Mason’s Wood was quite a bit larger than the villages Edwin’s party had visited so far, the walls accommodating maybe a thousand people. Thankfully that also meant that it sported a proper tavern, which was very welcome to the weary adventurers. Bordan suggested a later start for the next day to make up for the missed sleep the night before, and Salissa and Leodin gladly accepted. Edwin didn’t mind either way, as he felt as fresh as the day he’d been born even after a sleepless night.

The next morning, the party met with the town’s headman. It was a middle-aged knight by the name of Nedder Umar with a stocky build and ridiculous mustache.

“I’m glad you’re here.” Umar said as they gathered in his office in the town hall. “Though I’ll be honest with you, I was expecting you over a week ago.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Edwin saw Salissa’s hackles rising. Bordan, however, stayed perfectly calm.

“Understandable, and we apologize for the delay, Knight Umar.” He replied. “Sadly, the first party that was dispatched to this area was injured in a fight and never made it this far. After they reported their inability to take care of your request, our party was sent as a replacement.”

“Injured?” The portly man sat up straight in alarm. “I apologize for my impatience, then. I hope there were no casualties?”

“Last we heard it was nothing that a healer couldn’t fix.” Bordan said. “The request said you had a goblin issue?”

The headman’s expression darkened. “That we do. A small group of them, five to ten probably. They showed up a few weeks ago, east of here. My people could barely care for their fields, let alone go into the forest. A few times, hunters managed to escape after scaring them with arrows, but several others weren’t so lucky. I was close to forming a hunting party and going after them myself before you showed up.”

Edwin kept his face impassive. He really couldn’t imagine the headman trudging through the forest with a sword in his hand. Or rather, he could, and it was hard not to laugh.

“Well, we’re here now.” Bordan said. “If you can tell us where to start looking, and any other pieces of information you might have on the area and the monsters themselves, you should be rid of them soon.”

“Of course, anything I can do to help!” Umar nodded gratefully. "As I said, we don’t think there are more than ten. The people who saw them spoke of clubs and improvised weapons, nothing too dangerous. No bows.”

“Did anyone see a hobgoblin?” Bordan asked.

“No, just the small ones. They were always spotted east and southeast of here, often along the road between the town and the next fork. You should probably look there first.”

“Very well, we’ll sort our equipment and head out. With luck, this issue could be solved by dinnertime.”

“That would be great.” Umar sighed. “I wish you good luck on your hunt, and good fortune with you.”

--- ----- ---

As Bordan had said, a short while later the group was leaving the town. A passing farmer recognized them as adventurers, and when they confirmed they were going out to find the goblins he gave them a few apples from his cart. In high spirits, the party headed east.

“So, we finally get to fight goblins.” Edwin said.

“I’m not sure if that’s a reason to be so cheerful.” Bordan grumbled. “Ten goblins are a big group to start with.”

“Five to ten.” Edwin said. “Could be a lot fewer.”

“We’ll assume the worst, this way we won’t be blindsided.” Bordan replied sternly. “Formation is the same as always, but we’ll probably have to stay further apart, Edwin. We need to cover more ground to keep them from the other two. Leodin, just go for speed. Doesn’t really matter where you hit them, a crippling shot is good enough. Salissa, if one of them breaks through or if it looks like one of us is in trouble, you start burning. Questions?”

There were none, so they assumed their formation and quieted down as they concentrated on watching for threats.

Two hours later, they reached the fork in the road. They’d spotted three deer, a bunny, a squirrel and lots of birds, but no goblins. From there they turned back, heading southwest into the forest, intending to search in a triangular pattern towards the road that ran south from the town. It was early afternoon when Leodin raised and hand and stopped, crouching behind a tree. The others got low as well, trying to spot what the marksman had.

“What do you see?” Bordan asked in a whisper.

“Movement, several figures. I think it’s them.”

“Where?”

“150 meters.” Leodin pointed. “They’re moving to the left, away from the village. Maybe they’re going home?”

“Possible. Can you track them?”

“Sure. Just stay behind me and be quiet.”

With that, the young man crept in the direction where he’d spotted the monsters. The others followed, demonstrating different degrees of stealth. Bordan was almost as quiet as Leodin, but Salissa and Edwin managed to find every dry branch on their path. They tracked the goblins for half an hour until Leodin stopped them again, crouching on top of a small hill in the forest. The others gathered around, looking down into a small glen.

The five goblins they had been tracking joined another seven by a large cooking fire, handing over a dead rabbit. The creatures communicated with screeches, hisses and gestures while the catch was very roughly gutted and placed on a stick over the flames. One of the second group, maybe the leader, Edwin thought, was berating the newcomers with hisses and slaps. Maybe he was unhappy with the results of their hunt, Edwin thought. Then again, for all Edwin knew he was congratulating them. He didn’t speak goblin, after all.

Bordan had brought his bow, and he carefully took it off his back and slung it.

“This is almost ideal. We have the high ground, and we can start the fight with a few arrows. Let’s see if we can’t whittle down their number before they get here. Leodin, on my mark we start shooting. I go from right to left, you left to right. Edwin, once they spot us up here you go out in front. I’ll join you once they get close. Ready?”

His look was met with terse nods, and Bordan and Leodin crept up to the hilltop, lining up their shots.

“Now.” Bordan whispered, loosing his arrow on the same exhale.

Two strings twanged, and Edwin watched the goblins tensely. Leodin’s bolt wizzed over their ugly heads, hitting the farthest one right in the ear. It dropped without a sound. Bordan’s arrow caught another in the ribs, causing it to stumble into the one next to it. The second one shoved it back with a hiss, and the stricken one fell to the ground and lay still. The sound of the fall turned a few heads, and a third goblin approached the downed one curiously. Just as the nosy one spotted the fletching protruding from its compatriot’s ribcage, Bordan’s second arrow hit it in the shoulder. It spun around with a screech, and the entire clearing erupted with howls. When Leodin’s second bolt took another goblin in the chest, one of the monsters spotted the two archers on the ridge, and within moments they goblins were rushing up the hillside. Edwin stepped out from the tree he’d used as cover, walking towards the horde. Another arrow zipped by, and another goblin ended his mad dash face down. They didn’t have far to go, however, and Bordan had to switch out his bow for his spear before he could loose any more arrows.

The first goblin reached Edwin, and he got a good look at the little monster. It was little over a meter tall, with light green skin stretched tightly over its bones. The head seemed unnaturally large, with big, pointy ears flapping as it ran, and pointy teeth protruding from its slavering mouth. In one of its four-fingered hands it held what looked like a belt knife.

Probably taken from one of their victims. Edwin thought as he crouched low. Having the high ground didn’t do him much good in this situation. The small size of the creature meant that it was much closer to his legs than he was to its head, and his mace didn’t have the range that Bordan’s spear had. He decided not to wait for it to try to stab him and took a long step towards it, swinging with his weapon. The monster tried to reverse its headlong rush when it saw Edwin’s looming form suddenly approaching, but it was too late already. The mace caught it in the bald head, cracking it like an egg.

The goblin was thrown to the side and rolled back down the hill as Edwin reset his stance. This goblin had been the fastest, ahead of the rest of the pack by a few steps, but it was the only free strike he was going to get. Three others were rushing at him side by side, and Edwin grabbed his borrowed shield tightly. He swung again, trying to get the first as he had the previous one, but it ducked down almost all the way to the ground, evading his strike. Its companion struck at Edwin with a spiked club, forcing him into the defensive. The third swung its weapon at Edwin’s legs, a strange sword-like creation made from a stolen scythe blade, and Edwin had to backpedal to save his shins. The downward angle really made for awkward fighting, and he fervently wished for a longer weapon. The first goblin, armed with a bone shiv, went for his legs as well and Edwin kicked at it. He hit its torso, making the monster tumble down the hill, passing the one with the arrow in its shoulder that was going up. The kick had gotten Edwin off-balance, and the club-wielder caught him in the weapon arm. Edwin grunted in pain but couldn’t retaliate as he was attacked from both sides.

Behind him, Salissa’s flame sprang into existence with a dull roar, drowning out the chittering of the goblins. The monsters, who were looking towards the fireworks, jumped in surprise, squinting against the sudden bright light. It was the middle of the day, so they weren’t blinded, but they clearly hadn’t expected to see magic today. Using their confusion, Edwin stepped forward. He struck out with his shield, bowling the one to his left over, then struck out with his mace and caught the club-wielder in the torso. The ribcage lost against the metal mace head, and the creature collapsed around his weapon. The injured goblin finally reached him, stabbing at him with a sharpened stick, but Edwin simply rushed it, the makeshift spear scratching ineffectually at his shield. Two quick strikes with his mace later and the creature joined its brethren in death. Somebody yelled behind him, but before he could decipher the meaning of the words, a sharp pain stabbed into his calf.

Edwin cried out, turning around. The goblin he’d kicked had recovered and plunged its knife into his leg while his back was turned. Edwin pulled back, readying his mace, when a crossbow bolt nailed the creature’s bulbous head to a tree. Looking around, Edwin realized that none of the goblins were still alive.