Vigny is not having a good time of it so far. It began before they'd even left Sandpoint, when she walked back into the Rusty Dragon after talking to Sheriff Hemlock and she found Sandru suddenly right there in the place.
During the weeks she had been kicking around Sandpoint waiting for him to arrive, Vigny had assembled a sequence of events in her head, her expectations on how things would play out. Positioned at the Rusty Dragon, the beating heart of Sandpoint, she would be alerted as soon as Sandru's caravan arrived. This would give her time to get bathed, primped, and nicely dressed while he did whatever caravan things he would need to do before coming to the Rusty Dragon. He would certainly be coming there because he knows the owner Ameiko from way back, and they're friends.
When Sandru shows up, he will be joyfully surprised to see Vigny, just as she will be to see him. What a crazy coincidence! They will have drinks while they chat and chat, catching up and getting to know each other again. It will be such a nice evening that they will pick things up again the next day, spending more time together, she will need to see his caravan for example, and otherwise whatever whatever, the details will work themselves out. This pattern will continue and by the time Sandru is ready to move on down the road, it will seem only natural for Vigny to come along as well. After all she's finally away from Riddleport and ready to explore the bigger world. Eventually this this will all lead in some fashion or another to marriage and children, but Vigny hasn't worked out things that far ahead exactly.
Instead, she has blundered in to the Rusty Dragon right on top of him, looking like she just rolled out of bed and put on the clothes she'd left on the floor the previous night before shambling downstairs for a couple of breakfasts drinks, which is exactly what she had done. To make things as bad as they can be, Sandru is already in the middle of a conversation with that elvaan Shalelu. It flashes through Vigny's mind to sneak out and go hide somewhere until later. But no, there are too many in her group coming in at once, making a disturbance that attracts attention. No sneaking away unnoticed. Actually she discovers her 'bad as can be' of a half-minute ago wasn't quite yet as bad as it can be; that's now.
Vigny does manage to pretend not to see him as soon as she did, mentally pull herself together then see him again for the first time while plastering a wide grin on her face and waving to him vigorously. She doesn't approach Sandru right away, that elvaan makes it harder to do without being rude. She gabbers at Sona instead briefly, like they had been in talking before they came in. She sweeps by Sandru with a "Sandru! What a surprise! It's so great to see you! I'll be back in a couple of minutes." and rushes upstairs. She gets her hair brushed, her face washed, and a clean shirt on at least before coming back down.
Vigny was perfectly happy to ditch the whole goblin hunting thing. After all, she'd only been interested in it as a way to kill some time while she waited. Now she doesn't need to do any more waiting. Also she'd botched her initial meeting with Sandru, which sets her back some maybe, and that elvaan might be a problem. However, by the time she makes it back downstairs, the conversation about the goblin bounty makes it clear Sandru thinks it's great everyone is going. If she were to pull out now, it migt not make her look good in Sandru's eyes, and it's waaay too early to be explaining to him why she might want to drop out. She's stuck.
Now she's tromping around looking for goblins, while fretting about her time lost with Sandru. And that damn elvaan. What's worse, the swamp is gross, mucking up her very nice, very expensive fairly new boots, and there are insects in the air along with the humidity.
Vigny doesn't track and can't read a map to save her life, so she's doomed to follow after the others and hope they can kill a satisfactory number of goblins quickly.
"How much longer until we get to that village?" Vigny moans yet again.
Once a few pit traps have been dug and filled up with cactuar needles, the group sets out across the marsh. Walthus Proudfur watches them depart before settling in to watch the goblin pyre burn.
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The afternoon sun shines through the myriad of leaves within the swamp's canopy as the party treks along the shore of the nearby river. Its currents flow at a brisk pace, filling the air with a sound of rushing water that mixes with the rustling of branches.
After some time walking, Tribim leads the party to an unsteady-looking rope bridge above the running current, strung between two trees on opposite sides of the river. The planks making up the bridge don't look too well-maintained--but it looks like it's sturdy enough to cross.
As a rule, Sona doesn't trust rope bridges, particularly old ones. She will reach out and touch the ropes at the top, bottom, and both sides with a mending spell in hopes to restore them to their former strength and glory.
"Well, that has improved the ropes, if anyone was worried..." she nervously chuckles, showing she indeed was.
