The gobliness jumps away from Tybus, bringing her whip up in a defensive posture. As Tristan rushes toward her, the whip lashes out, its tip looping around his ankle. The ranger is not even slowed, however, and his own counterstrike begins with her neck and ends with the hobgoblin's guts. Both bodies topple to the floor.
Shalelu lowers her bow, letting out a sigh. "That was... anticlimactic." She then snorts as she hears her own words, dissolving into giggles. "...If you know what I mean." After a moment, she sobers up again, shaking her head as she walks over to stare down at the hobgoblin's body. "Rot in hell, you bloody bastard," she says to it before spitting on his face and turning away.
Halgor clears his throat and looks away at the ranger's remark.
Lamsfel relaxes. Trusting the others to search the room, he turns his attention to the other doors to make sure they don't get surprised from behind. "Halgor, be ready."
"Is their gear worth investigating?"
Careful what ye touch here. Ye don't want to stick to anything.
I'd be interested if Bruthazmus's bow has a compound draw, but outside of that, unless it's magic, I can see us leaving everything behind and quarantining that room.
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Bruthazmus' bow does indeed have a stronger-than-normal draw. Tybus also notes that the set of Medium-sized studded leather armor in the corner is of unusually fine make. When he checks the room for magical aura, he finds two: one leads him to a potion bottle tucked into a pouch next to the armor, and the other surrounds one particular arrow in Bruthazmus's quiver. A finely-made arrow, the tip has the word "SHALELU" etched into it.
Two spellcraft checks, coming up.
The potion is cure light wounds; Tybus is not sure what to make of the arrow, though, beyond the sheer fact that it is enchanted.
With her name etched on it, it's not bound to be good. It's clear what he's thinking, despite not interpreting the enchantments laid upon it.
Tybus offers Shalelu the arrow, and has only a shrug if she asks what it means. He holds it out, and puts stress on the slender shaft with his calloused hands. Unless Shalelu stops him, or someone else intercedes, he'll snap the enchanted arrow, and let the pieces fall on Bruthazmus's corpse.
Gan points to the door just to the east of the "champagne room" (D2) and motions for Halgor to open it after everyone gets into position.
Lamsfel doesn't know about such things and trusts your judgement. Halgor's here to kill goblins and Shalelu suspects that what you are doing is not a bad idea, at least for her and Lamsfel's future survival.
So that's three that won't try to stop you.
Tristan doesn't particularly mind either, being slightly superstitious. He can't resist casting a greedy eye on the bow, though.
Lamsfel catches his glance. "Take it. He won't be needing it anymore."
Lamsfel and Shalelu take up their position to fire into the next doorway and Halgor grabs the handle and waits until everyone is ready.
Halgor pulls open the next door to reveal a short hallway that turns to the right after a ten feet or so. As the group creeps along, they find a series of doors just past the corner, two on each side and a fifth at the end of the corridor.
The elves try to move down the hall silently and listen at each door for activity. Shalelu is continuing to look for signs of traffic at each door as well.
Stealth rolls:
Lamsfel
Shalelu
Perception rolls:
Lamsfel
Shalelu
Lamsfel
Shalelu
Lamsfel
Shalelu
Lamsfel
Shalelu
Lamsfel
Shalelu
All of the rooms appear to be unoccupied, based on what the two elves can hear.
After a quick conference, the two elves come back down the corridor. Pointing to the first door they listened to, they ready themselves to fire through the door.
Halgor moves down the hall and takes up a position to open it, as usual, waiting for the other members of the party to ready themselves.
Tybus tucks away his vial of frost and stows his cutlass. Then he smoothly draws the katana and holds it in a two-handed grip. He rolls his shoulders and pops his neck a couple times, then moves to be ready to rush into the room if danger presents itself.
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The first room is a small, one-person bedroom, clearly occupied for some time, although not currently. The bed itself is rumpled and unmade, and a half-eaten meal of bread and smoked salmon sits on the nightstand. A few articles of dirty clothing sit on the foot of the bed, and a scattering of papers cover the floor - apparently poorly-written love poetry to someone named "Lyrie," though based on the numerous crossed-out lines, the author seems to have recognized his lack of talent.
The second room is also a bedroom, it would seem, but by contrast, it has not seemingly been used in some time. It has a faint, musty odor (Shalelu sniffs once, then growls, "Hobgoblin,"), and the bed is covered with a thick carpet of greyish skin flakes. Bloodstains mar the stone floor, while a morbid stack of birds' feet lies heaped on the floor beside the bed.
