Mara pauses further back in the tunnel as she sees Rel stop, not wanting her light to give the game away to any more goblins that might be lurking up ahead. She holds up a hand to stop Sildar, who is following close behind with the goblin scimitar clutched in one meaty fist. A wave of pain shoots through her wound as she does so, drawing a wince to her face. Sildar stops, peering over Mara's head to Rel's back almost out of sight around the corner.
Luk pushes past, far enough to see the illusory Sildar on the bridge. His gaze shifts back and forth between the Sildars, a look of astonishment on his face. Erk almost dangles forgotten in the goliath's grasp, straining to reach the ground with his toes. A pained look is etched on his face.
Aeran follows behind.
"Psst, Rel," whispers Mara, too far back to see the illusion. "I can send Willow ahead if you like. I can see through her eyes and she's pretty good at sneaking about."
Second Sildar stands on the bridge for a while. There is no reaction from the tunnel on the other side.
Rel glances back at the goliath's confusion and smiles despite herself. "I didn't know Sildar could do that either," she whispers as if awestruck, then relents. "No, Luk, the Sildar behind you is real. The one ahead is a fake. An image I created to draw attacks by ambushers. Perhaps there are none."
She is on the verge of stepping across the bridge when Mara makes her offer. Not wishing to endanger the entire group by charging ahead, now that most of them actually appear to be following behind her, Rel nods silently for the young wizard to send her familiar to scout.
She maintains the Minor Illusion of Sildar on the bridge to draw possible attacks (no concentration required) while stowing her dark warhammer readying an Eldritch Blast to send towards the next goblin or other obvious foe that shows themselves.
Turning back to Luk and Aeran, Rel presses herself to the south side of the wall just before the bridge so others can move up next to her. Her voice is quiet. "If goblins appear after the cat crosses over to scout, feel free to charge over the bridge. I will follow and support you with ranged attacks Or I can lead if you prefer." (Rel has no obvious ranged weapon among her gear. By ranged attack, she means Eldritch Blast, though this might be unclear).
Rel glances back at the goliath's confusion and smiles despite herself. "I didn't know Sildar could do that either," she whispers as if awestruck, then relents. "No, Luk, the Sildar behind you is real. The one ahead is a fake. An image I created to draw attacks by ambushers. Perhaps there are none."
She is on the verge of stepping across the bridge when Mara makes her offer. Not wishing to endanger the entire group by charging ahead, now that most of them actually appear to be following behind her, Rel nods silently for the young wizard to send her familiar to scout.
She maintains the Minor Illusion of Sildar on the bridge to draw possible attacks (no concentration required) while stowing her dark warhammer readying an Eldritch Blast to send towards the next goblin or other obvious foe that shows themselves.
Turning back to Luk and Aeran, Rel presses herself to the south side of the wall just before the bridge so others can move up next to her. Her voice is quiet. "If goblins appear after the cat crosses over to scout, feel free to charge over the bridge. I will follow and support you with ranged attacks Or I can lead if you prefer." (Rel has no obvious ranged weapon among her gear. By ranged attack, she means Eldritch Blast, though this might be unclear).
Luk frowns, “Too much fancy magic. Brain hurts” he whines.
Aeran glances over his shoulder, in the direction from which they just came. He won't be surprised if somehow more goblins appear from behind, the creatures have their way of showing up in the worst ways possible. Having someone stay a bit behind with Mara and Mayres perhaps isn't that bad of an idea. "Good," he nods in response to Rel, then moves a few steps further, so he can get closer to the bridge than her, his gauntleted hand resting on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it and press ahead should something happen.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Aeran Dormaris - L2 Paladin on his way to Phandelver
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Mara closes her eyes and enters a trance as Willow darts across the bridge from one pool of shadow to the next. A slight frown of concentration furrows Mara's brow as Sildar watches her intently.
After what seems like forever but is probably only five minutes, the small furry shape darts back across the bridge. Mara opens her eyes and crouches to scratch Willow behind the ears.
"Good girl," she says, giving the cat some fuss.
She straightens and looks around at the faces watching her.
