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Nigel shakes his head.
"Ze bridge is on ze edge of town. Fighting ze minotaurs now vould attract too much attention. Moreover, for ze moment, zey probably just zink ve are disorganised refugees, and not especially vorth tracking down. However, if ve look organised, zey vill be more likely to consider us a zreat vorth dealing vith, and I don't vant zem to try doing zat, especially vhilst ve don't have a proper permanent dvelling for ze refugees."
He then nods to Gilda's corpse.
"We should bury that, but deeper into the forest."
The minotaurs are on the Fangwood side of the rope bridge, and a wooden palisade has been built around Phaendar. Two watch towers, offering a bird's eye view of the newly constructed rope bridge, have a hobgoblin lookout inside each of them.
Breathing a heavy sigh, Ratel nods his head in agreement. "With the Guards watching the bridge, it would be possible to kill the minotaurs, but difficult to get the bridge eliminated. You are right we must wait."
Picking up the corpse Ratel gently carries her, "We will take her with us deeper, and give her a proper burial." Nudging Bear, "come on Bear, your going to help me dig a hole."
The party moves back into the Fangwood forest, a safe distance from the rope bridge. They then bury Gilida under the boughs of an oak tree. "I never knew that woman, but my condolences for your loss."Azriel says.
The night passes uneventfully, the party eating their dry rations and the next morning, the party sets off to intercept the hobgoblin patrol. Ratel sniffs the air and realizes that it will likely rain tonight, but it is going to be just a light drizzle.
The party manages to catch up with the hobgoblin patrol. Two of them are wielding longswords in studded leather armor while the third has a longbow in her hand and is in leather armor.
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Nigel nods soberly.
"To tell ze truth, I did not know her either, but she did not deserve to be left zere, like carrion."
He then sighs, then says a few words over the grave.
"May Pharasma judge her kindly, zat she might find peace in ze hereafter."
Nigel then turns to the others.
"Shall ve go find zose Hobgoblins?"
From afar, Hedran opens up hostilities with a zap from the wand of Magic Missiles at the hobgoblin with a bow.
"Oh, it's those escapees from Phaendar! The bounty's 50 gold pieces per head!" The bow wielding hobgoblin cries out, and as Hedran sends blueish white missiles streaking towards her, she screeches, "And the green one's using arcane magic! He's probably one of the ringleaders! 100 gold pieces! Get him, boys!"
"Usually leaders of human packs make the most noise." Azriel notes dispassionately as he moves up, then shoots an arrow at the longbow wielding hobgoblin.
Azriel's arrow goes wide.
Robert using the magical bow that the party found in the wooden cabin, steps up, then fires at longbow wielder.
"Always take out the ranged support first."
Robert's arrow however, strikes her in the shoulder.
After digging the grave and laying Gilida’s body down, Ratel stands quietly, as Nigel says a few words, ”Thank you Azriel, thank you Nigel. I didn’t know her will but we had met. She would like the Oak tree. I will mark it so I can show the others where she is buried.” He looks at Hedran, sadly. ”I don’t even know if she had any kin.”
Nodding in agreement with Nigel, ”We will rest here, and find the Hobgoblins in the morning.
Knowing they would soon find the three Hobgoblins, Ratel starts out the day in his bestial form, with an emphasis on thick hide, not vision. Also wearing his shield and scizore so he is ready for combat. Sniffing the air, he tells the others, ”Smells like rain, let’s put these goblins down, and get to shelter.”
Seeing the Hobglins, Ratel hustles forward, telling Bear ”Attack Bear!” they push through the shrubs attacking the nearest goblin. Ratel swinging his scizore high as Bear bites at the soldiers knee.
Ratel stabs the hobgoblin in his stomach and Bear savagely mangles his leg, but the hobgoblin still remains stubbornly standing.
Seeing their comrades being attacked, the red hobgoblin moves to flank Ratel, then stabs him in the back. As Ratel flinches from the wound, the hobgoblin takes advantage of the distraction to lay a deep cut in his chest.
The longbow hobgoblin, realizes things have gone into melee, drops her longbow, draws her battleaxe and starts hack at Ratel, but Ratel manages to block it with his shield.
