The first thing the horse-creature sees as the smoke dissipates is Chuffy's dart flying unerringly at its long nose.
Reta is quick to avenge the blue goblin's fiery demise, stepping forward and delivering a stunning blow to the longshanks's long shanks. With a cry of pain, the longshanks collapses onto the muddy road.
As the elf/half-elf falls, She then pulls out what's left of her potion and pours it down Smuz's throat and then tosses the bottle aside. She then nudges him. She stares at him a moment to see if he responds. About a second later,
Smuz's eyes open partway, and a slow groan emits from his mouth. "Smuuuuzz gooooblin," he drones, then repeats one of Reta's words: "Deeeeaaad. Smuz...goblin...dead." His eyes close again.
Chuffy enjoys making these the last moments of the horses life. "Evil beastie."
Besides, of course, the wondrous, jingling, colorful spider-hat, the various pockets and pouches on the longshanks reveal two small bags, a sort of hollow wooden stick with holes in it, a pouch of shining golden metal circles, and a book! which every no-longer-whelp knows must not be opened lest it steal the words out of one's head. There is also a a folded sheet of parchment which is opened carefully lest it also contain writing or pictures of goblins. Fortunately, it holds neither but appears to be a map of this very swamp. Clearly, this must be delivered to Chief Gutwad immediately, lest the longshanks are plotting to invade and steal the swamp from its rightful owners, the Licktoads.
What about the wagon? Anything of interest inside it?
Poog doesn't have any magic left, well, mostly.
Poog also helps up Smuz, along with Reta, "Smuz see other side? Zarongel send Smuz back?"
The colorful box whose extended arms still imprison the bleeding, smoking corpse of the horse-creature contains a few crates full of the bottles you found on Kettlehead, the ones with the picture of the longshanks in the spider-hat on it, but these bottles are empty. It also contains four vials of acid, 3 flasks of alchemist's fire, two smokesticks, and a tanglefoot bag.
Poog also helps up Smuz, along with Reta, "Smuz see other side? Zarongel send Smuz back?"
Smuz's eyes open a crack as he's helped up. "Smuz back?" he croaks. "Smuz dead. Smuz back. Smuz dead back." His eyes drift closed again.
The no-longer-whelps fill their hands and pockets will their newfound gain.
Opening the two bags the longshanks was carrying reveals that one is full of tiny, colorful scraps ; the other holds five slightly-sticky white pebbles with red stripes that give off a sharp, cool smell not unlike the magic feel-better liquid in the bottles .
A bit of examination of the hollow stick with holes discloses the fact that blowing through the stick results in a sound like trilling bird-song -- an ear-piercing and unpleasant sound indeed .
Just found my posts where I drank my potion. There's two more doses left in it. Smuz is welcome to both if he wants.
=====================================================================
Chuffy takes hold of an alchemist fire. "I give this to Loptop. Hehehe."
"Why Loptop he not worthy of Zar-- oh. Ooh. Hehehe"
Seeing all the goodies, She proceeds to grab everything that's not nailed down.
As Smuz takes what's left of Chuffy's potion and is able to get around, Reta moves over to him. She shows him all the fascinating items. She hands him an alchemist fire, a mint candle, an acid vial, the tanglefoot bag.
Smuz eagerly accepts the potion from Chuffy and gulps both doses down. "Smuz goblin dead!" he says triumphantly.
He holds out his hands as Reta hands him the items, then stares for a few moments at them. Then he sits down on the ground and begins examining each item in turn. When he looks at the vial of acid, he takes the top off and sniffs at it. For a moment, it looks as though he's about to drink it, but then he sticks the cork back in. The mint candy, however, he does pop in his mouth and crunches happily down on it. Everything else, he puts in his pack.
Between the candies and the potions, Smuz is soon minty-fresh.
Laden with both loot and information, the young goblins make their way back to Licktoad Village where some sort of disturbance appears to be going on. A group of hooting and cackling goblins is congregated on the edge of the village near the marsh.
Poog waves at them, shouting "ZAAA-ROOOONNNN-GUUUUU-LEEEEE!"
The crowd of goblins parts at Poog's shout, revealing at its center Loptop, Old Foofelah, and Rempty. Loptop is trying to prod Old Foofelah into the marsh, while the ancient goblin angrily resists. Loptop looks gleeful and Rempty proud, but as the trio in the middle sees the no-longer-whelps arriving, Rempty's wide mouth drops open in confusion, Loptop scowls, and Old Foofelah triumphs.
