Rise of the Runelords

[thewamp]

Rise of the Runelords
Chapter One
Burnt Offerings

"Welcome to Sandpoint! Please stop to see yourself as we see you!" Thus reads a weather-worn sign hanging next to either entrance to the town. The words are freshly painted over for the Swallowtail festival and the mirror hanging next to the sign looks almost clean.

The day of the Swallowtail festival dawns bright and clear. For the past three days, Brodert Quink had been warning everyone who would listen that this or that clearly indicated that there was a chance of rain, but you never could tell. His cryptic warnings were, luckily, unfounded.

The atmosphere was excited that morning. It seemed more like the first day of the spring than the first day of the fall, as tents and tables sprouted up all through the square in front of the new Cathedral. On the steps, a harried-looking man with a hat is forcing a merchant with some rather useless looking cooking implements to move his table.

The crowd is growing slowly as the appointed hour of the festival draws near and there is a palpable air of excitement. A pair of twin toddlers rush through the crowd, bumping into ankles and causing havoc for a minute or two until a worried mother rushes them off to a dim grey tent, scolding loudly. Two men, one tall and one very short, have dragged out a small table and are playing a game with stones and dice, completely ignoring their surroundings. And if you look carefully, through one of the several windows of the Cathedral, the mayor can be spotted, concentration on her rather unattractive features as she mouths words to herself.


OOC Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=211663)
Dice-Rolling Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=212243)

Alright, just a few notes
1. Keep everything crunchy inside a spoiler in this thread
2. Quick comments are okay too, but much more and you should move the conversation to the OOC thread.
3. You can make voluntary checks any time it's appropriate. There may or may not be behind-the-scenes checks going on at any given time.
4. Unlike this post, comments in spoilers should be short and sweet. Anything truly lengthy and there's always the OOC thread.

One last note: I intentionally didn't mention any of you. Feel free to decide where you are in the town (or if you're not quite there yet, I suppose). Mingle, visit some part of the town, whatever you want. If you want some input, Feel free to PM me.

[Jabulani]

Mannix wakes with a pounding head and dry mouth, his tongue tasting of vinegar and his hair smelling of smoke. He stares at an unfamiliar ceiling for a few moments before turning his head to look at the slumbering wench at his side. Her hair is matted, and the paint that she had applied to her face in thick measures is cracked and uneven. Not one of his best, that one.

Swiftly, but noiselessly, he dresses, scowling as he notices a small stain on his shirt sleeve, and leaves the room, not bothering to look back at the woman. Downstairs, the house is small, but well furnished, and he takes several pieces of fruit from a bowl before exiting into the street.

Rather a fine day, he thinks to himself as he enjoys the morning sun on his face. And my, isn't everyone excited?

The excitement that the festival has generated amuses him. Sandpoint is exactly the sort of place that, a year ago, he would have avoided like the plague, so pathetic were the lives of its citizens that something like the consecration of a church would drive them into a lather of excitement. Still, in the few days he has been in town he has found the inns to be accommodating, and the women even more so. He has yet to pay for a night's lodging, save for the cost of a bottle of wine or two and a false compliment dropped at the right time.

Taking pains to look carefree and unbothered by the whole thing, he saunters along to the town square and takes a perch on a low wall, watching the crowd with mild disdain and winking at any women who catch his eye.

[Exthalion]

Brodert Quink's warnings had gone unheeded in several homes. Goodman Karrod's was one of them. They thought well enough of Brodert, but they had a rather more reliable guide for the weather. Harnin firstson had not been wrong ever about the next day's weather. It was but one of the many things his family had gotten used to.

At first they had been afraid, thinking perhaps the widow Gerta had been right and his soul had been replaced with a demon or his body exchanged by faeries. There were many superstitions and the circumstances under which their son came to them had made many of those beliefs seem much more relevant.

In time they grew to accept that it was just a skill he had. When he said the birds told him he meant that he observed their flying. When he said he saw the sun write the future upon the clouds they thought it piety. Like any human they grew accustom to it and added it to the list of things he should not speak of.

Pulling into harbor their nets were laden with fish. Harnin's long sleeved tunic was sweaty and clung to his back. Dispute the warm sunshine he had no intention of taking it off. After his father released him, Harnin began a leisurely and meandering walk toward the cathedral. Karrod had noticed of late that the fishmongers were unsettled around his son. He wasn't ashamed of his child by any means but...

[marcielle]

'Keld!' Ameiko roared. 'KELD!'

'Yes, Amy?' Keld zooms by holding an inordinate amount of cleaning apparati.
'Keld, it's nearly time fer the festival!'
'I know, I've already washed the sheets in all the rooms and moped the floors. The kitchen has been scrubbed and all I need to do is...'
'I meant you should be going out there an...'
Keld zooms off, leaving a trail of cleanliness behind him.
Ameiko sighs and rolls her eyes. She casually extends her hand and catches Keld on his next pass.
'I MEANT, that you should be out there havin some fun, boy'.
'But there are so many people coming to town today and the Inn-'
'Won't come a crashing down the second you step out the door. Granted, the Inn's never been cleaner since you walked in, but it did fine before you and it will continue to do fine so git out there and go do some kid stuff or so help me I will boot you out ,boy,' Ameiko says affectionately.
'Ok...' Keld says, smiling back at Amy. He walks out with a slightly confused expression.
'Hey, Bel?'
'Yeah?'
'What do kids do?'
'Whut now?':smallconfused:
'I sorta never saw another kid except at church gatherings, and I'm pretty sure they were on forced behaviour then...'
'Oh, I dunno. Summon undead mockeries of life from beyond the Shadowfell and go girrallon ****on defenseless peasants?'
'OK, I get it. Wrong person to ask'.
'Ah don't sweat it. We'll just watch the other kids and worst come to worst, just stand there and smile at people'.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

As the sign had instructed, Wesh drew to a halt upon reaching the mirror. He placed his hands on his hips and admired the view. Mae-Lin peered out from behind him, her relatively unrestrained hair swinging close to the ground as she did so.
"Looks like they've got everything spick and span for this festival thing," Wesh observed, stroking his goatee as he tilted his head this way and that, trying to get a better look at himself.
Mae-Lin glanced back up at the lettering.
"If this is how Sandpoint sees us, we're going to be laughed out of town," she grumbled.
Wesh paused in his preening to lay a hand on the little one's head.
"Ah tush," he said playfully, "You look cute as a button." He grinned, straightening the massive paper butterfly Relisys had put in her hair before they left.
"I was mostly talking about you, actually." She replied tritely.
The human turned to her with an exaggerated expression of indignance, somewhat difficult to read behind the many layers of ultramarine paint that masked the upper half of his face. He looked at her with extreme sternness for a few seconds before breaking into a large smirk.
"I've no idea why you wouldn't let them do one for you, Mae-Lin!" he guffawed before returning his attention to the mirror, checking that the trailing tails were still intact on both cheeks. "There's hardly a more fitting way to honour Desna than this, is there? Besides, it brings out my eyes rather nicely, don't you think?" he fluttered his red lashes. True enough, the contrast between closed blackened lids and opened ones revealing emerald green eyes in the centres of the butterfly's upper wings was rather striking, but Mae-Lin didn't think having a large insect painted on her face was a look for her. The hair ornament was quite bad enough.
"So what kind of thing are we expecting today?" she asked, somewhat eager to be getting on.
The preener shrugged. "Well, we'll see when we get there, won't we?" He experimented with holding his long locks back away from his face. "To tie or not to tie... what d'you reckon Mae?"
She waved a hand dismissively. "I'm sure you'll get plenty of attention either way," she sighed, not too wearily for she was still fond of Wesh despite his habits. "Are we supposed to be meeting this priest guy again beforehand or...?
He turned from the mirror once more, letting his hair drop.
"You know, I'm not really sure..." he mused. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to have a look for him."
Mae-Lin stepped neatly out of his shadow and into the street. The feel of warm cobbles under the soles was always a curious, but not altogether unpleasant, one.
"Let's see if we can find him then," she strode onwards and Wesh trotted after her, apparently not too sorry to leave the mirror behind.
"And if you really want to know: it probably looked slightly better tied back." she passed him a ribbon over her shoulder without looking back at him.

They're just heading straight to the cathedral, providing they don't come across anything of particular interest beforehand.
[roll0] [roll1] (feel free to ignore the rolls, just indicating that Mae-Lin's looking about etc.)

[Roethke]

Felix rode his horse through the streets of Sandpoint towards the sounds and smells of the festival. Even not fully armored and armed, his fleshy bulk cut an obtrusive, if not quite imposing figure. The golden key of Abadar hanging from his waist clinked gently against his horse's tack as he rode.

Inhaling, he felt pleased to be returning to Sandpoint. He had walked through here as a caravan guard years ago, until that business with the 'Chopper' had cut down on trade. But this festival was evidence in itself that the people of Sandpoint had worked their way into Abadar's good grace once again.

And now he was here with a purpose. If he were to track down that merchant , Goodman Calhoun, he best check in with the Sheriff first. It was possible that Calhoun would not rediscover his piety without some sharp convincing, and the local seculars usually like to know about such things.

The looks some gave him upon seeing the Key of office gave him a bit of pause. He would need to get used to the ingratiating glances of those who had some unpaid debt or fraud in their business, or the scowls of the poor who disdained Abadar and were surprised when the gift of wealth did not falll to them.

But the wafting smell of sausage quelled such thoughts. The business of Abadar could wait just a moment, and surely the Sheriff had his hands full just now. He halted and dismounted, hitching his horse, 'Fair Measure' to the nearest post and patted the beast on the neck. Don't worry girl, I'll get one for you as well. You've ridden long, carrying quite a burden, he said to the horse, patting his belly. The horse whinnied in agreement which Felix thought was just a touch enthusiastic.

Striding towards the sausage vendor, he held up a finger, saying One please, for me, and an extra roll for my horse, if you will.

[Exthalion]

Harnin was having a fairly good day so far. Only one person had made the sign of the horns when he walked by, and that was the widow Nerta who's only son had died in the Late Unpleasantness. He bowed to her and said in his most respectful tone, "Nay I envied not, yet the Solar Mistress perceive thee with a more welcome countenance." She had started at that.

On his way to the festival he stopped at home, only to find that his siblings had already gone ahead to the cathedral while his mother stayed to mind a few things. It was still early enough that the Sarenrae's light was not yet harsh. He carefully slunk into the alley between the Fisher home and their neighbors, an alley conveniently without windows from either house and fronting a seldom traveled street.

Carefully, after checking that Glass street was deserted he peeled off his tunic. He laid it down to dry and calmed himself a moment before kneeling and beginning to pray,

"O day like thunder, O day like fire, hallowed is the Dawn!

Songs of praise were I to raise forever lacking still to balance the scales of my inequity. Yet your mercy has exceeded all my deads and forever I shall say Amen!

With unhallowed flesh and profaning tongue I honor you, yet still the sun shines down upon me. With unclean mind and stubborn heart I exalt you, yet thy light is my great comfort. Surly righteousness and compassion will my pharos be for you are my guide through darkness.

In these small words my heart pours out its excess. If I am full of sorrow let me be emptied and your joy like rain envelop me till all my speech become blessings and all my thoughts become praise.

You have listened where I had nothing worth saying and so this day, of your light freely given, I ask you accept; a sacrifice of intention for I have naught else of worth."

So saying he stood, shrugged back on the still sweaty shirt and made his way more directly to the cathedral. The goddess had sheltered him in her mercy, what ingratitude it would be to wallow in sorrow!

[thewamp]

The crowd is still growing as the first speaker walks up to the top step of the cathedral, where a small podium has been set up. There is an instant hush, but as the mayor plainly isn't quite ready to speak, rustling through the parchment in front of her, the crowd slowly resumes its loud chatter.

An attractive young woman with a rather simple bonnet smiles up at Mannix on his wall. He winks and she smiles and is then pulled away by an older man, perhaps her father. He never notices Mannix, casting about for someone in the crowd. As they go, the girl is shouting at her father, but over the noise of the crowd, it's impossible to make out.

The girl and her father smile as they pass Harnin, giving what is perhaps an exaggerated greeting, as one might greet someone very young. Once he has passed, the father pulls the daughter along, as she looks curiously over her shoulder at the strange, but not unattractive man.

When they pass Keld, the daughter giggles. Her father looks down at her perplexed, and as they rush on, Keld might be able to hear her say, "Well, it seems like we're passing every strange person in Sandpoint, one after another." Her father grunts, but still hasn't found who he's looking for and pulls her onward.

To Mae-Lin's left, a young woman with curly brown hair spilling over her shoulders is talking to a dusty-haired young man. If the rumors around town are true, the girl is Katrine Vinder and the man works at the lumber mill. She suddenly gasps and pushes him away and not a moment too soon - a man who looks like her father pushes past Felix without even noticing him, half-dragging an exasperated looking daughter.

"Katrine, where have you been, the mayor's about to speak!" the older man grumbles.

She frowns prettily and shrugs. "I've been right here father, waiting for the mayor to give his speech..."

He looks like he's about to say something else, but as he opens his mouth, the mayor finally clears her mouth to speak.

The turnout for the opening speeches is quite respectable, and the four keynote speakers each deliver short but well-received welcomes to the festival. Mayor Deverin’s friendly attitude and excitement prove contagious as she welcomes visitors to town and jokes about how even Larz Rovanky, the local tanner (and notorious workaholic) managed to tear himself away from the tannery to attend, much to everyone’s but Larz’s amusement.

Sheriff Hemlock brings the crowd down a bit with his dour mood, his reminder to be safe around the evening’s bonfire, and his request for a moment of silence to remember those who lost their lives in the fire that claimed the town’s previous church five years ago.

Fortunately, Cyrdak Drokkus is more than up to the challenge of bringing the crowd’s mood back up with his rousing anecdotes as he delivers a not-completely-irrev- erent recap of the long process the town went through to finance and construct the new cathedral. He throws in a bit of self-pro- motion at the end, as is his wont, inviting everyone to stop by the Sandpoint Theater the following evening to check out his new production of “The Harpy’s Curse,” revealing that the lead role of Avisera the harpy queen will be played by none other than the famous Magnimarian diva Allishanda!

Finally, Father Zantus steps up give a short speech thanking everyone for coming before declaring the Swallowtail Festival underway.

[marcielle]

"What does SHE think is so funny?"
"Oh, her? She thinks I'm crazy."
"Because you 13 and could give Larz a run for his money?"
"Because she thinks I talk to myself."
"Pfff. It's not like you're the only person who can hear me."
"True, but the only people who've actually heard you are Amy and Mr. Hemlock. Mayor Dev probably suspects."
"What?"
"You're usually busy talking at the time. I've noticed her just staying very quite around me sometimes. I think she was trying to listen for you."
"We'll have to watch for her. Who knows what else she might find out."

Keld nods with an expression far too dark and serious for one his age.

[thewamp]

Actually, you know what, let's push the plot forward further than that...

Also, just to give you some heads up, this is your opportunity to narrate what's going on throughout the course of the festival until early evening, if you are so inclined.

At noon, Father Zantus and his acolytes wheel a large covered wagon into the square, and after recounting the short parable of how Desna first fell to earth and was nursed back to health by a blind child who she transformed into an immortal butterfly as a reward for her aid, they pull aside the wagon’s cover, releasing the thousand children of Desna—a furious storm of a thousand swallowtail butterflies that swarm into the air in a spiraling riot of color to a great cheer from the crowd. Throughout the rest of the day, children futilely chase butterflies, never quite quick enough to catch them.
Lunch is provided free, at the expense of Sandpoint’s taverns. Each brings its best dishes—this event is a marketing push by the taverns as much to win new customers as it is to feed a hungry crowd. It soon becomes apparent that the darling of the lunch is, once again, Ameiko Kaijitsu, whose remarkable curry-spiced salmon and early winterdrop mead easily overshadow the other offerings, such as the Hagfish’s lobster chowder or the White Deer’s peppercorn venison.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Though she took care to keep an ear out for each of the key speakers' words, Mae-Lin was equally attentive to the gathered masses the festival had attracted. The older man who'd been shoving his way through the crowd was evidently being less observant as he seemed to see no problem with attempting to tug his daughter directly through Mae-Lin herself. This almost knocked her flat but she managed to catch her balance. Wesh scowled at this discourtousy, but a gentle pull on his sleeve and firm shake of the head prevented him from confronting the man to give him 'a piece of his mind'. The mayor preparing to begin her speech distracted him too, of course.
Mae-Lin glanced behind her in the direction from which Mr Vinder had came and noticed a robust figure with an ostentatious symbol of Abadar attached to it. He appeared to be the owner of the unattended horse.
She listened to the speeches, nodding in silent recognition when Wesh nudged her at the appearance of Father Zantus. When the butterflies were released she clapped and cheered with the rest, and was impressed enough by the spectacle to permit Wesh to hoist her onto his shoulders for a better view.
If they'd been impressed by the butterflies though, the food was another matter. The duo split up to better take advantage of what was on offer. Wesh went to the tables on the left, and Mae-Lin to those on the right. Once they'd each collected a sample of everything on offer and about as much food as they could balance, they met up again.
'M'gonna haf to get cher m'ther an t'others, Mae," Wesh announced through a mouthfull, passing her a small platter with a selection from his tables, 'atsh the bes' schtuff righ there," he added, jabbing a finger at some curried salmon "Make sure you have some of that one!". She passed him a platter from her tables with a smile.
"We won' hear thend of it if we take advantage of a free lunch this size without letting her in on it!" he finished, swallowing. "Lemme know what I miss, 'K?"
She nodded, readjusting the small banquet she held in her arms. He patted her on the back and ran off, quickly vanishing amongst the revellers.

[marcielle]

Keld continues to run around aimlessly among the butterflies
'Hahaha, that kid there just hit the dirt face first.'
'... Do you think we're suppose to be chasing the butterflies or something?'
'Why would you want a butterfly?'
'I have no idea. I hate bugs.'

Keld stops running suddenly.

'Hey, heads up. That's a priest at 10 o'clock.'
'I know. Abadar... Festivals aren't as fun as I thought they would be.'
'Aww, this is a **** festival anyway. There aren't even any sacrifices or blood orgies.'
'I am not sure whether to be more troubled by what you just said, or that I know what a blood orgy is.'

'Hey wanna see if the new church really IS magically fireproof?'
'On it.'

Detect Magic on new church.

[Jabulani]

Mannix does his best to look thoroughly bored throughout the speeches, and only half listens as he looks over the crowd, catching the eyes of as many young maidens as he can. He hasn’t exercised his sword arm in over two weeks now, and he is itching to find some young hothead who will challenge him, though hopefully someone with some degree of skill, as he is getting quite fed up with the one-sided affairs that he has had to take part in of late. Sadly, no one here seems to fit the bill: the usual mixture of overweight, dour militiamen and young boys who still haven’t grown out of playing with wooden swords. No sport in any of that, and even less profit, no doubt.

He winks, smiles, and licks his lips at several more pretty young females, earning himself several reproachful glares from protective fathers, much to his amusement. He almost laughs out loud at the ridiculous tale of the blind child, and can’t stop himself from doing so as the crowd cheers at the butterfly release. The whole charade is hilarious, and the free lunch a bonus to what is shaping up to be a rather entertaining day.

The peppercorn venison is his favourite, despite the apparent preference for the salmon, and he enjoys several helpings, all washed down with some of Ameiko’s mead. By the time the tables are being cleared away he is quite full and content, and ready for some fun.

Approaching a young lady accompanied by an older fellow, most likely her father, he takes hold of her hand, ignoring her escort, and drops to one knee. “My dear,” he says, “you are quite the picture. I was thinking this whole festival to be a rather dull affair until I laid eyes upon you just now. What say we take a walk? Alone. Somewhere where we can talk without this old stiff breathing down our necks.” He looks pointedly at her male companion as he says this, then rises to his feet and offers a smile to the young lady.

[Exthalion]

Harnin watched the butterflies, blinking a few times from following them into the sky. Each blink he remembered, the beautiful creatures forming complex abstract patterns in their random flight.

He found his brothers and sisters, even carrying little Sortrin on his shoulders for a bit. The older ones seem to have found partners of the opposite sex and who was he to interrupt their normal social relationships? He did keep on eye on them though.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Propping one of the platters up on a knee, Mae-Lin proceded to parcel up some of the drier dishes and carefully pack them away into various pouches and pockets so that they could be distributed later. This done, she polished off her lobster chowder and the other more volatile food items until she was left with empty platters save for the serving crockery and her mead. Feeling a little more mobile, she began to peruse the crowd.
It certainly was busy but even so a couple of figures stood out: notably, a blonde boy ignoring the butterflies and standing stock still staring at the cathedral instead and a grown man who appeared to be tracking the insects' every move whilst resting on what looked like a walking stick, though the man in question looked considerably younger than a walking stick's typical user. Later, he picked up a toddler and hoisted onto his shoulders with no apparent difficulty, unusual for someone who'd depend on a crutch.
With Wesh having dashed off and Father Zantus showing no sign of being ready to start the consecration, she had some time to kill. She took a quick swig of mead and approached the man. His hair was cropped almost out of existence, like a Shaonti's. She stood quietly by him, observing the butterflies for herself for a few moments.
"That was quite a trick, wasn't it?" she piped up. "I suppose they must have raised them from caterpillars... unless they were summoned, of course, but I think it's more fun to imagine Father Zantus sneaking around vegetable patches for a few weeks picking up choice specimens, don't you?"

[thewamp]

Mannix
Surprisingly, the man doesn't seem unduly upset. The lady smiles widely, her face beautiful though obviously carrying quite a bit of paint. "Well I'd love to sugar, but I'm with a customer at the moment," she purrs, winking at the older man, who you notice looks rather foreign. "Come find me sometime later," she finishes, before turning and leaving with the man. Perhaps that isn't her father.

Keld/Belloric
Yes, there's some faint abjuration going on there

Mae-Lin
Father Zantus turns, a little surprised, but not vexed in the slightest. "Well yes, that would make quite the picture. But in fact, they are neither summoned, nor found in local vegetable patches. There's actually a man who sells the caterpillars. How he keeps them from... I mean, they would turn into butterflies you'd think, and then he wouldn't be able to sell them. But he makes it work and they only came out of their cocoons in the last day or two."

He smiles rather pleasantly. "You know, I'm not really sure how he manages to make a business out of all that. A visiting priest of Desna told us about him and we managed to contact him before the festival. I understand he comes from quite a ways away."

Everyone
Later, as the sun begins to set, a sharp retort, like the crack of distant thunder, slices through the excited crowd as the sun’s setting rays paint the western sky. A stray dog that has crawled under a nearby wagon to sleep starts awake, and the buzz of two dozen conversations quickly hushes as all heads turn toward the central podium, where a beaming Father Zantus has taken the stage. He clears his throat, takes a breath to speak, and suddenly a woman’s scream slices through the air. A few moments later, another scream rises, then another. Beyond them, a sudden surge of strange new voices rises—high-pitched, tittering shrieks that sound not quite human. The crowd parts and something low to the ground races by, giggling with disturbing glee as the stray dog gives a pained yelp and then collapses with a gurgle, its throat cut open from ear to ear. As blood pools around its head, the raucous sound of a strange song begins, chanted from shrill, scratchy voices.

Only the sharp eyes of Mae-Lin can make out the shape of a goblin, hiding behind the edge of the wagon, licking the blood from its dogslicer as it looks excitedly at the crowd, seeking out a new target.

Roll initiative, but only Mae-Lin (and the goblin(s?) can act in the surprise round). As per "house" rules, you get to declare your action now at the start of the round, but if you like, conditional statements are okay.

If you use conditionals, I'd prefer if once a round ends, you could edit out the ones that weren't used from the role-playing part of the post.

Normally we'll have maps, but I have very limited computer time and there just isn't enough to set this up, and, well, this is a pretty simple encounter at this point.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

[roll0]
As I said in the OOC thread, this is my first combat, so apologies if I mess something up!

Horrified at the slaughter of the hapless animal, in full view of some many children and everything, Mae-Lin put herself into a defensive position.
<What do you want?> she asked the goblin sharply, in its own tongue and as calm a tone as she could muster, <Have you sliced anyone else with that thing or just this poor beast?>

She watched the creature closely, awaiting its next move, trying to push thoughts of where Wesh and the others might be to the back of her mind.

Post surprise round, if the goblin(s) start to attack the crowd Mae-Lin will try to incapacitate them with Color Spray if she thinks the cone spell won't hit other members of the crowd (which I kind of suspect it would) or Hypnotism if she thinks Color Spray's too risky.

[Roethke]

[roll0] = Initiative (EDIT:subtract 6 for unresponsive )
Actions:
1)Move to Horse, casting bless[
2) Grab tower shield from pack
3)Try to protect fairgoers by getting between them and goblins (once Felix isaware of them)


After whiling the day away, munching on the various delicacies presented to him and generally enjoying Sandpoint's prosperity and generosity, Felix has sat down on a tree stump to bask in the setting sun. A flicker of a clouded thought passes his mind, A shame that such a fine community shelters those like Calhoun, who would take advantage of it... but looking about him at the contented faces, he quickly banishes it as he leans back to loosen his belt one notch and hear Father Zantus present the closing ceremonies.

The scream and eerie singing bring Felix leaping to his feet, one hand grasping the half-undone belt so as not to lose his trousers, and he lopes towards Fair Measure and his battle gear. As he nears his horse, he murmurs a prayer to Abadar the protector that these enemies of prosperity should be struck down.

[marcielle]

BAATOR, YEAH! I take it all back, this is going to be an excellent festival! Let's go kick some Gobbo!
No.
:smalleek: What? But. But. You're a total Jimmyy two-shoes! You can't NOT bravely defend the innocent. And I haven't gotten to kill anything sentient in nearly A YEAR! Do you know what that LIKE for a necromancer?
Defend them with what? Skeletons and zombies? Best to lie low for now.
Keld glares at the goblins and moves off to find a place the civillians won't see him, should he need to use his fell magic.

[roll0]
[roll1]Keld nonchalantly walks across the churchyard in search for a stall or something he can hide under or behind while casting. He only needs to be obscured from the crowd, not the goblins. Once he is sure he is reasonably hidden from the crowd, he will ready an action to Ray of Enfeeblement (DC 15) the first goblin to atack someone who isn't obviously some manner of fighter(not class, just a beefy warrior).

[Jabulani]

Mannix feels something scurry through his legs and turns to see the dog collapse in a bloody heap. Something isn't right here, seems like more than a child's mischief to slaughter a dumb animal like that, and he whips out his rapier, looking around cautiously.

When the chanting starts, he feels a shiver run down his spine, which spurs him into action.

Initiative: [roll0]
Action: Mannix leaps onto a nearby wall/table/stall and looks around for the cause of the kerfuffle. Here's a Perception roll if you need one: [roll1]

[Exthalion]

At once Harnin was in motion, he didn't go toward the sound of the noise but towards his sister Velliah. Sortrin was still on his shoulders so he set him down and placed himself between them and whatever it was and shouted, "Narim, Sheilanah, come to the sound of my voice!" He would have told them to flee, but as per his mother's instructions he knew where they were, and both were closer to him then to any of the streets out of the plaza.

Initiative [roll0]

If he observes something that appears threatening approaching use a diminished, psionic lashing viper. Since it is already going to be laden, increase power if there is only one apparent target and double number of targets if there is two.

[thewamp]

Surprise Round

Before the Surprise Round
First, several of you were narrating actions that won't take place until this next round. If you want to still take that action, you'll need to repost that. This was the surprise round and only Mae-Lin was allowed to act. The rest of you could narrate surprise or whatever though.

One more thing, Harnin, you're using spells and such that I'm not terribly familiar with. If you could, at least initially, help me out with the rules whenever you use these spells, that would be awesome.

http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/4593/screenshot20110821at803.png
Okay, this is the situation before the surprise round. As you can see, there's more goblins than I've informed you of. You weren't aware of that at this time, but as you're about to be, I'm showing you where they came from. At the south end of the map is a "chest". I haven't found an icon for a wagon in the mapping program, so this is standing in. The goblin south of the wagon is the one Mae-Lin spotted. The three in the wagon and the one hiding behind the buildings to the east have not yet been spotted.

