Thursday 12 July 1280, Afternoon (Bluff and Sneak)

Oloc laughs out loud at the predicament (of his own making) that he finds himself in. He lowers the scroll slowly and shakes his head.

"Look, I know this sounds crazy, but I was bluffing. I thought you were some of Mackey's men returning to the hideout." He raises his hands slowly. "We're on the same side here. We're working for Belloc and Alanna - they've sent men to back us up. They're on their way now."

Oloc motions to the others to stay calm. "The rest of my party is at the mouth of the cave. How about we talk calmly about how we can work together to get Mackey, yeah?"

The hobgoblin bounty hunter squints at Oloc. "Bluffing, huh? How do we know you're not bluffing now? If you were Mackey's brother, isn't that exactly what you would say?" The humanoid tightens his grip on the crossbow trained on Oloc. "I'm going to count to three. If you haven't slowly and gently laid down your arms, my friends and I will have to carry you back to town. One... two..."

*****

Having heard Oloc's voice, which should never have happened unless things have gone wrong, Varros lets the others know he suspects something is amiss. He suggests they move on Oloc's position quietly with bows at the ready.

Although Duran didn't hear the noise, he follows Varros' lead. Gaven follows the two others and acts as rear guard equipped with shield and spear.

As the three men move toward Oloc and the hirelings, they spot a hobgoblin crouched in the foliage, with a small shield and a hammer at the ready. The hobgoblin seems to be peering toward the sound of the conversation. For the moment he is silent and unmoving, but he looks ready to pounce at the drop of a hat.

From above Karnak flutters onto a branch. He seems to realize that the two fighters and the cleric have spotted the hobgoblin, and he makes no sound.

*****

OOC: Actions?

Notes on visibility and audibility:  

1. The tree symbols on the map are just abstractions, and do not represent individual trees. The whole area is wooded and there's plenty of dense underbrush where there are no trees. Basically everybody has at least partial cover at all times (as before with the bandit sentries).

2. Varros, Duran and Gaven can see the hobgoblin with the hammer, but they cannot see Oloc or the Hobgoblin with the crossbow. They can hear Oloc talking clearly, and have a good sense of where he and the hirelings are. The hobgoblin with the crossbow is talking quietly enough that they cannot hear him, though they know someone they can't see is in the vicinity (since Oloc is clearly talking to someone outside the party).

3. Oloc (and the hirelings) can only see the hobgoblin with the crossbow. While Oloc cannot see Varros, Duran and Gaven (or hear them since they're sneaking up silently), he could reasonably assume that they might be on their way, and he would logically know the direction from which they are approaching.

4. Neither hobgoblin gives any indication of being aware of Varros, Duran and Gaven.