Umlo clumsily catches up to Kyran and the man Aye what he said, Goblins and Dogs it worse than Cats and Dogs Umlo exclaims between exhausted puffs of air as he spits his beard out of his mouth.
"Yes, yes we're fine. Just a nightmare, is all. Aeren thought he saw a goblin in the closet."
"Sometimes nightmares require more attention than we give them..." Fern mutters. "I think you should investigate the closet. Especially considering I don't think dogs have nightmares."
Moving inside the house, Fern sniffs the air. "The fear is real, either way. And that's good enough for me. Let's go."
"Desna guide you, we are only hoping to see that there are no goblins who remain in hiding around town. Perhaps your Aeren is just having nightmares after last night, but if it is not too much of an intrusion, we'd like to check the closet. Perhaps putting his fears to rest as you've no doubt done yourself." says Devrin trying not to sound patronizing.
Kyran glances over at Devirn and Fern and nods. "Indeed. While the child may just be scared of shadows, goblins are known to be very sneaky. They can hide in tiny places, and emerge suddenly. Furthermore, the fact that we heard your dog barking so loudly right after the scream... ...dogs and goblins harbor no small amount of animosity toward each other. Might we have a look?" As he asks, Kyran activates his detect evil spell-like ability and concentrates as he waits for an answer.
Umlo hides his embarrassment as he suddenly realizes his boots are quite dirty, as are the boots of his companions. "Good sir we are sorry for the intrusion, but as the saying goes it is better to be safe than sorry, I appologize for the late hour and circumstances of our visit perhaps we can pay for any inconvience of our visit". Umlo bows and does his best attempt at being cordial.
As Umlo talks to the homeowner, Kyran continues to concentrate on his detect evil effect, slowly sweeping his head from side to side, up and down, and leaning on one wall, then the other of the hall. The 60' range should be enough to cover the entire house from where he's standing, given a minute or so to scan. (Obviously, if he picks something, even something faint, up, he'll stare it down and let the spell zero in on it.) Hopefully if there are any goblins hiding (or anything else malevolent, for that matter), the vicious little twerps' wicked souls will give them away. Kyran doesn't really expect to find anything, but just in case... As he scans, he notes with some satisfaction that as the "adults" stand around chatting awkwardly in the hallway, the child-sized Fern has slipped past and is furtively looking around.
Kyran soon finds what he's looking for - a little glimmer of malevolence lurking somewhere beneath the floorboards. A few moments' focusing brings a clearer sense of its location; below and to the right of the closet. Said closet is open, and looks to have been thoroughly searched.
Aeren, those entering the room will find, is sitting up in bed, covers clutched up about his chin, with his mother doing her best to comfort him, saying "See? These nice people will make sure there aren't any goblins."
Her face betrays a certain doubt as to the niceness of the people in question, but there's little chance of ordering them out of the house. And perhaps the show of force will convince Aeren that there's nothing to worry about.
Kyran, you open the hidey hole and I'll give em a whollop" Umlo gives a wide mouth grin to the boy and Mother in bed, "please excuse us, we will be out of yer hair soon, think of us as exterminators"
Kyran braces his shoulder against the closet door, holding it shut. He very calmly looks back at the family and in a kind, but firm, voice says: "Would you please leave the room and close the door so that if this gets out of hand, anything that happens here is contained to this room?" There is something dangerous in this closet." Assuming the family complies, Kyran asks someone to block the exit door once the family is outside and casually suggests that anyone with ranged weapons take up a covering position, then glances at Umlo "Taken alive would be nice, but do what you have to." He then yanks the door wide open for Umlo and watches the proverbial fireworks, spinning back into a covering position as the dwarf moves in.
Kyran concentrates on the spot of malevolence and moves in cautiously. Is there anything that doesn't seem to have been searched? How would whatever is generating the malevolence get to where it is? Is there something on the floor over the spot, if it's below the closet? Does it seem to be far enough below the closet to be on a lower floor? (That would be bad!) As he moves in, Kyran leans over the spot on the floor (or at the base of the wall) and says in a menacing voice "You're outnumbered, surrounded, and trapped. Whoever you are, you can come out of there on your own, peacefully or we can remove you by force. I guarantee you will not like the second option at all. You are a potential threat to an innocent family and I am not going to fu- *hem* screw around with you."
