Overhearing Maya's question Belethor strolls over he tentatively slaps Gozer on the back slightly wary of the man that just cleaved an ogres skull. He then joins the conversation. "I think that's a question we would all like to know the answer to".
"Before we go any further I noticed that you took a blow" he turns to Gozer and Trapper as he says this "Would you wish me to see to your wounds" His smile is grim Of course they need healing they've been punched by an ogre
All color had drained from the face of the fat watchman. He stared at the gory remains of the ogre for a second, then fell to his knees and heaved up his morning meal.
Now that the those who encircled the creature could catch their breath and take a good look at their opponent, they could see where the heavy iron manacles around his writs had chafed them raw. His body was covered with bruises and welts of varying age; their combat had not done that.
"I think that's a question we would all like to know the answer to"
"That's what I'd like to know as well. Stand back from the beast. This is a Watch matter." The handsome watchman spoke from behind Maya. He looked down at his partner, "Oh, get on your feet, Bartleby. You shame your uniform."
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Trapper sheaths his (rather useless) short sword and thinks,
It's time to break out the war hammer and short bow. But by the grace of Torag, at least there were no other dwarves about!
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He then approaches the rest of the group and gestures with a head nod toward the guards and the activity around the dead ogre.
"The town guard will now do what they do best, he says, looking very worried, his forehead deeply creased. "They will sweep this under the rug and act like it never happened."
"I guess I did good after all" says Tamilius acting like he helped.
Tamilius looks at Belethor "I was thinking the same thing. Perhaps we should go there now?"
Belethor casts channel energy again to heal both Gozer and Trapper.
He turns to the handsome watchman "We will be staying for a while at least. We deserve to know anything that you know after all we all had a hand in killing the thing. So please share with us your knowledge"
Gozer eyes the man that has slapped him on the back, for a second almost turning down the offer for healing until he recognizes him as a cleric of Gorum.
With a softer gaze: That would be fine...
Gozer next looks over at Maya and then before he can answer her question gets cut off by the guard.
Gozer's stare shifts to the thin guard turning into burning flames but his body however, remaining calm.
In a dead flat voice:If this is such a Watch matter then where was the Watch Gozer deliberately staring down the guard, 30 seconds ago when you were actually needed... He pauses as if assessing the situation further.
He decides to speak:The shame falls on you and your whore in the alley... This man has shown more courage than most I have seen in his situation. Gozer leans down in the man’s face, a dark shadow cast over the thin guard. Each word coming out slowly. It would do you well not to speak about him in such a disgraceful manner again...
Gozer offers his hand to Bartleby and lifts the rotund guard with ease. He slaps the big man on the back.
That was a good strike.
Out of nowhere HA! Item number three... check! Gozer lets out a big laugh, the joke lost on all but himself…
Talberon hobbled over to the masses gathering around the now dead Ogre, catching wisps of conversation in the air as he approached.
Once again he turned his head to the docks, 'Just a small breeze, please...' he thought. The pain in is thigh was radiating now, more profusely than it had in the thick of things.
He sized up the dead beast, looking from it to the others, and back.
"Well now, that went better than expected," he said shifting his weight to his good leg.
He caught Belethor's words, and before he could restrain himself he blurted out, "Yes good Captain, do tell us something of this beast that almost took this town by storm, while you sowed your oats..."
He let his accusation trail off. 'Well, that should find me in the stocks,' he thought after he said it, realizing the excitement had worn off and his leg seemed to be driving his voice.
Sizing up the dead beast, not waiting for an action or retort from the good Captain, his mouth rambled on of its own accord, "Why, this beast seems to have been chained and driven mad with anger, from the looks of these wounds. he said, as he knelt to look closer.
Now this is the adventure I was looking for! "Why is this Ogre here? Why is he so darn big? What was he doing in there? Where did he come from? Where did the whores go? And where can I get myself a glass of water?" Tamilius(serious about the water) leans down to examine the beast, looking for any treasure or anything he can take from it's body.
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Trapper examines the Ogre's neck in particular, wondering if the beast is wearing a collar that might give him a clue about it, or, better yet ... Trapper's mind starts to wander ...
What if there's a gem embedded in its collar? No, you're being a melodramatic fool again, Trapper. But it can't hurt to look just the same!
And as he tries to check, he finds that he's too drained and too bewildered to be as thorough as he believes he should be.
Gozer after all is said walks back over to the table, sits down and cleans his axe of the blood and brain matter now etched into another notch on his axe. He pulls his whetstone from his pack and starts to sharpen the blade.
