"I hope my questions haven't dampened your good spirits, lady," Ilya says to Ameiko. "It's not a good topic for celebration. By the way, we're all supposed to jump and turn towards the podium right n-" *BANG*
The crowd's collective jump left Ilya nodding his head, sagely. "So that's how that occurred... I'd quite forgotten."
He spots Ilya nearby and says, "Hey, do you know what he's going to say?"
"No, thank the gods. How tedious would that be?"
Nicat smiles and shrugs at Ilya's answer, saying, "Good point, that'd be terrible. Let's go see what's up, shall we?"
The green eyes of wild man widened when he caught sight of something crawling in the shadows, and he knew that type of skulking, it was the type you did when you were aiming to do something illegal Why hello my pot of gold A sinister smile stretched on Fulko's face till his teeth could be seen very clearly Can't get to work with these many people around I need to get their attention, I need... Then a large sound came from the podium Perfect shifting through through the crowds as easily as a snake shifts through a tree filled jungle, Fulko finally made it to the podium, latched his strong arms on it and climbed on to it.
Now lets see, I need to take their attention away from Zantus The bounty hunter grabbed the pole of his ransuer and rammed its butt multiple times on the podium Why thank you Alvin, you were always good at getting attention With the crowds looking his way Fulko, stared back at them with his wild eyes.
"There are things lurking in the shadows! If you do not want for your celebrations to end in a blood bath, move now! Lock yourselves in your houses! Bar your doors!" Fulko paused for a few moments "GO YOU FOOLS!"
When Fulko's voice booms a warning and order, Ekan removes his hand from the cleric of Shelyn's, "Fulko has found trouble it seems," and he looks about again trying to see whatever is skulking in the shadows that he missed.
The crowd looks on in confusion as Fulko begins barking orders. Even Father Zantus is perplexed.
"Now, sir, I'm fairly certain there aren't any--"
He's cut off by a shriek of terror from down one alley. It's echoed by another. And another.
And now some high-pitched, shrieking tittering.
The crowd panics and starts running for their lives, and beyond them the party can see several small humanoids, each clad in leather gear with green skin and large heads. They're entering the square from the west and the south.
They start singing in shrill, scratchy voices.
"Goblins chew and goblins bite!"
"Goblins cut and goblins fight!"
"Stab the dog and cut the horse,"
"Goblins eat and take by force!"
Several of them run off down separate streets, cackling madly all the while.
"Goblins race and goblins jump!"
"Goblins slash and goblins bump!"
"Burn the skin and mash the head,"
"Goblins here and you be DEAD!"
A dog races out, stops in front of the group to the west, and starts barking viciously at it. The creatures draw wicked-looking short, curved blades with holes in them in response.
"Chase the baby, catch the pup!"
"Bonk the head to shut it up!"
Two goblins flank the dog.
"Bones be cracked, flesh be stewed!"
"We be goblins!"
They slice into the dog with their blades, carving it to bits.
They turn back to the square.
The goblins stand around laughing maniacally. The group to the south is comprised of four goblins, one of which appears to be leading the song.
There are three goblins to the west, standing over a dog corpse.
Walking towards the other side of the podium, his heavy steps echoing on the wood. Fulko stopped when he reached its edge he jumped down to the floor and let his predatory stare fall on the goblin that appeared to be leading the pack of the small statured raiders "You!" He pointed at the goblin "Your name now! I'll give it to your weapon when I take it from your corpse" Fulko's feral smile spread even further, echoing the wildness his eyes radiated.
"There are things lurking in the shadows! If you do not want for your celebrations to end in a blood bath, move now! Lock yourselves in your houses! Bar your doors!" Fulko paused for a few moments "GO YOU FOOLS!"
"This has been a most 'unexpected' day!" Ilya looks positively delighted by the thought.
Ilya turns to Ameiko, "As pleasant as this has been... maybe it would be best to pack up for the day. It seems like there is going to be some trouble."
"Goblins chew and goblins bite!"
"Goblins cut and goblins fight!"
The first group of goblins appears near Fulko, and he immediately threatens them. The second group manifests a bit too close to the food tables for Ilya's comfort. He dives into the future, watching the goblins as they celebrate, eat, fight, and finally grow tired and fall asleep. He latches onto the warm, comfortable feeling... pushing it into their minds.
Ekan watches the dog get butchered right in front of him, and anger, hot then cool, washes over him. These are not giants, but they are monsters that have come to slay, kill, and spread terror.
"Not again, not without a fight," He mutters. And then he moves. He streaks towards the western most goblin not even bothering to draw his kami. Instead, as he arrives, he strikes with a fist that just the other day was shattering wooden boards.
