Red Ramage presents: Goblins of Thornkeep (Inactive)

Game Master Red Ramage

Boorgub tries to follow the conversation literally bouncing from person to person as he tries to understand thinking: "Why weird looking gob Makena talk in weird language, what Growly, what be a Kobold, why have tail, why have weird gobbo face, why Lurgun getting angry, me love me boomstick, fire bombs sound fun,where wolf come from, why..." Then Boorgub's brain literally overloads and he falls flat on his back unconscious.

After hours of lying unconscious Boorgub finally wakes to the view of the morning sun in his eyes. It took him a while to realize he must have been dragged out and left on the sidewalk for the night so he decided he might as well catch up with his new friends so they could get this whole tunnel started.

Uhhh. Are we intending to time skip? I was waiting for the GM to tell me whether Makena had the chief's permission (or at least not his forbiddance) to keep the slave, whether he was conscious in Two-Fang's house, or indeed if he was there at all. Makena didn't tie him up or anything after all.

Anyway, as far as I'm aware it's only middayish when we meet the chief right? Or is it later afternoon?

mid afternoon. If you want to pass out for a day, feel free, but you might want to retcon that to hang with the party

Graalsk considers Makena's request.

"YEAH, KEEP DAT ONE. YOU FEED HIM GOOD, TREAT NICE. IF PROBLEM, YOU BRING BACK, SAY YOU FIX HIM HURTS. IF NO PROBLEM, KEEP FOR WORKS! GREAT CHIEF THINK DAT UP. MAKE GREAT CHIEF TIRED. GO GET MY SWORD!"

With that, the enormous goblin turns and retreats into his 'castle' attended by his wenches.

you can do this job, keep exploring, or whatever else you'd like

Makena finds the human slave sobbing quietly at the edge of the brambles. He appears to have tried to force his way out and suffered greatly from the thorns in the process.

Sorry, I thought it was evening so I'm reconing
After a minute or two Boorgub wakes to find to meeting is over, not quite sure what just happened he gleefully runs off to join his new friends and start their tunneling adventure.

Makena frowns at finding Two-Fang's empty of her slave. She pauses to collect her saddlebags, pulling out her crossbow and slinging it over her back on it's leather cord. The rest she offers to Lurgun which contains a set of crafting tools, two bear traps, and a pick and shovel sized for a kobold. She leaves the saddle where it is, peering around to try and figure out where her slave has gone.

Eventually they manage to find him cut and bleeding. Makena looks at him indignantly. "Makena just fixed that!" she grumbles. If he seems like he's really hurt himself then she will pull out her precious vial of devil's blood and splash another drop on him, using her infernal healing upon him (and her last spell :p ahh will, still have summons).

"Moany needs to take better care of Moany. First he get leg broked, then all slashyed up. How Moany meant to be slave if he gets self killed?" she berates/questions him. She looks to the goblins that may have accompanied her, lifting her mask up to scratch at her forehead. "Do gobs know what tall-shanks eat? Should get some food for Moany."

Makena heal check: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (5) - 1 = 4

Moany appears to have suffered critical wounds from the thorns! Even now, what must surely be his lifeblood runs from a multitude of cuts and pricks. His piteous cries reflect his inability to handle his impending mortality.

After hearing Makena speak Boorgub looks to Lurgun with a confused expression on his face and says "What scaley lady say? Me no speak longshanks."
Assuming Lurgun translates what Makena says.
Boorgub then without about it answers Makena but he says it to Lurgun. "Longshankses eats whats gobbos eats, less thems nummy buggies, those theys leaves for gobbos, and me guessing scaley lady."

After accepting the relatively small bundle of objects from Makena, Lurgun just shrugs at Boorgub's question. While he does speak the Longshanks' language, having been expected to learn it, along with goblin speak, when he was still less than four years old, Makena's peculiar accent and choppy, fast speaking pattern made it difficult for him to keep up.

In Goblin "Kobold talk too fast. Lurgun think she tell little longshanks that he should be less annoying. Also asked what they eat."

In Common to Makena "Boorgub say longshanks eat normal foods, except bugs and other good things. Lurgun's tribe fed slaves with scraps and leafs."

As stated, Makena performs her wiggly boppy dance and makes funny noises, and after a half minute or so Moany is all better, though still covered in blood. "Theys weird. Leafs? Hmm." she says thoughtfully.

