"What sort of lights? Torches or campfires or something else?"
Eloisa takes notes as the Sheriff speaks. She taps the pencil on her lips as she thinks of which demon it might be. She brightens in recognition as she writes down a name in shorthand. "All common people, and honest. Seeing lights and hearing noises. No one has a reason to make up stories I would guess."
"No, Rast. The Cathedral had just burned down and our priests were in disarray. We simply let it be. The type of light was unclear. It emanated from inside the structure."
Selaros had slipped out of the back of the kitchen after his shift was done to change clothes and come back to offer his assistence.
The Desna Knight walks into the Rusty Dragon through the main door. He looks around for the sheriff and the others, of course he knows where they sit, but he makes it looks like he is seeking them out.
He walks over and speaks quitely to the group "Morning, I have heard there is something going on, on Chopper's Isle, I like to offer my assistance in clearing that accursed place of all troubles. I still have the strain of trying to hunt him all those years ago and avoid the former sheriff trying to catch me for the murders. I offer my glaive if you want my help." He says bowing slightly for the sheriff.
I can vouch for the strangers desire to help strange as he may be all masked and all
Calin said simply managing to not frown at the knight. Something about the secrecy of the man bugged him, but it wasnt his place to judge.
Asa frowns a bit as the story and the answers to her questions are revealed. "It isn't her then... or her servitors either. A shame, I had hoped to have stumbled upon a hidden lead."
Asa gives the masked man a quick glare as he enters, but it softens to indifference as he reveals what he is after.
"By all means, if it bothers your conscience enough to hide your face in shame please come." The look the woman gives the Knight is a mix of sarcasm and seriousness, and it would be hard to tell which was more prevalent. Asa turns back to Hemlock.
"One final question for you. I will grant that they aren't widely known for repurposing human structures, but is it possible that goblins driven off from the attack on the town are sheltering there?"
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Rast looks at the masked man, raising one eyebrow. The sheriff though him the killer so he dons a mask? That makes no sense. The stable boy seems to know him though. Perhaps he is just a kook.
Sheriff, this temple should be destroyed. There is a chance of, uhh, unnatural influence. Even if it is goblins more goblin the temple could, umm, change them.
Glancing back at the masked man, still confused.
"No shame here, just making sure people trying to come after me, doesn't go after the people I care for." He responds to Asa not sure if she meant it or not. "In regards to your question, goblins around these part will sue whatever structure they come across if it provides a good hiding place."
"It could potentially be Goblins but that seems unlikely. Still, I certainly am all for destroying that profane place. It is good to see you again, Desna Knight."
Asa just rolls her eyes and nods. "True they are known to be... resourcefull with regards to what we view as trash... but to stay so long in such a place after withdrawing with no compelling reason to do so would be a tad strange."
The woman shrugs. "The destruction of that place might be a bit problematic. Fire has the chance to spread off the island to the town, whereas more conventional means might draw more questions from the townsfolk than you wish. Still, I suppose we can look at potential avenues for reclaiming the land in some way." The woman grabs her falcata by the sheath and replaces it in her belt as she stands. "I suppose the only other question I would have is would you like to question anyone or anything sentient we find there or are we free to execute them on sight if deemed hazardous to the town?"
Eloisa looks closely at the new arrival. She makes a couple of quick notes about him. When Asa stands and asks her last question of the sheriff, Eloisa drinks the last of her tea, and makes ready to leave when the answer is given.
"We have heard rumors of a new goblin chief around these parts, who have managed to make five goblin tribes come together and join forces. He might be wiser than the average goblin and have decided to use such a place as a permament basecamp. Or maybe something even more sinister, we have found traces during the investigation of the initial raid on Sandpoint, that a human-like creatures were guiding the goblins to attack as a distraction while he and a band of goblins stole the remains of the late father, and left skelentons in the tomb." He adds in responds to Asa as he is unsure if the group have heard this from Calin or the sheriff.
"If someone, or something, else is controlling the goblins that would explain a lot."
"No holy knight here, just a worshipper fighting the good cause. But should we head out and fight some goblins and what else?"
Asa's body posture goes from dismissive to tense in mere moments upon learning of the humanoid creature leading the goblins in the recent attacks.
