"I didn't say I didn't judge people or try to puzzle their nature and intentions, I said I wasn't good at it yet" Replied Veryl to the chelaxian man "And out of curiosity how right was I about you?" Veryl gave Horatio a small smile, before he removed his fingers from each others embraces and drew the map a little closer to himself.
"I agree with Breaca and Kalig, I would personally like to make sure that Nualia is dead, so I don't have to go through all this again at a later time, but..." The warrior tapped the bridge "Is there another way to approach? Say by boat? We could coordinate with the sheriff and have him act as a distraction at the bridge, while we sneak in by water and take them from the back" Veryl leaned back in his chair and ran his right hand through his slicked back hair "After we kill Nualia we could set the place on fire, build a number of tavern and ports to challenge Riddleport or sell the land to Korvosan nobles who wish to build summer homes" He added sarcastically.
Kalig shook her head. "Perhaps you are a poor judge because you are a poor listener. If you had stayed to hear the whole conversation we had with Shalelu, you would have heard her make it clear the island is edged with cliffs. There is no shore access."
She sighed. "As I see it, we will have to use the bridge as Shalelu said. She is an able scout and I do not doubt her."
Kalig took a long drink of spiced wine as a serving girl hands it to her. "We may as well just charge the place and get it over with." She shrugged. "Or flee, and leave this town to its fate. I don't like leaving a job half done though, especially with Zantus's talk of 'runelords.'"
"A second blow to my listening skills, and the night is still young" Veryl gave a small smile before his attention went back to the map "The obvious ultimatum aside, it seems Kalig is right; if the bridge is the only way there we'll just have to charge through, and with the information Shalelu gave us I doubt we'll need to scout ahead, still there is something else we could do" The swordsman's eyes hovered over to Merwyn.
"Merwyn you are a beautiful, calming and extremely friendly looking person" Veryl paused as his eyes studied the gnome "We need to change that" He stated curtly.
"Not permanently of course but we need to make you look like the kind of arcane user who'd make pacts with demons, fiends and the like...which could easily be achieved with a change of clothes and some make-up...now the other part" Veryl leaned back in his chair, his left fist rest within his right palm "Can you make me appear like some sort of demon to these goblins? That along with my own natural charm should make some of them run away or become more easily manageable...I don't know if it will work on Nualia or any of her other companions, but if we can get rid of some her goblins that should make getting to her a lot easier" Veryl paused and looked to rest of the group "Oh this is too perfect we can make the rest of you dress as her enforcers" A low chortle escaped the black haired mercenary.
"Yes," Kalig mused sardonically, rubbing on the pointed tip of one of her jutting lower canines with a finger, "If there were only a spellcaster in this group who looked bestial, somehow."
She shifts her hands. "Actually, Merwyn, you know illusion magic, do you not? You could probably do any number of things beyond mere disguise that would all be quite frightening."
"Your natural charm?!" Horatio asks incredulously, looking genuinely wounded.
"Yes," Kalig mused sardonically, rubbing on the pointed tip of one of her jutting lower canines with a finger, "If there were only a spellcaster in this group who looked bestial, somehow."
She shifts her hands. "Actually, Merwyn, you know illusion magic, do you not? You could probably do any number of things beyond mere disguise that would all be quite frightening."
"It is not just a matter of looks, that can be solved the same way Merwyn made Breaca appear like Ameiko" Veryl leaned back in on the table, his focus shifting towards Kalig "Tell me did you ever scare someone into giving you what they owned? Did you ever intimidate shopkeepers into giving you protection money? How many times did you use your ability to induce fear to solve your problems? Myself? I've been doing it for half of my life and that Kalig is what the other part of the plan is, you can make anyone look like a thug or when you have a mage by your side a monster but being actually intimidating" Very tapped his finger on the table "Is what will make the role convincing" Veryl turned to Horatio with a half a smile on his face.
"Being an evil bastard when I need to be...that is my natural charm"
Kalig shakes her head. "I was not offering to take your place, Veryl. And no, I do not bully others. I will gladly leave that to someone who has developed the... talent... for it." Kalig mocks, berates, teases, observes, scolds, and ignores, but she does not bully, of this she is certain.
"Look. Those goblins have been living with a woman who is slowly turning herself into a monster, bugbears, and probably more of those sinspawn things we saw in the cavern. They have seen, lived, and likely engaged in and enjoyed participating in far worse things than what Merwyn wearing a privy cleaner and a coat and you shouting in a pair of horns can accomplish. Yes, you might be able to make a few of the underlings scatter, but I think it would be more effective to just charge in, kill them all and be done with it."
