"I didn't think it was," Nicat responds calmly, "I was asking who you're talking about right now, who's not here right now."
He pauses, clearly trying to hold his tongue, his lips actually wriggling as he struggles to keep the question in, but his curiosity compels him to ask, "So I probably shouldn't ask who Tammerhawk is?"
"Apparently not," Ekan answers Nicat, "It appears to be a sore subject."
Green eyes focused on the unexplained exchange between the dwarf and the halfling, but Fulko had an idea of what Eostre was upset about "If this person is notorious enough he should have a bounty on his head" He said to her as he patted the axe by his side.
Eostre gets a grave look on her face.
"Dear Fulko, he's not that kind of man. If anything, he's probably got a bounty out on ME."
Sheriff Hemlock clears his throat. "Anyway..." He rises from the table and starts walking towards the door. It's fairly obvious he feels he's intruded on a private matter. "I should be off to Magnimar. Don't let me down, you lot." With that, he exits the Rusty Dragon, the door swinging shut behind him.
Shalelu, on the other hand, merely shifts in her seat. "So, do any of you have any other questions for me? About the goblin tribes, their leaders, anything?"
Nicat raises a hand towards Shalelu, one finger extended, as if he's got an important point to make. He pauses, squints a bit, and says, "We're just waiting here in case the goblins come, right? So I don't know if we need to know a lot about the tribes and their leaders."
He tips his head to one side, one eyebrow raised and his lips pursed, looking a bit like a perplexed mutt as he thinks. "Though I guess since we're , we should apply a bit of strategy, eh, Fulko," he says, nudging the massive bounty hunter with a small elbow before turning back to Shalelu. "So maybe you can tell us if there's anything we should watch out for when it comes to fighting them. The goblins who attacked the festival had that leader who was throwing spells around. Will we see a lot of that? They all like fire, right? Do any of them have fire magic? One of the tribes works with that big hobgoblin - do any of the others have allies like that we should know about?"
He winds down, a little smile on his face, then shrugs and says, "I guess I had some questions after all."
Shalelu nods. "Glad to hear you're taking this seriously, Nicat." She smiles. "To hear Belor talk, it sounded like you were more than willing to just rush in blind."
Her face turns serious again. "Goblins have a fondness for using anything they can find as a weapon, especially if said weapon involves fire or explosions. With that in mind, try to take down any goblin you see holding something that even slightly resembles a bomb or a flask of alchemist's fire." She scratches her head. "For the most part, goblin tribes commonly have priests or shamans who revere deities or spirits for whom fire falls under their purview, so those are worth watching out for as well." Shalelu's face breaks out into a smirk. "You won't find any goblin wizards, though--that involves writing, and as all goblins know, writing steals the words out of your head."
"They can be really quiet and sneaky when they want to be, as well. They're fond of waiting in ambush in places you'd never expect--stacks of firewood, rain barrels, under beds, in ovens..." She snickers, as if recalling one such incident.
"As to their allies, I'm not certain if they have anyone else like Gugmurt, but I can give you a quick rundown of the major players' strengths." Shalelu folds her arms. "Gugmurt, from what I've heard, is a druid of no small power--that he's capable of walking through brambles and tangles as if he was on a dirt road." She shrugs. "Though, considering how prone goblins are to exaggerating things, he might be less of a threat than I think. Koruvus' body was never found, so I'm not inclined to believe the little bastard's dead. He wielded an enchanted longsword sized for a human, and was quite stubborn about not wielding anything else."
"Finally, there's Ripnugget." Shalelu's eyes narrow. "From what I've heard, he's a rider with skill above and beyond even normal goblin commandos--he must be, to have such a following. I'd exercise extreme caution when dealing with him."
"...as all goblins know, writing steals the words out of your head."
"Wait, what?" Nicat asks in alarm, having been only half listening to Shalelu's answer as he polishes off his breakfast, "It does? Or does it just do it to that to goblins?" A light comes into his eyes, and a knowing smile crosses his face, "Oh, I get it, they just think it steals the words. We should scare them with some writing when they come to town! Put up big signs or something!"
"Hence why I said they were stupid."
"Their main spell casters will be priests and the like? Mmm, do you know what the symbols of their gods look like? It might help us target their casters more easily in battle even before they cast."
