Author Topic: Goblin Arrows (IC Thread)  (Read 18547 times)

Offline Agita

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Goblin Arrows (IC Thread)
« on: August 29, 2017, 06:20:00 AM »
In the city of Neverwinter, a dwarf named Gundren Rockseeker asked you to bring a wagon load of provisions to the rough-and-tumble settlement of Phandalin, a couple of days' travel southeast of the city. Gundren was clearly excited and more than a little secretive about his reasons for the trip, saying only that he and his brothers had found "something big," and that he'd pay you ten gold pieces each for escorting
his supplies safely to Barthen's Provisions, a trading post in Phandalin. He then set out ahead of you on horse, along with a bodyguard named Sildar Haliwinter, saying he needed to arrive early to "take care of business."

You've spent the last few days following the High Road south from Neverwinter, and you've just recently veered east along the Triboar Trail. You've encountered no trouble so far, but this territory can be dangerous. Bandits and outlaws have been known to lurk along the trail.

You've been on the Triboar Trail for about half a day. As you come around a bend, you spot two dead horses sprawled about fifty feet ahead of you, blocking the path. Each has several black-feathered arrows sticking out of it. The woods press close to the trail here, with a steep embankment and dense thickets on either side. The wagon won't be able to easily pass by unless the carcasses are moved. At the pace you've been keeping, you should be able to reach Phandalin by sundown or a bit after, but you might end up having to camp out if you're held up for very long here.

What do you do?

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Offline Nanshork

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Re: Goblin Arrows (IC Thread)
« Reply #1 on: August 29, 2017, 11:08:06 AM »
Pieron curses himself for not having spotted the dead horses first, he had been scouting around the wagon and hadn't been up front when there was finally something to see.  Arrows in the horses meant action, and action was why he was hired (that and a good knowledge of the area).  Pieron had been hired for jobs like this before, and as his reputation is all he has left he makes sure he is known for doing the job well.

He quickly moves to the front of the group to examine the horses, drawing a javelin because he expects this to be an ambush.

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Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Goblin Arrows (IC Thread)
« Reply #2 on: August 30, 2017, 06:59:04 AM »
"We'd best be careful, don't want to get caught by whatever did these poor buggers in." Kovoir stood up in the wagon seat, using the extra height to peer down at the carnage arrayed before them. "You need a hand shifting all that out of the way? It's damn terrible to do, but we've got goods and a deadline. And ambushers I don't want to meet."

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Offline ketaro

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Re: Goblin Arrows (IC Thread)
« Reply #3 on: August 30, 2017, 07:29:45 AM »
Peering over the dwarf's shoulder from the back of the wagon, the eccentrically dressed gnome of the party chimes in, "Wasteofsomegoodhorsesforsure."

Offline Agita

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Re: Goblin Arrows (IC Thread)
« Reply #4 on: August 30, 2017, 05:48:37 PM »
Judging from the state and smell of the carcasses, it's been about a day since the horses died. Though the suspicious Pieron looks around warily, he sees no trace of any ambushers. It's only when his expectations seem to have proven false that they become true: Two small, lean shapes dart out of the foliage, snarling and brandishing short, wickedly curved swords and round wooden shields: Goblins! The creatures leap from the embankments on either side to land next to Pieron, one on a dead horse and another on the road, and slash at his legs and weapon arm. The lower goblin draws a long bloody gash in his thigh while he fends off the one on the horse.

Zuzie and Kovoir on the wagon, however, find that these two are not the only ambushers when an arrow shoots out of the foliage just as their attention has been pulled to the road in front of them - a third ambusher, this one armed with a crude shortbow! The arrow audibly glances off Kovoir's armor and whips past Zuzie's shoulder to land harmlessly in the wagon. It is black-feathered, just like the arrows that killed the horses.

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Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Goblin Arrows (IC Thread)
« Reply #5 on: August 31, 2017, 07:42:07 PM »
Kovoir dropped off the side wagon, taking cover from the archery fire, then carving a rune in the air. The searing bolt sailed wide, aimed at one of the goblins attacking Pieron.

Offline Agita

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Re: Goblin Arrows (IC Thread)
« Reply #6 on: September 02, 2017, 07:04:21 AM »
The bolt of fire goes wide, scorching a mark into the escarpment next to the melee, but it certainly gets the ambushers' attention. The goblins cry "Booyahg! Booyahg!" to each other and make hasty motions in the dwarf's direction, and one of them takes advantage of Pieron's leg wound to slip past him and charge Kovoir. Its long knife meets the dwarf's mailed arm.

