Act 3, Episode 2 - Hobgoblin Patrol?

[SilverBen]

(OOC: Night has fallen 21 hours left for Lyssehea to live.) Lord Mayor Ushakov hastily invites the party inside the fortification known as the Mile Castle of Darian's Wall. They discuss their next steps in the Commons of Darian's Wall in an attempt to recruit off-duty soldiers to join them on their mission to retrieve the Saw of Mighty Cutting. Lyssehea remains on the ship and Captain Burnett assigns the four sailors to a rotating shift seeing to her welfare. The Captain joins Greystreet with the party.

Once they arrive, Lord Mayor Ushakov offers the party anything to prepare them for the coming adventure from the kitchen and mess hall, bath, armory, chapel, scriptorium, and apothecary.

As they sit at the scattered tables inside the Commons,, Greystreet begins to express his condemnation of any human that would deal in trade with the Hobgoblins to Ushakov. The Lord Mayor responds to the merchant that it is actually quite understandable: "Don't think just because they are savages that they lack the good sense to trade, my dear Master Greystreet. I have served here at the mile castle for over 20 years and come to respect the Hobgoblin legions for their deadly cunning and enduring drive to conquer. If trade offers another avenue of conquest, then the Hobgoblins will surely seek it out. I, too, worry what scoundrel of a leader has forged an alliance with them and what dangerous power that leader must hold over the Hobgoblins to get them to cooperate.

It is not surprising that a new Hobgoblin has risen to the level of Warlord among his kind and attracted a small following. We have seen a band of 30 Hobgoblins marching in formation along the ridge to the north. It is clear to me that the area to the north is where the wood was sourced for your ship, Master Greystreet, where the dryad resided in her grove before becoming a fixture on your new ship."

Greystreet scans the party, "My fellows, I have taken an oath to correct the wrongs done in my name and with my money. Were I not a faithful servant of Pelor, who makes the wind blow and the rains descend, I may abandon this quest. But since I am true to my word and deed, I have hired you all to investigate my ship, The Liora, and the source of her curse. But the real curse is out there." He flails his entire arm to point north over Darian's Wall and slaps his chest with an open palm. "From what Lyssehea tells me, we must retrieve the Saw of Mighty Cutting from the Hobgoblins in order to placate Pelor's wrath." He turns to Lord Mayor Ushakov and requests he bring charts and maps of the area.

(OOC: Please roll 2d4. If the result is

• 2, then 1 treant arrives in 30 minutes responding to Lyssehea's Call Woodland Beings spell
• 3, then 1d4 centaurs arrives in 30 minutes responding to Lyssehea's Call Woodland Beings spell
• 4, then 2d8 brownies arrives in 30 minutes responding to Lyssehea's Call Woodland Beings spell
• 5, then 1d6 sprites arrives in 30 minutes responding to Lyssehea's Call Woodland Beings spell
• 6, then 1d8 pixies arrives in 30 minutes responding to Lyssehea's Call Woodland Beings spell
• 7, then 1d4 satyrs arrives in 30 minutes responding to Lyssehea's Call Woodland Beings spell
• 8, then 1 unicorn arrives in 30 minutes responding to Lyssehea's Call Woodland Beings spell

[mike_c]

OOC 2d4 roll=7 = Satyrs 1d4 roll = 4

[mike_c]

Varis stands waiting at the northern edge waiting on everyone to get ready so we can make the trek to the encampment of the foul beasts he wonder who the leader is certainly not a hobgoblin ogre? ogre-mage?

[SilverBen]

OOC 2d4 roll=7 = Satyrs 1d4 roll = 4

Awesome! Thanks Mike_c

[cryominer]

(Fezor)

Fezor considers the words from Lord Ushakov on the nature of the sub-human vermin. Although he is revolted by the mere thought of the creatures, he is wise enough to understand that trade with them may be inevitable in order to preserve the peace and allow the wall to perform its function. Knowing this, what this party intends to do will upset that balance. The Lord Mayor appears to be a respectable pragmatic administrator. A useful quality for a leader on the frontier far from the support of civilization. Fezor frowned. The chance for gaining magic and treasure was ever present in his thoughts, but the stone and structure of the wall presented to him the physical embodiment of balance between civilization and demon filled wilderness...and now he was to be at least party responsible for upsetting it.

Greystreet was somewhat a different story. His feverish need to correct this wrong is a bit nebulous to the wizard. He did not commit the wrong, but he has pledged his money and he risks his life to correct the slight. Fezor was struggling to try and understand this level of commitment. Regardless of the man's motive, this is an opportunity for the wizard to advance his interests and fill his purse with coin and magic. Hopefully, this does not become a quest that requires the party to sacrifice their lives.

Fezor let out a low whistle and mumbled, "Dragon droppings...I only hope that I do not burn for this later." The wizard rises from his seat; most likely the last comfortable position he will have for the next day or so. Fezor secures his cloak, bags, backpack, darts, and components. Securing his cloak about him, Fezor moves to join Varis, "Greetings Varis! I am anxious to be on our way as well. Perhaps we can simply tell the hobgoblins what they have done and then ask them for the saw as a form of penance or do you think that they will beg our forgiveness at the sight of our mighty party?"

[michaelslate]

(Jakob)

"You've said they usually work all night and return to their fortress at dawn to sleep the day away? Logging is hard work, even for strong men. I would say that we should get as close as we could to their work without being discovered and await the predawn light. I've heard that hobgoblins can see in the dark as well as elves, which would put Fezor and myself at a disadvantage against them in the dark of night. We should strive, I believe, to retrieve the saw before they reach the safety of their home. They will be much harder to root out behind walls."

