Manius thinks about it briefly, then nods. Third share of the goods whose owners we can't identify. Alex'll come to on the same terms. Goblins need pruning and we could use the cash. He briefly returns inside to bid fair-well to a middle-aged woman, probably his mother. Off to prod the gobs. Hemlock knows, so help'll come if we need it.
He's changed some of his gear. Sword and shield, instead of spear and cudgel, with a crossbow slung over the shield.
Aldel nodded, heading toward the bridge where Alex would likely still be standing watch. "There's more than that, take an ear off of every kill, because there's a reward for them too."
When they reached Alex, Aldel repeated the pitch he'd given to Manius, adding the specifics about the reward for capturing or destroying the fireworks, and the bounty for goblin ears.
Alex's response is similar, Fish haven't been biting anyway. He adds. Give me a minute to get my sword. Heading back into town.
A short while later he returns, with equipped like Manius. So, what the plan?
Aldel relayed the plan as he knew it. There wasn't much to tell, it basically amounted to 'We will ask Walthus Proudstump what he knows and go from there.'
With the conversation subsided, he led them down the fishing trail, drawing his crossbow as soon as they were out of town. Assuming there were no problems, he led them to Brinestump Marsh and immediately began watching for signs of anything interesting, like goblins, carnivorous plants, or Walthus.
Survival
The journey along the coast road is uneventful and you quickly come to the swamp. Branching from the road, a foot trail descends into the fecund darkness. Once inside, it's easy to see why people come here to fish and hunter, and why no one has made a proper map of the place. The sounds of life are ever present, but the growth is so thick that at times it seems as though you are in a mossy tunnel.
Several minutes from the road you come to a foot bridge over one of the meandering branches of the Soggy river. As you cross Alex mentions, This is a good spot for catfish, sturgeon too. I'd come here more often, but this place gets creepy after a while. It's alright if with friends though.
Indeed, as you progress further, the swamp takes on a strange, almost menacing feel. Sudden movements in the underbrush or in the tree canopy above, the splashing of something large wading through the swamp just out of sight, and eerie low growls and bellows come from deeper in the swamp. Though your training with Shalelu tells you these are all normal. It's hard not become slightly unnerved, especially when you see a odd three-toed foot-print in the muck. It's like no print you've seen before, but the trail seems to come from, and vanish into, the water, so there is little to be done.
After nearly an hour, the muddy trail leads up to a swampy lagoon, and you are amazed to find yourself that you are less than a mile from the road. The open ocean is visible just beyond these shallow waters, while an old two-story stilt building, its walls soggy with moss and its roof sagging with age, sits on the lagoon’s eastern shore.
[b]"Watch yourselves," Aldel said, feeling a certain apprehension sweeping over him. He wasn't sure what weapon would be best to keep ready, so he decided to keep the crossbow close at hand. The other two had their swords readied, perhaps they would distract any foes long enough to grab his axe, should the need arise. Slowing the pace somewhat, so as not to overly rile anything nearby, Aldel led the others toward the house, assuming that it must belong to Walthus.
If there were no distractions, Aldel would knock heavily on the door to the house, assuming he found one, of course.
Knowledge (Nature)
Perception
Alex and Manius take flanking positions slightly behind you. The only threats that come to mind are goblins, and the snakes and spiders which are said to grow large in the swamp.
Your knock is answered by a surprised, Yes?! Who is it? as a grubby halfling appears in a nearby window. His face appears rather wain and gray.
The two guards relax, It's just us Walthus. Hemlock wants us to look into the goblins and wanted to get your advice. Turning to you, I forget anything?
Aldel shrugged, indicating that he didn't really have anything else in mind, before he thought better of it. He announced loudly enough for Walthus to hear, "I was wondering about the Tian rockets. I don't know of any way the goblins could have aquired them, and I was hoping you could fill in some blanks." As he spoke, Aldel tried to guage the man's reactions. Was his apparant paranoia the result of where he lived, or was there something else at work in his mental state?
Sense Motive:
The halfling eagerly begins talking. Yes. Yes. The goblins. Terrible pests. I don't know how they would get something like that, but probably from one of the wrecks. They love to crawl over those things. You should see what they're up to. To get there you need to go back to the road and then head south and take the overgrown trail. Or a boat. Yes! There, you can take my boat. [b]It'll be faster and they won't expect you. Go left. take the second big waterway. Not the one right here, or the two small ones after, but the next one.
Your training as an inquisitor comes to the fore. You know there is something off about 'Walthus'. He's hiding something, and there is something fundamentally wrong about him. For a moment, it almost seemed like the skin on his face rippled...
