Here on the coast rests the budding town of Sandpoint. Each of you has your own reason for being here, and on this day each of you is has come to the church square in attendance for the welcoming speeches, along with a crowd of the other townsfolk and visitors, as well as merchant tents selling food and souvenirs of all types. It's the first day of Autumn and the Swallowtail Festival is underway, and the new cathedral's christening happens today.
The cheery and excited Mayor Deverin sets off the festivities as she welcomes travelers, followed by Sheriff Hemlock, who contrasts the mayor's exuberance with more sullen words. He urges the attendees to be safe, especially around tonight's bonfire, then requests a moment of silence for those who perished in the last church five years ago. The playwright Cyrdak Drokkus comes next, telling the story of how the new cathedral was built and financed, and then promotes his new production of <i>The Harpy's Curse</i>, starting tomorrow at the Sandpoint Theater. He mentions the famous actress, Allishanda, will be playing the lead role. After that, Father Zantus briefly thanks everyone for attending, officially starting the festival.
...
When noon comes around, Zantus and a group of disciples wheel into the square a large wagon, covered with a sheet. He recounts the legend of Desna, who fell to the earth and was nursed back to health by a blind child, who the goddess rewarded by transforming the child into an immortal butterfly. Just then, Father Zantus pulls the cover off the wagon, and a thousand butterflies swarm into the air in a spiraling riot of color, bringing a loud cheer from the crowd.
The towns taverns' provide lunch for everyone. Among the most notable courses are lobster chowder from the Hagfish, peppercorn venison from the White Deer, and above all, Ameiko Kaijitsu's curry salmon and winterdrop mead.
...
A sharp retort, like the crack of distant thunder, slices through the excited crowd as the sun's setting rays paint the western sky. A stray dog that has crawled under a nearby wagon to sleep starts awake, and the buzz of two dozen conversations quickly hushes as all head turn toward the central podium, where a beaming Father Zantus has taken the stage. He clears his throat, takes a breath to speak, and suddenly a woman's scream slices through the air. A few moments later, another scream rises, then another. Beyond them, a sudden surge of strange new voices rises - high-pitches, tittering shrieks that sound not quite human. The crowd parts and something low to the ground races by, giggling with disturbing glee as the stray dog gives a pained yelp and then collapses with a gurgle, its throat cut open from ear to ear. As blood pools around its head, the raucous sound of a strange song begins, chanted from shrill, scratchy voices.
Perception check:
Perception check:
Lym, who had been watching the proceedings and making the occasional note on a scroll, now lets the parchment slip into her sleeve. "The children!" she shouts out loud. "Get the children to higher ground!"
Perception check: 1d20+0=> (20)+0=20
Varg, Marilis, and Nial notice the creature racing by. Running from the stray dog's corpse, a single goblin stops and hides at the edge of the wagon, licking the blood from its dogslicer. It looks at the crowd, excitedly, seeking a new target. It then notices one of you and approaches, along with two other goblins, who attack (the goblins are within melee range).
Perception:
Marilis drops the bowl she was carrying, it smashes to the floor sending fresh apples rolling along the street. She starts to panic as the crowd surges away from the commotion and she gets knocked to the ground. From here she see's the terrifying little creatures walking towards her, blades held high dripping with dog's blood.
She shouts in fear and scrambles to her feet, running and hiding behind the closest table or barrel she can find.
Varg draws his sword and, with no attempt at showmanship or dignity, unceremoniously hacks at the nearest goblin.
Markum wandered Sandpoint in wonderment. He'd never seen anything like it before. Grandfather never spoke of the colors or the sights he would see; the new smells and different tasting food. Markum had come to Sandpoint for a reason, but perhaps that could be put off for a day while he became more familiar with the place.
Markum is still watching the butterflies and Vuvo is nearby chasing a leaf on the wind when a sharp noise startles him to attention.
Markum: Perception
Markum: Initiative
Vuvo: Perception
Vuvo: Initiative
Seeing the feral creature advancing with weapons dripping blood Nial draws his sword and leaps at the nearest target. (OOC: Does he see what anyone else is doing?
Initiative: [ dice]d20+2[ /dice]
Attack Roll: [ dice]d20+4[ /dice]
Damage (If needed): [ dice]d10+4[ /dice]
Surprise round
One of the goblins veers off, chasing a blonde-haired woman who's taken cover under a table with partially eaten plates of food. When the little creature gets to the table, however, he jumps on top of it, drops his weapon, and begins grabbing some food and stuffing his pockets with them. Giddy with excitement, he giggles like a madman the whole time.
Another of the invaders faces Nial head-on and swipes at the barbarian with his dogslicer, missing wide. The last of the trio runs up to Varg, but doesn't attack. Rather, he screams at the mercenary, as if trying to intimidate his opponent, and almost laughably so. Varg remains unshaken, slicing his sword through the goblin's neck and sending its head flying.
Nial tries to return the favor to his challenger, but the goblin ducks the attack rather easily.
