Kylar cocks his head at Wilhelm. "Once we have asked our questions, you are free to do as you wish with them." With a glance to the still-unconscious goblins, he continues, "I recommend letting them believe we will free them, though."
Nothing loosens the tongue like hope. Even false hope. I wonder if the killing will be less good after they've spoken? Is that how it is with these warrior-types?
"As long as ye ain't gonna actually let the li'l bastards loose."
Wilhelm fetches some rope and after a few moments work, the goblins are tied up. A few moments, and the little terrors are awake.
"Uh, nice Longshanks, let us go, yes?"
Wilhelm gives him Kylar a smirk that says, "Well, you wanted to talk to them."
"Uh, nice Longshanks, let us go, yes?"
Kylar kneels down in front of the one that spoke, and gives the creature a polite smile. "We may, if you help us. Are you going to help us?"
Behind the platitudes, Kylar searches his mind for everything he knows about goblins and the way they think.
Goblins are fairly common no matter the clime or the terrain, but they do show up more in heavy forest, caves, mountains, and rocky foothills where those two things are in abundance.
Goblins hate dogs, horses, gnomes, and dwarves with a passion that borders on psychotic. While they kill dogs, horses, and dwarves outright, then mutilate the corpse, gnomes are often tortured and more than one adventurer has found a poor gnome missing a good portion of its body and saw it take its last breath.
Goblins fear writing and horses. The illiterate pests think that reading will cause the your thoughts to leak out of your head and onto the page. Writing the name of a goblin or a tribe down will cause everyone to forget about. Their fear of horses is more understandable, seeing as horses will trample a goblin underfoot if the goblin is not careful.
Goblins love pickles and fire, or any magic that creates fire. Pickles might be problematic to obtain here, and giving the goblins a torch doesn't seem like the best idea.
You also figure that if you suggested something like that, Wilhelm would gleefully suggest setting the goblins on fire.
"Yes, yes, we help nice lonkshanks! Nice longshanks let us go!" the goblins say in unison.
Even though she had given in to the heat of the combat for only a few seconds Rayla needs a moment to catch her breath. She pants visibly. "I... I couldn't let you do all the work alone old man." She claps Wilhelm's shoulder. "I'll give a round for that one. But you'll have to admit, I made two pretty even halves out of it."
She starts cleaning her greatsword with a bit of forest grass and looks around. "Wait... just four?" She looks on the floor in the undergrowth and looks over the body. She could have sworn there had been more. "Something's odd here. Goblins are stupid but they don't usually attack a group of people all larger than them without the advantage of numbers. So either there are more of them out here or they are more afraid of something else than of us."
She stands upright listens and tries to pierce the undergrowth with her eyes, at least as far as she can see in the dark and gives hand signs to Björn, Skäne and Wilhelm, asking them to spread out around the others to be able to defend them.
As Kylar parleys with the goblins, Skäne stubbornly stows his weapons and shield then deftly uses a long twig to re-light his pipe... afore commenting once again to his fellow Northman in a harsh tone;
"Í framtíðinni bróðir þú ættir að fara veikari óvini að gamla, blinda og féll blóð. Úr ekki kroppa í kækur ... það hefur litla fugla fyrir það. Fuglum okkar gogg ha?"
In future brother you should leave the weaker foes to the old, blind and fell blooded. Auroch does not pick at the ticks... it has little birds for that. Let our birds peck eh?
At the last words the big Kaldnordmann gestures to the other members of the company, then tilts his head expectantly toward Björn.
"I knew you would," Kylar says. He lets the smile drop off his face for an instant. "But if you lie to me, I will know it. If I hear a lie, I'll feed you both to magical dogs, who write your names a thousand times in stone before each bite."
Kylar smiles again. "But I'm sure you won't lie."
...they don't usually attack a group of people all larger than them without the advantage of numbers.
Kylar's ears twitch at Rayla's words. "Are there any more of you nearby?" he asks first. Regardless of the answer, he then continues, "People have gone missing in these woods. You are brave goblins - have you been defeating them? Perhaps taking them away somewhere?"
Kylar leans closer. "Where are you taking them?"
Kylar blinks at the negative answer. "Is there anything else in the woods which might be taking them?"
"Aye. That, or they're drunk and over confident. Still, a goblin blade can kill you just as dead as the one you've got."
Wilhelm says in answer to Rayla's question, pointedly ignoring the parley between the goblins and Kylar.
"I knew you would," Kylar says. He lets the smile drop off his face for an instant. "But if you lie to me, I will know it. If I hear a lie, I'll feed you both to magical dogs, who write your names a thousand times in stone before each bite."