She will pick up some rocks from the shore as she thinks of the best way to fight this if the party runs across it despite her attempts to make it go away.
"Get out of here!" she calls out to it and then begins to chuck them into the water. Clearly, she sees something
She will cautiously back a little ways away from the water's edge, just in case.
As they plod through the swamp Tribim hears Vigny ask 'how long.' Pointing to the bridge, he responds, "Meow, not long Meuwster Vigny. Just past the bridge." As he stopped to talk Sona passed him and began testing the strength of the bridges ropes.
His ears perk up as she picks up rocks and begins throwing them at something in the water. Tribim moves a little closer looking to see what she is telling to 'get out of here.'
Tarka clearly didn't notice what Sona did , but he steps forward to see once her animated reaction begins.
What is it? A creature I might learn some spells from?
He peers in the water where she's throwing objects.
"A crocodile, lingering under the bridge, waiting to attack those who cross," she answers. "Such behavior might mean it is a maneater, since it probably has caught a number of unsuspecting victims..."
Vigny starts looking in the direction indicated by Sona, but doesn't see anything. Of course Vigny doesn't really know what a crocodile is anyway so she is looking at the literal underside of the bridge for something hanging on to it.
"What's a crocodile look like?" she asks doubtfully.
As they moved through the foul swamp Vinexa was trying very hard to remember why she agreed to come on this horrendous expedition.
She was so disgusted with the foul swamp that she really couldn't notice anything more than the stench of it! Awful! Fortunately the others were paying more attention than she was and someone spotted the lurking threat.
"I could try and lure it out," she said, "I can cast an illusion to try and get it to attack it and spring the trap early."
Familiar with what a crocodile looked like, Tribim was not sure if it was a maneater, but convinced it would be a cat-eater he looked up at Vinexa, nodding. "Meow, an illusion is a Purrrfect idea." He then looks from Vigny to Tarka, "Then Meuwsters kill it." He gives a very feline smiles. "Meow, Lizard is good eating."
Also, no need for the second Perception, because what happens afterwards is going to render it unnecessary...
Sona throws a nearby rock at the crocodile--and it lands on its head with a THUD!
The large lizard thrashes about violently in the water before looking for where the rock came from...
"Do it," she whispers concerning the illusion-making. Meanwhile, she is ducking behind some grasses.
Wherever her companions are going to create an illusion, she will quietly cast a grab spell. In doing so, she will force a stick near the illusion to move up and down, smacking the water as violently as she can; as though something was thrashing about over there. Hopefully, it will draw the beast's attention and hold it while they rush across the bridge.
Oh, you did it now! Tarka bellows, thinking this time he'll need to use a more powerful monster-spell.
Vigny draws her sword.
"So a crocodile is a big toothy lizard... I don't suppose it always stays in water?"
Nodding his head in agreement with Vigny's observation, Tribim adds, "Meuwster Vigny is correct. A big toothy lizard." He steps to the side, ducking low behind a fallen birch tree, hoping he can avoid detection so he can attack while the big toothy lizard is distracted by the bellowing Ronso.
"I believe they can move fast upon the land as well," she answers the Ulfen sword maiden. "Be ready to move across the bridge though if it goes for the illusion."
Vinesa nodded and had her spell cast when the lizard started looking around for the source of the rock. What it saw was an illusory goblin with another rck ready to throw and a look of "Oh s!$*" on it's face when the lizard looked at it.
Tribim easily manages to conceal himself behind a nearby tree.
The crocodile whirls around in response to Tarka's bellow--and spots the illusory goblin slapping a stick against the river's surface.
It lets out a ferocious roar and lunges at the goblin!
It snaps and snaps, but its jaws always seem to be out of its reach. Evidently, it doesn't realize it's an illusion!
Tarka grimaces and points across the bridge with both of his thumbs. The tusks make his expression awkward, if not terrifying. Without saying another word he begins hurrying across, but he is trying to be quiet now and heel-toe'ing it.
"Speed is valued more here than silence, Master Ronso"
She will keep an eye out as they go for other hazards, but hopes to make it far away before they slow down and the gator is finished attacking an illusionary image.
+1 vs traps
"Good job, Miss Vinexa!" she quietly exclaims. She hopes the others are coming across with her and Tarka.
