The will to live isn't very strong with Poog. The call of Zarongel and his never ending packs of goblin riding dogs beckon Poog into the great swamp forever. Unfortunately for him his whelp friends haul him back into life, complete with fresh minty breath.
Poog wakes up to find his toads and his club on the ground beside him, as well as two parts of a grabby cat. There also seems to be some other offerings left in the room that could be useful...
While many goblins have searched the Cave of Darkfear over the years, other goblins keep dragging in new junk. Searching the hut reveals two tanglefoot bags, four smokesticks, four tindertwigs, a meat hook, flint and tinder, some metal skewers, a rusty watch chain, a small wire cage, a pair of broken spectacles, a set of thieves’ tools, a set of false teeth, and a half-eaten, raccoon-scented bag of hardtack.
Mogmurch gathers up the two tanglefoot bags and one each of the tindertwigs. His pants are filled to almost bursting.
He tries on the broken spectacles and the false teeth. "How do I look, guys?"
The extra set of teeth make it difficult to chew a piece of the raccoon-scented hardtack.
"Ready?"
"Huh? What happened?" As Poog's hazy vision returns, he rubs the deep scratch marks on his head. "Furry mini horses hurt more than Kettlehead's club!" He hops to his feet.
"Thank you for helping Poog, you all good friends!" He smiles, picking up the meat hook and twirling it around his index finger.
"Friend?" Reta pauses. She's heard of that word before, but applied to her? She checks behind her to make sure there isn't another goblin nearby. "Uh, yes. Friends." she coughs nervously.
"Did we satisfy... um... the Darkfear cave?"
"Think so? We all did the thing and all still alive and not dead yet. Pretty sure that counts," Chuffy sighs as he climbs to his feet, his first foray into 'proper' surgery deferred. "Time to go home, show them all that we real Licktoads now too!"
With so many interesting and neat things lying about the Cave, Chuffy isn't sure of what to focus on first but his eyes finally settle on the set of thieves' tools. "Thing-openers! Keeping these," he exclaims gleefully as he pockets them. The little goblin also takes one of the smoesticks, one of the tindertwigs, and one of the rusty metal skewers.
"Now no one stop us!"
"Yeah, let's go home." Mogmurch tries to avoid tripping, his vision distorted by the bent and broken spectacles.
"Home! We goblins, now!" Reta puffs her chest proudly. "We did it! Village will be proud."
The group gets poor Poog back on his feet and makes quick work of the strange and somewhat useful items they find in the Cave of Darkfear. Anything unclaimed and too interesting to leave behind Reta stuffs in her back sack to take back to the Licktoad Village.
As she ponders the mission at hand and if they did indeed complete it, the others reassure her of a job well done. The four whelps are now indeed all grown up. Goblins by the law of the Licktoad Tribe.
--------------
Spirits are high as the group treks back in the direction of the village. Mogmurch and his fine new spectacles and oversized fake chompers lead the way through the forest. The light of day starting to lessen, and the misty rain still pleasant on their faces.
The group crosses a muddy cart path and can hear something up ahead.. a voice!? And its coming from a wagon that seems to be stuck in the mud. "Move it already Braya, I ain't got time fer yer stubborn ASS to be pitchin' a fit. Its gonna be dark soon and we've got somewhere to be!" She hollers and whips at a medium sized animal that seems to be attached to the wagon. Its four legs sunken deep into the mud and its long-haired tail whipping about at the swarming insects in annoyance. A pair of furry ears stand erect, listening to the angry woman, but not budging.
A colorfully painted wagon sits half-sunken in a patch of foul-smelling mud. Abominable words decorate the side of the wagon along with paintings of potions and magic trinkets. Bottles, barrels, pots, and all manner of real potions and curios poke out from beneath the bulging canvas that covers the top of the wagon.
That's a... that's a... HORSE! (Well a pony, but almost the same thing!) AHHHH!
