Khalbar shrugs. "Leave soldiers here to protect village. Send war party..." here he motions at the pc's "...to attack goblin base. We do them much damage so they not come to Sandpoint again.
"But we need to know where they come from. Does little book or bad elf tell that?" he looks at her and Rhanloi who have read the book in detail.
He also agrees that the priest of Butterfly Goddess may help in cleansing the orange pool and unholy water below the streets.
Pick glances around to the others, but at no one else volunteering the info, he reluctantly speaks again.
"Found camp. Empty."
As to where the goblins might have another camp... he shrugs. "So ask hunter."
A'letta was hesitant to present her idea to the group, but figures that any and all ideas are needed now in this moment of need. "Do we have an idea of how important Tsuto is to our foe? Because if he is valued by her, we might be able to steal some of the attention on Sandpoint away by relocating him .. and giving his relocation away in due time to our foes. It's just an idea .."
Kyra nods. "Shalelu may indeed have some ideas. I'll talk to her tomorrow." As Kyra says this, she seems to suddenly get very tired, the idea of another day full of work and bureaucracy already weighing on her. "And I'll see, too, about getting the mages assistance for the pool. I'd very much like to see it for myself."
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Kyra thinks, considering A'letta's words. "We know that she is important to Tsuto, but I am not sure how valuable the half-breed himself is to her plans. I've been wondering if the secret tunnel through the Glassworks is all she wanted from him." She smiles at A'letta, pleased by the other woman's cunning. "Still, the idea of trying to lure some of her forces away - or even lure them into a trap, is pretty delicious. Do you have any ideas on where we could bring him?"
"We know she employs goblins. We know the goblins reside along the waterways. We could charter a boat, send some of us out to figure out where the goblins might be and do some scouting. They'll report to her that something is up and then we might make the plan - of transporting him, making it known to them that he's with us and then forcing an encounter - fall together. It's a long shot, but I'd prefer to take at least part of the fight to them .."
"Or we could take him to one of the other ruins up the coast. But I agree that Tsuto holds no importance to Nualia other than what he could do for her plans. It seems his usefulness to her may be expended..."
Rhanloi looks at Khalbar and nods, thinking about his 'attack first, ask questions later' policy. "Perhaps my travelling companion has the right idea. If we press the attack while we have an element of surprise, perhaps we can pay the goblins back for their sneak attack on us."
Pick takes and lets out a deep breath.
"Prisoner transport krhz-gnth--" (alright, what's the surface word for 'jammed deep in a chasm with no ability to climb out because if you move you begin to fall again, thus you die a slow and lingering fear-filled death as you grow too weak to remain in your current position'? Do they have one? He should teach that gesture to the others. It would be useful.)
He tries again.
"Prisoner transport... full with... problems. Always must watch man. Bad.
"Take war to goblins: good. But must find."
"So it is to be sleep now. Hunt down goblins in the morning! I can not wait until morning then!" shouts Khalbar slamming down his big earthenware mug.
After a few more rounds, he retires for the evening, saying his prayers to the Varisian goddess Desna, for his luck in finding good friends, and an outlet for his frustration and anger.
He sleeps like a baby, dreaming of war against an innumerable host of goblins, their bodies falling like leaves in an autumn wind against his mighty axe.
Before he goes to bed, Ameiko inspects the Shoanti warrior for wounds, admonishes him for not getting healing from Father Zantus, and proceeds to heal him herself.
Pick shakes his head at the healing the Inn-Woman gives out. He doesn't need to have more debts. Also, these people are astonishingly free with magic.
Before he sleeps, Pick tries to scrounge around in town and find the 'dust' he desires. Eventually, he finds the sacks of flour the miller sells, and does his best to negotiate for some 'dust'.
Per his pattern, Pick doesn't actually sleep in 'his' room. He opens the window, and climbs back out to the rooftop to curl up in his cloak next to the chimney, where he has a much better view of people coming up to try and stab him in the kidneys. And several of the shingles are noisy, if someone tries to sneak up on him.
Of course, it's a shame to sleep right now, when the world is finally suitably dark, but Pick understands that the others want to move about when the burning eye is high, so, he'll just have to cope with that particular misery, and sleep where he can.
Sandpoint's resident weird little Gollum-esque gargoyle beds down for the night, thinking of how to try and do language lessons for the noisy ones.
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Flibble retires to his house and sleeps happily. In the morning he rises early and rwadies his pet.
Pick is awoken at sunrise as a large Bird, the size of a man, lands on the rooftop. It eyes him speculatively and screeches at him. From down below, Flibbles voice calls up,
"Easy, Sovola, he's a friend. Morning Pick-yuir-nose. You ready for our adventure?"
The bird screeching him awake makes Pick sit up wild-eyed, blinking spastically at the creature with red eyes and reaching instinctively for his weapon. Flibble's voice cutting across his morning panic makes him slooowly untense.
He rummages for the goggles he wears against the day's bright light, and scowls over the edge of the roof at the not-svirnefblin. Tell your stupid, feathered bat it is foolish to wake a scout from sleep like that...
