"Oh, i'm fine, uninjured, thanks to you all and to my loyal hunting dog there. It is a shame, he was my favourite...", he gives a weak smile, glancing around. "Well, i'll be in town for a few more days, despite this...Incident. I'm staying at the Rusty Dragon, and would love to talk to you all again, maybie get a couple drinks, and think of something to reward you for saving my life. If anything i'll make it known that you are heroes. Feel free to show up when you have the chance. Farewell.", he starts heading south, visibly shaken and nervously looking for more goblins.
"'Heroes' he says." Kalais snorts a laugh, plucking clean her two arrows from the goblinoid menace beneath her boot and snatching the last from its would-be mount, bundling up the bloodied shafts with the rest of her equipment. "Hell of a story that'll be."
She gives the unmanned gate a final glare before turning to those still in company, expression softening without a weapon in her hand. Of course that might simply be the adrenaline wearing off. "Best see what Hemlock's excuses are then. Maybe clean up the rest of this...trash." She gives the commando a light kick.
"Second round at the 'Dragon's on me though." She gives Squeeze another look, as if reconsidering the offer, before adding: "Sure. Even you, kid." Assuming they'll serve you something other than a blade...
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Squeeze pulls the cape over his face, making a heroic pose, then follows Kalais to Hemlock's location. The Goblin was having the time of his short life - mostly because he was surrounded by adventurers much stronger than the usual Goblin companions, so he was feeling almost immortal.
This little goblin is something else ha Ansgar thinks to himself while chuckling.
"Aye we had best go find Hemlock, though I am loathe to leave this gate open and unguarded" Ansgar says.
"Did you want me to look for him?"
"I'm not the best sword arm for holding a gate."
"Given that there's nothing here to hold the gate but us, and we need to visit Hemlock, I guess its best if we all go since if only one or two of us remain we will just die if many goblins come" Ansgar says shrugging with a sigh. He moves after Kalais and Squeeze to find Hemlock.
"Sounds good to me. Strength in numbers, and all that."
As you pass the White Deer again a pair of guards comes from the opposite direction, they're heading north to guard the gates and give the group directions to find Hemlock, who is at the Sandpoint Garrison.
Walking towards the Garrison it is possible to see guards cleaning the streets of dead bodies, most of them are goblins and animals, but there are also a few unlucky townsfolk. The fires have been contained, but roofs are scorched and windows are broken.
The Sandpoint Garrison is a fortress of stone, tall walls surround a smaller building inside. The few guards and militiamen inside give the group some odd looks but won't dare to get in the way of armed adventurers, they point out that Hemlock is in the jails undergound, interrogating the captured goblins.
As the you go underground, you can see three goblins behind bard. A muscular and scarred shoanti man, that Viridi recognizes as Vachedi, the jailor, hits the bars with a big club with spikes.
"Who ordered you to do this!?", he asks.
"Longshanks!", the goblins answer. "Longshanks told us!"
"Which longshanks!?"
"Eh, uhm...Longhanks!"
Hemlock, who is a corner with his arms crossed, sighs.
"It is useless, Vachedi, they're as dumb as i was when i though eight guards would be enough for the festival."
The two notice your arrival.
"What is your business here?", asks Vachedi.
"We came to let you know we drove off a few Goblins from the North Gate."
"We met the reinforcements heading there."
"And we'd like to offer any assistance you might need."
Paying more mind to the goblin retorts than those of the loitering guard, Kalais crouches at the bars, glaring the still-living prisoners in the eye as she talks.
"Oh, longshanks is it?" The Ranger turns an ear to the hulking man beating at the bars. "Several dead, countless wounded, and now I have to get blood off my bow. Unless your colleague over there," she thumbs to Hemlock, "Wants to tell me exactly how a horde of greenskins got into town on his watch, I'd say we've plenty of reason to be here."
Kalais visibly smolders, her eyes narrowing at the grunts in their cell. "The numbers are bad enough, but I counted at least two tribes in there, Hemlock. Attacks like that don't just up and appear."
I feel like I will have some official work to do by days end, though most of it will be to deny my assistance. There are doubtlessly countless people wanting to enact vengeance on these poor creatures
Standing beside Kalais and Garbund, Ansgar is glad that they haven't resorted to torture for information yet.
Waiting for a good moment to ask, Ansgar addresses Hemlock, "How many casualties were there, both ours and theirs?"
