Storm retreats slowly to Jan and helps him. He will see what Fenaor's response is


Feanor casts another bolt on the Goblin in front of Jan that has not been hurt yet... and this time it is a strong one!


Feanor's spell hits the Goblin, that immediately collapses to the ground!
Jan's arrow hits the other Goblin, that falls to the ground as well.
Two more arrows are shoot at Storm, and both hit him!
Storm withdraws towards Jan, but he's still between the well and the barn, a few steps away from the well.


Jan hides behind the well, happy to be still alive. It was a close call, this time.


Feanor this time casts another bolt to the Goblin archers.


Feanor's bolt hits the top side of the barn and the dry hay stacked for winter catches fire!
There are no arrows raining on you on this round and no other attacks of any kind.


Storm regroups with his friends are suggests beating a retreat first.


Feanor looks to Jan and closes his eyes. He lays a hand on Jan and mutters a prayer to Fronaus, healing Jan of some of his injuries.


Jan feels much better: "Oh! Thank you, mate! This time it was really close..."


In the meanwhile, while the upper floor of the barn is burning, no more attacks seem to come from your Goblin opponents.


With Jan looking much better, Feanor looks to him and Storm. "Do you want to go inside while we have the advantage, or are you feeling too beat up?" he asks quickly.


The two kids followed Feanor and they found their dad, that fell besides the well, by Goblin arrows.
They are shocked and desperate, crying loud and hugging the fallen body.


"We should check things out. I'm hurt, but other family members could still be alive in there." Jan says. He wasn't lying, he had been hurt badly and the healing spell had closed many of the wounds but the pain remained, and he was still battered and bruised.


Feanor looks to Storm. "Do you want to follow them inside or retreat and rest?" he asks.


Let us try to help," Storm says. Helooks for a safe place to hide wth the children


Jan whispers, "there are at least two goblins still in the barn. They'll be looking at getting out somehow and soon with that fire you've caused. Before that could we lock the door and trap them inside?? Can anyone see the crossbar??"

He looks at the barn door to see if the crossbar is lying nearby so that, if he were to rush forward, he could close and bar the door.


Feanor nods to both men and hurries forward to the barn door. Careful to stay away from any cracks or slight openings in the door, he listens for something other than goblins inside.


The barn have few walls made of wooden planks but most of the "walls" are made just with packed hay with wooden poles supporting the weight of the structure. There is no door, either, so you can look inside easily, if you get close enough. Upstairs the hay is burning fast and the fire is raging, but downstairs the fire is just beginning. Anyway, from where you are you can see nobody inside. You can't hear voices either.


Storm gestures his friends to advance carefully


By the time you get close enough, the upper floor of the barn is in raging fire and the lower floor is already full of smoke, but you can't see and hear no Goblins and no wolves.


"Cover me with missile fire while i run in and see if anyone needs rescuing,"Storm says and dashes into the barn.


Storm quickly realises that the Goblin and the wolves escaped through the back side of the barn and run away under cover.
The barn is now empty and, due to dry hay, will burn very quickly.

Storm pulls the chuldren to safety and drags the father's corpse if he can


The well is far enough from the flames.


Feanor helps Storm with the children and points eastward. "To the house! Quickly!" he cries out, half-carrying and half-dragging one of the children to the safety of the building.


"Take the living, leave the dead," Jan says, his northern accent thick as he chooses to leave the body of the father in order to more effectively save the children.

He wasn't sure the house was any safer now the barn was a raging fire, but at least it protected them from arrows of the goblins were still nearby. He readied an arrow and covered the other two as they moved, Jan walking carefully backwards towards the house, watching for signs of goblin movement.


You get to the house and the door is hanging on one hinge only.


Storm enters the house carefully.


Feanor follows Storm inside.


The house has been plundered and devastated. Nothing valuable was left behind and nobody is around. Only the kids' mother can be found on the floor, where she fell.
Once again, the two kids, seeing this, start sobbing uncontrollably.


Storm comforts the two children and promises to avenge them/


Feanor looks around for a blanket or the like to cover their children's mother, then goes to a window to see if he can see any sign of the goblins leaving the burning barn.


From this position, Feanor can't see where the Goblin left from. However, Storm early on found out that they left from behind the barn. If you want to look for tracks you'll have to go there.


Feanor looks to Storm and Jan. "We can leave the children here and follow after them, I am up to the chase, but if either of you need to rest up we can do so here," he says, leaving the decision up to his friends.


"Goblins on wolves move much faster than us on foot." Jan says. "We can track them easy enough, though. I say we help the children Bury their parents, and take them somewhere they can be safe. We can't leave them here."


" agree. Where shall we bring them to?"

Storm helps to bury the children's parents and consoles them.


You find a suitable place within the farm to bury the two parents and it is a grim duty that you complete with heavy hearts, as the kids are in desperation, but you also realise they are hungry... and you are hungry too!


"The goblins raided the farm and took most things of worth, but I doubt that they stole all the food. I'll see if there's anything left and make us all a meal."" Jan says. He'd seen his fair share of funerals, but in the north they spent more time celebrating the lives of those they'd lost than grieving over actually losing them. Even though he had lived in Blackmoor for most of his adult life there were some traditions that didn't leave you. He wanted to find something alcoholic to drink, and offer a toast to the fallen farmers. He wasn't sure that the children, nor his two comrades, would appreciate the deviation from the usual funeral process.

