Many of the group tolerate the stings well enough, and thanks to Spug's quick movement and channeling, even he and Zoog escape unharmed, the suddenly slain insects dropping to the ground. They'd make an excellent snack, or at least make a neat sound when you step on them.
The gangplank awaits if you wish to press on...
Marrowdown, though outwardly fine from the stinging of the wasps, is grumpy about the state of his mouth. The best remedy for this, he decides, is to eat the corpses of the fallen wasps. After all, bugs taste good, but vengeance tastes better. He scoops up the fallen corpses and heads onward towards the gangplank, fearless in his (perceived) righteous fury and the delicious crunching of the wasps.
He does, however, take the precaution of ripping the stingers off first.
Gniffles chuckles at his own brilliance, "Wasps no sting trees. Gniffles should have been a rogue, so sneaky!"
With that he begins to creep back up the gangplank, tiptoeing between the slain wasps like the ninja he perceives himself to be.
Spug embraces the painful stings and accepts them as a sign from the Hungry Lady that he has her favor. He then again follows in behind Zurk and Marrowdown as they advance up the gangplank.
Um slowly creeps up behind the rest of the gobs, trying hard to make sure they will be the first eaten.
Zurk also attempts to sneak up the plank as well, which is a comical sight, considering his size, his scale armor, and of course his axe held up at the ready.
Clank, clank, clank
Although he is quite certain they have well announced their presence, Spug matches pace with the others, stealthfully.
"Zoog sneaky too," he whispers, and cringes at the noise from Zurk. He makes sure to stay towards the rear of the group, as he is still weakened."Zoog need rest soon..."
The main deck of the shipwreck is cluttered with objects both natural and artificial. Thick swaths of leafy vines grow over the deck, and shiny green patches of algae and moss grow where the vines do not. The central cabin's roof has a wide edge, creating a canopied walkway along the ship's sides. A flight of steps up to the roof of the ship's main cabin, the entrance to which is blocked by a door decorated by a large number of rodent and bird skulls. A smoking stovepipe chimney extends up from the ship's highest point above.
Chained to the main mast is a large-looking dog, bigger than the goblins and maybe even as big as Zurk! It looks mangy and dirty, and right now it might be asleep--it's curled up with its head down and hidden from the group.
Marrowdown looks about the deck, mildly impressed by the clutter and the extent of the natural growth. Spotting the chimney smoke, he sniffs eagerly, curious if there might be something being cooked in there. Then he looks down, and nearly jumps back off the gangplank. A dog! His huge ears raise in nervousness, and he crouches slightly, trying to look inconspicuous. He turns towards each of the other goblins, and whispers frantically, "Kill? Should we kill? Marrowdown thinks killing's best option! Dog bad, better dead, we'll chew and bash, dog get smashed!"
Spug continues to keep pace behind the meatshields.
Gniffles marvels at the decorated skulls that adorn the far doorway. They capture his attention long enought that by the time he notices the giant dog chained to the main mast, many of the other goblins have already begun sneaking by.
It seems a waste however to let a dog live. Filthy, stinky, ugly, fanged.. All of these characteristics he intends in the least flattering way, of course, which a much different tone than when wooing lady goblins.
As several of the group press forward, it seems that you might bypass this threat, but then Marrowdown begins to whisper frenetically, and Zurk's weight causes a board to creak loudly. The beast raises its head and looks at you, whereupon it growls and lets out a menacing bark.
Zurk, Gniffles, Zoog, Horsecutta, Marrowdown, Aka
Spug and the rest (in next round)
Zoog makes a break for the steps leading to the door, and up them if possible. "AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!! RUN!!!"
"Zurk got real challenge now! Big doggie gonna die!"
The great beast of a "goblin" raises his axe overhead, rushing over to the dog and bringing the blade down like a cleaver.
Marrowdown turns at the growl, and gulps slightly as he faces the dog when it lets loose its bark. But then he bares his teeth, growls back, and launches himself forward at full speed. At the apex of his charge, he hurls himself through the air and into the dog's neck, jaws agape.
A brilliant flash of light bursts like a firework at the tip of the beast's muzzle, as Gniffles brings it to life from the other end of the deck. As quickly as it had appeared, the flames and sparkles dissipate harmlessly into the swamp air. The trick is more for show than anything else, but it may provide a long enough distraction for his goblin buddies to get into position.
