Sticky bobs his head in agreement, but has a hard time putting the rule into practice. Several times he has to re-pocket things he just picked out of habit. Eventually, he gets so frustrated that he ties his hands to the side of his head. He can still grab things, but he had to be rather overt about it. Thus Sticky complies with his goddess's demands.
Mmmmh... getting some birds... that must not be that hard, that must not.
Although the "stealthy" part is easy for the skinny gobbo, the "catching" part is another thing, as he never tried such an action. He ever takes all he needs from other with his nimble hands and stealthy frame.
After running after a bunch of birds like a loose cat that is accustomed to get feeded instead of hunt, finally looks like he got his pawns on a prey.
Ameiko thinks for a minute before answering Tochack. "Broderick Quint. He's a scholar of ancient history and is probably your best bet. As it turns out, he's one of the people you helped rescue, so he owes you a favor. Just make sure he comes back in one piece."
Puseater struggles at his task for quite some time until he gets a genius idea and starts hurling the tiny magic dagger at large groups of birds. While it isn't the most precise method of bird-catching, he's able to wound several and soon manages to gather a half-dozen birds. If Plays is careful, he can make nice shoulder pads out of the skulls that will complement the Chief's cape nicely.
In the next days, Tochack will discuss the matter of the magicky well with Broderick Quint: if he asks to see the well for himself, Tochack will beseech the Chief for a temporary safe passage for Quint to investigate the well.
For the next few days Sticky will steal what he can, help Plays at the glassyworks, and proselytize the faith of the Firey Tienshanks among goblin and longshanks alike.
Sticky's kleptomaniac tendencies makes proselytizing difficult at best. Among the Licktoads, they're interested in glowy hands and fireworks, but the whole "don't do bad things" rubs them the wrong way. Among the longshanks, they mostly smile and nod, but you're pretty sure they're laughing at you behind your back. Their willful ignorance is tragic - especially as they have the privilege of living in the same town as your deity.
Chief Gutwad isn't particularly impressed with his new cloak. The bird skulls are nice, but Plays used the wrong shade of red, and it turned out somewhat pink-tinted. Still, the fact that it's a magic protection cloak is worth something, and the Chief lets you supervise the restoration of the glassy-work place. Maybe when it's up and running, you'll be able to make nicer stuff for the Chief.
Chief Gutwad is in a good mood when Tochack presents his request and grants it without a second thought. It's doubtful that he was really listening, but it did get you a blanket approval. Unfortunately, Broderick Quint (an elderly bearded longshanks) has never heard of this magic pool before. He is able to tell you that it's very old and was made by longshanks from "Thassilon". Based on your description of the fight with the demon lady thing, he guesses that the pool creates sin-pawns when you put blood in the glowy water. It can probably only make a certain number before it needs to be recharged, though.
Tochack thanks the beardedshanks: it was mildly reassuring to know that the pool wouldn't start to create angry bentshanks out of nowhere.
The lack of enthusiastic converts does not deter Sticky in the least from any of his activities. He does go shopping, and even pays for things when the shop keepers bonk him on the head for trying to walk out with the stuff...
"Sure Chief! Us go and see what going on!"
Tochack tries to guide the other gobbos to Thistletop, but forgets the way half-way in: he was never really good at this kind of thing.
Ok, maybe him losing the way could have been connected to his recent daily prayers to Sarenrae.
Tochack remembered that Amid, the dervish at the temple he grew up in, used to put a blindfold around his eyes and spin around, trying to find the sun afterwards. The grey goblin had recently concluded that, if just spinning and finding the sun made you closer to the Fire Hair, running around would have worked even better: in the first hours of the morning of the last few days, the sarenite goblin had taken the habit of running around Sandypoints blindfolded, praying to the Fire Hair, offering sermons and healings to the other gobbos, and bumping into a number of pointy and dangerous stuff in the former longshank city.
Fortunately, Tochack tries to lead them astray right where Sticky had once relieved himself and he remembers that the wrong way ended in a bunch of nasty fresh water springs. There was no salt in them whatsoever! He quickly corrects Brother and they are promptly back on course.
Plays was of no help whatsoever, he was too busy burying his nose in a longshanks evil book 'soaking' up all the word stealing from it to uh 'protect' his fellow gobs. Being a cursed goblin was difficult or something.
With Sticky's help, Tochack is able to lead you to the bramble forest. Standing 20ft high, and with thorns longer than your arm, it's a menacing sight. Even worse, thick fog covers area every morning and night, leaving the forest slightly damp. It would take a mage of legendary power to burn it down.
Thistletop itself is on a small island slightly off the coast. Rumor claims that the rocky island is actually the decapitated head of a massive ancient statue. If that's true, it would have one of the largest structures ever seen, as the natural rock walls are 80ft high.
Plays stood there staring up at the rocky island fort thing. He didnt look forward to climbing up at at the least.
You guys think we can maybe get that she elf to come here and just kill them all and take the fort the easy way?
He asked calculating arcane formula to pass the time.
No, no. If the elf-shank comes to get it, she will get it.
And we don't want elf-shanks getting it.
-Babbles Puseater without too much sense, except for the part that he looks against the idea of bringing here the elven maiden.
Tochack shakes his head vigorously "Nonono, we not even know what is going on. Maybe auntie and Laz never get here. Maybe they stayed there for some reason. Maybe thistletop gobbos got attacked. We not know, and Thistletop gobbos too dangerous to pick a fight with if we not sure there a reason-" the grey goblin comments, before stopping abruptly.
"-uh? What that thing here?" he says, pointing to a strange patch of nearby vegetation "Look like...door?".
Warily, the sarenite goblin opens the passage, taking care not to get stabbed by the thorns.