"It is very dark over there," she says. "Willow can see in the dark better than I can, but she doesn't have true darkvision. The tunnel across the bridge opens into a chamber, which seems quite big but we couldn't quite see the far wall. I think there's some water in there. There didn't seem to be any goblins in there, but there were some steps up to the right, and there seems to be some sort of barricade at the top of them, maybe three or four feet high. I couldn't see anything beyond the barricade. I think any that are left have retreated and blocked themselves in."
Aeran listens carefully to Willow and Mara's report. "Alright, we knew that we can't surprise them at this stage, so I say we should just keep pressing forward, but be mindful of potential traps." The elf looks around to see if anybody has any objections, and in the case there aren't, he is ready to continue across the bridge towards the chamber described by Mara.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Aeran Dormaris - L2 Paladin on his way to Phandelver
"If we must attack through the barricade, so be it. Do any of you have fire magic to set the barricade ablaze at a distance? But then we would have to wait for it to burn down. Or..." Rel frowns to herself, chewing her lip.
"In my haste to catch up, I did not explore the side passages off the streambed. Might there be another way into the chamber to bypass the barricade? Or perhaps I am too accustomed to the interconnections of Underdark tunnels to assess how passages in shallow caves on the surface work."
At the mention of other ways in, Mara looks around at the others. "Didn't that goblin try to escape up a chimney in that first chamber? Where the wolves were? I put him to sleep and he fell back out. Do you remember?" Her eyes are wide, imploring, hoping that Aeran, Mayres, Luk, or Alden would recall, despite it happening in the heat of battle. "I wonder where that led to."
"I'm not sure I'm up to fitting through some goblin-sized rat run," says Sildar, indicating his rather bulky frame. "If there is another way in, maybe a two-pronged attack could work. A distraction and a surprise attack from the flank is a sound tactic. One I've seen used many times with success. Maybe we ask this one how to get in there." He points the scimitar at Erk, who is grunting and straining to reach the ground with his toes as he dangles from the one arm that's clamped in Luk's huge fist.
"You are right, Mara, there was some opening in the cave that the other goblins tried to climb through," Aeran nods in agreement and offers the woman an encouraging smile, before he turns to look at Erk as well. "Well? What have you got to say about it? And while you are at it, are there any traps?"
Not that he would take the word of a goblin for truth, but he is curious to see what Erk would say.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Aeran Dormaris - L2 Paladin on his way to Phandelver
"It seems you know these caverns at least a little better than I." Rel looks thoughtful. "We clearly will not surprise whatever goblins and others are behind the barricade. If the rest of us provide a distraction from behind cover, near the barricade while carrying a light source, one of us with darkvision, perhaps Aeran or myself, could try the back way to take them from the rear, if indeed it leads to the same place?"
Mara looks at Luk approvingly. “Yes, Luk, I think that would be marvellous. And something I think you’d do very well.”
She looks around at the others. Aeran? Will you try and take them by surprise? Or maybe you and Rel? I could even send Willow with you. That way I can keep an eye on you as well. I don’t like the idea of you going off on your own. I’m sure the rest of us can cause enough of a scene to get their attention. I can set fire to things, as Rel suggested. And Luk, well, he can mostly just be himself. I’m sure Mayres can put on a show, and Alden can fire some arrows in there.”
She catches herself, suddenly embarrassed at seeming to take charge. She looks a bit sheepish and says lamely, “I mean, if you all think it’s a good idea.” She shrugs, then winces as the arrow pulls in her wound.
Aeran shoots Erk one last look, then nods, "Okay, let's go. Luk, do your thing,"he grins at the goliath, hoping the goblins will meet one of their biggest horrors in the upcoming minutes. The elf then turns to look at Rel, "You coming?" before heading back to the other chamber.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Aeran Dormaris - L2 Paladin on his way to Phandelver
Rel smiles ruefully and follows Aeran, dark warhammer in hand and shield up.
"Strange circumstances make for strange allies," she murmurs softly. "The golden elf and the half-dark one. I can see why you are slow to trust me. In truth, all the awful tales my mother told me of surface elves make me more inclined to trust you, considering her cruel japes and endless lies."
