"We look forward to your return sheriff." Rullis says as Hemlock stands and makes his way out of the room. Turning to Kerrec, "I'll join you. I could use some better armor if I'll be putting myself in harm's way."
"I was thinking much the same, actually. Dashing as a swordsman with one hand free can appear, I think I'd best invest in coming back in one piece. I'm thinking a stout shield, if the stores can spare one."
As Rullis and Kerrec walk out of the room, Rullis quietly says to Kerrec, "Did you see the sheriff's reaction? Right before Vidar has his head-popping bird incident, his face seemed to tense up when Vidar mentioned the White Deer Inn. Like he was annoyed at the mere words being said."
"I missed that, I was looking at Miss Shalelu, I'm afraid. She certainly has a beauty about her, doesn't she? But I guess that's pretty common among the elves I've known elsewhere... Mayor, are Rullis' instincts correct? Is there reason to be concerned about the White Deer?"
To Camillo and Kithian, Rullis replies, "I'm not sure. I know the sheriff and the innkeep have had their differences. Maybe you are right Kithian, they probably are just from rival clans as you mentioned. It just seemed strange the way he reacted. If it was just a personal issue with the innkeep himself, would just the name of the inn he owns cause that kind of reaction?"
"Maybe, maybe not. Just to be safe, maybe me and Vidar should move." Kithian yawns and shakes himself."Nothing to do with that now. Let's visit the Red Dog and rent the meanest, nastiest mongrel he has then visit our goblin friends. I think its time for them to become aquatinted." He roars with laughter and slaps Rullis on the back. "Don't worry! I have a plan."
"Bruthzamus...hmmm, goblins and bugbears, I wonder if there are hobgoblins lurking in the periphery as well then?"
Vidar is suddenly struck by a thought. He turns to Shalelu as the walk side by side. "You said the current sheriff was away at the time? That echoes what is soon to happen here, and I still say that this raid, as chaotic as it was needed inside information to be carried out, IF whoever controls the goblins have a spy in the town it would be a perfect time to strike now that the sheriff is away."
However, Vidar cannot quite sustain such thoughts long in the face of Shalelus appeal.
The Mayor, having been listening in silence up to this point, looks up at Camillo's question, smiles, and replies, "Oh, there's nothing to be worried about there. Garridan Viskalai, who runs the White Deer, and Belor are brothers. Belor dropped his family name and took up a Chelaxian surname to honor the mostly Chelaxian populace who voted him into office, but his brother took it as a slight against their family and the two have hardly spoken two words since. It's a shame really, they're both good men."
: "You're right Vidar," Shalelu answers, "We must be extra cautious in these weeks to come. However, I believe the Sheriff has made a wise choice by putting his trust in you. I can see that you are good people and you have proven your mettle in the raid. Stay vigilant and the people of Sandpoint will have nothing to fear."
Vidar flushes a little at the compliment. "Oh...ah, well to be perfectly frank, I did not do a lot beyond distracting the goblins, my magic was quickly spent taking down one or two and then I was forced to rely on my dagger alone, seeing as I lost my bow during my sea voyage here, the others were quite impressive however. But I imagine you would have been able to take out more goblins than the rest of us combined Ms Shalelu"
Vidar curses himself silently. "Why are you speaking when you have nothing to say, you are like a boy who have discovered girls for the first time in your life, gather your wits man, or you KNOW that Enok will embarrass you again."
As they draw closer to the garrison Vidar asks plaintively. "So...how would you like to conduct this little interrogation Ms Shalelu?"
and Kithian and Rullis are heading to the Red Dog Smithy to rent a dog? Is this correct?
As you enter the Garrison, Shalelu smiles at your compliment and replies, "Just plain Shalelu will be fine Vidar, I'm not much for formalities. As for the interrogation, we can probably just wing it. Goblins aren't very smart so if they do have any information, perhaps we can trick it out of them."
You descend the stairs to the jail where the goblins are being kept and are met by a guard who shows you in. In two cells on the opposite sides of the hallway sit two angry looking goblins. When they spot you, they bare their teeth and glare, but keep silent. The guardsman heads back to his chair and says off-hand, "We had to separate them when they tried biting eachother's throats out. They're fiesty little buggers, these two."
You part ways with Vidar and Shalelu after entering the Garrison and are shown down a hallway to the armory. Laid out on racks around the room are various weapons and armor, some in various states of disrepair, but most seeming serviceable.
Vidar scratches the back of his head and looks a little sheepishly at Shalelu. "As you say...Shalelu, to be honest, growing up on the "mean streets" of Riddleport did not exactly instil me with a surplus of good manners either way, it was studying with my mentor and the cyphermages that did that."
As Vidar and Shalelu stands before the cells, Vidar glances at the two goblins, trying to find any distinguishing traits.