The two guards next to you seem to notice something as well. You alright Walthus? You don't look good.
Perception
Aldel looked over at the boat, wondering if it had been sabotaged. He resolved that he wouldn't use it, because he was almost certain that it wouldn't take him anywhere but an ambush.
He looked up, wondering if he'd see Kree flying overhead. He wondered what Shalelu would do in this case. Probably shoot arrows through the window in such a way that he was pinned to the wall and unharmed, or she would talk him into revealing everything without him ever realizing he'd been played. Suddenly, he was struck with inspiration. Not only did he know what Shalelu would really do, but he believed that the insight had been granted by Desna herself.
He spoke as though nothing was wrong, hoping to set at ease this almost certainly false Walthus. "I think I'll walk, thank you. I've never been much a fan of boats. Thank you for the advice, we will be on our way."
He turned and left, telling the others that Walthus odd behavior must be related to his proximity to the goblins. Once they were out of sight, Aldel relayed his plan. "I am almost certain that Walthus is an imposter. We are going back to look into things." He explained that the two sneakier people (likely not Aldel) would try and gain entrance into the house, while the third would cover the most likely exit, in the event Walthus tried to escape.
Initiative
Manius
'Walthus'
Alex (0)
Walthus's eyes narrow and as he leaps from the window his form changes from a halfling to a leathery biped with a face dominated by grotesque and unsettling whorls and slits instead of actual features. The creature's fist slams into Alex's head, leaving the guardsmen standing, but barely.
W A
G G
As he saw the creature change shape, Aldel wran through his memory to see if he'd ever heard of a creature like this before.
Knowledge (Nature)
Whether any insight came to him or not, he had a good idea of one thing that would help in this situation. He reached behind him, as he dropped the crossbow on the ground, his other hand grabbed the axe, and started the swing before he even had two hands on it.
Attack
Damage
You have no idea what the creature could be, though it definitely isn't a product of nature. Your axe lands a glancing strike on the creature, but it's strange skin seems to shrug off the blow.
Your axe distracts the creature as Manius's sword shears into the whorls and slits of its face, causing a gush blood and a scream from the creature as it collapses to the porch. He looks at the wavering Alex with concern, You should sit down. Before looking at you, So boss, what the hells was that?
Aldel shrugged, "I have no idea," He said, stowing his axe, and then picking up the crossbow and putting it back in place. He drew his starknife, having to unbuckle his belt in the process. He'd intended to use it only as a symbol of authority, and had thus made it cumbersone to get to. It was still, however, a knife, and so Aldel considered that he might want a better method of carrying it.
Aldel knelt in front of the creature, and drew the knife blade across its neck, not wanting to take the risk that it was simply unconscious. He grabbed the beast by the arms and started to drag it toward the house, saying "We should all get inside, the house will offer us some measure of cover while we decide what to do. We might even find a clue as to what's going on here." He didn't really want to mention that they might even find the real Walthus, becuase from what Aldel had heard of him, Walthus was the sort of man you hope to find alive, regardless of the likelyhood.
When they were all inside, Aldel offered Alex some water, lamenting that he didn't have the knowhow to do more than that. Then he set about to exploring the house.
Perception:
As Alex keels over, Yeah. I think Alex should lie down. You serve Desna right? Do have any healing magic? Manius helps guide is friend inside.
Entering, you find it to be on the inside much like the out. A moldering echo of a finer past. Though there is some furniature lying about, the place seems rather unlived in.
As you begin to move around the house a voice calls out from the wall next to you, Who's there? Where's the thing that attacked my snakes? The sound of movement are audible. Who/whatever it is is currently hiding inside the wall.
Aldel dragged the body into the house, and dropped it in the first out of the way place he came to.
He shook his head at Manius's question. "I'm sorry to say I do not. I never expected to be responsible for anyone but myself, so I figured I could get by with potions, though I don't have any of them either." That was about the time that he heard the voice.
He looked over the wall the sound was coming from, looking for some kind of entrance.
Perception
Assuming there was no way to get into the wall without destroying it, Aldel drew his axe. "Get back! He shouted before hacking it open. When the hole was large enough to get into, he approached, holding his axe in front, and demanded "Who is in there?"
You don't notice any obvious enterance to the wall.
The voice responds to your shout, What? Why? before your ax crashes into the wall. The moldering plaster and wood are not match for your mighty blows, and the wall quickly begins to cave. You're destroying my house!