"See? See? Old Foofelah was telling you girl goblin and blue goblin and other goblins was coming back. Reta!" she goes on in a harsher tone. "You is having toads?"
she responds enthusiastically. She turns to the group, she orders. Turning to Smuz who seems to be staring into oblivion, Reta gets out her toad as she speaks to him. she asks, huffing in irritation. She then proceeds to show her toad to all.
Smuz snaps out of his lethargy, with no idea what Reta is saying. He watches her actions, however, and the actions of the others, and then retrieves his toad. "Smuz goblin!" he proclaims as he holds the toad up so everyone can see.
Loptop turns viciously on Rempty, who cowers under his anger. "You was telling Licktoads that other no-longer-whelps was being eaten by Spirit of Darkfear!" he hisses.
"They was, they was!" the hapless Rempty wails, tugging on his own ears. "Rempty was seeing spirits all furry and bitey! Rempty was seeing Reta get eaten!"
"Rempty was respecting Spirit of Darkfear!" Rempty counters. "Not like girl goblin who was getting eaten!"
Reta rolls her eyes, she declares, holding up her toad high.
"Spirit eat us? We ghost then. Come back to kill you." Chuffy starts to stalk towards Rempty with his dogslicer at the ready. His eyes evidence deadly intent. "Chuffy kill horse with this. You want to see how?"
"You is having lots of toads?" Loptop asks Rempty viciously.
"Y-yes," Rempty replies nervously, presenting the toad Chuffy gave him while edging away from the approaching dogslicer.
Poog emphatically raises his toad. "Poog toad is best toad! Poog seen Zarongel's blessing after licking this one!"
"Ha!" Old Foofelah gloats. "That is not being lots of toads. That is being one toad. Girl goblin and blue goblin and other goblins have one, two ... more toads! Old Foofelah is winning bet! Loptop is to be apologizing to Old Foofelah."
"Bet was more toads faster," Loptop reminds her hatefully. "Kettlehead's goblins was faster."
"Kettlehead is not even being here! Kettlehead is slowest!"
Smuz points to Reta. "Goblin," he announces. Then he points to Chuffy. "Goblin," he says again. He repeats this with Poog. Then he points to himself and proudly says, "Goblin!"
Finally, he points to Rempty. He doesn't say anything, but simply shakes his head.
Chuffy continues to stalk Rempty. "Give toad back. Give toad back." He will say it only three times. Then, if Rempty does hand it over, Chuffy will sing his song.
If Rempty has not given the toad over by the end of his song, Chuffy will splash the vial of pimple squeezings in his face to try and blind him.
Just now remembering about one of their newly found trinkets, Reta pulls out the perfectly well drawn map. She giggles.
Looking around and finding no one coming to his aid (and, indeed, his former champion Loptop looking at him murderously), Rempty drops the toad and starts to sob.
Just now remembering about one of their newly found trinkets, Reta pulls out the perfectly well drawn map. She giggles.
Old Foofelah looks at the map curiously. "You is good girl, Reta, to be bringing map. Map is showing where Shinyhat Lizardloving tribe is hiding. You is been getting this from Kettlehead?"
Reta shakes her head, she nods emphatically.
"Got this too for Loptop." Chuffy throws the vial of Alchemist Fire at Loptop.
Alchemist Fire:
"And Poog ride warhorse and set tail on fire!"
"Where Fat Slorb? Fat Slorb so fat it is being not possible that he is being hiding. Fat Slorb!"
While Chuffy settles scores with Rempty and Loptop, Old Foofelah takes Reta and Smuz and the map to Chief Gutwad's advisor to share some credit for the discovery.
The surprise and grudging respect for the no-longer-whelps by the rest of the Licktoad tribe are palpable. To have encountered a horse and a Longshanks during one's whelping ceremony and not only to have escaped but to have defeated both! If only there had been a dog involved as well, it would be a definite sign that this small crew of goblins was marked for greatness. At any rate, it is clear that anyone who hitched his reputation to Kettlehead is on the wrong side of history; no one lifts a finger to assist Loptop or Rempty.
Near sunset, word spreads of a meeting at the Moot House, and all the Licktoads gather at the sagging, smoke-filled hut. The no-longer-whelps look around with interest, never having seen the seat of Licktoad power before.
