Agnes’s mood remains bright as they continue their journey closer to the Shadowfang Caverns. Things had been looking up for them, and she has a sense that she’s being looked after by a higher power. She glances up to the sky and smiles. She isn’t a fool, though. Conscious of the danger they approach, she remains quiet and moves carefully. Her studded leather allows her to move with ease, and she is able to navigate the outcroppings with ne’er a pebble kicked askew.
“Crikey, that’s a lot o’ gobs…” Agnes whispers to her companions behind the rocky outcrop. She marvels at the enormous opening into the caves, and the multitude of goblins mixed with the humans and their brightly colored wagons. They remind her of the caravan wagons she’s accustomed to, though these seem to be lacking in the personal touches and decorations typical of her clan. Watching their interactions, she notes the way that the humans carry themselves, and wonders at their odds of passing as merchants.
Toadstools old (for an orc) age shows as he huffs and puffs when climbing and hiking. As they hide behind the outcrop, he crouches his massive stance as good as he can. Seems that his skin tone and pelt clothing blends him in quite well.
He looks carefully and whispers: "Yeah, yeah ummm never seen so much, never. Five or six, yes, when trading in my woods. Maybe, maybe I can turn into a weasel or some small, no tiny creature and sneak to listen? I, I speak their tongue quite well, yes."
Toadstool also listens to the shouted orders by goblins. 200 feet is 60 meters - I could easily hear shouting of PE teacher during sprint, so I think I could pick up some details from distance.
Muttering a prayer that the chaos below hides the clanging of his armor, Yaudara tries his best to sneak up to the vantage point...
Stealth: 5
...but trips, stumbles and falls down the mountainside before catching himself. If his pratfall goes unnoticed, he'll try to see if he can spot any entrances to the caverns they could possibly reach beyond this horde, but more likely his next move is to offer an apology and then get ready to run for their lives. As much as it pains him to not stand and fight, it's pretty clear how such an endeavor would end.
Rinn has continued on with his companions, still wanting to know more about these goblins that have such means as to have a kobold mage doing their bidding. He tries to keep focused on the task of going through the hills unnoticed, he knowing that the creatures that they're up against are unlikely to give them much mercy if they were to be caught. Rachael stays behind him, following closely and keeping a close eye as they venture.
Stealth: 18+2 = 20.
The mage stays close to Agnes and Toadstool, able to stay relatively silent as they're positioning themselves among the rocks. As he looks over all of this, he furrows his brow and shakes his head. "I don't like the look of this," whispers Rinn, "whoever this goblin king seems to be, he's certainly able to command respect if they've been able to have ogres and other such beasts among their fold."
He sneers at the merchants who are doing their business with the goblins, saying, "While I understand that money must be made to survive, I have to wonder about the conscious of such a man who would trade with those that seem to have every intention of pillaging every settlement in the frontier."
Through all of this, Rinn doesn't notice Yaudara tripping until its too late, he and Rachael both huddling behind the boulders, hoping to every pantheon in the Realms that those goblins be especially hard-of-hearing and lacking-in-sight.
Toadstool overheard snippets of the goblinoid speech, but there was nothing remarkable about their prattle. Empty boasts and cruel taunts, mostly. The heroes remained unnoticed by the goblins and ogres below, but as he approached, Yaudara slipped on some loose scree, sending a cascade of small stones clattering down an embankment.
Immediately, the shabbily dressed human and the caravan master snapped their heads toward the noise.The man narrowed his beady eyes and drew his rapier, fixing the caravan master with a menacing glare.
"Friends of yours? You've led them here, haven't you?" the man hissed, his voice dripping with accusation. "You'll pay for this treachery!"
The nomadic caravan master raised his hands in a placating gesture and took half a step back, his eyes widening in genuine surprise. "I assure you, we know nothing of this," he protested. "We are traders, nothing more." The merchant spoke in the common tongue, but the party did not recognize his accent.
The inane chatter that had been swirling through the ranks of the goblins came to an end as they took notice of the drawn blade. Some grinned at the promise of violence and drew blades of their own. Others started leering at the wagon, greedily eyeing the payment the merchants had just accepted for their goods.
OOC — Yaudara's attempt at hiding was beat by the passive perception of both the merchant and the man he had been speaking with.