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Trapper gathers all of his equipment and sits down across from Gozer, watching the Kellid clean weapons.
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"You weild a mighty blade, Northerner. My people talk about yours with reverence, and I now see why. We both hail from lands where chaos reigns supreme, and we don't shy away from a fight, especially when inncocent people are involved ... unlike certain cowards",
Trapper motions to the lecherous captain of the guard.
He then snarls in disgust.
"Me-fears that beast there over there is just the tip of the iceberg. Like I've said before, things just are not quite right here in Sandpoint. I was hoping to make my point with considerably less bloodshed, however. And I have a feeling Maya's goblins are related to this mess as well."
Trapper spits at the thought of those vile humanoids.
Gozer finishes cleaning his axe and places it next to him.
Looking across the square at the corpse. To Trapper:[b]Goblins...Orges....Giants...Demons...the Sandpoint Devil...It doesn't matter. If it wants a fight I'll give it one.
His eyes move to Trapper: Thank you for the meal and I commend you on your bravery for charging such a daunting foe. Gozer flashes a quick grin and then falling back into his thoughts.
With the danger clearly passed, the square was quickly filling with onlookers.
"Oooh, did ya see what the big one did? Almost split the brute's 'ead clean in two!"
"I never did see Ol' Ben run that fast before."
"Oh yeah? I didn't see you rushin' out to help anyone."
"The town guard will now do what they do best, he says, looking very worried, his forehead deeply creased. "They will sweep this under the rug and act like it never happened."
The handsome watchman glared at Trapper, "You got lucky with the Chopper, dwarf. It doesn't mean you can insult your betters."
"His 'betters'?", one of the dye workers screeched, "Trapper were here facin' down that monster whiles you was have a toss in the alley. Hells, even Bartleby knows what he should a been doin' instead of sticking it to any whore that winks at ya."
"I guess I did good after all"
"You did at that, lad. You did at that." A longshoreman clapped Tamilius on the back, "Have a drink." He offered the wizard a bottle he'd just 'liberated' from Old Ben's supply.
"We will be staying for a while at least. We deserve to know anything that you know after all we all had a hand in killing the thing. So please share with us your knowledge"
The handsome watchman turned his attention from Trapper to Belethor.
"Share - with - you?" He was clearly unimpressed with the cleric. "I'm the Watch, I'll be asking the questions here."
The watchman's arrogance was short-lived as Gozer turned his contempt on him.
The shame falls on you and your whore in the alley... This man has shown more courage than most I have seen in his situation. Gozer leans down in the man’s face, a dark shadow cast over the thin guard. Each word coming out slowly. It would do you well not to speak about him in such a disgraceful manner again...
Old Ben laughed, "Roque, you got caught dippin' your wick again! Go on an explain it to your wife then before the rest of the town does."
"Yes good Captain, do tell us something of this beast that almost took this town by storm, while you sowed your oats..."
Talberon Nature Check
Watchman Roque choked back his embarassment. He looked angry enough to start a fight but seemed to think better of it, faced as he was with an unfriendly crowd. He spat on the ground and hastened across the square where a squad of watchmen had arrived. In their center was a tall man of obvious Mwangi descent.
For Trapper and Maya:
Gozer offers his hand to Bartleby and lifts the rotund guard with ease. He slaps the big man on the back.
That was a good strike.
Bartleby was shaking as he stood but he acknowledged Gozer's words with a weak nod. One of the women from the dyeworks put her arm around his shoulders. "Here love, I think the sherriff will want to hear from you." She guided him over to where Roque was giving an animated explanation of the incident to the frowning sherrif.
"Why is this Ogre here? Why is he so darn big? What was he doing in there? Where did he come from? Where did the whores go? And where can I get myself a glass of water?" Tamilius(serious about the water) leans down to examine the beast, looking for any treasure or anything he can take from it's body.
Tamilius' words elicited glares from the women in the crowd. He found nothing on the body. If this creature had anything of worth, it had been taken from him. All that Tamilius found on him was a filthy loincloth and crude iron manacles.
This was noticed by the sherrif. "You there! Get away from that body." With a gesture from him, the watch squad began to push people back from the bodies.
"Okay, clear out you lot. Back to work unless you got something to tell us."
"Okay, clear out you lot. Back to work unless you got something to tell us."
"Yep, I got something to say," Talberon said as he stood from examining the Ogre. A grimace from his wound quickly flashed across his face as he did.