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Offline ketaro

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Re: Goblin Arrows (IC Thread)
« Reply #7 on: September 03, 2017, 04:59:25 PM »
The gnome follows suit after the dwarf and rolls out of the cart to land behind Kovoir, then dancing around him to move up to the goblin harassing him and taking a jab at it with her rapier.

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Offline Nanshork

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Re: Goblin Arrows (IC Thread)
« Reply #8 on: September 03, 2017, 07:51:49 PM »
Pieron doesn't hide like his cowardly companions, he relishes combat.  First, he throws his javelin at the archer but misses.  He then grabs his maul and brings it to bear against the goblin in front of him.

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Offline Agita

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Re: Goblin Arrows (IC Thread)
« Reply #9 on: September 04, 2017, 06:54:08 AM »
The goblin up on the escarpment ducks under the thrown javelin, and when Pieron readies his maul, the other is suddenly within his reach, and its knife finds the warrior's flank. Blood flows, but Pieron is not yet down, and he manages to dodge a black-feathered arrow from the sniper, who proceeds to scurry into the brushes and hide.

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Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Goblin Arrows (IC Thread)
« Reply #10 on: September 05, 2017, 12:41:28 AM »
Kovoir swings at his assailant, but the gods are not with him today, and he almost twists himself into a knot with his "attack". It would have been comical if it wasn't life threatening.

Offline Agita

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Re: Goblin Arrows (IC Thread)
« Reply #11 on: September 05, 2017, 07:23:39 AM »
Sensing weakness, the goblin assaulting the wagon appears emboldened and continues pressing in on Kovoir, only to be once again thwarted by the dwarf's armor. Perhaps this is the chance for a turnabout?

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Offline ketaro

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Re: Goblin Arrows (IC Thread)
« Reply #12 on: September 10, 2017, 03:37:47 PM »
Zuzie continues advancing on this lone goblin and taking another stab at it.

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Offline Nanshork

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Re: Goblin Arrows (IC Thread)
« Reply #13 on: September 11, 2017, 04:03:01 PM »
Pieron is afraid he is going to die, and angry that he is afraid.  Giving in to his anger, he moves forward to destroy this goblin that dares try to kill him.  Unfortunately the damn dead horse gets in the way.

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Offline Agita

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Re: Goblin Arrows (IC Thread)
« Reply #14 on: September 14, 2017, 04:03:23 AM »
The goblin locked in battle with Pieron cackles as it dodges under his swings, a measure of overconfidence showing through in its movements. Its own slashes, however, go wide or scrape off the warrior's leggings. A black-feathered arrow thunks into the ox-cart, reminder that a sniper is also still at large - but that goblin is now gone from sight, disappeared into the bushes.

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Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Goblin Arrows (IC Thread)
« Reply #15 on: September 14, 2017, 07:30:18 AM »
Feeling like he perhaps spent his life training in the wrong discipline, Kovoir flails fruitlessly at his opponent, once more proving how inept he is in melee.

Offline Agita

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Re: Goblin Arrows (IC Thread)
« Reply #16 on: September 14, 2017, 07:52:31 AM »
Ducking under the dwarf's swing, the goblin reaver slashes at Zuzie - and connects, drawing a bright red line!

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Offline ketaro

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Re: Goblin Arrows (IC Thread)
« Reply #17 on: September 20, 2017, 05:53:14 AM »
Zuzie continues to flail away at the same goblin, frustration settling in.


Offline Nanshork

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Re: Goblin Arrows (IC Thread)
« Reply #18 on: September 20, 2017, 04:12:10 PM »
Pieron is getting frustrated himself as he once again fails to hit the goblin.

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Offline Agita

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Re: Goblin Arrows (IC Thread)
« Reply #19 on: September 21, 2017, 05:35:06 PM »
The goblin's cackle dies in its throat as Zuzie's dagger silences it the hard way. Permanently. The other goblin in sight is visibly jarred and misses its own swings for looking more at the pair by the cart than Pieron. More black-feathered arrows thunk into the ox-cart, but the sniper remains hidden. Only one goblin is visible, and it seems to suddenly feel very alone.

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