Silas stops trying to be quiet and double moves to AB45. To Lucius and Sindri he says in common.
"Try to keep any of them from escaping back into that cave and alerting the whole nest!"
Sindri will heed the words of Silas, moving as fast at his legs can carry, Sindri closes the gap between his and the goblins by 20ft.
Drawing an arrow from his quiver, concentrates on one of the goblins and let's his arrow make its mark.
Taejin lets out a curse in Tien before attempting a combination strike, stepping forward and to the left as he attacks, attempting to punch one of the rat-thing's leg joints twice in rapid succession.
"This thing's got a nasty bite! I'm making sure it can't flank us, then I'll go for the goblins."
Sigfried would notice the gap in the tree's noting his stealth would be broken in his jump between the two. He wouldn't have any choice in the matter anymore and his companions had already taken to the front lines. With no other option left to him, he took off in a full run, dashing with his blade drawn towards the enemy. His lone eye blazed forth as he moved to join the rest, falcata at the ready and buckler up in defense.
Sindri's arrow arcs across the open space, striking the goblin in the chest. Its armor absorbs much of the blow, preventing a fatal wound, but blood flows down its chest.
Hideaki's first strike leaves the "rat" staggering, and it lets out a high pitched whine. The second strike silences it and it collapses to the ground. Striking the creature with his exposed hands though leaves his knuckles feeling itchy.
Sig, in a full sprint rushes towards the goblins.
Lyra charges the closest goblin, attacking with her rapier, but stumbles at the last moment and misses.
The goblin panics with Lyra right next to it, and turns to flee towards the cave. She is to slow to react to the opening it leaves her though, and it escapes to just inside the cave entrance.
The next goblin takes a shot at her, inflicting a minor wound, before retreating back 20'.
The last goblin, already wounded from Sindri's first arrow, and nursing its hand somewhat, gives a squeal of fright and flees into the cave, disappearing around the bend.
Finally approaching his target, but knowing the mouth of the cave could be a trap, Sigfried began to switch up his movement. Brining his falcata closer to his frame and his buckler up higher on his body, the machine man would take a more defensive stance, slowing his run some so that he could better react to whatever might be waiting for him as he approached his targets.
Both goblins are just out of Silas' charge range so he moves straight north to end up at R44.
Lucius continues to close (20') and chucks another rock at a golbin (he has been moving forward each round, so should be at AF43) at S36
finally
Despite the sounds of battle, you can hear the footsteps of the fleeing goblin fading farther away into the cave.
With a well aimed rock, Lucius connects with the closest goblins head. It remains standing, but looks unsteady on its feat.
Taejin sights the goblin and continues his tactic of rushing it, ignoring the irritation in his bite wound to cross the intervening distance in a blur of motion and launching a right cross at the short humanoid's face.
Sindri will double move as far as his legs will take him. Trying to close in on the goblins.
Hideaki catches up to the goblin still outside the cave and knocks it out cold.
Lyra dashes up to the cave, but doesn't enter it alone. The second goblin flees inward, disappearing out of sight around the corner.
"We need to follow quickly before the goblins have time to prepare."
Sindri will agree with Silas,"Who can see in the dark?" The svirfneblin will ask.
"I can see up to 120ft in the dark, those who can see should lead the group, I won't rush ahead this time."
"Well I guess im home again." The Svirfneblin will say to himself at the mouth of the cave.
The wyrwood would observe the small cave in which the retreating creatures had run too, gazing down into the deep void. "Qualification: Wyrwoods are constructed with the ability to see in the dark, but only up to sixty feet. While I can be of use in this endeavor, your skills will be both superior and more useful, dark gnome Sindri," the construct warrior spoke, his lone eye turning to look at the svirfneblin.
Taejin shrugs. "I'll stick near the rest of you. The dark isn't my home. I see black and sometimes a wall if I get really close. Sometimes I just get to feel the walls." Suiting actions to words, he shifts to stand near Sigfried, figuring that if anything wanted to attack from behind in the cave it'd see the massive wyrwood before it'd spot tiny old Hideaki Taejin.
"I can't see in the total darkness, but I can make light if need be."
Sindri will nod at sig,"Gotcha, it's nice to have someone watch my back. Let's go, we have some unfinished work."
Sindri will lead the party, guiding as they make their way through the cavern, acting as a set of eyes for the group. Bow in hand ready to strike if needed.
Feeling slightly homesick, he carries on.
Sindri will scout ahead, carefully trying to see what is ahead of the group, sneaking carefully moving at only half his speed.
I do have an everburning torch if we need light.
The war titan would give Sindri time to scount ahead, not wanting to stealth with the more sneaky creature and give away the little ones position, nor be too stealthy for his other companions and lose them in the darkness. Once he was sure their scount had enough distance, he would begin walking into the cave, ducking down some to fit into the smaller goblin tunnel. "Reassuring: Stick close my companions, these dim witted creatures will prove no match, so long as we strick true as one unit."
Silas creates a glowing ball of light centered on his sword and follows Sig into the passage.
Taejin, thankful for Silas' light, will follow the other non-stealthy members of the party, resigning himself to the fact that he can't see in the dark.
The first thing noticeable upon entering is that it is very warm inside, almost uncomfortably so. And the air is humid, leaving the group dripping with sweat after only a short time in the cave. The walls and floor are slick with water.