Intimidate check: 9
Once Aeren and his mother are out of the room, Devrin will stand at the door to protect the family should something shocking come out at Kyran and Ulmo.
Fern is ready to spring into action, and will swipe at the creature with her cold fists.
Grond also stands ready to block the door his war hammer in hand and his eyes on the closet.
I wish Korpi hadn't run off now. Of course he wouldn't be very productive to the situation. He's a cowardly and fickle creature.
Dead silence greets the attempt to get the mysterious presence to reveal itself. It probably thinks they're bluffing. In any case, it looks like they're going to have to go in after it.
Dead silence greets the attempt to get the mysterious presence to reveal itself. It probably thinks they're bluffing. In any case, it looks like they're going to have to go in after it.
Still concentrating on the blip of malevolence, Kyran looks around at the closet. Are there loose boards, a floor covering of some sort, anything? Whatever it is that's generating the evil signature got in there somehow. As he searches, Kyran calls back to Devrin "You don't happen to have that orison that makes water ready today, do you? I've seen priests do that before."
A bit of examination reveals that there are indeed a couple of loose boards in the cupboard, which are soon yanked out. It'd be a tight fit for a goblin, but the little blighters seem to have a talent for squeezing into tight spaces.
The family, now convinced that there is indeed something in there, have quietly vacated the room, leaving the professionals to their work.
"I got me somethin' that can flush the bugger out. Fordern Sie Natur Verbündeten Auf" Grond casts his spell and summons a large rat to enter the hole and go after whatever may be hidding there.
Kyran looks a bit startled at the sudden appearance of the humongous rat, but gives Grond an approving look and a thumbs-up and steps back, sword at the ready.
In response to Grond's command, the rat ventures into the hole in search of anything living in there. There follows a series of shrieks, crashes and bangs as it engages what is almost certainly a goblin in an epic battle to the death. Or at least to the expiration of the spell.
The crashes continue after Grond judges the spell to have expired, and a goblin tumbles into view within the gap, still thrashing madly in an effort to fend off its now non-existent attacker.
In response to Grond's command, the rat ventures into the hole in search of anything living in there. There follows a series of shrieks, crashes and bangs as it engages what is almost certainly a goblin in an epic battle to the death. Or at least to the expiration of the spell.
The crashes continue after Grond judges the spell to have expired, and a goblin tumbles into view within the gap, still thrashing madly in an effort to fend off its now non-existent attacker.
Kyran, sword still in hand, faces down the creature. "I told you option 2 was not the one you wanted to take. Drop your weapons and surrender and you can finish this as a prisoner, not a corpse."
Fern will only lunge out at the goblin if he seems to be trying to escape.
Grond unleashes an acid dart at the goblin as it appears in the hole shouting, "There's tha greenskin, kill it"
Kyran shouts "EASY! Prisoners are preferable to carcases; we still haven't questioned any yet! at Grond.
Umlo stops his instinctual axe swing mid motion, his dwarven heritage used to killing the green skins on site, he twists the axe and tries to smash the goblin's nose in with the axe butt in an attempt to keep the goblin alive, but unconcious.
attack and damage
To hit 20
Damage 6 nonlethal
"Take that you filthy gobbo"
Devrin remains at the back. If the little blighter actually threatens anyone seriously he'll step in.
Between the hideous burning of the acid glob and an axe flat to the face, the goblin is swiftly rendered unconscious. It's not going to be winning any beauty contests now, even among its own kind. The group now has another captive to add to those being held at the jail.
Between the hideous burning of the acid glob and an axe flat to the face, the goblin is swiftly rendered unconscious. It's not going to be winning any beauty contests now, even among its own kind. The group now has another captive to add to those being held at the jail.
