When a group is walking quietly along a trail, there are two states that must occur. Either the group will walk in silence until a {comic-relief_character} steps on a twig, prompting an ambush of improbable proportions. Or, despite the need for silence, the local knowledgeable character decides to info dump. Somehow, the second state is the most successful for sneaking.
"You can always tell a goblin's trail from any other animal or monster trail," Petra said, "Because of a combination of factors. Like a lot of humanoid monsters, they seem fond of wearing bone jewelry. But unlike most of the others, they're unskilled in making it."
Petra motioned to the small bones littering the trail, "Their necklaces snap, the bones fall apart, or they simply don't secure things properly. The paths goblins use begin to accumulate these little pieces of bones, making a trail of bone-crumbs back to their den. Some scholars think that the faultiness is on purpose so that the goblins can find their way home, but I doubt if said scholars have ever met a goblin."
Jasson nodded and they continued in silence, occasionally dodging into the bushes as a group of goblins wandered past. Eventually, they found a clearing and a cave on the side of a mountain. Petra led them into the bushes and had them lay in wait as the goblins went in and out.
"Okay," Petra whispered, "how many would you say there are sis?"
"Thirty," Clara said, "Plus the king and queen. We should be careful not to get surrounded. We will need to clear out the individual rooms as well."
"I agree," Petra said, "Tortoise?"
"Not on the approach," Clara said, "If anything, we need to let some goblins through so that they don't run for any other exits they might have."
"Heron then," Petra sighed, "Low risk as long as he doesn't fall."
"Umm," Jasson said, "We're planning on attacking them, right?"
"Yeah," Petra said, "What about it?"
"I mean," Jasson said, "If I'm going to participate then I'd like to know what the plan is first."
Petra sighed and explained the terms. Tortoise was a defensive form that allowed them to move in an earthen dome. They could adapt it here by getting close enough to seal up the holes and work through the place one room at a time. Heron was a method of baiting the goblins out into a disadvantageous trap, then surrounding and exterminating the monsters.
"So we're doing Heron?" Jasson said, "How do we surround them? There's three of us."
"Simple," Petra grinned, "I'm a powerful earth mage. We build walls, then eliminate them as they try to climb over."
"Okay," Jasson said, "but there's only three of us. How would we guard the walls?"
"It's not that hard," Clara said, "If we build it right Petra could control the whole area with me standing guard."
Jasson remembered the earth bullets Petra had used earlier and nodded, then said, "Then how do we get them out? You mentioned bait? I have some dried jerky we could use."
Jasson looked from one girl to the other, seeing their evil grins.
"What?" Jasson said, "Will that not work?"
Petra said, "Only if you jiggle it in front of their noses."
"Make sure to hold onto it," Clara said, "You'll be running quickly after doing so."
"Ah," Jasson said, "I'm the bait."
****
"AAEEEEEEE!" Jasson screamed fifteen feet inside the cavern, channeling the gut-clenching terror at seeing twenty evil green things turning to watch him. A few heads poked out of other rooms in the cave, and a cackling war cry sprouted from the surprised horde.
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The Smartphone Saga: A Distracted Journey of Spells and Signals
FantasyTruck-kun fell from the sky. It was a terrible accident involving several casualties who found eternal rest. Unfortunately for Jasson Boar, a normal modern teenager, death was just the beginning of his problems. After a brief conversation with Kami...