I turn towards Willow. "Lady, I can understand, perhaps, your desire to remain mysterious during a voyage with strangers of a different kin from yourself and your spouse. However, we are about to charge headlong into peril. We need to know that when we call for aid that you will be there. And we need to know what kind of aid you can offer, and what you might need help with yourself. The rest of us have declared ourselves.." I motion to the other party members in turn. "Warrior, priest, wizards. We all have a general idea of what each of us is capable of and what our weaknesses are. Please, tell us more about what you can do?"

[SilverBen]

OOC: That is so funny, thanks, I needed that today.

(Fezor)
Fezor let out a low whistle and mumbled, "Dragon droppings...I only hope that I do not burn for this later."

[holly_e]

::turns to Jakob::" while I am a very skilled warrior my skill of trade is that of treasure recovering agent this is not to be confused with some common ragamuffin street thief, as far as my skills, I hardly miss with my bow, the shadows are my friends, I do know how sometimes find extra vulnerable areas on my enemies. I also do have some knowledge in locating and removing nasty surprises that people love to put around the goodies and shineys."

"we should aim to reach their camp at high noon when they will be in they will be in the deepest sleep"

[cryominer]

(Fezor)

Fezor was once again impressed at the cleric's obvious wisdom, "Jakob has made some excellent observations. Perhaps if we could find a compromise to scout where their foul lair is located. Once we know where they are, then we can time our foray for either the false dawn or the near twilight of sunset. The good cleric and I will be able to see, perhaps at a disadvantage, and there will be shadows aplenty for the more...skilled...among us."

With a slight glance to the rest of the party before continuing, "ahem..., I am a meagerly skilled wizard and not one to boast. On the martial front, I have some darts for self-defense. Not much good in a real fight. The good sylvan Lady has seen fit to provide me with some magic seeds that may ensnare our opponents...if I have understood correctly. Beyond that, I have a few spells that may harm our opponents or ensnare them within a spider's web." Fezor considers his next words very carefully, "I have another bit of magic that may come in useful; but that is as far as I wish to discuss now."

[SilverBen]

(OOC: I expect to be offline for the first two days of Passover until Monday, April 25. Feel free to continue exchanging comments in character but please do not make any posts that change the basic, scripted plot. The scripted plot is intended to be geographic progression climaxing with a capture-the-flag type game where the characters retrieve the Saw of Mighty Cutting.

In addition and full disclosure, I originally scripted the Hobgoblin encounter to include at least two random encounters possible such as

• a foot race chase through the wilderness to safe checkpoints
• navigation through the terrain, requiring ability checks to survive
• a deathtrap pit with another kind of creature unrelated to the hobgoblins
• the party being captured by hobgoblins and having to escape
• a bloody battle with hobgoblins.

The next encounter will be the four satyrs who arrive at Lyssehea's beckoning. Thanks for your patience.

[mike_c]

OOC Happy Passover

I look at Fezor and Jakob " I understand your concerns about your vision but I ask you to think on this the times that you propose the entire tribe will be wide awake and even if tired from a long nights work will still be battle ready not to mention we do not know who or what leads them hobgoblins are not likely to stay organized for as lobg as these have if it is just hobgoblins. do you have a light spell you can cast on a necklace so you can have it out to see or tuck away if the need arises?"

[michaelslate]

(Jakob)

I listen a moment but my mind is somewhat elsewhere. "I do indeed. And I have the beginnings of a plan. It's the bare bones of one and I surely welcome everyone's advice."

I draw a circle in the dirt with an X on one side and a Y on the other. "When we find the hobgoblins, in the circle, I think perhaps Fezor and I move to one side, furthest away from the saw, point X. Our two sneaky elves, slide as close as you can to the saw without risking being seen and await my signal. Warrior, you wait beyond point Y, where the sneaks will run past you on their escape. You will be their cover. I will attempt to partially blind and distract them while you two try to take the saw in secret. A light spell should at least temporarily rob them of their night vision and my attempt to preach to them should be distracting enough. Fezor and I, when we sense the moment is right, will make our escape. The web spell you mentioned will do especially well for that. Do either of you wizards have illusions or invisibility spells? I've also heard good things said about a spell of grease for stopping running enemies."

[cryominer]

(Fezor)

"Hmmmm, Jakob. I also have a light spell that can be used to temporarily blind them. I also have the seeds that will grow to ensnare our opponents; in addition to the web spell. The advantage of the former is that the spell will not be disrupted if I am distracted." Fezor thinks a little more, "Jakob, this is a good start. I think that we need to find out if others have any missile weapons or if we will have any other members of our raiding team...."

Fezor looks more and more nervous the more he ponders the possibilities. "Just remember...si non peccaret ,non erit... if it can go wrong, it will."

[SilverBen]

The conversation is suddenly interrupted by a loud ringing of a small brass bell in the corner of the room. After the initial surprise, you quickly realize it swings connected to a rope through the ceiling in Commons room. The several off duty soldiers sitting at the tables spring to their feet abandoning their food, drink, and tobacco in an instant. They snatch their weapons from the racks and swarm the door.

Lord Mayor Ushakov warns Greystreet and the party: "The sentries have sounded the tower alarm," he pauses looking puzzled, "...it is only used when the sentries are concerned, but it lacks urgency." Indeed, the bell rings when pulled from above but there is deliberate pause between rings.

Greystreet gathers his personal effects and beckons the party to follow him after Lord Mayor Ushakov.

[cryominer]

(Fezor)

"My, my what a wonderful start..." Fezor grimaced. Gathering himself, Fezor quickly follows Greystreet and the Mayor while ordering his mind. The divergent scripts of magic carefully memorized, but cautiously partitioned, ready for casting.