Kylar smiles again. "But I'm sure you won't lie."
At this, both goblins shake their heads vigorously, causing their ears to flap.
Kylar's ears twitch at Rayla's words. "Are there any more of you nearby?" he asks first. Regardless of the answer, he then continues, "People have gone missing in these woods. You are brave goblins - have you been defeating them? Perhaps taking them away somewhere?"
"Oh yes, we beats them!" pipes up one goblin. His friend elbows him in the ribs, which causes him to yelp.
"He means noes, we don'ts knows who is beatsing them. If we did we'd take them to Hidey Place!"
"Yes, yes! The Hidey Place is where we takes them! Uh, iffens we was the ones beatsing them."
Wilhelm comes over and leans in close.
"An' where is this 'Hidey Place,' hm? Tell me, or I'll carve the other's name into yer head, lope em off, and make ye watch as dogs eat yer limbs and horses trample yer bodies."
The smell of urine soon pervades the camp, and the goblins begin screaming, "East! East! Hidey Place is to the EAST!"
"Yes! Yes! To the East!"
"Under old tree, dead many winters! Has tribe symbol carved in it!"
Wilhelm straightens and looks to the others. A hungry gleam in his eyes betrays the hatred hidden by the calm expression his face wears.
Kylar stands to get a bit further away from the stench.
Hm. Somewhat conflicted answers. Seems the first one gave away something he should not have? Could be an arranged trap for any captor, but then, it is also the only lead we have.
Kylar turns to Wilhelm. "Could be a trap, or a lie, but it is something - our only something. Doubt I'll get anything else useful out of them." The wizard then shrugs at the old guard. "All yours."
Hells, I wish we'd been able to ask the dryad a few things. Damn northerners.
Approaching Rayla: "Anything else out there?"
Delilah just stood back with her crossbow pointed at the goblins little heads as Kylar and Wilhelm work them over. Well he's certainly enjoying himself. She thought as Wilhelm scared the piss out of them, literally.
While waiting for Rayla reply, Kylar catches sight of Delilah, standing mostly unclothed - mmmm - and with a very visible tail twitching to and fro.
"Ah. A tiefling," he thinks. With a mental shrug, he turns back to Rayla.
Björn hears the words of his friend and rejoins, "Það er svo lítið að drepa í þessum mjúku löndum."
"Hvers vegna eru þeir að binda þá upp? Þeir augljóslega ætlar ekki að láta þá lifa." He queries.
Why are they tying them up? They obviously do not plan to let them live.
Helena watches the interrogation, holding her tongue when Kylar figuratively hands the goblins over to Wilhelm. Was such mental torture really necessary? she wonders, but says nothing. They cannot be allowed to live, she keeps telling herself.
Skäne waits conversing with his oar-brother whilst the goblin's fate is sealed;
"Það er satt. Ég ekki Sully mitt rauða hönd nafn með drepur slíkra lítillátur dýr. Við getum aðeins vona að óvinir verðugir af okkur bíða ..."
It is true. I not sully my red handed name with the kills of such lowly beasts. We can only hope that foes worthy of us await...
Once it is obvious the others are finished with the goblins, Wilhelm's face splits into a wicked grin that holds none of the warmth that was usually there. He grips his sword in two hands and raises it.
"Uh? Longshanks let us go?" asks one of the goblins.
"When did we ever say that we were letting you go?" Wilhelm replies before loping off that goblin's head.
Covered in pee and blood, the other squirms and scrambles to try to escape, he crawls a few feet before Wilhelm puts his foot on the last goblin's back. He plunges the sword into the thing's head and waits for it to stop squirming before ripping it free.
"Get to sleep, all o' ye. I'll keep watch." he says after cleaning the blade and turning back to the others.
Rayla grimaces as the goblins are killed, but keeps focused primarily on her surroundings. "I don't know, I didn't notice anything." she replies. "But something has to be there."
She looks down at the now dead goblins in disdain. "Whatever it is, something has to be there and I doubt those goblins were smart enough to make up a lie. It's been a short night, but now that we know we have been discovered we better get moving..."
It looks like she distrusts the forest itself as she peers through the darkness (which is not quite as dark for her) and tries to make out an enemy that she suspects to be there. Then she starts disassembling the tent and getting ready to leave.
"Whatever it is, something has to be there and I doubt those goblins were smart enough to make up a lie."
"Some creatures are deceitful by nature," Kylar says. "But I agree that we should investigate."
