SESSION 15: THE PLAN
The party talk through the options when Halee interjects.
"Are you guys crazy?" she asks. "We've got no magic left, only 1 healing potion between us, no one has any healing skills, most of us are ¾ dead already and some of you want to go on? Do you want a TPK? And while we're at it, no way are we going to board ourselves up in the western cave with no way out. And even if we did, with our limited healing skills we'd have to stay there for a week. No way I'm doing that."
Halee stares them all down. "Alright here's the plan. We've got no idea what is ahead of us to the north but we do know that we had an attack to the east the same as from the west and now nothing more is coming from there. We could do a quick scout to the east but if we run into anything we could be in a lot of trouble and I think we'd have to leave ½ our numbers here, at this intersection, just to make sure we don't get boxed in. The only practical thing to do is to head back to the Keep. Let's get back to The Salty Tusk and heal up for a few days, sell or trade our loot and try to get some more healing potions and then we'll come back."
"What do we say?" Halee asks.
They all nod in agreement.
They gather all the weapons, ears and any other loot that they've acquired. Thomas and Uthalin roll up the net and put it in a sack figuring they might be able to use it later.
Then they head back. They hadn't realised that they'd been in the caves for so long and its starting to get dark. Halee hears several unusual sounds (successful Perception against DC 15). She confers with Uthalin. "I'm hearing noises from the cave mouths" she says quietly.
"Aye" answers the ranger. "Orc, goblins, hobgoblins, they all see better in the dark you know. Better than you. That's when they come out to hunt (successful Knowledge Nature check against DC 10). They're probably getting ready to raid. We should get out of here quickly."
They push on down the valley, through the woods and onto the road and turn south.
They've gone no further than 400 yards when Cord stops dead in his tracks and turns around to see a wolf charging down Thomas who is at the back of the party (successful opposed Perception vs Stealth check). He yells to the party and they quickly form into a tight fighting formation. Looking around they realise that they're surrounded by a pack of wolves.
As soon as Thomas turns the pack leader, who was sneaking up on him to take a quick nip, stops and growls.
[Monster reactions: roll 2d6 and get a 10, no attack, monster leaves or considers offers – initial attitude is indifferent).
The wolves start to wonder around the party, sniffing and testing them out, seeing if there is an obvious weakness that could be exploited.
Uthalin considers using Wild Empathy but quickly realises that he's more likely to make the wolves angry rather than friendly.
Grouped together the party slows backs away. After a while the wolves lose interest and lope off into the woods.
Uthalin looks at the party members and says "Come on let's go. We don't know what else is out here hunting for its dinner or for loot." Turning to Thomas he continues, "Make sure you check your back every 30 seconds. Things happen quick out in the woods at night. You were lucky they didn't grab you and drag you off before we could have reacted. They would have torn you to pieces in seconds."
Thomas looks at Cord, "Thank you Cord, I think you just saved my life."
Cord responds, "Ha all part of being out in the wild. Wolves, they make great pets and great blankets. Think nothing of it. Let's go."
As they approach the area where they had come across Ruodrik they slow and cautiously keep watch but there is no sign of the hermit.
They quicken their pace again and soon they start to see the glow of the village. As they approach they are greeted by little cracks of light peeking through window shutters, smoke puffing from chimneys and smells of delicious roasting pork wafting from a spit.
Wandering into town they find The Salty Tusk. They can hear laughter from inside the inn and they begin to relax and feel safe again.
Steeping inside it seems like nothing has changed but at the same time it seems like they've been away forever. In reality they had been here only this morning but so much had passed since then.
The proprietor, Eldred Hester walks up to them, arms stretched out. "You're safely back" he exclaims, "thank Asmodeus for your return. Here, here come up and tell me your tales. Jeez you look like you've seen some action. Tell old Eldred all about it whilst we have a drink and get some beds made up for you. Karla, be a good lass and start to get some rooms ready for our adventurers."
Karla quickly finishes wiping off a table and then heads off upstairs to make up some rooms.
A small crowd gathers around the party as Risandor stands on the bar and starts to tell of their adventure. There are many "ooohs" and "ahhhs" as he tells them of the first fight with the goblins and the big ogre. One of the men utters in disbelief "You've got to be kidding me" when he tells of how Uthalin killed Korga the ogre with an axe blow to the head.
To prove the point Uthalin lifts the heavy necklace of ears from around his neck and points to Korga's big grey ears.
