Both goblins were shouting at each other. Their harsh words colliding with one another as the smaller of the two seemed to be agitated of sorts. The old and taller one, however, shouted something which seems to have cowed the other goblin.
Then they are disturbed by a new presence in the room. Even covered by the vexing cloud, the goblins seem to be unaffected and could readily see the new comer as a thin pale skin. It came close to them with a long sword brandished in front of it and it was speaking to them.
The older of the two goblins seemed to be listening to it. Appearing as if it could understand what the eladrin was saying and giving it some thought. When the new comer has finished its dialogue, the old goblin paused for a while. And then grinned, laughed a very throaty laugh. It then shouted something in goblin back at the eladrin sounding much like a threat and then barked something to its companion.
The smaller goblin seemed to be delighted of what he heard and pulled out his dog slicer once more and stabbed the body of the half-elf in front of it.
*
Guy seemed to be pleased that it has gotten the goblin warchanter’s attention. The creature looked as if it was listening and could understand what he was saying.
There was a look of someone who was thinking on the creature and that brought hope.
Then the warchanter smiles a toothless grin and shouted back at him. Fools. The message was something guy felt more from the tone than direct translation. Before he could react, the old goblin barked something to its companion.
The cloud made if difficult but guy could see the glint of metal and assumed that a weapon was being raised. The eladrin quickly muttered a spell hoping that he could fire a lance of faith before the goblin attacked him.
The attack never came as the goblin plunged the knife into something just in front of him. Guy squinted to make sense of what is happening and realized that there was a body at the goblin’s feet. The cleric finished the spell and
even thru the haze of the cloud managed to catch the goblin, sending the creature against the store wall.
But it was too late. The short sword has found it target – the now unmoving body of his new companion, the half-elf Lloyd.
Goblin Cutters: Goblin Pyros, Round 02
[OOC] Converting Your Character: Complete Warrior
Swashbuckler
This character is best translated as a trickster rogue (Player's Handbook p117), becoming a true striker rather than an odd (and underpowered) hybrid between defender and striker. Swashbucklers preferring two weapons could also consider the two-blade ranger build (p104), or simply select feats that enhance this fighting style.
Hexblade
This class mixes melee combat with spellcasting, but definitely favors the blade over the hex. Thus, the great weapon fighter build (p76) is probably a good base class/build selection, adding multiclass warlock feats to round out the spellcasting. Call your Combat Challenge class feature a “Hexblade’s Challenge” in order to change its flavor to something a bit more supernatural; or, if your DM is willing to experiment, you could trade Combat Challenge for the paladin’s Divine Challenge, re-flavoring it in the same manner.
Alternatively, you could start with the scourge warlock build (p130), adding multiclass fighter feats, armor training feats, and the like to craft a striker who’s durable enough for melee combat.
Samurai
The archetypal samurai fits best into the defender role, and thus works well as a fighter. Call your greatsword a katana and use the great weapon fighter build (p76) build, or ask your DM if you can treat your off-hand short sword (or wakizashi) as a shield for the purposes of the various powers that go well with the guardian fighter build (p76).
For a slightly off-beat solution, use the two-blade ranger build (p104) and play your samurai as more of a two-weapon-wielding striker. Then use feat selections to add fighter powers and to improve your armor, if desired.
Guillaume: Goblin Pyros, Round 02
i watched in awe of the dragonborn's fury. my knowledge of this phenomenon up until now are loosely based from eladrin scriptures and the ancient writings didn't quite capture the immensity of its nature.
dragonbreath was raw and deadly power. i have new found respect for their species. thank corellon that he is on our side. the goblins inside the clouds burst into flames. i almost felt sorry for them.
i briefly examined arao. he is not quite in need of assistance. he sustained some wounds from the goblins but nothing serious. i peeked in and saw that the poison cloud had receded to the other side. i could make out a figure or two from inside. it is time to end this matter. i have decided. i boldly enter ignoring the gnarled remains of the six goblins which not a minute ago surrounded arao.
brandishing the fine long sword which i borrowed from the market. i bravely called out to the remaining goblin(s).
"in the name of corellon, patron to all fées. i demand you to surrender!" i give a brief pause for effect. "it is over. you are outnumbered." i calmly walk about. the sword point directed towards the poison cloud. i could hear it from the inside. i could not quite make out what it is exactly. but logic tells me that it must be the
leader.
"come. you will be treated with just"
[OOC] Free Virtual tabletop
can u guys check this out? http://www.rpgtonight.com/index.htm it's a free virtual tabletop with dice, maps (incl. fog of war), and movable miniatures. no need to pay anything -- just register and play. also a gaming session is saved and open for 3 days, so pedeng balik-balikan.
Lloyd: Goblin Pyros, Round 02
Lloyd shakes off the remaining ale from his armor and clothes. He’s actually glad of Gryffin’s help. He could always count on his friend.
He gave the eladrin one more nod before he cocked his head towards the curtains separating the storage room from the main store room. The half-elf carefully made his way thru the curtains, taking time to peek and check what’s happening in the other room.
The far end of the shop was on fire. Goblin bodies littered the shop floor. There’s a dark cloud in the middle of the room, within which his half-elven eyes could barely make out the form of a sole old goblin.
The goblin’s attention seemed to be focused on the front door where Arao stood. That was the exact time the old goblin raised and fired some sort of arcane spell from a rod that it was wielding. Lloyd took the chance to attack the warchanter.
The warlord picked up his pace and prepared to run thru the cloud and attack the goblin spell caster. From within the cloud, however, a goblin cutter jumped out of hiding and stabbed the surprised warlord. Lloyd only had time to look at the creature that attack it and the crude knife which is now sticking into his stomach before he collapsed unto the store floor, his blood pooling beneath him.
Goblins: Goblin Pyros, Round 02
Bonk the head to shut it up.
Bones be cracked, flesh be stewed,
We be goblins! You be food!
The goblin warchanter was sick with glee as it sends its minions to attack the lizard man. One of the main tactics of a goblin tribe is to overwhelm their opponent with mass numbers. The other attacker has been blinded and its pyro would make short work of the intruder. It would only be a matter of time before its enemies are defeated.
Then everything went bad. The archer managed to shoot down the pyro even thru effects of the spell. The old goblin picked up its rod and prepared to utter another spell at the offending human.
Then things went from bad to worse. The lizard man managed to escape the goblin mob and the vexing cloud spell and managed to send the cutters afire.
With a thought, the warchanter recalled the vexing cloud towards itself and its remaining companions. It then once more raised its magic rod in anger and pointed it towards the lizard man which now posed to be the main threat. With a few harsh words and a few shakes with the rod which sent the bones upon it tinkling, a burst of arcane magic poured forth from the goblin and succeeds in hitting the threat.
Arao feels the magic break thru his defences but other than being difficult to move, the dragonborn doesn’t feel any other ill effects of the spell.
Arao: Goblin Pyros, Round 02
Through the mist, I felt the pain of the stabbing cuts of the goblins' knives. Despite being unable to see clearly, i knew without a doubt that I was surrounded up front and on the sides. Peering back, I noticed the doorway was still unblocked, and a small pennant was fluttering in the wind.
Wind? A course of action formed in my mind. Holding my shield resolutely in front of me, I stepped back out the doorway. The ray of sunshine felt good, and a slight breeze blew the little tendrils of mist still sticking on my face. I took a deep breath of fresh air and was instantly rewarded with the clearing of my mind and sight. The sickly mist was gone!
Smiling, I thanked Pelor for the good fortune, and prayed for additional strength to vanquish my foes. Divine power coursed through me as I summoned forth the innate power of us dragonborn, Dragonbreath! With a mighty "Firaaah", I spewed fire into the house through the doorway. The dying shrieks of the crazed goblins confirmed that they were all caught in the blast.
In the silence afterwards, I thought to myself, "I hope the store owner would forgive me for burning their house down."
Jarek: Goblin Pyros, Round 02
That thing is still alive? I cursed as my arrows struck the elbow of the lanky goblin. The creature took a couple of steps back and growled furiously at the quivers sticking out of its rubbery green arms. It quickly looked up, towards the window and caught a glimpse of my bow.
Damn it! I muttered as the goblin dashed across the room, jumping over a couple of crates. It threw a burning flask of oil towards my direction, hoping that the bottle would shatter and engulf me in flames.
