Flinching at the rustling sound coming from the brush ahead, Merric looks up to see the unwanted attention from a few of the goblins. Taking a quick measure of the distance in his mind, he quietly nocks an arrow in his shortbow, preparing to shoot any of the goblins that might turn to pursue should they pose an immediate threat.
Unable to call out to Sen without the likelihood of drawing more attention, he can only wait to see what Sen does.
A strange sense of deja-vu comes to mind...the image of Sen running from am angry mob of savage humanoids. He can almost see him screaming something...
Sen sees the attention he brought upon himself. He will smile and wave to the goblins before giving them a thumbs up. Sen will slowly back away from the area, making sure the goblins don't follow.
"Hypothetically speaking," Phyllis pipes up to the rest of the group to stop her anxious pacing. "If the two of them were in trouble, do we have a plan to get them out?"
Probably something to think about before. She began chewing on her once manicured nails in thought, mentally going through all the spells she knew that could possibly help.
Sen gives the Goblins his best winning smile and a thumbs up and starts to move back but there is a crescendo of noise in the clearing and then silence. Several goblins hold out their hands as if to say stop moving around. There on the opposite edge of the clearing a decrepit and sinister looking old lady emerges from the dark woods. Some goblins from each side bring a crude chair for her to sit on. [nature or arcana check]
Soon, three robed figures emerge from the woods and stand fearlessly near the old woman. They nod and she returns the gesture. The goblins from both sides toss coins, treasures and relics into the space between the clans. The figures step forward, remove their robes and reveal themselves to be nicely-dressed musicians. They begin to play lively music. The goblins cheer.
One of the Red Hands moves into the empty space and starts to convulse and jitterbug as if he is walking on lava, he shakes his rear at the Blue Stripes and then jumps forward to land on his head and spins himself around like a top. He stands back up and looks expectantly at the old woman. She rubs her chin in thought and holds up 3 fingers, to which the Red Hands cackle and whoop madly. A Blue Stripe does a cart wheel and back flip and starts snake across the ground, he shakes his rear at the Red Hands and gyrates till he is dizzy ends with a handstand. The old lady considers a moment and then holds up 4 fingers and the Blue Stripe clan yip and howl gleefully.
Sen watches with the rest of the goblins at this madness. He'd always been interested in goblin dynamics but never believed the myths. He finds his way of retreat blocked by many goblins. The ones nearest him are gesturing with their weapons for him to approach the clearing.
[Everyone sees and hears the music and the spectacle to some degree. Merric sees that Sen is being escorted to the clearing. Are you going with him, calling back to the group, stealthing back to the group, (picking up a new fighter along the way to NW rest?: or something else?) Harivaldr make a music/performance check when you hear the music.]
Sen takes out his notebook and begins to jot notes down. He tries to examine the antics of what is going on. Deep in thought and examination, Sen does not see that he is being surrounded. "Yeah yeah, let's get this show on the road,"Sen says to the goblin captures.
Merric, hearing the lively music and seeing what appears to be a dancing competition of sorts, certainly now wishes he had disguised himself as a goblin. He almost decides to move up with Sen to show them....
"Could wins me thats pile o' treasure I's thinkin...no ones dances like I's do!"
Then...seeing goblins appearing almost out of nowhere around Sen and start bringing him towards the fire, a bit more common sense takes over and he knows his dancing alone will not save Sen - he needs to try update the group. Nothing he can do now will prevent this..."Suren' hopes Sen can be dancin' in thems boots til's we cans be thinkin' o' somethin'." he thinks to himself.
He takes a quick look around to see if any more goblins be about (Perception: 14 ) and if he sees or hears nothing, attempts to stealthily (Stealth: 15 ) retreat back out the way he came and make his way back to the wagon. [If he detects other goblins that will spot him, he will hold put to see if an opportunity arises.]
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
What in the bloody Nine Hells?
