Gorvi and his boys lead the horse and wagon laden with dead goblins to the cliff and proceed to dump the bodies over the cliff onto the beach at Junker's Edge.
Since there's no mention of finding any gold on the goblin corpses searched in the junkyard then am I to conclude that Gorvi and his boys were in fact searching the bodies either as they were loaded up or unloaded from the cart? Just making sure I'm understanding what my PC witnessed.
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Originally Posted by CanadienneBacon
The tide takes the dead hunting dog and one goblin
My character has a decent swim speed if it changes anything; he could swim out and drag the carcasses back if he sees them floating away. The deceased dog (there were two actually) deserves a token burial. My character will drag the carcass(es) up above the high water mark on Chopper's Isle (where few people go) and dig a shallow grave for it/them. It's the least he can do for his slain 'kin'.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CanadienneBacon
This is a lot more activity than I realized you would have Taran undertake, however. The pursuit of gold, while entirely realistic for a young dragon, is going to cost Taran a night's sleep, with the result that he'll be fatigued on Day 2. Let me know if there is a game mechanic possessed by Taran that will spare him the effect/s of fatigue...
The only mechanic that might be pertinent is the one for dragon overland movement, though I'll admit it's a bit of a stretch.
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Originally Posted by SRD
Dragons do not tire as quickly as other creatures when moving overland on the ground. If a dragon attempts a hustle or a forced march, check for nonlethal damage once every 2 hours instead of every hour.
That being said, I have no problem with Taran being fatigued for the time being; it seems reasonable under the circumstances. Perhaps he'll be able to alleviate the condition somewhat by napping.
OOC
Just to be clear, I don't expect that Sandstone will be participating in the breakfast meeting at the garrison. It'd seem a little odd for a stray dog to be included — correct me if I'm mistaken. Otherwise Sandstone will stay where he is outside and simply take advantage of the free time to get some rest; he's a little pooped.
"Elyra Coleus," Elyra introduces herself curtly. Then feeling she might have been too brusque, nods to Tac and adds awkwardly, "Your fine craftsman is my cousin."
Both the Sheriff and the Mayor seem to size up each person who enters the Sheriff's office, looking with particular curiosity on Tac. The Mayor nods to herself then asks Tac, "I've seen you at work on our new Cathedral. Double thanks to you, young man. Did you hear the news that we'll host a second re-dedication ceremony this afternoon? After yesterday's fiasco, Father Zantus pressed me to see the dedication through." The Mayor pauses and tries an uncertain smile before continuing. "A gathering and a prayer might do some good to quell fear, at any rate. This evening, at sundown."
Tac's cheeks flush at the extra attention. "It's nothing," he says sheepishly. He nods supportively at the suggestion of a second dedication, but otherwise can't quite yet manage to get his mouth working, instead working on hiding his relief as the others introduce themselves and take attention away from him.
"I know Reve well enough." Sheriff Hemlock peers at Talashia and grunts. "Come home, have you? Your mum'll be pleased, make no mistake." Mayor Deverin and Shalelu listen intently as each person introduces themself. When everyone has said their piece and names have gone 'round, and all parties are seated within the confines of the Sheriff's office, Sheriff Hemlock cedes the floor to Shalelu who imparts what she knows the region and its recent activity. "Belor's told me of your work against the goblins--well done. I've dedicated the last several years of my life to keeping them from causing too much trouble around these parts, but they're tenacious and fecund little runts. Like weeds that bite."
"Anyway, there's five major goblin tribes in the region, and, traditionally, they're pretty good at keeping each other in line with intertribal squabbles and the like. Yet from what I've been able to piece together, members of all five tribes were involved in the raid on Sandpoint. A fair amount of the Mosswood tribe goblins I dealth with late yesterday were already pretty beat up, and there was a lot of chatter about the 'longshanks' who killed so many of them. Now that I've met you, it seems obvious from their descriptions who they were talking about. Seems like you've made an impression."
