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<blockquote data-quote="Nthal" data-source="post: 7829593" data-attributes="member: 6971069"><p>[USER=27710]@HalfOrc HalfBiscuit[/USER] Done!</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><strong>Caving for Firbolgs - 10/10/2019</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center"><em>Sigil doesn’t really have caves. It has tunnels and passages underneath the city. A city built up from piles of trash. But not natural caverns.</em></p> <p style="text-align: center"><em></em></p> <p style="text-align: center"><em>In fact, the only “cave” you can find is in the Great Gymnasium where one was built to look at like a natural underground spring. But it isn’t a cave either.</em></p> <p style="text-align: center"><em></em></p> <p style="text-align: center"><em>But it is amazing what jink can buy.</em></p><p></p><p>I flex a moment, and once again light up Daneath’s shield, and the warrior takes the lead, with Iesa, Beepu, and our small menagerie, start our way into the cave. Foggle, drifted ahead, Mo stuck close to Iesa, while Gossamer stayed by my side.</p><p></p><p>While the room with pool under Ravalan’s cabin was chiseled, the cave we were in seemed natural. The barriers that were set in the passage ahead didn’t prevent us from moving pass them; they clearly were meant to keep the cube in. That cube then was something like a vicious guard dog. A wet, weirdly shaped one, but a guardian nonetheless. And whoever placed it there, had faith that it would take care of others ‘dropping in.’ Complexly misguided thinking, but we were dealing with something a bit smarter than kobolds. The only question was, how much.</p><p></p><p>Daneath shined the shield, deeper into the depths and we saw that the tunnel was slowly turning to the right. As it was turning, it was also ascending, and as the passage straightened out, we saw another barrier; another palisade with spikes facing us. Unlike the prior one, this one was clearly meant to keep people out, not just large cubes. </p><p></p><p>Beepu held up his hand and motioned us close. </p><p></p><p>“Foggle says there is a camp ahead,” he whispered. “Based on the description, it seems to be a pack of goblins.”</p><p></p><p>“Goblins?” Iesa questioned. “This seems too smart of them?”</p><p></p><p>“What to dig a tunnel?” Daneath said looking at his brother.</p><p></p><p>“No, to dig a tunnel to get to Ravalan. I didn’t think they were that smart.”</p><p></p><p>“They are not. I surmise there is something leading them that is.” Beepu replied.</p><p></p><p>“So, how many?” I asked.</p><p></p><p>“Six? No, eight,” Beepu said as he mentally confirmed with Foggle.</p><p></p><p>“Let’s get past that barrier and hammer them down fast,” I suggested. “Don’t let anyone bolt for help either.”</p><p></p><p>Iesa nodded, “Are there fires ahead?”</p><p></p><p>“Yes. About four of them,” Beepu said after a moment.</p><p></p><p>“Alright, lights out then,” and I dispelled the light. Beepu held Iesa hand, and I guided Daneath’s shoulders towards the barrier, where dim light flickered ahead.</p><p></p><p>We quietly made our way forward and came to the barrier. It wasn’t very tall, as even Beepu was half a head taller, but it was enough to prevent us from simply stepping over it. Once we reached the barrier, we looked over it to see what lay beyond. Ahead was a simple cave with another passage leading off in the distance. Within the cave were makeshift lean-tos, made of dirty cloth and simple wood sticks. Something to call a ‘roof’ in this cave, and not a real shelter. But we saw their occupants easily enough.</p><p></p><p>Green skinned, and short as Beepu with mean squinted eyes, and dirty unkempt hair. They lay on straw mats lazily, and without focus. Mining tools were scattered around the room, along with the occasional blade. And while they looked unkempt, their blades looked cared for and sharp. I could see four of them, close to a smoky fire, disinterested on anything going on, and oblivious to the mechanical owl circling above them.</p><p></p><p>First Iesa and Daneath heaved, and quietly moved the barrier, so that we could pass through easily. Iesa had kept his bow in one hand with an arrow clutched in his teeth, ready to draw and fire in an instant. But it was unneeded as the barrier moved easily and quietly, allowing the big man through, and I closely behind. </p><p>Now that we were on the safer side of the fence, we could see that the cavern curved farther to the right in a crescent shape. More flickering from fires came from that side of the chamber as well, and I could see more lean-tos as well, but not the occupants.