In the meantime … the heroes have destroyed Erylium and her army of wrathspawn. They returned to Sandpoint.

Ameiko had reunited with Tsuto, who explained that he had been under the control of Nualia. Nualia sought to become a demon, and intended to burn Sandpoint as a sacrifice to curry the favor of Lamashtu, the mother of monsters. Tsuto explained that the goblins tribes were being unified by Nuallia and that it was the Sczarni who were working with Nualia to destroy the town. Ameiko concurred that the Sczarnia were a plague on the town.

The heroes attempted to infiltrate and confront the Sczarni, leading to the death of a number of ne’er-do-wells and assaults on the heroes. Finally, a meeting was arranged with Jubryal Vhiski, a Varisian elder and local boss of the Sczarni. Vhiski insisted that, as a businessman – yes, a dangerous businessman – he had no motive to work with goblins. He would protect his business from anyone who threatened it, whether Goblin, Human, Halfling, or Tiefling. The heroes and Vhiski parted ways as friends, of a sort. Vhiski suggested that the heroes consider the source of the false information about the Sczarni.

In confronting Tsuto, he fled, leaving behind incriminating evidence. When this was shown to Ameiko, she was filled with rage and vowed to “beat my little brother’s ass.” However, as the heroes gathered to find and capture Tsuto, an explosion rocked the town and the imprisoned goblins were freed from the militia prison. For hours the heroes helped the militia take control of the town.

Mordecai followed the trail of blood left behind by the castrated Goblin. He stumbled upon a black stone altar, where the trail of blood ended in a spray. Behind the altar was a an engraved figure in the wall. Mordecai recognized the beast from the description of Rhogars vision.

A fiendish jackals head upon the form of a woman with ebon wings and scaly claw feet. Mordecai waved his hand over the inlay copper in his lute and murmured arcane words and pointed to his party and gently described what he saw. Griz and Rhogar quickly moved to the scene. Griz as always, silent and deadly. Rhogar nearly tripped and fell into the room. James Bacca, remained behind to inspect the statue in the hall.

On the Black stone altar was a pool of filthy, oil muddled water. Behind the alter, the team found an adventurers pack filled, with rope, fingers, coin sack and potions. Everything a filthy goblin would need. It was determined the sack belonged to Koruvus the castrated mongrel. The party suspects he may have been transformed into another form here at the alter. Mordecai again intoned magic words and with focused movements over his lute, determined that the potions were of () and that the altar was essence of transmutation. Griz collected as much of the filthy water as he could, leaving behind just a tiny bit.

James Bacca, standing in front of the statue, was addressed by a deep haggard voice of a female, followed by a foul, foul stench. She addressed herself as queen and demanded that James Bacca bow before her as a loyal servant should do. James Bacca bowed and asked that she reveal her form. The dark queen materialized and insisted that James Bacca improve his form so that he could help summon more of the [creature]s to take over the town. James Bacca acted quickly and told the dark queen that he was going to summon his friends to help build the army. She insisted he go and find his friends and disappeared.

James Bacca joined his friends in the altar room and explained his confrontation. The team pushed on into the next room. here they found the bodies of three of the soldiers. They had carved into their chests the star symbol/rune.

In the center of the room was a pool of water with a circle of skulls mounted on spikes in the center. At the top of the landing was a triangular pool of orange, bubbling, viscous liquid. The temperature seemed to drastically drop around the triangular pool. Griz grabbed a skull from the pool of water and dropped it into the orange liquid. Nothing happened. James Bacca dragged a dead soldier to the orange pool and dipped his hand in it. Still nothing. Searching the adjacent rooms the party found a bunch of ancient junk that may be important to a historian. James Bacca took a vial of the orange liquid. He found that if it weren’t for the cold resistance inherited from his blood line, his hands would be retching in pain. James poured the liquid onto the floor just to have two of the translucent skinned creatures and a disfigured goblin appear. It was Koruvus and he looked as though he had gone through a bad transmutation. Limbs were growing out of places they shouldn’t.

Then the queen materialized, hovering over the circle of skulls. “You fools! You musn’t desecrate the waters of Lamatsu! You must bow before your queen! Bow!” The party bowed to appease the queen. She led them to the altar to transform them into something that can summon the rune creatures. Upon reaching the altar the queen sees that the waters of transmutation are all but gone. There is enough left for one adventurer. “choose who will be transformed or I shall choose for you!”

Mordecai cast a spell [don’t remember which one] on their enemies and convinced them to wait in the next room, giving the party some “privacy” to make their decision and a chance to escape. Griz and Mordecai moved to leave, but James Bacca’s insatiable curiosity got the better of him. He followed Erillium’s party, and not wanting to leave his friend to the wolves, Rhogar followed. [Some details missing here.] Battle became inevitable. Korvus grabbed James Bacca and ?? grabbed ??, attempting to drag them to the alter. [someone else was grabbed but can’t remember who. When did James Bacca grab Erillium the first time??]. Battle ensued with Erillium summoning additional minions: a dire rat, a mud demon, and two more wrath creatures. Erillium bit Mordecai twice, injecting him with her foul breath and rendering him severely sluggish. Despite these challenges, Moredecai cart wheeled into battle and drew the enemy’s blows, giving James Bacca a chance to escape…[I really don’t remember the sequence of this combat very well.]. Amazingly, the heroes surpassed long odds and defeated Erillium’s minions, including Korvus. Erillium disappeared and fled into the room with the orange summoning pool. The party followed Erillium into the summoning chamber and blocked her in for a time. She darted past James Bacca standing guard at the door, the party followed, and she almost escaped again, but her loathing led her to make one more attempt at killing James Bacca, giving him the opportunity to grab her and stuff her in a sack. Having subdued Erillium, the party explored more of the underground temple. They discovered a prison area and encountered an undead abomination, a vampiric head with bat-like wings. Leaving the remainder of the temple unexplored, the party returned to the surface to consult their contacts in the town regarding Erillium and the underground temple.

Rhogar, Griz, Mordecai, and James Bacca returned to the Glassworks to follow the blood trail.

There were fewer guards at their posts than originally assigned. When the heroes questioned the guards, they said some monsters came and captured (or killed) several guards and dragged them off. Their lack of training was apparent in that they did not bother to notify anyone of this incident. The heroes reprimanded them and sent one off to notify the captain of the guard. Apparently, the heroes now had two missions: follow the blood trail and find the missing militiamen.

The heroes returned to the location where Rhogar first encountered the wrathful creature and they explored beyond. They encountered another wrathful creature and killed it in a side cavern. They then discovered some passages and rooms apparently constructed by the ancient Thassalonians as the style was similar to the tower in town. The blood trail led to a dead carcass of another wrathful creature, where apparently the injured goblin leader fought and killed the creature. Next to the carcass was a statue of a wrathful woman..[need help with this desciption]..Griz thought this might be a depiction of the wrath rune lord. The blood trail then continued on to an alter and ended there. While the heroes were exploring, they heard a mysterious voice calling out to it’s servants to bow down and something about getting gifts of blood. The voice grew more agitated as the heroes disregarded it, and attempted to magically frighten Rhogar, but he successfully resisted, although he was left shaken for a time.

Rhogar, Mordecai, and Griz moved to take a closer look at the alter, while James Bacca spoke with the voice…

Brodart Quink
- hasn’t seen this, must be an outsider, ask Gadanthus
- Wrath Rune on the body as birthmarks, related to Thass magic, shows the runes
- Cover the body with blanket and take it to Gadanthus

Gadanthus
- teaching reading class
- Uriel waves him to come but he gets annoyed
- Uriel holds the body up and the children see it and panic, cause town bells to ring again
- Related to Aboleth, shows them the Aboleth in the museum
- Promises to let them know if they find anything
- Buys the body for 300 gp

Panicking crowd
- Mordecai plays song about Tuk Thor to calm the crowd, people join hands
- Tuk Thor tells the guards to search the perimeter, causing more panic
- horse knocks over embers, causing fire
- Mordecai gets them to start bucket brigade
- Tuk Thor lifts the barrel of water to pour it on the fire
- Mordecai calms the town down but not until after someone is crippled by a stampeding horse

Kaddock Darthlai
- Posts guards at the glassworks against Sinspawn
- Will keeps his eye out Tsuto

Quink
- What planes do Aboleth’s come from?
- It’s an ancient plane that no one knows how to get to and from there?
- There was rumor that the Runelords created sinspawn to serve as soldiers and terror troops

Glassworks survivor
- Overheard Tsuto directing goblins, get revenge against Lonjiku, please his Love
- Hid out during raid, locked in closet
- Lonjiku was ranting about the Sczarni forcing him to do things, made us move ladders, take cart out
- Mordecai leans on guard sergeant to arrest Tsuto, forces survivor to stay in protective custody

The heroes brought the body of the a pale translucent skin semi-humanoid creature to Brodert Quink. Quink identified some birthmark type markings on the body as an ancient Thassalonian rune of wrath. Thassalonian magic was based on the seven deadly sins. Quink also identified the seven pointed star which was the Sinhedron, the symbol of unity of all the Thassalonian schools of magics.

