The spell sword thanked the Paladin for the laying of hands as he watched the Halfling inhale the cheese with a look of both wonderment and repulsion.
"I am honourable Sir Antheus, forgive my nervousness from minutes past- I was driven from my homelands after being falsely accused of stealing cheese and it still burdens me"
A flush of shame and anger came over Rambulge as he dredged up the past, even his dear mother had believed he had stolen it!
"Robin, Sir Paladin, Bufo, is it? I know not what treachery the goblins have instore for us inside that cave- but before we venture forth I would like to offer this cheese amongst us as a token of comradeship"
Rambulge's grand gesture was made with true sincerity, he knew he had never stolen cheese, and sharing it amongst his new companions was a way of proving his village (and mother) wrong-he just wished they could see him now.
"For the love of the Lady Bufo, that was a catch! I cannot understand why you keep using such skills for a life of petty crime...
Thank you Sir Rambulge, there is always honour in a man sharing his own meal.
I don't know about you gentlemen but I wouldn't want to risk going inside this cave without clearing up the entrance first. Would you mind if we tried to lure some of the goblins out with the smell of this cheese? Considerig how he last goblin reacted at the mere view of it, we could get some of them out and get them by surprise instead of just falling into the first ambush...These poor creatures seem to be starving and afraid of their master, they should come the minute we get the cheese out at the entrance of the cave."
Seu then signed himself and started a little prayer asking for the Lady's "Divine Grace" thanking her in his mind for letting him be joined by what he believed to be true good men.
"Make sense, the vicious creatures do seem obsessed by the stuff. I wouldn't get too concerned for them though, I've been tracking these creatures for several weeks back to this cave. The devestation they have left behind them in their cheese hunt has been immense. Barely a cow left unturned and a dairy maid untouched."
Bufo could scarcely believe his luck at being offered a second meal in such quick succession, but almost immediately the elation turned to panic as the party unveiled their plans to use the cheese as bait (today has been quite the roller-coaster of emotions for poor Bufo).
The rotten-hearted halfling declared: "You lot can do what you like with your share of the cheese, but I'm having my cheese and eating it too!" He would brook no risk to the cheese! As the other got to work fanning cheese fumes down the cave mouth, Bufo sat and gobbled up the smooth, bitey goat's cheese.
Presently, sounds of disturbance echoed from the cave. A raucous cry, inaudible at first but growing in intensity bounced around the cavern, eventually resolving itself as the lusty bellow of some large humanoid - no goblin squeak was this! It spaketh thus:
"WHICH ONE O' YOU ROTTEN MAGGOTS 'AS GOTTEN INTO THE CHEESE STORES??"
Now the shrill sounds of goblin cries began in earnest, as it seemed several dozen of them had been rudely roused by the booming voice that continued it's loud accusations
"DON'T YOU LIE TO ME SNIRKIT, I CAN SMELL IT ON YER BREATH!"
The sound of skittering feet draws near, accompanied by screams and wails, and as they did so, Bufo withdrew further to a stout looking shrub and readied his sling for battle!
"Gentlemen, let us take positions. I suggest we take down as much as we can before they come in contact! Any of you has a trap or something to place at the entrance of the cave?"
His sword to his lips, his shield to his heart, the divine grace of the lady upon his soul, Seu was ready to give peace to this land...
"No time to set a trap I think. They sound a little close!" Robin moved back into the tree line, sticking a bundle of arrows into the soft ground ready for easy reach and setting a fresh arrow to his bow drawing a line to the cave mouth. All the time making sure that none of his new companions were in danger of being shot.
Rambulge darted to one side of the cave's mouth, hoping to sieze the initiative and surprise what emerged with an attack from the flank.
Poised to charge, he gave a slight dip of his head in acknowledgement to Sir Antheus, signalling his combat readiness-he would be joining the Paladin at close quarters...