</p><p></p><p>Iesa separated from the rest of us and placed himself against the cave wall on the right, and started to move forward, notching the arrow he once held with his teeth. I moved to the left ready to pull on the strand, while Beepu followed Iesa from a distance. Daneath too moved quietly towards the closest fire. More so than I would have expected a Tinman to do.</p><p></p><p><em>Hey boss…</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>--What?</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>I just noticed there are little openings in the rock all over this room.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>--Like passages?</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>Yes, carved ones.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>--Sodding—</em></p><p></p><p>Daneath opened with a charge towards quartet of goblins near the fire. He didn’t scream or shout, but I could see the faces of the goblins snap up too late, as the warrior swung his sword at one of them, causing blood to spray the others nearby. Right after that, I heard Iesa let loose his arrow, and it was followed with a solid sound of the metal biting into flesh, and then by a body hitting the floor.</p><p></p><p>Beepu threw a bolt of fire at another next to Daneath, felling it as fire consumed the small creature. As I watched, another pair emerged from the lean-tos, and charged the big warrior who stood in the open. As they grouped up, they swung wildly at the warrior, not making much headway, as they were turned away by Daneath’s shield and armor. But as they clustered, I smiled at the opportunity.</p><p></p><p>I pulled a mixture of light and dark strands, and they vibrated and twisted as they tried to pull themselves apart. As I held them longer, the more they fought and strained against the forced pairing. Then I did something new.</p><p></p><p>I mentally snapped them apart as I looked at the goblins. Suddenly an ear shattering noise erupted from the middle of them, followed by the sound of bones cracking and bodies slumping into a wet heap on the floor.</p><p>Daneath stepped back in surprise at the pile of corpses in front of him, and I watched his as head quickly swiveled in my direction. His face said everything in a mixture of surprise and shock. All I could is shrug in response, and I moved deeper into the cave.</p><p></p><p>Iesa was taking aim at a goblin running towards the main passage ahead and knocked it down with another arrow. He then turned about and started swearing.</p><p></p><p>“Where did…ah crap!”</p><p></p><p>“What?” I said.</p><p></p><p>“Some of them dived into the rock!”</p><p></p><p>“Beepu watch out behi—” started to say as I turned to look for the gnome. But he had disappeared, once again turning invisible I assumed.</p><p></p><p>My eyes were searching the wall side, looking for were they could possibly emerge from, as I heard another twang of Iesa’s bow as he struck a straggler leaving a hole, and running to the passage leading deeper. I still was looking for more holes when my thoughts were interrupted.</p><p></p><p><em>The gnome has entered one of the passages, and I think he about to engage the--</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>--What?</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>Well I see him pouring some water on his ha—</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>--How can you see that?</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>Oh, I can see hidden things like that easily.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>--That’s—</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>You should probably focus.</em></p><p> <em></em></p><p><em>--You and I need to talk later.</em></p><p></p><p>And I heard the explosion of ice, and shrieks of pain echoing in the small side tunnels. A moment later, Beepu emerged with a satisfied smirk on his face, and just a hint of frost on his vest. We all looked around, and it was clear that we had felled them all quickly.</p><p></p><p>I smiled as I looked to Daneath, as he moved to secure the passageway that led out ahead, with Iesa close behind. </p><p></p><p>“Where did <em>that</em> come from Myrai?” Daneath asked.</p><p></p><p>“What? You wanted to take them all on?”</p><p></p><p>“It’s what I do!”</p><p></p><p>“How about I don’t want to have to pray and fix you up?”