Tulip advances to the door, hissing at the skeletons.
Zaine moves up behind her, drops his whip and unslings his musket. In a series of ritualized movements, he brings it up to his shoulder, sights along the barrel, pulls the hammer back, and fires at the old woman in the shadows.
Faith casts [i]Holy Strike on Áine's bow. Then moves up next to Tulip, helping her block the door.
The old woman steps up slightly, making the mark of an evil eye at Zaine. Then cackles loudly.
One of the bloody skeletons move forward slashing at Tulip but the bony claws are barely turned away by get barding.
Áine follows Faiths words and smiles perhaps a little cruelly. Two arrows quickly pierce the shadows, unerringly seeking her out.
Save DC 17
Zaine reloads with a paper cartridge, then fires at the witch again.
Tulip takes a bite out of the nearest skeleton.
Áine's bow glows with the power of Faith! She begins moving forward as she fires again at the witch.
Zaine reloads with a paper cartridge, then fires at the witch again. Despite the juju that makes his finger heavy and his vision blurred, the shot is true, hitting the witch through her chest.
Tulip tries to take a bite out of the nearest skeleton but the bloody thing proves tougher than the normal skeletons you've been encountering.
Faith touches Tulip, making the dinosaur holy. To the extent that her teeth glow with white-blue.
The skeletons, no longer having a direct control, all surge forward to the communal hut, pulling at the diftwood walls to get to the people inside. The swords, although rusty, make quick work of the old, dry walls.
Áine's bow glows with the power of Faith! She begins moving forward as she fires again at the witch bloody skeleton in the doorway. The arrow flies true, breaking the skeleton even though it was a piercing blow.
Perception
"The skeleton isn't dead! Destroyed! Whatever!" Zaine calls out.
Tulip bites a skeleton and backs up.
Áine switches to blunt tipped arrows, firing first at the Bloody Skeleton next to Sasha (then the normal ones if it goes down), she grins eagerly, "It's time you visited the Boneyard, don't you think?"
Zaine retreats up the ladder, reloading as he goes.
Tulip bites a skeleton and backs up. She destroys one of the simple skeletons with a single blow - unlike its bloody sibling, it does not stir.
For his final blessing of the day, Faith's own dagger glows with the power of Holy Strike.
The skeletons near Faith tear through the weak walls, intent on the living within. Although Faith gets a shot at one as it pushes past him to close with the dinosaur, his knife skitters over bloody bones. Sasha - looking far more comfortable with the oddly jagged weapon she happily claimed from the undead on the Crow's Teeth - parries skeletal claws and swords, waiting to strike back.
Although Aine manages to dodge the short sword wielded by the skeleton and Tulip's armor proves solid against claws, Faith gets tagged by a lucky blow from the bloody skeleton.
Then, with a very noticeable , all of the bloody skeletons (moving and reforming on the ground) disappear from existence.
Áine switches to blunt tipped arrows, taking a step back, firing first at the Bloody Skeleton next to Sasha, then the other one, she grins eagerly, "It's time you visited the Boneyard, don't you think?"
Sasha takes a moment to look at the bone dust and pieces by her feet, before rolling over the water barrel and slips on some of the preserved skins left near a sleeping area and totally misses the final skeleton.
As you approach the wreck of the Bloodwalker you suspect it may be a difficult search. Although you have come across previous wrecks decorated with bony skeletons, you see one towards the center of the ship whose dripping blood has stained the rigging maroon red.
"Little bit of an anticlimax there. I was planning on kicking the ladder away... there was going to be a whole thing," Zaine says.
Tulip rushes over to the final skeleton and takes a bite.
"Return to the ground."
"I can give either of you a blessing to help take thing out from here," Faith says to Áine and Zaine.
"At this point, I'm just assuming it will try and kill us."
"I can give either of you a blessing to help take thing out from here," Faith says to Áine and Zaine.
"At this point, I'm just assuming it will try and kill us."
"Safe assumption. Well, Áine's got more range than I do."
