"That reminds me, I've been thinking of buying a horse!" Lanliss says conversationally.
’some may have to die?’ Letting out a snort, Brunner chuckles at his friend, ” Blast, Dalron, Ah thooght Ah hud killed thes gobo, till someain healed heem sae we coods ask heem questions. Ah got nae problem wi' a fair barnie in war, nur enforcin' th' law. Aam jist nae gonnae slaughter non-combatants.”
Following Dalron as they head out, he nods his head in agreement, ” But Ah agree "let's gie thes dain an' a' fowk back in a single piece"."
'Dalron has the right of it, goblin and wolf tracks. Their on the move.' Nodding his head in agreement with their ranger, Brunner follows along, answering Lanliss, tapping the ground with the head of his hammer. "A cuddie woods be braw fur ye. Eeh'd prefer a goat cart. It woods be closer tae th' grin, in case Ah faa aff."
Dalron tacks the prints to a slight clearing that has a slight incline. As you are about to walk into the clearing you hear the sound of howling. At the same time Dalron feels a slight tug of the chain. Looking back you see the goblin trying to resist your movement forward.
'Let him go, we said we'd let him live, not sure about letting him go yet.' Looking from the goblin to Dalron Brunner takes the chain. "Gang see whit ye can see, 'en we'll decide."
He then turns and looks at Scarlet, "Ur ye gonnae sneak aff wi' heem?"
Putting his bow away and drawing his rapier, Scarlet nods to Brunner as he slips into the shadows to follow Dalron as they scout ahead. But as soon as he starts he trips over Dalron's prone body.
Scarlet and Dalron both pushes through into the clearing, but while doing so they trip over some branches that are low to the grown. Falling through, Scarlet and Dalron both see a well traveled dirt packed rut in the grass. The trail leads to an opening in the mountain.
Rushing forward to see what the commotion is, Lanliss looks at what Dalron is looking at.
Lanliss' eyes go wide, and he casts shield of faith.
Waiting to see what Dalron and Scarlet find in the clearing.
;
Scarlet gets off the ground and dust himself off. "That was embarrassing."
Evia stays to the shadows in the brush, attempting to locate the others in the clearing and if anything might attack them.
Initiative
Surprise round
Goblins (acting now)
Dalron & Lanliss
Round 1
Goblins
Everyone else
Scarlet 1, Brunner 2, Dalron 3, Lanliss 4, Evia 5
Scarlet topples over Dalron leaving himself exposed to a few attacks. An arrow flys out towards him as a rat-like dog exits the entry of the mine. It is ferociously snarling and barking.
Scarlet takes 4 points of damage as he is hit square with an arrow
Another arrow flys out striking towards Brunner, striking him true in a bare spot. 1 point of damage
Still in surprise round: Dalron & Lanliss turn
A well-worn path leads up to a cave in the Hollis Democrats. The opening is about 90 feet away, and the closer you get, the more intense the feeling you have of being watched.
Two more arrows fly from the opening of the cave coming down upon Lanliss and Brunner. Shortly after the arrows fly the ratlike dog flys down the path bounding towards Brunner.
Three strong hits land on Brunner and Lanliss. Brunner starts to feel a bit of irritation come from the dogs bite as a it looks like a rash is starting to form.
Initiative
Round 1
Everyone
Round 2
Goblins
Wincing from the pain caused by the arrow earlier, he sees that Brunner is even in worse shape then him. He steps closer to the dog and gets in a flanking position with the dog and Brunner before he thrust his sword at the dog's flank.
From the safety of the treeline, Barnabus winds up his throwing arm and then slings it forward to send a ball of force streaking at the rat-dog.
” Ye hae got tae be kiddin' me.” Rolling his eyes, as both of their scouts get tangled in the brush, realizing they see something, tugging on the chain, ” 'main 'en.” He moves forward just in enough time to get nicked by a goblin arrow and realize there is a commotion beyond the woods.
As he nears, he sees the goblin dog charging. Dropping the chain as he prepares to repel the animal, he get’s hit in the shoulder, just over his shield, by a goblin arrow. He lifts his shield, Painfully blocking the dogs attack and swings his hammer at the beast. "Yer reit Dalron, it an' it's masters."
With a quick shot and swing of attack; Barnabus, Dalron, and Brunner take out the goblin dog.
Evia moves up next to Brunner and draws the wand she was given.
"Hang on there, champ. We'll get you back in the fight."
As soon as the rat dog is down, Lanliss steps back so that it is out of the range of his channeling, and produces a burst of positive energy, healing Brunner, Scarlet, and himself for...
