Lamsfel detects no sign of pursuit or any indication that he was noticed as he slips back around (or under, more precisely) the building to rejoin the others in front of the double doors.
"There is a hidden side door, opens directly into what appears to be the throne room. Near as I can tell, the entire village - mostly females - are in there, with the chief and probably a shaman. They are all just staring at the doors. I assume the same doors that you are staring at."
"We may be able to parlay for the information we seek, but I'm not sure. They don't appear to be in a frenzy to attack. But the chief has another of those swords," he points at Tybus' exotic blade.
Tybus thinks on Lamsfel's information as he lets his hand run across the lacquered wood of the scabbard. The memory of Chief Ripnugget requesting a parlay back at Thistletop tugs at his conscience. His instincts had told him the chief was simply stalling for time for an advantage, but he couldn't help but wonder if there had been a better way.
All right. This is probably going to take place in Minkaian, so Gan, do your best to keep everyone in the know. It may turn ugly, but it don't have to be that way. Let's see if they're willing to talk.
With that, Tybus pushes the doors open and steps in, Song of Sparrows sheathed but prominently displayed. Hajimemashite! Elhezen Tybusu desu, douzo yoroushiku. He bows to the chief as he finishes.
As the magus steps toward the doors, Lamsfel falls back. "You know where I will be." Moving quickly, he comes back to the hidden door, listens before entering, and places his ear against the door to listen inside hoping he can pick up the tenor of the discussion even though he doesn't know the language.
Gan nods and follows Tybus, staying one step behind him.
As the group steps into the room, they see it is a cross between a throne room of sorts and a trophy hall; stuffed and mounted animals, nostly dogs and horses but a few other swamp denizens, including a crocodile, line the walls. At the room's far end, a small dais supports a tall, awkward-looking chair, one seemingly about to topple over at any moment. In the chair is a goblin in food-stained robes, wearing Minkaian-style armor of small overlapping lacquered leather "coins." On his lap is a katana sized for him, and at his feet is a large wolf, also armored. It lifts its head and sniffs the air as you enter, then shakes itself to its feet and growls softly. Sitting on the dais' edge to the chief's left is a female goblin in thick white makeup with exceedingly long fingernails; unlike most goblins, she has hair, pure white and bound up into an intricate bun held in place by long, thin sticks. She smiles and sings softly to herself as she looks at you, stroking the large pig next to her with her nails. All around the edges of the room, and crowding into a more distant room on the far side as well, the village's noncombatant goblins are standing, looking terrified of the longshanks. They squeeze away from you as you enter.
The goblin on the chair leaps to his feet (the chair wobbles ominously) as you come into the room, his eyes fixed on Song of Sparrows. In a squeaky yet commanding voice, he snaps, "私はGutwadをRendwattleいます。あなたは、盗まれたのか、人間を戻すか、不名誉な死を直面するだろう。" He grips the hilt of his katana with one hand, shaking with some pent-up passion.
Tybus smiles as the goblin eyes the katana at his side.
"Aah, so you're familiar with this blade. No doubt you're aware then of these symbols that designate this as the Kaijitsu family sword. I carry this sword by leave of Ameiko Kaijitsu, its rightful owner.
"It's our understanding that you were once custodian of this blade. We come to thank you for its safekeeping all these years, but also to inquire from where did you get it? It's a mystery that we'd like to see solved. We meant no hostility when we approached, and we mourn the loss of your brave warriors. No further blood need be spilled this day."
The goblin does not seem to care for Tybus' words, and his blade clears its sheath as he shouts, "まさか！ブレードは私のものです！覚醒は、手元にある！今の私にそれを与える、または死ぬ！"
He points the sword at Tybus with one hand, and his free hand reaches for something in a pouch.
Tybus will ready a spell, hoping to interrupt whatever action the chief seems to be taking.
Initiative:
Where are the two (expected) goblin combatants relative to Lamsfel's door?
I don't know how/if my non-mage can determine what appears to be 'aggressive' spellcasting. He is thinking to take advantage of his surprise and still hoping for more information than blood here - even if he wins initiative (if that's possible with a 1), he will remain hidden until 1) someone tries to flee through the door or 2) the goblins have committed to the fight against his allies.
Has he heard anything more from the east wall? I know he does not know there's a door there.
Given the cramped quarters, I'll have my polearm readied.
As he does not speak the tonal language that Tybus and the goblin share, Callomeleth is taken aback when things quickly devolve into violence.
As the situation suddenly devolves into violence, the goblins throughout the complex suddenly start screaming and running for the doors, heedlessly diving directly toward you as well as leaving through the exit to the east. In the room where Lamsfel hides, a door he had not noticed before bursts open, and goblins poor in from that side as well, shrieking in surprise and fear when they see him.
