Working together Quiella, Moadis, and Valik convince the goblin to talk after assuring her that they mean no harm. The goblin still pleads to be let go and have her cage brother Plarg returned to her, but eventually reveals the following, “Even out in the swamp, we heard stories about the Nightsoil Marauders—a gang of goblins in the longshanks city. When Murg tried to bite off my ear—again!—I left the swamp and came to the city to join up. I met some other goblins outside the city and they sneaked me inside. They took me through the smelly tunnels and made me wait outside their lair. An important-looking goblin with a big, dangly hat came out and stared at me. He said his name was Versevosh. I thought he was the boss, but he said that the big boss is much scarier than him. Versevosh said rude things about me and my tribe and said I’d have to prove myself if I wanted to join the gang. He said I’d have to steal shiny things from a tribe of longshanks in the city. He showed me drawings of what to look for.”
“The other goblins showed me the way through the smelly tunnels tothe horse-killing place. I like that place, ‘cause they cut up horses there and you can see their insides and I got lots of dead horse to eat. The goblins said to steal from the big house then go back to the horse-killing place, then they ran off. It was almost sunrise and I could hear longshanks so I hid. Later I sneaked up to the big house and took some shiny things from the small houses, but then you caught me."
|
Quiella smiles at the goblin. Now, what is your name?
She'll give the goblin sufficient time to answer (or not), then ask, in succession, with appropriate pauses
Who, what, and where is Pharg?
Is the engraved compass what you were supposed to find?
Where will you go if we let you free? What will the gang do to you if you come back empty-handed?
"My name is Ekkie, I'll lead you to the horse-killing place and the stinky tunnels, then you let me go, ok? I'll leave this nasty longshank infested place, I promise! I'm not going back to the gang, they'll hurt me bad now that I talked. The thing I was supposed to find was a shiny round thing with weird mark on it, if that's an engraffed conpress then yes." Ekkie looks over to the goblin skull she was carrying, "That's Plarg, he's my cage brother. I won't be able to help without Plarg. He'll be lonely without me."
The goblin seems to be honest in her intention to leave, at least at the moment. She also appears to have little love for the other goblins.
|
|
In spite of the ancient enmity between Goblins and Gnomes, Quiella not only believed Ekkie, but felt pity for her.
You are safe as long as I am near, Ekkie, provided you do not put us or anyone else to harm. Let me confer with my companions. Quiella looks at her companions, desiring to speak with them outside the presence of the goblin. Her intent is to let the shrieker guide them, and then release the poor thing safely into the wild, along with Plarg. Although she is perfectly happy to promise the goblin her own personal protection until she is safely outside the city, she does not want to step further than that without making sure her companions feel the same way. After all, she has only just met them, and would not presume to speak for anyone other than herself (or perhaps Moadis in certain circumstances, as Paladins are expected to do certain things at times).
Knowledge (Local) checks cannot be made untrained, so Quiella has no way of aiding in that. Unless she can use Diplomacy (Gather Information) to ask around. Perhaps Heidmarch might know something, or might know a scholar or someone Quiella could ask?
The gnome paladin doesn't have to go to much work to uncover the source of the wayfinder, because when the item is examined you discover the name 'Joadric Heimurl' inscribed within it. Asking around you learn that Joadric, a loud brash human male of Kellid descent, is staying at the Shalast House, one of Heidmarch Manor’s other Thassilonian Houses, and that the necklace of fireballs and wayfinder were just stolen from him. When his gear is returned, he offers to let you use the last bead from the necklace of fireballs in gratitude for your capture of the thief and the return of his wayfinder.
As you prepare to go forward with the plan, Heidmarch pays you another visit and thanks you for returning Joadric's wayfinder. She also asks what you've found out about the goblin.
After debriefing her, she says to the group, "If you believe the goblin is trustworthy enough, using her to lead you to the others is a suitable plan. Although I would suggest either disguising her or hiding her in something to avoid any unpleasantness. I trust that you'll be able to end this goblin threat, return any artifacts you find, and discover why they're targeting the Pathfinder Society."
It looks like Ophelia is busy again, so we'll just go with what you rolled on the Knowledge (Local). Here is what you remember:
Goblins are insane and sadistic. They both hate and fear dogs and horses, and adore fire and destruction.
The Breakbag goblin tribe live somewhere in the Mushfens near Magnimar. These goblins love the sound of smashing glass and collect bags of broken glass. The rarely seen Wind Whisper tribe lives many miles to the east, deep in the Mushfens.
The sewer goblins living beneath Magnimar don’t normally form large tribes or organizations. They typically survive as scroungers in small family groups.
