Dusting off the remaining burning embers from the flaming wagon, Thorgrund tightens the grip on his axe and proceeds to the tavern.
Seeing the goblins tormenting a victim, Thorgrund charges at the mounted goblin, swinging at the hideous mount, then backswinging into the rider. He begins loudly singing the "Ballad of Kor-Craggador" in Dwarvish.
Excellent...now these puny goblins will feel my wrath. Oh my, the Gnome did it again. I must take a look at that crossbow. It has to be magical
Serax kneels down and places one hand on the ground. He feels the connection form to the earth elementas and instructs them. Kill the goblins...do not harm any other creatures. Erupt from the ground in the midst of the goblins that I see in front of me that are tormenting the human. Strike NOW!.
Cast Summon (69) ...Serax feels the elementals resist his will.
You all hear him shout STRIKE NOW!!!
Cast Summon second action
Number of elementals summoned = 1d10/2 = / 2 = 4
Number of turns summoned for
You all see the ground erupt into 4 small mounds of dirt which form into the shapes of dogs and lunge at the 4 goblins not already being attacked.
Elemental 1 (attack 60, 2D damage)
Elemental 2 (attack 60, 2D damage)
Elemental 3 (attack 60, 2D damage)
Elemental 4 (attack 60, 2D damage)
The goblin dog rears up on its hind legs as Thorgrund swings his mighty battleaxe at its mangy head. The goblin lines up his jagged shortspear to ram the point through the singing dwarf's throat - when Natalie's crossbolt hits him in the shoulder and dislodges him from the back of his scabrous mount. The goblin commando rolls to his feet and runs at Thorgrund, shrieking incoherently as it waves its weapon in his bearded face.
Attack (55): = CRITICAL FAILURE
The goblin commando allows the point of his spear to dip a little too close to the ground, it jams in the crack between two loose flagstones and bends like a willow switch before catapulting the shrieking creature into the air. He bounces off the wall of the burning tavern and falls to the ground for 1d10 damage.
Falling damage:
The dazed goblin commando staggers to his feet!
While Thorgrund is distracted by the goblin commando's wild charge, the goblin dog circles round to come at the dwarf from the rear, snapping at his stumpy legs and firm buttocks.
Attack (60): = failure
One goblin was hit by the earth elementals, rolling his DEX to dodge (50):
The dog-like creature that Serax summoned from the earth tears out the goblin's throat with its stoney fangs. It clutches at the wound in a futile effort to stem the geyser of blood fountaining into the air.
The remaining three goblins are busy fighting the elementals...
Goblin 1 (45): = success
Damage:
Goblin 2 (45): = failure
Goblin 3 (45): = failure
Having picked himself up, the goblin commando draws a wicked looking knife from his belt and lunges for Thorgrund.
Attack (55): = CRITICAL SUCCESS (yay)
Damage (minus DR): (unless you dodge)
The goblin commando takes advantage of your distraction to leap onto your broad back and bury his dagger in a gap in your chainmail! He gibbers venomously in your ear, spraying one side of your face in his foul, goblin spittle.
As if that wasn't rough enough, the goblin dog continues to harass you, tearing at your trousers to get at the tough, ropey dwarf-flesh within.
Attack (60):
Damage (minus DR): (unless you dodge)
Side-stepping to his left, Thorgrund tries to dodge the goblins knife attack, hoping his shield takes care of most of the impact.
While he steps Thorgrund brings his axe up in a high arc, swinging down at the goblin commando's head.
Natalie hiccups and fires a bolt directly for the goblin's leader:
And the tiny tinkerer's lucky streak came to an end at the shot flies wide and off to the horizon.
The falcon continues his barrage on the goblin dog:
for
for
for
But only one of his dives manages to find its mark for a potential 11 damage.
Serax notices the larger goblin stab the dwarf in the back. Not so fast goblin, I need that dwarf.
Serax calls upon his arcane abilities to send a shimmering arrow of energy streaking towards the goblin.
The conjured elementals continue to hammer at the remaining three goblins (2 turns left). Two elementals (elemental 1 and 2) gang up on the one goblin that damaged an elemental (goblin 1).
Attack Skill = 60
Hit Goblin 1
Critical hit Goblin 1
Miss goblin 1
Hit Goblin 1
Miss goblin 2
Hit goblin 2
Hit goblin 3
Miss goblin 3
Goblin dog tries to dodge Albinus' attack (60): = success
Serax magic missile dislodges the goblin commando from Thorgrund's back, the wretched creature rolls to a stop some distance away, disintegrating into little more than a loathsomely misshapen skeleton.
