An Innocent Campaign - IC

Many tales begin in a tavern, this one was no different. Yesterday there had been a celebration and a few villagers had decided to keep up with it, though luckily for anyone sleeping at the bedding upstairs, the Inns walls were suprisingly thick.



As soon as any of you get up, or enter the inn you are quickly approached by the Innskeeper, Rolf Brownstein, a sturdy man with a white vest that hadn't been afraid partaking in yesterdays siege, and was even less afraid recounting the events.

"We were damn lucky we got yer about, damn weird looking goblin folks what did you call 'em again, hoi, sleepy, what were they called.." He nudged a fellow adventurer that was mostly lying on the table, hungover and groaning. While claiming to be a great wizard he had shown himself to be mostly a charlatan, though he did seem to know a few things about the world, for example he had named the weird, fishlike looking goblins with their sticky combat tactics as..

"Kwotoda! That wus it, aye, damn Kwotoda-Goblins! anyway, them messed up beasties .. did you see one of them trying to drag Nancy off god knows why? Next time we should send Rafelia out front, you might get lucky, eh?" The Barkeeper shouted over his shoulder, which elicitied general amusement from the villagers and a pained yet mirthful grin from another man at the table.

"Anyway, glad you're up and about. .. it was a chaos yesterday, are you one of those that helped defend the village? Well, either way, thanks, but theres more. ..

The creatures ran away too fast. Sure, ya scared 'em good, but unless ya can give 'em a proper scare, they'll be comin' back soon as you leave..

Men and I have decided to give you your great payment, 5 gold each, but only once you went down to their cave and caused some real trouble for them fellows.. You don't have to kill 'em all or anything, just smack 'em about, drive them away, I dinnae know, if ya got 'em to settle down where they bother none of us we'd be happy enough." The man nodded.

"Markus can show ya to where that cave is, chance for ya to get away from yer dragon at home, aye?" The innskeeper and, considering the villages size, acting mayor of the village grinned back to the same man from before, who'd sigh but get up compliantly, after finishing his morning-celebratory beer that was. Judging by his slight swaying in getting up he wouldn't be of use in a fight.

"I'll be glad once those disgusting goblins are gone, slimey, chittering, blubbering things those. But you go get 'em while the suns up, cowardly things never bothered us during the day, bet they sleep now."

You are in a moderatly busy bar-room, most of the space taken up by two tables and a barcounter, one door leading into the back, one flight of stairs up to the rentable bedrooms and of course the main entrance leading outside to the streets of the small farming and fishing village whose existance is mostly build up around the large Travel Inn, Brownsteins Rest, together with it being small enough for few enough nobles to even bother sending tax-collectors towards it.

While you could set out to explore on your own, there is no other civilized place for many miles and the town has, apart from the Inn and a food market(The farmers trading with the fishers and vice versa, really), there doesn't seem to be all that much of grave importance to do... ignoring recent events.

The barricades around the town centre still mostly stand, if you were around last night you quite vividly remember the attack.. though perhaps the term 'Failed Raid' would be more appropriate, as the attackers withdrew when realizing they were faced with actual opposition. Only one of the attackers lies dead upon the barricade now, in the morning light he.. it? looks even less like you think the average goblin looks.

If not held back, or otherwise questioned, Markus stumbled out of the bar, grinning, waving everyone looking like a capable adventurer after him, making sure to wander up to the barricades and kick the dead creature a little, stumbling almost before focusing his gaze down and towards a point where the small beach before the village meets with a rising of cliffs.

Re: An Innocent Campaign - IC


Alice had been part of the defense force the night before. Having whapped a few of the attackers over the head and threw a few fists before they had run off. She had hoped to have taken out a few more of the creatures but whatever. The party afterwards had been quite fun. The woman having drank quite a fair bit, her trained liver and body leaving her fresh as a daisy when the morning came. The girl having woken up hours ago and gone through her morning training routine.

Now she was leaning back into a chair, hearing the barkeep talk about how they knew where the cave was. They really should have told them that earlier, or done it themselves. Really probably wouldn't have been that hard to deal with them before this and before they got big enough to start taking people off.

Ehh, whatever. It gave her something to do. She'd have liked to relax after her training, but at the same time, beating up goblins was pretty much relaxing. So when Markus stood up to wave them outside. The woman would get up out of her chair and follow. Frowning at the ugly thing. It looked more like a fishman then it did a goblin, but still. A pest was a pest and a pest needed to be squished occasionally.

Re: An Innocent Campaign - IC

Taya was stringing her shortbow quietly, giving a quiet glare as her work was disturbed by the boisterous man. She didn't like being disturbed, nor did she really drink after all that. Her idea of celebration was a soft bed and a big meal, two things she couldn't have too often. Still, payment for killing targets? That she could do. And it seemed she was grouped together with this lot. Well. Safety in numbers.

