After retrieving his staff, and seeing that it was enough to finish the dogmonster off, Nathalion joins in searching the room.
"Tanglefoot bags. Excellent. Liquid blades. Could be handy sometime."
The wizard takes in the array of reagents, and chemicals. "Lot's of valuable substances here. It would be good if we could pack it all out of here."
"Lot's of valuable substances here. It would be good if we could pack it all out of here."
"I could probably carry another 80 pounds or so."
Gaziq furrows his brow as he tries to make sense of the notes. He glances up as Uuzkhangr passes him the stone and turns it over in his hands. "These are worth a tidy little sum. About 150 gold apiece. We This is probably the payment the mad scientist received for creating these beasts."
He translates what he can of the notes, focusing on the bit about the mindwarp. "He has a client. Someone asked for these monsters to be created, and I think I know who it was. Does 'insistent on euphoria' remind you of someone we passed on the way in?"
Frowning, the goblin thinks hard for a moment. "Uhh...dat ooze?" he ventures after a moment.
"I will aid you in carrying this load, Uuzkhangr Dagravax. Hopefully it will be enough to keep us both quick on our feet. We do not know what other threats remain. Better not to have anyone slowed down by excessive weight." Borumaru says as he helps the Duergar.
- - -
"Hmm... It makes sense." he says in answer to Gaziq. "An spectacle based on beast-slaying would have an obvious interest in acquiring ferocious creatures. If they can be tailored specifically for the show, even better."
"Probably not the ooze." Nathalion tells Fruggig. "Remember that manticor? It was drugged. Who makes drugs? Alchemists." Of course Nathalion knows that not drugs are made. He sees no need to make such a comment at this time though.
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Discretion is the better part of valor, and your discoveries here are already considerable. Quickly packing up the alchemical gear and the research notes, you swiftly but cautiously retrace your steps, the illusory wall soon disappearing from view.
After a muttering to himself for a moment to get his bearings, Fruggig points and spurs Dribbles into motion, the rest of you following along.
"So, heerz da ting," the goblin explains as you walk, your trail meandering steadily northwards. "As da dogmonsterz was huntin', da gobboz sorta bunch'd up outside Zazzle'z hidey-hole and campz out dere. He kin built traps an' lil fire-jars an' stuff, an 'e knowz a bunch 'bout doze humanz who make da big metal men! Oddz're good after 'e hired me 'e rearranged da trapz and stuff, hopin' he duzn't hafta pay up! Any o' youz good wit traps an' dat?"
After a short pause for an answer, the goblin plows ahead. "Dey ain't gonna be happy ta see sum longshankz an' a dwarf an' mouse-person doh, might make a fuss 'bout it, so you'z gotta pretend ta be my vassals! Rally, dis is your big chance ta strut yer stuff an' make a big show 'bout how good I iz at killin' dogmonsterz, so's they getz all impressed an' duzn't try to stab us. Mebbe suck up ta Wuzzo sum too, dey don' call her the Scary fer nuttin'. Den we can get our money! I ain't gonna share it wit ya, but you guyz iz alright, so I'z gonna stick around an' help ya out. Itz an honor ting, ya know?"
"Since you don't feel we deserve a cut of the bounty on the dogmonsters, Fruggig; it might be better if we parted ways."
Nathalion shrugs, he doesn't seem to be angry.
"We already have a project we're working on."
"As long as you introduce us to Zazzle first. That was the deal, after all." Gaziq interjects. As much as he wanted to get to the bottom of whatever was happening at the Beast House, finding the saboteur was their first mission.
"Oh aye. We got a lead 'ere, an' I'm followin' it." Raleigh nods to Gaziq. It occurs to him that it's still very possible Zazzle could be in with the culprit, or the one responsible himself, in which case Raleigh can't be certain any amount of Gobbo cred would make that meeting go smoothly.
"So, we ready ta move?"
