Korpi stares blankly at Kyran for a moment. "Why? All other goblins enemies, but why you think they stealed father what's-his-name's body?"
Korpi stares blankly at Kyran for a moment. "Why? All other goblins enemies, but why you think they stealed father what's-his-name's body?"
"I'm not entirely sure the goblins did steal the body. However, whoever used the goblins as a distraction may also be using them as a security screen, whether or not the goblins realize it." He pauses and looks thoughtfully at Korpi. "But if you have a better idea of where to begin looking, I'd be glad to hear it."
Korpi shrugs. "I not really care. I's happy to be killin' Thistletops."
Kyran turns around and gives Umlo a silly "WHY ME?!" facial expression before turning back to Korpi. "Okay, then. I guess we'll let you know when we're going. Dare I ask why you have such a grudge against the Thistletops?"
"I hates Thistletops because they stealed Thistletop from my tribe. The best home for goblins. I hates them! I deserves Thistletop, not those nasty maggots.They betrays Korpi too! Hateful things! Hatefull! When we go to Thistletop, we kills them all. I smash their faces and then I hang their heads off the bridge and use their deaded bodies for chum. 'Cept for their Chief. Big Chief Ripnugget, he special; I take off his head and use it as a mug! They all get what they deserve, and then I be's king of Thistletop!. Heehee. King Korpi! Then I be the Big Goblin Boss, and I haves a tribe of my own!" Korpi get's louder and louder as he goes on with his tirade, now grinning maniacly. After a moment, he looks up at Kyran and gives a toothy grin. "When we leave?"
Devrin
"The body...was taken?" Fern shudders, and whispers to herself, "Or, maybe it just got up and walked away on its own..."
"And nobody knows who took it? Or where? What about the Sheriff? He must know!"
"I hates Thistletops because they stealed Thistletop from my tribe. The best home for goblins. I hates them! I deserves Thistletop, not those nasty maggots.They betrays Korpi too! Hateful things! Hatefull! When we go to Thistletop, we kills them all. I smash their faces and then I hang their heads off the bridge and use their deaded bodies for chum. 'Cept for their Chief. Big Chief Ripnugget, he special; I take off his head and use it as a mug! They all get what they deserve, and then I be's king of Thistletop!. Heehee. King Korpi! Then I be the Big Goblin Boss, and I haves a tribe of my own!" Korpi get's louder and louder as he goes on with his tirade, now grinning maniacly. After a moment, he looks up at Kyran and gives a toothy grin. "When we leave?"
Kyran shoots a hard look back at the dwarves as if to say "Okay, I stopped you from killing this little freak last night, now it's your turn!" If no response is forthcoming, he sets his jaw and turns back to the goblin. "We're leaving soon enough, but if you think I'm going to give you license to butcher and slaughter, you're severely mistaken. We are bringing war upon our enemies, yes, but they will be granted quarter if they ask for it. I will not have you slaughtering noncombatants or prisoners." "Besides, Korpi, you've already joined the Sandpoint 'tribe'."
Umlo puts a gentle hand on Kyran''s arm "Trust me Kyran he tries all of our patients lets best put thi energy to good use and plan our day to Thistletop"
Umlo puts a gentle hand on Kyran''s arm "Trust me Kyran he tries all of our patients lets best put thi energy to good use and plan our day to Thistletop"
Kyran nods and stands up, then walks over to Umlo, leans down slightly so Korpi can't hear and whispers "Do you think the gods are trying to teach us something by having all of the immediately useful information located in his head?! Humility? Patience? Restraint, maybe?"
"Vigilance, most like," Grond remarks, "Looks like I owe ye a couple of pints, Umlo," he continues, looking only slightly disappointed, "Little devil must have a cast-iron stomach."
Korpi pouts "Fine I's only be deading the ones with dogslicers." he perks up a bit as a thought comes to him "The ones I not dead will be my subjects!"
"Besides, Korpi, you've already joined the Sandpoint 'tribe'."
"I's not part of no longshanks tribe!" Korpi shrieks, insulted. "I is goblin!"
