GM Haladir's Rise of the Runelords (Inactive)

Game Master Haladir

"...we've already put a good dent into his forces. There's probably a dozen more besides these runts. He's also got some jesters that entertain him, and they know a little magic. I think you've already met Gogmurt, so I'm sure you're expecting him. Besides that, the only other goblin I think you need to worry about is Blissy Boombag. She's the oldest goblin I've ever seen, and possibly the one responsible for squirting Ripnugget into this world. She knows some alchemy, and is a huge pyro, even by goblin standards."

He looks between the group, and notes the distinctly elven features of several of the women. "Oh, yeah, there's also a bugbear here. A real s**t calling himself Bruthazmus. He's been entertaining himself with the Warchief's harem for most of the stay here, and the less I think on that the better. It's bad enough I have a bunk near his." Orik blanches at the thought of the rutting that echoes nightly through Thistletop's halls.

Shalelu's eyes go wide at the mention of Bruthazmus.

"That a**hole is here, too?! He and I have been trying to kill each other for years. I've vowed that the next time we meet will be our last!"

Shalelu, Helena, Gwyn, it looks like all of you got hit during this little skirmish. Perhaps you should use these healing pots before we start our assault? Although I believe these are very good against burns, so perhaps one should go to Orik. I have a potion you can use, Helena!" Cerin rumages through his pouch for a moment before producing two vials. He hands one to the oracle before downing the other himself.

CLW (Helena): 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
CLW (Cerin): 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Looking back over the posts, I believe the only spell Cerin has left is Flaming Sphere, correct?

Gwyn listens as she studies the map, making plans in her head.

"I think we should clear the towers first, then see if we can't sneak our way around and take each room before we hit the cheif,"Gwyn says quietly before looking up at the others, "Orik, can you keep Helena safe? She's not much of a sneak. I think Cerin, Shalelu, and I can handle ourselves well enough to hold our own long enough for you to come help if it all goes south on us."

It's about this time that Fluff shakes herself from her shock.

"You sneak! You cast an ugly spell on me, didn't you," she accuses Gwyn in a hiss.

"Fluff, behave before I find a way to make that permanent."

"Thank you," Helena sighs gratefully to Cerin, smiling at the gnome before downing the potion and grimacing at the taste. "Maybe they'll find a way to make these taste better... perhaps fresh strawberry leaves..." she mutters, her voice trailing off briefly before she 'snaps' back.

"Fluff, you know it's only temporary. You'll be back to normal soon," she tries to reassure the thrush, stroking her breast feathers with a finger. She wipes the last remnants of blood from her white face on her sleeve, before turning her cloudy eyes on Orik. "I can't see too far," she exclaims, a little shyly. "It doesn't lend itself well to sneaking around... especially not when this place is so full of goblins and henchmen," she adds, shivering at the descriptions of the colourful characters within.

Let me know what you want to do next, folks!

Orik's surprise at Helena's milky eyes is evident, even to the vision-impaired woman herself. "Are you sure you're going to be safe out here? It's dangerous enough when your eyes work, let alone when your vision's not the best. As for sneaking, well..." The sentence trails off, and he glances down at his battered and bloodied armor to allow the sight of it act as an answer.

"Whatever you all want me to do, I'm on board," he finally replies. "My blade's yours."

Kyrian says, "Well, I understand running with the wrong crowd. Been there, done that. I'm Kyrian, by the way." Kyrian stands next to the door and presses his ear to it.

"I don't hear anything in there. It looks like the door is barred from the inside... I don't see a keyhole. There's not really a way to un-bar a door from the outside..." He looks up at the rough wooden walls. "The walls are rough, but kind of slippery from all the mist and the moss growing on them. We could try climbing up onto the roof and looking for a way in from up there... Maybe through the courtyard that Orik says is in there? Or maybe up one of the guard towers and then down whatever way the guards use. What do you guys think?"

It's been about five minutes since the end of the battle. You have collected the items I mentioned upthread, which includes three pots of alchemical healing salve. Treasure list updated.

Are you now planning to enter the stockade? If so, how are you going to try to enter?

I'd be happy with using one of the healing salves, especially since it works better on burns. *casts accusing eyes upon Gwen*

Helena offers Orik a small smile, leaning her spear against the inside of her elbow and adjusting her white bun again. "I can see well enough," she points out, "just not particularly far. I appreciate having someone who can see farther nearby." Digging the toe of one boot into the dirt, she bashfully adds, "And I've slowed Gwyn down enough already. She'll do better sneaking ahead." Despite her embarrassed tone, no blush enters her white face, though the smattering of grey freckles across her nose and cheeks darken slightly.

