Elan walks up to the mayor and shakes his hand. He says "I'm glad we were here to help. We ran into two skeletons in there and someone took the old priest's body. Any idea who would want to do that?"
”I’ve lived in Sandpoint all my life, the old priest was probably one of the most liked residents, I can’t imagine...” Tanwen paused for a moment to think about it a little more.
The mayor approaches and the sheriff makes a quick report of the foundings. Taking part of the conversation she says "Before we go into these troubling news, I feel I must thank you for your help yesterday. So, thank you. About this, I don't believe I know of anyone who would want to hurt Father Tobyn, today or back then."
As she talks, she looks over to the sheriff, hoping to confirm her words, which he does by shaking his head.
In the meantime, Brand sees the same thing he and Mashaka saw before, churned up ground with goblin and a medium creature's footsteps.
Tanwen doesn't recall anyone wanting to harm Father Tobyn, although she might be mixing her own feelings in it.
The mayor says "I will leave this to you, sheriff. I can't linger for much longer. Once again, thank you for your help yesterday, heroes of Sandpoint. That's what you're being called lately, haven't you heard?" She leaves without finding her jest amusing.
The sheriff walks to the footprints and walks back and forth, thinking. His face resembles that of pain, which he probably doesn't realize, being so focused.
The changeling knees down to look at the ground tracks. She studies them for moments, before starting to follow as if by their smell.
She is absolutely off track, but who's to say what's right or not?
Mashaka ends up walking in circles following the tracks. They are a bit too confusing to follow.
Brand realizes that the medium creature did, indeed, wear boots. Some tracking would be needed to realize the direction they left.
About six goblins and one medium humanoid climbed the wall, then approached and entered the vault. They left the same way they came.
"Ssix goblins," Ribitta points out the convergence of bare and wee booted footprints, "and one humanoid. They came over the wall, entered the tomb, and left. Perhaps we should leave, to try and keep the tracks pristine until your tracker arrives in town, sheriff. She could tell us more, certainly; I believe you called her Shalelu?"
The sheriff replies "Yes, that is her name, but I don't really know when she comes." He pauses, thinking of Ribitta's words, then says "Do you think this could be related to the attack yesterday? I mean, if there are goblin tracks..."
"Could it have happened yesterday and just escaped notice? And you and I both heard that they are being led by someone or someones our size. Wwouldn't discount itt."
Elan looks at Betty, "Could you follow the tracks? We pick them up on the other side of the wall and see where they come from. If they came in the gate or another way?"
"I've no skill at tracking, but we could try."
Some holes can be seen in the grass next to the wall where a ladder was probably put. Beyond the wall, there's a cliff towards the river. After investigating the ground beyond the river, the tracks get mixed with other goblins and merchants on the road.
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"Looks like we need some input from this goblin expert. But in the meantime, there were far more than six goblins in town. Where did they come from. Sheriff, did you speak with your guards from yesterday? Did any of them have a horde of goblins run by them? I doubt they would say yes. This means someone is lying. I think we need to speak with some guards and try to figure out how those goblins got in here."
Agreed. Wolves clearly can't cook. To the Plane of Earth! - says Mashaka, agreeing (?) with Brand's plan.
The sheriff looks a little confused at Mashaka and answers to Brand "I haven't really talked to anybody. They're a little shaken from everything. How about they get a little respite, at least today. Tomorrow, I can arrange for you to talk to them, if you want."
The afternoon goes lazily by and people start wrapping up the day. As the taverns start to fill up, the talk of the people revert to the upcoming play, organized by Cyrdak Drokkus with a Magnimarian celebrity.
Elan walks through the town looking for anything out of place that may have been noticed. Goblin tracks where they don't "belong", evidence of a wall being scaled. When the time comes he heads to see the play.
Still armed with her quest of vengeance against the goblins, Ribitta follows the only lead she has and walks around town asking for information about Shalelu.
At night she returns to her friend's house and slips into her bathtub for a nice sleep.
Brand finds that people are being friendlier to him than he remembers. Two boys, one girl and three young adults, all male, start to mimic his training from afar, being a little too timid to approach.
Ribitta asks around town and realizes that people still flinch at first as she talks to them, but they quickly turn friendly and want to be helpful. She finds that Shalelu doesn't usually stay much in Sandpoint, which means that she doesn't really bond much with the people. However, she always stays a few days in the Rusty Dragon and is friends with Ameiko. She has been in town a month ago, so she probably won't come for another month or so.
Elan scours the town for more clues.
Elan finds that the goblins came mainly from three focuses. The northern gate, the Tanner's bridge and somewhere southwest of town.
The day goes to an end and the people seem to have started to forget the goblin raid, as the drinking continues. Night comes and over time, people go to bed. The following day starts with a chilly wind, but quickly warms with the sun. Some clouds can be seen, but it seems that the day will remain sunny.
