Panicked shouts came from around the corner

"GET DOWN!"
"More goblins!"
"Is that the best you can do, you putrid, vile sack of worthless, worm-eaten garbage! You're mother was a hamster and your father was a latrine-dwelling drunk who smelt of elderberries!"

This last tirade was followed by a piteous, inhuman wail - a sound of dread and revulsion enough to unnerve the stoutest heart.


The second goblin stumbled toward Karadin, clutching his wounded side, but was stopped dead in his tracks as another bolt from Mari pierced his throat.

"Blessed lady, it really is you Mari, you've changed so much!"  "We'll get you out of here, Ami! Did you find Todd as well?"


The remaining goblin howled with pain as Karadin's mighty blow cut through his chain mail as though it were the lightest fabric. Blood spurted out from his fingers as he looked at his two opponents, fear now evident in his eyes. He twisted like a snake, skipping past the enraged Dwarf and sprinting in the direction of the tunnel from which he came. Nimbly leaping into the narrow space, he shouted to someone inside.

No sooner had he vanished into the tunnel, than a slab of stone appeared, as if from nowhere, completely sealing the entrance through which he left.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:47, Mon 02 Dec 2019.

Raven's eyebrows rose in shocked surprise at the second goblin's death. She'd never seen that particular effect before. As she got to her feet she briefly rolled her tongue around in her mouth, more conscious than ever of the true power of that little piece of herself. It reminded her of something she'd read once in a book of wisdom sayings... Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

The immediate threat over, her attention was drawn to the conversation at the other end of the tunnel.





"We're over here, Mari," she called out toward the light. "And we have an injured man back here," She added, quickly moving over and kneeling beside the injured Radek. "Easy now," she said soothingly to the wounded miner. "Let's have a look at that."

10:33, Today: Raven rolled 8 using 1d20+3.  Medicine skill check (Radek). (Damn you die roller!)

"Ellantha bless you!" Mari said fervently, even more for Heiber consoling Ami than seeing him again in good health. Concentrating on making sure the goblins were kept at bay more than soothing the child or healing anyone. "I will need to stay here, so the Lady's light can reach below where Todd and the dwar are." The light emanating from her shield was still the only light in the immediate tunnels and below.

She called out to Raven, "Miss, if he is still able to move, guide him here and I'll see what I can do. If not, then I would ask you to keep him safe for few moments until the children are both back up and I can come to you." She didn't at the moment recall the name of the woman that had joined them and talked to Harbek, but she remembered her voice. If she had ventured down the tunnels, then she must have either heaps more courage than Mari or the means to defend herself.

When the larger goblin retreated, Mari called out to the dwar, hoping that they would see reason and stop pursuing combat over saving the children.

[Language unknown: "Whibletra Illtinver, Plerin Nifoiv, m roli tedillwhi ss tr. He onentesti et strastrom of asecol i undtr er avethereaess n maasek esio ainof at elthevad, lesastout neberiss ourut lamapo resioucom."] Despite her words, Mari loaded her crossbow again, then stood up, preparing to either climb down or move towards where Raven was.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:38, Fri 22 Nov 2019.

Harbek's eyes momentarily widened in surpise as the big Goblin not only survived Karadin's mighty axe-strike, but still had enough strength left in its legs to sprint away to a place of safety down a nearby tunnel -- which was promptly sealed by some sort of moving stone that Harbek would have loved to spend some time studying, had time allowed.

But as it was -- especially after hearing Mari of the Taysley family call down to Karadin and himself -- it seemed that the thing to do now was to get the male Human bnarr up the ladder, so that they could escort the children out of the Goblin-tunnels.

Harbek was a bit curious as to whom the wounded might be that Mari was referring to, but he had heard voices from the higher level that had not sounded like Goblins. Mayhap Maiya of the Greenfield family had brought reinforcements down into the tunnels, as had been requested of her.

[In Dwarven:]"I think that we should leave the Goblin trash to lick their wounds down here. Let us get the male child up the ladder and reunite him with his sister, so that we can take them both out these accursed Goblin-burrows."

Turning to the Human child, Harbek softened his voice as best he could and put a gauntleted hand on the child's shoulder. Pointing to the ladder which was now illuminated by light coming down the shaft from above, he spoke in the Human tongue and said "Let us go up the ladder, child. Your sister has already gone up. Once you are together, we shall all leave this place, and return to your mooir . . . ummm, that is to say, your mother."

Raising his voice and still speaking in the Human tongue, Harbek called out in answer to Mari's hail, "For the moment, the Goblins down here have had their fill of Dwar steel and Human bolts. We have the Human male bnarr and are on our way up to join you."

---

OOC: Assuming that Karadin has no objections, Harbek will guide Todd over to the ladder and start him on his way up, following along behind him.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:00, Fri 22 Nov 2019.

Karadin's eyes were still filled with rage and it was difficult to hear Harbek over the blood throbbing in his head. He watched as this goblin made its escape and gave chase. As the stone slammed done cutting off pursuit, the dwar growled in anger and slammed the back of his axe against the stone. "RRAARARG!" The dwar's focus returned to his immediate surroundings and he noticed Harbek helping the young bnarr up the ladder. ~That goblin hasn't seen the last of me.~ he thought as he steadied his breath.

"Seems we've accomplished what we set out to do here. Sure is a shame that big one got away, though." Karadin called out to Harbek as he made his way back to the ladder. "It felt good to fight side by side with you, Stone-Brother. Perhaps we can send him to the afterlife another day. For now, I could use a drink and some bandages." he said as he clasped the dwar on his shoulder.

