'Got jumped by goblins. Three of the vermin – and fierce fighters too. I was lucky to escape with my life.' The woodsman raises his sword, the polished blade reflecting the afternoon sunlight. 'I've seen a fair bit of action in my time. I know how to handle myself. But those goblins... they're something else. Never seen their likes in these parts before. It's a bad sign. A very bad sign.
• Agree to help? √
• Politely refuse?
Quest's already Easy, chickening out isn't really viable.
The man offers you a grim smile. 'Thank you,' he says. 'And remember, be on your guard. Those goblins are cowardly creatures, but they're smart - smarter than they look.' He pats his bandaged leg, as if to drive home the point. 'Never underestimate them.'
The woodsman leans forward, and points to a small break in the nearby trees.
'You can find the path there; it will take you straight through to the other side of the valley if you want. Keep to the path and only stray if you have to... no telling what you might find in those woods.'
After thanking the woodsman, you shoulder your backpack and head out into the Tithebury woods.
After listening to the woodsman's gloomy warnings, you are initially surprised by the pleasant and inviting woodland. The path is easy to follow, leading you past gentle tree-lined hills and picturesque meadows of wildflowers. The sun casts dappled patterns over the leafy clearings, ringing with birdsong. You can't imagine these woods hiding any deadly monsters...
Half an hour later and you find yourself grudgingly eating your words. Almost without warning, the trees have closed in on all sides, swallowing the sunlight and replacing the gentle sound of birdsong with the eerie rustle of leaves and creaking boughs. The path has narrowed, becoming little more than a game trail littered with rocks and wandering tree-roots. Picking your way carefully along the dark trail, you keep an anxious eye on the tangled knot of trees to either side. This is prime territory for an ambush.
The trail leads you along the crest of a hill, then plunges down into a wooded valley. The sound of a chuckling stream can be heard from somewhere off to your right, where the ground rises steeply into rocky hills. You are considering whether to leave the trail and refill your water skin, when a scream from up ahead shatters the silence. It sounds like a young girl.
Drawing your weapon, you break into a sprint, racing along the narrow winding trail. after a few minutes, you skid to a halt, ears pricked for any further clues to the girl's whereabouts. Then you hear another scream, coming from the trees to your left. You leave the trail and plunge into the undergrowth.
Bursting out of the woods, you find yourself in a clearing, dominated by a large gnarly tree. A young girl is dangling upside-down from one of its branches, her feet tangled in a rope. She is dressed in boyish breeches and a tunic with a thick red shawl hanging loosely off her shoulders.
Below her, two spindly goblins are hunched over the girl's basket, rumaging through its contents. As you approach, one of them looks up, its black glassy eyes glinting in the dappled sunlight. The creature gives two hooting cries, then scurries towards you, pulling a rusty sword from its belt. The other goblin slides a knife from its boot and hurries to join the battle. You must fight the goblins as a single enemy:
| Speed | Brawn | Armor | Health
|
Goblin poachers | 0 | 1 | 0 | 20* |
*Once the goblins have been reduced to 10 health or less...
Yeah, that's a much more reasonable opposition statline.
Round 1: Us 9, Them 7; 4+1 damage, Gobs at 15.
Round 2: Us 8, Them 11; 6+1 damage, Us at 24.
Round 3: Us 8, Them 6; 5+1 damage, Gobs at 9, defeated!
Despite being short and ungainly, the goblins prove to be accomplished fighters. It takes all your skill just to fend off their frenzied attacks. At last, just as you are starting to tire, a sudden opening presents itself – allowing you to deliver a fatal blow. With a gurgling cry, one of the goblins topples to the ground dead. On seeing its companion fall, the other goblin gives a cowardly whimper, then turns and starts running for the nearby trees.
You start to follow, when a voice brings you up short. 'Hey! Hey! Excuse me!' The young girl is glaring at you angrily from her upside-down vantage point. 'Well, don't just stand there, gawping like the village idiot,' she snaps. 'Cut me down from this tree, this instant!'
• Pursue the fleeing goblin?
• Cut the girl down from the tree?