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<blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 5172608" data-attributes="member: 1210"><p>The journey to the ruins of Rhest will take approximately a week. It is about 80 miles to the small town of Talar, and another 80 miles north to the Blackfens, a murky swamp in which the ruins lay.</p><p></p><p>The group travels quickly, efficiently, finding hidden nooks and glens to sleep in and always keeping a watch. They stop in Talar just long enough to resupply, then head to the swamp, where the local fauna proves hungry and dangerous. They fight off a crocodile attack and then Jorr hunts up some herbs to help cover their scent. </p><p></p><p>The party's plan is to cut across the swamp, hopefully avoiding attention Fortunately, both Jorr and Corbin have a great deal of wilderness lore, so they manage to avoid the various swamp hazards. Moreover, Corbin manages to bring the party a brace of wild turkeys one evening, leading to a wonderful feast. </p><p></p><p>The next day, the party realizes to their bemusement that they have overshot their goal and gone west past the edge of the fens. Corbin quips, “Well, at least we're moving faster than we thought!”</p><p></p><p>Barouk grunts and shrugs. Kifla just laughs.</p><p></p><p>The party turns back east and works their way across country until they find a road heading north, cutting across the lowlands. They follow this for a time; then Corbin halts them. </p><p></p><p>“Look,” he says with a gesture. </p><p></p><p>From just over the next hill some smoke is rising- perhaps a campfire. With a twitch of his brown-clad arm, Corbin sends his hawk to inspect the situation. </p><p></p><p>“I don't get a sense of danger,” he reports. “In fact, my hawk seems to be... hungry.”</p><p></p><p>It turns out that the smoke is from a fire that is roasting a rabbit, surrounded by a small group of peasants. They eye the party suspiciously, but Corbin and Jorr reassure them, and shortly they are chatting amiably with our heroes.</p><p></p><p>“You guys should be careful,” Corbin warns. “There is an army of hobgoblins and their ilk making ready to storm the entire valley.”</p><p></p><p>“And they are supported by terrible monsters,” Barouk adds. “Including a dragon.”</p><p></p><p>The peasants look frightened. One of them volunteers, “The road north is blocked by hobgoblins! I wonder if they are part of this army that you're talking about.”</p><p></p><p>Our heroes exchange meaningful glances.</p><p></p><p>“Well,” Barouk declares, “we'll find out.”</p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>But it isn't that simple. The party gives serious thought to sneaking around them completely. Kifla advocates the more discrete approach, pointing out that a few escaping goblins could forward the enemy in Rhest that foes are coming for them.</p><p></p><p>“They wouldn't necessarily know we're coming for them, though, would they?” Corbin points out. “We might just be travelers on the road.”</p><p></p><p>“True enough,” agrees Barouk. “What do you say, Jorr?”</p><p></p><p>“I just want to kill some goblins,” the woodsman grunts.</p><p></p><p>“Let's check out the road block,” says Barouk.</p><p></p><p>It proves easy enough to sneak up on the road block, between Kifla's <em>invisibility sphere</em> and <em>ghost sounds</em> to distract the group manning it (which includes a pair of ogres and over half a dozen hobgoblins, two of whom are wearing uniforms vaguely fancier than the rest). The road block itself is a crude, ten foot high pallisade of logs that extends about 40' to either side of the road. It completely blocks progress. A rude watchtower, about 20' high, is the centerpiece of the place. But starting stealthy lets the party strike at the right moment, after they have a fair idea of the opposition they face. </p><p></p><p>Even so, the battle is fierce. The party underestimated the ogres badly; the power of their blows is sufficient to crush stone or shatter bone, and it is all our heroes can do to stay ahead of those terrific smashes. Things grow so desperate that Barouk even tries to light the tower afire before being forced to tumble past some of the hobgoblins and enter the tower to obtain a defensible position!</p><p></p><p>Jorr leaps to the attack. Now swinging <em>Frogspaw,</em> he proves more than a match for the first regular hobgoblin, cutting it down and rushing to Kifla's side. </p><p></p><p>The damned ogres! A ham-sized fist connects with Barouk, sending him spinning across the hall, and he cannot seem to connect a fist himself. They are too big, too mean, too strong. </p><p></p><p>But Corbin manages to find a place where he is away from the fray for a moment, and he begins to chant, using his druidic magic to summon allies. First wolves, then a hippogriff tear into the hobgoblin defenders. Then the brown man directs his servants to attack the ogres, and although this quickly turns ugly, they do manage to tear one of the large monsters down at last. </p><p></p><p>From the roof, more of the foe starts firing arrows at the party. One hits Barouk in the head, spinning off his skull but leaving him near-senseless. Kifla and Corbin return fire with <em>magic missiles</em> and <em>Melf's acid arrows</em> while Barouk and Jorr face off with the remaining ogre, which smashes a wolf's back with a vicious strike of its club, slaying it instantly. </p><p></p><p>The hippogriff flexes its wings and launches itself at the rooftop archers. Screams from above drift down even as the last ogre lands a crushing blow on Barouk, and the dwarven monk flies back and lands hard, rolling twice before coming to a bloody halt. But he staggers to his feet, and as the ogre roars and thunders forward, Corbin zaps it with a pair of <em>magic missiles.</em> His summoned creatures are already vanishing; they tore a bloody swath through the hobgoblins and ogres, but it isn't over yet! Corbin yells in triumph as his missiles slay the ogre, and suddenly it's just a matter of mopping up. </p><p></p><p>Soon it's over. From the top of the tower, Barouk surveys the surrounding area. He can see the marsh spreading for miles away to the east, but there is no immediate sign of more hobgoblins or other Red Hand troops. Below, Jorr methodically searches the bodies while Corbin and Kifla bind the one hobgoblin that they spared. </p><p></p><p>“Well,” Barouk says with relish, “it's time for some questioning.”