The red goblin, its twisted face contorting with glee after landing a blow on Caius, raises its voice in a sharp, piercing war cry.
"Grak'nar greshak!" it shrieks, the cry reverberating through the room, filled with fury and defiance.
From the next room, the purple goblin hears the call and takes it up, the echo of the cry bouncing through the walls.
"Grak'nar greshak!" comes the response, louder and fiercer, as the goblins rally in the heat of battle.
The sound fills the air, a chilling reminder that these creatures, though small and wounded, will fight on with wild abandon.
Gundar will hit Caius with a cure light spell.
Standing just outside the derelict house, Gundar surveys the scene through the doorway, his sharp eyes tracking the movement of his companions. His face hardens with determination as he sees Caius struggling, clutching a deep wound in his side. Without hesitation, Gundar raises his holy symbol, the hammer of Torag, and begins to chant the words of healing, his voice a low rumble that grows stronger with each syllable.
As he speaks, a soft, warm light begins to glow around his hand, the divine magic of the Cure Light Wounds spell coalescing into a golden radiance. Without breaking his stride, Gundar moves swiftly into the house, his boots thudding against the wooden floor as he steps across the threshold. The wooden plank creaks slightly under his weight as he walks carefully along its narrow span, but his focus never wavers from his injured companion.
Reaching down, Gundar places his glowing hand on Caius’ side, just above the gash that cuts deep into his torso. The divine energy flows from Gundar’s hand into the wound, and the magic takes hold. A faint shimmer runs through Caius’ side as the torn flesh begins to knit itself back together, muscle and sinew reforming under the influence of the healing spell. The sharp pain Caius once felt softens, replaced by a warm sensation as the skin seals itself completely, leaving only a faint scar where the injury had been.
Gundar pulls his hand back as the glow fades. He stands tall again, eyes scanning the room for the next threat, ready to lend his strength wherever it’s needed.
The purple goblin, fueled by the war cry echoing through the chambers, snarls and lunges at Verilich, its short sword flashing in the dim light. With a fierce swing, the blade arcs toward Verilich’s exposed side, the goblin's malicious grin widening as it seems poised to land a devastating blow.
For a moment, it looks like the attack is fatal. The sword slashes through the air with deadly precision, aimed at a vulnerable spot. But as the strike lands, Verilich barely flinches. The goblin's blade only just grazes his skin, leaving nothing more than a shallow mark on the surface.
The goblin, momentarily stunned by the lack of impact, scowls in frustration, realizing too late that its strike lacked the power it had anticipated.
Crit Confirm:
Initiative Order:
Khalid <== Up!
Caius <== Up!
Green Goblin
Red Goblin - Injured
Blue Goblin
Gundar
Purple Goblin
Verilich - Injured <== Up!
Ghaernan <== Up!
Orange Goblin
"I tire of you vermin!"
ROOOOOOAAAAR
After dispatching this creature from the muck, Verilich pulls out one of the potions granted to the party.
With a smooth, fluid motion, Verilich swings his sansetsukon, the three sections of the staff whipping through the air with a deadly hiss. The goblin’s eyes widen in surprise, but it’s too late. The weapon moves with precision and force, the chained sections flexing as they connect with the purple goblin’s head in a sickening crack.
The impact sends the goblin reeling, its body crumpling to the ground in a heap. The creature twitches for a moment before lying still, its wicked grin now replaced by a blank, lifeless stare as it falls into unconsciousness.
Verilich stands over the fallen foe, his weapon still moving in rhythmic circles, ready for the next threat. After a moment, he reaches into his belt and pulls out a potion bottle, the liquid inside swirling as he prepares for what may come next.
Initiative Order:
Khalid <== Up!
Caius <== Up!
Green Goblin
Red Goblin - Injured
Blue Goblin
Gundar
Purple Goblin
Verilich - Injured
Ghaernan <== Up!
Orange Goblin
With renewed vigor, Caius slashes once more at the red rapscallion before him.
19-20/x2, S
Crit confirm
19-20/x2, S
He will then clamber up from the sludge into the next room.
With a powerful roar, Caius raises his massive greatsword, the blade catching the faint light spilling in through the doorway. The wounded red goblin barely has time to react as Caius brings the sword down in a devastating arc. The weapon strikes with incredible force, cleaving through the goblin’s defenses and delivering a fatal blow. The creature lets out a final, gurgled gasp before crumpling to the ground, lifeless.
Caius stands over the fallen goblin, his chest heaving from exertion. He wipes the muck from his brow and surveys the room, his sharp gaze scanning the scene. All around him, his enemies lie defeated—the battle is over.
Satisfied, Caius lowers his sword and turns his attention to the boggy mud beneath his feet. With a grunt of effort, he begins to pull himself up onto the wooden board above. Gundar is quick to offer his assistance, reaching down with a strong, calloused hand. Caius grasps it firmly, and with Gundar’s help, hauls himself out of the muck and back onto solid footing.
Combat is over, and we are out of initiative.
Through the message spell "The second room is clear. There were 2 goblin sharp shooters dispatched. Is the rear guard coming through and how is our magic healing? I will need to either use a potion or see our dwarf friend for healing aid."
