Quiet 8th day, Sunday, 34 degrees, windy: leaves and small twigs in constant motion, 6 inches of snow on the ground
Approximately 4 pm, halfway between Tellog and Bellcrest-
It was late afternoon when I heard the man yelling, the braying of a mule and the bark of goblins, and I rushed forward to see a man being chased up a tree by two goblins, while two more tried to drag away his beast. It was light out, so I was surprised to see them so far from the treeline, but nonetheless!
I sent and arrow into the back of one of the goblins chasing the man up the tree. It’s companion then fled with the muleskinners, and the three arrows I sent after it all missed their mark. They’ll be hard to find in the deep snow!
I rush over to the man, he is winded, frightened and out of breath. His face flush from the cold, and from fear.
“Thank you for saving me!” the portly peddlar says. “My name is Benton, and I am in your debt!”
I shrug my shoulders, “Piotr…Trollscar they call me” I could see his eyes already fixated on the three long marks across the right side of my face. I have taken to introducing myself as Trollscar, so as to interrupt the inevitable questions about my appearance.
The man swallows hard, looking off to where the goblins fled, “Everything I own is on that mule!”
I nod, “Then let’s get it back! They won’t be hard to follow.”
A panicked look crosses Benton’s face, but seeing my resolve, he purses his lips and says, “I’ll follow you!”
I quickly take after the goblins, and am surprised that the trail tells me the mule wasn’t putting up much of a fight. Instead, both the mule and the goblins’ stride tells me they are making good time.
With my scarf across my face, and heavy slate cloak lending me its warmth, I hope to catch the thieve before they reach whatever hole they crawled out of!
Survival -auto pass
Athletics (3 checks-Contested) beat by 5, beat by 15–20 ought to catch up!
Stealth vs Perception (if they go to ground)–Never had the chance
Though Benton lags behind, my longer legs and greater ease running in daylight soon allow me to catch up to the goblins. Spotting them, I set an arrow on its way. Striking one in the back! His companions yelp in fear as another of their number is slain!
One of them then leaps onto the mule and starts beating it with it’s bow, while the other tries desperately to pull it forward even faster! A second arrow sends the rider face down in the bloodstained snow.
Benton catches up to me, “Please don’t hit Mitzy!” I glare at him, guessing Mitzy must be the name of his mule. I can’t even see the other goblin from where I am, so I start running after him again.
I mistep and slide down a small embankment while the goblin continues to run, but I quickly regain my footing and continue the chase. i spy a small copse of trees in the distance, where the goblin is heading, and realize i’d best catch him before he reaches the protection of his fellows!
And I do! When I am but twenty feet away, the goblin gives up his prize and dives for some nearby brush. But he waited too long.
I search the goblin’s corpse while a winded Benton finally catches up to me. He is clutching his side, obviously suffering some sort of cramp, while his mule gnaws at the bare branches of one of the nearby shrubs.
“I am in your debt again,” the merchant says. “Without you I would have been ruined! Or perhaps even in a goblin cooking pot!”
I roll my eyes. He isn’t wrong, but.. “Why were you travelling alone? You and your mule. Full of treasure. On a deserted winter road when farmers are huddled inside, caravans are home for the winter, and patrols are few and far between?”
The man is taken aback! “Why are you wandering alone? When game is scarce and the cold wind howls? I have goods to trade to earn my bread. What is it you intend to do? Rob men like me?”
“Fair enough,” I laugh, “I was helping the Baron’s men look for some trolls who had left tracks in the snow near Tellog. The patrol went ahead home two days ago, but I lingered.” Benton nods and says that he’d met the men and heard the tale. Then he offers me a warm meal if I return to Tellog, where he is heading. With no place in particular to go, I agree.
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