(Tresvar  helps with persuading) “Yes, we are on a rescue mission,  anything you know might be useful to us.  I understand few adventurers return from there?” 

"Hmmmm", Garon grows serious. Then looking at the party earnestly, "As I said, we have not had many adventurer's in the area for some time. Years in fact, before this last expedition. About thirteen years ago, a grim human named Belak stopped by asking about the Citadel. I remember him because he had a very large pet frog. Like so many before him, and now, after, he never came back. No, the only good thing that has ever come out of the Citadel is an apple which the goblins who infest there bring to sell once a year in summer. Amazing curative properties it has, but even that is a double-edged sword, as it has provided just enough temptation for young people like the Hercule's to risk their lives on foolish expedition. No, the best thing in my opinion would be to bury the old place. Let the mountain fall upon it and let it rest. That dragon cult and their patrons did something horrible, that much is certain. The area around it is cursed, even before the eruption. You have heard of the Ashen Plain - scorched by their dragon lord so nothing grows there, even still. And now, some creatures are attacking people and animals who find themselves on the road near the ruins by night. That reminds me ... " He turns to a customer at one of the tables, "Jons, you best be staying here tonight. I'll make up a room. Don't want to have to explain to your wife and kids if you never make it home."

He turns back to the adventurers, "Jons has a farm just outside of the Ashen Plain. Not safe to travel home in the dark. Several of his cattle were killed the other night. Just like the travelers and other animals who have been killed, they were found dead the next day, bearing dozens of needle-like wounds. No one has seen the creatures that cause this mayhem, nor do they leave a discernible trail, but I warrant its all tied up with that ruin." 

"Well, I hope that Volo's has prepared you better than the others who have gone before you. I wish you luck, only because I know what it means to Kerowyn. But if you do get back from there, and not saying its any of my business, but if I were you, I would destroy those ruins so no one could follow after."

Banjo looks over the delicious entrees and regrets spending 5sp on an extra ration when he could have been enjoying one of these feasts instead.  Is it possible to get some milk and possible a piece of bread within his remaining budget of 3sp?

"Garon," Banjo chimes in when the innkeep mentions goblins, "Good evening.  Jebeddo Banjo Thunderdiggles.  Pleasure to make your aquaintance.  Did I hear you correct that these goblins engage in trade with the town?  So this is a friendly, or at least, a peaceful tribe?"

Turning back to the rest of the group, "I had hoped to discuss with you all some ideas I have about goblins.  They can be... difficult to deal with.  I know well, for in my youth I followed a course of study that taught me much about them.  My family had acquired a small collection of goblin writings.  Rare, as they seldom care much for the written word.  These were of an arcane nature and in my zeal I became convinced that perhaps the goblins possessed some unique and unexplored insights into magic and mysticism.  So through great pains I learned to read and even speak the goblin tongue.  It proved less than a productive use of my time as the works were..." he pauses and looks away from eye contact with the ladies.  "... Let me just say they were not what I thought they were and the unknown goblin author had a very blue sense of humour."

"In any case," he quickly brings himself back to the point, "if this is friendly tribe of goblins, I can act as a diplomatic point of contact given I can speak their language.  If they prove... less than friendly... I have some other ideas.  I possess a spell called disguise self that allows me to alter my appearance. I am already close to the right size and shape, so it is a simple thing for me to 'appear' to be a goblin.  Given I speak the language, I may be able to... I don't know... pretend to relieve a guard?  Ask a goblin patrol for directions?  I think the options are limited only by the situations we find ourselves in and our imaginations.  As a means of demonstration...".

Banjo casts disguise self, altering his appearance.  Before the eyes of those at the table, he transforms into a goblin.  It is a bit of a caricature, with a pointy orange hat and curly toed orange shoes, but otherwise he looks like a goblin... "Well?  Is this a great idea or is this a great idea?"... but still sounds like Banjo.

