Shuddering at the thought, Rhune turns away, a slightly green color coming to her cheeks.
"Well. I think we don't have a clue if we're heading the right way. I rather find some clues here or some other hints than persuing on a trail which might lead us to all but the tower." Ullar adds his cents to the discussion. "Can anyone determine how long ago the struggle was, which resulted in this blood? It could give us some more information."
"I never thought of that. Exploring this...hovel may prove very helpful. If not rewarding," says Forte with a smile. His mind wanders to the treasure he has already accumulated since joining the group. If there's more treasure here, he thinks looking down at his ripped shirt, maybe soon, I can buy some armor and replace some of my weapons....if we ever get to a decent sized city. His brown eyes return to the group, awaiting their decision.
Taglio turns to Forte after drawing his own crossbow and loading it. "I don't remember this symbol before, Forte. The last tribe had the symbol of a wolf and that strange split skull which I guess went with the undead goblins, si."
"Oh, yeah!" exclaims Forte in an excited whisper. "I'll bet you're exactly right about that split-skill symbol! At least this sign is a little less creepy."
"Maybe this is Vlack's symbol or some other tribe. This Vlack if he is some sort of overlord could have several tribes under his sway, si. I don't think we want to chase down and fight every tribe in the area. We should proceed cautiously. Watch out for venomous slitherers if these symbols have any meaning at all," Tag continues
Forte looks down at the ground nervously, not wanting to get bitten by a snake. Then, believing he is on a horse and probably can not be bitten from a ground slithering reptile, he relaxes a bit. Thinking back to the giant rats he encountered before he met this group, he wonders with an increasingly terror-stricken look on his face if snakes can also mutate to such proportions. After a few seconds of imagining snakes of such size, he shakes himself free of the day "dream".
Shuddering at Taglio's comment about snakes, Rhune looks down as well.
Tag speaks up, "Hey, does anyone have that map which Petr gave us? I have never had an answer as to whether that 'castle' thing on the map might be the tower we are looking for or just the tombs we already visited."
Unable to open the door for the moment, the crude map is produced from whoever had it. Looking at it, it is clear the ruins referred to the tombs on the ridge, and not this tower. Forte feels a nagging suspicion that his visions gave him more information, but cannot recall it clearly now. Using the map as reference, the group places the goblin lairs roughly where they were found, adding this new one.
Some in the original group remember that there were three tribes of goblins in the initial siege of Sukiskayn, though they only encountered two, the red goblins and the wolfskins, both of whose lairs have been explored. Reasoning concludes that this is the lair of the third, some of whose bodies were found in the southern clearing in the village, and many more found among the dead horses near Fyodorll's wagons. They carried tattoos on their cheeks that looked something like the design on the door.
Looking about, the group can follow the trail which leads north, hoping their lack of tracking ability does not allow them to lose it again, or they can pursue other means of entering this place, hoping to get more information, but perhaps risking further delay in rescuing Stephan.
"The only thing left for us to do here would be to knock on the door. I for one am not interested in doing that. These goblins may not be quite so disposed to helping us like the last ones.... Let's leave here and take the trail," Rhune replies still keeping an eye out.
"Well," replies Ullar, "I'm curious about what is inside. Seems to me that those Goblin tribes can't get along really well," he adds with a smile. "If we can loot whatever they have left and find a good use to it, I bet it's worth a try to smash this door. Forte, what do you say? Should we 'lend' this door a shoulder?" Ullar inquires
"Most definitely, my friend." Forte dismounts rather ungracefully after putting his bow and arrow away. He puts his mace into his right hand and prepares to help Ullar shoulder open the door.
Forte pauses and turns to look at Rhune. "Well," he asks the group, "which is it?" He looks first to the door, then to the north-bound trail, and finally back to the group. "Pillage or pursue?"
Dakath chuckles, "I don't think I need to answer that question."
Putting away her bow and drawing her longsword, Rhune waits for Forte and Ullar to break the door in. A small smile on her face.
