After several days of traveling, nightly stays at a plethora of all sorts of inns, and growling stomachs empty from the day's long hike through the infamous Tickwoods, (running from dog-sized ticks through thick foliage tends to take a lot out of a person) the glistening spires of Sandpoint's magnificent cathedral are a sight for sore eyes. A week's travel suddenly seems entirely worth it, if only to see the majesty of the carved stone pillars reaching skyward as if to touch the afternoon sun drifting lazily through the misty blue heavens. You know that much more is to come, though, and visiting the cathedral is not to be the only excitement you will encounter today in this sizable town.
It is the day of the Autumnal Equinox, known to the town of Sandpoint as a day of celebration, the day of the Swallowtail Festival. Any uninformed visitor of the town would learn of this festival immediately, as Sandpoint's very entrance is marked by children dashing through the streets, all eating local fare and whispering excitedly as several store owners wheel large carts down the lane, heading toward the town square that sits in the shadow of the cathedral. You hear a gruff civilian shout that the festival's welcoming speeches will be held in Cathedral Square in a half hour, giving you enough time to head down Festival Street and poke your head into a few shops while you're at it.
The feeling of excitement truly sets in, though, as a banner hung over Festival Street between a house crawling with elegant green vines and open faced "Grocer's Hall" building boldly proclaims its sentiment:
WELCOME TO SANDPOINT; THE LIGHT OF THE LOST COAST
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Maps of Sandpoint:
Casually wiping the sweat from his brow, Hakan breathed a sigh of relief as he pressed through the last vestiges of the Tickwood, trampling down vicious brambles to make way for his sister and her familiar behind her. “Looks like we’ve finally made it back Natsu.”
“But we didn’t really have to leave in the first place Hakan” the girl of soft body and demeanor called out playfully, holding the hem of her dress up as she trudged through the freshly formed path with her familiar hopping along as the rear guard. “I can’t believe it’s been a whole two years you dragged me away from the comforts of civilization.”
“Yeah yeah, blame it all on me. You know full well you didn’t have to come babysit me. You could have gone straight back home to Mum and Da in Minkai and buried yourself in the lap of luxury.” Though he talked a big game, Hakan was actually a bit embarrassed over the whole scenario that was to some degree his fault.
He’d come here to Varisia to seek out the Shoanti tribe of his ancestors, from whence his maternal grandparents had come when they transitioned to town life- only to somehow end up dragging his sister and their two friends with him all the way from Tianxia. Two whole years had passed since then, and at last the before-agreed-upon-Swallowtail-Festival was upon them.
“Of course I blame it on you. I wasn’t going to let my reckless big brother rush off into the wilds without me!” Though Hakan didn’t look back to see it, Natsu pouted playfully at his back- picking on him without remorse. “Can you at least give me a piggyback ride the rest of the way? We aren’t in the forest anymore and I’m sooo tired! Why the hell didn’t I prepare Mount today!?”
With nary a word and only a slight chuckle, Hakan simply trudged onwards, trusting Wallace to make sure their slacker of a shared sister didn’t fall too far behind or collapse without warning.
The miles passed fairly quickly as the two walked- their pace at last freed from the thick undergrowth of the Tickwood. Before long they found themselves crossing the threshold into Hakan’s childhood hometown of Sandpoint. “Onii-chaaan, are there any rickshaws or carts or wagons you could pull me around in? Wallace used to do that in the festivals back home in Minkai.”
The general passerby on the main streets of Sandpoint seem to be moving quickly, and some even urgently, but the excitement is so thick that you can almost breathe it in. To the left, you realize that the house infested with thick vines appears to have gathered an eccentric looking crowd. Many of the crowd's members have twigs and feathers braided into their hair, and an unusual amount of animals sit by the adventurers' feet, discreetly sizing the other animals up. Though many of the animals look relatively common, like dogs, birds, and horses, you can see the spotted hide of a leopard moving slowly behind several large bushes.
Your staring is interrupted, though, as a massive chesnut Clydesdale horse nearly tramples you, its scruffy, chesnut haired rider pulling on the reins just in time to prevent a serious accident. The man upon the horse wears a leather vest and a necklace with... a green leathery thing? attached to it by a metal clasp. He looks emotionlessly down at you before quietly whispering an apology and riding away.
The rest of your walk passes without incident, and you finally are free to take in the sights of Sandpoint. Along the way, you see a massive, stone building with a large wooden sign above its door proclaiming "SANDPOINT THEATRE" in an elaborate cursive font. You pass numerous wooden houses, each unique in some way from the last. (many have decorations above the door; one even has an elaborate bird carved into its siding) Several buildings smell of bread, and one smells vaguely of burnt gas. You pass another stone building with vines growing out of every crack in the wall, but this one proudly displays a clay mushroom with a pillbug painted on it in front of the door.
As soon as the town becomes almost overwhelming, the doors to the cathedral rise into view, and a crowd of festival goers gather before its raised podium.
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A knowledge dungeoneering check with a DC of fifteen will reveal what the leathery green thing was.
You are free to roleplay around the town if you wish; I simply wanted to let you know that I can begin the speeches whenever you're ready.
It is finally time for the speeches to begin. As two figures take to the podium, the dull roar of the crowd (which is made up of more people than you'd expect from a town of this size) decrescendos into excited whispering. The first of the duo to step into the sunlight is a short haired brunette, a woman wearing a flowing emerald cloak and a tunic of spotless white. The light of the afternoon sun shines down upon her angular face, outlining her bony cheeks with a soft glow. A smile dances across her face as she looks out upon the people of Sandpoint.
"Welcome, children and elders; welcome travelers and citizens of Sandpoint alike, to our beautiful town's Swallowtail Festival!" A thunderous applause and the excited chattering of children fills the Cathedral Square, not quieting until the woman in emerald raises a hand and clears her throat. "As mayor of Sandpoint, I wish to extend a formal welcome to our many visitors who have traveled from afar to join us on this day of high spirits and joyous celebration! The jubilance of this day is so contagious that even Larz Rovanky was able to tear herself from her work to join us!" Even though you don't quite understand what was just said, the rest of the crowd seems to collectively chuckle at the mayor's jest, and the woman continues. "Our following speakers include Sheriff Belor Hemlock, Cyrdak Drokkus, and Father Zantus!" Her face falls slightly as she begins to speak again. "Though many of you were aware of Lonjiku Kaijitsu's wish to speak during our opening speeches, he has recently fallen ill and could not make it here today. I simply wish him well, and thank you for your understanding. Now, without further ado, I invite Sheriff Hemlock to make his announcements."
As the mayor steps back, the figure at the back of the podium steps into the sunlight, revealing himself to be a bald, tan skinned man with an impressive stature and chain mail armor of excellent quality. A crossbow is strapped across his back. When he speaks, his full, deep voice commands attention and breathes confidence. "Ladies and gentleman of Sandpoint! As sheriff of our town, I wish everyone an exciting Swallowtail Festival, and a safe one at that!" He nods at the crowd. "Children, if you decide to run along on your own, you have the responsibility to make safe decisions, and to respect the shopkeepers and volunteers who make this festival possible. Men and women, for the sake of everyone in this town, don't drink yourselves into a coma." He looks to his left slightly and mutters something about a "drunken quarter horse incident" before shaking his head and returning his full attention to the crowd. "Most importantly, mind yourselves around the bonfire! This town has already seen enough fire related casualties; we don't need any more." On that note, the sheriff nods to the crowd again and takes his place behind the mayor, satisfied with his safety advisory. Immediately, another man walks briskly to the top of the podium to take his place.
This man, with curly dark brown hair tied back and a well groomed mustache, fixes the crowd with a devious grin before beginning his own manner of speech. "Now that we have the formalities out of the way, let's get to the fun stuff!" He rubs his hands together with a twinkle in his eye. "Firstly, I would worry for your eyesight if you haven't yet noticed the crowning jewel of our town behind me; the one and only Sandpoint Cathedral! This beauty is the phoenix of our town, rising from the ashes of a deadly fire that consumed our church and the lives of several citizens several years ago. This monument right here just shows how prosperous we are as a community, and how determined we are to show fate that we can overcome whatever it decides to throw at us!" He raises a hand and shouts a "huzzah" which is quickly followed by the crowd. "At sunset, Father Zantus will recite the ceremonial Prayer of First Dreaming, and I invite you all to join him there!" He flicks a stray hair away from his face and continues. "Leading up to the prayer, we will have many games and festivities to enjoy! All around the town, we have games for the children, and tests of strength and wit for the true warriors of our town! The Swallowtail Release performed by Father Zantus will take place before we have a feast in the square, provided for by our many lovely tavern owners just before the prayer at sunset." As the man begins to wrap up his chatter, another gentleman in a plain blue cloak discreetly makes his way onto the stage. "While I'm here, I thought that I should probably provide an update on the status of our town's most recent excursion into the field of dramatic storytelling. We have found an actress to play the role of the harpy in our production of The Harpy's Curse!" A few whispers sounded through the audience in anticipation of the new information. "The famous actress from Magnimar, Allishanda, will be joining us to perform this newly penned play in a few weeks!" Along with clapping, a few excited shouts echoed from the crowd. The curly haired thespian smiled and backed away from the podium as the final speaker took center stage: Father Zantus himself. The greying man radiated wisdom and calm as he simply quieted the crowd.
"It is a glorious day for the Swallowtail Festival; not a cloud in the sky! Desna must be pleased by our joy and jubilance!" He looked out at the men, women, and children before him as he spoke the words that every attendee of the festival had waited a year to hear. "Let the Swallowtail Festival Commence!"
The speeches seemed to drag on indefinitely as the trio half-listened and half-searched, hoping to catch a glimpse of their final companion, though none seemed to be had in this market square. Wherever Odihnă was, she certainly wasn’t turning up in the market square during their cursory search.
“Briiii” Natsu whined as the speeches finally came to a close, tugging on the blue woman’s shirt. “Briii where is she?”
“Dinnae get yer knickers in a twist lasseh, she’s bound ta be here somewhere. She’s been playin’ ‘round in the upper social circle so who knows what she’s up to, but we’ll find ‘er sooner or later, guarantee it. In the meantime why dontya take it easy, wander around and enjoy the festival while yer ‘ere?”
A soft sigh escaped the young girl’s lips, turning to glance at her brother who was still scanning the crowd for signs of Odihnă. “But I have to walk the whole way.” Just then a nudge against her thigh through the fabric of her dress caught the girl’s attention. “You? You want to try pulling me Wallace, in that little body?” The goat nodded its head emphatically.
“At least ONE of my brothers gives a damn” she teasingly called out to Hakan as she headed for wagons, followed in turn by Wallace, Brii and lastly Hakan, shaking his head in frustration once again at his sister’s antics.
It wasn’t long until she’d found a vendor, paid a few coppers for the rental and hooked Wallace’s saddlebags and armor up to the wagon. That little body attached to the wagon looked pretty comical- even moreso as Natsu planted her plump-yet-slender figure into it- but despite his small size Wallace was every bit as physically strong as Hakan. Even with Natsu’s 140~ pounds, he wouldn’t have a problem towing it.
“Really? You’re really going to have him do your walking for you?” Watching the scene unfold, Hakan couldn’t help but be a bit frustrated with his sister. She was truly talented- perhaps moreso than him in ways- but her disdain for physical effort sure rubbed him the wrong way sometimes.
“Why not let the lass enjoy ‘er time, this is a festival we’re at after all. Loosen up a bit Laddy, have some spirits if that’s what it takes.”
A chuckle slipped out of Hakan’s lips as he took stock of the situation, shaken loose by Brii’s intervention. This was a festival after all, not just a reunion of old friends.
“Come on, let’s take the long way to the Market by Old Light, there be tons of stuff set up fer ya ta vent yer steam. And food and drink ta boot.”
Not waiting for an answer, Brii shoved off, leading the way down Junker’s Way.
First stop was the Lighthouse Smash game down by Old Light, where Hakan embarrassed himself with only one hit despite Brii’s insistence she ‘knew a thing or two ‘bout seige engines’ and calling out her advice on adjustments to the trajectory. In fact, it was beginner’s luck on the first shot that he managed to land even a single hit!
By the time the trio drew near the next game, Natsu’s wagon already held the discarded packaging of several festival munchies. Having just finished the last of the ones she’d brought thus far, the next game particularly caught her attention. “Niichan, can you win this one? Shoot the devil.” Right there on the beach was an archery range with a peculiar target at the far end.
“Not with a bow I can’t. Do I look like an elf to you?”
The joke dragged a chuckle out of Brii, who for some reason had never really liked elves all that much and remembered the way they had always taken advantage of their weapon training back in Wizard’s School to show off.
“Nay Ladd, ye sure as hell dun look like an Elf t’me at least, but what aboot crossbows? Last I saw ye were a pretty decent shot.”