Yaudara has no idea what his companion just yelled, but hopes it's something that'll help him stay alive. He'll stand up, look down at the masses, smile and wave at them, and then turn and start making his way slowly back up the hillside.
"Let me know if anyone aims an arrow at me," he'll mutter to the party as he walks.
Despite Yaudara's attempt to signal the enemy, Toadstool's quick thinking allayed the fears of the goblin's leader. The man saw the figure atop the embankment 200' feet away but did not recognize him as the looming threat of adventurers on the threshold of his lair.
Sheathing his rapier, the human barked some orders in the goblin tongue toward the stony embankment, and turned his attentions back toward the merchant.
"Fool of a goblin! Fall next time, and then you will be no further nuisance!"
OOC — The human rolled a nat 1 versus Toadstool's deception attempt. So even after Yaudara waving to the group from a distance, the human's suspicions have been sufficiently diminished and he has turned to other matters. You guys are safe ... for now. But right up until that 1, I had a chase-them-and-see-if-they-die encounter lined up and ready to go.
"I don't dare turn around," Yaudara will mutter to the party as he gets near them, "but the lack of arrows flying my way makes me suspect we might live through this, at least in the near term. You tell me what to do, but maybe we can spot a way to work around this mess and continue our quest? Or lay low till this horde moves on?"
"I think we're safe fer now," Agnes says with no small measure of relief. She plays with her hair nervously as she considers. "I do wonder what's in th' cave..."
Rinn breathes a sigh of relief and his feline familiar hides near his feet, she bathing herself nervously, both wondering how Toadstool was able to pull off his deception...or even what he said. He looks from his hiding spot at Toadstool, hoping to get some sort of signal on what to do. Rinn doesn't speak Goblin, with the closest language being Draconic of those that he's studied...and for once in his long years, he somewhat regrets not choosing the other option.
He looks towards Agnes, hoping she knows what he's saying, all the while, putting his hand within his spell component pouch, hoping that he won't need any of the contents within.
While they don't look like they're in immediate danger, he knows that one small slip up will mean certain doom for their small band of adventurers.
"Have any idea what he's saying, Agnes?" he whispers to her, all the while he is thinking about how they should handle this situation...perhaps this is something that Rachael could scout out, though getting her to agree to it might require a lot of treats afterwards.
Toadstool looks at the party and exhales in relief: "Yaudara, they think you are a goblin, yes a goblin that fell from patroll. Threatened to kill you, but next time, so good for now."
Thinks for a moment: "I, I think I can sneak in. Listen to them, maybe yes maybe no point being here. What do you think - a rat, a ferret, a spider?"
Rachael looks up at Rinn and thinks to him, "It beats sending me in...I would have no idea what they were saying." Rinn nods in agreement to her, he whispering to the orc druid, "I know I've done many things, Toadstool...foolish, dangerous things...but I know that, for myself, sneaking into a goblin camp would only result in them having another skull to hang from their tents."
He bites his bottom lip as he thinks...he hates having already lost companions before now, and now having Yaudara in mortal danger and Toadstool now wanting to put himself into more. He wants to look after his friends...he hates losing them.
"Toadstool," he whispers, "if...if you think you can do it, perhaps a rat might be able to sneak into their ranks. But...please...be careful. You're a good traveling companion, and I would hate to lose you." He looks down at Yaudara and whispers to the others, "Hopefully Yaudara will be able to be able to get up here without raising suspicion."
Rinn thinks for a moment and whispers, "I think if we can cause a distraction, he could get up here while you disappear among them as a rat, Toadstool."
Agnes only looked to Rinn and shrugged her shoulders. The foreign tongue of the Goblins is unfamiliar to her. "I ain't a clue."
"That sounds like a plan. Do we need t'draw more attention our way? Surely a rat ain't so unusual in a place like this. On t'other hand, a rat might make a tasty meal. You might be draw more notice than you expect. What about somethin' less.... succulent?"
Toadstool thinks for a moment: "Hmm, you have a point, yes you have. Goblins do eat rats. Hmmm. Then need different approach, yes different. A badger or a weasel would do yes. Distraction is not needed I think, we want them to act natural, but if it gets wrong, no bad, then we need a plan. You could scream in goblin a phrase like "danger, danger". It is easy yes."
