While finishing canvasing for supplies outside the building, Wren uncovers that even though the animals are dead in the pen, it may be possible to carve the most useful slabs of meat off of them to eat for later.
With the fire out and the four new survivors rescued and being attended too by the group at large, the party pushes into the unexplored area of the building to see if any additional people or supplies can be obtained.
The centuries-old forge provided ample space for working iron and steel as well as limited farrier services. It appears that the hobgoblin raiders have already targeted the smithy, snatching up any weapons or armor in their meaty paws before leaving. Well at least most of that this. A single hobgoblin still lies in the middle of the floor, its face crushed in from from brutal attack of tremendous force.
You don't stare at the dead hobgoblin too long however before something inside of the forge catches your eye. A hulking, roughly humanoid creature of dirt and stone, faceless save for two glowing gemstone eyes, twitches and ready to pounce on anyone getting close.
Wrens eyes go wide at seeing that thing in the forge. ”Anyone have an idea what in the world that thing is? I’m going to stay way back here and maybe we ought to give it a little room.”. One thing was for sure....Wren had never seen anything like that.
Sense Motive
Caspan shrugs, utterly uncertain what the thing is. Maybe an especially dirty hobgolbin, but it doesn't really look like it.
He raises a fist, ready to fight if Jillian is.
After Jillian finishes helping rescue any survivors she thanks Emil for the healing, now feeling just like new. She heads in with the others as the look for anything else of use. Upon seeing the creature her eyes widen, and she tightens her grip on her blade.
She steps in front of the others holding her sword defensively. Then looks to the others ”Anyone know what that is? It isn’t attacking, at least not yet, maybe we should let it be and go on our way?”
"It killed a hobgoblin, I say we let it be." Said quietly from the back of the group.
”An earth elemental, you say? I wonder if it speaks dwarven? Dwarves are supposed to like the earth as well.”
Wren takes a step closer, but not more than that. ”Hey buddy....do you understand me? I’m Wren and these are my friends. Did you smash that hobgoblin? I hope so, because they’ve been attacking our town.”
Father Emil channels positive energy after making sure Caspan and Jillian are in range and calls everyone else from the festival to draw near to feel the power of Erastil.
Then he moves toward the smith work area. He's been there many times, helping Kinning with her work, borrowing her forge when he had a tool to make, and just talking shop with the skilled crafter. He hopes to pick up a few smithing tools to help make necessary weapons and implements while recovering from the attack. Seeing the glowing furnace, he keeps his distance, not anxious to make it feel threatened.
"Someone call Kinning over here."
Emil takes quick glances around the work area, looking for tools.
Looking around Father Emil takes not that the smithy is lit by a torch whose flame does not seem to wane and flicker like a normal torch. Hanging from a nail over the workbench are a set of keys. Several notes and diagrams of the bridge out of town are scribbled in chalk on large piece of slate leaning against the wall. Additionally, the sounds of rusting and whispered voices can be heard from the hayloft on the south end of the room.
The elemental turns to Wren when she steps closer and speaks, but it shows no sign of recognition from her speak unfortunately. It twitches when she approaches, wary of the strangers.
Jillian shrugs, seeing the creature doesn't attack Wren. Let's leave, we still need to get these survivors to safety.
Normally, Wren would never have left such an interesting creature behind, but time was of the essence here. She had the rest of the townsfolk to worry about. ”No one come back in this room. Let’s give this thing a wide berth. He doesn’t seem mean, but you can’t be sure” she called out as she retreated.
"Hey Short Stuff, the father says he heard something," Caspan notes.
Good hearing, for an old man, with all the screaming and burning going on. I don't hear anything in there. Could just leave. But ... Canorate...
He squares his shoulders, having made his decision.
"Is there anyone in there?" he calls out, glancing behind him to make sure no hobgoblins are closing in.
Caspan gestures the others away from the doorway and the stone hobgoblin.
He gestures to the creature, pointing at it and then out past them, possibly toward the others. It can join them or go its own way, but it can't stay where it is.
"GOT! TO! GET! OUT!" he orders.
Father Emil relays that he heard voices from somewhere in the hayloft to the party. When Caspan calls out, a hesitant male calls out, "Uh, yeah. Did you kill that thing yet?"