Following along, she looked over at the "goblin" that was impaled on there. Ugly little freak. They'd make good target practice. She looked over at the cave being pointed out.

"Right. Scout out the area, figure out the best place to set traps, then do so. Then we lure em into it. Anyone got any shovels?," she said gruffly, studying the cave, and trying to see if it was feasible to rig a deadfall of rocks above the cave or to just seal it.

Re: An Innocent Campaign - IC

Mara Silverwind
Tavern -> Town Center
Tag: Markus, Alice

"Hey wait up!" Mara rushed down the stairs still pulling her boots on as she went. Real beds were just too damn soft! How did anyone get up in the morning? One of her cheeks was still red from where she had been laying the warm pillow provided. She'd been dozing all morning instead of her usually early bedtime. It didn't help that she had been up most of the night waiting to sling some lightning at the gobbos only for them to retreat without much of a spat.

She stepped out, well accustomed to the cold of the morning. It was refreshingly chilly next to the shore where they were. The forests were just as humid, but much less windy than this. The taste of salt ticked her tongue as she loped after the rest of them, meeting them at the corpse of... something decidedly not a goblin. She'd dealt with goblins before. Only a couple really, but they were all green and big-nosed. Nothing like this frog-fish-thing. It smelled rather disgusting too. Wouldn't be too long before the seagull showed up she supposed.

"C'mon Alice. Race you down there." Mara was sure she wasn't going to outspeed the woman after the incredible feats of agility and strength she'd been showing off in the skirmish last night. She didn't look it from how she acted but then again neither did Mara. How many people looked at a girl like her and immediately knew she habitually spat acid and lightning.

She was happy to head down the path to the beach where Markus had more or less directed. The wind was stronger here as she strained her eyes to find a cave or inlet against the cliff face big enough for the fishy frogs to come through. If they hustled they could earn their keep (and another hearty meal) by nightfall.

"Whaaaat? No way. I say we head in swinging. Sploosh, Wha-bam! Whoosh! My magic can really tear it up in an enclosed space," she replied. The dog girl was much too solemn for Mara's tastes. She admitted to some racial profiling upon seeing her for the first time. After all normal dogs were so chipper and fun, why shouldn't she be?

Re: An Innocent Campaign - IC


DM
Tag: All, 'specially Taya

With several adventurers eagerly rushing out it doesn't take Markus long to make up his mind and his way, down the beach. Its only a short walk from outside the village, past the barricades and then a few hung up fishing nets by the beachside. There is a small boat in a bad state of disrepair and you have to either derail slightly, or wade through the .. warm and nice blue water. Markus doesn't seem to mind it, splashing his face for a moment before telling you: "A'ight, over there, you see where that hole in the mountain is? Below there 's the cave entrance. Used to be some harmless place, if too wet to make a storage room out'ta.. oh and esc.. excuse *hic* me, I ain't getting closer. I swear one of those beasties threw a spear... this close to me!" he raised two fingers to indicate a small distance.

From an overview of the cliffs and the cave entrance it would be possible to close up the entrance.. but its not inlayed deep enough that you have any guarantee of it being closed for good if the creatures dig their way out, neither do you know if this is the only exit without investigating within. Its a beautiful morning, your descend into danger aside, with the waves rushing on the beach and the smell of the sea in the air.

Tayas examining of the small Stalagtites hanging over the wet looking entranceway reveals that indeed, it could very well be trapped...
as a matter of fact, this has already been done, camouflaged by some sort of black sludge hangs a net, mostly hidden in the darkness of the entrance and now that that web is spotted, its easy to see the slick, tiny membraneous webbing on the ground of the caves entrance. Those damn goblins are more trap-savy than anticipated, it'll need a minute or two of careful work to disable this one, or, if Taya doesn't hold back one of her more.. energetic adventurer companions, this issue will soon resolve itself quicker.

Either way, it seems as if the trapping and luring approach wont work, if the goblins already use it they are propably wary of it themselfs.

Re: An Innocent Campaign - IC

Taya Snowpelt
Battlements
Tag: All

"If you want to rush into the unknown, be my guest. You can draw them down on yourself and I'll pick them apart as they're taking you apart too.," grunts Taya, looking at the hyperactive spellcaster with distaste. She was no plant person or fae, but she was still a caster.

Taya gave her bow a practice draw to ensure the string was on proper. "It's close quarters and it's dark. If you bring a light, they'll see you coming from long off. So if you all are going to insist on running in, well..."

She walked over, nodding to Markus before approaching the cave edge, looking up and gesturing. "Well you'll run afoul of that right there. They've got a poisoned net up above. Not a bad choice of spots. I would have rigged the stalactites to fall personally. So."