"The fact that they are so hostile to each other might mean that they are from different tribes, I'm sure you can tell me which Shalelu, so it seems that whatever loyalty to their unseen motivator is not strong enough to last once that person is no longer nearby to motivate them."
Vidar turns to one of the goblins and begins to speak in their guttural language.
He then winks at Shalelu and whisper in Elven.
Shalelu replies to you in Elven, "I believe the one on the left is from the Mosswood tribe and the other one is a Birdcruncher."
The Birdcruncher goblin speaks up first, "Lemme out! 'Dis git over 'ere is the one 'ya want! I's is innocent!"
To which the Mosswood goblin replies, "'E's a liar, that one! Let me out instead! I'll tell 'ya anything you want!"
"That git won't tell ya nothin' but lies, I'm the honestest goblin!" the first one yells back.
"No you ain't! You's is a rotton liar! Rottener than a hag you is!"
"A hag? Yer mother's a hag!"
"Well yer mother's a... a jerk!"
They go on like this.
Vidar frowns, pulls at his beard and then makes a show of getting really angry. Then he snarls in feral Goblin.
"This here is Shalelu, she has gone toe to toe with Bruthzamus, how long do you think any of you would last? One of you had better answer my question now!"
Both of the goblins quickly shut up and scramble backwards at your threats. The Mosswood goblin calls out in a cracking voice, "What question? I'll tell ya anything! Remember, I's is honest!"
"'E is not, but I is. Ask away longshanks!" chimes in his counterpart.
"I have three questions. First question, who was it that planed this attack; it was no goblin, that is for sure. Second question, what was the purpose of the raid, there was one I'm sure. Third question, where were you supposed to go after the raid?"
The Birdcruncher goblin speaks first, "Ooh! I knows the answer! Let me answer!"
"No! Don't let 'im answer, e's a liar! Not like me! I's is honest!" claims the Mosswood.
"You ain't! I'll tell 'im! It was one of you longshanks! It was! It was!"
"'E already knew that! I'll tell 'im about the secret mission! I'll tell him that!"
"Don't tell him that! That's a secret ya git!"
"I'll tell him honest! The secret mission was to go to the graveyard, it was!"
The Birdcruncher goblin puts his hands over his ears and yells out, "Aw don't tell 'im that! It's a secret! A secret! A secret!"
Meanwhile, the rest of the party is able to finish equipping themselves and make their way across town to the Red Dog Smithy. A couple of wizened looking mastiffs with dark red coats are lounging out front and there appear to be a number of other dogs sleeping on the floor once you enter. The storefront is filled with weapons and armor sitting in display-cases and on shelves, but is deserted aside from the dogs. You can, however, hear a loud clanging noise coming from the shoproom through a nearby door.
Not seeing anyone in the shop besides the animals, and not wanting to advance and possibly aggravate the dogs by being a possible intruder, Rullis simply turns towards the direction of the open door and yells out, "Das Korvut? Are you there?"
"Now we are getting somewhere interesting, a secret mission to the graveyard you say? And you are the honest one, so you will tell me what you did there right? And you'll describe the longshank leader as well won't you? Because you are a honest goblin, and you are smart too right? Smart enough to not make us angry."
Vidar wipes his mouth with the back of his hand to cover the scowl that is slowly building on his face as he speaks such words, words that leave a foul taste in his mouth.
The clanging from the back room stops and is followed by a fair amount of crashing around and swearing and then a rather large man wearing a leather apron and holding a blacksmith's hammer emerges from the door. His prodigious muttonchops bounce up and down and he yells out, "What's all this bloody racket? What business do you people have here in my place of... business!?" The dogs on the floor don't startle in the least at the smithy's racket, seemingly used to this type of thing.
The Mosswood goblin speaks up excitedly, "Yes! Yes! I's is honest to the bone! I don't know nothin' about tha mission though, like I told ya, it's a secret!"
The Birdcruncher chimes in, "'E ain't smart! I's the smart one! I'll tell you about the boss. He was tall, like you! And mean! Ha ha! Who smart now?!"
"Oh well done, yes you are smart, Mr. Goblin. Good work."
Vidar leans a bit towards the other goblin and hisses under his breath.
"Are you going to let him outsmart you like that? Maybe you know if the boss had pointed ears at all?"
Vidar realizes that by playing the goblins out against each other he may be able to get a little more information out of them.
The Mosswood goblin, eager to gain your favor it would appear, speaks up, "Hey! Hey! Yeah! Yeah! He had ears! Don't 'member much of 'em, though. You longshanks all look alike!"
"Yeah! How we 'sposed to tell you all apart? Heads too far away! Boss 'ad nice pants though!" adds the Birdcruncher.
"Oh yeah! Real nice pants! Nice boots too!"
"Well, this was a waste of time." Vidar thinks to himself. But there is one question left that might be answered.