* * *
Sheila Heidmarch lends you a basket that meets your requirements.
From her hiding spot, Ekkie guides you through the streets of Magnimar, although her directions consist more of 'turn here at the shinies or go around the horrible dog place' than any clear set of coordinates. Eventually she leads you to the northern edge of the Lowcleft district to a place called 'The Mariska Knackery.' You recognize the symbol on the sign as the same symbol you found on Ekkie's package of horsemeat.
As you arrive at the Knackery, you notice the burned remains of a large shed off to one side of the main building.
Entering the establishment, you see the carcasses of horses in various states of slaughter as well as their meat for sell. Running the place appears to be a middle-aged man of mixed Varisian/Chelish ancestry who stands just over 5-1/2 feet tall, sporting a graying walrus-like mustache.
The man knuckles his mustache and asks in a strong Varisan accent, "Can I help ya?"
Inside her basket, Ekkie whispers, "Longshanks horse-killer!"
"No, can't say I've seen any goblins around here. Can't speak for any sewer grates either." He replies with a skeptical look, "What's the meaning of all this?"
Unfortunately, Quiella's gracious manner only seems to make him less friendly to the group.
Although he's trying his best to hide it, Quiella's questions are making him extremely anxious.
|
Ophelia's eyes pick out the burned remains of the shed, and she attempts to subtly point it out to the others as they approach. She jostles the basket slightly as Ekkie speaks up, hoping to quiet the little goblin.
"What happened to that shed?" Ophelia asks conversationally , nodding her head to the charred remains. "You seem to have some fire damage. How did you keep it contained to the one building?"
"I..I..I'm not nervous at all!" The mustachioed man blurts out, betraying his words, "The shed was a simple accident, we were lucky. I don't know anything about no goblins, I really don't."
Inside the basket, Ophelia can hear the goblin's stomach growl loudly in response to all the horsemeat in the vicinity.
The man wipes some sweat off his brow as the gnome paladin weighs the evil in his soul.
Nope, not evil.
The man continues to appear unmoved by the appeals of various party members, but Ekkie can no longer contain herself and pops open the lid to the basket to get a better look at all the horsemeat she's been smelling, "Please, please I'm staaaarving!" She pleads, making grabby hands in the direction of the meat.
At the sight of the goblin, the man becomes crest-fallen and nods sadly to himself as he confesses, “What could I do? Those little vermin have got me right where they want me! At first, I tried locks and bars to stop them, but the thefts got worse. If there’s any way in, they’ll find it! Then the big, creepy one, at least a foot taller than me, came one night. It put the fear right into me, I’ll tell you, lurking there in the shadows with its snuffling breath and twitching ears. It said it knew exactly where my family lives and said it’d know if I tried to go to the watch. Then they burned down my shed outside to make their point. So I’ve had to go along with them, leaving the best slabs of meat for them and ignoring the scurrying I hear down in the cellars at night. If I don’t, they’ll burn down my home and murder my family!”
"Look, I'm willing to let you use the sewer drain if you want to stop them, but that's it. I can't risk my family."
"The name is Tersus Mariska, and I thank you for anything you can do to help me with those little monsters." Master Knacker replies gratefully to Quiella.
From her spot in the basket, Ekkie offers greedily, "I can show you longshanks the way through the stinky place to the others if you give me some horsemeat...well...lots of horsemeat!"
|
|
Ophelia tries to contain Ekkie in the basket, to no avail. She sighs, shaking her head as the creature wolfs down the horse meat, but not as bothered by the sight as Quiella. "Mr. Mariska, can you describe this... 'tall one' for us?" she asks, keeping one eye on the goblin. "I've never known a goblin to grow so large. They usually stay... well... basket-sized," she finishes lamely, nodding down at Ekkie.
Like a child at a holiday, Ekkie leaps out of the basket with excitement and begins noisily devouring the horsemeat provided by Moadis. She only begins to show disappointment when she finishes, clearly wanting more than a meal's worth to eat and/or to take with her. "Yes, yes, I'll show you where they are, you shiny longshanks would get lost in the stinky tunnels without the cunning Ekkie to guide you!"
Tersus rubs his chin in thought at Ophelia's question, while keeping a firm eye on the goblin in his presence, "I think it was female, it's hard to tell sometimes with those creatures though. Like I said, it was about a foot taller than me and it had milky white eyes. It looked a lot like a goblin, except it didn't have a huge head."
From the limited description, you think he may be describing a bugbear.
* * *
Once you finish questioning the Knacker, he leads you to his cellar and the sewer drain he claims the goblin's have been using.