The woman on top of the cart just happens to look up and hear the goblins step onto the path. Her eyes go wide and her mood changes as she calls out "Oh hey there little ones, you wouldn't happen to be interested in any of Magical Maggie’s Miracle Medicine? I see you've already had a taste..." She says, eying up a bottle tucked in someone's belt.
"Or maybe some other mysterious and mystical items?" She smiles, the colorful hat on her head jingles slightly as she nods.
Poog hobbles along behind Mogmurch, still twirling his meat hook in one finger. But he very quickly notices the pony, and he can't help himself. "Horse.. That's horse! Just like great Zarongel, Poog wants to ride it into fight! And if I can't ride, we kill it, ok scary lady?" He looks up at the woman.
Chuffy's eyes bug out a bit as he too recognizes the foul beast attached to the cart. "Ride it!? Nononono, kill it! Kill it with fire!"
But then he realizes that not only does the longshanks lady have foul WORDS on the side of her cart but that she doesn't seem to be afraid of them, either. Chuffy swallows hard.
"Um...think...think longshanks lady a witch. Yeah. Witch. Is why she have horse and words and things," he whispers to the others. "She not scared! Must be big mean strong witch! What we do!?"
"Tiny horse." Mogmurch sneezes, probably allergic to equine dander. "Longshanks call it a pony."
"We be goblins, Longshanks Lady! We want special Licktoad discount!" The whelp draws himself to his full height, puffs out his chest, and glares at the witch through his broken glasses.
It quickly becomes obvious that Maggie has never met a goblin before and her inviting saleswoman smile turns into one of indecision and confusion. "You want me to let you ride Braya or you'll kill her? Are you threatening me?" She narrows her eyes at Poog, then to Chuffy as he starts whispering to the others.
"Kill it with fire? I'm a witch?" She hollers back towards the group as Braya's ears twitch and turn in the goblin's direction. Its eyes grow a bit wider, almost like it understands what's going on.. or does it?
Mogmurch's demands for a 'discount' is the straw that breaks Maggie's back. "A DISCOUNT? I was prepared to offer you the best healing remedy this toad licking swamp has ever known for only 40 gold a bottle!" She rises up in the wagon, hiking her pants up as her face gets red and angry. You can now see for sure that yup, she's a longshanks alright, and man aren't they big compared to a goblin!
"You best apologize straight off before I call on my witch spells and turn you ALL into ugly little toads, starting with YOU!" She waves her finger at Chuffy, and its pretty obvious that she's a witch and a scary one at that.
She rubs her fingers together to see some money.
Reta crosses her arms. "Buut... your icky medicine does work. We want more!"
Reta tries to not look the... horse. Almost as bad as dogs.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"You turn friend Chuffy into toad? Hmm. But then we would have another tribute for Cave of Darkfear... Might work..." Poog scratches his head as he dreams up a plan, but when Maggie raises her voice, he's startled and steps away from the horse.
"Still want pony," he glances at Mogmurch, happy that he got the name right, "But not have any coin. Only this," he presents the meat hook to Maggie like a trophy.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Clearly Chuffy must have a fear of witches because he's quick to duck behind Poog as the witch points her finger at him. "No, don't wanna be a toad! No flat shinies but can have Chuffy's bestest boot if want!"
He sticks his foot with the lone boot out from behind Poog.
"Nice and tough, checked with own teeth! Probably good shin-kicker, too!"
To demonstrate, he actually does give Poog a sharp kick in the shins. After all, Poog did just act like letting the witch frogify him was a good idea!
"See? Good deal, okay?"
"OWWWWWWWwwwww..." Poog drops the meat hook as he topples over, rubbing his bruised shin.
"I could trade you," Mogmurch offers. "Want some teeth?" He holds out the dentures.
Hope she don't want my spectacles.
"What are we trading?" Reta looks at her Newest Friends. She digs up the watch chain and the cage. "Uh, look. Cage is almost big enough to hold dogs. Maybe small dogs!" Reta grins.
