"Oh, yes, we can get those kinds of weapons," says Isabella. "I just didn't know what you meant when you didn't specify the kind of 'special equipment'. If we can arrange some barter we should be able to get a few different choices for our team."
She glances around the group and noticing some of the battering and bruising she focuses once more and asks for Reymenda to renew the heroes (excluding Tsuto).
"I'll need some cold arrows." Yasu says. "And... maybe a weapon that's better suited for my grip."
"Should we try to see if we can post a guard of some kind at the tunnel while we prepare? In case they return before we are ready?"
"I also want to offer you lifetime room and board at the Rusty Dragon as thanks for saving me. I'm going to head back there now."
Laufey nods her head slowly at Ameiko's words, almost a slight bow. She is familiar with this kind of arrangement and doesn't have to consider before giving one of the proper acceptance replies. She had thought Foxglove might be a possible patron, but he is gone now, and she likes Ameiko better anyway.
"My sword and strength are your tools. Use them as you will."
Laufey looks again at Tsuto. "Of course your decision is to be honored. It is a family matter after all."
Looking back at Ameiko she adds "but if you become tired of waiting for the sheriff...", she taps her dagger, "and you would rather have a family solution, I can hold him so he does not struggle. You would only need to make a single cut. I can show the place on his throat if you do not know it."
Ameiko shakes her head at Laufey's offer and says, "Thank you, but I think I'll leave the justice system to do its work."
With Tsuto suitably locked up and under guard, your tired and weary group returns to the Rusty Dragon with Ameiko. Bethana is overjoyed to see that Ameiko is returned safely, and Ameiko sets about overseeing the cooks making a quick lunch for everyone. Though she will likely have much to deal with in the future, for today she can at least go back to being a simple innkeeper.
Laufey returns to her room where she cleans up and puts her clothes in a bucket of water to soak out the blood. She changes into her dress, loops her sword belt over her shoulder to carry her blade on her back, and goes back downstairs.
During lunch Laufey is surprised, and impressed, by Ameiko's resilience. Losing a father and brother in the same day is a great tragedy. She has no doubt her choice agreeing to enter Ameiko's service is the correct one.
She brings up her idea of finding cold iron weapons to the others. "We should look for something this afternoon. Especially arrows if this demon flies. They should be the cheapest option too."
Rasmorn spends some time while eating looking at some of their loot, looking for imperfections, and trying to figure out what they'd fetch.
Over
Over
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Rasmorn thinks the flute is worth 80 gp, the earrings are worth 30 gp for the pair, the pouches of gold dust worth 50 gp each (300 gp total), and the pouches of silver dust worth 7 gp each (56 gp total).
"I really think some of this stuff could fetch a decent price. Perhaps we could sell them when we are shopping?"
Rasmorn will pack all the items back up and finish eating, then head out with the others.
You head to Savah's armory to sell the goblin's equipment and perhaps see if you can pick up some cold iron weaponry. You are fortunate, in that she does indeed have an assortment of cold iron weapons - none would be considered examples of master craftsmanship, but all are well-made and in good condition.
She isn't interested in the earrings or the flute, but suggests that the jeweler, Maver Kesk, might take the earrings, and the Sandpoint Boutique might take both.
Yasu purchases 10 Durable cold iron arrows, sized for his bow.
Yasu clears out some space in his quiver and loads up the new cold-iron arrows.
"Thanks for the tip!" Rasmorn says, as he completes the sale of the other items, and picks out a simple cold iron dagger . He will then head over to the boutique to sell the earrings and flute.
"I'm as ready to move on as I'll ever be," says Isabella after she purchases a boline.
Leaving Savah's after having completed your purchases, you journey to the Sandpoint Boutique. The proprietress, Hayliss Korvaski, greets you all and welcomes you to her shop, then takes a look at the flute and earrings. Considering them for a moment, she reveals that Rasmorn over-estimated their worth, and the flute is only worth 50 gold, while the earrings are 25 gold for the pair. However, she will give you 60 for the flute, and the full 30 for the pair as a thank you for the help you've given Sandpoint - especially your recent rescue of Ameiko from the hands of her brother and the goblins.
"Thank you Hayliss! That's very generous of you," says Isabella as the proprietress offers a better-than-usual sale.
"What's next for us, friends?"
"While Nualia is a greater problem, the tunnel under the glassworks is a more immediate danger." Yasu apprises. "We should go clear that out first, then gear up for taking Thistletop from the goblins and rooting out Nualia once and for all."
Yasu has been struggling with his own emotional torment ever since reading Tsuto's journal. Why, oh why, would someone WANT to look like he does? It made his existence feel even more disgusting to him.
"Yup. Yasu's right." Talia agrees. "Lets get Sandpoint made a bit more secure before heading out."
At Savah's Armory Laufey remains economy minded. She doesn't feel safe spending greatly, even though having a patron now is a relief.
She selects enough cold iron tipped arrows to fill a quiver, a nicely weighted battle axe with a cold iron blade, and a longspear tipped in cold iron. Those cover most of the scenarios she can imagine.
On ethe way back she mentions to Isabella "when we find the demon I will drop the spear if I can get in close enough to use the axe. Pick it up and use it then."
