Lily just quietly moves as she realizes she hasn't hit anything.
Cedric and Caladra move up to the Trooper.
Lily shoots, but the arrow bounces off of the trooper's armor.
Thorek, seeing only one hobgoblin remaining on the bridge, sprints that way to try to cut off the creature.
As the wolf and the hobgoblin fall, Boudra allows herself to exhale slightly. We're so close...almost through... Following the others, panting slightly, she hurries up behind Caladra and places a steadying hand on the other woman's shoulder.
Move: 20'
Standard: Cast guidance
Bree raises her bow and takes a shot at the remaining visible hobgoblin.
"Don't forget about the one in the shed, guys."
Thorek moves up to the trooper on the bridge.
Boudra casts guidance on Caladra
Cyrioul from the wand.
Bree misses with her arrow, but upon glancing at the crane realizes that it could easily be used to wreck the recent repairs to the bridge done by Kining, but could not be used to ferry anyone across the river.
The trooper takes a five foot step back and provokes an attack from Cedric and as he guzzles a . He drops his bow and draws his scimitar.
"Oh no you don't!" Thorek sends the dorn-dergar whirling towards the hobgoblin's jaw to keep him from drinking that potion.
Even after drinking the healing potion, Thorek is able to knock the trooper out.
One hobgoblin is still in the shack, though.
On the trooper you find:
- potion of endure elements (not identified yet)
- Alchemist's fire (2)
- Antiplague (UE)
- Antitoxin
- Scent cloak (UE) (3)
- MWK Breastplate
- MWK buckler
- dagger
- MWK cold iron scimitar
- MWK light crossbow with 16 bolts
- Animal harness (UE)
- backpack
- bedroll
- Compass (UE)
- crowbar
- Manacles
- signal whistle
- silk rope (50 ft)
- small tent
- 16 gp
- Enough food and water to provide 4 Provision Points
On the hobgoblin , you find:
- Studded leather armor
- Light steel shield
- Longsword
- Longbow with 20 arrows
- Enough food and water to provide 2 Provision Points
It took a moment, but Caladra calmed enough to think clearly again. She felt a sharp pain in her neck and when she tried to talk, her throat felt dry and course. "Bloody magic," She winced. To her, it was nothing more than a necessary evil. No matter how benign its uses were something always paid the price.
She stood up straight and stretched out her back, rubbing her neck land feeling the slight unevenness of the scar that gob left her. She then joined the others ensuring that the gobs were all dispensed of. When it came to the leader laying on the bridge she wavered a moment.
"Perhaps we should tie him up, see if he can tell us what's going on and where they're taking the villagers. He seemed to be the one bossing the others around, maybe he's their captain or something." She says, making sure her eyes never leave the fallen gobs body.
Thorek, glancing down at himself--he'd never been nine feet tall before, it was a little disconcerting--shakes his head. "We've already got too many people and supplies, I don't think we've recovered many mules or horses, and the Ironfangs will be after us soon. Frankly I'm amazed they haven't come for us already. Once we've gotten safely away maybe we can come back and ambush a patrol, but one thing at a time."
Ugly work completed, the dwarf strides towards the shack and crane to offer whatever assistance he could to destroying this bridge.
Boudra, looking over the hobgoblins' equipment, silently takes up the crossbow and accompanying bolts. She hesitates, then tosses her old crossbow down on the bridge. No point in toting it around...unless someone else wants it, of course.
When Caladra suggests keeping the hobgoblin leader alive, Boudra frowns. When Thorek naysays it, though, she decides to keep out of the discussion and let the warriors handle it.
Cyrioul looks over at Bree and calls out, "Will that one in the hut still do what you tell it?"
"No. The spell will wear off shortly ( rounds) and it only really applies to a single request. The moment one of us enters, he will probably snap out of it. That being said, we should be able to get the jump on him because of his confusion."
"I'll go first, my iron-flesh spell still has almost half a minute left."
"Alright," he agrees. "Thorek snaps the thing out of it, then we're all ready to pummel him once he comes out." Getting ready for the plan, he moves into position to be able to threaten the doorway, but not be immediately seen through it.
Cyrioul will step forward and ready an action to grant Thorek a spark of divination magic for his attack.
