As it is common knowledge, Gareth knows that there are many goblin tribes in this region, although they rarely present much of a bother except occasionally to travelers or farmers.
"So, what tribe are you, then?" she asks the goblins, subtly pulling back the cake tray.
He says proudly "I'm a Seven Tooth!". The goblin starts moving a little bit slower and says "Hey nice longshanks, do you have more of food?" His eyes seem to be gaining a soft reddish hue.
"Sure! Have a bite." She breaks off a chunk and hands it to him. "Are you other goblins from the same tribe or a different one?"
Aleks watches Fiona work with a mixture of bemusement and admiration. Resourceful, that one. He tries to remember anything about the goblins' tribal distribution in this area.
Aleksander can't recall anything more than the others, except that there are 5 main tribes, although he has some trouble remembering their names.
The goblin takes Fiora's cake and slowly says "Yeeeeeees.... weeeee Seven! Tut!." His mouth seems to be having trouble working.
"Ah, there we go! Seems like your friend really likes the cake!" She says to the other goblins, smiling sweetly. "You should really get some before it runs out! So was the boss helping you during your... raid? As in, was he with you?"
The other goblins munch on the space cake and require translation by Mr Biggs. They speak over one another. It seems they agree that they don't know if the boss came. That didn't seem important to them.
Not seeing anything he could offer the interrogation other than whacking a few of the goblins around, Grael continues to scowl and sigh occasionally.
The group leaves the barracks and the general mood of the people in town is generally better, especially when the new heroes pass them by.
The smell of food being prepared makes the group's stomachs rumble.
"Whew! That took a lot out of me. It's like running a full day of sunday while one half of the class is drunk from yesterday's party and the other half is still sleeping it off..." Fiora groans, then smells the enticing foodstuffs in the air. "Say, why don't we grab a bite before going on?"
She follows the scent to its source, intent on making a purchase.
Aleks shrugs "Far be it from me to turn down food."
As the group is having a nice lunch, the air is a little cooler, which is welcome in the summer. Business in the tavern is slow, so there is a relative silence.
After the group is finished, the sheriff appears and comes talk to Fiora. He says "Please, will you come with me to the cathedral?"
Coming to the cathedral, Father Zantus is a little nervous. He comes talk to Fiora right away and says "Someone's been in the cemetery yesterday. I think they were goblins!"
Barely having finished her delicious oriental tomato soup and fresh bread, and still somewhat unused to suddenly being a person of particular note, she still quickly goes with the sheriff.
"The... cemetary? Why would they go there, dad? Is there something below the cemetary or the cathedral that we should know about...?" she asks her Father, following him to the scene.
Getting to the cemetery, the sheriff explains "Someone broke into one of the vaults." He points at a vault whose door stands half open by the wall. "Since you're the town's... goblin experts, I thought you might help take a look.", he continues.
"Um... before we go, do we know *anything* about this vault? It's a grave, right? Who would be buried down there?"
Fiora's father says "This is the tomb of Father Tobyn. He was the spiritual leader of Sandpoint before me, but he and his daughter died in the fire that consumed the old cathedral." He says this with a tone of grief, even if this was five years ago. The respect he has for his predecessor is palpable.
"This all sounds rather ominous. I wonder if it's more goblins or perhaps their mysterious leader." Gareth muses as he peers around the tomb.
He places a comforting hand on Abstalar's shoulder. "Don't worry Father, we'll deal with whoever was rude and disrespectful enough to disturb the resting place of Tobyn."
Although Gareth is an expert tracker, he is very distracted by the chirping birds enjoying the summer warmth, and can't find any tracks.
Fiora chuckles. "Come on, Gareth. I know you're a nature geek and all but we really don't have time to study the birds! We have to prepare..."
She nods in determination...
...which slowly fades into uncertainty, as she realizes her actual experience in dungeoneering is rather limited. "Um... do we need anything else to prepare?" she asks the others. "And how big is this vault, exactly? Do we need ropes and stuff to climb?"
"Could this have happened during the attack? Maybe it was a distraction so that someone could...look for something?" Aleks says, not sure what might be in a grave that would be worth staging such a big attack on the town.
"Could be..." Fiora replies, pondering. "Was the late Father buried with anything of especial note, father?"
Father Zantus thinks hard on Fiora's question. He finally says "Not that I recall... He was a very spiritual man, and didn't have noteworthy earthly possessions." Even though he answered, the priest continues thinking.
He make any enemies during his life? Maybe someone hold grudge. I don't think goblins take time to go to cemetery unless told to.
"No!", Father Zantus says. "He was loved by all!", he continues.
"Right... Hold on."
She closes her eyes and concentrates, hoping to detect the presence of magic near and beyong the entrance to the crypt.
"Ok... I don't sense anything magical. And... we can't let them just go and do whatever they wat, can we?" Swallowing her nerves away, she gives her dad a hug. "Um, dad, if we're not back in an hour, please consider sending help?"
Grael makes an involuntary face when Father Zantus objects and quietly mutters, "Everyone has enemies."
Knowing that his own list of prayer-spells wasn't exactly meant for detection and discovery, the crimson-haired dwarf stands back out of the others' way, and keeps watch.
"Biggs. If'n ye don't think yer kin might do this on their own, like Aleks suggests, what would it take ta' make them do it? Serious threat, I'd think...
Fiora detects no magical auras in the crypt.
"Alright then. I'll go first..." When everyone is ready, Grael will draw out his hammer and nudge the door open with his shield.
Not sensing anything, Fiora lets go of her father and somewhat nervously takes place somewhere in the back, behind Gareth. She peeks at the contents of the crypt mostly from behind his back, allthewhile tightly holding her crossbow...
"I've got your back." Aleks says to Gareth, and moves up behind him.
Gareth, positioning himself in the middle of the group, mutters a minor incantation to make an unlit torch glow warmly. .
He then draws his starknife and readies himself for any potential danger.
Mr. Biggs walks between the legs of the taller folk. Shifting between them like a cat. Taking up the middle of the group.
The group gets ready to enter the vault and two skeletons are standing and moving by the far wall. As the group realizes what is happening, the skeletons turn and begin to charge them.
Mr. Biggs shouts AH! Boneshanks! Before drawing his musket and running to the side of the room. He takes a quick aim and fires off a round at the skeleton.
Mr. Biggs blows up one of the skeletons, his musket producing a very loud sound which resonates in the chamber. The birds fly away, in utter panic.
Moving quickly (double move) but in the deliberate way of dwarves, Grael hustles past Biggs, banging his hammer twice on his shield to make sure he's got the skeleton's attention. "C'mon then, ye blasted pile o' bones! Come at me, ye daft thing!"
Aleks draws his kukris and moves in, trying to circle so that he can flank any skeleton that moves in with Grael.
The skeleton fearlessly tries scratching Grael.
Despite Grael's formidable defensive stance, the skeleton manges one slap at him.
Fiora, not figuring herself a good shot and not equipped to harm skeletons, instead starts stinging a song in Desna's name, which helps everyone focus!
Though she also thinks on skeletons and their weaknesses...
"Use blunt weapons if you can!" she calls out in between!
Fiora knows everything about moving skeletons. She remembers that, as undead, they are immune to a few effects that only affect people. It can resist to any type of weapon except bludgeoning ones. It cannot be hurt by cold attacks either.
"Bah! To the nine hells with ye, scatterbones!" Grael snarls in defiance as much as pain, and he winds up and swings his warhammer at the skeleton with full fury!
However the undead warrior proves to be surprisingly nimble and Grael misses.
Grael's hammer is coming down on the skeleton, but it seems it is about to dodge it. The rest of the group feels inspired by Fiora's tactical recommendation, increasing their courage.