Sniffing slightly in disdain, Aka draws her sickle & joins Zurk & Marrowdown in removing another dog from the world.
Something tells Um that the hound will be dead soon, more troublesome is the idea of who would chain up a dog and pen in a horse. Is this the dreaded land of the horse dog army that would one day rise up and destroy all Goblin tribes? Fear runs through Um as he stands staring at the horror before him, imagining the worst fear of all, a three headed horse dog. No a five headed horse dog... no five five headed horse dogs breathing a spew of soap and destroying all his stuffs.
The dog yelps as Marrowdown rips into it, though it dodges Zurk's axe and Aka's sickle. The burst of light reflects off of its eyes, but the rage and pain is clearly driving it past any sort of distraction.
The great hound lets loose a fearful howl and bites at Marrowdown...
...But his small size and his mail armoring protects him from the vicious jaws.
The bugbear growls loudly. "Damned flea bag no good for Hungry Lady's pot! 'Stead, you go in dah river! But first, Zurk make you dead!"
His axe sweeps down again, as he is determined to either take the head off or cleave it in two.
Spug notices that Marrowdown just tore off a big chunk of dog meat, and is getting ready for another pounce. The warpriest graces him with the Hungry Lady's blessing.
Slashing away once more.
Marrowdown clings on to the dog as it howls and bites, determined to bring it down. His hands grab fistfuls of the dog's fur as he latches on harder.
Um tries to look around for a better vantage point while the others most assuredly handle this horrible creature.
Having clamped on the goblin's leg, the dog savagely twists its head and yanks the warrior to the ground.
Even from the ground, Marrowdown is able to rip into the dog's chest and throat. It lets out a final bone-chilling howl as blood and gore are shredded forth by Marrowdown's teeth.
Gniffles drops his staff, clattering to the deck boards and rolling slightly with the tilt of the beached vessel. Once again he rips his loincloth free and fumbles around for one of his stones to load up. The goblin is clearly not very proficient, as he's taking quite some time to prepare the weapon.
Zoog hears the other dog and swallows loudly, drawing his morningstar. He steps just out of reach of the first dog, prepared for whatever might come down the stairs, and crouches into a defensive position. (Total Defense action).
"Another dog comin' gobs!"he announces loudly to his brethren.
Even as Zoog exclaims that another dog is coming, the beast charges down the stairs, leaping and bounding. If anything, this dog looks even bigger and more dangerous than the last, snarling and snapping its jaws, the frothy slather flying behind it. It crashes to land by Zoog and bites viciously at the little alchemist...
But the goblin is quick, and the dog is clumsy in its rage. The jaws snap a foot or more away from Zoog's face.
Zurk howls out. "Ugly, smelly things be making Zurk MAD!" And with that, the strange being swings his axe in a wide arc, obviously trying to open its mouth wider.
"So many sniffy gnash teeths. We are in the realm of the horse dog army!". Um snaps to shots off at the new hound in a blind panic.
Off put by the appearance of [i[another[/i] dog, Aka's swing flies wide once more.
The loincloth whistling as it spins violently over his head, Gniffles releases a stone at the frothing beast.
Feeling somewhat intimidated by the snarling dogs, Spug calls forth a blessing to aid his allies.
Zoog stays in his defensive position and screams, "DIE, SNIFFY!!!", swinging his morningstar at the foul beast.
Having taken down the first dog, Marrowdown stands back while the others converge on the second one. He takes to licking the smarting wound he got while fighting, but keeps an eye on the combat. Marrowdown doesn't want to let the other dog bite him too.
The goblins all strive once more against this beast. Though Zurk and Aka miss, even with the aid of Spug, two other goblins strike from a range--Um Horsecutta grazes the beast's ear with one of his arrows, and Gniffles launches a stone that clips its hind leg. As Marrowdown readies to bite if the beast approaches, Zoog swings a careful strike with his morningstar that catches the beast in the leg. It lets out a howl of pain and bites at him again.
The vicious dog rips savagely into the poor little goblin, its teeth rending flesh as its jaws shake him. Finally, it rears into the air and lets go, leaving the goblin to sail a few feet away and collapse, bleeding, on the deck.
Zurk howls in rage and frustration, deciding its time to put this demon down. And with that, the dark emissary of the Hungry Lady strikes out at the dog, knowing that the end would be coming for the creature.