The space inside the walls is small, large enough for a child or halfling to move through, but not one larger. Whoever was speaking has vanished, though you do see some small footprints in the debris.
Aldel put his head into the hole he'd made, and looked both ways, hoping for some clue as to where he'd gone."Walthus?" He called into the opening. "Walthus Proudstump? We slew the imposter and were hoping you might be able to offer insight on a matter related to goblins." Aldel put the axe down, hoping it wouldn't be necessary.
Though there is not obvious sign of where the halfling is, you hear a voice from above and to the left. Really? It's dead! Wonderful. Now, why are you in my house? Goblins? They have some explosive things. No. No. I don't know where they came from.
A few moments later, Manius get's your attention. Hey Andal, think this is the real one? A grubby halfing, indeed looking identical to the creature before it changed appears at the top of the stairs leading up.
He seems wary of getting any closer. Can you bring the body where I can see? Then I'll tell you whatever you want to know?
Aldel looked at the halfling at the top of the stairs, caught so off guard that he didn't even notice how badly Manius had butchered his name. "You weren't trapped in the wall? Oh, sorry about your wall then. . ." He stared for several seconds before he realized that Walthus had made a request, and so he dragged the corpse over to where the Walthus could see it.
"Does this set your mind at ease?" He asked, remembering to watch how the man reacted. He looked over to Manius, and quietly added, "I suppose we are about to find out."
Sense Motive
Nothing particularly unusual about the halfing catches your attention, aside from a healthy, and probably justified paranoia and that he voluntarily lives in a place like this.
Looking down at the body, Hah! Think you can pull one over me right? I've got friends buddy. Lots of friends!
Addressing you and Manius, Right now what is it you wanted to know? Goblins. right. right. Go back to the road and then head south and take the overgrown trail. Or a boat. Go left. Take the second big waterway. Not the one right here, or the two small ones after, but the next one. It right near the shore, but everything here is near a shore. If that's everything....?
Hmm, that was odd. Aldel recalled getting remarkably similar advice from the imposter. That suggested that there was something suspicious about this 'Walthus' as well, or that the advice was actually sound, but Aldel didn't want to put that kind of trust into someone so erratic without further evidence.
"There was one other thing, my friend was injured in the fight with the imposter," He said, gesturing toward Alex, "Is there anything you can do for him?"
Yes. Right. I have something that should help, just a moment.
The halfing descends the stairs with what you think is supposed to be a relaxed air. The occasional side-ways glances mar the image somewhat.
Walthus rummages through one of the cupboards, finally withdrawing a battered liqour flask. He hands it Alex before taking a hopping step back out of reach. Drink up. It's a healing potion, should do the trick just fine.
Alex bleerily drains the flask. Soon his eyes begin focusing normally and he stands up. Hmm, well that'll teach me to wear a helmet. Head feels like it it's full of cotton and angry wasps. Thanks Walthus.
Yes. Right. I have something that should help, just a moment.
The halfing descends the stairs with what you think is supposed to be a relaxed air. The occasional side-ways glances mar the image somewhat.
Walthus rummages through one of the cupboards, finally withdrawing a battered liqour flask. He hands it Alex before taking a hopping step back out of reach. Drink up. It's a healing potion, should do the trick just fine.
Alex blearily drains the flask. Soon his eyes begin focusing normally and he stands up. Hmm, well that'll teach me to wear a helmet. Head feels like it it's full of cotton and angry wasps. Thanks Walthus.
Aldel was torn as to what to do, he'd finally aquired a bit of goodwill from the halfling, he didn't want to blow it by snatching the potion and making sure it was what the man claimed. Still, he didn't want to risk the man poisoning Alex, to whatever end. He watched the potion carefully, hoping that it looked like the healing potions that he knew.
"If I might ask, how did you come to be. . .replaced, like that?" Aldel asked, planning to build up to the reveal that the imposter had given him the same advice.
You don't notice anything suspicious, though it's difficult to tell. Potions like this are usually marked with symbols of healing, but Alex seems to be alright afterwards. It may just be another of the halfling's oddities.
Walthus directs his attention back to you, and moves so that the door is behind him. Right. Right. Hmm. Odd story that. Well, I live alone here, as you can tell, and I like that. Just snakes for company suits me just fine. Other day though, a halfing girl shows up. Claims that she's looking for any Whistlethistles who've moved to the area. Trying to connect with family you see. Said that people from town recommended that she visit me. Seemed odd to me, suspicious. Everyone knows that I don't know anyone. I let her in though, but I keep my friends close, just in case. Well everything is going well. But Shade didn't like her. Kept hissing. Finally decided that this had gone too far and bit her. Right quick she transforms into it and just about does me in. Poor Shade took my place. I ran to my hide-away, and she didn't feel like coming after me. Been playing against each other since then. She tries to find me, and I try to slip a snake under its feet.
"I see. Then I suppose you ought to make friends in town," Aldel said, trying to ignore the fact that he was giving advice that he should be taking. "You certainly owe a great deal to Shalelu. We never would have come by if she hadn't asked me to check on you."
Aldel watched the little man, his story seemed to make sense, but still something didn't feel right. Something about the fact that he'd given the exact same advice as the creature had. Aldel was sure that had to mean something. "It seems this creature had little to do with the goblins, because it gave the exact same directions, word for word, I believe, as to where to find them." Aldel watched the halfling carefully, looking for any sign of unease at the unasked question, anything that might ease or validate Aldel's lingering suspiciouns.
Right. Right. Shalelu is nice enough. Understands the benefits of being alone. Don't really want friends in town. Attracts... trouble. Eying you narrowly.
Your question agitates Walthus, Yes! Right. Of course. It would be in league with the goblins. Planned out the entire attack with them. Goblins are probably watching us right now! At this he begins to twitch. Should get out on the boat. Won't be able to get us there. Moving towards the stairs. It first looked like a bounty hunter. Human. Said the bounty on ears was back and wanted to know where their camp was. Probably trying to figure out if I needed to be killed for knowing too much, which I did. I know everything about this swamp, including the goblins. I know where Vorka lives and about that treasure they found in the cave. Hah! May not even be a goblin village anymore. Bad to steal cursed treasure. Wouldn't that be funny. Goblins watching us here when they don't even have a hole to go back to.
You don't think that he's lying, or hiding anything, though you remember that is more difficult to tell with people that are not quite 'right' mentally.
"Well, thank you for the advice, but I think we should be moving on." Aldel said, not really trusting the halfling anymore than he had the imposter. He didn't know if there was still something shady going on, or if the man had been driven mad by isolation, but he didn't intend to stick around to find out.
Assuming he could do so without starting another fight, Aldel led the other two off in a direction vaguely similar to what Walthus had advised. When they were out of earshot, Aldel offered an explanation: "We are not following any or the paths that he advised. I don't know if he was plotting something, or if he's just barking mad, but either way I don't trust a word he said."
Aldel decided to follow his own instincts, looking for tracks, and hoping that he found the right ones.
Manius shrugs We should make sure we're out of here by dark. Don't want to spend night in the brinestump. while Alex nods. Walthus isn't a bad sort from what I've heard, but I'm with you. Following a crazy man's directions in this place sounds doesn't sound real smart. Not gonna lie, that potion helped, but I still feel like s+$$. Let's do this and leave.
It takes you a few hours, and the sun will going down soon, but your search reveals tracks. Three-toed footprints like what you'd seen before. They lead off into the brush. There's been enough traffic to form a path of sorts. Whatever this thing is, it goes this way often.
Aldel removed the crossbow and quiver from his back and offered it to Manius, "If you don't feel up to wading into the melee, then you can use this. And anyway, the question in my mind wasn't whether or not he was crazy, I was wondering if it was really him. The imposter must have done a great job in imitating him, because there wasn't much I could tell different between them, well, aside from the fact that this one didn't try to kill us for walking away."
Aldel began following the tracks, hoping that they led to something useful. "Everyone stay alert, I've never known goblins to travel alone, so we might be headed for an ambush. And if the tracks aren't goblin, then it could be anything."
Holding up his own bow, Thanks. I've got my own though.
Following the trail, you come up a ten-foot-high mound of branches, logs, and reeds lying amid the trees, nestled in a narrow, muddy clearing. Flies buzz and swarm around the foul-smelling mound of rotting vegetation, and large pile of bones are heaped by the southern side. Though it looks some heap piled by flood waters, you can tell that this is artificial construction.
The two guardsmen follow behind you. Manius with sword and shield ready, while Alex has an arrow to the string. He whispers to you, I think those are bones pilled over there.
"So it is," Aldel said, nodding at it. "Reminds me of a fire ant nest. Do you think if we knock it over, a bunch of angry goblins will come swarming out?" He spoke in the same volume as Alex, and cast a sideways glance at Alex as he spoke. "Cover me, I'll check it out."
He approached the mound slowly, not really paying attention to the mound itself as he was to the surroundings. He slowly circled around it, taking in everything there was to see. When he was confident that no ambush was coming, he finally approached the mound and examined it closely, wondering what it was.