She looked back at them all. "By all means, run in ahead. I'll watch. Course, if they're wary of this trap... Hm, don;t have a pick or anything to bury right here... Guess have to go in. I'd personally rather trap the beach and kill em as they emerge, but they might have a second exit. Wait here."

Taya moved over, looking the trap over, before crouching and starting to work with her tools to ensure that the bumblers behind her wouldn't face check into the net.

( 23 with thieve's tools to disable the trap)

Re: An Innocent Campaign - IC

Ellana Leran
Tavern>Cave
Tag: All

Ellana recollected her thoughts, sitting by her lonesome in a field. She had taken the practice ever since she began her apprenticeship. It helped calm her thoughts, truly connect with herself and the world.

She took part in the 'fight' that occurred yesterday. The fish like creatures retreated before any real fight could take place. She didn't take part in the party, wishing to stay with nature, think back on what happened prior.

When the sound of footsteps became known, her eyes opened to find a small group of people walking along the coast, heading to a rock like structure in the distance. And it appeared to be people she was with yesterday, yes she remembers them.

She recalled seeing the Goblins flee in this direction last night, which could only mean that this group was pursuing them. Not wanting to be left out on such a thing, the Monk quickly rose to her feet and ran after the group, stopping when she had caught up with them. "I hope i'm not too late to assist?"

Re: An Innocent Campaign - IC


Alice Stadfield
Cave
Tag: All

"I'm not racing anywhere." Alice said with a chuckle. "It's best to keep our energy for fighting, not playing around before. After we win though then we can waste our energy on everything else."

The monk girl would let the rogue do her work. Taking apart the trap as Alice would wait behind her. Ready to guard her if some of the goblins showed up to attack. She really didn't want to end up walking into the trap, but if the trap disarmer ended up kidnapped by fish goblins then they'd be in serious trouble.

"Nope, just in time." Alice said to Ellana. Interested to see another monk again.

Re: An Innocent Campaign - IC


Taya cuts through the membrane, but makes sure to slowly lower the net, the gooey rocks half dropping, half slowly flowing out without causing undue noise. Unless anyone wants to try and take a sample of the ooze covering them, they can be easily bypassed.

The entrance of the cave is relatively barren. Quickly it descends from the beautiful beach and sand-covered rocks into a more muddy undergeround, where you can spot several small footprints. exploring this first cave you quickly find the light from outside dimninishing, anyone without low light vision would struggle, and it seems to get worse down into the caves.

Down into the caves is also where two out of the four natural openings of the caves seem to lead. If you discount the one you just entered through, there is one with a lot of footprints leading ahead, one with a few footprints leading downwards, and another with no apparent footprints leading off to the right. Your own feet sink about an inch into the soft, muddy underground.

Ellana, still a bit panting from catching up with the jogging spots a faint scratching on a cavern wall, resembling a strange and blasphemous kind of graffiti, a beautiful and.. rather shapely woman, but someone put the head of a lobster on her shoulders and added claws in places of her hands.

Re: An Innocent Campaign - IC

Ellana Leran
Cave
Tag: All
Ellana would briefly look over the goo that was covering the rocks, somewhat curious as to what it would function as a trap. Taking a sample in her vial, she investigated it for a few moments.



Ellena pauses at the sight of the cave drawing, examining it for a moment. It was certainly... odd, though fitting considering what lived here. She could only assume this was some authoritative figure to the fish like creatures. She quickly pointed it out to the others, asking if they knew of it's significance. If they didn't she'd just move on.

The caves lost their light rapidly as they descended, her Elven eyes the only thing allowing her sight through it's darkness. Snapping her fingers, a flame sputtered to life into her palm, hopefully granting the human folk better vision in these depths...

"So, which entrance should we go for? There's tracks in one of them, but it makes you question why there aren't any on the adjacent one. Seems weird, right?"

Re: An Innocent Campaign - IC

Taya
Cave
Tag: All

(Stealth 14)

Taya moved carefully, watching about with a frown, hands on her bow. She hissed a bit as the light was turned on.

"Well given how loud and noisy you all are, I suppose light makes no diffrence.," she whispers harshly, keeping outside of the light.

She grimaced, "If you want to check it for traps, by all means. I did my work already once. Your turn to prove you can do this."

Re: An Innocent Campaign - IC

Ellana Leran
Cave
Tag: All

"Would you rather the humans fumble around in the dark?" She responds harshly, in a hushed tone. "I can sneak about as well, so it depends on what our friends want to do, what would you lot prefer?" She asks, now turning to the rest of the group.

Stealth Roll ahead of time:

Re: An Innocent Campaign - IC

DM
Tag: All, Ellana and Taya specifically

On closer examination Ellana sees a mixture of tracks, mostly from the small, clawed feet fitting to the creatures of yesterday, something larger.. perhaps something pulled in or dragged along as well.

You have a feeling that speaking, even hushed whispering and the flame imposes some kind of penalty on any of your attempts to be stealthy, that said, it beats wandering deeper blindly, some of those stones look sharp.

