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Tomak's blow dispatches the final goblin, while Tulle gradually pulls the carriage to a halt. Combat is over.
You are now on a coastal dirt road (something a little like this), the darkness is falling, trees on both sides of the road, the surf's sound churning in the distance, in possession of a carriage and two horses pulling it, and one dead goblin in the carriage.
Tulle estimates with Geography that the nearest settlement can't be more than a half hour's carriage ride away, in the direction that you were headed.
What do you do?
I can continue driving the carriage. Let me check the harnesses on the horses first.
Tulle disembarks the carriage and checks the harnesses, brushing the horses to calm them.
Do you suppose those Goblins were merely attacking us for a few gold pieces or is there some sort of evil afoot?
I too think the town is our best bet. But something seems amiss...
This all seems like too much of a coincidence to be without some sort of evil. I am sure I have heard something about the next town during my personal travels.
Samy I think this would be classified as a local knowledge check.
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Petian doesn't know much about the next town other than its name, Sandpoint.
Adokul knows that goblins are a recurring pest in this region and that their numbers ebb and flow, going through peaks and troughs over the years. This may be one of those upswing years, or if this is a downswing year in general then maybe this was just bad luck.
The goblin is wearing leather armor and carrying a short sword. Both are goblin-sized, so for a human they would be unusable and the equivalent of a dagger, respectively.
I say we drop the goblin off the cliff, put as must distance between its stink and us and get a move on to the town.
Tulle finishes his inspection and adjustments with the harnesses and mounts the caravan into the driver's seat. He appears driven by something. His movements are efficient and his manner exudes "discipline".
The sooner we get to town the sooner I can get away from this ragtag bunch and get on with the next job. Hopefully its something easy like escorting a maiden or two...
I agree with Tulle on both accounts. I could use a stiff drink, and a nice maiden after my performance in that fight.
Petian kicks the goblin one last time for good measure before boarding the carriage, looking quite annoyed.
No telling what kind of mischief those goblins were up to, but goblins are a cowardly lot. It is not like them to attack a band of well armed citizens. I sense that something else is afoot. But the Township sounds like a fine idea for now.
Tomak peers around the carriage and the immediate surroundings
I wish to use detect evil to scan for the next few minutes for anything suspicious
Lets go!
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With broad-based agreement, the six of you continue onward, with Tulle taking the horse reins and the other five returning into the carriage. After about half an hour or so of uneventful riding, you see the lights of a settlement approaching. Soon, you pass a gate and enter inside village walls, entering the settlement of Sandpoint. You know little of it.
Is there any particular sort of place you wish to visit first?
Petian steps out of the carriage and stretches.
I say we all deserve a hearty drink after what we just went through. Who's up for visiting the local inn?
Sounds good to me!
Tulle pulls the carriage to an appropriate location within the city (a stable or maybe a carivanasary).
Well crew, I agree with Petian. I saw a tavern a few blocks back. Let's go relax after that ordeal. See if we can get our bearing in the process. Hopefully we can find out who hired that driver and give them the bad news.
Agreed
To the local inn then.
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When finding an appropriate location for the carriage, Tulle finds about half a dozen people who have been waiting for it to arrive, including a woman who appears greatly distressed. "What happened? Where's the driver? Who are you?" she asks in a demanding and concerned tone of voice.
I'll run the tavern part after the carriage part has been dealt with -- finding a tavern will be trivial.
You got this, Tulle?
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Yes, you pull to a stop at the "bus station", and the group of people surround the carriage on both sides.
I don't know if any of you dropped out and went searching for a tavern earlier before Tulle found this place. You may still choose to be in the carriage or not, whichever you feel is more in keeping with your desire for drink.
Axlem poke his head out of the carriage as well to offer aid as needed in explaining what happened to the driver.
Petian exits the carriage, and gives Tulle a supportive nod.
Tulle disembarks the carriage and steps in front of the questioning woman and the gathered crowd.
Aware that there may be some sensitivity with this issue, Tulle takes careful consideration of the words he is about to speak.
I regret to inform you all that this carriage was attacked by a group of goblins about a half hour from town. We were unaware of anything going wrong until it was too late. By the time we reacted to the attack the driver was already dead...It appeared to come quickly for him. His body was not found, I assume it was lost over the cliff's edge.
Although we never looked. I hope he isn't rotting down the road, serving as a feast to local creatures. Tulle thinks to himself.
We are simply a group of unacquainted travelers who happened to be on the same carriage during this tragedy. I was more we could do...
Did you know the driver?
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"He's...dead?" There's a murmur in the crowd and glances toward each other. For a moment, the tenor almost seems to start to turn aggressive, but then the woman who first spoke silences the crowd. "Well, he was an employee of mine -- a friend as well, I suppose. You're certain he's dead? And not just lying somewhere, injured?" She seems quite anxious, and the rest of the crowd takes that on as well.
