Talashia launches another blast of pure magical energy at the 'dog'-riding goblin, and moves cautiously closer, the better to bring her elemental powers into play. The bolt of white-hot energy slams into the Goblin Commando atop the found goblin dog, dealing 4 points of damage. Obviously injured and now bleeding, the Commando growls at Talashia and points a finger at the white-haired witch.
The tawny rough collie continues to lope towards the goblin interlopers while barking loudly. Upon gaining the front of the building nearest the Goblin Commando, Taran is in better position to deduce that the human man hiding behind the rain barrel by the White Deer Inn is a noble fop of some sort--the white lace sleeve cuffs, though dirty, are of Korvosan quality and mark the young-seeming nobleman as a man of family and position. The human stares wide-eyed at the rain of white hail and fire unleashed by Talashia and shivers--though whether from fear of goblins or the white-haired witch, Taran is uncertain. Either way, the fop looks too frightened to run and completely incapable in a fist fight.
Tac cheers as his first arrow hits its mark against the goblin dog. Tac's cheer is lessened as he realizes his cousin Elyra is perhaps the better shot but without her bow. Ever mindful of Elyra's talent, Tac rushes to his cousin's side, dropping both bow and arrows at her feet. "I'm a decent shot when no one's looking, but I bet you can do better now that they know we're coming," Tac says. Smiling as he draws his rapier, Tac continues, "Besides, I have a half-orc to provide a distraction again, so maybe I can make good with this blade."
Enraged and now fully at the ready, the Goblin Commando atop the riding goblin dog spurs his mount round and fires a shot with his shortbow at Talashia. Poorly armored, Talashia proves a ready mark for the Commando's arrow and is pierced through the thigh for 3 points of damage. As blood flows freely from Talashia's new leg wound, the goblin dog slavers in anticipation, and the Commando points at Talashia--barking a command in a gutteral-sounding foreign tongue. "Griznacht ebbn! Geligcht!"
[imager]http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/2523/combat3b.jpg[/imager]Obviously spurred to action by the Commando's order, the four goblins hiding behind the lettuce crates jolt to action. Two begin to creep forward, low to the ground, toward Talashia. The first of this pair (Goblin1) scuttles behind the side of the house adjacent the northern edge of the byway nearest the Inn and is soon out of sight to all save Taran. The second of the pair (Goblin2) bolts forward into the open, streaking directly for Talashia--dog slicer at the ready.
The other pair of goblins dart from the lettuce crates toward the nobleman hiding behind the rain barrel. Goblin3 clambers between crates, knocking over the topmost crate in the process, and gains enough momentum to round the rain barrel and jab at the hidden nobleman with the rusted tip of its dog slicer. Though poorly fashioned, the dog slicer does its work, digging into the nobleman's arm for 1 point of damage. The nobleman howls in pain as muscle lies exposed on his tattered arm; the human's feral reaction is very much to the liking of Goblin3, who hops up and down in glee, recklessly brandishing its dog slicer in the air with wild excitement. Goblin4, who likewise scurried through the heap of lettuce crates, comes to an abrupt halt behind Goblin3 and is forced to duck to stave off being unwittingly sliced by the other creature's brandished blade. The mad barking of Taran catches Goblin4's attention, and a slyly cunning look crosses its face for half a moment as the creature croaks a jab at the rough collie.
Status: Round 1 paused mid-way for other players to evaluate and react to current combat. Moving though the lettuce crates counts as difficult terrain and thus takes double movement of 10 feet per 5-foot square. Talashia I8. Taran S9. Tac I9. Goblin Commando (mounted on goblin dog) U8. Goblin1 M1 (at the side of a house). Goblin2 L4. Goblin3 X10. Goblin 4 W10.
Initiative:
Talashia 21
Taran 17
Tac 15
Goblin Commando 13
Goblins 13
Elyra 11
Grokk 5
Sivan 3