I ducked behind the window and heard the glass shatter on the wall. The goblin howled in fury and I saw the burning flask miss the window by a few inches. Now the cabinets below were covered in oil and burning with a sickly orange light.
Suddenly the chanting goblin stopped banging her drum and growled in an angry, booming voice. I looked at her direction and saw the puss-faced creature draw out a large bone from her deer-skin cloak. It was covered to the tip with dangling feathers and tiny rocks. She pointed the stick at my direction and the feathers began to glow an eerie shade of gold and lavender.
I tried to turn my face away from the strange light, but the light became more dazzling. "Help!" I shouted as the light became painfully bright, searing my eyes like hot poking needles. "I can't see!"
The sudden lack of vision disoriented me. I almost slipped from the window, but my climbing rope kept me secured and grounded near the ledge. I still heard the lanky goblin laughing in delight, mocking my blindness.
I pulling out another arrow and readied my bow. I never did fire my weapon in the dark. Shalelu never taught me blind fighting. The only training I got from her was survival training in the woods at night -- where she blindfolded me, left me weaponless, and hunted by a hungry grizzly bear.
I placed the arrow on my bow and tried to focus on the sound of the laughing goblin. Shalelu's husky voice echoed in my ears, telling me to trust my sense of hearing. I remembered being back in the woods, blindfolded and running from the sounds of a growling bear.
Must keep calm, must forget the stinging pain in my eyes.
Memories of Shalelu's training came rushing back. I felt I was in the woods again, running in darkness, trying to elude the hungry bear. I ran and ran, hoping to get far away from the raging predator.
I took a deep breath and pointed the arrow towards the sounds of goblin laughter.
Suddenly I remembered running into something, my face colliding with a thick branch. My body tripping over the roots of a large gnarled tree.
I released the arrow and muttered a curse.
* * *
Jarek's arrow flies true. Guided by the hoarse laughter of the creature, the arrow finds its target.
The lanky goblin's laughter abruptly stops as the arrow pierces one of its lungs. It then crumples down on the floor, its body quickly being covered by the spreading oil and eventually catches on fire.
* * *
The ranger opens his eyes and is in disbelief as he is once again able to see and finds that his opponent is likewise down and out.
Gryffin: Goblin Pyros, Round 02
Gryffin saw the alchemical fire splash on Lloyd and ignite.
"Oh my gods..."
Lloyd ran through the door seemingly unfazed and still smoldering.
"Oh my gods..."
Gryffin heard the high pitched scream of a goblin injured. Mustering his courage, he pushes the door open with one hand ready to cast a spell with the other.
From his vantage point he could still see Lloyd's smoldering form fighting something small. Gryffin enters the room ducking behind a barrel.
He sees the grotesque little humanoid in front of Loyd. It's mishappen form dressed in leathers and what seems to be shiny bottles of glass.
"Alchemists fire? They're Pyromaniac goblins?"
With a look of determination Gryffin brings his hands together fingers interlocking in front of his chest as he speaks a word.
With the last syllable he thrust his arms forward - hands still interlocked except for his two pointing fingers.
Light flashes as a glowing dart streaks from the wizard's fingertips. It hits the goblin on the forehead leaving a small smouldering pinhole smack in the middle. The goblin's eyes roll back into it's head as it momentarily sways and finally falls to the floor with barely a thud.
Lloyd turns around to face his friend.
"Hey!, Nice shooting!"
Amber liquid suddenly washes over Lloyd extinguishing the small fires on his clothes.
"Wha...!"
A sweet fragrance told Lloyd that he was now drenched in ale. Looking up he see a floating upturned barrel hanging over his head.
Lloyd turned scowling at Gryffin. "What did we say about warnings?!?" He said as he wiped the ale stinging his eyes.
"Um...at least it wasn't whiskey." Gryffin replied as he gave a sheepish grin.
Goblin Cutters: Goblin Pyros, Round 01
There was a sudden bright glow within the building. Even the warchanter’s vexing cloud could not block the light. The goblins were shrieking in panic as two of their numbers crumpled down on the floor. A harsh shout of command however from the old goblin silenced the smaller ones. The warchanter shouted another string of words which seem to have intimidated the smaller ones into charging into the cloud and attacking the dragonborn still trapped within.
The goblins were singing and chanting as they moved closer to the large lizard man and brandished their dogslicers if front of them.
Goblins slash and goblins bump.
Burn the skin and mash the head,
Goblins here and you be dead!
They attacked in group, trying to flank and surround the lizard man. Stabbing their make shift short swords in any opening they could find. The dragonman’s hide and armor was tough but a couple of lucky stabs managed to cut a few wounds upon the paladin of pelor.
Guillaume: Goblin Pyros, Round 01
the dragon born charged the wooden doors like it was made of brittle glass. the door shattered easily to pieces. he then half-vanished behind a mysterious cloud. it was goblin magic. i do not know much of goblin magic but the dragon born needs all the help he can get. these creatures must be defeated.
it was evident that they are trying to set fire on the store which could set fire to a big part of the town instantly remembering the alcohol stored in the basement. if we do not succeed in arresting them here. it would be the end for all of us. it is now or never.
i peeked inside. the smoke hurt my eyes. i heard chanting but it was not melodic like the chanting of magic back home. this was vile. i focused by eyes on the symbol of corellon which hangs loosely around my neck, against my blood soaked robes. corellon help us. time stops.
great corellon. preserver of life. i beseech you to slay our enemies and grant aid to the noble dragonborn. such courage. such self sacrifice should not be left unrewarded.
i sense solely a calm presence whenever i call upon corellon's intervention. i feel the magic course thru my entire body. a warmth that i can not begin to describe.
[cast ::divine glow:: on the goblins and aid arao].
i then noticed the ranger having trouble. he is badly hurt.
hail corellon, i ask now for your healing touch for this valiant warrior. you know the desire of our hearts to be healed of our wounds. i ask this for your glory.
i offered a prayer to corellion. divine magic once again course thru my body. i close my eyes in complete gratitude.
[cast ::healing word:: on jarek].
Lloyd: Goblin Pyros, Round 01
Lloyd hastily opens the store’s back door and runs inside in order to catch the surviving goblin before it could recover. The goblin, however, proves to be more agile than him and is able to move back and hurl something at him. Lloyd manages to raise a shield to block it but the bottle the goblin threw still hits true and splashing him with burning liquid.
Ignoring his burns, the half-elf runs towards the goblin and manages to hit a calculated blow with his sword. The warlord manages to position himself so that the goblin is exposed to an attack from his wizard companion. Lloyd only hopes Gryffin can take down the goblin before the goblin fire gets the better of him.
Goblin Pyros: Goblin Pyros, Round 01
The lone goblin survivor of the thunderwave spell quickly picked itself up from the floor and took a step deeper into the room, wary of the still unseen spell caster. When it notices the door slightly open, it pulls out one of its make shift fire bottles, hurriedly lights and throws it towards that direction.
The missile manages to catch Lloyd’s shield just as the warlord enters the room. The bottle breaks and sends burning liquid splashing along the half-elf. The goblin only has a few seconds to cheer on its triumph before it realizes that its burning target is now running full speed towards it.
* * *
Goblins cut and goblins fight.
Stab the dog and cut the horse,
Goblins eat and take by force!
The goblins continued to chant and sing as their spell caught the lizard man by surprise. The smaller of the goblins jumped and danced around the room while the bigger ones shout out in laughter as their opponent misses its mark.
The shouts suddenly stop when the whooshing sounds of two arrows a flight reverberate within the room only to be punctuated by an anguished shout from one of the tall lean goblins. Each of the goblins looked around in search of their concealed attacker. It was the old female goblin that first spots Jarek at his post on the top window and with that it begins to shout commands out at its companions.
It is the same tall lean goblin which was the target of Jarek’s attack which reacts first. It runs thru the room, nimbly passing thru its other goblin companions to reach its attacker. While are the same time it pulls out one of the numerous bottles hanging off its body and quickly lights and throws it up to the window.
Its throw however doesn’t quite reach Jarek’s location and the bottle smashes on the store’s wall causing a small fire to start on the barrels just below from which the ranger is positioned.
The old goblin gives out a shriek as its cohort misses its aim. It drops the drum it’s holding and pulls out a short rod from beneath its clothes and points it at the figure by the window. A shower of purple light shoots out from the rod and streaks towards the human. It hits the human on the face, causing his eyes to sting and momentarily blinding him.