Kyran sheathes his sword, hauls the goblin out of the hole, ties him up, and calls Devrin over. "See if you can do something about the acid burns? It'll be easier to question him if he's not incoherent with pain." He pauses a moment and then calls to the family. "You can come back in now. Though I regret to inform you, it wasn't a nightmare." Once the family comes back in, he'll add "It appears our aid has caused some damage to your home, particularly your front door and probably some acid splatter in this closet. Plus the goblin pulled up some floorboards. I'll grab my tools from the farm and come back tomorrow morning to help you fix them, if you'd like."
"Bah, a breathin' greenskin be a waste of air. Do what ye want with it. I'll be headin over to the Rusty Dragon for more ale and a hot meal. Umlo, ya with me?"
"Thank you, sir," the wife says, "But you've already done so much for us. We couldn't ask for more." Young Aeren is standing behind her, staring wide-eyed at the goblin, while the dog is giving off a low, rumbling growl. The husband, it seems, it quite speechless.
"Aye Grond lets go, our work here is done" Umlo winks and pate the boy's head before he goes he looks at the parents and says"That Petal, he's a good dog"
Devrin nods and infuses the area with the healing aura of Desna.
"Thank you, sir," the wife says, "But you've already done so much for us. We couldn't ask for more." Young Aeren is standing behind her, staring wide-eyed at the goblin, while the dog is giving off a low, rumbling growl. The husband, it seems, it quite speechless.
Kyran tosses the trussed-up goblin over a shoulder like a sack of potatoes before continuing, then he smiles at Aeren. "I think Old Deadeye may have blessed you with some of his own vision, Aeren." He crouches down down in front of the boy. "When you're a bit older, talk to your dad. With his permission, I might make a real archer out of you." Kyran lifts with his legs, not his back, and addresses the parents. "I'm glad you're all safe. I think the threats are ended for now. Oh, and that dog of yours deserves a steak or something. It was the barking that made us realize that something more than a nightmare was afoot here." He starts to leave, then stops for a moment, cuts the goblin's coin pouch off his belt and tosses it to the father. "Since the damages were his fault,[Kyran indicates the goblin] I think it's only fitting that he help cover the cost of the repairs, don't you?" With that, he walks off to the cells with the goblin over his shoulder.
Grond will find his way to the Rusty Dragon procure a room and order ale. His plan is to drink until near dawn with his new found dwarven brother, swaping tales and jokes in his native tounge.
Korpi awaits Grond and Umlo at the Rusty Dragon, sitting alone in a corner table. He's surrounded by a mounting stack of empty plates and mugs. He's getting louder by the drink, although he's yet to be enough of a nuisance to get thrown out (yet).
Fern waits for the others to leave, before using her Mending spell to help put things back together. She'll use it as much as she can to repair the door, and the floorboards, but will leave the carpentry to Kyran.
Once that is finished, she nods to the family, and scoots out of the house as fast as her little legs can carry her.
|
Fern waits for the others to leave, before using her Mending spell to help put things back together. She'll use it as much as she can to repair the door, and the floorboards, but will leave the carpentry to Kyran.
Once that is finished, she nods to the family, and scoots out of the house as fast as her little legs can carry her.
Kyran drops the goblin off at the cells, running into Sheriff Hemlock, who's on his way out. It seems he's done with the interrogations for the night. Now could well be a good time to pump him for information. Otherwise, he could wait until morning.
In the bar, the staff haven't quite been pushed into throwing Kori out. They have, however, rescinded the free food policy for him, in the (probably vain) hopes that he'll take the hint and leave on his own. The return of the dwarves to keep an eye on him can only be a good thing.
Kyran drops the goblin off at the cells, running into Sheriff Hemlock, who's on his way out. It seems he's done with the interrogations for the night. Now could well be a good time to pump him for information. Otherwise, he could wait until morning.
In the bar, the staff haven't quite been pushed into throwing Kori out. They have, however, rescinded the free food policy for him, in the (probably vain) hopes that he'll take the hint and leave on his own. The return of the dwarves to keep an eye on him can only be a good thing.
Kyran stops sheriff Hemlock. "Anything interesting out of the prisoners, Sheriff?"