Perfect Strangers

Perfect Strangers is the 2nd Chapter in the SKT Saga.

Short Summary
The Strangers fight more goblins.

Long Summary
The four come to this town, each for their own reasons, and end up in the middle of goblin raid on the heels of a giant attack. They are each stuck with what they see as a random assortment of characters they don't understand and certainly don't like.

So Lox is still recovering from the events of the last chapter. Almond has managed to calm his psyche down enough to get up and start digging a grave for the goblins that just died while Benedikt examines the bodies with a detached, academic interest.

Nightshade, being Nightshade, has been on high alert the entire time. He notices that the windmill to the east seems to be turning slowly despite a complete lack of wind. After straining his ears somewhat, he makes out what sounds like singing and immediately alerts the others.

With the bodies buried, Almond steels himself for whatever may come next and Benedikt reacts to the news with characteristic indifference. Lox is terrified and wonders why they aren't running. Almond cites his promise to Kella and his desire to help anyone else who may have survived. Benedikt sees it as an opportunity to make a buck and learn more about goblins. Nightshade says he has business interests here. Lox, not wanting to be in the forest by himself, decides to stick with these nut cases.

With their objective now being to search and destroy the goblin infestation, the party heads towards the windmill. All but Almond stick close to the ground and try to make as little noise as possible while he lumbers along seemingly oblivious to the situation right before an arrow strikes the ground in front of him.

The party looks up to see a pair of singing goblins jumping around on the windmill blades. They proved to be fairly hard to hit due to having highground and adequate cover while the party were basically fish in a barrel. Benedikt took an arrow to the chest and another one to the area where his forehead would be before he managed to use one of his spells to pull a goblin off the windmill and drop it to its demise. Nightshade meanwhile had run into the pitch black interior of the windmill and found a ladder leading upwards. When he got to the top, he found a very dead goblin pinned to a windmill blade by one of Lox's arrows. He called to the party to come inside to take a breather before settling himself at the top of the windmill to keep watch.

The others herded in, lit up a lantern and barricaded the door with some sacks they found. They tended to their various wounds with Benedikt ripping out the arrows in his chest and face, seemingly more annoyed than in pain much to the others' distress. When prompted by Lox on how he's not in a coma or worse, Benedikt told him to mind his own business.

Almond speaks up about how they should take this moment to get to know each other a little since they were in a potentially fatal situation together. Nightshade chose this moment  to climb down stating that his eyes were not nearly as good in the dark as the rest of the party's were and that they would be better served with someone else on look out. Lox immediately volunteers, obviously  reluctant to talk about himself.

Almond, seeing as noone else was in the mood to share, decided to start a conversation himself. He talked about how he used to have a friend very similar to Nightshade and that he understands what kind of person he is. Nightshade simply remarks by saying he used to have friends. Almond offers his hand in friendship to Nightshade and he, somewhat bemused, accepts. Almond asks Nightshade if he could at least give him a name that wasn't so obviously fake and nightshade responds by telling him that since he is his friend, Almond may call him Shade from now on, prompting the first break in the bleak and oppressive atmosphere of the situation with a bit of laughter.

Not too long after, Lox calls out saying he hears activity from the direction of the town square and sees some movement. The party gets ready and this time all stealthily make their way in that direction. Nightshade maintains some distance from the party at the rear to look out for anyone that may attack them from the back. The other three peak around from behind one of the house bordering the square and see 4 goblins huddled together in front of the inn. They looked like they were comparing pilfered items.

Almond suggests a rather overly complicated and unfeasible plan of attack leading to Lox and Benedikt agreeing on something for the first time since they've met and rejecting it outright. They attack from cover, surprising the goblins and quickly dispatch two of them. The remaining two, not being able to successfully mount a counterattack start to run. Lox nocks another arrow but finds himself unable to shoot someone that's running away. The rest of the party catch up to the goblins and Almond manages to knock them both out.

While Almond is working tying one up Nightshade walks up to the other and casually slits it's throat before anyone can stop him. Lox is horrified and screams at Nightshade, calling him scum with no honor. Nightshade counters by saying that when they fight with honor, the goblins win. Lox retorts saying that Nightshade's actions prove that there is no  difference between him and the goblins. Almond, not wanting this to come to blows and battling moral demons of his own, chimes in saying that they are both right and wrong to an extent. That Lox might be a bit too naive and Nightshade was too quick to draw blood. He looks to Benedikt who simply says that goblin lives don't matter. Almond accuses him of caring very little about the value of life. Benedikt stares back and says that Almond has no idea.

They break off and and the party begin going through the goblins' loot in silence. As Almond finished tying the remaining goblin to the well in front of the inn, they all begin to hear the sound of distant hoof beats.

Characters

 * Strangers
 * Almond
 * Benedikt
 * Lox
 * Nightshade
 * Goblins

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