Still holding the ring in his hand and looking unsettled Sighere quietly speaks The Spirits brought us here and now for a reason, to save these people. The way is clear to the bridge behind us, these people can make it with out us, there are those in need ahead. We must try and save as many lives as possible. He appears shocked at what he said, but then you see resolve on his face and he slides the ring onto his finger. Caleb! The dark grey owl lands on his outstretched arm. This is Caleb, he can guide you to others and safety. Is this acceptable Zdena?
Thank you Sighere, with Caleb guiding them the Westfields should get over the bridge to meet up with Abby and the rest of their kin. And it sounds like Father Noelen needs our help now.
Turning to the family Was father Noelen in the shrine proper or the rectory? And do you remember if Rhyna was with him?
Ussun nods and responds to Malgrim, Noelan was outside the shrine, with a couple of the hunters from town, Britomartis and Ateponus. I ... I didn't see Rhyna when we left, I don't remember where she went.
The Westfields say their goodbyes, and follow Caleb into the night, heading for the bridge. Pressing onward the party looks down Orchard Lane, and sees all the structures within ablaze.
Premek trots over to sniff at the noted hobgoblin, and then for good measure uses detect magic as well.
Premek investigates the unconscious hobgoblin, who seems to be unconscious, but not bleeding overall on the street. Nothing on the hobgoblin radiates magical auras....
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Premek looks up from the hobgoblin at the party, raises a paw, and cocks his head looking at the party.
Ryll nods her approval at Sighere's compromise. Then, noticing Premek's actions, she turns back to the party. Premek's found a live one. Shall we question him quickly, or shall I just finish him off?
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Don't think we have time to question. Take care of it and let's go. But... Zdena scans the surroundings with a concerned frown. Where is whoever knocked him out? We should have passed any townfolk coming from here to the bridge.
Zdena looks around for whomever caused this hobgoblin to become incapacitated, but doesn't notice anything, other than the hobgoblin has scorch marks across his chest and smells faintly of ozone....
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Premek glances around, and then towards Nadezhda's house (which is presumably on fire).
Malgrim casts Deathwatch and walks around the area looking for any other life signs. If we don't find anyone here quickly we should keep moving for the shrine. We know father Noelen is in trouble there. In opposition to their words Malgrim takes a quick walk down the street towards Nadezhda's house looking for life signs.
Malgrim engages their heritage, and can tell the hobgoblin on the ground is fragile, wandering down Orchard Lane, they can definitely tell that Nadezhda's house is afire, and there are some small forms of life registering as healthy or fragile running around the burning trees in the yard. Strangely, they observe, there is a perfect diameter of about 10 feet where nothing was on fire right on the porch, although the flames are now starting to lick into what could best be described as a bubble of protection...
The blasted and frozen remains of over a dozen hobgoblins, mixed with several bugbears, and even a minotaur, lie among the flaming apple trees in the yard. Some appear to have been frozen to death while asleep, while others fell with grimaces of pain on their faces. Broken glass surrounds several of the bodies, and the fire has the acrid stink of Alchemist's Fire to it. Blackened streaks mar the near frozen ground, and the smell of ozone is heavy in the 'yard'. Nothing on the hobgoblins in the yard is useful, being completely shattered by ice and scorched and cracked by lightning.
A random cat wanders over to you, rubbing against your ankle, you are pretty sure this is the cat known as 'Patches' for the black and white patches on their body. Given a few minutes there are seven total cats you are able to round up from the fringes of the fire, but strangely you do not see the remains of any of the other dozen or so cats which lived with the old woman. There is no sign of Nadezha or Bodhana anywhere in the wreckage of the yard.
Premek engages the cats.
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Darja approaches and Meow, meow, *trill*, purr... at Premek
With that the cats surround the party, seemingly waiting for some signal of what's next... Patches decides to groom himself instead.
