"Very lucky indeed, I don't have any memories of my mother, only mementos." Downcast he brings his hand up to grab his chest, the impression of some sort of necklace showing through his shirt.
Was that hers?
Friday immediately gives Marten a startled look, obviously not aware he was even grasping at the necklace. Eyeing everyone present warily he reluctantly reaches into his shirt to produce the memento. In contrast to his shabby clothing the jewelry he wears about his neck is a beautiful and delicate silver chain adorned with jade green moons in various phases. "Yes..." he finally replies wistfully after looking the necklace over with his eyes, holding it reverently he runs a finger along the intricate filigree.
It's beautiful. Marten says simply. Tien design?
In truth I don't know much about the lands north of Varisia, but to walk across the Crown? Some of my Circle took their Spirit Walk North - it is determined by which constellation you born - he says as if that were explanation enough. - and they talked of a harsh land of ice and snow. Why did they even attempt such a thing? he asks, with as much genuine curiosity and astonishment as Friday
"Well, from what they told me, it wasn't an infrequent thing. The path of Anghei, they called it, is a major trade route between Avistan and Tian Xia. It's faster going direct over the land than going all the way around by sea, or at least that's what they were told by the leaders of the caravan."
Really? Marten says, sounding impressed. They must be well prepared and whatever they trade in must be valuable. Fireworks perhaps? he says, once again nodding to the ship
Gryf pays little attention to the chatting of the others, his eye's are fixed on one place the ship. He only turns when Marten mentions their mother, and Fridays sad tale of never know his own mother. "I am sorry you didn't know your mother Friday. My mother was everything to me, it was like losing a part of myself when she died. " He trails off the memories of it all come flooding back. I can't hold it against him.. i said i would try. "Its good you have something of your mothers, it's like having her with you."
It's beautiful. Marten says simply. Tien design?
"I... believe so, though I'm not for sure..." Friday responds after a moment, his voice full of uncertainty.
After Gryf speaks he turns to the man and bows in thanks and respect.
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As the party explores the interior of the ship, it becomes apparent that some sort of battle took place in it. The corpse of a giant frog lies in the middle of what one assumes used to be the ship's galley--it bears several old gouges and cuts from some manner of slashing weapon, as well as several burns.
Past the galley, in the cabin of the ship, lies the corpse of a large-headed goblin, his body covered in stab wounds and with an arm blown off at the shoulder. Suspiciously enough, an odor of black powder lingers in the air. There is also a massive scorch mark against one wall--but surprisingly enough, the center of it is a spotless rectangular shape. It appears that some manner of chest once sat here.
Marten carefully surveys the scene. The scorch marks and bodies are obvious indications of a struggle but he is more interested in what happened afterward.
Here. he says. Tracks leading away from the ship, humanoid by the look and several of them carrying something heavy. I'd say this is where they got the fireworks
Gryf watches on as Marten takes his time to workout what happened here, and moves to see where he is pointing at. "Something big happened here quite a fight. Goblin tracks? I'd have to agree with you this must have been where they got them from you can still smell the fireworks in the air."
"I don't think there was a fight so much as a misfire. Which for goblins would be the perfect sales pitch."
Perhaps we had best go on ahead on foot. I believe I can follow these tracks.
Marten presses on through the dense swamp, sweeping aside vines and branches, trying to kee one eye on the tracks and the other on the path ahead of him.
Never having been much of a tracker Friday dutifully follows behind the Druid as he leads the group through the marsh.
"Have fun in the realm of mould?" Xel asked from a treebranch near the shipwreck.
"It wasn't that mouldy," Valeria replied, gesturing for Xel to come down.
"That's what you said about that old smuggler's cave under the Glassworks!"
"Well better we find out your little avian lungs react badly to it while we're with a bunch of tourists rather than on our own," she turned to the others, "Seriously; that cave got pretty damn popular after the Heroes got done with the other stuff down there."
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The party follows the goblin tracks away from the wreck, leaving their skiff behind and trekking through the remainder of the swamp on foot. It's slow going, but thanks to Marten and Haru, they're able to stay on course.
It isn't long before the party arrives at where the tracks end.
A filthy village-fort surrounded by a crude wooden palisade sits atop a low hummock of solid ground here. A wooden gate in the north wall of the palisade lies in shambles on the ground. Nearby, a large, algae-filled pool on the northeastern side breaks the palisade and allows a clearer view into the village’s interior, which consists of a collection of ramshackle huts connected by wooden walkways, all built on thick wooden stilts.
The area is eerily quiet...
Despite the quiet, Marten is cautious.
Where are they? I thought we would hear goblins screaming amongst eachother a mile before we got here.