He recommended that we seek out Geddanthus (headmaster of the local school) to identify the creature. SZ = Birth mark of Thasselonian origin on the wrathful creature. Associated with Wrath.
one of the 7 deadly sins. SZ is the symbol for the wrath rune.

On Quink’s recommendation, the heros sought out Gaddanthus, headmaster of the local academy. James Bacca tried to interrupt Professor Gaddanthus’s class, but caused a panic when the children saw the body of the wrathful creature. A fire broke out, a stampede of cattle rushed through town, and one of the Sandpoint residents was seriously injured (lost his leg).

Gaddanthus led the heroes to his collection of strange creatures, in the basement below the academy. He paid for the body of the creature, and suggested he would pay for other curiosities, including the legendary Sandpoint Devil.

At the suggestion of the heroes, eight town militia were posted in the glassworks entrance to the basement area.

Seeing her father encapsulated in crystalline agony, Ameiko channels her grief into her work. She insists on returning to the Rusty Dragon to ensure all is in good order. Ameiko appears to be hanging on by a thread.

James Bacca returns to town with Ameiko to find a package has arrived for our adventurers via magic portal. The package contains a generous gift for each of the group, along with an invitation to join Aldern Foxglove at his southern estate near Magnamar.

James Bacca makes his way below the glassworks where he finds Tuk Thor, Mordecai, and Griz. The group continues down the passage below the glassworks, following the trail of acrid goblin blood.

Rhogar is ambushed by a sinister creature not of this world. It has paper thin skin and razor sharp claws. Rhogar is heavily wounded but maintains his composure by using his ki to deal a blow and disengage from the combat. Rhogar cleverly bates the creature to follow him down the passage whilst using a potion to cure his wounds.

Rhogar leads the creature directly to his companions. Tuk Thor upon seeing his bloodied comrade, breaks into a mighty rage and runs to meet the creature in battle. Mordecai hails Tuk Thors courage and strength as he delivers a devastating axe blow. The group then surrounds the creature to deal its fate. Griz ensnares the abomination and delivers a fatal arrow shot to the chest.

Celebrating the victory half of the group is ready to rush in to find the goblin scum, however cooler heads prevail and the adventurers return to town to rest, resupply and research the foul beast they have just slain.

Lastly, James Bacca shares with the group their new gifts from Aldern Foxglove. James Bacca receives an intricately carved wand of magic missiles. Mordecai a fine lute with magical properties. For Rhogar, the martial arts master, Nunchaku. Tuk Thor receives an enchanted Javelin that rips into thunderous lighting upon command. Lastly, Griz, a magical ring which will protect Alderns ‘Angel’ from harm by turning him into ethereal form should his life be in danger.

Mordecai and James Bacca were following the trail of blood left behind by the castrated half elf and came across Ameko’s brother, who had just as he killed a goblin. Tsuto said they had captured his sister. Mordecai had his suspicions about Tsuto’s claims. Tsuto upset at the pause in immediate action said that he would go after his sister and dashed off the other room. The team followed him out after hearing some muffled noises that was unmistakably Ameiko, just to find that Tsuto was gone and Ameiko bound and gagged. They untied her and asked her of Tsuto’s motives. Ameiko stated she was summoned their by her brother. Tsuto left a letter for Ameiko describing his excitement to be together with Noelia. This was strange since Ameiko believed Noelia to have died years prior in a building fire. Tsuto urged Ameiko to leave the city to the East to the Nethal wood for her own safety. Once Ameiko arrived at the factory the goblins captured her and she had yet to see her brother. Tsuto Apparently ran past TukThor on his way up and out the Glassworks.

The Team and Ameiko then went upstairs and investigate Longiku’s body further now that the immediate carnage had ended. Longiku was encapsulated in molten glass. She ask’s James baka to please not kill her brother because she feels he is innocent and must surely be under some spell. She also asks James baca to walk with her into town where she needs to speak with the town council members. The rest of the crew remembers they let Rhogar run off by himself and decides to go down after him.

Rhogar, meanwhile, continues following blood trail down a non-descriptive underground passageways. The trail of blood took a turn at the second right turn. He continued down this way and passed an area that appeared to have been previously walled off. Just as he is crossing the threshold he began to feel an out of body like experience and a vision. He very vividly experiences holding hands with a woman on a date which quickly turned romantic. He became lost in the moment until he looks again at his date and it is now a Jackal headed creature with a pregnant belly and monsters clawing from the inside. The monster began accusing Rhogar of cheating on her. Rhogar staggered back and regained his senses just in time to see a humanoid size creature with pale arms, predator like jaws, a slimy tongue, and bulging red eyes with no nose.

The creature strikes at rhogar and deals him a heavy blow!

Will our hero be able to escape or Defeat this new unknown enemy?
Will his friends be able to reach him in time?
Will Rhogar ever get to play with his unborn demon children?
Find out… Next Time! On Dragon Ball!…. wait, no…. Next time on Wednesday

• Heroes went to the Glassworks, following James Bacca’s empathic link to Ameiko.
• Discovered that goblins had killed all the workers and Lonjiku, who had been tortured to death.
• The goblin leader, Koruvus, was wounded and fled to the basement.
• Following the trail of blood, the heroes found a tunnel leading deep underground
• Exploring the basement, the heroes heard the voices of goblins and non-goblins speaking.
• They came upon a room with Tsuto Kaijitsu and a goblin. Tsuto quickly killed the goblin with his bare hands, thanked the heroes for saving him, and urged them to find his sister.

The heroes (Griz, James Bacca, Rhogar, and Mordecai) quickly trudged through the dawn rain to the Sandpoint Glassworks following James Bacca’s empathic link with Ameiko. The Glassworks, standing near the western edge of Sandpoint on the shore, was locked and shuttered. The heroes climbed to the roof. James Bacca peered through the skylight, and shrieked in horror. Goblins reveling in destruction and mayhem. The mutilated bodies of the workers littered the main factory floor and Lonjiku’s stiff, frozen body was propped in a chair, apparently transformed into a glass statue, his face transfixed in horror.

The heroes prepared to crash through the skylight to surprise the goblins. James Bacca caught the eye of Shayliss Vinder, who called out to him in a playful voice. “James Bacca, what in the world are you doing up on that roof in this rain. Come down and run some errands with me. You can keep me warm…” James Bacca called back “Shayliss, there’s goblins in the Glassworks, alert the militia!” Shayliss panicked, crying out that the goblins were attacking again. Within minutes a panic spread through the town, and the alarm bells were ringing, calling the militia into action.

Meanwhile, the heroes went through with their plan. The skylights were crashed and the battle ensued with the goblins. Rhogar leapt down, taking center stage surrounded by goblins. He was backed up by Griz taking shots from the roof and James Bacca who put the Koruvus and many other goblins to sleep before they could do much harm. Tuk Thor, responding to the town alarm from the militia hall, came to a front door and with two kicks burst it open.

Mordecai attempted to tie Koruvus for later interrogation, but Rhogar had no interest in playing along. He slipped through the throng of goblins surrounding him and castrated Koruvus, waking him up from his magical slumber. Koruvus and the remaining goblins quickly fled down into the basement, the mortality wounded leader leaving a trail of blood behind him. James Bacca’s sense told them Ameiko was down below the Glassworks, so the heroes followed the trail of blood.

As the heroes descended into the basement, they heard muffled goblin and non-goblin voices. They followed the trail of blood through a tunnel which, until recently, appeared to have been walled off from the basement. Before following the trail, however, the heroes began searching the rooms of the basement. James Bacca entered a small room with a bed, a desk, a chair, and many papers. In the room stood Tsuto, Lonjiku’s long-lost son and Ameiko’s brother. Apparently, he was being held prisoner by the goblins. As James Bacca entered, Tsuto quickly turned and dealt a fatal blow to a goblin standing near him. Tsuto thanked him for rescuing him and urged him to find Ameiko quickly.

4047, mid-Rova

The Prodigal Son?

After the trial, the days fall into a routine. Tuk Thor trains regularly with the Sandpoint Militia. Griz roams the Sandpoint Hinterlands looking for a trace of Shalelu. James Bacca and Mordecai attempt to delve the secrets of the Old Light. Rhogar meditates. Naeric heads north to Windsong Abbey.

After about a week, one stormy night in late Rova, James Bacca wakes suddenly in the middle of the night. He knows, with no reason to know why, that something has happened to Ameiko. He rushes downstairs and finds her kitchen staff preparing food early in the morning. They confirm that it is unusual for her not to be with them at this point, but perhaps she is exhausted, she was working late into the night. James Bacca pounds on her door, until Bethana, Ameiko’s trusted employee, opens the door. The window has been smashed, and rain is coming into the room, which is in disarray. Blood splatters are on the sheets. It is obvious that there has been a fight here.