Azriel moves to the side, trying to fire on the badly wounded hobgoblin, but the arrow clangs harmlessly off his shoulder plate.
”Blast!” not expecting the attack in the back, Ratel flinches at the first strike, then the second, bleeding from the stab wound in his back and the gash in his chest, he instinctively swings the shield at the backstabber then thrusts at him with his scizore, while Bear rears up on his hind quarters and attacks the original goblin with tooth and claw.
Ratel bashes the backstabing hobgoblin on the head, then stabs the disorientated in the heart, killing it.
Bear then rips out the throat of the badly wounded hobgoblin and then rips apart the hobgoblin leader's ribcage.
On each of the hobgoblins, the party finds a longsword, a longbow, a light steel shield and 20 arrows, 4 provision points worth of iron rations and waterskins.One of the hobgoblin recruits wears an exceptionally fine woolen cloak, dark gray and lined with camel-colored silk worth 100gp.
On the hobgoblin leader, the party finds potion of cure light wounds (2), alchemist’s fire(2); padded armor, composite longbow (+2 Str) with 20 arrows, handaxe, mwk battleaxe, backpack, bedroll, blanket, mess kit, small tent, 3 provision points of jerky, 3 gp. She also has a spyglass and 50 feet of hemp rope attached to a grappling hook.
Each of them also has a bounty notice in his pack.
Phaendar has not been secured to our glorious general’s satisfaction, and in her name I now offer a bounty of 25 pieces of gold to any member of the Ironfang Legion who returns reliable information regarding the location of fugitive human-likes who fled Phaendar. The payment is doubled if you instead return their heads. Live captives may be claimed as slaves!
All rewards are doubled for the impudent ringleaders of this band!
Return all information or heads to my cur of a son, Sergeant Scarvinious.
-Commander Scabvistin
Each member of this expedition carries a tattered notebook, making rough maps of the area and noting water supplies, game trails, and ideal routes for marching large groups.
Fizzbang comes running in, reporting, "IsawalargeplumeofblacksmokeinthedirectionofthelloggingthorpGristledownafte rclimbingupasmallhill!Idon'twanttoinvestigatefurtherincaseIseesomethinghorr ible!Gristledownisabouthalfadaynorthofhere."
"OkIwill," Fizzlebang squeaks as he heads off. The party's journey through the forest passes uneventfully.
Hedran hears high pitched yips and thin growling laughter as they approach the clearing.
The roots of an ancient oak tree crisscross the ground like tentacles of some subterranean beast. A shadow beneath the tree marks the mouth of a den dug deep into the soft earth. A tuft of pale gray fur clings to the edge of the hole, and a musky animal stink lingers in the air.
One squat humanoid with a puffy blue drags a whining wolf pup out by the scruff, lashing the whining creature with a willow branch, while the other mites keep the furious wolf mother at bay with tiny torches. There are some painful burns on the mother wolf.
Mother! Help me!
Get your hands off my pup you filthy blueskin!
Nigel has no idea what those small squat blue humanoids are.
The wolf mother tries attacking the one that grabbed her cub, but her teeth do not penetrate its leathery skin. She growls angrily.
Let go of my cub, you brutes!
Azriel moves forward and launches an arrow at the blue skin humanoid holding the wolf pup. "I hate bullies."
But his arrow falls short.
Longbow
As the bushwhacker dies, Ratel, snarls, ”That’s for Gilida.” turning to see the first goblin dead and Bear ripping out the throat of the ‘archer’ Ratel tells Bear , ”Good Bear.” but it doesn’t have the usually peppy ring to it.
Sheathing his scizore, he Picks up one of the bounty notices, ”I think I’ll keep this if no one minds.”
Nodding to Nigel as the ‘expert’ pulls out the wand and heals him, ”Thanks Nigel, I need to pay better attention. I wasn’t expecting the second one to flank, or the archer to move into combat. I guess if were going to be in a war, I should learn tactics.”
Hearing Fizzbang’s description, He nods his head in agreement, ”Thanks Fizzbang.”
Seeing the nasty little creatures assault the pup, Ratel nods his head in agreement with Azriel ”Yeah me too. Let’s get ‘em. Attack Bear.” Moving forward with his pet Bear, he comes behind Bear, just as he snaps at one of the little blue torturers
Robert shoots at the blue squat humanoid but the arrow doesn't fully penetrate.
