Amkarang shifts his grip on his meteor hammer and attacks the troglodyte. However, he stumbles slightly and misses both attacks.
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Amkarang's first swing is deflected off the tough hide of the troglodyte, but his follow-up crushes its sternum with a sickening crunch.
The lone remaining troglodyte keeps attacking Grum in desperation.
One claw comes tantalizingly close to finding a vulnerable spot on the orcish warrior, but ultimately the troglodyte fails to make even one wound.
Benedict moves and attacks the last troglodyte, which had been wounded by Jie.
His attack fails to pierce the creature's hide .
Surrounded as it was, the troglodyte couldn't keep its defenses up and Grum took lethal advantage of it. His powerful blow cuts deep into its softer midsection, killing it instantly.
The valley grows quieter now that the reptilian hisses are silenced.
"I think they do, Grum. Jie said that they had been known to emerge from their caves to eat Chernasardo Rangers at times. If we do take over the caves from them, the smell may linger for a while.
Let's try to follow their tracks back. Is anyone hurt?"
"I bet they live in the caves. That's what I've heard." She rides Feng over to the trogs, carefully watching for unstable ground. "I'm not hurt." she says as she looks for tracks.
"Well, let's find those caves and get it over with. Wait a minute, I had an idea. Couldn't we use some beeswax or sap to plug our noses?"
The troglodytes do not carry much on them. The only thing somewhat strange is a bright white feather purposefully stashed in a small pouch on the handler of the giant gecko.
Looking around, you are able to find their tracks that lead from their hastily prepared ambush to the boggy mire. From there, however, their tracks become harder to follow due to the fact that the mud quickly oozes back into place after a few minutes.
These are troglodytes, but they're not common in Chernasardo. They only appear once or twice a generation, thought to come up from caves deep below the surface.
Jie looks around in frustration. "I don't see many tracks. But if they live in caves, they have to be above or close to the water level." She looks around for any raised hills or terrain that my be nearby.
Benedict takes a look at the feather. "A lucky charm of some sort? We may as well hang onto it.
Shall we keep moving?"
Benedict looks around with Jie, trying to figure out where a cave entrance might be. Since we're in a valley, the valley sides are hills where there might be caves; it is the floor of the valley that is swampy.
Using the direction of the few tracks they could find in the swampy soil, the party treks through the mire in a northward direction. The going is slow, but a narrowing of the valley up ahead shows steeper slopes on the sides and the hope of finding ground conducive to housing a network of caves.
The only problem is a wide quagmire of scummy water between the explorers and the narrower valley.
Taking a circuitous route rather than brave the unknown depths of the bog, they push through a tangle of marshy plants and reeds and are beset by swarms of stinging and biting insects. The droning buzz intensifies as suddenly five creatures fly up from a nest obviously disturbed by the party.
The creatures look like a nightmarish cross between a hummingbird and mosquito, featuring a plump abdomen, wings flapping so fast they are a blur, and a face featuring a long wickedly sharp proboscis. They buzz in the air a moment as they regard you with beady eyes, then rush forward to attack!
Grum is the first one to react as the creatures fly in, their needle-like beaks aiming for exposed flesh.
The buzzing creatures fly in, darting back and forth trying to gain a purchase on their targets.
One darts in toward Grum, but he is ready to make a quick attack. He lops it in half before it can strike.
One darts in and lands on Feng's flank, and it jabs its proboscis into his side.
Another lands on Jie's back before she can twist around. She feels a sharp sting in her shoulder.
A second one alights on the horse, attaching itself to his withers and jabbing him with its beak.
One buzzes around Benedict, but is unable to find a spot to attach.
"Ah! Vermin! Get away!"
Benedict draws his scimitar and strikes at the stirge that has attached itself to Jie.
With a masterful strike, Benedict shears off the offending bug and it flops to the ground, dead.
Trying to keep Feng calm and still, Jie talks reassuring to her horse and friend, while drawing a dagger, using the sharp edge to scrape one of the offending insects.
Jie slices deep into one of the stirges on Feng, very nearly killing it. It falls off and drops to the ground, fluttering weakly.