"I misunderstood you, my apologies" Said Veryl his tone turning serious, his eyes turning towards the half-orc with an appraising look "Actually you would fit the role of the demonic mage more...you have that over serious temperament that it needs" His seriousness turns to mirth and then he looked to his companions.
"I agree this plan has its risks, which is why we will all go in, but if you want to go about this by killing them all instead that is fine as well" Shrugged the swordsman, as he waited for the replies of the party.
"Bullying is so crude. I much prefer the honeyed- or silver-tonged approach, as the situation calls," Horatio sighs. "Talking your way out of someone's fists, weaving a convincing lie out of spellsong and ether, burying the truth so deeply it can't even be considered... Coaxing answers from a captive after he's been beaten half to death..." He chuckles as he takes a sip of his drink, shaking his head. "I still can't believe that worked. I must be better than I thought.
"Look, goblins may be easily cowed, but Kalig's right. These ones have been working with foul forces we can't even imagine, and if my hunch is correct, their chiefs will be there. They'll fight to the death and attack anything the biggest and strongest goblin tells them to. We can take some captive, if we want - I think I've picked up enough of their language to communicate effectively, even if my accent might be a bit off. We maybe shouldn't charge in, per se, but I don't think a demonic disguise is a worthwhile approach. Just my two pinch," he finishes, shrugging one shoulder as he raises his mug again.
Miro gives a concerned nod at the elven woman. "Spellcasters always make plans more difficult. Good connection on the hand Horatio." Miro chuckles at the talk over chivalry, keeping his opinion to himself. He gives a shake of his head to Merwyn. "Burning the entire place down is messy. Let's keep it a bit simpler than that."
He gives a bit of thought to the boat idea. "No shore access by nonmagical means. What would a levitate spell get us?"
"It is not just a matter of looks, that can be solved the same way Merwyn made Breaca appear like Ameiko" Veryl leaned back in on the table, his focus shifting towards Kalig "Tell me did you ever scare someone into giving you what they owned? Did you ever intimidate shopkeepers into giving you protection money? How many times did you use your ability to induce fear to solve your problems?"
"Now you're getting into my territory."
"I like the disguise and infiltration idea, but perhaps a different spin on it?"
A messenger arrives with a bag from Father Zantus. "He said you'd be expecting these." With a cheery grin, the young cleric departs.
The bag contains 6 potions of cure light wounds and 6 potions of cure medium wounds.
Miro takes the bag with good spirits. "Well this should keep us on our feet for a long time." He gives one of each kind of potion to each party member.
Breaca thanks the messenger, then Miro as he hands over her potions. "Yes, we'll likely need them soon. I think I will turn in, unless there is more to discuss?"
"If we are going to take the well tried and old fashioned 'kill them all' approach I don't see what could there be left to discuss...While I would have preferred more strategic options, it never hurts to stick to simpler solutions, sometimes anyway" Commented Veryl upon standing up from the table "Now if you'll excuse me, I am late for practice" With those words, he picked up his lined up weapons, buckled them in silence and went up the stairs with a surprising amount of energy in his step.
The creak of his room door annoyed him as it usually did, he had wanted to talk to Ameiko about it, but the fact that she gave them the rooms free for a week and what she went through made the swordsman think twice about complaining about something so simple. After locking the door he began pushing the table and bed aside, as he did before when he practiced, even with that the space of the room, still made it difficult to swing his bastard sword freely, but Veryl liked it that way; as he knew that he wouldn't always be in ideal fighting conditions and this would help him prepare for any indoor battles or fights where his spacing was limited.
Soon enough the soft howling of air being sliced apart could be heard coming from the room of the mercenary, its melody joined by the rhythmic sounds of foot steps on a wooden floor. Slight pauses would occur from time to time before the violent dance against unreal opponents would commence once more. Veryl knew that he had much to learn yet, but that didn't mean that he wouldn't try to learn it...no master it even faster than what was expected, and the appearance of a foe such as Nualia gave him more incentive than he cared to admit to others or himself.
Merwyn blushes at Veryl's words. "I have heard many more flowery compliments in my lifetime, but none quite as genuine." She listens quietly as the party discusses the illusory options. "Unfortunately the most effective disguise spells only work on myself, but I do have some other illusions that might be useful. If we're not using them for a covert insertion, they might be helpful as a distraction or even just as another target for arrows."
"I don't have a levitate spell, but perhaps Cob might be able to fly us in one by one if you pack lightly enough...or we had an ant-haul spell."
Kalig orders a hardy breakfast while waiting for Shalelu.
