Wayward Expeditions - Rise of the Runelords - Episode 06
 	Intro: For much of written history world events followed chartered routes. Oracles and seers mapped out the future in the stars above and their prophecies always gave a reliable view of the ages to come. Until a god died a century ago. No one saw that coming. And now the old prophecies are failing, oracles go mad and seers desperately tried to account for the loss of the future. While some cry out that the world is at an end, they've been doing so for a hundred years now and the world is still here, it's just unclear where things are going. The future of Golarian is open, ready to receive the triumphs and failures of a new generation of heroes. Welcome to Rise of the Runelords!

GM: When we last left you guys, you were just coming out of the graveyard with Sheriff Belor. Rushing up to you is a breathless woman, she's clutching a baby in one arm and dragging a child, maybe about five or six years, old behind her in the other hand. "Sheriff! Sheriff! Come quickly! My My... There's a goblin in my house!"

Markus: My initial reaction is Insight that. 

GM: Ok. 

Markus: So that'd be Sense motive.

GM: Yes. She's obviously terrified and panicked. And give me a Perception with that as well... She's clutching her baby so tight she's almost suffocating it. And you can see a bit of blood running down the boy's arm, the opposite arm that she's pulling.

Markus: "A goblin? You're certain it's a goblin? Aren't they all gone?"

GM: "I am positive it was a goblin! My husband's tearing apart the floorboards, trying to get to it! We ran to get assistance. Please come quickly!" "Ma'am. Just relax. You're about to suffocate your child there, just slow down, tell these good people your story. I've got to go take care of something else, but you're in good hands with them. Okay?" And Belor then turns to leave.

Morana: Morana just kind of does that slow head turn as he turns to walk away with this expression on her face, just says, "Really?"

Taury: Yeah Taury has her arms crossed, and she's just waiting to hear more. Kind of bored looking.

Morana: "Well I suppose it wouldn't hurt to take a look. I don't think I've ever heard of goblins in the floorboards, but who knows? They're goblins."

GM: "I don't know. Little little Aeren here. He was afraid of his closet for a few days after ... yeah, a couple days since the attack or so. Has it been that long?! I don't even know anymore." She goes to grasp her brow with letting go of little Aeren's hand. He's just terrified as well, just stands there, shivering, almost. "So, so Alergast went in and kept scolding the boy for being afraid of nothing. And then we went in this morning after hearing Aeren shriek, and [stammers] our little dog Petunia was dead, not even its ear... There was a little goblin there biting Aeren. Alergast punched it off of him, and it crawled into a closet and apparently escaped beneath the floorboards or something. He. He's furious! Tearing into the floor. You've got to go..."

Morana: "Ok."

GM: "... deal with this!"

Morana: "Ok, ok, ok. So you you did specifically see the goblin, that's what I was missing in the first story, ok."

GM: "Yeah." she pulls up a little Aeren's sleeve on his arm. You see a bunch of goblin bites all over his arms there, that arm, "He was trying to eat him alive!"

Morana: "Well, that's that's all I need."

Markus: "Yes."

Morana: "Shall we?"

Markus: "Shall we?"

Fenwarin: Yeah. Fen just looks at the rest of the group and says "Well, I mean, we should finish them off, right?"

Taury: Taury nods and grunts at that. "Like hell yeah dude."

GM: "We're going to go over to the healers to have his wounds taken care of." And she gives you directions to her house. "Please hurry!" 

Markus: "We will."

Morana: I head that way.

GM: All right. When you get to the house, the door is open.

Taury: Like it was left open or like it was...?

GM: Yeah.

Taury: Yeah.

GM: Like it was left open in her hurry to come get you.

Morana: Do we hear anything from inside?

GM: No. You hear very muffled goblin voice, but you can't really make out what it's saying.

Markus: Definitely a goblin voice? 

GM: Yeah.

Markus: "Well. Seems like she wasn't mistaken."

Fenwarin: Mm hmm. Can we have maybe take a peek inside and see how many there are?

Taury: Yeah, Taury will probably walk into the doorway, not into the house, but into the doorway and look in.

GM: All right. As you look in, you don't see anything moving or going on, it's dead quiet except for this little goblin chant that you can't quite make out. Yeah, it's really muffled.

Taury: Do I have any idea where it's coming from? Like, where abouts in the house?

GM: Yeah, are you following the noise?

Taury: Yep.

GM: Ok.

Markus: "I think we ought to proceed cautiously."

Fenwarin: "I agree with Markus. Let's just do this quietly, take them by surprise."

GM: The floorboards creak a little as you walk through the house, but upon reaching little Aeren's room, you find Alergast on his belly as if he'd crawled into the closet. 

Taury: Who is Alergast?

GM: The woman's husband.

Markus: Is there a handout for him?

GM: There is not.

Fenwarin: Can he see us?

GM: No, he's like chest deep into this closet. It looks like he might have pried up the floorboards and tried to get in there, but got stuck maybe.

Taury: Is he alive?

GM: He's not moving. And from this closet area, you hear this little chant... You're not close enough to make it out. "Goblins don't like to chew, put babies in the stew, the softer the meat, the better the treat. Don't bother with the bowl, we'll just eat it whole. Give it to us, do not linger, or he might just eat your finger! Try to take the plate away, we'll eat you too! Your meat may be chewy tough, but we can't get enough!" Just repeating this verse over and over and over again. While, every once awhile, taking a stop to breathe, you hear giggling and munching.

Taury: Does it sound like there's more of them in there?

GM: Not sure.

Markus: Wait...

GM: Perception check.

Markus: ... we actually hear munching?

GM: Yeah.

Markus: As in sounds of something, eating something.

Taury: As in the verb 'to munch'.

GM: Uh huh.

Fenwarin: Oh, man.

GM: Morana and Markus. Both of you hear the distinct sound of teeth on bone. Amongst these munching noises you hear that that telltale scrape.

Morana: "Well that doesn't sound fantastic."

Markus: "No, I think we need to get him out of this hole. I'm not the strongest. I don't suppose anyone wants to help?"

Fenwarin: "I could I could try and help you Markus."

Morana: "Do I look like I lift things?"

Markus: "No, I don't think any of us really do. But a little teamwork perhaps?"

Taury: I think Terry would be flexing muscles at this point, and just stretching, preparing for probably combat.

GM: All right. As you're stretching, you have to move the dead dog out of the way to get enough room to do your stretches. It's near his feet by the corner of the bed. It looks like the dog was stabbed in the ear. One swift kill stroke to the dog, but you don't see the knife anywhere around.

Markus: "So Taury, feel like helping us?"

Taury: She shrugs.... probably walks over to him.

Markus: How many people can we actually get around this body to pull it out?

GM: At most four, but it's pretty cramped because of the bed being right there. Two is gonna be pretty decent, you guys could good squeeze in and get four if you absolutely had to.

Markus: "Well, shall we uh?..."

GM: Go ahead and put yourselves in an order around a body, which I will draw real fast in freehand... There.

Morana: That's fuckin art!

GM: The line is the closet

Taury: Nailed it 100 percent looks like a person! Morana just not helping yeah?

Morana: You all got this. I got a -1 strength mod, what the fuck do you think I'm gonna do?

Markus: Yeah, if anything I'm going to hinder it, but you don't see me not trying.

Morana: Well, you see me not doing it.

GM: All right. Those of you helping, go ahead and give me strength rolls. I assume Taury is going to do most of the heavy lifting on this.

Taury: Yeah.

Markus: Yeah.

GM: All right. So Taury, go ahead and give me a Strength roll, and you'll get +2 based on the others getting above a 10.

Taury: Ok.

Markus: Oh wow! Ok.

Morana: I'm also going to be preparing a daze in case the moving of this body reveals a goblin, in my line of sight.

GM: Uh huh, Ok.

Morana: Because, you know, forethought.