Sindri, a good distance ahead of the rest of the group moves with practiced ease quietly through the tunnel. A branch to the south leads to an empty cavern, and other branches lead quickly to dead ends. Further ahead though he spots a goblin crouched low and attempting to take cover behind the natural formations of the cave, a bow held with an arrow nocked. The goblin does not seem to have noticed him.
Sindri will take note of the goblin, finished performing his recon.
'Damn it, hiding behind a rock. I don't want to miss this shot.' The Svirfneblin thought.
Moving stealthily with great haste to deliver the information.
whispering," Guys, there is a goblin down that tight corridor armed with a bow ready to fire."
Thinking, Sindri addressed the warmachine known as Sig.
" Sig I have an idea, hold me with your shield arm, as long as it's at the waist I could still shoot my bow. The extra height might allow me to strike the goblin with ease." Now addressing the rest of the party." We need to act fast and strike strong, who know what how many other goblins are in here. Any other ideals? The moment the goblin lets go of that arrow we swarm in as it will be vulnerable."
"I, for one, can't move really fast in here as it is quite cramped. My back is going to be killing me once we get out of here. Well assuming we do get out of here. "
"It is a bit cramped. Were you able to see if the cave widens any up there?"
Taking everything into account and noticing his lack of being able to move himself, he'd settle himself down onto a knee to give him more room, the construct doing its best to lower its volume what little it could before speaking. "Advisement: An old saying of native tribes is 'where there is one white man, there are more white men'. We should assume there are more goblins waiting for us to take advantage of the terrain in this conflict. Recommendation would be to smoke the enemy out from where they lie and wait, and force the terrain to favor us once more."
"Investigate the side cavern first?" Silas suggests.
While Sig and Sindri whisper possible plans, Silas moves a little into the southern cavern. It is empty of creatures, but thrown against the west wall are several cloth sacks and a dozen or more discarded apple cores. The ceiling does allow Silas to stand up straight again, relieving him from his hunched position.
Relieved to have some headroom, Silas bends backwards a little to ease some of the tension from his back.
He pokes around at the sacks and checks to see if there are any hidden doors.
"In my experience, Goblins aren't the sharpest tools in the shed, but they are at least somewhat crafty. I don't know if we can draw them out, but if you think you can make them chase you Sindri, we are probably better off getting them out of their prepared positions. "
Sindri will tell the rest of the group," Everyone we're wasting time, while the goblins are aware of us they're still mixed up in the chaos, the more time we waste the more time they have to prepare."
Sindri sneaks off to get as close as he can to the goblin in order to get a good shot.
Silas searches the side cavern more carefully and uncovers a handful of copper coins. But nothing else of value is usefulness is discovered.
Sindri moves back into position where he can see the waiting goblin, working a little closer to get a better shot. In a quick moment when the goblin looks away he moves up closer into one of the side branches of the tunnel.
With the disappearance of the little one, Lucius comments "Guess that means no ruse. Frontal attack it is. "
Sigfried would nod, accepting the choice of the group at large instead of arguing the point. Moving in after the others, his falcata would be at the ready, lone eye watching in the darkness. He'd have a hard time dodging, but was prepared to parry attacks instead in grim situations. In other case, the contruct was with his companions all the way.
Sindri sees the goblin partially from behind the rock wall, with the goblin unaware. Sindri attacks with a cunning techniques.
"Here goes, may my arrows strike true. They will never see my coming."
Sindri lets loose his arrows, focusing on trying to strike the goblin in the head and the heart.
Sindri drops the goblin with a single arrow through the throat. It lets out a muted sputter as it collapses.
You hear the shuffling of feet echo faintly in the corridor. Likely one or more goblins waiting in the side passage next to the one just slain.
Sindri will watch the goblin go down.'They picked the right assassin for this job, if only I could get paid more.'
Sindri will hear the sound of shuffling feet, whispering to sig" Get ready more goblins are coming.
Sindri will hang closely to the wall to try and see the goblins,waiting for the chance to strike again yet remain hidden.
Sigfriend would move to the dark gnomes rear flank, sword at the ready as his eyes scanned the darkness for movement. To leave and give chase now would leave his non-dark sight friends vulnerable and the back of his archer friend at risk as well. Instead, he'd keep his arm up and ready to slash down upon the first goblin within range.
Lucius will keep at rear guard and follow the rest into the room.
The group waits behind Sindri patiently, but no goblins emerge into the passage.
Sindri will notice that the scampering feet have stopped, deciding to move ahead down the cave. He carefully moves, yet at his full speed towards the dead goblin which he will search
once the goblin has been searched and his arrows removed, Sindri will a little close and attempt to listen in and hear if there are multiple goblin breathing preparing an ambush.
Sindri works his way closer, taking a peek around one corner to see 5 goblins waiting in a small cavern. The front holds a shortsword, and is trembling slightly, while the others stand farther back with bows drawn. One in the middle is better armored, instead of leather armor it wears a breastplate, and its bow is a longbow instead of short like the other goblins.
The cavern would allow more room to fight if the larger companions are able to push their way past the first goblin.
Sindri will turn himself towards sig.
'I can't whisper to him from here, they goblins would be bound to hear me.'
Sindri use his hands to gesture for the rest of them to slowly come to him. Putting his hands beside his head to mimic a goblin and then counting to five with his fingers.
Lucius will keep position know he's a bit on the clanky side.