A Tunnels and Trolls PBP (Play By Posting) Adventure
Chapter 4: Goblins!
A thick unnatural mist continues to permeate the streets in all directions (moving into every location, be it alley way, side street or building), obscuring vision at more than twenty feet away.
[[Jax]] Climbing out and holding onto the rain gutter you start to descend, freezing in place as the two goblins round the corner of Hannibal's Sausage Shop below you. They each carry small pointed spears which seem to sparkle in the mist like little flares. [[Taran]] trains his crossbow on them from above. Such any easy kill it would be at this point-blank range. The evil chuckling and snickering seems more like the two goblins are arguing. The two goblins turn into, four, six, and then eight as yet more goblins appear in pairs.
Considering your options the rain gutter suddenly comes loose from the building and you swing out away from the building. The snickering goblins seem to cover the noise the gutter makes, at least for the moment. [[Taran, if you make a level 2 SR against DEX, you can reach out and grab him. If you do you must put the crossbow down to do so.]] What do either of you do?
[[Michael of the Midnight Magicks]] Climbing up on the garbage can one of the three goblins pushes open the widow to Hannibal's Sausage Shop and climbs inside. The other two goblins pull the window back shut and march down the alley towards you! What do you do?
[[Lilac]] From the roof of Hannibal's Sausage Shop you observe both the goblins and the brothers Jax & Taran’s problems. A moment later you see the a goblin exit the front of the building carrying sausages under either arm, having somehow gaining entry into the building. What do you do?
[[Shipy & Kopfy]] Standing on his tippy-toes Shipy looks out of windowless window of the Abandon Building, peering out into the thick mist, but doesn’t see shit. Sitting on a crate Kopfy observes Shipy the Hobbit with a semi-bored sneer he usually has.
460 - jaxdracon - 4/17/00 12:25 pm
"Ohhh, great." Jax winces at his predicament. "Shoulda realized this gutter had cliche written all over it!" Clinging on desperately (however else?) as the loosed gutter sways outward unsupported, Jax sees Taran struggle with indecision (or was it that sausage?).
Somewhere, down some dark and lonely alley in the misty night, some mead-sodden but musically inclined rogue is whistling the notes to "Abra-abra-cadabra, I wanna reach out and ..."
Jax hopes his trigger-happy bro takes the hint.
461 - khara_khang - 4/17/00 2:26 pm
[[Taran]] Putting his crossbow down he leans out as far out as the roof-top will allow him and grabs your extended wrist as you cling to the storm gutter like a incorrigible squirrel. Slowly he pulls you back to safety against the side of Hannibal's Sausage Shop, making little if any noise. [[Jax]] Below the large group of goblins enter the sausage shop en masse. With the goblins no longer below you, you effortless slide down the storm gutter and hop off noiselessly behind the water barrel like an apt thief. You hear continued rustling and evil snickering coming from inside Hannibal's Sausage Shop. Approaching from down the street you hear the footfalls of a dozen or more goblins coming directly towards you in the thick mist. You hear them long before you see them. What do you do next?
[[Michael of the Midnight Magicks]] Seeing the goblins approaching you, you whisper several arcane words of magic (translated to Khazanti tongue for our readers) "Whipper will and yellow snow, take me away with a Hidey Hole." Like a distant mirage on some desert you disappear (invisible) and the goblins march right past you unaware. Smiling you fall into step behind them, high-stepping and doing a mock salute.
[Editor's note: At this point and elsewhere in the adventure logs I have inserted some comments by the player behind the character Michael of the Midnight Magicks. The player had been away for a while, and when he came back to the adventure, he wanted to comment on some of the things the other players and the GM had his character do. I have embedded his comments in the move texts themselves instead of printing them all at once later in the game.]
542 - eickeric - 5/5/00 10:18 amObviously, if they're approaching me with sausages, it's a dinner theater where the audience is supposed to get involved. I can't really imagine any other scenario.
[[Kopfy]] "You must learn to have more patience and consider your actions more wisely my little pug-headed furry footed friend. Patience is a virtue you know."
[[Shipy]] "I swear... if you start rambling again Kopfy I’m going to fall asleep. Can we go find the others now?"
[[Kopfy]] "Sure... I’m tired of waiting anyway! No patience I guess." Leaving the abandon building the two head out into the fog aware of the massing goblins.
462 - Kopfy - 4/18/00 11:02 am
[[Shipy]] "I swear... if you start rambling again Kopfy I’m going to fall asleep. Can we go find the others now?"