Fulko nods in approval of Nicat's suggestion and listens intently to the elven woman's detailed report of their future enemies "Hmmm looks like we won't be lacking in bounties to collect on, I bet the chiefs will have a pretty high price on their heads" A greedy smile crossed the warrior's face "By the end of this Sandpoint will be safe and will be rich, will you continue bounty hunting after you filled your pockets Nicat?" Asks Fulko as he looked to the halfling.
"Sooo... Should we be waiting for them to come to us? Or shall we go out to introduce ourselves?"
"Now that's a tough question, Fulko," says Nicat consideringly. "I still don't know how much I'll take to bounty hunting, since deputy sheriffing is more my trade, you know? And the sheriff has to retire some day...a deputy could step right into that job, I bet. But bounty hunting seems like you get to see the world, decide when you work and when you don't. I guess I don't know the answer, but I think it's going to be fun to figure it out!"
"Their main spell casters will be priests and the like? Mmm, do you know what the symbols of their gods look like? It might help us target their casters more easily in battle even before they cast."
"Unfortunately, no. They tend to set their holy symbols on fire casting their spells. Sometimes, it's even on purpose." Shalelu sighs. "Still, if a goblin is wearing something that looks like a holy symbol around its neck, it's best to assume the worst and target him first."
Shalelu finishes the last of her breakfast and stands up from the table.
"Sooo... Should we be waiting for them to come to us? Or shall we go out to introduce ourselves?"
"Belor asked you to patrol the streets of Sandpoint. It's not that big of a town--at least, not as big as I'd like it to be." She scratches her ear. "Odds are, your names will get around soon enough if you do your jobs well."
"Anyway... if you'll excuse me, I need to get myself cleaned up." Shalelu nods at her bloodstained, dirt-encrusted armour. "I'm rather surprised Mayor Deverin didn't immediately tell me to get changed." She says as she heads up the stairs of the Rusty Dragon.
"Thank you for all your aid, Shalelu," He inclines his head
"I need to get cleaned up too."
Eostre trundles after Shalelu.
"You know," she says as she follows after her, "you're a lot different from most of the elves I knew back home. I may have to reevaluate my hypothesis that elves suck."
"Nothing beats the freedom of being your own boss Nicat, always remember that" Said Fulko, with a proud expression on his face.
"Belor asked you to patrol the streets of Sandpoint. It's not that big of a town--at least, not as big as I'd like it to be." She scratches her ear. "Odds are, your names will get around soon enough if you do your jobs well."
"Anyway... if you'll excuse me, I need to get myself cleaned up." Shalelu nods at her bloodstained, dirt-encrusted armour. "I'm rather surprised Mayor Deverin didn't immediately tell me to get changed." She says as she heads up the stairs of the Rusty Dragon.
"Few things make a woman more beautiful than the blood of her enemies on her armor" He raised his voice loud enough so that the elven ranger could hear him as she ascended the stairs of the inn.
Sylvia shoots daggers at Fulko after that comment before heading off to the market. She thinks on the information that Shalelu gave them on the way, I pray that there does not come a time when we will need such knowledge.
"Glad to hear it." Shalelu glances back at you as the two of you climb the stairs.
She briefly looks back at Fulko before turning back to you with a worried look in her eye. "Is he always like that?" She asks, looking at her battered armour before meeting your eyes again.
"Dunno. I've only known him a few days. Seems like it though. Fulko appears to be the kind of man whose meatheaded words belie his sharp, tactical mind. I think he meant what he said to come off as endearing to you. Wanted to compliment your prowess in battle as a fellow warrior."
She continues rubbing her face with her kerchief to get that last spot of ink off it.
"Probably going to have to rewrite that incantation. Likely smeared it when I fell asleep on it. Hey, what was that you meant when you said Sandpoint wasn't large enough for your liking yet? The elves I knew back at the Lodge wouldn't stop waxing poetic about the sacred natural beauty of the Mierani that was choked and despoiled by the smog of Riddleport's Gas Forges and swanning about in skimpy dresses, even if they were men, and moaning about how terrible it was to be superior to me because they were "part of magic" or some garbage that apparently somehow made them better casters than me." There was a question somewhere in that grumbling, racist rant...
Ekan feels somewhat lost on what to do with himself now
Shalelu briefly rolls her eyes as you go off on your tangent.
"Tell me about it..."
She looks at you again. "As much as I like the Mierani Forest--hey, it's home--sometimes I just want to slap some of the locals upside their heads." She leans against the wall. "I mean, really, they can call themselves superior all they want, but they're really just full of their own s**t. And really, Mierani Forest is too far from Riddleport to be polluted by it--whatever smog your Forges make would get caught up in the Caliphak Mountains before it ever touched our land."