There was a tense moment when the noise of running feet and the squeals and cries from the cave reached a crescendo, then vomiting forth from the cave like stinky green bile nuggets from a beggar's course throat, a dozen goblins came. The mid-afternoon sun was a rude shock to their eyes, used as they were to the dark tunnels of the cave. As they ran pell-mell, rubbing their eyes and cursing in both common and goblin tongue, they scarcely noticed the initial volley of arrows and slingshot that came at them. Two goblins fell immediately, a sling bullet taking one in the wind-pipe, shattering it and causing it to choke on it's own filthy blood. The second suffered an arrow to it's eye-socket, popping the back of it's skull off in a shower of pinkish goo.
Rambulge charged the mob from the side, swinging his cudgel in a wide arc that connected with a goblin's face and crushed it into a fine paste.
Sir Antheus stood before the mob, his gleaming armour catching the pure light of the sun and reflecting it in a halo of holy might. After planting a kiss upon his blessed blade he swung it into the guts of an oncoming goblin, cutting it entirely in half. The other goblins around him screeched their dismay at the sudden appearance of this holy warrior.
Surprise round:
Bufo strikes a goblin with a sling bullet, dealing 5 damage. The goblin is slain. 7 EXP GAINED
Robin strikes a goblin with an arrow, dealing 3 damage. The goblin is slain. 7 EXP GAINED
Rambulge attacks a goblin with a cudgel, dealing 6 damage. The goblin is slain. 7 EXP GAINED
Sir Antheus attacks a goblin with an Iron Sword (+1), dealing 7 damage. The goblin is slain. 7 EXP GAINED
The eight remaining goblins attempt to recover their wits in time for a second onslaught, but are still way off-balance from the sudden turn of events. Four of them surround the heroic Paladin, and the remaining four square off against Rambulge the spell-sword. The party gains the initiative and attack once again!
A second sling bullet whizzes through the air, entering a goblin's gaping mouth and lodging in it's throat, choking it to death. An arrow from the ranger's bow impales a goblin through it's upper arm, leaving it a broken, bleeding mess. The creature staggers, but doesn't fall. Rambulge swings a mighty back-hand blow to a snarling goblin, sending it's head flying from it's body to knock a second goblin off it's feet. The third goblin stabs at the spell-sword with it's cruel little knife, cutting him at the shoulder. The second goblin recovers enough to land a lucky jab on Rambulge, leaving a small gash on his cheek.
Sir Antheus brings his blade down upon the crown of a hapless greenskin, cleaving it's head down to the neck. The remaining two goblins fling themselves at the Paladin, but their poorly crafted blades cannot find their way past his righteous armour!
First Round:
Bufo strikes a goblin with a sling bullet, causing 4 damage. The goblin is slain. 7 EXP GAINED
Robin strikes a goblin with an arrow, causing 2 damage. The goblin is badly wounded!
Rambulge attacks a goblin with a cudgel, landing a CRITICAL HIT, dealing 3 damage. The goblin is slain. 7 EXP GAINED
Sir Antheus attacks a goblin with an Iron Sword (+1), dealing 3 damage. The goblin is slain. 7 EXP GAINED
A goblin attacks Rambulge with a rusty dagger, dealing 2 damage.
A goblin attacks Rambulge with a rusty dagger, dealing 1 damage.
A goblin attacks Sir Antheus with a rusty dagger. It misses.
A goblin attacks Sir Antheus with a rusty dagger. It misses.
As the remaining combatants circle each other, a gutteral roar emerges from the cave mouth, followed by four more terrified goblins and one fearsome looking orc. The orc has a patch over one eye; he carries a vicious-looking barbed whip and his body was clad in scale armour with large spiked shoulder pads. His attention was on the goblins, one of whom scored a nasty lashing to his posterior. However, upon looking up and seeing the melee unfolding before him, he sneeres with anger and bellows:
"GET STUCK IN LADS, GUT 'EM ALL AND YER MIGHT GET FED TONIGHT!" He punctuated this statement with another crack of his whip.
The goblins, spurred on by the orc's mention of food, fling themselves into the fight with renewed vigour!
