"I heard about old Father Tobyn's bones," the aged priest says in a wheezy ragged voice. "I figured it would be long before someone came round asking questions. Ask me what you will, Brother, an old man is tired of secrets and longs to tell someone."
Turning, you see Shayliss has somehow slipped out of her bodice revealing only bare flesh beneath. She wraps you in her arms in a passioniate embrace, her mouth finding yours her tongue probing out between your lips.
She moans softly and guides you towards the cot in the corner, tyring to push the weapon out of your hand.
"Yes big hero, help me with my problems." she breathes in your ear.
Tunder, Barek, and Aziza - The 2nd goblin greedily gobbles up the pie, letting out a satisfied belch at the end. "Me happy to answer more, if more pie." The prisoner says as he is led back to the cell.
Heading to Savah's (detail Map #12) you find it is a neatly arranged shop selling all manner of armor and weapons, including a few exotic weapons and several masterwork quality items. There is even an enchanted repeating crossbow with a darkwood and ivory stock bearing the name "Vansaya".
Savah Bevaniky is an austere middle-aged woman who is obviously pleased to have the Heroes of Sandpoint shopping in her store. She repeats her offer of 20% off list (PRD) prices and asks you to relate your combat with the Sandpoint Goblins in great detail. You notice the weapons sold by Thorn in prominent display in the window.
@Aziza: After spending some time shopping (maybe buying?) in Savah's you say good bye to the boys and head over to the elderly gnome's residence (Area 4 on detail map). Old Parooh is home and the door opens for you just as you are about to knock.
You find the gnome in his workshop, tracing a map of the Varisian coastline.
"Well young Aziza, to what do I owe this unexpected pleasure? I thought for certain you and old Brodert Quink would be knee-deep in Thassilonian research today?"
@Barek and Tunder: After seeing the little gnome off to the cartographer's shop, you turn and head for the Rusty Dragon. On the way you spy, Mirela fresh returning from her investigative work of the afternoon.
You ease back in the common room of the Dragon which has only 2 or 3 other patrons at the time and have the opporuntity to share any knowledge.
You fail to see Thorn around, though you all thought you left him here for the day.
"Well young Aziza, to what do I owe this unexpected pleasure? I thought for certain you and old Brodert Quink would be knee-deep in Thassilonian research today?"
Glancing around at the stacks of charts, maps and other piles of documents which litter Parooh's store, she smiles at the old gnome and asks brightly, "Actually, it's because of something one of the goblins told us that I came to see you. Some of the raiders entered the town using a 'secret sneak way', but the one we were speaking with didn't know anything more. I was wondering if you might have any old maps of Sandpoint showing any tunnels or caves beneath the bluff the town sits on? According to Shalelu, one of the goblin tribes regularly scavenges from the rubbish Gorvi dumps over the cliff, so it's possible they found a such a forgotten entrance during their forays."
She visibly hesitates a little before going on. "The rubbish tip on the beach is quite close to Chopper's Isle, and I've heard the stories about the 'late unpleasantness'... perhaps there's some connection between that and the goblin raid the other day?"
Depending on whether or not Parooh knows of any such tunnels or caves, Aziza may ask for a copy of any maps or charts showing the layout, if he has any. In any case, she will only spend half-an-hour at most at The Way North before heading back to The Rusty Dragon. If Parooh can tell her where to find Brodert Quink at this time of day, and the location is on the way back to the inn, Aziza will call in on the scholar and apologize for not seeing him this morning. Otherwise she'll ask Bethany to have someone take a note to him this evening, for which she will of course pay a tip.
Actually, Tunder will go with Aziza. He would like to look at some maps of the region. "I want to get a look at how to get to this head island and see where the goblin tribes are in relation to the town." for a bi
"And look, you brought a friend dwarf with you." Parooh smiles at Tunder.
"I don't know that I do have any real detail maps of the Thistletop Island. The Nettlewood is so overgrown, it makes exploration of that area very difficult. Hmmm, let me think...if I find something I'll bring it to you." he does point out a few maps that show the locations of the goblin tribes mentioned by Shalelu.