Bethana can remember nothing except that Ameiko was excited about having received a letter. James Bacca searches the room and finds a letter, but it is written in Xian Tia and he cannot make it out. He asks Mordecai to gather Griz, Rhogar, and Tuk Thor and meet him at the Kaijitsu manor.

Lonjiku’s head of household allows the group into the drawing room of the house, but he tells them that Lonjiku is not available. He cannot say more because it would not be within normal decorum. He cannot read the letter but he can say that the signature is that of the Kaijitsu family name, but not Lonjiku’s. When he is told that Ameiko is missing, he looks shocked and says that Lonjiku has been missing for two days as well.

He leaves the heroes, who begin a search of the house. In Lonjiku’s study, they find another letter, written in Xian Tia, apparently from before the Swallowtail attack. The signature on the bottom is the same.

James Bacca says “Ameiko is still alive. She’s in the Glassworks.”

The Trial

Mordecai and James Bacca head to the Carpenters Guild in the middle of the night after returning with the rescued farmers. They hear a lot of noise at lumber mill, and they see Petal the dog, barking.

They break into the second story, coming onto a large storage area. As they stumble around they make lots of noise as the window slams shut, Mordecai and James whisper loudly, and James stumbles and knocks items over from the second story onto a fine table that was being crafted below. The table is sturdy, but appears to be damaged by scratches.

Mordecai uses his darkvision to find and read through a ledger, finding the names of businesses which have purchased ladders. James Bacca attempts to clean the mess that they made.

The next morning, rusty dragon, Mordecai sings and Ameiko makes food for refugees. Townsfolk are asking when they will take care of the Sczarni. Griz talks to kid and father whose ankle was broken.

The group confides in Ameiko that there seems to be a confederate in town who helped the goblins attack.

James Bacca speaks to Sheriff. The Sheriff mentions he is leaving for Magnamar soon to seek additional support in the way of guards. He states that, regarding Tuk Thor, while he needs to remain neutral as the Sheriff, he would like to see Tuk Thor invoke his right to ask for representation for the upcoming trial.

He speaks of some of the clues regarding the confederate:

1) There was a wagon that the goblins were hiding in, upon inspection they find traces of seaweed, sand, limestone, and saltmarsh plants — James Bacca remembers Lonjiku Kaijitsu mentioning that all materials were used in making glass.
2) The North gate was left open, obvious that goblins snuck in. The only people in town who have the key to the North Gate were:
-Sheriff
-Lieutenant of the guard Kaddock Darthalai
-Sandpoint council members
-Gorvi

Mordecai and James Bacca interview different businesses about the ladder and find that they all have a ladder — with the exception of the Glassworks. It seems that Lonjiku may have been the confederate. But why?

Tuk Thor is reluctant to ask for representation. He believes he is guilty of sneaking into town and should thus be punished. But, Griz tells him “If you don’t get help, they will get away with it.” And, Tuk Thor realizes that he needs to fight. He want’s Naeric to represent him.

Tuk Thor’s request and the evidence that the Glassworks is brought to Naeric , who agrees to represent Tuk Thor and Gorvi. It is decided that, because the trial is decided by a vote of the five council members, they will seek to force Lonjiku to recuse himself from the trial.

At the onset of the meeting, James Bacca speaks on behalf of the heroes in favor of Tuk Thor’s heroism. His speech is greeted with approval by the gathered townsfolk.

Next, town business is discussed:
1) Garbage in streets
2) Whether a wall should be built
3) Whether a bank should be created
4) Money owed by Sandpoint to Titus Scarnetti

In each of these instances, the council has difficulty coming to a decision, Lonjiku and Titus bicker and accuse each other of trying to enrich themselves, and Titus pressures Valdemar into voting in his favor.

As the trial proceeds, the council, with the exception of Lonjiku, votes to force him to recuse himself due to the apparent conflict of interest. Lonjiku is outraged. With two votes in favor of acquittal and two votes in favor of conviction, after the evidence is presented, Tuk Thor and Gorvi are freed!

The Rescue
Shalelu confirms that it appears that the Birdcruncher goblin tribe is abandoning this area. Thistletop goblins, led by Brunkle, Bruthazamus, Orik, and Lyrie, have been escorting Birdcrunchers and carrying loot as well as prisoners to the north-east.

Shalelu and Bruthazamus have long been adversaries, and the injury he gave her was merely to be cruel.

Rhogar joins Mordecai, James Bacca, Griz, and Shalelu. The party sets off after the large group of goblins heading towards Thistletop with prisoners. If they can’t stop them, the prisoners may not survive.

They head into the Tickwood, and ambush a rear guard of goblins. James Bacca attempts to interrogate a captured goblin, but his screaming draws giant wolf spiders which attack the group.

They finally catch up to the group: Bruthazumus and Orik, with dozens of goblins from the Thistletop and Birdcruncher tribes. Shalelu distracts the goblins by calling out Bruthazumus for a fight while the rest of the group is to rescue the goblins. However, the group jumps the gun and shoots at Bruthazumus. He returns fire, knocking Griz unconscious. He then laughs, wields a large cudgel and saunters towards Shalelu, laughing and mocking her. She flees under a the forest canopy and then when the goblins follow, she chops a lock of her hair and, using powerful magic, summons dozens of giant wolf spiders which attack the goblins.

She flees into the Tickwood while the heroes return to town with the rescued farmers. Griz realizes that some farmers still are missing, and returns for them. He finds a man with a broken leg, who’s son is watching over him. Griz aids them in their return but hasn’t found all of them.

The Dwarf
Griz and James Bacca go to the Sandpoint Carpenter’s Guild to speak with Aesrick Battlehorn. He isn’t there and they leave a note for him.

Rescuing Shalelu
Griz, James Bacca, Naeric, Mordecai, and two Sandpoint militia (Ricky Larsen and Jessie Barr, head up to the Devil’s Platter.
They intercept a large group of Birdcruncher goblins on a narrow path, leading captive farmers. Naeric leads the farmers back to Sandpoint.

Griz tells the remainder of the group to wait while he scouts ahead, but Jessie becomes impatient and runs after him. Jessie is angry at the rest of the group for allowing Griz to go on his own – his family was saved by Griz during the Swallowtail attack and he owes a debt of gratitude to Griz. The group makes it to the caves without any further incident.

The group sneak into the caves, and find some more farmers captive. The treasure room is mostly empty except for a few scattered coins.

They hear a growling sound and find small vicious goblins in cages. They are unable to touch the cages without being bit at by the goblins.

Exploring further, they find and rescue Shalelu. However, she is grievously wounded: Bruthazumus cut off the middle and index fingers of her right hand. She is at the verge of death. As the group leaves the cave, a large segmented creature with tentacles around it’s mouth comes crashing through the cave, chasing the heroes and the remaining goblins in front. Jessie is crushed by the creature. The farmers flee and Ricky chases after them.

The Birdcruncher tribe

Griz led Pips up through a narrow, rocky pass, up into the Devil’s Platter. The lush farmland changed as he headed up onto a dry and rocky area, with plateaus leading to cliffs leading to higher plateaus like a stair case for titans. Large boulders littered the area, allowing neither a straight path nor a clear view ahead.

At least up here the smoke from the burning farm cleared. It wasn’t hard to track the goblins who had burned the farm and kidnapped the family members who hadn’t been killed. Even though the rocky area didn’t allow for many tracks, the goblins left a trail of debris and carnage as they went. Griz wanted to go back to gather his friends for help, but didn’t dare risk the family members’ survival. He knew they would probably be eaten in the time it would take to get to town and come back.

Griz came upon an area that he knew from previous explorations contained caves which the Birdcruncher tribe used as shelter. He left Pips a ways from this area, and proceeded quietly and cautiously, until he came upon what he was looking for … two goblins standing outside of a cave. He waited patiently and watched from behind a boulder for thirty minutes, but, while the goblins did many things including pacing, singing, throwing, wrestling, eating, snarling, snapping, and yapping, they didn’t leave their posts. Griz listened to their singing … “One day goblins came to town, looked around and then they found, yummy doggies on the ground, goblins ate those doggies!”

Griz, rolling his eyes while his stomach turned in disgust, crept away from the cave entrance and made his best attempt to bark, yap, and whine like a dog. Almost immediately he heard the commotion of the goblin guards yapping and squabbling as they ran after their imagined prey. As they ran past him, Griz quickly slipped back towards the cave entrance. He peered in, and unsurprisingly, it was pitch black not twenty feet in: goblins have perfect darkvision. Griz listened and heard the sound of a single goblin muttering and snarling to itself. He lit a torch, threw it toward the sounds, and as soon as he saw the goblin drew an arrow and shot the goblin directly between the eyes. The goblin died before it could even make a sound. Griz quickly went in and heard from beyond the torch light the sound of children crying and a tentative voice saying “Hello, who’s there, please help us!” As he entered, he noted from another cave tunnel a light and voices… goblins and the voice of a human. He didn’t have the time to investigate or listen.

