Blackleaf looks to the hole, "I have climbed many trees and cliffs in my home , tie down the rope friend I will go first He says as he starps his axe to his shoulder
"You got it" Talam goes about tying the rope off.
"Dropping off that rope is not a good idea. There could be no way back out. That and Melldae isn't fond of water. "
DM
"Well, I still have a feather fall spell."
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The day moves on as the heroes decide to send someone down the hole in the ground to investigate whats below. Talam busies himself with tying off his rope for Blackleaf to decend. Taking his time he easily climbs down the dank slippery hole making good time. Once he reaches the bottom he dangles there looking about the glittering grotto, its walls dripping with moisture and alive with sea urchins, anemones and other tidal life. The cave's roof rises to a natural dome ten feet above the water where a five foot chimney rises which Blackleaf just emerged. The waters seem less choppy than normal surf hitting the land but they are far from still. A five foot wide, fifteen foot long ledge sits just above the water level to the south. To get to it you'll have to drop into the water and swim to it. A small opening leading to the ocean can be seen for a few second as the tides come and go out of the sparkling grotto.
In the chamber above the rest of the group watches Blackleaf at the bottom barely able to make him out. It is quiet except for the surf sounds and a few ocean going waterfoul flying around the area looking for food. So far the group has been luckly as no other goblins have been heard or seen or have heard their presense but its a matter of time before they are found out and their luck runs out....
Everyone
Talam rubs his eye as something flys into it
DM
"You know what? I thought there would be alot more goblins in here."
"Maybe they're on a break?"
Blackleaf scans the area perception 26 If he sees nothing threatening he dives into the sea
"Be careful down there. If something snags ya we'll have a hard time jumping in for ya"
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Up top the group watches down the hole where Blackleaf dangles and around them being alert for goblins. None are spotted by the the group around them but Ebenezer does barely notice something in the water below Blackleaf's hanging feet at about the same time as Blackleaf does too. An unnatural ripple in the water is seen followed by a dark fin breaches the water for a second making its way towards blackleaf's position. It looks like a shark fin but something seems different about the creature which looks to be about six feet long and more like a seal than a shark to Blackleaf.......
Talam stares into the water below hoping to glance what his gnome comopanion is talking about. Still al he sees is darkness.
"Maybe my eyes haven't adapted to the dark yet."
"If anything just smack it wit your axe, and you should be ok Blackleaf"
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Just as the little gnome whispers down to Blackleaf the creature breeches the waters surface at Blackleaf which the rest of the group can easily see what the thing is that is now attacking the dangling elf. Most of it looks to be a seal but more powerful with razor sharp teeth aimming to sink into the elf. The halfling shouts down to swat the thing with his axe thinking the elf is in little danger....
If he has time blackleaf will scramble back up the rope post haste,If the shark gets a bite on him first he'll attack it with his axe if he can
Talam grabs hold of the rope, and begins pulling it up.
Mirni leans into the hole and fires an arrow at the creature but cannot get hit it without hitting the swinging barbarian.
"Hold Still."
Talam nods in approval as Ebenezer grabs hold. "For a sec I thought my grip was goin to cost Blackleaf."
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Seeing the threat from below Blackleaf quickly begins to scurry back up the rope as the seal-shark creature jumps out of the water with razor sharp teeth aiming to take a bite out of its intended dinner but misses just barely as Talam and Ebenezer both help Blackleaf by pulling him up as fast as they can which most likely saved the elf's life. An arrow speeds past Blackleaf from Mirni's bow and splashes into the swirling water below. And then a blast of magical energy issues from Roine's wand, the dart streaks past Blackleaf as he climbs and being hualed up at the same time. The magical missle slams into the creature as it is plunges back into the ocean water with a big black spot on its flesh. It disappears back into the water leaving the group unaware of its fate. Blackleaf reaches the top unscathed and out of breath from the quick ascent. The ocean waves still crash upon the rocks and a slight breeze off the ocean whisles through the brairs, its seems like a normal day to each of you except for being in the heart of a goblin hideout. So far the heroes have been luckly in their assault as the goblin's are still unaware of the danger they are in from the heroes of Sandpoint!
"Well that was a bust." The smile momentarily disappears from Talam's face.
"Anyone else got an idea? If anything we can just keep following these goblin tunnels. Worst thing is we get lost"
As Roine looks about with his wand, he states, "I agree. We should find and subdue the next couple goblins and get some intelligence on this place."
As Blackleaf climbs out of the hole he claps Talam and Ebenezer arms "Thank you my friends. I think we may need to find another way in. Unless we use of of the dead goblins as bait and shoot that thing as it comes after the bait."