Phyllis stops midstep, about to pace once more, about close to tearing off one nail, when she sees the dancing of the goblins. She was so certain that the hordes were about to engage in gory battle but this..?
Instead of losing her sanity to the sheer obserdity of this whole scenario, she instead looks to the old qoman in the odd chair, hoping to make some sense if it all.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Harivaldr had no idea what to think. One second, it seemed that Sen was taking a risky close look at two hostile warbands of goblins, and the next- well, they still looked fairly hostile, but Harivaldr wasn't sure if they still counted as warbands if they were gathering for some sort of... tribal dance-off?
And then there was that music...
Performance: 26
And Sen had apparently been selected... to perform? To be sacrificed? He honestly wasn't sure anymore... In answer to Phyllis's earlier question, he said, "Well, I can make an illusory creature or object that could maybe scatter them, but if they see through it it might just make things worse..."
Dathyra could hear her own heartbeat pounding in her head at about the same pace as the drums, and after several minutes, she realized she had been holding her breath for so long. She worried greatly when Sen and Merric took off to investigate. Yes, they were brave, and yes, she did want to know just what sort of danger they or the bound victim might be in, but it was very dangerous, and she couldn't help but worry about them.
Phyllis' question seemed to bring home how disorganized of a group they were. If they had been thinking clearly, they would have come up with a plan in case things went sour. She started looking around, hoping to notice something that would give them an idea. However, things began to take an odd turn as they watched the rest of the events unfold. This was...not at all what she was expecting. Just what sort of a ritual was this? Her cheeks flushed at some of the more provocative moves the goblins were trading in this competition of sorts. It left her wondering what all of this meant?
That was about the point when she saw Sen being led into the clearing by the goblins. This was not good, not good at all. And where was Merric? Hopefully, they hadn't found him too.
"I fear that anything we do could make things worse," she said, answering Harivaldr. "But right now, anything that could possibly get Sen out of danger is better than nothing."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Lvl 2 - Dathyra Galanodel - High Elf Cleric of the Life Domain - Platinum Plated Keys
Lvl 5 - Dathyra Galanodel - High Elf Cleric of the Life Domain - Hunted
Merric and Harivaldr quickly glean the basics of the spectacle before them. It is not, as of yet, a bloodbath. It must be an auspicious moon and on such a night perhaps deals are sealed and favors are won when the veil between planes becomes thin.
Merric feels compelled to rush into the clearing but thinks the rest of the party needs to know what is happening. He thinks to himself, "Do I even know what is happening?"
Harivaldr is brought up short when he hears the lively and beautiful music. This is certainly no music that goblins could produce. He strains to see and moves a little closer and sees the musicians, real musicians. Their music is enticingly familiar. The tunes they were playing were standards but the musicianship was singular. The finger picking style on the lute combined with the clipped trilling of the flute and the many different rhythms from one drum all pointed to the famous King Crimson Trio. He knew this trio, well he knew of them. Well he knew he aspired to be of their caliber.
Phyllis tries to filter out the noise and the wiggling and instead focuses on the woman on the chair. There is something about her that is not quite right. Not quite what she seems. She has her suspicions for sure but no proof and if she's right there's not much she can do about it anyway except to keep anyone from doing anything foolish. Phyllis is fairly certain that the elderly woman could be a night hag. Given the auspicious moon (Fool's Dancing Moon) and the thinning of the veil, a night hag is not an unreasonable guess.
Dathyra realizes the danger that Sen faces in the middle of the goblin hordes and the conflict between doing nothing and doing the wrong thing. She and Phyllis feel the frustration of once again being an observer and then possibly being forced to react to the actions of others.
Sen walks confidently into the clearing before the old lady. More confidently than he feels but these goblins will never know that. Perhaps he can save his newfound friends or...he eyes the pile of coins and treasure.and cloaks..maybe "I'll steal their gold!" he files it away as an option should he survive the next five minutes.
