When Salaamati enters he is not surprised.
”Everywhere we go there is nothing. Where are three people?!“ he asks a little agitated.
"Well someone was here not long ago, but the ground's too hard to tell exactly what." She steps inside. "Though they ransacked the place for food. The gobbos we saw, maybe?"
She looks and sniffs around for trouble.
Coldir nods. "Goblin encampment. I suppose we should search for clues as to how many goblins, or where the people went."
Coldir will walk around the room, detecting for magic.
"We're looking for answers. Obviously this placed has been used by something with little sense of housekeeping."
Any sign of the barrel hat was being dragged? Does that trail continue on, or appear to enter this building?
You find evidence of the barrel being moved through the house towards one of what you can assume are bedrooms.
As you all begin to spread out and look around Sal notices a loose floorboard It would probably make a loud noise if stepped on.
While considering this Sal also hears the sound of soft snoring coming from one of the back rooms. It sounds odd though Sal can't put her finger on why.
while using detect magic Coldir gets the sense of something magical underneath the area with the noisy floorboards that Sal found.
Sal holds up her finger to her lips, making sure everyone can see her to be quiet. "Someone's asleep in the back. Take care not to step there..." She points at the floorboard, "It's loose and likely to make a ruckus."
She attempts to creep toward the back where she heard the snoring.
"Loose because something magical is hidden beneath." . Coldir whispers as he waits for Sal to scout.
"And protected, maybe, yes?"
Sette lies flat on the floor with her nose to the loose board, checking for traps.
Salaamati looks around and waits.
Sette is pretty sure there are no traps on the loose floorboard though she suspects light fingers or some clever handling would be required to get the board off quietly.
You discover concealed underneath a longsword with a grip wrapped in green leather and gold wire, glowing with a pale emerald light.
Sal finds the door mostly shut can peaking through the gap she can see a little of the room but not the occupant.
The room is in considerable disarray and Sal can see at least one barrel in there.
Sette attempts to lift the loose board quietly.
"Oohhh, shiny."
Sal examines the door to be sure it is not creaky or have any sort of obvious traps.
If the door appears to be well-oiled and untrapped, she pokes it open with the tip of her ranseur.
Not too terribly interested in the sword, Coldir tries to listen in on the sleeping figure to see if he can discern anything else from where he is. With the happenings behind him going on, he is rather distracted.
Sal sees a strange shape flopped on the bed snoring softly.
This small being is no larger than a halfling and has long, pliable arms like tentacles capped with five wide, spiny claws.
There are several barrels lying around the room.
Sal goes wide eyed and steps slowly and carefully away from the door.
"Anybody know what thing is a halfing-sized person with octopus arms ending in claws? 'Cause that's what's in there sleepin'."
"That's not natural!"
Salaamati looks at the being to recognize what it is.
Sette shrugs. It sounded like the experiment of some mad wizard, not like something that would exist naturally, like Luimener said.
Salamati and Sette move up reasonably quietly but Triix bumps the door as she peers through.
The sleeping figure gives a little snort and rolls over but doesn't wake.
Between the group you are able to work out none of you have any idea what this thing is. Definitely not local to here or anywhere you can think of and certainly not natural.
Coldir puts on his thinking face; squinting his eyes and looking out to the horizon. "Let's cover all of the exits and prepare to have a 'peaceful' conversation with this creature.". After a brief pause as he checks his components, he adds "From far far away. Can you imagine the things that he has seen, and could share?" Coldir looks to each member of the group as he says this last bit, as if it were very important.
He then makes his way outside, to the windows with the flowers. He will sneak and peak after he gets there, hopefully as everyone also gets in place.
Coldir finds his way to the window of this room and gets a good view inside.
Like most of the windows in the colony there is no glass.
Coldir notices that despite its lack of clothes it seems to be wearing the ragged remains of a cloak held in place with an ornate broach.
There are empty bottles scattered all through the room and it smells like the back alley behind a seedy tavern.
Sal snorts, half breathing it in as she tries, partly too late, to rein in the impulse. "Whatever it is, got himself sauced."
"Best you do the talkin', Coldir. I'll cover yer rump."
Once he sees the room, and smells the alcohol, the elf stops trying to be quiet. "Well, I guess we know which barrels it took, now, don't we? Good luck getting anything out of something THAT drunk." He indicates the container debris in the room as he talks.
It does appear that the pile of bottles and barrels have been the work of several weeks rather than one intense bender.
And here I thought it was the sign of a single, week-long, bender.
Coldir listens intently to Sal before heading outside to the window, but slowly shakes his head. "No, I believe that my role would be to stop this interesting individual from going out that window and disapearing into the wilderness. I can stop him in his tracks, but I am not likely to sway him with my words. Salaamati seems more to that task to me." With a nod to Sal and Salaamati, Coldir heads out to his designated spot.
And here I thought it was the sign of a single, week-long, bender.
I realised I'd made it seem that way so I thought I better clarify
"If Salamaati wants to talk, then he gets to volunteer hisself. You ain't in charge o' him or me. I don't see him volunteering, so if you want somebody ta do the talking, then you've volunteered yerself, Coldir. Or ya want me ta handle it? My brand o' diplomacy ain't peaceful." She hefts her ranseur.
Sal is slowly forgetting to be quiet.
“If the humanoid being acts logically then I could be able to reason with it!“ Salaamati says quietly.
Sal shrugs, satisfied. "Then go fer it, Salaamati."
"If it acts like most of the shorter-lived races, then it won't act logically until the hangover is about gone. Good luck!"
Salaamati wakes the creature with a soft touch.
"Gaarh!"
The creature jerks awake and leaps fearfully away from Salaamati, It makes for the window but sees Coldir in the way and cowers before shuffling backwards into the corner making strange gurgling noises.
It makes some gestures with its hands.
It appears to be pleading for its life
It seems to also be asking if you are monkey goblins
"Gaarh!"
The creature jerks awake and leaps fearfully away from Salaamati, It makes for the window but sees Coldir in the way and cowers before shuffling backwards into the corner making strange gurgling noises.
It makes some gestures with its hands.
It appears to be pleading for its life
It seems to also be asking if you are monkey goblins
Coldir, seeing that he startled it, puts his hands up in a peaceful manner. Hearing that Trix believes that it fears us to be monkey goblins, Coldir hops up into the window's ledge and waves his hand in a manner of having a tail and then slashes his hand in a negative manner.
"I hope this thing can understand me. We could learn much from him. Trix, can you talk to it in it's head?"