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Post by Jay on Feb 26, 2021 4:29:09 GMT
After receiving instruction from Beiro the Wizard, as well as assistance from the barkeep of the Courageous Pony, the trio of Wood Elves, Legolas and Aranil, and the Reborn Monk, Li Jei, begin their new adventure by heading South on the High Road. Though they initially believed the site of the previous party's massacre was much closer, it proves to be two days time without a sign of the cart.
At last, just before they decide to call it a night and make camp on the second day, Legolas notices something on the road in the distance. This is the first they have seen anyone else on the road, so he stops the party, warning them.
"It's hard to tell, but it looks to be a wagon," he tells the others, peering into the distance with the sharp eyes of a long-bowman. "Seems to be pulled off to the side, with a tent set up next to it. I don't see anyone." He turns to his companions. "How should we proceed?"
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Post by Indifferent on Feb 26, 2021 6:18:55 GMT
The old gnome at the inn wasn't as forthcoming with information as Aranil had hoped. He even went so far as to try and scam her out of a few gold coins. Luckily, the bartender's mention of an intersection jogged the young elf's memory of the Triboar Trail. With trees along the roadside near that area, it would make the perfect spot for an ambush. With their destination a little more clear now, the trio set off into the night in hopes of putting an end to dastardly orcs before they could do more harm to other travelers.
Two days had nearly passed before the group had finally seen their first sign of fellow travelers. After such a long time walking, Nilly regretted their decision not to wait for morning to rent a carriage before leaving town. She thought of giving the boys a big fat, "I told you so," but decided against it. They were likely just as frustrated as she was.
It was almost nightfall before Legolas spotted something amiss on the road ahead and signaled for the trio to stop. Nilly could also see what looked like a campsite off in the distance, but there was no owner in sight. The young elf couldn't shake the feeling that something was strange, and so she glanced around the area for anything suspicious as she crept up beside Legolas.
"Sure looks quiet over there," she whispered in his ear from a position likely too close for comfort. "Well, I guess we'll have to go over there and check it out." Nilly scratched her chin for a moment as she pondered what to do before presenting a plan she thought might work to her companions.
"Hm... How good are you guys at sneaking? We could sneak over under cover of the grass on either side of the road. If there's an ambush waiting, we might be able to get the drop on them first." As she spoke, Aranil drew a presentation of her plan on the road with a stick she found on the wayside, directing where their paths would follow. Once she was finished relaying her thoughts, the young looked up at the boys flaunting a prideful smile as she held out her fist with one thumb raised. "So... What do you guys think? Sounds good?"
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Balial
Experienced Creator
Posts: 113
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Post by Balial on Feb 26, 2021 18:53:30 GMT
Two days were spent with the joys of traveling with companions, Li Jie was more excited than he had original shown. It was the first time traveling with a group that he could hold a decent conversation. Especially the first time since he had a companion like Nilly! As the sun began to fall and nightfall began to creep over the horizon the eagle eyes of the elf caught something. Li Jie lifted his hand and placed it over his brow, narrowing his eyes as he tried to make out what they were seeing. " Yeah, kinda looks like a cart," he said questioning, not believing his own eyes. Legolas was taking a back seat on the adventure, allowing the others to make a decision that he would hopefully agree with. Nilly on the other hand, she was quick to offer up her talents before her plan. It wasn't long before she began to speak though, suggesting that they sneak up on the cart from afar. " Not a bad plan," Li Jie said as he nodded in agreement. If there was anything waiting for them, then they would definitely need to get to a safe distance. " I'm pretty light on my feet, how 'bout we get closer then?" He nodded to the two of them before crouching low and heading to the tall grass. Slowly he began to lead them, closer and closer to the cart. " Keep your eyes peeled," he whispered before getting too close to the cart. If one of them felt uncomfortable they were still far enough away to do something, but if not he would proceed forward as planned. Rolls Stealth: FXS_yqUV1d20+5 Perception: 1d20+2
1d20+5·1d20+2
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Post by Jay on Feb 27, 2021 2:41:48 GMT
Legolas smiled to himself as Nilly worked up a plan on the fly. It was simple, but the landscape didn't give them much to work with. If the orcs had indeed set up their ambush in the patch of trees ahead, then they'd done so because it was the only solid hiding place in sight. The elf crouched down low and moved with the others, but as they drew near the campsite, Li Jei crushed a twig, producing a loud crack that seemed to echo over the hills.
