Thorn springs out of his own bedroll with a hand reaching out for his nearby bow. An arrow to its string, he rolls out only to see that the lovely Lilianne and Andrei in significantly less clothing rush out as well.
A streaking blaze of fire lights up the sky for a brief moment and the yelps seemed to indicate that the intruders have being scared off.
Assurance from the half elf that they'll be taking next watch and for him to get his rest and he complies.
The morning finds them having breakfast as Blaze regals them about their night encounter.
Aukan, Nima, Pharos, and Sasha all come up from the dungeon for breakfast.
The bard is lightly strumming her lute as the group wakes up and walks to the camp fire. She does not look up at anyone unless specifically called upon. She makes no music but simple strums the lute.
The intelligent one keeps watching and observing the group. She adds after Aukan thanks for the food with, "Thank you for your kindness."
The barbarian woman went for a swim early in the morning. She comes back with her attire upon leaving not much to the imagination. She sharpens her weapons and eats quickly once served. At the mention of hunting she offers, "I can go hunt though goblins don't taste well!" Then laughs at her own joke.
She brings up plates, forks, napkins, and several eggs. She offers the eggs to whoever is cooking and begins to pass out the other materials. She offers, "We have fully cleaned out the dinner hall. The oven and stove work now with wood. Also the magic in the dishes and table should keep them clean without someone doing that work."
---
At Blaze's retelling of the canine attack she nods appreciatively. As Blaze finishes she asks, "So what is the plan for today?"
Slipping off the sheath from his back, so the greatsword could be drawn next to him. Also so he can eat while seating, he takes his plate and fork and wait with the rest of the group.
"So do you think you got them all?" He asks about the canines.
Upon finishing his food he states, "Thank you for the filling breakfast, if we hunt today is there a preference for what we bring back?"
Speaking about what to do this day he offers, "Should we go investigate and possibly hunt down another goblin village?"
At the mention of the goblins her living flaming hair seems to grow brighter and her eyes get just a bit bigger. She exclaims, "We hunt small gobos!"
She is still slowly consuming the food offered to her passively listening.
The bodies of the dogs will be heaped and dealt with. Arrows will be recovered of what didn't get destroyed, and the night seems to pass by without trouble after that. As their watch ends, she will return with Andrei to lay together, but this time she will keep her armor loose and clothes on just in case the dogs come back.
With the rising sun, fresh warmth blankets the valley amid the cold surrounding lands. She is up to greet it openly and goes through her morning stretching regimen and then refocuses herself for a while in a secluded spot. It is unknown who she speaks to, but she seems to speak to someone as though praying. If anyone draws within earshot, she will stop.
With the others milling about camp, getting breakfast ready, and the arrival of their other common folk who have joined them recently, she comes back to join them all while brushing her long elven hair.
She lingers near Blaze and then nods to Aukan, "Yes, we need to deal with the goblins as quickly as possible. I am not sure how far it is, but it may be a lengthy journey. We should rely on Aramyros and his steed to run messages back to the camp of what we see and experience, and then to join in on the fight when we come to that. At least we won't have to worry about walls it sounds like."
After finishing talking, she will set aside her brush and pick up a plate of food to eat. She needs to recover her strength after having expended so much energy the past few days.
The bodies of the dogs will be heaped and dealt with. Arrows will be recovered of what didn't get destroyed, and the night seems to pass by without trouble after that. As their watch ends, she will return with Andrei to lay together, but this time she will keep her armor loose and clothes on just in case the dogs come back.
With the rising sun, fresh warmth blankets the valley amid the cold surrounding lands. She is up to greet it openly and goes through her morning stretching regimen and then refocuses herself for a while in a secluded spot.
After his morning prayers, Andrei emerges from the tent. Last night canine attack brought some things in focus. Mainly, it might have been bad form to have relations with Lilianne while those they just rescued likely had relations forced upon them.
The caydenite spends the morning going to each of the survivors of the goblin imprisonment, been open to talk about any problems, how they slept despite the night attack, and lend a ear along with a swig of hootch.
The swig of hootch from Andrei seems to make them more agreeable to the cleric. They each slept far better than they had since being captured, though they tell about startling waking, as they remember the goblins.
The barbarian seems as apt to get at the goblins as Pharos, though does not speak any words on the subject. Only tightening her grip on her weapon.
"Lilianne, Andrei, Thorn, Aramyros, and who else do you want to go scouting with you?" He asks focusing the question to Lilianne more than anyone else.
"Bâreţţâ! Reâdy țo șhow Câyden your heârţ?" Andrei nods at the barbarian warrior for confirmation and support.