Circling the mound, a patch of shadow catches your eye. Looking closer, the patch resolves itself into a hole carefully concealed by logs an other debris. It actually looks very similar to the entryways river creatures use for their dens, though the prints indicate it is used by the same creature you've been tracking. It looks big enough to crawl through...
Aldel found a small stone on the ground and picked it up, hoping the others were watching out for him. He cast Light on the stone, holding it close to him so that his presence wouldn't be revealed by the bright light. Oh well, it wouldn't matter much anyway. He'd be giving himself away to whatever happened to live in the nest soon enough. He headed toward the hole and dropped the stone into it, watching it all the way down.
Axe ready, you crouch down enough to toss the rock up into whatever is on the other side. Not hearing anything stirring, you tell the guardsmen to be ready to pull you out if need be. With all haste, you throw yourself into the hole and scramble up the other side.
The stone's light illuminates what is essentially a crude wigwam. Hides are stretched over the ceiling to provide protection from rain and wind. A nest of furs, leaves, and scraps of bloodstained clothing lies opposite from the entrance. Nothing else of interest is immediately apparent, except for a pyramid of eleven muddy spheres. Something about there shape catches your eye...
Aldel reached out for one of the spheres, and then thought better of it and withdrew his hand as some words about caution being the better part of valor rang in his ears. Until he had some idea of what he was dealing with, he resolved not to touch anything. He looked around the wigwam and tried to make sense of it.
Alex's voice comes from the outside, Hey Aldel, everything alright in there? Find anything interesting?
Best as you can tell, only one creature makes its home here, and it hasn't been here for too long either, maybe a year. Further investigation of the clothing scraps suggests that they came from about a dozen different outfits. Though most look like the sort of clothes any traveler would wear, a couple seem familiar to you.
Suspicious, you turn back to the spheres and see what eluded you before. They're skulls! Whatever lives here has been preying on people.
Deciding any further revelations weren't worth another moment in this hole, Aldel withdrew. As he turned to the others, he said, "Interesting? I suppose so. Assuming the creature actually exists, I believe we might have found the nest of the Sandpoint Devil. There were scraps of clothing and skulls in there. It looks like this dwelling was created right around a year ago, which makes the fact that there were about eleven skulls all the more disturbing. We can hunt try to hunt this creature down, or we can move on, but either way I suggest we don't linger too long."
Manius curses and spits, S&$%! There have been five disappearances in the last six months. Young people, so we'd hoped they'd just run of to Magnimar or joined a caravan. We should get the skulls and clothing, for evidence. Maybe we can find out who they were, get something back to their families to bury at least.
Dropping his gear, you hear him mutter, Lady of Graves, watch over me as I tend your garden.
Alex seems to concur with you, readying his bow and looking around nervously, Shapechangers, crazy halflings, and now the devil itself! I signed up for goblins, not monsters. Manius, get what we need then let's book it back to Hemlock.[b]
A few moments later, Manius crawls out of the entry hole with a two sacks. [b]Done. Let's go.
"That sounds like a good idea. Maybe while we are back in town I can get directions from a more reliable source, unless you have had enough of this adventure? I would certainly understand after what we've already been through." Aldel didn't mention that he intended to go on, even if it meant going alone. "We can head back for the night and meet back up at daybreak at the entrance town."
Once they made it back to Sandpoint, he headed back to the part of the forest where he'd met Shalelu before, watching the skies for Kree. Once he found her, he relayed the days events, starting with the nest of the devil. "The beast was nowhere to be seen, so I'm not entirely sure that it was he devil, but it does disturb me to think of what else would be taking travelers and apparently eating them. Also, you may want to check on Walthus soon, we found him held in his home by a shapeshifter of some sort. In fact, I'm not entirely certain that we dispatched the only monster, because the 'real' Walthus was no less suspicious than his imposter."
He concluded by saying "I suppose that I'm not as good a tracker as I'd believed, I was looking for goblins when I found the tracks that led to the nest, though in my defense I was never sure that I was actually following goblin footprints."
The journey from the swamp is tense, but ultimately uneventful. Thoughts of disturbing a local legend, if it exists and if this is it, keep you and your companions quiet. No sense in drawing attention to yourselves.
Twilight turns to night before you reach town. Manius goes to inform Hemlock while Alex continues on to the cathedral. Zantus has always been quick to help locals who are injured. You agree to meet there after meeting with Shalelu. As Alex says, Bodies mean business, which means the Sheriff and Shalelu hammering out a plan. They'll both want to hear from us, and get Father Zantus and Naffer to look over the skulls and cloth. If we can, we need to find out who these are and get the remains back to their families. Right now though, I'm going to see if Zantus will make my head stop ringing.
