The crossing at the River Wild
The camp stood silent. The bodies of the two Gnolls and three hyenas were scattered about the fire, slain in a quick and brutal attack highlighted by the initial action from Ron to put the guards to sleep. They never stood a chance against the blazing steel of Guss's sword and the quick precise attacks from the diminutive Kobe.
A sharp voice barked nearby, obscured by the brush and vegetation and coming evening. In angry tones, it continued, barking in some strange tongue at the adventurers who stood wary for further action. Finally, it continued in common in a high, whining voice. "Idiots! You attack. Pinkskin food die. Goblins go now and burn home. We laugh. You no win! You beat us, but you no win!"
Shock mirrored on the parties face, they debated their next course of action. "We've got to go back." Stated Durton. "There are innocent people there."
"Perhaps, it is fated that they join the Raven Queen." Reflected Poe, his preoccupation with death ever present.
"I don't see how it benefits us." Sneered Kobe. "How do we get paid for helping Braymar? I didn't much like him anyway."
"We don't go back, we don't get paid for these gnoll paws." Stated Guss. "Plus, guarding people is what I do. We have to go back."
Convinced either by human brotherhood, or sheer greed at the thought of losing the 80 gold that they were due to collect, the party began to quickly return to The Last Manor and see if they were indeed under attack.
. . . .
Two days later, as dusk rolled in, the party came up on the Last Manor. There was a steady cadence of drums, and the party wisely decided to send in a scout to determine what was happening ahead. Beros and Kobe, as two of the quieter and stealthier members were chosen to do the scouting.
They came upon a frightful scene. The Inn was fortified, and it bristled with the fortifications. Doors locked and barred and magical light sources hung to bath the surrounding area in light for the human defenders. Arrayed against them was a large Goblin raiding party. Fully a score of goblins danced, drummed, and laughed while four fire beetles pawed anxiously at the ground. There was a general air of celebration in the goblins, and they mercilessly teased Braymar and his defenders. They had already captured Bryce, an older trapper who frequented the Inn and had him tied and beaten to a pole they had erected outside of the Inn. On either side of the unfortunate human stood two empty poles.
A goblin dressed in a variety of knotted ropes and dyed rags was calling out in Common to the Inn. "Send us out two more Braymar and we will forget what your humans did to our poor beetles!"
Braymar's response was angry and full of vemon. "Those aren't my humans, they were just mercaneries sent to discover what the Gnolls had done to our caravan! " He spit at the goblin chief and continued in Goblin. "Bileglub you miserable sack of shit, I swear I will have my revenge if you attack us. Go back to your miserable hole and wait for our next arrangement."
Thankfully for the party, the goblins were too distracted by what they imagined would be a very profitable raid and hadn't noticed that the party had snuck up Ron, who had cast a mystic ritual that let him understand fully the Goblin language.
As dusk began to wane into twilight, the Goblins choose to attack. Beros made mention that he doubted there was ever any chance that they would not attack the settlement. The beetles charged, followed by the mass of goblin flesh.
But it was not all despair for the human defenders of the "Last Manor". From the rear of the goblin charge, Guss took up the call and struck at the undefended rear of the goblin ranks. Ron cast a mystic sleep spell that had been so effective against the Gnolls and dropped the center left of the goblin line. The rest of the party followed the lead, and ran into the charge. Kloister and Kobe hung back to defend the rear.
Mystic engery bristling, Ron stuck in large cylinders of fire, frequently burning the goblin rabble in a single burst. Guss engaged the Goblin javelin flingers, while Poe moved to flank and distract the fire beetles now setting the Inn's outer fortifications on fire and attempting to knock down the door.
From inside the Inn, Sunny the barmaid found new power and pushed back both beetle and goblin with a tremendous thunderwave. Unfortunately the effect was short lived. Durkon got tied down with some the goblin rabble. Things looked a little shaky on the battle line, and Kobe gave up his guard position to push into the flank with Guss.
Bilegrub's attention was now squarely on the party and he let loose with a mystic cloud of stink, decreasing the attack effectiveness of half of the party. The javelineers moved to position and nearly helped Kobe make the Last Manor be his final home, only the last minute flailing of a dying Kobe managed to deflect away the javelin that would have pierced his chest and sent him to a premature grave.