The rest of the goblins shout at the display of magic and raises their dogslicers in cheer.
Arao: Goblin Pyros, Round 01
A sickly obscuring mist stung my eyes as I broke through the door. All around me I heard the cackling voices of the goblins who were most possibly overjoyed that I triggered their trap. Squinting deeply, I am able to just get a silhouette of one of these dastardly creatures to my left.
"By the light of Pelor, I challenge thee," I pronounced as a pale yellow light marked it. I swung my battleaxe as best as I could, but the poor visibility made me misjudge the distance and the goblin was able to dodge to the side.
Three pairs of menacing red eyes glowed inside the think haze. "Guy, I hope your spell is ready," I shouted as I choked in the fumes.
Jarek: Goblin Pyros, Round 01
Good thing Old Ven never got to seal the rooftop window. I thought Shayliss would have warned her dad about the opening and how she caught me sneaking into their store at night for some pie. Their carelessness would prove to be their fortune, since I was able to make my way up through the roof and peek inside the store.
Once I got myself up the wooden roof, I quickly grabbed on to the window railing. I could hear the sounds of chanting and laughing coming from inside. The smell of smoke was coming out of the window.
Blasted goblins, I cursed. Their going to burn the store down!
I quickly pulled up my climbing rope, tied one end around my waist and made a dwarven split knot around the window railing (just like Shalelu taught me). Hopefully, the rope and the railing would keep my balance and prevent me from plumetting to my death.
As soon as I secured both ends of the rope, I managed to peer over the window and down inside the store. I muttered a quiet curse.
There were over a dozen goblins inside!
One of the larger puss-faced goblins was banging on a deerskin drum, chanting something in a low gruggling sound. A tall, skinner goblin shrieked in delight as it began to lit some oil flasks.
I turned outside and looked at my companions, hoping to warn them of the danger. But it was too late.
The lizard man gave a low cry and charged through the entrance, breaking through the wooden door. The goblins near the entrance gave a startled gasp. I quickly drew my bow and two arrows.
The puss-faced goblin growled, feriously banging his hands on the drum. Suddenly the entrance was covered in a pale sickly mist. The other goblins cheered in delight.
"Die goblin scum," I whispered and fired my arrows at the thin goblin with the burning flasks.
Both arrows fly true and hit the target. The goblin pyro does prove to be made of sturdier stuff as it still stands even after receiving two arrows. This, however, alerts the invaders from the still unseen presence of the archer.
Gryffin: Goblin Pyros, Round 01
Gryffin reaches over Loyd's shoulder with an outstretched hand muttering his spell.
A booming wave of sound hurtles thru the small storage room, sending goblins and supplies flying thru the room.
The blast of sound caught Lloyd unaware. He whips around, holding a hand unto one ear and pinches Gryffin on the chest with his other hand.
"..OW!..what was that for?" Gryffin said as he rubbed his chest.
"You could have given me a warning!" Lloyd muttered, not even looking back at the eladrin as he enters the room and faces the goblins, ready for combat.
* * *
Gryffin manages to catch all three of the goblins unawares with the thunderspell. The nearest two of the goblins are thrown back against the wall of the storage room by the force of the spell and fall unconscious.
The lone remaining goblin, however, is likewise thrown further into the room but manages to survive the blast. It looks up from where it was thrown on the floor and as it picks itself up from the floor, it gives a growl at it sees Lloyd enter thru the storage room door.
Goblin Pyros: Round 00
As soon as Jarek started climbing the General Store wall, both Gryffin and Lloyd made their way towards the back of the building. It seemed that the two friends knew their way around the building and were soon gone from the rest of the group’s view.
Arao and Guy then proceeded towards the front of the store. The dragonborn rechecked the door and saw that it would easily give in to his bulk. Arao signals Guy who in turn gives a nod. Both look up to see Jarek give both of them a nod that he is likewise in position.
The paladin takes a couple of steps away from the door and then goes into a short run. His shoulder connects with the door which easily gives way to the dragonborn’s armoured weight. The door shatters, sending Arao into a cloud covered room where he vaguely sees three goblins around him with their dogslicers ready.
*
Just as Arao pulls back to knock open the door, Jarek notices some commotion happening inside the store. The goblins’ song seems to be reaching its height with a distinctly female voice leading it. The ranger sees a dark cloud form within the room just by the door. He’s about to shout down and warn his companions when the sound of the wood splintering tells him that it’s a bit too late.
*
Lloyd and Gryffin slowly tried to make their way towards the back of the store. In the back of their minds, they were happy that during their childhood they would always take this route when they accompanied Jarek in his pie stealing escapades.
Once at the door, Lloyd signals Gryffin to stop. He carefully tries the door. He finds it unlocked and decides to open it. Goblin voices from within, however, stops the warlord from fully opening the room. Both half-elf and eladrin eyes just enable them to make out three goblins which are ransacking the storeroom of the building.
Jarek: Dealing with the goblins
It was easy for me to follow the goblin's trail. The vile creature didn't even try to hide his muddy footprints over the sidewalk. I signalled my companions to follow me across the town square and into Sandpoint's small business district. As we reached the corner plaza, I heard the goblin continue to scream and laugh, as if it was challenging us to follow him.
You'll pay for what you did, I muttered.
I looked back and saw the other warriors trailing not far behind. Gryffn and Guy were half a block away while the strange lizard man and Lloyd were still further down the alley, panting from the weight of their armor.
The goblin shrieked even louder as it ran towards one of the old wooden cottage. It was greeted by several more of his companions, armed with dogslicers and torches. The goblin turned towards me and sneered as they entered in the building.
"That's the General Store." Gryffin exclaimed. "I just hope Ven and Solsta aren't still inside."
"They aren't." Lloyd answered back. "I saw them at the festival grounds a while ago. Seems they were looking for Katherine."
Gryffin nodded. "Is she the daughter who was always after Jarek?"
I growled back. "No, it was the other daughter, Shayliss. And can we just drop it and concentrate at the task at hand?"
Both Gryffin and Lloyd gave out a chuckle.
These goblins were getting on my nerves. I grew up hanging outside Ven's store. Solsta made the best rurbberry meat pie. I used to sneak into one of their windows and steal a taste of their centaur hooves stew. As I looked up the open windows on the cottage rooftop, an idea formed in my mind.
"I'll climb up and sneak a peek," I told my companions, while pointing over the open window on the rooftop.
Before any of them could respond, I dashed through the plaza and made my way through the side of the store. I slung my bow and brought out my wire rope and climbing gear.
I remembered climbing through Ven's wall hundreds of times. This would be easy. I placed my hands and feet on the familiar cracks and began my ascent.
A Town on Fire
Jarek leads the group after the goblin which escaped and heads south of the festival grounds. As you near the source of the huge conflagration you see that a group of goblins has found the cart full of fuel for the bonfire and have lit it on fire. One of them is the goblin which escaped your group.
You are confronted with several cackling and shrieking goblins armed with dogslicers and torches. As soon as the goblins see you they shriek in delight and one of them run into one of the nearby buildings.
*
"That's the General Store." Gryffin shouts as he recognizes the building. "I just hope Ven and Solsta aren't still inside."
"They aren't." Lloyd shouts answers back. "I saw them at the festival grounds a while ago. Seems they were looking Katherine."
Gryffin nods and then pauses. "Is she the daughter who was always after Jarek?"
Jarek growls back. "No, it was the other daughter, Shayliss. And can we just drop it and concentrate at the task at hand?"
Both Gryffin and Lloyd give out a chuckle before following their friend.
*
There are 4 goblins in a tight little cluster by the door of the general shop. They are brandishing the torches in their left hands and seem to be planning to try and set you alight. They look drunk with glee.
There is suddenly a shout from inside the shop which causes the four goblins to run back in. A strange chant-like song could be heard from within but since no once knows goblin the only thing the group can pick up is that the song seems harsh to the ears.
Jarek: Interlude
"The festival is ruined!" Belor's voice echoed across the town square. The sheriff was on his toes, trying to calm terrified townsfolk, barking commands at the militia, hoping to set some semblance of order. It was a sorry sight. The make-shift puppet theater and the fortune teller's booth have been torn down, several other tents were burning. Colorful banners, once fluttering brightly over the rooftops, were soiled and scattered across the ground.
"You, woodsman!" The sheriff shouted across the stage, pointing at me. "Come here!"
I wanted to dash off and track down the crazed goblin who escaped the attack. But Belor shouted again.
