Etienne looks at Coppertop and Caerival and asks, "Did you feel that, too?"
Caerival breaks his long silence with a deep intake of air.
"Spring turns to Summer then to Autumn. Winter comes as it always has but is soon followed by Spring again. Gozrah teaches us that all things are appointed a time to be born and then to die. It is the way of everything under the sun. It is good to mourn the Winter when the hope of Spring is in your heart with the understanding that hope is not anxiety for what might be, but rather a longing for what is sure to come." The druid pauses a bit too long before continuing.
"I did feel something and it felt like a Winter that lingers too long."
Gloam nuzzles Caerivals hand for attention and the druid smiles.
Etienne looks for Caerival. Seeing him, Etienne does not waste any time and asks him, "Caerival, can you give us an idea of the sort of opposition that we might expect when we go to your forest?"
"I am afraid not. There are goblins in the woods like fleas on a dog. Everywhere there are signs, but I do not know their number or strength. If they are anything like the beasts of yesterday's calamity then I fear we should excersize extreme caution. Mayhaps we should inquire with the local law?"
"A capital idea. Let's go talk to, um... Coppertop, who handles law enforcement here?"
Talacyst's face whitens visibly. "I felt something... a great jolt." The elf sits in quiet contemplation for a moment.
In response to Etienne Nevar’s question Coppertop beams and says enthusiastically, “That would be Sheriff Hemlock.” Coppertop starts to say something but then stops and restarts. He tries to make it sound like he is adding emphasis to what he was going to say but his sharp eared and keen witted friends realize that he started to say one thing but thought better of it and instead says something completely different. “He’s the man…He’s the bravest man in Sandpoint!”
"Coppertop, would you be so kind as to lead us to the good sheriff?" Caerival asks and stands.
"Meh?" Gloam asks.
"Yes, my friend, we are going outside." the druid replies.
"As lovly as this place may be," he explains to the group while indicating the Rusty Dragon, "it is a bit too...surrounding for our tastes."
Coppertop starts to stand but stops half way out of his chair. A quizzical look crosses his face and he says, “Should we wait until after we meet with Nobleman Foxglove?” He looks intently at his comrades while awaiting their replies.
Coppertop starts to stand but stops half way out of his chair. A quizzical look crosses his face and he says, “Should we wait until after we meet with Nobleman Foxglove?” He looks intently at his comrades while awaiting their replies.
Talacyst nods. "Yes, I believe Rel said that Foxglove would be coming by around breakfast. I'd rather not miss our appointment. I think you and Gloam could step out for a while, Caerival - we'll be sure to get you when he comes."
Coppertop starts to stand but stops half way out of his chair. A quizzical look crosses his face and he says, “Should we wait until after we meet with Nobleman Foxglove?” He looks intently at his comrades while awaiting their replies.Talacyst nods. "Yes, I believe Rel said that Foxglove would be coming by around breakfast. I'd rather not miss our appointment. I think you and Gloam could step out for a while, Caerival - we'll be sure to get you when he comes."
"Eh, oh the noble...I can be patient but I don't really think any special attention is merrited. I would have come to the aid of any in need."
"mmEEEhh," Gloam whines and plops back down on his hunches. He crosses his front legs and rests his head.
"Hush now." Caerival whispers kindly.
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The noble comes down the stairs into the dining room, spots the heros and walks directly over to you with a big smile on his face. He greets each of you and thanks you all over again. I hope you all slept well? Please all of you sit and join me in breaking our fasts. He sits and waves for a server to come over. A lovely young girl comes over and takes each your orders, please order whatever you'd like!
Coppertop grins and orders cold milk and warm honeyed rolls. He then sits back, enjoys his meal, and basks in the moment.
"That is very generous, kind sir." Caerival says. He thinks for awhile and then orders. "Could I please get a bowl goats milk with oats and barley and some bark from a cherry sapling if you have it..." he smiles and looks down at Gloam. "And I'll have the same, please."
"Praise, Iomedae, I am still here to greet another."
"Tis written somewhere that a hearty breakfast is the cornerstone of any successful day."
Smiling at the barmaid, "I shall have some eggs, rolls and a mug of strong coffee."
"Just a bit of vegetables and some fresh bread, I think. Thank you for your hospitality." The elf begins to eat slowly, looking interestedly towards the noble.
"As our bellies anticipate the morning's breakfast, perhaps our ears can fill with news. To what purpose do you ask our gathering?" Caerival directs to the noble.
"Yes, Lord Foxglove. To what do we this unexpected generosity?"
Rel relaxes with his new friends after having a good nights rest. The Rusty Dragon has very comfortable accomidations he notes and is very glad he came to this little friendly town. A good place to stay for awhile and it seems his help is need with all the threats surrounding this nice little quaint town. He orders a simple breakfast of porrage, eggs, bacon and bread with some fresh water to wash it all down. He listens to what the noble has to say.
