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The human cleric's brow furrowed slightly as she tried to see under the stranger's hood. The teeth looked decidedly not human and she took an involuntary half a step back from him, hand finding her mace, though she did not draw it from her belt.

If Nightfrost's guesses about the beast being some kind of shapeshifter or were-creature were right... then maybe it resided among the residents of Hirot. Maybe this was the beast!

"How?" she asked, her tone challenging and suspicious, motioning to her companions to get their attention.

(May I join in?)

Xepil leaned back when he saw the cleric reach for her mace. So much for thinking that the priestess would be less likely to try and bash his head in. "Whoa! Hey! Easy there, sister, grrr." He raised his hands, and sure enough his palms were of an orange color, his fingernails black and long like those of an orc. "The way beasts are usually slain, by stabbing 'em repeatedly, grrr."

He placed his hands back on the table, keeping them in plain view and making no motion to reach for any of his weapons in an attempt to not look suspicious. "I'm just an experienced beast slayer trying to offer some help, that's all, grrrr."

Galiena's grasp came away from the mace, though she glanced quickly at Xepil's hands, taking note of the claw-like nails before returning her gaze to his hooded face. "Then let us stand together against this beast," she said cautiously, gesturing to herself, her companions, and this stranger offering to help. She was still suspicious, of course, but if there was a chance he was the beast, what better way to keep an eye on him.

It was growing dark by now. "Tonight, then?" She looked to Rae, since the dwarf had been the first to suggest such.

Rae moved toward the cleric with a skeptical eye trained on the cloaked figure. Her eyes narrowed, and she "harumphed" loudly at the sight of his hands. What was one of that kind doing here in these parts?

But, as much as she didn't like it, his method of dealing with the problem seemed rather similar to her own preferences - all this talk of books and such seemed to her a waste of valuable time.

"Oh, uh, yeh," she replied after a brief pause to Galiena's question, "Best chance we got in a couple o' days, I s'pose. ...Kin we take our supper with us, friend?" She turned her head and raised her voice for the inn keep to hear, but she still kept her eyes on the shifty, hooded character at the table.

"Excellent, grrrhehe!" The cloaked figure smiled with those razor sharp fangs of his and chuckled in approval. "Glad to find some level headed folk around here, grrr."

Sure, the gumping of the dwarf didn't escape his notice but that she hadn't tried to hammer him on the spot was a good sign.

He lowered his hood then revealing his identity, and sure enough he was not of human stock. Long pointy ears, yellow eyes, sharp teeth and a distinctive orange coloured skin. He was a bonna fide hobgoblin.

"Name's Xepil, grrr." He introduced himself offering a hand to shake towards the cleric. "Who might you fellow hunters be, grrr."

Galiena swallowed hard and hesitated as Xepil offered her his hand, the seeming universal sign of peace and alliance. Indeed, the holy symbol around the cleric's neck was that of two hands grasped in friendship, so how could she refuse? Still, a hobgoblin!?

She forced a smile and reached out her right hand to accepts Xepil's, grasping it firmly and making a conscious effort not to cringe when his claw-like nails brushed momentarily against her skin. "I'm Galiena Reyns. This is Rae."

The others were already digging into the hot meal the grateful tavern keep had provided. And it was soon agreed they (Nightfrost, Myrah, & Thorin) would remain here to ensure Morgan was protected. If the Jarl caught wind that she'd been freed, there was some concern he'd come try to take her again to be sacrificed.

Rae, Xepil, & Galiena made their way, with dinner in hand, back toward the front gates of Hirot, where the guards Mocle and Naven were stationed, warming themselves before a small iron brazier.

But barely had they reached the pair when loud thuds and terrified screaming rang out down the road that ran along the western wall of Hirot...

Rae scoffed audibly when Galiena reached to the... intruder... for a handshake. And she absolutely refused to allow it to walk behind her to the gate; she brought up the rear herself.

The thumping and screams actually made her start, and she immediately whirled around in their direction. "Whae's that? 'S it inside the wall?" Her eyes turned upwards to the two guards for answers.

So far, so good. Xepil never considered himself a shrewd negotiator but he certainly felt like patting himself on the back after convincing a human to let him join her party -and- convincing a *dwarf* of all things to not attack him. Too bad Xepil was too fond of battle to switch careers anyways..

Partaking in just a little bit of the food, because he didn't like to fight with a full stomach, Xepil hustled along and moved with the rest of the group. He felt a little unnerved that the dwarf was walking behind him and kept stealing glances over his shoulder to look at Rae, just to make sure that she wasn't about to smash him on the back of his head with her hammer.

Fortunately for everyone, screams were heard nearby which meant that the dwarf and hobgoblin had bigger problems to worry about than each other.

"That didn't take long, grrr." Xepil grumbled and pulled out one of his long looking javelins and loaded it on a strange crowbar looking thing.

"I don't suppose you guys figured out what this thing is, eh? Grrrr." He looked towards the cleric. "Either way, think you can bless our weapons? Grrrr. That sometimes does the trick, grrrr."

"The Beast is here!" Mocle cried loudly, giving warning to the other night watchmen stationed around Hirot's perimeter.

