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Coral

"Okay," she responded, turning to face the way they had come. "Lead on."

[ooc: Assuming they all wish to return where do they go next? Hemlock's Office?]

Coral

"If none of you mind, I wouldn't mind a little lie down," she commented as they arrived back in the town.

Selaim

"Shouldn't we report this to the Sheriff?" she asks. "I mean think of what all led to this. The missing boy and the tunnel into the town. Sounds like something the town guard should know."

She pauses and glances to Cat.

"Sorry. View you as one of us not as a guard."

Catalena

"Yes, that is where I'm going," Cat replied.

Hemlock's Office

Though the sheriff is busy, he stops doing what he is and looks up at Cat.

"What is going on?". He asked.

Catalena

Cat respectfully entered Sheriff Hemlock's office and stepped up to his desk to deliver her report.

"Amele Barett came into the Dragon distressed. Her son Aeren had been claiming there was a goblin in his closet. They thought he was imagining it but their dog had injuries. We investigated and found a tunnel from the boy's room that led to the beach. Stuck in the tunnel was the father, Alergast, who I suppose had gone after the goblin but was injured severely and out cold. He was tended to and will heal. We should close up that tunnel.

"We followed the trail of the goblin and found that another boy, Billy, Daviren Hosk's kid had seen the goblin. I guess he takes after Mr. Goblin Squash Stables himself and he took off after it and managed to injure it but was hurt himself. He's home safe now.

"The goblin led all the way to the near woods. We continued to track him and eventually came upon the scene of an inter-clan battle with goblins from four of the clans. One was still alive and we questioned him.

"He said that someone or something has been coordinating all the clans to work together and that was how the attack during the Swallowtail Festival came off. He didn't know who or what it was but he said the chiefs were listening because they had been promised magic and power. The battle we saw was between those who wanted to follow this plan and those who didn't. So, I suppose, we can still count somewhat on the clans' internecine inclinations towards not cooperating with one another, but we'd still better be prepared for more trouble."

She took a step back and put her arms behind her back when she finished. Then, seeming to realize she was acting a little too exemplary for her reputation, she relaxed and added, "How about we crack open that bottle of Korvosan pepper whiskey in your bottom drawer? This is my off night." She winked. But it had been a long night after a long day shift.

Hemlock

He listened, his frown deepening as Cat explained further. At the suggestion of a drink, he said, "I am going to need one too," and he obliged her, pulling the bottle. He grabbed a couple of ultilitarian cups and poured a sample for each of them.

Leaning back in his chair, he held his glass and let the aroma flow to his nose. "If the clans are indeed working together, we are in deep woods. They outnumber any force we could mount by over 10 to 1. Not to mention, half of the troops we could field would be inexperienced. The same can't be said about any goblins."

Catalena

Cat smiled. In her heart she was quite fond of the Sheriff and respected his love and dedication to the town. She was glad to see him let down his guard around her a bit. She savored a sip herself.

"That was my concern as well," she added, more seriously. "But one thing in our favor is the goblins' nature. If we can find out who or what is directing them and remove it, without both the promise of reward or the strong hand guiding them, they would likely go back to their own ways and become a nuisance we can live with again. Perhaps even more diminished with all this in-fighting."

She raised an eyebrow.

"The goblin foot-soldier didn't know much but Desna blessed me with a hint of some malevolent intelligence at work. Perhaps a better seer than I might give us a direction to investigate. Madame Mvashti, perhaps? We could tell her about Ezakain Tobyn's corpse being stolen as well, which seems to me more and more the true goal of the attack at the Swallowtail Festival. She would have been alive while he was in charge of the Temple and might have more insight."