Turdas, Frostfall 10, 6:03 pm, 4th Era Year 5"Ah, what fate has brought to us," she says, glad to see that she and her friends had found another cave. "Here. We shall place our encampment here. Maglir, make fetching of our tent-rolls. Feldren ... you can do as your wishings command. Eyes wandering, in protection of the horse."
Feldren the Imperial Forester nods, but Maglir stares at his governor, his eyes earnest.
.... please? Please bring me along into that cave? thinks he. He hopes his face does not betray his emotions, but knows it probably does. The lady elf he travels with day after day always seems to be able to tell whatever he is thinking.
"I know your thoughts, Maglir, and you have knowing of mine. I must purport to replying in the negative. That you might be ... ehmm ... better off staying here," says the lady, trying her hardest to speak more plainly to her hireling. "We know not of what lies within that cave: most likely it 'tis goblins. And not to make offensings, but your company is better-suited amongst my horse and Feldren, until I can make better assessings below."
"But .... if there's anything you want me to do, I am humbly at your service."
The lady smirks. Turns around, and begins to choose: crossbow? or longbow? ... It all depends on who (or what) is in that cave. If it IS goblins, the crossbow would be the best choice if she is to go down there alone. Her crossbow is slow to load, but has a habit of downing whoever it is pointed at, in just one shot. If she brings Maglir (which is unlikely, for she does not know this new cave at all), one of her many bows might be more appropriate. Less damage-per-shot, but quicker to aim, just in case Maglir fuddles everything up.
"Six o'clock, and all's well ma'am" says Feldren the Imperial, ever the soldier.
From then on, all chaos erupts.
Feldren is first to react. He grabs his silver bow and aims it. Saga is
instantly alert, and grabs hers as well. Maglir brandishes his sword, a rare enchanted item he had found awhile back. Aerin of Valenwood hefts her own bow, and grabs the first arrow her fingers grasp upon: an arrow of silver. She aims in the direction Feldren had aimed, and Maglir is now running. The path before them is clear, yet at first she doesn't see who (or what) her enemy actually is.
Raaaaa!!!!Goblins! Two of them. They rush Saga and her henchmen, calling out in their strange language. Both of them carry handweapons: one has an axe, the other has a club. Saga aims, fires, and hits one of these annoying creatures square in his gut. Feldren misses his shot. Maglir squares off with the other goblin, trading swipes and blows. Saga realizes that the one she had hit now has that sort of 'look' in his eyes:
I think I'll go for the light-haired one. He seems all set to go, seems to be thinking he'll eat well that night. Thankful that dinner has just showed up. He
likes it when dinner just shows up, without having to do any actual work hunting it.
That is when his luck begins to change. No Golden Elf Special for this goblin tonight.
Saga raises her right hand, calling out to the spirits of the forest, and summons ten drab-colored rats.
squeak squeak squeak! they say in unison. Then they immediately attack, which confuses and slows the goblin. The goblin takes a couple bites of damage from the two rats nearest him, while Saga aims her bow once again. She doesn't move. Doesn't try to run off to another spot, doesn't need to. She merely aims, and fires.
SQUAAAAA!!! The skirmish is over quickly. Two more arrows, and two more bites; the first goblin falls, wishing he had never decided to venture outside in the first place. Maglir ultimately needs help from Feldren and Saga downing his goblin, but this one falls as well, after Maglir throws a spell of
health-draining upon it. This leaves the two Bosmer, one Imperial, and one bay horse left standing.
"Might have better luck staying up at Cropsford."
"Our encampment must be firmed upon safer grounds, I am of agreement."
They head north, glad to be alive. What if more than two had suddenly shown up? The attack had stunned the three humanoids; they hadn't seen it coming. But they are free, and head to Cropsford, which is (as it turns out) a ten minute walk.
"Okay. Maglir. I accede your wishings."
"Huh?"
"I have desirings, that you shalt make accompanyment alongside myself, on the morrow. We shall make our encampment within Cropsford. Gather some restings, and on the morrow, take this cave before it can take us."
"Fine," Maglir answers, literally bursting with enthusiasm underneath his tin suit. "You won't regret it."
"I baste my hopes upon such."
8:31 pmNot long afterward, a trio of delvers enters the sleepy (yet vibrant) village of Cropsford. The people of Cropsford look to one another, happy to see the party's leader: a blonde-haired elf who had stayed with them before. Whenever she and her companions show up, they know for sure that Cropsford will be entirely safe, that's for sure. Not that they had many problems with enemies.
"I heard there were some goblins around here recently," Callia Bincal greets Saga and her friends, trying to make conversation. "Awful creatures."