Runelords 2E IC

[Triskavanski]

As the two entered into the tavern. "And so I said to them, no sir, that is my foot. Anyways, we seem to be here. "

Sitting with the others she finds her way to a stool, keeping a bit of distance from the dirty fighter. "So Goblins and demons, and a woman who hates festivals. Honestly! Who attacks festivals? "

[Farmerbink]

Jannis is unusually subdued in the Rusty Dragon sitting room. He chews listlessly on his meal, spending more time pushing food around than putting it into his mouth. Occasionally, he mutters, mostly inaudibly. Bits of "Can't believe," and "those dreams," are loud and distinct enough to be made out, but otherwise, the young man looks decidedly worse for wear.

When the expected women arrive, Jannis stands and inclines his head to them. "Welcome, yes. Sorry, I'm sure we can get you a plate. Uhmmm... Yes, I'm Jannis. Of the Sotheby clan, north of town." He returns to his seat a bit uneasily and listens to his companions with the air of someone forced.

"It's bad," he finally comments. "Simply put, she's got enough power to boss around the little imp thing we faced this afternoon and cajole Tsuto into killing his own father." He glances to Lysander, with a very thin, very forced smile. "At this point, it seems like 'knew' is by far the more accurate word. Whatever Nualia has become, I doubt she has an awful lot in common with the girl I remember..."

"I can't help but wonder, though, why it came to this. If that runewell is what caused our nightmares last night, was it also what kept Nualia so reserved as a child? How many sleepless nights of savage dreams and whispers of madness would it take to break any of us?" He frowns deeply, still upset. His fork jabs at his meal, though at least he's taking the bites now. Perhaps more forcefully than is really necessary. Over the course of the next several minutes, he offers what little he knows, and somewhat savagely tears into his evening meal.

[DrK]

The women chat through much of the evening with Jon, Jannis and Lysander and can swap tales of the runewell and their own live sand travels around Golarion. After a quiet night in the Rusty Dragon and a comfortable night in the warm and cosy rooms you are all happy to meet once more at breakfast, the inn still full, although emptier now as its seems with a Runewell and murders some of the travellers and merchants that visited for the festival have left early.

All of you who are local are aware of thistletop, the island of Thistletop sits in the Varisian Gulf off the coast of the Nettlewood. This strangely round rock formation has always been a source of mystery and prior to the area becoming infested with goblins many people sword that there were ruins on the island but never enough to attract adventurers. The island itself sits some 8 miles to the east past the dense Shanks wood and Pauper's Grave hills and the easiest way to get there is to follow the Old LIghthouse road and either leave the road past the Pauper's Graves and follow the coast or go up the Thistle River through the nettlewood.

[Bunny Commando]

Lysander - HP: 47/47 - Conditions: None - Active Effects: None

---------------

After a good night's rest and most importantly a bath, Lysander looks much less vicious - he now seems just a down-on-his-luck soldier of fortune, even though he has at his side an ancient looking sword of Thassilonian design. Way more chipper than the previous evening, he chews happily and seems friendly enough while talking to his companions "So. Believe we should have a word with Shalelu Andosana, a supposedly local expert on goblins; might know more about Thistletop and the goblins. We should also ask Alexej - it's a mage that helped us clean that cursed dungeon" he explains to Shalendra and Mushka "if he has discovered anything on those books we found down there. Other than that, we should sell what we found - we need the coin, so we could be better prepared for our expedition."

The sellsword stops for a couple of moments, looking at the last remaining pastry in his place; when he speaks again, he seems again the grim mercenary met the day before"And just so we're on the same page. Mayor paying us to kill this Nualia. Even if we bring her here alive, gallows awaits her. If any of you want to convince her to surrender, I don't have a problem - just know that if she draws steel, I'm going for the kill."

[farothel]

"I know a bit about crafting," Shalendra said as she finished her breakfast, "so if you want to transfer some runes, I might be able to help. I just need a few materials to help with the transfer and a day or so of work. I don't know much about goblins, except that the best goblin is a dying goblin who tells you where to find his buddies, but I think I have heard the name Thistletop mentioned before somewhere."

Spoiler: OOC rolls

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recall knowledge Arcana: (1d20+8)[21]

[Farmerbink]

Jannis wakes decidedly easier than the day before, his sleep blessedly free of frightening dreams. In the common room, he greets his companions with apparently genuine pleasure. "Good morning everyone," he beams. He eagerly digs into a hearty breakfast and breathes several deep, appreciative sighs between bites.

