Echoes of the Past

25th of Felmont, Moldain

The air in the Silver Dragon Inn is thick with the savory aroma of sizzling sausages and charred cuts of roasted pork, all grilled over open flames. As usual, the place is packed, its long wooden tables stretching from one end of the room to the other, with patrons sitting shoulder to shoulder. It’s been a week since you returned from Mistamere, and the rumors of your exploits, and the treasure you found, have been the talk of Threshold ever since.

Tonight, however, one person seems particularly intent on finding you. His sharp blue eyes scan the room as he looks for you. He’s in his thirties, with neatly tousled blonde hair and a well-groomed mustache that gives him a roguish charm. He moves with confidence, and his clean, yet worn, travel clothes suggest a man who’s seen his share of adventure. When his gaze lands on your table, his expression shifts to one of recognition, and he makes his way over.

"Good evening, adventurers" he opens with a warm, but calculated smile "I hope you don’t mind if I join you?"

Miyana looks up and nods her agreement, but says nothing yet.

Boudica waves for him to join them and says, "Greetings, sire. I am Boudica, of the old faith. What business do you want with us, if I may be so direct?"

"Well met, Boudica!" Darius squeezes in between her and Will, oblivious to any discomfort he might be causing by literally rubbing shoulders with them. "My name is Darius. Darius Guillroy! I am with the Karameikos Archeological Society" he looks at your faces for any signs of recognition before continuing "We heard of your exploits at Mistamere, and I've been asked to check if we could enlist your help with a similar endeavor"

Boudica tilts her head and says, "Well, possibly? Tell us more."

She looks to her companions.

Our fightery fellow returns clerical gaze, and winks. ;)
’Twas a harrowing experience. But yes, we are looking for more work. What did you have in mind?

Miyna makes no audible reply, but her interest is clearly piqued.

"As you may already know" he begins "the final battle of Halav against the Beastmen was said to have taken place somewhere near Threshold. The legend has survived the centuries, though its exact location has been lost to time. But, after much research, I believe I’ve found it." he quickly looks between all of you before he continues: "It took many many months of poring over ancient texts, a few local legends, and matching the details against the recent topographical maps but I'm now confident that this site, hidden deep within the wilderness, is where the battle was fought"

The man's eyes spark with excitement:

"The Karameikos Archeological Society is willing to fund an expedition to uncover the site. We believe this could be one of the most significant discoveries in our time, something that will shed light on the events that shaped Taladaran's history and give us insight into what truly happened here in the distant past"

Sounds like something we’re well suited for. Where is this site, exactly?

"Not more than three days' travel" he answered Will "It's not that far away, but we will have to walk through the dense forest, so I expect our progress will be slower"

"Digging up the past, definitely something I am interested in" Anton said while he drank from his cup. "How long would we have to prepare for this journey, and what would our pay be?"

Boudica listens to the proposal from Darius. With a concerned look on her face, she asks, "If I find any items of special importance to the Faith of Traladara, may I ensure they are delivered to a Shrine? I'd hate for foreign grave robbers to come into our land and take our cultural artifacts off to some museum back in their home country, far away..."

"Forests can be very dangerous. I like them. I'm in."

Darius didn't appreciate being called a 'foreign grave robber'. He shifted uncomfortably and cleared his throat as he thought best on how to answer her "Umm..ummm....see, the Archaeological Society employs some of the most learned and experienced scholars on the history of Karameikos. There’s much we can learn from these relics - assuming we find any. But if it would help put your mind at ease, we can certainly make an agreement. If there are specific items that are of particular importance to you, we can ensure they are returned to the Faith of Traladara once our studies are complete. In fact, we can allow you to keep one or two of them in your care, provided we are granted access to study it"

He hoped that answer would satisfy her

"We can leave tomorrow morning, if you're ready. But I'm willing to wait a few more days too if you need to make some preparations"

Boudica smiles and sits back, satisfied. She says, "Thank you, sir. This could end up being a great gift to the Faith! I'm happy to accept."

Yes, your offer is acceptable Darius. We’re just trying to button up a few loose ends, on a previous project, but we should be ready hopefully soon.