Instead he entered the house and began a search for sufficient food for a meal.


While Jan searches for food, Feanor walks over to the children and crouches down to their height. "Is there another farmhouse nearby that your parents ever took you to? Maybe an aunt, or friends that live around here?" he asks.


Jan explores the house and the hut nearby... the Goblins left absolutely nothing edible. No farm animals (like chicken or similar) either.


The children do remember some neighbours visiting, but they are not close relatives and they don't know where they live. Maybe they will pass by later on... when the tall column of smoke over the burning barn will cease.


A thought occurs to Jan and he goes to check the ground around the farm, trying to determine the number of goblins that had been there. During the attack he couldn't recall the goblins being encumbered with large bags or loot, suggesting that they had been a rearguard of a larger force. He wanted evidence to support this theory.

He also wanted to gather any of his arrows that he'd shot and weren't damaged or broken.


You can't approach it yet, as the barn is still in raging fire, but behind the barn there is a gap in the corral and you can see a trail starting there. Chances are that the Goblins came and went through there.
It is not easy to guess exactly how many they were, as some of them were walking, some others were riding wolves.


You estimate 6 to 8 Goblins and 4 or 5 wolves.


"Couldn't have had much to take if a half dozen goblins and four or five wolves stole everything," Jan muttered quietly to himself, turning back to the others. He quietly explained his findings to Feanor and Storm, so as not to upset the children further.

In the rush to help the kids he'd lost track of Roger Lillard, the priest they were accompanying. "Where's the priest, Roger??" he asked if his comrades.


The priest is not in the farm, right now.


"We do need to find Roger. He must have gone into hiding when the fighting started. Hopefully he can look after the children," Feanor says.


"Let us find him. I hope he is fine. I forgot about him," Storm replies.


"The goblins won't be back for a while, but I'm not sure we should leave our charge here with the children unless he is happy to do it, and postpone his own arrival." Jan says.

"I've a feeling we'll be caring for these children until we find a nearby farmstead where they will be safe.

Still, I'll remain here if you two wish to search for Roger."


"I don't think the goblins are likely to return any time soon. Let's take a walk about to see if we can find him, or perhaps pick up his tracks," Feanor suggests.


It doesn't take long to find Roger Lillard again: while you were preparing the attack on the farm, he tripped, fell in a hole, hit his head and lost his senses. It takes a little bit to wake him up again: "Thank you! I feel very dizzy, but I will be fine."
He proposes to sleep at the farm and get ready to chase the goblins tomorrow morning, when you will be all healed and hopefully some neighbour will show up in the meanwhile.


"Good idea," Feanor says to Roger before heading back to the house to try and shore up some of its defences.


Storm follows along and helps with the defenders of the farm.


After talking to the kids, you learn that the farm had a cart with a horse, 16 sheep, a dozen chickens, and a milk cow. Chances are that they loaded the cart after plundering. This will make it easier for you to follow the trail.


You have lunch together and in the afternoon you try and fix the house as well as you can.
Later on, when the fire in the barn is almost over, a neighbour comes to visit and takes the kids with him. He will take care until they are old enough to go back and take care of their family farm, but he tells you that they have an uncle in the Army, Enoreth Beckon.
The neighbours invite you to have dinner with them and then you stay with them during the night. Their hospitality is great, although you know for sure that their life is hard.

In the morning, restored and refreshed, you go back to the Beckon farm and you can easily pick up the trail of the Goblins and of the farm animals that they took from the Bucktons. Roger Lillard is with you, but the kids stayed with the neighbours.


Feeling much better and refreshed, Jan will also have spent time to find his unbroken arrows and replenish his supplies. As the hunter of the group he knows he can find them food on the trail, so is happy to donate one of his own spare provisions to the children leaving him with only one for emergencies.

He'll return to the start of the trail and begin to track the goblins.


Did you undertake the two fallen Goblins as well? They had two decent swords and you can pick them up as well, if you want.


Happy to collect a sword - fed up of trying to fight using a bow in close combat. Personally, Jan would be happy to have thrown the goblin bodies into the barn to be burned rather than bury them. Saves time, and he doesn't view them as deserving of a proper burial.


Feanor graciously accepts the hospitality of the neighbours, and when they get back to the burned farm isn't particularly interested in burying the goblins. "I'm happy enough to start following the wagon trail," he says.


You can easily find the path leading towards the Redwood. There are clear signs of traffic on the muddy path: a very visible mix of Goblin feet, wolf paws, the tracks of a heavy cart, a cow, a horse and many sheep. Roger seems particularly eager to follow the trail, as he wants to dispatch this evil and remove it from this land: there are already enough orphans and he won't tolerate any more.

After one or two hours following the trail, the air has the thick reek of rotting meat. You can hear the buzz of flies from ahead of you on the trail.
Whatever is up ahead will most likely not be pleasant.


Feanor looks about to see if he can spy goblins lying in wait, then (if he sees nothing) proceeds forward cautiously to find out what is attracting the flies.


Feanor can't spy Goblins and moves forward. The way before you open into a small clearing. The situation that now presents ito you is unpleasant, to say the least: A stench comes from several dead bodies, and the air whirs from the sound of carrion flies. The area around the clearing is quiet, and the cold mark of death can be felt everywhere.
In total, there are fourteen bodies lying around: two goblins and twelve elves, plus one horse. All elves and goblins are wearing leather armor or no armor at all and have bows or short swords with them. One of the fallen elves lies away from the others, under the dead horse.

