With Rellen and Kibrenest's last attacks, the hobgoblin threat has been eliminated successfully.
Shishka is currently still lying on the ground feigning death.
Kibrenest is skinning fur off of the deceased hellhounds as well as removing their tongues and teeth in a disgusting manner. Any human observing this quickly becomes nauseated.
Frightened by Szneks words, the last remaining hobgoblin archer freezes in place while Sznek approaches him.
Knowledge of fighting hobgoblins in the past and sheer common sense tells you that this group's armor and weaponry was shoddily made, even for hobgoblins. None of it looks like it has been worn from previous battles, but rather like it was thrown together in something of a hurry.
If you had to guess, you might believe that this group would not have even been able to defeat the guards in place at Skelt had you all not shown up.
Rushing over to Shishka Rellen is relieved to see the gnome roll onto her back and drink a potion, that worry alleviated he waves to the stranger who rode into their aid and motions for him to accompany him over to the deadly little goblin. Arrow helps himself to a few sneaky mouthfuls of hobgoblin, glancing guiltily over at his master's back as he does so.
Approaching the goblin warily he nods and calls,
"Th thanks, you w we were v ve very impressive. C can I trust w we aren't enemies? I am Rellen Marn, c come to c check out a report of a ho hobgob goblin force threatening Skelt. Mmmmind asking about their plans if you p p plan to interrogate hh him?"
Shishka sits up.
great another shirt ruined. and covered in blood stains.
she checks it out yup my blood, as usual.
She stands and gathers her grappling hook and reloads the gun.
So what have we got? any prisoners?
Rellen throws up a salute to Edgar, dearly hoping he can avoid having to talk again and motioning to the two little folk, then Sznek, then Arrow, and lastly himself.
Kib will search the nearest hobgoblins after he finishes with the hellhounds. He'll also be looking for any marks/tattoos of any sort to mark them as a particlar tribe/company. Now to dry the tongues and grind them up with the mortar and pestle. I wonder which tribe this is? Do fire dogs work with hobgoblins? This is odd. Odd is bad. Most distressing indeed.
Kibrenest, after searching the hobgoblins: opens his formulae book, grabs a few roots from his pouch and mixes them with dash of water in a vial, and a few mumbled words, walking over to Shishka, he hands her his slightly licorice scented potion.
If she drinks it:
Thank you. You ssaved our livess with your ssounds. Thiss... izn't much, but it will help your injuriess. We sshould be gone ssoon. Sscavengers will want the bodies. We sshould burn them.
Seeing the smaller goblin, Kibrenest stands there... unsure of what to think, as this goblin shredded hobgoblins. Presenting himself unarmed, he speaks to the goblin.
<in goblin>I unsure what you were doing. Are you going to try to kill us now?</in goblin>
Shishka takes the drink gives it a sniff.
mmmm licorice she drinks it down
Thanks Kibbles she holds out her hand expecting Kibbles to help her up.
Kibrenest helps bring Shishka to her feet, still eyeing the goblin warily, hoping for a peaceful answer. The new human is also concerning, although neither of them seems to be terribly interested in gutting Kibrenest.
Sznek slows his pace a bit and breaths heavily as he closes with the Hobgoblin archer. He does not care overly much about the humans Kobolds and Gnomes as what this maggot infested worm brain might have to say. Shouting out in the goblin Tongue he squueks at the hobgoblin who most likely finds it odd to be hearing such harsh words from a Goblin a fact Sznek enjoys all the more.
Good you smart for a son of cowdung. I am Sznek mighty warrior of the Mountain goat tribe, slayer of Orcs, Ogres, Dragons and Hobgoblins! You I call s@#$face because you ugly! Now s###face you tell me where you and your stinking friends go to and tell me if you know anything about Mountain Goats. If I like what you tell me and I know you not lying then you can go back to other ugly s&&#faces and tell them about Sznek the mighty Goblin warrior! If you lie to me I tear you to pieces and feed you to that one!
