Psalm studies the footprints in the house and looks to find signs of passage out side.
Hack also examines the prints.
Unfortunately for both Psalm and Shenkt, it's been a great number of days since anyone came traveling here. That and the extremely heavy gorse brambles that fill up all the space between the trees surrounding the cottage make it difficult to move about freely. There is a small game trail that leads away from the hunting cabin, to the west. Psalm being a student of Aldellion's natural world, knows, inherently that they are north of where they entered into the worm tunnels, and therefore north of the majority of Gaukridotr's home and outbuildings.
So, gathering up everything of value, and making sure their fire is completely doused, the group heads out following the game trail, and then heading south through the tall plains grasses. It doesn't take long, less than sixty cycles of Quint's new, once again functioning thanks to his tinkering with it, chronometer, before the group sees a herd of bison nearby. The animals all spread around a small bubbling brook that winds southwest at a crooked angle, twisting and turning about, as it crosses the land. None of the animals give the party any mind, so they are, certainly, domesticated stock. Moments later a group of men on horseback ride up to the group stopping them in their tracks.
The leader of the group, a female with dark brown hair pulled into a functional ponytail and wearing weather-beaten leathers, and well-used hunter's cloak, addresses you from the back of her tall grey gelding. "Whoa, travelers! You're a sight for sore eyes. You must be the group what went underground yesterday morning after the worms, eh? Name's Idona. So, do tell, what the Abyss happened down there?!" She asks with casual confidence.
Hack smiles at the woman and awaits the others, more schooled in words, to respond.
Before heading out: "I still think we need to destroy this research. There is little to no good use that it can used for & so there is no good reason to keep it. It seems only usable for what would be an evil intent. If we cannot come to an agreement on destroying this research, then I MUST insist that we split it up into at least three parts & preferably more. Since there are nine of us, I would highly reccomend we split it into nine even parts, & each of us be responsible for carrying 'our' section."
"As to the investigation, perhaps we could use Quint's apparent enthusiasm with this ... tinkering on mechanical devices? for the group to ask on his behalf about someone who might know something about such devices? I also suspect that this Gaukridotr may not even be aware of this 'hunting cabin' existing on his land, so asking as to who owns this cabin may be an excersize in futility."
Before heading out: "I still think we need to destroy this research. There is little to no good use that it can used for & so there is no good reason to keep it. It seems only usable for what would be an evil intent. If we cannot come to an agreement on destroying this research, then I MUST insist that we split it up into at least three parts & preferably more. Since there are nine of us, I would highly reccomend we split it into nine even parts, & each of us be responsible for carrying 'our' section."
"As to the investigation, perhaps we could use Quint's apparent enthusiasm with this ... tinkering on mechanical devices? for the group to ask on his behalf about someone who might know something about such devices? I also suspect that this Gaukridotr may not even be aware of this 'hunting cabin' existing on his land, so asking as to who owns this cabin may be an excersize in futility."
"Too soon. There might be information in here that solves a similar riddle elsewhere. We might leave here to find this dead fool is but one whom his master has working similar riddles. This research might be the key to fighting it in the future. Once we are sure . . . I think you are right destroying it might be the best way to go."
Psalm smiles, he looks sidelong at Gomdebo. "Lots of earthy tunnels and more sleep than usual. Must be the lack of sun."
Jun begins to reply to the woman's questions, then choses to remain silent as Gombedo begins his bluff.
Idona adjusts the whip and shortsword at her side, as she dismounts, and approaches the group. Standing over Gomdebo, she looks down at her and says. "That the truth of it? Seems like there'd be a bit more to that tale than 'meh,' to me. Especially seein' as you all didn't come out the same hole you went in... Where did you come from, anyway?" Her tone isn't accusatory, not yet; she's got no reason to disbelieve anyone in the group, but it's clear she's inclined not to believe anyway.
Psalm adds. "We fought some worms and left the caverns through a nearby fissure to the surface."
He changes the subject ignoring the growing tension. "We did run across some goblin tracks. Odd it seemed to me. but I understand its not impossible that someone in these lands has a servant. With the recent attacks. I hope there have been no reports of anyone missing such a servant."
"Caverns?" Idona quirks her brow and looks down at the gnome covered in the trappings of a nature-worshiper. "There's no caverns around here that I know about. Course, there weren't any worms or sinkholes around here too long ago neither. Speaking of, you say you killed some, are there more? Is the threat removed? Or should we still be on the lookout for more to come?" Gaukridotr's ranch hand seems to completely ignore the mention of goblins. Perhaps that, in and of itself, is an admission?
"The worms move through the earth. Caverns can be created when things shift." He waves his hand indicating the next step in the logic of the situation. "Like the sink hole."
"I think we faced some worms. It may be early to say the threat has been lifted."
He shrugs, "Well I guess no one in this region has any Goblin servants perhaps someone in town can point us in the right direction there. Just a Goblin I suppose. Still it would be nice to know if no one else was being attacked."
"There are definitely a couple goblin servants in town. I've seen 'em milling about on the docks and in some alleys behind the shops. Not right sure for whom they work. I try to not to mix with goblins if I can help it." Idona says accepting Psalm's explanation of things. "Guess I'll tell th'boss to keep up the extra night watches then." She says, walking back toward her grey-gelding.
Psalm neither feels nor sees any signs of deception in Idona concerning her knowledge of local goblin citizens.
