The hobgoblins draw their weapons and give chase up the stairs—right toward the rest of the party! They stop at the top of the stairs, one wielding a sword and shield, the other with twin hatchets.
Timely tapping his toe in tune with the terrific tone, Sir Batman smiles at the appearance of the two hobgoblins.
Do you two boys have any friends that you might be wanting to call? You may need them!
The bronze-colored sprite then Strides into the (possibly) Frightened hobgoblin's space!
He then attempts to Everstand Strike!
Sylva steps in to flank with Sir Bat. She attacks!
Aaaaaand it turns out it’s really hard to hit the bad guy when you can’t see your own fists.
”Hahh.. hehhh… hOoOob-goblins hOoOob-gob…lins?”
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When the pair reach the stairs Nox flings a wall of spiky black tendrils at the pair hoping that Sylva was smart enough to not run in a straight line. Also hoping the display of power and 'definitely' stealthy surprise is enough to tamper down at least one of their spirits.
2d4 negative and 1 persistent bleed damage if failed.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success The creature takes half the negative damage and no persistent bleed damage.
Failure The creature takes full damage.
Critical Failure The creature takes double negative damage and double persistent bleed damage.
Ravenna, waiting at the top of the stairs, fires off a shot at Batman's opponent before ducking behind cover to reload.
Ravenna shoots the lead hobgoblin, who blocks some of the hit with his wooden shield. The shield shatters from the force of the impact. Batman demoralizes the same foe and bashes him, landing a hit thanks to Ravenna’s fakeout. Both hobgoblins resist Nox’s tendrils, but he successfully demoralizes the second foe. Sylva narrowly manages to land a hit, taking down the wounded soldier!
The remaining hobgoblin growls and brandishes his axes. ”I am Ghodrak the Quick! You will find me a tougher opponent to vanquish!” he declares, chopping first at Sylva and then at Batman.
“You should surrender quick before you fall quick,” Sylva replies before adding a delayed “-ly.”
—delayed just long enough for her flank buddy to step up!
She quick-kicks Ghodrak’s kneecaps!
Reacting quickly, Sir Batman Shield Blocks the love tap by the hobgoblin.
I think he likes me!
The Champion of Mazludeh then Raises his Shield, Steps into Flank with Sylva, and Strikes!
"Not quick enough," Ravenna quips, firing yet again.
Ravenna shoots Ghodrak in the chest. Nox and Batman miss, but Sylva lands two powerful blows that leave the hobgoblin badly wounded. Snarling with fury, he focuses his attacks on the rogue, landing a single hit!
The doors to the east burst open as two more hobgoblin soldiers appear, struggling to ready their weapons and shields. "Get them, men!" Ghodrak orders as they move into melee range of Sylva and Batman.
“Shut up, Ghodrak.”
Sylva tries to finish the wounded leader.
If she succeeds, she turns to strike a newcomer. Else, she keeps attacking.
With a conspiracy gleaming in his blue eyes, Sir Batman--Reacts--by granting Sylva Liberating Step!
How fortuitous!
The Champion of Mazludeh then Raises his Shield, Steps into a Flank with Sylva and a new guest, and Strikes!
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"Ravenna, new gobbo's on the right!"
The Sprite warns his tallfolk companion as the dagger that dropped from the ground raises to stab at Ghodrak's ankles again the second everyone looks away for just a moment.
The Corgi and Sprite knight bound quickly away and behind Ravenna in the moment with Hildy giving a defensive bark towards the new intruders.
"There's always more!" Raenna shouts back, swiveling to the new targets and firing again. "That's how they work!"
Ravenna shoots Ghodrak, and while Nox and Batman both miss, Sylva takes him down with a critical hit! She dashes over to attack another hobgoblin. He sidesteps her attack and retaliates, along with the other one, then both raise their shields.
Sir Batman then Raises his Shield, Strides (or Steps) into a Flank with Sylva and Strikes!
Sylva steps toward that guy who just grazed her (thanks to Sir Batman!!) and she kicks the crap out of him!
“Gohdrak the Quick fell to ME, Sylva the Kick!”
“Take that!”
“Ya feel that??”
“Ooh, ya felt THAT!!!”
"Makes them that much easier to knock down, at least." Like clockwork, Ravenna fires yet another shot downrange.
The remaining soldiers prove no match for you, and in a few moments, both lie bloodied and defeated on the floor!
Ghodrak carries a striking weapon rune on a runestone. He also has the keys to every door in this guard posted, including the cells. You head downstairs to where Sakuachi’s guide Ulikuq is being held. The nonbinary navigator thanks you for the rescue. They put on a stoic face, but they wince in pain from their broken leg. They will need your help to reach the Smiling Wolves’ encampment.