"I do hope you understand not all elves are that... foolish." She arches an eyebrow at you, her offence seemingly catching up to her. "As to what I meant when I said I hoped Sandpoint would be larger..." She gets off the wall and moves over to a door off to the side. "...well, I was more or less here when the town was first starting out. I still remember a time when this region was nothing but untamed wilderness, filled with ruins and goblin lairs. It's about time some civilization came back to this place."
The walk to Sandpoint's market is a sunny, pleasant one. Most folk give you a nod and a smile as you pass.
-------------
"Well, that was enlightening, wasn't it?" Ameiko starts gathering up the party's dishes with Bethana's help. "She didn't come across as being standoffish, did she?" She asks with an arched eyebrow.
Shalelu briefly rolls her eyes as you go off on your tangent.
"Tell me about it..."
She looks at you again. "As much as I like the Mierani Forest--hey, it's home--sometimes I just want to slap some of the locals upside their heads." She leans against the wall. "I mean, really, they can call themselves superior all they want, but they're really just full of their own s**t. And really, Mierani Forest is too far from Riddleport to be polluted by it--whatever smog your Forges make would get caught up in the Caliphak Mountains before it ever touched our land."
"I do hope you understand not all elves are that... foolish." She arches an eyebrow at you, her offence seemingly catching up to her. "As to what I meant when I said I hoped Sandpoint would be larger..." She gets off the wall and moves over to a door off to the side. "...well, I was more or less here when the town was first starting out. I still remember a time when this region was nothing but untamed wilderness, filled with ruins and goblin lairs. It's about time some civilization came back to this place."
"Honestly, you're the first one I've ever met outside the Lodge of Cyphers...imagine being even MORE full of their own s**t because they're Cyphermages in ADDITION to their elfy attitude...*shudder* I see what you mean, though. You've got a sensible attitude about civilization. That ruin out there was once part of a glorious ancient culture, and now the locals just sort of treat it as a curiosity. That's why I'm here, actually, to study the local ruins and whatnot."
Eostre actually smiles a bit. She was liking this elf more and more.
"Scuse me for a bit while I draw a bath. I haven't really cleaned myself up since last night, and I'm a bit of a neat freak when I'm not completely disheveled from staying up too late studying."
"Standoffish?" replies Nicat, shaking his head at Ameiko's question, "No way! She's amazing! She knows all about the gobbers, and who's the chief and who he killed to get the job, and she took on a hobgoblin! I see why Fulko wanted to go with her instead of staying here to defend the town."
He nudges Fulko with a small, sharp elbow and says, "Well, that's one of the reasons he wanted to go with her..."
Ameiko fixes Fulko with a mock deadpan expression. "What, I have competition now?"
Nicat's eyes widen 'til they're big as saucers, then he looks at Fulko with a huge grin and says, "You dog, you!"
Laughter was the first reaction Fulko gave to Ameiko and Nicat, before he got up and spread his arms in a mock copy of one the actors performances he saw last night "Ameiko, you've stabbed right through the heart with suspicion alone and that's no small feat let me tell you!" A smile broke through, but it seems that Fulko was determined to continue his 'performance' "How could any man forget the first woman to threaten to kick him between the legs?! Ever since then I knew you were the one!" The warrior quickly surrendered to the chortle that wanted to escape before he finished his speech as he finished by motioning towards the innkeeper with his muscled arms.
Then he walked closer to Ameiko, his wolfish grin all thats left of his laugh "But remember what I said 'Few things make a woman more beautiful than the blood of her enemies on her armor' how do you know that you don't have those few things already?" The grin evolved to a full blown toothy smile.
Sylvia strolls through the market, looking at the different art pieces and giving Shelyn's blessings on those artists who have put their heart into their work to the best of their ability. Pieces large and small she marvels at, for Shelyn's beauty is in them all.
"Frankly, I just find women confusing, very intriguing, but I am not sure what to do with..err to..." Ekan blushes, "Nevermind. I think I'm not expressing myself well. My point is, it seems to me that hunting one of them like some would suitors claim is like a fly charging a spider web"
Ilya watches the discourse with interest. "So, Bugbears hunt Elves. Elves hunt Goblins. Goblins steal corpses. Corpses attack deputies." Ilya ticks off each step on his fingers. "Sylvia blasts corpses. Fulko hunts everything. Ameiko laments Fulko. Hunting confuses Ekan..."
