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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mathew_Freeman" data-source="post: 1385763" data-attributes="member: 1846">A Little Matter of a Wager  Xiang looked the newcomer over. He seemed to be exactly as Margrave Kanor said - a woodsman. To Xiang's eye, sizing him up for fighting potential, he looked weak. But then, thought Xiang, Leo looks weak until he starts casting spells... Alp Ciernan explained that he was there to ask the Margrave for assistance in clearing out a large number of goblins from the southwest of Gaxmoor. Apparently, his tribe had lived in the area, but about ten years ago they were forced to leave by a massive goblin, bugbear and ogre invasion. They'd been forced further south, and were finally running out of room. To that end, Alp offered to lead a small band of heroes round and attack the goblins from the south - hoping to catch them off guard. A sucess here would open a faster trade route from Gaxmoor to the south, aiding the Margrave considerably. Politics again, thought Xiang. First the killing of Arngrim, now a mission to kill goblins in order to open up a trade route... It seemed that Alp Ciernan's people were willing to become subjects of Kanor if they could retake their homeland, and that Ciernan himself was a capable guide. With his help and Fjorent's abilities, not to mention the sheer killing power of Xiang and others, the goblins should be eliminated. Alp also mentioned something about a prophecy or vision or somesuch that indicated Fjorent was going to be leading the way in the battle...Xiang didn't consider that too important in this case. Within a short time, the others were assembled. It became clear that Ramu Khem had gone exploring for a few days, eager to see the local sights, but some good news did arrive. Not only had Leo agreed to come out of his rooms and join the group, but Sigurd had returned from the North as part of a diplomatic mission from Trafalgis. At the mention of a goblin killing mission instead of sitting around with the other politicians, his eyes lit up. "Of course!" he boomed. "It'll be like the old days!" Xiang gets an idea. "Sigurd, would you care for a small wager on number of creatures killed? Raven, you too?" Leo rolled his eyes. "You three are asking for trouble, you know that. Wagers..." Sigurd and Raven swiftly accepted the wager. *          *          *          * The group took phatom steeds to the edge of the southern forest, taking a little over half a day, then slept overnight. Guards were set, Xiang and Sigurd taking a turn between them and exchanging war stories, but nothing occoured. The next day dawned, and Raven the Paladin summoned his warhorse and rode behind the rest of the group to keep up. About half way through the day, Cailin reported a low mound ahead with an entrance. With a moment's thought, Raven reported a strong evil aura. "The Black Hounds!" exclaimed Alp Ciernan. "They have been a long time foe of all creatures in this area. We should try and kill them, they are dangerous." Leo sent his everpresent prying eyes into the small burrow, seeking information, and within a short time he'd established that there were at least four hounds at the end of a tunnel. However, nearly everyone was too tall to fit inside. After a short experiment with a summoned earth elemental trying to lure the creatures out, Alp explained that they were unlikely to appear during the daylight hours. "You couldn't have told us that ten minutes ago?" muttered Xiang after his breath. It was eventually decided to send Raven in alone, but augmented with spells. A haste, barkskin and invisible Dwarf soon stumped down the corridor, axe in hand. Fjorent followed in bat form. Xiang waited at the entrance. "One!" came the call from the Dwarf. "Two!" Then an unearthly howling issued as the remaining creatures fought back. Two members of the group, Tarquin and Cailin fled with a supernatural fear instilled in them. Xiang gave chase, shouting for Alp to follow so that he could lead them back to the burrow when the effect wore off. By the time he returned, he found that Raven had reemerged with some coins and a set of bracers, announced that between his axe and Fjorent's flame strike the beasts were all dead. The bracers were magical, but the party had no time to identify them now. Reaching the edge of the forest, they camped again, towards the end of the day. Tomorrow they would make their way back north and attack the goblins. That night at around midnight, Xiang spotted a strange creature standing at the edge of the clearing. It was much paler than the Black Hounds, and a little larger, but it made no move to attack. As soon as Sigurd went to wake the others, it turned and moved off into the trees, quickly disappearing from sight. Alp explained that it was probably a Moon Hound, protectors of the land and friend to humans. Xiang felt faintly annoyed that it had left, he'd had a feeling it was trying to communicate something...no matter. *          *          *          * A bright sunny autumnal day greeted the group the next day as they prepared to go north. It was decided to stay off the path and move through the underbrush. It would slow everyone down, but would be likely to give the group a good chance to spot enemies before they were spotted. Cailin took point. About halfway through the morning, after a couple of hours of travel, Cailin spotted foes. Two bugbear guards in front of a mound. She snuck back to the rest of the group, reported, then went forwards again. Xiang listened patiently. At the sound of a bow shot, followed by a roar from the bugbear that had been injured, he ran forwards with the rest. The large mound had a clearing outside it, and as the group ran forwards bugbears began to come from inside. Fjorent was ready for this, and sealed off one entrance with a wall of thorns. Xiang went to the other entrance as Cailin shot down the first bugbear guard, Sigurd and Raven running past him to engage the emerging bugbears. One managed to evade them and go for Leo, injuring him, but was swiftly dropped by a combination of a scorching