Jili whirls around as she hears someone call out. "Who? Who are you?" Her hand goes over her rapidly beating heart from the scare.
Listening to the voices, Matrim somewhat recognizes the voices. "I am the one who dances with Jack of the Shadows." he calls back when a ladies voice reaches him. Pausing for a moment, he continues. "I am Matrim. Is that Rojava with you?
Karmid smiles at the sudden cleanliness that encompasses his form from Rojava's magical gesture.
"Whoo! That tingles Ro! Hey...now I don't smell...natural. Wait...did someone just call-out a 'Halloooo' just now? From BEHIND us?"
Nearly falling down as he spins looking for his hammer's handle, which is sticking straight up from the tall grass and dead goblins in front of him, he attempts to recover and does so...barely.
He then quickly 'strikes a pose' with his giant hammer and Klar in hand, glancing quickly to see if Jiliana noticed the near-slip.
Suddenly, he replies with a rougher than usual voice.
"Step out Halloooers! Evil shadows and doppler-gangers abound! We are ready for you!"
Uldar rounds the bend and does indeed step out. "Neither shadow nor doppelganger, but eldritch archer and all around performer," the halfling says with a bow (and a bow, a long bow at that). "Uldar's the name. And you are the heroes of Sandpoint, yes?"
"This group has being called that. I'm Drasven and what brings you out here. It couldn't be a visit now would it and it seems that once more friends come or maybe not? We have a doppelgangler here so please understand our wariness."
"Does this sort of thing happen to your number often? People simply walk upon you like this?" Edgar doesn't seem comfortable with the fact they were nearly ambushed by strangers who know who they are. It reeks of conspiracy.
Spacing out and not even realizing the arrival of others, Lia stares THROUGH Rojava, despite addressing the Halfling Doppelganger:"It's around 200 Goblins, less those we met. Tell us about Ripnugget, Bruthazmus and Malfeshnekor. And then tell us of the current state of Nualia's transformation into a Demon started by burning her fathers remains at the shrine. And if you mean to tell us you don't know about those, remember that your life may depend on it and I see truth in my dreams. Speak now."
When Ro hears Matrim’s voice, she smiles with surprise. But Drasven’s rejoinder makes her inwardly grimace. Ugh yeah, due diligence. With a doppelganger around nobody can have anything nice. When do we ever get to stop being paranoid? Damn I hate them.
She stands up and moves out of Lia’s way. ”Grill it good Lia. I’ll be back in a minute.”
Ro goes to grab Edgar thinking at least it’s funny to think of it trying to figure out what to do with what it finds when it goes rummaging around in that girl’s head.
She takes Edgar aside, around a corner in the brambles and some distance away. ”The taller of our new arrivals is Matrim, probably, I hope. But we need to be sure. I want you to go ask him a question that he and I know the answer to. Since you don’t, he can’t pry it out of your head. The question is ‘At the Rusty Dragon on the evening you left with Marcellano and Karina, Rojava’s sister Fran became very annoyed with Karmid. What did he do to annoy her?’ Let me know what his answer is.”
After Edgar is on his way, Ro gives Lia some more time. She goes to ask Karmid if he will go take a discreet look at Thistletop to see if there are any signs they’ve been noticed.
Ro goes with him a very short distance, best to stay out of Matrim's way until there's an answer. But she leaves the job to Karmid. She sits down instead, feeling tired and worn out.
Looking tired suddenly and wary of the new strangers, Karmid however agrees to help with Ro's request with a smile. She IS in charge after all...and goes to check the bridge and any active defenses of Thistletop.
Matrim thinks for a bit. ”Knowing Karmid, something rude and uncivilized. Last I saw, he might have damaged the floor by tossing his hammer on the floor.” thinking a little harder, he slams his fist into his hand. ”When I left, his mud covered boots were on the table.”
Uldar doesn't push. "I suppose a sense of caution is warranted, what with--- wait, did she just say something about a demon transformation?!" He leans over and tugs on Matrim's sleeve. "I think it best if we get filled in a bit on what's going on once everyone's credentials are established."
Matrim nods to Uldar, ”I think they will, once we all know that we are who we say we are and not someone pretending to be us, saying that we are us.” thinking for a moment... ”It only makes sense.”