Nial:
Initiative:
Attack Roll:
Damage (If needed):
Markum charges over to the goblin on the table and swipes at him with his scimitar. "Grrr."
Attack Damage
While Vuvo looks for the source of the noise that startled him.
Lym curses under her breath and moves her hands in an arcane pattern as she moves to take shelter. "Lornica magica me vela," she finishes the spell, and the air shimmers around her briefly while she hides behind whatever cover is available.
Round 1
The goblin on the table turns around to face Markum, dropping whatever food it has in its hands, just in time to see the scimitar come slashing straight down its the front of its body, nearly splitting it in two.
Then he will.
Vuvo charge attack damage trip
The dog pounces on the lone nearby goblin, rending the little creature into shreds of flesh and spilling its innards.
Despite the immediate threat being taken care of, goblins continue to race everywhere, singing their chant in their language and slashing indiscriminately at person and object alike. Moments go by when a bloom of fire suddently rises from south of the festival area. Almost immediately, a group of five goblins rush towards you from that direction. Four of them wield a dogslicer in one hand, like the trio you just dispatched of, as well as a torch in the other hand, coming at you torch first. The other of the group, however, wields both a dogslicer and a whip, all the while singing the warchant that's haunted your ears.
Kaddok had been itching to take the fight to these horrible little invaders, but his duty was to protect the people first.
Now, just as he'd finished ushering some civilians to safety, a pack of the vicious little bastards granted his wish.
Kaddok darts into the pack, cocking back his fist and firing it at the jaw of the warchanter. The first thing he'd learned breaking up barfights was that if you took out the leader, the gang swiftly crumpled.
Markum lets out a war cry while Vuvo barks his anger. The two of them run toward their diminutive foes.
They target different opponents, but stay close together just in case.
Markum:
Attack 1d20 + 2; (12) + 2 = 14 Damage 1d6 + 2; (3) + 2 = 5Vuvo:
Attack 1d20 + 3; (15) + 3 = 18 Damage 1d6 + 3; (6) + 3 = 9 Trip 1d20 + 3; (15) + 3 = 18
Also, I forgot to roll initiative
MarkumVuvo
Lym watches the ongoing events, curses under her breath and breaks cover. "You like playing with fire, you little Bugbear droppings?" she shouts at the Goblins. "Then have some more! Per iussu meu, ignis e manu meu evolat!"
Lym throws out her hands, and a cone of flame blasts forth, enveloping the little invaders.
Round 1
Kaddok rushes to the leader of the pack and throws a straight punch at the goblin's face, but whiffs. The goblin returns the favor with her sword, but doesn't come close to hitting anything. Meanwhile, Vuvo charges at one the grunts, leaping at it, catching its neck in his jaws, and snapping its neck. The mastiff shakes the goblin in his mouth for good measure, before letting the bloodied corpse drop to the ground
One of the rampaging fiends tries to back up his fellow invader by attacking the dog and manages to cut a gash in the canine's side (2 dmg). Another meets Varg in combat and thrusts with his weapon, but the attack is deflected by the warrior's shield. Finally, another of the creatures confronts Markum, slashing downward with his dogslicer. He swing is so poor, however, the weapon strikes the ground and the blade itself breaks off the handle and clangs on the ground between the goblin and Markum.
Lym throws out her hands and a cone of flame spews forth, nearly burning one of the goblins to death. It remains standing, however. Markum in kind retaliates, but misses. Varg succeeds on his attack, cutting down his immediate foe.
Initative order:
1) Kaddok
2) Goblin warchanter
3) Vuvo
4) Goblin warriors
5) Lym, Markum, Varg
'Out of offensive spells,' Lym thinks. 'Bother.' Her sense of self preservation wars with the need to stop these little killers. 'Botherbotherbother ...' Lym's desire to survive screams in the back of her head as she snatches up her quarterstaff and attempts to deliver the final blow to the Goblin she already scorched. 'Let's hope the bloody dog backs me up,' is her last coherent thought before she utters a battlecry.
Cursing as he sidesteps the goblin's blade, Kaddok lashes out with open hands, snatching the goblin in a vice-like grip.
Grapple:
Vuvo tears into the goblin that attacked him. Meanwhile Markum lunges at the goblin he is facing.
Markum attack damage
Vuvo attack damage trip
Varg walks to the nearest conscious goblin and attacks.
Initiative=
Mising his chance to strike the little creature while dodging away from it's attack Nial sets himself and takes another swing with is bastard sword.
Attack=
Damage=
Kaddok grabs onto the warchanter and puts her into a hold. "LET GOOO!" she shrieks. "I'LL KILL YOU!" She tries to fight back, flailing her sword wildly, but fails to do anything to harm the Shoanti.
Vuvo snaps at the wounded goblin next to him, but misses. The goblin reacts, slicing the dog across its chest (2 dmg). The other goblin attacks Markum and misses, while Nial rushes in from behind and cuts its side open. Markum finishes it off by stabbing the goblin through its heart.