The old woman's voice carries through the clearing preternaturally well. "Tonight is the night of the Fool's Moon. It is the sacred night of bargains and favors. This is a sacred ritual for the Goblinkin." Her voice is cold and absolute. A grin begins to form on her face as she decides upon an awful idea. “There are no spectators on this night, only participants, and fools for the feast! Which are you?" She leans toward Sen, "Are you here to participate on your own or did you bring your clan with you?" [ This means she is loud enough for everyone to hear.]
You feel her eyes seem to look right through you, but that's crazy right?
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"Well as much as a feast sounds lovely, tis just I here tonight. I know friends, but they are back in town. I have never seen such an impressive gathering of goblin and I thought I would come to examine the ceremony. I've heard good things. You see, I am a scholar of sorts. A researcher of the ancient and observer of the paranormal. Senik Nurkov and no doubt you have heard of my exploits and tales of adventure. True tales ma'am, none of those tall tales!" Sen looks over at something shiny.Ooooh, tresure!
"As I have said I have come here to record the process you have in place with this goblinkin. As you can tell, my ancestry is not that of goblin. I would feel inadequate if I attempted to participate in such an important ritual. But I can also guarantee you, I am not much to eat on. If you will excuse me, I must be on my way. Tomorrow I board a ship to the Isles of Dread and I can not miss my departure."
The music... the music! He knew this music, not simply the tune, but the variety of little rhythms and flourishes from the lute, flute, and drum alike... "Gods above, that's the King Crimson Trio!" Harivaldr had to work hard to keep his voice down as he began to almost vibrate in place in his excitement. Finding them here and now of all places and times... this could yet turn into a lucky night indeed!
Well,he thought, provided we survive it...
The skald cleared his throat and tried to focus. Now was not the time to be distracted by even the likes of the King Crimson Trio-! He let his face hit the hill he was laying upon. Focus you fool! He berated himself mentally for a few more moments before turning back to the proceedings. As it was now... they were probably just better off watching, and hoping that Sen could find a way out of this one. That said, if he saw the goblins become violent, he was ready to make an illusion of a young red dragon swoop down from above and give a mighty roar, hopefully scattering the goblins enough for Sen to escape and everyone to run like hell!
In the bright fire light (somethings are clearer close up) Sen notices a couple of things on his way back out of the clearing. There are two really nice looking cloaks and boots on the small prize pile. The wild boar, that was bound next to the fire has been slaughtered and put on the spit for the fire. Sen is able to make his way back out of the clearing. The rest of the party sees Sen return from the goblins in one piece.
I will head back a little ways to meet up with Merric before maybe joining back up with the rest. "Well, that was interesting to say the least. But there were a few things in particular that I'd like to have. There were two cloaks and a nice pair of boots that were there with all the other offerings. Think there's a way we can get them without anyone noticing? That thing you were saying about getting made up like a goblin, you think that'll work? Or you wanna get outta here with our lives spared? I mean it'll be a hell of a story if we can pull it off? What do you think the others would say?"
"I'm not sures the others be thinkin' too goods of that ideas. I'm suren' they would be thinkin some prize be goods to get, buts we gots a job to do too. Any ideas about what's the contest be? Wins it fair and square? Nows that I gots a look ats them, I am pretty sures I can l looks a lot like one."
Flinching at the rustling sound coming from the brush ahead, Merric looks up to see the unwanted attention from a few of the goblins. Taking a quick measure of the distance in his mind, he quietly nocks an arrow in his shortbow, preparing to shoot any of the goblins that might turn to pursue should they pose an immediate threat.
Unable to call out to Sen without the likelihood of drawing more attention, he can only wait to see what Sen does.
A strange sense of deja-vu comes to mind...the image of Sen running from am angry mob of savage humanoids. He can almost see him screaming something...
Sen sees the attention he brought upon himself. He will smile and wave to the goblins before giving them a thumbs up. Sen will slowly back away from the area, making sure the goblins don't follow.
