As the mighty Half-orc fells the first goblin, Katarina's eyes light up with hope, and when another sturdy fellow thrusts his spear right through the second goblin's chest, a tentative smile appears on her lips.
'Yes! We're gonna make it! But there is one more still... I must focus, I can't fail this time...No, I WON'T fail this time!'
Her gaze set on the last goblin, making a mess of the fine food on a nearby table, once more she calls from the deep of her being and utters words of eldritch power.
"אַבליוויאַן נעמען איר"
The goblin on the table blinks several times then yawns a big toothy yawn. He then collapses into a bowl of gravy and sleeps.
This festival has certainly taken a turn.
With a clear view of the disturbance, Zafzalurg notes the nearest goblins have been mastered.
Grabbing sickle and rope, he hustles to the snoring goblin on the table.
"May I help you with this devil, miss? It's not worth the effort to clean my blade, should we slit the thing's slumbering throat. However, if we hog-tie this one, perhaps the constabulary can drum a few answers out of it once this chaos is over."
Zafzalurg can now more clearly discern the chant, as well - Clunky meter, off-key, definitely goblins. - and he wonders if there isn't something more to the tune...
The fracas ends with Zaf tying the final goblin to a table, but not far away the fire has spread to the table itself and soon the whole row of picnic tables will begin to burn.
Seconds later the hex ends and the goblin struggles against his bonds, hissing and growling.
Everyone but the four of you seems to have fled the scene, leaving you to clean up things here. The sound of fighting and yells and screams in other areas alerts you that this was more than just a single attack.
Hieronymous looks over at the fire and clasps his hands together, concentrates for a moment, and then he spreads his hands apart, sending water at the fire.
I hope that woman that the Goblin slashed in the leg is ok, didn't see her anywhere but I can't look for her 'til I put this fire out.
Garrok watches, slightly stunned while the gnome he met earlier appears, producing a rope and securing the sleeping goblin to the table. He's not sure, but he thinks he hears him criticizing the goblins' singing while he does so. Hm, everyone's a critic, I suppose.
Within moments the goblin wakes and begins struggling against the restraint; he also sees a human produce magical water in an attempt to douse the fire. The human has goblin gore on the end of his spear. Versatile! I'll have to meet that man and thank him for his help.
Right now, I want answers!
He storms up to the table and leans over the goblin, pressing the bloody edge of his sword across its chest. He bellows directly in its face, in well-practiced Goblin:
"What is the meaning of this!? In whose name have you attacked us, and where is he!? Speak now, or I gut you like a fish!"
Hieronymous douses the fire with a create water spell a couple ties and it fizzles and goes out with a ruined tablecloth and several well charred baskets of biscuits and sweet potato casserole (mmmm thanksgiving is next week).
Garrokmal threatens the goblin that's subdued, but he responds with a vile goblin insult and calling you longshanks, then snaps his yellowed teeth at you.
"Young sir, while I appreciate your gusto - we all do, I believe this creature will not be swayed by snarling and loud puffery. Perhaps we should simply set fire to the other end of the table and wait for the heat to loosen its tongue. I have flint and steel in my bag..."
Zafzalurg makes to go, then hesitates, turning to the half-orc and the two humans.
"Or... or we could leave this foul creature, and its formidable aroma, for the sheriff to deal with, and investigate the place where it and its companions sallied forth. Besides, the rope is strong and the knots are a sailor's gift, so it's not going anywhere if we decide to come back and demand answers later. "
Garrok looks down at the goblin, struggling defiantly and uselessly against the knots. He looks at the strangers standing around him and hears turmoil in the distance. He tries to make sense of the noises.
With the last goblin tied up and subdued, Katarina heaves a sigh of relief, but the feeling is short lived as screams and sounds of fighting are heard rising from other areas of the town.
Unsure on the best course of actions, while the other people that fought the invaders with her take care of the tied goblin and the flaming table, she takes the time to look around for a few moments, trying to asses the situation, and also weary of possible goblins hiding nearby.
'Is that it? Are they all dead?... No, someone's screaming! There must be others! They could be everyw-... Ameiko! What if she's in trouble? I-I need to find her! And stop these cursed monsters! Right NOW!'
