Goblin Central II – Chapter Eighteen
1st Day Of The Deepwinter (January)
Still Fighting In Goblin Central:
The surviving Ogre flees from Goblin Central, his gargling speech betraying panic. The Adventurers take a short breather to decide their next move. Mirafir has the dilemma of 3 Rings – following discussions, he gives his treasured ‘Ring of Spell Storing’ to Father Tobias to use, retaining his ‘Ring of Jumping’ and Karri’s ‘+2 Ring of Protection’.
But there is still the small matter of a last Goblin standing in Goblin Central. Sir Ly and Sigune are ready and together they dispatch the diminutive Creature. Thora stands to one side of the Door and decides to smash it, hoping to avoid the Magical Jet of Flame…
The Door opens inwards. Thora takes a ‘Potion of Extral-Healing’. The ‘Invisible’ Mirafir whispers to Thora:
Mirafir: “I am here, my lady…”
Meanwhile, Sigune and Sir Ly decide to run after Frimly to his aid:
Sir Ly: “Shall we, your Ladyship?”
Sigune: “Death to zee Heathens!”
The Door that Thora is hammering suddenly collapses with a deafening thud and cleaving of wood.
Galan: “I am in a quandary. What should we do? Follow those two idiots?”
Father Tobias: “I believe we should aid Thora! The Paladins will take care of themselves.”
The Paladins charge past Frimly when suddenly from the side Exit to the Passageway Arrows are fired, one strikes Sigune inflicting a serious injury.
Sir Ly: “Pain and Death!”
Screams Sir Ly as he charges them.
Sigune: “Die Heathens!”
She screams!
The Goblins prepare to fire again. This time they all miss.
Meanwhile, Several large Ogres charge through the smashed Door:
Thora: “Cleric! I’m coming fer ye!”
Screams the bearded Dwarven damsel.
Meanwhile the Paladins have to smash a barricade, to Goblin Central, to get to the Goblins – Sir Ly tries, in the hope that Sigune can get a hit on one but they are only partially successful and Sigune takes another Arrow. She is sorely wounded. More Goblins are pressing in, and they are drawing Melee Weapons.
Ogres And Shamans In Goblin Central:
The Ogre gleefully closes in on Thora, backed up by another Ogre and the Goblin Shaman (Cleric) in Goblin Central. Father Tobias prepares to cast a Spell, as does Mirafir: “Web!”
The Goblin Shaman is immobilised. Galan shoots an Arrow and misses. Thora strikes the Ogre before her and inflicts a massive hit! The Ogre is staggered, and unable to properly swing his Two-Handed Sword! Mirafir is now Visible. The Ogre is down, Galan’s Longbow Arrow piercing its throat, it falls like a sack cloth full of kidneys sliced open.
Back to the Paladins. Sir Ly strikes, and so does Sigune. 2 Goblins die instantly and fall the ground of Goblin Central. A Goblin in panic kills his comrade – friendly fire. Sigune takes 2 more Arrows and is beginning to resemble a Goblin pin cushion.
Mirafir fires a “Magic Missile” at the Goblin Shaman, as does Father Tobias from the “Ring of Spell Storing”. Suddenly a Torch is thrown by the Goblins into the ‘Web’, which begins to burn. Thora charges towards the Goblin Shaman, the remaining Ogre tries to block her path while the Goblins beyond unleash a volley of Arrows, one of which is a lucky strike on Thora.
As Sigune and Sir Ly charge forward further into Goblin Central, Sigune is hit by yet another Arrow – she is in a bad way. Sir Ly and Sigune hack down 2 more Goblins.
The Goblin Shaman struggles to withdraw and the Goblins behind him unleash more Short Bow Arrows towards Mirafir, ignoring their arch-enemy of the Dwarf – their fear of Magic gaining priority, even for creatures of low-intelligence, but similar to that of most of the party.
MENSA: Thora = INT 10, Father Tobias = 10, Sir Ly = 9, Sigune = 8.
Father Tobias casts ‘Hold Person’ on the Goblin Cleric but sadly he saves. Galan shoots an Arrow at the Goblin Cleric, striking him in the leg, but he is pulled clear of the combat by his comrades still alive.
Sir Ly and Sigune take out 2 more Goblins. Sir Ly is hit by an Arrow, as is Sigune, as they are attacked from within Goblin Central. The tide of battle is turning against the Adventurers.
Sir Ly, seeing Sigune’s condition, risks his life to lay hands on her for healing, she takes down a Goblin as he does so but again they are hit by a volley of Arrows.
Mirafir casts ‘Sleep’ on the Goblins, several collapse but more spill out of the chamber to attack him, Galan fires another Longbow Arrow at the Goblins and Mirafir flees in the same direction as Thora and Father Tobias, luckily avoiding Arrows. Thora runs into the Room where Sigune and Sir Ly are fighting Goblins.
Sir Ly’s sacrifice gives Sigune renewed Strength:
Sigune: “St. Cuthbert’s strength is coursing through my veins! Thank you Sir Ly! I shall smite them!”
She charges the nearest Goblin and cuts it down. There are just 2 left, 1 of them standing before Thora, while the other flees.
In the distance, the Adventurers hear a sudden deafening roar: An explosion? “A Fireball!”
Frimly had been trapped in a Room by an Ogre and many Goblins, waited for an opportunity and cast one of the ‘Necklace of Fireballs’ beyond them. The ensuing blast took all of them out. With the unfortunate exception of the Ogre…
Thora butchers the remaining Ogre. Sigune Heals herself, declining Father Tobias’ generous offer of aid:
Sigune: “Save your powers, Father, we will have need of zem before zis day is over!”
Thora is concerned about her nefarious pilfering friend:
Thora: “Where is he? You were supposed tae be looking after him! I cannae leave him anywhere! Poor wee laddie! He’s probably in terrible trouble!”
The Adventurers head off in search of the Thief who they find occupied with the Ogre.
Meanwhile, Frimly has been cornered by the Ogre, he manages to tumble past the Monster, avoiding a lethal swing of its Sword.
Frimly: “Fancy seeing you ‘ere!”
He calls out. Thora wades into the Battle, circles the Ogre and then launches a fine slashing strike to it, inflicting a hefty injury on the bewildered creature. Roaring in pain and fury, the Ogre attempts to strike the Dwarf maiden, misses and she then finishes it off with a wicked slicing upper-cut on the monster. Realising that its entrails are disembarking, the Ogre attempts to return them to their accepted home but succeeds only in collapsing in an undignified pile of internal Organs.
The Adventurers are a long way from completing their objective. But the numbers of their enemies have already been greatly reduced…