Sznek turns and points at the gnome, assured that being eaten by such an odd and weakish creature would be a great blow to the Hobgoblins pride.
Good you smart for a son of cowdung. I am Sznek mighty warrior of the Mountain goat tribe, slayer of Orcs, Ogres, Dragons and Hobgoblins! You I call s&%*face because you ugly! Now s+~%face you tell me where you and your stinking friends go to and tell me if you know anything about Mountain Goats. If I like what you tell me and I know you not lying then you can go back to other ugly s%+@faces and tell them about Sznek the mighty Goblin warrior! If you lie to me I tear you to pieces and feed you to that one!
Sznek turns and points at the gnome, assured that being eaten by such an odd and weakish creature would be a great blow to the Hobgoblins pride.
It's worth noting that most hobgoblins consider themselves far superior to goblins, since they tend to be more intelligent and more civilized. This one is genuinely terrified of Sznek, having seem him rip through several of his comrades. When Snzek refers to himself as a slayer of dragons, the Hobgoblin has no doubt that it's true, and it makes his blood run cold.
"I... I no know Mountain Goats." he returns in Goblin.
Sensing that his value to Sznek diminishes severely when he says this, he belts out "Wait, wait. Many tribes gone. All one now."
"I fight bravely" he pleads. "Not right to be eaten by little girl."
As Shishka cleans herself up after the fight,the interrogation going on in goblin.
she stop what she is doing motionless.
why do they keep pointing at me? oooookkkkkk this is creeping me out she mutters to herself
she holsters her double barrel pistol and clips her grappling hook gun on her belt in her custom made clip. looking again as the hobgoblin seems to indicate her again.
Ok stop pointing at me like that! she yells to them.
Sznek looks grimly at the hobgoblin, then loks to the Gnome girl and back to the hobgoblin. As she shouts some gibberish in the common Tongue Sznek remarks.
See she hungry! Tell Sznek why are tribes gone why are they one?
The small creature then licks some hobgoblin gore from his pointy finger nails to emphazise a cetain point even though it tastes disgusting...
Kibrenest whispers to Shishka: I believe he is trying to find why the tsuralisj came this way. Ssaid ssomething like all tribess are combined. Also, act hungry, little goblin ssayz he will feed the tsuralisj to you if he doezn't co-operate. Tsuralisj meat is not too bad, if you musst know.
Kibrenest gets out the various alchemical tools, all the sharp ones, and lays them out along his cloak. He inspects a couple of dental pick/scalpel-like tools, and smiles in the Hobgoblins direction.
Loud enough for the goblin to hear (and in goblin): This one good for marrow.</goblin>
Shishka looks to the two of them.
I think I'm going to be sick
She turns about to throw up.
Shishka looks to the two of them.
I think I'm going to be sick
She turns about to throw up.
Seeing Shishka turn and begin to heave as if she's going to be ill, Kibrenest says what any kobold would know...
What? Tsuralisj is good for you. Lots of vitaminss and mineralss. It makes you sstrong. Keep hair off your chezt.
Speaking more loudly for the Hobgoblin again.
<in goblin>She make room for hobgoblin meat now, eat your strength!</in goblin>
Shishka turns to look at Kibbles then glances at the hobgoblin and the other goblin.
Look. I got two shots and there are three of you. you guys keep using me this way, then so help me, I'll find a way to split two bullets three ways
she glares at the kobold apparently getting upset at her perdicament.
The hobgoblin looks at Sznek, then at the Gnome, then at Kibrenest, then back at the Gnome. He swallows hard.
"All tribes under one ruler." He finally says. A faraway look comes into his eyes, as he remembers. "Any refuse, die. Leader smart. Teached us work together."
Sznek can see the fear come into his eyes. "Leader strong. Very strong." He mutters. He's quiet for a long time.
"Eat me." he says finally. "I no betray Kulkor Zhul."
No! You s*~&face go back to leader. Tell leader that Sznek is back and the mountain goat is own free clan! If leader not give back clan Sznek come and eat smart leaders brains for breakfast!