Verilich will take cover and try to hide. Potion in hand, readied to drink it if another threat presents itself.
Through the message spell "The second room is clear. There were 2 goblin sharp shooters dispatched. Is the rear guard coming through and how is our magic healing? I will need to either use a potion or see our dwarf friend for healing aid."
Verilich will take cover and try to hide. Potion in hand, readied to drink it if another threat presents itself.
[dice=stealth]1d20+5
[dice=perception]1d20+8
Verilich stands motionless amidst the aftermath of the battle, his keen eyes scanning the scene with careful precision. The two fallen goblins lie crumpled on the ground, their small forms twisted in the muck. Something catches his eye—something odd about the weapons they had been using.
As he steps closer, his gaze narrows in scrutiny. Despite the goblins' diminutive size, each had been wielding a heavy crossbow—weapons clearly meant for a much larger creature. These crossbows were medium-sized, heavy and unwieldy, ill-suited for the wiry frames of goblins. Verilich furrows his brow. The crossbows lay discarded beside the bodies, awkward in the hands of creatures not built to wield them.
Verilich crouches down, inspecting one of the crossbows more closely. The craftsmanship is decent, much better than the crude, makeshift weapons he’s accustomed to seeing goblins use. This was no ordinary goblin raid—someone had armed these creatures with equipment far beyond their means.
Standing up straight, Verilich glances around the battlefield, his mind now racing with possibilities. Who had given these goblins such advanced weaponry? And why? It was a mystery he intended to solve, but for now, the unusual crossbows were a clear sign that something larger was at play.
I see that Caius has moved around this next room.
Caius, please make an Acrobatics check. DC 10 to succeed. Anything less, and you tumble down into the muck in this room.
On hearing Verilich's call, Gundar will head over and hit him with a CLW.
Ghaernan draws his inspiring rendition of the Ballad of the Bloodmarch to a close after two rounds, somewhat disappointed that his own crossbow bolt was not more lethal in its strike. The Bard pauses to re-arm the weapon in his hands, still leaving the other crossbow hanging bolt-down from his weapons harness fully cocked at his side. He carefully steps across the board following his companions into the ruined chamber beyond the door...
The light is playing tricks in this room. Better take out a torch.
Khalid slings his horsechopper on his back and takes out a torch, lighting it with his flint and steel.
Caius will also inspect the new environs, looking along the exposed rafters and in the muck especially, without entering the slushy morass, of course. He would not want to spread the contamination he carries!
Caius doesn't find anything new, but he does note the same thing about the sizing of the crossbows that Verilich did.
Verilich will fly to Gundar so that he doesn't have to jump into the muck to heal him. "Many thanks Gundar!" as the bolt is pulled from his body, "I'm afraid I can still use more healing. Do you have more magics available or shall I use this potion?"
While Verilich sees to his wounds, Ghaernan eases around Caius and approaches the far door in the dilapidated room. The Bard notes with satisfaction that his former Prestidigitation Spell continues its work on his filthy friend, tirelessly removing 10 cubic feet of soiling per minute for almost another hour. Upon arrival, he listens at and examines the door thoroughly, searching for any indications of a trap, or threats to him and his companions...
Anticipating that the various matters of healing, torchlighting, and otherwise resetting after the combat might require a couple minutes to complete, Ghaernan will Take 20 on his Perception check...
Perception Check = 24
Same as always, mud, oversized crossbows. dead (and unlooted) goblins, etc.
Khalid will carefully walk around the edges of the room to loot the goblins. Upon approaching them he says to Ghaernan, "Looks like that door enters the same room this one does"
@Ghaernan - There are no traps on the door and nothing to hear from the other side.
@Khalid - roll acrobatics as you move around the room.
Caius will move up to wait patiently at the door for Khalid to circumnavigate the sludge pit, wondering why our flying friend could not claim the goblins' possessions instead - they were barricaded at the far side of the pit with large crossbows for a reason. But one must learn patience.
Seeing his companions struggle to stay on the ledge, Verilich will drink his healing potion, fly over to the goblin corpses to retrieve their belongings, and peer into the next room.
Verilich flies above the fallen goblin corpses, the aftermath of battle still lingering in the air. As he descends, a foul odor wafts up from the bodies, a nauseating mix of sweat, blood, and the remnants of their unclean lives. He grimaces at the stench but steels himself for the task at hand.
With deft movements, he begins to collect the equipment left behind by the defeated goblins. His keen eyes scan the ground as he retrieves:
- Two medium heavy crossbows, their craftsmanship surprisingly decent despite their crude users.
- Nine bolts, all slightly bent but still usable, if only for a short while.
- Five sets of leather armor, worn and stained, but perhaps salvageable for repairs.
- Five light wooden shields, each adorned with hasty markings that once seemed fierce.
- Five short swords, their blades dulled but capable of being honed again.
As Verilich gathers the gear, the smell intensifies, making his nose wrinkle in distaste. He collects everything with a mix of caution and resolve, knowing that even the most wretched items can be of use in the right hands.
Once he finishes, he hovers back to his companions, the weight of the gathered equipment hanging heavily in the air, a grim reminder of the goblins' defeat.