Vachedi seems ready to tell the three to mind their business when Hemlock walks towards the group.
"I think we'll be fine for now, the goblins gave up on the attack and began fleeing, some even threw themselves off the cliff at Junker's Edge and died instead of being captured. Of course, there is much cleaning and repairing to do, if you want to help with that."
"The horde of greenskins got here through the north gate, even though i had three men there and they were supposed to keep the gates closed; but the ones who attacked the festivel were already inside, hiding inside carts and wagons, which makes me think they had some kind of inside help. Of course, the real answer is that they got here because i wans't careful enough, but i can't beat myself up while i have work to do."
"We had...six deaths.", the way he says it show he clearly thinks this is six deaths too many, "They had many more, few dozens, i think. We lost some animals and had about twenty people injured, but father Zantus is already tending to their wounds."
"I've heard you saved the cathedral, you have my sincere thanks for that. Any other questions?"
Garbund addresses Hemlock:
"Sounds like someone in town wanted this to happen."
"Any notion who it could possibly be?"
"Grudge or profit seem likely."
After a quick pause:
"I can also speak Goblin. Mum and Dad taught me, to save you asking."
"With a little luck I might get some more information from that lot,
he says, pointing to the prisoners,
"… maybe not much, but it might help."
Squeeze just kept hiding behind Ansgar's legs, silently. He was afraid of showing his face, so pulled the table cloth over his head to use it as a hood. Yet, his head was much bigger than that of a Halfling or child, so it wasn't really a great disguise. Plus, his green hands were visible.
"Won't hurt us to try," Kalais shrugs, not taking her eyes from the captured goblins as she rises to her full (if still somewhat unimpressive) height and turns to Hemlock proper. The news of six casualties does not sit well with her, but she knows better than to berate someone that seems genuine in his efforts. Too much time among the rogues and convicts of her Order has given Kalais a bit of a poor temperament; but at least she's not entirely ignorant of it.
"Questions? None that you'll have answers to, I think." She frowns, already trying to think on motivations. "Personal grudges rarely ask for widespread chaos, and profit..." she mutters, arms crossing. The thought isn't completely outrageous, but what in the world would necessitate such a glorified distraction? She couldn't possibly guess. "...If you find something stolen, just be sure that you'll ask me...us," she corrects, glancing to the others, figuring if they've already volunteered once, they'd likely do so again, "if there's anything we can look into."
If there's nothing else to be raised, Kalais gives a final shrug, sighing, "Suppose I'll be sticking around a little longer than the norm anyway. Anyone think the Kaijitsu's still got a room spare after this?"
"Um... I imagine she would." Viridi speaks up, visibly uncomfortable with the prospect of interrogating goblins.
"Given the situation I am glad it was only six people." Ansgar says, his face somber.
This Kalais is a bit abrasive, probably won't help our cause much
"I do have a few more questions. Do you know if anyone left the town prior to the goblins arriving? Or if all of the carts were owned by the same person or a group of like minded people? Also, would you allow Garbund and Squeeze to question the goblins in their own tongue? I am sure it will help as they probably don't understand ours well at all." Ansgar says while looking at the captured goblins.
"Other than that, if there is any help we can give you I will do my best to carry it out."
"I can't think of any of the townsfolk who would do this, there are certainly a few small grudges around some people, but none that would warrant calling an army of goblins to attack the town. I can only think this was made by an outsider, but one who had inside help...Can't think of how that would happen, however."
He shrugs. "Feel free to interrogate them, but i don't think they'll be any smarter in their native language."
"We don't exactly keep a list of who comes and goes from the town, so i can't answer with much precision, but i'll ask the guards if they saw anyone of notice exiting town before the attack. About the carts, i believe they were lend by lord Kaijutsu and mayor Deverin, but they were handled by other people...If i find out anything new you'll be the first ones to know, tell Ameiko that you rooms are on me, i would sleep better knowing the town has a few more trained combatants."
As Garbund and Squeeze walk up to the jailed goblins, they step back, afraid to get hurt.
Garbund looks at the Goblin prisoners and starts speaking
« sovražim lažnivce in šale »
« એસિડ આગ »
… casting an Acid Splash spell, doing fire damage, on the floor at the prisoners' feet, for a bit of emphasis …
« kje je bil, da je Dolgonogi? »
« kdaj Dolgonogi govoriti s tabo? »
« kaj longhanks izgledal? »
"when did Longshanks talk to you?"