[[Kopfy]] “Sure... I’m tired of waiting anyway! No patience I guess.” Leaving the abandon building the two head out into the fog aware of the massing goblins.
The two's loud footsteps, quiet down all the goblins still out in the open. It doesn't take the ork and hobbit to figure out that they aren't terribly alone. Instinctively the two delvers go back to back.
"I suppose this isn't boring now, Shipo?" Kopfy whispers, putting his hand to his dagger's hilt.
463 - khara_khang - 4/18/00 7:19 pm
Dozens of spear totting goblins circle the ork and hobbit who just happened to wander into their midst in the thick hanging mist, which seems to have thickened if such a thing is possible. As the threatening goblins circle you, you hear some type of command (Drel-ic-Nasif-Tobel’c) spoken in goblin tongue. Seconds later other sausage totting goblins rush past as if commanded to retreat.
[[Shipy]] “We’re getting ready to die here and all I here is Shipo.... its Shipy damnit!”
[[Michael of the Midnight Magicks]] Still (invisible) and having marched up within a dozen feet of the encircled Kopfy & Shipy. You cup you hands over your mouth and shout “Dral-is-Nacif-Tabel’s.” It’s not exactly how previous goblin command sounded but its close enough you think.
[[Kopfy]] Being an ork you understand at least two of Michael’s shouted commands. (although you don’t know it’s Michael or see him). One was ‘Mother’ and one other was a degrading cuss word. What ever he said the goblins suddenly become enraged and attack you with wild abandonment!
464 - tarandracon - 4/19/00 10:14 am
[[Taran]] Putting his crossbow down he leans out as far out as the roof-top will allow him and grabs your extended wrist as you cling to the storm gutter like a incorrigible squirrel. Slowly he pulls you back to safety against the side of Hannibal's Sausage Shop, making little if any noise.
[[ Whew! Well, I was at first sorry I didn't get my move text written before the adventure continued without my input, but you'll probably be happy to know, my dear ugly brother, that when I rolled my L2SR vs. Dex, I failed. You'd'a been goblin munchies! I'll try to be more prompt, and try to roll higher, next time... ]]
465 - khara_khang - 4/19/00 11:42 am
[[Khara Khang]] Okay... you're dead then! Just kidding.. We're still waiting on your response.
466 - jaxdracon - 4/19/00 12:44 pm
[[Taran]] Putting his crossbow down he leans out as far out as the roof-top will allow him and grabs your extended wrist as you cling to the storm gutter like a incorrigible squirrel. Slowly he pulls you back to safety against the side of Hannibal's Sausage Shop, making little if any noise.
[[I thought we were atop the Glittery Stuff Import Warehouse?]]
Approaching from down the street you hear the footfalls of a dozen or more goblins coming directly towards you in the thick mist. You hear them long before you see them.
From behind the water barrel, Jax peers into the mist with HotVision(TM) in the direction of the shouting.
"Oh no! Our cover's blown! The large hot spot's gotta be Kopfy; that smaller blob has 'Hobbit' written all over it (like only a Hobbit's heat signature can). And I'll be a hu-man's uncle if that weren't our loopy magician yodeling."
Jax unsheaths his semi-vorpal blade and sighs in its direction, "So much for watching and waiting!" With that, he rushes into the fray.
467 - khara_khang - 4/19/00 2:51 pm
Khara_Khang...(continues)
(GM; Yes, you thought we were atop the Glittery Stuff Import Warehouse, but you climbed up on the wrong building.... lucky for you! *Grin*)
[[Jax]] Unsheathing your blade you take no more than two steps before you spin around at the twanging sound of a crossbow. No more than a few steps behind you, you see a goblin with a crossbow bolt sticking out of his head. Having an odd expression on his face the goblin collapses at you feet, and begins flopping like a fish out of water. His short spear still in hand, he intended to skewer you in the back.
[[Taran]] lifts his crossbow and smiles, and you smile back.
[[Jax]] Rushing towards the fray with your weapon ready. As the mist parts to reveal the goblins, Kopfy, and Shipy you run head-long into the (invisible Michael). [Roll a Level 2 SR against DEX. If you fail you and Michael tumble into a heap in view of the goblins. If you make it you shoulder Michael in the back, sending him cartwheeling away.]
542 - eickeric - 5/5/00 10:18 amI must have become a warrior wizard somewhere along the way, if I actually got a spell to work- or is Jax extremely nearsighted? My version of the hidey hole spell usually requires a shovel for a material component.
