Marklin nodded,and walked up the pathway.

"I'll stay behind to guard the ladies. Don't be too long."

Valthur and Marklin follow the overgrow path to the keep, about a 5-minute hike up the forested hillside. Soon the Vraath's Keep comes into view.

The old keep is in very poor repair. The gatehouse is partially collapsed, as is a section of wall to the south. A small wooden building sits next to the remnants of a long-abandoned garden in front of the structure. The walls surrounding the keep are about 15 feet high, with a two-story tower looming in the southwest corner of the courtyard within. Large boulders lie strewn amid the ruins of the two watch towers, and a massive humanoid skeleton slumps amod the ruins of the northern one. This skeleton still wears the tattered fragments of hide armor and a large club lies next to one of its bony arms.

The fighter and dwarf observe the keep from a distance of about 100 feet, both hiding behind trees while doing so. Neither spots any hobgoblin activity from this distance; however both do see a dark trail of smoke rising from the southern section of the keep.

"Don't just stand around," Eoni said to those remaining, "get an ambush ready in case they come running back or anything from the other direction."

The Sister stood in the trail and made sure that no one could be seen before she found a copse of her own to hide behind.

"If it's larger than the last patrol," she explained from her hiding spot, "we're going to let it pass if we can."

 Marklin notched an arrow to his bow. He motioned for Vulther to follow him,as he make his way with as much caution as he could muster, to investigate the section of wall to the south,as a possible means of gaining the inside of the ruin.

Approaching the keep's south wall is possible by one of two methods:

1. Follow the established footpath that leads up to the ruined gatehouse, near an exterior wooden outbuilding, and then veer off-trail to approach the south wall.

2. Leave the established footpath and scramble up the wooded slope, bypassing a direct approach to the gatehouse.

The ruined gatehouse lies at the east end of the keep. The footpath winds up the hill, approaching from the east. The footpath is the only easy ascent up the hill. All other approaches require a bit of climbing through rocky, wooded terrain.

Option one

Marklin leads Valthur up the footpath, using what limited cover that is available, though in truth there is little cover the closer one gets to the ruined keep.

Up ahead, immediately in front of the ruined keep, is a small wooden shack. It sits just east of the keep itself, near an overgrown patch of weeds that might have once been a fine garden. The shack is about 20 feet distant from the keep, just southeast of the ruined gatehouse.

The keep's gatehouse has seen better days. The watchtowers to either side have partially collapsed, and several large boulders lie strewn about. The decayed remains of two sets of large wooden gates lie in a heap on the ground.

The fighter and dwarf approach to within 30 feet of the small wooden shack, still cautiously traveling along the footpath, when both spot activity atop or within the ruins of either tower--a group of longbow wielding hobgoblins appear from behind cover, their weapons unmistakably pointed at Marklin and Valthur.

One of the hobgoblin calls out, [Language unknown: "Paee latur! Traee menherwhiest n ort hat! As are ecere ne! Foek!!!"]

In near unison, the hobgoblins loose their arrows and the air whistles with their approach. Both Marklin and Valthur are struck several times, though only one arrow a piece manages to pierce their armor, the others deflect harmlessly away. But their aim was good. Real good.

A moment later a horn blares from within the keep, this their companions at the bottom of the hill hear as well.

A different voice cries, [Language unknown: "Mopome een forconort er antreaica! Inghatart ecei nce entterove!"]

Though this ambush happens quickly, both Marklin and Valthur have enough presence of mind to count a half dozen or so hobgoblin archers within the ruins of either tower. All seem to draw another arrow and seem content to pelt the adventurers with arrows for the time being.

Marklin and Valthur are about 30 feet from the wooden shack, 50 feet from the castle and a 50 feet retreat back toward the cover of the woods if using the footpath. If either were to veer north or south off the footpath, they could find cover/concealment, but this would require some amount of scrambling and/or climbing.

OOC: Marklin was hit for 4. Valthur was hit for 2. The rest of the party is several rounds distant from the action, though they heard the hobgoblin's warhorn.

Hobgoblin Regulars, 2
AC 6
HP: 5/5, 5/5

Hobgoblin Veterans, 4
AC: 5
HP: 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10


PC         AC   HP    9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1  0 -1 -2 -3
Aldara     8    9/9  10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 20
Eoni       8  19/19   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20
Marklin    5  10/14   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20
Sarah      4  12/12   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20
Taerix     1  15/15   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20
Valthur    5  16/18   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20

NPCs
Gaston     5  16/16   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20
Lenny      5   9/9   10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 20
Anders     7   9/9   10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 20
Jorr       8  10/10  10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 20

[Private to GM:

  HD       9   8   7   6   5   4   3   2   1   0   -1  -2  -3
Up to 1    10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  20  20
1+ to 2    9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  20
2+ to 3    8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20
3+ to 4    7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19
4+ to 5    6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18
5+ to 6    5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17
6+ to 7    4   5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16
7+ to 9    3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15
9+ to 11   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14

]

PCs are UP!
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:19, Mon 11 Sept 2017.

 Marklin felt the bite of the arrow, and uttered a curse word. He drew back the bow and let fly with his own arrow,at one of the archers. "Head off the path to the right" And broke for that direction at a run.


00:40, Today: Marklin rolled 4 using 1d8 with rolls of 4.  longbow damage.
00:36, Today: Marklin rolled 14 using 1d20 with rolls of 14.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:53, Mon 11 Sept 2017.