This concludes the first round of the fight. If characters wish to adjust their actions they may do so for the next round (eg. change shooting targets, run away, cast a spell). Otherwise i will continue to assign them actions based on their immediate situation and based on their previous actions.
Rambulge could not help but smile as the Orc and his charges burst onto the scene- the act of vanquishing evil almost never ceased in it's appeal...he had (mostly) learnt to remain humble and modest but he certainly enjoyed the romantic notion that he was in fact, a hero...of sorts. The two scrapes from the goblin's blades barely registered as he faced the oncomers.
Here he was, with a real Paladin, a fell Ranger and a...Halfling-...if only the village could see him now!
Seeing his opponents were occupied with the arrival of their master, Seu looked at the orc whiping his servant and tried to dash at him while he was busy ...
Orcs. Robin had never forgiven their kind for their acts of hatred on the forests and villages of his birth and now here one stood, bullying and staying back from the fight as the cowards were want to do. With one sweep of his arms, Robin drew his trusty sword and a large hunting knife and charged towards the orc. He had promised never to allow any of their kind he met to continue to breath.
With a mighty roar Sir Antheus broke from combat with the lowly goblins, seeking to take down their oppressor even as he struck at them. One of the goblins scored a lucky hit with his rusty knife as the Paladin turned, piercing his flesh between the plates of his armour. The Paladin charged towards the still wincing goblins, their eyes not fully adjusted to the light. The force of his momentum and the impact of his solid armour on their scrawny bodies carried him straight through two of the goblin defenders, knocking both of them unconscious. The orc's single eye widened in surprise as the bold Paladin closed the distance between them. As Sir Antheus raised his sword for a killing blow the barbed whip lashed out, landing a sharp blow across the Paladin's face, the barbs leaving deep cuts. The Paladin felt the unpleasant feeling of unclean magiks working upon him, but his faith, or maybe just sheer willpower, warded off the worst of the effects, but he felt shaken in his soul, an unfamiliar feeling. The orc tries to draw a short blade as the Paladin lands a solid blow with his blade, slicing into the scaled armour of the orc and causing him to grunt in pain as black blood welled up from the wound. His short sword in hand, the furious orc lashes out, but the crude shortsword is turned aside by the Paladin's armour.
Bufo launched another sling bullet at the two goblins surrounding Rambulge, despite the danger of hitting the spellsword. The shot was not true, however, missing the goblins (and Rambulge, thankfully).
Rambulge takes a swing at one of his goblin attackers, but this time they are ready, dodging his hefty cudgel. They attack back, one of the daggers swiping at thin air as the spell-sword dodges aside, but the other strikes, nicking him across the forearm.
Robin the ranger dashes across the field, his target the orc currently battling Sir Antheus. He is intercepted by the two goblins that remained from the Paladin's mighty charge, and battle is joined! The first goblin misses the ranger barely, but the second lands a vicious jab, cutting across his ribs. The ranger responds with a skillful blow with his longsword, slashing across the goblin's face and killing it instantly. His long dagger plunged deep into the second goblin's neck, slaying it with a bubbling, foaming gurgle.
Second Round:
Sir Antheus charges two goblins with intent to deal non-lethal damage. He hits both and KO's them.
A goblin attacks Sir Antheus with a rusty dagger. He misses.
A goblin attacks Sir Antheus with a rusty dagger, dealing 2 damage. Orc attacks Sir Antheus with Barbed whip, dealing 4 damage. Sir Antheus saves vs. spell effect.
Sir Antheus attacks the orc with an Iron Sword +1, dealing 8 damage.
Bufo fires a shot with a sling bullet. He misses.
Rambulge attacks a goblin with a cudgel. He misses.
A goblin attacks Rambulge with a rusty dagger. It misses.
A goblin attacks Rambulge with a rusty dagger, dealing 1 damage.
A goblin attacks Robin with a rusty dagger. It misses.
A goblin attacks Robin with a rusty dagger, dealing 3 damage.