**********


3rd of Fyrmont, Tserdain

"We’re almost there" Darius tries to reassure you, but there is a hint of uncertainty in his voice. It has been five days since you left Threshold, and it wasn’t the first time he promised you that you’re ‘nearly there’.
As you walk deeper and deeper into the woods, you venture into true virgin landscape. Towering trees, with thick green leaves that allow the sunlight to filter though in soft beams. The air smells fresh; a blend of pine, moss, and wildflowers, and the gentle breeze of late summer mingles with the hum of the nearby trees.

It is a beautiful place, serene in its own way, but after five days of walking through it, it is beginning to feel endless. The rustle of the leaves and chirping of the birds is just a reminder of how far away from civilization you’ve ventured.

Darius, ever the self assured, stops to consult his tattered map again, casting increasingly erratic glances at the land, before folding it back into his pocket and smiling thinly at you "we’re almost there. It should be just over the next hill. I’m sure of it!"

"You've been sure of it the last three times," Miyana grumbles. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy the woodsy stroll, but she was wary about things that lay unseen within the foliage.

Yes, we seem to be off the mark, yes? We should be ready, silence in the forest isn’t always golden!

Despite the inconveniences of travel and the annoyances of Darius's uncertainty, Boudica enjoys traveling the wilderness and communing with nature. She breathe deeply and whispers a prayer to the land and the great heroes that came before, thanking them for their gifts and asking them for guidance.

Anton was excited for the first three days, but now as the chafing set in, his feet ached, and he hadn't really slept very well for the last 5 days his mood was souring. "Darius, maybe you should let one of us look at that map?"

"I know where I’m going!" Darius sounds a bit annoyed, though maybe not at Anton. He doesn’t give you a chance to respond before he turns sharply and begins walking again, but after only a few moments, he halts, and without a word, pivots on his heel and starts heading in the opposite direction.

"It’s been over a thousand years since the battle between King Halav and the Beastmen" he mutters, speaking more to himself than anyone else. "Forest grown all over it. Its difficult to track though it, that's all. But I know what I'm doing!"

His voice grows fainter as he continues to walk and curse under his breath

Boudica barely finishes her prayer when they all hear the distinct croak of a raven, coming from somewhere further up the stream.

"I meant no offense Darius, but we may be able to help if we can see what you are seeing" Anton looked out to in the distance for a Raven cawing distinctly.

Boudica perks up at the sound of the raven and says to her friends, "I hear one of Zirchev’s messengers! It could be an answer to my prayer! I saw we follow the sound." She begins to move in that direction.

"It's a bird!" Dairus, who was already impatient, called out to her as she started walking up along the stream "There are ravens everywhere. You can't just go off because you heard one just after you prayed!"
With a huff, he shakes his head and starts to walk off again, muttering something under his breath about 'wasting time'.

But Boudica barely walks for a minute when she senses the faint scent carried on the air. It is barely detectable, a vague sour, maybe rancid, smell? As she walks forward the scent grows stronger and stronger, until she recognized the unmistakable stench of excrement and rotting meat. Goblins...

Dairus, you should recognize…Boudica’s faith and fervor helped take back Castle Mistamere. So you do you, but when she speaks, I listen.
Will readies his magical ice sword, and follows a few steps just behind his clerical friend.

"I am normally a man of reason Darius, but I have personally seen a helpful Raven, if nothing else they may be drawn to strange circumstances" Anton falls in line behind Will!

Sensing the change in Boudica's demeanor, Miyana tenses and puts an arrow to her bow.

"Helped? By a Raven???" Darius wasn't buying any of it, but what could he do? All the adventurers were off one way, and he couldn't just stand behind, alone in the woods. With a sigh, he started following the rest up the stream. It didn't take too long for him, and the rest of you, to pick up on the same scent, which grew more and more pronounced as you continued to advance
"What is that foul odor?" he drew his own sword when he noticed the rest of them preparing themselves "Smells like something died in there!"

"I believe we have smelled this before" Anton looked to the others

Boudica nods grimly and says, "Goblins."

You press on along the stream, but the further you go, the worse the stench becomes. What had once been the fresh, earthy scent of the forest is now overshadowed by a growing odor of decay.

"Hold on!" Darius halts in his tracks "This is it! We found it!! Right there - next to the rotting head on a stick!"