With that the goblin warrior turns on his heels and looks at the gnome and kobold. In broken common he shouts at them:
What you look at? You want Sznek to eat you?
Shishka looks to kibbles and whispers to him
nevermind you I got two bullets for him
her hand goes to her pistol.
kibs has to restrian her from drawing.
Rellen scowls at the goblin,
"Nobody is eating anyone. We ap appe apreciate your help, but don't think you can threaten folk. We've not done anything with your c c Clan. N now I think we need to take this one back to Sk sk town with us. Nothing will convince folks to prepare like seeing an enemy in the flesh. In the meantime we sh should gather up their weapons and armor, they may be c cu cru, poorly made, but they seemed to serve them well enough."
Kibrenest, while holding Shishka's hand on her pistol.
While we may not like it. He did help. Rellen haz the right idea. Perhapss we can find out more about thiss. And I am ssorry. You don't eat things that talk, I have to remember thiss. There iss one more unpleasant task at hand.
To Rellen and the Goblin "Friend" Sznek:
While I am glad to see the foess dizpatched, I have some rope for you, Rellen. And, goblin, I have need of your help. I will help you find your clan if this... Kulkor Zhul... iss responssible. However, we are ssmall, sso it sshould be a ssurprise sso we can take more of them. Would you help me in collecting the bodiess so we may burn them?
Kibrenest pulls a silk rope out of his backpack, handing it to Rellen. After that, Kibrenest begins dragging the bodies into a pile. He has every intention of incinerating the corpses, and he is collecting what little they have in a pile.
Shishka starts to move among the dead creatures but still keeps a wary eye on that goblin.
Kibs I could use one of those potions as well, and what about the scroll? any takers
Now that you can see what the High Priest was describing, you're sure that you've seen this symbol somewhere before, but you can't quite remember where, or who it symbolises.
You aren't sure where the goblins may have come from. The Mindspin Mountains seem like a fair guess, because they used to raid from there with regular frequency. But you aren't sure and you also know that it would take months to search the entire range, which is why the goblin threat wasn't dealt with decades ago.
Kibrenest hands one of the three potions he found on the cleric to Shishka, keeping one for himself, and, looking to Rellen, offers the last.
I am not ssure what thiss zcroll iss for. It iss definitely ssomething to look into. What say you, Rellen, or new allies, Mr. Edgar and Mr. Sszzneck?
Little dragon help fMountain goat? The goblin replies to the Kobold. Good then Sznek burn s@%&faces for you! Bu then quick go to city. Sznek find stinky city goblins and ask for mountain goat and for Kokur Zul!
Rellen nods gratefully and takes the rope, leaning over the hobgoblin and taking his time in binding the creature securely.
Kibrenest sets upon the grim work in front of him.
Kibrenest gathers the bodies together, carefully laying out the swords that are as tall as he is, pointy end away from him and making sure that Sznek is far enough away to not injure him and making sure that he is in the line of fire if Shishka decides to take a shot. He also gathers some dry kindling, propping some of the bodies on top of this and working the kindling through the bodies. He also places four bottles of Alchemist's fire strategically throughout the soon-to be pyre so that it burns evenly. Nodding to the Goblin, and making sure that the goblin isn't going to kill him as the half crazed goblin helps pull the bodies into a pyre.
Sstand back everyone. I will sstart the fire nizely.
Once everyone is standing back, he tosses a bomb into the top of the pyre, and it's explosion sets off the alchemists fire. Filling the air with the scent of burning flesh, grass, some wood, and the oils that make up the alchemist's fire, with the fire burning a solid twenty feet in the air until the alchemist's fire burns itself out. As it burns he says a small prayer to himself to Saerenrae..
He turns to everyone, nodding towards Sznek as well.
We sshould go now. We have already sspent too much time here.
I can see in the dark, but the gnome and the humans cannot. This is not good.
