Izbahn and Venmirl head back to the Glassworks along with a small group of guards. These are completely shocked to see the brutality displayed in the furnace room. They recognize the human bodies as being the numerous employees that worked (and for some lived) at the Glassworks. From what they can gather from blood trails and such, most of the employees were murdered in their beds and then dragged to the furnace room where goblins mutilated their corpses. The man encased in glass is also recognized: it's Lonjiku Kaijitsu, Ameiko's father, owner of the premises and head of the Kaijitsu family in Sandpoint.
The duo also takes time to show the guards the tunnel they found in the basement. In doing so, they also rejoin with Darst who hasn't move much from the spot they left him.
Darst beams. "You's back!" he says happily to Izbahn and Venmirl. "I knowsed it!"
Izbahn greets the goblin distractedly, with a tired wave, and seeing the goblin, only reminds him of what happened earlier. "Did anything unusual, happen, Darst?"
Izbahn greets the goblin with a tired wave, and seeing the goblin, only reminds him of what happened earlier. "Did anything unusual, happen, Darst?"
The goblin's eyes dart about nervosuly. "No," he says.
"Good, these guards will take over for you now, so do you waant to come back with me to my room?"
"Good, these guards will take over for you now, so do you want to come back with me to my room?"
Darst nods unhappily. "But no baths," he warns.
Darst nods unhappily. "But no baths," he warns.
Izbahn says to him, "Sure, I think I will need a bath by myself this time."
Naomi prays by herself for hours before succumbing to fatigue. She sleeps and dreams she's in a dark forest, pursuing a beautiful white stag. Her 'prey' is swift but it always seems to stop for her to catch up, almost as if it's leading her somewhere. Soon, the forest clears and Naomi finds herself atop a cliff overlooking the sea. There's no sign of the stag but, off the shore, she can see a young armored woman standing atop a rocky island. This huge rock has a shape similar to a human head. The woman stands at the apex of it, surrounded by thistle undergrowth. Her silvery-white hair sways in the wind and she stares at Naomi with cold eyes. Naomi looks away for a moment, somehow unable to sustain her gaze. When she recovers her courage and looks up at the armored woman, she has changed. Her face, no longer beautiful, is now that of a jackal and she's devouring a human corpse at her feet. Despite the distance, Naomi somehow knows it, the one she's eating is Dramen! Naomi cries out in anguish and rage before waking up, startled and troubled. Night has fallen and a light drizzle is falling down, mixing with the sweat on her skin.
Venmirl looks at the blood stains on his clothes and on his arms. "I will definitely need a bath tonight. Protecting people is a dirty business. Thanks for being brave and staying guard here at the tunnel Darst."
Wisdom:
Sense Motive:
Naomi prays by herself for hours...
Naomi prays by herself for hours...
Izbahn takes Darst back to the White Deer inn nad proceeds up to his room, ignoring the shocked looks and the protests of the innkeep. He gets up to his room, and asks Darst, "Please don't bother me for the time being. I need some time to think"
He heads to the bath and draws some hot water for himself, once the water is a near scalding, he strips naked and deposits his clothes to the side. The water feels refreshing and he relaxes as the hot water works its way to his bones. His mind drifts, and he spends the next couple of hours, until the water has cooled off, dozing, and dreaming about a pair of sky blue eyes.
Naomi prays by herself for hours...
Naomi sits straight up, clutching her holy symbol so hard it starts to cut into her hand.
"Are all the gods so eager to mess with me? Will I next see him in shackles before Abadar?"
She gets up, ignoring the pain in her hand and the blood dripping off of her holy symbol down her shirt as walks back in the Direction of the Rusty Dragon. At least she knew of three gods that were on her side, and she gave them thanks. She knew Dramen's death wasn't her fault now thanks to Erastil, but she still had to avenge his death, and that meant wiping out the goblin tribes.
"If this 'Nualia' Ameiko warned about gets in my way, she's as good as dead too."
Naomi prays by herself for hours...
1d20+4
Late evening
As Naomi finds her way back to the Rusty Dragon, others settle in for the night. Venmirl has taken a bath and reads a few pages from his grand-father's journal before going to sleep.
