Vinter brings up the rear, hoping he might have to put a few goblins down to cover their escape. If I only had my bow...
Ariso follows behind Jabbik and his mount. I should be up the front with Olivia, ready to aid her with my spells, not at the back like a coward. Then he remembers the small army of goblins chasing them. Although I'm sure there'll be plenty of chances to die in the rearguard as well. Still, she saved my life and helped me survive the Wastes - it must be just about my turn to be the useful one...
It's slow going as you squeeze as quickly as you can into the cramped tunnel, all hunched over except for Jabbik and Nabbit, Meira following closely behind Ariso. You make it about a third of the way through before you start hearing the frantic scratching and squeaking of the flying rats above you- perhaps intent on scaring you off of their meal.
DM Screen:
Shortly ahead of Olivia, you can see the rats poking their wretched faces through the wooden slats, gnawing at the ropes securing the tunnel. Fifteen feet forward, the roof has collapsed inward from the impact of the fallen goblins. It's difficult to tell for sure, but it looks like the end of a crude wooden bow is sticking through the busted ceiling.
Clambering through the collapsed center of the tentacle bridge, you see the fallen goblins have one small longbow (or medium short bow) and 12 intact arrows between their shattered armaments, as well as a sand-packed pouch containing a potion of some kind.
Once Olivia is clear of the corpses, she can see a rope ladder dangling from a trap door in the wooden shack at the end of the bridge.
You also hear a loud cry in a surprisingly deep goblin voice below you and hear an arrow thud into the wooden bridge. Flames leap up in the section of the bridge closest to Ashkharak, filling the tunnel with foul smoke.
Asopus coughs at the smoke, and his eyes start to water.
"They're trying to smoke us out! We have to stay low, and keep moving."
After saying, so Asopus will try to bend over even further than he had been before continuing on.
Smoke breathing roll
"Well now". "This is better than nothing". "Though being Goblin made I'll probably hurt myself with it...but still", Klodge hacks as he gathers the bow, and arrows, testing the pull before he nocks an arrow.
Ariso pulls at his tunic to hold the collar over his mouth and nose, eyes streaming. "Keep moving! As quickly as possible!" he roars over the general din.
Ecko moves through the tunnel with the others, keeping his eyes open for anything he can use to assist their escape.
Olivia hold her breath and ducks low, moving as quickly as possible to the rope bridge.
Jabbik ties a piece of cloth over his face and holds another over BloodyPaws mouth beast as he can. Easy boy you're trained better than this...Dont let those fool goblins bother ya. patting the wolf on the side as best he can.
Meira:
Nabbit:
Olivia, Jabbik and Bloodypaws, Vinter, Meira and Nabbit cough and choke in the acrid smoke, their eyes tearing up. Only Ariso, Asopus and Ecko shield themselves or hold their breath well enough to fend off the worst effects.
Currently, the hatch at the end of the tentacle tunnel is about 40 feet away from Olivia's position in the lead, with a ladder hanging down.
Group initiative:
Goblin initiative:
Olivia means to encourage the others to push forward, but only a weazing cough comes out. Instead, she attempts to lead by example and moves double time toward the rope.
Seeing Olivia Move forward, and wanting to get away from the smoke, Jabbik and BloodPaws follow her. Come on boy this way...
Curse this - I can make it to the ladder if I squeeze through, Ariso thinks to himself. Unless there's something I can do to help the others...
Viinter continues to struggle forward towards the ladder, trailing the group. "Dang smoke". "I can't get a clear view to shoot the little basturds".
Fortitude Save
Asopus quickly moves down the tunnel, but doesn't get ahead of Olivia.
No clue what might be right after that hatch. Might be better to let someone else go first
While most of the others are clearly having some trouble breathing, working with chemicals so frequently has taught Ecko some breathing techniques to avoid such poisons. Pausing for a moment to look behind him, he tried to make out how close the Goblins were to the group.
Moving quickly to the front of the group, he headed towards the end of the tunnel, figuring that helping the others move more quickly wouldn't help much if the ladder didn't end up going anywhere.
Hacking and coughing, you crawl your way forward through the cramped and smoke-filled tunnel toward the ladder beneath the rickety shacks built on Ashkharak's side- and hopefully salvation. Olivia barrels forward despite the smoke stinging her eyes; an ironic fate, since the flames themselves would not trouble her. Nabbit and Meira likewise climb foward, gasping and wheezing.
Sensing that pursuit is still a few brief moments away Ecko barrels through his allies, crawling between legs and under arms. The precarious bridge lists with the group's activity, but the ravenfolk manages to reach the ladder ahead of Olivia and grab a rung. You all hear a goblin shriek in surprise and jabber down at Ecko in broken Trade.
"You! Stop! Where Felkin?! Find Great Felkin, you come in!", he shouts, as he tugs on the rope. Another goblin grabs the other side to help.
In the rear, Vinter can hear a roar from above on the great slug-god's head accompanied by the splinter of wood...
