Beagan looks over at his companions and nods, signaling that he is ready. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.
Remember, life is just a stage, and I'm the star of the show!
Beagan walks forward and cracks his little knuckles, trying not to grimace from the pain, and stares coldly at the goblin. After a moment of silent staring, the gnome begins to wildly muss his fiery red hair and beard, making himself look like a wild-eyed, red-headed, miniature hobo.
Snarling, Beagan begins to loudly address the goblin in its own language.
The forlorn goblin doesn't even look up or notice your existence. He continues staring at the floor and a low keening sound begins to escape him.
Alright, that didn't work... Let's try a different method.
Beagan begins wriggling his fingers and starts an arcane incantation, focused directly on the goblin.
The goblin captive shakes his head as the spell is cast and tries to throw off the charm of the gnome caster, but at last he succumbs to Beagan's magic and is under his spell.
Vivianna quickly becomes bored because she doesn't understand a word.
So she turn her attention to the jailer, questioning him about his tattoos their meaning and so on.
Beagan smiles and looks over to the group for approval.
"Aha! I did it! See how intimidating I am?"
- Why did the goblins attack Sandpoint?
- Who was the "longshanks" that led them?
- What is this symbol? (shows the goblin the seven-pointed star)
- Why did they steal from the graveyard?
Beagan gets an aggitated look on his face and begins yelling at the goblin, "WHAT'S IN THE BOX!?"
Here are answers to your questions in summary form, follow up questions are okay and expected:
Why did the goblins attack Sandpoint? The goblin looks at you and explains he was told by his chieftain that there would be food and loot for all if they came on the raid. And there was until you heroes showed up...
Who was the "longshanks" that led them? The goblin says, chief met with hooded longshanks before talking about raid. He did not see him up close, but he talked like a man, but smelled like an elf.
What is this symbol? (shows the goblin the seven-pointed star) This new totem for tribe, me not like it, me like old one better.
Why did they steal from the graveyard? He doesn't know anything about stealing from a graveyard or a box.
Dolgrin stands towards the back as the questions and answers flowed, his knuckles cracking as he clenched a fist now and again.
Beagan turns and walks back over to the party with a frustrated look on his face.
"These goblins don't know anything more than what we already do, it seems. But , on the plus side, I've got a new goblin friend! If you guys have questions you want me to ask, go ahead. Otherwise, I think we've got everything here."
The gnome strolls back over to the prisoner.
Which tribe is he from?
Who is his chief?
What is the new tribe called?
Where does his tribe live?
How many warriors are in his old tribe?
How did this longshanks get the tribes to work together?
Which tribe is he from? Head Island Tribe, near Nettlewood.
Who is his chief? His Glorious and Rotund Lordship, Ripnugget the Bold, His Imperial Hugeness.
What is the new tribe called? Not new tribe, just new totem. Ripnugget changed because She asked him to.
Where does his tribe live? At home...(see above, Head Island)
How many warriors are in his old tribe? Tribe has few warriors, but many came on raid since Chief said it would be easy. Many fell.
How did this longshanks get the tribes to work together? He met with Chief and Chief say we go on raid. Me think She put him up to it.
Longshanks is female?
What language did Longshanks speak?
I would like to question the other as well, hoping for more. One of the two was from the encounter with Foxglove, right? Should know more about the Longshanks, I would think.
Longshanks is female? "No. Hooded longshanks male. He speak goblin words, but not goblin, sound like human."
Once the others are done with this guy, you can switch out victims.
Then who was SHE in She asked Chief to change totems and She put Chief up to going on combined raid?
The goblin looks grim when he answers this and a low growl escapes the back of his throat.
"The devil-woman. The she-monster that Ripnugget listens to."
Devil-woman? Goblin or something else?
Why do you hate her so much?
Devil-woman? Goblin or something else? "She not goblin, no way!; She more longshanks, but not."
Why do you hate her so much? "She not goblin but Chief follow her. Him lead bad when She around."
Short like goblins?
Look kind of like the guy in front of you, or fatter?
Furry feet, or shoes, or neither?
The goblin wrinkles his nose (can they do that?) at you.
"She not like goblins or like tasty little gnomes, she like LONGshanks. But she not longshanks like you. She mean and angry."
"Good thinking, Gudada! I didn't even think of those questions. I'm getting pretty beat, though. Do you think we can call it day yet?"
"Why would the chief follow a female longshanks? What is she that he would listen to her?"
"I am not sure what to think about all this. Longshank but not like us? Maybe elf? Or tiefling? In any case the goblins seem to dislike her. Would it be possible to try and talk with some of the tribes and presuade them to remain at peace with Sandpoint?
I prefer such approach ,is better than the circle of violence and revenge but i know little about the goblins. What do you think?"
After finishing with charmed goblin, the Shoanti jailer hauls him back to his cell. "You still want the other one, guv'ner?" he asks the gnome fellow.
"No, that's quite alright. I think we're done here. Thank you good fellow!"
Beagan will head back to the Dragon for the evening to relax in the hot baths. He will invite Ameiko and any other ladies in the tavern to join him, of course.
"You know what they say, Once you go 'gnome', you'll never go home!" Beagan exclaims with a wink before (likely) retreating to the baths alone.
The interrogation finished, the jailer hauls off the two scurvy goblins and you make your way back to the Rusty Dragon for dinner, a bath, a nightcap, and some well deserved rest.
Heads still spinning slightly from the information picked up today, you order dinner and sit to quaff from the Inn's fine ale.
Beagan manages to flirt a little with the distaff crowd without being slapped or offending any of the ladies or tarts in the place but much to his disappointment, Ameiko is not to be found in the common room today.