Untroubled by Wilhelm's execution of the goblins, Kylar nods his thanks at the assumption of the burdens of watch. Settling back down into his bedroll near the fire, he is soon fast asleep again.
Helena doesn't sleep. She approaches Wilhelm, under the pretense of looking him over for any cuts and scrapes. After an awkward silence, she asks, "Why do you hate goblins so? I agree that they couldn't have been allowed to live, as it would have meant our own death. But was the mental torture necessary?" Far from being angry and defiant, her pale eyebrows drop at the outside corners, her mouth set in a small line. She appears to be more distressed and confused than anything else.
Throwing her crossbow over her shoulder, Delilah bid everyone good night and headed back to her's and Rayla's tent.
Throwing her crossbow over her shoulder, Delilah bid everyone good night and headed back to her's and Rayla's tent.
Rayla stops disassembling the tent at that. "Well, then. Good night sexy." she says in a slightly frustrated tone. She gets back to guarding the camp, this time trying to remain focused.
Helena doesn't sleep. She approaches Wilhelm, under the pretense of looking him over for any cuts and scrapes. After an awkward silence, she asks, "Why do you hate goblins so? I agree that they couldn't have been allowed to live, as it would have meant our own death. But was the mental torture necessary?" Far from being angry and defiant, her pale eyebrows drop at the outside corners, her mouth set in a small line. She appears to be more distressed and confused than anything else.
Wilhelm takes a deep breath at Helena's question.
"Lass, there are some things just best left buried where they are."
The fire crackles, and pops, but he light never seems to reach his eyes.
"There are some things I wouldn't wish on anyone."
Throwing her crossbow over her shoulder, Delilah bid everyone good night and headed back to her's and Rayla's tent.Rayla stops disassembling the tent at that. "Well, then. Good night sexy." she says in a slightly frustrated tone. She gets back to guarding the camp, this time trying to remain focused.
Skäne stands by the fire finishing his pipe as he observes the others interplay. At Rayla's words he queries her in bemused tone;
"What lurks in the dark to give you concern Angel-blodd? Do your gold eyes see things which we cannot?"
Björn settles back to his watch, stropping the blade of his scythe with his whetstone again.
Helena, still silent, nods slowly at Wilhelm's words. Not exactly an answer... but he clearly doesn't want to talk. Not now. With that, she makes her way back to her bedroll, stopping for a moment to watch Rayla. "We have a camp. We have watches. They would be foolish to send more."
The rest of the night passes without incident. As dawn breaks, Wilhelm begins to make breakfast. The air is cool, but lacks the crispness of most fall mornings.
"Mornin'" Wilhelm says in greeting. It seems that the night has not improved his mood.
"What lurks in the dark to give you concern Angel-blodd? Do your gold eyes see things which we cannot?"
Rayla glances briefly over to Skäne, for a moment a bit surprised when he suddenly addresses her in common. “No”, she says slowly and thoughtfully. “I don't see anything. And that is what worries me...” She remains silent for a moment let her eyes wander through the darkness. “A trap that consists of the dead bodies of a few of those we're looking for. An attack of four lousy goblins against a group of seven, all at least the height of a human. And that in a forest were no one who has went to investigate has come back recently. Something is sending us a message: We're being watched. I wonder what our enemy is waiting for... are we walking into a trap? And if so – what kind of trap?”
Rayla has her trouble getting up the other day and yawns loudly and mumbles an unintelligible greeting as she crawls out of her tent (Delilah was having the last watch) wrapped in a bear fur. She walks down to the next little forest lake or brook and looks considerably brighter and refreshed as she's back and carries her full gear. “Hm.... that smells good Wilhelm.” She says as she sits down by the fire and takes a bit of breakfast. She takes a couple of bites and adds: “I do hope we find our antagonist today, I really need something to put my blade in. And goblins don't count.”
The smells of Wilhelm camp cooking help to rouse Kylar from his blankets. As soon as he feels the desire to slip back into lethargy, he sits bolt-up in his bed to banish the feeling. Having slept in his clothing, he only barely feels the morning air.
“I do hope we find our antagonist today, I really need something to put my blade in. And goblins don't count.”
Kylar smiles at that. It sounded much like the boasting of the northmen. So many things these sword-swingers had in common.
"Investigate the goblins' 'hiding place?'" he inquires to the group at large, around a mouthful of his breakfast.
Björn finishes his watch then settles into his nest of furs. Waking with the sun, he sits up and draws into himself letting the morning's sounds wash over and through him. When the breakfast is prepared, he takes his share and quietly eats.