"Hej, proč ty dva velké nožky zasahují? Nic z vašeho podnikání, ne? Jenom se bavíme." The blue skin squat humanoid calls out.
Hey, what are you large two leggers interfering for? None of your business, right? We're just having fun.
The wolf mother whines back.
Ok, help me get Nippy back.
Taking +1 longbow. Adjusting Character. Please replace with the Masterwork Longbow that I've been using.
Bear tries to bite the mite, but it ducks out of the way.
Hedran moves up, draws a javelin and hurls it at the unbordered one, but it flies over its head.
3 of the mites try to use their torches against Bear, while the other three continue to try to burn the wolf mother with their torches.
The wolf gets slightly singed by one of their torches.
The wolf bites at the one that was whipping her pup, but it dodges.
Azriel moves up then shoots at the one that whipped the pup, putting his arrow through its eye and it falls to the ground.
The pup quickly runs back into the den to hide.
Hedran translates what the mites are saying, "Urm they're asking why we're interfering with their business."
+1 Longbow at unbordered
Brunner snarls, ”Tell em, cause I’m tired of folks whose business is torturing others!” He then kicks at one little monser, then attacks with his shield, as Bear snaps and claws at the little beasts.
"We don't like beings that torture others for fun."
Robert sends his arrow flying through the heart of another blue skinned squat humanoid.
Ratel caves in the ribcage of the blue squat humanoid with one solid blow of his foot, but the other blue squat humanoid sidesteps out of the way of his attempt to bash it with his shield. Bear bites off the head of another blue squat humanoid , and pulverizes the third blue squat humanoid with a single claw, then steps forward and gravely wounds the remaining blue squad humanoid that squeaks and drops its torch. ” Predajem se! Dat ću vam sva svoja blaga i reći vam gdje da nađete više ako me ostavite na miru!“
I surrender! I'll give you all my treasure and tell you where to find more if you'll let me live!
Hedran translates. "He's surrendering and says he'll give us all his treasure and tell us where to find more if we let him live."
"Question is, do we trust him?"
Looking from the ugly little blue thing, "Bear, down." Ratel turn and looks to the others. "How do we know he won't go back to doing the same thing." He smirks, "He should serve the wolf until her wounds are healed and the pup is raised."
Hedran moves up to the creature.
The wolf, being a wolf, doesn't really understand human surrender terms, and tries to bite the mite, but misses.
"That's a good idea. But, do we have any way of ensuring that he does? Doesn't that take a spell, or something?
On each dead mite, Nigel finds a small dagger and 6 small darts. He also finds a sack in a bush nearby containing 50 feet of spider silk rope, a bag of caltrops, a healers kit, clothing dyes, 3 bolts of cotton cloth, 8 sewing needles a pair of scissors, 4 spools of thread, a shaving kit, two poitions of pass without trace, a medium magical dagger, and the pair of the other red boot earlier found.
Hedran has no idea what the pair of boots and the dagger is.
The remaining mite visibly blanches when Nigel pulls out the sack.
Ratel smirks at the wolf biting at the mite, answering Robert, "They could travel with us, so we could insure he sticks to the agreement. But I don't think the mother wolf will like my idea." He shrugs, "I'm ok with her deciding what to do, she's the offended party."
"Well, well, well. I wonder where these little blue miscreants got these? Perhaps they murdered a traveler?" Robert ponders as he states the somewhat obvious. "Hedran, ask him where they got these."
“ Odakle ste dobili čizma?” Hedran asks the mite.
Where did you get the boot from?
“ U šumi je kuća za blago. Ušuljavamo se tamo i ukramo blago s njega. Čizma je bio jedan od njih.“The mite reluctantly admits.
There's a treasure house in the woods. We sneak in there and steal treasures from it. The boot was one of them.
"He claims he got it from a treasure house in the woods, and they sneak in there and steal from it."
"I think there's something he's hiding from us though." Hedran adds.
Of course! Let me heal your wounds...
Nigel moves over, and taps the wolf with the Wand of CLW.
