He merely looks at you impassively, clamming up. You think he seems sincere - he really believes that you'll die sometime soon. He also doesn't seem very concerned with what will happen to him now that he has been captured, but he does look at you oddly, as if you aren't acting quite like he had expected.
Ah, a Caydenite will ever be a Caydenite.
But that cleric just exposed us that something is in motion, this is not just a band of robbers.
Perhaps is time to move and go to the town. We can retake the talk once in a safer place.
"Then you all continue on towards town. Kyras and I will take a short detour to the hobgoblin camp and catch up soon after"
you find it odd I would offer you a drink? Well yes, I suppose it does seem odd. I won't lie, while I have killed more of your kind, or orcs, or goblins than I can count tis true, however in my roaming I've also come across some that I believe are harmless. I hate to turn my weapons on another, especially those that can be spoken too, much like us. I would prefer a world of peace, where people let others do as they will, and that that wouldn't include pillaging, raping, or the like. Though I do believe one should take responsibility for their choices, which is why you will face a trial. Anyway, when I come across those of your kind who are amiable, I attempt to befriend them. Or, at least avoid a conflict. True, it doesn't always work, but its always worth trying I think. he will stow away the waterskin. And stand to walk with Antonius.
but alas, this world seems so far from that, and I will defend myself and what II hold dear. I should like to talk with you more once we reach our destination, if only for the reason I find it odd one from a kind so regimented, and often of evil, or at least indifferent, attitude to show such a hatred for Asmodeous... Even if I can understand why one normally would. Also there are other questions I have for you either way, and as long as you answer truthfully, we won't have any problems. I'll even vouch for you to be spared at the trial, though I doubt you'll ever go free again, but you seem to like taking orders.
I'll take him by the camp, how far is the town from us? Would I be able to question the goblin further while making the trip?
At Panzer's words Inara looks herself over. "I got a little singed but I'm alright. Better save it in case we run into more angry hobgoblin guys."
Inara holds her hand up to her hair. A small bird pops out to sit on her hand. The two stare at each other, silently conversing, before the creature flies over to Antonius. In a surprisingly loud voice it says "Hello. Help look at camp. Find things yes?" Up close the creatures is startlingly transparent.
Back by the cleric Inara's looking the captive over. "I don't know Kyras. More goblins could show up at the camp and then we might lose him. I was thinking of tying him to Arock and carting him to town that way. We can question him there all day long."
"Then you all continue on towards town. Kyras and I will take a short detour to the hobgoblin camp and catch up soon after"
"Only you two? Unless both of you are very good at stealth it don't seem a wise move to split. We have got near to losing someone in this battle. Sending two of us in a scouting mission will weaken both groups.
I am almost sure that Antonius is good at stealth. And you, Inara?"
"According to Kyras it's just a ways off the road, almost within shouting distance really. I wasn't considering it so much of a split really, as much as taking into consideration timeliness. If you'd rather remain a group then it's no matter. Either way, we should strike out now, we still have a ways to go before reaching town."
Pelius shrugs his shoulders and walks with Antonius.
Oh, don't mind my words, just lets go to that camp.
"Ok."
You head down to the camp. It's a small trail, that winds past a small hill. On way, you pass five freshly dug graves, rectangles of brown earth against the yellow-green field. They've been dug just out of sight of the main road.
The camp itself sits where Kyras remembered. There's a bunch of empty bedrolls, a banked cooking fire, tools for weapon and armor maintenance, a large barrel of water, and a rack with drying meat on it, probably horse meat. Inara's familiar is currently fluttering in and out of one of the bedrolls, bringing out a coin on each trip. It's gathered a small pile of coins already, in the middle of the camp.
There's also what looks like loot - some oilskin bags, containing books and spare clothing, a traveler's chest, and two small kegs, markedwith a prancing lion and containing wine. Next to that stuff sits some discarded clothing, with old bloodstains and holes where they've been cut with swords. There's a dress, four suits of leather armor, mostly ruined, and of course, there are four well-made swords.
After a quick look to Antonius and Kyras Johannes cast Detect poison, sweeping the area.
"They hadn't been her long, by the looks of things. I was worried they had started to fortify themselves."
Examining the leather armors he says, with a solemn voice, "We were not their first victims, apparently, though we seem to have fared much better."
