May notices the goblin clutching the locket, and thinks somewhat sadly, well at least someone will love that small pretty thing now.
Seeing the goblin with the trinket.
"Could someone ask the the goblin where she got it from, I would hate to think that it is off someone who is still alive. "
Dalon move around to block a potential escape route if the goblin takes off running.
Sliver translates their conversation.
She looted that locket fair and square. So, unless Sliver thinks there's something special about it, he'll let her keep it. He's willing to kill her without provocation, but he's not a bully.
Aukan thinks slaying a female goblin is beneath his honor, and the honor of his clan.
In fact, he's of the opinion that Goblins shouldn't count at all...especially now that Oghren has more than he does.
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Dalron looks, trying to find some clue as to the source of the silver locket. As near as he can tell, it seems to be intact (so it was not ripped from the neck of a wearer) and there is no blood on it. It is very possible that it was looted from one of the houses...
As Sliver nods for her to go, the little goblins chatters in her tongue a litany of gratitudes as she cautiously makes her way past all of you. Once she is in the open, she runs for the gates, stopping only briefly to look back at you all and give a happy (you think?) smile!
The goblin in the inn, that is a slightly different story. Once she is cut down and cowed, she walks straight back to the kitchen and begins dragging the sack filled with stuff out of the inn. It weighs so much compared to her that she is heavily encumbered. It will take a Charisma (Intimidation) check or something similar to get her to leave it behind...
EDIT: Kella watches you all with interest, surprised, after all the Goblin murder so far that you would let them go... It is not entirely unmasked, but she finds it difficult to conceal her surprise.
"I do not like goblin-kind, but they have done nothing here to deserve death." Sliver turns to the castle. "But there is still more to this story." He goes to the keep.
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You make your way to the South of the town, toward the keep. A 70-foot-long, 10-foot-wide sloped bridge used to connect the village bailey to the motte. However, seems that one of the falling rocks struck the bridge and destroyed a 15-foot-long section of it, cutting off Nandar Keep from the village.
Eerie's smile waiver's slightly at the decision to keep the goblin alive, but remains silent and follows obediently.
Sliver takes a running jump to clear the broken section of bridge.
"Should we close the draw bridge into town so no more goblins come in or maybe something worse?"
After being tossed some tools and one end of rope, Sliver uses being on this side to the advantage of the rest of the group. He can find or make anchor points and tie rope onto them. He can help steady the rope as they come across and offer a helping hand the last few feet.
Snow helps were she can to build the bridge, choosing not to jump across unless necessary.
”The brrridge will be sturrrdy, I can tell.” she says confidently. When she is t of use on the bridge, she pulls her flute and tries to give everyone a pleasant working tune.
With the blessing of Ilmater so no one will suffer crossing the rope bridge, Dalron lends a hand.
He cast Guidance on each member of the party if he can. If not and the DM is willing to the person with the lowest INT roll.
"That is a very pleasant tune Snow."
Mayberry has never seen a rope bridge. She’s probably never tied a knot that wasn’t on her clothes or hair. This is all new to her and she’s eager to help. You admire her enthusiasm but wish she’d be less “helpful”.
Aukan knows a little something of fashioning ropes, having grown up among mountain people.
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Eeerie giggles and picks up an end of the rope, sits on the bridge. His puppet goblins leaning up against him as he rocks back and begins knotting up the rope as if being directed by some unseen teacher...
After about an hour and a half, you have a functioning 3-point rope bridge anchored by pitons hammered into the bridge.
You are all able to make it across and up the rest of the bridge. Set into the motte’s curtain wall are two windowless stone gatehouses with wood-shingled, high-pitched rooftops. Between them stands a set of oak doors with iron hinges. These doors can be barred from the inside, but are not barred at the moment, as you discover when one or more of you tries to push the large doors open...
The East gatehouse seems like it was a barracks of a sort, with 6 beds and footlockers at each. The West one, however was hit with a boulder and you find three dead guards that were crushed under the collapsed roof.
As you enter the inner bailey, you find that the giants seem to have heavily bombarded the keep. There is a high concentration of boulders littering the courtyard, even collapsing the Western corner of the keep, itself.
”Let us look arrround beforrre we go in.” Snow says as she easily walks along the rope.
Eerie continues his creepy smile as he holds his goblin puppets and turns to look at Snow. He cocks his head, overly much, and says his usual hesitant, creepy voice, "I have been taught to work from insides out.."
"Walking around the keep sounds good."
Sliver leads the party clockwise around the keep.
Keeping a look out
"Their might be a door hidden in the wall somewhere"
Mayberry snacks on a bit of hardtack and cheese as we walk. She is captivated by Snow's flying feline friend and only gives the castle a cursory glance.