The first goblin is pummelled into submission by the combined efforts of two of Serax's elemental allies. When they are done, it looks like nothing so much as a fleshy sack of knobbly bones. The other two try to dodge...
Goblin 2 Dodge (60): = failure
Goblin 3 Dodge (60): = success
The second goblin is bowled over and pinned to the ground as another elemental finishes it off.
The final goblin attacks the elemental with its rusty dogslicer...
Attack (45): = Failure
Help! Help!"
You hear a high pitched shrieking and for a moment wonder why the nobleman that you rushed to save from the goblins sounds so high pitched and girly. A moment later, you spot a young woman leaning out of a broken window on the first floor of the burning tavern, coughing and choking as she tries to escape the flames licking at her heels.
Spotting a watering trough near the inn that's used for the inn's patrons animals, Serax moves to it and plunges his arms into the water. He focuses his will on the elemental plane of water and attempts to call forth water elementals.
"Come to me and fight your ancient enemy. Fire burns and needs to be destroyed. Fire laughs and must be silenced. Fire fears nothing except for you. Destroy all of the fires burning inside the inn and then return to your home plane satisfied in your triumph. Do not attack any of the mortals that you may encounter, only fight the fire. Start with the fire nearest to the girl in the window. COME NOW!!"
Cast Summon (69):
Number of elementals summoned: divided by 2 = 4
Number of turns summoned for:
Serax stands and turns back to his colleagues. He focuses his will again and looses a bolt of energy at the goblin dog.
Cast Offensive Strike:
Serax sighsHow wonderful it would be to cast Summon more than once per day
Serax gathers his will and shoots magic missiles at the goblin dog.
Offensive Strike (69)
Damage
Offensive Strike 2
The four earth elementals (last turn) concentrate on the remaining goblin. Skill 60
E1A1
E1D1
E1A2
E1D2
E2A1
E2D1
E2A2
E2D2
E3A1
E3D1
E3A2
E3D2
E4A1
E4D1
E4A2
E4D2
Natalie fires once more at the goblin hoping to sink her shot in his green heart:
Hearing the screams Natalie's shot flies wide. She whistles for Albinus as she turns her attention away from the battle to save the girl. The gnome instructs her giant bird to attempt to grab the girl and bring her to the ground while Natalie positions herself below to help catch if needed.
The last goblin disappears beneath the group of earth elemental that suddenly pile on top of him. Natalie's last shot likely ricochets off their tough, stony hides.
The goblin dog attempts to avoid being hit by Serax's magical attack....
DEX (60/2=30): > failure
The goblin dog is hit in the flank, singing the scabby fur along its side.
Albinus flaps around the window from which the desperate young woman is trying to escape, trying to sink his talons into her dress so that she can be evacuated. She completely misunderstands the giant bird's intent and slaps at his feathery head ineffectively as her panic greatens.
Serax hurries to join Natalie under the window. He quickly moves his hands in an arcane gesture and concentrates.
Casting Low Wizadry (no skill check required) to enhance the volume and impressiveness of his voice. "GIRL LISTEN TO ME! Jump out the window. We will catch you. The bird will help to slow your fall. JUMP NOW!!!"
"I can't!" the distressed woman wails, "It's too high! I can't do it!"
"You must jump. We will catch you."
WIL Check (43):
It's obvious to all that the girl does not trust Serax.
"Natalie, she will not listen to me. Mayhaps you can try or maybe you can build something to use as a ladder."
As the goblin dog yelps at the blast to its hindquarters connects, Thorgrund slashes at it with a viscious swing.
"I have an idea...
Natalie begins yelling up to the woman a long diatribe about the inner workings of fire and its effect on the structural integrity of a tavern.
If the gnome is successful, Albinus will swoop in once more and attempt to grab the now docile woman.
Thorgrund's mighty blow chops the goblin dog pretty much in half!
Despite her desperate predicament, the young woman's eyes glaze over as Natalie expounds upon the technical aspects of her imminent and fiery doom.
She allows Albinus to lift her from the flaming tavern, but the huge bird is not strong enough to keep to the air whilst burdened with her extra weight. Both hawk and human fall from the sky, colliding with Natalie for 1D damage.
All three of you end up in one untidy heap in the middle of the street. While you have successfully rescued fair maiden, the building is still on fire. Sparks leap from the burning roof and threaten to alight adjacent buildings at any moment....
"Natalie try to build something that can put out that fire. Dwarf, keep an eye out for goblins. Natalie and I will need some time to concentrate."
Serax looks around quickly to identify anything that could be used to fight the fire. He spots a communal well in front of the inn along with some buckets that had been abandoned when the goblins attacked. Serax raises his arms like a conductor about to lead an orchestra.