Nodding his agreement, Jannis chips in. "I've spent a good bit of time in the Tickwood, but never been so foolish as to venture to the Nettlewood alone. And when I was a kid it was generally safer. Or at least we thought it was. Never heard so much about Goblins until a few years back..."

At mention of Nualia, Jannis nods again. "I understand, and I wouldn't expect any less. I'm not asking any of you to let her kill you, just..." He sighs. "Maybe she'll see reason, and find a way to pay for her crimes without having to die. A guy can hope, right?" He's no less optimistic when the party finishes their preparations and sets off to the east.

"I think we aught to stick to the coast," he offers. "About half as many directions as the Goblins can try to ambush us from, eh?"

[stack]

"It will be good to speak to Shalelu again." Jon nods. "She may have advice as to the best path as well."

[Triskavanski]

"I think we aught to stick to the coast," he offers. "About half as many directions as the Goblins can try to ambush us from, eh?"

"Unless of course we're dealing with sea goblins! Nasty things. Tentacles for legs. Mouths like saws, stink like the worst thing you can imagine thinks stinks"

[farothel]

"You mentioned Thistletop is an island," Shalendra said, "shouldn't we then take a boat. I can swim, but with all our equipment, a boat might not be a bad idea, right? And we can use the time traveling to do other stuff, like transferring those runes."

[DrK]

As you are discussing the options Shalendra pauses, as her thoughts on Thistletop strike a memory. A passage in a treatise by an old scholar if Magnimar where the island, just a few tens off the shore was postulated as being the head of ancient Thassilonian statue that once stood hundreds of feet high. If that's the case there may be ruins within or on it. The coast though by the island is all cliffs making a boat unsuitable unless people were skilled climbers up the salt spray soaked cliffs.

Of Nulia there is no more the newcomers know beyond the tales of her unfortunate life and even more tragic patricide by arson or the tales of her as a young and relatively carefree girl as Jannis remembers.

As the planning gets down to business of routes, and tribes and equipment the door to the Rusty Dragon opens and the tall lithe leather armoured form of Shalelu gracefully arrives and seeing Jannis, Jon and Lysander offers a small grin and walks over.

She pulls a chair up at the table and drops into it a smile and a nod to the offer of a small mug of warmed mead from one of the serving girls.
"Good day to you my friends. How are you all after the horrors you discovered under the glass works and that savagery with poor old Kaijitsu."

As the discussion moves onto the goblins she nods and speaks on the tribes. "Traditionally over the past few years there have been 5 main tribes in the local area and normally they keep their numbers down by killing each other.

Birdcruncher goblins live in caves along the western edge of the Devil’s Platter, fairly close to Sandpoint. Traditionally these goblins are the least aggressive of the five. To the south of Sandpoint are the Licktoad goblins of the Brinestump Marsh, pests that are excellent swimmers but they've been very quiet of late. East are the Seven Tooth goblins of Shank’s Wood, goblins who’ve secured a place for themselves by raiding Sandpoint’s junkyard and rebuilding the stolen refuse into armour and weapons. They now have been almost totally absorbed by the Thisteltops and you killed a fair few of them on the raid. Further east are the Mosswood goblins, likely the largest tribe but one traditionally held back by feuding families within their own ranks.

The Thistletop goblins live on the Nettlewood coast atop a small island that some say holds a passing resemblance to a decapitated head. The Thistletop goblins have been working with Tsuto now it seems. These ones have become very aggressive, Ripnugget their chief is a horrible little beast who hates humans, elves and horses and rides a giant lizard of sorts. Be wary though as there is a bugbear who is allied with them, Brathazmus , is his name. I have exchanged arrows with him more than once, he is a know killer of elves, proud of the ears on his neck, including that of my cousin Athelu. If you see him please offer him greetings at the top of your sword.

They infest the nettlewood so I'd recommend a route along the cliff tops where there are less trees and the goblins are naturally more wary as the occasional large dire gull has been known to snatch them up from time to time."

[farothel]

"The island actually is a head," Shallendra adds in, "at least according to an old text I once read years ago. It should be the top of an old statue that was probably silted over. But if it's an island with difficult to climb cliffs, how do we get on there? And how do the goblins get off?"

She looked at the other woman.
"Sorry, where are my manners," she continued, I'm Shallendra, Lady Pernorin."

[stack]

Jon greets Shalelu warmly, then listens carefully to her information. "Your wisdom is most welcome, as always. Do you have time in your travels to accompany us to Thistletop?"