Seeing the crocodile fully distracted, Tribim hops up from his hiding place and sprints towards and across the bridge, "Well done Meuwsters!" Keeping a keen eye out as he goes.
Vigny waits for the small ones to go first and get across the bridge before following.
The crocodile thrashes madly about in a bid to finally get that nimble goblin in its mouth and pays no attention to the party as they cross the rope bridge. In fact, by the time Tarka makes his crossing and accidentally steps through one of the bridge's planks with a loud *SNAP*, the ronso is already almost on the other side of the river by the time the crocodile turns around.
The party leaves the confused animal behind, nursing a headache and a grumbling belly.
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The rest of the trek through the swamp goes smoothly, with Tribim pointing out a patch of quicksand Vigny almost steps into and Tarka guiding the party away from a particularly nasty patch of poison ivy as they walk. The sun is beginning to set in the sky when the party spies the wooden palisades of what can only be their destination... the village of the Licktoad goblin tribe.
The 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.
It's very quiet. Not even the sound of buzzing insects or the croaking of toads. It's the silence of the grave.
So we finally arrive! Look at this shoddy place. Perhaps we just start burning it down now!
Looking about the ground he starts to notice something.
Wait wait. Some of these tracks are human sized, but they are clearly skeleton feet... something has happened here.
Once the great danger has passed them, Sona settles into silence in admiring the beauty of the region they are in. As she does so, so focuses on her MP recovery, as there is little to distract her except the occasional hazard that is easily pointed out by the trackers in the party.
"There is no sound or sign of the goblins either...Not even the croaking of a frog."
She will boldly stride forward based on what she is seeing and on the ronso's testimony.
"Are they dead?"
Once she gets to the edge of the tribe's border, she will let the bulkier of the group take lead, but will follow behind to look for the traps that goblins so readily place around their homes.
Pleased to be away from the very large carnivorous reptile, Tribim is relieved that no one was harmed by the swamp. Noting the sun was low in the sky as they neared the palisade, he observed. "Meuwsters may want to secure fort soon." Lookng towards Tarka, "If Meuwster Ronso burns village, we have no ears to turn in."
As they move towards the broken gate Tribim notices the lack of usual sounds and the existence of unusual footprints. He nods in agreement with Sona and Tarka, lifting his nose, trying to smell any living goblins.
Vinexa was quite pleased with how well her spell worked as they slipped past teh crocodile. She almost felt sorry for it given how badly it was tricked but better to trick it than get eaten. That was not the kind of eaten she liked. They rest of the trip to the village was still unpleasant but at least there were no more carnivorous reptiles on the way.
When they reached the goblin village Vinexa nodded in agreement with the place being too quiet. The fact there were skeletal footprints found made the felinoid woman more than a little anxious. She didn't like undead, she couldn't drain them properly as they lacked a soul to feed from...OK a vampire might be alright but nothing else! "I don't like this, undead are no fun to play with."
Yes, very well. No burning. But we should proceed very carefully. There must be something around here. He continues to scan the scene, expect something to pop out from a hiding spot at any moment.
Nodding in agreement with Tarka, Tribim answers, "Me-ow will be safe." Moving through the gate and beside the wall into the first hutch, Tribim readies to attack whatever goblin he finds.
H2: This is a pond that's likely used as a water source by the Licktoad tribe. A rickety pier lies in splinters on its shore--and the mud surrounding it is covered in bony footprints.
H3: This appears to have once been a pit--perhaps a primitive gladiatorial arena, or some sort of animal pen.
H8: This is a ruined building, its wood charred and utterly demolished.
Tribim slinks up to the nearest door and pushes it open. Beyond the door is what appears to be a goblin home--it's strewn about with broken wood and filthy, ragged blankets. A few mounds of straw sit in the corners of the hut, covered in filth and crawling with bugs.
The sound of high-pitched whimpering greets the palico as the door opens. The stink of goblins is quite strong here--especially underneath the southeasternmost pallet of straw.
[ooc]Marked where the noise came from for Tribim.
Smelling and hearing the goblins, Tribim leans out the door calling to the others, "Meuwsters, there are goblins hiding in this cabin." He then moves to the pallet lifting it.