Jili looks confused, but boots on a table does sound like Kharmid. "How did you find us?" the young woman asks quietly.
Smiling to Uldar, "Well, we took a boat to this island, got into a fight with some goblins and then got lost." flipping a coin into the air, Matrim catches it and starts speaking again. "Luck lead us here."
"Does this sort of thing happen to your number often? People simply walk upon you like this?" Edgar doesn't seem comfortable with the fact they were nearly ambushed by strangers who know who they are. It reeks of conspiracy.
"I can't speak for them but yes It does occur somewhat regularly I feel. Then again they mostly knew each other since they grew up together. Me? I was a travelling merchantile student before I was called to join them. The previous week was hectic and only helped heightened our paranoia."
Drasven grins.
"They're mostly good kids fallen in bad times."
The Path to Thistletop
Windsight steps forward, "Please, as if Matrim could have led you all here. He's good at what he does but this is what I do, find people. Matrim's return was a sign, a sign that we should never have split up".
The shapechanger sighs, "Precisely, I don't know, all the damn Goblins look the same to me. At least 100 probably not more than 200.
The only Goblins chief whose name I know is Gogmurt. He was supposed to be here with us to slay you all but he went to Thistletop and never returned then your group arrived before he came back and well, here I am. Wait, that's not entirely true, I did once meet with Ripnugget, he is as fearsome a fighter as the Goblins can produce and is their leader, well the one who organizes them on Nualia's behalf.
The names you speak I've heard them but never met them. They live in the catacombs and rarely venture forth as Nualia wishes them to stay hidden until it is time. I have met her but once and she is a beautiful, fearsome creature to behold.
What her connection is to the remains of that Human Priest are I know not, I only know that she hated him and wished me to assume his form to vex your people. My contract was with Tsuto, he paid me to journey with him back to his homeland to conquer it. I've no allegiance to this Nualia, I'm no fanatic, just a mercenary loyal to those who pay me.
In fact, why not untie me and pay me yourselves to aid you?"
---
If anyone is watching Karmid cannot tell, there is enough cover from the Tower where the GodTouched currently huddle that it would take an eagle eye or magic to see you all.
Matrim scoffs at being interrupted. "Who's the Kama Sutra lover in binds?"
Jili responds to Matrim, "It's a doppelganger. We're discussing if we'll speak for her at the trial."
Matrim scoffs at being interrupted. "Who's the Kama Sutra lover in binds?"
Karmid tosses his chin over his shoulder long enough to comment on the current discussion, his voice wavering on angry.
"She's a monster. Nothing more or less. Is it even a 'she'? Manipulation and cruelty are 'its' goals. A trial is wasted on such things in my opinion."
"The same things have been said about barbarians before," Uldar points out to Karmid. "Just my two coppers. I'm new here. You are the one with experience with this creature."
"Word was given that its trial would be spoken at, for that to pass a trial must be held." Edgar says, ever the good servant of Sarenrae.
Karmid grumbles a bit at the 'barbarian' characterization, but he quickly realizes he has actually cultivated such an appearance on purpose over the years without really meaning to do so.
"I...wait...NO...I'm not...yeah....whatever...I guess."
Matrim nods as everyone chimes in. ”We are living in the current era, the changing can be what it wants to be. Be it a he, she or unicorn.” pausing at that, Matrim looks to the doppelganger and asks. ”Are you a unicorn?”
The Path to Thistletop
The creature looks to Matrim and pauses, then scans all of you and replies, "I and my people are survivors. I killed for profit I will certainly kill my former employers for my life..."
Windsight snorts, "Let me just slit this things throat right now and save us all the trouble of..."
Gwydd steps over the bound form, "No! That is not who we are, or at least that is not who I am or what I want to stand for. It should be brought back for trial, I'll do it myself if I have to".
Windsight sighs, "You'd head back to Sandpoint with this thing as prisoner by yourself? You'd never make it Gwydd, there are other dangers besides Goblins lurking in these woods".
"For profit?" Drasven says.
"Then perhaps we could pay you a small fee to not give our companions any trouble as they escort you back for to await trial. Further payment would be our word to speak on your behalf at your trial of course you're free to neogtiate your terms and if these fine young ones agree then you'll have yourself a deal." he offers.