"That makes three for, ehm, pillage, I guess," says Ullar, holding up his hand with three fingers in the air.
"Anyone agreeing with Rhune that we shouldn't pillage? Please speak out, otherwise the majority wins," says Ullar, smiling at Rhune to lighten up the situation.
"I agree. Ullar, Forte remember we have no healing now, so if one of us gets wounded fighting more goblins then that person won't be able to take part in Stephan's rescue. Lets go on Northward."
Ullar can already see Rhune getting prepared to pillage. She smiles at him as he looks at her.
"Ready, Ullar?" asks Forte, leaning down to put his shoulder against the door.
It is a cramped maneuver sending both massive men smashing into the door, but they accomplish it. Forte's weight hits it like a thunderbolt, smashing through both lock and handle. It creaks as it swings back and forth into the tunnel. As Ullar deducted, the tunnel is not a large one, though large enough for him to walk through, his dagger oddly unmatched to his heavy armor and frame.
Dakath turns to Rhune and smiles. "Something along that approach," he says to her referring to his deceased thug acquaintance.
The tunnel ahead is blocked by a barricade of rocks and rubbish as high as a man. A head appears above the barricade and a dagger flies toward you but falls short. There is a brief argument in the goblin tongue, then an expectant hush.
Asif bends down low to avoid the expected volley of missiles following the thrown goblin dagger.
"Fate offers many choices my friends. The Sword is often the most favorable option in times such as these. I think it is not the only option this time. One of us speaks their tongue. Lets see if we can negotiate with them"
The group looks about to see who Asif is referring to, but nobody volunteers with the ability to speak the goblin's language.
"HEY!" Ullar calls out to the Goblin(s) behind the barricade. "Cut it out! We're on the Goblin-rescue mission and we mean you no harm! The only one we're after is that Vlack guy who seems to terrorize all of you!"
Forte tries not to laugh as he looks at Tag and mouths the phrase, "Goblin-rescue mission?!" while pointing at Ullar.
Dakath moves up behind the two warriors, he sneaks a look into the corridor before keeping out of sight. "Well, that's interesting, who puts a barricade in the hall just beyond a locked door?"
Ullar falls silent for a moment, awaiting any response. Just to be sure, he picks up the dagger the Goblin threw at him.
"Ok. Snaky-Goblins, don't play games with me. I know that some of you must speak common and have it least some intelligence, since this barricade is rather smart. If you could redirect us to where Vlack is heading, we'll be on our way. Promise!"
Rhune giggles at the big man's playfulness. "Well said Ullar, well said."
Ullar than calls over to Amibar. "My friend, could you translate my words to gnomish as well? Perhaps they can understand it as the wolftribe could. Just stand behind me, so that you'll be safe from any thrown objects," he adds with a smile.
Rhune looks toward the barricade, peeking around Asif's shoulder. "Amibar, I think we need you to translate if you can. I don't speak goblin,” she whispers to the man. She waits with her sword drawn to see what happens.
"I don't speak Goblin, Ullar! And I doubt they speak Gnomish," calls back the little man, from where he was trying to blend into the wall.
As Amibar replies, a volley of the same daggers flies toward Ullar. They catch him totally by surprise and one manages to catch him between plates in the right arm, sticking there. It is a deep wound, and in conjunction with the half-dozen wounds Ullar already suffers from, he begins to feel a little weak.
In a rage, Ullar flings the dagger he picked up into the barricade, which does not seem to affect them too much. In the process, he exposes himself to yet another volley of daggers, one of which slices into his right shoulder, inches above the other dagger still planted there. It is another deep wound, and he feels rather unsteady now.
Rhune sighs and hefts her longsword, wanting to be able to do something but unable to in the cramped surroundings.
Realizing that he will take the worst of a missile combat, Ullar charges the barricade, drawing his bastard sword and roaring. As he comes charging in with Forte hard behind him, one of the goblins beyond the barricade hurls a dagger that nicks Ullar's foot, but he ignores it, smashing into the barricade of rocks and trash like a lightning bolt.
