[D&D 3.5] Dark Storms Gather

[Haizu]

Crouching down, Eddie took a long, careful look at the tracks. "These are relatively fresh, probably 3 days at most." Standing up again, he cast his gaze about, taking in a broader view of the area. "Looks like there were 4 of them, all headed in the same direction. Most likely they were companions." Looking back at the group, Eddie addressed them at large. "Think they were headed to the same place?"

[Rogue 9]

"Mebbe," Gror said doubtfully. "But they could be headin' anywhere along this road."

[Haizu]

"True." said the skeptic halfling. "But let's not take any chances yeah?"

[Comrade Tortoise]

"I can have Izard scout ahead. No one is going to pay much attention to a lizard scampering around in the branches"

the wizard said.

[Haizu]

Nodding Eddie replied "That's a good idea. Would you mind?"

[Rogue 9]

Gror suddenly stopped dead in the road and went for his hammer. "Goblins," he said sharply as he wheeled to face the nearest rustling bush.

[Cynical Cat]

Saiden focused his mind on the energy pattern that stood for Iron Wards [Mage Armor] while speaking the initiators and making the hand gestures to guide the flows of magical energy into a protective field around him.

Initiative Roll:

[Haizu]

"Goblins eh? This should be interesting." Eddie commented as he melted into the bushes.

[Comrade Tortoise]

Volans already had both an armor and shield spell up continually thanks to a brooch he wore. The warning was given and he immediately began uttering the initiators of a spell

"Einleitung! beweglichen Barriere aus Geschosse!"

He swung his left arm in a tight circle above his head and the area burst into radiant light which descended to completely envelop the wizard before dissipating into a barely visible shimmer.

(Protection from arrows cast. DR 10 vs projectiles until 50 damage is absorbed or 5 hours pass, whichever comes first. Also absorbs 10 damage from the first energy based attack that strikes me)

[Academia Nut]

"Goblins! Where?" Doran asked while panning his head about rapidly, looking for any sign of what had been heard. All he had picked up on was the wind, and nothing more, but if a dwarf said he heard goblins, then he probably heard goblins. Doran immediately grabbed up his shield, his spear already carried at his side as a walking aid, and unfurled his tentacles from beneath his clothing where he had hidden them.

He hoped he wouldn't spook anyone.

[rhoenix]

With little warning, goblins leapt out from the surrounding underbrush to surround the five travelers, each of them armed with a dagger, light armor, and melee weapons. The largest goblin, carrying a semi-recently severed donkey's head stood in the path ahead of the travelers, with a confident goblinish grin.

After yelling in a guttural-sounding Goblin, the leader changed to simple Common as he addressed the travelers. "You! You like four that came by here before! They kill our hunters, our food-gatherers! Tell Gyak - why we spare you? Why we let you go so other Goblinkind be killed?"


(EDIT: Forgot Eddie's hidden, fixed now)

[Haizu]

Quietly drawing his crossbow, Eddie took aim on the speaking goblin, ready to bury a bolt in it's head at the first sign of attack.

[Comrade Tortoise]

The wizard spoke a short word

"ZaubererBlick" There were no magical auras on the goblins. So he was speaking from a position of strength. Good. There was an aura in the distance though. This bears investigating. This was not the time however.

"Because we have no intention of killing your food gatherers and hunters Gyak. The ones that came by here before are not us, and thus it is folly to assume that we mean you or your tribe harm."

[Academia Nut]

Glancing amongst the various members of the party Doran shrugged and said, "Our group is actually quite tolerant of diversity, so I see no reason why we should initiate hostilities with your tribe. I mean, I think you all have less likelihood of being run out of town by a torch and pitchfork carrying mob than we do."

"Also, if you're concerned about intrusion on your hunting grounds, I can assure you I know a myriad of ways to scrape together enough food for everyone amongst us that would not adversely affect your ability to sustain your people."

[Rogue 9]

"Ach," Gror said, spitting on the ground as he slid his arm through the straps on his shield and grasped the handle. "We're not 'ere fer ye or yorn. We're goin' on down th' road. Yer condition when we do is up t' ye, but if ye let us pass, we won't 'urt ye."

[Jason_Firewalker]

"Gror, as much as I dislike goblins for their lack of manners and civilization, it might not be nessecary to get wounded here." Smiling at the goblin leader, Sylvandor reached into a pouch. "I have a shiney thing for you." Grabbing a couple of gold pieces he let the goblins obviously see them and then tossed them at the feet of their leader. As the twenty gold tappered to the ground Sylvandor grinned.