His and Arrows wounds healing over at the touch of the stranger's magic Rellen nods thanks and says,
"Th thank you, I'm Rellen Marn, and th the this is Arrow,"[b] he points to the gnome and kobold in turn, [b]"Sh sh shhh Shishka and Kibrenest I thhth believe. Edgar you said? If this one is t te telling the truth then we need to warn f fo people that the goblins are united. If someone really has united them the Vale will be in g g grave danger."
Rellen knocks the hobgoblin out with the flat of his greatsword and then secures the creature over Arrow's saddle. He then gathers up all of the goblins armor and carefully secures them onto Arrow's back the hippogriff apparently bearing what should be a back breaking load with relative ease,
"If war is c coming Skelt will have use for t this crude as it is, it se se seemed to work well enough for the hobgoblins. Let's head back to t t town, Edgar, Sznek you should accompany us perhaps there will be a r r reward and we should get some coin for their gear."
Shishka was helping where she could disposing of the bodies.
when its time to leave she hops back up on Arrow.
Guess its flight time back to town then?
Oh thanks for the heal, too bad my shirt is still ruined though
for some reason she always keeps a hand on her pistol whenever the goblin is around.
Rellen shakes his head and begins walking back besides Arrow, steadying the gear and ensuring nothing falls free,
"Too mu mu much to risk flight."
He leads the hippogriff into town, and to the guard house where he expects he will have to do little enough to get their attention Arrow laden as he is...
Traps. Scouting they did if this group was going to Skelt. Chaos, panic... Must make sure that doesn't happen.
Rellen, I will sscout ahead. I'll only be a bit ahead, but these tsuralisj knew what they were doing. Traps along the road for their retreat would be set. Ezpezially if they attack at night.
Kiibrenest takes a slight lead from the rest of the group, about 20 yards or so, making sure his kobold eyes are not affected by any of the light sources the others have to carry. He's making sure rocks aren't turned the "wrong" way, bushes don't lean in funny manners, and the ground looks like it is supposed to.
Every time he "sees" something, he hollers for the group to stop. He only slightly relaxes once the group has made it to the guard house and is safely inside.
With the corpses dealt with Sznek lets the human heal some of his hurt and joins the group on their way to Skelt. As everyone has assembled he inquires with his odd high pitched voice.
Why Gnome, Kobold, flying Hippo and two Longshank go to Skelt? There Circus in Skelt and they your pets?
As the flames burn high into the air, the group makes their way back to the town of Skelt with a roped up hobgoblin in tow, and a bunch of shoddily-made armor and weapons loaded up onto the hippogriff.
What would normally be a 15 minute walk back takes closer to 30 between dragging the hobgoblin behind and Kibrenest checking for traps in front. An action that is considered particularly strange since the Hobgoblins never got past you in order to place traps. Eventually, the group arrives at the town gates. The guard that they spoke to earlier rushes out to meet them. Everyone is caked with blood and the fire burns in the distance. He looks exhausted, as he's been on duty since sometime last night, and is clearly relieved to see that you're not a band of marauding goblins.
"Gods, what happened out there?" He asks, but then thinks better of it. "Is anyone hurt? Look, wait right here, let me get the Captain." Before they can reply, he rushes off, returning quickly with two other humans at his heels.
One of them is an older man maybe late 40's, dressed in long red robes and carrying a walking stick. His hair is greying and thinning, but there's still a lot of black in his beard. "My name is Norro Wiston, and I'm the Town Speaker for Skelt. This is our guard captain, Soranna." He says, gesturing to the woman next to him. She's a tall, and strong looking woman. Attractive, but her good looks are hidden behind her unsmiling manner. Though she's trying to hide it, she clearly looks concerned, but remains silent. Wiston gestures to the guard. "Sergeant Hersk says you had some trouble outside, though I can clearly see that you were the victors. Can you tell us what happened?"
