Morbury moves up near the goblins, "Why have you been chained? Why are you here?"
One of the goblins speaks up, "Big stinky trolls put chains on mes. Keep here as slaves. Must clean up, feed dogs, do other stuff. Hate trolls! Hate trolls!" He says with a shriek.
The goblin quiets down and looks around, then narrows his eyes and looks Morbury up and down, finally asking, "Where trolls now?"
Karl stays back as Morbury plunges ahead, bow out and arrow nocked. He scans the gate house and the approaches, wary for danger.
One of the goblins speaks up, "Big stinky trolls put chains on mes. Keep here as slaves. Must clean up, feed dogs, do other stuff. Hate trolls! Hate trolls!" He says with a shriek.
The goblin quiets down and looks around, then narrows his eyes and looks Morbury up and down, finally asking, "Where trolls now?"
"They are dead. You are no longer slaves." Morbury looks to the goblins, noticing them to be quite worn. Sheathing his weapon, fearing them to be no threat, "You know, I was in a position not unlike yourselves just recently. As you can see, I am now free. Now," he looks at them all before turning his attention back to the one who spoke. "I shall free you from your chains on one condition. Are you willing to negotiate?" As soon as he asks the question he realizes they may not even know what that means. "What I mean to say, is, if I help you, would you be willing to help me?"
His curiosity piqued, Darren steps up not far behind Morbury. "You know, I've seen this fearless man in action. If he wanted them, your lives are his, and I reckon he rightly deserves them if you've committed any wrongs in your past. He's offering a fair chance here, and I suggest you take it."
Diplomacy Aid Another
When they hear about the fate of the trolls, the goblins look at Morbury with a mix of fear and gratitude, at once excited and scared. Looking about, they become visibly nervous when Darren approaches, but his ability to help diffuse the situation calms them.
Finally, one of them nods, "What you want? We not have much, but can tell you about castle! Big dog, gray mans, and tables that talk. We tell you all if you free mes." the creature says while pointing across the bridge at Schloss Caromarc.
Looking a bit perplexed, Morbury shrugs. "Fair enough. We shall free you and I will be quite interested in your stories of the 'tables that talk'. Excuse me a moment, I shall return." Morbury gives a slight bow of his head as he calls the others together, out of earshot of the goblins. "Now, I have gave them my word they will be freed. They are willing to give us a bit of information in return. But if they do not, if they flee... please, just let them. This is all I ask of you." He looks to them all before a realization just hits him. "Oh! One other item of importance I ask of you that I nearly forgot: Do any of you know how to undo a lock?"
Karl looks somewhat taken aback at Morbury's request. Free them? he asks in a hushed whisper. But... they're goblins! They'll breed like putrid rabbits and swarm the countryside! He shakes his head a bit. I know my way around locks and chains, but, well, to be honest, I'm not so sure about this.
"I understand your concern, Sir Karl, truly. And while your logic about their race in general is more than likely accurate, I prefer to see "these" goblins as they are now...," he shoots a glance over at them before finishing, "Prisoners. I cannot help but feel badly for them. But I do understand it is highly likely they return home, exaggerate their exploits, and sadly, find themselves on the wrong end of a sword one day. But you never know, Sir Karl, maybe if just one goblin is treated with just the smallest of kindness, maybe, just maybe, he or she might turn from the typical ways of their people and seek a better path for themselves. Highly unlikely? Probably. But there's always hope. At least give them that chance, Sir Karl. Please."
Karl scowls a bit, but eventually bows his head in acquiescence. All right, all right, I'll do it, but the rest of you keep those blades out and ready. I don't want to be left in the lurch when one of these maggots decides to chew my face off. He strips off his cestus and tucks it into his belt as he strides toward the goblin. And as for all of you, you even think about crossing me and I'll take your heads and feed them to my horse!
Karl examines the chain and the manacles, looking for a way to unlock the one goblin that Morbury spoke to without releasing the rest of them. Once he is satisfied that he can free the one without letting the others go, he pulls out his lockpicks and attempts to free the goblin.
The goblins meekly nod at Karl's instructions, then wait patiently... for about two seconds before once again starting to cackle and poke one another.
Despite the annoyance, Karl easily releases the crude lock on the goblin who spoke with Morbury. The other two stare wide-eyed at their now free companion. He looks at them...
and sprints away laughing madly as he disappears into the swamp forest.
The remaining goblins begin hurling curses at their fleeing mate, with "dog-lover" being the most prominent. After several seconds, they glance at each other sullenly, then look up at the baleful visage of Karl.
Meekly, one of them grasps the lock around his chains and holds it up. In a desperate voice, it pleads, "Please, Master. Me next? Be good Master to poor Dweezl."
Morbury watches the goblin flee with a bit of amusement. "Sir Karl, I believe 'chewing your face off', as you so eloquently put it, is the last thing these goblins are interested in," he tells him, grinning.
Karl shakes his head, doing his best to remain stern but eventually losing control and cracking a grin. I suppose you're right, and my face isn't in too much danger. Still, it's tougher to get information out of them when they're high-tailing it for the swamp. Bertholdt, do you mind holding onto the next one I spring?
Once Berthold has a firm grip on the next goblin, Karl goes to work on the chain.
Professor Rokannon stands off a little way and lights a pipe. He looks skeptical of the operation.
He looks up and past the goblins to the door and battlements.
