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It is the day of the Market Festival in Phaendar. After a day participating in the festival, you are all in the Taproot Inn. The retired Chernisado ranger (now a cleric of Cayden Cailean) is telling stories of her youthful adventures and entertaining everyone in the inn. You hear noises of raucous celebration out in the streets.
Korvak is sitting drinking in the ambience of being amongst.. friends and chatting. He is nursing an ale.
Valasca will nods back to Korvak then tries to find a quite corner of room, preferably with a seat facing the door. She looks around the crowd hoping to see her ranger buds, her druid mentor, or a little girl of recent acquaintance.
Arcavic places himself at the bar, his features heavily wrapped. Although the light isn't bright enough to make sight difficult, as the sun does, it is still slightly harsh for his eyes, even after all this time spent on the surface.
He notes the lizardwoman and the bugbear - surprised to see them in town, given that they keep to themselves - but otherwise keeps out of the way, listening to the stories told by the ranger.
A large, heavily-bearded Ulfen man pushes through the door. Glancing around, he takes a seat near the periphery of the central gathering; close enough to hear the Ranger's tales, but far enough away to avoid the limelight. As he looks around the room, he subtly acknowledges the lizard-woman and the bugbear; nodding or meeting their gaze to show he sees them and isn't bothered by them.
Odd crowd we've gathered here today. he thinks as he places an order for an ale with the waitress. Of course, I'm one to talk. Good day for sales though. he thinks, remembering the bag of furs he had brought to town this morning.
Not seeing the little halfling girl and noticing the townsfolk don't seem all that concerned about a bugbear, drow, and lizardwomaqn in their midst Valasca decides to go sit next to the drow. Stools are more comfortable than booths anyway (when you have a tail to consider)
In a whisper as to not disturb the storyteller, "greetings."
edit: She'll acknowledge Cnut with a smirk and a slight nod for respect.
It was a festival day, with all the sights and sounds Phaendar could muster to go along with it. Predictably, Little Tooth, mute as she was insisted on seeing everything and dragged her father from booth to booth. The poor fellow ended up spending more than a pretty penny on sweets, a new ribbon, and a cunningly crafted doll the seller claimed was currently all the rage in Absalom. To make matter worse, he practically paid asking price for all of it since Little Tooth threw a stink when she caught him employing his particular brand of haggling.
Considering her father was a six foot lizard with a rather impressive wingspan and the sort of grin that makes most mammals go all rubbery inside, she had a point.
Still, it was something of a relief when Little Tooth requested to be carried and Ira set about the serious business of finding them a meal. Stepping in to the Taproot, Little Tooth wiggled from his grasp to find a spot closer to the storyteller and Ira settled at one of the tables, flagging down a serving girl.
At a table near the storyteller a black skinned girl is kneeling at a table, her eight spider legs folded under her body her her chest barely above the edge of the table, she listens attentively to the retiree's words, paying attention to all the useful details.
As the door opens she glances at the winged lizard person that just entered 'I hope that with the present company no one will pay me to much attention '
Just because he had not seen one of whatever she was Korvak decided to go over to Lillie and also listen to the story teller.
"She is very good isn't she?"
and when Lillie looks at him
"Korvak is my name, I'm a bugbear, a nice one."
Lillie turns around when someone spoke to her and is a bit surprised to find a rather polite bugbear.
"I'm Lillie, a drider " adding with a shy smile "a nice one"
Talking at just above a whisper so as not to disrupt the story tellers telling
"I've never seen a drider before, so I thought I would come and say hello. ... Hello. This seems to be a wondrous town for folk like us, a real home."
Valasca genuinely smiles at seeing little tooth and traces her movement back to Irraadraank. Her eyes hover approvingly for a moment on the impressive male reptilian physique showing himself to be a good dad before she catches herself and rapidly turns back to her drink which is suddenly very interesting.
Somewhat under her breath, I wondered why the little one was so boldly friendly."
Arcavic shows surprise as the Lizardwoman approaches him. He clearly had no expectations of being approached by anyone, nor being recognized for what he was. He whispers back, "Er, greetings. How are you?"
Arcavic scans the room, his eyes skipping over the drider and the bugbear. Both races were used as slaves by the drow, and he had no desire to interact with them, for fear their past experiences would cause them to lash out at him.
Still staring into her drink a little (it has been awhile since she'd seen a humanoid reptilian male.) To Arcavic: "Still getting used to humans that treat those that are different so well.