Her mind set, she starts running towards the nearest source of the fighting sounds, but not ten feet later she suddenly halts, turns towards the others, and hurriedly addresses them. "H-Hey! You... Ah, everybody!" - She stutters, uncertain - "Please... Come with me? There must be other goblins in town, and people's lives are at stake! There is no time to lose!"
That said, she turns again and resumes running at full speed, her loyal familiar following her closely.
"Or we could do that."
Zafzalurg hurries back to his pack and slips it on, returning quickly to the man and half-orc.
"Can't be a hero without my pack. Gentlemen, shall we?"
And with that, Zafzalurg chases after the nice lady with the lizard... chicken... thing. After all, I can't let the lass face these festering marauders on her own - plus, you never know who's going to have a grateful coin or two for those what pull them from a goblin's snapping jaws.
Hieronymous says, I agree, save lives, goblin later," and then grabs his spear and follows the lady.
As you start to move away from the square, a sudden flame ignites from a wagon in the southeast corner, from behind it emerges four goblins, three of them hold torches along with their dogslicers, and the fourth holds a whip.
They see you and growl warcries about killing the longshanks as they ready for battle.
The goblin with the whip appears to be chanting the goblin song you've been hearing. She gets an evil glint in her eye as she looks at Zaf, the ancient enmity between the races evident. She runs forward and cracks the whip at Zaf's feet.
The whip comes close but misses him.
Katarina looks around nervously as the goblins approach.
'Four of them! And four of us... We can do this!' She tilts her head for a moment, glancing at the imposing Half-orc beside her. 'And even if the numbers don't favor us, we have stronger fighters on our side! And I think I may be able to make it even better...'
A smirk spreading on her lips, Katarina turns toward Garrokmal and pronounces incomprehensible words of power.
"Со силата на гигантите!"
@Garrokmal - When the girl finishes her spell you feel yourself grow and double in size, you definitely feel stronger and you notice that your sword and other equipment has increased in size as well. You can easily hit most opponents before they can get to within reach of you.
Seeing the female goblin step forward and attack, Hieronymous charges with his spear held out before him, hoping to skewer the foul creature.
Unfortunately, she sees your wild charge and sidesteps the spear point as it nears her chest. She hisses at you and the other goblins echo her hatred.
Garrokmal is considering his choices when the girl starts moving away and the other two that helped subdue the goblins begin to follow. Hmm - I still think she's trouble, but we'd be better off in a fight together. That man is a worthy fighter... I suppose I'll-
His thought is cut short when the four new goblins appear in a gout of flame.
No time for second guesses now... We've got our work cut out for us!
As he adjusts his grip on his sword and shield, the girl looks at him and speaks strangely. Suddenly, Garrok feels himself transform into a giant! His body now a tower and his shield a wall, he grins and settles his gaze upon the goblins. Trouble, indeed - the kind of trouble I can get into!
He lets forth a mighty roar and charges the goblin with the whip.
Garrok's giant body feels strangely heavy and he swings wide of the goblin. Both in frustration and in hopes of focusing the goblins' attention on him, he yells at them: "Come closer! I dare you!"
Missing his intended victim, Hieronymous shakes his head a bit, looking like a tired person trying to shake off sleepiness.
He taunts, "Don't think you'll be so lucky next time, vermin."
As horrible as it sounds, I feel like helping to save this town might help me atone for missing the giant attack on my village three years ago. The first one I killed made this seem easier, perhaps next time I won't be so reckless, if I survive. Need to concentrate...
The first goblin holds his torch out like a spear as he charges at Garrokmal who whirls his sword around in a deadly arc that catches the goblin across the throat opening a wide gash. It falls to the ground dead.
The next charges at Katarina, shrieking about burning spellcasters, he attempts to bash you with his burning torch.
He trips as he swings sending him to the ground in a heap of green fury.
The last goblin sees the death of his comrade and throws down his torch to charge at Hieronymous, screaming hate in his feral voice.
You move to block, but his wild swing slides in under you defenses cutting you across the arm.