"I think we could try to climb in, though I'd feel better using a rope. I don't suppose anyone has a grappling hook?"

While you discuss options, Cerin, Helena, and Orik (being the most injured from the fight) decide to use the healing salves on themselves. Smearing the minty-smelling ointment soothes the injuries greatly-- it feels especially good on Orik's burns. Heal 3, 5, and 6 hp respectively. Status updated.

Kyrian nods at Helena's suggestion. He takes his grappling hook from his pack and attaches a silk rope. Looking at the walls, he remarks that the wooden battlements of the eastern tower looks like the best place to catch the hook. Standing about ten feet back from the tower, he swings the hook on the end of the rope, and lets it fly. It arcs upward, and catches exactly where Kyrian aimed. He gives the rope a good pull, and satisfied that it's secure, climbs up the side of the tower. You all see him look around a bit, then he signals you with a vigourous arm motion to climb up. Shalelu follows him.

To move things along, I'm making two DC 5 Climb checks for all the active PCs...

Cerin (climb #1): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Cerin Acrobatics (DC 15): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10
Falling damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4
Cerin (climb #1): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Cerin (climb #2): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17
Gwyn has a +4 Climb, and automatically succeeds.
Helena (climb #1): 1d20 + 2 - 3 ⇒ (15) + 2 - 3 = 14
Helena (climb #2): 1d20 + 2 - 3 ⇒ (13) + 2 - 3 = 12
Orik has a +6 Climb including his ACP and automatically succeeds.

Cerin starts climbing up the rope, but slips on a particularly slippery moss-covered log. He instinctually reaches out to the wall to steady himself, but lets go of the rope, falling ten feet. Take 4 hp falling damage.

Dusting himself off, he makes a witty self-depreciating remark, and tries again, successfully ascending the tower.

Everyone else makes it up without incident. Kyrian then retrieves his grappling hook and rope.

You are standing on a simple wooden platform about twenty feet above the ground below. A barrel of small goblin-made arrows is stashed against one of the battlements. There is an open trap door in the floor, and you can see the top of a ladder sticking out of the hole. A deck of mis-matched playing cards lies scattered on the floor.

Looking over the roof of the Thistletop stockade, you see that the it is made of irregular planks and branches, thatched, and covered over with oilskins to keep out most of the rain. There is an open courtyard to the northwest that you can see. There are a few goblin dogs running about the courtyard, which also includes some kind of shed.

You do not hear any sounds from the room below, and all climb down the ladder. You find yourselves in a dark room mostly devoid of features. The walls are made of roughly-hewn planks filled in with bits of stone and mud. The floor is bare stone strewn with bits of rotting straw. Wooden doors lead north and west.

Map updated.

"Alright," Orik whispers. "The western door leads back towards the entry hall, where you fought those goblins and met up with me. The northern one leads towards the throne room. Up to you all how you want to do this. There's entrances to the throne room both ways, though. If you want to divide up and attack from both directions, that's an option."

Cerin shakes his head. "Splitting the group is never a good idea!" he whispers back. "I vote to head north straight to the throne room. It's probably too late to catch him completely by surprise, but we might be able to catch the 'chief' a bit off guard if we move in quietly."

I believe Cerin should be at 20/24 hps, as he drank a CLW potion and was completely healed before climbing the rope.

Cerin: You're right! I forgot the CLW potion.

Before they continue, Cerin makes sure Shalelu and Gwyn use the healing pots on their wounds, offering to apply it himself if necessary...

Shalelu heals 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5 hps
Gwyn heals 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5 hps

He's just being considerate; he is overprotective after all.

General note on gameplay: It seems that I'll have to continue to GMPC both Gwyn and Kyrian for the time being. Adam ("Gwyn") just posted that he has to concentrate on real-life issues for the time being, and Kyle ("Kyrian") is still traveling. I'm expecting both players to return sometime in the next couple of weeks.

Map updated. I picked a relatively arbitrary marching order: the PCs with currently-active players. Feel free to adjust the order before proceeding.

After taking a moment to apply more healing salve to Gwyn and Shalelu, the Sandpoint Heroes assess the situation. After receiving Orik's description of what lies beyond each door, the party decides to march into the throne room to try to decapitate the leadership of the Thistletop Goblins.

