Krojan does not flinch at the noise, although he does take a quick glance. Seeing nothing, Krojan shrugs and makes a quick sign to ward evil as he assumes the noise is just his "friend" trying to play tricks on him.
As they proceed into the gloomy marsh, Lipp stops to point out an odd three toed footprint in the mud. Later on, he jumps as a splash frightens him... perhaps he is more on edge than he thought. The prospect of fighting some goblins is becoming more and more real, and the small halfling begins to get nervous.
Perception #1:
Perception #2:
Perception #3:
Perception #4:
Survival:
Krojan pauses as the group reaches the cabin, the splash echoing through the swamp. "Anyone else have a bad feeling about this?" He looks around with his hand on his mace.
Perception #1:
Perception #2:
Perception #3:
Perception Secret:
Survival:
Nakitu nearly jumped a foot high as he heard a loud splash from nearby and readied his quarterstaff. The eerie silence that foolowed sent a shiver down the kitsune's spine and he nearly found himself darting away were it not for his companions. He was made especially nervous by the location they were in. In all his novels he had read of the famous ambushes of predator and bandit alike that have occurred on bridges and it greatly unsettled the unbattle-tested lad. "I-I think I heard something! We should move across fast or find another way around. I don't like this!"
"Bad feeling or not, I don't see that we have much choice." Louise says indicating to the cabin "It's getting late and sleeping outside isn't going to be an option. I'm not even sure I should leave my horse outside, you know how those goblins hate horses." He adds stroking his horse's mane gently as if to calm the gentle beast.
"Besides, this is the halfling's house, right?"
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Khelvor's stomach continued to growl, telling him without any uncertainty that it is high time they took a break. Trudging through all the muck and mire had already given him blisters and his armor had chafed him something terrible!
I don't know how these large folk manage it, walking all day without a stop for lunch. I've half a mind to sit down right here and refuse to move another step until we've properly refueled ourselves!
Nodding enthusiastically at Louise he added, "She's right! We need to find a place to rest, and we will need a fire for dinner. It's just a moldy old house, what is the problem?" He shifted his gear, hiking his backpack up on his shoulders again, wincing slightly as the raw spots under his armor from where the pack had rubbed against him all day. "Let's check it out and take a break. You don't want that horse throwing a shoe or something in the dark!"
I didn't think it possible, but I am fantasizing about my cot in the attic of the jewelry store. Dry and secure go a long ways...
"Well, if no one else is going to..." Lipp says as he marches up to the door of the shack. He knocks politely and says, "Excuse us... but is anybody home?" the halfling takes a quick step backwards as he waits for a response.
Nakitu couldn't find himself in agreement with the group on this. Something in the fox folk was certain that something was amiss here but for the safety of the group he knew he couldn't leave. When the new halfling knocked at the old cabin door without warning he was completely wracked with aprehension. Anything couls be waiting for them behind that door. Even if it was just the halfling as was supposed to be he was rumored to be quite strange and in that respect alone could be dangerous. But the kitsune figured should he meet him he'd at least put his best foot forward if only to stop him from killing them.
There is a moment of silence as the party holds their breath, waiting for an answer. "HellooOOOOOoo~!" calls out a strangely happy voice from the other side of the door. Moments later, the door opens up and before you stands a halfling. The halfling before you looks extremely exhausted, and is covered in wounds despite the big grin on his face.
"What can I do for you today?"
Before Vishki can respond to the halfling Krojan steps up and nods his head at the halfling. "You are Master Proudfoot, I assume? I am Krojan and my companions and I are out here to address some goblin issues for Sandpoint. Shalelu suggested that you might be able to help us find Gutwad and the Licktoad tribe. You seem to be injured though? Could I offer you some healing?"
"Oh that would be magnificent of you! Yes I am mister Proudfoot, the halfling who lives here yes." He steps out of his house and closes the door closely behind him. "Now goblins you say, I could definitely help you find them. Their village is just off to the south east, and you can reach it with the Old Fish Trail. I suspect they're getting ready for another all-out attack on Sandpoint, I would hurry there if I were you!"
He waddles up to Krojan and waits for the healing. "You wouldn't also have a way to take care of poison would you?"
