Week I (08/03): Goblin Tracking

GM: Robert

Players:
 * Amaranth Bandawax / Jennifer
 * Poppy Montajay / Sam
 * Shia the Melancholic / Mutu
 * Shmoopy / Robbie
 * Viggo / Liam
 * Rubrum Flax / Beth

Report from Amaranth Bandawax (Jennifer):
Poppy and I responded to a request posted that was looking for recruits to deal with goblins in the Marshfold, meeting up with four other recruits; a human ranger named Viggo, an orc barbarian named Shia the Melancholic, and two other halflings, one a ranger named Rumbrum Flax and one a thief named Shmoopy.

We were introduced to Bollic - the dwarven Vanguard officer who posted the advertisement - and were sent to the requisition office to gather required supplies and then went to meet Bollic by the stables.

When riding to the Marshfold, we had to cross a river with a narrow ford. Viggo spotted an ambush set by a couple of troglodytes, Shia charged into the ambush, with Shmoopy jumping on her back. Poppy and I followed behind to provide support. The troglodytes attacked managing to catch Poppy with a spear, however we managed to defeat the troglodytes reasonably easily with no one suffering any major injuries.

We arrived to the edge of the Marshland at around dusk where we made camp and set up a watch schedule. During the second watch everyone was woken by Shia's loud vomiting and we spotted a goblin spying on the camp. The goblin ran off with Poppy and Shia chasing after it. Shia caught up first and smacked the goblin against a tree, accidentally cracking its skull. Poppy attempted to heal it so we could question the goblin, however Dak working through Poppy killed the goblin instead.

During the third watch we were once again woken, this time to the shout of 'goblins!' from Rumbrum and the camp was attacked by two bugbears. Partway through the fight, two goblins join the bugbears, shooting at us from trees. We kill the two bugbear and one of the goblins and the other goblin surrendered to our group. When questioning the goblin we received information that all of the goblins have been marshaled in one place by hobgoblins, this location was shown to us on the map that the goblin carried. We also were told of a singular hobgoblin leading a band of goblins to the west, which matched the description of the band of goblins we were sent to hunt.

We rode to the area containing the band of goblins and discovered a well defended area on top of a cliff, surrounded by palisades and containing a makeshift war tent of sorts. Shmoopy and Rumbrum managed to sneak to the base of the cliff, but as Shmoopy moved, he dislodged a rock making the hobgoblin leader leave his tent to investigate. Viggo attempted to shoot the hobgoblin when he appeared but was spotted and the alarm was raised, causing six goblin archers to start firing at the four of us left visible. We headed to the side of the encampment for easier access. Shia threw both Poppy and I up the cliff and onto the goblin archers. Poppy killed four and I killed the last two when three more goblins appeared, this time riding wolves. The goblins charge at Viggo who had just madaged to scale the cliff, he managed to take one goblin out with his bow before they reached him and I stepped in front of Viggo to defend him and got dragged away by one of the wolves. Poppy, trying to kill the wolves, sustained significant damaged. After killing two of the wolves and one of the remaining goblin riders, Shia was slain by the last wolf who ended up decapitating Shia and running off with her head.

With the immediate danger gone, Poppy, Viggo and I headed through the 'tent' to where Rumbrum and Shmoopy had last been seen fighting the hobgoblin. When we arrived, Rumbrum had disappeared and Shmoopy was fighting the hobgoblin alone. The three of us arriving, turned the tide of the battle, and we eventually defeated the hobgoblin.

Upon searching the camp for information, I discovered plans for an attack on Port Plenty by the goblins, which we have since turned in to the Keepers.