"Khalid, my sure-footed friend, can I lend you a hand clambering out of there?"
Khalid does, indeed, take a tumble down into the muck in the center of the room. That will necessitate a Fort Save, as well as a DC 15 climb check to get back out.
Caius will attempt to help Khalid out of the sludge by pulling him up with Khalid's extended weapon.
That looks good enough to get him a +2 on his Climb check. Khalid has a +4, so he can take 10 now and get out.
"Thanks for the help. That's some nasty stuff" Khalid says as Caius helps him out of the muck. That rim looked plenty firm to me.
"Now there are two of us for the bard to fuss over!"
"Just let me know when we are in position and I'll breach the next room," Caius says as he looks to the group.
Verilich will happily wait and see where the renegade forces leap off into, but offer an insight that might be considered...or not. "I am ready whenever you are. I may offer an alternative route given this lower level seems to be a challenge for some of you. Now that we have cleared the first room, we could take time for us to climb or fly up to where the rickety ladder goes? Thereby staying away from more of this ooze that seems to infect those who get a face full of it, so to speak."
"I will certainly wait for those who want to balance across the rafters to do so, but I would prefer to trod into the danger beyond." Caius gestures toward the door before him. "Just give the signal when we are all set."
"Wait a minute... There seems to be an unexplored space above the first room." Caius points back above the door we used to enter this room.
Verilich points behind him at the obvious hole int he ceiling. "Yes there is. Does leaving an unexplored space behind you, trigger you somehow?" He grins.
As the group prepares to move on to the next room, Caius lingers at the door, his molten orange eyes catching the faint outline of a crawl space attic access in the room they just left. His grip tightens instinctively on the hilt of his greatsword as he steps back into the room, his gaze fixed on the hidden space above. The others pause, sensing his unease.
Caius turns to the group, his expression serious, the tension in his stance evident. "Hold on a moment," he says, his voice low but firm. "We’ve got that crawl space back there, and I’m not leaving it unchecked. You never leave a potential hiding spot unexplored—especially one that could house enemies."
He steps closer to the attic access, gesturing toward it as he speaks, his tone measured but insistent. "If there’s something—or someone—up there, we could be walking straight into a trap. Every fight, every battle, it’s not just about what’s in front of you. It’s about what’s at your back. We push forward and ignore that crawl space, and we’re as good as surrounded."
Caius glances around at his companions, his eyes narrowing slightly as he continues. "This isn’t just caution—it’s survival. You leave enemies behind, and they’ll strike when you least expect it. Maybe not now, but later. Always clear every room, every space, before moving on. It’s a rule I’ve lived by, and it’s kept me alive this long."
With a final look at the group, Caius steps toward the attic access, his sword at the ready. "We check this now, or we risk whatever’s up there coming down on us later."
Ghaernan finds himself nodding multiple times in disdainful agreement - at Khalid's assessment of his nasty muck-covered self, Caius' accurate observation of the Bard having no tolerance for said nastiness, and Verilich's entirely too-pleasant reference to '"infectious ooze"...
With a rather dramatic arcane manifestation of the Word and the Way, Ghaernan sets a Prestidigitation Spell to working on Khalid as well.
Eventually, the Bard even turns his attention to the tactical matters at hand...
"Not especially interested in attempting the next room in this wreckage, friends. As a result, I'm fascinated by what awaits us in the crawl space, threats or not. Verilich, I'd say your perception is likely superior, if you'd like to conduct the advance reconnaissance and perhaps set a rope. Shall we?"
"I'll stand ready to guard this door. Too small tight up there for a torch anyway."
Khalid will put his torch down carefully here and ready his horsechopper again.
"Ok. I will fly up in this room to scan the crawl space in the first room. Gundar, be mindful and guard the exit in case something tries to flee down the ladder at my approach."
Verilich will make sure me flies up stealthily with his 3-section staff in hand to perceive what he can with his darkvision.
Verilich flaps his wings with a bit more effort than elegance as he ascends into the rafters. Crawling through the wooden beams, he struggles slightly, his wings brushing against the rough timbers in a way that makes him feel clumsy.
The flickering light from the torch below casts uneven shadows, but with his darkvision, he can make out the length of the building clearly. He peers through the gaps between the rafters, squinting to see around the corner to the northwest.
Despite his awkward maneuvering, he is relieved to find no enemies lurking in the shadows. The stillness of the space feels oddly comforting for a moment. Verilich takes note of the layout, mentally mapping out the area.
The crawlspace is 5 feet high, requiring most Medium creatures to crouch slightly but not otherwise impeding their movement. The rafters are 8 inches wide, and require a successful DC 10 Acrobatics check to cross— they are solidly built and can easily support the weight of Medium creatures.
Edit: Belay my last, with that Perception Check, Verilich does spot a couple ceiling beams that have been weakened (intentionally?) by being partially sawn through. I will mark them on the map.
"I do not see anything of interest up here in the rafters other than a few beams that appear to be intentionally weakened, but there is a sturdy crawlspace that I would like to check more closely."
Verilich will land on the sturdy crawlspace and recon by fire, ready to strike anything from the unseen.