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Chapter 7: Return to Drellin's Ferry.

Posted by DM PawnFor group archive 0
DM Pawn
GM, 635 posts
Sun 3 Dec 2017
at 22:43
  • msg #1

Chapter 7: Return to Drellin's Ferry

Returning to Drellin's Ferry, the adventurers report in with Captain Anitah, relating what they found in the woods and showing her the impressions of the map. The captain sighs while examining the blank parchment. "Sure would be nice to have more to go off of than a few markings here or there," she laments. A couple of guards in the room come over and look at the impressions themselves, their faces telling plainly their concern over what this could mean.

The captain further tells the adventurers about several ambushes that have occurred along the road leading into either side of the town. "It started up after you headed into the woods and pretty much hasn't let us since. The people here grow restless. Many have already fled..."

Captain Anitah eventually calls for Speaker Wiston, so he too can hear the adventurers' report. The Town Speaker's face is ashen and worn with worry. "Do you have any idea how many they number?" he asks the party. "Could we hope to make a stand against them...with your help," he asks timidly.

Meanwhile, concurrently, or perhaps later, after meeting with the Speaker and Captain...

The adventurers end up netting a total of 60 gold pieces per member, to include the mercenary trio and Jorr, after dividing up the found gold and selling off the captured hobgoblin gear. After receiving their share of the loot, and with knowledge of a possible impending attack on the town, Gaston decides to part ways with the adventurers.

"It's a big world out there and I aim to see it," he says while quickly seeing to his possessions and preparing his companions to flee the town with haste. Apparently, he is not alone in his assessment of the wisest course, for once word gets around of an attack, many locals grow restless and likewise begin preparations to flee ahead of the impending invasion. "Best of luck to you, saving the world and all," he yells over his shoulder while hoisting a sack laden with supplies over the other. Anders simply tips his hat to you, and Lenny smiles dumbly while waving and mouthing 'goodbye guys'.

With that, the mercenary trio takes their leave of the adventurers. For his part, Jorr appears agreeable to remaining with the party, so long as they aim to give the goblins hell in the Witchwood. "Can't stand 'em," he grumbles.
Sarah
Thief, 348 posts
Thief
AC: 4 | HP: 12/12
Sun 3 Dec 2017
at 22:55
  • msg #2

Chapter 7: Return to Drellin's Ferry

In the midst of the conversations with the town's officials, someone may notice that Sarah has disappeared.

[Private to DM Pawn: OOC: I want to do two things.  (1) Buy some more crossbow bolts.  (2) Contact Marco Shadowbanks, see if the guild knows anything, and see if the guild is planning anything.]
Marklin
Fighter, 613 posts
AC:2
Hit Points:8/14
Sun 3 Dec 2017
at 22:58
  • msg #3

Chapter 7: Return to Drellin's Ferry


"The Hob Gobs, they be probing and scouting. Odds be, there is a large force somewhere out there. Time to cut our losses and head east." Said Marklin,as he took a drink from whatever source of achohol was handy.
Eoni Daflin
Cleric, 438 posts
Sister of Avandra
AC: 9 | HP: 19/19
Mon 4 Dec 2017
at 04:42
  • msg #4

Chapter 7: Return to Drellin's Ferry

"How many days has it been since they first appeared?" Eoni asked Captain Anitah.  "It looks like they're going to make their big push on the fifth day."

She remained noncommittal about joining in the town's defense as they hadn't discussed it during their return.  Marklin's erosion of troop morale notwithstanding, it might depend on how large a force they might face.  A number they were still at a loss to pin down.
Valthur Ironhelm
Dwarf, 427 posts
Dwarf 4
AC: 5 | HP: 5/23
Mon 4 Dec 2017
at 06:53
  • msg #5

Re: Chapter 7: Return to Drellin's Ferry

Marklin:
"The Hob Gobs, they be probing and scouting. Odds be, there is a large force somewhere out there. Time to cut our losses and head east." Said Marklin,as he took a drink from whatever source of achohol was handy.

