Don't worry Vandra Cleo says hugging his arm briefly. they'd have to go through us to do something like that. And Helgarr's scary when she wants to be.
Helgarr nods with a smile - "You are definitely not being kept in this place for any reason Vandra" - then growls in a good mood.
Vachedi always seems calm, but with a sombre, almost melancholy attitude. "There is not much space, but there should not be trouble. If it pleases you, I can stand guard beside it to help disrupt any magic. Be careful with your trusty stick, young one." He comments haphazardly after Vandra gets a jab in the ribs. "My job has been sworn with blood, Heroes. I let none cross me."
Cleo peaks around the bulk of Furnok to watch the interrogation, assuming she will not be the focuser of the questions.
Furnok glowers
Vachedi leads the group downstairs into the Sandpoint prison. Within, a familiar goblin sits bound and gagged. Despite her situation, she tries to smile, and her eyes half close in mocking contentment.
"This is simple" - Helgarr speaks to the captive - "You will be handled according to the local law, and that is that" - she pauses for a moment, then follows through staring intently at the goblin - "However, and if you are forthcoming with the information we ask you, I may be inclined to put in a good word for you, and you may be able to avoid immediate execution" - the barbarian adds.
"I will remove your gag, and if you try anything, we will pummel you down, and whatever chance for a deal will be off" - the woman removes the gag - "Do you understand?"
"Now. What were you doing in the Glassworks" - she inquires.
The Goblin doesn't seem to understand the common tongue. When Helgarr repeats it, she nods simply. A glint in her eye is noticed by Maria, as if she's understood Maria's suggestion.
"Killing Longshanks. Longshank leader commands us to. Is part of a plan to destroy Longshank city, it says."
Helgarr translates the goblin words for the others, then presses onward - "Do you know the name of this Longshanks, and how he looks like? And what other actions has he taken, or plans to, in destroying Sandpoint? You are talking about this city we are in, right?"
Also translating her question for the others.
Helgarr doesn't get the impression that the goblin is hiding anything, including the ability to speak Common.
"Longshank name... difficult. Zuto me thinks. It Knife-ear Longshank, but strong. You Longshanks killed him. Knife-ear has taken body of holy Longshank to Thistletop tribe. They sacrificed it to our Mother, so they can have power to destroy Longshank tribe and city."
The barbarian nods at the goblin's explanation - "So Tsuto was the the one breaking into the crypt" - she ponders out loud - "Who is your mother? What does she look like?" - the woman presses on.
Furnok picks his nails, wondering when they can just get to Thistletop and smash goblins.
Who do they worship? Cleo asks softly, curious.
Cleo's eyes go wide a bit I've heard of her she says with the proper amount of dread and awe.
Helgarr nods at her companions, making mental notes of what questions they would like to see answered, as they wait for the goblin to reply.
Furnok recalls what was in Tsuto's book. So this lady love of Tsuto hand a big clawed hand in all of this. I reckon we better get up there and send her to her traitor.
Ali steps up beside Furnok and nods. "Aye, we should hang this damn damn Goblin and be about it. Time we kick in some green teeth for real, take the fight to them."
Azeri keeps to the back of the group, looming threateningly over the proceedings, keeping his arms crossed before him. He was getting as impatient as the boy, and as the Ranger seemed to be, but he wouldn't say it out loud.
'Let's be about those zombies and forget about this Mill foolishness.' He sighed inwardly.
"It mentions that the person they burned was her father. So who was the body they stole to burn...?"
Are the smuggling tunnels the tunnel you foudn Maria? Does that mean there are things down there waiting to come up and attack the town?
"Mother, Longshanks call Lamashtu." began the goblin. "She tells many things, shows what is real. She sent a prophet, a Longshanks like you. She guides Warchief Ripnugget to great things, and soon Thistletop will destroy all other tribes!"
Book said Tobryon's casket, so we should aks the priest more I reckon.
The goblin looks to each of you for a sign. "Can this one go now? Is there more questions?"
The shoanti jailkeeper named Vachedi says "I can kill this creature now if you do not need it."
we can't let it go Cleo whispers with dread, It will just go back to them, to its mother. And... they will know we're coming. she gulps, looks to the others, and if none of the others step forward, she'll take care of it, preferring quick mercy to the jailer's cold disdain.
Furnok steps up and pats Cleo's shoulder and nods to the door.
When those who want to leave do so.
The goblin looks to each of you for a sign. "Can this one go now? Is there more questions?"
"Not just yet" - the barbarian pipes in - "The tunnel you dug under the Glassworks, where does it lead to?"
The shoanti jailkeeper named Vachedi says "I can kill this creature now if you do not need it."
"Even though we cannot let it go, the goblin has cooperated" - Helgarr pipes in - "In my tribe, some enemies are given the chance to repent and change their ways by working with 'The People' - if they show their worth for a score of years, as determined by the seriousness of their offense, they are give the choice to leave, or carry out the rites and join the Quah" - the barbarian speaks, staring at the goblin, then looks at Vachedi and her companions - "Do you have no similar tradition? Can we not take this to the Sheriff? I will pay for the creature's feeding from my pocket until we have the chance to do so, if need be"
"That is a very fine sentiment Helgarr but ask yourself, how many of your enemies eat babies and kill puppies for fun?" Ali slowly circles the creature, glancing at the woman only briefly. "I do not like it, I do not think she deserves to die just for what she is but, I think she deserves to die, because she is dangerous and a threat to us and ours and everyone we let in contact with her..." He paused, crouching down to smile coldly at the Goblin. "And she will die, for the part she played in hurting Ameiko and yes, for killing her father!"
