Post by Reyn Crovense on Dec 31, 2007 13:45:06 GMT -5
Our unlikely squad of accidental heroes tries to interrogate the silent half elf, but all efforts ended in refusal to cooperate. While Palon, Tzar, and Fender were trying to decide how to proceed with the unwilling fellow, he managed to wriggle free of his bonds. In a seemingly maniacal fit, the half elf thrust his fist right through his own throat. After looking through his journal, Tzar discovers a plan (multiple plans actually) that involve a large raid on the town of Sandpoint involving hundreds of goblins, information that puts the once thought dead Naulia Tobyn as one of the leaders or instigators of this dreadful plan (along with erotic illustrations of her), of her taking on some kind of demon transformation, and of a quasit living beneath the glassworks somewhere along the abandoned smuggling tunnel. A moment of lock picking later, they happen upon a subdued, bonded, and gagged Ameiko. Palon unbounded her and Tzar tends to her wounds. She (quite distraughtly) informs them of Tsuto's treachery, and that she must warn father and the citizenry of Sandpoint. Fender (after putting some of the pieces together in his mind) realizes that the glimpse of the man fully glassed up in the glass-working chamber was most definitely Lonjiku, head of the Kaijitsu family and Ameiko's father. He breaks the news of both Tsuto and Lonjiku's deaths to her, which she takes stoically. The party decides to cover her exit of the glassworks by engaging the goblins stationed in the main chamber. The battle is chaotic, the goblins jumping around on tables, hurling shards of glass and trying to stab, burn, or drip molt on their opponents with tongs. Fender sneaks in and easily half decapitates a goblin with his sickle from behind, but is then a bit overwhelmed. Meanwhile Tzar and Palonon the other end of the room trade blows with the brunt of the force. Palon finishes most of these goblins, and picks up and forces one into the chambers furnace, much to the greenskins dismay, it didn't die immediately....
The remaining goblins recognized that these were the longshanks who decimated their raid on the fair, and attempted to flee into the basement. Palon defeated one and the other who was already ahead was chased down by a slightly more beastly than normal (as he was in his shifted state) Fender. It ran into Tsuto's office screaming for help...only to discover the grisly sight. In complete panic (since his way to the tunnel was blocked off by Fender) he surrendered. When asked for information, the goblin provided nothing useful, so Fender slew it where it kneeled before him.
The party spends a couple days shopping, resting, listening about and such. Fender pulls a con on Vorvashali Voon (which he hopes won't kill the poor bastard, being that he sold him nothing but flakes and dust of random metals as an alcohol additive that gives you unimaginable happiness), whom Tzar then stole from. Later, Tzar and Palon team up and pull a heist on one Maver Kesk, getting away with most of his money and a heft of minor jewelry. Palon becomes even more disgruntled with his newfound fame as he by chance overhears rumors about himself frequenting an establishment he is not even that familiar with. Looking for some kind of reward for his recent services (which through looting the others found their immediate gratifications) he embarks for the Town Hall to try and get something out of his recent troubles. On the way Sheriff Hemlock makes his way back into town with...not that many more men then he left with, and those who are new are obviously new to any adventurer worth their salt. He complains to Palon about the idiotic government of Magnimar and that they wouldn't know trouble if a lich killed the mayor in his own house. To Palon's surprise Mayor Deverinwas in a meeting with Shalelu Andosana, already back in town. Shalelu explains that she has spied on Bruthazmus consorting with some other humanoids and tracked them back to Thistletop. She was planning to go investigate tomorrow, and invited Palon (and the others by association) to come along. Always loving to have a drinking buddy (and remembering Shalelu's hatred of goblins, with stories in his head of the earlier exploits), he agreed. Later at the White Deer, much alcohol was consumed...
The party left a little bit later then planned, as certain persons had to be woken from the floor of the White Deer (again...). After a peaceful walk along the lost coast road the party comes to the the Thistle River. They follow it northward to the ocean but break short through the forest since the party would rather not approach by sea. They discover a series of tunnels in a thickly brambled area. The tunnels lead past a chamber with a large hole. On the way the party runs into a goblin dog kennel. The dogs attack, breaking free of their chains (or trying to anyway, in some cases). After a bit of fighting, they are ambushed by a goblin coming through the brambles and a fire pelt cougar. Tzar charmed the cougar into aiding them in battle. Shalelu was firing arrows all over the place, felling the dogs easily. The Goblin retreated into the nearly impassable brush, but upon trying to escape, was killed.