Overhearing Merwyn, she comments over porridge, "I know that spell but I did not prepare the ritual for it this morning. I set up healing, something so I would not be useless attacking from afar, and something to deal with invisibility." She mutters about the gods-damned quasit. "I would also be very worried about putting him in the line of fire. If the goblins spotted him, they would love to take potshots, and he would be helpless while carrying us. And he's just a youngling. But... if you want to wait, I could try to refocus my preparations."
"I told you before I am a terrible liar" Veryl smiled to Merwyn as he plunged his fork into one of the boiled eggs he ordered, and then at it whole.
"Flying in is risky, the way I see it if we want to charge in our best option is a distraction, which could take the form of Miro sneaking and opening the gates" Suggested the swordsman, before he spun his fork in his hand. It was clear that his mood has undergone quite the transformation since last night; no longer could the signs of stress or anger be seen on his face or physical movements, in their place was the calmness and hints of arrogance that the party was used to seeing.
"If not I am sure there are other ways to catch the attention of these sweet goblins while we enter their fortress and butcher them when they least expect it Veryl swiped another egg of his plate with the fork swiftly; his movements almost reminiscent of his motions while striking at an enemy.
For his part, Horatio stays out of the discussion for now. He looks around bitterly, as if he wants nothing more than to escape - and the way his fingers tap on the neck of his violin, it's clear what he'd rather be doing. He barely even picks at his plate, foregoing his knife and fork in favour of scratching his fingertips and ankles.
Breaca eats her breakfast while she listens to the others' planning. Noticing Horatio's apparent moroseness, she mutters as if to herself softly, but loud enough for him to hear. "The waiting before a fight is always the worse part..."
Having rested and bought any necessary items, you head out with Shalelu towards Thistletop.
You haven't even left town when a pair of bedraggled merchants run across your path explaining that some goblins jumped them and stole their prize horse Shadowmist. They offer a reward of 250 gp for the horse’s return.
"Might be connected, could be coincidence - but goblins hate horses." Shalelu seems to be thinking out loud.
You follow the Lost Coast Road east, and reach the Thistle River Crossing relatively quickly — it’s a six mile journey and you cover it in a couple of hours.
Approaching the goblin lair by land would have been difficult without Shalelu since the tangles of Nettlewood are treacherous for the novice.
Finally you reach Thistletop. Now you can see what has only been described since now. It is a curiously round island about 60 feet off
shore, connected to the mainland by a rope bridge.
As predicted, there are no goblins in sight. It's about four o'clock in the afternoon and the weather is cloudy with a light autumn wind.
Kalig examines the layout of the island from where they stand as best they can.
"We should just go on now, I expect they are actually more active at night, so getting in before sunset may be a good thing. Unless you would advise otherwise," Kalig finishes, looking at Shalelu.
"I know I'd prefer to get this over with," Horatio mutters in response to Kalig. He keeps Rosaline in one hand, rolling the other wrist to keep it loose. He can almost see the familiar golden light returning where he clutches his instrument - a reassuring sight, confirming that what happened yesterday wasn't as bad as it seemed. He keeps his eyes on the far end of the bridge, watching for any signs of movement, and tries to keep his breathing steady, his fear under control.
A familiar screech filled the air, as Veryl's blade came free from its hardened leather sheath and gleamed slightly in the light of day. The sword spun once leaving a circular silvery mirage in its path "I agree if we are not going to be stealthy about it, then I suggest" Veryl swung the sword downward parting the air in front of him "We start hacking goblins"
"Let's at least try to get across the bridge before we completely abandon stealth." Breaca says as she peers through the scrub at the island.
Kalig nods at Breaca. "I don't think we need to run in screaming. We just should move quickly."
"Agreed."
Once everyone signals their readiness, and if the approach still seems empty of watchful eyes, Breaca will head towards and across the bridge, using whatever cover she can to mask her presence.
Thistletop is effectively a wooden one-story stockade. Two thirty-foot-tall watchtowers guard the stockade’s southern facade (closest to the mainland). Neither watchtower appears manned (or goblinned).
The stockade is made of thick wood. Even from this distance it appears that most of the wood seems to have been scavenged from ships — a few nameplates remain affixed to some of the timbers, while others look ike they might have once been masts.
As you close in on the rope bridge that spans the gulf between the cliff and the island - some sixty some feet to the north, you see it is made of hairy rope and thick wooden planks; the whole thing creaks and sways in the wind above the churning surf eighty feet below.
Horatio inhales deeply as he stares at Thistletop, swallowing his own feelings of apprehension. Come on, lad. You're a Caydenite, through and through. What's a few more goblins compared to the demons and devils you were just facing? Shaking his head, he does the only thing that will help (short of a drink) - he keeps his mind busy, looking over the bridge, trying to determine its stability.
