Once her companions proceed out from the dark ruin and away from the opening and any stray goblin arrows, Zaia takes a few steps back, takes hold of her iron butterfly holy symbol and raises it, gathers the wounded close to her and recites the words, "Lady Desna, may your tender light knit the wounds of my allies," and a wave of warm, pleasant, healing energy flows out, over the injured.
The more dangerous of Wymond's wounds closed, but he still had some injury on his person and Zaia worried over it. Perfire, on the other hand was whole and hale once more.
"What now?" she whispered furtively. "We should hurry and get out of harm's way before I can tend further to Wymond."
After a hail of arrows and high-pitched, derisive goblin laughter, Our Heroes have managed a retreat out of bowshot in the Spire Glen. Once to the safety of the trees, Zaia speaks a prayer to Desna and heals some of the party's injuries, leaving Wymond as the only remaining casualty.
________________________________________________________________
Perfire
Zaia
Yirrik
Wymond (5 damage)
Wymond scowls as they settle down a safe distance away from the Spire, more at the situation and less at anyone in particular.
"Mates, one o' you wanna help get these arrows out o' me?"
Triath gives a concerned squeal.
Having been shot herself with one of the goblin's arrows, she found relief in her lady's healing energy once they were a safe distance away.
Hearing Wymond's plea to have a recent arrow removed from his person, she drew closer with a polite, "If I may..." and cautiously removed the arrowhead from his flesh attempting to do so with as little as pain to Wymond as possible and without further injury to him.
Removing her healer's kit from her pack, she opened it and applied a salve and bandaged his remaining wounds, until they could decide on the next course of action.
What is the result of that Heal check?
Wymond grunts in pain as Zaia removes the arrow, but smiles once he's patched up properly.
"Thank ye kindly, Zaia. Almost thought I was a goner back there for a moment."
Perfire helps Zaia tend to Wymond and considers their predicament.
'I think we either need to find another way in, or a way to draw those things out. Or, find a way to get them to let us past. Regardless, they'll be on watch now.' He says, thinking out loud.
"Yer right, Perfire. We'd better not attempt another frontal assault, those goblins are dynamite!"
Yirrick glares back at the entrance to the Spire, then his brows unfurrow, "Those little bastards must be able to see in the dark...what can we do to even the odds? Maybe we can smoke them out?" he says hopefully.
"Perhaps we should first try to find another way in, as Perfire has said. If there are no other entrances, then we can attempt to draw them out using fire/smoke or something else."
The priestess looked back at the ruin to see if she could help find another way inside, past the goblins.
"Aye, scouting the place out so we know what we're dealing with's a good idea. It's like the Parables of Erastil say, you can't catch a fox until you know where his holes are."
Wymond rubs his chin.
"Yirrik, yer good at scouting, right? Goin' about not being seen?"
'Well, I'm small and hard to see. I might have an easier time exploring a bit closer if you want a hand Yirrik.' Perfire offers.
"Yer certainly better at it than me, what with me da's ol' mail shirt jangling like it does."
"I'm not too bad at it. Come Perfire , let's circle the glade and take a look at all of the facets of this jewel." Yirrik says, smiling a bit at his clumsy metaphor.
He waits for Perfire to join him and begins a circuit of the glade, keeping just inside the treeline, examining the outside of the Spire...
Perfire nods and follows Yirrik.
There certainly does seem to be only the one entrance to the ancient ruined castle of green glass. No other enemies seem to threaten, but if they did, you probably would have walked right by them. :-)
Yirrik's face tells the story as he and Perfire return to the others, "Only one entrance, I'm afraid. Might as well try to smoke them out..."
He begins to bundle up stray branches from the ground, trying to remember Uncle Ristor's lessons...
Perfire sees Yirrik set to work and helps gather tinder and dry brush.
Wymond blanches a bit as he realizes what they're doing.
"Are you sure that's a good idea? What if we start a forest fire?"