In any event, the fact that the five tribes are working together disturbs me. Goblin tribes don't get along unless they've got something big planned, and big plans require big bosses. I'm afraid that someone's moved in on the goblins and organized them. And judging by these recent raids, what they're organizing seems like bad news for all of us."
Elyra
Elyra has no experience with Shalelu, nor has she heard of the elf, but then again the Hinterlands is a wide geographic area and elves are infamous for staying on the fringe of society, particularly in this area of Varisia where their numbers are fewer.
Shalelu mentions five goblin tribes, but Elyra is aware of only three within the region: the Mosswood tribe mentioned by Shalelu, which is a large tribe but one that tends not to trouble outlying farms because of trouble brewed within feuding Mosswood goblin clans, the Seven Tooth goblins of Shank's Wood--who regularly raid the Junkyard on the beach below Sandpoint, and the Licktoad goblins of the Brinestump Marsh, a small tribe of excellent swimmers who jump at their own shadow.
After Shalelu says her piece and sits back down, Sheriff Hemlock stands and cracks his knuckles. "Based on what Shalelu here tells us, the Mayor and I agree we need reinforcements. Sandpoint pays tribute to Magnimar for protection in times of need, so I'll be taking a few men south down the coast to requisition reinforcements from the Magnimar authorities. With only a partial company left behind to defend the town while I'm on the road, the Mayor feels it best that we hire extra help to bolster our defenses until I return." The Sheriff eyes Sivan and Elyra, then Tac and Talashia. "Should be a few days, if you don't mind. The pay's 200 gold. Each." Sheriff Hemlock winces as he says 200 gold but after a firm look from the mayor, he continues, this time turning his head to address Sivan and Elyra. "The locals seem to have taken to you and seeing you around town will do a lot for keeping worries down over the next few days. Shalelu's agreed to sniff around Shank's Wood, Devil's Platter, and a few other local haunts to try to dig up more information on the goblins' activity." Mayor Deverin stands up and moves beside the Sheriff, her face expectant.
Tac's mouth works for a moment without making any sounds. Then he swallows and manages to remember how speech works.
"I really like it here," he says. "And of course I want to do what I can to help, except ... well, except I'm already bound to Engineering Guild. Of course, it would already have taken a few days for the crews to all get themselves in order before leaving, so I'd probably still be here anyway. But ... "
The young engineer bites his lip, clearly conflicted, then sighs and pushes forward. "I guess what I mean to say is, if one of you were to put in an official word, I suspect I could get a dispensation from my engineering duties?"
Mayor Deverin nods thoughtfully. "A dispensation? I'll speak to Tollen Mire on your behalf." A smile creeps across the Mayor's face. "We're currently accepting bids for next year's refurbishment of the Academy--as your guild has stated its intent to bid on the Academy job, I'm sure the gratitude of the Sandpoint authorities for previous favors can be nothing if not a positive influence on the willingness of Mr. Mire to release you from work for a few days."
"We're currently accepting bids for next year's refurbishment of the Academy--as your guild has stated its intent to bid on the Academy job, I'm sure the gratitude of the Sandpoint authorities for previous favors can be nothing if not a positive influence on the willingness of Mr. Mire to release you from work for a few days."
Elyra tries not to show her displeasure at the mayor's ready answer. She had hoped Tac would not take the job. For herself...Well, she had been inclined to take it, as the money was certainly good. And now she had to, as she could not abandon her cousin to this. "I will take the job," She says evenly.
"I will help you as good as I can. If there are lives and order in danger, there can be no other answer. No other duty can be of more importance." Sivan replies honestly.