Nathalion grins wryly at Gaziq. "Was negotiating." The wizard shrugs. "Fine, let's get on with it."
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Fruggig leads you on a winding course that leads generally north and slightly east--towards some of the nicer parts of town, in fact, but under the seawall where the city sewers are dug their deepest.
You're all footsore, tired, and cranky about still being down here when Uuzkangr notices a sagging piece of sackcloth lying on the ground. Some instinct leads him to warn the others, and upon examination you find the sackcloth covers a small pit where several bricks have been pried up--and in sides of the hole are wedged several long carpentry nails covered in filth.
Leaning down in the saddle for a better look, Fruggig makes a face. "Dat kinda seems like sumting Zazzle wud find funny. Gud, dat meanz I was right fer tinkin' we're pretty close? Aight, remember da plan you guyz--youz my vassalz, an' we'z just here ta get paid!"
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Looking around a moment, Fruggig points to a side tunnel and leads you down it. Only a few steps in, a crossbow bolt comes arcing into the light of Nathalion's glowing sphere, zooming above your heads to vanish back into darkness behind you.
Up ahead, a thin and gravelly voice shouts. "Tha's far enough, thank you! Who's coming here to Smokebelch turf?"
Fruggig sits quietly on Dribbles, turning an expectant look to Raleigh.
With your superior vision in low-and-no-light conditions, you can see about 80ft ahead is a stack of old crates that has formed a makeshift barricade about four feet high. Bits of shattered glass bottles are scattered about on the ground in front of it, and crouched behind cover are at least three small figures, faces covered by dirty grey clothes and brandishing loaded crossbows.
Uuzkhangr looks over at Raleigh.
"Well, you're the herald. Would you care to announce his lordship?"
Nodding to Uuzkhangr, Raleigh steps forward with his arms behind his back. With a loud and clear voice changing his speech patterns noticeably.
"*ahem* Attention Goblinoids! It is my proud honor to announce the great and ever brave knight errant Sir Fruggig Dogslayer! Valiant killer of beasts! Beasts both dog and dog-adjacent! I, his herald Raleigh Blanc and his retinue approach looking for rightful and just payment for services rendered. For you see, he is the one who gallantly allowed us to fight the dogmonsters threatening the... majestic sewers of Magnimar."
Puffing his chest out proudly, Fruggig nudges Dribbles forward a step and holds up his trophies from the dogmonsters. "Yeah! Now you'z gotta go an' git Zazzle, cuz he owes me! Or mebbe I tellz the rest o' da Dogmonsterz where ta find ya!"
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The goblins behind their barricades have a duck their heads back into cover for a quick conference, one of them popping back up a minute later. "Okay, we gonna tell Zazzle an' Wuzzo you're here, but these longshanks gotta stay in the common area!"
Fruggig twists in his saddle to give you all an exaggerated wink, then turns back to respond. "Yeah, sure, whatevva!"
Several of the boxes and crates are hauled out of the wall, creating a gap large enough for each of you to clamber through.
"I don't like it..." Nathalion whispers. "Let's see if they will meet us right here."
Uuzkhangr shrugs. "There is a good chance they will try to betray us. But then, we knew that. They are goblins."
Uuzkhangr looks carefully through the hole...
"May as well see this through."
Then Uuzkhangr enters.
"If they do... We just have to kill them all." Borumaru says making no effort to conceal his speech from Fruggig's year. "Traitors and oath-breakers deserve no mercy."
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Uuzkhangr hauls himself through the gap in the crates and finds himself in a strange miniature tent-city, with soggy crates too broken or rotten to be useful in the barricade propped against the wall or leaned against one another to form crude shelters. Numerous goblins--the dwarf would estimate fifteen or twenty--peer out from their lean-tos and mutter sullenly. Zyxl's arrival garners a considerably more interested response, edged with hunger.
The crossbow-wielding lookouts gesture impatiently towards a nearby door which appears to have been broken open, its wood splintered around the latch so that it no longer closes properly. "Zazzle's in th' bolthole." one of the goblin guards grunts.
