RotRL Gestalt Anniversary Special
Game Master Spiral_Ninja

Of all the people and conversations swirling around the table, the ruminations of the Half-Orc draw the Gnome's attention. "Do you have the gift of interpreting dreams?"

"I know what that the Shaman of my tribe passed down to me before he died, though that is little enough. Most dreams are nothing more, but what they seem. Others though....Well let's just say that in the quiet of sleep, we are more receptive to the voices drowned out by the waking world."

"To humanity, may they understand that their tolerance and diversity is their greatest asset."

Strae idly swirls his small glass of port on the table, noting its 'legs', and considers Kaddoc's sober words and Brindolfin's philosophic musings. He quietly offers his own thoughts with a raised glass and an amused smile, "I rather think humanity's greatest assets are the long legs of their women."

As Cilyanka walks by carrying a round of drinks for another table she mutters, An asset certain people are displaying way to much of.

Alkaid overhears Straehan's word and thinks
"At least he won't be looking at my chest or rear, unlike most men."

As Cilyanka walks by carrying a round of drinks for another table she mutters, An asset certain people are displaying way to much of.

since Mai is next to Cilyanka as she spoke

Cilyanka hurries on with her tray of drinks. While still somber, you catch a brief hint of a smirk as she walks away.

she mutters, An asset certain people are displaying way to much of.

"Was that a shot at me or someone else?"

In trying to answer Cilyanka, Straehan assumes Mai's rejoinder was aimed at him. Concerned that his comment is seen as an unwanted advance, he fruitlessly attempts to clarify. "No offense meant. I was speaking of human women in general. Compared to Gnomes, you are both quite 'leggy'." He sighs, flummoxed. "That was intended to be a compliment to you tall ladies in general... not, well, anything else. I'll just shut up now and drink."

Good as his word, he does exactly that.

"Well some of us tall ones will take that as a compliment, at least." Sparrow can't help but laugh at the exchange, ordering another ale in the process.

Snicker. The DM is enjoying the budding cat-fight.

Cilyanka hurries on with her tray of drinks. While still somber, you catch a brief hint of a smirk as she walks away.

she sees the smirk, and quietly says

she goes to the kitchen and places Alkaid's order with the cooks.
and goes back to Alkaid with her Dragon Ale.

"Here's your Dragon Ale, the ribs and Salad will be ready shortly."

"Thank you."

"Well some of us tall ones will take that as a compliment, at least." Sparrow can't help but laugh at the exchange, ordering another ale in the process.

The Gnome salutes her over his drink with a look of relief, "Well, then, I'll restrict my compliments to fair Elven maidens - seems safest that way."

"Just remember Straehan, when you compliment one lady, you insult the rest."

Brin takes a few more drinks.

"My mother was a tatooed gypsy who could do amazing things with her mind. It was magic and it was not magic at the same time. I think I will know her when I see her; I hope she recognizes me."

"Just remember Straehan, when you compliment one lady, you insult the rest."

The Gnome smiles and says with a earnest attempt to keep the gleam from his eyes. "Well, hopefully the ladies hereabouts will overlook my shortcomings."

Alkaid drinks some of her Dragon Ale
and with a happy tone and smile.
"Ah, this is the good stuff."

Finishing with her other guests, Cilyanka returns to the table. Can I get anyone a fresh round of ale?

Would you care for a salad Mai, I know you were trying to watch your weight after the comments those guys made last week....

Those are just for people who seem to have a backstory tied to Sandpoint. Not trying to discriminate or anything. :)
And sorry everyone for the wait. i appreciate the patience.

The Dragon's doors slam open and a goblin swaggers in, his challenging gaze resting briefly on all the tavern's occupants… big red eyes sizing everyone up.

The goblin is surprisingly large and powerful-looking (for a goblin), standing a mighty one inch under three feet tall, and decked out in leather skins sewn together to almost conceal a chain shirt underneath. His well-muscled body is covered with battle scars, and hanging from an ear-ring in his left ear is a black raven feather tied to a larger, white feather of strange shape. Lashed across his back is a human-sized bastard sword (nearly twice his own height), crudely re-gripped to fit his tiny but muscular hands. Over his shoulder he carries a dirty backpack over a quiver full of arrows and a goblin-sized bow. Atop his mighty goblin dome sits a garish red cloth -- at first seeming to be a bandana, but you quickly realize it has some black lace along one edge.