[[Lilac]] Well above their heads you leave the roof of Hannibal's Sausage Shop and swoop into combat preparing to cast a spell, and aid Kopfy and Shipy as the battle begins.
[[Shipy]] The first goblin steps forward and jabs wildly, missing the nibble hobbit. A second spear carrying goblin comes much closer, tearing his shirt beneath one arm.
[[Kopfy]] Twisting the dagger free with his wrist Kopfy pulls it from the first goblins throat as the goblins forward charge failed miserably.
468 - tarandracon - 4/19/00 3:35 pm
[[ Man GM--you sure post fast! This is the second time I had a post in the works that you beat me to! :) Well, here is some of what I was going to post earlier...]]
Slowly he pulls you back to safety against the side of Hannibal's Sausage Shop, making little if any noise.
[[ I was going to correct it to read 'Glittery Stuff Import Warehouse' in the archive version, since that's where we said we wuz going to go, but apparently, we got lost? What's that, a failure on a L1SR of Int?]]
Approaching from down the street you hear the footfalls of a dozen or more goblins coming directly towards you in the thick mist.
[[ By the way, which street? Referencing the map, I note several streets down which these bozos could be.
Hey--here's an idea. What about a map that is constantly updated with little icons representing each player? The map is grey/black, so it would be easy to put different colored dots/symbols on it representing our heroes.
I was going to write a macho scene of Taran training his crossbow to protect his bro's back, but you beat me to it. Great minds think alike? And, as Taran hit, he must have made his L0SR on Dex (see Taran's char sheet at http://bsc.edu/~bassaf/gobmist_taran.html) ]]
Taran expertly whips out his cranequin and cranks another bolt into his crossbow. "I knew we'd get to blast 'em, Lilac," he says to himself under his breath. Before training his crossbow on another, he makes a paranoid check of the roof to make sure he's still alone up top.
469 - jaxdracon - 4/19/00 6:43 pm
[[OrcMath: 5 + 4 = 9 < 12. Fail!]]
[[Jax]] Rushing towards the fray with your weapon ready. As the mist parts to reveal the goblins, Kopfy, and Shipy you run head-long into the (invisible Michael).
<SuperSloMo>
Jax had just survived a back-stab attempt (thanks T!),
had just selected the perfect Dracon
clan war cry, and had just taken in a truly
monstrous amount of air for the bellow, when he
slammed into a brick wall.
542 - eickeric - 5/5/00 10:18 amMust be my phenonenal 10 strength.
[[Well, he'd have preferred a brick wall after such a build-up of steam, but it was actually pretty cushy, and yelped like a soft, cuddly little kitten, but I digress.]]
As he tumbled up and over the unseen obstacle,
Jax's mind raced to explain the phenomenon. As
his massive form dissipated the impact by
contorting itself into un-Orcly configurations as
it arced through the mist, Jax retraced his steps,
going over and over the collision in his mind's
eye. As his body reeled from the sudden departure
of its momentum into the dirt, Jax reached the
conclusion that he was the target of very, very
nasty, mean and vicious magick.
</SuperSloMo>
Jax yanks his tusks from the street and notices the deck of cards splayed out in disarray underneath him. A crumpled Joker eyes him with cruel 2-D mockery as his grandiose conclusion (delusion?) dissipates like the mist around him. "Oh, wow, it's you, Mike. Frak."
470 - khara_khang - 4/19/00 11:14 pm
Khara_Khang...(continues)
[[Taran]] Before training your crossbow on another, you make a paranoid check of the roof to make sure your still alone up top. Looking to where Lilac was, you see she is now gone, and you were talking to yourself. Turning the other direction you see a goblin on the roof with you. Both of you have just loaded your crossbows at the same time, noticing each other at the same moment. You both of you freeze, staring the other down. You notice red ooze drips from the tip of the goblin's light crossbow.
[GM; If you attempt to quick draw and shoot, roll a level 3 SR against DEX and post it. If you do anything else... well, post it too! Sorry for posting for you. You seemed to have dropped out of the loop and things are moving too fast to wait.]
471 - khara_khang - 4/19/00 11:34 pm
Khara_Khang...(continues)
[[Michael of the Midnight Magicks]] Michael suddenly becomes visible laying on top of you. "Uh... Hi Jax, funny we should run into each other. We should really stop meeting like this, people are going to start to talk! Do you want to pick a card Jax?"
