Shalelu Andosana NPC's page

Shalelu is already preparing to go when the party approaches her.

"Shalelu, ... May Desna's favor guide you."

"Yes, thanks. I may need it."

"It was Shalelu, right? I'm Kargas," the half-orc rumbles, sticking his hand out in the human style of greeting. "I understand if you've got preparations to get to for the scouting and such, but when you've got the time I'd like to ask you some questions about the surrounding territory and some of the bigger, nastier monsters that live in the region."

"Honored. Yeah, I guess I'd be the one to talk to about that. There aren't too many big critters around here worth getting too worked up over. There are a few Thawns on the moors but they are pretty cowardly. Maybe a few big things in the marsh. I suppose there's also Charlie. He knows well enough not to make too much trouble though."

"I really should get going. I've got a lot to do."

No, IIRC nothing specifically was discussed about Thistletop so far.

"Thisteltop?" Shalelu asks quizzically.

"Thistletop is the name of the main lair of the Thistletop tribe. It is a big rock just off the coast of the Nettlewood. It is connected to the mainland by a narrow rope bridge, and is surrounded by high cliffs. There's no easy approach. Getting in there would be rather tricky."

"How is Thistletop important?"

"My lords, if I may," Shalelu steps forward, and clears her throat.

"The Lady-Mayor asked me to examine the goblin equipment that was found after the goblin raid was driven off. About forty goblins were killed in the attack, and from what I understand half of those were killed by these six people gathered here today."

"There are five different goblin tribes living in the area around Sandpoint. From what I have been able to discern, all five tribes were involved in the attack. This is... unprecedented. For this to have happened, some powerful leader has to have emerged that all the goblins fear, enough to take orders from them. The goblins have a number of 'heroes,' but none of these champions currently possesses the power to achieve this, unless something has changed drastically."

"The Mosswood tribe is the strongest tribe in the region, with the most territory. About half the goblin warriors in the attack seem to have been Mosswood goblins. The Mosswoods do possess the strength to dominate the other tribes through direct force because of their numbers, but a war like that would have been obvious. It hasn't happened."

"The Thistletop tribe has their territory in the Nettlewood, just north of the Mosswood. A half-dozen of the dead goblins seemed to be from the Thistletop tribe."

"The Seven Tooth tribe is a smaller tribe that occupies the Shank's Wood, a little closer to town. Five of the bodies were from the Seven Tooths."

"The Licktoad tribe lives in the Brinestump Marsh. They don't usually have anything to do with the other tribes. Six of the dead were from the Licktoad tribe."

"And the Birdcruncher tribe lives in the Ravenroost and the caverns underneath. They are a small tribe and generally don't bother us much; they know how precarious their position is. Yet three of the dead were Birdcrunchers."

"The goblins may have been driven off, but if they remain united then the danger is far from over. The five tribes acting in concert could easily stage a much larger attack. I estimate that among the remaining goblin population there are between three hundred and four hundred goblins capable of bearing arms. If they came against the town en masse, our current defenses are nowhere near ready for them."

Sandpoint Hinterlands Map (for reference)

"If you will allow me, my Lord," Shalelu interrupts.

"Once in a while goblin tribes ally for some purpose or another. And sometimes one tribe is absorbed by another one. The relations between goblin tribes tend to be quite fluid."

"But I've looked over the goblin gear that was found after the raid. It seems that all five local tribes were involved. To my knowledge this has never happened before."

"...We also killed an etticaq... ettarcop... a spider creature in the wood near here. ..."

Shalelu looks up with curiosity.

"What's this about a 'spider creature?'"

Laurana stood silently, at a loss for words, finally. She was unsure what to do or say so she just stood there like a statue, only breaking momentarily to quickly wave at Shelalu when she thought no one was looking.

Shalelu nods at Laurana.

"Look at you! You went from an oddball looking at old potsherds to the toast of the town! I should pay more attention to those ruins."

Shalelu smiles and winks.