As Aziza mentions the smugglers tunnels, Parooh scratches his head. "There has been a persistent rumor that there were smugglers tunnels below town, but I don't have them on any map, unfortunately. The juicier rumors say smuggling was how old Rokuru Kaijitsu made his wealth, and the Glassworks was just a secondary front. Not that I put much stock in that talk mind you; that Glassworks is too succcessful to be just a prop."
He flips through many old maps and pages, seemingly a little flustered, but doesn't come up with anything more useful during the time you have.
Parooh believes old Quink will be at home at this time (area 8 on the detail map) which is not exactly on the way home. Probably best if you send a note and maybe see him tomorrow?
Seldon stops. "Secrets? What secrets do you mean, brother? Do they have something to do with the fire?" Seldon says, placing his hands on the elderly priest's shoulders and pleading earnestly to him. "Please, tell me all that you know about Tobyn and his daughter so that I might find the perpetrator..." he says, expression rigid. "and see them onto their final journey."
Barek returns to the Rusty Dragon and grabs a flagon of ale from Bethany. He looks around and is surprised to see none of the 'Heroes of Sandpoint'. He grabs a table and waits for everyone to return.
Actually, Tunder will go with Aziza. He would like to look at some maps of the region. "I want to get a look at how to get to this head island and see where the goblin tribes are in relation to the town."
After thanking Elder Parooh, Aziza heads back to The Rusty Dragon, walking along with Tunder if he is heading back to the inn too. Since they both move at the same pace, she can take her time to look around and greet people they encounter, whereas if she was accompanied by one of the longshanks in the party, she'd be scurrying to keep up with them all of the time... "So Tunder, you're not still planning on trying to scout the Thistletop goblin's lair tomorrow, are you? From what Mister Parooh just told us, it's a thick and tangled mess in the Nettlewood, perfect for goblins to ambush a small group."
"Of course it is. Goblins are cunningand and malicious. We need to get there soon. I want to know what they wanted that body for."
The elder sits on a bench in the yard, sighs deeply and begins the tale in his cracking voice.
"I have been here since the foundling Nualia was brought in this church. She was not Tobyn's natural child, in fact she was no natural child at all, but aasimar, a child of the divine."
"She grew to be a rapturous beauty but the town was frightned by her appearance and supernatural presence. Tales began that her touch could cure disease or a lock of her hair could increase fertility. The poor child was outcast because of her uniqueness and it ate at her."
"Tobyn was blind to all this. He had made up his mind she would join the Sisterhood at Windsong Abbey and become a Chosen of Desna. Her purity and sancity were inviolate to him. But the girl needed solace and fell into the arma of local boy...I forget his name. And, things being how they are, the girl became with child."
"When Tobyn found out, he was wroth as I never saw him before. He ranted and raved, and called for forgiveness. The girl was locked in the rectory and made to do penance daily asking for her purity to be restored."
"I witnessed her grow ever more resentful of her father and of the Goddess and her resentment turned to anger and her anger to wrath. Seven months or so into her term, she fell into a fit and miscarried the baby."
"Of course, I was not allowed to attend this, but the local mid-wife, Hannah Valerin, a fine elven woman, did. The story she told was horrific at best. The child was deformed and monstrous, the apotheosis of it's angelic mother. Hannah burned the thing and did her best to cleanse herself of that taint. We swore together not to tell a soul for all our days, I do not know if she will speak of it, even if I have."
The man looks at you keenly, making sure you are following and understand what he is telling you.
"The woman-child Nualia was overcome with shock, grief and rage and fell into a coma. Tobyn put out word that she had been ill all this time and prayed over her morning, noon, and night. I had been sent to Magnimar to bring back a powerful healing priest, but before I returned, Nualia awoke from her coma."
"Tobyn was relieved and over-joyed. His faith was returned and he thanked the Goddess and looked forward to a renewed relationship with the girl. But that very night, the church burned and both were killed."
He sighs, heavier this time. "I have been carrying those secrets around for the last 5 years. Perhaps only Hannah Velerin and I know the truth of what happened then. I do not know if this has any bearing on your current investigation, but it seems important, and as I said, someome needed to know. I hope you won't think poorly of a foolish old man..."
He smiles up at you and is silent obviously reflecting on what he has told you and the price of breaking one's oath of silence.
At the Dragon, Barek is there waiting, Mirela would arrive next, then Tunder and Aziza finally Seldon. No one has seen Thorn since this morning when you split up. Bethany and Morris serve you dinner, Lars keeps your libations topped off, but Ameiko is noticeably absent.