The sudden pain made his comment come out sharper than he intended, "Firstly, you have a dead OGRE! in the middle of your square. Says something right there to your quality of guard's watch. A significant discipline problem, if you ask me... Secondly, based on his condition, there is no wonder it didn't tear the place to ruin. Is it on normal accord that the town of Sandport keep shackled Ogres in it's warehouses?"
Talberon retrieved his tossed dagger and secure both in the sheaths on his thighs.
Bloody townies, he thought as he did.
Tamilius stands up, takes the bottle and chugs it all down as fast as he can before sticking the bottle in the crack in the Ogre's head. He then looks at the sheriff "Me get away? Fine." Tamilius leans down rips the loincloth off the Ogre Tamilius then drops the loincloth on the ground before stepping away from the Ogre. That should teach him not to talk to any of us like that again.
Maya watches the scene for the moment to see how the sheriff will react to the disrespectful tone her new "compatriots" are taking.
I'm sure there is a good explanation for all this. Right Sheriff?
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Trapper approaches Tamilius and Talby, and says very privately and in a hushed tone -- --
Gentlemen,, Trapper says, almost in a whisper. Sheriff Hemlock is a man of honor. You've got to separate the pyrite from the gold here in Sandpoint, especially when it comes to the law, but I know first-hand that the good Sherriff really is, um, good. I've worked with him before. I trust him to do the right thing. The forge is already hot enough 'round here; let's not add more coal if we don't have to, eh?
Gozer places his axe in its strap on his back and leans back against the table waiting to see what exactly transpires between the sheriff and the two loud mouth men that fought the ogre with him.
Hmmm this should be interesting....
To Trapper "Very well then, but I'm not sure how to fix this." Says Tamilius pointing the Ogre while looking at all the townsfolk
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To Trapper "Very well then, but I'm not sure how to fix this." Says Tamilius pointing the Ogre while looking at all the townsfolk
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."Nor do I, my friend. Nor do I. But give me a chance to talk to Maya. As I said before the madness started, I've seen her around town, and she appears to know the Sherrif as well. Maybe she and I can have some luck talking to him. As you humans say, 'You catch more flies with honey than vinegar,' though I'll be damned if I know why you'd want to catch flies at all ..."
"Is it on normal accord that the town of Sandport keep shackled Ogres in it's warehouses?"
Sheriff Hemlock's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. He'd been on the Watch long enough not to rise to the bait.
Tamilius stands up, takes the bottle and chugs it all down as fast as he can before sticking the bottle in the crack in the Ogre's head. He then looks at the sheriff "Me get away? Fine." Tamilius leans down rips the loincloth off the Ogre. Tamilius then drops the loincloth on the ground before stepping away from the Ogre.
Now his anger shown in his eyes. He took a step toward Tamilius."You may impugn me and my men as much as you will. It is a free city. But we have laws against the desecration of corpses."
I'm sure there is a good explanation for all this. Right Sheriff?
Hemlock looked at Maya for a moment and his anger seemed to abate. The warrior had put herself at the disposal of the Watch before and, if she were trying to defuse the situation, he'd respect that. Still, he couldn't afford to have his authority challenged.
"You," he said pointing at at Tamilius, "are under arrest for however long it takes you... and them..." He indicated the longshoremen who were trying to walk off with Ben's wares, "...to take this creature outside the city walls, dig a sufficient hole, and bury it."
"Watch Captain Roque will see to this." Roque didn't seem happy with this task, and neither did the longshoremen. But Hemlock ignored this and turned back to Maya.
"Okay, please tell me what happened. The short version. I assume no one teleported an ogre into my town. How did it get here? And how," he nodded in the direction of Trapper and the others, "did they get to be involved."
Over by Ben's stand, he was salvaging what he could of his food. A watchman rolled over the body of the warehouse guard. "Do you know him?"
Ben looked and shook his head. "Never seen him before this morning."
"We'll have to take him down to the Watchhouse until someone claims him. I hate keeping bodies round. Gives me the creeps." As he spoke he searched through the guard's pockets but only found a coinpurse.
"Five gold, at least he won't go to a potter's grave."
Bartleby stood alone while the others busied themselves clearing back the crowd. He dared not speak to anyone for fear he couldn't keep the trembling out of his voice. It had been the first time he'd fought, well, anything, and he wasn't sure he liked it. He wasn't sure he was cut out for the Watch if this was the way he was always going to feel.
