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A secret has lingered near Sandpoint for decades, a treasure holding the answer to not just one of Varisia’s greatest mysteries, but a conspiracy spanning continents and empires. This is a story of ancient forces and secret destinies. It is a story of friendship and love. It is a story that can only be called...
Chapter 1: The Brinewall Legacy
17 Arodus, 4711 AR
Danger lurks near the town of Sandpoint! There are reports that the Licktoad goblins of Brinestump Marsh have grown unusually aggressive. The reason for this uncharacteristic bravery seems clear—the goblins have somehow managed to arm themselves with what appears to be a considerable supply of fireworks. The problem stems not so much from the additional “firepower” these fireworks provide as from the inflated sense of ego and power that the devices have given the goblins—the fireworks have made them dangerously brave.
Several merchant caravans and travelers have been attacked so far, and according to the victims, the damage caused by horses panicking at the sight and sound of exploding pyrotechnics is almost as destructive as the goblin attacks themselves. With the last few attacks resulting in severe injuries to three unfortunate travelers, the problem has escalated from an annoyance to a threat. However, as none of the attacks have yet inconvenienced Magnimar (only Sandpointers and other Lost Coasters have been hit so far), the city has been slow to react. Unwilling to idly sit by and wait for the goblin problem to escalate to actual deaths on the Lost Coast Road in order to attract Magnimar’s attention, Sandpoint’s leaders have put out the call for goblin exterminators.
But after a time of upheaval a few years back involving goblins, giants, and even a dragon, Sandpoint has since returned to being a relatively sleepy town. It doesn’t take long for life to settle down once things return to normal, and with Varisia’s adventurers now more eager to try their luck at finding their fortunes in legendary Xin-Shalast, there simply aren’t a lot of volunteers to fight goblins around. Always running at a lean enrollment, Sandpoint’s city watch can’t afford to send patrols into the trackless expanse of Brinestump, although they have stepped up their presence along the Lost Coast Road itself. The task of wading into the notorious local wetland falls instead to adventurers—be they concerned locals honestly eager to aid the town or greedy mercenaries looking to make relatively easy coin. A few adventurers have already made the attempt, but nothing has been heard of them in the 3 days since they entered Brinestump Marsh, and just last night, another round of colorful explosions burst over the wetlands south of Sandpoint. The goblins are doubtless readying a new attack!
To deal with the goblin threat, Sheriff Belor Hemlock has restored Sandpoint’s old “goblin bounty” after several years of inactivity—it was suspended when a group of eager but too-young adventurers were swept out to sea while in pursuit of goblin ears. The town of Sandpoint will pay 10 gp for every relatively fresh goblin ear delivered to the town hall—with an additional reward of 300 gp for the group who can bring in the head of the Licktoads’ leader, Chief Gutwad.
Having decided to join forces to take on the goblins, the five of you gather in the Rusty Dragon to prepare for your expedition into the marsh...
A redhead with pointy ears but 'Not An Elf' is leaning over the bar to talk to her friend, Flori "I know you know her. You know everyone. And yes, everyone knows her. But isn't she more likely to smoother the goblins with tea and biscuits then cut off their ears?" who she is talking about isn't mentioned, but she shuts up quickly when she sees her.
"Well if you girls insist on going out to collect goblin ears I suppose I'd better come with you." Ahreni says with a world weary sigh that does not at all match her youthful face. "But if this is some sort of ridiculous plan to 'prove' yourselves as 'adventurers' to Ameiko, or anyone else, then please think about it again before you start. There are much better, and safer, ways to contribute."
Most of her focus appears to be on said bar-owners little sister her expressive eyes flicker to the young tiefling that she has grown very fond.
Flori laughs heartily at Sylyn's observation, her freckled cheeks forming an honest and catchy grin, as she continues to dry off a few glasses before putting them away.