PC: Fitzroy Hammerstone - The Mad Empiricist of Corinth
DM:
Popular Stream Character Sheets
"Hypothetically speaking," Phyllis pipes up to the rest of the group to stop her anxious pacing. "If the two of them were in trouble, do we have a plan to get them out?"
Probably something to think about before. She began chewing on her once manicured nails in thought, mentally going through all the spells she knew that could possibly help.
Sen gives the Goblins his best winning smile and a thumbs up and starts to move back but there is a crescendo of noise in the clearing and then silence. Several goblins hold out their hands as if to say stop moving around. There on the opposite edge of the clearing a decrepit and sinister looking old lady emerges from the dark woods. Some goblins from each side bring a crude chair for her to sit on. [nature or arcana check]
Soon, three robed figures emerge from the woods and stand fearlessly near the old woman. They nod and she returns the gesture. The goblins from both sides toss coins, treasures and relics into the space between the clans. The figures step forward, remove their robes and reveal themselves to be nicely-dressed musicians. They begin to play lively music. The goblins cheer.
One of the Red Hands moves into the empty space and starts to convulse and jitterbug as if he is walking on lava, he shakes his rear at the Blue Stripes and then jumps forward to land on his head and spins himself around like a top. He stands back up and looks expectantly at the old woman. She rubs her chin in thought and holds up 3 fingers, to which the Red Hands cackle and whoop madly. A Blue Stripe does a cart wheel and back flip and starts snake across the ground, he shakes his rear at the Red Hands and gyrates till he is dizzy ends with a handstand. The old lady considers a moment and then holds up 4 fingers and the Blue Stripe clan yip and howl gleefully.
Sen watches with the rest of the goblins at this madness. He'd always been interested in goblin dynamics but never believed the myths. He finds his way of retreat blocked by many goblins. The ones nearest him are gesturing with their weapons for him to approach the clearing.
[Everyone sees and hears the music and the spectacle to some degree. Merric sees that Sen is being escorted to the clearing. Are you going with him, calling back to the group, stealthing back to the group, (picking up a new fighter along the way to NW rest?: or something else?) Harivaldr make a music/performance check when you hear the music.]
Sen takes out his notebook and begins to jot notes down. He tries to examine the antics of what is going on. Deep in thought and examination, Sen does not see that he is being surrounded. "Yeah yeah, let's get this show on the road," Sen says to the goblin captures.
Arcana: 13
PC: Fitzroy Hammerstone - The Mad Empiricist of Corinth
DM:
Popular Stream Character Sheets
Merric, hearing the lively music and seeing what appears to be a dancing competition of sorts, certainly now wishes he had disguised himself as a goblin. He almost decides to move up with Sen to show them....
"Could wins me thats pile o' treasure I's thinkin...no ones dances like I's do!"
Then...seeing goblins appearing almost out of nowhere around Sen and start bringing him towards the fire, a bit more common sense takes over and he knows his dancing alone will not save Sen - he needs to try update the group. Nothing he can do now will prevent this..."Suren' hopes Sen can be dancin' in thems boots til's we cans be thinkin' o' somethin'." he thinks to himself.
He takes a quick look around to see if any more goblins be about (Perception: 14 ) and if he sees or hears nothing, attempts to stealthily (Stealth: 15 ) retreat back out the way he came and make his way back to the wagon. [If he detects other goblins that will spot him, he will hold put to see if an opportunity arises.]
What in the bloody Nine Hells?
Phyllis stops midstep, about to pace once more, about close to tearing off one nail, when she sees the dancing of the goblins. She was so certain that the hordes were about to engage in gory battle but this..?
Instead of losing her sanity to the sheer obserdity of this whole scenario, she instead looks to the old qoman in the odd chair, hoping to make some sense if it all.
