"Good choice Maria. He looks like he would pull your wagon perfectly too, if you decide to buy one one day!" Ali leads Kiserai out of the stall, before placing a foot in one of the stirrups and launching himself up in to the saddle.
"And horses make fiercely loyal companions, or so I am told!"
Azeri finished cinching the saddle in place, before he too led his horse out of the stall and mounted up, having less of a distance to travel than Ali did.
"Aye, if you train them for war, they will die by your side if it is called of them!" He grinned, patting Ji on the neck lightly.
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Vandra thanked his mother's old friend heartily for all he's done for them, though he tried to decline the free stabling. "Tomorrow for the saddle sounds good, Mr. Hosk," he said, gazing lovingly at his new horse. A sudden thought occurred to him. "Err, you wouldn't happen to know where I can get riding lessons, do you?" he asked sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "It's been a little while since I've been able to ride on a horse, and I'm sure I've forgotten everything."
Each character can select either a horse or a pony, and if they choose horse they can pick either a light horse or a heavy horse. They also get all the necessary equipment for their steed (riding saddle), along with a month's stabling at the Goblin Squash Stables, and a week's worth of animal feed. Saddle bags are bought separately.
Helgarr stares into the stables for a few moments, until she hears a strong snort from the back. Moving inside she spots , pawing and staring back at her.
She is immediately caught by the strength and ferocity in the horse's eyes, and without any shred of fear approaches the mare - "Osiyo ulanigidv saquu..." - she whispers.
"Well met, powerful one"
The wild thing rears and paws at the air, but the barbarian's smooth words seem to calm her down some, until she deigns to smell the woman's hand, causing a smile, something not very common for Helgarr.
"This is my choice" - she explains, without ever taking her eyes of the horse.
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Once the preparations are made, Helgarr doesn't waste a moment before getting in the saddle, laying the goblin across her - "I believe it would be time to have words with this one?" - she inquires to the others.
Cleo worries, but nods.
Daverin has a smug grin on his face as he watches all the youngins get their horses, perhaps a moment of nostalgia for him. He's about to speak when Aldern Foxglove walks in. "My friends, all of you look simply stunning on your horses. Truly, the makings of heroes I see in you all. Mr. Vandra, if you or anyone else would like some training, I would be grateful to oblige. I have been riding since I was a young lad in Korvosa."
"I have just had an idea." announces Aldern. "What say you we go for a spot of hunting, my good men and madams? I would simply adore spending some more time with you before I must depart for Magnimar. There is a small forest nearby named the Tickwood, and it's well known for boar hunting. Yes, a good hunt and a great meal. My treat to you all. Say... two days from now, at dawn?"
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Vandra is a little iffy about completely trusting the noble after what happened in the inn, but couldn't think of a reason not to take him up on the offer. With a now, he said, "That doesn't sound too bad, though I don't know how much help I'll be on the hunt. All my ranged attacks would probably spoil the meat."
Thank you, it would be delightful. Cleo agrees, though talking more about the meal than the hunt, though this is at least one thing Cleo isn't unfamiliar with. If you wish to try, Vandra, you are welcome to use my bow.
I'll be more than happy to help with the hunting.
"Hunting sounds perfect. Count us in!"
Azeri nods in agreement as Ali speaks.
"Splendid! Let us meet outside the Rusty Dragon with our horses then. Two days from now, at dawn. Oh my, what a wonderful adventure this shall be."
Aldern eagerly shakes the hand of anyone who seems to want to (especially Furnok), before he bids you all farewell and strolls out whistling a happy tune.
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Shortly thereafter, Daverin Hosk comes out of the stables with some smelling salts. "Here, give this to the beast, see if'n he wakes up."
When Helgarr gets the goblin to smell the salts, he grumbles slightly, like a child trying to sleep in.
"Come friends" - Helgarr nods at her companions when the goblin begins to stir, moving away from the stables - "We will meet you for the hunt, Mr. Foxglove. Until then" - she adds, moving away.
Removing the gag, Helgarr towers over the creature - "You are our captive, and you shall answer our questions" - she speaks calmly - "Thus, you will keep all your ears, and live"
She then turns purposefully to Furnok - "What do we need to know?"