GM: Because of the cramped quarters Taury, you have a problem getting a good grip, but with the other two aiding you, you get the body out of there. It was definitely pulled in and stuck, but you pull it out as you do, you find him to be quite dead. The flesh of his face and upper torso has been eaten away. Blood spills out as you pull him back and just makes a huge mess.

Taury: Can I roll see if I avoid all the goo and the blood and shit?.

GM: Sure, give me a Reflex save. Yeah, you were expecting a dead man, you were not expecting this. You drop the body in a way that you don't get anything on you, however, in so doing, it gets all over Markus. 

Markus: Of course.

Taury: Yeah, I feel like she was aiming for that.

GM: Fenwarin the bits of blood and whatnot from this get on you again. You're now used to being covered in blood. As this is at least the second time this has happened.

Fenwarin: Yup.

Taury: What's another murder? I mean, come on.

GM: Yeah. Oh, man, I just cleaned these shoes!

Fenwarin: "So I got to go to the laundry again!"

Morana: Morana is feeling ever more secure in her decision.

GM: As you pull this out, the scene has stopped. It's gone deathly silent in here other than you guys discussing this. This has distracted you Morana, and within a moment, a little goblin jumps out of this hole right at Taury.

Taury: Nice. I love the smell of dead goblin in the morning.

GM: So this little guy jumps out of the hole and attempts to grapple on to you Taury. As he climbs up your torso, or is attempting to, I need Initiatives.

Fenwarin: Ooh man.

Taury: Oh, I feel like it's gonna be one of those days where my rolls are horrendous.

Markus: Could be worse.

Taury: It could be, this is true. Oh, worse, worse, like furtive rolling an 18!

GM: Don't worry about it.

Taury: Fine, I'm fine. What are you talking about?

GM: Yeah, it's totally, totally fine.

Taury: Cool. 10 is more than 18, right?

GM: Yeah, so that's how that's gonna go down. So this crazed little goblin jumps out of this floorboard hole in this closet, using the coats in the door, clamors up and jumps off of it trying to grapple on to Taury. You see a flick of metal in his raised hand as he's jumping at you. This will be a CMB versus your CMD.

Taury: My CMD?

GM: Yes. Does a 15 meet or beat your CMD?

Taury: It beats up by 1.

GM: Ok. So those little creature just grabs onto like your lapel essentially, screaming right in your face and brings the knife down into you. You're now considered grappled by a goblin.

Taury: It's fine, it's fine.

GM: I'm going to go and give you the 'grappled condition', does count both of you as grappled, but he is controlling.

Taury: I just noticed the goblin has a name.

GM: All right. He swings his knife at you, but misses hitting your shoulder-pad armor. What is that called?

Taury: It's hide armor.

GM: Pauldron. It's hide armor. But you got like a pauldron though, right?

Taury: For sure.

GM: Yeah. So he goes like hit your neck, but hits the pauldron instead. It's clear that this is not a full dog slicer, but more like an improvised knife. That takes us to Morana.

Morana: All right. Now if I cast something thats grappled, is there any weirdness with that? Like...?

GM: If you're doing range touch stuff it's the same as if you're firing into melee or whatnot. You've got those same penalties.

Morana: Ok no, I don't think Daze is.

GM: Ok. Yeah.

Morana: So DC 14 Will save.

GM: All right. Taury.

Taury: So I think I would... Taury is going to break the grapple... Going to attempt to.

GM: Ok.

Taury: So how does one do that?

GM: You will roll a CMB versus his CMD, and if you match or beat, then you are now controlling the grapple, or you said break rather, right?

Taury: I said break, I meant control.

GM: Ok,

Taury: But yeah, because my intention is to throw him.

GM: Ok. Yeah, breaking, he would just fall to the ground

Taury: Yeah.

GM: But control you would then grab him and hold him off you.

Taury: I want to grab him basically from behind. Yeah.

GM: Yeah.

Taury: Yeah.

GM: We're on the same page. I got you.

Taury: Cool. So I got to roll that CMB, right?

GM: Yup. You try to grab this struggling little goblin off of you and you just can't get a good grip on him. The cupboard's in the way, it's just really not advantageous for you at this moment trying to do this. It's got a crazed look in its eye, but it also seems a little odd at the moment. Fenwarin is now your turn.

Fenwarin: All right.

GM: Unless Taury you want to move somewhere. It is kind of cramped quarters.

Taury: Yeah. Am I restricted with movement or can I move the same distance?

GM: You can take a five foot step, essentially,

Taury: Yeah. 'Cause I'm grappled, right?

GM: Yeah.

Taury: So yeah I'll take the 5 foot, and then thats it.

GM: All right.

Fenwarin: Can I assist her in some way? To get this goblin off her.

GM: Yeah.

Fenwarin: All right.

GM: You can do the Aid-another action, which will then give Taury a +2 to her next attempt at whatever you're attempting to aid.

Fenwarin: Aiding her to control the goblin.

GM: All right. That will be a combat maneuver, so you'll use your CMB, versus its CMD. Normally, however, since you're doing aid, you just need to hit a 10 with your CMB

Fenwarin: Ok.

GM: To give her a +2.

Fenwarin: Let's hope it hits... OK, good.

Taury: No pressure.

Fenwarin: All right so I jump over and I'm trying to help Taury take control of the goblin.

GM: All right. You manage to like grab onto its like, vest or whatever it's wearing. Taury, you'll get a +2 to help you get this thing off of you, next turn.

Taury: And does that that count for trying to take control of it, or just for getting it to break the thingy?

GM: On your next CMB check against it, you'll... whichever you decide to do, control or break. Break...

Taury: Ok. So it doesn't matter?

GM: No.

Taury: Sweet. Ok cool.

GM: We'll give you the option. Markus its now you.

Markus: Yeah, he can make a Will save as Markus starts staring at him and humming a refrain of a lullaby.

GM: Ok. Does an 11 succeed?

Markus: It's does not.

GM: Does not. All right. Slumber hacks. All right. This little thing falls asleep on you Taury. Fenwarin, it just goes limp and you catch it because you were holding onto it a little bit as it lets go. It is asleep. Does it get another save at this turn or how long does that last?

Markus: Ends if it takes damage, otherwise, it's one round per... I'm fairly certain it's like one round per character level, or class level, I should say.

GM: Ok, So no longer dazed, no longer grappled, but it is asleep.

Markus: Yeah. Markus will say, "That won't last long."

GM: Morana.

Morana: "Well, let's tie the little bastard up! Maybe we get some information from it, and whoever's doing, or coordinating this, or at least who the goblins are working with.”

GM: Ok. You have a round before this thing wakes up. So that's obviously enough time to tie it up, which will end combat, and take us out of initiative turns. All right. So, you now have this helpless goblin, he wakes up moments after you finish tying him. Snarling and snapping his teeth at you, trying to bite onto the rope and rip it apart, he can't quite get to it, but he's trying. It's kicking and squealing. It's clear to all of you that this little goblin's emaciated. He's been starving, trapped in this house since the raid. He's gone near feral with his hunger and you know, his seclusion, it's driven him mad. He's a little more than an animal at this point.

Morana: I'm trying to figure if something like this would be a permanent condition or if some food would get him to talk?

GM: Intelligence, if you want? Or you can pull it out on your own, either way.

Morana: You know what? I could have some fun with this... All right. Morana is going to step forward and pull like some kind of trail ration or something out of her bag, and kind of dangle it in front of him.

GM: He's sniffing at it and snapping, trying to get his teeth into it.

Morana: And I'm going to try a Diplomacy check. "I know you've been stuck in here for a while but calm down. Maybe we can, you know, figure out what's going on. You know, get you some food."

GM: "Feed Gresgurt!"

Morana: "Alright, alright, alright. We can do that." She'll kind of very carefully hold it close enough so he can, you know, take a bite of it.

GM: He snaps forward almost like a snapping turtle, gets real close to your fingers, takes a gigantic bite out of it, chomps away.

Morana: All right. Now that he's had something to eat, she's gonna say "Now this doesn't seem random. Who sent the forces in when you raided the city?