"Well what if he's still there?" another of the crowd speaks up. "We just gonna leave him there? Even if he's dead, just gonna leave him for the crows? Or worse, goblins?"
The initial woman cuts off the murmur of the crowd again. "We need to be certain of this. We need to hire someone to go look."
To be honest ma'am, I cannot say definatively that he is dead. Thinking about it now, I don't think I ever saw a body, I just assumed...
Tulle feels a sense of regret for potentially abandoning this man.
I think I owe it to the man to go back and see if he is alive.
Turning to the carriage Tulle addresses his fellow adventurers, Well new friends, I will head back and check for the man, hopefully he is still alive. If any of you care to join me I would certainly appreciate the company.
Turning back to the business woman Tulle asks, If I may, I would like to borrow your horses from the carriage to ride back. Is that alright with you?
With the animals disconnected from the carriage the trip should be shortened quite a bit.
Petian looks between his compatriots and steps forward.
I believe it would be best if my comrades and I were to go. As we were also victims of this attack, we would know the most accurate area to search for the victim.
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You are quite free to borrow the horses for this purpose, the businesswoman says -- however since there are only two horses, if all of you go, it might be better to take the carriage as well.
The woman offers a reward of 100gp for the return of the driver's body, doubled if you can bring him back alive.
The big question is if you want to go now or in the morning. On one hand, you have a long day of traveling behind you, some of you are injured, and it's gotten dark. On the other hand, if the driver is injured badly, he might not survive the night and that tasty 200gp would drop to 100gp.
You may discuss your choice freely now amongst yourselves. Once you're settled on a choice, we'll go back to the ambush site either during the night or in the morning.
I want to see this man alive if at all possible. I could not live with myself if there was a chance he could have been saved. I don't mind taking the carriage if more than 1 of you cares to join me.
I understand that some of you are wounded and may need to seek care for your wounds. I won't hold that against you. However I will not wait for morning to find that this man died a slow and painful death out there.
Do any of you want to join me?
After receiving the answers from the others, Tulle turns to the businesswoman and asks, What was the driver's name? If he is alive, perhaps we could call out to him.
Tulle lights his lamp and prepares the horses for the journey.
I don't know about you guys but i'm pretty beat up from our last encounter with the goblins. I love gold, but an extra 100gp is not worth my life. I vote we call it a night, and then investigate in the morning.
Petian is moved by Tulles speech but is still concerned with his wounds.
Tulle, if we can find someone to heal my wounds this evening, I will gladly join you.
Lets ride!
Petian looks over his travel mates, now partners and says.
It seems as though we are all in agreement. Might I recommend any of us that are injured visit this priest while Tulle finish's preparations.
sounds good!
Petian moves towards Adokul.
I will gladly join you, Adokul.
Let us move with haste to recover the driver.
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The injured ones visit the temple, and as the businesswoman surmised, dropping her name is enough to get the priest to minister you with some spells, curing all of your current injuries. You are now all at full health.
You then group up with the rest and the carriage again, and head back out of Sandpoint, into the blackness of the night. The darkness is much deeper now than it was on your way to the town, as night has now fully settled. There are no lampposts or any sort of artificial light along the coastal dirt road, so the driver -- whoever it is, whether Tulle continues in that role or someone else -- will have to go careful, visibility granted only by the lanterns fixed to the carriage and white glowing clouds that hide the moon.
Everyone may roll Perception or Survival, whichever is better, in order to try to recognize the location where you were attacked. You try to look at the twists and turns of the road, any recognizable trees or bushes, or maybe the proximity of the sea, to try and puzzle together what is the right place to begin your search.
Tulle squints his eyes, as he sits in the driver's seat, attempting to make out the shadows of the night.
Is that a tree...or is it someone standing there? Is this where we were attacked?
Get ahold of yourself, trust your gut.
Tulle can't make out anything in the shadows.
Does anyone down there see anything that looks familiar? I don't know where to stop.
Axlem tries to find something familiar
Petian looks out the carriage window but see's only darkness.
This whole place looks like an ambush waiting to happen, if you ask me.
Tomak scans the area for familiar scenes.
(that nat 20 tho)
Yes, monk. I think you are correct.
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Both Adokul and Tomak spot some familiar views that jog their memories, and if you stop the carriage and exit to investigate, you can indeed ascertain that this is the stretch of road where you were attacked by the goblins. Searching the area turns up bodies of the three goblins, but you cannot find the body of the driver anywhere. Somewhere in the vicinity you can hear what you think is a wolf howl.
You essentially have four directions you can search. Either along the road back toward Sandpoint. Or along the road further back the way you came from earlier in the day. Moving away from the road, on the other side, there are rocky cliffs that gradually descend toward the churning sea. And on the other side, there's a thick, dark forest.
Which way do you search?