Rellen nods, and gestures to Kibrenest,
"Reported the hobgoblins, flew out to verify. Decided to engage, 11 ho hobgoblins and two hellhounds. The go goblin and priest of Iomedae joined us during the b battle and proved v v valuable. Prisoner claims g goblin tribes all untied under one leader, a Kulkor Zhul."
Sznek looks the stammering human over questioningly. Then he holds up a chain of hobgoblin ears all of them still dripping of blood and grins wickedly.
Sznek kill stinkface hobgoblins! Longshank say you give gold to Sznek and say thank you! Sznek say you kiss feet and she give Sznek big kiss!
Clearly Sznek expects some affection from Soranna, after all during his time in Kaer Maga he had grown accustomed to human bed slaves.
Kibrenest shakes his head at Sznek, more than a little disgusted.
Sszneck, sshe iss not a kenzi, do pleaze treat her with rezpect. Sshe iss a leader, not... that.
Turning to Soranna directly:
What little I heard thiss one ssay was that the tribess are united. All of them, under the banner of the "people of the dragon." Sszneck iss a survivor of one of the enveloped tribess. I recommend setting up trapss. Lotss of them, keep the tsuralisj and their likely sslavess out. I can try to help. Ssimple trapss.
Turning back to Sznek, Kibrenest says slowly I think I got most of it. What other thingss did he say? Kibrenest then backs away from the... very agitated goblin.
Kibrenest goes to Shishka once he can see her in the light,
Appearss you are doing ssomewhat better. I have need of a tool. I need a ztick-ssharpener. Help the town with it I will.
What Kibrenest describes to Shishka:
Draconic:
she looks a kibs with a bit of thought. Thanks, i feel a bit better, except I have these twiches that occur every so often now. as Sznek speaks Dang there it goes agin Shishka's arm has a slight twitch to it for a few moments must have a pinched nerve or something.
regarding the device I might have something. i may have a steam powered one but that one is a bit pricey but I'll throw in the water for free
Shishka approaches. Speaker Wiston. i am so glad to see you, again
** spoiler omitted **
Soranna opens her mouth to respond to Sznek but is interrupted by Shishka moving forward and addressing the Speaker. He replies, "Lovely as always to see you, my dear." and gives her a smile that is somewhat grandfatherly.
"Ah," Soranna begins, seeing Shishka. "Of course. I assume that these... individuals," she looks around the group with something bordering on disgust, "are more of those 'adventurer' friends of yours."
The Speaker quiets her with a look before she can continue. "Kulkor Zhul? I haven't heard that term before. But if the goblin tribes are banding together... This is most troubling news." He looks unsure of something, and then sighs. "We haven't had any goblin attacks in years. I thought they had finally gone elsewhere. Hell, the lawless types have a city all to their own now."
"Soranna caught a goblin snooping around the city a few days ago, clearly some kind of scout... but... you said this group came from the mountains, didn't you?"
"The spy that she caught, he didn't come from the mountains. He came out of the Fangwood Forest to the east." he paled. "If the goblins have us surrounded, then they may be able to sack the city. Even if they don't, there may be a larger scouting party out there."
The Speaker seems to age a hundred years as this conversation wears on, and by the time he finally gets to asking, "Can you help us?" the worry is so plain on his face that people a mile away would be able to see it.
Soranna nods to Edgar. "We have a small library, in the care of Brother Derny. I'm sure that he would be happy to help you with anything you need. If you'd like me to string up that... thing", she gestures to the hobgoblin, "It would be my pleasure. Though I suppose there is room in the dungeons if you'd rather that."
Speaker Wiston, Soranna, when have I ever turned down your requests for help. these fellows are in fact adventurer types. and we would be glad to offer whtever help we can. all I ask for is 1 year tax leniency for the shop
"I had th thought you might be able to get some troop nu numbers, and movements from it. I have no t t talent for speaking or I'd try myself, but I leave it to your ju judgment," Rellen says,
"I'll g gladly help, but we will need to m move swiftly. I have Arrow, and I believe Edgar here has a horse, bu b bb but we could use some mounts for the small folk."