The Creature half opened an eye. It seems none had spotted its mud covered and slightly mud submerged form, which was good, it was not about to attack four large, dangerous looking foes. There was a reason it had been chosen as disposable guard. It closed its eye again, staying absolutely silent and sending out a prayer, blaspheming the disgusting creatures of the upper world whose only place and worth was as sacrifices, breeders, and perhaps experiments for the priests.

Re: An Innocent Campaign - IC


Alice Stadfield
Cave
Tag: All

"Well, hope they don't plan to doing something like that to us. Getting a crab head would really be bad on the love life." Alice chuckled. Before looking around them even as she slipped into trying to be stealthy.

(Stealth Roll: )

Key word being trying. As she promptly tripped on a rock and made quite a racket when she fell over. Much to her embarrassment. At the very least as she was picking herself up she'd try to get a look around to see if she disturbed anything.

(Perception Roll:

Re: An Innocent Campaign - IC

Taya
Cave
Tag: All

Taya grumbles and waits, watching as one of them starts looking around after making a bunch of noise.

"Well that's shot, the echoes will ensure everyone in here heard that.," mutters Taya, "Guess the balls in their court now."

She watched the area warily in case the critters came rushing out now.

Re: An Innocent Campaign - IC

Mara Silverwind
Tavern -> Town Center
Tag: Markus, Alice

Mara stepped in after the girls, making sure to give a closer look to the net. It didn't look like anything she'd encountered before, not quite magical, not quite alive but definitely organic. The crash of something against the rocks sent her hurrying after it with little regard for noise. Within a few moments she had rejoined the group in the hub-like room. She looked it over, tracks and all. Seems Alice just had a nasty spill. Phew, nothing too bad.

"Well if they're coming, wouldn't it help for us to go down the untouched passage? That way we won't be attacked from both sides. They don't seem the kind to rush out and meet us so I don't think they'll engage without us going down a path. They already know they can't win a fair fight." She could be pretty smart sometimes. It'd be silly for them not to agree with her great plan. Of course, if they all did end up arguing against it she'd end up feeling rather silly.

Re: An Innocent Campaign - IC

DM
Tag: Cave invaders

The Cave entrance remains eerily silent, with a lack of monsters suddenly swarming you from everywhere. That said, there is a slight rustling..perhaps it was just your imagination. Alice looks at the muddy, shadowed underground, a part of it over at a wall in a suprisingly humanoid shape.
Suddenly, Taya notices movement as a spear rushes forward from the shadows of the entrance with the plentitude of footprints leading down. Whilest normally she could defend and evade such an attack, it takes her by suprise, and manages to cut into her shoulder. (Taya takes 5 piercing damage).

As if this wasn't bad enough, the spear shatters on impact, releasting a stinging fluid into her wound and leaving a small shard imbued in her shoulder, giving her a woozy feeling. (cons saving throw)

(You've been taken by suprise! there is at least one opponent in the darkness ahead, hiding behind partial cover, though those of you with low light vision can spot a total of three creatures moving about 25 ft ahead of you. Alices high perception grants her a +2 to this initative roll.)
Initative:
Shadowy guard 1 and 2: 6
Shadow spearthrower: 11
Mud covered guard: 6 (waiting)

Re: An Innocent Campaign - IC

Mara Silverwind
Tavern -> Town Center
Tag: Markus, Alice

"Ok so maybe I was wrong!" She turned to face the creatures, trying to put one of the sturdier girls in between them and her. The familiar surge of power pooled in her chest. Her heart was already thumping in her ears as she tried to nail down where exactly the spear came from and if there was more coming from that direction.

If given the chance she would send an acid splash downwind towards where the spear had just come from. hopefully its area would catch one, if not more of the creatures. Maybe not the most potent spell but it would give them a taste of what was to come. When she figured out where they were of course.

Rolls:

Re: An Innocent Campaign - IC


Alice Stadfield
Cave
Tag: All

"Crap, you okay Taya?" Alice called out as she stepped up to put herself between the creatures and the wounded woman. Holding her fists out at the ready as she readied herself to strike at any creature that was heading toward Taya or the group behind them.

(Alice uses a Ready Action. The Trigger being any creature stepping into her striking range and then she'll attack)

Re: An Innocent Campaign - IC

Ellana Leran
Cave
Tag: All

"See? They were waiting for us. At least this will allow us to take them out sooner!" The wood elf yells back to the group, if they could see it, a grin sprawled on her face. Her eyes locking on one of the figures in front of her, she rears her arm back and whips it forward, launching the fiery projectile to the fish like creature.

As the fire left her hands, she immediately realizes that she threw the only source of light at the enemy. Huh... hopefully the Humans could see well enough.

Initiative Roll:

To hit with fire:

Damage: