Beginner 5E Game [IC]

[ShadowMist]

"We can still turn this around, they don't know about us. They just know that she was lying, nothing more." Aidan says, trying to analyze the situation. "Let's get somewhere save, and Macil and I can come back, and observe from safe distance."

[Nova_Eclipse]

Yuri nods in agreement and unties the other goblin's legs so that he can walk. No reason not to, and it might secure the woman's trust. She looks to the goblin woman as she works.

"You did your best. Did he say how quickly he would be coming?"

[JNAProductions]

"No-he just laughed and insulted me," she says.

The man mutters a quick word in Goblin, hopefully a thanks, and starts heading for the exit. He stops, though, not wanting to get too far from his captors.

[Nova_Eclipse]

Yuri nods as she gets to her feet and stows the rope in her pack. She does her best to commit what the woman just did with the crystal to memory.

Spoiler: Intelligence to Memorize

Show

(1d20)[9]

"Right. Let's get going, then." She begins moving towards the entrance to the cave, no reason to dally longer.

[JNAProductions]

You exit the cave, the goblins hunkering in the middle of your group.

Outside, it's still drizzling a little bit, but the worst has passed. Getting back to town shouldn't be too hard, assuming nothing happens along the way.

Spoiler: DM Rolls

Show

(2d20)[2][10](12)

But, nothing too untoward occurs, and you find yourself having the village in sight after a few hours pass, just as the rain is beginning to clear fully.

[ShadowMist]

Before leaving the cave Aidan pulls out his spare robe and hands it to the goblin girl. "This should help you avoid some unwanted attention. I'm assuming goblins aren't really welcome in the town."

[JNAProductions]

She murmurs a quiet "Thank you" when given it.

[Pheehelm]

"Let's get back to the tavern. We can consult with the old man, and maybe get sweettalk some goblin-sized clothes out of them."

[The Big Bear]

Spoiler: Int check

Show

(1d20-1)[8]
Sorry kind of busy tonight. Will check in when able. Check is to memorize the crystal movement.

[Nova_Eclipse]

Yuri nods and leads the way. Of all the outcomes, leading two of the goblins back into town as captives/rescuees is the last one she would have predicted. But, here they are, best to make the most of the situation.

"Maybe he'll have some idea of where the orcs came from in the first place."

[JNAProductions]

As you come closer to town, you see a mother looking after her three kids who are playing with sticks. She's the first to see you, and calls over. "Are you the group that went to handle the goblins? How did you fare?"

[Nova_Eclipse]

"Indeed. We've discovered a larger problem, though," Yuri calls back. "Might we speak to the town elder?"

[JNAProductions]

"McGregor is usually going to bed around now," she replies, coming a bit closer, "but Kelrug's always up. He's Adelaide's grandfather."

[Pheehelm]

"As it so happens, 'fair' is perhaps the best way to describe it; I wouldn't exactly call it good. Your goblin problems should be resolved, at least."

[JNAProductions]

She frowns. "That doesn't sound... Good. You should talk to Kelrug. I'm sure he'll know what to-hey!" she cuts herself off as one of the children starts attacking another a little too eagerly. "Play nice!"

[Nova_Eclipse]

"Kelrug is fine; he's the one we talked to before starting this anyways. He's still at the tavern, yes?" Yuri responds. She stays carefully between the goblins and the woman, hoping to shield them slightly and keep the woman's attention on her.

[JNAProductions]

"Yes, he should-NO! No no no!" she says, seemingly quite concerned with the kids now.

[Nova_Eclipse]

Yeah, that's their cue to hustle on to the tavern before anyone catches a better look at the goblins and figures out what they are. Yuri nods to the woman and beams.

"I think we'd better go find Kelrug now. Thanks for your help!" She says with a friendly wave, before beginning to move in the direction of the tavern.

[JNAProductions]

Being a bit late, there aren't many people about, and you reach the tavern without revealing the existence of your captives.

In the inn, there's no one except Adelaide, behind the bar, and Kelrug, sitting at a table with a hearty meal. "Ah, friends, you return! I'm glad to see you're not dead!"

[ShadowMist]

"Well, I see that you have your hands full, so we won't bother you any longer." Aidan interjects. "Good luck with the little ones."

[Nova_Eclipse]

Yuri beams at Kelrug, but there's worry in her smile.

"Indeed we do...with troubling discoveries....and possibly a little trouble with us."

[JNAProductions]

Kelrug, intent on his meal, nods. "Well, out with it. No sense keeping it in."

[Nova_Eclipse]

Yuri looks to Macil and Aidan for a moment, before passing a slight nod to Aidan and letting him speak first.

