"I'll keep an eye out," Lucina murmurs quietly, pausing only to bask in the light and warmth from Iolana's rose pendant before joining Janiven and Leeka in scouring the walls. She's particularly antsy for the sounds of approaching footsteps--the Hellknights coming after them? More beasts awaiting them in these tunnels?... These worries keep her from being much use in the search whatsoever.
Tervon, after the short burst of light, assists with the search for a sword.
"We need to move soon!" He exclaims.
Leeka finds a small sword near the lip of the sludge. The group hurries along, all the while hearing echoes of hobnailed boots, the sounds of hellknights, and other scurrying creatures. As you reach an intersection, the Morosino, still overcome from running, being stunned by a Torble, and now rushing through the sewers even more, begins coughing. As Janiven hushes him into a side room to muffle the coughing and calm the poor child, she turns and with eyes wide shouts Goblins!
The goblins, seeing that they are no longer just stalking their "prey" turn to one another and mutter to each other in goblin.
The goblins begin advancing, menacingly waving their blades. One even pops out of the corner to attack Tervon!
Goblin A
While the other two attack Lucina.
Goblin B
Goblin C
And not a single attack hit.
As the goblins rush out of the tunnels, Stanley takes a step back away from them, allowing the tougher members to move in and take care of them. He looks at the one that was close enough to have almost hit him, and stares right through it, "Pharasma sees your fate, and you do not have long for this world. She will judge you when you reach the Boneyard."
Iolana curses inwardly as the goblins make their appearance. The Everbloom smite me as a fool for not being better prepared for combat today!
"I can fight!" she hisses hoarsely, pitching her voice to carry forward. "Let me through!"
Current initiative track:
Goblins-Stanley-Iolana>Lucina-Tervon-Leeka
Tervon shouts back at Iolana, "So, fierce warrior woman and priestess? I'll be glad to oblige in a moment!
Tervon takes a 5' step southward after taking a swing at the southernmost goblin.
Seeing the human preparing to move the goblin easily ducks under the swing.
Though surprised by the sudden appearance of goblins, Lucina nevertheless has no trouble dodging out of their clumsy blows. She arches a brow, eyeing up their shoddy weapons with a bemused smile. "Oh, this is nothing," she declares confidently, striking on-point through the goblin's tattered armour. Hey--turns out she could use her rapier!
Lucina then steps south to make way for Iolana.
Looking at it now...
Leeka will reach inside her coat and hurl a small piece of sharp metal at the goblin straight ahead.
The shuriken goes wide.
"Take out that one," she says to the others.
Initiative:
Enemy Damage:
Goblin 1: 5/9
Goblin 2 8/8
Goblin 3 9/9, hexed.
Player damage:
Attacks:
Goblin 1 vs. Lucina:
Goblin 2 (southernmost goblin) vs. Tervon (melee cover due to the corner)
Goblin 3 (northernmost) vs. Stanley (melee cover due to the corner)
The goblin Lucina slashes into howls with rage as the light rapier stabs into it. He doesn't move, but his bumbling attempt to attack the warrior woman fails miserably. The goblin that failed the evil eye hex stands there, dumbounded, trying to slash around the wall at Stanley, while the southernmost goblin attempts to hit Tervon, failing miserably.
Yet again Lucina ducks, twists, and weaves past some of the clumsiest attacks she's seen in all her days of weapons training. She parries the final blow and retaliates with a clear strike to the goblin's inflated head. "I don't know why they're even bothering..." she murmurs to Tervon beside her with a shake of her head. "I suppose goblins were never known for their intelligence, though."
Seeing the way is clear again, Iolana darts forward, trying to dart out of the way of the goblin's (likely clumsy) attack and taking up a fighting stance between Iolana and Stanley. "Ugly little buggers," she comments as she slashes at the one to the north of her with her borrowed dagger. She slips on a pool of slime as she steps forward, though, and her stroke goes wide of the goblin.
Stanley looks to the other goblins, and realizes their fates also lie with the first, "You are all not long for this world. It is for the best, don't worry." He says this specifically to the goblin straight in front of him as he moves further back to allow others in to fight.
