Move 173: Following Goblins
Tunnels--5 Eleint 1374 DRThe goblins watched Aloysius point to the picture in Azrun's book and in the two directions that the tunnel led. One of them finally nodded when he indicated the direction the group had been heading in anyway. The three goblins seemed less fearful than they had the previous night; instead, they were listless and uninterested in whatever the group was doing for or to them. They passively accepted food and water when it was offered and made no struggles of any kind.
After the goblins were made fit to travel and the spellcasters completed their morning rituals, the party set off down the tunnel again. The passageways were little changed from what they had seen the day before. Nearly a whole day's march, or the nearest estimate that could be made, had passed before they reached another split in the tunnel. The lead goblin seemed inclined to go down the tunnel to the right.
"They want to go south," Arachne said absently. "Do we want to go south?"
Aloysius looked both branches over for a moment and then shrugged his shoulders. "'Twould seem that yon goblin would have us go to the right," he said. "Is everyone in favor of pressing onward, at least for a while? Methinks that I can assure that yon goblin is not leading us into a trap."
"If I were him," Jana said skeptically, "I sure's hells would. What makes you think he's not leading us to an army of his buddies?"
Aloysius turned to the goblin that had been providing directions and cast a spell.
Echo watched for a moment then asked the others, "We need to start looking for a safe place to rest. We could go just a little farther, then I could scout ahead a short distance to make sure the orcs aren't close by."
Jana nodded. "I'm kinda tired. We ought to scout both tunnels a bit, though, do you think?"
Echo looked at Jana with concern. "I'm not sure. It would be safer, probably. I guess it depends on how much further we can go before we stop. If we stay close to here, we should do both for sure."
"That sounds like a good plan. Let's get a ways beyond this split before we settle down fro the night though." Blacky replied to Echo's suggestion.
The targeted goblin stared at Aloysius for a moment after the spell was cast then stood still until the party was ready to move on.
Aloysius eyed the goblin carefully for a moment before scowling. He walked over next to the goblin and put his arm amicably around the goblin's shoulder, watching the goblin for any signs of a reaction.
The goblin looked distressed when the much taller man scowled at him. The look of distress disappeared when Aloysius put his arm around his shoulder. Other than that, the goblin didn't do much.
"Damn it," cursed the mage under his breath. "Forget about my guarantee that these creatures seek not to lead us into a trap. Once agin, 'twould seem, my magics have failed."
Daelen blinked once then looked around to see if he was the only one who thought this was a strange sight. "While we're at it, one of us might as well make sure we weren't being followed." he said, then started back the way they came, using his sword to light the way.
Jana watched Daelen walk back down the tunnel. "At least I have a reason," she muttered darkly.
Jana looked at the gnomes and then at Aloysius. "I have no idea what's going on here," she sighed. "Why're we letting goblins, prisoner goblins, lead us around?" she asked plaintively.
"What are you trying to do?" Echo asked.
She looked down both tunnels. "There are only two choices. Do we stick with the original 'go left' all the time, or do we see where the goblin wants to go?"
"Just a thought," Jana suggested dryly, "but I'm thinking odds are, where the goblins want to go is where there's more goblins. So, are we looking for more goblins, or a way outta here?"
"Attempted did I to ensorcer the creature," grumbled Aloysius from his seat next to the wall. "Methinks I failed, though I have no way of knowing for sure. I thought it less likely that he would lead me, and consequently the rest of you, into a trap if I did that."
He ran his hand through his purple hair, which by now was prominetly showing its brown roots. "If we camped, I could try again on the 'morrow. I thought we sought to locate the orcs, as they likely have the captives. We need to clearly define our intent, 'twould seem."
The goblin trotted over and sat down very close to Aloysius while he, Echo, and Jana talked.
Aloysius watched the goblin curiously, and then turned back towards Jana and Echo and grinned. "Mayhap I was incorrect in my prior assessment," he said. He turned back to the goblin and smiled at him. The mage then began to untie the goblin's hands.
"I shall endeavor to be kinder to this ensorcered creature than I was to the last one," he said. After he got done untying the goblin, he handed the creature a piece of beef jerky that he had withdrawn from his pack. Aloysius seemed quite pleased.
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