Veryl's quick thinking pays dividends as no sooner as the door is slowly opened than his kick sends it crashing against whoever is on the other side. The resounding sound of wood on bone suggests the blow was significant.
The door is now shut from the force of the kick and there is no sound from the other side of the door.
With his thuggish, toothy smile still intact Veryl opens the door with his free hand and steps in to see who fell victim to his improvised ambush.
"Let's hope it wasn't a guard on our side." Kalig chuckles. Despite her sardonicism, she still holds her flail at the ready while Veryl checks to see who had approached.
Horatio winces slightly at the visceral crunch of wood on bone, lowering his rapier slightly. "Well, that sounded pleasant. Whoever it was is like to have an awful headache in the morning."
Laying on the floor, with blood flowing freely from his nose and a gash on the forehead is a male half-elf. He's well dressed and on the floor next to him is a composite shortbow and one arrow. He appears unconscious.
Otherwise the room contains a bed and on the floor next to it is a small, leather-bound booklet.
"Oh look, Prince charming is taking a nap" Veryl grabs the bow and lobs the weapon lightly at Breaca "This must be your lucky day" he comments before turning to face the man lying prone before them. Veryl proceeds to place the point of his blade at the half-elf's neck with the intent to run him through should he make any suspicious movements.
"Someone get me a rope, his highness looks way too uncomfortable in that position" The venom of sarcasm was quite clear in the tall man's voice as he awaited the tool he would use to bind their prisoner.
"If you want to wake him after he's bound, I have smelling salts." Kalig, curious, steps over the half-elf to look into the room. Pulling the blanket off the bed, she tosses it to Veryl. "If you find nothing better to tie him with."
Now knowing to expect goblins to pop out of wherever in bedrooms, she takes a quick glance under the bed and any other obvious hidey holes, before she picks up the booklet and examines it.
Miro takes out a length of rope and offers it to Veryl.
Grabbing the heavy blanket in midair Veryl places it over his shoulder "I'll keep that in mind, my thanks dear lady" He said with a smile and then he noticed with the corner of his Miro handing him just what he needed "Yes this will do nicely, much obliged Miro" Hen then proceeds to tie up the unconscious archer, taking great care to insure the knots are tight, and that the half-elf had little room to maneuver. Following this Veryl grabs the victim of his unlikely door slam and props him against the wall, with little regard to any damage he may cause him.
"Whenever you're ready Kalig"
Breaca easily catches the bow midair. Spying the single arrow lying on the floor and finding the thought of an archer with only one shot odd, she frowns and peers about for a quiver while the others search the room and secure the prisoner.
"Careful. Half-elves are tricky." After Veryl ties up the captive, Merwyn adds another length of rope to be extra safe.
Horatio enters the room carefully, keeping his rapier up until he sees the half-elf is unconscious. He shakes his head as he lowers the weapon. "Well, not a subtle method, but certainly an effective one. You seem to have made an awful mess of the fellow's nose." Looking across at Veryl, he adds, "If you intend to question him, I might be able to charm him as I did that goblin. It could make him more inclined to respond favourably to me."
"Careful. Half-elves are tricky." After Veryl ties up the captive, Merwyn adds another length of rope to be extra safe.
"Heh, you'll have to tell me why you believe they're especially deceptive after we are done with this place" Veryl watched as the blond gnome added another layer of binds and nodded in acceptance.
Horatio enters the room carefully, keeping his rapier up until he sees the half-elf is unconscious. He shakes his head as he lowers the weapon. "Well, not a subtle method, but certainly an effective one. You seem to have made an awful mess of the fellow's nose." Looking across at Veryl, he adds, "If you intend to question him, I might be able to charm him as I did that goblin. It could make him more inclined to respond favourably to me."
"You'll hear no argument from me about the usefulness of subtlety, but sometimes you just have to slam doors open instead of quietly opening them to get results" Replied Veryl, a feral grin drawing itself upon his face "I was going to apply a more direct method to the questioning, but you may try first and while questioning him keep in mind he may be a mess now, but he made a mess of the town first" Veryl gave Horatio a friendly pat on the shoulder as he gave him room to make his attempt at drawing answers from the half-elf.