Sir Batman smiles as the remaining hobgoblins fall to their might! The bronze-colored bat-shaped sprite puffs out his chest and begins speaking in extremely (some might even say painfully) voice.
Here we come to save the day!
The sprite then bursts out laughing!
After a few moments, he holds up a hand for patience, before applying Lay on Handsvto those in need, including Ulikuq once found.
The sprite does go over to the fallen Ghodrak, kicks him, and takes his Runestone!
Ravenna, my shield really could use an upgrade when you get the time. Please.
Sir Batman bats his blue eyes.
Sylva cheers as her teammates take down the newcomers. She leaps down the stairwell and if there are shackles, she uses her skills to unshackle the prisoner! She does a medical check, doing what she can for Ulikuq with her limited skills.
After he is helped by presumably Ravenna, the only one tall enough, Sylva tends to her own needs.
Sylva tends to Ulikuq's injury. She is able to fashion an effective splint that allows the navigator to walk without difficulty. "Thank you, small one," they say with a smile.
You navigate the confusing streets of Skywatch and make it back to camp. "Ulikuq! You're alright!" Sakuachi shouts, rushing over to give them a big hug that leaves the navigator breathless. Ulikuq chuckles. "Yes, thanks to your brave friends." The Smiling Wolves make sure Ulikuq has a comfortable place to rest and recover from their ordeal.
Sakuachi's other two companions are still out in the city somewhere...
Sylva asks the others, “How about Deniigi the Huntress?” The way she says ‘huntress’ suggests…
…well, something.
Pouting just a bit, looking at his new Rune stone with anticipation, the bronze-colored sprite wipes his teary blue eyes and looks to Sylva
Let's go hunt a huntress!
You are able to rest at the camp to recover your spells and apply the striking rune to Batman's shield. When you are ready, you brave the disorienting streets of Skywatch once more.
Using the stars as guidance, you find your way to the Mystic Market. Cobblestone streets connect to this open-air market from each cardinal direction. Wooden storefronts line the perimeter of the market plaza, in the center of which stands a one-story wooden building with a wooden door. To the west, an empty stone fountain waits opposite the tents and carts that scatter the plaza’s eastern side. A low, pained moaning echoes from a building in the square’s northeastern corner.
A sign jutting out from the storefront’s awning reads “Celestia’s Place” in a decorative hand. Inside the looted cloth shop is a brawny Erutaki woman, wearing only a woolen base layer and shivering in the fetal position on the floorboards. She matches the description of the huntress Deniigi.
Sylva runs over to the woman. “Hey.. Deniigi? Are you alright?”
If the woman is wounded, Sylva treats her.
Deniigi is unconscious and does not respond to Sylva. She is not injured, but Sylva is able to determine that she has ingested an unusually long-acting variety of dreamtime tea.
Shaking the huntress stirs her from her sleep, but she is groggy and delirious. "Huh? Who... whazzat? Little tiny woman?" She blinks and shivers, wrapping her arms around herself. "S-so c-c-cold... Where're my clothes?"
Sylva looks around. If there’s anything to help this poor woman, she’ll get it—even if it’s in a locked drawer!
Sir Batman positively glowed with anticipation and excitement when Ravenna spent her downtime affixing the rune to his shield.
Do you think that they sell capes at the Mystic Market?
Entering Celestia’s Place with a grand showing of his sweet shield in the forefront, the bronze-colored sprite frowns at the state of his audience.
And that is why alcohol should be only offered in the initial 3 innings.
The Champion of Mazludeh begins looking about for some coffee....
What happened here, Huntress Deniigi?
"It was a toast... The wine... So sleepy..." Deniigi mumbles. "I dunno... Somebody took my stuff..."
You begin to look around the square for a way to help the huntress. As you approach the fountain, you can see a small camp with three people sleeping in unfurled bedrolls. Several weapons of Erutaki design—a spear, a bow, and a quiver of arrows—lie in a heap in a corner of the campsite. One of the sleeping women seems to be using Deniggi's sealskin fur clothing as a pillow!
Approaching the fountain, his blue eyes see a small camp with three people sleeping in unfurled bedrolls. Presenting his new rune shield proudly, the bronze-colored sprite kicks the one sleeping on the Huntress' clothing.
Wake up and be amazed at my shield's prowess!
"Ah! What the hell?!?" the half-elf woman shouts as Batman kicks her. She quickly scrambles to her feet, then peers down at Batman and his shiny shield. "Ooh, that's nice! Think I'll take it! Wake up, boys!" She whistles loudly, rousing her two sleeping companions. Those men reach for hatchets as the half-elf draws a short sword!