Nicat's eyes widen as the goblins appear, and he is quite startled to hear the goblins singing. "Their songs actually rhyme," he says quietly to himself.
Then, seeing his friends move to take on the goblins, Nicat is inspired to encourage them, calling out in his clear, performer's voice, "Well, isn't this our lucky day? A bunch of goblins to beat on, too distracted by their own singing to see what's hitting 'em! Poor, unfortunate creatures, as short as me but not nearly so handsome!" As he speaks, he slips a leather sling off his belt and a stone from a pouch next to it.
Surprised at this turn of events, Sylvia doesn't know what to do momentarily. Seeing her friends, new and old, diving into the goblins, she makes her decision, "Not today! Today is a holy day that you shall not defile!"
She then moves over to Fulko, laying a warm hand on his shoulder, "May Shelyn smile on your luck, my friend."
Looking up at Father Zantus, she asks of him, "Father, would you gather the people and take them to the Church? And do not open the doors until it is safe!"
Eostre watches the events unfold around her, and a smile appears near the corners of her mouth.
"Chaos and battle bursting out of nowhere? Reminds me of home!"
She trundles after Ekan and waves her right hand, her left clutching her glaive, lowering it and keeping it between her and the goblins. The runes surrounding her eye begin to glow with a green light and a similar glow begins to flow from her hand that spreads around her body. But while trying to protect herself, Eostre's concentration fails and her spell fizzles.
"Damn it!"
The goblins stand around laughing like little idiots.
Eostre attempts to cast her spell, but a combination of trying to protect herself and the (oddly catchy) goblin song in her ears causes her concentration to break and her spell to fizzle.
In response to Fulko's challenge to it, the singing goblin looks down at its whip, briefly interrupting its singing. "...Zord?"
'Zord' resumes singing, but shakily.
Ekan swings his kama, but the goblin before him spots a dropped piece of venison on the ground and bends over to get it, causing the kama to whistle harmlessly above its head.
At Sylvia's request, Father Zantus nods. "Everyone! Into the cathedral! Now!" He calls out, directing the townspeople who haven't yet fled the square into the church.
Ilya's spell lands in the midst of the goblins... and Ekan.
The goblin Ekan attacked promptly falls over with a piece of venison still in its mouth and starts snoring loudly. Everyone else is fine.
Nicat's jokes fill everyone with confidence to win!
The two goblins facing Ekan are still awake, and have now noticed him standing menacingly over their sleeping buddy.
"GET LONGSHANKS! HOOKY-BLADE THING IS OURS!"
They both move to attack Ekan...
The first goblin (north of Ekan) manages a lucky blow, slicing into his thigh with its weapon. It crows in triumph.
The second one, on the other hand, swings wildly and nearly falls on its ass.
One of the goblin warriors by the singer raises its weapon and runs at Fulko.
"YAAAAAAAA!!"
...well, it sounded impressive. Too bad it trips over its feet and tumbles at Fulko's feet, landing upright.
The singer, Zord, keeps singing. Not that its comrades care; the one at his left starts giggling at its buddy's misfortune, whereas the other produces a torch and wanders over to a nearby wagon, apparently deciding to set it alight.
"Ah Sylvia! Nice of you to join me" Comments Fulko without removing his eyes from the enemies ahead of him and when he sees the goblin run towards him, he launches a wild horizontal swing with his ranseur at the creatures feat, pulls the pole weapon back before ramming its blade into its body.
Fulko steps to the right of the bleeding corpse, making wild swings as he walked and then surprises his opponent by using a deft but otherwise plain stabbing maneuver. Following his attack he drops his weapon and unsheathes his two-handed axe.
The charging goblin swings, misses, rolls, and promptly gets speared on the end of Fulko's ranseur.
Frustrated, Eostre summons her energies again, this time the green light coalescing into a gigantic green glowing fist emanating from her own. She punches forward, sending the glowing fist sailing towards the goblin before her.
Coming back to the present, Ilya sees one of the goblins fast asleep on the ground. Eostre stabs at another of the goblins, and Ilya follows up by summoning a gob of acid.
Sling in hand, Nicat moves so he has a better line on the goblin trying to torch the wagon, calling out as he does so, "You'll have no luck with that, bighead! Good fortune's on our side today!" He focuses a bit, calling on the luck he's felt all his life and directing it into his sling stone, then lets it fly. Sadly, as sometimes happens when he relies on his luck, the stone flies well off-target.
Sylvia steps forward, frowning at the goblin with the torch and muttering, "I don't think so, buddy..."
Pointing at the goblin, she loudly chants, "Shelyn, bless us this day with water to quench our souls of the darkness that confronts us!"
Two gallons of water then pour out of thin air above the torch-bearing goblin and, more importantly, the torch he's carrying.
