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Post by Nuke on Feb 5, 2017 8:52:19 GMT -8
"Weird, I don't know much about Goblins, but I expected things much different." Ryan walks around looking at the place before saying. "I guess, nothing to see here, let's check out the barn."
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Post by Daos on Feb 5, 2017 10:02:09 GMT -8
"They didn't even take very much food," Bula notes, indicating the pantry still 2/3rds full. "Likely they were just in a hurry and didn't have time to take much," Damon hypothesizes. The group exits the cabin and walks toward the barn. It has suffered severe fire damage. It looks like the fire must have burned itself out at some point in the night. Although no longer on fire, it still reeks of charred wood. Near the center of the barn is a broken lantern. Outside the barn lies Otto Kurtz. Based on the tracks on the ground, it appears he was dragged from the barn and left by the entrance. He is quite dead, with a nasty piercing wound in his chest. Strangely, the wound has been packed, rather haphazardly, with herbs. A beautiful long sword lies next to the man. This is likely the 'family sword' that Kerna referred to last night that he used back in the Battle of Buho. Ryan recognizes the herbs as growing in the nearby Hartwood Forest. They are often used to create poultices due to their healing properties.
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Post by HorizonsDream on Feb 5, 2017 21:29:57 GMT -8
Ladonna looks around for a moment, then approaches the deceased man. She takes a knee next to the man. "Who...try to patch up his wound?" she asks curiously. "Surely not the goblins."
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Post by Nuke on Feb 6, 2017 7:37:36 GMT -8
Ryan too, moves to take a look at the body. "Tavos, please try and see what any tracks might tell you." Ryan removes the herbs and inspects the wound, trying to ascertain what might have pierced him, and whether or not it might have been accidental. He then closes the mans eye lids before covering his head. He then recites the short version of the death rites.
"This surely doesn't look like a gobin attach, I wonder what did actually happen. Thoughts?"
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Post by Daos on Feb 6, 2017 10:15:29 GMT -8
Tavos the Mongrel searches for tracks while the others examine the body. Removing the herbs, Ryan examines the wound. It was most likely caused by a blade--probably a short sword. It went right into his chest, missing his heart but still a fatal wound.
"Not a goblin attack?" repeats Damon. "Are you suggesting that the Kurtz widow lied then? Why would she do that? Besides, obviously someone or something killed him and set fire to the barn."
Tavos returns to the group for a report. "Goblin tracks, heading into the Hartwood Forest. They didn't do a good job at concealing them, if they tried at all."
"How many?" asks Bula.
"I'd say around 10. But it's hard to say. They were dragging stuff behind them," the half-elf answers.
"Well, it's the only lead we have to getting some answers," Damon adds. "Let's follow them."
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Post by HorizonsDream on Feb 6, 2017 11:14:16 GMT -8
"We aren't saying that she lied," Ladonna says as she stands up. "This is just very usual. From the stories that I have heard, goblins are evil. Everything we have seen so far fills me with doubt."
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Post by Nuke on Feb 6, 2017 18:16:16 GMT -8
"Alright, we will go ahead and follow, but something doesn't add up." Ryan reaches down, picking up Otto's sword before handing it hilt first to Tavos. "Here, you can use this, but it belongs to the family."
He reaches down and picks up his waterskin, taking a deep drink before passing it around. "Let's do it."
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Post by Daos on Feb 6, 2017 19:16:27 GMT -8
"Of course goblins are evil," Damon states. "They tried to wipe out our whole village twenty years ago. This is probably some kind of trick of theirs. Or we're missing something." Damon, Bula and Tavos all take a drink from the waterskin offered by Ryan, who takes a drink himself. When offered the blade, Tavos goes pale. "Oh, uh, me? No, no...I couldn't. I mean, I don't know how to use a sword. Besides, I wouldn't want to take a dead man's weapon...he might come back to haunt me." Tavos places the sword on Otto's chest, the point downward, in the traditional pose for a warrior's death. "Alright, the half-elf can take point," Damon says. "We'll get to the bottom of this one way or another. Stay on your toes. Could be more than just goblins crawling around in that dark forest." Although still in the morning, the Hartwood Forest seems dark and dreary. The overcast sky certainly doesn't help any with the oppressive feel of the place. But it, along with the canopy, makes the forest seem far darker than it should. ======== (OOC: If Ladonna takes a drink, too, let me know.)
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Post by HorizonsDream on Feb 6, 2017 20:28:45 GMT -8
Ladonna takes a drink from the waterskin that was passed around. She hangs back for a second to cast Armor on herself, just so that she can be safe, and then catches up with the group.
