With the immediate threats well in hand, Idrian turns around and continues having a good time. That is, he takes aim at another goblin.
Composite Longbow +1 str +3: enhanced (+1), deadly aim, fav enemy, pb shot
to hit damage
Idrian turned and fired in one fluid motion, skewering the newly freed goblin with consumate ease.
Tania's eyes water from the rash: "Gah! Nasty stuff. Gah! Stupid beast!"
She raises her sword and turns towards the offending goblin dog and trying to smack it down, then moves to protect Mikka.
The hungry bats swarm thhe surviving dog decending on it to feast on its blood.
Mikka turns observing the effects of her spell on the sea of dying goblins.
Jo'no conjures forth an orb of acid and throws it at a foe.
Jo'no sighs.
Tania's new rash didn't seem to affect her ability to slay her foes. With a mighty slash of the longsward held in her hands, she severed the head from the remaining Goblin dog, ending their threat in these thickets for the time being.
Jo'no moved up and spray acid at one of teh goblins he had earlier put to slumber. Those two seemed to be the only ones still capable of any real threat. Unfortunately, the rush of adrenaline teh combat was causing had his hands too shaky, and the orb went wide of the mark, spattering harmlessly against the thorn bushes behind the creature.
As he Mikka watched, the writhing thorns of the druidess' spell wrapped the majority of the goblins in one last great convulsion. The creatures screams of fear were cut horribly short as vines constricted around their throats and drove 4 inch thorns into their windpipe and through the soft orbs of their eyes. They twitched in convulsive death throws, but ultimately perished from the magically twisted plants. The two remaining goblins panicked and tried to escape, only further twisting themselves in the spells effect though, and tearing themselves slowly apart as well.
Mikka's summoned bat swarm whispered through the brambles and thickets, seemingly passing through the very walls of the tunnels themselves as they easily traversed the warren. They had picked up a target that the remaining group couldn't really detect, the keen bat senses coming into their own in hunting prey in wildlands like this.
Wherever they had gone, they were accompanied by a muffled curse as the goblin Druid was surounded by them. It tried chanting magic, desperately looking to imitate Mikka's spell of entanglement but the magical syllables were cut short by a gaggling noise as the bat swarm spiralled around the caster.
Round 7
HP = 22
AC = 17
Weapon Equipped = Longbow
Arrows = 36/40
Speed = 40'
Inquisitor Spells Known (CL 3, +4 melee touch, +4 ranged touch):
1 3/4 (4/day) Bless Water (DC 13), Divine Favor, Protection from Evil, Cure Light Wounds (DC 13)
0 (at will) Acid Splash, Create Water, Detect Poison, Read Magic, Light, Detect Magic
Teamwork Feat: 2/2
Agile Feet: 5/5 Ignore difficult terrain.
Judgement: 0/1
Status Effects = Judgement of Sacred Destruction (+2 damage)
"Come Mikka, allow Desna to heal those wounds."
Idrian continues to watch the goblins perish in the Entangle. What the heck. He'll even help them along a bit and fire at one. If he needs to, Idrian will move to get a shot off.
Composite Longbow +1 str +3: enhanced (+1), deadly aim
to hit damage
Tania turns to Mikka: "How long will your spell threaten the little bugger? Could it turn on us? Might be safer to wait a bit..."
Satisfied with the work he has done here, Feldspar turns back to the others.
"Are there any left?"
Any goblin that Jo'no can move within 30' of will be targeted with an orb of acid.
"I can dispel it at any time."
"By all means, no! I mean, I kind of don't mind the little bugger being busy for a bit, plus it wears off his enchantments. No, I just want to know how long we have before we'll need to step in ourselves..."
Tania goes back to retrieve her bow.
"Should we circle it?" She'll then position herself nearest the goblin, but out of reach ().
Idrian drew and fired his bow again, and another goblin dropped in death to his deadly attacks. It was like shooting fish in a barel for the hunter, all in all quite satisfying.
Feldspar and Jo'no moved up to join the main group, realising that most of the fight had gone out of the goblins. Only the caster remained and it seemed to be screaming and yelling while Mikka's swarm surrounded it and attacked. Jo'no launched a bolt of acid at the last goblin, but it again missed, though only just this time. Not that it mattered, for teh creature quickly succumbed to the writhing tendrils of magically enhanced thorn bushes surrounding it.
Tania moved to get in a better position to see the goblin druid, noting that the flames on its left hand had disipated but it still held a wepon of flame in its right hand. A swarm of tiny bats swirled around the caster, thier little wings beating and causing the thing to flap its arms around desperately. The goblin saw Tania and rushed her, the bats streaming behind it as they followed closely, tearing small bites from his body. The thing swung its weapon but missed horribly. It stared in desperation at the woman, while the bats continued to bite at it and the rest of the group drewa bead on it.
Idrian whips around and looses an arrow at the anti-Mikka with barely a thought.
