Book 1 - Chapter 4: Forward, to Conflict

[Asta]

Some time later, you find yourselves at one of Telan's taverns. The establishment is bustling with late afternoon traffic and there are plenty of people you could ask for information regarding the location of The Maw.

[pringerbeam]

     Thedrin headed in to find a table near the rear of the dining hall and set down, waving down one of the tavern workers. "Do you happen to have any duck or goose? If not, I'll have whatever fowl you might have cooked up. Also whatever wine you have on hand." He said as he looked around. He tried to judge the most knowledgeable of the other patrons. He was loath to have to spend the time chatting with anything other than a well endowed lass but was willing to settle if it meant getting some more information on the goblin cave. He would start with the more attractive girls, maybe he would luck out before having to speak to some unwashed hermit.

[info] Diplomacy to Gather Information[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+9 : 14 + 9, total 23[/blockquote][/info]

[Asta]

"Cockerel with shallots and thyme, if that will do." the young woman who took your order replied. "I'll see what we have for wine."

You scan the room for anyone likely to be able to answer your questions while waiting on our food. Eventually the woman returns with a healthy portion of roasted chicken and vegetables, as well as some kind of light bodied fruit wine with a pale gold color.

After eating, you set to work asking about The Maw. Starting with the more pleasant looking women, and working your way "down" from there. Eventually you manage to piece together that there is indeed a large black limestone cave in the hills to the southeast that has been described as looking like a large fanged mouth. It is roughly a five day ride there, and the villagers typically steer clear of the area as it has been a home to savage wildlife in the past.

[pringerbeam]

     His meal done and his information gathering more or less also done, Thedrin dabbed at his lips with his napkin before standing and stretching and turning to his companions. "Well, not much more to go off then what we already knew. Still, I guess it is something to bring to the captain tomorrow. I say we get our beauty sleep and prepare for a longer journey. It would seem to be almost a week's journey to these caves and I would like to get at least one night in a proper bed while we are in town." He looked around and saw a group of young women that he had spoken to earlier, they did not know much about the cave but one or two had caught his eye. "I might even get some sleep." He remarked as he broke off from his companions. "Ah, there was something I forgot to ask earlier. Tell me, what do you know about talking wolves?" He asked as he moved to insert himself at their table.

[info]Diplomacy to pick up girls[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+9 : 13 + 9, total 22[/blockquote][/info]

[Asta]

Scathach snorts watching Thedrin slide next to one of the girls at the table nearby. "What a line..."

"Talking wolves? How fearsome!" The girl responds, somewhat flirtatiously.



Location: Telan
Date: Oeksaber 27, Wholsdey 795
Time: 0900

The following day your party meets once more with Captain Maddox to relay what you've learned. The information you gathered is similar to what Maddox's men also learned in town. The captain decides that he will send a small advance scout party to check the location, and the main force will move after a plan has been made. For the moment, your group is free to pursue their own interests in town, but should you wish to partake of the attack on the goblin stronghold you should remain nearby.

[Asta]

Location: Telan
Date: Oeksaber 29, Lasdey 795
Time: 1200

In anticipation of the operation to clear out the goblin menace from The Maw, Maddox spends the next day and a half barely leaving his tent. He apparently has spent the entire time developing a plan of attack, using maps recovered from the basement of the town hall and with the advice of the local militia and those familiar with the area.

The resultant strategy is easy to understand, with the goblins entrenched in the cave system it would be suicidal to send the force in after them, so instead with the cooperation of the militia the expeditionary force will launch a three pronged attack intended to draw the enemy from its position. Two smaller forces, one on each side of the cave entrance will engage the goblins in an effort to divide them; from the middle, delayed slightly, a third force will move up the middle and create a quadruple envelopment as the anvil to smash the divided goblins against.

To that end, your group and a selection of militia fighters will form the center group. The expeditionary force and the accompanying militia will depart within a week to meet the scouts halfway and further refine the strategy. For now, it is a waiting game.




Location: Telan
Date: Oeksaber 30, Fesdey 795
Time: 1900

It's the last day of Oaeksaber and tonight is the celebration of Seelenacht. Though the expeditionary force, and the town militia are both beginning preparations for the assault on the Dark Maw, traditions must be observed. Without them, what does a civilization become? Tonight is a night where the boundary between the mortal realm and that of spirits grows thin, and you can feel it in the air, electric and sublime.

Children scurry between houses to knock on doors and beg for treats, as they have every year as far back as most mortals can remember. The largest moon, Theas, is full tonight and under its silvery glow you can almost see the shadows of the benevolently departed as they walk amongst the young and living. It brings an odd comfort.

Feasts are had among the households, and offerings are made to long gone relatives to ask for their wisdom and guidance for the future. You too participate in whatever way may suit you, and before long the midnight hour is upon the world.