"So, where were you supposed to go after the raid was finished? And how did you get in to the town in the first place? Did you go through the gate? Was it opened?"
Vidar turns to Shalelu and speaks in Elven. "I do not think we can get much more out of these goblins."
Seeing no one else speaking up, Rullis looks back at the shop owner, "Mr. Korvut, we've, um, come here looking to rent the meanest, scariest looking dog you have. One that could intimidate a couple of goblins that were captured the other day and try to scare some information out of them. Is that something you'd be willing to do?"
Camillo really doesn't know how to handle a mean dog, so while he thinks this is a great idea, he's not planning to handle the animal. He'll stay to the back of the group while someone else talks.
"Aye and collar with two leashes if you please. 'Gota make sure we don't get eaten ourselves,"
This time the Birdcruncher speaks first, "After we finished, we was headin' back home I think."
"Yeah, just back to tha Mosswood for me!" adds the second goblin.
At your second question, the Mosswood goblin answers, "Sure the gate was open! Would o' been tough to go through if it weren't!"
As you turn to Shalelu, you notice she appears to be doing her best to stifle a laugh, but when she sees your exasperated face, she can control herself no more and starts to chuckle in earnest, "Oh Vidar, to be honest I'm surprised you got as much as you did. Goblins are notoriously difficult to interrogate; it's like talking to spiteful little children," Putting her hand on your shoulder, she continues, "It's been fun Vidar, but I should really be going. When I return perhaps I'll let you treat me to a meal and I'll fill you in on what I've learned." With a wink and a smile, she turns to leave.
"Ha ha! I thinks she likes ya beardy!" calls out one of the goblins from behind you.
Korvut calms a bit and says, "Hey I know you guys, you're the goblin-killers from the festival! I don't normally rent my dogs, but I'd let you borrow one for a bit as it sounds like it's for a good cause." He finishes speaking with a wicked smile and grabs a chain from behind his counter, walking over to a mean looking mastiff, collaring him up, and handing Kithian the leash. "This here's Reggie. He'll give those little beasties a good scare alright. He most likely wouldn't mind having one for supper either, if you feel like feeding him"
Vidar can't quite suppress looking a bit crestfallen. "Ah...you are leaving so soon? Yes, I guess it is for the best, I was rather hoping we might...go hunting together sometime...as for the meal, yes, I was going to propose that as well. "Just as soon as I had worked up the courage." Vidar thinks to himself.
Vidar accompanies Shalelu outside, and as she heads of into the distance he stands there, leaning back against the doorframe, drinking in her graceful walk until she can be seen no longer. Then he heaves a deep sigh.
After that he decides to get a little payback on the goblins, he heads back down into the prison area and speaks to the goblins.
"You have both been very helpfull, but since I can only ask the boss to let one of yoou go I will have to make it into a competition, the one who can jump up and down the most time wins. You can start now, and I will be back later to find out who won ok?"
Fairly sure that this will keep the goblins so occupied that they will forget the reason they started jumping in the first place eventually, Vidar heads up and waits around outside the barracks for the others to show up again. After a while he takes out his notebook and begins to write down today's events for posterity.
"Why thank you, you are most generous. We'll be sure to take good care of Reggie." Looking over towards Kithian, Camillo, and Kerrec, "Ready to head over to the jail? Maybe we can feed Reggie afterwords as a thank you even if he doesn't manage to eat some goblin-meat."
Looking at Kithian with the mastiff, "I must admit I am curious about this interrogation technique Kithian. If it works, I shall have to record it for the church as a useful way to get information from goblins. We are always looking for ways to interrogate goblin-kin and their ilk."
"Aye, it does prove to be useful but it needs a little set up first. The goblin we get needs to be shackled to something so it can't get to far away, or to close for that matter, to the dog. Then we ask a few questions, and if we ain’t getting the answers we want we bring the dog in with a lot of fan-fair. See, goblins hate dogs. I mean they REALLY hate dogs. Dogs scare the pellets out of em. Now a big boy like ol’ Reggie here, is really goin to get the pellets flyin when we get him riled up. Then we ask the hard questions again and slack the chain a little if we don’t like the answers. Usually you get the answers you need, the goblin passes out, or you find yourself a leader among goblin kind, a real hard ass goblin. Those are the ones that are actually going to know a lot about things goin on in their tribe area. That’s the ones we want.
Now the good thing about all of this is the noise. The barkin and the goblin screams really get the rest of the goblins worked up. So that the next goblin has the worst things he can think of goin in his mind by the time we bring him into the questioning room. See, by this time we have bound up the last goblin and put him somewhere else quiet, like another cell. And when we bring the next one in he gets to see a bloody broken bundle. We used to use fresh goblin bodies for this, but it’s been a few days, and even they may be able to tell the difference in the smell. This all makes it easier for the next one put to the question.
