The Castle

"I don't speak vermin sign language. Was that good news or bad news?"

"If the mouse had found something dangerous, it probably would have been killed and possibly eaten. So the fact it has returned at all means good news, regardless of the mouse's opinion."

Reika fishes her pack for some food crumbs to reward her pet mouse for its successful scouting mission. Here you go! and don't complain it's only old cookie crumbs! I did tell you to find some new snacks and you came in empty-pawed! The mouse accepted the crumbs grudgingly and nibbled on them while sporting a mournful/baleful look at the ranger.

Ash kneels down to the mouse.
Thank you little fellar. Did you find the Gundren Rockseeker? The dwarf treasure hunter?

Nettles the mouse initially rears back and hides the crumb it received from Reika behind its back, before Ash begins to speak to it. But Nettles simply shrugs and then begins another elaborate hand signal, which everyone strangely understands as Beats me, Room was quiet.

Thank you - lets go find this dwarf
Ash enters the room

Everyone files quietly into the next room. You all take a moment to slowly investigate the room (basic room description already given here). You guys look up and see the ledges on the walls, and notice that they are completely covered in some thick, gooey substance that slowly drips onto the floor below. The goo reminds you of the bucket-sporting slimy tentacle monster you fought in the previous room. It's obvious to you guys from these details that this room is nothing more than a storage room for the goblins but a penthouse suite for Mr. Stinky-Pantz. The footsteps in here seem to only stick to two or three paths and look like they were taking brisk steps. You deduce that this room is a quick way to get from one part of the castle to the other, but not much idle time is spent in here, probably because of Mr. Stinky-Pantz.

You guys also get a better look at the heavy stone doors (at K6 and N6). You notice that they are identical, but mirrored. Starting from the bottom and working your way up to the top, the intricate reliefs carved into them tell a story of a human society, lost and wandering from the ruins of their homeland. They seek refuge in the caves of the barbaric dwarves and the villages of the greedy elves, but are turned away and shunned. They travel, fighting for survival and losing many brave souls along the way, before reaching a small idyllic hill in the clearing of a dense forest. There, with the aid of many gods, they construct a massive castle that scrapes the sky, and the gods' heavenly light shines down upon them.

...So all in all, a little bit of human history and supposedly how this castle came to be, if some human propaganda is to be believed. And any dwarves or elves in the party would probably take offense to how they are depicted.

But after taking in that story, behind the stone doors the party starts to hear a faint, "Oohhhmmmm. Ooohhhmmmmm." and the rhythmic TING of some kind of cymbal. It sounds like someone or something is praying.

Ash eases the curtain aside to see who is meditating.

Ash pushes on the stone doors that lead into the room from which the prayers flow, and the doors slide open silently. Within is a small circular chamber. Giant fancy cloth banners hang from the far wall, covering the small bits of outside light that might filter in through the arrow slits. The floor in this room is covered in lit candles and the air reeks of smoke and incense. In the middle of the dimly-lit room sits a small altar, upon which sit a number of small, religious objects, including a jewel-encrusted chalice and another wooden figurine, carved to the shape of a regal dragon. Spread around the base of the altar are numerous gold coins, potion and elixir bottles of all different colors, and enough necklaces and bracelets and earrings to bedazzle a flock of greedy nobles. Kneeling before the altar, facing away from you guys as you enter are two figures.

One of which is a young goblin in white robes, holding a brass hanging incense burner and slowly waving it back and forth (occasionally swinging it very quickly in a fast complete circle, 1 to see if the other figure notices, and 2 to see if the centripetal force is strong enough to stop things inside from falling out of it).

The other figure is an old, aged goblin, dressed in the fanciest white and red robe you've ever seen. They have an elaborate gold-trimmed headpiece that rises 3 or so feet above the goblin's brow. The goblin holds in its hand a great, shining red jewel that glimmers in the candlelight. Their eyes are closed but they keep repeating, "Ooohmmmmm. Ooooohmmmmm." with their hands held to the altar.

Neither figure notices your guys' entry.

Not quite sure what to make of the scene before her, Liltila looks towards the others and shrugs her shoulders.

She slowly mouths - "Talk to them?"