"Come on Moany, we gots go find sword for big-chief gob. Then we can go get food, and maybe if you be good and not get self hurt Makena give you shiny. If get hurt then you stay hurt, used all make-better magics on you already." she instructs the boy.

Looking to Boorgub. "These gobs speak funny longshanks talk. What think we go do?"

"Me sez wees stay wit him," pointing over to Lurgun "hes be seemens to know what's day sayins" he then walks up to Lurgun and pulls on his sleeve, like a little kid trying to get their parents attention, and says [b]whens we be goin ta gets chief gobbo'ses shiny sword, cuz mees want to make mees boomstick go boom."

nobody seems to be heading for the exit, so I'll advance the scene

Taking your leave of the Brambles, the new Brambleclaws and new new Brambleclaws head north through the city to follow the Great Chief's directions.

As the group passes the House of the River Lord, Makena and Vonk notice the old longshanks "priest" sobbing quietly on the steps of the ramshackle structure, head in her hands. A bottle of gluggadrink by her side indicates that she's more proficient in drowning her sorrows than drowning goblins.

As you pass Firla Parr's farm, Makena and Vonk see that where the cow had fallen, nothing remains but a bloody patch of ground. The remaining cattle roll their eyes and snort, huddled in a corner of the pasture.

You take a turn eastward at the Parr farm, crossing over the clear-running stream again on a rickety footbridge. You follow a faint path, narrow and overgrown and really more of a trail worn by activity than laid down by purpose, across the grassy base of the hill in the center of town. Above you, the imposing stone fortress looms ominously. Atop the crenelations, a pair of guards seem to be having some fun at your expense, and pantomime to each other scenes of your likely demise in the tunnels.

The trail terminates at the side of the hill. A gaping crevasse flanked by a pair of ornate columns leads into the hillside

The Accursed Halls
Walking through the crevasse, you find yourself in a large hall supported by a number of carved columns. The walls appear to be made of sandstone block that has weathered and crumbled, leaving a fine dusting of sand on the black flagstone floor. The hallway terminates in a massive stone door that has been sealed with equally massive stone blocks. Clearing the blocks away would take months of effort. In the center of the room, flagstones have been pulled up, revealing a staircase that descends into darkness. The dusting of sand on the floor clearly shows the traffic of many booted feet to and from this staircase. The delightful scent of rotting meat fills the air.

Boorgub decides to take a closer look around The Accursed Halls.
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

Well, like I said in the discussion thread, I was hoping to engage Moany in some conversation, or are you not interested in making him a proper NPC?

Makena leads the way to where the chief said the entrance was. When she spots the 'priestess' she makes what the Goblins can only assume is some kind of rude gesture with her hand before continuing on. Her belly grumbles a bit as they pass the farm. "Even took da bones..." she mumbles, disheartened.

When they reach the halls she peers inside, stepping through the door and looking around. When she notices the tracks she gestures for the others to hang back as she hunches down near them and takes a sniff, trying to figure out whether any of them are recent or not (the last couple days) and who they might belong to.

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14
Survival: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

Lugun stands near the staircase in the center of the room. He waits with the indolent patience of the dull witted. He will proceed down the stairs if someone directs him to.

Weary of what could be down these halls Kavous creeps into the shadows.
Stealth: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (4) + 17 = 21
Once Kavous believes to be hidden from view he peers around the area.
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Looking to Makena he points inside and to himself as if to take point.

Okki considers stopping the group to try and get a grasp on how they want to proceed, but he is still in a sour mood from his belittling at the hands of the gob boss. When Kavous heads out in front, Okki doesn't offer any argument.

"Prolly no traps for Okki to find anyways..."

He draws his wakizashi and tries to move quietly behind Kavous, maybe 5 feet behind. He is impressed with the other gobs sneaking, but gobs are always good at sneaking.

Stealth: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (16) + 15 = 31

The room seems fairly plain and uncomplicated. Nothing dangerous presents itself to your investigation. Makena pokes around in the sand and deduces that a fair number of booted (longshanks size) feet have gone both into and out of the floor stairs in the past few days.

assuming you proceed

The stairs descend into the earth. They're sized for longshanks, so they're a mite difficult for you goblins, but you can manage with a little care. As you descend, you hear the scuffing of your footwear kicking sand around the flagstone floor and steps.

