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

[onlyme]

Halfpint will use her sword to pick through the bedding, looking for any contraband.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Ms. O'Hare and me have been here before. That body was one of the Farrow farmhands. It seems a popular cave for the goblins. We probably won't find any rest if we stay here. Iwonder if there's anything else nearby. Clay searched the goblins and their packs.

[Stirling]

Foxy O'Hare

"My view is that we need to rest up and quickly, the night is nearly upon us. I would chance a fire and burn their bodies. rushing ahead will not yield any quick reward though time may be against us. I would counsel staying this night and the next to replenish health and spells before we press on. let us look to fortify this area and cleanse out the cave."

[Marullus]

Searching the burned-up bedding material reveals nothing of substance - care was previously taken to torch and ruin everything there. It appears the four cave occupants slept on the other end of the space and searching their bodies and these areas turns up their scant travelling gear. They had a few rations and putrid drinking skins such that even the dogs won't eat, grimy clothing of no value, and they wore poorly-tanned hide/fur armor that likewise has no retail value. Otherwise, you collect:

29 electrum pieces
An electrum ring in the shape of a wolf's head
4 Shortbows (human-made)
22 arrows and four quivers
4 crude leather saddles (small-sized)
4 shortswords (goblin-made) (no resale value)

The sun has set, evening is upon you.
(Do you stay until dawn, or spend a day in rest? I'll roll encounters and move ahead once you decide.)

Date: 10:00pm, 02 June 2021
Light: Clay's Torch (until 10:30pm)
Distance: ~19.5 miles total, 16 southwest from Farrow Farm
Spell effects: None
Injuries: Huckleberry (Grievous Injury), Baxtaw (moderate injury), Cardan (Moderate injury), Clay (mild injury), Foxy (mild injury), Bluebelle (mild injury)

[Rusty Tincanne]

what is the weather like? Could we camp higher than the cave opening without a fire?

It seems like the usual access to the cave is from the front, I think. If the is level ground above it somewhat, we could take shelter there.

[Marullus]

The cave cleft is in a rather sheer hill-face, so you'd need to circumvent around to get onto the hill atop it. This is a small vale, though, with a facing hillside - Clay remembers that they camped in a grove on the other side of the facing ridge and kept watch on the cleft from that hilltop, if that's his design again. No water or cover there, though, beyond the partial concealment of the patch of trees.

The weather has been pleasant all day (~65F), and the night is clear and cloudless, promising a dry night, at least.

[Rusty Tincanne]

I agree that we need rest, Ms. O'Hare, but this cave is often used by the goblin-folk, and as we just saw, it can easily be used to trap a group inside. Let's go camp in the copse we used with Mr. Farrow. We can hide these bodies and then camp.

If we leave signs of battle, there will be reason to track us. If we hide the bodies (with us?), we might find more rest. Seems like we won't get to have any fire. Carch Baxtaw has infravision, at least.

[Marullus]

I need a final answer on if you're camping in the cave or outside (near the entrance, or over the next hill in the tree copse). I also need to know how long you try to stay. Foxy has the final word as expedition leader after anyone else speaks, if needed.

[onlyme]

Halfpint looks around for ways to help the decision.
We need to get everyone, even the horse, healthy. If we are certain targets in here, then we need to move away and find decent shelter, soon.

[Dram]

Baxtaw- Clay take us to where you camped last. We can heal there. There is no way of escape. We would be trap in here as we found our last foes. Baxtaw collect his arrow from the dead goblin. He will take a half dozen arrows from the collection that was found.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Feeling the others sway to his position, Clay leads the group to the copse he and Ms. O'Hare had used previously. He indicates they should either dump the dead goblins and wolves over the nearest hill or take them along to hide evidence of the struggle.

[Stirling]

Foxy O'Hare

"I don't agree that the copse offers any more protection than the cave. It gives shelter from wind and rain and a stable for the animals. We can be just as overrun in the copse by wolves as they did before, here at least we have a defensible position and we are more than a match for any foes who may trouble us if we work in a united way.", debating the merits of the two positions, Foxy will assist in making the copse defensable and get out a climbing rope and grapnel to use on a tree and make a little crows nest lookout position we can watch from. I think we should stay tonight and one other then move on, surely enough time to replenish health and spells.

She will nurse the wounds of Bluebelle and take a few extra arrows to restock lost ones and a spare goblin shortbow tied to the saddle because her new one is practically useless.

Foxy will take the electrum wolfshead ring and hand it to Cardan. "There is treasure and trove in this for all of us and we share treasure as equally as we share our blood. Keep this you did well." Foxy has no wish to be party treasuruer, let someone else volunteer or divide the electrum pieces now among us.

[Marullus]

After significant debate, the group moves to the grove establishing as secure a site as possible. It is roughly 11:00pm on June 2nd when the group settles to rest with their campfire lit, setting their guard shifts and planning to rest two nights, until the morning of the 4th.

Baxtaw retrieves his arrow and replentishes his quiver from those taken from the goblins. (16 arrows left.) Foxy takes up a replacement shortbow (3 left) and the wolfshead ring, giving it to Cardan. He is overwhelmed, effusively expressing his gratitude and immediately beginning to wear it. Kelso and Garvell look a little jealous, but motivated for the future, speaking of their own shares of future spoils. She directs that someone else take charge over the electrum coins. (Does anyone do so?)

Clay suggests that someone else move the dead bodies from the cave and hide them, but getting the group to safety in the grove seems the greater priority. The three hirelings bring along the mounts and the group moves on over the ridge to the grove which Clay indicates, leaving the remaining items and bodies in the cave for now. Grizzly tends to the grievously injured bear, helping it limp to their new destination. Foxy climbs a tree and builds a look-out for watch shifts. The three hirelings are apprehensive but dutiful, begrudgingly shimmying up the rope to the elevated blind when their shifts come. (Other PCs may react on their own to this direction.)

