Xakroo's eyes widen at the shock, and he pulls out an arrow to fire at the closest one in sight.
The first hobbogobbo falls from Xakroo's arrow.
No time to cast a spell, they were under attack already! Morgryn pulls the long-handled Lucerne Hammer off of his back as he rushes forward with a roar. He swings the weapon in a downward arc at the hobgoblin still standing, staying back from it a little. "Ye're in the wrong tavern, scum!"
The second hobbogobbo falls under the onslaught of Morgryn's hammer.
Morgryn smiles grimly as the hobgoblin fell beneath his hammer. "Ha! Torag's blessin' be upon ye!"
He wipes the head off on the creature's clothing but turns serious quickly. "This is bad. The hobgobbers're here in force. I'm all fer goin' out an' killin' s'many s'we can, but maybe we should try t'get some o'these people out?"
He looks over at Aubrin, "She up t'bein' moved?"
Yewleaf cleans his blade on the fallen Hobgoblin. Thank you for your aid Kwiazy. he says as he stands. This looks like an army, it is imperative that we move these people out of harms way.Yewleaf shouts as he moves to Aubrin's side to make sure she is ok.
By Aspu's great scales! Xakroo shrieked, clearly enraged by what just happened, How did those bastards get in the town unnoticed?! I mean, get a few in the town I understand...but a complete army?! Sneaking in without being seen?!
Jarvak tries to calm the patrons within the tavern. "Damn hobgoblins. Taking advantage when everyone's drunk. And now I'll not be able to perform my ballad of Iludan the elvish princess and Servan the orcish druid..."
Jarvak asks the innkeeper or barkeep. "Is there a cellar? Any other way out? Windows facing away from the street?"
He also takes a look at the hobgoblin army. Do they have goblins or other non-humans serving them? He also searches the dead hobgoblins for anything that might give more information, and yes, coin.
Let me see just how badly things are, Xakroo told the deurgar and the goblins, Don't worry about me, I'll be fine.
Jarvak finds the following:
a masterwork backpack stuffed with a crossbow and bolts
8 potions of guidance
a partial wand of magic missile
scroll of calm animals
scroll of cure light wounds
scroll of magic stone
dried meat, cheese, and milk (food is worth 5 provision points; we'll explain those in a little bit)
Jet, the tavern's owner, points to a small door behind the bar that goes to the kitchen and storage room. When Xakroo investigates, he hears noises of another hobbogobbo in the back room.
Several of the residents who were in the tavern when the attack occurred crowd around you, obviously expecting you to tell them what to do and take care of them.
Aubrin motions to you to come listen to her. "It sounds like there's an army out there! I don't know how they got into town without being spotted. It sounds like there are two many of them to fight. We need to gather what we can, and the people we can, cross the bridge, and hide out in the Fangwood. I know a few secrets that can help us stay safe. We should probably take down the bridge when we leave so they can't follow. We should leave quickly, but first you should check Oreld's Fine Shop, the Phaendar Trading Company, and the Riverwood Shrine. I'll come with you while you check these locations, but my ability to help is limited by my injuries."
Grab those items Jarvark and lets go Yewleaf shouts. He turns to Aubrin, I will follow you lead us to these places and I will help defend us from attack, should we split up to cover the locations faster or not.
Xakroo comes back, looking at the group. There's a hobgoblin in the backroom. I can hear him; we might want to take care of him before heading out. Yes, heading out-there's way too many hobgoblins to fight against.
Morgryn waits until Aubrin is able to speak, and Xakroo comes back. He listens to each with a frown on his face, but not a scowl, just a concerned frown. "...an entire army. hmm."
He gives a nod to Xarkoo, "Thanks. Anyone who wants t'help me is welcome. I'm off t'kill the hobgobber in our way."
He hefts his lucerne hammer and starts heading to the back room with deadly intent.
Hold up, I'm going with you, Xakroo said, following Morgryn, You'll need backup after all. Even if it's just one.
"Me too!" Kwiazy joins Xakroo and MOrgryn to help strike down the remaining hobogobbo.
I will hold here just in case any more try to enter, please return swiftly after you eliminate the hobgoblin, and may your weapons strike true. Yewleaf moves to a corner of the room pulling his hood over his face. He precedes to hide as best he can to get the jump on any more hobgoblins that may enter.