He points toward a moss-covered rocky mound ahead. Its weathered surface is barren of trees, an unusual sight in the midst of such thick woodland. At the base of the mound, propped up on a crude wooden spike, is the rotting head of a boar. A couple of ravens are busy pecking at it, amidst a cloud of buzzing flies.

"The mound? Is it a barrow? Well, regardless, we likely have more pressing issues —whoever put that boar’s head on a stick will want to do the same to us…"

She stands still and begins to scan the area for movement, signs of goblins, and so on. Might they be within the mound? Do we see an entrance?

Will similarly offers wary alert to the grizzly scene. Our fightery fellow approaches the boar’s head, and looks around for signs of goblin incursion!

Miyana scowls and keeps her bow pulled.

The air grows heavier as you approach the mound, an unpleasant stench that makes it hard to breath. The source of the smell becomes clear once you arrive at the base of the mount. Besides the decaying boar's head on a pike (the ravens hop around it, pecking at the rotting remains), are tracks crisscrossing the forest floor, and an obvious nearby area that served as some sort of a crude latrine for the goblins. It's clear there must be a whole lot of them nearby.

The entrance to the barrow is a dark, gaping tunnel, barely visible beneath the tangled undergrowth.

"This is it!" Darius was conflicted between stepping forward, and staying behind Will "That is a burrow. There MUST be something important hidden inside" his face scrunches as he considers "Maybe...it's better if I stay here though while you investigate. You know. Watch your backs?"

It wasn't cowardice on Darius's end. He simply didn't want to crawl down into what smelled like open sewage.

What do you do?

Boudica laughs ruefully and shakes her head in disbelief. "We have traveled for days through the wilderness to discover what may be the final battleground of the gods of my faith, only to find it is being used as a toilet by goblins. I would very much like to slaughter them all as an offering to Halav, Petra, and Zichrev."

She turns to Darius and says, "Yes, go back to the forest's edge, where we first spied the mound, and hide. There are goblins about." Turning to her fellows, she says, "Shall we?" She lights a torch, lifts her shield, and prepares to head into the darkness of the barrow mound, hoping to find something of value for her faith.

Anton took his now customary position near the rear of the party, "I'm ready, let's move slowly, they may have placed traps for intruders"

Will slowly walks up, and checks the immediate area for obvious signs of goblin folk!

Miyana nods, still not loosening the string of her bow.

Boudica wrinkles her nose and says, "Ugh, goblins. I say we take the dark stone tunnel, not the most likely goblins-dug stinkier one. Trust the nose, someone once said’l

"Very Wise Miss Boudica" Anton said in relation to the choice of tunnel.

Watch that one step, Will says, gesturing at the bear trap. It’s a doozy!
Will strides heroically towards the dark stone tunnel.

"I'd rather go where the goblins are... filthy creatures, but as you say."

You advance down the path ahead, through the corridor of worn, brick-like walls that bear the marks of centuries of age. The air gradually grows fresher, the stench of the goblins receding into the distance, replaced by the earthy scent of freshly turned soil and the fragrance of moss.

As you continue, the dark passageway begins to brighten with an unnatural glow, the light intensifying until you reach the entrance of a small chamber bathed in a soft radiance, almost as bright as a summer's day. The floor inside is covered in a thin layer of dust, and at the center of the room rests a stone sarcophagus, its once-intricate carvings now faded with the passage of time.

Before the sarcophagus stands an ancient knight, clad in armor made of tarnished bronze. His long, grey beard cascades down to his chest, and his sunken brown eyes seem to have witnessed countless years. What is most striking, however, is that the knight is semi-translucent; the light from the chamber shines through his form, casting faint shadows of the room behind him.

As you step closer, an invisible barrier suddenly blocks your path. It shimmers faintly in the ethereal light. But when the knight notices you, he gives a slow, deliberate nod and raises his hand. The barrier disappears as if it had never been there.

"At long last"

Seeing the knight, Boudica becomes excited. "Could it be...?"

She steps forward to speak to the knight. She bows respectfully and asks, "Good sir knight, were you once in the company of Halav, Petra, and Zichrev? Please, tell me how I may be of service, as I am a follower of theirs myself."

Anton took out his journal and quickly began to sketch and write a description of the scene.

