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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 6690782" data-attributes="member: 16069">Chapter 3: Bovidae Caprinae. POSTEDI should stay quiet Zalt thought, if I say it they'll laugh at me. He repeated the phrase he was about to articulate in his head- yes, they will definitely laugh at me. “I...” he said aloud, his three companions instantly turned to look at him. I really shouldn't say it he thought again, don't say it- don't say it- don't say it, he repeated to himself like a mantra.A moment later he said it, and then had to explain what he meant- which should have been warning enough, but instead he plunged on and dug himself in deeper.And then they laughed at him.He knew they would.But by then he was no longer listening to their crude braying; the sound of the monstrous tide filled his ears, it grew louder until it was all he could hear, until all that he was conscious of was the dark tide in his mind. In his mind. He had heard the call. He had been chosen. And then it was gone.Zalt smiled broadly and his three companions were momentarily reassured, they thought he was in on the joke- that he could see the funny side, this thought made him smile even the more.There will be a reckoning, he grinned.Ten minutes earlier the four adventurers had quickly discovered a well-used track leading away from the goblin ambush site. They'd also quickly, and correctly, surmised that the two dead horses blocking their path were formerly owned by Gundren Rockseeker and Sildar Hallwinter. This was particularly problematic because the former, Gundren Rockseeker, was their present employer. The dwarf had hired the four adventurers back in the city of Neverwinter, and then set out ahead of them with his bodyguard- Sildar. The adventurers' present task- to deliver the cart loaded with Gundren's gear to Phandalin - seemed to be quickly turning into a fool's errand, the prospect of them getting paid was fast receding. The priest of Tempus, Zyler, was however now up and about although moving gingerly at times- it seemed the worst of the fellow's sickness had passed. “Do we follow the trail?” Zyler asked, canvassing opinion. Zalt kept his own council, Hellwhip rubbed the back of his neck and worried over his answer - the ranger had greatly enjoyed the surge of adrenaline that had come over him during the goblin attack- the thrill felt like home, and yet...“Come on!” Grimm called back, the paladin of Tempus was already ten yards down the newly discovered goblin trail, it seemed the decision had already been made.Five minutes later Grimm suddenly came to a dead stop causing those following to concertina, he pointed with his sword at a coil of rope on the path ahead, partially hidden by grass and leaves. “Ha ha!” he declared, “a trap”, and then without a second thought strode on.“I...” Zalt said, causing the paladin to stop in his tracks and turn to listen, Hellwhip and Zyler likewise took note. “I...” Zalt said again, all the while his mind repeating the mantra- don't say it- don't say it- don't say it.“I can make a noise like a goat” the warlock eventually stated. “What?” Hellwhip growled with as much scorn as he could muster.“I have a spell that can be used to reproduce the sound of a goat”, a second later he added, “a goat in distress perhaps?”Zalt's three companions looked confused- Hellwhip stared open-mouthed.“To what end?” Zyler asked, and then to clarify things, if only for himself, “why do you want to use magic to make the sound of a goat in distress?”. The priest of Tempus must have missed a meeting during his illness, he thought.“We could stake out the trail, use my magic to lure the goblins in, have them believe that a stray goat had got caught in their trap.” Zalt explained, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.“Let me get this right”, Zyler continued to seek clarity, “we hide in the bushes, you make goat noises and the goblins come running, and we get them?”Zalt nodded, some would say eagerly, “remember the goat would be in distress”, the warlock added, certain this last fact would sway the discussion.Then the laughing started.A minute or two later Grimm was off again, following the trail, and every now and then chuckling to himself and repeating the word 'goat' in a close approximation of Zalt's voice. Zyler wiped tears from his eyes, Hellwhip bringing up the rear stared at Zalt's back and shook his head, the ranger continued to fret- what the hell have I got myself into.Ten minutes later Grimm found the second trap, a squarish section of the trail suddenly fell away as the paladin stepped on to it. The heavily armoured human danced adeptly to the side as twigs and branches splintered and collapsed to reveal a ten foot deep pit. The paladin of Tymora didn't even break his stride, he merely pointed behind him and in a voice full of certainty stated, “pit” and strode on.</blockquote>

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