Caspan demands that the earth elemental leave and when he shouts and stomps his foot and points into the forge, it complies. It moves backwards and fades into the stone of the forge, disappearing from sight.
Two humanoids appear as they descend from the hayloft . They quickly resolve themselves into two half-elves, siblings by their age and similar appearance. Hands raised, they introduce themselves as Lirosa and Taidel, hunters from the nearby woods in town for the Festival. "We were laying an ambush for those hobbos," Lirosa says, and Taidel finishes, "but that earth-creature came up and beat them down, so we decided to stay hidden."
"Thanks for getting rid of it," Lirosa adds, shouldering a longbow.
"You can take care of the townsfolk now," Taidel says. Lirosa adds, "We’ve got hobgoblins to hunt."
Seeing Caspan command the creature to retreat into the forge, Jillian gives him a nod for a job well done. When the two half-elves emerge and mention plans to hunt hobgoblins she suggests "Perhaps you would travel with us? There is safety in numbers. We are gathering supplies and survivors before we head out of town."
The pair looks at your group and your band of survivors and shrugs. "I think we'll be more useful on the front attacking those hobbos then with you guys. No offense meant by the way. We need to strike back!"
Father Emil takes the items he spotted and hands them to the smith, saying, "We need to abandon town. Your business will have to be left behind as well. Best gather any valuables or they'll just go to the hobgobs. Do you have anything we could use to demolish that bridge?"
Father Emil has never been comfortable trying to talk anyone into doing what is best, mostly offering indirect suggestions, but now he realizes it's time to step up and try to replace Father Noelan.
Then he talks to the growing number of refugees, including the two just added, if briefly. "We will need all the provisions we can get. Can some of you take some of the hobgoblin weapons and use them to cut what meat from these unfortunate animals that we might honor their service with one last offering? Many hands make light work. Also, I found this in the possession of one of the hobs. Does it belong to anyone?" He holds up the holy symbol of Erastil he found.
Finally he turns to the two half-elves. "Your bravery is admirable, but misplaced. They outnumber us badly. We need your bows and arrows and swords more as we flee. You can join the noble fight against these oppressors from the fastness of the forest, once we demolish that bridge? Erastil needs you. We need you."
If they agree to help, he suggests they stand as guards and scouts watching for any hobgoblins coming toward the group while he animals are being butchered. If we keep people posted watching for threats, we can hide in the barn to avoid attracting attention while getting the meat and move on if the scouts see signs of the hobgoblin army getting near.
Caspan makes sure the new buckler is secured to his arm as he watches and waits while the animals are butchered. He looks around nervously for more hobgoblins to approach.
"It is the fool who attacks the pack alone. It is the dead who does so unprepared." Selde says to Lirosa and Taidel in Elvish, a saying her Grandfather was fond of.
Aid another diplomacy
The little halfling nodded at the group’s suggestion. ”There’s so many of them...I don’t think you two would make it on your own. It’s been all we could do to keep the six of us alive since the fighting started! We need people who know their way around the forest to keep all the survivors protected and fed, if you’d be willing willing to help.”
No one among your group knows how it got there and no one has ever seen anything like it before. Additionally, there was a spoiler above for you I think that you may have missed.
The hunting siblings turn to face each other and exchange a silent look for a few seconds. Both nod near simultaneously and then turn back to your party. "You're right. There is more than can be done in numbers and I doubt there will be a shortage of those hobbos! We'll hang around with the group and help keep everyone protected."
When Father Emil proposes demolishing the bridge, Kining's eye go wide. "Demolish th' bridge? Ah have bin workin' oan a contract fur repairin' th' bridge!" She quickly relents though as the realization of the situation washes over her. She nods "Och aye, lit me get th' keys ta th' shed. It woods help if we had somethin' wi' a bang too!"
As she dashes inside she takes note of Caspan's shiny new buckler. She shakes her head and remarks "Nae better than those mudder goblins!" as she moves to get her keys and check her notes on the board about the bridge. About the time she finishes up, the workers assigned to the animals complete their job as well.
With everything taken and organized, the group sets off for Oreld's Fine Shop. Keeping the group hidden is increasingly difficult and there are several close encounters where you are almost spotted. You realize that you can't keep this up much longer without alerting the ever growing presence of troops in town.