Ilya trails off as his list becomes too tangled. "It is rather like a spider's web, isn't it?"
"Not a problem." Shalelu says to Eostre as she opens the door to what is presumably her room and steps inside.
---------
Ameiko arches an eyebrow at Ilya. "It's not much of a web if everything isn't interconnected. What you're describing is mostly a straight line... I think." She shrugs. "Then again, I'm not a seer, so what would I know?"
---------
There are indeed several different pieces of art on display. Most of it's landscapes painted with watercolours, but they're all of a quality Shelyn would approve of.
As you walk through the market, you see Father Zantus in conversation with the sunburnt, dark-haired man from the cathedral. He appears to be in good health, in no small part thanks to your help.
Father Zantus glances in your direction, does a double take, and waves at you.
Ameiko arches an eyebrow at Ilya. "It's not much of a web if everything isn't interconnected. What you're describing is mostly a straight line... I think."
"Oh, no... Well, maybe. Walking a straight line means putting one foot in front of the other in perfect succession... which is absurd, of course! Who could follow such a path?" Ilya walks his fingers across the table in mimicry. "Everyone should follow a more normal path, and simply enjoy the places where it touches the line along the way." He traces a complex, jagged and winding trail across the table, then bisects it with a straight line.
"You see? Much more natural."
"Well, the streets aren't going to patrol themselves. And seeing as I don't remember already having done it, that means it's still left to do, yes?" Ilya walks upstairs to gather his supplies.
"Nothing left to do, but to do it."
"What you say makes sense to me, Ilya," Nicat replies, "which is actually kind of unusual. But anyway, you're right, time to get to patrolling."
He hops down from his bench, waits for the others to collect themselves, and heads out onto the rough streets of Sandpoint.
Fulko grabbed his gear and weapons and then walked back to Ameiko "I am off to do my duty" He gave a mock salute "Do I get a reward if I do a really good job?" He asked the innkeeper with his signature toothy grin.
Ekan nods and prepares to join the others, "Have a nice day, Ameiko, and thank you for your hospitality as always."
The sun shines brightly down on Sandpoint as you begin to make your rounds. A pleasant breeze blows in from the harbour, carrying with it the familiar scent of salt.
The townsfolk give the patrolling group several appreciative nods and compliments as they pass by, with some of the women eying Fulko and Nicat... some can be heard gossiping about Fulko's rugged, brash charm, and more can be heard talking about how endearing Nicat's cheerfulness and looks are.
It's around the time the group is making its way down Main Street that they see a familiar face walking up the way--a redheaded girl clad in tidy peasant's garb, looking about with a worried expression on her face. When she sees the group, the look on her face turns into one of relief as she approaches.
"There you guys are!" Shayliss says, walking up. "Hey, may I borrow you for a bit, Nicat?"
The sunburnt man speaking with Father Zantus turns and leaves, having concluded whatever business he had with him. The good priest watches him leave, then approaches you.
"Good day, Sister Jahlyn. I hope the day so far has been treating you well!"
Nicat smiles happily back at Shayliss, saying, "Sure, Shay, you can borrow me any time!" He looks at Fulko and waggles his eyebrows expressively, then says, "Sorry, buddy, a citizen of Sandpoint needs my help. You can handle the patrol on your own, right?"
He then turns back to Shayliss, forces his voice into a deeper register and says with all the gravity he can muster, "What seems to be the problem, miss?"
Eostre draws a bath and sits in it for a while, soaking and thinking about what had just happened. She'd lost it in front of these...relative strangers, for lack of a better term. She couldn't exactly call them friends. Cyphermages didn't have friends, they had rivals. She was lost in thought as she cleaned herself up.
The warrior smiles approvingly at Nicat then without warning pulls him back by the collar to the rest of the group "Now, now its not that you can't borrow Nicat, you just have to understand our situation" Fulko motions his hand to the group as a whole.
"By taking Nicat you'd be ruining something great, something beyond great! You want to know why, right? Well I'll tell ya!" Fulko looks to Ekan and wraps his hand around his shoulders in a friendly manner "First we have Ekan, the serious, helpful and dependable man, you know the kind of man every mother wants for her daughter" He then lets go of Ekan and pats Ilya on the back in a rougher manner then intended "Then we've got Ilya, who's strange, bookish and surprisingly talkative, in other words he's the dream of every girl who's too shy and all too comfortable with a book in a library then the company of others!" The warrior points to himself with his thumb next "Then you've got me, Fulko the wild, untamed but surprisingly charming man who every mother in Sandpoint warns her daughter about, because they know a good number of them will find him irresistible" Finally he raises Nicat up by his collar like he was some long lost treasure who was just uncovered.