The Blue goblin looks in abject terror, dropping his guard, as the evil eye from Stanley affects him, while the purple goblin's horror has subsided, and he looks determined to strike out at Iolana.
Leeka moves to get within striking distance of a goblin. If she needs to try tumbling to avoid AoO, see above.
Once there, she dips a dagger into the sludge below and flings it into the eyes of the goblin.
+1 round for every 5 she beat its CMD by.
Goblin can spend a move action to remove.
Seeing Stanley lay his curse upon the goblin next to her, Iolana smiles grimly and turns toward it, dagger flashing in the dim light. The Lady of Graves may not be my goddess, but it sure doesn't hurt to have her aid...
Tervon, swinging his sword around the corner, trying to convince the goblin he is a threat, lashes out.
The goblin, now blinded, spins and sputters, while the one nearest to Lucina is gravely wounded, but still standing.
The Purple goblin, which Leeka blinded takes a move action to attempt to clean the sludge from his eyes, howling madly, he swings around the corner with his dogslicer.
Vs. Leeka
The goblin Stanley had hexed deftly dodges Iolana's strikes, and, swinging low, he slices at her legs to slow her down.
Lucina's goblin goes on the offensive, but holds back, nursing its wounds.
Initiative
Goblins-> Stanley- Iolana (acted), Lucina, Tervon, Leeka.
Goblin damage track.
Goblin 1: 5/9 No longer hexed
Goblin 2 2/8
Goblin 3 9/9
This round, Leeka will ready an action to fling sludge at the goblin when he attacks.
Stanley steps back up now that he has allowed the others with more skill in a fight past to face the goblins. He instead tries to assess the fate of the last goblin, "Do not feel that your allies are alone in their diminished future, you also will see the Boneyard sooner than you had expected."
Tervon will attempt to aid Lucina in her quest for removing the Goblin from where he should be standing.
The wily goblin was perhaps a little too offensive, and quite unexpectedly! Lucina gets distracted parrying its much more accurate attack, so much so that she can't quite maneuver her own offense into just the right angle. Tervon's distracting maneuvers from beside her do help a little, though.
The goblins seem to be grouping together to assist one another now, the horrified goblin attempts to assist the north goblin against Iolana. His horror is increased tenfold when the voices of Pharasma begin speaking to him from Stanley.
The North Goblin, seeing the fumbling of the goblin, attempts to attack Iolana regardless.
The North Goblin has success, slicing into Iolana's leg with a lucky hit. The Goblin smiles a wicked smile and screams something in goblin.
Goblin:
The goblin Tervon and Lucina are facing deftly dodges the slashes by Lucina, foiling Tervon's aid. He returns the attack in kind, slashing out again with his dogslicer, slowing his attacks down as an eerie calm comes across his face.
Initiative
Goblins-> Stanley- Iolana, Lucina, Tervon, Leeka.
Player Hit Points
Iolana 7/9
Leeka 10/10
Lucina 13/13
Tervon 8/8
Stanley 7/7
Goblin damage track.
Goblin 1: 5/9 horrified round 1.
Goblin 2 2/8
Goblin 3 9/9
Perception DC 19
GM:
Stanley has judged each of their fates, and has found only one is really left wanting. He decides he has to take a more active role. He decides to utilize a spell often used to pacify unruly patients.
The fierce back-and-forward between Lucina and her goblin sparring partner continues! This time she lands a much stronger blow, knocking aside the green-skinned beastie's pathetic strike to thrust into its torso.
Iolana hisses in pain as the goblin's dogslicer cuts into her leg, but she keeps up her attack on the goblin before her, though her blade once again goes wide of the goblin's snarling, jeering face. "Confounded beasts," she grunts. If I only had my morningstar, I could lay these scum out!
Ahh (you are correct) Leeka! Correcting now.
And, sadly, the hit still occurred :( Although he is still blinded!
Tervon will post next then GM post.
Tervon, frustrated with the attack failing tries to take things into his own hands.
With the purple goblin blinded, Leeka lashes out with her foot and catches the goblin right between the legs!
