Chapter 1, Day 2: Into the Witchwood

Corban and Kaiakas scramble over the rubble making up the hole in the southern wall and make their way into the courtyard. The courtyard is of packed earth and has an eerie air of desolation. Jagged boulders embedded in the ground seem to have dropped here, or be thrown from a great distance; many of the walls bear large dents and cracks where the might have struck. Two massive skeletons lie opposite ends of the courtyard, one propped up by the watchtower and the other sprawled at the far end by a building that could be a stable. Under the rubble they just climbed over is a third massive skeleton, partially buried.

To your right is a squat building, its worn wooden door is closed. Ahead of you, across the courtyard, is a building the full width of the keep that looks to be a stable. On your left is larger building, probably the main keep, and there is a large hole knocked in the wall. With a brief glance you can make out some kind of wooden screen propped up between large boulders and the faint glow of what is probably a small fire coming from inside that building.

OOC: I'm just going to assume there are no objections

Xara eagerly takes the lead and scrambles over the rubble and into the building on the left side. The interior of the building is spacious. Wooden timbers support the roof, and here and there are remains of what were once interior dividing walls. Two large boulders are on the floor near where you enter. Near there is a crude, damaged, wooden screen, behind which you can see a large bed. Against the west wall you can see four double beds lined up. Two of the beds are occupied by sleeping hobgoblins.

You can see that rubble, probably from the hole in the wall you clambered through, is piled up to make a crude fire pit in the north part of the room. There are two hobgoblins standing by the fire, their back to you, overcooking some game meat. A minotaur is sitting nearby, leaned up against the wall. Before you can react his eyes fix on you. He stands, grabbing the greataxe leaned up against the wall beside him and shouts, "Intruders!" The hobgoblins at the fire startle into action, spinning towards you and reaching for their blades. The sleeping hobgoblins slowly stir.

Combat! Player's win Initiative again, so you lot are up. It's a move action just to get over the rubble into the building, or a move action to go around and enter through the door (which would put you in combat with the two hobs by the fire). Once inside, a move action is sufficient to get into melee with whichever group you wish. Xara is already inside.

Rurik fires a blast, but the rubble shifts under his feet and the bolt strikes the wall behind the minotaur.

OOC: not because of firing into melee, there's no penalty for that, but there is disadvantage for ranged attacks from the loose rubble! Also, that explains where you've been. Well, we've got a 6th player coming in as I was getting worried; on the plus side 6 will mean upcoming encounters can be a bit more mean; and we can stay active even if one player is on 'holiday' or only posting slowly

The crystals sparkle and glow, bursting into bright light as they near their targets. The two hobgoblins begin flailing about holding their eyes, with one hand and swinging their blades with the other. They continue flailing in Xara's direction, both swinging so wildly that the rogue is easily able to deflect and avoid their attacks.

While letting out a thunderous battlecry, the minotaur recklessly swings its greataxe at Corban, which the fighter nearly deflects. The blade bites into his armor and the force of impact leaves Corban reeling a bit.

The two hobgoblins on the beds stir awake at the sounds of battle and groggily roll themselves off the beds and grab their swords.

Hobgoblins miss horribly and are blind
Minotaur hits Corban for 13 damage
Sleeping hobgoblins are waking up

Attacks against the Minotaur have Advantage!

Corban and Kaiakas are engaged with the Minotaur
Xara is engaged with the two blind Hobgoblins

Rurik and Zaris and Jorr are hanging out on the loose rubble, which is a bit unstable and difficult to shoot from. Moving off of it, however, will mean moving into the melee with Xara, such is the dangers of tight quarters.

Party... go!