Without breaking his stride, Aeran glances at Rel, "This has nothing to do with you. It's this place, the whole area seems to have quite a share of trouble," his brow furrows as he remembers the stories he heard from the people of Phandalin. Besides the goblins, there were still the redbrands and the potential banshee and who knows what else around here.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Aeran Dormaris - L2 Paladin on his way to Phandelver
Without breaking his stride, Aeran glances at Rel, "This has nothing to do with you. It's this place, the whole area seems to have quite a share of trouble," his brow furrows as he remembers the stories he heard from the people of Phandalin. Besides the goblins, there were still the redbrands and the potential banshee and who knows what else around here.
Having recently escaped the horrors of the Underdark, Rel nods stoically at the thought of the surrounding area being beset with troubles, as if Aeran has just announced that water is wet. "I sense you mean to fight these... troubles. Beyond just the goblins. Fight rather than run."
She looks around for the side passage that the others had referenced. She thinks she remembers passing at least one.
Aeran and Rel set off back toward the cavern entrance, and the chamber from which one of the goblins had tried to escape via a narrow fissure leading upwards. Before Mara had induced a magical sleep in the creature, and Aeran had made it somewhat more permanent. Willow accompanies them, in order that Mara can relay their progress to the rest of the party.
Luk, Mara, Alden, Mayres, Sildar, and the hapless Erk make their way across the bridge by the light of Mara's staff, cast once again so that those without Darkvision can find their footing and not bump into the walls. Stealth is not the order of the day. In fact quite the opposite. The greater disturbance that they can cause, the greater the chance of the two elves being able to outflank the enemy without being detected.
Mara pauses for a moment and closes her eyes, reaching out to hold Sildar's arm as she loses all sense of her surroundings and instead sees the world from feline eyes. She sees Rel and Aeran enter the chamber in question, and the two chained wolves that are lying amid the carnage of the earlier battle. As the two elves enter their space, they stand, and regard these interlopers with golden eyes. There seems to be curiosity here now rather than aggression. With a hint of revulsion, Aeran realises that they seem to have fed rather well, which may explain the new-found docility. Aeran, Rel, and even Willow, are able to traverse the room without stirring the ire of the wolves, and find themselves standing at the bottom of the natural chimney. It is surrounded at the bottom by rotting scraps of flesh and bones that appear to have been discarded from above, along with other fairly unsavoury looking detritus. The elves' keen hearing is able to pick up the sound of voices filtering down the apparent rubbish chute. It sounds like goblin, but the words are indistinct.
Coming back to her own senses, Mara says, "Right, you all go and start the show. I'll hang back and get Willow to tell Aeran and Rel when we have the baddies' attention. Then I'll come and join you."
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Aeran helps Erk to his feet, not in a very gentle manner, then making sure the goblin walks, heads after Rel and the rest of the team.
Aeran Dormaris - L2 Paladin on his way to Phandelver
Vesna March - L1 Cleric in Etharis
DM The Missing Farmer
Mara pauses further back in the tunnel as she sees Rel stop, not wanting her light to give the game away to any more goblins that might be lurking up ahead. She holds up a hand to stop Sildar, who is following close behind with the goblin scimitar clutched in one meaty fist. A wave of pain shoots through her wound as she does so, drawing a wince to her face. Sildar stops, peering over Mara's head to Rel's back almost out of sight around the corner.
Luk pushes past, far enough to see the illusory Sildar on the bridge. His gaze shifts back and forth between the Sildars, a look of astonishment on his face. Erk almost dangles forgotten in the goliath's grasp, straining to reach the ground with his toes. A pained look is etched on his face.
Aeran follows behind.
"Psst, Rel," whispers Mara, too far back to see the illusion. "I can send Willow ahead if you like. I can see through her eyes and she's pretty good at sneaking about."
Second Sildar stands on the bridge for a while. There is no reaction from the tunnel on the other side.
Rel glances back at the goliath's confusion and smiles despite herself. "I didn't know Sildar could do that either," she whispers as if awestruck, then relents. "No, Luk, the Sildar behind you is real. The one ahead is a fake. An image I created to draw attacks by ambushers. Perhaps there are none."
