Karmoli's A Great Upheaval

Clouds now blanket the afternoon sky, hinting at possible rain to come. A cool breeze dances around the party as you travel north. You follow a suggestion of a trail that winds north through the few trees on the riverbank with meadows stretching out to your left. After a few minutes, the trees expand into more of a wood and the ground begins to rise before you. Finally, you reach the edge of the trees where the ground is rockier. You can see the hill rise more sharply ahead with a gaping cave mouth that is about 12 feet wide and 20 feet high. All is dark within.

As you walk, you each process recent events in your own way. You have faced the challenge of defending Nightstone and confronted death in the funeral pyre. Your mind has raced with numerous questions about what really happened in this quiet village and whether you can trust the others in this slowly evolving group. Somehow you have emerged from these challenges feeling stronger and more capable than before. (You are now at level 3! Please read the spoiler below.)

Bramble was able to prepare a new spell as he meditated (he only used one casting of good berry). He added his 3 remaining berries (2 for each guard and one for himself reducing the original 10) to a pocket that is easily accessible.

The sorcerer woman feels the chill wind mingle with her hair, it's cold touch bearing moisture with a scent of damp earth. She rubs the nape of her neck repeatedly when no one's looking at her side, stops immediately when she's being observed. In fact, part of her neck is covered with a thin layer of silvery scales which can be erroneously discerned as a shield. The cross-bow bolt of the Zhentarim Dwarf has failed to inflict deadly damage, but the tip of the bolt torn apart a scale partially.

She pauses abruptly at the mouth of the cave to check out the weather before entering into it, trying to assume the approximate moment of the begining of downpour.

Wisdom (Survival) 17 (rolled in gamelog)

"Would you mind if I kindle a torch? Although I'm capable of utilizing darkvision surveillance, I might want to see the interior of the cave in colors."

As Sphyboe considers the clouds, wind, feeling of humidity, she decides that there is likely to be a good bit of time before it rains and it may not rain at all. Just a possibility.

(If any or all of you are approaching the mouth of the cave, please decide if you are doing so stealthily. If so, please roll Stealth.)

Bramble will definitely try to be stealthy. As he approaches the cave system, he will also try and prick his ears up to see if he can hear, over the sounds of his own party, any noises coming from the cave.

Stealth: 10

Perception: 22

Daerthe seems to be contemplating something as they walk towards the cave, a brief flicker of purple forming in her right hand before fading away. She will crouch as they get close, slowing as others had.

Stealth: 13

As they walk, Essie takes the time to re-braid her hair. She always takes the time to reconnect with her god as she does this, a ritual formed by years and years of habit. There’s a little more feeling there than usual, and she knows her god is at least content with what she’s been doing. At least, if the new magic curling in her veins is telling her anything. She’s tucking the last strands behind her ears as they approach the cave, and she gives a little frown as she studies it.

”Oh, my. That is dark.” She turns to Sphyboe and gives her an airy smile, her fingers drumming on her staff. “If you’d rather, I can cast a spell of light on something you carry. Rather than risk you burning yourself.”

With no real use for stealth - and not really knowing better - Essie watches the others head for the opening all stealthy-like. She stays back for now. Best to let them work. 

Helena attempts to be stealthy with the others: 6

Ryndar crouches low, with the rest of the group, trying his best to remain hidden as they approach the cave enterance. 

Stealth: 16

Sphyboe pulls out one of the latest additions to her inventory.... a dart with polychromatic feathers attached to it! She's seen hoisting it up so that Essie can conjure up magical light.

"I'm curious to see what happens, but remember not to tire yourself of what little energy that's left in you."

She warns Essie of the possibility of getting exhausted due to overwhelming use of her abilities, while trying to avoid mentioning anything about her own resilience. Not now, Sphyboe! See if you can trust them with your secret!

Finally, she will attempt to sneak past the main party to find the side entrances of the cave previously mentioned by Alara.

Stealth 19

As Daerthe and Ryndar creep quietly toward the main opening to the cave, Sphyboe veers off to the east to search for side entrances on the hillside and Essie hangs back. Helena tries to stay quiet, but when she turns her ankle on a loose rock, she can’t help letting loose a quiet cry of pain. Bramble instinctively asks if she’s okay, forgetting the need for quiet. Everyone freezes for a moment, aware that they have been loud enough to potentially attract attention. After another minute, it seems that all remains quiet.

