Thursday 5 July 1280, Nightfall (Council of War)

Varros turns to Karnak strokes his feathers and rewards him with a bit of meat, "Well done Karnak, your speed and cunning may have saved many this day." With that, he turns and goes to meet Belloc with the others. "Captain Belloc, greetings, you made good time. Truth be told, between your speed and that of our new friend Karnak, this task has proven less challenging than I originally thought, in fact, I don't feel we have fairly earned our coin yet." Varros looks the Captain in the eye and says solemnly, "I for one will see this through to the end."

"Let our Free Company join with Belloc to wipe out the goblin host," Gaven agrees with Varros

The captain bows at Varros and Gaven's words, and compliments you all for having found the goblins, and made the inn secure.

Duran comes down from the roof with the arrival of Captain Belloc. "Captain it looks like the goblin host have moved NW of Timm's farm and are now burning another farm. It appears they are now due north of this inn. I am not familiar with the road ahead but if it curves back north you might be able to intercept the Goblins if they continue on their current course."

The Captain replies "It is good that we know which direction they're heading. The road bends northwest after a few miles. But this may be to our advantage. They appear to be headed west, so taking the road would allow us to plant ourselves in front of them, blocking their path."

Duran continues: "I would suggest sending out some scouts to keep contact with the Goblin party using Karnak to help guide you and the main body of soldiers to them."

"A sensible idea," says Belloc. Then turning to Varros he adds: "Masters Varros and Gaven, if the rest of your company feel as you do, perhaps you would be willing to take on that task."

Oloc, too, nods at Duran's suggestion. Turning to Belloc, he speaks. "I think it wise to press on before there is further loss of property and, gods forbid, life. But I am no military man so I may be too rash in this assessment. Maybe it is better to wait until dawn."

"Yes," says the Captain. "I would prefer to wait until dawn myself. However, as you say, property and, more importantly, lives are at stake. I agree that our best option is to press on now.

Gaven says: "Belloc, there are many able-bodied men here. They wish to protect their lands, let them join with us."

The Captain thinks for a moment, considering the farmers' lack of armor and training. "I think we could use them for a very important task," he says.

OOC: Belloc's proposal. Red = Belloc's march, Black = Goblins' anticipated line of advance, Green = Farmer's march, Blue = Scouting party.

He looks down at the map Harlon drew for you. Here is the apparent path of the goblins' advance. Based on your information, my best line of march should be straight up the road taking up a blocking position just east of it. A group of scouts – you, if you're willing –  march due north keeping an eye the goblins from their rear, as Duran suggested. The farmers march half the distance northward with the scouts, stopping in the middle to set up a blocking position there."

"This march, by the farmers, will, I think, serve several purposes – first it protects my flank along the first portion of my approach march, in case the goblins change their path; second, a blocking position there will serve to delay the goblins in any move south, should they drastically change their path of march toward the Northstar; third, it gives the scouting party a good fallback position should they (you) run into any goblin rearguard detachments that's too big to handle."

"You, of course," he concludes, "know the ground and the movements of the goblins better than I. What are your thoughts? Does this plan seem sound? I should very much like you to remain as my scouting party until this affair is finished, though if some of you would prefer to join in the main body of my troops until this is over, that would be equally acceptable. I've no doubt you can hold your own in a fight. Either way, I would be willing to add a small bonus to our agreed upon fee. What say you?

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OOC:

Actions?

Just for the moment, I've not added the statements regarding the halflings and the bandits:

Varros: When the opportunity presents itself Varros will discuss the matter of the halflings, the bandits and the keep with Belloc.

Gaven: To Filbert, "Rest well and heal up and once this is done, we can hunt some bandits."

But I will include them in the next post. It's just that since I stopped here in mid-conversation, I couldn't find a logical way to work them in right now.

Also, you are welcome to split up in this case if you wish (for example, if some prefer to act as scouts while others prefer to march with Belloc). Narratively/mechanically, this would not be too hard to handle, since it would all part of a single overall "scheme." Not that you have to do so, just wanted you to know that in this instance it's an option easily handled from my perspective as GM.  Also bear in mind that technically Belloc considers your initial scouting deal complete, and that the party (as a whole) is free to go it's own way and do something else if you all choose.