GM: "Goblin chiefs. More! Feed Gresgurt more!"

Morana: She'll let him take another bite and say, "But, from what we've seen, the chiefs have to be working with somebody."

GM: "Gresgurt don't care! Gresgurt don't... Come kill longshanks! And stab longshanks! Eat longshanks. Feed Gresgurt!

Morana: "Well, now see..."

GM: "Feed Gresgurt or Gresgurt eat you!"

Morana: "You're not going to eat anything that we don't want you to eat in a situation with you, being indisposed as you are. So..."

GM: "I'll eat you! Eat that one!" he nods at Fenwarin, "Eat this one!" nods at Taury, "Eat that thing!" Nods at the body.

Morana: Morana just kind of raises an eyebrow. "I hear. You're veering into unhelpful territory here, and that's not a region you want to be in."

GM: "Gresgurt eat whole village, be goblin Hero! He he he!"

Morana: Let's try this then. Morana is going to say, "Well, you know, you tell us what we need to know, and maybe we can get you back to your tribe, you know, let you live to see another day." And I'd like to make a Bluff check on that.

GM: All right.

Morana: Well, first, would that be considered believable to him?

GM: Uh... Probably

Morana: I was gonna say he's not the brightest so.

GM: No. No, definitely not. Yeah, it's within possibility, yeah, believable.

Morana: [Laughs]

GM: "Yes. Yes. Free Gresgurt! Gresgurt eat everyone!"

Morana: "Yeah we'll, we'll get to that. You know, you got to tell us some things first."

GM: "Sure, sure, sure. Gresgurt talk to you and then eat you."

Morana: "Mmm k. Yes. With the the attack..."

GM: "I'll pick you out of my teeth with that one's ribs. Yes, yes, yes."

Morana: "Of course you will, of course. I'm assuming you don't know any of the higher level information that we'd be after."

Markus: "Maybe we should ask who the chiefs are?"

Morana: "That's a good idea. Well, who are the chiefs in charge of your, I don't know, detachment, tribe? I don't know how you are structured."

GM: He licks his teeth and goes, "Bird crunch tribe. Yes. Chief Ravenswallow." Would you like to do a Knowledge local?

Morana: Yes.

GM: All right. You know of several goblin tribes in the area. There's the Birdcrunchers. The Licktoads, the Lurkwood, and a couple others that are kind of more north or further east.

Morana: Ok. Do we know what general area by any chance, where this one would be?

GM: Yes, the Birdcruncher tribe is around Ravenroost Mountain area, Ravenroost is just east of Sandpoint. You know that the Licktoads are down in the Brinestump Marsh. And then, you know, Mosswood is further east past Devil's Platter, and there's a goblin tribe around Devil's Platter. There's been a lot of goblin sightings around there and further south on the Long Coast Road. Those are usually probably Licktoads down in that area. The farmlands get a lot of goblin activity from Devil's Platter and Mosswood.

Morana: She'll relay the information to the rest of the group, "Anybody else can think of anything, that we might be able to get out of this one?" She's going to keep giving bites of rations to him, keep him quiet.

GM: He keeps trying to nip your fingers every chance he gets.

Morana: She's careful not to let that happen.

Markus: "Any visiting strangers recently, perhaps?"

Morana: "That is an interesting question, have there been any... yeah have there been any strangers that have come to speak with your chief?"

GM: "Representatives from other tribes, Bruthazmus."

Morana: That name, can I Knowledge local that too?

GM: Sure.

Fenwarin: Can we all do that?

GM: Only if you're local on this one. All right. Morana and Taury both, you recognize the name Bruthazmus as the name of a local bugbear that has terrorized the area for years. Shalelu specifically, the elven Ranger that was helping during the battle. She has a vendetta against this bugbear and carries an arrow in her quiver with his name carved into it in elvish.

Morana: Mmmm... Could the tracks we saw around the mausoleum have been bugbear tracks? I'm assuming that's probably a Nature.

GM: It would be yeah... No.

Morana: Curses! It was worth a try.

GM: Uh Huh. Well, it's a good thing you rolled high. If you rolled low I might have told you yes.

Morana: Yeah,

Morana: But I would be suspicious of that then.

GM: As a player, maybe.

Morana: Yeah.

Markus: Am I remembering right in that the tracks we found were booted.

GM: Yes.

Morana: Ok, so is this bugbear's working with goblins unusual or is that...?

GM: Your Knowledge nature roll, you know that bugbears are a goblinoid type, they're like the next version up from a hobgoblin.

Morana: "All right. So when did he visit your chief then?" Out of character, his concept of time probably isn't the best.

GM: Hard to tell. He also doesn't seem to care. 

Morana: Yeah.

GM: He's more interested in eating at this moment.

Morana: I'm mildly out of ideas for information at this point. He's not going to know anything about the tactics of the raid, he's too much of a peon for that.

Markus: "How much advance warning was he given about the raid?"

Morana: "That's a good one. When were you told that there was going to be an attack on the village?"

GM: "Two days before."

Morana: "Two days. Which seems like a lot of advanced planning for a goblin."

Markus: "Yes."

Morana: To me as a player.

Markus: Out of character it really depends.

GM: Yeah.

Markus: "Was any mention made about the festival in town? The celebrations, did the goblins actually know about it and target it? Or was it just coincidence?"

Morana: "Oh, yeah, that's... Yeah was there any kind of plan to coincide with the fact that there would be a mass gathering in the village?"

GM: "When we hear the thunder in the clear sky, into the village, sneak in, and then burn and eat everything in sight!"

Morana: "Thunder in the clear sky... I'm assuming fireworks." Out of character were there fireworks? Straight intelligence?

GM: Straight intelligence check to remember something... 6. All right. You remember a thunder stone being used to start off the ceremony, to get everyone's attention.

Morana: Right.

Markus: "Yeah that would do it."

Morana: "Interesting that they'd know that kind of a detail though." Who used that again?

GM: Father Zantus.

Fenwarin: "Do you think he's in on it, or someone in the church is in on something?"

Morana: "Now that is interesting, I don't know if I suspect him directly, it might be someone else, but something like that, it might be a superficial lead, but it might be something to ask around about."

Fenwarin: "I think so too."

Markus: "How come only, are such things used? Because it certainly does a good job of catching people's attention."

GM: Morana specifically, you'll be instantly aware of this. Mayor Deverin has a pension for using these to gather public crowd attention and stuff. They're used at least yearly for the festival in the same regard. And any time there's any sort of public gathering where there needs to be an attention gathering thing of, we're starting this now, they tend to use thunder stones here.

Morana: Ok, so they would be used to that.

GM: Yeah, it's a common alchemical tool. Aliver at Pillbug's can make them easily. So it's not like a rare magical item or something.

Morana: Right. "So it might not be as much of a lead as I thought."

Markus: "What makes you say that?"

Morana: "If they're used that often, then it wouldn't be too hard to discern, well, to interpret it as a signal. But that would mean that they did have advance knowledge that one would be used on that specific day."

Fenwarin: "It's true."

Markus: "They would need to have local knowledge the same as you do."

Morana: "Although with something like that festival happening the same day every year, again, it's a possibility to look into. But..."

Fenwarin: "Yes, but who in Sandpoint, if it's a Sandpoint local, would want the town to be sacked?"

Markus: "It doesn't need to be a Sandpoint Local, it just needs to be somebody who knows enough about the area, that they are familiar with, customs and things that people like to do, like use the thunder stone."

Fenwarin: "Yeah, so who would gain from it?"

Markus: "We still don't know why they stole the body. I think if we answer that little conundrum, the answer to your question will be found as well."

Fenwarin: "I guess it's time to go investigate."

GM: "Yes. Leave Gresgurt home, untie Gresgurt."

Morana: "Oh, about that. Yeah..." And she kind of tucks the rations back, "No, no, no, no, no. I think maybe the sheriff would have more ways of getting information with a... a live subject such as this one."

Markus: "And if nothing else, I'm sure there is something..."