Also in the south is a cliff and to the east, you can see the wall of the cathedral. The tables shown are laden with food, including some of the famous salmon. The dog, with the red x on it, is dead.

There are a few townsfolk visible (outlined in white), ones who unfortunately fled the wrong direction. Those who fled north are not visible, simply to keep the map clean. They'll be gone momentarily anyway.

Initiative Order:
21 - Keld
19 - Mae-Lin
17 - Manix
16 - Orange Goblin
16 - Yellow Goblin
15 - Green Goblin
13 - Blue Goblin
13 - Felix
12 - Harnin
8 - Red Goblin

Despite Mae-Lin's questions, or perhaps in response to them, the goblin leaps back out of the shadows singing a song. Anyone who can understand goblin can understand the oddly catchy tune. More ominously, however, the goblin's voice is joined by several others.

Language - Goblin
Goblins chew and goblins bite.
Goblins cut and goblins fight.
Stab the dog and cut the horse,
Goblins eat and take by force!

Goblins race and goblins jump.
Goblins slash and goblins bump.
Burn the skin and mash the head,
Goblins here and you be dead!

Chase the baby, catch the pup.
Bonk the head to shut it up.
Bones be cracked, flesh be stewed,
We be goblins! You be food!


The goblin that Mae-Lin saw licks its knife rather excitedly, eyes bulging, and charges across the pathway. However, as it charges, Mae-Lin whispers a quick spell and the goblin stops, staring rather fixedly at her fingers which are at such a perfect height and moving so interestingly...

But the other goblins that were audible charge out. One charges straight north but trips dramatically on the dog. If this were a movie, we would certainly see some slow motion, because the goblin tumbles comically and ends up head first in a rain barrel with a sploosh.

Goblins are not all fun and games, however. The next two charge townsfolk who sadly fled the wrong way. Their viscous blades connect and one man stumbles to the ground, staring at a gash in his chest while a woman starts spurting blood from her arm.

Finally, a goblin leaps out from behind the buildings to the east. He leaps on top of a table and at first, Keld seems to be in danger, but the goblin is apparently more concerned with the salmon on the table than with hurting anyone. He ravenously attacks the meal.

End of Surprise Round
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Everyone can take their round 1 actions now. Be warned that in 24 hours, I'll be writing up the first round, weather or not everyone has given me actions - combat can bog down these sorts of games and keeping things moving is super important.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Wiggling the fingers of one hand to keep the goblin's attention, Mae-Lin delved in a pocket with the other, grabbing one of the small food parcels.
<Chew on that, 'k?> she instructed her would-be-attacker, tossing the parcel towards him. The longer he was distracted, the better. It was just a pity he hadn't been alone.
Seeing the injured townsfolk on the road ahead she became concerned. Things were already out of hand. Looking between the two of them and seeing the man on the ground she took a split-second decision and aimed to delay the goblin bearing down on him, hoping that he wasn't dead already.
As she cast, she called back to the crowd, this time in common. "We need a cleric here! People have been stabbed!"
It wasn't really worth worrying whether or not this was a case of stating the obvious.

Mae-Lin attempts to cast Daze on the goblin closest to the man with the chest wound. If tossing a food parcel at the hypnotised goblin is more than a move action, the daze spell takes priority.

[Jabulani]

Mannix has no idea what the infernal chattering means, but the sound is maddening and it cannot stop quickly enough for him.

Lightly stepping towards the nearest goblin, he lunges at the foul thing with his rapier, hoping to put an end to its miserable existance with one blow.

Attack nearest goblin [roll0]
Damage [roll1]

[Exthalion]

Covered by his long sleeves and pant-legs no one saw anything interesting happen to Harnin. If they had chanced to look him direction in the eyes they might have seen a flash of white/purple.

Casting the spell Lashing Viper. I am using the diminished effect so it uses a 0th level slot. Then I am adding the psionic template to caste it without somatic or verbal components. Doing so makes it laden, requiring two slots. The Modify Spell feat allows me to perform certain metamagic like effects on spells that are laden.

Diminished Lashing Viper does 1d4 electricity damage. One of the metamagic like effects doubles the area or number of targets. Another acts like empower and causes the spell to do 1.5 times the rolled damage.

If when I go there are two remaining goblins use the double target version to attempt to kill the two most wounded looking. If only one remains use the empowered like version.

The spell summons a viper that makes a touch attack against the target using my Caster level as its BAB. If it hits it does the damage.

[marcielle]

Keld backs of from the scarfing goblin and seeks a place to hide from the public(NOT the goblins). Fishhook in hand, he warily tries to avoid straying too close to the goblins, or he would have no choice but to use his magic.
[roll0]

[thewamp]

Round 1

Keld looks around, trying to hide from the public. Except for four others who are hanging around, trying to stop these goblins, with varying results, the public has mostly fled. He ducks under a table, trying to hide from their view, fishhook at the ready.

Mae-Lin flips some food at the hypnotized goblin. Tragically, the goblin is too entranced to do more than watch the food bounce to the ground. Then, whispering some quiet words, she reached around the goblin in front of her to hit the one bearing down on the wounded man. The goblin in front of that man stops, rubbing his eyes and scowling widely.

Mannix leaps forward, attacking the goblin on the table. However, the attack that was meant to kill the goblin instead kills a rather intimidating looking slice of ham on someone's abandoned plate. Not quite the effect he was looking for.

The goblin that charged Mae-Lin continues to stare into space, while the one in the rain bucket continues to struggle, entirely fruitlessly. The goblin Mae-Lin dazed is too busy rubbing its eyes dazedly to do anything.

However, just south of there, the goblin molesting the woman slices at her neck. Blood bursts out and she crumples to the ground.

Felix backs up to his horse and calls out a blessing. Those fighting the goblins feel warmth spill into their limbs as they get a burst of energy.

Vipers materialize from thin air to attack two of the goblins in the south. The one attacking the woman has the presence of mind to quickly duck, but the other is still dazed and takes a bite in the face. Though it doesn't bring him down it leaves a very obvious wound dripping blood from a face that already wasn't going to win any beauty pageants.

At Harnin's approach, the goblin on the table drops his salmon looking rather crestfallen. Then, apparently remembering that violence can be almost as fun as food, he pulls out his dogslicer and swings wildly at Mannix, who just dodges the blow.

The uninjured townsfolk finally manage to stumble away, dodging between buildings to get away from the violence. The man that was hurt takes a wobbly step away from the action, but the woman is fully unconscious.

End of Round 1
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A couple notes:
1. Harnin, if you can do your own damage and attack rolls, that would make things easier, and also allow you to narrate critical hits and such.
2. As you might have noticed, once everyone's acted, I'll do the next round. No reason to wait for the 24 hours to pass.
3. You'll notice in the picture that follows that I've managed to get an image of a wagon. Awesome.

[Jabulani]

Mannix shakes the ham from his rapier and has another lunge at the goblin on the table, keeping one eye on the vicious looking dogslicer. He briefly wonders where they have come from, and if there are more than just the four here.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Mae-Lin cursed vehemently as the woman crumpled to the ground before her eyes. She should have acted faster and done something to save them both.
Noting that she'd been effected in some way by something else's magic was quietly disconcerting but, feeling unharmed, she decided to shrug the effect off until a better time arose to deal with it.
The woman was unconcious now, at the very least, and the man had hobbled a little further out of harm's way. Their attackers, however, were still free to go on slicing, inspite of somebody's attempt to strike them with magic, and Mae-Lin herself might well be their next target. She reached into her component pouch to produce a vial of tri-coloured sand.
"Her" goblin hadn't taken the food. He was harmless for the time being but he'd only be enthralled for so long and he was still technically armed.
<Let me keep that safe for you...> she murmured to him, gently attempting to ease the dogslicer from his hand.
It wasn't impossible that the injured man was still in range so before casting her next spell she bellowed a warning "Stay back!" before casting.

Bringing out the color spray, aiming at the dazed goblin and the one that was attacking the woman. She'd go for the one in the barrel too if possible, but I think it probably can't see and would thus be unaffected. Since color spray's an illusion spell she gets +1 to the DC (not sure what effect, if any, the V. tat would have on the spell)

[Roethke]

Felix reaches Fair Measure, and realizes he doesn't have time to refix his belt. Sighing, the large man releases the grip on his pants and lets his trousers drop, shaking them off his legs as he hoists himself onto Fair Measure's back.

Hearing the call for a cleric, he mutters to himself, Everyone is so impatient- that woman will be healed once order is restored, and if not, the mayor really should pay to have her raised."

He spurs, (well kicks), Fair Measure into the fray, drawing his enormous wooden shield from where it hangs on his horse's side. The pantsless priest covers himself best as he can with the shield as Fair Measure bears down on the goblins.


Felix -
move action 1, mount horse,
move action 2 raise shield to provide total cover to Felix.

Fair Measure -
Conditional: If the Blue and Green goblins are both standing, overrun the Blue and attack the green one with a hoof.

If only one of the blue or green goblins are standing, move and attack that one with a hoof.


If neither the blue or green are standing move to whichever goblin is standing and attack with a hoof


horse's Attack Roll:[roll0]
Hoof damage: [roll1]

[marcielle]

Keld calls upon his magic to extend and empower his baleful aura.
'Well, kiddo, I guess that ain't to shabby...'
Casts Bane(srd spell) DC 15 Will. Auto hits all goblins within 50ft. -1 to attack and saves vs fear for 10 rounds.

[thewamp]

Round 2

Initiative Order:
21 - Keld
19 - Mae-Lin
17 - Manix
16 - Orange Goblin
16 - Yellow Goblin
15 - Green Goblin
13 - Blue Goblin
13 - Felix
12 - Harnin
8 - Red Goblin
6 - Zantus

With a whisper and a gesture and, one has to imagine, some comment from Belloric, Keld's magic has most of the goblins in the area feeling not-quite-right. But these are goblins - with food in the area and fun to be had, a feeling isn't going to deter them.

Mae-Lin steps forward, mutters a few words and casts some dust and a rainbow explodes from her hands. The stream of lights sprays towards the goblins, causing the closer one to just stop and blink, rather stupidly, apparently very woozy. The farther goblin appears to have escaped the worst of the blast, but he definitely didn't enjoy the light show.

Mannix stabs again at the goblin on the table, but the little bugger just manages to dodge out of the way.

Several of the goblins are stunned, hypnotized, or drowning, but the one that took down the woman is not happy with Mae-Lin. Leaping forward, he attacks and Mae-Lin is not able to get out of the way in time. There's a gash in her clothes and they seem to be getting redder... still, she stays conscious.

Felix mounts Fair Measure and pulls out his shield as the horse trots forward, advancing on the goblin.

Harnin is distracted by the noises around him - it is quite apparent that these are not the only goblins in town and probably the reason why the sheriff and town guard isn't on hand to help out. and for six seconds doesn't do anything.

The goblin on top of the table has had it with Mannix, distracting him from his meal. With an all-mighty squeal, he swings his dogslicer down at Mannix, catching him between the shoulder and the neck. The deep gash begins to bleed profusely...

Father Zantus comes running up, gasping for breath, face white. "Goblins!" he says, "they're all over town!" As if it wasn't obvious. And then more usefully, he spots your injuries and adds "hold on, several of you have been hurt. Let me see to that."

Despite Zantus' arrival, the woozy man continues to stumble towards the alley in hopes of escaping the conflict.

End of Round 2

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Mae-Lin
Color spray has a range of only 15'. You had two choices - not hitting both or being in range for an attack. Since you didn't mention moving at all, I figured you just missed the range, and didn't want to put yourself in harms way, for an attack of opportunity.

Mae-Lin takes 4 damage from the goblin's attack

Felix
My understanding is that you've got too many actions as listed, but I'm hardly a rules guru. It's just that mounting required a move action, as does drawing your shield (fine). But so does controlling your mount. Too many actions.

Anyway, you'll notice your figure has gotten huge - that's what we're going to use whenever you're mounted.

Mannix
8 damage from a pretty badass critical hit.

[Exthalion]

Harnin was a bit... scared to be honest. Keeping his activities invisible would quickly cut into his limited resources. Smiting was not going well. However, if anyone else died because he hesitated he wouldn't be able to forgive himself.

Turning to his left he held up his driftwood staff. With his siblings gone he prayed no one he knew would see him.

"Myl eil Thesia! Mol si bodaes aelaelos eil paerael ail ei jharol salaerol!"

With a thud he brought his staff down. The sound traveled toward the goblin, condensing into a crackling roar. Just before it struck the vermin an electric arc thick as a forearm emerged from it. With a hissing slither it attempted to entangle the murderous beast.

Gob has to make a Ref save, DC 15. I am attempting to one to my left since it appears to be near someone. The point of this is to slow or stop any more killing so the goblin most likely to kill or hurt someone is the target, range 110ft.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

More curses eminated from the halfling as the goblin's blade snicked through the thin cotton of her shirt and tore at the skin beneath it. Of course it was angry: a silly little girl had just tried to keep it at bay with colourful sand and a light show.
Things were looking very grim when the cleric of Abadar thundered into the fray on a horse. Presumably he hadn't felt ready to tangle with the goblins until he had untied his mount and thus aquired a safe vantage point to fight from. The goblin who had slashed at her was still much too close for comfort and she knew better than to rely on the stranger to get rid of it for her. She teased out another shred of fleece and took aim to daze her attacker, but realised it was now so close that even casting a spell to slow it would put her at risk. With a sharp intake of breath she decided to attempt to tumble out of harm's way before trying to keep the enemy back.
In response to Father Zantus's sudden reappearance she called out, "Yes, there's a man with a chest wound over here and a woman who took a dogslicer to the neck... I'm not sure if she..." it seemed unlikely that the priest could reach the fallen woman in time to do anything for her, especially without getting wounded himself. Judging from the noises behind her, the casualties she could see weren't the only ones on the battle field either.
changing my actions to have her tumble out of the way (will roll for this in the rolling thread)
If the tumble roll succeeds then she'll cast daze on the goblin anyway just to try and stop it from chasing her. If the tumble check fails, the goblin will probably knock her down in an AoO anyway so...

[Jabulani]

Mannix squeals like a tortured pig as the dogslicer buries itself in his neck, and his vision swims momentarily, three goblins appearing before him instead of the one.

"Here!" he shouts at the arriving Father Zantus, "I'm bleeding, priest! Me first, damn you!"

Gritting his teeth, he pokes at the goblin again, feeling blood ooze from the wound as he lunges forward.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Roethke]

Comfortable with his role battling the forces of chaos, the realization that this probably the bloodiest fight he's been in has not quite yet begun to sink in to Felix. These are no bandits out to plunder, and ready to run when the price gets to steep, these are beasts intent on blood.

Reins in one hand, shield in the other, he guides Fair Measure so that the mare can lash out at the goblin still intent on slaughter.

As the horse's hooves flash in the fading sun, Felix tries to draws his macem but Fair Measure's sudden snap of her head throws him off balance and his hand misses the handle. Even so he calls on Abadar at the top of his lungs,

"Lord of all that is noble, we fight in your name, lend our arms strength."



Have Fair Measure make a full attack on the nearest goblin (which I think is in blue).

hoof: [roll0], [roll1]
hoof: [roll2], [roll3]
bite: [roll4], [roll5]

Felix himself uses his move action to draw his mace (DC 5 ride check) and lashes out out the yellow goblin (dc 10 ride check)

Ride DC 5 to draw weapon: [roll6]
Ride DC 10 to attack: [roll7]
Attack: [roll8]
damage:[roll9]

Also don't forget to add your bless bonus, everyone

[marcielle]

This isn't right. Hemlock should be here by now. And Amy would want to fight these guys too. Let's see. Another mage. She might help. But first, lets get her out of the frying pan.
He sees a mask lying on the floor, probably dropped by a random partygoer. He quicky picks it up and dons it.
He then rushes out of hiding, his sunday cloak pulled over his head like a hood and dashes to the goblin attacking the halfling. Instead of heading right towards it, Keld angles his charge so when he lashes out with his fishhook, it should just about slash the goblin.
The earlier description is just so I resemble my in game token(for now). Keld charges to the area 3 squares above MaeLin and attacks the goblin.
[roll0]
[roll1]

[thewamp]

Round 3

Initiative Order:
21 - Keld
19 - Mae-Lin
17 - Manix
16 - Orange Goblin
16 - Yellow Goblin
15 - Green Goblin
13 - Blue Goblin
13 - Felix
12 - Harnin
8 - Red Goblin
6 - Zantus

Keld sprints over to the goblin menacing Mae-Lin, but his wild swing with his fishhook misses the goblin.

Mae-Lin gracefully flips backwards and with another quick spell, the goblin that's practically surrounded now is dazed and woozy.

Mannix swings again and finally gets his revenge on the fiendish salmon-goblin. A powerful strike leaves it gurgling with blood, lying on the ground.

The only goblin that isn't totally incapacitated stares dazedly at the horse in front of it. The goblin's eyes are wide and its breathing heavy, but it's too out of it to react. An obvious case of goblin-in-the-headlights.

While Felix is rather unsuccessful in fighting from on top of the horse, the horse itself is rather effective at biting the goblin and knocking it - still wide eyed - to the ground.

Father Zantus moves over to Mannix, who is bleeding profusely, and mutters some quiet words. His skin knits rapidly back together and he is feeling much better

End of Combat

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Mae-Lin
If you're going to tumble, or do practically any movement, you should be specific about where you're heading, inside the spoiler. Also, remember that you can always just take a 5' step as a free action...

Everyone
We're done with the rounds. Assuming you do something about the goblins still conscious that is.


As the dust settles, Father Zantus rushes over to the woman lying on the ground. An enormous smile crosses his face as he realizes she's still alive and breathing, but only just.

The town is in chaos. There are screams and shouts and annoying snatches of that song - the one that's just a little bit too catchy. The sheriff and guards could be anywhere.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Mae-Lin took a sigh of relief. The immediate conflict was over, for now at least.
She dipped her head in the direction of the smallish hooded figure who'd dashed in at the last minute.
"Thanks for stepping in there," she told him, "things were starting to get sticky there..." he might have missed, but the intent had been there, and she appreciated it. She patted the horse gently on the muzzle then tried to set about parting dogslicers from their goblin owners. "They won't stay like this for long. Has anyone got any rope?"
She spotted an opulent Chelaxian standing over a gurgling goblin and identified him as the one who had insisted on Zantus treating him first.
"Not bleeding anymore, I see" she observed darkly as she stepped towards the next goblin. The man with the walking stick hadn't fled upon the goblins' arrival either, she noted. The source of the purple vipers that had assisted in the fight logically would have been one of these three strangers.

If rolls are needed to get weapons off of the goblins (e.g sleight of hand) then I'll make them in the dice-roll thread. I don't know that she'd fish in the barrel for drowny goblin's weapon since that may be a little tricky and if he's dead he's not going to be trying to use it on someone, and apart from barrel goblin, Mannix's goblin would be the last she'd try to disarm, mostly because he's furthest away but also because he'd look to be too injured to be able to get up of his own accord.

[Exthalion]

While that could have gone better. It seemed Harnin hadn't revealed himself. But what was this? These people had strange powers; and didn't seem to all be of the cloth.

Mages then? People like him who heard the music in the sunrise and the thunder in the silence? Did they know what it was like to walk in a sepia world and glimpse the splashes of the color beyond Creation?

"I..."

[Roethke]

Catching his breath, Felix realizes that the immediate danger is over. He finds himself humming that damned tune, and stops abruptly, hoping no one else has noticed. He sees that the town priest has aided the fallen woman, and nods to himself in satisfaction.

Looking down at the small bobbing butterfly below him who was asking for a rope, he fiddles in his pack and tosses her a length of his own.

At first addressing the small woman from horseback as she pats Fair Measure

"I am Brother Castor, Knight of Abadar's Hands. The Keeper of Order should thank you for your service today, as should the sheriff, I would think. You aren't injured, are you?"

He glances down and realizes his trousers are still some 10 yards away where he mounted his horse. Keeping what pieces of dignity he can muster, he guides the horse back to the hitching post, dismounts and puts his pants back on. Addressing all present,

"I can provide small succor to the injured, if anyone needs."

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Mae-Lin caught the rope, looked up to give a word of thanks and realised that the "Knight of Abadar's Hands" was not wearing any trousers. She abrubtly turned her gaze to the rope, managing to cough a startled 'thank you' before turning to a goblin to tie up. The revelation distracted her enough from her injury that she neglected to mention it.
She fumbled with the rope, holding it up to the closest goblin and then attempting to restrain it in some way, tying more knots than might have been necessary, just to be sure.
When Brother Castor mentioned the injured again she remembered to check hers. It didn't look pretty: her shirt was damp and dark and when she tried to readjust it a little the wound stung. She'd have to have it seen to before looking for her parents, or they'd be horrified.
"I got a little nick that probably ought to be cleaned up but I'm fine - there's a guy back that way who looked like he got hurt pretty bad..." she pointed back towards the alley in the general direction that the wounded man had stumbled. She was hurt, but she didn't want a fuss. It had been her own fault for not getting out of the way fast enough. "Is everyone else alright?"

[roll0] for the goblin she attempts to tie up.
ETA: I'm guessing this would be the hypnotised goblin (orange box).

[marcielle]

Keld nods to Maelin. Following the halfling for a bit, Keld speaks up after she is done hogtying the goblin.
'People! Though we have slain these vermin, there might still be a problem. There are others of significant strength in Sandpoint, but they have yet to reach the scene. This indicates there were most likely other bands of goblins about or some other troubles. Anyone still willing to fight should follow me to the Rusty Dragon close to here.The proprieter was an adventurer and would have had experience with this sort of thing. After that we should meet up with the local sheriff.

Keld uses Belloric's voice to sound older and more competent to the others as well as hide his identity from Father Zanthus. Hoping they would help him ensure Amy and Mr. Hemlocke's safety. This might make him a bit hard to hear, though.
To anyone on the fence about helping:[roll0]
This goes out to all capable, not just the PCs

[Jabulani]

Mannix wipes the goblin's blood, as well as any residual ham, from his blade then notices, to his horror, a huge tear in his jacket where the creature's weapon had struck. To make matters worse, blood has caked around the tear, and will be a devil to remove even if he can get the garment sewn to a reasonable quality.

"If there are more of the little swines, they will pay for this!" he roars, waving his sword and looking around for any nearby goblins that might have been missed.

The "order" to meet at the Rusty Dragon almost makes him laugh, especially when he sees who delivered it. He will take no orders from a child! Still, the inn doesn't sound like a bad idea; his tale of battling the goblins is sure to charm his way into the heart - and bed - of some young wench. His wound will have some use after all.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Mae-Lin divvied up the rope in order to tie up the remaining goblins.
"I haven't "slain" anything," she corrected the cloaked figure. "we haven't even made sure these guys aren't going to wreak any more havoc yet. But you're right - there are more goblins, singing their war song, so there are probably going to be more problem areas. I can think of several people I'd rather find than the sherrif though."
She proceeded to attempt to tie a second goblin, then the one next to it, then, precariously she checked for a pulse on the one in the barrel.
"Speaking of which, have any of you seen a tall red-headed human with a butterfly painted on his face since the fighting broke out?"
She chose to ignore the swordsman's threat to potential goblins.

[roll0]
[roll1] for two more goblins, presuming that Felix's rope was a 50ft length one and that'd be enough to bind three gobbos.
ETA: so... that second goblin isn't tightly bound, is he? Depending on the DC for tying 'em up, she'd probably want to take 10 or 20 on the one that didn't tie.

[thewamp]

The two goblins hit by Mae-Lin eventually get trussed up, after a few snafus. It turns out not to be necessary to tie up the third goblin. His legs have stopped kicking and you realize on closer inspection that the little wretch actually drowned himself - an unpleasant fate.

Father Zantus sadly does not hear of Mae-Lin's wounds. After healing the woman, he dashes off south towards more shouting that seems to be dying down, looking very out of his element and very out of breath.

[Exthalion]

The scrawny peasant with the stick's eyes were wide like a cornered animal and his body was shaking. Suddenly he stops and just falls into a sitting position, the stick over his waste.

"What's wrong with me..."

What scared him the most that he had been drawn to what had just happened. Exertion, spell casting, combat... his body remembered these things and knew that they were its proper function.

[thewamp]

As you stand around tying goblins up and listening to Mannix discus plans for vengeance, a huge plume of fire can be seen to the south. Accompanying it is a burst of song and goblin cheers. It's difficult to tell exactly what's burning, but you can see dark shapes dashing too and fro in front of the flames.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

A third round of curses issued from the halfling's mouth.
"What is it with this town and arson?" she hissed, tossing the remaining rope in the direction of Brother Caster and getting to her feet.
"Looks like we've found our first problem area without needing to go to the tavern."
Producing her sling and some rocks she pelted off in the direction of the flames: so long as her family's whereabouts were unknown, she was going to do everything she could to keep the goblins at bay. She, Wesh and the rest had been staying on the Northern side of town but that did nothing to preclude the possiblity that they'd strayed during the festivities. She ran as fast as her short legs would allow, ignoring her injury as best she could.

We'll find out soon enough, no doubt, but I'll roll spot and local knowledge checks to try and get an idea of what's alight.

[roll = spot]1d20+2
Feel free to ignore the rolls, as always.
ETA: Oh hey, the spot roll had too many spaces in it. I won't bother re-rolling since spot's one of the checks thewamp basically said (s)he was always going to be doing for us.

[marcielle]

'We aren't going to kill these first?' Belloric says, more of a weary statement, than an actual question.

Keld moves towards the fire at once, moving through the backalleys and sometimes through nooks and crannies, avoiding the main streets and brighter areas whenever possible. Only running through the streets if he falls to far behind the main group.

[Roethke]

Felix looks up in dismay at the plume of smoke. The prospect of Sandpoint's return to prosperity were becoming dimmer as the flames to the South brightened.

Still he should do what he could. The people of Sandpoint didn't ask for this. Though strictly speaking, if Abadar failed to bless a town with wealth it may be a sign of a lack of faith or shady dealings of the townspeople. Hard to tease out from agents working against order. But that was a fine point of theology, and the goblins were here and definitely not agents of prosperity..

He turns to Mae-Lin,
Well done with the rope. Now if you'll tie those goblins to Fair Measure's saddle, we can address this new problem. That is if you are willing.

To her and any others listening, he pats the horse

Fair Measure can bear a bit more weight than me. I'm heading down to see what caused the fire and if it can be stopped. Any of you who wish to ride with me, may. I have little doubt the town will pay you for service in this time of need.

The intent is to drag the goblins behind as we head south. If they make it, great, if not, not much lost.

[Jabulani]

The Rusty Dragon might have to wait if there are more of these vermin, thinks Mannix, eager to give his sword arm some more exercise before the day is out.

He hurries south, his appetite for goblin blood whetted by his anger over the torn jacket.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Mae-Lin stopped short and wheeled back round to see what the priest wanted, feeling a little impatient.
"I can give it a go, but knotwork's not my strong point," she said, re-collecting the rope, "Besides that, I haven't actually tied his" (here she jabbed a thumb in the swordsman's direction) "goblin up: the explosion sort of threw me off..."
She did what she could as far as fastening the three bound goblins to the horse's saddle, but it wasn't an easy task with the horse being so tall and even the captives being larger than herself. The hypnotised goblin was probably the simplest since he could take a few steps if prodded encouragingly.
At the offer of a ride to the next battle site, Mae-Lin was tempted. On horseback, she would be harder to reach and she didn't fancy getting stuck with another dogslicer any time soon.
"I'll take you up on that offer," she replied boldly, "provided you keep your trousers on, that is."

[roll0] if multiple rolls are required, thewamp can make them. As we're in a hurry though, if the rolls are bad, we'll just have to leave the goblins here.
As for riding with Felix, I don't know how that works with Fair Measure being a full sized horse and Mae-Lin being small. A similar scenario worked in LotR though... :smalltongue:

[thewamp]

Mae-Lin hops up on the back of Fair Measure and its riders, along with the rest of the group, head south.

As the goblins come out of their Mae-Lin affected states and notice the horse, they begin to panic. However, they're tied up quite well, so the result of that is mostly to wiggle a little in their bonds. Also, they begin to make a complete racket, shrieking in what would be a piteous way if they weren't so ugly and evil looking. Those who understand goblin can make out the words 'horse' and 'bad' a lot, but no intelligible sentences.