I don't think it's going to get to Áine's turn to finish off the skeleton.
"So...shall we check out the rest of this place then?" Áine heads to the door and surveys the courtyard for anything moving, before heading to the buildings they have not yet been in. She remains wary.
"Safe assumption. Well, Áine's got more range than I do."
"Never one to turn down a gift for undead destruction." Áine says with a bit of a smirk.
A touch to the bow conveys the blessing of Holy Strike.
"Little bit of an anticlimax there. I was planning on kicking the ladder away... there was going to be a whole thing," Zaine says.
"I know the feeling," Sasha says, "Here I was all ready to counter and poof poof the skeletons all go bye."][/b]
Zaine slings his musket over his shoulder and climbs down the ladder to retrieve his whip.
Tulip rushes over to the final skeleton and takes a bite. Damaging the skeleton but not quite destroying it.
Faith laughs, and stabs the nearby skeleton. "Return to the ground." And with that blessing the skeleton is destroyed, into tiny little bone shards and powder.
"See... poof, no more skeletons." Sasha says, looking at her unused weapon.
With the obvious dangers (except for the tethered Shiv Dragon) taken care of, the group is able to search the remainder of the settlement - the tattooed woman watching their movements from the makeshift balcony.
The building the old witch (who is not quite dead, just almost) was taking cover behind proves to be a storage hut used to story tool, food, and water.
The alchemical hut proves to most likely be the witch's home, the interior divided into a fithy bedchamber decorated with bones and feather - the odor a unique mixture of body funk, alchemical waste and monkey. The workshop smells... not quite as bad, and you turn up a number of useful alchemical items - smokesticks, tanglefoot bags, antitoxin.
The hole under the pile of driftwood and old planks only drops 20-feet and you notice coils of vines anchored near the pit.
Aine shoots the bloody skeleton from where the group is (100-ft from the deck of the ship - you have elevation). The shot is good, the arrow slamming into the bloody skeleton which falls from the rigging to the deck of the ship and out of sight.
Although the skeleton did fall when the arrow hit, the fall looked controlled, plus it totally moved into cover after it fell, a bloody tentacle pulling a broken door to block any further long range attacks.
The hole under the pile of driftwood and old planks only drops 20-feet and you notice coils of vines anchored near the pit.
Áine begins to move the driftwood, being careful just in case there is something that will attack from the pit.
"Huh. So that's why you get closer first." Áine remarks to herself, and begins walking over to the ruins of the Bloodwalker, nocking another blunt headed arrow as she goes. "Oh. How long does your Holy Aura thingy work Faith?" she asks over her shoulder, starting to jog even before receiving his answer.
"I know the feeling," Sasha says, "Here I was all ready to counter and poof poof the skeletons all go bye."][/b]
"And I don't even have red hair," Zaine says, scratching behind Tulip's eye ridges.
The alchemical hut proves to most likely be the witch's home, the interior divided into a fithy bedchamber decorated with bones and feather - the odor a unique mixture of body funk, alchemical waste and monkey. The workshop smells... not quite as bad, and you turn up a number of useful alchemical items - smokesticks, tanglefoot bags, antitoxin.
"Far be it from me to cast aspersions on someone's choice of companion, but monkeys stink," Zaine opines.
The hole under the pile of driftwood and old planks only drops 20-feet and you notice coils of vines anchored near the pit.
"Storage or subterranean complex? If it's the former, we should investigate. If it's the latter, we should brace ourselves for the return of the cannibals."
"Looks like we have to get closer." Zaine pulls the hammer back of his gun and he and Tulip advance cautiously.
Áine begins to move the driftwood, being careful just in case there is something that will attack from the pit.
Aine doesn't have to move much in order to see down the pit better. There is a 10-foot long shaft, then a cave opens up below. Aine, with her darkvision, can't see any exits, but the cave is also large enough that she can't see any walls from the top of the shaft. She can see an uneven floor, a few pieces of wood, many leaves, a broken weapon or two. She doesn't see any movement or any sign of something interesting stored.