A ghostly knight, cast of bronze, pierced by light
Stands vigilant at Sarcophagi's side
With nod of helm and raised gauntleted hand did barrier set aside
His beard like gray waterfall over metallic river bed
Ancient wisdom kept of long dead past, his only words "At long last"

Will stands silent and marvels at the bronze warrior!

Miyana, ever suspicious, keeps her bowstring taut, but lowers the weapon to a "ready" position as she watches the old knight.

""I… fought with him. Halav. Yes. We stood… together. A long time ago"

The knight speaks Traladaran, but it is very hard to follow his words. The language has changed much over the millennia, and though he speaks slowly and deliberately, and uses simple words, the old forgotten pronunciation makes him almost incomprehensible.

"I guard this tomb. The weapon within. An ancient power... it waits. Many have come. Many have tried. None have passed" His voice drops lower, and though he is but a ghost of the ancient warrior, he manages to sound tired.

"You must pass the trials, and prove yourself worthy, if you wish to claim it."

Boudica, still kneeling, says, "I can’t speak for my companions, but I am willing to face these trials."

"Great Knight, what are these trials you speak of?" Anton still stood taking notes and did not look up to ask his question.

Yes, we will face these trials!

The knight doesn't speak immediately. It looks like he, too, needs some time to understand their words:

"You must prove yourselves worthy, as all those who have come before you have failed. You will understand the trials, if you complete them. Or you will die"

For a moment, there is a trace of emotion on his weathered face. Sorrow perhaps, or weariness.

"I am heard without ears, seen without eyes, felt without touch. I am fleeting and eternal, a shadow of a wish, an echo of a thought. What am I?"

The knight stands motionless, waiting for an answer. There is no more explanation, no further guidance. The riddle alone stands as the first test.

Boudica scrunches her face in thought and turns to her friends, and whispers, "What do you think? I think maybe the answer is Dreams…. But I’m not sure."

Thats it, yes.

More confident now, Boudica turns to the statue and says, "You are a dream."

"It is true; I am a Dream"

The knight gives you a small bow.

"Now is the time for your next trial; the trial of Halav. One of you must face me. Trice you must strike to win, and I will not hold back in turn. You may yield at any time, but if you don’t, be warned; many adventurers have attempted this trial before you, and many have failed, their bodies claimed by this very chamber"

With a deliberate motion, the knight draws a tarnished bronze sword and holds it high, the faint glow from the chamber reflecting off the blade’s surface

"Step forward, and prove yourself as Brave as the mighty Halav!"

Knowing she is not the most powerful or skillful warrior among them, Boudica looks to the others. She is willing to try, but suspects she would fail.

Will unsheathes his magical ice sword, and strides towards the old knight.

The knight raises his bronze sword with the tip pointing directly at Will.
With a surprising swiftness, he swings the sword in a wide arc, blade slicing through the air downward

Will swings his magic sword with valurss as my retort!

Will narrowly avoids the knight’s downward strike, and seizing the opening, he manages to strike the knight, briefly disrupting the ghostly form. Once he regains the composure, the knight retaliates with a flurry of swift, precise attacks

Reeling from harrowing blow, Will strikes back at his adversary!

The knight’s strike lands on Will’s upper arm, leaving a painful but manageable injury. Your own blow passes through the ethereal form of the ghost once again, causing it to momentarily flicker out of existence.

Will strikes the ghost for a third time. His sword passes right through the knight’s spectral form, disrupting its outline for the last time. The knight halts mid swing and lowers his sword, until the tip brushed the ground. There’s a palpable shift in his presence, as if he’s suddenly burdened by a deep, unseen weariness.

"You have Halav’s strength; but whether you have his heart… that is yet to be seen"

The ghostly knight pauses and lowers his gaze before continuing:

"You will find the sword, its hilt lodged deep in stone. Only the worthy will be able to draw it. The path to it lies ahead, at the catacombs" he motions with his head to his right

Will sheathes Icy Bronze. He bows his head, and smiles at the old knight honorably.
To the catacombs, my friends, he says to his allies.

"Well done Will!" Anton praises as he continues to take notes on what has occurred, and prepares to follow Will! to the catacombs.

