Icemonth the 13th, 3:00 PM. Since we were at Fort Guido, the party decided to make another round of purchases. Thobar used the Church of Aine scrip to get more food for everyone (another 10 days of iron rations) while the rest of us gathered rope, scrolls, ink, arrows, bolts, bags, clothes, and shields. A visit to Guido himself followed with some coins passed his way and by 5:30, we were back at the Lion’s Den where the party ate, got rooms, and a few of us, had a good night of carnal pleasures (Gun with Llerana, and Nevah and Cara having a fine night with one another).
The morning of the 14th was cold (15 degrees) and after getting to the dock with Tila and her crew, we were given 2 of the orange signal logs (paying for the 2nd one), and had her ferry us across the River Shrill to the western banks once again, landing at north beach. We offloaded our supplies and by 8:30, began trekking into the woods heading north for the stream. The trip was quiet and without issue, no new snow had fallen for a few days but there was still 30” in some places.
At the end of the stream by long lake, there was no sign of the original ogre encampment, leading us to feel good that Gavin had given up on the boats thing for now. We headed south, following the thin trail until we came to the waterfall area. From here we passed behind the frozen expanse on the goblin trail and kept going until the failing daylight let us know it was time to step off. We pushed northward off the trail and into the trees over 120’ from the path. From there we dug out a campsite and with our growing skills, had gotten better at finding wood.
Fire was set by 6:30 and we ate well before setting up a series of watches. We slept with no wandering monsters and awoke the next day on Icemonth the 15th, ready and able. By 11 we were at the long clearing south of the graveyard and by 12 had discovered that our crate of shields had been discovered and taken. We did take some of the broken wood to be used as kindling later and moved up the slope of the Hill to the Monastery. We arrived on location about 1 and headed for the Garrison first.
On arrival we learned that our bolt hole was no longer safe. The door had been smashed in, our sleeping area had been discovered and spoiled, and someone took a hammer and ledge to the oven and chimney, meaning we’d not be able to use it again for warmth. Even the dead 2 goblins outside the place had been discovered. We took some of the burnable wood still here and moved on, deciding the original stone tomb was the next best place.
We entered and noticed the 12 doors in here were now all open. The original ones we had closed with the 6 skeletons were missing. The door here was metal and stone, and the building was a thick block. We figured to use this as a bolt hole if we needed to. We dropped all the wood we had gathered in one of the crypts to the side and left, closing the door behind. From there we went to the Monastery itself and took a look.
The door was open, and there were a number of footprints in the snow. Most milled around the front but a few went out the door and then split, north and south the front of the building a few times and stopped. We looked for secret doors and found none. The inside was dark. While looking at the prints in the snow Gun was frowning and looking up. “Hey, Fjord?”
“Brian?”
“Yeah. Think you can climb up there, son, and take a gander?”
Fjord pulled himself up the wall and looked up there, clambering to the top and then frowning. It seemed that at one point, very very recently, there were 2 goblin guards up here. A leanto-tent of white grey cloth, small stool, and obvious meandering footprints where they hung out and then ran across the roof to the west. To the open roof of the Aine garden. And looking back at the Monastery grounds, Fjord noted that he could see the entire place, including where we walked, where we went, and our trip to here.
“Brian, we have a problem.” After it was explained we suspected that the goblin horde would be coming and very damned soon. Go in? Leave? Place to hold up?
Wait, why don’t we climb up too and head to the garden? When they come out we go behind them and their lines and make a run for Gavin.
It made sense. We all quickly were hoisted up and climbed to the top, where one there we headed east to the garden. Cara held back and to hide our prints in the snow called to Thor and summoned a cloudburst, centering it over the entrance area of the monastery and out prints to the wall. Given the cold it was 10 inches of snow that fell in a blinding deluge in just a minute – totally obscuring where we went (not where we had come from), and would force the goblins to hunt the grounds for us. There was talk that we might faintly hear the goblins coming from inside the monastery.
