Quote from Tybard >>

Quote from BlackBear_ >>

“Can I keep Erk?” Luk asks everybody.

The half-drow considers Luk for a time, sensing no ill intent whatsoever in the bleeding barbarian.  And yet...

"A goblin is not a pet, Luk, nor... a s-slave," Rel keeps her voice quiet, but stutters on the last word, almost choking on it.  "A goblin is a murderous enemy, as my friend Roywyn and I discovered to our sorrow.  We already let the last 'Erk' escape, and who knows what harm will come of that."

 

 Luk looks downcast “Awww. Maybe you’re right. But he could be new friend?”

Sildar interjects, "This miserable creature might be the only one left who can tell us where they took Gundrun. That said, if we can track Erk, chances are he'll be going to the same place."

Nodding once more at Rel, the paladin looks around for anything that might prove useful for their task, including checking the bugbear's body. 

Then he hears the ongoing conversation and his ears perk up before his eyes scan the cavern once more, just now realising that the other goblin has managed to escape. When did this happen? Probably in the chaos of the attack, with everything else going on, nobody paid any attention to the vile creature. With a sigh, the high elf turns to face the group once more. "Sildar is right. You...," he turns to take a better look at the goblin, scrutinizing its form. "Where was the other captive taken? The dwarf?"

Rel's expression hardens as she looks up at the barbarian when he says he wishes to be friends with the goblin.

She does nod tightly when Sildar and Aeran describe how the cowering foe may provide information on their dwarven friend's whereabouts.  She stares down the goblin, unaware that she looks every bit a younger version of her hated drow matriarch mother.

"I have yet to witness this phenomenon you all describe of a goblin being useful.  If it can help you find your ally Gundrun, all the better.  I support that fully.  So let us hear it.  Otherwise, since the goblin must only speak to be useful, it can do without its hands once we remove them."

Lukuth noticing Rel’s expression looks confused. “Are you okay?”

Mara steps forward, her face softening. She looks at the arrows protruding from Luk's body and grimaces. Luk seems less bothered by his own injuries than Mara is.

Now that the engagement is over, she seems more drained by her own injuries again.

"I'm not sure how much use we would be to your friend if we rush off after him in this state," she says. "It looks like we could all do with some rest and healing."

She looks at the goblin and then at Rel, eyebrows knitted in a combination of consternation and curiosity. "I'm not sure removing body parts is necessary. It doesn't seem to be much of a threat surrounded by all of us." She gestures around at the group with her staff.

"That's right, the fight is over, there is no need for unnecessary violence, despite what their kin is capable of," Aeran glances over from Rel to Luk and then to Mara, suddenly feeling a bit tense. He then nudges the goblin carefully. "Speak."

Rel turns back to Luk and looks him square in the eyes angrily.  "No, I am not okay, Luk.  As I already explained.  These goblins, maybe even this one here, and maybe Erk, ambushed me and my best friend Roywyn a short time back.  We escaped the Underdark, the two of us, up endless caverns for weeks, only for these cave rats to slay her for nothing more than the few coins and trinkets she carried.  So no, I do not want a 'goblin friend' anywhere near me."

She turns back to the others, and her pale grey irises flicker to black briefly once more, as they had during the battle.  Black to match her earrings.

"This one may be alone and surrounded now, but so was Erk until moments ago.  Now Erk has snuck off, and so will this one, in time.  To join other goblins, to ambush and kill other innocents.  Perhaps it is their feet, not their hands, that we should remove.  Yet goblins are useful, you say.  So let us hear it.  Let the usefulness pour forth from this one's mouth.  If it helps find your friend Gundrun, who may yet live, that is something I can get behind."

The goblin speaks, timidly. "The dwarf. They took him to... to King Grol. Cragmaw Castle.." He tails off, eyes pleading.

Rel looks on impassively.

Her dark earrings sway slightly as she turns her head a fraction towards her new companions to determine whether these words, King Grol, Cragmaw Castle, mean anything to them.  Her hand is on her black warhammer and her dark face is expressionless.

Aeran turns to look at the rest of the group. "Does anyone know where the castle is?" The high elf isn't particularly sure he has heard of the place before or at least he doesn't seem to recall it for now. 

"I know this is not what you want to hear, but depriving this creature of its limbs is not going to bring back your friend. If you must exact some revenge on it, at least grant it a swift death," he adds in a softer tone to Rel. As much as he himself didn't like goblins, his paladin heart still insisted on some sort of honour and fairness even in this situation. 

“Castle!” Lukuth grins, “Maybe we get feast.” He grins broadly at everybody.

Quote from Tybard >>

Rel turns back to Luk and looks him square in the eyes angrily.  "No, I am not okay, Luk.  As I already explained.  These goblins, maybe even this one here, and maybe Erk, ambushed me and my best friend Roywyn a short time back.  We escaped the Underdark, the two of us, up endless caverns for weeks, only for these cave rats to slay her for nothing more than the few coins and trinkets she carried.  So no, I do not want a 'goblin friend' anywhere near me."

 

 “Awwww.” Luk’s expression is downcast for a second before he starts smiling again, “Well at least I still have you guys.”

"Aye, Luk, you still have your friends.  Even me, if you wish."  Rel's voice is soft.

To Aeran, she simply clarifies, "I am more than happy to grant this goblin a clean death.  My suggestion to take its limbs was only based on the suggestion that we were going to leave it alive, ensuring it would not kill and ambush other innocents once it too escapes as Erk has."

To the goblin, her voice becomes even softer, like the hiss of a blade against leather.  "The golden elf asked a question and it would be best to answer it fully.  Where is this castle and 'King Grol'?  Can you lead us there?  Tell us everything, and I mean everything, you know about both castle and king."

Luk beams at Rel. “New friend!”

The goblin speaks fast, hopeful of avoiding death if it can be helpful. "King Grol powerful. I know where castle is, can show you. But... he has many soldiers." The goblin screws up its face. "They will kill you if you go there."

"Surely there must be a way to avoid the soldiers," the high elf remarks as he produces a rope from his backpack and begins tying up the goblin, making sure this one isn't going to slip into the darkness of the caverns during their rest. "Or some other way into the castle. Any useful information will serve in your best interest as well, as you are probably aware."

Persuasion: 16

Luk frowns, “I can bash guards and you sneak in!” He looks hopefully at everybody.

Rel's expression softens.  A little.  Though her voice still carries the flat timbre that is her native accent, amplified by her recent grief.

"I would also like to know why.  These goblins ambushed my friend and me, slaying her for merely the few items she carried.  I have no doubt they would have done the same to me.  If I heard correctly, they captured Sildar and held him here.  Pardon my assumption, sir knight, that if your friends had not intervened here, things would not have ended well for you.  And yet... this dwarven friend of yours.  Gundrun?  Him, they take away to some well-guarded castle ruled by some King Grol.  WHY?  (And let me add that at least in the Underdark, I do not think goblins usually build castles!)"

She points her dark warhammer at the surviving goblin for emphasis.  "Everyone may be special and unique in their own way, but what made your friend Gundrun special to these goblins that they would carry him to their 'king' like a prize rather than slay him or keep him here?"

Luk expression becomes serious. “Yes goblin, why did you take Gundrun. He was friend.”

The goblin wilts under the interrogation. 

“I don’t know anything,” it whimpers. “I can show you castle, but I don’t know anything about the short fat hairy human and why King Grol want him.”