"She's no harm really. I heard shes actually pretty capable with a quill, maybe she can write them into submission." She jokes. "Its a pretty good job though, I couldn't pass it up for a pay-out like that. He does seem to have picked an odd group though. Why he didn't just ask Shalelu I don't know."
The approachable and mostly well-liked barmaid is on shift at the Rusty Dragon again this morning but reassured the Sheriff that she would still be able to meet the group but they would have to just deal with her serving customers at the same time.
"Come on, let's go join the other three and see if we should start. Its pretty quiet right now and I probably have at least 10 minutes before someone else comes in and demands my attention." She puts down the glass, and walks out from the bar, beckoning Sylyn to join her.
Hardly anyone notices the small woman standing just inside the doorway of the inn. Dressed in ill-fitting leather armor, she attempts to blend in to the decor as much as possible.
As the others seems about to leave, she steps farther away from the entrance to avoid their gaze. One hand reaching up to her face in a long grown habit to make sure her hair covered her eye.
Sylyn gives an easy laugh at imagining a class of goblins being awestruck by poetry. As they start moving to the meeting, they are stopped by the topic of conversation, causing her to grumble a bit at being treated like a child "We're just as capable as most. Flori, here can summon dogs to fight for her, and we all know how goblin's feel about dogs." she says with confidence, only to whisper quickly when Ahreni wasn't looking "you did get that working right, didn't you? No more mutated sludge that looks kind of dog like?"
Then she almost runs into Oh, what the hells... Relisha, sorry I wasn't paying attention." she apologizes once she sees who it is and also feels like an ass about the hells curse.
"No, it's ok. I ... I shouldn't have been standing in the way. I'm sorry," Relisha says, looking down at the floor and moving further to the side.
"That's not... no... oh fine." And then she feels even worse, but she never knows HOW to apologize to Relisha without making the smaller woman shrink further and further. So the ifrit just sighs, tries to give a grin, which probably looks like a grimace, and gives up. "So... goblins... yes, goblins..." conversation-starting is not in her skill set.
Flori ignores Sylyl's jibe about the summoning. That only happened one time. Maybe twice.
"From what I can tell Relisha, you're supposed to be here so you don't ever apologise okay? The sheriff said you'd be joining us." Flori says kindly and carefully takes the woman's arm in hers. "How about we go sit down together. You can sit next to me and Sylyn can sit somewhere she won't knock anyone over. We're just waiting on Ameiko's little sister I think."
Moving to sit at a table, she carefully guides Relisha into the seat next to her, points at the seat opposite the table that sits next to Ahreni, gesturing for Sylyn to sit there, giving her a warning glance as not to frighten Relisha any further. "Nice to see you today Ahreni, I hope all is going well. I'll go get us a jug to share whilst you all get acquainted this morning."
She heads away from the table and mutters to herself. "Oh boy, this job may be more work than I thought."
Sylyn rolls her eyes at her friend. The playful admonishing and her friend's much better handling of the situation make her feel a little better. Sliding ApplePicker, her breathtakingly beautiful longbow (in her mind at least) out of it sling, she sets it against the table and sits.
"Goblins..." she starts again "With fireworks! Shalelu says they love fire and explosions, so it is a wonder they didn't just pile them up on the first day and blow up half the marsh."
"And to see you too Flori." Ahreni replies with a smile. Flori is one of the few young people in Sandpoint with enough patience to actually stick at something, unfortunately for everyone Sylyn is another, although her focus seems to be exclusively for archery and setting things on fire - which is why she isn't invited into Ahreni's shop any more.
"Relisha, take a seat." She says, offering the young woman a smile and, as always, biting back an acerbic comment as she sees the girl wince at the pressure of the chair on her back. "Have the meditation exercises I showed you been helping at all?"
"Relisha, take a seat." She says, offering the young woman a smile and, as always, biting back an acerbic comment as she sees the girl wince at the pressure of the chair on her back. "Have the meditation exercises I showed you been helping at all?"