Cast Low Wizadry: cause small objects to perform their tasks - such as mops, brooms, dishes etc. (no skill check required).
He then begins to hum and move his hands in a complex pattern. You see the buckets rise one by one, dip into the well, fly to the roof of the inn and dump out their load of water. They the float back to the well and repeat the cycle again, and then again and again and again until the fire is out.
As Serix works, Natalie spends the next minutes pouring over random gears, springs, knick-knacks and such while frantically sketching on one of her parchment pages....
As the time passes, she works with unnatural quickness and precision building a blizzard contraption of billows, gears, and exhaust vents directed to the sky. The young gnome then begins operating the foot pedal billows while throwing about a series of levers, and an orange quasi-magical plume begins to rise upwards from the skeletal device's smoke stacks.
Soon a large storm cloud begins to manifest above the burning building and rain falls heavily dousing the flames.
Thorgrund wipes the gore from his axe on the hide of the mangy beast. Satisfied that the blade is clean, he looks to his companions, but freezes as he is about to comment on Serax's arcane abilities.
He stares at the spectacle in front of him, mouth slightly agape...
Thanks to your heroic efforts, the town of Sandpoint has been saved from flame and foe alike (at least for the time being). Of course, Sheriff Hemlock and the guards under his command also did their bit - but that's what they're paid to do - whereas you guys stepped willingly from safe, cosy anonymity and are now celebrated as the Saviours of Sandpoint.
Admittedly, the unseasonal rainstorm caused by Natalie's weather manipulation gizmo did dampen spirits somewhat, but at least it kept the fires from spreading. Once the majority of the goblins had been defeated, the cowardly survivors fled to the north. Some few chose to throw themselves from the cliffs rather than face capture. Despite their suicidal inclinations, the Sheriff's men did manage to round up a handful of the little green buggers and are keeping them under lock and key until the Mayor decides what is to be done with them.
The young woman that you rescued from the burning tavern introduces herself as Shayliss Vinder, youngest daughter of the town's general store owner. Despite her somewhat dishevelled appearance, it is undeniable that Shayliss is one fine looking lass. Her sour faced father mutters his thanks as he leads her home. Before they are gone from sight, Shayliss turns and blows a kiss back at you, although who the intended recipient was is unclear....
After all of the excitement has died down, the nobleman that you (also) rescued from outside the inn seeks you out to reward you for saving him from the goblins and their flea-bitten mongrel dog. He kneels before Natalie and takes her hand, pressing his lips against it before staring earnestly into her face:
"Thankyou, my fair lady, for your timely intervention outside the White Hart. Your bravery is rivalled only by your beauty and your beauty is rivalled only by your skill with machinery. I dare say that strange contraption you constructed saved the entire town! Oh - but where are my manners, my name is Aldern Foxglove - well, Lord Aldern Foxglove, my family owns land locally and maintains a townhouse in Magnimar. I popped down for the festival, never suspecting I would find myself in the centre of such excitement!"
Since the White Hart Inn was badly damaged during the raid, Lord Foxglove has moved to lodgings at the (more modestly priced) Rusty Dragon Inn. He invites you all to visit him there in a few day time, so that he can reward you properly for saving his life.
The gnome blushes noticeably and beams a massive smile as the comparatively giant man gives her compliments. "Ok!"
As he leaves, she begins salvaging whatever material she can from her now destroyed contraption. Turning to the others the still fairly inebriated one looks at them with giant green eyes, "Beard Man and Elf Assistant, wanna be friends? I bet we can get even more nice complaints if we stick together! ...And hey... Where is the big guy who promised me a medal and badge..."
Spending
6 for level 2 of Spellcaster. Two new spells are Charm and Heal. Yay!!!
1 to learn Goblin.
2 to Logic Ability
1 to Strength Ability
Character blurb has been updated
The gnome blushes noticeably and beams a massive smile as the comparatively giant man gives her compliments. "Ok!"
As he leaves, she begins salvaging whatever material she can from her now destroyed contraption. Turning to the others the still fairly inebriated one looks at them with giant green eyes, "Beard Man and Elf Assistant, wanna be friends? I bet we can get even more nice complaints if we stick together! ...And hey... Where is the big guy who promised me a medal and badge..."
ELF ASSISTANT!!!...I should wring her little neck now...Patience Serax...There'll be time for teaching lessons later but for now she and the dwarf can be of use to me
"Hello Natalie. My name is Serax. Your skills are indeed amazing. It would indeed be my honor to be your friend and yours as well as yours Sir Dwarf." Serax gives Thorgrund a bow. "Thorgrund maybe we should escort Natalie to some place where can recover from the Orc punch."