542 - eickeric - 5/5/00 10:18 amActually, I'm rather surprised to see him here, especially as excited as he seems. Most orcs don't tend to appreciate good theater. Bravo. (And I don't play cards in the middle of a show, it's disrespectful to the performers. It's good to see Jax declined.)
[[Jax]] Grabbing Michael you suddenly roll over once, with you now on top of him at the last second as spear wielding goblin slams the spear into the cobblestone where you were just a second before. A second goblin rushes over to help. You see your sword laying on the cobblestone behind the goblin and well out of reach. What do you do next?
472 - hobbit_king - 4/19/00 11:51 pm
I bellow out a hobbit war cry as only a Hobbit can! (translated from hobbish - Hickory nuts are the toughest nut to crack.) I didn't yell out the war cry because of the battle, but because the goblin just ruined my favorite silk shirt.
"I'm going to die a hobb-ka-bob Kopfy if you don't do something real quick! Aaaah," I yell, as goblin's spear is thrust and then pulled back from between my legs, narrowly missing the real important stuff.
473 - Kopfy - 4/20/00 1:29 am
Hickory nuts are the toughest nut to crack.) I didn't yell out the war cry because of the battle, but because the goblin just ruined my favorite silk shirt.
Kopfy, ever going a bit slow bit unpulsed calmly sates in perfect Hobitter, " As the hurrican said to the wallnut try, better grab 'em this is going to be one hell of a blow."
The mage steps back and raises his left hand. With the ring finger he spells out line for line Noam Chomsky's latest admonishemnt on Kosovo peace keeping forces, and with his right he signs "I AM NOT A CROOK"
With such convoluted magical logic all the goblins upto MR 100 within range of my spell must just "GO AWAY!!!!" perhaps even retreating into the sewer....?
474 - jaxdracon - 4/20/00 7:47 am
You see your sword laying on the cobblestone behind the goblin and well out of reach.
"OK, Mr. Magick, now would be a good time for a spell or something. I'm sheer outta scimitars. And NO CARD TRICKS!!" Jax scrambles to his feet, and holds his ground between the goblins and the Mike.
544 - eickeric - 5/5/00 10:51 amOf course no card tricks. 20 charging enraged goblins calls for my Wand of Orcus, or a bag of jelly babies.
[[If he has time, he tries to yank out his rope and grappling hook, with the intent of tangling the goblin in the way to his trusty scimitar.]]
475 - khara_khang - 4/20/00 9:54 am
Khara_Khang...(continues)
[[Lilac]] A bolt of lightning jumps from an item the small sprite holds as she hovers well above the fray. Instantly creating a pile of dust out of a once living goblin.
[[Kopy]] Still speaking in Hobitter, Kopfy raises his hand and casts a spell. It strikes terror into all goblins on the street. The type of terror that causes immediate flight! En masse they flee toward the entrance to the sewers, behind Hannibal's Sausage Shop.
[[Shipy]] "Just blow’m away!" yells Shipy, as only hobbits can.
[[Michael of the Midnight Magicks]] Having been asked by Jax to do a spell Michael jumps to his feet and covers his eyes with one hand a yells, "Go away goblins!" Suddenly all the goblins within the area flee at full speed.
544 - eickeric - 5/5/00 10:51 amOr a 30 luck.
Uncovering his eyes a moment later he says "That worked better than I had thought it would Jax... damn, I’m good!"
544 - eickeric - 5/5/00 10:51 amWatch the language. There are hobbits present.
[[Jax]] Quickly reaching into your pack you jerk out your rope and grappling hook, but by the time you get it ready the goblins are already gone.
[[Michael of the Midnight Magicks]] Standing beside you (Jax) with a puzzled look on his face Michael says, "Are you going to climb something?"
542 - eickeric - 5/5/00 10:18 amPuzzled? What for, it's pretty obvious that's what he's going to do- why else would he drag them out?
475 - hobbit_king - 4/20/00 10:07 am
Jabbing Kopfy in the ribs with my pudgy finger I say "Good job wise ork. You really saved my asteroids that time. I thought I was a goner’ fer sure!"
Picking up the large sword laying nearby I walk over and give it to Jax. "Nice sword... probably would have even helped in the battle!" I smile slightly as I hand it back to him hilt first.
476 - jaxdracon - 4/20/00 12:19 pm
Standing beside you (Jax) with a puzzled look on his face Michael says, "Are you going to climb something?"