The door north is unlocked and opens to a corridor leading north that turns to the west. The floor is packed earth and bare stone, and the walls and ceiling are made of rougly-hewn planks patched here and there with rubble, mud, and straw. At the end of the corridor are two doors: one leading west and one leading north.

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 10

Orik hears muffled shouting from beyond the door, a places a finger to his lips. He sheathes his blade, mouths the words they're in here to the group, and gets ready to throw the door open.

Which he will do shortly, unless anyone else has any preparations they'd like to make.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

Before we go in, I'll set up a Life Link on Cerin. That's my prep.

Orik lifts the latch and throws open the door.

This large throne room is decorated with hanging furs along its walls, mostly black-and-red striped firepelt skins, various dog pelts, and in some cases, what look like horse hides. Four square timbers support the ceiling, their faces studded with dozens of iron spikes, with the lower reaches decorated with dozens of impaled and severed hands in various stages of decay. To the northeast, a wooden platform supports a throne heaped with dog pelts and horse hides. Dog skulls adorn the armrests and a horse skull leers over the throne’s back.

But what's most important is the number of goblins in the room: several obvious guards, including a few that have bows out; the pot-bellied goblin that sits on the throne with a giant lizard sitting at his feet...complete with a saddle, bit, and bridle! Along the far wall stands a goblin wearing a faded jester's cap holding a scepter that looks like the preserved head of a dog stuck on the end of a stick... and the goblin priest Gogmurt, whom you have tangled with in the past.

The goblins seem surprised that you are entering the door you're coming through. They scramble to attack you like ants running from a kicked-over hill.

The goblins seem to have lost initiative! Your actions!

Orik surveys the warchief's throne room, with the remaining goblin forces scrambling forwards to attack. "Hey, S**tface!", he yells to Ripnugget. "Just wanted to let you know - I quit!" He thrusts his blade towards the nearest goblin, though his swing catches a bit on the ceiling, making it more easily dodged. "You're all doomed now! The Longshanks of Sandpoint have come to take your ears!" He advances into the room, drawing the ire of the goblins towards him, while also blocking one of the potential exits from the room.

[ooc]Attacking the southeasternmost goblin, who should be flat-footed for the moment. Then moving to where I am now.

Attack, PA: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Damage: 1d10 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

Orik rushes in, slashing the closest goblin, cutting its neck. Blood spurts across the room, and the goblin collapses to the floor.

Still waiting for Cerin and Helena (and anyone else who's back).

Cerin sees Gogmurt and grits his teeth in anger. He charges forward, slashing and stabbing at the goblins between him and the foul priest.

That's weird. I posted a while ago, but it seems to have vanished!
Never mind the acrobatics roll, I just saw that the goblin Cerin was attacking is dead. He will move to where the dead goblin is. I can't move my token without it disappearing beneath the goblin.
Acrobatics (Avoid AoO): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
Damage: 1d4 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 2 + (2) = 8

Helena steps into the room and stabs at the goblin in front of her.

Longspear: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19 with power attack
damage: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

Initiative order: Gwyn, Orik, Helena, Cerin, Kyrian, Shalelu, goblins.

Round 1 - Top

Orik rushes into the room and eviscerates the goblin warrior near the door, then moves closer to the throne while loudly announcing his resignation to the goblin warchief.

He is followed immediately by Gwyn, who lights up both a goblin archer and the chief's pet lizard with a jet of magical flame.

Helena and Cerin then move in, both attacking another of the goblin archers. Cerin slashes it badly with his burning blade, and Helena then sticks it in the gut with her longspear. Unprepared for the fight, the goblin falls to the floor.

Kyrian then moves in and steps in front of Helena, letting an arrow fly at one of the other archers. Unfortunately, his arrow glances off the goblin's poorly-tanned leather armor.

Standing in the doorway, Shalelu lets fly an arrow past Helena's and Kyrian's heads. Her expert marksmanship hits her target squarely in the eye, and another goblin falls down in a pool of blood.

Posting goblin reactions shortly...

Round 1 - Bottom

The goblin wearing the jester's cap begins singing...

Longshanks enter goblin homes?
Bash their head and break their bones!
Throw your bodies down the hole
And feed you to the water troll!

The song seems to inspire the remaining goblins to greater ferocity.

The chief shouts, "Filthy traitor longshanks! Silver Lady make your corpse dance for me! Kill them all-- him first!" He then jumps into the saddle of his giant lizard and throws a javelin at Orik. The crude spear manages to hit a gap in Orik's haubrerk, sticking him badly in the side. Orik: Take 6 hp damage!

