Biter nods at all the introductions. He reckoned he didn't need an introduction. Though when the half-giant gives his name, Biter becomes acutely aware that he's still carrying the torn-off toe-nail of a hill giant… quickly stuffing it back into his belt pouch.
He's quiet on the way to their destination, whistling tunelessly as he stalks near the human boy Ryu. At one point, he speaks up, "So… Friend Ameiko was'ing notting to ever be talking 'bout a smaller brood-mate."
EDIT: am unable to edit or delete the comment anymore, so just ignore that part :(
"A pleasure, Alkaid, the name's Sparrow. I believe you caught everyone's name back at the Dragon. Kurgess huh? What brings you around here?"
as the groups walks to the Sandpoint Garrison she introduces herself
"I am Alkaid, a traveling priestess of Kurgress."
"I travel around, and I just happened to be here."
Running from the Inn, Cilyanka catches up to the group. At her side swings a strange double bladed sword that glistens like black glass.
[b]Wait up guys![b]
As she catches up to the group, Cilyanka seems to almost shimmer, eyes igniting with a smoldering fire and small horns sprouting from her head.
Ameiko came as well, and speaks to the Sheriff.
"Sheriff Hemlock, just what happened?"
The sheriff looks up ans says. "Well, according to Korvut and Quink here, Das' son Simon appeared outside the door to his home."
"Still looking like he did when he vanished. He was just 9 years old. Why didn't anyone do something? I, I, I ain't doin' anything either. You find him, you clear this up, 'cause I ain't openin' the forge or anything until he's at rest. You can lock me up all you want, I'll give this town just wat it gave my family...nothing!"
"Korvut we tried. We lost 25 people before we found him out!"
"Yea, like you care. You're only sheriff 'cause the Chopper killed Casp Avertin!"
"Easy friend, we just want to help."
"What did the spirit say?"
As she catches up to the group, Cilyanka seems to almost shimmer, eyes igniting with a smoldering fire and small horns sprouting from her head.
Strae notes the transformation, shakes his head in disbelief, and says with amusement. "Is anyone in this town just run-of-the-mill?"
Strae notes the transformation, shakes his head in disbelief, and says with amusement. "Is anyone in this town just run-of-the-mill?"
"Pfft, run-of-the-mill is boring. Crazy and unusual is more exciting, let's you live life fuller! Though I have to ask, what's to strange about me?" She looks humourously at the gnome.
"I travel around, and I just happened to be here."
"Welcome to Sand Point! Glad to see you're willing to help too, what with spirits and all involved."
"Talk about a horny girl..." Ryu mumbled as he got for a moment distracted by how Cilyanka appeared. "Mill? depends on what kind of mill you think of I guess." As he replied to this "question" of Strea, Ryu took a step to the left to see if Cilyanka also has a tail hidden behind her. "As for me, I seriously hope I am completely normal, but then again, when madmen surround you the norms change and you become the crazy one." He stepped back beside the goblin then looked at Ameiko. "Sis, I would like to have your answer once we are not this ...crowded." He kept silent for a moment, awaiting the reply, meanwhile looking across the group again. "Seriously though, good we don't travel like this in some other city, we would be thought of as a wandering circus most likely."
"This Chopper sounds bad. Let's get 'im."
The big man says with emphasis.
"Pfft, run-of-the-mill is boring. Crazy and unusual is more exciting, let's you live life fuller! Though I have to ask, what's to strange about me?" She looks humourously at the gnome.
Strae answers with appreciation, "You are the most amiable Elf I've yet met. Some of your brethren can be a bit... uh... aloof and just a shade remote." He smiles, "You are delightfully different."
"I'm sorry, Ryu, I'm just a bit distracted right now. Biter is a friend. He can be very helpful. We've worked out an agreement with the sheriff and the mayor about his presence in town. Even Shalelu tolerates him. Still, it doesn't hurt to have someone along with him when he's in town, for his sake. It's far to easy for other people to blame him just because he's a goblin."
She smiles at Ryu. "Normally he'd just stay at the Dragon and I'd be able to vouch for him, but with Tsuto back I'm not sure just how much time I'll be spending with Father and him."