Nevertheless, the party rushes south, dragging the goblins behind the horse, and soon the wails begin to die out. Whether the goblins are dead or unconscious is unclear and will require investigation.

But when the group rounds the corner and can see down high street, something else catches their attention. About 200 feet down the road, a cart is burning rather explosively, although it has died down from its initial intensity a bit. Around the cart are singing goblins. It's hard to make out exactly how many there are, as they dance in front of the fire.

[Roethke]

His broad face turning beet red at Mae-Lin's reproach, Felix guides his horse towards the flames.

Eventually, Felix reins Fair Measure in, bringing the mare to a halt upon rounding the corner. The fate of the tied goblins occupied a small part of his mind, after all it is more difficult, though not impossible, to make an enemy of the Church pay his debt once deceased.

But the fate of the town was more pressing, and his purpose here was in the process of being thwarted. With the chaos of the attack, Goodman Calhoun could easily make an escape.

He looks about, seeing if any of the townspeople or guards are about. Then, to the halfling behind him and any of the others who came towards the fire he says, "So what shall we do? Press the attack or go for help? Right now I'd do anything to get them to stop singing."

With that he speaks a prayer to Abadar, Expecting trouble. He tries to keep his own chant from falling into the rhythm of the goblin song.


Cast Divine Favor. Looks like there's going to be trouble.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

The wails and shrieks of the bound captives being dragged through the streets filled Mae-Lin with a profound sense of shame. She hadn't considered the real consequences of tying them to the horse's saddle even momentarily when doing it, and now those tight little knots were simply too unaccessable for her to unpick. The result was that she'd either have to call the horse to a halt and sever the ties or she'd have to listen to the piteous moans. Resolutely, she reminded herself of what the prisoners had done: they would be murderers if only they'd been a little more efficient, and she couldn't spare any more time to cut them loose because for all she knew her family was in trouble right now. For whatever reason, their cries died out soon enough and the horse rounded the corner.
She strained her eyes trying to pick out any townspeople, the owners of the burning cart or otherwise.
"It looks like the watch have got their hands pretty full already, Father Zantus was rushed off his feet, I don't know that "help" would be able to respond too quickly..." Mae-Lin began in response to Brother Castor's question."That said, my magic's pretty limited: I won't be able to cast many more spells tonight, and I'm no brawler. I can speak Goblin though - is there anything anyone wants to try asking them?"
It seemed unlikely that talking was going to be of any use, judging from her previous attempt, but she wondered whether the sight of the captives might make these goblins take them a little more seriously.

[marcielle]

'We'd best off these ones while we have the chance. The gobbos will treat us a threat rather than prey if they see them'.
Keld suddenly emerges from a small hole in a fence, fishhook glinting. Unless, of course, they manage to come up with some useful. Keld looks to Mae-Lin.
'I believe you mentioned speaking goblin, yes? Well,' Keld suddenly spins around and thrusts his fishhook, stopping mere inches from the closest bound goblin's neck.
'I can communicate with them too'.
'Talk, boy. TALK to them too. Using long words in your accentuation action makes you sound like a ponce', whispers Belloric, obviously not impressed with Keld's ruthless interrogator act.

[roll0]
Circumstance bonuses - Goblins helpless, beaten before, fishhook pointing at neck.

[Roethke]

Felix furrows his brow in confusion at the somber child who calmly speaks of "offing gobbos" and proceeds to threaten the captives with a fishhook.

"We ARE a threat, if they flee the battle in fear of us, all the better"

To the halfling on horseback with him he says "You're right. Which means you should hold on..."

And he spurs Fair Measure closer and draws his shield. Felix narrows his eyes on the dancing goblins, trying to separate out flailing limb from flailing limb and see what they are up against.


double move for Fair Measure = 120'
Forgoing attacks to use tower shield as total cover.

spot check- looking for a rough goblin count, what they're armed with, any obvious spellcasters : [roll0]

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Brother Castor's response came quickly enough for Mae-Lin to be able to hold her tongue as she looked down on the small figure with the fish hook. Perhaps travelling at a distance from them, he'd been unable to hear the goblins' cries as they scraped against the cobbles, or to notice when they'd been drowned out. In any event, they were back to moving towards the goblins that still posed a threat now. After a brief warning look into the eye-sockets of the mask, she twisted back round in the saddle so as to keep her balance and see what was coming. It was growing darker, although with the flames ahead it was hard to tell. She gripped the saddle as instructed, peering out to the side to get a look at the enemy. The mare seemed quite unphased by her extra passenger, leaving Mae-Lin to wonder if she'd made similar trips before or was just a particularly patient animal.
Steadily they drew up to the flaming cart. She could only guess if the little masked man, the frightened man with the staff or the stroppy swordsman had followed. She anticipated the goblins hearing the horse's approach and got ready to give them a chance to leave "peacefully", something they would probably only do if they felt particularly out of their depth.
When their eyes were upon her she cleared her throat and spoke in their language, in a tone cold and clear.
<Your brothers chose to fight us. So we bashed them and then we lashed them.> She indicated the captives strung up behind them.
<You don't have to fight us. You are free to leave. But if you stay, we will fight you. And you won't win.>

[roll0] Mae-Lin's also looking to see how many they're up against, and if there are any townspeople caught up in this.
thewamp can decide whether what she says to the goblin comes under diplomacy or intimidate: with this sort of goblin I suspect succesful versions of the former tend to incorporate at least a bit of the latter. And yes, the rhyming and the lack of any words over two syllables is deliberate.

[marcielle]

'I told you the goblins were already out, Bell,'Keld whispers to Belloric.
'PFFFFF. In my day, goblins were made of hardier stuff. Anyway, shorty is making her way up to the horde. I suggest you do something if you want her alive to help later on...'
Keld sighs. Frontal approach. This was going to take longer than he thought.

Keld follows slightly behind Mae-Lin and readies an action to pop another Bane the second a goblin tries anything aggressive.

[thewamp]

They hear Mae-Lin's words over the screaming and cackle delightedly, dancing back and forth. Then suddenly, the stop, looking up slowly, almost comicly. There are cries of "Horse! It's a horse!" Someone says "Kill the horse!" but the others say "Run!"

Then there's a screech from the last goblin, more strangely attired than the rest, before she resumes her singing. She is one ugly goblin and as she resumes her song, the rest do too, cackling though perhaps less eagerly than before they spotted the horse.

http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af69/jrprzyby/RotRL%20Burnt%20Offerings/GoblinWarchanter.jpg

Roll Initiative and take action

Before Round 1

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/2408/screenshot20110830at832.png

The goblin leading the singing is in purple. The wagon is on fire. There are buildings just off the map to the south, so if the wagon is left where it is for too long, you could have a problem on your hands.

Also, this image is rotated. What appears to be south is in fact southeast, as you've turned onto High Street. It's just easier for me to work with a square grid.

Also, Exthalion and Jabulani have gone missing. I'll RP with simple actions until we hear from them (which will hopefully happen).

[marcielle]

[roll0]Keld is still readying his Bane. It SHOULD hit all the goblins, so long as they don't move away. Note, I take moving towards us with weapons drawn, as 'anything aggressive'.
Drawing up next to the cleric on the horse, his hands clasped together his cloak, Keld holds back a small wave of negative energy. Ready to be released at a moments notice.
'Chargin the hag might be a good idea. Half the others would have run already of it weren't for her.'
If Keld's turn comes up before any goblins trigger the readied action, he just looses the Bane and moves so he is right next to the upper right square occupied by Felix and Fair Measure.

[Exthalion]

Harnin had hung back a bit. He appeared to be in shock, though from what it was hard to say. Internally he was involved in a fierce internal struggle though it all boiled down to one point, "If I go, I won't be able to come back." That was it; simple as that.

Pausing for a moment he placed his hand on his wrist and pushed back the sleeve. There he was greeted by a vision of lapis and argent. Letting his sleeve fall back down he tightened his grip and rushed forward after the others.

As the melee combatants rushed forward he observed their opponents. Cracking his neck he looked at one of them. He hoped it went down to the grave in sorrow, something he could perhaps arrange.

Initiative
[roll0]
Casting diminished spell, Guilt. The target must make a will save DC 14 or else lose its turn for one round.

I am targeting a goblin that has not yet gone when I do, and one that is not being directly engaged by one of the others.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

[roll0]

Hearing the cry to "kill the horse" Mae-Lin grimaced and patted the steed's flank in a fashion she hoped was reassuring. She realised this was somewhat silly as the mare most likely didn't understand a word of the threat, but reactions are what they are. She observed that all three of the previous lingerers had chosen to follow the horse to meet with the goblins and that to her relief, there were no signs of injured townspeople in the immediate vicinity.
Undecided as to how urgent the situation was, she chose to ready her war razor rather than her magic in anticipation of the goblins' approach, worried that a stray sling stone might have ended up hitting the horse or the Priest.

If a goblin tries to attack her, the horse or Felix and she can theoretically reach that goblin, she will slash at it with her war razor.

If no goblin comes within poking distance during her round then she'll expend her bonus Ghost Sounds spell to create the illusion that a second horse is approaching from another street, dragging two or three goblins behind it (mimicing the cries of the goblins they tied up) in the hopes of spooking them.

[Roethke]

As he watches the scene unfold before him, Felix considers what to do. Finally, to Keld he quickly says,
"Stop that horrid one if you can, Fair Measure and I will try to keep the rest busy"

Felix raises his shield, letting Abadar's golden key painted on it catch glints from the flames in the wagon, he loudly proclaims,

"Abadar, help us end this threat to your order, and banish these murderers and thieves from your town, may your own flames consume you!"

He feels the power of Abadar the Noble flow through him and spurs Fair Measure to the attack.

As they close with goblins, Felix whispers to Mae-Lin
"Fear not, Abadar protects us"


The specifics of the action may vary with what happens during the round, but I'll try to cover the conditionals. I'm assuming the Bless from the previous battle has expired (duration 1 min).

Felix's Standard Action = Nobility Domain Power
+2 to attack, damage, saving throws and skill/ability checks for all allies within hearing range for 2 rounds.
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/divine/domains.htm

Shield held high to give Felix total cover.

Now here are the conditionals...

1) If everything is as per the battle map (i.e. if we have a surprise round or the goblins are really slow)

Felix will charge with Fair Measure attempting to Bull Rush the green and orange goblins into the flaming wagon as part of the charge.

This will provoke attacks of opportunity from the green, orange and blue goblins (but the blue goblin has a 25% opportunity of accidentally targeting one of the others). Felix can make a ride check (he has 2 ranks and no dex bonus) to negate any of hits. The goblins should have a -4 on their bull rush str checks because of the small size.

Fair Measure's Bull Rush checks
Str + Inspire + Size = +3 +2 +4
green goblin: [roll0]
Blue goblin: [roll1]

Fair Measure's hoof attack on the hag:
atk: [roll2]
dmg:[roll3]
======
1a) Do 1) if there's a clear path to the hag and no threats adjacent to Fair Measure, just skip the bull rush.



2) If the goblins have rushed us and there are are one or more within a 5' step of fair measure

Full attack with Fair Measure on however many goblins are available
hoof-
atk: [roll4]
dmg:[roll5]

hoof-
atk: [roll6]
dmg:[roll7]

Bite-
atk: [roll8]
dmg:[roll9]


3) If it's kind of a mess, with goblins in front of us, but none within 5' of Fair measure

Move Fair Measure to attack the nearest on en route to the goblin hag
hoof-
atk: [roll10]
dmg:[roll11]


Phew, I think I covered many of the possibilities, but a lot of other things can happen.

[thewamp]

Round 1

Initiative

'Hag' - 23
Red Goblin - 21
Keld - 18
Orange Goblin - 18
Green Goblin - 18
Blue Goblin - 12
Mae-Lin - 8
Harnin - 7
Felix - 3


The hag, seeing the horse begins to jump up and down, screaming. A wave of nausea passes over Harnin, but he narrowly shakes it off.

The red goblin charges Keld, dog slicer swinging wildly through the air. He easily sidesteps the blow, slashing his fishhook and cutting a wide gash in the goblin's side. The goblin shakes his head at him, wide-eyed, tongue lolling.

Keld murmurs a spell and a sense of dread fills the goblins, but only the orange and the purple are unable to throw it off and focus on the wild racket that is the song.

The Orange goblin charges Harnin waving a torch through the air. It's an unwieldy weapon and obviously not very effective as Harnin has no trouble ducking the blow.

The remaining two goblins, fear obviously in their eyes but spurred on by the singer's song, charge, dogslicers held high. One lands a glancing blow on Fair Measure's flank.

Mae-Lin ineffectually swings at a goblin from her position on top of the horse.

Harnin looks around for a goblin that seems slow on the uptake, but can't find one.

Felix has a hard time holding on to the reins and Mae-Lin, but Fair Measure has no trouble in combat. With a hoof and a bite, two goblins are out of the fight, one bleeding on the street, the other wobbling from side to side, clutching at the part of his torso that Fair Measure spat out.

After Round 1

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/5489/screenshot20110831at104.png

Fair measure takes 1 damage

Spellcraft DC 15 check identifies the spell being cast by the goblin 'hag' as
Daze

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Mae-Lin had her doubts about Brother Castor's words. He'd clearly expected them to be a comfort to her so apparently he was unaware that she was exactly the sort of person Abadar wouldn't favour, from what she'd heard of Him. She'd rather put her faith in the man's horse than his god, but she smiled politely in response all the same.
The hag was still too far away to do much about, but thankfully she hadn't posed a great threat so far. With the uneasy feeling that this would soon change, the halfling tried again to offer some meagre assistance in the battle, still reserving her more powerful magic for the hag.

If orange or red goblin is still in range then Mae-Lin tries to stab at them with her war razor again. If both are in range I guess she'll aim for the one that attacked Keld since he's probably squishier than Fair Measure is.
[roll0] (+2 is from Felix's domain power)
[roll1] (+2 is from Felix's domain power and +1 is for having "the higher ground" as per the mounted combat rules... I think?)
[roll2] (+2 is from Felix's domain power)

If she's not in theoretical range of a goblin that's still in the fight then she'll try to spook them with ghost sounds as outlined in my previous post.

[Roethke]

Felix flails his arm, reaching for his mace as Fair Measure wheels and Mae-Lin strikes. His hands finally close on the steel-hafted weapon and he lifts it ready to strike, attempting not to brain Mae-Lin in the process. His stomach gives a lurch and a gurgle as he keeps himself perched on Fair Measure with just his knees as the mare lashes out. A fleeting regret for eating that sausage roll crosses his mind, but he regains his balance brings the mace crashing down towards the nearest goblin.



If there are still two goblins within range, full attack w/ Fair Measure and Felix.

Felix atk: [roll0]
Felix dmg: [roll1]
Fair Measure Hoof atk: [roll2]
Fair Measure Hoof dmg: [roll3]
Fair Measure Hoof atk: [roll4]
Fair Measure Hoof dmg: [roll5]
Fair Measure Bite atk: [roll6]
Fair Measure Hoof dmg: [roll7]


If there's just one goblin within range, Felix and Fair Measure will take a standard action to attack it, then move next to the goblin hag

Felix atk: [roll8]
Felix dmg: [roll9]
Fair Measure Hoof atk: [roll10]
Fair Measure Hoof dmg: [roll11]


If the goblins near the party have been dealt with, Felix will have Fair Measure Charge the hag, and they'll both make an attack

Felix atk: [roll12]
Felix dmg: [roll13]
Fair Measure Hoof atk: [roll14]
Fair Measure Hoof dmg: [roll15]

EDIT: See dice roller thread for ride checks

[Exthalion]

Harnin turned to face the Orange Goblin. "Cur!"

Same as last time assuming it is still alive by my turn. If not, then any surviving one.

[marcielle]

Keld lowers his Guisarme, positioning himself just right. Waiting for the moment his enemy was off balance, just like Amy taught him. He manages to concentrate despite the mental screams of
'GUT 'IM LIKE A FISH! HAHAHAHAHAAA!'
AoO on Red goblin from last turn
[roll0]
[roll1]
Attacking the closest living goblin(moving if need be)
[roll2]
[roll3]

[thewamp]

Round 2

With a scream, the 'hag' pulls out a shortbow and aims for the horse. Her fury isn't too helpful though and her shot goes wide.

The red goblin begins to stumble away from the fight.

Keld runs over to where the fight is still happening and strikes down another goblin. He's quite the badass with his comicly large weapon.

The blue goblin begins to stumble away as well.

Mae-Lin whispers something and the sounds of horses can be heard, fast approaching from the right. Intermingled with that is the piteous wail of goblins.

Harnin whirls around, but sees no apt targets.

Fair measure moves to attack the hag and with one hoof, he drops her.

--

The fight is over, effectively. You've got two goblins slowly crawling away and three dead, including the obnoxious singing 'hag'.

You start as you see a goblin diving off a roof at a hapless citizen, but the goblin misses and slams into the ground, his head going off from his body at an unnatural angle. The man, terrified, stands hurriedly and flees.

Two goblins are racing after a mother and her child. The one in back hurls a torch wildly and hits the one in front in the back. His armor lights up and as the one behind barrels into him, they both go up in flame, wailing and screaming. The mother runs with her child.

And even as you stand, the sounds of battle begin to die down. Swords clank on metal here and there, but the full-scale chaos is gone. There is barking back in the festival grounds and a man suddenly shouts.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Flicking the war razor's blade back into its handle, secretly a little glad that it hadn't succesfully tasted blood during the skirmish, Mae-Lin slipped cautiously from the mare's back. She trotted behind the animal to inspect their first set of victims, putting a hand to each throat to check for a pulse.
At the sound of the man's shout she looked up, anxious to discern its meaning and the identity of the man in question, if possible.

[roll0]

[thewamp]

Though the sounds of battle are dying down, they still drone in the background. Mae-Lin (and the rest of the group) hear another shout - someone's panicking or something like that. Not much else is clear.

[Roethke]

Felix pats Fair Measure after he dismounts, murmuring a quick prayer to Abadar,

"Lord of Wealth, let your healing be but a small recompense for those who have shed their blood for you"

he ***** his head at the sound of approaching horses,
"Ah, finally some order in this town." Shuffling in his pack he begins to remove some rather ornate, if dinted half plate armor, lays it carefully on the ground in order and begins to don it in a deliberate fashion. The armor is enameled black with the golden key of Abadar inlaid on the chestpiece. He frowns at the various cracks in the enamel as he removes each piece,

It suddenly sinks in that he could have died, and not even on Church business, and a kernel of anger enters his voice.
"next time I attend a feast, I'll wear be wearing this., he huffs. Perhaps realizing that his arms don't quite reach some of the straps without more straining than he wants to undertake, he continues in a more subdued tone to those standing about "I could use a bit of assistance, if it wouldn't be too much trouble. I haven't been paid to defend this town, and I'll be damned if I take a wound because the sheriff here cannot keep goblins out. Nasty beasts.and he toes the hag with his boot, and glares and the corpses of the goblins who just burnt each other.



OOC: Cure Minor on Fair Measure. It takes 4 minutes to don Half-plate RAW, though Felix may take his time.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Still anxious about the shouts in the distance, Mae-Lin turned round at the priest's confusion then snapped her fingers. The sound of oncoming hooves dissipated. So did many of the shrieks.
"That wasn't order," she said passively, "that was us from a minute ago."
She glanced at the horse, leaving the goblins, who did not look in good shape in the slightest, where they lay. "Will she be alright?" she queried, somewhat ashamed that she'd let the animal take a hit for her. Remembering the subject of taking hits, she sought out the man with the stick - the goblins had gone for him more than once in the last brief scuffle. She located him pretty quickly within the small group.
"Speaking of which, are you alright?" she asked the meek gentleman, staying where she was, as if worried she might spook him, "You've been looking awful since we fought the first lot - they didn't catch you with a spell or anything, did they?" She hadn't noticed a spell caster among the first group of goblins, but with everything having happened so suddenly it wouldn't have been difficult to have missed one. As she spoke she flicked the war razor back out again and began to cut the goblins' bonds. Once the corpses had been cut free she moved to the limp and bloody forms of the three goblins they had just defeated.

To the Dice Rolls Thread!

[marcielle]

'Looks like you didn't get to play the hero for Amy. Aww well, at least yer first festival was a blast, eh?'
'...'
'Aww, cheerup kiddo. If Amy had seen you back there, she woulda been damn proud'.
'What was this?'
'Looks like it use to be goblin spleen'
'I meant what was the attack suppose to BE? They couldn't have meant to take us over or slaughter. Even goblins would have known they didn't have the numbers. And it couldn't have been a raid. They would have run instead of fight. They just killed and destroyed with little or no sense of self preservation. Goblins aren't known for their genius, but last time I checked, they weren't suicidally berserk. Even a shaman shouldn't have been able to spur all of them to absolute suicide. Even wild beasts don't just barge into town without a significant force'.

Keld stands around, surveying the carnage and wondering out loud about the attack.

[Exthalion]

"I am free of bodily harm. Yet my pride at least is wounded by the failing of my foresight. In generalization is lost the benefits of focus though focus of this sort is not conducive to life in this place."

His common was accented, but oddly so. If there is such a thing as an archaic accent he would have it.

"It seems odd to have traded my life and future for so little result this first time. I shall have to make up the balance at a later date."

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Mae-Lin prized the goblins' mouths open to prevent them from swallowing their own tongues. Their breath was not sweet. She had been tearing strips the cleaner parts of the bottom of her shirt to use as make shift bandages for them when the man answered her question. She listened carefully to what he had to say but could not place his accent or dialect, though he was obviously speaking common. Her reply was hesitant. She looked into his face while tying a bandage.
"I'm... glad you're not hurt..." she told him. She knew all about wounded pride, but the rest of it was all rather opaque.

The smallish person had similar questions about the whole affair to her own. "This is why I thought it might be a good idea to talk to them first if they'd let us," she said quietly. "I mean, it's probably true that people's guard would be down more than usual during a festival like this but it still seems fairly bold of them. I guess they knew Sandpoint's not the best at protecting its citizens...?"
She craned her neck, still kneeling with her "patients" at least one of whom was deteriorating quite rapidly. "If you could catch one of them without killing him, maybe we could get them to explain what they know?" she gestured at the two goblins that were doing their best to crawl away. Once the ragged bandages had been applied and their airways had been cleared there was little else she could do for the unconscious survivors. Some might argue that they didn't deserve this attention, but after what Mae-Lin had done to their kin, she felt she owed them something.
The priest was still faffing about with his armour when she had finished so she stood up and silently assisted with a few of the ties.

I couldn't see a mention of anything that I'd need to roll to help Felix don his armour, so no roll for that. The heal checks for the gobbos are in the dice rolling thread.

[marcielle]

'The attack wasn't that much of a surprise. People have sighted a goblin or two from time to time. They were bound to do something like this sooner or later. In hindsight, the festival was the perfect time. However, HOW did they know that there would be a festival? I don't think they read the town news board or have friendly banter with the travelling merchants. And why didn't make a run for it when they were clearly outmatched? I would assume anything sentient would have at least the instinct of self preservation. Either they had an ulterior motive or their green goblin gods must've found the new church an eyesore'.

[Roethke]

as Felix channels the bit of healing energy into Fair Measure, he replies to Mae-Lin, "Fair measure will be good as new, with a little help from the Lord of Wealth, and perhaps another treat tonight. She's fond of corn, there must be some in this town".

As he futzes with the various bits of armor, he listens to the speculations on the cause of the attack. As Mae-Lin returns to help with stubbornest pieces, he sucks in his breath to help them fit. As the last one slips into place, he exhales with a sigh of relief. He's now a much more imposing figure, the helm brings his height closer to 6', the chest plates hide his round belly and the armor itself somewhat battle-scarred. He clankingly turns to thank her, and finally notices the blood stains down her shirt. Gesturing toward them, he flips the visor back up and says "Oho, that stain doesn't appear to be from a goblin. Though the Church usually charges for such services, you've already paid in kind with the fighting you've done. That is, I could heal that scrape, if you wish.


Returning to the drift of the conversation, he adds
"Well, I wouldn't look for sense or reason in these creatures. Those two over there burned themselves to death, and the others seemed entranced by that hag's song. Maybe they can tell us how they got into the town, but I'd be surprised at more than that.

To brown-haired man with the stick, he queries,
"Your life and future? Those two things are dear, but this time you've had a bit of a scare, maybe, that's all. You're looking hale, still, I'm sure you'll be able to focus again soon, you haven't lost either. Here, maybe we can see what this is all about...

With that, Felix draws his mace, lowers his visor, and begins to clank towards one the goblins dragging itself along the ground. Inside his helm he begins to hum that blasted tune again, catching himself as he stops near the goblin. He addresses it in loud, slow Common, mace raised,
"STOP RIGHT THERE, OR I'LL GIVE YOU TO MY HORSE".

Then he lifts his visor and repeats the message.



Cure Light, if Mae-Lin wants it - [roll0]

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Ducking under Brother Castor's arm to access his other side, Mae-Lin listened to the cloaked character's speech.
"I'm not so convinced they thought they were outnumbered," she said, reaching for another toggle and trying to draw it closer to its partner. "Most of the people 'round the church fled on seeing them - Harpy Musk doesn't sell well without reason, people are afraid of the goblins - in both scuffles it's only thanks to Brother Castor's steed that we outnumbered them at all. And while the goblins are frightened of her, they obviously assumed I wasn't a threat. A majority of unarmed, unarmoured civilians wouldn't be. As to how they knew about the festival, it's the Swallowtail Festival: word of celebrations in honour of the patron of travellers, wanderers and nomads tends to get around."
When the priest's armour was on he commented that the blood on her shirt didn't look like it had come from a goblin and offered to heal the wound up for her she replied, "Oh yes it was!" to the first point (though she knew what he meant) and "Yes, please!" to the second. When he had done it she thanked him.
It was a very curious thing to watch and she felt slightly uncomfortable about it, but it was a relief that her parents wouldn't have to see the damage, although they might have questions about the state of her clothing.

As a back up to Brother Castor's command to the goblin, she swung out from behind him and translated it, patting the mare for emphasis.

[thewamp]

The goblins stop where they are. Meanwhile, there are more shouts and the sound of a dog barking. You can make out the word 'Help!' in common.

[marcielle]

'Ain't no rest for the wicked'.
Under his mask, Keld smiles a little.'Till we close their eyes for good'.
Keld runs towards the cry, adrenaline and the smell of blood making him forget his misgivings about the attack.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Mae-Lin nipped over to where the escaped goblins had frozen, picking up the salvageable rope she'd cut from the corpses earlier. Assuring them that she would not hurt them if they co-operated she bound their hands. She didn't have a lot of time to make sure the knots were nice and had to rely somewhat on the hope that fear would keep them in check. Once they were relatively secured she began to lead them along in the direction of the cry for help, instructing them to keep quiet. Exactly what she was going to do with them once they reached the apparent conflict, she hadn't decided, but the decision would be easier to come to once she'd seen the situation for herself, no doubt.

[roll0]
[roll1]
Welp, the lower of those rolled out to the same as what worked with tying the last lot to Fair Measure's saddle, so I guess that's reasonably well tied...?

[Roethke]

Seeing the boy with the fishhook bolt towards the cry for help, Felix mutters"Not geting paid enough for this, I hope the Sheriff's grateful. Here, let me help you with that. I guess this time we won't drag them along.".

And he kneels down to help Mae-Lin secure the goblins. Once the bonds are tight, Brother Castor clocks each on the head with the heel of his mace.
"not sure if this will knock any sense into 'em, but it will keep them from moving too far."

With the goblins secure, Felix whistles to Fair Measure, and begins to mount the mare in order to follow Keld.


Use Rope (aid another, DC 10):[roll0]

Then nonlethal damage with the mace to each, to render them unconscious.
If you need atks & damage:

Attacks @ -4 for dealing nonlethal damage with the mace
atk1:[roll1]
dmg:[roll2]
atk2:[roll3]
dmg:[roll4]
atk3:[roll5]
dmg:[roll6]

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Mae-Lin bit her lip as Brother Castor swung at the tied goblins with his mace. She'd told them she wouldn't hurt them if they co-operated. Admittedly, she wasn't hitting them, neither, initially, was Brother Castor, as he seemed to have misjudged their height, or lack of such. After a moment's hesitation she left him to it.
Before running after the guy with the guisarme she turned to the archaic speaker "Sounds like there's more trouble up ahead, they'll probably appreciate the extra help if you wanted to come with..." she offered by way of explanation - he'd come this far after all.