The still unnamed woman on the balcony comments finally, "این ورود به زندگی پس از مرگ و مادر است."
The group advances quickly to take advantage of Faith's blessing. Thirty feet away from the ship, on the last little rise of rock before the ground slopes down to the deck of the ship, you see the undead fell onto a part of the ship where much of the broken doors of the ship lay - hiding the remains of the body.
"Bones." Áine says, then looks to Faith, "What did she say now?"
The group advances quickly to take advantage of Faith's blessing. Thirty feet away from the ship, on the last little rise of rock before the ground slopes down to the deck of the ship, you see the undead fell onto a part of the ship where much of the broken doors of the ship lay - hiding the remains of the body.
"Not sure I really trust that." Áine says, advancing cautiously.
"Someone check to see if the -- oh, I guess that's me."
Faith goes over to the witch and crouches down. "She isn't quite dead yet, but she is on her way." Faith helps her on her way.
Faith looks into the storage hut, and comes out glowering. "That's about a month or so of jerky. Jerky that used to be people."
...and when the woman on the balcony calls down, he translates for Áine: "She says, The entrance to the afterlife ... and the Mother."
He looks up to the woman on the balcony, and gestures in a grand bow. "Thank you," he calls up.
"Are we going to stay here until the rest of the hunting party returns and ambush from here?" Faith asks Zaine. "Or are we taking the egg and departing? I've a mind to free that Dragon and shoo it away from here ... but I also have ten fingers and want to keep each of them."
"Lasts about a minute," Faith says.
Faith looks into the storage hut, and comes out glowering. "That's about a month or so of jerky. Jerky that used to be people."
Áine's expression hardens.
...and when the woman on the balcony calls down, he translates for Áine: "She says, The entrance to the afterlife ... and the Mother."
Áine nods and smiles up at the lady, the says, "Probably for later then."
"I've a mind to free that Dragon and shoo it away from here ... but I also have ten fingers and want to keep each of them."
Áine's face pinches a bit, "Let me take a look at her."
"Are we going to stay here until the rest of the hunting party returns and ambush from here?" Faith asks Zaine. "Or are we taking the egg and departing? I've a mind to free that Dragon and shoo it away from here ... but I also have ten fingers and want to keep each of them."
"Personally, I think we wait. The way I see it, this is the one place we know they will come to, even in a worse-case scenario where they've captured our companions. Most importantly maybe, this is the last time we have the element of surprise. In addition, we have high ground, which makes Áine and me a lot more dangerous. Honestly, your friend's balcony looks like a good spot, as does the guard post."
Zaine thinks something over. "It's a shame we don't know how much time we have. This one time, me and six other guys were hired to defend this village, and we had trenches and... it's not important. I don't think we have that kind of time."
"Or are we taking the egg and departing? I've a mind to free that Dragon and shoo it away from here ... but I also have ten fingers and want to keep each of them."
Sasha looks up from the egg. "I'm worried that it will be too domesticated to take care of itself, used to getting..." she looks at the storage hut with the human rations, "meals handed to it."
Barely on the deck of the bloodwalker, still 20 feet from the pile of debris in which the dead body fell, suddenly a tentacle streaks out of the debris attacking Áine.
The tentacle wraps around Áine's arm trying to drag her to the pile of debris.
"There is a lot of sense to that," Faith says. "I'm out of blessings, but I still have three Shields of Faith to bestow today. The Comprehend Languages will wear off in a bit, but that wasn't as useful as I'd hoped. What do you think Áine, Sasha?"
"I'm not the tactics guy."
"That's not a skeleton!" Faith whips out the +1 dagger and prepares to saw tentacle.
Faith saws tentacle.
Sasha looks up from the egg. "I'm worried that it will be too domesticated to take care of itself, used to getting..." she looks at the storage hut with the human rations, "meals handed to it."
Zaine turns to Tulip. "This is why I make you hunt from time to time. That and we're always broke."
Barely on the deck of the bloodwalker, still 20 feet from the pile of debris in which the dead body fell, suddenly a tentacle streaks out of the debris attacking Áine.
The tentacle wraps around Áine's arm trying to drag her to the pile of debris.
"Wasn't expecting that," Zaine mutters, then, louder, "Tulip, eat!"
Initiative
Zaine
Tulip
Zaine rushes forward, looking for a central mass to shoot at.
Tulip attacks the tentacle, gnawing on it.
"What do you think Áine, Sasha?"
"I'm not the tactics guy."
Áine pauses, at least temporarily. "Yeah, I'm fine with taking them here, though I'm not so sure about surprise. There were a couple big booms from here. I'm kinda hoping they heard them and return here to investigate instead of continuing on and potentially finding our friends." she pauses to think, "it probably wouldn't be a good idea to try and occupy both points, unless we can fashion a quick getaway from one to the other. We just don't have the numbers to do it." she shakes her head, dismissing the idea. "I was thinking maybe holing up in the tower. It's stone. And maybe letting the dragon free once we're barricaded in. Maybe let her wreak some havoc, if she will." Áine shrugs.
"That's not a skeleton!" Faith whips out the +1 dagger and prepares to saw tentacle.
Áine "Yeeeeks" loudly, but has the presence of mind to draw her dagger and plunge it into the accosting tentacle, ripping it out and trying to cut the thing in half.
"If we do hole up, we take the food and water," Faith says. "We won't be eating that jerky, but neither will they."
"Probably a bad idea if it goes long. I assume if they have our companions, they will kill them (or threaten to)."
Faith looks around at Áine, Sasha, Zaine, Tulip. Looks up at the woman on the balcony. Looks at the sky.
"Anyone else have this bad feeling someone will need to take out the cannibal leader in single combat, or is it just me?"
"Probably a bad idea if it goes long. I assume if they have our companions, they will kill them (or threaten to)."
...
"Anyone else have this bad feeling someone will need to take out the cannibal leader in single combat, or is it just me?"
"It won't go long." Áine says with some assurance. She wets a finger and holds it up. She smiles. "Due South. .. Just how much oil do we have here?" she asks to no one in particular.
Zaine turns to Tulip. "This is why I make you hunt from time to time. That and we're always broke."
Sasha chuckles, then pauses,
green eyes wide and a smile as she hears something in the egg."Anyone else have this bad feeling someone will need to take out the cannibal leader in single combat, or is it just me?"
"I'd offer to kick his ass," Sasha says, then looks up at the balcony, "But I'm guessing challenges from women don't count."
The tentacle pulls at Aine, trying to pull her closer to the debris. Somehow, she manages to snag the ship's railing - staying in place and stretching the tentacle in the deadly tug-of-war.
Sasha dashes past Aine, yanking debris off the pile where the tentacle emerges from - a few boards, and one ship's door and the undead bloody skeleton is revealed, all the sinew and mucus distinguishing it from the skeletons you've seen previously.
Aine's stab then slash does damage the tentacle, but it still holds on to Aine. Pulsing and pulling.
Faith saws tentacle. The additional damage is enough to sever the tentacle with an audible snap.
Seconds too late, Tulip attacks the tentacle, missing it as it retracts into the undead (and falls to the deck of the ship).
Zaine rushes forward, looking for a central mass to shoot at. And with only a little movement he has a clear shot at the undead Sasha dug up.
[
Sasha chuckles, then pauses, green eyes wide and a smile as she hears something in the egg.
Áine pauses, "Is it hatching?" she seems a little more worried then excited.
"But I'm guessing challenges from women don't count."
"That's all right. Don't think I'd honor a challenge of single combat from someone who's gonna eat me anyway." Áine seems somewhat disturbed, "shoot his balls off first." she mutters to herself.
Zaine rushes forward, looking for a central mass to shoot at. And with only a little movement he has a clear shot at the undead Sasha dug up
”Who would expect a cannibal to have wrongheaded ideas?”