Ash kneels down, and signals to the others to follow suit.
When he has figured out the meditation mantra, he clears his thought in the right moment, in the least disruptive point in the mantra. Between the Ohmms.
Forgive us our intrusion holy one.

The thought of kneeling with Goblins in prayer is not one that Liltila is too keen on. She watches as others follow Ash's lead and begrudgingly follows suit.

Why aren't we just slashing our way through these idiots.

Dana doesn't kneel, but she does flip open a pocketbook and starts noting down the details of the goblin ceremony.

Storm isn’t quite sure what to make of the chanting goblins other than easy prey. But when he sees Ash join in the chanting and trying to talk to the goblin pope, he decides to give them the benefit of the doubt and see how this plays out. He says to Ash under his breath, trying not to disturb the chanting goblins, "Maybe this will help?" and tosses the statue of the golden dragon to Ash.


He then takes a position by the closed door, ready to duck into the shadows and join in the fray should fighting break out or if reinforcements should arrive.

Goblins. praying.

Reika had seen many strange things ever since she started out a career in adventuring. she had seen goblins. she had seen priests. but not goblin priests. well, there's a first time for everything she mused... too bad they are about to meet their maker as she draws her bow to shoot at the goblins, she heard a familiar deep-set voice coming 3-4 paces to her right:

Forgive us our intrusion holy one.

Aw for flock's sake! are you kidding me? we literally have the advantage here and you decide to talk to them?

The firbolg then began to mimic the OHMing sounds the strange goblins were making...

Reika stood there with an incredulous look as she looks at Monk kneeling a few feet away from the goblin clergy.

Happy to oblige!

Liltila gets to her feet, a smile forming on her face, as her left hand reaches for the nine-tailed barbed scourge pendant that hangs from her neck.

Hearing the goblin pope the his calm response makes Storm reconsider his position. Until this point, his only experience with goblins has been at the sharp end of a a blade. He moves a few feet closer so he can see the pope but still remains wary of an ambush.

"We aren’t here to destroy you or your way of life, but are searching for a missing dwarf." Storm’s instincts are still to take the goblin up on his offer and get more information about the dwarf with the help of his sword, but curiosity gets the better of him (he is a Tabaxi after all), "What is it that you are trying to accomplish here? What’s the meaning of this statue and who is Ember the Reedemer? The rumors about your king are not exactly good and, no offense, but your kind are rarely known for being peaceful and living in harmony with others around them."

When it seems clear that you all are more interested in talking rather than murderhoboing, at least for the current moment, the old goblin nods to his companion. The younger goblin helps the older as he takes a seat on the ground, criss-cross style. The younger one stands behind the pope, eyes bouncing between the members of your party.

The pope speaks up, "Ah, you are correct, good catfolk sir. Our people do have a violent history, this I know, first-hand admittedly. But that is what King Grol the Gassy Giant of the Cragmaws and... whatever the rest of his titles are, and the Redeemer are trying to change. It's been an interesting and... rough process, as you might assume. Some have taken more to it than others, Queen Yeggzma the least. Those human sociologists debating Nature vs Nurture would have a field day studying our clan's recent history.

"But King Grol has led our clan to this castle and has begun renovation of it, trying to give us an end to the nomadic, warring lifestyle our people have lived for centuries. I respect the King for the attempt, even if it might be harder than trying to teach Mr. Stinky-Pantz how to play dead. We weren't sure if it would work, but we figured someone's got to be the first to try, eh?"

The Pope glances at the candles around the room and comes to a sudden realization. He nudges the younger goblin behind him, "It's the hour of Mr. Stinky-Pantz's snackie-time, would you go fetch him for me?" The younger goblin nods, never taking their eyes off of you. He then begins heading past Reika and Dana, heading outside the room.

"Mr. Stinky-Pantz was the only inhabitant of the castle when we found it not long ago. The Queen Yeggzma wanted to chop it up and boil its tentacles for dinner, but I have domesticated him since we arrived. He's great at cuddles and loves it when you scratch behind his beak. He might be a little scary at first though, so be prepared. I'm old and tired, his innocent cuddly love is what keeps me going at this point."