More of Session #18: "Hey DM: Are these Goblins Lawful, or what?"
RL evening of Oct 1, 2003
Riva slumped to the floor, unconscious and near "death's door".
He was the toughest member of the adventuring party. He could take the most hits, bar none. In the past he had merely grinned at blows that would fell Thaile, Rowan,
and Tieran, in one swipe.
Now he lay bleeding on the floor, pinned by alchemical goo, flanked by goblins who had cover and higher ground. Indeed, only two other party members could be in a position in the hall to even see the tips of the goblin's weapons, much less the goblins themselves. The rest of the party stood in back, useless.
Meanwhile, the winch of the ballista could be heard, slowly cranked into firing position, behind the red curtain at the end of the hall......
From the journals of Rowan, Druid of Eaglesford
Wow, that fight was long! Bloody too! I tried to help by summoning animals, but I couldn't put them anywhere but in the spot Riva was laying in.....the spot I'm going to call: The Intersection of Death(tm). (I'm not sure why, but that "(tm)" seems to go there.....) And once I summoned my animals there, the goblins killed them in an instant. Even the small Earth Elemental that I summoned was pulverized before it could lift a stone finger. I even sent Asmathias in there....he managed to bite one of the goblins.....but he was nearly killed himself, and came slithering back to me. I nearly sent my serpent to his death!
We spent lots of time jockeying for position in the narrow hallway. The four goblins in the intersection passageways were nigh untouchable. Good tactics. I had never thought goblins to be so clever, but then many of our preconceptions have been overturned in the last few months. Maybe they're getting tougher because we're so near their home.
I'm really glad we were able to take that giant crossbow (I think Riva called it a Ballista) out of the beginning part of the combat. On the second firing of the giant crossbow, Tieran used a mage hand spell to grab the bolt before it fired. Then he annoyed the goblins for a while by poking at them with it. Boy, those goblins got mad at that! Meanwhile Thaile had gotten close enough to Riva to partially heal him. Riva eventually was able to pull back from the Intersection of Death (tm).
After quite some time Garret and Kytum-up managed to get past the Intersection of Death(tm) and get to the curtain. The goblins fired the ballista at Garret through the curtain, hitting him. It also knocked down the curtain, nearly on top of Garret. That meant I could see a place to cast my spells! I summoned a wolverine into that area to help Garret and Kytum-up. The three of them took care of the goblins there, and even captured their leader! It took us a while longer to persuade the goblins at the Intersection of Death(tm) to surrender, but Tieran's web spell plus a flaming torch eventually did the job......
The adventurers had prevailed! Was there ever any doubt??!
- Riva sat, exhausted from his rage, and nearly unconscious.
- Garret was sorely wounded from a ballista bolt hit.
- Thaile was out of healing spells, and injured herself.
- Tieran was nursing two nearly fatal wounds from goblin morningstars.
- Rowan tended her injured serpent. She, too, was out of spells.
- ...and Lissia tended Kytum-up's wounds, and also watched over the goblin captives.
(
Nope. No doubt at all. They're fine, folks! Just takin' a breather!)
The adventurers tied up their three goblin prisoners, and then searched the area for loot. They found several jars of magical potions, oils, and pastes, along with lots of masterwork equipment and weapons, all Empire made, and many with "markers marks" on them. Thaile also found (and kept for safekeeping) some jewelry the goblins had hidden about.
Exploring the area they found the two side passages (The Intersection of Death!(tm)) each ended in tiny circular rooms, each with corroded metal markings on the walls. Riva found old secret door in each, though neither worked now. Past the ballista, the 5 foot wide hall turned sharply left, ran 10 feet down a set of rubble strewn steps, then opened up into another circular room, just like the ballista room above. From this room was another 5' wide stair off to the left, this one 20 feet long or so. The adventurers set the captured ballista at the top of these steps pointed down, and had Kytum-up and Riva man it.
The group decided to rest for a "night" here (even though it was probably noon up above). Their healing was nearly gone, and all needed more. As they were settling in, Riva noticed some movement near the trapdoor where the adventurers had entered. He, Garrett, and Rowan investigated and found that someone up above had thrown rubble over the trap door, effectively blocking the exit.
"We will find another way out," said Riva confidently. "Maybe I can pry open those old secret doors in the alcoves."
Kytum-up shook his head, "No. The way we came in is the only way. We kobolds know all of the secret ways here. We are trapped."
"Great," muttered Thaile.
*****
The adventurers rested "the night". No goblins disturbed their sleep, other than those that lay nearby, bound and well-guarded.
The "night" passed. (But who could be sure, underground as they were?) After casting more healing spells, the party decided to question their goblin captives. Garret, the holy Warrior of Morwyn, Goddess of Mercy decided.......well, let's see how
you read it:
Garret: "What tribe are you from? How many are there below?"
Goblin #1 (translated by Kytum-up, who has
intimidated this goblin): "We....we....we are the Tribe of the Bloody Skull. .....There are ...
hundreds more down below! They'll attack you if you go down there...."
Garret: "Sure. And we'll be ready. Now, who are the leaders?"
Goblin #1: "We have several...... Cala-bleed is the most powerful...... Glebesh and Rag-lep are also very strong...."
Goblin #2: "Quiet, you fool! Don't tell them any more!"
Garret: (glancing at the goblin who just spoke up) "Riva, take this second goblin around the corner over there, and beat him until he is unconscious. Then do the same to that third goblin."
Riva: "No problem!"
Needless to say, Goblin #1 became even more obsequious and helpful.....
After a few more minutes of questioning the lone goblin, this is what they found:
- They were chased from their caves in the swamp (the Aldersmere) by a bright light many months ago.
- Undead have been attacking the goblins here (they think that the undead come from the swamp)
- The goblin priests have used the power of their god (symbol: twisted dagger) to turn or destroy the undead.
- They steal mundane items to sell to people who come from a human town to the NW [Eaglesford?]. These people come every 2 weeks or so. They sell the goblins all kinds of things.
- They also sell things to some orcs that live nearby.
All of these things surprise the adventurers greatly. Orcs in the Aldersmere? More reports of the bright light? Goblins dealing with men? A supposedly evil priest destroying undead with his god's power?
Whoa.......
End of Session #18