“If you think you can, Nii-san” Natsu added teasing him with a bit of reverse psychology and faux respect. She wasn’t going to tell him she wanted the prize pie for herself.
“You’re damned right I can. Let me borrow your crossbow Natsu, I’ll show you what I can do.” Grabbing the crossbow from where it was strapped across her back, Hakan set about cranking it and loading it with one of her normal disposable bolts before handing it over to her and doing the same with his own crossbow- which had been tucked into his bag looped over his Earth Hammer. “It looks like they’re providing bows, so I’m going to swoop in quick and fire my shots before I can be told otherwise. I can already tell Natsu won’t get off her fat ass, so will you bring her crossbow with you and follow me, Brii?”
The blue woman nodded affirmatively, gently taking the crossbow from Natsu’s hands and jogging in step behind the flame-headed young man who was already counting coins in his pocket. No sooner had Hakan reached the stand than he dropped the right coins onto the table and sidestepped it, lining up his shot and loosing the first bolt before taking the second bow from Brii and loosing the second bolt in quick succession.
“Wouldja lookit that score laddeh, ye damn near got yerself two bullseyes!”
Even Hakan himself couldn’t help but feel a bit surprised and rather proud of himself for the performance, at best he’d hoped to get both bolts into the target and get at least one in spitting distance of the bullseye, but he’d nailed them both.
As Bri lets out her zealous cheer, a stout, pot bellied man ambles toward the weilder of the wooden crossbow, and fixes Hakan with a stern glance. "Young man, don't be coming around to this game anymore." He turns his back to the party and reaches toward a cabinet built into the outpost's wall. "With a bowman like you, we'll be all out of pie before the games are even halfway over!" His bearded mouth twists into a smile, and he lets out a hearty laugh. "Here's your pie, made by our town's one and only Almer Aberton, the kind lass who runs the ol' Savory here in town."
He crouches down slowly and carefully, and pulls a small pie out from under the cabinet's lowest shelf. As deliberately as he sat down, he closes the cabinet and stands back up one leg at a time. With the pie in his hands, he extends the pastry toward Hakan with reverance. "Name's Jodar, by the way. Jodar Provolost!" He looks Hakan in the eyes. "You should really come hunting with me sometime. Always appreciate a good shot on my side." At that point, he winks at the group and trots back to his post, where a young man waits eagerly with a few copper coins in his hand.
"...And I'd like to save our town from the Demon of Sandpoint, if an esteemed hunter like you would only give me a chance to shoot."
"It’s a… pie? You don't have to worry about me coming back for more pie. My sister on the other hand..."” Hakan inquired, turning his gaze back to the group to see his sister- still lounging on the small cart/wagon like a queen on her damn throne- was watching with a big grin on her face, though at this distance he couldn’t notice the subtle movements of her lips and fingers through the smile.
All of a sudden the real reason he’d been goaded into this contest dawned on the young man as he gingerly received the proffered pie. “...Would eat you out of stock if given half a chance. Name’s Hakan, Parjol’s boy, grew up here and finally came back home. I just might have to take you up on that hunting offer Jodar, with this woman around any extra food I can put on the table helps.” Of course, Natsu wasn’t THAT big of a glutton for real. She was mostly weak to sweets and salty treats, though her normal appetite was comparable to that of her foot-taller-brother.
“I don’t remember ya bein’ that hard on’er afore Laddeh, somethin’ happen between tha two o’ you?” Brii inquired as she picked up the spare crossbow. “Seems ta me like she’s just still filling out, ya know? Some broads’r more… womanly than others.”
A course chuckle escaped Hakan’s lips as he made his way back, falling into step beside Brii and heading back to the group. “That was mostly because the brat tricked me into winning a pie for her. Earlier I was a bit annoyed by her being so lazy but I’m over that. Between her Mother, Wallace and their housekeeper she’s been pretty well pampered her whole life. I don’t hold it against her, but I do expect her to grow up and start carrying her own weight. Besides that though, this IS a festival, and it’s a place to have fun, so check this out…”
Suddenly Hakan stepped hard and threw the pie with all his might, aimed straight at his sister’s face. To the surprise of any onlookers though, the pie gradually slowed down mid-flight while its orientation gradually shifted from vertical to horizontal. At this distance those subtle lips and finger movements were more apparent to Hakan as he shook his head at the revelation of how thoroughly he’d been played.
“Thanks for the pie, Nii-chan” Natsu giggled as the pie gracefully settled on her lap. Knowing full well her brother might not take this trickery lying down, the girl had been subtly initiating a casting of mage hand over and over, watching and waiting for him to drop the pie or throw it at her. Now that she had it the girl wasted no time in tearing away whatever protective covering and grasping the cheap wooden spoon included with it. “Onwards Wallace, to the market!”
“There really aint nothin’ that gets that girl down is there?” Brii chuckled, having paused in her walk to stand beside Hakan and watch and wait while events unfolded. “But what about you Laddeh, you plannin’ ta stand there all day gawking or git yer arse moving? We’re headed towards the market ain’t we?”
Though he’d taken only a moment to clear his head, it seemed that Brii wasn’t going to let Hakan dilly dally in the street when there was festival-ing to be done. Granted, a glance at the blue woman’s stein showed the man she’d run herself dry of beer and- if he knew her- she was all too eager to find a refill for the half-gallon mug that looked so out of place in her comparatively tiny grasp.
Sighing softly to himself, the man nodded as he shoved off in casual pursuit. “Sure, the last thing I want is to lose track of her before she finds Odihnă and let her get lost. Navigation’s never been her strong point, especially with an unfamiliar town. With Wallace I doubt she’d be in any danger, but I sure as hell don’t want to have to mount a manhunt to find the girl.”
Time after that passed quickly, with Natsu feasting on the festival fare and Brii drinking to her heart’s content, leaving Hakan the only one seriously searching for their old friend and finished with games for the time being. As they finally entered Market Square, Hakan held no interest whatsoever in the ‘Goblin Toss’ game they passed by.
“Lasseh it looks like there’s a game with yer name on it further south” having hastened to catch up to the wagon, the Samsaran woman gently grasped her old friend by the shoulder before pointing south to a large sign.
“But I’m going to have to get up to do that…” Natsu moaned aloud as Wallace began heading towards the game. “Wait, Wallace what do you think you’re doing!? I said I don’t want to, it’s too much of a bother.” Her words went unheeded as the goat casually strode forwards. Despite all his pampering of her, Wallace still felt he should make sure his sister did SOMETHING during this festival. He’d allowed her to harness him to the cart because he knew how hard their travels had been on her and how tired she must have been, but even he wouldn’t allow her to waste an entire festival.
