Talia shrugs, opening the door and sneaking to the corner to check around for any surprises awaiting the party.
Talia looks around the corner and finds it ends with two doors, one to the north and one to the west, straight ahead.
Talia looks at the north door.
It it is locked?
She will listen at both doors before opening the north dorr though.
I thought the plan was to check these doors here before we went further into the...this place.
Cade watches Talia walk further into the fort.
Laufey shrugs at Cade's question without saying anything. She stays close on Talia's heels with her sword at the ready.
Cade slowly rubs his chin and the slight stubble that has grown since he joined this group.
How to do this with out getting split in two.
The smile that appears on his face is genuine as the young halfling remains by the door.
My ladies...while I respect your abilities and know full well that you are more than capable of handling yourselves...A sword fight is a well choreographed dance between combatants. This dance will be very short if we continue to add combatants to our backside.
The further you proceed...
Stepping to the side and pointing back the way they came.
...the less and less of an exit strategy you have. Clear these rooms first and then move forward.
He stands still
I enjoy a good fight as much as the next gentleman but we need to fight smarter not harder.
As Talia opens the north door, Cade is ready to run forward to aid if the need should arise.
A little sigh comes out of his mouth as she start to open the door.
..alright we will check this door and then I recommend we take care of what is behind us.
You hear a goblin voice through the door to the east. It sounds imperious and commanding - like someone giving orders.
The northern door is locked, but Talia is able to make quick work of it. She opens the door to reveal a foul-smelling butchery that is an affront to all the senses. Haunches of poorly smoked meat hang from hooks along the ceiling or lie heaped in and atop crates. In some cases, the meat seems to be dog or horse, but in many other cases, the meat has all too recognizable features like feet, hands, or grimacing faces.
Did you mean the West?
Talia grimaces, and holds down her rising gorge at the sight she finds. Closing the door silently she points to the next one and indicates to the others that there is movement behind it.
Yes, I meant West. I've nearly screwed that up three times before this, so I guess I was due to actually screw it up.
Laufey grimaces but nods affirmatively at opening the door. It will hve to be done eventually, and the time to do it probably won't get any better.
I can smell that back here.
He waves at them to come back
We have too much unknown area behinds us to continue forward. Yes, we know someone is there but we do not know who or what is behind us.
Realizing that they had possible problems behind them Talia slowed down and retreated, moving quietly back to the area they had passed earlier.
Talia hears nothing on the other side of the door, and thought it's been nailed shut, her skill is able to easily pry the nails loose to open the door after a couple minutes of work.
The door opens to reveal a storeroom half-filled with crates, barrels, and large sacks of grain. A small whole has been chopped into the lower side of one of the barrels, allowing pickles and brine to drain out and giving the room a singular stink of vinegar.
"Ew." Isabella posts her falchion and waves one hand in front of her face at the pungent stench.
"Well, all clear here, unless a goblin is hiding in one of the boxes."
As Talia walks back across to where the group began, Cade shakes his head in utter confusion. He points at the doors that she just walked past and shrugs.
What the...I give up...
He looks back and signals for his companion to follow.
Come Bellum...
As they come into the room where Talia is, Cade looks into the newly uncovered room and then at the others.
OK, well that was uneventful. We know where those doors lead to... Cade points to the double doors that lead to the guard tower that the two women climbed down....and I think we know that this door will lead to the dogs. Cade points to the single door that leads into the courtyard with the dogs. The double doors...well judging from their location to the front gate... Cade nods toward the gate and then towards the double doors. ...and the fact that there is a door that leads towards the center of this building...I would think there would be a guard post of some sort or more likely a receiving chamber.
He looks at his new found companions...
I suggest we listen at the double doors to try and figure out what is behind them. If we are clear then we should see what those door are hiding. If there is something behind them, we move on down the hallway to the next room. If we encounter noise behind a door we leave it alone until we are certain of what is behind each door. Then we as a group can assess the situation and decide how best to proceed. Does that sound like a plan?
Talia moves to the double door and listens carefully.
Talia listens at the double doors and hears...nothing. It's rather anticlimactic as she exhales a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.
Slipping the door and ready to open it Talia signals to the party that she hears nothing on the other side. When they give her the sign she will open it.
Ready when you are.
Laufey nods her readiness to Talia.
The door is unlocked, and not trapped, and Talia opens the door to reveal a 15-foot long hallway leading to another set of double doors. Looking at the plain, wooden room, you can't help but think that the goblins built it to resemble an anteroom to a larger throne room.
"Hm," says Isabella quietly. "If this is an antechamber then... goblin chief coming up."
Talia moves to the inner doors.
Once the door is ready to be opened Talia waits for the rest of the party to prepare. Once they give her the signal she will open the doors to let them attack.
Talia's first try at picking the lock on the throne room is unsuccessful, but her second attempt proves fruitful, unlocking the door. She waits for everyone to tell her when they are ready.
With a grim and determined expression on her face, Laufey nods her readiness to Talia.
The doors open, showing a large throne room decorated with hanging furs around the room. Most are recognizable as the black and red of a firepelt cougar, some of dogs, and in a few cases what look like horse hides. Four square timbers support the ceiling, their faces studded with dozens of iron spikes, while the lower reaches are decorated with dozes 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.
Seated up on the throne is a goblin dressed in metal armor, with a spiky metal open-faced helmet that resembles a crown, and next to the throne is a giant gecko.
You spot two goblins hidden up two of the pillars in the room, and another hidden behind the throne.
You spot a third goblin hidden up a third pillar in the room.
