After discussing matters with Master Quink, Rissi returns to the chaotic noise of her small garret in rat alley and scribes a scroll.
The next morning, she quickly weaves a new a new cloak for herself. She hums as she weaves silver and gold thread into a cloak; Brihz nips off the ends of the threads as the wizard finishes her stitches. She replaces her old cloak with the new, squeaking in contentment at the abjuration magicks humming in it.
If Kufieno is willing to surrender the scroll of flaming sphere, she will attempt to scribe it into her spellbook after an hour of study.
vs. 17
She will also procure a wand of curative magic for Lucian.
Sealman perks up at each moment "giants" are mentioned in the histories of the Runelords. He daydreams back to when there were whole armies of giants for him to combat.
When he has a spare moment, the dwarf will wander on down to Savah's Armory.
"You got any dwarven dorn-dergar here? I've been wanting to try one of those out. No, not the standard kind. I want the true dwarven-craft ones.
I should probably get a bow as well. Some of the elves I've talked to on the road said I should get darkwood. I'll get the one with the strongest pull a man around here can use. Yes, yes I'll need arrows too.
By the way, how frequently do you work with adamantine?"
Lucian listens carefully to his master's history lesson, nodding now and then, or shaking his head as he hears the stories of treachery and evil.
"This is definitely one of Alaznist's seats of power, I think. Maybe an outpost? I wonder if there is a way up or down those stairs. Maybe it would lead inside the Old Light?"
Lucian rambles on and on, thinking up many theories and sharing them with his newfound friends and his master until late in the afternoon.
The evening is well-spent in the Rusty Dragon, enjoying a cool honey mead and Tien-style pork chops. At that time, Lucian eyes Rissi's new cloak with interest. "Say, that's a very fashionable cloak you have there. Protective magics, eh? I was wondering if you could make me one of those with my share of the loot. Pretty please, Miss Rissi?" Beaming his best smile, Lucian immediately reverts to his old ways of charming, thus forgetting - at least for a few moments - the gruesome things they saw lingering under Sandpoint.
As for future plans, Lucian scratches his head. "We should definitely go to Thistletop and stop this budding goblin invasion if we can, or at least scout to learn of the strength of their forces. Shouldn't we wait for the Sheriff's return? I mean, he entrusted us with guarding Sandpoint while he's away, right?"
Rissi agrees and spends the following day and fashions similar cloak for Lucian. She later picks up three alchemist fires for herself.
The ancient site known as Thistletop has long served as a den for goblins. Today, it serves as something more-the lair of a band of outlaws led by Nualia, knaves and criminals who have recruited the goblins as their instruments of destruction. In order to save Sandpoint from these goblins, a journey to Thistletop must be undertaken-but the Lost Coast's new heroes should take care to ensure they are prepared for this stage of the adventure. Goblins are likely the least of the dangers that lurk in and below Thistletop, if the caverns below Sandpoint are any indication of what is to come-for the site was one of many used by Runelord Karzoug in his ancient war against his enemies to the west.
Following the Lost Coast Road east, the party can reach the Thistle River crossing relatively quickly-it's only a 6-mile journey (2 hours by foot).
Thistletop is located on the Varisian coast, a curiously round island about 60 feet off shore, connected to the mainland by a rope bridge. Approaching is difficult since the tangles of Nettlewood are in the way.
Lucian has been preparing this expedition well, for he doesn't often travel outside Sandpoint. Apple-green cloth tunic, large straw hat, and a backpack filled with various sandwiches prepared by Bethana, Ameiko's halfling maid at the Rusty Dragon. A thrush bird has been perched on Lucian's shoulder for most of the journey so far, now and then taking flight for a moment, then returning to her perch. Lucian is wide-eyed with affection for the bird, whom he seems to have taken a liking to.
"Amazing things, birds. They are free to fly wherever they want, see the world from above... You're a lucky one, Evanya, Desna has blessed you with true freedom." he calls his thrush.
However, striding in the woods wearing a leather armor is much more exerting that Lucian would have expected, and the young Varisian sweats abundantly.
"Are we there yet?" he asks, unsure of the distance trodden since the village.
"It appears they do Miana. Thank you again for your armor. I had to let it out a bit in the belly, but the hips appeared to be fine.
I understand you have been studying a new martial art? So I have too. It is called Goblin Wackin'!
Seal then pulls out his dorn-dergar. He then absently mindedly begins to swing it above his head, nearly missing his fellow party member's in the twirl. Seal then allows the heavy head of the dorn fly out and punch into a nearby try. The warrior then whips it back into a twirl, twists his body and fires it over Rissi's head at an overhead branch.
"Neato, uh?"
+1 for Tracks; +4 for Giants
Rissi flattens herself with an angry squeak.
"Warriors and their *chhh* toys. Do not wrap yourself up in those chains."
She looks curiously at Lucian's bird.
"I favor rodents myself; clever little creatures."
---
The briars and thistles that grow so rampantly in Nettlewood are even more dense and tangled here, close to the shore. Although not quite dense enough to block the sound of saves crashing on the unseen shores to the west, the undergrowth is certainly thick enough to block sight and access to the coast. Few trees grow this close to the edge of the sea, but the briars themselves often reach heights to rival them; here, the patch is nearly twenty feet high.
After about hours during which Seal expertly leads the party through the undergrowth and avoids several poisonous patches, the dwarf locates a hidden entrance through one of the walls of thorns. Squeezing through this entrance, which was clearly meant for smaller creatures, the part finds themselves in a four-foot-high tunnel which winds through the dense briars and nettles. The floor is hard-packed with patches of wiry plants growing stubbornly here and there.