Sylva tries to communicate a plan: Now let’s not kill any— But the Bronze Bat bellows!
“N…n-n-nuh?! BATMAN?!!!”
She glares at the lady. “Go back to sleep, you dummy! How can I give you a second chance at life if you start a death battle over a buncha stuff?”
Sylva warp-steps and strikes with a flying sidekick!
The bronze-colored bat seems to enjoy the theme music being provided by Sylva! He Raises his Shield (to both block and fully present it's full majesty), glares Intimadatingly at her and Shield bosses her in the nose!
Batman bashes the woman in the nose, then Sylva steps behind her and delivers a flying sidekick to her stomach! She groans and doubles over, sinking to her knees.
"Ugh! Ow, ow, okay! Mercy, please!" the half-elf whimpers. She waves off her cronies, who grunt but stow their weapons.
Sir Batman proudly poses with his majestic shield, looking up, up, but not that far up because she went down like a...well...you know.
Let this be a lesson against taking things without asking.
The bronze-colored sprite then smiles.
Got a line on any capes?
"You're lucky my friends are so nice," Ravenna grumbles, but doesn't put her jezail away.
Sylva looks at the woman doubling over.
She paces back and forth before the woman’s feet, looking up at her while she’s bent down.
“Nice? NICE? Oh, you are soooo lucky that looking at you was like looking into a fun house mirror, ’cause I’ve been where you are. I stole a FORK from a nice guy, and he forgave me. And yeah, it was just one fork. But if I had a way to heft coins and goblets and the shiny silver sword over his mantle, that woulda been some score.
“And then what? Running and hiding? You already suck at that. You slept outside the place where you robbed the naked lady, and you’re using her clothes as a pillow! I mean… that’s kind of personal. How about you go and help her dress and return her things, for starters?
“And a story! I want a story, and so does my friend who hasn’t put her gun away yet. It’s a very persuasive tool that says just keep doing what you’re supposed to and we’ll all have a lovely day.”
"Okay! Okay," the woman mutters. "It was nothing personal. We're just trying to survive. We came here seeking loot, but this city's confounding streets make it impossible for us to leave! They always spit us back out right where we started.
"That northern lady wandered into our camp, trying to act like one of us. I slipped a little something into her drink, then we left her over there to sleep it off. There're antidotes in the potion shop over yonder, if you got the guts to go in there. Some bloody mage thought it'd be a good idea to animate the entire apothecary cabinet to serve as a guardian! You'll have to fight it if you want what's inside."
“Oh, we will. Right after you give Deniigi back her stuff and apologize.”
Sylva has her hands on her hips like a tiny-but-stern babysitter.
The ruffians grudgingly return Deniigi's equipment to her, mumbling apologies to the huntress. For her part, she is still too out of it to really comprehend what is happening.
Once you are ready, you head into the Apothecarium in the center of the plaza. Inside the darkened shop, it doesn't take long for the cabinet to spring to life, as the woman said that it would! Its drawers slide open and closed aggressively as it prepares to attack!
Sylva forgot to magical-girl sleeves on her outfit, but if she did, she’d roll up those sleeves. “Okay, Arthur J. Cabinet, no more Miss Nice Girl!”
She naughtily approaches, delivering a swift kick to her opponent’s drawer, then knees it right in the hinge!
As it happens, Sylva’s gone through life without throwing violent temper tantrums. She has no idea how to kick the crap out of an inanimate object. (This being an animate object, she will try again!)
Sir Batman leads the way into the magic shop. His majestic shield held before him proudly (one may be asking Oneself how long is this majestic shield s+%+ going on for?).
Tapping a bronze-colored toe while waiting for the apparently shy Cabinet to showcase its drawers, Sir Batman glances about the place.
Could use a floor sweep down here.
As the raucous roars ringing and rising in his bronze-colored ear, the Champion of Mazludeh smiles.
Your drawers are showing.
Raising his Shield, Striding into Flank with Sylva, the sprite Shield bosses it's....errr...hmmm....somewhere!
Batman delivers a solid blow to the cabinet, but Sylva fails to land a hit. The animated furniture attacks Batman with its drawers!
“Now that’ll be enough of THAT!” Sylva scolds before striking back!
Sor Batman Reacts by Blocking the personal drawer with his majestic shield!
The bronze-colored sprite then Raises his Shield, Glares Intimadatingly at it, and Strikes!
I am thinking that this cabinet has issues.
"Even the damn furniture is out to get us!"