Maggie's jaw nearly hits the bench on her wagon as the goblins offer up all manner of random junk, not producing a single coin "Look here you little toe biters. I don't have time for games so how about you run off before I do start changing you to toads!" She picks up a stone from her bench board and flings it at Chuffy.
She flings the rock at Chuffy but it falls short with a thud. She's clearly mad and done negotiating. Braya stands there nervously, ears erect and hooves slopping in the mud, still attached to the wagon.
Bold is up! Fight or Flight!
Poog
---
Maggie
---
Mogmurch
Chuffy -1 NL
Reta
Party Buffs: Nil
Environmental Conditions: Trees and plants are difficult terrain. Difficult mud around the pony and wagon.
Annoyed with his bruised shin and with the witch's tossing of a rock at his friend, Poog scrambles towards the pony. "Mean horse woman throw rocks at friend Chuffy?! Not cool!"
A dastardly grin on his face, Poog winds up his meat hook and tries to lob it across the mud at her.
Poog flings his meat hook at the upset saleswoman, it falls dreadfully short and sticks into the mud.
"Why you little s*~%! Get outta here or else!" She picks up another stone and heaves it at the little turd, Poog. It does about the same as Poog's did.
Bold is up!
Poog
---
Maggie
---
Mogmurch
Chuffy -1 NL
Reta
Party Buffs: Nil
Environmental Conditions: Trees and plants are difficult terrain. Difficult mud around the pony and wagon.
"Hmph! Longshanks might be witch but still stinks at throwing! Chuffy show how it done," Chuffy snorts, the indignity of having a longshanks throw rocks at him and his friends - poorly - overcoming his fear of witches. At least for the moment.
He pulls out a dart and moves forward, ready to demonstrate...
______________
Mogmurch reaches inside his pants, rummaging around a moment before pulling out his last swamp gourd and creeping closer to the witch.
Things go boom when Mogmurch throws,
Much more fun than using bows.
Sometimes where the boom boom blows
Is not my fault—that’s how it goes.
Poog watches the rock sail by his shoulder. "Scary lady not so scary after all. Time to whack with club!" The goblin trudges through the mud, closing the distance.
"Eh... diplomacy fail?" Reta readies her club and advances. "Yay, time to kill ugly horse! Also kill the pony."
"The pony is a horse, Reta!
Sheesh, some goblins just don't know thumbs from fingers!
The goblins advance, weapons drawn. Maggie gets more nervous and steps to the other side of her wagon bench before picking up and tossing another rock at Poog. If I can just brain this one maybe the others will get the hint!
Even at this close range Maggie isn't even close. "Last chance before you're all toads!" She screams.
Bold is up!
Poog
---
Maggie
---
Mogmurch
Chuffy -1 NL
Reta
Party Buffs: Nil
Environmental Conditions: Trees and plants are difficult terrain. Difficult mud around the pony and wagon.
Mogmurch eyes the pony with a wary eye, as he works his way closer to the witch, then he tosses the swamp gourd at her. "Burn, baby, burn!"
"Least we show witch how to throw before we be toads!"
Chuffy scoots around a nearby bush and comes up behind Moggy and Poog before pausing and chucking the dart in his hand at the witch!
Poog clambers up the wagon to meet the witch at eye level. "Now you get weak! Very weak! Drop all stones and bow to Zarongel!"
He reaches over to tap Maggie on the shoulder with his dirty palm.
Reta double moves up to the wagon
and climbs on it, dropping her club in the process.
Mogmurch uses the opportunity to toss a gourd of flammable grease at Maggie and it strikes her square in the chest. The flames start to catch her clothing.
Chuffy chucks a dart that smacks her in the face, leaving a bruise. Then Reta and Poog climb the wagon with Poog reaching out to lay a glowing hand on the woman. He grabs ahold of her leg but she just scowls at him, resisting the attack.
