"Perhaps it is just as well. My house-guest is also a friend of Master Quar, and has had some training off him also."
He goes to the door and calls through it:
"Gob, my friend, would you mind? Quar said we could trust them before he left."
Vaclav sits in the large central chamber of the cathedral waiting for someone who requires help. After a short period he begins to dream about bringing an archery butt in so that he can practice while waiting.
Gornak starts to fidget in anticipation, hopping from foot to foot. He's much to large to fit safely in any of Mr Parooh's chairs.
Gornak starts to fidget in anticipation, hopping from foot to foot. He's much to large to fit safely in any of Mr Parooh's chairs.
You ok? Feet hurt? Thanadros says, looking at Gornak's fancy footwork.
"Just nervous, I guess. Can you give us a hint, Mister Parooh?"
At the Way North:
"Excuse me a moment," the gnome scurries off and returns a few minutes later. "He's gone!" he exclaims. "Oh dear, this is so irregular. He must have taken off after Master Quar," he shakes his head sadly.
"Let me explain: My house-guest, Gob, is a goblin. Yes, a goblin," he raises his hand. "Not a child-eating homicidal killer, he's not like that! He was an outcast from his clan due to his, hmmm, abilities shall we say. Master Quar came upon him outside Sandpoint and was training him. He brought him to me a few weeks ago in order to instruct Gob in the art of literacy, to which he took very well.
"Well, after the attack Master Quar asked Gob if he could find any further information out about the goblin plans, and Gob reported that some goblins have been lurking in Sandpoint since, but he didn't know where. Now, Quar went looking for them, and hasn't returned, and now Gob has gone too! Oh my," he mops his brow. "What a mess this has turned into. I must implore you to seek out the poor fellow before his compatriots or the town guard find him - he's very distinctive, he's blue in colour."
At Aylmora's lodgings:
Aylmora is roused by an insistent knocking on the door ...
Trained goblin?! ...Sound dangerous. Hope Quar know what doing... Thanadros says, stroking his chin. Well, now what we do? Thanadros says to the others.
At Aylmora's lodgings:
Aylmora is roused by an insistent knocking on the door ...
Aylmora awakens with a start, rousing from a dream in which she accompanied her friends to visit that strange gnome, Mr. Parooh. Glancing at the window, she realizes that she has overslept again. With a grumble, she opens the door...
At Aylmora's lodgings:
Bethana is at the door, looking very flustered and wringing her hands.
"She's gone!" she blurts out. "Miss Ameiko, she didn't start breakfast this morning and when I went to check on her, her bed hadn't been slept in!"
At the Way North:
"Oh, I can vouch for him, her was a very polite house guest," Parooh assures you. "The only problem is, I don't know where he's gone."
Gornak's jaw drops. "A polite goblin!? Blue!? Now I've heard everything. But if you vouch for him Mr Parooh, it must be true."
Gornak shakes his head in amazement. "Any idea where Quar and the goblin went?"
At the Way North:
"None at all, save that it is likely somewhere here in Sandpoint."
At Aylmora's lodgings:
Bethana is at the door, looking very flustered and wringing her hands.
"She's gone!" she blurts out. "Miss Ameiko, she didn't start breakfast this morning and when I went to check on her, her bed hadn't been slept in!"
"Gone?! What do you mean gone?" Aylmora asks as her sleep-fuzzed brain struggles to register what Bethana has said.
"Her bed hasn't been slept in? But she was still here when we closed up and turned in last night. Where would she have gone without telling us?" Aylmora asks, throwing on her clothes.
"Let's check her room. Maybe there's a clue that can tell us what's going on!"
Anything else? Or just missing goblin..?
At the Way North:
"That and the missing Mr Quar. Both of them are formidable, but ..." Parooh shrugs helplessly.
At Aylmora's:
"I - I looked, there was this crumpled on the floor," Bethana proffers a crumpled scrap of parchment. It's written in a pictographic script, but Bethana knows it and helpfully translates for you.
"You won't know much about Tsuto, I think - he hasn't been around much. He's Ameiko's brother ... well, half-brother, really. He's a half-elf, and, well, neither Ameiko's parents' Lonjiku and Atsuii are elves, if you understand my meaning. Lonjiku runs the glassworks, and he was very angry. He sent Tsuto to the Turandarok Academy to be raised and forbid any of his family to have dealings with him," she sighs sadly.
"Well, you know Ameiko. She visited him in secret there, until six years ago when she and Tsuto had a terrible argument. That's when she left Sandpoint for a year, and came back only when Atsuii died. That's when she bought the Rusty Dragon, too. At Atsuii's funeral Tsuta accused Lonjiku of murdering his mother by pushing her off the cliff she supposedly fell from, there was a terrible fight and Tsuto hasn't been seen since. He's up to no good, I just know it!"