She is on the verge of stepping across the bridge when Mara makes her offer. Not wishing to endanger the entire group by charging ahead, now that most of them actually appear to be following behind her, Rel nods silently for the young wizard to send her familiar to scout.
She maintains the Minor Illusion of Sildar on the bridge to draw possible attacks (no concentration required) while stowing her dark warhammer readying an Eldritch Blast to send towards the next goblin or other obvious foe that shows themselves.
Turning back to Luk and Aeran, Rel presses herself to the south side of the wall just before the bridge so others can move up next to her. Her voice is quiet. "If goblins appear after the cat crosses over to scout, feel free to charge over the bridge. I will follow and support you with ranged attacks Or I can lead if you prefer." (Rel has no obvious ranged weapon among her gear. By ranged attack, she means Eldritch Blast, though this might be unclear).
Mud(Paladin2):Frandal's Scourge/Inge(Barbarian1):Krayveneer's After the Fall/Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1):Uhtred's Windward Isles/Shin(Wizard2):Dimir_MTG's Surviving
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric3):Vos' Beyond the Veil/Soren(Druid4):Bartjeebus' Ravenloft/Nivi(Rogue3):Raiketsu's CoS/Lyra(Warlock2/Bard2):BlameItOnWinter's Will of the Ancients
Joren(Fighter5):NotDrizzt's Simple Request/Quyen(Adept1):Constance's Nentir Vale/Rel(Warlock2):Uhtred's Phandelver/Xarian(Fighter1/Wizard1):ShieldHero's Drakkenheim
Luk frowns, “Too much fancy magic. Brain hurts” he whines.
Skyrim!
Also I will cripple your bank accounts.
Aeran glances over his shoulder, in the direction from which they just came. He won't be surprised if somehow more goblins appear from behind, the creatures have their way of showing up in the worst ways possible. Having someone stay a bit behind with Mara and Mayres perhaps isn't that bad of an idea. "Good," he nods in response to Rel, then moves a few steps further, so he can get closer to the bridge than her, his gauntleted hand resting on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it and press ahead should something happen.
Aeran Dormaris - L2 Paladin on his way to Phandelver
Vesna March - L1 Cleric in Etharis
DM The Missing Farmer
Mara closes her eyes and enters a trance as Willow darts across the bridge from one pool of shadow to the next. A slight frown of concentration furrows Mara's brow as Sildar watches her intently.
Willow stealth: 23
After what seems like forever but is probably only five minutes, the small furry shape darts back across the bridge. Mara opens her eyes and crouches to scratch Willow behind the ears.
"Good girl," she says, giving the cat some fuss.
She straightens and looks around at the faces watching her.
"It is very dark over there," she says. "Willow can see in the dark better than I can, but she doesn't have true darkvision. The tunnel across the bridge opens into a chamber, which seems quite big but we couldn't quite see the far wall. I think there's some water in there. There didn't seem to be any goblins in there, but there were some steps up to the right, and there seems to be some sort of barricade at the top of them, maybe three or four feet high. I couldn't see anything beyond the barricade. I think any that are left have retreated and blocked themselves in."
Aeran listens carefully to Willow and Mara's report. "Alright, we knew that we can't surprise them at this stage, so I say we should just keep pressing forward, but be mindful of potential traps." The elf looks around to see if anybody has any objections, and in the case there aren't, he is ready to continue across the bridge towards the chamber described by Mara.
Aeran Dormaris - L2 Paladin on his way to Phandelver
Vesna March - L1 Cleric in Etharis
DM The Missing Farmer
"If we must attack through the barricade, so be it. Do any of you have fire magic to set the barricade ablaze at a distance? But then we would have to wait for it to burn down. Or..." Rel frowns to herself, chewing her lip.
"In my haste to catch up, I did not explore the side passages off the streambed. Might there be another way into the chamber to bypass the barricade? Or perhaps I am too accustomed to the interconnections of Underdark tunnels to assess how passages in shallow caves on the surface work."