Nakitu can't help but let out a sigh of relief as the oddly jovial halfling steps out of his house. He hardly seems like a bad person, more, extravagant, like a lot of halflings are in earnest. The kitsune attempted to stop from glancing at their newest companion as he thought this. In fact, the halfling seemed more kind and welcoming than anything and was very helpful and forthcoming about the whereabouts of the goblins but when he mentioned the immanence of a large scale goblin attack Nakitu jumped to attention. Ameiko was still in town, entirely unaware of the danger about to befall her, he couldn't allow anything to happen to his best friend, she was perfectly capable of handling herself but an ambush she was unprepared for? That might be more dangerous than she could handle on her own.
The cleric was about to dash off himself before he realized, both, that the poor fellow was injured and in need of medical attention, and that he had no idea where in the name of Shelyn the Old Fish Trail was. Spinning on his heel to face the stout person, Nakitu let off a charming smile and spoke in his most soothing of voices. "My dear friend, I may be able to help you with your injuries and maladies. It would be unthinkable to allow such a kind fellow as yourself to go on injured in such a fashion. Please allow me to help."
The Cleric then takes a step back, waves his hand, and mutters a plea to his goddess. "Dearest Shelyn, Lady of Chrysanthemums, I beg of thee, bestow they divine purity upon me to allow me to strain out the poison that sullies your beauty in this world."
Cast Detect Poison: Target Proudfoot
"Not to rush anyone, but it's getting dark out here, however knowing that the goblins might be planning another all-out attack we may not have the luxury of waiting until tomorrow to strike the goblins." Louise looks over at his companions, trying to judge how the day of travel has treated them.
"Although my eyes do not fair well in the night time, I am still ready to defend our group if need be, how about everyone else, should we seek out the goblins tonight before they get a chance to strike in the morning?"
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Khelvor debated with himself internally as the party tried to decide their next move. If they camped for the night they might very well be too late to stop the goblins from assaulting Sandpoint, which would be a bad thing. If they didn't camp he would most likely miss out on dinner completely. Reaching into his pack and pulling a sausage from his bundle that he tucked away that morning he spoke up and said, "I'm sure we are all well worn from the trail, but our situation seems to have turned from a bounty hunt to the prevention of an assault on our beloved town." He took a bite of the cold sausage and added, "I for one will not side idly by and wait for the goblins to come to us. If everyone else feels up to it, I say we hit them tonight without delay." With that he wolfed down the remainder of the sausage and adjusted his gear once more, readying himself for the road ahead.
As Krojan considers the situation his cloak billows in the wind, uncomfortably pulling on his neck. Grasping at the brooch holding the cloak he notices that there is no wind currently blowing across the lagoon. He clears his throat nervously, "I agree, we should move now while we can make a difference. Our fates call to us." And not all of those fates may be pleasant.
Lipp nods as his new companions talk around him. I might be heading back to the Dragon about now, for dinner and then an evening of dancing and jokes. But here I am, and something must be done.
"We can't let them attack the town. Even if they aren't successful in the end, people will die." he says to the group, his face suddenly grim.
Nakitu is able to tell that Walthus is suffering from Viper poison.
"Can I still get that healing spell from you? A poor old halfling out here doesn't have much of a chance to rest." Walthus seems a bit nervous, but for what reason you can't say for sure. "But yes, after that, it's a good idea to get going right away. Those poor humans have no idea what's waiting in store for them! To get there, you'd either have to return to the Lost Coast Road, and then take the trail right to the village. You could cut through the Swamp, maybe saving some time, but it would be incredibly dangerous!"
"Incredibly dangerous might be our best bet, does anyone know how to navigate the swamp, I don't like the idea of taking my horse through the swamp however, maybe I should send her back with a warning to Sandpoint?" Louise dismounted from his horse and looked over at the halfling. "Perhaps you would feel up to riding back to town in order to warn everyone? Likely you could receive better treatment for that in Sandpoint then you could here."
Unable to shake a bad feeling Caerwyn stands toward the back of the group and keeps looking back the way they came.
As the group begins to discuss immediately travelling to the camp Caerwyn gently reminds them "With nightfall coming on I don't want to risk us getting lost by cutting across the swamp. It's still over a day away as the crow flies so getting a few hours rest now may be better then arriving at their camp exhausted and then having to fight them on top of it."
Looking at Walthus, Caerwyn asks "Mr Proudstump my companions and I would like to stay here and rest before taking on the Licktoads, would it be all right if we were to spend the night here, we could sleep on the floor, and start fresh in the morning?"