The track of the bandits crosses the clearing and continues southwards into the forest


Feanor gets a hold of his emotions and moves forward carefully towards the elf whose horse had fallen on him. "This looks as though he may have been a leader of some sort," he says shakily as he inspects the horse and its dead rider.


"Wonder if there are others who escaped,"'Storm says as he inspects the body and horse for any loot and identification


In the saddlebag, under the horse, you find two bottles. They are labelled as "Healing Salve".
Around the neck of the fallen Elf you find a holy symbol of Ordana.


You can loot 6 longbows with 60 arrows, 8 shortswords, 20 provisions, 40 gold coins, 10 silver coins and two saddlebags. They stink a lot.


Storm shares the loot with his friend and thinks of bringing the provisions to the children


Feanor takes six of the provisions and tucks them into his backpack. "I am of no use to anyone if I run through my food," the elf says. He grabs the two bottles of healing and hands one each to Jan and Storm. "You will make better use of these than me," he says.

"We can pool the coin and divide it later. Or, we can give it to the community before we leave if you wish. I feel compelled to help them, beyond slaying all of the goblins," Feanor says.

Jan pockets the healing salve, fills his quiver with elven arrows and also takes 6 provisions, promising himself to replace the soiled wrappings at the earliest opportunity. He examines the bodies, trying to determine how long they have been here for, wondering if the elves were ambushed by the same band of goblins they are tracking... And if so, the goblins are now down to between 4 and 6, with the same number of wolves.

Still, they'd almost killed him and had now defeated these elves.

"Let's take the gold and holy symbol, and worry what we'll do with them later. I'm not worried about keeping either, but the symbol especially would have meaning to another."


The stench of death tells you that hey fell at least four days ago, maybe something more. This was for sure before you fight the goblins at the farm, not after.


"I wonder... it looks like the elves died 4 days ago. So why did our quarry retrace their steps this way and not loot the bodies more thoroughly as they passed??" Jan asked nobody in particular.

"Either there were a lot more goblins than we've seen so far or..."

He moved away before finishing his sentence, to once again search for tracks - this time checking the outgoing tracks towards where they'd been. His assumption was that more goblins had been here but those they'd fought were the rearguard, a smaller unit left behind. He checked around the scene of carnage for any tracks.


Feanor keeps an eye out while Jan tries to interpret the tracks.


Storm draws his weapons and gets ready


You can see that the tracks continue, leading away from this scene of death.


Jan makes the others aware of the tracks, and continues to work out how many goblins were a part of this battle - and if there are any other tracks leading to or from this place.

Nope, lost sight of those hundreds of tracks. Just can't seem to find them anymore...


Too many tracks going everywhere. Perhaps this is a kind of crossroad of Goblin attacks...


Storm suggests just taking a path and try to see where it leads


Feanor scratches his head and looks up. "I could send you up to take a look about on a broader scale, Jan. Your eyes know what to look for better than mine. Don't be too concerned about the spell running out. You'll drop back down slowly," he says.

After concentrating a moment, he mutters some magical words and touches Jan.


Storm follows along.


"That's ok I can... whoa!!" Jan says as his feet rise off the ground. It was done now so he thought he'd make use of the opportunity. He rose up so he could view the scene from above, searching for the direction of the tracks he'd found and determining the direction and, if possible, destination of the goblin travellers. He looked for obvious destinations - hills or mountains that might conceal caves, structures or clearings in the forest.

More importantly, he searched for potential targets within his vision. Any settlement of note, especially any that may already have been attacked.

Gone was his intent of determining numbers. He focused instead on direction and number of separate bands of goblins as he believed they had split into smaller groups now.


Jan can see, in the distance, a barrow with a big, broken tree, surrounded with a Goblin camp and a few cages hanging from poles in the camp. The camp seems very quiet and perhaps has been in part ravaged or destroyed, but its not easy to judge about goblins.
Jan can also notice Mak the Sheep Stealer, riding his wolf and with a lance, coming slowly in your direction and shaking his head.


Feanor waits patiently for Jan to complete his reconnaissance up in the air, and occasionally glances around for signs of trouble.


Cursing, Jan lowered himself to the others so they could hear him without shouting. "Goblin on a wolf with a lance, heading this way." He described how far the enemy was, and guessed at how long they had before he arrived.

"Storm, do you have a bow or other missile weapon?? I'd suggest climbing a tree to get out of range of the lance, and we can shoot at him from a safe distance?? Alternatively, you could use the trees to hide behind and prevent him from charging at us.

Feanor, how long can I fly for??"


"Only five minutes, but I am able to cast it on you again when the times comes if you like. But, you can only go up and down. You can't go sideway unless you have something like a tree or cliff wall to drag yourself along," Feaanor says as he looks for a good tree or three to get into position behind for the lancer.


Storm stands by his mage companion ready for any fight.


Jan lowers himself to the ground so he can move closer to a tree, then rises up again so he is hidden amongst the branches. Pulling out his bow he intends to keep out of the range of the lance...


The riding goblin is riding slowly and uncertain. He will take more than five minutes to come within range.