"We aren't going scouting. We are going. Period. There is no coming back until the job's done or we have to retreat. Scouting will be done by me and maybe you when we get there," she answers Aukan. "One way or another, we are attacking. This goes for all of you..." Addressing the group of ragtag followers now. She recalls the debacle of the last assault. By luck, they mopped up, but now she turns to face those who have recently joined them. "You are welcome to stay here. Enjoy the rest and peace. You've certainly seen your share of hardships. Revitalize yourself. Make this your home for the time being until the next portal opens. However," she states with finality but with a welcoming face, "if you come with us to fight, you will follow orders from us." She indicates the group of sworn fighters. "Is that clear?"
For those who elect to go, of whom she hasn't seen in battle already, she would want to know what they are capable of and would gauge their abilities in combat to see if they are as capable, less, or more than she is. She will find out what their strengths and weaknesses are, and then gather an idea of how to use them when the time comes.
Thorn stretches as he observes the gathering.
He too remembered the last battle.
"If you cannot follow the orders, we might not be so lucky the next time. We'd rather you stay and recover as best as you can while defending this place."
Baretta raises her weapon at Andrei's inspiring words, but then looks at her companions. Then she states, "I would love to cleave some goblin flesh but I will stay and protect this time."
Many seem resistant to leave.
"Come let us find more goblins to slay!" He states and heads out. Securing his sheath and equipment as he goes.
---
"Any more signal whistles for Alia?" He asks those heading out of the camp.
"You will have my glaive!" She states as she follows.
"Andrei, I will stay to mend their wounds!" She says timidly.
When everyone seems ready, she will pull up her bow and let off the signal whistle arrow. When it lands in the soft soil once more, she will gather it and wait for Alia to show up. Her eyes stray to Thorn after a while to see his reaction when she does.
Thorn's expression does not change as he ponders whether the weapons described might all be cursed and if they are inside that hidden cache or not.
He's worried about his vision about Aurkan. A warrior covered in blood and worse his seemly inability to keep to plans.
Baretta raises her weapon at Andrei's inspiring words, but then looks at her companions. Then she states, "I would love to cleave some goblin flesh but I will stay and protect this time."
Andrei simply nods at the barbarian, keeping his concern to himself.
"Andrei, I will stay to mend their wounds!" She says timidly.
"Ţhânk you, Nîma."
The caydenite had almost forgotten the timid ifrit woman was a cleric. Andrei makes a mental note to sit down with Nima soon and talk about their faiths.
It takes her a few minutes to arrive and then seems to just shift out of the shadows of the trees. She walks cautiously from the foliage of the trees. She raises her free hand in a wave as her other hand holds her bow.
Within 30 she stops and asks, "On to another goblin camp?"
With confirmation she leads the group to the North East.
Within the first hour of traveling some of you might see the problem before we stumble into it... Alia in the lead may not see it far enough away but before slipping into the sand she states, "Let's go around, here be wet sand."
It takes five hours to get to the next goblin area. You can see the obvious markings of goblins as trees are marked and painted within the last hour.
"Câreful, everyone. Quîcksând rîghț țhere." Andrei points it out to the group so they can avoid it.
"Thanks," she comments. It is good she is not the only one looking out. As they come to the painted trees, she looks for a pattern.
"This is fresh," the rogue mutters.
"Who will be taking point as we near the goblins?" She asks as she scans the area.
Thorn steps up.
"I'll do it." he checks his gear as he takes out an alchemical mixture and quaffs it.
Lilianne was about to state that she would, but smile as Thorn steps up. "Alright, let's see what this elf has got"
She gladly will hang out behind him with Andrei, but will still keep an eye out for traps or dangers nearby, as well as the presence of goblinoids.
'Which tribe is this one and how's their lair like?" Thorn asks.
So Thorn leaves the group to track down goblins... then Lilianne is how far behind him?
"They are the Green Serpents, but I'm not sure about their lair."
There is a time where they travel further, but when they get closer, just like before, she will make the less stealthy hang back while the most stealthy move forward to scout and plan what they see.
Andrei follows behind Lillanne.
Despite imbibing his alchemical concoction, Thorn isn't able to prevent his movements from being heard or seen much.
He makes the best of it though he thinks on the Green Serpents tribe based on what information they already gathered prior to that.
Alia has led the group for 7 hours. Now as the signs of goblin are about she asked who wanted to take point. She assumes that someone or possibly two people will scout ahead. Though you can tell she is waiting on the rest of you as her investment in this endeavor is almost nothing. Without any prompts Alia sticks in the back of the group watching for movement.