"That's not good..." Legolas muttered, his eyes peering through the darkness. Suddenly he heard the familiar twang of a bow, wrenching his attention towards a creature on the hill to their left. The bowman jumped to his feet - they were already seen anyways. "There, beside that tree!"
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Post by Indifferent on Feb 28, 2021 16:55:03 GMT
"Uh-oh..." said Nilly as she looked over to Li.
With a sudden, "crack" the chance for a stealthy approach was lost. Due in no small part to one heavy-footed individual, the group's strategy was foiled, and they were spotted by what appeared to be a single enemy peaking out from behind a tree. The sounds of a released drawstring quickly swept over the young elf, followed by the wiz of an arrow soon after.
"Yikes!" Nilly couldn't help but let out a frightful whimper as the projectile flew by, narrowly missing her face.
Although scared, she recognized the disadvantage their group was under and had to do something. The enemy had the high ground and decent cover. That meant mounting a full-on offensive from this position was folly. A momentary retreat was still an option, but running with their tails between their legs, wouldn't sit right with her.
"You think you can hide," the girl mumbled while she leered at her attacker in annoyance. "I'll try to get his attention," she whispered to the others before she ran towards the nearby road.
Grasping her bow firmly, Nilly whipped out an arrow from its quiver on her back in a fluid motion and mounted it, ready to draw. Although her target was somewhat hidden, she felt there might be a chance to expose enough of its presence and get off a lucky shot by taking a slight detour from their intended route. Even if she missed, Aranil believed that it might be enough to draw the creature's attention and potentially leave itself open to the others.
Unfortunately, her assailant wasn't the only threat. She spotted another adversary in the bushes to the east, along with what could've been a traveler of some sort further down the road. Things were getting more complicated than they needed to be. If this other wayward soul was here to offer assistance, that would be great, but if they were also ambushed as they were, the situation could become disastrous.
After reaching the small forest on the other side of the road, Nilly paused her movement and leaned against the base of a large tree trunk where she could better steady her aim and try to get a good look at her aggressor. With some amount of her target in sight, she released an arrow into the eastern wind. Spiraling through the air in a counterclockwise motion, the arrow curved back around towards the northwest, and her enemy only to bury itself in the tree trunks protection in vain.
"Tsk," Aranil clicked her tongue in frustration. Although she missed her mark, it might've been enough to spook her attacker at least a little. That was enough for now, and so she ran deeper into the woods scanning the area for more enemies as she hid behind a tree of her own.Movement and Rolls here Movement = [Northwest x1 -> Southwest x1 -> West x3 -> Attack -> West x1] Perception [Passive = 16 | Try to indentify Mob 1]: cxNdMhzY1d20+6 Perception [Passive = 16 | Try to indentify Mob 2]: 1d20+6 Perception [Passive = 16 | Try to indentify Stella]: 1d20+6 Perception [Passive = 16 | Observe area for more enemies]: 1d20+6
1d20+6·1d20+6·1d20+6·1d20+6
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Post by Jay on Feb 28, 2021 20:42:15 GMT
After the monk gave away their position, their fear of falling into the same ambush that had taken the Wizard's party down was realized. The bow twang Legolas heard resulted in an arrow whistling past Nilly's face, nearly putting her adventurer to an end before it had even begun. She wasted no time searching for a better angle, and then seemed to think better of being in the open and rushed off into the woods across the road.
"Nilly, you don't know if there are more in there!" he yelled, but she was already gone. The elf grimaced and yanked his bow over his shoulder, notching an arrow while turning his attention back towards the attacker that had fired upon them. If Nilly did run into trouble, the last thing he wanted was this particular opponent disappearing into the trees to surprise them again. He pulled the bowstring back with sinewy arms, and let the arrow fly.
Unfortunately, his arrow hit the tree that the goblin was using as cover, embedding itself right next to Nilly's own. He cursed in Elven and glanced around for cover before deciding that it was probably in his best interests to nullify the goblin's cover by flanking him. Throwing some caution to the wind, he rushed into the trees to his left.
"Don't just stand there!" he yelled at Li Jei before entering the woods.