Mud(Paladin2):Frandal's Scourge/Inge(Barbarian1):Krayveneer's After the Fall/Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1):Uhtred's Windward Isles/Shin(Wizard2):Dimir_MTG's Surviving
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric3):Vos' Beyond the Veil/Soren(Druid4):Bartjeebus' Ravenloft/Nivi(Rogue3):Raiketsu's CoS/Lyra(Warlock2/Bard2):BlameItOnWinter's Will of the Ancients
Joren(Fighter5):NotDrizzt's Simple Request/Quyen(Adept1):Constance's Nentir Vale/Rel(Warlock2):Uhtred's Phandelver/Xarian(Fighter1/Wizard1):ShieldHero's Drakkenheim
"I have some fire magic," says Mara.
At the mention of other ways in, Mara looks around at the others. "Didn't that goblin try to escape up a chimney in that first chamber? Where the wolves were? I put him to sleep and he fell back out. Do you remember?" Her eyes are wide, imploring, hoping that Aeran, Mayres, Luk, or Alden would recall, despite it happening in the heat of battle. "I wonder where that led to."
"I'm not sure I'm up to fitting through some goblin-sized rat run," says Sildar, indicating his rather bulky frame. "If there is another way in, maybe a two-pronged attack could work. A distraction and a surprise attack from the flank is a sound tactic. One I've seen used many times with success. Maybe we ask this one how to get in there." He points the scimitar at Erk, who is grunting and straining to reach the ground with his toes as he dangles from the one arm that's clamped in Luk's huge fist.
"You are right, Mara, there was some opening in the cave that the other goblins tried to climb through," Aeran nods in agreement and offers the woman an encouraging smile, before he turns to look at Erk as well. "Well? What have you got to say about it? And while you are at it, are there any traps?"
Not that he would take the word of a goblin for truth, but he is curious to see what Erk would say.
Aeran Dormaris - L2 Paladin on his way to Phandelver
Vesna March - L1 Cleric in Etharis
DM The Missing Farmer
Luk pats Willow
Skyrim!
Also I will cripple your bank accounts.
"It seems you know these caverns at least a little better than I." Rel looks thoughtful. "We clearly will not surprise whatever goblins and others are behind the barricade. If the rest of us provide a distraction from behind cover, near the barricade while carrying a light source, one of us with darkvision, perhaps Aeran or myself, could try the back way to take them from the rear, if indeed it leads to the same place?"
Mud(Paladin2):Frandal's Scourge/Inge(Barbarian1):Krayveneer's After the Fall/Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1):Uhtred's Windward Isles/Shin(Wizard2):Dimir_MTG's Surviving
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric3):Vos' Beyond the Veil/Soren(Druid4):Bartjeebus' Ravenloft/Nivi(Rogue3):Raiketsu's CoS/Lyra(Warlock2/Bard2):BlameItOnWinter's Will of the Ancients
Joren(Fighter5):NotDrizzt's Simple Request/Quyen(Adept1):Constance's Nentir Vale/Rel(Warlock2):Uhtred's Phandelver/Xarian(Fighter1/Wizard1):ShieldHero's Drakkenheim
"I make distraction?"
Skyrim!
Also I will cripple your bank accounts.
Mara looks at Luk approvingly. “Yes, Luk, I think that would be marvellous. And something I think you’d do very well.”
She looks around at the others. Aeran? Will you try and take them by surprise? Or maybe you and Rel? I could even send Willow with you. That way I can keep an eye on you as well. I don’t like the idea of you going off on your own. I’m sure the rest of us can cause enough of a scene to get their attention. I can set fire to things, as Rel suggested. And Luk, well, he can mostly just be himself. I’m sure Mayres can put on a show, and Alden can fire some arrows in there.”
She catches herself, suddenly embarrassed at seeming to take charge. She looks a bit sheepish and says lamely, “I mean, if you all think it’s a good idea.” She shrugs, then winces as the arrow pulls in her wound.
Aeran shoots Erk one last look, then nods, "Okay, let's go. Luk, do your thing," he grins at the goliath, hoping the goblins will meet one of their biggest horrors in the upcoming minutes. The elf then turns to look at Rel, "You coming?" before heading back to the other chamber.
Aeran Dormaris - L2 Paladin on his way to Phandelver
Vesna March - L1 Cleric in Etharis
DM The Missing Farmer
Rel smiles ruefully and follows Aeran, dark warhammer in hand and shield up.