Mak the Sheep Stealer keeps riding his wolf in your direction. He is bruised and bandaged and he wields his lance.
I understood that, when he will be in range, Jan wants to be levitated again to a good place for shooting him from above. Anything else?


If he is within range, Storm will engage the sheep stealer.


Jan is waiting for him to be within arrow range before attacking him. Are you attacking with a bow as well or are you rushing into him or...?


OOC: Yes, when he comes close enough to be in range in half a minute or so, I'll cast Levitate on Jan to give him time to get some elevation. By the time he is high enough, Lancer comes into range and voila! I hope lol. Once he has cast Levitate Feanor (only if he can!) will try to move to another tree to hide behind, and wait until Storm and Jan have engaged the lancer before acting.


Mak the Sheep Stealer comes forward, mumbling, and everything goes according to plan: Jan levitates and is now just in range with his bow, Feanor hides behind a tree and Storm is ready to attack with his sword as soon as the wold rider will be close enough (is this the correct interpretation of Storm's post?)
Now it is all in your hands: Mak hasn't noticed you yet.


When Mak the Sheepstealer is close enough that Storm can rush him and get past the lance to fight without fear of being charged, Jan draws and releases his first arrow.


As soon as Jan fires, Feanor casts a firebolt at the lancer.


Before he can understand that something bad is going to happen to him, the lancer falls to the ground, without a single word, hit by an arrow and by a spell. The wolf stays around, as if guarding the body.


Jan readies another arrow, this one for the wolf. He doesn't want it returning to warn others of its master's demise.

He looses, the smiles as he knows his arrow flies true.


As he sees the lancer topple to the ground, Feanor sets his sights on the mount with another firebolt.


Once again, the combined attack hits your opponent, that immediately falls.


Storm scans the area before moving forward to search


While Storm searches at ground level, Jan rises to the roof of the tree canopy so he remains concealed by trees but his vision is not obscured by the canopy itself.

Only if he doesn't see anyone will he break through the tree canopy to view what lies beyond.


OK, neither Jan nor Storm can notice other goblins or wolves coming forward. It looks like Mak the Sheep Stealer was coming forward on his own.


Jan checks the camp in the distance from the vantage point the spell has given him. He tries to determine the best route to take to get there, how long it will take, and whether there were any watch towers or other defences between them and the camp.


Jan notices nothing different from the first time he had a look at the camp. No obvious guards nor guard posts.
The road to the camp is quite straightforward as the cart that you were following, together with the sheets and the cow, followed the most obvious (and muddy) path to it. You will be there in less than half an hour for sure, even if you proceed cautiously.


Returning to the ground and related his observations to the others.

"The way looks clear," Jan says, emphasising the word looks, "No other scouts or watch towers can be seen, and we'll be there in half an hour or so."

He looks at where Storm is searching the goblin's body, "anything?? and are my arrows salvageable??" He asks.


Storm searches for any useful equipment


Searching the body of the Goblin rider, Storm finds out that he was wearing, under his overcoat, a breastplate. His other weapons are a lance, a shield and a longsword. He had a pouch with an empty vial.
His body is heavily bandaged.
On the wolf there is a saddle and a full waterskin.


Storm brings the loot over and asks if his friends would like any


"These things are not for me, thanks."


"Goblin filth," Jan spits, "I'll not be taking anything, although.."

He checks the water skin and, if its water inside, will use it to clean his hands and sword of the blood and gore from the battlefield.

There is water in it, indeed, so you can do as you planned.


Storm assists his friends. He will keep the breastplate if no one wants it.


Jan nods that Storm could take the breastplate if he wanted it, as he cleaned himself as best he could.


While the others tidy themselves up ready to depart, Feanor keeps his elven eyes in the direction of the goblin camp in case more enemies come to greet them.


torm wll try to sell e breastplate as loot someday. Anyway are the items magical? Anyone can detect?

Once everyone is ready, Storm moves off


Lastly, Jan checks the two arrows he fired to see if he could salvage or re-use them. If they were damaged but able to be repaired he'd take them.

He performed one last check of his bow to make sure it wasn't damaged. Happy he readied an arrow but kept the bowstring relaxed. It would only take a mere blink to draw the string back and loose the arrow in the case they were ambushed or surprised.

Ready, he set out towards the camp, taking his time to remain as quiet and stealthy as he could.


As you approach the camp, a cold, steady rain falls. That's the weather in the North.
As you part the underbrush, you can see the clearing ahead of you. It is 200 yards across and at its center rests a low hill. Atop the hill rests the shattered remains of a once mighty oak. Its split halves are blackened and twisted, lightning struck. That the tree still stands is testimony to its might. The tree has been torn two-thirds down its length.
A gaping hole has been torn in the side of the barrow as a result of the death of the oak. The darkness within the gaping maw coils like a living thing. The place has an unnatural feeling to it.
A camp surrounds the barrow. Cages, all seem empty save one are to the right of the hole. To the left and in a ring around the barrow are tents made of raw hide, and some low lean-tos made of wood. A low palisade is half way built and stretches away behind the curve of the hill.
Small fires burn, some contained within fire pits, Others are slowly smoldering in remnants of a tents.


Jan stops moving and crouches low, searching for signs of the goblins and trying to identify who or what is in the cage.


Feanor also crouches down to stay out of sight of the camp, and strains his eyes to see if he can spot any goblins, or the occupant of the cage.


