As the flight of arrows rained around them Yulin was glad to hear no cries of pain from the gathered group. The braying panic from one of the oxen concerned her, they were not getting these supplies to Phandevin without the two beasts of burden hauling the wagon. The illusions would not work now, the goblins out in the trees clearly had a good idea of the group. They had waited to long, she had hesitated too long, she hissed a curse in her native tongue and reconsidered her plan.

All thought of subtlety gone Yulin spoke to Amalia as she moved, "Hatchling, wait." and she moved towards her.

Looking down into the girls eyes Yulin laid the back of her fingers against her cheek.

"Strengthen, brave young hatchling,
   Too early from the nest.
 Hearken to my reciting,
   In this moment of unrest."

Magic flared from her fingers and into the human, instilling fortitude and bravery into Amalia. The image of pale green scales was left on her face where Yulin had touched her as she withdrew her hand and the Bard's magic took hold.

As the battle progressed Yulin snarled as the goblins got closer. With a roll of her eyes she barked a laugh and taunted the nearest goblin, "Green skin was sooo last season!"

Initiative: 11
Perception: 9

Turn 1
Moving to Amalia
Casting Heroism on Amalia (+3 temp HP per round, cannot be frightened)
Moving back behind the cart and crouching

Turn 2
Casting Vicious Mockery (WIS DC13 3dam, disadv. on next attack) on;
1. A goblin engaged in melee with Amalia
2. A goblin engaged in melee with another group member
or
3. Any goblin in range
Use movement to duck in and out of cover behind wagon

Concentration: Heroism - Amalia

07:14, Today: Amalia Firnam rolled 20,15 using 1d20+5,1d20+5 with rolls of 15,10.  Amalia perception
07:15, Today: Amalia Firnam rolled 11 using 1d20 with rolls of 11. Amalia initiative (second roll was 5, so init is 11)
07:17, Today: Amalia Firnam rolled 4 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 3.  Ophelia initiative


Amalia had been in fights before, but as the baby of the family, she had been covered by her fighter father and cleric mother, even her wizard brother was positioning himself to protect her, so she ended up with not much to do in those skirmishes. But now, the teenager had to pull her weight if she was to prove herself worthy of these people, of the trust Gundren had given her by endorsing her.

The arrows started flying, crude, black shafted, like the ones in the horses, and with a dull thud, one embedded itself in her shield. A few centimeters either way and she could have had that arrow in her!

Concentrate, girl! This is no game!

Yulin called her out and briefly touched the teenager, sending a wave of energy into her, and she felt energized, the magic chasing whatever sleepiness she might have felt.

Thanks Yulin.

Using her advanced knowledge of the position of the goblins, thanks to Ophelia, she targeted a goblin and started to sing her spell.

Round 1

Action : Target an ideally already wounded goblin with Toll the dead, range 60 feet, Wis Save, DC 14, 6 necrotic damage if already wounded, 2 necrotic damage otherwise.
07:34, Today: Amalia Firnam rolled 6,2 using 1d12,1d8 with rolls of 6,2.  Toll the dead damage
Movement : Position herself to be only visible from one side of the road, using available cover
Free action : Mentally direct Ophelia to use the help action against Solgran's targets, and swoop out to safety (60 feet move)
Bonus action : be ready to use Word of healing, if someone drops

Round 2

Action : Target an ideally already wounded goblin with Toll the dead, range 60 feet, Wis Save, DC 14, 12 necrotic damage if already wounded, 5 necrotic damage otherwise.
007:44, Today: Amalia Firnam rolled 12,5 using 1d12,1d8 with rolls of 12,5.  Toll the dead damage.
Movement : Follow Allura to stay within 10 feet of her as support
Free action : Mentally direct Ophelia to use the help action against Solgran's targets, and swoop out to safety (60 feet move)
Bonus action : be ready to use Word of healing, if someone drops
This message was last edited by the player at 13:28, Fri 09 July 2021.

Allura was focused on the Goblin's she could see and while she didn't have her crossbow in hand she had her dark deal at her command. She nodded to Amalia when the arrows started to fly and one pinged off the cleric's shield.

"Take cover by the trees, I will cover you." If Amalia does so Allura raises her shield and moves as one with the cleric getting her to the trees then releases a blast at one of the goblins she had her eye on.

The same energy the group had seen before launches at the goblin as Allura calls out perhaps a challenge ? Who knows it was in that horrible language of fiends.

