Finding the Spark (Pathfinder 1E Quest)

The Season of Still Stone

The way back, burdened by all you had recovered from the mine, is a companionable sort of hardship. All of you contemplating all you can buy with the coin you are going to get for your haul, not to mention the nine hundred gold pieces from the orc brothers.

"Shoes that fit properly," Mina offers.

"Dog Slicer, Fishing Pole, Drum!" Cob shouts. His desires tend to change quite often, at least you hope they will change away from a drum before you actually make it to Cauldron. The thought of him with any kind of instrument designed for making noise is enough to set your teeth on edge.

"A cloak that keeps the cold off better than my shadow does." It still feels uncomfortable to admit to weakness, but, you reason, it is only a small one. The others would never use anything so petty against you.

When Gorok returns to camp that to help secure it through the Quiet Hours he adds his own desire to the list: "Packbeast. There are enough of us to guard it and keep the predators at bay." There is something in his voice you had not heard before, so unlike him it takes you a moment to place it, regret.

A scaled hand reaches for the handle of his hammer... So that's why he had not thrown the thing away even now that he has too many steel weapons to choose from. Warmer souled than you had thought him. Not knowing what to say you choose to simply say nothing.


Thankfully the awkward moment passes quickly as the four of you chew through more of the trail rations with a few bowls of conjured water to make it go down easier, or, as the case might be, at all. Truth be told you are looking forward to a cooked meal and not having to sleep in shifts almost as much as that cloak, but you did not want to seem like you disdained your company. In spite of the peril of the wild tunnels you have never been more at ease in the company of others.

What is 'this' though?


The thought follows you into slumber, at least until you wake with a start, cold light spilling onto your cheek, only to see that it's just a glimmer-beetle on its long meanderings into the unknown. The cave you are sleeping in for the night is not a large one, maybe thirty feet at its widest, narrowing rapidly to little more than five feet at the edges of its spindle-shaped form, but it does boast stalagmites and stalactites adorned with with complex knots and groves upon which the light plays, casting strange, beautiful shadows. Tis good luck to see a glimmer-beetle, or so at least the story goes. Perhaps for once the stories do not lie.


As you blink awake you notice that Cob and Gorok are still sleeping, leaving Mina on watch, though she seems to have taken the chance to do a spot of cooking on the side. Well, either that or she is punishing Pepper for being suborn earlier by feeding him soggy parchment boiled in the ink written on it. Still, the cat seems to lap the thing up. Tilting your head and your perspective into the shadows of the world you see a spiraling blue glow pass from the bowl to the odd beast.


"Do all cats eat magic, or only witches' cats?" you ask playfully, or at least that had been your intention. From the way she whirls towards you, her dark hair flying in her haste, it was apparently closer to alarming.

"Oh! No, that's just how he learns the shape of spells," she answers quickly. "This one is a minor ward against sickness. Not a cure you understand, I'm not strong enough for that, but a way to keep us all healthy."

Mina Learns Spell Remove Sickness

"Power from your gut. You and Cob have that in common then," you hazard a joke.

Mina smiles and you think that was a sniff of amusement, not offense, from Pepper. Before either of them can reply you hear something past the entrance of the cave.

Carefully stepping over the simple trip-rope Gorok had laid so that you might have some warning if something unseen tries to walk into the cave, you spot a spark of red and orange flame, then another.

Torches.

Seeing as there are only two of them you do not wrap yourself in shadows, but instead step a little closer.

Its a pair of goblins arguing with each other in their own tongue, the words just comprehensible enough to know they are looking for someone without any details, as at least half their words are not akin to what Cob had been teaching you on the trail. When it comes to their looks, other than the slate grey color of this skin and the almost stone-like texture of the warts on the lead one, they do not seem particularly extraordinary. One might wonder why they are carrying fire, but given all the times Cob has begged to do so you suspect they do it out of love for the flames. The glass knives in their other hands gleam wickedly.

"Over here, careful," you whisper to Mina, wanting to know what they are saying.

"What?" She asks a little too loudly. Perhaps the goblins outside might have still failed to notice if, in her haste to get up, Mina had not stepped on Pepper's tail, causing him to give a very offended yowl.


That's torn it, you may not speak much Goblin, but you understand: "They're over there!" and "Get 'em!"

What do you do?

[] Fight to kill, they are clearly after your lives and your goods

[] Fight to capture. Goblins, as you have found of late, can be reasoned with

[] Write in

OOC: I know Kori learned Goblin last level up, but you cannot actually learn a language in a few days so for now his understanding is limited and accents make it harder. Also, poor Mina is bad at stealth again.