Fingers moves in on the Zealot, stabbing out with both weapons. The Zealot swats Fingers' short sword to the side, but a nice wound open up in his leg from the rapier.
The Zealot, seeing his general fallen and hobgoblins trapped or twitching under the influence of a variety of spells, swears loudly in his language and looks legitimately worried. He snarls at Fingers, and quickly chants a spell!
Fingers feels the cold hand of death clutch at his heart, and terror like nothing he has felt before.
The hobgoblin in the entangle area tries to pull himself free but is trapped once more! Helplessly, he fires off an arrow at Zoresk.
Trying to get out of the throng of combatants around him, a hobgoblin battling Irina and Koriko steps back, and swipes at Irina, missing wildly.
The hobgoblin in the north swipes uselessly at Trestleblade, who then slams his spear into its throat, killing it outright.
Nilan's spiritual dagger continues to attack the Zealot
Nilan blesses Koriko with Fate's own Luck and she receives +2 sacred bonus to hit this round.
Protection from Evil on Zoresk. 3 minutes duration
Bless from scroll 1 minute +1 to hit for everyone
Bull's Strength from scroll on Zoresk 3 minutes duration
Aid from scroll on Koriko +1 to hit and 11 temp HP 3 mins
Spiritual Weapon on Caster 1/3 Rounds remaining
Irina shifts her position to flank with Fingers, keeping a wary eye on the leader but lashing out at the hobgoblin between her and the rogue...
Zoresk grits his teeth as the hobgoblin catches him out of position and is able to dodge his attack despite being entangled by the ropelike grass. Ignoring the penetrating pain, Zoresk twirls his blade and continues his assault on the entangled goblin.
The howling hobgoblin's cries are cut short as Zoresk stabs forward, his glaive plunging straight through the foul creature's chest! Zoresk yanks the hobgoblin in and kicks it off of his glaive. Irina tries to kick out at the hobgoblin facing fingers but misses wildly. Nilan's ghostly dagger slams into the Zealot.
Bless spell active, +1 to hit, +1 vs fear saves
Zoresk (bull's strength, protection from evil) (8 dmg)
Kumyo
Koriko (aid, 11 hp)
Irina (8 dmg)
Fingers
Nilan (spiritual weapon)
---
Thone (blind and stunned)
Zealot (+2 AC)
Grey (unconscious, entangled) (2/3 rnds)
Grey 2 (unconscious, entangled) (2/3 rnds)
Green (entangled)
Red (unconscious) (2/3 rnds)
Black (6 dmg)
White (16 dmg) (unconscious)
Purple (13 dmg)
While the zealot's spell gives Fingers the initial willies, he is able to shake off the effect. Seeing the black Hobgoblin with its back to him, Fingers keeps a wary eye on the zealot, then stabs the unfortunate hobgoblin in the back with both weapons.
Fingers' rapier slams into the hobgoblin, completely skewering it twice before it slumps to the ground, instantly killed.
Kuroyoho leaps past the dead hobgoblin, pouncing at the zealot, but his claws are turned aside by a magical barrier!
Seeing his leader fallen, the zealot calls out to the one remaining hobgoblin who nods hurriedly. Quickly, the zealot tries to cast a spell, but the spell fails as Kuroyoho keeps pawing at the cleric! Real panic sets in and the zealot finally throws his weapon down, calling out.
"YIELD! YIELD! NO KILL!"
End of Combat
Nilan dismisses the spiritual weapon with a gesture.
He glares at the remaining hobgoblin...
Zoresk carefully drops out of his fighting stance, eyeing the standing hobgoblin carefully. "Irina, can you see to binding this fellow up? I want to see if the leader is dead." Zoresk moves his glaive into its leather sling and draws his longsword. He advances on the general, keeping his weapon trained on him. He kneels down and feels on the goblins wrist for a pulse. "Father, you should come stabilize this leader so we can learn what he knows. I'd hate to be caught by surprise by more of the buggers." Zoresk stands and keeps his blade at the ready, watching the living hobgoblins carefully.
Koriko flicks her blade to the side, splattering the blood off and then sheathes it with her usual precision. "This one might also know more than the average warrior." she says glaring at the zealot.
Gather their weapons please... Nilan asks the party
Nilan channels, healing everyone including the fallen Hobgoblins
Irina nods and moves to get the prisoner bound and scoop up errant weapons per Nilan's request as the others check the battlefield...
Fingers helps gather up the weapons and any obvious loot from the prisoners and the fallen hobgoblins.
