Where is Javark, he went upstairs a little while ago, stay here I will go check on him and make sure he is ok. Yewleaf quickly sprints up the stairs finding Javark asking people to leave. He steps up to the door and calls out, "My name is Yewleaf, I promise we are not Hobgoblins, me and a few more people are prepared to defend everyone as we escape this onslaught but we have to leave now. If you stay in here the Hobgoblin army will find you, they will force you to be their slaves. I promise I will protect you."
Xakroo looked at the others while the goblin alchemist and wyrewood rogue go upstairs. So what's the plan, are we sticking together or splitting up? And regardless, where first? I heard the church was the first priority?
I'm no hobgoblin. Would a hobgoblin know this? Jarvak says. He performs the little druid, a lullaby for children. Hobs only know songs of war and nasty things!
(I guess I didn't perform it very well...)
Unfortunately, his voice cracks and the playing is quite abysmal. Jarvak is far too distracted. The goblin goes downstairs and asks Jet or the human bard to persuade those inside the room to come out.
Morgryn pondered for a long moment. "I s'pose if we move quickly, that might work too, though if we run inta trouble we may draw more an' more o'the hobgobbers if we ain't careful an' quiet or quick."
He looked at the townsfolk and lowered his voice. "I'm more worried 'bout gettin' the townsfolk t'safety than goin' t'places an' lootin' or whatever. I mean, supplies're great an' all, an' I can see the appeal in that, though."
He shrugged and looked around again. "Maybe Aubrin an' I can lead the people while the rest o'you go check out the sites?" He didn't sound excited about the idea, but didn't like the idea of either leaving the townsfolk to themselves or trying to take them around on a shopping trip with the town having been invaded.
Two merchants sheepishly open the door at Yewleaf's words.
I vote for trading company. That has supplies. We be hiding in the woods for a while, Jarvak says. He takes a quick look in the upper level rooms for any supplies or things that might come in usefuln and also a quick peek out of a window to see where the hobgoblins are before proceeding to join the main group.
"Let's go, quickly quickly. I'll be a little ahead. Supplies first?"
She casts a quick spell, pointing a finger at Morgryn. "This way I can talk to you quietly while ahead. Great, huh?"
Yewleaf quickly motions for the merchants to follow him, "Do either of you have any supplies, we need to get everything we can carry before we leave," he asks before they go downstairs.
Morgryn nodded at Jarvak. "Trading company sounds fine t'me."
He glanced over at Jynnjun, hesitated, but then nodded and smiled slightly. "Good thinkin'."
He went to the back door and opened it carefully to see if any more hobgoblins were outside in the back.
Xakroo looked at the two, Wait, let's wait for Jarvark and Yewleaf, see where they want to go. He does go to the door and try to see if the coast is clear.
To the trading company, then Jarvak says. Moving with such a large group worries the bard, but there's little choice.
The merchants just nod to Yewleaf and point to their packs, which appear to contain food and water.
Then let's get moving to the trade company says Charzark as he opens the door We're in a hurry here
The trading company? Xakroo questioned, What about the church? Not only will there be good supplies there, but I can bet my tail that there are more people huddled in there-thus a perfect target for the hobgoblins.
We can visit the shrine after the trading company, Jarvak says. Now let's go before both of them are burned down!
Yewleaf hurries quickly down the stairs merchants in tow, hearing Jarvark's statement, "Agreed let's move,"
Jynnjun slips out ahead of the group; she'll try to stay at least 60' in advance, but not more than 100'.
Jynnjun scouts ahead, seeing trouble all around, but no one seems to notice any of you. You go to the Trading Post and enter the door. You see a hobbogobbo rifling through the shelves. He holds in his hand a chain that connects to an iron collar around a human man's neck. The man has a javelin protruding from his stomach and looks about to fall over.
The hobbogobbo is busy looking for loot and so does not hear you enter. You all get an action in the surprise round.
Xakroo's eyes start to burn with hatred at the sight of the man...he readies his bow to fire at the hobgoblin.
Jarvak also shoots at the hobgoblin. Fly true, blessed arrow he says to his bow, imitating a great Elven hero he heard about.
Yewleaf will sprints quickly to one side of the Hobgoblin, Kwiazy with me, lets show this ugly beast what cold steel can do."
If Charzark can act before the others get in melee he throws a bomb at the hobgoblin
With quick words a blue ray flashes out of Jynnjun's hand towards the hobbogobbo.
Morgryn followed along behind the small creatures, staying back with the villagers so as to not alert any hobgoblins to his presence, thus screwing up any chance at stealth the small ones might have. He kept checking behind him to make sure the villagers were all still following along as well.
By the time he reached the door, all the small ones seemed to be actively attacking a lone hobgoblin with a human prisoner that looked near death's door. Morgryn grimly gripped his hammer and stepped in to the building.
