I pull the door shut behind me and turn around to follow Galstok.
Ensu will follow the group, wishing once more that he was free to explore all of these ancient ruins he kept coming across in this area.
Perception: 1d20 + 5
You see no tracks apart from the scuff marks caused by rodents.
"Does that marble door have a way of opening it from the other side?
In other words, is it keeping folk out, or keeping something in?"
There was an identical handle on the other side of the marble door.
Sounding disappointed, "No goblins here either, or ... whatever that thing was." Galstok starts heading back the way they had come.
The torch was still ok.
"We have no reason to go that way now, there are no recent tracks exiting or entering it and we have to keep watch over the town, we can come back after the goblin menace has been dealt with and investigate it."
Finally arriving at the Dragon with Ameiko, Kendrick opens the door and helps the lady cross the threshold. He then calls out "Bethana! Bethana!" Looking around he helps Ameiko to a seat. When he sees Bethana he says, "there you are my good Bethana. Your lady has had a terrible experience today. Would you be kind enough to bring some wine and then draw a hot bath in your mistresses quarters?"
He begins to massage Ameikos shoulders as he says to her, "well milady we have arrived safely. Soon the events of today will be naught but a bad memory."
"As much as I hate to agree, exploring an ancient side tunnel that doesn't appear to be directly related to our current problem could be problematic. Let's check out the rest of the glass works proper and report back to Kendrick before heading out to Thistletop."
"We're hunting goblins and Mistress Ameiko's brother. There aren't any tracks of either, or of that thing," waving his hammer at the corpse, "down this way. I'm as eager as you are for a fight but our prey didn't come this way. We should look for it elsewhere."
Shaking his head, "Chasing a woman when there is a fight to be had. Where is the fun in that? Anyways, Tregar, you thinkin' there might be something down these tunnels?"
(good to see you back kendrick)
FLORIDA HERE I COME!
"That is despicable, taking advantage of a woman in that state. She is in shock from her ordeal and should not be having advances made upon her, all the more reason to go back and put an end to his plans."
Meanwhile at the Dragon
Kendrick finishes pouring his glass of wine as Bethana heads upstairs to prepare Amekios bath. As he sits down he toasts Ameikos own glass and says, "to your health milady and to surviving where many would not."
After a few minutes, and another glass of wine, he continues, "Well Lady Ameiko, it is fortunate that it was I that brought you back and not one of the others. You see I understand something of the culture Tian Xia and how important appearance is to honor there. The event's of today, if allowed to portrayed in the wrong light could unfortunately leave a stain upon your families honor that would be impossible to remove, I'm sure you agree."
Taking another sip of his wine he continues, "I was thinking an really it seems to me that you brother must have been under the control of a goblin shaman. At the very least it would be foolish to rule out that possibility until he's been magically interrogated."
Noticing the halfling coming back down the stairs he says, "Ah Bethana! I'm glad your back."
Turning back to Ameiko he says,"I'm afraid that I must leave you briefly now, in the care of your maid milady. I have need of haste in reporting the events of the day to the authorities. Unfortunately certain well-meaning yet foolish members of my party are unlikely to see things as clearly as I do and if they report what happened at the glassworks first, well lets just say that I'd rather spare you from having to defend your honor, life, and home from a torch wielding mob."
Kendrick stands, grabs his hat off the table and places it on his head while finishing his glass. Then he says, "Bethana I leave your lady in your care briefly, fear not for I shall return shortly. Farewell!"
"That is despicable, taking advantage of a woman in that state. She is in shock from her ordeal and should not be having advances made upon her, all the more reason to go back and put an end to his plans."
Throwing his head back and laughing, "Haha, She runs the Rusty Dragon. She's back in her own place. I'm sure she'll put him where she wants him. Bed or street."
|
"Oh, don't get me wrong; I can't say I blame him for trying. Though I suspect she has more ambitions than to get put up the duff."
"Oh, don't get me wrong; I can't say I blame him for trying. Though I suspect she has more ambitions than to get put up the duff."
"Aye, she might at that. Like I said I'm thinkin' she'll be the one to decide, atleast basin' off the short time I been here." Looking back over at Drexel, "You're local, ain't you? How long she been running the Rusty Dragon?"
"She does seem to come from strong stock. Let's hope her brother and his girlfriend aren't as strong."
|
|
A cursory glance through the the small, leather-bound booklet reveals that it contains two dozen parchment pages, most of which Ameiko's brother, Tsuto, has filled with maps of Sandpoint or erotic drawings of someone.
"Okay, is this person recognisable to any of us?"
"Hmmm, let's keep them for later...'