I quickly turned around and made my way through the fallen tents. The sheriff continued delegating his tasks to nearby militia. I noticed that he was still holding on to his longsword, and the blade glistenned with goblin's blood.
"Sheriff Hemlock," I greeted.
"What happened here?" He asked. "Shalelu ordered you to keep an eye out on the woods."
I felt my face reddened. This was all my fault. The goblins would never have reached the town if I sounded the alarm.
"I never expected them to be so many," I answered. Somehow I wasn't even convince of my own excuse.
"We'll talk about this later," the Sheriff said as he sheathed his sword. "There are still goblins roaming in some parts of the town. I need you to track these vermins down and kill them."
Belor gave me a quick nod and dismissed me. I ran down the stage and right pass Lloyd, the lizardman and the two eladrins who assisted me in battle.
"Come on Lloyd," I shouted over my friend. "We've got goblins to hunt!"
Lloyd: Introductions
The sounds of battle drifting across the town still all too noticeable. As your small group of make-shift heroes catch a well earned rest, Father Zantus starts to walk back to the cathedral, with a small child in tow.
* * *
"Old Quinn, you better stay with Father Zanthus until things have settled here. The Hagfish is a bit far from here. I'll send someone for you as soon as it's safe."
Lloyd has just finished assisting the Hagfish's owner, Jargie Quinn, who was tripped earlier in the chaos and didn't manage to run because of his single leg. The old man hid under his stall and is now wet and dripping in his lobster chowder.
"But Norah..." The old man started to protest.
"We'll also check on Norah." Lloyd assured the old man, though unsure if he could find the time to check on he man's beloved fish.
He looks around and notices the new comer approach them.
"I am Lloyd Avertin. A member of the town's militia and we appreciate your help back there. These are my friends, the one with the staff is Gryffin and the one with the bow is Jarek."
Gryffin greets each of the newcomers while Jarek just gives them both a nod.
The border guard then turns to Lloyd.
"The sole goblin took a roundabout route and proceeded to go south. But that's just not all. It's tracks have merged with other tracks. More goblin tracks."
* * *
There is what feels like a blanket of calm for the briefest of seconds, and then a sudden bloom of fire leaps into the sky just south of the festival grounds, sending cheers, screams, and what sounds like goblin singing up with it. A thick pall of smoke starts to plume into the sky.
Something big has just gone up in flames, and you are sure the goblins are to blame. What do you want to do?
Arao: Initial Assault, Interlude
After thanking Father Zantus for the free heal, I approached two of the guys with whom I just fight with. The ranger and the warlord wore badges so I assumed they were of the town's law enforcement force.
"Greetings, comrade-in-arms", I bowed as I started my introduction. "My name is Arao. I am a faithful follower of Pelor. Amidst all this chaos, if you have need of another sword and shield, I am able and willing to assist."
While waiting for their response, I went back to Father Zantus and inquired about the state of the consecration. His sad frown was all the answer I needed.
Guillaume: Idle Chat
"fetch some warm water and some fresh linen for the wounded" i asked some young humans who i found hiding behind some wooden carts. towns people who obediently nodded in agreement. they scurried off to fetch and vanished behind the crowd.
i immediately tended to the wounded as soon as things had simmered down to a semblance of normality. as much normallity as we could get given the situation. i was touched and deeply grateful of father zanthus kindness. i have forgotten myself and he was kind to magically heal my wounds. my ceremonial robes is soaked in blood and filth. goblin blood smelt exactly how he imagined it would be. very bad. i need to change into cleaner clothes but watching the others i felt a bit guilty. i need to put others first before my needs.
i asked other towns folk present to put the corpses of the goblins in a heap with an expressed approval from father zanthus. i deemed the local watch might have need to make further investigations of the matter. this could not have been an accident. everything about it appeared orchestrated.
quite a few where bruised from getting trampled. other especially those who fought back against the goblins were magically cured. i approached each and everyone of them and introduced myself.
"peace be with you brother/sister. i call myself guy. i saw how you fought bravely today. i want to personally thank you for saving the people of this town from those goblins." idle chit chat follows.
where are the local magistrates? my thoughts immediately jumped to the sole goblin who had escaped. i informed zanthus of my suspicions of a diversion but zanthus could only nod in agreement.
"it is possible my son, but it seems our task isn't over yet" as he looks out further into town where still the cries of help and the sound of battle could be heard.
[OOC] Converting Your Character: Complete Adventurer
Ninja
The best match for the ninja in 4th Edition so far is the rogue; however, this 4E class doesn’t have the Wisdom focus that the ninja did, so it’s an imperfect solution. If your DM will let you swap your high Wisdom for a high Charisma, then the trickster rogue build (p117) is an excellent fit. Consider using multiclass feats to pick up a utility power from the wizard or warlock class to mimic the supernatural ki powers of the ninja.
Scout
Many of the scout’s iconic abilities and functions have been subsumed into the ranger class, so it’s relatively simple to recreate your character using either the archer ranger build (if you favor the bow) or the two-blade ranger build (if you rely on melee weapons; both on p104). If your scout leans more toward dungeoneering-style explorations, then either the brawny rogue or—if you have the Charisma for it—trickster rogue build (p117) might be a better fit.
Spellthief
Translating your spellthief into 4th Edition is actually pretty easy. Start with the trickster rogue build (p117), then add wizard or warlock powers via multiclassing. You can retain the feel of the 3E spellthief’s limited range of spell choices by choosing spells such as icy terrain, sleep, and expeditious retreat, or you can go all-out with offensive juggernauts such as force orb or acid arrow.
After the Initial Assault
All around chaos still reigns. While the square has now largely emptied, you can hear the screams of people, the clash of weapons, and the cries for help resound around the town. There is not much time to rest!
Arao moves towards the rear of the stage where he finds Father Zantus and the other acolytes treating and comforting some of the townsfolk.
Zantus turns to face one of the acolytes as the others approach. He nods at the young man who then takes hold of a couple of children and leads them towards the Cathedral. As the rest of the party gather round the priest addresses them.
"Thank you all for your bravery. There is much here to be done. I will take the others into the safety of the Cathedral and place them under the care of my acolytes. Hopefully, their parents will return when this carnage abates."
He looks with concern upon Guillaume and Arao. "Avandra likes those with luck, young people, and you appear to have plenty of it. Here, let me heal you." He places his hands upon Guy and Arao, and the power of his goddess knits the flesh whole.
There is time for brief introductions only, before .....
Gryffin: Initial Assault, Round 03
Gryffin gestures towards a lose tarp covering a stand beside him and an ethereal disembodied hand appears to pick it up and swiftly carries it toward the goblin.
The blanket drops and harmlessly glides away from the goblin buoyed by a draft of air.
"D-Oh!...grr!"
In irritation, Gryffin instinctively mutters a spell like an expletive.
A bolt of light hurls towards the goblin striking it in the chest.
The goblin crumples to the ground in a smoking heap.
"oops...guess we'll have to hunt down the other one to get our questions answered..." Gryffin thought.
Guillaume: Initial Assault, Round 03
i see one of the goblins farthest to the east hurl a javelin. it gave an insidious laugh at the chaos it had brought. it was toying with us. blessed be corellon. at least this goblin appeared to be retreating. the more reason that i suspect that all this ruckus could just be a diversion of some kind. i quickly look back at the temple and wondered what was going on inside. stolen treasures maybe.
"flank!" i heard a singular and stern command in elven speak and then i realized that it was directed at me. it was the noble dragon born. he must have thought that i am an elf. a common mistake amongst peoples of this world for without question, we of the eladrin race are close cousins to the elves.
how i could miss this oppurtunity to indeed flank the goblin between me and the champion of pelor. but i could not ignore the imminent threat from the other goblin to my right. i had to make a quick decision. pray to corellon that it be the right one.
i shift forward to flank just as the noble dragon born had suggested.
i murmur a fervent prayer to corellon. a sudden blast of white radiance emanates from my torso from which the holy symbol of my deity lay.
::cast divine glow::
my eyes were shut from prayer but i felt one of the goblins fell from the burning light. i didnt mind taking the blows the goblins exacted at me for i had gained firm resolve.
i willed another prayer to put an end to the remaining goblin. ::cast
sacred flame:: confident. i open my eyes in triumph but i was met with
an angrier still living goblin. defendez-vous!