Faith heals himself with a touch of religious fervor.
”Let me know what I can do to prepare.”
”I never thought I’d see one of those.”
Faith attacks the bloodybones.
”Let me know what I can do to prepare.”
"They can make good time through the trails, so I don't know how much time we actually have. Faith, bring the driftwood into the room just outside the tower. Barricade or jam the two doors exiting into the courtyard. Sasha, looks like we better get that egg inside first, then take a couple of the tanglefoot bags and when things start up, try to tag a boss or someone next to a door if you get the opportunity. Zaine, stay with Sasha and fire at will, but both of you retreat to the tower before the cannibals reach you. Tulip can cover you at a choke point just within the tower. There is an arrow slit there that you should be able to use effectively. Sasha, here are three alchemists fire you can use from behind Tulip, then trade off with her as needed. Faith and I will be upstairs and hopefully get to keep the bosses busy and thin the heard. Maybe we'll make a few molotov's before they get here. I was really hoping to be able to create a distraction from the guard post. Do you think there's enough combustibles in the witch's lair to make that happen?"
”I never thought I’d see one of those.”
"What the heck is it?" Áine asks, curiosity temporarily winning out over her disgust.
"They can make good time through the trails, so I don't know how much time we actually have. Faith, bring the driftwood into the room just outside the tower. Barricade or jam the two doors exiting into the courtyard. Sasha, looks like we better get that egg inside first, then take a couple of the tanglefoot bags and when things start up, try to tag a boss or someone next to a door if you get the opportunity. Zaine, stay with Sasha and fire at will, but both of you retreat to the tower before the cannibals reach you. Tulip can cover you at a choke point just within the tower. There is an arrow slit there that you should be able to use effectively. Sasha, here are three alchemists fire you can use from behind Tulip, then trade off with her as needed. Faith and I will be upstairs and hopefully get to keep the bosses busy and thin the heard. Maybe we'll make a few molotov's before they get here. I was really hoping to be able to create a distraction from the guard post. Do you think there's enough combustibles in the witch's lair to make that happen?"
"Yeah, that's more or less what we did in that village, except for the trenches. Oh, and the bramble walls. And the flaming cows." Zaine chuckles, shaking his head wistfully. "Good times."
"Eat lead," he challenges.
Faith heals himself more with another touch of religious fervor.
”I have the oil in my lantern and a spare pint to refill it with, but the bulk is back at camp.”
Faith starts moving things (driftwood, supplies) at Áine’s direction.
”It’s called a bloodybones. It eats your skin and then the muscles ... one by one ... until all that’s left is a pile of bloody bones. I always thought they were mythical.”
”I have the oil in my lantern and a spare pint to refill it with, but the bulk is back at camp.”
Faith starts moving things (driftwood, supplies) at Áine’s direction.
"No telling what I could make with what's in the alchemist hut. I'm a little low on gunpowder," Zaine says, tapping his powderhorn ruefully, "but I've a bit left."
Zaine points his musket downward and fires into the central mass.
"Eat lead," he challenges. And inflicts the first real damage on the creature.
The bloody bones strikes out with two razor sharp claws, one of which scores a deep, ragged slice on Sasha's thigh. The more tentacles wiggle out from the creature's abdomen.
Sasha pulls out her sawtooth sabre, slashing at the undead as she does so, scoring damage of her own against the undead pile of bones.
Áine takes a few seconds to recover, then follows the others to the bloody skeleton and tentacle thing. and if either is still alive she gets her shivering under control then pumps in two more blunt tipped arrows with a "Gods damn it, I hate undead" only one of her arrows strike true.
Faith attacks the bloodybones, unsuccessfully.
Zaine swiftly reloads and fires again. The bloody bones looks mostly blood with only a little bone left. This time, nothing stirs. Neither tentacle nor bone gives evidence that the creature is playing possum this time.