You really haven't seen any goblins around here? The tracks we found were right next to the fissure we crawled out of. From the way the tracks were spread around, we figure it must have seen something, and we'd really like to talk to it. From the tracks, it looked like a fat one, if that helps.
Climbing back into the saddle Idona looks down at Quint with more than a passing bit of contempt. "Listen, I cover a lot of ground in any given day, following these herds around" she jerks a thumb down the hill in the direction of the mass of brown fur grazing on grass, and drinking out of the creek. "If there were any tracks on the ground, they'd be long gone by the time I got there. And if there were any goblins around, fat or otherwise, they'd know better than to stick their heads out where I could see 'em." She lifts the reins off of the horn of her gelding's saddle and then looks at the whole group. "That about it then? Or should we all waste more of our time?"
After she leaves, Hack speaks to everyone.
I hope you singin' and playin' types are ready to tell how we vanquished the foes. Why are we hidin' it? These folks need to know what we did.
After she leaves, Hack speaks to everyone.
I hope you singin' and playin' types are ready to tell how we vanquished the foes. Why are we hidin' it? These folks need to know what we did.
Psalm looks back at Shenkt, "We will but for now we wanted to know more about local goblins and details about the lodge and its owner. "
"We know that the land owner here Gaukridotr, whose workers have been relatively helpful owns the cabin. But we didn't know if he had a Goblin. If Gom was thinking the same way I was she was hoping to get a feel if the woman was worried that we had seen a Goblin or if she was going to fly off the handle that we were in the Cabin. Nor did we want to tip our hand that the Cabin is connected to the worms until we have run the leads to ground."
"We did kill every worm we were able to find, but considering their ability to burrow through the dirt it's impossible to say if we have eliminated the entire threat, but I would say the most immediate threat has been eliminated."
Boddy looks visibly unhappy with the way the conversation is going but doesn't say anything
"I refuse to lie and prevaricate like these others are doing. I'll just keep quiet but I'm NOT going to participate in a lie. I'd have thought Paladins would be more forthright and honest. I guess the tales about them being honest and honourable people are exaggerated"
Luna, they had a group mentality and we killed the queen. The others suffered at her death. We saw it.
"At least they won't be breeding more right now," Nikeisha added. Well. She hoped they wouldn't. What happened if a community went without a queen for long enough? Would one of the workers change into one? Or would they die out?
--Byrthelm Republic, Blueblossom Haven, Midvale Province - Aldelday, 2 Ilsa, Just After Noon, 146 R.R.--
Travelling back to town is no less boring than the trip to Gaukridotr's lands was in the first place, rolling pastures and meadows dotted with hillocks here and there, some with grazing animals shepherds and ranch hands milling about them. On occasion the group is again stopped by one of the shepherds or ranchers, and the questions are almost always the same: did you kill 'em all? and where'd they come from?. It's clear that as vast as these tracts of land are, all the farmers and their workers have a cohesive and efficient system of communication. At Shenkt's insistence, the group has started to answer the former with, "yes, we did," affording accolades and cheers. The latter, though, is always answered with misdirection or ambiguity.
Entering town right near midday means there's a deal of foot traffic about. The only tavern on the main street is Cuthin's Prancing Stag, but the group heard tell of another, The Bloody Dagger. Blueblossom Haven only has four streets running roughly east to west, and three avenues running roughly north to south, the main avenue being Dockside Avenue that runs along the wharf of the River of the Republic.
Looking around at the bustle of people, and then at each other, everyone is thinking, but nobody is speaking, one question: "where to first?!"
"Gom I think you Jun and Quint might be the best ones to see what information we can gather 1st on any Goblin's servants, maybe someone even knows who Grugiz is. I wonder if we should just ask around about the mage we found too. We know his name maybe he has a reputation? I know you all are dying to find out about the thingy Quint found too."
"Should we fill the mayor in on what we've done with the worms, if not the whole mess beyond that?" If nothing else, keeping the people employing you somewhat in the loop seemed like a good idea.
"Should we fill the mayor in on what we've done with the worms, if not the whole mess beyond that?" If nothing else, keeping the people employing you somewhat in the loop seemed like a good idea.
"That seems like a reasonable suggestion to me. I do still recommend keeping quiet about everything we found after killing the mother though."
"That seems like a reasonable suggestion to me. I do still recommend keeping quiet about everything we found after killing the mother though."
For now, Quint is quick to add, until we have a better idea who's involved.
"Since we are looking to cover as much ground as we can, perhaps in town would be a good place to split into two or three groups? We can have one go speak to the mayor, another go to the Prancing Stag, and another go check out the docks. Given that it's past noon at this point, I think we should maximize our time while we can. Let's plan to meet up here at sunset and share information over dinner. Does that work for everyone?"
"That seems like a reasonable suggestion to me. I do still recommend keeping quiet about everything we found after killing the mother though."
"I think the fall of the worms is the information everyone wants. What we learned after that might best be shared after we learn more."
"Since we are looking to cover as much ground as we can, perhaps in town would be a good place to split into two or three groups? We can have one go speak to the mayor, another go to the Prancing Stag, and another go check out the docks. Given that it's past noon at this point, I think we should maximize our time while we can. Let's plan to meet up here at sunset and share information over dinner. Does that work for everyone?"
Psalm nods absently mouse in his brain wheel turning, "I think I might prefer to stick together. Though I certainly understand that sometimes gathering information is hindered in a crowd."
I agree.