Tymos seems confused by the situation. "The last abduction... well we've had a few deaths. An abduction hasn't been for weeks."
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It doesn't take long for the group to police the perimeter around the inn and blacksmith. They quickly see where the goblins came in from. A ladder resting against the back of the inn seemed to be where most of them made their way, but there was also a pair of bare footprints behind the smithy were Fogril tended to bury the ashes when he emptied out the bottom of the furnace. Not too far off they spot the heavy boot prints of an armored dwarf heading to the woods. The strides were long, likely from running.
As anyone who might protest Kevan's actions failed to notice the group moves on none the wiser. Looking down the hall Eochaidh does not sense any undead. The figure does not stir.
As Kevan glances about he hears and spots nothing. Though he is aware the creeping ghoul that initially spotted them was not amongst those the party killed.
Seeing no danger the group presses on with Kevan leading. Their first stop is to head down the south hall from this cross intersection. There they find another burial room. The stone sarcophagus in the chamber were undisturbed, but also unfilled. It seemed this was a chamber not yet used to house the more esteemed dead. Blatantly odd, since both Tymos and Barik had implied people had starved before the ghoul infestation became a thing.
Kevan spots something strange while looking for traps. A piece of worked stone that hadn't settled the same as the rest of the disused room. He was able to pry it loose, and then slide it aside to reveal a small bag of coins. Inside were platinum coins. 200 platinum, can attempt to pocket it with a sleight of hand opposed by those paying attention. Moving on, the group finds the nearest hall parallels the intersection they had come from, and then curves back around to meet up with it. The space in the intersection was occupied with stone caskets. Some were disturbed, others not, and bones littered the floor. With only one path ahead of them the group travels deeper and come to another intersection. Kevan leads the way.
The perceptive rogue spots another trap here, though a bit more devious than the last. Where the hallway opened into the intersection there was another tripwire, this one made of extremely fine wire. Tracing it to the wall he finds both corners have a small spring loaded dart ready to fire. This was another simple enough trap to disarm, requiring nothing more than the darts to be blocked when the trap was sprung. You also now have two poison darts. Checking to the left and right Kevan notices two lesser worked hallways that were cluttered with stone caskets and uneven. Both narrowed and curved off. Ahead the main hall collapsed after some distance, and along the rubble and dirt he spotted a slender form laying prone and facing away.
Tim's aim managed to keep most of the inn intact. Burning goblins in the open with magical fire tended not to catch, though the floor was scorched and covered in a mix of blood and char. Milana had to spend a minute to compose herself, but she walks over to the arcanist to inspect the damage herself. With a sigh she brings her hand out and chants the same melodic limerick, then touches him.
"All things mend with time. Almost all things. Thank you all for coming to our aid." she says as she steps past Tim to give Ulthak a inquisitive look, "Are you alright?" The groups actions before entering did a lot of work, but there was still fire to put out. Though hardly a blaze it was extinguished before it could do more harm. To their surprise Tel Beys had managed to help Fogril up, and though still badly wounded the dwarf was seemingly ambulatory with help. That and sheer rage. "Where did that coward go?" he asked in a grim voice, "That strumpet born lickspittle of a dw- nay she is no kin to me." Tel Beys favored him with a reproachful look, but she didn't dismiss him either. "Dagna fled when the goblins came." she explained, "I can understand being... pragmatic when faced with superior numbers. I only downed one in the inside of the smithy before Fogril got ambushed." The dwarf gave her a wicked look, but she matched it and he eventually calmed after taking a painful breath.
As the remaining goblin, drunk as it was, looked about it came to a sobering realization. It was now the last one left alive. It gulped nervously and looked up at Ulthak, and then made a break for it.
The little thing turns and takes one step before the edge of Ulthak's shield buried itself in the back of it's skull, dropping it to the floor dead. As Milana saw this the women slumped and pulled a chair out for herself. Sitting down with a whimper of pain from the earlier shots to her sides. She murmurs a few arcane words in a melodious voice and casts a spell to heal herself.
"Please tell me that was the last time my inn becomes a battleground." she prays.
