Ruhk chuckles.
"I may be big and brawny, but I have half a brain too girly, I'm not making a bet where my stake is something I don't own.
Furthermore, you didn't think that one through. Who says I can't just take both ears of 10 goblins eh? The bet was for the number of ears, not for number of goblins defeated.
Heck, with my charm I'm sure I can get the goblins to part with some ears voluntary."
Malcolm chuckles and shakes his head.
Ruhk, your humility knows no bounds.
Ruhk grins at Rommin.
"Perfection is over-rated, I tried it for a few days, it wasn't much fun.
But a good stiff drink cured me of TAHT problem."
"I may just be a girl, but I know my sums, Ruhk," Kelistra says. "Of course you get more than one ear per goblin, but it won't add up to ten goblins for twenty ears. Sandru said he had to kill fourteen goblins to get his twenty ears. There was one goblin he messed up when he cut the first ear off and two that looked like they'd had an ear chewing contest or something because they had one usable ear each. As for the fourteenth goblin, as near as Sandru could figure he must have traded his ears for the barrel of cheap wine he was trying to hide in."
"But, you seriously think you'll take out ten goblins? That would be epic."
"Well, it depends, ten at once or 2-3 at the time until it adds up to ten?
I can do the later, the former...well, confident but not willing to swear my soul to Calistra just yet.
Still, I doubt ten goblins can be as scary as my former wife when the fury was on her.
But that is what you get for marrying an ogress."
"But tell you what, let's get there and take stock of how many there are, then we can...play it by "ears" as it were.
Let's see who can take down the most eh?"
"Now that sounds like fun...though isn't there an old saying about not counting your goblin ears..."
Ruhk, take care your words, friend. Perfection is NOT overrated, and all should seek to attain the perfection that Abadar holds for all things in the First Vault. Righteousness and the logic of the law is a means to this end, and I am sure you could use a gentle push towards that end my misguided friend.
Azmythe will happily go in whatever place he is designated.
"Must you speak so callously of killing? I understand that you do not take to goblins, but surely even their lives have value. You talk as if you would be off to do this even if they hadn't attacked, but just because you were bored."
Ruhk, take care your words, friend. Perfection is NOT overrated, and all should seek to attain the perfection that Abadar holds for all things in the First Vault. Righteousness and the logic of the law is a means to this end, and I am sure you could use a gentle push towards that end my misguided friend.
Hal nods his head, "You are right in that Malcolm. I have achieved many things once I learned to attempt the perfection Irori teaches."
As Kelistra ponders Azmythe's words, she takes the mandolin from her back and starts tuning it. Eventually she starts talking, "I know I'm talking a bunch of garbage. I suppose the goblins value their lives like I value mine. I'm sure we'll all be hurting before this is done-including the goblins. When I think about my brother's tales of his adventures, the parts I remember are the victories, not the danger, pain, and fear he suffered to get them."
Kelistra messes with the mandolin for a bit. Finally pleased with the instrument's tune she starts quietly playing an old Varisian dance. "You're not doing this because you're bored, Azmythe," she says over the music. "I'm not doing this from boredom either. I'm doing this because I have to. I have to because the goblins are threatening my home. And I have to because I need to learn my own tales as well as Brother Sandru's. I'm talking trash because I might get too scared to act if I think about the other stuff. I'm sorry I upset you." Kelistra keeps walking down the path concentrating on her mandolin playing.
Iralynash fells the melancholy tightening in his chest as he hear his companions conversation. He remembers similar subjects said by different people in similar circunstances. He walks foward in silence, looking at his own feet.
Ruhk smiles and shrugs, wholly unconcerned with "perfection" or sounding callous.
*I* am doing this because I was bored, but I think it's best not to say so.
"Bah, learning is a lifelong experience, for me the journey is important, no need to hurry to the end. Once you achieve perfection, what is left to strive for? I'll hold off on that for as long as possible."
"Perfection is indeed overrated. Adequacy is far simpler and competency is a far more realistic goal."
Kelistra keeps playing the dance tune as she walks and thinks. Bad move, Keli. That was a stupid rookie mistake. Ameiko would never, ever pull a stupid move like that. Never let them see you're nervous, ruins the show for everyone.
"Don't know about attaining perfection, but I know one thing: I'm the best singer and greatest adventuring bard ever." As she says this, Kelistra stops playing the dance and starts a light march. Her tone is much happier as she keeps talking, "What I have to do is make everyone else realize I'm the best. The first step is hooking up with a totally awesome team, that's you guys. Step two is singing to the team."
A huge smile spreads across Kelistra's face as she starts to sing, Hurah, hurah! Haree! Haroo! / They're looking for monkeys in the zoo, / But if I had a face like yours! / I'd join the Chelish Army!
"I just know this group is destined for greatness. We definitely have a diverse mix of skills. The word I think I was looking for is synergy."
"Want me guarding the back again Marduzi? Are you SURE you are not just trying to keep all the goblins for yourself? Worried I'd take them all?
Tell you what; I'll cover the rear with my bow if you promise to save a few of them for me and Bethany.
Say...ten of them?"