-
the goblin warrior was busy fighting with the big lizard man in front of it when it senses another presence behind it. it turned around just to be hit by a bright light that sears its eyes.
the pale skin is using magic. goblins have no use for magic.
it hears the pale skin murmuring once more so it takes a stab at it hoping to kill it before it could finish its magic. as soon as it turns its back on the paladin, however, another bright light hits the goblin sending into a frenzy. even in it's weakened state, it curses and snarls before it jumps and thrusts its spear deep into the pale skin's stomach.
Goblin Warriors: Initial Assault, Round 03
The goblin which Arao attacked is furious that the big lizard creature is hurting its eyes with such blinding light. Being creatures used to living in dark places, such bright light is uncommon to it. It thus retaliates with the only means that it knows how – shouts curses in its native tongue at the dragonborn and to stab the source of its pain with its spear. Still reeling from the last blow it received, however, it misses its target.
As loud as that warrior is shouting, the other goblin however is keeping quiet. His companion now is dead with two arrows sticking out of its body. To make things more difficult for it, it now faces two opponents - the armoured one which swung at it with a sword and the other one which was shooting the deadly arrows. It quickly makes a decision and runs for it.
But not before hurling a javelin back at one of its opponents just to make sure they don't follow it. The shot flies true and hits the half-elf squarely in the chest. This causes the goblin to cry out in triumph, laughs and shout out what one can only assume to be profanities that only such a foul mouthed creature as it can come up with before running completely out and away from the grounds.
Jarek: Initial Assault, Round 03
I watched as the strange Lizardman breathe a cone of searing fire over the goblins and the makeshift booth. Somehow the attackers have managed to evade the flames and continued their attacks on the town.
"This is my fault," I muttered. These invaders had cause so much mayhem and destruction. I should have warned the guards. These goblins wouldn't have reached the town if I called for help.
"Jarek!" Gryffn shouted. The young eladrin looked badly beaten up. His fine silken robe was covered in dust and blood. "How could these monsters slip into town unnotice? Where are the guards?"
"Probably fighting other goblins," I answered back. I looked at the magic weilder and frowned. "You better take it easy, you look winded."
The eladrin gave a brief nod. "I'll keep watch here, you go help the other warriors."
I drew out two arrows and readied one on my bow. "Be on guard," I cautioned him and rushed into battle.
Taking a deep breath, I banished all my doubts and fears and rushed towards the burning stall. I quickly spotted one of the goblins who suvived the lizard man's breath attack and released my first arrow.
The missle zoomed through the battlefield with a low humming buzz, striking on my target's throat. I immediately readied my second arrow and fired it at the same goblin just to be sure.
Lloyd: Initial Assault, Round 02
Lloyd notices that the group of defenders are finally gaining the upper hand. Jarek, Gryffin and the dragonborn managed to bring down the numbers of the goblins. Still the fight is taking its toll on them.
“We’ve got them on the run!” Lloyd shouts hoping to rally his companions.
He then runs and follows the path that the goblins took to run away from the eladrin wizard’s spell. The half-elf catches them by the now burned fortune telling table. He takes a swing at one of the goblins hoping to leave his adversary exposed to an imminent attack from one of his closest allies. The goblin however is move agile than he expected and easily dodged his swing and even manages to move away from him.
Goblin Cutters: Initial Assault, Round 02
The sudden eruption of fire in the middle of the grounds seems to have sent the goblins into frenzy. The lone remaining goblin cutter danced as the fire engulfed its companions; laughing as one of them desperately tries to put out the fire.
When the burnt form of its companion stops twitching, that’s the only time the goblin looks around and tries to find a new target. It ignores the dragonborn hoping to see another fire display so it charges and jumps the fruit stalls to get towards it new target. It takes it a while as it clambers over the melons but once it’s done it gives out a triumphant cry and jumps down the eladrin below it.
Arao: Initial Assault, Round 02
Out of the corner of his eye, Arao spied a group of goblins near him bunched together after being thrown by the sonic wave. With ears still ringing, he shifted his bulky frame a tad closer to the bunch and faced them. Willing up the ancient power known to his kind, a bright red flame began to flicker from his mouth and he blasted it out with a resounding "Fira-aahhh". Three goblins were in the range of the blast -- two managed to use some strewn chairs as cover from the fire and escaped unscathed, but the one at the corner could not find any cover at all and caught the blaze full on, collapsing in a toasted lifeless heap.
Arao then turned towards the goblin beside him. "Don't worry my dear foe, I haven't forgotten you." A pale yellow sphere formed above its head, marking him divinely. "Enfeebling Strike!" Arao chopped his battleaxe onto the goblin, and had the satisfaction of feeling it bite through bone and sinew.
Gryffin: Initial Assault, Round 02
Gryffin creates a whip-crack of sonic power that lashes up from the ground sending three goblins back and eventually killing one.
Guillaume: Initial Assault, Round 02
the goblins near the summoned guardian had retreated. honorless creatures. i thought. what is the motivation behind this attack. it could just be a diversion judging by it's progress. where was father zanthus? i looked around and see the priest helping the other townsfolk. it couldn't be him.
the goblin in front of me seems occupied with the noble dragonborn. i am distraught over the chaos. i looked over at the faint outline of the holy guardian summoned earlier. it just stood there regal but emotionless. i almost willed it to pursue the escaping goblins. or have it approach the goblins making there way towards me. but thought better of it.
i made a step back or two and prayed fervently for corellon's intercession once again. a shaft of divine light solidifies in front of me. cast ::lance of faith::
i commanded it to attack the immediate threat. the goblin sidesteps the lance unscathed.
i was furious. how could i miss so close a target? i was swaying my head at disagreement of the situation. when i take notice of the stack of swords beside me. a weapons stall.
i grab a long sword and gave thanks to corellon.
Goblin Warriors: Initial Assault, Round 02
Goblins are known for their delight for mayhem and destruction. Unlike their more mischievous dogslicer wielding cousins which are more inclined for mayhem, the goblin warriors however are more inclined on destruction.
The goblin which was facing off with Jarek (and is now surrounded by the paladin and the clerical eladrin) continues it attack. It take the goblin a while at it stares at the towering form of the dragonborn. It then lets out a laugh and a shout before it stabs at its new opponent with its spear. It manages to hit Arao’s shoulder.
The other goblin hears its cohort’s shout and moves to likewise partake in the fun. It runs towards the fortune telling table (not mindful of the shards of the shattered crystal ball on the ground) and from this position pulls out another javelin and takes its own shot at the imposing dragonborn which likewise hits the same previously hit shoulder.
Goblins have not much use of magic, preferring the use of scavenged materials to create weapons which they could easily wield in their raids and in combat. Thus when the eladrin wizard unleashed the first wave of thunder both goblins which were surprised at the powerlessness of the spell. However, when the second wave hit they were terrified and decided to run, scrabbling over the pile of carpets to get away. But not without throwing their javelins at their new attacker.
Jarek: Initial Assault, Round 02
I struggled to maintain my stand as the javelin struck my leg. The impact of the weapon almost threw me off ground, but I managed to hold my guard as more goblins advanced.
"Why are they attacking us?" I spat out the question. These creatures were everywhere at once. How can we defeat them?
"Steady human. The Sun shall renew your vigor." A strange looking lizard-man approached me. The creature carried a large battleaxe and the holy symbol of Pelor hung on its neck. The lizard-man laid its hand on my shoulder, and a bright warm flickering aura engulfed me for a moment, closing some of my wounds.
"Thanks for the prayer," I muttered. But we need more than prayers to survive this attack.
Before I could talk to the lizard man, another goblin came flying towards me. It held a large metal dagger, poised to stab me in the chest. Unfortunately, the creature's attack fell short and I quickly evaded its crude blade.
These creatures are either cocky or slow-witted, I thought to myself. They seem to be disorganized and are not that trained in battle. Maybe we can use this to our advantage.
"Jarek!" A familiar voice rang through the battlefield. I glanced towards the back and saw Lloyd laughing.
"Don't tell me you're going to let these puny goblins get the better of you!" The young man taunted. "I've seen you shoot wild boar with much more fight in it than these guys. Or is it possible you've gone rusty with your archery skills with all that time you're spending with old Shalelu frolicking in the woods?"
"I'm just getting warmed up!" I shouted back. "Quit your yapping and help us out!"
The goblins' laughter quickly died down as they saw the huge lizard man raise his battleaxe.
