Dara carefully watches Yanna from under the brim of her hat, noting the care (or lack thereof) that she gives to her weapons, her gear, and herself. The would-be pirate smiles slightly as the pair negotiate, listening the other woman's voice, looking for sincere desire or over-eager treachery.
Alavar turns to Wanda, "Mz. Wanda, is someone caring for Miss Cora? Where is she staying?" he looks after the young girl, then turns back to the present. "So it's only an hour a way? Well that's convenient. Aside from Yanna, you guys ready?"
(hastily finishing the rest of his meal) 'f c'rse 'm r'dy *haa* ta save the young maiden's parents from danger. Wouldn't be able ta face myself otherwise.
Wanda turns her eyes back to the elf, after watching Young Cora leave "Her parents have a residence within the walls, so's the girl's prolly there. She has always been the independent type, succeed her parents before too long I always thought. She'll be alright for a spell. Tis a kind thing you're doin' givin' Cora hope and all."
"It can be a cruel world. We'll see if there's anything can be done about it." and unless Alavar notes someone who looks obviously like a healer, he is ready to go and will be picking up a "walking stick" on the way out town.
Dara picks up her mug, finishing off the amber liquid, before gracefully hopping off her stool. She picks up the remains of the poultry in her right hand and sketches a little bow to Wanda. "Thank you kind lady for t' enjoyable repast."
The pirate lass's smile is just a bit too confident, sure, as she continues, "We be back in a yardsarm time, victorious and needin' succor." And with that she strides out the door of the inn and heads back to the gates of the keep - ready for what may lay in the .
You walk back to the main road, and east along the river. After about half a league the road turns northerly and passes in between rising, forested hills on either side. As you get closer to the 1 league mark, the sounds of nature seem to diminish, and the signs of small animal life disappear. The trees to the left of the road seem grey, and the limbs twisted. The midday sun seems to shy away, barely penetrating the canopy. According the the directions you received, this is the place. Through this fell patch of woods lies the Caves of Chaos.
Yanna is quiet and business-like during the walk, well worn leather armor under her travelling cloak creaking just a bit. She has a longsword and dagger sheathed at her belt. When you reach the area, she begins to keep a sharper eye around, gaze moving from shadow to shadow, looking for any sign of trouble. "Well Lords and lady, this looks like the place." She loosens her sword it it's sheath and looks to you for orders.
"All right. Let's go in quiet like. Take your time and watch your surroundings. Let me know what kind of tracks or other sign you come up with. Arden, I want you about 5 spaces to my 11(oclock), Yanna 4 spaces to my 2(oclock), Dara 1 or 2 spaces to my 4(oclock). Don't get too far away, we want to make sure we can keep track of everyone else. If I go down, follow Dara she's got a good head on 'er shoulders. After you're out of danger, then you can decide what you want to do on your own." he takes out his bow, strings it and holds it and one arrow in his left hand, walking stick held loosely in his right.
With only the slightest of narrowed eyes, Dara moves into the position suggested by Loke. She loosens the ties on her scabbard and pulls the sword out with her left hand. With her off-hand she slides a packet out of her belt pouch and carefully applies a virulent green liquid to the blade, allowing it to set before re-sheathing the weapon.
As she moves, Dara's eyes flick through the wood around them, waiting for danger to make itself known.
Yanna nods curtly at Alavaryar with an approving expression on her face, rolling her shoulders as she draws her longsword with a steely slither.
She assumes a ready posture, moves off to her position and scans the surroundings, "Don't see anything unusual out here; still too close to the road, boss."
With a little smile, Dara motions for the elf to get moving, as he put her in the rear.
As they move through the woods, she moves easily on the balls of her feet, quiet. If at any point the woods grow too dark to allow safe movement for the humans, Dara pulls her sword. With a flick of her wrist the sword glows softly, the light weak enough that it shouldn't travel far in the press of trees.
