After three days of walking you reach the north-eastern border of the Forest and in front of you are the majestic rocks that lead to Hellwinter Pea, on top of which you can see the tower, in a strategic position that allows a great view all around.
Overall, apart from the cold rain and wind, it was an easy trip for you, this time.

You camp there, hoping that your companions will join you soon.

As he settles down, Garl keeps a wary eye on the tower.  Something about it makes him nervous.  Maybe he’s just being paranoid, but there seems to be something unfriendly about it...

Eventually Sir Roland and Garl become worried about their companions and go searching them.

Roland and Garl attention is attracted by loud noises coming from the south side of the path. The noises are like leerings and wild laughs. It doesn't take long for them to recognize the small group of Goblins that you encountered previously and caused so much pain.
You still can't see them, you can only hear them.

Looking at Garl, Sir Roland lifts his finger to his lips, signaling for silence. Pointing to his eyes, then in the direction of the sounds, he communicates his intention to spy out the sounds. And finally as he beckons for his Elven comrade to follow, he turns and creeps towards the sounds, making as little noise as he can...

10:09, Today: Sir Roland Halfstaff rolled 12 using 2d6.  Creep towards sounds without being detected

Alas! The Knight steps into a hidden hole in the ground, then blunders right into a tree, causing its branches to rustle alarmingly and snow to fall down!

Certain that the crafties have detected their presence, he swears fluently below his breath, draws his sword and prepares to fight!

"Who's there?"
You hear the horrible Goblin voice getting closer and closer.
Sir Roland realizes that his foot is stuck in the hole!

[Private to GM:
ENEMY SKI STA ATT
 GOBLIN LEADER 7 6 1
 First GOBLIN 5 6 1
 Second GOBLIN 6 5 1
 Third GOBLIN 5 7 1

 Short Sword 1223334
 Leader’s Cuirass 0000112]
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:31, Fri 19 Jan 2018.

10:18, Today: Sir Roland Halfstaff rolled 11 using 2d6.  Luck check - get foot out of hole 1st try. FAILED.
10:22, Today: Sir Roland Halfstaff rolled 6 using 2d6.  Luck check - get foot out of hole 2nd try. SUCCESS.

Enough time for 2 tries Director?
Before the goblins arrive and fight begins?

Jaws clenched, the Knight furiously tries to jerk his foot out of the hole, but his efforts are to no avail. As the goblins approach and come into view, he lifts his sword and prepares to fight!

OOC - If Roland manages to get his foot out in time, he charges the goblins before they appear, hoping to take them by surprise.

After the first usuccessful attempt to free his foot, Sir Roland finds himself face to face with the Goblin with the leather cuirass, the one that was injured at your previous meeting, but now his injury looks healed.
The Goblin is surprised and his expression turns into twisted hate.
Before garl catches up, the Goblin has a chance to attack Sir Roland while he's stuck!
"Now we can finally have a proper, even fight..." he whispers, smiling wickedly, before calling his allies: "Come here! Let them drown!"
Finally, after approaching slowly and making various feints, he swings his sword at Sir Roland.

[Private to GM: 20:36, Today: The Director rolled 2 using 1d6.  damage/armour.
20:36, Today: The Director rolled 9 using 2d6.  gobbo.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:37, Fri 19 Jan 2018.

11:22, Today: Sir Roland Halfstaff rolled 5,6 using 2d6,d6.  Attack/Damage.

[Private to GM: Total Attack roll = 8 + 2 + 5 = 15. But I guess there should be a negative modifier for having his foot stuck in a hole. So Director you decide how much is the modifier.]

With one boot stuck in a miry hole, the Knight is too imbalanced to put up a proper defence...

OOC - So does Garl catch up this round? Do I wait for him to respond?
This message was last edited by the player at 03:38, Fri 19 Jan 2018.

The Goblin, dancing around Sir Roland witha foot stuck, finds a gap in his guard and hits!
[OOC 2 damages before you armour damage reduction]

Finally Sir Roland frees his foot and Garl joins him.
At the same time, three Goblins join the Goblin leader and for a split second you stare at each other.

