That hobgoblin's been through it! Hit with stone, arrow, and bit by a raging dog, yet he still stands.
A little growl rises in the back of Saélihn's throat as the hobgoblin's blade finds Ghost, her focus locking in on her pray as she fires a perfect shot, ignoring the distraction around her to deliver swift vengeance, calling for Ghost to finish the job.
Eagerly responding to the command, Ghost angrily continues to bite at his attacker.
Saelihn's arrow imbeds itself into the neck of the hobgoblin causing him to fall backwards as if he just had his feet swept out from under him. After a few sputtering gurgles, he falls silent.
Dropping the hobgoblin with her arrow, Saelihn commands Ghost to attack the next in line. Ghost gets in a bite in the hobgoblin's side. Not really a bite, but more along the lines of raking the teeth along his side. However you want to look at it, it's enough to drop him, bleeding out.
Bold may go. One left.
Grymwold's armor has held up nicely thus far.
Skalla
Lizzie
Hob dead
Hob dead
Hob
Gronilda
Pawnies
Grymwold
Saelihn
Ghost 6/14
Skalla takes a few steps closer, staying near the pump so that she can quickly draw water to put out the fire once the fighting was over. So far things were in their favour, but the scope of the disaster hits her afresh and she doesn't feel capable of inspiring anyone.
Picking another smooth stone with fumbling fingers, she aims her sling at the remaining hobgoblin, taking care to not hit the others. It was good that those next to her target were short - a dwarf and two dogs - so she aims for the upper chest and head.
Lizzie reloads and spins her sling again.
"Almost done with them."
And in her enthusiasm, the sling bounces against the sign, negating her attack.
The last hobgoblin, seeing his two companions fall begins to freak out. "Shit shit shit" Looking at the untouchable dwarf, he switches tactics and takes a swing at the wolf who just dropped his mate.
Dropping the canine, the hobgoblin gives a feral grin to the dwarf.
"I may be going down, but I'll take some of you with me."
Skalla
Lizzie
Hob dead
Hob dead
Hob -7
Gronilda
Pawnies
Grymwold
Saelihn
Ghost -1/14
Grym takes a step forward (5ft) and takes another swing at the Hob
Hatred +1
Letting out a scream of anguish as her companion is felled, Saélihn stalks forward with rage, firing as she does, sinking an arrow into the bastard that hurt her closest friend.
Gronilda takes a moment to steady her breathing, the chaotic scene around her serving as a backdrop to her focused determination. Drawing another arrow from her quiver, she narrows her eyes on the defiant hobgoblin.
"Your threats mean nothing, hobgoblin. Your companions have fallen, and your fate is sealed!" she declares with conviction, aiming for the remaining enemy.
Before she releases the arrow, she moves forward, closing the distance between herself and the hobgoblin for a more potent shot.
Pawnies keeps attacking the hobgoblins, stepping over the fallen body to attack the surviving one.
Saelihn and Pawnies both draw blood from the remaining hobgoblin. One arrow to the shoulder and a shredded calf muscle. The brute refuses to go down, however!
Lizzie
Skalla
This time, Lizzie accepts the effect of adrenaline, the battle lyrics from Skalla provides.
"Just go down already."
The hobgoblin takes another stone to the chest. Something deep within cracks and the sword wielding menace hunches over and crumples to the ground. Ghost still lies on the ground, unmoving, although his breathing is steady and the bleeding had slowed. The thatch roof continues to burn and a warm glow can be seen within the open doors of the smithy as well.
As the battle fades out, Gronilda rushes to the fallen wolf, grasping her holy symbol "Oh, no, poor Ghost. Please Erastil do whatever is possible for this valiant wolf to see another day..." as she prays, the wooden holy symbol around her neck shines with divine magic.
Part of the wounds close up, enough for Ghost to recover consciousness. Gronilda seems relieved, almost incredulous to the miracle. The dwarf grasps the symbol and smiles "Thanks Old Deadeye"
She looks up and around to make up the situation at the Trading Post.
Seeing that Gronilda was reviving Ghost, Skalla rushes to put out the fire on the roof. Her powerful voice shouts to the others "See if there's anyone still alive inside!"
Grym moves into the smithy (a place he knows well) and looks about, ready to gather whatever we can make use of
Awakening with a start as the healing energy washes over him, Ghost pads over to Saélihn, licking his wounds.
The huntress drops to her knees, throwing her arms around her companion before looking over at Gronilda, whispering a heartfelt 'Thank You'.
Standing up, she focuses on the burning thatch roof, concentrating on her connection to the natural world and the elements within it, drawing water out of the air, to send a couple of gallons of water falling onto the burning roof. Concentrating intently she repeats the process, hoping to put it out.