There are Goblin tracks going a bit all over the place, but right now you can't see any. In the cage there is a big humanoid, but at this distance you are to entirely sure which race... perhaps a Troll or something like that. You can hear the creature blabbing in the distance, but you can't understand the words.


Storm suggests following the tracks to see where they lead


"Following the tracks would lead us to bands of goblins away from here. My bet is that there's something in there," Jan says, indicating the mound and tree.

"If they're out hunting, scouting or making mayhem then I'd be happy to burn this camp to the ground. Destroy their base, destroy their stores, disperse some of them." Jan says, his eyes burning with emotion.


Feanor nods solemnly and gestures to Jan to lead the way towards the cage holding the humanoid and the strange hole and mound.


"You want to free whatever is in that cage?? If its a troll or one of them, why??" Jan whispers, uncertain of Feanor's motive.


"Let us see what it houses before we decide to let it free," he says with a small chuckle. "A troll wouldt serve us better by staying right where it is," he says as they proceed towards the cage cautiously.


Storm agrees


"I'm pleased to hear it, though an imprisoned and upset troll might cause significant damage if it were to be released... Just a thought..."

Jan readies his bow and proceeds cautiously towards the camp, using cover to conceal his approach where possible.


You proceed and find that the camp is deserted, and many of the small huts or tents have been destroyed. The loot that the goblins had collected, that is mainly food and some tools, lies wildly scattered on the clearing, and, with the exception of a naked Troll trapped in a cage, there are no other prisoners or animals. The Troll calls out to you for help and gestures towards you, jumping up and down shaking its clasped hands in supplication.


"What do you think?" Feanor asks his friends. "Does a troll understand gratitude? I wouldn't think he would have much fun trying to kill us after we set him free. He might even help us, thought that's a stretch," he says.


"You gots to let me out! hat Green thing will be back and be smashing everything again. It’s a killuh! Killuh! Dem Gobbos thought they was its friend but it kilt them too. Deh kilt it once and it came back. You GOTS TO LET ME OUT!"


"Who are you?? Why did the goblins put you in there??" Jan asks quickly as his eyes survey the wreckage before him. He had wanted to hurt the goblins, but now it seemed something had beaten them to it. And this angered him.

"This green thing... what was it, what did it look like?? Where did it go?? And what do you mean they killed it but it came back??

Answer my questions or you will stay in that cage long after we've gone."


Roger Lillard is very perplexed: "Killing in cold blood somebody that can't defend himself is an evil act for sure... But Trolls are evil creatures and a good knight should defeat them... but setting an evil creature free to roam is an evil act as well... and also stupid!... but if we leave him there and whoever he's afraid of comes and kills him, we'd be guilty of this act to... what an awkward situation!"



Jan Tarran:
"Who are you??

"My name... Ajureth!"
Jan Tarran:
Why did the goblins put you in there??"

"Hum... The Green Knight is afraid of me... that’s why I am caged!"
Jan Tarran:
"This green thing... what was it, what did it look like?? Where did it go?? And what do you mean they killed it but it came back??

"The Creature from the Barrow wears green armor and wields a sword. He says he is a Knight... The Green Knight bellows like a bear. He calls the goblins his squires. He says he must kill Robert.The Gobbos say the creature can’t be killed!... their weapons didn't affect him!
The Shaman of the goblins went down into the barrow with other goblins. Mak had said no one was to go into the hill cause the master commanded it. The shaman and his group ignored that. Soon after, the Green Knight came out of the ground chasing them and killing all! Then I think he went back inside, but I can't see from here..."
Jan Tarran:
Answer my questions or you will stay in that cage long after we've gone."

"The goblins will be back. There are HUNDREDS OF THEM. We need to run now! You GOTS TO LET ME OUT!"


"Why would the Green Knight be scared of you??" Jan asks, "and why does he want Robert dead??"

Feanor nods approvingly at Jan's line of questioning and remains silent so as not to confuse the caged beast.


Storm listens attentively, hoping to remember the details.



Jan Tarran:
"Why would the Green Knight be scared of you??"

"Why?!? Coz I'm strong! ...especially after a good meal..."
Jan Tarran:
"and why does he want Robert dead??"

"How can I know? He said so. Ask him!"


"And just what do trolls eat??" Jan asked, curious whether by releasing this creature they were offering themselves up as dinner.

He waited till Ajureth answers before speaking again.

"What?? Ask the green Knight?? OK. But we'll leave you here while we do that, Won't be long..."

He starts walking towards the barrow entrance, to emphasise his willingness to leave the troll behind.


"Trolls... hem.. can eat a bit of everything... but... Hey! Where are you going! You GOTS TO LET ME OUT!"


"We won't be long. We will see to you when we return," Feanor says following Jan towards the opening.


"Let's hope this works," Jan whispers to Feanor, "I don't like this creature, but I don't want to leave it to die like this. But we need to know if that's everything it knows.

And if hundreds of goblins can't kill this barrow Knight, we stand little chance either."


"Yeah, wait for us!" Storm says to the monster before going after his friends.


The creature jumps up and down, begs, shouts, but doesn't add any more detail.


Jan curses, realising the troll had been honest (or scared) enough to have given them what he knew. While he had no care for the creature and would leave it to die, he hated the cruel manner that it would die. And if there was a chance, even a slim one, that this troll would upset the goblins or cause the green Knight done concern, then it needed to be given that chance.