[thewamp]

You rush back up high street and wheel back around to face the festival grounds, where you are just in time to see a gleeful goblin riding what looks like a dog from hell, slash down a rather normal looking dog.

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/6875/screenshot20110905at940.png

The cries from help, which are coming from the other side of the rain barrel, take on a rather unmanly tone and become straight up screams. You can see some disheveled brown hair sticking up from behind it, but other than that all you can see is the goblin riding the red dog as well as a swarm of goblins around him... looks like there's six!

Also, you can still see his feet sticking out, the drowned goblin remains inside the rain barrel.

Roll Initiative
http://img580.imageshack.us/img580/4599/screenshot20110905at954.png

[Eleanor_Rigby]

The goblin's mount, which looked like a skinned bull ready to be hung up only alive and with a nastier bite wasn't something Mae-Lin wanted anywhere near her. Nor, for that matter, were the other goblins, but she wouldn't be fending them off alone and the man cowering behind the barrel was obviously in need of some help. She reached for her spell component pouch, undecided on just what she wanted to pull out of it and keeping her war razor at hand. As she did so something visible from the corner of her eye caught her attention: on the roof of one of the houses closest to the new Cathedral perched a thrush, watching the action with what looked like an intense interest.
[roll0]
What to do what to do...
If at least two goblins are close enough to her to catch 'em then she'll cast sleep on them. She will move closer to the goblins to accommodate this although not close enough to allow an AoO.
If only one's close enough then she'll slash at it with her war razor and try to step out of it's way after if poss.

[Exthalion]

"Well, it seems Fate is ever fond of reminding all that she is capricious. Though that these vermin should take rats for steeds is appropriate to my mind."

[roll0]

Brandishing his staff Harnin focused in on one of the goblins that did not appear to be otherwise engaged. One less combatant would serve everyone better then one slightly more injured one. "Ailai si tosi os os orn pasaer paerael!"

Spell Guilt, and curse myself for having wasted my other 1st level slot and for not having 20 int like normal. It makes a Will save, DC 15. If it fails, it cannot act for 1d4 turns while it is confronted with horror at its own past transgressions. Mind Affecting obviously.

[marcielle]

'Third times the charm'
Keld and Belloric say in perfect unison. Keld holds his fishhook level in front of him and once again sends forth a wave of negative energy.
1d20+3
5ft step to the northwest and bane again. Should hit every goblin but orange. Not sure about green.

[Roethke]

Felix spurs his mare into battle yet again, thinking that this is more action than he'd seen in months of guarding caravans. So much, in fact, that he could barely focus on channeling Abadar's power through him, any more.

He was tired. And he dare not retch, now that he had his helm on. What was wrong with these goblins? Usually the mere sight of the Golden Key was enough to deter violence, they couldn't want death this much. There's no reasoning with the enemies of prosperity, it seemed.

With a cry of "Abadar and Sandpoint! Follow me!" he reaches for his mace and brandishes it as he flies into combat


As usual Felix is going towards the end so it's a bit hard to say what the battle will look like. Similar situation to before, though.

1) If the goblins haven't gone yet (or everything is pretty much how it was) Felix will try to get next to the civilian, and attack the mounted goblin.

This would involve an "overrun" of the magenta goblin and then an attack on the black goblin. The overrun allows the magenta gob an Attack of Opportunity. Then the magenta goblin can dive 5' out of the way (if he has any move), or try to stop Fair Measure in her tracks (a dicey proposition for a small creature, the goblin makes a strength check vs. Fair Measure at some huge penalty for the size difference). If the goblin fails, it's knocked prone.

Felix Attack:[roll0]
Felix Dmg:[roll1]

FairMeasure Attack:[roll2]
FairMeasure Dmg:[roll3]

Felix will then tell the civilian "If you value your life, get on my horse"
---
1a) If the civilian is dead or the mounted goblin is otherwise inaccessible he'll move and attack the nearest goblin without the overrun. Use the above rolls.


2) If the goblins have advanced on us and are in range, then Fair Measure will make a full attack and Felix will use his mace, using a 5' step to get the most goblins in range

Felix Attack:[roll4]
Felix Dmg:[roll5]

Hoof Attack:[roll6]
Hoof Dmg:[roll7]

Hoof Attack:[roll8]
Hoof Dmg:[roll9]

Bite Attack:[roll10]
Bite Dmg:[roll11]

[thewamp]

Round 1

Initiative

Blue Goblin - 18
Keld - 15
Red Goblin - 15
Mae-Lin - 11
Goblin on Dog (Black) - 9
Harnin - 9
Orange Goblin - 8
Green Goblin :smallwink: - 8
Felix - 8
Yellow Goblin - 5
Purple Goblin - 3


The blue goblin spots the party and shouts some curse words into the air. He apparently decides that discretion is the better part of valor however, and moves to swing at Harnin with his dogslicer. The horse has made him nervous though and Harnin manages to duck the blow.

Keld steps to the side, ducks a swing of the dogslicer and mutters something. Only the blue goblin is noticeably affected however, as he starts shaking his head a bit, possibly trying to clear it.

The red goblin comes around the corner and holds his dogslicer up, eyeing the horse fearfully. He looks over his shoulder quickly, but the mounted goblin's screams keep him in line.

Mae-Lin steps forward, but can't hit the goblin she swings at.

The mounted goblin wheels his dog around and shoots an arrow at the horse, but the arrow flies wide right and no damage is done.

With a whispered spell, Harnin causes the yellow goblin to collapse to the ground, sobbing. It's actually a pretty disturbing sight as the wails carry over the sounds of the battlefield.

The orange goblin steps down towards the battlefield as well, dogslicer held up, but he also decides not to approach much closer, letting the red goblin stand between him and the horse.

The green goblin leaps off a table and charges towards the horse with hate in his eyes. Unfortunately, he trips at the last second and entirely fails to be even slightly intimidating.

Felix and his horse attack the goblin ferociously and it crumples to the ground, head only loosely attached to its torso and with a huge bruise in its chest.

The yellow goblin is too busy sobbing to act.

The purple goblin steps forward and slashes at Mae-Lin, catching her beneath her ribcage. It hurts a lot, but she fights through it.

End of Round 1
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/4623/screenshot20110907at906.png

Keld, the orange, yellow, and green goblins were out of range.

Mae-Lin, you should know that you can't target sleep: if you're standing nearer to an ally than to a goblin, it'll affect your allies first.

Also, Mae-Lin takes 2 damage. I believe you got healed, so that should put you at 4 HP?

[marcielle]

'OK, you know what, that spell sucks. New plan'.
Keld holds his fishhook behind his back in one hand and appears to be trying to simply poke the goblin with his finger.

Turns out I didn't get an AoO. Removified.
[roll1]
[roll2]
If Charnel kills blue, he takes a 5ft step forward
Note, Keld has been flanking purple this whole time, though if I'm correct, Mae still misses.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Injured again, Mae-Lin glanced up at the thrush on the roof and remained as composed as possible. Turning her attention back to her attacker she narrowed her eyes and tried again.

Wise or unwise, she's going to attempt to stick the purple goblin with her War razor. It's always worked so well in the past, after all. She'll also take a 5 foot step to move into a non threatened square.
[roll0]
[roll1]
[checks roll results]
Well that was unexpected. :smallsigh:

If permitted, I think I'd rather try Dazing Purple Goblin instead, since his attack's after mine I could at least maybe stop him from hitting me again. I believe she'd need to make her 5 ft step out of the way first to avoid an AoO...?
If you figure I ought to commit to the war razor since I've rolled for it already then, well, them's the brakes.

On the other hand, if Red Goblin comes down into range and it's possible to get both Purple and Red in range but not hit any of my allies then she'll try Colour Spray please. I'm assuming (possibly incorrectly) that the 8 points of damage from Keld will have downed Blue Goblin and he's not a threat anymore. Again, 5 ft step first.

[Exthalion]

"This must end quickly, else we shall lose more then time."

Harnin wrapped his arm around his staff holding one end toward the purple goblin. A brief pulse of light travels down its length.

Diminished Guilt on Purple or Blue Goblin, whichever is least hurt. DC 14, 1 turn only spent caught up in its evil.

[Roethke]

With the scent of goblin blood in the air, it takes all of Felix's skill to bring Fair Measure's biting and kicking under control, and as the dogslicers flashingaround Fair Measure it's all Felix can do to stay in the saddle. Fair Measure, on the other hand lashes out in a fury, kicking and biting at the goblins.


Assuming the battle is more or less status quo, Felix will charge the mounted goblin (overrunning the red or yellow if they're in the way. Fair Measure's strength is 16, if it comes to that)
Hoof atk:[roll0]
Hoof dmg:[roll1]

If the other goblins have advanced and present a 'target rich' (i.e. 2 or more goblins) environment within a 5' step of fair measure, she'll take a full attack instead and I'll edit the IC post to reflect the action.
Hoof atk:[roll2]
Hoof dmg:[roll3]

Hoof atk:[roll4]
Hoof dmg:[roll5]

Bite atk:[roll6]
Bite dmg:[roll7]

[thewamp]

Round 2

Initiative
Blue Goblin - 18
Keld - 15
Red Goblin - 15
Mae-Lin - 11
Goblin on Dog (Black) - 9
Harnin - 9
Orange Goblin - 8
Felix - 8
Yellow Goblin - 5
Purple Goblin - 3

The blue goblin swings his dogslicer and this time, Keld isn't quick enough to dodge as the blade bites into his side painfully.

At Mae-Lin's request, Keld scoots over. Then suddenly, Keld's hand seems to shimmer with what can only be described as the absence of light. It builds for a split second before he reaches to touch the blue goblin. The lack of light flows into the goblin whose eyes fly wide with shock as wounds break open all over his body. Bleeding, the goblin collapses to the ground.

The red goblin runs forward and with a screech, swings his dogslicer, cutting deep into fair measure's flank. The horse rears in pain, but Felix stays on the horse.

A spray of color and light bursts from Mae-Lin's hand. The purple goblin screams and bends over, rubbing its eyes. The red goblin grits its teeth and screams, but when the colors cease, despite rubbing its eyes for a moment, the goblin appears to be mostly unharmed.

The mounted goblin takes another shot at fair measure, but this one does no better than the first.

Harnin mutters something and suddenly the red goblin turns and stares at the yellow goblin. Seeing his misery, the red goblin joins in, falling to the ground and curling up in a ball, shaking and screaming in a rather pathetic way.

At a scream from the mounted goblin, the orange goblin moves forward and swings his dogslicer, giggling gleefully as it cuts into Fair Measure.

Screaming in pain, the horse rears back and strikes down two goblins in front of it with its hooves.

The yellow goblin sniffles and rubs its nose messily on the ground, resulting in an even filthier face. It snorts once or twice, hiccups oddly and then suddenly stares back at the battle, frowning and confused.

The purple goblin is busy rubbing its eyes rather dazedly.

End of Round 2
http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/6022/screenshot20110909at115.png

Keld takes 4 damage

Fair Measure takes 7 damage

Yep, Felix, edit your IC post like you mentioned. You had a 'target-rich' environment.

[Roethke]

Free of nearest goblins and their menacing knives, Felix jerks Fair Measure's head so that she sees there are still goblins near. He kicks his heels into Fair Measure's flank, taking care to avoid the wounds, and the mare whinnies, then charges for the archer.


As before, this assumes there's a clear path, and that the situation is as described. If so, a charging Felix and Fair Measure attack

Felix atk: [roll0]
Felix dmg: [roll1]

Fair Measure Hoof: [roll2]
Fair Measure dmg: [roll3]

----
Otherwise, if the goblins have moved to us, so that they're within a 5' step, then full attack on the nearest with the preference for the archer if it's a tie.
Felix atk: [roll4]
Felix dmg: [roll5]

Fair Measure Hoof: [roll6]
Fair Measure dmg: [roll7]

Fair Measure Hoof: [roll8]
Fair Measure dmg: [roll9]

Fair Measure Bite: [roll10]
Fair Measure dmg: [roll11]

[Exthalion]

Harnin walked over to the weeping creature. He seemed unmindful of the battle around him. He stood over the beast and said softly, "I can but prey that mercy will be shown to you know. I have not strength or skill enough to seek for you a living salvation.

May the lady of the sun look upon you and judge you. If as you are now you are worthy of consideration may it be given."

As he spoke he held up his staff toward the sun. With a crash he brought it down.

Full round action, coup-de-gras.

[marcielle]

Keld shoves aside his cloak so his wound is clearly visible. His hand once again somehow glows black and he passes it over his wound which immediately begins to close and heal.
He uses Charnel Touch on himself to heal 1 damage. I'm not sure if it is applicable here, but if he can, Keld fight's defensively(since Charnel Touch is technically an attack) for the +2 AC.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

The bird on the roof began to shriek, chuntering incomprehensibly (as is a bird's wont) and leaping to and fro on the tiles when Mae-Lin cast her first spell in the fight. The halfling was angry having seen the goblins strike her fellow fighter and more than a little relieved to have incapacitated at least one of them, however temporarily. When support came from behind in the form of another woe-inducing curse Mae-Lin was more relieved still. They had magic on their side, alright, with at least four gifted combatants on their side. The archaic speaker's words had still been pertinent though: the goblins had managed to hack their way through to the mare now and the one in the distance that he had incapacitated previously appeared to be stirring from his sudden bout of grief.
Knowing that she had to act to try and prevent further injuries of her allies, and aware that the townsman was likely still cowering behind the barrel Mae-Lin decided waiting around behind the fallen wasn't good enough. Warily, and with a niggling feeling that she was acting rashly, she strode out towards the nightmarish hound and its rider, teasing another wad of fleece from her pouch as she did so. If things went awry Brother Castor and the others wouldn't just leave her to the goblins' mercy. But she still had to try to do her bit.

Using my move action to come out closer to the black goblin and if she's able to get into range she will cast Daaaze on him (not the dog, assuming aiming is possible) if she can't quite get into range I guess use the standard action to do full defense.

[thewamp]

Round 3

Initiative

Keld - 15
Mae-Lin - 11
Goblin on Dog (Black) - 9
Harnin - 9
Felix - 8
Yellow Goblin - 5
Purple Goblin - 3

Keld's body shimmers with that same strange lack of light and some of his wounds disappear.

Mae-Lin moves forward and says a spell and for a moment something shimmers in the air around the mounted goblin. But he shakes his head violently for a moment and the air clears.

The mounted goblin shouts and the dog and rider surge towards Mae-Lin. The goblin misses, but the dog connects with his bite, tearing a chunk out of Mae-Lin's leg. She feels extremely woozy and the wound itches fiercely.

The goblin that is rolling on the ground apparently doesn't have its eyes quite closed. Harnin discovers this when he attempts to bring down his staff. The goblin rolls to the side and the staff misses as the goblin stares at him, horrified.

Felix guides his warhorse up alongside the goblin dog and he and Fair Measure attempt to hit the archer, but the archer quickly ducks to the side of his dog and the attacks miss.

At a yell from the mounted goblin the yellow goblin finally gets over its teary misery and moves forward, swinging its dogslicer and giggling gleefully as Mae-Lin collapses to the ground, a large gash bleeding between her shoulder and her neck.

The purple goblin slowly picks itself up, looking at Harnin with the deepest resentment.

End of Round 3

http://img847.imageshack.us/img847/6082/screenshot20110911at309.png

Mae-Lin takes 8 damage

Exthalion, I need a source for guilt. The goblin was prone, not helpless, but that's beside the point - I can't find the source for guilt and I'd like to just know where everything comes from. I rolled your attack as a standard attack, with the +4 bonus from the prone opponent, but you missed.

Felix, I'm not sure where you get the +3 modifier. +2 of that I understand, though i threw away, because you weren't charging (it was within half of your movement). However, the remaining +1 just makes no sense to me. Explain?

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Between the moment that the hell hound released its grip and the moment when the dogslicer connected Mae-Lin had almost enough time to realise that she had made a poor choice. That was about it.
Almost before the halfling had hit the ground, the spectating thrush plummeted from its safe spot on the roof. The little brown body rocketed towards the prone figure "MAE-LIN!" it screamed in shrill but unmistakeable common. It landed neatly at the girl's ear but was quite unable to assist her, apparently realising this it turned to the human fighters and pleaded "Somebody help her! You have to help her!" Anguished, the songbird took off again, though not before whispering to the girl on the ground "Hang in there, Mae-Mae, I'm going to get help - just hang in there..." It flitted away as quickly as it had arrived, streams of suprisingly violent Varisian curses issuing from its delicate beak.
Its last decipherable words before it was out of both sight and earshot were: "Don't let them harm another hair on that girl's head, or you'll have me to answer to!"

[marcielle]

Keld moves up to the purple goblin and swings a hasty punch with a shadow fueled fist, more to keep it off Harnin than anything else.
Charnel Touch on Purple
[roll0]
[roll1]
He shouts out ' If you still have that sobbing uncontrolably thing, I'd suggest targeting the dog!'

Hopefully the dog's rider will be inconvenienced when his ride suddenly curls up and whimpers.

[Exthalion]

"Sadly I am tapped. I fear I shall have to cease my service save as a distraction."

Fight defensively full attack using my staff as a double weapon on purple goblin.

[roll0] They are both at a -5 penalty.
[roll1] The damage.

[Roethke]

Felix's visor slit wheels to where Mae-Lin has fallenSinging goblins, and now a talking bird? I hope this is some magic and I'm not going mad.

Seeing the dog chewing a small bit of the halfling, and how nimble the archer appears to be Felix maneuvers Fair Measure so he and the horse could strike at the goblin's mount.

"Hang in there, Butterfly, let me get that dog away from you." He mutters to Mae-Lin through the din of combat. Such sentiments were rare for a pragmatic man like himself, but the way the small being put herself between the town and Chaos would meet with Abadar's approval and he would bring her His blessing, if he could.


Ideally, take a 5' step so that Fair Measure is one square to the southeast of the black goblin (this should provide somebody with flanking on purple, all else being equal). Otherwise just a full attack on the goblin's mount.

All attacks are on the mount (unless it very luckily gets killed)...
Felix Atk: [roll0]
Felix Damage:[roll1]

FM Hoof: [roll2]
FM Dmg: [roll3]

FM Hoof: [roll4]
FM Dmg: [roll5]

FM Bite: [roll6]
FM Dmg: [roll7]

Rules PS- The 'Mounted Combat' feat could let the goblin make a ride check to use instead of the mounts regular AC. This only works for 1 hit. I'm hoping that Felix and Fair Measure connect more than once.

Rules PPS- Not sure if you rolled behind the scenes, but if the purple goblin did actually stand up from prone, it should provoke an Attack of Opportunity, from Harnin, I think.

[marcielle]

He stood up from prone?:smallamused:
He DEFINITELY gets an AoO from me.
[roll0]
[roll1]

[thewamp]

Round 4

Initiative
Keld - 15
Mae-Lin - 11
Goblin on Dog (Black) - 9
Harnin - 9
Felix - 8
Yellow Goblin - 5
Purple Goblin - 3

Keld builds up a charge of this sickly energy but misses.

Mae-Lin continues to bleed.

The mounted goblin returns its focus to the horse. Swinging its horsechopper at the horse, it cuts deeply in the horse, which makes pained noises.

Harnin and Fair Measure attack the dog but are not terribly effective. One attack looks like it might come close but the goblin smoothly reins the dog out of range.

The yellow and purple goblins move to attack Harnin at the screaming of the mounted goblin. They jump up and down, clanging their swords off of Harnin's armor, but doing no damage.

There is an alarmed squeal from the north. It looks like Father Zantus has returned to the square. He stares nervously at the goblin dog.



http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/341/screenshot20110912at100.png

Fair Measure takes 9 damage. By my reckoning, he's still conscious.

Yep Roethke, I know how Mounted Combat works, but thanks :smallwink:.

[marcielle]

'Alright, weepy is tapped out and old Father screech don't look like he'll be of much help. You wanna save your new partner in shortness, best bet is to get rid of these gobbos quick'.
'Very well then'.
Keld once again moves in on the Purple goblin and tries to get him with his fell touch.
OK, move to square left o purple boy and hope I hit him this time.
[roll0]
[roll1]

[Roethke]

Felix winces as the big goblin knife cuts into Fair Measure. "Abadar blesses your courage" he says to the beast, then adds, ""As many rolls as you want"

Seeing Father Zantus emerge into the street he calls, and wave his mace at the goblin rider, Over Here! We're hard pressed"

Felix drops his shield to the ground, holding his mace with two hands so he can get all his strength behind it. He and Fair Measure attack the goblin's mount again, hoping to strike home this time. He hops down from Fair Measure after his shield, deftly for a man of his stature.


Felix will have Fair Measure take a full attack on the mount, then drop his shield and make a two handed attack with his mace, then dismount to the 'west' of Fair measure. Time to get Fair Measure out of there, next round, hopefully.

Felix Atk:[roll0]
Felix Dmg:[roll1]

FM Hoof:[roll2]
FM dmg:[roll3]

FM Hoof:[roll4]
FM dmg:[roll5]

FM Bite:[roll6]
FM dmg:[roll7]

[Exthalion]

"Strange is it not that I should, here at the end, be reduced to that field in which I am so lacking in arete? A lesson in humaility from the divine I should think."

Repeat of my last action.
[roll0]
[roll1]

Well, since it didn't display right, that is a 13 and 2 to hit. I am fighting defensively.

[thewamp]

Round 5

Initiative

Keld - 15
Mae-Lin - 11
Goblin on Dog (Black) - 9
Harnin - 9
Felix - 8
Yellow Goblin - 5
Purple Goblin - 3
Father Zantus - 2

The dark energy leaps from Keld's hand successfully this time. The goblin's face shrivels and his hair seems from his head like pasta as he collapses to the ground.

Mae-Lin continues to bleed.

The goblin and his dog attack Fair Measure again, scoring a hit. Fair Measure's eyes are bulging out and his flanks are heaving.

Felix swings his staff and bashes the purple goblin's shrunken head in.

In one last final effort, Fair Measure attacks the dog, just as Felix does. The horse's hooves collide with the dog's head, knocking it out, but the effort is too much for the injured horse. Fair Measure collapses to the ground and Felix bangs his foot on the way down. The goblin lands on the ground much more smoothly, but obviously angrily.

The yellow goblin sees the horse fall and gleefully dives at Felix, somehow tackling him to the ground. The sight of the short goblin taking down the armor-clad man would almost make a funny scene if not for the bleeding horse and dog nearby.

Father Zantus runs over to Mae-Lin and, dodging a blow from the formerly mounted goblin, says a short prayer. Mae-Lin's wounds heal

End of Round 5

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/4946/screenshot20110914at116.png

Fair Measure takes 5 damage which puts him at 0 by my count. The loyal mount attacks one last time, killing the dog, but going to -1 himself. Felix takes a point of falling damage. The goblin lands easily.

Then, the yelllow goblin, in a fit of rolling really well, dodges the attack of opportunity and despite massive penalties, wins the grapple check against Felix.

Mae-Lin heals 11 hit points putting her at 5, by my count.

The goblin on top of the bleeding goblin dog is not unconscious, though the picture may be confusing.

[marcielle]

'Pathetic goblins! Don't you know when you're already DEAD!?!
Keld sighed inwardly. These things just didn't know when to run. Oh well. At least he's gotten to do more magic than he usually gets to do in a month.
'Don't forget, you killed like, 3 sentient things today. That ALWAYS a day brightener:smallbiggrin:'
Keld charges the goblin grappling Felix with another Charnel Touch.
[roll0]
[roll1]
Remember, strobe colors means Keld sounds like 2 people talking at once.

[Roethke]

The last few seconds had been a blur for Felix as he fell from Fair Measure, and his ponderous brain struggled to catch up. What he did know was that his left greave had slid down and was digging into his ankle in a very unpleasant way and that he was tangled up with a small, evil-faced being scrabbling over his breastplate and going for his throat. Acting more on instinct than deliberation, he tries to gain purchase and crush the goblin to his chest.


Assuming the yellow goblin has not been killed, will make a grapple check to damage opponent
Grapple: [roll0]
EDIT: ARGH, forgot to roll damage... to the dice roller thread!

If the yellow goblin is no longer threat, attack the black (or nearest) threat with the mace (two handed), and will change the IC text. If there are no threats, cure minor on Fair Measure and pick up shield.
atk:[roll1]
dmg:[roll2]

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Mae-Lin woke up, or so she assumed, she hadn't entirely processed falling down yet. She remembered having been in an unprecedented amound of pain and the fact that her blouse was caked in blood backed that up, but she couldn't feel the sting anymore - her leg was burning slightly and she was quite tired, but considering what had been just moments before she felt suspiciously comfortable.
She saw Father Zantus above her, he seemed to be watching something behind her shoulder and was looking quite wiped out. She was glad she'd been wearing a paper butterfly in her hair.
"Th- thank you, Father Zantus," she heard herself saying. She was relieved by his appearance but not entirely sure where he had come from or how much she had missed. She struggled to her feet, an act that was easier to achieve then she'd expected it to be.
The bird from the roof had disappeared.
The dog, which she remembered tearing in to her, was now prostrated on the street in a grizzly bloody heap. The goblin who'd been charging at her with its dogslicer was conspicuously absent - until she turned her head and things became a little clearer: it appeared to have attached itself to Brother Castor, and his poor horse, whose hooves had probably seen to it that Mae-Lin hadn't been dog food, had collapsed in the street.
Behind her she could hear the voices of the little person in the cloak and mask, and took from this and his goading that his wounds weren't bothering him too much.
She wanted to help Brother Castor get the goblin off his back but the irate hound-rider presented her with a more immediate problem. Trying to slow it with a spell hadn't worked, but a quick jab with a knife just might - either way, she wanted to get away from it.


Move action = stand up.
If she can do it, a 5 foot step to the square behind her to get away from the black goblin, after trying to stab him. I don't know if standing up counts as "movement", I mean, it's moving obviously, but she's not accessing another square...
An attempted attack with her war-razor:
[roll0]
[roll1]

[Exthalion]

"Padre to your beast, else the price of horseflesh shall soon be somewhat lowered."

Move and attack the yellow goblin. Fighting defensively.
[roll0]
[roll1]

[thewamp]

Round 6

Initiative
Keld - 15
Mae-Lin - 11
Goblin on Dog (Black) - 9
Harnin - 9
Felix - 8
Yellow Goblin - 5
Father Zantus - 2

The void of light once around surrounds Keld's hands as he reaches out and touches the goblin tackling Felix. The goblin's skin whithers and it releases Felix.

Mae-Lin gets up and jabs at the last goblin, but he leaps to the side. He doesn't giggle though. It looks like the loss of his dog has him rather angry.

The remaining goblin swings at Felix with his horseslicer, but it is turned aside by his armor.

Harnin swings his staff, killing the yellow goblin as it lies bleeding.

Felix swings his mace at the black goblin but just misses.

Father Zantus, hearing Harnin, moves over and says a quiet prayer, hands on Fair Measure. The horse's wounds seem to slow their bleeding.

End of Round 6

http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/3337/screenshot20110917at124.png

Alright, we're going to speed things a bit, since the combat's pretty simple, but you might miss. I'd like you all to declare three rounds of action, but narrate only one. I understand that this is a bit abnormal, but I don't want to have to spend ages waiting until you finally roll well.

As always, if statements and conditionals are fine.

[marcielle]

'Aww, there's only one left...'
Keld rolls his eyes under his mask. He charges and tries to catch the goblin with his hook as he passes by.
Charge 10 feet straight up and whack the goblin
[roll0]
[roll1]

[Eleanor_Rigby]

<If you didn't want your pet to get killed, maybe you shouldn't have gone around attacking other people's> Mae-Lin hissed at the already angry goblin. Not a helpful remark, perhaps, but she couldn't help it. She had a trickle of magic left to use but with no real concept of how many more goblins they might meet once this one had been dispatched, she was reluctant to waste it on him.