For the span of a breath he strikes his mighty pose, red eyes roving over the Dragon's occupants, the rest of his body still as stone. After a few heartbeats, his goblin brow furrows, pulling at a particularly nasty scar running the length of the right side of his gray-green face, and finally his eyes fall upon the red-headed Cilyanka waiting tables. Seeming to lose some bravado, the goblin saunters across the floor, ignoring the looks he receives from many of the locals, casually hopping up on a chair next to her as she carries her tray. He hops from empty chair to (not-so-empty) table top and onto another chair keeping pace with her far longer legs with apparent ease. "Miss Cilyanka. Biter is'ing to be looking for Kaal-Ghalaar*. Is'ing to know where Biter to finding her?" He grins at her as he begins to reach for something tucked into his bulging belt pouch, his maw displaying a shark-like maw half the size of his head, "Biter is'ing to have something to show Cilyanka… wanting to see something nicing**?"

Not long after Biter arrives, Ameiko comes in, looking a bit stunned.

Rather unusually for her, she grabs a seat at the bar and signals for a drink from her partner, the elderly halfling woman Bethana Corwin.

Kneeling down to eye-level Cilyanka eyes twinkle as she answers Biter, You know I always enjoy seeing what you've found Biter. What'cha got?

There is nothing secret about where I came from. I've been working in the Dragon since shortly after I arrived and never had reason to hide anything.

I just don't enjoy talking about it. I tend to avoid any conversation that brings up family.

Finishing with her other guests, Cilyanka returns to the table. Can I get anyone a fresh round of ale?

Would you care for a salad Mai, I know you were trying to watch your weight after the comments those guys made last week....

"No salad for me, as I Like where my fat goes, my bust and feminine bottom, unlike your short boyish figure."

she see Ameiko take a seat at the bar
"We should stop the squabbling in front of Ameiko-sama, and let it resume later."

she sees Biter enter and thinks
"We this is interesting, near seen a goblin enter a tavern before and not getting lynched."

and sees Mai and Cilyanka's verbal fight
They're like opposite sides of the same coin.

Earlier, back at Kaijitsu Manor.

Tsuto turns to Lonjiku and takes a deep breath. "I guess I shoudn't ask too many questions. He has a look of you."

Turning to Amaya, he continues "As does she. You must be Amaya."

His bow to her is all politeness. "And how are your lovely twins? Family is so important."

He takes another deep breath, seems to struggle with himself, and continues. "That's why I'm here. This is Tsutoro. His mother so wanted him to meet you. I...for his sake and hers, I am willing to try to be a family. Ameiko, Father" He stumbles on the word.

"I...I came to apologize. To try again. I will try to control my temper. Please, allow me to stay."

Biter's grin widens -- a feat given the current width of his maw -- and he pulls out something wrapped in a soft shell of burlap. His nimble fingers pull it off just as the smell hits Cilyanka's nose, and she finds herself staring at what must be the toenail of some kind of giant... seemingly ripped from its previous owner judging by the bloody edge.

His grin doesn't fade one bit, and finally he says (with quite a bi of pride), "Betting Cilyanka has'ing never to have seeing a giant's toenail in'ing the shapings of a... uh... gruun-taal? Um... What is'ing a prettying moth being called?" (The toenail's shape looks like no moth you've ever seen.)

Before she can respond, however, Biter sees Ameiko. Without warning, Biter explodes into action. His tiny, powerful legs thunder across the wood floor carrying him with incredible speed towards the tavern-owner. Then, like an arrow loosed, he flies the last ten feet in an arcing jump... slamming full-speed into her back, where he clings like some grotesque baby monkey.

"[i]KAAL-GHALAAR!!!! NOTTING TO WORRY! BITER ISING TO BE BACK!" He seems completely oblivious to her mood.

"Hallooo, Biter! C'mon over when yer done, we're havin' a party over here." Sparrow is most definitely trying to work her way through the week's earnings.

Not ignoring you, Sparrow. Just wanted to play out the Ameiko thing.

Startled, Ameiko nearly drops her glass, before realizing who just jumped her.