The group finally emerged from the forest in front of Thistletop, Where a rope bridge was all that stood between them and the island where Thistletop lay. Determining that the bridge was dangerous, they came up with a plan to make a safety rope by sending Tzar across to tie it off to a stable post. The team manages to cross safely going one at a time, but is ambushed my mounted goblins and those in Thistletops watchtowers. Betwixt the hail of javelins Palon cleaved the from their mounts, whilst the others worked the dogs themselves. One goblin forgot to let go of his javelin and hurled himself off of a watchtower. Some more joined from Thistletops main entrance near the end. After a very brief respite, Fender noticed more coming from inside and nailed the first goblin into the main hall of Thistletops north wall with an arrow. Except for one straggler, the fight went smoothly in our heroes favor, even with the drunken frustrated rage of Palon, who took to beating the goblins with one of their defeated kind, eventually tearing him in half over another goblins skull.
Some searching later, the group found and decided to descend some stairs that led deeper into the Island itself. Fender snuck up to a door and got a peek inside, finding the horrendous bugbear Bruthazmus engaged in pleasurable activities with a greenskin. Some planning later, the goblin wives' room, the wives, and Bruthazmus were all aflame, some burning to death, Bruthazmus angrily challenging his enemies. Shalelu ended up killing him with a stab to the neck. After letting the fires smolder, the party tries to decide their next move....
The remaining goblins recognized that these were the longshanks who decimated their raid on the fair, and attempted to flee into the basement. Palon defeated one and the other who was already ahead was chased down by a slightly more beastly than normal (as he was in his shifted state) Fender. It ran into Tsuto's office screaming for help...only to discover the grisly sight. In complete panic (since his way to the tunnel was blocked off by Fender) he surrendered. When asked for information, the goblin provided nothing useful, so Fender slew it where it kneeled before him.
The party spends a couple days shopping, resting, listening about and such. Fender pulls a con on Vorvashali Voon (which he hopes won't kill the poor bastard, being that he sold him nothing but flakes and dust of random metals as an alcohol additive that gives you unimaginable happiness), whom Tzar then stole from. Later, Tzar and Palon team up and pull a heist on one Maver Kesk, getting away with most of his money and a heft of minor jewelry. Palon becomes even more disgruntled with his newfound fame as he by chance overhears rumors about himself frequenting an establishment he is not even that familiar with. Looking for some kind of reward for his recent services (which through looting the others found their immediate gratifications) he embarks for the Town Hall to try and get something out of his recent troubles. On the way Sheriff Hemlock makes his way back into town with...not that many more men then he left with, and those who are new are obviously new to any adventurer worth their salt. He complains to Palon about the idiotic government of Magnimar and that they wouldn't know trouble if a lich killed the mayor in his own house. To Palon's surprise Mayor Deverinwas in a meeting with Shalelu Andosana, already back in town. Shalelu explains that she has spied on Bruthazmus consorting with some other humanoids and tracked them back to Thistletop. She was planning to go investigate tomorrow, and invited Palon (and the others by association) to come along. Always loving to have a drinking buddy (and remembering Shalelu's hatred of goblins, with stories in his head of the earlier exploits), he agreed. Later at the White Deer, much alcohol was consumed...
The party left a little bit later then planned, as certain persons had to be woken from the floor of the White Deer (again...). After a peaceful walk along the lost coast road the party comes to the the Thistle River. They follow it northward to the ocean but break short through the forest since the party would rather not approach by sea. They discover a series of tunnels in a thickly brambled area. The tunnels lead past a chamber with a large hole. On the way the party runs into a goblin dog kennel. The dogs attack, breaking free of their chains (or trying to anyway, in some cases). After a bit of fighting, they are ambushed by a goblin coming through the brambles and a fire pelt cougar. Tzar charmed the cougar into aiding them in battle. Shalelu was firing arrows all over the place, felling the dogs easily. The Goblin retreated into the nearly impassable brush, but upon trying to escape, was killed.
The group finally emerged from the forest in front of Thistletop, Where a rope bridge was all that stood between them and the island where Thistletop lay. Determining that the bridge was dangerous, they came up with a plan to make a safety rope by sending Tzar across to tie it off to a stable post. The team manages to cross safely going one at a time, but is ambushed my mounted goblins and those in Thistletops watchtowers. Betwixt the hail of javelins Palon cleaved the from their mounts, whilst the others worked the dogs themselves. One goblin forgot to let go of his javelin and hurled himself off of a watchtower. Some more joined from Thistletops main entrance near the end. After a very brief respite, Fender noticed more coming from inside and nailed the first goblin into the main hall of Thistletops north wall with an arrow. Except for one straggler, the fight went smoothly in our heroes favor, even with the drunken frustrated rage of Palon, who took to beating the goblins with one of their defeated kind, eventually tearing him in half over another goblins skull.
Some searching later, the group found and decided to descend some stairs that led deeper into the Island itself. Fender snuck up to a door and got a peek inside, finding the horrendous bugbear Bruthazmus engaged in pleasurable activities with a greenskin. Some planning later, the goblin wives' room, the wives, and Bruthazmus were all aflame, some burning to death, Bruthazmus angrily challenging his enemies. Shalelu ended up killing him with a stab to the neck. After letting the fires smolder, the party tries to decide their next move....