</p><p></p><p>Daneath thought a moment before replying, “Fine, just leave some for me.”</p><p></p><p>“You know that somehow, you are going to regret that,” Iesa commented.</p><p></p><p>The passage continued deeper into the rock, but after twenty paces, split and curved towards the right. Looking down the right the passage, it opened up and there was a large lean-to on the side of the wall. But on the left side there was a crude door, or more accurately a piece of wood planking that covered a hole on the side of the passage, just before the passage curved to the right.</p><p></p><p>We stood at the intersection for a moment considering our options. But we barely stood there for a moment, when the ‘door’ was smashed apart into splinters, and a great hulking figure emerged. It had a hide of dirty brown fur, and a face with large teeth and yellow eyes, filled with hate. In its hands was a great two-handed Morningstar that it swung, and connected with Iesa in the chest, knocking him backwards.</p><p>Its bulky form belied its speed and agility as it quickly moved and swung at Iesa again, this time laying him out on the ground unconscious. It turned just in time to knock Daneath’s sword blow away as it howled at the large man. I realized now that we faced a very angry bugbear, as I could see the wide flat nose and the flared ears. I had seen several in Sigil, and I recalled someone once telling me that they were lazy and sneaky. But mostly lazy.</p><p></p><p>Mostly.</p><p></p><p>Beepu quickly muttered and cast an incantation, and his bolt of fire narrowly missed the hulking form. I in the mean time rushed over towards the sprawled form of Iesa and knelt. Quickly I pulled on the of the light strands and imagined wrapped them around his wounded chest. His breathing quickly became less ragged and his eyes fluttered open.</p><p></p><p>Meanwhile, the bugbear and Daneath were locked together in combat. The bugbear’s Morningstar keeping Daneath off balance, but unable to land a solid blow due Daneath’s skilled shield work. Daneath’s normally precise strikes weren’t finding their mark, as the goblinoid was quick on his feet, and not encumbered with a shield. Beepu again threw a blast of fire on it, this time clipping the humanoid. The smell of burnt fur was now in the air.</p><p></p><p>But it scarcely noticed, as it continued to focus its ire on Daneath. I then pulled a dark strand out and mentally wrapped it around the bugbear and I plucked it. The soft sound of a bell rang, and the bugbear grunted in pain as some of its life left its body. But this distraction was nothing compared to Iesa strike, as he bounded from his seat on the floor and struck the bugbear from behind with his dagger, its blade sinking deep to the hilt. The bugbear staggered a moment, and then collapsed in a lifeless heap on the ground.</p><p>“I’m going to see if there is more coming from that passage,” Daneath said, and stepped into the narrow passage that the wood once covered. Quickly the man returned, with a face that clearly said that he had found something unpleasant.</p><p></p><p>“What did you find?” Iesa asked.</p><p></p><p>“Privy.” Daneath answered quickly, letting out his held breath and gasping for air. “Nothing else in there.” I then noticed that Daneath was holding his shield close to him, and was actively trying to avoid moving his arm.</p><p></p><p>“Your shield arm…are you—” I started.</p><p></p><p>“He pulled my arm down and I think I pulled something. It’ll pass.</p><p>Beepu interrupted, “Well that is good news! Come!” and Beepu moved to the leanto nearby.</p><p></p><p>“Huh? What is—” Iesa asked.</p><p></p><p>“Foggle found him, I think.” </p><p></p><p>I realized that I had a hard time tracking the little trio as it was. Foggle must have started scouting ahead while we danced with the bugbear. Looking around, I saw Mo leap back on Iesa’s shoulder, while Gossamer was trailing behind on the ground slinking for cover in the dark of the cave I guessed.</p><p></p><p>Beepu reached the lean-to first and looked inside, and quickly motioned me over. I ran over and looked over Beepu’s head to see what he had found.</p><p></p><p>The figure must have been two heads taller than I, if it should upgright. Its skin had a bluish tinge, and it had a shock of grey hair on the top of its head. A large bulbous nose stuck out from the large face, that had signs of bruise, and an eye that was beginning to swell shut. He was gagged, and his arms were bound behind him, as were his legs as he laid unconscious on a mat of straw.