Ron's knowledge of the arcane turned out to be too strong for the goblin rabble and they fell from his blows like rain. Durkon finally managed to free himself from his last combatant and moved to help both Bryce and Kobe. Beros moved with impunity on the left flank, his arrows rapid and deadly, and Poe's bravery helped to deflect the beetles from their mission of burning an entrance into the Inn.
Soon it was over. Ron's arcane authority was exreted over the fires that still brunt blowing them out, the goblin's morale shattered and the survivors had fled into the night. Bryce's face lit up as he saw his rescuers for the first time, taking special delight in the dwarf who cut him down from the pole and healed him. Bilegrub's head hung limply from his body, pierced by sword and dagger.
Braymar's anger was unabated however. He had a taste for blood. He not only paid off the party for the Gnoll paws, he threw in an extra 20 gold for their efforts. Then he asked a question that the party had not when the battle had ended. "Where's Kloister?"
Tracking back, the party was only able to see the signs of a struggle and Kloister's empty helmet. He had been taken by the Goblins.
. . . .
Bryce was elated to be alive. He sought out Durkon and promised him a special reward for saving him. Bryce had a family heirloom at his cabin, a couple of minutes away and wished to bestow it upon his rescuer. Kobe and Bryce had a beer together and drank to Durkon's health. Kobe expressed his desire to have some gold to thank Durkon with, and Bryce drunkenly agreed to pay Durkon for Kobe as well, as the stout dwarf had rescued them both.
The next morning Durkon and Bryce set out for the cabin. There, Bryce produced a wooden box and opened it. Within lay an ancient blade. Bryce explained it had been wielded by his great, great, great, great uncle at the close of the civil wars within the Crystal Kingdom. The blade was old, but very well made and had a glimmer of frost lining the edges of the blade. Durkon thanked Bryce and promised that the blade would be used to kill many goblins, which made Bryce quite proud and happy.
. . . .
The party now short one member, decided to let Sunny come with them. Her life as a barmaid was no over and she had decided it was time to go out into the world and take her chances as opposed to being burnt alive in an Inn where the owner would be hostile to her if he was ever to truly discover her secret.
Braymar had promised the group 500 gold and to personally lead them to where he knew the Goblins laired. In the morning, he came to realize that the party had an elf in it. If not for his promise to them and his boiling anger for the goblin tribe, he might have decided instead to turn them into the Orcs. He started to explain how dangerous Elfs were, as they continually raided his caravans. He backed himself into a corner however, and soon Poe and Kobe had the secret of the city on the other side of the trail out of him. Stonehall is controlled and operated by hobgoblins. The humans who thought they were keeping supplies out of the orc hands, were sending them to the same people who would sometimes raid their settlements for slaves and food. It was an ugly secret and only came out once they were on the trail. The party was surprised to learn that Guss was already aware of this, but was afraid of the repercussions from the people who benefited handsomely from the arrangement.
. . . .
Three days out from the Last Manor, the party came up on the river Wild. Where the road crossed the river, there was an ancient stone bridge, probably in place from when the Crystal Kingdom had a line of keeps along it's northern border. "This," Braymar said. "This is where they will ambush us."
"Who will ambush us?" asked Poe.
"It could be Goblins, it could be Elves. But it's too good a spot not to be ambushed by something." Braymar replied. "Maybe it will be elves. Send your elf out there to check."
The forest on the near side of the river was light and a good deal of sunshine came through. However, on the far side of the River Wild, the forest was dark and forbidding. It wasn't possible to see what lay on the far bank. The bridge itself, although stone was in a poor state of repair, crumbled rock piled up on the bridge itself and barely enough room to drive one wagon across at a time.
Beros, even knowing that Braymar had no interest in seeing him survive, decided he would make a good scout to see what was happening on the far bank. It didn't take long. As soon as he was halfway across the bridge, four fire beetles scuttled out and started across on the other side. Poe raced forward to help close the bridge. From the dark far bank, four javelins clattered on the bridge. Not only were there beetles, but there must be goblins too.
The battle looked fairly manageable, even with the goblins being able to fling javelins with impunity. Then Beros and Poe both noticed something strange about the rock rubble. In each of the rock rubble piles was a small wooden cask with a rag plugged into the top.
Beros's eyes went wide. "Get off the bridge!" he exclaimed and raced back to the near side where his companions waited.
Poe, not understanding why Beros was spooked by casks of unlit oil, merely set his shoulders and engaged the beetles.