At Alia's question he moves away into the foliage saying he would do it. The group pulls out their weapons and continues to follow at a slow pace. Lilianne tells Thorn to return to the group. Then pushes forward disappearing like a shadow into the foliage.
Lilianne will return to the group, after having seen the layout. She will explain, "They have goblin dogs, so if we don't stay downwind, they may know we are out here if we get too close. There are about a hundred goblins and many goblin dogs."
She will then pick up some rocks and layout a rough diagram of the camp layout with the rocks surrounding it.
"They will no doubt used these for cover from our ranged attacks. They may also use them to bottleneck us."
Taking in a deep breath, she exhales and states, "If we can hit here and here with fire, they will avoid that area, which will give us a path inside through these two rocks with minimal opposition, if any. My concern is the numbers..."
The elf looks to Alia with an inquisitive inquiry on her mind, "Would your dragon friends be able to help? I'd imagine they get hungry and could line the outsides of this encampment with fire...which would keep any from escaping."
She also looks to her friend and asks, "Blaze, could you help with that task?" "We should also go back and get Blaze. She can help keep the goblins corralled in this ring. Aramyros, can you fetch her on your horse and return here quickly?"
Alia shook her head, "No, the dragons would not help."
Blaze nods, "I can start fires. Though if we surround them, we might even be able to burn them all together."
As the rocks would make bottlenecks and protect the goblins from some attacks, they could be used against them as Lilianne suggested. Only six ways entered or exited the camp.
"I can block one of the ways." He states seeing the plan form.
Thorn considers the various numbers of way in and out.
Given time to remake his concoctions, he should be able to match another of the exits.
"I can take another of the entrances to be blocked off."
"And I'll take another. If Blaze can launch fire to block the other three gaps, they will come to us...we can all be on this side of the encampment. I think Aukan and I can take numerous goblins, but at some point, we may get tired. That is when you others will jump in. Heal us up and make sure they aren't escaping. Sound good? We can start with Blaze blasting the exits on the far side. That will be our signal to rush the camp."
"Yeș, Câllîe." Andrei nods at his commander of his heart and mission.
”Blaze and I can likely cover those three exits. Pharos, in case they get through please act as a melee defender for us. Also if you give us a half hour we might be able to collect some more material to block and burn. Shall we all look or not?” She suggests.
”Fire not hurt me so burn a big... a-r-ee-a... and I will block the middle exit. I will also use pyrotechnics to make those fires bigger.” She adds to the strategy.
Aramyros nods in agreement, ”I will support Thorn, but if anyone else needs assistance, let me know.”
"Âye şhâll do my beşţ țo keep everyone heâlţhy, ţreâţ dă wounded, ănd help where needed", Andrei affirmed.
Lilianne answers Alia, "We can make additional supplies to burn. That won't be too hard."
With their decisions finalized, Liliane takes in a breath and speaks up, "Alright, that sounds like as good a plan as we can muster. If you feel you are overwhelmed and need to run, make your way back to this area we are in now or to us by our guarded exits. I'm hoping it won't come to that, but we are dealing with many goblins. Who knows what they can do?" She nods, "When you all are ready with your fires, unleash as one unit, that will be our signal."
She will look for these supplies they are going to want to gather to create the most burn for their efforts. She also will be wary of any dangers.
Thorn nods as he too looks for supplies. He also makes sure to use the time they had to concoct another mutagen...
Blaze, Aramyros, and Pharos wait at this spot so others can easily find their way back.
---
Lilianne
Thorn
Aukan
Alia
He agrees and ventures to the South looking for fallen branches and easy to burn materials.
Luckily no goblins or threats are in his path. He doesn't see any either. He switches to his adamantine blade and cuts a large downed log into something carriable. Then lashes some branches together with some rope.
She ventures to the North looking for fallen branches and easy to burn materials.
Surprise Round...
Goblins are 80 feet
Alia freezes...
Alia puts down wood carefully...
Alia draws bow and takes aim...
She let's them go...
Alia comes back a bit sweaty and with only a few branches saying, "I saw some goblins they went out... we should get ready..." She watches for more goblins...
Lilianne and Thorn return quietly after 15 minutes with their arms full of branches. Alia beat them back. Then a few minutes later Aukan brings a log just over half his height with a bunch of branches in a bundle over his shoulder.
"I think we have enough... what do you think?" he asks the others. He doesn't look sweaty, and doesn't put the load down as if it doesn't weigh on him. He leans over to Andrei, "Would you cover my spot until I get to it? Gotta drop off the limber."