(How close are you all getting? Is anyone following Sphyboe? Are you going to discuss any kind of plan or just walk right up to the cave? Feel free to use the group chat if you’d like to plan that way. Or of course you may want to operate independently.)

If Essie had been successful to kindle the dart with magical light, Sphyboe would have started to search for the side entrances. She didn't attempt to disguise herself from any potential intruder, or move stealthily with cautious steps. On her way to the side of the cave, she had paused momentarily to brush her cropped hair using her fingers, then she could be seen playing with the strands as if she were trying to braid it like the Aasimar woman while being completely oblivious of her surrounding.

Investigation 9

"Oh, no, this bit is easy," Essie says as she taps the end of the dart with a finger. There's a brief pause, then the dart starts glowing as she casts Light on it with a barely audible word of Celestial. She offers up another smile before moving to follow after her party. While Sphyboe is great and all, Essie's spent more time with the others, and so she naturally drifts toward them. She's not very stealthy in all her armor, but she figures the others have made enough noise and haven't attracted anything. She should be safe.

Joining Bramble and Helena, she lets out a soft hum. "Are we going inside, then?"

Sphyboe has not gotten far along the hillside when an arrow zings past the rest of the group into the trees beyond, and you all hear a voice call out from the main cave entrance, “Halt! You no go any farther! State your business or begone!” Those of you near the entrance see a goblin with a shortbow at the ready. Looming behind her is a huge figure, a massive humanoid about 9 feet tall, probably 1000 pounds, wearing crude animal hides that drip with mud for some unknown reason, and wielding an enormous greatclub. With a deep, rumbling voice, the ogre says, “Yeah, go away! ‘Less you wanna be dinner! Ha ha!” They seem to be addressing Essie, Helena, and Bramble. Ryndar and Daerthe are crouching on the west side of the entrance behind the cover of some fallen bounders and feel pretty well hidden.

(What would you like to do?)

Essie comes to a halt, blinking at the sight in front of them. She's still getting used to the fact that there might be things out here taller than her. And this second being is most definitely taller than her. But the other one is a goblin, and she spares a minute to wonder if this is one that ran earlier or if it's another entirely. She shakes off the thoughts after a moment, knowing full well that this is not a good place to get lost in her own thoughts.

"Hello, there," she calls out. She tilts her staff to the side and gives them a little wave. "We're looking for some townspeople. We were told they might be around this cave. Have you seen them?"

“Yes, we are looking for some villagers.”  Helena adds in.  She is a bit worried at seeing a goblin, and the hulking figure behind him, figuring that is not good news for the villagers.  “We had heard these caves were otherwise empty...” She adds in, more for her companions than the goblin.  “How long have you been ehre?” She asks back to the goblin.

The goblin peers at Essie and Helena for a moment. “Townspeople? Oh, wait, I know you. You are mean ones from Nightstone. You kill some goblins, make others sleepy. What, now you come to kill more? Well, jokes on you! We have big friends here! Nob will break you in pieces!” And she pats the leg of the nearby ogre who continues to laugh. "Yes, break you in pieces! Ha ha!"

The half-elf sorcerers gaze falls upon the occupants of the cave entrance, a she-goblin and her gigantic companion with dirts smeared on the animal hide. Hostile or not, she will take precautionary measures this time by casting False Life upon herself to regain 6 temporary hit points. She's seen sprinkling some kind of distilled spirit on her hooded outerwear, when she mutters something unintelligible to the party, "....sal veri..."

(rolled in gamelog)

Bramble swears he feels the rush of wind as the arrow flies past. He raises his wooden shield defensively and quickly steps forward to a position that can partially shield Helena.

”A akhaalekhaan daan dagec tuur.” Bramble addresses the goblin.

 Confronted with his mortality again so quickly today, he instinctively calls upon the new spell he prepared such a short time ago.

Action: Barkskin cast upon himself. He holds his ground and lets the parley/situation unfold.

Daerthe sighs at the aggressive action of the goblins and the seemingly not very smart larger creature. Focusing in on the big one she suddenly focuses energy into her hand, a dark violet blade of some sort of energy forming in her hand. Still staying hidden she will suddenly take aim at the larger creature and throw two of these energy blades at it, the second one smaller then the other. In her mind she thought it better to make the preemptive strike.

Attack: 24 Damage: 9

Sneak Attack: 8

Attack: 15 Damage: 7

Extra Die for the crit Sneak Attack: 7

Initiative Since that probably started combat: 20