Tymos tests his body after the healing and nods in satisfaction. "Let us press on then. Let them tremble." he dourly says. There are still hints of the anger, the aggressiveness he showed when engaging the ghouls before.
He's a baaaaaaad man.
Ulthak continues to make fierce swings at the goblin before him, but this one had caught on to his attack routines by now. It ducked and shifted, bobbing under the wave of his shield. The goblin facing Miles and Lathliss gave the human most of it's attention after he had wounded it's arm, and with a song in his heart the half elf jams his shortspear into it's chest to end it's life.
All it takes is a clear strike from Jaxom to the battered ghoul's head to finish the job and leave it inert. As it falls the crypt, so full of clatter and shrieks just a moment before, went quiet.
After a few moments of stillness Tymos gives an audible groan and works his body to clear himself fully from the paralysis. "First time I've seen those things paralyze someone and not tear them apart." he says as he looks back to Kevan. He still seemed angry, likely due to his own injuries and the firebomb that included him before. "Do you have healing?" he asked after some hesitation.
There are three goblins alive at the moment. The unwounded one attacking Milana, the goblin Miles just shot by the back door, and the freshly scorched goblin engaged with Ulthak.
Initiative Order: Goblins
Miles takes a hop back, catching the goblin by surprise as the stupid creature thought he would fight in melee. As he fired his shortbow the thing brought it's arms up to block and had the arrow pierce a forearm and stick into it's chest. It accidentally tore the arrowhead from it's torso as it reacted, and wailed as blood ran freely.
The remaining scorched goblin charges Ulthak, attacking in concert with it's fellow goblin.
His primary foe misses horribly, but the pain maddened goblin charging him from the side manages to bring it's club in behind the half orc's guard and give him a biting crack to the shoulder. The goblin Miles wounded hops forward after him and swing.
The goblin surprised miles by thrusting out it's club as it hops forward, poking him hard in the ribs. The final goblin pushes up to attack Milana, furious at her killing his ally.
This time the club comes in not at hip level, but catches her in the ribs. She bends low, almost falls, and reels back to step away from the goblin.
The near dead goblin that got the first real strike in on Ulthak didn't get to celebrate, as Tim moved around his ally and loosed one last jet of flame that left it dead and it's ally badly wounded.
Initiative Order: Eochaidh (Current Initiative)
Alden's diagonal slice comes down into the collar of the ghoul where the fire had scorched it. The blade sinks deep, and when Alden draws it back there is greasy charred skin along the edge of the blade. The ghoul slumps, arm limp and shoulder partly separated. Despite the horrific injury carved clear down into it's torso the thing still lurches about.
The first two were a bit beefier. As to the goblin still standing, you have only done five damage to him and put him on death's door. The one you killed is the one who failed his reflex when you roasted the trio. Milana just finished off the third of them.
Initiative Order: Goblins Ulthak
Tim manages to hold on to consciousness, and his flames sweep over the two wounded goblins again. The nearly dead, charred goblin right before him was upgraded to entirely dead. It's rigid body smoking as it fell to the floor. The one behind it looked about to drop as it stood, gasping for cooler air with a wheeze after getting it's lungs singed. Milana, seeing the two goblins getting ready to gank up on her, dashed forward and thrust her rapier out in an attempt to end the one Timothy had wounded.
Her rapier tip thrusts forward toward the goblin's neck. It leans back desperately, only to have the tip of the rapier flash upward and plunge through it's eye and find it's brain. Milana then quickly drew back and prepared to face down the remaining goblin.
Initiative Order: Eochaidh
Jaxom follows the firebomb with a double strike into the ghoul directly before him as he steps into the space. Both strikes drive into the sternum of the thing, and there is a sickening crunch that follows the second strike. The ghoul's chest turned dark black in the center as it slumped and collapsed. It would seem the undead thing needed at least some of it's organs intact even if just to support the necromancy that sustained it. The remaining ghoul clearly considers fleeing as it looks back, but some kind of compulsion seems to twist it's thoughts back around to combat. Perhaps the ghoulish hunger these creatures endured every moment of their existence. It tried to press itself against Tymos to claw and bite.
Tymos has to leverage his shield under the jaw of the thing to keep it from biting him. One claw sinks deeply into his arm as it does.