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As Blackleaf climbs out of the hole he claps Talam and Ebenezer arms "Thank you my friends. I think we may need to find another way in. Unless we use of of the dead goblins as bait and shoot that thing as it comes after the bait."
<gasping> "I didn't think we could lift you. I'm relieved that we got you out of there."
Ebenezer looks down the hole. "That's not a bad idea. I'd still like to know what's down there, even if you have to lower me to get a better look. If the creature attacks, I can dazzle it long enough for you to pull me up, and I don't weigh much. But I wouldn't mind lowering a goblin first to see what happens."
Ebenezer is still on the lookout for a bird, hoping he can talk to it and learn something about the island.
"I may be letting my curiosity get the best of me. If the rest of you prefer to scout the bridge, I'm fine with that."
Ebenezer looks down the hole again.
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The waves continue to crash against the rocks as the group decides what to do next. Ideas are thrown out but no one makes a solid decision whether they should go on or figure out a way to deal with the threat below. The closeness of the goblin's actual lair makes it understandable that many wild creatures avoid the area however high above and over the ocean many ocean seabirds can be heard hunting for their next meal or just playing in the winds off the rocky cliffs. To go on or down the hole is a tough decision....but one that needs to be made very soon with the goblins so close........
"Let's getting going." Roine begins to walk down the hall with his wand in his hand.
Talam smiles and takes after Roine. "Let's get goin'. They're not going to wait forever."
"Hell with it " Blackleaf says, grabbing his ax and taking lead down the tunnel
Perception
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The group sets off again with Blackleaf in the lead down the next tunnel. You only get about ten feet or so when some of you hear something up ahead. A restlessness coming from the next chamber, yips, snarls and low growls can be heard. Whatever it is ahead is getting agitated and slowly making more noise. Most of you get a whiff of an odd smell that reminds you of wet canine but it seems different some how to each of you......
Blaxkleaf keeps his ax out and try to move forward as quietly as he can
perception
Stealth
Roine creeps forward with his wand in hand. The smell? Where do I know that from?
Mirni knocks an arrow in her bow ready to respond.
she takes a moment to scan her memories as to the smell as well as scanning the trail ahead.
"Anyone else smell something like wet dog?"
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As Blackleaf and Roine move ahead to investigate what's in the chamber, a couple of you search you memories trying to figure out what that smell comes from. Slowly the information starts to piece together in your mind, wet dog.......goblin lair....Sandpoint attack....goblin riding a dog......goblin dog's!!! This must be their kennel! The first to peek in the chamber, Blackleaf, confirms this as he spots a few of the foul beasts tied to small posts in the room. About twenty feet across from the entrance to this chamber is another very small tunnel that looks to lead out to the bridge area but getting past the dogs is going to be a trick. They have direct line of sight if the group tries to dash past the dogs plus the alarm they would raise to the goblins on the tiny island. As Blackleaf check things out, Roine pokes his head around the elf to get a look for himself. The floor and walls of this musty smelling chamber are covered with matted, wiry fur. Well-gnawed bones lie scattered about the floor, and a dozen wooden stakes have been driven into the ground near the walls. Four of these mangy dog's are tied here, with their flat noses, beady eyes, and protruding teeth of a rat grown grotesquely large. Tiny clawed forelimbs and a long hairless pink tail add to its verminous appearance with the smell of sun baked sewage practically steaming off its patchy fur. They don't seem to have seen you as of yet but they are aware that something "not" goblin is coming their way soon. Their whining and pulling on their leeches grows by the second.......The rest of the group stands close behind the two as information on what they see is pasted back so everyone knows what is up ahead.....
"If they're tied up why don't we just walk past. They may be ugly as sin, but no reason to go in there and kill the lot."
"The problem is that we would alert them. The goblins on the far end of the bridge may hear us. Perhaps we should use a color spray to knock them out and then slay them."
"That's better than any other suggestion so far. I say we hypnotize'em and get make or way past"
Mirni searches for a way to bypass the giant rodents and says "I think we should remove the filth from this world."
"I think we should go with that Ebeneezer."
Drawing his bow from his back , and notching an arrow blackleaf says "Use your magic, we can kill the ones at range with arrows that do not fall to it. We are at range and unseen " He shrugs his shoulders "If that fails Gorum will be entertained this day'
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Ebenezer takes out his arcane bonded green gem to tap its power for a spontaneous casting of hypontic pattern and directs the spell at the center of the dog kennel from a distance of 130 feet.
number of HD affected in 10' radius spread: 2d4+3=9
EDIT: spell DC 17
Mirni prepares to fire her bow at any dog that is not affected by the spell
Roine fires his wand at any straglers.