I took several steps back from my enemies, hoping to gain better striking position. The goblins were too distracted to notice my sudden departure. I managed to fall back a few meters and gain some leverage.
Raising my bow, I fired another shot at the goblin who tried to stab me.
[OOC] Converting Your Character: The Player’s Handbook v. 3.5
Barbarian Most barbarians fit best into the great weapon fighter build (p76), though barbarians wielding a pair of weapons should instead consider the two-blade ranger build (p104). Note that the former build slots you into the defender role and the latter into the striker role, so be sure you're happy with the destination. Either way, feat selection can also be useful in helping recreate your former identity. For example, Power Attack is still good for the greataxe-wielding barbarian, while Toughness replicates your d12 Hit Dice. Fleet-footed gives back some of your speed boost, and Blood Thirst certainly feels appropriate for the savage barbarian. 4th Edition doesn't yet offer a rage mechanic to mimic the 3E barbarian's iconic class feature, so you and your DM will need to get a little creative if you want to retain that flavor. For example, perhaps once you use Power Attack, you can't stop using it until the end of the fight (but it gives you an extra +1 damage). Or perhaps you can just announce at any time: "I'm taking +4 melee damage at the cost of -2 AC for the rest of the encounter." Whatever you come up with, keep it simple and easy to use… and keep your eyes open for barbarian class previews on D&D Insider later this year. Bard In 4th Edition terms, the bard would likely be an arcane leader: that is, a character who uses arcane spells to keep his comrades healthy and boost their combat efficiency. The 4E Player's Handbook doesn't offer a perfect translation of this character—the 4E bard is slated for future publication—so you have two basic options: Cleric The cleric is one of those 3rd Edition classes that had the ability to cover multiple roles—sometimes simultaneously—which means 4th Edition had a mandate to bring the class in line with the other characters of the party. No longer can your 4E cleric tank as well as a fighter, blast as well as a wizard, and still heal better than anyone else in the game; in other words, be prepared to give up some of that super-versatility (believe me, the rest of the players in your group will appreciate it). As leaders, 4E clerics are now defined first and foremost by their ability to support the entire party via healing and buffing. That said, clerics haven't given up the ability to stand up to attacks or blast the monsters—they just don't overshadow their comrades when they do so. The traditional, "generic" cleric of 3E matches most closely to the devoted cleric build (p61) in the 4th Edition Player's Handbook, which focuses on keeping your allies healthy and optimized. If your cleric prefers to mix it up in melee with the monsters, you should choose the battle cleric build (p61); or, alternatively, one of the paladin builds if you want to move formally into the defender role. Druid The druid's still waiting for her big debut on the 4th Edition stage… so until then, you're probably best off reimagining your character as a cleric of a nature-friendly deity (such as Corellon, Melora, Pelor, or Sehanine) and choosing either the battle cleric or devoted cleric build (p61). This still leaves a lot of druid class features out of your grasp, but with your DM's permission, any or all of the following tweaks might help you retain some of your druidic flavor: Fighter It's easy to assume that your 3E fighter should just use the new 4E version of the class, but before you do that you should ask yourself about your preferred style of play. Does your fighter stand in the middle of the fight, taking on every monster that comes his way, relying on his high AC and hit points to see him through? If so, then you sound like a traditional defender, and you should choose either the great weapon fighter or guardian fighter build (p76), depending on whether you wield a two-handed weapon or a weapon and shield. On the other hand, if you built your fighter to be a high Dexterity, two-weapon-wielding engine of destruction, you might be happier using the two-blade ranger build (p104) than either of those fighter builds. And if you're one of those fighters who disdained melee combat entirely in favor of a good ranged weapon, then the archer ranger (p104) is your likely best bet. It's even possible that the brawny rogue build (p117) might be the optimal choice for you (particularly if you also picked up a couple levels of rogue along the way). Monk At a glance, the player with a 3E monk might think that he's out of luck until the 4E monk releases—there's no unarmored, unarmed melee fighter option anywhere in the Player's Handbook. However, with your DM's permission you can create a martial-arts striker who captures much of the monk's style by following this process: This doesn't faithfully recreate every element of the 3E monk, but it's definitely a reasonable stopgap if you're really committed to sticking with the character. Feel free to experiment with additional tweaks, and by all means please share your results on the D&D message boards! Paladin Of all the classes in 3rd Edition, the paladin might be happiest to see his new incarnation in the 4E Player's Handbook. Gone is the weak nod to divine spellcasting, replaced by the wide variety of divine smites and smashes that now define the class. That's not to say that you're a one-track defender; you still have lay on hands, and a range of utility and daily powers retain just enough of the classic paladin's "backup leader" flavor. Your ability array will point you either to the avenging paladin (high Strength) or the protecting paladin (high Charisma) build (p90). If your 3E paladin felt more like a leader than a defender, the battle cleric build (p61) might be more your speed… or maybe you just need the Initiate of the Faith and a couple of power swap multiclass feats (p209) to gain cleric powers in place of your paladin prayers. There's no option for a paladin's mount in the Player's Handbook; instead we gave the paladin a few utility powers that can move him across the battlefield quickly to his allies' aid (such as benign transposition, radiant charge, and angelic intercession). Ranger Just as in 3rd Edition, the 4E ranger offers two distinct combat styles, making it easy for you to identify the right build for you. If you favored two-weapon fighting, take the two-blade ranger build (p104); archers should select the archer ranger build (p104). However, 4th Edition intentionally removed two familiar but decidedly second-tier ranger class features—spellcasting and the animal companion. The ranger now sits firmly alongside the fighter and rogue as a non-spellcaster, and he doesn't bring along four-legged cannon fodder. You can recapture some of the divine spellcasting flavor of your previous ranger (assuming you gained enough ranger levels for spellcasting to be noticeable). Pick up Initiate of the Faith (for one healing word per day) and one or more power swap feats (p209) for other cleric powers. There's no option in the Player's Handbook for a ranger animal companion, however… but rangers missing their pets should check out the Martial Power sourcebook, releasing October 2008. Rogue Most 3E rogues fit very easily into the 4E rogue class, choosing either the brawny rogue or trickster rogue build (p117) based on their ability scores and skill preferences—the former for high Strength, climbing and jumping rogues, the latter for high Charisma, fast talking rogues. That said, there are some viable 3E rogue builds that fit better into the 4E ranger class. If your rogue wields two weapons, you can either choose feats to support that style or go whole-hog by using the two-blade ranger build (p104). And if the whole idea of melee combat repulses you, the archer ranger build (p104) is probably more your speed. (In either case, a few multiclass rogue feats (p209) will help you recapture your sneaky identity.) Sorcerer Beyond their mechanical methods of gaining and expending spells, the sorcerer and the wizard effectively did the same thing—drawing from the same spell list, for example—and thus you face the same decisions as the wizard player does (see the Wizard, below). Unlike the wizard, however, it should be easier for you to identify your character's spell preferences since you've been using the same subset of spells over and over again for most of your career. Wizard Yes, you have a new version of your class in the Player's Handbook… but that doesn't mean you'll be able to translate every single one of your spells. Like a few other classes, the 4E wizard has a narrower range of power options than the 3rd Edition wizard. Some of these powers are coming later (summoning and illusions, for example), while others simply aren't appropriate for the character role. Wizards don't have a lot of party-buffing spells, for example; that's more appropriate for leaders than for controllers. Taking those spells off the wizard list helps keep that class from overshadowing other characters in the party (see the Cleric, above). If your 3E wizard focused on area-damage spells such as fireball, lightning bolt, and cone of cold, the war wizard build (p157) is for you. On the other hand, if you preferred spells that hampered your enemies' ability to move freely and act effectively (such as ray of enfeeblement, stinking cloud, and slow), you're better off with the control wizard build (p157). Some 3E wizards might actually find the warlock class more to their liking—particularly if they fancy themselves more as "single-target killers" than battlefield controllers. If your 3E wizard is defined by his scorching ray, vampiric touch, enervation, and similar one-target ranged attacks, check out either the scourge warlock or deceptive warlock build (p130).
Lloyd: Initial Assault, Round 01
Things are not looking good. We’re being surrounded by the goblins. We better do something and regroup.
Lloyd looks around and takes stock of his companions.
Jarek and Gryffin have been hurt in the initial attack. At least that new cleric was able to do something for Gryffin’s wounds.