Watching the goblin slice into his fellow combatant snaps Zafzalurg into action.
"Oi. you festering gob, let's you and I have a dance!"
Stepping up to flank the creature, he swings his wicked sickle at the beast.
Zaf moves up, one of the vicious goblins standing between him and the short stout human. He stabs at it with his dagger but manages to get it wrapped in the hem of his cloak making his swing go wide.
The goblin with the whip, keeps singing and turns to face the large half-orc now looming over her. She takes a step backward as she watches one of warriors go down, then bares her teeth, mutters a curse at Garrokmal then bursts into gales of laughter.
The next charges at Katarina, shrieking about burning spellcasters, he attempts to bash you with his burning torch.
Katarina takes a step back from the enemy, raises a hand and pointing a delicate finger at the goblin she utters unspeakable words of arcane might.
"אַבליוויאַן נעמען איר"
Katarina finishes the spell and the goblin goes from scrambling on the ground trying to get on his feet to snoring in an instant.
Wow that hurt, I've paid for my recklessness in blood. Still three of them left, need to do better this time. I could try to heal myself... or try to put my buckler on... no, if I can take this one down I can turn the tide of battle.
Torag protect me, need to make this one count.
Hieronymous lunges with his spear at the goblin that cut him.
Hieronymous mumbles under his breath, "Nimble little vermin."
Hieronymous stabs with his spear, but the goblin cackles and licks the blood off his dogslicer while narrowly dodging away from the thrust.
One dead and one sleeping - we'll make it through this yet... I could kill the sleeping one in an instant, but that one with the whip is dangerous. She's the priority.
With his size advantage, Garrokmal has but to teach out to swing at the goblin.
Garrokmal steps forward and stabs forward with his sword parting her leather armor in its wake. She slumps forward as it's point emerges from her back and Garrokmal kicks her dead body off the blade.
Now desperate the goblin between Zaf and Hieronymous growls like a dog and lunges at the injured human with his wicked blade. He swings again for Hieronymous's injured arm.
Hieronymous jumps back at the goblin's furious stab, avoiding the attack.
Almost to himself, Zafzalurg says, "You fine folk are definitely shouldering the burden of this fight."
Zafzalurg once again swings at the goblin.
"But never let it be said that Zafzalurg Marniklum doesn't carry his own."
Zaf beds his shortsword in the goblins back as it takes a swing at Hieronymous. It screams in pain and turns to face its attacker.
Right in front of me, sleeping... And I don't have anything to kill it with! Damn it!... Well, at least I managed to incapacitate it for a little while. Still another left though, even if it's wounded... And I know a way to help finish it off!
Silently cursing her present lack of weapons, Katarina sprints to her right toward the wounded goblin surrounded by her companions.
As soon as she's in position, she turns toward the despicable little creature and sends forth a torrent of incomprehensible syllables.
"א קללה אויף איר זאלט דיין פיינט שלאָגן אמת"
Katarina fixes the remaining goblin with a vexing eye and you can see it shake visibly as if a cold wind blew through its very bones. It's afraid, and seems much slower than it did a few seconds before.
Hieronymous isn't sure what the small human woman did to the goblin, She has some amazing powers, without her I'd probably be dead, but it doesn't look like the little green creature is doing too well. He feels better about the wound he'd sustained, and with a better outlook, he springs back into action.
Once again, two handed spear attack...
Hieronymous rams the head of his spear through the back of the snarling goblin as it turns to lash back at Zaf, sending it to Pharasma's embrace in the underworld.
The last goblin blinks himself awake and starts trying to get to his feet.
Garrokmal sees the man finish off the third goblin and turns to finish the final attacker... Using his great size and reach, he swings his sword down on the groggy fiend's head:
Garrokmal turns to the strangers that have been fighting alongside him. "Well fought, friends! I thank you for helping defend my home. Let's not let them surprise us again - are there any more of these vermin around?" He looks around the square and listens for the sound of fighting.
Garrokmal puts an end to the last goblin in the square as he swings his sword down, removing its head.
The sounds of fighting are far distant now, you can see several dark plumes of black smoke rising above the town and the rare scream of fright from some frightened maid.