He turned around, looked at the troll then walked silently back. "OK, if I let you out where are you going and what will you do?? And believe me, if I don't like what I hear or don't believe it you'll stay here till the goblins get back... All the hundreds of them."


Ajureth doesn't need to think long: "I will run away from this place as fast as I can!"


"That sounds good enough to me," Feanor says quietly to Jan and Storm.


Roger Lillard is really torn: "I really don't know what's the right thing to do on this occasion..."


Storm watches and waits.


"So am I, but the enemy of my enemy and all that," Jan explains to his comrades. "Ajureth, I am Jan Tarran, hunter and slayer of man and creature alike. I will release you on the condition you leave this place and remain peaceful to the people living near here. Human, elf, dwarf, halfling, gnome. If it can talk and walk on two legs, I want you to leave it be. Unless it's a goblin. If that is to your taste, you are welcome to hunt and feed off them." Jan says watching the troll carefully for its reaction.

"Travel for a week, get away from here. I want you to promise me, to make a vow. If I learn that you have broken this vow I will make it my life's mission to hunt you down and kill you. Do you understand??"


"Not sure I understand... you speak a lot, and difficult... but I will do it, if you free me!"


"OK, simple. I release you, you. promise not to hurt anyone who lives close to here." Jan says before releasing the troll and taking a half step back to give the creature room to get away.


Storm stands by, ready to attack i the troll turns trollish.


Feanor steps behind Jan to give the creature plenty of free space to escape.


"Sure!" says the Troll, and as soon as he's released, he runs away. Watching as he runs away, you realise that he is in poor shape beyond your initial impression, however, he struggles on as fast as he can.


Feanor looks to the opening then to his friends. "Time to see what's inside?" he asks and double-checks his gear.


Roger Lillard nods, purposefully.


"Erm, yeah. My thoughts are that if the goblins could not hurt or kill the green knight, then I'll assume our blades and arrows won't hurt it either." Jan says, stowing his bow and pulling out the elven blade he had claimed.

"My hope is that whoever or whatever this green knight is that they'll want to talk. They did so with the goblins, so I'm hoping they will with us. Otherwise, I fear that the only person here that might be able to hurt it are Feanor with your magic... And you Roger. You're a man of faith, you may have power over this creature that the rest of us do not.

Are you all ready for this??" He asked, hoping that the interior of the barrow had torches, candles or some other form of illumination because he didn't.


Roger Lillard says: "Well... you don't know if the words of the Troll are true as well... Maybe we will find it soon. Let's stay very aware."


Two shattered doors open this space. The floor is covered with leave and moss and bat and rat feces. Across the shattered door lies a goblin corpse. It’s skull has been battered in.
There is a ten foot wide hole in the floor. A shaft leads down 20 feet to the floor below.

Feanor looks about at the room, then waits for Jan and Tarran to proceed down the shaft before following.


Storm waits for his companions to indicare if they will explore the shaft. If they will, he will lead the way.


The room is bare, smells of mold and the stone ground is wet. Small vermin and moss can be seen everywhere. The hole in the ground is pitch dark and also in the room there is no light, apart from the light coming from the open door.


Feanor murmurs under his breath and touches his holy symbol, lighting the way with a faint light strong enough to see where they are going.


With some effort, you can see that, at the bottom of the shaft, there is a solid floor.


"Give me a moment," Jan says and ducks back out through the door. He scansbtte camp looking for any ladders, rope or anything that could be used to climb into and back out of the hole should they decide to drop into it.


The floor below is at 20 feet and the hole of the shaft is 10 feet. You can't find ladders that long, and neither ropes, but you can tie together two or three ropes to get to that length.


Jan returns with a few lengths of rope and begins to tie them together, handing the far end to Storm to tie off as he finishes connecting the rope. "I'm not dropping twenty foot without a means of getting back out again," he says.


Jan finishes the rope and, since Storm appears to be covering the hole, he himself finds something to tie the rope off on. A tree or sturdy bush, frame of a building, stump from a fallen tree. Anything that was secure and could hold their weight.


Not far from the door, outside the barrow, Jan can find a robust stump from a fallen tree. He extends a bit the rope accordingly, so that it can reach easily the floor below you through the shaft and ties some extra knot at regular distances, to help climbing up and down.
You are now ready.


"Let me descend first and provide some covering,"Storm volunteers.


You lower yourself in a wide, rectangular room. The floor is marble, although covered by limestone deposits, and symbols of Odir and Sollus adorn the walls. In the center of the room there is a fountain or anyway a stone basin, that contains clear and untainted water. There are three open exits to more dark rooms: one on the west wall, one on the east wall and one, marked by a couple of steps going down, on the south wall. Three goblins corpses lie scattered around the room.


Storm searches the corpses


The goblins fell due to big, deep cuts surrounded by strange kind of burns. They wear armours made of leather scraps and wield battered swords. In their money pouches there are two silver coins and 15 copper coins in total


"Do we have torches down there??" Jan asked of Storm, knowing the answer to his query already. They were going to need torches or lanterns, or more magic, in order to see down there.


Storm can't see torches around.


"I have a lantern." Says Roger Lillard, and swiftly follows Storm, casting some more light.


Feanor heads down the rope and takes a look about with the others. He inspects the fountain to see how it might be supplied with clean water, and if there is anything in the water.


With everyone else already in the cavern below, Jan followed suit. He was glad that he'd tied multiple ropes together as it meant there were quite a few knots already in the rope making convenient hand and foot holds. Climbing down he joined the others, and pulled his sword from his belt. In the confined space he didn't think he'd get much use of his bow - and wasn't even sure that the sword would be much use against the green knight.

He stepped by the steps and peered down into the darkness. Steps meant frequent movement, the other two directions suggested less-traveled paths. If anyone was going to disturb them when they investigating the area they had climbed into, the chances were good they'd come this way.


Feanor can't see anything in the stone basin apart from clear water, but he's not sure about how the water was supplied to the fountain.
All around you things seem to be quiet, right now.


Storm sticks his weapon into the fountain to try to detect any holes/gaps or feature.

You are not a specialist, but you can't spot any gaps or holes. Maybe the water simply filtered through the ceiling and deposited in the stone basin.


Feanor looks at Storm and Jan. "Pick a door, I'm ready to head out," he says.


"Let's take that one," Jan says pointing to the East corridor. "I'd like to save the southern passage till last. With stairs down it's the only one that stands out as different."


Feanor nods and follows Jan to the east.


You take the short passage to the east and enter a smaller room with wall reliefs. The images carved into the wall show the different stations of a noble’s life, obviously a wealthy wool merchant. Three images show a man playing a harp surrounded by sheep.
Apart from this, there is nothing else in the room; no other exits either.


Storm searches the place for hidden acloves, rooms etc


Feanor helps Stormrider search around the room.


Feanor and Storm find only dust, mould and, sometimes, little vermin.


Storm suggests moving on.


Feanor nods and looks to Jan. "Let's go back and you can chose another passageway," he says, taking a last look at the dead-end room before following Jan out.


You take the west passageway and you find a very similar situation to the east one: the room is finely decorated with scenes with a noble, rich man playing instruments with several sheep all around him.

Th only way forward is then the south passage: you descend a few steps and enter a smaller room, with a large iron box (over 3 meters long, over one and half meters high and wide), looking like a large coffin, decorated with flowery motives. As you enter the room, you can hear something hitting the inside of the iron box. It sounds a bit like happening, but the hits are not rhythmic or evenly spaced.
On the opposite wall, there is another passage going further south.


Feanor points to the coffin-like structure. "If one of you want to open that, I will stand back and be ready to cast a firebolt at whatever comes out, if it's undead or the like," he says and moves a couple of paces behind Jan and Storm.


Roger Lillard nods and positions himself besides Feanor.


Jan looks at the rest of his team, and wordlessly opens the coffin stepping to the side as he does do in case anything is inside that might want to lunge at him. He's certain there isn't, but he's cautious.


Storm draws his twin blades and standa ready to attack any foe


When Jan climbs the structure, he notices that the iron lid of the coffin is very heavy and is held in place firmly with some kind of iron brackets. It's not that easy to open for a single man like him.


"It will need two at least to open as it's heavy and locked in place," Jan says.

"Either whoever interred this body here didn't want people to open it... or they font want what's inside to be out."


"I agree,"

Nobody seems to be eager to help Jan to open the coffin.


"Give him a hand, Storm," Feanor says. "If whatever pops out is an enemy, I am ready to burn it," he says, ready to cast a spell.


"Or we just leave it and whatever is in it alone??" Jan asked. If Storm was willing to help he'd stay.


Let us try to open!"Storm says as he sheathes his weapons and helps to open.


It takes quite an effort, but eventually Jan and Storm manage to open the coffin and... a skeletal horse jumps out of it, attacking Jan and Storm!


Jan dodges to the side trying to avoid the skeletal horse as it explodes from its prison. He waves his arms around trying to draw its focus on him and away from Feanor and Storm, giving them both time to react, ready and arm themselves.


Storm tries to jump back while drawing his blades.


Feanor wastes no time protecting his friends, sending out a firebolt to distract the horse-creature.


Roger Lillard, besides Feanor, males some arcane gesture as well and the skeletal horse is destroyed in a blink, before being able to reach for Storm and Jan.

"Well done, Feanor!" Roger offers his hand to Feanor for a handshake.


Feanor takes Roger's hand and smiles. "This is our job, Roger. We will get it done," he says.

After the demise of the skeletal horse, Feanor keep a look out about the room while Storm and Jan check out the altar.


"Well that came as no surprise," Jan said. "Well, OK, I wasn't quite expecting a horse, but you know what I mean.

Tell you what, you ready your blades and I'll have a look inside and around."

Provided Storm agrees, Jan will feel safer knowing two spellcasters and a dual wielding warrior were covering his back as he searched.


You search the room but find only dust, mould and little vermin.


Stom guards his friend while he searches.

"seems very little for so much effort. But le us continue,"he says to his friends.


You move on through the only other passage and you find yourselves in a round room. On the other side of the room, there is another passage that keeps going south.
Standing on a podium in the middle of this round room there is a porcelain miniature of a boat carrying an oak tree.


Roger Lillard takes quite a lot of time examining the artefact: "Hum... this is an ancient artifact of Odir. I'm not entirely sure, but I think this type of artifact was used to magically mark where a condemned person was buried masking it from grave robbers and followers of the condemned alike."