The Moot House houses the trophies of generations of Licktoad triumphs, stacked high with jars of strange, fuzzy creatures pickled in brine and the skinned hides of other things too large for even the mightiest jar. All of these are dwarfed by the Teeter Chair, the traditional throne of the Licktoad chief. Gutwad sits atop it, peering down blearily at his subjects as they gather until he holds up a single hand -- a Longshanks one, by the looks of it -- to silence the muttering and still the brawls that have started.
Slorb, at the foot of the Teeter Chair, steps forward at this signal. All goblins know that the words that come out of Chief Gutwad's mouth are so mighty that they might frighten away all the words in the heads of lesser goblins and cause them to faint in fear so he communicates through his trusted advisor.
Old Foofelah fails to notice the silence falling; she is in the middle of a long diatribe to no one in particular about the sad state of the modern Licktoads. "When Foofelah was a girl, Teeter Chair was twenty mans high. They was cutting hole in Moot House roof for it to stick through. In my day, if Chief goblin talked directly to anyone, they fell down dead! Some exploded. Sad day for Licktoads when they didn't listen to Old Foofelah about this Chief."
Slorb scowls at Old Foofelah but judges it more expedient to ignore her. "New no-longer-whelps have been returning with dire news. Longshanks strangers, aided and abetted by horrible horse-chimeras, is invading Brinestump Marsh and threatening Licktoad village. Here," he stabs a chubby finger at the map the whelps brought back, "is where Longshanks is making camp. But we be goblins! We be Licktoads! We is not to be being neighbors with Longshanks and horses! Licktoads is to be marching on Longshanks camp in morning and smashing everything!"
"Light the fire! Sharp the blade!
We be goblins! We make raid!"
With a cheer, the rest of the tribe takes up the song:
"Light the fire! Sharp the blade!
We be goblins! We make raid!"
"Where Fat Slorb? Fat Slorb so fat it is being not possible that he is being hiding. Fat Slorb!"
Reta giggles, placing a hand over her mouth as she does.
Old Foofelah fails to notice the silence falling; she is in the middle of a long diatribe to no one in particular about the sad state of the modern Licktoads. "When Foofelah was a girl, Teeter Chair was twenty mans high. They was cutting hole in Moot House roof for it to stick through. In my day, if Chief goblin talked directly to anyone, they fell down dead! Some exploded. Sad day for Licktoads when they didn't listen to Old Foofelah about this Chief."
Reta's eyes go wide at the accurate history of the Licktoads. Looking up at the top of the Moot House, she giggles again, making an exploding sound while using her hands for effect. she declares, crossing her arms and huffing, irritated at the fact no one will listen to the wisest goblin in the tribe.
After a moment or two of being angry,
"Ready for raid! But sleepy." Poog yawns as he jams the fourth grub in his mouth. "Zarongel favorss the bright firess...", his voice trails off as he makes his way somewhere more quiet. He instinctively steers himself to the wee-goblin pens, before veering off into a likely looking alcove that holds a good amount of residual heat from fire.
The following morning, the Licktoad tribe sets out en masse, following the map to the Longshanks' headquarters. When they reach the edge of Brinestump Marsh, the no-longer-whelps get their first glimpse of the outside world, a place where the ground is oddly firm and dry underfoot and there are wide patches of no cover at all from the sunlight in the open sky.
The goblins march on through patchy light forest before coming to a cleared but overgrown field. Past this field is a collection of rundown buildings behind a palisade wall of uneven stakes. Colorful paper and cloth hang from the barn and house, and tables loaded with food and drink are scattered around the yard. In the center of it all stands a cake that rises nearly two goblins tall and drips with icing and custard. A few slices have already been removed, revealing an interior that looks moist and delicious.
A group of strangely short Longshanks are gathered around the tables, where a number of sparkly, be-ribboned boxes are piled. A female short Longshanks near the cake and presents is wearing a lacy white veil that ripples enticingly in the breeze. Several fat goats and an enormous sow with a litter of pink piglets are contained in pens between the palisade and the short Longshanks.
Smuz licks his lips at the sight of the cake. "Eat," he says simply.
"Why colorful boxes with string around them?" Poog ponders aloud, then realization hits him: "So they burn better. Zaronguleeee..."
The rest of the Licktoads begin to pour through the open gates, heading in various directions. It will be only moments before the short Longshanks realize the danger they are in.
Chuffy sneaks off to come at the round tables from the bottom of the map.
Poog follows Chuffy. Too curious to wait.
Poog is too excited to pay too much attention to the toad that is obviously nestled on his head croaking loudly.