In planned their next moves, Laufey agrees the tunnel should come first. "It is a route into town that could be used for an attack on the town. Sealing it off gives us more time. If we leave to hunt for Nualia the attack might come while we are gone. It is good insurance to close them off."
Once back at the inn, Laufey takes her clothing out of soaking, finishes laundering them, and hangs them to dry. She spends the evening in the tavern. She doesn't quite play the role of bouncer at the door, but she does keep an eye on things. It is her job to protect her patron's property and keep order in her house.
After an evening spent resting in the Rusty Dragon, you awaken the next day refreshed and ready to go explore the smuggler's tunnel. After a wonderful breakfast of Ameiko's cooking, you gather your equipment and head out.
Returning to the Glassworks, you find that Ameiko has hired people to clean up the mess and try to get things orderly again. Lonjiku's body has been removed, and will likely be buried soon.
In the basement, you move to the smuggler's tunnel and begin walking down it towards the end. After several minutes, you find a side passage that looks to have once been bricked up. The bricks have been torn down, however, and a cave mouth stands open, 10 feet high, and slightly less than that wide.
These bricks look to have been torn down about five years ago - right around the time of the Late Unpleasantness.
Yasu will take point for the tunnel travel; he is best suited to this kind of task.
He doesn't care much to think about the bricks they encountered, it didn't *seem* relevant at the moment.
He starts down the tunnel wtih an arrow in hand, ready to pull on his bow and fire.
Talia doesn't have Survival, so she doesn't look at the bricks.
Rasmorn follows along behind Yasu, peering forward for any signs of danger.
Isabella trails along in the middle of the group as well, peering about in the darkness of the tunnels. "This makes a twisted sort of sense," she says. "Tsuto needed to get the goblins in the city... so he had to eliminate Lonjiku, so nobody would notice the re-opening of the smuggler's tunnels. Plus a side of family vengeance, it sounds like."
The others hurry on into the old tunnel, so Laufey takes the rear this time. As she passes by, she pauses to take a look at the bricks.
There. That is strange. The mortar color is all the same. This has been open for a long while...
Laufey doesn't make much of it, but she does mention it to the others as they walk.
"You know, those bricks have been down for a long time. Several years I think. The color of the mortar where it is broken is dark, the same as the exposed seams. If it was new, the broken surfaces would be light in color. It is not Tsuto's or the goblins' work, unless they did it years ago."
Walking down the rough stone passageway, you come to a point where the tunnel continues on, but to your left is the entrance to another cavern.
You see a creature lurking in the back of the cavern, hidden behind a protrusion of rock.
Isabella freezes, then grips Laufey's arm from behind. She whispers into Laufey's ear.
Laufey doesn't notice anything until Isabella points it out.
"Let Yasu know. Maybe he can draw it out with an arrow. That is better than going to it if there are more with it" she whispers back to Isabella.
Laufey then prepares herself, staying between the lurker and the others in a guarded stance.
Talia still can't see anything. :(
Rasmorn continues to follow Yasu, oblivious.
Isabella nods to Laufey, then tugs on Yasu's long arm and whispers, "Something moved. Off to the left. Behind the rock."
Yasu will turn and peer down the passage, tightening his draw on his bow.
Laufey peers carefully into the near-darkness and picks the creature out. She's certain it must be aware of them and, if it's intelligent, can read their movements well enough to understand it has been spotted as well.
Now it's just a matter of its intentions, which are almost certainly bad.
She readies an attack should it decide to advance on them.
Realizing it's been seen, the creature emerges into the light with an unnautral roar. It's vaguely humanoid shaped, with bent back legs and a gaping maw full of teeth. It's long arms end in three-fingered hands with wicked claws, and it lacks any hair whatsoever. It is clearly hostile.
This is a type of abberation known as a Sinspawn. They are quite vicious, with fearsome maw and claws. Those who are attacked by them often become filled with anger and rage.
Talia moves to where she can now see the emerging creature.
"Sinspawn! Be careful it doesn't drive you into a senseless rage!"
Isabella once again releases a blessing to aid her compatriots.
Talia moves to where she can now see the emerging creature. "Sinspawn! Be careful it doesn't drive you into a senseless rage!" She looses a bolt from her crossbow which flies true, crossing the distance between herself and the sinspawn before slamming into the creature's shoulder.
Laufey charges the creature, swinging her blade in a two-handed grip to cut the aberration deeply on one leg.
Isabella once again releases a blessing to aid her compatriots, the divine power of Reymenda flowing over them.
The sinspawn roars in Laufey's face before clawing and biting at her. Its attack is brutally effective, gashing the warrior severely.
You are overcome with anger and hatred at this creature that dares to attack you. This thing thinks itself your equal. You will destroy it with your strength, and end its pathetic existence. It will face your wrath!
You are sickened for 3 minutes as you are overcome with such wrathful thoughts.
Yasu draws back on his bow and unleashes a shot. Hitting surprisingly more accurately than he used to.
Yasu's arrow proves to be more than the sinspawn can handle, as it collapses to the ground with a javelin-sized arrow sticking out of it.
The first Sinspawn were supposedly created by servants of the Thassilonian Runelord Alaznist to be used as disposable shock troops in battle. Eventually, the other Runelords began making them as well, although never in the numbers produced by Alaznist.