"I had not heard that. Goblin chiefs come and go, but a humanoid leading them is ..." Asa trails off. "It isn't proof of her involvement or even her underlings... but it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility either. Perhaps I should stay a bit longer after all..."
Shaking her head to put the thought aside, she turns back to the Sheriff. "I rescind my question. If a human is leading whatever happens to be on that island I will take them alive if at all possible, on the condition that I can question them personally." Looking at her companions, she adds, "Alone."
"To answer your earlier question, Asa, if there is a sentient creature, I would prefer they be brought in, alive, that the guard might question them. I would also prefer that we not resort to, shall we say, advanced methods of interrogation until the more traditional avenues are exhausted."
Asa shrugs. "No qualms from me on that stipulation, but as the nature of my questions would be... private... in nature, I stand by my request for privacy when asking them." A hint of a smile graces her lips but her eyes remain mirthless. "Of course, this all supposes that there even is anyone out there still to capture. No time like the present to find that out, hm?" Asa nods to the so called Knight and her other companions. "Any other questions or shall we go?"
The young half elf part time militia man's eyes widened when the Desnan knight brought up their earlier discovery. He had forgot to bring that up. He colored from embaressment enough that it was clear he almost missed the interplay between the exotic and pretty looking woman and the sheriff.
Ive got my things ready, dont worry Sheriff we will get down to the strangeness out at choppers isle quick enough I hope.
He said giving her a nod and what passed for a salute amongst the guard. He rose from his chair and grabbed one last bite from his plate.
Asa looks at Rast with what almost passes as a look of respect, though it quickly fades back into indifference.
"'Sentient' might be too loose a term, it is true. 'Non-rank-and-file-goblinoid' might be a bit closer to what we are looking to take alive. Specifically anything that might have been an organizer or leader of the recent attacks."
"Hah... having helped or not, I somehow doubt that the local townsfolk wouldn't suspect me of meeting such criteria if they knew my... history." Sighing more to herself than anyone else at the thought, Asa abruptly heads back to her room to grab a few items.
You set off for Chopper's Isle. It's the Northwest-most point of the city. You pass by The Old Light, a ruined tower the locals believe was a lighthouse at one time in the past. It is the early afternoon. The sun is shining, and the day is quite pleasant.
With the directions Hemlock gave you, you are able to find Stoot's residence without much difficulty. You do have to cut through some difficult terrain; in the years since the killings, no one has been checking the growth of flora.
The outside of the house is a simple wooden building with a thatched roof. The door is closed, and the entire house is covered in dust.
The Knight prepares his starknife and walks around the house looking for a window or other place to peer inside the house.
Asa looks around at the dust and the dirt on the ground, searching for signs of recent activity.
"Huh... I might be surprised later, but I would think that goblins would have been more... obvious somehow. Especially this far from active civilization."
He paused as the others quietly slunk forward no doubt to see if they could see anything without alerting whatever may be inside. He merely readied himself, drawing out flail and shield. He knew from previous experiances in training he was going to be that quiet if he tried to close... it was better that he was ready to charge forth if they ran into trouble. He kept a wary eye on the building.
Eloisa carefully looks around the outside of the house. She taps the creature hanging from her necklace, and murmurs "Be aware."
None of you find any tracks. Eloisa, you are able to quite easily discern a bit of a draft coming from the southeastern corner of the wall. Upon investigation, you find a secret door very slightly ajar. You are able to easily open it, and it leads to a dark stairwell.
Annika and her owl keep a close watch for anything moving or any unusual noises in the vicinity
"I guess we have to go down, anyone care to shed a little light on the situation?" He whispers to the others within earshot. "I have torches, but it'll leave me fighting with only my knife."
Asa shrugs. "Some of us wouldn't have that much problem with seeing in the dark, and a light would alert whatever might be down there that we are coming... but as you wish." She closes her eyes a moment to concentrate.
Opening them she reaches out and touches the edge of the Knight's starknife. "Et factus est in tenebris lumen eosdem."
"It shall become the light that guides them through the darkness."
Suddenly the edge glows as if they had a torch next to it.
"There, torch and knife are now one, leaving you a free hand for fighting with something else. It should last about ten minutes, after which time I will have to light it again."
