|
On his way out, Erlathan hears a mention of the tea and how there's one particular special tea for him. Oh, please. Allergic to tea. As if anyone's going to believe that!
Under his robe, he moves his hands in various motions and his eyes begin to glow as he stares at the bottle of tea with the elven leaf on it.
Erlathan is using Detect Magic
No magic radiates from it.
You insult him and mistrust him to boot?
Shame on you. :)
Good is not nice.
Anyway...i assume from the modesty of posts , the blanket is a purchase, and you guys are prepped to go.
-------------------------
It turns out the trek is longer than the 5 days the Venture Captain estimated....curses. It takes you a week on foot, but at long last, you are nearing your point of infiltration in the cold nation.
There is no easy way to cross the Iceflow River, which forms the border between the nations north of the mighty Rimeflow River, without attracting unwanted attention from Ulfen defenders who may not look kindly on goblins passing through their lands.
It is eternally winter in Irrisen, and a lot of food is imported. There are no crops or easily obtained foodstuffs except those gained through fshing and some hunting of migratory animals.
Snow goblins are citizens in Irrisen. This is defnitely true in Whitethrone, but one might expect them to have some degree of social rank everywhere else.
You come upon a group of ulfen, at the approximate designated site.
A group of ulfen warriors and druids are led by a woman, who quickly directs their camp being broken up.
"I want to get our broken up in an hour, and all ready for departure."[/smaller]
The woman notices your group's arrival as she turns around to check her surroundings.
"You lot, you must be the group to relieve us of our 'charges', and bring them to the drop point, right?"
|
|
Have the GOBLINS given her trouble, she asks.. "Ahem. My liege! As my compatriot here states, we've come for the prisoners. Please be so kind as to release them from your tutelage, that we may safely escort these fine, respectable beings across these lands. Indeed, we live to serve the Society through all of its crazy missions!" Erlathan adds a bow to complete his sarcastic introduction, then stands up straight with a smug grin on his face.
|
As the group approaches the camp, Boldren begins to go over some of the information that he can remember about the local area.
"Well, I have done a little reading about the basic geography of the area. From what I can remember, there is no easy way to cross the ice flow river that forms the boarder between the nations of the north of the Rimeflow river without attracting unwanted attention from the Ulfen's that keep watch over the area. Keep in mind that they won't look kindly on having a group of goblins being escorted across their land."
"Another things I thought I should mention, is the fact that most of the food in the area is imported. So gaining food, outside of hunting and fishing, could pose a challenge."
|
|
Boldren takes a deep breath as he considers options to resolve the problem. “Well...... We could try and disguise the little guys by hooking them up with a thick beard. That way they would look less like goblins and more like………......, Boldren takes a long-hard look at Braxen, then reconsiders his sarcastic comment.
“Anyway, I don’t know if the situation with the Ulfens can be avoided. I was just pointing this out so we can be prepared when the situations arises.”
@ Firewarden Yanda,
"They have been trouble, but are still all here.
I'm glad to be rid of them."
@ Erlathan,
The ulfen woman gives you a look as cold as the weather.
"Waste your sucking and sarcasm on for the gullible, it's not working on me, * tyr lokke."
"Svân, Bengair, bring them."
Two ulfen warriors bring the goblins, which turn out to be 6, instead of 4. They group of goblins eyes you, taking in the newcomers.
Bull lure.
As Erlathan is wearing a pretty red cape/ :)
"Anyway, here you have them, they're your problem now. Good luck."
She turns around and walks to her compatriots.
|
|
"Six. Oh no." she murmurs.
then, louder, she says, "But there must be some mistake! There are only supposed to be 4. We only brought 4 manacles..."
the last part being said to a retreating and rather unsympathetic back.
She glowers at the goblins. "Well then, I guess then that the 4 of you that annoy me the most get to wear the manacles and fetters. So why is it, exactly, that we need to get you back with us safely? Do any of you know?"
The goblins look at the ulfen woman, then at the team, Yanda in particular currently.
One with a missing pinky (we'll dub him pinky), picks his nose.
"We not know, we be take prisoner, lady keep us, now we go with other lady?"
His comrade, with a scar on his lip, smacks him on the head.
"Is because you dumb, yes this lady want us now."
A third mingles in too.
"Ah, a fight, A FIGHT!", and the pests watch a small struggle start between pinky and scar-lip.
One of the onlooking goblins sticks out its tongue at Yanda, saying something in his native tongue, showing his toothy mouth.
"Lady stupid, stupid!"
Gob #1 (Pinky) Fighting
Gob #2 (Scar-Lip) Fighting
Gob #3 (Rude) (onlooker)
Gob #4 (Wart-nose) (onlooker)
Gob #5 (Big-eyes) (onlooker)
Gob #6 (Lurker) (onlooker)
|
|
Seeing as Galtorr is handling the two fighting goblins quite well, Erlathan watches from behind. "Er, very sorry, folks, but I won't be of much help. I couldn't stop these two from fighting if my life depended on it!" He quietly adds, "I promise it's not because I fear getting goblin goo on my clothes, honestly!"
None of the goblins are afraid of Galtorr's outburst, and continue their struggle.
But their attention is drawn by the display of the sudden lift of the two troublemakers.
Both goblins wriggle free from Galtorr's fists, and one hops onto the other's shoulders.
, and they form Uber-gobbo a mini trapeze, bearing teeth and putting up a measly display of challenge, raising their fists.
The other four cheer, and are probably saying rude things in goblin tongue.
|
|
"Come to think of it... They like flashy stuff, don't they?"
