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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Amaroq" data-source="post: 1271162" data-attributes="member: 15470">Issue #3: The Spider-eye GoblinsAs we reach the Laughing Ogre inn, Randall and Reginald, Fox’s adopted sons and assistants, come running out to meet us. These red-headed teenagers, 14 and 15 years old, never miss an opportunity to follow us around, asking questions about our adventures and providing us with a great deal more hero-worship than we deserve. Their older sister Rian, also adopted by Fox, works at the inn as a waitress. Fox comes out just after his sons and sends us, with the prisoners, to the stable area, not wanting us to drag them through the bar and inn. Fox sends Reginald for Grilliam, the priest of Hedrada, and Randal for Constable Lamarack. While we wait, Stone and Chuck go into the inn to warm up and get something to eat. Paks stays with the prisoners until the constable shows up. Lamarack is a tall, burly man with a big club, and he brings two men at arms. He relieves Paks of her watch, and she also goes into the inn to warm up by the fire and a bowl of warm stew. She is more than happy to slip out of her chain shirt, and into something more comfortable.Grilliam arrives shortly thereafter, also bringing two assistants. He gathers our party in the inn, and asks for our story.  While Saraya recounts the entire tale, he casually cures us all.  Saraya, a bard, naturally embellishes a bit, leaving out the duller, muddier moments. In all, her tale is more exciting and heroic than the rest of us remember it. Reginald and Randall listen eagerly, and even Fox appears pleased with the tale. When the tale is finished, we show him everything we brought back: the parchments, the chest (with vials and ledger), the blue gem, the carved skull, the bag of gold, and the symbol of Enkili. Chuck also pulls out the gold ring he brought back last time, but Grilliam waves it away. After a quick inspection, Grilliam says that the vials look like poison, so he sends an assistant for the apothecary. He says he'll take a look at the other items later, as the prisoners should be questioned now. We all go to the stables, where Constable Lamarack has the four prisoners under his control. Delonia, the spell caster, is awake for the first time since we captured her, but she is gagged so that she cannot speak the words of any spells. Grilliam reaches out towards her face, but then looks around at all of us. “I’ll remove the gag,” he says, “But you guards and fighters should keep your bows ready. If she says anything that even appears to be a spell, you should shoot her immediately.” We all nod. Chuck draws his bow, and Paks rests her hand on the hilt of her long sword. Grilliam unties the cloth. When her mouth is freed, Grilliam ask, “What is your name?”“I am called Delonia,” she answers.“What were you doing in the tower?”, he asks.She gives him an innocent look and a smile. “We were just camping out, not doing anything wrong. I don't know why you're bothering us.” Grilliam gets very angry. He is a big man, but in his anger he appears to swell and fill the room. “Don't lie to a priest of Hedrada!” he thunders.Delonia goes white. She seems to have heard about the questioning methods of the priests of Hedrada. “I wasn't lying...” she whispers.Grilliam’s face sets in a grim line. “What you deserve, so shall you receive,” he intones, and lays his hand on Delonia's head, clearly casting a spell. “You shall reap the reward of prevaricators,” he says.Delonia says, “Really, we weren't doing anything wrong...” As she speaks, before she can even finish the sentence, her face swells up and her swollen tongue pushes out of her mouth. “I warned you,” Grilliam tells her. “Every time you lie your tongue will betray you from now on. If you continue to lie, you may choke to death. It is not a pleasant way to die.” The other three smugglers look aghast. After a few minutes, Delonia's tongue shrinks back to a normal size, and he continues to question her. However, when she discovers that if she simply refuses to answer, her tongue does not grow, she refuses to say anything more. Eventually, Grilliam says “We'll take her away to try to learn something from her. She may be able to hold out here, in a stable, but at our temple, she won’t be able to resist long. Meanwhile, the apothecary will study the vials you brought back. You should rest. Come to the temple in the morning.” He and Constable Lamarack leave, escorting the prisoners.As they leave, we head into the inn for dinner. Saraya asks leave to play a few songs in the common room, which Fox grants.</blockquote>

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