"We should follow them, until we get close enough to attack. I can use my sling while they are still a ways off." Lysithia says quietly, taking out her sling and uttering a spell that enhances a trio of sling stones.
Kelda nods as she holds her hammer at the ready, "Alright, ounds good. As soon as we're within range Astoria, you cast sleep on them and we'll try to bash in their ugly, evil little heads."
Agreeing with her love's plan of action, Kelda has them pick up their pace enough, so they can get closer to the gobblin arsonists. Kelda fights back the memories and feelings from the past, as the fires remind her of what happened to Sophie's family all those years ago.
As they advance, Lysithia slips a stone into her sling, ready for Astoria to set things off with her spell.
As soon as they are within range, Kelda signals Astoria to do her thing.
Astoria nods in agreement with the plan and picks up the pace to close the gap.
Once Astoria manages to let off her spell, all three goblins fall into a deep sleep.
As the goblins collapse to the ground, Lysithia quickly moves forward to stand over one of them, raising her staff as she shares a look with her companions.
Kelda hurries over to the closest goblin and brings her hammer down on its head.
Astoria shakes her head. "Sorry...I still don't like that part of fighting. You go ahead though."
Kelda looks up at Astoria as she moves to the next goblin and smashes it in the head as well, "It's okay, that's what we're here for. We appreciate you for who you are."
Kelda goes to the one Lysi stands next to and motions for her to stand aside, "It's okay luv, you don't have to do this."
Lifting her hammer a third time, she brings it down on the third one like the other two.
She didn't want her love to compromise her beliefs by killing an unconscious creature. Kelda had no such feelings for the evil little creatures, knowing full well that given half a chance, the goblins wouldn't hesitate to kill them.
Astoria looks around. "I guess that's that then. Shall we continue?"
Kelda takes Lysithia's hand and nods at Astoria, "Yeah, let's keep moving."
Lysithia nods, making sure to snuff out any still-lit torches that the goblins may have had, and checking to see if they had anything on them that might indicate where they came from.
Realizing that it would be a good idea to search the bodies, Kelda assists Lysi in looking over them.
The only items of value are three flasks of alchemist's fire. The goblins' pockets are filled with dirt and shiny stones.
Upon closer inspection, you find thistles clinging to their ratty clothes. These thistles only grow in deep parts of the valley's forests.
Astoria knows there's the tower in the forest as well as the village of Wodrick. The safest path to either place starts in Daedran.
"They're coming from the deep parts of the woods. Unless we find ourselves a ranger or someone from around these parts who wants to lead us through the woods, we'd have to start back from the city," Astoria remarks. "I guess we should just head on to Cooperton. I think someone or something is helping those goblins."
"Yeah, as much as I want to get to the bottom of the goblin problems, I'm not turning back to go to Deadran, until after we;ve gotten to Cooperton and helped those people. It almost feels like some force is trying to keep us from getting there before something terrible happens there." Lysithia says.
Kelda nods in agreement, "Evert did say that he was pretty sure that there was more to this than just gobblins, and I agree since they've been acting so peculiar. What with the slavers around and all, and all the trouble we've been having along the way. Nothing about this situation is normal. We go to Cooperton first, and then go from there. I pray those people are okay. If not....there will be all kinds of hell to pay." She says, continuing North while increasing her pace as much as she can.
Astoria takes the vials of alchemist's fire and, after moving Teeko aside, stashes them in her backpack.
As you head north, you see nothing but devastation. Burned and ruined houses, slain animals and the charred remains of several acres of farmland. You encounter no one on the road, friendly or otherwise. About an hour after noon, you come to a tall iron post by the side of the road. One sign indicates the direction to Vorota and another to Cooperton. A third, fallen in the grass, used to direct towards Daedran.
Kelda shakes her head, "This is bad, real bad."
"Yes it is." Lysithia says, taking in the destruction.
Looking around, reality hits her hard in the face. They weren't just fighting to protect the valley anymore. There was much more at stake here, like their very existence. She was so angry it was difficult to see straight, but she had to keep it together.