Fighting defensively with war-razor
[roll0] (assuming she's flanked during the attack, take off another 2 if she's not)
[roll1]

and for the other two rounds, assuming same conditions:
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]

ETA: :smallredface: woo! [cringes]

[Exthalion]

"Oh what bitter turn of fate that I, prince of the earth, must play the Monk,
dispensing sage advice and issuing judgement with a length of fallow plank!"

Harnin than proceeded to do just that, with a most distasteful look on his face.

First Round
Move to the last goblin and attack it.
[roll0]
[roll1]

Second Round
Full attack
[roll2]
[roll3]

[roll4]
[roll5]

Third Round
Continue attacking
[roll6]
[roll7]

[roll8]
[roll9]

[marcielle]

OK, I didn't think it'd take that long to finish them but judging from the way the rolls are going, I might as well roll up my next turns attacks. Assuming he's up and capable of fighting, Keld moves in next turn and hits with Charnel Touch till it's down.
Next:[roll0]
[roll1]
Next next:[roll2]
[roll3]
Crit confirmation in the roll thread.
Edit: CRIT CONFIRMED.
'Dis suckas goin DOOOOOWN!'

[Roethke]

As Felix swings his mace at the remaining goblin, he has trouble shaking the sight of the small blond kid who seemed more or less at ease with the carnage and had worked some magic to wither the goblin he had been holding. And that voice - bizarre.

Reality reasserts itself in the form of a dogslicer whirling near him, and he makes a telegraphed lunge at dismounted goblin, pulling back at the last second, hoping to set himself up for a finishing strike


This round - Feint
Bluff:[roll0]
Next Rounds, swing, 2-handed (not assuming flanking, but will maneuver to do so if the goblin has already taken his AoO, or it can be done w/ a 5' step)
rnd+1
atk:[roll1]
dmg:[roll2]
--
rnd+2
atk:[roll3]
dmg:[roll4]

[thewamp]

A flurry of blows at last finishes off the goblin as he furiously tries to pierce Felix's well-wrought armor. As the goblin finally falls, it is apparent that the sounds of combat have left the streets of Sandpoint.

Father Zantus is standing about awkwardly in what used to be the festival square to the north. He slowly turns on the spot, his mouth agape as though he's only just had time to process what actually just happened.

And just as the adrenaline begins to ebb and you notice the injuries - the aches, the bruises, the cuts and the places where the skin still throbs from a recently healed wound - you also hear a voice from beyond the water barrel, next to the dead dog.

Sitting behind it is a tall man, sitting scrunched up so as to make himself as small as possible. His medium-length brown hair is disheveled and what might be an attractive face is puffy from crying. He looks wild-eyed at the party for a moment and then shakes his head and looks at each of you in turn. "Help," he mutters one last time, and then, "or I guess... thank you!"

For any curious, the goblin missed, Felix's faint was successful, the crit didn't kill him, the goblin missed again and Felix finished him off.

[Roethke]

Brother Castor tilts his visor up to catch his breath as he stands over the corpse of the goblin archer. Looking around, he surveys the bloody chaos of the scene, giving a slight start of relief as Mae-Lin is now suddenly up and about and finally coming to rest on the hulking form of Fair Measure, still collapsed in the road. He shakes his head, saying to himself more than to Farther Zantus,

"Looks like she'll make it, but it is a shame. The last time this happened she'd snap at anyone bearing a blade, even me. I had to cut my meat with a spoon for weeks. But my thanks all the same, Father Zantus, from both me, and Fair Measure."

He bends down to retrieve his shield, frowning at the flakes of mud, blood and chipped wood on its face. He starts to brush some off, but seeing that he's smearing more than cleaning, ceases. This sort of thing was from the life of a caravan guard, not a Hand of Abadar, Felix had thought he was past that. Walking over to the horse's saddlebags, he carefully lays his equipment down and removes a tattered sheaf of papers, pen and ink, and begins jotting notes down, murmuring to himself,

Lets see, a Hand of Abadar commands 5 silver per day, with a 1gp penalty for short-notice hire. Hmm, it was too chaotic for bounties, so lets say another 5 sp combat pay. Spellcasting, now Father Zantus did cast spells on my behalf, so lets call it a wash. Saving civilians, that must be worth something, Say 5 silver each time, that brings us to about 3 gold for each defender of order."

To the man behind the barrel, "Think nothing of it. Abadar will intervene for his children when the temporal authorities fail. Did you happen to see where the goblins came from? I'm sure any information would be valuable,"

To the other combatants, he says "I am Brother Felix Castor, Hand of Abadar. I will be entering this day's events in the Ledger, and would see to it that all accounts are properly settled. From what I could see, your actions were heroic, and deserving of recompense." gesturing to Mae-Lin, "Some even were ready to lay down their own lives. If you wish it, I can add your names to the Ledger. You may add the number of goblins killed or if you wish to apply for a bounty, or a description of services rendered, and the Church will guarantee appropriate payment. It may take some time, of course, but the Golden Key is sound. As mercenaries, though perhaps unintentional ones, the spoils of war are due us. So I would loot our enemies before some opportunist takes the chance."

With that, he rests a hand on Fair Measure, asking Abadar to heal her wounds, and perhaps bring her to consciousness. Then looks to the others and the man behind the barrel for a response


Cure Minor on Fair Measure (that'll tap Felix out for the day). I was thinking of keeping an actual "Ledger", maybe in a google doc or an online wiki somewhere. I'll send out a link when I've got one.

[marcielle]

'Bah, don't bother. Gobblins hardly ever have anythin worth carryin' and no matter how you wash it, it'll always smell of Gobbo'.
Keld ignores Belloric's mental whispers as he sits down cross legged and meditates, chanelling the energies of the negative plane to, ironically, heal himself. His wounds rapidly close, leaving no trace but for some dried blood.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Once the goblin archer had fallen back for the last time, Mae-Lin flicked her blade back into its casing and pocketed it, somewhat embarassed at her lack of contribution. As Brother Castor went to inspect his horse she fumbled through her pockets taking out and replacing various food packages before finding the one she wanted. After the mare had recieved her positive prognosis Mae-Lin turned to seek out the masked one.
"You alright then, man of mystery?" she whispered, "looked like you took a hit back there, did Father Zantus patch you up too?" quite why she was whispering, she wasn't sure, but either the guy was an unusually dedicated theatrical performer or he really didn't want his face to be seen. Masks and hooded cloaks did very little to improve your vision in a fight. Besides, Brother Castor was acting as if he had more to say and she was loath to interrupt him.
She merely nodded and bit her lip when the man from behind the barrel spoke before remembering to force a slight smile. She hadn't been as helpful as she'd hoped. She glanced fleetingly at the dead dog, wondering if it might have been his.
She listened silently to the cleric's proposition of recording the procedings and totting up fees, shifting the food parcel from hand to hand as he spoke and watching the others to see what they made of this odd little audit. Being gestured at made her uncomfortable. When he had finished she reached forward and eased the bow from the dead archer's hands to inspect it. The weapon hadn't done him much good during the fight but it was unlikely they had anything of much more value on them. She eyeballed the corpse to see whether or not he had fallen on any remaining arrows he might have.
After a few moments' pause she wandered over to the horse in the road.
"When she comes round, give her this from me" she instructed Brother Castor, passing him the parcel of sweetcorn fritters.
She looked back at the roof, double checking that the bird had vanished.

Keld healed himself while I was typing this, but Mae-Lin wouldn't know that so...
I was going to try to pick up a short bow or something for Mae-Lin anyway so I guess if the bow isn't smashed up or something and it's something she's proficient in she might hang on to it?

[Exthalion]

"'twould seem we have all passed through this gate, indeed and without true loss for those who are accustom to violent lives." After hearing the plutocrats words Harnin said, "Indeed for myself I shall take naught for that is not whyfor I did expend myself. It would be a poor thing indeed if virtue was a think to be purchased for coin or righteousness a commodity.

Yet if generosity opens your hand then send what share you would have accounted mine unto my blood who dwell not far. Though be not so quick to excuse the arts here displayed, for five and ten are the respective prices in gold for spells of least and first order and many have we exhausted."

[marcielle]

'D'aww, looks like you made a fwiend', Belloric whispers.
Keld stands up, completely fine now.
'Thanks, but I'm fine, really. How about you? That was a nasty one back there.
Also, nice hummingbird'.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

"Hummingbird?" Mae-Lin repeated, confused. She looked about her shoulders as if expecting one to appear. Then she glanced back at the roof top, perhaps she had heard a familiar voice after all. "I don't suppose you saw which way it went, did you?" she asked, still looking about.

The "hummingbird" looked something like this: http://www.rspb.org.uk/images/cache/songthrushsingingfrombranch180_tcm9-23350_v4.jpg http://www.wildbirddirect.com/images/species/large/song-thrush.jpg

[marcielle]

'Generally? Up. I'm afraid it flew off sometime after Zantus came in. He was pretty worried about you. I think it also threatened to peck us to death if we let you die.'

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Mae-Lin looked down trying to conceal a laugh.
"That sounds about right, yes." She shook her head. "I only hope he doesn't do anything foolish. He's, well... a close friend of the family. I'll leave it at that." she remembered the boy's earlier question - she was beginning to suspect that he was in fact a boy, although nothing was entirely clear. With the peculiar aspects of some of his speech she half wondered if his voice was going through the process of breaking.
"And Father Zantus did a very good job: between blacking out like that and getting healed up it's almost as if I didn't get hurt in the first place..." a slight exaggeration, perhaps, as her leg still twinged a lot, (she deliberately hadn't checked it yet as it really did feel rather odd), but she was still counting her blessings not to have been struck down for good. "You're sure you're fine then?"

[marcielle]

Keld spot a litle cut running down his arm that he had missed.
He runs his finger down it and the wound closes and heals almost instantaneously.
'Yep.'

[Roethke]

As Mae-Lin hands him the corn fritters, Felix has to restrain himself from popping one into his mouth straightaway, so strong is the wave of hunger. Remarkable, really, considering how much he consumed at the Festival. He manages a, "Thank you, Fair Measure will appreciate it" to her.

Upon hearing Harnin's speech, Felix needed a good long moment to go over it in his mind and piece it together in more familiar words, he responds, "Wealth flows to the virtuous, not the other way around, or at least so go the teachings of Abadar. I will record your deeds, and will take note of what magics you may have expended, and your virtuous effort will earn your reward.

By the way, where do you come from? I have not heard such an accent in my travels."

[thewamp]

As you converse, the cowering man gets up and butts his way into your conversation. Standing up he does cut quite an elegant figure, although perhaps he would be more elegant if his face were not puffy and his clothes not dirty. Speaking loudly and over anyone else who might be speaking at the moment, he seems almost giddy. "That was amazing. You... uh, you all are amazing. Brother priest, on your horse, you cut an impressive figure, and your skill at arms was dazzling. And you, milady, showed such bravery, getting right back up to fight after nearly dying. And such beauty for one so... well. You saved me from certain, well goblining. I must - but my manners. My name is Aldern Foxglove. I live in a manor down the coast from here, but I am in town for a few days more. Thank you so much for saving me from these goblins."

Father Zantus has moved away around the festival square, healing the wounded, and it occurs to anyone who looks around that Mannix has disappeared. No one saw him leave, but he isn't with you any more. Odd.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Mae-Lin watched as the boy erase the scratch on his arm, that unsettling dimness radiating from his digit as he did so. The same lack of light that had occurred while he was attacking the goblins. She was ignorant in the field of magical healing but even so it seemed... unusual. Very different to the powers that had already been granted via Desna and Abadar today, anyhow.
She wasn't able to comment on this phenomenon, however, even if she had decided to do so, because at this point the man who'd called for help decided to speak again.

She wasn't sure that bravery was the trait she would have attached to her previous actions, foolishness seemed more apt. As for returning to the fight when she'd recovered, well, there hadn't seemed to have been a lot of other options at the time: running would have marked her as a vulnerable and thus viable target (if blacking out after a couple of knocks hadn't been evidence enough of this) hiding probably wouldn't have worked well either.
She set her jaw and raised her eyebrows at his faux pas about "beauty" silently challenging him to continue where he'd dropped off. One so... what? So tiny? So stubborn? So foolish? So hairy? Whatever it was, she'd probably heard it before. Particularly if the aborted observation had been one about height.
When he had finished, she nodded curtly in acknowledgement.
"Mae-Lin Wren." she introduced herself, largely in the hopes that her other two fellow fighters would do the same, "I don't live in a manor." almost as an afterthought she extended her hand for a handshake, then, as a further afterthought, smiled slightly.

[marcielle]

'Belloric'.
Keld gives a light nod in the man's direction.
'Father, know you what happened to the Rusty Dragon Inn? I was staying there and fear for my possesions'.

Okay, instead of the awkward strobing, Lime green is now his mixed voice. He sounds considerably older when doing this. To the others who were in the fight, he is obviously trying to hide that he is a child from Zantus

[Roethke]

As the elegant man stands up Felix waits until the others have introduced themselves or asked their questions, still trying to order his thoughts after the chaos of combat. Keld's suddenly more basso voice emerges from the small figure, and Felix shakes his head, then removes his helm to hear better. He thinks, I must have been mistaken before, no child would enter combat as he did.

Finally, he remembers what brought him to Sandpoint in the first place, Goodman Calhoun. And here was a nobleman who may know of him. Though the origin of the goblins was worrying, too, the Church would want to know if they were getting brazen enough to disrupt civilized activity. Given the man's state of mind at the moment, perhaps asking about the goblins would be more likely to produce useful results.

He clears his throat, and speaks, "Brother Castor, Hand of Abadar, if you did not hear me before. Gesturing to the mans disheveled state, "I only regret we did not arrive in time to prevent the assault the dignity of a man of quality, like yourself. Where did the goblins come from and how did you come to be trapped by that barrel- did you not have men-at-arms attending you? I should speak with them if they forsook their duty and fled, Abadar has little tolerance for such and they must do penance."

[Exthalion]

Harnin felt severely out of place. He was a fisherman's son, and a poor one at that. Here were priests and nobles, and he didn't even know how to speak properly!

He spoke up anyway, it was rude to ignore people, "Would we will that should you have stood in our place have done else?"

Especially since he was nervous his accent came through much more strongly. To those who knew dead Thassilonian it was oddly similar. To all others it just sounded archaic, the stresses were off and the pronunciation pinned him as someone for whom Common was a second language.

[marcielle]

'Well, since we just killed over a dozen goblins when we could have walked away after the first few, I'd have to say yes. Any one of us would've stayed and fought. Heck, Wren here actually stayed and fought TWICE'.

[thewamp]

He seems to take the barrage of questions in stride and completely fails to notice Mae-Lin's discomfort.

"Brother Castor, you are right of course, I did have a man with me. Sadly my manservant seems to have vanished somewhere in the chaos, and I didn't think to be well protected inside of Sandpoint."

"I don't know where the goblins came from. I was at the festival, which was rather enjoyable I think, and there was the attack. I ran, and then ran into a goblin which I guess didn't see me. So I snuck back hear with my dog," he indicates the dog on the ground with a grimace, "when these ones attacked me. It was quite the close call I think you'll agree."

"But indeed!" he says, turning to Keld and Harnin, "you stayed and fought. And it was incredibly brave." But he turns back to Mae-Lin and Felix. "But you two showed particular bravery. Which isn't to say... I mean, you were all as brave as the next, but particularly..."

He frowns. "My mouth has run away with itself, but in thanks, I would love to invite you all to come boar hunting with me. I'm staying at the Rusty Dragon, and I'll be here for at least another week. Find me and we can have a wonderful afternoon celebrating all of you heroic people."

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Mae-Lin looked at the dead dog on the ground and couldn't help thinking of her second-cousin's bitch who was due to be whelped any day now. He'd be devastated if the old girl had got caught by the goblins - she hadn't really thought about it before, being rather more concerned with whether her human friends had kept safe. Still, she felt more sympathetic towards Foxglove at the affirmation that the dog had been his.
At the apparent show of preferential treatment towards her and Brother Castor, she raised an eyebrow and glanced back at Belloric and the man with the staff. She decided to attribute this slight on them to social awkwardness, although somebody brought up in a manor ought to have been taught basic manners really.
When hunting was mentioned, she remembered she was still holding the goblin's bow. When she thought it didn't appear especially rude to do so, she nipped back over to the goblin she'd taken it from and had another look for amunition. If she were to take Foxglove up on his offer, she'd probably not bring weaponry nicked from a dead goblin, but she thought it best to be as prepared as possible for the present in case the goblins hadn't entirely been beaten back.

[roll0] <for arrows
although, it's possible still that the bow's too damaged to use or is a type Mae-Lin's not proficient in, but whatevs.

[Roethke]

Felix slaps his belly which results in a resounding clang as gauntlet meets breastplate, reminding him of his armored state. Looking down he continues "Well, you'll have to take my word that I enjoy boarflesh perhaps a bit more than the next man, and would be honored to accept your invitation. However,though I am in no position to decline, not being a gentleman of leisure, I must attend to some business here in Sandpoint first. Abadar exceeds even your station, my lord Foxglove. But I shall certainly find you at the Rusty Dragon, and if not a hunt, we shall share a drink together. If you don't mind, I'll see to my mare, she was grievously wounded.

Felix continues in his mind
"And perhaps share some information about Goodman Calhoun, too. These bits of intelligence have their own economy, and perhaps I've earned some coin


Heal check to assess Fair Measure's condition. I'll take 20 for a 23, if possible, otherwise
[roll0]

[Exthalion]

Harnin looked distinctly uncomfortable. He was not important and here was someone who very much was. Oh he liked to image himself as a great archmage ruling empires and creating wonders; but real power was a very different thing. He was a fisherman's son, and fisherman's sons did not go on boar hunts with lords.

"I..." He closed his mouth and swallowed, "That is... I don't think..."

Didn't I already cross the line? I can't go back to that life. But... it is all I know, all I have left in the world are them. Did I ever really have them? I am not very good at this am I?

" 't'would seem my tongue has yet to lap my mind, still tired from a caster's jargon. I have not things of suitable finery for such an invitation, nor skill at needful things I am sure, yet I am not against attendance if you will have me."

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Mae-Lin looked at the man encouragingly, pausing from her search for unbroken arrows.
"There's the spirit," she smiled, "I'll need a change of clothes before trotting out with the gentry an' all, and these were my nice things too!" she picked at what remained of the hem of her ruined shirt. "we'll just have to try and keep each other straight with our manners, eh? she stood up, brushing a little dirt from her knees. "What did you say your name was, by the way...?" he hadn't, she knew that, but it was worth a shot. If she was going to come along to this thing, she might as well know who she was going to be going with. After dusting it off a little and checking for goblin blood, she offered her hand for him to shake if he wanted.

[Roethke]

As Felix bends over Fair Measure, he pops his head up in response to Harnin, and adds,
"Not suitable? It looks like you know how to flail about with that stick of yours. Add a metal tip to the ends and you've got a boarspear. What's more, a boar hunt is about showing that people, holding the line in the face of the wild beasts of the forest, may prevail. That though we may be weak by ourselves, firmness overcomes wanton fury.

he pauses, then adds,

"Well, that and roast boar. You've certainly shown your mettle today, at least in my eyes, and I speak for a God. Abadar teaches that nobility of spirit and a cloak of bravery can stand in for humble birth and homespun wool....so long as we remember our place in the Order of things, of course. "

To Harnin and the others he adds,

Today I would have fallen, had we not fought together. I'll gladly stand your drinks in honor of such spirit should we find ourselves in the same tavern.
"

And he returns to tending Fair Measure.
OOC: meant to add the drink invite as an edit, but Harnin gave Felix an excuse for Proselytizing and Speechifying

[Exthalion]

Mae-Lin's comment surprised him a bit. People tended to know who he was if for no other reason than local gossip. Not like holding back would save much really though.

"Harnin, Harnin Fisher." As names went it was boring and common. There might be a half dozen people in town with the same name.

[marcielle]

'Well, it has been a while since I have hunted for myself. I guess a spot of practice would do me some good. Now, unless someone is going to produce more goblins, I need to go back to the inn for a bit. I have something I simply must check on. It's been nice slaying the forces of evil with you all. We should really do it again sometime'.
Keld will return to the Rusty Dragon and keep the mask under his cloak or something cos I've made myself a picture of him with the mask and I rather like it.

[thewamp]

Foxglove seems almost amused at Harnin's choice of words. "Suitable clothes? But this is a boarhunt, not a formal dinner. I am sure I can provide a horse for those who don't have them, but your clothes, whatever they be, will be just perfect."

When Keld excuses himself, Foxglove nods and adds "Sadly, I too must go, but I will expect you some time this week! I look forward to our hunt!"

Keld

After you leave, it becomes apparent that Foxglove is going the same way as you. "Are you also headed to the Rusty Dragon?" he asks.

Everyone Else

After the two of them leave, Father Zantus rushes up to you, having composed himself a bit. "I'm not sure the people of this town realize how much in debt they are to you... er, well you three and the other one..." He looks around slowly, apparently not having seen Keld leave. "In any case, if you need a place to stay, the church would be happy to cover your expenses in any inn in the town - though personally, I'd recommend the Rusty Dragon. And if you could, please, stay in town for at least a couple days? There's always a chance that the goblins return and I think the sheriff would probably like to talk to you."

Mae-Lin, the bow is perfectly functional and you found 16 arrows that were still usable, though 15 of those were in the dead goblin's quiver.

Also, I'm considering opening up recruiting to get us a fighter to replace Mannix. I'd really appreciate your input on this - over in the OOC thread. Is it a good idea? Or a bad one? If you don't want it, I won't do it.

Keld, you can plot yourself to the Rusty Dragon if you like - though you shouldn't roleplay Ameiko anymore, just fyi.

[marcielle]

'Indeed I am. I've been staying there for quite a while actually'.
Keld takes off his mask.
'Perhaps this might help?'
If he's been staying at the Inn for more than a day or two, he would probably have noticed Keld wanderirng around, leaving a trail of cleanliness behind him. Also, back to normal voice.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Mae-Lin shook Harnin's hand and waved when Belloric and Foxglove left.
She shouldered the bow and then started adjusting the strap of the quiver, wrinkling her nose a little at the smell, which, as she'd thought she'd heard somebody mention, might be a pain to get rid of.
She looked up again when Father Zantus returned and spoke.
"We're already set up a littleways North of the town, so I'll probably be fine for lodging," she explained, "I trust it is alright to leave just that short distance, isn't it? Only, I have friends and family still to check on, and I know they'll be worried about me as well. You haven't seen the gentleman I attended the church consecration with, have you?" she added hopefully, with a tinge of concern in her voice, "Reasonably tall, dark red hair with a mark of Desna painted on his face...?" here she traced the mark over her own features with her fingers. Had this been a more ordinary day, she would have provided him with a more perfect description, but as it was, she thought it better to conserve her energy.
"I ought to thank you again, by the way, for coming to my aid in the fight back there - you're a life saver, to be sure. If there's anything I can do by way of thanks, feel free to mention it - which reminds me," she looked over her shoulder, "we kept a few of the goblins from our last skirmish alive in case the sherrif wanted to question them. I don't know if they're still alive now but we did tie them up and knock them out. I happen to know a bit of their tongue as well, if the town happens to need an interpreter..."
She wasn't keen on the idea of talking to the sherrif but so long as he minded his manners and his business, there quite likely wouldn't be a problem.

By "perfectly functional" can I take it that the bow is a shortbow? If it's a longbow then it'd be functional for some folk but as a beguiler Mae-Lin wouldn't be proficient with it.

[Roethke]

As Felix attempts to coax Fair Measure back to her hooves, he replies to Father Zantus,
"I will take you up on that recommendation, I have yet to secure lodgings in Sandpoint, and it seems I have made a friend of at least one of the other patrons." , indicating Foxglove. He reaches for the paper where he had been scribbling"As for debt, by my calculations, about 6 gold each should put us to rights, with an additional 60gp added for spellcasting. I would suggest it be split among the four of us. Things were a bit dicey, so the figures may not be precisely correct, but I think that should take care of business from a purely mercenary point of view. Of course, I would be willing to accept further gifts based on any goodwill engendered by my actions, on behalf of the Church of Abadar, of course.

Once Fair Measure is upright once again, Felix goes searching for some feed and water for her, and finally, begins to remove and re-pack his armor. He's covered with sweat from his exertions, and he seems to be favoring his right foot.

To Mae-Lin and Harnin, he adds
"May Abadar's fortune find you, Mae-Lin and Master Fisher, if I don't see you at the Dragon.

[thewamp]

Keld

"I'm sorry, I only just arrived today. It's been a little while since I've been down to Sandpoint. I've been attending to business and... well things that are much less exciting than what I've seen in one day here, I must say."

You both arrive at the inn and he bids you goodnight.

Everyone else

Father Zantus blinks. "Oh yes, by all means. And you aren't prisoners, I just meant... well, Sandpoint is very grateful and we hope you could stay near enough to help out, just in case."

He frowns at Felix's words. "Er, well yes, I suppose... yes, we can find those funds if you require payment. We are indebted, of course we can find the gold. Abadar, well..." He suddenly fights back a yawn. "Excuse me, this hasn't been the easiest day. I'll make sure you get the gold you are owed. Those of you who want them will find rooms in the inn. If you'll excuse me, I must get some sleep."

[Eleanor_Rigby]

With no answer on Wesh's whereabouts, Mae-Lin's anxiety grew.
As Brother Felix and Fair Measure left, she waved them off, thanking them for their help. She let the other priest go too as he was obviously very tired.
The good news was that Zantus had made no mention of any fatalities - he hadn't been asked directly on this but she still had a vaugue feeling that there hadn't been any: the priest was wrung out but not too morose. In any case, most people confronted with the goblins' violence would have fled and a bigger person than herself wouldn't have fallen to the little goblins so easily... Except, the woman who'd taken a wound to the neck had gone down like a sack of potatoes. If the goblins hit the right spot they could probably make short work of a human man quite easily. Especially if he was being reckless. Or if they had any more of those hideous dogs...
She took a few deep breaths and tried to collect herself.
She could just return to the camp and see if he'd gone back there, but the fact that Wicker had apparently seen her collapse meant the chances were that if Wesh was conscious, he was looking for her and if she wasn't where she had been, it might cause him further alarm.
She looked back to the rooftop where she thought she'd seen Wicker watching the fight and she remembered a trick she had used if she got lost in a city as a kid. There was some risk of attracting the wrong attention, and if he wasn't looking the right way in the small window of time, it might turn out to be a waste of energy, but it seemed like it might be worth a shot.
She rubbed her hands together, focussing on the spot where the thrush had stood, then she released a quartet of orbs of blue light. They rose upwards towards the spot on the roof then circled slowly above it, bobbing up and down.
With this marker in place, she bit her lip and waited, hoping the display didn't bother or upset Harnin, for whatever reason.

That's meant to be dancing lights, since she used daze thrice I think that means she had two 0 level slots left...

[Roethke]

Out of his armor again, a much more comfortable Felix led a very unhappy Fair Measure towards the Rusty Dragon Inn.

"Sorry, girl, I'll need to wait until tomorrow to ask Abadar heal you further." The indignant whinny he received in response did not indicate approval.

Nevertheless, he pushes on to find lodging for himself and Fair Measure for the evening, and maybe take a nice bath.

[marcielle]

Keld shrugs and brings out a cleaning rag, trying to get the goblin off of his weapon.

[Exthalion]

Harnin stayed where he was for a long time. The night had gotten cold before he moved on.

He couldn't go back to a fisherman's life, not after what he had done. He couldn't live with so mundane a life. Here he was, able to bend the laws of nature in his hand like green sticks without anything but a shirt on his back to own.

And he was uncomfortably forced to wonder, "Did I do the right thing?"

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Mae-Lin turned from her vigil, stirred by the other's words.
"Did you do the right thing?" she repeated, "what do you mean?" she squinted at him in the dark, trying to get an answer out of his expression.
"You got your kids - the kids you seemed to be in charge of, I mean - out of danger and then you tried to keep the rest of the town safe on top of that... what would be wrong with that?" She honestly didn't know, but he appeared to be genuinely concerned, so the question seemed worth asking.

[thewamp]

North of Sandpoint

Mae-Lin leaves town to find where her camp is, but instead she finds an empty spot where her camp used to be. A couple of tent poles lie on the ground, along with a few other implements that suggest perhaps someone left in a hurry.