You make for the Rusty Dragon Inn. Run by Ameiko, one of Shalelu's closest friends, she usually stays here when in town.
Shalelu listens to your report intently. Despite lacking a house here, Shalelu regards Sandpoint as her home, and takes its protection very seriously. Well done. Though it wasn't what you were after, this is much more important than goblins. She smirks a little at your surprise. Goblins are her favored prey and she hates them with a passion you've never quite understood. Let's go she what Hemlock and Father Zantus have to say. This is an good lesson. Sometimes the most important things aren't the ones you're after, or aware of, so stay alert and be ready to change direction if a new trail crosses your path.
As you're leaving, Ameiko takes a moment from entertaining to see you out, excitement obvious. Somethings up I know when Sha gets that purposefully stride going. Tell me the story once you can, or better yet let me know what I can do to help.
The mood is solemn when you and Shalelu arrive. Zantus and Naffer, the deformed gravedigger and custodian of the boneyard, are using magical lights to examine the remains while conferring with Hemlock and Alex. Manius joins you shortly with Rynshinn Povalli, a half-elf woman who runs the local tailoring business and guild. Zantus asks her to examine the scraps of clothing. She does so, though a bit reluctantly. Tailors, like most people, don't regularly handle the evidence of violent death.
Hemlock and Shalelu question the three of you again, Hemlock mostly directing his questions to you while Shalelu focuses on the guardsmen. Once the events of your journey have been thoroughly analyzed, everyone relaxes a bit before tensing again. It doesn't look to be the Devil. Shalelu says. The prints are wrong and there wasn't the usual blackened areas or sulfur smell. Though I can't be sure, the prints seem to fit a sinspawn. Though only a small part of the problems that plagued the town, sinspawn have joined the Devil as part of Sandpoint's lore and collection of bogeymen.
Hemlock joins in at this point. Seems we have several things that need doing. Finding and killing whatever did this, making sure the well hasn't reactivated and shut it down if it has, identify the victims and notify the families, and we still need to do something about the goblins.
Shalelu, you're in charge of the swamp. Kill what did this and prune the goblins. Andal, you're her second. Alex and Manius will accompany you, and no grumbling about children slowing you down. They need to see this through. I'll handle the well. Zantus, you, Naffer, and Rynshinn keep working on the bodies. Wake up whoever you need. I want to know by tomorrow. I'll tell the families. If there's nothing else, report once you know something. With that, Hemlock turns to leave.
Shalelu turns to you and your companions. Tomorrow before dawn at the Rusty Dragon. Let's see if we can catch this thing asleep.
It was funny, when Aldel had seen the mirror at the entrance to town earlier in the day, he'd felt judged by it, as though he expected the people to not like who he'd become and run him off. This time, he only felt the relief of coming home. As dangerous as the road between cities was, it was easy to forget the tension that was everpresent when traveling in the wild.
He wasn't sure how to take the news. While it was certainly good news that Aldel wasn't being asked to face down as legendary a beast as the Devil, a Sinspawn didn't strike him as a whole lot better. The problem was that as a whole, Aldel knew a surprisingly scant amount about the whole situation. When the whole matter occured, he had been young enough that Father Zantus kept the details from him in the interest of his innocence, and then after that he'd been focused on his training and never really had the chance to ask.
When they went their seperate ways, he told Father Zantus that he would be spending what part of the night he had at the Rusty Dragon, at Ameiko's invitation. He figured it would be easier than making sure he woke up and got there on time, besides, he told Ameiko that he would stop by, and she'd asked him for the details of the story.
At the Dragon, he told Ameiko that he would be taking her up on her offer to stay the night, since they were to move before the sun was up. He also offered an account of his adventure, and made sure to mention Walthus, and added that if the man knew as much as he claimed, he would make a valuable source of information when they turned their attention back to the goblins. "The thing I don't really get is all this talk about the Sinspawn. Father Zantus refused to tell me anything about what went on all those years ago, and I've never really had much chance to ask afterward."
Ameiko listens to your story eagerly, enthusiasm lessening only when your tale comes to the skulls and missing persons. Arika is one of those whose gone missing. She's been talking about leaving for Magnimar, so everyone thought she had finally just left. Never set well with me though, she was always so close to her twin, and with the two of them running the bakery I just couldn't see her leaving, especially without saying anything. She pauses and begins to pace, I better keep an eye on Aneka. Alma hasn't ever really gotten over her husband's death and this is likely to ruin her. Aneka'll have to run everything herself, and I know what that's like. Anyway, thanks for the news, and your story. It's easy to forget all the grim parts after you've been away for a while.