Boudica walks beside Will and says, "Thank you for helping us to advance through this trial. I can heal you if you need it. Otherwise, I shall save my limited magic for when things are truly dire."

I am badly hurt, your healing would be helpful.

Boudica whispers to her friends, "Perhaps we need not fight?"

She stows her weapon and raises her hands. She says, "We mean you no harm. We only wish passage through this crypt, for we walk the path of the old faith. I can trade you one ration each if you’ll allow us safe passage."

Anton steps forward, equally disarming and translates Boudica's words into Goblin.

Miyana keeps her bow pulled and watches the goblins for signs of treachery.

The goblins murmur among themselves in low, guttural whispers when Anton speaks in Goblin to them, unsure of what they should do. Eventually, a figure emerges among their numbers; a hunched, weathered old crone with sickly skin stretched tight over her bones. A pair of beady eyes gleam beneath the tangled mess of stringy white hair, and her teeth (what few remains in her mouth), are yellow and rotten.

Despite her age (or maybe because of it), the rest of the goblins step aside when she approaches, making way for her to pass.

"Who are you?" she croaks "why are you here? What do you want?"

Boudica looks at her companions, unsure if she should speak. She was neither their leader nor their spokesperson, after all. Yet her faith compels her to speak the truth in this situation, in this holy place.

"I am Boudica, and we have come because this place is holy to my faith. We do not wish to take what is yours, nor disturb your community. We only wish to walk this path as pilgrims, to examine this holy site, and, hopefully, find a few ancient relics that are important to my faith, but likely of little value to anyone else. May we pass?"

The crone's eyes narrow. She knows what Boudica is talking about, and she can't help but cackle under her breath:

"I know what you seek" she pauses to look at the lot of you, thinking of what she could gain out of this exchange

"If you want to pass, you’ll need to pay. Ten woolies!! You pay, you go"

Boudica blinks a few times and then looks at her friends. She whispers, "Um... what's a woolie?"

Anton shrugged, "A form of currency perchance?" he looked to the crone, "Forgive us, but we are unfamiliar with your currency. Can you describe a Woolie so that we can see if we have it amongst our goods?"

"Woolies!" the crone snaps, her voice dripping with annoyance, as if the adventurers should already know what she's talking about. "Woolies! "They're soft. White. They have four legs, and they go 'Baaaa!' Baaaa!" She grunts, mimicking the sound of the animal

"Humans have so many of them! I once saw a whole hill covered in them, like little white clouds walking on the earth. They use their fur to make their clothes" She pauses to look at Anton "I know you humans have these woolies. You bring us ten, and we’ll let you pass."

"Oh! Sheep! Yes, woolies. Um, that seems reasonable?"

Turning to her companions, she whispers, "Any idea how far we'd have to travel to acquire ten sheep? How much do sheep cost, anyway? I confess I have no idea..."

Miyana shifts from one foot to the other, her bowstring still taut.

Boudica thinks and whispers to her companions, "Now that I think about it, we'd have to go back to the village and get them, and likely have to pay 100-150 gold, then somehow herd them back here... That would take a week, or more. That is... too much to ask, I think."

She turns back to the goblins and asks, "Might there be something else we could give you, or do for you, in place of the woollies? We have no woolies at hand at the moment."

"We have no use for your trinkets, or your gold" the crone insists "if you want to go into our home, then this is our price"

We are on an important mission, and we won’t be deterred. Stand aside, run away, or die by my sword. The choice is yours!
Will gazes emerald eyes upon the crone with the most intimidating prowess imaginable!

The crone lets out a rasping cackle "Foolish human! Head full of rock! I gave you an option to get what you desire, but if you choose violence, then our home will become your tomb!"

She waves her hand, and three goblins step forward, pointing the tips of their spears at the adventurers. Their hands shake slightly, but their intent is clear; they will skewer you if you dare step any closer

Boudica cries out to the other goblins, "I beseech you, we do not want to kill you, but we will if we must! And we have the might to do so. Think how many of you will die, how many of your children will be orphaned, even if you win. And all we want is passage! Do so many of you wish to die for this crone's arrogance? Do not smack away the open hand of friendship!"