OOC: badger can burrow and get to a quiet place. If shit hits fan, just burrow in. Weasel has keen hearing and I want to listen, so that would be perfect..
Toadstool transformed into a sleek and agile weasel. His small form slipped effortlessly through the underbrush and down the scree embankment, making his way closer to the cavern entrance without drawing any attention. Meanwhile, the rest of the adventurers remained hidden, keeping a wary eye on the surrounding area.
As the druid approached, he counted at least two dozen warriors outside and overheard snippets of conversation from the goblins and ogres gathered near the entrance.
A pair of goblins, their voices low and eager, were discussing their next raid. "I can't wait for the next full moon," one of them said, rubbing his yellowed hands together. "We’ll plunder the village at South Fork and take even more loot this time."
"Yes," the other goblin agreed, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "King Grimgnaw has big plans for us."
Nearby, the druid’s keen ears picked up another conversation, this one spoken in reverential tones. "Do you think the Rat Lord will continue to support Grimgnaw?" another goblin asked, his voice hushed.
"I hope so," another goblin replied. "We wouldn’t stand a chance against the other forces deeper in the caverns. The Rat King and his magic are vital for Grimgnaw to keep this warband together."
Finally, an ogre lumbered by carrying a heavy crate from the merchant's wagon. The large brute was muttering to himself. "Nox and his stinky, foul experiments," it grumbled, his tone dismissive. "Always messing with those gobs. I'd like to see that kobold wizard try his magic on me! I'd squash him flat! I would!" The ogre let out a snort of derision, shook his head, and carried his cargo further into the cavern.
Rinn and Rachael wait and try to decipher any patterns among the group, trying to use sight to try to see if there are any other entrances into the caverns. He hopes that this investigation proves useful, though so far, the elf mage is incredibly impressed by the expertise with which the orc druid is able to operate.
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Stealth: 22
Agnes’s mood remains bright as they continue their journey closer to the Shadowfang Caverns. Things had been looking up for them, and she has a sense that she’s being looked after by a higher power. She glances up to the sky and smiles. She isn’t a fool, though. Conscious of the danger they approach, she remains quiet and moves carefully. Her studded leather allows her to move with ease, and she is able to navigate the outcroppings with ne’er a pebble kicked askew.
“Crikey, that’s a lot o’ gobs…” Agnes whispers to her companions behind the rocky outcrop. She marvels at the enormous opening into the caves, and the multitude of goblins mixed with the humans and their brightly colored wagons. They remind her of the caravan wagons she’s accustomed to, though these seem to be lacking in the personal touches and decorations typical of her clan. Watching their interactions, she notes the way that the humans carry themselves, and wonders at their odds of passing as merchants.
Stealth: 21 (a nat20!!!)
Toadstools old (for an orc) age shows as he huffs and puffs when climbing and hiking. As they hide behind the outcrop, he crouches his massive stance as good as he can. Seems that his skin tone and pelt clothing blends him in quite well.
He looks carefully and whispers: "Yeah, yeah ummm never seen so much, never. Five or six, yes, when trading in my woods. Maybe, maybe I can turn into a weasel or some small, no tiny creature and sneak to listen? I, I speak their tongue quite well, yes."
Toadstool also listens to the shouted orders by goblins. 200 feet is 60 meters - I could easily hear shouting of PE teacher during sprint, so I think I could pick up some details from distance.
Perception: 23 (another one!!!!)
Muttering a prayer that the chaos below hides the clanging of his armor, Yaudara tries his best to sneak up to the vantage point...
Stealth: 5
...but trips, stumbles and falls down the mountainside before catching himself. If his pratfall goes unnoticed, he'll try to see if he can spot any entrances to the caverns they could possibly reach beyond this horde, but more likely his next move is to offer an apology and then get ready to run for their lives. As much as it pains him to not stand and fight, it's pretty clear how such an endeavor would end.
Rinn has continued on with his companions, still wanting to know more about these goblins that have such means as to have a kobold mage doing their bidding. He tries to keep focused on the task of going through the hills unnoticed, he knowing that the creatures that they're up against are unlikely to give them much mercy if they were to be caught. Rachael stays behind him, following closely and keeping a close eye as they venture.
Stealth: 18+2 = 20.