Tymos holds out against the pain, but then the other claw finds his side and digs in at his unprotected hip.
The claws find good purchase and Tymos winces, jaw clenching as he stops moving. The ghoul smirks evilly before Rabbit steps up and heals the same man who once abused him as a slave.
The bleeding slows, though Tymos continues to remain paralyzed. For the moment...
The goblins both swing wildly in panic as they try to stop Timothy from casting. One connects, leaving him barely standing.
Which ghoul are you targeting?
Initiative Order: Goblins
Ulthak's shield slam singes the goblin badly, smashes it's face into an unrecognizable pulp of bruised and torn flesh, and drops it lifeless to the ground.
Alden's attacks cores a solid hit this time, cutting down through the ghoul's collar deep enough to fell it. A moment later Kevan's firebomb comes streaking in between the two frontliners to catch the ghoul straight in the chest.
The ghoul howls and catches fire, and the splatter of flames scorches the other remaining ghoul. As well as Tymos, who curses less from the pain and more from it's source.
Initiative Order: Goblins
The goblin left behind by Timothy is more than happy to turn it's attention to Ulthak, thinking itself as a bit of a warrior by this point. It swings in a horizontal sweep at the half orc's hip.
Though it is quickly reminded how little prowess it actually has as the man doesn't just avoid damage, but sweeps aside the pitiful attack. The goblin on the table hops down to help with Timothy, and the nearly dead goblin runs forward in a pain fueled rage. It's blackened body still smoked as it went, doing a very nice impression of the great bard Richard Pryor. Pincering the arcanist they both attacked.
Timothy finds himself struck again. Individually the blows are weak, but it might only take one more to bring him low if he was unlucky. Seeing Miles enter the fray the one unburnt goblin in the pack came his way, healthy and angry.
Thankfully it was no more deadly alone than it's kin. One of the other two burn goblin stays back to avoid potential bursts of fire catching him with the others, and throws a water pitcher at Tim's head.
It thankfully goes wide, the goblins not proving handy with thrown weapons even if they are surprisingly proficient. The remaining wounded goblin ducks back to help it's kin with Milana, and the other goblin hops down from the table to threaten her anew.
Initiative Order: Eochaidh
The group strikes back at the ghouls. Tymos, Eochaidh, Alden, and Jaxom all aiming to bludgeon or cut the undead down as they pressed.
Tymos starts thins off by hacking into the ghoul before him, and without it even being able to recover Jaxom beats the thing down. First bludgeoning it in the head to force it lower, and then crushing the back of it's skull with an overhand blow. Things don't go as smoothly on the other side, with the ghoul clinging to Alden's shield for cover from his attack and likewise having the corner help defend from Eochaidh. Tymos steps in to fill the breach the dead ghoul left as the monsters come in again at the party. The ghoul on Alden continues it's assault, and the other two try to swarm the over eager Tymos.
The two heavily armored men weather the attacks in well trained military fashion, with the dark haired Chell even throwing back his shield arm to jostle the ghoul attacking Alden, preventing what would have otherwise been a painful bite.
Tymos then sweeps his balde back toward the ghoul at his side, trying to free up Alden. "Step up paladin!" Tymos shouts.
His blade bites into the ghouls side.
Initiative Order: Eochaidh (Current Initiative)
Initiative Order: Goblins
As Timothy goes to shove past the goblin threatening him with a club the goblin hoots and takes a swing at the arcanist.
This time the goblin narrowly misses, and the caster is free to step out before the other goblins and let out a jet of flame.
The two goblins in the rear of the line hilariously go bug-eyed and try to shield themselves by grabbing the goblin in front, who takes the brunt of Tim's flames. The one in front is badly burned, a streak of black up his torso and face. Cracked flesh revealing how deep the wound went. It barely remained standing, and the other two looked badly hurt as well. It would seem the goblins fully inside the inn weren't as hearty as the ones near the door playing guard. Milana and the goblin nearest her continue to stare each other down. Neither wanting to engage the other at the moment.