Occasionally, the pirate's brow furrows with curiosity, but she holds the questions, instead just trying to push on to the caves as quickly as the group can.
And the group moves in the direction the Caves are believed to be in, looking for possible opponents, traps, or just anything out of the ordinary, trying to be as quiet as possible without sacrificing movement rate. At least until we are given a reason too.
As you push through the forest, the gloom deepens, the trees become twisted with unnaturally misshapen limbs, and thorns and briars pull at your boots, trying to hold you back or perhaps trip you. After about 300 yards of pushing, hacking, and (subdued) cursing your way through the thick growth, you suddenly come upon a deep ravine-like area. The walls rise steeply on either side, dark streaked rock and earth. Clumps of trees grow both at the bottom and about the walls. The opening you stand at is about 60-70 yards wide, and the ravine runs at least 150 yards deep. The sunlight seems reluctant to shine here, and the air seems heavy, oppressive, as if something dark and malign is watching. There are bare, dead trees here and there, and in one a large vulture perches, eyeing you up for a possible meal. A flock of ravens range about the floor of the ravine, their cries echoing off the walls and piercing your ears. Amongst the litter of rocks, bits of wood, and other detritus on the ravine floor, bits of gleaming ivory and white bone stand out, bones of men, animals, and other things...
At least 6 dark, forbidding cave openings scattered through the area stare at you like empty eye sockets of a skull.
We are at the entrance to a ravine. It is 60-70 yards wide and 150 yards long. The sides rise up on either side and getting to the tops of them would take some time and work.
Alavar motions to the others to meet so they can communicate in soft tones, "Given an unlimited amount of time, I would prefer scouting the area above the caves and seeing what comes in and out as well. However, since the creatures are obviously man-eaters we may not have that time. What say you to just starting at the nearest cave and proceeding from there?"
Dara nods, "Unless a matey marks a ambush or drag or t' like. Might 'et us to the landlubbers quick like." She runs a long length of rope through her hands, looking if there is a place where she could tie it off to help with the descent.
She looks at Yanna, "Canna ye see in the pitch?"
Yanna replies in a hushed voice, eyes speculative "Going door to door would seem the obvious path. Only problem would be if some of those caves are connected, could get confusing."
Then to Dara, "If you mean what I think you mean, no. I got a few torches in my pack for that."
Yanna replies in a hushed voice, eyes speculative "Going door to door would seem the obvious path. Only problem would be if some of those caves are connected, could get confusing."
"It ken make our path and presence clear, but I can ken marks so'in we'll hav' beacons." Only the light drumming of her fingers against her thigh an indication that she'd rather get moving.
Then to Dara, "If you mean what I think you mean, no. I got a few torches in my pack for that."
Dara nods, "If'n yer wanting t' have use a' yer sinister, jest keep in closer t' me." She offers a cocky smile, confident in her ability to bring light to the darkness.
Yanna replies in a hushed voice, eyes speculative "Going door to door would seem the obvious path. Only problem would be if some of those caves are connected, could get confusing."
Alavar grins, "Yeah, there aren't that many caves. I think we can deal with that. Shall we?" he motions towards the first entrance.
You make your way to the closest cave on the left, a natural opening in the side of the ravine, reeking of a sharp musk. Yanna makes a face, but says nothing.
Not far in, the cave becomes rough worked stone, carved into a 10ft wide 13-16ft high passage. An rocky overhang with vines and roots prevents the wan sunlight from penetrating very far into the cave.
"Goblins." Alavar says under his breath. "Arden, time to wake up those old sunless eyes of yours." After a brief wait for signs of movement or any obvious traps, he signals Arden to take point and enter with the rest of the party following immediately behind, as light on their feet as possible. This is a tacit acknowledgement of Arden's martial prowess, despite what Alavar may say to his dwarven friend, he knows his abilities.
