The intrepid adventurers dash forward as the drums and chanting abruptly cease. The stone corridor makes a slight bend to the left and opens into a much larger chamber that is weakly illuminated by a phosphorescent lichen growing up the walls. In that instant, this is what they see:A horde of squat humanoids (goblins, you assume; for the creatures do correspond to the various unflattering descriptions you have heard of them), perhaps a dozen in all, are watching and gibbering in confusion as the raven furiously flaps and pecks around the head and face of one of their fellows. Somewhat comically, he attempts to shoo it away with a short wooden staff, but the crazed raven will not be deterred. With a victorious caw, the bird finally succeeds in snatching something from around the goblin’s neck and flies toward what appears to be a gaunt, naked man poised at the edge of a pit, his hands bound behind him.
The goblins are so caught up in this unanticipated avian drama that, for the moment, they have failed to notice you. [This is your opportunity to act on surprise. Please email your actions to me. Fil, since Orthos is in front, send along an initiative roll for the group using web dice while you’re at it.]
12 comments:
Surprise round:
From the rear, Laurie begins to strum a jaunty melody on her lute and sing part of an ancient lyrical epic about of a small band of warriors who triumphed against a horde of wicked monsters despite being vastly outnumbered. It has an emboldening effect as some of the party’s initial fear subsides and their hands are steadied. [All PCs receive a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against Charm and Fear effects and a +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls.]
At the same time, Nibben fires his gnome-sized crossbow from the shadows. It’s an expert shot! The tiny bolt whizzes through the air and impales the eye of a goblin that had turned around at exactly the wrong time. It makes a small “eek!” noise before falling face-first to the floor.
Encouraged by Laurie’s performance and Nibben's marksmanship, Mercurio bravely rushes forward to clobber one of the unwary goblins with his morning star. However, he attacks a second too early and connects only at the very end of his swing so that the impact of the blow fails to penetrate his enemy’s armor. The startled goblin shrieks and whirls around, hefting a morning star of its own!
Meanwhile, Orthos steps aside so the others behind him can advance into the fray. His form wreathed in eldritch flame, he grabs the face of a hapless goblin from behind. The wretched little thing screams and screams.
Varel remains where she is, readying a curative spell should one be needed, and orders Wolfie to attack. The massive wolf easily pounces on a goblin, grabbing it by the neck and shaking it around like a dirty rag doll. A sickening snapping sound can be heard before he drops it limply to the ground and prepares to go after another.
By now, most of the goblin troop has realized that it is under attack. Their weapons ready, they gibber furiously and charge forward, hoping to overpower the intruders through sheer number.
[Please declare your actions for the regular round through email, instant messenger, etc. Since people are having trouble with the e-mail verified web dice server, from now on you can use http://www.penpaperpixel.org/tools/d20dicebag.htm and send me a screen capture of your rolls.]
Round 1:
Apparently, goblin society has its own approximation of a bardic class. (Who knew?) The baleful drums resume, this time pounding out a bellicose tempo to rally the horde and whet its thirst for blood! Laurie takes offense and, producing a short bow, fires an arrow at her counterpart. The drumming dies instantly, as does the goblin producing it.
Meanwhile, Nibben quickly reloads his crossbow and fires another bolt at a goblin across the chamber. His aim is true and the goblin is struck squarely in the chest! It cries out in shock as it feebly lobs a javelin toward Orthos.
The goblin Mercurio just attempted to attack swings its morning star at his ribs, but his armor and deft footwork make it impossible for the bugger to land a significant hit. Mercurio swings his own morning star and lands a devastating blow to the goblin’s head. It falls, its skull a misshapen mass of crushed bones. Before the victory can be savored, however, a goblin javelin sails through the air and impales Mercurio through his back! (8 damage!!) Critically wounded, he struggles through the pain to stay on his feet.
Varel sees that she is needed and moves to assist her injured companion. A goblin tries to close distance and get within striking range of her, but Wolfie forbids it! He leaps at the goblin and takes it to the ground by the neck. Black blood sprays in all directions as Wolfie rips out its throat. Another javelin flies, but misses him by a wide margin and bounces off the stone wall. A nearby goblin swings a club at Wolfie, but the blow just glances off of his firmly muscled haunches.
The goblin in Orthos’ flaming grip continues to scream. He casts it aside unceremoniously, its face a blackened mask of charred, seeping flesh. He moves to Mercurio’s flank. Meanwhile, the javelin meant for him fails to find its mark and clatters harmlessly to the ground instead.
Varel reaches Mercurio and, with a firm yank, extracts the blood-slicked javelin from his body. He screams and his knees buckle. She lays her hand on his wound, utters a brief incantation, and sprinkles a pinch of powdered rose quartz over him for good measure. Mercurio feels a strange energy course through his body, collecting at the site of injury. Miraculously, the wound closes and the pain diminishes considerably! (+7 hp)
At the other end of the chamber, the goblin chieftain regards the cheeky raven and its master with a smoldering, bloodshot glare. He casts his staff on the ground and growls something that sounds like “Paga wa san fa!” The stick writhes horribly to life and assumes the form of an asp! The serpent slithers toward the human prisoner, intent on delivering a fatal bite. In terror, the hapless man struggles against the rope binding him, but to no avail.
