The wands are a Wand of Produce Flame with 34 charges, and a Wand of Tree Shape with 4 charges.
The potions are both potions of Cure Light Wounds.
His cloak and his armor also glow with magic.
The goblin looks at you and says, "Goblin fort well made and strong - only way in is across the bridge and through gates." He considers something. "The bridge is rigged so that if too many lon...er, humans walk across it, it collapses. See, I help!"
After resting for a minute, Laufey returns to stand looming over the goblin. She pulls her sword from the ground and listens in as the others question him.
The obvious question coming to Laufey's mind to ask the goblin is "so how do we not hurt any more goblins? Any time goblins see us they try to kill us. What are we supposed to do?"
"Uh...say you here only for longsh - er, other humans? Maybe Chief Ripnugget let you kill them and leave Thistletop goblins in peace. Oh, on trapped bridge, there ties that stabilize the bridge so you not fall. I tell you about trapped bridge and how to pass it. I help you - you let me go?"
The little goblin seems hopeful, since you haven't killed him yet.
Laufey stares at the goblin with narrowed eyes, considering him for a while before she speaks to him.
"Here is our offer. We won't kill you. But to avoid being killed you will have to come back to Sandpoint with us. We can't risk just letting you go right now. When we come back here, you will have to wait in Sandpoint until we return. Then we will let you go."
"We won't kill goblins in Thistletop unless we have to defend ourselves. This is the best deal you will get."
Isabella seems a little surprised by Laufey's offer, but quickly backs up her companion.
"Longshanks and goblins may not always get along, but we will try to make this possible. We could have just cut you down here but we didn't. This is a chance for you to stay alive."
Gogmurt looks between you, then sadly nods. "Okay. Gogmurt go with you to longshanks village." He's reluctant, but seems to realize it's his best hope of getting out of this - and possibly saving other members of his tribe.
The goblin bound, you escort him back to Sandpoint, where you are able to incarcerate him in the jails. Remembering his spellcasting abilities, you make sure he is chained so he cannot make the necessary gestures.
It is late afternoon, at this point.
"Now we get some equipment. Ropes, hooks and pitons would be useful. I'm not sure I trust Gogmurt's way around the collapsing bridge that much."
She looks at the sky, judging the light. "Do we do this quickly and head back, or rest for the night?"
I thank you kindly Lady Kaijitsu, your words have brought much light to a otherwise dark journey. If I may ask...please, when they come back into town I would like to meet with them. They may be able to help me out.
Cade turns his head towards the room and spots a table of gamblers. He looks back at the young proprietor with a big smile.
Now if you would excuse me, my coin purse seems to be a bit heavy right now.
Cade steps away from the bar but just as suddenly turns back towards the woman whom he was speaking with.
I will take some of Dwarven Spirits if you have some if not...some Uisge Beatha please. I have a feeling I will be needing a nice smooth drink soon.
Cade strolls to the table and very jubilantly joins the game.
Laufey doesn't know anything about climbing gear, and is content to let Talia take care of it. "We might as well wait. If we can't get back before sundown finding our way through the forest could be hard. There's not much to be gained for the difference between a little later today and morning anyway."
Laufey goes to her room at the Rusty Dragon and washes up. After rechecking her several bandages, she puts on some fresh clothes and goes downstairs for a decent meal and some drink.
She considers trying to track down that half-elf from Riddleport, what's-his-name. But she could probably use the extra rest more instead. She decides to leave whether they cross paths tonight in Desna's hands.
Talia looks around as she gets little response, shrugging she waves to the others. "Right, I'll head off and handle the ropes and other climbing equipment. You do whatever you're going to do."
She heads away to the Sandpoint store.
As Cade gambles in the common room of the Rusty Dragon, Ameiko comes over to bring his drink, motions to Laufey, and says, "The Ulfen woman over there is one of those I mentioned, if you would like to speak with her."
Ameiko brings Laufey some salmon in a sticky sweet glaze that is quite delicious, along with a mug of good ale to wash it down with. As she delivers it, she says, "There's a halfling over there who'd like to speak to you and the others about something. He may need help with a task, I think."
Cade looks up at Ameiko with a bright smile. She notices that he has a nice hand and could win this round of cards. There was a decent size pot to be won and it was a surprise what the halfling did next.
With a sigh...
Gentlemen...Fold. Do not spend my coin all at once.
Cade excuses himself from the game and moves off to another table.
My Lady, please, food and drink for all of us when you have the time.
He inspects the table as the proprietor heads back to the bar.
Cade is about to move off to introduced himself to the tall women when he hears Ameiko talking to her, the same woman whom she just told him about.