Ekan finds himself wounded, but seeing Ilya and Eoste have his back in dealing with the northern one, he focuses on the still awake one to his left and unleashes a flurry of blows.
Eostre's telekinetic fist catches the goblin in the gut, but it straightens up and starts laughing again.
Fulko's attack with the ranseur barely misses Zord, the goblin ducking in time for it to sail over his head. He doesn't miss a beat with his singing, and manages to work it into his performance.
Ekan's first shot slices across the goblin's neck, causing blood to spray. The monster falls back with a gurgle.
Sylvia's water spell utterly drenches the goblin bearing the torch. His torch sputters and dies out, and the goblin starts running around screaming about his wet clothes.
Ilya's acid bolt gets the goblin in the face. The thing's laughter turns to high-pitched screaming.
Nicat's jokes don't help his aim much as the sling bullet sails off down the street, missing the goblins entirely.
The sleeping goblin does not seem the slightest bit disturbed by any of this.
The goblin north of Ekan turns its attention on the two mages who just punched him in the gut and threw acid in his face. He leaps back from Ekan's reach and runs straight at the samsaran.
"NO MORE GREEN STUFF! BLUE LONGSHANKS GETS THE STICK!"
He runs at Ilya, his perforated weapon raised. However, he fails to take into account the fact that Ekan has an attack of opportunity.
Assuming he survives...
...unfortunately for him, in his rage, he drops his weapon and swings at Ilya with empty air. He looks down at his hand, as if betrayed.
The goblin on Zord's left, upon seeing Fulko effortlessly slay his buddy, realizes just how much of a threat he poses and throws his weapon at him.
It would have worked better had said weapon been designed for throwing in the first place. The blade snaps clean off at the hilt when it hits Fulko in the most armored part of his body, doing no damage to him whatsoever. The goblin's jaw drops open in disbelief.
Zord, on the other hand, at once pleased with his good fortune and amused by his 'bodyguard's' failure to do anything, stops singing, instead opting to point and laugh at the, in his own words, "Stupid pighead goblin who can't throw straight! HAHAHA!!"
The waterlogged goblin, on the other hand, looks over at Sylvia, utterly incensed that the pretty longshanks had the audacity to ruin his family-friendly fiery fun. So much so that he even takes the long way around Fulko to get to her.
"YOU NOT PRETTY ENOUGH TO BURN ANYWAY!" The goblin shrieks as he swings his blade...
...all for naught as his swing narrowly avoids getting his weapon stuck in the podium. He promptly falls over and starts throwing a tantrum.
Father Zantus gathers the remaining citizens and retreats into the chapel.
Ekan kicks the goblin striking at Ilya, hoping to break its melon like skull rather than let it hurt the newcomer.
Ekan's kick causes the goblin's head to turn half-circle with a sickening *CRUNCH*. It falls over, dead.
Without missing a beat, Ekan brings his Kami down upon the sleeping goblin to finish it off.
The blood sprays, and Ekan turns to the two arcane types at his side, "Go help Sylvia, please" He says with remarkable politeness
As the drenched goblin rushes at her, Sylvia swings her glaive at the small creature.
And solidly hits the podium next to her with a solid hit, grumbling, "Dammit."
She then moves a step back behind Fulko, laying a warm hand on his shoulder again, "May She continue to grant you the Luck you deserve! And there's a goblin there. I don't know why, but I think he's mad at me..."
Nicat continues to poke fun at the goblins, calling out to Sylvia, "Let's keep the luck on our side, eh! Nice job raining on that unfortunate little guy's plan to fire things up!" He then winds up and launches another luck-blessed sling stone at the goblin closest to him.
Eostre nods and trundles over towards the others.
She summons up another fist and launches it at the goblin attacking Fulko.
"Hah! Maybe he's angry because he wanted to keep that smell of his" Laughed Fulko before he turned his eyes to the goblin that was chasing Sylvia "Run" A sinister sneer came over Fulko's face, as his hands strengthened their grip on his great axe.
Ilya lets his mind drift back into the future, this time to his own. He watches himself as he spends the evening resting, then wakes and begins preparing spells for the day. He waits patiently until he has prepared another sleep spell, then allows the memory of spell to fill his thoughts.
Eostre's telekinetic punch flies wide and breaks a hole in a stall.
Ekan's coup de grace ends the sleeping goblin with room to spare.
Fulko's intimidating presence causes the wet goblin to stop pitching a fit and look up at him with fear.
Sylvia's glaive bounces off the podium.
Ilya's recalled sleep spell lands amidst the two southern goblins...
The unarmed goblin falls over, snoring loudly. Zord yawns, but stays on his feet.
Nicat's sling bullet makes a large dent in the sleeping goblin's head, killing it.
