I can gett a better view from the air if everyone wants to hold for a few minutes." Sādhanā suggests.
"I'll wait if it means a chance of seeing what we're up against." She says giving a slight shrug of her shoulders.
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Nodding, the Magus swiftly activates her boots, the tiny wings becoming a blur as she utters a chant and fades from view, the slight rustle of leaves overhead the only sign of her ascension.
As Sādhanā breaks through the top of the trees, she can see what used to look like a farming community. The stones from what used to be the mill and the granary now form a perimeter around the encampment. The magus sees about twenty hobgoblins milling around the area.
Sādhanā can tell that they are all older hobgoblins. While they may be still effective in battle, they aren't typically seen on the front lines. She doesn't see any females either. The situation seems a bit suspicious.
Floating back down to the group as her vanishing spell wears off, Sādhanā appraises everyone of the situation. "There's an encampment of about 20 hobgoblins, all older, past their prime which is weird. No females either. It looks like there used to be a farm there but they've used the stones to lay out a perimeter."
"So, I guess that means we just approach from whichever direction then?"
"Pretty much, no one approach looks easier than another."
She thinks for a minute then shakes her head, "I don't like it. It just doesn't seem right. Maybe we should try talking to them first?"
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"Hobgoblins are worse than goblins, but not as bad as bugbears," Ylrhea says, giving Drago a knowing glance.
"It's worth a shot if we can avoid a fight. I'm pretty sure we can wipe the floor with them though, but that just gives us less to work with when dealing with the halfling," Sienna says.
"That was my thought, they could be exiles or something, although they might get ideas given the make up of this group." Sādhanā says thoughtfully.
She nods, "I understand that, but where are their warriors? Where are all the females? It feels off somehow. It's understandable to have some senior veterans out with the younger warriors.......but, not to have any of the younger warriors out.....I don't know it just doesn't feel right."
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"Let me ask Hyggindi what he thinks," Toni says, calling upon the eidolon.
The winged serpent appears out of nowhere. "You called, Toni?"
"Yeah," Toni says, pushing her hair aside. "What do you know about hobgoblins?"
"They are militaristic and organized," Hyggindi says. "If a detachment is here without females, then they are either exiles or something is forcing them to stay in this area."
Toni nods at Sādhanā. "So, talking to them might not be a bad idea."
"We can handle their numbers, like Sienna said," Rikali adds. "We just have to make sure we don't look like an easy target for them."
"Maybe Vencious has a hand in this too?" Cyna suggests.
"It wouldn't be surprising," Orias mutters.
She sighs, "I wouldn't doubt it. How about a few of us advance, while the others stay back a bit in case they get too unfriendly? I'm thinking me, Sadhana, and Ylrhea for starters. Anyone else wanna join in the fun? We can have our distance hitters stay back a ways while we see what the deal is."
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"I'll go with you," Orias offers. "I'm sure my presence will keep them in line."
She smiles at him, "Thanks, Cyna and Sienna, if they get a little too rowdy, you know what to do."
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Sighing she rests her right hand atop the hilt of her sword, "Alright, lets do this thing." She says as she starts to stride forward purposefully.
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Ylrhea follows behind Arista, next to Orias.
She keeps a smile on her face as she walks towards their encampment.
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Arista and her small group will cover about half the distance and wait to be noticed. Once someone spots them, she'll wave her arms and see if they permit them to close the distance. It's a respect thing, to allow the enemy to see them before approaching.
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The hobgoblins quickly turn to see the group of four emerging from the trees. One of the more muscular ones steps forward, a spear in his hand. "Halt!"
"Then we should introduce ourselves." Sādhanā replies
She looks at the hobgobblin and nods, "Sorry to bother you, I'm Arista and these are some of my companions. Sadhana, Ylrhea, and Orias. I needed to talk to your leader. Is he available?"
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"I am he," the hobgoblin with the spear answers. "What do you want?"
She nods at him and adapts a more serious expression. "We would like your permission to pass through so that we can go to Hesk and kill that son of a b+%#+ halfling known as Lucky One Eye. We would like to turn him into Unlucky No Head Bastard. That is of course if we're allowed to pass."
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"Hmm, you might do. Fine, we shall do a favor for a favor," the hobgoblin grunts. "There is a cave nearby. It leads back to our home, but it has been occupied for several years now by something we can't handle. Kill the bone devil in there and we'll head home. You can even help yourselves to the supplies here. Sound good?"
"This stinks like Vencious alright," Ylrhea mutters.
She looks at the others as if to say, what choice do we have?, then looks back at him. Nodding she says, "Okay, sounds fair. I was just wondering something though."
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"What's that?" the hobgoblin asks.
"Okay, I'm totally not doubting your abilities as seasoned warriors or anything.....but, where are your younger warriors, or your women? We haven't seen any of them around. I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to be rude or anything....I was just curious."
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"They are back home," the hobgoblin answers. "We were cut off when that devil appeared. We've tried to go back, but the devil's a bit tougher than we can manage..."
Sādhanā doesn't recall anything about bone devils.
She nods, "Ahh I see.....well, we'll go kick it's ass so you can get back to your families then." She smiles sweetly as she discuses her plans of ass kicking with the hobgobblin leader.
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She looks at Orias for a moment, "You ever heard of these bone devils before?"
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"They are denizens of the fifth layer of Hell, torturers and gatherers of secrets," Orias says. "I've encountered a few...They possess a stinger with a potent poison."