Thursday 5 July 1280, Noon (At the Willis Farm)

"Hail friend! I am Varros Blackwater and these are my are my companions," Varros introduces each in turn and continues, "Might we approach? We have important tidings that could be important to you."

The young man nods motions you forward. "What news?"

Varros tells the man that they are on a mission for Captain Belloc. He explains the imminent goblin danger and ask the usual questions that the party has been asking regarding the ruins, area, goblins, etc.

Having lagged behind Duran catches up with the others and gives a nod as he his introduced. As Varros talks to the young man Duran and Oloc scan the area around them for signs of Goblins or places where they might hide. The fighter and mage notice a few patches of trees and tall grass here and there all very small. While certainly not large enough to hide a host of goblins, they could provide cover to one or two scouts.

When Varros mentions Captain Belloc and the goblin danger, the young man frowns. "You'd better come with me." He turns and leads you through the gap in the fence toward a farmhouse and some outbuildings.

Oloc adjusts his robes and let's his mind wander to the ruins and what treasures may be found therein. He lets out a barely perceptible sigh, and focuses on the conversation with the local.

As you pass through the gap in the rails, Gaven asks, "What caused damage to the barrier?"

The young man loses his seriousness for a moment and laughs gently. "Time," he says. "Wind, rain, rot." He looks across the fields "It's a never-ending task – we have a lot of fence"

"What is the barrier supposed to be keeping in or out?" asks Gaven.

"It keeps in our sheep – most of them are grazing over on the other side of that rise." He points to an area just past the house and outbuildings.

Gaven then asks if he has heard the strange sounds and saw the strange shadows that Ned Willis heard. In answer to that, and to Varros' earlier questions, he simply calls out to the house as you near it. "Paw! Someone out here you need to talk to!"

Ned Willis is large, somewhat pot-bellied man on the boundary between middle age and old age. In his youth, he was no doubt as broad and muscular as his son. "It's just about lunch-time. Why don't you come in and we'll talk over a meal."

Inside, you sit at Ned's table and he serves you a hearty stew of mutton and potatoes – both of which he produced himself on the farm. As you eat, he tells you about his encounter of a few nights before.

He'd been out working on the northeast fence with his son, Tom. Just around sunset, he sent Tom back to the house with a barrow-load of tools. He stayed behind to finish up the final repair, and as he picked up the last couple of tools, he heard a rustling in a small patch of trees and underbrush. At first he thought it was some animal, maybe a deer. But then something dashed out. It looked like a man, only smaller – and ran off to the northwest where it, whatever it was, disappeared.

When Varros brings up the ruins, a darkness passes over Ned's face. "Yes, I know the ruins," he says. "Or at least I know all I need to know." Tom reaches over and puts a hand on his father's shoulder.

Ned goes on: "My brother – the damned fool! Twenty years ago he was having trouble making ends meet on his farm. Thought the only way to save it was to strike it big by dragging some great treasure out of Blackwell. I'm sure there's plenty in there. My brother, Al, said he'd heard a tale at the Northstar about some great blue gem. The Frost Giant's Eye he called it. But of course there's other things in ruins, too. It's not all treasure and gems. 'Don't do it!', I said to him. But he didn't listen. Ran off to make his fortune, and instead he met his fate."

He looks at Oloc, as if seeing something in the mage's face at the mention of the gem. "I won't tell you your business, but I wouldn't go in there for anything."

Then he pauses. "Of course, if you do go in someday... My brother wore a ring – a family heirloom. I know it's been twenty years, and you almost certainly wouldn't find him or it. But if you did, and could return it to me, I... well, I'd be grateful." Then he adds "It's just a simple silver ring, with a 'W' carved on it. It doesn't have much value, except it belonged to my father, and my grandfather before him. I always thought I'd pass it on to Tom. It's probably not worth more than 10 gold, but I'd gladly pay ten times that for it's return."