The man takes a gulp of his beer, sits down and listens as Risandor continues.
Risandor tells of the great hobgoblin chief, Higor Finger Biter and how they had made a pact with him to raid the orc caves. Sitting on the edge of their seats the crowd stares in wonder as the little halfling talks of the battle with the orcs and the monster which crept up on Thomas. He recalls how all the hobgoblins were slaughtered by the orcs and the party itself had barely made it out alive. The listeners openly shudder when they hear that Thomas had almost been dragged off by a pack of wolves but Cord had heard them creeping up on him at the last moment.
Meanwhile the rest of the team settle in to some drinking and eating before they retire for the night.
The next morning, they wake and begin to take stock. Many of the party are badly wounded and whilst they heal 1pt per day Halee is worried it's going to take a long time for them to all heal back. Her and Risandor get together to discuss the situation.
They agree that Ansic, Cord, Thomas and Uthalin should be restricted to full bed rest to try to heal up quicker and Risandor should use his two Cure Light Wounds spells per day to heal the most wounded, starting with Thomas and Cord (a full day's rest will heal back 2hp per level, an overnight rest will heal back 1hp per level). They'll keep the one remaining healing potion for emergencies.
In the meantime, Halee will go and sell their loot and recover the bounty for the ears that they had collected. That morning she'll visits Fenton at the Iron Shoe first.
Just before she leaves Risandor casts cure light wounds upon Cord, healing back 4pts and upon Thomas, heling back 3pts. The groups health now stands at:
- Halee 9hp out of 9
- Ansic 9hp out of 16
- Cord 7hp out of 14
- Risandor 9hp out of 9
- Uthalin 8hp out of 14
- Thomas 5hp out of 13.
Halee then heads off and finds Fenton.
Fenton is a gruff blacksmith who has seen adventurers come and go but he's always willing to trade for captured weapons and to supply new weapons and armour. He is also the armourer for the Castellan Markis Greylock. He looks over the sample weapons that Halee has brought with her and he offers to buy these and anything like them for ½ price. Halee asks about new weapons and armour. Fenton responds that he has a wide selection of weapons but any custom or masterwork weapons will take him a week to make. He also has a wide selection of light armour but only about ¾ of most medium armours and ½ of most heavy armours in stock. He has all types of shields. If anyone wants anything he doesn't have in stock he'll make it but it'll take a week or so.
Halee starts to ferry down the 18 short swords, 4 short bows, 6 long swords, 5 long spears and 15 falchions and Fenton pays her 770gp.
Heading to the Keep she quickly finds Markis Greylock, Captain Garin and a few guards talking.
Markis eagerly greets Halee and asks how her and the party fared at the caves. Pulling the necklaces of ears from a sack she informs him that they had killed some 18 goblins, an Ogre named Korga, 6 hobgoblins and 15 orcs but there are still many monsters there.
He asks about the caves and Halee responds that they had seen openings to 8 caves but had only been able to investigate 2 so far and they hadn't been able to completely clear them. There might be more caves that they hadn't discovered yet too. Markis thanks her for her help so far and authorizes Garin to pay the 400gp bounty.
He asks when they'll be going back. Halee answers that she isn't sure yet and it'll depend on how quickly they are able to get ready. They are pretty badly beaten up but are glad that they didn't have any losses.
Garin says that she should go and find the Curate Heinrich, his chapel is about a mile to the east of the village where he and his brothers worship Asmodeus. Heinrich sometimes sells potions of healing to adventurers especially those helping to quell any local chaos and those who worship Asmodeus.
Halee leaves and travels to the chapel. About 100 yards from the sanctuary she can hear the chanting of the clerics. It sends a shudder down her spine. She's never been comfortable about the fact that the worship of Asmodeus was practically a state enforced practice.
She finds Henrich. He is just finishing a sermon with his two servant clerics and a small gathering of the faithful. He welcomes her and is glad to see that she has survived her adventure to the caves. Halee enquires about purchasing some potions of healing. Henrich says that he'll gladly sell Potions of Cure Light Wounds to any of the faithful for 50gp per potion and to non-believers, such as herself, for 100gp. Halee thanks Henrich and heads back to the hamlet.
Getting back to The Salty Tusk she's totaled up 1170gp. She sits down with Risandor and breaks it up into equal portions of 195gp per party member.
Later that night Halee draws out a parchment and sketches out a map of the caves. She marks out the goblin caves, the battle with Korga and with the orcs.
DEW