Gronilda moves to the fallen wolf and pumps life back into him. Reunited in life once again, Saelihn greets her friend and then conjures a small magical downpour on an area of thatch that seems to be burning brightly. A patch of thatch gets soaked enough that the fire quickly dies out. You also notice that this sends up a thick plume of gray smoke.
Skalla moves inside the animal enclosure and retrieves a metal bucket beside a watering trough. Filling it up, she turns and issues orders. Grymwold moves to the open doors of the smithy to see what's inside. He notices a hobgoblin laying on the floor in front of him, apparently bludgeoned to death. At the rear of the smithy is an earth elemental, no bigger than a gnome. It seems to be moving about erratically with no clear purpose. The smith itself contains a centuries old forge with a torch hanging by it's side. Grymwold knows this to be an everburning torch. At the south end of the smith is a hayloft, of all things and a couple of tables and workbenches also occupy the area.
It is at that moment that cries for help can be heard within the Trading Company shop. "Help! We're barricaded in here. It's getting hard to breath!"
Besides the closed doors to the shop, the windows are also shuttered.
With Saelihn putting out a section of the fire, it looks like there are a couple more patches of fire still burning.
Skalla grabs her battleaxe, ready to turn the closest shutters to splinters. She signals Saélihn. [b]"If there are flames inside, opening either the door or the windows will make them worse, so please be ready with your water conjuration.
Skalla doesn't get a very accurate swing on the shutter, but it's good enough to clang into a metal bar behind the shutter.
"No! The door. The door! "
[dice=Perception]1d20+7
[dice=Sabotage/disable device?]1d20+10
Even though the windows are barred, opening all of the shutters would help to provide airflow...or create a cross breeze that would feed the smoke.
a 30 will allow you to pop open a couple of shutters and buy your friends inside another round.
[dice=Perception]1d20+7
[dice=Sabotage/disable device?]1d20+10
Even though the windows are barred, opening all of the shutters would help to provide airflow...or create a cross breeze that would feed the smoke.
a 30 will allow you to pop open a couple of shutters and buy your friends inside another round.
I certainly will do so.
Grym looks curiously at the earth elemental and then hears the cries of the people trapped in the trade hall. He rushes quickly over to the door of the Trade Shop and begins to bash in the front door.
Gronilda swiftly turns her attention to Grymwold, who is entering the smithy "Grymwold, head to the shop! The villagers are trapped inside, and we need your strength to force open the way inside!" she calls out, urging him to join the rescue effort.
Determined to contribute to the rescue, the dwarf follows suit, moving toward the Trading Company shop. "I'm with you, Saélihn! Let's work together to save them!" she declares, ready to lend her efforts to the cause "Erastil, grant me the power to aid these innocent lives. Let your cleansing rains descend upon this place and protect those within!"
Gronilda grasps the holy symbol of the bow and arrow, summoning a magical downpour to assist in extinguishing the flames. The summoned water cascades down onto the burning roof, helping to control the fire and create a safer environment for the trapped villagers.
Saélihn likewise continues drawing water from the air to quench the fires of the thatched roof, focusing on one of the other burning spots.
It was pointless to try and save the building. They were fleeing anyway, most likely never to return here. She should have seen this earlier, if only she wasn't overwhelmed by the memory of that one night.
No, what was needed now was to save the people. Skalla heads to the door, giving it a once-over to see if it was barred or locked from the outside. Why would the hobgoblins do so, though? Why leave people alive, but trapped in a burning building, instead of taking them captive or killing them? Was it just cruelty, or were they bait for people like Skalla and the others, the ones who would rush to aid those in danger?
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All of the fire on the roof is extinguished! Two windows open on the store side and smoke vents out. A face appears in the window. "We pushed furniture in front of the door. We can't move it."
Grym smashes his axe into the door, shattering a good portion of the door. One more wack should do it. Skalla pulls on the remnants, but is unable to get it to budge.
From back in the smithy you hear, "Hey! The rock man is still in here. We dropped our bows and can't get to them."
Grym takes another full swing at the door
"Together with Grymwold! Let's break through and save them before the smoke becomes overwhelming!" she shouts after seeing the worst of the fire put out. She swiftly drops the bow to draw the warhammer at her back.
As she raises her warhammer high, divine energy surges through her, causing her to grow in size. With this newfound strength, she brings her warhammer down with a powerful smash, adding her might to Grymwold's efforts.
Grym takes another full swing at the door
[dice=attack, Ram-Hammer, PA -1]1d20+2
[dice=damage, PA+2]1d8+4
Grym does not know of a rock monster security system. He does remember Kinning talking to the walls every so often.
Going to the window, Saélihn reassures them. "We should have the door open in a moment. Stay away from the 'rock man', we'll deal with it when we get in!"
"No! We're in the hay loft, above the smithy!". The voice answers Saehlin.
