AOO:
Gorgoron thrusts again at one of the Goblins within reach of his spear:
[ooc]Dherisan casts a slumber hex on the fleeing goblin. DC 14[/dice[
Alyoma calls down another column of shooting stars, dropping the wounded, fleeing goblin in an instant. The goblins that remain standing attack futilely- their ownly advantage (numbers) having been taken from them. They attack with great fervor, despite obviously loosing the battle, and leave their slumbering comrades to their fates. Another tries to climb to his feat after a clumsy swipe . Dehrisan hisses another sleeping curse, its magic gripping another goblin who involuntarily yawns as he manages to shrug off its effects . Gorgoron takes two steps back and thrusts his spear into the belly of one of your foes, staggering it as it gushes blood. Moments later Lleneth's whip rips its nearest ally off its feet. Heartbeats after the half-elf cut down one of the green-skinned cretins he lashes out again, but his blade falls short of its mark.
Total Bardic Rounds used: 4. 7 remain.
With naught but one goblin left, Lleneth opted to stop his rousing tale of daring just before it got to the good part. Not wanting to let any of the goblins escape, he lashes his whip once more at the only goblin still standing, aiming to trip it up and prevent its escape.
"Beautiful hit there, Alyoma. Thanks a million."
"The sleeping ones won't stay down for long," Dherisan cautions. [b]"They'll start waking up in a few more moments, so one way or another, something needs to be done about them. As he speaks, he steps towards one of the slumbering goblins and draws his staff, ready to strike should he need to do so.
Gorgoron thrusts fiercely at the last conscious goblin.
"Dehrisan? Are you taking them alive now? I thought that was only my perspective. If we do, what are we to do with them out here?"
Round 5, 18/31, Init 9
Ansruath growls before swinging at another goblin.
"I believe in preserving life when and where I can. In Sandpoint, that goblin's death was a foregone conclusion, whether by our hands, the hands of a mob, or by execution following a trial. I offered the greatest mercy I knew in the circumstances, but this is not the same situation. In any case, we'll need to bind them quickly, and decide what to do with them afterwards."
"Just deal with the horrid goblins and let's press on," Alyoma comments, her lack of sympathy for the goblins obvious. "Left alive, they'll just attack good folk later."
With a few more quick steps and strikes the goblins that remained standing fall, their lives ended in a matter of heartbeats, leaving only those in magically induced slumber alive and ignorant of their most dire of circumstances. A cursory glance over the corpses shows that they have little if anything of value, and many of them bare fresh scars and wounds that had not fully mended, likely sustained in the raid on Sandpoint. Their insignia is out of place in Thistletop territory, marking them as allies, or possibly leaderless refugees. The goblin who earlier fled lies slowly bleeding in a heap a short jaunt to the East, but most if not all of the other fallen's injuries were severe enough to slay them outright. The sleeping duo will not remain so for much longer.
"Tie up the sleeping ones, put the bleeding one out of its misery?" Lleneth suggests, putting his dagger away.
"I can bind his wounds. If we are leaving some here, we might as well spare as many as possible.
Gorgoron goes over to the injured goblin, and while someone watches him, with weapon poised, Gorgoron binds his wounds with strips of cloth.
"Whoever is doing the binding, make sure you tie them tight. The last thing we want is to find them free and waiting for us when we come back this way."
"I say we kill them but if you want to tie them up I suggest making it very tight." Ansruath says after hearing the others.
"Very well then, let's see to their wounds and bind them. I've no skill with rope, but perhaps someone more practiced could tie a knot that they could work free of in a day?"
After stabilizing the dying and tying up the remaining goblins as they begin to rouse from their magically induced slumber, being sure to gag them lest they call out for aid from their brethren, the group presses forth through the thickets and briars of the Nettlewood toward Thistletop to put an end to the green-skinned hordes once and for all (hopefully).
Soon the party forces their way through the brush into to another clearing along the twisting path. The floor and "walls" (tightly packed messes of impassable weeds and brambles) of the musty-smelling area are covered with matted, wiry fur. Well-gnawed bones lie scatered about the floor, and a dozen wooden stakes have been driven into the ground near the edges attached to frayed and useless ropes. The cloying musky scent lies heavier in the air to the east, where a moist nest of red and black hair rests. A quartet of strange creatures, the likes of which most of you have seen before glower and eye you. They raise their haunches and give a strange call, somewhere between a hiss and a bark.
These creatures mangy faces have flat noses and beady eyes. Rat-like teeth protrude from their jaws, having grown grotesquely large. Tiny clawed forelegs and a long, whip-like, hairless tail add to their verminous appearance. The smell of sun-baked sewage practically steams off their patchy fur.
"Huh... more company, something none too friendly it appears. What do you think, guys. Still interested in that story of mine?" Lleneth whispers to his friends.
Ansruath looks at the beasts for a moment before saying "Didn't the goblin leader we let go ride on one of those?" His sword at the ready as he speaks.
"He did. The goblin's I've met in my travels often use them as watch-dogs, so we must be close, and I doubt their masters are far off. It would behoove us to drop them before they can give away our position. Also, the sound they make when agitated is rather annoying, and I'd just as soon not have it piercing my ears." He thinks carefully as he readies his crossbow." Careful, though," the witch adds. Most of them carry some rather unpleasant diseases."