As you are talking, a chubby, moon-faced halfling woman waddles over to you and introduces herself as Bethana Corwin, a maid from the Rusty Dragon Inn. Her mistress, Ameiko Kaijitsu extends both her compliments and her welcome to stay at her establishment - free of charge - for the duration of your stay in Sandpoint.
"It is the least that we can do after you three did so much to defend our homes!" Bethana insists, waiting to escort you back to the Rusty Dragon.
After sobering up at the inn, Natalie once more with shimmering gold hair traipsed off to the junkyard and gleefully began applying her craft. The tiny creature ravenously poured through pile after pile of scraps finding the perfect pieces, and she scribbled down doodles and notes on dozens of pages of parchment as she spent the day from dawn to dusk working on her latest invention.
At the end of day one and after sneakily hiding from rats, she has successfully created a working torso and head of a clockwork gnome. Packing it into her backpack with all her notes and the rest of the parts she needs to complete the masterpiece, Natalie skips the whole way back to the inn as the automaton looks about the scenery taking in data for the first time.
After dropping Natalie off at the Rusty Dragon, Serax decides to walk around town enjoying the adulation of the towns people.
The 'Saviours of Sandpoint' does have a nice ring to it. Of course, it really should be the Saviour of Sandpoint and his assistants.
Serax finds himself standing in front of the Town Hall. He strides proudly into the building and declares "I am Serax the Adept, the Saviour of Sandpoint. I would like to see the Mayor of this place."
Once Serax finds himself in front of the Mayor he says, "Your Honor, I am sure it is a great pleasure for you to meet me. As you well know, I along with my junior assistants saved this town of yours from burning to the ground. I am here to claim our reward. Gold is always acceptable but we would prefer magic items. Something like a Peace Ring or a Summoner Dagger would be acceptable to us. I will of course share our reward with my assistants."
After meeting with the Mayor, Serax makes his way to the Town Jail and asks to speak to one of the goblin prisoners. Once he is shown to where the goblin is caged, he casts Charm on the goblin before he interrogates the prisoners.
Cast Charm (Skill 80) -
The goblin appears to be slightly dazed but not completely under the spell.
Cast Charm -
Once the goblin is charmed, Serax asks the following questions:
1) How did you get inside the town?
2) What were you trying to accomplish?
3) What tribe do you belong to?
4) Who is your leader?
5) Will there be another attack and if so when.
@ Serax: You don't find the Mayor at the Town Hall, but the clerks there are able to direct you to the Sandpoint Cathedral, where she is visiting those of her citizens unfortunate enough to have been wounded during the recent attack. While the goblins were almost comedic in their incompetence, there were some fatalities amongst the townspeople. These sorry souls lie shrouded in the crypts below the cathedral, awaiting burial.
When you do confront Mayor Kendra Deverin, she is accompanied by Father Abstalar Zantus. As they listen to your words, her face grows more stern and his more surprised. When you are done, the Mayor replies, her tone chilly;
"While I and the good people of Sandpoint are grateful for the heroic actions of you and your... 'assistants', this is but a simple coastal town. We don't have vaults overflowing with gold and magical trinkets with which to shower passing adventurers. The greatest reward we can offer you is our friendship and gratitude. I have been informed you are staying for free at the Rusty Dragon - and I'll wager good coin that neither you nor any of your fellows will have to pay for your own drinks anytime soon. But if you insist on some sort of compensation, we have piled the dead goblins up behind the cathedral - ready to be burnt this afternoon - you are welcome to rifle their pockets before we put them to the torch."
--
Upon your visit to the Sandpoint Garrison, Sheriff Hemlock grudgingly allows you to interrogate his prisoner. He doesn't hold with using magic to pry into the minds of others and tells you as much in his gruff and forthright manner, but in the case of these goblins, he is prepared to make an exception. Both the Sheriff and one of his men supervise the questioning of the prisoner.
"How did you get inside the town?"
"We came in through the north gate, just strolled through, no bother. The boss told us that there would be none of you longshanks about to stop us and he was right."
"What were you trying to accomplish?"
(the goblin looks confused, perhaps 'accomplish' was too complex a word for him to comprehend. After simplifying, he answers...) "We was told to cause as much trouble as possible to keep you longshanks busy." (he doesn't know anything else)
"What tribe do you belong to?
"Me proud Mosswood goblin!"
"Who is your leader?"
"Mosswood goblins all do what Big Gugmut says! He strong leader! His mother was a hobgoblin and his father was a wild boar!"