[Language unknown: "Siurlldi o som omnoesel !"] She chuckled darkly after her shot launches at the creature.



06:41, Today: Allura Whitlock rolled 21 using 1d20+2.  Initiative.

06:46, Today: Allura Whitlock rolled 16 using 1d20.  Perception.

06:50, Today: Allura Whitlock rolled 22 using 1d20+5.  Eldritch Blast.

06:51, Today: Allura Whitlock rolled 6 using 1d10.  Eldritch Blast Damage.


Round two she draws her blade, "I need to join Solgran now, Amalia."
Moving to join Solgran and will try and work tandem with him striking at any of the creatures that had dared endanger her sister.


Move 30' trying to join Solgran.
If she reaches him and an enemy she swings her sword if she doesn't reach an enemy for her blades thirst then she releases a blast of eldritch energy at a goblin.

06:57, Today: Allura Whitlock rolled 6 using 1d20+5.  Sword Strike or Eldritch blast same bonuses.
Fumble

Iniative Order

Yana (23)
Alura (21)
Osmon (16)
Goblins (15)
Snoric (14)
Solgran (12)
Amalia (11)
Yulin (11)
Edgar (8)
Ophelia (4)


<ROUND 1>

Yana's sharp eyes see several goblins to the south as well as north. From her vantage, she swings the crossbow towards the southernmost ones and fires, missing the goblin and hitting the tree, causing it to screech at you.

Allura, seeing one of the archers on the south side, didn't hesitate, summoning her mystic magic, striking one, causing a smouldering hole in it's armor and a burn on its chest. Though still alive, it was hurt badly.

Osmon, from the cart, saw the archers and fighter to the north and called fourth his magic, with the two archers dropping to the ground without a word. The warriors at their side spoke and rushed forward, scimitars in hand. Both swing at the barbarian, one missing with hands shaking at the sight of the huge man, the other hit his leg with a deep gash <Solgran takes 4 slashing damage>

The goblins on the other side had one move out ready to attack, but hesitate, while two more arrows came out, one barely missing Snoric, the other bouncing of Amalia's armor....it seemed her heavier armor had saved her twice already

Snoric, torn for a split second, removes a contraption from under his cloak, and pointing it at the goblins, pulls the trigger...a thunderous boom can be heard as the gunpowder ignotes, sending a metal projectile towards the archer, a hunk of tree shattering off, causing the goblin to look very worried.

Solgran, a deep gash in his leg, looked at it, then the goblin, his veins popping out as he dropped the javelins and slashed with his great two handed sword, missing the goblin by an inch.

Amalia, having seen the wounded goblin previously by Allura, focused her divine magic on it, and as it stood up, screamed as it held it's head, blood flowing from it's eyes and nose, as it dropped to the ground, writhing in pain, blood seeping from it's eyes and ears as it dropped to the ground, dead.


Yulin stops and turns her before she can move, speaking to her sincerely, bolstering her resolve, then goes behind the cart, looking around at the scene

<ROUND 2>

Yana again loads her crossbow and fires, this time to one of the goblins harrying the barbarian. Her aim true, she strikes it through one of it's eyes as it's head snapped back, dropping down dead.

Her sister moved up to the barbarians side, looking at her sister as she moved (And yana allowing a smug smile), to swing at the other enemy, but missed.

The wizard, standing in the cart, looks on, but hears a familiar call as his familiar perches above one of the archers. The wizard, ready for it, spun and fired a mote of fire, striking the goblin in the chest, a hole burnt through as it dropped the bow.

With already four of their comrades down, two of them dead, the goblins went from confident to desperate as they attacked. The goblin facing Solgran and Allura felt the tiefling more a threat and slashed at the woman's midsection, opening a wound in her stomach. <Allura takes 6 slashing damage *crit*>

The only two left standing, the melee fighter was stunned from the gnome's weapon, standing wondering what to do, while the archer again fired, this time at snoric, the source of the sound and damage to the  tree. The arrow flew true, striking the gnome in the chest <Snoric takes 8 piercing damage>

The gnome, grimacing in pain, pointed his firearm at the goblin frozen in fear, this time allowing for the recoil of the shot, and pulled the trigger. This time the shot his the archer with such force that half of the goblin's head was blown clean away.

Solgran, angered by the wound and by the fact the puny goblins think him less a threat, swung his sword in a high arc, somming down on the goblin's shoulder, with such force he cleaved it in two.