There's the clunk of something heavy when Relisha sets her backpack down near the table. She sits down stiffly, her eyes moving from face to face, fully expecting derision from ... someone.
"Um ... I don't know. Mother says I should focus on my prayers to the Dawnflower. That's She's the only one worthy of my attention and time."
Sylyn knows nothing of Relisha's troubles, mostly avoiding the other girl despite their relative age similarities because she always ends up feeling like a bully. "My Dad was all about Erastil. Family, Family, family... " she trails off for a moment. "The Dawnflower is a good one though. Great. Healing... and the Sun, right?" gods she wishes Flori would come back.
"You can meditate on whatever you want." Ahreni replies kindly. "If that should be The Birth of Light and Truth, then that's fine. Whatever helps you focus and calm your mind. You've seen I like incense and calligraphy, it helps to order my mind, but that's how I was trained - you find what works for you. Sarenrae will not begrudge worship from a place of tranquility and stillness."
She turns to Sylyn, "Yes, those are her major aspects. Sarenrae is a kindly goddess - one who believes that no-one is beyond redemption. You though my dear, I would say... Desna. Am I right?"
Sylyn sits up straight as Ahreni turns to her, a reflex that irritates her to no end but she can't keep it from happening. "I like her, yes, but... Erastil still, like Dad... and not JUST because of the archery part." she can almost feel that accusation in someone's head.
"Mother reads to me from The Birth of Light and Truth," Relisha offers. "Although it's more accurate to say that most can be redeemed - not all."
'And the blood of the tainted shall be the only coin worthy of covering their sins.'
The declaration that she lives her life by echoes through her mind. Read word-for-word from Sarenrae's holy book by her parents and then repeated to herself as a mantra. She nods, secure in her faith.
As you continue to chat and prepare to venture forth, Ameiko Kaijitsu emerges from the kitchen. She places plates on the table in front of you, each one loaded with curried salmon served over asparagus and spicy cheese-curd-stuffed artichoke hearts. She gestures for Flori to come over and fill your mugs with some sweet and tangy raspberry mead.
"Eat up, ladies. One should never fight goblins on an empty stomach!" Ameiko says with a wink. "My sister should be along shortly to join you. Always late, that one."
"Ameiko, its a little quiet right now. Would you mind if I took my break now and Bethana take over? The Sheriff asked me to be part of the group." Flori asks, as she heads reaches Ameiko and then begins pouring the mead she had already poured into a jug before Ameiko even entered. She pours a mug for herself and an extra mug for Ameiko's little sister, ready for her when she arrives.
"Besides, we need to keep busy and better get started on this planning before Sylyl just suggests we all become experts in archery in five minutes flat!"
Ameiko nods. "Alright, Flori. You be careful out in the swamp, though, okay? I don't want to have hire a new barmaid if you don't come back!" Though the quip is light-hearted, Flori can sense a trace of true concern in Ameiko's voice.
"I'll keep an eye on her Ameiko." Ahreni promises. "You'll get your whole brood back unharmed."
"Wouldn't be any need to suggest anything like that if you had been practicing with me all the times I asked you to. There is no reason a wizard can't have a backup weapon once their spells run out. And..." she directs the next comment at Ahreni [Archery IS a great tactic, never let the enemy get close, just Pew Pew Pew all day long." Sylyn explains while poking at the green stalks of inedible-ness on the plate, pushing them as far away from the rest of the food before eating. Before the first bite, she remembers her manners "Thank you Ameiko"
Relisha grins and looks down at her plate. She mumbles something that sounds like 'Thank You'. Once the fantabulous woman has turned away, though, she pushes the mug towards Sylyn.
sylyn looks at the mug, then looks up at the other girl with a raised eyebrow while pointing at the asparagus-yuck on her plate. A clear do you want this evil gross disgusting mess in trade?!
