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As you walk down the stairs from the Mayor's office to the Town Hall's impressive entry hall, you know there is much to be done.  But what shall you do first?

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Cato walked out of the meeting with the Mayor in a daze.  He couldn't believe how much had happened in just the last few days in Sandpoint.  And also how much of Sandpoint's future rested on the shoulders of Kellan, Liseth, Pisca, Kerr and Cato.  Cato tried to imagine himself in the Mayor's shoes.  It seemed strange to place so much trust in them.  Cato shook his head.  It had worked out well so far, he guessed.  Why not continue?  And besides, what other choice did the Mayor have?  How many people had fought the goblins during the Swallowtail Festival.

Cato looked at his comrades as they filed out of the office.  "I definitely need to consult with Sage Quink about collapsing those tunnels.  Pisca, are you interested in accompanying me?  The shopping trip to Bottled Solutions might be..."  Cato winked "...entertaining as well."

"I suppose it would be good if I had some bolts to fall back on, though I figure I'll try to do most of the fighting against this quasit with magic.  That should be effective.  Pisca, if you're going to get arrows for yourself, would you mind getting some bolts for me as well?  Kellan, I'm not sure if any of the guards' weapons would work for me.  I never really learned how to wield any proper weapons, and I don't think I want to be menacing the quasit with a dagger if I can help it.  But our tactics against Tsuto might work against the quasit if we can get him cornered, so it might help to have something that would actually threaten it."  Cato shook his head.  "Or perhaps those tactics didn't really work out that well, but at the very least, it's good to have options, right?"

Cato rubbed his palms together.  "Sorry if I'm going on.  I just need to do something, or I actually think about what we're doing.  Fighting demons.  Saving the town.  Trying to collapse tunnels and prevent this goblin invasion.  It's..." Cato look at his friends again.  "Well, it's more than I thought I'd be doing in Sandpoint."

Cato sighed again.  "I suppose we should put on a brave face when we're around town.  Need people to keep their spirits up, right?"

Cato gestured out the entry hall, encompassing the wider town.  "So, if there's no objections, I suppose I'll go have a consultation with Brodert about the best way to collapse some tunnels."

Once Kellan was out of the Town Hall he  slowly made his way down the steps, tossing the key into the air a few times and catching it. Being handed the key to the Sandpoint Armory by Alergast Barret was like culminating several fantasies from his youth all at once, and despite the dour nature of the reason it brought a small smile to his face.

He had never known that the garrison even stocked such weapons! maybe the town was better prepared than he had given them credit for. Even then the gift of iron blades cold hammered into shape without the aid of a flame seemed like a very particular and fitting gift from the now deceased lord. How much had he known?

"I'll see what I can find for you" he assured Cato "showing up with weapons custom tailored for the purpose of killing his ilk might at least shake his morale. For once it seems we have the advantage of being on the attack...and as far as doing something for Sandpoint, I'm right there with you...Most of what we do is wrangling drunks and breaking up domestic spats, marching forth to slay demons is a new one for the Guard, at least as far as I'm aware."

He stretched his newly healed body and found it much more pleasant and pliable "After that I think I'll go to see Shayliss and her Father..." He trailed off "and probably Savah after that" he rubbed his chin "Actually having a reason to go into the Feathered Serpant for once instead of just ogling the baubles is nice, but I don't even know what I'm looking for"

"I think your right about now getting people worked up...we can just say we are on a mission for the town, it's the truth after all" he replied to Cato "I guess we will all meet up at the dragon tonight to go over what we found? And for dinner, of course" he was obviously a still hungry

Coming out of the meeting, Liseth was overjoyed.  Also scared and nervous, but mostly overjoyed; Kerr was going to come with them to explore the tunnels tomorrow!  She couldn't wait to see Kerr in action, the young blonde was certain that he would do splendidly.  And it would be the perfect opportunity for him to realize that he was supposed to be a Paladin, when that evil demon showed its face.  Kerr had Liseth's full confidence and support, she knew that he would be up to the task!

