Andrea:
After the main course is finished, Aldern pushes aside his plate, and simply states, "I would like to propose an idea. A boar hunt, tomorrow, in honor of the fabulous heroes. Meet me here, at eight, and we shall begin. Do not worry about mounts, I can supply. What say you?"
Andrea:
** spoiler omitted **After the main course is finished, Aldern pushes aside his plate, and simply states, "I would like to propose an idea. A boar hunt, tomorrow, in honor of the fabulous heroes. Meet me here, at eight, and we shall begin. Do not worry about mounts, I can supply. What say you?"
"That sounds wonderful. Will it be just the five of us?"
"Is is safe to hunt in the wilds now? Surely there must be goblins still about. If we are the only ones in the woods they might be able to surround us even if Gal catches their scent."
The mention of Goblins catches Gal's attention. "Gal will hunt Goblins. Today, tomorrow, any day" as a feral grin spreads across his face. Not realizing he may have misunderstood the purpose of the hunt...
Andrea nearly chokes on her meal...
"Hunt...wild..Boar?"...err..sorry I'm not a hunter...and I can't ride anyway I never learnt how. Maybe I could come along and watch, from a safe distance of course."
Aldern laughs "Oh, do not worry, the goblins have never dared enter my lands. I have my own personal hunting ground, which has never been discovered by the goblins. Sorry to disappoint you Gal. I'm sure that you can still enjoy the hunt of a boar." His eyes gleam with a twisted pleasure as he turns his gaze to the wolf.
"It sounds like a great idea. I am surprised that any landowner actually has the time to hunt. Don't all the responsibilites of running your estate keep you trapped at a desk most of the time? I would think just overseeing your staff would be onerous."
Gal finally begins to notice that there is something strange about this human...:
SM=21
Gal:
Gal:
** spoiler omitted **
Perhaps he has the foam mouth madness (rabies) Gal thinks to himself...
He does not fear this strange 'human' but does not like him either. Gal will look for signs of the foaming mouth, but finding none will just continue to stare at him and say nothing..Intimidate=9
At the end of the meal, Aldern stands. "Well, it has been a pleasure. As Inikai has pointed out, I am a busy man, and I must be on my way. I will wait for you tomorrow outside of this establishment." With a final glance at Gal, he leaves the room.
Andrea pouts as he leaves the room without giving her a second glance.
"Huh...men"
She turns her attention to the wine
"I don't trust him. He seemed fixated on Gal. I suspect he is up to no good. Perhaps this is an ambush. Maybe he was behind the goblin attack."
"I was not able to find out anything about him other than that he is a nobleman. Did any of you fare better?"
"He has an estate here but spends most of his time in Magnimar I believe. If he intends betrayal then we had best be prepared for anything"
The redhead swirls her wine around the glass slowly then tosses it back and stands to leave.
"Looks like we are done here. I suggest we all get a good nights sleep"
Gal pays close attention to his packmate's words, contracting with all his might to understand them all. To Inikai he says "You say goblins come from strange man? Then we kill him, yes?" but he says so without his usual natural confidence, still confused by how complicated life seems to be out here beyond the forests.
To all he says "And what happen priest? We need find him, yes? Find more Goblins, Kill them." "Gal good at finding. Good at killing Goblins too." He states, seeming more at ease with this simple concept
"There's more to life than just killing Gal...though it has it's place when vengeance must be served. If Aldern intends to betray us then his life is forfeit to Callistra's will. But we must have proof that he intends that..if indeed he is anything more than the hero worshipping fop I take him for"
Andrea gives the feral druid a long considering look
"Let us see what occurs tomorrow...we should be prepared for any eventuality...."she seems to be about to say something else then appears to change her mind"...but sometimes a boar hunt...is just a boar hunt"
She turns on her heel and leaves the room heading for Inakais house
Gal seems confused... by Andrea's comments
'There is Life, There is Death. The Strong survive, the Weak do not. What more is there this female talks about?'
Although, as he watches her saunter off in her too sexy dress...something stirs in him that hints at possibly knowing the answer..
"I don't trust him. He seemed fixated on Gal. I suspect he is up to no good. Perhaps this is an ambush. Maybe he was behind the goblin attack."
"He did seem overly interested in Gal." Corlath says in response. "I don't think we should jump to the conclusion of him being behind the goblin attack though, before we know more of what happened."
Corlath looks to the door Aldern walked out of, as if to check to see if anyone was listening.
"Corlath is right; we are basing our suspicions on nothing. Let's meet with Aldern but be prepared for trechery."
"Corlath is right; we are basing our suspicions on nothing. Let's meet with Aldern but be prepared for trechery."
"Yes, lets. I hope all of you decide to meet also," he says while looking around the table. "If he is not to be trusted, then we are safer in numbers. I guess we will have to see tomorrow." He stretches, gets up from the table, and goes about securing a room for the night.
Before anyone else has a chance to leave, Gal squints in concentration and says "Strange man...Al-dern? Only maybe bad...ok. Gal understand. But Gal know dead holy man still missing. So Gal go talk at holy man still alive"
Exhausted from this unusually long speech, he raises his eyebrows questioningly to his packmates, hoping at least one of them will join him so he does not have to do all the talking himself
"Andrea did not say what she found out about the missing body of the priest. I'm not even sure if she talked with the current priest about it."