"Ack, I'm being attacked by goblins!" she chuckles."Hi Biter. Nice to see you. It's old home week, I guess."

She moves over to the table, looking at the group gathered there. "Hi, Sparrow. Introduce me to your friends."

Does Ameiko speak Goblin?

As Ameiko joins you, Arn, the man who was taking Das home enters, looking pale and shaken. "I need the strongest stuff you've got!"

He grabs one of his friend's glasses and tosses off the remainder before collapsing into a chair.

"You look like you've seen a ghost." jokes one of the trio.

"Hey, that was mine, you..." says the one who's glass he grabbed.

Arn looks up, pale and shaken. "Ghost. Yes. Ghost. Das was right. I saw the kid outside his house. Just like he looked then. Then he...just...vanished."

"Oh my,"
Alkaid gets up and walks to Arn
"I would like to know more about this ghost."

Startled, Ameiko nearly drops her glass, before realizing who just jumped her.

"Ack, I'm being attacked by goblins!" she chuckles."Hi Biter. Nice to see you. It's old home week, I guess."

She moves over to the table, looking at the group gathered there. "Hi, Sparrow. Introduce me to your friends."

"Evenin', Ameiko. Lessee, the small one's Straehan, the increasingly attractive orc there is Kaddoc, and to be quite truthful, didn't quite catch the tall one's name yet." She takes a look around, and spots Alkaid. "Didn't catch her name yet either. Why ya sitting by yerself! Come join the party."

"Oh my,"

Alkaid gets up and walks to Arn
"I would like to know more about this ghost."

From the way Sparrow quiets down at the mention of the ghost, it's easy to realize she isn't quite as sloshed as she is acting. She leans a little closer to listen in.

Biter -- having followed Ameiko to the table, rapid-fire peppering her with questions in Taldan that slipped constantly into Goblin and back -- stops and regards Arn with a withering look.

His words are muttered, but still loud enough to be overheard. "So drunking long-legs was'ing drinking with drunking long-legs friend and was'ing to see ghost... what'ing a surprise."

"Das' family were killed by that Chopper, during the Late Unpleasantness. They found is wife, right in front of their house, but they never found the kid. It wrecked Das. He wasn't always - like that."

He grabs another drink and continues."Yeh, gobbo, we were drinking. He's been doin' that since they died. He always had nightmares about this time every year, but it wasn't til recent that he started say'n he'd seen th' kid. And yea, we figgered it was the booze talkin'. I mean, what else could it have been?"

He takes another deep swallow, sets the glass down hard and stares straight ahead, at something he's still seeing in his mind. "So, I was takin' im home and trying to talk im down. He was just goin' on and on about the kid comin' at night, callin' fer him. So's we get ta Das place and there's someone at the door. I says, hey it's late, what do you need? And - it turns- and it's th' kid. All kinda ghosty pale and he says 'Hi Dad, I want to come home' then vanishes."

He seems to come back to himself and looks at Biter. "and it wasn't just me 'n Das, gobbo. Quink was there, too. He took Das to see the Sheriff. Me? I just wanna forget I saw it."

"Sounds like the boy wants to rest in peace."

"The unquiet dead, Kaddoc says grimly, "are best not ignored. I think I will go speak with this Das."

He finishes his drink and rises to his feet.

"Anyone else care to join me?"

"Sure, I can show ya the way. Pretty sure I remember where the sheriff's is, been avoiding it so long."

Does Ameiko speak Goblin?

In my version, yes.

Cilyanka, looking rather pale, walks over. I will go as well. Das is a good man. He does not deserve what happened to him.

I just need to get something from my room first.

Biter switches to the goblin tongue, speaking to Ameiko though his red eyes remain on the drunk human.

Switching to Common, Ameiko continues. "For those who know of my family, my -other- brother, Tsuto, has returned, bringing a baby son and wanting to be a part of the family again. I want this to happen, so I may be acting as intermediary for a while. He's planning on staying until the Swallowtail Festival next month, at least."

She picks up her glass, lifts it high and calls out a toast. "To family!"

"To Family."

but she thinks
"Did my work load just increase?
I'm already protecting Ojou-sama from the shadows."

