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You manage to bind the barely conscious Phaen and drag him back toward Lord Ulbrec's estate. As you pass by the barracks, the door flies open and Captain Swift emerges with a very perplexed expression. 'So, I take it things didn't go well with the wizard then? Quickly, bring him in here off the street. You can explain yourselves inside.' he says, gesturing toward the door.
"Teleportation... This seems far beyond the simple magics of a tribal shaman. I think we should tarry no longer, Lord Ulbrec must be informed of your findings immediately." Thomas says, rolling up the parchment and vellum as he motions toward the door.
Captain Swift collects the scrap of parchment and the vellum scroll, rolling them out on the desk for all to see. "I understand that some details were missed in your report last night; you're not soldiers, and I'm not surprised that in the excitement of last night's events that some details were forgotten. I only clued in that something may have been taken when I personally inspected Vghotan and found him disarmed. No harm done." he states calmly as he looks over the papers. "This map is a little crude, but it's reasonably accurate. This scrawl down here is written in goblin, though it's far better than the chicken scratch most of them produce when given an unknown. Looks like details of the patrol routes and timings..." he says, the familiar troubled expression crossing his face once more. "This confirms our suspicions of a traitor in our midst. I'm unfamiliar with the writing on this second scroll though, can any of you recognise it? Otherwise it might be worth showing to Lord Ulbrec's wife, Elytharra. She's an elf-maid, a wizard of no small skill and she may be able to decipher it."he says, rubbing his temples.
Thadaenn, Tuva, Tyrek, Khasos: You don't recognise the language but some of the markings are arcane runes, commonly used in scrolls of teleportation.
The barracks are plain and pragmatic, with little decoration inside save for a small shrine dedicated to Tempus, and another to Gwaeron Windstorm. Captain Swift escorts you all into a small room. "We recovered the bodies of all of the fallen Goblins last night. The leader, I believe your friend named him as Vghotan, had nothing on his person. Before we proceed to our appointment with the Lord, it is imperative that you divulge any further information you may have found in his possession. We need to paint a clear, concise picture of exactly what we're dealing with here. So, did you find anything on the Goblin which may have slipped your mind last night?" he asks, tapping his fingers on the desk in front of him.
The jealous glances intensify as Griff flaunts his meal in the face of the other patrons. Some stare menacingly, others return to their lackluster breakfasts with a grumble of disappointment. Nilah finishes up and approaches the large, rather loud Uthgardt trader who has taken up residence in the Salty Dog of late. Guthewulfe is a strange character, and after challenging the tiefling to a drinking competition which she politely refuses (it is breakfast time after all), he agrees to allow her to peruse his wares. She manages to barter a fair price for a healing potion, and returns to the table after finalizing her purchase. You all finish up your meals feeling satisfied and prepared for whatever the day may hold. Departing the Salty Dog is a different experience this morning; the usual allocation of four militia guards for the harbor has been doubled, and the whole district bustles with unfamiliar faces cleaning up the mess left behind after last night's battle. As you pass the partially burnt warehouse where this all began, you can see that it is cordoned off and a number of figures move about inside, investigating the interior of the building. The two guards posted to the entrance of the town proper halt you, then take your names before allowing passage. You make you way up the myriad of wooden steps before reaching Targos herself. Looking back down over the cliff, the harbor already seems like a bad memory. A crisp, winter breeze blows in from across the Shaengarne river as the sun finds a gap in the clouds to shine down upon the town, and you feel that today is the beginning of a new chapter in your lives. You make your way through Targos, en route to the barracks to find Captain Swift. The town looks devastated, as a number of buildings seem to have been partially or completely torn down to provide wood for Lord Ulbrec's most recent defensive addition to Targos; the Palisade. Some homes even appear to have been completely abandoned, with notes scratched on doors and walls stating the destination of the previous occupants. You finally reach the barracks, where Captain Swift awaits patiently outside.
"Before we speak with Lord Ulbrec, I require a moment of your time. Please, follow me." he states matter-of-factly as he leads you into the barracks.
Thomas eyes off the rest of the group briefly as they clamber out of Jorun's home before returning his attention to Khasos' tale. He listens intently as the half orc finishes his summary of the night's events, a troubled expression etched upon his weary face. "Well, I'm glad to see at least one of the mercenary companies here is interested in earning their keep. Well done, I'm impressed." he replies curtly as he sheathes his blade. "I respect that you've earned the trust of this goblin here enough to have him share so much information willingly, but we have protocols to abide by. I'm going to have to take him with me, he'll be placed in the stockades until such a time that we can determine exactly what his fate shall be. Lord Ulbrec will be interested in hearing your account firsthand; report to the barracks first thing tomorrow morning and I'll escort you personally. I'll make sure the harbor guards have your names, you'll have permission to enter the town proper under my authority. For now, I suggest you retire to your beds and rest up, I have a suspicion that tomorrow is going to be a busy day for you all." he says. With a gesture from their commander, two of the guards move to collect Chiglet as the rest of the formation disperses to begin a reconnaissance patrol of the harbor.
A dozen well-armed guards approach the small open shed within which you all stand. They fan out into a semi-circular formation, barring any opening you (and Chiglet) may have taken to leave. One steps forth with sword drawn, his red tabard signifying a superior rank of some kind. "I am Captain Thomas Swift, of the Targos Guard. What in the nine hells is going on here?" he asks sternly. |