As the trio approached - with Hakan watching from a comfortable distance behind- a
skinny woman garbed in an embarrassingly skimpy blue uniform came into view. Her skirt clung to her hips like a second skin- scarcely hiding the underwear that hopefully hid underneath- while her top was no better, existing somewhere between an open-vest and brassiere.
At the sound of footsteps and rattling wheels the beauty spun ‘round to face the trio, clipboard and pen in hand. “What’ll it be folks, you here to participate or spectate? I’m gonna need your bets and… Bri!? Shouldn’t you be at a booze stand someplace!?” Samsarans pretty rare anywhere outside their own communities, doubly so in this continent, Odihnă was sure as hell there was no way in the grave she could possibly be mistaken. Slowly her gaze slid to the side, catching the smiling and waving woman seated on a wagon.
“Brii and Natsu… dammit this was the Swallowtail Festival we were all supposed to meet up isn’t it. Let me guess Hakan’s not far behind is he, grrr when I get my hands on that worthless boss of mine I am going to make him wish he were still dead by the time I’m through with him.”
“Hehehe, so that’s why you’re dressed up like that. I bet the boys have been all over you today Odi.”
“You zip it Natsu… is that one of the Savory pies being handed out by the Archery game?” As Natsu nodded her head the scantily-clad woman couldn’t help but to sigh. “You probably ate the whole thing yourself didn’t you? You’ve gotta learn to take it easy with that stuff or you’re going to turn into a balloon. Doesn’t your back hurt with all the weight you’re putting on your chest?”
“That’s what I keep telling her but do you think she listens?” Suddenly a male voice joined the conversation as Hakan approached, having realized who it was they were speaking to. “Not… about the chest thing I mean, but her health in general.”
“Uuuuu Niichan I’m fine! Just let me enjoy this festival its the first taste of civilization I’ve had since you dragged me out to that gods forsaken wilderness! And for you Odi…” hastily the girl rose from where she’d sat before leaping off her wagon, arms outstretched in a sudden pounce that completely contradicted her lazy nature. With 140 pounds bearing down on her there was nothing the necromancer could do but to throw her hands behind her to dampen the fall.
“...I am perfectly happy with my body and I was crazy happy to see you until you started lecturing me. After two years the four of us are finally all together, can’t we just enjoy it in peace?” Stealing a peck kiss from lips with a playful giggle the girl rolled off of her friend before rolling up onto her knees, one hand reaching out to take hold of Wallace’s horns to help herself up.
“So uh… Odihnă…” Hakan’s voice came soft and uncertain, his face blushed a bit red as he looked in her eyes… and then down her body before dragging his gaze back to her eyes again…
“The Lad means ta say ya look good ‘Dina, he’s just a little short’a words when it comes ‘ta women.”
“You stay out of this Brii! But… the boozer’s right, you look really good Dina, it’s good to see you again.” His hand extended, Hakan waited to help the woman back to her feet.
With a pleasant smile Odihnă took his hand before pulling on it- hard- giving him their old signal for him to pull her up in one swift yank. She’d had enough of being on her back for one day, that was for sure.
“Screw it, the festivities are almost over anyway. Boss can kick rocks, I’m quitting here and joining you guys to go watch the Release and enjoy the banquet while we can. Wait a minute will ya?” Turning towards one of her coworkers, the woman called out in a loud and sharp voice, “Adrian, I’m done for the day take over!”
Tossing her clipboard at the young man who’d heard her call, the woman swiftly made her way to a small portable closet mounted to the side of the game, pulling out one of her characteristic knee-length dresses -this one purple and a little frilly- and a black cloak, slipping the dress on before sliding the skirt and ‘vest’ out from under it and tossing the uniform back into the closet. She also pulled out her hand-scythe, something of a cross between a sickle a scythe and a light pick that Hakan had forged for her back in Minata and tucked it into a loop in the cloak.
Taking only a moment to adjust her cleavage, Odihnă turned back to her friends with a bit of a smirk. “Look more like myself now? Lets get out of here before somebody important figures out I’m quitting.” Without waiting for a response, Odihnă took off at a run, followed immediately by Hakan, Bryggeri and Wallace… much to Natsu’s displeasure.
“W...wait a minute! Hold on let me get in this thing riiiight!” having only just climbed back into the wagon the young woman was still on her hands and knees, white-knuckled fingers gripped tightly around the wagon’s walls for dear life as she bounced up and down within it, the group of friends together at last racing towards the Cathedral Square.
In the center of the square, in front of the podium, sat a small covered wagon, wooden on the bottom and covered with cloth. The vehicle was surrounded by a crowd of people, with children standing just inches away from the wagon. In the center of all the madness stood Father Zantus, leaning on the wagon and chatting with some of the youngest children. He wore his typical stoic expression, but a glimmer of contentment filled his eyes. In a few moments, he ruffled several children's hair and put a finger over his mouth, putting their questions to a rest. The crowd followed suit as he raised his hand for silence.
"Friends of Sandpoint! Today is a day for celebration; for joy!" He then paused as if to add dramatic effect. "But it is also a day for worship. We have gathered here to honor the guardian of free spirit, Desna. This goddess has been speaking to me in my dreams as of late, whispering to me about kindness, goodness, and the power that we each have to alter the course of history. I have finally realized which story she wishes for me to tell this festival." He swept his eyes over the audience, catching the glance of every member of the crowd. "This Swallowtail Festival, I will be telling the tale of the original butterfly, Papilia!" Several audible gasps of excitement ran through the audience; a few of them must have already known of the legendary Papilia. Before any more noise could interrupt Father Zantus, however, he began to tell his story.
"Long, long ago, before the time of massive cities and our power over nature, the gods were trapped in a constant struggle of power, and fighting and assassination attempts ran rampant through the pantheon. Several great deities were murdered; they fell from their places in the heavens, were thrown from their thrones of earth, and dragged from their rightful homes in the sea. These gods were erased from history by their conquerors, and were destined to remain forever lost in the seas of time.
"One of the gods who was knocked out of the heavens was our great Desna, who was despised by the gods of evil for her unfailing luck and freedom of spirit. They had mounted many attacks against her just to fail, but finally, after coordinating an ambush, successfully ripped her immortality from her grasp and sealed her life force in the heavens, leaving her weak as she fell into the turbulent seas of Golarion.