On the new day, Ribitta heads to the Rusty Dragon in her festival mask, wanting to link up either with her new companions or the strange nobleman.
When Elan meets up with Brand again he says "I found evidence of more access points for the goblins. They came from the northern gate, tanner's bridge and somewhere southwest of town. We should let the sheriff know and see what his people have to say."
As Ribitta gets to the Rusty Dragon, she finds Aldern Foxglove sitting there. He opens up a large smile and motions inviting her to sit with him.
Sheriff Hemlock calls the requested guard to talk to the Sarenrae priests.
Mashaka wakes up reinvigorated and as clueless as ever. The changeling moves across the city, wandering with a smile as for the first time in her life she has that false feeling of safety. She moves around trying to find her companions from the previous day. In her core, she doesn't really remember if she was accompanying the actual party, the goblins, the sheriff, or out worldly entities - but she just hopes to see someone again, and heads to the inn out of sheer reflex.
Mashaka walks around town and is greeted by many people. Children come play with her and imitate her movement with the split-blade sword, many of which are just pieces of wood.
Mashaka thinks she hears the word Dalcon, her father's name, while walking around town]
Brand does a little speech for the guards with the sheriff watching. All guards look at each other nervously.
As she hears the well known name - or thinks that she does so, since she hears many things that aren't really there - Mashaka turns around, trying to identify where it came from. She moves frenetically as a hound that seeks a target.
Mashaka sees two merchants talking to each other. She is currently near the southern entrance of the town. They look at her startled at first, but then recognize her as one of the heroes and wave at her smiling.
Elan smiles at the guards and tries to be a bit more diplomatic. "We are trying to find out how the goblins got in without being noticed. I search the town and found they came in through the north gate, Tanner's bridge and somewhere southwest of town. If someone was on the northern gate they should have been seen. It's better for the truth to come out now than later when they attack the same way again and we've put our resources in the wrong place."
One of the guards answers Elan trying to downplay the problem "Sir, the attack was thwarted. Nothing that terrible happened." One of the other guards, however, says "Tarkin, weren't you guarding the north gate that day?"
Tarkin replies "So?"
Elan looks kindly at Tarkin and says matter of factly, "So did you fall asleep or go off to join the festival? Either of those is much preferable to have taken a bribe from the goblins or someone else. If someone did bribe you we need to know who it was so we know who is helping the goblins as we know they are following a humanoid."
Brand gets the feeling that the guards all think they're in trouble. As Tarkin is interrogated in front of his colleagues, he dismissively says "Fine, I might not have payed close attention... There was a festival going on. Do you know how many unmarried girls there are at such events? It's unfair that I had gate duty."
Mashaka approaches the two merchants with haste. She opens a smile, and her teeth aren't really too pleasant to look at - she's actually more intimidating than pretty, and her beauty seems hidden under layers of weirdness and danger.
Dalcon, you said? - she finally speaks - What about Dalcon?
One of the merchant turns to Mashaka and says "Yes, do you know that name?"
I do... From my past. Somewhere, but can't exactly pinpoint where.
- as she hides the truth.
What about you? How do you know this name? Maybe it can enlighten me... - she completes, a lot less crazy than ever before.
The merchant replies to Mashaka "I've heard that his bread is really good, but I am still yet to taste it. I hear he might be in this region, but no clue where. I came here but the bakers here haven't heard of him. Or they don't want any competition, I don't know." He seems to enjoy having the attention of one of the heroes and tries to keep the conversation going. He says "If you want, you can travel with us and you might get a better chance of finding him. Only with this goblin attack, I am sticking around for a bit until I'm sure it's safe."
The guard answers Brand with a straight face "No, sir! I would never be bribed!"
Ribitta slides into a seat opposite Foxglove, tapping her fingers incessantly on the wood. "Ssorry about your dog," she begins.
"Oh!", Foxglove says. He is taken by surprise by Ribitta's comment, as if he had already forgotten about the dog. Then, he says "Thank you. He was loyal to the end. I am impressed by the way you all dispatched the goblins so quickly! I hope one day I'll be as strong and brave as you. You seem... different. I believe you are tiefling? Your story must be a very inspiring one. How did you come to be the town hero?"
"Don't know whatt I am. Frraoggs raised me," she says, obfuscating the truth to deflect the question.
"My heroism is, incidental," she continues, blushing behind her mask. "Came to town to hunt goblinss. Things justt," she pauses, tilting her head to the side, "worked out this way. And now that the goblins I am hunting have appeared, I take it as a sign from my god that I have more yet to do here."
She orders a drink and stares blankly at Foxglove before turning the questions onto him. "Whhatt brought youu to town?"