Amkarang takes a double swing at the other stirge attached to Feng.
The hammer sweeps the creature off Feng's flank and sends it into the brush.
Jie dismounts and tries to remove any part of proboscis of the two beasties that might remain in Feng's flank. Only after she feels certain that all offending insectile matter is removed from her horse will she allow the same to be done for her. "I'm fine." she remarks, but her concern for her horse is written all over her face.
Feng did suffer a bit of blood loss, and appears a little weaker than usual. He whickers in response to the attention and seems comforted by Jie.
At seeing Jie's concern for Feng, Benedict also looks at the horse. He doesn't know much about dealing with stirge bites.
"Do you think he'll be okay with some rest? Or will he need treatment, maybe a poultice or something?"
Benedict looks around. "If everybody is feeling well enough, we can press on. The caves could be in those slopes there. If we find the caves, should we go in? Or come back tomorrow with Amélie and a few others?"
"I think we need to find the caves and then come back tomorrow. Leaving Feng outside while we explore in his condition would worry me." After making her opinion known she is more than willing to explore the caverns now, if others wish to.
Feng seems to be able to recover from the bites, as best as anyone can tell. The drone of insects and the periodic call of birds returns to fill the silence that fell after combat.
"I don't think we need to go into the caves, Jie. Just find where they are and come back in force tomorrow.
I am not thrilled with the idea of wiping out the troglodytes to claim their home, but they would eat us, so I don't think we can coexist. If they prove me wrong, so be it, but I'm prepared for what we have to do."
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As the party discussed this, Grum walked through the remnants of the battlefield. He looked at the corpses of the stirges with a grimace. So many foes, and nothing of value! Looting corpses was at least a quarter of the fun. As he absentmindedly picked his way through it all, he suddenly pulled his hand back in pain! He looked at the blood on his fingers, and then to the ground.
There, near the corpse of a stirge, was a small hedgehog, curled into a ball. Grum kneeled down next to it and gave it a poke, knocking it over. He smiled, and went to poke it again. This time it unfurled and bit him! He pulled his hand back, a look of rage on his face.
"YOU!" He pointed his finger in accusation. "You..." He stopped, as he stared it. "Your name is Sir Kingston? That makes no sense, you are no knight." How did he know that? He shook his head. "You bit me! No, it doesn't matter that I poked you. Go ahead, poke me then! I dare you!" He raised his blade, and the hedgehog barred it's teeth. He lowered his weapon, with a smile. "You are a warrior hedgehog!" It sat down, and Grum sat down across from it. "Yes, yes indeed. No! It would be my honor!" With a smile, the large half-orc gently picked up the hedgehog. "I warn you, it will be dangerous. We are going into caves." The hedgehog responded by crawling into his backpack. "Make yourself comfortable, but I warn you, do not-" He stopped, when he noticed the looks that he was (probably) getting.
In explanation, he said to the party, matter of factly "He is Sir Kingston, though I don't think he is a knight. But he has the spirit of a true warrior, and he is my new comrade in arms."
Benedict watches Grum with interest.
That isn't what I was expecting to happen. The man is full of surprises.
"Uh, yes. Sir Kingston. I am Benedict. You are ready to join us? Well, then! Let us find these caves."
It is unclear if Benedict really believes the hedgehog can understand him. He isn't sure himself what to believe. Clearly, the small creature felt it belonged with Grum. Just as birds seemed to like Jie.
Amkarang chuckles at the little hedgehog. He mock bows and says in a slightly posh voice, "I greet you Sir Kingston, from one warrior to another."
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Grum grinned as the hedgehog poked its head but. It chittered and Grum nodded.
”My manners are horrible! Let me introduce everyone! This polite one is Amkarang. He is called the Unsinkable...yes...maybe you are right. Maybe he is a really good swimmer, and thus can’t sink. Anyways, he should be called the Sturdy. He is very tough. Oh! And he has a meteror hammer. It is fun to watch, you will see!”
The hedgehog crawled out of the pack and into Grum’s hands. He carried it over to Benedict and thrust the hedgehog at the man’s face. ”This is Benedict! He is our leader! Very clever, he is. I just hit things, but he has good plans. You two should talk sometime, I am sure that he could use your counsel as well.”