"They only outnumber us four to one. That's practically an even fight," Gaziq mutters. He keeps an eye open for anyone making an aggressive move, but as long as no one bothers them, he moves Zazzle's hideaway and knocks on the broken door.
Nathalion follows into the goblin compound. "There's a Harrow card dedicated to fools who underestimate goblins..."
The wizard looks for the best vantage to unleash his color spray illusion, should it be necessary.
"And a grave to those who betray us."
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Gaziq's fist raps on the old wood a few times, and a raspy voice calls out "Yeah, yeah, Dogslayer, come in."
As you open the door, you immediately notice that the benches, desk, and shelves all appear sized for Medium creatures, large closets holding pegs for tools that are now missing. Instead a pair of small hammocks on hung on them and various bulging sacks and battered containers are scattered about.
Just inside the room stands an unusually tall and pale-skinned goblin. He wears a child's vest still slightly too big for him, and a pair of belts crossed over his chest holding torches and jars on leather loops. His hands are clasped in front of him and he wears an obsequious grin that quickly fades when he sees you.
"You...aren't Dogslayer." he manages after a moment.
Raleigh tries to read the room. Well, the goblins in the room. Hoping that metaphorical reading is allowed at least.
And everything looks fine. Goblins are notoriously trustworthy in his experience after all.
"He's here," Uuzkhangr observes, pointing at Frugig. "He... ah... hired us to carry his stuff. Dead dogs and things."
Uuzkhangr looks this Zazzle and the room beyond over.
"It was more of a trade of services and information, really." says Borumaru. "You are Zazzle, I presume. My name is Borumaru. My companions and I would like to talk to you for a moment."
"My companions and I would like to talk to you for a moment."
The goblin's eyes dart from one of you to the next, evidently thinking furiously. "Well, uh, we don't get many longshanks here, you friends of Dogslayer? Hehe, I don't wanna make anybody upset, but that was a one-time arrangement with him." the goblin chuckles nervously. Splaying his hands out in a helpless gesture, he implores at Fruggig, "I can't pay you right now, my supplies were stolen! Come back in a few days and maybe I'll have something then!"
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While any goblin would be nervous about being alone with so many armed non-goblins, Zazzle seems more puzzled by your presence and relationship to Fruggig than anything. However, whenever one of you shifts or moves he sidles a half-step as though to block you all from entering the room, like a child who knows their room isn't clean and wants to avoid an inspection.
That being said, you don't think he's lying about the stolen supplies, and he seems genuinely fearful of Fruggig's response.
Leaping off of Dribbles' back, Fruggig barges into the room, brandishing the dogmonster heads like talismans. "Oooh no! You'z gonna pay me an' you'z gonna do it now! I did'n come heer fer m'health, you'z came ta me! So you kin pay me fer deze dead dogz so we'z kin finish off th' rest, or we'z gonna leave and you kin 'ope dey duzn't make any more!" Concluding his speech, Fruggig throws in dog heads at his feet.
Zazzle flinches when the dogmonster heads land at his feet, and wipes a fleck of spittle from his cheek, the freezes, blinking slowly. "What do you mean, 'make any more'?" he asks quietly.
Nathalion takes in the details of the lab, though the lingering effects of the vapors from the other lab make it hard to focus his mind.
"Nice laboratory, Zazzle. How'd it happen to be yours?"
The more Zazzle talks, the less convinced Gaziq is that they found their target. The lanky goblin seemed to lack...competence. Still, better to be thorough.
"I've got to wonder who'd be bold enough to steal from a big man like you..." Then aside to his companions, but just loud enough for Zazzle to hear. "Maybe this fellow really isn't worth hiring after all."
Raleigh follows suit with Gaziq "Looks to me like we might be better off lookin' above ground after all..."