Arcana: 25
Harivaldr had no idea what to think. One second, it seemed that Sen was taking a risky close look at two hostile warbands of goblins, and the next- well, they still looked fairly hostile, but Harivaldr wasn't sure if they still counted as warbands if they were gathering for some sort of... tribal dance-off?
And then there was that music...
Performance: 26
And Sen had apparently been selected... to perform? To be sacrificed? He honestly wasn't sure anymore... In answer to Phyllis's earlier question, he said, "Well, I can make an illusory creature or object that could maybe scatter them, but if they see through it it might just make things worse..."
Dathyra could hear her own heartbeat pounding in her head at about the same pace as the drums, and after several minutes, she realized she had been holding her breath for so long. She worried greatly when Sen and Merric took off to investigate. Yes, they were brave, and yes, she did want to know just what sort of danger they or the bound victim might be in, but it was very dangerous, and she couldn't help but worry about them.
Phyllis' question seemed to bring home how disorganized of a group they were. If they had been thinking clearly, they would have come up with a plan in case things went sour. She started looking around, hoping to notice something that would give them an idea. However, things began to take an odd turn as they watched the rest of the events unfold. This was...not at all what she was expecting. Just what sort of a ritual was this? Her cheeks flushed at some of the more provocative moves the goblins were trading in this competition of sorts. It left her wondering what all of this meant?
That was about the point when she saw Sen being led into the clearing by the goblins. This was not good, not good at all. And where was Merric? Hopefully, they hadn't found him too.
"I fear that anything we do could make things worse," she said, answering Harivaldr. "But right now, anything that could possibly get Sen out of danger is better than nothing."
Lvl 2 - Dathyra Galanodel - High Elf Cleric of the Life Domain - Platinum Plated Keys
Lvl 5 - Dathyra Galanodel - High Elf Cleric of the Life Domain - Hunted
Lvl 1 - Geth Hornraven - Human Wizard - Lost Mine of Phandelver
DM - Imela: The Adventure Begins
Merric and Harivaldr quickly glean the basics of the spectacle before them. It is not, as of yet, a bloodbath. It must be an auspicious moon and on such a night perhaps deals are sealed and favors are won when the veil between planes becomes thin.
Merric feels compelled to rush into the clearing but thinks the rest of the party needs to know what is happening. He thinks to himself, "Do I even know what is happening?"
Harivaldr is brought up short when he hears the lively and beautiful music. This is certainly no music that goblins could produce. He strains to see and moves a little closer and sees the musicians, real musicians. Their music is enticingly familiar. The tunes they were playing were standards but the musicianship was singular. The finger picking style on the lute combined with the clipped trilling of the flute and the many different rhythms from one drum all pointed to the famous King Crimson Trio. He knew this trio, well he knew of them. Well he knew he aspired to be of their caliber.
Phyllis tries to filter out the noise and the wiggling and instead focuses on the woman on the chair. There is something about her that is not quite right. Not quite what she seems. She has her suspicions for sure but no proof and if she's right there's not much she can do about it anyway except to keep anyone from doing anything foolish. Phyllis is fairly certain that the elderly woman could be a night hag. Given the auspicious moon (Fool's Dancing Moon) and the thinning of the veil, a night hag is not an unreasonable guess.
Dathyra realizes the danger that Sen faces in the middle of the goblin hordes and the conflict between doing nothing and doing the wrong thing. She and Phyllis feel the frustration of once again being an observer and then possibly being forced to react to the actions of others.
Sen walks confidently into the clearing before the old lady. More confidently than he feels but these goblins will never know that. Perhaps he can save his newfound friends or...he eyes the pile of coins and treasure.and cloaks..maybe "I'll steal their gold!" he files it away as an option should he survive the next five minutes.