The girl held Kerr's arm when the two of them walked out with the others, listening to Cato and Kellan speak of their plans.  "How do you think that you'll be able to collapse the tunnels Cato?  If they have been there as long as everyone seems to think, they might be more sturdy than they look too."  She thought for a moment, "Well, if anyone can do it, I'm sure that it would be you and Pisca.  I don't know much about making tunnels collapse."

"I've only been in Sandpoint for two weeks."  Liseth looked towards Cato when he talked about how overwhelming things were, "I wanted to study the gods at the Cathedral; and it wasn't even my idea to begin with.  Father Garrick is the one who said that it would help me."  She shrugged helplessly, but her arm remained linked with Kerr's, "I think that the gods wanted us all to be here, right now.  Even with all of the bad things that are happening.  Because they know that, with our help, the people of Sandpoint will be safe."

"Kellan, can Kerr and I go with you to the armory?"  The blonde acolyte looked towards Kellan, then back up to Kerr next to her.  She smiled, "We need to find Kerr some armor, so that he looks like a proper hero.  Maybe a steel breastplate, polished to a bright shine."  Liseth looked Kerr up and down, imagining him in full battle gear, ready to slay evil demons and monsters.  "And he has to have a sword..." she paused, Kerr said that he didn't know how to use a sword yet, "Or maybe a flanged mace.  And a shining shield to go with his shining armor!"

Thoughts of arming herself passed quickly through Liseth's mind.  The last time she tried to use a weapon it didn't turn out very well, even with the weapon training that she received from her father and brother.  Besides, with Kerr there fighting with them, Liseth didn't think that she would need to use a weapon.  But maybe she should borrow a shield from the armory while they were there?  She knew how to wield a shield in battle; a heater shield or a kite shield would help a lot more than a dagger if she got herself cornered by monsters again.  Even though they were so heavy.  But not near as heavy as armor like what Kellan was wearing.  Liseth was exhausted just thinking of trying to walk around in forty pounds of mail!  She couldn't understand just why her father insisted that she learn how.

That was an awful few weeks.

"So you know how to use a longbow Kerr?  I never pictured you as a hunter before."  Liseth smiled mischievously at her boyfriend, "Especially after you told me that you were so terrible at following tracks!"  Her smile became slightly sheepish, "I was always too small to use a longbow; I couldn't pull the bowstring back far enough to get the arrow to do anything.  Daddy settled for teaching me how to use a crossbow instead; they are so much easier to use."  She shrugged again, "But I haven't even touched one since Daddy said that I was 'proficient.'"

"Oh! Kellan, about the Rusty Dragon tonight."  Liseth turned back to the others, "I asked Father Zantus to go to the Rusty Dragon too, so that he could talk to Ms Kaijitsu about...well...you know."  She frowned, "I don't really feel right letting her cook for us after what happened in the Glassworks today.  Maybe I'll go there earlier, before the Mayor's speech, and help her out."  She had a thought, "If it's okay with Father Zantus anyway.  He might want Kerr and me to help him with the...um...arrangements for the glassworkers that were killed by the goblins."  Her tone made it clear to everyone present that she did not favor the idea of going back in there to see the mutilated bodies.  But she couldn't just leave Father Zantus and the other acolytes to take care of it by themselves.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:44, Mon 03 Feb 2014.

"Bolts.  Right.  And cold iron arrows.  Right.  I'll see whether I can find some in two sizes.  And look for a polearm for me, Stomper.  Alright?  I'd like one too."  The gnome ran to a corner of the hallway outside the Mayor's office and grabbed up a broom.  She twirled the towering household implement once about her body before chopping down with the sweeping end.  "Ha!" the gnome exclaimed by way of declaring her competence with the weapon.  "Haha!  Right-sized, please."

"Oh, wait!"  Pisca cast the broom aside in her haste to catch Lysa and her boyfriend before they left.  Then, to her credit, she turned abruptly about and swept the broom up off the ground, returning it to its corner before rushing, at last, to Sandpoint's latest and most prominent ecclesiastic couple.  "Wait.  Waitwaitwait.  Hereherehere."  The strawberry blond gnome took one of Lysa's hands and then one of Kerr's as well.  "Here.  Hold hands.  Alright, alright.  That's good."  Pisca stepped back to examine the effect, but shook her head.  Something wasn't right."