Upon hearing the poor, slightly odd, Walthus's further pleas for assistance, Nakitu sprung forward and bent at the knee to have a better view of the halfling's wounds.
After a few moments of inspecting the wound the Shelynite nodded his head and smiled at eye level with the halfling giving him a confident wink. "You don't worry your head a bit alright? I can handle this viper's venom easily enough. As a member of Shelyn's flock I have studied the art of riding the world of such ugly things extensively and I shall aide you with this as wayward companions along the road would of course. Wouldn't you agree my stalwart friend?"
With that the young cleric of Shelyn ran off to gather a few supplies and came back shortly tending to the halfling's injury and extracting the venom without complication. After which the kitsune whipped the sweat from his brow and stood preparing to cast his healing spell while he listened to the others debate about whether or not to trek through the swamp or simply go the long way around. "If I might be so bold as to suggest my friend. . . I say that we do as our friend Cael suggests, none of us know these roads well but out of all of us he knows them the best so I would differ to his judgement. That being said warning must be made to the village so I would have to plea with our new, stout statured, friend to allow us the night to sleep here in his home while he carries on to the village ahead of us to warn the townsfolk. A surprise raid by a goblin band would be devastating many families and the buildings of the rustic town I know and love. If he cannot then we must depart immediately to intercept the pests! I am not a brave man by any means but by Shelyn I will fight to protect my home! What say you my friends?! HERE, HERE!"
Walthus listens to Caerwynn, tilting his head to the side while he thinks. It's obvious to Nakitu that the parties presence here is making Walthus VERY nervous... But he's not sure why.
He lets Nakitu work over him and takes the cure. Just as Nakitu heals the halfling, he sees a strange rippling effect over Walthus' face. He grins wickedly, and attacks the poor cleric!
Other party members who beat a Perception DC 21 also get to act in the surprise round.
Walthus' form ripples and changes. This hairless, leathery biped has a face dominated by grotesque and unsettling whorls and slits instead of actual features.
Slam on Nakitu:
To confirm:
Damage: + = 23 damage
The grotesque creature leaps upwards towards Nakitu, catching him underneath the jaw and a sickening crack can be heard through the evening air as Nakitu's lifeless form hits the ground. In a matter of seconds, his form reverts to that of a fox-like humanoid. The creature cackles with glee and turns towards the rest of the party.
Perception:
Knowledge (dungeoneering):
The creature hisses as Khel draws his bow, and moves through the party to hit him.
Attack:
The small form tries to slam Khel, but just bounces off his thick armor instead.
Lipp watches as his new associate crumples to the ground. He draws his scimitar and his feet make a flurry of quick movements that send him spinning with his blade cutting a swath through the air around him.
Stunned, Caerwyn freezes as the jovial halfling transforms into the hideous creature before them. unable to react quickly enough he watches helplessly as the creature rams his slams his fist into Nakitu in a viscous uppercut. The sounds of breaking bones accompanies the blow as his companions slumps lifelessly to the ground, his head at an odd angle to his body.
"It's a Faceless Stalker, a shapeshifter, and a runt at that." Caerwyn call out as he moves, drawing his sword as he goes, to place the thing between himself and Khel.
Louise quickly jumps back on his horse, and shouts at the stalker, "You will pay for what you have done! May Pharasma show you mercy, because I won't!"
Louise then pulls his sword out from it's sheathe as he kicks his mount's side, letting it know to charge the faceless stalker.
Seeing the creature reveal it's true self, Krojan takes a step back and unleashes a wave of negative energy at the mimic hoping to scare it and keep it from attacking the others.
Whether the fear that overtook the creature was thanks to Krojan, or the devastating attacks by Louise and her horse, the creature attempts to flee.
"You're not getting away!" Louise shouts as he urges his horse to gallop towards the stalker again.
Horse is able to get the final blow on the faceless stalker, and it's body crumples to the ground sadly. The marsh goes silent for just a moment... Before Lipp and Khel's tummies begin to rumble. You are left with a setting sun, and a cottage in the swamp.
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Khelvor dropped his bow and rushed to the side of Nakitu, trying in vain to rouse him, to no avail. His shoulders slumped as he sat beside the body, frustrated at his lack of ability to do anything for his lost companion.