"Well, if there's a blue goblin wandering around town, he can't be that hard to find! I'll go look for him right away, Mr. Parooh."
Gornak gives the tiny gnome a clumsy salute.
Yes, good day! Thanadros gives the same clumsy salute, assuming it must be some sort of leaving etiquette, and then follows Gornak out of the building.
Aylmora studies the crumpled note as Bethana goes on about Ameiko's estranged brother Tsuto.
"'The Glassworks at midnight' it says," Aylmora reads. "Desna's Wings! That was ages ago! He could've done anything to her by now! I need to go after her! Wait, I'll need some help. I need the others! But where are they?!"
Aylmora hurriedly dons her leathers and gathers up her gear before heading for the door. She suddenly stops in her tracks as she remembers her dream. "Mister Parooh's. They're at The Way North! Bethana, send word to Sheriff Hemlock that Ameiko's missing and something strange is going on at the Glassworks! I'll get the Heroes of Sandpoint and meet him there!"
With those words, the young woman dashes out the door and down the street, running as fast as she can toward The Way North.
At Aylmora's:
"We can't!" Bethana blurts out. "The Sheriff left for Magnimar this morning, to try and get them to send up some more guards. I can tell his deputy, but he won't be able to do much."
Vaclav accepts a pair of two sacrificial doves from a young couple seeking Erastil's blessing for her pregnancy.
Thanadros turns to the others as they leave the Gnomes home. Oh well, maybe nothing interesting happen today...
Gornak scratches his head. "I'm not sure where to start looking. Maybe someone down at the Rusty Dragon saw a...blue...goblin." He still can't believe the description of Mister Parooh's acquaintance.
He trots on down to the Rusty Dragon to see what's up.
Gornak, Thanadros, and Albrecht see Aylmora running toward them as they leave Mister Parooh's shop.
"Ameiko's missing!" she blurts out, trying to catch her breath. "Last night...went to meet...her brother...at the Glassworks...never came back."
The young woman bends over and takes a few deep breaths before continuing.
"Bethana found this in Ameiko's room this morning," Aylmora continues, handing Gornak the crumpled scrap of parchment. "Bethana says Tsuto's a bad one and not to be trusted."
"HOLY BALLS!!" Gornak shouts, but he immediately apologizes. "Sorry for the rough language, ma'am. We just heard that Quar and a friendly blue goblin have gone missing, too. That can't be a coincidence!"
He quickly reads the note.
Stunned to silence by the revelation of an intelligent goblin, that is blue on top of everything, Albrecht quietly follows the group as they leave Mr. Parooh's bookstore, giving the gnome a parting nod as he departs. Reaching the Rusty Dragon with his compatriots, he listens intently to Aylmora's plea before speaking up.
"Well, if that's the case, we need to go get Brother Vaclav immediately. I'll be right back," he says before turning and sprinting to the temple to fetch Brother Vaclav. Arriving at the cathedral he throws open the door startling a pair of doves that the priest is handling.
"Brother Vaclav, come quick! Ameiko is missing and Aylmora seems to think that she's at the Glassworks and she's fairly certain that Ameiko is going to need our help." Noticing the couple staring at him for the first time, he quickly apologizes for his intrusion before turning back to Brother Vaclav and impatiently urging him once more.
Gornak, Thanadros, and Albrecht see Aylmora running toward them as they leave Mister Parooh's shop.
"Ameiko's missing!" she blurts out, trying to catch her breath. "Last night...went to meet...her brother...at the Glassworks...never came back."
The young woman bends over and takes a few deep breaths before continuing.
"Bethana found this in Ameiko's room this morning," Aylmora continues, handing Gornak the crumpled scrap of parchment. "Bethana says Tsuto's a bad one and not to be trusted."
Amy... Nice lady, always pours Thanadros more ale?! This personal! Thanadros says, punching fist into palm and craking his knuckles. Where glasswerks at? You know anything about this bad Suto man?
...Reaching the Rusty Dragon with his compatriots, he listens intently to Aylmora's plea before speaking up.
"Well, if that's the case, we need to go get Brother Vaclav immediately. I'll be right back," he says before turning and sprinting to the temple to fetch Brother Vaclav. Arriving at the cathedral he throws open the door startling a pair of doves that the priest is handling.
"Brother Vaclav, come quick! Ameiko is missing and Aylmora seems to think that she's at the Glassworks and she's fairly certain that Ameiko is going to need our help." Noticing the couple staring at him for the first time, he quickly apologizes for his intrusion before turning back to Brother Vaclav and impatiently urging him once more.
Vaclav winces at the sudden noise and scrabbles to get the birds back under control. Once he has them in hand he calms them with a few gentle words.