At the Rusty Dragon

The Rusty Dragon is roaring that night. The excitement of the day and the number of people here for the festival have combined to make an excited, almost frenzied atmosphere in the common room, especially near the bar. In the back, there are a couple of tables that are somewhat less crowded.

If anyone wants to sit down and have a drink, someone will be right with them.

Here's a wonderful image of the first floor of the Rusty Dragon

http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/724/screenshot20110929at112.png

[marcielle]

Keld is weaving through the crowd, ducking through drunks and rough housers serving food and drinks.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

She'd waited by the square for as long as she could. Wesh didn't appear. Wicker didn't come back either. She waited until Harnin had to go home and there was nobody left on that dark street but her. A cold terror built itself up within her - what had happened to them?
She paced back to the camp, one hand resting on the stolen bow every step of the way. They said bad things about the posessions of the dead. Perhaps she shouldn't have taken it, even for self defence. Maybe the goblin really would resent her for having taken it. She stayed as alert as she could as she travelled, watching out for any sign of the missing man who could be lying forgotten on any one of these streets.
When she arrived, her heart stopped.

They wouldn't have left her. The family would never have done that. Her parents would never have done that. Whatever people said about them, abandoning her like this simply wasn't in their nature.

And yet all the signs pointed to them having upped sticks and left.
She tried to be reasonable. Perhaps the goblins had forced them out? It didn't seem likely. The troupe knew about goblins, they even knew that a whiff of harpy's musk was often sufficient to see them off. They wouldn't have let the little monsters scare them off of their site.
Sandpoint had spelled trouble for the family before, so in a sense she could understand the desire to leave the place, but not without her and Wesh. Wicker might have got the wrong end of the stick and perhaps word had it that she was dead, but if that were the case, they wouldn't have dared to leave her death unresolved like this - even putting emotions aside...
The pair of them had been selected as representatives - she couldn't have imagined the troupe's affection for them, could she? Her mother, at the very least would have stayed...
But it seemed that she hadn't.
Desolate, Mae-Lin sifted through the few objects left behind, trying to make sense of it all.
When she had finished, she noticed that she had been crying. Useless, but understandable after a day like this. She took a deep breath, dried her face and began to tie back her hair, which her tears had begun to plaster to her skin. She tore the crumpled butterfly from its moorings and looked at it. Things had been very different when it had been lovingly woven in that morning. She stood up, patted down her blood encrusted shirt, and began the trek to the Rusty Dragon, the butterfly held loosely in her fist.
She would find her family, but she might need help to do so.

[roll0] for clues. She's not been to the Rusty Dragon before, but I suppose she quite likely passed it earlier in the day.

[Exthalion]

OOC: This part is a bit out of order

"Perhaps, but now I can never allow others to take responsibility again. I can never live a quite and peace seeking life while I know I can do otherwise. I chose to die to who I was, and now I am left with nothing but me."

*****

Harnin made his way slowly back home, leaning heavily on his staff. It had been a long day and he had never emptied himself of spells before.

[Roethke]

After leading Fair Measure to the inn Felix gave the stableboy a silver to care for the mare. It seemed a lively place, but what with the festivities and the battle, he wasn't sure he really wanted such a convival atmosphere - sleep called to him. But the scent of stew called more strongly, and the slight nagging voice that he had yet to pursue Krasta Calhoun meant he had a bit more work to do this evening. Enjoyable work, though, by the smell of it. His stomach gave a rumble and he went in to find the innkeep...
"Father Zantus mentioned that my lodging would be paid for, I'd like a nice, quiet room for the next few days, if it would please. A hot bath later tonight would also be in order..

As he waited, he eyed the crowd, looking for any familiar faces.

[marcielle]

Keld rushes to and fro, carrying a tray full of drinks and meat across the noisy tavern.

'Look, there's the priest from the festival. Put the mask on. Just for the look on his face when you take his order'.
Keld ducks under the swinging arm of a boisterously carrousing woman.
'Kinda busy here'.
'Oops, drunk duck at 8 o'clock'.
'Got it'.
Keld quickly puts the tray he was holding on a table and turns around just in time to catch Mr. Vinder as he stumbles around unsteadily. Keld aims the man into a corner and gives him a slight shove before resuming his rounds.

'Ugh, and I thought he smelled bad during the day'.
'Pfff. That was nothing. You shoulda been around when I made my first keep in the Sanos Forest. Word to the wise. No matter how dangerous it is, you wanna stay near at least a small town or trade route'.
'The wilderness didn't smell that bad'.
'Wilderness nothing. I couldn't get a steady supply of embalming fluid for my minions. Hell, I had to shout all my orders because I couldn't get near them'.

[thewamp]

Felix

You find someone who looks like they work at the place - a beautiful dark-haired woman with some rather colorful tattoos - and ask her your question. At first she smiles broadly. "Oh you're one of the heroes, aren't you! Good choice, coming here."

At Felix's request for a quiet room, her eyebrows raise. The blonde streaks at the front of her hair oddly magnify the affect so that her whole being seems one of surprise and amusement. "Er, I'm very sorry, but I don't think I can get you a quiet room. I mean..." she looks around at the raucous crowd and up at the ceiling, shrugging. "I don't think you could find a quiet room at any inn in Sandpoint. This is... well, was a festival."

Smiling again, she stops explaining herself and says, "But we'll do our best and the bath we can certainly manage. I'll have someone prepare one shortly." She looks around and calls over a short man with an enormous mustache who motions you to follow him up the stairs.

Keld

As Keld scurries around serving, he suddenly runs into the friendly face of Ameiko although she's got an amused scowl on her face. "You realize this party is practically in your honor? Why don't you take the night off?"

Mae-Lin

The ground is trampled and it's extremely difficult to make out anything from the abandoned campsite.

Back in town, you find the Rusty Dragon with relative ease - the enormous metal dragon on the roof sticks out like a sore thumb. Opening the door, the din that had been apparent as you approached is let loose. There's quite the party going on in the main room.

Harnin

You arrive home to find your parents already asleep.

Where do you live in Sandpoint?

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Emerging into the bustling room felt almost surreal after the painful emptiness of the campsite. The heat of the place was overwhelming with the people and the fire and all that activity and the noise... It certainly was busy tonight. Mae-Lin began to wish she'd made some attempt to make herself look presentable before marching over to the inn. She was a mess and she knew it.

Still, there were two main responses that such a dishevelled state could provoke: disgust, for reasons that were fairly obvious, and more importantly, pity. She wasn't looking for pity, of course, she was looking for her relatives, but if feeling sorry for her would make people more willing to help then it wasn't entirely a negative.

She did not spot Belloric, with his distinctive disguise (and she wouldn't know if she'd spotted him without it) nor Brother Castor who she imagined would still stand out even here. Harnin wouldn't be there, she supposed, having gone home - wherever that might be, and though in her heart she'd known it all along, she was sad to note that the rest of the troupe were entirely absent from the chairs of the inn's front room too. She hoped that, for his sake, going home had worked out better for him than it had for her.

The troupe had left but knowing whether or not Wesh had left with them was vital. The twinging wound on her leg served as a constant reminder that harm may have come to him. Summoning up her courage she surveyed the room and then with baited breath, approached the closest table, slipping a hand into her spell component pouch. She pictured his features in detail: the breadth of his nose, the width of his forehead, the texture of his hair, the guage of the stripes on his trousers, the folds of his shirt-sleeves - and she concentrated it into her depiction.

She cleared her throat and addressed the party round the table. "Please, kind ladies and gentlemen, can you help me? I have lost a dear friend today, have any of you seen him?" She extended her forearm for the company to observe, upon it sat a copy, some ten inches high, of Wesh in his festival clothes, staring at them blankly. "I saw him last in the square near midday, he's a Varissian gentleman and this is his image, more or less, although obviously not life-sized... I am worried he might have come to some harm."

I'll go ahead and roll a gather information check, although it might be a bit late for her to be able to survey the whole inn.
[roll0]
[roll1]
Obviously, Keld and Felix are there, but she doesn't spot them right away - Felix might have gone upstairs already before she arrived and she wouldn't spot or necessarily recognise Keld when she first comes in.
ETA: Oop - she's casting Silent Image, by the way. I believe she had one level one spot left for the day and she's using it for this. If I've miscounted then I'll edit the silent image out and she'll describe Wesh to people instead.

[marcielle]

Keld shrugs, sliding the last few drinks off his tray before handing it to a passing co-worker. He wanders off into the crowd, not use to having this much free time in one day.

'So... whatcha wanna do, Bell?' Keld thinks.
'Animate a bunch of the goblin corpses and have them perform Dorkkus' latest play in front of his house?'
'First of all,I'm not gonna lie, that would probably be awesome. Second of all, I don't think the local store stocks Black Onyx'.
'Aww, blistering barnacles. How about we go over to Wren and ask her then?'
Keld sees Wren showing off a tattoo or something.
'Hey, Ms. Wren! You been having a good day? Besides the whole mortal injuries thing, I mean. Oh, almost forgot'. Keld pulls the mask out from under his cloak but instead of covering his face, he pulls it slightly up and to the left.
'You haven't seen me without the mask, right?'

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Mae-Lin spun round in surprise, the make-believe-man perched on her arm flickered, almost fading out of being, only to recover and become opaque once more.
"Belloric!" she squeaked, "I didn't see you there..." her eyes were pink and red rimmed and her face grimier than it had been in the battles. She looked down at the image "I can't find my--" she glanced back at the company at the table, distractedly "--everybody's gone - they just packed up and left, except the man who came to the festival with me and I haven't seen him either - I don't know what's happened to him... he could be lying in a ditch somewhere, bleeding to d..." she ran her free hand through her hair and shook her head. "I'm worried about him. The bird in the square was his. If nothing had happened to him he should have found me by now."
She was too worked up to comment on his mode of address.
Belloric, it turned out, really was just a boy. Or an extraordinarily young looking man. Was it fair of her to burden the kid with stuff like this?

[marcielle]

Keld just stood there for a while, deep in thought.
'Ameiko was an adventurer. She most likely knew a wizard or two. If you have any personal items of theirs, then all we need to do is gether enough money to have one of them cast a spell of scrying, which shouldn't be too hard, if we take the coin worshipper's offer. I'd relax if I were you. In my experience, if nobody has found a corpse, then he's probably still alive. Though I am usually applying that to enemies rather than friends'.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

His voice had begun dithering again. Given his countenance the theory that the distortion was a symptom of adolescence took on still more weight but she still wasn't convinced by it - she'd met teenaged boys before and the voices didn't conflict in the same way.
She bit her lip and tried to concentrate on what he was saying while still maintaining the image. As a result, "Wesh" ended up tilting his head, in fact his whole body, ever so slightly in Belloric's direction in a somewhat unnatural manner that gravity wouldn't normally allow. She nodded involuntarily along with his speech at intervals.
"Ameiko..." she repeated slowly "She's the landlady, right?"
Mae-Lin paused, awaiting confirmation or denial, before continuing.
"I don't have anything of his or theirs with me, no - not unless you take that whole 'what's mine is yours' adage literally, anyway - they packed up before leaving, so what's on me now is all I've got."
She glanced around the room. Hearing Belloric's ever so casual talk of corpses and enemies was somewhat disconcerting, not to mention curious. It was a bit of a relief to note that he didn't share Brother Castor's unsettling fixation with money though.
"I suppose fretting about the whole thing isn't going to do anybody any good." Mae-Lin agreed at length, "But I'll feel better if I ask round about him anyway - I hope you don't mind..." she bit her lip and tried to decide which table to approach next. Plumping for the one directly ahead over crossing the room and navigating the building by breadth she started to move off then hesitated. "How can you have so many "enemies" at your age anyway?" she queried, turning back to Belloric.

[marcielle]

'You're never to young to have enemies, Ms. Wren. People can always find a find a reason to hate you. Whether it is something you've done,something that simply happened to you or even what you were born as. Also, since you can make an image of him, a wizard should still be able to find him. You'll just need a better one. Anyway, I'll ask Amy if she knows anyone near here after the festivities are over'.

[Roethke]

Felix manages to stammer a "Uh, Heroes, yes well thank you. A noisy room with a bath that will be just fine" in response to the woman's greeting, and follows the mustache upstairs. Securing his belongings in his room, save for his holy symbol and changepurse which he keeps near him, he settles into the tub, letting the blood and sweat of the days endeavors film the surface of the water. He's soaking in the bath and is about to drift off when the clang of a mug on a table startles him to full wakefullness.

So many distractions from my task, best get downstairs before the place clears out

Returning to his room, Felix dries himself and dresses in the best set of vestments he had with him -- Charcoal-gray robes with a few hair-fine gold threads worked throughout, and secures his holy symbol conspicuously at his waist with a golden colored belt. This takes a bit of doing, as his waist has a tendency to fold over the belt and the top of the Key of Abadar. Finally satisfied, he heads downstairs, and is pleased to see that the festivities have continued in his absence.

He heads over to the bar to buy a drink.


OOC: not sure if he'd notice Mae-Lin and Keld/Belloric conversing, but if he does, he'd sidle over and greet them with a "So would any of my fellow heroes join me in a drink?"

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Belloric's (ordinarily voiced) explanation of enemies made sense. She probably had made a few enemies herself at his age, by that explanation, although almost none came to mind that were serious enough to be a life or death situation and she had always been out of town before a corpse would have appeared in the first place.
"Thank you, Belloric," she said, smiling as well as she could manage. She lifted the arm the image perched on like a falconer, "I'll just see how well showing this around works first, before I get too tired to keep manifesting him. I hope we meet up again when I'm in less of a state. Have a good night!" she made the image wave him goodbye, with all its referrent's usual theatricality, then she ducked away to the next table to continue her questioning.

[thewamp]

Mae-Lin

The crowd is drunk and rowdy and not really inclined to look too closely at the man floating in the air or the teary halfling. But here and there is a man or woman slightly more sober than the rest and though it seems like she's asked every person in the place, one man finally reacts the right way.

"You're one of the heroes!" he says excitedly, before seeing your picture. "That guy!" says a rather short (for a human), fat man, "that guy! Yeah, I seen him. He's in here not t'long 'go. How long you fink, Phil?" He turns to his companion who has a straw hat pulled down over his eyes. The companion lets loose a loud snore to Short's amusement and Short's attention drifts back to the tankard of beer in front of him.

Felix

Felix is greeted at the bar with a rousing "Heeeeeeey!" Someone buys him a beer and before long he's being plied with questions - on one side by a Freckled youth who looks like he can't be older than 14 and on the other by a pretty girl who seems somewhat familiar, but you can't quite place it. And besides them, there are several others, chatting up a storm.

"Wozzit like, riding down goblins?"
"You must have been so brave! Were you scared even a little bit? I'd have been awfully frightened..."
"Now that's how you do it, I always said. One, two. Like they did it in my day, sure 'nuff."
"Do you want another beer? Wine? Next one's on me."

Keld

A man whose name Keld can't quite remember (Alpert? Rupert?) practically ambushes him as Mae-Lin leaves. "Kid! Hey kid, whasyourname! Hey, didjahear? You're a..." he frowns and tries to remember. Then his face lights up. "You're a hero. Helped save the town, when the town watch wazzn't much good. Good on you." He lurches forward and downward, trying to hug Keld.

We can plot forward as soon as you all are ready. I think Mae-Lin's still got a bit she needs to work out though.

Sorry Harnin! I completely failed to have anything to do back at your house. Didn't mean to leave you hanging.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Mae-Lin's distress had only been building as she circulated the room hearing no news at all. She did her best to thank people anyway before moving onto the next group but it became increasingly difficult as she worked.
The short human, however, gave her renewed hope with his reaction. Wesh could well have survived after all - perhaps Wicker had only misdirected him, or he had felt compelled to flee with the others, for whatever reason.
He quickly frustrated her, however, by attempting to return to his drink, so much so that she couldn't help herself from swiping it out of his grasp, spilling a little in the process.
"How long do you think it's been?" she asked, eagerly, still withholding the tankard from him. "Was he hurt? Did you hear him saying anything? Did you see him leave?" she looked directly into his eyes as she questioned, impatient for answers. "I'll buy you another drink once you've answered my questions." She continued to hold the tankard aloft and advanced "Wesh" a little closer to him, incase proximity helped him remember anything more.

[Roethke]

Felix, beginning to a embrace his role as Hero of Sandpoint, particularly as it appears to come with free drinks, graciously accepts.
"Well, you see, I saw that the prosperity and well-being of Sandpoint was in danger, and had no choice but to heed the calling of my noble blood, and leap to the attack. Abadar teaches that wealth and order must be protected first by those of faith and gentle birth, that all may benefit. And by Abadar, it looks like we succeeded! Look around and see the spirits that have been raised and the coin that will flow. Why yes, another flagon would do nicely. Now where was I? Right, I didn't fear for myself, for I knew I stood in good grace, but my poor steed was grievously wounded. Your own Father Zantus saved her, let us raise a glass in his honor...."

[marcielle]

'Gaah!'
The exceedingly inebriated man falls over on top of Keld, pinning him down. It looks like it'll take a while to get him, especially with him now being asleep.
Think of this as my way of bowing out until the next plot point.

[thewamp]

Mae-Lin

The man stares wide-eyed in surprise at Mae-Lin. "Whadjoo crazy...?" he begins to ask, but Mae-Lin's offer of another beer gets him back on track, though he's still a little suspicious of the hand holding his beer.

"Um... I think it was... I dunno, not too long ago? An hour ago maybe? Sort of just as th'party was really startin'. He was looking for someone. Said she'd..." and suddenly, he stops, comprehension dawning. "Heeeey, he's prolly looking fer you!"

Felix

Amid cries of "Father Zantus!" and "Good ol' Ab!", the kid and the attractive woman seem more particularly concerned with monopolizing your attention.

"How many gobs do you fink you killed?"
"I mean, just look at those muscles. How strong do you think you are?"

But the crowd isn't letting them and the general revelry continues with shouts and drinks.

OOC: In case it wasn't clear, it's been about two hours since the beginning of the attack.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Mae-Lin clutched the tankard protectively while she waited for the man to answer, only making a stern face at him in response to his initial bewilderment.
"No kidding..." she muttered under her breath at the drunkard's realisation. Still, he'd told her what he seemed capable of, and presumably if Wesh had been seriously injured when he'd arrived that would have been mentioned in his account, so overall the news seemed to be good and either way she now owed the guy a drink. "So he didn't look like he'd been injured? He was alright?" she prodded, lowering the drink a little and eventually returning it to the table, almost within the man's grasp, so much had sloshed about by this point though that it didn't seem worth returning to him, so she took it back. She scooted the illusory man back onto her arm as well.
"OK... I guess I owe you another beer or something then," she sighed, "are you willing to use your legs to get to it or d'you want me to just bring something vaguely alcoholic over this way?"
She waited for a few moments for him to get his feet if he was so disposed and then began to weave her way over to the bar, around which there was quite a high density of people, even for this crowded place.

When she was within reach of the bartender, she rose up on tiptoes to make herself more visible, placing her coinpurse on the counter but keeping her hand placed on it. "A pint of whatever this fellow's been drinking, please," she piped up, proffering the tankard and gesturing vaguely in the direction of her informant, trying to locate him amongst the throng. She bit her lip in thought, before turning back to the bar, "and a cider too if you have it, please."

[Roethke]

Between the relief from the stress of combat and the drinks, Felix was becoming swept up in the attention he was receiving. Well, between Fair Measure and myself, I think my count was 9 of the vile beasts. Not bad if I don't say so myself." He punctuates this last by flexing his bicep and a mock swing of his mace for the benefit of all. This may be a less than impressive demonstration, as he's wearing robes, and his fleshy body doesn't exactly fill them out in an heroic manner. He raises his glass again, To Fair Measure, the most valiant steed a man could want!"

[thewamp]

Mae-Lin

It takes him a moment, but he finally figures out what Mae-Lin means. "Hurt... no... I don't fink so?" He waves his hands vaguely when you ask what he wants to drink. Presumably that means "Something vaguely alcoholic."

Ameiko is working the bar now. She nods and gives you your cider, calling someone over to take the man his beer. "Hey... are you one of the heroes?" she asks, pausing not quite long enough to let you get a word in. "Are you Mae-Lin?"

[Eleanor_Rigby]

"Yes!" Mae-Lin replied, perhaps a little too enthusiastically, "Um, yes, I'm Mae-Lin. How did you know? Was somebody looking for me? Did you see this man perhaps?" she got the illusion to float up onto the bar, trying not to get her hopes up too high.
She accepted the cider and took a sip. "Thank you," she looked through her coin purse, "How much do I owe you?"

[thewamp]

Mae-Lin

She smirks, looking pleased with herself. "Well, yes as a matter of fact, there was. Man looked exactly like that. Don't think he knew about your bit of heroing though. Good job that." She pauses for a moment, then continues. "He told me to tell you that the camp's moved a bit. Said he'd be here in the morning and to tell you not to worry."

When Mae-Lin asks how much she owes, the woman laughs a little. "Well if you want to pay, your tab's at a silver piece. If you don't, I think someone will probably pay for you if you just speak up. It's a thing." She nods her head toward your right.

Over to your right, you can see Felix surrounded by a crowd of eager listeners, as he tells them about his horse.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Mae-Lin was relieved enough at the news to give an involuntary laugh. She had to put the cider down and give herself a moment, then she looked over to see Brother Castor pontificating and grinned.
"Thank you so much for that - I'm going to ring his neck when I see him next. He gave me a right fright, I thought the goblins might have got him!"
She dismissed the illusion and took out a silver piece, giving it to Ameiko.
"It sounds like I'll need a room too then, I think it's a bit late to be going out and finding the new campsite now." she glanced round at Brother Castor again, "Father Zantus said you'd be able to put the three of us up for the night and the town would cover it...?"
She brushed some of her hair back behind her ear, feeling a bit bold asking for a room without charge, but now that at least part of the mystery had been resolved the feeling of exhaustion had crept up on her and she just wanted to try and get some sleep. She thought about approaching the priest to say hello but decided he seemed happy enough with his audience.

Before heading upstairs she paused and added to Ameiko as an after thought, "Oh, and if you see Mr Belloric, would you please tell him that everything worked out fine? Thanks."

[marcielle]

'That's good to hear'.
Keld walks up behind Wren. He seems to have been drenched in beer and has a small chicken bone sticking out of his hair. He walks straight past Amy and Wren to the washroom.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

"Oh..." said Mae-Lin, watching Belloric pass. "Well I guess there's no need to tell him after all..."
She took another sip of cider, unable to help noting to herself that it was an unusual look for a Hero.

[thewamp]

A layer of fog has rolled in the next morning and the sun is entirely hidden. The atmosphere of the town is subdued - although this is partly because many of its inhabitants are still sleeping or nursing hangovers.

In the Rusty Dragon

Downstairs, Ameiko is awake and busy, as is the man with the impressive mustache. A few patrons are eating breakfast. The sheriff is sitting in the corner, eating eggs and staring vaguely at a knot on his table. He looks exhausted.

Harnin

When you get up, Anthalia is busy scrubbing at a plate. She looks up and smiles when you enter. "There was a man here to see you last night," she says, coughing to clear her throat.

We're most likely going to be in RP-only encounters for a while now. You should feel free to explore the town and meet people.

I realize that you won't all be waking up at the same time (or arriving, in Ryger's case) - we'll roleplay it all simultaneously even though you may all be acting independently.

Harnin, it's entirely possible that I portray some of the NPCs from your life slightly wrong - let me know and I can always edit them.

[marcielle]

Keld jumps out of bed in his usual energetic manner despite the major cleanup of last night's party.

'Man, would it KILL you to sleep in once inna while? I need my eternal rest you know', Belloric groans.
'No quips today. The winds are blowing again and this time, I intend to be at the wheel'.
'Dangit you're doing it WRONG! The KID asks to sleep in and skip training and the venerable old master is suppose to speak in cryptic riddles'.
'Training. Of course. You use to be a wizard, right? My natural talents will only get me so far. I need you to start giving me REAL arcane lessons soon'.
'I dunno. It usually takes YEARS to master the art of telling reality to shut up and sit down'.
'It takes NORMAL people years. I can already do magic'.
'Instinctually. Esoteric magic is completely different'.
'Good. At least it won't be boring'.

Keld has himself a shower. Shudderring at the memory of last nights floornap.

'*sigh*So seriously kid, what do you mean by the winds are blowing?'
'You know well what I mean. Warriors from afar gathering and a town that has never had more than mundane troubles suddenly the target of an attack it couldn't handle? You've met enough adventurers to know where this is going'.
'Ugh, so this old man's back in the game, huh? Never thought I'd be playing this side of the field'.
'You might not. I didn't mind doing this for Amy and Hemlock but don't expect it to be a regular thing'.
'Heh, almost forgot who I'm dealing with here'.
'It's to be forgiven. After all, life in Sandpoint is pretty different from being chased across the countryside'.
'So what now?'
'Well, I've talked to Wren and she seems fine. The warior looked like he might have been one but I guess he lost his nerve'.
'Guess some just aren't cut out for it'.
'And I'd like to save the denarii devotee for last. So that leaves Harnin. He was a fisherman I think? No, wait, he said his name was Fisher. He was definitely nervous as heck despite having magic at his disposal. Maybe he was trying to hide it? We might need to give him a pep talk. Amy should have some cakes left over from the party'.
'The caramel cake? I thought you liked sour stuff?'
'The cake is a lie. I just need an excuse to drop by Harnin's house. I know you're trying to make the sourpuss joke. Not today, Bell'.

Keld dresses himself in his work clothes, practically brown rags that somehow manage to look spotlessly clean despite their obviously tattered and worn nature. He makes his way downstairs and goes around serving and cleaning like usual. He asks around, seeing if anyone knows where Harnin lives. He spots the sheriff and brings him the blackest coffee the Inn has.

'Heya, Mr. Hemlock'. Keld places the steaming hot cup in front of the sheriff and gives him a sly smile, complete with raised eyebrow.
'Me and the others saved you a loootta trouble yesterday, didn't we?'

[Eleanor_Rigby]

When lead upstairs to see her room, Mae-Lin was tickled to find that it was "a little person's room": everything in it had been sized for halflings or gnomes, from the little doorway to the neatly made bed and everything in between.
"But how do you get in to clean it?" she couldn't stop herself from exclaiming.
This was met with a smile and a response along the lines of the fact that they had somebody on the staff who was able to handle it.

Inspite of its racially specific sizing, the room still felt very large, this was probably a consequence of the fact that she'd not been expected to spend a night in a space of this size alone before. Nonetheless she thanked the inn staff member for showing her to the place and it did look very comfortable if empty. A nice touch was the rag rug in the centre of the floor, she was very careful not to step on this on her way to the wash room.

Before she got there, however, she paused at a nice and reasonably wide dresser which actually had lockable drawers. Just in case, she placed the shortbow and the quiver of arrows into one of these drawers and locked it away. She put the key by the bed then padded off to the wash room.

The first task was to scrub her feet clean, this way she'd be able to use the bed without embarassment and wander around without fretting about muddying stuff. She had to wash her hair and body next, the water was warm from the tap, very mildly terrified of breaking the skin on her wounds.
She had now inspected the one on her leg which did look rather horrible, although a thin shiny pink skin had glazed it now which was positive. Next she attempted to clean her clothes in the bath with rather unimpressive results - there was a much more significant change in the bath water than in the clothes. Nontheless she wrung them out and hung them up, wishing her magic were a little more varied so she could shift the staining, not that this would really have recovered the shirt on its own.

After wolfing down five of the seven remaining food parcels (which were each sample, rather than meal sized, on their own) she tucked herself up in bed, still wrapped up in towels and having protected the pillow with one too as her hair was still a little damp. Normally she would dry her hair by the camp fire, but sitting by the one in the grate was a little too solitary to bother with. There were a few drunks making noise well into the wee small hours and so getting to sleep was surprisingly easy, especially considering how tired she was.

When morning came Mae-Lin was initially slightly surprised and confused and it took her a few moments to remember where she was and why. She held the towels around herself very tightly as she went to check her clothes, feeling self conscious even though she knew she was alone really. They'd dried out quite well, she discovered, although they still looked less than presentable. Having nothing else to change into, however, she put them on quickly then combed out her hair. She twisted it into a series of braids and tied it so it hung over her right shoulder at the front, in the hopes that it covered a little of the staining. Carefully, she unlocked the drawer with the stolen shortbow and slung it over her shoulder.