Also, can Banjo make a nature check to see if the needle wounds and animal deaths ring any bells about a potential culprit?  Nature 20

Garon serves all of the party who wish to dine or eat, and moves on to take care of the other tables and make sure that Jons has a place to stay. He leaves the party to discuss among themselves while enjoying the hearty local ale.

“Banjo, I will gladly cover your meal, you can pay me back from the massive fortunes we are about to recover from the ruins” Tresvar laughs.   “And I think your idea is a good one.”   

Goran replies to Banjo's inquiry about the goblins with bemusement... "Friendly? Humph. Greedy, opportunistic peddlers of mischief! Some people have tried to plant the seeds from the summer apple.  The plants grow for a year, then disappear. I figure the goblins steal the plants back. They don't want anyone having access to their treasure. They also sometimes bring a white apple in the winter. It has the opposite effect as the summer apple, bringing death and illness. I suppose you could say at the least that they are intelligent and can be communicated with, but I wouldn't trust them"

As to Banjo's recognition of the wounds:

"Any particular god? I don't know. I tried to study about the gods a little, but none of them seem to bless children for no reason, and I don't know the reason I was blessed to determine who could have done so." She sighs, then closes her hand and let it rest after Serena's figure in her hand flickers and disappears. "I hoped they might reveal themselves to me, perhaps to tell me the purpose of this blessing, or - before I ran away - to get me out of my house. They never did anything like that, but these powers never disappeared either." At the very least, the way Serena responded to the revelation makes Livia feel better. She feared she might respind similarly to her parents, that she might want to stop her from using these powers because they could be dangerous, but her fears seemed to have been unreasoned.

"Whatever god decided to bless you Livia had a good reason to do it I´m sure. Time will tell my friend." Serena says to Livia as they near the Inn.

"Thank you for your help Garon, we will be sure to bury the place as soon as we have rescued any adventurers and retrieved any treasures kept there." Serena says to the Innkeeper as he finishes his tale.

"Brilliant idea Banjo, I´m looking forward to see you playing the goblins for the fools they are." Serena says giggling at the sight of unlikely dressed goblin sitting at Banjos place.

"So a magical fruit whose seeds grow into a plant that then disappear. Have you considered the possibility that those plants are magical as well and that they simply left on their own accord?" Serena asks Garon after emptying her tankard of ale.

Quote from Oberon99 >>

"So a magical fruit whose seeds grow into a plant that then disappear. Have you considered the possibility that those plants are magical as well and that they simply left on their own accord?" Serena asks Garon after emptying her tankard of ale.

"Actually Serena... I suspect that might be exactly what has happened.  I've read about magical plants that, once awakened, prey upon animals and people.  The description of the injuries here is remarkably consistent with those tales."  

"Goblins... magic apples... ancient dragon cults... magical plant monsters... if there is a common thread running through all this I cannot see it."

Quote from Tesservett >>

“Banjo, I will gladly cover your meal, you can pay me back from the massive fortunes we are about to recover from the ruins” Tresvar laughs.   

"Ah, noble Tresvar.  Once again, I owe you my life... or at least my constitution in this case.  Let it not be said I am not a gnome of fair dealing."  (This might be a bit amusing as it appears to be spoken by a goblin)  "When we return the Lady's children to her and are hailed as famous heroes throughout the land, no version of the tale will be told that dares to omit the part about virtuous Tresvar buying a meal for her humble and hungry friend Banjo."

"So you are thinking that the awakened plants caused the needle-like wounds, interesting theory Banjo. If you are right there might be more of them in the Sunless Citadel, grown there by the goblins." Serena says shuddering at the thought of nature being corrupted into cattle slaying beasts.

Between serving tables, Garon replies to Serena's and Banjo's theory, "Well, I'll leave those details to you experts. Many farmers would be pleased to know what it is and how to stop them."

"Yes, I suspect we will find the truth about this eventually." Serena answers Garon. Unless there are other people around worth interviewing Serena finishes her meal and gathers her things. "Back to the manor for a good nights sleep in a soft bed then?" She says smiling to the others. 