Bah the thistletop goblins are no smarter than the those seven tooths. And Elfshanks dont live in warrens like this they like trees and flowers and terrible pretty things.
He announced watching in curiousity as Tochack moved to the bramble wall and made a door appear.
Excelent work Brother, not lets go see where our friends are.
A four-foot-high tunnel winds through the dense briars and nettles. The floor is hard-packed earth, with patches if wiry plants growing stubbornly here and there. Countless tracks from goblins and goblin dogs cover the ground.
Sticky points at the dirt and bounces. Some thing heavy this way was drug! I bet it be shiny! He follows the tracks into the east tunnel.
Three thistle tunnels open into a large cavelike chamber. Above, the thorny canopy grows thin enough to that tiny slivers of sunlight can be seen, while below, the ground consists of trampled dirt. To the west, the distant sound of sloshing waves echoes up from a hole. The drag marks continue past this.
Tochack pauses for a moment, looking around the chamber to see if there was anything unusual.
After making sure that they were not missing anything, the grey goblin peeks into the hole were the dragging marks end.
The hole opens into a large chamber from which you can hear the lapping of ocean waves. The water appears to be approximately 80ft below you, and you're unsure how deep it is. You also see a large gray shape swim past, but it may have just been your imagination.
"Uuuhm, not going to jump in there." Tochack mutters, before pointing to the trail. "You ready? We go?"
Of course your not going to jump down there... you might be touched in the head but your not that touched. He harumphed rather good naturedly. What goblin would willfully hop down that hole? Now that he thought about it, Brother Tochack was rather clumsy... he reached over and helpfully grabbed his belt slightly pulling him away from the hole.
Sticky keeps his eye to the dirt and continues following the tracks.
To your left, you see a musty-smelling chamber with well-gnawed bones scattered about the floor. The floor and walls are covered with matted, wiry fur, and a dozen wooden stakes have been driven into the ground near the walls. Four Goblin Dogs are tied to the stakes with lengths of hairy, fraying rope. They begin to growl as you approach.
Sticky coos at the dogs. Hey doggie! Are you just the best! Yes you are. Good doggies!
The exotically and eccentric cursed goblin nomenclated as plays wrinkled his all too ugly (cute) nose up at the sight of tghe goblin dogs and sneered. He didnt like the stupid things much.
Be quiet stupid dogs. He growled in counterpoint to Sticky's excitement torwards them. A small part of him wanted to blast them with a fan of fire...in fact he was prepping his fingers just in case.
A cloying musky scent lies heavy in the air here. A matted nest of red and black hair sits to the east. Atop the nest lies a large cougar. It appears to have been recently awoken from a nap and snarls at you as you approach.
Thats more like it. Hey Puss puss, where be the other gobbo's eh?
The cursed one said in goblin adding a clicky noise torwards the larger feline. He moved slowly and motioned for the others to keep moving on.
Me don't know, but the cat looks big and dangerous.
Sticky stops when he realizes that the cat isn't tethered. He aids locking eyes with it and makes his way across the room. Slowly.
The big cat hisses, and a minute later, you hear an answering hiss coming from inside the thorn maze. Whatever's coming your way will be arriving momentarily.
"Uh-Oh..." Tochack says, moving to pick up his new shiny scimitar and holy symbol.
A few seconds later, another Goblin steps effortlessly through the thorn wall and looks at you suspiciously. "Who be you? You not from Thistletop!
"Oh! Hi!" Tochack waves, startled by the sudden appearance of another gobbo "We be Licktoads. Some time ago, two gobbos from tribe were supposed to come here: Auntie Targa and Laz. She had great horse hair wig, big cauldron, and other had bow. But they no be back! Do you seen them?"
Plays covered his hand with his face and sighed. And they called him the cursed and crazy one. Still what was done was done. He couldnt take the words back from Brother Tochack.
I am the great and benevelent Fireweaving, glassmaking, elf negotiting, powerful PLays. As my talkative friend here said, we are looking for our copatriats, the cheif of the licktoad tribe, ruler of Sandypoints sent the others here to set up a trade deal I believe.
He said, half telling the truth, half lying, and making it all up on the go.
The strange Goblin sighed. "Ya. Them came by here. Took 'em to see Chief, I did. Not seen 'em since. But you donwanna go there. He's too busy making googoo eyes at dat angry longshanks lady. ... Oh, no! Dat's supposed to be secret!" He rushes back into the thorn wall and is immediately lost from sight.
"Wai-" Tochack stretches his hand toward the running goblin, but he swiftly disappears. "First angry elfshanks, then angry statueshanks, now angry longhsanks..." the grey gobbo massages his temples, sighing. "Not know if we can go trough thorn wall like that gobbo did, so we best follow tracks. Let's hope Laz and Auntie are alright..." he says,stowing his scimitar and preparing to move out when the others are ready.
Goo goo eyes at a longshanks?
He wrinkled his nose for a moment then shrugged. He thought he was the weird one for random thoughts and such.
And the elfshanks was looking for her friend your tienshanks diety if you will remember, perfectly acceptible reason to be angry. I'd burn through but this whole place would probably alight... stupid thistletop goblins. Lets just find a way out through the maze.
He added not wanting to waste the time it would take to probably hack through the undergrowth... besides, the other goblin tribe might not take too kindly to that.
As the group moves on, Sticky is stuck on one thing the gobbo said. What are goo goo eyes?
A rope bridge spans the gulf between the cliff and a roundish, flat-topped island sixty-some feet to the north. Thick patches of nettles and briars grow here and there atop the island, but its most impressive feature is a wooden two-story stockade. Two thirty-foot-tall watchtowers guard the stockade's southern facade. The rope bridge, itself, is made of hairy rope and thick wooden planks; the whole thing creaks and sways in the wind above the churning surf eighty feet below.