'Great.' Ecko thinks, remembering Felkin running the distinct other direction when the trouble started. He looks back at his comrades, knowing that they can't possibly take a trip back through the smoke, especially with the others getting closer. He sighs. 'Okay, new plan.' He thinks, pointing his gun up at the goblins, and pulling back the hammer. "We come in now! Then we take you to Great Felkin. Otherwise we die and you never find him."
Olivia pulls herself up through the fire and smoke, to the ladder ahead, desperate to get a breath of fresh air.
If needed: Fort save
"Step it up folks". "I hear stuff happening topside, that can't be good".
Vinter begins to move forward, helping any in front of him forward as he goes, and looking back over his shoulder often.
'Great.' Ecko thinks, remembering Felkin running the distinct other direction when the trouble started. He looks back at his comrades, knowing that they can't possibly take a trip back through the smoke, especially with the others getting closer. He sighs. 'Okay, new plan.' He thinks, pointing his gun up at the goblins, and pulling back the hammer. "We come in now! Then we take you to Great Felkin. Otherwise we die and you never find him."
The goblins pause and look at each other. Then the spokesgoblin shouts back down to you.
"You not have Felkin, you fight for us! You fight Grosgr clan! You send up hostage, fight for us!"
Jabbik ponders Great and I let him slip out of my hands, This day is just not getting any better, I wonder if we can use the ranger as the hostage...heh...probably not..they probably eat him he'd whine so much as a grin Crosses his face.
Jabbik Yells in Goblin I am friend of Felkin, help us and we will help you find Felkin.
Ariso, stuck at the back of the pack, and hacking to try and expel the smoke from his lungs, can't do uncheck more than stagger up behind Jabbik.
Asopus follows behind coughing.
Jabbik ponders Great and I let him slip out of my hands, This day is just not getting any better, I wonder if we can use the ranger as the hostage...heh...probably not..they probably eat him he'd whine so much as a grin Crosses his face.
Jabbik Yells in Goblin I am friend of Felkin, help us and we will help you find Felkin.
DM Screen:
Irritated, the goblin shouts back:
"NO! You send hostage now or we close door, let fire cook you!"
"Cough! Hack! Retch! Gasp!"
"We should just kill all Goblins on sight". "All our troubles are because of them". Hack! Cough! Cough!"
There is a sound like a thunderclap as Ecko pulls the trigger on his pistol, smoke rising from the barrel.
Ecko's ranged attack:
The goblin at the top of the rope ladder shrieks and they all duck out of the way. While the bullet misses, the goblins do release their grip on the ladder.
"Run for it!", Nabbit coughs from the smoke-filled tunnel.
Typical Human, If we killed all the humans instead, there would be much more room for us goblins. You humans kill more of yer selves than goblins could ever... repling to Vinter's remarks.
Though finally beginning to be affected by the toxic air, Ecko starts helping boost the others up the ladder, keeping his gun at the ready in case he has to fire another warning shot at the goblins.
Jabbik goes to the ladder ties some rope to BloodyPaws and Will work his way up the ladder. He looks around at those up top, finds two goblins that definitely are not leader types but also don't look scrawny and points to them. Greetings, I am Jabbik, Order of the Scarlet Boar, I need assistance with my mount. You two, get over here and help me get my mount up here. Now!
Jabbik's intimidate:
Sufficiently cowed, the Dust Diggers in the makeshift shanty snap to Jabbik's aid (for the time being) and start hauling the boar up via the spider silk rope.
Meanwhile on the bridge, the fire is spreading. Neither Meira nor Nabbit are looking good.
"Come on". "Let's get out of here". We'll deal with what's ahead when we get there".
Before the five goblins of Felkin's clan are able to object, the rest of you climb up the rope ladder and cram your party into the shanty. It's a narrow wooden shack, about 8 feet tall, 10 feet wide and only 5 feet deep. The ropes holding it to the stacked shacks around it creak with your weight. An open four foot doorway leads south, and two open doorways, one atop the other, lead to stacked rooms northward. The room's wooden slats admit dim illumination, and do little to vent the overpowering stench of death hanging in the air.
The five goblins nervously hold bone pins, in emulation of their patron Old One.
Jabbik Feeling bolstered, "So who of you is the boss here with Felkin Missing?"? Looking around at the Goblins
One with a missing left ear steps up.
"Me! You follow me, load catapults! We fight off Grosgr tribe now!", he declares in broken Common, starting toward the south door.
Perception DC 15:
Perception DC 20:
Ecko shrugs and, making sure his pistol is loaded and bombs are at the ready, follows the goblins to the south.
Asopus walks over to Ecko, and whispers to him.
"Do you hear that whimpering?"
Ecko cocked his head at the man, wondering if he was making things up. Still, he decided to humour the strange man, and cocked his head the other way, listening for sounds. He thought he did hear some kind of high pitched whine, though part of him wondered if it was only because that's what had been suggested to him. "It's faint," he replied, "But I think I do."
Perception
Klodge's eyes immediately rocket towards the upper Doorway to the north, and he heads in that direction, murmuring something unintelligible under his breath.
and follows the goblin to help fight off the goblins chasing the party