Aziza didn't end up buying any new weapons; Savah's offer to buy her quarterstaff for 5sp as a window display startled her, since although she was thinking about buying a better weapon, the offer made her realize that she doesn't want to give up her favourite walking staff... since Tunder bought something instead, no harm done.
Once back at the inn, Aziza will write a note to Brodert Quink asking if she could speak with him tomorrow instead about the Old Light, and explaining that she was caught up in official business today. She will ask Bethany or Lars if there is anyone trustworthy who could deliver the note to the scholar's lodgings in return for a silver piece or two.
Otherwise she will chat with folks in the taproom at The Rusty Dragon until the entire party is present, at which point the discussion about what has been discovered, and the inevitable argument over what to do about it, can get underway...
But as the tale turns darker, the smile falls from Seldon's face, he seems to wilt onto the bench, gray eyes turning strangely distant as he stares as he covers his mouth in horror. "Amarth faeg! An evil tale..." he says, weakly, placing a hand on the man's shoulder. "... and not an easy one to tell. I thank you from my heart, brother Eamon. Walk freely now, with this burden left by the wayside..."
Seldon takes some time returning to the Dragon, taking a detour along Junker's Edge and the cliff faces to the north of town, staring out across the bay. He slinks into his seat fairly quiet, and remains tight-lipped until the others begin to share their findings.
Tunder's only addition to whatever Aziza and Barek says is "Wait until they get to meet my new girl here." He says while lovingly patting his new crossbow.
"Aziza here has convinced me to delay going goblin hunting for another day and I would welcome some help."
"Well not much to tell from the other goblin, like I figured. It thought the goblins with the leader might be from Thistletop or Licktoad, but I wouldn't put too much stock in that. He did say that while he came in through the open door, others came through a 'secret' way. But he didn't know any more than that. Oh, and the leader spoke like a man, but smelled like an elf!" He chuckles at this and glances at Seldon.
If she does not stop her advances and talk like a civilized person, Thorn will attempt to grapple her to stay her.
"Daddy???" Shayliss says her eyes widen in fear than narrow as she calculates how to get out of this situation.
A moment later a large burly fellow with a full bushy beard stands before you, lantern in hand. He takes in the scene of his young daughter standing topless and being held by a full armed and armored elf warrior.
"What in the name of Abadar is going on down here. Just who in the seven hells are you, and what are you doing with my little girl. Turn looose a' her this instant." His hands ball into fists and his anger is apparent on his face and body language. He takes a threatening step to you. His size and anger makes it apparent he'd be a tough match in a fight.
Shayliss jerks away from you and runs to her father's side, scooping up her bodice and holding it in front of her. "Oh Daddy, he forced me. Make the bad man stop." she cries, tears rolling down her face.
Diplomacy Check. Thorn flabbergasted by the change of events tries to explain though knows that the situation looks bad. He releases the lady quickly and leaves his hands out in front of him. "Dear sir, there seems to a horrible misstep here, your daughter asked me to come take care of a dire rat problem, when I noticed there was no rats here I turned to find her this way. She is lovely though I would never force myself upon anyone." Thorn thinks to himself, I hope that the man would take reason rather than rash judgement in the sake of his name, though one omen after another, oh great here comes the goblins again...
Speaking up after Barek mentions the interrogation of the goblins, Aziza adds "I asked the local cartographer, a fellow gnome named Vernutt Parooh, if he knew of any old tunnels or caves beneath the town. He mentioned that there were rumoured to be some smuggler's tunnels, associated with the Glassworks somehow, but he had no specific information or charts."
Yet again, she's talking between bites of a pastry. "Tomorrow I'm going to speak with a scholar I met who is an expert on the local Thassilonian ruins. I've a notion that there may be some ancient tunnels associated with the Old Light. The goblins which Shalelu mentioned scavenge the rubbish thrown over the cliff here may well have stumbled upon such a 'secret sneak way' and used it to get into Sandpoint unseen."
