At Garen's challenge, the sheriff scowls, crossing his arms. "Frankly, I don't see how any of us can do much at this point. Father Zantus has been informed of the developments, but we don't know who in town is aiding the goblins, and we don't have the numbers to raid one of their settlements, not even with you six." Sheriff Hemlock sighs, and his face softens. "Look, I want to track down these maniacs just as badly as you do. In a perfect world, I'd be out there, taking the fight to them now. But at the moment, there's no course of action that won't do more harm than good, so the best thing we can do is nothing and hope things work out."
Erridon hears the words, and the tired resignation in the sheriff's voice. He understands the frustration of wanting to do something but being constrained by responsibilities. "We'll do our part Sheriff."
"But, let's get Tot over to the Dragon so Ameiko can assure her that her absence hasn't cost her a job!"
Tot blushes at Ari's teasing, but the small, sincere smile and whispered thanks she gives him when the others aren't looking tell of her gratitude. That she still holds his hand speaks further to it.
"To the Dragon!"
Tot shakes her head when Garen asks if anyone wants to join him in searching the graveyard for clues.
"I-I need to get back to the Rusty Dragon and Ameiko. She's probably wondering where I am," she explains in a soft voice.
"I might join you, Master Garen, at least until we get to the church. Joining you in the graveyard seems risky, though. People know me here, if there's one place I'd have been visiting if I went there... It would be Father Tobyn's crypt. Our only advantage right now seems to be the fact that whoever did this doesn't know we know there was more behind the goblin attack. Of course, your presence there might place them on guard as well, but I think it's easier to explain of your set on going." Zorlen says as he ponders their options, and nods to the group heading for the Dragon. "Shouldn't be too difficult to convince people that you're just visiting a friend's grave."
"I'll check the graveyard, sure."
Tot nods, grateful that she wasn't getting dragged along on another errand. She walks beside Ari, still holding his hand, as they head back to the Rusty Dragon.
When Tot finally returns to the Rusty Dragon, she goes to find Ameiko to see what needs to be done to prepare for the dinner rush that would be coming as people arrived in town or came in after a long day's work. As she helps Ameiko in the kitchen, Tot works up the courage to ask one of the questions that'd been bothering her.
"M-m-miss A-ameiko? W-why did you hire me," she blurts out when she finally does get past the mental and emotional block.
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Isidiana seems frozen for a moment as the party... splits.
A lot of stories go very badly this way... She thinks then takes a breath "Be careful Garen, Grod, and Zoren if there are signs of more trouble please come get us. I'll hit the Dragon as I suspect I'm good at that morale social stuff... folks LOVE a bard... sometimes we're so popular we get chased out of towns, mostly by angry fathers and husbands... odd that."
So she gets to the Dragon and sees Tot rush right to the kitchen...
Maybe I'll have her story substitute face 'the fires of hell to fight the great beast' , sounds more exciting than 'went to the oven to make yeast rise'
As for herself, the gnome starts chatting up folks, asking if they have a preference for this or that song, and in so doing tries to gather a bit of information from locals that might be of use to the investigation.
Well, she learns some folks favorite songs, of course, and Ole Cole shows her the gout on his foot which kind of kills her appetite.