The cave becomes a passage, which splits into three. Into darkness to the west, ending in a fly ridden trash heap south, and to the southeast, a room where Alavar spots movement. At least 3 goblins, filthy violent creatures bearing crude spears gibbering quietly to each other in their feral, debased language. They do not seem to notice Alavar creeping slowly towards them. The others remain just outside the cave entrance, pausing to allow the elf to scout ahead outside of any light source.
Alavar's instincts scream at him that the goblins could turn at any moment, and their hideously enlarged eyes likely see as well in the dark as his own.
Alavar returns after a very short reconnoiter of the area. He describes the passages briefly and marks off where he saw the goblins. "Probably best to take on the known area of concern and investigate the unknown afterwards. Also, I saw three of them, but there may be more farther in. Are we agreed we are taking out anything that get's in our way unless it surrenders?"
Dara grins, a slightly maniacal light brightening her eyes. "Sounds like it be time t' announce ourselves with a bang." She hands her sword to Loke, carefully, hilt first. She slings her bag to the ground in front of her, rooting around in it, pulling out some black powder, some oddly colored liquid, mixing them together and pouring the concoction into a small metal container.
She finishes a few of the makeshift devices, attaching them to the exterior of her bag then carefully moving the backpack to her back. She keeps one in her left hand and takes her sword back with her weaker right. "This be goin' t' be a sound straight from Davie's locker." A pause, "'nd de mightna be dead after. Be ready t' follow up with hot steel." Then she moves quietly up along the wall until she can see into the 'goblin' room that Loke mentioned.
And she lets all hell break loose.
The party goes in right behind Dara who has apparently gone slightly ahead to loose "Hell in an underground Cave" and pulls her in behind Arden and Yanna. Alavar's eyes go wide at the explosion, with a nervous glance upwards hoping the ground above is stable and wondering just how far the sound of this battle will travel. As soon as he sees a standing target, he lets his arrows fly.
"Don't let 'em get their footing. Hit 'em hard and fast!"
Surprise Round:
Three of them make it, mostly by diving behind their fellows while the other three scream out shrilly as they are buffeted by the blast.
One of the goblins turns towards the party and takes Alavaryar's arrow to the face, killing it instantly.
Yanna charges in yelling "YaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAA!!!" and thrusts from the shoulder but the goblin ducks down and she misses.
and...
Alavar attempts a quick second shot, but his arrow flies high as he correct to make sure he doesn't hit his charging companions.
Goblins. May you die in agony.
Hits twice out of four, 25 damage each
The goblin tries to parry the dwarf's massive swing with his spear and fails, the huge axe chopping down into the body and getting stuck. Arden will be at a -10 to hit with his greataxe until he can make a STR check to remove the dead body of his victim!
The 4 remaining goblins cry out "Bree-Yark!!!" and charge in to the fray stabbing with their spears.
Yanna desperately parries: failing both times, the second goblin's spear punching through her leather armor into her body. She stiffens as her sword clatters to the ground, and she slumps to the floor face down into a widening pool of blood.
The 3rd goblin attempts to hit the dwarf, blocking the attack of the 4th.
Ardens defense:
Arden takes a shallow puncture from a goblin spear through one of the links in his chainmail. Luckily the mail only allowed the tip to penetrate.
From the western passage, muffled cries of "Bree-Yark!!!" are heard!
Goblin init:
Remove axe
Success
Attack
Failure
And initiative
"Hell's Bells!" Alavar curses as Yanna falls. He moves East behind and past Ironfist to get an open shot at the remaining goblins.
His fingers fumble on the first shot, arrow skipping between the legs of his first opponent, but his follow up shots fly true, shafts burying themselves in yielding flesh, fletchings quivering before their eyes.
so 9
"Damm't ye landlubber, ye e supposed to not b' thre when they attack." Dara voice worried despite the cruel words. She grabs and tosses another of the grenades that she had prepared, tossing it past the goblins, so that they will be caught in it, or forced onto Arden's axe when they dodge.
"By all the t' tentacled horrors th't wend to shore." She swears as she realizes that she forgot to light the fuse.