Otherwise Antonius aids some of the others in the search, but is generally satisfied with what has already been found and is ready to move on.
After casting his spell and sweeping the area, Johannes check the quality of the swords.
and then cast Detect magic to see if there is something magical in the area.
Inara sighs. "Awful. Poor people"
She heads over to the traveler's chest. She'll check it for traps...
..and then try to open it. If it's locked she'll take the time to pick it.
She'll also gather up the books and coins before they leave the camp.
or the looks of their belongins, probably a group of guards doing a patrol.
We must give word of it at the town, family will want to recover their remains.
Other than giving his opinion, Pelius does nothing in the camp.
Nothing in the area is magical. However, the swords are all masterwork.
Inara finds no traps on the lock, and soon has it picked open. The chest contains money in various coinage, mostly silver pieces, but also a good deal of gold.
There are two books. One is titled Pathfinder's Guide to Andor, while the other is a journal. It has little text in it, aside from the owner's name - Sarella Toil - written on the inside of the cover. Instead, the pages are filled with columns of numbers. It's a trader's ledger.
"They've made out quite well for themselves. No doubt some of the townsfolk will want to see these goods returned. Are we ready to depart?"
"I would like to bury the dead hobgoblin, they did the same for those they killed, but it will require a lot of time. Any idea on how we can do that in a reasonable timespan? If that can't be done or you are against it, we can leave"
"We certainly don't have time to dig a dozen graves." Antonius rubs his chin for a moment "In this case I'd say a funeral pyre for the deceased and their personal belongings is sufficiently respectful. At least, that's what we did back in the day. I suppose you could always have Kyras ask the clergyman what he'd think."
"However, Kyras also said he saw riders on the horizon on his scouting. Seeing to the dead is a luxury we can ill-afford I think. We should make for town now, I do not wish to be caught out here once night falls."
"I think you are right Antonius. A pyre would show our position and we can't spend too much time here. It is better for us to hit the road. We all agree to that?"
As said, I've no clue how hostile those I saw are. Though best not to wait and find out they arent friends. I'd say a pure, or nothing unfortunately. It may buy us time as a distraction as well. Morbid or not.
Inara nods "Yeah. I don't want to risk another fight to bury somebody that tried to kill me. Moving on is best"
You set up a funeral pyre. The heat has made gathering dry firewood easy, and the resulting flames are fairly smokeless - it should not draw undue attention until the light fades, and, hopefully, the fire will have just about burned out by then.
The captive hobgoblin mutters a few words over the dead, in a strange smattering of goblinoid and broken draconic. "As their flesh chars from the bones, may their spirits serve the great mother."
And that's just about that.
You march on towards Drellin's Ferry, and closer to the river. Your captive plods along on his lead, seemingly quite unfazed by his predicament.
The road draws nearer the broad, sluggish river, and the town appears in the distance, built mostly on the near, southeastern side. Six old stone piers jut out from the water, marking the spot where a bridge once stood. The span itself is long gone. Instead, you spot a couple of long, thick ropes that span across the river, secured to a flat-bottomed ferryboat. The various houses are mostly one-story, stout buildings, white-washed walls reinforced with black timber, and tatched with straw. A few look decidedly older, built from red brick and mortar, and with tiled roofs.
The light is fading as you reach the first houses, bathing the scene in the almost golden light of a setting sun.
A group of armed townsfolk - three in leather armor, holding crossbows, the last in mail and with a rifle slung over his shoulder, stand guard at the road. The sergeant, a grizzled man with grey stubble, hails you as you're about to enter town. "Hello, strangers. Caught that one on your own?" He nods to your hobgoblin and spits on the ground. "What's your business in Drellin's Ferry?" he asks.
The hobgoblin bares his teeth at the man.
"He and about a dozen others" comments Antonius "We've brought him here to face proper trial and see about returning some the goods they've taken."
"He and his buddies ambushed us on the road. Not a nice bunch. We took care of the rest, but we saw riders in the distance so there might be more. This one here, he's been going on about how we're all going to die soon, blah blah blah " She makes a face and rolls her eyes.
"Kyras here, he speaks goblin. We want to ask our new hobgoblin pal a few questions. You guys want to join us?"
I fear we are overlooking an important part. We found evidence of some kind of armed group, perhaps guards from town, that has been killed. There is any patrol or group missing?
Says Pelius, while caressing his beard with a worried look.