Surprising himself a bit, Kage manages the climb with ease.
Finding the path and continuing up the steep hill you find yourselves on a winding, thin, but visible path. You go for about two hours, deeper and deeper into the swamp.
You reach a bridge across the river without incident, but on your guard.
You reach the approximate end of this path, and there before you lies a village:
A filthy village-fort surrounded by a crude wooden palisade sits atop a low hummock of solid ground here. A wooden gate in the north wall of the palisade lies in shambles on the ground. Nearby, a large, algae-filled pool on the northeastern side breaks the palisade and allows a clearer view into the village’s interior, which consists of a collection of ramshackle huts connected by wooden walkways, all built on thick wooden stilts.
Emili drifts towards the rear of the group and keeps a hand on the whip coiled at his hip. "Something in the water," he says softly. "Stay on your guard."
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"Our tagalong is still with us. And it's a big one too. Keep an eye on the river." The shepherd takes a deep breath of foul bog air. "Now then, this the place?"
Mitsuru shudders when she catches sight of the single eye looking at them from the water. "Can't say I like that at all."
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When she again sees signs of the creature (or something like it), her hand moves to the hilt of a dagger, but she leaves the weapon in its sheath. She crouches next to Emili and scans the village for any signs of movement. "Do you suppose this might be the Licktoad village? Small wonder it hasn't collapsed into the bog, if so."
Tenchi moves to the front of the group (but not ahead of any scouts) and walks point, hand on his resheathed sword.
"Aye, there is indeed. I wonder if it is the rumored beast of the swamps?"
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"Let's find out." says Tenchi who pulls his still sheathed sword from his saya and stides into the village,
Mitsuru watches, mouth agape, as Tenchi marches straight into the village. Oh no.
"I certainly noticed it the second time. Getting bolder." Talios says now with bow and arrow in hand.
Talios shakes his head when Tenchi starts to march in but quickly slides past the others, as to follow him in at a distance. He smirks at the bravado.
Certainly one way to do it and I am not opposed.
As Tenchi moves into the village, he comes to a gate in an otherwise 10 ft tall wall/barricade, but the gate is smashed and open.
He reaches what appears to be a pig pen, but with the corpses of several charred goblins and no pigs, and by this point he begins to get a feeling of foreboding. There are no goblins to be seen, as though the village is deserted.
When no swarms of screaming goblins flood out of the village to devour Talios and Tenchi, Mitsuru decides to cautiously follow after them to take a look around. The combination of the charred bodies and empty village puts her even more on edge, and this time she does decide to draw a dagger. "Something very bad happened here."
Emili also draws his weapon at the sight of the village. ”A rival tribe perhaps?” he suggests, holding his rapier loosely by his side. ”Too much fire to be whatever’s been following us in the river. Or did someone mention fireworks? Too much to hope they blew themselves up, I suppose. And there’d be some survivors.” Cautiously, he follows Tenchi and Talios into town.
"I...I feel like we would know if there was goblin in-fighting. This has to be some bigger and far more dangerous than some bold goblins. Our mission just changed. it seems." Talios says grimly running a hand over his own burns.
Kage slips silently into the village, unnoticed behind his larger comrades.
"I...I feel like we would know if there was goblin in-fighting. This has to be some bigger and far more dangerous than some bold goblins. Our mission just changed. it seems." Talios says grimly running a hand over his own burns.
"Indeed. Everyone stay alert, and don't stray too far from the group." The Red Oni replied before pulling out her blades and slipping silently into the shadows to investigate the village.
Dagger held ready at her side, Mitsuru carefully steps up to the nearest building, listening intently for any kind of sound without or within.
Mitsuru clicks her tongue twice to grab the attention of Emili and Kage, then, gesturing first to her eyes, points at the window of the building directly south and to the west. As quietly as she can, she opens the door next to her and slips inside.
Mitsuru steps inside and finds an abandoned hut, the furniture scattered or shattered (what little of it there was to begin with), and a quick look confirming empty of current live goblins.
That building clear, Mitsuru moves quietly along to the next one, still listening and watching intently for any threats or activity.
Talios gets a bit nervous with Mitsuru heading inside, by herself. However he still wanted to keep an eye in case any stragglers or scavenging animals appear. He peeks around the corner to check the corpses in the pen.
Tenchi watches the group split up, and makes a decision; he would protect the female going off on her own. Climbing up the ladder next to her, he gestures for her to back up so he can go in first, then draws his blade.
As Mitsuru opens the door to the next building, it appears to be a guard shack, and there are four goblins here!
Round 1
The nearest goblin lights a firework and attacks with it.
The other three draw weapons and wait for an opportunity to attack.