Licking the last smear of pastry filling from her fingers on one hand, Aziza stands upon her chair to reach over to grab a pear from the bowl with the other. "Oh Seldon, I'm sorry I left you on your own at the Cathedral, but spending several hours reading religious scrolls isn't my idea of fun. Frankly I deal poorly with boredom, so once I realized that I'd be needed as a goblin translator at the guardhouse, it seemed a better use of my meagre talents than playing pranks on priests. Did you get to speak with this Brother Eamon at all?"
Ordering just a mug of ale, Mirela listens casually to the others reports for the day. "A secret entrance. We'll, let me know if I can help you find it. Seems like something that should be dealt with."
Grabbing her scroll case, Mirela unfurls the sheet she had written on. Looking up, she smiles and imparts her findings "Not too much to tell you all, except that the daughter was something of an oddity in town. Her name was Nualia, and she was an Aasimar according to Haladan." Appearing somewhat contemplative, Mirela looks off a moment before continuing in a more quiet voice "The people here, by the sounds of it, were a little cautious of her, and some thought she had angelic powers to heal or something along those lines."
Leaning back, Mirela speaks again with a normal tone and volume "She had a lover, a boy named Delek whom Tobyn disapproved of, so much so that he was going to send her to the Windsong Abbey convent. She grew seriously ill, nearly died though, so Tobyn never sent her. She recovered, just in-time to perish in the fire." Pouting sadly a bit, Mirela adds "It's all very tragic actually."
Taking a swig of ale, Mirela suddenly looks puzzled "Where is Thorn?"
The man stops and stares at you for a moment. "Hey, you're one o' them heroes who saved the town ain't ya? What are yo doin' in my cellar? Why is Shayliss saying you forced her? Maybe you should just leave..."
His fists relax and his anger while still smouldering burns less intense.
"Cover yourself, girl and get up them stairs. I'm gonna tan your hide when this is done."
The weeping girl flees up the stairs, but not before casting a baleful glance your way. "Oh, Daddy, it's just not fair. Katrine gets all the boys..."
The man shakes his head at you. "I'm not sure about raisin' no girls, Mister. First Katrine goes shacking up with the Harker fella at the mill, then Shayliss is tryin' to mount every boy in town. What's a poor Da' to do?"
He steps aside and lets you up the stairs and out the door without incident.
Seldon raises an eyebrow at Aziza, thinking that she has some very odd ideas about Seldon's idea of fun. However, his normally merry tongue stays still as he fixes his troubled gaze on Mirela listening to her recount her tale, expression grim.
"Yes. I heard much the same story." the elf, says, expression grave. He stares into his goblet, hand trembling slightly. "The aasimiar girl fell into the arms of a local boy, this is true. Thinking only of his daughters future, of the road that he would have her walk, he was blind to her pain. To her life as an outcast. But the tale did not end there..."
He leans in, lowering his voice. "Nualia became with child. Her father locked her away in the rectory and hid her from the world, and there she fell into a fit and miscarried, birthing a deformed and monstrous child, not of angelic heritage, but born of the pit... The midwife burned it, and she and Brother Eamon swore to secrecy." He sighs heavily, it is clear he isn't used to telling sad stories. "The girl fell into a coma in her grief, and when she awoke, the Cathedral burned to the ground. I know not what any of this means... but such fell fortune, and the robbing of Tobyn's grave as soon as the new Cathedral is raised..."
"... all of this cannot be mere chance. Something foul is at work, here. The curse of some demon, some cruel twist of fate... I know not." he sets his goblet down upon the table, shattering the silence. He has not touched his wine. "Nor are we any closer to finding a culprit."
Aziza's already large violet eyes widen at Seldon's tale of monstrous babies. "That's awful. Demons, huh? We should find out if there's any connection with Stoot and the altar that was found in his cellar after the killings years ago."
"Miri, this Delek who was Nualia's lover, did you find out if he's still alive and around here?" She pauses a moment, cocking her head to one side as a thought pops into it. "Do you know if this Delek has any elvish blood? Even a half-elf might smell 'elvish' to a goblin... and it sounds to me like the lad may have had a motive for getting revenge on the old priest."
"Yes, that is what people are calling me, my name is Thorn. I am sorry for any trouble I may have caused, please forgive my presence. If there is anything that I can do to help you in the future don't worry about asking, thank you for keeping a level head. Good day, sir." Thorn collects his sword, bows graciously and leaves. Thorn thinks to himself Pure craziness, I need to find myself a woman, not one of these girls in town, perhaps Savah or another.