"I say we help these people. If we let them take Drellin's Ferry, where will they stop?" Valthur didn't say it, but he has a special interest in protecting Drellin's Ferry, a girl by the name of Darna, whom he hopes won't get slaughtered by hobgoblins in the upcoming days.
DM Pawn
GM, 636 posts
Mon 4 Dec 2017
at 11:37
  • msg #6

Re: Chapter 7: Return to Drellin's Ferry

Eoni Daflin:
"How many days has it been since they first appeared?" Eoni asked Captain Anitah.  "It looks like they're going to make their big push on the fifth day."

She remained noncommittal about joining in the town's defense as they hadn't discussed it during their return.  Marklin's erosion of troop morale notwithstanding, it might depend on how large a force they might face.  A number they were still at a loss to pin down.



"It's been over a week...9 days since the ambushes outside town began," Captain Anitah responds. The timeline doesn't really mesh with what shred of intelligence the party was able to procure. It's uncertain whether the impressions on the paper even represent the final map, instead of just some iteration of a plan in the works. It's highly likely the flying bugbear sorcerer made off with the real map.
Aldara
Magic User, 319 posts
Human Magic-User
AC: 8 | HP 9/9
Mon 4 Dec 2017
at 12:40
  • msg #7

Re: Chapter 7: Return to Drellin's Ferry

Aldara nods her agreement to Valthur.  For her contribution to the report, she tells Captain Anitah what her "prisoner" said -- just in case anything might otherwise have been left out.  What was done with it after it fessed up remains unspoken, of course.
Marklin
Fighter, 614 posts
AC:2
Hit Points:8/14
Mon 4 Dec 2017
at 12:41
  • msg #8

Re: Chapter 7: Return to Drellin's Ferry

"Help them defend this place?" Asked Marklin,with a look of surprise in his tone of voice. "How are we gonna do that, Valthur? There nay be a wall, and from what I av seen O' their "army" the Hobs will go through this place, like shyt through a goose. Even if this just be a large raiding party, they will crush this town. Ye be a Warrior, Valthur, tell me I be wrong."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 12:51, Mon 04 Dec 2017.
Eoni Daflin
Cleric, 439 posts
Sister of Avandra
AC: 9 | HP: 19/19
Mon 4 Dec 2017
at 13:52
  • msg #9

Re: Chapter 7: Return to Drellin's Ferry

Nine days didn't match the information they'd discovered.  If only they'd been able to capture the original map.  They'd been so close.

She wanted to stay and fight for the town but Marklin was right.  She wasn't a strategist, but without walls they'd be quickly overrun by any sizeable force.  They could send for help, but the map showed the entire Vale was in danger.  They'd even targeted Brindol.

If they planned to sweep across with an army capable of tackling the large town to the east, what hope did they have in Drellin's Ferry?
Kane Taerix
Halfling, 78 posts
Halfling Swordmaster
AC 1 - - HP 19/19
Mon 4 Dec 2017
at 17:03
  • msg #10

Re: Chapter 7: Return to Drellin's Ferry

Taerix hadn't considered defending a whole town back when Jorr told him about the goblins and hobgoblins in the Witchwood. He is still brimming with pride for a job well done, and now that's just the tip of the iceberg? He is definitely going to leave this decision to the others in the group, and his accent thickens a bit with his nervousness.

"C'n any o' these townies fight? If we could get 'em organized.... It'd be a big help if we stay and defend th' place."
Valthur Ironhelm
Dwarf, 428 posts
Dwarf 4
AC: 5 | HP: 5/23
Tue 5 Dec 2017
at 04:37
  • msg #11

Re: Chapter 7: Return to Drellin's Ferry

Marklin:
"Help them defend this place?" Asked Marklin,with a look of surprise in his tone of voice. "How are we gonna do that, Valthur? There nay be a wall, and from what I av seen O' their "army" the Hobs will go through this place, like shyt through a goose. Even if this just be a large raiding party, they will crush this town. Ye be a Warrior, Valthur, tell me I be wrong."