As for Sinspawn, Brodert knows the most about Thassilon, but I'll tell you what I can.
From Ameiko you learn that Sinspawn are products of magic used by spellcasters in Thassilon as shock troops for their armies. Literally the embodiment of a sin made flesh, they are sentient abominations of distilled ectoplasm imprinted with the soul-image of slain creatures that possessed an abundance of a particular sin.
Humanoid but deformed, the sinspawn are emaciated horrors with unnaturally long arms and legs. Their hands each have two talon-tipped fingers and a thumb, and their legs bend like those of a dog. Veins bulge all over their bodies, forming dark blue or red patterns that look like twisted runes. Their flesh is pale and hairless. A sinspawn's head is curiously elongated. They have only a pair of slits for a nose, and their eyes are bulging and red, with no visible eyebrows. Yet for all this horror, their mouths are the most disturbing, for their lower jaw splits in half at the chin into pedipalps that end in tiny three-fingered hands that writhe about, eager to feed delicious morsels into an open gullet with a lolling tongue.
Though unlikely to pose a threat to experienced fighters like Shalelu or Hemlock, sinspawn are dangerous to ordinary townsfolk or guards. During the Sihedron crisis, a runewell, a focal point for Thassilonian magic, hidden under the town in some smuggler tunnels reactivated and starting creating sinspawn.
Thassilon was one of the ancient magical empires, existing at the same time as Azlant. Ruled by seven wizards of godlike power, the runelords, the empire used bound demons and enslaved giant armies to crush all who opposed them. Each runelord had mastery of a different type of magic and empodied a particular sin. Like its rival Azlant, Thassilon was destroyed by the fall of the Starstone and the following Age of Darkness. According to Brodert, Sandpoint lies on what was once the border between the domains of Greed and Wrath. He thinks the Old Light ruin at the edge of town was once a weapon called known as a Hellfire Flume, but not many believe him. Saying it looks more like a ruined lighthouse than a engine of destruction. You're inclined to agree.
As you and Ameiko part for the night, something about her manner makes you think she's up to something. It isn't anything obvious, more a general sense that she's settling on a plan and preparing to be stubborn about it.
The next day begins early. Making your way downstairs, you are greeted by a waspish Shalelu. Alex and Manius wait warily by the door. In a few moments you see the source of your mentor's frustration. Ameiko enters to common room, seemingly equipped for a full expedition.
Now that we are all ready. Let us go. And with that Shalelu moves to the door.
As your company departs, Alex remarks. Best keep an eye out or Shalelu will have our heads before the monster does. She seems liable to bite it off.
Aldel nodded, "If it is any comfort, her wrath will likely fall mostly on me. If I hadn't told Miss Kaijitsu about what we've encountered so far, she might not have chosen to join us. How is your head, by the way?" As he spoke in quiet tones, Aldel began following Shalelu out the door, hoping the others would follow suit.
He wasn't opposed to having Ameiko join them, of course, though he could see Shalelu's concern, unlike Alex and Manius, who were town guards, Shalelu, who was Sandpoint's sworn defender, and Aldel, who was expendable, but also somewhere in between a guard and defender, Ameiko was different. As a major business owner in Sandpoint, the prospect of her death was far more inconvenient than heroic.
Alex smiles in reply, Best not tell her then. I wouldn't be surprised if she'd come anyway. Ameiko got her bought the inn with treasure she found when she was younger. Misses old times maybe? As for me, guess having a thick skull comes in handy sometimes. A bit of healing magic and I'm right as rain. Pointing to the helmet he now carries. No sense in taking chances though. Once we get close I'm putting this on even if no one else wears one.
Your early start brings you to the swamp just as the sun begins to creep into the sky. Though it remains as forbidding and dense as before, having two more companions, one the local hero, bolsters spirits. Monsters run from Shalelu, not the other way round.
As you approach the lair, Shalelu halts the party. I am going to scout out the lair, see what's there. Everyone else stay here, less likely to alert it that way. Aldel, you're in charge. If anything happens, you lead, Ameiko you stay in the middle, and you, Looking at Alex and Manius Cover the rear and stay alert. Anything attacking you here is likely to try it from the rear or sides.
Aldel couldn't help chuckling at Alex, and he had replied that he had come to believe that Shalelu could read his thoughts, or at least his face to the point that she would know whether he told her or not. He hoped it wasn't true, but he could never be certain.