Thorn quickly goes looking for his closest companion at the moment Seldon to tell him of the craziness of these youngsters. First at the Rusty Dragon.
Thorn manages to extricate himself from that sticky predicament without violence and soon comes storming into the Dragon just as you are discussing Nualia and the monstrous birth.
Breathless and angry he begins to tell the tale of how is afternoon was spent...
As the sun slowly sets over the Gulf of Varisia, the companions gather and relax with potent libations and stories of their investigations, the Dragon begins to fill again with patrons. The staff serves, but the stage remains silent as no sign of the Tian proprietress has emerged.
As your dinner is served, the door to the Dragon bursts open and a ragged looking woman enters carrying a babe, with another toddler in tow. The woman looks terrified and bedraggled the babe cries and the toddler holds a bloody towel over a wound on his arm.
"Where are the Heroes of Sandpoint? I heard they were here..." she yells frantically. Lars takes the tiny babe from the distraught woman, and Bethany leads her to where you sit.
All eyes in the place are turned to you as she speaks. "It's in my house!" the woman cries. "A goblin is in my house and it tried to eat Aeren. And Petal, oh poor Petal. And Alergast is all alone in there with it. Come you must hurry...I can't believe it's in my house..."
"Don't you worry none, ma'am. I'm gonna take care of this for you." He straps on his axe and gathers his new crossbow. "How do I get there?"
Caught by the panicked woman's entrance into the inn, Aziza pauses with a spoonful of the delicious smelling curry, which Bethany had just served, halfway to her mouth. "Oh dear... Seldon, that child is injured!" She replaces the spoon in the bowl before her and covers it carefully with her napkin. Jumping down from her chair she goes over to the woman and tries to calm her down.
"Start by telling us your name, then Alergast and Petal, who are they? I'm guessing the toddler here is Aeren... let the good priest here see to the child first, tell us what happened, then lead us back to your house, alright?" Aziza looks over at the elven priest, hoping that he'll see to the injured child.
Thorn gets up from the table, just getting a few things down his throat and into his belly. He thinks to himself, [b]Food later I guess[/i]. He moves to the entrance of the inn, waiting for the woman to lead them to her house, or at least someone to do such. He lets his other companions deal with the talking, he is done talking for the day, it got him in enough trouble.
Pushing her chair back and leaping into action, Mirela nods "Right, I'll be back momentarily." Running upstairs to her room, Mirela grabs her studded leather and runs back downstairs. While the woman answers the questions from Aziza and Tunder, Mirela concentrates on donning her armor.
Buckled and suited up, Mirela heads straight for the door with rapier drawn. Impatiently looking back to the her companions, Mirela barks "We should go, quickly. Let Lars and Betany look after the children so we can get to the house. These damnable goblins are becoming a serious threat."
Barek stands at the intrusion and the woman's shouting. "What the hell?" he says as her words slow sink in. "There's a goblin still in the town? Hiding in your house?"
He nods as Aziza ensures the child is taken care of. "Lead the way, miss. We'll take care of this goblin."
Aziza's words and demeanor calm the hysterical woman slightly. She pauses and gathers her breath and wits. She sees Lars holding the babe, and Seldon looking over the youth.
"My house is about a three streets up the road. I'll try to explain on the way. Please hurry!" She may be calmer, but the edge of panic is not far away.
The woman leads you up the hill to a small row house diagonally across from the Red Dog Smithy, where the 2 big red dogs are still lying in the yard. On the way, she relates: "Aeren is our 4 year old. He kept complaining about the closet goblin, but Alergast thought it was just fright from the Festival Attack. He saw a cat set on fire by a goblin." She sobs a bit, but thankfully keeps it together as you hurry up the street.
Alergast was angry that he was afraid of the dark and wanted him to be a man, so he made me promise not to come when the boy cried out tonight. But then Petal, that's the dog, screamed in pain, and Aeren began wailing. I ran to his room and saw...that thing....chewing on Aeren's arm. Petal was dead...so much blood. It was horrible."
"Alergast went in there and was tearing around in the closet, and he told me to go get help. So I came running to find you Heroes."
As she finishes, you stop in front of small home like others along the road. The door stands open and a small trail of blood drops and smears leads out from the door, showing where the woman carried the wounded child out.