"Also I suggest putting her down on the bed after Kalig is done checking it" Unsheathing his weapon Veryl stood against the wall and kept his eyes on their unconscious captive, a more serious expression coming over his face.
Once she is finished searching the room, Kalig hands Veryl retrieves her smelling salts from her pouch and hands her to them.
She raises an eyebrow at Merwyn. "Many of many races can be tricky. Your kind is often listed near the top of the list. Half-elves... in general, the only thing is they look pretty to humans. Some are good at exploiting that. But see, this one, he does not look so pretty now, does he?" She smiles, pointing at his bloodied face.
Veryl brings the smelling salts close to the bleeding nose of the half-elf.
"If you want to wake him after he's bound, I have smelling salts." Kalig, curious, steps over the half-elf to look into the room. Pulling the blanket off the bed, she tosses it to Veryl. "If you find nothing better to tie him with."
Now knowing to expect goblins to pop out of wherever in bedrooms, she takes a quick glance under the bed and any other obvious hidey holes, before she picks up the booklet and examines it.
[dice="Perception"]1d20+7
There is no sign of any goblin. He probably kept his door locked from the inside to make sure they didn't enter his room.
[bShe picks up the booklet and examines it.
The small, leather-bound booklet contains two dozen parchment pages, most of which Tsuto has filled with maps of Sandpoint or erotic drawings of a young woman.
The maps each depict different attack plans. The first set shows the attack plans for a group of thirty goblins—one of these battle maps is circled, and you recognise it as the attack the goblins made on Sandpoint.
Of more pressing concern are the next several pages, which illustrate an assault on Sandpoint by a force of what appears to be two-hundred goblins. None of these are circled, and while many are scratched out as if they’ve been rejected, the implications are ominous.
Most of the drawings of the woman depict her as human but on the last page of the book she is drawn with demonic hands, bat wings, horns, a forked tail, and fangs.
Three short passages in the notebook contain information of particular interest:
After the circled battle map:
The raid went about as planned. Few Thistletop goblins perished, and we were able to secure Tobyn’s casket with ease while the rubes were distracted by the rest. I can’t wait until the real raid. This town deserves a burning, that’s for sure.
After the last of the second batch of maps:
Ripnugget seems to favour the overwhelming land approach, but I don’t think it’s the best plan. We should get the quasit’s aid. Send her freaks up from below via the smuggling tunnel in my father’s Glassworks, and then invade from the river and from the Glassworks in smaller but more focused strikes. The rest except Bruthazmus agree, and I’m pretty sure the bugbear’s just being contrary to annoy me. My love’s too distracted with the lower chambers to make a decision. Says that once Malfeshnekor’s released and under her command, we won’t need to worry about being subtle. I hope she’s right.
Before the last illustration of the woman:
My love seems bent on going through with it—nothing I can say convinces her of her beauty. She remains obsessed with removing what she calls her ‘celestial taint’ and replacing it with her Mother’s grace. Burning her father’s remains at the Thistletop shrine seems to have started the transformation, but I can’t say her new hand is pleasing to me. Hopefully when she offers Sandpoint to Lamashtu’s fires, her new body won’t be as hideous. Maybe I’ll luck out. Succubi are demons too, aren’t they?
Breaca easily catches the bow midair. Spying the single arrow lying on the floor and finding the thought of an archer with only one shot odd, she frowns and peers about for a quiver while the others search the room and secure the prisoner.
Under his fallen body is a quiver with a further nine arrows.
Ameiko is still in the other room and is now stable and able to talk to you.
The half-elf wakes up and spits blood that has been congrating around his nose and top lip, spraying Veryl.
Contrary to the expectation of the people around him, Veryl began laughing as he wiped the coat of crimson that came over his face, but there was something wrong with that laugh; there was no joviality behind it, all that could be gleamed from it was the venom of mockery and the unsettling presence of malice, and just when it seemed like that the large man's laugh was a natural part of this room it was instantly silenced and was followed by a swift side kick that was aimed at the half-elf's right cheek.
"You must be really smart" A comment came out of Veryl's mouth, but the way it was spoken, the tone seemed alien to what those around him had heard. there was no calmness, the sarcasm and ridicule were still there but they were backed by something less refined and more rough.