</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="the Jester, post: 5172608, member: 1210"] The journey to the ruins of Rhest will take approximately a week. It is about 80 miles to the small town of Talar, and another 80 miles north to the Blackfens, a murky swamp in which the ruins lay. The group travels quickly, efficiently, finding hidden nooks and glens to sleep in and always keeping a watch. They stop in Talar just long enough to resupply, then head to the swamp, where the local fauna proves hungry and dangerous. They fight off a crocodile attack and then Jorr hunts up some herbs to help cover their scent. The party's plan is to cut across the swamp, hopefully avoiding attention Fortunately, both Jorr and Corbin have a great deal of wilderness lore, so they manage to avoid the various swamp hazards. Moreover, Corbin manages to bring the party a brace of wild turkeys one evening, leading to a wonderful feast. The next day, the party realizes to their bemusement that they have overshot their goal and gone west past the edge of the fens. Corbin quips, “Well, at least we're moving faster than we thought!” Barouk grunts and shrugs. Kifla just laughs. The party turns back east and works their way across country until they find a road heading north, cutting across the lowlands. They follow this for a time; then Corbin halts them. “Look,” he says with a gesture. From just over the next hill some smoke is rising- perhaps a campfire. With a twitch of his brown-clad arm, Corbin sends his hawk to inspect the situation. “I don't get a sense of danger,” he reports. “In fact, my hawk seems to be... hungry.” It turns out that the smoke is from a fire that is roasting a rabbit, surrounded by a small group of peasants. They eye the party suspiciously, but Corbin and Jorr reassure them, and shortly they are chatting amiably with our heroes. “You guys should be careful,” Corbin warns. “There is an army of hobgoblins and their ilk making ready to storm the entire valley.” “And they are supported by terrible monsters,” Barouk adds. “Including a dragon.” The peasants look frightened. One of them volunteers, “The road north is blocked by hobgoblins! I wonder if they are part of this army that you're talking about.” Our heroes exchange meaningful glances. “Well,” Barouk declares, “we'll find out.” *** But it isn't that simple. The party gives serious thought to sneaking around them completely. Kifla advocates the more discrete approach, pointing out that a few escaping goblins could forward the enemy in Rhest that foes are coming for them. “They wouldn't necessarily know we're coming for them, though, would they?” Corbin points out. “We might just be travelers on the road.” “True enough,” agrees Barouk. “What do you say, Jorr?” “I just want to kill some goblins,” the woodsman grunts. “Let's check out the road block,” says Barouk. It proves easy enough to sneak up on the road block, between Kifla's [i]invisibility sphere[/i] and [i]ghost sounds[/i] to distract the group manning it (which includes a pair of ogres and over half a dozen hobgoblins, two of whom are wearing uniforms vaguely fancier than the rest). The road block itself is a crude, ten foot high pallisade of logs that extends about 40' to either side of the road. It completely blocks progress. A rude watchtower, about 20' high, is the centerpiece of the place. But starting stealthy lets the party strike at the right moment, after they have a fair idea of the opposition they face. Even so, the battle is fierce. The party underestimated the ogres badly; the power of their blows is sufficient to crush stone or shatter bone, and it is all our heroes can do to stay ahead of those terrific smashes. Things grow so desperate that Barouk even tries to light the tower afire before being forced to tumble past some of the hobgoblins and enter the tower to obtain a defensible position! Jorr leaps to the attack. Now swinging [i]Frogspaw,[/i] he proves more than a match for the first regular hobgoblin, cutting it down and rushing to Kifla's side. The damned ogres! A ham-sized fist connects with Barouk, sending him spinning across the hall, and he cannot seem to connect a fist himself. They are too big, too mean, too strong. But Corbin manages to find a place where he is away from the fray for a moment, and he begins to chant, using his druidic magic to summon allies. First wolves, then a hippogriff tear into the hobgoblin defenders. Then the brown man directs his servants to attack the ogres, and although this quickly turns ugly, they do manage to tear one of the large monsters down at last. From the roof, more of the foe starts firing arrows at the party. One hits Barouk in the head, spinning off his skull but leaving him near-senseless. Kifla and Corbin return fire with [i]magic missiles[/i] and [i]Melf's acid arrows[/i] while Barouk and Jorr face off with the remaining ogre, which smashes a wolf's back with a vicious strike of its club, slaying it instantly. The hippogriff flexes its wings and launches itself at the rooftop archers. Screams from above drift down even as the last ogre lands a crushing blow on Barouk, and the dwarven monk flies back and lands hard, rolling twice before coming to a bloody halt. But he staggers to his feet, and as the ogre roars and thunders forward, Corbin zaps it with a pair of [i]magic missiles.[/i] His summoned creatures are already vanishing; they tore a bloody swath through the hobgoblins and ogres, but it isn't over yet! Corbin yells in triumph as his missiles slay the ogre, and suddenly it's just a matter of mopping up. Soon it's over. From the top of the tower, Barouk surveys the surrounding area. He can see the marsh spreading for miles away to the east, but there is no immediate sign of more hobgoblins or other Red Hand troops. Below, Jorr methodically searches the bodies while Corbin and Kifla bind the one hobgoblin that they spared. “Well,” Barouk says with relish, “it's time for some questioning.” [/QUOTE]
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