The night passes without incident, as does the day of June 3rd. With so many injured, the party takes time to rest. They do, however, find some ripe summer pears in the grove, gathering those that the yellow jackets haven't yet made work of. They are small but quite sweet. (+2 man-days food)

Dusk is spreading long shadows when the campsite is interrupted by a "Halloo!" from across the ridge. Kelso is aloft in the tree-stand and reports that a large company of armed dwarves is following their tracks from the caves and approaching the camp.

(Everyone please subtract one day's rations.)

Date: 10:00pm, 02 June 2021
Light: Campfire
Distance: ~19.5 miles total, 16 southwest from Farrow Farm
Spell effects: None
Injuries: Huckleberry (Grievous Injury), Baxtaw (moderate injury), Cardan (mild injury), Clay (mild injury)

Rolls:

Rest: Foxy [1d3] = 3 Clay [1d3] = 2 Baxtaw [1d3] = 1 Cardan [1d3] = 2
Rest: Huckleberry [1d3] = 2 Bluebelle [1d3] = 3

[Rusty Tincanne]

To be clear, Clay could have cast spells for one day? If that is the case, he would want to cast CLW x4. If that is allowable:

CLW Huckleberry [1d6+1] = 6+1 = 7
CLW Huckleberry [1d6+1] = 4+1 = 5
CLW Huckleberry [1d6+1] = 1+1 = 2
CLW Baxtaw [1d6+1] = 1+1 = 2

Day 2:
CLW Baxtaw [1d6+1] = 4+1 = 5
I'll list the rest of my daily spells on the character sheet.

3 days preserved rations deducted (for Clay and Morr).

Clay rises early and finds a place of solitude to meditate upon their good fortune thusfar on their quest. He rises and tends to his companions' wounds for the second day, pleased with the gifts his goddess bestows upon Baxtaw. He feeds himself and Morr, and discusses the topography of the nearby area with Maurice.

As Kelso calls down with news of the dwarves, Clay looks to his backpack. He is sure the magical horn has summoned more warriors. But these, of flesh and blood, will be looking to control the horn rather than the other way around. He is unsure what his response will be if he is asked for it. His mentor often told him of the greed of dwarves, seeking riches without care for balance. What would they use this horn for?

[Marullus]

You were out of spells in the evening on the 2nd. You woke on the 3rd, cast clw x4, and the dwarves are arriving at dusk that evening. You don't get another round until after the night with the dwarves passes.

[Rusty Tincanne]

I'll adjust my character sheet to remove the 1st level spells then.

[onlyme]

Halfpint will take 2 arrows to replenish her quiver. She will also volunteer to account for the electrum pieces if no one else will and if they trust her to do so.

[Stirling]

Foxy O'Hare

Foxy will mount Bluebelle and ride out a little way to greet the dwarves. Cautiously but polite she will address them cheerfully, "You are too late to the battle, stout brothers-in-arms, the warg lies dead and the other pelts hang to dry. Of the goblin riders none remain here. We traverse the hills to their lair where to quote Gimli, I am sure there are more than enough for the both of us."

She will enquire to their course and what brings them so far westwards. Idmi' d'dum is off to the east is it not? if asked Foxy will explain the dwarven caravan being attacked by wargs and goblins and we are a smalltown posse tracking the raiders.

[onlyme]

Halfpint will also converse with the dwarves. She will ask how their day and travel has been so far, etc mostly small talk, hoping to make sure they remain on friendly terms.

[Marullus]

Huckleberry the bear and Baxtaw both receive the benefit of Beith's grace as Clay summons healing energies from the earth to mend their bodies. The bear is now quite fit and happily rummages in the grove while Baxtaw continues to rest his now minor injuries. Halfpint refills her quiver before leaving the cave as well (14 arrows left) and collects the coins in a sack, keeping them with the group.

Foxy rides forward, resplendent on her horse, high above the stout dwarves. Halfpint (and anyone else who chooses) cross the ridge just behind, witness to the first parlay. Clay hangs back, uncertain of his involvement. Kelso remains aloft, calling down updates to Garvell and Cardan in the grove as they mind the group's other beasts.

They find a group of 15 dwarves, all armed with chainmail tunic, battle axes or warhammers, and carrying sturdy roundshields on their backs. Foxy tells of their successful exploits so far, the evidence of bloody warg bodies evident around them. The dwarves hrmmm and murmur among themselves, seeming uncertain. A stout dwarf, standing just above Foxy's waist were she dismounted, steps forward to speak for them. "Good eve to you, maiden. I am Thundred Blackhelm, son of Thanrir , son of Thyrrir, son of Thanrir, son of Thyrren, son of Thanrir, son of Thyrren Blackhelm," he states proudly. "Are there not... dwarves among you?" he asks, uncertain. "Idmi' d'dum does indeed lie east, yes. We came as quickly as we could and with much excitement, for we heard the Horn of Jarkul, sounded on the northern winds. All dwarves know this sound in their souls and, indeed, we have come north to search for our kin whose evidence has been found in these lands. Did you hear this horn as well? Did you cross paths with our kin, the heirs of Jarkul, as you came this way?"

Date: 9:10pm, 03 June 2021
Light: Sun (sunset at 9:53), Campfire in grove
Distance: None today
Spell effects: None
Injuries: Baxtaw (mild injury), Cardan (mild injury), Clay (mild injury)