ray and other damage. Xiang stood by the other entrance, Spear dancing in his hands as goblins ran towards him. Some got past him into an entangle spell that Alp cast, but mostly they died and died and died. Even one that tried to hide and shoot him with a bow was no match - Xiang spotted him and ran him through. The other bugbears were also swiftly killed by Raven and Sigurd, even the one that had struck Leo. Alp was briefly in trouble as two goblins got past the entangle to strike at him, but a volley of magic missiles from Leo soon solved his problem. The first outpost was down, and the group had barely broken sweat. Xiang, Sigurd, Raven and Cailin moved inside, intent on looting the rest. They found many goblin and bugbear children along with some females of the species, but left them alone. Xiang was moving quickly along the tunnel, looking for a chieftains room when a sword struck at him, narrowly missing. A bugbear faded in from an invisible state...Xiang struck him twice, the first an awesome blow that would have dropped most creatures in a second. The bugbear chief died, his soul eaten by the Black Spear. A swift search located more coins and a potion, but nothing more. The surviving goblins and bugbear young were told to leave, southwards, and never return - an offer they were glad to accept. *          *          *          * Around midday, the ever useful Cailin reports a small set of huts ahead, with a couple of bugbears, a warg and a goblin standing guard over a ford. As one, the group simply charges forwards, with Cailin taking a pot shot at the bugbears. The response is slightly overwhelming. As the bugbears blow their horns and shoot back, the goblin and the warg counter charge the heroes, doing a little damage. Then the huts open and several more bugbears emerge...and some goblins...and some more wargs. "This is more like it!" thinks Xiang to himself. Battle is swiftly joined, but with Leo supplying a fireball right into the middle of the oncoming enemies, it's fairly short. Fjorent flame strikes the two archers, who then move in to help their friends kill Sigurd, but between his relentless sword strokes and Cailin's mobility and precision strikes (tumble and sneak attack - the rogue's friend), and with Raven and Xiang wreaking havoc amongst the rest, it's short and sweet. More looting, a little more treasure. Cailin is healed, having been bitten by a warg and then somewhat unfortunately being caught by the fireball - Leo apologises - and the group decides to pause for lunch. Xiang tells Sigurd and Raven that on number of kills, he's ahead so far, but he does recognise that the foes Sigurd has killed have probably been tougher. Raven is third, but not by much. And the goblin caves are yet to come. *          *          *         * After a little more travel, seeing several trails that lead off to one side, and an encounter with a poison trap that hurts Cailin before Tarquin removes the effects, Alp Ciernan tells everyone that the caves are up ahead. A little questioning reveals that he's prepared to guess where the goblin king is and lead the group in. Moving quickly in, Cailin spots the guards and lets fly with several arrows, dropping two. The other two run, blowing their horns and goblins start to gather at the entrances to the five caves. The group doesn't hesitate, running swiftly in the nearest cave entrance with Alp giving directions. Arrows fly from the other caves, one striking Raven, then they're in. Tunnels go past in a blur, a large room full of goblin children, more arrows that all miss, then a large pair of iron bound double doors. Without a pause, Leo steps up and taps his ring of earth elemental command agains the doors, and the wood melts away before him to reveal a large room. The throne of the Goblin King stands against one wall, but it's the three goblin archers in front of Leo that are holding his attention! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Three arrows puncture his skin, drawing heavy blood. The group rushes through the door, and are met by a heavy counter charge from yet more goblins and the kings personal bodyguard - ogresses weilding mauls who begin frothing at the mouth and strike hard against Xiang, Sigurd and Raven! Fjorent flies in in bat form, throwing a wall of thorns against one wall and trapping nearly half the common goblins. One brave goblin runs to the far walls and tries to open the door there as the fighters start to cleave through their opponents. "Protect the King! Protect the King!" goes the cry. "Yes, yes! Protect me!" whimpers the King in reply. Dazzling sword and axe play from Sigurd and Raven down three of the ogresses, but Xiang does slightly less well, only killing one, The other two attacking him strike hard, and Xiang knows he's going to need some healing. Fortunately, the party works well as Raven and Sigurd move across to help him, leaving room for Tarquin to administer a heal to Xiang in the middle of the fight. Xiang spares a second to thank him before returning to the fight. Showing incredible bravery again, Cailin tumbles through the fight and takes a shot at the King himself, standing clear. In response, the fat old goblin draws a nasty looking shortsword and charges her. His weapon glows with enchantment, biting deep into her and spreading a little numbing cold into her. The battle is effectively over though, because Fjorent has just called up three summoned large earth elementals who are helping to finish off the remaining goblins. Sigurd steps up and hacks off the Goblin Kings head with little effort. "Takes a King to kill a King!" he says with some satisfaction. The goblin archers die soon after, and the mission is a success.  One goblin runs off down a far corridor, but the alert was already raised. The King is dead, but there would no doubt be a new King in short order. The group reviews it's health and decided to wreak as much havok as they can before leaving. *          *          *          * [That's all for that session - another Story Hour update in two weeks when we've gamed again!]</blockquote>

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