Phulleigh Dotfive's Journal
Game date:  6 Mavis 1008
(Real world date:  February 19, 2022)
Day 42 of the Xterminators
I remembered I should probably breathe, except I couldn't.  I sat frozen, not allowing myself to feel anything... not fear, not excitement, not worry, not relief.  Was Grey dead?  Meilikki I can't lose another friend.  Please let his big fat head emerge soon.
Wait... let's go back to the fire rope.
6 Mavis
Before we tried going up the oil soaked rope ladder, we discussed whether Garreck's invisibility would make the ladder disappear also.  As Trust started climbing, he said the ladder would stay visible.  He was apparently trying to climb silently, except just then we heard from above, "We can hear you down there!"  Grey whispered, "Let me try and parley with them."  Then he paused for a second, "And get in my pack."  Grey said something in Goblin which our battle mage translated as "Can we barter with you for safe passage?"  As Trust moved up the ladder just under the lip of the top of the tube, I threw a few things out from the pack and jumped into Grey's backpack.  Not sure what else was said because I couldn't hear very well and it was all in Goblin.
When I peaked out, I saw Garreck put a potion in a bag and tie it closed with a rope that was dropped from above.  It went up and then some angry words in goblin were exchanged.  After a few minutes, Grey started up the ladder.  When he got to the top of the sixtey foot ladder, I peaked out again and saw that he tied the goblin's rope around his chest and something above helped pull him the rest of the way.  The backpack stopped moving and I waited for some sign to hop out.  Not sure how long it was, but it was getting really hot and stuffy in there so it seemed like forever.  Grey whispered something but I couldn't make it out (Was that for me?).  Finally he yelled, "Phulleigh, Get 'Em!"
I flipped the lid up and over dropping Spencer's token form in the open space between two goblins (five feet from the wall and five feet from the edge).  I spoke the words "Come to me Spencer" and when Spencer's body magically sprang up, I jumped onto his back.  The six goblins were all suprised except one who tried to push Garreck off the ledge.  Just as he put his head down to launch himself at Grey, Trust popped up from the ladder and downed that ugly little guy.  Good thing too, eighty feet is a very long drop, especially for a four hundred pound dwarf.  Just then as a goblin between me and the wall swung his morning star at Spence, the one between Garreck and the wall ran at Grey with all his might.  I started to laugh and say, "You can't move a dwarf."  But before I could the word 'can't' out, Garreck must have been suprised or had the wind knocked out of him because it looked like he didn't even try to stop him.  In slow motion, I hollered, "Nooooooo!" as I reached out my hand to grab him but he was way too far away and he went over backwards.  The memory of Xaltor's broken and bloody body flashed in my mind and I held my breath as Grey's high pitched scream echoed down the stone tower.  I thought I heard Tosha grunt (Did she climb the ladder?).  Then I thought I heard WizRWe smack Garreck in the face and grunt too.  Then I heard Vern grunt (Did he just take out the whole party?).  I waited for the inevitable crunching splat as my heart was pounding in my ears.  I needed to go to the edge and look over but another goblin smacked me in the side with his weapon.  The goblin that pushed Garreck off the ledge raised his arms and jumped up and down in celebration, but before he could finish his sentence he gurgled around Trust's arrow.  Spencer got a little weary of falling too so he moved closer to the wall and clamped his jaws around the closest goblin's neck and waived him around til he stopped moving.  I think I was still holding my breath because a goblin came up behind me and swung something at me several times.  Spencer must have dodged out of the way because I didn't feel anything hit me.  I looked back at the goblin that was trying to fan me with his mace just in time to see him bonk himself right in the head knocking himself out.  When I turned back around the goblin to my left sprouted an arrow out of his chest.  I thought I heard Trust tell me that was three for him (Did I reply?).  Finally, I tried to take a breath and looked around at all of the groaning goblins.  I wasn't angry as I ended their suffering with my staff (I didn't feel anything.  I must have been in shock, waiting to hear Garreck's rumbling voice).
As Trust fixed the ladder to the ledge for the rest of the team to come up, Spence and I sat and waited for everyone to emerge.  I didn't look over the edge;  I couldn't.  It wasn't until I saw Tosha's head pop up and pull herself over the ledge that I remembered I should probably breathe, except I couldn't.  I sat frozen, not allowing myself to feel anything... not fear, not excitement, not worry, not relief.  Was Grey dead?  Why didn't we hear him crash?  Did the fighting drown it out?  Meilikki I can't lose another friend.  Please let his big fat head emerge soon.