Round 1, Initiative: 23, 18/31 HP
Ansruath says "I am going to move ahead than." With his blade at the ready he moves forward.
Round 1 Initiative 5
Attacking vs. Touch AC:
Lleneth will full-defense and move his way forward.
, ,
Ansruath strides forward, his elven curveblade at the ready. The hissing rat-dogs turn their attention toward the half elven warrrior at his approach. Lleneth is not far behind, but before anyone else is able to react the disgusting creatures spring into action charging toward Ansruath. Fangs sink into his flesh at all angles, pulling him to the ground with all their might in a display of ferocity.
Round 1, Init 10
Alyoma moves forward to behind Lleneth, shocked at the viciousness of the dogs.
"Gorgoron, Ansruath is down! Help him!" she cries out.
She fires bolts of force at the dogs, hoping to kill some of the nasty critters.
Dehrisan hurries toward the front lines and with an arcane word fans his fingers. Flames erupt from his palms and engulf three of the four rat-faced canines. They dive for safety, but the one nearest the half elven witch is unable to fully escape the fiery wrath. It whimpers and hisses in response, standing on shaky legs, obviously wounded. The others are singed...and angry. Heartbeats later, shimmering bolts of force streak through the air. Alyoma's attack slams into one of the beasts in the rear who growls in pain and casts about nervously-their simple minds not comprehending the magical assaults.
Gorgoron rushes in to help Ansruath. He draws his wand and uses it to heal the fallen elf.
Ansruath heals:
Ansruath's eyes flutter open as the most grievous of his wounds magically knit to see the dwarven priest standing above him. The hissing and yelping of his foes lets him know that the battle is not yet won.
On his turn, Lleneth will be stepping next to Gorgoron while pulling out his own wand. Then he will be zapping Ansruath with it.
Dherisan' brow furrows in worry as he sees Ansruth collapse, and he is only mildly comforted by the hasty reaction of Gorgoron and Lleneth. He hisses softly as he locks eyes with the beast nearest the fallen warrior, trying to concentrate through Ember's frantic yelping.
Round 2, Inti 23, HP 5/31
Ansruath looks around after falling in battle. He moves to stand up to take a swing at one of the beasts.
EDIT: Way to freak out browser...
Ansruath, grips his sword and rises to his feet, but before he can even place himself into a proper stance to swing his blade the beasts descend upon him, their fangs shearing flesh and pulling him every which way. Luckily Lleneth is right behind him and with the flourish of a wand staves off the most grievious of the wounds suffered, but the half elf remains down, his many wounds starting to grow red and blotchy with an unsightly rash. The rat-faced dog creatures split to flank the party's front line, the duo that were heavily wounded nervosly nip at Dehrisan, obviously weary of more sudden flames, but too stupid to understand their origins. The others futilely attack the newest member of your group, but their assault fails to land anything significant.
Round 2, init 10
Alyoma again moves forward and launches bolts of force at the dog near to Ansruath.
Gorgoron grabs a hold of Ansruath with his free hand and shoves him back behind himself.
With hooked fingers and an arcane hiss, Dehrisan steps back to safety, directing a curse of slumber at one of the beasts. It sways groggily for a moment before tumbling to the dirt, it feet kicking as it growls, chasing something in its sleep. If the creature weren't so undeniably hideous, it would almost mar the heat of battle with its cute display. Seconds later Alyoma unleashes another barrage of shimmering bolts of force, these slamming into the animal beside the one that the witch had moments before dropped. It whimpers and collapses. Grabbing his fallen comrade, Gorgoron quickly yet carefully pulls Ansruath from the fray and swings him safely behind himself, leaving only two of the goblins' pets to topples.
Ah, dear. The fighter was down, and so Lleneth had to help in direct combat. He was never the best at this sort of thing. Still... He tried, lashing his whip to try and trip the wounded dog before him.
Gorgoron also takes a defensive posture, and reaches back with his wand to touch the bleeding and ravaged elf lying behind him.
Lleneth flicks his whip, its tip wrapping about the animal's front paws before him. With a tug he sends the off balance animal sprawling into the dirt. The standing dog-creature growls and lunges for Lleneth's throat...
...but its attack is clumsy and doesn't meet with flesh. The remaining dog staggers to its feet (). It too bites for the bard who dragged it down moments before...
Round 3, Init 10
Alyoma moves forward next to Gorgoron, and again launches bolts of force at the dog near to Lleneth.
Evoking the magic secrets within her blood, Alyoma conjures more shimmering bolts of pure force which erupt from her palm and draw a painful yelp from the creature before Lleneth as they slam into its side, severely wounding the beast who stands and moves shakily with a noticeable limp. The dwarven priest of the Dawnflower gestures precisely with his wand uttering a single soothing word to activate its divine healing magics. Soft, warm energy flows into Ansruath cleansing and knitting only a handful of his more minor scrapes and scratches, but breathing enough life back into the half elf that his eyes wearily flutter open and his shallow breathing returns to a more regular pace.
Round 5, 0/31
Ansruath looks around at the group before shaking his head at the dumb idea he had by trying to stand.