As you near Oreld's shop, you come across and two dead hobgoblins laying in your path. Each of them is carrying trail rations and waterskins (+1 Provision point each if looted) along with standard hobgoblin gear.
Caspan scowls at the dwarf's comments.
"It was just lying there," he says. "If we're going to get out of here, we can't let any sort of privation go to waste."
He glances at the two hobgoblins.
"Speaking of..." he says as he starts stripping the bodies of the rations and waterskins.
"Finish them off as you take their things." Selde says quietly as she moves past on Nur. Her focus remaining on staying alert for any threats to the group.
The party quickly finishes off the dying enemies, stripping them of their gear. Quickly making the rest of the way to Oreld's shop, Caspan forces open the door to find the shop a bloody mess.
Stepping into the shop, you see that it consists primarily of a desk, a few crowded shelves, and a cluttered window display, all of which appear to have been ransacked. A man with a javelin protruding from his gut lies pinned up against the wall next to the entryway. He looks at you with dead eyes and you immediately recognize him as Oreld, the proprietor.
Two hobgoblins are in this room, one normal soldier and the other in a bandolier. The soldier holds a chain connected to an iron collar around male humans neck. The male is beaten and injured badly, whimpering on the floor. The soldier is rifling through the shelves when you enter.
For some reason, of all the horrors she had witnessed, the worst might have been the hobgoblin with a human on an iron leash like some poor misbehaving puppy. ”This is for Oreld! We’re here to send you back to whatever hellscape you came from,” Wren rages at the two evil invaders. She continued emptying her wand into the face of every hobgoblin she encountered, focusing on the one with the human prisoner.
Magic missile damage
Emil, who has been carrying his bow at the ready since he used it back at the smithy's shop, steps into the room until he has a clear shot at the hobgob at the north side of the room.
He is not surprised to miss. He was never a crack shot, since he didn't have the heart to hunt unless in dire need so he didn't get much practice.
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HP 13/13
AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 15, CMD 17
Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +0 (+2 resistance bonus to recover from a continuing effect)
Unbreakable Survivor 0/1
Martial Flexibility: 1/4
Effects: +1 morale bonus on attack rolls, 60 mins.
Caspan closes in, but again seems to hesitate at a crucial moment, letting the hobgoblin easily knock aside his fist.
Selde saw Father Emil with the bow, but knew the fight would quickly be too confined and crowded. And so she attempted to quickly get out of Nur's saddle, but her haste only served to slow her down. By the time the others had engaged, she had only dismounted and drawn her sword.
Thael takes sight of the first goblin ahead of him in the doorway with the red tinged armor and quickly lands his daze spell on him, taking him out of the fight for a few additional seconds.
The hobgoblin nearest caspan with the orange cloak whips his longsword around and tries to attack the brawler, but holding on to his pet human makes wielding his blade more cumbersome when the human starts to pull and yank on the chain.
HP 13/13
AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 15, CMD 17
Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +0 (+2 resistance bonus to recover from a continuing effect)
Unbreakable Survivor 0/1
Martial Flexibility: 2/4
Effects: +1 morale bonus on attack rolls, 60 mins.; Weapon Focus (unarmed), 1 min.
Concentrating for a moment to try to make sure his head is truly in the fight -- damn collar! spent enough time in prison that I know no one should be chained up like that! -- Caspan throws another punch.
Father Emil drops his bow and readies his scythe. Before he attacks, he says a brief prayer. "Erastil give me strength enough for one more battle." He edges closer to the dazed hobgoblin, thinking he might flank the opponent if an ally enters the fray.
Wren waits for the others to clear the doorway. Once they do so, she moved forward into the doorway and fired another holy thorn at the hobgoblin with the human on a chain.
Damage
Jillian moves in to assist Caspan while also putting herself between him and the secondary hobgoblin.
As her brother clouded a hobgoblin's mind, Selde used the opportunity to attack. Rushing forward and slashing out with her longsword.
More used to fighting wolves, she brought her blade in low, but it bit flesh all the same.
Wren continues to land missiles on her target, slowly piling on punishment to the hobgoblin. Selde's longsword opens a deep gash in the thigh of the invader, injuring him further.
