The day wore on and the afternoon sun dipped toward sunset. It was nearing the time for the cathedral's consecration ceremony, and Father Zantus used the sharp retort of a thunderstone to catch the festival-goers' attention. The thunder-like crack sliced through the excited crowd as the sun's setting rays painted the western sky in all the myriad colours of the wind. A stray dog that has crawled under a nearby wagon to sleep started awake, while the buzz of more than two dozen conversations quickly hushed as all heads turned toward the central podium, where a beaming Father Zantus had taken the stage. He cleared his throat, took a deep breath, and began to speak-<br/><br/>The shrill cry of a woman's scream cut through the air, startling him and almost causing him to stumble. A few shocked, frozen moments later, another scream rose from another direction, then another and yet another. Beyond them, a sudden surge of strange new voices joined them, high-pitched, tittering shrieks that sound not quite human. The crowd parted as something low to the ground races by in a blur of green, giggling with disturbing glee while the stray dog gave a final pained yelp and then collapsed with a gurgle, its throat cut open from ear to ear. As blood pooled around its twitching head, the raucous sound of a strange song began, chanted from shrill, scratchy voices.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">The Goblin Song</div><div class="spoiler_body">Goblins chew and goblins bite,<br/>Goblins cut and goblins fight.<br/>Stab the dog and cut the horse,<br/>Goblins eat and take by force!<br/><br/>Goblins race and goblins jump,<br/>Goblins slash and goblins bump.<br/>Burn the skin and mash the head,<br/>Goblins here and you be dead!<br/><br/>Chase the baby, catch the pup,<br/>Bonk the head to shut it up.<br/>Bones be cracked, flesh be stewed,<br/>We be goblins! You be food! (http://www.warklawsdomain.com/RPGSite/Files/RotRL/Goblin_Full_Song.wav)</div></div><br/><br/><div class="floatright">(http://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/ag94/Autocad-E/Goblin_zps5jpwozyj.png)</div>Dozens of<strong>goblins</strong>were suddenly scurrying about everywhere, throwing the festival into chaos! There was no time to wonder where they had come from or how they had gotten into Sandpoint, because goblins were shrieking and leaping, racing and cackling, raising an unholy ruckus. Some of them were wielding torches and running about trying to set everything they could reach on fire, including tents (which quickly went up in flames) and buildings (being constructed of stout wood, thankfully resistant to mere torchfire). Others chased after adults, children and pets alike with ill intent, waving their crude but sharp dogslicers menacingly and cackling with perverse joy at the pursuit. A group of goblin warchanters were singing their horrible song at the top of their lungs, adding their dissonant cacophony to the din. The remnant few relished their acts of vandalism, tearing down stalls and lobbing rocks through windows for no apparent reason other than destruction it and of itself.<br/><br/>The vast majority of the festival-goers were running in screaming, panicked circles like a bunch of headless chickens, completely unresponsive to the efforts of more level-headed individuals like the Mayor or the Sheriff to organize an effective response. A trio of the green-skinned rascals leapt out of the proverbial woodwork and onto the literal woodwork of the snack tables, overturning plates of salmon and tankards of mead. They got the jump on the adventuresses, but squandered their opportunity by pausing to stuff their mouths full first! As if the waste of perfectly fine food and drink wasn't enough to justify punishing these goblins, one of them carried a dogslicer still dripping red with the blood of the poor dog whose throat it sliced. The other two looked like they were really digging the bloodied blade look, and looked like they were about to "volunteer" the adventuresses for the task!<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Combat</div><div class="spoiler_body">(Now's a good time to review the house rules!)<br/>Enemies: 3 Goblins in the front line<br/>Adventuresses' turn!<br/><br/><span class="bbc_u">Goblin</span><br/>Small humanoid (goblinoid)<br/>AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 14<br/>HP 6<br/>Fort +3, Ref +2, Will –1<br/>CMD 12<br/></div></div>