He wrote this? So did the writing also make longshanks go wrong? Or was it because the oldshanks was, well, an oldshanks? So many questions.
"Yous life be long and yous be wise and smart." He then hesitated for a moment. If he put his mind and soul in this stealing it would be bad. Wouldn't it? The oldshanks was a longshanks and normal rules didn't apply to how you treated longshanks but still. Now if he promised to return it that would be good. The oldshanks probably would die from being old before he could return it.
"Could I borrow it? For learning? Me want to be be smart and wise like yous!"
It wasn't a lie. Not really.
Swaggy notices the monstrosity that is Shalelu murder goblins left and right, sees her supported by a fellow rapper and wonders what to do.
Righto! Let's see: almost out of energy - check. Licktoads were already running - check. His friends were missing - check.
...Wait, his friends were missing and Shalelu was here!?
"Quick! All of you be slick. Find friends Batry and Chamba, tell them to run like... like...!" He shook his head, frustrated. One too many rap battles on the same day did that to a person! And his pool of rap-shaping was dminishing rapidly... "Spread among stores and find them! Tell them to run! If you can, pick up wounded Licktoads on the way, but keep yourselves alive first!"
After handing out the orders, his troops spreads out to try and bring as many wounded Licktoads back out to saftey, along with trying to locate batry and Chamba. Swaggy himselves runs for what he thinks is a cluster of Longshanks shops as that looks like the best place to look. "Chamba! Friend Batry!? Where are you!?"
Batry
"This isn't a library, young one. You're welcome to read it as much as you'd like here, but if you want to take it home, you'll need to purchase it."
Well that was disappointing. If the book was the oldshanks' lifework it would be expensive and he didn't have that much gold. So he'd have to take it.
He let out a loud sigh followed by a whistle.
It was mere seconds later that Snookum burst through the door, huffing loudly.
"I be sorry." Batry then took a step out of the way. "Make mess Snookums! You too Wartface!"
At that Snookums starts knocking over shelves.
While the big beast does that Batry opens up his storage below the book and tries to grab the dumb horsie book. He'll drop the good in when the Oldshanks isn't looking and he can also make a run for it.
Batry
The oldshanks jumps up in surprise as Snookums starts rampaging through the shop. "No! Bad dog! Stop!" In the chaos and confusion, it's quite easy for you to make the book switch and run.
"Come Snookums, go outside. Sorry for her mister." With those words Batry leaves the store after stuffing the good book in his storage and leaving the horsie book on the ground where he stood.
"Enough, let's go." he whispers towards his companion as he passes her on his way to the exit. And Snookums follows with what probably is a grin on her face.
Once outside he jumps on Snookums' back and scoops up Wartface to put him back on his own head. "Success! Now let's find friends and leave Sandy Point behind. It was big win!"
Back outside, Batry runs into a panicked Swaggy who pretty much storms at him the moment he sees him.
"Batry Batry Batry! Come quick, Licktoads running! Battle lost, evil Shalelu is here! Kills many Licktoads. You know where Chamba is!? Need to save her before she's left behind!"
'Wamba is annoyed that the longshanks have protected all the shiny things with shock traps. She doesn't know how to get around those, so she spitefully makes a point of taking everything she can find that isn't protected. This means she takes quite a while examining things, so it isn't until Swaggy has come running back from the fight in the square that 'Wamba emerges from the jewelry store with lots of shiny baubles that are probably not worth very much but are filled with vindictive beauty. "Hoy hoy!" she says to the pair of them as she stumbles across them, glinting in the sunlight. "What'sh that? Licktoads running! Ooo, do we get to rout? I've alwaysh wanted to rout!" She claps her hands and grins toothily.
Seeing Chamba suddenly appear from a store as well, Swaggy lets out a huge sigh of relief and regains some of his composure, though his resolve remains unchanged.
"Pretty Chamba! Oh, thank Doggfather! We need to run, and rout, all that stuff because Shalelu Andosana is about! Run we will or she will kill! Us I mean - too many Licktoads already no longer green. Come!"