"I think we should look for Zanthus and ask about this ourselves. He might also know more about Foxglove."
"Andrea did not say what she found out about the missing body of the priest. I'm not even sure if she talked with the current priest about it."
"I think we should look for Zanthus and ask about this ourselves. He might also know more about Foxglove."
Gal grunts his agreement and heads out looking for Zanthos, but pacing himself for the others to keep up with his long strides.
Assuming you head to Father Zanthus: "I am not much help" says Father Zanthus, "but thier is someone who might be able to help you. Every couple of months, an elf by the name of Shalelu Andosana passes through town, bringing news of the surroundings. She could possibly give you a lead. We are expecting her next week, if I recall correctly. For now, I suggest hanging around town. I hear that you get a hefty discount at a variety of stores through Sandpoint." He finishes with a wink.
"About Aldern Foxglove. He seems like a nice man, but I don't know much about him besides that he is a rich noble from out of town... Sorry can't help you much"
Andrea leaves the Rusty Dragon heading for the house Inakai owns...but finds her footsteps leading her down towards the wide beach on the western edge of town...She pauses watching the play of moonlight on the dark waters her head filled with thoughts she had hitherto believed impossible..A sudden impulse seems to over come her and she kicks of her shoes and rushes down towards the waters edge her hair flying behind her. Then she begins to dance..it's a slow stately beginning full of loss and sadness...gradually however she increases the tempo her feet flashing across the sand as her passion finds vent in the one way she truely knows how to express herself in.
Her feet barely seem to skim the sand as she goes into a wild Varisian courtship dance ..though there is no-one to see it she sees,in her minds eye,the target of her affections.
Eventually her dance slows and ceases...she gathers up her shoes and makes her way back to the town..hurrying through the torchlit streets to the house
Corlath wanders out of the Rusty Dragon after securing a room for the night. He walks up and down the streets of the town, acquainting himself with with all of the shops that are still open. He sighs as he feels his very light coin purse hanging from his belt.
The next day, after a night of rest, you are all ready for a day of hunt. You meet Aldern outside the Rusty Dragon, where he waits with three mounts. You ride (or in Gal's case: walk) into the forests by Sandpoint. Aldern Foxglove seems to enjoy the hunt, but is more focused on one thing in particular: Gal. Throughout the hunt, Foxglove comments on his great riding technique. As the hunt progresses, the boar is in sight, and Aldern becomes all fired up. A bloody massacre ensues, and after it is over, everyone is breathing heavily. "Wow..." says Aldern, "That was great." He turns to Gal "Someday, I hope to aspire to a strong fighter like you".
True to her word Andrea proves to be a poor horse woman and is barely able to keep up with the hunt. She stays well back when it comes to the kill.
Her suspicions of Aldern as a noble wannabe are confirmed by his statement to Gal
Corlath keeps up as best he can during the hunt, and feels strangely exited at the end. He studies Aldern closely after his comments to Gal, trying to make up his mind about him.
"Well, I did not fall off the horse", Inikai thinks to himself. He is unable to discern what Aldern is after with Gal. Perhaps he is looking for a bodyguard.
Gal's perception of Aldern's interest in him:
Sense Motive=19 (18+1)
After a couple of days, you are summoned to the church, where Father Zanthus and Sheriff Hemlock await you. With them is a strange elf, who seems to blend in with her surroundings. As you approach, the conversation being held between the three ceases, and the elf turns, staring almost as if judging your strengths.
"Ah, so good of you to come" comments the Father. "This is none other than Shalelu Andosana, the elf I told you of. She has come with news from the nearby forest. I will let her take it from here."
He steps back, and Shalelu begins, "So these are Sandpoint's heroes. It is an honor to meet you. Father told me of your work against the goblins-well done. I've dedicated several years of my life to kepping them from causing to much trouble in these parts, but they are tenacious little runts. Like weeds that bite. Anyway, there are five major tribes, and they are usually pretty good at keeping eachother in line with intertribal squabbles and the like. Yet from what I collected, goblins from each of the Mosswood tribes were involved in the raid. I crossed some of the kind on my way back, and there was much chatter about 'those longshanks' who killed so many. Sounds like you left an impression. In any event, the fact that these goblin tribes are working together disturbs me. They don't get along unless something big is being planned, and big plans need big bosses. I'm assuming someone has moved in on the goblins and organized them. Judging by recent raids, it does not bode well for us."
At this point she leaves the floor open for questions on goblins, comments, ideas, etc.
Gal glances up and down the elf, appreciating her fine form and obvious nature skills. "You track them? Know where they go? Where they meet?"
