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They progressed through the woods, and up a small hillock. At the top of the little mound they came across a slightly more clear patch than down below. It was obvious creatures used the space to rest, which is why the trees were thinned here.

Looking down the far side they could see the area stretched out woods dotted here and there. That is where the tribes were said to be according to Cat's information. Though as she had said they usually fought with each other, so they could expect many scouts if they were to continue downward.

Catalena

Catalena whistled a short tune, reminiscent of a songbird, and was answered by a chubby little wood thrush.

"Hello brave fellow," she called out, warmly. "Might you have a look around the trees of the clearing if there are any nasty greenskins around? Be sure to stay hidden!"

Catalena
Perform cast Beast Friend (+ Mind Rider)
Vryx rolled d8,d6 and got 3, 3

Well, that's not very good, is it? I'll spend a Benny (down to 5) to reroll and with her Elan, that's with a +2.

Catalena
Perform cast Beast Friend (+ Mind Rider) with Elan
Vryx rolled d8+2,d6+2 and got 4, 7
Success, no raise

Spend 3 PP (1 for the base cast, +1 for Mind Rider where can communicate and share senses, +1 to take Duration from 10 min to 30 min.) Cat down to 7 PP.

Cat has done this before, but the sensation is still strange for a moment before the magic settles into place. The little bird gives a slightly cocked one-eye look at her before bounding off up into the air flying along the direction that they expected the goblins to go.


[ooc: I am unclear how the bird will relay the answers, or if it is some sort of Mind Link? So I will write it here, and let you write it up IC.

A good distance away there was a battle between two groups of goblins. There are several dead, and the bird is able to spy on the scene without being spotted. ]

Catalena

Cat took a moment to get used to the quick, brief thoughts that flew through the bird's brain. Images and decisions came quickly and were forgotten nearly as quickly. Her eyes flicked to and fro as she quietly relayed to the others what she saw, in clipped phrases:

"Greenskins... goblins. Dead. Fought. Different plumage... clan markings. Not very far."

((OOC It is called Mind Rider, so I believe it is a shared consciousness like how represented in a few different book series. It's not really a Pathfinder basis. The details in SW:Pf are "communicate and share senses."

Also, are there living goblins still there too?))

[ooc: The bird didn't see any movement in its brief survey.]

Selaim

She listened intently on what Cat relayed trying to make sense of the jumbled statements.

"Are you saying that there was a clan fight between goblins nearby?

Catalena

Cat lightly shook her head as if to rid herself of a vision and then her eyes focused on Selaim.

"Yes, that's right," she said, "No goblins moving around that we... er... he saw. We... I mean I can point us there."

She showed the way toward where the battle had commenced and then seemed to slip back into an inward concentration as she again sought the senses of the thrush.

Selaim

"Not sure about getting involved in a goblin clan fight. But it does mean they are much more active than we imagined. And it doesn't explain why that goblin was sneaking into the boy's room. Do we press on?" Selaim asks the others.

Coral

"I think so. We have not learned why he snuk in, and so don't know whether there is a reason for more to do so in the future."

Catalena

"We should at least see if the one we are trailing is among the corpses," Catalena suggested. "If we can tell, that is. Perhaps if the clan markings of one are different or are of a clan not normally in these woods."

Aendell

"Has anyone seen that one? As far as I know only the boy saw him."

Catalena

"For a time, earlier," Cat mused, "I shared the mind of Petal, the dog. I saw Petal's memory of seeing the goblin. Though it might be distorted from the dog's perspective, I might be able to recognize it."

Aendell

He nods. "Alright. Lets keep going then and see."

The group presses on. In a distance they come into the clearing that Cat had described. It is an obvious battleground. There are two dozen goblin corpses lying. Taking a look around they see four different clan markings. Though only one goblin has the tree mark that Cat says is the one that they were chasing.

One understanding battle strategy determines that the goblin stumbled into an ambush and got caught up.

Coral

"Shall we take note of the tribes and call it a day?" She enquired.

"We have found our quarry, and if we were to go further, we would just be chasing shadows."

Aendell

"Do Goblins of different tribes band together like this?" He asks the group at large. In the meantime he examines the battlefield, trying to determine the ebb and flow and which tribes were the ambushers and which were the ambushees.

Catalena

Cat moved around the goblins looking at the one they believed was the one they tracked and the others. Mostly she was trying to check markings of the five tribes that were nearest Sandpoint: the cave-dwelling, generally peaceful Birdcrunchers from Devil's Platter to the east; the swamp-dwelling Licktoads from Brinestump Marsh to the south; the Seven Tooth clan from Shank's Wood who commonly raided Junk Beach; the bickering Mosswood goblins from even further east and inland; and the seldom-seen Thistletop tribe from a good distance east along the coast near the Nettlewood.

Catalena
Notice, looking around goblin corpses
Vryx rolled d6,d6 and got 5, 6
Catalena
Notice, looking around goblin corpses, ace
Vryx rolled d6 and got 6
Catalena
Notice, looking around goblin corpses, ace #2
Vryx rolled d6 and got 5
Notice: 17

Three of the local goblin tribes are represented. As near as Cat is able to tell, the Birdcrunchers were the victims of the ambush. What they were doing this far afield isn't clear. They are armed for war, as best as rusty bits of weapons and armor can be considered prepared.

The main aggressors are Mosswood. Though there are others mixed in, so some goblins were working together.

Catalena

As best she could, Cat shared her assessment of which goblins were here but did not have any clue as to why.

Selaim

She went along with Cat to look around as well. Her eyes not caring about the clan markings or who the goblins were or where they came from. She instead was looking for anything of value to the group.

Selaim Notice for items of use/value
Miales rolled 1d6,1d6 and got 2, 1

Coral

She followed along, looking for any goblins that might still be alive.



Coral notice live goblins
Angrboða rolled d4,d6 and got 2, 3

They don't seem to locate anything worth picking up. Nor do they find any live goblins. They seemed to have died from their wounds.

Selaim

"So, I agree with Coral. This goblin battle is none of our business. Except something to figure out who fought which we did. Our quarry is dead so we might as well turn back."

Coral

She nodded.

She had not changed her view.

Aendell

He is still curious, and willing to keep on, but if the others want to go back he will agree. He scours the battlefield and takes a token of a member of each tribe represented to bring back.