As the little gnome slips off to bathe, the door of the Inn slams open. A breathless young woman holding a toddler stands in the entry. Both are blood-stained and crying. The woman cries out:"Are they here? The heroes of Sandpoint! I need them! Oh my poor boy, and Alergast...hurry we must help Alergast. Come, follow me!"
"Ma'am, before we do anything, whose blood is that? Are either you or the child hurt?"
Dolgrin downs the ale in his recently filled mug in one quick pull before slamming the bug down and standing while wiping his beard with the back of his arm. "Aye, if'n ye be hurt, ye must see to it. Elsewise, let's be off an' ye can speak o' yer troubles on the way."
Just before taking the last step up the stairs, Beagan turns to hear the sudden commotion, nearly toppling backyards as a result.
"Yes, what my companions said! You came to the right placy, lady. For we're not just the Heroes of Sandpoint, you see, but we're THE LAW! And hurting beautiful ladies such as yourself, and babies too! The law will not stand for such things! Lead on!"
The woman is wild-eyed and on the verge of hysteria. "What! Oh, my, it's baby Aeren's blood. Look he's bitten..."
She holds up the baby's arm and you do see a bleeding wound there.
After you get done examining the child, little Bethany, the inn manager, takes the child from the distraught mother. "Go dear, show these heroes what is happening. The child will be fine here with me."
The mom nods barely comprehending and begins to trot then run out the door of the inn, and down the twisting streets of Sandpoint.
Dolgrin glances at the child's wounds. "It shouldn'ae take more than a wee bandage te staunch the flow. But I take yer meanin' on tha danger. Looks like a bite all right. An' given the propensity of certain little creatures te visit, I be thinkin' it were a goblin," he says and follows her out the door.
"A goblin bit the baby!? That's it! That clearly breaks some kind of law, and we're not going to stand for it! Lead on, Officer Dolgrin!"
Whew, it's a good thing I have those days of acting to fall back on! Perhaps acting is where I should have put my focus, not comedy. Most non-gnomes don't get humor anyway. Something to think about later, once this is all over!
The woman runs briskly for a few blocks then stops in front of a modest, but well-kept cottage. The front door stands open and a light blazes in the back part of the house, but from the outside the place is eerily quiet.
"Something bit Aeren, for sure." she says. "He'd been complaining of a monster in his closet for the past few nights since the attack. Alergast, that's my husband, told him to be a man and closed him in his room. But tonight he started screaming, and Alergast opened the door and there was --soemthing in there. I grabbed the baby and ran for help, Alergast went after 'it'."
"I don't know what happened next." She begins sobbing, as the emotions of what has happened start to catch up with her.
The Varisian pulls his rapier before heading into the home. "A monster in his closet since the raid? <sigh>"
"We'll be findin' out the particulars, right quick." Dolgrin pulls out his battleaxe and enters the home.
"Where's the back door?" queries Aleksander. "I'm not as much good in close spaces, and will watch the back in case something bolts when you chase it.". The disturbed ranger languidly draws his bow and readies an arrow and heads off to the back of the cottage to keep watch.
The anxious mother says: "Surely it';s not a real goblin in there, right? I mean, we thought it was figment of his imagination after seeing the raid the night of the Festival. I guess maybe that's why Petal was so worked up last night? She barked and barked at Aeren's door."
As you enter the cottage, the front room is dark, but the light from the back (or darkvision) allow you to make out a welcoming front room. There is a hallway down the side of the cottage, where a shaft of light peeks from the open door. Additionally there is a side door, into what might be the child's room. The door there is ajar, but only cracked and a flickering light, like a sputtering candle, comes from within.
Ominously, there still is no sound.
Beagan looks nervously at Dolgrin and Gudada.
There's goblins hiding in people's homes, now? How do we defend against that?
Beagan will stay behind the non-gnomes with his quarterstaff at the ready.
Viviana follow the Varisan in to the house and looks around.
"It's a bit dark in here."
She caress the blade of her weapon making it glow with soft golden light.
The added illumination from Viviana's orison makes it easy to see the details of these neat and tidy front room. A kitchen, a dining table, and a few chairs along with the usual accouterments of lower income life abound in the place.
Dolgrin moves into the house, axe ready, performing a quick survey of the entrance before moving towards the child's room.
The door to the interior room is slightly ajar about 3 inches, not enough to see in well. A flickering light illuminates the inside. Pressure on the door reveals a weight behind it holding it in place.
Doglrin pushes at the door to try to move the weight to open the door or at least see what the blockage is.
"Thank you for the light, Viviana. So, let's find the would-be eater of children . . .." Gudada follows Dolgrin, trying to watch for paths he can use to go (or tumble) around or past any goblins we might actually find in the home.
"Alright, gobbo! We know you're in here! Come out with your hands up and your teeth... closed. Yeah, we don't want to have to beat you up, unless you want us to, in that case we'd be happy to oblige!"
With just a little force, the inner door pushes open, revealing a horrific scene.
The room is typical little boy's bedroom, but lying on the floor blocking the door is the body of the family dog, Petal, with a shank of steel stabbed hilt deep in it's ear.
Also sprawled on the floor with his head hanging down into a crawlspace in the closet floor is a grown man in a dressing gown. You can only assume the man is Alergast, husband to the hysterical woman and father to little Aeren.
The man lays there face in the hole, unmoving, as you enter.
"That's a bad sign. Did it start eating the dog? I hope it is still here, because that would be better than having it loose in town."
Beagan peeks around the corner, but doesn't dare go any closer.
"Uh, hello sir? We were wondering if... Uh, what are you looking at in there? Is there something down there?"
Dolgrin frowns at the bloody scene before moving to check on the fallen man.