The company of five was quick to get out of the city, beginning their little quest by going back down the same brick-laden path Billie and Zoey had entered from. The town was soon long behind them. Gunter was in the front, Billie was next to Gale, Zoey was behind them, and Vern was in the back.
"So, what business do you have in Ozama?" Vern asked as he gave Zoey and Billie a once over, his eyes lingering on her staff with a frown, "Going to go bother some Nobel about marriage to help pay off the debt that staff left you in,"
"If you don't mind me asking, what's your obsession with my staff?" She looked back at him curiously. He looked at the amethyst gem that made up the staff, the decorative design of the top, and the swirling blue orb on the end.
"My problem is some random chick in rags has such a high-quality weapon but is too scared of the big bad world to venture out alone," Vern spat. "there's no greater way to waste an excellent weapon than by placing it in the hands of a coward,"
"What makes you think I'm scared of the big bad world?" Billie demanded, "I'll have you know I simply have a bad sense of direction; the quest was to guide me, not protect me,"
"Sure," Gale said, rolling her eyes. "We'll make sure to inquire your aid if we get ambushed or attacked by anything then,"
"Zoey and I will happily assist without being asked," Billie said. As they neared a corner, Billie remembered the bandits she had tasked Zoey with exterminating. I don't know if this is relevant to the conversation, but there seems to be a fair amount of death around the next bend." The Party came to a halt, and Gunter looked back at Billie.
"Human, Monster, or Ferals?" He asked.
"Human corpses," Billie noted, Unsure what the third option even was, "Couldn't tell ya what did 'em in, though,"
Gunter tapped his stick on the ground and widened his eyes. "She right," He confirmed.
"Look at you," Gale said with a laugh, "actually being able to use your expensive stick," Gale turned to Gunter with a serious look. "What do you want us to do?"
"These parts of the forest aren't safe," Gunter decided instantly, "We'll have to pass through and hope the Pig Goblins have already picked the sight clean,"
"What's a Pig Goblin?" Zoey asked, saving Billie from having to ask the same question.
"They're what happens when Feral Goblins get it on with Pigs," Vern replied. "It used to be a real problem before a nationwide decree required the Pig farms to be inside the cities; the local population should die out within the next few years. They're parasites, just like greedy pigs. They can eat bone and all, and they hunt in packs of twenty or so,"
"Wait, if you don't know about Pig Goblins, what got you so scared you needed an adventuring party to escort you across the border?" Gale demanded, "The Pig Goblins killed off the feral Goblin population almost a decade ago,"
"First, I was lost, not scared, and if I was scared, it was due to stories of an angry Centar running around," Billie avoided looking Gunter in the eye, as lying to someone while making eye contact was something she found personally difficult, "He was freed from a decades-long Soul bind and is fairly pissed at humans in general,"
"Why, I've heard that same rumor," Gunter replied as they continued moving. "Seems that Bratt Jacob Razzor got his comeuppance; they found him beaten to near death. He's still alive but unlikely to regain the use of his left hand,"
"What a shame," Billie felt Vern's gaze on the back of her head again and figured he had taken her sarcastic words at face value. Upon rounding the corner, they found the bricks before them clean and clear, save for a single severed arm.
"That is the most obvious trap I have ever seen," Billie confidently declared.
"What do you mean?" Gunter asked as he looked at the arm.
"There's a severed arm in the rod, yet the rest of the road is also completely spotless; something is hoping to catch someone who would investigate the odd situation off guard,"
"Sure," Vern said. "Listen, Pig goblins aren't that smart but are the smartest Ferals around; you're just being paranoid,"
"Then I'll go kick it out of the road," Billie marched forward to do just that. And if nothing happens, you can boast all you like." Billie left the group, and they watched as she walked up to the hand. Before she reached it, she jumped back as a small spear sailed through the air and hit the ground where she would have been standing had she not backed up; she heard the worst noise she had ever had the displeasure to hear, a pig squeal with a Goblin vocal tone.
A total of 24 fuzzy brown Goblins with tusks began emerging from the trees. Some had hooves, and some had feet, some had pig noses, some had long pointed goblin noses, and some had longish tails with tufts of fur.
"These are Boar Goblins," Billie complained. "I was promised Pig Goblins,"