The square itself is oddly quiet after the dust has settled. The fires have died and the bodies of human, goblin and dog lie scattered across the cobblestones.
Hieronymous looks around with a slightly bewildered look on his face, and then says, "I concur, a little more caution this time, if we get too strung out they'll pick us off one by one." He proceeds to wipe the goblin blood off of his spear using the pant leg of the closest goblin, "Name's Hieronymous, by the way, it's been an honor to fight alongside all of you thus far, we make a great team. Just a moment, let me tend my wound."
Hieronymous crosses his hands over his chest and closes his eyes, mumbles something unintelligible, and a subdued white light moves from his chest to his wound, healing it in a matter of seconds.
Is anyone else injured?
With the last goblin finally dead, Katarina takes a moment to catch her breath.
She smiles tentatively hearing Garrokmal's and Hieronymous's words, nodding her agreement. 'They are right, we need to be careful... But by Mother Moon's grace, I'm just happy to be alive! Alright... Alright... Focus, I need to focus.'
"Oh, I'm Katarina!" She abruptly blurts out, as if suddenly realizing she forgot to introduce herself before, "It a pleasure to meet you! If it wasn't for you all I'd probably be dead by now! You have my sincerest thanks for that, even if I'm afraid the fight is not over yet..."
Expecting the worst, Katarina gazes around and readies herself for another fight.
"Desna sees me unscathed so far, sir Hieronymous. Zafzalurg Marniklum is my given name, but most non-gnomish folk prefer Zaf.
The gnome moves to the body of the goblin that had brandished the whip and, with some haste, examines the body.
"Before you ask, no, I do not have a predilection for deceased goblin females. I thought I'd see if she had anything on her that might tell us why they've attacked."
Looking to the half-orc, he says, "Large one, you said this is your home. Does this happen here regularly?
Searching the goblin's body Zaf finds a potion in a grimy bottle, a suit of small studded leather armor, a dogslicer, a shortbow with 20 arrows, and 20gp.
Looking down upon the strangers, Garrokmal shakes his head. "No, master gnome... Goblins scavenge Junk Beach, but even then, they're timid and frighten easily. The worst we have to fear is the occasional Sczarni raid. This is something else - something sinister."
Switching briefly to Varisian, he addresses Katarina: "The humans that raised me here were Varisian - they taught me manners, but I often forget them in my anger. I apologize if I was rude to you earlier."
Back to Common: "I am Garrokmal - they call me The Abandoned - but Garrok will suffice. Now, let's see if there's any more trouble to be found before this wonderful spell wears off!" He grins wide, hefts his sword and shield and looks around.
"Well, Garrok, this fine lady goblin what you've skewered had 20 gold pieces on her person. She must have been the mayor of goblintown with that jingle in her pouch - or this was a misinterpreted market day... Regardless, the coins should be yours, by rights. But if no one objects, I'd like to keep the arrows. We've also got a grimy potion, studded armor you're not likely to get the stink out of, a short bow, and a dogslicer if anyone wants to claim them."
Zafzalurg stands and offers the pouch to the giant-ish half-orc.
"That's a kind offer, but we've each done our part here - I suggest you keep the coins until we're sure this is over... Then we can share the spoils as well as a tankard. Better hang on to that potion until we know what it is, too. If you have no room for it in your pack, I'll carry it."
Garrokmal continues to scan the square for danger...
"Lad, I always have room."
Zafzalurg tucks away the group's well-earned treasures, and pretends to look around with exaggerated gestures, as if he could see beyond breastbones and overturned vendor carts.
After a second or two, he says, "Maybe we should head to one of the columns of black smoke, or back to where the beasts emerged. Any takers?"
You hear a man's scream and the frantic barking of a dog coming from nearby to the North. Guessing, you would say somewhere close to the old North Gate.
"Someone's in danger!" The young witch shouts, "Near the North Gate! It could be more goblins, we need to hurry!"
Katarina turns to look at the others, ready to follow her companions into another battle.
"Agreed - let's run them down, whoever they are!"
Careful not to injure any of his companions, Garrok charges northward with massive strides, his sword and shield at the ready.