Composite Longbow +1 str +3: enhanced (+1), deadly aim, fav enemy, precise shot, pb shot (hopefully)
to hit damage
Tania hears Idrian's arrow whistle by a little too close for comfort, but tries nonetheless to find an opening in the goblin's defenses.
Feldspar draws his warhammer again and attacks the goblin.
Round 8
HP = 22
AC = 17
Weapon Equipped = Longbow
Arrows = 36/40
Speed = 40'
Inquisitor Spells Known (CL 3, +4 melee touch, +4 ranged touch):
1 2/4 (4/day) Bless Water (DC 13), Divine Favor, Protection from Evil, Cure Light Wounds (DC 13)
0 (at will) Acid Splash, Create Water, Detect Poison, Read Magic, Light, Detect Magic
Teamwork Feat: 2/2
Agile Feet: 5/5 Ignore difficult terrain.
Judgement: 0/1
Status Effects = Judgement of Sacred Destruction (+2 damage)
Desna guide me just a little longer.
Durik draws back the bow with the same ease as before and looses what he hopes is a final arrow at the creature before him.
Seeing things are well in hand, Jo'no waits until the few remaining goblins have been dealt with.
Mikka looks on, her eyes pronouncing silent judgement as her friends assault the goblin defiler.
The goblin druid died in a spray of blood as both arrow and hammer struck it down. There was no fanfare, no trumpet of music or clap of thunder to see its demse through, just the sudden end of battlenoise in the thick forest of thorn briars. Mikka looked down at the dead creature that her mother had corrupted in her madness. It had the trappings of a druid, with spell foci and inscribed leathers, but all of the symbology was directed to the dark path of her godess. The moon was stylised as a new moon, the shining light of her her godess cast into shadow. All the fetishes and doci were crafted from bone or dead wood, the symbolic end of all life, and part of the circle that fueled the magics of the natural world.
She bent to inspect the thing, and the power of her godess raced through her.
Durik breathes heavily, the short fight seemed to have lasted days in his mind, but in less than a minute the goblins and dogs lay dead, the evil druid and his cat cooling beside them.
"That was hard fought and well won. I can see I have fallen in with capable men and women indeed. What is our next step?"
Feldspar takes a deep breath before reaching into a pouch and removing a cloth to wipe the blood from his hammer. "Nice fight all around, though there seems to be a plague of troublesome cats lately." He glances at the long scratches he'd received from the beast that had attacked him.
"Is that wand handy? I could use a touch of its power."
Kneeling before the body of the corrupted one, Mikka studied the items, feeling the divine energy, twisted to dark purpose. Almost unconsciously she released the power guiding the thorny plants, their limbs and vined reterating to their former shapes as she pored over the effects of her dark counter.
Idrian can't keep from grinning after a job well done.
"I've a healing wand Feldspar, how injured are you?"
Tania, eyes and nose red from irritation, body deeply scratched from thorns and puffed from poison, lets a faint smile wander her lips. Exhausted, she sits on the floor: "The thorns in the end have been a boon for us. I shudder at the thought of that druid using the same on us... I am proud, I must say, to be part of such a fine and valiant group! ... I have been badly injured, but I fear it's not so much my flesh that suffer, but my 'system'... What can be done against such poison?"
Later, as she recuperates and gets up: "The setting sun might provide us the cover we need to proceed further. What do you say?"
"One or two charges should take care of me pretty well. I appreciate whatever you can do, Durik. The sooner our wounds are patched, the sooner we can move on."
"I can do nothing for the poison damage Tania, I lack the resources or magical might at this time."
Durik takes out his wand and uses it to heal Feldspar's wounds.
Feldspar nods gratefully. "That was exactly what I needed. Thank you, Durik. Are we ready to move on?"
"I'll tough then. I could use some of that wand's power though..."
"Idrian, do you think we should proceed at dusk?"
"I'll tough then. I could use some of that wand's power though..."
"I'll tough then. I could use some of that wand's power though..."
"I'll tough then. I could use some of that wand's power though..."
"I'd much rather continue on. The little creatures have Darkvision and we'll be at enough of a disadvantage at night without being in this maze. If everyone's ready, we should get moving."
As Mikka went over the items on the goblin, she felt the godess' power surge through her. Symbols shifted on the leather of the creature, twisting and puffing until they faded from its armour. To Mikkas surprise, her own armour twisted and changed in response. The Full moon symbol ofer godess' aspect emerged in a silvered pattern across the chest and stomoach of her leater brestplate, glowing slightly with Eldritch power as the goddess worked her will. She obviously approved.(Armour becomes +1 for Mikka)
The creature had a number of fetishes and amulets, most of which were usesless though. It's heavy green cloak seemed in much better condition than almost all its other gear though. (Cloak of resistance +1). The thing had a number of potions as well, some of tehm obviously healing and the other one for somthing animalisitic in nature. ( 2 x potion of cure light, 1 x potion of speak with animals, 2 x potion of tree shape).
