First strike

The forest goblins , while not organised or particuarly strong, did have some skills, they soon taught Gleisha's clan tracking , hunter and other survival skills, they fashioned bows, spears and leather clothing that were certainly more hard wearing than the scraps they found in the sewers. Their numbers continuing to grow , Gleisha sent out scounting parties, so they all knew the forest, they seemed to be working well together so a proper outing was planned.

A scout of the forest clan and two others with bows led one of the brothers armed with a club and ten of his sewer brethren all armed with spears to the stream that flowed through the forest, using it to mask their progress and numbers they followed it west to the other side of the forest, heading towards a trade route that lay half a days travel further west. The stream became a river, keeping to the shallows, they missed the cover of the trees, soon finding the road they hid beneath the bridge crossing the river.

The Carriage rumbled along the dusty road, the driver sat up top with a single household guard, the two inside , minor nobles not used to uncomfortable conditions. Laren was eighteen,his boyish good looks starting to mature were only outpaced by his ego, he sprawled on the seat laying across the carriage, his sister Larissa sat opposite, his elder at nineteen almost twenty, she was pretty enough her elaborate dress bought by her father, made the most of her looks, she was deep in thought about her betrothal, father would have been here but illness had stopped him making the journey two days had passed and both of them were bored.

They heard a stangled scream followed by something thud against the carriage which started to slow, the guard looked at the crude arrow that struck the seat next to him before he tried to release the reins, but when the driver was hit he had fallen forward, dragging the reins with him pulling the horses to a halt.

Laren pulled the elaborate sword at his waist, looking from the carriage he saw a lone goblin approach spear in hand, their guard appeared at the other door, so he burst from the carriage determined to make the creature pay, he did indeed have some skill, but his ego and pomposity blinded to the realities of the world, he advanced grinning at the smaller creature, easily fending off its jabs he was oblivious it backed away as it did, luring him away from the carriage, he heard Larissa scream, he feinted left catching the goblin offguard as he ran it through, gurgling on his sword he saw the life drain from its eyes, shouting in delight he turned.

Their guard fell, a arrow in his shoulder he slumped to the ground as the three spears skewering him were withdrawn, the goblins spread out , circling the young man, Larissa was pushed from the carriage and landing on her knees roughly , the front of her dress ripped , freeing her soft pale breasts for all to see, she clutched at the ruined fabric , pulling it to her ,tears streaming down her face, Laren was about to speak but stopped short as his sisters attacker stepped from the carriage.

He had already noted the strange colours of some of the goblins ,but what stood before him looked almost purple, its legs looked about the same as a normal goblin but its torso , chest and shoulders rippled with muscle, its arms almost dragging along the ground as it approached him , club over its shoulder the amassed goblins jeered and cackled at the lone man.

Laren was still taller than the creature, as he traded blows, with it, his speed gaining him confidence as he scored a couple of cuts and slashes against it, bravado once again taking over he already thought the fight won, swinging at its shoulder, the blade shook in his hand as it was parried by the heavy club, the brother now moved with suprising speed as it swung the club low, a sickening crack as it met with Laren's knee, red filling his vision in pain, his speed lost as he favoured his good leg, shock overtook him as the creature paced around him, he managed to parry another attack before the club shattered his forearm, the sword falling from lifeless fingers, Laren cried as a dark patch spread over his trousers "its not fair" he said weakly, as the club broke ribs, blood frothed at his lips as he collapsed in the dirt, his vision went dark as he watched the creature rip the clothes from his sister.