</p><p></p><p>I knelt beside the firbolg and ran my fingers over the bruises on the man’s face. “He’s been beaten pretty badly. He probably needs rest, but this isn’t the place for it.”</p><p></p><p>“Can you heal him?” Iesa asked.</p><p></p><p>I nodded, “Yes, but that will be it for me until I get some rest.”</p><p></p><p>“I don’t think staying here is a good idea.” Daneath said, looking around. “We don’t know if there are more in this cave.”</p><p></p><p>“Well I do not think we should waste time. Let us do what we need to and leave. Foggle has found the exit.”</p><p></p><p>“Where is it and is it guarded?” Daneath asked quickly.</p><p></p><p>“Farther down this passage, and there does not seem to be any guards.”</p><p></p><p>I lay a hand gently on the firbolg’s head and whispered, pulling the last white strand of energy that I had left. The figure in front of me moaned and his eyes opened slowly, slowly focusing on me. His eyes narrowed as he tried to comprehend where he was, and who Beepu and I were. I reached forward and pulled the cloth from his mouth. Once removed he breathed heavily and spoke.</p><p></p><p>“Thanks…but who are—”</p><p></p><p>“They,” and I gestured with my head to the others, “Need your help, so we came to visit you in your cabin.”</p><p>He smiled bitterly, “Yes, they made quite mess of my floor. But who are…wait…” and he looked at Beepu closely as I started to undo his bonds. </p><p></p><p>“You’re Pachook’s son, aren’t you?”</p><p></p><p>Beepu’s eyes widened. “Yes! Yes, I am. I need your assistance. Or rather we do.” The Gnome spoke excitedly.</p><p></p><p>“Hey, I know you want to chat Beepu, but we really should get out of here and then talk,” said Iesa still clutching at his chest.</p><p></p><p>I freed his legs from the bindings, and he started to rub his ankles, relieving the pain he must have felt. “Your friend is right. The others will return from hunting soon. We should leave.”</p><p></p><p>“If you can walk, let’s move,” Iesa said. Ravalan nodded and stood and we quickly made our way down the passage. We first came to another barricade, but on this one, the spikes faced away from us and towards the outside. Just beyond, was the exit to the cave, and the dim light of the setting sun was visible. We quickly made our way past the barrier and emerged from the rock. We were facing north, and Ravalan spoke.</p><p></p><p>“The closest place that is safe is an elven watch post. They may not take kindly to strangers, but they aren’t friends of the goblins.”</p><p></p><p>“Well, we can talk and walk a bit, since it’s the elves we need your help with.</p><p></p><p>“Oh? How so?” Ravalan asked.</p><p></p><p>Then we heard in the distance, the howling of a wolf. Then another. Then another. </p><p></p><p>“We may need to talk and run. Or just run.” Ravalan said, starting to move westward.</p><p></p><p>“Why?” I asked and as the sounds of the howling got louder, my heart started to sink. “That’s not just a couple of wolves, is it?”</p><p></p><p>Ravalan shook his head.</p><p></p><p>“No. Wolfriders.”</p><p></p><p><strong>Session notes:</strong></p><p>This part of the sessions is perhaps my worst set of notes. But that Bugbear was far more problematic than the goblins to be sure.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Nthal, post: 7829593, member: 6971069"] [USER=27710]@HalfOrc HalfBiscuit[/USER] Done! [CENTER][B]Caving for Firbolgs - 10/10/2019[/B] [I]Sigil doesn’t really have caves. It has tunnels and passages underneath the city. A city built up from piles of trash. But not natural caverns. In fact, the only “cave” you can find is in the Great Gymnasium where one was built to look at like a natural underground spring. But it isn’t a cave either. But it is amazing what jink can buy.[/I][/CENTER] [I] [/I] I flex a moment, and once again light up Daneath’s shield, and the warrior takes the lead, with Iesa, Beepu, and our small menagerie, start our way into the cave. Foggle, drifted ahead, Mo stuck close to Iesa, while Gossamer stayed by my side. While the room with pool under Ravalan’s cabin was chiseled, the cave we were in seemed natural. The barriers that were set in the passage ahead didn’t prevent us from moving pass them; they clearly were meant to keep the cube in. That cube then was something like a vicious guard dog. A wet, weirdly shaped one, but a guardian nonetheless. And whoever placed it there, had faith that it would take care of others ‘dropping in.’ Complexly misguided thinking, but we were dealing with something a bit smarter than kobolds. The only question was, how much. Daneath shined the shield, deeper into the depths and we saw that the tunnel was slowly turning to the right. As it was turning, it was also ascending, and as the passage straightened out, we saw another barrier; another palisade with spikes facing us. Unlike the prior one, this one was clearly meant to keep people out, not just large cubes. Beepu held up his hand and motioned us close. “Foggle says there is a camp ahead,” he whispered. “Based on the description, it seems to be a pack of goblins.” “Goblins?” Iesa questioned. “This seems too smart of them?” “What to dig a tunnel?” Daneath said looking at his brother. “No, to dig a tunnel to get to Ravalan. I didn’t think they were that smart.” “They are not. I surmise there is something leading them that is.” Beepu replied. “So, how many?” I asked. “Six? No, eight,” Beepu said as he mentally confirmed with Foggle. “Let’s get past that barrier and hammer them down fast,” I suggested. “Don’t let anyone bolt for help either.” Iesa nodded, “Are there fires ahead?” “Yes. About four of them,” Beepu said after a moment. “Alright, lights out then,” and I dispelled the light. Beepu held Iesa hand, and I guided Daneath’s shoulders towards the barrier, where dim light flickered ahead. We quietly made our way forward and came to the barrier. It wasn’t very tall, as even Beepu was half a head taller, but it was enough to prevent us from simply stepping over it. Once we reached the barrier, we looked over it to see what lay beyond. Ahead was a simple cave with another passage leading off in the distance. Within the cave were makeshift lean-tos, made of dirty cloth and simple wood sticks. Something to call a ‘roof’ in this cave, and not a real shelter. But we saw their occupants easily enough. Green skinned, and short as Beepu with mean squinted eyes, and dirty unkempt hair. They lay on straw mats lazily, and without focus. Mining tools were scattered around the room, along with the occasional blade. And while they looked unkempt, their blades looked cared for and sharp. I could see four of them, close to a smoky fire, disinterested on anything going on, and oblivious to the mechanical owl circling above them. First Iesa and Daneath heaved, and quietly moved the barrier, so that we could pass through easily. Iesa had kept his bow in one hand with an arrow clutched in his teeth, ready to draw and fire in an instant. But it was unneeded as the barrier moved easily and quietly, allowing the big man through, and I closely behind. Now that we were on the safer side of the fence, we could see that the cavern curved farther to the right in a crescent shape. More flickering from fires came from that side of the chamber as well, and I could see more lean-tos as well, but not the occupants. Iesa separated from the rest of us and placed himself against the cave wall on the right, and started to move forward, notching the arrow he once held with his teeth. I moved to the left ready to pull on the strand, while Beepu followed Iesa from a distance. Daneath too moved quietly towards the closest fire. More so than I would have expected a Tinman to do. [I]Hey boss… --What? I just noticed there are little openings in the rock all over this room. --Like passages? Yes, carved ones. --Sodding—[/I] Daneath opened with a charge towards quartet of goblins near the fire. He didn’t scream or shout, but I could see the faces of the goblins snap up too late, as the warrior swung his sword at one of them, causing blood to spray the others nearby. Right after that, I heard Iesa let loose his arrow, and it was followed with a solid sound of the metal biting into flesh, and then by a body hitting the floor. Beepu threw a bolt of fire at another next to Daneath, felling it as fire consumed the small creature. As I watched, another pair emerged from the lean-tos, and charged the big warrior who stood in the open. As they grouped up, they swung wildly at the warrior, not making much headway, as they were turned away by Daneath’s shield and armor. But as they clustered, I smiled at the opportunity. I pulled a mixture of light and dark strands, and they vibrated and twisted as they tried to pull themselves apart. As I held them longer, the more they fought and strained against the forced pairing. Then I did something new. I mentally snapped them apart as I looked at the goblins. Suddenly an ear shattering noise erupted from the middle of them, followed by the sound of bones cracking and