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As you walk the perimeter, you notice a few things. The first is that there do not seem to be any guards on watch, despite only seeing three casualties and enough for twelve guards in the front gatehouse, alone.
Second, you find another two bodies crushed under boulders and rubble in the Southeast corner of the keep. It seems that this corner took a bulk of the hits and collapsed in the whole tower on this side.
Third, this collapsed tower actually has a rather sizable hole that you could enter through, if you do not decide to enter through the front doors.
"The master of this castle probably left with his people." Sliver remarks as they notice the lack of guards.
No need to go around the castle again. We finish at the front door, lets go in the front door.
"Lets just hope there aren't any survivors with crossbows and twitchy fingers!" Oghren goes up to the door and tries peeking in.
Snow moves quietly into the keep through the opening in 14a.
If the others head for the front gates to enter, she lays in wait for anything that intends to ambush them.
Watching snow sneak in.
I am to loud to sneak about, I will try the front door with Oghren
And walks to the front door.
Eerie, giggling quietly, follows Sale in and Oghren.
May follows Eerie. But not too closely.
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I will wait a bit to see how Snow and, I'm guessing, Sliver want to react to what they see as the rest of you make your way to the front doors.
Sliver calls out from the top of the rubble, "Hail Nightstone Keep. We come as friends. May we approach?"
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There is a startled response as blades are half-drawn, but cooler heads prevail as one of the women steps forward holding up a hand to stay her companions while keeping her own hand on her hilt, You managed to make it across the bridge? Who are you?
After a moment, she asks, Is it just the two of you?
One of the men nudges the other, just as you hear the flap of wings, as the winged cat alights on Snow's shoulder. Rillix? Rillix, come! the man begins making clicking sounds, and the tressym flies to the table.
He says, Sydiri, I think they are okay. It's Rillix, the Xelbrims' cat...
The long pause after is awkward, as the weight of that revelation sinks in, but hands move away from weapons and they all come up to the two of you.
They introduce themselves and soon your companions join you through the front doors (assuming you inform them).
The woman that approached you first is Sydiri Haunlar, and the man that recognized Rillix is introduced as Kaelen Zam. The remaining guards are introduced as Torem Breck and Alara Winterspell.
”Grrreetings frrriends. ” the Tabaxi purs. ”We have frrriends at your doorrr. Would you be so kind as to let them in. One of them may be able help yourrr lady. “
Once the door is open
"Greetings I am Dalron a prest of Ilmater, I see that the lady looks in need of some help. May I be of some assistance?"
Dalron will rush over to the lady to help, with the guards blessing.
Depending what is wrong
He will cast a spell or use his healers kit.
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They all unconsciously flinch at the mention of the lady, but the one called Sydiri nods to Kaelen, who runs to open the doors.
I fear that the Lady is beyond any help that you may be able to give. When the ceiling collapsed, Lady Nandar was crushed. She expired before we could get to her... Sydiri seems truly choked up, but pulls herself together. We need to take her body back to Waterdeep, but the bridge was destroyed in the attack. Which brings to mention, how did you all get across?
EDIT: Dalron, she is beyond your skills. She has been dead at least a couple of days.
Dalron gives last rites to the lady
"Some of our party members is quite skilled in the use of rope and made a bridge to cross the water way. I am not sure if it is best to take a trip to Waterdeep with boulders raining down."
"Jess..I was eenstructed well weeth rope.." Eerie says creepily from the back.
Sliver maintains a respectful silence while the group mourns. Once they've indicated they're done. "Given a bit of time, we could manage a way to get her across the bridge. I am curious, how did this happen?" He indicates the condition of the keep.
Oghren listens to the guard's story on the boulder attack.
May knows well the proper deference and social rules to follow here . Along with the others, she will listen to helpful feedback about the boulder attack (still not quite believing the whole giants in the sky story).
”It will not be the most dignified way of travel, but I can carrrry Lady Nadar acrrross to the otherrr side. ” Snow offers.
The Tabaxi seems somewhat sad when Rillix flies to the guard who called.
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Kaelen, while petting Rillix, takes a deep breath before recounting the events of the past few days, We were bombarded by rocks dropped from a giant castle in the sky. The keep was cut off from the village when a rock tore away part of the bridge.
He gets choked up a bit and Alara Winterspell takes up the tale, The townsfolk tried to make it to the keep, but finding the bridge destroyed, Morak, the innkeep, called out to us that they would take refuge in the bat caves to the North of town.
She looks to the others before continuing, After the townsfolk were all gone, we watched from the walls as four pale-skinned giants descended from the flying castle and tore the Nightstone from the very earth.
Sydiri nods, We have not left the Lady's side and had been arguing over what to do next when you came upon us. Our priority is to get Lady Nandar home to her family.
The guard looks up at you all, Will you help us?
Eerie's grin grows wider, "Jess..Lord would be happy for me to help."