"Yummy Food Lady right! Other goblins be running around, they ruin anything. Pretty House safe now. Other shinies may be in trouble! Gritz must protect them!" He leans back, nodding. "No meanies. Gritz understand. Other goblins not see the pretty pictures like Gritz has. They not know what they breaking."
Gritz bent down and grabbed the unconscious goblin's foot, holding it up to Gubby. "Gub Gub! Hunt!" he ordered. The goblin dog took a moment to sniff the foot, before sniffing around at the ground, following after the trail in search of more goblins. "Gubby find other goblins! Gubby got good nose!"
Gubby circles a few times before seeming to catch a scent and heading off down one of the main roads out of the festival area. The group follows trying to keep pace with the excited creature as it leads them in the direction of the White Deer. Suddenly he stops, sniffs again and then dives behind a knocked over table that apparently held the Deer's festival offering of food. The sound of voracious eating and clashing of plates soon follows.
A bit disappointed, and with some of you questioning the wisdom of following a large rat through town, you're attention is soon taken by cries of alarm and the angry barking of a dog. Looking west down the road you see a goblin mounted on a creature that looks quite a bit like Gubby locked in combat with a dog. As you make sense of the scene the goblin stabs down at the dog and drives his polearm deep into it's chest.
The goblins victory bellow is echoed by other nearby goblins who emerge from hiding. Further down the street you also catch sight of a man hiding behind a barrel.
Seeing more goblins assailing citizens, Hollie begins working some magic on Draxtherian, as he charges directly at the nearest goblin and snaps at its throat!
__________
Matthias runs up behind Draxtherian, preparing to repeat that color trick which seemed useful last time.
Although she'd like to take a shot at the mounted goblin while it's still unaware of the group, it's a long-range, low-percentage shot. Instead, she fires at the nearest goblin to the southwest.
for
for
Jes moves up near Matthias and pulls out another vial, ready to mix it up to use.
Gritz seemed a little disappointed and sheepish that Gubby found food, not the other goblins, but the sudden scream gets him back into his proper mindset and calls for Gubby to follow him in the chase to the scene.
Arriving at the scene, Gritz found himself a little nervous. Granted, dogs were scary evil beings of great terror and horror... but Lady Shelly wanted him to see the beauty in anything. Even scary ugly dogs! Rushing towards the mounted goblin, Gritz knew he was too late to save the beast... but perhaps he could convince them to stop!
Gritz moved forward and planted his pole into the ground, Gubby growling protectively at his side before calling out to the other goblins.
When 'Good Gobbo' calls out to the raiders rather than attacking them, the light goes on in Shaedeen's head: He's secretly one of the goblins' bosses!
Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!
Shae's shot flies true striking the goblin right through his skull. His body dropped like a doll with it's strings cut.
As the party move into the area the remaining goblins quickly become aware of their presence.
The mounted goblin pauses a moment and looks a bit confused a Gritz before responding.
The prettiest thing is seeing the longshanks stuff burn. You want to be a longshank? Then we burn you too!
He punctuates his statement with an arrow from his bow
The arrow buries itself deep in his shoulder.
The remaining goblins move to attack with a shrill battlecry.
The first charges in at Gritz but the nimble goblin easily ducks the blow. Draxtharian is less fortunate and takes a strike from a nearby goblin.
Gritz frowned at the goblin's response. But he gave them a chance... all living things love beauty and he would show them beauty's answer! Tilting his head as the arrow came flying past, Gritz's frown turned into a grim expression, before spinning the glaive and jabbing it towards the incoming goblin, even as he braced for impact. He was still working on the whole "make it look pretty" thing.
Leaping back from the attacking goblin and closer to the mounted one, Gritz collected another burst of rainbow fire in his little palm, before hurling it back at the mounted goblin! "Gub Gub! Fight! Gubby snarled and yapped as he charged in to attack the other goblin dog, aiming to pick a fight with the beast!
Matthias carefully tries to cast a spell at the two goblins near him.
But the spell fizzles out as the young ratfolk is not used to casting magic under so much pressure! He steps carefully away from the goblin.
Draxtherian again doubles in size as he continues to lash out at the nearby goblins.
Shaedeen moves forward, fitting another arrow to her bowstring. Again she'd like to start putting some pain on the mounted leader but the dawdling, flat-footed gobbo too the north is too tempting of a target. Just as she tries to plant her feet and take her shot, however, she steps on the edge of the recently-enlarged Draxtherian's tail. Her shot arcs skywrd, going over the town wall.
for
Gritz steps forward and sends a rainbow colored flame at the mounted goblin. It catches him in the side of the head leaving a sickening looking burn and draws out a screech of pain. The goblin next to him attempts to take advantage of Gritz distraction but his attack goes wide as Gubby pounces on him and drags him to the ground.