The party has advance time to prepare themselves and to strike first as well. The group of ghouls assaulted with fire, blinding light, and projectiles. The lead ghoul that caught the word of the alchemist fire continues to burn, wails and thrashes while blind, and takes a knife to it's shoulder. Then, to finally silence it, Eochaidh's slingstone puts a wet sounding thump into it's temple. The remaining two ghouls who can still see rush the party, closing at last. One confronts Alden and the other targets Jaxom.
Alden is more than prepare for the assault, interposing his shield between himself and the ghoul's surprising speed. Jaxom is not as lucky, getting one of his wrapped forearms up only to have the ghoul's fangs sink through to find flesh below.
The blind ghoul wrings it's clawed hands down the front of it's face and blinks, it's vision returning. He feels his arm go numb almost immediately, but as he throws the ghoul off he feels the warmth of his own blood and his heart beating in his chest. The paralysis doesn't hold. The blinded ghoul moves forward awkwardly, covering it's eyes. Meanwhile a fifth ghoul appears around the corner.
The first ghoul around the corner has the distinct pleasure of taking a sling bullet into the side of his head, denting his skull with a wet splash of black blood. Followed immediately by a flask of alchemist fire! It screeches and wails, the flames spilling onto the other ghouls and scorching them.
The flaming ghoul and the ghoul behind it to the party's right wave their heads around. The second ghoul confirming it was from Rabbit's spell and not just the fact the first ghoul was on fire.
The spear buries into the unprepared goblin's chest. Making a wet sound as it plunges through partially melted flesh. Some of it sloughs off as the half orc retrieves his weapon, leaving Timothy facing one badly scorched goblin. Initiative Order: Goblins
The howls of the ghouls grow louder, steadily growing as they draw closer. As the group braces four ghouls turn the corner into the hall, charging forward with reckless abandon hoping to overwhelm you. They were clearly not expecting a prepared defense.
Current initiative is Ulthak.
It basically means you can choose your ground and ready a ranged attack or spell if so desired. Well, everyone but Kevan.
After checking I find it is mind effecting, so it wouldn't work on mindless undead. Ghouls though it should.
"Use the terrain paladin." Tymos hisses as he backs up and leaves a space for Alden, "You saw the ghoul benefit from cover against your friend. We can bottle them up as they come around the passage."
A round is six seconds so your bless would last for 30 rounds of combat.
It's basically a free reroll once a round for people Rabbit is maintaining it on. One of the Witch options that is so good everyone runs either it or their evil eye.
With Alden's attack the second ghoul drops to the ground like a puppet with it's strings cut, but you can hear the howls of more ghouls from the nearest hall getting closer.
Initiative Order: Goblins
Ulthak moves forward to attack but the goblin leaned back just enough the shield waved past it's face, the electricity causing it's hair to stand. Milana faced down her attacker bravely, but seeing held had arrived she did the smart thing and brought both blades up in a guard against the pair of goblins trying to get at her. Miles picked his choice of paths to join the combat in the inn. The two goblins facing the woman scowl at her, and decide to turn and move toward the larger combat. Meanwhile the two Ulthak approached split up. The thought of attacking Timothy more appealing to one goblin than even considering a two against one against mighty Ulthak.
The one curling around to Timothy gives an unexpected hop, swinging high and catching the arcanist's brow. The one facing Ulthak swings wide, but is easily intercepted by the half orc's shield. As the other goblins pile in the one at the bar takes a large bottle of wine and comes closer so he has a clear throwing arc at Ulthak.
This throw also goes wide, smashing on the wall behind the half orc. The final goblin near Milana readies it's club, regarding the woman warily.
Eochaidh and Rabbit move forward, both helping in their own way as the druid moves in to Kevan's space and gives the rogue a push back as he does so. Jaxom swings twice at the ghoul, who has the sense to hug the wall and avoid anything but a wide hook around the wall. Neither of his attacks connect. Considering the targets before him, he chooses the well armored but potentially lethal Tymos as his target.
Each attack though, is met with not just shield and armor, but by Tymos aggressively pushing and battering the ghoul back. The man seemed furious as he fought the creature, striking back in kind.