But the Sheriff had recruited him. And the big warrior had praised him. He looked over at Gozer. If he could impress him, maybe he wasn't so hopeless after all.
Then he caught site of the warehouse with the smashed door. So this is where it came from? He crossed the square went into the darkened storeroom. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust. And when they did he backed out so quickly that he almost stumbled.
By Sarenrae's Holy Light, there's another one!
Tamilius looks at the sherriff "I'm not insulting all your men, just the cowards, like you. And I'd love to bury this beast, but the sherriff told me not to touch it. YOU told me not to!" Tamilius sees Bartleby and runs over to him "Brave sir, what's wrong?"
Belethor stands patiently watching the argument between the sheriff, Tamilius and Talberon. Then noticing Bartleby backing away from the warehouse. He joins Tamilius as he runs over to the watchmen but instead of stopping Belethor continues. He comes to stand just outside the storeroom.
What got him so spooked.
He takes a moment to pluck up his courage before a sudden light issues from his sword which he holds forward to try and see into the gloom.
Maya looks to the Sheriff.
It's pretty much what it looks like sir. We were sitting here eating, discussing the goblin problem in fact. When that beast burst out of the warehouse over yonder. We didn't think it would be good for the town to have an ogre rampaging through the market, so we put it down. Actually, that big foreigner over there was the one that finished him.[b] She points to Gozer.
When she sees Belethor and the other Watchman checking out the warehouse, she motions to the sheriff.
[b]Come. I think we'd best have a look.
She then hurries to catch up with Belethor, assuming that the sheriff will follow her.
"Brave sir, what's wrong?"
Bartleby pressed a finger to his lips and whispered, "Shhh! There's another on in there."
He was drawing his sword with a trembling hand when Belethor illuminated the scene.
The storeroom was 20 feet wide by 40 long. The smell was horrible - an animal stench. In the center of the room lay an ogre smaller than the other; this one wasn't much bigger than a man. The welts and bruises on its skin attested to the same treatment the first had gone through. Like the other, it was naked except for chains and a filthy loincloth, and the chains were attached to a ring in the floor. This one was quite obviously female. She doesn't move. Only the slight rise of her chest indicates she's alive at all.
In a far corner, barely illuminated by the light, is the body of a man.
The Sheriff followed Maya on a trot, smoothly drawing his sword as he did so.
Two watchmen who were trying to roll the body of the first ogre on to a piece of canvas stopped what they were doing and drew their weapons and followed their leader. Roque stopped barking orders and joined them.
Using the light form Belethor's torch Maya looks into the warehouse with the sheriff.
Well sheriff. What do you make of this? Who rents or owns this warehouse?
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Seeing the obvious distress of Bartleby and the crowd gathering by the damaged warehouse, Trapper turns on his heel and walks over briskly, and stands next to Sheriff Hemlock, and is utterly revolted by what he sees in the magical light.
Trapper speaks with a rasp so that hopefully only the Sheriff hears him --
"Sheriff, he says in a low, secretive voice, "If Mayor Deverin or Brother Zantus get wind of this spectacle it's going to be bad tidings for you and your men. We've got goblins outside the town walls, hoof prints in famers' fields, a black dragon circling Mosswood, and now ... this.
But I have an ... idea. It's not impossible that the blame for this rests at the scabbed feet of those pirates that are buggering the coast from here to The Shackles. If you ... get my drift."
Trapper coughs, then motions for the Sheriff to bend down so that he can whisper in the human's ear.
"Let me take these folks to Kaijitsu's Pub. She loves a good yarn, as ye well know, and if anyone knows the truth of what's going on, it'll be the owner of the Rusty Dragon."
Belethor grimaces from the stench. He is shocked and disgusted at the state that the ogre is in. "No creature should have to live like this, not even an ogre!!! It seems to me like they are using them as labour or torturing them for their own personal enjoyment." Whoever 'they' are.
Holding his breath he strides past the ogre, still remembering to keep a respectful distance, he goes to the body in the corner to check and see if he is alive or has any useful information on him.
"I don't like this one bit," Talberon said as he approached the warehouse and looked around.
"Careful there," he whispered to Belethor as he side-skirted the female Ogre and headed to the body...
He took notice of the Dwarf's talking to the Sheriff, but couldn't hear anything in particular, 'I wonder what that is all about? he thought.
Tamilius follows Belethor "What in the Nine Hells is happening?!?!?!" I have a bad feeling about this.