Pulling herself out of her thoughts she says, "Okay, that tears it. We're getting to Cooperton come every hell there is, or high water. We kill anything that gets in our way, and ask questions later. We go to Cooperton, do what we can there to help....then we head towards Varota and hope they're still standing." Kelda takes a stabilizing breath to stop the torrent of feelings from overwhelming her, "Once we determine the situation there, I think we should head back to Daedran and try to find some help and some damn answers. What do you guys think?"
"Agreed!" Lysithia says grimly. "We should push on as much as we're able to today."
"Hopefully we get somewhere defensible by dark."
Kelda nods, "Yeah..." She replies, sounding more subdued than usual.
As they continue North towards Cooperton, Kelda tries to keep an eye out for possible trouble....or survivors.
"Shouldn't we take a moment to have something to eat?" Astoria suggests. "It's not going to help anyone if we're starving."
Kelda stops in her tracks and looks back at Astoria and Lysi, "You're right, I'm sorry. It's just everything starting to get to me I guess, and I wasn't thinking clearly. Just...seeing those fires and the devastation of everything around us...it brought back some not so pleasant memories."
Finding a place to sit down, Kelda takes some of the bread and cheese that Anselina had given them to share, as well as some dry rations, "Taking some time to take care of our needs is a good idea. I'm sorry if I have't been really with it recently."
"I don't thing it's possible, seeing all of this and feeling normal. There's definitely more to this than just goblin mayhem, but whatever it is, it needs to be stopped." Lysithia replies as they stop to eat and take a brief rest.
Astoria feeds Teeko a little piece of bread before eating her own meal.
Kelda leans against Lysi for comfort as she nibbles on some bread, cheese, and trail rations. Their chances of reaching Cooperton in time to help anyone was looking pretty bleak, and the thought that they might be too late was weighing heavy on her heart and mind.
After finishing your meal, you press on to Cooperton.
The sun begins to set before you spy some structures in the distance.
Seeing the structures in the distance, Kelda pucks up her pace slightly.
"Oh please let us not be too late." It comes out softly, somewhere between a plea and a prayer.
Lysithia keeps her eyes peeled for any sign of activity or people as they quickly head toward the structures.
Lysithia keeps her eyes peeled for any sign of activity or people as they quickly head toward the structures.
Kelda takes out her hammer and holds it in a readied position as they near the structures, ready to bash anything evil that gets in their way, or defend themselves if necessary.
Even though she is worried about the condition of the people that asked for their help, Kelda tries to keep an eye out for anything suspicious or dangerous.
As you near Cooperton, you notice that the town is surrounded by a wooden wall. Upon closer inspection, it looks like the townspeople repurposed burned down homes to build it. From your current position, the only things you see are the second floor of a large building and the remnants of a church's steeple.
Kelda sighs and knocks on the makeshift wall, "Hello? Can anyone hear me?"
"It looks like the town has been devastated." Lysithia says in hushed tones, alert for anything dangerous.
Kelda just nods, not trusting herself to say anything else without completely breaking down.
You see the tip of a spear appear above the wall followed by the head of an aged man. He peers at you. "Who goes there? Town's closed to strangers."
"It's Kelda, Lysithia, and Astoria. We were on our way here to help after we left Daedran, but we were kept from getting here sooner by several threats we had to deal with along the way. Bandits, gobblins...more gobblins with a general riding a wolf, missing children that were kidnapped by slavers, another fire throwing goblin and his hard hitting friends....it's been one thing after another, and I am so so sorry that we couldn't get here sooner. We feel awful about what's happened to your town. I know it's far too little way too late, but is there anything we can do to help?" The sincerity of her regret of not getting there sooner comes through clearly in her tone of voice, and how it breaks in certain places.
Kelda looks over at Lysi with a miserable expression on her face, the guilt and helplessness written all over it. People had been depending on her to help them and she had let them down horribly. Seeing the absolute devastation had rocked her to her very core, and she was starting to wonder if there would be any coming back from this.....for any of them.