The goblin on the throne says, in a gravelly yet still squeaky voice, "Hold, longshanks! I am Warchief Ripnugget, goblin hero and leader of the Thistletop Tribe, slayer of many hated foes. Stay where you are, for you have not yet earned the right to approach my throne."
Well this is a piece of s#~@ hand we just been dealt. I was hoping to at least kill more goblins before we met up with the leader..can not be helped now. Wait, did he call me longshanks? oh hell no.
I suggest we bar this door before long. There are a lot of doors and we may very well get some unwanted visitors soon.
Hail oh mighty War chief Rip-a-new-gut. Hero and leader of the Thistletop Tribe. I must say that I like what you have done with the place but your concierge is lacking to say the least. I mean your customer service just plain sucks.
Cade steps forward ignoring the command to stop.
Why would we not approach?...You should not have any fear of us as I can tell you are well guarded...for now
Cade pulls forth his rapier and points to the goblins hiding up the columns and behind the throne.
So shall we dance or do you wish to talk more? I admit I am not agaisnt talking but I doubt you would be able to understand the underling meaning of my jokes.
Ripnugget glares at Cade and says, "I told you not to advance because you are not worthy of approaching my throne. We shall talk, but I will not talk to you, rude one. You." He points at Rasmorn. "You look like someone who appreciates the value of good conversation. You may approach and speak to me."
Haha..not worthy. I never met a goblin who was old...so I guess you must have lost your eyesight due to lots of self gratification. Even a child can tell I am not a longshanks. Rude...haha, please...this is my cute and fun side. Come to think of it, all of my sides are cute and fun. Now we just broke into your home and killed your dogs and your guards and you want to talk...how the hell did you become Warchief. Ohhhh open vacancy and you picked the short straw. Sucks to be you...for more reasons that one.
Cade turns to the others as he scratches Bellum behind the ear.
Can we just kill him and be done with it.
Cade continues to smile...
Laufey doesn't expect it will change how things turn out one iota, but the goblin chief seems very self-satisfied, maybe enough to do some crowing about his greatness and his plans before trying to kill them.
Maybe he can tell us something worth knowing, something helpful before he dies.
"We came here looking for one of our kind, a woman named Nualia. Where is she?"
Ripnugget's face goes apopleptic at Cade's insolence, which could not have been better calculated to enrage him. He ignores Laufey's question completely in his anger as he shouts, "Kill the longshanks! All of them!"
"Laufey, get 'em!" says Isabella hopefully.
Chuckling at the sight of the warchief's face.
All too easy...
When the Goblin order to "kill the longshanks"...
Cade has a look of confusion on his face
was it something I said?
and then "all of them"
Oh, that is better...I was beginning to think you did not like me or something. Felt maybe you had something against halflings.
A smile appears on his face as he looks to the Goblins
shall we dance?
When Isabella says get 'em...
Cade looks to Bellum for a moment.
nope I am correct...I have the only dog here...
Cade moves off toward the closest Goblin, pulling forth a dagger as he walks. With a slight twist of his wrist the weapon flies through that air towards the goblin that is up the pole.
Come on Bellum let us kill some Goblins.
Hearing Cade...
Come on Bellum let us kill some Goblins.
The faithful dog follows, giving a growl and a bark at the Goblin.
Laufey rushes past Cade, ignoring the goblins on the pillars. She finds her zone as she goes, focusing on both strength and speed turned to killing. When she reaches the platform she strikes at the gecko with an overhand chop.
Cade moves off toward the closest Goblin, pulling forth a dagger as he walks. With a slight twist of his wrist the weapon flies through that air towards the goblin that is up the pole. "Come on Bellum let us kill some Goblins." The dagger hits the goblin in the leg, and he cries in pain.
The faithful dog follows, giving a growl and a bark at the Goblin.
"Laufey, get 'em!" says Isabella hopefully.
Laufey rushes past Cade, ignoring the goblins on the pillars. She finds her zone as she goes, focusing on both strength and speed turned to killing. When she reaches the platform she strikes at the gecko with an overhand chop. She cuts the gecko down, killing it instantly.
Rasmorn moved into the room and cast an acid splash at one of the goblins .
But the gob of acid misses.
1=Cade, 2=Rasmorn, 3=Laufey, 4=Bellum
The warchanter behind the throne begins singing a goblin song that seems to give the other goblins strength.
The three goblins atop pillars fail at coordinating their attacks. One fires at Cade, both in revenge for being struck by his dagger and because the chief told him to. Another sees a hated dog and fires at that. The third fires at the gnome who isn't wearing any armor. None of them is particularly effective, as all of their attacks miss.
Ripnugget's eyes go wide as Laufey kills his gecko, and he shouts, "You killed Stickfoot!" He then moves forward drawing his short sword and strikes at Laufey. His anger proves to be to her benefit, as she's barely able to turn his attack aside.
Isabella moves in to engage one of the near goblins and brings her massive sword to bear.
Watching Laufey run past him, Cade's smile fades for a moment as she takes out stickfoot.
oh no you don't..you are not getting all the fun. Come on Bellum, let us go kill chief Rip-a-new-gut.
Cade moves on towards the war chief with Bellum following.
Bellum go there and attack him.
Cade points to a spot opposite Laufey as he stabs at the Goblin with a large smile across his face.
That is for calling me longshanks.
Seeing Bellum attempt to bite the War chief but miss, causes Cade to frown for a second before he sees his faithful dog snatch a leg and start to try and pull the chief down.
Following Cade until he sees an opening. Bellum move to the side of Cade as the halfling directs him to attack.