Vasaam easily catches the stone. Looking at it he speaks the words to the cantrip to detect magic. "This will guide us to them?" After checking it he holds it out to the others to look at the pattern on it.
Vasaam detets faint divination magic coming from the stone. But it feels a little unusual, and its specific nature eludes him for the moment.
Frazzled gnome: "It will guide you to a safe meeting point, deeper into the woods. Better come prepared, the further in, the more cautious you have to be."
" Friend, I think we have come upon two issues. You were falsely sold horses by a horse thief. You are an honest landwalker, something to be proud of. We can find this man and we will retrieve your gold, and bring him to justice. We do still need to confirm these are the right horses as well. Do you mind coming with us to make sure? If they are not, we can at least let you keep them, since they are not right. That seems fair. What more of this man do you know or can recall for us? What direction did he come from? He go?"
Fairly certain that he has the stone understood he stows it for safety.
"Good point Coraline. We're tracking a horse thief and not wanting to steal from this good gnome." He focuses on the gnome, "Other city people might treat you unfairly good sir, but we do not intend to do such. If these horses are not the ones that were stolen, then of course they are yours. If they are the ones stolen, then they are returned and we will use your stone to find the thieves and recover the money that you were unjustly charged. All will be well."
In response to Coraline:
"What more to tell about him? Other than that he's a deceptive individual, not much. Average height for a human, probably? Square scruffy chin, firm arms. Didn't seem to be particularly heavily armed. Pretty bold to carry just a dagger into the woods."
In response to Vasaam:
He snorts.
"Use that stone to find the thief? That stone leads you to a meeting spot of our own."
Coraline tries her best to ease the worries the gnome faces. "I understand the distrust of land walkers. You have a different value and system from me, and it seems even among your people you have differences. The city folk around with a fast pace, and seem to hurry, and yet nothing is that needed that sprinting door to door is needed. The sea is much more clear in her moods." She shares, telling some of her own thoughts from what she has seen from those who she has encountered in her time on the lands.
Vasaam pulls the stone out and glances at it again. "Sorry. I misunderstand too often. So that's for your meeting place? And we might meet the person that you got the horse from there? We're just wanting to be helpful so we need to know."
[dice= Diplo check] 1d20+6
Coraline tries her best to ease the worries the gnome faces. "I understand the distrust of land walkers. You have a different value and system from me, and it seems even among your people you have differences. The city folk around with a fast pace, and seem to hurry, and yet nothing is that needed that sprinting door to door is needed. The sea is much more clear in her moods." She shares, telling some of her own thoughts from what she has seen from those who she has encountered in her time on the lands.
The gnome raises a brow slightly.
"Land walkers? You're one yourself, or are you saying you're a water dweller with magically acquired legs?"Still, Coraline's words come across as genuine enough, and the gnome pinches the bridge of his nose.
"I must be out of my mind to go along with this, but alright, we'll come see if the horses are someone else's."
Sorry. I misunderstand too often. So that's for your meeting place? And we might meet the person that you got the horse from there? We're just wanting to be helpful so we need to know."
The gnome shakes his head.
"I mentioned it leads deeper into the woods. By -ours-,", he motions between himself and the other two gnomes, "it means it is a secure place somewhere of our choosing. If you don't have one of us guiding you, that stone can do it instead."
The three gnomes remain quiet along the hike back towards the city.
When the sight of open sky comes into view, they pull up the hoods of their simple cloaks.
At the city gates the guardsmen take an inspecting glance at the trio of short companions you come back with.
Guardsman: "Are these the accomplices of the thief?"
The frazzled gnome shoots a glare at the man, his pale gaunt complexion showing.
Guardsman #2: "Spirits' grace, is he sick?"
Vasaam steps between the guards and the gnomes. "No sirs. These are possibly additional victims. We need to verify whether these are the stolen horses. These gentlemen purchased them but understand that if the horses were stolen the purchase was not legal. So, if these horses are the stolen ones, they will be returned and then we still need to track down the thief."
Guard #1 nods slightly.
"Then hopefully those are indeed the stolen horses."
Guard #2: "Still may want to check the fellow, his complexion's not too healthy looking."
The gnomes keep quiet, but one proper look shows them being annoyed.
=============================================
With the gnomes and horses in tow, you head to the nearby stables, where the stablemaster is outfitting a horse, preparing it for the next switching of horses.
Not until you knock on the wooden wall, does he notice you.
His eyes grow big. "My horses! You've found them!", he does a quick inspection of them, walking around them in the process.
When done, he turns to you with a most relieved smile.
"Thank you, thank you so much. These are not merely horses, but also strong breeding stock."
" We did not find them dear horseman, but rather these fellow landwalkers. They were tricked by the same fellow who took them in the first place! They should be congratulated as heros for helping to return the horses, even at they lose of their hard earned money, something you should surely help reward them for as well. How miser would it be for the ones who returned your horses to be left with nothing, what kind of example would that set? Terrible for business if word got out someone who helped you was not rewarded."