Too many words. Instead he grunts, shoulders his pack, and disappears from sight ducking back into the window of 'his' room.
A minute later he emerges from the inn's door at ground level, looking expectantly at the gnome.
"Ready," he grunts, although to him it should be obvious he is ready to go. But when on the top-side, use the top-side habits of answering obvious questions, or something.
"Hunter knows lairs?"
Pick mutters something about 'light' being a good time to go to sleep, but it's a very low mutter.
He trails behind Flibble silently, to collect the others and be on their wait to see Shaelelu.
The morning is a slow one, with each of the party members (Kyra included!) rising with numerous sore spots and with the exhaustion of the previous day still weighing on them.
Still, breakfast must be had, and Ameiko's kitchen staff are more than accommodating enough with bread bowls filled with a thick chowder. Shalelu Andosana, the famed local ranger, is actually staying in the Rusty Dragon (as she almost always does when she's in town) and the blonde-haired elven woman can be seen slowly and calmly crunching on a salad in the 'Dragon's common room during the morning.
Stretching the last remnants of soreness from his muscles and rubbing wonderingly at his now healed wounds, Khalbar dresses for a fight, donning his armor, and weapons, including the magical ranseur found underground.
He grunts hello to the others and makes ready to go see the goblin-huntress Shalelu when all are prepared.
(Pick likes you right now, Big Human. You communicate in a fashion to which he is accustomed.)
Pick returns Khalbar's grunt with a tiny nod of his head, a grunt of his own. See? Polite civilities observed, no needless talking.
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Who needs omens when the reality is this tangible? Still, the strands of fate could be read simply by studying nature. A'letta got out of bed and, without first washing herself or grabbing some breakfast, made her way to the beach in the western part of Sandpoint. The morning breeze washed away the mental grime as she made her way down to the surf. There she sat down, feet firmly planted in the shifty sand. The waves came crashing down a meter in front of her and this sight helped to calm her mind. Yes, danger was still ahead, but they still had time to prepare for the battle to come. Cold water rushed up around her ankles. She knew the water could not reacher any higher, for now. The answer obviously wasn't to be found in the water. Reclining back, the water soaked her yellow dress as she laid down to watch the birds overhead. Oh, if the gods and spirits had a favorite messenger, it surely must be these winged animals.
A good twenty minutes passed before A'letta knew what she needed to know. She scrubbed herself clean using handfuls of sand and salty water, not caring if anyone saw her naked. The thin-spun yellow dress, the tribal spear and her carved wooden mask laid on a heap a couple of meters behind her. Then, she invoked the spirits to wash and bless her and a rift appeared above her from where blessed water from the spirit world poured through. When all was said and done, she heard her tummy rumbling. Spirits and omens would have to wait for now, because someone was hungry!
Rhanloi's morning ritual involved studying his book of spells and reflecting on the notes he jotted in his journal. He had been ruminating on some new magics, and yesterday he had a sudden understanding of a certain principle, and so today he prepared a new spell in addition to the others.
He then made his way down to the common room for breakfast. Seeing the ranger sitting by herself, Rhanloi asks if he may join her, and then asks if she will be joining their group this day...
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Flibble enters the Rusty Dragon gleefully with Pick trailing behind him looking as morose as ever. With Khalbar nodding to him, and seeing Rhanloi and Shalelu already sharing breakfast together, he bursts out,
"Guid mornin! This is a gay wee gathering! Shalelu, lass, has yon sassenach told ye we're luiking to pick yuir brains? We're luiking fuir goblin camps. D'ye hae any idea?"
At the approach of Rhanloi and Flibidnick, Shalelu looks up from her meal, her mouth full of food. "Join yur goop doin' wha?" she says through a stuffed mouth. She takes a moment to chew and swallow more before responding more usefully: "I mean, yeah, I'd be the one to ask about any goblin lairs in the area. Did you want to be goin' hunting?"
"Rhanloi, show her book. Goblins plan raid on town, we attack them first, end threat. Need to know where goblins camp."
Khalbar tears into breakfast once he realizes Shalelu is right here in teh common room.
Rhanloi pulls out Tsuto's journal and shows it to Shalelu - especially any drawings or descriptions he thinks relate to camp locations. "Of greater concern, of course, is the location of Nualia and the creature she may be intending to release upon us. We appreciate your knowledge, and of course your combat and hunting expertise, as we set off to bring this fight to the heart of their forces!" he finishes off a bit too grandly...
Kyra awakens later than the others, and from the look of her, seems as though she stayed up planning even after everyone had gone to bed.
Unlike previous mornings while she'd gulp down tea and head out for her morning exercises, today she takes longer to drink it, having food with it as well. The others are already talking to Shalelu when she arrives, and she remains quiet while her brain wakes up.
"It's likely that Nualia is still in Thistletop," she adds quietly, going on to explain. "But if there are tribe camps between here and there, it would be nice to eliminate some of those threats before they are upon is."
Kyra knows that she should be working in the town again today. The soldiers need more training, the Magister and Father Zantus must be shown the magical pool. Always more preparations. But the only thing she wanted to do was step outside the city walls, and punch some goblins. There was such a simplicity to it. No need for real planning, no responsibility. Just your body and whatever it was capable of.