Ron again came to the party's aid, throwing down frost rays and magical assistance. Beros dropped arrows into the beetles as he made his retreat. Guss, seeing that Poe had no intention of disengaging, moved to his side.
The party's determination showed iron and they quickly broke the beetles attack and dispatched them before they could even breathe fire on them once. From the dark woods came a hurried command in Goblin. Braymar heard it and quickly shouted. "Get off the bridge NOW! They are going to breathe!"
Poe knew no fear. The flame washed over him, the cask exploded shortly thereafter and when the smoke cleared, the Paladin of the Queen of death stood bloodied, but triumphant. The party took heart and surged behind them. The Goblins attempted to flee, but Guss smote them and held them fast while Kobe moved in to help finish them off. Another goblin tried to flee, flung a javelin at Beros. Beros, standing calmly, returned two arrows that blasted through the Goblin's skull. The first attack from Beros would be the only one that was needed, and the goblin fell lifeless before he hit the ground.
Frightened beyond reason, the last goblin fled at his best speed.
. . . .
Not long afterwards, the party moved down a path that forked off the main road. Not long afterwards, they came to see a clearing with the remains of what would have once been a small keep. Three of the four corner towers had fallen, and the piles of stone and rubble was covered in a thick layer of moss and ivy. The air was musty and damp. Occasionally, the party would see a single goblin quietly and stealthily moving through the rubble looking foraging for food.
After a quick scouting mission, the party moved into the last of the four towers that stood, there was a gaping hole cut into the side of the tower recently, and it was obvious that this is where the goblins laired.
After moving down a short passageway, they saw an open room ahead of them. Kobe had taken it upon himself to look for traps, knowing that the Goblins favored them. It was a prudent move, as there was a pit concealed just inside the room. Kobe made sure the rest of the party knew it was there. Anticipating that there was an ambush waiting in this next room, where there was a ledge elevated around the edge of the room, the party hesitated. Then Guss mustered his courage and moved into the room.
Unfortunately, Kobe had only found one of the pit traps that existed in the next room. Guss found the second one and fell ten feet into a pit. In the pit swarmed a mass of hungry rats. They coursed over his body, finding kinks in his armor and burrowing their way into his cloths and skin, biting and scratching. The idea of being eaten alive by a mass of rats wasn't something that sat well with Guss and he called for help.
Durkon moved forward, remembering that he had a rope in his pack and this would obviously be of use to his poor companion. It was then the goblins struck. Javelins flashed towards the dwarf who was unable to find cover as he needed to help up Guss. Kobe sprung into action, racing to the wall and easily scaling it to take on the two goblins that threatened this side of the room. Poe likewise moved into the room, seeking to force attention to him instead of the priest of Balhumat.
As he had done before, it was now time for decisive action from Ron. Ron had cleverly secured the oil that had not exploded on the bridge and he decided now was the time to use them. Making a long throw, he managed to drop an oil cask right on top of Guss and the rats.
If Guss was frightened by the idea of being eaten alive by rats, the idea of being eaten alive by rats, while he was cooked in oil caused him to tremble. "What the hell are you doing?!" Guss exclaimed. "How is this going to help me? The rope is oily now!"
Ron looked befuddled. Perhaps he just liked to blow things up, luckily for Guss, Ron was deterred from turning Guss into a living barbeque.
The party made fairly quick work of the goblins. Cowards that they were, two of them fled as their positions were compromised, racing down some spiral staircases. The rats took a little longer, but even the rats that crawled out of the pits weren't much of a problem for our heroes. Guss in particular looked pleased that the rats were disposed of.
At the bottom of the stairs, the party found that a single goblin had been locked out of the next room, and he was frantically shouting and clawing at the door. Kobe helped make sure that this particular goblin would never again have to be worried about being locked out.
The door was locked, but Kobe again showed his usefulness as he unlocked the door using some tools from his kit. He gave way to Guss who went to throw the door open. Unfortunately, it was also barred on the other side, and there was only a loud bang as the door slammed against the iron bar. They then used the edge of the blade to lift the iron bar and throw it off the door. Charging in more successfully this time, Guss managed to throw off two of the three initial javelins aimed at him. From the doorway across the room, rushed a dozen plus of goblin cutters wielding short swords. Between Guss, Poe, Kobe and Ron, they cut down all of the goblins that opposed them. Poe again took a role by attacking the flank where the javelineers had attempted to fling javelins by using the cutters as a screen.
