Flashback: The scene moves back to the previous night, wherein Jabbles split off from the party after the team escaped the crypt. The goblin scouts The Hallows as the beer war riot plays out. As Jabbles races down toward the riverfront, he spots a familiar face peeking out from the shadows. It seems as though Meroggha is out on the prowl tonight too. The elder goblin flags down his kin.
“It’s time to finish your training,” Meroggha says. “Now is the perfect time to assess whether you have truly learned to be one with the shadows.”
Jabbles nods and asks how they will proceed despite the riot going on. Meroggha explains that with Mrs. Pollmer away, it’s the right time to break into her house and “teach the tall person a lesson.”
“She hoards all the villagers’ silver when it should be used to help her people!” The elder goblin spits out.
Jabbles agrees and says, “She has also asked my friends and me to do bad things to her people. I am a squire now, and I need to do what’s right!”
Meroggha has Jabbles stealthily lead the way to Pollmer’s house. The trio (including Jango the Wolf) clings to the shadows and almost becomes the darkness itself as the moonlight guides their path. At the town leader’s front door, Jabbles gnaws a chicken bone into a lockpick and quickly gains access.
The pair of goblins look all about the house but sounds coming from a loft above force them to exit quickly. Meroggha is disappointed that his protege only managed to steal a silver serving knife.
“In the future, you must learn to act quickly and decisively; getting greedy is how you get caught,” Meroggha admonishes Jabbles.
The elder goblin offers to give his sack of coin to Jabbles and his friends and says he could give the money back secretly to the townsfolk, as well. Jabbles ponders his options for a moment but says his silver knife is treasure enough. He feels the townsfolk need the silver coins more than he does.
Meroggha looks at his protege with pride.
“You have learned the way well in a short time,” he says. “Property is a lie, and we have to keep the tall folk in check, lest they lose themselves to greed and pride.”
………
The next morning, the party makes preparations to join Capt. Sertold on the rest of his voyage. Jabari is keen to get on the move to find leads to Zygofer’s whereabouts, and the rest have seen enough of The Hollows.
Rejoining his fellows, Jabbles is eager to show up his newfound skills.
“I’ve been practicing on how to be sneaky,” he tells them. “Watch this if you want to see something cool!”
The goblin brings them near the game master’s house, as he wants to stock up on arrows before he leaves. While he can get over to the yard targets, he injures himself by pulling out a barbed arrow and has to limp slowly back to the group. The delay is enough for him to be spotted by the game master.
“I saw what you did, you thieving little goblin!” Vike roars at the group. “Either bring those back or pay up for them.”
Kristov tries to help by putting Vike off balance.
“Isn’t that a little racist,” Kristov says. “There are other goblins in town. Why are you singling out this one? They don’t all look alike, you know.”
Vike gapes a moment, trying to find his words before sputtering, “Goblins DO all look alike! But more importantly, I saw this one steal the arrows. And I don’t need lessons from a traitor like you!”
Seeing that he isn’t going to make headway with the party, the game master retreats to his house while muttering.
Down at the riverfront, the adventurers are met one last time by the new town council. Mother Nirvea, Yawim, Rust Brother Sturkas, and Mrs. Pollmer are there to see them off. The town elders gift the heroes the amber amulet that was once the symbol of the mayor’s authority. Mother Nirvea also reminds Jabari of his promise to kill Zygofer and put the town’s restless dead to sleep once and for all.
Soon enough, Capt. Sertold shoves off, and they all make their way quickly to The Tin. Eventually, Sertold puts Meroggha and Jabbles in charge of the rudder while he inventories his hold. That proves to be disastrous as the sleepy goblins quickly drift off to slumber, and the boat runs aground on a sand bar.
While the rest of the travelers work to free the boat, Faus merrily gets some fishing in and is successful enough to get dinner for everyone. Once underway again, Kristov decides to try to work the amulet into Jabari’s sword pommel but is unsuccessful in his first attempt. Meanwhile, the wolfkin keeps watch on the waters and soon spots something moving toward them once the boat enters the lake.
The large ripping waves give away to a sea serpent’s monstrous head, bearing quickly down on the small boat. Calling the travelers to arms, Jabari readies his weapons as the serpent roars at them.
The serpent crashes against the craft, knocking Jabari to the deck as it wraps its body around the boat. Jabbles stabs at the monster with his spear as his wolf tries to latch its jaws into the serpent’s hide.
Kristov takes out his trusty hammer and catches its claw side under the scales of the serpent’s midsection.
“Quickly, attack it here while I have it held in place!” he yells to everyone.
Faus dashes over to Jabari places a skull on his hands, and mimes to the wolfkin via the skull’s mouth, “Heal! Heal and rise up again!” in a high-pitched mousey voice.
Both the wolfkin and the goblin repeatedly stab into the sea monster’s midsection while Kristov tries his best to hold it in place. Unfortunately, the beast’s tail is still free, and it picks up Meroggha before dunking the goblin into the water. Faus tries to hit the tail with his staff, but it does nothing.
The sea serpent’s head rises into the air before crashing down onto the deck, bursting it into splinters. The crash throws Faus into the water. Meanwhile, Meroggha is dragged below the waves. The sight of their ally drowning throws the warriors into a fever pitch. They lash out with all their strength at the monster. Just before they’re able to split the serpent in twain, it releases the craft and flees.
“That’s right! Run, you giant scaly bitch!” Faus cries in-between gulps of air as he thrashes against the waves.
Lashing a rope to Jabbles, Kristov helps toss the goblin into the water to save Meroggha. The young goblin dives to find his teacher, and using his last ounce of strength, manages to get him to the boat. Meroggha makes a blood brother vow with Jabbles, and promises him that “My life is yours.”
Once everyone is safely aboard, Kristov urges Sertold to chase after the beast.
“Better we kill it now while it’s wounded, rather than it tracks us down again,” Kristov says. Despite the captain’s warnings, the travelers vote to find the serpent. Putting out the oars and Kristov at the rudder, the team manages to find the beast as it nears a rocky shoreline. Jabari and Jabbles attempt to shoot it with their bows, but it is too fast. Just as the tail is about to go under the water, Jabari tries once more, and Faus throws a rock for good measure.
Miraculously, the arrow finds purchase in a wounded section of the serpent’s tail, and the rock drives the arrow even deeper as it hits the very end of the fletchings. Yelping in pain, the sea serpent comes above the waves again. This time, it pays the boat no mind and begins to eat its own tail. The men watch in horror as the beast devours itself to death.
Kristov then chuckles and mutters, “Ouroborocide.”
JesseFolk.com 