The snake seems to tolerate Oliver's presence until he gets within about 10', then it begins hissing loudly and snaps at him as he did Callum. It continues rattling all the while. It seems more interested in scaring him off then actually fighting him.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:36, Mon 12 Nov 2018.

With no other way forward at this time Oliver decides to press the issue with his sword. He tries to scare he snake again before attack only as a last resort.

Oliver Fitzwilliam rolled 9 using 2d6+2.  Initiative.

-

Lira moves closer as well hoping that numbers might be enough to send the snake "running".

Lira rolled 9 using 2d6+1.  Initiative.


-

As the party closes in, the snake refuses to cede ground. When Lira steps close enough, it lashes out at her as well, but she manages to snap her leg back in time. The fangs miss her by inches, and she swears she can feel the breeze from its savage movement it passes her by.

Callum, reacting quickly, kicks out his boot and stomps the snake, perhaps hoping to pin it to the ground and prevent it from striking anyone but him. As soon as his heel pierces its scales, however, the snake vanishes! It's a curious and unnatural sight, with the image of the snake blinking out of existence the very moment Callum touched it.

Oliver blinked in fascination at the magic as it winked away. He said nothing as he approached the door looking for threats and then proceeded to try the handle and open it if he is able.

-

Lira nearly clapped in glee as the snake disappeared "What a wonderful thing." she said.
As Oliver approached the door Lira again took up the lantern and her crossbow ready to follow the Dragoon through should the door give.


-

Callum snorts in amusement as the snake disappears. It's not clear if it's due to the magical trick or Lira's reaction to it.

Oliver tugs the door but finds it firmly locked.

[OOC: Strength threshold 9 to open the door. I think you lack the means to pick it. Let me know if you do anything else.]

Oliver grabs the handle with both hands and with his leg as leverage he gives the door a sharp tug.

Oliver Fitzwilliam rolled 11 using 2d6+2.  Str check.


-

Lira follows the others through the door with her crossbow up and at the ready. As she moves she tries not to swing the lantern so they can at least see what is behind the door, if she needs to Lira will stop at the threshold.

-

There is a loud snap from the poorly-constructed door frame as Oliver wrenches the lock free from its casing. The door may be strong and sturdy, but the frame and lock sure weren't.

The door opens onto a continuation with the long, curved, unnaturally smooth tunnel. About 20' feet away are the two likho who had escaped earlier. They had apparently stopped to lick the wounds left by Callum's blunderboss shot, but turned to face the party once they breached the doorway. The likho seemed to have found their courage as they turned, hooting and snarling, to leap at the party with their claws! Callum fired his blunderbuss again defensively, but this time the shot went wide...

[OOC:

Initiative Tracker
Callum: 9
Likho: 8

Health Tracker
Wounded Likho 1: 6/7 HP
Wounded Likho 2: 6/7 HP]

Oliver dropped to his knee and lined up the small beast in the sights of his carbine. He slowed his breathing and applied pressure to the trigger and watched as his shot went wide of the goblin.


Oliver let his carbine fall on its sling as he unholsters a pistol.


Oliver Fitzwilliam rolled 11 using 2d6+2.  Initiative.

Oliver Fitzwilliam rolled 14 using 1d20+9.  Attack.


-
This message was last edited by the player at 04:25, Mon 12 Nov 2018.

Lira saw the goblins and aimed her crossbow at one. She watched as the bolt skipped off the stone in front of the goblins then hit the roof of the tunnel before falling to the floor.


Lira rolled 6 using 2d6+1.  Initiative.

Lira rolled 16 using 1d20+9.  Attack.

-

The likho throw themselves at the party with reckless abandon, their shots pinging ineffectually off the walls. Clawing and grasping with surprisingly strong claws, one manages to slash Oliver in the side [OOC: 4 damage!] and the second wraps its talons around Callum [OOC: 3 damage]! Callum manages to strike back, quickly drawing his sword and driving it through the creature's gut.

[OOC:

Initiative Tracker
Callum: 9
Likho: 8

Health Tracker
Wounded Likho 2: 6/7 HP
Callum: 6/9 HP
Oliver: 2/6 HP]

Lira continues with her reloading and snatches a glance at the two beasts just as they land hits on the two team mates.

-

Oliver shy's away from the goblins hit and struggles to bring his pistol to bear. A quick snap shot seems to solidly connect with the beast and Oliver retrieves his second pistol.



Oliver Fitzwilliam rolled 20 using 1d20+9.  Attack.

Oliver Fitzwilliam rolled 5 using 1d6.  Damage.
Oliver Fitzwilliam rolled 3 using 1d8.  Pierce.