“Jarek!” Lloyd shouts over to his friend. “Don’t tell me you’re going to let these puny goblins get the better of you! I’ve seen you shoot wild boar with much more fight in it than these guys. Or is it possible you’ve gone rusty with your archery skills with all that time you’re spending with old Shalelu frolicking in the woods? He he. ”
Lloyd notices Jarek smirk and laugh back at the comment. The jibe seems to have brought the ranger back into fighting condition.
With that the half-elf runs between Ameiko’s and the fruit stalls taking care not to slip on any of the salmon and fruits that seem to have littered the grounds.
Gryffin’s spellcasting seem to have greatly improved. That thunder spell threw those goblins back and hopefully has likewise taken the fight out of them. Ameiko’s not going to like it though. Still, it couldn’t be helped and for now someone has to make sure that our flank’s covered.
Lloyd manages to reach the lead goblin and slashes it with his long sword.
Goblin Cutters: Initial Assault, Round 01
Goblins are such strange creatures.
Chaos has erupted in the festival grounds and the goblins are having fun because of it. The fact that one of them has already been killed by one of the tall ones seems to have been forgotten. In fact, the goblin nearest to it takes its time to check on its fallen comrade’s belongings and take it for itself.
Two other goblins which were laughing on the ground finally decide to join the fray. Both of them charge. They run up to the fortune telling table and hastily clamber up on it causing the crystal ball to bounce off and shatter as it falls on the ground.
This causes the goblins to once more go into a fit of laughter which causes one of them to go off balance and topples the chair it is standing on and itself falling prone on the ground.
The remaining goblins, laughs at its companion’s folly and looks around fir its target. It spots the tall human with the bow and jumps at it with its makeshift knife.
Its flies thru the air but its short legs can only take it so far; it lands short and brings down its knife just inches away from the ranger’s chest.
Arao: Initial Assault, Round 01
Arao bounded purposely beside the heavily wounded woodsman. "Steady human. The Sun shall renew your vigor." He laid his hand on the ranger's shoulder, and a bright warm flickering aura engulfed Jarek for a moment, closing some of his wounds. Done with the healing, Arao turned and faced the leering goblin. "You have disturbed the peace and caused harm and suffering," he said evenly. Letting the goblin read his action, Arao swung his battleaxe in a slow and deliberate vertical slash that the monster dodge with ease. Splinters from the cracked cobblestones flew as the battleaxe solidly came in contact with the ground. "I will be your opponent now."
Gryffin: Initial Assault, Round 01
Gryffin pressed his hand on the gaping wound left by the Goblins' slashes. He knew he would be overtaken by weakness soon. He had to do something, but he felt helpless against the two twisted creatures.
Then, from the corner of his eye he saw a flicker of movement on his right.
He saw a fellow Eladrin brandishing the symbol of Corellon.
"Thank the Gods!" He thought.
He next felt the warmth of the cleric's healing prayer as his wounds began to stop bleeding.
Barely a moment passed and the cleric intoned another prayer, this time a glowing figure with Corellon's symbol emblazoned on it's large shield appeared between him and the cleric.
"I have to get away..."
No sooner had the thought entered his mind then he suddenly found himself a few steps away from his attackers.
"...not far enough..."
Remembering something from one of his books, Gryffin clutched his staff and focused.
A whiplike crack followed by a shimmering wave of energy flew from his outstretched arms towards the goblins.
"...did I...I did it!"
The Goblins paused in fear as the wave of light flew toward them. The little monsters shut their eyes to brace for the impact.
The wave passed over the fruit stand and over the Goblins' diminutive forms...harmlessly.
"What? ...that was supposed to push them back!"
This made the Goblins cackle in glee.
Fear welled up in Gryffin as the goblins leered at him. They reminded him of mishappen hungry children with faces utterly twisted by evil and malice.
"No!"
"I don't want to die here!" Gryffin thought, as a chill began to weaken his knees.
The Goblin's shrill voices giggled and hissed and they seemed to start singing a rhyme. They began to climb Ameiko's fruitstand. They clambered over apples and oranges, stuffing fruit into their jaws all the while trying to sing as they moved toward Gryffin.
Goblins slash and goblins bump.
Burn the skin and mash the head,
Goblins here and you be dead!
"They're...they're mocking me?!?" With that thought fear gave way to determination as Gryffin's head reeled in anger.
A crack like the sound of a whip snapped from his open palm this time. Again a shimmering wave of energy flew towards the goblins.
The Goblins only leered as they met the wave head on - only to be blown back as they are hit with the force of a great tide.
* * *
Guy senses the determination flow from his fellow eladrin as the latter once more casts the thunder spell. He holds his holy symbol tightly and utters a short prayer to Corellon while at the same time focusing on the feeling and channeling it unto himself. His eyes glow for a second and in at the same time it takes him to blink he appears somewhere else in the battlefield.
(refresh the photo to view the animation again)
Guillaume: Initial Assault, Round 01
Guy was startled at the deluge of goblins. These infernal creatures have but one thing in mind. The temple treasures. His thoughts are on those people who will get hurt or possibly die. He sees several of the festival guests been pinned to death with javelins.
He immediately notices and responds to a fellow eladrin who is being overrun with spears and javelins.
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Goblins: Initial Assault, Round 01
Upon seeing their companion falls lifeless on the ground with an arrow sticking out of its chest, two of the goblins give out a cry of anger. They haven’t even looked around yet for the source of the attack before another one of them finds itself likewise attacked. Shouting in anger, the closest one charges the human with the bow with his spear. The goblin jumps onto the candy stall and manages to jump at and stab Jarek at his shoulder.
The other goblin, races across the grounds and over its fallen companion. It crouches low and pulls out one of its javelin. It waits until the ranger is distracted by its cohort before throwing the weapon at the human. It manages to score another hit at Jarek’s leg causing the human to be heavily wounded.
Meanwhile, the goblins at Ameiko’s stall gleefully attack their seemingly unarmed victim. The lead goblin gives a shout as he attacks the pretty pale skin. Caught by surprise, Gryffin tries to fend off the vicious attack fend the attack by raising his staff but even thru it, the goblins still manage to score a hit or two. 
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Jarek: Initial Assault, Round 01
It's been six months since I finished my apprenticeship with Ranger Shalelu Andosana (who is now retired and runs ‘The Goblin Squash Stables’) and I've grown used to living in the forest. The old woodsman has assigned me a portion of the forest to guard and patrol. The whole town has been on the edge ever since the things that happened five years ago. Belor Hemlock hired Andosana to train some of the local warriors to help patrol the woods, and protect the town against any invaders or inhuman monsters prowling the forest.
Andosana is a respected forester and a strict teacher. Only three of the twelve recruits survived his grueling training sessions. I was one of the three fortunate to be initiated to the ways of the ranger.
As soon as we finished our training, Andosana quickly assigned us our posts. He told us that there monsters have been prowling the woods more frequently, and he was afraid that these creatures might slip through town. He gave each of us vast tracks of forested land to watch over, and a horn to signal him and the townsfolk if there were any invaders who would breach the town's borders.
I have been patrolling the forest for over a week when I got a message from Andosana, saying that there was a troupe of creatures travelling through the woods, and probably headed towards the town. I was tasked to follow these creatures' trail and try to figure out what they wanted.
I followed the monsters' trails and to my surprise, they were headed towards town. In my excitement, I forgot to signal Andosana and the others with my horn. I wasn't sure what these creatures were, and I didn't want to alert my comrades without finding out whom they were.
Now things have gotten worse.
These creatures turned out to be goblins, out to attack the town during the Shadowtail Festival. They passed thru from the forest and into town by the Northern Gates. I didn't have time to ponder why the gates would have been left open as I quickly raced after them.
I arrived in the makeshift festival grounds as one of the goblins beheaded a stray dog and threw its head onto the crowd, startling the people.
"Goblins!" I shouted at the crowd.
I quickly drew out my bow, knocked a couple of arrows, and aimed at one of the creatures.
* * *
Jarek manages to catch one of the goblins in mid jump with his first arrow. The goblin falls down dead on the ground causing its companions to stop with their antics and look for the source of their companion's demise. Even before they can act, Jarek manages to fire another arrow at the goblin closes to him. This time he only manages to wound it.
Goblins: Initial Assault, Round 00
There is chaos all around. Goblin yells, insane snatches of lyrics, shrieking people fleeing, and the scream of a child.