After its first attack missed, the Goblin that fired upon the trio quickly found himself on the reverse end of a bow attack. Two arrows stuck into the tree trunk he was hiding behind just as he pulled his body back. A sigh of relief flooded through him, but now that he was facing the other direction, he saw that his ally had started to fire upon yet another traveler from the other end of the road, albeit with more success than he'd had himself.
A small smile appeared on his face as he pulled notched another arrow, ready to take down at least one would-be adventurer before suddenly hearing the sound of someone in the trees to his left. The goblin cursed, realizing he was being flanked. Dropping his bow in a hurry, it pulled its sword from the sheath at its side and rushed into the trees to meet the attacker head on, swinging its curved blade wildly.
Unfortunately, it hadn't considered the tight quarters in the midst of the trees. The blade hit another trunk on its path towards the elf, stopping short of the fatal blow it had been hoping for.
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Balial
Experienced Creator
Posts: 113
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Post by Balial on Mar 1, 2021 15:21:47 GMT
Snap! The sound of the twig breaking beneath his boot echoed into the air. Birds scattered at the unbelievably startling sound of the unforgivable misstep. " Fuck..." The monk muttered under his breath as the two elves notice movements in the hills above. A trap? Too late! Before Li Jie could move the zip of steel slung through the air, nearly missing his new friend, Nilly. Nilly whispered her intent, drawing the fire of the hidden enemies onto her position. Legolas had already planned his own actions as well, dipping into the northern part of the forest. Li Jie clicked his tongue, his face that was normally plastered with a shit-eating grin showed no since of happiness. His feet began to pound against the dirt road. Moving quicker and quicker as they ricocheted off the path. He covered twice the distance that the others did, making it to the only point that he saw advantageous, the cart. With cover to the rear he dove behind the ambushed cart and peered his head just above. It wasn't the best of cover, but he knew that he would only be able to be attacked from the one side. " C'mon Lady Lucky, I need some of that sweet blessin'!" He muttered, praying slightly to avoid the sting of an arrow. Actions: Movement: 30 ft Action: Dash Action [+30ft] Bonus: N/A DM Granted: Half cover [+2 AC]
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coomer
Experienced Creator
Posts: 82
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Post by coomer on Mar 1, 2021 15:30:20 GMT
The road from Triboar to Neverwinter was a long one. The Stagspeak family had decided months ago that it was time to move, and Neverwinter was a clear choice - although her Father didn’t speak of it often, he did have a history there. And as one of the biggest cities on the Sword Coast, it was a great place for any of them to find work - be it musical or otherwise. Her Father and Brother had gone ahead already - as the only woman of the family, the duty of tying up loose ends in Triboar had fallen to her. She had organised for their belongings to be transported by cart to Neverwinter in the next month, and made sure that any of their outstanding debts had been paid. It had taken her less than a week, but the male Stagspeaks were too eager to wait for even that long. So now she travelled the road alone, rapier strapped to her hip and lute strung over her back. There had been nothing of note so far, for which she was grateful - she wasn’t much of a fighter, but she could run through any errant bandit who tried to claim her purse. Even around her small campfire at night she had refrained from plucking more than a quiet tune on her lute so as to not attract too much attention. Unfortunately for her, attention found her all the same. She rounded a bend on the long road, the dense forest to either side giving way to a small clearing. In the middle of the road was an upturned cart, with the horses who had pulled it still lying dead on the ground. She had barely taken in what was happening when an arrow pierced her arm. A soft cry of pain came from her lips as her eyes moved to where the arrow had come from, spotting a creature standing in some bushes with a shortbow pulled taut. Grunting to herself, she pulled the arrows free and tossed it aside, hand moving up to try and stem the bleeding. A small gust of wind caused the strings of her lute to sound almost inaudibly - but it was enough. ”Song will heal the wound, Strings so finely tuned. Let my words hum low, Make the bleeding slow.”It was a small, simple song, but its words had their own power. Immediately Stella felt a warmth running through her shoulder and into her arm, the blood that had welled between her fingers retreating within the flesh once more. With a soft sigh her eyes darted sideways, spying the closest crop of trees and narrowing her eyes at it in search of any sign that there were more goblins within.