"Aeren's room is in the back. Through there." she says, pointing to a door on the back side of the small kitchen.
The house is eerily quiet and dark. No unusual sounds are heard on first blush.
Catching up with the others, Mirela arrives on the scene. Without saying a word, Mirela points towards the back and nods to others. Rushing off, she quickly peaks through any windows along the way, trying to determine if she can see anything inside.
Upon nearing the door to the small kitchen, Mirela slows down and starts creeping alongside the wall. Peering inside without opening the door through any windows nearby, Mirela tries to gauge the premise before entering.
Moving inside the house, Mirela creeps slowly and lightly as possible, trying to avoid squeaky floor boards or any obstacles that might make noise as she heads towards Aeren's room.
Mirela looks through the kitchen and master bedroom windows, but the house is dark and she sees nothing out of place. Stealthily approaching young Aeren's room, she spies the door slightly ajar, a flickering candlelight coming from inside.
Thorn takes the lead, giving Miri a minute before he heads in, going in looking and listening, then he quickly yells, "Call out man!" Giving Mirela some noise as cover and a distraction.
Aziza will scurry inside after Thorn, being quiet at first, but giving up when Thorn starts yelling to move up to the doorway beside the fireplace. She didn't stop back at the inn to don her bellywarmer, or grab her quarterstaff, so all that she has with her is a dagger. Fortunately she has other means of defence at her disposal...
Tunder doesn't hesitate once he's told where to find the goblin. He moves cautiously but purposfully through the house to the child's room.
Thorn calls out covering for the others, but there is no response to his shouts. The house remains dark and still.
Aziza casts Mage Armor and the aura of blue electric energy suffuses her, granting a bit of protection for the next hour.
Tunder shoulders past the others and lines up next to Mirela at the door to the boys' room.
The door is ajar about 4 inches, and the light is seen flickering inside, but you cannot see around the door enough to make out anything behind. Pushing on the door reveals the door is stuck against something on the other side.
Just a little effort moves the weight on the other side, leaving a streak of blood under the door as it opens. The flickering light comes from a candle stub stuck on the floor next to the bed.
The weight behind the door turns out to be the corpse of a small dog, a rough looking shank stuck in its ear, blood pooling all around. Lying on the floor further in is a man, who appears to be hanging face first into a crawlspace in the closet floor. The man does not appear to be moving.
Before going to the man, Tunder makes sure that there are no goblins hiding under the bed, behind the curtains, or behind any other furniture in the room. He then checks on the man, Alergast, the woman said his name was.
Barek follows Thorn into the house. "What the hell is a goblin doing in here?" he mutters. He enters the room past Tunder and Mirela and sighs at the sight of another dead dog. He walks over to the man's body and grabs it to pull him out of the closet.
"Come out, come out, wherever you're hiding..." mutters Aziza under her breath, staying at the doorway to the bedroom while Tunder and Barek investigate the bodies and the closet. She's ready to cast Magic missile if any goblins show themselves. As Barek pulls the man's body out of the closet, she asks "Is he dead, or just injured?"
Thorn will assist Barek using on of his arms to grab Alergast's other free arm, or the collar of his shirt if both arms are being pulled.
Strength check.
"Were we too late?"
Seldon rushes into the room, stepping over the dog and reaching not for his weapon, but for his healer's kit, setting it on the ground as the others haul the man out of the closet, preparing a space to work.
While the others tend to the fallen man, presumably Alergast, Mirela quietly steps down the hall and peers into the master bedroom. Where in heavens is the child?
Peering slowly into the room, Mirela scans to see if anything is amiss.
The man, presumably Alergast, is unfortunately not breathing and appears dead. Barek and Thorn begin to move him from in the hole in the closet floor, (this was once just a crawl space, but has been ripped and splintered to enrlarge the hole) where he hangs face first into the space.
As you draw him up, you see the flesh of his face has all but been eaten away, and his throat has been slashed. You only barely have time to register this horror, when a the screaming wail of a goblin comes from the hole in the floor, and a scrawny, half-crazed goblin leaps out, blood staining his jerkin and face, metal hunk of goblin dagger in his hand.
The creature is a bit confused by so many of you and both parties lose surprise, but it makes menacing movements as combat begins.