Nearby Draxtharian again grows in stature before grabbing the closest goblin in his mouth, shaking it like a rag doll and tossing it away. Reaching out with his claws he then rends the life from the other warrior.
Hollie runs over and hops up onto Draxtherian’s back again, and leans forward to ask him ”You alright big guy?”
”Better than they will be!” he says as he glares at the mounted goblin.
Matthias watches the dragon rip at the goblins around him and gulps in dread. Perhaps he wasn't so comfortable standing here and should just keep backing up a bit...
Jes scurries by the large dragons feet and winds up and pitches the last of her vials at the mounted goblin.
However, apparently hitting two combined targets is harder than it looks as the bomb flies wide.
Snarling at Gritz the mounted goblin sets his goblin dog on the move, swinging around the party and firing at his attacker.
His damaged eye throws off his aim and the arrow goes wide.
Shaedeen scoots west a bit for a clear shot at the mounted goblin. Figuring the ratlike mount is an easier target, she fires an arrow at it.
for
Matthias moves into the cover of the nearby tree, preparing to act should the enemy come within range.
Daxtherian surged forward, his heavy footfalls thundering past the minuscule rat thing and headed for the mounted goblin. He takes a snap at the dog-like creature, hoping to take away the rider’s maneuverability.
Out of other options, Jes quickly scans the other unconscious or dead goblins for an appropriate weapon.
Gritz ducked just in time to sidestep the arrow, before scowling back at the mounted goblin and gripping his glaive in his hands. "Gub Gub! Come!" he ordered, before charging at the mounted goblin and narrowing his bladed polearm at the goblin commander. Gubby snarled, staying close as he followed quickly behind his master.
The party turns it's full attention to the mounted goblin. Shea fires a shot at the goblin dog but it flies just wide. Meanwhile Drax and Hollie charge in and the dragon takes a bite at the creature. The goblin pulls at the fur on the creatures back trying to avoid the blow.
The rat like creature jumps in reaction and narrowly evades the dragons bite. While distracted by the attack on his mount however the rider fails to see Gritz move up and stab him in the side.
Dropping his bow the goblin grabs his horse chopper and returns the attack on Gritz.
The blade cleaves deeply into the colorful goblin and sends him to the ground. The rider gives a short victory shout as he repositions for his next attack.
Draxtherian seems unphased by the fall of the “good goblin,” but continues to try and rip the mount apart!
__________
Gritz snarled at the retaliation... but not for long, as the slash goes right across his little chest, piercing his armor and sending him sprawling to the ground. All he can wheeze out is "For the... Pretty Lady... in the Sky..." before falling unconscious.
Gubby, however, snarls and yaps angrily at the mounted goblin for harming his master, pouncing forward and picking a fight with the goblin dog mount.
As Drax renews his assault the goblin rider again tries to save his mount from the worst of the blows.
He manages to guide it by the first but the follow up as well as the enraged Gubby's attack land and leave the creature rocking on it's feet.
Shaedeen continues to pepper the goblin leader's mount from a distance, looking for an opportunity to close.
for
Matthias moves up behind the dragon. "Q... Q... Quick! Let's beat this one so we can save the good one!" He pulls some butter out of a pouch at his side and says some funny words.
Not finding anything to continue the fight and seeing their new friendly goblin fall unconscious, Jes moves up to try and drag the goblin away from the fight and out of any further danger.
Shae's next shot flies true, catching the goblins mount in the throat and dropping it to the ground.
The goblin manages to land deftly on his feet ready to fight just as the ground beneath him is coated in grease.
His feet kick and slip beneath him almost comically just before he lands hard on his back. Flipping over the goblin stands up and tries to move out of the grease.
Unfortunately he makes little progress but does keep his feet.
Drax continues his onslaught against the goblin!
Seeing Jessalissa tending to (Tending to/dragging--What's the difference?) the fallen good gobbo, Shae stores her bow and draws her rapier, preparing to go all melee on the goblin leader.
Matthias moves into position and tries to keep on helping. "St... st... st... stop it!" he yells at the evil goblin in a terribly squeaky voice. He waves his paw and squeaks some more. He looks over his shoulder "Can you help him J... J... Jess? Stop the bleeding..."
Drax slashes across the goblins chest leaving deep furrows and sending him to the ground.
To the west a cracked cry of joy can be heard as a man steps out from behind a pile of wood.