Desperate, she moves so that she stands over Yanna's prone body, her rapier flashing, attempting to bring the goblin low by steel or posion.
Shockingly, especially to her, her attack looks to have a chance of striking. She glares at goblins, "Now ye can back off or ye can die."
Initiative is:
Dara
Goblins
Alavaryar
Goblins
Goblins
Arden
Yanna's torch gutters and spits on the stone floor as the fight rages over her body.
The 4 goblins flinch as the bomb clatters and rolls at their feet, then turn and chatter derisively in their foul language when it doesn't go off.
The lead goblin tries to parry Dara's thrust,
and succeeds!
She glares at goblins, "Now ye can back off or ye can die." The goblin she is engaged with snarls and showers the space between them with rank spittle. They attack Dara , and Arden
Arden defense
out of position from parrying Dara's rapier, the goblin misses with his spear attack.
Arden is not so lucky and is pierced again by a goblin spear for for 4 damage!
The goblin out of reach jumps up and down with cries of "Bree-Yark!!" and is echoed from down the west passage, but in multiples.
Goblin defense:
Alavar's first shot misses but the second takes the goblin full in the throat, exploding out the back taking bits of vertebra with it.
The elf's third shot is precise to the point of art, threading it's way in slow motion past Dara's flashing blade, through the cloud of crimson droplets thrown up from the prior arrow, directly into the eye of another goblin. It spins to the ground trailing a spray of blood, instantly slain. The corkscrew of droplets hang in the air for a long second before time reasserts itself and the bodies hit the floor.
Feral war cries echo down the passage as Alavar looks over his shoulder to see another group of goblin spearmen charging from behind!
In the fray Arden rears back and kicks the goblin corpse off of his axe, his backswing cleaving nothing but air as Alvaryar's arrow steals his target.
Goblin Initiative!
,
Alavar intends to move towards his companions and lay down retrograde fire.
Initiative
Attack
18 points of damage
Seeing Arden recover the use of his heavy axe, Dara assumes he will make quick work of the two remaining goblins to their fore. She pulls another of the makeshift explosives, this time taking more care in lighting, tossing to the rear of the goblins to catch the group of six coming up on the group's aft. "You blathering dirt-diggers, back off and ye may live." She announces following the explosion.
Initiative:
Goblin mob 2
Arden
Alavar
Dara
Goblin mob 1
The approaching mob of goblins moves in to attack Alavaryar! They surround the elf around three sides but are unable to maneuver far enough to box him in completely. Spears stab frenziedly at the beleaguered elf!
Alavaryar's luck holds as only one gets close, but is easily dodged by the nimble elf.
On the other edge of the fight, Arden swings mightily with his axe, and cleaves through the goblin's spear, then his torso in a gout of blood. The two halves of the body flop down twitching.
as the spears stab towards him, the agile elf steps lightly upon the outstretched shafts in the moment before they are withdrawn, then flips backwards in a lofty vault back in the direction of his companions. As he does so, he looses three more arrows towards his would be attackers. If he can make it behind his allies he will, if not he reaches them and stands fast.
His first two do little, if anything but to slow down his pursuers, the third sinks home, skewering the closes goblin with equal amounts showing from his back and his chest.
Initiative
Attack
The new goblin mob snarls as their elven prey escapes, arrows flying , one finding its way into a goblins chest and out the other side, slaying it. Alavaryar makes it behind the line of his companions as Arden does battle with the last goblin of the first mob, using the reach of his spear to fend off the enormous blood soaked axe.
Dara throws another grenade into the midst of the second mob , tearing through them but leaving them barely alive!
The goblin in mortal combat with the dwarf throws all it's meager weight behind a thrust , but failing miserably.
"Arden, stop playing with your toys and dispatch him already." "Good placement, Dara. That threw 'em! One more if you can get 'em at a distance, if not, duck and cover." He sends arrows flying at the closest living goblins as he gives directions.
Init:,