Goblin Central – Chapter Seventeen
1st Day Of The Deepwinter (January)
Hunting The Goblin Warrior:
The plan is to attack the Goblin Warrior Lair on Runedardaths Level 2. Armed with King Korin Ironaxe’s ‘Magical Necklace’ (which he reluctantly agrees to part with, if for no other reason than to save his people’s and his own skin) a lightning advance into their area, combining stealth and strength is hoped to either annihilate Wartsnak Dreadlord’s minions on this level, or drive them up into the Level 1, reducing their territory in a land-grab that leaves them humiliated and angry. In other words, ready to make a mistake.
But as with all plans, there are holes: Large gaping holes through which the malignant greedy eyes of Kelthas The Dread look for opportunity and advantage. The decision is made that Frimly should be the deliverer of Korin’s Necklace to the Orcs, his finely honed stealth abilities making him the ideal candidate to deliver this explosive package.
With this in mind, Mirafir decides to risk a glance in the ‘Mirror of Mental Prowess’. He knows Kelthas The Dread, and has withstood his graveyard halitosis and lived, so ‘Scrying’ on him must be possible, surely? Alas, drawing on the all-seeing Mirror’s powers leaves him drained and with no insight, as if some Ward or Shadow is shrouding the foul Necromancer, defiler of the dead. In passing, Korin spots the Elven wizard:
Korin: “Greetings, Mr. Roven, are you by any chance attempting to scry on Kelthas the Dread?”
Mirafir: “Yes! But he is hidden from me! I know not how. Some necromantic devilry, no doubt.”
Korin: “Aye, indeed. Well I think you’ll find he’s probably wearing one of these wee baubles around his scrawny Evil neck.”
Korin reaches under his lordly robes and produces a medallion.
Korin: “Very handy and not just bonny to look at: Essential to the Illefarn dress code I think you’ll find, Mr. Roven. I suggest you get one, you dozy surface-dwelling tree-hugger.”
There is no time to lose. The Adventurers are at full strength, trained and ready for action. First, down to Level 4 into the Fountain Room.
All of the Rooms connected to Kelthas the Dread’s area are now torch lit. Like Sigune and Sir Ly, the Human Members of his faction are clearly struggling in the Darkness. We go up the Ramp, Frimly at the fore via (Room 71) on Level 2.
We are getting close. Who knows what to expect up ahead. Mirafir already cast “Invisibility” on himself. Frimly suddenly steps back and holds his hand up.
Frimly: “There is a barricade along the corridor. In both directions. A Goblin Warrior has seen our light source. The fight is on. They are waiting for us.”
Sigune, drawing her Longsword, screeches in an unbearably high-pitched voice:
Sigune: “We vill attack zem unt hack our vay through to zee drwarves. It vill buy you enough time to get through unt use zee wunderwaffe! Come Sir Ly! A glorious death! For St. Cuthbert! And His Mighty Cudgel!”
She charges forth, Sir Ly casts the ‘Continual Light’ Rock in the direction of their attack while Thora charges towards the other barricade to engage a Goblin Warrior. Short Bows twang and Arrows fly through the air from the Goblin Warrior manning the barricades. Sigune slashes at the barricade as does Sir Ly and they smash their way through. The Goblin Warrior fires again but miss. And the Paladins are on them.
One Less Goblin Warrior:
At the other barricade, Thora does the same. Frimly moves to a corner to fire his bow. Galan and Mirafir move up and choose a Goblin Warrior.
Sigune destroys a Goblin Warrior with a lucky swing of her sword. Thora finally smashes the barricade. Father Tobias runs to join Thora. Frimly shoots a Goblin Warrior. Sir Ly hits another and kills another Goblin Warrior; Sigune annihilates a Goblin Warrior in front of her (20). Thora is raging at the Goblins and Frimly follows up. Sigune hacks down another but Sir Ly misses his intended target. Frimly shoots a second Goblin Warrior. The Goblin death count is mounting.
Galan is unsure whether to engage in combat or continue to protect the rear. The thought of the Necromancer faction attacking from the rear makes his decision to stay where he is much easier. And yet, like most of the others, with Thora the only real exception, he is like a fish out of water: This subterranean environment is alien to his wilderness skills, despite his ability to blend ‘Invisibly’ into the stonework with his ‘Cloak of Elvenkind’.
Sigune is hit by an Arrow, which pierces her new Scale Mail Armour in a delicate spot below the shoulder.
Sigune: “Ach! I am pierced! You shall learn to fear zee fury of St. Cuthbert!”
She charges forward and butchers the Goblin that hit her.
Meanwhile Thora and Father Tobias proceed down the passageway.
There is one left between Sigune and Sir Ly and they butcher it.
Thora steps out:
Thora: “Do your worst maggots!”