"All was not lost, however. A young girl who had been born without sight tripped over Desna's frail mortal body on the sands of a sunny beach. When she reached toward the object in her way, she nearly shrieked in horror as she felt hair, skin, and cloth beneath her fingers. A person lying silent and still as they were tripped right over could not be anything but dead! As she jerked her hands away from the body, she heared the sound of regurgitation, and realized that the person she had thought was dead was very much alive, albeit in an awful condition.
"The girl cried out for help, but not one person answered her pleas. While most of us would have given up in the young girl's situation, the girl had a strong heart, and knew that if not a single living soul would provide the sickly figure with medical aid, she would have to take matters into her own hands. Firmly grasping Desna's arms, the girl dragged her away from the sound of the sea, and only allowed fatigue to overcome her when she felt soft grass under her feet. Her small home was not far from the place where the grass met the sand. Overcoming her soreness, she ran until she felt the bare dirt trail that let to her shack, and followed it until her extended arm touched the familiar cloth that covered her doorway. She kept a small stockpile of stale food in the shelter, and walked to the corner of the shack in which it was stored. Grabbing as much of the bread and meat as she could carry, and slinging her canteen around her neck, she retraced her steps back to the body of Desna, and sat down next to the goddess.
"Though Desna could barely make a sound, she was able to hear the voice of the girl loud and clear, telling her that she had food and water, the latter of which she felt trickle onto her tongue after feeling the girl's hand touch her face in several areas, trying to locate her mouth. After a few hours of swallowing the tiny trickles of water and bits of food that were placed in her mouth, Desna was able to sit up to finally see her savior, and widened her eyes in shock when she realized that her savior was blind. A little girl who had such a handicap of her own had overcome her own blindness to save her.
"After a few more days of rest with the girl, Desna was able to function again, and harnessed the small bit of divine energy that was left in her to leave the girl and fly skyward until heaven was in sight. As she crossed the threshold into the land of light, she felt a tremendous power surge through her. Her power, which had been sealed in the heavens, was returned to her at last.
"While many of us would just be happy to be alive after such an incident, Desna knew that such an incredible act of kindness bestowed onto her should be repaid, and immediately flew through through the sky until she could once again see the girl. While sight alone would have been a huge gift to a blind girl, Desna wanted to harness her eternal gratitude and transform the bedraggled girl into something worthy of divine life. With a ray of magical energy, Desna gave the girl eyes with an iridescent sheen to see more than any mortal could ever dream of seeing, the ability to feed from the sweetest of flowers, and wings to free her from the chains of the ground. Desna had transformed the little girl into Papilia, the mother of butterflies; the freest creature of the land."
With that statement, Father Zantus ripped the tarp off of the wagon, sending the thousands of butterflies that had been trapped within free. They filled the air, fluttered with beauty and grace, and filled the sky with their brilliant yellow wings like a stream of living starlight.
"All butterflies are descended from Papilia, the girl who found it in her heart to bring kindness to a stranger despite her own hardships. And look at the beauty she brought into the world all because of her kindness!"
There was a moment of applause from the crowd, followed by the broooong of a massive bell. As the butterflies dispersed, a voice thick with the accent of the countryside rang through the Cathedral Square.
"The tavern masters 'ave all prepared hot, steamy food for the whole town! Come and get it!"
As the sun raked its fingers across the rosy red horizon, the day was coming to a close. The Swallowtail festival had been a massive success, full of fun, friendship, excitement, and some excellent catering by the local tavern owners, but like all things in life, the end would inevitably follow the beginning. A sense of melancholy filled the air as the fact began to sink in.
The festival wouldn't be closing for the year without a last goodbye, however.
Father Zantus was soon to recite the Prayer of First Dreaming, as he did annually, to bring fortune upon the little town of Sandpoint. The prayer always began with the deafening crack of a thrown thunderstone; and end with complete silence, save for the wind rustling through the trees and the constant murmuring of the nearby sea.
As the recognizable figure of Father Zantus climbs to the top of the podium, the crowd turns to face him, for once quieting without a cue. It was a rare event in the town, but the solemnity of the prayer was felt by every citizen of the town. Father Zantus raised his hand with a slow, graceful movement, then slammed his fist toward the ground, letting the magically enhanced rock hit the ground with a deafening bang!
Silence.
All of a sudden, the quiet was interrupted not by Father Zantus's speech, but the blood-curdling scream of a man in unbearable agony. Not a muscle moved in the audience, but Zantus called out in barely masked terror. "What is going on?! Mav, that wasn't you, was it?!"
Suddenly, chaos.
Men, women, and children fled from the square, some shouting "bloody murder" while others whispered hushed prayers to the deity of their devotion. You realize that with all of the moving bodies, you are temporarily trapped in the center of the panicked mass of mortified citizens.
As you search for a way out of the square, a twisted melody seems to rise out of thin air, sung by scores of strained, squeaky voices.
"...chew... bite...
...lins cut and gob... fight...
...stab the dog and cut the horse!
GOBLINS TAKE YOU ALL BY FORCE!"
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It's time to roll initiative.
We can continue when your character sheets are complete!
Location: Cathedral Square
[22] Brygerri
[22] Odihna
[22] Hakan
[19] Wallace
[???]Goblins
[09] Natsu
Almost twenty seconds pass before you actually catch sight of a goblin. As the crowd truly disperses, you notice a single goblin eyeing the blood on the tip of its sword with a sort of morbid curiosity, flipping the blade from one side to the other and watching as the scarlet drops fell to the ground. At first, it doesn't seem to even realize that it's being watched, but it soon sprints toward the picnic tables holding abandoned plates of food. As you're about to make a run toward the little green menace, you hear the clatter of silverware on a table behind you, and turn to see two more goblins staring wide eyed at you, one attempting to stuff a chicken sandwich in its pocket while holding a sword in its teeth. The other grabs a fork and slashes at the air, a small chuckle escaping its lips.
"Hahahaha! Wizard stew for Tooty's tum-tum tonight!"
Bry, Odihna, Hakan, and Wallace may take their moves.
As the panicked crowd fled in terror, the four wizards and former Paladin merely watched and waited, each of the four brilliant minds analyzing the surroundings and contemplating how they would deal with the threat.
Hakan's first instinct was to grab Natsu and go, these goblins weren't their problem somebody else could deal with it. But the sounds of chaos seemed to pepper the town, who knew where would be safe. No, the best way to deal with this threat infront of them was to tear it down by their own hands.