With Tribim moving inside, she is quick to take to the corner. Her eyes don't adjust to the dark as quickly, so she ensures she has a torchlight spell active as she goes into the far reaches of the room. On her way in, she lifts a pebble from the trampled mud and illuminates it. Now, the room is coated in the soothing pale light, and inside that light, small floating particles of what looks like illuminated seedlings, fireflies, or floating will-o-wisps seem to sparsely permeate the area. When approached, these floating particles wink out of sight only to reform when you have passed them by. Perhaps an optical illusion? In any case, the effect is very beautiful, like a scene in a fey's forest.
In Goblin, she calls out:
Her tone is harsh and unkind. It is clear they are here to kill these goblins, regardless of their fear. Whatever they brought down upon themselves, she is certain they have deserved it.
Tarka stomps into the building after Tribim and Sona.
Oh hey! I know that language. I took it for all four years at the Blue Mage college!
Tribim hoists up the pallet to reveal a very scared-looking goblin with big ears and ragged leathers caked in dirt. The goblin lets out a strangled whimper when his hiding spot is revealed.
He starts to speak, his words coming out in a jumble of Goblin. "Please no! No! Don't bring the skeletons back! Please! It was Gutwad! It was all HIS idea!"
Looking from the goblin to the Ronso, Tribim bides his time, patiently waiting to deal with the goblin and collect the ears.
The goblin continues to gibber. "Gutwad had Chuffy and the others cut up Scribbleface! Had to cut him up so he couldn't steal the words out of anyone else's head! Scribbleface dead now--had lots of shriek-boom-pipes in his lair! Brought them back here with big chests full of shinies and strange stuff!"
"But after Gutwad took the shinies, the skeletons came! They came! They killed many and took one of the chests away--Gutwad hid in his hut and waited for them to leave!"
Tarka's expression quickly turns to confused and bewildered, which deepens as the goblin continues speaking.
Steal the words?! Out of heads?! Slow down little goblin. You still haven't told us where they went and came back from. Could Scribbleface speak in your mind, and hear your thoughts? Is that what you mean? If so, that is scary indeed!
Sona doesn't particularly feel like doing the killing of these survivors, but understands they kind of are hired to. At the very least, she can translate for those who do not know what is going on (since the conversation is in goblin).
Continuing to hold up the mat that he found the goblin under, Tribim, begins to look back and forth from the Ronso to the goblin. Listening to Sona's narration, trying to be patient as the goblin metaphorically spills his guts, before he will literally spill his guts.
The goblin continues to blather on.
He nods enthusiastically at the mention of Scribbleface. "Plucked words from our minds, scribbled them in places we cannot go! He spoke not with his mind, but made sparkly burning magics that came not from gods! Chuffy and crew were great heroes if they could defeat HIM!"
"Skeletons--skeletons came after Scribbleface went BOOM! Came from the pond, they did! Stole the chest and stomped off into the swamp!"
Tarka starts to frown and grumble a bit at the direction of the goblin's ramblings.
But where? Where did they go to that we can find them?
He turns to Tribim and whispers, in common, Soon, small cat-man, soon...
Looking from the Goblin to Tarka, Tribim gives a smile. Turning back towards the goblin, appearing very much like the cat that just ate the canary.
Vigny is quite confused by the whole affair, excitable goblin gabbering filtered through translation leaves her with the impression of goblin infighting, or maybe a political murder?
"Goblins seem a little basic for political backstabbing don't you think? Is that what's going on?"
On the other hand, Vigny isn't always the sharpest tool in the shed either.
"W-west! Southwest! Deeper into swamp!" The goblin babbles.
Hearing Vigny asking another question, Tribim sighs, waiting until they are done talking with the goblin so he can kill him. Tribim, unlike most cats, doesn't tease his food before he eats it and he doesn't talk to creature he plans on collecting ears from. It just seems in bad form.
Southwest! Thank you! He turns to Tribim and nods. Get those ears!
"So now we are dealing with a necromancer as well. Some people just give a bad name to magic by toying with things they shouldn't. Not that necromancy is bad in of itself..." she trails off, letting Tribim do his thing. She feels slightly squeamish knowing it's not a warrior fighting them but some hiding fearful goblin. She has to remind herself that they were terrorizing and harming people long before they got there and it deserves what end it meets.