The staircase terminates in a small antechamber, constructed in the same manner as the room above. A wall sconce holds a heatless, magical flame that casts a flickering light through the room. In the center of the room, an iron stake has been driven into the flagstone floor, pinning the carcass of a half-eaten but fresh pig in place.

A hallway to the south is the only apparent exit.

Map

Okki warns the other Gobs.

"No eating that pig. Okki say it probably a bad idea. Prolly trap."

He skirts around the far side of the wall, then peeks down the hallway.

"Mees bees wit yous Okki. Mees tinks it bees a no no piggy."
And Boorgub follows Okki basically hugging the wall.

Lurgun's stomach rumbles as he eyes the pig carcass. Saliva fills his mouth and he unconsciously licks his lips. The temptation is very strong, but he respects the trap knowledge of goblins enough to resist the lure of the tasty pork delight. He follows them around the trap.

As the group enters the cavern, Vonk lights his trusty torch. As they descend, he doesn't even notice the pig. He is enchanted by the magical flame on the wall. He watches it for a minute, but sadly realizes there is no way he can take this ever-burning fire with him. He is startled as the other gobs speak.

"Huh? Oh. No pig? Okay Okki." He follows after the other gobs and not-gobs, sadly looking back at the flame on the wall.

"Lots of tall-shanks come here. Did tall-shanks take sword?" she asks, glancing around at the goblinoids, though a couple of them seem to have disappeared. As there doesn't seem to be anything else of interest she heads downstairs with the other, her snout twitching as the scent of pork reaches her. "Not get moo-ey meat, maybe squealy-meat instead!" she says happily, before she notices the plate it is staked on. "That mean... Why they waste good squealy-meat..." She follows the others deeper in, but not without several backwards glances, maybe if she was really fast... or get friend to help her?

Kavous eyeballs the pig as he continues stealthily around the room.

Avoiding the pigtrap, the goblin gang proceeds deeper into the Accursed Halls. After about thirty feet, the hallway opens up into a room.

Eight statues of demonic creatures anchored to great square columns guard an octagonal open space in the center of this large hall. Various bits of scaffolding and debris are piled up next to the columns, which support a large gallery fifteen feet above the room’s floor. Open stone archways lead to the southeast and the north from the lower floor, and a large stone door stands at the south corner of the chamber. The statues seem to be of beautiful longshanks women with six arms and the lower body of a snake.

Three longshanks men in leather armor stand by a large, ornate stone door at the south end of the room and argue quietly amongst themselves. On the gallery, a further three longshanks men with bows lounge. One seems to be napping, and the other two game at dice. The longshanks do not seem to have noticed you.

Map
your icons are off on the side, feel free to place yourselves. note that the squares are 10 feet - I've drawn in thin grey lines for 5 ft squares. If you wish to start a fight, you get a surprise round

As they reach the next chamber and find it full of tall-shanks Makena looks at the others, before backing down the corridors a ways; at least if the Goblinoids seem willing to do the same anyway.

"What gobs want do? Chief say not ready to make move yet when say take slave. Not meant fight tall-shanks? Tall-shanks lazy... put torch out and sneak past?"

"Oh! Makena knows!"she says excitedly before lowering her voice again "Makena can ask Sir Hiss for help. He scare everybody, then Gobs and Makena sneak past while tall-shanks busy."

Is there any scaffolding actually erected and supporting the above, or just remnants or bits of it ready to be put up?

Engineering (any pillars look damaged, or other reasons for construction going on that we could exploit?): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

"But what if these the longshanks that take sword? Then Chief would want us kill them. Maybe sneak but be ready to fight?" Vonk whispers back to Makena and the gobs.

Vonk quietly snuffs his torch and takes a look around the room to see if there is anything else that could help them sneak through, like good spots for hiding or anything that could create a distraction. Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

"Lurgun not good at sneak. Better at fight." Lurgun sizes up the longshanks, his grip tightening around Smasher. He is eager for a fight after the humiliation of being captured earlier.

If no one comes up with a clever plan, Lurgun is likely to simply rush in and smash some faces. Or attempt to.

"Boorgub not so good at sneaky sneaky needer, but me is good at boomy boomy."

"Kavous like Makena idea if snakes scare longshanks. Kavous also very willing to put hurts on them." Kavous draws his bow and notches an arrow, his aim at the nearest human with a bow. He holds the attack waiting to see the course of action his fellow wish to take.