Well sheriff. What do you make of this? Who rents or owns this warehouse?
"I don't know. It'll be in the town register though. Bartleby!"
Bartleby had been examining the walls. They were covered with woven straw mats and was looking at them thoughtfully. He jumped to attention, "Sir?"
"Get to the town hall and check the registry. Find out who owns this place, then bring them to me."
Bartleby scampered off.
Roque looked at Hemlock[, "Shouldn't I..."
"No, Watch=Sargeant, you should take your work party and get that corpse out of here."
Red-faced, the demoted Roque stormed from room and began shouting at the conscripted longshoremen.
"Sheriff, he says in a low, secretive voice, "If Mayor Deverin or Brother Zantus get wind of this spectacle it's going to be bad tidings for you and your men. We've got goblins outside the town walls, hoof prints in famers' fields, a black dragon circling Mosswood, and now ... this.
But I have an ... idea. It's not impossible that the blame for this rests at the scabbed feet of those pirates that are buggering the coast from here to The Shackles. If you ... get my drift."
Sheriff Hemlock acknowledged Trapper's suspicions with a nod, but said nothing.
"Let me take these folks to Kaijitsu's Pub. She loves a good yarn, as ye well know, and if anyone knows the truth of what's going on, it'll be the owner of the Rusty Dragon."
"Keep them there until I can come. Tell Kaijitsu that the bill is mine. The food at least," he smiled wryly, "I can't afford your drink tab."
"What in the Nine Hells is happening?!?!?!"
The sheriff rolled his eyes. "Please, go quickly before the is another fatality."
Tamilius searches the room then searches the body for treasure. Then I'll go to the tavern.
Sheriff what's the plan for this one? Maya asks pointing at the second ogre captive.
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Ladies and Gentlemen, Trapper says, beckoning to Maya, Tamilius, Gozer, Talby, and Belethor.
The Sheriff would like for us to regroup over at the Rusty Dragon, a local pub where I've spent a little bit of time. Food will be on the house. And it will get us away from this mob scene.
Trapper is most dashing when offering free food.
Gozer is most accepting when offered free food :-)
Gozer hears the call for free food and stands. Not much caring what is in the warehouse, seeing as no one has screamed or yelled for a monster to be slaughtered. He moves toward Trapper and waits for him to lead the way.
Holding his breath he strides past the ogre, still remembering to keep a respectful distance, he goes to the body in the corner to check and see if he is alive or has any useful information on him.
The female ogre remained motionless as Belethor walked past her and her eyes remained shut.
The blow that killed this man must have been powerful for it left one side of his head almost flat. The was no other sign of violence about him and he was still recognizable as the ship's captain who'd entered the warehouse with the guard and the merchant only a few minutes before. Next to him is a leather folio that appeared to have been hastily dropped there. Scattered about were some papers pertaining to the ship Demeter.
In the inner pockets of his cloak Belethor found a pipe and some tobacco. On his belt was a fine silver dagger and coin pouch with some silver and copper coins in it. Around his neck is a chain with a brightly painted charm of a butterfly on it.
"Careful there," he whispered to Belethor as he side-skirted the female Ogre and headed to the body...
He took notice of the Dwarf's talking to the Sheriff, but couldn't hear anything in particular, 'I wonder what that is all about? he thought.
Tamilius searches the room then searches the body for treasure. Then I'll go to the tavern.
Tamilius roamed the room looking for anything of interest. All he found were some gnawed on bones and a half-full waste bucket. On one wall he found where the male ogre had pulled his chains from the wall. Nearby was a whip.
When he reached the body two of his new acquaintances were already crouched down by the body. One of them was going through the pockets of the cloak and laying out the items he found - pipe, tobacco, some papers, a coin purse, and a dagger. The last two seemd to be the only items of obvious value.
Sheriff what's the plan for this one? Maya asks pointing at the second ogre captive.
Sheriff Hemlock's face hardened. "The suffering this creature has been through is inexcusable...but..." He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts, "I cannot in good conscience release it. It would only return to its savage nature and be a peril all. The best I can do is give it a quick and merciful death."
Belethor's face is grim at the Sheriff's pronouncement of mercy. He hides his objections not wanting to ignite the situation any further.
Belethor looks at the necklace and says "Sheriff. You may want to return this to any family he may have." Unsure what to make of the documents he beckons to Talberon and Tamilius to take a look at them aswell.
"His ship may have brought the Ogre's in here. Hopefully these documents may reveal some clue."