The villagers, as if by some prearranged choreography come forth from their houses each carrying a single paper lantern that casts a dim light from the small candle within. The lanterns are both a representation of and a guide for the spirits that still linger in this world. Together as one the villagers release these lanterns, designed to float in the air, into the night. They rise together resembling a swarm of fireflies. A breeze begins to catch them and pull them higher and higher into the sky, until they are indistinguishable from the glittering stars.

[pringerbeam]

     Thedrin sat in his uncle's parlor throughout the evening, a bottle of wine in one hand and a glass in the other. He spent it mostly staring at the cracking fire while his uncle more eagerly awaited the children to pass out sweets. The last group of expected children gone, his uncle sat down across from him in his won armchair. "You know, you could do something other than drink your way through the cellar." His uncle remarked as Thedrin let out an audible sigh and leaned back in the armchair he had occupied to look at stuffed bison head hanging above the hearth. "Hard to stay in a sober mood when right now back in Albion the Witching Eve parties are in full swing. The wizards are showing off their best glamours at the most prestigious gatherings. Esmerelda Veleste last year dressed as the Lady of the Lake in a absolutely scandalous gossamer gown that she had found a wizard to enchant to make it seem always wet and flowing as if under the water. It was a stroke of genius, turned every head at the ball, though it was a monster to get her out of later that evening." He swilled the wine in his glass and watched the light filter through the crimson liquid. "And what is the point of lantern lighting out here on these desolate plains? It would not compare to the  sight of a city's worth of lanterns drifting across the lake, their light reflected below, drawing the glowing fish from the depths of the lake. A beauty viewed from the balcony of Esmerelda's bedchamber... or any of the high towers I suppose..."  "Or maybe... you could try and actually get a different perspective and join the rest of the town?" His uncle interjected but Thedrin's only response was to roll his eyes. "Fine, wallow in the bottle of a glass all night. Just try not to drink the whole estate out of booze. Some of us like to actually drink to enjoy ourselves. I'm going to the lantern lighting." He said as he got up to don his coat, leaving Thedrin to his drink. Thedrin only grumbled and poured himself another glass.

[Asta]

Location: Southeast of Telan
Date: Naev 6, Fesdey 795
Time: 1800


After Seelenacht, the expeditionary force, militia, and the town in general worked double-time to prepare for the upcoming offensive against the goblin menace. With the addition of some of the town militia's members, the total force now comes to about 50 fighters not including your own party.

Some days out from Telan, as the sun starts to set, a rider approaches from the southeast. Its one of the scouts Maddox had sent out the previous week. When he finally arrives in camp, the captain asks him the question on everyone's mind: "Well, what's the situation?"

The scout is wide eyed and answers hoarsely, "There are hundreds.

A small ripple of concern spreads through the few people close enough to hear the conversation, and you can just barely hear Maddox swear under his breath. "Shit."

The rider continues, "There's a whole slew of the little ones, it looks like an ocean of bodies all armed with their crude little swords and spears. Handful of riders on those nasty overgrown rats they like so much, and quite a few hobgoblins barkin' orders." He pauses before speaking again, And... they got a shaman."

Captain Maddox grimaces at the mention of a spellcaster. Goblins are not known for their use of magic, but when they do make use of a shaman it can transform even a small group of the creatures into a formidable force.

After a few moments of consideration Maddox speaks again. "Alright. So they have a shaman and they outnumber us. That doesn't change what we have to do. The Righ charged us with the protection of Telan and we are honor bound to do so. We have better arms, armor, and more skill than they could hope to muster. Not to mention the element of surprise. I'll make adjustments to the battle plan."




[info]There are still a few days left before the expedition reaches the Maw. State any final preparations or things you'd like to do before the battle begins. There are general supplies you can requisition from the camp quartermaster, these can include limited consumables like potions.[/info]

[Asta]

Location: The Maw
Date: Naev 8, Erstdey 795
Time: 0900


When at last you arrive at the Dark Maw, you can already sense the menace of the goblin horde. More accurately you can smell it. Goblins are not a race known for cleanliness, and in an unnaturally large group the already potent smell of their collective waste and body odors is magnified tenfold. To put it succinctly, they reek.

The Dark Maw, rests at the bottom of a depression in the earth that if one was not looking for it, you may never notice its existence. The entrance to the cave itself does in fact strongly resemble a large mouth lined with teeth, gaping wide to swallow the earth before it. The surrounding depression is lined with small hillocks and rock formations that obscure direct line of sight out of the low ground. Fortuitous for you and the others, as it gives you a moment to survey the goblins before beginning the assault.