The real find for Mikka was the wand the goblin had tucked into its belt. It was carved from Wieldwood, the shape of the handle in the form of a young woman in fullness of pregnancy. A small moonstone set into the womb of the woman showed it to be her mothers, without a doubt. It was something she had crafted when Mikka was only ten, and her mother had been so proud of her own work. (Wand of Produce flame, 4th level. 34 charges)
The goblins tht had died amongst the tangling briars were spectacular only in their complete lack of useful items. It would seem they had been stripped anyhting remotely valuable when they had fled here, and only the most rudimentary of weapons and defensive gear had been left to them.
At Idrian's suggestion, they pushed on a little, finally coming to a path that led directly to the bridge spanning the gap between mainland and goblin fortress. The light was dim, and they could see a few lights burning in the watch towers on the far side. They wre most likely for warmth in the cool coastal night rather than necessary light.
Perception includes fav enemy
Idrian scans the bridge and the little island for goblin sign.
Feldspar keeps his warhammer and shield in hand as he keeps up with the others, watching carefully in the gloom with his sensitive dwarven eyes.
Tania stays close behind Idrian, keeping an eye out for danger.
"I'm ready to move when you are, I'd like nothing better than to leave this maze as soon as possible."
Idrian and Feldspar scan the fort from the safety of the thickets edge. The orange ball of the sun sinks below and to the left of the fortress, throwing a glare into their eyes which desn't help, but both of them pick up the goblins at the front of the stockade.
There seems to be a groupf of 4 or 5 of them, milling about and throwing rocks at something flapping in the air above them. Feldspar struggles to make it out, but Idrian can clearly see it is a sea gull that has its leg tied to some string. This was some cruel game of the goblins obviously, typical of their nature in general.
Four of the mangy looking goblin dogs yip and snarl around the scene as well, happily trying to grab the bird or nip at the goblins as their game continues. They seem to be completely focused on this, rather than the bridge itself.
Both of the closest towers have wthc lights burning in them, but no one seems to wtching outside. Goblins really were too chaotic to be much good at long stints of guard duty.
Here at the edge of teh thickets, the two men got a real sense of teh oceans power and the noise it made. In the thickets it sounded nothing more than a low rumble droning and surging in teh background, but out here the waves crashed and the thickets fairly hummed with the sea breeze. If they were quick, they could take this group by surprise.
Just as they turned to leave and let the others know what they had found, Idrian noticed something about the bridge as well. The posts on the far side seemed to be far more rickety than those on this edge of the span. If too much weight was placed on that bridge, those far supports were likely to rip out and send whoever was on it plunging into the sea below. Not pleasent. As he glanced down at the water, he noticed a large dark shape glide through the waters of the chanel and disapear under the cliff they were standing on. Not a pleasent drop at all.
"We could cross the bridge one at a time with everyone on this side providing cover fire. We could camp in the woods and do this in the morning. We could go back to town for the night and do this tomorrow."
Feeling her goddess' presence brings a sad smile to her face as she handles the wand, reminded of a time before her mother's corruption.
The young druidess rose, a resolute expression on her face.
"My mother was here, in fact this one must have been one of her new corrupted circle. Be careful."
"We've plenty of archers to fire at them from across the bridge without crossing, but I doubt we could stop them before they raised the alarm. Could we fight them across this bridge or do they have another way around?"
"The darkness is no hindrance for me but it may still be better to try an assault in the morning while the sun is rising. If the sunlight is in their eyes it'll make things all the more difficult for them." Feldspar says, still trying to rub the afterimage of the sunset from his own eyes.
Tania nods both at Durik and Feldspar: That's good advice. I'm afraid they might figure something is wrong in the maze during the night and ambush us. I say we send Feldspar across, tied to a rope, while we send our arguments through the air, closing in one after another. On the other hand, I could go first, using a spell to move faster (only works for me, sorry Feldspar), Feldspar following behind."
"Need we cross the bridge at all? If we fire upon them and allow them to come to us, we can take them singly or in pairs. If there is another way across we will find it. Alternatively we could set an ambush in the thicket for when they come looking for their lost brethren, if such beasts care for the others at all."
Looking up at the sky, Durik sighs.
"This is Desna's time, but these creatures care nothing for her, and will no doubt be awake most of the night. How many of these corrupted circle members can we expect Mikka?"
"I honestly have no idea. When my mother left our coven after abandoning me to die in the deep forest, she began to travel spreading her darkness and corruption to those who would learn. There may be others or there may not."
Looking into the darkening sky thoughtfully the young druidess is thoughtful for a moment.
"Gozreh has gifted me with night sight as well so we would have a few that could stand guard should we rest here."
"Idrian saw that the structure holding the bridge was loose on their side. I'm afraid it might let go if we're too many walking on it, but it could also mean they can cut the bridge if in trouble... That's why I'd like at least one of us to cover the bridge if we attack."
She then turns to Mikka: "I could use the rest, I'm just worried of us being discovered. But that's a reasonable risk."