Zazzle's eyes narrow, mouth working silently for a moment before he shuts it, darting between Gaziq and Raleigh. "You wanna hire me for a job?" he glances at Fruggig, who also looks surprised. A greedy gleam comes into Zazzle's eye. "Yeah, yeah that's okay. Ya need a bomb? 'Cause after what just happens I'm gonna have to demand payment up front."
Uuzkhangr looks at the Arsonist sternly.
"You said 'after what just happens....' And just happened, pray tell?"
"Yeah, wut happn'd Zaz?!"
Zazzle's expression is a hideous blend of outrage and despondence. "Are you deaf? I was robbed! Betrayed! Wuzzo was right: I should've never, EVER trusted a fairy, not even a goblin fairy! It took me months to steal enough supplies to make, it was my masterpiece!"
Zazzle throws his hands in the air with a disgusted noise and marches towards his haphazard collection of sacks and boxes. A moment of silence is broken by a loud sniffle, Zazzle dropping his head into his hands. "Such a beautiful bomb..."
"'Ey, 'ey, easy now. My associate didn' mean ta get ya riled up. Sounds like a sore spot. This a recent cut to the pride?" Raleigh starts to lean against a wall before thinking better of it and standing straight while he attempts to coax some details out of Zazzle.
Can't believe I'm playin' smooth talk with goblins. Helluva week this is turning into. Helluva week. He seems like a talker though. Might be just what we need.
"I'm suddenly more interested in tracking down your 'masterpiece', than in having you build a new one." Nathalion hunkers down to look Zazzle in the eye. "Tell us about this faerie goblin, so we can track 'em down for you. Get you some revenge, eh?"
Zazzle sniffles some more and looks up at Raleigh. "Yeah, like two sleeps ago! We were s'pos to make the sale and instead I wake up and it's gone! Not even one of those stupid gits," he points an accusing finger out the door where the rest of the goblins are, "saw or heard a thing!"
"Tell us about this faerie goblin, so we can track 'em down for you. Get you some revenge, eh?"
The goblin's eyes narrow suspicious at the wizard. "How come you want to get revenge for me? Or hire for a job? What is this job anyway, and why are all you longshanks so weird?"
"Does it matter?" Borumaru speaks without emotion.
Goblin fairy!? Is there nothing normal in this city, Gaziq ponders. Well, they had more important things to worry about for now.
"Okay, I'll be honest. The thing is, we don't really care about getting you revenge. And if your bomb has been stolen, we don't really need you either. But, you may still have something of value. If you gave us a little information on where to find this fairy, we could steal the bomb back, and compensate you for your trouble. Of course, we would keep the bomb for ourselves. That sound fair?"
He took the materials from Tian Lung, but it sounds like someone else took the product from him. But who? It had to be someone who knew he would have them, but what would a fairy want with a bomb?
"An' 'ere I was thinkin' up a good story too... So yeah, spill it, an' I'll make sure ya get full credit fer whatevah we decide ta use the bomb on too."
"Stolen, you say? Really..."
Uuzkhangr looks Zazzle over. Does this creature have reason to lie to us? Is he covering something up?
"How will we know if we find the bomb? What does it look like?"
"So you were lying!" Zazzle looks relieved instead of outraged. "We're gonna have to talk payment up front of course--you first of course Fruggig!--but I dunno how much help I'm really gonna be. I don't know where the goblin fairy lives or where it comes from! It was green, and little bitty!" the lanky goblin holds its hands out about a foot apart to underline his point. "He--it?--had some batty wings, and a lotta gemstones, and he was veeeery friendly. Lots of great promises about more gemstones and how amazing the results of my bomb would be."
"How will we know if we find the bomb? What does it look like?"
"The fairy was very particular about wanting it to look all normal, it looks like a barrel, like a million other barrels all over the city! Barrel was even bigger than him!" Zazzle chortles at the mental image, then frowns. "...which makes it weird that he was able to steal it so sneakily..."