Miron does not recognise the drawing, looking at it dispassionately while he skims the journal, either over someone's shoulder or when it is passed around. He clearly needs to do better at getting to know the locals again.
"Ameiko, my condolences on your loss and for your suffering. Tsuto at least is under lock and key, his equipment taken from him. And we will do our best to protect Sandpoint from his machinations."
*************
"This plan is all to feasible. Sandpoint lacks the military force and widespread training to repel such an attack, especially if it were to use the element of surprise. At least we have gleaned this much information. We will investigate the tunnel. Long-term, sealing it would be for the best. "
"Drazh, Milgen, do you believe any goblins escaped through that tunnel since our arrival in the glassworks? If so, their warnings may trigger the plan early so we should track and eliminate them with all speed, not await the mayor's blessing."
Milgen sighs. "Good point, yes, we saw 2 run away, we should get after them."
I agree with Ferocia. We should definitely go now.
Azalia activates her Ioun torch, takes her bow in hand, and starts into the tunnels.
Dewey speaks up "If you want to go after them you might as well hold onto any of Tsuto's gear that might be of use til you come back. It's evidence but goblins attack... best you leave that journal though so I can explain this to the mayor what is going on."
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The tunnel remains stable and serviceable as it winds lazily northeast for just over close to two thousand feet before reaching a dead end.
Ferocia inspects the end of the tunnel
And checks the tunnel for tracks, attempting to see whose been using the tunnels lately...
At Dewey's words, Miron nods, then proceeds to pick up the shortbow and arrows.
"No time to waste then."
*******
He attempts to find tracks in the tunnel:
And looks over the dead end if there is no other obvious route.
"Nualia!? But she died in the fire!" Anneka still recalls, with perfect clarity, the night she lost her hearing, and the horrible dream she'd had of the old temple burning. Nualia had died in that fire. Hadn't she? What meaning does this hold for Anneka? Was there some connection between Nualia and her dream, loss of hearing, and newfound magic?
Anneka snatches the journal and examines the drawings, realizing with growing horror that the beautiful but deformed woman in the sketches in indeed Nualia Tobyn, adopted daughter to the now-deceased Father Tobyn. The same Father Tobyn who's grave was desecrated during the raid.
"So, Nualia lives!" Anneka gestures and speaks excitedly, trying to draw everyone's attention. She explains what she knows, but leaves unanswered the connection between Nualia and the goblin raid, because she simply doesn't know. Nualia had never struck her as a menace. And yet...
Anneka casts light on an item of choice for anyone who would struggle in the darkness (Azalia or Miron?).
"That raises two disturbing questions. One, how did she survive? Two, why did she not make herself known in Sandpoint since? That does raise the possibility that she was somehow involved in the fire. And thank you Anneka, for the information and the light."
You all agree the tracks of the fleeing goblins slow as they approach the wall and then go through it... obviously there is a secret door but availing of it eludes you.
Anneka's eyes pierce the darkness, searching for things unnoticed.
Milgen picks up a handful of dirt and throws it against the wall of the cave, and then repeats this until he's spread dust over the entire wall. "Look around again, see if anyone can see anything where the dust collected, the goblins were sweating, they may have left moisture, or the secret lever may have caught the dust and be easier to find. Also, don't bother looking above stomach hight, the goblins wouldn't put it higher than they can reach. Check the floor too."
Miron tries to work with Drazh to uncover the secret door.
After some effort working together ye can find a secret door that opens into a thirty foot diameter cave on the side of the cliff overlooking the Varisian Gulf. The cave mouth slopes down to a narrow beach. You can see a crude collection of goblin beds or remnants of their meals strewn about the cave. A few ropes dangle from the cave mouth to the beach below. you can see tracks from here going down the beach heading north.
From the tunnel’s southern half, two side tunnels branch off. One leads east, but the one to the west seems to have once been bricked over at the point where it diverges from the main tunnel.
Miron turns to Drazh.
"Can you tell if the western tunnel was recently bricked up?"
Examining the wall Drazh's experienced eyes note that the wall was set up at least two or more decades back, it's a little hard to tell protected as it is from elements... and likely doesn't have regular passers by. It looks like it was broken down within the last few days.
"Anyone tell which way the goblins who ran went? Were any wounded? Fresh blood?"
Ferocia tries to figure out which way the goblins came from... Although they could all be hidden entrances into Sandpoint, tracking down the fleeing goblins was urgent.
Few of the tracks to to the east, a greater amount go to the west. Most traffic is up to the cave mouth where the ropes dangle down. There is more recent traffic up to and down from the glassworks.
The most obvious sign are the footprints in the sand on the beach below.
Miron also examines the tracks.
Edit: The footprints on the sand.
"What was Tsuto doing down here? Maybe the goblins found a new entrance through the bricked tunnel?" Anneka says and signs.
"We can double back later, looks like the goblins we're chasing hit the beach." Milgen heads for the ropes, watching for snipers.
Miron can see more than one small creature moved at speed up the sandy coast in a northerly direction til they hit firmer ground. Ye would have to move closer to follow the trail but it's clear that the creatures were going for haste, if you moved up it likely wouldn't be challenging to follow them.