Griz silently went to the voices. The surviving family members — Merripen Perry and her two young children — as well as a man he didn’t recognize, were tied up in a cave. “I’m here to save you”, he said. The man looked at him and shook his head “They sent a kid? Oh… a halfling, not much better.”

Griz cut their bonds and cautioned them to silence as they left the cave. Upon leaving, the snarling guards returned, and the children began crying. “Flee, I will hold them off.” He tossed a shortsword to the man, but his aim was off and the sword went sliding off a boulder. The man scrambled after it but the goblins were quickly on top of Griz, and although he was able to slay one of the goblins, he was quickly overwhelmed by the flurry of blows of the goblins — stumbling backwards, he struck his head and all went black.

Griz awoke, and by the position of the sun, he could see that an hour had passed. “Mommy, mommy, Griz woke up!” Griz looked over, and was pleased to see the two children standing with the man. Their mother came around a boulder, and Griz stared open mouthed at the woman, as she was covered in blood and gore. “Are… are you ok? I can provide some healing…” The man laughed “Ah, little halfling… the goblin should have known better than to mess with a mother protecting her young. She killed him with her bare hands!” The man introduced himself as Jack Burton, a merchant who had been ambushed by the goblins. He was thankful to Griz for rescuing them, and was upset about losing his cargo, but his larger concern was “Did you see any sign of my horse? She’s a black stallion, Shadowmist…”

They went back to the remains of the farm, where Merriepen and her children prayed to Desna for the safe journey of her husband and elder son. They gathered what belongings they could and headed to town. As they walked, Merriepen again thanked Griz for rescuing them from a terrible fate. “They had another prisoner, and elvish woman, and they took her away for what sounded like a fate worse than death, from the sounds of her screams. Her name was Shalelu.” Griz knew that he must return to the caves.

Franklin Sharpe’s funeral

Father Abstalar Zantus wore white robes and a silk hat. “Franklin journeyed with us. When Sarenrae, Iomadae, and the other gods and godesses busied themselves creating the earth, Desna was dreaming the heavens. This she still does and now Franklin creates that dream with her.” Franklin’s widow and his children stood, weeping. The heroes were gathered in the Sandpoint boneyard. The sun shone brightly.

James Bacca stood next to Ameiko, head down, listening to the eulogy.

Mordecai stood with them, antsy. As he looked around, he noticed some young ladies he had not seen before.

Griz stood with Mayor Deverin and Sheriff Belor. Near them stood Titus Scarnetti and Ethram Valdemar. He had been unsuccessful in his attempts to convince the sheriff to order the town militia to raid the Birdcruncher caves. He stood, listening, tears silently flowing down his cheeks.

Naeric stood, seething, stoking the redeeming fires of Sarenrae. He gazed towards the town wall, and saw the hunchback, Naffer Vosk, keeper of the Sandpoint Boneyard. Near the temple, he saw the guard he had spoken a few days before. He made a mental note to speak with them. They were both faithful, and in their hearts Sarenrae would shine her light.

Rhoggar sat in silent meditation with Sabyl.

After the funeral, James Bacca approached Shayliss Vinder, who stood with Jargie Quinn and another young man that he didn’t recognize. They were towards the south edge of the boneyard, where the temple gardens grew lush. “Shayliss, what was it you were trying to tell me at the store the other day?”

“James Bacca, how kind of you to come look after me. There’s some big ratshhh in the basement of the store, and daddy won’t get rid of them. I need a hero to help me. Haha ha!” Jargie and the young man laughed with her. She leaned on the young man then lurched towards James Bacca. He could smell her perfume, mixed with … “Shayliss… have you been drinking?” He supposed it wasn’t unusual, she had just lost what amounted to her uncle. “Bur seriously Shayliss, rats?”

“Sheriously. They’re really big ratshh!”

“Dire Rats?”

“Yessh!” The other men laughed. “Ok Shayliss, I will see what I can do?”

Naeric spoke with Naffer Vosk. “Sir, sir, I know you are a hand of the Dawnflower. I need to show you something.” Naffer Vosk led Naeric to the Northeast edge of the boneyard, to the wall that separated the boneyard — and the town — from the woods leading to the east. “This!” Naffer Vosk picked up a ladder laying on the ground next to the wall. “The day after the Festival, I found this laying on the ground near the wall — on the inside of the wall! I daren’t tell anyone but you, since you are a hand of the Dawnflower, and I dare not trust anyone. I fear that it was Aesrick Battlehorn or one of the Carpenter’s helped the goblins get in to town!” It was a well made ladder, certainly not something to be left laying around.

“This is not something that belongs to the temple, I presume?”, to which Naffer Vosk replied in the negative. Naeric gathered his friends. It was clear that this was a well made ladder and it was suspicious that it was found the day after the Festival — the goblin attack — especially considering that Father ___’s remains had been stolen during the attack. Griz observed obvious trampling of the ground, as if many people — or goblins — had recently come and gone. At the base of the wall he saw the obvious marks of the ladder being set into the ground. He climbed the wall. The other side contained the same marks of a ladder set into the ground. He followed the trail of a set of footprints leading away east from the spot, around the bluffs and wrapping back around south and west to the East Gate. And, it appeared that the same tracks had come this way once before, but apparently dragging a ladder. It was as if someone had carried a ladder from town and leaned it against the wall for the goblins to use.

Griz returned, and spoke with the Sheriff Hemlock. “Most disturbing. We have also found evidence that the north gate was left unlocked, and that goblins were hiding in a wagon belonging to one of the business’s in town.”

While Griz and Naeric investigated this disturbing turn of events, Mordecai did his duty assuring the town citizens that the heroes were protecting them, especially the beautiful young ladies he had spotted earlier. “Mrs. Avertin, it’s a pleasure! I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting your … daughters?” The two ladies, Arika and Aneka, nearly duplicates of each other, blushed. “Aye … Mordecai … they are my daughters.” Alma Avertin could barely speak, as she was on the verge of sobbing. “They took Franklin, just as they took my Casp!” Arika and Aneka smiled and blushed at Mordecai, at the same time looking concerned about their mother and pleased with the attention of the charming tiefling. “Sir, we made these savories for you and your friends. We’re so sorry sir, but we have to take mother back home now!”

Rhogar was been speaking with Father Zantus. They discussed the mutable nature of people, and the possibilities of setting people on the path of righteousness once they had strayed to far into wickedness. “Take the goblins, for example,” said the priest of Desna. “They grow up like animals, they keep their young in cages, like beasts. But, if they were to be raised in a civilized manner, perhaps they could be civilized.”

Mordecai wandered to the a raven haired, tall beauty, who introduced herself as Jasmine. “You must be from Cheliax,” she noted. “It’s obvious, as where else would a tiefling be from. I’ve just moved here from there, it’s good to see a familiar face.” She asked Mordecai for a quick hand with something in her home, and he gladly obliged. Mordecai called to Rhogar — “Hey, I’ll be back soon, eh?” Rhogar watched him walk off with a beuatiful raven haired woman and nodded assent.

Mordecai and Jasmine chatted easily as they walked around the side of the temple, and Mordecai asked why she moved to Sandpoint. “Well, I wanted a fresh start, with my children. It was so hard in Cheliax when my husband died, you see. But, to be honest, the real reason I came today was because I caught a glimpse of you.” Her voice trailed off behind and Mordecai turned around, a moment to late catching on that all was not as it seemed, as Jasmine’s features changed. Her long straight raven hair changed into dreadlocks. Her conservative purple dress faded into a low cut croptop and silky pants. She wore a hood. It was Lyrie Ajenka, the wizard who, with the warrior Orik, attacked and killed Franklin at the Rusty Dragon earlier that week.

With a word he was paralyzed, bound by magical energy. “I came with my friend for a drink and a foolish tiefling decided to interfere with something that didn’t concern him!” She dug a dagger into Mordecai’s thigh. In his mind, he screamed in agony, but no words came out. She twisted the knife, pulled it out, and sliced open a gash in his chest…

Father Zantus concluded “What I’ve learned about people is that everyone dreams. Some forget them, some remember them, and some move in them.” Rhogar wanted to share that with Mordecai, so he jogged after him. “Aye, Mordecai,” he called out “You should hear what Father Zantus shared with me…” Lyrie drew the dagger across Mordecai’s cheek, near his eye. "Rhogar stepped in, and quick as sight struck her hand away. She let loose a piercing shriek, sending vibrations in Rhogar’s sword, threatening to shatter it. He loosened his arm and allowed the vibrations to disappate, and slced at Lyrie. She spoke a word and he was plunged in darkness. When the darkness dissapated, he was alone with Mordecai.

Dinner With the Kaijitsus, cont…

James Bacca sits awkwardly on the floor of the dining hall of the Kaijitsu family home. The cushion is comfortable, but he is not used to it, and he shifts each time he hears a crash or the raised voice of Ameiko Kaijitsu or Lonjiku Kaijitsu coming from the kitchen.