[Bunny Commando]

Lysander - HP: 47/47 - Conditions: None - Active Effects: None

---------------

Lysander grins when Jon shares his delight at the prospect of seeing Shalelu, teasing him a bit with some good-natured camaraderie "Heh, bet you would like to speak with our huntress. I still have that bottle of thassilonian wine, if you want." before donning a more professional expression when he talks to Mushka and Shalendra. He scratches his head at the mention of sea goblins, quite unconvinced even though he says nothing, most probably in fear of looking dumb if those things actually exists.

When Shalelu actually shows up, Lysander nods to greet the half-elf and listens to what she has to say about the goblins; sometimes he frowns, sometimes he mumbles like he's weighing what to do with the information Shalelu is sharing. At the end of her speech, he shrugs and says "Any idea of their numbers? Are we talking dozens or hundreds?"

[Farmerbink]

Jannis furrows his brows, before breaking into a series of uneasy chuckles. "Sea Goblins? Who ever heard of such a thing?" He shakes his head, obviously considering the comment a joke (whether intended as such or not).

He greets Shalelu gracefully, rising from his seat and inclining his head to the local legend-of-sorts. "All things considered, I slept better last night than the one before," he offers, shrugging. He listens patiently as she explains some of the details between the tribes, and smirks at her opinion of the bugbear. "I don't intend to shake his hand," the cleric murmurs over his mug.

Finally, as she recommends the same path he did, he smiles warmly. The expression is authentic, as he's more relieved to have been right (in Shalelu's eyes, at least), not smug in the least. He nods in support of Jon and Lysander's questions, adding none of his own.

[Triskavanski]

"Sea goblins." she nods. "At least that is the stories that are told. These are likely early stages of them. Before they submit to the waters completely, living in focus of the waves and water. Though they've not become sea goblins yet because they like to raid places on land still. She perks up snapping her fingers. "I need a seagull whistle. Wonder if they have any around here.. Or maybe something that sounds like a dire seagull. I have a kazoo, but that sounds more like a swarm of angry bees. Not my preferred performance but its easy to play."

[DrK]

Shalelu grins at Lysander and takes a long draw of the mead to cover a faint blush on her cheeks. "Probably a few dozen at most, they breed like rabbits but the infighting and lack of parental care results in their numbers normally being relatively manageable most of the time." At the talk of her going with them she shakes her head, "I would most like to accompany you however I cannot this day. Deverin has asked me to scout the lands to the West. 2 caravans have not arrived that were expected and she fears the worst. Without the trade Sandpoint will wither, just as much as if the goblins overrun us."

Patting Lysander on the arm she leans in and in a slightly husk voice adds just to him "Save the wine for when you return and we can have that with the stories..." Then sitting back upright she looks about and nods at the talk of sea goblins. "Aye, I've heard of them, though not by that name. Some of my kin signed on with the expeditions from Magnimar with the Golden Company and wrote of sea goblins with tentacles for legs that the men with her called grindylows"

Anything else you want to do or happy to do some shopping off screen and head down the coast towards thisteltop?

[farothel]

"I've seen a picture of those once in a book," Shalendra said, "I thought they were a fairy tale. Would be interesting to see how they adapted to living in the sea."

[Bunny Commando]

Lysander - HP: 47/47 - Conditions: None - Active Effects: None

---------------

Lysander blushes awkwardly at Shalelu's words and mumbles just a "Uh, sure." before clearing his throat and putting himself back together "All right, let's say we prepare and meet here again at midday. Then we depart for Thistletop. Sounds good?" the sellsword stands up, nods to the others and is about to leave the inn.

Spoiler

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OOC: Sure, I'm ok with moving to the next scene

[stack]

Jon nods, leaving to get his things in order.

[DrK]

The heroes of sandpoint scatter popping into the various shops and merchants of Sandpoint. In each one they are welcomed warmly as people appreciate the efforts they have made and many ask after them after seeing the horror in and under the glassworks. But by lunch time you find yourself walking out of the North gate of sandpoint heading north east along the coast road towards the Nettle Wood.

Its only a short walk, ~6 miles or so, to the Nettlewood and so only takes a couple of hours before you reach the outskirts of the tangled nettlewood. Hugging the coast and walking along the cliff tops you find the walking easy, the weather is pleasant and the trees stop dozens of yard from the cliff edge where the wind and salt sprays splashes you as you walk further North. Gulls and sea birds cawing and squawking as they watch you in between diving for fish.