[ShadowMist]

"We brought two of our associates with us. They are part of a hunter association that mostly does business around Dalamor." Aidan gets a little closer and half-whispers. "They also happen to be goblins, who specialize in tracking down other goblins. Something in the blood or whatever, I'm not really an expert. The problem is that they might not be a welcome sight in this town, and we need a little help with that."

Spoiler: Deception

Show

(1d20+4)[14]

[JNAProductions]

Kelrug's fork drops to his plate. "Grandpa?" Adelaide calls out. "You okay?"

"Fine, just... Just fine. You have prisoners?" he asks. "Or, associates, I see. What've they got to say?"

Looking at you all for her cue, your prisoner steps forward a little, and speaks. "We, ah... We may have deceived your friends a little. We were able to track them because they were once part of our tribe-but we were hunted. Attacked, by the orcs. We made it out, but they killed our shaman, and enslaved the rest of our tribe."

Kelrug's already somewhat worn face turns even more downcast. "Lords above, this... This is bad. Orcs... Tell me-do you know the name of their leader?"

"What?" is her reply. "Why?"

"It matters. Trust me, gods above, it matters," he says back. She shakes her head. "Anything-any names, anything that might... I don't know."

"Our master was named Zorm?" she offers, but Kelrug shakes his head. "And he mentioned someone called the Devourer-a god of theirs, may-"

Kelrug leaps to his feet, and runs over to Adelaide. "Sweety, pack everything up. Absolutely everything."

"What? Why?" she asks, setting the mug in her hands down.

"I'll... No. I have time now. He's not here. He can't be," Kelrug says, fear plainly evident in his voice. "I'm 245 years old. Garkul the Devourer was defeated when I was six years old. Not many like to talk of him-not many people like to even BELIEVE in him. But he was real. By the gods above and below, he was real. A monster of an orc, standing 18' tall at least, but with the tactical genius of ten warlords... He burned cities. Destroyed thousands of lives. Tens of thousands, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS. His armies were legion. You always hear stories about adventurers, heading off and exploring ancient ruins? Why do you think there are so many? Why do you think the wilds are so dangerous? They weren't, before I was born. But Garkul broke civilization's spine. He shattered it, and even now we can feel his echoes..."

He stops a moment, breathing raggedly. "But he's dead. Orcs don't live that long, and besides-he was killed when his armies were defeated. But if any of his followers still live, and their hold here is broken... They won't settle till this entire village is nothing but ashes. So unless you think you can take an orcish warband, we're leaving. Adelaide-pack everything we can carry. I'll talk to McGregor-get him to get everyone else to go."

[The Big Bear]

Dain returns to town with the party and their goblin...captives? “Hmrph...traveling with goblins....goblins!” Dain resented the little creatures and wished to be done with them at the soonest possible time. Of course, he wouldn’t end one of the creatures lives if they behaved themselves, but he wished to turn them loose to the wilds at the first opportunity. Still, these goblins were their best bet at learning more about this problem, and as long as he didn’t have to work with them personally, he could deal with it.

[Pheehelm]

"We brought two of our associates with us. They are part of a hunter association that mostly does business around Dalamor." Aidan gets a little closer and half-whispers. "They also happen to be goblins, who specialize in tracking down other goblins. Something in the blood or whatever, I'm not really an expert. The problem is that they might not be a welcome sight in this town, and we need a little help with that."

Macil barely had the presence of mind to nod conspiratorially. Aidan was definitely nothing like the holy men back in Widow-bury.

He turned over Aidan's scenario in his mind. Cons were better not oversold, although he wanted to be ready with a save in case they asked questions.

[plot advancement]

Macil sat very quietly for a while.

"...maybe they didn't mean that Devourer? Like, just a really fat orc? Aidan, you weren't the expert a moment ago, but you are now. What do you know?"

[JNAProductions]

"There are signs," Kelrug says. "While Garkul himself wasn't a mage, he had them working for him. They would perform... Experiments, on their captives and their own. Was there anything like that?"

[Nova_Eclipse]

Yuri nods seriously.

"The orc that was in the hideout they were occupying had been modified arcanely. Tell us, you know a lot about this, but I've never heard this story before. How was Garkul defeated the first time?"

[JNAProductions]

"An army. A coalition of halflings and dwarves, gnomes and humans, elves and every other damn race under the sun," Kelrug says. "The only saving grace was that his closest followers, and those beneath them, and so on, were orcs. Bloodthirsty, and eager to be at the top. He always had to fight from the front, to prove that he was still the strongest, and so, when he was marching on Talfen, the Golden City, he finally met his match and was killed. With Garkul dead, his chieftains retreated, and turned on one other in an attempt to be the leader themselves."

Spoiler: History DC 12

Show

Talfen was the biggest and brightest of the ancient cities.

Spoiler: DC 18

Show

It was destroyed by an orcish warband, larger than any other that had been seen before.