Robin attacks a goblin with a longsword, dealing 6 damage. The goblin is slain. 7 EXP GAINED
Robin attacks a goblin with a long dagger, dealing 3 damage. The goblin is slain. 7 EXP GAINED
The remaining goblins look around anxiously as more of their number fall to the party, but the sight of their cruel overseer stops them from fleeing. A gutteral shout from him suddenly has them all ears...
"KEEP FIGHTIN' LADS, AND THERE WILL BE A NICE PIECE O' CHEESE FER THE LOT O' YA!"
The goblins turn as one to their opponents, and with almost supernatural speed, launch into a ferocious, desperate attack!
There will be a quick break to consolidate your characters (and for me to pour a coke and bourbon and do a wee-wee), then i will either continue on the current orders, or follow any new instructions. P.S. Sir Antheus' charge into the goblins required two attack rolls, with negative modifiers, both successful, followed by a D100 roll for each with a 10% of KO. I rolled first a 1, then a 2. The odds of that are pretty special...!
Robin looked around, goblins littered the floor, most of them torn apart in messy ways. The paladin still struggled against the Orc whilst the young fighter fought bravely against the pair of goblins and the Halfling? Robin couldn't spot him anywhere; typical. Although his ribs ached, Robin could see the Orc still, wiping the back of his hand against his mouth, Robin spat, "now you die foul creature!" And launched himself back into the fight to support the paladin hoping that the halfing might make an appearance and aid Rambulge.
Seeing the Paladin and Ranger engaging the Orc, Rambulge resolved to engage the smaller creatures-if the others could fell the beast he had a feeling the fight would go out of the goblins...
Bufo looked on in mild horror as the goblins flung themselves back into the fray with a vigor bordering on the demonic. He began to weigh up the pros and cons of... running away. On the plus side, he would be away, which seemed greatly preferable to staying here. However, he considered the various outcomes. If the goblins won, they would likely come after him. If the heroes won, they would definitely come after him. If he stayed with the heroes now, they might win, and be weaker for winning. That would make it easier for him to possibly overcome them at a later date. The option seemed clear... for now.
Bufo readied a bullet in his sling.
Meanwhile the two goblins that had been attacking Sir Antheus had chosen a new target - the spell-sword Rambulge. They charged the unfortunate hero, all four jabbing at him with their cruel knives. One stuck him in the back, opening a nasty gash. Another drew a cut across his upper arm, causing fresh blood to flow. A third cut left a painful nick on his forehead, causing a trickle of blood to run past his nose. The fourth missed his attack, but all could sense that their victim was beginning to struggle, slumping under the weight of his wounds. Then with a mighty swing that caught them utterly by surprise, Rambulge brought his club up in a devastating arc that crushed the jaw of one goblin to splinters and sent him flying backwards, his arms jerking spasmodically, it's rusty dagger glancing off the temple of the goblin next to it, knocking it off balance. At that moment the familiar sound of a sling bullet striking skull graced the spell-sword's ears, and the goblin that mere seconds before had dealt him a savage blow to the back suddenly collapsed in a puff of brain matter. Bufo grinned heartily; it was a satisfying sight indeed!
Meanwhile, the brutish orc took a swing at Sir Antheus with his short sword, missing him by a country mile. The Paladin, his mind still clouded by the lingering effects of the evil spell he had warded off, returned with a punishing blow, cleaving the scaled armour once again and biting deep into the orc's tough green flesh. The orc bellowed with rage and pain! His cry was answered by the ranger, who, filled with a rage that was born of bitter experience, leapt in to join the Paladin in his battle. With lightning speed the ranger's longsword lashed out, catching the orc across his ugly face and opening a ragged gash there. The orc span around and dropped to the ground, dark blood gushing from his various wounds. Gasping for breath through his ruined face, he gurgled one last defiant curse before life passed from his body...
"DA... BIG BOSS... IS GUNNA EAT YEZ FER BREAKFAST............... with a side order.... o' cheese..."
A goblin attacks Rambulge with a rusty dagger, dealing 2 damage.
A goblin attacks Rambulge with a rusty dagger, dealing 3 damage.