"Um, Aubrey right? Could you put me back to proper size?"
"It's 'Aubrin'. Here you go." Aubrin's face relaxes just a bit, and Thorek returns to his normal size.
"Please don't get yourself hurt. Especially since outnumber him," Lily says as she knocks an arrow in her bow.
Bree moves over to the crane to see if she can figure out how best to damage the bridge. "Maybe I can make it a little easier for you to blow, Lily."
"What's going on now?" Caladra asked as she followed the others to the shack, having no memory of the goblin that went in. When she heard the others talking about the hobgoblin inside, she stood ready with the others.
Bursting through the door, Thorek advances on the hobgoblin and swings but misses.
The hobgoblin throws down his weapon and his shield, backs up, and says in heavily accented common, "Goruk give up. No kill Goruk."
Thorek affixes the hobgoblin with a steely stare as he kicks the blade away. "My word of honor as a warrior of Clan Ironspark: if you comply you will not be killed. Now lie down face-down on the floor, hands behind your back!"
Goruk complies, and eventually you knock him out.
Cyrioul helps collect the items left behind by the hobgoblins and distributing them to the townspeople. If he can, he offers assistance on any ideas for dealing with the bridge.
"Cyrioul, perhaps you and Aubrin could lead as many of the townfolk to the forest while the rest of us sabotage the bridge."
Bree knows nothing at all about the recent repair work, but...
she's pretty sure she can recommend where Lily place the explosives.
"Lily, it looks like the best place to plant the stump remover is over here. I don't think the repair work was quite finished. I'll see if I can figure out the crane. If we can take the bridge down without the explosives, we might not draw as much attention to ourselves."
Lily's eyes grow wide. She says,"I'll give it my best shot. Though if you want to knock it over with the crane go right ahead. Can't help you with that though. Only reason why I even remotely know about explosives is because of fireworks and fancy arrows. Im not planning on building any bridges any time soon"
Cyrioul nods, "Happy to stay clear of the demolition! Come on folks, this way, crossbows at the ready now..."
Thorek will accompany Cyrioul, warily scanning the opposite riverbank and the village they're leaving behind.
Who is going to set the explosive? Who will stay and help them ?
Boudra lets out a sigh of relief when the hobgoblin surrenders. As Bree and Lily look into the bridge, she spreads her hands in a pretty clear gesture: Let me know how I can help.
Bree breathes a sigh of relief as the villagers head across the bridge. That was the hard part. The rest should be relatively simple... I hope.
Setting the charge takes three rounds and requires a successful DC 18 Craft(alchemy), Disable Device, Knowledge (engineering), or appropriate Profession check.
NOTE: You have several commoners and experts. you may pick one to have Craft (alchemy) +4. You have several experts. You may pick one to have Knowledge (engineering) +4
Additionally, Oreld is an Expert level 2, with Craft (alchemy) +5, and Kining is an Expert 2 with Knowledge (engineering) +5, and Aubrin the Green has Craft (alchemy) +5
All of your refugees have various skills.
Adepts (can cast three cantrips and one 1st-level spell per day)
Attack: -1
Damage: 1d4-1
HP 3
Con Check +0
Skills at +4: Heal, Knowledge religion, spellcraft
Aristocrats
Attack: +0
Damage: 1d6
HP 4
Con Check +0
Skills at +4: Knowledge (history, local, or nobility), Sense motive, Survival
Commoners
Attack: +1
Damage: 1d4+1
HP 3
Con Check +1
Skills at +4: Craft (any one), Handle animal, Perception
Experts
Attack: +0
Damage: 1d4
HP 4
Con Check +1
Skills at +4: Craft (any two), Knowledge (dungeoneering, engineering, or geography, Profession (any one), Stealth, Survival
Warriors
Attack: +2
Damage: 1d6+1
HP 6
Con Check +1
Skills at +4: Handle animal
Once you have assigned a craft, profession, or knowledge to an NPC, please make sure that it is noted somewhere.
Caladra watches as they work, honestly confused by what it is they're doing. She knows that their devices are meant to destroy the bridge to slow the gobs from catching them, but the intricacy of their actions escaped her. Instead she stood, sword over shoulder, with eyes on the village should anything try to stop them.