Well, it's not like I'm doing any haggling tonight, no sense in saving it Sighere mutters to himself and begins chanting. When he completes his chant his eyes glow lightly blue and his look intensifies, his gaze then begins to flick around the scene.
The circle on the porch is devoid of dust and dirt, other than what's drifting there from the intense fire consuming the small house. There are no tracks on the porch which don't have the pronounced hobnails of hobgoblin boots leaving the porch. It is as if the person, or persons, inside the bubble simply vanished.
Zdena looks dubiously at the swarm of cats around Malgrim. Sometimes, in her experience, cats (like Premek) are basically people and probably smarter than her, and sometimes they are too dumb to find their way out of a blanket. Having never met cats from outside of Phaendar, she is under the impression that this is just how cats are.
Do they know to escape over the bridge? Or... I don't know what to do if they don't. Malgrim is right, we should get going.
Premek meows, trills, and gives a hiss in the direction the party plans to go.
Patches stands and stretches, in the way of cats, before sauntering off the way the party came from. One by one, the cats follow him, some slowly, some more quickly, until you are all left standing there watching a procession of cats go down Orchard Lane the way you came... They seem to completely ignore you, as if a collective has made their minds up as they go.
Ryll, shrugs and slits the Hob's throat, then searches him quickly. We'll want to find out where they're taking prisoners at some point. Maybe grab one on the way out.
When they get to Nadezhda's house, Ryll takes in the scene, and cackles quietly. Serves them right. Never cross old Nadezhna. For all her grim glee, she is clearly relieved.
She gives Darja a quick scratch behind the ears, offering comfort. When the cats begin to move on, she says, Shrine next? Didn't sound too hopeful over there, but we should at least see if there's anyone left before heading to the smithy and Oreld's.
Ryll professionally executes the injured hobgoblin, and a quick search of his equipment yields the standard hobgoblin equipment: A longsword, Longbow, 20 arrows, small shield, and studded leather armor. Additionally the hobgoblin is carrying a backpack and three days rations...
Shrine
A wooden deck surrounds the front of an octagonal structure with broad archways leading into a place of worship. To its left stands a moss-encrusted stone monument. Carved birds, branches, and fruits decorate the wooden supports of the temple’s entryway. Several dead villagers are curled up on the wooden deck before the temple. Once joyous banners and streamers lie in ruins crumpled on the wooden deck. The bodies of a half-dozen hobgoblins and a minotaur lie in the grass below the deck.
A lean wolf prowls on the wooden deck, its bloody muzzle a testament to how the evening has passed.
You are far enough away from the wolf, outlined in the moonlight, that you can act in whatever way to deem appropriate....
We take the backpack and the rations from the now dead hobgoblin. I don't think it's worth the time to take the armor off this one. Plus who would want to carry it
As we approach the shine Malgrim recasts Deathwatch. I need to be within 30 feet of someone to tell if they are still alive. It should work through the walls of the rectory. Not sure about the shrine building though, it has thicker walls.
As we get closer and see the wolf. Dammit, with that wolf there I can't get close enough to check if any of those people are still alive. Can we shoot it from here? There are a few trees around here. If we are careful and don't make to much noise the main hobgoblin force might not notice us.
Malgrim loads a bolt into their new crossbow and looks to the rest of the party .
Malgrim scans the rectory, finding no signs of life or death within the structure.....
Ryll, if you sneak around the back of the rectory you should be in a good position to flank the wolf when it comes after Zdena and I. And maybe our arrows will just drop it. Malgrim looks down at Premek as if about to say something, then decides not to try to tell a cat what to do. Sighere, back us up as you see fit. And maybe get that guidance spell on us again.
Zdena nods; Malgrim's plan seems fine to her. She peers around the corner of the rectory for a few breaths to watch the wolf prowling the deck.
Then she readies her bow and waits for everyone to get into position.
Premek moves up to the corner and hides.
Ryll nods. Mind if I borrow that scent cloak of yours to do it? Or did that go with the first wave of folks?