She dashed forwards towards the tree line, eyes moving quickly side to side in case anything interrupted her. As she reached the cover she skidded to a halt, breathing heavily as she turned to look over towards where the goblin who had struck her was standing. It took a long, calming breath for her panting to subside, and her fear was replaced instead with determination. Deft hands whipped behind her, catching three lute strings at once and ringing them into a discordant melody. The vibration of the wood against her back brought a wicked gleam to her eye, and she concentrated on the voice of an old blacksmith in Triboar - a beast of a man, with a deep booming voice to match. Stella and Steffon had been fond of the man, and even more fond of imitating him. ”Hear me and despair.”The voice erupted like a volcano, thirty feet away from her partially hidden location. The voice of the old blacksmith, distorted and deepened, deafening and daunting. The latent magic flooding from the lute into Stella’s body fuelled the illusion - hopefully enough to scare any potential assailants in the other direction. ”Your days are over. The might of the Trident of Triboar will fall upon you, all ye who remain. Thus it is spoken, so shall it be done - the woods will not hide you, the trees will not protect you. Death is all that awaits those who be foolish enough to linger.”
”This is your only warning.”The last words echoed out across the clearing, but they weren’t just in common. Stella artistically twisted her hand, and the words that echoed came out in Elven as well - if anybody in the area was for whatever reason unable to understand the common tongue, no doubt the Elven would give them pause.
Actions: Bonus: Healing Word (1d4+3): Roll: Perception into trees Move: 30ft into woods Action: Minor Illusion + Actor (Scare all gobs)
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Post by Jay on Mar 1, 2021 15:53:57 GMT
Though his arrow buried itself into the soft meat of the human's arm, the girl proved incredibly resilient. She yanked the arrow out, likely inducing bleeding, and then rushed off into the trees. The southern goblin could just see her sticking out from behind a tree, but his attention was dragged towards a man that had rushed at him and taken refuge at the overturned cart.
The goblin's simple mind worked in overtime, trying to decide which target was more important, when suddenly a deep, booming sound threatened to deafen him. As it was, he threw himself back again the cliff behind him, nearly pissing himself. The voice warned all nearby that doom awaited those that did not flee. It was not enough to make him actually run away, but he had no intention of going any closer to the edge of those woods either. Something terrible lurked within.
Trying to steel his nerves, the goblin re-focused on the man at the cart, letting loose another arrow. Once again, he found his mark.
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Shortbow @li Jei
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Post by Indifferent on Mar 1, 2021 18:39:40 GMT
After missing the chance to take out her aggressor, he drifted back into the woods behind him. Aranil had seen Legolas run into the same forest moments prior and assumed he likely caught wind of the elf's attempt to flank him. Unfortunately, she couldn't provide him with any aid as the goblin was now out of her sight.
For now, Nilly turned her sights down the road, back to where she spotted another goblin who took refuge in some shrubs. Li Jue was already in pursuit, using what was left of a ransacked carriage for cover. The goblin had him pinned down for the moment but seemed unaware that Aranil held him in her sights.
The young elf was in the perfect position to provide support. Mounting an arrow, she raised her bow and calculated the trajectory she would need to land a hit. Luck was on her side this time. She had a much better view of this enemy than the last. With a subtle thwip, Nilly's arrow sailed through the sky as though it had wings, hunting down her target with extreme precision.
The unsuspecting goblin who had just released his own attack on the monk caught the arrow right in the eye. Given the creature's small size and the force behind the projectile, it was enough to send him flying back into the cliffside, where he was pinned to the wall like some sort of decoration.
With a moment of respite, Nilly surveyed the area for more hostiles that might be looking to get a drop on the team. Li appeared to be injured, so now was as good a chance as any for an enemy to take advantage. Aranil wanted to provide her friend with aid but felt it was likely a better idea to hold her position for a little while longer, lest they be caught by surprise again.Actions Attack = Goblin 2 dead! Perception [Passive = 16 | Observe area for more enemies]: 4FUlFLMx1d20+6
1d20+6
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Post by Jay on Mar 1, 2021 18:43:42 GMT
The goblin seemed to have caught on to his flanking maneuver, because it came crashing through the brush to meet him head on. The elf winced as the goblin's sword waved through the air, but chuckled as it embedded itself into one of the nearby trees. "Not enough room for a big sword like that," the bowman taunted at the goblin.
