[IC] The Narrow Path

[Gardevoiran]

"You must go to your an official Paladin Recruitment Office in order to obtain a warrant. A small fee is involved, but it's only to keep our organization supported." It was clear this Paladin wasn't moving. A fight with him might be easy, but you aren't just left with that option, nor are you left with the option of getting a warrant. Gobbo runs over to a nearby merchant stand whilst Tobias speaks to the Paladin, his face eyeing the merchandise available. Normally, goblins wouldn't be able to buy the items due to a lack of money, but he seems to have some on hand. After purchasing a canteen of water, Gobbo returns to Tobias' side, sipping from the water. By the body language of the paladin, it's very clear that he is severely thirsty and is in desperate need of a refreshment.

[Skinner35]

"Ah, I see. But, you could also make this easy on all of us and let us through." He says, eyes the guard. Slowly building the fireball. "These hot days can be quite tiresome. Would you like a water in exchange for our passage? It's best for us all." He whispers to the guard, knowing how these situations go.

[Gardevoiran]

"I am not allowed to say yes to that offer. However, I will say that the water will distract me long enough for you to pass," the paladin winked as he finished his sentence, hinting that the real answer was, in fact, a yes. Gobbo raised his canteen up to the man, the man grabbing it and swigging it all down before handing it back to Gobbo. "Refreshing. So much in fact that I am unable to see you. Oh no. It seems that you can pass by me," said the paladin in a very fake tone. Gobbo was a bit saddened, but it was in the best interest of him and Tobias, after all.

[Skinner35]

He laughed and walked past, the goblin following. "I wish you the best, good day." He said in passing, then he turned to the goblin. "Where to now? Also, what is your name?" He asked, realizing that he never asked for a name previously.

[Gardevoiran]

"Gobbo has no real name. I did at one point, but Gobbo can't remember it now. It's been so long since I've used it," the goblin calmly explained as he walked through the plains outside of the city, heading towards a distant rock formation, boards clearly pinned up to the structure of the rocks. If Tobias cared, he could see a small cross just barely within the middle of the barricade. Yep, the paladin order definitely barricaded that place for sure.

"... OH!" A few moments of silence passed before Gobbo chimed in, his eyes lighting up. "Gobbo remembers his last name!"

[Skinner35]

"You do? Please tell me." He said, noticing the glaring cross. He walked over to the boards, and pulls out his machete. He then begins to use the machete and rip down the boards, unveiling a door.

[Gardevoiran]

The door, located far down within a dark chasm, was made of stone and iron, clearly work from people at least a hundred years before Tobias. It reeked of death and agony, with the occasional hint of fecal matter wafting into the noses of the two adventurers. Despite that, the small window of the door revealed ignited candles within it, seemingly lit magically, as ordinary candles would've never lasted that long. An old and rusty lever was to the side, seemingly the way to get into the crypt.

"My last name was d'Eshnutesh! I think? I don't remember it all that well, shadly..." Gobbo looked down sadly. He tried his hardest to remember his name, but it just wouldn't come to him. "Gobbo tell you if I remember any more!" he cheerily said as he waited for the door to open.

[Skinner35]

"Well, you can make a new name for yourself, I've done it." He said, walking to the door. He then attempts to pull it open to no avail. So, he tries knocking on it, worth a shot, right?

[Gardevoiran]

"I guessh... um..." Gobbo grabs hold of the lever that he noticed, causing the door to fall downwards into the ground, a loud thud indicating that it was open for good. No turning back now.

ENTER: THE BELIEVER'S DEN

Down the hall, once obscured by the door itself, rested a wide staircase, leading into a large cistern, complete with skeletal bodies sitting in chairs surrounding a table, similar to how one would eat a meal, except in this case, everyone was dead. A bookcase was off to the side, many titles from centuries before lining the wall, the bookend out. None of those books are ones you necessarily need, but a few titles might interest a few literary connoisseurs.

Along another wall lied shelves, stocked with alchemical ingredients. Unfortunately, most have withered away due to time and are now dust, but some of them are still very salvageable. A workbench is even beside it for someone to work with.

