Tests and Trials

[Rodgeir]

No hobgoblins come back and it is becoming clear that the party is more a distraction now as the goblins work to clean up. The elder hobbles over with one of those that came with Himmak into the village and says to Ves,

"He will guide you out of our clan's territory when you are ready."

[spiderwrangler]

"Himmak, do your people have anywhere to go? The hobs might come back."

Kroshav is ready to go, but will assist Lurn and the goblins if they are taking part in any funeral rites and want the help (loosening the soil for Lurn to excavate, etc.).

[thinkslogically]

Ves collects the coin from the hobgoblins and waits until the others are done.

To the goblin lady: "If there's nothing else you need, we'll be on our way. Be ready to move from here if they come back. We didn't get them all and I am afraid we may have made things worse for you in the future. Good luck."

[Rodgeir]

The goblins don't appear to be doing any burying now and are largely moving out around the village. Presumably they are assessing the living before handling the dead.

The elder answers both Kroshav's question and Ves' comment,

"We will not be able to remain here, no. You did make things better for those today, had you not come we would still be waiting to be taken away as slaves. Many would not have survived that trip. We will remain here for a short time to see if more of those like Himmak return before finding a new home."

((The one that came with the elder is one of the ones with Himmak as he came in, Himmak himself is off doing other things. Thinks, Burns grabbed the gold too.

If you are ready to head out the goblin is ready to guide you.))

[thinkslogically]

((ok, that's fine. As long as someone has it))

Ves is ready to be led out of the territory.

[Rodgeir]

The elder waves the younger goblin off and he leads the party away from the village. The goblin doesn't speak and silently directs the party along a well concealed path leading south. The path finds the party moving quickly and keeps them out of the worst of the mud and water pools, though these are far diminished from when the party woke.

As the sky begins to darken, the sun never having shown itself, the goblin halts and says in broken common,

"Is end."

He considers the party a moment longer before begining to cautiously move back the way you came.

((The goblin guide essentially brought you to where you would have been had you not helped, so no time lost. There is perhaps another half hour of light left.))

[spiderwrangler]

Kroshav will delight in shaking the goblin's arm 'good bye', but is otherwise ready to follow Ves's lead.

[thinkslogically]

"Well, that washed out I think." Ves says with a look at the sky. "Time to stop for the night."

Survival: 1D20+5 = [6]+5 = 11


((I'll spend my last luck point)):
Survival: 1D20+5 = [3]+5 = 8


...damn.

[spiderwrangler]

"It was a win for the side of what's right.
Anytime you can ruin a slaver's day is a good one."

[Dlover]

"Agreed. We did what was right, and it was of little cost to us."

[Rodgeir]

Ves looks around an picks a spot more or less at random to camp for the night. It isn't especially wet or dry nor does it give cover from any direction but there doesn't seem like there is anything better about.

((Anything before bed? Otherwise just the standard watch rolls and a wisdom save from Jaq.))

[Dlover]

Watch Perception: 1D20+7 = [1]+7 = 8

((Great roll to couple with a subpar camping spot. ))

[thinkslogically]

Ves grins at Lurn and Kroshav.

"Didn't say it wasn't right what we did, I just mean we made good time. Doesn't look great for camping tho... Guess this'll have to do."

Perception: 1D20+4 = [9]+4 = 13

[Rodgeir]

The party settles in for what looks to be a dry night. Jolly is marginally less sullen after having gotten a bit of angry out but also stiff from getting hacked by a long sword. Jaq has his book of elven poetry to flip through and Kroshav digs a hole to serve as a toilet. Everyone settles in for the night and Lurn takes first watch. As the giant sits there his mind is drawn back to the day's deaths, specifically those of the goblins. He sees the meaning in the course of death and its role in the world but wonders at its timing and impacts. Before he knows it his watch is more than over, having let Ves sleep an extra half hour at least. Needless to say he didn't see or hear anything of note.

Ves rises and takes over the watch, noticing the extra time she got. She is more attentive than Lurn was but doesn't spot much of note beyond that it seems like the clouds are finally breaking up and she can see some stars. Her watch ends and she wakes Jaq who she notices is sweating and blackened hand is shaking. She could swear she can see something moving in the blackness of the hand as the elf comes awake.

Jaq

► Show Spoiler

The shadow is everywhere in trance memories tonight, killing and twisting things with chaotic abandon. It makes no attempt to hide and soon it becomes Jaq himself committing the horrible acts. He is unable to shake himself from his trance until Ves wakes him, his hand an icy agony and wisps of cold lick past his elbow but nothing is visible.

Jaq keeps a very tense watch, eyes darting around and taking in every noise. He spots nothing but just as he starts to relax a smooth male voice from a tree above whispers down to him, "What troubles you brother?" A figure wrapped in darkness drops to the ground beside the sleeping Ves as another slides from the treeline behind Jaq. The two are nebulous in form but clearly humaniod and approximately Jaq's size. The first voice continues at a whisper, "Before you do anything, brother, that would require us to do something rash we would talk."

Ves stirs in her sleep and the shadowy figure next to her produces what is clearly a blade and extends it towards her.