When we find the one we want, we gota break him, and get everything he knows from him. That’s when we can use any magics you spellcasters may have to loosen up his tongue or tell if he is lying. It all builds on itself, ‘til we get what we need.” Kithian shakes his head and spits into the dirt. "Now, if any of you can think of somethin to add this would be the time to throw it out.”
When the interrogation begins, Rullis will begin chanting softly. He casts Comprehend Languages so that he can understand what it being said. At least for the first 10 minutes.
"That sounds... effective. I'm sure the cell is small - I think I shall wait outside while you interrogate the creature. I'm... I'm not sure I could sell it right."
The bard looks very uncertain about this course of action, but he's making no action to stop it.
Vidar mutters a little to himself. "Well, let us see, they referred to him as a "longshank" so we can rule out Halflings, Dwarves, Gnomes and any other form of goblinoid...it was a male, and even though I doubt Goblins have a great fashion sense they did remark on his outfit, so he is most likely affluent. Since the gate was opened for them ahead of time it seems likely that someone with money in Sandpoint was responsible for that. And they seem to have focused on a secret mission in the graveyard...the raid in fact possibly being nothing but a distraction..."
Vidar pulls at his beard and then nods to Enok. "Take flight my boy, find the others, repeat to them what I've just said, inform them what the goblins were able to give, and tell them that they are unlikely to find out more."
Assuming that everyone is done at Korvut's and headed for the Garrison, when the rest of the party arrives they meet up with Vidar standing outside talking to his raven.
"They're right there dummy! Find them yourself... and find me another drink while you're at it!" squacks Enok in Vidar's ear.
"Hey Vidar, did you find out where the goblins are being held? We've got the dog!" Rullis gestures over to Kithian with Reggie.
Vidar directs his second most intimidating glance at Enok. "A lot of help you are turning out to be today."
He then turns to address Rullis and the others. "They are down below, I have put them to the questioning, and while do I do not doubt you could scare them witless, the problem is just that, they are indeed witless. Fear will not make them say more, because they do not know anything."
Vidar runs a hand over his forehead and sighs. "This much I have found out, the leader is male and a "longshank", so not a halfling, gnome, dwarf or other type or goblinoid. He is affluent and likes to dress in rich clothing, the gate was left open to them by someone on the inside, AND the whole reason for the raid appears to have been the secret mission to the graveyard..."
"Two? Thats all that was captured?" Kithian looks a little let down by that. "This works better when you have more." He reaches down and gives Reggie a firm pat. "Oh well boy. We can still try but I am not sure my heart will be into it. Lets seperate to little buggers, if we can we need to have the interigation room between thier cells. then we can get reggie goin in the hall way. That should start them to sweating." Kithian is starting to look lively again, maybe this wont be a waste after all.
Vidar shrugs a little. "You are going to try and intimidate them? Well, they are about as smart and co-operative as little vicious children, so putting fear into them will probably make them even less informative, but if you want to try it then go ahead. They are from rival clans, and hate each other with a passion, so it seems like whatever alliance they had was short and unsteady, easily forgotten."
Vidar scratches the back of his head. "Milady Shalelu has already departed; she seemed to think it was a minor miracle that I was able to extract that much information at all from them. My guess is that they simply do not know anything more...but if you think you can procure more information from them then I advise you to try it still. I will be at old light, I have had enough of goblin voices to last me a ten day."
Vidar gives a nod and a wave to the others, they knew where to find him if they needed him, besides, even if the reason he had given was true, what he really wanted to do was take a few moments in solitude and think a little about that ravishing elf lady Shalelu, he had to admit to himself that he was quite smitten.
And even if a goblin was not exactly the best source of romantic information, he had said she seemed to like him. He would have to make sure the meal was first class when he had a chance to treat her.
Maybe he should learn to cook himself, fresh game...prepared by his own hand...yes, and he did have some ideas already.
Vidar trots of happily, a certain spring in his steps.
"Well, if we learned everything we can already, we should still see about getting Reggie here something to eat. Mr. Korvut was kind enough to loan us his dog for free after all."
Assuming others are in agreement, Rullis will head somewhere nearby in town where he can get Reggie a cut of meat or something that a dog would like and bring it back here.
"Yeah, that's the least we could do. Maybe we can find a big steak or a chunk of ham." Kithian pats Reggie on the head and starts walking with Rullis. "And while we are eating maybe we can get some thing for the dog."
Looking down at Reggie, "He might make a nice companion on night-time patrols. What do you say, Kithian, tonight we take Reggie here on some guard duty. It might help the populace feel better to have a overt patrolling of the village."
Kithian winces and slowly nods his head. "Yeah. I will hate not being able to give Vidar a rematch of last nights combat, but I guess work should come first. Who knows maybe we can get Reggie a goblin chew toy after all."
"I thought the sheriff said his guardsmen would handle patrols..."