At the White Deer, Izbahn also prepares to go to bed. He dreads a bit spending another night next to Darst who isn't passed out from wine this time. He sighs and starts emptying his pockets when his hand finds a small book in there. It's the journal they found in the Glassworks' basement. He had almost forgotten it. Could it be Tsuto's? Or perhaps Lonjiku's?
Back at the Rusty Dragon, Syeira eyes the tired-looking Naomi when she comes back from her 'expedition'. The bard leads the priestess to her room, insisting she should use it for the remainder of the night. Syeira explain that she's helping Bethana keeping watch on Ameiko tonight so she won't get the opportunity to sleep much anyway.
At the White Deer, Izbahn also prepares to go to bed. He dreads a bit spending another night next to Darst who isn't passed out from wine this time. He sighs and starts emptying his pockets when his hand finds a small book in there. It's the journal they found in the Glassworks' basement. He had almost forgotten it. Could it be Tsuto's? Or perhaps Lonjiku's?
Izbahn, still trying to get the thought of the enchanting priestess out of his mind, sees the journal, and noticing Darst has already settled into the bed, despite the stern warnings given, decides to put off the inevitable, and prepares to read the journal. He sets himself comfortably in the desk, and summons a light cantrip, and proceeds to read the journal...
Back at the Rusty Dragon, Syeira eyes the tired-looking Naomi when she comes back from her 'expedition'. The bard leads the priestess to her room, insisting she should use it for the remainder of the night. Syeira explain that she's helping Bethana keeping watch on Ameiko tonight so she won't get the opportunity to sleep much anyway.
"Oh, thank you Syeira. I can help with Ameiko, if you want. I just need to get this hand wrapped up and clean the blood from my shirt. I'm glad it's a dark color..."
If(or more likely, when) Syeira declines, Naomi will go to her room, clean up, and sleep.
Darst grunts. "Hm? Light! No like light!"
Darst grunts. "Hm? Light! No like light!"
Izbahn turns to the half-asleep goblin, and says "Perhaps, you would like it on the floor..."
Darst grunts. "Hm? Light! No like light!"Izbahn turns to the half-asleep goblin, and says "Perhaps, you would like it on the floor..."
The goblin covers his eyes with a pillow. "Doesn't see what you gotta look at that stuff for. Bad business, bad business. Scribblies only make it worse."
The raid went about as planned. Few of my Thistletop goblins perished, and we were able to secure Tobyn’s casket with ease while the rubes were distracted by the rest. I can’t wait until the real raid. This town deserves a burning, that’s for sure.
Over the next several pages, an assault on Sandpoint by a force of what appears to be two hundred goblins is illustrated. None of these are circled and many are scratched out as if they’ve been rejected. Izbahn reads some more text on the page after the last of these maps.
Ripnugget seems to favor the overwhelming land approach, but I don’t think it’s the best plan. We should get the quasit’s aid. Send her freaks up from below via the smuggling tunnel in my father’s Glassworks, and then invade from the river and from the Glassworks in smaller but more focused strikes. The rest except Bruthazmus agree, and I’m pretty sure the bugbear’s just being contrary to annoy me. My love’s too distracted with the lower chambers to make a decision. She says that once Malfeshnekor’s released and under her command, we won’t need to worry about being subtle. I hope she’s right.
The woman depicted in the erotic drawing seems tall and exceedingly beautiful. Some would say her feature almost look angelic. Izbahn reads what was written just before the last of these drawings, one that depicts her with demonic hands, bat wings, horns, a forked tail, and fangs.
My love seems bent on going through with it—nothing I can say convinces her of her beauty. She remains obsessed with removing what she calls her ‘celestial taint’ and replacing it with her Mother’s grace. Burning her father’s remains at the Thistletop shrine seems to have started the transformation, but I can’t say her new hand is pleasing to me. Hopefully when she offers Sandpoint to Lamashtu’s fi res, her new body won’t be as hideous. Maybe I’ll luck out. Succubi are demons too, aren’t they?