Ali stands up and smiles self-consciously, before glancing around. "But if that is now, or when we inevitably root out and crush her tribe, I do not mind. So it is up to you all, do as you wish!"
Cleo smiles in thanks to Furnok, before Helgarr and Ali speak up. Ali's words makes her doubt, mostly for worry for what her friend is going through.
Faith... she shakes her head, as certain as she is she does not like it. ... is powerful. Lamashtu is the mother of all monsters, as evil as she is, she is their Mother.
"You speak true, Helgarr." Vachedi responds. "In my Quah, we have the same tradition. The color of one's skin should not sentence one to death. This is your prisoner now, so you can choose to keep it. For now, I can keep it here, but I will need coin. It eats more than Ogre, so I need 5 silver a day. Otherwise, I must kill it, or give it back to you. Is this fair?"
The goblin responds to Helgarr's question with curiosity. Tilting her head, she says "Goblins not make tunnel, was already there. It goes to big Mother shrine. Scary things there, Mother's children." She shakes briefly. "Longshank leader likes Mother, prays for power, sacrifices holy man body and Goblins."
Let us check the glassworks
Helgarr seemed about to growl something at Ali, but stops short at Cleo's words. She ponders for a second and adds flatly - "I will accept the responsibility"
Turning to Vachedi, she moves for her pouch, pulling out 5 gold pieces - "It is fair. Here is the payment for ten day's worth of food" - the barbarian offers it to the guard.
Turning to the goblin she continues in a dead serious tone - "A magaan lhon rhuuc daac dran or or keklaan der dar huuch. A'gh tech khruur shuukekaal o druun khruur akaagac or shuulkuuc duukuun, rhor ar ghakhaar khruur. Ogaagukaan ac den kuul okhaar dac o draal, or druun'd shagaan. Den ghaac o magaan daan khraash daac dran duun dec akuur a kaaruuc dec daan tuuch kaar o kegaan, ar o dac a shakaan ar rhaac dreklaagaac, ac muul daan agaan huuc duun ghalaan ar makhaac" - she stops for a moment, then finishes - "Ar o druun khruur muul, A dech draalerthaan dhuur o - ac o DECh akerthaan"
Turning to the goblin she continues in a dead serious tone - "I have just bought ten days of your life with that gold. I'm still not convinced you do not understand our common tongue, but it matters not. Everyone in this room either wants you dead, or doesn't care. This means you have the next ten days to think about a reason why we should let you live, if you want a chance at following a different path, and how we are going to make it happen" - she stops for a moment, then finishes - "If you do not know, I will decide for you - and you WILL abide"
Standing back, the woman turns to her companions - "Now let us take a look at the Glassworks, and please Cleo, explain me what all this talk about sacrificing holy men may mean?"
Ali shrugs gracefully and smiles. "Mimi nataka wewe wafu NA Sijali ni kiasi gani kuteseka. Mwanamke huu ni matumaini yako tu kidogo greenskin. Ombeni yeye bado hivyo aina!"
Ali stretched slowly and shot a glance at Helgarr, shrugging before turning to the others. "Very well, so the tunnels beneath the Glassworks? We should provision correctly for our trip!"
Cleo looks startled at Helgarr's question Um... she starts wracking her brain for her lessons.
She'll relay anything that roll gets her to know.
|
Vandra glanced at his mother-in-wallaby and shrugged his shoulders. While he wasn't for wanton slaughter or anything like that -it reminded him too much of what happened to his home-, he really didn't care much for the goblin either way. Besides, the goblin's life wasn't his to decide, and it seemed that Helgarr wasn't ready to shoulder that burden. "Yeah, I think we should go for the Glassworks first, if only to see about collapsing the tunnel," he told the others while Jeaux nodded her head.
Cleo knows that certain deities enjoy sacrifices, particularly the evil ones. Many evil acolytes will seek out worshippers of enemy deities in order to sacrifice them for power or favour. Lamashtu quite enjoys the sacrifice of Desnan, or Iomedian priests. As a side note: Erastil detests sacrifices, and will smite anyone who tries to sacrifice an animal to him.
Beneath the Glassworks basement lies a series of tunnels roughly dug for the size of a single human to walk through. At first, the ceiling is only 5ft. high, and travels south before opening in a clearing near the Sandpoint dump. Here, traces of small camps can be seen.
Another tunnel travels farther south and rounds a corner to reveal a slightly larger cavern. The ceiling goes up to 7ft., and can allow roughly a human and a halfling to stand side-by-side. Water drips can be heard farther in. Echoing from deep within the caverns, you hear a strange moaning, like that of a man in pain.
Just around the corner, you can hear someone breathing. The breath is staggered, slightly hindered, perhaps by something stuck in their throat.