A goblin attacks Rambulge with a rusty dagger, dealing 1 damage.
A goblin attacks Rambulge with a rusty dagger. It misses.
Rambulge attacks a goblin with a cudgel, causing a CRITICAL HIT, dealing 6 damage. The goblin is slain. 7 EXP GAINED
Bufo strikes a goblin with a sling bullet, dealing 4 damage. The goblin is slain. 7 EXP GAINED Orc attacks Sir Antheus with a short sword. He misses.
Sir Antheus attacks an orc with an Iron Sword (+1), dealing 6 damage.
Robin attacks an orc with a longsword, dealing 7 damage. The orc is slain. 65 EXP GAINED
Rambulge attacks a fleeing goblin with a cudgel, dealing 6 damage. The goblin is slain.7 EXP GAINED
Party Experience gained: 120 EXP each
Loot gained: 16 x rusty daggers, 1 x crude short sword, 1 x Barbed Whip, 1 broken scale mail with giant shoulder pads, 50 gold coins, 15 silver coins, 20 copper pieces, 1 mutton chop.
Seeing the orc fall, the remaining two goblins immediately break from combat and flee. Rambulge catches one of them with his club as it turns and runs, caving in the back of it's skull and sending it sprawling. Two more goblins remained unconscious on the ground in the aftermath of the Paladin's charge, though they could rouse at any moment. The outcome was clear though, the fight was over, the heroes had won!
Rambulge currently has 4 hit points (out of 14) left after copping a lot of the attention at the end there. The after-effects of the spell attempt on the Paladin have now faded away. The two goblins will awaken within 10 rounds (approx. 10 mins of game-time).
Rambulge staggered towards the unconscious goblins grimly despite the agony of his wounds- he sought to end the creatures here and now if it was the last thing he ever did.
Robin nods towards Sir Antheus in respect, before looking towards the clearly injured Rambulge. "I think our friend could do with some help there. Bravely fought all of you but clearly our work isn't finished." Robin cleaned his weapons and collected his arrows and bow where he had left them. Gazing towards the dark mouth of the cave, Robins' gaze became hard. "By Hern, I'm sure we'll find more dangerous things there in the dark then mere goblins.
Now these goblins that are left. Best thing that can happen to such evil creatures is to be put out of their misery. Rambulge seems to have the right idea here."
Robin begins to look around the cave entrance area trying to piece together any tracks that he can make out, despite the tumult of the recent fight.
"Sir Rambulge, you fought bravely and have been rewarded very poorly for that. Let me help you (closing his eyes and laying his hands on Rambulge's shoulders, Seu started to whisper some words that seemed to materialise life itself in the paladin's hands)"
Seu remembered his sworn order to protect all good beings and considering how he inconsideratedly left his 2 opponents to the rest of the team, victory had a bitter taste..."
"I have been foolish to throw myself without considering how things would turn out for you, I haven't been used to company lately... Does any of you think we might find clues in this cave before we leave?
I have to say I've reached the limit of what I can heal for now. Though I sense I could soon be able to heal more everyday, my powers won't be effective until tomorow. I've not been an example lately but as things are coming, we should be cautious now.It's a long haul to our goal and only the Lady kows what lies ahead."
Bufo ambled over to where the party had gathered. By contrast to the weary, bloodied heroes, he felt positively chipper! The discovery of a cold mutton chop in the dead orc's bag improved his already good mood!
"Well done chaps, good fight, good fight. I don't know about you lot, but I think we ought to have a little rest, maybe build a little fire, have an early dinner, that sort of thing?" The halfling whistled as he poked about the corpses, pocketing handfuls of small copper coins. "Hey, take a look at this whip, pretty sweet huh? I bet that must have hurt when it hit you, huh Seu baby? Remember when the whip got you? Right across the chops! Whew! Rather you than me! By the way, I'll take first watch tonight, let you fellas get a bit ot shut-eye, I'm a decent enough sort when it comes to brass tacks ain't I?"
The nasty little halfling yammered on like that for some time...