Jillian's greatsword crashes down in a glancing strike on the armor of the hobgoblin before her. Following up, Thael moves into the room and casts his daze spell on that hogboblin, the one holding the chain in front of Jillian and Caspan. Unable to steel his mind, the
enemy pauses in confusion.
The enemy in front of Jillian snaps out of his daze and swipes his longsword at Selde, but she deflects the blow her own blade.
R: 11
Deflecting the hobgoblin's attack, Selde cautiously pressed her opponent while studying his movements. Their blades parried back and forth until Selde found an opening. She dug her blade across the hobgoblin's arm before gracefully moving out of her foes reach and her allies ranged attacks.
Emil moves closer to the dazed hobgoblin and swings his scythe.
The farm implement hits a display counter and only succeeds in spilling some merchandise on the floor.
Thael's missiles unerringly find their target, exploding in his chest and causing too much damage for him to stay conscious. He slides down the wall in a bloody heap, dying on the floor.
With the hobgoblin still stnading, Jillian brings the sword around for another swing and brings the blade down across the hobgoblins chest.
Caspan nods approvingly as Jillian finishes off the hobgoblin, moments before he could do it himself.
"Hey," he says, turning to the chained man. "You still alive? Is there anyone else in here?"
He looks around to see what if anything there is of use in here.
Both hobgoblins have standard gear, but one was laden with a vareity of alchemical substances having clearly looted this building. He has 2 potions of cure light wounds, a potion of invisibility, 3 alchemist fire, antiotix, healer's kit, oil x5, smokestick x2, tanglefootbag x2, thunderstone x2, hooded lantern and 3 Provision points.
Additionally, the shop is neatly organized and filled with various jars, bottles and paper envelopes. Much has been destroyed or looted, but with a few minutes of work you still manage to find antiplague x3, bloodblock x5, fire ward gel, flask of defoliant x2 and a well-used marble mortar and pestle.
"Y-y-yes." The chained man stutters. Looking over at Oreld , the man averts his gaze quickly. "Oreld secured the the Oleo's in the cellar and set a trap of some kind to slow down those, those, those horrible creatures!" He pulls on his collar, trying to dislodge it without much success.
Caspan takes note of a simple burglar alarm on the door to Oreld's workshop. A string loops around the doorknob and connects to some devices which looks like it will spray a liquid on anyone attempting to open the door.
Selde pulled out her dagger and slit the throats of the hobgoblins before helping Caspan with the supplies. After the chained man revealed the trap, Selde motioned for the others to step aside and fired an arrow at it.
"That's a ... way to open a lock," Caspan observers. "Not one I've ever seen before, though, and I've seen a lot of them."
Jillian works to free the man from his chains as the others gather supplies and deal with the door. Once she gets him free she stands him up. "There are other survivors. We are trying to get as many people out of town as we can. Come join the others."
The key to the collar is found on the second hobgoblin that was killed and given to Jillian who helps free the man from becoming a pet of the invaders.
Once everyone is safely out of the way, Selde target's the string connecting the spray device to the doorknob with her arrow. She strikes true and splits the string, triggering the device. An acid-like substance sprays out of the device and burns away at the floor directly in front of the doorway.
With the trap disarmed, Caspan heads back inside and opens the doorway (carefully avoiding the acid-like substance on the floor). The next clearly looks like the work room Oreld used to create his various concoctions. His alchemist lab sits again one wall adjacent a locked cabinet. Using a set of keys taken of Oreld's body, you discover various alchemical components. There does not appear to be any additional exits from this room nor any survivors in it.
Various notes on a work table describe Oreld's experiments with a "stump remover".
This "stump remover" appears to be some form of explosive which could be assembled with various alchemical ingredients from this room with about 1 minutes worth of work.
These items are worth 200gp on their own or can be used as raw materials to craft up to 600gp of alchemical items.
Selde leaves the notes and alchemical supplies to her brother, assuming his big city learning would come in handy. Instead she searched about the room, keeping her sword in hand and at the ready.
Noticing a rug was haphazardly arranged, Selde threw it aside to reveal a trapdoor. "I've found something." she said quietly to the others. Crouching down, Selde checks for more traps before carefully attempting to open the trap door.