Clearing the obstacle, he wards off another volley of daggers and sees half a dozen goblins retreating backward in front of him. They appear to have finally run out of the vicious missiles they were throwing, and have drawn out small war hammers.
In a great arcing sweep, Ullar smashes through the head of one and severs the leg of the one beside him. Both fall gushing blood. The others turn and flee his wrath, but he manages to catch another one in the neck, lodging his sword in him. He kicks the being free of his weapon as the others dash down the tunnel.
Charging down the tunnel after them, Ullar comes into a large room. The chamber before you, lit by the red flow of two smoking braziers, seems full of snakes! At the far end is a group of goblins who fling a salvo of daggers, while a larger goblin in their midst swings a snake around his head by it's tail. Suddenly, the goblin lets go and the serpent flies through the air toward you!
Fortunately, Ullar's armor manages to come through this time, warding off the half-score of daggers. The snake lands just past him to the left, gathers itself and then proceeds to slither past him toward Forte. The goblins in the chamber, now joined by four from outside, stand in a protective shield about the snake-thrower, who has picked up another and is swinging it about again.
Forte quickly gets nervous as he sees the snake approaching. He attempts to smash it with his mace, as beads of sweat begin to form on his brow.
Taking in the view, Rhune shudders at the sight of all the snakes. "Ullar, get back and let someone else get in front," she utters in a low voice that only he can hear, hopefully. Seeing the snake thrower getting ready to throw another snake, Rhune tries to position herself to use her throwing daggers, putting the sword down next to her to be grabbed if need be.
Asif growls angrily at the treatment of the Goblins.
"Sons of a flea bitten camels. Cast vipers at us will they. May the curse of Aten’s wrath descend upon your godless heads. We offered you the hand of peace. Reject it with such foul conduct. Now receive the hand of War."
Asif draws forth his bow ready to drill the caster of the serpents through the heart with his bow. He takes cover close to the wall waiting to take the shot. Egypt being a land of snakes, Asif being very aware of their venomous nature. Like a trained sniper he waits patiently for a clear shot, his eyes focused with hawk like intensity.
Ullar, not feeling completely well with all those little wounds, retreats, making way for any other tank in the party. "Throwing snakes. Now this is fun," he mutters, really annoyed.
Asif laughs at Ullar’s words as Ullar retreats past him. "That one day I would find snakes raining from the sky is something I too did not expect efendi. I have dodged rocks, arrows and spears in my brief time walking the expanse of Aten’s creation. But this indeed I never expected. Now if Aten will just bless my patience, I shall put an end to this."
Asif concentrates upon his breathing, then unleashes an arrow in the direction of the goblin casting the snakes around.
The goblins defensive posture gives Ullar time to clear out of there while Rhune, Asif, and Forte move in. Forte smashes toward the ground in an attempt to crush his slithering opponent, but his nervousness causes him to miss badly. The snake in response plunges it's fangs into Forte's weapon arm, then immediately wraps around it, squeezing tightly. While relieved that the creature does not appear to be poisonous, Forte is as wounded with various hurts as Ullar is, and unarmored to boot. He draws back trying to pull the creature off with his other hand.
Asif's aim, as usual, is on target, but not lethal this time, as he drops an arrow firmly into the snake-throwers foot and sends another one whizzing by his head, causing the creature to duck back. Nonetheless, it fires it's snake, ignoring the terribly thrown dagger from Rhune.
The arrow causes him to stumble a bit on launching, though, and inadvertently he lassoes one of his own goblins with the thing. Not being particularly picky, the snake bites into the target and wraps itself around his small frame. Within minutes, he has constricted the life out of it, and slithers back toward it's master, who has grabbed up yet another living missile.
"Somebody who has some oil or a lamp? I think fire would scare them off," says Ullar, while standing out of sight from the Goblins.