Set on making a beeling straight for one of the town exits, he attempts to grab Chamba's hand and flee the town ASAP, trusting on Batry, Snookums and Tiffany to catch up behind them.
You exit Sandy Points rapidly. To a casual observer, it might appear that you're fleeing, but that's definitely not the case. You're obviously scouting ahead to make sure nobody's set up traps or ambushes for the Licktoad glorious victory parade. Or something like that. You're definitely not afraid of a single elfshanks. Even one who's sole passion in life seems to be killing goblins. You're not scared at all.
As it turns out, you do, in fact, make it back safely. And so do a surprisingly-large number of your tribemates. Shalelu only has so many arrows, after all - and can only be in one place at a time. Overall, your raid was a huge success. You set lots of fires, killed a bunch of longshanks, brought back lots of shineys, and unleashed utter chaos for a few hours. When the reports are back to Chief Gutwad, everyone's talking about two things in particular: a massive fireworks explosion and a trio of Licktoads who killed a group of meanyface ventures. That's right, you're heroes! At least for a few days until something else interesting happens.
Chamba Loot
- A golden ring in the shape of a snake that, when worn, constricts on the finger making it difficult (but not impossible) to remove.
- A long necklace made from colourful glass beads.
- A small moonstone pendant, strung on a thin silver chain, meant to be worn as a hair ornament on the forehead.
"Hear, friends Batry and Chamba, they speak of us, and how Swaggy blew up Longshank Bus! Let's go party the night away until the brink of day!" Swaggy calls excitedly, then moves his friends over to a makeshift stage where he can sing and people can dance!
For some reason, he wodnered if Shalelu wouldn't hunt them down in revenge, and whether it was a good idea to seek out the only hero able to fight her in advance, but such worries were for a later time! Now, it was time to flow through rhyme!
Whatever celebration the tribe is having, it wasn't worth his time. Sure, he had to show his face a few times so no one would be suspicious but that was about it. There were more important things to do. But nabbing a few snacks was a good idea.
So instead of partying Batry retreated to his own corner of the warrens. To a place where his fellows only went to sleep and sleep was the last thing on their mind right now. It was a great chance to experiment though.
The idea is as follows: Reading in the village wasn't a good idea. His books were safe in his space out of space. If his books could fit, why couldn't he? So he got to trying and experiment. The storage wouldn't take living things. He had tried with Wartface but after several attempts he just came out weird.
What he needed was a second space then, one that could work for people. It only took a few hours, and a few runs to get new snacks, before he had figured out a room that could support living things. The one big downside was that the outside remained clearly visible, even when he put Wartface in. Only good thing was that while inside he could want it closed and it remained closed. Snookums helped test that. The opening was still visible though.
It couldn't be helped, at least for now, so instead he went searching for where he could best hide a glimmering gateway.
Your party lasts for almost two entire days before the Licktoads get bored and resume their normal activities. The three of you are away from the others so Batry can show off his awesome magic room when something terrible happens. Shalelu drops out of a tree and lands right in front of you! Her bow is drawn, and she looks SUPER ANGRY! "Tell me where she is before I count to three. One."
Batry was just minding showing off his cool new trick and private reading space when the angry elfshanks appeared, threatening them. How rude! And quite scary as well.
"Who you be looking for? Is it longshanks? We don't have any, maybe other tribe?" Batry tries to sound reasonable though his voice trembles. Sounding reasonable in their own tongue often confused longshanks and gave you time to do something.
Meanwhile Wartface looked menacingly at the Elf. Or at least he tried, there is only so much you can do when you are a toad.
"My friend Ameiko. From the inn with the dragon on the roof. She plays the lute. Two."
Swaggy had felt good about tonight! The last two days, they'd been actual heroes. Even popular outside of his flunkies! Much fun was had and he'd been definitely proud of his fireworks explosion - which he'd decided to just sell as an intentional plan - and then the party...
Ah... he'd gotten to sing and see Chamba dance, eat and drink for two whole days!
It was decided - he'd take his courage and decided tonight was the night he was going to confess to her. Tonight was a full moon, too! He couldn't waste this chance.
His troops had set up the area eaxct ly like he'd planned: there was a blanket filled with goods and drink, a small stage where he could sing a song just for her alone, and a wrapped up present just behind the big tree over there.
Of course, he'd have preferred to come here alone with Chamba, but Batry had been so absorbed into reading his new books that he'd missed like *ALL* the hints. Well... he'd just count batry and his pets as emotional support. And if he got rejected, he could lick wartface and pretend this never happened.
Right! So this was the moment. He opened his mouth to confess his feelings to-
...Shalelu!?
Momentarily stupified, he simply glanced up to the moon. 'Why? Just, why?'
"Two."
Swaggy sighed. "Picknick blanket wasn't for you, elfshanks..." he says, somewhat defeated. "And I don't know. Was too busy getting longshank kids out of Sandy points before they got shanked during the show. Last I saw you, you were with two. At the dragon Inn where Licktoads felt we couldn't win."
Chamba grins broadly to disguise her fear. That is Shelulu! she thinks. Smaller than I thought, but still plenty bigshanks! Then she looks up the tree where the elf had been hiding. Not bad climber, her. Good to know. "All we got from Sandypoint is cheese. Good cheese, but not woman longshanks who plays two lutes."
"We not been in Sandypoint since raid few days ago, so if your friend was gone later it was someone else. Have you tried Birdcrunchers or Thistletop? Boss said other tribe was also planning a visit to Sandypoints, so maybe she's there? We don't have her and tribe doesn't either. Been too busy getting drunk and fat to steal your friend." Back in his own tongue Batry speaks fairly fast, probably the stress.
At the same time tiny clouds began to swirl above Shalelu's head as Wartface's stare intensified.
Shalelu remains silent for some time. She's clearly deciding whether or not she believes you. "So that fop was telling the truth after all.... [b]"I see. You've bought yourselves some time, then. Your tribe will answer for the destruction you inflicted on Sandpoint, but finding Ameiko is more important. I will investigate the Birdcruncher and Thistletop tribes. If I do not find her, I will be very upset. I will return for you in three days."
Then she vanishes. That's ... not good. I mean, it's good that you're not dead, but you also have no idea where her friend is. And if Shalelu can't find her, who knows what she'll do? And she also wants to punish your tribe for the Sandy Points raid. Might be a good idea to run away. Unless there's a way to make her not mad anymore. Or redirect her fury. It's quite a pickle you've found yourselves in - and not the yummy food kind.
Chamba waits until she is sure that Shalelu is really gone before she lets out her breath. Then she gets an idea! "Maybe we should try to find this woman from inn with dragon, too? Would be nice to have Shalelu owe us a favor." She licks her lips. "Anyway Birdcrunchers or Thistletop gobbos are smelly fake gobbos, everyone knows that."
Swaggy carefully walks forward and then gently pokes the empty space that Shalelu was just in with his cane. Getting no resistance, he sighs in relief. "Think we have to go, or she'll kill us, I know. Back in Sandy Point fight, I saw Ameiko and Shalelu together that night. But... how do we find her? Going back to Sandy Point to ask is danger. Maybe if we sneak in at night? Or can ask Aldern Foxyglove, we might? He was with the shortshanks so he owes us thanks."
He looks back behind him and finds the picknick blanket he'd prepared for Chamba, laid with all the foodstuffs his troop had managed to snag from the party (and not eaten themselves). Well, the mood was a bit ruined, but it was a shame to let good food go to waste! "How about we eat before we perform another feat? I brought longshanks food so great, even I don't know how it's made!"
"She said some 'fop' was right after all. Maybe that is someone named Fop but I think that's longshanks speak for someone with silly clothes. Could that be Foxyglove? He had pretty silly clothes." He then is silent for a moment.
"Maybe we should just run away? Find new home for tribe?"
"We could... but do you always want to live in fear, wondering when and if Shalelu will appear?" Swaggy asks, then shrugs. "Foxyglove sounds like a 'fop', but I'm not sure where to stop. To find him, that is, since his adress is what I miss. First task to find someone in Sandypoint to ask?" he wonders.
'Wamba stamps her foot, a bit impatiently. "Let's go check out Sandypointy again? Find that Dragon In Red place and see what we can figure out. We big-time adventurers now."
"Maybe we first go check if Foxyglove did as promised and got us a reward? Then we can go to Sandypoint. But Shalelu said her friend isn't at the dragon inn. Maybe Snookums can pick up scent?"
The words were hardly out of his mouth when Batry whistled for Snookums to come. And she came, eventually.
Swaggy nods. "Go see how reward went, then Snookum tracks her scent. From somehwere in the inn's mess, I guess?"
He bows down, grabs the food and drinks for the road ahead, and claps his hands. A minute or so later, his troop is assembled and ready to go. Swaggy looks behind one last time, sighs and walks into the night, en-route to the raided village.
The longshanks you saved proves to be true to his word. There's some stuff hidden by the rock!
- A FOX POCKETWATCH
- A FOX STEIN
- A FOX SCROLL CASE
- A TRAVELER'S ANY-TOOL
'Wamba giggles. "Look at this stuff! That longshanks, maybe we were better off not eating him after all. Probably tasted like dog anyway. Fox is kind of dog? Let's return to seen of crime Santy Pointed and see if we can find a trail of Dragon In Red lady!"
Swaggy takes the pocketwatch and hangs it around his neck alongside the rest of his bling. It wasn't exactly what he asked for but surely still counted as jewelry, right? The rest he wasn't sure what to do with. Batry would probably like the scroll case?
Then he smiles. "Maybe working with longshanks is nice is there's no high price. Lots of their goods can't be had in our hoods."
He enthousiastically points in the direction of Sandy Points. "Let's sneak into that inn and get her scent so Snookums can find where she went!"
You begin carefully making your way into Sandy Points. It's dark outside, so that's good. After all, the longshanks are probably feeling rather cautious at the moment and might have guards watching for another goblin ambush.
Seeing the town stretch before them under cover of trees, Swaggy turns to his two friends. "So, what to do? I could distract them for you. Maybe turn trees on fire and then hide, drawing Longshank eyes while you get inside? Maybe reveal us to guards and then flee, so they'll waste time chasing me?"
After a short discussion on what to do, Swaggy moves forward with the plan. He and his troop sneak around the town to the northeast forest while Chamba and Batry move to the opposite, southeast one.
Once at the north, Swaggy gathers a lot of dry leaves and dead wood. He and his troops then use some flasks of oil that they carried in their basic equipment to start a forest fire. Since the trees reached to at least the gates of Sandy point, so that would seem like a threatening enough diversion! Just in case, his troops throw some burning Javelins at the gate, then make a lot of goblin war cry noises and fall back into the woods for their escape route.
With hopefully the entirety of the town's guard quickly moving to the north or busy with the fire that was perhaps spreading into the town - again - Swaggy and his unit fall back and circle all the way around back south to where Adrian Foxyglove had buried the loot.
There, at the agreed upon meeting point, he impatiently waits for Batry, Chamba (and Snookums?) to make it back from their sneaking mission...
Chamba
With the town occupied by Swaggy's distraction, you sneak to the dragon inn. Once there, you climb up and starts looking through windows. Eventually, you find a room that looks promising because the bed looks messy like someone was sleeping there before. And once you see a lute in on top of the dresser, you know it's the right room. After a thorough search (well, by Goblin standards, anyway), you find no clues whatsoever. Well, except for the piece of paper that fell between the dresser and the wall, but it's covered in ugly scribblescabbles, and you're much too smart to mess with that. Maybe Batry will like it. He enjoys that kind of stuff.
Batry
After a while, Chamba brings you a note she found.
