Hetmon Thrane's page

Thrane looks surprised, then speaks quietly:

When Thrane returns with Ushari, he says, "Well, I'm not one for goodbyes. Thank you all for your help and I'll be hoping to see you folks come back at some point or to send us word on how you are doing. Good sailing and good luck to you all." He gives a final polite nod, as do a few other townsfolk who have gathered to see you off.

Thrane winks at the tall monk, "Dull as dishwater since you left... and I hope it stays that way."

Another day sees you arriving in Forestal; your trip through the woods surrounding the small seacoast town being largely uneventful. You are greeted by the casual waves of several locals, seemingly accepted as members of their community.

As you walk down the shingle enjoying the cool fresh breeze coming off the water, Fin bounces with glee. Bobbing in the gentle waves lapping the shore, is the Mako. Her ropes tied off neatly, sail furled but ready for use, and her black hull gleaming with varnish. The elongated painted eyes along her bowsprit watch warily, guarding the ship from evil spirits.

Thrane approaches you, escaping your notice until he speaks, "She's all ready for ya. We've put some provisions in her storage locker as well... just some food, water, extra canvas, rope... that sort of thing."

"I think heading to...what is that town called, Colona, would be a good start. We could check into these Shaudran ruins while there."

Thrane interjects "Not to be arguing with you Miss but you'd best head to Orfallen for that kind of information. Colona is bigger than us, sure enough, but it is a mining town not near the size of Orfallen."

"If you want to head to Colona, we'll be sending a cart along that way in a week or so. We've got to collect the first load of goblin metals for trade. From there you can take the main road to Orfallen."

At Fin's request, Thrane quickly puts a couple of marks on a small map. "These are the two camps I know of between us and Orfallen. There could be more. I don't know the locations of the small settlements on the other side of the strait."

I've updated the Forestal Map in the library as well as the Amador Map with all the changes based on your actions and conversations. The locations Thrane knows are shown as orange dots.

Thrane perks up, "Well, if you folks want a boat... we've got the tools, the expertise, and with Miss Fin helping out.. I think our builders could make you a very fair deal if you need one."

He takes a look around at Straehan and Findelgwing, "So I guess we now need to figure out our next move. No offense, Thrane, but I don't think our answers are in this little town."

Thrane chuckles, "No offense taken, son. Few visitors wind up staying. But you're welcome here as long as you care to stay. As for her suggestion about a boat, she's probably suggesting you get one made here - you'll get a better deal than at the docks in Orfallen, even if you don't need the boat right away."

You ponder her words as you head down onto the rocky beach area to speak with Thrane where he is chatting with Etta and Mila. He delivers the news he gathered. "Well three starlings came back yesterday. The Reavers haven't been spotted in the shipping lanes yet, nor attacked any major towns... but there are a half dozen small encampments they could hit here or on Aamari and we wouldn't know of it. We'll just have to keep an eye out here. And with the goblins being friendly, we have a line of retreat if they show up."

You have the impression that was the good news...

Thrane adds sheepishly, "I also got answers back from Orfallen and Aamari, and even heard from Talin... your ship, she wasn't on anyone's registry. So you didn't come from Talin or Aamari unless your ship's name was changed mid-route. And the last bit of name, -DORIA doesn't match anything sailing legally in this end of the Great Southern Isles... leastwises no passenger ship of the size yours must have been."

Thrane picks up something of the subtext of the conversation. He clears his throat, "Ladies, let's let these folks talk. You can walk me down to the beach and flatter my ego about how finely I'm doing as Hetmon."

He leads the ladies away.

Thrane observes the strange greeting with some concern until he sees the laughter in Etta's eyes. He jabs a thumb at himself saying, "Hetmon."

As the evening winds on, Thrane taps his mug with a knife. Everyone goes silent and Thrane stands. "I just wanted to say, before everyone is too drunk to remember this..." his comment is greeted with some chuckles and a few nods of agreement, "...that we are here to celebrate our friends here who saved our townsmen and our town." He leads them in a toast to Fin, Jayse, Ushari, and Straehan before continuing.