The scout's report is quite accurate. There are hundreds of little bodies milling about down by the cave. Curiously, or perhaps terrifyingly, the smaller members of the horde look almost organized. They've formed little troops of goblins 20 to 30 members thick, each rallying around a hobgoblin which seems to be marshaling them about in drills. It's a worrisome sight, as goblins find great strength in numbers, which in turn is usually dulled by their inherently chaotic nature. You also spy the riders the scout mentioned. There are a handful of them, goblins with bows mounted on "goblin dogs".

The expedition force seizes upon their unnoticed approach to move everyone into position before the attack. As planned, two wings of fighters split off to the left and right sides of the depression around the cave, while your group and the remaining soldiers and militia fighters remain in place where you can charge up the center.

At last once all the pieces are in place, you hear the piercing call of a war-horn signaling the start of the assault. The flanking wings of the expeditionary force storm downwards into the hollow, taking the drilling goblins by surprise. Chaos breaks the discipline of the goblin troops just long enough to draw them into the perfect position for the double envelopment. Now is the time for your group to charge.

As you enter the melee, it isn't but a moment before your group finds enemy combatants ripe for the slaughter...

[info]Roll initiative.[/info]

[pringerbeam]

[info] Initiative[blockquote]Rolled 1d20 : 5, total 5[/blockquote][/info]

[Throndir]

[info][blockquote]Initiative 1d20+5 : 16 + 5, total 21[/blockquote][/info]

[Oath]

[info] initiative
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+6 : 3 + 6, total 9[/blockquote]
[/info]

[Asta]

You wade forward into combat hoping to catch your prey on their back foot, but luck was not with you this moment. The group of goblinoid fighters nearest you notice your approach in the chaos and turn to fight. From behind a rock, one of the smaller goblins peeks into view and fires a shot at Scathach, fortunately the attack does little more than cut a scratch on her arm and the creature ducks back into cover.

The hobgoblin nearest the militia fighter that has joined you closes the gap between them and engages in a flurry of slashes and thrusts, until the militiaman is unable to keep up and takes a wicked cut across the chest spilling blood upon the rocks at his feet. The hob sneers in delight at the sight of his wounded target.

[error]Goblin 1 shoots Scathach, 1 damage[/error]
[error]Hobgoblin 1 attacks Militia Fighter, 7 damage[/error]
[info]Rhenri to take turn.[/info]

[spoiler]Combat Log
Roll20
Initiative Order:
Goblin 1, Hobgoblin 1, Rhenri, Goblin 3, Goblin 2, Scathach, Hobgoblin 2, Cecilia, Thedrin, Militia Fighter

Round 1:
Goblin 1 shoots Scathach, 1 damage
Hobgoblin 1 attacks MF, 7 damage[/spoiler]

[Throndir]

[info]Swift: Activate Stance of the Piercing Rays
Action: Attack hobgoblin, +1 Point Blank

[blockquote]Attack vs AC 1d20+7 : 5 + 7, total 12[/blockquote]
[blockquote]Piercing 1d8+1 : 3 + 1, total 4[/blockquote]
[blockquote]Fire 1d6 : 5, total 5[/blockquote]

Move: 25 ft. for cover
[/info]

[Asta]

Rhenri's flaming arrow streaks past its target and bounces harmlessly off a rock behind it. Meanwhile, the other two goblins fire off arrows of their own at Thedrin and Cecilia. Thedrin's armor managed to deflect the attack, though if it had been an inch higher it might have found a gap in his defenses. Cecilia was not as fortunate and suddenly found an arrow embedded deep in her left leg.

Scathach, hoping to take out one of the goblin archers, moved into a better position to shoot and let loose an shot which found its mark but left her target standing.

The other hobgoblin, closes in on Thedrin and lashes out, hoping to succeed where his diminutive cohort failed. The blade finds purchase and draws blood.

[error]Rhenri shoots Hobgoblin 1, misses.[/error]
[okay]Goblin 2 shoots Thedrin, misses.[/okay]
[error]Goblin 3 shoots Cecilia, 4 damage.[/error]
[okay]Scathach shoots Goblin 3, 3 damage[/okay]
[error]Hobgoblin 2 attacks Thedrin, 5 damage[/error]
[info]Cecilia to take turn.[/info]

[spoiler]Combat Log
Roll20
Initiative Order:
Goblin 1, Hobgoblin 1, Rhenri, Goblin 3, Goblin 2, Scathach, Hobgoblin 2, Cecilia, Thedrin, Militia Fighter

Round 1:
Goblin 1 shoots Scathach, 1 damage
Hobgoblin 1 attacks MF, 7 damage
Goblin 2 shoots Thedrin, miss
Goblin 3 shoots Cecilia, 4 damage
Scathach shoots Goblin 3, 3 damage
Hobgoblin 2 attacks Thedrin, 5 damage[/spoiler]