As the crowds disperse, the two Harengone notice a rather creepy looking faerie floating around them. ((feel free to rp anything about this before continuing on with what happens next))

As the day moves on, a number of goblins take up the other challenges, though two in particular are best able to complete the tasks of sneaking, or devouring the slugs on the table. Just after dark there is suddenly a cacophony of sounds coming from the Moot house, the large house in the center of the town, that sounds like it might be the equivilent of goblin horns announcing a leader. Just as the 'trumpets blare' you hear a FOOMPH, and a tiny ball of fire flies from the house towards a bonfire pit in the center of town causing it to burst into flame. As this is happening some goblins start to gesture that Inif' and Black Ears, as they've taken to calling Giovani, should go towards the center to receive a great honor. The chief himself will speak!

Soon after, a rather rotund goblins walk/waddles out from the Moot House and looks down to the two outsiders, as well as to two goblins who are gathered in the center. Of the goblins in the center, one's face is covered in pimples and boils which look ready to pop at any time, and he is carrying a cage with a pet spider in it. He was the winner of the Hide Dare. The other is standing with a wicked grin on his face, and wears some type of skull as a hat. He seems to be mumbling to himself a bit as everyone waits for the chief to speak. He was the winner of the slug eating Dare.

Looking down at the four of you in the center, the Chief begins to speak, his voice surprisingly deep and booming. "You be heroes! Each of you. You be strongest of the day but for me. And maybe for Slorb. That you aren't feeling in terror from might sound of my voice is all the proof you should need. You also win games! Hard games! So I have mission for you. Dangerous mission!"

You know of map found in Scribbleface's hut. Fireworks are fun. But map is more fun! It shows route to place near coast where Scribbleface found fireworks. And it says more fireworks there! Tonight we play. Apples and fire! Much fun! Tomorrow you fetch me fireworks If you meet men, you make them dead. If you meet dogs, you make them dead. If you meet horses you make them dead. If you meet Lotslegs Eat Goblin Babies Many, you maybe should run. And if you not find fireworks, you not come back or we feed you to Squealy Nord!"

He then hands a map over to Slorb, who you now know is the goblin who had been distributing the prizes, who walks down to the Four and holds out the map. "Play tonight! Tomorrow be difficult!"

The two other goblins in the center look at each other, and then to you, the outsiders, to see how you will react to this. They seem ready to take on the challenge.

Giovani gives a polite half-bow. “Effort was given and a prize provided, an accord made in good faith. A new accord is now begun… I, Giovani Rossi, will be happy to find fireworks for you.” 

His speech is both ritualistic and bland for having clearly been repeated in the past. Giovani begins thumbing a bag of something that sounds like many small items clattering together as he turns towards the odd faerie, the harengone, and the yellow skinned being. He moves away from the front of the crowd and gestures to them to come closer. 

“I believe we are strangers, but I believe in the power of strange… I’d very much enjoy your company on this endeavor. Some say goblins are unpredictable, but I find them rather… too predictable. If you were to join me, I would enjoy interesting company.”

Autumnleaf swirls in the air around the Rabbitfolk that called her over among these strangers, coming to a halt in the air before them and letting her grin grow, almost splitting her face in half and flashing her needle teeth to them. "Hmm, well, I'll follow to these fireworks you seek, yes yes yes, though unless something changes, no more, no less."

Inif' Itum, walks deliberately towards Giovani, side-stepping the vivacious goblins around him.

"My name is Inif' Itum, a stranger in this land of yours.  I would join you, if your word is true and your heart contains no evil.  I am still in search of my path, perhaps it is the same as yours in this moment."

Inif eyes the goblin winners.  "And will they come?"

Giovani shrugs at Inif. “I don’t think I’ve ever found a heart wholly free of evil, but surely my word is true. Still, if you find it’s too much to risk, then perhaps this is not the journey for you.”

Giovani strokes a whisker as he looks towards the goblin winners. “I believe they will be on this mission as well, yes.” 