Erlathan lifts his palms up and shuts his eyes. He speaks a few words and moves his left hand in four precise movements. Seconds later, four bright spheres of light materialize in front of the goblins.
"Hey, goblins! Check it out!" He moves the spheres around in random patterns, attempting to distract them.
The duo is set on any challenger, but the others, save for Lurker, are briefly distracted by the sudden lightbulbs.
Pinky and Scar-Lip's eyes grow big...
The bottom goblin remains standing, barely, but his budddy on top.
, is wobbling on the shoulder from the sudden wolf-man's attack.
Top top it, all the goblins' attention have shifted to Galtorr's form.
"Is big dog!!"
"No, is bigger dog!"
"No, is big dog-man!"
They're startled...quickly, take the opportunity... ;)
The square the duo is standing, is now difficult terrain, no 5ft step for the bad goblins.
"Huh? Stupid lady cheat!"
|
|
"Would you rather I burn you to a crisp? I could do that you know. Or blast you into smitherines? We were told there would be 4 of you. I don't think anyone would mind if we showed up without you two since that still leaves 4!" She holds out 6 fingers and subtracts 2 as she goes and waves the four remaining fingers meaningfully.
The goblins are listening, and quiet down disgruntled.
Lurker, the most observant, speaks up.
"Hah, you not kill. We important prizners, heard one of longshanks say.
You needz us for big longshanks thing, you not afford kill."
Despite it, they don't seem so eager to be toasted...
|
Brax walks up behind Wart-nose, muttering under his breath. Taking out his rope, he attempts to bind Wartnose and Big Eyes while they're distracted with the lupine form of Galtorr. "Now jus' hold still for a second."
He then whispers to all of them in Goblin.
Brax convinces Big Eyes to be tied up, and Scar-Lip and Lurker believe Braxen's bluff too, the others won't buy it, but with a wolf man and the threat of being goblin-toast, they don't cause a fuss.
|
|
Bolden does all he can to keep from laughing into hysterics, but fails. After an uncontrollably deep laugh, the wizard separates himself from the group in an attempt to appear less of a threat. Once all of the mayhem looks to be subsiding, Boldren takes a seat on the ground, bringing himself down to the goblins level.
“If you are done trying to oppress these little guys, I would like to talk to them for a moment.”
After evaluating the mental maturity of the goblins, Boldren decides to talk to them in a rhyme.
(I hope this gets their attention.)
“Goblins go and goblins come, clasp them in irons or they will run.”
“If freedom they seek, trust they must earn.”
“Traveling with friends, each taking a turn.”
“Robust and mighty goblins can be. Six guards of the mighty, I need to protect me.”
“Gather to my side, small warriors you will be. Gather to my side if you wish to join me!”
As the wizard’s rhyme comes to a conclusion, he crosses his fingers.
The goblins aren't impressed, in fact they seem to get upset by what Wartnose calls "Insult of longshanks, on goblinz singings."
They grumble among themselves, now also wary of the fact that Braxen speaks goblin as well.
|
|
"Hah, you not kill. We important prizners, heard one of longshanks say.
You needz us for big longshanks thing, you not afford kill."
"You weren't listening. They are expecting 4 of you. That means they only NEED 4 of you. If we lose 2 of you, no one, and I mean NO ONE is going to care."
"Understand?" she says menacingly in Inguan waving the 4 fingers again. Even though they probably don't know the language, threats just somehow sound better in Inguan. Sort of like saying 'Capish' in your best mafia accent.
|
|
The Firewarden is nonplussed to see Boldren try to reason with the nasty little brutes and win them over with kindness.
EVERYONE knows that goblins are not nice, do not understand nice, and do not react well to nice. They probably do not have a word for nice. How is it possible that someone who knows how to speak goblin can be so terribly informed? I'll bet his will be the first butt cheek they take a bite out of.
Moments before Galtorr is headed for Big Eyes, an angry yell is heard from the direction of the ulfen party just up ahead.
Ulfen woman: "Who's responsible for this?
Why am i seeing a report that describes 6 goblin prisoners?
Jörgen, did you send a report with an incomplete headcount? Because you know very well we caught two later that day."
A warrior isn't replying, but trying to look away.
(A few bad words in skald)
She ties a letter to a pigeon, and sends it flying.
She comes to you agitated, drawing attention with a hastened loud yell.
"Ugh...my subordinate has made an error that i will make sure he will regret. 6 goblins is the number my report was to say, how many did this fool of mine told you'd be taking off my hands?"
She pinches between her eyes.
"He's in for it...he's soooo in for it."
She looks back, with a frustrated sigh.
"I've just sent a messenger pigeon with the correct amount of goblins to the Venture Captain, 6 of them, it should clear things up.
Now i really have to get going. Enjoy your day."
|
|
"We can handle 'em, be sure o' that." Brax says confidently. By Torag's beard, we've got a wolf man with us!
He then throws a giant plug of tobacco into a cheek, checks to make sure the goblins bonds are all secured and asks the group "Are we ready ta' go then? Gonna be a long march babysitting these six."
By Torag's beard
Lurker shows a satisfied grin, but keeps quiet.
After tying up and restricting the goblins with the manacles and fetters, the team heads out.
====================
A narrow southern pass winds its way through steep, icy hills, the frigid wind periodically dusting all in its path with a layer of snow.
Two ancient stone watchtowers stand on either side of the path between two nearly vertical bluffs rising thirty feet to either side, just as Lightfoot’s map indicated they would.
The eighty-foot-wide path narrows to a mere twenty-five feet in width between the two fifty-foot towers.