Round 28 ...
Five score heartbeats and nothing. Another five score and still the way ahead is quiet. The four remaining goblins continue to shadow the wagons from a distance, but apart from that, the night is quiet. And so it stays for the twice as long again, and twice more that again [1]. Weapons grow heavy in the characters hand. Attention wonders.
A mile up ahead a dark line cuts across the horizon. Above it, some stars peaking through gaps in the clouds. Below it, darkness.
"That's the last rise before Sandpoint. From there we should be able to see the town - a couple o' miles on the other side," says Humbar. "There should be a farm around here somewheres," he adds after a brief pause. "Just this side of the ridge. A hundred yards or so from the road. Off to the left. Would have thought we would be able to see lights or something. Its in among some trees, and haven't rightly been this way before at night. But by day the house is clear enough." The undercurrent of concern in his voice is obvious.
Another 10 minutes passes with no change other than the creeping approach of the ridge ahead. Another half hour, a little more perhaps, and the wagons should be there. At the top of the ridge. Looking down on Sandport.
The note of the horn is low and eerie, more a deep moan than a blast. It comes from up ahead away. For a moment everything is still.
The ground around the wagons explode into life. Goblins spring up from the grass on each side of the road. They are on both sides of the wagon about 40 - 50 feet away. There are dozen each side, perhaps more, maybe less. Most armed with spears and shields, some armed with bows and arrows. On each side a voice chants words of power. The five mercenaries feel a slight prickling of their skin. Nothing else, but it is obvious there are casters among the ambushers. The goblins roar with approval, and bang spears on shields. But they hold their places.
The wagons jerk to a halt as the bullocks stop. They snort and shift in their harnesses. The smell of animal sweat is strong in the air. The drivers have to work hard to keep them under control.
A group of figures emerges from cover some 100 feet ahead of the first wagon. There are at least half a dozen. Its hard to tell in the darkness, at this distance. They all seem to be riding wolves. The horn sounds again. A voice rings out from among them, small but strong. It carries clearly. "You enter Yahthu territory. Tribute is pay to pass safely!" The language is the common tongue. The speaker sounds pleased with themselves. And confident.
[sblock=ooc][1]That would be about 8-10 minutes. Readied actions are lost somewhere along the way. Anyone know of a good way to describe hours and perhaps quarter and half hours?
Night has well and truely fallen. All actions requiring characters to see what they are doing carry a -2 circumstance modifier. These does not apply to characters with with low light vision and dark vision (out to 60 ft.).
Gyojin - Nope, the goblins didn't get closer than 100 ft., so Alton's action didn't go off. I just realised Alton is a halfling. I didn't notice that before. BTW, your hp's seem a little low. Con 15 right? So 15 + (1d6+2)*2 would be 21 minimum (assuming two rolls of 1).
New initiatives please. Also give me a will save. Note any special modifiers if the character has them.[/sblock]