"How does this work?"Stop ssks


"In the past, traitors or similarly condemned persons were entombed alive as a form of very harsh punishment and... sometimes even spells aimed at extending their lives were cast on them before closing their sarcophagus over them. However, to prevent that they were released by tomb raiders or even their own followers, these kind of magic devices were used. Typically, they are charged enough to outlive the traitor..." Roger Lillard shivers at the thought of being entombed alive and having your punishment extended by life extending magic.


"So there's a chance that something worse than the green knight is still here, or..." He looked at the strange object that powered the protection for the tomb. "the green knight that the troll described might be the embodiment of the interred criminal already escaped. But surely, even just one wouldn't be able to cause the damage it has done, and those it has killed."


"Let's put our faith in Odir and hope for good..."


Roger progresses to the next room and, on the floor, there is another slain Goblin. Not far from it, there is another shaft going down, similar to the one you found in the first room.


"Did anyone bring anymore rope??" Jan grins at the others.


Feanor inspects the shaft to see if the team can make their way down it without having to risk falling.

The floor below is about 20 feet distant.


Watching the look on Feanor's face, Jan shakes his own head and mutters, "More rope, then. Lots more rope."

Brightening up a little, he spoke more clearly, "Unless, that is, you have the capacity and desire to levitate us all down there and back up again later on?? Is that even an option to us, or will you just not have the strength of magic for that??"


"If we cant do it safely, then let us leave and come back later when we can," Storm says.


"Won't take long to gather more rope, if that's what is needed." Jan replies, "Just looking at all the options available to us."


"Well then let us inspect this hole and find rope," Storm says with a grin


Jan heads back to the first hole and uees the rope to climb back up to the surface so he could find more rope or anything else that might come in handy. He wanted at least two more coils in case there was a third hole.

As he searched his mind pondered how they'd get out if they needed ho do so in a hurry. They all couldn't climb at the same time.


Jan finds himself alone in the devastated camp, gathering enough pieces of rope.
Luckily for him, there doesn't seem to be anyone around and he can quickly find enough pieces of rope to get down another level.


Storm ill join if requested.


Climbing back down Jan rejoins the others at the second pit entrance. He looks around for something to tie the rope off.


Jan finds a suitable column and secures the rope down the next level. When you are preparing to climb down, you hear a fracas coming from the entrance of the underground complex and a strong voice bellowing.


"The goblins return?? Or the knight?? Quick, the rope is ready. Let us hide on this level so that should anyone try to find us they'll think we've already gone down. Provided they rush through here." Jan says, motioning back to the entrance.

"And you may need to extinguish that torch too. For the element of surprise."


"Yes! I cant see in the dark though, Let us hope they have light,"Storm says, hiding.


Roger Lillard, before covering his lantern and hiding, checks out the Goblin body and, from the surprised noises he makes, he sounds quite happy with it.


Before Roger can extinguish his lantern, Jan steps to the far side of the cavern, crouching low to hide in among the shadows. Once he could see Roger readying the lantern, Jan readied his bow. It would prove difficult to fight down here, but at least there would be some light from the opening in the ceiling in the other chamber.


You hear big, heavy steps coming towards you from the entrance of the tomb and a strong, but rasping voice bellowing something you can't really understand... perhaps names, but you are not sure.
Then the steps stop in the previous room, the one with the porcelain miniature of a boat carrying an oak tree. After perhaps a minute, the strong voice howls in rage and you hear the artefact being crushed. You also hear the porcelain fragments landing in the room where you are.


Such anger Jan thought to himself keeping his bow ready. He just hoped that the others would be able to hurt whatever it was. He doubted that his arrows would be much good.


Not long after, you hear again the stomping and see a faint light getting into the room where you are. It is the silhouette of a blade emanating a pale, ghostly light.
The powerful voice calls again. You understand only two names: "Lucian! Victor!..." but you can't understand the rest of what is said. [Private to Feanor: Actually, you understand a bit what is being shouted... the language is a kind of ancient Cumasti language and you understand that the voice is asking about something... perhaps a horse.]


Storm wonders who these people are. He prepares for defend himself if need be.


You see a big, human figure under the pale light of the sword, covered by a bulky armour. The figure spins around and the light reveals you all, then the creature shouts something that you can't understand [Private to Feanor: - you can actually understand that he's saying: "More thieves!"] and attacks!


Knowing that there were at least two others, and that according to the troll his weapons wouldn't hurt the knight, Jan allowed Storm, Feanor and Roger to deal with the knight with their magic and enchanted weapons. He readied his bow for the arrival of Lucian and Victor and hoped he'd catch them unawares as they entered the chamber.


Without hesitation, Storm engages wih his twin blades.


Realising that he was spotted, Roger Lillard uncovers his lantern and project light on your attacker, so you won't fight with a disadvantage due to darkness.
The light shows you a big and broad human figure, armed with a sword that appears to be shattered close to the hilt, but the rest of the blade is a ghostly light. He wears a breastplate and a helmet, that allows you to see his face, that is dried and parched beyond belief, but his green eyes are bright and sharp, overwhelmed with rage. He wears green clothes and a green mantle, maybe once fine, but now tattered and his hands or the parts of the body that are not covered appear to be as leathery and parched as his face.
His wild, otherworldly scream of rage is extremely loud and he swings his weapon to attack you!