Suddenly, the screaming and crashing stops, and, but for what sounds like soft crying in the kitchen, there is silence. Lonjiku quietly and gracefully comes out of the kitchen alone, and seats himself at the table. He continues the conversation, telling James Bacca about the Kaijitsu family history.

“The process of glassmaking is as much an art as it is a craft, and one that the Kaijitsu family has held pride in for several generations. After my family was exiled from Tian Xia and made the perilous journey over the crown of the world, we finally settled in Magnimar, where the family trade played a key role in our acceptance into society.

“When the Sandpoint Mercantile League was established, the Kaijitsus were there, and not long after Sandpoint was founded, we began construction of what would become one of the town’s most unique and profitable businesses—the Sandpoint Glassworks.

“The three main components of glass are all found in abundance locally: sand, seaweed, and salt-resistant plants (the ashes of which form an important reagent in the process), and lime extracted from stone quarried from the cliffs of Devil’s Platter and the Ashen Rise. All that remained was the technical proficiency to work these components into glass.”

James Bacca broaches the topic of Tuk Thor. “Sir,” he say, “I understand you will be sitting on the town council for the trial of Tuk Thor…”

“Who?”, interjects Lonjiku. “Oh, the orcs? Yes, those traitors will have what they deserve.”

“But sir, I fought along with Tuk Thor during the Swallowtail Festival. He is certainly no traitor…”

“Heh, orcs are animals. They just live to fight. Good riddance to that scum.”

Lonjiku changes the subject back to sharing stories with James Bacca about Tian Xia, stories that he only heard from his parents, as he was born in Magnimar. James shares stories with him about demon haunted Cheliax. They continue talking for a while, and Ameiko comes out of the kitchen with the rest of the dinner, with a joyful smile that evaporates as Lonjiku loudly says "It is unfortunate that my daughter refuses to learn the family trade. She is my only child but will not take over the business when I am no longer able to do so. She shames me. She went off galavanting as an “adventurer”, hardly woman’s work. Now, she runs a flophouse and spends her time with low-born drunkards." He shakes his head emphatically and looks down. “Sit daughter, that is work for servants.”

Ameiko sits, eyes cast down, and says “Father, if you would forgive Tsuto …” Lonjiku slams his fists on the table and screams “Do not speak that name in my presence! You continue to shame me!” Ameiko says calmly “But father, he’s my brother, your son…” and Lonjiku screams “I have no son!”

The dinner is finished in awkward quietness, with small talk and superficial polite exchanges between Lonjiku and James Bacca, interjected with occasional sharp remarks from Lonjiku towards Ameiko. When dinner finished, Lonjiku walked with James Bacca and Ameiko to the front gate of the family home, and bid Ameiko farewell in a formal and cold manner. Then, he smiled and turned to James Bacca, and stated “You have honored me with your presence. I hope you will make an honest woman of my daughter, and bring an end to my shame. Oh, and James Bacca, if you wish to be of service to Sandpoint, you should do something about the Sczarni. They are a scourge to the honest and hard working people of this town.”

On the way back to Sandpoint, James Bacca and Ameiko walked silently. As they reached the Rusty Dragon, Ameiko said “Lonjiku is my father. He and Tsuto are the only family I have left. My mother died about five years ago. She slipped or tripped from the bluffs near our home. Since then, my father and Tsuto have not spoken, and I’ve only seen Tsuto a few times. You see, Tsuto is my younger half brother… He is half elf, and neither my father nor my mother have any elvish blood. My father is a very proud man… And that is a trait Tsuto takes from my father, but they are the only family I have.” Tsuto and Ameiko bid each other good night and each went to sleep.

Gorvi’s Shack
Naeric goes to Gorvi’s shack. There are kids outside waiting around with red garbage wagon. “Hey, you know when Gorvi is coming. We ain’t haulin’ trash unless we get paid.” Naeric gives them a gold piece. “Did you know that goblins dig through the trash you kids throw over the cliff?”, he asks. “Yeah, of course we do!” With that, they run off, bickering about who owns the gold piece.

James searches Gorvi’s shack (picks the lock). The place is stuffy, he opens the window. Rotting food, spilt beer, clutter, garbage, juxtaposed with well made furniture, fine erotic art, expensive spirits. A small chest with copper peices and a clipboard with notes about the kids. In Gorvi’s closet is a loose floorboard in which is hidden a sack full of gold pieces. Under Gorvi’s bed some lacy women’s undergarments. Naeric is convinced that, while perhaps uncouth and drunkard, Gorvi is a normal single male with no evidence of treachery.

Content Not Found: null, an elderly elf herbalist and midwife, is waiting for Naeric when he exits Gorvi’s shack. As Naeric locks the door, she asks “Did you find anything interesting in there?” He shakes his head No. “Please walk with me, little Dawnflower.”

Naeric recognizes Hannah from the temple. She is a worshiper of Gozreh — The Wind and the Waves — somewhat unusual in Sandpoint where most people worship Desna, the Song of the Spheres. Hannah leads Naeric to the bluffs where Gorvi and his boys dump trash. Naeric can see that much of the trash is floating off to see, but a large pile of it remains. Hannah shakes her head sadly. "I’ve asked the Sandpoint Council many, many times to end this abhorrent practice. But they directed it to continue. "

Naeric is shocked. “Wait, what?! The Council directed Gorvi to dump the garbage over the cliff?”

“Well, not directly. But as the town grew, he ended up with the job of removing the garbage, debris, and … waste from the town. All that was unsightly and unseemly to the smell. His solution was to dump it over the cliff where it would be washed off to sea. The Council has been happy enough to pay him to continue the practice despite my protests. I suppose I could now tell the council that goblins were sent by Gozreh in payment for this abysmal practice, but…” she paused, turned from the sea and walked towards the temple. As she passed Naeric she winked, “… but, if Gozreh saw fit to show her wrath it would in all likelihood be a wave of cleansing water that would sweep the town away.”

Hannah and Naeric continued to talk Hannah led Naeric on a walk at the edge of the town, near the cemetery. Naeric spoke of his quest to find calm. Hannah spoke of her role in the joy of serving as midwife to to women of Sandpoint, as well as helping them control of their bodies through contraception, education, and, occasionally, ending unfortuitous pregnancies, much to the consernation of some of the more conservative members of town such as Titus Scarnetti.

As they turned back towards the temple, they observed the late Father Tobyn’s grave, which had been restored, even though his remains were still missing. Hannah’s gaze went next to Father Tobyn’s grave, to his daughter, Nualia’s grave. “Such a shame. Such a loss. When Father Tobyn and Nualia died so many years ago in the fire. Nualia was such a beautiful girl, a foundling. Father Tobyn found her on the steps of the old temple. Some believe that she had divine blood, that she was the son or the daughter of an angel. People would come to her and beg her for healing. She became pregnant. Her lover, Delek…” Hannah spit, “fled rather than live up to his responsibilities as a father. Her father — Father Tobyn — was so angry.” Hannah paused. “She … miscarried. The child was … an abomination. It was a very difficult time for her and it was such a tragedy that her life was cut short.”

Griz
Griz returned to the Tickwood, just north of the Devil’s Platter, to look for Shalelu. He found traces that she had been in the Tickwood in the past few weeks, but no sign of her more recently, since the Swallow Tail festival. As Griz rode his pony back to Sandpoint, he observed a fire in the fields. He rushed to find a group of goblins attacking a farmstead. Inside the house were a family of farmers, fighting desperately to fight off a dozen goblins, including a Warchanter. Griz rushed to the house, and explained that he would make a distraction and they were to flee to Sandpoint. He ran out, calling to attract the attention of the goblins. The Warchanter called “Kill that short longshanks!” Griz fled away from the farmhouse, but the goblins were faster than him and were catching up. He drew his bow and shot, missing, and the goblins were on him, hacking at him. A blow to the head left him in the dark.

He awoke, and it was nearly night. The sky was lit up red with the flames of the burning farmhouse and the other buildings and fields, which were now becoming embers. Slaughtered animals were everywhere, with chunks of meat ripped out of them, obviously by ravenous goblins. Griz staggered to his feet, not mindful of his many wounds. With a pounding heart, he headed back to the farmhouse. He found the body of the father and his eldest son, and saw that they had been hack nearly to pieces. He searched around and found tracks of people running, and goblins following. It was clear that they were all moving together.

With tears in his eyes, Griz buried the body of the farmer and his son. “No sense to run off after them tonight. I won’t be able to track them.” He used the last of the light to track his pony back in the Tickwood. “Good boy. You had the sense to run.” Tomorrow is another day, and we will do what we can for those good people."

Dinner with a local family
Naeric walks through town and comes upon Petal, yapping and barking. Naeric bends town to pet her, and she stops for a moment before running back into her house, barking again. A loud voice from inside comes “Petal, shut that yapping!” Petal runs out, and a large, dark haired man sticks his head out of the door. “Shut up!”

The man makes eye contact with Naeric, who is again petting Petal. “Sorry, that mutt is a nuisance.”

Naeric replies “It’s no problem sir, I’ve met her before, and I’ve met your ”/characters/barett-amele" class=“wiki-content-link”>wife and children. You are Aldergast, I presume? Naeric Petayarus." With that, Aldergast’s eyes widen with recognition and he invites Naeric in enthusicastically. “Yes, yes, of course! Aeren couldn’t stop speaking about how one of the heroes of Sandpoint was here, and would scare all the goblins away. The damned boy won’t stop crying about goblins. I’ve about lost my patience with his nonsense, constantly crying about goblins and monsters under his bed ever since the Festival…”

Amele Barrett enters the room, nursing her baby, Verah. “Aldergast, stop that. Naeric, thank you for taking the time to visit us again. Poor Aeren is traumatized after the festival. He witnessed some goblins tie a cat by its tail then light it on fire. He’s convinced that the goblins are going to return and set Petal on fire.” With that, Petal runs back inside and down the hallway towards the back of the house, barking and yapping. “Petal! Out! You’re going to wake Aeren!”

Amele, Aldergast, and Naeric speak some more. Naeric speaks with Aldergast about his work as a shipbuilder. Aeren begins crying in the back room “Mommy! Daddy! There goblins under my bed! Daddy!”

Aldergast, with rage in his eyes, stands up and says “I’ve told that boy enough about monsters …” but Amele rushes back and brings him to the front room, crying. Aldergast says “Naeric, perhaps you can help the boy grow up, I certainly can’t!”

Aeren sits on Naerics lap, and his crying stops, a little … “I had a scary dream… a giant opened his mouth and all the goblins came out. And the set everyone on fire! And there was a lady in the goblins head and she turned into a monster with sharp claws! Sir, you won’t let them set Petal on fire, will you?” Naeric promises that Sarenrae will use good fire, the fire of redemption, which will stop the goblins from burning anyone else…

To be continued…
Griz and the Birdcruncher goblins
Franklin’s funeral
The meeting of the Sandpoint Town Council

Naeric continued leading the heroes higher into the ancient Thassalonian tower, using the rough maps copied from Brodart Quink’s notes as a guide.

He ascended the stairs onto the third floor, and came out into the hallway. He saw Brodart Quink laying in the hallway, not moving, and sensed an undead presence nearby. Assuming that this was what was stealing their voices and enervating them, he immediately summoned fairie fire, bathing everything in the hallway in sparkling green lights.

Griz quickly approached and heard the whispering sounds … “Play with me… Gadanthus… I bet you I can run faster than you… Ocean… Sandpoint… Gimme!… Mine!… The tower is haunted… Sarenrae will cleanse… Turandarok… Basement … Devil… You simple fools, get out!” Griz and Naeric dragged Quink toward the stairs as Mordecai and James, who wildly cast spells into the hallway, covered their retreat. Griz and Mordecai were scratched by the undead force, enervating them and rendering them silent. The heroes were able to get Quink back to his house and laid him down in his study to rest.

Naeric and Father Zantus speak. Naeric is surprised at Tuk Thor’s arrest because Tuk Thor fought at his side against the goblins during the Swallowtail Festival. Father Zantus is a member of the Sandpoint council . He believes Tuk Thor and Gorvi are innocent but must hear evidence at the trial. He remembers Tuk Thor defending the refugees during the festival at the steps of the temple. People are afraid, prejudices are out of control.

Father Zantus uses his influence and he and Naeric visit Tuk Thor and Gorvi at the Sandpoint Garrison. Naeric speaks with the town guard Manuel Sharpe, who shows interest in following Sarenrae.

In prison, with Gorvi. Gorvi and Tuk Thor are contrite. Gorvi insists that he is innocent and never worked with goblins. Tuk Thor is contrite and apologetic about sneaking into town. He says he only wanted to get help for his Shoanti tribe, who are being attacked more and more by giants and ogres. Across the hall is Gresgut, the goblin they captured during the Swallowtail Festival attack. Gresgut speaks in broken Varisian, that orcs are stupid longshanks, not smart ones. And She’s real smart, and mean… she has a claw! The Mother of Monsters gave her a claw!

James Bacca speaks with Ameiko about setting up a meeting with her father, Lonjiku, who is a member of the town council. Ameiko suggests they take dinner with her father at the family home on the south part of town. The next day, James Bacca dons his finest clothes and they walk together to the Kaijitsu family home. It is on the outskirts of town, across the Turandarok river to the south. They are greeted by servants who show them in. The home is tastefully and sparingly decorated with exotic art pieces from Tian Xia on the other side of the world, as well as beautiful glass pieces created in the Sandpoint Glassworks.

Dinner is served as James Bacca, Lonjiku, and Ameiko sit at dinner in the traditional Tian Xia style, on cushions on the floor. Servants serve food and suddenly Lonjiku flies into a wrath, screaming at the servants. He stands up and storms into the kitchen, screaming in a Tian Xian, which James Bacca cannot understand. He hears servants crying out in fear, and Ameiko asks him to wait as she enters the kitchen. James hears her voice raised as well…

4047 Rova 4

James goes into the tower and is bitten. He comes running out cursing silently. Griz asks him to take a walk and explains that he wishes to pay respects to the family of the townsman that was killed by Orik. They go to Ven Vinder’s general store and greet him and Shayliss. Ven thanks them for again protecting the town and saving his life, and expresses grief that his good friend Franklin was killed. He says that if they pay their respects at the funeral, it will likely be sufficient. Griz and James attend Franklin’s widow and Griz apologizes but James is testy.

Rhogar meditates by the ocean and Naeric approaches. They speak of how to cultivate inner peace. Naeric specifically asks about cultivating peace given the fire in his heart. They see and approach the House of Blue Stones, a center for meditation in Sandpoint. Inside is Sabyl, a young monk who follows in her late father’s footsteps. Rhogar joins her in meditation.

Naeric heads back to the temple. On the way he spies a cute dog, barking frantically, and running in and out of his house. A young mother, Amele, calls for the dog “Petal” to shush. She sees Naeric and is flustered at speaking to on of “The Heroes”. She brings her two children, Aerin and Verah, to meet Naeric.

Mordecai meets with Mayor Deverin. She explains that Gorvi and Tuk Thor will have a trial in front of the town council. Charges have been brought by an officer of the guard that Tuk Thor snuck into town with the goblins, that he and Gorvi supplied weapons to the goblins. A member of the council has approved the charges. She doesn’t believe it but it isn’t in her power to stop this unilaterally. The other four council members are Father Zantus, Titus Scarnettis (whose family owns and operates the lumber mill), Ethram Valdemar (whose family owns and operates the shipyard), and Lonjiku Kaijitsu (whose family owns and operates the glassworks). She invites Morecai and the heroes to invest in property.

Later, Mordecai is invited by Ameiko Kaijitsu to play music at the Rusty Dragon and is paid handsomely.

4047 Rova 5

The heroes come up with a plan to face the threat in the Old Light. Preparing spells to detect invisibility, they slowly explore the first and second floors of the Old Light and prepare to head up to the third floor.

At the Rusty Dragon Inn big celebration in honor of the heroes.

Naeric shares rare drinks with Ven Vinder, owner of the General Store. Ven introduces him to his daughter Shayliss, says she is a good girl (unlike her sister, “the whore”). Later Shayliss disappears but Ven doesn’t seem concerned.

Rhogar, Griz, and James speak to the mayor about their plans for the town. She tells them people are talking about building a bank and a wall. Two of the town council members — Scarnetti and Lonjiku Kaijitsu (Ameiko’s father) — are advocating for building a wall. She invites the heroes to go to the Mercantile League and purchase property.

Aldern announces dinner is bought by him for everyone on behalf of the new heroes, especially Finton, his Angel. He talks about his plans to renovate his family estate to the south, and hints that he has debts, and that adventuring could be a good way to find new wealth. He promises to build a statue for his angel and to further supply the heroes.

Orik Vancaskerkin, a strong fighter, and Lyrie Akenja, a spell caster, two strangers to Sandpoint, fight with the heroes after cutting down Ven Vinder. When Lyrie is knocked out, Orik takes a hostage — Franklin, a friend of Vens who was drinking with Naeric — and cuts his throat after James casts a spell at him. Ameiko ended further melee by getting the drop on Orik and inviting him to leave Sandpoint and never return. Lyrie calls to Ameiko that they’ll be back when “She” says they will be back — Nualia has plans for their town. Ameiko is shocked and explains that Nualia is the name of the adopted daughter of the former priest of the town — father Tobyn — and both were killed in the fire that burned the temple during the Late Unpleasantness.

During the fight townsfolk are divided by Tuk Thor, some of them accusing him of being a traitor. After the fight Kaddock Darthlai – lieutenant of the town militia, arrests Tuk Thor on suspicion of being a traitor and assisting the goblin attack. In addition, many of the people in the Rusty Dragon are angry with James for attacking Orik and causing Franklin’s death. Naeric goes to the temple to meditate.