Ira's meal arrived, a thick rabbit stew heavy on the meat and light on the veggies as requested, along with a frothy mug of ale. He did not much care for plants but again, Little Tooth threw a fit if she did not at least see some veggies in his stew. Little Tooth got much the same thing, though her stew was more balanced than his and she got a proportionally smaller mug of small beer instead of ale.
Sharp eyes scanned the crowded inn's common room. He knew a few faces, though he frankly might have recognized some better looking down on them from above or wearing their favorite hats. The bugbear was hard to miss, as were the lizardwoman and bug-elf-thing. The burly wild man was another that stuck out. Ira had seen him in the forest a few times, or rather flown over him over the forest, but he doubted the man would known him. Granted, he was the only winged resident of this town.
He looked around for Little Tooth, wanting her to eat before her supper went cold but also not wanting to irritate people by trying to dig her out of the front row around the storyteller.
Aubrin continues her storytelling. “So there I am, thinking, when will I ever be able to talk to a
bear again? So before the grizzly can stand back up, I turn to it
and say, ‘All I need is the honey. You can keep the bees!’” The
room erupts into laughter as Aubrin finishes her winding story
and takes another draught from her tankard. “But it’s fine now.
All’s good. She named a cub after me. Someday I’m going to
have to check in on little Ow Oh Gods That’s Too Many Bees.”
As Aubrin tells her stories, Jet, the tavern owner, is walking around, quietly seeing to her customers' needs. She looks strangely at those of your party who are not well known in town, but is polite and brings you your requested drinks and food.
Crowd members share their own boasts and jokes, but
eventually someone tops off Aubrin’s tankard and pushes her
back into the center of the room.
“All right, all right! Don’t shove,” she slurs a bit. “Okay,
Cayden strike me down if this isn’t true—“
The front door explodes into flinders. A cry of agony pierces
the chaos. Aubrin lies on the floor, gasping and clutching at the
blood gushing from a wound in her chest. A ballista bolt still
quivers in the wall behind her.
Two hobgoblins in military dress stand beyond the shattered
door, blades drawn. Behind them, lit by the glow of burning
homes, dozens—perhaps hundreds—of hobgoblin soldiers
march the street. Phaendar burns, shouts of celebration now
replaced by the panicked screams of the frightened and dying.
Behind them, above the flames and humble rooftops, rises a
tower of black stone.
Jet the tavern owner is very close to Aubrin when she falls, and her first reaction is to grab Little Tooth, who was seated close to Aubrin, and pull her off to one side.
Ira whips around, previously laconic demeanor forgotten. He stands and spreads his wings wide while roaring a challenge at the pair of hobgoblins, a mouth full of pointed teeth gleaming in the low light of bar. He was acting on ancient instincts almost entirely making himself appear to be the most threatening thing in the room to draw attention away from his brood.
Enough of his training remained that he remembered to draw his sword before actually moving to attack. Folding his wings some, he begins to lope forward ready to remind these hobgoblins why no one else was sent after the Drake of Breakbottle Pass.
Current AC 17
Move: Move to closest/Draw Longsword
Standard: Attack with 2-handed grip.
Korvak turns his head at the noise and sees what has happened as he turns and stands he steps between Lillie and the Hobgoblins and then he swiftly advances stepping over chairs and leaping over tables to deliver a kick to one of the raiders.
Enjoying the storytelling, Arcavic goes to take a drink when suddenly the everything goes to chaos. The door explodes into cinders, and Aubrin lies on the ground, bloodied, while a ballista bolt quivers in the wall. At the sight of the hobgoblins, Arcavic's jaw drops, and he thinks, Hobgoblins? Here? This night took a turn for the worst. I have to get out of here.
With one of the hobgoblins in sight, Arcavic speaks his words of magic, using his magic to attempt to overwhelm one of the hobgoblins' senses.
Ira's sword swing whooshes past the hobgoblin harmlessly. Korvak's kick connects with a hobgoblin, making him yell.
The hobgobin targeted with Arcavik's spell appears out of it.
Korvak
Arcavik
Aubrin (dazed, bleeding out)
Lillie
Ira
Valeska
hobgoblins (first -10 HP, second uninjured, dazed)
Cnut
Valasca moves to heal the fallen ranger, keeping one hand on her spear should the hobgoblins enter and threaten the fallen, keeping an eye out for the halfling child.
Aubrin smiles at Valesca, obviously feeling a bit better, though still badly hurt.