Turn Order:
1. goblins
2. Emili
3. Tenchi
4. Mitsurue
5. Kage
6. Rin
Mitsuru ducks underneath the firework and steps back to give Tenchi space to move up. As she moves, she slashes at the nearest goblin with her dagger to cover her retreat.
As the firework exploded near him, Tenchi shouted something in Tianese in response and swung his blade on the Goblin in between him and the one wielding the fireworks.
Hearing the firework go off, The Red Oni took a quick scan of the buildings. The sound had some from where Tenchi and Mitsuru had gone, and the building was too tight for Rin and the others to join in whatever trouble the pair had found. "Flank them!" She shouted to the others and waved to follow her as she entered on of the connecting buildings.
Emili follows after Rin, hurrying up the ladder and looking for the most direct route towards the sounds of shouting and explosives. Rapier in hand, he mutters under his breath as Rin darts away faster than he can keep up.
Talios abandones his investigation and rushes into the buildings after the others.
A bit slow to react, Kage skitters forward alongside Talios.
Round 1
Emili double moves.
Tenchi drops the first goblin.
Mutsuru steps back after missing with her dagger.
Kage and Talios double move.
The Red Oni move to go through another building to reach the goblins in the first, but when opening the door finds herself face to face with four more goblins!
Round 2
The goblins in the new building appear confused for a moment, but then they all draw weapons-- 3 with dogslicers, one with a bow, and one draws out another firework.
One of the goblins in the first building throw something at Tenchi.
The bomb whizzes past and falls to the ground where it explodes harmlessly.
A goblin armed with a dogslicer swings at Tenchi:
Miss!
The final goblin in that room prepares an attack to swing if someone reaches melee range with it.
Turn Order:
1. goblins
2. Emili
3. Tenchi
4. Mitsurue
5. Kage
6. Talios
7. Rin
With barely a moment's hesitation--This is crazy!--Mitsuru dances past Tenchi, hops over the goblin blocking the door, and finds herself in the center of the room with the whole gang of little monsters. Suddenly realizing the position she's placed herself in, she decides to press the attack and stab the goblin between her and Tenchi.
Having missed, Tenchi swings at one of the other Goblins, hoping to drop him and fall back on smashing the one throwing explosives with his reactions.
Using the momentum of her sprint to shove the door open, the Red Oni suddenly found herself in a room full of goblins. Unable to stop her momentum, the rolled into it. Stopping just in front of a goblin, she lashed out wildly at the foul creature.
Emili follows after Rin, jabbing at the goblin blocking the door with his dagger. ”Don’t let them get behind you,” he advises his companion.
Round 2
Emili moves and attacks, hitting the goblin.
Tenchi hits a goblin, but does not do enough damage to drop this one.
Mitsuru avoids the goblin's attacks, but her strike fails to hit the small creature.
Run likewise swings, but misses.
Turn Order:
1. goblins
2. Emili
3. Tenchi
4. Mitsuru
5. Kage
6. Talios
7. Rin
Light Blue: 3 damage done
Orange 1 damage done
Seeing the goblins begin to swarm throughout the building, Talios jumps into action. He slides by Kage and fires at the first one he sees.
"They scurry around like vermin, careful!"
Kage walks forward and casts a spell, sheathing himself in invisible force.
Round 2
Kage moves and casts mage armor.
The Goblin swings at Tenchi:
Hit, but not critically.
The other in that room swings at Mitsuru:
Miss.
the alchemist throws another bomb:
This one too skitters futilely over the sire.
Meanwhile in the other room. . .
The goblin holding the candle fires it at the Red Oni:
miss!
The one holding the bow takes aim at Talios:
miss!
The last two dogslicer wielding goblins step forward and swing at Emili:
both missses!
Turn Order:
1. goblins
2. Emili
3. Tenchi
4. Mitsuru
5. Kage
6. Talios
7. Rin
Light Blue: 3 damage done
Orange 1 damage done
Status:
Tenchi 8/12
Mitsuru takes advantage of the bomb thrower's distraction, managing a shallow cut on the creature's arm. Then, jumping backwards to avoid a dogslicer, she sinks her dagger deep into the back of the third goblin, avenging its insult against the young samurai.
Emili easily dodges the goblins' wild swings. "Persistent, aren't they?" he comments cheerfully to Rin as he jabs again. "Let me know if you want to gang up on one of the little pests."
"Yes please!" comes Mitsuru's almost frantic, not at all cheerful reply from the other room.
Tenchi smashes his blade into the flanked Goblin again.
Talios grips his bow tighter when he realizes just how many goblins are hiding in the buildings.
"Erastil, grant me guidance to protect these people." he calls out.
He then knocks an arrow and fires past Emili.
The Red Oni deflected the firework with her blade, sending a trail of smoke and sparks spiraling through the air. A trail that proved a mighty distraction for the goblin in front of her. Not wasting her opportunity, lashed out with her blades.