Izbahn reads the journal, and his blood drains from his face, all thoughts of Naomi are driven from his mind. Earlier, he remembered Darst acting funny while in the tunnel.
He strides over to the bed, where Darst was laying there. He grabs the goblin, none too gently, and shakes him awake. "Darst! The tunnel! Did you feel or sense anything while you were in the tunnel?"
Syeira refuses Naomi's arguments, telling her she needs her rest.
Izbahn reads the journal, and his blood drains from his face, all thoughts of Naomi are driven from his mind. Earlier, he remembered Darst acting funny while in the tunnel.
He strides over to the bed, where Darst was laying there. He grabs the goblin, none too gently, and shakes him awake. "Darst! The tunnel! Did you feel or sense anything while you were in the tunnel?"
Darst yelps. "City goblin! City goblin! On I's way! On I--" He seems to become aware of his surroundings just as Izbahn speaks. "What what what? Tunnel? I, um. Didn't think it important. Anger! Something in there be very, very angry. Wanted to hurt I, wanted to hurt us all. Very, very angry."
Izbahn mutters a vile oath, and says to Darst, "Get your clothes on. I want you to go back to the Glassworks building and check on those guards we sent down there, make sure they are OK. Tell them to get away from that tunnel. Better yet, tell them to stay out of the basement completely, and just watch the stairs. Once you have done that, meet me at the Rusty Dragon. We need to see Amekio, NOW!"
Once he has sent Darst away, he grabs the journal and hightails it to the Rusty Dragon.
Izbahn mutters a vile oath, and says to Darst, "Get your clothes on. I want you to go back to the Glassworks building and check on those guards we sent down there, make sure they are OK. Tell them to get away from that tunnel. Better yet, tell them to stay out of the basement completely, and just watch the stairs. Once you have done that, meet me at the Rusty Dragon. We need to see Amekio, NOW!"
Once he has sent Darst away, he grabs the journal and hightails it to the Rusty Dragon.
Darst is already wearing his clothes, but he was so tightly bundles in blankets it may have been hard to tell.
He nods, though confused and frightened. Grabbing his razor from the table next to him, he leaps out of bed and runs out the door, heading to the Glassworks.
Izbahn arrives at the Rusty Dragon and finds that the staff is slowly preparing for closing time. Dishes and tables are being cleaned while the last few clients are led to their room if they have one or to the door if they don't. The wizard heads strait for Ameiko's room where he finds her sleeping while the old halfling lady, Bethana, is keeping watch nearby. She throws Izbahn an irritated look. She quickly gets up, puts her index over her mouth and starts to close the door on the wizard with her other hand.
Darst also crosses town but he does it in a more stealthy way, as is his wont. Upon arriving at the Glassworks, he sees a single guard patrolling outside the building. The man has a sword in one hand and a lantern in the other.
Izbahn will prevent her from closing the door, and he says quietly, and with a note of urgency in his voice. "Dammit, Bethana, this is important! I need to talk to Amekio right now, this concerns her brother Tsuto. Also, do you know where Naomi, and the others are? They need to hear this as well."
Izbahn arrives at the Rusty Dragon and finds that the staff is slowly preparing for closing time. Dishes and tables are being cleaned while the last few clients are led to their room if they have one or to the door if they don't. The wizard heads strait for Ameiko's room where he finds her sleeping while the old halfling lady, Bethana, is keeping watch nearby. She throws Izbahn an irritated look. She quickly gets up, puts her index over her mouth and starts to close the door on the wizard with her other hand.
Darst also crosses town but he does it in a more stealthy way, as is his wont. Upon arriving at the Glassworks, he sees a single guard patrolling outside the building. The man has a sword in one hand and a lantern in the other.
Darst creeps up to the man. "Nice human!" he says from right behind the guard. "Be there anybody guarding the tunnel?"
Bethana doesn't relent, at least not until a weak voice is heard from farther behind the door. "It's ok, Bethana, a few words won't kill me. Beside, I want to hear what he has to say." The halfling opens the door but she still doesn't seem happy. "Very well, say what you will, mr. Douvurk. I think your friend Naomi is resting in miss Iliosana's room. As for her, I think she's helping the staff somewhere. The rest of your friends aren't here."