The goblins sneered and seemed to foreshadow what might happen next, they ran from Poe, trying to throw javelins and gloating that he would soon see the true lord of the dead, the Demon prince Orcus. Poe, flustered and angered by the slight against his god, gave chase. The party hesitated, then followed Poe. Kobe thought long and hard about looting the fallen goblins, but seeing the party chase Poe, he gave chase.
Kloister's clothes stood unclaimed, torn and being used as loot in an abandoned goblin dice game, now soaking in the goblin blood that now covered the floor.
When the party came up behind Poe, Poe decided it was time to make the attack. He turned the corner to confront the now four goblin warriors who stood down the hall. As he did, the goblins grinned and pulled an iron lever.
Behind the party, a portcullis began to come down. Kobe faced a choice. Go forward and take on the fate of his companions or get out of the way and leave them to their fate. For reasons, that maybe he didn't even understand, he decided to take on the common fate. Ahead of Poe, a similar iron portcullis slammed down, and beneath him, the floor disappeared, chains released and running on either side of Poe.
The party tumbled against each other down the chute, dropping twenty feet into a pile of bone, vomit, feces and waste. Above them, the chains began to pull up the chute, sealing them in this disgusting pit.
. . . .
The party took a breather to figure out what to do next. But that decision was made for them. All around the edge of the room, bones began to knit together and decrepit skeletons formed. Eager to bring the party to their same fate, they moved to attack.
But the party was well schooled now in combat, and these minions were of little challenge. They cut them down rapidly, Guss's sword bringing down two in one swing as he moved like a harvester through wheat. Poe, bearing the ancient frost blade that Durkon had given him, brought his god's wrath down on the demonic creations. It was over almost before it started.
. . . .
However, they were still sealed in the room. Not having anything else to do, they began to search the room for exits. They found one beneath the filth, which Ron was attempting to purify as fast as he could. Stepping down the ladder and sealing the door above them so that the filth wouldn't leak down after them, they descended.
The ladder dropped down onto a crypt. A long passageway with small alcoves to either side. The party crept slowly down the hallway. Then they began to hear a voice. It was low and sounded like it was forced out without the lungs to breath the words power. In a green putrid cloud, a diseased mass of flesh appeared. "Filth! You buried me in filth!"
The zombie shambled forward, the very air around him poisonous and deadly. Guss, driven again by his need to defend his companions stepped into his path to block his progression. Durkon channeled his divine power and blasted the zombie back. However, even beaten by the entire party, the zombie moved on. "You buried me in filth!" it screamed voicelessly. It was still coming forward. A determined attack by the party focusing on him did cut him down however, and as he died, he clasped Durkon tight, looked at him through his putrid and worm covered face with sightless eyes and pled. "Fix this!!!"
. . . .
The door at the end of the hall was covered in religious runes. Amazingly, they were the holy words of Bahulmat! Durkon, unsure of this new development, muttered a quick prayer to his god, and the door swung open.
Inside, there was an old dwarf. He stumbled to his feet, surprised and said, "I don't know how you got through my holy door filth monster, but I'm…..." And then he trailed off. He was clearly not expecting to see a dwarf and his human companions.
Tyr had survived in this pit for nearly 77 years. He had survived by using a knapsack that could be used daily to produce enough food and waterskins for five people. He traded it eagerly to Poe who asked what he wanted for it. "Anything that doesn't taste like the food that is generated." Tyr exclaimed and made the switch with Poe.
Tyr was upset that no one had come to save him from Ironhold, expecting that his clan should have sought him out after he hadn't checked in after twenty-five years. The party had to break it to him that Ironhold had fallen and that the world he knew was gone, replaced by a world that was dominated by orc tribes. Tyr had trouble accepting this, and still feels that perhaps these young people are just mislead. It can't be possible that Ironhold would fall, dragon or no dragon he said.
This seemed like as good a place as any to make an extended rest, and Tyr promised that he knew of another exit from this room into what is now a slave chamber for the goblins, but because of the wards that watched the prisoners he was afraid to make an escape that way. But now that there were eight of them, well, maybe they'd stand a chance. He hadn't checked recently, but he is sure that is where they will find their friend Kloister.