After any necessary preparations are made, Ryll quietly makes her way along the back of the rectory, to get into position.
Malgrim shakes their head I'm pretty sure that jar is with the others over the bridge. As Ryll disappears around the corner Malgrim starts counting in their head to give Ryll time to get into position ...1...2...3
Zdena waits for Malgrim to motion her to go, then steps out around the corner and nocks an arrow.
Zdena's opening shot takes the wolf square in its flank, the shaft quivering in the moonlight...
Malgrim nods to Zdena that it's time, then follows her out around the corner of the building, one of the polished bolts loaded into the crossbow.
Ryll is holding her action until the wolf moves (assuming it hasn't just died), so she can get a flank attack.
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Premek gives the ash wand a wave, sending a magic missile to the wolf.
The fullisade of arrows and magical bolts quickly overwhelms the wolf, knocking it to the ground hard...
Everyone breathes deeply for a moment, having struck from surprise, but no shouts of alarm are raised, nor do any armored hobgoblins appear out of the night.
So now what do you do...
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Malgrim cautiously approaches the downed wolf and dispatches it. Then looks around with Deathwatch hoping for survivors on the deck.
Shoulders slumped Malgrim listens at the front door for a few moments before moving to meet up with everyone else at the back door.
Malgrim climbs onto the wooden railing, broken banners snapping at their arms and legs. Quickly dispatching the wolf, Malgrim checks the bodies on the deck for signs of life. Instantly, they recognize Father Noelan, and the hunters Britomartis and Ateponius; lifeless upon the wooden structure.
Shaking their head, Malgrim listens at the doors to the Shrine, but can only make out the sounds of muffled conversations. The oaken doors are too thick to make out any specific words being said within.
Zdena keeps an eye out while Malgrim investigates the front deck, then follows them to the back of the shrine. She winces as Malgrim reports to the party what they found there--she liked Father Noelan, and while she didn't really know the hunters they would have been really useful for helping everyone survive in the woods.
So... is it hobgoblins inside, and the wolf was guarding? And do they have prisoners? I think most people who were here are escaped or dead, but... she pauses and scowls. Probably not many provisions here. Only worth the fight if we're rescuing people. Maybe. She glances around at the others to see what they think.
Ryll listens to the Storyteller's report, a grim look on her face.
At Zdena's words, Ryll nods. The living come first. Revenge can come after. She looks back at the shrine. I can do a quick look for windows, so we can see what we're actually dealing with. She glaces at Premek And your nose is certainly better than mine.
She turns back to the group. If it is Hobs, do we head straight to the smithy, or do we first bar the door and burn the building? Zdena's right, no point in fighting here if there are survivors. But every Hob that lives is another Hob that can kill, burn, and take prisoners. But it would take a few minutes.
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Premek meows skeptically.
But he goes and sniffs and listens at the back door, trying to tell what kind of two-legs are inside.
Premek approaches the back door, sniffing at the air around it. You get a sense of terrified townsfolk and the acrid stink of the armored hobgoblins. Beyond that, specifics are lost to you in the fouled night air from fires set deliberately around town...
He glances at Ryll, turning his head.
Ryll creeps around the outside shrine, looking for a window, or any sign or what might be inside, while keeping an eye out for any hobgoblins who might be lurking about.
Ryll is able to wander around the outside of the Shrine without attracting attention from any wandering hobgoblins. Peering in a window...
The hobgoblin by the altar has a massive blade, reminiscent of Zdena's and is armored differently than the others you've encountered to this point in time.
Ryll sprints back to the group. They're killing prisoners on the altar. she hisses. At least three Hobs, one with a big blade and very different armor who's doing the killing.
Crap! I've got the door, let's get in there and stop them.
Malgrim opens the door and stands to the side to let everyone past.
Zdena rushes through the door and towards the armored hobgoblin.
Premek growls at Zdena's target.
Ryll rushes in to attack one of the Hobgoblins guarding the prisoners.