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Post by Daos on Feb 7, 2017 19:12:16 GMT -8
Ladonna takes a swig, then hands it back to Ryan who feels a bit lighter now that he isn't carrying so much weight. She falls back a bit and quietly casts a spell on herself when nobody is paying attention, then rejoins the group.
The goblins' trail eventually leads to a depression at the edge of Hartwood Forest. In it, a dozen goblins, including elderly and young, have set up a crude camp. Large piles of dried grasses have been laid out for bedding, and several bulging sacks have been stacked at the far side of the place.
Only four of the goblins appear to be armed; two men and two women, all bearing short swords. Except for one, they wear leather armor, improperly tanned by the scent of it, and the blazon of a wolf's head is crudely painted on the armor. This is the sigil of the Woodfang tribe, the same tribe that Gressek the Goblin King came from before he united all of the goblin tribes into one and attacked Buho twenty years ago.
There is a peculiar cast to the goblins' complexions—instead of the typical orange or rust color, their skin is orangish-white and peeling. When the goblins see and hear the party approaching, the three in leather protectively stand before the elderly and children. One of the armed ones, wearing crude chain mail, says something in the goblin tongue to them. They reluctantly lower their weapons, but do not put them away.
The goblin in chain mail steps forward, holding up his hands in a non-threatening gesture. "I knew you would come eventually," he says in a voice surprisingly articulate and baritone for a goblin. "Know this. We do not seek further war, only to survive."
=============
Ryan shifts from moderate encumbrance to light encumbrance. Ladonna discreetly casts Armor on herself, improving her AC 4 points until she takes 9 damage.
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Post by Nuke on Feb 7, 2017 19:34:56 GMT -8
Ryan steps forward, holding his staff upright as a walking stick. It all comes together in his mind rather quickly.
"Tell us what happened at the farm?" he says, not willing to have further conversation until he knows the details, as the general concept has not escaped him. He begins to mentally wrestle with options, the difference between what is right and wrong against the perceived expectations and preconceived notions. He knows full well what Damon's thoughts are and wonders if his shouldn't be the same.
"We are investigation a murder and fire."
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Post by HorizonsDream on Feb 7, 2017 21:14:21 GMT -8
"I'm going to assume the murder was an accident then?" Ladonna asks as she steps forward with Ryan. She keeps an eye on Damon as well because she knows that he is most likely to run wild at this point. "After all, it seemed as if someone tried to hastily save him."
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Post by Daos on Feb 8, 2017 11:57:18 GMT -8
Tavos looks nervous, keeping his bow at the ready but no arrow nocked yet. Bula just looks surprised, as if she wasn't expecting this. Damon looks angry, as expected. "What right do you have to call for parley, after murdering one of our own? That is an act of war!" he states.
"I will explain," says the lead goblin. "I am called Ubisek, and I am chieftain of the Woodfang tribe. A few days ago, my tribe was viciously attacked by a...a beast. I'm sorry, I do not know the Tardish word for it. But my people call it a hizra-krontos."
Damon frowns and Tavos pales a bit. "Flesh-render," the half-elf translates.
"The hizra-krontos is brown, hairy, and about the size of a battering ram, with huge claws and teeth," Ubisek explains. "In any case, it killed many of my people, and the rest of us were forced to scatter into small groups to survive. I led this particular group here, to the edge of the forest and into the hateful sun." He picks off a flake of white skin from his face and tosses it aside. "The attack caught us by surprise and we weren't able to secure any food or supplies. After a few days, I sent some of my men to raid one of your farms. I gave them explicit instructions to take only food and leave enough for the humans to survive, as well. They were to sneak in under cover of darkness, take the food and leave without being discovered. As you have no doubt pieced together, things did not work out well. My men were discovered and attacked. They fought back in self-defense and slew the human, although they did try and save him. The human was carrying a lantern and dropped it, setting the building on fire. For what it is worth, I am sorry for the loss of your man. The last thing my people want is another war."
"What a load of crap," Damon says, crossing his arms. "You don't actually expect us to believe any of that, do you?"
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Post by HorizonsDream on Feb 8, 2017 13:17:28 GMT -8
"Damon," Ladonna says gently. "The last thing we want to do is to start another war where more people get hurt than nessacary," she says. "And we can believe him as they left proof behind to verify their story. There was more than enough food left for the family, and it looked as if they did try to help the Otto," she points out. "It makes sense that Otto would attack too considering Buho's history."
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Post by Nuke on Feb 8, 2017 17:18:45 GMT -8
Digesting the conversation, Ryan's fears are realized. Here we got he thinks.. "You have committed murder during a robbery. I can understand that it was not intentional, but the facts remain. What to you propose as a solution?"
Raythan stands there staff firmly planted on the ground. He ignores Damon for the moment.
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