"We can't just turn our tails and run," Valthur snaps back. "Or we'd be no better than Gaston and his cowardly lot." He tries to convince himself as much as the others, for he realizes that Marklin's words are likely true. He considers whether a noble death is better than a cowardly life.

"I'll abide by the party. If the rest of you say leave, then I won't object."
He pauses for a moment. "What about Jorr? He's wise. What does he think?"
Eoni Daflin
Cleric, 440 posts
Sister of Avandra
AC: 9 | HP: 19/19
Thu 7 Dec 2017
at 12:37
  • msg #12

Re: Chapter 7: Return to Drellin's Ferry

Eoni looked around to see Jorr speaking with one of the guardsmen.  Whether the woodsman chose to stay and fight or hunker down in his cabin, it wouldn't sway the numbers against them.

"Captain Anitah,"
she said, translating for the Taerix, "the enemy is organized and more than just hobgoblins.  They have bugbear wizards, a man the size of a bull with a  head to match, flying lions, and wolves that breath fire.

"Unless you have reinforcements arriving soon, or numbers we haven't seen, the town may be lost.  How many do you have to stand against them?"

DM Pawn
GM, 637 posts
Fri 8 Dec 2017
at 00:23
  • msg #13

Re: Chapter 7: Return to Drellin's Ferry

Captain Anitah says the town guard consisted of about 30 professionally trained warriors, though 6 of her guards have been slain in recent days fighting off goblin raids along the outlying areas. In addition to these 24 professional guards, she can call to ask nearly 100 militia members in the event the adventurers think the goblins present a credible threat. To this, Speaker Wiston chimes in, "Wait, I thought you said you defeated the invaders at Vraath's Keep?"

Continuing on this line of though, the Captain cuts in, "Did you see evidence of any other warbands in your travels through the Witchwood?" For his part, Jorr says he saw several warbands up and down the trails through the woods, each numbers a couple of dozen or so, but he is not sure if this was the same group or different groups. Jorr is willing to take the fight to the goblins, in the Witchwood, but is not for simply biding his time in the town waiting for them to arrive. "I'd rather go down fightin' for my own cabin, if that's the case..."

Mention of other foes aside from goblins and hobgoblins gets both the Speaker and Captain's attention, but they both focus on the fact the adventurers seemingly defeated these monsters. The main sticking point at the moment is the party did not come back to town with concrete proof of any invasion, only faint impressions on a piece of parchment and no verification of a horde large enough to affect such a feat as hinted at in the vague scratchings.
Valthur Ironhelm
Dwarf, 429 posts
Dwarf 4
AC: 5 | HP: 5/23
Sat 9 Dec 2017
at 04:54
  • msg #14

Re: Chapter 7: Return to Drellin's Ferry

"Maybe Jorr is right," Valthur suggests. "We have 'em on their heels. Let's keep the pressure on them. Any goblin we strike down now in the Witchwood is one less goblin to deal with later."
Eoni Daflin
Cleric, 441 posts
Sister of Avandra
AC: 9 | HP: 19/19
Sat 9 Dec 2017
at 12:39
  • msg #15

Re: Chapter 7: Return to Drellin's Ferry

Eoni is still concerned about an invasion, but concedes that they haven't seen the numbers required for such an undertaking.

"Let us rest in town for the night and set out at first light," she proposed.  "We can scout out to Skull Gorge.  If there is an army moving in, we may find it there.

"In the meantime,"
she said, turning back to Speaker Wiston and Captain Anitah, "I suggest you send word east to every town in the Vale to prepare for what might be coming."

OOC: Last Cure Light to Valthur before turning in for the night.
Eoni Daflin rolled 3 using 1d6+1.  Cure light wounds, Valthur #3.

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