A simple gold ring catches Harkness's eye
Recap
The gang traveled from the magic academy, to The steam filled City Of Bronze. On orders from the Kobold Council to explore and expand into lands beyond the Nine Kingdoms.
The Gang hung around the city of Bronze, building a small base of resources and looking for potential recruits to populate the city and join on the quest. Managing to acquire One Eko, Bubbles the Hippo, Merry the Gnome and Qua.
Traveling west the group ran into a little trouble, wild animals and goblinoids. Eventually traveling to a Forest of Florescent Fungi, the clan finds a steaming craggy pass filled with steam geysers. The Npc's chose to stay behind briefly to clear the pass and make it a bit safer for the pack animals to pass.
passing through the Crag the Party finds a ruined temple filled with a glowing red fungus and petrified remains. delving further in, the group is ambushed by infant Basilisks, run into a room of unknown fungus and a dangerous Magical Constrictor snake. Our Explorers however managed to easily pass their trials, for now.
Sharra 'es lets herself relax after the harrowing fight. Once back at the caravan she gets herself a snack and munches for a while as everyone composes themselves. After a few minutes she gets up and gets ready to move on. "Anyone not ready to go? We should probably put some space between us and here. Find a real spot to camp out that wasn't a monster lair until recently."
"Goin' outta the death temple? Yeah I like the sound a that."
When the group heads back to the Caravan, they find the rather small passage, has been... Opened up. Somewhat roughly and explosively by Merry whose causes most of the local wildlife to flee from the loud noises Oh yes, quite. Let us proceed ever onward. I've taken the liberty of... fixing the passage to make it more suitable for travel. Given some time and a team. I could probably turn this place into a Hot spring spa or something its hard to tell if the Gnome is making a joke or not being as covered in soot and ash as he is.
Sharra 'es shrugs as she takes account of the results of the blast. "You didn't injure our beasts did you? Otherwise, great job!"
"Well done Merry, though in the future your must consult us before taking on any such projects."
Of Course, of course, no one was harmed. i just figured you might want to get the animals through the passage? may i ask what you found back their? you all look somewhat... worked over The gnome twitches a little, brushing soot off himself, speaking in his excited tone.
"There were some strange creatures that could have posed a danger to potential supply lines and other travelers coming this way. They tried to turn us to stone, the nasty beasties."
”Worked over? I feel fine. Doc do I look sick?” Qua will walk over to Harkness sticking her tongue out and going “Ah”
"Well uh, ya might be a little uh, tired from the combat. I know I feel like a rock. We're takin' five til we go back in there. More tunnel 'n that kinda thing. Old ruin in side is clear to move into though."
with a small roar from bubbles, the greenish Kobold Eko speaks up, Ho there friends! i have set up a small encampment it a safe location, and begun cooking a meal! Shall we dine and rest for the eve before we travel?
[b]"I think that sounds like a fine plan, thank you Eko."**
"Agreed! A good meal would be a great start to recovering from that ordeal."
"Done deal." Harkness immediately begins moving to the campfire.
It's a quiet night, underneathe a rather large umbrella of mushrooms, by the campfire, the smell of a hearty chicken and mushroom stew bubbling. The camp Eko set up, has a single way in, small walls made of some of the larger mushrooms provide safety, along with an area for the pack animals.
Bubbles, the hippo, carries several buckets of clean water in, the beast seems somewhat intelligent.
It's a peaceful "night", the sound of things flying overhead hunting other underdark creatures that aren't the group... for once.
Settling down for the evening around the fire, Merry begins doing some work off to the side while he eats... he may or may not accidentally be spilling some black powder in his meal.
Eko chooses to dine with his beast, they seem to share a close bond.
So Friends, regale us with the tale of what occurred once we parted ways?
