"My Flail is just outside..."
Pirknok sighs. "Ah spose et 'ud do... ah am parshul to uh gud axe, though."
He heads back out to retrieve the flail.
Doran nods to Ysme, following after the young girl with his weapon shouldered. "I' 'e was th' only one we run in'a, all th' betta. Bu' I'm wit' ya," he says.
Tsuto's armor is bloodstained and bears some minor damage from the battle but is still fully functional.
His sword, still clutched in his death-grip, looks every bit as sharp and deadly as before even after slicing through Pirknok's weapon and Ventus's armor like paper.
Also, on him you find a bloodstained journal tucked into the back of his breeches.
Ensu grabs the journal while the others deal with the rest of the traitor's gea, flipping through it quickly as he waits for the other to regear.
The journal is soaked through with blood. The soiled pages are ruined and unreadable but the last few sections somehow escaped harm.
Ensu frowns heavily as he thunbs through the pages. "We need to find Ameiko and regroup as quickly as possible. Things are not as they appear to be on the surface, and our perverted friend here has allies who will likely miss him after too long of a wait, including one that if I am reading the book right by all rights should be long dead."
Pirknok looks at the armor and sword on his return and shudders. He makes no move to touch either.
He looks up at the gnome's words. "Wuddya mean? Shud be ded? That's reel violent-soundin' fer uh... uh..." He pauses, seeming to look for the right word. "... uh servint?"
As the group explores the front area of the Glassworks, the storefront, they find the scene of a terrible battle not unlike the one they just fought. The various displays throughout this area have been smashed, their contents scattered, and blood is spattered messily across the floor. First appearances would lead one to believe the blood came from the half dozen goblin corpses scattered about the room.
***
The party makes their way back towards the Glasswork's offices and it becomes clear that whatever goblins remained have likely fled as their skittering movements can no longer be heard in the rafters or in other parts of the Glassworks.
As the party enters a hallway of closed office doors, muffled screaming and pounding can be heard coming from behind one of them.
Pirknok rushes to open the door.
Ameiko practically falls out of the storage room she'd been locked in.
"Tsuto! Let me out-"
"Pirknok? Ysme? Eli? What are all of you doing here? Where is Tsuto? He was talking like a madman."
Ventus is quiet, but tosses Tsuto's sword onto the ground in front of Ameiko.
"I killed him."
Doran winces at the phrasing. "'e tried t' kill us, luv. Wa'n't nothin' we could'a done," the Chelaxian provides, a bit of regret in his mostly neutral countenance.
Ventus is quiet, but tosses Tsuto's sword onto the ground in front of Ameiko.
"I killed him."
Pirknok frowns at the ranger, but turns back to Ameiko. "Wut happind here, Miz? We was wurried about ya."
Ameiko winces as if she's been struck at Ventus's cold comment but Doran's explanation seems to snap her out of it.
"I see", she says sadly as she kneels down to pick up the sword.
She studies the blade for a moment before holding it up for display and saying something in her native tongue.
"It translates to Heart-Render. My brother stole it from the manor when he ran off the first time. My father assumed he sold it to pay his debts..."
"Show me his body."
Ventus does so, remaining stony and quiet but never meeting Ameiko's eyes. When they reach Tsuto's body, he takes the bloody rag that had been used to gag the prostitute on that first night and tucks it into the breast of Tsuto's tunic.
While Ameiko is distracted, Ensu will look around to make sure that her father's body is not also somewhere around here.
Obviously torn between staying & attempting to comfort Ameiko, and aiding Ensu in searching for Lonjiku's body; Ysme's crush concede's the field as she follows the Gnome through the second sweep of the structure.
Eli mixes up another healing infusion and offers it to Pirknok. "This will help." he says. "I'm sorry about splashing you with my firebomb. And you can use my longspear as well."
Ameiko's release brings a slight smile of relief to his face. The delivery of the news of her brother's demise makes him feel guilty, and he tries to help her, looking her over for any wounds or other injuries.
Pirknok takes the potion and downs it, grimacing a bit at the flavor, but sighing thankfully as he feels a few more aches subside. At the offer of the spear, he looks over at the gnome and then back at the alchemist. "Wull, now thet's a right-sized spear. No 'fense, Ensu... ah 'ud jest feel silly runnin' uhroun' with uh spear yer size."
He hands Ysme's flail back to her and takes the proffered spear from Eli.
Ameiko sucks in a breath when she's brought to her brother's remains. She casts a cold glance at Ventus but soon returns her attention to Tsuto. With a veiled sob, she kneels and caresses his broken face.
"I'm so sorry Tsuto. I couldn't save you from this."
Without turning to face him, she answers Pirknok's question from a moment ago.
"He was waiting here for me when I arrived along with a great pack of goblins but it was clear they were at his command and they made no move to attack me. He said that father was only involved in the goblin attack because he had forced him to but that doesn't mean that he wasn't guilty of other crimes - crimes that he would be punished for."