"what did Longhanks look like?"
"Much appreciated, Sheriff. For what it's worth, Inheritor's blessings upon you." Leaving the interrogations to their magically-endowed orc and their cloaked compatriot, Kalais offers Hemlock a clearly out-of-practice salute, her earlier grogginess returning tenfold. "Might be best to not have the investigation bleed out. Suspicion of betrayal makes for one heck of a self-fulfilling prophecy."
Kalais lowers her hand to suppress a yawn, but the blood makes her think twice of it and she somehow manages an open-mouth grimace at the smell.
"I...need to get this off of me." She brushes the bloody digits against her coat to ill-effect and begins to take her leave, wondering if there's anything more practical to be done. "Anyone you need to see to around town, Viridi?"
"I... I need to check on Mom."
Squeeze peg legs and cries, trying to pretend to be hurt. He sits in a corner, shaking, as Garbund speaks to the other Goblins. He finally completes.
Please! You already forced Squeeze to fight! Don't hurt Goblins more! - his lower lips shake - Goblins will talk! No need to hurt or kill any of us anymore! Squeeze has been doing everything you asked Squeeze to do! We want to liiiiiive...
Watching the two begin interrogating the goblins, Ansgar states to Garbund "I don't condone any torturing of the little ones, so keep it civil."
I best leave now
Looking to Viridi, "I will come with you to check on your mother, we should leave now. I suggest we all meet up at the inn later." Ansgar says as he begins to leave the room.
The goblins squeak histerically as Garbund burns the ground close to them, one of them faints immediately Squeeze delivers his line, the other two take a while before calming down enough to answer.
"Fair." Kalais concurs with Ansgar, still looking at her hand with an unpleasant frown. "Guess I'll run the streets. Stragglers. Tracks. See what's outstanding." Her tone suggests a certain amount of pessimism, no doubt compounded by her sleeplessness, but Kalais is nothing if not willing to do something about this...mess.
"Best of luck to your mother," the ranger offers to Viridi, features softening at the thought of her own mother being caught in this hellish affair. Then of course she remembers the tyrannical days of her youth and Kalais's empathy (but certainly not sympathy) quickly evaporates and she adjusts her coat as she takes her leave. "Second round's still on me, folks."
« Ali je šef pove ničesar o Dolgonogi? »
« In kje je Mahles? »
"And where is Mosswood?"
Squeeze stays on his corner, shaking with closed eyes. It seemed the other Goblins were finally speaking something useful, so now it was the time for Garbund to get the few useful answers he probably would. He wondered if he knew that place... Mosswood?
Garbund then turns to Hemlock:
"A few crumbs. This 'Longshanks' went to a goblin chief, in the Goblin area of Mosswood, not too far from here."
"My own guess is it's likely a Sandpoint local."
He then turns to the prisoners again:
« je Dolgonogi pogovor z Gugmut? »
« je Gugmut vaš šef? »
"is Gugmut your chief?"
Viridi turns and leaves, setting back out into the streets of Sandpoint for the House of Blue Stones.
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear... I hope Mother and Mr. Silverhand are alright...
Ansgar will walk along with Viridi in silence.
I hope her family is all right. The last thing anyone needs after this is to find out their family is among the victims
The goblins seem very excited and proud.
---
Viridi and Ansgar head to the House of Blue Stones, located just south of garrison, Sabyl Sorn and Nils are both at the door.
"Are you alright, my dear? We were about to go looking for you.", Sabyl asks.
Viridi, relief visible in her eyes, walks up to her mother and hugs her. "Y-yes, Mother. I'm alright--in no small part due to my friends."
"The others are already at the garrison." She looks over at Mr. Silverhand. "Are any of you hurt?"
Garbund talks to Hemlock again.
"This lot follow chief Gugmut, who is the only one who met 'Longshanks'."
"We'd have to ask Gugmut who it is. Which is problematic, of course."
"Whoever it is, 'Longshanks' is supposed to be strong in some way."
"At least we now know someone in the town is in cahoots with Gugmut."
"My own guess is someone who knows this town very well."
"I know it's not much, but it's something."
"I'm glad you found friends that could help you, i would love to meet them at some point, maybie you can invite them for tea another day.", she says, hugging Viridi and kissing her in the forehead.