"Always be ready to fight round tall-shanks!" she advises, looking at the others. "Wait till tall-shanks get bit or start making noise, then sneak to stairs." she instructs before backing a little further down the corridor and starting her prancing and soft chanting.

A moment later a fiendish viper appears next to Makena, who picks up the snake and sneak forward again. "Go bite tall ones Sir Hiss." she whispers to the snake, setting it down and watching it slither towards the humans.

Snake's stealth: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (5) + 15 = 20

Snake's bite: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Damage is 1d2-2, so automatically reduced to one non-lethal, and target makes a DC 9 fort save or suffer below poison.

Makena's Stealth: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28
Once Sir Hiss is off Makena grabs her crossbow, and readies to sneak across with the distraction of the snake.

"Mees trys anyting once" Boorgub pulls out his dragon pistol and gets ready to sneak.
Stealth check: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23

Farg farg shrugs and lowers the tip of his lance as he sits atop Fang face. "We gonna fight you see."

Stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Lurgun sneaks behind Makena. He is up on his tip toes and taking exaggeratedly cautious steps.

Vonk pulls a bomb out of a pocket and quietly follows after Makena.
Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16

the scaffolding isn't supporting anything - it appears to be more a way of climbing up onto the balcony than anything else. Nothing seems structurally off about this room that would warrant construction. Vonk does not see anything useful to hide in.

Makena's snake slithers across the floor, surprising the inattentive longshanks. It sinks its fangs into the boots of one.

"AAAAH! Damn, a snake's biting my boot!" cries the target as he unsuccessfully attempts to stomp the snake off his footwear.

"better your boot than your face" observes one of his companions, watching the spectacle. "Betcher glad that we're armored up for this, ain't ya?"[b]

"What the hell?" one asks. "They got right past the alarm!"

"These must be smarter goblins than usual" hisses one of the archers. "Kill them!"

Initiative: Kavous, Boorgub, Farg Farg, Lurgun, Vonk, Thugs, Okki,Makena

MAP

Lurgun grins. He gets to fight after all!

On his initiative, Lurgun will charge the nearest enemy. He will always attack the nearest foe, except when he can get two at once and use his Cleave feat.

Told ya they was mooks :p Or at least with the perception of mooks :p *waits for the end*

Is there any longshanks within 20 ft of Boorgub?
If so:
Boorgub takes aim from where he was crawling across the floor and fires at the nearest longshanks:
Attack roll: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Damage roll: 1d6 ⇒ 3
If not:
Boorgub stands up and runs closer to the longshanks with his gun raised.

there is a map, clicky the link in my last post and see in glorious 2d technicolor the situation you find yourself in.

Since I didn't see any longshanks on the map I didn't know if it had been updated yet. So Boorgub will do his second option, stand up and move 30 ft toward the nearest longshank.

You have to scroll down. We didn't get very far before Lurgun gave us away. You also don't need to be prone to sneak :p

Lurgun is sorry :(

I use my phone and it doesn't allow me to scroll the picture so all I see is us at the entrance to this room. And I know you don't need to lay down to sneak, but Boorgub was going for an army crawl kind of thing with his pistol.

Should we be moving our own tokens? I go after the thugs, so I'm sortve waiting on them to move.

Farg farg yells as he lowers his lance and charges the lone human.

Charge Attack: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 4 + 2 = 23
Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 Double Damage if hit.

I think Farg Farg cannot charge the lone human on the right because he does not have a straight path to him (the pillar blocks him and Boorgub has moved into the way)

Lurgun will charge the enemy directly in front of him. He is just in range.

Charge Attack: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 2 = 8

"BOOM TIME!" Vonk cackles. He runs forward and lobs a bomb between the two pillars, attempting to hit one of the longshanks, even though he is still quite far away. The bomb hits the wall between the two pillars and explodes, fire lighting up the room for a moment.

bomb attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
random direction: 1d8 ⇒ 5

Looks like Vonk missed so assuming we are going by the scatter rules, you roll 1d8... 1 is towards Vonk, and 2-8 rotate around the target clockwise. First range increment, so it goes an additional square, but there is a wall in the way. DM, will any of the bads take splash damage? The bomb would land in the wall near the 'B' I marked on the map. If so, they would take 4 splash damage.

Kavous moves over behind the pillar (Left most at the top) and fires his bow at the nearest longshank.
Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 121d6 ⇒ 4