Natsu- on the other hand- wasn't terribly concerned at all. They actually looked kind of cute, these little balloon-headed psychopaths with their bulging eyes and toothy grins. Might be fun to play with them for a bit. Looking down at her third plate of deserts she had to sigh, rising to her feet to deal with whatever came her way.
For Odihna, it was a chance to vent some steam. All day long she'd been stuck in that horrible excuse for a uniform dealing with people and managing bets with 90% of her flesh exposed to the burning of both the sun and the eyes of onlookers. The Boss wouldn't be so easy to discipline, but these Goblins were ripe for the ripping.
Bri, however, was all business. She'd been enjoying her meal and- more importantly- the booze served with it only to have these little pipsqueaks stir up trouble and ruin her fun and that was something that simply could not be allowed. Even beyond that- however- somewhere in the back of her mind lay a dull hatred that went beyond this life into the one before it, though she couldn't put her finger on exactly why. It was beyond her recollection the Hatred instilled in her first youth as a dwarf against the orcs and goblins.
"Look alive Lassies, they've got us surrounded!" Not wasting any time the blue woman pulled a vial of acid from the spell component pouch- tucked safely away within her bust its opening barely sticking out from her shirt- and pointed a finger at the left of the pair closest to them whilst casting Acid Splash. "Eat acid ya hackit scrotes!"
Not one to lag behind, Odihna immediately followed suit, lifting her holy symbol to Nethys [a god she respects though does not worship] whilst chanting different words to a very similar rhythm as Bri before her, until at last she flicked her wrist, seeming to 'fling' a ball of acid at the same Goblin as Bri, intent on making damn sure that Goblin went down.
Trusting in the other two to deal with the Goblin on the left, Hakan focused his efforts in dispatching the Goblin on the right. First off flung his Klar, a ceremonial shield and weapon he'd forged himself on his heritage quest, sending it flying towards the little bugger.
Not waiting for the Klar to land, Hakan had already drawn back into another throwing stance, a Kunai of force forming in his palm, only to be thrown the instant the Klar connected or missed, with the intent to take advantage of a potentially created opening.
If both Goblins perished, Hakan would 5' step between Natsu and the third Goblin to serve as a protective barrier. If they were not, he would prioritize defending against the ones closest and 5' step in the other direction.
An angry "Maaaaa" could be heard from Wallace, now more grateful than ever that he had been unbound from the cart to enjoy the banquet [though don't get me wrong, he was pretty happy to be loosed of his burden and able to enjoy the banquet freely.]
With the Wizards focusing their efforts on the closest Goblin, the Pallygoat lined up the last on their opposite side and charged with all the might he had, his hooves pounding on the cobble of the square.
No sooner did he complete his charge than the goat turned his tusks- forged by a bizarre ritual during a kidnapping event in his youth, the results of which seemed to transfer to any new body he inhabited- onto the Goblin if it remained standing
Combat Location: Cathedral Square
Before the duo of goblins skittering around on the table could so much as take a step toward the adventurers, a toxic acid rained down upon them, causing boils to form on one of the goblin's skin as it fainted. The other goblin had its chicken sandwich knocked out of its hand as a shield smacked it upside the head. As the goblin reached down to pick up the scraps food, Hakan clobbered it on the other side of the head with a glowing light, knocking it out instantly.
While the wizards dealt swiftly with the goblins on the table, the quadrupedal form of Wallace sped towards the lone goblin. The pathetic green humanoid was out like a light before he even saw the goat come up upon him.
A swift blow from Wallace's tusks ensured that the creature would never see again.
Wow, great first combat! Your characters have a bit of a break after the combat to recuperate, if need be. Do be aware that the sounds of clashing swords and frantic yelling can be heard in the distance, however...
Combat Location: Cathedral Square
While the world is filled with the distant sounds of battle, the evening seems to be fairly quiet on the whole. As the group begins to move, you can hear the dust stir beneath your boots and see Wallace stirring it up beneath his own cloven hooves, sending it towards the darkening sky. This little conflict in Sandpoint seems so miniscule in comparison to the ever turbulant wind in the sky, the death of massive stars, the seas of li-
BOOM!
You hear one of your companions scream as a nearby stall spontaneously explodes into flames, being swallowed whole in the gaping maw of the inferno. Heat radiates from the epicenter of the blast. You feel your feet fly beneath you, your instinct taking over as several more balls of flame cut through the night sky.
Then, the horrible, horrible, screechy, squeaky singing begins.
Goblins race and goblins jump!
Another fireball whizzes by your head.
Goblins slash and goblins bump!
Something brushes against your leg.
Burn the skin and hair and head!
Goblins rush out from nooks and crannies, from under the wreckage, from on top of tables.
GOBLINS HERE AND YOU BE DEAD!
You are surrounded, back to back with your friends. The green, leathery faces of three goblins are illuminated by torches in the dying light, and a pair of red eyes glow from a little bit farther away. You prepare yourself for attack.
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Slipping between two of the three goblins to get at the fourth at the back will require an acrobatics check. Whatever lanky figure stands behind the trio, though, seems to be driving the warriors into a frenzy. All goblins are within a single move action from the characters.
Please roll initiative!
Combat Location: Far Side of Cathedral Square
Initiative Order:
[22] Hakan
[21] Bry
[11] Odina
[10] Natsu
[???] Goblins
[4] Wallace
You may now proceed to kick some goblin butt.
As the goblins sang their creepy song a human voice had joined and sung along, singing one line behind giving the sound of a round, only for her voice to carry on as the Goblins finished. "Goblins here and you be dead, dead, dead... dead? Hey don't look at me it's a catchy tune!"
Shaking his head at his sister's typical airheaded behavior Hakan started to move but hesitated a second, looking back at the others. If he was going to provide physical support, it was best he wait and let them work some magic first.
Hesitating as he did, this provided all the time Brygerri needed to make her move, trotting up past Natsu and Wallace into position in-front of the three goblins with a wicked grin on her face. With more than enough space between them to keep her safe from reprisal and ensure she caught all three, the blue woman pulled forth the components from her pouch within her shirt and flung her hand at them singing a tune of her own.
"Burn baby burn, oh oh burn baby burn." Thus did she cast Burning Hands, burning into her Arcane Reservoir to fuel the flames.
Combat Location: Far Side of Cathedral Square
The smell of (quite ironically) toasted goblins assails your nose, and the flames that consume their bodies brighten the entire area as clearly as daylight. The figure behind the burning goblin corpses looks to be a slightly more honored goblin, its leather shirt and pants adorned by skulls of tiny animals and an odd assortment of trinkets; a fork, a poorly crafted wooden flute, and a dried out humanoid hand wrapped with fairly valuable looking beads. (Well, they would be valuable if they had stayed attached to their original owner, and not a goblin that has chipped them and gotten them coated with goo and blood.)