The next room is another bedroom, but this one is so clean and spartan it isn't clear if it is actually being lived in. There is a single everburning torch in a sconce on the wall, but nothing else of a personal nature is evident anywhere.
The fourth room makes it clear, if it wasn't already, that this wing is a dormitory, because it is another bedroom. There is faint layer of dust on most of the surfaces - it apparently hasn't been occupied in a week, perhaps longer - though Shalelu and Lamsfel note a few traces in the dust that suggest someone has been in the room a few times more recently than that. The room itself is well-organized; a low dresser in one corner holds a stack of papers weighted down with a piece of obsidian. The papers are covered in a well-ordered hand that is immediately recognizable as that of Tsuto Kaijitsu; they describe his plans to blackmail his father and invade the Glassworks in more detail than that given in his journal, but otherwise hold no new information.
The last room is a bedroom much larger than the others, divided into two parts: to the north is a fine bed with silk sheets, while the south end holds a desk and chair under a handing lantern, creating a comfortable-looking study.
"Well, we know who was in there and what happened to him," referring to Tsuto, "I'd venture a guess that the woman behind all this used the big room. Who are the other three?"
Halgor grunts, "Who cares? We know how many to look for, let's be looking for them!"
I agree, let's not tarry here any longer than we have to. The more we wait, the more chance we have of the goblins being prepared. Let's keep moving.
Gan suggests a return to D1, then gestures to the eastern-most door on the south wall of D1.
Shalelu scoops up the everburning torch, offering it around to see if anyone wants to carry it, but otherwise nods in agreement.
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Tybus seems particularly interested in the cast-off poetry, and quickly pulls out Tsuto's journal and pages back several entries.
Aha. This must be Orik's room. The sellsword. Tsuto mentioned he had a thing for the mage. Lyrie. But it says here that she may have had an eye for him. Well, with Tsuto dead, we'll find out if it was more than just a crush. Still, we could use this. They be mercenaries, so let's be ready to make them an offer. We've dealt with Bruthazmus and the chief, so we're down to the mercenaries and Nualia. And whatever she's become.
The north door opens to reveal a long hallway, with an opening to a T-intersection heading right about half way down, and a large pair of ornate double doors opposite the branching passage on the left. At the far end of the corridor, there is another door, partway open.
As the group looks down the hall, there is a startled-sounding meow and a flash of movement at the opposite end of the passage, as something small and dark disappears around the edge of the door.
"Wizard's pet, I'm guessing. Pursue? Or let them stew while we wait?"
Halgor snorts, "Pursue, of course!" Lamsfel just grins in reply.
Shalelu waits while they discuss, action readied to fire at whoever comes through the far door.
Aye, a familiar. Good call. Then that may be Lyrie it be heading to. Let's go!
Tybus will double-move down the corridor and stop at the door, not peeking around just yet, listening.
Halgor looks as Lamsfel and gestures at the retreating magus, the unsaid "See?" loud and clear.
Still grinning, Lamsfel moves forward quietly, bow ready but pointed at the ground. He will stay to one side of the corridor and move in a crouch to allow Shalelu to shoot past.
Shalelu remains steady, watching the door, waiting for the shot to materialize.
Halgor sighs and grumbles to himself. Oh, sure, someone has to stay and protect the lass. I know! The dwarf will do it! We need not even ask! Weapon and shield ready, he watches the other doors to give warning if someone or something else appears that might attack the elf from the side or back.
Tristan follows Lamsfel, bow at the ready too now that he's got one.
I'll follow as well.
Seeing the rest of the party committed, Halgor whispers, "Lass. Let's get goin'."
Shalelu relaxes a bit and moves forward behind Gan, still ready to fire at the least provocation. Halgor follows her and pulls the door shut behind him (unless something happens to change that plan).
The room at the far end of the hallway contains no furnishings or other items of interest. The lower four feet of the walls are covered with crude drawings in mud, blood, and paint. Most of the drawings show goblins engaged in some sort of violence against humans, horses, or dogs. One picture on the north wall is at least three times the size and complexity of the other scrawlings. This image shows Thistletop from the side, the goblin stockade perched atop it like a crown. A cave has been drawn into the center of the image, and looming inside is what appears to be an immense, muscular goblin with snake-like eyes and a dogslicer in each taloned hand. If the scale compared to the rest of the drawing is to be believed, this goblin must be at least thirty feet tall.
The door leading west from this room opens to reveal a short hallway and another closed door at the far end.