I returned to town after the sun had set, and turn Joan’s body over to the watch captain for safe keeping. The remains of the others who had fallen in battle had already been carted off to Estkap for burial. I also warn the captain that hobgoblins are now in the area of the Crystalian Delve, bearing the same marks as the cultists before them. That wolves in the area seem possessed, and tht whatever evil was there before still remains, unbeaten!
I then clean myself up and head over to the Sharp Gait, where Isabella brings me a tankard of ale and a bowl of stew. “Well, isn’t it the famous warrior and hunter, Trollscar,” she sneers sarcastically, “Where’s your little red haired friend?”
“Dead,” I say,staring straight ahead as i begin to drink. Shocked, and suddenly tongue tied, Isabella turns on her heels and retreats to the bar. She doesn’t return to my table that night, though Duca stops by to offer a sympathetic hug, and Glogin comes out of the kitchen to express his regrets as well.
As I finish my bowl, one of Sir Tellog’s men arrives to fetch me to his master. I reluctantly follow him to the manor house.
The noble demands, “What were you and that woman doing returning to the Crystalian Delve? The cult there had been destroyed!” I explain that we were going to look for her grandfather’s sword, and hoped perhaps to find some other lost valuables. “Well all you did was get her killed! And now you say the cult has been reborn?”
I look at my torn and bloodstained sleeves, at my washed hands, and then up at the frightened nobleman. “I am going to take Joan’s body to Estap for interment into one of the crypts there. I’m leaving in the morning. What you do about the Delve is on you. Protect your people. I cannot.”
With that, I turn to leave. “Guards, take him!” Lord Tellog shouts!
Quiet 34th through Gathering 2nd -I am in Lord Tellog’s jail
Imprisoned the next four days, Duca and Glogin each stop by to visit a bit, bringing food and drink. Telling me about what is happening in town. Essie visits every day. Having helped tend to Joah, she knew here better than anyone else in the village besides myself. We talk about the history of the town, the region, and about the families in it. She speaks of old tragedies and of the goblin war, and how her husband died in it. She also tells me that Lord Estkap send a small company of men with orders to seal off the Delve. They manage to collapse the main entrance then announced the place was no longer a threat.
Gathering 3rd-Lord’s Day-32 degrees. Heavy blizzard dumps 15″ of snow, close to 30″ on the ground now! Windy enough to move small branches, dust and paper.
I am released on the fifth day, into a blizzard. I go to Essie’s to wait out the storm.
I am awakened by warhorns, and roll out of bed, grabbing my weapons and armor. Essie bursts into my room, “Hobgoblins are storming Tellog! Come help!”
Having donned my armor, I rush outside and see Isabella running past in her yellow dress, “You did this to us! You brought this doom upon us!” she yells on seeing me. I shake my head, and tell Essie to head to the manor house. i see a trio of hobgoblins at the end of the street, take aim, and sink an arrow into the wooden palisade behind them. While Essie runs towards the manorhouse, I start falling back after her, trading shots at the hobgoblins, dropping one but having difficulty dodging the return fire. A nick and a cut as arrows pass through my cloak, but their heavy armor is all that keeps them alive.
Suddenly, a tiny winged demon is clawing at me! I drop my bow and draw blades, slashing at it while the hobgoblins suddenly start running straight at me. Fortunatly, I impale the fiend with my blades, and am able to scoop up my bow, running around a corner o put some distance between me and the others.
Taking a deep breath, I quickly clean the blades and resheathe my knives. Ready the bow, and continue backing my way through a garden towards the manor house. As the hobgoblins come into view, I put them down, one at a time. I mutter a prayer of healing, and then race towards the manor house.
I see the old man from the temple, with his grandson and nieces, sneaking through the chaos of battle trying to get out of town. There are hobgoblins everywhere, and…other more sinister things…converging on the handful of defenders at the lord’s manorhouse.
I spot a cart, by a stable and hear neighing inside. “Help me!” I holler to the refugees, and we quickly harness the beasts. The children and old man climb in the back and I crack the reins, sending the cart flying down the icy streets with the eldest girl sitting by my side, helping watch for danger.
–The hobgoblins have left the delve and are attacking Tellog’ is Resolved as a result of the Disruption of Attention Q Is tellog destroyed? No, Is Tellog rescued-Yes-
As we race out of town, we hear the sound of trumpets from the west. In the moonlilght, I see a column of soldiers heading towards Tellog. As soon as we reach them, I leap from the cart and send the refugees on their way. “Who is your commander,” I yell, and am greeted by teh sight of Captain Desarant.
“Trollscar?” he asks grimly, “I understand you went and stirred up more trouble. I thought sealing the tunnel would end it, but I can see now, I was wrong. Fall in with the others, we’ll need your bow.” I tell him that I thought his force had left. But he nods towards Lord Camden and answers that I was advised to keep my men hidden nearby for a few days.
We reenter the town, falling upon the hobgoblins with great fury. They begin to retreat but find themselves trapped against a wall of flame that lights up the night sky. The savagery of the fighting is intense! I take a rooftop perch and kill one of the goblins with an arrow, but for the most part, am unable to get clear shots as the battle unfolds beneath me.
Gathering 4th-Hay Day-31 degrees. 30″ snow on the ground now! No wind.
The carnage of the night before is readily apparent. Scores of dead hoboblines. Dozens of dead villagers. Nine houses burnt to the ground and several more damaged. My frieng Glogin died helping defend the manorhouse. Sir Anthony also fell, bravely I hear, ripped apart by some fiend from hell! Duca and Essie both survived. Essie to mourn the loss of her child, Duca the loss of her friend. Isabella was saved from danger by one of the knights from Estkap. She hangs on his arm like a rescued princess out of a fairy tale!
Fear hangs like a cloud over the community, and anger at the baron’s men for letting the attack happen. I’ve lost too much, and don’t want to remain here any longer, sI travel back to Estkap with Captain Desarant’s men, taking Joan’s horses with me.
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