"But I think, given our new trade partners and allies here," he indicates the goblins with a tip of his mug. "that we should be celebrating a lasting peace that will ensure the security of all the folks that share this forest and this little corner of the world. As Hetmon, I've got a lot of say in what happens in town, but I'm asking for a vote... that we declare this day a new holiday - maybe 'Peace Day' or some such."

His statement in greeted with a chorus of 'Ayes', 'Hell yeses', and 'its about damn time!' - the last being from Buli naturally.

"Fair enough; motion carried! Now, you can all get back to drinking..." He is about to sit down when a glare from his wife, Etta, reminds him of another task. "Right, sorry. I forgot about the gifts." He motions to different folks who start coming forward as he says, "We don't have much but what we have, we share."

Fin's elven friends present her with an item of clear elven manufacture. It is a finely wrought, delicate, silver and mithril circlet. It looks like a single vine that winds around her temples and rises into two joined trumpet flowers cradling a single flawless blue gem. They laugh upon resting it on her brow saying, "Now you can understand what everyone has been telling you... and you have no excuse to ignore the boys." To Fin's wonder, she understands all the conversations going around her.

Helm of Comprehend Languages and Read Magic

Milaflora approaches Jayse and hands him a pair of black silk, tabby-toe ninja slippers. "You move fast and well. I think you'll find occasion to put these to use - getting in or out of trouble." She then says very quietly, "I've got another private 'reward' in mind for you later, if you like." She gives him a kiss on the cheek, then saunters back to her chair.

Slippers of Spider Climbing

Etta and Thrane present Ushari and Straehan with two pairs of boots. Etta says, "We adventured some in our younger days and we always found these helpful. You take them now... put them to good use."

To Straehan, Thrane adds "And you can't be going piggyback forever. I had a hard time keeping up with folks til I got these." Noting the boots are dwarf-sized and just a bit oversized even on Straehan, he also provides a pair of thick knit socks. "My Missus knitted these herself, they'll keep your feet warm in winter and make sure your feet don't slip."

2x Boots of Striding and Springing

Thrane looks with satisfaction at the slight goblin shaman, pleased to have ended the feud. "Would you and your people share our meal with us?"

Thrane's brow furrows, looking skeptical. But he glances at each of you in turn and says cautiously, "You know them better than I do. What do you think?"

After he manages to get himself free of well-wishers and tasks some folks with the clean-up, Thrane comes over to the party. "I'm sorry but the townsfolk are insisting on a feast in your honor. And if they didn't, I would. You saved our asses here, and I'm not unmindful of that. We'd like to show you some well-earned appreciation. My wife is making blueberry pie. You really want to try that."

Rattled by the ominous message, Thrane blow skitters off the giant's arm.

Thrane charges the brute while his men close the circle cautiously not wanting to come close to the odd creature. Thrane drives his axe at the creature's knee. With divine inspiration provided by Ushari, he manages to wound the beast.

Thrane nods and scratches his beard, "Jayse, this is Vargr. Vargr, Jayse. Vargr is, well, a Vargr as near as we can figure out. He's not exactly talky about himself but he's part of our community. He's a hunter who comes and goes. And there is no better man with a blade in town than him."

He looks at the other men, "Shall we decide?"

Thrane considers it. "Well, I know Vargr will head straight in. And, having seen Jayse skipping through a crowd of goblins like they were a field of daisies, I expect he'll close with this giant as well. That's two." He appraises Straehan, "What about you, friend gnome?"

"I've never seen nor heard of giants around these parts... though the mountains are close by so I suppose a few could be up there."

To Ushari's suggestion, he says, "That's kind of you, Miss. But we take care of our own problems. I'll stay with the guards and we'll keep the townsfolk in reserve, behind the barricades... just in case."

Thrane's attention is divided between the clearly coming threat, the goblins standing to one side that he is not looking to kill, and introducing folks who've never met. He chooses to deal with the threat. "I'm going to send the wounded back to town. I don't know what's coming but I'm hard-pressed to think 5 injured spearmen will make a difference. Unless you folks have a plan, I'm going to send my folks back behind the barricade until we know what we are dealing with..."

Thrane tries to motivate his people again. "Come on, boys! Their WOMEN are out in the middle of that field killing goblins left and right! If you wanna have a shot at those gals, you better FIGHT."