"Arrogance?" the crone stomps her feet "It is you who invaded our home. It is you who threatened us! Why should we allow you inside, when we can't trust you not to butcher each and every one of us?" the narrow tunnel was easy to defend. The bigger cavern, not so much.

Boudica sighs. She speaks more softly and says, "You are right, of course. Which is why we came to you in peace. But what you ask is simply unreasonable! We can't herd woolies through the wilderness! We aren't shepherds. Perhaps there is some threat or foe in the area we could rid you of? Some dangerous creature that invades your space and makes your homes less safe. Let us risk our lives for you and your people, as a show of friendship, and in exchange you give us passage. This is the final time I will parlay with you, however. I must gain access to this place; my faith demands it."

"The woolies go where the humans tell them! I know! I have seen it!" the crone remains adamant "They are what we need. We will never starve again with a flock of woolies of our own!!" the only dangerous creature the crone could see that invaded their space - was Boudica herself "You bring them to us, and you be a member of the tribe! I will tell you all our secrets. Then you can go inside and take what you want"

Boudica shakes her head and looks to the other goblins. To them, she says, "Remember, she chose this. You can still run. If you do not, then I am sorry for your children." She nods to Will and steps back, drawing her mace and raising her shield.

Will presses forward and attacks.

Miyana looses her readied arrow.

Boudica steels herself for combat. She loads a bullet in her sling and lets it fly at the crone!

Anton does his best to quickly retreat back behind the warriors of the group, knowing that he is likely to get skewered by a spear were he to stay up front, but he draws a dagger so that he can hurl it when the opportunity presents itself.

The goblins don’t flinch when you draw your weapons. They stand their ground, spears held ready. They don’t make any attempt to get out of the way when Will charges at them, and he finds out why soon enough.

A sudden burst of blinding light flashes throughout the entire tunnel, when the ghostly knight materialized once again, interposing himself between you and the goblins. The creatures react instantly, and one by one, they fall to their knees:

"The shining one! The shining one!" they scramble toward the knight, hands outstretched, crawling on the floor and trying to kiss his ankles – though their lips pass right through the knight’s translucent form.

"The shining one!" the old crone croaks "I’ve done as you told me. I’ve done exactly as you told me!"
She, too, falls on her knees, her eyes closed as she rocks her body back and forward.

The knight ignores the goblins. He raises his hand for them to fall silent, but the goblins continue to whimper and grovel before him

"You have passed the trial of Halav" he looks at Will "your strength in battle. Your courage, has earned you that right" his expression than changes, a hint of disappointment in his voice "But you have failed the trial of Petra. You have overlooked the wisdom of restraint, the value of patience. Petra's path is one of understanding. Compassion. And you have disregarded it." He pauses briefly "And of Zirchev... you have failed his Trial as well. The Sly One would have known something was amiss. Or he would have found a way to trick the goblins. Instead, you have chosen to rush ahead, blinded by your own desires."

Will sheathes his sword, and takes a knee.
I am sorry. How can I atone? And, how do we proceed from here? That we may celebrate our successes over our failures.

"Rise, young warrior" the knight not so much commands him, as he beseeches him "Even Halav, in his youth, was a brash and headstrong man, and Zirchev the wise always said that the greatest wisdom comes not from our victories, but from our failures. It is through the mistakes we make that we grow, if we choose to learn from them."

The knight waits for him to stand up first before continuing "Remember this, young one: our Trials never end. They are with us every day. challenges both great and small, mundane and profound. Each day brings new tests of your patience, your courage, and your resolve to expand your knowledge. Some challenges will be obvious, others subtle, but they will always be there"

He turns his head to look down the tunnel and then back at Will "If you promise to keep to the path of the Three, to show courage when fear would hold you back, to draw your sword only when it is required in the defense of yourself or others, and never grow complacent, for stagnation is the enemy of growth - then you will be a man worthy to carry the Relic I was entrusted to protect"

"Halav fought the Beastmen because they sought to annihilate all of humanity" this wasn't a history lesson for the old knight, or a fable. He Lives though these times " They were bent on destruction, and Halav had no choice but to meet them with force. They did not negotiate with us. They left no room for compromise. They were enemies of life itself"

He pauses, to allow his words to settle

"The goblins are not the Beastmen. You were quick to raise your weapon, eager to shed their blood, even though they were not the same as the monsters Halav fought. Blessed Petra would never have resorted to violence so easily, no matter what treasure was buried in their cave. She would have sought to understand them first, to find a path of peace before drawing her sword."