From behind carts and vendor stalls four more goblins come out of hiding. These four looks a bit different from the previous four which were spotted earlier. Instead of crude short swords, the new arrivals wield spears and carry javelins.
They seem to be distracted (and happy) by the chaos happening around them. Two of the initial four goblins, the ones near the sacks and barrels, are jumping up and down, shouting obscenities at the fleeing people. The two goblins with them pull out their javelins and pepper the crowd with them. One of them, however, spots the tall human shouting at the crowd and manages to hit Jarek with a thrown javelin.
The goblins just south of them are rolling on the ground laughing at the antics of their companions.
The pair near Ameiko’s stall is stealthily making their way thru the crowd and almost bumps into Gryffin. The nearest goblin winks at him, grins and moves to attack.
The Swallowtail Festival
The Swallowtail Festival
A stage has been set up in front of the cathedral and a woman with short auburn hair stands in the center. Behind her sit four wooden chairs, three of them occupied. As the crowd notices her, a hush descends and all eyes turn to the stage. She smiles and begins to speak:
"Welcome! As many of you know, my name is Kendra Deverin and I am proud to serve as mayor of this fine town. It's wonderful to see so many of you here to join us on this proud day. I'd like to extend my welcome to the many new faces I see in the crowd. I hope you all are enjoying your stay here in Sandpoint and especially if it is your first visit here I sincerely hope that you're having a wonderful time. And to all of the old faces I see today, thank you for coming and thank you for everything that each of you has done to keep this town strong in recent years. I see that even Larz Rovanky has torn himself away from work to join us today! It is truly a miracle from Avandra herself! [There is quite a bit of laughter and many eyes are turned to a serious looking man dressed in all leather and wearing a sour expression on his face. Kendra waves to him and continues.] Without further ado, let me introduce your Sheriff, Belor Hemlock!"
A dour looking Shoanti wearing a worn breastplate and a longsword belted at his waist stands and walks to the center of the stage. His head is shaved and he his eyes are constantly moving about the crowd. He shakes the Mayor's hand and begins to speak.
"Thank you Mayor. Even in the heat of celebration, let us not forget the sad events that brought us to this day. And also let us not forget the souls that were lost five years ago. I would like you to all join me in a moment of silence to remember the lives that were lost in the fire that claimed our previous chapel on that fateful night. [The Sheriff lowers his head and the crowd joins him, many of them quite awkwardly as the silence persists. After the moment is over, the Sheriff raises his head and begins to speak again.] In remembering let us also not allow these events to repeat themselves. I am of the understanding that a bonfire is planned for tonight. I urge you all to observe caution during this event. [he clears his throat and smiles awkwardly] And ummm... Enjoy yourselves. Let me introduce the next speaker; give your attention to Cyrdak Drokkus, proprietor of the local theatre."
He nods to the crowd and walks back to his chair, passing the next speaker who is already on his way up to the center-stage. This man is quite a contrast to the Sheriff; he is brightly dressed, sports a well-groomed goatee, and seems to be thoroughly enjoying the day. As he reaches the center stage he loosens his collar a bit, winks into the crowd and starts to talk:
"Well, thank you Sheriff for that uplifting oratory. Now I know this town has been through some hard times, but look at what we've accomplished [He motions towards the church.] And I'm telling you, they spared no expense with this place. Father Zantus' chamber pot? Solid gold. I kid you not; our generous nobles put a pretty copper into the construction of this joint. I think the Churches even chipped in silver or two! I even heard a rumor that all of the Gods got together and scrounged up four gold pieces to help get this thing built! But don't take it from me, the Padre over here is the one with the direct line, he's the one you want to hear from! But before I let him get things going I'd like to take this opportunity to extend my personal invitation to each and every one of you to the new production of "The Harpy's Curse" starring the world-famous Magnimarian diva Allishanda as Avisera the harpy queen! It's all premiering tomorrow evening at the Sandpoint Theatre and it is going to be fab-u-lous! And now join me in a bit of applause for his holiness himself, Father Zantus!"
The crowd cheers as Cyrdak motions Zantus to the center stage. The young priest looks noticedly abashed at the reception set up for him. He wears the traditional ceremonial robes of a priest of Avandra and a shiny silver holy symbol about his neck. He smiles and tries to calm the crowd down, eventually speaking when the applause has subsided:
"Ahem, thank you. Thank you ,Cyrdak. And thank all of you for coming to join us on this most Holy day. Today is a day of new beginnings so without boring you with long speeches, I declare the Swallowtail Festival officially underway!"
And so the festivities begin. People give out cheers that seem to be half joy and perhaps half release. This is a new dawn for Sandpoint after The Late Unpleasantness (the term locals use to refer to the brutal serial killings of Chopper, and then the later fire that destroyed the old temple and much of the north eastern section of town). Drinks start flowing, food barrels get cracked open, and people mill around, looking to share their joy.
Swallowtail Release
At noon, as the new cathedral bell strikes for the first time, Father Zantus leads a small procession of his acolytes out into the square. A large Shoanti follows the procession, pulling a large covered wagon (with some help from the more junior acolytes.
Everyone quietens down again, as Father Zantus mounts the small stage once again to recount a short parable of how Avandra first fell to earth and was nursed back to health by a blind child who she transformed into an immortal butterfly as a reward for her aid. As he finishes his speech, his acolytes pull back the wagon's cover, letting loose what appears to be a thousand children of Avandra, a whirling, fluttering, swarming wave of Swallowtail butterflies.
An almighty cheer rises up amongst the crowd, as young children immediately dart and scurry off after the butterflies. As you watch the joyful scene, you notice that no matter how close the children come to catching the butterflies, they never quite manage.
Lunch
Despite the entire morning having already seemingly been spent in lazy consumption, the best was yet to come. As the butterfly wagon is rolled out of the square, a small flurry of activity takes place, as all of the town's taverns set out their massive spreads of food, ALL FREE!
Roast chickens, lobster chowder, an entire roasted venison (hot, hot, hot peppery skin), and the most amazing curry-spiced salmon (from Ameiko Kaijitsu).
Consecration
As the sun begins to set, Fathur Zantus, looking tired, but with a massive grin spread across his face, steps once again onto the stage. Quite a portion of the crowd is getting tipsy by now, and Zantus, having realised that this might be the case, reaches into his robes to retrieve a thunderstone to get everyone's attention and get them to cease talking for a few moments. Children are still running around the stalls, getting tangled up in adults’ legs, high to the eyeballs on sugared apples and dried cherries. A few early-bloomers lie slumped already in blissful states of inebriation (blissful until the morning, at least).
Father Zantus raises his hand, holding the thunderstone aloft, and then throws it at his feet.
A sharp retort, like the crack of distant thunder, slices through the excited crowd as the sun's setting rays paint the western sky. A stray dog that has crawled under a nearby wagon to sleep starts awake, and the buzz of two dozen conversations quickly hushes as all heads turn toward the central stage.
He clears his throat, takes a breath to speak the prayer of consecration, and suddenly a woman's scream slices through the air.
A few moments later another scream rises, and then another. Beyond them a sudden surge of strange voices rises - high pitched, tittering shrieks and sounds not quite human.
The crowd parts and something low to the ground races by, giggling with disturbed glee as the stray dog gives a pained yelp and then collapses to the ground. The little thing is upon it, seeming to hack and slash with abandon, and then a few seconds later it is up, holding the dog's head in its tiny hands like a trophy. A goblin!
The little monster takes the dog's head by one ear, spins it round and round, before losing it at Father Zantus. It hits the stage with a dull crunch, spraying tendrils of blood up the fine robes of the shocked priest.
As blood drips from the stage, and the little goblin darts from view amidst the confusion of running people, the raucous sound of a strange song begins, chanted from shrill, scratchy voices.
* * *
It is a few seconds since the goblin disappeared.
Guil, you were standing near the edge of the stage, hanging back and minding your own business.
Gryffin, you were near the food stalls, trying to persuade Ameiko to give you the last piece of salmon. You stepped forward during the commotion and are now 15 foot from the stage.
Arao, you were right in front of the stage, ready to observe the prayer.
Lloyd, was standing just behind two kids when the goblin ran past after the dog. His instinct was to give chase, but you were delayed a little as the kids started to turn and flee. He is now are just 5 foot behind Gryffin.
Jarek, you got caught up in the melee of fleeing bodies, and are in the middle of a rapidly emptying square.
Please all roll perception checks! Also roll initiative. The game has started...