Finally, he turns to Autumnleaf: “Oh, do as you wish, so long as it isn’t boring.”

Speedwell’s ears twitch back and forth as he considers his response. “I’ll go.” Then, in a whisper he says so only his fellow strangers can hear, “someone needs to keep an eye on the goblins, after all.”

The two goblins are watching and listening to you as they look over the map. They are seemingly a bit confused at those who were not invited joining to help, but don't say much about it, at least not in Common. If you want to take a look at the map, they are sitting squat on the ground with it between them, so it'd be easy enough to join their pow-wow. 

The map itself is relatively simple, showing little more than the Licktoad Village, the old shipwreck on the coast that supposedly contains the fireworks, and the creek that runs between the two locations. There are no written labels on the map though, just landmarks and simple marks or drawings. It appears that simply following the creek should lead you towards the shipwreck. As the goblins look over the map, they are pointing to the area around the shipwreck and in a mix of common and goblin, you hear them say "Vorka's land?" and it's easy to tell that Vorka is a person, or goblin, or something, and whatever it is, they are generally scared of it.

Floating over to the Goblins, Autumnleaf hovers upside down, looking up at the map on the ground. "Such fear in tender Goblin words I hear, for Vorka's land along the way, but who is Vorka, if you'd be so kind to say?"

“Vorka…” Giovani says this softly, trying to recall anything he might know of Vorka as thunder crashes through the sky. 

Speedwell looks over the map to see if he knows the area and if so, are there any dangers that he would know about?

"Vorka is greatest terror of swamp." says the goblin with the frog on his head. "She cannibal goblin. no good. Eat longshanks ok. But eat goblin not ok."

As speedwell looks over the map, it's easy to figure out what it's showing, and that overall the coast shouldn't be all that far away. Assuming the creator had any sense of scale. Unfortunately though, this area itself isn't specifically well known to you.

Speedwell’s ears stop moving around for a moment and they both hone in on the goblin that just spoke. “A goblin that is described as ‘Greatest terror’? Well, this quest just got my full attention.” Looking to the goblin that just spoke, Speedwell says, “What do you know about this swamp and do you have a general store we could visit?”

"I once read it is difficult to easily compare the differences in a creature's predilection." Inif' looks at his companions for an awkward pause.  "But I think we can agree cannibalism is ill work."

Autumnleaf titters a bit at that, but says nothing, still looking at the map from her upside down position in the air.

“I’ve often said I’d try anything once, but yes, cannibalism may be a step too far.” Giovani says with an aloof demeanor. “So, ready to lead the way, navigator?” He gestures at Autumnleaf.

At the gesture, Autumnleaf looks over at Giovani, still upside down, and tilts her head with a smile. "Navigating the wilds, you entrust to this one? Oh dear, oh my, what fun, what fun!" She pirouettes once before spinning around to be upright, and moves as though walking on air around the map, tapping her chin and letting out a thoughtful hum here and there, eventually looking up and pointing in a direction. "If henceforth to adventure we all be lured, then that way, supple friend, onward, onward."

With the group all seemingly ready to head out now, even though the party is just getting started, the goblins look at each other, shrug, and seem curious to see what it would be like to travel with non goblins. The one with the spider in a cage does respond about a store though, saying in his broken common, "Store? uh... no no... no store. What you need? What you have? Maybe can trade."

Looking at the map, anyone with a survival roll of 10+ can easily tell that it's likely a handful of hours walk from here, following a smallish river, towards the coast. Though, it being near dusk now, would mean either night travel, or potentially a camp in the night.

Please let me know marching order as you walk through the swamp, as well as any perception rolls, or anything else you'd like to do while marching. The two goblin friends will choose to walk together, either in the front, or back, of the group.

Autumnleaf will be at the front, and the back, and in between as her fancy takes her while she floats about.

Inif' Itum will be second, focused and ready for action.

Giovani will be near the front, letting the goblins bring up the rear