Lym moves around and flanks the burned goblin, as a loud *CRACK* from the staff meeting with the goblin's head can be heard, felling that foe. Varg runs over to the chanter, held in place by Kaddok, and slits her throat with his sword.
No longer immediately threatened, you all look around for more trouble. The raiders continue to cause mayhem, looking to hurt as many people as possible, even if throwing their own lives away. Some of you catch a goblin on one the nearby shops leaping off the roof and toward his victim standing underneath, only to miss and hit the ground instead, probably breaking its own neck as its body stiffens and lies still.
Father Zantus rushes to you. "Thank you, thank you for your help! Let me help you out," he offers before going to each of you inquiring of any injuries. Markum points out Vuvo's wounds, and Father Zantus casts healing spells on the dog, mending all cuts (Vuvo is completely healed).
The occasional sounds of clanging, shouts from guardsmen, and the shrieks and singings of goblins signal the ongoing, but dying battle around Sandpoint. No more citizens can be seen now, having fled by this point, and one or two goblin scavengers rush in and out of sight. Suddenly, a shout can be heard northward, past the newly built cathedral. "HELP!" is repeatedly yelled by a male voice, along with one or two barking dogs.
Hearing the shout for help Nial charges off in that direction as quickly as he can not even thinking that he will probably outpace most of those who stood with him at the celebration to the source of the yell.
Varg tries - and fails - to keep up with Nial.
Markum yells, "Thanks Priest as he and Vuvo run toward the screams."
"Thank you for your concern," Lym calls to father Zanthus, and sets off after the rest of the group she found herself fighting side-by-side with. 'Only one spell left; better stick with the well-armed warriors,' a pragmatic voice whispers in the back of her mind. A more idealistic voice mutters: 'Let's try and save as many people as possible, here.'
Kaddok drops the warchanter's limp corpse to the ground with a wet thud.
"Thank you father," he says, clapping the helpful priest on the shoulder.
"Some of the citizens were injured, you should--" he begins, but then the cry for help cuts him off.
"Damn. Get to safety, father!" And Kaddok runs off to the north.
Running northward, 200 feet later, you arrive at the area in front of the White Deer tavern and inn. A pair of wooden life-sized deer, carved from white birch, stand astride the entrance to this newly-built and three story building. From behind a rain barrel a man is crouched, calling for help. A mounted goblin wielding its halberd-like weapon, a horsechopper, fights with a dog, probably the man's pet. With a yelp, the dog crashes to the ground, as the goblin slaughters it before you can reach him.
The goblin's mount is as goblin-dog. The mangy dog's face has the flat nose, beady eyes, and protruding teeth of an overgrown rat. Tiny clawed forearms and a hairless tail add to its verminous appearance.
The mounted goblin is joined by a group of four other goblins on foot, who come out of hiding after the man's dog is killed, and cheer, while approaching the man still crouched behind the barrel. They don't notice you until it's too late.
Again, Varg simply attacks the nearest goblin (assuming there's still at least one conscious within reach by the time Varg acts.)
Vuvo and I will charge the closest two goblins as well.
Markum:
Init Charge Attack Damage
Vuvo:
Init Charge Attack Damage Trip
"Stop! In the name of the law!"
Kaddok rushes in, launching a straight kick at the first goblin he can reach.
Initiative:
Charge:
Kick:
Lym falls back behind the man with the dog so she can cast another spell before charging into battle. "Hoplon," she whispers, and a shimmering disk of force comes into being in front of her.
Seeing the goblins Nial yells a battlecry to his gods and charges the one on the dog and attacks.
Initiative=
Attack roll=
Damage roll=
Surprise round
The heroes rush in to save the cornered man. Varg, Markum, and Vuvo quickly dispatch of their targets, while Nial runs to confront the mounted goblin, who turns to face him. Kaddok engages, but can't manage to down his foe as quickly, as the goblin ducks under his kick. Lym stands back and puts up an invisible barrier of force in front of her.
Initiative:
Vuvo, Nial, Markum
Mounted goblin, goblin
Kaddok, Lym, Varg
While Varg fights, he speaks, for the first time since the trouble started. Almost casually, to Kaddok, he remarks "It was obliging of you to hold that singer still for me. Nice moves, altogether. Maybe you can teach me some of them. Varg Proudheart, at your service."
After defeating their foes, Markum and Vuvo move to converge upon the mounted goblin. Both attacking the mount.
Markum:
Attack damage
Vuvo:
Attack damage trip
Getting within range of the mounted goblin Nial swings his sword at the rider hoping to defeat him before taking to much punishment from it or it's mount trusting that those who followed him will deal with the creatures that are now behind him.
(OOC: I am guessing that my roles from the previous turn are worthless and am thus going to post new ones.)
Initiative:
Attack:
Damage:
"Kaddok Broken Sky, nice to meet you," replies the brawler.
Spinning on his heel, he slips into position to flank the rider, and unleashes a flurry of attacks.
Flurry of Blows:
Damage: