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Yen Wu continues jabbing mercilessly at the boy, stabbing through the stomach this time. On Krennel's call, however, GAB! swings with the flat of his scythe, slamming a terrible blow across Gellion's head. He looks very unsteady on his feet, but a purplish flash crosses his eyes and he remains standing, if barely. Elytria strikes from above, but the crate shifts under its weight, throwing off its attack. Rel closes in, cornering Gellion completely. Rithon, decides his spell are inappropriate and takes a moment to do a quick study of a nonlethal option. Kebro turns however to one of the humanoid figures. Digging through the purplish gunk reveals first some long black hair and then a face of a adolescent girl, one that matches the description of Nolaria, the apprentice of Father Ildris. She is comatose but appears alive.
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Krennel moves towards another figure, this time a rather large one. A quick dig through reveals the face of a rather large young man which angular face, matching the descriptions of Morvinarr, the apprentice at the Witch's End Tavern. He is breathing, but just barely.
Gellion barely seem to notice the blob with a scythe-like weapon attacking him. Instead, he starts screaming hysterically at Kebro and Krennel. "NO! PUT THEM BACK! THEY HAVE TO STAY!!!" He swings his mace maniacally at Yen Wu, more to get him out of the way and as a result, misses again.
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"Don't learn now, do you?" Yen Wu said as he flipped his blade sideways. Pulling the tip of the blade by holding it with his left hand, he flexed it with the right hand so that it bowed. With a smile he let it snap forward, causing a sickening crunch as he broke Gellion's nose using the flat of his blade.
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With a final defining blow, Yen Wu smashes his blade against Gellion's face. The already badly wounded young man collapses, falling unconscious at his feet. Even then, he still ocassionally twitches, weakly mouthing, "...protect ... bile..."
With the threat taken care of, the Pathfinders carefully extricate the humanoid figures encased by the demonic bile and as Krennel had guessed, these are the five missing apprentices. They are all unconscious but a thorough examination reveals that other than their health being severely drained (likely by the hook fly), they do not have lasting impediments. It appears that thankfully, their exposure to the demon bile is not long enough to corrupt them. A simple healing channel from Rel bring them back to consciousness although they are still extremely weak, barely able to stand. It would take a few days of bed rest before they would be back to full health.
Gellion's condition appears much more serious as he has clearly been infected by some disease of demonic nature.
The young lady you identify as Nolaria looks up weakly at the unconscious form of Gellion, and mutters, "... why... why would... he do that to us?"
Searching the rest of the warehouse, other than the mass of demonic bile everywhere, you find some valuable alchemical ingredients (likely stolen by Gellion from his mistress). .
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Let us take him to town - he might be just as much a victim of the infernal corruption as everyone else. Any ideas how to deal with the demon bile? We obviously can't leave it here. Krennel, do you know of a way to neutralize it? Or is burning down the warehouse the best way to get rid of it?
Rel has no relevant skills to figure that out...
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The Pathfinders take some time to hunt down and destroy all traces of the demonic bile in the warehouse using the cold iron mace you had found earlier. At the same time, you question the apprentices who are weak but mostly coherent. They all described separate but similar incidences of Gellion luring them to a quiet spot in the village before attacking them. The next thing they remember is being brought to consciousness by you. They all state though that Gellion did not seem himself.
That task completed, you then transport the still unconscious Gellion and the other apprentices to the temple of Erastil using the the carts you find at the warehouse. Along the way though, you start to gather a crowd of villagers who, despite their usual gruff nature, are clearly pleased that the aprpentices have been rescued while concerned about their state. You deflect all questions for now, focusing on bringing the apprentices to Father Ildris who is clearly overjoyed and relief that Nolaria and the rest have been saved. He does a quick examination of the conscious apprentices and declare that they just need rest and sends for their parents. With Gellion, however, he grows more concerned. "I need more time with him..." he shares with some uncertainty.
That done, still with a crowd following, you report to the Mayor at the office...
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"I see, what a turn of events. Gellion the lad is responsible for all this?" She turns to look out the window at the crowd of unsettled villagers, waiting to hear news of what had caused the disappearance and condition of the apprentices. "And you did not find anyone else in the warehouse? I recently learnt Marcuccio Bravoni, the merchant who owns that warehouse has gone missing but I did not hear you mention him." She frowns with worry then looks at the crowd outside again.
"I cannot hide this from them. And even if I don't, the rescued apprentices are likely to talk. The people of Saringallow are likely to demand the boy undergo a harsh sentence, perhaps even..." she stops there. "With the history of this village, things of ... um diabolistic nature is sure to rile them up*." She turns to you. "What do you think though? The villagers generally don't trust strangers but many, it seems, saw you rescue the apprentices and you might have some influence on them."
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I fear that this boy is as much the victim of the fiendish influence as the other apprentices. I cannot abide seeing him killed. What do you know of Marcuccio Bravoni? Is is possible he imported the fiendish goo for some unknown purpose?
This mystery is certainly not done with - I plan to investigate further. Do you think the rest of the village would be willing to hold off executing Gellion until we get to the bottom of the situation? It is unfortunate, but if he is the cause of all this, maybe they are right to kill him. But that is far from certain at this point.
Rel votes to turn him over to the people, but only if they promise to hold him until we have a chance to look into the source of the corruption and determine if Gellion is at fault or not.
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"It seems as though this boy was caught up in some foul Arcana that was beyond his power to create or destroy. It is unlikely he had much autonomy in the whole of these processes. He should be spared from the like of mob rule- Society is better for out ability to act rationally, even in moments of intense emotion. If his safety cannot be promised, then I believe it would be our duty to uphold his protection. "
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The Mayor nods in acknowledgement. She leads the Pathfinders out to the crowd, who although restless, quieten down to listen. You even see a few appreciating nods from the villagers at the Pathfinders in appreciation for rescuing the apprentices.
Mayor Sandra Trinelli speaks to the them, simply laying out the facts as you have shared with her. Much as she attempts to paint Gellion as a victim of being controlled by the demonic bile, the villagers seem unconvinced. Many of seen the condition of his parents, and a number witnessed the delirium that still grips the young man in the temple. Murmurs ripple through the crowd until you, too, speak up in defense, of Gellion, and of the foul property of demonic bile. The Mayor deftly seizes upon this, acknowledging that the adventurers have yet to find the source of this infection, and beseeching the villagers help to scour the village to destroy all traces of it with cold iron. More concerned about their safety then the press the case, the crowd quickly disperses.
The immediate issue taken care of, the Mayor turns to you again. "I thank you once again for saving our village. If this foul infestation had no been discovered, there is no telling how wide spread this would been." She sighs then continues, "And I hope indeed that Gellion was not the source for all of us here have staked our reputation on this. But I trust that is worth the life of a young man, even if it was a mistake on his part." She turns to look at the back of the departing crowd. "But what I said to them is likely true. I do not believe this is the end of this. I know you came to help us find the missing apprentices which you have done admirably. I beseech you to stay a while longer. I doubt it would be long before something rears its ugly head..."
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A few days were spent recuperating from the harrowing experience of fighting abyssal tainted vermin. During that time, you learnt that all the apprentices have recovered. Even Gellion have been cured of the unholy disease by the efforts of Father Ildris, but he has thus far forbidden any visitors except for his parents. "He needs to rest. Any inquiry can come later," he declares to any who attempt to question him details of what happened. The other apprentices have also largely not left their homes, not just to recover their health but also to keep away from inevitable questions from the townsfolk.
As such, your investigation into the source of the demon bile turns up empty for now. Until early one morning, you receive a request from Mayor Sandra Trinelli to meet at your earliest convenience. You immediately gather your gear and head to her office.
