The walks over, not to happy to have been beaten. He grudgingly shakes Anaachs hand, but then good-naturedly says, "To you as well, Anaack. That strength of yours is something to be reckoned with. I would not want to meet you in a fight." He eyes the battleaxe leaning up."Not many seek to face my axe. Even fewer regret having faced it." Anaach says, wiping sweat off of his brow, once again frowning at the slight stubble on his head...
He redons his leather chest and bracers, slinging his pack back on
repost
Lelia thinks for a moment, biting on her fingernail as she ponders what Artyom has just told her.
"I think my family is the complete opposite of yours. I'm a foundling of some weird ritual so I don't have any blood ties at all to them yet they took me in, raised me and taught me my letters like another daughter.
I had many mothers and fathers, grandparents, uncles and aunties yet they were never truly mine just as I was never truly theirs. Our relationship I think, as compared to yours was filled with their love and care.
They let me choose to be what I want and where I want to go. I'm sure that once all this is done and over with and I have found answers that I seek, I'll go back. The family that raised me."Then a cheeky smile steals a solemn demeanour as she immediately retorts.
"I've never worked with complete strangers too!! Does that help? I'm guessing Weylyn does though."
Artyom gives Lelia a smile and a small pat on her head. He continues to look for his sister and her tent. Ricky flies up to Artyom's shoulder.
When Artyom turns his father's hair pink, the priests he is in conversation with begin to giggle, right as he starts to reply to something that was said to him. He immediately becomes mad at them, thinking that they are laughing at what he is saying. It's a little while before anyone tell him that his hair has suddenly turned pink.
"Well, Anaach, the bald man says, "if you're ever looking for a less shoddy weapon, come see me at the Red Dog Smithy. You look like you would be unstoppable wielding an axe of my make."
I am sorry, but my axe holds sentimental value, as does my armor. the large man says whilst gathering all of his gear back up, still bare chested.
Artyom continues to look for his sister, with Lelia in tow.
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Following Artyom, Lelia marvels at the wares on display. Giggling at some of the performances, staring in awe at some of the more dangerous ones, appraising the more 'touted' magical items in question finding most of them to be nothing more gaudy pieces meant more for the display shelf than for any other practical use. A quick focus to her eyes enabling her to see magical auras alerts her to the fact that some people also glow to her magically enhanced sight.
"I do understand, Anaach. The bond between a man and his weapon can be as tough as good steel. I bid you farewell. Enjoy the festival." Das Korvut makes his way back down the road towards the southern end of town.
Artyom and Lelia find their way to a tent with sign depicting a picture of a purple butterfly with eyes on its wings. Obviously Kaede's tent. Upon entering, Kaede jumps up and gives Artyom a hug. "I was hoping to see you here, brother!"
Artyom gives a rare grin and laughs at the sight of his sister. "It's good to see you too, Kaede." Taking a seat on one of the chairs, he turns to Lelia. "This is Lelia. She's going to be my assistant." He then turns back to his twin. "So, how have you been since the last time I wrote to you? Life been treating you well?"
"Pleasure to meet you Lelia." She takes a seat herself and gestures to Lelia to sit as well. "Life's been wonderful. The road is treating me well. I'm raking in customers like mad here. I don't doubt my pockets will be stuffed by the end of the day. I'm thinking a may stay in town a little longer after the festival clears up. "
At this moment a halfling pokes her head into the tent, probably hoping for a reading. "I forgot to flip the sign. I'll be ready for you in a few minutes. Where are you staying, Artyom?"
Artyom smiles. "It's good to hear that you've been doing well, sis. Mom would've been proud. I'm staying at the Rusty Dragon." He sighs. "I did see father earlier." His eyes become downcast.
"It's good to hear you say that. I do miss her, especially when all of us are here together," becoming solemn. "I hope you haven't started bickering again. You should move on from his disapproval and try to make peace with him. The two of you are annoyingly stubborn."
Artyom scoffs. "Don't worry. Dad didn't care enough to start bickering this time around. I'm proving to dad that I'm just like mom. That I'm destined for greater things than praying to Desna. No offense, of course. I'm not giving up on my dream. And don't blame me. He's the one who's been trying to control me, stealing the money I was raising for tuition, and trying to force his ideals on me." He gains a smirk. "I did leave him a... parting gift before we parted ways in the festival."
"Well anyway, it was nice seeing you, Brother. No doubt I'll run into you again if you plan on staying in town for any amount of time for your research. I suppose that I'll stay at the Rusty Dragon if that is where you are staying." She smiles and moves to let the both of you out
The sun is at its zenith, and the crowd's mind is slowly turning towards food. Tables are being set up everywhere in preparation for the highly-anticipated free lunch offered by the three most popular taverns in town: The Rusty Dragon, The White Deer, and The Hagfish.
Artyom gives one last hug to Kaede. "It was nice seeing you too, Sis. I'm hoping to see you as well."
Ricky gives one happy chirp and rubs against Kaede's cheek. "Bye, Kaede!"
Artyom heads to the Rusty Dragon's free lunch, confident in the supreme quality of the food prepared by Ameiko.
Father Zantus and his acolytes wheel a large covered wagon into the square, and after recounting a short parable of how Desna fell to earth and was nursed back to health by a blind child whom she transformed into an immortal butterfly as a reward for her aid, they pull aside the wagon's cover, releasing the thousand children of Desna - a furious storm of swallowtail butterflies that swarm into the air in a spiraling riot of color to a great cheer from the crowd. Throughout the rest of the day, children futilely chase butterflies, never quite quick enough to catch them.