We did not find them dear horseman, but rather these fellow landwalkers. They were tricked by the same fellow who took them in the first place! They should be congratulated as heros for helping to return the horses, even at they lose of their hard earned money, something you should surely help reward them for as well.
"Sorry to hear it. I can't spare much, i've got my own daily expenses, and i spent what i saved up on getting the guild to look for these horses. I don't earn money like a jewel crafter or merchant does."
He hands each gnome 5 gold. Not much by a long shot, but the clothes the man wears himself are basics as well.
How miser would it be for the ones who returned your horses to be left with nothing, what kind of example would that set? Terrible for business if word got out someone who helped you was not rewarded."
The stablemaster's grateful look turns to a frown.
"I never expected the guild to employ extortionists, because that's a clear threat of slander. Terrible for business if word got out guildmembers have started to resort to such criminal etiquette."He stays quiet for a moment to let it mutually sink in.
"Now, for these fellows' sake, i genuinely hope you catch that thief.
The city watch is already looking, but per chance you can help them with information?"
Vasaam hears the threat, and the valid response. "Sorry sir, and that is a good suggestion. We were going to try and track the thieves next. But a short stop to inform the city guard does sound like a good idea. Thank you.
" It is words that needed said. One can never know the whole truth until all is said. You have been wronged like them, but yours has been corrected. We must now correct their harm. Why do we not split to a degree, some go to the guards, the others work on tracking? We can follow a known marked trail of friends easier than one who is trying to hide. Should not take that long?" Coraline is trying for the middle ground, to make all of those happy who have issues.
" It is words that needed said. One can never know the whole truth until all is said. You have been wronged like them, but yours has been corrected. We must now correct their harm. Why do we not split to a degree, some go to the guards, the others work on tracking? We can follow a known marked trail of friends easier than one who is trying to hide. Should not take that long?" Coraline is trying for the middle ground, to make all of those happy who have issues.
Stablemaster:
"Threatening people are words -not- needing to be said. Not everyone has equal funds for unexpected events. Nor should all people be assumed misers."Having said that, he bids you a good day and luck in case you find the thief.
The gnomes stand watching the whole cityfolk interactions. The frazzled one's gaze seemingly noticing a food stall.
"We're getting some food, then we'll go back. Maybe we'll meet again, maybe not. At the very least, thanks for trying to get us something."
"I agree. Thieves give all a bad name. It is not just the trait of evil seamen after all. We all should strive to ensure that we help others."
"I agree as well. But I am also curious about the gnome's lack of concern over their loss. Or do they just think that our statement that we would try to track down the real thieves to get their money back is just empty words?"
150 gold is a lot to just walk away from and not care.
The gnomes leave through the gates, after purchasing some foods.
With one job completed and to cash in, you first make a stop at a guardsmen station in the southern part of the city.
The sergeant in charge, a human man in his mid-20s with a set of distinctly shaven sideburns, takes notes of the description you give him about the thief.
"Okay, a rugged and deceitful type. Barely carrying weapons, strong arms, and bearing the signs of past physical harm."
"Well, as this was also a crime against an asset of the city, if this leads to the arrest of the thief, there could be a tip when he's behind bars. Not a bounty-level sum, but a thank you would be set aside."
Coraline tries to puzzle out what she knew of landwalker customs and thinks this maybe a good course of action to head after the thief.
The summarized details the guard sergeant notes down, forms some sort of a picture.
Given the culprit's strong arms and lack of weapons, he might be confident in fists.
Given the details of a missing tooth and a cauliflower ear, this man may well have received some solid impacts to his head.
A rough exterior.
Qualities one could think of when speaking about for example criminal enforcers, or someone spending time in unarmed fights in an unsavory environment.
You leg it through the city, and another hour down the road outside of the city.
The thickets is an area rife with vines, brambles, and other tough non-tree plant growth. Though this plant growth are not trees, they do grow high in the areas further away from the road, fixers have said that some parts form like a natural maze.
As they travel over the land and everything else, Coraline seems to dry out some. She loses some of her natural energy, and it is clear the heat is getting to her, more so due to the distance from any water she could find at least. She keeps an eye out, hoping to find something worthwhile with her efforts
Vasaam follows along letting others lead the group.
The road's pretty firm, as is most of The Thickets's ground and vegetation.
Still, signs of something heavy having gone over a set of vines, is picked up by both Coraline and Lariel.
Nausicaa and Vasaam seemed to have been distracted by the environment itself. A hedgehog was scurrying away from the visitors.
Coraline notices something else, too.
Hanging stuck on a thorny brambled bush, is a decorative necklace.
She carefully plucks it away, avoiding any prickling it could inflict on her hand.
You find traces of hooves tracks and two foot wide grooves trailing with them.
Eventually the splits, with the horse tracks going left, and shallow footprints going to the right. Looks like three sets of them.
Coraline clearly sees the traces of the hooves tracks, and points them out to the group. " It really is much easier to track things on land than the sea. You would not believe how hard it is for me to find things that run."
"Makes sense. We know where the horses ended up. Maybe those tracks are the thieves?"