"The God's be teaching us something , that's for sure Kyran, what it is I dunno know, Grond, I'll be taken the best stout Sandpoint has to offer, I'm looking forward to it" Umlo licks his lips and pats his belly
Korpi pouts "Fine I's only be deading the ones with dogslicers." he perks up a bit as a thought comes to him "The ones I not dead will be my subjects!"
"Besides, Korpi, you've already joined the Sandpoint 'tribe'.""I's not part of no longshanks tribe!" Korpi shrieks, insulted. "I is goblin!"
Kyran just rolls his eyes at the shrieking goblin and looks back at the dwarves. "I guess I know where to find the two of you. I'm going to go find Fern and Devrin, and then maybe we can meet that gentleman we saved the other day at the Rusty Dragon. It's a bit of a longshot, but maybe he knows something, and even if he doesn't, he might know someone who does. He's certainly well-disposed enough towards us at the moment that I'm sure anything useful he does know will be quickly forthcoming."
"Plus he said he'd buy us a meal!""Good thinking Kyran, come on Grond I'll be taken those drinks to ease my thirst now, lets go to the Inn" Umlo lets out a hearty laugh
"Plus he said he'd buy us a meal!""Good thinking Kyran, come on Grond I'll be taken those drinks to ease my thirst now, lets go to the Inn" Umlo lets out a hearty laugh
"We just have to be sure we're discreet. We just promised we'd do so. I suppose we can ask if he knows of anyone with a grudge against the town, for starters."
As Fern and Kyran wander the streets, Fern can't help but notice that they're gathering attention above and beyond that which they seem to have earned as defenders of Sandpoint. Specifically, female attention. Every so often, she'll see somebody giving Devrin a distinctly appraising look, though they're careful not to let him catch them watching him. At one point, she spots a young pair talking and giggling in between furtive glances.
She's given little time to ponder the implications of this however, as Kyran soon locates the pair and invites them to join him for lunch and a planning session at the Rusty Dragon. The dwarves have already gone ahead, and the magic words 'free meal' have prompted Korpi to join them.
They arrive at the inn to see that the man they rescued the previous day has already found out about the visitors, and procured himself a seat at the dwarves' table. "Ah, and the rest of our noble band," he exclaims, bouncing to his feet and moving to shake hands, "Aldern Foxglove, at your service," he continues, waving them towards seats at the large table, "Ameiko, food and drinks for our guests!"
"No ale for the little one," Grond interjects firmly.
"Erm, yes, quite," Aldern says. He's been doing his best to politely overlook Korpiklanni, as one might an uninvited guest who cannot be discreetly gotten rid of. He's certainly taken care to seat himself well away from the goblin. Given that a group of them were on the verge of killing him not so long ago, it's an understandable reaction.
"I...don't want any more fighting. I'm not going to sit here and watch you all beat the snot out of each other." Fern takes a sip of her fruit juice, and then reaches into her pouch. She pulls out a small vial and adds a powder to her drink, stirring it vigorously before she resumes her sipping.
"And..I agree that we need to find out everything we can about the goblins, but I don't want to have to break up a fight over this goblin."
"No ale for the little one," Grond interjects firmly.
"No! I wants ale! Ale and food. You not speak for me stumpy, shut up!"
He turns to the server and grins "I wants your best ale. I wants mutton too."
Kyran immediately takes the seat next to Fern. His body language suggests a certain restrained urgency. As soon as it's even slightly opportune to do so, he leans over and whispers to her "I don't suppose you have a way of discreetly shutting Korpi up with magic? A sleep spell, maybe?"
"Sleep? Hah", Fern laughs. "No, I don't know anything about sleep. The most appropriate spell I could muster is one I learned while very young. It allows me to speak with animals. You know. Like rabbits, and gophers. Goblins aren't so different, are they?"
The calls for food are answered by the proprietress herself. Korpi is presented with no less than two large portions of mutton, Ameiko giving him a wink as she delivers it. He also receives a couple of mugs of root beer, which might be cause for rage, except that the dwarves get exactly the same. Non-alcoholic beverages? The horror!
With the noisiest and most demanding of the diners provided for, Ameiko goes on to take further orders, providing each dish in turn with a flourish. The food is delicious, and it's easy to see how she won the cooking competition.