"Will there be another attack and if so, when?"
"New boss not rest until Sandpoint lies in ruin, then goblins dance on your piled bodies and have big dinner!"
Serax seethes with anger as he makes his way back to the Rusty Dragon. How dare that human take such a tone with me. As if being the mayor of this so called town gives her the right to act that way especially since I almost single-handedly defeated a goblin horde and then extinguished a raging inferno that would have destroyed this town. Serax pauses in his walk as a rare moment of honest self-reflection occurs. I guess in all fairness the dwarf and the gnome did play a part in my success. I must remember to tell them so.
Once Serax reaches the Rusty Dragon he enter the common room, calls for a bottle of "what passes for wine here" and waits for his colleagues to complete their errands. When he sees them again he will tell them what he learned from the goblin and that the mayor refused to reward them for their actions. He will even give them a chance to share what they have being doing and may have learned.
Upon returning to the Inn, Natalie sees Serax and quickly runs over to join him. She plops the currently hideous unfinished creation on the table and looks up expecting to be showered with praise. The clockwork gnome is missing limbs, its "torso" is just a spine-like device connected to what would seem to be a clockwork heart, and its head only has one eye and half of a "face."
"Look! I made another friend! Well... Sorta... He isn't done yet..."
She then dives into her backpack pulling out dozens of pages of parchment filled with crafting notes and sketches, and upon finding a suitably black page begins to journal the evens of the day and document the clothing choices of Serax (for no discernible purpose).
Serax swallows his natural inclination to belittle Natalie's work as inferior to what a Spellcaster could accomplish. "That's really something else Natalie. Very, uh, unique."
"Once Thorgrund returns maybe we should pay the nobleman that you charmed so much a visit. Hopefully at least one human knows how to reward a hero." After a moment, Serax realizes his faux pas and attempts to correct it. "That is, of course, a trio of heroes.". He smiles in what he hopes is not a condescending way.
Later on, Thorgrund makes his way into the common room, hollering "Ale! as he plops himself down next to Serax.
He sighs heavily, then says to the elf, "Oy...these folk won't leave a dwarf alone! You'd think I'd saved the whole bloomin' lot of 'em by myself!"
His ale arrives, and he quickly downs the pint. He slams down the empty stein, staring at the barmaid. She seems completely flustered, until she catches on to why he's glaring at her. She quickly returns with three full steins, placing them in front of the thirsty dwarf. She smiles quickly, curtsies even faster, then scurries off.
He slides a stein over to Serax, not thinking that elves most likely wouldn't touch the stuff.
"So... Serax. You seem pretty handy with that magic you hurl around. All well and good, you understand, I just prefer my steel." He looks around suddenly, as if looking for someone (knowing full well the gnome is seated with Serax). "You seen that pixie around anywhere? She done good herself..."
Serax decides to play along with the dwarf's game. "That's odd...Natalie was showing me something that she made just a minute ago and now 'poof' she's disappeared. I bet that doll of hers made her invisible." Serax aims a wink at Thorgrund.
"I learned some interesting information today." Serax briefs Thorgrund on what the goblin prisoner told him. "It's a bit worrisome that the goblin's 'boss' knew that the guard will not be watching the gate and that they were supposed to distract the humans. This is more than a random goblin attack. Oh by the way, the Mayor is a bit of a jerk and does not seem to like adventurers."
"I don't like this game!" the gnome exclaims with a loud humph.
She hops down and rushes over to the to waitress at the bar:
"Hi! Do you have any candy or cookies? I'm a hero!"
Returning with whatever sweets the bar had to offer (as in all of them...) Natalie happily devours them while jumping back to the topic of the gentleman and seemingly forgetting the others were pretending she wasn't there.
"Let's go see that big guy. Maybe he has more stuff for us. Oh! I want a pony! Do they have those here?"
"I don't like this game!" the gnome exclaims with a loud humph.
"Har!! laughs Thorgrund. "Just havin' a bit of fun with ya, lass. Here, have a pint" he says, pushing a stein toward her.
Returning with whatever sweets the bar had to offer (as in all of them...) Natalie happily devours them while jumping back to the topic of the gentleman and seemingly forgetting the others were pretending she wasn't there.
"Let's go see that big guy. Maybe he has more stuff for us. Oh! I want a pony! Do they have those here?"
Looking back at Serax, Thorgrund seems more serious.
"I agree with ya, lad. Something about that attack wasn't right. I hate to say it was easy to kill those gobbos, but it was just that...almost too easy." He poses a thoughtful look, his mind awash with bad omens.