The Goblin sits there under Helgarr's shadow. He shakes whenever she speaks, but does not attempt to run away. He understands the terms. "Yes, Unk answer. What are questions?"
Unk? Is that your name? not an important question, but the one that occurs to Cleo.
"And what do you know about the others who attacked the town?" - Helgarr adds, suddenly remembering what Furnok, Ali and Azeri were up to when she tracked them down.
"Unk is my name" says the goblin, putting emphasis on the 'my' part. "Unk know some things. What do humans want to know?"
"What tribe they belonged to, and WHY they attacked?" - Helgarr adds - "And now that you have decided to tell us that you DO know some things, we will be expecting good answers"
"Unk know that Mosswood and Birdcruncher attacked human tribe." begins Unk. "Mosswood slaved Birdcrunchers, make Birdcrunchers fight. Fight was planneded by Thistletop tribe. Fight leaded by Longshank on special mission in boneplace. All goblins kill and burn all things in human tribe."
When he finally realizes that he might have angered his captors, he swiftly butts in. "Unk not part of fight! Unk was eating fishes, promise!"
Yea, which tribe?
"This Longshanks again" - Helgarr ponders - "What do you know of him? Is it a man? A woman? Have you ever seen him or her? This Longshanks?" - she adds, trying to get her anger under control at the thought of such treason.
"Unk never seen Longshank. Not sure what sex Longshank is. Sex not important for Goblins."
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What a surprise, considering how many there are.
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Vandra listened carefully, hoping to hear why such senseless violence had to happen. When the little creature mentioned how they were being led by a 'longshank' he was puzzled. Why would the goblins be following someone that wasn't a goblin or demon? It puzzled him enough that he blurted out, "Why do you all follow a non-goblin? What's in it for the clans?"
Unk looks to Vandra with puzzlement. "Longshank know how to get into human tribe all sneaky. Hide in barrels, sneak in wagons. Longshank planneded everything. Goblins need more room, need to be stronger. Kill Longshanks and goblins no get killed."
Well we know the Thistletops are behind all of this so we should see to getting a little payback.
"Very well then... We are looking at three tribes" - the barbarian ponders, still staring at the goblin - "The Thistletops seem to be at the top of the food chain - they planned the fight and got the Mosswood, and their enslaved Birdcrunchers to do their bidding" - then turns to her companions - "Makes sense?"
Historically revenge hasn't worked out well for us.
"Perhaps we could try a different approach this time? I don't think it should be too hard to disrupt goblin allegiances, even though I am more used to simply smashing them..." - again Helgarr thinks out loud - "If we could get the Birdcrunchers to rebel against these Mosswood, it might stir things enough so we could make our move while they fight each other?"
Her knuckles whiten around the haft of the polearm - "I would like to get my hands on this Longshanks though..."
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After a nudge in the ribs from Jeaux, Vandra remembered that he had information on the different goblin clans. Digging into his bag, he pulled out a sheaf of paper with his messy scrawl. "Oh, hey, I had met with Mr. Hosk earlier and he gave me all the into he had on the various goblin clans around here," he told everybody with a grin.
well I dunno about getting them to fight. I mean, how would we pull that off? Hmm.. Maybe snatch some Mosswoods and plant them in the Birdcrunchers territory.
It would seem that the goblin is no longer there...
He's going down the stairs to the bottom of Junker's Edge
Furnok does a double take.
WHERE IS THE GOBLIN?!
"How the...?" - the barbarian is completely taken aback at how the creature escaped them all, even as they questioned him - "This can only be magic..." - she concludes.
He's going down the stairs to the bottom of Junker's Edge
Cleo shrieks and considers casting entangle, reconsiders knowing it hasn't worked out yet, then shrugs and casts.
Oh screw the nasty thing, we got Thistletop goblins to go after.
As Unk the goblin tries to make his get away, Cleo starts chanting a prayer to Eristal. From beneath the stairs in the dump below, a series of beanstalks shoot up to ensnare Unk. Struggle as he might, the goblin who's hands are still tied up, hangs pitifully in Cleo's grasp.
She beams at Vandra's compliment. Glad it worked this time.