Two goblins then move in to protect the chief from the traitorous longshanks. While defending himself from the one weilding a dogslicer, the other hits him with his horsechopper-- hard! The blade cuts into Orik's shield arm, and blood oozes out from under Orik's armor. Take another 10 hp. Sorry-- max damage on both hits!

The two archers still standing then move in to protect Gogmurt and the jester. They let arrows fly at Cerin and Gwyn, but both shots miss badly, and the arrows embed themselves in the wall behind them.

Your turn!

Note positions of the four posts holding up the ceiling: you can't move through them, and they do provide partial cover if someone is behind one.

Orik knew that antagonizing the warchief would draw his ire, but, like most of his plans, didn't realize how bad it was until the wheels were already in motion. He's able to block several blows coming at him, but Ripnugget's honor guard is far more formidable that he'd expected. Several colorful expletives erupt from his lips as several attacks sneak past his defenses.

"'Silver Lady' doesn't care about you, or me, or anyone else, shortshanks!", Orik spits back, slashing his blade at the uninjured goblin before him. "It's just a matter of time before she sacrifices you like all those others in her f**king temple!" He looks back over his shoulders. "Make this place a killbox!", he yells to the others. "If any of them get out of here, it's over!"

Attack, PA: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16
Damage: 1d10 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

As the chaos erupts, Helena feels faint, unnerved by the bloodshed and yelling. She takes a deep breath, bites her lip, and reminds herself that there'll be plenty of time to fret later. Stepping up behind Orik, she stabs at the goblin in front of him.

Longspear: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
damage: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Cerin charges past the archers towards the real danger and stabs at Gogmurt with his blazing blade, trying to keep the dangerous little monster from unleashing any of his spells.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Damage: 1d4 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 2 + (3) = 9

Round 2, Top

Gwyn says, "I've got a plan!" and casts a spell. She suddenly vanishes, as does Fluff who had been perched on Gwyn's shoulder.

You hear Fluff's voice chirp, "Oh, not this again! Remember when..."

"Shut up!"

After shouting a warning to leave no survivors, Orik cuts downward with a powerful strike, but the goblin manages to parry the blow.

Helena stabs at the same goblin, but her spear only seems to gouge its armor.

Running past the two archers, Cerin attacks the goblin druid Gogmurt with his flaming scimitar, but the cagey druid manages to dodge the blow.

Kyrian fires at one of the archers defending Gogmurt, and hit him in the leg. The goblin yowls in pain, clutching the wound, and starts hopping on the other one.

Shalelu steps further into the room and fires at the goblin defending the chief. Unfortunately, her foot slips in some of the goblin blood on the floor, and her shot is wild.

Round 2, Bottom

The two goblins fighting Orik press their attack. One yells and attempts to mimick Orik's powerful downward strike, but misses completely, smashing its dogslicer on the stone floor. The blade snaps in half, leaving a stub of a blade in the hilt.

As Orik is about to quip an insult, the other goblin brings his horsechopper down onto his sword-arm. While the blade doesn't break the skin, the impact sends shooting pain up Orik's arm... that's going to leave a nasty bruise! Take 3 hp damage.

The goblin archers also let fly a volley. One arrow bounces off Shalelu's armor, while the other grazes Kyrian's ear, cutting him slightly. Take 2 hp damage.

Gogmurt completes his spell. "Burn, gnome!" A fiery vortex appears next to him, and out of it comes a vaguely-humanoid creature apparently made of flame. The elemental strikes at Cerin, but he avoids it. Gogmurt then retreats behind his summoned elemental and takes out a wand, which likewise bursts into flame. He flings the fire at Cerin, but it misses, falling harmlessly on the stony floor.

Warchief Ripnugget, riding his giant gecko, charges past his guards, riding past Shalelu, at whom he slashes with what seems to be a finely-made shortsword. Shalelu takes 8 hp damage

Finally, the jester pantomimes hanging on a noose, then points at Orik. Orik finds this to be one of the most hilarious things he's ever seen! However, the jester then looks warily over his shoulder.

Orik: Please make a DC 12 Will save.

Helena casts a critical eye over Orik's wounds and reasons that he'll be alright for now. She stabs again at the goblin in front of her.

