Quickly going into clean up mode. Stripping the bodies, and using the wand to clean up any blood splatter. Trying to clear evidence of battle.
He also reaches into his pocket and lets the small pearl release its energy into his body. Filling up the arcane map of a used spell. Again Harg can feel the unique arcane layout and web of energy be replenished. A dam of energy waiting to be released with a gesture and a word.
"Do we expect them to keep coming? At some point they are going to lock down? Vraxis, should we head to their base?"
"I mean they fired that noisy arrow for some reason. I have to imagine it's to let others know that they were in trouble...or where we are...or both."
"Ruined a perfectly good net" he muttered to himself, shaking his head.
"Far as heading to their base, that's her call" he said, nodding towards Govrina.
"Don't know though. Gobbo's are different, and hobbies is different than the rest of 'em. More military minded. We're a little spent and it's just us. They got more than us so we's gotta be at our fullest to take 'em."
"If it was me, I'd be sendin a larger scouting party, one that can track. They ain't lookin' for us exactly, they lookin' for everyone. All dem civies. Gotta be makin' them mad can't find that many civies with a dang military force. We gotta keep that be'in true."
"That arrow was to call for help, so they'll be sendin' some. Question is how many and how close are they. We go after their base when it's empty, doesn't might do us much good. We can't hold it. We wreck it, they'll build another. We gots to take'em out. All of 'em. Best way I sees to do that is to hit them when they're all there. Best time to burn the hornets' next is when they're all in it. Even a few gets out, you're gonna have problems."
"Me and Fang can lead them away. Hide yours trail so we don't go walkin' em right back to the caves. Lead in the wrong direction and what not. We're faster, well he is, and we're harder to see, well I am, so we should be okay, and it's a risk we're willing to take"
"You shaddup" he said, waving a finger at the wolf.
"Up to you boss."
Govrina grimaces.
"No. Hit and run only now. We will hit them harder soon, just not today. Not until we have a decent target to hit. We want them nervous right now. Looking over their shoulders. Not knowing who is hitting them or why. Where are their missing people? Alive or dead? Once moral starts eating at them, we will know more. Let's get moving NOW. Lead them away Vraxis, and try not to get seen. We want to remain a mystery for as long as possible."
"Sorry, I know you wanted to get one of the hobbos alive, and we got carried away," Braden says to Vraxis. "Although this time, with the warning arrow, probably best we don't have prisoners anyway."
Braden quickly starts to search the bodies of the fallen hobgoblins. "That exploding arrow--do you think they might have a few more of those? We could use them as diversions. Create a false warning that might throw off the enemy."
Once the enemy is looted, he considers what to do next with the bodies. "Hey, Govrina, do you think you could move the bodies to the top of these giant trees, same as you do with big boulders? That'll confuse the buggers."
"I'd rather just make them disappear if I can...the more mystery we can put into these attacks then the more the gobbos will panic later."
"Yeah, probably for the best. 'Sides, they'll be more of em. Might get another chance. Although I got another idea that I could use yours help with Braden..."
Vraxis pulls some bandages out of his healer's kit before he quickly draws his shortsword and stabs Braden in the arm.
"What? They ain't huntin' half-orcs or halflings or...whatever she is, need some human blood and you're all we's gots at the moment."
He uses the bandages to cover the wound, collecting the blood more than trying to staunch the blood loss.
Once satisfied he had collected enough, he smeared a little on the ground, rubbed a little on Fang's haunch, and held the rest in his hand.
"Here, here, I'll fix it. There, good as new"
"Alright, you's should get going. See ya soon. And if you's gets lost, use one of dem thunder stones. We'll find ya."
Once the rest of the party has departed, Vraxis and Fang work to cover the group's tracks and obscure the combat site.
Vraxis and Fang will head towards the hobgoblin base from their current position, not far, just far enough to try to find an intercept point between the combat site and the base. He'll try to create a fake combat site away from the real one, smearing some of the collected blood around and leaving little traces as he makes his way away from our camp near the caves. He'll look for a cave or water to lead the tracks to. He'll spend the rest of the day leaving a trail away from the caves and doubling back now and then to create confusion. A few hours from sunset, he'll make his way back to the camp. If at any point he's seen, he and Fang will withdraw as fast as possible. Rule number 1 is don't get caught.