Raven said something in her native language that sounded like a swear word and then answered Mari. "I, um, I think I made things worse," she replied. "We'd best wait 'til you can come over here and help me with him," she added, doing her best to staunch the flow of blood from Radek's wounded side and keep him from bleeding out down here in the dark...

Mari was torn between responsibilities. She heard the curse and worry in Raven's voice when she spoke and Servants of Ellantha were sworn to protect and heal where they could. When the dwar started retreating and guiding Todd, Mari felt more comfortable leaving her post on top of the ladder.

Calling down to Todd, "Well done, just keep climbing, you can feel the rungs with your hands even if you can't see them. Harbek guide him, I need to retreat and see to the wounded."

Shouldering her shield again and keeping the crossbow at hand, she started towards where Raven's voice had sounded from. As soon as she came close enough to see Raven and the wounded man, she reached for power, calling out to Ellantha. She sang the name of the goddess that resonated through the air of the tunnels with holy power, the wheat wreath symbol of Ellantha around her neck pulsed with light. "Ellantha, let your holy power flow and heal the sick and wounded, so we may do your will."

---

OOC
Casting Healing Word at the wounded man. Healing 4 hit points.

19:16, Today: Mari Taysley rolled 4 using 1d4+3.  Healing word.

"Fascinating!" Raven whispered, witnessing the effects of the divine magic Mari wielded. If only she could delve the secrets of such power herself. Imagine! The power to close wounds with a word!

Her thoughts were interrupted by the memory of who had been left up above. "The tracker who went before us to lies grievously wounded up above, as does Zarth, albeit less so. I did what I could and I think have managed to keep the tracker from death's door, but surely they could use your aid as well," she told Mari. "We left them in the care of the miners, who said they were taking them back to their camp and then back to the village form there." 

"I'll be right behind him on the ladder, and I'll bring him up safely," Harbek called up the ladder-shaft to Mari of the Taysley family, when the priestess called down to the bnarr. The Dwar was glad to hear her speak the child's name, for Human names sounded rather odd to his ear, he had quite forgotten it.

"There's nothing to worry about, Todd," he assured the male Human bnarr. "Lady Mari needs to take her light elsewhere for a bit, but all we need to do is to climb straight up the ladder. It's not that far -- and as she says, you will be able to feel the rungs with your hands."

"Plus, Karadin of the Axebeard family and I can see in the dark, and we'll keep anything bad from happening to you."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:54, Sat 23 Nov 2019.

Todd followed Harbek's lead up the ladder, trembling as he did so. As he reached the top, Heiber reached out a comforting hand. "You're alright now, lad. We'll get you safely out of here."

Radek stumbled back to his feet, holding his side where the arrow wound had vanished with a look of wonder. "Thank you, lady."

As she released the last bit of power, Mari felt tiredness come over her. It was exhausting to channel Ellantha's will and she knew that even if she would need to call on it today, she wouldn't be strong enough to hold it. Only the smaller magics held, even if the light flickered a little as she leaned on the wall to rest for few moments.

She nodded to Raven, speaking with a slight tremble in her voice, "I'm sorry, miss, I don't think I heard your name before. I'm Mari Taysley. Ellantha's blessing be on you for the help you offered for saving the innocent." That was more formal than she would have used to many others, but she seemed so foreign and beautiful, so Mari felt like a country bumkin compared to Raven's dark beauty. "I will pray for them and see that they will be comfortable, but more than that will be beyond me before proper rest." Her cheeks reddened at admitting how weak she was, how she was still not strong enough for more of Ellantha's power.

Finally recognising Radek, she said, "Please, don't call me lady. I'm still just Mari. Mother Mari, if you absolutely must. Thank you for coming to help." Moment of rest had gotten rid of her immediate exhaustion, that was more mental than physical and Mari stood up and moved to tentatively pat the miner on his shoulder.

She did the same for Heiber, when he gathered close with the children, "I'm glad to see you, I hope we get the chance to talk more later."

Then said to everyone, looking over the various wounds of the dwar and everyone else. "If everyone is well enough to climb and travel, let's hurry to the surface before more goblins appear."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:59, Sun 24 Nov 2019.

"Everyone calls me Raven," the dark-haired woman replied to Mari with a friendly smile. "Your pardon please, I overheard the others use your name, but 'tis true that we've not been properly introduced. I am pleased to make your acquaintance, but perhaps a change of setting would be in order before we take such pleasantries further." She added. Her Merinthian was fluent, but she spoke in a slow drawl that make the words sound strange to Mari's native-speaker ears. She was definitely a foreigner, but then again unlike any of the other Acanti that sometimes visited these parts. "You and the children go on up," she gestured to the way up she just taken down a few minutes before. "I've still some vigor left and can aid the dwarves if the goblins dare to return." 
This message was last edited by the player at 22:06, Sun 24 Nov 2019.

With Harbek and Karadin rejoining the rest, the now expanded party headed back the way they had came through the tunnels. All was deathly quiet on their retreat, encountering no one but the lifeless corpses that marked their impact on the goblin den. The children were still too terrified to speak, and clung close to Heiber's familiar and comforting presence.

Returning to the thin crawl space through which they'd entered without incident, Heiber led the way, coaxing the nervous children to follow him.

and emerging in another thread...