Sept 12: Planning Ahead

Tybris informs the party that the goblins carry nothing of value except some gold, clearly Empire coin. (Empire coin is the only form of legally accepted tender in the Empire. Spending it would not attract notice, unless you're making a large or unusual purchase.) Tybris offers to hold onto the money for now, and they can divide it up later.

Indaril climbs the rocks to scout ahead, and sees the goblin bowmen moving ahead towards the village. They elect to follow after, arriving at the village about 10 minutes after the goblins. Indaril sneaks ahead to find the 2 bowmen arguing with 2 goblin warriors stationed outside a small house. Sending Sojan, Aezra, and Emberclaw down the road to draw their attention, Indaril and Tybris sneak up to surprise the goblins. The goblins quickly fall to their deaths, drawing no blood from the party. One goblin, named Fred, is pinned to the house by Sojan's javalin. Quick questioning reveals that there are more than 20 goblins in the area, not counting those that the party have killed, including one named Goldtusk. Fred says his job was to guard the prisoner inside the house. Before he can reveal any more information, Sojan pulls his javalin free, inadvertantly ending the goblin's life.

Inside the house, Emberclaw is overwhelmed with concern for the prisoner lying in the corner. She finds a newly dead Githyanki male, a young adult, with bandages on his head and chest. He was manacled to the wall, which Sojan severed using his longsword, notching it badly on one side. Tybris objects to the need for this action, but Emberclaw and Sojan see some sort of symbolism in the act. Tybris busies himself by examining the objects on the table, quite interested in what he finds.

Meanwhile, Indaril keeps a lookout, and eventually scouts the area ahead of the party, determined to learn more about the smoke rising from the chimney down the road.