Braden comes up to Vraxis. "Sure, I can he---aaargh!" he cries as Vraxis stabs him in the arm. "Maybe a little warning next time before you stab me!" he says. But he goes along with the plan as Vraxis looks to confuse the enemy.
"Right, same for you. If we hear a thunderstone, we'll come find you."
Forgetting the flare for a second.
"We should get ready for more then. Lets move out and wait"
Vraxis returns just as the sun sets, his plan completed.
The next morning rolls around without any problems reported by the night watchfolk.
In the morning, Braden looks for any signs of someone scouting out the camp.
If all seems well, he goes to the makeshift shrine of Erastil to pray. One, a prayer of gratitude for a successful first strike without being followed. Two, a prayer for victory as they prepare to strike once more.
"So, we've started. Now what is our next step? I'm open to suggestions other than all out war. Capturing an enemy?"
Having used his spell last night to stay on watch with Govrina the entire night.
"I guess being able to see in the dark means we will likely be the midnight watch going forward. I have to say, I appreciate your leadership. I tend to be a bit too into my book and don't always know how to deal with others. So thank you."
The next morning.
"I am curious what Vraxis finds. Though I tend to think we need to take it to them. They were notified of something. And their scouts are missing. They likely are settled in. The longer we give, the more likely they get reinforcements or are able to get word out to the rest of the army. My vote is we take it to them. They have diminished defenses. Lets go in swords swinging."
"I'm afraid if we go in blades bared and magic flying we would need our entire combat group to take them out with any real chance of success. We have no fireball wizards or arch-clerics ready to ressurect us if we die. If one of us falls, that's it. Each person we lose is gone and they are not coming back. I would hate to ask any of our survivors to chance our entire group on a risky plan."
She shakes her head sadly.
"Information first. We need to find out what is going on. Why are they here? Why are they attacking our country like this? Invasion? I thought they were mercenaries. Who or what are they working for? We need to capture someone. Someone important or in the 'know.' With that in mind my suggestion is a stealth attack to grab their shaman/alchemist's prisoner. I bet that slave/prisoner Vraxis saw has a ton of info we won't have to make them spill. He might actually want to help us!"
Vraxis spit onto the ground as his head shook. "Didn't I says that before?"
Fang growled at the halfling.
"Fine, fine." His tone lowered as he started pacing.
"How's you reckon we pulls that one off? Ain't seen 'em much but never seen 'em outside their camp neither. None but their scouts and soldiers."
"Boss, we ain't got much choice here. The longer we stays, the more more gobbos may come."
Vraxis paused a moment to look around to make sure none of the refuges were close enough to over hear.
"Boss I didn't want to say nothin' and start a panic but theys gots to know where we are. At the least they're gonna send someone here to find out what's going on with the trogs they was talkin' to, and once that happens, if we haven't hit them, you's can be sure they're gonna hit us." We's gots to move on them soon, elsewise these caves will become our tombs.
"I can spies on them for a day or two, tops. Get better counts, see how many patrols they got, see if they been reinforced. May even be able to grab one if the chance comes, but we can't wait forever...they'ze won't. They'ze looking for us right now and I can't hide 40 people. They'ze gonna find us, and then all these people will be cornered."
"Me and Fang's gonna grab some grub and then head out. Think it over. Decide what you wanna do, but if it was me, I'd give all those people arrows and have them fight back with us. We'll be back tomorrow morning...we don't happen to have any poison do we? Like that centaur had with them apples, remember?
"You sees us come running before then, you gets everyone into those caves and get ready to defend them."
"I can't argue with that assessment Vraxis. Let's...you watch the group near here for another day or so. See if that slave or another juicy target has a routine we can intercept. Then on the obverse, at the same time, let's send a fast attack group to burn or destroy/drop the rope bridge. That should give us a couple of extra days to prevent reinforcements and a chance to act on any intelligence we can gather. Does that work?"
Braden is content to just listen for most of the time. As the others debate strategy, he mostly just pets Arrow. But after some discussion, the group seems to be reaching a decision.
"So, Vraxis goes a-scouting while the three of us attack the rope bridge? Is that the plan? Works for me. We should bring something really flammable."
Nodding Govrina explains.
