Ri nods and fades off the other direction, aiming to form a pincer with Xutal's movements.
"Wow," Opi announced, her eyes wide with glee as she looked around at the devastation, "Looks like we missed most of the fun. I hope we can still find some ears to claim. I would like a new dress, a saddle, some more bolts, maybe a better suit of armour..."
As the Halfling rattled off a list of toys she would like to acquire she looks around, trying to find any traces of the Goblins or the ones who smashed there way inside. Khashim lowered his snout to the floor, doing the same.
As you sneak around or through the village, your certain you spot a goblin from time to time peaking out from windows or door ways of the remaining huts. Once they see you, they dart back inside out of sight.
Finally you make it to a large hut, largest in the village. You can see that it has been boarded up.
"Okay, now this is just too damn strange. I know there are goblins still around, I keep seeing the little buggers out of the corner of my eyes, but they seem interested in attacking us. I'd really like to know what just happened here. That creature that impersonated Walthus mentioned more of his kind, he also knew where the goblin camp was. Did he and his people come through here first? If they did, could they have impersonated goblins like they did with Walthus?"
Lou following toward the back of the group, circles around the inside perimeter of this village. Eventuslly approaching the large hut from the opposite direction.
During the trek looking for signs of sn ambush and anything that may be the source of the odd tracks he found before.
Some dice rolls
Xutal returns to the group while keeping a look out.
"We should clear all the houses and less important buildings. Moving from out of the village inwards. That will allow us to deal with the weaker goblins and maintain a retreat route."
He did not want to take any chances, not with their track record so far in the swamp.
"We may also want to capture one alive to gain information on why the village is in such a state."
"Of course we want to take one for questioning. I would prefer to question one before we try to clear out the village. They are obviously still fearful of something and I am not convinced it is just us that they fear. We need to know if something else is still lurking about this village. Something more dangerous than just the goblins."
Ri nods in agreement, scanning the village as they talk. 'Something is definitely wrong here...'
Zaira parades her horse in the front, "You need a distraction while you try to catch one?"
Lou and Xutal, you both find no traces of any ambush.
The village still remains quiet, and you still catch sight of an odd goblin peaking out of a window from time to time.
"I think if we simply enter one of the out lying houses we should find a goblin or two. No need to get them all looking at anything. Goblins get brave in numbers but if you corner a few of them. They tend to have less fight and more cowardice."
He also wanted to avoid dealing with anything they felt they needed to protect so much. At least not without cutting down their numbers.
Kirsteen looks for house where she saw a face peering from and heads towards it.
As soon as you head towards a house and open a door, you see a goblin standing in the middle of the hallway. When he sees you, he shrieks and cowers underneath a pile of rags, what you assume must be the bed in this hut.
Zaira stays outside in case they need to holler for help, keeping an eye on the rest of the villaige and hoping she doesn't have to call for help herself.
Kirsteen sighs and moves over to where the goblin is cowering.
"Quit your shrieking before I skewer you and tell us what happened here. Who attacked your village and why is that big hut boarded up?"
The little goblin squeaks and tries to hide deeper under his "bed". He screams out in a shrill voice, "Skeleton! So many Skeletons! They took back chest we found of fireworks and murdered everyone!"
Ri frowned, watching the Goblin for any sign of hostility. "Which way did they go?"
"Skeletons? Actual, undead skeletons? Why would such things be interested in a chest of fireworks? I swear if your village wasn't actually in ruins right now I would just kill you for making up an outrageous story."
Kirsteen sighs and shakes her head.
"Where did you find this chest of fireworks?"
Xutal adds.
"He failed to answer the second part of your question."
He keeps alert for any traps or ambushes. He had nothing to say to the goblin, at least not without involving his fist.
Lou remaind out of sight as best he could watching the larger building
The goblin squeaks again in fear "Chief board himself in big hut, say survivors are on their own!"
"Chest?!? Found chest, in cave to the west. Found many piles of bones! Chest cursed!" The goblin begins to wail and cries.
Bjorn looks about confused and looks from hut to hut. "I want vengeance, but these wretched creatures don't seem like the goblins that attacked my caravan last night... Attacking them would only cause me sadness..."
Xutal listened to both the goblin and Bjorn.
"We should at least get rid of the chief and retrieve what fireworks they may have left."