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The noble shifts in his seat with excitement, he seems in awe of the heros. I am very greatful to all of you for saving my life and I can't believe how daring you all were. Those goblins scared the life out of me, I couldn't move, and seeing master Etienne just rush right up and attack that goblin riding that ugly dog was amazing. How could you do such a thing master Etienne? I mean I could never do that myself I dont think. What was on your mind when you attacked? And master Coppertop, you just raced up without a thought and helped you friend when he took that wicked cut from the goblin? It happened so fast and all of you just acted. That magic that blinded the goblin was brilliant, I didn't even see who created such a wonderful diversion to help master Etienne? The noble calms for a moment out of breath in all of his excitement over having breakfast with true heros.
Etienne smiles and politely answers Lord Foxglove, “I am but a man, Lord Foxglove. If anything, it is by the grace of the gods that such feat of arms is possible. Mortal man can only do so much. But if you are looking for a hero, look no further than young Coppertop over here. It was through his timely intervention that I was able to do what I did.”
Coppertop smiles shyly, turns red, and slinks back in his chair. It is clear that he is uncomfortable with all the praise he is hearing but pleased nonetheless. He points to his friends seated around the table and mumbles words to the effect that they did all the work; he was just glad he could help. He casually looks around to see if Ameiko is nearby. He hopes she overheard. :)
Talacyst nods. "Yes, and don't forget our friend Caerival. He strode right into the middle of those goblins to restore our wounds - our battle very well may have ended unpleasantly without his aid."
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Indeed master Talacyst your druid friend was a great asset in the battle as was master Rel with his spot on archery skills. I hope one day I can be like you gentlemen. Sorry for the quick departure but I must be on way. Enjoy your breakfast and I hope we will get to meet again. Thank you again for saving my life. With that the odd noble gets up and leaves the inn. The noble nods to the sheriff as they pass in the doorway. The sheriff spots everyone enjoying breakfast and comes over to your table.
Good morning to you all, I hope you all rested well last night. When you are done it would please me if you'd come over to the town hall for a meeting. He nods and leaves you to your breakfast and companionship.
Rel says good bye to the noble as he makes a hasty departure, his food just arriving at the table. Nobles are always a funny bunch he thinks. With a shrug he dives into his breakfast. Not even after he's taken his first bite the sheriff is at the table. He tries to swallow quickly and wishes the sheriff a good morning. As quick as the noble was with them and then gone so is the sheriff. Rel looks at his friends and says For a small town, people sure do act like they are in the big city, never sitting still, always somewhere to go. Oh well so what do you all say, should we go and see what this meeting is all about... Rel digs back into his breakfast before it gets cold waiting to hear what his new friends think...
Coppertop gulps down his breakfast and waits excitedly for everyone else to finish. He can’t wait to meet with Sheriff Hemlock. And at the town hall no less!
"The blessing of Iomedae go with you, Lord Foxglove."
Talacyst nods goodbye to Lord Foxglove, and finishes his meal. As soon as he is finished, he gets his possessions together and says that he's ready to head to the meeting.
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The group leaves the Rusty Dragon and heads over to the town hall following Coppertop. Once there you are escorted to the mayors office. Once in the room you see the sheriff who introduces you to the two ladies in the room. The first is the mayor, Kendra Deverin, she is dress in fine clothes, her hair is kept cropped short and has a very big warm smile on her face once you enter. The sheriff introduces the other lady as an "unofficial member of Sandpoint's town guard" which brings a smirk from the beautiful elven female clad in wilderness gear.
He introduces you to the ladies as "Sandpoint's newest crop of heroes." The sheriff explains to you Shalelu here has been a thorn in the side of the local goblins tribes for years and that few in the region know more about them than her. Also we are not the only ones that have had goblin troubles. Their have been raids all along the Lost Coast Road, particularly in the dale between Nettlewood and Mosswood. Only a day ago, a farm south of Mosswood was burnt to the ground by a group of goblins and thankfully Shalelu was nearby to help save the family. The sheriff then turns to Shalelu and gives her the floor to speak.
She stands and says"Belor's told me of your work against the goblins--well done! I've dedicated the last several years of my life to keeping them from causing to much trouble around these parts, but they're tenacious and fecund little runts. Like weeds that bite.
"Anyway, there's five major goblin tribes in the region, and, traditionally, they're pretty good at keeping each other in line with intertribal squabbles and the like. Yet from what I've been able to piece together, members of all five tribes were involved in the raid on Sandpoint. A fair amount of the Mosswood tribe goblins I dealt with yesterday were already pretty beat up, and there was a lot of chatter about the 'longshanks' who killed so many of them. Now that I have met you , it seems obvious from their descriptions who they were talking about. Seems like you made an impression."