Morana: "He could make a public spectacle of it."

Markus: "Yes, I was going to say I'm sure there's some in town that would appreciate that. The question is whether or not it's wise fo that. Why remind people? But yes, if the sheriff wants have a word, by all means."

GM: And about that time, you hear a knock on the door. "Hello? Are you still in there? Hello?"

Morana: "Yes, we are!"

GM: "Oh, good. Yeah. Uh the sheriff wants to see you at the town building with the mayor and Shalelu I guess, is there, too. They want to talk with you for some reason. I have been sent to get you."

Morana: Morana goes to the door, says, "Right." Who did they send? Is it somebody familiar? Is it a deputy?

GM: When you go to the door, it's one of the town guard.

Morana: Do I know this one?

GM: He's a local in town.

Morana: Let me run a Knowledge local then.

GM: Yeah, this is Steve. He's cool. He mostly does night patrols, but because of the Goblin raid, he's been, you know, more alert.

Morana: Morana says, "All right, this needs to be taken care of, we need it done kind of quietly, you know, a little bit of consideration for the situation."

GM: "Mm hmm. What?".

Morana: "You know what will...?"

GM: "You going to the courthouse? That's..."

Morana: "No..."

GM: "not quite of a matter... What are you talking about?"

Morana: "Just. Just. All right. Well, hold on." Is everybody else out of the house?

Markus: No I don't think we've actually made move to leave yet.

Morana: All right Morana will relay the summons to everybody and wait for them to step out. Still holding a finger up to Steve, in a 'wait a minute' gesture.

Fenwarin: Fen is just slowly getting out of there, still soaked in goblin blood.

GM: As you step out one by one, Steve will notice that you're all covered in blood and be like "What happened?"

Markus: "Trouble."

Morana: "All right. I want to ask you to stay out here and make sure nobody goes into the house right now. We're going to go tell the sheriff about what happened and have him send somebody to take care of it."

GM: "Take care of what? What are you talking about."

Morana: "That's classified."

GM: "Huh?"

Markus: "It's something you don't need to worry about. Just make sure no one goes in."

Morana: "The situation is handled, we just need it investigated."

GM: He tries to peer in around you, "Wha, whats, what?"

Morana: Closes the door.

Markus: "It's better if you don't."

GM: "You kill somebody?"

Morana: "No."

GM: "It's a lot of blood."

Morana: "Look, just give us some time to go, you know, let the sheriff know what's going on. It's something he asked us to look into."

GM: "Oh yeah, I was supposed to get you for an urgent conversation, but maybe you want to clean up first?"

Markus: "Yes."

Morana: "No, I. Well, this might be part of the conversation, so, or at least tangentially related."

GM: "Do you have cloaks or something you can put over to not disrupt the citizenry? The townsfolk are gonna be awfully disturbed seeing a bunch of blood covered people walking through the town."

Morana: "Look, blood doesn't show up on black. Don't give me that!"

GM: "No, but on that one?" He points it Fenwarin.

Fenwarin: "Yes, I'm aware. I'm going to the laundry."

Morana: "Just meet us at the town building. We'll let them know you're going to be delayed."

GM: He looks at Markus. "Do you need to clean up as well? Maybe?" He's nodding yes like you should say yes.

Morana: "Oh for the love of! Alright. I will go there and let them know that the rest of you will be delayed. Just take care of it. Just whatever! Wait here. Make sure nobody goes in!" She throws up her hands and just walks away.

GM: "Ok!" You see him stand there for a couple of minutes trying to figure out if he should actually stay or not, because he doesn't take orders from you. He stays, but he's not sure why he is.

Morana: Exactly. That's just how I wanted it, [laughs] leave him confused. And that's how you're supposed to deal with the town guard, right?

Markus: Depends if they're allies or not.

Morana: Yeah.

Markus: Markus will deal with most of the gore by simple expedient of removing his coat, and turning it inside out and carrying it rather than wearing it.

Morana: I was about to say so so now it's against your skin. Good job! [Laughs].

Markus: No. No. He wears a sort of like really heavy duty coat, that's full body length and is rather rigid for a normal coat.

GM: All right. You go and stall for time while the rest get cleaned up. In Mayor Deverin's office is standing Shalelu, Shalelu is standing there with Sheriff Belor Hemlock, the mayor is not present.

Morana: Ok. Morana walks in, already talking, and saying, "OK, Sheriff, this situation needs to be handled properly. Hopefully, you know, as discreetly as possible. The woman that stopped us to have us take a look at her house, her family needs to be taken care of. She is, unfortunately, now a widow. There was s goblin in her house, it killed her husband."

GM: "Hmm." He gives a few grumbled mutterings and then looks to Shalelu, and looks back at you, just nods.

Morana: "Now..."

GM: Couple quick nods.

Morana: "...plus side of that... Also I left Steve outside the building. He's making sure nobody goes in for now. Somebody might want to go... The upside, we did get some interesting information off of him."

GM: "Mm hmm." As he's about to speak, the door opens and Kendra Deverin comes in, takes her seat at her desk. "We need to wait a couple minutes. A couple of them are getting cleaned up from a mess, it seems." She nods. "Ok Ok, it's unfortunate, but I guess a few more moments won't hurt. Not at this point." Belor then turns back to you. "Ah, the mayor, mayor Deverin," and he gestures then to Shalelu. "Ah Shalelu and I'm the sheriff we've met. I don't know if you've met these two yet or not?"

Morana: "I've met the mayor, but I haven't had the opportunity to meet Shalelu in person yet." She kind of nods to her.

GM: "Mm hmm. Ah, Shalelu is an unofficial member of Sandpoint Town Guard." Shalelu then smirks at that, suppressing a laugh. "Shalelu, ah, Sandpoint's newest crop of goblin slayers, ah minus a couple of them. They should be here shortly, though. Shalelu  here has been a thorn in the side of the local goblin tribes for years. Few in the region know more about goblins rather than her, ah yeah."

Morana: "Yes. So I have heard."

GM: "Mm hmm. Yeah. Shalelu gave us a report earlier this morning, which is why I had to come here instead of go with you to deal with that goblin thing. There's been other attacks in the region besides just here, it seems."

Morana: "That does not surprise me with the information that we've uncovered."

GM: "In short, there's been an increase in goblin related raids along the lost coast, particularly in the dale between the Nettlewood and Mosswood. Only about a day ago, a farm south of Mosswood was burnt to the ground by a group of goblin's. Shalelu was thankfully nearby and while the farm can't be saved, she did rescue the family and drive off the goblins. The family is staying at a nearby farm for now, but the goblin problem's obviously not going away. You know what, Shalelu why don't you just tell them what you told... well, wait for the others to arrive, I guess." She nods and waits. How long do you guys take to get there?

Fenwarin: I guess it will take like 5 or 10 minutes or so.

GM: 5, 10 mins?

Fenwarin: Yeah.

Markus: Yeah.

GM: All right. Do you guys have anything to say to the sheriff or Shalelu or the mayor before they arrive?

Morana: Morana is going to wait until they get here to go over everything.

GM: Ok. You wait in, rather uncomfortable silence until they show up, at which point as you guys walk in, you see Shalelu, the sheriff and the mayor, and your two companions all just waiting around impatiently. Sheriff gestures at the mayor and goes "Mayor Deverin Shalelu, Andosana," gestures at you guys, "new heroes. Good we all know each other."

Markus: "Ah, yes, delighted to formally make acquaintances and apologies for well, things were not as straightforward as we'd liked."

GM: Shalelu nods and then says "Belor has told me if you 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, little weeds that bite. There are five major goblin tribes in the region and traditionally they're pretty good at keeping each other in line with internal 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 number of the Mosswood goblins I dealt with 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." Sheriff Hemlock then interrupts her and goes, "I plan on taking a few of the guards, and riding south to Magnimar. We're gonna secure additional soldiers to station at Sandpoint for a few weeks at least, or until the extent of this goblin threat is figured out. So we're gonna leave and we're going to come back with reinforcements. Should be back in a couple of days."