Without waiting, he then turned the hedgehog to Jie. ”And Jie! You will like her, I’m sure! She is very good with animals. Horses, birds...isn’t that right Jie? Would you like to say hello to Sir Kingston as well?”
Jie smiles at the hedgehog. "Hello, Sir Kingston." She turns to Grum. "I'm afraid I can't talk to him like I can with birds." She seems strangely comfortable with the large fighter having an animal companion. She was raised by rangers after all.
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After the fortunate discovery of a fighting hedgehog, the group begins their search in earnest for the troglodyte caves. They search the ridge and find many small crevasses and crannies, but either the cave is too well-hidden or they were simply not looking in the right place.
As night begins to fall, it must be decided either to make camp or return to the refugees.
"Let's go back before dark. We can come back in the morning with reinforcements. I don't like the idea of leaving our band alone at night."
Upon getting back, he'll ask the adepts to check if the white feather is magical. It could be some sort of protective charm.
Disappointed that she can't find the caves, Jie tries talking to some birds before calling the search off. "Yes, I suppose you're right." Jie agrees reluctantly with Benedict.
Amkarang nods, "A good idea. If anything attacks at night it'll be best if we're there."
Deciding to return to the hunter's home, the group digs their way out of the swamp and up the ridgeline back. After wending their way out of the swampy marshes, they're able to make good time once on solid ground. The sun is low and casting long shadows when they feel that they are near the cabin.
Just then, they hear a hunter's horn sounding up ahead. It's a harsh, blatting sound that sends a chill running up their spines. That's no horn that one of the refugees would sound, even on a day of peace!
Hustling in desperation, the cabin comes into view just as another horn blast sounds. As you burst into the clearing, Aubrin waves wildly at you and points to the north. "Farrow and Clidon came running back, said they saw a hunting party! Fools led them right back here!" She turns her head just as Amélie gives a whoop as her bow twangs.
"Gods help us, they're here!" Aubrin shouts.
Benedict shouts in the direction of the refugees, "Fall back inside!"
He then moves up near Amélie, drawing a javelin, and throws it at the closest hobgoblin.
It fails to connect.
Her arrow sinks into the leading hobgoblin.
Her next shot is just barely evaded.
Jie maneuvers Feng closer and she quickly hops out of the saddle, nocking an arrow as she does so.
Then she sends an arrow to the wounded hobgoblin.
The lead hobgoblin groans as he is struck by another arrow. He slumps to the ground and falls still.
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Grum looked up in surprise as everything broke into chaos around him. Usually he would have charged into battle, screaming a warcry. But at the moment, there was only one thought on his mind...his hedgehog wasn't in his pack! It was still nestled on his shoulder. Before he even grabbed his blade, he yelled "Sir Kingston! Quick, to safety!" In response the familiar curled up into a little ball, it's spikes sticking out all around it. "No!! Into the pack! Hurry!"
Amkarang jogs forward and roars, ”Come on, get into the cabin or those hobs’ll slaughter you!” He then launches a sling bullet at the nearest hobgoblin
The Phaendarans begin nodding and looking like they're in agreement with Amkarang, even as his sling stone falls short of striking one.
The hobgoblins move up a step, and draw arrows back in their longbows, showing a fair amount of discipline -- picking a single target and training all their arrows on that one. The one on the far left shouts the instructions to target Amélie.
Despite the hail of arrows, only one manages to slightly graze the nimble archer. She grins in wild defiance even as the hobgoblin leader shouts choice epithets at the Ironfang recruits.
Virtually leaping back into the saddle, Jie moves Feng towards the edge of the woods, taking cover from the back archers but still being able to shoot at the leader. She lets loose a shot.
Unfortunately, Grum was unable to close the distance between himself and the hobgoblins in the first few seconds of battle.
The refugees who had come out to defend the encampment fall back at Amkarang's command. Aubrin, however, shuffles up a few paces in order to be able to channel some healing if it's needed.
The arrow leaves Jie's bow with a twang and hits the hobgoblin leader hard.