Expedition - Foxy: Bounty On The Goblin HQ - 02 June 2021

[Rusty Tincanne]

Clay explores the many benefits of having such long claws, taking a moment to scratch his back. When he sees Ms. O'Hare head out with Shortbread,he encourages the others to follow. We should all stick together.
Let's go. He leads the way, looking very awkward on his hind legs, followed by the still, much confused Morr.

[Valdus]

The rags come to life, a pile of filth suddenly consciousness. But within is a bearded fire, something breathes, he doubts, he dismisses. Then he moves into hysterical laughter. C’ang, or at least it used to be called C’ang, and better that of the clan ‘Thorn comes to life.

“What be this?” he vomits, with bits of this and that moving about. “What be this that talks to me now and I can barely see? By the fire of my flaming face tell me!”
He grumbles and moves about his imprisoned palette, for he knows that there is something out there. He pulls and nudges, is this but another dream, another fire-filled curse?

Surely the forge could not be that cruel. He points his eyes toward his axe, he knows it there so close and far enough away so that he cannot be effective. And C’ang of Derr Clan ‘Thorn laughed at this.

“Yes tell me by all ye cruel gods and curses of Hess, tell of what ye do here, and point me ye do, ye do to that thing ye called Dragon!"

[Dram]

Baxtaw Hearing of a dragon now within the dwarven keep. He sneaks back into the room with the treasure grabs what he can carry of the treasure and heads back out the door. I got what I can carry of the treasure. If you want more ya best be quick before that dragons comes for it.

[Stirling]

Foxy O'Hare

Foxy sighs as she sees the shrug of Shortbread's shoulders signalling he doesn't recognise this fellow. Figuring 'my enemies enemy isn't necessarily my friend' she says to the figure, "Come follow us out of this place then if freed captive you are. We can find you some clothes in the other hall. Mind if you give us trouble I will feed you to... the Badger.!" She turns dismissively and says to Shortbread,"I think we should exit and trust to Eruanna that we find your comrades alive. Let's go."

Foxy will slink back down the passage way to meet the upcoming crew and if we can miss the attentions of the red dragon, I think we should leave quickly via raiding the treasure chest for more gems.

[onlyme]

Halfpint also takes a small sack full of mixed treasure and quietly moves toward the hidden pathway of their exit.

[Marullus]

Foxy sighs and dismisses the imprisoned dwarf, bidding him to follow and heading back out to the main group before her guttering torch is extinguished. Foxy rejoins the group in the main hall of Dmukaz's chapel with the two dwarves trailing behind - Shortbread the baker of Thundred's company and C'ang, the newly-emerged prisoner of the goblins. Shortbread looks uncomfortable at the colloquial speech of the new-found dwarf. Struggling for the most polite response, Shortbread tells the others quietly, "He's a bit more... country... than my kin. Most terms we have for the less urbane of our kind, for those that live beyond stone halls and in the clay-ridden hills and sunlight, are not polite for me to say."

The red-maned dwarven prisoner occupies himself rummaging in a pile of goblin trash when he enters the main chapel, not hearing the quiet words of the pudgier city dwarf. C'ang, or so he introduced himself, pulls a well-worn battleaxe from the pile of rubble and grins broadly to himself, looking pleased with his find. He then joins the group, still wearing naught but rags and the filth of the goblin hole, but now more comfortable that he is suitably armed.

Some of the goblin shouts in the hallway are closer, alerting the group that there is some urgency in their actions once more. They'll need to decide their course of action and also determine what light source they'll risk using as they go forth to do it.

Okay, I'm allowing that those who wanted to grab treasure in an as-is mixed state did so. I'm also assuming that when grabbing a half-filled coffer that you took a moment and poured another coffer into it to top it off so you're taking a full container. This is what you have, and if you want more, you need to invest time to go back for it now.