“Yes, I’m ready for sleep,  thank you Garson for your hospitality and information.  Gods willing, we will solve these mysteries and make things safer.  ” Tresvar says, finishing her ale and paying for her and Banjo’s meal.   

Garon nods and wishes the party success "Pelor be willing".

-------------------------------------------------------

Upon return to the manor, Kerowyn greets the adventures in a simple, but elegant housecoat. She shows them to the room she has prepared. A large bed and a trundle, each with featherbeds and soft linens wait to receive them. Behind a curtained area are set a small bench and some large bowls of rose water. Upon the dresser are bowls of flowers and pomander balls, giving the room a warm, welcoming scent. The room is lit with oil lamps and there is a small fireplace lit.

She bids them a good night's sleep and closes the door.

Having dropped the goblin disguise long before they returned to the manor, Banjo thanks their client for the lodgings.  "Lady Kerowyn, we plan to depart with the dawn.  Do we need to speak with you before we leave, or if the house is still asleep do we have your leave to take to the road without waking you?"

With that question answered, Banjo will leave the women to sort out sleeping arrangements on the bed and will stretch out on the floor before the fireplace, arms behind his head, and is soon snoring softly in the slightly musical way that gnomes probably snore.

(*** Were the conversations between Livia and Serena about Livia's nature happening in private, or out in front of everyone?  It had seemed private at first but later overlapped with some other conversations with the group.  Banjo had been assuming Livia was a rogue or perhaps an untrained fighter... but was secretly hoping she would reveal herself, in the group's darkest hour, to be some sort of secret martial arts master and take out the BBEG with a flying kick from across the room... I was just wondering if her nature as a sorcerer has been revealed in front of Banjo, or if his head-canon is still in play..... :) )

"Dibs!" Serena says, throwing herself at at the large bed. "We could share of course." she says looking back, smiling at Livia and Tresvar.

Tresvar will insist on everyone else having a place to sleep and will take what is left- floor, trundle, or bed.  She’s so large she is concerned she will take up too much room on the bed.

 In any case, she removes her armor, she wears some padded clothing underneath, but everyone can see her body is covered in a beautiful pattern of metallic golden scales. 

Once sleeping arrangements are settled, she also falls asleep quickly, but her longsword is in easy reach.  

(Somewhat private, somewhat with everyone else around? Once she decided to tell Serena, she wouldn't hide it from the others. However, like I said, she doesn't reveal it inside any of the stores. I guess it'll be your choice whether he heard or not, then? Anyway, Banjo's imagination isn't far from the truth. I originally planned to keep her abilities "hidden" (from the characters) until something really demands them. She would manage just fine with only a crossbow for a few levels, though I doubt it would take that long, when many 0 CR enemies can seem like life-threatening monsters (4 HP and all...). But, because she didn't really try to hide it too much, Serena's questions brought it out earlier than I planned.)

Livia wants to object at first, thinking everyone should be sleeping in the same way. But, once she sees Banjo is already sleeping on the floor, and Tresvar insists she should sleep on the trundle, she gives in. After all, it's not like the idea of sleeping on a comfortable bed didn't sound good, and she's still not accustomed to the uncomfortable places she's been sleeping on for many days now.

((OOC: in a medieval society, it would be very unlikely to find accommodations with a bed per person. It was more usual to share beds. Beds as we know them were really a luxury item.))

The companions rest well in such comfortable surroundings. Dreams of caravan travel through the marshes interweaves with those of dragons and arcane magics, as well as the inspiration of developing friendship among the party.

 The party awakes the next morning extremely well rested to the scent of warm bread and bacon and eggs. In a room adjoining they find a table spread with a very hearty breakfast.

There is a note from Kerowyn:

Adventurers, I hope you slept well. Please forgive my absence at your departure. Business never waits. I look forward to your return with news of my family. May Pelor guide your way.

~ Lady Kerowyn Hercule