Markus: "Is there not a faster way, a better way?"

GM: "A ship could be a little faster. It takes about two days on horseback, about a day on ship. So it's going to be at least two days either way."

Markus: "Then send a message by ship, that way you're not depriving the town of a couple of guards, and you're not running the risk of running into trouble with goblins en route."

GM: "Ah, if this was something I could do by sending a letter, I would. But unfortunately, I need to go meet with nobles and really explain the situation to request the aid, that we're going to need honestly, just getting a couple more guards up here isn't too much of an issue, but the duration is. Yeah. I need to go in person." He takes a letter from off Deverin's desk that was handed to him by her earlier.  Pockets it and goes, "Ah, while I'm gone, if you all could maintain a public presence here, that would really help the, the populace morale right? Just be a face and be a helpful hand. Essentially, you're me while I'm not here." He looks at Shalelu, and looks at you guys. "Yeah you've got this." And he leaves.

Morana: "Yes. I'm such a people person."

GM: He turns back to you.  "The locals's have seem to have taken to you, and seeing you around town will do a lot to keep worries down for the next few days while I'm gone. Don't don't worry about it, you'll do great." And he leaves.

Markus: "Sheriff, be careful."

GM: He just waves a hand up as he's walking out the door, he doesn't turn back. Mayor Deverin goes "well, it ah seems that you're now aware of everything that's going on and our plans for it. I agree with the sheriff that having you be a public relations face is a good plan. Hopefully it's not one that backfires on us." She looks at a couple of you, specifically Taury when she says that. "If you have any questions or needs, ah feel free to come contact me. See what I can do for you."

Markus: "In the absence of the sheriff, well, Morana were you able to tell them what we discovered from the goblin?"

Morana: "Not yet. I was waiting for them to be done imparting to us."

Markus: "Yeah, might have been good for the sheriff to know that, oh well."

GM: "Uh, maybe, maybe not. If you have any questions about the goblins or whatnot, Shalelu here would be the person to talk to."

Morana: "That was the assumption I was going with."

GM: Shalelu nods and goes, "If you would like to go have a meal with me at my friend Ameiko's inn, The Rusty Dragon, are you familiar with it? Are you all staying there?"

Morana: "I live here, so no. But I am familiar with it."

Markus: "Yes."

GM: "We can discuss the the further details, or I can answer any questions you might have over over a meal. Not bother the mayor any longer."

Fenwarin: I lean into Morana and tell her, "Should we tell Shalelu about what the goblin said about the the other hobgoblin or the um bugbear?"

Morana: "That's what we're going to tell her, yes. Everything that we've gleamed from him. Aside from, ah mayor, apparently from what we have discovered, the raid was planned a couple of days in advance and apparently they coordinated it to happen upon the use of the thunder stone."

GM: She kind of sits more upright, adjusts herself in her chair, "really?"

Morana: "Yes, I believe the words the believe the phrase that he said was 'when the thunder from the clear sky strikes then we do' or something to that effect."

Markus: "Yeah, he was rather more explicit in what they did but yes."

Morana: "So I don't know if that would be something to go off of that they had advance knowledge that it was going to be on that day, or if it was just that they knew the festival was going to be happening that day. But it's it was an interesting little piece of information."

Markus: "If nothing else, at least for the short term, maybe you refrain from using thunder stones or similar devices just in case?"

GM: "Yes, that's very concerning news. Thank you."

Morana: That being said, she looks at Shalelu and says, "Nothing else? Shall we?"

GM: You all depart and head to The Rusty Dragon for meals and drinks. All right, you all settle in and order your food, get drinks. Shalelu and Ameiko have a pleasant exchange because they're obviously friends and have been for quite some time. You get into the meal and then Shalelu goes, "All right, what would you like to know about goblins, their tribes, all that? What information do you need? What do you think you know that I can correct you on?"

Markus: "Well, shall we start with what we've uncovered already?"

Morana: "Right, so in questioning the goblin that we uncovered, he was from the, was it the Birdeaters, birdcutters, some like that?"

GM: "Birdcruncher."

Morana: "Birdcruncher tribe. And now, if I recall correctly, you have issues with a certain bugbear?"

GM: "Bruthazmus."

Morana: "That's the one, he met with the chief of that tribe recently."

GM: "Well, he is an infamous bugbear. He lives in the northern Nettlewood and often visits the five tribes to trade things he's stolen from caravans for alcohol, news or magic arrows. Bruthazmus especially hates elves, we and he have fought on several occasions. To date, neither of us have managed to gain the upper hand on the other. But I will, I will gain the upper hand."

Morana: "Yes. Unfortunately, we don't know exactly when he was seen in that area, but he was there."

Markus: "Yes, this particular goblin wasn't someone with reliable time sense."

Morana: "The only timeframe we were able to get out of him was that it was two days before the attack, that it was arranged. But we still don't know who coordinated it."

Markus: "Did the sheriff mention what happened at the mausoleum?"

GM: "No. Something happened at the mausoleum? Which mausoleum?"

Markus: "In the bone yard, here."

GM: She looks concerned. "Go on."

Markus: "During the attack, a body was stolen, one of the priests. Well, we assume during the attack, I don't think we know for certain, but given that there were goblin tracks in the area, it seems likely. We also found tracks that were most assuredly not goblin, booted tracks, suggesting that, well, either taking advantage of or actively working with the goblins."

GM: "Well, I knew someone had to organize them and was working with them, but this is most concerning news."

Markus: "Oh, and there were some undead that were left in the mausoleum as a surprise for anyone investigating."

GM: "That definitely wasn't Bruthazmus then, he's a ranger, not a necromancer."

Markus: "What was that thing you found?" And he'll look at Morana.

Morana: "It was a robe of bones."

GM: "A robe made of bones?"

Morana: "No, it usually comes embroidered with little figures and you can pull the figures off and they'll summon different undead creatures."

GM: "Oh"

Morana: "But it was fully expended."

Markus: "So potentially not a necromancer, just someone using a necromantic item, maybe. Obviously necromancers is the most likely people to own such items but, digressions aside, I take your bugbear isn't one for wearing boots?"

GM: "Hmm. No, he wears boots."

Markus: "Human size boots?"

GM: "Hmm, maybe for a giant human."

Markus: "Yeah. So it definitely wasn't him."

GM: "Scale a dwarf up to human size and that's more the scale of Bruthazmus."

Morana: "No, these prints seem standard human style, and size. That was why the implications of them knowing about the thunder stone were of a concern to me."

Markus: "Yes. I take it this bugbear doesn't have any known allies other than like the goblin tribes?"

GM: "Not that I've come across. It's easy to recognize him because of his garish necklace of elf ears."

Markus: "So if there is a humanoid working with the goblins who may or may not also be working with bugbear, it's probably not an elf then?"

GM: "No. Likely not." She finishes a drink, sits it down. The barmaid grabs it to go refill it. "Ah let's see here. There's five major, major tribes of goblins in the region. The closest to Sandpoint is the Birdcruncher goblins. They live in caves along the western edge of the devil's platter and throughout the caves and hills within the Ravensroost area. Traditionally, these goblins are the least aggressive of the five. To the south are the Licktoad goblins of the Brinestump Marsh, pests who are excellent swimmers. East are the Seven Tooth goblins of Shank's Wood, goblins who've scurried and secured a place for themselves by raiding Sandpoints junkyard and rebuilding stolen refuse into armor and weapons. Farther east are the Mosswood goblins, likely the largest tribe, but one traditionally held back by feuding families within their own ranks. And then finally, there are the Thistletop goblins who live on the Nettlewood coast atop a small island, that some say holds a passing resemblance for a decapitated head. Goblins generally live short, violent lives, and it's unusual for a single goblin to achieve any real measure of notoriety. But when one does, its well-earned. Currently six goblins in the region enjoy the status of 'hero'. Big Gugmut, an unusually muscular and tall goblin from Mosswood who is said to have a hobgoblin for a mother and a wild boar for a father. Korovus, champion of the Seven Tooth tribe, as well as known for his short temper, he was known for having a prized possession, a magic long sword sized for a human that the goblin stubbornly kept as his own. He wielded it poorly. He vanished several months ago after he supposedly discovered a secret hideout in a cave along the cliffs. But the Seven Tooth goblins remain convinced he's still out there somewhere, a ghost or worse, waiting to murder any goblin who tries to discover his hideout. Then there's Vorka, a notorious goblin cannibal who lives in the Brinestump Marsh, a hero mostly to goblins other than the Licktoad tribe. Rendwattle Gutwad as the obese chieftain of the Brinestump goblins, a corpulent monster who it is said never leaves his throne. And then there's Ripnugget, the leader of the Thistletop goblins, and controls what the five tribes agree is the best layer. Now, what do you know of goblins?"

