"I'll draw you a map of all I can remember, I'll tell you where the guards watch. You can kill Tusuto, or whatever his name is, I don't care. I don't have any loyalty to Nualia any more, since she didn't deal straight with me."
"You can kill all the goblins in here, and anyone else, but I want to be sure the Pathfinder is safe. She's another reason I haven't left."
"Who is this Pathfinder?"
"She was here when I arrived; Lyrie, a Garundi woman, from Mwangi, or Nex, or one of the other southern lands. She was being made to translate the glyphs in the lower halls."
"We shared some conversation, and she seems as miserable as me. She told me how she should really have been at the Pathfinder Lodge, taking her exams, but was forced to come here."
"I'd gladly see her safe to her destination, if you'd allow me."
"What kind of glyphs is she working on? Did she say?"
"Thassilonian runes, I think. They're obsessed about finding something in the lower chambers, and brought her here to translate for them. If you could free her, it might stop their plans?"
"Provide us with a detail map of everything you know of this place. Where she is normally kept, and where the runes are."
"I'll do that. As far as I've been, and what I've heard about the rest. Have you got paper? And something to draw with?"
Galstok waits patiently studying the man while Wiseones get the information they are asking.
Sense Motive:
"I have paper and ink.", pauses for a long time, "You better not be lying to us, else I have you skinned alive."
Sense motive:
Okay; Orik (for that is his name) finishes drawing the areas of Thistletop he is familiar with, and hands over two sheets of parchment.
"That second sheet is two floors; the stairs go down from the top left, and lead down to the small map at the bottom. I've only been down there briefly, but I remember the pool, and chairs around it."
"The goblin chief rides a giant lizard, and has several black-clad bodyguards, who should be nearby at all times."
Valoria takes the newly drawn maps to study, then passes them to the rest to study.
"Can we trust him to help the Pathfinder escape, or do we dispose of him to the beast?"
"Eh? Seriously?"
"Let him go, we can track him down easily enough if he lied to us."
"I will do all in my power to ensure her safety, and deliver her to wherever she was bound."
Assuming he is telling us truth, he is no Oathbreaker. However, I'm thinking we need to get her free before we can let him off to do as he says.
"Does that mean I can go with you? I want you to be successful; my prospects aren't good if you fail."
Valoria sits back, raising a finger to her lips while she thinks. After a long pause she speaks softly, "Well then. Let us focus on rescuing Lyrie, she could tell us what she knows in trade for getting her safely away. Before we go rescuing, please provide us with a description of her appearance."
"She's dark skinned, more so than a Qadiran, or Osirian, a deep, dark brown, like mahogany. I believe her people are from some far-off place in the south, like Garund, or Mwangi.
Her hair is braided really tight, like right down to the scalp, so it looks like a ploughed field. Big, brown eyes, and full lips, very striking. I don't think you'll mistake her for anyone else here."
"She's usually been dressed in a white cloak, with a pile of books or scrolls under her arm. And she has a cat. White or grey, I think. It usually hides from everyone."
"Well then, let us be on our way, time waits for none."
"True. Time is against us. We need to gather as much information as possible on the operation that is happening here, so we are prepared for what is to come our way."
"Bring him, we will know the truth of it soon enough, he knows what will happen if he has lied to us."
"Aye, I think he does. I smashed him down once, looking over to the man, "I don't think he would like it again. Tapping the hilt of the sword over his shoulder that he recovered from the man, "I think I'll hold on to this until you are on your way."
Valoria stands up and holds the fan, to hand it back to it's owner. "Is everyone ready? Let us find this pathfinder."
"I think I'll hold on to this until you are on your way."
"I feel rather naked without it, but I can't deny I'd do the same."
"What about armour and shield? Then I can at least protect us all?"
"I know some that go into battle with nothing but their skin and the Spirits watching over them. I am not one of those and would not force someone fighting at my side to do so. Keep your armor, and I'll give you this for now." The last he says as he reaches down and grabs the sheathed dagger from Kavrik's belongings; tossing to the man. "I am Galstok of the Shriikirri-Quah."
"Thank you. My name is Orik. Orik Vancaskerkin. Of Riddleport."
Valoria and Tregar exchange a glance, both detecting that he seemed honestly surprised by the gift.
Apparently oblivious to Orik's surprise, Galstok turns to next order of business. "I'm thinkin' they have realized something has happened by now, what with their rooms right by where we were fighting." Looking up at Orik, "Did they have any plans in place for something like this? And any idea where they might be now given you and some others gone missing?"
"The goblins tend to watch the upper floor, and the approach from the mainland. Except for Chief Ripnugget, who's been following the newcomers around, since they came."
"That room you were fighting in was for the chief's wives, but he's not been to see them since he became obsessed with Nualia. That's why Bruthazmus has been 'takin care of them'."
"The bugbear sort of invited himself here, when he heard there was to be a raid. Seems he had some vendetta against an elf, and was always trying to force the others to hunt for her. I've had to step in between them when his temper flared. They may have noticed he's not here, but they probably won't miss him, if you get me."
"That still leaves you though, don't it? They gonna notice your gone?" Looking at the maps the man drew, "You know where their likely gonna be around now?"
"I've been keeping to myself for a few days. They don't seem to need me that often, now they're excited about exploring the lower rooms.
When they're not there, the newcomers and the goblins mostly come together, in the temple."
"I didn't like how they ran things there. The chief was testing the new goblin refugees, and if they gave the wrong answers, they were dragged off to be thrown into the sea, or killed on the altar to their goddess, a dog-headed thing with three eyes."
"I was sickened by this, so I suggested we needed someone to keep watch, and I was excused from attending. I know I was hired as a bodyguard, but she doesn't seem to need me any more, even after she injured her arm."
Ensu and Tregar share a worried look, as they both come to simultaneous conclusions.
"The Mother of Monsters?"
Valoria listens for a while absorbing what Orik had to say. Hearing Nualia being injured, she speaks, "You say Nualia was injured. Could you describe to me her arm injury."
"I dunno, it happened while I wasn't around. I thought I was gonna catch hell for not being there, but she was calm about it."
"There was some ceremony, and she came back with her left arm in bandages. She had found some large devil dogs, which she set to guarding the temple. I thought she'd been bit by one of them, that's why she didn't make a fuss."
While Orik is answering Valoria's question, Galstok does a final checks on the straps of his armor and edge of his blade making sure he is ready to go. At the mention of dogs, he looks up at Orik for a moment before grabbing the spear as well.
Once he is done, he sits back on his heels waiting for the others.
Seeing Galstok's reaction, he flinches slightly.
"I did put them on the map."
Valoria speaks sharply, "Orik! Is there anything else we should know before we proceed to get the PathFinder?"
Sephird decides that talk time should be over and wanders back to where they came in, keeping an eye, and an ear, for anybeing that should come looking.
"I swear, I can't think of anything else. I just don't know what you'd think important."
"Uh,..the goblins do talk of another thing, apart from the jackal-god. I've heard them refer to a giant wolf-creature, that they expect to devour their enemies. I don't know if that's another god, or a real beast that lairs here."
From where he was kneeling, "Don't suppose there is anything else you might have just remembered?"
"I swear, I can't think of anything. I want this to work as much as you. I can't go back, now."
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Sense Motive
"I think we've harvested as much as we're going to get. Whatever their typical routine, is likely to be altered or in disarray today."
He finishes buckling his wristguards, and swings his quiver over his shoulder.
"I don't know about anyone else, but I feel more confident about facing the day, than I did yesterday. Our decision should be, which direction should we plough first?"