Apparently, his odd morale builder works... for the Forestal defenders kill every goblin left alive at the barricades!

Thrane laughs, "Gods, lads! I would have promised those pretty gals' favors earlier if I knew that's what would motivate you!" He emerges from the barricade with Buli, looking to help you clean up the last few goblins...

Thrane yells, "Wounded fall back, everyone else FORWARD! Spears behind swords - ATTACK!" Thrane pushes into the gap created by Jayse. His men respond instantly, shoring up the flank, pulling the injured off the line and surging forward. Two goblins meet their deaths, one spitted on a spear, the other falls under Thrane's axe.

The southern defenders push forward beside the flaming barricade, having only a few goblins left to repel. The sword-wielding guardsmen distract the goblins while the spearmen accomplish their bloody work leaving but a single goblin alive.

Jayse leaps onto a wagon forming the back of the central barricade to assist Thrane and shore up a hole in the defense.
Jayse - take the high ground advantage if you strike from here.

Thrane is emboldened by how well the battle at the southern barricade has gone and tries to match the feats of destruction being wrought there. "Drive them back lads! Kill them all!" Unfortunately, his deeds do not match his spirit and the men at the north barricade do little more than hold their own against the goblins massed there.

The guards at the south barricade bring down yet another goblin with their long spears.

Unimpressed by his own and his people's performance, he growls at the flagman, "DAMMIT! Signal the archers - concentrate fire on the north barricade!

Arrows rain down but only about half find their mark and one strikes a guardsman in the shoulder. He cries out but holds his position.

Thrane sweeps his massive waraxe horizontally across the opening attempting to remove more than one goblin head but the uncanny goblins duck beneath his blow even as one is almost gored on Buli's boar spear.

Thrane nods. "I don't want to leave you to hold the wider gap without a bit more assistance than my boys can give you. I'll take a position behind the central barricade, guarding the upper opening. But if you get in trouble, call out and I can be over there quick to help you out, hopefully."

"I'm leaving some men in the middle to assist where-ever the fighting gets hottest and to guard our flanks. As for your friends... I hope they get here before the gobbos. I'd rather have them on our side of the barricade. But we've fought gobbos before. We'll hold this barricade until they are swarming us like fleas. I'll give your friends all the time I can."

FWIW, Jayse, all the guards along the barricade have swords ready but are currently armed with long-spears to skewer opponents near or on the barricades.

I'll update the deployment map when I have a chance.

Thrane gets Jayse's attention after he's rested a bit. "I'll tell you what I'm thinking and leave it to you to tell me where you think you can help most or if we should change the barricading a bit to help you fight better."

He lays out their plans which are based on assuming a defensive posture and drawing the enemy into narrowing choke-points while covering their flanks as best as possible.

Thrane shrugs, "Its not a great plan but its the best we could do on short notice with no additional support. My boys will fight hard. If we can contain the goblins, the regular townsfolk soldiers should be OK. But if we lose a flank or get overrun, I'm not sure if they will be able to remain strong. I'd rather have an orderly retreat than a rout. That's why I've had them build up the side barricades."

"I was thinking of having Buli right next to the upper barricade entrance with that pigsticker of his and I was planning on holding the lower entrance M-12 ... but I'm open to suggestions about the fortifications, troop positions, or anything else."

BATTLE MAP: Deployment

Thrane leads you both away from the line on the pretext of showing you their preparations. He says quietly, "Son, I'm glad you came." He nods to indicate his lightly armed and armored 'army', "These are good lads. They'll do their best... but they are farmers not fighters. I need all the help I can get. I can use your skills here particularly if your friends arrive late."

"Isolde said your people are traveling with goblins. I think maybe she thought they were prisoners. I'll pass the word to leave them be. As for the attack, the H... Isolde couldn't be specific. She's been misleading them for hours now, I guess. She's got a way with nature magic. All she said was that when they come, it'll be straight down the road and we should prepare for that and she'll try to delay them as long as possible."

Thrane waves you over and has water brought, "Son, we heard you were coming. Isolde may not be so friendly but she pegged your arrival to the minute. Your friends are hurrying along too but it looks like the gobbos will get here before them. How much sooner, we don't know. It looks to be an interesting dawn."