From behind the shoulders of the Goblins, you hear the voice of Rorn, screaming: "Cowards!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:53, Fri 19 Jan 2018.

Sir Roland glances at Garl, then yells his battlecry and charges...again at the larger Goblin Leader...

[Private to GM: 1 HP deducted from previous attack.

12:32, Today: Sir Roland Halfstaff rolled 8,1 using 2d6,d6.  Charge at Goblin Leader! Attack/Damage.

Attack Roll = 8+2+8 = 18
Damage = 2]
This message was last edited by the player at 04:46, Fri 19 Jan 2018.

As Garl joins Sir Roland, the Goblins suddenly get several shades paler: "The witch! It is back from death! RUN!" then they turn around and run away.
As he turns, the Goblin leader is hit again, but he keeps running in panic.

Gritting his teeth, Sir Roland makes one more mighty swing at the fleeing Goblin Leader, trying to knock it to the ground!

[Private to GM: 23:30, Today: Sir Roland Halfstaff rolled 5,3 using 2d6,d6.  Strike fleeing Goblin Leader.

Attack = 8 + 2 + 5 = 15
Damage = 3]

Sir Roland manages to inflict one more cut to the Goblin Leader, but his leather cuirass helps protecting him and he manages to run away alive, although injured.

Spitting in disgust, the Knight thrusts the fleeing wretches out of his mind and quickly makes his way in the direction from where Rorn's voice had sounded.

"Hurry Garl! Our comrades seem in trouble!"

“I’m right here, lightning bolts and all!”  Garl rushes to aid his companions.

Garl finds his companions stuck in a pit semi-flooded with freezing, although muddy, rainwater. They are badly bruised, miserable, cold and completely covered in mud.
Apparently, they are feebly trying to get out of there by using a knotted rope.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:41, Sat 20 Jan 2018.

Sir Roland pulls up short at the dismal scene and takes a moment to observe the situation, checking to make sure there is no trickery, nor any obvious trap waiting for the unwary rescuer to blunder into.

"Keep watch friend Garl. These goblins are crafty and may doubleback."

After he is certain these are truly Larson, Rorn and Galendra, and that there are no traps waiting to be triggered nearby, the knight steps closer to the pit and reaches out to pull his comrades to safety one by one.

After this unpleasant and a bit humiliating issue, you march with no further problem until the north eastern border of the forest, hunting on your way for food.
You need to decide if you want to rest here a few days until you recover all your stamina or if you want to press on.

Reaching the edge of the forest, Sir Roland calls a halt. He looks up at the sky, noting the position of the sun, before turning to his comrades. His clear azure blue eyes glance at Rorn, Larson and Galendra in concern. "Let's rest here for a day and night. We set off up to the tower in the morning."

OOC - @Director: By default, Sir Roland will have 2 square meals per 24 hours. Whether game or rations. That's also my recommendation for everybody.

How badly are we all injured? Garl and Sir Roland are both uninjured. 1 day and night's rest with 2 square meals should recover some HP right?

If everyone is ok with resting for 1 day and night here below the mountain, let's also have a watch set for the night. 2 hour sessions. Roland and Rorn. Garl and Galendra. Larson and Roland. Garl and Rorn.

[OOC you reach the border of the Forest in the evening, so I guess you rest for one night, one full day and another night (you can hunt during the day to save rations), so you can start the climb in the morning.
Considering the cold weather, you can recover up to 6 points of STAMINA. This should be about enough to recover for everybody.]

[OOC - Thanks Director. If there are no objections, we will do just that.]

As the companions make camp for the night, Sir Roland takes the opportunity to ask about what had happened - how did the trio of hunters fall into the pit, how were the goblins involved, where there any other creatures or beings involved, any other information of interest, etc.

[OOC OK, so everybody can recover up to six points of STAMINA.
I'll leave this thread open for a while, so you can talk about what happened, but I will also open a new thread about climbing to Hellwinter Peak in parallel and action will countinue there.]

[OOC the adventure continues here: Link back to this game ]