Suddenly a deep voice filled his sensitive ears, warning all in the area that death awaited those that did not flee immediately. The elf ground his teeth, but disregarded the warning. In his experience someone did not need to make such a show if they really had the power to deliver death to an entire area. The goblin before him, however, was clearly shaken to the core, a situation at Legolas took advantage of.
"Should have used something more versatile, like this dagger," he said with a smirk as he pulled one of his hidden blades from the chest of his leather armor. With a single deft move, he stepped forward and stabbed it at the goblin's lightly armored ribcage. For good measure, he swiftly yanked it back and then sliced the stunned goblin across the throat.
Gut-stabbed and throat slit, the goblin dropped to his knees, dark red blood spilling out down his chest, staining the ground. It mumbled incoherently before falling over on its side, dead. For a moment, there was silence amongst the trees. Unsure if there were more enemies about, the elf knelt down, wiping and stowing his blade as he did, and listened out for the sounds of others.
Hearing nothing, the elf walked cautiously back towards the tree-line and stepped out of the foliage. "There's a dead goblin in there," he said aloud, still holding his bow at the ready. He saw that Li had moved, but Nilly was still visible hiding on the other side of the road. He remembered the voice's warning, and unsure of the source, he did not quite walk out into the open just yet.
Combat seems to be finished, for now. You are welcome to search the area, or set up camp and take a long rest.
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Balial
Experienced Creator
Posts: 113
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Post by Balial on Mar 1, 2021 19:00:20 GMT
From out of nowhere a voice began to crack like thunder through the ears of the monk. His eyes widened and his heart raced, just who was the Trident of Triboar? Li Jie was not going to stick around to find out! " Fuck this!" He yelled, standing to sprint to a new cover location. As he moved from his position he heard the noct of an arrow and then the loose, the string snapping forward giving the only warning of danger. Thwang! A burning sensation rushed over the mind as the battle faded and nothing except the pain was felt. An agonizing cry bellowed out from the depths of his gut as his eyes looked down in horror at the arrow. The head of arrow was buried deep inside his shoulder blocking all blood from rushing out of the wound. " Fuck, what did I do to you?!" He yelled out to the heavens toward Tymora. His right hand lifted and placed itself against the arrow's shaft as he rapidly began to exhale in preparation. Snap! The wooden shaft shattered in his palm, and he adjusted himself so the arrow could pass through cleanly. " Argh!" He screamed out again, trying to muffle his yell as best he could. Suddenly another arrow zipped by causing him to duck in pure reaction. All he heard was the sickening slurp of the arrow's penetration before a loud thud. Peering above his lack of cover he witnessed the dead body of the goblin slouched in the bushes, blood spilling out to grant the brush nutrients. " Thanks," he grumbled, his voice still distorted with the pain of being shot. He felt useless, the others had all had their chances to do incredible feats, yet he was nothing more than a target. " We all have our purposes." He muttered to himself like a sutra, repeating it under his breath as he calmed himself. " There might be more. Imma check around here." He yelled out to the others before beginning his investigation into the land. His search went well, finding multiple tracks, markings, and other clues to who or what traveled through here. It was as the wizard had claimed, but something was wrong. Mainly the tent that had been set up. Li Jie continued to inspect the materials used, before going back to the goblins and inspecting them as well. " The materials don't add up..." He muttered to himself before crouching down to the ground and looking deeper into the markings. " Hey!" He yelled out to his party, " something was taken into the forest! Might be a person based off these tracks!" Once more going over to the goblin that had shot him, he rummaged through the pockets, in search of coin or other valuables. Rolls: nature YoN7qG_n1d20+2 investigation 1d20
1d20+2·1d20
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coomer
Experienced Creator
Posts: 82
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Post by coomer on Mar 1, 2021 20:30:23 GMT
As quick as it had started, it seemed to have ended. An arrow had pierced the goblin who had managed to hit her, and his lifeless body fell to the ground just in time for a strange topless man to start investigating the lay of the land. He couldn’t see anything else, but the topless man’s yells made it clear that he wasn’t alone. Luckily for Stella, she had more than one identity in her repertoire. She reached deep into herself before taking another deep breath, allowing her emotions to bubble up within. A second later tears started to drip from her eyes, and she internally grinned - this would be easy. She stumbled from where she had been hidden in the tree line, arms hugging herself as her head darted left and right in fear. The persona she was playing now was one of a young girl that she had known in Triboar - a waif of a girl, she had run away to join a circus troupe when she was just about old enough to grow breasts. When she returned twelve months later, she was a blubbering wreck. ”A-Are they gone?” she shouted, as she came within distance of the monk and his friends. ”I was just travelling along the road when they attacked. Luckily they just grazed me,” she said, hand running along the cut dress now stained with blood on her arm. Her wide eyes took in the monk, and she gulped as if in fear. ”Please, I don’t feel safe out here alone - can you help me? W-Who are you all?”