"Moradin's bloody hammer! We're too close!" Valthur curses as an enemy arrow pierces his armor.

He let's loose with his crossbow, which hits squarely on target. He doesn't have time to see the result, but a wretched squeal gives him hope of one less arrow coming his way while he scrambles off the road.

He follows Marklin, scrambling to the right for cover.
"We have to get back to the others. Those devil dogs will be on us in no time."

00:19, Today: Valthur Ironhelm rolled 20 using 1d20 with rolls of 20.  crossbow vs. hobgoblin regular (if he can tell the difference). 8hp damage for critical hit!

"That's not good... not good at all."

Upon hearing the horn blare, Taerix finds a good place to watch the road from cover, and gets ready to launch sling bullets at more foes.

When the horns sound, Aldara's eyes widen in their sockets, and she draws her remaining daggers from her boots.  She waits.

Marklin and Valthur fire back at their assailants and both are able to score hits despite the hobgoblins' cover. Valthur downs an enemy and Marklin severely wounds another. The pair then scramble off the trail to their right and begin to make their way down the rocky, wooded hillside. Four hobgoblin veterans draw and fire arrows at the retreating adventurers and the injured hobgoblin regular tends to his wounds.

One arrow strikes a nearby tree and another skitters off a boulder, but two arrows find purchase, one striking each adventure in the back apiece!

Marklin and Valthur are about 50 feet from the wooden shack, 60 feet from the castle and a 40 feet retreat back toward the cover of the woods if using the footpath. They currently have 1/2 cover and concealment (-4), but the same is now true for the hobgoblins standing in the ruined guard tower. With a dedicated round of retreat, Marklin and Valthur will be outside of line of sight.

OOC: Marklin was hit for 3. Valthur was hit for 6. The rest of the party is several rounds distant from the action, though they heard the hobgoblin's warhorn.

Hobgoblin Regulars, 2
AC 6
HP: 0/5, 1/5

Hobgoblin Veterans, 4
AC: 5
HP: 10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10


PC         AC   HP    9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1  0 -1 -2 -3
Aldara     8    9/9  10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 20
Eoni       8  19/19   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20
Marklin    5   6/14   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20
Sarah      4  12/12   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20
Taerix     1  15/15   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20
Valthur    5  10/18   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20

NPCs
Gaston     5  16/16   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20
Lenny      5   9/9   10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 20
Anders     7   9/9   10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 20
Jorr       8  10/10  10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 20

[Private to GM:

  HD       9   8   7   6   5   4   3   2   1   0   -1  -2  -3
Up to 1    10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  20  20
1+ to 2    9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  20
2+ to 3    8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20
3+ to 4    7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19
4+ to 5    6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18
5+ to 6    5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17
6+ to 7    4   5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16
7+ to 9    3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15
9+ to 11   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14

]

PCs are UP!
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:53, Tue 12 Sept 2017.

This wasn't good.  The two armsmen must have tripped some kind of alarm and now whatever was up there knew they were about.  She just prayed that they had most of their forces roaming the countryside and not prepared to pour out of the keep against them.

Sarah sits and waits, crossbow at the ready.

Anyone observing her might notice her shake her head slightly two or three times before reverting to absolute stillness.

 Marklin shot another arrow towards the keep before slipping away into the terrain.


07:52, Today: Marklin rolled 14 using 1d20 with rolls of 14.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:12, Mon 11 Sept 2017.

Aldara does visibly not do anything but wait.

Taerix waits quietly in cover for the return of Valthur and Marklin.

"Too many of them," Valthur curses through clenched teeth. "They're just up there waiting for us."

With a second arrow clearly causing him discomfort, the dwarf makes a full off run for cover, not pausing to attempt another attack on their foes.

Marklin's decision to fire another arrow before moving to slip into cover proves nearly fatal. The hobgoblins have but one foe to direct fire against, Valthur having fled at full speed and no longer visible. Though Marklin has entered the woods and has gained some cover, three hobgoblins manage to find a clean shot and pepper the fighter with arrows. One, two and three arrows come stinging into the retreating fighter's back, nearly causing him to stumble to the ground because of his wounds.

Badly wounded, Marklin limps away from Vraath's Keep, coming up alongside Valthur some time later. The two bound down the wooded hillside, the howls of what sound to be wolves and the short, shrill whistles so often employed by hobgoblins behind them. The chase is one!

Marklin and Valthur comes crashing through the brush, their companions awaiting their arrival.

The party is together again.

OOC: Marklin was hit for 6 points of damage.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:25, Tue 12 Sept 2017.

 Marklin would drink one of the Healing potions given to them by the Wise one from the River town.

12:17, Today: Marklin rolled 6 using 1d6+1 with rolls of 5.  Potion of healing.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:18, Tue 12 Sept 2017.

  Once Marklin returned to where the others were located, he drank a potion of healing before he spoke. ”We... we were ambushed by Hob Bowmen on the keep walls.”

This happens again.

 Marklin saw Sarah shake her head. " Ye have something to say, then say it, woman." The Warrior's mood was less then congenial, considering he was picking arrows out of his carcass.

Sarah remains perfectly still and says nothing.

Whether she rolls her eyes or not, nobody can say, as nobody is in line of sight of her eyes.

Anyone looking back three minutes hence would note that Sarah is not where she was, nor is she in sight.

[Private to DM Pawn: Move, and hide.  From everyone.  Including the party.]