"We're fine. Luckily we're close to garrison and all that. Not many goblin ventured to this parts.", he smiles.
---
"Well, that is more than we knew before, i'll try to work with that. Although it doesn't explain why seemingly different tribes of goblins are cooperating, unless this 'Longshanks' had a talk with the other goblin chieftains...", Hemlock nods his head. "You two have my gratitude once again. Also, if i were a goblin i probably wouldn't show walk around showing my face after what just happened, just in case..."
"My pleasure." Garbund tells Hemlock.
"And Squeeze here does seem to understand discretion.
"In is own way, I suppose.
Squeeze covers himself once again with the table clothing, trying to pretend the best he can to be a Halfling, a child or something on these lines.
Hemlock's advice is taken to heart - and Squeeze is quite intelligent for his race - so he stays behind Garbund hiding as he can.
Squeeze never heard of Gugmut. But if Gugmut big chief, then Gugmut dangerous. - he whispers to the half-orc.
A couple hours go by until the party gathers at the Rusty Dragon, Garbund and Squeeze have finished their interrogations, Viridi and Ansgar checked on Sabyl and Nils, and Kalais has been roaming in search of any signs of trouble and helping as she can; nothing of notice happens except father Zantus aproaches her saying he plans to consecrate the church the next day and would appreciate her and her friends' presence.
Outside, the streets have been cleaned ant the townsfolk have calmed down somewhat; inside, the Rusty Dragon feels a little emptier than usual, but the attack already seems to have turned from a recent traumatic event into a long gone fun story to tell over drinks. Some drunken men tell vastly exagerated tales about defeating dozens of goblins with bare hands, others laugh at how some goblins burned themselves, fell from rooftops or were chased around by dogs. A bigger topic, still, is how a group of adventurers saved the church from being burned down.
"I heard one of them is a wizard! And he enchanted one of the goblins into helping them!"
"You're an idiot! He's not a goblin! I heard he is a gnome who survided a rare sickness!"
And other similar claims are heard inside. It seems like the townsfolk are well entertained with their own tales and don't want to bother their new heroes, but will gladly have a conversation or share a drink if asked to.
"Seems like you're the talk of town.", Ameiko says, walking up to the five. "And i have to say i didn't expect you to be one of the five 'goblin-slayers', Viridi!", she laughs. "Do you have any plans on what you're doing next? If you plan on staying you can have rooms here for the week, on the house, as token of gratitude."
Viridi blushes when Ameiko later compliments the team. "Oh... Ameiko, it was no trouble at all. I'm not really much of a fighter..."
The mention of having free rooms at the Rusty Dragon piques her interest, however. "Oh? Um... well, I, er, wasn't expecting that. I'd be happy to take you up on that offer."
"We all did our bit to help. Including our favourite 'gnome ghost' … says Garbund pointing to Squeeze bedecked in a table cloth.
"Even so, your offer is very much appreciated."
With the bulk of her gear tossed into a corner and her plated coat hung over her seat, Kalais looks remarkably less impressive than whatever tales the townsfolk might've conjured of her—all scuffed linen and dried-in mud. Without her collar to hide it, her hair runs a little thicker and lower at the back of her neck than most, and it isn't long before she pulls another ebon plume from beneath. For what it's worth, Kalais keeps to her word, and while she might not be able to get the first round of drinks in due to her own lateness, she does at least endeavor to get the second, making a point to mention the upcoming plans for Father Zantus's consecration of the church.
She's barely finished mentioning that footnote when Ameiko makes herself known, and Kalais seems to want to open her mouth for reasons that don't involve the drink in her hand as a result. It's not that she doesn't appreciate the offer—Inheritor knows her funds do—but rather that the archer has difficulty showing an appropriate level of gratitude, and she slouches ever lower in her seat as she stews on the idea, skulking metaphorically behind her ale.
"...Hmn...That'd...make things a damn sight easier. That is, if it's not too much trouble for you and yours, Kaijutsu," she mumbles, and if Ms. Ryndel seemed tired before the festival, she now sounds dead on her feet. "A proper roof might be nice..."
"I will happily take you up on your offer for a room Ameiko" Ansgar says.
To Kalais, "That you for the drink. Father Zantus' wanting us to attend the consecration is quite the news as well and I will be happy to go."