Asa smiles and waves the man to the door.
"After you."
The Knight nods in approval "Thanks I think it is better if we all can see what we are fighting. I wouldn't think it wise to relying on you for all the fighting we might encounter, we could quickly be outnumbered if there is a goblin tribe down here." He holds the Starknife in front of him so he can see the steps and moves up/down the stairwell.
"I'll be right behind you there knight."
The large half elf began, adjusting his shield slightly on his arm and following behind the masked man
"Fair enough, but this place just doesn't feel right for a goblin den. It feels too untouched... but then, that might just be a bit of racial bias coloring my observations." Asa shrugs as she follows the two. "Also keep in mind that whatever might be down there may not be immediately hostile. If anything is down there at all, that is." Asa mutters that last bit at a slightly lower tone, but draws her falcata as she does so.
"Watch it be villagers jumping at shadows."
The stairs continue down for what seems to be far longer than they should. They open up into a wide room. Two torches are lit on opposite walls in the room, casting dim light. From the entrance you came to, there are hallways to the left and right, though it's too dark to see down them. The center of the room is dominated by a huge statue, depicting a demonic, winged half-bird half-man.
In the far right corner of the room, you can suddenly hear something. Looking over, you can just make out a small figure, squatted down, facing the corner. You can hear the figure sobbing.
Asa looks up at the winged bird man thing, the whole thing wrong somehow.
"I wonder how hard it would be to destroy it.... but then, I also wonder if doing so might attract unwanted attention from larger forces. One powerful supernatural enemy is enough to fight at any given time, after all..."
Turning to the sobbing figure, Asa takes up a guard position.
"I wonder why it hasn't noticed us... it is not like we have exactly been quiet or subtle..."
"I do hope that I am not interrupting anything important, but kindly turn around slowly."
Asa, the figure does not seem to notice your words. The air hear seems to hang thick. None of you can shake a feeling of dread and oppression.
The small figure, the size of the child, continues to sob.
He was staring at the statue for a moment like Rast when the sobbing caught his ear. Before he could react to it the exotic and strange woman Asa moved a bit closer taking a stance that set Calin's nerves the wrong way. It was a child, sobbing. He couldnt blame her with the sense of dread in this place.
Dont be afraid child, we are the heros of sandpoint here to help. Did you get lost here? did you fall down are you hurt?
He began closing with the child and kneeling reaching out to comfort her. . .
The lack of reaction to her words makes the hairs on the back of Asa's neck stand up.
"Didn't the sheriff say that this Stoot-Chopper-fellow," the phrase comes out quick and derisive, "used to take sensory organs and sacrifice them to this.... thing here?"
Asa tries to look around the room but is too focused on observing how the child like being will react to Calin's presence as he gets closer.
Annika peers into the corner where the small figure is facing.
Eloisa looks surprised to hear Thassilonian spoken by Asa. Interesting. "Communes omnium linguarum esse censerem."
Eloisa is not surprised to see the alter to the demon, but is surprised at the small creature crying in the corner. She looks at it trying to determine if it is human or something else.
Asa seems equally surprised to hear someone else speak in Thassilonian. "I guess I shouldn't be, she is a self proclaimed student of magic... non surprisingly many also pick up a few languages along the way."
"Additumque linguarum antiquarum studiosus. Quam magna. Hoc unum mihi saepe mittentes incantatoribus sed etiam loqui ei."
"An additional student of ancient languages. How grand. I typically use this one for casting spells, but I can converse in it too."
"I will have to find out what other languages she knows... it might be useful later."
"Demon worshippers, not better than goblins. Both are only good when they are dead." he says as he comes down to behold the demonstatue.
The Desna Knight walks closer to the sobbing creature, just enough so that his helf elven heritage allows him to see it clearly for what it is.
Eloisa, something about this creature is simply...wrong. It is not a human child, not a humanoid at all...at least, not any longer. It is an abomination.
Calin, as you reach out, the child-sized figure turns, and while the body is that of a young boy, the face...
All that you see before you is the hollowed out skull of a bird.
The creature snaps its head up, and from its beak it lets forth a terrible shriek!
Everyone, make a Will save, DC 15. I will give you the effect after you roll.