The muscly goblin gives a quick nod, then begins running his twin red orbs over the rest of the assembled group. He seems to take everyone in stride, though his eyes do linger on the gnome for a bit longer. They land on the elf last, and he gives a half-grin (more of a baring of teeth), "Naming is'ing Biter. Biter is'ing to recognize this long-ears. Is'ing Sparrow, no? Some kinding of long-ears huntress? Friend Ameiko is'ing to ask Biter to helping with the ghost… keeping eyes on Ameiko's young half-clutch-mate." The goblin looks around, realizing that Ryu isn't' there at the moment, and his brow furrows again, "Where is'ing young half-clutch-mate? Being hard to keep alive if'ing isn't around."

Sparrow gladly returns Ameiko's toast, another excuse to drink if nothing else.

As the goblin comes up, "That's right, Biter. If you want to come along, feel free. We'll have to make sure to keep an eye out for Ryu then."

Ryu slipped past the group once the attention moved back to Tsuto and Ameiko, may not have been polite, but he made his one move to try to calm people down, if they still want to attack each other, they can do as they want.

Ryu watched from away, sitting on a tree for a while, as nothing interesting happened and Ameiko also left he jumped down and began his journey back. He stopped at the market to buy a sack of potatoes, and thus he was unable to meet up with his sister before he reached the inn.

A bit later, about 5-10 minutes after Ameiko he also arrived at the Rusty Dragon. Noticing that there was no brawling despite that the tired workers began to arrive at the end of the day, he decided he doesn't have to mention Das anymore as he didn't do any trouble, and if he didn't until now, he won't for the remainder of the day.

He noticed Ameiko then at a table. "Ah sis, I hope my timing to speak up was not bad, I don't know much about Tsuto but I know his arrival could have easily ended in a bloodbath. I bought some potatoes back home by the way, will take the cost out for it from the desk as usual. If you have time I would like to hear what you think of Tsuto and the situation, I know he is called my brother, but as I see it only you have a common mother with her, and has no relationship to me. I wonder what he may do once he realizes I am a Kaijitsu through our father. As you can guess, father never said anything good of him so what I know is quite ...limited."

A moment later he notices the goblin. "...and I thought some customers today were already strange enough... that is a customer right? Or maybe a pet? I am not sure how the citizens will react once seeing it."

Ameiko says "Ryu meet Biter. Biter, this is Ryu."

She continues "Just to add to today's fun, it seems that Das Korvut really has been seeing his son's ghost. Sparrow, Cilyanka and Biter, along with several of these folks, are headed over to the sheriff's office to learn more. Did you want to go, too?"

After rubbing elbows with a hard-drinking Elf, a thoughtful Half-orc, and a philosophic Giant... Straehan shouldn't be too surprised when a large Goblin enters the bar and draws no more attention than any other patron.

Are those... panties on his head?

Still, the racial biases run deep, even for a Gnome who has little reason to love others of his kind or respect their long-held beliefs. Straehan watches the Goblin closely and notices the creature's eyes linger at spying a race enemy. In the blink of pupil-less red eye and the turn of a head, the moment passes and neither of their blood is spilled. Strae lets out a breath, somewhat relieved, and quietly follows the group that sets out to investigate the Das boy's ghost. He tarries at the rear of the group - trying to remain largely unobtrusive - not trusting himself to say anything in front of or to the Goblin just yet... though the cordiality of the locals with the small warrior suggests he is unusual for his kind.

Stealth 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28

The scarred half- giant gets up from the table.
"They call me Brin, ghosts, count me in."

The group follows Sparrow to the Sandpoint Garrison, where they find Sheriff Belor Hemlock, a tall, bald Shoanti, questioning Das Korvut and Sandpoint's resident sage, Brodert Quink about what they saw.

assuming we are all going as a group, Alkaid will introduce herself

as the groups walks to the Sandpoint Garrison she introduces herself
"I am Alkaid, a traveling priestess of Kurgress."

assuming we are all going as a group, Alkaid will introduce herself

as the groups walks to the Sandpoint Garrison she introduces herself
"I am Alkaid, a traveling priestess of Kurgress."

"A pleasure, Alkaid, the name's Sparrow. I believe you caught everyone's name back at the Dragon. Kurgess huh? What brings you around here?"