Puck gags a bit as the smell hits his nostrils. "Blech, what is that."

Seeing Zanigur suddenly snap to attention, Puck stows his notebook and quill, and hops off the cart. He then approaches the front of the cart and stops, doing his best to survey the blockage in the road and the area around them.

Zanigur stays atop the cart for now, but half-draws his blade from its scabbard as he looks for trouble. "I don't like this..."

Grimm allows the cart to come to a stop and picks up her shield and mace... 

She states aloud, "Look around for any points where an ambush could be made from... Keep your guards up. What do you see, Puck? 

I will update the map shortly as I'm heading into the gym right now, but wanted to reply to Puck's roll and give you all an opportunity for some rolling and RP!

As Grimm lowers the reins, the oxen immediately cease walking and begin snorting as the smell is now fully assailing their nostrils. Puck as you dismount and move forward, your sharp eyes survey the area and you squint against the bright rays of sunshine beating down as the shadowy contrast beneath the boughs of the trees make it all that much more difficult... but then suddenly! You spot movement in the trees up the trail near the dead horses on the south (right) side! As your eyes focus toward that movement, they catch another blur of motion as suddenly a small figure trips and falls to the ground with a cry of surprise and you see what appears to be a shortbow clutched in its hands just before it falls to the ground!

I would like everyone to please roll Initiative as part of their reactions to the above information.

Puck points in the direction of the movement he saw. "There. Someone hiding in the trees--look armed."

Puck draws his rapier and slings the strap of his lute over his shoulder. He takes a few steps backward and away from the cart to put a bit of space between himself and his allies.

Grimm, already armed, drops down by the side of the cart and steps up before the oxen, but off to the side a bit so that any missed shots from that shortbow won't dig into the pack animals. She's positioned herself to be within sixty feet of the small figure pointed out by Puck.

"Should we just ask them to all come out seeing as they no longer have the drop on us? No reason to cut their lives short, or ours, if it can be helped," Grimm comments. 

// Initiative 6 //

Zanigur initiative: 4

"Doubtful, but you're welcome to try!"

Zanigur sees where Puck is pointing and, already prepared, draws his own swept-hilt blade in anticipation... 

"Seems our talk of proverbs has yielded us this ghastly sight, the poor horses..." 

After Puck announces company, Kara shouts, "Come forth, and I will not harm you. Explain yourselves so that you may be forgiven."

Initiative 12

Irena spies the motion on the sides of the trail as well (Passive Perception 22) and hops down, drawing her rapier.  She heads towards the horses trying to get a better look. (Passive Investigation 21)

"I fear little good will come of this."  

Initiative: 18

 You may check that spoiler, it is just enemy initiative. I will be doing initiative behind spoilers for sake of tidiness. If there is anything that is restricted to GM only or to only a certain PC, I'll tag it beforehand so other folks know not to look. Irena, thank you for reminding me that your Passive Perception is so high! So in addition to those two figures on the south side of the roadway...

There is no immediate response from the figures spotted by the party and as Irena starts moving up towards the dead horses, her exceptionally keen eyes and eyes spot two more figures lurking within the trees to the north side of the roadway. Her trained mind knows exactly what this is; an ambush! In fact, just as she turns to warn the others she hears a voice shout in Goblin. "Attack!"

Combat Begins!

Initiative Order, Round One

• Puck
• Zanigur
• Irena
• Enemy
• Enemy
• Enemy
• Grimm
• Enemy
• Kara

Puck, Zanigur, and Irena may all post their Round 1 combat actions!

 Updated Map!

"Short negotiations, I guess," shouts Irena, sheathing her rapier and pulling out her shortbow.  She continues towards the horses, dodging goblin arrows and aims at the closest northern goblin.

Shortbow Attack: 21 Damage: 9

“Nothing says we can’t still talk with them,” smiles Zanigur, quickly leaping from the cart to the ground and coming up just behind Grimm and Irena. His own blade is also unsheathed.

// I will cast the Vicious mockery spell at the blue-outlined goblin, or else ready the spell for when a goblin gets within range. DC 13 or 2 psychic damage. //

“I wouldn’t try that if I were you,” he says confidently to the goblin nocking an arrow.

"Ooo boy, here we go." Puck mutters under his breath.

Puck scampers up next to Grimm and throws her a quick wink. He sees one of the Goblins looking in their direction, readying an arrow. He points his rapier in their direction and shouts: "Cute arrows, guy; you steal those from a toy store?" As the words leave his lips, they seem to echo with a strange reverberance, as if being spoken by multiple people at once.

Puck casts Vicious Mockery on the Goblin outlined in green. Creature must make a DC13 Wisdom Saving Throw. On a fail, the creature takes 1 Psychic Damage and will have disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn.

Round 1

Die Rolls

 Irena quickly draws out her shortbow and fires an arrow into the nearest enemy, the projectile hitting true and sinking up to the fletching in the goblin's neck! The little creature clutches at the wound as it falls to its knees, chocking on the blood that is beginning to flood into its throat! Puck and Zanigur both taunt the goblins along the southern reaches and they both stare at the bards with a dumbfounded expression until their heads suddenly jerk as it slapped by an invisible hand! Suddenly three arrows are fired in return, but thanks to the bardic magic no arrows find their marks as they bounce off the hardened ground!

Initiative Order, Round One (Bold may post!)

• Puck
• Zanigur
• Irena
• Enemy
• Enemy
• Enemy
• Grimm
• Kara

 Grimm steps forward about twenty feet closer, ensuring she's in range of the goblins and providing a target away from the bards.

As she closes in, her mace hanging from a loop on her wrist, she begins a prayer as she touches an amulet hidden beneath her cloak. Her eyes turn to the (blue) goblin ... He reacts as if someone were tolling bells in his head....

// Toll the Dead, DC 12 WIS save or 12 necrotic damage. //

4

As Grimm strides forward, she focuses her attention on one of the nearby goblins who was already bleeding slightly from the nose. The creature suddenly drops its shortbow, grabbing its head with both hands as if trying to keep its head from splitting, and screams in pure agony as suddenly its skull begins to vibrate violently before bursting open like a ripe melon! The fellow goblin standing nearby turns to look at the gory scene with wide, fearful eyes!

Grimm, in orcish, knowing the it may not understand, tells the fearful goblin, "Death is a natural order. Premature death is avoidable. Drop your weapons. Submit."

Kara follows Grimm's lead. She doesn't understand the language Grimm speaks, but it sounds vaguely familiar. It makes sense, after all, Kara speaks goblin. Kara dashes forward, her armor glistening in the sun as she looks through the brush for the enemy. She says, in goblin, "Friends, drop your weapons and come willingly or face dire consequence."

(Kara dashes up the road. No bonus actions.)

The goblin stares at the half-orc with wide eyes, having no concept of what she's saying to him. As Kara moves up, speaking aloud to the goblins in their own tongue they bare their sharp teeth and begin reaching towards their arrows once more...

Initiative Order, Round Two (Bold may post!)

• Puck
• Zanigur
• Irena
• Enemy
• Enemy
• Enemy
• Grimm
• Kara

Oh, you silly goblins...

Puck clutches his nose and grimaces. "Yikes, those teeth! I can smell your rotten breath from here." The words echo with the same strange reverberance as his prior insult.