Gryf looks to the others to gain their reaction as he begins to nod. "That would save us a lot of time from going back to Sandpoint. We are very thankful for all your help and the use of your boat. Please show us."
Having absolutely no knowledge of the area Friday simply stands off to his side while the Varisian natives go about plotting their course, sipping his tea as he watches events play out.
"Thank you, Friday, I slept well enough," Haru replies to the question.
"Walthus, this faceless creature we killed worries me. Is there any possibility it is connected to the Licktoads? Or was it just wandering and came upon you?"
Friday gives Haru a respectful now as she answers his question before turning his thoughts inward, and also trying to finish off his tea.
"If something's smart enough to act like the person they're disguised as, I doubt they'd find a whole lot of stimulating conversation among goblins." Xel said, Valeria clearly still not properly awake yet despite eating the offered porridge. "They've got less brainpower than Valeria does of a morning." Which was apparently enough for her to give the bird a, rather appropriate, rude hand gesture.
"Have you ever thought about getting a slingshot?" Friday casually mentions to Valeria after finishing his tea.
A skiff? How easy is it to pilot, Walthus? I have no experience sailing, I don't know if anyone else does. Still, if we take it slow, the water of the Soggy probably crawls toward the sea and we should be ok.
This Gutwad, do you know anything about him, or how many are in the tribe?
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"Walthus, this faceless creature we killed worries me. Is there any possibility it is connected to the Licktoads? Or was it just wandering and came upon you?"
Walthus gives Xel a dirty look. "Well, missy, the bird has the right of it--I doubt the Licktoads would have anything to do with a faceless stalker, save as a boogeyman or some such."
"A skiff? How easy is it to pilot, Walthus? I have no experience sailing, I don't know if anyone else does. Still, if we take it slow, the water of the Soggy probably crawls toward the sea and we should be ok."
"Regarding the skiff, it's easier than you think to pilot it as long as you stick close to the shoreline. If you're not experienced in sailing it, don't go out into deep water--you're more likely to capsize yourself and get into a whole other heap of trouble."
"This Gutwad, do you know anything about him, or how many are in the tribe?"
Walthus snorts in derision. "Gutwad? The blighter likes to talk up a big game--that being said, he has... issues with humans. Or anything that looks human. Or anything that has anything to do with humans." He starts hobbling out of the room. "Still, he's a good shot with a bow, and I'd wager he has enough goblins on his side to make a right headache of himself for anyone who wants to flush him out of his hole."
"Now, before you go, I have a little something else I'd like ta give you. As repayment for saving my sorry hide." He says as he starts upstairs.
Putting his empty cup down Friday starts after the Halfling, keeping his spear at the ready as he follows Walthus upstairs. "Thank you, by the way. For all this help." he manages to get out even as wary as he was.
"We ask of no payment, but the information was more than helpful." He calls up to Walthus as he heads up stairs. "We have our means of getting there, we will should set right off after Walthus is finished with us. This Gutwad doesn't seem like he'll go down easy but when it comes to it, there's nothing that can stand up against my axe. "
That may well be true Gryf, but let's just have a look first. We don't know how many goblins are there nor how well armed.
I'm going to try and conserve my spells until we reach this Gutwad. I may not be much help before that I'm afraid.
"I'll probably be in the same boat; I'll make sure to have a combat cantrip or two ready, though. I can use those as much as I like." Valeria said, finally sounding awake.
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He starts back downstairs.
As Walthus comes back downstairs with Friday following him, the rest of the party can see a cloak in his arms, coloured a faded blue and frayed a little around the edges. "Now, before ya go, I'd like to give you this as a going-away gift. This cloak's brought me good luck over the years--in fact, it's one of two things I was able to bring with me from my old home. I'd like ya to have it."
He unfolds the cloak, which falls to his toes. "Now, I hope ya don't mind too much, but I hemmed the cloak so I could wear it more comfortably. Go ahead and cut the stitches if you'd rather it be a full-length cloak."
Not really putting much value in so called lucky items Friday nontheless nods in thanks to the halfling while letting the more learned people present look over the cloak incase it can be useful in some way.
Thank you, Walthus, we will make good use of it. Marten says with genuine gratitude.
Well if you wouldn't mind showing us the skif, we should make best use of the light, today.
Gryf nods at the halfling. "We appreciate this." He place a hand Walthus shoulder. "We thank you for all your help and for the lend of your skif. We should be on our way though." He says looking at his brother and the rest of the party.
"Yes, thank you." Friday finally says as the Rivers thank the halfling for his gifts.
Now that she was back among the land of the living, Valeria looked over the cloak to see if its 'luck' was really something more.
"That cloak's more than just lucky, it's magic. Makes the wearer a bit tougher, more agile and stronger-willed." Valeria explained, although feeling like the description was falling a bit short or just not being as clear as it could be.
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Walthus gives the cloak a surprised look. "Really? Huh... guess Mother was more right than she thought."
With that thought, Walthus leads the party out into his backyard. The garden behind his house is walled in on three sides up to a height of 10 feet, with the shore of the lagoon serving as an impromptu fourth wall. The sun's rays peek through the canopy of leaves. Slithering around near the side of the house are three snakes--one with a red, yellow & black coloration, one with mottled brown scales, and a green one with a yellow underbelly. They eye the party with some interest, but relax when they see Walthus accompany them.
"Don't mind them--Minnie, Hyrgan & Pressi are dangerous, certainly, but they'll leave you alone as long as you're with me and don't make them mad. Especially Minnie." He nods at the red, yellow & black one. "She's got a nasty venom. Poor faceless bastard found that out the hard way."
Sitting at the edge of the water is a surprisingly well-built skiff with a couple of paddles. "And here's your boat. As long as you don't start rocking it, it'll get you where you need to go, no problem."