Kyran smiles with obvious relief and orders some beef stew and root beer. When the food arrives, he takes it graciously and waits until everyone else has been served, then begins eating slowly, watching the others and waiting to hear what Aldern Foxglove has to say.
"Sleep? Hah", Fern laughs. "No, I don't know anything about sleep. The most appropriate spell I could muster is one I learned while very young. It allows me to speak with animals. You know. Like rabbits, and gophers. Goblins aren't so different, are they?"
"Except we can already talk to Korpi."
Korpi opens his mouth to make a fuss over the offense of being served a non-alchoholic beverage, bu is fortunately mollified by the generous portion of mutton and by the dwarve's similair treatment. Chortling nastily at them, he tears into his mutton.
Hearing Kyran and Fern talking quietly he looks at them suspiciously. "Is yous talking about me?"
Being the social, charming type, Devrin takes the glances and whispers with a smile and a wink at times though he is conscious of Fern walking beside him so he does not indulge. Once seated at the inn, he spends a lot of time talking with their new benefactor and largely ignores the dwarves and goblin unless things escalate.
"Hmm, If I could talk to that mutton...what would it say... Korpi, you just need to slow down a little. That's all. I don't want you to choke."
Korpi opens his mouth to make a fuss over the offense of being served a non-alchoholic beverage, bu is fortunately mollified by the generous portion of mutton and by the dwarve's similair treatment. Chortling nastily at them, he tears into his mutton.
Hearing Kyran and Fern talking quietly he looks at them suspiciously. "Is yous talking about me?"
Kyran looks at the goblin blankly for a second, then glances over at Fern. "The bread here is excellent. Here, try some." He passes a small roll to her. "So how long have you been in Sandpoint, Fern? I don't get into town proper as often as I should, and as a result I don't know as many people as I wish I did around here." The paladin's manner is casual and friendly. He's well-acquainted with Umlo and Grond from the previous night and the morning's breakfast, he knows Devrin from childhood, and knows Korpi better than he wishes he had to. Fern is the only person who he hasn't really gotten to know, at this point.
"Ah....I've been here a little while now. I obviously wasn't born here, but it's home well enough. The clay is cheap and plentiful, that's good enough for me."
"Ah....I've been here a little while now. I obviously wasn't born here, but it's home well enough. The clay is cheap and plentiful, that's good enough for me."
"Clay? So you're a potter, then?"
"My works are less...utility based. I'm an artist. A sculptor. I'm not very good, but at times I get inspiration and produce some interesting works. I can generally fetch a reasonable bit of coin from my pieces, and it keeps me going.
What about you? Some kind of farmer-warrior?"
"My works are less...utility based. I'm an artist. A sculptor. I'm not very good, but at times I get inspiration and produce some interesting works. I can generally fetch a reasonable bit of coin from my pieces, and it keeps me going.
What about you? Some kind of farmer-warrior?"
"More farmer than warrior. I have military men in my family, and as a result I've learned to fight fairly well, but I'm not a professional soldier or anything." He pauses for a moment as he chews on a bite of stew as if he's deciding whether or not to say something. "You'll probably think this is crazy, but lately I've been getting these odd dreams, where Erastil hands me a bow and a sword and says 'you'll need these'. There always seems to be more, but I wake up before I can hear the rest. The really odd thing is that I find it comforting."
"I can't even imagine what that would be like. Do you think it's actually Erastil? Does it look the same, every time?"
"I can't even imagine what that would be like. Do you think it's actually Erastil? Does it look the same, every time?"
"I'm almost certain it's really Erastil. And yes, he looks the same every time. Same stern face, same kind eyes."
"Could you draw it?"
For his part, Aldern is listening intently to the conversation. Anybody enquiring will learn that he's from Magnimar, and just in town for the festival. All in all, he's much more interested in his guests that in going on about himself.
"Could you draw it?"
"Probably not. I'm not much of an artist. I can describe it to you..."
"That could work...maybe..."
Fern turns her attention to Aldern; "Hey, Mr. Foxglove. Could I sculpt you? You have such...interesting features. I'm working on a series of busts."
"A sculpture? Of me? I'd be honoured, miss," Aldern says, looking appropriately delighted at the prospect, "Will you have time though? I'll only be in town for a few more days, after all."
