Meet me in Phandalin (22-24th Nightal, 1491 DR)

"Sounds like we have a hero in our company, Leylin!" Sariel gently teases, trying to sound genuine about it.

Hero or coward, it don't matter when you're face down in the mud. her Dark Consort whispers inside her. Ever since joining up with Leylin, the Dark Consort has been mercifully quiet.

A shiver passes over her. If her Dark Consort is whispering, danger is near. Then she sees it up ahead; the dead horses.
She listens to Leylin's words, adrenaline starting to flow through her veins.

"I have a bad feeling about this." she says, and she looks down to Rymente to make sure he's responding to what's happening.

"Hey Rymente Copac 24!" she calls down in a loud whisper. "Trouble ahead! Do you understand me?"

She turns back to Leylin, and says "What, you mean me? I'm not just going to walk into a trap." Sariel dons her shield, adjusts her sword belt but draws her arcane focus instead of her rapier. She gives her torso a shake to makes sure the chain shirt isn't bunching up, and then she cracks her neck left, then right.

"They probably already have eyes on us, and the advantage. Let's hope they're stupid. Are we ready?"

After giving everyone a moment to prepare, she raises her black stone and summons an illusion of a vulnerable dwarf warrior with weapons holstered and shield strapped to his back as close as she can to the horse carcasses (range: 30 feet, so probably down the road about as far as that pile of rocks).

A big smile crosses my face. Aye Leylin, the gods smile on us today.

It is hard to tell whether he is distracted or following the wishes of Leylin as he continues walking, his mumbles can be heard as he trails off "Five hundred thirty-eight thousand, five hundred seventy-five minutes." He turns his head back "Yes, I know, I'm not an idiot." While his head is turned facing the wagon, his eyes portray a different story, it does not seem he is responding to Sariel and it is no longer hard to tell he is simply following Leylin's request through coincidence. It does seem that he has some coherency in the situation though, as his body is encased in a dull light that disappears as it seeps into his skin, and those with a keen eye will notice his chest moving--a steady breath in and out.

I stare intently into the woodline.

Leylin's eyes scan trees and undergrowth on the left side of the trail while thinking to himself:

"I wonder if anyone would be stupid enough to fall for this illusion..."

Squinting his eyes Leylin whispers to his companions:

"I see two little goblins in the bushes. One with a bow, other with a sword. And they do not look friendly. How about on your side, Amaris?"

While saying that Leylin tightens his grip on crossbow, ready to fire the second goblins make any aggressive move.

Sariel's vision has always been poor; bright light always bothered her eyes (probably her Drow heritage) but even her dark vision was not as reliable as Elven eyes. She trusts Leylin is telling the truth, and acknowledges the danger with a nod.

I see nothing that will find its end at the tip of my arrows, unfortunately. I say and turn towards Leylin's side.

"It's unlikely that only two gobs will be brave enough to ambush forces twice their size... They usualy prefer the other way around. Stay sharp, there ought to be more of them."

Leylin answered with a low voice and attempted to describe the location where goblins are hiding on his side to others, hoping that they will see them with that assistance.

Perhaps if someone tried to sneak around behind, at least one of us could get the drop on them? I saw and begin dismounting.

I look intently where Leylin pointed.

Sariel's eyes dart back and forth, scanning the trees.

Do you remember Red River Valley? Mosquito Creek? Twelve Trees? her Dark Consort whispers in the back of her mind, then laughs at her.

As annoying as the voice in her head is, the reminder is spot on. This isn't the first goblin ambush Sariel has been in. She knows their tactics. She breathes deep.

Sariel realizes the goblins are transfixed on something.

"Praise Lathander, they really are stupid. They are so busy figuring out where that Dwarf came from, they don't know we know about the ambush. They would have attacked by now otherwise. We have the advantage if we strike now, but that window won't stay open long."

She levels her arcane focus at the goblins, connecting with the dark part of her soul.

Let's just kill them.

"Let's just kill them."