However, there has not been any lamp oil for some time, and the few smoky torches Kyo fetched from the wolfskins provide only dim light.
Hearing Ullar's words, "Think I used it all," Rhune replies watching the reptile as it swiggles closer.
The snake cuts off the circulation to Forte's arm thoroughly in an instant, and you can see how it crushed the goblin so easily. The pain is so intense that Forte abruptly passes out! Rhune ducks down to cut the creature loose, and does so, giving it a nasty gash with the dagger she was preparing to throw.
Asif handily dodges the third snake thrown at him and fires another volley of arrows. In quick succession, they hit the large goblin in the belly, within inches of each other. It falls from the height of it's throne chair, dead before it lands.
In abrupt panic, the dozen goblins still in the room dash toward the right side of the chamber, where there is a small passageway. Asif must turn his attention from them for the moment to the snake right next to him, which has not followed it's masters. He drops his bow and draws out his scimitars, neatly evading the creature's fangs in the meantime.
Meanwhile, Rhune and Forte's snake lash out at each other, but neither finds their target. The snake that crushed the life out of the goblin slithers away amongst all the other snakes in the room, some clearly fake, some perhaps not, and is quickly lost to view.
Rhune's opponent abruptly leaps toward her, biting her cheek and wrapping itself around her neck! She is unable to pull it away, and Dakath, coming up to help, cannot find purchase to do so either without fear of injuring Rhune. Asif trades attacks with the other snake with neither hitting.
Gasping out, "ugghm" as the snake wraps itself around her neck Rhune tries to grab at it...the tightening of its coils hurt like nothing she has ever felt....the need to breath upper most in her mind.....feeling dizzy and hearing a roaring her ears, Rhune tries to grab at the snake.
Quickly, Rhune and Dakath grab the beast's coils with their hands and toss it off of her. It quickly joins it's partner, slithering into the woodwork. With quick chops, Asif dispatches his foe, not having suffered a single wound. Rhune rubs her neck, realizing that in instants, she would have been killed.
Finally feeling it pulled from her neck with Dakath's help, Rhune inhales deeply and gasps out, "Thank....you....my friend," rubbing her neck and knowing that was a close one.
Dakath nods, "Don't mention it." He watches as the goblins flee before collecting any throwing daggers he can find. "Move back outside, I want to sneak further in to see what it is we're facing." With that he prepares a throwing dagger and cautiously moves down the corridor, keeping close to the wall.
Rubbing her neck and nodding she lays a hand quickly on his shoulder, "Please....don't be....to long....and be careful," she whispers a little hoarsely
Dakath merely smiles before making his way cautiously down the corridor.
In typical fashion, as the others are gathering items and carting each other off, Dakath heads down the corridor that the goblins fled down. Moving slowly, he notices a very crude pit trap has been dug. Were he running along behind them, he might not have noticed it, but he doubts even that. It is a laugh compared to some of the traps already faced by the daring rogue.
The tunnel heads another hundred feet or so past the pit and opens in a small tunnel entrance that Dakath can barely enter. Or rather exit, as the tunnel opens into the forest. Dakath can see some goblin footprints leading away from the exit in various directions, but there does not appear to be any other place to go here.
Dakath merely turns and retraces his steps (careful to avoid the pit trap). "The goblins have fled," he informs the group as he reaches them.
Meanwhile, back in the cave...
Forte is roused up, but you see that his arm is purpled and bruising. He will not be able to fight any time soon. He appears even worse off than Ullar, who is barely standing.
Looking up, you see that the goblins have all fled down the small passageway, leaving the room full of snakes. None appear real, but you are aware that at least two lurk amongst the furnishings, unless they also retreated down the tunnel, which seems unlikely.
Asif sucks in the air deeply. His exertions in the past minutes having made him short of breath.
"Pray that your are lucky my friends. The desert is home to many snakes and vipers. One bite and a man my die in minutes. I think neither of you need to worry. Most of these snakes seem to be constrictors. Neither of you where bitten I pray?"