Zord draws his whip, cracks it, and starts moving his hands & speaking gibberish.
He finishes, pointing a finger at Fulko!
Fulko falls down and starts laughing hysterically. Whether it's because of the goblins utterly failing at being effective or something else is hard to tell.
The remaining goblin, showing the attention span of a dead goldfish, spots some discarded utensils, gets up, and runs over to collect them.
Ilya watches as the goblin leader weaves a spell that leaves Fulko writhing on the ground, in laughter. "We need to stop that one quickly," he shouts as he begins weaving his own spell.
Ekan breaks into a run,zigging and zagging towards the goblin, at least closing this distance.
Nicat hears Ilya's advice and winds up his sling again, launching it at the head of the goblin leader, and nearly striking his own head with the sling-stone as it goes flying off in the wrong direction. Still a firm believer in his own good luck, Nicat calls out, "Well, looks like the good luck is waiting, just stacking up on our side so we can unleash it against these guys all at once. Go for it, guys!"
"Two can play at that game!"
Eostre begins casting her own spell and the green light begins to shimmer in many other colors. When she finishes intoning, she makes a sign with her hand and the colors erupt in a vibrant cone towards Zord. Red and yellow and green and brown and scarlet and black and ochre and peach and ruby and olive and violet and fawn and lilac and gold and chocolate and mauve and cream and crimson and silver and rose and azure and lemon and russet and grey and purple and white and pink and orange and red and yellow and green and brown and acarlet and black and ochre and peach and ruby and olive and violet and fawn and lilac and gold and chocolate and mauve and cream and crimson and silver and rose and azure and lemon and russet and grey and purple and white and pink and orange and blue, all comin' at his stupid face!
Sylvia slips behind Fulko and moves down behind Eostre, clutching her silver Holy Symbol of Shelyn as she does. And she stops moving, she focuses on her holy symbol and a burst of positive energy flows from her, affecting all around her except for those two jerk goblins
Shouting to the sky, Sylvia asks of her goddess, "Shelyn, show us the Path to the Light through the darkness before us, and give us your Strength to defeat those who would defile your Path!"
Unfortunately, Sylvia's blessing doesn't appear to have helped much.
Eostre's spell fans out from her fingertips, engulfing Zord in a brilliant display of color!
Zord tastes the rainbow.
"Yum."
He then falls over, unconscious and coated in a bright new spectrum of colors.
Fulko laughs his ass off.
Ekan races to close the distance between him and the rest of the carnage.
Sylvia channels energy, bestowing everyone with a bit of luck, and even healing Ekan's injury by doing so.
Ilya's acid bolt hits Zord in the face. He squeals in pain, but can't get up.
Nicat nearly hits himself in the head with his own sling bullet. Apparently, Desna has a bizarre sense of humor.
The last goblin looks up from his fork collection, finally realizing that he is, in simple terms, utterly doomed. He drops his forks and runs screaming from the square.
Ekan calls out, "Should we pursue the last one?"
Ekan calls out, "Should we pursue the last one?"
"Probably not... their fast little blighters aren't they?" Ilya's gaze follows the retreating goblin. "Let's check on the innocents in the cathedral. Huddling all together in one building could make them a tempting target for a rogue goblin's torch."
"This one was a spellcaster of some sort." Ilya toes the acid-scarred Zord. "Would you like to interrogate him? Or finish him off?"
"Pfft. Goblins are morons. This wretch probably won't be smart enough to give us a useful answer."
"Well," responds Nicat, "he was smart enough to be able to speak so we could understand him, so maybe we can get an answer out of him." Turning and looking up at Fulko, he continues, "Now that you're done with your laughing fit, I bet you could get some answers out of him, eh?"
"Does anyone have rope? Best to tie his hands," Ekan suggests
"I've got no rope, but I can speak Goblin pretty fluently. Might get him to let something slip that he wouldn't say in Common."
One would think that Fulko would at least stop smiling for a few moments after suffering through that uncontrollable fit of cackling, but here he was grinning like he had no care in the world and dusting himself as if he had just took a light fall "Wouldn't be much of a bounty hunter if I didn't have any rope on me" In mere moments Fulko was next to the fallen goblin assault leader and was binding with the rope he had just fished out of his pack "There we are" It was at that moment that his nose caught the smell of burning flesh and it didn't take long for him to figure out that it came from the goblin he just tied up"Bound and cooked goblin, could be a new dish for the Rusty Dragon" A quick laugh was soon followed by the warrior scouring the bodies of the defeated goblins for anything of worth(including Zord).
"Aye, Nicat I think I can get him to talk but first I'd rather see what their pockets and sheaths have to say" Replied Fulko to the halfling with a greedy smile.