[E&E] Goblin's Lair #1 - Red Hand Trail

[Jack Daniel]

The world called Gaia is very much like our Earth was in the early part of the 19th century... except, of course, that Gaia boasts the presence of magic, faeries, dragons, and other supernatural wonders. One of Gaia's continents, Arcadia, is a land of many nations, most of them in the midst of an Industrial Revolution and an explosion of modern scientific understanding and technological development. Driven by coal and steam, clockwork and electricity, the world is changing with breathtaking rapidity. Some of the elder races, especially long-lived elves and fays, can't quite wrap their heads around this new world being created by men, gnomes, dwarves, and other races more technologically inclined.

In the center of Arcadia is a country called Midjard, the middle-country, a region of several small and independent kingdoms. Some of these kingdoms are well known and rather powerful. Spielberg is famous for its military, and Handelstad is famous for its wealth. Daemmerung is known for the power of its wizards, and Aelfheim for the wisdom of its sages. But the kingdom of Dreiseen (which is known in the Common Tongue as the kingdom of Threelakes) is not particularly outstanding for any of these reasons. In fact, it is quite the out-of-the-way little region, populated by farmers and fishers, and so far, little touched by the marvels of modern technological progress.

In the western part of Dreiseen is a lowland, a large valley some twenty miles wide running east-west and perhaps eighty miles long running north-south. This valley is known as the Donnerreiss (the Thunder-Rift). Much of the Donnerresiss is wilderness. There are no cities, only a few villages, and many rough and rugged parts which rest in monster hands. It is into the wilds of the Donnerreiss that your party has ventured, looking for excitement and profit. Your first destination: the village of Kleine, on the southern shore of Lake Oestrel. A massive waterfall called the Donnerfall (its pervasive roar gives the whole valley of the Donnerreiss its name) plunges into Lake Oestrel, after which a lazy flow called the Drache River wends down from the lake (about where Kleine sits), and then southward through the valley and eventually all the way to the mighty Gylden River, at the very southern edge of the Kingdom of Dreiseen, many leagues distant.

You arrive in Kleine on a crisp autumn morning, brown leaves crunching beneath your feet, frost coating the tips of grass-blades, wisps of your own breath made visible for a heartbeat. The sky is blue and cloudless, the sun bright. And yet, you come to this village well aware of the rumors. Trouble stirs in the east. Homesteads destroyed, crops and possessions pillaged, farmers and their families either slain or kidnapped or force to flee. And some claim to have seen goblins in the hills. Goblins! Above ground, and in broad daylight at times! Such a thing is unheard of, even in such a wilderness as the Donnerreiss. After all, goblins are things of legend. At least as far as any of you know, nobody has seen a real goblin in hundreds and hundreds of years. It's possible that they might not even exist at all, and that the farmers are merely jumping at shadows. Or perhaps the threat is real, but farms are being destroyed by ordinary, mortal bandits, and not by spooks and myths and legends.

Whatever the case, you have come to Kleine in search of adventure. This village is little more than a crossroads and a collection of small buildings, most of them sturdy and tile-roofed, but still very rustic in appearance and construction. The roads are dirt-paved, and there isn't even so much as a lamppost in the village square! Just a stone well where the two dirt highways intersect. But one building does stand out beyond the others, a large and relatively new-looking three-storey home. This, you suppose, must be the burgomaster's manor.

But surely, the leader of a village like Kleine would be too busy to meet with a ragtag band of adventurers, right?

[rangerjohn]

Reginald enters town concerned about the rumors. He knows more than most,
from his knowledge of history and magic, that the old tales hold more truth than most would believe. He makes his way to Burgermeister, perhaps with his membership in the order, he will be granted an audience.

[Frozen Messiah]

Biggums leans back on the mound of hay that fills up the farmers wagon that he hitched a ride on. His long rimmed hat tilted over his eyes and his hands behind his head. He feels the road has gotten a little less bumpy so he lifts up a portion of his hat and sees they are now inside of a village. Biggums gives himself a slight push to get off of the wagon then turns around and gives the farmer a tip of his hat. Readjusting his long coat and picking off some stray hay here and there he looks around the village. Biggums pulls out a small note and reads it out loud to himself. "Kleine,hmm" an annoyed face comes over his face, "bugger me, no bloody sign in sight."
He looks around for someone and he notices a man with a large sword and a holy symbol. "Oi, sir," He yells over at the man as he walks towards him. "Am I in the right place because I heard there's been some trouble around so in my mind that means there some gold around, ya get what I'm sayin', mate." He said to him with a large grin as he handed over the note.

[Queenie]

Morgana huffs at the sight of the town as her and Thalion climb out of the decrepit old carriage that has brought them to Kleine. She rubs at her butt, "You FAILED to mention that the ride would be this long and bumpy, boy."

She pats herself down, pulling the creases out of her long cloak. "I suppose we aught to visit the larger... dwelling... over there." She takes a few steps into the town. "Is this really considered livable? There aren't even any roads!"

[Deuce Traveler]

Fenn stops in front of the burgomaster's manor, taking a moment to take the knapsack-tied pole holding his rations on the side next to him then patting off the bottom of his dirt-caked trousers. "Hmmm... busy today out here, it seems. Looks like I'm not the only one looking for work," he says aloud, partly to himself and party to his fellow pedestrians.

[Fenris]

Originally Posted by Queenie

Morgana huffs at the sight of the town as her and Thalion climb out of the decrepit old carriage that has brought them to Kleine. She rubs at her butt, "You FAILED to mention that the ride would be this long and bumpy, boy."