Ned then stands up, and Tom starts clearing the table. "Is there anything else I can tell you or do for you?" the farmer asks. "Or will you be heading off again? If it's goblins you're looking for, I'd say to head northwest after my running shadow."

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OOC: Actions?

As Duran is about to respond to the Captain's request, others speak up asking for more gold.

Varros looks to Captain Belloc and says, "I don't know about my companions, but I find your terms of employment fair, however, I think 100 gold each seems a bit more of a respectable number for the job. Maybe you could consider it payment for services rendered,"

Varros fixes his gaze on the trophy bag for a noticeable moment then returns them to the Captain, "also, the ability to borrow decent horses for our company would only allow us to relate your requested information in a more timely matter."

Oloc is relieved that the goblin threat is taken seriously by the Captain. But when the discussion of joining up as scouts comes up the mage frowns slightly. He had been hoping to explore the ruins soon; visions of magic items and long forgotten spellbooks dominating his thoughts. Still, the offer of gold for simple recon work is enticing.

"I agree with Varros, begging your pardon Captain. I think 100 gold and horses would be more equitable. As you can see, we deliver."

Understanding the need to be well compensated Duran lets the others talk. He does chime in saying "Yes Captain horses would be most useful for our endeavors."

Gaven stands back to let the others negotiate terms. He gathers Bill Barley's saddle and ichor-coated dagger from Ollie. The cleric seems willing to take on the mission whatever the terms.

The captain looks at the haggling members of the party. For a second his eyes narrow, then he grins. "Horses would indeed make the task easier. The guard, unfortunately have no horses, except my own and those of my two lieutenants. Certainly not enough to transport your party."

"That being said," he continues, as if reading Oloc's mind, "I understand that this job may take your attention away from more lucrative pursuits. Let us then say 100 gold up front – that's sum total for the company, mind you, not per man.* And I can raise the spotting bounty to 300, if you find the goblins – again, that's 300 for the company as a whole – with the same 50 for the party just for your trouble if the search is unsuccessful."

"I cannot afford to offer you more than this for a reconnaissance. I have too many other contacts who could do the job for less. But I believe you have talents they do not, and I would prefer that you take on the task. For this reason, I offer you far more than I would offer them."**

"And," he adds, looking at Varros and Oloc, "your point about the trophies is well taken. You do indeed deliver, which is why I want your services. I don't pay for trophies, but let us consider them, in this unique case, as a tangible token of the information you gleaned in their collection. And I'll say that information is worth 50 gold, in itself, whether you accept my job offer or not."

"Would these revised terms meet with your...?"

The captain's question is interrupted as the door bursts open. Mrs. Miggins pushes her way past a guard and rushes into the room. Tears of joy stream down her face and she squeals with delight when she wraps Elsie in her arms. Noticing the party for the first time, she cries out "You found her! You found my Elsie! I knew you'd bring my Elsie back to me, I just knew it!"

A few seconds behind, almost as a footnote to the joyous scene of reunion, Bob Barley enters the room and stands quietly near the wall beside the door. He seems to struggle inwardly, trying to swallow the lump in his throat, and stifle tears of a different sort.

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OOC: Actions?

*Just a note, the original offer – in each of its sums – was for the party, not per man. Going per man would be something the captain could never afford: 50 each would be 200 total up front just for taking on the job, and if we were talking 250 each just for spotting the goblins (instead of 250 for the group), we'd be looking at another 1000, coming to a total of 1200 gold, just for a recon.

**Remember the going rate for just a merc like Stan is 5 gp/week. You guys are better than that of course – you just have to decide how much better :)

Also, whether or not you choose to accept the captain's offer, you will of course have the opportunity to sell off the gear and other items you found at the farmhouse, visit the temple, purchase any equipment and/or make other expenditures (except potentially those with a time component, depending on your plans), bank any money, etc., once you're done talking to the captain and the two parents.

4 July 1280, Afternoon (Meeting Captain Belloc)

Duran and Oloc, not feeling the need to answer for Gaven's actions, allow Gaven to speak for himself.

Gaven, however, explains things to the captain, with Varros adding a word or nod as necessary to support or fill in the story:

"Well met Captain Belloc, I am Gaven, acolyte of Light. I apologize if my action causes you added stress. The guard asked 'why are you bringing the goblin into town?', suggesting that the goblin was unwelcome and would impede our re-entry. I simply rectified the situation, thus fulfilling my oath to the Light," Gaven pauses to bow his head before continuing.

"It's just as well," says Belloc. "Personally I prefer them dead. The mayor claims to have some unusual technique for...intelligence gathering. Frankly I don't see how it can be all that effective – at least not more so than ordinary techniques. But it's not my place to question. I'm a soldier and the subtleties of interrogation are not my area of expertise."

"You would have received no useful information from the runt of the goblin litter anyway," continues Gaven. "While he was able to aid us in surprising the rest of the force, he had no useful intelligence on the goblin's purpose."

Varros shows the captain the trophies as proof that the rest of the scouting force was slain.

Duran lets the others do the talking as he looks around the room. As he looks he tries to see if he can make out anything of importance on the desk or maps of the Captain.

Gaven motions to Oloc, "Oloc's arcane arts are likely better than any method you would have to extract information from the goblin."

Gaven pulls the note found on Grimtooth's body and hands it to Belloc, "This, however, was found on the hobgoblin leading the mission. Oloc translated it to say 'Main force gathering on north bank. Scout enemy positions only. Do not engage or take prisoners. – Bloodfang'."

Oloc, too, then speaks, confirming the translation and stressing the need for the captain to take the goblin threat seriously.

Gaven pauses to allow the information and Oloc's confirmation of the translation to sink in.

The captain nods. "We've been aware of increased goblin activity," he says. "But what you're showing me is more detailed than our current information."

Belloc notices Duran glancing around at the maps (which Duran recognizes as all being of various points around Fairbrook). The captain gestures for Duran, and the rest of you, to join him as he walks to the large wall map and points out areas where other small free companies have picked up goblin activity.

"We've gotten sightings here, along the road to Woodfield, as well as over here, on the route toward Stag Hollow. Small parties, in each case, assumed to be scouts. But your group is the first to bring back concrete intelligence of the goblins' intentions."

"It seems the goblins mobilize under hobgoblins," Gaven adds. "This is very serious indeed. While I cannot speak for my comrades, I offer my services to you, as your goals and mine certainly overlap. I shall also say my comrades wanted to bring the goblin to you and were against my slaying of the goblin, Light forgive them."

On this last point, Varros adds, to the captain, that Gaven is a good sort who perhaps loves the light a bit more than most.

"What's done is done," says the captain. "As I say, for myself, I'd rather see the creature dead. And as for the mayor....I will smooth things over with him."

Gaven finishes by saying, "I hope my explanation is satisfactory, and if so, my duties require me to bring Miss Elsie to her home, to seek out Bill Barley's father to deliver news on his son's demise."

"For this there is no need," responds Belloc. "I sent the guards who brought you to bring the parents here. They should arrive before we finish our business. As for your offer of service..." The captain pauses for a second as he looks over the party as whole.

"If you truly are interested, I've a mind to hire your company as scouts. Your job would simply be to locate the main body of the goblin host, and once they've been spotted, communicate their location to me by raven.* We will of course supply you with a map, and the bird. I believe I can narrow down the area you'd need to cover."

"I would expect you to depart no later than tomorrow dawn. That would give you some time to rest, reequip, and take care of any other pre-departure business."

"Indeed, replies Gaven, "I would like to return with haste to the temple to pray for guidance."

The captain nods. "The pay for the mission is 50 gold up front, so you can purchase any equipment you may need, and another 250 if you successfully locate the goblin host. Even if you fail to find them, you'll be paid 50 gold on your return simply for your trouble."

"And remember, this would be a reconnaissance mission only. My expectation is that you simply locate the enemy, not take on the full raiding contingent in combat. Once we know where the villains are, I can quickly muster a body of men-at-arms able to make short work of 100 goblins. What say you?"