Jynnjun slips into the back room to see what might be there as quietly as she can.
Jarvak drags the masterwork backpack. "Maybe you can question the hobbo, you know. Don't need to kill eet!" he says to the group heading to take down the hob.
To the patrons in the tavern. "Aubrin that be good advice. Everybody, remain calm. We must not let ugly hobbos know our numbers here. We do want see-look at a few places for supplies and survivors!"
Jarvak asks Aubrin what they should expect to find at the three locations, and also his own knowledge of them.
Oreld's:
Phaendar trading:
Shrine:
Olred's:
Phaendar Trading:
Shrine:
The 'civilians' stay in the main room of the tavern, watched over by Yewleaf and Jarvak. Aubrin stays with them and talks to Jarvak. Jet, the innkeeper, follows the other group to make sure they don't miss any helpful stuff.
The attack party sees a hobbogobbo rummaging in the kitchen, perhaps looking for a snack.
Jynjunn gets a surprise round action. Kwiazy and Morgryn can act now for round 1.
Waving her sickle in one hand to distract the hobbogobbo, Jynnjun's other hand aims a spell. "Ingis di kluchuduun!" she squeaks.
The hobbogobbo goes down, unconscious, before he even knows what is going on.
Kwiazy moves to stand over the hobbogobbo, blade raised... "Me kill him... or we tie up and ask questions later?"
"Oh, questions, questions for sure. We don't have long before we have to run but knowing what's happening can make all the difference - Mister Morgrym, you look strong enough to tie knots tightly, could you lend a hand please?" She holds out a rope.
Xakroo was ready to fire an arrow-but blinked the second he realized the other kobold managed to knock him out. Huh...impressive he told Jynnjun.
Morgryn hefts his hammer...and the hobgoblin is down after a quick but almost nauseating flash of colors whizzes by. The duergar looks a little disappointed that he didn't get to hit another hobgoblin as he slowly lowers his hammer and stows it on his back once more.
He mumbles, "...yeah, good work..." He tries not to sound too disappointed.
Then he pulls a length of rope out of his backpack and begins tying up the hobgoblin securely, possibly going a little overboard on how much rope and how many knots are needed.
Ah, don't get upset, Xakroo told the deurgar, That's the only one we'll most likely leave alive. There's plenty more walking up to the slaughter, after all.
The tied up hobbogobbo begins to stir.
It's waking up, Xakroo snarled, Who here is the best at making it talk? I'm better with the bow than with my words.
Jarvak peeks into see how the fight is going. When he sees the hob is subdued, he's impressed.
"Oooh... you guys work fast! And he still has his toes. Most goblins woulda taken off a body part by now!" Jarvak says.
He says to the prisoner. "Why are you bunch of hobs here? Why are you attacking the nice village of Phaendar? Now I won't be able to perform!"
"I am soldier of Ironfang Legion. The great general Azaersi sent us here under command of Scabvistan. We were ordered to take the town and to capture as many human slaves as possible."
What Jarvik and Yewleaf know:
Oreld's Fine Shop is a store selling remedies, dye, glue, and paint. It's run by the town's non-magical healer, Vane Oreld.
The Phaendar Trading Company contains a general store and also a smithy.
The shrine is a simple structure intended for villagers to use to worship any deity, but is most often used to worship Erastil or Desna.
The kobold archer looked at the soldier in the eye and hissed, Tell us with what little life you have left-who is Azaersi, who is Scabvistan, and why are you capturing slaves!
"Azaersi is the great general. Most soldiers are unworthy to even talk to her. Scabvistan is the hobgoblin she sent to lead this attack. We are taking slaves because we are great warriors and that is what great warriors do."
Xakroo looks at the group. Well they're capturing slaves-not sure why, but wouldn't surprise me if it involved making their army stronger. Morgryn, we have no use for him, so whether you want to kill him now or not is your choice. The rest of you, we have to get as many people out of the town as possible.
Scabvistan... I guess with a name like that, she does na have her head straight. Well, so be it. Hmm.. so just hobgoblins? Would they hire.. us? Jarvak asks innocently.
After that, Jarvak lets the others deal with the hob, though he doesn't want it killed. He will try to check if the coast is clear, using both eyes and ears.