As you get about 1 mile away you round the cliffs and see the island in the distance, a strange rocky protrusion held to the cliff face by a thin rope bridge and nothing else as the waves thrash around its base.

As you press closer the wood begins to get closer and closer to the cliff edge and the trees are thick and old with massses of heavy nettles and brambles to force your way through. The briars and thistles that grow so rampantly in the nettlewood are even thicker here close to the shore. Although not quite dense enough to block the sound of the waves on the cliffs they do mute it to a dull roar. Although there are few trees the briars themselves now rear up to some 20ft high and appear to block access to where the bridge would have been tethered for hundreds of feet but its Jon's sharp eyes, well used to the woods that notice a path through the thick briars, a four foot tunnel cut into the tangle, the briars hacked back with dense hard packed earth underfoot where weeds still stubbornly cling to life...

[stack]

"Not surprising that they have kept a usable path. It would be a poor base if they could not get in and out. I wonder that we have seen no sentries though; are they careless or well hidden?"

[farothel]

Shalendra had taken the ranseur so they could take it with them, unless someone else wanted it. She was a lot stronger than she looked like and could carry an incredible amount of stuff and a magical weapon was not to be taken for granted. She had kept silent most of the trip, unless asked a question

"Yeah, but it's at goblin height," she said, while looking around for any sentries and/or traps, "and probably trapped.
Lets have a look for those first, before we move in."

Spoiler: OOC actions

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perception: (1d20+8)[18]

[Bunny Commando]

Lysander - HP: 47/47 - Conditions: None - Active Effects: None

---------------

"If the gobins were any smarter, they would be way more of a threat than they really are. I wouldn't be surprised if we do not find any traps or sentries." Lysander says with a shrug, then looks around studying the area, mumbling pensively until he finally shares his thoughts "Can't we just burn everything? I mean, it's not like the Mayor asked us to kill Nualia and the goblins with a sword, she just wants them dead."

Spoiler

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Perception roll to spot ambushes or traps - (1d20+9)[27]

[DrK]

To Shalendra and Lysander the way looks clear, cramped, but still clear of traps. Although further into the maze of the tight briars Lysander can faintly hear the high pitched chatter of goblins further into the maze. The walls are cramped and unpleasant and peering into the path it looks to split into numerous routes to the left and right almost like a spiral.

You realise that this briar patch must block access to the bridge and be part of the goblin lair. Lysander looking at it quickly realises that splashed by the sea none of the briars look particularly flammable.

[stack]

"I could try to scout ahead a bit. A smaller form would be less concerned by the brambles."

[Triskavanski]

Mushka looked around herself, humming a a little of the local national theme, "Well! Now what to do, what to do... She thought outloud mostly following the group.

[Farmerbink]

Staring at the near-wall of brambles, Jannis groans quietly. "It'd take a massive blaze this close to the sea, and Nualia already survived one of those. I figure the mayor will want proof one way or another," he grunts at Lysander. "Not that I'm looking forward to any of this." He nods and gestures vaguely towards the thorny branches. Apparently begrudgingly, he pulls out a sickle. Clearly more suited for reaping than hacking, at least it's got a sharp edge for cutting through the brambles, for now. When Jon points out the hidden pathway, he sighs- equal parts relieved to not be literally hacking through the woods and disappointed at the prospect of following a Goblin's trail. Dutifully, he follows through the winding pathway, suppressing his irritation as he finds that crawling works better than walking for avoiding the thorns.

Jannis nods at Jon's suggestion as he picks himself up from hands and knees. "It's worked before. No reason it shouldn't work here," he murmurs. He brushes himself off and readies his bow as the druid begins his transformation.

[stack]

Jon takes the form of a skunk and begins scouting ahead; should he be spotted, he will hopefully be left alone.

Spoiler

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wildshape for pest form, so terrible stats but 10 minute duration and tiny size
stealth checks are at a +10 mod

[Triskavanski]

"So I guess we wait patiently till they come back?" says the colorful woman.

[Bunny Commando]

Lysander - HP: 47/47 - Conditions: None - Active Effects: None

---------------

"I'm here for the gold the Mayor promised, not glory. The fewer risks we take, the better." Lysander shrugs while answering to Mushka, seemingly in no rush to dive in the maze of thorns and brambles "Also, as Jannis said, we've done it before and it works. But hey, if you have other ideas just spew them out. It's not like we have much to do until Jon comes back." another shrug, seemingly bored and looking for some kind of distraction while they all wait for the huge druid.