Matthias relaxes somewhat when the goblin falls but looks uneasily at Drax. He kills small things like me with too much ease... He is surprised to see the man appear but is very concerned about the bleeding, friendly goblin.
Hollie hops off of Drax’s back and pats him affectionately on his neck. ”Watch him, but don’t hurt him,” she whispers looking to the injured helpful goblin. ”He was helping us.”
He growls and peers at the unconscious goblin as Hollie walks over to the man who now came out of hiding. ”Are you alright, Sir?”
Fritz doesn't offer much resistance as he gets dragged away... though he does leave a pretty long puddle of blood in his wake.
Hubby, however, seems more occupied with continuing his assault on the now dead goblin... more as a rewarding meal for his hard work than any other reason.
Although bandaging and stabilizing folks is hardly her forte, Shaedeen realizes that she did a decent job patching up the fallen villager moments earlier; perhaps she can work a similar wonder with the bleeding goblin...provided its rodent mount doesn't attack her. Keeping her rapier nearby, the teen kneels by the 'good gobbo' and tries to bandage his wounds and staunch his bleeding.
With Shae tending skillfully to the goblin, Matthias breathes a sigh of relief. Then he turns to the man Hollie is speaking to, the same questions in his own eyes.
With the helpful goblin now breathing steadily, Shaedeen sheathes her rapier but surreptitiously draws her sap, eyeballing the unconscious goblin's four-legged friend. She steps away from the goblin but keeps her hidden weapon ready in case the rat-dog should attack her.
Shaedeen pulls off another feat of common medical acumen and good sense. Gritz's breathing stabilizes as she finishes. Also luckily for her, Gubby seems much more content to chew on his newest meal of goblin leader than care too much about what some tall woman is doing to his master.
Whether this is a good or bad thing is up for debate.
With the groups latest battle at an end you once again get the chance to catch your breath. This time you notice that the sounds of battle and goblin chatter have almost ceased. From what you can see the guard, with the help of various townsfolk, have things in hand and the goblins seem to be either dead, captured or running off.
A well dressed man approaches, still obviously nervous as he glances about.
"Ah...Ms. Skyborn it was good of your and your company to come to my aid." his eyes scan the group, sticking on Shae for a moment before he bows deeply. "I fear I would have followed my poor hound in only a few more moments." At his mention of the dog he looks back at it's body with obvious sorrow.
Stepping towards Shae he continues, "I don't believe I've had the pleasure. I'm Aldern Foxglove." he reaches forward for her hand and kisses the back of it if she allows (otherwise he holds his hand in space for a moment before gracefully withdrawing it and continuing). "Your skill with your weapons are quite impressive. I saw you shoot that creatures mount right out from beneath him."
It's about this time he notices Gubby tearing chunks from the dead goblins leg.
"Ahhh.." he calls out, his charismatic veneer broken for a moment. Noting the group isn't moving to kill the creature he backs away a bit and finishes a bit hastily "I'll be staying at the Rusty Dragon for a few days. I would love the chance to talk more in more...suitable environs. If you get the chance please stop in."
With that he takes his leave, moving quickly from the plaza.
Shaedeen blushes at the older man's attention, but allows the kiss, fervently hoping there's no blood on her hand from the battle. "My name's Shaedeen...Shaedeen Valzanar."
Once Lord Foxglove is gone, she scoots over to Hollie and nearly squeals, "Who is that ?"
Draxtherian forcefully drags the goblin away from the nobleman, removing the offending scene from his presence. If the rat thing grows violent over it, Draxtherian seems not to be concerned. In fact, he almost appears to be pushing the issue...
”Ah...Lord Foxglove! I didn’t recognize you at first in the heat of...battle,” she trails off as he begins focusing his attentions on Shae. A part of her grows a bit jealous of the younger girl, but she pushes that aside.
When he leaves and asks Hollie excitedly who that was, she answers, ”Lord Aldern Foxglove. He’s a local nobleman. Seems that you’ve caught his eye. Maybe you can get yourself a proper date for the play tonight, assuming it’s still on...”
Matthias steps up nervously as the two ladies converse. He voices to the group "Um... Excuse me... But perhaps we should bring this goblin and the one we captured earlier to consciousness so we c... C... Can ask them what's going on?"
Gubby seems to not care at all that Drax is dragging away his meal but merely continues gnawing on the goblin as it's moved.
After his parents death Aldern and his sister were taken to Korvosa where they were raised by family before eventually returning to Magmimar where Aldern became a successful merchant in his own right. He recently returned to the Manor and has been working to have it restored though workers are hard to come by.