Ves

► Show Spoiler

Ves finds herself at home, sort of. It is fuzzy around the edges and things seem bigger than she last remembers. Turning she sees little girl Serad, who looks suspiciously the same height as Ves, sitting outside in the sun. The radiant whatever she Serad is is looking across the never ending plans of Balyon and Ves' childhood. Serad turns and waves Ves forward saying, "I apologize for my absence Vesri. Things in Stenrek have been most distracting." She pauses and gives Ves a long, hard look. "You have been communing with Pelor? Where are you at to be able to gain his attention?" Her little nose twitches and her brows become stormy as her mouth twists, "And a demon lord?" Her little girl cheeks redden in anger, "Vesri, do not tell me you have been seeking attention from one of them? Your progenitor will be furious!"

((Conversation is, of course, on going.))

Jaq perception and wis save: 1D20+2 = [19]+2 = 21
1D20 = [5] = 5

Jaq con sav: 1D20 = [13] = 13

[Arch Lich Burns]

Joe sleeps through the night as usual, not wanting to get up for a watch where she won’t see squat.

[NotStickFigures]

Jaq is unsure what he is seeing. Is it still some sort of vision caused by the curse or is it a real threat? Another type of shadow?
“What do you want to say to me?” As he says this he moves to make sure he has an unobstructed view of the one threatening Ves if he needs to attack.

[Rodgeir]

"Say? Well your hand looks quite unhealthy and your companions keep a terrible watch. Honestly your fire can be spotted for miles around, you should have expected some sort of company. Lucky for you it was just us." The quiet voice remains smooth and there is a bit of cold humor in it. "You needn't worry about your friends, why would we inform you of our presence and then kill you? Perhaps for more sport..."

The sword pointed at Ves moves slightly away.

"In any case let me get to my point. I have questions, and I would very much like them answered brother. Foremost among these questions is why the hobgoblins are massing an army? The second question is why are you and your companions so far into the woods here?"

[NotStickFigures]

Jaq tried to figure out exactly what these creatures are. Elves? drow? Wood elf?
“Not exactly sure what the hobs are doing but they have been more active according to the goblins. We’ve ran across and dispatched two groups already. We were on a job to locate something. That was a bust unfortunately. And now we are out in the middle of almost nowhere. Now. What are you doing out here?” (We did find a letter about hob activity I think. What did it say again??)

[Rodgeir]

((Give me a perception roll on the voice NSF.))

The nearest shape ignores Jaq's question and asks another of his own,

"What exactly were you looking to find? And after two encounters you have no idea what they are planning? I find that hard to believe."

The sword moves closer to Ves.

Letter from the hobs:

► Show Spoiler

The skin says:

► Show Spoiler

Attack on the elves went as expected. Fadris is a fool, but she did only commit a half contingent of the irregulars to get burnt to a crisp. Her intel is good and we are ordered to gather up the rest of the irregulars and to be ready by the end of the season.

The name/signature appears to be a stylized J? Or an F? Could be a T.

((Also you've actually dispatched three separate groups of hobs!))

[NotStickFigures]

“You think the hobgoblins explained themselves to us as they tried to fight us? They aren’t exactly the talkative type. We’ve been traveling full days. Not like we’ve spoken and befriended all humanoids we came across. Only the goblins didn’t wish to be massacred and were willing to have a truce of sorts. We were searching for a way for that man to possible speak with his dead daughter. Didn’t work out. Bad intel on bad magic. Instead just a trap for the unwary. Now stop threatening my friends.”
((Cannot roll until tomorrow))

[thinkslogically]

► Show Spoiler

"Pelor sheltered us when we needed it. ... What demon are you talking about? We killed one. Or destroyed its temple or something. Why would she be mad about that?"

[Rodgeir]

Jaq listening to the voice: 1D20+2 = [1]+2 = 3


Jaq is too distracted by the whole 'knife to my friend's neck' situation to get a good read on the smooth voice as it responds mockingly,

"Oh, how bloody handed you are! I would have expected someone in this party to have had the sense to take a prisoner and ask questions, clearly an overestimation." There is a pause at the mention of speaking with the dead before, "You weave an interesting tale brother, I admit that... Well now the question is what do. I suppose we can question those goblins, perhaps they were more inquisitive than stones."

The figure beside Ves moves slowly back into the forest while the one speaking lingers a moment before also sliding away into the darkness, Jaq just barely hears it whisper to him,

"And brother, I would get that hand taken care of!"

Ves

► Show Spoiler

Serad's eyes bore into Ves as she relaxes. "I know not which of the demon lords but its taint and a portion of its attention is near you. Your progenitor would be pleased with your actions against any such creature, be assured." She considers Ves more closely as her tone becomes even again, "You remain unpolluted, that is clear. You have also felt the touch of Pelor's grace, though it is fading from you." She continues inspecting Ves as she asks, "What did this demon you destroy look like and do? What do you plan to do now? For one so young and inexperienced you seem to accomplish, and travel, a great deal."

[NotStickFigures]

Jaq lets the others sleep, it's not like waking them at this point will accomplish anything except making them tired for the day.

When it is morning, he will tell the others of his not-so-nice night time visitors.

[Rodgeir]

((New day! Ves can continue her conversation, last reply above.))

[Arch Lich Burns]

"Feck... If that be tha case then we need ta up our security n if thay threatn'd Ves here then they probably threat'n'd tha goblins tha same way. Too bad Ah donnae have tha alarm spell o we wouldna have this problem. Ah guess two of each o us on a watch."

(dragon's breath will replace spider climb for the day)