Remembering that some of the group wanted to talk with the Sheriff also, Venmirl waits at the stables until the group gets back from their morning hunt.
As you head back toward Sandpoint, Aldern chats with you some more. He talks about the latest rumors and scandals of Magnimar and about his plans to refurbish his decrepit family mansion on the lost coast. He also spends a lot of time riding beside Syeira. He inquires about her likes and dislikes and about what she thinks about the latest trends in Magnimar's opera scene.
Once they finally make it back to Sandpoint, the sun that slowly pierces the cloud cover is high in the sky. The hunting party heads to the Squash Goblin Stables to return their horses. Waiting near the entrance is Venmirl.
Izbahn rides back in silence, thinking Well, it looks like Syeira has become taken with Aldern, and he with her. I hope things go well for them, I think I was just jealous all along. Guess its only natural after all. Maybe someone else will feel the same way. I miss my family, wonder if I will ever see them again...
His musing are interrupted, when he sees Venmirl, looking disheveled and with the fresh stains of combat on him.
"Venmirl, what happened to you?"
Calla stops when she sees Venmirl and a concerned look crosses her brow, but she doesn't say anything. She dismounts and quietly leads her horse into the stables, patting it for a job well done, and then emerges again.
Focusing too much on what needs to be done, not even realizing what kind of shape he is in, Venmirl is taken aback by the comments his appearance is generating.
"There was a grave robbery last night...I've followed the tracks...the cabin with dead bodies and goblins..." he shakes his head and steadies his thoughts.
"Last night, after we departed company..." he begins again, this time more focused on telling his new found friends all of the details of his pursuit of goblins and grave robbers.
Izbahn, after hearing the story told by Venmirl, thinks quietly for a moment. Then you see a troubled look come over his face. "This trapper you saw in the woods, this Gregor, do you think he may have been working with the goblins, either willingly or being forced to by those beasts!"The last punctuated with a slap to his thigh. " Then they got rid of him when his usefulness to them ended, just like that." He snaps his fingers to emphasize this.
"We certainly need to check it out, and soon, but we need to recover from the days adventures first. We should see the sheriff rigth away though."
"Yes Izbahn ... It would seem like something these wretched creatures would do without hesitation."
"Let's head for the sheriff, it looks like there is something larger at play here ..."
"Until tonight Aldern, I hope the boar tastes like the excitement it brought with it today."
Naomi's hand goes to her her mace as Venmirl speaks of his experiance..
"Those little beasts are giving Cousin Gresh a bad name." Naomi thinks.
"Maybe we can track them back to thier hideout from the cabin. Would you care to show us?"
"I have no problem taking you all to the cabin. I can easily find it again. But Izbahn is right, we need to wait until tomorrow so that we can fully recover from our injuries." He face shows an unpleasant expression.
"Believe me, I didn't want to leave there without killing every single one of those little beasts. There is one in particular who hasn't seen the last of me."
"I can help your injuries heal a bit faster, I've had to help get some of my more.. active siblings up and walking again."
"Venmirl, do you think you can take us to where you found Gregor's corpse? Having his body would help us figure out what happened."
"Sure, I know exactly where it is, but shouldn't we go see the sheriff before we venture out again?"
"Yes, of course, we can leave after we talk to the sheriff."
"Let us go see the sheriff then...!"
After leaving your horses at the stable and saying your goodbyes to Aldern, you head up Main Street toward the Sandpoint Garrison. There, you are greeted by a pair of guards that flank the entrance. After you ask to see the sheriff, the two guards hesitate for a moment. One of them eventually offers: "You'll have to return later. The sheriff is in a meeting with the lord mayor."
"Wait, we know these ... You were there, yesterday. They helped us. I'm sure Belor would like to have them at this meeting. Their knowledge and experiences would help paint a better picture." adds the second guard.
The first guard relents. "Very well, I'll lead you to Sheriff Hemlock. Follow me."
The guard unlocks and opens the heavy door and invites you to enter the garrison. You eventually cross the central hall, where a few off-duty guards are relaxing. From there, you enter a poorly lit corridor that leads to a staircase that leads up. "The meeting is in the sheriff's study, up there..." Mumbles your guard guide. A few cells flank the corridor. As you cross it, you see that they are all empty save one. That one holds a small goblin that wears a tattered headscarf and padded armor which both look extremely dirty and utterly ridiculous.
The goblin notices the passing group, and his eyes widen. He hurries to the front of the cell. "Hello, you is heroes, yes? I is Darst! You is tell nice men I is not do anything, I Sandpoint goblin, I is nice! It is disunderstanding!"
Izbahn, not really paying attention, gives a start when he sees the goblin prisoner. I thought they had gotten rid of all the prisoners already. Looking closer at him, he realizes this was not dressed like the others who have taken part in the raid. The other had been dressed much better. Where did he get those clothes, a junk heap?