Lillie curses, grabs her bow, aims and shoots at the last standing hobgoblin in one fluid motion that speaks of a great deal of practice.
Lillie's arrow slams into the non-dazed hobgoblin, causing it to almost fall over.
The injured hobgoblin slices at Korvak.
However, in his weakened state he's not able to injure him.
If there's sufficient room for me to utilize my enlarge person ability from the growth domain I will on my swift action and close to reach range of 15ft (preferably with one of the other melee characters firmly in the way) and take a stab. If there is not sufficient room I'll take a poke from 10ft range. Preferably on the uninjured one.
or if cannot enlarge
same d20 roll but with a +2 for 20
If enlarge allowed releases spell as free action to reduce back to medium.
Hobgoblins. Damned Ironfangs, here. I thought I'd left their kind behind. Oh well. Only one way to fix this problem.
Cnut rises, handaxe in hand, and crosses the room and attempts to finish off the wounded hobgoblin.
Cnut's attack ends the first hobgoblin.
Valesca's stab almost brings down the dazed hobgoblin.
Arcavic continues his magical sensory overload.
Turning on the final hobgoblin only to find him reeling and dazed, Ira snorts and draws out his buckler for a bit of extra protection.
Korvak being close to both hobgoblins will unleash a flurry of blows on the remaining one
Korvak's attack fells the second hobgoblin.
Cnut quickly searches the legionnaires for weapons or other useful gear. He looks to able-bodied citizens in the tavern and says "Here, take these. There's surely more Legionnaires out there, you'll need to defend yourselves." Anything else (coins, potions, etc) he'll offer to the other party members.
"Out the back, get them out the back!" Ira hissed looking out through the gaping open doorway at the destruction wrought by the maurading hobgoblins outside.
"Together, those of us who can will fight, those who can't you stay with us and we escape together."
He motions for others to go towards the back..
"Maybe I should go first, they may not realise i'm not with them."
Korvak will head out the backdoor first
'I hoped that I wouldn't need to rely on that training so soon'
"My bow'll be ready in case that doesn't work "
Lillie moves a step beside the door, leaning forward to carefully pear out of the door.
Valasca helps Arcavic up doing a quick heal check to assist as much as she can without doing more damage.
Arcavic looks about at those in the inn, and sighs. "We can't just run out there without a plan. Otherwise we'll get cut down while running about panicked. We also need supplies."
Arcavic turns to Jet and asks, "Jet, could you gather what supplies you have that will travel well? I don't know how long we'll have to hide, but we'll need food and such while we do."
Then, sighing, Arcavic removes his head wrappings to reveal the black skin and white eyes that, along with his pointed ears, revealed him to be Drow. He would need the extra visibility while moving about. At least it was night.
Jet is clearly scared, but she nods to Arcavik. As she moves to the door back to the kitchen, sounds of someone moving in the back rooms can be heard.
Aubrin the ranger looks at Ira. "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, even after the ministration of this kind lizard woman."
Lillie sees a hobgoblin moving around in the kitchen.
Ira looks out the front door, and sees chaos. There are bands of hobgoblins wandering around, and much of the town is burning. There are also many screams.
Cnut finds:
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)
Cnut hands the crossbow and bolts to one of the most 'trained' looking of the residents who was in the inn. He asks a few other residents to take charge of the food.
Ira nods, part of staying alive is knowing when to listen. "A smaller group would be better, we need to move quiet and fast and we need someone to get these folks moving to safety while we do. Who's game?"
Jet is clearly scared, but she nods to Arcavik. As she moves to the door back to the kitchen, sounds of someone moving in the back rooms can be heard.
Aubrin the ranger looks at Ira. "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, even after the ministration of this kind lizard woman."
Lillie sees a hobgoblin moving around in the kitchen.
Ira looks out the front door, and sees chaos. There are bands of hobgoblins wandering around, and much of the town is burning. There are also many screams.
Cnut finds:
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)
Cnut hands the crossbow and bolts to one of the most 'trained' looking of the residents who was in the inn. He asks a few other residents to take charge of the food.
Ducking back in after looking outside
"The temple sounds like a great idea, the temple will be a place of succour to those of faith and priests will be able to help poor Aubrin here and any others wounded along the way."
Cnut finds:
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)
Cnut hands the crossbow and bolts to one of the most 'trained' looking of the residents who was in the inn. He asks a few other residents to take charge of the food.
Each hobgoblin is wearing studded leather armor, carrying a light steel shield and a longsword, and has a longbow and 20 arrows strapped to his back.