The old woman's voice carries through the clearing preternaturally well. "Tonight is the night of the Fool's Moon. It is the sacred night of bargains and favors. This is a sacred ritual for the Goblinkin." Her voice is cold and absolute. A grin begins to form on her face as she decides upon an awful idea. “There are no spectators on this night, only participants, and fools for the feast! Which are you?" She leans toward Sen, "Are you here to participate on your own or did you bring your clan with you?" [ This means she is loud enough for everyone to hear.]
You feel her eyes seem to look right through you, but that's crazy right?
"Well as much as a feast sounds lovely, tis just I here tonight. I know friends, but they are back in town. I have never seen such an impressive gathering of goblin and I thought I would come to examine the ceremony. I've heard good things. You see, I am a scholar of sorts. A researcher of the ancient and observer of the paranormal. Senik Nurkov and no doubt you have heard of my exploits and tales of adventure. True tales ma'am, none of those tall tales!" Sen looks over at something shiny. Ooooh, tresure!
"As I have said I have come here to record the process you have in place with this goblinkin. As you can tell, my ancestry is not that of goblin. I would feel inadequate if I attempted to participate in such an important ritual. But I can also guarantee you, I am not much to eat on. If you will excuse me, I must be on my way. Tomorrow I board a ship to the Isles of Dread and I can not miss my departure."
Persuasion: 18
Deception: 11
PC: Fitzroy Hammerstone - The Mad Empiricist of Corinth
DM:
Popular Stream Character Sheets
The music... the music! He knew this music, not simply the tune, but the variety of little rhythms and flourishes from the lute, flute, and drum alike... "Gods above, that's the King Crimson Trio!" Harivaldr had to work hard to keep his voice down as he began to almost vibrate in place in his excitement. Finding them here and now of all places and times... this could yet turn into a lucky night indeed!
Well, he thought, provided we survive it...
The skald cleared his throat and tried to focus. Now was not the time to be distracted by even the likes of the King Crimson Trio-! He let his face hit the hill he was laying upon. Focus you fool! He berated himself mentally for a few more moments before turning back to the proceedings. As it was now... they were probably just better off watching, and hoping that Sen could find a way out of this one. That said, if he saw the goblins become violent, he was ready to make an illusion of a young red dragon swoop down from above and give a mighty roar, hopefully scattering the goblins enough for Sen to escape and everyone to run like hell!
Sen feels that he was persuasive and deceptive. [make a perception check on the way out of clearing]
Perception: 16
PC: Fitzroy Hammerstone - The Mad Empiricist of Corinth
DM:
Popular Stream Character Sheets
In the bright fire light (somethings are clearer close up) Sen notices a couple of things on his way back out of the clearing. There are two really nice looking cloaks and boots on the small prize pile. The wild boar, that was bound next to the fire has been slaughtered and put on the spit for the fire. Sen is able to make his way back out of the clearing. The rest of the party sees Sen return from the goblins in one piece.
I will head back a little ways to meet up with Merric before maybe joining back up with the rest. "Well, that was interesting to say the least. But there were a few things in particular that I'd like to have. There were two cloaks and a nice pair of boots that were there with all the other offerings. Think there's a way we can get them without anyone noticing? That thing you were saying about getting made up like a goblin, you think that'll work? Or you wanna get outta here with our lives spared? I mean it'll be a hell of a story if we can pull it off? What do you think the others would say?"
PC: Fitzroy Hammerstone - The Mad Empiricist of Corinth
DM:
Popular Stream Character Sheets
"I'm not sures the others be thinkin' too goods of that ideas. I'm suren' they would be thinkin some prize be goods to get, buts we gots a job to do too. Any ideas about what's the contest be? Wins it fair and square? Nows that I gots a look ats them, I am pretty sures I can l looks a lot like one."
Sen and Merric can make insight checks to determine how they think the contest and scoring works.
Sen insight: 24
(bound to get a poor roll at some point....)
PC: Fitzroy Hammerstone - The Mad Empiricist of Corinth
DM:
Popular Stream Character Sheets
Sen was focused on getting out alive and all the shiny things.