It looks at the fire, both entranced by the flames and put on edge by its companions' burning bodies. The goblin's split second of shock allows you to slash at it before it can attack you.
Seeing that Bry had already taken care of the defensive line, Hakan advanced forward and to the side diagonally with respect to his previous postition and that of the goblin, entering a throwing stance within thirty feet of him in a position such that no matter what his allies did they should stay out of his throwing line.
He was braced and ready to throw another Spirit Dart [Telekinetic Fist] at the Goblin as soon as it made a move.
Without hesitation Odihna lifted her holy symbol, chanting an ominous rhythm and hurling a splat of Acid Splash at the remaining Goblin.
"Hehehe, looks like you're all alone now Goblin-chaaaan. Your gonna turn into a puddle of goo when we're through with yoooou."
Lifting her hand and chanting a whimsical singsong Rhythm the girl through a playful punch at the Goblin, a 'fist' of Acid flying at it.
The goblin screams in distress as acid engulfs its body, but somehow continues singing. The scratchy voice cracks at sporatic intervals, but the words are somehow distinguishable.
"Chase the baby, catch the pups,
Bonk the head to... AGH! shut it up;
Bones be cracked and flesh be stewed;
I be goblin, you be food!"
With that, the bloody goblin cackles, as if the laughter will make its bleeding cease. You realize too late that the laughter served another purpose.
--------------
I can change this turn if you don't think it fair, but the goblin didn't move, and therefore, I didn't think that Hakan would have attacked.
Hakan should make a DC 12 will save or fall prone as he begins laughing so hard that he can no longer stand.
[OOC]
Before Hakan realized exactly what that little freak was doing, it had already caught him up its spell. He suddenly began to cackle wildly, collapsing to the ground quite literally rolling with laughter even as Natsu continued singing that Goblin song.
Seeing Hakan swept under the spell of their Goblin foe, Wallace rushed into battle. Unfortunately, Bri was in his charge lane but that wasn't going to stop him from thrusting his mighty horns at the little freak.
Combat Location- Far Side of Cathedral Square
Before the goblin even sees the goat charge toward him, Wallace has the green troublemaker unconscious on the ground. Now that the threat has been dealt with, Wallace shifts his attention toward Hakan, who seems to have quieted down. The sounds of clashing swords and screaming seem to have all suddenly quieted as well, and the eerie silence leaves you casting your gaze around the dimly lit Cathedral Square bathed in moonlight. A single goblin sits on a table, furiously stuffing his mouth full of crescent rolls. It's odd, disconcerting really, to see the goblin so content with the basket of rolls when the bodies of goblins, and maybe five or six humans, litter the ground around him.
A sudden shout in the distance jolts you back to your senses. With another shout, you determine that whatever you just heard is sounding from the north. With the current happenings of tonight, it's easy to conclude that the shout is one of worry, and you are quickly motioned forward by another member of your party who came to the same conclusion.
The houses fly by you as you run down the dimly lit street toward the source of the noises. Before even a minute has passed, you see exactly what the cause was of so much fear: Before your eyes sits an armored goblin atop a hairless dog-like creature with a pointed snout and a rat-like tail. His sword is impaled in a chesnut furred dog's chest, the wound of which is bleeding profusely.
Behind the goblin and the hairless "dog", a man clad in the finest of suits watches the scene unfold in horror, his mouth hanging slack jawed. At the moment that you walk out from behind a corner, several goblins jump out toward the dead dog from behind a rain barrel with a cheer, then pull several rusted knives out of their pockets, turning on the dog's owner. They are obviously ecstatic from the previous kill.
In moments, the goblins will be on the nobleman.
---------
If you wish to engage, please roll initiative.
I will reply in the morning.
Hey, we got through a whole combat tonight! Maybe we can finish the next one tomorrow!
Combat Location: Northern Gate
[22] Odihna
[18] Brygerri
[12] Hakan
[10] Wallace
[???]Goblins
[4] Natsu
The goblins [G] close in on the nobleman [N] who has his back to the city walls [W] in a formation that looks like this:
WWWWW
G x N x G
x x x x x
x x G x x
The goblin dog rider sits ten feet behind the lowermost goblin, watching the scene unfold with a wicked smile on his face.
From where you stand, you can easily attack the rider and the lowermost goblin in one move action, but it will take a double move to reach the goblins on the right and left of the nobleman. With that said, an attack with a range of at least ten feet would be able to hit the goblins on the nobleman's sides with only a single move action.
Hearing the sounds of battle in the north, the group had to decide carefully how they were going to act.
"I say we go for it, distinguish ourselves in battle here and we'll not want for work afterwards. Just make sure you stay where it's safe Natsu."
Always the hero in his own head, Hakan had no hesitations about plowing forwards into battle, his only concerns lay in the safety of his somewhat pampered sister.
"Aye Ladd, lets show these lil' beasties what's what. This town's become my town an' I'll have no part O' them makin' a mess of it tha's fer damned sure!"
A soft sigh escaped from Odihna's lips as she reviewed the situation. "I suppose it can't be helped. This is our town now, if it gets burned to the ground we're going to have to start all over somewhere else."
"Do we haaave to!? It's so much work and that noise was way up north! We're going to have to run all the way there to get there in time to actually do anything and I don't wanna run."
Suddenly Wallace nudged the soft woman in the butt with the flat of his horns, urging Natsu onwards. Though he was her familiar and bound to her, he was still a Paladin at heart and could not suffer the sounds of suffering when there was something he could do to stop it.
"You'll manage sis. You've been outvoted four to one and it'll be safe with us than without us. Lets form back up into formation and run as fast as we can until the first one of us can't keep up."
Lazy though she may be, these past two years in the wilderness had hardened Natsu's will, and the young woman managed to keep pace just fine with the other four for an entire minute, long enough to reach the scene of the battle unfolding. "Nii-san I'm not cut out for runniiiiiing."
Without hesitation, Odihna called out to him in a powerful voice full of command "Stand still so I can protect you and don't you dare touch my spell, I designed it to let the person inside dispel it with a touch to get out safely!" With an ominous chant that flowed with an eerie beauty from her lips, the woman- garbed in a knee-length dress that prominently displayed her slender bare legs and ample cleavage- called forth a wall of rock from the earth, surrounding the noble in a dome of solid stone five feet wide and eight feet high......