Markus: "They are green mostly."

GM: "Well, that is true. They come in various shades, but many of them are green."

Fenwarin: "Well they are small and fierce."

GM: "Yeah."

Markus: "Quite fast."

GM: "They are."

Markus: "Given their size at least, yes."

GM: "Yes, there are a number of, ah ten main facts I can give you about goblins, that might help you in some way at some point. Goblins excel at riding animals, but they don't quite understand horses. In fact, their hatred of all things horse, is matched only by their fear of horses who tend to step on goblins that get too close. While, they hate horses the most, goblins raise horrible rat faced creatures called creatively enough, goblin dogs to use as mounts and ride, and they also ride wolves and worgs if they can find them. Though if you find one writing a worg, it's most likely that the worg is the true master of the bearer. Goblins, are quick to explain that wolves are not dogs. Their hatred of plain old dogs nearly matches their hatred of horses. And the feeling is mutual. If your dog's barking at the woodpile for no reason, chances are there's a there's a little goblin hiding there or somewhere nearby. Garbage pits, gutters, sewers, anywhere there's refuse you can bet goblins are nearby. They're weirdly adept at crafting weapons and armor from refuse, and are fond of killing people with what they throw away. Unfortunately, as catchy as their lyrics can be, goblin songs tend to be a bit too creepy and disturbing to catch on in polite society. They have a song for almost everything. It's said that every goblin has their own song to describe themselves for when they become a hero. I've heard a few of them. They're not good. They're very poor, which is probably why also a lot of them don't become heroes. Excited or angry goblins, is very noisy, a chattering toothy menace. But even then, they can drop into an unsettling silence in a heartbeat. This matched with their diminutive size makes them unnervingly adept at hiding in places you'd never expect. Stacks of firewood, rain barrels, under logs, under chicken coops, or even occasionally in ovens, I've encountered that, they're not the brightest. In fact, goblins think things like ovens as good hiding places reveals much about their inability to think past the most likely outcome that they have in mind. They tend to be easily distracted, particularly by shiny things and animals smaller than themselves that might make for good eating. They are voracious, given enough supplies, the goblin generally takes nearly a dozen meals a day. Most goblin tribes don't have enough supplies to accommodate such ravenous appetites. Which is why the little menaces are so prone to going on raids. They love fire, burning things is one of the great goblin pastimes, although they're generally pretty careful about lighting fires in their own lairs, especially since goblins tend to live in large tangled thistle patches and sleep in beds of dried leaves and grass. A goblin torch and someone else's home, you've got real trouble. They have wiry frames, but really wide heads. They live in cramped warrens and sometimes too cramped. They have a very frequent capacity to get stuck in places which, while comical, can make them a little dangerous as well."

Markus: "Yes, we found that."

GM: "The walls of goblin lairs, and ruins of towns goblins have raided are littered with pictures of their exploits. They never use writing, it's not lucky. Writing steals words out of your head and you can't get them back, or at least that's their superstition. You will never find a goblin wizard because a goblin wizard needs books, and a goblin with books? Writing, reading, that's strictly forbidden by goblins. So if you find a goblin wizard, they're an outcast. They have no tribe to support them. But the mere use of words, it's like the whole superstition of holding a cross up to a vampire, trying to get a goblin to read or get pretty much the same results. Any other questions?"

Markus: "You mentioned goblins like to scavenge junk and the like to make things. How good are they at that?"

GM: "Well, all of their tools and weapons and whatnot were once part of some trash heap. Hmmm, I know I've heard them sing a song about this. What was it? 'Some broken glass, a pot that's red, makes a club to smash its head. When we find a metal bit we make a knife to slash the git. Oh, what a sorry wretched fool, that tosses out his own death's tool! Goblins bite and hack and slash! Goblins dig through longshanks trash.' There was more to it, but I don't recall."

Markus: "I see so, crude but usable weapons?"

GM: "Yeah, it'd be slightly better than an improvised weapon for us, but for them it gets the job done."

Markus: "So don't expect, well like the hero you mentioned the one with the sword, anything well crafted is going to be something they've stolen, liberated, whatever from somebody else?"

GM: "Looted from one of their... Yeah."

Markus: "How many are there in the area numbers wise, are we talking, tens, hundreds, thousands?"

GM: "Oh, ah, they breed so fast, it's hard to tell. They have a dozen or so per birth. They put them in cages for the first year of their lives and just leave them there.  When they come back after that year, whatever is left still alive in there is what becomes a goblin. If they would actually nurse their children and raise them properly, there would be a lot more of them than there currently are, which is a terrifying prospect."

Markus: "But put another way, if they're no longer fighting amongst themselves even with how they raise their young, the likelihood is their numbers are just going to keep growing."

GM: "Well, yes."

Markus: "Is that a, next generation is going to have an issue? In a year we're going to have an issue? In three weeks? How quickly can they multiply?"

GM: "Goblin reproductive science is not my forte. Goblin slaying science is my forte."

Markus: "Well, I know the sheriff's gone for reinforcements, but if they are no longer fighting and they're actively raiding, my concern is that they could... The reason I'm asking this is I'm trying to gauge how big the threat is in terms of them just gathering together and just overwhelming us with sheer numbers."

GM: "Well, they just tried that, didn't they?"

Markus: "Did they though? This was a planned raid, which was not very goblin like in and of itself. From what you've said, they did get distracted by shiny things."

GM: "Well yes."

Markus: "And then there's the issue with the body."

GM: "Yes, that part concerns me. That's not goblin like at all."

Markus: "Yes. So my concern would be, what if the raid was merely a distraction to get the body?  Or perhaps that was one of several objectives for the raid maybe? But what if this wasn't intended as an attack to wipe us out, but to do other things? Perhaps things that we haven't even discovered yet?"

GM: "Well, if that's true, then whoever organized them will not be orchestrating them, will have just used them for its own gain correct? So they will quickly fall back into disarray. It's only a prolonged organization that's truly an issue."

Markus: "A reasonable point, true. But are they showing any signs of returning to their old ways?"

GM: "Well, not yet, but it's also only been a few days. And while they are organized and working together, they're not sharing resources."

Markus: "So it's not a full alliance then?"

GM: "It doesn't seem so. Left to their own devices, they'll quickly go back to their own ways and squabble over hunting grounds and the like. Hopefully that's what happens. It'll make them far easier to deal with. I'm not downplaying this at all. I'm taking it to a logical conclusion. There's two paths, one is terrible, the other is status quo."

Morana: "If we could somehow organize our own raid, say on a tribe that was weaker, and manage to take one of the chiefs, we could potentially figure out who's been talking to them. But you would know the possibility of logistics on something like that better than any of us would."

GM: "That's an interesting prospect."

Morana: "Probably unfeasible at the moment though."

GM: "I don't know. Daviren Hosk over at the Goblin Squash Stables, he told me earlier this morning he was planning on posting an adventures notice on the board here in The Dragon, about paying, what was it? 1 gold per goblin ear. Well, per pair of goblin ears."

Markus: "Oh, ok."