He rushes up to the side of the palisade, shield readied and hand free to cast in case of any trouble. He peers around the corner, trying to make out any threats.
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There aren't any visible threats that you can see... but looking at the ground around the palisade & its smashed gate, you can see an entire mess of tracks. Some of them are similar to the goblin ones you've been following since the shipwreck, but many more appear to be in the shape of bony human feet.
After all the stories he had heard of goblins, coming to one of their cities and finding it deadly quiet but intact was definitely not what he was expecting. Following alongside Marten he keeps his eyes and ears open.
You notice the mass of tracks at Marten's feet as well...
...
...
...
...wait.
You could swear you saw movement in one of the huts directly ahead of you.
Throwing one of his hands up in an alert he subtlety points his spear towards one of the "empty" houses ahead, turning his head slightly to the others to make sure they saw the signal.
Gripping his axe in both hands he points it toward the village ready to swing it at anything. "I don't like this... not one bit." Slowly he begins to step forward looking towards where Friend pointed. "We need to get in and to cover... if this is a trap we can't stand out in the open."
Slowly he begins to step forward looking towards where Friend pointed.
Nodding to both of the Rivers Friday haunches down and begins moving towards the house.
Haru puts an arrow to her bow and slinks along with Friday.
"Are you sure you saw something?" she whispers to the man.
"Not fully... but does a completely deserted town seem right to you? If they were attacked, where are the bodies?"
Very good questions, Friday. Those tracks over there are not from goblins I know that much. Let's head in and take a look. Ready, Gryf?
He pushes into the village, sticking to the palisade as much as he is able before crossing the open ground toward the hut where Friday saw movement.
Gryf nods at his brother as he steps along side him, moving behind him like his shadow old feels of their youth wash over him.
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The Rivers brothers make it to the nearby hut without incident.
As Gryf begins to move further into the village, Marten puts a hand on his chest and then raises it, holding his palm facing his brother. He then points to his ear and makes a chattering motion with his hand before finally holding up two fingers followed by a shrug.
He points to the ladder, suggesting Gryf go up.
Gryf pauses at Martens gesture, paying full attention to him it is just like old times again. He again nods at his brother acknowledging the plan as he moves towards the ladder slinging his axe on his back he begins to climb it slowly while keeping his eyes and ears open.
Haru beckons to Valeria to stay with them, not wanting to get separated.
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Gryf climbs up the ladder and peeks inside the hut at the top. The hut appears to be a sort of watch post.
He's greeted by the sight of three terrified-looking goblins. Their red eyes widen, and they begin shrieking and howling in panic!
Haru begins her song and with a step closer, throws the door open for Friday.
Marten moves across the open ground and readies his sling.
Valeria moved up with the others, keeping to about the middle of the group. A few hand gestures sent Xel into the air to keep an eye out from the air, although Val was sure he'd vanish the moment he caught a hint of ranged weaponry.
Gryf smiles as he draws his axe and lashes out at the Goblin in front of him. "We've got some live ones." He shouts out.
"Could you at least ask them where the rest of the village went?" Friday nonchalantly asks.
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Gryf swings mightily, but the cramped space of the watch post interferes with his axe swing, causing it to get caught in the ceiling.
The goblins, in their panic, draw blades and attack en masse!
The goblin in front of Gryf almost manages to nick his sword arm...
The goblin in the southeast corner of the hut swings so hard with its weapon that it hits the floor with a loud *THUNK*. When he pulls it out of the floor, the hilt looks like it's barely holding itself together by a thread.
The goblin to the south has better luck than her brethren, and manages to bury her dogslicer in his thigh.
Friday moves over next to Gryf, ready to spear a goblin if it runs out.
Gryf shouts out a the pain, as his anger starts to build up. He stares down at the goblin that hit him face turning red as the fire in the eye's starts to build he raises his axe high and bring it down with all his might. "Die!"
With the goblin sliced in two Gryf doesn't stop as he steps in over the dead body crushing his bone and flesh as he stomps down looking out at the other two.
Realising he has little chance of hitting the goblins with his sling, Marten climbs the ladder to take up a place just behind his brother.
Gryf easily cuts one goblin down and gets ready to cut the others to pieces.
Xel, after a few seconds in the air, suddenly swoops back down and hides in Valeria's hood. "Great. Way to kick the hornet's nest, all of you. No, really--I was looking forward to getting skewered by goblin blades. It's a dream come true." He grumps. As if on cue, the sound of many more footsteps can be heard from deeper within the village.
With no way to easily reach the goblins Gryf was fighting, Valeria instead moved around the building to find another way in and hopefully flank the goblins (assuming Gryf didn't just kill them by the time she got there).