Jax sighs, his snappy comeback not forthcoming this time. His attentions instead turn to retrieving his scimitar, whereupon he notices the hobbit picking up the blade gingerly and admiring its balance.
"Nice sword... probably would have even helped in the battle!"
Beaming with pride, Jax shuffles the rope and hook back into his pack and accepts his EverSharp(TM) scimitar from Shipy. "Thanks, dude. I'll show you how it works next time, eh?"
As the mist clears, he wonders out loud in Taran's general direction, "Now where'd those nasty goblins go?"
478 - tarandracon - 4/20/00 12:48 pm
If you attempt to quick draw and shoot, roll a level 3 SR a<
gainst DEX and post it.
[[ L3SR vs DEX: roll 3,6 = 9 + DEX(9)= 18. 18 < L3SR(30). Fail! ]]
Taran realizes that the goblin has the drop on him just as the goblin fires his weapon. Taran takes a tumble to his left side in hopes that he will avoid the missile, and as he hits the ground he squeezes the release of his own bow. He counts on the magically 'seek' enhanced bolt to do what it was enchanted to do despite his maneuver (namely, hit on a L0SR on DEX).
[[ L0SR vs DEX: roll 1,1,2,3 = 7 + DEX(11) = 18. 18 > LS0R(15). Success--and hit if the magic does its job! ]]
As their bolts pass each other in mid flight, Taran wonders to himself whose blood decorates the crossbow of his foe, and wonders if his own blood will feel the dip of the incoming missile.
479 - hobbit_king - 4/20/00 2:36 pm
With everyone standing together except Taran, Shipy adjusts his ripped shirt, looking around to see the mist has suddenly disappeared, returning everything to a normal night. Motioning to Lilac she glides in and lands effortlessly on my shoulder smiling.
"Being party leader all... ya think we are'd follow them? Might help if we were a bit more organized this time. The goblins headed back behind Hannibal's Sausage Shop. Where's Taran?"
"Good job Lilac," I say, looking at the pretty sprite.
480 - khara_khang - 4/20/00 4:43 pm
Khara_Khang...(continues)
[[Taran]] You feel the wind from the goblin’s poisoned bolt as it passes inches from your face, missing its intended target. Even with the difficult maneuver your crossbow bolt still catches the goblin square in the chest lifting him off the rooftop and sending falling backwards off the building. Looking around you notice the mist has suddenly cleared and you are actually on the roof of Hannibal's Sausage Shop, not the Glittery Stuff Import Warehouse as you meant to be. You sign slightly, relieved to still be alive.
Turning the other direction you see all your comrades gathered out in the street in a huddle.
481 - tarandracon - 4/21/00 7:45 am
Turning the other direction you see all your comrades gathered out in the street in a huddle.
Taran looks down at the gang below, relieved to see his brother and new companions still intact. He waves down at them and catches his brother's attention.
"All clear, bro?" Jax inquires in a hushed tone.
"Yep. Now, anyway," comes Taran's reply.
Taran brushes himself off, affixes his cranequin and cranks another bolt into the crossbow harness. "So, we gonna follow 'em or not?" Taran begins again, trying to sound confident but at the same time trying to shake off his brush with poison death.
482 - khara_khang - 4/21/00 10:00 am
Khara_Khang...(continues)
[[GM]] Once all the dead goblins are searched (what few there are) a total of 4 gold, 1 copper, 1 light crossbow, 12 bolts, and two short spears are recovered. With everyone in somewhat of an agreement (except the part about Shipy being in charge) to follow the goblins all of you head towards the rear of Hannibal's Sausage Shop. There you find an open sewer grate.
[[Kopfy]] Looking up toward the rooftop Kopfy cups his hands and says "Come on down Taran and join us." Turning his attention towards the hobbit he points into the sewer and says, "You first Shipo... there might be a trap."
[[Shipy]] Swallows hard. "Me?" He notices Kopfy nodding yes with his head. With Lilac still standing on his shoulder Shipy heads down the metal rungs, inspecting each one as he continues downward into the bitch blackness. Minutes pass before everyone hears the hobbit say, "Ah shit!" and then the sound of Lilac giggling.
[[Kopfy]] "Are you hurt?"
[[Shipy]] "Nah.. I stepped in shit. Avoid the third rung down from the top... its trapped. Come on down."
[[Michael of the Midnight Magicks]] Having gathered up all his cards and reshuffled them Michael looks to everyone. "Who’s next?"
542 - eickeric - 5/5/00 10:18 amThe unbeaten streak continues. Michaelberg.