Now that she knew he was safe, she was quite looking forward to meeting Wesh and telling him of her adventures, although she was already trying to think how to gloss over the bits where she'd injured herself. As she skipped down the stairs she wondered if Brother Castor or Belloric would be there. She was only halfway down however, when she spotted the Sherrif in the corner and she hesitated. Gingerly she continued on her way. He looked very tired, which would make sense really, she supposed, but she found it hard not to resent his presence as it wouldn't encourage her visitor to come in. She was slightly surprised to see Belloric approaching the man with a cup of coffee. She tip-toed up to where Ameiko was working and asked quietly,
"Good morning miss, I don't suppose he's been in yet, has he?" hoping that she knew who she meant.

[Roethke]

Habit woke Brother Castor at 5am, for his morning prayers. He felt like Norgorber, Lord of Poisons, must have been tending bar last night, and all the toxins had leeched the moisture from his throat and deposited it in his throbbing head and eyes. And his poor rumbling stomach. Maybe the goblins didn't get the better of him, but the celebration certainly had.

He grabbed for his vestments, then sniffed, realizing they were still moist with last night's beer, what time did he come up to bed? A panic seized him and he swung his gaze quickly to the mess of sheets on the bed-- big mistake. The world continued to spin past his eyes as a lance of pain stabbed at his skull. He closed his eyes, then opened them, allowing enough time to fuzzily focus, and breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn't been that foolish- the little bit of flirting would have just landed him a reprimand from Abbot Silinus. Broken vows, well, that could land him with a serious atonement or even dismissal from the Hands of Abadar. It wasn't that the Keeper of the Vault demanded his servants be celibate, but the God of Cities liked such things tidily sanctioned by marriage or failing that, though this was looked down on, a straightforward financial arrangement. Anything else, well that could create messes that tore at the very fabric of civilization.

Breathing out in relief, Felix donned his slightly soiled traveling clothes. By his count, his actions yesterday probably outweighed his over-indulgence last evening, so he knelt and prayed to Abadar with a mostly clear conscience.

Creakily, he rose an hour later, and descended the stairs to the common room to break his fast, and tend to Fair Measure. Though his stomach was protesting mightily, Felix was of the opinion that now the ale had been discharged from his system it had nothing to do, so filling it again should be the first order of business. To the man with the moustache, he says peremptorily,"The accommodations were more than satisfactory, and I'd like about half-a-dozen eggs, a rasher of bacon, some bread or potatoes, and some well-watered ale for breakfast."

Sitting down at the table to wait and his immediate needs taken care of he finally noticed two of his battle-companions, the boy and the Halfling girl also up early, as well as the town Sheriff. What were their names, Ah yes, it wasn't 'Butterfly', it was 'Wren' and the boy called himself 'Belloric'. Something unwholesome about that chipper young one, did he really fight goblins? Seeing as how he needed to speak to the Sheriff in any event, he moved to a chair near Belloric and Sheriff Hemlock,
"Thank the Gods to see you in good health this morning, Sheriff. Same to you Ms. Wren and young Master Belloric." addressing each in order of their station, best as he could guess. This is immediately followed by a loud belch, which somewhat ruins his attempt at propriety. Embarrassed, he adds, "I beg pardon, I racked up a debt during last night's festivities that I've yet to pay"

[ewpierce]

With a groan of old wood, the squat, single-mast merchant's ship rocked as the river emptied into the sea. The sandy bars pacing them along both sides fell away and then there was only the never-ending blue-green expanse. The horizon looked impossibly far away, as though it had taken giant steps back, and maybe even still retreated before them. And beyond, the edge of the world.

Ryger Stonefist's stomach dropped into his worn boots. The crash of the waves upon the hull thundered. He redoubled his grip on the rail, squeezing until it seemed the wood must give way, should his name hold true.

The rail held, and after a moment, the world snapped back into focus. He'd felt much the same his first time upon the cliffs of the Wyvern Mountains, that queer sense of shrinking in on oneself in the face of something so huge and awe-inspiring (and not just a little frightening). A sense of unease lingered this time, however. He turned his eyes to the coast at their back. He'd always been adept at climbing. Swimming, however, was another matter entire.

The sail swelled, shoving the ship forward into the churning waves. A cry went up amongst the sailors, and though it was in Varisian, Ryger thought it was a shout of joy. The ship rode over one wave and down the next, a rolling motion that Ryger's stomach mimicked. He set his feet beneath him. To little good.

He was still leaning over the rail, tendrils of yellow spit dangling from his lips, when Captain Gottan came upon him. The fat merchant clasped him roughly on the shoulder and said something in his thick, heavily accented Common.

Ryger wiped his mouth with the back of his arm. "Eh?"

"Are you finding the sea rough?"

"That may be the word for it." He wondered, not for the first time, if his tongue sounded equally queer to the Varisian, but the captain nodded amiably and smiled. His temperament had been improving as they neared their destination, a port city called Sandbar or some such, though Ryger still had the distinct impression that the captain wanted nothing more than to throw him over the side. He'd taken to sleeping with a dagger tucked close after the first night, but his fears had thus far been unfounded.

Captain Gottan threaded his hands over his considerable gut and looked to the empty sea. It seemed a foolhardy thing for a fat man to spend his life on the water, but maybe fat men floated better than most. "We made good time. Not good enough. We'll lose money, no mistake there." At this, the lines around his mouth tightened. He glanced sidelong at Ryger.

The merchant ship was laden with supplies meant for a festival. They'd been a day late in getting out of port at Biston, which had nothing at all to do with Ryger. He'd come upon the ship while it was still being loaded. And though the captain had no time for 'barbarians', he'd listened well enough when Ryger had up-ended his pouch. It'd taken most of his coin to secure passage, but it hadn't really been his anyway.

The coin pouch rested lightly against his thigh, somehow feeling heavy despite the absence of any real weight. He'd need to find money, and quickly. His stores were dreadfully low. And though he'd always been good at foraging, this land was foreign to him. He was like to poison himself.

The captain shrugged. "We missed the start of the festival, but when do men need an excuse to drink? Huh? The casks of Ashwood Red should fetch a fine price. As for you." He looked him over, evaluating. "What will you do next?"

Truthfully, he hadn't thought much on that. His one and immediate goal had been to get as far from the Cinderlands as possible. Captain Gottan's map had been inked in Varisian, but that hardly mattered. It had looked far enough when the captain had traced the path with a chubby finger. Even so, he'd spent the past fortnight looking back instead of forward.

Ryger shrugged. "See the land. Maybe do a bit of work."

"You got a trade, boy?" The captain snorted. Might be I can help you there. Always need of strong backs at the oars. Pay is two coppers a day, plus board."

"Living on the water like this is tiring. My feet are meant for the ground."

Captain Gottan's eyes narrowed. "Might be you want to reconsider that. Sandpoint is no place for hungry mouths."

Ryger looked away, biting off the insult before it could spring from his mouth. He wasn't done with the captain just yet. No sense in drowning this close to his destination.

The ship followed as the land curled in on itself, opening into a bay. A town nestled along the shoreline, much of it obscured by early morning fog. Sandpoint.

Ryger's mind wandered as the town inched closer. They would be looking for him. Plytus, his younger brother. Aremeni, to whom, he realized with chagrin, he was still promised. Old Uncle Seltin, his only true friend. Leaving without saying goodbye to him had cut the deepest.

The ship put into port, easing into an empty berth. Ryger picked up his meager possessions and fit them into place - faded backpack settled onto shoulders, his gear jingling as it shifted inside; his stained and patched bedroll, strapped atop the pack; the quiver sparse of arrows, hung across his chest. Last the longbow, wood colored a deep red, like the embers of a dying fire. Uncle Seltin had given it to him as a gift on his fifteenth name day, saying it was of Elven make. Ryger severely doubted that, yet he loved it all the same. Maybe even more so.

Ryger was the first one out, eager to be away from the dour captain. His longsword slapped against his thigh as he vaulted onto the dock. Not his father's sword - that he'd left for Plytus. It was a serviceable weapon, and sharp, but he'd be just as happy if it never left the scabbard.

After weeks of constant movement, it took a moment to acclimate to ground that did not move underfoot. Ryger regarded the town. It was large by his standards, which was to say there were more than a handful of buildings, and these weren't cobbled together from hide, neither.

A stone path led into the cluster of buildings. He followed it, taking random turns when the path diverged into multiple avenues. His stomach tightened angrily, nearly hunching him over. He'd not broken his fast yet, and what little dinner he'd eaten last night he'd just scattered into the waves. Food first, then.

He found a man lying in a doorway, looking at the sky with a dazed expression. "Pardons," he said. "Where will I find food?"

The man blinked at him. His brow crinkled with confusion. He worked his mouth loudly, then pointed with swaying finger. "Rusty Dragon. Ale flowing like wenches and girls fine as a priest's horse." He then hiccuped and vomited on himself.

Ryger left him to it. Drunk or no, his directions were good. The tavern was dark, the few people seated quiet at their plates. He paused just inside the doorway, unsure whether to seat himself or proceed to the bar. His stomach rumbled, a long groan that seemed to echo in the still. Ryger made for the bar, careful to avoid eye contact with anyone.

"Excuse me. Might I have some eggs and bread to break my fast? I can pay, of course," he added hastily.

Sorry for the length, but had some ground to cover.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Mae-Lin winced at the sound of her name having hoped to stay out of the sheriff's attention for a little longer. Brother Castor was such a sight when she turned round though that her irritance turned to amusement quite quickly.
"Yes," she grinned, "I noticed..." she remembered the priest surrounded with almost as many flagons as she'd emptied in her life. Apparently he was regretting it somewhat now. "...Anyway, pardon granted, I guess." She'd seen worse. Not necessarily from religious men, but she'd seen worse.
"And how is the fair Fair Measure this morning, by the way? Is she recovering well? Did she enjoy the corn fritters?" Mae-Lin supposed that manners dictated she should ask after the priest's health rather than his horse's but that subject had already been brought up and it didn't seem very polite to discuss it much further, really.
When moustachio asked if she'd be eating she placed an order for "A soft boiled egg, some kippers and a cup of hot water with lemon and honey, if it wouldn't be too much trouble, please" and presented her purse smartly, as if anxious for the sheriff to see that she had no qualms with paying her way and was quite accustomed to doing so, thank you very much. She still wasn't quite comfortable with his presence though and was already regretting having volonteered herself as a translator to Father Zantus the night before. She wouldn't go back on the offer if she was called upon as she was still indebted to that priest, but she couldn't help wishing she'd kept her mouth shut about it.

When a new person entered the bar she sat up and turned round immediately but was disappointed to note that it was somebody considerably less colourful than the man she'd been expecting. The newcomer looked about as worn out as Brother Castor or the Sheriff, although at the moment it was difficult to tell which of these had more similar reasons for haggardness to him. He did carry a very faint whiff of booze about him but nothing quite strong enough to suggest it was a simple case of over celebration, all the same he didn't look particularly well.

[marcielle]

'On it!', Keld says cheerfully and runs off to grab the man his breakfast.

[ewpierce]

Ryger watched the kid set off eagerly into the kitchen. It seemed a strange thing to him, having a boy mind the tavern, but he suspected this would be but the first of many strange things he'd see. The world was much bigger than the Cinderlands, he knew that plain. Still, he could not help but feel out of sorts. Again.

He put his back to the bar whilest he waited. Several of the early morning patrons were huddled together, talking quietly. He was curious what they were about, but not so much to inquire. Something to keep a distant eye on, though. Mayhaps finding work would not be difficult as he'd thought.

[Roethke]

Felix nodded in response to Mae-Lin's query, "Aye, that horse loves bread in any form and she gobbled your fritters quick enough. Being on the receiving end of Healing magic always brings on a powerful hunger, at least in my experience.

I left her with the stableboy and gave him a full silver to care for her. That should secure the best hay this place can offer, and then some. She was a bit unsteady on her feet last evening, but a night's rest, about twenty-four hours without any goblins should do the trick. I was going to head over to the stables after breakfast to see if her wounds still needed healing. Now that I am renewed in Abadar's eyes, I should be able to take care of that, but being on the giving end of healing magic also seems to bring on hunger, so I thought I'd eat first. You can come along, if you'd like to say hello.

To the Sheriff. he adds, a bit imperiously
You hear that, Sheriff? I almost lost a very good horse in defense of your town yesterday. Luckily, it turned out for the best, but you would not have liked the bill had it been otherwise

[thewamp]

Rusty Dragon

"Heya yourself," says the Sheriff with a faint smile, to Keld. He seems exhausted. "Yep, you were definitely a big help." He returns to his coffee for a moment and the blinks and looks back up. "Which reminds of why I'm here. I need to talk to you and those friends of yours who helped out. I'd sure appreciate it if you'd head down to the Garrison round about midday, alright?"

As the rest of you come in, he gives you a similar message.

--

Ameiko grins at the obviously hungover priest. "I'm not surprised you don't remember, but there was plenty of coin flowing last night. Your drinks were paid for quite nicely. I'll go get you something to eat." She pauses as Keld runs off to do just that. "Alright then, I'll let Keld go get you something to eat."

--

The sheriff raises an eyebrow at Felix's words, suddenly seeming much more cogent. "For a priest of Abadar, you seem to have very little understanding of how mercenary pay works." He frowns, holds up his hand, grimmaces a little, and starts over. "I mean, don't get me wrong, the town appreciates everything you're doing and if you want to be paid for this, we're more than willing. But you'd be a mercenary and mercenaries cover their own expenses. If your sword breaks or you crack a shield or Gods forbid your horse dies, we don't owe you a thing."

Meanwhile, over at another table, a pair of Chelaxians who look like their clothes might have been rather fine the night before, stumble over and sit down on either side of Rygar. The vague swaying from side to side would seem to indicate they're still rather drunk from the night before (or possibly they've been drinking this morning). "Mornin', Chont," one of them says, obviously still drunk. "How ya doin', Chont," says the other, grinning widely. You of course recognize "Chont" as a derogatory term for Shoanti people.

Finally, Wesh walks in. "Mornin', Mae," he says, "How's yer night?"

Keld
Of the few patrons in the inn, no one seems to know Harnin - or at least, no one seems to care enough to bother to tell you.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Mae-Lin noticed the two Chelaxians arriving and making it fairly obvious that they were jerks as soon as they sat down but did nothing about this as she was immediately distracted by the next newcomer.

Delighted though she was to see him, Mae-Lin couldn't help but be taken aback by Wesh's words.
"How was my night?" she repeated, not quite dumbfounded, "Where were you? One minute you're just nipping off to tell Ma about the free food and the next the town's under goblin invasion! And y'all just moved on without letting me know? Have you even spoken to Wicker since yesterday afternoon? I didn't have a clue where you were - I waited for you, but you didn't come... I thought you'd been attacked! I thought you might have been killed!"
Her speech was illustrated with various angry gestures and delivered in a chiding tone but as she caught her breath she began to become aware of the fact that this was all a little bit backwards.
"It was fine." she said, a little sullenly. "Father Zantus told me this place would take me in for the night and he was right enough. Did any of ours get caught up in the troubles? Is Ma alright?"
She'd overreacted, really. Distressing as it had been at the time, the move probably made sense: Aunt Iymtovia had probably just decided she couldn't bear the place any longer and they'd carried on a bit for her sake.

She suddenly remembered Brother Castor's presence (Belloric had ducked off into the kitchens, it was fairly clear by now why he'd wanted to rally round the Rusty Dragon in particular during the fighting) and felt a little embarassed for causing a scene. She bit her lip and glanced round to see if he'd noticed then decided she'd probably best introduce him. He'd probably do this himself quite thoroughly if given half a chance but she'd rather pre-empt Wesh laughing at his airs and graces if at all possible.
"Dad, this is Brother Felix Castor - he helped me out when the goblins showed up," she was going to point out which god he served, but The Key was still pretty obvious and she knew her father had noticed him while the festivities were going on anyway, "Brother Castor, this is my Dad."

[ewpierce]

Meanwhile, over at another table, a pair of Chelaxians who look like their clothes might have been rather fine the night before, stumble over and sit down on either side of Rygar. The vague swaying from side to side would seem to indicate they're still rather drunk from the night before (or possibly they've been drinking this morning). "Mornin', Chont," one of them says, obviously still drunk. "How ya doin', Chont," says the other, grinning widely. You of course recognize "Chont" as a derogatory term for Shoanti people.


Ryger grimaced. It'd been a glorious morning thus far, what with the seasickness and all. And now these two drunken idiots. Splendid.

He didn't need this kind of attention. Not when he was looking for work, with a potential employer breaking his fast 10 paces away.

He offered them a thin smile. "This must've been some party. But who says it must end, ya? Next round's on me." He looked around for the kid he'd given his order.

[marcielle]

Keld walks back, carrying a bowl of half-boiled eggs and a plate of golden brown toast.
'Okey doke. Breakfast is served. Hey, looks like the hero brigade's all here but for Harnin. Don't think I saw him last night either. Anyone know where to find the guy? He at least deserves a hero cheer'.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

"...and that's Belloric - he helped too" Mae-Lin added when the boy returned to serve the Shoanti gentleman his breakfast.
"I think Harnin lives in town - he waited up with me for a while before I turned up here, but he had to go home eventually, haven't seen him since..." she replied to Belloric, then as an aside to her father she said, "Harnin's a magician like us, but I don't think he likes to flaunt it. His spells had the goblins sobbing though, and when he ran out of those, he just whacked them with his stick."
Thinking about it, she realised that these reports wouldn't necessarily flatter Wesh: if the goblins could just be defeated by making them cry, hitting them with a stick or setting a kid on them, it may seem slightly insulting to have your daughter assume one of them might have killed you. This was glossing over the dangerous parts though, not that Mae-Lin was prepared to go into those just yet.
"Oh, and you were right, Bell - looks like he's fine after all!" she added, giving her dad's arm a hug.

[marcielle]

'Huzzah! Told you!' Keld beams at them and shakes hands vigorously with both of them at the same time.

[Roethke]

Felix gives the Sheriff a slightly sour look, as if to say See, Town Heroes. He didn't think the Church would agree with the Sheriff's reasoning, but the truth was he didn't know all that much about mercenary financing. The Church had always handled that end of things when he was an acolyte. Being a Hand meant he had best learn how the world worked, and soon.

Thankfully, Mae-Lin stepped into the breach, and introduced her father.

Felix stood to greet the man, and then at the display of emotion before him, Felix looked on a bit uneasily, and added, "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Wren. Your daughter is a credit to the town. She bravely faced death so that order might be preserved, Abadar looks well on such actions."

He held out his hand to shake, but seeing that Belloric was already occupying both their hands, withdrew it before anyone could notice, he hoped.

[marcielle]

'Hey, Amy! Ms. Wren's got her dad back! Do you remember if there are any bards staying here? We need to drag them out to play something happy!'

[ewpierce]

Keld walks back, carrying a bowl of half-boiled eggs and a plate of golden brown toast.
'Okey doke. Breakfast is served.'.

Ryger started to thank the boy, but he had scampered off before Ryger could say a word, joining the others clustered at a table across the room. No social gathering that, by the awkward greetings passed about. He strained his ears to catch snippets of what was being said but it was for naught.

"I guess that's a no on the drink, then." He shrugged to his drunken companions and scooped up a piece of toasted bread. He stopped just short of taking a bite, mindful of their eyes.

"Maybe you boys should push on, ya? I'm sure there's another tavern in this town. Might be one is serving at this hour."

[Exthalion]

Harnin had actually awoken some time earlier. In quite meditation and prayer he had refocused the raw magics and channeled his understanding into paths able to carry those magics and manifest them in forms of power and wonder.

"Oh? Did he leave any message or where he might be?"

This conversation was so... pedestrian. It almost seemed surreal.

[thewamp]

Rusty Dragon

"Whoa, Mae, 'm all right. Everybody's fine. Jist moved a bit off the road, cuz..." he paused and looked at everybody else in the table "everyone's all right. No one's hurt."

Wesh greets everyone with a slightly distracted expression on his face. For those meeting him for the first time, he seems like a pleasant sort, though obviously something else is distracting him at the moment. He keeps looking around the room.

--

"We ain't yer friends, Chont," says one of the men to Rygar. "So stuff yer drinks." The other, the one with a mat of greasy black hair, leans in and whispers in Rygar's ear.

(for Rygar only)
"You've got summat of ours, Chont. Ya be better off jist giving it ta us."

They act reasonably behaved for a brief moment, as the food is served, but just as Keld has turned away, Greasy Hair shoves the plate away. It falls to the floor with a crash. Fortunately, it's only tin, but it's loud enough that the whole bar notices. The man with the greasy hair is half standing now, hands on the table, facing away from the group with the sheriff.

--

Wesh hears the sound of the crash and looks over. When he turns back, he shrugs his shoulders and says "Well, we should get back. Or if you want to stay with your friends for a bit, I can just tell you that we're about a quarter mile off the road to the east. We on'y swept our footprints fer a bit, so you should be able to find us no problem."

Harnin

"No he didn't," says Anthalia, but she goes over to the table and picks something up. "But he said to give this to you. Said he owed you. Very odd he was." The thing in her hand is a copper piece. By all accounts, it looks ordinary. Things are getting pedestrian-er...

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Hearing the sound of the crash and feeling conflicted, Mae-Lin put her tongue in her cheek and then said,
"You go ahead then and I'll try to catch you up..." clearly something was up, whether it was just Aunt Toffee or something new, her dad clearly wasn't willing to discuss it in present company. He was also too preoccupied for Brother Felix's remark about death to have sunk in, assuming he'd even been listening in the first place. Once he was out the door she rolled up her sleeves and strolled over towards the three gentlemen, or rather the gentleman and the two ...men.
"What exactly do you think you're doing?" she asked the Chelaxians. "You know that you're making prats of yourselves in front of the town sherrif, a priest of Abadar and at least two magic users, don't you?"

[ewpierce]

"We ain't yer friends, Chont," says one of the men to Rygar. "So stuff yer drinks." The other, the one with a mat of greasy black hair, leans in and whispers in Rygar's ear.

(for Rygar only)
"You've got summat of ours, Chont. Ya be better off jist giving it ta us."

They act reasonably behaved for a brief moment, as the food is served, but just as Keld has turned away, Greasy Hair shoves the plate away. It falls to the floor with a crash. Fortunately, it's only tin, but it's loud enough that the whole bar notices. The man with the greasy hair is half standing now, hands on the table, facing away from the group with the sheriff.


Ryger blinked down at the plate. Much of the food had spilled across the floor, but he considered scooping it back up anyway. The floor was foul, no doubts there. Still... Maybe once this matter had been settled.

The piece of toast was still poised before his lips. He took a slow, deliberate bite. Well buttered, toasted just right - fresh bread truly, with no trace of mold. He sighed. Best to be done with this.

"Sit down," he said. "Before you get yourselves hurt. Ya?"

[ewpierce]

Once he was out the door she rolled up her sleeves and strolled over towards the three gentlemen, or rather the gentleman and the two ...men.
"What exactly do you think you're doing?" she asked the Chelaxians. "You know that you're making prats of yourselves in front of the town sherrif, a priest of Abadar and at least two magic users, don't you?"

Ryger registered the arrival of a fourth person, a female, and one apparently better mannered than these two sods. But he did not shift his eyes from the drunks for an instant.

"Don't worry yourself none over these two," he said. "They were just on their way out, ya?" The last thing he wanted was to pull someone else into his problems.

[Roethke]

At the sound of the crash, Felix looks over to see the developing altercation, and he stands and places both hands on the table fixing the bullies with a stare. His belly moves a few plates around the table as he leans over and says "Though Shoanti are uncultured barbarians, for the most part, and often need to be shown the light that Abadar's gifts of civilization and trade can bring, Mae-Lin has the right of it. She's kind to call you prats. I say you do not do bring civilization by acting little better than goblins, yourselves.

A Magnimaran would clean up the mess he's made. A true son of Abadar would offer restitution for the damage he's caused. I'd hope a Chelaxian would do likewise and not bring chaos to a town so badly in need of a little order."

With that, he realizes one hand has gripped his holy symbol during his little speech, and he looks to the Sheriff, realizing that if action is to be taken, it is Hemlock's place to take it.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Mae-Lin's jaw nearly hit the floor at her new companion's reaction. After a couple of blinks, however, she managed to say in fairly measured tones,
"The Shoanti have always struck me as being at least as cultured as anyone else, it just so happens that the culture isn't the same."
She glanced down at a tear in the lower leg of her trousers, through which she could see intricate inking she had earned a few years ago and thought about the incongruent and yet somehow related type of markings the Shoanti sometimes wore.

[marcielle]

While everyone was focused on the 2 Chelaxians, Keld had already cleaned up the mess and asked for another tray of food. It never really payed to engage this type of people in conversation. Maybe he'd go over to their rooms later tonight. Summon a zombie through their keyhole to give them the fright of their lives. Maybe a spell of fear as well.

'Culture? Well, that really depends on what you mean by culture. They probably don't have much time for fine arts, but then again, I doubt most of us do. Besides, most of the more 'cultured' people are just rich folk who are stuffed up their own asses so hard they can see the inside of their stomach'.

Keld tried to steer the conversation away from the Shaonti, playing on the working class' innate jealousy of the rich.

[ewpierce]

Ryger shifted his gaze to the fat priest. His device was hidden by a meaty fist, so he could only wonder if the man worshipped the god of harvest and pastry. He kept the thought to himself. No sense in growing the angry circle about him.

The female stood scarcely taller than the table. He tried to mask his surprise; he'd seen smallfolk before - despite what the priest or drunks thought of him, life in the Cinderlands hadn't been that secluded. Still, she seemed a tad out of place amongst such large, wrong-headed men.

Ryger smiled at her, and nodded once. "It is good that cultured people like yourself can balance ignorance." He looked greasy hair in the eye. "And fear."

He could not help but laugh at the tavern's blonde-haired kid. "A most colorful insight, young master."

[thewamp]

Rusty Dragon

Seeing several patrons of the bar standing up and making the numbers a little less favorable, the two sway and then frown. "Yew just wait, Chont," says one. "Can't do a thing like that to us. We'll get it back, all right."

The sheriff has been sitting back with a puzzled look on his face. He hasn't made a move to interfere and seems to almost be studying the situation, although most of you are probably too preoccupied with the situation at hand to notice this.

The Chelaxians leave the bar with a bang of the front door.

OOC:
Okay, I'm posting daily so expect another post tomorrow night. And another the night after. And so on.

[ewpierce]

Rusty Dragon
Seeing several patrons of the bar standing up and making the numbers a little less favorable, the two sway and then frown. "Yew just wait, Chont," says one. "Can't do a thing like that to us. We'll get it back, all right."


Ryger watched them go, his face scrunched up in confusion. "What exactly did I do," he said to himself.

He relaxed once they were gone, and smiled at those around him. "Thanks to you for running them off." His smile faltered and he shrugged. "I guess it is plain that I am Shoanti, from the Cinderlands. I am Ryger Stonefist." He started to say something else but stopped.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Relieved that the confrontation hadn't come to blows Mae-Lin was still puzzled as to what the altercation had been about in the first place, apparently simple racism wasn't the whole of it.
Her base instinct was to ask the man, but then she remembered she had to be getting back to Wesh and the others. It was hardly her business in any event. Moustachio had come out of the kitchen with the breakfast she'd forgotten she'd ordered and she reasoned she'd better eat it rather than have the effort go to waste.
"You're welcome," Mae-Lin said to Ryger, dropping in a half-curtsey. "this is a nice inn, it didn't make sense to let them act loutish in it like that."
She glanced over her shoulder at the food.
"I don't mean to be rude, but I'd better go eat that," she added, gesturing vaguely, "I've got to go meet someone in a minute," she turned to Belloric and Brother Castor. "I'll see you two at the garrison later then, yeah? Great."
Then she nipped over to collect the food from the man with the moustache with a view to snarfing it as expediently as possible without injury, perhaps taking the kippers away for later.