She is hit by an Arrow as she charges towards the third Barricade, with many Goblins behind it, but the impact of the Arrow does not even register on her face, a ferocious gash revealed beneath her Plate Armour.
Sigune and Sir Ly charge down the corridor and head North then West, remembering from perusing the Scouting Maps that they can perhaps catch the Goblins from the other side and follow the Goblin that ran away. Those very same Goblins are attempting to resist the frontal assault by Thora, Father Tobias and Galan. It is brutal. Thora smashes one to bits, but two more instantly take its place. Galan kills two more with some deadly Sword work while Frimly shoots another with his Short Bow.
Several of the Goblins suddenly run off allowing Thora and Galan to take down the last ones. A final Goblin is left standing. Galan looks him in the eye and says in the guttural Goblin tongue:
Galan: “Run. For. Your. Life.”
The Goblin is frozen to the spot both horrified to hear his own speech from the mouth of his most feared enemy and inevitably mind-numbingly determined to fight, so Father Tobias hacks him down without hesitation. A roaring flame shoots through the hatch injuring both Thora, Father Tobias and Galan attempts to stab through the hatch but misses.
The flames are still blasting out so they jump back out of the way. Meanwhile Sigune and Sir Ly encounter more Goblins in the passage, two Javelins are thrown and miss as the Paladins go toe-to-toe with them. Sir Ly expertly slays a Goblin but Sigune swipes wildly and misses her target.
The Goblins retreat up the passage, except for the one that Sigune is engaging, she misses. Sir Ly kills another further up the passage but also takes a hit himself, his piety transcends all pain and he is unfazed by the brutal injury. Sigune finally finishes her Goblin Warrior while Sir Ly is engaged with more of them ahead. Frimly has joined Sigune and Sir Ly in the fray.
Thora throws a Flask of Oil at the Door from which the flames are shooting and there is a howl of pain and surprise from behind the Door. Galan shoots an arrow through the slot and hits (20!) there is a guttural howl of pain and the hatch quickly closes, he must have hit on of thr Ogres.
Thora turns to Father Tobias:
Thora: “Father, can you cast some healing on me?”
He does (good roll). Galan is now ready behind the door with his Longsword at the ready.
Meanwhile, Frimly to Sigune:
Frimly: “Cut me a path through!”
Sigune: “I will send them all to Hell! For St. Cuthbert!”
She charges forward into the waiting Goblins at Sir Ly’s side. 2 Goblins are cut down instantly. But more are coming…
Frimly squeezes past before Sigune and Sir Ly can continue. Sigune kills another Goblin Warrior.
Meanwhile, after ‘Healing’ Thora, Father Tobias takes the opportunity to heal his own terrible burn injuries so he is able to continue the fight, channeling the merciful power of St. Cuthbert.
Hearing the clamour of battle from the far end of the passage, Galan cries:
Galan: “Let’s go! There is fighting up ahead!”
Thora and Mirafir remain at the door while Galan and Father Tobias close in as the two groups are reunited. Sigune hacks down another Goblin Warrior!
There is chanting and more creatures coming down the passage including 2 Ogres. Frimly is clasping one of the beads, which Frimly can see are Golden Orbs now that he is waering it,, from the necklace…
Galan spots Frimly and in a moment of awful realisation comprehends what he plans to do:
Galan: “Step back!”
Panic. Suddenly Sir Ly’s sword starts to heat up! The Goblin Shaman Spell!?
‘Heat Metal’?
One of the two lethal fighting machines otherwise known as Ogres closing in on the fray is suddenly cremated in a standing position as the Golden Orb detonates in the passageway behind him. The roaring sound, flash of fiery light and the rush of air as oxygen is instantly sucked even from the very lungs of all nearby can mean only one thing:
Fireball. The expertly positioned throw of one of the Golden Orbs from the necklace results in not just the incineration of the Ogre: The Shaman plus 5 other Goblins were immolated. Their charred and smoldering remains now unrecognizable after the sudden inferno. Just an Ogre and 2 Goblins were able to withstand the explosion or stood just outside its radius. Stunned, they stand in the passage trying to get to grips what has just occurred and adapt to this new set of circumstances. The Adventurers prepare to finish what the fireball started.
The best laid plans of Elves and Dwarves… The Goblins were ready for the attack, but not for the fury and foolhardiness of the Adventurers. Korin’s cautious troops have fought a war of attrition for three years under Mount Illefarn and little has changed. Thora’s troops have taken great risks but have inflicted harsh blows on both the Necromancer faction and now also Wartsnak’s faction.
Will their luck last?
And what of Mirafir’s Prophecy?
Above the Mountain of Illefarn, the sun has reached its zenith. The Delimbyr River ripples and flows through The Laughing Hollow and on to Daggerford before making its final journey out past the Lizard Marshes and in to the Sea of Swords.