"Try holding your arms up.  Up.  Yes.  That's it.  No.  It's still not working.  Why is it not working?  Alright, alright.  Say this.  Both of you together ... 'Wonder Twins Activate.'"

A look of profound bewilderment clouded the gnome's face, and her hands went to her hips as she pondered the problem.  "That's supposed to trigger the change.  It's supposed to work.  Try, 'Ess Pee Dee Emergency.'"  Pisca threw up her arms when even that failed to elicit the change she was so certain would transpire.  "Alright.  Enough for now.  I'll work on it.  We'll get it.  I don't know what's wrong, but I'll figure it out.  Maybe it's bad planar alignment or something.  We'll get there."

"I'll go with Cato now to discuss the collapsing of the tunnels.  Maybe after that we can head to Solutions and talk to Nisk Tander.  Then, maybe, meet up with Stomper and drop in on Savah's and The Feathered Serpent."

"After that ... "  Pisca paused, carefully eying all of the humans present before continuing.  "I'll drop by the House of Blue Stones and see what they might have on old ruins that might have been here when Sandpoint was established.  It also occurs to me that this Quasit, if it did get loose of an overly familiar thralldom, that it's probably not been just lazing about all this time.  Especially if it's work itself into a position wherein it's now in charge of a cadre of freaks.  You gotta wonder what sort of skills it's been perfecting all this time.  Maybe it's now a master mage.  Or maybe it's been studying the exotic skills of the assassins of far Tian Xia.  You don't get to be Freak Master by being a weaky-poo."

In actuality, she'd wanted some time to slip down to the Fatman's Feedbag.  Jubrayl would appreciate some prior warning of what's been discovered.  Even if it was only a warning of a few hours.  She'd be able to tell him first hand, what they'd found, without any facts that Mayor Deverin would undoubtedly leave out to protect the greater public.  And, maybe, the offering would be enough to prompt him to reciprocate in kind.  If Lord Kaijitsu was indeed involved, this would be big.  The repercussions could bring in all five of the noble families of Sandpoint.  This might give Jubrayl the time that he needed to erase all traces leading back to himself.  And that might leave him in enough of a debt to Pisca that he might give her the entire story.  In her mind, the gnome had no doubt that Jubrayl knew.  Little went on in Sandpoint without his knowledge.

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Archaeologist's Luck 1/7

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As the members of the party bade each other farewell and headed off to their various destinations, they could feel Sandpoint’s atmosphere undergoing a shift.  Across the street the Garrison was as busy as it had ever been; several uniformed guardsmen attempted to organize the steady stream of men responding to the militia call-up, while others led small groups of such men away to the Southmarket Square where their training would occur.  Although the guardsmen were distributing guisarmes to the newly-impressed militiamen, it seemed that each man was required to provide his own armor, at least for today; the resulting pastiche of combat attire would have been comical if its cause had not been so deadly serious.

Mardin Crowfeather, the town’s crier, strode down Main Street, declaiming to all who would listen that Mayor Deverin was calling an important town meeting in Northchurch Square at the seventh bell after noon and that all were expected to attend.  Mardin’s unusually-loud voice, so necessary to pierce the town’s normally-bustling background noise, now seemed shrill and strident, especially when contrasted with the more-restrained noises made by Sandpoint’s newly-subdued citizenry.

People walking Main Street did so hurriedly and with a purpose, showing none of their normal leisurely friendliness.  Indeed, the glances and quick acknowledgments Sandpoint’s citizens gave each other reflected the kind of forced bonhomie more typical of those sharing battlements than boulevards.

It was as if the town as a whole was beginning to suspect that it had drawn the unwanted attentions of unknown individuals of opaque inspiration and evil intent.

But things had changed for the townspeople who saw Kellan, Liseth, Cato, and Pisca emerge from City Hall.  They nudged each other and pointed; smiles even sprung to a few lips as they contemplated the striking figures cut by Sandpoint’s very own Saviors.  Passersby who spotted the group found an extra spring in their step and hope in their hearts.  What could threaten Sandpoint when such heroes stood guard?  Surely whatever matter had inspired Mayor Deverin to hastily call a town meeting could not overmatch Sandpoint’s dedicated guardians.

Surely.

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