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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ThirdWizard" data-source="post: 4480474" data-attributes="member: 12037">The road that connected the north and south of the Denmount Range wasn't well maintained, but it was traveled by merchants somewhat regularly, so it was fairly clear of rubble and fallen trees. They passed several small farming villages as they hiked down the road back to Grethtown - dozens of small unnamed hamlets lined the roads around the Coalition. The ankle deep snow was pushed away from the middle of the road - a caravan had probably come through recently. It made their time easier, which was a welcome break from the problems that had arisen around them lately.This relief, though, was short lived.As they rounded a turn in the road, they were met with a sight that seemed equally as surprised to see a well armed traveling troupe. The first thing they noticed were the goblins in the lead, standing in front of a cart. The cart was laden with bodies and was being pulled by a pair of zombies - one human and one hobgoblin. Half a dozen hobgoblins milled around behind the cart. Everyone froze when they saw each other save the zombies who kept on pulling the cart like nothing had happened.Then, after an instant of silent shock, everyone started moving at once. One hobgoblin in the rear called out a battle cry, and the goblins rushed forward, their short swords waving as they ran at the group of adventurers. One hobgoblin pulled out a bow and ducked behind the cart, taking careful aim. A well armored hobgoblin pulled out a flail and advanced, calling three of his own kind outfitted in leather with longswords ot his side. A hobgoblin with a staff, the one who had barked the orders at the others, sneered and took cover behind the cart, ordering the zombies to drop the cart and begin shambling forward in attack.The adventurers were quick to react as well. Quinn and Korvun formed a line as best they could to keep the goblinoids back while the others stepped behind them, readying their weapons themselves. They were outnumbered more than two to one, and while they had fought goblins before, they weren't sure how they would fare against hobgoblins, especially since one of them had command over the undead.The goblins broke against Quinn and Korvun, hewn down quickly. Then the hobgoblins hit, pushing against the two front line fighters hard. Alandra and the hobgoblin archer traded shots at each other, while Tordek called upon the power of his goddess to blast one of the hobgoblins with a blast of radiance. Sapphire dropped one of the hobgoblins in the front, and backed away behind the others.The dust flew as the front liners assaulted each other, but two more hobgoblins dropped quickly, and the flail wielder found himself against Quinn and Korvun by himself, the zombies slow gait keeping them out of melee for a bit longer. Alandra and the hobgoblin archer exchanged more fire, and the hobgoblin was worse for it, turning to take full cover behind the cart. With that, the hobgoblin with the staff emerged and blasted Quinn with a bolt of force from his staff.With the zombies joining the front line, the battle became more difficult. They hit hard. However, Tordek healed what damage was done and them moved forward, channeling energies from his goddess into the air around them, sending the zombies staggering back away from melee again. With the zombies held back, Quinn and Korvun made short of the lone hobgoblin.The archer moved out form behind the cart once again, trying to drop Alandra, but he was outclassed and dropped himself instead. With that, the warcaster charged forward with a guttural warcry, bringing the zombies with him as they fought off Tordek's power, and joined melee together. However, without support, he and his minions were slain.With the unexpected battle over, the group stood again in silence for a moment, looking at the cart full of dead bodies, perhaps two dozen all packed into the small cart. The bodies were freshly dead, perhaps only a couple of days at most. Wherever they had come from, this could not be good. The zombies were an indication of the bodies' purpose, a sickening one by the group's standard. But, what to do with the bodies.They decided burial would be difficult, so they took the bodies and burned them. They washed the cart and kept it for themselves. They decided that they would have to look into hobgoblin activity in the area.OOC:[sblock]Yes. They kept the cart. Ooh a cart! We could use a cart! Yeesh. I felt kinda bad about it. But, they had such glee in their faces at seeing it... There's just something disturbing about the whole thing. Of course, now they prize that cart above just about any other posession of theirs. Even the horses they have now purchased to pull it. It's insanity, I tell you. Pure insanity.[/sblock]Back in Grethtown, there was a buzz in the air. It seemed some representatives of King's Cross, a town far to the West was having problems and looking for any who would help. They decided they had enough on their plates at the moment, but kept their ears open for further events in these troubles.After a week of rest, investigation into local matters, and the like, Quinn met up with Christopher Kallis, who arrived back in town. He had been in Hent, building up a barraks and using his contacts to see if he could find anyone who they could recruit. He told Quinn that there was a mercenary group to the South who was having problems. He might be able to convince them to come work for them if he went himself. Kallis would continue to try and recruit local talent.OOC:[sblock]At this point, I had laid out a lot of plot hooks for them to go after, some of which they still haven't had time to touch upon. And, they still had the temple to work on, the dragon to deal with, and now more information on the ritual book, the creature, hobgoblin activity, stuff happening in King's Cross, and recruiting to do for their mercenary group they were trying to form. Fun times lay ahead.[/sblock]</blockquote>

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