Amalia, seeing only one standing goblin, again channeled her divine magic, the toll of a bell causing it to drop the bow and clasp it's ears in pain. Yulin, smiling looked at the pitiful thing. "I bet that hurtsssss, doessn't it pitiful thingsss" Wether the toll of teh bell, or the sheer venom of the insult, the goblin dropped to the ground, dead.

<COMBAT IS OVER>

<OOC: Well done guys...eight enemies, and 6 are dead with two still asleep.

Some people are injured, but still alive.>

Yana: 9/9
Alura: 3/9
Osmon: 8/8
Snoric: 2/10
Solgran: 10/14
Amalia: 10/10
Yulin: 9/9

As Yulin spitted her insult and the goblin keeled over dead the battlefield was once again quiet. She looked around suspiciously and arched an eyebrow, it was mere moments since the battle had begun and already the ambush had been stopped. Was this what adventuring was like? A day or two of relaxed peace and then a moment of frantic panic and screams before things once again returned to quiet. She looked across to the goblin she had slain by her magic laced words, or maybe it was the hatchling's magic that hit the same creature. Either way, it seemed that the Gundren mountain creature had selected competent companions for her. She was unscathed and, apart from the mild racing of her heart and the adrenelin subsided, in perfect condition.

She stepped out from behind the cart and drew her lyre, the battle was done and the day won! She started playing a tune to support such an overwhelming victory when she spied Snoric bleeding and holding an arrow which had pierced his chest. She ceased her music immediately. Her pulse quickened again, her confidence shattered as she watched the blood stain the gnomes clothing. She liked the small burrow-creature and his breakfast cakes, she didn't want him to die! Yulin quickened her pace, running towards the gnome, her immediate thought was of Amalia. She could help, surely! Looking to the other side of the road Yulin shouted, "Hatchling! Come quick. It's Snoric."

She couldn't do anything herself so waited beside the gnome, worry in her eyes. Without thinking she had cast her spell on Amalia and the hatching was so protected with metal scales and shield she did not need it! What a foolish idea, she should have helped the unarmored gnome. She looked down in sympathy and regret. These poor innocent and adorable creatures given to her by Gundren were her responsibility, she was not going to let them die, she hated seeing them hurt and bleeding. She couldn't gather the anger to blame the goblins, she could have done more. She looked around, past Amalia. Others were hurt too, the barbarian had all but brushed off a slice in his leg but the devil looked to be bleeding badly as well.

Too many were hurt and there was too little she could do.

Snoric had a surge of emotions flowing through him as the battle resolved.  It was so quick, so amazingly quick.  He had always thought battle to be a slow thing but their ambushers lay dead or incapacitated in a matter of seconds.

Then there was Ultio.  He had never used the weapon in combat before and he had been amazed at its power as it blew the goblin's skull apart.  Part of him knew he should probably be disgusted or perhaps even a little bothered but he had been more fascinated by the force of the blow than any moral implications.

All these notions were fleeting as he stared down at the arrow sticking out of his chest.  He thought it would hurt more.  There was a dull ache which increased to a sharp agony when he moved the wrong way but it was bearable.  It was likely the adrenaline of the moment he knew.  He was lucky it had hit nothing critical.

Imagining the fighter types had the remaining goblins well in hand Snoric turned back to those on the cart, smiling sheepishly.  "Um, I don't suppose anyone could help get this arrow out?  I'd like to heal the wound but thing it would be better to take this thing out first."

Shaking a little from the adrenaline of combat, the cleric called out.

Lets see if we can take prisoners, we need to know what happened here!

She then looked around to see who would need care. Fortunately, no one had been dropped unconscious or death, although Snoric had suffered a serious arrow wound and Yulin called the teenager on it. Allura was seated on the ground holding her stomach, blood seeping on the ground and Solgram had an angry red slash on his tight. Assessing the priorities like she had been trained for at the temple, she went where the danger of worsening the wound was gravest, and that was Allura.

Yulin, don't touch Snoric's arrow, I'll be there soon!

Approaching the tiefling, she helped her remove her armor to correctly assess the damage and was relieved to see that only the muscles were touched, not the internal organs. Using the healer's kit bandages, she patched the wound and had her seated, back to a tree.

Rest up, you'll be all right, there was no damage to your organs. Yana, please come here and look after her, will you?