"Hello sis! I hope this letter finds you well, and with some free time on your hands, because we've got something of a problem. It's to do with father. Seems that he might have had something to do with Sandpoint's recent troubles with the goblins, and I didn't want to bring the matter to the authorities because we both know he'd just weasel his way out of it. You've got some pull here in town, though. If you can meet me at the Glassworks at midnight tonight, maybe we can figure out how to make sure he faces the punishment he deserves. Knock twice and then three times more and then once more at the delivery entrance and I'll let you in. In any case, I don't have to impress upon you the delicate nature of this request. If news got out, you know these local rubes would assume that you and I were in on the whole thing too, don't you? They've got no honor at all around these parts. I still don't understand how you can stand to stay here. Anyway, don't tell anyone about this. There are other complications as well, ones I'd rather talk to you in person about tonight. Don't be late. Tsuto"
Swaggy
As it turns out, the sandy pointed longshanks are really scared of fire and goblins right now. A mob of villagers armed with water buckets and a whole bunch of random weapons charges through the gates with a surprisingly-quick response time. You see muscleshanks with them. That's a good time to hustle back to the meeting place. Batry and Chamba arrive a little while later.
'Wamba brings the note to Batry and then almost climbs over his shoulder watching him read it. "Is that a spell? Is it magic? Who's soul got stolen in those scribbly-pictures?" she asks annoyingly but with apparently genuine interest. She seems a bit in awe that the big-eared goblin can comprehend and tame the longshanks' cursed art of writing.
Batry's eyes race over the page, appearing to grow larger as he goes. Why didn't the elf find this? It was like she wanted it to be the fault of goblins so she had an excuse to kill them. And they all goblins evil!
"No magic, no spell. Is an invitation. Dragon lady's brother tells her to come to placed called 'glassworks', I guess that's where they make the clear breaky stuff. Says their father is involved with our raid. We know that is nonsense though, we don't know dumb longshanks father. Maybe we should go check this glassworks? Don't where it is though."
Turned out they probably didn't need Snookums' nose at all. Probably a good thing as the big lug was more interested in eating anyway.
"You mean we have to distract everyone again ? That *pant* wasn't part of the *pant* plan," Swaggy says, still a bit out of breath from his sprint all the way back around the village. "This Ameiko lady probably held letter. So her scent should be on it - at least, it better. Isn't that enough to start tracking? Infiltrating Sandy points a second time will be tough. Though... guess we coould say Shalelu forced us to help look for her babe?"
'Wamba grins. "Why not go over Sandypoints? No one is ever looking up. We could climb onto the roofses and use ropeses to stay together. Even if they do see us, they can't get to us!" Then her toothy smile wanes slightly. "Unless they shoot arrows. Ugh, arrows. But that's only when crossing the streetses. We should be fine hiding above their ceilings for the rest of the time!"
"I'm not so good at climbing and Snookums can't go up building and rope is really impossible. And we three are not strong enough to lift her up there." Batry then sits down on the floor, picks Wartface from his head and starts stroking the toad.
"I learned a new trick. I wanted to show it when Shalelu came but got scared then and forgot. I can now make a hole, like my hidy hole, but large enough for us to go in. I can make it on a surface. Maybe if I do that and we go in we can then tie the surface to Snookums and she goes to glassworks?" Batry tries his very best to not less his own doubt about the plan shine through in the tone of his voice.
Swaggy looks at Snookums, then back at them, then Snookums again. "Think Snookums can find glassworks place alone? Wouldn't longshanks spot her and want to pick a bone? She kind of stands out, and it's not just her snout."
He looks around and thinks. "What about Snookums Batry and Swaggy hide, while Chamba carries the hole and climbs and sneaks us inside?"
"That is a better idea! Let's look for a thing I can make the entrance on!"
Chamba sneaks and climbs her way across town to the glassy works.
'Wamba makes her way carefully across the rooftops, carrying the object carefully as she is not sure exactly how it works. When she gets to the Glassworks, she looks around to make sure no one is around and then whispers, "Coast is toast!" while motioning for them all to come out. She listens carefully and peers in the nearest windows, trying to get a sense of what is going on inside the building.
You see lots of bottles, windowpanes, and pretty art things - all made from glass. They'd probably look really cool if light hits them just right. They're also probably really fun to break.
Meanwhile, inside the extradimensional space his troop, Batry and Snookums were cramped up in, Swaggy looks around.
"So... Batry, Swaggy wants to know. Is Wartface a boy toad or a girl? Snookums is hard to see but Wartface could fit in a flask! How am I supposed to check the unmentionables if they're invisible?"