She puts an arm around your shoulders for a brief hug. "If the two of you will just take care of each other, it would be a great load off my mind."
The sheriff looks at Brindolfin. "The Chopper was a very bad man. Fortunately, he's been dead for years. Jervis Stoot seemd to be nothing more than an excentric woodcarver with a bird fixation, but he slaughtered 25 people in town, cut out their eyes and tongues and offered them to some odd bird idol he kept in his basement. Das' son's body was the only one we never found. The last victim was the former sheriff and when we tracked the bloodstaind trail from that battle, we found Stoot had cut out his own eyes and tongue and laid them on his makeshift altar before he died."
Das speaks up then, his voice bitter with loss and rage. "Yes, he's dead, by his own hand. But my boy, my Simon, he's never been found. Now he's trying to come home. If this town ever wants me to do something for it, it had better do something for me. Find him!"
"Seems to me, when you think you see something, you see something. Only way to find out what is to go look. Best I say is to show us where you saw him, see what we can find. Quink, you wanna show us where you saw him? I think the sheriff needs to get Das's story, right?" She gives Sheriff Belor a mischivious wink when Das isn't looking.
Ryu hugs her back. "Fine, I understand there is too much going on right now. I am not bothered by the presence of a goblin, I am sure he is a better conversation partner than some humans I met." He smiles honestly. "I will see to his safety if that is what you wish of me, and we can talk later about family matters."
As soon as Ryu turns away from his sister his expression changes and becomes cold and emotionless. "I want to see that bird idol, now." Ryu suddenly spoke to the sheriff, meanwhile touching his symbol below his shirt with the right hand.
Something with the story didn't feel right.
To the Sheriff: "Not to doubt anyone, but are you sure the Chopper took the poor lad? It doesn't sound like this murderer went out of his way to hide his deeds."
Sheriff Hemlock says " There doesn't seem to be much doubt. He and his mother were returning from services held at the Chapel, prayers to Desna for the souls of those victims we'd found so far. His mother's -body- was found just outside the door of the forge" here he looks cautiously over at the greiving smith "mutilated exactly like the others. We searched the town but no trace of the boy was found."
He looks over at Ryu. "We were unable to remove the man-size idol from the complex below his cottage. We burnt the cottage and his remains and sealed off the complex. It seemed best at the time."
Brodert Quink speaks up then,the sage displaying his usual arrogance. "That may have been the mistake, Sheriff. The idol should have been examined more. The King of the Wind Demons has many followers and if there were more folks in the cult, we might have been able to locate them."
Cilyanka says, Of course we'll help you Das. It's not right that you were never able to lay your son to rest.
Das Korvut begins to rant again."Stoot ain't gone and you know it. You've been hearing about that 'Stoot bird' show'n up and bringing disasters. He's back somehow and I bet that's why Simon's back, too. To warn us. Do something!"
Sheriff Hemlock turns to Ameiko in frustration. "Do you think you and the others could head out to Chopper's Isle to check it out? I know Shaleleu's not back but I heard Sandru just got in."
Ameiko shakes her head. "I'm sorry, Sheriff but given my family situation at this time..."
"Of course the mighty adventuress can't be bothered to do something for the town, too busy playing nobility..." rants Das.
Ameiko continues, as if she hadn't heard him. "I'm quite certain these folks, along with my brother as town representative, would be willing to at least check out the ruins. And if they do find something, some trace of the boy...wasn't there a reward from the town that was never claimed? I'm sure I could talk Mayor Deverin into freeing it up from the treasury."
Cilyanka stands silently for a moment, staring at her feet, then looks up smiling. Of course I would be willing to help Das. I may be just a waitress but I'll do everything I can to help a friend in need.
Cilyanka stamps her foot at Das, And you, you know darned well I was just a child when The Chopper went on his rampage. Don't you dare go flinging random accusations. We'll help you find what happened to your son.
"I'm curious about the complex below the cottage, as it may have secrets that you did not find, and there having been a cult there."
"I'd rather start checking out where the boy was sighted. See if we can find anything out. But if we wanna had out to the island, I'll come along."
"Sounds exciting; maybe this complex has some treasures."