The party considers what it grabbed, so as to not leave empty handed:

• Foxy has the flaming sword of the goblin king.
• Foxy's shield is now covered with a heavy layer of cooled gold metal (200gp)
• Grizzly Woman is carrying a full dwarven chest of mixed coinage (100lbs of mixed CP, SP, and EP)
• Baxtaw is carrying a full dwarven chest of mixed coinage (100lbs of mixed CP, SP, and EP)
• Halfpint is carrying a small sack of mixed coinage (20lbs of mixed CP, SP, and EP)
• Shortbread honored the Badger's request and is carrying the extra backpack, which contains Clay's scrolls, chainmail, etc.

The group now moves at 1/4 speed, with Halfpint able to scout ahead at 3/4 speed.

Date: 3:40pm, 05 June 2021
Light: Braziers in Dmukaz' Chapel
Spell effects: None
Injuries: Huckleberry (mortal injury), Halfpint (grevious injury), Grizzly Woman (grevious injury), Baxtaw (grevious injury), Foxy (moderate injury), Mors (mild injury)

[Rusty Tincanne]

Unaccustomed to his new, heightened sense of smell, Clay sneezes and his eyes water at the foil-smelling dwarf, who reeks of decades (or more) of captivity. After a few minutes, the effects are lessened and Clay attempts to speak.There is armor he can have from the skeletons outside this mountain. Let's get moving. When the group is ready to go, Clay and Morr will lead the way forward, using their noses to alert the group to impending danger (and giving a better chance of a non-violent confrontation).


Welcome Valdus! What fun! If the gold is still cooling, Valdus can grab something to dip in it as well. A naked dwarf could use the coinage.
Also, he is free to take Clay's bedroll eventually. Clay won't be needing it anymore.

Also, Clay would have insisted the banner of pain be brought with the group. Likely in Shortbread's paws hands.

[Starbeard]

The Grizzly Woman takes no notice of the foul smell and slaps the new dwarf on the back. "That is a good piece of luck that we found you. Do not mind the rest of them here as they are good folk even if they are odd. Har har!"

She picks up her tree branch and oxters the treasure chest under one ample arm, supporting it on her hip like a huge baby. She gives the wounded bear a soft nudge of the heel and whistles to get moving.

To the others she says, "Now do not forget that this coin is only good and if we are alive to spend it. I will not hesitate but to leave it be if we wind up chased like rabbits."

[Stirling]

Foxy O'Hare

"So Shortbread, maybe your Neanderthal cousin C'ang could fill us in on the red dragon and how many goblins actually lair here?"

[onlyme]

Halfpint in turn introduces herself to the dwarf and listens for any information he may know to share. She also expresses her desire to get back alive with or without more treasure. She will slowly and quietly scout ahead where she can.

[Valdus]

"I will not spit no blame, tis the usual story, escort the humans, ya git sacked, ya git thrown in a bit," C'ang coughs at the questions, both amazed and thankful that he found his axe underneath a pile of rubbish. "Nay what brought me back is dem sound of those drums drumming..."

He turns abrubtly in only his rags and axe to those that called him this barbarian cousin. "Yes indeed, we were the breakwater for your empires wernt we? Learn to live outside your cages and ye shall fly like Warven!" The mass that is C'ang lets out a hysterical laughter, thanking those inviting to take some gold and jewels.

"Nay, Ida rather take them by conquest than by prize!"

[Dram]

Baxtaw sides with the Grizzly Women. Yes, my coffer will be forfeit if there is any danger.

[Stirling]

Foxy O'Hare

Exit the goblin hold leaving the remaining goblins to the mercy of the red dragon. Link up again with survivors of ogre dwarf assault on the gates. Retreat to cave and reunion with retainers. Return to Gaul via Farrows Farm.

Maybe Clay can explain what the gig is with him, not sure a walking, talking badger is going to be offered rooms at the tavern, (maybe a space on the trophy wall for his head?).

[Starbeard]

The Grizzly Woman accepts Foxy's plan with gusto. She suggests they start moving immediately via exit at the back of the temple.

I'm assuming that we have to take either of the unexplored exits (either through the temple or the infirmary), since the way we came in is presumed to be cut off by a flow of molten gold and the dragon farther up, yes? Do we already have an idea where either leads from previous adventures?

[Rusty Tincanne]

As soon as he had spoken to C'mon, Clay the Badger-Druid sat to pray more to his Goddess, thanking her for his new chance at life, However it might work out.