"Maybe because you were too busy picking out clothes to hear me when I did say it" he whipsers back before flashing a smile at Morgana

Originally Posted by Queenie

She pats herself down, pulling the creases out of her long cloak. "I suppose we aught to visit the larger... dwelling... over there." She takes a few steps into the town. "Is this really considered livable? There aren't even any roads!"

"Roads exist where ever one needs to tread. Our road has led us here. And this is only the begining of our road." says Thalion with a genuine smile.

[Queenie]

Originally Posted by Fenris

"Roads exist where ever one needs to tread. Our road has led us here. And this is only the begining of our road." says Thalion with a genuine smile.

Morgana rolls her eyes. "There you go gettin all philosophical again. I'm saving my deep thoughts for my next millennium. Now come on, let's go find adventure."

She leads the way to the large house and to the rag tag group already standing there.

"Excuse me sirs, is this the burgomaster's residence? We are looking for him and the faster we find him, the better. I'm starving and need a bath!"

[Jack Daniel]

Reginald makes for the front door of the large house, only to be stopped by a rustic-looking chap with a wide-brimmed hat and a penchant for folksy conversation. It's Biggums Niper, who has quite literally just stepped off the hayseed wagon.

But before Reginald of the Order can answer Biggums's questions, they are joined by a third man--this one in dirty travelling clothes which have been colorfully stained in various places by who-only-knows what manner of chemicals--Fenn McDabbler. He seems to be muttering something to himself.

And as if that weren't strange enough, there is also an old stagecoach just arriving in Kleine, a rickety carriage pulled by a foursome of weary nags. The coach driver, who looks to be in his eighties, leaps down spryly and opens the door for a pair of elves. No, wait... a closer look suggests that only the male is elvish, the female is fay. Well, that's odd indeed.

The five of you stand before the front door of the house. No butler or porter has come out to meet you, but then, in a village this small, that's to be expected. Reginald, his hand already on the front doorknob, finds it to be unlocked.

[Tailspinner]

Zephyrus walks into the small villiage of Kleine and upon seeing several individuals in front of the Burgomaster's Manor he strides in that direction. Once there the Sylph follows the others into the structure.

[Fenris]

Thalion looks around at the collection of sundry folk including a Sylph. "My what a strange collection we all make. Is everyone else here chasing rumors of adventure, wealth and excitement?"

[Frozen Messiah]

"Well I am glad someone answered me," He says while looking over at the knight he atempted to get information from "so this is the town that has all of the spooked farmers, they say it's goblins I have heard enough stories in my travels that I'm likely to believe 'em." Biggums says more to himself then to the others. "But enough about me... I haven't even told you my name. I'm Biggums S. Nipper," As he says that he spins his pistol in his hand, "gun man extraordinaire." When he finishes talking he stops the gun so it restes in his hand, ready to fire.

[Queenie]

Morgana steps forward, "Morgana Teleri," she says, smiling sweetly but markedly not holding out her hand. "Are you here to see the burgomaster then to find out about these goblins? I admit, I am skeptical myself."

[Frozen Messiah]

"Ah, a beautiful name for a beautiful girl, I'm glad to make you aquaintance." As Biggums says this he bows heavily to the point where his hat falls of and a large amount of hair falls in front of his face. He then prostrates himself, parts his hair so he can see, and lightly kicks his hat into the air where he grabs it, all the while with a small smile on his face.
"Now about those goblins, it's a wide world out there so anythintg is a possibility. The Burgomeistre,master, muster...," Biggums says the word burgomeister over a few times just to try to jog his memory. "if he's the guy who is going to dish out the gold then that''s the guy I want to talk to. You seems to have you head on your shoulders so after you." Biggums says to her as he catches the slowly closing door and opens it widely and keeps it like that with his foot.

[Deuce Traveler]

"Fenn McDabbler, nice to meet your acquaintence. I must say I've always been struck with fascination in regards to the methods of manufacturing such a weapon as a gun. Maybe, if I'm selected to join with you, I will get to see it in action. I'd shake in greeting, but I was dabbling with a concoction I brewed up shortly before arriving and I'm not sure how much is still on my hands."

[Frozen Messiah]

Biggums takes a large step towards Fenn so he is a meter away then he leans fairly close with one eye closed and his head tilted, as if he were observing him. "Mate... I like you already." Biggums says in a lower volume then when he was talking to Morgana and then his face goes back into a large smile.

[Jack Daniel]

Mr. Niper, then, props open the front door of the manor-house with his foot. Therein, you can see a rather comfortable and simply decorated foyer and entry-hall with the town banner hanging from the ceiling behind a chandelier. To the left, a sitting room with a large stone fireplace can be seen through an open doorway. To the right, another open door reveals a dining room. On the far side of the hall, a broad wooden staircase leads up to the second floor, where the railed balcony becomes a corridor leading deeper into the house.

From upstairs, you can hear voices: two distinct voices, those of men carrying on an intense conversation.

[Queenie]

Morgana pauses, raising her eyebrow at Fenn and the mention of his hands being dirty. The voices, however, distract her.

"Let's go. I imagine we will have much time out here in desolation to discussion your oddities."

She takes a few steps into the house then yells loudly, "HELLO? ANYONE HOME?"

[Jack Daniel]

The conversation stops. A deep, authoritative voice comes from the hallway above: "Yes? Hello? Please, come upstairs at once!"

[Queenie]

"Well, there you go boys," she grins. With a little bounce in her step Morgana leads the way up the stairs looking for the voice from above.

[Frozen Messiah]

As Morgana walks up the stairs Biggums leans over to Thalion. "No worries mate, your girlfriend is safe with me." he whispers to him then give him a wink ans then begins walking up the stairs casually up the stairs.