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Golden beams of light stream into this comfortable-but-official room’s picture window, illuminating a cluttered wooden desk and an empty chair pushed haphazardly to the side. Between the window and the desk strides Mayor Sandra Trinelli, who, brow furrowed, has clearly worn a pacer’s path into the plush red carpet. Noticing her visitors, she sighs in determined resignation and steps behind her desk, leaning over it gravely.
“I’m glad you’ve arrived,” she says, a measure of relief creeping into her strained voice. “Our town is dealing with its share of troubles right now, and this unknown menace beyond our walls has me the most worried.”[/b]
She takes a deep breath as if composing herself, and sits carefully in her chair, assuming a self-assured posture that seems to come to her much more naturally.
“Specifically, we may have a goblin problem,” the mayor continues. “I’ve recently received reports of goblins lurking in the woods outside of town. There have been no attacks yet — only minor damage to fences and some stolen sheep, I’m told — but we can’t afford to let our guard down. Given how we suffered during the Goblinblood Wars, we can’t assume that these scattered sightings are meaningless when they might very well mean that a major warband is about to descend on our heads.”
“Even worse, it seems that these goblins are covered in some unholy manner of filth — even more so than normal! I do not know if there's any connection to the demon bile that infested poor Gellion or the vermin, but it cannot be a coincidence? Whatever the case is, if word about that gets out, well, folks might start to panic. We are a superstitious lot here in Saringallow, as I’m sure you know.”
“In short, we need to move quickly and deal with these goblins before they become a larger threat. Sending members of the town guard out into the woods, though, could leave us open to attack. I’m sure you see my dilemma.”
“This is where I’d like you to intercede, my friends. Find out where the goblins are coming from and who — if anyone — is leading them, then take out the threat. I can offer you a bounty of 5 gold pieces for each goblin you kill, 10 gold pieces for each goblin dog, and an additional bonus of 100 gold pieces if you bring me proof that you’ve destroyed their camp or otherwise dealt with whatever additional threat they pose.”
“Most of the sightings have originated from the area northwest of town, particularly near the homesteaders out by Clover Stream. That’s probably a good place to start your investigation. Aside from that, I’m afraid I don’t have much else to tell you. Unless you have any specific questions?”
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Color Spray
Ear-piercing scream
Enlarge Person
Monkey Fish
Obscuring Mist
Protection from Evil
Shield
When no one is looking, Rithon takes a small vial and fills it with the demonic bile, tightly stoppering it before placing it deep in his bag. For additional study of course... perhaps it might be possible to use this liquid as a source of healing...
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"It seems that we will be part of keeping up the natural relationship between Goblins and the more natural folk. No doubt they surely deserve whatever they have coming to them..." his voice trails off, as he reflects on the words he just said...
He continues on, before the nagging thought finalizes in his head. "Seems reasonable to head off to defend the homesteads. First though, It might be best if we have one last opportunity to collect information from those most closely effected by the outbreak here in town. You can arrange for that, yes?"
Cantrip: Acid Splash, Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Prestidigitation
Level 1: Grease, Snowball, Heightened Awareness, Color Spray
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"These homesteaders, is there someone we should talk to? And, um, what kind of proof are you wanting us to bring back if we run into any goblins and kill them?" Yen Wu asked.
"Hmm, yes. One of the more reliable reports came from the Escoro family. Reported that their boy saw something. You might want to start with them."
"Proof?" the Mayor pauses here, as if never having considered that. She looks as if she is considering something distasteful. "Um, just bring me proof that the leader is ... disposed of."
"Before we leave, can the Gellion boy give us an information. The priest has had him sequestered away."
"Yes, indeed. Father Ildris is quite protective of his charges. He has thus far even barred me from speaking with the boy directly. He shared, however, that while the boy is physically well, he is currently very fragile mentally and emotionally. All he remembers is coming across that vile substance at the graveyard and started experimenting with it. After that, his memory of the events are quite patchy but he remembers enough to recognise his actions almost caused the lives of his parents and his friends. And possibly the entire village. Father Ildris shared that the boy is filled with shame over his actions and has sunken into deep depression. Thankfully, his parents are there, but he has thus far even refused to meet his friends. So I doubt you would get much more from him at this time."