GM: "So maybe that incentive will help a bit in what you're talking about?"

Morana: "That could potentially build an attack party."

Markus: "My concern would be if we're attacking them in their home turf, that might go. Well, depends how ardent they have to defend it I suppose, but they are territorial from what you're saying?"

GM: "Hmm. Very."

Morana: "Well, that's, that was why I had mentioned a weakened tribe. You said that one of them was a little worn because of what's happened lately. If I remember correctly?"

GM: "Oh the Mosswood goblins. The largest of the tribes, but constantly having feuding with inside families."

Morana: "Hmm, that could be used to our advantage if we could find some way to sow chaos, have a force."

GM: "Maybe?"

Morana: "Take them in the midst of a..."

GM: "Most of the goblin ears will likely be taken from the Birdcruncher tribe since they're the closest to town."

Morana: "And true, if they're smaller then it wouldn't matter as much if they were pre weakened."

GM: "Or the Seven Tooth tribe that is known to come into town at Junkers Way and raid the trash there."

Markus: "Yeah, I was going to say you mentioned goblin's raiding trash, those are the ones that'll get caught out first."

Morana: "Yeah, but they're not going to send their chief in."

Markus: "No they're not."

Morana: "But while they have an attack party gone, they're probably going to send most of their best with that."

Markus: "Wouldn't the attack party return to the tribe by now?"

Morana: "Well, I was thinking if they had sent another one. I don't know, that was just a possibility that had come to mind, like I said, I don't know the feasibility. But really extracting information from one of the chiefs would be the best way to get the information that we're looking for."

Markus: "It would yes. Doesn't mean it's the only way."

Morana: "It depends how directly you want to get your information."

Markus: "Don't get me wrong, we need to do something. I'm just concerned about attacking the goblins in their lair"

Morana: "Well clearly we would need to figure out some way to draw them out."

Markus: "You think we can? Oh, yeah, of course we can. We just wave food in front of them."

Morana: "Food or arrange a dumping of some form of junk outside their caves or whatever the tribe is living in. That could work."

Markus: "That might be obvious."

Morana: "You're imparting their general populace with a little more logical ability than I think they're capable of."

Markus: "I'm not concerned about the general populace. I'm concerned about, they must have at least someone who's vaguely intelligent. Law of averages says that there's going to be a smart goblin sooner or later."

GM: "Hmm, a smart goblin? A smart goblin doesn't stay alive very long. They get killed by the aggressive ones."

Morana: "That was my thoughts on it as well."

GM: "Or they live long enough to become somewhere close to chieftain, but not chieftain itself. They make themselves useful to other goblins in some way."

Markus: "Right. So the smart ones might workout what we're doing. Even if it's only one of them. That's all it needs. Ah but I'm possibly worrying about things that don't exist."

Morana: "What more detail do you have about the Seven Tooth?"

GM: "Hmm... Not a lot, they're the most tribal I guess. They migrate around a bit. They don't have a specific base."

Morana: "Meaning they don't have as much in the way of permanent defenses?"

GM: "Oh, I don't know about that. They like to sleep in thistle briars. You would have to crawl on your hands and knees through thorn bushes essentially, to get to them."

Morana: "Well, that just sounds like an awful time."

GM: "Yeah. What they lack in permanency, they make up for in use of the wilderness."

Morana: "Wilderness is definitely not my area of expertise."

Markus: "Then the ones at the Ravenroost?"

GM: "They have cave networks, of all the permanent places they probably have the most permanent and most defensible."

Markus: "So the ones closest to us have the best defenses?"

GM: "Apart from Thistletop, yeah."

Morana: "Which makes sense given their proximity to a village that wants them dead."

Markus: "Yeah, well, I don't particularly like the idea of going to the marshland. That seems like a bad time for everyone. The ones with a thing that looks like the head are obviously inaccessible. The Mosswood are the biggest tribe, which is probably not the one we want to mess with. So that leaves the tribe that focus on the wilderness, or the ones with the better defenses."

Fenwarin: "So what shall we go for?"

GM: "Take a few days and consider it. The sheriff did ask you to stick around town and make a public showing."

Markus: "True enough."

Morana: "Yeah, this wasn't something I was thinking of embarking on immediately. This was just a thought that had crossed my mind for the future."

Markus: "How many other people do we have in town that are competent fighters? I know there are a few. Obviously Ameiko, yourself," gesturing to the Ranger. "How many more?"

GM: "Well, the town militia can get almost half the residents ready to fight, I don't know how good. Maybe at best a couple hundred, more likely it'd be around 60 or so. I would think that would be considered good fighters."

Markus: "And how many of those are likely to want to take up the posting?" And he'll geture at the board.

GM: "Hmm, probably none. Maybe a couple of them opportunistically. It's more of just a standing thing of, 'hey, give me your ears, I'll give you a gold'. From what I understood."

Fenwarin: "Could we maybe give them more incentive?"

Markus: "I don't plan on paying them, because that would mean that we lose money. But what else did you have in mind?"

Fenwarin: "Well, not as such as we pay them, but we promise them some sort of reward from for what they did."

Morana: "I am more thinking along the lines of once we have something, an idea, a little more concrete, we could try and take it to the mayor. Get it, get it you know, a little more of an official backing."

Markus: "And then potentially getting more bodies?"

Morana: "It would carry more weight."

Markus: "It would. I was thinking more along the lines of if we're considering making a raid on one of these tribes for the purposes of getting information and for well, reciprocity."

Morana: "Unfortunately, I have a feeling we're going to need to gather more information to set up the raid, to get more information. It's recursive, but it's really the way bureaucracy works."

Markus: "Yes. There might be, there might be other ways of getting information though. I don't suppose any of you speak goblin do you?"

Fenwarin: "No I will not take part in such a foul language."

Markus: "Anyone else?"

Morana: "Living here, I've picked up a bit."

Markus: "My... I can ask questions about events, the past, the present. I've never tried it with something like this and I couldn't do it today.  But normally I use it for, uh for finding out about whatever town, city, village I'm in, getting the lay of the land, it might work to get some information about the goblins."

Morana: "Well, since we're going to need to wait for the sheriff to come back anyhow, I feel that this isn't the most pressing at the moment. We have a basic idea of what we need to find out. I think the main thing right now is just to make sure nothing too terrible happens while he's gone."

Markus: "And be visible local heroes."

Morana: "Yes."

Markus: Looking at Shalelu. "How long are you planning on staying in town at the moment?"

GM: "Hmm. Maybe another day. I normally don't stay for more than one or two days. I've already been here over that."

Markus: "I understand. I think we need to obviously occupy ourselves with doing as we were asked, but in the meantime, if we do think of anything else, anything that might be relevant, I assume you're staying here with your friend?"

GM: "Hmm, yeah."

Markus:  "So then, however shall we occupy our time?"

GM: Shalelu drinks some of her drink and just points to the adventure board, sets it down. "That's always an option."

Morana: "Yeah."

GM: "Or you can wander around and act like jackasses. Either way is fine by me."

Morana: Morana has already taken a look at it.

Markus: Yeah, that that was Marcus's implication, he just was trying not to be too obvious. [laughs]. So what is on the adventure board? I know we have looked at it before and there was a description of stuff, but has it changed? Can we get reminders of what was there?

GM: It has changed. There is now a new, very nice leaflet hanging up there, says Black Fang at the top of it. It goes into detail that a few weeks ago livestock started to disappear from nearby farms. Sometimes half eaten corpses found, sometimes only bloodstains. The people of Sandpoint are afraid, and mayor Kendra Deverin has grown desperate. She is posting this in hopes that heroes will volunteer to search out this menace, and put an end to it before it kills a person, offering an award of 1000 gold to the group that stops the mysterious creature. No one has seen this creature directly, however, a long black fang was found in one of the animal corpses, prompting the locals to dub this unseen killer Black Fang.

Morana: “They’re, they're not the most creative.”