Food is served to the crowd free of charge by each three of Sandpoint's most popular taverns. The Hagfish serves a lobster chowder, the White Deer peppercorn venison, and the Rusty Dragon brings a curry spiced salmon with winterdrop mead. All of the food is excellent, but it immediately becomes clear that Rusty Dragon's offerings overshadow those of the other taverns. On the podium which was used for speeches this morning, Cyrdak Drokkus has put on a play, which keeps the crowds entertained while they eat.
Weylyn finally makes his way to the Dragon for food. He sits near Artyom and Lelia.
"Hi." He says as though nothing happened.
Artyom nods at Weylyn. "Hello. I want to apologize for my earlier actions. I guess living on the road for most of my life has made me suspicious to those that show good intentions. Leading into a false sense of security, you know?"
Anaach eats a lot less than one would expect such a large man to eat. Anaach samples some of the fare from each of the places, before settling on some salmon from the Rusty Dragon...
Weylyn nods and offers a salmon studded grin.
Artyom nods back and proceeds to eat his salmon. He nods in greeting to Anaach.
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Lelia ignores everything else in favor of the gourmet set before her. Daintily nibbling on practically everything she could get her hands on, having never tasted most of the foods before her. A silver here, a bite sized tibit there and then Lelia realises that there is more dishes yet to be sampled.
Lobster chowder, the White Deer peppercorn venison, and the Rusty Dragon brings a curry spiced salmon with winterdrop mead all sounded and tasted exquiste to her and they didn't disappoint.
As the day goes on, you all continue to enjoy yourselves in your own fashion. There is still plenty to do and people to talk to, but the energy level dies down a bit near the end of the day.
Around 5 o'clock it comes time for Father Zantus to take the podium and consecrate the new church. He throws a thunder stone on the ground to attract everyone's attention. A sharp retort, like the crack of a distant thunder, slices though the excited crowd as the sun's setting rays pierce the western sky. A stray dog that has crawled under a nearby wagon starts to awake, and the buzz of two dozen conversations quickly hushes as all heads turn towards the central podium, where a beaming Father Zantus. He clears his throat, takes a breath to speak, and suddenly a woman's scream slices through the air. A few moments later, another scream rises, then another. Beyond them, a sudden surge of strange new voices rises - high-pitched, tittering shrieks that sound not quite human. The crowd parts and something low to the ground races by, giggling with disturbing glee as the stray dog gives a pained yelp and then collapses with a gurgle, its throat cut open from ear to ear. As blood pools around its head, the raucous sound of a strange song begins, chanted from shrill, scratchy voices.
"Goblins chew and goblins bite.
Gobins cut and goblins fight.
Stab the dog and cut the horse,
Goblins eat and take by force!
"Goblins race and goblins jump
Goblins slash and goblins bump.
Burn the skin and mash the head,
Goblins here and you be dead!
"Chase the baby, catch the pup.
Bonk the head to shut it up.
Bones be crackled, flesh be stewed,
We be Goblins! You be food!"
The crowd scatters. You all notice the goblin who killed the dog is licking the blood off his blade next to the wagon. You notice three other goblins as well. One wields a whip and bellows the goblin song at he top of her lungs.
Initiative
In order:
Goblin Warchanter
Goblin Warriors
Weylin
Lelia
Anaach
Artyom
Here is some goblin art:
Goblin Warchanter
Goblin Warriors
Artyom's violet gaze narrows at the sight of the goblins. "Foul, disgusting creatures!" He moves a bit and looks to one of them. He then holds up his cane (quarterstaff) like a javelin. As he takes aim, the cane glows a faint white. He then hurls it. The cane's movement is fast.
After it hits or misses, the weapon comes back to Artyom's hand.
The warchanter runs forward (to O15) cracking her whip with maniacal delight as she runs. She takes a break from her song to raise her hand towards the hulk of a man that is Anaach and mutter a few words under her breath.
Whatever spell she cast seems to not have affected Anaach. She curses in Goblin and resumes chanting.
The goblin that slew the dog looks up and licks the blood off of his dogslicer. He then turns and scampers towards the first human he can see (naturally Anaach), unnaturally fast for his size.
The second goblin scurries the other way, headed towards the stage and Weylyn. He brandishes his crude sword menacingly.
The third goblin seems to not notice the presence of the humans who are neglecting to run away. He starts to stuff his mouth and and fill his pockets with as much salmon as he can, only to have Artyom's staff come whizzing past his head seconds later.
Weylyn, normally loping and lazy in his movements, snaps to full alertness as the goblin menace moves closer. Seeing Anach threatened, Weylyn rushes forward with fluid grace and tries to dive over the little bugger's reach and come up behind him to give Anach a good chance to land a killing blow.
Anaach charges the diminutive greenskinned monster which tried to cause him magical harm...
The axe rends through the shoddy goblin armor, spraying gore across the marketplace, Anaach screams into the air in triumph FEAR THE SKLAR QUAH!
Can you all see this?
Map
As Anaach moves past, the goblin takes a swing at his torso, cutting a large gash. Undeterred, Anaach swings his greataxe and beheads the goblin warchanter.
Better at fight distracted opponents, Weylyn makes an awkward, hacking swing with his shortsword.
Round 2
The goblin who was previously stuffing his face with salmon turns around and makes for Artyom.
The other goblin upon seeing his companion beheaded by Anaach, changes course away towards the stage. He attempts to scamper up the side, but slips and falls. He stands up looking a little confused.
The remaining goblin cuts at Weylyn.
Seeing the goblin becoming too close for comfort, Artyom moves back a ways, his eyes glowing. He gazes into the eyes of the goblin. The goblin's mind begins to cloud with twinkling lights. He shouts out, "I could use a hand here! Anaach! Weylyn! You want me to lure him to you?!"
1d20+3 1d6+2
Better at fight distracted opponents, Weylyn makes an awkward, hacking swing with his shortsword.