To Horatio the bridge looks stable enough to cross. How many people it could hold at once is a different matter. Perhaps four humans at any one time?
A creaking bridge was never a good sign, and it was something Veryl hadn't had to deal with before. The swordsman looked the structure over, before his eyes fell on the fortress ahead of them, it amused him to an extent that it was basically the canalized parts of old ships shaped into what was supposedly a defensible building I wonder what the inside is made of...maybe old carts? Veryl smirked as he stopped at the begining of the bridge.
Kalig begins to cross the bridge, staying alert as she crosses.
A creaking bridge was never a good sign, and it was something Veryl hadn't had to deal with before. The swordsman looked the structure over, before his eyes fell on the fortress ahead of them, it amused him to an extent that it was basically the canalized parts of old ships shaped into what was supposedly a defensible building I wonder what the inside is made of...maybe old carts? Veryl smirked as he stopped at the begining of the bridge.
[dice=Knowledge(Engineering) for Bridge]1d20+7
[dice=Knowledge(Engineering) for Fortress]1d20+7
The fortress looks pretty much what you can see - nothing exciting or special jumps out at you.
Kalig begins to cross the bridge, staying alert as she crosses.
[dice="Perception]1d20+9
Kalig sees nothing of note as she crosses the bridge, but the noise it makes is unnerving!
"Looks pretty stable. As long as we don't all try to cross at once - no more than four on the bridge at a time, I'd say." Horatio shrugs, turning to Veryl. "After you," he offers, giving a dramatic bow and waving the other man onwards.
He turns to Shalelu then, his tone more somber. "I suppose this is where we part ways, then?" he asks of the elf woman, a hint of regret in his voice.
Shalelu smiles. "I'll see you all soon."
"No not four...three" Said the swordsman his eyes carefully examining the ropes extending across the bridge "I thought at first that these were just some cheap ropes, because we are dealing with goblins here...but this was actually built to snap if a large number of people tried to cross at once" Veryl ran his hand through the rope.
"Breaca I think you should cross ahead with Miro and follow Kalig, Merwyn, Horatio and I will follow after you've made it across" Veryl then wrapped his arm around the bard "You won't be rid of me yet, I am planning to give you sword lessons after all this is over" An overly friendly smile appeared on Veryl's face, but if one looked closely enough they could see the taint of sadistic-ness within the grin as well.
"Three, you say?" Horatio frowns as he looks over the bridge again, noticig the way it groans unnervingly at Kalig's weight. "Well, best to err on the side of caution," he shugs flippantly, brushing off the fact that someone else knew more than him - for once.
The sudden grasp surprises him, jolting the air from his lungs and sending his eyebrows somewhere near his hairline; he quickly regains his composure, trying not to shudder at the sadistic glee in the warrior's face. "Lessons in swordsmanship?" he chuckles, disentangling himself from the arm. "If you're going to do such a ridiculous thing, I might just have to teach you to dance or some such nonsense!" His face suddenly falls as he realizes what he's said, and he quickly turns away, looking back at the damned bridge. "Some other such nonsense, perhaps," he adds, quiety, his words almost lost on the sea wind.
Kalig, gripping the ropes tight, finally makes it across, and waves to the others--and to Shalelu as she disappears into the forest.
She finds a shadowed area to stand in while she waits, and listens for activity beyond the wooden walls.
Breaca follows swiftly behind, ignoring the perilous drop below as she grips the rails and passes the bridge. She finds a spot in the shadows next to Kalig and draws her bow and an arrow, placing it on the string and listens intently for sound of alarm being raised.
Veryl lets out a genuine laugh "I am sure we can come to some arrangement" The well dressed warrior steps towards the edge of the bridge and halts, turning his face towards the sorceress and the bard "Ladies and gentlemen first...thugs will follow later" He said in jest, giving the remaining members who didn't cross the bridge a mischievous smirk.
"Good eye Veryl. That's a smart trap." Miro begins moving across the bridge on his light feet.
"Indeed," Horatio chuckles, watching as Miro and Breaca make their way across. He takes a single step onto the bridge, making the mistake of glancing down at the waters far below. He whips his head back up, steels himself, and makes his way across, moving as quickly as he feels safe doing, audibly sighing in relief as he reaches the other side. He joins Breaca and Kalig, keeping Rosaline firmly clutched in one hand.
"Fear is just an illusion. All you need to do is disbelieve it," says Merwyn matter-a-factly as Horatio starts to cross the bridge. She smiles reassuringly.