In which the valiant adventurers push into the goblin-infested abandoned Black Hills coal mine, reeking of filth, decay and death.. THE GOBLINS OF THE TWISTED MAW As Hugo, Red and Drake set themselves amongst the goblins, who scrambled to defend themselves, they hewed left and right, carving a bloody path. Captain Dronk fired a crossbow bolt that stuck one goblin in the eye, killing him instantly and with such force that his corpse was sent tumbling through the undergrowth, nearly 10 feet away. Cornelius unleashed a blast of frozen magic at one of the goblins in the trees, who plummeted to the ground, dead. Baroon waded into the melee, smiting goblins in the name of Sigmar, his face a mask of fury. As the battle continued, goblins poured from the mine like bilge from a broken pipe. The group made short work of them, though at one point Cornelius found himself rushed, surrounded by goblin spears. He dodged one attack, but the other ended buried deep in his gut, causin a rush of warm blood. He looked up in time to see the arrow fired by another goblin find purchase in his shoulder, the force of the blow nearly knocking him off his feet. Baroon rushed to Cornelius's side and began chanting a prayer of healing. Red waded amongst the goblins, his axe severing limbs and heads as though they were dead branches. Hugo's hammer bashed skulls, while Drake's sword cleaved a red mist through the goblin swarm. Dronk attempted to pull one of the goblins off it's feet with a grappling hook but missed widely; he looked around and was satisified noone noticed; then Dronk drew his rapier and parrying dagger and rushed into the fight alongside his companions. The battle was grim, but the goblins found themselves pushed back, their numbers decimated. Corpses of dead goblins lay about the clearing, and around the mine entrance. Still the hammer, rapier, greatsword, greataxe, warhammer and arcane magics found their targets, until only a few goblins remained standing. A TRIFLING VICTORY, BUT A VICTORY NONETHELESS Seeing their plight, the goblins broke to flee. Some were run down by the enraged party; others made it to the safety of the tree-line where they promptly vanished into the undergrowth. The forest was suddenly silent, except for the moaning of the few goblins critically injured but not yet dead, and the breathing of the group. Night had set in now, and a wolf could be heard howling in the distance. Red, who had been in a blood rage, moved over to the fire then collapsed next to it. He grabbed one of the skewers of half cooked meat nearby and almost shoved it in his mouth before he noticed the odd look. It was human flesh! With disgust, Red threw the kebob on the ground. The party recuperated near the fire. Dronk quickly searched the goblins, finding little of value but some stolen copper coins. The scene was that of a battlefield - goblin corpses everywhere. INTO THE BLACK HILLS MINE The group decided to press into the mine, led by Dronk, leaving behind the clearing. The reek of the cave nearly overpowered their senses, being a mix of filth, rotting flesh, goblin and some heavy animal smell. As they entered they were plunged into darkness, and Cornelius lit the small hooded lantern he carried, casting strange shadows onto the walls. They headed at least 100 feet in a straight downward slope, following an old rusted set of mine rails, before reaching an area where the ceiling had caved in, stopping further progress. However, at this point, a side passage cut into the wall led into what appeared to be natural caverns. The party headed inside, to a scene of horror - human bodies, in various states of decay and dismemberment were heaped in one corner, near an enormous knife. The earth was stained black. Nearby, a pile of rags, bones, refuse and other filth was heaped high against the wall. The smell was so bad the party nearly swooned. Baroon emptied his guts on the cavern floor. TOOTH AND CLAW Dronk began carefully looking for traps as the other fanned out into the room. It was then they heard it...a scratching..then a low snarling and the rush of many feet. A pack of mangy-looking wolves was rushing from both sides, catching them in the middle. The party hardly had time to ready their weapons before the beasts were apon them, all snarls and rending teeth and flashing fur. Hugo and Red each cut a wolf down, while Dronk shot one with his heavy crossbow and Cornelius blasted another with a frost bolt. Drake cleaved another one and Baroon moved to help him. As they fought the wolves, one leaped at Drake, and he caught it with his hands, then grabbed it in a vice-like grip, leaving his greatsword at his side. He began to wrestle with it, attempting to get a firm hold on its snarling face. Baroon moved forward to help, but tripped and fell over Drake and sent his warhammer clattering across the ground. Hugo, Dronk and Red at this point had slain all the wolves from the east passage, while Baroon now looked directly into the face of a snarling wolf, and Drake struggled with the one he had grappled. With a roar of triumph, Drake lifted the animal entirely off it's feet, then broke its jaw with his mailed fists. The body collapsed, lifeless. Dronk quickly skewered the last of the wolves with his rapier, and helped Drake to his feet. EXHAUSTED, AND BRUISED Baroon warned the group he had no further prayers prepared and would need to rest. Cornelius agreed. Yet the cave still evidently led deeper. Scattered around the walls were some weaponry, old spears and many arrows. The ground appeared as though many feet passed through it regularly. The stench could overpower the strongest stomach. Drake looked to cut the pelts from the wolves, but when he tried he realized their pelts were poor, being patchy and sickly-looking. He abandoned the attempt. The group decided to head outside to rest and think what to do next, as none felt like pushing further into the damp, stinking cave. As though in approval of their decision, the mine shuddered slightly, sending dust and dirt down from the roof. Red and Dronk, being dwarves, could see the place was quite unstable and prone to collapse. The party quickly headed outside, only Dronk lingering long enough to peek into the empty wolf dens nearby before following the others, out into the night air..
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The WizardIn time, you will come to know the tragic extent of my failings... Past Journals
September 2017
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