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Dwa 20th, 4288: 8 Days in the mortal realm

I didn't mean to leave my entry yesterday unfinished. The fire was dying and it was quite late into our first day of traveling from Podunk. I'll write about where we're heading at the end of this entry since I have a bit of time tonight. Like I had last wrote, I was mortally wounded, everything faded to white, and I was racked with anger at myself. A faint memory came back to me in the middle of my anguish. A family friend who helped me with conversion to Heironious in my youth, particular after the death of my parents, came to mind. ‘ ...Even we make choices that we are certain were the best for that situation only for dire consequences to follow. You will find yourself heartbroken, discouraged, wanting to do anything and everything to right the wrong. When that happens, think back to this time and how you felt Heironeous wronged you,’ only that was told to me before the death of my sister, being kicked out of heaven and discovering that Erythnul and Heironeous must be working together. And because of that, it seemed impossible that Heironeous could ever have had a heart and felt as awful about anything that happened to us as I did right then with the massacre I insisted upon!

Oh the anger that coursed through me at my rash decision. Maybe death would have been best for me.

The whiteness that enveloped me ebbed away into a haze in which I and my companions then saw a floating, archon lantern. I knew this to be a holy device used, in place of an Angel, to deliver a message. I was too involved in my own critical thought to catch the details of what was said, but I wouldn't be surprised if I was being thoroughly chastised. By the time I actually realized the archon lantern was delivering a message, I caught it making perfectly clear that we were to be given a second chance at what had transpassed. This time we had better not mess it up.

With that the orb disappeared and right before my eyes was the scene of the goblins right as I remembered seeing them when I first entered the clearing. I felt my body go rigid as the memories of the dead bodies flooded my mind from moments ago. Yet there they were; alive! As though nothing had happened. And that was exactly how I wanted to keep it, as though nothing had happened! I carefully looked back and saw my fellow comrades behind me still in the safety of the trees. I gestured to move back and made an attempted to move myself. Whether or not I would have been successful in such an attempt (a giant gash still etched across my torso), I clearly heard the lead goblin call after us.

“Hello there!” he called out in Common. I froze not daring to move. I looked at my companions and they too seemed unsure as what to do.

“Don’t worry, we see that one of you are wounded. We’re friendly and would be more than happy to help,” he said as he advanced our way. Soon enough he was next to me and could see the awful state I was in, “Would you like for one of our Clerics to heal you?” He asked. I desperately wanted to say no, but considering my condition, it would seem very odd to refuse. I managed to nod my head and soon a Cleric was at my side and healed me.

As I regained my feet under me, the rest of the party and I are warmly welcomed. They escorted us to a fire pit and offered their food to us (Griggs actually, to which Jessica accepted...). We sat around the fire and while there I noticed Billy was missing. A moment of panic swept through me but then I remember the cloak heirloom Rekka got. I assume she must have smartly gave her cloak to Billy to use. Gideon was missing, and still is. At the time I thought he must have been the lucky one to have snuck off without being detected, an impressive feat considering he was drunk. Now as I think about it, I wonder if his God was behind the archon lantern and he's off serving him for some other purpose currently.

The lead goblin once more told us of their plight and how they’re friendly. They had been chased out of their home by werewolves. Some humans had camped nearby them to which on the full moon they wreaked havoc. When they brought the mine up as a possible location for them, Isaac thankfully jumped on that and was able to get it across to them that there was bad magic down there. To this the goblins were concerned, but they don’t push the matter either. With the goblins unmotivated to move into the mines, we proposed that since they were friendly, perhaps they would be interested in temporarily moving into town (of course at the acceptance of the townsfolk). The goblins honored by such a notion and accepted it. Immediately we took off to put the plan in motion. The goblin leader pulls out his horn, a flash of panic swept over me, but followed very quickly by the rational part in my mind figuring he was merely rallying everyone together than for our doom.

We arrived back in Podunk, the goblins camping outside of it so we could get everything squared away. With no sign of the Mayor near or in his home, we headed to the tavern since that was a popular meeting place. Upon entering, we found that the Mayor was surrounded by Griggs. It could be assumed for the past hour the Griggs had mercilessly kept him dancing. We did have one of the goblins come to represent their cause with us and once the Griggs took a moment to acknowledge us, they coward to one corner of the tavern. It was enough to say the Mayor was relieved to finally stop dancing.