05:31, Today: Amalia Firnam rolled 17 using 1d20+5.  Amalia medecine roll on Allura.

Passing beside one of the dead goblins that her spell had hit, blood still seeping from all it's head orifices, she restrained her gag reflex, keeping her focus on the living.

It was us or them girl... us or them. Keep it together, you're needed!

Taking a deep breath to steady her own stomach, she approached the gnome, with the bard fussing over him, looking helpless. Gently putting a hand on Yulin's shoulder, she said.

It's all right Yulin, I have this.

The gnome was breathing shallowly, the quivering arrow deep in his chest. Fortunately, is was not near the heart. Unfortunately, it would be a bitch to remove.

Snoric, I will need to remove this. It will hurt, I won't be lying to you.

Finding a thick cloth piece in the cart, she casted her cleaning cantrip on it, then folded it and told the gnome to bite it. Then, avoiding to move the arrow as much as possible, she broke the shaft and started to carefully pull the arrow head out. By that time, she was already sweating and it was more difficult than she expected, but she still managed to do it. Patching the hole with bandages, she gave a reassuring smile to the baker.

There, some rest and you'll be baking those delicious muffins again in no time!

05:51, Today: Amalia Firnam rolled 10 using 1d20+5.  Amalia medecine roll on Snoric.

Solgran wound was not as serious and patching him was swift. Now that everyone was fixed up, she excused herself and went into the woods to isolate herself for a moment.

And threw up, emptying her stomach's content on the ground.... she had never taken a life before.

Snoric spits out the cloth strip as he screams loudly.  By the maker that hurt!  He falls to his knees gasping for a few moments, his vision resolving from it's blurring.  The remainder was cleared once he wiped the tears from his eyes.

He nodded his thanks to the cleric before pulling a small polished rod from his pocket.  It looked like some sort of gem or a rock polished to an incredible lustre.  Muttering a few phrases he touched the item to his wound and almost immediately the wound began to heal rapidly, leaving not a trace of injury, bar the hole in his tunic.

Twisting a small dial on the bottom of the rod, Snoric spoke again, this time waving the rod over his torn tunic.  Like the wound, the clothing quickly repaired itself leaving not a trace of the damage.

Feeling a lot better, Snoric made his way towards the fallen goblin on the south side of the road.  He was particularly interested in examining the one he had fallen but would check the others for any equipment or clues while there.

Casts Cure Wounds on Self - 9HP (Fully healed)
Casts Mending on Self

Searching the four goblin down the bottom for information/treasure/anything

Quiet settles between the trees as I carefully look out from my cover, seeing the blood and viscera liberally splashed across the vegetation along the tree line to either side of the trail and the small, horribly mutilated bodies crumpled to the ground under the shade cast by the large trees. My stomach lurches and I swallow hard to keep it down, the acid burning my throat.

Do not freak out, there are things that need to be done first!

Okay first, are there any other threats in the area that we need to deal with. I let out a whistle and when I hear Edgar's screech in response I circle my right hand over my head once, index finger extended. He'll fly a patrol and let me know if he finds anything dangerous.

Alright second, what is the condition of my allies. Snoric and Allura look pretty rough but it does not look like they are in imminent danger now that the fight is over. Miss Scalesong's cry for Amalia to help Snoric rings out over the group. Seems like they have that handled for now and its not like I have much skill in that area.

Third, secure any prisoners. Climbing down from the wagon I move to the side of the road and awkwardly pull myself up the step embankment and into the trees where the ambushers had hidden. Pulling out my rope and dagger I cautiously approach the two Goblins my spell had put to sleep, the last thing I need is find out they are faking and decide to gut me. After removing anything within reach of the bodies that can be used as a weapon, I carefully move the bodies so as not to wake them, cut my rope to the appropriate lengths, and secure their hands and feet. I wish I had something I could use as a hood and gag but I do not have anything on me that I am willing to part with that fits the bill. Something I can hopefully remedy when we get to Phandalin. Now that they are secured, maybe we can separate and interrogate them to see if there are any more hidden along this trail.

