On entering the room Fiene can saw black and red wasps droning through the air. He spotted a nest hung in the southwestern alcove. Below the nest was an intact cask with a leather satchel upon it. The wasp flew around much of the southern half of the room but but did interrupt travel from the bottom of the stairway to the northern door.

Gates of hell

OOC Wasp swarm indicated by red spotty cloud.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:33, Sun 07 Feb 2021.

Having heard no cry of alarm, Barnabas leads Nerida up to and then across the roof, motioning for the others to follow, before joining Fienne on the second floor of the northern expanse of the ruined gatehouse. The wasps can enjoy their dominion another day, he judiciously decides.

Wordlessly, he pokes Nerida. She knows what this means. Though their partnership hasn't surpassed a day, they have begun to know each and other and what is meant by this and what is meant by that.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:43, Mon 08 Feb 2021.

Cleverly avoiding any trouble with the wasps the party of adventurers took to the roof of the gatehouse. With encouragement from Ben the very young Nerida opened the last door. The room was thirty-five foot by twenty-five foot and similar to the other rooms sunlight entered from four alcoves. An ash-filled fire ring was in the centre of the room. Near to the fire ring was a stack of chopped-up furniture. Detritus and dead leaves covered the floor, with many small footprints in the dirt. Close to the north wall was a trapdoor in the floor.



OOC

Day: 1. Time: 1:40pm. Turn: 28. Weather: Clear. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20'

Lantern oil used Ben and Fiene: 22 Turns.

Anfinn walked over to the trapdoor and began to do a check for traps in his own odd manner.

The thief crossed the room and passed the old fire pit. Examination of the trapdoor showed it had been regularly used but Anfinn spotted no traps on or near it.

With Ermangard close by, Fiene opens the door. He hopes the residents are not at home.

The trapdoor when opened by Fiene groaned loudly. Below the trapdoor was an iron ladder going down twelve foot to a corridor heading south.

Hanging the lantern down below, if he finds nothing of danger will climb down the ladder to the lower level.

There was nothing moving in the corridor below, so what danger may lurk there were out of sight. Taking his lantern down the ladder Fiene reached a short corridor, himself at a dead-end. There was a door to close to him on the west and another at the end of the corridor to the south.



OOC

Day: 1. Time: 1:50pm. Turn: 29. Weather: Clear. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20'

Lantern oil used Ben and Fiene: 23 Turns.

Many small footprints, Ben observes. This further distinguishes it from the other two campsites they had found earlier in the day. He's grateful for this distinction for so much else seems to be coming or going.

Another door and another turn for Ben. He opens it but not before listening for the sound of any who might have small feet.

Down the ladder Ben approached the door. Cautiously he listened to the door for any sounds of what the room might contain. Ben heard naught so pushed open the door. The room behind the door was twenty foot by fifteen foot. When the door opened a dismal odour emerged. Inside the room was another fire pit, crudely made it contained glowing coals. A spit of half eaten meat was roasting. In the corners of the room where scattered rough hides. Closer to the fire and in the midst of eating where five small grotesque humanoids with pallid skin and red eyes.

OOC Roll for Surprise, the goblins are not surprised.

Day: 1. Time: 2:00pm. Turn: 30. Weather: Clear. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20'

Lantern oil used Ben and Fiene: 24 Turns.

Bertilak seems uneasy as the party moves through the gatehouse. He remains close to Arietta, and quiet. As the party descends back to the ground floor at the far end of the gatehouse, he finally says, "I do have a sleep spell that might help with those wasps. But if it only affects a small portion of them, we would still not be able to reach the items under their hive. Perhaps we should prepare some smoke-creating brands with green plants wrapped around torches, just in case my spell is less than fully potent?"

Then Ben opens the door to the room containing goblins, and Bertilak stops and stares in disbelief...

OOC: Do we have a party caller to make surprise rolls? Do we each roll individually?

06:57, Today: Bertilak the Green rolled 2 using 1d6.  Surprise roll.