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Sivan senses that there is something unctuous about the Mayor. Her answers come very quickly and she seems unusually willing to trust her town to the safety of relatively untested strangers. The mayor's last statement about getting Tac released from work smacks of corruption--guaranteeing a bid for work will be successful if the guild does the town a favor by lending Tac? Plus, there is tension evident between the sheriff and the mayor--the sheriff did not seem happy at the idea of paying what amounts to 800 gp for the hire of mercenaries, while the mayor was all too willing. Just to clarify, 800 gp would be considered an usual sum. Altogether, something doesn't add up.
A knock at the closed office door is answered by the sheriff, who admits a pair of serving men who bear trays of bread, a crock of butter, honey, a basket of oranges, and flagons of water. The sheriff, mayor, and Shalelu fall silent in tension as the serving men lay the food on the middle table between chairs then quit the room with a nod to the sheriff and mayor. After closing the door, Sheriff Hemlock invites his guests to eat, saying, "Break your fast, if you like. The honey is from Grinstead's farm, just outside the town walls." Shalelu takes Sheriff Hemlock up on his invitation, selecting an orange, which she peels and eats--filling the room with scent.
Mayor Deverin coughs and, looking uncomfortable, says, "It was confirmed by the watch that Father Tobyn's grave has been defiled and that the bones are missing. I'm sure it's just a case of goblin mischief, but we'd like to keep the incident quiet. Since you've agreed to serve as adjunct guardsmen in Sheriff Hemlock's absence, I'll ask that you refer any inquiries--not that I expect many, mind you--to my office."
Since there's no mention of finding any gold on the goblin corpses searched in the junkyard then am I to conclude that Gorvi and his boys were in fact searching the bodies either as they were loaded up or unloaded from the cart? Just making sure I'm understanding what my PC witnessed.
Gorvi and his boys most definitely searched the bodies as they carted them, yes.
Quote:
My character has a decent swim speed if it changes anything; he could swim out and drag the carcasses back if he sees them floating away. The deceased dog (there were two actually) deserves a token burial. My character will drag the carcass(es) up above the high water mark on Chopper's Isle (where few people go) and dig a shallow grave for it/them. It's the least he can do for his slain 'kin'.
Done. 10 more gold pieces recovered from the goblin, and the dog buried above the high-water mark.
The night's activity will fatigue Taran. -2 to Strength and Dexterity until he can recoup with 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep/rest.
Tac lights up at the Mayor's offer and his cousin's decision to sign on, as well. By the time the food arrives, he's clearly delighted by the turn this morning has taken. He slathers bread and honey on his bread.
He has a very healthy-sized bite in his mouth when the Mayor mentions the priest's missing body, at which point, the young man's buoyancy dissapates. He chews and swallows the bite in his mouth with some effort, and begins trying to clean the excess honey from his fingers.
"That was actually ... Father Tobyn ... it's what I didn't want to tell you in front of everyone last night. It's very unsettling, and obviously El knows a lot more about goblins than I ever will, but it doesn't seem very ... mischief-y, does it?"
"That was actually ... Father Tobyn ... it's what I didn't want to tell you in front of everyone last night. It's very unsettling, and obviously El knows a lot more about goblins than I ever will, but it doesn't seem very ... mischief-y, does it?"
"No, it wasn't just goblin mischief," Elyra explains. She eyes the mayor and the sheriff carefully. "I checked the tracks. There was someone else -- A human, an elf, someone human-sized -- Was with the goblins at the gravesite. They were wearing light boots or shoes, not heavy boots." She pauses, trying to judge the reception of this revelation. "I think that person was in charge. They stood guard while the goblins dug. And it was Father Tobyn's grave they were looking for -- They searched the graveyard before they found it." She looks at the sheriff. "Remember the coins we found on that goblin, sheriff? There is something definitely wrong here."
Talashia remains silent, arms folded over her stomach as she listens, and a conflicted expression on her face. Two hundred gold is enticing...but this is her home. Still, she has expenses to meet. But her family lives here.
Finally she shakes her head and says, "Elyra's right. I saw the graveyard myself, and some of the coins the goblins had. Not to mention the ladder that let them scale the wall in the graveyard."