Shalelu looks down at Gal, "Yes I do know much about the goblins, enough to entertain you for many days, but I think I shall give the basics:
"Goblins hate horses and dogs with a passion. The one exception are thier own 'goblin dogs'. These deformed things I have yet to look into, but they have some sort of disease, I think. Also, the goblins love to raid the Sandpoint junkyard. They love making weapons out of what the town's inhabitants throw out. Another strong goblin feature is the squealing they try to call singing. They are ugly, little poets. But do not think they are just pests. These buggers are sneaky, and a little crazy. Remember, the average goblin thinks that a great hiding spot is an oven. Also, goblins are obsessed with fire. I'm sure a lot of damage done to Sandpoint was fire. All of these facts are helpful when fighting them, but what you should know is that goblins think that writing steals the soul. They think that writing steals words out of your head, and you can't get them back. It's stupid, I know, but thier goblins, and even after so many years dealing with them, I still don't know what to expect."
At the end of her speech, Shalelu looks past the group, and adresses someone. You turn to see a halfling hobble up. The timid halfling looks around, before beginning:
"Hello, I am Bethana Corwin. I work at the Rusty Dragon, for one Ameiko Kaijitsu. This morning I woke to find her gone. Usually by that time she had breakfast ready, but not today. When I went to her room, there was no response, so naturally I went in. It was empty, except for a note on her bedside table.
The Note:
I hope this letter finds you well, and with some free time on your hands, because we've got something of a problem. It's to do with father. Seems that he might have something to do with Sandpoint's recent problem with goblins, and I didn't want to bring the matter to the authorities because we both know he would just weasel his way out. If you meet me at the Glassworks tonight, maybe we can work out some way to give him what he deserves. Knock twice, and then three times more and then once more at the delivery entrance and I'll let you in. In any case, I don't have impress upon you the delicate nature of this request. Don't tell anyone about this. There are other complications as well, ones I would rather talk about in person.
-Tsuto
Bethana looks at you as you finish the note.
"It is so sad. Tsuto has been a menace ever since he was born 21 years ago. He is a half-elf. The problem is neither of his parents are elves!" She cannot continue for several minutes. "Tsuto left for Turandarok Academy to be raised outside the family, and was forbidden to see his father and mother. Ameiko, his loving sister, secretly visited him, until one visit, in anger, he struck her. Whatever the fight was about, Ameiko left Sandpoint for five years, until she had to return for her mother's funeral. Tsuto attended, and caused so much discourse when he publicly claimed his father had murdered her. His father beat him to almost death, before Tsuto cursed him and left Sandpoint, never to be heard of again, until now. I am sure Tsuto is up to no good, you must look into this. The Glassworks is not very far away. Please!"
"This Tsuto could be baiting a trap either for his sister or his father. It seems unlikely that his sister would just leave a note so incriminating just lying around."
"What can you tell us of his father and of the glassworks?"
"Father Zanthus, do you think the grave robbery has to do with this?"
The halfling looks up at you "I know nothing except what I have told you."
Father Zanthus replies "I am not sure son, but that is why we have you."
The halfling looks up at you "I know nothing except what I have told you."
Father Zanthus replies "I am not sure son, but that is why we have you."
"I was not accusing you of trechery; I just wonder if that note might have been left there as a ruse for you to find."
"I was not accusing you of trechery; I just wonder if that note might have been left there as a ruse for you to find."The halfling looks up at you "I know nothing except what I have told you."
Father Zanthus replies "I am not sure son, but that is why we have you."
"It might have. Still, I don't think we can risk waiting around while we try to find out. We should probably get to the glassworks."
"Enough talking, more doing!" Gal growls "Take us to this Gla...this Place" He stumbles over the unfamiliar word "NOW"
"Before we set off I need to retrieve something from my house. We can head to the glassworks directly from there."
Joey:
Inikai does not want to perform a binding ritual in sight of anyone, especially a cleric since some churches execute binders as heretics.
Binding check: 11. Made a bad pact with Aym and is under her influence again.
If you want the others to get an idea of what Inikai is doing then they might be able to hear him talking with Aym's vestige through the door of his room.
They might also be able to feel heat coming through the door if they are close enough.
If any of you follow Inikai back to his house, he leaves you by the door, and heads in to the bedroom. After a few minutes waiting, you hear muffled yelling, almost as if there were fighting going on. The air around Inikai's abode grows hotter, but before you can react, it is over, and Inikai returns, more quiet than before.
Inikai:
If any of you follow Inikai back to his house, he leaves you by the door, and heads in to the bedroom. After a few minutes waiting, you hear muffled yelling, almost as if there were fighting going on. The air around Inikai's abode grows hotter, but before you can react, it is over, and Inikai returns, more quiet than before.
Inikai:
** spoiler omitted **
Gotcha.
If any of you follow Inikai back to his house, he leaves you by the door, and heads in to the bedroom. After a few minutes waiting, you hear muffled yelling, almost as if there were fighting going on. The air around Inikai's abode grows hotter, but before you can react, it is over, and Inikai returns, more quiet than before.
Inikai:
** spoiler omitted **
Gal looks intently and grimly at Inikai for a moment. However as his new packmate seems unharmed and ready to go, he finally grunts once and says, in a tone brooking no argument "We Go Now" and motions the halfling to continue guiding them to the place they need to go
Andrea shakes her head at Gal's manner...turning to Inakai as they move towards the glassworks she asks solicitously..."Is everything alright? I thought I heard shouting?"