The female goblin with the white hair and makeup is the first to react. Her hair bursts out of the pins holding it in place and begins waving in the air, seemingly of its own volition, while she murmurs an arcane phrase and points at Tristan.
Tybus, seeing the spell go off, prepares to act in hopes of disrupting the chief's own trickery, whatever it might be. To your surprise, the chief produces a scroll (yes! he is reading!) and starts to chant from it - Tybus, however, flings a magically-created wall of water at him, slamming him up against the wall. Although unharmed, the effect clearly rattles his concentration. With a howl of frustration, the chief throws away the now-useless piece of paper, and points at Tybus, shouting to his wolf. The wolf leaps to its feet and rushes toward Tybus, moving easily through the crowd before snapping at him with its teeth.
Lamsfel looks at the suddenly-appearing goblin horde with concern, checking for weapons or intent. If they are just fleeing, he will gesture with his dagger toward the outer door. He won't take any action against them as long as they are leaving.
If he can pull the other door open far enough to enter the throne room, he will do so. If the crush of knee-biters prevents that, he will go through the other hidden door seeking a quicker way to the throne room.
Staring down the wolf, Tybus will draw his cutlass and use an arcane pool point to charge it, then cast chill touch defensively. Using the free touch attack the spell grants, he'll use Spellstrike at the doggie.
, plus
Will save:
Tristan freezes into place, immobilized by the goblin's vile magic.
The spell infuses Tybus' blade, but he cannot find a connection with the animal past its armor to deliver it.
When Tristan shakes free of the goblin's enchantment, Gan breathes a sigh of relief momentarily, before his shining eyes glow brighter and the Traveler speaks. Callomeleth, fall back. We can use the closeness of our confines to our advantage, but we must make room first.
"As you wish, Gan! But first, know you are all safe as the Rose watches over you!" He raises his holy symbol, and a warm light begins to radiate from the elf. It washes over the Heroes of Sandpoint, and a calmness settles over them - the same sort of security you feel when embracing a loved one. With that done, he takes a step back, curious to see what Gan's next move will be.
I'll use my Deflection Aura to grant everyone that stays within 20' of me a +2 to AC and CMD, then move to B1.
Gan steps over to where Callomeleth was before playing a hand on Tristan and intoning a spell.
We attempted diplomacy, but these brutes know only violence. The heavenly hosts have a long reach, and their justice is unforgiving. Use their power to smite these evil creatures, who are clearly beyond redemption.
These brutes clearly want the sword back! Have any of ye heard anything about an awakening at hand?
Lamsfel pushes the door open behind the goblin shaman and strikes unerringly with his dagger. The blade sinks in, but the elf is shocked to see that no blood flows from the wound, and the goblin looks more annoyed than pained when she spins to face him.
Suddenly, her waving hair lashes out, seemingly of its own accord, lengthening to an impossible distance and trying to wrap itself around Lamsfel's throat.
Lamsfel just leans back a little, though, and the animated strands fall short of being able to reach him.
The chief, seeing Tybus' and Gan's spells, signals his wolf; the beast snaps at Tybus before retreating to the chief's side once more. Once the wolf has retreated, the chief reaches into his pouch again and hurls a fistful of colored sand into Tristan and Tybus' faces.
Tybus shouts, Don't worry! She still be flesh and blood underneath her spell!
plus
"I'm glad you are so sure!"
Will save:
The thrown sand suddenly explodes into a cascading riot of multicolored light, filling the entire north half of the room with mind-shattering hues. Tristan and Tybus both find their minds simply cannot handle the sensations, and the two men drop to the floor, unconscious. Gan's mind is also assaulted, but the influence of the Traveler is enough to shield him from the worst of the effects. Most of the fleeing goblins are not as fortunate - those in the path of the lights also collapse .
As the two warriors fall, Gan changes the target of his spell, growing to a terrible size as his eyes flash with power.
The foes of the most high shall be laid to waste! Surrender, or face our terrible wrath!
He steps forward, lashing out at the male goblin with tooth and claw.
Gan, so massive he has to stoop to fit beneath the throne room's ceiling, unleashes a terror of mighty blows, but the chief is both quick and well-armored, and none manage to find purchase.
Grimly, Lamsfel concentrates on the witch.
Callomeleth is shocked as he sees two of the Heroes fall so swiftly from the witch's magic, and quickly begins singing in his clear tenor voice. It's a short but enthralling song, and he makes clear eye contact with the chief as he does. He holds the last note, a middle C, for a time, lingering on the final word: "FALL!"
Casting Command on the chieftain, since I've got a faceful of Gan butt in my way. The chief needs to make a DC 14 Will save or fall prone and remain that way for 1 round.