Four, check on the wagon and our gear. Walking back it looks like everything came through okay; the attackers focused on those who had already stepped away from the wagon. The Oxen only suffered the one hit, I wonder if the attacker hoped to use the Oxen to pull the wagon back to their camp where they could go through it in relative privacy. And probably eat the Oxen afterwards. Whispering soft words to the wounded animal and making sure I approach slowly and from within its field of view I gently stroke it and offer it some feed to distract it. That done I take a look at wound in its flank, poring water over it from my canteen and patting it dry with some tight cloth I found in the wagon bed. Alcohol would be better but I do not think I should do that while it is harnessed to the wagon. We can deal with this properly when we camp, for now we will just have to keep an eye on it to make sure it does not get infected.

I think that is everything. While the others are busy with the aftermath I slip away into the trees, lean forward at the waist, hands braced on my knees, and am quietly, violently ill. The image of the Goblin's surprised, agonised face as fire burned into its chest setting its matted, oily hair to smoldering replays across my eyes and its painful scream echoes in my ears before they cut off with an awful gurgle. Oh gods! My stomach contracts painfully but its already empty and it just leaves me gagging at the dry heaves. It is not our fault, they attacked us and we defended ourselves; it is not like we had many options.

When the convulsions stop, I stand up and rinse my mouth out with sips of water from my canteen until the awful taste is gone. That done, I do a quick check to make sure I did not get any vomit on myself, take a deep breath, and head back to the others. The day is not over.

Summary
Osmon
Perception while approaching the sleeping Goblins 8.
Animal Handling to soothe the Ox while I treat its wound 17.
Medicine to treat the Ox 12

Edgar
Perception as he takes up over watch 23 (natural 20)
This message was last edited by the player at 13:18, Sat 10 July 2021.

The party watches as Amalia goes checking each of their wounds. Solgren grimaces, but his wound is minor compared to the rest. Allura had a deep would, though she would live with some rest. It was snoric, who was barely consious that was the worst hurt. Amalia removed the arrow and he screamed, but much to the shock of Amalia and Yulin (Who thought the little man all but dead), he had some contraption that not only healed his wounds, but his clothes as well.

The gnome stood up, disting off his hands and went to the four dead goblins south of the road as the two women, one human and yuan-ti watched with surprise as if he wasn't even injured.

The gnome searched each, but found little of value other than their armor, small sets of leather armor, two short bows with 16 arrows each, and two scimitars that looked poorly cared for.

Likewise, the magic user, scanning the sleeping goblins as he tied them, found the same on each of them...leather armor and a bow each with 16 arrows. The two who faces solgren and allura had the armor and scimitars.

osmon tied the two sleeping goblins up, moving them to the road as they stir. The goblins look at the group with concern, the  fear when they see the state of their comrades, even as the magic user disappears for a moment.

the two look at each other in panic. [Language unknown: "Ure nd tinthanot ame.  Athiwa tiheto a lired!"] the other swallows heavily. [Language unknown: "Whiwerith and stofos iv behotr llith plesnd"]

Yulin was grateful as Amalia came and tended to Snoric although was maybe a little displeased he wasn't given greater priority with the arrow sticking out of his chest. When the arrow was removed and Snoric raised the rod to his chest Yulin arches an eyebrow and the wound healed, she was not aware the gnome had the ability to mend wounds. An interesting fact to store away for later, and perhaps another group member to question about the healing arts. As Snoric mended his clothes Yulin cast her own cleaning magic as Amalia did with the flour the day they left, leaving the gnome clean as well as healthy. "Hope you don't mind." She apologised for the innocuous use of magic, "Good to see you are well." Looking exactly as he did before the fight Yulin shook her head in disbelief and a smile played across her lips as the gnome headed straight to the goblins to search them.

She stood and looked around the battlefield. Gory as it was it did not disturb her, even the goblin closest to her which seemed to have had half of its head removed by some explosive crossbow that Snoric was using. The small gnome was full of surprises. She approached the dead goblin and squatted down beside it, tilting her head she looked at it curiously. It sounded explosive, frightening and deafening as the gnome pointed the weapon, and she looked to Snoric rifling through the other corpses. Magic, she determined, especially after the healing the gnome had performed on himself.

Her attention was drawn toward the middle of the road as the goblins were bundled up and dumped down together. Yulin approached them with a frown, studying them with the same curious expression as she studied the corpse. When they started gibbering to each other she looked around the group, "Can anyone speak their language? I have a spell that might help, at least in understanding them. It may not help much in a lengthy discussion."

The two stopped talking as the yuan-ti approached, fear in their eyes.

Allura regardless of how she wanted to maintain a dark resolve grunted out from the deep slash in her side from the small creature. The glow of her eyes dimmed a bit.

