goblin chef approaches from the north jumping on the fundament on his wolf, the rest hides behind the walls. Three can be seen, but have partial conceilment.
Gwenhwyfar is lost in her documentation, and doesn't notice the Goblins. "I need to copy the runes on that platform" she mutters to herself.
Jimmy is too busy watching the masked man to notice anything
Tauriel, still standing at the border of the clearing sees these miserable creatures hushing in, and assessing the situation decides to go for the wolf.
Placing the arrow hurtful in the wolfs shoulder.
Quite unaware of the Goblins, Abomentolor watches faszinated as Gwen copies everything in her journal
The goblin boss rides in showing off on his wolf, stating "You intrude into my kingdom, you are going to die!"
Oz Torm, is quite attentive and notices the threat, but as he was forced to stow his axe away, he can't attack yet, and decides for a full defense.
Goblin two shoots his shortbow at Jimmy
And the arrow hits the opposite wall
The wolf howls as it get hit by Tauriel's arrow
Goblin three tries his luck with Gwenhwyfar
Hitting her painful in the back.
Goblin one turns around to shoot at Tauriel
But misses by a few inch.
Gwenhwyfar goes down on the ground to hide herself from the archers, and casts mage armor on herself.
Abomentolors skin changes in color to almost matching his hair. He moves to confront the boss and shouts and with that casts burnng hands on the boss and his wolf.
Jimmy charges the wolf and stabs at it with all his might.
Tauriel takes another shot at what is left after Abomentolor set them aflame, preferring the wolf.
Abomentolor drenches the Boss and his wolf in flames
Boss
Wolf
The Goblin Boss manages to avoid most of the flames, but his steed starts smelling like burned fur and roasted meat.
With Tauriel adding and arrow, the wolf is knocked out
Boss
and the Boss falls off can't catch himself and lies face first on the ground.
Goblin two shoots again at Jimmy
and again misses.
Gwenhwyfar ducks behind the center platform and casts mage armor on herself.
Goblin three having lost his target shoots at Oz Torm instead
but missing by far.
The goblin boss gets up again and gives the favor back casting a burning hand with Abomentolor and Gwenhwyfar
With a not bad fire, but nothing in comparison to Abomentolors inferno.
Goblin one tries on Tauriel again
This time striking true.
Jimmy throws himself at the boss but with all this might, doesn't manage to hit.
I made an error in describing the scene. The goblins that shoot through the 'doors' have partial cover, not conceilment. Moving down from the fundament would fix that, but going through the doors leads through a threatened square.
As the fight might soon concentrate on them please consider that -4 on your attacks if they are ranged. For melee you'd get a bonus, for they are off the foundation, so everyone on the platform fights from above.
Also everyone attacking the boss from now on will shoot into melee and will have to move around Jimmy to prevent him being cover.
There are also two more goblins coming out of hiding, who will enter the fight from the south, via the stairs.
So please state your actions, for the rest of this round and the next one. If you keep it as a general instruction, I would be able to shift your target to the next goblin if the one you preferred doesn't make it until it is your turn.
Looking at the situation, and taking in the goblins, Oz begins to thrumb his fingers for a moment, conjuring up darkness into his hand before he quickly realizes that goblins can just see through what he's trying to do. Letting that fizzle, he draws a throwing axe whilst he moves towards Abomentolor. "Well. You're the c-c-caster of the group, hmm?" he says bringing an axe into his hand on the way there. "Let's try to get along." he says simply.
Oz readies himself besides Abomentolor to stop any goblins charging in with an axe to their head.
The goblins do him the favor to storm in.
Goblin 4 approaches Oz with his make shift short sword
but manages to catch the axe twirling towards him with his face and topples over, not moving any more.
Goblin 5 chooses the seemingly easier target attacking Gwenhwyfar with his short sword
but misses the cowering girl.