Ruhk winks at Kelistra as he mentions that number.
"Ha, I got a feeling we'll be sending you forward to scout soon anyway. This way you don't waste any more of your energy or ammunitions on those snakes...we did mention there were snakes..."
"Come now, that wasn't a snake, more like a garden variety worm, my father used bigger things to bait his hook when he was fishing. You couldn't even make a decent belt out of that skin."
"Besides, what are you complaining about? I seem to recall you making short work of it.
But I meant to ask, where EXACTLY did you hide that polearm you used...and where is it now?"
"No, you didn't say anything about snakes, but I guess this wouldn't be a nasty swamp without them. I suppose since where getting out to where the snakes, or worms, might be waiting for us I'd better stop singing," Kelistra says as she puts her mandolin away.
"By the way, Ruhk, I should have asked this earlier. If that's not your cloak, whose is it and why are you carrying it?"
"Ha, I think it was this sword for the snake Ruhk." he says patting the greatsword in a scabbard across his back. "But, of course you might be referring to my lance... " he says patting Smoke's side where a long wicked looking lance hangs from a leather holster. "Or maybe you meant this." he says grabbing his crotch and laughing. "Sorry Kelistra. You never know where that one is going and I'm sure he'll have a wonderful zinger in return. Your curse for going on this little adventure with a ton of guys. The cloak was a gift to us from Walthus for helping him out. Supposed to bring you some sort of protection. Not sure who'd be best to wear it."
Ruhk raises an eyebrow and chuckles.
"You used THAT polearm to "slay" a snake? Where was I when you did that?"
Kelistra shrugs when Marduzi apologizes for his off color joke. "Sandru said worse at the dinner table," she says. "Didn't do it again after Mama K smacked him over the head with the ladle. I'm ladleless so you're safe."
"I think Azmythe and Jordan need extra protection the most, but Walthus gave the cloak to you two so it's your call."
"Aren't their tales of evil witches possessing the fighters and using them to slaughter the rest of the group." Marduzi grins wickedly at Kelistra. "I'm sure the right person for the cloak will become clear on our adventure."
Kelistra giggles and says, "In those tales, the evil witch waits to possess the fighter until after the beautiful maiden has fallen hopelessly in love with him. Sorry, Mar, the beautiful maiden hasn't fallen yet. I bet you're just waiting to get more loot before passing out the goodies."
The trail winds and twists through the swamp. The going is slow, sticky mud clutching at your feet, but far quicker on the trail than off. The first hour passes quickly, with song, idle chatter, and deep thoughts on the perfectibility of mortals passing the time. After an hour the novelty begins to fade and the rotten stench of stagnant water becomes ever more oppressive.
A sudden racket shatters the steady sounds of the swamp insects.
If you make that you can attempt:
Per
SM
"Chattering, yelping goblins coming, prepare to ambush them."
Perception:
Azmythe is lost in a daydream.
"Good ears, sounds like it's time to earn some of those...ears...
"
...
...
"I did not just say that did I?"
Did I just call myself a beautiful maiden? And nobody called me on it? Kelistra's too busy with her own thoughts to notice anything.
Perception:
At Jordan and Ruhk's warning, Malcolm unsheathes his Bastard Sword.
Come and fee Abadar's wrath, scum!
Marduzi, too occupied with repartee with Kelistra and the others hears nothing until Jordan and Ruhk speak of the goblins. Smoke swings his head up, straining to alert Marduzi to the sounds ahead. As soon as they do, he pulls his lance from Smoke's side and prepares to fight. "Malcolm, let's move forward. Let's keep close until we see how many we're facing."
I am with you Marduzi!
"Oi! Greedy! Leave some for me!"
[ooc]perception
sense motive
perception
Iralynash ready his poliarm agaisnt a charge.
Something is not right, those goblins sound scarred.
"Let's get ready to kill some goblins."
All the talk of goblins and readying of weapons finally gets through to Kelistra. "Well, of course they'd be scared, seeing all of you coming through the swamp" she says as she reaches for her bow.
"All right then, let's go" says Marduzi and gives Smoke a little kick with his heels, lance in hand.
Ruhk at first looks surprised at Iralynash's revelation, then something occurs to him.
"Whao, hang on, the goblins haven't SEEN us yet right? They must be scared of something ELSE!"
Ruhk quickly puts his bow aside and draws Bethany.
"Get ready old girl, something is not right."
Forty feet ahead on the trail, four goblinoid figures burst round the corner. They are running at full speed, scrambling over the uneven ground, nearly impaling each other on their short rusty blades in their haste. They look up at you with red-rimmed fury-filled eyes, and continue their headlong charge.
Kelistra stares dumbfounded at the goblins' charge.
Wish I had not changed from my bow now...
Ruhk slowly begins to move move forward.
Jordan sees the capable fighters up front, so he calmly waits to see if any goblins are wounded from the surprise barrage. His magic is highly accurate, but lacking the force and power of crossbow.
Jordan begins to gesture and incantate. As the sleeves of his robe roll back, intricate tatoos on both arms pulse with magic power as a dart of force leaves his hands.
Initiative: