POV David
April 11th 913 (2016)
"This'll be an easy task lad, with our two parties here we'll be done by luncheon." The dwarf chortled as he hefted his warhammer over his shoulder. Thorick Ironbeard chuckled as his companions rolled their eyes.
The elf was apparently a ranger by the name of Silvia Windstrider. She was dressed in tight fitting letters and had a brace of daggers over her chest. She carried a graceful bow in her hand and had a quiver of arrows across her back. "With all the noise your armor makes Thorick we'll be heard before the goblins can even smell us."
"Don't look down on dwarven steel ye darn elf. This here was forged in the ancestor forge!" He proudly proclaimed as he thumped his chest plate with his gauntlet.
Their final companion paid Thorik's little outburst no heed. Haley was of an outcast race, a tiefling. As one of the daemon kin she often faced harsh discrimination and had taken to wearing a long hooded cloak to hide her daemonic horns and tail. But at the moment she'd cast her hood back and was avidly talking to Smith.
She seemed really interested in Smith, even though he only gave short terse replies to her questions. There was this slight flush to her purple cheeks whenever my brother was around, though that had only started after that fiasco in that old goblin camp we'd helped them clear the other day.
I left my brother alone and started asking Thorick about his clerical powers. Thorick laughed rancorously, "Lad! It's the ancestor gods that guide us and shape our character. These runes upon my armor are dedications to my clan's faith."
"But how do you use your magic? How did you realize you could use the arcane?" I inquired.
"By the beard lad, even a we Dawi knows that! I use my faith in my ancestor gods, specifically Thorin and Dorin. Though not all magic uses faith, Haley's comes from a devilish pact her ancestors made." He explained while rubbing the runed tablets hanging from his neck
"Though there are wizards which gain the ability after decades of honing their understanding of the arcane, though in that case it often depends on one's own aptitude." He finished with a sigh.
"Hmm, Thanks Thorick. I'll think on it." I replied.
"Course lad, I enjoy helping ye young sprites bloom. It brings much joy to this longbeard." He replied as we fell silent and continued walking into the forest. Silvia readied her bow and everyone reached for their weapons as she just waved her hand and took the lead.
I relaxed my grip on the pommel of my sword and fell into the formation we'd discussed previously. Silvia led with Smith behind her, Haley was in the middle with Me next and Thorick bringing up the rear.
We slowly made our way through the woods. We followed the path Silvia made through the brush and brambles. No sound but the near silent groan of leather or the quiet hiss of steel was made. We headed deeper into the forest, to the cave that our request required us to clear.
There was a trail that went to the cave from the road but many goblins patrolled it, so we were attempting to sneak up on them through the forest. We continued for another half hour before Silvia signaled us to make ready. Weapons were carefully drawn as we crept closer to the cave.
Silvia gave us a nod and turned away from us, quickly melting into the foliage as Thorick took the lead as he hefted his warhammer higher. He muttered quietly as he did and one of the runes upon his armor glowed faintly as he completed his chant.
I faintly heard the snickering laughter of the wretched little green skins. Straining my ears I could make out the sounds of a fire and the faint sizzling of meat. I looked at Smith, he gave me a small nod as we crept behind Thorick. We briefly paused and readied ourselves before rushing into the clearing. Dozens of goblins stood hooting and hollering around spitfires roasting all kinds of meats.
Instantly an arrow embedded itself in one of the larger goblins. Haley spoke in a foul and demonic language, making several sigils with her hands before unleashing a black bolt of malevolent energy, disintegrating the goblin when it slammed into the rock's face behind it. Thorick chanted under his breath and his rune engraved armor glowed with a golden light as he charged into the goblins, warhammer swinging.
Smith and I followed Thorick, our blades claiming the lives of these wretched goblins. Their eyes were red with rage and they frothed and at the mouth as they charged us with knives made from bones and their clawed hands. The battle was over in two minutes, dozens of goblins lay dead at our feet while the few survivors were trying to escape into the forest, only to meet death by Silvia's arrows.
We started searching the camp for any that may have tried to hide instead of run. After dispatching those we started collecting anything of value and cutting their ears as proof of our kills and to turn in for our reward for completing the quest. Nothing was of real value and soon we began our trek back to Hochfeld.