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OOC: Actions?

*Ravens in the West Kingdom: Some ravens are found who understand human (and demi-human) speech, and who can communicate simple ideas to those experienced enough to understand them. Not all ravens possess this ability of course. Legend holds that some ancient mage may well have enchanted a coven of ravens in his keeping with intelligence and true speech, and that some measure of these gifts was passed down through their descendants all the way to the present day. This is, of course, not certain. But the fact is that some ravens, although fewer and fewer in number, still possess an ability to communicate with men, elves, dwarves and halflings. It is no doubt of one of these birds that Belloc speaks.  

Tuesday 3 July 1280, Night (Speaking to a young couple, Mrs. Miggins, and Bob Barley)

Big Sadie steps into the back to give Sal some last-minute instructions.

Gaven approaches the young couple and says, "If I may interrupt, do you know Elsie Miggins and Bill Barley?"

The couple, who appear to be around eighteen years old, look at each other before the young man answers.

"I don't know any Elsie Miggins, but I know Bill Barley. We're not really friends, but I know he's a real ladies' man." The young man smiles devilishly, then his face goes dark. "Of course, I sure hope he didn't take this Elsie to the Lovers' Grove. He takes girls up there a lot. But there's been some strange happenings up there. Unusual noises, odd shadows, creepy things like that. A lot of our friends are too scared to go up there any more. Us too, honestly. We've kept our courting in town lately."

The young lady nods, confirming her boyfriend's statement.

"If Bill was brave enough, or dumb enough, to take a girl up to the grove, who knows what might have happened? You might look up there if you're trying to find them. It's about a half mile north of town, on a small hill east of the road. You can't miss it. There's an old farmhouse near the top where a lot of young folks go to watch the sunset."

As Gaven and the young man close their conversation, Sadie comes out with a cloak wrapped around her shoulders. "Let's go then!"

**********

Sadie leads you to Mrs. Miggins' home not too far away. Once inside, Mrs. Miggins recapitulates much of what you've already heard, adding:

"I know my Elsie. She's not always been a perfect girl. There've been nights when she's come back later than she ought. But she's never been out more than one night at a time before. That's how I know something's wrong! I'm offering a reward of 500 gold coins to any group who brings her back to me. I've got my nephew out posting the placards as we speak."

Other than that, you can't get anything more out of Mrs. Miggins. She knows nothing about Lovers' Grove, when you mention it, but she agrees it's as likely a place as any. When you bring up Bill Barley, she becomes positively apoplectic, going into a rant about how she told Elsie time and again how bad he'd be for her. Realizing that's all you'll learn from her, you gracefully say goodbye and depart.

After seeing Sadie back to the inn, you make your way to the stable master's.

**********

The stable master, Bob Barley, is disheveled, and his long, unkempt hair drapes crazily over his shoulders. As he opens the door, you can smell the reek of drink.

"My boy, Bill? Why yes, just last night he says to me, 'Dad,' he says, 'can I borrow the horse? I want to take Elsie up to the grove.' All the girls are sweet on my Bill, you see."

When you ask him if he's sure it was last night, and not three nights ago, he stops to think. "Why, you may be right..." Bob rummages around the empty bottles on his table, seeming to count them. "Hmm... All these were full when Bill left with the horse. It was a brand new case." He nods at the now empty crate on the floor. "It has been three days. Something must be wrong. Not like my Bill to stay out this long. I sure hope he's alright."

Like Mrs. Miggins, he doesn't seem to know anything else you've not already learned, despite the additional questions you ask him. As you leave, he seems genuinely unsettled, pacing back and forth.

***************

The night is getting on as you head back to the Red Tankard. On your way, you see a few of the reward notices Mrs. Miggins' nephew posted. Sadie waits for you to return before locking up for the night. The next morning you wake before dawn and Sal serves you hot coffee and a hearty breakfast. When you finish, the sky is starting to brighten, and it promises to be a clear warm day.

OOC: Actions?