"Now you've done it!" She starts to scream at the goblins but is quickly distracted as she works hard to smother the flames starting to catch her hat on fire. She snuffs it out, smoke rising skyward. "I hate you all." Is all she can get out as she steps off the wagon into the mud, trying to get away from the goblins.
Mogmurch's explosive device sprays Braya's backside with hot burning seeds. She goes from nervous to full on panic and starts to buck and kick at the closest threat she can see: Mogmurch!
She kicks at him twice but only one manages to glance off his armor but not doing any lasting damage.
Bold is up!
Poog
---
Maggie -4, -1NL
Braya -1
---
Mogmurch
Chuffy -1 NL
Reta
Party Buffs: Nil
Environmental Conditions: Trees and plants are difficult terrain. Difficult mud around the pony and wagon.
"Nasty pony!" Mogmurch growls, as the tiny horse kicks its hooves at him. He slogs through the mud and clambers up onto the wagon, half expecting the pony to try to kick him again as he climbs.
Atop the wagon, he nocks an arrow to his shortbow and looses it at the witch.
"Hmm. Now that longshank horse lady is away..." Reta takes a quick glance at the cart, to see if there is more stinky potions onboard.
If there's something in reach and valuable, Reta will pocket some of the merchandise. Otherwise she will hop off the cart and pursue stinky horse lady.
Easily distracted, Chuffy's attention is drawn away from the witch by the kicking and thrashing pony. Hefting his dogslicer, he darts in and slashes at the creature's legs!
"Bad pony-horsey! No kick!"
______________
"Yeah! Kill small horse! KILL IT!" Poog is ecstatic as Chuffy cuts open Braya's leg, so of course he turns to the pony and tries to whack its behind with his club.
Mogmurch starts climbing atop the buckboard and Braya throws a kick at him while he does so. Her hoof kicks the wooden wagon loudly, but not Mogmurch. Mog tries to make sense of his bow and fires one of the pointy sticks in Maggie's direction but it flies off wobbly and splinters against a cedar trunk.
Reta however is quickly distracted by the wagon absolutely LOADED with interesting 'treasures'. Besides the bulging canvas tarp hiding all manner of items in the back, she notices the bench seat flips up and hides a potion vial with words on it, a larger glass vial with more words, a fancy looking stick (wand), and a small silken bag.
Chuffy hacks Braya out of reflex and the inborn hatred of horses, whether he knows it or not. His light blade slices a thin red line across the pony's flank.
Poog joins in on horse blood lust with his club. Due to his weak muscles though he's only able to give a slight bruise to the pony's left glute.
Maggie meanwhile watches in anger as the greenskin children attack her pony. She draws out a vial and drinks it, then draws a dagger from her belt. "Alright ya little toe suckers, you got this coming to ya!" She hollers, prepared for a fight.
Braya neighs loudly as her left butt cheek is slashed and bludgeoned but keeps on kicking at anyone foolish enough to stay within hoof range of the tethered beast.
Both of the Pony's kicks catch nothing but air in her panic.
Bold is up!
Poog
---
*Maggie -4, -1NL
Braya -2, -1NL
---
Mogmurch
Chuffy -1 NL
Reta
Party Buffs: Nil
Environmental Conditions: Trees and plants are difficult terrain. Difficult mud around the pony and wagon.
Apparently unconcerned now about the nearby witch, Chuffy continues to indulge in his baser stabby desires and swings again at the Devil Pony while humming to himself.
~Feel like stabbin' tonite, stabbin' to-nite~
"Kind of wanted to ride pony, but too scary," Poog grabs the pony's tail with a glowing palm. "We kill it, then Poog ride it!"
"Hold still, longshanks." Mogmurch nocks another arrow to his shortbow and aims at the witch. "Hard to run away in the mud, eh?"
Chuffy slices off another strip of pony hide with his stabber while Poog tries to tire the creature out. Unfortunately for him the mini horse doesn't tire nearly that easily.