The guard is completely surprised by Darst's sudden appearance. He jumps in fright but then raises his sword to strike. He recognizes the goblin in time and manages to stave off his blow. He pretty much ignores the goblin's question however. "Oh, you're that goblin ... You can't go and startle people like that, by Desna's Holy Guidance! Wait, aren't you supposed to be watched by those heroes? Where are they?" He takes a more threatening pose while waiting for the goblin's answer.
Bethana doesn't relent, at least not until a weak voice is heard from farther behind the door. "It's ok, Bethana, a few words won't kill me. Beside, I want to hear what he has to say." The halfling opens the door but she still doesn't seem happy. "Very well, say what you will, mr. Douvurk. I think your friend Naomi is resting in miss Iliosana's room. As for her, I think she's helping the staff somewhere. The rest of your friends aren't here."
"Bethana, could you go fetch Naomi for me?" There is a look of urgency in his eyes, then he realizes something he said, and a clouded look comes over his face. "On second thought, never mind Bethana, I think she needs her rest." He walks over to where Amekio is sitting up in bed, and takes the journal out, and silently hands it to her. "This is your brother's journal, Amekio. I just finished perusing it. Sandpoint is in even greater danger than I thought. What can you tell me about this creature?" He points at the pitcures of the beautiful, woman with the demonic arm. "Do you know who this is?"
Bethana doesn't relent, at least not until a weak voice is heard from farther behind the door. "It's ok, Bethana, a few words won't kill me. Beside, I want to hear what he has to say." The halfling opens the door but she still doesn't seem happy. "Very well, say what you will, mr. Douvurk. I think your friend Naomi is resting in miss Iliosana's room. As for her, I think she's helping the staff somewhere. The rest of your friends aren't here."
The guard is completely surprised by Darst's sudden appearance. He jumps in fright but then raises his sword to strike. He recognizes the goblin in time and manages to stave off his blow. He pretty much ignores the goblin's question however. "Oh, you're that goblin ... You can't go and startle people like that, by Desna's Holy Guidance! Wait, aren't you supposed to be watched by those heroes? Where are they?" He takes a more threatening pose while waiting for the goblin's answer.
Darst takes a nervous step back. "Mister Izbahn, he reading--never good ideas, I tells him, but he isn't listen--in book, given by nasty elfy. So he yelps at something and makes I tells him exactly what I's remember in basement, and then he freaks and tells me, he tells me, you see, to comes here and makes sure there be's no guards on the tunnel in the basement. Something down there, nasty and yes, and very angries. So he wants any guardsies downstairs to move to guarding the stairs, yes?"
"That's ... That's Nualia, the adopted daughter of the late Father Ezakien Tobyn. But last I knew, she didn't have a monstrous arm like that." Ameiko thinks for a moment. "Nualia died with her father in the fire that destroyed the old church and most of high town, at least that's what we thought. Her body was never found. From what my brother told me, she survived and, now, she has gathered a group of mercenaries at ... what was it? Thistledown? In any case, they have something planned for Sandpoint and Tsuto warned me I didn't want to be in town when it happened. He even wanted me to join them ... poor Tsuto, what a fool he has become. I'm sorry for what I told you 2 days ago. You were right, it was somebody from this town that was behind all of this. I just refused to believed it." A single tear slides away from one of her eyes.
The guard eyes Darst suspiciously. "Kevan can handle himself and he's wise enough to get help if there's something down there he can't handle. As for you ..." He sheathes his sword and tries to grab Darst by one arm. "You're coming with me!"
"That's ... That's Nualia, the adopted daughter of the late Father Ezakien Tobyn. But last I knew, she didn't have a monstrous arm like that." Ameiko thinks for a moment. "Nualia died with her father in the fire that destroyed the old church and most of high town, at least that's what we thought. Her body was never found. From what my brother told me, she survived and, now, she has gathered a group of mercenaries at ... what was it? Thistledown? In any case, they have something planned for Sandpoint and Tsuto warned me I didn't want to be in town when it happened. He even wanted me to join them ... poor Tsuto, what a fool he has become. I'm sorry for what I told you 2 days ago. You were right, it was somebody from this town that was behind all of this. I just refused to believed it." A single tear slides away from one of her eyes.