"I mean why would ya spit blood at someone holding a sword while yer tied up?" Came the question as a toothy smile came over Veryl's face "But hey maybe I am not giving ya enough credit, yeah?" The former thug gave a long meaningful glance at his drawn weapon.
"Maybe ya want ta die, that way you don't have to worry about spilling yer little secrets...but then again maybe yer just a moron who thinks 'I am not taking this, I am tied up and held hostage, but I ain't taking it'" Veryl turned his wicked gaze towards "Don't bother answering mama's boy, I ain't killing ya either way" Veryl backed up slowly till he was shoulder by shoulder with Horatio.
"We've got so much to catch up on, it would be a shame if I just gutted you like a fish" He said before giving Horatio a friendly pat on the back as he turned around and took a long deep breath.
"Its your stage now, its a bit of a mess and the audience isn't what I would call appreciative but I am sure you'll do fine" The calm words and mannerisms of Veryl returned with little warning as he addressed the bard, making it seem like whoever had given the previous threats was a completely different person.
The half-elf seems to take the blow stoically. He even smiles at Veryl as he listens to the intimidating talk.
Kalig scans through the diary with grim interest. "They were planning on sacrificing the whole town to Lamashtu. The first major phase seems to have been the raid during the festival, which was a distraction to steal a casket. He has some kind of demon ally he calls his 'love' and also notes a quasi planning to attack the city coming in from tunnels under this building. References to other allies as well,including a bugbear called Bruthazmus and someone else called Ripnugget. So you can begin your questioning around some of that."
Merwyn comes over to look at the dairy, before returning to the captive half-elf. "Veryl, this won't work. I think he likes being tied up, if you know what I mean." She nudges him a few times with her elbow to make sure that he understands what she means, and then turns to the captive. "Make no mistake, half-elf. He is a human, easy to laugh at, but I am a gnome. We have tough resilience against pain...and even better torture techniques to compensate."
Horatio shakes his head slightly at Merwyn's words. Sweet barleybrew, if he responds favourably after this, it will be a miracle. He steps forward, mutters briefly in Varisian, and locks eyes with the half-elf, crouching to get on his level.
"Tsuto, right?" he asks carefully, his tone warm and conversational. "Pay no attention to my friends there. I'm the only one you should be concerned with right now, and all I want to do is ask a few questions. If you help us, we'll see what the Sheriff can do about making your sentance more comfortable.
"Why would you steal a casket? Obviously the contents are more important than the thing itself, but that's where I'm stumped. What purpose does stealing a corpse serve? And where is it? From what I've heard, such things can anger Pharasma, and that's not something you want to do. Maybe if we can get it back, it won't be such a black mark for you.
"Tell me about your 'love'. Where is she? Was it her idea to orchestrate the raid on Sandpoint, or yours? You seem like a smart enough fellow; I'd bet it was your idea." He smiles, laying the flattery on thick, a technique that had helped him escape many a tight spot. "How about you show us where these tunnels are?
"Why are you working with the likes of Bruthazmus and Ripnugget? A bugbear raider and a goblin chief don't seem like the most desirable allies, do they? Sounds like you're planning something big. How about you tell me what it is? In return, I can keep a secret - I won't tell your friends you sold them out."
He glances back briefly at the rest of the party, silently asking if there's anything they'd like him to add.
Merwyn steps out to the other room so the half-elf can feel like he has at least some privacy with his "friend" Horatio.
After confiscating the arrows, Breaca takes a turn perusing the maps and diary as well, letting Horatio lead the interrogation. Why is he acting so chummy? she wondered absently and glanced over as his questions continued. After a moment, she shrugged and went back to the diary. Tsuto doesn't seem the sort to be fooled by that. Still, doesn't hurt for him to try I suppose. A slight smirk curved the corner of her mouth. Not like our friend is going anywhere.
Her eyes narrowed grimly as she returned to the diary. Tunnels, assaults, demons and crypts? This does not look good. She closes the book, sets it to the side and listens by the door as the questioning continues.
A smile sneaked its way on to Veryl's face as Merwyn nudged and told a jape at the expense of the half-elf that sat before, but soon what little jovial mood that invaded the room disappeared when Horatio attempted what Veryl beleived was a very unorthodox way of getting information, but he decided to let the chelaxian continue. It was during the interrogation that he noticed Merwyn leaving, and seeing that his presence was not in anyway affecting the outcome he followed after the gnome.