"Last but not least, we have Nicat the mischievous, playful and cheerful halfling who's charms cannot be resisted by even the frozen witches of irrisen" He then placed the halfling down and looked back to Shayliss "By taking him away your breaking an ensemble that could potentially woe most of the women in Sandpoint, and I can't have you do that" A mock serious expression crawled on Fulko's face, but then it disintegrated into a rather loud laugh.
"Well now that you understand, what's the problem?" He asked in a semi serious manner.
Shayliss listens to Fulko's boasting with a quirked eyebrow before continuing. "Well... I was sorting out wine bottles in the basement of the general store, and..." She looks down, her face beginning to turn the colour of her hair. "I found a rat. One that's about as big as a dog."
She starts wringing her hands. "I don't want Daddy to find out, and I panicked and didn't know what to do until you came by." Shayliss looks over at Nicat. "So, Nicat, little help? Please?"
If nothing else, she appears honestly distressed...
"Why just Nicat? When we could all go, end the matter in moments and continue on our way" Replied Fulko, as he crossed his arms in front of his chest, his eyes focusing on the mannerisms and tone of the daughter of the store owner I wonder why she doesn't want her father to know He thought as his right hand moved to stroke his stubble.
"Because I don't want Daddy to find out." Shayliss turns to Fulko, annoyed. "He's... well, he's been having enough problems with Kat and Banny dating already--the last thing I need is for him to get up in arms about a rat in the basement."
She sighs. "Besides, if all four of you went in, it'd be overkill. Really, it's one rat. I just need Nicat to help me with this."
"Your decision to make lad" Said Fulko as he shrugged his shoulders "Don't see why you need a deputy to help with killing rats though, why not ask Banny? Could help him with his aiming" The bounty hunter chuckled at his own joke, as a sly grin appeared on his facade.
"Yeah, bring the guy Daddy hates home to shoot a rat and hope to Desna he doesn't come home before he has a chance to leave." Shayliss deadpans. "Sounds brilliant." It's obvious that her nerves are beginning to get the better of her.
She's getting riled up, is it something about Banny? I am sure I heard people around the town talking about him and Kat.
"Well wouldn't him helping around the store get your father to like him more? And that would make your sister happy, right? I mean unless you know something about Banny we don't" Fulko focused on the girl once more, his face grinning but with a more serious stare.
"Fulko, give the poor girl a break!" Nicat says loudly. "She's just asking me to give her a hand with something, you don't need to give her the full deputy interrogation!"
He turns to Shayliss and says, "Sorry about that, he was raised by wolves or badgers or something, tends to get something in his teeth and not let go, you know? It's great when he's out hunting bounties, but gets kind of awkward when a pretty girl asks for help. Of course I'll come with you - alone."
He gives his friends a nod, says, "Be right back," and moves off with Shayliss.
"Wolves and badgers! The badgers were more frightening then the wolves!" He roared out one of his signature chortles "As I've said before its your choice lad, we'll continue our little run of the town" He stretched both of his arms backwards.
"Well lads where to next?" He asks with a jovial expression on his face after Nicat and Shayliss left them.
Fulko looks to Ekan and wraps his hand around his shoulders in a friendly manner "First we have Ekan, the serious, helpful and dependable man, you know the kind of man every mother wants for her daughter" He then lets go of Ekan ...
Ekan's eyes widen in surprise at that, as this is the first HE'S heard of any such opinion, "Ah, thank you?" as Fulko goes on describing the others.
Shayliss insisting on Nicat alone doesn't trouble him, but it does surprise him at first. The chatter between friends almost makes him smile, but with sincerity he tells Nicat, "Try not to get bit, Nicat. Some vermin might not be a threat in other ways, but they can carry disease if you aren't cautious around them." To both he and Shayliss he adds, "Good luck."
"Well lads where to next?" He asks with a jovial expression on his face after Nicat and Shayliss left them.
"A good question, perhaps a place with a larger crowd out in the open so if anyone needs help they can inform us more easily? The main marketing area perhaps?"