"To the beach then."
Miron begins moving across the sand at haste.
Once you get closer your various trained eyes can confirm these are indeed reasonably fresh goblin tracks. Once they get into the trees the start moving east. Following the trail still presents little problem but after a few minutes it does become apparent to you that these goblins have both a head start and are moving quicker than your own group. You are unlikely to overtake them til they come to a halt at their base of operations or rally point.
"Hopefully they will waste time yammering with their kin before moving onto their superiors. We must continue the pursuit and hope for the best."
Azalia follows, wondering how many they were going to encounter. With the plans to attack the city... did they have an army out there?
Ferocia hustles after the others, but is quickly left behind due to her slow speed.
After about two miles ye are approaching the Shank'swood, the area was unnamed until Vyron "Shank" Jethezme, a Sczarni thug took up residence a few years back. He's almost become a bit of an urban legends with sporadic sightings and holds ups in the area. To the south you see the ragged, broken tops of the Ravenroot Hills.
The Nettlewood is a wild woodland along the Lost Coast of southwestern Varisia, between the village of Sandpoint and Windsong Abbey. Found north of the Lost Coast Road, it is filled with dangerous brambles, thorns, and briars; few travelers or hunters frequent the woods. Hazards of the Nettlewood include not only stinging nettles and goblinberry patches, but the tribes of goblins that make the forest their home. The westernmost portion of Nettlewood contains an intricate series of tunnels and rooms in the thick undergrowth created and maintained by the Thistletop goblins. They aren't too much a problem for goblins or halflings to get around in but humans or a burly dwarf might find them far more awkward.
Thistletop you don't know much of beyond what Shalelu shared with you... but given that these tracks are taking a good route towards nettlewood if you want to stay off the main trail it seems likely that's exactly where these goblins are headed.
Ferocia growls. "We don't need her help." Clenching her fists she adds, "Besides, I'd bet money they're headed to Thistletop, out in the Nettlewood. It's this direction, and Tsuto's journal mentioned that those are the goblins he worked with. Ripnugget leads them, and they live out at that weird island. The one that sort of looks like a head. The problem's with the Nettlewood itself."
She further explains, "It's a wild woodland filled with brambles, thorn and briars. Not many people go there, since it's hard to traverse. The goblins keep a confusing network of bramble tunnels leading to their base through the thick underbrush, but we're going to be too big to use them effectively."
With a sigh she adds, "The path we're on is a good one. I don't know a faster route there. But when we get there, we'll be on their turf. It'll be dangerous."
"I hope you're ready for a hike."
|
Drazh looked at Ferocia quizzically, and then smiled. Much of it was hidden in his beard.
"Like my father used to say-" He stopped, when he remembered Azalia's presence. He had already made an enemy with Milgen over words that were not choice. It wouldn't do to make the same mistake twice. His father taught him that as well.
"-nevermind. If you are confident, I won't doubt ye. Ye've got my hammer."
Miron looks thoughtful, nods slightly to himself, and speaks.
"Ferocia, you have proven to be able to see and hear things before the rest of us. I am content to let you lead the way here, so we can catch the goblins. If they are preparing for battle, we may yet catch them off guard. If there is any chance to stop them away from Sandpoint, we should take it and quickly."
You keep trekking through the wilderness for a few more miles before you start to seem the brambles you are looking for. More goblins tracks, older but still recent start crossing the path of this one.
The briars and thistles that grow so rampantly in Nettlewood are even more dense and tangled here, close to the shore. Although not quite dense enough to block the sound of waves crashing on the unseen shores to the west, the undergrowth is certainly thick enough to block sight and access to the coast. Few trees grow this close to the edge of the sea, but the briars themselves ofen reach heights to rival them; here, the patch is nearly twenty feet high.
The tracks lead into the brambles, examining the area for a moment ye notice that the briars here can be lifted aside to reveal a four foot high tunnel leading into the briars. You'd have to be careful or wearing thick gauntlets or gloves to open this in a hurry.
Fighting in these tunnels could be awkward but doable, do ye want to progress this way or try to find an alternate route to Thisletop?
After peering into the bramble tunnels, Ferocia looks back at the others. "It'll be dangerous from here on out. Last chance to leave. If you want to make any preparations, now's the time."
Miron checks the shortbow.
"I am ready and willing. If you believe combat is imminent, inform me and I can invoke a blessing of Abadar upon us to guide our blows."
Milgen finally balks. "No, this is too dangerous. They're already way ahead of us, we'll not catch them, and this place is made for an ambush. They'll have bodies and weapons waiting to pincushion us. We've done what we can, at this point, we're more likely to find 50 goblins or 100 goblins ready to attack. We need to get back to town and get people ready. If we die here, the town will have even fewer competent fighters to defend it."
Anneka picks brambles and errant leaves from her hair, and frets over a large smear of dirt up the side of her periwinkle blue dress. She had not anticipated going on such a hike.
She moves into position to try to read everyone's lips, catching most of what's said. She thinks. "I think Milgen is right," she pleads, whispering now that they are deep in goblin territory. "We need a better plan before we invade a goblin settlement. This looks like a trap."
Nodding to Ferocia, Azalia asserts I'm ready.