Isaac, after seeing that the Mayor was alright, set off to do other business and left me with the goblin to discuss with the Mayor the goblin’s plight. It didn’t matter much to me, at first, that Isaac left. It wasn't until after discussing the options with the Mayor that I got nervous. I tried highlighting the potential good that could come from the comradery with the goblins. They'd do well with caring for livestock would be able to tend the lands that were newly abandoned, or the land would become barren otherwise. But for whatever reason beyond me, the Mayor looked at me and asked, “Do you think this would be a good decision?” I looked around the place. Without Isaac to fall back on, I felt somewhat panicked. I looked to Cortanna, Rekka and Jessica. Courtanna shrugged since she was roughly 16 and still new to town herself. Rekka, who I thought was with Cortanna and Jessica, was no where to be seen. And Jessica, well she looked like she was busy comforting the Griggs with a plate of food. I looked back to the Mayor who had pleading eyes on me. I kind of wanted to give him an incredulous look suggesting, ‘ what do you think I think moron? I just made it sound like a good idea and figured you’d be the one to say yay or nay to it.’ And would also have added, ‘ I just showed up in town two days ago! Do you really think I’m qualified to make such a HUGE decision on behalf of all the townsfolk?!’

Having learned what my rash speaking was capable of doing hours ago, I took a deep breath, thought calmly for a moment before answering the Mayor. I suggested it would be wise as a temporary alternative, but we should handle it democratically and have the town vote on what they felt would be best for them. The Mayor accepted this to which I excuse myself from him and the goblin to go find Isaac. He being a member of this town would be best at getting them assembled. Cortanna followed close behind me.

We didn’t have to look long. As we walked a few squares from the tavern I saw Isaac off to the right by the Blacksmith’s. I could see he was frustrated and Rekka was with him. Her cloak was in hand but Billy wasn't anywhere to be seen. I cautiously approached them and filled Isaac in on what was decided. After giving the information and suggesting that Isaac be the one to rally the townsfolk, I asked where Billy was. Isaac said he was inside the shop and was about to go get him and his gear. I waited with Rekka while he did this.

As we waited, Rekka seemed distracted. I don’t know what she was looking at, but she looked confused about something. Once Isaac, looking grim, came back out with Billy, Rekka mentioned to him that she was certain that there were invisible beings walking around. Cortanna agreed with Rekka saying she too had heard something walking about. Isaac asked Billy if he saw anything. To this Billy informed us that there were goblins walking around. A wave of suspicion swept over me. Why would the goblins be sneaking around town? Lpet alone invisibly? Were they making sure we didn’t do anything to their representative? Are they potentially planning against the town. I wasn’t the only one equally concerned. To this Isaac suggested we go to the goblin camp first to see what’s going on.

The goblin leader looked hopeful upon seeing us, but we informed him we hadn't resolved the situation of their stay. Before he could say anything we informed him about the invisible goblins we saw in camp. To this he seemed surprised. He hadn’t a clue why there would be. The most he could gather was one of the shaman’s potions were taken and it was quite possible that the younger goblins were the ones responsible for this mischief. I, and the others, had no reason to disbelieve the leader, so we went back to the town to hopefully finalize the plan.

We rang the town bell and shortly there after the town gathered together to see what was going on. Isaac gave a moving speech, highlighting the help with livestock and tilling the land, to which it was unanimously decided that that goblins could stay. I was impressed with how simple it went, then again considering it was Isaac who was well respected by the town, not too surprising. Had it been me, it probably would not have been nearly as convincing or have started another massacre...

We delivered the good news to the goblins. Exclusively to the leader, we told him that we planned on looking to the werewolf problem to see if we could reclaim their homeland. The lead goblin seemed overly happy at the help we were extending to them. Any gratitude he wanted to show was brushed aside as the townsfolk set about helping the Goblins get settled in.

As people were moving about, we rested a moment. Isaac then made mention about the mine. He said it was a silver mine and noted how we as a group would most likely be fighting werewolves in the foreseeable future. Isaac suggest that it'd be wise to go there and carefully extract enough silver to coat some weapons for that cause. We all agreed. Isaac then tagged on that when we were done gathering the silver that we should barricade the entrance. It was hoped that that would prevent people from accidentally (or purposefully) going into and hopefully keep what we know was in there from coming out. There was a murmur of agreement all around. I especially wouldn’t want those marked creatures to be set loose. I knew exactly what marked beings were capable of...