[Please email or IM your actions and rolls for the next round.]
Round 2:
The asp moves and strikes with blinding speed! The bound man jumps backward just in time and avoids being bitten by a fraction of an inch. He teeters precariously on the edge of the pit behind him, just barely managing to maintain his balance. The serpent recoils, preparing another strike…
Nibben fires another bolt at the wounded goblin, putting it out of its misery. Meanwhile, Laurie nocks another arrow and launches it at the snake, but it proves too small and too fast a target to hit.
Mercurio nods at Varel and grunts, "Thenkyeh kine," before charging toward the goblin that skewered him. The goblin quickly launches another javelin, but succeeds in landing only a glancing blow (2 damage). Mercurio shrugs off the wound and keeps coming. He bellows out a mighty cry and swings his morning star with full force! His attack catches the goblin squarely in its solar plexus, sending it flying. It does not get up.
Varel sees that the goblins’ prisoner is in serious peril and tells Wolfie to sic the snake. He growls in acknowledgement and turns to dash across the cavern. At that same moment, the goblin at his flank swings his morning star at one of his rear legs and lands a solid blow (5 damage)! Wolfie ignores his attacker for now and limps across the cavern as quickly as he can, but will he reach the serpent before it strikes again?
Orthos also responds to the naked man’s plight and dashes toward him. A goblin takes advantage of the opening and launches a javelin at the young wizard’s backside, striking him in the shoulder (3 damage)!
A goblin warrior, seeing that Varel is unprotected, charges at her! Meanwhile, the goblin chieftain, suddenly feeling crowded, runs at full speed into a tunnel to his right as fast as his cowardly little legs will carry him!
Round 3:
The asp, its heat-sense overwhelmed by Orthos’ sudden arrival, strikes blindly at the air. Wolfie takes it into his fearsome jaws and shakes it this way and that, looking rather confused as it reverts to nothing but a gnarled wooden stick.
Orthos quickly frees the gaunt human from his bonds and politely covers him with his cloak. Wasting no time, asks him, “Are there any other captives? We’re looking for some missing children.”
The goblin in front of Varel swings at her with its morning star and misses by a wide margin. Meanwhile, Mercurio returns the favor and charges at it from behind. He clobbers it with his morning star and the impact makes a sick thud against its head. It falls limply to the ground.
The remaining ambulatory goblins, seeing that the tide of battle has clearly turned against them, follow their leader’s example and each one sprints toward a different tunnel. Laurie fires an arrow at one and misses. Nibben fires his crossbow at the other and hits, but the bugger keeps running and makes its escape.
[Unless you decide to pursue the fleeing goblins, we can go out of rounds.]
Markus turns to look at Varel as he shakes some gore off of his morning star. "Yeh aw'roit, lass?" He looks back at the recently freed captive, "An' yeh think this bloke wiffiz Jim James all dangly out moit kno' they wee ones at?" He looks at his recently mended wound, now surrounded by pink dust. He moves a hand to wave it off but then merely shrugs.
The gaunt man tries to bow to Orthos in thanks, but manages only a gracious crouch. He clutches his stomach underneath the cloak, and drops to his knees to catch his breath. "Yes, there were children."
He looks half-asleep. "They were being fattened . . . like the men I was traveling with. They took the guard and the stage driver, and then the children, and then me." He sags onto his haunches. "I wouldn't eat."
He mutters something imperceptible, and lifts his head. His expression clearly piques a little and he weakly grabs Orthos by the tunic. "Were we sacrifices?" Prostrate before his rescuer, he turns his face to the hole. "What would foul little lobs like these worship?"
The raven flaps over to the altar and lands squarely on a leather bound tome.
Markus makes a side-long comment to Varel, Laurie, Nibben, or anyone who would lissen. "Thinkinnis sodda bit barmy." He walks over to the hole and takes out a torch and tinderbox from his pack. As he passes by the gaunt man, he nods. "Lesse wot innis ho', roit mate?"
Orthos attempts to help the man to his feet, and offers him some of his rations. Then he moves to examine the leather tome on the altar.
"We shouldn't stay too long, the creatures may find courage in numbers and return."
Markus leans down near the lip of the hole to light his torch. Just as he gets it lit, he coughs, snorts, and waves his hand in front of his face. "'Ell! I seena som' smelly 'oles 'fore, butison' be th'..." he stops and looks around at the rest of the party. "Nae'min'." He lowers the torch over the hole, peering at what's inside.
(OOC: Sorry)
The ravan caws defensively when Orthos attempts to examine the tome.
As Wolfie runs out of goblins to kill Varel exclaims, "Sit Wolfie. Sit! Please don't kill the nice man. That's right. Good Wolfie!"
She then approaches each of the party members to diagnose and treat any wound with bandages and disinfectant. (No real mechanics or hit point increase.)
While Varel is treating Salbadore she says, "I'm Varel. Its very nice to meet you and your funny little raven. Were the children already eaten, or are they being held deeper inside this cave?"
Laurie looks over at the gaunt man. "Is that your bird, or do you know anything about it?"
Post a Comment