Season 1 - Episode 4: The Goblin Caves

[Birthright]

Tannen quietly retreats back to the intersection to talk tactics with the rest of the party. "Hmmm. Even if there's only a few there, we know that at least one of them might well be bigger and tougher than the rest. It will be to our advantage if we can try and lure out just a few of them at a time. Another alternative is to just hurl a couple of flasks of flaming oil at whoever we see from the curtain and attack them from back here as they stumble out in confusion... Of course if Alma is in there, then that might not work out so well for her... Any ideas?

Nivek could also try yelling out in Goblin-speak and perhaps lure just a few of them out here. Whatever we do, some oil spread around on the floor here might be handy. Who has some oil?"

Tannen intends to pour one or two flasks of oil on the ground in the short east-west passage the branches out from the long north-south passage. Another flask or two needs to be prepared with a 'wick' for easy lighting and throwing to start things rolling!.

[Iain_IF]

All we need is her hand, avers Paladin. I'm for pulling the curtain down and throwing burning oil on everything but us. The guard and I can shoot our bows at screaming, melting goblins. I hear they burn like tallow candles.

[Hywaywolf]

I'll stay on the exit side of the oil and toss daggers at them and then cut down any that get past you guys.

[actingkeith]

Karl quietly, anxiously waits for Sgt Tannen's plan of action to go into action. His breathing deepens because he knows there's some killin' to be doin' soon

[JoeCarr28]

Seargeant Tannen - can you just summarise the final, definitive version of the plan. And also how you plan to trigger the action.

I'll then set-up everyone's starting positions on MapTool. Once everyone's happy with the set-up, we'll let things kick-off.

[Eevans]

Hiker listens to Karl and begins to breath awkwardly as well. He notches his bow with an arrow and awaits the PLAN!

[Birthright]

Seargeant Tannen - can you just summarise the final, definitive version of the plan. And also how you plan to trigger the action.

[OOC: Gah. Pressure. Here goes...]

Tannen proposes the following plan. He is especially eager to hear from Nivek, as he wants to make sure that the dwarf is confident to be 'triggering' the plan:

1. Two flasks of oil (Nivek has 5) are to be poured on the floor on the eastern end of the short east-west tunnel that branches of the main north-south tunnel in such a way that the north-west tunnel will be passable in the event of fiery death in the shorter adjoining tunnel.

2. Karl and Hiker will be stationed in the north-south tunnel with what remains of Nivek's rope - one of them standing on each side of the entrance to the east-west tunnel, close to the wall with the intention of holding the rope at ankle level to trip any goblins as they enter the north-south tunnel. This inevitably leaves one of them potentially stranded on the south side of the tunnel with the possibility of being cut of from the only escape route. To avoid being cut-off, whichever of the two is stuck to the south should leap over (or run around) any fallen goblins before engaging them in melee.

3. Tannen (and Nivek if he's agreeable) will head through the oil and just to the beginning of the long NE-SW tunnel that leads up to the source of all the goblin chatter. We plan to trigger the 'action' by Nivek bellowing out something in his best impersonation of goblin-speak (perhaps something along the lines of: "We got attacked by a boar! It killed some of the others, but I stuck it right good in the guts and killed it! We'll all feast up big tonight, but send a few hands to help carry the carcass inside!" - Nivek, from his past experience battling goblins will likely know how to phrase this as an arrogant demand, submissive request or whatever).

4. Tannen and Nivek will linger near the intersection (with torch-light suitably shielded) to ensure that some goblins respond. When they are sure that some goblins are on their way, they'll head (carefully - perhaps we'll leave a 6" wide zone adjacent to one of the walls free of oil so as not to get it on our boots) back through the oil and take up positions in the north-south passage, just to the north of the intersection.

5. One (or both) halflings - Doughbert can borrow one of Paladin's short bows and quivers of arrows perhaps? - can take up a position on the western wall of the north-south tunnel looking directly across the oil into the short east-west tunnel. Upon seeing the approaching goblins, they should loose an arrow each at the leading goblins, before "fleeing" to the north. Hopefully any surviving goblins give chase and trip into the corridor over Karl/Hiker's rope trap.

6. As soon as one or more goblins have made their way into the north-south corridor, someone (perhaps Nivek/Tannen) can throw a lit torch around the corner onto the pool of oil to engulf any goblins following the first few (we'll abort this step in the case of less than 5 goblins being sent out - we can likely take down a small group if most of this goes according to plan).

7. If all else fails, we make a fighting withdrawal back to the main entrance and flee into the forest (hopefully Barnaby might still be there to cover our retreat!) Doughbert and Paladin should each carry a pre-prepared flask of oil with an oil-soaked wick (torn from a cloak or use a piece of small sack) to use as a 'grenade' to help cover our retreat. Tannen can lend a flint and steel if needed.

Tannen asks the other for their input and makes sure each member of the group knows what they have to do (especially Hiker) before asking everyone to prepare and take up their positions.

"Good Luck." he says to all before heading off with Nivek.

[Iain_IF]

Paladin hands Doughbert the goblin's bow and arrows. You got all that, right, he says before heading out toward the entrance.

[Hywaywolf]

Shoot and withdraw, shoot and withdraw. Is that what you heard, too?

[JoeCarr28]

OK - I've translated Tannen's plan to MapTool. Have a look here: https://sites.google.com/site/marketstonecampaign/ and make sure that I've understood everything correctly.

I assume that only Tannen has a lit torch right? (Karl and Hiker have their melee weapons in one hand and the rope in the other, Doughbert and Paladin have their shortbows, and Nivek is wielding his mace and shield).


Doughbert: HP 3/5. No '0' level spells remaining today.
Hiker: HP 6/9.
Karl: HP 7/8.
Nivek: HP 5/7. No ‘0’ level spells remaining today.
Tannen: HP 6/9.
5 pm, 27th day of Harvestide.