Season 1 - Episode 4: The Goblin Caves

[Iain_IF]

Paladin gives Hiker a few of the goblin arrows to replace those lost.

Hiker takes the arrows from Paladin, "Thank ya Mr. Halfman, I sure hope Ms. Alma's alright, you think these goblin things want to eat her?"

Paladin nods and then shrugs. Who knows? I wouldn't have chopped off her hand, he says. Everyone has their own style of courting. Live and let live is my philosophy. Or not.

[JoeCarr28]

[OOC]Just wondering, Is this natural caves or something hewn out like a mine entrance? (dwarf ability if necessary)

Like the old man's cave, these caves appear natural rather than worked.

[Iain_IF]

Paladin will sneak up to the cave mouth, using his natural small size to his advantage. Once there, he'll listen for a few minutes for voices and, if hearing none, peek into the cave.

[Birthright]

As Paladin does his sneaking, Tannen gathers the rest of the party together.

"If we must push on today, I suggest a quick foray or skirmish before we fall back to the robed man's cave.

I've heard that these creatures are more active at night, so we don't want to be caught out in the open when night falls.

Of course, another option is to wait until nightfall before we enter the cave. They may send out scouting parties that will weaken their numbers inside the cave..."

[JoeCarr28]

Rather than cutting directly across the clearing to the cave mouth, which would have left Paladin rather exposed, the halfling follows the tree-line around the clearing until he meets the cliff face and then sidles as silently as possible up to the entrance [Rolls].

[Rolls] Remaining still and listening for a couple of minutes, Paladin can hear voices. They are in a harsh-sounding language that he doesn't understand. 'Goblin' would be a sensible guess, but he can't be sure. It also sounds like there are several different voices - at least three or four. The echoing effect of the cave makes it difficult to gauge distances, but the voices sound reasonably close, within ten yards or so. Due to the proximity of the voices, Paladin judges that it would be quite risky to pop his head around the cave mouth for a look.

From the vantage point across the clearing, it's also clear that the caves are dark; there doesn't appear to be any natural light or artificial illumination.

(I'm going to be away with work for the next couple of days, so my next major post is likely to be at the weekend or early next week. In the meantime, see if you can reach a consensus as to whether you plan to enter the caves at this point in time, or return later. Also, please let me have your marching order for the prospective dungeoneering; the tunnel looks like it's about ten feet across, so you can travel two abreast. Similarly, let me know who will be carrying torches or lanterns.)


Nivek: No ‘0’ level spells remaining today
Tannen: HP 6/9
3 pm, 27th day of Harvestide

[Iain_IF]

Paladin sneakily retraces his steps and tells the others about the occupants.

[Birthright]

After Paladin returns and fills in the rest of the party on what his stealthy scouting has uncovered, Tannen proposes a plan to his companions:

"If there are but four of them near the cave entrance, we may be able to take them before they can raise any alarm or summon help. I suggest that the little ones stay hidden in the trees and wait for those hefting steel" - here Tannen taps the hilt of his sword and nods at the shield strapped to his left arm - "to move as quietly as possible to either side of the cave entrance. Then we need a slight diversion, something to get them to poke their heads out into the light. Once they wander a little ways out of the cave to investigate we hit them with missiles before falling upon them from behind with our blades. If things get out of hand we fall back as a group into the woods and head as best we can for the old man's cave. And if things get REALLY out of hand we'd better hope that Barnaby has been given instructions to save our hides. What do you think?"

[Iain_IF]

Ok, says Paladin, and he goes and stealthily scales a tree. He hides himself by the trunk on a firm branch that he believes will hold his weight once he starts firing his bow.

[JoeCarr28]

So Paladin and Tannen have proposed a plan ... what are the others going to do?

[SmootRK]

Nivek nods in agreement and proceeds to conceal himself as best he can near the cave entrance.