The guard eyes Darst suspiciously. "Kevan can handle himself and he's wise enough to get help if there's something down there he can't handle. As for you ..." He sheathes his sword and tries to grab Darst by one arm. "You're coming with me!"
Darst yelps and runs. "Dogloving guards! Stop tries to catch I! Never happen!"
Izbahn takes the journal back from Amekio, and replies, with a note of compassion, "Hey, no need to apologize for that, Amekio. From what I have read here, your brother loves this Nualia. Love can do strange thing to your perspective." He sighs. "Wait, you said you talked to Tsuto when he captured you? Did he mention anything about when you should leave Sandpoint? I hate to press you so hard, but we discovered a smuggling tunnel in the basement running under the Glassworks building, that Nualia was going to use for the second raid. I have guards watching it now, but there is something EVIL down there, and I plan on investigating that tunnel tomorrow with my friends."
The guard doesn't even try to pursue Darst as he knows he has little chance of catching a goblin in the dark of night.
Ameiko responds to Izbahn. "No, I don't know. I suppose I could have played along to learn more about his plans but I was so shocked that he had sunk to such a low that I slapped him, perhaps hoping that he would snap out of it. He responded by unleashing his goblins on me. I guess he couldn't bring himself to kill me just yet and ... thanks to you, I still live."
Darst heads back to the Rusty Dragon, still running. "Isn't catch me!" he shrieks into the night. "Never is! Never catch me, no-no-no!"
Ameiko responds to Izbahn. "No, I don't know. I suppose I could have played along to learn more about his plans but I was so shocked that he had sunk to such a low that I slapped him, perhaps hoping that he would snap out of it. He responded by unleashing his goblins on me. I guess he couldn't bring himself to kill me just yet and ... thanks to you, I still live."
Izbahn flushes a little, "That is quite alright, Amekio. Uhhh, well I am glad to hear you are doing OK. I have troubled you enough this evening, and you need your rest, as do I. Just a couple of favors, I ask: Please tell Naomi, Syeira, Calla and Venmirl I will meet them here downstairs for breakfast, should you see them, and let them know I will be joining them. I need to go find Darst, make sure he didn't get into any trouble. Also we will need permission to enter the Glassworks, as we plan on finding out what is down that tunnel."
Izbahn runs into Darst, and waves the exciteable goblin over, So, did you deliver the message?"
Naomi sits in the bed for a while, staring at the blank scroll she had meant to place a spell on before going to sleep. She kept thinking back to what Izbahn had said. If he did.. value you her, why should it bother her like this? She wasn't going to be staying her long, when her business was done here she was leaving. Why did she ache at that thought?
She finally gives up and goes to sleep after checking her her bandages one last time. [b]I'm really going to find a real kit soon, or at least some cloth I can use for bandages," she mumbles as sleep claims her her.
Ameiko responds to Izbahn. "No, I don't know. I suppose I could have played along to learn more about his plans but I was so shocked that he had sunk to such a low that I slapped him, perhaps hoping that he would snap out of it. He responded by unleashing his goblins on me. I guess he couldn't bring himself to kill me just yet and ... thanks to you, I still live."
Izbahn flushes a little, "That is quite alright, Amekio. Uhhh, well I am glad to hear you are doing OK. I have troubled you enough this evening, and you need your rest, as do I. Just a couple of favors, I ask: Please tell Naomi, Syeira, Calla and Venmirl I will meet them here downstairs for breakfast, should you see them, and let them know I will be joining them. I need to go find Darst, make sure he didn't get into any trouble. Also we will need permission to enter the Glassworks, as we plan on finding out what is down that tunnel."
Izbahn runs into Darst, and waves the exciteable goblin over, So, did you deliver the message?"
Darst yelps. "Human! I--oh, you. Um, n--yes, yes, message definitely delivered, they got it, yes, yes. Yes. Yes. Um, yes, yes, got the message."