.... or so it would appear to anybody looking at it. If they were to touch it and their will were strong enough, they'd realize it was nothing but an illusion.
With the Noble taken care of for now, Bri made her way forwards into position, her sights set on the Rider and his Mutt, though with careful positioning she just might manage to catch him and one of his minions at the same time.
Rushing forwards and towards the right, the Blue Woman cast her hands forward whilst chanting in a strong and stout tone of voice. She gave it all she had, draining her arcane reservoir in the process.
Odihna is able to recognize the man as Aldern Foxglove, the son of Traver and Cyralie Foxglove. Aldern is known as a kind man with a rather unpleasant personal life, as his mother and father died in a house fire when he was young. Some rumors have circulated through nearby country sides about the mother being possessed by a demon, being a witch, or being cursed, but the truth of the matter isn't widely known.
Odihna don't know a lot about Aldern himself; only that he works in the nearby city of Magnimar.
The goblins and the goblin dog all fall to the ground, unconscious. While they may wake up soon, they seem to have been taken care of for the time being.
Edit: WAIT
There are four goblins; the rider is ten feet in front of the center goblin. You can hit the center goblin and the right goblin OR the center goblin, the rider, and the dog. I tried to make this clear in my above post, forgive me if I messed up. I marked the center goblin, the dog, and the rider as all being unconscious, as you would have hit more targets. If this is not what you wanted to do, let me know.
Seeing the way the battle was unfolding, Hakan cast his Klar at the goblin opposite himself, thankful the weapon's path did not intersect with Bri's position.
No sooner had the half-Shoanti thrown his Klar than he charged the Goblin nearest him, swinging his EarthBreaker with all his might, intent on ending at least one of these threats as soon as possible.
Not one to stand still when his party throws themselves into danger, Wallace charged the Goblin to the left a split second after Hakan threw his shield, rushing full bore at the little beast his horns prepared to gore.
Whether or not his horns slayed the critter, Wallace would follow up with a vicious bite aimed at its throat, fully intent to rip the lifeblood from its veins.
Both conscious goblins fall to the ground in bloody heaps, the first one taken out by Wallace's charge and the second by Hakan's Earthbreaker. The goblins and dog who had been hit by Odihna's color spray stay completely still on the ground, not doing so much as moving a muscle.
Seeing that all the enemies had already fallen a wicked grin split open Natsu's face, wickedly eyeing the fallen Goblin. Now that the danger had passed she knew Nii-san wouldn't throw a fit over her getting in a few blows.
Casually she sauntered over to the fallen normal Goblin and swung her walking stick club with all her might.
Only for the stick to whiff over its body leaving it completely untouched as she stumbled for a second, unaccustomed to swinging so violently.
With Natsu inserting herself into a battle theoretically won, Hakan found himself urged to ensure it truly ended without any harm coming to the grown brat.
Hastily he charged the unconscious Goblin Rider, swinging his hammer down on its corpse with a crushing finality [though realistically speaking, he couldn't kill with this blow alone unless he got particularly lucky, at best he'd normally render it unable to awaken.]
Wallace was of the same basic mind as Hakan, though his intellect was somewhat restricted by the animal form and never had been a match for any of the wizards present.
Turning his fangs on the sleeping Goblin Dog, the Palagoat charged and pounced ferociously, striking first with the horns....
and then snapping with his jaws.
[OOC]OOC: Wallace Pounced the Goblin Dog from the opposite side of where Hakan charged from, Goring and Biting at it.
Smirking softly to herself at the sight of her allies laying waste to the goblin force, Odihna made her way forwards maintaining concentration on the Silent Image as she drew nearer to the battlefield.
Not one to slouch even when the battle was almost over, Bri sauntered over to the Goblin Dog and Rider, surrounding them on three sides, whispering her chants as she pulled out her trusty acid flask from her spell component pouch. At this range the somatic component of choice was a "spit", most appropriate for a dirty goblin's mount as the acid flew straight down at him.
The terrified man's eyes seem to calm slightly as the silent image surrounding him is lowered to reveal the four unconscious bodies of his toothy attackers. His gaze sweeps across the faces of his rescuers, and his frown twists into a cautious smile. He raises a hand in greeting.
"Oh, thank you, all of you, so much; I might have been naught but a fleshy pile of dismembered limbs on the ground if you hadn't shown up!" He carefully walks toward the body of his dog as he speaks, and bends down to look into its half-lidded, glassy eyes. With a shake of his head, the man stands up again, slightly more crestfallen. "He was a good old boy, that dog was. It's a shame that he won't be accompanying me on another hunt through the forest again; they were always so fine..." He trails off, then jerks his head up to make eye contact with several members of the party again. "Ah, forgive me, noble folk; I haven't so much as asked your names! I'm Aldern!" He turns first to Brygerri and partakes in a humble bow. "Who might you be, beautiful one?"
Steadily Odihna continued to approach the 'stone dome', while Natsu, Wallace and Bri made damned sure none of the minions or mount ever woke again and Hakan kicked the Goblin Rider in the side of the head to ensure it wouldn't wake up any time soon before hogtying it.
Once everything had been completed and Odihna reached the wall she released her concentration on her illusion- causing the wall to slowly fade away from view as she put on her best smile. "Everything's over, are you alright?"
The terrified man looked up slightly at the sound of Odihna's voice, still on edge but considerably less so than before. The friendly face he was greeted with put him more at ease.
"I am... safe?" He cast a sideward glance at the bodies of the goblins and the lean hunting dog on the dusty ground. "Thank you, kind ones; thank you so much! If you hadn't come, I fear that I may have joined Patch in the afterlife!" He bowed deeply and tentatively took a step towards Odihna. "Aldern Foxglove; honored to make your acquaintance! To whom do I owe my life?" He extended a gloved hand to Odihna, and turned to face the whole group, nodding in anticipation of their answer.
Aldern let out a soft chuckle at Brygerri's antics, and looked back to the three other adventurers. "Please, call me Aldern; you've no need to be overly formal here." He scanned over the group as he spoke, trying to lock the names of his saviors in his head. "Tell you what; it's getting late, and most of the town is probably home with their family trying to recover from the goblin scare, but I may know a place where we can get a good drink before you'll head home. The drinks will be on me." He paused for a moment, thinking about his previous statement. "Actually, do you have a place to sleep? I think I would have noticed your Samsaran friend before if she lived in Sandpoint. Are you new to these parts?"