At the garden we looked over and the place was clear. Using the rope the goblins had already set here, we slithered down to the grasses and then Fjord was last. We waited here, listening to the secret door (hearing nothing) and went over a plan. 2:35 we figured it was enough time. Pushing the secret door open, yes, in the distance, echo of and echo, we could hear goblin voices near the front of the monastery.
We dodged into the original guard room, Yandr walking ahead, detect evil ability wide open. We moved along the area to the door and then the stairs down. No one was here yet. We lit the lantern (2:30 PM) and then went down. As the group went down, near the top of the steps, Fjord applied a flask of oil to a space a few steps down from the top. And then another 4 steps down from that, he did it again. Hopefully any goblins coming back down here would slip and hopefully either die or get seriously hurt.
At the stairs base we voted quick – Moray Vaco or Gavin’s Throneroom. We settled on Gavin. We traveled west, past the hall with forge (we could hear some work going on in there but no one was watching for us), and then past the long hall. We went down the hall with the Arena and made our way to the doors at the end.
Behind the dormitory room, Yandr felt the same evil that we had felt in the room near the piranha bird – like 3 different types of something all rolled together – a single point of evil. We backed up to the arena and in the safety (?) of the walls, discussed options.
We guessed we had a solid hour before the goblins would come back in after not finding us. So we could again – Moray or Gavin. The Gavin option was still the best bet. Atlas let us know he had quite a number of sleep spells at the ready and the group had been slowly gaining xp for a while (we were decidedly a 2nd level group now, a few of us having hit 3rd). We had a plan for Gavin and the rooms of sleeping hobs and bugbears were most likely gone for now.
It was 3 PM and we left the arena. Snuck past the room with the weird evil thing in it, opened the door at the end of the hall, and then went around there, eventually taking the long hall south covered in the goblin graffiti. We came to the guard area (empty), and passing the 3 dorm rooms, Yandr assured us he was getting no pings within.
We crept down the hall to the end where the alcove was. The torch sconces were empty now and Yandr pinged ahead while the party listened – paladin got 17 pings. Boiling it down were 4 goblins, 9 hobgoblins (1 of which seemed a bit “more” evil), and 4 bugbears. Gun poisoned an arrow. Hrimvar and Carl were going to bless us, Atlas had a sleep ready. And at 3:35 PM, we shoved the doors open hard and launched our assault.
Raised area with a throne across the way. Gavin and 2 huge hobs standing near him. 4 hobs at the base of the raised area talking. 4 goblins tending to a fire and a huge cauldron of boiling whatever. 2 hobs near the door as guards, and 4 bugbears, center of the room and north spread out.
Prayers to Thrym and Odin rocked out, bathing the group in a pair of bless spells, Atlas shot off a sleep spell at the hobgoblins near Gavin, dropping 2 of them. Shit. We then shot off arrows, one of the shafts hitting Gavin and dosing him with poison (he failed his save), more arrows followed and he rocked back screaming and angry.
The party pushed in, Yandr and Hrimvir blasting to one of the local hobs, hoping to finish him quick. Carl was right behind, lucern hammer thrusting. The rest of the group inched closer, getting ready for spells. The bugbears closed and the two hobs near the throne woke up their companions. Cara called to Thor and an eagle appeared, racing across the room, and launched itself at Gavin who had his forehead torn open. The two hobs up there quickly had shields out and stood in front of their king, covering him with their bodies, spears at the ready.
The 4 goblins charged the doors.and slammed them closed! Carl managed to wound one as it ran past but they still got the door closed! And then they were yanking pins and trying to drop the bars in place to hold the door! Fuck no! Carl managed to beat the hell out of the wounded one, killing it, but the other goblins did get the left side bar down – half barring the room. If they could get the 2nd one down, the rest of the group would be trapped on the wrong side of the throne room door
Entering 2nd round of combat. Stakes could not be higher. Icemonth the 15th, 195 of the 30th age, 3:36 PM.
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