"Yes. Vraxis can scout with Fang without us for a day or so, but we are not not just going alone. We will take at least 5 or 6 archers from our group with us. Anybody decent with a bow or crossbow. I think we want some support and arrow cover if we mess up and can't take out the bridge quickly enough and they counter-attack too quickly or have magic support. These monsters are fast and too smart. I've seen them up close when I was a kid. Hobgoblins are EFFICIENT killers and more often than not merciless. I just...want to be ready for anything. Whoever goes needs to be quick on their feet and have a decent chance to get back to the caves on their own if we have to split up. Harg? Pick someone that is staying behind to be in charge of defense of our camp until we get back. I trust your judgement to know who is the best guard and intelligent to boot. My only worry is we may have too many volunteers for this idea. In the end, we can evaluate our archers abilities and come back with another win possibly. Also, we will need something to make sure the rope bridge burns as much as possible, or destroys it so that they will have to rebuild it completely. Is there anything in our alchemical stuff we can use? Really strong acid or fire? I still have an alchemist's fire I think."
Sighing suddenly Govrina's pointed demon-tail whips nervously as she talks.
"I need you guys to know...I'm only guessing at this stuff. I grew up near a military school, and learned a few things there and from my dad. Stories mostly. That's it. I hope you think your trust hasn't been misplaced so far."
"Momma used to say 'don't follow the one's that wanna be da boss'. Those are the ones that'll get ya killed. It's the one's that don't want it that you's gots to listen to. You're doin' fine lass. You knows I'd tell ya if ya wasn't."
"Besides, Fang trusts ya and I trust Fang. He's a pretty good judge of peoples."
Fang jumps up, puts his paws on Govrina's chest and starts licking her face.
"Govrina, your daddy would be proud. You done your best to keep these peoples alive and safe. What more could anyone have done?"
"Alright, come on Fang. Play time's over. We's got work to do."
Jotting down notes, Harg looks up, "Mazon can hold down the fort, while we are gone. With who ever wants to stay. I think while we are gone they should go into the caves, which was said"
"As for our supplies we have 7 Alchemist Fires left" "We should hand those out for the people coming, we can just bomb at a distance. Everyone would armor up who is going, even if they have to wear some of the Hobgobin's armor."
"Oh shaddup you varmint. She does not. I said shaddup. We're supposed to be bein' quiet."
You choose 5 likely volunteer archers from your group of refugees to accompany you on your mission to the rope bridge over the Marideth River.
Setting out at dawn , you make your way towards Phaendar down now familiar game trails, occasionally coming across signs of Iron Legion patrols, but luckily you do not run into anything dangerous.
After a few hours travel, the light of the sun pokes through in places where the Chernasardo has thinned some closer to the edge of it's influence.
Approaching the forest's edge, you all hear sounds coming from the area of the rope bridge. Parting the tall grass growing at the forest's edge, you can look out at the flat area between the forest and the River.
There you see fifty to sixty Iron Legion soldiers in the process of cutting down trees between the Chernasardo Forest and the River. The felled timber is being dragged back to where the rope bridge hangs, the foundations of two guard towers having been laid there.
Looking past the work on this side of the River, you can see Phaendar is a bustling army camp. At first you can't believe your eyes, but there may be as many as one thousand soldiers parading about or working on earthen and wooden fortifications. Every minute it seems, a troop or two departs to the south and west. The ominous stone tower still commands the town in the center of the Market Green...
Vraxis, you make the now familiar way back to take another look at the Iron Legion camp. Along the way, a stag steps out onto the game trail you and Fang were travelling along. It takes a look at you, deciding if you were a threat or not. Fang has a few thoughts of being just that, but a stern look from yourself quells that urge. With a bound , the stag disappears into the forest, unless you do decide to add hunting to your scouting mission.
In short order, you once again find your observation post looking down on the Iron Legion camp. A quick count reveals at least 6 soldiers are absent, probably out on patrol...
"Harg? Braden? This is bad. Even if we can get close to the bridge, we may have a helluva time trying to disable it well enough to help us any at all. What do you think? Are we wasting our time here? If we wait any longer the bridge will be fortified too well, but if we attack now, it might be too dangerous already and we could get wiped out or followed by that army. If we end up doing it, we need to set those new guard towers on fire too. We need to deny them the wood of the forest too if we can. No telling what kind of siege equipment they are building in there. Damn..."
Brad is astonished by what he sees. "Unbelievable, there are so many of them! We can't take on 50 or 60 of these soldiers--there's no way. But maybe they'll cross the bridge again when they're done gathering wood? That's the only opening I can imagine."