Naven took a few tentative steps in the direction of the screams, wanting to make sure Mocle was coming too before he went darting off to face the threat alone. "The wall don't give it much pause..." he said to dwarf.

"The elf thought perhaps a werewolf or a hellhound," Galiena answered the hobgoblin quickly, now losing her suspicion that Xepil was actually the beast.

Reaching out, she touched both Xepil's shoulder and Rae's shoulder. "Ulesh! Grant us your divine protection so that we may keep the peace here in Hirot!"

((No game effect for that as it was a prayer only, not a spell. She's a lot more limited in what favors she can ask from her deity than she would be in 5e!))

Xepil blinked as he felt no different after Galiena's blessing. Huh, this certainly felt different than when the Hobgoblin shamans blessed the warriors before going into battle-- he didn't feel stronger at all!

This could be problematic, looks like Xepil had overestimated these adventurers and they might not be as strong as he originally assumed.

Oh well, looks like he was going to have this the old fashioned way.

"Okay, grrrr, no one panic!" Xepil said, sounding suspiciously like he was trying to calm -himself- down.

"Higher ground, grrr.. we need to find higher ground where we can see this thing from a safe distance. Let's not barrel in there without knowing what we're fighting, grrr!"

"Hey you, human! Grrr!" The Hob yelled at Naven. "Lemme use yer watch tower! Grrr!"

Then he turned to Rae. "Dwarf, I'm counting on ya to protect our cleric, grrr!"

Rae sighed and glowered at being given instructions by a hobgoblin - of all the insufferable and demeaning things! She was tempted to put him in his place, but the beast seemed to warrant greater urgency. A low growl still rumbled from her throat at him.

"Galiena, tell 'im that if he's ever thought 'bout lightin' them things," her hand waved at his weapons, "afire, now's as good a time as any." The dwarf spoke loudly enough that the hobgoblin could hear her fine, but she couldn't possibly be put out to address him directly. Rae continued to address the cleric with a bit of concern for the lady's safety, "D'ye think ye wanna stay here or p'raps head back to the inn? Warn the others 'n' sich? Though I shan't be unglad if'n ye decide t'stick with us..."

There's a catwalk that runs the circumference of the palisade and the two night watchmen move along it toward the screams, leaving the platform free for the adventurers, should they choose to utilize it.

Galiena drew her mace, no thought of running back to the Wolf Spear entering her mind. "I'll come with you. Perhaps the beast can be turned."

Anyone getting up on the platform or the catwalk will see the beast, clawing and scratching at one of the homes. A window has been broken and the screams are coming from inside.

A catwalk!? Xepil grabs the side of his head in surprise. Isn't there a ladder up the tower?? It'd be faster AND easier to defend! Oh man, would these humans not last a day in Hobgoblin military.

Regardless, he runs up to the tower while heeding Rae's words, apparently missing her condescending tone. "Right, grrr, set it on fire. Prolly a good idea, grr." He says to himself. It's clear that Xepil doesn't have enough personal issues with dwarves to hold enmity with Rae. Though then again, he's not exactly a traditionalist, otherwise he wouldn't be here in human lands.

As he makes his way up and looks down, his balks a little at the sight of the beast. "What the hell is that thing!? Grrr!" He says to himself, definitely certain he's never seen something like that before. It looks like some kind of cross between a dragon and a wolf.

He wastes no time though, setting his atl-atl dart on fire with a nearby torch and aiming down at the creature. "Here goes nothing.. GRAA!" Says the Hobgoblin steeling himself before hurling a javelin at the beast.

With the advantage of the high ground, Xepil's burning javelin barely scrapes the beast's flank, leaving a singed line through its fur along its hindquarters. ((Roll 1d6 damage!))

Meanwhile, Mocle and Naven, from their positions on the catwalk, each fire their already-loaded crossbows at the hound. Mocle's shot goes wide, while Naven's looks to hit home, disappearing into the thicker mane-like hair on the creature's neck. The beast growls and turns, mouth displaying its sharp teeth and fangs, baleful eyes falling on the two night watchmen, rocking its weight back to its hindquarters as if preparing to lunge.

Galiena considers climbing up to the tower with Xepil, but she has no ranged weapon. She hesitates for just a moment, looking to the dwarf, but then rushes around the corner until the beast comes into view for her too, just as Xepil's javelin scrapes it. She grasps her holy symbol and holds it aloft, saying a prayer to Ulesh and steadily approaches the beast. ((Will resolve next turn.))

Rae shakes her head at the apparently useless wall and defenses. And this is why underground is better.

She's not disappointed in the cleric's decision to stick around for a fight and hustles her way toward the commotion. Despite her dislike of the hobgoblin and his kind, she still manages to grin as his flaming weapon hits the beast. Aye, that ain't no hound neither...

Not wanting to miss an opportunity while the hideous creature recoils from the two hits, she rushes forward and swings her heavy hammer upward to deliver a hard uppercut to its jaw.

((I think I lost some of my stats or something... Can you remind me what to roll? Do I have a modifier? Thanks!))