Boudica drops to one knee and begins to pray, tears flowing freely down her face, as her lifelong dedication to her faith is shown to be a failure.

Will reaches over, still kneeling, and places gauntleted hand on his clerical friend’s shoulder beside him.
It will be okay. You did your best. We can make this right.
Will rises, and says to the old knight, Show us the Path, sire. That we may stay to it.

"You say that the goblins are not the Beastmen, but they are little more than beasts themselves," Miyana offers aloud. "I submit that the test was not fair! Our choice was not a lack of compassion, but a decision based on logic. Going to fetch the sheep would have taken us a week or more, time that could be best spent performing beneficial deeds! You say we failed to show compassion, but we offered them an alternative. It was their choice to refuse our offer."

"Ancient wisdom doled out behind lies and deception..." Anton's words were dripping with a disappointed tone.

Boudica wipes her tears and stands. To her companions, she says, "It is OK, my friends. The old knight speaks true; I have fallen short of my religious ideals. I shall not do so again. I vow, Sir Knight, to stay true to the path of the Three."

Boudica turns to the goblin crone and adds, "Madam, if I can, I will try to bring you woolies some day."

The ghostly knight stands still for a moment. His form starts to fade as he begins to speak, as does his voice:

"My time here is at an end. The path of the Three has been set before you, and it is up to you to walk it, and though the path may twist and wind, it is always there, waiting for you to return should you stray"

He doesn't answer any of their objections about the trials, though perhaps there is some truth in what Miyana has said; the knight, too, doesn't bother to ask the goblins for permission to retrieve the artifact from their caverns:

"The sword is yours. For as long as you're worthy" and then he is gone, and so does the unnatural light, leaving the cavern dark and foreboding again

The crone couldn't follow the conversation in old Traladarn. She looks suspiciously at Boudica when she offers to bring her the sheep she asked for, though she doesn't challenge her generosity

"The shiny-one is gone" she mutters, realizing her tribe is no longer under his protection. That changes many things, including her own position and status within the tribe "Take what you will and begone from here"

Much obliged, Will replies to the ol’ crone. Striding past the goblinkin, our emerald-eyed fellow attempts to lead his party forward to ravenously retrieve relevant relics!

Boudica follows behind, chastened and quiet.

The air grows thick and foul as you move deeper into the cavern. The floor is uneven, covered with muck, refuse, and broken remnants of ancient stone. The wide chamber where the goblin tribe resides used to be an old burial site; several ancient sarcophagi are now used as crude latrines, their lids shattered and their inside sullied by filth. Some of the goblins sit inside them, scratching their bodies as they eyes you. An old holy symbol of the old faith adorns the neck of a goblin chief, and more then a few goblins wear rusted bronze helmets on their heads. There is a scattering of ancient jewelry as well; rings, necklaces, bracelets; anything the goblins could loot from the tombs they desecrated.

Suspicious, the goblins all stop and gleam at you with malic as you walk deeper inside, clutching their spears tightly, and tensing their muscles as if they are ready to strike. The smarter ones scatter away as soon as they see you, hiding either in the polluted sarcophagi, or under heaps of filth and rubble.

The old crone hurries you past her tribe, muttering something about the 'will of the shiny one' to get them to (reluctantly) step out of the way, until you reach an old hilt of a sword, half-buried in the rocks of the far side of the room. There is another murmur as you approach, and a few of the goblins (the chieftain among them) inch closer, having not quite made up their minds if they should try to stop you.

"Take it and leave" she croaks, and it is hard to miss the urgency in her voice "swiftly"

Will sheathes Icy Bronze. Then, he strides right up, and attempts to extract the sword from the rocks.

Miyana keeps her bow drawn, arrow at the ready, half-expecting the goblins to try something.

Boudica looks around, nauseated at the desecration around her. She tries to remind herself that her Faith teaches that death is a part of life, and that where one creature lived and died, another may grow, so it is natural for others to occupy this place so long after the founders of her faith are gone. She holds no ill will against goblins, after all. Still it is a bitter pill to swallow.

