Chapter One, Part One: Fires over Brinestump

[TheTick]

Just want to see if anyone wants to do something other than the suggested 'scout the village'.

[Porteiro]

Not here.

[TheTick]

Creeping in through the broken palisade, a few more things become clear.  The ring-shaped feature in the center of town appears to be some sort of animal pen...however, no animals are present.  Instead it's been made into a makeshift funeral pyre, with many goblin corpses freshly burnt.  You can see several more of the goblin shacks on stilts, and one spot where it looks like a shack was burnt down.

As Owen walks around the village, he catches a bit of movement out of the corner of his eye.  Turning, he spots a goblin face peering back at him from the window of one of the shacks.  The goblin's eyes go wide and it shrieks with fright, disappearing from view.

(can update the map this evening)

[Phil]

"I am not liking this at all.  Whatever killed all of these goblins is surely the more dangerous enemy.  Faraway, are there any tracks that would give some clue?"

Owen plans of following the living goblin if nothing of note from our tracker.

[Lotofsnow]

Faraway turns from where he'd been staring, stunned, at the pile of charred bodies. Obviously rattled, he instead looks to the ground, searching for any tracks that might serve as a clue as to who or what performed this act.

Survival 1d20+10 : 20 + 10, total 30

Edit: Forgot my backslash

[Porteiro]

"What makes you think that whatever did this is our enemy?" Jeddy asks Owen.

[Phil]

"If it were folks from Sandpoint, I think Shalelu and Hemlock would have known of their intentions and given us warning.  Though I suppose a group from Magnimar could be responsible.  The licktoad attacks could have invoked the wrath of someone with resources.  But I do not think it likely.  Call it a hunch, I suppose." 

[Lotofsnow]

"I'm not sure about that, Owen."

The druid points to the various tracks he's been eying in the area.

"See these goblin tracks? Well, there are also larger tracks, man or elf-sized, among them. Some of them even seem to go into and out of the pool. A few follow the drag marks."

[SteveRogers]

"You think someone has been dragging goblins out of this village?" S'Vith asks curiously.  And then more warily, "Or have they been disposing of their dead?"

[SpamHead]

"I do not know whom is responsible, but if we can take the bounties on them it would mean gold earned for no goblins killed. Or if  the ears are already taken the ears then we know it knows about the bounty system and maybe someone in Sandpoint could tell us who collected the bounty. Or perhaps we could just question the goblin we saw, if we can catch him that is"

he then checks the corpses for ears (if any are left unburnt that is)

[TheTick]

Horcrust checks a few crispy goblins, but there are only 2 that recognizably still have ears near the bottom of the pyre.  And yes, both ears were present.  We'll have to see if the Sheriff will take those.  :P ;)

[SpamHead]

"Apparently whoever killed and burned these goblins was not interested in collecting the reward, but intelligent enough to burn them in the first place. But then again the culprit may not have visited Sandpoint at all."

[Phil]

"The surviving goblins could also have been burning their own dead.  In a swamp, cremation is likely more practical than burial."

Owen silently pauses for prayer.  Sarenrae, may these souls find peace and redemption.

"Let us look further into the village.  Our quest is not complete without finding this Gutwad, be he living or dead."

Probably too late to chase the living goblin, and I don't suspect he's much of a threat.  I'd probably just go to wherever is most natural next.  Probably further towards the center of the village.

[TheTick]

Would've sworn I updated this map and posted it.  Basically, the blacked out building is the most 'grand', such as it is.  Other than the guard towers pointed out, the only new things you can see are more hovels - and one spot where it looks like one was burned down. (H8)

[Lotofsnow]

"I agree, my friend. Gutwad and the source of these fireworks are our primary goals. Though it would be more efficient to spread out to search the huts, I believe we should try to stick together. We don't know if whoever did this still lurks about. Plus, the stink of burning flesh could possibly have drawn other unwelcome visitors."