-

The last remaining likho staggers as it catches Oliver's bullet. Weakened, the thing cannot gather the strength to move to dodge as Callum pulls back the blade of his saber and decapitates it. Panting and dabbed at his arm where the likho had grabbed him, Callum shakes some blood free from his sword and returns it to its scabbard.

The tunnel continues onward for about fifty feet, before coming to another shoddily-constructed door. Testing the handle of it reveals that it is unlocked. The tunnel is otherwise featureless, merely strangely smooth and subtly twisted as it has been along the entire length so far observed.

Oliver can feels the dampness under his armour from the last attack "Those little buggers have a bigger bite then I would have thought." As they move along the corridor Oliver keeps an eye out for anything that the goblins might have secreted away given that this was probably their refuge.

Opening the door when everyone else is ready Oliver waits for the light from the lamp Lira is holding to bathe the area beyond.

-

Just finishing the reload of her crossbow as Callums sword sends the head of the monster bouncing over the stone floor Lira stands up and picks up the lamp. There is little she can do for the men's wounds, but hopefully they will not be underground for much longer she thinks.

-

Opening the door, the party sees another length of peculiarly twisting tunnel, but also the bright light of a lantern bobbing in the darkness, about thirty feet down the tunnel. There they see a rangy, coal-haired man with a scraggly beard fighting off three likho. He has a cavalry saber in his left hand and a lantern in his right.

[OOC: Go ahead and roll initiative, let me know what you do. You don't necessarily have to help him against the likho, but things are moving at combat-pace so we need initiative.

Initiative Tracker
Callum: 8
Likho: 6
Frame(?): 4

HP Tracker
Likho 1: HP 8/8
Likho 2: HP 3/3
Likho 3: HP 3/3
Callum: 6/9
Oliver: 2/6]

Oliver realised that this man could be the one they seek so he fired on the small beast. He takes knee and lines up the shot before pulling the trigger on his weapon.

Oliver Fitzwilliam rolled 11 using 2d6+2.  Initiative.

Oliver Fitzwilliam rolled 17 using 1d20+9.  Attack.

Oliver Fitzwilliam rolled 7 using 1d8.  Damage.
Oliver Fitzwilliam rolled 10 using 1d10.  Pierce.


-

Lira snapped off her shot from the crossbow she held and in her haste may have fluffed her shot. It was hard to follow the bolt before she began reloading her weapon.



Lira rolled 12 using 2d6+1.  Initiative.

Lira rolled 18 using 1d20+9.  Attack

Lira rolled 2 using 1d6.  Damage.
Lira rolled 2 using 1d6.  Pierce.

-

Lira and Oliver's shots go wide. Callum, not wishing to shoot into the fray, charges at the nearest likho with his newfound maul. There is a loud bang, and one of the likho is reduced to a fine red paste on the tunnel floor. [OOC: Callum got a piercing blow and rolled a hilarious 18 damage. That thing is dead.]

One of the likho slashed into the mysterious man's side, causing him to grunt with pain. The second took a sluggish swing at Callum with its club, and missed.

[OOC:
Small book-keeping note: I think Oliver's initiative should be 10, since his Dex mod is only +1. Makes no functional difference for this particular fight, though.]

Initiative Tracker
Lira: 12
Oliver: 10
Callum: 8
Likho: 6
Frame(?): 4

HP Tracker
Likho 1: HP 8/8
Likho 2: HP 3/3
Likho 3: HP 3/3
Callum: 6/9
Oliver: 2/6
Frame(?): 11/14]

Oliver drew his sword from it's scabbard and drove the attack at the last likho. With a reverse slash he tried to find his mark. Alas it was not to be and his sword only found the air above the beasts head.

Oliver Fitzwilliam rolled 16 using 1d20+10.  Attack.

Oliver has Quick Reflexes: 1 or does it not stack with his +1 from Dex ? Thanks. 


-

Lira placed his foot in the stirrup and pulled back on the string until she heard and felt the snap as the stop engaged. Removing another bolt from her quiver she placed it in the notch and raised the weapon to her shoulder.

-

[OOC: Ah! I forgot about Quick Reflexes, my mistake.]

Though Oliver's swing goes wide, Callum manages to splatter a second likho on his backswing. The rangy man with the sword manages to skewer the final monster, running it through.

With the last likho slain, the man who matches Jonathan Frame's description wheels on the party. His bloodied saber hangs limply in his right hand, while he pulls a fine-looking pistol from with his left, pointing it in the party's direction. "Alright," he snarls, still panting from the effort of hacking apart likho. "Who the blazes are you people? What do you want?"

[OOC: Please give me a Charisma check from both Lira and Oliver. He's not about to fire, but he's twitchy and might.]