Longspear power attack on the goblin a knight-jump from me.
Longspear: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
Crit?: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
damage: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Cerin reels back from the walking inferno in front of him and drops his shield which would only add fuel to the fire. He reaches in the pouch at his belt and feels around for a small vial of acid, which he throws at the summoned elemental hoping that it can be affected by a different kind of burn!

5ft step away from elemental
Ranged Touch Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2
Direction if misses: 1d8 ⇒ 3

Will: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10

Orik glances at the goblin jester, raising an eyebrow in confusion for a moment. Then he snorts. Then he starts chuckling, followed by a deep laugh, which takes him to his knees, tears streaming from his eyes. "F**k...oh, f**k...make it stop, make it stoh-hahahahp!"

Well, I'm out for a bit.

I started to post an update, but now have to wait until tonight... Map represents part of what's happening...

Round 3, Top

The air near the dais shimmers and Gwyn suddenly appears there, as she blasts four of the goblins with magical fire. All shriek with pain, but one catches fire, flails about for a moment, then collapses to the floor.

Orik points toward the jester and starts laughing uncontrollably, tears streaming from his eyes. He sinks to the floor onto his knees, and leans over and starts slapping the floor. The two goblins fighting him are at first surprised, and are about to finish him off when Helena impales one through the chest, and Shalelu shoots the other right in its eye--with the arrow burying itself a good eight inches into the goblin's head. Both goblins slump to the floor, seemingly dead, before they can do anything to the laughing warrior.

Cerin throws a flask of acid at the summoned fire elemental, dousing some of its flames.

Kyrian fires a volley of arrows at the warchief, but both bounce off his gleaming breastplate-- seemingly made for a halfling.

Round 3, Bottom

The elemental presses its attack on Cerin, but the gnomish druid is too nimble for the living fire to land a blow.

The one archer still standing fires at the elven witch who just burned him. The arrow cuts through her blouse, cutting a nasty gash on the side of her abdomen. Gwyn, take 4 hp damage.

The jester, still chanting, weaves more magic into her song about how good it is to accept gifts from strangers.

She then steps toward Gwyn, holding out small dried gourd with a stopper. Without thinking, Gwyn takes the gourd from her hand, removes the stopper, and downs the liquid therein. Fluff shouts, "No, Gwyn! It's a trick!" but it's too late: She downs the the foul-tasting liquid,and makes a grimace of utter disgust. Her face immediately turns greenish, and she doubles over to vomit violently. Gwyn is nauseated one round, and then sickened for the following 5 rounds.

Gogmurt hold up his flaming wand, and then hurls the flame at Shalelu. The flame hits the ranger in the face, scorching her.

Ripnugget then charges past Shalelu again, but this time, she manages to parry the blade with her bow.

Your turn! Orik: You can try another Will save (DC 12) to break the laughter effect.

"You like fire, eh?" Cerin mocks Gogmurt as he lunges forward to stab him with his blazing scimitar.

5ft step, Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
Damage: 1d4 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 2 + (3) = 6

Will: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13

Orik's vision is blurry, but he sees the jester approach Gwyn and hand her a tincture of some horrible sludge. Watching her double over in gastric distress and violently expel the fluids is enough to snap whatever hold the magic had upon him. His face was already red from the laughter, but as his smile turns into a scowl, his cheeks go from scarlet to crimson.

"THAT was not funny," he says, beginning to get to his feet.

Pretty sure that's my turn, though.

Orik: I prefer to let PCs take a full-round action to break out of most low-level spell effects that take you out of combat, as per hold person. It's just not fun to be taken out of combat for an extended time without at least a chance of breaking out of it. That said, there's often a slight effect that lasts as long as the full spell duration...

Yep, full-round means I really don't have much I can do while I'm prone. At least I get to do stuff next round!

Let's say that it's a standard action for now, and that your move action is to get on your feet...

Well, I was hoping that another player would post...

Initiative order: Gwyn, Orik, Helena, Cerin, Kyrian, Shalelu, goblins.

Round 4, Top

Still clutching her abdomen while dry-heaving, Gwyn staggers backward toward the dais. Orik suddenly returns to his senses and stops laughing, and gets to his feet.

Helena steps forward and attempts to stab the goblin jester with her spear, but the jester somersaults out of the way.

Cerin steps in to attack the grinning goblin druid, yet the cagey goblin anticipates the strike and dodges.

Kyrian fires a volley at the warchanter, hitting her once. An arrow in the gut wipes the smirk off her face, but she continues to sing a goblin war-chant.