Izbahn gives a start when he realized the creature speaks Common at him. "Really, then what are you doing locked up here, goblin?"
Izbahn, not really paying attention, gives a start when he sees the goblin prisoner. I thought they had gotten rid of all the prisoners already. Looking closer at him, he realizes this was not dressed like the others who have taken part in the raid. The other had been dressed much better. Where did he get those clothes, a junk heap?
Darst sees the human pause, and he attempts to seize the advantage. "Yes, see? I is nice goblin! I doesn't do anything! I is Sandpoint goblin! You is help Darst, yes?"
Izbahn, not really paying attention, gives a start when he sees the goblin prisoner. I thought they had gotten rid of all the prisoners already. Looking closer at him, he realizes this was not dressed like the others who have taken part in the raid. The other had been dressed much better. Where did he get those clothes, a junk heap?
Izbahn gives a start when he realized the creature speaks Common at him. "Really, then what are you doing locked up here, goblin?"
"Is disunderstanding, I says, they nice men who make mistake! I is nice goblin! I is live in Sandpoint all my life, I isn't do anything! But they is no believe me, even though they nice men, they think I bad goblin! I is nice goblin, you is help me?
"Is disunderstanding, I says, they nice men who make mistake! I is nice goblin! I is live in Sandpoint all my life, I isn't do anything! But they is no believe me, even though they nice men, they think I bad goblin! I is nice goblin, you is help me?
Izbahn stops completely, forgetting about the meeting with the sheriff. All he sees in his mind is the death and destruction caused by these creatures. And the death of Dramen. With a visible effort, he maintains control of himself. "So, Darst, you say you lived here all your life. I find that hard to believe. Care to tell me where you lived since I have not seen your kind walking openly in town before."
"Is disunderstanding, I says, they nice men who make mistake! I is nice goblin! I is live in Sandpoint all my life, I isn't do anything! But they is no believe me, even though they nice men, they think I bad goblin! I is nice goblin, you is help me?Izbahn stops completely, forgetting about the meeting with the sheriff. All he sees in his mind is the death and destruction caused by these creatures. And the death of Dramen. With a visible effort, he maintains control of himself. "So, Darst, you say you lived here all your life. I find that hard to believe. Care to tell me where you lived since I have not seen your kind walking openly in town before."
Darst nods eagerly. "Well see, I is leaving junky place when I is young, because I is nice goblin that likes peoples. So, I is play for food, only nice men no understand and try to arrest me. So I hide. I has to hide a lot, see, 'cause nice men is very determyned. SO you probably no is see me often. After raid, nice men is smart and they gets me by leaving tasty food next to garbage can. I is come, try it, I smell trap too late and they catches me. Now I is here!"
Naomi stops cold when she sees a gobling. He hand goes slowly to her mace, her eyes narrow, and she begins clenching and unclinching her free hand.
Naomi stops cold when she sees a gobling. He hand goes slowly to her mace, her eyes narrow, and she begins clenching and unclinching her free hand.
Darst notices the lady staring at him. "Hello!" he says happily. "Is you friend?"
Darst nods eagerly. "Well see, I is leaving junky place when I is young, because I is nice goblin that likes peoples. So, I is play for food, only nice men no understand and try to arrest me. So I hide. I has to hide a lot, see, 'cause nice men is very determyned. SO you probably no is see me often. After raid, nice men is smart and they gets me by leaving tasty food next to garbage can. I is come, try it, I smell trap too late and they catches me. Now I is here!"
"So, you had nothing to do with the raid?" Izbahn tries to determine if the goblin is lying to him, but he really can't read the creature at all. He turns to leave, realizing the group has moved on without him. He says back to Darst, "We will talk again soon."
Izbahn sees Naomi with a black look in her eyes, and moves over to her, putting a hand on her shoulder, and guiding her away from the goblins cell. "Easy, easy, not here, not now.
"So, you had nothing to do with the raid?" Izbahn tries to determine if the goblin is lying to him, but he really can't read the creature at all. he turns to leave, realizing the group has moved on without him. He says back to Darst, "We will talk again soon."Darst nods eagerly. "Well see, I is leaving junky place when I is young, because I is nice goblin that likes peoples. So, I is play for food, only nice men no understand and try to arrest me. So I hide. I has to hide a lot, see, 'cause nice men is very determyned. SO you probably no is see me often. After raid, nice men is smart and they gets me by leaving tasty food next to garbage can. I is come, try it, I smell trap too late and they catches me. Now I is here!"
The goblin waves. "Bye-bye! Thank you nice humans!"
Darst notices the lady staring at him. "Hello!" he says happily. "Is you friend?"
