Third Expedition - The Caves of Chaos

[Bloodaxe]

Saeros Silversword

Saeros runs full speed after the fleeing Hobgoblin trying to attack him before he gets away.

[KingOfCowards]

Sham swears when he sees the hobgoblin turn and run. He'll gather his sword and follow after.

[badams30]

Brother Henry - Priest

Seeing the Hob flee, Henry takes leave of his senses and joins the pursuit, intent on crushing the thing with his mace!

[Gelatinous Q]

Was Lardo able to maneuver behind in the previous round? If so, he'll attempt to trip the fleeing hobgoblin, even if that nulls his invisibility.

[Spartakos]

Sorry, Lardo, you weren't able to maneuver past them in the hall. For that matter, it's about time for your invisibility to wear off, so Lardo begins fading back into visibility right about now.

Initiative, rd 2
Initiative for monsters: [1d6] = 2
Initiative for party: [1d6] = 2

The lone hobgoblin turns to flee, and several members of the group start to give pursuit...but before it takes two strides, Cormac's thrown axe catches it in the back of the head and it sprawls to the ground, dead as a stone (6 damage, kill).

For the moment, the only sound is the snoring of hobgoblins.

No secret doors were found in the main chamber either.
Actions?

[Gelatinous Q]

Lardo carves the ear off the hobgoblin Cormac just felled and stuffs it in his belt pouch.

OOC: Slit all their throats or leave one alive?

[GreyWolfVT]

Cormac retrieves his hand ax and walks over to the sleeping hobgoblins and looks to the others "We want one alive or both dead? Decide quickly for i can only stay my ax hand for a short while."

[KingOfCowards]

Old Sham scampers to keep up with the large barbarian, "Leave at least one of these breathing. They might be able to help us find the captives."
He'll start binding the smallest of the hobgoblins, or the most convenient if he can't tell the difference.

[GreyWolfVT]

Cormac nods and helps bind up both the hobgoblins if one wont talk he can kill that one as a message to the other captive hobgoblin. "Well try an get em both to talk if one is stubborn we kill him as a message to the other."

[Scott308]

Eglistrum Paharis

Since Sham and Cormac are each tying up a hobgoblin, the Mage will pull his dagger and slit the throat of the third slumbering foe, cutting off the appropriate ear to ensure their bounty upon return to the keep.

[Spartakos]

Of the 3 slumbering hobgoblins, one is quite burly, so Eglistrum cooly cuts his throat while Sham and Cormac bind the wrists and ankles of the other two. Lardo retrieves the trophy from the other dead hobgoblin.

Cormac then applies his boot to awaken the two captives. They stretch, testing their bonds, share a glance, and look up at the party with matching grim expressions.

Now what?

[badams30]

Henry - Priest

Henry keeps watch (to the front of us) while the others tend to the captives. He winces as the biggest one is dispatched, then he turns his attention to the direction these guys came from...

[Gelatinous Q]

Lardo picks up the cue from Henry and nods in agreement. "We need to go in the direction they came from," he whispers.

He will offer Ampersand a draught of the invisibility potion so he can scout ahead using his infravision.

[KingOfCowards]

Sham bends down over the two captives, and addresses them in goblin. "Alright, you two seem to be the lucky ones. Best be quiet or we'll have no choice but to kill you right here. Show us to where the prisoners are being kept, and you might make it out of this alive. But play us false and you'll be feeding the worms."

[Spartakos]

One of the hobgoblins speaks up in a gruff voice. "We show you to the prisoners, you let us go?" The other scowls, but says nothing at the moment.

[GreyWolfVT]

Cormac "Depends if you go to warn the others we won't let you live. If you lead us to the prisoners and not a trap and don't run off to set others on us then yes we let you live."

[KingOfCowards]

Sham will elaborate on his conditions, "We're hired to get the prisoners out of here safely. If we do, you get to live. However, if you lead us into a trap, we'll kill you. If you alert the guards, we'll kill you. If one of your other friends hurts the prisoners, we'll still kill you and then we'll kill your friends. As far as I'm concerned your life depends on us getting the prisoners out of here, so you'd be wise to do your best to make sure that happens."

In a table top setting I would have talked this out with the group. If you want some conditions changed or added, let me know.

[Zhym]

Ampersand Mxyzptlk Kerfuffle Humperdink Wongdoodle Biddleshaft the Third waits to drink from the invisibility potion until he hears whether the hobgoblins accept Sham's conditions and are willing to guide the group to the prisoners.

[badams30]

Henry - Priest

Henry quickly checks on Kyle, Kal and Valentina. He glances back at the others talking to the Hobs and he says quietly "Can you ask them why they were heading this way, and if someone is expecting them or us? If they are on a schedule or something, we'd best get moving, or more of these fellows may come a' calling."

OOC: Henry checks his armor and gear, and hefts his mace and shield, pausing to say a quick prayer for our good fortune.

[Spartakos]

25th of Shining, 1:30 pm

The hobgoblins share another quick glance, then the more talkative of the two says, "Very well. We show you to the prisoners, we lead you out, you release us."

If Sham translates Henry's question, the other hob says in a deep voice, "We were on guard in the storage room; heard you down here, came to see." He spits to one side. "Steel is often little use against sorcery," he adds, giving Saeros a baleful gaze.

Henry's glance at the others show that Kyle is watching this interplay with avidity, Kal with more unease. Sister Valentina's beautiful face is twisted with displeasure--or perhaps just contempt for the hobgoblins--but she raises no objections.

Next move? How are you placing the hobgoblins in your marching order? Is Ampersand sipping the potion? Is Lardo? Are either or both scouting ahead of the group?