Not good. :D

In the midst of their eating the five goblins looked at Barnabus with curiosity. They put down their meals and picked up spears but did not attempt an attack.

OOC Whoever gets to the dice roller first get to make the roll. This time the party was surprised but the goblins chose not to attack.

"Hold."  Fiene says softly to the party.   "Friends..." he calls to the goblins.   "I am glad we found you." He gestures to the one who seems best equipped.

Teodore lowers his sword and shield, but makes no move to sheathe his sword, allowing Fiene to take the lead here.

The goblins curiosity about Barnabus began to grow to alarm as others began to peer inward to their sanctuary, especially the sight of warrior like Teodore. They began to hold their spears more nervously. At a glance Fiene spotted that one of the goblins wore a large copper nose ring and selected that goblin as the target of his spell. Garbled words and a flourish of hands completed the act of wizardry. Noticeably the goblin relaxed and put down his spear. The other goblins looked a bit confused.

Fiene's attempt at parlay was met with gibberish nonsense in reply as the goblin spoken in an unknown language. The nose-ringed goblin shook its head in a statement of mutual incomprehension then picked up a chunk of roasted meat and held it out as an offer to the wizard.

"Does any speak goblin?" Fiene asks.  "I know a bit of orc, perhaps they do as well."  He says "Thank you, friend." in orcish, and accepts the meat.

There were some similarities between orcish and goblins but they were not the same. A few words were understood and Fiene's peaceful actions combined were enough to placate the goblins who returned to their eating.

The meat was rank. It had been cooked but had been rotten and spoilt. There was more meat on the spit, identifiable as some herd animal, perhaps goat from the hills or deer from the forest. At least it wasn't anything more worrying. As well as the meat being spoilt the room had a foul odour. The goblins slept in rough hides which lay around the edges of the room and their hygiene was very poor.

The goblins wore simple clothing made from hides and leathers with few other belongings. Each had a spear near to hand and a pouch hung on their belt. The only identification of their leader was a large copper ring worn through his nose.

Barnabas blinks a few times. How could he have not heard the feeding of goblins? Did this genus of goblin possess the genetic trait of etiquette? That was something, he had always read, that only the best are born with.

Uncertain of what to say, he offers, "Well, then. We can return tomorrow and harvest another one."

With that he points at the unopened door and gives Nerida a meaningful look. It does not occur to him that nose ring should probably take their place in this game.

There were many factors to consider when listening at a door, the many other ambient sounds, the acoustics of the building, and many others distractions along being able to decipher what the noise was when heard. Stumped by this enigma Barnabas left Fiene with his goblin friends and sent Nerida to open another door.

Obediently Nerida opened the door. The room mirrored the room in size to the one on the other side of the gateway, thirty-five by twenty feet with three alcoves. Broken pieces of wood, leaf litter and dirt was scattered across the floor. When the door had been opened goblins, three of them one in each alcove turned to face Nerida. Each held a bow and arrow in their hands.



OOC Someone roll for Surprise.

Day: 1. Time: 2:10pm. Turn: 31. Weather: Clear. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20'

Lantern oil used Ben and Fiene: 25 Turn.

09:25, Today: Ben rolled 2 using 1d6.  surprise roll.

The appearance of the armoured and armed warrior in the doorway had the three goblins archers on a back foot. They had been prepared to snipe any unsuspecting travellers not fight face to face.

The goblins had nowhere to run so held their ground with bows ready, waiting for something to happen.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:46, Wed 10 Feb 2021.

Barnabas closes the door, leaving the three goblin archers in their state of readiness.

He instructs the others to all follow him into the goblin kitchen, close the door behind them, and then to kill the cooks. From his previous experience, he has determined the chamber to be all but soundproof.

The goblin archers watched as Ben closed the door. What they did behind the closed door was unknown. Ben then returned to the other room where the goblins were eating.

OOC I'll wait for everyone to post their actions before we determine what happens next.

With a nod, Valerian draws his dagger and follows with the others.