"Profit is always a good motivator." he looks at the changeling, "Who was your employer?"
Lia, still kneeling, responds to Matrim and the others: "It is not a unicorn. It is a little air elemental, blowing with the wind. It murdered, those not of it's kind, much as we did with the Goblins. They started it, but we killed, regardless. Values are not universal." Blinking for a moment, with glazed over-eyes, she looks at Matrim and Uldar as if only now noticing their presence:"What do you mean...were you gone?...Nevermind." Turning back to the Doppelganger, she continues: "Those you killed and helped kill were of our kinds, of our community, and their deaths weigh more in our eyes.", before turning back to the other Godtouched:"It is what it claims to be, a mercenary soul with no loyalty but to itself. It will happily betray it's former allies, just as it would happily betray us if that seems more advantageous."
"Of course they will. Let them be gone."
Back from taking a look at the island across the bridge, Ro is relieved there seems to still be no activity over there but she's still uneasy.
It's a long way across that bridge, and a long way down.
When she hears Matrim answered the question she had posed, she gives him a long hug. "Great to see you Matrim, you couldn't have shown up at a better time. How are Marcellano and Karina getting on?"
She answers Matrim's question to the doppelganger for it. "The dead guy over there who, to fill you in, is Ameiko's brother was his employer. So we can't exactly ask it for a reference anymore."
Ro has to laugh when she hears about the doppleganger's offer for hire. "That's plenty nervy of you, I have to admit I admire it. No thanks, I hate you. But before you go, there's another question you must answer. Where exactly is the entrance to the catacombs below the fort? As a final reminder, you better be praying to whoever for our safe and healthy return to Sandpoint. If we don't come back, there's no good word for you. Without it you're finished."
From above Tsuto, Flutter comments:"Well, technically, he's a bit cold, but not necessarily dead. Yet. Just saying."
"Hmm, if he isn't dead, perhaps such a dangerous foe should be bound."
Karmid shakes his head and picks up his Earthbreaker 'Angela' one-handed and shoulders it.
"One of you do it. I still owe that bastard for what he did to his sister! I might tie the rope around his neck too tight."
"Can anyone heal him, or at least stabilize him? He could be a valuable source of information." Edgar readies to use rope to secure the man. He still has rope, at least he thinks he does.
"I can stabilize him." She'll reach out to stabilize Tsuto. "Someone bind him please." She pulls a length of rope out of her bag.
Drasven comes over to help bind their would be captives.......
Matrim watches. ”The only way i know to treat wounds, is to push harder with the pointy end to make it deeper.”
The Path to Thistletop
Tsuto has very little life left in him but his wounds are bound enough to stop him from dying right here.
The doppelganger sighs, "Pay me to cooperate on the way back eh? I'll take that deal, two gold and I'll behave.
As far as the ways down, there are two but only one I have ever seen. That one is a single door next to a set of double doors due north when you enter the Keep. Not sure where the second one is.
To the left through two sets of double doors is a set of stairs to the roof of the Keep, I'd bet there are scouts up there now who will spot you when you cross the bridge.
Were I you, I'd try to gain access to the roof, kill the sentries and enter through that set of stairs".
Windsight grimaces, "Gwydd can't carry two prisoners back by himself. I'll assist him back. Do you want me to stay close for now in case you need back-up trying to enter the Keep?
Remember shapechanger, if they don't come back, you'll find those two gold pieces covering your eyes when I send you to whatever hell awaits you so for your own sake, you'd better be telling the truth".
"Hmm, anyone have a way to conceal folks on the bridge?" Uldar asks. "Or got a way to fly? I'm happy to provide cover fire for whoever wants to cross first." He holds up his bow a bit higher to underscore his comment. "But that won't do much for stealth."
Matrim thinks for a moment, "How steep is the mountain in these parts? Could we climb down easier than crossing that bridge?"
"I am not certain climbing would be a good idea. The assault we just fended off suggests that they are aware of our presence. We might end up mid-climb, with enemies hurtling rocks from above, and more shooting crossbows at us from the other side. While the bridge is structually compromised, it should carry one person easy enough. If you use two ropes to reinforce the bridge, it should carry the lot of you just fine. I can direct whoever volunteers...", the oversized talking butterfly responds, after circling the bridge once more.