The group quickly bind up the remaining hobgoblins and remove their weapons as they start coming to. Several of the dying hobgoblins are saved from death, or recover thanks to Nilan's spell and soon the group has a tidy pile of weaponry and the majority of the hobgoblins alive. They all sit, staring at you belligerently.
Thone barks something at the rest of the hobgoblin prisoners in a commanding voice. They flinch and say nothing. Thone, despite looking ridiculous in his combination of noble finery and well-made armour, has a grizzled, no-nonsense look to him.
"I'm not turning in any more of my troops, human. You have defeated my warband and I sit here shamed by my hubris. I'm interested to see if you have the strength to execute or enslave your foes as I would."
"I think your use of the word "strength" betrays a grave misunderstanding of the word, General. We will see justice done, but I think none of us care greatly for the vicious brutality you claim is 'strength'. We protect those who could not protect themselves, rather then see them submit to a thug's cruelty. You will answer for your crimes against the innocent you sought to conquer as your playthings. No more or no less. If you have nothing of use to say, then I for one would see you gagged." Zoresk looks down at the hobgoblin in disgust. Shaking his head, he leaves the hobgoblin bound and motions his companions over, "So what now. We can march them back to the city, but there's still a number of bands wandering the countryside. Fighting while these bastards have to be watched does not sounds like something I've any desire to do, but I don't like the idea of leaving the other bands to scatter and cause havoc."
Nilan looks uncomfortable with simply executing the prisoners. Captain Trestlebade, as the closest to a lawman we have...what would these prisoners judgement be if they were found guilty of murder and theft?
Irina frowns at the Tian sorcerer, She's surely not here? She wouldn't just let these guys pound on her walls would she?
Thone barks out a coarse laugh.
"Damn right she's not here. There's no gate to this infernal place, our ropes snap when we try and scale it, and we can't even scratch the wall."
Trestleblade, enthused by the violence, wanders back to the group, his spear dripping with the blood of the hobgoblin he killed.
"We've got a gallows for this lot like every town in Ustalav. Hang 'em, burn 'em so they don't come back," he says simply. The hobgoblins stare ahead mutely at that comment. "That's the Countess' law or so I been told, none of us have seen the Countess 'cepting the mayor and old Silversleeves."
"Don't... come back?" Koriko asks with a mix of confusion and curiosity taking over her disdain for what passes as justice in this town.
In Ustalav...we make sure that our departed cannot be ripped from Pharasma's judgement and their afterlife. We burn our dead, so they may not rise again to wreak havoc among the living
That...makes sense considering the stories about this place. And all well and good but what are going to do? I could run to town to get an official to make a call or we could do what we think is best or try to escort them back to town...
Not big on law enforcement, Fingers remains silent on the matter.
Thone looks at the group and grumbles something in goblin.
"We have lost and been shamed. I offer you a deal. If you let us leave with our lives, you have my oath I will not seek vengeance, and I will return to the Hold of Belkzen. Ustalav was once a rich hunting ground, but no longer. I had a wealthy town in my grasp, and lost it because I couldn't get this damn wall out of my head."
Irina folds her arms over and mirrors Kumyo also looking at Fingers and then Nilan who have been the the two major voice in guiding their actions till this point...
Nilan looks torn....So he does the only thing he knows how. He holds up his holy symbol and begins to pray solemnly.
Lady of Fate, will releasing these Hobgoblins cause us or the town great pain?
Zoresk looks at the 'general', studying him, obviously not believing him. He responds to his companions, whispering, "For what it's worth, I think we should try to see him back to the city to pay for his crimes. There were plenty that died because he wanted their wealth and lives to slave away for him. He's not even repentant, the bastard, just sorry that he couldn't hold it."
Fingers is worried when everyone looks at him; he never planned to be the leader of anything.
"I ain't no paragon o' law an' order, but if this hobber is givin' up an' goin' home, I say we let 'im. Take all t' gear, armor, an' weapons first, but parolin' 'em makes sense t'me. T'villagers'll just hang 'em out of vengeance. That ain't justice."
He shrugs not sure if anyone will care what he thinks, but he kicks at the ground letting his words sink in.
There is a moment of silence and a strange feeling of cold seems to permeate your being. Finally, a word echoes through your mind, whispered from far beyond anything in your mortal ken.
Weal
Although hobgoblins are evil bastards, they have strict laws they follow. A hobgoblin's oath is binding.
Zoresk watches Thone carefully, but detects no hint of a lie.