Of more pressing concern are the next several pages, which illustrate an assault on Sandpoint by a force of what appears to be two hundred goblins. None of these are circled, and while many are scratched out as if they’ve been rejected, the implications are ominous nonetheless.
"I don't know if he'll go ahead with this, now; he could keep the gobboes close to defend himself, or send them to attack just out of spite. Best show the town guard, so they can be prepared."
After the circled battlemap is written the following "The raid went about as planned. Few Thistletop goblins perished, and we were able to secure Tobyn’s casket with ease while the rubes were distracted by the rest. I can’t wait until the real raid. This town deserves a burning, that’s for sure."
"Anyone know this Tobyn? I assume it's someone who died recently, if his casket was on display? It doesn't mention having to dig him up."
After the last of the second batch of uncircled maps - "Ripnugget seems to favor the overwhelming land approach, but I don’t think it’s the best plan. We should get the quasit’s aid. Send her freaks up from below via the smuggling tunnel in my father’s Glassworks, and then invade from the river and from the Glassworks in smaller but more focused strikes. The rest except Bruthazmus agree, and I’m pretty sure the bugbear’s just being contrary to annoy me. My love’s too distracted with the lower chambers to make a decision. Says that once Malfeshnekor’s released and under her command, we won’t need to worry about being subtle. I hope she’s right."
"Ripnugget is big boss at Thistletop, so that matches.
This is the bit caught my ear; the quasit. 'Send her freaks up from below, via the smuggling tunnel'.That proves these things with the freaky-jaws are involved."
Most of the drawings of the woman are the same although the last one depicts her with demonic hands, bat wings, horns, a forked tail, and fangs. Accompanying these sketches is the following - "My love seems bent on going through with it—nothing I can say convinces her of her beauty. She remains obsessed with removing what she calls her ‘celestial taint’ and replacing it with her Mother’s grace. Burning her father’s remains at the Thistletop shrine seems to have started the transformation, but I can’t say her new hand is pleasing to me. Hopefully when she offers Sandpoint to Lamashtu’s fires, her new body won’t be as hideous. Maybe I’ll luck out. Succubi are demons too, aren’t they?"
"Sounds like whoever Tobin is, this is his daughter, and she believes she's got some sort of holy blood, that she doesn't want part of her.
She's got to have serious anger in her, to turn to Lamashtu. She's just for mad freaks and monsters.""I say we carry on, clear these tunnels before going to Thistletop.
None of us are wounded, we're still fighting fit.
We could find out what this ritual is, and ways to stop it, before she turns completely?"
I have returned!!!! Should be back to posting tomorrow after I have had some sleep and been in to work. Glad your all still here.
"I'm all for going on, we just gotta decide our direction."
"Hum, perhaps these ruins that we just found are the "lower chambers" that his "love" is distracted by, perhaps if they are interesting to her for some reason we should investigate to find out if it is an interest because she fears in will hinder her plans or hope that it will help advance them. Either way would be beneficial to us, either helping us keep them away or preventing them from carrying out their plans?"
"It seems unlikely that they would be expecting us in the glassworks. After all, we're heroes, not common house thieves. We should wrap up our investigations of the glassworks itself and return to the inn."
"The ruins do bear further investigation, I agree, but I suspect that we have cleared this place as well as can be expected for the time being short of blowing up the entrance to the cove down here."
"Aye, these tunnels might be the ones leading those lower chambers. If we are gonna go down them we need to let those above know the going ons so they are prepared should we fail. Going into the prey's den is one of the most dangerous parts of a hunt."
Retracing your steps through the cellars and then up and back through the Glassworks, you finally emerge back into the daylight of a fine and sunny day. Judging by the position of the sun, you would guess that it is around noon. Several people give you odd looks as you move though the streets of Sandpoint, due in part to the splatters of blood and gore that probably still cover you. As you turn a corner, you spot, several yards ahead of you the swiftly walking figure of Kendrick.
At the sight of Kendrick, Galstok breaks into a grin and waves. "There he is, I guess he did decide a fight would be more fun then chasing a woman."
Ensu frowns at the speed Kendrick is moving, hoping it doesn't mean more bad news.
At the sight of Kendrick, Galstok breaks into a grin and waves. "There he is, I guess he did decide a fight would be more fun then chasing a woman.""Unless he's very persuasive?"
"Then wouldn't he still be there? As fast as he's moving I'm sure she gave him the boot or worse."
After your foray beneath the glassworks, it feels good to feel the fresh air on your faces again. Ahead of you is Kenderick who slows his pace to a walk after hearing you call out to him.