Tymos carves into the ghoul's ribs from the side, and he bulls into the thing to cut deeper. It wasn't clear if the thing actually needed it's rotten organs, but it wailed and physically pushed itself off Tymos' weapon in agony. Shrinking back and glancing about. Initiative Order: Eochaidh
With what weapon so I am clear what to roll.
The goblins blink and turn as the door opens. With the two nearest Milana noting the reinforcements and deciding to attack.
Milana is surprised by their rush, and both their low strikes come in at hip level. She dips her rapier down to defend, but doesn't have the strength to push back the strike she tries to block with such a slender blade. She moans in pain as she takes a blow to both her hip and opposing thigh, but returns a dangerous swipe that makes the two ease back. The goblin drunk on the bar watches, the scene taking a moment to process before he chuckles. The goblin on the table cheers his fellows and picks up a plate. He throws it at Ulthak, but the distance of the toss left it shattering on the wall several feet off target. The two goblins on the steps widen their eyes and rush over to try and engage the two newcomers.
Lathliss hoists a bucket and throws it over the fire. The fire isn't extinguished, but the soaked timber and partly smothered flames make it seem unlikely what remains will spread. At the same time Miles approaches the scorched base of the porch and manages some minor repairs through mending. Charred wood smooths and knits together while the burnt ashes remain on the surface.
Meanwhile, hearing that goblins are running amok in the inn, and that Milana is still inside Ulthak wastes no time in running to the door. Ignoring the flames and throwing it open to get at the goblins inside. Tim is right behind him, and as they look inside they see a sight of carnage. Milana is backed defensively between a table and shelf by the hearth. Her rapier pulled from the decorative plaque above it and her husband's sword in her free hand. One goblin lay dead near the hearth, with two more standing before her menacing the woman with clubs. They seemed hesitant to commit to an assault, but were working up the courage with the numbers advantage. Meanwhile, there were two other goblins present in the middle of the inn. One jumped up and down on a table near the conflict with Milana. Cursing on his fellows and alternating between eating some of the food left from trays brought in from the afternoon meal and throwing dishes at Milana. The other one stood on the bar, drinking from a large bottle and looking on bleary eyes and blinking. If that wasn't bad enough, a pair of goblins were marching down the stairs at that moment. Sporting woman's undergarments on their person and smiling gayly. One had a corselette across his torso and the other one had underpants atop his head.
Initiative:
Initiative Order: Eochaidh
"They came from different directions." she says as if trying to recall, "F-five, maybe six. Milana is in there!"
Kevan nimbly slips between the ghoul and Tymos, thinking he could get past the ghoul's guard. It swiped at him, but given his short stature he was able to duck under it's claws. Coming back up to his full height he skidded to a stop, waiting for Jaxom to move into position. Then, when the brawler moved in and tried to strike he drove his rapier into the small of the creatures back. The ghoul wailed, and Kevan could feel the blade bending up against it's spine. He pushed ahead regardless, the blade's tip nicking and tearing along until the thing went limp and fell.
The other ghoul shows no fear at the loss of his comrade, but neither does it move forward. Glaring at Kevan it swipes out with claw and an open, hungry maw.
Kevan reels back from the bite, swipes his rapier to desperately keep one claw at bay, but the other one catches his shoulder. He feels a chill run through his body, and then cannot feel his shoulder at all. Or move.
Seeing this Tymos bellows an inarticulate protest and bulls into the ghoul trying to push it away from Kevan, drawing a swipe himself.
He leads with his shield, deflecting the attack and slamming into the ghoul, but is unable to push him back.
As the group rushes to the inn they notice the smoke did not belong to a wholesale blaze, thank whatever gods they will. The open porch had caught fire as what seemed another vial of alchemist fire had hit the front corner and crawled it's way up. For now the fire had not spread to the inn proper, though it might in time. The main entrance to the smithy bore a charred circle in the dirt, and Fogril had been dragged aside by Tel Bays who was splayed over him protectively. Her spear was discarded to the side and her lame leg had started to bleed. She lifts her head as the group approaches, blood running down her face from a forehead wound. Fogril himself lay very still under her, a nasty burn wound running from one side of his chest and up his collar to his jaw on that side. "The inn!" she forced out looking on with horror, "They're inside the inn!"
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