Rolls: Deception (advantage) vs all (Actor feat, pretend to be defenceless girl): H2n8XbIx1d20+5 1d20+5
1d20+5·1d20+5
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Balial
Experienced Creator
Posts: 113
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Post by Balial on Mar 1, 2021 22:27:05 GMT
A panicked voice broke the now silent blood stained battlefield. Li Jie snapped his head in the direction of the stranger, his heart racing with adrenaline. The rapidly increased pressure from his heart caused his wound to throb and a grimaced expression appeared on his face. He grumbled to himself, cursing under his breath at the wound. The stranger approached, no clearly noticeable from the treelined. The woman continued to speak, rambling off questions as she continued to approach. Li Jie was on high alert, there was that other voice that appeared from where she had came from earlier. Was she truly alone? He thought on it for a moment, looking around and thinking about how he survived the land previously. She seemed to be telling the truth and her wound only aided in his decision to trust her. " Aye!" He called out, " I don't think they're still here. There was this man though, some trident of Triboar. We should be careful, especially since we are wounded!" Rolls: Insight Mr5cvCN_1d20+4
1d20+4
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Post by Indifferent on Mar 1, 2021 23:57:02 GMT
During her scan of the area, Aranil spotted Legolas at the treeline across the road. It seemed he'd taken care of the other goblin. With their aggressors presumably slain, Nilly ran out from the trees to meet him. She didn't notice any other enemies in the area as of yet. She felt they should be somewhat safe for now.
"Nice job," said the young elf as she ran past her elf companion into the woods behind him.
Legolas was still on alert, so Nilly left him to keep watch while she searched the body for anything that might be useful. The goblin's corpse had more than she expected. Its weapons were still in good shape, and the silver from his pockets was nice to have, considering here monetary situation. Most importantly, there was some kind of rusty old key, which the young elf stuffed in her pocket before anyone noticed. Aranil returned from the woods a few minutes later and waved her hand, motioning for Legolas to follow as she ran by.
"Let's go check on Li. I think he might've been hit."
Although their plan had failed, they somehow managed to pull through the ordeal without any apparent losses. As Nilly was running towards the cart, Li had passed on the information of his investigation. It seemed the drunk wizard back at the inn wasn't the only party to have been attacked here. The news was saddening to hear, but she still had hope. If the goblins went through the trouble to secure a hostage, there was a chance they might still be alive.
When Aranil arrived at the cart, she could see blood dripping from Li's arm. She was about to reach out to him and inquire about his injury, but before she could, the voice of a woman grabbed her attention. Based on the details of her situation, Nilly assumed that this lady was the traveler she'd seen on the road earlier during the ambush. The woman was pitiful and clearly distressed Aranil could find no reason not to believe her. Instead, she was eager to have another companion for their journey.
"Li's right, we should be fine for a bit at least. You're welcome to join us," said the young elf with a smile, inviting the woman over. "I think we should take care of those wounds and rest up before we continue. It's almost nightfall, and there's no telling what's waiting for us. Oh, I'm Nilly by the way and this is Li. Who might you be?Rolls Incisive Sense -> gives an advantage on both Investigation [Passive = 18 | Check goblin's corpse]: 0xPHc9BK1d20+3 Investigation [Passive = 18 | Check goblin's corpse]: 1d20+3 Insight [Passive = 12 | Check Stella's lie]: 1d20+2 Insight [Passive = 12 | Check Stella's lie]: 1d20+2
1d20+3·1d20+3·1d20+2·1d20+2
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