GM: Goblin Hunt. Goblins live all over the place, but the goblins of the Birdcruncher tribe, so named for their habit of eating live birds are the closest to Sandpoint and the cause of trouble with farmers. Someone needs to go find their cave and drive them out of the region. Haunted Moors. People have been seeing skeletons, zombies and even ghouls down in Whisperwood Moor. The sightings are particularly common around a remote farm, and no one's heard from the farmers there for days. Someone needs to investigate to see if the farmers are okay. Night thieves. Robberies have been taking place down near the waterfront and the local gang of hoodlums known as the Sczarni say it's not them. It's something else hiding out in old smuggler tunnels that run from the Sandpoint Theater to the waterfront. Someone needs to head into those tunnels to find out who is behind the thefts. The Old Light. There's an ancient ruined tower in town, most folk thinks of as an old lighthouse. Someone recently found a secret door on the bottom floor, an entrance to a dungeon that's existed right under everyone's feet for years. What could be lurking inside? Go talk to the sage. Pest control. There's reports of giant spiders that live in Egan's Wood that have become a problem for nearby farms and the sanitarium. Most think that some strange new menace has risen in the small forest and has been driving the spiders out into the outlying regions. Someone not only needs to take care of the spider problem, but also investigate Egan's wood for the cause of it all. Morana. You will recognize Eagan Wood as the parcel of land that you were sent to talk to Kendra about."

Morana: I do indeed yeah.

GM: Yeah.

Markus: "Well. Aren't those an interesting selection?"

GM: So, yeah. Black Fang, Goblin Hunt, Haunted Moors, Night Thieves, Old Light and Pest Control. You don't have to take any of them, I got other stuff that's in the game that is not on this adventure board. This is just optional side stuff.

Morana: "I mean, a 1000 gold is nothing to sneeze at."

Markus: "Yeah, my concern would be that that also a 1000 gold for a reason."

Fenwarin: 'Ah yeah so what is a Black Fang exactly? That could be super dangerous, I mean, a 1000 gold?"

Morana: "We have no idea what it is."

Markus: "Could be anything from a feral woodland creature up to stuff like werewolves."

Fenwarin: "Yeah, exactly."

Markus: "And above. So it’s…"

Morana: "There are a few of them that intrigue me."

Markus: "We're planning on using doing something similar to what's on the board for raiding the Birdcruncher Tribe. Seems like an obvious win if we make them the target of our information raid. We get paid to do so. But we wanted to wait until the reinforcements came back before we did that so."

Morana: "Yeah, that's going to take us far out of town."

Markus: "So something close to home?"

Fenwarin: "How about these night thieves? Should we take a look at that?"

Morana: "The Old Light looks intriguing as well."

Fenwarin: "Mm hmm. Close to home."

Markus: "Yeah, those two are the close at home ones."

Fenwarin: "I love the fact that there's a secret door leading to something."

Markus: "Yes, I am intrigued by that, certainly. At the same time, the night thieves, smuggler's tunnels?"

GM: As you guys are discussing this, at your table, suddenly the tavern door slams open and a sharp tongued command gets bellowed in a strange language.

Morana: "Is that a Linguistics check?"

GM: Yes, If you want.

Markus: "Are you trained in linguistics?"

Fenwarin: "I am as well."

Markus: "Really?! Oh, okay!"

Morana: I actually don't get that as a class though, interesting. I'll try it anyway.

Markus: I suppose a bunch of us got it from background skills but anyway.

GM: All right. Fenwarin and Markus, both of you recognize the language Minkaian, which is a language native to Tian Xia.

Markus: Out of character, refresh memory on geography, thats the eastern place, yes?

GM: Ah, yes.

Markus: Outside of inner sea region?

GM: Yeah. North-eastern something like that.

Markus: Yeah, but it's...

GM: It's a long ways away.

Markus: Yeah. It's one of the remote places rather than one of the inner sea region, country languages. Yeah. Do they have an outpost in any sea region? Or is that the other one? That's the Genie place that has the outpost country isn't it?

GM: Yep.

Markus: Yeah. Okay.

GM: You turn to this and see Lonjiku Kaijitsu.

Morana: Morana mutters, "Oh, he decided to show his face in town."

GM: His reputation is a wrathful outbursting angry old man.

Morana: You've also heard Morana bitch about him a couple of times.

GM: He's arrogant and insulting. He's one of the noble founding families and owner of the Glassworks in town. As he enters the tavern, grumpily leaning on his cane, he barks out, "Where the hell is my daughter?!" Everyone in the bar grows very quiet, and becomes extremely interested in their meals and drinks.

Morana: Morana's just going to sit back, arms folded and watch.

GM: Lonjiku comes further into the bar, looking around, scanning everyone. His eyes land on you.

Morana: Staring right back at him.

GM: Right. Give me Perception check or Sense motive.

Morana: Perception is definitely my better one.

GM: Hmm ok. You notice dark circles under his eyes. He looks very tired.

Morana: A shame, I'm sure.

GM: Seeing you. He turns your way and starts coming to your table. "Oh, if it isn't the heroes of Sandpoint endangering the entire village!" and he takes his cane and starts poking at the back of your chairs. "A danger to the entire town with their antics!"

Morana: "Yes, I can surely see how killing goblins that are trying to kill townspeople endangers the town, truly your logic is breathtaking."

GM: "Should have left it to the trained professionals! Just stayed out of the way! Did you ever think that your interference, your meddling might have got people hurt or killed?! No!"

Morana: "Why don't you."

GM: "You didn't think!"

Morana: "Why don't you ask the people who were able to get away because of what we did, how they feel about it? You know, the ones that didn't decide that they weren't going to show up to the festival because of there protecting their bottom line?"

GM: "Oh! Oh!" He rolls his eyes. "Just what we need, a filthy band of vagrants to attract even more trouble to town! Huh?" It's Markus's, his chair he's banging against as he's yelling at Morana.

Morana: Who for her part, looks utterly nonplussed because she's talked to him before and she's used to this.

GM: "Got nothing to say for yourselves? You know, I'm right, that's what it is."

Morana: "When you do something of value for the people of this town in a dangerous situation, I'll, I'm sure I'll entertain your opinion."

GM: "When I do something for this town?"

Morana: "In a dangerous situation."

GM: "Do I have to do everything for this town? I am the source of most of the income this town sees. Don't worry about it, that won't be true much longer. Ameiko, where are you?!" Ameiko rushes into the room. "What is going on?" She comes in from the kitchen. She's carrying a ladle, it's dripping with soup.

Morana: Morana looks over his shoulder at her and and says, "Apparently your father thinks that, you know, us killing goblins during a goblin raid somehow put people in danger, because he's truly logical." Then turns her head to stare directly back at him.

GM: "You're too naive to discuss real matters with." And then he turns to Ameiko and they begin conversing in Minkain. Do any of you understand Minkain?"

Markus: No.

Morana: I do not.

GM: I didn't think so, I just wanted to confirm. It gets very heated.

Markus: Can we get a gist of what the conversation is actually about?

GM: You don't understand the language, but from the context and their body language and the heated argument, it's clear he's informing her of something, and she's having none of it.

Markus: So he's telling her this is the way the world is going to be, and she's disagreeing?

GM: Uh huh.

Markus: Ok.

GM: Enraged Lonjiku then tries to grab her by the hair as if to drag her from the tavern. As she dodges deaftly at this attempt. She also smacks him in the face with the ladle, fish stock and a potato slaps against his face and gets stuck in his hair. He sputters for a moment. "You're as dead to me as your mother!" He turns and leaves.

Markus: How's Ameiko reacting to that?

GM: She seems almost to be in tears at this statement. She watches her father leave, then picks her ladle up, looks at it, picks a hair off of it and then goes "Umhm, I'll need a well cleaned ladle now since Jackass stew is not on the menu. I apologize, everyone." This is met with cheers and laughter from the other patrons. She then goes back into the kitchen.

 	That's all the time we have for now. To learn more about the show, the cast, etc. head over to http://wayward-expeditions.com/ .