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Saif sits for a moment as the goblin's blood reaches him. In a rage he stands and draws his sword on Aleon, his yes cold. With the blade on the Elf's neck Saif says, slowly, deliberately, "We do not execute prisoners. We do not murder in cold blood. If you ever do that again, especially for something as petty as a prisoner saying something you did not like, I will have your head Hunter. Do I make myself clear?"
The dervish shakes slightly, barely containing his anger.
Niveus stayed out of it for the most part but things were getting out of hand. Clapping his hands together to draw some attention.
"While I do not agree with the reason I am not against the action. The goblin chief's head would have parted from his shoulders regardless of what you said or promised. Saif you are not the law or an agent of the law in these lands. I dare say letting the chief free after the actions of his and his tribe would have placed you in a cell at least. That said I would agree that killing someone even a goblin merely for speaking is a great overreaction. It will not happen again, otherwise you will be rightfully branded a murderer as such are the actions of one."
"I think it best we learn from this and consider our actions and words more carefully in the future. We should head back, I for one need a break from this swamp."
Kairi nods to Niveus. "We should ask Walthus if he knows anything more about the map."
Kairi thinks curiously as she inspects the map once more.
"My mind and memories are my weapon. The ingredients are just to keep you safe. I cannot wield a sword well. I have not even touched a bow. I have touched food instead... and have heard of many things. Food is a great way to get people to talk."
Kairi smiles, showing clear optimism. "Hopefully, we can keep each other safe from any future harm."
Yeah, lets head back to Walthus and then we can sell off these items.
Aleon does claim the 12 total arrows if noone else does, as he does plan on getting a bow for his size when we get back to town.
Walthus shrugs when shown the goblins' map. "Honestly, I don't tend to head to the shoreline too often. I always figure once something gets swept out to sea, it's someone else's problem. Besides which, I wouldn't ever want to go get tangled up with reefclaws or the like coming up looking for a snack, would you?"
Once you finally make your way back to town with the goblin chief's head in tow (and no small number of ears), Sheriff Hemlock happily hands over a reward, and you have plenty of opportunity to sell off your various other findings.
Assuming you eventually make your way back to the Rusty Dragon, your friends are all rather eager to hear how things went on your little expedition.
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Niveus stayed out of it for the most part but things were getting out of hand. Clapping his hands together to draw some attention.
"While I do not agree with the reason I am not against the action. The goblin chief's head would have parted from his shoulders regardless of what you said or promised. Saif you are not the law or an agent of the law in these lands. I dare say letting the chief free after the actions of his and his tribe would have placed you in a cell at least. That said I would agree that killing someone even a goblin merely for speaking is a great overreaction. It will not happen again, otherwise you will be rightfully branded a murderer as such are the actions of one."
"I agree, I am not the law, but neither is he and I stand by my word. Honorable men don't do what he just did." Saif puts his sword back at his side and steps away from Hunter.
Upon returning to the Rusty Dragon, Saif gives only the barest details of their trip, electing to ask for more work in lieu of giving details of their last adventure.
Once Aleon has handed over the ears and sold items and bought items he will ask. So this good enough for you as he hands over the ears?
He then takes the alive ones in for questioning. He starts with Why have you been attacking this place and causing trouble in the towns?
Kairi looks at Aleon with a confused expression. "Aleon, are you a bit shaken up by what the goblins were doing?"
Kairi continues politely, "Do you need some food in your belly? The Rusty Dragon makes good sourdough bread."
Niveus got a great earful from his family upon coming home. Which was quickly laid to rest once the amount of gold he brought with him was taken into consideration. As well as his renewed stance on potions, not that he let on how close he had been to getting killed. He also left out his newly exposed abilities, no need to draw attention to it he figured. After going on a bit of a spending spree he was eager for more adventure and a bit of profit to go hand in hand. But until such a opportunity was to present itself he would keep to the Rusty Dragon for more news. Maybe his fellow cohorts would have the same itch he did.
I just want to know why they did what they did and if they are working for anyone else, and yes, I could use some food
Once Aleon has handed over the ears and sold items and bought items he will ask. So this good enough for you as he hands over the ears?
He then takes the alive ones in for questioning. He starts with Why have you been attacking this place and causing trouble in the towns?
Playing a little fast and loose with the timing of things, since nobody actually had any rope or anything with which to restrain the unconscious goblins and they were all too happy to abandon their village after their defeat and scatter off to perhaps join other tribes, and assuming you're asking this before heading back to town, about all they really have to say on that front is "It's loads'a fun shooting sparklies at you longshanks and your big stupid horses!" Which does seem to be in keeping with their general attitudes and general inability to really think things through very well.
Back in the present, Shalelu is quite pleased to hear you were able to dispatch so many goblins on your own, and treats everyone to some of the fancier dishes on the Rusty Dragon's menu, as she pesters you all for extra detail.