She stared out the window with a longing sigh.
Shalelu flips through the pages of the book idly between bites of salad, not quite understanding everything she sees, but understanding more than enough to become concerned.
"Yeah, I know where the Thistletop goblins lair. It's about a day's ride away...by land, at least." she finishes with a glance at Flibidnick. "Were you gonna go alone, Flib? On your bird?"
"If there are goblins to hammer he will not go alone. We get horses from town?" Khalbar asks inquiringly to Kyra.
"Surely he won't go alone. Your hammer, my spear, and..", she eyes Pick,"..Pick's pick will aid him."
"Kill goblins," Pick says in what counts, for him, as enthusiastic endorsement of the idea he be allowed to come help scout and goblin-smash.
Even if the thought of being on the 'horse' again is less than a happy one. Well, he survived it last time, he will survive it this time.
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"Och, we'll all get a turn, d'ye ken? I were gonnae scout the camp, lass, on my bird, then report to yon folk. Och, If I cen get a wee lick in maself, it'll be nae problem. Mebbe burn some shacks or supplies, d'ye ken? cause some illusionary troops tae attack - especially those from another tribe, if i cen get me heid aroond it. Anything tae distract and delay yon goblins."
Kyra frowns. "How long might it take you with your bird?"
Pick also frowns, unintentionally mirroring Kyra's expression. He dislikes the idea of sitting around in town.
"We go ground. You fly. See, come to us, then all go?"
Kyra had begun pacing while the others discussed possible plans. The uncertainty of the entire situation was weighing on her. "Without knowing when the attack comes, how can I prepare for it?" she murmured to no one.
While there was more to do in town - training the soldiers, investigating the underground pool - Kyra knew, too, that there was value in disrupting the enemy advancement. Taking out a force of even 20 goblins could make a world of difference. She seemed to deliberate for a long time, before nodding. "Okay."
Approaching Ameiko, Kyra gave her a look that said "we need to talk" and took her aside. "We're going to attack one of the goblin tribes, try to disrupt their forces. Might not be back for two or three days." She whispered. When Ameiko noticed that she remained troubled, she looked at the girl with concern. "The others found something under Sandpoint, some kind of pool for a ritual. I was hoping to bring Father Zantus and Master Ilsoari to investigate. Perhaps you know a few people who could escort them? Podiker or others? I can't risk something happening to them, and I know it's not safe, but all the same, I don't want surprises blowing up through the centre of my town."
Ameiko gets Kyra's secret head-nod and moves out from behind the bar to speak to her in a corner of the 'Dragon. "Podiker?" she laughs, "That man can't be trusted with anything that you're not paying him for. I'll go, she volunteers, and, with your permission, I'd like to bring a few guards, too. Don't forget, Zantus and Ilsoari are more than capable of taking care of themselves against most things. A couple of goblins tried to attack the Academy during the last incursion. We found them with their throats slit and Ilsoari reading a book when we toured the town to make sure they were all gone."
"Shalelu come, show us path, but then guard way home and shoot stragglers while we go to war against goblins."
Kyra begins to open her mouth to say 'Fine, just don't get kidnapped again.' but thinks better of it. Knowing that Ameiko was going did put her mind at ease, if for no other reason than she knew the girl was trustworthy. Kyra instead smiled at her anecdote about Ilsoari. "I'm sure you're right, but I'd rather be safe. Take as many of the guards as you wish - the boys could use the practice."
Rhanloi just listens - he knows many things, but he especially knows when to keep his mouth closed and listen to those with greater knowledge of a thing...
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As they all file out of the Inn, Flibble whistles and a very large bird swoops down from the roof where he was roosting, startling everyone except Pick and Flibble. On it's back is a Military saddle, and Flibble hops on quickly.
"Up, Sovola! Up!" The bird takes to the air, bearing the little gnome on his back, who is grinning with exhilaration. "Jes' like auld times, laddie." he says to his bird.
AS the gnome flies off, Khalbar grunts to the others. "We walk or we get horses and ride?"
Finishing her breakfast quickly, Shalelu stands among the adventurers. "Just allow me a few minutes to get ready. You won't want horses, they don't find it easy to navigate heavy forestland, and that's where we'll be." At that, she strides away to her room to collect her things.
Just a few moments later, she returns to the common room, several weapons and a backpack strapped to her, and she looks expectantly at the adventurers. If they aren't quite ready, she'll wait impatiently for them to catch up to her example before she strides out of the tavern with them in tow and towards the city gates.
Flibble circles overhead, keeping an eye on where they are as they exit Sandpoint via the Northern Gates and take to the road north, heading for the Nettlewood several miles away.
At the same time of their departure, Ameiko gathers together her own adventuring gear and leaves the 'Dragon to seek out Father Zantus, Ilsoari Ganthedus, and a few guardsmen to bring with her into the tunnels beneath the Glassworks.
The road goes ever on and on, down from the door where it began...
The trip is several days long, and Shalelu remains quiet unless people talk to her, stoically taking every watch she can and remaining several dozen feet ahead of the party at any given time.