Red goblin's fighting with Lucina has finally come to an end. Her deft strike slices into the goblin, and he falls, half in the muck of the sewer.
Blue Goblin, seeing his companion fall, glares at Iolana, and, taking a moment longer for the swing, attempts to slice again! Screeching at the top of its lungs, the goblin flails about ineffectively.
The Purple goblin, eyes going wide, drops one of his dogslicers, eyes wide and watering as he glares at Leeka, gasping for air. Along with Stanley's spell... this poor gobline isn't doing a thing with this round.
PC Damage Track
Iolana 7/9
Leeka 10/10
Lucina 13/13
Tervon 8/8
Stanley 7/7
Goblin damage track
Goblin 1: 5/9 horrified round 2/7
Goblin 2 -3/8
Goblin 3 9/9 Dazed 1 round, blind 2 rounds, sickened 3 rounds.
GM:
5
Initiative:
Initiative
Goblins-> Stanley- Iolana, Lucina, Tervon (acted), Leeka.
Tervon will attempt to tumble behind the "eyed" goblin.
The goblin, oddly, is able to stop him moving through his space, even provoking an attack of opportunity!
Tervon will swing.
Goblin AoO.
Tervon yelps in pain as the goblin's dogslicer jabs into him, his swing going wide of the fiesty little Goblin.
With a flick of her wrist to pull her blade from the body of the first downed goblin, Lucina sends a trail of dark goblinoid blood skittering across the surface of the foul sewer waters. She then rapidly turns her attentions to the one cursed to death by Stanley, plunging her rapier's tip past its broken blade and cutting down its left hand.
Stanley is comforted to see his spell worked, so he returns to reading the fate of the goblins. It may be easier for them to accept now that it appears the tide has turned somewhat. "You must surely feel the Grey closing in on you. That it Pharasma claiming what belongs now in her domain."
Purple Goblin appears to have quite the will, and, while upset, the eye does not appear to be ready to last.
Leeka attacks the purple goblin, lashing out to injure this time.
Iolana lunges forward with her dagger, slicing at the blinded, sickened goblin in front of her. "Die, filth," she snarls.
Lucina's attack strikes home soundly but the Goblin remains standing. Stanley's attempt to evil eye the Goblin is unsuccessful, although Iolana's stabbing at the blinded goblin is successful, the Goblin is still standing as well.
The purple goblin, still sickened, wipes the grime from his eyes, but still remains panting from the Daze. He attempts to slice at Iolana, a feeble attempt.
The blue Goblin, noting the others, and noting that the group is less injured than they are as a whole, thinks better of the situation. and moves down the corridor as fast as his evil little feet will carry him.
PC damage Track:
Iolana 7/9
Leeka 10/10
Lucina 13/13
Tervon 6/8
Stanley 7/7
Goblin Damage Track
Goblin 1: 2/9 horrified round 3/7
Goblin 2 -3/8
Goblin 3 4/9 sickened round 2/3
GM
4
Initiative
Goblins-> Stanley- Iolana, Lucina, Tervon, Leeka.
Stanley is willing to let the creature escape, besides it is beyond his range of vision anyways. He instead tries to disrupt the other goblin once again. This time sowing doubt in its attacks. "Clearly you can not cause us enough harm to warrant a threat. Accept your doomed fate and give up this pitiful existence."
Iolana bears down on the one remaining goblin with her knife. "Why-won't-you-go-away!"
As the goblin screeches in pain, Iolana darts to one side, opening a space for anyone else to take a swing who wants to.
Lucina steps up to finish off the final goblin, but slips on some... ugh... she doesn't even want to think about what it is she just slipped on, actually...
"Get outta here!" she shouts at the stupid, bloated-headed creature, not sure if it would even understand the common tongue at all.
Tervon attempts to dance through the goblin's personal space.
Leeka makes an attack.
The goblin, with Tervon's attempt, makes an attack of opportunity while simultaneously trying to defend against Stanley's hex.
The goblin, gravely wounded at this point also decides to flee, taking its own withdraw action. It speaks common "Great warriors... FLEE!!!