The mage stays close to Agnes and Toadstool, able to stay relatively silent as they're positioning themselves among the rocks. As he looks over all of this, he furrows his brow and shakes his head. "I don't like the look of this," whispers Rinn, "whoever this goblin king seems to be, he's certainly able to command respect if they've been able to have ogres and other such beasts among their fold."
He sneers at the merchants who are doing their business with the goblins, saying, "While I understand that money must be made to survive, I have to wonder about the conscious of such a man who would trade with those that seem to have every intention of pillaging every settlement in the frontier."
Through all of this, Rinn doesn't notice Yaudara tripping until its too late, he and Rachael both huddling behind the boulders, hoping to every pantheon in the Realms that those goblins be especially hard-of-hearing and lacking-in-sight.
Toadstool overheard snippets of the goblinoid speech, but there was nothing remarkable about their prattle. Empty boasts and cruel taunts, mostly. The heroes remained unnoticed by the goblins and ogres below, but as he approached, Yaudara slipped on some loose scree, sending a cascade of small stones clattering down an embankment.
Immediately, the shabbily dressed human and the caravan master snapped their heads toward the noise.The man narrowed his beady eyes and drew his rapier, fixing the caravan master with a menacing glare.
"Friends of yours? You've led them here, haven't you?" the man hissed, his voice dripping with accusation. "You'll pay for this treachery!"
The nomadic caravan master raised his hands in a placating gesture and took half a step back, his eyes widening in genuine surprise. "I assure you, we know nothing of this," he protested. "We are traders, nothing more." The merchant spoke in the common tongue, but the party did not recognize his accent.
The inane chatter that had been swirling through the ranks of the goblins came to an end as they took notice of the drawn blade. Some grinned at the promise of violence and drew blades of their own. Others started leering at the wagon, greedily eyeing the payment the merchants had just accepted for their goods.
OOC — Yaudara's attempt at hiding was beat by the passive perception of both the merchant and the man he had been speaking with.
Toadstool coughs a bit and clears his throat and speaks in goblin trying to make his voice a bit higher pitched:
Sorry, sorry!!! I, I slipped and fell while patrolling!
Deception roll: 19-1=18
Yaudara has no idea what his companion just yelled, but hopes it's something that'll help him stay alive. He'll stand up, look down at the masses, smile and wave at them, and then turn and start making his way slowly back up the hillside.
"Let me know if anyone aims an arrow at me," he'll mutter to the party as he walks.
Despite Yaudara's attempt to signal the enemy, Toadstool's quick thinking allayed the fears of the goblin's leader. The man saw the figure atop the embankment 200' feet away but did not recognize him as the looming threat of adventurers on the threshold of his lair.
Sheathing his rapier, the human barked some orders in the goblin tongue toward the stony embankment, and turned his attentions back toward the merchant.
"Fool of a goblin! Fall next time, and then you will be no further nuisance!"
OOC — The human rolled a nat 1 versus Toadstool's deception attempt. So even after Yaudara waving to the group from a distance, the human's suspicions have been sufficiently diminished and he has turned to other matters. You guys are safe ... for now. But right up until that 1, I had a chase-them-and-see-if-they-die encounter lined up and ready to go.
"I don't dare turn around," Yaudara will mutter to the party as he gets near them, "but the lack of arrows flying my way makes me suspect we might live through this, at least in the near term. You tell me what to do, but maybe we can spot a way to work around this mess and continue our quest? Or lay low till this horde moves on?"
"I think we're safe fer now," Agnes says with no small measure of relief. She plays with her hair nervously as she considers. "I do wonder what's in th' cave..."
Rinn breathes a sigh of relief and his feline familiar hides near his feet, she bathing herself nervously, both wondering how Toadstool was able to pull off his deception...or even what he said. He looks from his hiding spot at Toadstool, hoping to get some sort of signal on what to do. Rinn doesn't speak Goblin, with the closest language being Draconic of those that he's studied...and for once in his long years, he somewhat regrets not choosing the other option.
He looks towards Agnes, hoping she knows what he's saying, all the while, putting his hand within his spell component pouch, hoping that he won't need any of the contents within.
While they don't look like they're in immediate danger, he knows that one small slip up will mean certain doom for their small band of adventurers.
"Have any idea what he's saying, Agnes?" he whispers to her, all the while he is thinking about how they should handle this situation...perhaps this is something that Rachael could scout out, though getting her to agree to it might require a lot of treats afterwards.