bodies slumping into a wet heap on the floor. Daneath stepped back in surprise at the pile of corpses in front of him, and I watched his as head quickly swiveled in my direction. His face said everything in a mixture of surprise and shock. All I could is shrug in response, and I moved deeper into the cave. Iesa was taking aim at a goblin running towards the main passage ahead and knocked it down with another arrow. He then turned about and started swearing. “Where did…ah crap!” “What?” I said. “Some of them dived into the rock!” “Beepu watch out behi—” started to say as I turned to look for the gnome. But he had disappeared, once again turning invisible I assumed. My eyes were searching the wall side, looking for were they could possibly emerge from, as I heard another twang of Iesa’s bow as he struck a straggler leaving a hole, and running to the passage leading deeper. I still was looking for more holes when my thoughts were interrupted. [I]The gnome has entered one of the passages, and I think he about to engage the-- --What? Well I see him pouring some water on his ha— --How can you see that? Oh, I can see hidden things like that easily. --That’s— You should probably focus. --You and I need to talk later.[/I] And I heard the explosion of ice, and shrieks of pain echoing in the small side tunnels. A moment later, Beepu emerged with a satisfied smirk on his face, and just a hint of frost on his vest. We all looked around, and it was clear that we had felled them all quickly. I smiled as I looked to Daneath, as he moved to secure the passageway that led out ahead, with Iesa close behind. “Where did [I]that[/I] come from Myrai?” Daneath asked. “What? You wanted to take them all on?” “It’s what I do!” “How about I don’t want to have to pray and fix you up?” Daneath thought a moment before replying, “Fine, just leave some for me.” “You know that somehow, you are going to regret that,” Iesa commented. The passage continued deeper into the rock, but after twenty paces, split and curved towards the right. Looking down the right the passage, it opened up and there was a large lean-to on the side of the wall. But on the left side there was a crude door, or more accurately a piece of wood planking that covered a hole on the side of the passage, just before the passage curved to the right. We stood at the intersection for a moment considering our options. But we barely stood there for a moment, when the ‘door’ was smashed apart into splinters, and a great hulking figure emerged. It had a hide of dirty brown fur, and a face with large teeth and yellow eyes, filled with hate. In its hands was a great two-handed Morningstar that it swung, and connected with Iesa in the chest, knocking him backwards. Its bulky form belied its speed and agility as it quickly moved and swung at Iesa again, this time laying him out on the ground unconscious. It turned just in time to knock Daneath’s sword blow away as it howled at the large man. I realized now that we faced a very angry bugbear, as I could see the wide flat nose and the flared ears. I had seen several in Sigil, and I recalled someone once telling me that they were lazy and sneaky. But mostly lazy. Mostly. Beepu quickly muttered and cast an incantation, and his bolt of fire narrowly missed the hulking form. I in the mean time rushed over towards the sprawled form of Iesa and knelt. Quickly I pulled on the of the light strands and imagined wrapped them around his wounded chest. His breathing quickly became less ragged and his eyes fluttered open. Meanwhile, the bugbear and Daneath were locked together in combat. The bugbear’s Morningstar keeping Daneath off balance, but unable to land a solid blow due Daneath’s skilled shield work. Daneath’s normally precise strikes weren’t finding their mark, as the goblinoid was quick on his feet, and not encumbered with a shield. Beepu again threw a blast of fire on it, this time clipping the humanoid. The smell of burnt fur was now in the air. But it scarcely noticed, as it continued to focus its ire on Daneath. I then pulled a dark strand out and mentally wrapped it around the bugbear and I plucked it. The soft sound of a bell rang, and the bugbear grunted in pain as some of its life left its body. But this distraction was nothing compared to Iesa strike, as he bounded from his seat on the floor and struck the bugbear from behind with his dagger, its blade sinking deep to the hilt. The bugbear staggered a moment, and then collapsed in a lifeless heap on the ground. “I’m going to