A large gate, in front of an area similar to a garden, rests blocking your path. No levers here for this one, it would seem. Time to use your head.

[Skinner35]

"I'll be damned..." He whispered, looking around. He casts a fireball for a little extra light and draws his machete. "Go and see what you can do with that gate." He says to Gobbo while salvaging what he could from the shelves. Then he joins Gobbo in front of the gate.

[Gardevoiran]

The fireball doesn't do much aside from make the room a bit brighter all around, except where Tobias' body blocks the light's reach. Gobbo runs over to the gate and tries to squeeze into it, but has no luck. "It'sh too shmall. We need to raishe it," the goblin says as he runs over to something else and begins to mess with it.

The light shining on the bookcase, however, does highlight something about it. It's about an inch away from the wall it's supposed to be against. It looks very heavy, but not unmovable in the slightest. A closer look might be required to further the studies.

A low voice begins to hum beyond the gate. The voice of a child, no more than nine or ten. "Oh? How did I end up here...?" The voice sounds slightly masculine, as if it was a young boy saying it. Additionally, his voice sounds like it has a bit of reverb to it, the same voice being repeated very quickly after, and also, quite softly.

A pumpkin in the garden beyond the gate has been replaced with an asymmetrical jack-o-lantern, a large bandage appearing over a crack where the left eye of the lantern is supposed to go.

[Skinner35]

He flinches at the sound of the new voice. "Whoa. Hello?" He says walking towards the gate, trying to look past it. "Wait." He says to himself and uses his metal arm to attempt to bend the bar to make the gap wider.

[Gardevoiran]

No dice. That gate is steel. It won't bend for you.

The jack-o-lantern behind the gate stood up behind the gate, it's body made from vines and brambles, and it walked over to the other side of the gate. "Who are you, mister?" it asked in it's young and naive voice.

[Skinner35]

"Well, I am known as Tobias Skinner. This is Gobbo. Who may you be?" He said, not even shying away from the fact that he just answered the question of a pumpkin.

[Gardevoiran]

"I-I'm Hikado," the pumpkin boy answered, a long gangly arm growing out of his side. This kid seems like he'd be right out of a fairy tale, with his arm growing to lengths far greater than both of Toby's combined.

Dwelling on this would prove fruitless, as a loud conglomeration of noises sounded behind Tobias, caused by a large number of books falling on top of Gobbo. "OOF!" the goblin croaked as he was covered head to toe in books. A small fragment of a large hole could be seen behind the bookcase, however, the rest of the opening was obscured by books that did not fall. Maybe something important is in that hole.

[Skinner35]

"Well hello Hikado. Mind helping us out?" He said as he began to help Gobbo up. Then he began to push the rest of the bookshelf away from the hole. It's extremely dark.

[Gardevoiran]

Despite the darkness of the hole, you are able to see within it what looks like a button. Or at least, what you think is a button. A suspicious hole sits in the middle of the button, however, you cannot do anything with that hole. You're barely able to see the button as it is.

"What do you need help with?" Hikado asked in his reverb-filled voice. He seemed like he was still filled with childlike despite being what he was.

[Skinner35]

"Tell us what this place is, and where to go." He said, moving towards the button, Gobbo following close behind.

[Gardevoiran]

"I think you go through here, mister, but I don''t know where you are... or where I am, for that matter..."

As you step over the books and such, you find yourself stepping on a book titled "On the Species: The Believer". It's obviously an old book, written ages ago by some gnome known as Irthorne, but it might be helpful to you in your quest. However, the button in front of you is more concerning. The light cast by the fireball is shown on the button, highlighting the small needlelike object in the hole. Perhaps it's supposed to draw the blood of the presser in order to open the gate.

Either way, someone's gotta put their hand in there, or you are stuck.

[Skinner35]

He sees the book and picks it up, handing it to Gobbo. "Hold this." Then he thinks 'Fuck it,' and slams his hand on the button, the needle piercing his hand.