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"We ambushed the poor devils. Though I suppose toward the end they tried to turn it around and ambush us. But we had the momentum and there was little they could do to take it from us." Saif says, burying his anger from earlier. He pulls out that little hand drawn map and hands it over to Shalelu. "Have you seen any trails resembling this? I know you're the woman to ask when it comes to the wild areas around here."
He hands it to her.
Shalelu has a look. "Trails? Not so much. Seems to resemble the river layout of the marsh there though, and as it's rather clearly drawn by goblins, my guess is they just went stomping along through the muddy banks to find whatever they were out there for. Shipwrecks and a cave, is it? Might be something to be said for someone heading out that way and checking on the specifics. I doubt there's any survivors from the wrecks or they'd have made their way up here, but there's always going to be someone looking for closure about these sort of things... and if they're cargo ships, I'd figure there'd be more to them than just some fireworks and whatever natty scraps goblins gear themselves up with, wouldn't you think?"
Kairi lets out a breath of relief, her knowledge has been validated.
"Saif promised me we would go over there. Would you like to come along with us?"
She quickly looks over to Saif. "I will need to do a bit of shopping first. Would you like to go over there tomorrow?
I agree with Kairi. We could use a woman like you with your talent. As Aleon tries on his charm. but does not smile very well when doing so.
"Why not?" replies Shalelu. "I don't really have anything else on my plate for tomorrow."
After a bit of shopping, and a good night's rest, the five of you set off once again towards Brinestump Marsh. Kairi's recollections from a former life combined with what passes for a "map" from the goblins gives you all a fairly solid handle on the waterways flowing through the marsh, and where the noted points of interest should lie, but reaching them is another matter.
If you follow the Lost Coast Road down from Sandpoint, retracing the path to the Licktoad's village, you can simply follow the nearby fork of the Soggy River west and reach the first shipwreck, by way of relatively dry land. To reach the second however, you'll have to do at least a little bit of swimming it seems, and the noted cave is in the side of a cliff surrounding the marsh on all sides, with every well-used trail down unfortunately on the northeast of the river. At one point there was an old trail leading down along the southern edge, but it's been decades since anyone was inclined to use it, and there is no way to be sure what state it may be in.
On the plus side, the water is fairly still and shallow in most places, but it would still be best to plan out a specific route.
Fancy map! (Something to be said for drawing a big garrish line of your planned course and reuploading it somewhere.)
Kairi leads the group, traveling down the long coast road to Licktoad's Village.
"What do you guys see?"
Kairi is clearly excited about the prospect of finding out the mysteries of the map.
After first retracing your steps to the goblin's village, you press on westward, hugging the bank of the river . Along the way you pass the remains of a what may have been an unusually large spider. Although it was quite thoroughly dismembered some time ago, the scattered legs are all as long as your own limbs.
Reaching the point at which the crude map indicated the first ship, you mostly find only the burnt supports and charred flanks of what may once have been a fine sailing vessel. Assuming this is where the goblins retrieved their explosives, it was also where they opted to test a fair number out.
Taking he time to give things a thorough going over, you also manage to find in the wreckage the similarly charred skeleton of a single goblin, and a few soot-encrusted metal nameplates which, when cleaned off, reveal the vessel to have once been known as the Kaijitsu Star.
"Common name you suppose?" asks Shalelu. "Or does it happen to mean something nautical in Minkai?"
Additionally, Aleon once again catches a glimpse of a hunched figure with bone white skin and bright red eyes skulking about behind a rotted log to the northeast. It darts away when it sees you looking, but you might be able to pursue it if so inclined. Otherwise, you'll have to do a bit of light swimming to reach the second wreck.
Looking around.
"I guess this one is a bust. Is someone going to check the second one? Sadly I am a poor swimmer, so I think I will stay on land."
When Shalelu speaks about the name he replies.
"My family comes from those lands, it means roughly "good day" but don't ask me why someone would pick that."
He finishes with a smile at the thought.
Kairi attempts to replicate Saif's swimming.
Aleon swims with ease.
Looking around.
"I guess this one is a bust. Is someone going to check the second one? Sadly I am a poor swimmer, so I think I will stay on land."
Just to double check here, you're going to hang around the first shipwreck waiting for the rest of the party while they trudge along to check out the second and/or happen to find a convenient rowboat and double back for you?
Reaching the bank of the river, most of you dive in, paddling across to the far side, although Niveus is rather nervous. After some bit of discussion however, Shalelu agrees to secure a guide rope for an easier crossing, and the five of you, dripping wet, boots caked in mud, proceed along in your exploration. Trudging along through the swamp, somewhere between the two shipwrecks you stumble onto what appears to be an old rowboat tied to a small rickety pier, which would certainly make the rest of the trip easier.
