D&D Way to Sword Coast

Chapter 3: Traveler

Following his nose, Alidorim moved off the path into the shade of the trees. As quietly as his bulk would allow, he pressed deeper into the woods until he stepped through a small opening...and froze.

The moment Alidorim stepped into the clearing all movement ceased, save for three pairs of beady yellow eyes turning towards him. They were no bigger than children, barely coming up to waist height, thin with sickly yellow skin and tufts of brown hair. Oversized ears, nose, and chins gave them a comical if not cruel appearance.

The trio of Goblins stared dumbly at the new arrival, unsure what to make of him. They were hunched over a pile of fabric adorning a bloody mass. Tension filled the air as shock quickly gave way to action. They turned away from their gruesome work to take up the weapons they'd set aside. All at once the goblins charged, spitting and snarling.

The Dragonborn didn't bother drawing his weapons. Instead, he stepped into the attack, growling in anticipation. The lead goblin leaped raising its crude club. Alidorim's fist shot out and the Goblin broke upon its knuckles like water on stone.

As the first plummeted, spewing blood, the second goblin jumped wielding a hatchet. He was stopped abruptly when he found his throat encased by Olkith's other hand. Eye bulged in terror. It forgot about attacking in favor of clawing feebly at the four monstrous digits.

Shrieking profanities the final Goblin was already in the air. Soaring over his comrades he stabbed downward with a knife. The point hit Alidorim between his collar and shoulder. The goblin's triumphant smile faded when he realized the weapon hadn't penetrated the armor. Before it could retreat, Alidorim seized his third attacker.

The Dragonborn now had one goblin by the throat and the other by its stick-thin forearms. Both kicked and clawed as they struggled to break free. Their efforts were as futile as their attack had been. With a flick of his wrist, the second goblin's neck snapped like a wet branch. Twisting Alidorim slung the other goblin around lashing its tiny body against a tree. There was a meaty smack as its torso shattered across the hard bark.

The first goblin that had met his fist was stirring as Ulkith dropped the bodies. It scrabbled at the ground in a feeble attempt to escape. Alidorim stopped him by placing a foot atop its head. It struggled pitifully issuing gurgling pleas for mercy. The Dragonborn ignored them completely. The sickening wet crack and squish sound filled the clearing.

The silence that followed the brief battle was punctuated only by a breeze and Alidorim's heavy breathing. The Dragonborn had to take a few steadying breaths before taking stock of himself. Save for the third goblin none of the others had landed a hit. The knifepoint had left a small dent in the armor but hadn't punctured. It was fortunate the little bastard hadn't come in at a flatter angle. The tiny blade would've slipped easily between the plates and into soft flesh.

Alidorim sighed. He couldn't afford to be so reckless. Without potions and antidotes, a goblin's poisoned blade could kill him just as easily as a swamp monster.

Another deep calming breath and Ulkith set about taking in his surroundings. The Goblins themselves were small, even for their kind. They were thin and stunted. Meaning they'd been on there own, possibly cast-offs from a destroyed tribe. Their smell was putrid, but it wasn't enough to mask the other scent he'd detected.

The Dragonborn approached what had been the subject of the Goblin's attention prior to his arrival. Olkith's stomach clenched as he knelt next to what had once been a living being. Around its hands and feet, the ground had been furrowed as they'd struggled to escape. The goblins had savaged the body to the point Alidorim couldn't be certain of their species. He only knew it was a male because their clothing had been ripped off along with his travel pack. The Goblins had been in the midst of rifling through its contents.

Feeling a mild sense of disgust Alidorim started to reach for the pack.

A twig snapped followed by a muffled squeak.

Alidorim shot to his feet, weapons coming to hand in a flash. He cursed himself for not having sensed another presence. The stench from the goblins and corpse must've cloaked theirs. Standing ready for anything he faced the direction the sound had emanated.

Nothing.

"Stop hiding!" he bellowed, "And face me!"

A muffled whimper and the soft shiver of leaves. His eyes shot toward the source. A dense patch of ferns on the opposite side of the clearing. Against the greens, he thought he saw flashes of red and white, but no additional movement.

Growling, Alidorim took a steadying breath before inhaling. His senses were immediately assailed by the overwhelming aroma of the dead goblins and the body of the traveler. Focusing, he took another smell. Foliage, and earth. Another smell...there it was.

It was bitter, like an undersaturated mix of ammonia and sweat. Whoever was hiding was afraid. There was no whiff of a goblin, but neither did it smell completely human. Perhaps the traveler had had a companion who'd managed to hide.

Sheathing his weapons but remaining conscious of their location, Alidorim raised his arms, palms outward. "The goblins are dead," He asserted trying to keep his voice calm while also conveying authority. "You can come out."

Another soft whimper followed by a rustle of leaves. Alidorim was about to speak again when the ferns parted, and a figure stepped out. The Dragonborn dropped his hands blinking several times in disbelief.

At first glance, Alidorim thought it was just another Goblin, but once he peered past the grimy skin, and filthy rags he saw the tiny shivering creature for what it was.

'What's a girl doing out here!' his mind railed.

Though she still stood in the shadows, her appearance was clear to see. Standing shorter than the goblins, her pale skin was contrasted by the deep crimson color of her hair. The mess of greasy curls fell to her shoulders nearly concealing the terrified expression on her face. The girl refused to meet the Dragonborn's gaze.

Olkith noticed her attention was focused on the three bodies. He realized her fear wasn't directed towards him. It was as if she expected the goblins to jump to their feet and ravage them all.

'She's in shock,' the Dragonborn rationalized, 'she was only feet away as her companion got murdered.' Some part of him wondered why he wasn't empathizing with her more. It was difficult for Alidorim to recall a time when Goblins had ever scared him. Those memories felt like they belonged to another person in whole other life. To a naive adult, Goblins were savage creatures but harmless in small numbers. Alidorim learned the hard way that that wasn't always true. To a child, Goblins were the stuff of nightmares.

"They can't hurt you," Alidorim declared. The girl jumped and looked as if she was about to flee. The Dragonborn cursed himself for having spooked her. He didn't relish the idea of tracking her down through the forest. Whatever misgivings he had about the child he couldn't in good conscious leave her alone in the wilds.

After a few moments of silence, the girl relaxed a bit. Shifting nervously beneath his watch she rubbed at her arms as if warding off the cold. Eventually, she met the warrior's gaze. Eyes, black as night stared back at him.

At that moment another breeze shifted the trees and tossed back their girl's hair, bathing her in sunlight. Alidorim blinked and felt his hackles rise. Nestled amongst the mass of red curls were pointy elf-like ears. Their presence was dwarfed only by a pair of stubby horns atop her forehead.

Clawed fingers twitched as he gasped, "You're a...Tiefling..."