Qua, not being much of a storyteller will begin cleaning her guns out in the open. She moves through the parts in a way that implies muscle memory in its smoothness. She very haphazardly flicks gunpowder residue from the barrels into the fire to the sound of pops and crackles. Providing ambiance for the tale to come, though not intentionally.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Sharra 'es collects some stew from the pot and settles in to tell the story of the angry snakes. She tells about the the black fungus and the passages leading further on. "The snakes had made a nest and there was a large one, probably the mother, there waiting for us. It had the ability to slow us down just by staring at us! Luckily we were able to beat the thing into a mess on the ground before that happened too much. Then we came back up here."
Sharra tells a wonderful tale, embellishing enough to make it sound truly great without being a lie.
Qua will take first watch. And she will try to badger Harkness into joining her.
Harkness will join her.
It's a quiet "night" the only sound to be heard is the sound of the geysers hitting a barrier. The usual predators attacking some helpless animal, overall a good night.
The sound of war in the far distance echoes through the underground caverns. The morning however is not as kind as the night was, outside your encampment you see a group of Grayish hobgoblins with a single Insectoid horse sized creature. They look fairly beat up.
Vraxiss steps forward and raises a hand in greeting. "Hello friends, are you well? You seem to have had a trying night."
The Hobgoblins draw weapons, one shouting orders in goblin. they for a loose formation with shields and short spears. They look aggressive and ready to attack.
Harkness goes!
Combat start order
Sharra
Hark
Vrax
Hobgoblins
Qua
Insect creature
You know that these hobgoblins are likely from the surface and have been warring with the Under lands and the City of Bronze for years. part of the underground faction is Kobolds so they are assuming most likely your the enemy.
Hobgoblins are typically military trained and known for using Ankhegs as mounts
Sharra you're up first, the Hobgoblins are roughly 30 feet away, dressed in medium breastplate, the Insect isnt mounted and the Hobgoblins have formed a Shield line, wielding spears, there are 3 on the line.
"These hobgoblins are likely from the surface. Probably enemies of the City of Bronze. They think we're the enemy, don't hold back, they won't."
Having passed along the information, Sharra moves halfway between the party and the hobgoblins and assumes a defensive stance.
*YIP* "Where'd this come from?"
Harkness will step up beside Sharra to form a tiny frontline. Before hurling acid from beneath his sleeve.
Vraxsis steps to the side diagonal to Sharra creating a V shape while drawing his dagger. He then readies himself to cast up an illusory hedge of spikes barring the way should the hobgoblins move to advance.
The hobgoblins, who already seem beat up take decent damage as the acid leaks past the shield. The Hobgoblins Don't approach and instead throw spears. One Hobgoblin shouts to the insectoid creature who burrows underground, after launching their spears they draw more and stay in the shield wall
At Sharra
At Harkness
At Vrax
Qua will scramble her way to an angle where there’s nobody in the line of fire and then shoot at the hobogobo who is attacking Harkness.
Cursing their military discipline, Sharra rushes to the the edge of the shield wall making sure not to get in Qua's way. Once in range, she unleashes a kick hoping to start breaking their line.
Vraxiss dances to the side dodging the spear thrown at him. Then he hurls lightning at the most injured goblin.
Harkness will try to hit the same target he struck with his acid flask with his crossbow bolt. After he gets nailed with a spear longer than he is.
A combine attack from Vraxiss and Qua leave one of the hobgoblins bloody and barely standing but still up.
Harkness takes a shot with his crossbow, only for the bolt to meet the Shield wall.
Sharra rushes to the shield wall and her kick meets the thick wall of metal only for the hobgoblin she attacks to push her attack away and follow up with a spear stab of his own
the remaining two hobgoblin, seem to now think Qua is a rather large threat recognizing the familiar scent and sound of gun shots and both toss Javelins at her
Meanwhile from below, roughly 5 ft in front of Vrax The horse sized insectoid creature pops up, acid dripping from it's maw.
Qua turn 2, and everyone else's round three
“Well that was rude!”
Qua's gun shot rings out, blasting right through the bloody Hobgoblin's metal and armor blowing its head in... Thats one down
Hoping to further diminish the hobgoblins, Sharra 'es lashes out with a pair of strikes.