"Strange circumstances make for strange allies," she murmurs softly. "The golden elf and the half-dark one. I can see why you are slow to trust me. In truth, all the awful tales my mother told me of surface elves make me more inclined to trust you, considering her cruel japes and endless lies."
Mud(Paladin2):Frandal's Scourge/Inge(Barbarian1):Krayveneer's After the Fall/Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1):Uhtred's Windward Isles/Shin(Wizard2):Dimir_MTG's Surviving
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric3):Vos' Beyond the Veil/Soren(Druid4):Bartjeebus' Ravenloft/Nivi(Rogue3):Raiketsu's CoS/Lyra(Warlock2/Bard2):BlameItOnWinter's Will of the Ancients
Joren(Fighter5):NotDrizzt's Simple Request/Quyen(Adept1):Constance's Nentir Vale/Rel(Warlock2):Uhtred's Phandelver/Xarian(Fighter1/Wizard1):ShieldHero's Drakkenheim
Without breaking his stride, Aeran glances at Rel, "This has nothing to do with you. It's this place, the whole area seems to have quite a share of trouble," his brow furrows as he remembers the stories he heard from the people of Phandalin. Besides the goblins, there were still the redbrands and the potential banshee and who knows what else around here.
Aeran Dormaris - L2 Paladin on his way to Phandelver
Vesna March - L1 Cleric in Etharis
DM The Missing Farmer
Having recently escaped the horrors of the Underdark, Rel nods stoically at the thought of the surrounding area being beset with troubles, as if Aeran has just announced that water is wet. "I sense you mean to fight these... troubles. Beyond just the goblins. Fight rather than run."
She looks around for the side passage that the others had referenced. She thinks she remembers passing at least one.
Mud(Paladin2):Frandal's Scourge/Inge(Barbarian1):Krayveneer's After the Fall/Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1):Uhtred's Windward Isles/Shin(Wizard2):Dimir_MTG's Surviving
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric3):Vos' Beyond the Veil/Soren(Druid4):Bartjeebus' Ravenloft/Nivi(Rogue3):Raiketsu's CoS/Lyra(Warlock2/Bard2):BlameItOnWinter's Will of the Ancients
Joren(Fighter5):NotDrizzt's Simple Request/Quyen(Adept1):Constance's Nentir Vale/Rel(Warlock2):Uhtred's Phandelver/Xarian(Fighter1/Wizard1):ShieldHero's Drakkenheim
Aeran and Rel set off back toward the cavern entrance, and the chamber from which one of the goblins had tried to escape via a narrow fissure leading upwards. Before Mara had induced a magical sleep in the creature, and Aeran had made it somewhat more permanent. Willow accompanies them, in order that Mara can relay their progress to the rest of the party.
Luk, Mara, Alden, Mayres, Sildar, and the hapless Erk make their way across the bridge by the light of Mara's staff, cast once again so that those without Darkvision can find their footing and not bump into the walls. Stealth is not the order of the day. In fact quite the opposite. The greater disturbance that they can cause, the greater the chance of the two elves being able to outflank the enemy without being detected.
Mara pauses for a moment and closes her eyes, reaching out to hold Sildar's arm as she loses all sense of her surroundings and instead sees the world from feline eyes. She sees Rel and Aeran enter the chamber in question, and the two chained wolves that are lying amid the carnage of the earlier battle. As the two elves enter their space, they stand, and regard these interlopers with golden eyes. There seems to be curiosity here now rather than aggression. With a hint of revulsion, Aeran realises that they seem to have fed rather well, which may explain the new-found docility. Aeran, Rel, and even Willow, are able to traverse the room without stirring the ire of the wolves, and find themselves standing at the bottom of the natural chimney. It is surrounded at the bottom by rotting scraps of flesh and bones that appear to have been discarded from above, along with other fairly unsavoury looking detritus. The elves' keen hearing is able to pick up the sound of voices filtering down the apparent rubbish chute. It sounds like goblin, but the words are indistinct.
Coming back to her own senses, Mara says, "Right, you all go and start the show. I'll hang back and get Willow to tell Aeran and Rel when we have the baddies' attention. Then I'll come and join you."