Hanging his weapons belt along the back of the chair, Cade climbs up into the wooden structure that was designed for a much taller person. Making sure his attire is in proper form, Cade waits for the group to start to make their way to him. When the do, he climbs down from the chair and stands to greet them in a proper manner.
Talia will stock up on 200' of silk rope, pitons, crampons and other tools. If they have a climbing kit she'll buy that?
"Thanks, Ameiko," says Isabella. She nudges Laufey. "Let's go see what this fellow wants." She dabs her lips with a cloth and then stands, leaving her falchion leaning against the table in its scabbard, and approaches the halfling.
"Hello," she says, "you... needed something?"
The aasimar's silvery-blonde eyebrows rise slightly, framing the question. The uncanny metallic irises of her eyes seem curious more than intimidating.
Rasmorn gets up a little slower than the others, and moves along quietly at the back. The plans for tomorrow swirled through his head as he did so, barely paying attention to the halfling, but wanting to stay with the others. He does take the time to examine him, though, looking him up and down, and just remembering to smile politely a hairs-breathe before it would have been awkward.
Laufey isn't inclined to toward asking the halfling Ameiko mentions a bunch of questions. She has a nice meal she'd rather not interrupt, and they are quite busy with other things. "The halfling can wait until we're back from..."
But Isabella and Rasmorn have already moved off to talk to him. Laufey groans inwardly and gets up to go join them. I suppose it was a Patron's request she tells herself to sooth the pain of leaving her meal to go cold.
As the woman approaches Cade gets down off the chair and waits. He lets his eyes take them in. He looks at them and offers the table.
Well this will be interesting. A gnome an Asimar and an Ulfen go into a bar...I better not start off with that one...beside the gnome is playing the whole white thing after the Swallowtail Festival a bit too far and the Ulfen will just eat me even without salt and pepper. Ms. Silver eyes there has a very extensive vocabulary to boot. Yes this will be...no be polite they may be able to help you and you just are meeting them for the first time. So play nice...
My Lord, Ladies...Please come, sit and join me. I have drink and hot food coming. I am Cade Goodbarrel and I was hoping you could help me with a lost item.
As he goes to climb back into his chair he continues his story.
A local merchant had a gem that I am looking to recover for my family. This merchant and his partner were attacked by Goblins near the Nettlewoods. The merchant's horse was stolen by the same Goblins. I seem to remember the horse having a name...Shadow fog...shadow rain...ah...Shadow mist. That was it. The gem was in the saddlebags and I am wondering if you may have come across such a gem. I was led to understand that you have had some...dealings with the local goblins. It is a
Talia staggers back into the Rusty lobster with two Climbing kits, rolling her eyes but for once holding her tongue when she sees the others chatting with a swank Halfling.
She steps over to their table carefully and sits down with a groan. Not having heard Cade's words she opens with her usual grace. "So business, or pleasure?" She asks him.
Looking up at the new half elf with a big smile...
That would depend on your personal views and that outcome of this little dinner party.
He retells his story to the late arrival.
A merchant had a gem that I am looking for. Said that your group may have come across it while...um...dealing with some Goblins.
"Ah yes. 'Dealing with Goblins'. We have been having sooo much fun doing that recently." Talia agrees dryly. She opens the bag with the gems the party has found and tips them out. "Is what you're looking for in this lot?"
As the Halfling looks through the gems Talia shows him Laufey adds "we have heard nothing about a gem or a horse. But, we are going back to a goblin fort that is in the Nettlewood tomorrow. If you don't find what you are looking for among those, you can come with us. It will be dangerous, so be warned."
"An ioun stone?" cuts in Isabella. "I don't think we've seen one of those... but we haven't made it through the whole goblin lair. They could have treasures stashed... well, anywhere."
With is smile a little less now that he does not see the gem he was hoping to find, Cade looks up at the Female Aasimar.
It is possible that the gem I am looking for is an Ioun stone. I have heard a few tavern tales of weapons embedded with such a stone but I have yet to see one personally. I would be leaning more towards the amethyst spindle being just a gem and not an Ioun stone. I could be wrong though...who knows for sure.
As Laufey makes the offer for joining them, Cade smile grows.
The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it. I will accept your offer. It would make finding the gem much easier if I had some company. Do not get me wrong, Bellum is great and all but he is not much of a conversationalist.
Talia waves wildly towards the waitress and starts keenly scanning the menu.
"Welcome aboard Cade, we'll teach you the secret handshake when we're a bit more private. In the meantime I have several meals to catch up on."
Heads = 1
Tails = 2
After an evening of food and drink, along with introducing yourselves to Cade, you turn in for the night and awaken the next day refreshed and ready to head back to Thistletop. Leaving in the morning, you venture back along the road to the Nettlewood, returning to the Thistle entrance into the warrens you began at.