"In any event, the fact that the five tribes are working together disturbs me. Goblin tribes don't get along unless they've got something big planned, and big plans require big bosses. I'm afraid that someone's moved in on the goblins and organized them. And judging by these recent raids, what they're organizing seems like bad news for all of us."
She sits down and takes a drink of water. The sheriff stands again and statesI'm going to Magnimar with a few of my men to see about securing additional soldiers to help out Sandpoint for a few weeks. While I am gone I have asked Shalelu to sniff around Shanks Wood, Devil's Platter, and other places where goblins live to see if she can discover anything else about whats going on. And I would like to ask you fine heroes if you would keep a public presence in Sandpoint while I am gone? The locals have seemed to have taken to you...
Coppertop barely lets Sheriff Hemlock finish speaking before he enthusiastically yelps, “ Yes!” Then, feeling a little embarrassed, he blushes. In a much more reasoned tone he ask, “Will we get badges?” A bright smile replaces the redness on his face.
"The blessing of Iomedae be with you, Madame Mayor, Sheriff and Madame Shalelu."
"I am inclined to help but I have previously given my word to Master Caerival here that I shall help him in ridding his forest of goblins. Perhaps, Master Caerival, we can delay our expedition until the Sheriff returns?"
Talacyst smiles, and he still seems somewhat tired from the recent battling. "I had no idea that when I stepped in back then I'd end up with some expectations..."
"But, of course, sir, I'd be happy to help out the town."
A fair amount of the Mosswood tribe goblins I dealt with yesterday were already pretty beat up, and there was a lot of chatter about the 'longshanks' who killed so many of them.
"...I'm afraid I'll show my own ignorance, but what is a Longshank? Another tribe of goblins?"
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Talacyst smiles, and he still seems somewhat tired from the recent battling. "I had no idea that when I stepped in back then I'd end up with some expectations..."
"But, of course, sir, I'd be happy to help out the town."
A fair amount of the Mosswood tribe goblins I dealt with yesterday were already pretty beat up, and there was a lot of chatter about the 'longshanks' who killed so many of them."...I'm afraid I'll show my own ignorance, but what is a Longshank? Another tribe of goblins?"
The sheriff smiles and says to Talacyst, A longshank is us! Human or elves who are taller than them. They are not very original as you can see and they lump all of us tall folk together. The information we have recieved though is the longshanks they speak of is you heroes. They are not very bright so to them you are quite memorable. He sits back, thinks for a minute, and says You would be doing me a great service if you'd watch over our town while I am gone, and I thank you all for your support. The best help you can give is just to keep visible to the towns folk, they will feel safer for it. Keep an eye out for more of those goblins and if you do, you may act as you see fit to keep this town safe. The mayor is nodding to all the words the sheriff says. If you'd like more information on goblins of this area I am sure Shalelu here will be more than happy to talk to you about them and their way of life. It might just give you an edge in the future but I hope it won't come to that.
Fael wanders around town for a while, trying to get her bearings, and fiddling around with her holy symbol. She's not afraid, and shows it, but she seems a little bemused.
As she passes the large, well-armored Coppertop, she comments, "You're very shiny," in strangely-accented common.
She starts to walk on, then stops, and since he looks like he belongs here, she asks, "Is there a good inn here? I don't want...um... bugs? in my bed."
She continues to look at him with her over-large blue eyes.
Coppertop smiles at the little girls comment. Her question catches him completely off guard. “A good inn…? Where are your parents? And who are you? I don’t remember ever seeing you in Sandpoint”, says Coppertop with a concerned look on his face. He looks around to see if Etienne Nevar and the strange tattooed elf have walked out of site yet. Seeing that they have not he calls out to them. If he can get their attention he will wave them on over.
Blackleaf nods to the smiling man.The black and white tattooed elf was not used to such things among the city folk he had meet in his travels.He had fit in best among the tattooed sailors but even among them he had stood out.Even many among them had been but off by his size.Towns people were most often put off by his fierce look and the fact that his ax was rally slung or holster but carried most times
'This place' he thinks to himself 'might be worth a better look"
Fael shrugs and says, "Dunno, really. It's all a little funny in my head. I'm pretty sure my mother sent me here though, and I'll need a place to sleep. That's what inns are, yes? My name's Fael. This town is pretty little, but if you don't know where an inn is, that's okay. I'm sure I can find someone who can give me directions. You just looked like you knew your way around, but maybe it was just because you're so shiny. Anyway, mother said I should go to Sandpoint. Dunno why, but she's usually right about things like that. This is Sandpoint, isn't it? It's all so confusing, sometimes. Hey! Maybe one of these guys knows where I can find an inn. I'm awful tired. I think I traveled a long time to get here. Do you think they'll have any soup at the inn. I like soup a lot, 'specially the kind with mushrooms in it. Mother says be careful of mushrooms, 'cause sometimes, they look okay to eat, but they're poison."