Darst yelps. "Human! I--oh, you. Um, n--yes, yes, message definitely delivered, they got it, yes, yes. Yes. Yes. Um, yes, yes, got the message."
Darst yelps. "Human! I--oh, you. Um, n--yes, yes, message definitely delivered, they got it, yes, yes. Yes. Yes. Um, yes, yes, got the message."
Izbahn hears the obvious attempt at lying, at first has the urge to strangle him, but then he thinks of Naomi for some reason. Probably because she would have done the same thing to him as well. I guess. Damn.
Darst, you need to practice your lying more. Are you coming with me or not?" He asks in a tired voice.
Darst yelps. "Human! I--oh, you. Um, n--yes, yes, message definitely delivered, they got it, yes, yes. Yes. Yes. Um, yes, yes, got the message."
Izbahn hears the obvious attempt at lying, at first has the urge to strangle him, but then he thinks of Naomi for some reason. Probably because she would have done the same thing to him as well. I guess. Damn.
Darst, you need to practice your lying more. Are you coming with me or not?" He asks in a tired voice.
"Lying? I no lie. Lying not good. Lying is a not good thing. I isn't lie. It, um. Yes. No." The goblin gives up. "Okay, I takeses message, but they isn't believe me. Where's we going?"
Lying? I no lie. Lying not good. Lying is a not good thing. I isn't lie. It, um. Yes. No." The goblin gives up. "Okay, I takeses message, but they isn't believe me. Where's we going?"
"Back to my room, well, our room now, I guess. As long as nothing comes up the tunnel tonight we should be OK."
After they continue on for a bit, he mutters, "Damn! Why does she have to be so..." He notices Darst staring at him, "Darst let me give you some advice, don't ever fall in love."
Lying? I no lie. Lying not good. Lying is a not good thing. I isn't lie. It, um. Yes. No." The goblin gives up. "Okay, I takeses message, but they isn't believe me. Where's we going?""Back to my room, well, our room now, I guess. As long as nothing comes up the tunnel tonight we should be OK."
After they continue on for a bit, he mutters, "Damn! Why does she have to be so..." He notices Darst staring at him, "Darst let me give you some advice, don't ever fall in love."
The goblin puts a hand on Izbahn's elbow. "Isn't worry," he says. "I isn't."
He runs ahead into Izbahn's room. He drops into a crouch, and puts up a hand for silence. He approaches the wall, and puts his ear up against it. He remains in this pose for a few minutes unless interrupted.
The goblin puts a hand on Izbahn's elbow. "Isn't worry," he says. "I isn't."
He runs ahead into Izbahn's room. He drops into a crouch, and puts up a hand for silence. He approaches the wall, and puts his ear up against it. He remains in this pose for a few minutes unless interrupted.
Izbahn feels his patience ebbing, almost a physical sensation. "Umm, what are you doing" after a few seconds.
Izbahn feels his patience ebbing, almost a physical sensation. "Umm, what are you doing" after a few seconds.The goblin puts a hand on Izbahn's elbow. "Isn't worry," he says. "I isn't."
He runs ahead into Izbahn's room. He drops into a crouch, and puts up a hand for silence. He approaches the wall, and puts his ear up against it. He remains in this pose for a few minutes unless interrupted.
"Shh! There be mousy hole here. I's listening for pitters and patters of mousy feets."
Sure enough, there is a mouse hole, though it's probably long out of use.
"Mice. You are listening for...mice. Well, nice to see your priorities are in order!" He opens the door to his room, and yanks the hapless goblin into the room. "Do you know what time it is now?" he doesn't give Darst a chance to respond. "It is bedtime, so if you decide to go mouse hunting, you had better make sure I do not wake up." He then changes into his sleeping garments, not caring about modesty at this point, and climbs into bed. "If you want to sleep here with me, make sure your feet are covered, I hate cold feet in the morning."
Just before he drops off into slumber, his last thoughts are of Naomi, and her ice blue eyes, no doubt laughing about this scene. Funny, maybe Darst is a good cook, and we could see if it is possible to...