Can multiple NPCs assist with Aid Anothers?
This is all way above Cedric as well, and he helps Thorek escort anyone that isn't helping across the bridge before the destruction.
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As the bulk of the villagers get across the bridge, Thorek confers briefly with Cyrioul and then steps up before the crowd. "Alright, who here can can assist us with destroying the bridge? That'll slow down any Ironfang pursuit but we need your help! We found plans for an explosive "stump remover" in Oreld's shop--and that crane looks like it might be useful to some enterprising minds. Anyone here have relevant expertise? Yeah? Okay, you two, and you, and you, head back, you lot over there spread out along the edge of the treeline as pickets, and you lot..." he continues directing the efforts of the newly minted refugees while those with the requisite knowledge hustled back to help.
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So, you get +4 from the refugees. Lily's craft (alchemy) from before is enough to set the charge and give everyone thirty seconds to get off the bridge.
The north shore of the bridge is clear of trees, boulders, and other obstructions until the tree line of the Fangwood Forest some 300 feet from the river. A dirt road—the Tamran highway—winds into the forest before turning east, but this route leaves fleeing refugees exposed to anyone following or any monsters or robbers waiting in ambush ahead.
A ceiling of smoke hangs over the city, reflecting the orange glow from burning houses. Ash drifts in the air like falling snow. The screams of townsfolk have died away, leaving an eerie silence broken now and then by the howling of wolves or the harsh tones of the Goblin tongue. Bodies lie in the streets, sprawled in pools of blood where they fell. It seems everyone else in town may be imprisoned or dead except for the hobgoblin invaders. Phaendar has fallen.
Cedric tries not to look back as they make their way to safety. He's already allowed himself all the grief he can take for today back at the shrine, and getting a clear view of the extent of the devastation can only make him feel worse. He needs to stay strong for this group. Meaning no offense to Aubrin and her faith in Cayden, he feels that Erastil's focus on nature and community will be the most helpful in keeping everything running as smoothly as can be hoped on the run, and he's got to be mentally and emotionally prepared to minister to the people they've managed to get safely out of Phaendar.
Thorek stares for a long moment at the fallen city, silently mouthing the names of the dwarves he never found, before turning back to survey the crowd of civilians. "Ære de døde, men vår første plikt er for de levende."
"We honor the dead, but our first duty is to the living."
Glancing around at the others, he eyes the road. "Where do we go from here? Are there nearby caves to hide out in, or other villages to we should warn? That bridge will only delay the Ironfangs and they definitely know we're here now."
Those of you (including NPCs) with the Survival skill should make those checks to provide shelter for the night.
Since it is unlikely that there will be enough shelter for you and all the refugees, you will need to make decisions on who can use the shelter and who will be fatigued on the second day.
You may assign one or more NPCs to make a Handle Animal check to see if they find a goat or sheep.
Caladra doesn't look back at the burning village. It was starting to feel like home, like a place she could finally belong too. The temple of Iomedae was close, but with her scar she felt that some of them looked down on her for it, but here not as much. And now it was gone.
She could feel an anger growing inside her, one that she didn't think could be quelled as easily as her bursts before. As much as this worried her, she also like it.
Lily grips her bow and vows,"I swear I will protect these people even if I die in the process."
She turns to Aubrin and says,"Please help me become stronger so I can help these people just like your organization did when I was little."
Cyrioul marvels at the explosion behind them before hurriedly rushing the other townsfolk forward (some might say running away instead of leading). He spends the afternoon trying to help others get everyone organized into a reasonable sort of encampment...
...but after a while of just getting in the way, he sets up his own tent and collapses underneath it to sleep for the night, however poorly that sleep might come.
Boudra, too, tries not to look back at the burning village, refusing to think of Magda, her tutor, or the other people she knew--however slightly--in this now-ravaged town. Starting over again. Sometimes that seems like all I'm destined to do... As her thoughts darken, she notices the world around her growing gray and dim, and, with a shudder, she shakes those thoughts off before anyone else can notice.
Boudra's still distracted that night, but she sets about creating shelters for the townsfolk who don't have the skill to do so themselves. It's clear from her sure, swift movements and her deft hands that she knows what she's doing.