"I agree with Argrim. Let us pursue the goblin band and fall upon them like the Hammer of Torag. Once we have eliminated them, we can come back to the other group and track them down. As much as I hate to judge lives like this, the volatility and unpredictability of the little monsters all but demands immediate response."
Karnog grasps his hammer even tighter, and anyone looking closely can see him grinding his teeth in anger.
"The goblins first, aye."
After the inspection of the house, Nibb has been keeping record in his journal, and making sketches of the surroundings... when he got an idea of the near terrain, he would spent the rest of the time mapping the zone, including near farms and natural features.
The group marks and maps the second set of tracks, then it begins to follow the goblin trial. The group follows along tracking the large party of small creatures for another hour.
I guess I'm the only sneaky one among us. Just like usual. Argrim wonders to himself to avoid imagining what the goblins are doing to their prisoner.
"So, what are we doing when we find out those goblins? What if they indeed hold prisoners?"
After putting his journal back in the haversack, Nibb readies his crossbow and looks around for clues or signs of the goblins...
What are we going da to? We are gonna do da only thing ya can when it comes to da little beasties. We are going to kill them. Shaking his head Varl drudges along while trying to give Nibbfir the benefit of the doubt.
Nibb and Varl actually make out a grisly bone and some torn burlap remnants along the way. The bone appears to have been from some dried smoked small animal. This provides some reassurance that you are on the right track.
Survival Aid Another
Perception
"Aya, Varl. The trick here is that we want to kill them without getting their captives injured. Or us, for that matter."
"I know you would be barking something like that but, then again, what if they hold prisoners? How do we should approach them?"
After waiting for a few seconds for an answer, Nibb continues...
"Because we don't want to put their lives in danger with a reckless, all-dwarven charge, do we?"
I think we should first..."
Then, he stops, as realizing something.
"Wait! Now I remember something! There isn't a rumor about a bunch of goblins miners with some kind of troll or some other giant!? I think we have stumbled upon some leads about this... this even could take us to a secret entrance to Rappan Athuk!"
And thus, Nibb resumes the march, speeding up excited.
Shaking his head at the gnome, Argrim starts with a huff, "As I said awhile back," and continues tonelessly, "the sneaky team will draw the goblins into the non-sneaky team. Since apparently I'm the only sneaky one, I will bait them. The goblins should not threaten the prisoners if they are the hunters."
I hope this gnome is a strong stone able to hold his own weight. He's looking more and more rocky. Argrim stews in his frustration.
Vatilda gives Argrim a nod in acceptance of his plan, and continues focusing on the tracks.
The path eventually leads across of the coast road into some rolling hills. You've been tracking for the better part of the day and have covered a good 12 miles of terrain.
"If that is your plan, then I should accompany you. It's widely known that we gnomes are better than most people on stealth issues..."
Survival Aid Another
"Argrim, before you act as bait, allow me to cast a protective ward on you. Just know, it will only last a couple of minutes."
Argrim nods at Vatilda and Nibb with elevated eyebrows indicating more than a little surprise with the gnome. Maybe a stone. Maybe a stone, yet.
"Thanks Karnog," he replies. "Maybe Nibb first?"
"Aye, if the gnome is joining you as bait, I would feel better knowing he was warded by the Creator's blessing."
Dwarven:
Karnog claps both on the shoulder, if Nibb more gently than Argrim.
Looking down at me? That should be expected from them... What still puzzle me is the fact that they assume I didn't know how to speak Dwarven, or otherwise is they being, well, dwarves."
The trail is getting harder to follow, the goblins are clearly being more careful on the East side of the Coast Road.
Vatilda takes a little longer following the tracks, occasionally second guessing herself. "I am having a little more trouble... My is either they suspect they are being followed, or they are being more cautious because they know of dangers in this area."
Vatilda at dusk you lead the party to hill that's about 300 feet high that has well disguised trail, leading up. The hill is covered with thorny thicket bushes providing a deterrent. This will be half movement. The other noticeable terrain feather is the Dragonmarsh River is nearby.
"So we have assumed that the humans at the farm did not start this conflict."
"So we have assumed that the humans at the farm did not start this conflict."
"I've never heard of a good goblin tribe." Argrim looks at him sideways, "Maybe an oddball individual gobin but NOT a whole tribe."
"Until today I had not heard of a quiet dwarf. Unusual things do occur. I agree we must be prepared to fight, and if they have prisoners we must do what we can to save them, but I am uncomfortable with assumptions of ...evil."
Argrim smiles at Kalim, "I don't think you've met a CLAN of quiet dwarves, right? That was my point."
"The humans, even if they did 'pick a fight' with a goblin raider warband, surely did not arm and recruit their younglings. From the dolls we found, I would assume them just barely past their infancy, and well below the threshold of adulthood, even by human standards."
The trail is wide enough for one at time.
Kalim nods. "We shall find these goblins and see the nature of their treatment of the children. By this they shall live or die."
Argrim will take point half-speed sneaking.
They tend to stand roughly three feet tall, its scrawny, humanoid body dwarfed by its wide, ungainly head. What they lack in physical might and looks they tend to get make in quickness and cleverness. Goblins hatred runs deep, and few things inspire their wrath more than gnomes who have long fought against goblins, horses tend to frighten them due to the size and dogs are lesser creatures compared to a goblin dog. Goblins are often found with their bigger cousins hobgoblins and even the largest of their kin, bugbears, who are get shear enjoyment in cruelty.
Some goblins have been cross breed and mutated into even more grotesque creatures, some breath fire,acid, even cold.
You are skilled at avoiding detection, allowing you to slip past foes or strike from an unseen position. This skill covers hiding and moving silently.
Check
Your Stealth check is opposed by the Perception check of anyone who might notice you. You can move up to half your normal speed and use Stealth at no penalty. When moving at a speed greater than half but less than your normal speed, you take a –5 penalty. It's impossible to use Stealth while attacking, running, or charging.
A creature larger or smaller than Medium takes a size bonus or penalty on Stealth checks depending on its size category:
Fine +16, Diminutive +12, Tiny +8, Small +4, Large –4, Huge –8, Gargantuan –12, Colossal –16.
If people are observing you using any of their senses (but typically sight), you can't use Stealth. Against most creatures, finding cover or concealment allows you to use Stealth. If your observers are momentarily distracted (such as by a Bluff check), you can attempt to use Stealth. While the others turn their attention from you, you can attempt a Stealth check if you can get to an unobserved place of some kind. This check, however, is made at a –10 penalty because you have to move fast.
"Argrim, you need only whisper softly and I shall hear you clearly." Kalim casts Message.
Before we split up, Karnog casts protection from evil on Nibb.
This'll help turn blades and reinforce your resistance to spells and such. Remember, it'll only last a couple of minutes, so don't dally."
Argrim stays 60-feet in front of Varl double-moving 10-feet each.
There are trees along the entire hillside, running near the trail are the thickets and thorny bushes. The brushes stand between 2 and 4 feet in height. To move through the bushes could cause injury.
Rammellorn readies his long axe in anticipation of a goblin suprise attack. Let's be quick with these vermin so we can get on to the larger threat, he says to himself.
Perception 1:
Perception 2:
Perception 3:
Stealth 1:
Stealth 2:
Stealth 3:
Argrim leading a few feet in front of Nibb places his hand in the air with the sign of two. He can see two goblins each appearing to be distracted from their post duties. One is 35 feet up on the right, E13,and the other is 40 feet on the left, H11. Neither appears to have seen you two.
Surprise Round:
Argrim
Nibb
Initiative:
G1
Argrim
Nibb
G2