Is this unholy gunk they are covered in similar to the fiendish goo we found Gellion and the warehouse covered with?
"I hope not, but that is a possibility. A very disturbing possibility. None have thus far come close enough to the goblins, and besides, only a few villagers actually encountered the demon bile. I would have to rely on you to look into this."
"Seems reasonable to head off to defend the homesteads. First though, It might be best if we have one last opportunity to collect information from those most closely effected by the outbreak here in town. You can arrange for that, yes?"
"You mean the apprentices other than Gellion? Certainly, I have no objections, but I do beseech that you do not dally. The reports of the encroaching goblins are worrying and I do not know how much time we have to spare." She sighs. "The Goblinblood Wars is still very fresh on our minds. Many of us lost friends and loved ones twenty years ago. I... I pray to Abadar that this is not a precursor to another invasion."
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Just as the Pathfinders are leaving the Mayor's office (while rolling a rather expensive barrel), a young girl comes running towards you. What you noticed immediately, however, is the raven on her shoulders flapping its wings rather agitatedly. That's when you recognise her - Nolaria Wintren, the apprentice of Father Ildris.
"Thank Erastil I caught up with you in time! Please, I need your help! My cousin, Nixa, she's missing!"
She pants heavily catching her breath, but you note that despite being very worried, she still manages to keep herself composed. She takes a moment to catch her breath, then quickly shares with you what has happened.
"My cousin, Nixa Volsetti. She had come to visit a week ago before her army deployment. But I have not seen her since you rescued us. I even went to her family farm to look for her but her parents have not seen her either! I feared the worst and went to confront Gellion. When I mentioned Nixa, he just froze and muttered, 'Oh no, I think I kidnapped her, too. But where is she?' No matter how much I pressed it, he doesn't remember anything else. Until Father Ildris drove me away. I came straight looking for you."
She pauses here to collect her thoughts. "The Mayor saw you regarding the goblins, right? I've seen them myself while travelling to Nixa's family farm. They're coated in the same goo as we were. It must be connected with what happened to Gellion. Maybe he gave Nixa over to the goblins? Or..." she stops here, not willing to go further.
"Here, this is a map of this area. Maybe it would help to hunt down the goblins and find my cousin. Please!"
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Krennel leans in at the mention of Nixa's involvement in the army, as if this holds great importance to him. In all seriousness, he steps up to Nolaria and places a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Your cousin is in the service? So was my father. An Eagle Knight actually. Trust me, we'll bring her back home or die in the attempt."
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Nolaria watches you depart from the town gates, the look of worry and concern deeply etched on her face. You can tell that she would like to go along, but with her recent ordeal, it is not a good idea and she knows it. Soon, you crest over a small hill and lose sight of her and the town.
The journey through Saringallow’s outskirts is largely a pleasant one. The homesteads nearest to the city belong to farmers, who point you farther down the road when you inquire about recent goblin sightings. Eventually, the dirt roads give way to smaller, worn-down trails. Pastures thick with green grass and dotted with sheep and other livestock replace the rows of wheat and vegetables. Soon, you can faintly make out the sound of running water nearby.
Suddenly, a young shepherd bolts across one of the nearby fields, clearly terrified by something behind him. He shouts and gestures frantically toward whatever he’s fleeing. “I saw them!” he screams. “Goblins! They’re in the woods! They took our sheep! You have to do something!”
You quickly draw your weapons and look in the direction that the shepherd is pointing at, tensely waiting. Some moments later, all you see is a flock of sheep coming out from behind a clump of trees, but no goblin in sight... Or is there?
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Wait, almost all of you (except Rithon) notice that those sheep are walking really strangely. Like what a usually bipedal creature would look like trying to walk on fours. And is that a glint of metal under the sheep? Those are not sheep, those are goblins wearing sheep skin!
Realising the game is up, they fling off their disguise and draws their weapons! The shepherd screams in terror and flees towards Saringallow.