Kwaizy rushes in for the flank...
Charzark's bomb, Xakroo's arrow, and Jynnjun's ray all slam into the hobbogobbo. Jarvak's arrow skims over his shoulder. Then Yewleaf moves around to set up a flank and Kwiazy charges, swinging his weapon and slashing at the hobbogobbo. The hobbogobbo is clearly very badly hurt.
Yewleaf
Charzark
hobbogobbo
Morgryn
Kwiazy
Jynnjun
Xakroo
Jarvak
Yewleaf and Charzark, you may act.
Yewleaf slashes at the Hobgoblin with his blade hoping to score a fatal blow.
Charzark runs to the side of the injured man and tries to help with his wounds
You not die today! he says, then he points to the hobgoblin He dies
The hobbogobbo smirks at Charzark, slashes at his captive, and then falls over, dying.
Both the hobbogobbo and his human captive are now at negative health and dying.
You are out of initiative, but need to decide quickly what you are going to do about the injured.
Kwiazy takes a slash at the hobbogobbo's throat.
"Die, bad hobbogobbo! You no worth saving!" He looks to his companions and asks, "Who fix longshanks?"
I really despise hobgoblins thinks Charzark as he tries to stabilize the chained man.
I said you not die today he says as the bleeding stops. Then he points to two of the survivors behind Morgryn Yous carry him!
After barking the order Charzark looks around the Trade Company looking for other survivors and supplies
Morgryn stepped forward and if necessary cast Stabilize on the dying villager. But giving a look-over the person, he thought Charzark might have been able to stop the bleeding. "I ain't really that much of the healer type, but I can ask Torag t'heal this person, though it means I'll have less spells later."
As he spoke he looked around from where he was standing for the supposed 'supplies' they came to get, to see how easy or not it would be to get them out.
Jarvak looks around the shop for stuff to pick up.
When longshanks better, ask if any good things around.
"If he walks now we can take supplies easier - maybe he comes with us and carries some, but at least no one carries him." With that Jynnjun stalks around the trading post, eyes glowing slightly blue from a new spell.
Xakroo will look around to find the supplies. Good work guys, the kobold said proudly, Even if that damned hobgoblin tried to take his prisoner with him, we may have saved him. Now...where are the supplies?
Morgryn thought about that for a few seconds and then gave a nod of satisfaction. It made sense to him tactically and logistically, he had just wanted to make sure that others felt the same about his use of a spell as it was a limited resource.
He knelt down next to the wounded person and began quietly praying to Torag, asking that his stalwart defenses might infuse this person, giving them the strength to defend themselves from further harm.
The fallen hobbogobbo has leather armor, 3 daggers, a heavy mace, a hooded lantern, food worth 3 provision points, 16 GP, two potions of cure light wounds, a potion of invisibility, 3 vials of alchemist's fire, antitoxin, a healer's kit, 5 bottles of oil, 2 smokesticks, 2 tanglefoot bags, and 2 thunderstones.
The shop owner, Vane Oreld, is grateful for the rescue. He points out where the valuables in his shop are so they can be used. He also warns you of a trap in the back room.
The stuff you find in the shop that the hobbogobbos haven't ruined is:
3 vials of antiplague, five bottles of bloodblock, a bottle of fireward gel, and two flasks of defoliant.
You continue into the back room, which is the shop owner's living space. Here, you find alchemical components which Oreld insists come along so that he can use them to make alchemical items when you find a refuge, one dose of dust of illusion, and one dose of dust of tracelessness. You also notice notes on the desk about an explosive 'stump remover' the proprietor was working on. In a cellar, you find 6 townsfolk and food worth 10 provision points.
Thank you Vane. The village is no longer safe. Join us; we be needing your help for those alchemical items. Jarvak says.
To the shrine next? the bard says.
Yewleaf nods, "We can venture to the shrine next, we should move quickly," Yewleaf picks up on of the tanglefoot bags and prepares to move.
"Ooh! This looks good, and this, and this..." Jynnjun picks up a number of magical and alchemical things from the fallen hobbogobbo. "This is like finding things to return, but you don't have to give them back... "
When Xakroo notices the notes on the desk, Jynnjun turns to Vane. "Master Oreld, did you ever make some of this stump remover? How well did it work?"
Kwiazy will pick up a potion of CLW, an alchemist fire, a thunderstone, and the fireward gel...
"Shrine be good, then Trade place. We take all stuffz, yes?"
"Just take first. Might need when attacked by hobgobbos." Jarvak says.
Morgryn will load up with whatever he needs to carry to help get things out of there, but he will also see about enlisting some of the townfolk to carry some of the provisions as well if they are up to it.
"Aye, the shrine's fine fer next."