Ameiko's brother Kitasai finally emerges from the upper level, slowly making his way down the steps. Though he knows he's about to go goblin hunting, he wears nothing but loose fabrics on his body, carries no pack nor any visible weapon on his body. In fact, he looks more like that he is going over to Ven Vinder's general store to fetch supplies then he is going monster hunting.
In a soft spoken voice barely above a whisper, he moves to Ameiko's side and places a kiss on her cheek. "My sincerest apologies, sister. I'm sorry I am late, but one simply does not rush meditation."
As he lives in the the Rusty Dragon, Ameiko's younger brother is well known to all. Kitasai makes his way to the table and sits down at a plate of food waiting for him without addressing any of the others already there. Focusing on his food, he begins to eat.
"Good to see you Kitasi." Ahreni says with a smile. She likes Ameiko's softly spoken younger brother - he's reasonably sensible, which is always a plus. "I absolutely agree, meditation cannot be rushed, else its entire purpose is defeated."
Then she tucks into the food - Ameiko may have been something of a fool when she was younger, but the girl can cook!
sylyn looks at the mug, then looks up at the other girl with a raised eyebrow while pointing at the asparagus-yuck on her plate. A clear do you want this evil gross disgusting mess in trade?!
Relisha nods and scrapes the green stalks onto her plate. All the while glancing around as if expecting any moment to be denounced for her greediness.
Sylyn grins at Relisha, happy for the trade, and removal of the green evil. "Good. Morning. Kitasai." Sylyn enunciates each word clearly, to show even she has better manners.
Kitsai finishes chewing his delicious green stalks and nods slowly to Ahreni. "Good to see you too, Ahreni-san ."
Looking over to Relisha's plate and then her frame, Kitasai comments "Perhaps you should have a double serving of greens this morning."
"Relisha has the right idea. Perhaps everyone should have some extra greens to boost our strength before fighting the goblins eh?" Flori suggests, clapping her hands jovially as if its settled. "Right then. What preparations do we make to go hunt some goblins? I'll be honest, most I've ever hunted is a boar with an experienced group. The marshes aren't the most hospitable, so it might be worth helping with that."
"No, I ... uh ... I wouldn't want to take more than my share. That would be selfish," she says in a soft voice, already looking at the extra asparagus on her plate with a guilty eye.
"So are we really going to be hunting goblins?" she asks with more confidence.
"Well if you want the Sheriff's bounty you are." Ahreni says, pushing about a third of her food onto Relisha's plate and giving the young woman a stern look when she seems about to object. "I intend to keep as many of you as I can in one piece. As to surviving in the swamp, I'd recommend good shoes, a hat, and plenty of water. There's no guarantee of shelter either so a tent or two may be useful."
The stern looks seems to quell any protest the young woman would offer and she dutifully sets in to clean her plate.
"I ... I have a bedroll," Relisha says, speaking up after polishing off her asparagus in surprisingly short order.
"Wear long sleeves and leggings no matter how hot. The bugs are awful." Sylyn says while sipping her second mug, quite happy. "Shalelu took me out there plenty. Oh watch where you step, it ain't easy to tell how deep the water is. We should buy a pole, one of those twn foot kind that adventurers always seem to cart around."
After you make your preparations, you depart Sandpoint and head to the marsh! Brinestump Marsh is a relatively small region, but it’s fantastically overgrown with vegetation. Given the frequent stretches of muddy bogs and snaking waterways, moving through the marsh is a tiring and frustrating procedure. The wetland is a tangle of nettles, reeds, and other swamp plants often supplemented by larger vegetation—cypress, eucalyptus, oak, and willow trees mostly.
You quickly find the marsh to be a frightening, oppressive place. Fog shrouds the area, and animal calls that might be soothing elsewhere take on a strange, almost menacing tone in the dripping wetland. Eerie low growls and bellows echo from deeper in the swamp, and things unseen splash just out of sight.
Fortunately, local ranger Shalelu Andosana has provided Sheriff Hemlock with a small map of the region, including the location of an old fishing trail that leads directly to the Licktoad village. A mossy wooden bridge crosses the aptly named Soggy River and winds through the marsh for a few miles. By midday, you have reached your destination.
A filthy village-fort surrounded by a crude wooden palisade sits atop a low hummock of solid ground here. A wooden gate in the north wall of the palisade lies in shambles on the ground. Nearby, a large, algae-filled pool on the northeastern side breaks the palisade and allows a clearer view into the village’s interior, which consists of a collection of ramshackle huts connected by wooden walkways, all built on thick wooden stilts.
The village is quiet, save for an eerie wind that whistles between the worn-down buildings...
Flori, keeping her wits about her, keeps close to both Sylyl and Kitasai, feeling a little safer in their presence.
She watches around her, peering through the fog at every noise she hears.
"Maybe we should circle the place before we head in. She suggests, not wanting to charge into the centre of the goblin village.
Ahreni, who has retrieved what appears to be a long pole with a gracefully curved blade atop it, hmms at this idea. "There is a reason that goblins built their homes on stilts Flori. The ground level is not safe. Use the ears the gods gave you - there is no-one here. We can go in."
"Just cause we can't hear anything, doesn't mean no one's here." Sylyn comes to her friend's defense. "... or that something might be coming back."
Either way she'll draw her bow and have an arrow nocked.
Kitasai walks along with the others, ready for dangers to pop out of the swamp at any moment. Surprised that they found it relatively quiet, he offers his insight into the matter.
"Ominous."
He takes a look around before pushing in.
Sylyn finds numerous tracks around the gate that are a few days old. There are a few human-sized boot prints leading into the village, but most of those have been obscured by the large number of goblin-sized footprints leading out of the village and scattering in various directions.
Circling the palisade, you find that it remains intact everywhere except for the ruined gate. None of the buildings within appear to be damaged either. As Kitasai leads the way into the village, he catches a glimpse of a lone goblin peeking through a window in one of the huts. The goblin quickly ducks out of view.
Slyln kneels down looking at all the prints. Pointing to the bigger ones "Humans, just a few and a couple of days old. The rest are all goblins." she waves to the LARGE number of them. "The humans went in and then the goblins went out... so you might be right." directed at Ahreni, begrudgingly.
Kitasai points to a lone goblin peeking through a window and holds up his hand to halt everyone. He silently points at it and then holds up a single finger to represent one before turning back to look at everyone and make sure they understand.
He then leads the approach towards the goblin he saw.
Kitasai opens the door to the hut to find five terrified goblins huddling within. They shriek and howl, rushing to attack in a blind panic!
Kitsai quickly slides into the room adjacent to a goblin and tries to punch it, but slips on some debris and slides too far in the process.
The goblins draw short swords as they slash wildly in front of them!
Relisha fumbles frantically in her bag for a moment before pulling out a battered mace. As she does so, she instinctively reaches out with that part of her that draws other people's pain and touches Kitasai's spirit.
Ahreni 12/12
Relisha 15/15
Flori 8/8
Kitasai 12/12
Sylyn 10/10
The goblins were way too fast for the archer to fire off an arrow and she is not SOO confident in her ability to not shoot the towering Kitsai. "They are fast little things, aren't they?" Sylyn says, pulling her warhammer and joining the monk in trying to bash them to bits.
"Hey, why do they look so terrified of us? They are supposed to be the monsters!" Flori whirls her hands in a very swift but disorientating pattern.
"You're twice their height dear, that's fearsome enough." Ahreni replies, whirling her glaive around so fast that the goblin doesn't even realise it's been hit.
"Where did you learn to do that Ahreni!" Flori says, astounded and distracted by the woman's feat.
"I'm older than I look dear girl." Ahreni replies, her glaive back in a high guard position. "Don't be so surprised."