see if there is more coming from that passage,” Daneath said, and stepped into the narrow passage that the wood once covered. Quickly the man returned, with a face that clearly said that he had found something unpleasant. “What did you find?” Iesa asked. “Privy.” Daneath answered quickly, letting out his held breath and gasping for air. “Nothing else in there.” I then noticed that Daneath was holding his shield close to him, and was actively trying to avoid moving his arm. “Your shield arm…are you—” I started. “He pulled my arm down and I think I pulled something. It’ll pass. Beepu interrupted, “Well that is good news! Come!” and Beepu moved to the leanto nearby. “Huh? What is—” Iesa asked. “Foggle found him, I think.” I realized that I had a hard time tracking the little trio as it was. Foggle must have started scouting ahead while we danced with the bugbear. Looking around, I saw Mo leap back on Iesa’s shoulder, while Gossamer was trailing behind on the ground slinking for cover in the dark of the cave I guessed. Beepu reached the lean-to first and looked inside, and quickly motioned me over. I ran over and looked over Beepu’s head to see what he had found. The figure must have been two heads taller than I, if it should upgright. Its skin had a bluish tinge, and it had a shock of grey hair on the top of its head. A large bulbous nose stuck out from the large face, that had signs of bruise, and an eye that was beginning to swell shut. He was gagged, and his arms were bound behind him, as were his legs as he laid unconscious on a mat of straw. I knelt beside the firbolg and ran my fingers over the bruises on the man’s face. “He’s been beaten pretty badly. He probably needs rest, but this isn’t the place for it.” “Can you heal him?” Iesa asked. I nodded, “Yes, but that will be it for me until I get some rest.” “I don’t think staying here is a good idea.” Daneath said, looking around. “We don’t know if there are more in this cave.” “Well I do not think we should waste time. Let us do what we need to and leave. Foggle has found the exit.” “Where is it and is it guarded?” Daneath asked quickly. “Farther down this passage, and there does not seem to be any guards.” I lay a hand gently on the firbolg’s head and whispered, pulling the last white strand of energy that I had left. The figure in front of me moaned and his eyes opened slowly, slowly focusing on me. His eyes narrowed as he tried to comprehend where he was, and who Beepu and I were. I reached forward and pulled the cloth from his mouth. Once removed he breathed heavily and spoke. “Thanks…but who are—” “They,” and I gestured with my head to the others, “Need your help, so we came to visit you in your cabin.” He smiled bitterly, “Yes, they made quite mess of my floor. But who are…wait…” and he looked at Beepu closely as I started to undo his bonds. “You’re Pachook’s son, aren’t you?” Beepu’s eyes widened. “Yes! Yes, I am. I need your assistance. Or rather we do.” The Gnome spoke excitedly. “Hey, I know you want to chat Beepu, but we really should get out of here and then talk,” said Iesa still clutching at his chest. I freed his legs from the bindings, and he started to rub his ankles, relieving the pain he must have felt. “Your friend is right. The others will return from hunting soon. We should leave.” “If you can walk, let’s move,” Iesa said. Ravalan nodded and stood and we quickly made our way down the passage. We first came to another barricade, but on this one, the spikes faced away from us and towards the outside. Just beyond, was the exit to the cave, and the dim light of the setting sun was visible. We quickly made our way past the barrier and emerged from the rock. We were facing north, and Ravalan spoke. “The closest place that is safe is an elven watch post. They may not take kindly to strangers, but they aren’t friends of the goblins.” “Well, we can talk and walk a bit, since it’s the elves we need your help with. “Oh? How so?” Ravalan asked. Then we heard in the distance, the howling of a wolf. Then another. Then another. “We may need to talk and run. Or just run.” Ravalan said, starting to move westward. “Why?” I asked and as the sounds of the howling got louder, my heart started to sink. “That’s not just a couple of wolves, is it?” Ravalan shook his head. “No. Wolfriders.” [B]Session notes:[/B] This part of the sessions is perhaps my worst set of notes. But that Bugbear was far more problematic than the goblins to be sure. [/QUOTE]
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