"Well Mr. Foxglove we have important business to go on, I dunno if Fern wishes to stay behind and play with clay or trail along, either way I do not care. I however do not have the time to wait for a sculpture to be made while some master of the dark arcane arts works his devil worship on the stolen bones of a holy man. Umlo does not try to hide the uncomfort or disdain he feels for the witch at the table.
"Truly? How dreadful," Aldern says, eyes widening at the mention of such despicable behaviour, "Who would do such a thing?"
Fern's face goes red, and she doesn't say another word regarding the sculpture. She slinks into her chair, and listens to the others.
"Unfortunately that is so. I have no idea who would do that either, but we intend to find out." says Devrin.
"and sooner the better, those graverobbers are up to no good, We will have time to play in the clay when the real work is done"
Fern doesn't do well at containing her silence; she comes off as annoyed and frustrated as only a very tired, and very cranky gnome can:
"If you don't want my help, I'm not going to go out of my way to listen to your abuse. I just want to get to the bottom of this, and I don't want to let the goblins just get away with what they did. Or what they're about to do. Or anything! I'll figure it out all on my own, if I have to."
Kyran shoots Umlo a withering glance and says in a stern, but not fight-picking tone. "Hey! That was uncalled for. You didn't condemn my farm chores when I did them this morning. Not all of us are wanderers, Umlo." It's obvious that he feels that Umlo is picking on Fern unfairly.
To Fern "All of our nerves are a bit frayed. I'm sure Umlo realizes that you'd just be taking a commission. The auroch in the room is that there's an unaddressed goblin threat out there that could conceivably come back at any minute, and we're not dealing with it directly. Let's get it dealt with. Then we can maybe all breathe a sigh of relief and go back to our usual lives without wondering if we're going to find a dogslicer in our back. he turns to Aldern foxglove. "Good sir, I'm hoping you'll pardon my being so forward, but do you know anything about goblins, or anyone who may have a grudge against Sandpoint? The captives we took last night mentioned they were put up to it by "longshanks" which in goblin parlance means [he glances at Korpi as he adds the parenthetical statement](correct me if I'm wrong, Korpi) humans, half-elves, elves, half-orcs, orcs, hobgoblins, and maybe bugbears and gnolls. I believe they call dwarves 'stumpies', so that rules out a rogue dwarf as our behind-the-scenes foe."
"Your right Kyran, that was not called for, but ye will not be getting an appology from me yet when it concerns her" Umlo glances towards the witch. "Show me tha magiks you wield do not come from an evil source, until then I have my sucspicions". Umlo looks to Kyran "Farm work is an honest living, unless I find out you made a pact with a demon to grow those delicious vegtables you served". Umlo chuckles but stops as he realizes his attempt at humor did not help the situation
"Let it be, Umlo," Grond says, "We've bigger fish to fry. The gobbos'd be laughing themselves silly to hear us now. Let's have a truce till the business is done, aye?" It's difficult to say, but Grond may be extending the truce to cover Korpi as well. Though suspicion will certainly remain.
Aldern, for his part, seems dismayed that such a generous offer on Fern's part should have led to such acrimony. "I should be delighted to accept your generous offer at another time, my dear," he says to Fern, attempting to smooth things over, "You must visit me in Magnimar when the opportunity arises."
Aldern rises, "But I have allowed myself to become distracted. Delicious as this repast has been -" he pauses to offer a bow to their hostess, a bow which Ameiko waves away with a smile, "- I had intended to offer a contribution of my own to your future exploits. If you will excuse me for but a moment." So saying, Aldern turns and heads upstairs, leaving the group to speculate upon what manner of 'contribution' he might be providing.
As it turns out, it's coin.
"A meagre reward for saving my life, I fear," Aldern says as he hands out a jingling purse apiece, even gifting one to Korpi (perhaps out of fear for the inevitable cry of blue murder that would ensue if the goblin were excluded), "but coin does have the advantage of versatility, in that you may spend it as you see fit."
Eyeing the sack of coins greedily, Korpi says "Stumpies, I not likes yous at all. You is nasty and stupid and ugly and dwarveses. But I not tries to kill you in you sleep. Not until after we take Thistletop and I becomes big goblin king."