"Gentlemen, as much as I applaud your gentle courtesy, I feel the need to spend as little time out in the open as possible."
Darren stands off to one side and smirks at the goblins chatter. "The Professor is right, we should be along quickly."
The goblin nods sullenly as Bertholdt speaks, and waits patiently as Karl unlocks his shackles.
Seeing he has virtually no chance of escape, he frowns, "What want know?"
"We are curious about the 'Big dog', the 'Gray man' and the 'tables that talk'. What can you tell us about them?"
It looks around before glancing up at Morbury, "Um, big dog not nice. It big and mean. Have lots of sewing, like him." He says pointing at Alpon.
The little creature hits itself on the side of the head, "Gray man. Um, him not talk loud. Have big stick with little skull on top. Skull must talk lots though. It have mouth covered up."
"Tables, they run around and talk. Other stuff too - chairs, plates, closets. Tables make noises at chairs, other tables, like this! MWARK! MWARK! GAK! GAK! GAK!" The goblin begins shouting as loud apparently trying to imitate what the tables were doing.
Professor Rokannon's eyebrows raised.
"A gagged skull...That means the Whispering Way!"
Hsst! Quiet! Karl hisses in frustration and pulls out his bow, clearly weighing whether or not to silence the goblin by the simple expedient of a clothyard shaft. However, with Morbury and Berthold nearby, he thinks better of it and instead keeps watch on the gatehouse, tugging his cestus back on after tucking his lockpicks back into a small, leather pouch worn around his neck.
He takes a moment to favor professor Rokannon with a nod though. That skull-topped staff, sounds like Whispering Way to me.
Morbury looks to Bertholdt and then back to the goblin. "Thank you, my small friend. You have been a great help. Sir Bertholdt, release him please. And Sir Karl, would you please release the last one as well? I am thinking the farther they are away from here, the better." Morbury looks to the ranger, obviously speaking of how much better it would be for the group that they be long gone.
Karl releases the last goblin with a warning glare and shoos the creatures off. Quiet is good Bertholdt. Let's scout ahead into the gatehouse, and then see about crossing this bridge. Hopefully it will be stable enough to hold us, and there's not anything hiding under it, he adds with a wry chuckle, considering the most recent inhabitants.
Karl takes in Morbury, Rokannon, Devi and Darren with a look. Hang back about sixty feet, but be ready to come quickly if we call.
If the others agree, Karl creeps forward to the gatehouse and the bridge beyond, eyes and ears wary for traps and ambushes.
Morbury nods, ready to move at a moments notice.
Professor Rokannon hesitates, but nods in agreement.
He looks around uneasily, still feeling exposed out in front of the bridge.
The slender stone bridge arcs gracefully across the raging water, leading to a fortified manse on the far side of the river. The sides of the bridge are solid, rising nearly four feet above the walkway, providing substantial protection for those crossing the bridge.
Once the approach to the bridge has been secured, Karl waves the others up.
Keep a watchful eye, he cautions in a low voice, hopeful that the roar of the water below will keep his words from carrying. And stay low. Mindful of his own admonition, Karl slowly moves forward in a fluid crouch, the fingers of his right hand splayed out before him, testing the stone.
Suddenly he stops, and thrusts his hand behind him in a warning to the others to do so as well.
I think I've spotted that big dog the goblin warned us of. It's there ahead, beside the door of the manor house. The stitching on its hide is... somewhat familiar. Karl says with a wary look at their golem companion. Alpon, do you know anything of a dog, that is like you?
Morbury starts out across the bridge when he notices a signal.
Alpon, heeding the admonition to stay low, is crawling along behind the party. Hearing Karl's question, he peers up at the dog, then looks at Karl, "No, not know about dog like me."
Professor Rokannon crouches down to cross the bridge, a little stiffly as he is unused to doing that.
Karls eyes grow wide, and he exhales sharply as he takes in the full meaning of Bertholdt's whispered message. He nods sharply though, clearly worried by the possibility of the inquisitor's suggestion.
Alpon, he whispers, we may have to fight this dog. We may have to destroy it, I do not know for certain. If it comes to that, are you with us? Karl looks pointedly at Professor Rokannon. Any suggestions if it comes to fighting that dog?
Professor Rokannon glares back at Karl.
Taking his pipe out of his mouth he whispers back; "I suggest you hit him Very hard."
Karl smirks and chokes down a laugh. Thanks for the advice, Professor. I'll take it under advisement.
Alpon looks puzzled, but nods. In a hoarse whisper, "Me not know dog, but know friends who helped me. Me help you if dog not nice."
Karl shrugs and smiles at the composite man. Can't ask for more than that I guess. Let's see if the pup is friendly.
Karl fits an arrow to his bowstring and stands from his crouch, watching the dog-creature for its reaction.
The golem hound raises its head and with a deep growl, leaps to its feet and charges directly at Karl. Moments before the dog arrives, its ears go up and it skids to a stop, whining loudly and sniffing the air in confusion. It's eyes fall upon the crouching figure of Alpon, who slowly stands up.
The golem dog yelps and cowers, placing its head down on the ground and backing up slowly until it has moved completely off the bridge.
Alpon looks around, unsure what is happening...
Karl nearly looses an arrow as the dog-golem comes bounding up but stays his hand long enough to see the fleshy construction cower before its kindred spirit.
Alpon he says quietly, will you stay between us and the hound?