Faltering Loyalties

“Faltering Loyalties”
Rise of the Runelords episode
Episode no.	Episode 16
Date	2008
Game Master	Abbe
Characters	Honeypot Nathaniel Nell Velicia
Episode chronology ← Previous Next → "Ripnugget" "Bruthazmus"
Rise of the Runelords chapter list

In this chapter the heroes continue to search through Thistletop and face new obstacles.

Faltering Loyalties

As we prepare to settle down for our rest Nathaniel, who was keeping an eye, lazily, over the bridge saw Honeypot and Shalelu coming back from their distraction and joining us in the big room Ripnugget emerged from. After exchanging some stories of what had happened Nathaniel again told us someone was coming, but this time it were goblins. I ran up to him in the watchtower and seeing several goblins coming over the bridge I readied my sling.

They stopped at the end of the bridge and started talking. It was in common, even though it was hard to hear at first. They asked if it was true that Ripnugget was dead and when we confirmed it told us that the goblin tribe of Thistletop would withdraw and choose a new leader. Then they would reclaim their home. They asked what our plans for the place was. We told them that we wanted to stop the evil humans living there from attacking Sandpoint, but had no plans for the place itself. They gave us three days before they had elected a new leader and would return. If we were still there they said they would kill us. I thought that it was probably an empty threat as Thistletop can easily be defended and if we succeeded in taking it we should be able to hold it. Then the would-be new boss told us that they had an evil magic thing that had come from the evil humans and that we evil humans should keep it ourselves. A goblin that didn't look too happy having to carry it, brought something up to the doors of the keep. Then they left.

It turned out to be an amulet that Honeypot said was a healer's brooch. We went back to resting and Shalelu kept watch from the watchtower. When we felt we were ready we blocked one of the stairs leading down with beds from a nearby room and went to the stairs next to the toilet. With Shadowmist walking free in the courtyard even we had to take it easy to get past. Shalelu said that her bow would not be of much help down in the dungeons below and stayed in the watchtower. Dorothea also stayed to make sure the goblins wouldn't try anything when we were down below.

The fort was built from wood but now we went into the rock and the walls were made of stone. The fort had been made by humans with a lot of additions made by goblins. Nathaniel said that the walls were well made and not by goblins, but it wasn't any superior craftsmanship.

The stairs ended in a door. Nathaniel who was first, turned to me and asked "So what do you do with these doors?" I stretched past him and said "You turn the handle like this." and opened the door. He looked angrily at me, but I couldn't help smiling. "I meant looking for traps or things like that!"

There was a room obviously used for planning. There were maps over Sandpoint and plans for an attack. We searched the room thoroughly. There were some strange phrases we found.
When the whispering beast is tamed.
Every goblin tribe from here to Fogscar mountain.
Sinspawns will be used from below.
Nathaniel said that we should take notes and looked at me. I'm not good at that. I just happened to have my diary out and was writing in it.

Orik Vancaskerkin.

After a while we heard some noise from a door. We couldn't open it so Nathaniel tried to break it open, but only pushed it open about an inch. It was barricaded on the inside. Then there was a quite interesting exchange. I remember every word. A male voice shouted from the inside.
"Go away!"
"We will not!" Nathaniel answered sharply.
"You don't have to fight us." Honeypot said, "If you come out we could let you go."
"Otherwise we will kill you." I added.
There were some low voices discussing inside. We could hear a name; "Lyrie". It was followed by "Don't use my name!"

"What makes you think you can kill us?" came the answer.
"We've killed all the goblins in Thistletop."
"We can't give up. We're hired to protect this place." a female voice said.
"But if you are mercenaries, why didn't you sign up for sheriff Hemlock of Sandpoint? He's hiring, and his contract is legal." Velicia tried.
There were more discussions and it seemed as if the man was trying to convince Lyrie.
"If you go to Sandpoint there's several inns instead of staying out here doing nothing. I know of several good taverns, not to mention The Pixie’s Kitten." Honeypot tried.
"Shh!" the man answered, "Quite. Lyrie don't like that place."

Lyrie Akenja.

"Who are you working for?" Nathaniel asked.
"We will not betray our client." Lyrie answered.
"We will kill everyone behind this conspiracy to make sure Sandpoint is safe. If you are just hired help you don't have to die."
"You don't even know who's behind this." the man said, but I think he was fishing to see what we knew.
"We do. Tsuto wrote it down in his diary." I answered.
"What happened to Tsuto?" Lyrie asked with interest in her voice.
"I killed him." Nathaniel answered.
There was a gasp from inside that could be heard through the shoddy goblin made door. There was a short pause.

"The only way you can save Lyrie from the same fate is if you make a deal with us." Honeypot tried as she suspected the man to have a crush on woman.
"We know you're working for Nualia, but don't worry about your reputation, we will kill her, so none will know of your treachery." It didn't seem to help at all.

We couldn't get anywhere so I took out the oil I have for my lantern and slowly poured half a pint in through the narrow opening.
"If you don't come out we will burn you alive." I said hoping they wouldn't hear in my voice I had no intention of doing anything like that.

That finally made it. They gave up. They turned out to be a man called Orik with an enormous sword and a woman called Lyrie with a cute cat, some scrolls of paper and a wand. Lyrie wanted to get her things from where they lived, but when I said that they'd have to leave all their weapons and be watched by us they agreed to just leave. Velicia said that we would bring their things and they could have it when they get to Sandpoint. Orik seemed to like the idea, at least more than Lyrie. We escorted them up the stairs and Dorothea and Shalelu made sure they left, while we returned downstairs.