[Rogue 9]

Gror looked at the elf like he was nuts. "Bribin' 'em I kin understand, but d' ye need t' talk like they're children when they got spears pointed at us?" He grumbled low, knowing the elf would hear him with those damned long ears of his.

[rhoenix]

The goblin holding the donkey's head squeezed it, causing a little blood to drip down to the ground. "This your idea of joke? I talk about lost members of tribe, you give money and grin? Dragon-man and odd man talk good, but elf gives money? Odd man right, you six strange. You pass."

With that, the leader stepped back off the path, and the other goblins casually walked back off and around the path, and toward the north-west. The leader stopped, and hailed the five visible travelers again. "The four I make talk about, watch for. They...not right."

He turned, and walked away again, when a loud, echoing moaning growl echoed throughout the nearby trees. The goblins seemed to shrink with fear, looking wildly around them.

[Haizu]

Seeing the goblins start to leave, Eddie relaxed his grip on his crossbow and took his finger off the trigger. That was close. Breathing out a sigh of relief, Eddie was about to climb out of his hiding spot when the loud growling came to his attention. Freezing, he closed his eyes and concentrated, picking out where the noises were coming from. Even though he couldn't tell what was making the noise, he could tell that it was getting closer, fast, and that it was pretty much all around them. The only two directions it wasn't coming from was the NE and SW. Unsure what to do, Eddie decided to hold his position and provide cover fire for his companions if need be.

[rhoenix]

The creatures, had surrounded the travelers and the goblins both, now were more visible - they had no visible eyes or nose, just a wide mouth shaped like a tube with teeth in it - used to make the eerie noises that the creatures apparently used to "see." They had all two large hind legs with the knee joint reversed, compared to a humanoid - this apparently allowed them excellent agility and speed while running.

One picked off a goblin that had lost his nerve and ran, flipping the goblin up into the air only to land in the things mouth and be devoured, as the poor goblin screamed all the while, until it landed within the creature's gullet. The other goblins moaned audibly, and none of them seemed especially courageous at the moment.

The creatures appeared to be seven or eight in number, and they appeared to be trying to herd the entire group northeast, while snapping at any creature that got within their range.

[Jason_Firewalker]

Taking a moments notice Sylvandor dropped his pack and tumbled quickly across the ground to the nearest of these horse sized creatures. Stabbing it with his thinblade he quickly drew blood.

[Rogue 9]

Gror braced his shield in front of him and charged in behind the elf, bringing his hammer down in an overhead strike against the closest of the creatures with a wordless battle cry.

[Academia Nut]

As chaos began to descend with the attack of these horrid creatures, Doran frowned and pulled out the little branch of holly that served as his divine connection with nature and muttered, "This is why I get a bad reputation," before he began chanting an invocation to nature to lend its fury to his.

A few moments later a broad grin came over his face, a rather horrid expression considering how it twisted his overbroad mouth into something vaguely toad-like, and he pointed at a group of the attackers. There was a moment of silence and then the air filled with thousands of shrieking chirps and darkened as close to five thousand screeching bats descended on a few of the creatures, ripping and biting into them.

"Go my friends! Feast on their blood! Rip them to shreds! Mwahahahaha!" Doran cried out in glee.

[Haizu]

Once he was sure that all the beasties were good and distracted by the sudden swarm of bats that Doran so gleefully let loose upon them, Eddie took aim and loosed a bolt. The missile had only gotten halfway to it's target when it was intercepted by a hapless bat. With annoyance, Eddie quietly loaded another bolt into his crossbow and prepared to take aim once more.

[rhoenix]

The rampaging creatures caused three of the remaining goblins to panic, each fleeing in different directions - three of the creatures hunted the unfortunate goblins down, and two others attempted to attack Sylvandor as he swiftly struck one of them.

The swarm of bats almost seemed to darken the light coming through the trees, heckling and harassing all of the creatures. Most seemed distracted, but not all.

Shortly after this, three goblin-pitched screams were heard in rapid succession. The remaining goblins looked more scared, but they held, their leader (with the severed donkey head) giving them some courage.

The creatures began once more to circle the gathered group. One of the creatures attempted to slash viciously at Doran, and another was about to roar at Saidan, but instead seemed to collapse from the bat bites, and began to vomit with horrible, echoing retching sounds.