[Language unknown: "Ntadet aiof vir om comastnti teec hisho llone, paati sonortverman e prehouill !"]

When Amalia came to check her wound she began to respond in infernal but switched back to common, "Thank you."

As things settled she patted Solgran's shoulder a brief quirk of her lip the hint of a smile and nod. Seeing that her sister was not in harms way she moved to the horses to check their livery and for any signs they might have been Gundren and his mysterious partners.

She sat in the dusty road applying pressure to her wound and sheathing her blade.

"Our employer Gundren, this is his pony and the horse, any normal human or humanoid might be able to ride." She looked over at her...companions letting that settle in.

Steady girl... it's ok, it's passed.

The vomit smell was terrible, her empty stomach still heaving... but she couldn't stay here. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she spotted a chunky dribble that was slowly making it's way to the ground on her armor. She was shaky as she casted her cleaning spell, and had to restart it, having mispronounced a mystic word. After cleaning her mouth with some water from her water skin and splashing some of it on her face, she took a last shaking breath before going back to the party.

Two tied up goblins were on the road when she arrived, the already walking around Snoric looting the dead. Yana was tending Allura and she could see the pale faced Osmon walking about. Whistling, she called Ophelia and sent her on a wide range patrol, to detect anything of interest, more goblins, trails, settlements...

Yulin was approaching the fearful goblins and asked if anyone knew the goblin language, to which the cleric shook her head. But maybe they could understand them. She got nearer, and noticed that the two horses had been dead for a day or so, and that one was a pony... like a dwarf would ride. Fear gripped her heart and she looked at Yulin, eyes wide.

Gundren... that must be his pony...

She turned to the goblins, took a steadying breath, squatted in front of them, and, remembering the arrow still stuck on her shield, she made a show of removing it, casting a spell to repair the puncture, bringing it to pristine conditions again. Only then did she looked at them.

Hello. As you can see, your ambush was a failure, and we can't allow more travelers to fall into it. It would be regrettable to have to take more lives needlessly to stop this practice, wouldn't you agree? You must have families waiting for you. If you tell us what happened here and where are those who rode these animals, we wouldn't have to kill again.

She had spoken softly and slowly in the common tongue, having no idea if she could get through to them or even if they understood her.

08:31, Today: Amalia Firnam rolled 22,7 using 1d20+3,1d20+3.  Ophelia perception check (advantage).
This message was last edited by the player at 13:31, Sat 10 July 2021.

Yulin looked to the dead horses with a grimace and as Amalia commented she looked to the young cleric. "All the more important then that we get answersss."

He fingers reached to the lyre at her side and with a few plucks of the strings Yulin chanted, ""Sa'nie'kiss."

"If they speak, I will know what they say." She looked down at the small creatures as Amalia spoke to them.

Casting Comprehend Languages.

The two goblins look at the purple haired girl, sceptical but nodded. One spoke to the other. [Language unknown: “Etprat ichromear encineere ur iveha nd la”] the other grunted, but looked at her. He spoke in halting common. “You no hurt us…like friends?”

Allura's eyes narrowed as she listened to Amalia try to talk with the Goblins then she heard it's words make sense.

"Did it just dare." She placed her palms on the ground and eldritch energies forcefully propelled her to standing.

She started heading towards the Goblins.

Allura let her deep bleeding wound be visible as she approached, "You and yours did this 'friend' wanna be besties!" She started to draw her blade.

The voice of her mother came in her mind, when she was imparting lessons to her wild child.

Remember Amalia, communication is key, you can solve many problems with it.

Thanks mom...

Nodding her head, she rose, putting her shield back on her back. Realizing she was stretching her diplomatic abilities, she called on Selune to help her. But she had started this relationship with the smelly creatures and had to see it through, for Gundren's and Sildar's sake. She gave a small smile to the goblin that had spoken to her in common.

I won't hurt you, if you bring us to the two riding those animals. They are our friends. We don't want friends to be hurt, just like you.

As she was saying it, she realized that she was stretching the truth a lot, having met the two of them just the day before!

Blessed Selune, please let him believe me!