"No, not a friend."
Izbahn sees Naomi with a black look in her eyes, and moves over to her, putting a hand on her shoulder, and guiding her away from the goblins cell. "Easy, easy, not here, not now.
"Thank you Izbahn, I probably can't afford to get jailed for killing a prisoner while we are investigating the raid."
"I thought those creatures had left town when we stopped the raid. Why in the world would they let that thing in..." She pauses. "Great, now I'm a freakin' hypocrite."
The goblin's ears wilt, like a cat's.
Izbahn says to Naomi, "He says he lives here in Sandpoint. We are not from here, so he could be telling the truth. He was not dressed like the other goblins in the raid, that's for sure. But then again, maybe not. We should ask the sheriff about this."
You leave the goblin prisoner behind and climb the stairs leading to Belor Hemlock's office. It is a simple affair with minimal decoration, a large oak desk, numerous wooden chair, an armor rack and an armoire. The sheriff is with two guests: Mayor Kendra Deverin whom you saw at the festival's opening ceremony and an athletic elven woman who wears leather armor and is obviously well armed. "I asked not to be ..." Belor starts but he pauses when he reconizes your group. "Oh, it you ... It seems you all have a knack for being at the right place at the right moment."
"Are these the strangers you talked about, Belor?" asks the Mayor.
"They are, my Lady."
The Mayor turns to face you. "Allow me to offer my sincere thank to each of you for the help you provided Sandpoint during the raid. It's not often people put their life in danger for others they barely know. Again, you have Sandpoint's thanks. Now, I think you should be part of this meeting. Perhaps it's time for presentations, wouldn't you say Belor?"
"Right you are, my Lady. I presume you know the Lady Mayor, right?" The Sheriff says to you before extending his hand toward the elven woman. "This is Shalelu. She an unofficial member of Sandpoint's town guard." Shalelu smirks at this as Belor continues. "She's an excellent scout and has been a thorn in the side of the local goblin tribes for years. Few in the region know more about them than her. We rely on her to inform us of trouble brewing in the region." Belor now extends his hand toward you. "Lady Major, Shalelu, these are ... uhm ... 'Sandpoint's newest crop of heroes'. I'm afraid I don't quite know all their name yet."
"It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Naomi Fairchild, a preistess. It will be good to have some one experianced with the goblins to fight alongside."
"My name is Izbahn, Izbahn Douvurk, a student of wizardry.". He looks closer at the elf lady, noting her mannerisms, (and her beauty) and then asks, "You are an expert about the goblin tribes living in the area, I take it. Forgive me for being so forward, but tell me, have these tribes worked together like this before?"
Shalelu makes a faint smile at the wizard. "Ah, so you've come to the same conclusion as I. I congratulate you for been able to apply what you learned in books to the real and vivid world. Indeed, from what I’ve been able to piece together, members of numerous tribes were involved in the raid on Sandpoint. But to answer your question, it's been about 10 years since the Goblinblood Wars where hobgoblins organized thousands of goblins tribes together, from Varisia to Taldor. I doubt hobgoblins are involved with the current troubles, however. I haven't seen any for years and the attack was too chaotic to have been organized by the ordered humanoids."
"Anyway, there’s five major goblin tribes in the region, and, traditionally, they’re pretty good at keeping each other in line with intertribal squabbles and the like. The fact that the five tribes are working together disturbs me. Goblin tribes don’t get along unless they’ve got something big planned, and big plans require big bosses. I’m afraid that someone’s moved in on the goblins and organized them. And judging by these recent raids, what they’re organizing seems like bad news for all of us.”
Izbahn thinks for a moment, wondering if he was complimented or insulted by the elven lady. "Well, I agree with you on your conclusions, but this raises more questions than it answeres, I'm afraid. Namely, who is behind this, and why Sandpoint? I mean, no offense, but there is nothing here I am aware of that would be of interest to go to this trouble."
From what Izbahn remembers, the Goblinblood Wars mostly devastated Isger, a country far to the south. Varisia wasn't affected too much. A few defeated warbands fled to the wilds of Varisia where they turned to banditry. In other words, he can't think of anything linking these Wars to Sandpoint.
"We have a vague description of some one who may be behind the attack. A human with black hair, pale skin, and a bow. We think he may have organized the goblins against Sandpoint."
"He had better hope his god is more merciful than I am."
Calla looks Darst up and down as they pass by and is about to say something to him when the others continue on towards the meeting. As she follows them, she glances back over her shoulder at the poor creature...
Feeling somewhat out of her element, Calla is satisfied to merely introduce herself at the start of the discussion and then stand by and listen carefully. She can't help but continue thinking about the goblin. He certainly didn't look or act anything like the goblins in the raid. He must have been locked up for a reason, she thinks to herself, I hope it was not simply because he is a goblin.