Leaders are what turned pitiful forces into dangerous armies. Leaving the leadership in tact with weapons was not wise. The chief may have abandon his forces today but could claim then quickly again tomorrow.
Ri sighed before slipping in to the hut and staring down at the Goblin. "Okay. We will not be killing you today little one but if you EVER come back to Sandpoint someone will put a blade in your belly. Now... Best you just stay here and we will be on our way!"
"Their chief doesn't sound much like a leader to be leaving his people on their own this way. I think we should go and investigate this cave to west. Hopefully whatever happened here was just done to retrieve that chest, but if these idiots have disturbed something malevolent, it might pick other targets to attack as well. Like Sandpoint. I want to know what is going on there."
Xutal gives a slight shake of his head.
"Goblin leaders are the most powerful. They are followed because of that and nothing more. Regardless of how he treats those beneath him, they will follow until he is dead. I do not intend to allow him to overcome his fear to grow bold once more. Not while my families caravan makes use of these roads."
He remains silent for a moment.
"Does anyone have a light?"
"A light? As in fire? He is boarded up in his hut. We could simply set fire to it and leave rather than waste time trying to break our way in. I know that it is not an honorable way to defeat a foe, but goblins are not honorable creatures to begin with."
He stopped himself from commenting that honor was an excuse for the weak and an illusion for the strong.
"The swamp is damp so only the house will burn. So anyone?"
He asked again.
as the group dicusses burning the large hut Lou is already on it gathering some already burning logs and wood and tossing it onto areas of the large hut most likely to catch.
as the fire spreads Lou watches what exits he can in case nay goblin tries to escape.
Zaira goes to help Lou. Goblins are goblins. She keeps a close eye on her horse, though.
Ri stands back, drawing an arrow from his quiver, readying to shoot any Goblin that breaks free from the now burning hut.
Before the hut can catch on fire to any serious degree, the boards of the door come flying out followed by a large and fat goblin who lands at your feet. The fat goblin is rather beat up and another goblin comes walking out of the hut, the shackles on his wrists shatters in two.
"Well that worked a treat..."
Ri levels his bow on the standing Goblin and waits, looking for an invitation to give the little green monster a reason to wear an eye patch.
Xutal whispers a translation to the others. While he prepares to strike the chieftain, he doubted that he would come out in a peaceful manner.
"If I recall correctly, the bounty on the chief's head was 300 gold. I say we go ahead and take that head now."
The goblin chief looks up at you in horror, he points at the other goblin who threw him out. "He Chief! You want his head!"
The other goblin laughs a shrill giggle, he speaks the next sentence in common. "Me no chief, me former lackey! Gutwad there is chief! Me Pokey! Me now free goblin!"
"Good for you Pokey. Sorry to cut that short!" Ri drew fletching to cheek and smiled grimly before releasing.
The arrow flew true, burying itself in the little green goblin.
Pokey takes a deep breath, happy with his new lease on life. An arrow pierces him in the throat and passes right though, he suddenly looks confused as he looks at the group of people. A flood of blood pools from his neck as he touches his fingers to it. He looks at his covered hand before before falling down face first into the mud.
"Well, chief? Got anything to tell us about that chest you took and why you are boarded up in your own hut?"
Between the fire and the smoke slowly starting, and as the others face the cief Lou slip into hideing hopeing to circle in for a sudden strike against this larger goblin.
Gutwad looks up from his spot in the mud "No Chief! That chief!" He points over at Pokey's dead body.
"Chest cursed! Bring skellies. Gutwad hide in boarded up hut for protection!"
Xutal looks the goblin over knowing he is lying. He speaks in goblin.
"Lie to me again and I will hang you over a fire and cook you."
Switching back to common.
"Your going to tell us about the caravan attacks and the undead. Everything, if not we take your head and ask the next goblin. Got that Chief."
Ri draws an arrow from his quiver and begins to twirl it nonchalantly between his fingers, yawning softly. "Damn I could do with a drink..." He turned outward from the group, keeping an eye on the surrounding area.
"Anyone searched the recently departed Pokey yet? Maybe grab them there ears?"
The chief just continues to squeak in unintelligible noises as he has now become to scared to continue talking.
lou stealthly maneuvers to be within strike distsnce of the chief