Zoresk frowns, surprised to find that he believes the hobgoblin to be telling the truth. Thinking on it a little harder, he admits that he's heard that they follow oaths. "I think he's telling the truth, and his kind aren't ones to lie when they make an oath. We should at least make sure that he won't be harming any more innocent in this Hold."
We should parole them...Fate has said as much. Nilan says after returning from his reverie.
I agree with Fingers, take their weapons and armor and send them back to Belkzen.
Fingers motions to the hobgoblins and General Throne in particular to start laying down their arms and armor. He has them stack weapons and gear in piles that will be easy to identify and pick up later.
"Tha' it boys, nice an' orderly. It'll be a wee bit easier march back t'Belkzen fer ya without all tha' heavy armor an' what not to weigh ya down. 'Sides, wha' could happen t'ya in t'meantime?" he smirks thinking of some roadside brigands laying a whole troop of unarmed hobgoblins low.
He examines the general's gear in particular looking for any loot that he might be personally carrying.
The Hold of Belkzen is a large country in northwest Avistan adjacent to Varisia and Ustalav, among others. It is noted as being under the control of orcs, although goblinoids thrive there. Nilan would know that the Hold is on Ustalav's western border.
The general and his troops are stripped down by Fingers and the weapons thrown in a pile. The group gains the following:
- masterwork chain mail
- 8 longswords, shields, longbows, suits of studded leather armour, and 37 arrows
- masterwork heavy mace
- a masterwork, cold iron bastard sword
- a masterwork, silver short sword
- scroll of cause fear
- scroll of lesser restoration
- an ornate puzzle box
- a suit of noble finery, valuable but smells like hobgoblin
- a diamond pinky ring
- a crudely-drawn map of the region
- basic mining and excavation tools
Thone snarls up at Kumyo as he and his soldiers are looted.
"I make the deal for my soldiers - they are bound by my oath as their leader. The only guarantee you have that they will not despoil this countryside is my word."
"Tunneling through or under the walls I assume.", Koriko comments absently, before turning back to the hobgoblin leader: "And how much is your oath as their leader worth to them, once you are gone and they are on their own?"
And what about the other group? Will they withdraw on your word or must we beat them into submission as well?
Thone blinks as he looks at Kumyo. "This is my oath, not theirs. They are not bound to my decisions as leader. And all hobgoblins in this region are under my command! They will withdraw at my word."
Fingers nods satisfied that the arms and armor are all stacked up. "Yer word, General tha' yer raidin' in Ustalav is at an end? After that, you an' yer men can head fer t'border quick as yeh can. Pleasure doin' bizness wit' yeh." he adds with a smirk.
As the hobgoblins leave, Fingers admires the diamond ring and the fine clothes trying to assess their value. Given a chance, he also fumbles with the puzzle box, trying to figure out how to open it and peek inside.
"I, Thone, son of Gruun, general of the Hooked Claw give my oath to leave these lands in peace, and return to the Hold of Belkzen. I will not seek vengeance for my defeat here."
Thone drops his hand, snarls, and turns to stalk off, calling his troops with him. Defeated and shamed, he vanishes around the corner of the impenetrable Chateau wall.
"Good luck with that box," are his last, smirking words.
Fingers starts to sort through the loot. The diamond ring looks pricey, but hard to tell. Hundreds, maybe over a thousand. If the clothes were cleaned up they'd be worth around 300 gold.
Fingers settles in to the puzzle box, which is covered in interlocking wooden plates that he cam shift slightly or click a bit when squeezed. However, after a good few minutes he remains confounded by the box.
The group, a smiling Trestleblade in tow, make their way back to Douleurs. The news of the success spreads through the already jubilant town. The threat seems well and truly gone. You are all treated at the Inn free of charge, and are effectively given the run of the town. The mayor begs you stay a week, the Countess should have received word by now of the hobgoblin invasion and give news of her return soon.
-Posted with Wayfinder
During his week of downtime Nilan tends to the spiritual needs of the town.
Fingers tries to keep his nose clean during the week of downtime in the village of Douleurs. Without having to scratch out a living stealing, he actually finds life a little boring in the town. Figuring out that he's a long way from home, he decides waiting for this magical "countess" might be his best bet. And, hey, the trip's been pretty lucrative so far.
He spends a few hours each day looking at the puzzle box, trying to solve its mystery.
He also takes the hobgoblin loot and tries to sell any unclaimed items in the town, looking to turn a tidy profit for the group in the process.