Warren is easily able to catch up to and cut down down the wounded goblin.
Tayln follows the other two for a hundred yards or so before they slow, and begin moving northward.
The two Irina is standing guard over make pathetic mewling noises, occasionally glancing up, as if expecting the morningstar to come crashing down on them at any moment.
"I have two prisoners, Alma, if you would like to begin their...interrogation," she says in Common.
Grabbing his armor, Alma moves over to the captives. Showing them the symbol of the Mithril Rose, "You have taken captive a person who had this symbol on their armor. Tell me where they are and if they still live, and I promise you that your lives will be spared. But if your words do not ring true, then your life is forfeit."
talyn continues to follow them.
markov watches the interrogation.
The two escaped goblins continue to move northward at a walk, unaware of the owl winging above them.
The prisoners look at Alma, faces blank.
Shaking its head, one of the goblins speaks, "Hindi, hindi, hindi ko makilala na simbolo. Hindi nakikita ito bago. Ikaw ang unang tao na nakita natin." The other nods its agreement to the firsts words.
"Do not tempt be little rats. The first one of you who gives me the information we need will live!"
[ooc]Not sure how successful either of these could be since we don't speak the same language but its worth a try.[/dice]
Irina pats Alma on the shoulder, then turns back to the goblins.
"Tie them up," Irina asks the others.
Once the goblins are helpless on the ground, Irina levels her crossbow at the goblin that's been doing all the talking, and says
Alma is unable to get any sense of the trustworthiness of the goblins words.
Eyeing Irina's crossbow warily, "Ang dambuhala?"
The goblins face takes on a look of disgust, and a slight touch of anger enters its voice. "Hindi namin iugnay sa tribo amzala. Sila ay dumi."
The goblin scrunches up its face in thought and you can almost see it mentally connecting things together. "Kinuha sa kanya sa napakarumi mga. Upang ang patay na ibon."
"These goblins say they're not with those that worked with the ogre, and I believe them," Irina says, lowering her crossbow.
If he answers, Irina translates the directions for Warren to consider.
With the crossbow lowered the goblin becomes more at ease and its words convey a sense of pleading and fawning. "Apat na araw sa hilaga ng dito sa bundok, up kanyon sa base ng ang pinakamataas na peak."
The goblin spits at out the next few words, "May ay isang dwarven mina. Iyon ay kung saan sila nakatira at na kung saan ang mga dambuhala buhay."
That is where they live and that is where the ogre lives.
When Irina relays the information to him, Warren thinks for a moment. "I think we should check things out. Even if they're lying to us, we will most likely find useful information to the north.
Markov, what is your familiar seeing?"
"It seems the other goblins joined a larger group. they don't seem to be that far away."
"The goblins that escaped most likely told the others to come and kill us. I suggest we move out."
"That puts us in a precarious position, as were not able to fully heal up."
Alma begins putting on his armor and getting ready to move out.
"It seems warren is right. We should be ready for a fight."
Talyn flies back to his master.
Satisfied, Irina turns from the goblins, motioning to Alma.
"Deal with those, and we'll get moving. They'll talk if we leave them."
Alma, grabs the tied up goblins, and take them to the east away from the party.
He comes back several minutes later, He tosses Irina two bloody goblin ears. "I am sure you will want those. We no longer have to worry about them telling others of our position."
Alma drags the two goblins off into the trees and darkness. There is a yelp from one of the goblins and some sounds of scuffling before Alma returns with the grisly ear trophies and tosses them to Irina.
"Well done!" Irina says, jumping up onto her horse.
Time for us to be off--the rest will be here soon. Markov, I suggest you keep your familiar with them; that way we can keep track of which way they're headed and adjust our course accordingly."
"Perhaps, if we go west, we can circle around them. Presumably they are coming for the settlement again. We can attack them from behind, giving us the element of surprise."
Warren continues talking while helping Alma into his armor. "Keep in mind that these goblins aren't the same group as the ones that attacked the settlement--They might not be going there at all. And the more time we spend with detours, the less likely we are of finding the paladin alive."
"Well we can always ride around them, and go to their stronghold. Avoiding them all together. Perhaps that will give us the best chance to find the lost paladin."
Alma thinks for a moment.
"Yes, lets avoid them and go to their caves."
"Given our current state, advoiding a fight is the best option. We should go now before they get closer and try to not leave a trail they can follow.
Talyn will follow the goblins but will head back if he goes past the emphatic link.
In the darkness before dawn even the half-elves are having some difficulty seeing. The creak of armor and horse harnesses is loud in your ears. A little over an hour later the first rays of the sun come rising in the east revealing that you have reached the foothills of the Chaggath range. Northward the mountains loom over you, one peak standing a little higher than the others slightly east of your current position. The thin trees have ended and the ground is covered with knee high weeds and boulders.
"Let's rest here for a couple of hours, and then continue on. We have quite the journey ahead of us."
Alma, dismounts his horse and takes a nap for a couple of hours.
Irina us quite content to nap as well, though she takes a few minutes to get some soup bubbling over the fire for those on watch. She takes the first watch herself so she can tend it.
Nestled between a couple of hills you are able to rest without interruption for several hours. The world seems at peace as the sounds of wildlife fill the air and a cool breeze comes down out of the mountains.
After eating a quick brunch, Alma prepares his horse for the long journey ahead.
"I suggest we continue on during the day where we can all see well. Traveling at night could be more dangerous then we should warrant."
{ooc]Assuming no one has objections we will head to the high peak during the day[/ooc]
+3 if sight based or opposed in shadows or darkness.
Init:
Perception:
You travel northward throughout the day, the sun shining brightly above. Occasionally you come across a piece of land where the weeds have been pushed down by many passing feet, and once where it is plain a larger group has made camp for a time, bits of refuse and discarded bones of some kind of bird left behind.
"That unknown beast in the distance, what are the chances it has spotted us? I would suggest we setup camp, but perhaps we should push on a little longer and slightly to the east."
"If it has seen us, it would be best to move away from where we are right now. We will probably want to keep double watch tonight, however."