+1 tracks
Seal kneels on the ground, dabs the dirt then licks it. After smacking his lips a few times, the ranger remarks on his conclusion.
"Yep, that be gobos. We are on the right track. Gobos and their dawgs roam these tunnels. It looks like something large was dragged through here recently to the east. Shall we check it out?"
"Surprisingly clever creatures, *chhh* at times. Lead on brave Sealman"
Lucian crawls to follow Sealman and his companions. Before they venture further, he stops and submits an idea to his friends while stroking his thrush familiar.
"I could send Evanya to scout from above, she could be our eyes in this labyrinth of briar, what do you think?"
---
Evanya works her way free of the briars and flies above them for a few moments. Although she can see things moving about in several places, the tunnels are not completely visible from above and she has trouble picking out where the paths lead.
Seal leads the way forward to a larger 'room' where the ceiling of briars opens up enough for the taller folk to stand.
Three thistle tunnels lead off from this large chamber. Above, the thorny canopy grows thin enough that tiny slivers of the sky above can be seen, while below, the ground consists of trampled dirt. To the west, the distant sound of sloshing waves echoes up from a hole in the ground.
As Evanya returns, Lucian looks dismayed. "I'm afraid the briar canopy doesn't allow aerial scouting. We should move forward... but which way?" The young Varisian appears to be completely lost in the nettles labyrinth.
"One way seems as good as any other."
+1 tracks
"The large object went to the northwest."
"I wonder what it could be? A weapon... perhaps the *chhh* stolen body. I am curious enough to *squeak* suggest following the larger object."
"Maybe an abducted villager during the raid?"
"No, I think larger then that. Think maybe ogre sized!"
The party moves to the northeast to find the floor and walls of the next musty-smelling chamber to be covered in matted, wiry fur; well-gnawed bones lie scattered about the floor. All of this makes much more sense in the context of what walks about the chamber: four goblin dogs!
"Fabulous!"
Seal double moves toward the crossroads, while twirling his dorn to his right.
"Here poochie, poochie, poochie. Sealman got something for you to choke on!"
Lucian blesses Miana with guidance from the gods and crawls forward, making sure to leave room for those who need it.
Rissi moves up and throws a splash of acid.
Seal moves up and readies his weapon!
Lucian guides Miana's actions.
Rissi hurls a glob of acid as one of the dogs approaches!
---
The dogs rush in to get at some tasty dwarf!
Even with his new armor, Seal is distracted by GD3 enough to allow GD4 to take a bite out of him.
Hives begin to break out over Sealman's skin. He tries to scratch his shoulder with his chin with little relief.
"Looks like you doggies are all lined up for me! Time to go down!
He then shortens up the chain on his dorn
|
"So that's the detestable odor...", Miana moving around Sealman as she pulls out her new blade and attacks the beast that just hit the dwarf with one hand up in the air to so she can balance on one foot, reducing her profile.
However, Sealman's itching fit disturbs Miana enough that she can't get a solid swing in.
Rissi splashes acid and moves closer to the fight, although the shot has become much more difficult with her allies in the way.
Kufieno moves up past Rissi and attacks with his shortsword.
Lucian moves behind Sealman and blesses him with guidance of the gods.
Seal takes out the yellow dog as it runs in.
The party dwarf then takes down the dog in the back as well!
Miana moves in but finds the dogs hard to hit.
Rissi's acid merely burns a hole in a nearby thicket.
Kufieno pushes his way through some briars and stabs but the dog squirms out of the way.
Lucian guides Seal's actions.
---
The dogs continue to snap at the party, their mangy fur giving off a foul odor and a cloud of soot!
Another bite digs deep into Seal's flesh. Normally he would have dodged it, but the dwarf takes an ill timed moment to scratch himself.
"Oh yah! Keep it going troop!
Seal continues to flail the dogs before him.
Seeing no egress into the tight confines, Rissi resorts to another splash of acid.
As she winds up to throw the splash flies straight back!
Kufieno steps to the north and attacks once more!
Lucian moves to the space Kufieno was occupying until moments before while drawing his morningstar, then attempts to crush the goblin dog's head. However, the Varisian's blow is clumsy and finished in the brambles above his head.
Seal tries to cleave through two of the dogs but his initial attack is off.
Rissi's acid flies backwards and burns more of the thicket.
With a well-placed blow Kufieno takes down one of the dogs!
Miana then finishes off the last one!
"Well, that was *chhh* exciting. I fear they may now be alert to our presence." She cocks her ear, listening.
"To the hilt on that strike, Kufieno. Now let's see what these dawgs have been guarding."
Seal will do a quick look around as well. When the party is ready, he lead them to the west.
"Before we venture further, allow me to close your wounds, Sealman. You too, Miana" As he speaks, he draws the newly-acquired wand and speaks the words enacting the power of the divine.
Thank you, thank you. But do you have anything for the itch? I mean, it really itches!
Sealman begins to alternate scratching his groin area and backside with his hands.
"Unfortunately I didn't buy Madam Mvashti's wondrous pommade back in Sandpoint. It's too bad, 'cause they say it soothes any ailment of the skin."
Seal and Miana find nothing interesting in the dog scraps. However, as the party is looking around and wondering where to go next, you look up to see that the path ahead of you is now occupied, for the dog's yapping has surely attracted the others out in the thicket.
A large feline creature with black and red matted hair stands beside a red-eyed goblin holding a sword seemingly made of flame. In his other hand floats a ball of flame. In Common he says, "Longshanks! Gogmurt expect longshanks since the raid! Oh, yes! But Gogmurt guards the way! Go, Tangletooth!"