He hands the birds back to the couple and advises them to seek Father Zantus. "This looks important and urgent. Pray for our success. An interruption of these rites is a powerful omen. If we return successful your blessings will be doubled and your child's life will be rich and prosperous."
Vaclav asks Albrecht what kind of help Ameiko is likely to need.
"I'm not sure, but I believe it is some sort of rescue mission. Evidently there was a note left by someone names Tsuto who has a bit of a bad reputation, and who can't be trusted. Evidently she went to meet this Tsuto and never returned, and Bethana is thinking the worst. I too have a bad feeling. So grab your bow, we have to go."
Turning to the couple, Albrecht once again apologizes for his intrusion, and wishes them luck with their upcoming bundle of joy.
It only takes a few minutes to gather everyone outside the Rusty Dragon (for want of anywhere else to gather).
Everyone Here? Lets go!
"Okay folks, let's head on to the Glassworks. Hopefully we can sort this mess out in a jiffy."
Gornak grabs his big garbage hook and trots off towards the glassworks.
Vaclav balances Albrecht's obvious impatience with the likelyhood of trouble. After being assured the others are coming along, he scoops up his quiver, bow, and club.
Then he follows Albrecht to the rendezvous.
Aylmora stops and blinks at Gornak's statement.
"I'm sorry. Did you say 'Quar and a friendly blue goblin'?" Aylmora asks incredulously. "This town is getting stranger and stranger..."
Arriving at the Rusty Dragon with Gornak and Thanadros, Aylmora sighs with relief when she sees Albrecht and Brother Vaclav rush up to join them. "I think we're all here. Let's head to the Glassworks!" With those words, she rushs after Gornak.
Thanadros pulls his bow out, and starts to make his way to the Glassworks with the others.
Here is the Glassworks.
Neighbors have noticed the lack of traffic into and from the building, but since the furnace chimney still plumes with smoke, most assume that the building was simply closed to allow Lonjiku and his workers some privacy while they worked on a big project. A quick investigation of the building perimeter reveals that curtains have been drawn over the windows and all the doors are locked.
The main entrances for the public are just off the road:
In the North-East wing, facing South.
In the South wing, facing East.
The main service entrances are:
Double doors in the North-East wing, facing East and the road.
Double doors in the South wing, facing North-West and the beach (labelled A18 on the map).
Assuming those are windows, Thanadros is going to try to sneak a peek in the windows and try to keep out of sight while being silent.
Stealth
Perception
Gornak hangs back and whispers "What do you see, friend?"
Vaclav is impressed with the size and solidity of the Glassworks. He pulls aside. "Ameiko's family owns this and she runs an inn? Why isn't she in the family business? Surely it could support a large number of people."
"Ameiko's family owns this and she runs an inn? Why isn't she in the family business? Surely it could support a large number of people."
Grizzled Old Gaffer:
"Ah well, she don't get on with her Dad, do she? Not that it's his fault, what was the poor man to do when a half-elf turns up in the family, eh? By all rights he could have turned out Atsuii, his missus, and the babe there and then but he didn't, paid for the lad to be raised away from home and I say that's more than some men would've done! if she'd had the good sense to leave him be things might've come all right between them all."All the curtains and blinds are drawn (which is a little unusual), you can see nothing but at the windows on the North-West side you are sure you can hear shrill voices giggling and babbling and the occasional tinkle of shattered glass.
"Come on! We need to get in there! Ameiko may be hurt... or worse!" Aylmora whispers impatiently.
Strange... All windows shut. Hear strange voice and giggling. Something not right...
"Come on! We need to get in there! Ameiko may be hurt... or worse!" Aylmora whispers impatiently.
Thanadros nods and walks up to the doors and thrusts them open!
Which doors? There are four I mentioned above: Service entrance to the road (double doors), service entrance to the beach (double doors), client entrance and shop entrance (both single doors).
... and they are all locked tight.
After quietly listening to the result of Thanadros's recon, Albrecht takes a moment to quickly meditate to better avoid his foes' blows.
Walking up to Thanadros at the service entrance to the road Albrecht whispers, "Let me take a shot at it," takes a step back and then shoulder charges into the doors.
Bouncing off the door, Albrecht picks himself up off of the ground and gestures furiously at Gornak to come and help the two of them open the door.
Gornak comes over and takes a few stabs at breaking open the door, with Albrecht's help.
Str checks:
With a quick thanks to Gornak, Albrecht times his blows with Gornak's own.
Thanadros steps back and draws his bow, readying to shoot anything threatening that may be behind the door. Something is odd about this place, and at the very least, he would not be surprised if goblins popped out. He only attacks something obviously threatening or monstrous.