Realizing that taking out his mount would stop Ripnugget's ride-by attacks, Shalelu fires at the giant lizard. However, a quick maneuver from Ripnugget turns his beast at the last second, and the arrow harmlessly ricochets off his saddle.

Gwyn's nausea ends this round; she will be sickened for the next five.

Round 4, Bottom

Still mounted on his lizard, Ripnugget rides past Helena, slashing her nastily with his shortsword. Take 8 hp damage. He continues riding past Shalelu and Kyrian to the opposite wall of the room. They both have a bow in hand, and cannot make AOOs. Cerin attempts to take a swing at him as he rides by, but he dodges a fiery blow from the elemental at just that time, and misses.

The archer drops his bow and draws his horsechopper as he steps inside of Helena's reach with her longspear. He stabs her wickedly with the weapon. Helena, take another 7 hp damage.

Gogmurt steps back from Cerin and casts a spell. A blade-like jet of yellow flame bursts from his hand. Clutching his burning wand in the other, he grins evilly at Cerin and chuckles menacingly.

Also inside of Helena's reach, the jester casts a spell at her. She feels her head get cloudy for a half-moment, but quickly regains her senses.

Your turn!

Orik levels his sword at Ripnugget. "You're mine, snotling," he snarls, advancing and swinging at the goblin king atop his lizard mount.

Advancing on Ripnugget, and attacking. I'm turning off Power Attack, since it looks like he's actually kinda hard to hit.

Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19
Damage: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

Cerin looks at Gogmurt's fireblade and his lips curl in a humorless smile. "That won't help you.

Dodging away from the elemental that he knows will disappear soon enough if he can keep away from it, he feints upward then quickly brings his sword in low to slice at the goblin's gut.

5 ft step north
Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
Damage: 1d4 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 2 + (3) = 9

Clutching her wound, Helena stumbles back, dizzy and frightened. Steeling herself for what she hopes is long enough, she stabs at the singing goblin.

5-foot step back, stab the singer with power attack.
Longspear: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
damage: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Welcome back, Ronnie! I'm finally back, too.

Round 5, Top

Though still looking green from drinking the foul potion, Gwyn casts a spell and a jet of flame immolates both Ripnugget's jester and the goblin druid.

Orik advances and lands a mighty blow against the goblin warchief, but his blade glances off the goblin's steel breastplate.

Moving forward, Helena impales the jester on her longspear while it tried to pat out the flames. The point of her spear pokes out the goblin's back, and it looks up with a half-grin/half-grimace. It laughs pathetically as blood pours past its pointy teeth, and then it collapses.

Cerin slashes his flaming scimitar at his evil counterpart, cutting a nasty gash across his chest.

Kyrian fires at the remaining archer, and the arrow lands squarely in its chest. It yelps in pain as it falls backward to the floor. "Hey ugly! I think all your troops are dead now!"

Shalelu drops back to concentrate fire on the warchief and his mount. She fires at the lizard, but again, Ripnugget is able to quickly reposition so that the arrow bounces harmlessly off his stirrup.

Round 5, bottom

Now cornered, the goblin warchief shouts through gritted teeth, "You longshanks are DEAD! DEAD! DEAD! I am IN...um, INVINSS...uh... YOU NEVER BEAT ME!!" He stabs at Orik, getting past his shield, but the blade is deflected by the breastplate of his armor, as the blade etches a deep groove into the metal. He then goads his war-lizard to bite Orik, and it does grab his leg for a moment, but it teeth do not penetrate Orik's greaves.

Gogmurt glances around and notices that the only goblins still standing in the room are himself and Ripnugget. He shouts at his leader a series of squealing nonsense gibberish.

His anger deepening, the goblin druid focuses his ire on the enemy before him. He slashes at Cerin, who attempts to parry. Howver, unlike his own blade, which is flaming steel, Gogmurt's blade is composed completely of flame. The parry is completely ineffective as Cerin's blade simply passes through Gogmurt's, and the goblin burns Cerin terribly with his blade of flame. Cerin: Critical hit for 12 hp fire damage!

The living fire creature also attempts to strike Cerin with its burning grasp, but Cerin manages to sidestep the blow. At that, the fiery vortex reappears and the creature disappears into it, leaving only the scent of brimstone and smoke.

Your turn!

Orik adjusts his positioning, and presses his advantage against Ripnugget. "Shut up, you vicious ball of snot," he growls, swinging his blade at the goblin's melon-like head.

Same as last round!
Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
Damage: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8