"So in the end the brother was behind it all" Chuckled Veryl when he caught up to his small statured companion "This is starting to remind me of the plays I used to take my employer to" He commented his voice sounding a bit distant thanks to the wave of nostalgia that took him by surprise.
The half-elf responds to Horatio, his demeanour completely changed.
”You’re right, it was Father Tobyn’s remains that were important. He was her father, or at least he adopted her. She needed them for a ritual of some sort. I don’t know where Nualia is, but she’ll come and save me sure enough. I just know she will. All the plans are hers. She’s so incredibly clever as well as beautiful.”
”The tunnels are here, in the basement of the glassworks. You probably walked past them, if not they’re just along from this office. The entrance is at the back of an empty room along the corridor.”
”The goblins were Naulia’s idea. She used Thistletop as a base for her operations and she plans to offer the town of Sandpoint as a burning sacrifice to Lamashtu as another part of the ritual.”
"Ah, was it Rometheo and Jultiet? Or Unfidelio, perhaps? I used to be an actor...but all the good roles were for medium-sized humans, even the gnomish plays! The plunger in the hat trick only works for so long. In the past, they just had a bunch of gnomes with plungers in their hats, but then they found out that half-elves would have pointy ears as well, with a different interesting voice register, and would work for cheaper as well."
"Also, I don't think I need to tell you what would happen when the plungers would start bumping into each other." Merwyn stops, contemplating.
"It's always the brother."
Veryl did his very best to stifle any kind of amusement that threatened to invade his face; the part about the plungers bumping into each other almost doing him in, he ended his efforts by clearing his throat. After releasing a quiet sigh he walked closer to the blond gnome, knelt down and placed his left hand on her small shoulder "I am not going to lie, and that's partly because my friends say that my face always gives it away" He began his voice showing a faint amount of merriment at his own self-deprecating joke "I am not an expert on acting, but I liked the tale you've told on the day of the attack, and if your acting is as good as your story telling than the people who made those plays lost an amazing actor and the audiences were robbed out of a great performance" Continued Veryl, a surprising amount of honesty could be felt from his words.
"Also now I know why you think half-elves are such scoundrels" Said Veryl with a smile "Haven't known a lot myself and the few that I did know, well...I couldn't really judge anyone at that point of my life" It was at that moment that the well dressed man began remembering the people he ran with as a street punk.
"It seems we've all come a long way, and Sandpoint could be a good starting point for all of us...as long as we keep it goblin free" The grin on Veryl's face showed a bit more teeth "Your pet could definitely help us with that"
Merwyn smiles. "Thank you for a sympathy, but that wasn't why I had to leave acting. For some reason, I have the tendency to accidentally burn down the theater everywhere that I perform."
"We have come a long way, haven't we. But it almost seems like it's all been for naught, if we don't figure this out." She leans a bit closer and whispers. "I trust in Horatio's abilities, but violinists are not exactly known for interrogation."
Merwyn smiles. "Thank you for a sympathy, but that wasn't why I had to leave acting. For some reason, I have the tendency to accidentally burn down the theater everywhere that I perform."
"We have come a long way, haven't we. But it almost seems like it's all been for naught, if we don't figure this out." She leans a bit closer and whispers. "I trust in Horatio's abilities, but violinists are not exactly known for interrogation."
"I am hardly what anyone would call sympathetic" Said Veryl with a snicker "I just have a soft spot for people who follow their ambitions He shrugged as he answered in a blunt manner.
"I didn't notice any fires when you were performing the other day...not ones you caused anyway" Replied Veryl with a more grim tone as he remembered the house the goblins set on fire.
Veryl chuckles at her whisper "No they aren't at least not the ones my former employer used to bring home for private performances...but I am willing to give Horatio a chance and if all else fails we can always feed that half-elf to your bird"
Kali raises a brow at Merwyn. "You make a lot of assumptions based on appearances. Seems a foolish trait in an illusionist."
" Why not write plays? You could write parts for whomever you wanted and risk no theaters."