On the way back to town from the boar hunt, goblin ambush. Goblin snake, warchanters. Aldern tries to get into armor. Heroes find goblins hiding in woodpile near the lumbermill after hearing dogs bark.

Griz tells the sheriff about the goblins gathering weapons from town dump.
Rhogar, James, and Naeric explore the tower and speak with Quink.

4047 Rova 2

Shank’s Wood

Griz silently brushed away a mosquito that landed on his neck. He had felt it bite without reacting suddenly, and moved his hand slowly and deliberately so as not to disturb the brambles that he was hiding under and give away his position to the Seven Tooth goblins that he was observing. He had been under the brambles for over three hours, and was feeling a bit stiff, so he stretched his muscles and breathed deeply. As a halfling, it was easy for him to hide in places like this.

He had been amazed at the calm and deliberate way that the three goblins were sorting through the refuse that they had scavenged from the Sandpoint trash heap. There was a minimum of squabbling and random acts of viciousness, rather a deliberate sorting of material into piles for weapons, tools, and obvious junk. The one way the goblins remained in character was that they ate anything that resembled food, no matter how stomach turning it seemed to Griz. As they sorted, the continued to focus their discussion on their apparent enemies, “Bruthazumus” and “Ripnugget”, and discuss how “Koruvus” would lead them to victory against the other tribes.

After finishing the sorting, one of the goblins left and returned with nearly a dozen more goblins, and the scene began to take a different tone in a rapid pace. The goblins began growling and snarling, sniffing and glancing around. Tension was obviously building.

Griz once again took some deep breaths and subtly shifted himself when he heard from off to the east a commanding and vicious snarl. “Seven Tooths, where are you? Seven Tooths better have good tools for Thistletop.” Into the clearing, Griz saw a half dozen goblins and goblin dogs led by a tall, swaggering goblin armed with a half dozen knives, short swords, and crossbows.

The Seven Tooth goblins backed away from the approaching Thistletop goblins, intimidated despite their greater number. “What you got! Speak up? You want cuts?”, the swaggering goblin snarled. One of the Seven Tooths found enough courage to step forward and say “We got good steels Brunkel, you take and just go!” He pushed the sack filled with quality scrap metal towards Brunkel, who began rooting through the back, grunting with approval. “Yeah, Ripnugget probably happy with this. No Seven Tooths go to the Howling Hole today. Maybe.” The other Thistletop goblins snickered as they looked at the other scavenged material collected by the Seven Tooth goblins.

During this exchange, the three goblin dogs sniffed curiously around the brambles under which Griz was hiding. Griz began backing out from the brambles, but froze as he realized that his bow was caught on the bramble and dislodging it would attract even more attention. He muttered under his breath … “Good doggies, look, there’s a squirrel over there…” As they sniffed closer and closer, they became more excited and began growling and barking, until finally Brunkel looked towards them. “You got someone hiding there? Koruvus there? You tell me! If you hiding someone you gonna get it! I gonna take you to HER!” At that, the Seven Tooth goblins cowered and simpered in fear
“We don’t know nothing Brunkel, honest!”
“Looky looky, we found goody goody metals and ropes and woods, we really really nicey nicey, we not hiding no one…”
“Koruvus gone, Korvus gone!”

Brunkel sauntered over to where the goblin dogs were sniffing and snarling, and peered intently into the shadows of the brambles. He turned around and Griz breathed a sigh of relief. He called to one of the Seven Tooth goblins, who came meekly to his side. Brunkel turned around and smacked him, saying “You stupid. Why you let some longshanks spying on us? You Seven Tooths better catch the longshanks or SHE gonna catch you!”

With that, Griz frantically scrambled backwards out of the brambles, and ran through the coastal woodland. Griz scrambled over and between boulders up and down the sloped terrain, dodging behind the lush ferns and evergreens, and hopped over a fallen log, laying behind it and scraping the crumbling wood over him to cover his body while the pursuing goblins and goblin dogs ran past him and spread out through the woods, searching for him.

Griz waited for about fifteen minutes, until the sound of pursuit died down, and headed west, towards the cliffside ladder which he had used to ascend to Shanks Wood from the beach. After another fifteen minutes of walking, he found himself at a ravine. He began to walk north towards the ocean along the edge of the ravine, when he heard the sniffing and snarling of the goblin dogs approaching. “Crap, looks like they caught my scent again.” He ran along the edge of the ravine but was not quick enough, the dogs had found him, and he was backed against the ravine.

The halfling leaped for his life across the ravine, trying to gain purchase on the opposite edge, but he failed, cracking his head on the sheer edge and falling down twenty feet, slicing his leg on a jagged log at the bottom. “I’m lucky I didn’t sprain or break an ankle” he thought as he continued north along the narrow defile looking for a place where he could scramble out of the trap he had found himself in. With the goblin dogs barking and snarling, it wasn’t long before the goblins returned, and the chase began again. He ran along the bottom of the chasm floor as goblins threw rocks at him. Finally, the ground began to rise and the edges of the walls gained texture, and he was able to find purchase to escape. He scrambled down another hillside, and as he heard the pursuers coming over the edge, he made a split second daring decision to leap for an overhanging branch, and crawled into the foilage just as the pursuers ran past him underneath the tree.

Griz waited an hour, until dark, when the last sounds of the pursuing goblins were long gone. He crawled down the tree, made his way to the western cliff edge of Shanks Wood, climbed down using the handholds, and made his way back to Sandpoint.

Chopper’s Island

The Old Light

The Sheriff and Casp Avertin

4047 Rova 2

Griz

At first light, Griz walked to the cliffs on the north side of town, and looked down at the heaping pile of garbage at the based of the bay with disgust. “The town dump”, he thought to himself, shaking his head. There were food scraps, pieces of cloth, broken furniture and tools, and any manner of junk that he could imagine. The rotting smell intermixed with the fresh sea air. As he looked down, a couple of children stepped next to him and through some stinking bags over the edge. The tide was high, and the base of the garbage heap was buried in water. He could see that some of the refuse was carried away into the bay, but wondered at how the garbage didn’t come all the way up to the wall. Was it all being carried away by the sea? When he looked to the east, he could see along the beach scattered pieces of rubbish in a trail to the east, and when he looked the other way, towards Chopper’s Island, he couldn’t see such a trail.

As the halfling climbed down the thirty foot sandstone cliff, he noticed some rustling in the heap of garbage. He gently hopped onto a board and deftly balanced on it. After a few moments, he heard the excited squeals of goblins from in the heap of rubbish where the rustling was, and one, two and then three goblin heads, out of proportion to their bodies as always, popped out of the rubbish heap. “We gots some good irons, now we go back to camp and make stuff with it!” The three goblins started heading east, and as they left they noticed Griz. One laughed and cursed at him. “Hey long-shanks, we make good dog slicers and come back to kill you!” Another one laughed “Ha, he not long-shanks, he short shanks”, and with that the three rushed off down the beach with their box of iron scraps.

Griz easily tracked them down the beach, along the bluffs for a couple of hours, watching as they took a break to catch fish and throw rocks at each other. Finally, he followed them to an place where the bluffs took an abrupt turn to the north, into an archipelago of rocky islands. The goblins quickly climbed the fifty foot bluff, and then dragged the metal scrap up the cliff. When they were away, Griz found that a series of foot / hand holds had been set into the cliffs, allowing easy scaling. And, at the top of the cliff was a crude contraption for hauling items up the cliffside using a rope and basket.

Griz followed the goblins to a clearing and watched as they met some others, and methodically sorted the metal into different piles, obviously based on quality (quite out of character for goblins). And, in character, they continued squabbling, talking about food, playing with their campfire. “We gonna make really good dog slicers with these ones… we gonna make traps with these, then nobody gonna mess with Seven Tooths no more. Brathazamus can’t even come into Seven Tooths territory cuz then we trap him and stick him!”

Mordecai

Mordecai yawned his way to the main room of the Rusty Dragon Inn, where half a dozen oldsters were gathered around Rhogar and James Bacca. “You’re finally up. We’re going to investigate the ruins of the Old Light, as we originally came to do.” “As you wish,” said Modecai, who began to strum his instrument and sing slowly. The townsfolk gathered around him and asked about the plans of the new heroes. Rhogar quietly chuckled and sang about their exploits from the day before. Soon, Aldern Foxglove made his way downstairs and joined in, bragging about his role in the valorous defeat of the Goblin General Gresgut and the dozens of goblins that were intent on burning down the town.

“So, really Mordecai, what are your plans”, asked Ameiko Kaijitsu, as she brought plates of savoury curried potatoes and eggs. “What are the next exploits of the new heroes of Sandpoint?”

Mordecai strummed his instrument and sang:
Let goblins cower
Evil shall not flower
We come to bring peace
Your burdens release
For we are here to serve!