09:14, Today: Amalia Firnam rolled 19 using 1d20+1.  Amalia persuasion. – [roll=1625926475.08641.358677]

09:14, Today: Amalia Firnam rolled 2 using 1d4.  Amalia Guidance. – [roll=1625926460.61058.358677]

As usual, the actual battle was impossible to take in as it went. Goblins rushed in, people moved to react, and chaos ensued. Ranged weapons moved to the goblins, goblins rushed in, magic met goblin with brutality and heat, and then the goblins had closed and Solgran's focus was reduced to two little green men trying to kill him before he killed them. One showed fear, but the other pulled back and blade now dripping red. ~Blood. Great. Guess I'll be feeling that one in a second.~ Whistling arrows, the thunks and thuds of weapons hitting armor or other weapons, words laced with magical energy; over time those noises blended together to form an almost relaxing cacophony, but this skirmish would be short one way or another... But then came a thunderous boom that drew even Solgran's attention and his head turned to Snoric. ~What in all the nine hells?~ Ow, there it as, the pain from the leg wound. The boom could wait. For now, he had goblins to fight. The world shifted as Solgran moved to react, and for just a moment, the chaos stopped.

He glanced at his leg with annoyance, and took and angry swing. He missed, but nearby another goblin was screaming, bleeding, now writing on the ground. ~One down.~

Chaos returned once more, starting with one of his assailants taking a crossbow bolt to the eye. ~Two.~ Other companions drawing near. Magical fire, and an internal offering of thanks that it was directed by his companions rather than at. Solgran's opponent turned and attacked Allura, cutting deep, but not deadly. Not so for his target, though, cleaving Allura's attacker nearly in two in retaliation. He'd lost track of numbers. Snoric's thunderstick machine sounded again, and nearby a goblin's head exploded, and Solgran lost track of the having lost track of numbers. The sounding of a bell, and...

Just like that, the chaos was over.

Solgran looked around, noting wounded companions, but all alive even if in pain. He drew a contented breath and the world faded back to normalcy while he observed the rest of the field. ~All of this in what? Ten seconds, give or take?~ They said magic could do weird things with time. If that was true, combat must be a natural form of magic.

As others began tending the wounded, checking on the wagon and animals, and going to address two more goblins who'd apparently passed out from the shock of battle, Solgran left them to their skillsets while he went and embraced his own. He investigated the murdered horses, and looked or signs of their riders to see if they escaped or had been dragged away. It seemed unlikely that they would be dragged off the road to be hidden, with the horses left so plainly there in the middle, but they could have ran after the goblins and died in the woods as well. It was clearly goblins who'd attacked them, but there could be more.

11:38, Today: Solgran Farnzythe rolled 13 using 1d20+3.  Survival.
11:38, Today: Solgran Farnzythe rolled 11 using 1d20+3.  Perception.

The goblin speaking common nodded. “Yess….we help purple hair girl for freedom. Yes. Riders of the, alive still - taken to master. One dwarfie, one huuman. Tied them and took home.” The goblin points northwest. “Trail there….hidden. We take you, you no hurt skiril and Graf?” The goblins look around at the group, and that’s when you realise they aren’t scared of yulin specificly, but the whole group. The promise of freedom from Amalia has given them a glimmer of hope

Solgran took note and returned to the group, "I have found the trail for where they took them. North, then northeast. It was not hard to find, nor to follow. Did the goblins have anything useful to tell us?"

Yana stayed in the wagon,  crossbow out, vigilant for more trouble.
She looked at her sister pointedly
This message was last edited by the player at 23:53, Sat 10 July 2021.

Snoric dragged the various equipment back to the cart.  He wasn't sure what to do with it, but he'd grown up scrounging parts for his various contraptions.  Often his iron was from discarded scraps, kindly melted down for him by a local blacksmith, then reforged into various moulds Snoric had fashioned from other throwaway items.

Finishing the task, Snoric climbed into the wagon then sagged down, the adrenaline run its course.  He looked up at Yana, here eyes scanning the forest.  He supposed he should do that too but he needed a moment.  He thought about eating one of his remaining muffins for energy but his roiling stomach suggested that was a bad idea.  His mind skipped to the fallen horses and he wondered if he should ask someone to butcher the animals.  The meat was likely fresh enough it could be used.  Though he'd need salt, did they have salt?

His mind already running in a hundred directions like it usually did, he looked up at Yana.  Almost subconsciously his hands had drawn out Ultio and had begun cleaning it.

"Is it always like this?"  He asked, giving no indication as to what 'this' was.

Allura's eyes flickered from the Goblin to her sister then back.