I'm not sure if praying needs to be done in an unbroken sequence, or if another 15-20 minutes will do the trick. Hopefully the latter.

[Marullus]

On further thought, Clay should really have a night's rest before regaining spells. In any case, he broke off his prayers and the group has been expressing urgency since. He hasn't had the opportunity for an hour of uninterrupted prayer.

The group resolves to escape as expeditiously as possible with what they are currently carrying. They ease out into the wide dwarven central hallway next to their barricade, no sign it has been tampered with as-yet. As both exits they know of lie up the tunnel, they turn their backs for the last time on the Goblin King's chamber at the tunnel's end down the slope (and on the treasure they're leaving behind) and begin up the passage.

Hoping for stealth, they are moving quietly in the darkness, finding the tunnel portion unlit ahead of them. Halfpint scouts ahead, the mortally wounded bear bringing up the rear. Baxtaw, C'ang, and Shortbread alone can see clearly in the dark tunnelway, keeping an eye on Halfpint and the way ahead.

You pass the now-cooled gold runnels from the melted chamber door (now on your left) and the ransacked great dwarven library (now on your right) and proceed up to the next level beyond. You reach the next set of doors without incident - the short hallway (now on your right) leads to the stairway up to the rear exit through which you entered. If you go up the rear passage again, now heavily laden, it will take you about eight hours to circle the outside of the mountain back to the front gates. Looking ahead up the central hallway ahead of you, you know that the main entrance lies ahead, and the quickest route to the dwarves and ogres. You know, however, that the dragon was just heading that way as well and his whereabouts are currently unknown, as the tunnel ahead appears dark and silent, only the smoldering lights of things torched by his fiery breath providing points of illumination.

I need you to pick a direction. Also tell me if you light a torch or lantern and subtract it from inventory.

Date: 3:40pm, 05 June 2021
Light: None
Spell effects: None
Injuries: Huckleberry (mortal injury), Halfpint (grevious injury), Grizzly Woman (grevious injury), Baxtaw (grevious injury), Foxy (moderate injury), Mors (mild injury)

[Valdus]

"Is that gold I smell, with da musk of dragon thrown in?" C'ang belches as we wipes his mouth and then his leg. Despite his bravado he seems a bit disoriented which instinctively makes him grip the hilt of his axe. "Ah, there it is, like always. We fighting or flighting???"

C'ang will obviously follow the group, he is confused and thus entered, 'get in a clan' mode.

[Stirling]

Foxy O'Hare

You know lugging the stuff for a whole day around the hill isn't Foxy's idea of a good time as we hope to link up with the survivors quickly. A quick way through would get us to the cave and the retainers in 1/4 of that time at least and learning about the red dragons history must be worth something. Foxy is still convinced that we had something to do with its' sudden appearance rather than a random encounter of dragon attacking the goblins at the same time as we arrive. So that must work in our favour if we need to meet the creature.

My mind says escape back door and take time to work our way around the hillside but my heart says there is more to this and would press forward up the tunnel. But I don't want to press gang folk to follow though, it sounds fool hardy to do so.

[Marullus]

Foxy speaks from her heart, offering an inspirational speech to her companions about going up the main passage, following the dragon's path, in hopes of more quickly reaching the others.

IC reactions?

Date: 3:40pm, 05 June 2021
Light: None
Spell effects: None
Injuries: Huckleberry (mortal injury), Halfpint (grevious injury), Grizzly Woman (grevious injury), Baxtaw (grevious injury), Foxy (moderate injury), Mors (mild injury)

[Rusty Tincanne]

Whether we are the cause of its arrival or it is coincidence is of little matter to me.
It's a dragon and it'll do as it will. But I need to do what I need to do, which is elsewhere. That said, the dragon might have information I can use, so I would go either way.

Marullus, would Clay have gained infravision as a giant badger? Or are the eyes the window to the soul and remain unchanged?

FYI, Clay dropped a level, losing HP and Spell slots. If we choose to not be in a hurry, we could find somewhere to hole up and Rest. Clay could then do some healing for the group. Either outside or an out of the way tunnel?