“Aye,” said an old man in the small crowd. “In that case ye should find and kill the Sandpoint Devil. It’s been plaguing and killing for years.” At that, an argument erupted in the crowd “You’re crazy Nico, there’s no Sandpoint Devil, it’s just your drunk nephews out in the farms filling you with stories.” “Nay, the Devil be real,” said another voice “It has two heads. One of a devil, one of a dragon. And the body of a horse. And the tail of a crocodile. And bat wings!” Someone else spoke up “It’s no devil, it’s an angel, here to protect Varisia from the Chelaxians who have been invading. Those are the real devil worshippers!”

As the crowd roared in its debate, Aldern approached Mordecai. “Sirrah! We shall have a boar hunt to provide meat for the feast that I promised. You and the other heroes must join me! Especially my angel, the tiny ranger Griz. He shall lead the hunt! Please promise me that you will convince the others to join us.”

The Tower and the Island

Mid-morning at the north end of Sandpoint, a crowd had gathered as Rhogar and James Bacca pounded on the door of the out of place three story house laying in the shadow of the ancient tower known locally as the Old Light. Rhogar, James Bacca, Naeric, and Tuk Thor chatted with the growing crowd. A group of young ladies peeked at James Bacca and giggled when he glanced at them. A young man gave the heroes a meat pie that his mother baked for them. As they waited for Brodart Quink to answer their knocking, they looked up at the five sided tower rising 50 meters above them. The tower’s base was on a pile of crumbling granite that looked to be scalable, but not completely safe. And, other than small openings occasionally populating the sides of the tower, they could not see an entrance.

As they looked, some kids gathered around them and started talking all at once. “You don’t want to go in there, it’s haunted!” “The ghost of some kid Chopper killed haunts it!” “No it ain’t, but Chopper’s Island is haunted. I seen Chopper going back and forth looking for more victims.”

A calm and firm voice interrupted “You kids get out of here, you don’t know what you’re talking about.” He turned to the heroes and stated “There’s no point in banging on the door. Cranky old Quink works all night and sleeps all day. Pleased to meet ya, I’m Ven Vinder.” ven Vinder was barrel chested, stood over two meters, with a thick beard and a calm but piercing gaze."

“Now… Chopper.” He pointed to the island north of town, forming one side of the bay. “Jervis Stoot used to live out there. Everyone knew he was a bit mad. He was a brilliant artist. He carved birds into the walls and doors of buildings and houses around town. We called ‘em Stoots. But … well, it turned out he was carving up people as well. He terrorized the town for a month before Sheriff Casp caught up with him. Unfortunately, the Sheriff didn’t survive the encounter.” He pointed to a scarred and charred patch on a nearby building. “Now, Stoots bring up painful memories for most folks. Nearly everyone in town lost someone close or knows someone who lost someone.”

While Ven Vinder spoke with James Bacca and Rhogar, Mordecai and Naeric talked to the group of kids. One of them, Stefan, spoke up, “Honestly, I’ve been to Stoots Island and I know where he lived. I can take you there.” They followed, Stefan to the beach, and, as the tide was low, waded the twenty yards to the island. There was no path up the three meter rocky bluff to the island, so they scrambled up the side and found themselves on a grassy, serene, lightly wooded island. At last they came to a clearing, in the middle of which was a dilapidated shack. They entered and noted that anything of value was long looted, and all that remained was a few pieces weather rotten furniture and other debris. Behind the shack, they came upon a patch of gravel and rocks, about three feet on a side. As they dug through this pile, it became clear that this was a tunnel that had been intentionally filled with rocks and gravel.

As the heroes gathered back in Temple Square, the sound of the town bells were clearly and constantly ringing, calling the Sandpoint militia into action. The sounds of battle were dying out, and the wounded were being tended and protected by the acolytes of the temple, and other than a few small fires, the attack appeared to be mostly over.

Griz spoke with Sheriff Hemlock and Mayor Deverin, who advised him that this type of attack was unprecedented in Sandpoint’s 42 year history, and that they had no idea why the goblins would attack. They too hoped to hear from Shalelu, who they were familiar with because she would meet with them regularly every two or three months, to give information about the local goblin tribes. However, it had been nearly a month since they had seen her (more recently than Griz had seen her).

Naeric asked Father Abstalar to walk with him. Naeric was frustrated by the lack of urgency to go out and meet the new goblin threat head on. As the pair walked, they entered the cemetary behind the temple and discovered that a grave had recently been dug up. Father Abstalar was shocked and explained that this was the grave of Father Tobyn, who, along with his daughter, Nualia, had died in the fire that burned the old temple down five years ago in the Late Unpleasantness.

Naeric repeatedly enjoined Father Abstalar to take action as they returned to Temple Square, where he frankly and adamantly insisted that Sheriff Hemlock gather the militia to march on the goblins. Sheriff Hemlock, typically brusk, bluntly told Naeric that he would not send the townsfolk on a wild goose chase to their deaths, and that if he obtained information regarding the location of the goblins, he was welcome to take action.

As evening fell, the heroes regrouped and considered their next actions. Their deliberations were interrupted by a high pitched and frantic scream from north. They rushed to discover a muscular and bold goblin, riding one of the rat like creatures that they called dogs, in combat with a german shepherd. A large group of goblins, cowering behind their champion, cheered:

Gresgut!
Kill the doggy!
Eat its tail!
Squash it like froggy!

Gresgut!
He not scared!
He cut and fight…

Their cheer was cut off as Naeric approached the group from behind, and channelling the redeeming power of Sarenrae, let forth a cone of flame into the group. “Burn, sinners! Feel the cleansing power of Sarenrae make you whole again!” Burning goblins fled everywhere, setting fires in nearby houses as they blindly ran into them. The other goblins joined the battle with the other heroes, and the german shepherd bit hard onto Gresgut’s leg as Gresgut and his mount sliced and bit at the brave and loyal dog. As the battle moved forward, Griz moved around the corner of the White Deer Inn to protect the screaming victim from being injured. He could see that the source of the shrill and frantic screams was a well dressed nobleman, sporting a blue velvet suit and a walking cane. As the dandy nobleman saw the battle being joined by the heroes, his screams turned into taunts and he started swinging in the air as if joining the battle. “Tally Ho, good of you gentlemen to join me in defeating these rapscallion goblins. Lets show them what’s what! Oh dear, don’t let them hurt Sniffles! Sniffles, do be careful!”

The heroes finally took the battle, killed the remaining goblins, put out the fires, and subdued Gresgut. The dandy introduced himself as Aldren Foxglove, a nobleman from Magnamar. He was most gracious and especially thankful to Griz, who he picked up and hugged, and called “My Angel” numerous times. He invited the heroes to join him for a feast at the Rusty Dragon Inn, especially extracting a promise from Griz to join, who merely replied “OK, but please put me down.”

Naeric, priest of Sarenrae, was roused from his meditation by screams and the sound of battle. He donned his gear and headed to the front door of the temple. As he approached the entrance, there were throngs of sobbing and wounded townsfolk crowded inside. He exited, and was shocked to see a scene of carnage from the steps of the front door of the temple.

The town square was empty, except for Father Zantus and a handful of acolytes that were tending to some fallen townsfolk. Booths were knocked over and tents were burning. As he looked and saw the bodies of some goblins, he heard some commotion to his left as from the direction of High Street, a slow moving group of elderly and children came towards the temple, followed by a couple of dog-slicer wielding goblins and a Warchanter. “Goblins bite and goblins chew, goblins will make you our food!”

Naeric moved quickly but calmly towards the Warchanter, silently praying to Sarenae and gathering an aura of brightlight around him, causing the goblins to slip and stumble. This gave the acolytes time to get to the refugees and in front of the goblins, who started hacking at them instead of the fleeing townsfolk.

As Naeric and the Warchanter engaged in melee, the rest of the heroes were catching their breath after stopping the burning cart from starting an inferno. They saw a large group of goblins running towards the temple square, and gave chase. The goblins entered the town square, attacking the acolytes and the heroes, and setting fire to tents and a stray cat. The refugee children, seeing this, started to cry in fear. The heroes quickly joined Naeric in the melee, and through their combined efforts, the Warchanter was brained by Naeric’s mace. Once the song stopped, the rest of the goblins fled and many were cut down while doing so.

A lean and muscular goblin ranger on a hairless, slithering dog-like creature broke off from the group and Tuk Thor gave chase. The goblin ranger rode up to some horses which were tied to a post, and whinnying in fear, and started hacking at them. Tuk Thor finally caught up to the champion but not in time to save the horses from being brutalized. As Tuk Thor swung his axe, the champion dodged and struck Tuk Thor, causing him to fall and strike his head.

The town bells were ringing at this point, and the militia was being called into service. The heroes could not hear any battle for the time being. James Bacca notice that Tuk Thor was missing, went to find him, with Naeric’s help. They came upon Tuk Thor being stablized by some town guards. They returned to the temple square to meet with other heroes, and were met by Mayor Deverin, Sheriff Belerin, and Father Zantus, who all thanked them greatly for their help in defending Sandpoint. This had been an unprecedented attack, and there was no known reason that goblins would attack in such a brazen manner.