"Be careful, Gwydd and Windsight. Both prisoners will have a trial...and Ameiko might lose a brother for the second time within such a short span of time. She is too strong-willed to want comfort, but she might do something that places her in grave peril if left to her devices...I think it would be best if you stay with her for a while.", Lia sees off the two comrades.
Karmid scratches his chin then a sweaty armpit with the head of his giant hammer casually.
"I could try and sneak across and take out the snipers quiet-like? Its daytime, so I doubt they can see very far or even want to do so anyway. They hate daylight almost as much as they hate dogs and horses."
Ro sets her mouth in a tight line when she finds out about Tsuto's fragile condition. She makes a decision she doesn't want to make, but there's no way around it.
"We can't spare any magic for Tsuto if we're going today. He's on his own. If he makes it make to Sandpoint well and good. If he doesn't, he doesn't. We can't be confident we can cover our own needs. I'm doubting it actually."
She hopes Ameiko will understand.
Ro waits for Windsight and Gwydd to take the captives away, then she huddles the group to plan the crossing. She has a (probably bad) idea.
”Right.” Rojava begins wearily. ”Our first big problem is getting to the other side of the bridge. It shouldn’t be hard to fix it not to fall, but it’s still a rope bridge, and a long one. I’d guess at least a hundred feet across.”
”Even without the trap, it’s easy to cut the bridge loose. We can’t risk just charging across and hoping the bridge will support us all, and they won’t cut it if they see us coming.”
”Here’s what I suggest. We’ll cross in groups of two. Each group starts crossing as soon as the one ahead is on the other side. Karmid and I will go first. We have a decent chance of getting across without being seen. We will use the wall as cover from the watchtowers, and hold the foot of the bridge to keep it from being cut.”
”Everyone still on this side of the bridge will be ready to give ranged cover if the crossing is discovered. The people who have the best chance not to be found out will cross first. Then those without ranged weapons. Last those with the best ranged weapons. In order of crossing the pairs will be Karmid and me, Edgar and Matrim, Lia and Uldar, and Jiliana and Drasven. It’s really unlikely we’ll all get across without being found out. We’ll have to fight our way into the fort probably.”
”This is something you all have to remember. The bridge can keep us from leaving just as well as it can keep us from getting in. Once we’re on the other side and spotted, we have to accept there’s no getting off the island. If we run, pursuers can cut it loose behind us. Once it’s no longer in sight, we have no way of knowing if they haven’t circled around and cut it behind us. It really, seriously will be win or die.”
”It’s hard to guess what things will be like once we’re over there, so I have a Plan A and a Plan B depending. Plan A isn’t very likely. If we get over to the other side and nobody knows we’re there, we work our way exactly like the doppelganger suggested. To the roof, get rid of the sentries, then down below the fort. We’ll bypass as many of the goblins as we can.”
”More likely we’ll not be so lucky. If there’s an alarm, we’ll have to gain control of the fort. If we try to go for the doors in that kind of situation, we’ll just be leaving enemies at our back to come after us. Once we have control of the fort, we will pause to rest. The one good piece of news from the doppelganger is it seems there’s very little communication between above and below ground. We’ll find a good defensible spot and hole up for the night. Maybe we can block the doors going below for good measure.”
”We’ll go below to deal with Nualia and the rest the next morning, once we’re back in shape for it. That should be the harder part I figure.”
”So,” she sighs. ”What do you think?”
Wow, I guess Shelyn isn't messing around. Alright, so be it.
Uldar flashes a great big grin. "Hmm...sounds like fun," he says. "Ready when you are."
Jili starts to breath hard with nerves as Ro explains the plan. She concentrates hard to make sure she's understood. The only Celestial speaker she knows of in the group just headed back to Sandpoint.
She tries to speak, stops and starts again. I...can...follow...the plan. Be...careful." She nods and readies her bow.
Karmid smiles easily at the plan.
"I knew we chose the best person to lead us. Solid Plan Ro."
Quickly, Karmid hooks his hammer on his backpack in order to keep his hand free to cross the bridge. If he needed a weapon quickly, he has his Klar.
"So how do we solidify a rope bridge? Are any of us engineers or carpenters or something...?"
.