At the appearance of Rayla wrapped in a bear's fur, Björn becomes very still, his face a stone mask. He sits such a moment before resuming his meal.
"Best place ta start." Wilhelm says, his gruff demeanor a stark contrast to the friendly man that everyone met yesterday.
"I looked 'bout a bit, an' any trail's been covered, or confused too much, fer me ta make anythin' of it. I suspect one o' the northern lads might have better luck." He looks like he wants to say more, but swallows his words with his final mouthful of his meal.
"Best be movin' as soon as we can." He says before beginning to break camp.
Björn nudges sleeping beauty and motions to follow. The druid rises and begins slowly searching for tracks making a lazy spiral from the camp.
Delilah stretched as she woke up, her tail twitching. Once dressed, she exited the tent and smelled the breakfast. "Oh, that does smell good." Grabbing a dish, she began eating, and fed some to Ada. "Well, as long as we get a lead on the location of the missing people, and get paid." Also, if I get to burn more of those little things.
Helena dons her armour before eating, sitting near Wilhelm, clad in grey robes and leathers. She seems lost in thought - possibly troubled after the night's events. I'm a healer, not a killer. Why am I travelling with these people?
Skäne rises early and helps himself to a decent serving of breakfast.
The Northman then checks his gear afore pitching in to discern the goblin's trail;
:
:
Skäne crouches near some muddied tracks which Bjorn had found, afore looking eastward;
"Game track. They came from whence..."
The big Northman stands tall and addresses his brother in a low sombre tone;
"Engillinn blóð líður húðina af björn ... Ættum við að biðja hana hvernig hún kom með það?"
The angel blood wears the pelt of a bear... Should we ask her how she came by it?
After less than an hour, the camp is broken down and packed up. The fire is quenched and the group moves on. Wilhelm carries his bow in hand and lets the northmen lead, taking a place in the rear. The trail meanders through the woods, and is very hard to follow, but not impossible. After a couple of hours, the group finds a small clearing created by the falling of a large oak.
Your hear the rustle of leaves and branches as something seems to be tracking the party.
Shortly after the first, you hear a faint snarl from the other side of the trail. Apparently, the first creature is not alone.
Delilah had been walking with her crossbow loaded and ready. Suddenly, she turned an ear to the bushes. "Uh, people, we've got company." As the Tiefling aimed her weapon, she racked her brain to see if she recognized the sounds.
"Björn, Skäne, Rayla, make yourselves look bigger and menacing. We're dealing with wolves. If we make a show of force, they might go away."
Skäne eyes the forest ahead with wary eyes;
:
"Wolves? Are you sure?"
Despite not seeing the threat, the big Northman stands tall, with shield readied and spear gripped.
At Rayla's mention he looks down with a hard smile;
"Feh. Þessi litli kjúklingur gæti ekki líta stærri í þorpinu hálf-menn!"
Feh. That little chicken could not look bigger in a village of half-men!
"Pretty sure."
"Wolves?" Helena grips her spear close, looking around for any sign of the beasts, though it doesn't do her much good.
At Delilah's warning, Kylar scans the forest around him, chastising himself for getting lost in his own thoughts.
"Two at least," he says. With one hand, Kylar billows his robes out to make himself seem physically larger, and with the other brings his staff up to a guard position.
On Delilah's warning Rayla unsheathed her sword and gives it a good two handed swing first over the left and then the right side. Feeling its weight in her hands is almost like getting fresh air again after some time underwater.
"Let's take spell casters into the middle. They will likely attack from several sides." She seems to anticipate the fight and even though she doesn't smile her mood seems visibly lifted having to deal with a physical enemy.
Skäne barks a laugh at Rayla's tactical orders;
"Har! There are two wolves at best! We do not face the great horde-packs of Iss-Worgr from my homeland little one..."
"Aye, but somethin' don't feel right. Wolves hunt in more than pairs normally." Wilhelm knocks an arrow in his bow, ready to snap it up at a moments notice.
The seconds trickle by, each seeming to stretch for eternity. Just before the wolves appear, a low, growling laugh can be heard.
"So, what have we here, brother?" A growling voice that drips with menace says.
A voice coming from the wolf that just emerged from the shadows of the underbrush. Another laugh answers the first wolf.
"Well brother..." another wolf says as it too appears from the shadows. His muzzle wrinkles as it sniffs the air and then snarls in delight. "I smell one of the ones from that village to the north, but there are also much tastier morsels here." He says, his red eyes fixed on Rayla, Delilah, and Helena.
Wilhelm's eyes go wide, and a single word hisses through his teeth.
"Worgs!"