(additional +2 bonus from hearing)
Hearing the 'combat' end, the inn's owner, named Jet, comes in and points to a barrel of water and some food. "If we're fleeing the town, we should take all the food and water we can. There's more food and drink in the pantry and cellar. There may be more people upstairs, too."
Is this yours, Jet?
Jarvak tries to get the metal box on the top shelf in the kitchen.
He'll go upstairs to try to see if there are more people there, and tell them to get ready to leave.
Missing both the box and Jarvak's pointing it out, Jynnjun waves at Jet and heads down into the cellar to see what's there.
"No, that old box has been sitting there since before I bought the inn."
The box that Jarvak finds contains:
wand of grease (5 charges)
wand of prestidigitation (31 charges)
two elixirs of tumbling
a set of juggling balls.
The cellar and pantry contain food, as well as one scared villager.
Your tagalong party now contains Jet, 1 warrior, 1 aristocrat, and 3 commoners. You have now collected 8 provision points from the inn, plus 5 provision points from the enemy and 3 provision points from the barrel of water in the kitchen. Your followers should be able to easily carry the food and treasures you have found.
When he goes upstairs, Jarvak finds that two people have locked themselves into a room and won't come out.
Morgryn gave a nod and pulled the Lucerne hammer off his back once more.
"I'll make sure t'tell Azaersi an' Scabvistan ye said hello!"
He hefted the weapon, swung it up and then swung it down to smash the hobgoblin's head. He took no pleasure in it. He just wouldn't abide leaving the creature behind to take more slaves....and he needed his rope back.
He untied the hobgoblin's corpse from his rope and re-stowed it after putting his hammer away again (and cleaning it off real quick). Then he went to help carry some of the provisions.
He addressed the civilians, his tone gruff and a bit harsh. "Alright! Very important! When we leave, we stick together. We be as quiet as we can, but we need t'move quickly. Everyone should pair up, stick with yer buddy, an' watch out for one another. Any questions?"
Gliding out of his hiding spot Yewleaf proceeds to stand next to Morgryn, "How are we going to handle the places Aubrin says we should search before leaving. Perhaps we could divide up and search all three to move quicker or go one at a time. We need to make a decision, we are running out of time," he whispers.
Perhaps that is the best course of action, Xakroo nodded at Yewleaf, Who will pair with who though? Anyone who needs me just say so.
Jarvak lets anyone who can use the stuff in the box take it. He does take the elixirs of tumbling and the juggling balls.
Jarvak knocks on the door. "Whoever is inside, you need to get out quickly. We have hobgoblins attacking, and they're about to burn down the building. Stay here and you'll be burned like chicken left on the stove or captured and work as slaves. We're trying to escape so join us!"
Charzark moves nervously walking around without actual direction. I think staying together would be the best course of action, it may be more difficulter to sneak around but if someone gets caught we can dispose of the hobbogobbo before he raises an alarm. Personally I thinks we should go to the shrine, if there's a cleric we're going to need his help to tend to the wounded that we are sure to find... he keeps fidgeting turning suddenly at every noise with a bomb at the ready. Me really hate hobbogobbos he whispers
If we stay sharp, we can still cover the city two at a time, Xakroo mentioned, only to notice Charzark's fidgeting. Calm down little guy, they won't hurt you-they'll have to kill me first before that happens. And I'm not falling to some hobgoblin's blade.
"Me am good sneaky sneaky, but still think together better. Twosies hard to protect longshanks followers."
Jynnjun puts in, "Sneaking's good, but it's slow. Let's head out together and move fast, now!
At the same time she's fiddling with the pair of wands, trying to multitask by studying them to find out their properties and most importantly their command words.
With a sigh she tucks the greasy wand away in her pack but tests the other one by trying to turn the blood from the fallen hobgoblins bright yellow.
Charzark turns to the kobold, his eyes shining red even brighter than usual I'm not scared Xakroo my scaly friend, I'm ANGRY, I want to burn hobbogobbos, but I have a debt to this town and can't pay it if I just do what I want he stops for a second And they'll burn if they want to hurt us or the hugemans under our care he says suddenly serious
He nods at Kwiazy and starts moving to the door he tries to look outside without being seen, paying special atention to the direction towards the shrine.
Jarvak hears a faint answer "No, you could be a hobgoblin! We won't come out."