For those that wish to search the goblin corpse in the muck:
DC10 Perception
The dead goblin has some terribly broken weapons, including its dogslicer, but, in a small pouch, you find a bundle of 15 gp.
PC Damage track:
Iolana 7/9
Leeka 10/10
Lucina 13/13
Tervon 6/8
Stanley 7/7
Goblin Damage Track:
Goblin 3 1/9 sickened round 3/3 Fled.
Morale:
GM:
Grimacing in distaste, Leeka pulls the goblin body up out of the muck and looks through its pockets. She discards the terrible weapons, but snags a small pouch of coins.
Iolana growls at the fleeing goblin but, clapping her hand to the cut on her arm, chooses not to pursue it. Instead, she walks up to Tervon and, placing her other hand on his shoulder, declaims in a loud voice, "Everbloom, have pity on your faithful soldiers. Strengthen our limbs, steel our sinews, and ignite our hearts with the righteousness of your cause!"
As her and Tervon's wounds close, she breathes a slight sigh of relief and cocks her head to one side, listening to the goblins' retreat and trying to determine whether there's anything else around them in the sewers...
DC 15 Perception:
Anyone hears footsteps and shouting as one of the bloodied goblins meets another group of humans and combat seemingly ensues.
Tervon, in his own way, breaks out in a wry smile. "That's metal boots that met that goblin. I think we need to move very quickly friends."
To which Morosino and Janiven pop out of the room, with Janiven waving the party over. This particular room has a small hidden passage, allowing the party to slink past several other passages and move along side them, with a few cracks in the walls between this dank, dark passage and the sewers. As you enter the passage and it closing behind you, you hear Hellknights burst into the little room that Morosino and Janiven had been hiding in. You hear disappointed shouts and more shouts from the Hellknights outside to keep moving.
The small passage goes on for a bit before it moves into the sewer line properly, opening into a shadowy, dark room. This room appears to be a pump room, larger than many of the others, and, oddly, the sword is in this room.
"So, we're near the end of our frightening journey, friends. I fear the Hellknights must be near here, so, as we can, let us prepare, as I believe blood will be spilled soon. Chelish blood" Janiven frowns as she says this.
DC 15 perception after the tunnel
"If we must face the Hellknights, let us show them no quarter," Iolana growls fiercely, readying her knife.
Leeka shakes her head. "Surely we can't fight Hellknights. They will overwhelm us and send us back to our masters. Maybe we should turn ourselves in and beg Asmodeus for mercy."
Lucina shoots Leeka an incredulous look, and she firmly shakes her head in return. "Yeah, like that'll end well! They'll chuck us in the gallows for the rest of our lives... if we're lucky!"
"Let's just get out of here... Come on, let's run while we still can!"
Iolana, too, stares at the young halfling. Then, sheathing her knife, she kneels in front of her and takes her by the shoulders, staring her square in the face.
"You have no master," she tells Leeka fiercely. "Not a one of us, whether by law free or slave, has a master. What does it mean to be a master? To own another person? No man, woman, devil, or god can do that. Though men may take your freedom to move from place to place, your freedom to eat and drink and work as you will for the good of society, none can take the freedom of your heart. Can a man, even a Hellknight, control your breath? Can they control your love? Can they control your mind, your heart? Only you hold mastery there, and with the Everbloom's grace you can use that mastery to liberate yourself from the chains of this world too. Make a space for the Everbloom in your heart, and no matter the bonds put on you, you will never be enslaved again." She stands, and smiles down at the halfling, squeezing her shoulder firmly. "I wasn't."
Turning to the rest of the group, she comments, "I would not run if we have even the slightest chance of success...more dead Hellknights now mean fewer when the rebellion comes. But is there a way to scout ahead, to see if we face a scouting party or the main body?"
Leeka smiles at Iolana. "It must be nice to not be a slip, and be able to think of all those crazy things. I can scout ahead and see if we face the main body or a scouting group. I promise not to turn myself in."
Iolana opens her mouth to respond, then closes it for a moment. We can deal with that later. For now, best that she take some agency. She smiles at the halfling. "If you can do it safely, well and good. We should know what we face."