Flexing and stretching, Atak notes the places where he is still sore and thanks Pat the elf. "Appreciated," is all he says.

Once Veryn is taken care of, and the mule's wound has been addressed, it's, "On to the farmhouse!"

Veryn looks at the Elf, a little weirded out but nonetheless interested in being healed, and nods his assent.

As Pat he approaches Veryn, he says"tsk. tsk. You've been a very naughty boy, but rescuing me from being goblin food or worse is a nice mark which hasn't been tallied."  he nods as if checking something. Then continues "Oh Father Winter, I beseech thee to give this nice young man, Veryn the gift of health?" He puts his hand out to touch Veryn.

A strange mix of icy and warm assaults Veryn's wounds, and he feels ever so slightly better (healed 2 hp)

"Well done," Atak says to their new compatriot. "We should load the mule with the salable items from the goblins and we can be on our way to the farmhouse."

Pat doesn't know which way it the farmhouse was.  (OOC: Do you have a search pattern?  Pick a direction?  There's the pointy thing in the distance on the horizon to the west down the side road, fields in all other directions besides the road going N/NE and S/SW.  You passed a few long driveways on dirt roads with farmhouses on the way, and presumably there's more ahead.)

Atak looks around them. "A dozen goblins must leave a pretty distinct trail as they move through the world," Atak opines. "We should examine the surround for evidence of their passing; if none is found, I suggest we make for that pointy thing in the distance." He indicates the spire or such with a wave of his hand. "If they weren't making a ruckus in the meadow grasses, then they were walking on the road, I would imagine."

He suggests the first places they look would be where Pat was trussed up and where they were lingering in the bushes to spring the ambush.

After Bob loads all the extra plunder onto Mule, he rises up on his rear legs.  "I see pointy thing.  We go that way?" he asks, gesturing in that direction.

Angus checks the mule to make sure it's wounds are not too serious, and that the load won't exacerbate the injuries. If he thinks it might, he offers to carry as much as possible himself.

The mule is doing pretty well, just a flesh wound.

Examining the locale the goblins are light, slow and careful there's not much to go on, but a couple partial muddy prints at the treeline going next to the road to the north on the west side.  Following along that side you come to a dirt path that leads out to a small farmhouse and barn.  You can hear some distressed animal sounds from within a barn.

"I suggest we sneak up on the barn and handle whatever is there, then move toward the house," Atak offers. "There can't be very many goblins left, and it seems certain there would be fewer in the barn than in the farmhouse."

Black Angus nods at Atak. "Sound plan."

Bob nods, drawing a javelin and his short sword.  "We go." he says.

As you get closer you can see the barn's been neglected for a quite some time, needing some repairs and paint.

Chicken-lizards rush out as the door of the barn is opened then the smell of a barn left uncleaned assaults you.   The barn has a milk brahmin that's mooing in distress, it has no food in it's stall and it's udders are swollen with milk.  A donkey, goat, and sheep also without any food also bray in their stalls.  There's a bit of water left, so it can't have been more than a few days since they were last watered.  There's an empty stall with a wooden lattice that extends to the ceiling with a strange looking saddle next to it that's in better repair than the rest of the barn.

Atak makes the clicking noise again, rapidly but in low tones, as the group approaches the barn. He suddenly holds out both arms to stop the crew from advancing.

The voice comes from deep inside his hood, where no light can reach.

"Leave the barn," he says, with determination. "There is a giant lizard inside. Three horns. It may be docile enough to ride, it may be something we have to attack and kill. But we do not have to handle this encounter immediately."

Atak points toward the house. "If goblins are here, the house is where they are. The sounds of the animals can help to mask our approach. Sneak up on the side of the house and see what's what. If we hear nothing, then Black Angus crashes through the front door."

Angus takes the artifact from his belt. It's a hollow metal tube with a wooden stock similar to a crossbow, but with no crossbar. Angus swings it around so he holds the stock forward, and smiles. "Ready to bust open the door."

Bob's head nods in agreement, and he starts towards the house, following Atak's lead.

Veryn nods his agreement with Atak’s suggestion and takes a wide berth on his approach to the house, arrow nocked and at the ready as he moves up to the side of the building.

The Doctor readies his wrench.

The group will conduct a quick movement to the house and listen for sounds, carefully peer through first-floor windows and check for any signs of life.

As you approach the house, you do notice smoke coming from the fireplace chimney.  The windows are all shuttered, and it looks like the door is already busted open.  The house looks to be in almost as poor repair as the barn.

There's rustic rickety looking furniture and stairway going up.  Two doors on either side are closed.  You can hear goblin voices arguing to the left through the closed door.

"Ambush?" Bob asks. "Be loud to make them come see?"

((ooc: clarification:

The main door is busted in. I assume we have seen inside the house, where there is a staircase and two closed doors. One of the doors has goblin voices behind it; the other is quiet. Am I correct? ))

Atak keeps his voice hushed. "Bob, and I say this with all the affection I can muster, you are one big walking distraction." He nods with a grin at the insectoid. "Go in the front yard, stand at your tallest, and make as much noise as you can. Veryn and I will shoot the first one out the door with arrows. Black Angus and the Doctor will take the second, or rush the house if no other goblins emerge. Shall we?" he asks the companions.

If all are agreed, Atak suggests placing himself and Veryn on the same side of the doorway, and the two rushers on the other. "Let him get three or four steps out the door before we fire," he suggests to Veryn.

"Surely there's another door into this house somewhere? Perhaps Angus and I should break in from the opposite side during the distraction?"

There is a back door around back, it's intact.