"Well, it's true that I didn't set anything on fire...but that wasn't a full performance." She looks at Kalig. "I find that being skeptical of evidence directly in front of you is even more dangerous. And I am not so certain that seducing barmaids is adequate practice for interrogating enemies of the state."
"Writing plays...that's not a bad idea."
Horatio nods slowly, trying to take everything in and hide his rising panic. Eventually, he asks, his tone becoming slightly more serious, "And what was your purpose in capturing your sister? Was she to be part of this ritual, as well?"
Giving the half-elf a minute to reply, he picks up the diary Breaca sets aside. After looking through it quickly, he finds a few more notes of interest. "Who or what is 'Malfeshnekor'?" he asks, raising one eyebrow. "And what kind of 'freaks' does the quasit ally with?"
Tsuto considers your questions. "I thought she would join me. I was wrong." His voice is sullen at this point. After a few seconds he adds, "I don't know much about the creature other than its some sort of monster that is imprisoned somewhere below Thistletop."
"You made a bad call. It happens." Horatio forces himself to smile, though his blood boils. Effective as this may be, I doubt I can stomach much more of this. He glances at Breaca to make sure she's paying attention to the captive, then crosses to the door, leaning out and whistling to catch the party's attention.
"I think I got all I can from him. I say we take him back to town and hand him over to the Sheriff. Let him decide what to do with him. That enchantment should be good for another fifty minutes or so." His eyes flick to Merwyn, narrowing a fraction of an inch, but the expression is gone quickly enough, plastered over with a smile that carries a hint of smugness.
"There is still some areas of the glassworks unaccounted for."
Merwyn claps her hands together softly. "Bravo. Excellent performance, but I would have used non-invasive magic in the event that magically-tainted testimony will be inadmissible in the legal system."
"I'm sure they'd be willing to overlook that though, since we are at war."
"About time we carted him off then" Said Veryl as he faced Horatio "good job" He congratulated the bard, his tone having more seriousness than usual. In truth he would have rather killed the half-elf here, but as much as he thought he deserved it, he couldn't and would never consider killing him in front of his sister, Veryl couldn't do that to her.
Flexing his arms and shrugging his shoulder, the former noble guard moved inside the room to help drag the prisoner along if there was a need to.
" But he is not interrogating anyone," Kalig replies to Merwyn. "He is simply asking his friend some questions. A thing he is clearly well suited to."
"I have traveled with shape changers. I have learned to judge by actions--and results--not looks."
When the questioning finishes, and Horatio proposes taking him to the sheriff, Kalig muses. "Perhaps one of us should fetch the sheriff instead of bring him there. I care little for legalities, but as Merwyn has brought it up, we should stay so his friends do not abscond with anything of import here. And if she can handle the shock, Ameiko should see to her father's remains."
Breaca nods at Horatio's glance, signaling that she would watch over the prisoner while the others confer. She remains at the door, able to both keep watch and to listen to their conversation. She calls over her shoulder.
"Kalig's idea is a good one. We will need to coordinate with the authorities anyway in order to find these tunnels and either keep watch over them, collapse them, or perhaps even use them against the enemy."
Horatio nods to Veryl, his eyes crinkling slightly in a smile. "We still have his journal," he reminds Merwyn gently, holding up the book in question, "which proves his involvement in the raid. What I gained from my conversation with my friend-" he nods to Kalig to signal his agreement "-was simply a deeper level of detail. The answers to a few questions it leaves open." He flicks his eyes over the rest of the party, leaning in the doorframe to include Breaca and Veryl in the conversation.
"Kalig raises a good point. Perhaps I could fetch the sheriff, and make sure Ameiko gets back safely at the same time. If you feel you can handle it, I can show you your father as well," he adds, addressing the innkeeper with a questioning expression, his face softening for a brief moment. "Would anyone care to accompany me? I understand there's a certain level of doubt regarding my ability to handle things." Arms folded, leaning in the doorway, he looks relaxed enough, though the slight lift of his jaw offers a hint of challenge.
"I'll travel with you. After all, with a woman with you, I think you need a chaperone." Merwyn smiles to show that she's not being serious. "I'll follow you on my Roc and keep watch from the air to make sure that there aren't any roving goblin bands."
Kalig nods. Good. You three go." She includes the roc in her headcount. We'll keep the charming half-elf company until you return."