Toadstool looks at the party and exhales in relief: "Yaudara, they think you are a goblin, yes a goblin that fell from patroll. Threatened to kill you, but next time, so good for now."
Thinks for a moment: "I, I think I can sneak in. Listen to them, maybe yes maybe no point being here. What do you think - a rat, a ferret, a spider?"
Rachael looks up at Rinn and thinks to him, "It beats sending me in...I would have no idea what they were saying." Rinn nods in agreement to her, he whispering to the orc druid, "I know I've done many things, Toadstool...foolish, dangerous things...but I know that, for myself, sneaking into a goblin camp would only result in them having another skull to hang from their tents."
He bites his bottom lip as he thinks...he hates having already lost companions before now, and now having Yaudara in mortal danger and Toadstool now wanting to put himself into more. He wants to look after his friends...he hates losing them.
"Toadstool," he whispers, "if...if you think you can do it, perhaps a rat might be able to sneak into their ranks. But...please...be careful. You're a good traveling companion, and I would hate to lose you." He looks down at Yaudara and whispers to the others, "Hopefully Yaudara will be able to be able to get up here without raising suspicion."
Rinn thinks for a moment and whispers, "I think if we can cause a distraction, he could get up here while you disappear among them as a rat, Toadstool."
Toadstool thinks for a bit: "Sounds good, no perfect! If, if you want, I can tech you simple phrases in goblin if, if needed.
Agnes only looked to Rinn and shrugged her shoulders. The foreign tongue of the Goblins is unfamiliar to her. "I ain't a clue."
"That sounds like a plan. Do we need t'draw more attention our way? Surely a rat ain't so unusual in a place like this. On t'other hand, a rat might make a tasty meal. You might be draw more notice than you expect. What about somethin' less.... succulent?"
Toadstool thinks for a moment: "Hmm, you have a point, yes you have. Goblins do eat rats. Hmmm. Then need different approach, yes different. A badger or a weasel would do yes. Distraction is not needed I think, we want them to act natural, but if it gets wrong, no bad, then we need a plan. You could scream in goblin a phrase like "danger, danger". It is easy yes."
OOC: badger can burrow and get to a quiet place. If shit hits fan, just burrow in. Weasel has keen hearing and I want to listen, so that would be perfect..
Toads shape changes into a weasel
A welcome change after giant spider.
He then sneaks into the camp (stealth 14+5=19)
After infiltrating he listens to conversations, smells boxes and whatever might be inside. Also counts enemies. (Perception 11 😞 )
Toadstool transformed into a sleek and agile weasel. His small form slipped effortlessly through the underbrush and down the scree embankment, making his way closer to the cavern entrance without drawing any attention. Meanwhile, the rest of the adventurers remained hidden, keeping a wary eye on the surrounding area.
As the druid approached, he counted at least two dozen warriors outside and overheard snippets of conversation from the goblins and ogres gathered near the entrance.
A pair of goblins, their voices low and eager, were discussing their next raid. "I can't wait for the next full moon," one of them said, rubbing his yellowed hands together. "We’ll plunder the village at South Fork and take even more loot this time."
"Yes," the other goblin agreed, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "King Grimgnaw has big plans for us."
Nearby, the druid’s keen ears picked up another conversation, this one spoken in reverential tones. "Do you think the Rat Lord will continue to support Grimgnaw?" another goblin asked, his voice hushed.
"I hope so," another goblin replied. "We wouldn’t stand a chance against the other forces deeper in the caverns. The Rat King and his magic are vital for Grimgnaw to keep this warband together."
Finally, an ogre lumbered by carrying a heavy crate from the merchant's wagon. The large brute was muttering to himself. "Nox and his stinky, foul experiments," it grumbled, his tone dismissive. "Always messing with those gobs. I'd like to see that kobold wizard try his magic on me! I'd squash him flat! I would!" The ogre let out a snort of derision, shook his head, and carried his cargo further into the cavern.
Rinn and Rachael wait and try to decipher any patterns among the group, trying to use sight to try to see if there are any other entrances into the caverns. He hopes that this investigation proves useful, though so far, the elf mage is incredibly impressed by the expertise with which the orc druid is able to operate.