The sage says "I'd be glad to show you just where I saw the boy. Just outside the Red Dog Smithy. But I'd rather have Das along, those dogs of his can be vicious."
"I agree we should investigate the smithy. I might be best if we waited for the dawn before investigating this complex. It might also be prudent to talk to the local clergy about how to best purify the taint of the place and how to go about putting the poor boy's soul to rest"
"I'd rather start checking out where the boy was sighted. See if we can find anything out. But if we wanna had out to the island, I'll come along."
"True, it would be good to see the sight of where the boy disappeared. But I'm wondering how compromised the scene is?"
"Dang, was hoping to pawn him off on the sheriff. Oh well, hopefully he behaves himself," Sparrow thinks to herself before speaking. "Smithy now then, and to the island in the morning? Seems best idea so far. If everyone agrees, lead on Das."
The very tall, ruddy-faced man brushes his bushy muttonchop whiskers, stans up and says "If you mean that, let's go."
He leads you out of the Garrison, north along Mainstreet, then east on Tower to where it becoms High street and from there north again on Festival to the Red Dog Smithy.
Several large red-haired dogs bark at you until he hushes them. Das' dogs
The sage Quink suddenly says "Now that's odd. I just realized. They didn't bark at the boy."
Das says "Yep. they never bark at him. They do kinda whine, but they aren't guarding against him."
The gnome jogs along to keep up with the group. He eyes the (from his perspective) horse-sized dogs. "Perhaps I should throw a saddle over one of those brutes - make a fine steed." Straehan casts his eyes about the area for any clues related to the mysterious ghost or anything of note.
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Biter stalks along with the group. One of Biter's first lessons learned in Sandpoint was to keep his mouth shut if he wanted the locals to keep cool heads… at all. So he kept his mouth shut through the realization that Friend Ameiko had apparently ordered the boy to "see to his safety", and he'd kept his mouth shut as the stupid drunk human had mouthed off to Friend Ameiko.
So Biter stalks along with the group… absolutely fuming, red eyes focused tightly on the street ahead of him, tiny hand idly swatting at passing doors, weeds, and odd items. He's pulled out of his brooding by the gnome -- who had somehow been quiet enough to escape Biter's notice until now. The realization tips his anger.
"Perhaps I should throw a saddle over one of those brutes - make a fine steed."
"Biter is'ing pay monies to be seeing that one, gnome." Biter -- in a show of either stupidity or bravado -- steps over to the closest dog. He swaggers right up to it and begins to get right in its face, red globes locking on canine eyes. "Biter is notting to know muching of ghosts. Are normal ghosts having much smell?" He sniffs twice and growls, "Mutt is'ing to have much smells." Your'e not sure if he's talking to the group or the dog.
The dog sniffs at Biter as he gets up in her face.
Her tail starts to wag and she starts to lick Biter's face. to those familar with dogs, the sounds she is making sound like a female with her puppy.
"Ruby you dumb critter, down!"snaps Das.
"Many animals are sensitive to other-worldly issues and events" says Quink. "Perhaps the creatures sense the ghost."
"The Red Dog Smithy, you smart types can find some clues. I'll watch your back." Brin bends down and lets the dogs sniff his hands.
Letting the hunter instinct take over, Sparrow begins searching the area, becoming quiet in comparison to earlier. Carefully and meticulously, she searches for any signs of a boy having been in the area, only asking needed questions. "Where specifically did you see the boy?"
Kaddoc pokes about looking for any physical sign of the 'ghost'.
"If anyone has the talent, it might not hurt to feel about for the taint of magic."
"Perhaps I should throw a saddle over one of those brutes - make a fine steed."
"Biter is'ing pay monies to be seeing that one, gnome."
The Gnome doesn't even blink before answering, "How much? And the name is Straehan or Strae."
You can't spot any tracks Sparrow, however you do spot a funny little bit of grafitti resembling a three-eyed jackal thing scrawled on the wall of one of the buildings.
"Huh, what do you guys make of this? Haven't seen anything like it before." She points the symbol out to everyone.
Cilyanka steps forward to peer more closely at the symbol. That's pretty cool Sparrow, but I don't recognize it at all. Do you know what it stands for?