Mogmurch takes more careful aim this time and buries the arrow in the woman's shoulder. He notices a slight flicker of magical energy as the arrow pierces some sort of Shield before striking her colorful blouse. Due to his spindly arms the arrow loses some 'oomph' as it hits Maggie.
"Gah, WHAT are YOU horrible creatures!" She cries out in pain.
Reta is up!
Poog
---
*Maggie -4, -2NL
Braya -4, -1NL
---
Mogmurch
Chuffy -1 NL
Reta
Party Buffs: Nil
Environmental Conditions: Trees and plants are difficult terrain. Difficult mud around the pony...
Reta reaches for the bag. Those vials have... WORDS... and the stick is just a stick.
But what's in the bag? Reta opens it up and rummages through!
Reta rummages around in the small silk bag, as she sticks her face inside she finds: eight baby teeth and a crudely drawn crayon picture of a blonde half-elf woman and a smaller half-elf girl, adorned with hearts. AWWWW!
Maggie grows even more furious as she sees Reta pawing through her personal stash. "Hands off my stuff you top heavy pervert!" Instead of throwing more rocks, or stabby stab stabbin' with her dagger, Maggie draws out a flask, shakes it and lobs it at Reta!
Unfortunately for her she slips a bit in the mud and the shot sails into her wagon and not into Reta's face. A bit of flame roars towards Reta though.
Braya continues to buck and kick at those nearby.
Braya lands two hooves square into Poog's head, leaving a match pair of prints as the world starts to get very fuzzy...
"You show that booger flinger Braya!" Shouts Maggie!
Bold is up!
Poog -5 (Not good Poog!)
---
*Maggie -4, -2NL
Braya -4, -1NL
---
Mogmurch
Chuffy -1 NL
Reta (2 or 1 fire damage)
Party Buffs: Nil
Environmental Conditions: Trees and plants are difficult terrain. Difficult mud around the pony...
Combat Map
"BAD DEVIL-PONY!" Chuffy shrieks as Braya clobbers his bestest bud Poog with her hooves. "STAND STILL AND LET STABBING HAPPEN!"
"Poog, you need a booger or a potion."
Mogmurch looses another arrow at the witch.
World is black again? Where did devil horse go? Is Poog eaten?!
Reta finds something worse than words... drawing of creepy horse lady and horse lady junior! She recoils back in shock. Good thing, too. Those flames almost hit her.
She looks up and tries to stab the pony. "Creepy Horse Lady has tiny horse lady! Horse ladies MULTIPLY!" For the good of all, Reta must not fail.
Chuffy continues to impress, leaving another healthy fillet of horse rump roast on the ground, while Mogmurch clearly has this bow thing figured out as he sinks another arrow into Maggie.
Poog fights to keep conscious as the world starts to get fuzzy around the edges.
Reta is obviously horrified by what she found in that small silken bag and tries to take it out on the poor pony. She misses.
Maggie decides this isn't worth it and retreats to the north "Sorry Braya. You should have pulled us out of the mud before all this!" Clearly distancing herself from what she expects to happen to her trusty Pony.
Braya, looking pretty bloodied and beaten at this point, does what any panicked animal does when its being predated and can't get away: thrash and fight until the bitter end. She continues to buck and kick at those nearby.
Her attacks are losing steam and both hooves fail to connect.
Bold is up!
Poog -5 (You have an action for last round)
---
*Maggie -6, -2NL
Braya -8, -1NL
---
Mogmurch
Chuffy -1 NL
Reta (2 or 1 fire damage)(Needs reflex save DC11 for half)
Party Buffs: Nil
Environmental Conditions: Trees and plants are difficult terrain. Difficult mud around the pony...
Combat Map
"Don't let her get away, guys!"
Hoping the sucking, clinging mud and rugged terrain slow the witch down some, Mogmurch tries to hit her with another arrow.
Then Mogmurch sets off in hot pursuit.