The front door is smashed off it's hinges to reveal a pile of furniture behind it. Much of the smoke has flowed out, and with the fire on the thatch put out, it seems as if the people within are safe for the moment.
"Gah. Ahem. Thanks.". You hear from the dwarven proprietor from within. That's as much of a heart felt statement as you have ever heard from her.
Hey Kining...Is the Rock Man yours? If so, put a leash on it before I have to smash it
Grym hurries into the smithy to provide cover for the people in the hayloft to come down.
He won't engage the elemental unless it looks to attack anyone
"Alright, we're coming in!" Saélihn says, running around to the main entrance and helping to clear away the furniture.
Likewise not looking for a fight with the animated rock, Skalla gives it a wide berth as she helps people get down from the loft.
"We need to move quickly, gather whatever would be useful to survive in the wilderness, as much as you can carry. Food and drink, especially, also tools, hatchets, weapons if you know how to use them!"
She looks over the people to see if any of them were wounded.
"Rock man? I don't know what you mean." Kinning replies quietly with a strained voice.
Saelihn moves to the front door to help clear the way. Grymwold and Skalla move into the smithy. As they pass by the forge, the small earth elemental rushes along the back wall toward the forge, tipping over tables as it goes. It moves erratically, even for a pile of rocks, swinging it's arms as it goes, close to clobbering distance.
Grymwold, you get to respond before it closes to clobber. Skalla and everyone else can go after the elemental, as they didn't see what was going down.
Gronilda, noticing the commotion in the smithy, hurries over to assess the situation. Seeing Grymwold on the defensive, and the erratic movements of the earth elemental she steps forward and speaks up. Her tone is rather calm wanting to avoid unnecessary conflict.
"Easy now, elemental. We mean you no harm. Can you understand us?" she speaks in a soothing manner, hoping to establish some form of communication and prevent any aggression. Eyeing down at the fallen bodies, she adds "You are not with the hobgoblins, are you?"
Gronilda, noticing the commotion in the smithy, hurries over to assess the situation. Seeing Grymwold on the defensive, and the erratic movements of the earth elemental she steps forward and speaks up. Her tone is rather calm wanting to avoid unnecessary conflict.
"Easy now, elemental. We mean you no harm. Can you understand us?" she speaks in a soothing manner, hoping to establish some form of communication and prevent any aggression. Eyeing down at the fallen bodies, she adds "You are not with the hobgoblins, are you?"
While it's not your turn yet, give me a preemptive diplomacy
Grym positions himself to give an avenue of escape for those in the loft, making sure to stay between the elemental and the escape route.
You in the loft come down quick. I'll hold this thing off
Grym delays attacking the Rock Man. He concentrates on defense (-4 to hit, +2ac) and will only attack the Rock thing if it first attacks him or someone else
"We just need to save our people and pick up some food. You can leave or stay. Just no need to fight." Gronilda tries to convey the idea with his tone and gestures in case the elemental does not understand Common.
While the others are busy near the elemental, Lizzie keeps an eye open to see if no hobgoblins wandered nearby.
The earth elemental looks at Gronilda for the briefest of moments before moving up to swing wildly at Grymwold.
Arms flailing wildly, it missies the dwarf by a mile. Grymwold responds by slamming the flat of his hammer against it's rocky body, unfortunately, it bounces right off!
Lizzie gives a look and listen. While she hears screaming, yelling, and the crackling of fires, there does not seem to be any danger heading their way.
Skalla, and Saelihn may go now.
Elemental will go next,
Then all the heroes may go.
"What is with this creature? Where does it come from? Why does it attack us?" Skalla's rising exasperation can be heard in her tone. Still she cannot sit idle while her companions are being attacked.
She moves to stand at Grymwold's side.
Saélihn moves in bringing her staff up in a quick strike as Ghost follows her into the room, hanging back from the odd rock creature.
Both attacks connect with the rocky creature but seem to bounce off. It continues to swing at the dwarf, while emitting some sort of vocalization. It seems to be yelling about something.
From up in the loft, two faces are now peering over the edge, giving encouraging advice, such as, "You have to hit it harder! Try something pointy! Toss my bow up here, I can get pierce it's shell!"
Lizzie You can now her the commotion in the smithy
Gronilda
Pawnie
Grymwold
Grym drops his hammer and slams his fist into the elemental, the spikes(piercing) of his cestus seeking to crack the elemental's hard exterior
Overhearing the commotion inside, and ascertaining herself no hobgoblin is approaching their location, Lizzie moves towards the entrance.
What's going on inside, with the ruckuss?
Gronilda, observing the chaos with the earth elemental in the smithy, decides to take action. She moves inside the building, swiftly growing in size once more before bashing down the earth creature with her warhammer "It is a bad day when even the trusty earth wants to hit us hard!"
The dwarf looks around for the bow the people above is asking for "Bow? What bow? Where?"