This is not how our adventure was supposed to be. This is not right.
He looked around to the remaining members of the group, unable to speak.
Once the Khelvor realizes his attempts to rouse Nakitu are in vain, Krojan slowly approaches and begins to arrange the body. Before covering the broken body with his blanket the oracle softly says, "As the sun now sets in the sky, so are all mortals' lives fated to fade from this plane. We shall celebrate his life as his goddess would prefer and will inter the body as she dictates." This took a bad turn indeed.
After a moment, Krojan stands and looks to the others, "But, was that foul creature telling the truth? Is Sandpoint truly in danger?"
"I'm afraid we don't have the luxury of disbelief in this case. We must work under the assumption that an attack is imminent, though the path he recommended may have been meant to delay us to give the goblins more time, we should search the halfling's house, see if we can find any maps or maybe even better, the real halfling." Hearing the halflings stomachs rumble, Louise adds, "I suppose you can raid the pantry too..." He then stands there in disbelief over the young kitsune's dead body. I'm sorry we don't have time to mourn for you friend.
Almost as if on cue, from inside the house you hear a voice. "Don't you dare touch my pantry!" Waddling out, you see Walthus Proudstump, battered but alive. "That thing has been tailing me for ages, can't believe he finally got the guts to attack me in my own home! My pet snakes helped defend me, but I'm not sure where they've slithered off to. Oh, where are my manners! I am Walthus Proudstump, warden of the marsh. And no, the Licktoad goblins aren't getting ready to attack Sandpoint - not that I know of, anyways. Volorog, that thing you killed, probably just wanted you to get out of here so he could find me and finish me off! Now, come inside and warm up. I have a gift for you. And ... sorry about your friend. Shapeshifters always give me the heeby-jeebies, too bad he was on of em." Walthus beckons you all in to his house.
Lipp seems relieved to see the true owner of the cabin emerge alive. The relief is temporary as his focus turns back to the fallen hero. The halfling steps over to the body and kneels, muttering a prayer under his breath.
What have I gotten myself into? That could've easily been me...
Taking another moment to contemplate, Lipp rises. Looking down, he speaks to Nakitu's corpse in a hushed voice. "I will tell tales and sing songs of today. I hope we can provide a heroic ending for your story..."
"If the goblins are not planning an attack, perhaps I should bring Nakitu back to Sandpoint, I can get back to Sandpoint faster and then meet back up with the rest of our group before we attack the licktoads." Louise offers, holding onto the reins of his horse. "If I leave tonight, I might even make it back before the morning, though carrying a body with me while riding might prove difficult." He gently pets his horse, knowing that like everyone else, the horse has had a long day and that pushing the steed might have consequences, but Louise just didn't feel right about leaving Nakitu's body here, it belongs in Sandpoint.
As soon as Louise finished stroking his horse's mane a long and loud whistle pierced through the thick evening air and around the dense leaves and foliage of the muggy swamp that seemed to emanate from behind the group of weary travelers. For a few hushed moments after all seemed still and quiet but not long after the sound of crunching sodden twigs and rotten leaves resonated through the swamp, rebounding of the various gnarled trees and fetid ponds, was heard a lithe black form emerged from down the path the adventurers had just made their way up.
"Gods dammit boyo's is that an undersized Faceless Stalker I see?! Woooooweeeee! I didn't honestly no you had it in you, especially you Princess. But I guess that'll show me." A gruff female voice called out to the group, with the 'Princess' comment seemingly directed at the good cavalier, as the figure approached reaching the point of clear visible distinction. She was a ratfolk for sure, one with a pure black coat and a toned body who's head, with the most stunning of emerald eyes, was wrapped up in a black scarf as if to be concealed while her, on the opposite end of the spectrum, seemed keen on exposing as much flesh as possible right down the middle in front.Her three golden earrings in her left ear swayed slightly and she sauntered proudly up to the group, tail waved to and fro behind her.