He then stares sternly at the mite.
"I am not inclined to give zose zat torture volves any leniency. I see no reason vhy he should not die, given zat torture and death vas clearly vhat zey intended for zis mother and her pups. Besides, he is still trying to lead us astray - his 'treasure house' is undoubtedly ze place vhere ve found zat horrible undead monster, considering ve stripped ze mate to ze boot he has off zat corpse."
Nigel then tenderly addresses the wolf.
Little mother, would you like to join my pack? I promise to keep you and your pups fed, and to heal you if you get hurt.
Hedran then executes the mite on the spot.
The wolf seeing her tormenter dead, licks Nigel from head to toe, and whines at him.
Sure,I'd love to join your pack. I've got 4 pups with me, and we'll be safer with greater numbers.
Then the mother wolf leads four of her little wolf puppies out, who fall upon Nigel, licking him vigorously. They yip at him happily.
Thank you for saving us from nasty blue men!
The party then continues on their way in the direction of Gristlethorp.
The party sees a creature resembles a feral woman with tattered wings and taloned feet, stalking a goatlike deer with a a pair of massive, spiraling rings atop its head.
Azriel whispers to the party, "That's the harpy I was telling you about."
Nigel identifies the feral woman with tattered wings and taloned feet as a harpy, and they have captivating song.
A harpy’s song has the power to infect the minds of those that hear it, calling them to the harpy’s side. When a harpy sings, all creatures aside from other harpies within a 300-foot spread must succeed on a Will saving throw or become captivated. A creature that successfully saves is not subject to the same harpy’s song for 24 hours. A victim under the effects of the captivating song moves toward the harpy using the most direct means available. If the path leads them into a dangerous area such as through fire or off a cliff, that creature receives a second saving throw to end the effect before moving into peril. Captivated creatures can take no actions other than to defend themselves. A victim within 5 feet of the harpy simply stands and offers no resistance to the harpy’s attacks. This effect continues for as long as the harpy sings and for 1 round thereafter. This is a sonic mind-affecting charm effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Nigel identifies the goatlike deer as a ringhorn.
Surefooted (Ex) Ringhorns are especially stable on their feet, granting them a +4 racial bonus on Climb checks and Nimble Moves as a bonus feat. A ringhorn is always considered to have a running start when jumping.
"If we have to fight it," Robert whispers, "we should do so at range. Unless we can sneak by it."
"We should be able to slip by her as long as we don't interfere with her hunt. Come to think of it, if you stole my kill, I'd get pissed off too."Azriel whispers back, as the party slips off, not too long later, they hear the death scream of a ringhorn.
As the party approaches Gristledown, they smell heavy, acrid smoke in the air. The leaves of the nearby trees are beginning to turn yellow. Most of the buildings of Gristledown have been either removed or are just smouldering wrecks, leaving only two charred walls of the longhouse with the bloody, flayed skins of a half-dozen former residents tacked to them as a warning to others who would stand against the Ironfang Legion. In the centre there hastily piled, which look like a mass grave, except that the earth is stained with blood.
As the party approaches, four bloody skeletons, still in bloodstained farmers apron, pull themselves out of the earth, and turn their hollow eye sockets on the party. One of the skins on the wall pulls itself free and moves towards the party.
+1 Longbow, blunt arrow
Having no desire to be swarmed, Nigel delays, more than willing to let the skeletons come towards the party, first.
Robert puts a dent in the red bloody skeleton's skull.
Hedran moves next to Ratel and casts a protective spell.
Hedran doesn't know anything about the skin, but recognizes the skeletons as bloody skeletons - which the party previously fought in Nessen's tomb. They have 5/DR bludgeoning and are deathless.
A bloody skeleton is destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points, but it returns to unlife 1 hour later at 1 hit point, allowing its fast healing thereafter to resume healing it. A bloody skeleton can be permanently destroyed if it is destroyed by positive energy, if it is reduced to 0 hit points in the area of a bless or hallow spell, or if its remains are sprinkled with a vial of holy water.
One of the bloody skeletons charges at Robert, the other at Ratel,but their claws bounce of Robert's chainmail and Ratel's shield.
The others simply move up.
Robert steps back then fires at red.