Also, forgive the interruption, but I noticed you have a goblin prisoner held down the hall. He calls himself Darst and claims to be a local goblin. Do you think he is related to the raid on Sandpoint?"
"We have a vague description of some one who may be behind the attack. A human with black hair, pale skin, and a bow. We think he may have organized the goblins against Sandpoint."
"He had better hope his god is more merciful than I am."
Sheriff Hemlock reacts loudly at this. "A human!" He thinks for an instant. "Black hair and pale skin, you say? It could be Jubrayl Vhiski. He's always up to no good, the Sczarni scoundrel."
Mayor Deverin shakes her head. "Belor, you have to put aside your personal vendetta for this. Jubrayl, for all his faults and crimes, has little to gain to see Sandpoint pillaged and burned. Besides, this vague description could fit many. No, this threat probably comes from outside the town. Sandpoint isn't without political enemies, we are many vying for Magnimar's favors and local trade. Perhaps one of our rival is ruthless enough to swoop as low as to encourage goblin raids on our town."
Izbahn, lost in thought, doesn't hear the exchange between the mayor, and the sheriff.
Knowledge, local
"Sheriff, I have some additional news. Just last night I found that a grave had been robbed from the boneyard next to the church. It was the grave of the Father Tobyn."
He goes on to tell the sheriff about his adventure earlier in the day of following the tracks to the cabin and the body he found there and then a vague telling of his fight with the goblins, leaving out his inability to get a solid hit on a few of them.
"Father Zantus said the dead man sounded like someone he knew named Gregar. I can take us all back there easily. There are still some goblins who need to be taken care of there..."
Also, forgive the interruption, but I noticed you have a goblin prisoner held down the hall. He calls himself Darst and claims to be a local goblin. Do you think he is related to the raid on Sandpoint?"
Sheriff Hemlock scratches his shaved head. "What he says his true, he's lived in Sandpoint for at least a year. Some townsfolk complained about his presence in the street but he's a slippery little bastard ; my men could never capture him. Beside, I don't think anyone ever saw him do something illegal, they only complained about him being a goblin. But, during the raid, goblins were everywhere in town before we even had time to react so it isn't a huge stretch to believe he helped them infiltrate the town somehow. Also, I have it from sure source that the North Gate was open the morning of the raid even if I had specifically ordered it closed. This Darst says he had nothing to do with any of this, but I have a hard time believing that. In any case, my boys were finally able to catch him this morning. Now, it's just a matter of finding what to do with him. I might just have to bring him to Magnimar for trial."
Izbahn thinks for a long time, calculating in his mind, about the goblin, what his motives are, and also trying to keep him from being slaughtered by Naomi, once he gets released from custody. "So, you will try him on charges af aiding the goblin raiders then. Hmmm, he did not strike me as being bloodthirsty as the other goblins." Izbahn pauses, knowing this will probably upset Naomi, the sherrif and the Mayor, at the very least."Maybe we can use him somehow, if he was working for the leader, he could lead us to the hideout where they staged the attack from. Even if he is innocent, he could lure the goblins out in the open, if for no other reason than to exterminate him for working with the 'longshanks'. Finally, I suspect this goblin, will slip through your grasp once you give him the chance. Best to keep an eye on him somehow, rather than have him out there somewhere.
"A Sczarni? Now there's a group I can imagine being involved, even if at the very least to take advantage of the confusion caused by the raid. If you can locate this Jubrayl Vhiski and bring him in for questioning-do not arrest him though, that could put him on his guard-I might be able to see if he does know anything. Of course, any Sczarni might do."
As she listens to Izbahn's suggestions, she goes pale with rage. After a few moments of speechlessness, color returns to her facce and with it a bad look in her eyes.
"Yes, a trick to pay the goblins back two-fold, using one of their own to bring them down."
Izbahn mentally sighs in relief. One of the things he learned in the Academy is when necessary, how to manipulate others to be persuaded to your way of thinking. It was a skill he didn't take relish in using all that much, it was a politicians purview, and they were always meddlesome. However, like Shalelu noted earlier, this was the real and vivid world, and these acts were a part of it.
I hope and pray this does not cause the loss of our friendship. Naomi is a good person, deep down. At least I pray I am right.
"Greetings all, my name is Syeira, and none of us could stand by idly while innocent people we're being slaughtered."
"I must say I still shudder at the thought that a human could be involved in this raid."
"Is it possible he was inside Sandpoint and opened the gates ?"
"Perhaps one of the guards of that gate know more ?"
"I suggest we go to the shack Venmirl was attacked, and bring that goblin along. If he really has nothing to do with the raid, he could be a translator ... I mean ... I think he knows more about goblins then we all do ... ?"