[Roethke]

"Well, yes, of course. No problem. Bad for trade to be rude to visitors, and there's no shame in being Shoanti, particularly if you're coming to the city to look for work and better yourself." begins Felix, sitting back down to his meal and seconding (more or less) Mae-Lin, "Abadar's vault opens to all who toil and trade honestly, wherever they come from. I am Brother Felix Castor, His servant. Pleased to meet you. You are welcome to join us at the table, should you wish. He finishes, a bit formally.

Normally Felix would have qualms about sharing a table with one who appeared so humble of birth, as Rygar seemed kitted out like a woodsman or mercenary. But he had supped with worse when he was a caravan guard, and going a little way to make up for the rudeness was within his power.

He gives Mae-Lin a nod of acknowledgement as she retrieves her food. "I will of course honor the request of the local authorities. I will see you there."

[ewpierce]

Ryger watched the halfling and the priest returned to their table. A strange pair, that, and not just to look at them together.

He hesitated on taking up Brother Felix's offer. He'd felt out of sorts since leaving home, but had convinced himself it was just the seasickness that had him unsteady. The mix-up with the locals had returned those feelings threefold. He felt exposed, like a wounded animal crouched in the brush, whilst predators circled nearer. Mostly, he wanted left alone.

He realized it would be difficult to make a life here, more than he'd originally thought. Friends could make the load easier. Or at the least, would bring extra eyes to his back.

Ryger stood and, nibbling idly on his toast, joined them at the table. "Brother Felix. You speak of honest trade. Might you know where I could find this kind of work?" He smiled uncertainly. "In truth I am most at home in the field. But I can apply my skills to most any task needs doing."

[thewamp]

Rusty Dragon

The Sheriff, who has been all but forgotten back at the previous table, stands up suddenly. "Mae-Lin, Keld, Felix, I take my leave. I've got to go tell Harnin where we're meeting." At the mention of work he looks appraisingly. "I don't know what you're used to, but if you're interested in some mercenary work, join us at the Garrison at midday." He nods to the innkeeper and heads out the door.

[marcielle]

Content, now that the floor is now cleaner than the tables, Keld shoots the sheriff a quick salute and waves goodbye to the Wrens.
'Merc work is as good as any other, 'cept the whole chance of death thing. This would actually be a great time to check it out. With a priest on the team, you'd probably won't die. And Wren's pretty tough too'.

[ewpierce]

"Mercenary work is fine by me, so long as it's the honest sort." Ryger did not expect that to be a problem, given the priest and all, but felt better for stating his feelings anyway.

"Midday is some time off as yet. I need to make for room and board and settle in my personals, such as they are." He turns to look at Keld, giving him an amused, but friendly smile. "Can you put me to rights there as well, young master?"

[marcielle]

'Sure can. Right here's the best place to stay. Cleanest too. Fact that you haven't thrown up after eating off the floor is proof'.

[ewpierce]

After finishing off his meal, Ryger heads to the room Keld offers. He takes a few moments to rinse his face and hands, and then lays atop the bed. He means only to rest his eyes, but he hasn't had a decent sleep in several weeks.

He dozes for a few hours. Panic seizes him as he blinks awake - has he slept through the anointed hour? A quick glance outside assures him that he was out for only a small time, and the sun is just now nearing the height of its climb.

Ryger tucks his bag into a corner. He prefers traveling light whenever possible, and does not expect to need of bedroll and the like. Would that he could leave the sword as well, but his bow can not answer to all problems. Mercenary work can mean many things, but Ryger could not think of a one that did not involve some sort of steel.

He returns to the common room and finds a place to wait for the others.


Just to move Ryger along to the time of the meeting. Being new to town, this is the highlight of his day!:smallbiggrin:

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Leaving a silver piece on the counter, hoping that it would cover the expense of breakfast, Mae-Lin headed east in search of the new campsite.
She kept a quick pace to try to ensure she'd have time to get up to speed with the affairs of the troupe before she had to head back into town to meet with the others. As to what her parents would make of the possibility of her taking mercenary work, she wasn't sure but she had the feeling that they might need a bit of reassuring as far as the safety of that idea went.

[Exthalion]

Harnin stopped for a moment. Mid stride so he nearly fell over comically.

What am I doing? I can't come back to this. You can't have the right fork and the left. I chose to seek to rise above the mundane, now I must abide by my choice.

"Excuse me, I forgot I have somewhere I need to be." With that he picked up his staff and began to retrace his steps of the day before. To that inn were the others were.

[Roethke]

Felix nods in satisfaction as the Sheriff offers Rygar employment. Another day, another gold piece, and Abadar's wheel spins on he thinks to himself, as he finishes his breakfast. He felt much more himself, now that the balance of stomach, food and drink was restored. And he rises and heads to the stables to see to Fair Measure.


If there's nothing particularly eventful on the way, Felix will cast cure light wounds on Fair Measure twice,

[roll0]

[thewamp]

The Garrison

The sun is high in the sky when you make your way to the Garrison. This stone fortress serves double duty as Sandpoint’s militia bar- racks and its jail. The jail itself is located in an underground wing, while the above-ground portion houses the town’s guard.

A servant - a boy who looks to be no older than 16 - greets you near the entrance and leads you down a corridor to a wooden door near the back. Through the door is a small and relatively sparsely furnished office, although a stack of papers is piled haphazardly on the corner of a rather large wooden desk.

Behind the desk sits Sheriff Hemlock. He points out the chairs as you enter and asks if you're comfortable, but otherwise, a rather awkward silence falls over the room. Once you're all there, he opens his mouth.

"We're undermanned is what it is. I've barely got enough soldiers to keep the people from tearing apart the town in some sort of exuberance or fear.

"But I don't want you all acting as make-shift police. Especially you Keld - Ameiko would kill me and I don't think you'd make quite the impression... at any rate, that's not the whole of our problems.

"Obviously the goblins ran through the town causing chaos and we'll be feeling the repercussions of that for a long time, particularly for the family and friends of poor Rebekka, Talia, and Ostin. But I think there may have been someone more subtle than a goblin behind all that.

"Three things worry me. First, some of the goblins were smuggled into the town, somehow. We think they came in a wagon we found. Second, the northern gate was left open. Plainly, someone was helping these goblins. We don't have much to go on, but I can give you a starting point. I can't think of anyone from Sandpoint who would do this, and with so many here for the festival..." He grimmaces.

"These are rather rudimentary suspicions... there were three groups that stood out. There was a group of Chelaxians who stayed up most of the night drinking at the Fatman's Feedbag. There's someone heard them mentioning poor Talia's name and laughing 'bout it. Also, there was a group of actors at the festival - apparently left just before the chaos. I don't know where they're staying, but you could talk to Cyrdak about them - he might know. Last, a group of travelers was staying just north of the gate - the one left open. One of the guard went to see if they saw anything last night, but they'd picked up in a hurry. Plenty suspicious.

"I said there were three things that happened. The last is... Father Zantus told me this morning that Ezakien Tobyn, our previous priest, killed in the Late Unpleasantness... his bones were stolen during the attack. For the life of me, I've no idea why that would happen and I urge you to keep this under wraps - after the Late Unpleasantness, we don't want to start a panic. But if you'd like to investigate, Naffar Vosk or maybe the Father would know more. Or... we captured a couple of the goblins during the attack. We haven't found anyone who speaks their tongue, but if any of you do, they might know something."

He pauses and looks at Keld. "Look, I feel bad, asking a kid to join in all this, but you were right useful during the attack and anyway..." he says, pausing to look confused for an instant, "well it's your call kid, but it'd sure be helpful." He looks out at the group, eyes resting on the door handle behind you. "And we can pay you all and cover your keep in the Rusty Dragon - or the White Deer or wherever you're staying. It's a lot to take in, but if you could help, that'd be great."

[marcielle]

Keld neatly snaps to attention and salutes.
'Glad ta be of service. Though, I don't think there's gonna be any keeping this from Amy. If nothing else, the fact that I'll be asking for downtime at all will prob'ly tip her off. Now, I wouldn't think too much about the Chelaxians. Some people are just meanies. Seeing as getting the goblins to cooperate, checkin out the defenses and figurin' out how to get the gate unlocked woulda probably took some time, I'd say we poke the group that's been around longer first. Unless someone speaks fluent goblinese'.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

There hadn't really been time to get down to the nub of things at camp before Mae-Lin had to leave for the garrison. A change of clothes and a chance to see her mother and various other loved ones alive and before her own eyes was about the extent of it. She'd also retrieved the leather armour that had been made for her some years ago for a particularly risky venture, she explained to her mother that the goblins' appearance last night had made her nervous and she wanted the sense of security that the armour would provide. This was true, but the extent of her nerves and the precise source of them were carefully circumnavigated in the course of the explanation. In the end she told her mother she was going off to meet some friends rather than mention the possibility of work. She would sort things out in the evening.

What the sherrif had to say was pretty unsettling from start to finish. People had been killed last night after all. The family were under suspicion for the whole nasty business. And somebody had been carrying off bones... that was why the dead ought to be burnt.
She knew the family hadn't done it. They wouldn't have gained a thing from it. Sandpoint had caused them suffering but this wasn't how her family dealt with their grievances. How to keep them safe from the law was a worry though. They were suspicious, he'd said. Well, there wasn't anything so very suspicious about fleeing at the sight of trouble, they had their own reasons to be nervous of the guard too. The actors leaving before the trouble had begun and without performing their play, however...
She was quiet for a while after the sherrif had said his piece, letting Belloric (Keld Belloric, apparently?) speak first. Her expression remained somewhere between neutrality and solemnity throughout the briefing. Her family had been suspected of things before so this turn of events wasn't particularly shocking.
"I can speak goblin." She announced, breaking her silence. "I could talk to them and see if they were willing to give any explanations. But first I'd like to ask: Rebekka, Talia and Ostin... what happened to them? You said you didn't think the goblins were responsible for it?" she thought of the pillar of flame before which they'd encountered the goblin hag. That could have spread and caused absolute havoc. It wasn't especially subtle though.

[ewpierce]

Ryger's heart tripped at the sight of the fortress, and he nearly turned around when he realized that was their destination. He tried not to appear nervous (or guilty) as he entered the sheriff's office.

His nerves calmed once the man started talking. It seemed the town had been attacked by goblins just the past night. That certainly explained some things, Ryger thought. He was glad he'd only just arrived, and therefore, wasn't looked on with suspiscion. As of yet.

Ryger would not have minded checking on the Chelaxians, though most like they were not involved. Perhaps they were just poor mannered as a fault.

He sat back in his chair and gave Mae-Lin an appraising look. "Goblin? You are full of surprises."

"Talking to these goblins makes good sense. Mayhaps the rest of us should ask after the actors. Or," he added as looked over the group, "should we split the tasks one to each?"

[thewamp]

The Sheriff frowns at Mae-Lin. "Uh, no, the Goblins are definitely responsible for the deaths in town yesterday. I just don't think they were the brains of the operation if you know what I mean."

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Mae-Lin looked back at Ryger but did not hold his gaze. She struggled to think of an explanation for her knowledge of the language that wouldn't sound incriminating, particularly given the sherrif's suspicions.
"Well, you know, one picks things up..." she said dismisively.
Rubbish. A truly pathetic attempt. Still, it may have sounded casual enough.
She turned back to the sherrif.
"I see. So I suppose the next question would be: who were they? Did the Chelaxians have a particular reason to know Talia's name, aside from the fact that she was killed yesterday?"
She wasn't sure whether the Chelaxians ought to get a free pass just like that, although admittedly what Hemlock had said didn't really give them much of a link to the crime. It was a difficult crime to link to anyone really - even as a distraction for the grave robbing it came off as over the top - and there seemed to be very little that could have been gained by the thing. In a way, the Chelaxians having done it as some sort of twisted joke almost seemed to fit, except for the amount of effort involved in putting the thing together.
She reached back to get the goblin quiver and bow and place them on her lap. Speaking to the goblins whilst wearing the grave-goods of their comrades might not be a wise move.
"In any event I think before I speak to the prisoners I ought to know" she said grimly, "what was done with the goblin dead?"

[Roethke]

Brother Castor listened to Sheriff Hemlock's description of yesterday's events with a grim face, his frown growing deeper at the mention of the stolen bones. Once Mae-Lin had asked several questions, he spoke up, his disgust evident in his tone "A random attack or raid is one thing but sacrilege and murder brought about by treason? Such acts cut the tendons of our civilization and are anathema in the eyes of Abadar. In the name of Abbot Silinus, this Hand of Abadar will be willing to assist you."

To Rygar, he adds, "Before we determine tasks, we should fix our role in this business properly,"

He removes a piece of parchment, pen and ink from his pack and turns back to the Sheriff,
"What is our role to be, exactly? Are you deputizing us, or shall we be making, er, unofficial inquiries into the treachery, or something in between? And in any event, what is to be our renumeration? For myself there is some business the Church has with one of your citizens, and you may be able to render assistance. The others may desire harder coin, though.

[thewamp]

Sheriff Hemlock raises his eyebrows at Mae-Lin and then shrugs. "They're being burned. Some of the guard took them a ways north to keep the smell clear of the town. As far as your questions about the Chelaxians go, you'd have to ask them. We really don't know." He grimmaces.

To Felix he says, "You'd be sort of informal members of the town guard. I mean, we'd pay you mercenary wages, but you will have the support of the town guard if you need it - though we can't really spare any men."

"We can pay you a gold piece each day and a bonus of... let's say 100 gp each, if you can figure out who aided the goblins. There may also be other tasks we need doing. Does that sound reasonable?"

"As for your church business, we can probably offer help, but it will depend on what that business is."

[ewpierce]

Ryger could not help but glance curiously in Mae-Lin's direction whilst the priest and sheriff talked. Goblin was not a language he'd expect most folk would happen to know, though he was far from home.

Could she be the insider? She seem fair-hearted; he'd only needed to think on his ugly introduction to Sandpoint for proof. And still. A most curious coincidence. Someone had aided the beasties, and here sat one who knew their tongue.

He wouldn't ask further after it. 'Uncivilized' though he may be, even an uncultured brute from the wild lands recognized the need for delicate footing. Speak when needed, but watchful always.

His attention was pulled back to the Sheriff as mention of coin was made.


"We can pay you a gold piece each day and a bonus of... let's say 100 gp each, if you can figure out who aided the goblins. There may also be other tasks we need doing. Does that sound reasonable?"

Ryger chortled. A gold piece, each day, as well as room and board whilst at the task. And another 100 gold on top of that, upon success? He'd never seen near that much gold together in the span of his life. The thought that he might come into such a sum was dizzying. He was glad to be seated.

"I can speak only for myself, but payment seems fair." He tried hard to keep the excitement from his voice, but felt he'd most certainly failed at the trying.

"These Chelaxians - are they local to Sandpoint? Are there any that can speak to their character?"

[marcielle]

Keld shrugged,'Eh. It's more than what I get at the Rusty, but still, I'd like to suggest you keep as many men at the ready as possible. Normal bones woulda just been a menace. Priest bones mean round 2 will probably get all sorts of ugly'.
'We'd be looking at some sorta cult. Divinity and bones always lead to cults. Wonder if they're the fanatic type. Those guys seriously know how to have a good time,'

I'm repostin for ewpierce's benefit, anything in light green is practically inaudible, unless you are listening for it and it is really quite.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

"Sounds like a reasonable way to dispose of them," said Mae-Lin to the sherrif, nodding. "Now I'll know the honest answer if they ask me about it."
The money sounded more than reasonable but the real draw to the job was making sure that the blame wasn't laid at her door. The chances were good that her folks might have seen something relevant although whether they'd be willing to stick around for much longer while they were still under suspicion was debatable. As for how to work around the fact that two of the four other "informal members of the town guard" would recognise Wesh on sight as her father - something they surely wouldn't have done if she hadn't gone and told them he was - she had no clue. She wondered whether she'd been careful enough in her walk to the new camp. Not wearing shoes probably helped, and she had walked mostly on cobbles and grass, but the fact of the matter was that she simply hadn't given it enough thought. If any of the family ended up getting arrested for this she wouldn't forgive herself.
Belloric's comment on the bones didn't make a lot of sense to her: she knew that the priest probably wouldn't have been pleased to have died in a fire, but surely the people who'd done him no harm while he was alive and had respected his remains once he'd passed wouldn't be in any danger from his spirit should it be awoken... The whole thing was a mystery to the halfling.

[Roethke]

Thinking that the Sheriff's offer was more than fair, Felix hurries to make it official. While the others discuss, Felix jots down the details of their agreement, muttering "Informal special agents of the Sandpoint Watch... to be paid Room, board and boarding of animals, 1 gold piece per diem. Bonus of 100 gold pieces to be paid if the cause of the goblin attack is uncovered by said informal special agents" to himself, stopping often and blotting as he attempts to get the wording correct.

Looking at the paper he sighs in satisfaction. Paperwork was never his strong-suit, but it pleased him to be able to make up simple contracts. He adds In the sight of the Keeper of the Vault in larger letters, then takes his holy symbol and uses the flat edge of the key to draw several ruled lines below the text. Finally he dips one face of the bulbous end of the Key of Abadar in ink and makes an impression on the paper.

Looking up from his work, he proffers a pen and adds to the Sheriff and the others. "Certainly fair wages. Now that's done with, I encourage you to sign. In the eyes of the Church this will be right and proper employment."

He signs the document himself, then continues to Keld, "Never fear, my boy. Ending desecration and sacrilege is something we priests do. And now that it is a paid task, Abadar will be on our side"

Finally, he turns his head to the Sheriff,
"The Church has some business with a merchant who is reported to reside here, one Krasta Calhoun. He owes some money and I have been sent to arrange payment with him. But such mundane matters pale in importance to what your town may face, what with the murder and sacrilege, and can be attended to in due time. To that end, I had two questions-- Who owned the wagon that was found? and who is this Naffer Vosk?"

[ewpierce]

Ryger frowned at the writing device held in Felix's hand. "What need have we of paper, when a man gives his word? It was put upon me just this morn that Sandpoint is proper civilized. And yet you would have me believe some ink markings are worth more."

He half-rose from the chair and reached across the desk, offering his hand to the Sheriff. "I accept your terms."

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Mae-Lin shifted in her seat.
"Whilst your word on the matter is good enough for me, part of Brother Castor's concern probably stems from the fact that proof of it cannot be reproduced for posterity. It's possible that he's been burned by that sort of thing in the past, I wouldn't know. Either way, written confirmation of the deal probably sits better with his church's views and traditions. Your word may be sufficient reassurance for him, but he can't show it to his superiors when they ask him how and with whom he's been spending his time. Look upon it as a social nicety, if you will."
She took the quill and scribbled a signature after giving the parchment a cursory glance. More likely than not, Ryger's word meant a good deal more than Mae-Lin's signature. She had signed her name, but what would that matter if she was four towns away from the priest when he was showing people she'd made an agreement? She didn't necessarily intend to back out on the deal, of course, but if she felt she needed to, she certainly would.
With the paper signed she was fairly anxious to get things underway, there was a lot of sorting out to do, after all, and she needed to know which of these guys was going to be on the hunt for her people.
"Now that that's settled," she addressed the sherrif, "how long are you going to be holding these goblins for? I might need to make a return visit after the suspects have been investigated. Also, on the expenses front: we may be able to cover this ourselves, but since we're going to be staying for a couple of days, apparently, I'm probably going to need to get accommodation sorted for my father. I get the impression he may have had to rough it last night, what with everything going on, but even if he didn't we don't have friends or relatives living locally so his lodging's not going to be free." She couldn't see her dad being too comfortable with the idea of staying in an inn for long, but now that Brother Castor and Belloric both knew about him, staying with the family wasn't really an option any more, just like it wasn't for Mae-Lin herself.

[Roethke]

Felix nods with assent at Mei-Lin's words, "I wasn't questioning your word, Rygar, though I've yet to see much evidence in either direction, in that regard, much as you have little reason to trust me. We don't share family, culture or nation. It is for just these agreements among strangers that Abadar created and blessed the written contract, that we bind ourselves to each other and to Him and become as family.... For the purpose of the contract at least. This lets us gather our strength in numbers greater than family, or clan as the case may be.

In any event, this was an offer share in the benefits of a written contract, not a demand. The Church will consider this agreement official, since I, as a Hand, have witnessed it, but no one, not even the Sheriff, is required to sign.
.
.
.
Seeing as we are all agents of Sandpoint now, I'm most concerned about the sacrilege. That wagon the goblins came in intrigues me, as well, it may lead us to the traitor. Or traitors for that matter, if the goblins were simply a distraction for the bone-theft. Miss Wren seems to be the only one among us to speak their tongue. If we were to divide up the tasks, I would suggest that she speak to the prisoners, Rygar follow up on these Chelaxians, if only to give him the pleasure of his new office. I could speak with this Vosk or Father Zantus about the bones, and Belloric Keld (or is it Keld Belloric?), being from here, might recognize the wagon. What do you think? "

He asks to those in the room, including the sheriff.

[thewamp]

EDIT: Accidental Double Post - see below

[thewamp]

OOC:
I figured out the accent I want to use for the Sheriff. Should be more consistent now.

The sheriff raises an eyebrow at the contract being shoved in his face. "I don't think you get my meaning when I say 'informal'. Not that we're hiding anything, obviously, but there won't be any contracts. I hope the coin can be enough for Abadar." He shakes Ryger's hand with a smile.

"I don't think anyone could tell who owned the wagon - it was burnt so bad, no one could recognize it. You can check it out if you like, I mean we've had it brought up here, but I don't think you'll find anything."

"Naffar Vosk keeps the boneyard behind the Cathedral. He's, uh... a little unusual looking. But don't be put off. I haven't talked with him much, but Abstalar says he's a very devout man."

To Mae-Lin, he says, "Well we sent word to Magnimar first thing and someone's coming down who can speak to goblins is the plan. We'll keep him alive at least that long, though I can't say as to how much we'll be feeding him."

Shrugging, he continues. "The rooms in the Rusty Dragon are plenty big for two, 'specially if it's family. I don't know that the town can afford to put up many more for no cost for who knows how long, but if the Rusty Dragon doesn't work, we'll see what we can do."

He nods approvingly as you discuss tasks, but chimes in. "Might be, you shouldn't rub it in too much to the Chelaxians. 'Informal' really does mean informal. We'll be paying you to find out who's behind this, but you can't arrest people or nothing."

[ewpierce]

Ryger returned to his seat. The sheriff's handshake had been firm - a good sign that he meant to do right by them. Mayhap civilized peoples were not so different from him after all. He smirked at Felix.

Though he did not take offense when Felix took to assigning paths to each, he found disagreement with most his decisions. Sending the halfing to speak with the goblins was plain, yet Ryger did not think sending her alone a wise plan. Not that they would know what was said, but words were not the only way of speech. One of them should accompany Mae-Lin, perhap in stealth. He decided to talk with Felix about the matter quietly.

"I follow the good sheriff on the matter of the Chelaxians. One does not pick at a scab and expect it not to bleed. Or is that your intent?" He knew little of the priest, but felt certain that the man held Ryger in little enough regard. Did he expect trouble with them and think Ryger a brute, or did his brain lag after his running mouth?

"After what we saw of these Chelaxians this morn, if we call upon them, I saw we go all of us. Until then, I hold the speediest path is to eliminate these side treks. The goblins, the bones, the actors, and the travelers who'd camped outside the gate. Four tasks, and four of us. I will see about the actors or the travelers, depending on what young master Keld wants to chase after."

[marcielle]

'Well since only Ms. Wren speaks Goblin, there's really no reason for anyone but her to see the thingy. Other than that though, I think it might be a really bad idea to split up. Remember, whoever was behind this managed to sneak an entire goblin raid into the city pretty much unnoticed and made off with a huge bag of bones unseen. Who knows what else he's got up his sleeve'.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

The prospect of reinforcements from Magnimar didn't fill Mae-Lin with joy. The pressure was on then: disprove the family's involvement quickly, or have some authorative stranger stepping in and pointing fingers. Already she'd been trying to mull over how to approach the goblin prisoners whilst the others were speaking and the amount of ways this "interview" could potentially go wrong was already troubling her.
"If the Rusty Dragon are happy to house the two of us in the same room then I'm sure that would suffice, thanks," she told the sherrif in response to the accommodation issue, giving a brief smile out of politeness.
She preferred Brother Castor's allotment of tasks to Ryger Stonefist's if only because the priest's allocations neglected to mention the travellers. Commenting on the matter was a relatively risky thing, however.
"As far as splitting up goes, well, yes - I suppose it goes without saying that we all ought to be pretty careful about this whole thing. Three people have died over this already. I guess I should leave it up to you boys as to whether you diverge or not though. Should we be making arrangements to meet up and discuss our findings? I suppose if we're all staying there anyway then The Rusty Dragon would be a sensible meeting place... unless you think that'd be a bit on the public side?"
She began to hook the bow and quiver over her arm so she could get moving soon.

[ewpierce]

Ryger smiled at Keld. It'd been bad of him to put a task to the boy alone. After what had happened here, it was no surprise that Keld would know some fear.

"You are wise, young master. Leave the old bones to Brother Felix, and the beasties to Mae-Lin. Mayhap the two of us, together, will ask after the travelers and these actors."

Feeling the discussion had reached its end, he stood. "The Rusty Dragon is a fine place to return after scouting our paths. Luck go with you."

He looked at Keld. "Coming? It be a poor end to me if I lost my way in this big city of yours."

[Roethke]

In response to the Sheriff, Felix puts his index finger to his right nostril and gives a nod of understanding. "Yes of course. We shall keep it unofficial." He scrawls 'CONFIDENTIAL' in large letters across the parchment, then rolls it up and ties it with a particularly fussy knot before stowing it in his pack.

To the others, he says
"As for the Chelaxians, tromping in together asking pointed questions would probably just clam them up, if they do know anything of the attacks. But perhaps you are right and they are not the most pressing concern. Going at them when they feel they are in a position of control, that is the way to get them to talk. Abadar knows the best horse-traders will sell you a mule, and you will leave boasting about how hard your horse kicks and its noble untamed spirit.


Gesturing from the halfling to the child to the Shoanti and finally himself,
"Actually doing anything together in town is bound to draw some attention, which appears to be unwanted. Perhaps rumors of our bravery yesterday have spread, so that would be one excuse to converse. Our common lodgings at the Dragon are another. But I think being seen too much together will spook whomever is behind this even further, at least when it comes to talking to us.

That said, Mae-Lin has a point. Sheriff- I can expect we won't be attacked in the streets, again? If not, common defense may be a priority"

[marcielle]

'We don't need to ask them about the goblins. Just ask when their next show is on. If they preform here, then they'll be here a while and we can investigate more subtly. And if they are good, then they probably ARE performers and we can move along. If they are just stopping here on their way to a larger city or something, then that's a bit suspicious, and we can feel free to snoop. But the problem is not suspicion and subtlety. The problem is whoever was willing to set up a massacre of innocents probably won't mind hunting down and killing the few people in town who can actually fight back'.

[Eleanor_Rigby]

Ryger's protective and reassuring stance towards Belloric's concerns were endearing but most likely unnecessary. The kid was pretty good at taking care of himself and the dangers he'd brought up had been mentioned from a position of pragmatism more than one of fear, or so Mae-Lin believed, anyway.
Brother Castor's observations on horse trading were rather interesting to hear: it sounded like 'Abadar' knew quite a bit about deception after all, if only because you need to be able to understand something to resolve it. As far as the right approach to the Chelaxians went, she was unsure. Chelaxians like the ones at the Rusty Dragon tended to be a problem that she preferred to allow her human companions to deal with.
"If anything I think that implies that suspicion and subtlety are potentially the biggest worries in this investigation then: we don't want those people seeing us as too much of a threat" she said in response to Belloric, not arguing with him, as such, but checking that they were thinking along the same lines. "The problem with asking the actors is you have to find them first if they left just before things kicked off." she looked at the sherrif, "You said we could ask Cyrdak about them - they weren't part of the cast for that harpy thing he was advertising for tonight, were they?"

[thewamp]

The Sheriff nods to Felix. "You should be safe in the streets, most like, though there might be more than a bit of hero worship. But we've got the guard on high alert. Don't think you could so much as sneeze at a town gate without getting noticed."

To Mae-Lin, he says "I can't say that I know. I haven't gone to one of his shows in five years."

If you guys are done with the questions, we should get towards the point of deciding what to do.