Yirrik smiles at Wymond's caution, "Don't worry ,Wy. Look at the size of this glade, the fire in there will never reach the forest. We'll get some bundles together , then use the alchemist's fire in the Pathfinder's package to ignite them!" he says excitedly, his enthusiasm for the project growing by the moment.
It's neither subtle nor quick, but when there are perhaps four hours of daylight left, you've gathered as much wood, tinder and kindling as you can carry.
Now what?
Perfire tiredly looks at their pile of flammable debris and then looks to his companions.
'Unless anyone has a better idea it looks like we're ready. I don't imagine they'll just stand by and let us build a fire. I think we should come up with a plan.' The halfling picks at a splinter in his hand.
Wymond scratches his chin.
"There's not much of a plan, is there? Just set 'em up, light 'em up and start fanning the smoke in?"
Yirrik looks at the Emerald Spire, "Now we don't want to be walking right straight at the entrance. Let's bring this wood around so that we can approach from the side. I didn't see any windows, so hopefully they won't see us coming."
He turns back, "Since it's my plan, I'll do the lighting and fanning. The rest of you fill the entrance with arrows and sling shot to keep those buggers back."
Leaning over the supplies, "I'll need some alchemist's fire and a tindertwig...and some luck!" he says with a smile.
Yirrik looks back at the Spire, frowning, "No...no...this won't work. The path is too narrow, the entrance too high...<sigh>" he says, his shoulders slouching dejectedly.
He flops down on the ground next to a bundle of branches, one of the scratching his arm as if mocking him and his grandiose plan.
Rubbing his arm, he smiles ruefully up at his friends, another thought occuring to him, "Perhaps they come out and forage in the woods at night...that might give us a chance to get in...."
'I know we got off on the wrong foot, but could we maybe try talking to them?' Perfire offers. 'Maybe if we wait for one of their foraging parties like Yirrik said, we could minimize our risk?'
Wymond snorts a bit.
"How are you gonna reason with these little buggers, Perry? You heard that song of theirs: Kill the people! Slay their beasts! Take their things! Eat their meats! Not exactly an invitation for afternoon tea."
'Do you think we can maybe sneak up on the guards on duty and take them out quietly?' Perfire continues to brainstorm, a little out of his depth. 'I'd hate to come all this way and go back so soon.'
"Aye...perhaps you or Yirrick could sneak up to see if the goblins actually ARE on high alert. The real problem is I make too much noise when I move, and I need to get right up close to fight."
Wymond scratches his chin pensively, while Triath cuddles up to Perfire.
Yirrik scratches his head in unconsious imitation of his friend, "I don't want to be sneaking up on these little guys until we know some more about them. That's what got us into hot water in the first place. Let's watch and see if they come out, then we can plan better"
Zaia had stood silently next to her companions as they attempted to formulate a plan to bypass the dangerous goblins. She felt as frustrated as they.
"They probably have enough food stored inside the ruins - we'll probably go hungry quicker than they do. I am no warrior or tactician, however, Perfire, do you have any magic to blind them temporarily? This will give us the opportunity to draw closer without the precision of their arrows upon us or at least will give Yirrik a chance to sneak in closer."
'Nothing to hide us unfortunately. Though, if I can get close enough I may be able to incapacitate any sentries they have posted. It would be risky, but I agree, we probably have less stores than they do.' Perfire stares at a spot on the ground in front of him as he thinks.
Yirrik nods at both Zaia and Perfire's comments on the state of the goblin's larder, "You may be right, but we're talking about goblins here...not the most forward thinking of peoples. But let's make sure, let's watch the entrance tonight and see if they venture forth to forage, either way we have more knowledge than we had before? "
He looks to his new friends for their yay or nay?
'Yes, it's probably wise to wait until tomorrow at the very least so we're at full strength.' Perfire agrees.
Wymond stretches and yawns.
"Anyone want me to make some supper? Looks like we'll be here a while. Might as well be comfortable on our watch."
'Maybe we can draw them out if I can't incapacitate the sentries? Should that be our plan B? I could try to lead them back down the path where you all could be waiting.' Perfire suggests after careful thought. He helps prepare camp as best he can.