"He said that ruin was coming to Sandpoint and that he had to take me somewhere safe before it happened. We raved like a madman about her her vengeance, enough for both of them, was coming and that he wanted me safe before the city burned."
"When I told him to slow down and explain what was happening, he shoved me into that storage room and locked me inside. I've been trapped all day."
"I'll make a report to the Sheriff and get this area cordoned off for a full investigation," Ventus said, then he turned stiffly and started walking away.
Pirknok frowns, and his frown deepens as Ameiko continues. "Wus ther ennywun else here? An' did he say who 'her' wus? Et jest don't soun' like... wull, like normul, evin fer him. An' how come yer paw wus upset 'bout thuh uhtack failin' ef he dint want ta help with et ennyhow?"
"Whatever you do, don't let Ameiko come in until I have made certain Tsuto or the Goblins have left no further...
surprises for her in or on her father's...
body."
Returning to the others, Ensu quietly pulls Ventus aside, "I have found something in one of the other rooms that requires your expertise. It shouldn't take long."
Pirknok glances over at Ensu with a look of questioning concern.
Ventus grunts something non-committal but allows himself to be led by Ensu.
"I'll handle it Pirknok, you and Doran should stay with her."
The dwarf narrows his eyes slightly, but nods.
Doran nods as well, his weapon still shouldered as he looks around the room.
Ysme, you confirm that cause of death is indeed - katana. There's nothing else extraordinary about his remains other than despite appearances he appears to have been in very good shape for a man his age.
You lot also find a small lockbox containing Tsuto's belongings. Inside there is a small bag of high quality pesh, a couple changes of clothes, and heavy sack of coins (600 gp).
"I don't know Pirknok. He didn't say who she was."
Ameiko's expression suddenly shifts from sad to hard and angry.
"He was always troubled and I've been afraid that something like this was going to happen eventually... But I know that she was the one that put him up to this. Tsuto wasn't a good man but he wasn't a bad one either. He wasn't capable of this much hate..."
***
Several minutes later (about the time the others are finishing their investigation in the spoiler block), the sound of voices and armored boots appears outside. Lead by Lieutenant Krojun, is a unit of militia with a nervous halfling woman in tow.
"I'm sorry all of you", she pleads. "I was just so sorry worried that I went for the Sheriff too!"
***
The Lieutenant explains that the outermost scouts returned this afternoon with dire news. The goblin army was indeed regrouping and on the move. They were now less than a week from Sandpoint and making good time. At hearing the size and scope of the force (confirmed by all of his scouts), the Sheriff left for Maginmar immediately to beg for additional forces and other aid. Krojun was left in charge in the meantime.
"There have been rumors of goblin sightings in this area but there's been no time to confirm them. When the Kaijutso boy's name was mentioned I knew it was no coincidence. We came as soon as we could. What happened here? A couple of you got carved up badly", the shoanti says.
He motions and one of the guards steps forward and options a satchel. Inside are three vials.
Returning to Ameiko just in time for the calvary to arrive, Ensu frowns heavily at the report on the goblins. "My apologies, Ameiko, I hate to pile on bad news, but there is something you need to see in the other room." Turning to the Lt. Krojun, "Your information seems to match the information in Tsuto's journal, and that means the rest of the information in there is probably accurate as well. We don't have much time; we need to regroup and secure the tunnels, and whatever else may be down there, beneath this building. Once we get that done, we have the location of their main base, and can worry about how to deal with it then, but we need to secure the town before we try any offensive actions of our own."
The Lieutenant listens to Ensu's explanation and then gives the gnome a grim nod.
"Tunnels? Yes, it sounds like that might have been a large part in getting so many goblins for the initial attack inside the city's walls unseen. Your group already have a lot of experience fighting these vermin. I'd like you to secure the tunnels and see exactly how far they go. I will work with the men here to secure this place and see if we can't uncover anymore clues. When you return we will go over the journal in detail and we'll see what we can find out about some of those names."
"There's no time to lose. Tell me you're up to the task."
Doran nods, weapon slung over his shoulder. "Ya c'n count on us t' git th' job done, mate," he says.
"I would like to speak with Father Zantus before going down there, and several folks will need to replace gear, but we should be able to regroup reasonably quickly and take care of whatever is down there."
Krojun does a double-take at the realization that Ventus and Pirknok were bare-chested in such a dangerous locale.
"What happened to your gear? Wait. You can tell me on the way to the armory", the massive shoanti says with urgency.
"Make your preparation and be back here in an hour."
Pirknok accompanies Krojun (and presumably Ventus) back to the armory, hoping to replace his destroyed equipment. He relates the events at the glassworks to Krojun simply, leaving out the alchemist's embarrassing missed toss.
Ensu nods to the lieutenant as he quickly heads over to the cathedral, where he asks to see Father Zantus on an urgent matter.