Hargs eyes go wide at the shear amount of Hobgoblins. "I think the risk is too high. There are just too many of them. Right now we are still just nats buzzing around in the forest. I think we might want to stay there. Hold that ground. They seem to be heading south and west.. Only using the Forest for wood."
Looking down at the sword then around.
"I think we should head back into the forest. Clear out the small group there, maybe keep them from thinking there is any worth deep in the forest. Might be the only way we survive."
Nodding with a tear in her eye, Govrina agrees.
"We will retreat. Cover our tracks! We can't afford for that horde to follow us back. Hopefully Vraxis had better luck."
"We're a long way from getting our home back," concludes Braden with resignation. It pained him to see his home now overrun with hobgoblins. "It's like they've decided to use Phaendar as their base. We need to find some more help. Connect with other Nirmathans. And find some smaller camps to strike."
Vraxis and Fang eased underneath a tree and waited.
"Take a rest boy. We'll probably need to skedaddle out of here fast. Be ready."
Fang looked at the halfling before spinning in a circle a few times and curling up in a ball.
Vraxis rolled his eyes. "Don't know why you always do that."
Fang looked up one last time at the halfling before putting his head down.
Vraxis turned his attention back to the encampment. He sat quietly watching, looking for a way in, watching those coming and going and observing the steps they took, looking for any patterns that might indicate places to avoid.
While the consensus is to make a strategic retreat, most of the volunteers give a vehement whispered objection, wanting to strike back at the enemy that took their home away. A couple have already strung bows and laid arrows in readiness...
As Vraxis watches the Iron Legion camp, he sees some familiar figures; the bugbear leader, the alchemist, the wargs ....and of course the regulars. These are the ones that depart and return on regular patrols....very regular. But he notices, there was a time, about mid-afternoon , where a seeming gap in the patrol schedule resulted in a halving of the regular complement in the camp.
He realized he'd probably need to stay an extra day or so to confirm his observations...
Braden addresses the group. "We didn't come here for glory. Even if we each kill five of them for every one of us, we lose in the end. Think, friends. Does the hunter slay the lion by charging its mouth? No. The hunter prevails by being smart, choosing the right spot, fighting with advantage. Erastil will provide if we are patient. Be smart, stay alive, and we WILL take back Phaendar in time."
Govrina nods.
"I agree with Braden. Let's stick together and keep our group alive. Not waste resources and lives in a futile attempt to soothe our bruised ego and gain some tiny revenge."
Harg nods along. Hoping Braden's words ring true to the group.
The sword chimes in to Harg {I have to agree. Sacrificing companions to kill some evil, will never turn out. Waiting might mean more evil can be removed in the long run}
Braden prays to Erastil to favor his words.
"Wake up ya varmint. Your turn to keep watch. I need some shut eye."
Moving away without detection is easy enough, the soldiers-turned-lumberjacks are making enough noise to wake the dead.
Vraxis's rest is eventually broken by Fang's wet nose on his neck. His vigilance is rewarded by the confirmation that the patrol schedule is repeated the next day....
On the way back "Well, that is disapointing, to say the least. We should direct everyone's efforts into something else. I also think to keep moral up we need a... win"
Pointing in the general area of where the camp is "Hopefully Vraxis reports back soon. We should take the camp as soon as possible. If we can keep this forest from the inside out, at least for a little while longer, it will feel like we can accomplish something. Our city might be lost for now, but we can make a home here."
Jutting his thumb behind to the tree line far behind, "At least till those trees get cut down too far in"
Braden passes the time back with some chatter, though he does have a genuine question. "What do you think the hobgoblins are doing cutting down all those trees, anyway? They've got to be building something. A fleet?"
During the trek back into the Forest, the volunteers are quiet and somber, perhaps reflecting on the wise word of the party; or just disappointed they were not able to strike back at the Iron Legion.
The group walked down game paths that continued to grow more familiar, and as one path skirted a dim clearing one of the volunteers stopped and pointed out into the clearing. There, flitting about the single stream of sunlight that was able to pierce the tree tops was 3 sprites, tiny glowing fey, that seemed to be playing game, alternately glowing brightly to match the brightness of the sunlight.
With a grin, the volunteer put an arrow to bow and moved to take a shot...