Will briefly examines the sword for marks or writings.
We have what we came for, he says plainly to the crone. We’ll leave you now. Be well.
Will turns to his friends, waits for anything else to be said or done, before gesturing for the exit.

Will briefly examines the sword for marks or writings.
We have what we came for, he says plainly to the crone. We’ll leave you now. Be well.
Will turns to his friends, waits for anything else to be said or done, before gesturing for the exit.

Boudica takes one last look around, trying to imagine what it must have looked like once. Then she turns and goes.

Miyana moves from the chamber, watching the goblins with every step.

"May you fair as good as you act" Anton says in Goblin as he follows the others out.

The sunlight filtering through the trees and the fresh air outside is a stark contrast to the stench of the dark caverns you left behind. Outside, beneath the shadows of the trees, stands Darius, who have been waiting for you the entire time.

"Well?" he practically leaps forward "Have you dealt with the goblins? Is it safe to go inside now?"

Boudica stops short, having entirely forgotten about Darius. "Well, there is a tribe of goblins residing within. And indeed, it is what you had thought; an ancient tomb of the Faith. But I would not want to desecrate that holy space further by murdering them when they allowed us to enter and leave without a fight. You could perhaps return and barter for the many relics and items they are currently using as jewelry...or toilets. They will want a dozen sheep for free passage, by the way."

Yes, ten sheep will likely gain passage. The goblins are set in. I would suggest not attacking them or trying to overtake them.

"Not that they would pose a threat to a well-armored squad of stout soldiers," Miyana adds, leaving no doubt as to her distaste for goblinkind.

Darius blinks in surprise. At first, he's sure they must be playing a joke on him. Then his expression shifts to one of frustration "Hold on... You’re telling me we’ve spent four!!! days walking through the forest, only to turn back now that we’ve found the barrow? Are you serious?" He pauses to look at them "These are goblins, right?" He repeats, making sure he heard them correctly the first time "Those little pests? They're a menace. If they had the numbers, or the brains, they would have overrun every human settlement by now."

"They were under the protection of an ancient spirit, one I would not like to anger given the damage he did to our Will" Anton said to Darius' outburst. He understood the man's frustrations, but they had kind of brokered a peace with the Goblins, and it seems they were already not on a good fitting with the three gods based on their 'lack of wisdom'.

Anton speaks true. Coming against the goblinkin would be bad mojo!

Boudica sighs and thinks to herself, What would the Three do? Maybe this is time for Zichrev's cleverness, in order to serve Petra's compassion...

She turns to Darius and says, "Think of it this way, Darius. Those goblins have more thoroughly looted that place than any team of your could. Go, fetch the sheep for them, and they will give you everything you want. No bloodshed, no mess. I will forfeit my part of your payment in exchange for your lost time."

"We’re just going to let these little cockroaches keep the treasu—the archaeological relics?" he shakes his head in disbelief. Spending another week herding sheep back through the forest didn't seem like a feasible idea, but it looked like none of the adventurers were willing to push the issue with the goblins. "I guess I don’t have much of a choice, do I?"

You certainly do, have a choice. We’re just pitching you the best choice, based on the information and firsthand experience we were able to achieve for you. If you wish to deal with the goblins, we’ll be willing to help you round up…well, the sheep, and we can close the deal from there.

So you’re delayed a few days. Think of the…archeological relics, you’ll be able to…display. It will be worth it.

"Did they have lots of...archeological relics with them?" Darius tries to ascertain if it would be worth his time traveling back with a herd of sheep "Did they appear to be...emm...intact? Something that will gather much interest?

I really didn’t see much worth your time, truth be told. I remember seeing a few rings, some trinkets, nothing really stood out in terms of value.

Boudica shrugs and says, "Hard to say. As Will suggests, I saw jewelry, small items, and some desecrated sarcophaguses. But a trained eye may find more. I for one would prefer to recover even trinkets, if they indeed belonged to one of the gods of my faith."

"There's got to be more lying around, if this is an old burial site" he muses "I suppose I have no choice but head back to Threshold. Maybe come back later better equipped to deal with the goblins" with a shrug, he gave the barrow one last look before turning away and heading down the trail along the river.