...points of health.
Two arrows fly from the entry way of the mine. They sink into ground around you. You hear some muttered curses from afar.
Initiative
Round 2
Everyone
Round 3
Goblins
Everyone
Evia launches into her song at the continuance of combat as the arrows rain down around the group.
"This town, this collection of people in the rain
Cannot be stopped, cannot be beaten!
Amidst a forest, we come to a howling mine
To stop these goblins, we will not be defeated!
Our swords sharp, our coinpurses light
We are mountains, their faces paled white
As we charge their final resting places
And they fall, and they fall, and they fall,
And we remember their faces.
Every one."
Scarlet dashes into the woods and uses the brush to move closer to the entrance of the cave while trying to remain hidden.
Barnabus readies an action to cast a force missile at the first git out of the cave mouth.
Lanliss follows Dalron, also hoping to find a target for his bow.
Dalron lets loose an arrow that strikes true on the goblin. From the depts of the entrance you hear the sound of struggles to breath as a wet gurgling croak slowly begins to die down.
"Weel Laddies, Torag hates a coward." Leaving the prisoner where he dropped the chain, Brunner Hefts his shield in on hand and his hammer in the other. As quickly as his dwarven legs will carry him, He starts to move across the open field to the door of the mines.
With a whirlwind turn of events the goblin dog has been dropped and from the sounds of it one within the cave has fallen also. As the group pays close attention to everything that is going on towards the entrance of the mine, from behind you hear fleeting footsteps with the clanging of a chain being dragged away.
An arrow flys from the cave and sinks deep in the dirt at Dalron feet. The goblin disappears deeper within the mine.
Initiative
Round 3
Everyone
Round 4
Goblins
Brunner is 50 feet away from the mine. Lanliss, Scarlet and Dalron are 60 feet away. Evan and Barnabus are 90 feet away.
Hearing the clanging of the chain and the footsteps of the goblin, he looks back but thinks. The goblin won't survive long with that heavy chain around his neck.
He looks back toward the entrance of the cave and decides to go for a mad dash and run toward the cave.
'Stupid goblin, that chain will be a problem for it. It must figure it has better chance of surviving without waiting for us. Need to focus on the task at hand, I don't see the shooters anymore, won't pay to take chances though.' Moving in a zig-zag pattern, Brunner continues moving defensively toward the mine entrance. Snarling "'main 'en it ye gobo's, We'll gie ye only a one chance tae surrender. Aam warnin' ye, hidin' in a mine isnae smart when yer facin' A warriur ay Torag frae under th' ben."
Barnabus double times forward 40 feet to join the others.
Evia stops her poem and then bolts for the cave entrance being so far behind.
The party makes their way to the entrance of the mine. Your eyes take a few moments to adjust as you are coming out of the sunny day into the pitch black of the mine.
'Finally out of the woods and into someplace a dwarf belongs, a pity it's soiled by these goblins.' Stepping into the mines entrance, Brunner gives his eyes time to adjust, he then informs the others, "Be ready, thaur tha remains ay min' tracks an' carts scattered athwart thes large room, It's abit twintie feit deep an' forty feit wide. 'en deeper in thaur is an incline ledge 'at leids tae a duir 'at is closed. tae th' reit ye see a steeper decline intae a pit."
Looking to Dalron he nods his head, then he turns to Lanliss and asks, "I've messed up mah shoolder bonnie guid wi' thes arraw. dae ye hink Desna woods min' if ye healed it?"
"Even if we weren't making the road safe for travelers, I'm sure she wouldn't mind."
"Hate to admit it, but I'm still wounded from the arrow to the shoulder. But I think I can go on with this wound."
Barnabus makes a few passes with his hands and mutters some arcane words.
"We seem to have lost the element of surprise, but as long as it's goblin scum I don't see how it will matter."
Barnabus's weasel chitters in agreement from his sidebag.
Thanks to Dalron’s Everburning Torch, you are all able to see what you might not have been able to before. Also on the ground in the middle of the entry tunnel you find a fallen goblin in a pool of blood.
His shoulder almost entirely healed, Brunner Nods politely to the elf, "Thenk ye lanliss, an' thenk Desna."
Brunner smiles at Scarlet, waving his hammer towards the pit, "Yoo'll be aw reit laddie, let's tae tak' a swatch intae th' pit afair we try th' duir." Moving towards the pit, Brunner stops at the edge of the steep incline, trying to see into the pit.