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Marten crouches down just over an arm's length from the three snakes. His movements are sloe, but precise, so as not to startle then and he makes a low, soothing sound as he approaches.
All of thw snakes were beautiful and in good health, remarkable given the Faceless Stalker, but Minnie, with her stripes of yellow and black was particularly fearsome and impressive.
They don't seem to mind Marten, and Hyrgan even slithers closer to tentatively taste the air just before his outstretched hand.
Lovely animals. Marten says as he stands. And they do you credit Walthus to have fought to protect you. I can see why they mean so much. Thank you again for the use of the boat, we'll be sure to return it to you. Oh and if you ever have occasion to head toward the bluffs at the coast, you'll find a warm welcome among my Circle.
He shakes the halflings hand before climbing gingerly into the boat and helping the others board before they push off, slowly tracking along the slow-moving water way that makes up the Soggy River tributary
Friday tilts his head as he sees the three colorful serpents slithering about, wishing he had a moment to draw them while Marten coos to them. Shaking his head to rid himself of the fancy he boards the skiff with the druid's help.
Valeria very nervously moved around the far side of the yard, keeping well away from the snakes before getting into the boat very quickly.
Gryf walks through the garden giving the snakes no attention. "You can come back and pet them later Marten, we have a boat to catch." He says jumping into the skiff. "Thank you Walthus, we will have it back to you when our business is finished." He then takes up the long river stick he readies himself to push off when everyone is in the boat.
Haru was expecting the snakes, but still jumps a little when they come into view. She heads to the boat quickly.
"Don't bother them and they won't bother you. Snakes are another part of nature, just the same as rabbits and wolves." Friday calmly says to the ladies as they join up in the skiff.
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Once the party has all climbed aboard the skiff, it's a simple matter to shove off and follow the river to the Licktoad goblin village. Walthus waves farewell as the party departs.
-----------------
The trip down the river is quiet, with only the croaking of frogs occasionally keeping the party company. There is the occasional rustling of bushes, but otherwise nothing appears to be happening on land...
...until the party hears a much louder rustling in the undergrowth. It sounds like several footfalls mixed with chattering.
And they sound really panicked.
Marten's head snaps to the side as he hears the tittering, high-pitched voices of the goblins.
Over there! he hisses. Goblins in the bushes. I think they've spotted us.
Friday nods and readies to grab his spear but keeps paddling the skiff along until told otherwise.
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The rustling in the bushes gets louder, and then five goblins burst from the undergrowth! Clad in battered, cobbled-together leather armour and carrying sharp, rusty dogslicers, they don't seem to take much notice of the party's presence. They're too busy looking behind themselves, their green faces pale with fright. They're babbling in Goblin...
"Udržují v provozu! Jsou stále za námi!"
"Jsou? Jsou?"
"Nejsem ohlédnutí zjistit! Utíkej!"
"Are they? Are they?"
"I'm not looking back to find out! Run!"
"What are they saying?" Though he asks to no one in particular he does look at Haru when he speaks.
I have no idea! Marten replies. But they look startled by something. Be ready, in case they turn aggressive.
"Their running from something.. Get ready, we don't know what it could be." Gryf then jumps out of the boat grabbing the axe on his back and readying himself.
Haru draws her bow, and prepares to start singing as soon as she sees hostilities begin.
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The goblins skid to a stop when Gryf disembarks and readies his axe. They exchange looks, as if confused.
Then they look behind them into the undergrowth. When nothing jumps out at them, they turn back to Gryf and the party in the skiff, shrieking a battle cry!
Three goblins storm forward at Gryf, brandishing their dogslicers while the two behind them sheathe their weapons and start unlimbering wooden tubes from their backs!
Gryf's armour absorbs the first clumsy swing from a goblin, but the second manages to sneak past his shin guard and cut into his calf. The third blow gets blocked by his armguard!
Haru springs into action with her bardic performance!
As the goblins burst out of the bushes, Marten quickly loads a bullet into his sling. He raises the leather thong above his head and begins twirling it until it reaches a whistling pace before releasing one string and sending the bullet hurtling toward one of the goblins.
Gryf growls out as one of the goblins slice into his calf. But is quick to return the favor and slams his battle axe down on the goblin.
Slicing down hard cutting in to the goblins head.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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Friday stands up from the skiff and disembarks, his weapons readied for trouble.
Marten's bullet strikes a goblin in the back ranks squarely in the face, drawing a lot of blood as the bullet breaks its nose! The goblin topples over, down for the count.
Gryf's axe, on the other hand, is not content with simply stopping at the lucky goblin's head. There's a sickening *CRUNCH* as the axe cleaves through the goblin's skull and leaves it a bloody mess.
Noticing the back ones going for some wooden tubes, Valeria quickly hopped up onto the bank, ready to deal with the rear one once they were in range.
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The remaining goblins, heedless of their comrades' mounting casualties, keep attacking! The two goblins at the front keep slicing at Gryf!
The first goblin's strike is easily dodged, but the second goblin seizes the opportunity to stab Gryf in the foot!
The goblin in the back takes out a small stick of wood and strikes it against the sole of his boot, lighting it on fire. He lights a fuse at the end of the wooden tube he's carrying and aims it at Valeria!
Unfortunately, the goblin's grip on the tube slips. A flaming projectile is launched from the tube and flies off harmlessly into the swamp.
Haru aims at the goblin by himself away from the others.
Haru's arrow sticks right into the goblin's chest, causing him to topple backwards and drop the wooden tube.
Marten readies his shield and jumps from the boat to the bank, ready to support his brother and Friday.
"My apologies, Miss Valeria." Friday calmly says as he steps back in front of the Arcanist in order to angle a stab at the goblin.