Fifty feet away from this pier along a winding path lies a small clearing. A sagging one-story shack sits in this clearing, its walls dingy with age and encrusted with lichen and fungus. A partially collapsed shed sits just to the northeast, while small pouches, twisted knots of feathers, and dangling wind chimes made of bones hang from branches and roof edge alike.
Of course, if you just want to be rude and steal the rowboat without asking, that would also be an option.
Aleon will ready his gun and approach the shed. Inviting himself in, he isn't even going to knock.
Edit: Str check
Edit: shoot I gotta roll init
Kairi looks surprised as she sees the dangerous greeting. "Watch out!."
Turn Order: Rat 3, Saif, Kairi, Aleon, Rat 1, Niveus, Rat 2, Shalelu
While the shack itself has clearly seen better days, the storage shed beside it is half-decayed, with rotten bits of wood snapped and sagging all about. The actual door (as those on the shack itself also appear to be) is swollen shut from the dampness of the swamp, and sagging over the overall structure, but with a bit of force gives way to reveal what was once a storeroom, but now serves only as a nest for a trio of rather alarmingly large and menacing rats.
One of the rats, startled by the opening door, immediately lunges out to sink its teeth into Aleon's leg, as the others begin to snarl and stir.
And as per usual with combat, feel free to be as vague and conditional as you like in declaring actions, i.e. "I'll swing around to help flank whichever one seems the most hurt while keeping my back to a wall, unless someone looks really hurt then I'll smack'em with CLW."
Aleon will take a 5 foot shift step to be out of reach of melee and hit as many as he can with his spreadfire gun in a 15 ft cone.
Niveus draws his crossbow and fires at the nearest rat. He still felt his magic was not to be relied upon and greater dangers would force his hand not overgrown rodents.
Kairi's heart begins to pound and her adrenaline kicks in. Her mind quickly clicks like a walking dictionary. She swiftly procures a dagger.
She places a hand on her chest and feels a strange energy. Kairi speaks in Samsaran words that she believes she has already known before, before her own life. Words that hopefully will protect her friends.
1d20+2=8 1d8=1
Waiting until after Aleon fires a powerful blast from his blunderbuss which only solidly hits one rat (which is very much dead as a result) but significantly opens up the shed as wood splinters and flys all about, Saif steps forward to dispatch the second, both having the aid of Kairi's blessing. The surviving rat, being backed into something of a corner, lunges at Saif...
... ineffectually, as a bolt sails over its head. Shalelu then steps up, drawing a short sword to dispatch it with a self-confident smirk...
...which fades as the distraction of so much dust and debris makes for only a glancing wound. She coughs.
Round 2, technically starting off with Kairi due to delays, but you're all before this last rat.
Aleon reloads this time fire a bullet instead of a pellet.
As there was just the one dire rat left, that's the end of that (and roughly 100 XP each). There doesn't seem to be much left to the shed, or anything of value inside, but the shack itself may still warrant investigation.
Should anyone try the doors, they are, again, somewhat stuck, requiring either a DC14 strength check, or just a good solid whack from something damaging if you aren't concerned with ever closing them again.
Well, no one seems to live here, nothing else seems to be here. Right now it is just blasted up wood from my bullets and a bunch of dead rats. If people were here, they would be here by now, because my loud gun would have drawn them here. I say we let the townsfolk know about the shed, so they can possibly reuse the wood for building things.
"Something is not right. Why was this place abandoned?"
Kairi keeps the the dagger in her right hand. Her face is tight with tension. She listens for other strange sounds.. perhaps rodent like.
"I would not be quick to think we are alone just yet. I am not sure if the wood is good for making structures. I mean.. a good part of it is decaying and its damp."
She attempts a smile, but the situation is far too serious, even for her.
Niveus keeps his crossbow out and his senses on edge for danger.
Oh, heaven's forbid, just break it down. Take your axe, mace, whatever and swing. No one lives here, and if anyone does, they might be tied up slaves. A ruined up shack, where no one has been here for years. Besides, we need someone really strong to get it open the old fashioned way.
Assuming the walls are down, Aleon will just walk through them.
But before he does anything, he switches to his axe.
oh right will save
Kairi walks over to the door to help. With steady footing on Kairi's effort, she uses her strength to open the door.
She walks inside...
As you put your shoulders into it, eventually you push open the musty door, it is abundantly clear that no civilized person has set foot in here in quite some time, if ever. Shelves of fungus grow along the walls and floor, as well as on the numerous gourds, twigs, and bones hanging from the ceiling on sinew and string. Poking an eerily human face out of a hole in the far wall is what otherwise appears to be an average sized rat-
Immediately as the door opens, it points and shrieks, invoking some manner of magical effect which does not appear to work properly.
Aleon is shaken for 1 round (-2 to attack/saves).
The nasty little thing seems rather worried that you are not fleeing in panic, eying the many holes in the wall small enough to potentially take cover in as you react.
Turn Order is still: Saif, Kairi, Aleon, Niveus, Shalelu, rat.