Then with a deep breath she adds, "And I don't want the two hundred gold. I don't need payment to protect Sandpoint. Keep my share."
When Elyra mentions the human-sized tracks she found at Father Tobyn's gravesite, Sheriff Hemlock frowns and opens his mouth to ask a question but is quickly but off by Mayor Deverin, who says, "Light boots or shoes could have been anyone in town. We'll have to watch for more evidence, which I'm sure will turn up over time if we do have someone in Sandpoint bent on devilry." Sheriff Hemlock turns his head and scowls out of sight of the mayor, then looks back to Elyra, his eyes full of question. When Elyra mentions coins, the sheriff looks doubtful. "I'm afraid in the confusion of yesterday I don't remember any coins, Elyra. Refresh my memory?" If shown the coins or if a verbal description is given, the mayor and sheriff will confirm that the coins are not locally minted. "Doesn't even look/sound like it came from Magnimar, not by my reckoning," says Sheriff Hemlock of the coins.
Detect evil does not grant a saving throw, nor does it offer spell resistance. Additionally, there is nothing in the spell description that would indicate anyone standing within the cone-shaped emanation would automatically sense the spell. The only case I can think of for a "target" to know Sivan is using detect evil would be if someone possessed and used Spellcraft to determine what Sivan is doing based on the verbal, somantic, and/or divine focus elements of the spell.
In reply to Sivan's question whether Father Tobyn had any enemies, Sheriff Hemlock is the first to speak. "None. Father Tobyn was loved by all--he never feared to lay hands on the sick, nor to collect alms for our wayward souls. Perhaps his only fault was being overly zealous at times--a turn off to visitors from time to time--but those who knew him best loved him well."
Sheriff Hemlock appears startled by Talashia's declaration to work for free for the good of the town, and switches his attention from Sivan and Elyra to Talashia. Though quiet, the Sheriff has a hard look at the lass, his eyes upon her for long moments. When Sivan states that he will use a portion for expenses but intends to give the remainder to the Cathedral for a shrine of Shelyn, the sheriff grunts and nods. "That's in keeping with the spirit of the Cathedral, Brother. No doubt Father Zantus will be delighted."
Mayor Deverin is quicker to respond to Talashia than is the hard-staring sheriff. "Sleep on it, Talashia. I'll give the gold to your comrades to hold for you, in case you meet with ill favor along the way and find yourself in need of funds. That reminds me..." Mayor Deverin gets up and walks behind Sheriff Hemlock's desk and hauls out a small but heavy lock box. Unlocking the safe with a key from a cord at her belt, the mayor reaches inside and pulls out four sacks, which she hands round. Inside are battered but serviceable gold coins, 200 of them by the look of it. The mayor holds the fourth sack out, "This would be Talashia's. Who will hold it in her stead?"
One leather coin pouch containing 200 gp given to Sivan, Elyra, and Tac. A fourth pouch (intended for Talashia) also offered. Let me know where the fourth pouch goes.
When Elyra mentions the human-sized tracks she found at Father Tobyn's gravesite, Sheriff Hemlock frowns and opens his mouth to ask a question but is quickly but off by Mayor Deverin, who says, "Light boots or shoes could have been anyone in town. We'll have to watch for more evidence, which I'm sure will turn up over time if we do have someone in Sandpoint bent on devilry." Sheriff Hemlock turns his head and scowls out of sight of the mayor, then looks back to Elyra, his eyes full of question. When Elyra mentions coins, the sheriff looks doubtful. "I'm afraid in the confusion of yesterday I don't remember any coins, Elyra. Refresh my memory?"
Elyra hesitates. "The bag of coins I took from the goblin," she explains. "The ones I gave you to give to the injured." She tries to keep her tone neutral, but it is obvious to all she is painfully aware that she is approaching making a very serious accusation against the sheriff.
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