Rasmorn, who had barely been paying attention and seemed lost in thought, suddenly moved his head up sharply when Talia spoke. "Secret handshake? There's a secret handshake?" The bleachling looks crestfallen at the thought. "When did we come up with that?"
The next day, Rasmorn is up bright and early, having prepared his spells for the day already, and was enjoying a warm breakfast until the others awoke. "I really could get used to this..."
He set out eagerly with the others when everyone was ready to go.
After a few drinks Talia starts inventing a secret handshake, one which becomes increasingly ribald the more she drinks. Protests that some members of the party can't do the boob bounce are met with "I hear there's a Girdle that can fix that?"
In the morning she seems to have no problems with her behavior the night before. Setting of to return to the Nettlewood with the others.
Isabella seems a little off-put by Talia's behavior, mostly the fact that she's tipsy, rather than the ribaldry, but she doesn't mention it the next day.
Cade drinks his fair share and then some but while he is enjoying his time with his new companions he does not seem to be drunk.
They appear to be nice folk but I need to make sure all is on the up and up. I am about to travel with this group alone out into the woods. Need to be functional come morning.
When the talk turns to "booby dancing" he just goes with it and enjoys himself. His face turns serious.
I did not know you knew about the mating dance of the Blue Footed Booby? Did you know that the males of the species have been known to throw up their head and whistle at passing, flying females? I always wondered why it is called cat-calling.
Cade blinks a few times, slowly his smile reappears and he starts to laugh.
As they laughter dies down a bit..
Handshakes with booby dancing can get a person in trouble if they do not know you well enough. I think I will stick with a verbal greeting until I know I will be respected come morning.
Laufey has a couple of drinks, but she's feeling well beat up and soon opts for rest over recreation.
Re-entering by the Thistle tunnels, you move through the route you took, without sign of goblin. The water sloshing in the hole seems to be the only noise - as though even the birds are quiet.
It's when you get to where the goblin dogs were staked that you notice something is wrong - the goblin dogs are gone.
Cade looks at the others.
Is this good or bad?
"Bad, very bad!" Talia hisses in anger. "Three of those revolting things Goblins call dogs are loose, and the Goblins probably know someone was here and might be back."
She looks around carefully, examining the ground for what tracks she can make out?.
Cade looks at Talia.
Dogs...no, no, no they have mutts....This is a dog.
He scratches bellum behind the ear.
grrr.
Bellum lets out a low growl.
Bellum does not like Goblins much.
He urges Bellum forward to the area where the dogs where last located.
Perhaps he can pick up a trail...
"Hmm. Best we be prepared for more fighting, then," says Isabella, a bit unhappy. "I bet they've retreated to a defensible area and trapped it."
Bellum takes in the odors and looks up for a moment and then puts his head back down and continues to sniff.
Laufey voice has a tone that suggests she expected to be disappointed.
"Probably bad. Certainly not good. Since they came for the dogs they will know an enemy was here. By going back to town we invited this. It could not be helped. But they are goblins so maybe they have forgotten by now since they found nobody still here."
"I think they would have taken the dogs to the fort. We will not be able to avoid them like before. Too bad, it will add to our troubles. So it goes."
Laufey continues on toward the bridge, now taking extra care to watch for traps or ambushes.
Talia examines the ground. There are goblin and goblin dog traps all over the area, but she's able to locate some fresher ones leading the goblin dogs east and then north. The tracks to the north lead to the bridge the goblin druid told you about.
Bellum sniffs the clearing for a while, as goblin and goblin dog scents mingle freely, but he eventually catches the freshest scents and begins tracking them in the same direction.
Laufey begins moving towards the bridge, brushing against nettle bushes and seemingly stepping on every twig while her weapons clatter loudly against her armor.
As soon as they see that the dogs are missing, Rasmorn will pull out a scroll and cast a spell on himself. "Definitely not good." He prepares to head off with the others, but then gets a very confused look on his face when their new friend speaks of dogs and mutts. "What is the difference between a dog and a mutt? Isn't a mutt a dog?" He seems to have lost interest in the goblins, ready to begin a fascinating discussion on the intricacies of canine species.
"I don't know the word 'mutt'. I don't know" shrugs Laufey, who is getting irritated by the hedges that keep getting in her way.
"It's a matter of degrees Rasmorn." Talia explains to the confused Gnome. "A 'Mutt' would be at the bottom of the canine scale. Whereas Bellum here would be a thoroughbred at the top of the scale."
Cade is about to answer Rasmorn when Talia answers..
Well....yes, what she said.
He nods towards Talia.