"Listen up kiddies 'cause I'm only gonna say it once alright?" The woman bellowed and grinned boldly at the center of the group as she made ready for her introduction. "For those of you who don't already know, the name's Jix Rissi, mercenary extraordinaire, but you can all call me Jinx if ya please! And and a miss Ameiko has sent me hear to save your sorry asses got it?" The narcissism was palatable as the woman stood boldly in the midst of the group, hands on her hips. "I'm here mostly for that fat reward on those gobbo's heads though, and 'asides I was certain you'd all turn up dead without me a ragtag group such as yerself. . . 'Course, right now it doesn't really seem like you need much help at all! Having taken down a mighty beasty like that yerselves." The rat girl's ears folded back slightly and she broke her cocky smirk into a conceding frown as she glanced over at the torn and battered body of the undersized faceless stalker a few mere feet away in the dirt.
Then a flash of recognition came to her face as her jade eyes grew wide for a moment and a small gasp escaped her lips when she noticed the blanket, covered corpse only feet away from that. [b]"Of course I could be wrong. Maybe you guys DO need my help after all. Who's the stiff?" Jix questioned, gesturing with a short point, as she hopped off excitedly to the corpse and lifted the blanket. A confused furrow wrinkled Jix's brow under her scarf as she examined the kitsune corpse that lay before her as she did not recall there ever having been a kitsune in Sandpoint village.
After a moment or two of study, however, recognition dawned on her. "Ohhhhhh! I recognize those cloths! This is that plucky little Nakitu brat isn't it?! Ha! Who woulda guessed he was a shape changer like that? Hand to the Lady in the Room I didn't see it coming. I honestly didn't." Jix beamed as she dropped the blanket and turned to the rest of the group. "Ah the little idealistic wuss. Anyone coulda seen that something like this would happen to a runt like him going out here to fight beasties? Nah with stupidity like that ya got it coming. So come on now! Tell me how exactly did the self-righteous brat go and spare no detail please! I musta fantasized about this moment a hundred time but now that it's actually here I can't think of what to say!" Jix chuckled then turned back to the corpse with a contented smile on her face. "As far as Sandpoint goes, it seemed ship shape when I left it so no worries there, and if I heard what I think I did earlier ya needn't even bother taking the corpse back to Sandpoint, it would be a waste of precious time we need to take on those goblins and asides, I ain't the only one what didn't know that Nakitu here was a kitsune right? Seems to me he was pullin' the wool over everyone's eyes. 'Sides dead is dead, this is just a corpse an' its just as dead as the other right?" A light kick was delivered to the corpse as he finished her sentence to emphasize her point that the kitsune was not about to get up and take heed of their kindness anytime soon.
In a hushed tone she then muttered under her breath, "'Sides prissy little Shelynite he was? He'd probably prefer to stay out here and turn into a bed of flowers 'er somethin' like that."
Krojan cocks an eyebrow at the newly arrived ratfolk, "Jix is it? Well Jix, since this 'priss' fell in battle with us, we are going to respect his wishes and see that the body is interred properly. The fact that he hid his true nature is of no consequence. If you would like to accompany us as we hunt goblins, then another weapon would be helpful. Your attitude toward us other potential corpses will need to be adjusted though. I for one, value my life and my death more than you do apparently."
He turns to the rest of the group, "If Master Proudstump is fairly certain that an attack is not going to happen right away, then I say we take him up on his hospitality and start fresh in the morning. As was said, the swamp is a much more dangerous place at night. Does anyone know about the burial practices of the followers of Shelyn?" He looks expectantly to Vishki about his last question.
Princess? Only my mother has ever called me that before. Louise looks over at Jix. "Shapechanger or no, show some more respect for the fallen." Louise reprimands the large rodent as Jix kicks Nakitu lightly.
"Master Proudstump, if we are to take you up on your hospitality, I must ask you if you have a place for my horse for the night, I am leery about leaving her outside over night, as I don't want to awaken to a dead horse." Though with this Proudstump having lost his snakes, I'm not sure there is a safe location for my horse.
Lipp searches his memory for anything he might recall about how to treat the corpse properly.
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Khelvor stood up from beside the corpse of his fallen friend, quickly drew the halfling sized greatsword from the scabbard across his back, and planted the tip a few inches from the twitching nose of the newest arrival. "I swear by Erastil's hearth, if you place another hand or foot upon my companion I will end you right here. I don't know what business you think you have sauntering up and putting on such a display while we were obviously tending to our fallen, but your utter lack of respect tells me about as much as I need to know about you."
Khelvor turned the blade in his hands, allowing the setting sun to play off of the polished surface, "Now, if you would be so kind as to replace that bauble that you robbed from the corpse of my friend, you can be about your business and your path."