Felix finds 24 SP amoung the goblins, and a tin horn on a nearby tree branch.
You now are standing in the middle of a path, with 5 dead goblins, a live (but restrained) goblin, and a small fox.
Emyralda approaches the goblin with a stern expression on her face. "I don't know if you can understand me or not, but for your sake I hope you can. Now tell us where your tribe is located and who - or what - is leading you. Otherwise..." she pauses menacingly as she makes a mystical pass behind her back. Suddenly, her features shift into the appearance of a bizarre, snarling, insane fey creature! "I'll cut out yer guts as ye watch an' wear 'em fer a necklace!" she shrieks, cackling maniacally.
Tara smirks at the clever use of magic by Emy. Wonder if I could figure out how to do that?
Darian moves the fox away from the interrogation, still waiting for it to wake up.
Hope we weren't to late to help the little guy.
"Just kill it." Darian says over his shoulder. "Between Gopher and Felix, I'm pretty sure we can track them just fine."
Darian sets the fox free of the trap. It looks around at the party briefly, then at Darian. It then turns to eat and drink from the food that Darian put out for it.
When the fox finishes it's meal, Darian offers it more, tossing the pieces a little closer to where he sits. He continues this, a ways away from the group, until the fox either runs off or feels safe enough to eat from his hand.
Terra watches the fox eat as she listens to the goblin's response.
The goblin starts in fear as Emyralda's face changes.
"Home jus' down path! Path take you right there! Big-big boss an' pretty lady in charge! They tell big bosses what to do! Me's jus' doing orders!"
Tara remains silent, watching the bard milk the goblin for all it's useful information.
Terra nods enthusiastically as the goblin starts to spill the beans.
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Soth-Loren asks Lady Emyralda to walk to the side for a moment (when we are not in a combat situation). He seems a little ore perturbed and unsure of himself with wat he is about to ask, like he is unsure how to say something. "I have, there is a dispatch I needeth to send to a people like unto your people. It is, . . . 'tis import. If thou where to send a letter from the field, how wouldst thou do so, milady? How can I know she shall recieve it?"
"Home is just down the path, eh? And just how many nasty little surprises have you vermin hidden along that path, hmm? Why don't you just lead the way and show us where all the traps are, my little pet. And while you're at it, tell us how many of your little friends are waiting at home, and just who and what the 'big-big boss an' pretty lady' are. Speak up quick now, or I'll stick you in my cook-pot and eat you for supper!" fey-hag Emyralda fairly shrieks in the goblin's face.
"No su'prizez! No su'prizez! Path watched by goblins! Watched close!"
"Many-many goblins! Hand of tribes at least!"
"Big-big boss mighty <goblin word>! Powerful shaman, nature does what he's tell it to! He an' big boss <same goblin word> tell us's what to do! An' pretty lady is Big-big boss's lady! He listen to her, an' give her captives sometime! Then she give 'em back to us!"
"And how many hands of goblins are in a tribe, poppet? And what is the pretty lady? A longshanks, like these?" fey-hag Emyralda asks, pointing to her companions. "Or something else? And what do you mean she gives captives back to you? Describe her well, little morsel, or my longshanks friend with the pictures on her skin will stick her fingers in your ears and melt your tiny brain!" Emyralda adds, pointing to Taravel.
Tara knew her cue, and used her magic to melt a small patch of grass in view of the goblin. "Just tell me when he tells a lie," the warrior exclaiming, knowing that while the gobbie might not understand the words, he'd certainly recognize the tenor.
The panicy goblin looks confused for a moment, as if you had asked a question beyond it's understanding. It wiggles its toes and fingers, then says, "Hand of hand of goblins in tribe...maybe? Many-many for sure!"
"Pretty lady not ugly longshanks, but <that goblin word again>. She pretty like, like... settin' big-big fire!"
"Big-big boss give her captive. Us's no know what she do, but then she give captive back to big-big boss, and then us's have fun."
Emyralda's features morph back into her normal appearance as she glances toward her companions for any additional questions for the goblins. "Sounds like quite a large number of goblins being led by a few creatures of unknown species," she comments.
"One more question, little poppet," she adds, turning back to the goblin. "Where's the secret path to your home - the one that's not watched by your friends? Tell me quick, or the elfling will write your name in her great big book..." she says in a soft but threatening voice, pointing toward Terra.
