Turn 22 -- Conversations with Goblins

As Ortho realizes that the goblins are not going to attack him he stops with a slight jerk. Muttering to himself, "Wal I'll be an ogre's wart! Randor was right," he drops his hands from his face and braces himself if battle should erupt, then he raises up to look the goblin straight in the face. "Well met, friend! Pardon my ruse but I knew not if ye be friend or fiend. A poor dwarf needs friends in lands like these!"

When Ortho speaks to the first goblin, it almost jumps clear out of its blue-colored skin. The goblin also almost drops both his shield and axe in fright. The second goblin does drops his shield and axe as he grabs his stomach and falls over laughing at the first dwarf. Rolling on the ground, it continues to laugh at point at the first dwarf, occasionally saying something in goblin that can only be considered something along the lines of ridicule.

"Sorry if I gave ye a scare," says Ortho as he waits for the first goblin to settle down from his fright, "Please accept me apologies, and perhaps a coin or two?" He then hands the goblin a couple of silver pieces. The goblins eyebrows furrow as it takes the coins from Ortho and it tries to regain some of its lost dignity by securing its weapons. "I'm here to ask ye if ye know what might be happenin' with the mire? Seems to be arisin' at a prodigious rate." This sentence bringing a curious look from the face of the goblin. "Since I've found no natural cause for the mire's expansion, I suspect some magical deviltry is afoot. Ye bein' peace lovin' creatures, will ye help me? Know ye why the mire is expandin'? Won't be too much longer afore the mire floods ye out as well." continues Ortho.

The second goblin continues to laugh and make faces at the first goblin as he tries to imitate the look of fright from the first one as the lead goblin speaks, "Wat you talk 'bout? Me know nothin' of mire? Wat mire? Wat 'prodigeus'?" The goblin scratches his head and tries to understand what Ortho is speaking about.

Back in the woods, everyone is staring in wonder as Ortho speaks with the goblins. Talimar recovers from his surprise at the goblins response and unstrings and shoulders his bow. He then steps out of the treeline and shouts out to Ortho, "There you are Ortho, we have been looking for you." He then continues to walk toward Ortho and the goblins.

At the sudden arrival of Talimar the goblins jump once again. The laughing goblin gets off the ground and raises his shield and axe as he looks at Talimar's approach. The first one speaks to Ortho, "You trick us. Who dat? Leave us alone!" He slowly backs up with his companion to put his back to the boulder and then yells out in goblin, "Khakt!" (roughly translated, Intruders!).

Ortho starts waving his hands in the air as the rest of the companions step from the trees, "No, no! We mean you no harm, we aren't here to attack you." The goblins take up a defensive posture but as of yet have not made an effort to attack Ortho.

The rest of the party warily steps out into the clearing to approach Ortho and the goblins at a slow pace. As everyone gets within 15 yards or so of them a large group of goblins step out from within the cave to surround their friends. Fifteen goblins emerge from the cave mouth to take up defensive positions. They all have on old studded leather armour and shield and carry all different kinds of weapons, goblin war axes, clubs, short swords or spears. A larger goblin who appears to be the leaders steps forward to speak in Common, "I Grundlegek, leader of this tribe. You not welcome here. We live in peace. Leave us alone before we make you leave." Grundlegek is visibly nervous and obviously doesn't want to have to fight the group. There is another larger goblin behind him that appears to be some type of shaman. Anyone looking closely at the faces of the goblins will see that they all have some type of strange tattoo on their foreheads. It appears to be to wavy lines running parallel up and down within a circle.