She pauses to yawn, hugely.
"Hey, little girl. Are you lost?"
black leaf glanced down at the child Etienne with many titles had spoken too 'she looks like someone who just reached naming age among his people. she carried weapons an armor like a named tribe member.but city folk did things different he had learned.'odd he thought to himself he switched his ax to his off and and knelled down on one knee more to level out with the child"are you a warrior child?" he asked her in his quite voice.
Black leaf looks back to etienne with many titles and says"Among your people perhaps ,my people understand that life is conflict. and she is armed and carry s herself like someone trained to do so"
Returning to home after a good walk in the wilds surrounding the town Vraelyn smiles peacefully. Her companion a noble bird with wings the color of thunderheads and a crownlike crest of tousled feathers circles overhead, keeping a keen eye out over the comings and goings about Sandpoint. Not usually one to meddle in the affairs of others she doesn't stop at the group of men talking to a child, that is until she hears the girl say 'Mother says be careful of mushrooms, 'cause sometimes, they look okay to eat, but they're poison'
Smiling she shakes her head lightly and looks at the girl. "Your mother is a wise woman, but should you ever wish to learn which mushrooms to pick and which are best to avoid I'm sure I, or someone else at the Academy could find the time to teach you" She offers politely with a small incline of her head, normally she wouldn't have spoken but she always hated the idea of people being entirely ignorant of the natural world.
the tattooed elf stands and turns to the new comer. he places he left and sideways over his heart and tilts his head to the right."Kaerol jhadia ,Ai eis shalaes os mermani thysaer Ai kaer o.Tae si kyr shaer o eil
caer o mari ail o cel"
Fael tries to look at everyone at once, making her appear considerably more startled-looking than she actually is.
"No," she says to the knight, "I'm right where I'm supposed to be."
"I don't think I'm a warrior child," she replies to the elf, "Do you paint your face like that to be scary? I guess somebody might think that you were, but I like it. It suits you."
"Oh, I just won't pick mushrooms," she says to the nice lady, "I prolly don't have time to go to school right now. Mother wouldn't send me here if I didn't have something to do."
Then she looks at everyone, her face a mask of exasperation, "Do any of you know where the inn is?"
"Actually, we are headed to an inn now, little girl."
Fael smiles brightly at the thought of finally getting some soup, "Well, I could just follow you then. My name's Fael."
Touching his tattoos he says"Thea's child are called ruja ki they are a part of my soul a expression of my true self . My people believe who they are is inside and to understand oneself you must know who you are inside the ruja ki help bring forth your true self."
Bowing her head lightly in return to the other elf's greeting the druid smiles gently and responds int he same tongue.
Looking around the group she inclines her head in an apologetic bow. "But I see I have intruded too much already. It was good meeting you all, perhaps our paths will cross again" She declares almost hopefully, more than a little intrigued by the gathering.
Bowing her head lightly in return to the other elf's greeting the druid smiles gently and responds int he same tongue.
** spoiler omitted **
Looking around the group she inclines her head in an apologetic bow. "But I see I have intruded too much already. It was good meeting you all, perhaps our paths will cross again" She declares almost hopefully, more than a little intrigued by the gathering.
Blackleaf inclines his head"you have intruded not lady,I am new here myself and have a powerful thirst ." he looks down at vraelyn and points down the street with his ax. and in his accented common says We travel to yon inn care to accompany us lady blackleaf requires ale and
air car shael tilia tyl moli Ai ali kyreal sai mear sosti shor oli os tia orn col"it has been many moons since I have gotten to speed time with one of my own kind
Smiling warmly at Blackleaf the female elf nods. "When you put it that way, how could I possibly resist?" She replies. Keeping her eyes on the group before her she holds her hand out to the side and lightly clicks her tongue.
"That is of course if you don't mind Lightning joining us as well" She remarks smoothly as her storm roc companion swoops low and settles on her arm.
Smiling warmly at Blackleaf the female elf nods. "When you put it that way, how could I possibly resist?" She replies. Keeping her eyes on the group before her she holds her hand out to the side and lightly clicks her tongue.
"That is of course if you don't mind Lightning joining us as well" She remarks smoothly as her storm roc companion swoops low and settles on her arm.
he takes a look at the bird and smiles"Of course not lady ,he is a beautiful animal,well matched with his companion. shall we then lady?"