Know. Nature
Slowly, something dawns on Darian.
"Terra! Can you make an illusion of that woman from the casino?"
Knowledge(Dungeoneering)
Terra Raises her book to show the Goblin. "Hmm, The "Pretty Lady" probably has something to do with fire. Possibly an elemental or something... Make an illusion of that woman? I could, although it will use the only illusion spell I have prepared for this day. Do you want me to do that? Maybe just describing the lady to the goblin would work too? If not I can cast it."
Darian shrugs. "You think you can describe her well enough for a goblin?
"Uhh... I don't know, I thought... I-I'll just cast the spell..."
Terra cast's silent image in the likeness of the woman from the bar.
"Is that "Pretty Lady?" Darian says roughly to the goblin, pointing at the image.
"Pretty lady not longshanks, no! no! Pretty lady <same goblin word>!"
"Terra, can you change what the image looks like?"
"Umm. No... I can create any object, creature, or force with the illusion, but once I create the illusion, I can only move it around. S-Sorry..." Terra replies sadly.
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"I may be of some assistance in that, should you cast the figment spell upon me, I would be able to captivate them for a time, letting the others move into a position of ideal circumstance and strike with fury."
"We should be on the move though, either way. The longer we standeth here, the more likely another "patrol" is to stumbleth upon us in the planning."
Terra bites her lip. "Umm, I could adjust the illusion like that, but The illusion is locked within a certain area... as soon as we get between 25-50 ft it will fail... I'm sorry my spells are so limited. I-I could cast it with my ring, but I can only do that once a day too. I usually like to keep that for a unexpected situations. But I can recast the spell if you really think I should, lets just make sure we are in the right place before I do."
"No, I don't think we need to worry about casting it again. Save it for when it matters."
Darian looked down at the goblin, as though considering something, then shook his head.
"Soth's right. We need to get moving and we can't exactly afford to look after a prisoner right now."
"I think we just have to dispose of this little one. Can't have him getting back and warning the others before we get there."
"One more question, little poppet," she adds, turning back to the goblin. "Where's the secret path to your home - the one that's not watched by your friends? Tell me quick, or the elfling will write your name in her great big book..." she says in a soft but threatening voice, pointing toward Terra.
"But this be secrit path! Only us's goblins use it! Me'sa know no secrit path!" the goblin wails in protest.
"Write his name in the book, Terra, since he can't guide us to his home without the other goblins seeing us," Emyralda says, turning and walking away from the goblin.
"NO! NO RITE MY NAME! NO RITE MY NAME!" the goblin screams.
Emyralda pauses, glancing over her shoulder toward the screaming goblin. "So are you saying you can lead us to your home without any other goblins or the big-bosses or the Pretty Lady seeing us?" she asks slyly.
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"Come now, no need for cruelty. Even if the Goblin says that he may leadeth us as such, we can't risk it. T'is too possible that it would be an ambush, concidering this bunch is well organized and uses tactics. And if It truely hath any affection for this Pretty Lady, it certainly wouldn't lead us to her."
"Soth, I think you might be overestimating the scope of goblin emotions." Darian said with a slight smile.
Looking down at the goblin, Darian shook his head. "Even if his tribe hadn't been attacking caravans for months, I'm perfectly willing to hang the little bastard for nothing more than what he was doing to that fox."
"But Soth has a point about cruelty. I'm going to let the rest of you figure out his fate. You know my vote."
"Umm, I-I'll go with whatever the group decides..." Terra says timidly.
"I'd vote we give the little bastard a chance to lead us to the home without being detected. If he betrays us, what's one more goblin to kill? If he proves valuable, then we can try to redeem the little guy.."
Emyralda nods in agreement with Taravel.
Raising a dubious eyebrow, Darian nods slowly. "Alright. He's your responsibility though."
He moved a ways off toward where he'd left his dog bowl, he refilled it and glanced around for the lucky little fox. Gopher would just have to eat off the ground for a day or two. He'd pick up another bowl when they got back to town.
Terra makes sure to keep her distance from the creepy little goblin.
"But... But... There no secrit path! the goblin wails. "Can't go way that does not be! This path go to villages an' pretty lady! No other path go there!"
"Well, secret path or not, you are coming with us. What's your name, little one? You are going to be right by my side!"