When Shalelu departed, Aldel barely even noticed that he'd been put in charge of someone with far more renown than he, he just slipped into the role he'd been assigned. "Ranged weapons everyone. Pick a direction and watch it. If battle breaks out, fire and then drop it and charge, there's no sense in getting your head chopped off because you were trying to reload." The last part was addressed to the guards, who had crossbows, like Aldel, it was far too cumbersome to reload them in combat if you were holding ground. To Amieko he added, "Except you, ma'am. You keep your distance and keep shooting." He didn't think she would appreciate that, but Shalelu clearly didn't want her out here, and it wouldn't be on Aldel's watch that she did so much as stub her toe.
He couldn't help but notice the odd change of address. Back in town, where they were friends, where she was the best, and possibly only friend that Aldel had, she was Ameiko. Out here, where safety was uncertain and he had been granted authority, she became ma'am, or Miss Kaijitsu. He wasn't sure why, perhaps it was a method of showing her due respect as he ordered her around, more likely, it was more that seeing her in a combat situation was unfamiliar to him, and that shown through in how he addressed her.
As for choosing a direction to watch, he turned to the right, and peered out into the dark. He deliberately chose to not look ahead, because he didn't trust himself to watch for trouble instead of watching the way she moved as she scouted ahead. It was a rather embarrasing thing to admit to himself, but he took some comfort in the fact that he did at least realize it.
Nah, she hears 'em. What do ya think they're pointy for? With a grin his eyes open comically wide, You're not gonna read mine are ya?
After some time, you hear the sounds of combat coming from Shalelu's direction. A few seconds later, they cease.
"No, my pointy ears only hear sound. And speaking of sound, it sounds like she's just killed something, so she's probably listening again." From his tone, it was hard to tell whether that was a sarcastic joke, or if Alex had hit a nerve. His next line hinted at the former, but his expression gave no hints.
He had portrayed his faith in Shalelu as absolute, but after hearing the sounds of combat, he began to grow concerned. He wanted to investigate, but he had his orders. He did have a solution to that though. He reached into his pack and fished out the signal whistle, looping it around his neck like he should have done a while before. He continued to watch, with the whistle held in his mouth. He was ready to blow a call, a sort of confirmation that she was all right, but he hesitated, knowing any sound might betray her position. He let the whistle drop, he wouldn't give her away just because he'd heard a fight. If she was in danger, she would likely have sent them a message, rather than the other way around.
After a minute or two, Shalelu returns bearing the severed head of a pale-skin horror, it's most noticeable feature being a split lower jaw. It is dead. Gesturing with the grisly trophy. Body is inside the shelter. We will check to make sure this is the only one and that we have everything of interest. Then we burn the body.
She seems to be fine, except for gash from brow to check over her right eye. Ameiko runs forward to lay a glowing hand on the wound. There you go. Feeling better?
Shalelu leads the rest of you back to the creature's lair. A careful search of the area confirms the creature was solitary. Your investigation of the creature's corpse reveal fresh blood stains and scraps of cloth that don't match the other pieces you brought back.
Addressing the four of you, It looks like the sinspawn may have attacked someone else. I'm going to follow it's trail and try to them. Finish things here then move on to the goblin camp using the old fish trail. Seize or destroy all of the fireworks and anything else that might be dangerous and kill their chief Gutwad if you find him. That should take care of things there, then return to town immediately. No exploring. Aldel, you are in command. I trust you'll be careful. If anything goes wrong, send up a signal. If I need anything, I'll use an Erastil arrow. Shalelu vanishes into the undergrowth.
With a few hours work, and several flasks of oil, you are able to get the shelter burning. The smokey fire will burn for hours, but should neatly destroy everything here, including the body that, following Ameiko's suggestions, you placed atop the roof. The surrounding wetland will keep the fire from spreading too far.
Retracing your steps, you follow the coast road to about the midpoint of the swamp. Between Shalelu's directions, and Alex's childhood memories of the place, you are able to find the trail. Heavily overgrown, the going is slower and you are forced to travel single file. As you reenter the swamp, Ameiko pipes up, bouncing a bit in her excitement Fearless leader! What's the plan? How will we rescue the fair skyflowers? You can tell the teasing is good natured, though it reminds more of when you were children together than the frustrated business women you met when coming into town. Ameiko, the usual leader of your games, would occasionally turn to someone and declare them the 'fearless leader' and leave them in charge of the games. Usually if she thought them too serious, which meant you may have gotten more unexpected promotions than most.