A search of the ship, sadly, reveals nothing of value or use. Only piles of bones - proof of the undead's predation. You do see another ship only a hundred yards off down the coast though.
The deck of this ship is clean - no rope, no rigging, no sails, and the main mast is shattered near the deck.
"Huh. I thought that was sunk somewhere else." she shakes her head, brow furrowed.
"This is getting to be a habit," Faith says to Sasha.
"Most bad habits are supposed to be more fun. This is my advice to you as a religious man."
"Most bad habits are supposed to be more fun. This is my advice to you as a religious man."
Sasha smiles at Faith, "Then since this is painful, wouldn't it be considered a good habit?"
She looks down at the slash in her pants and the bloodstain, "Island living is not easy on the clothes though."
Grins over at Zaine and Aine, "And thank you both for having my back when I charge in to draw out the undead."
Grins over at Zaine and Aine, "And thank you both for having my back when I charge in to draw out the undead."
Áine waves it off, "pft. Your charging in helped save me this time." she says. "I was the first one grabbed, remember? It's a team thing." she smiles at Faith and Zaune and Tulip.
"You really have the worst luck," Zaine says to Sasha, as he reloads the musket.
Sasha smiles at Faith, "Then since this is painful, wouldn't it be considered a good habit?"
Faith grins back. "Why would you choose a religion like that on purpose?"
Áine pauses, "Is it hatching?" she seems a little more worried then excited.
"I don't think so." She shrugs, "But you can hear the little buddy scratching around inside."
The group starts the work of blocadeing the doors and the other preparations. After they've been working for 10 minutes, Pookie comes down, still very much mostly naked. "به خانه ما چه کار میکنید؟"
After the run-in with the bloody bones, the approach to the Ruin is cautious, but you see nothing that tingles your spidey sense. A gaping hole in the hold took most of the supplies of the ship into the sea, but you do find a upper deck storage room (similar to the one on the Jenivere). Although the decade old rations are questionable, you do find some inexpensive bottles of rum.
And in the captain's cabin you see a beautiful pistol mounted on the wall, three chests sealed with magical wax on the floor below.
"I don't think so." She shrugs, "But you can hear the little buddy scratching around inside."
The group starts the work of blocadeing the doors and the other preparations. After they've been working for 10 minutes, Pookie comes down, still very much mostly naked. "به خانه ما چه کار میکنید؟"
"I think she really likes you, Faith," Zaine says with some amusement.
And in the captain's cabin you see a beautiful pistol mounted on the wall, three chests sealed with magical wax on the floor below.
"Well hello there, beautiful," Zaine says to the pistol.
Faith looks at her and shakes his head slightly. "The spell wore off," he says. "Can't understand her. إذا تكلمت بجلين السماوية، وهذا سيكون أسهل بكثير."
Faith holds out his hands. Stops. Mutters. "How to mime siege warfare?"
Points at himself. Makes a stabbing motion and says "Klocak." Points at Pookie, and mimes closing a door.
"I am assuming this rum is still good," Faith says. "The topless mermaid on the label probably means it's supposed to taste of the sea."
Faith whistles when he sees the pistol. "Pretty."
Pookie comes down, still very much mostly naked. "به خانه ما چه کار میکنید؟"
Faith looks at her and shakes his head slightly. "The spell wore off," he says. "Can't understand her. إذا تكلمت بجلين السماوية، وهذا سيكون أسهل بكثير."
Áine continues to listen intently, brow furrowed, lips pursed.
And in the captain's cabin you see a beautiful pistol mounted on the wall, three chests sealed with magical wax on the floor below."Well hello there, beautiful," Zaine says to the pistol.
"She's been waiting for you for a long, long time." Áine says with just a tick to one corner of her mouth, then she turns away and gets down to the business of opening magic wax sealed chests.
Pookie (since we still haven't learned her name), watches Faith's pantomime. She speaks, starting out with a logical tone, but growing frustrated towards the end. "اگر قصد دارید با Klocak مبارزه کنید، سپس با Klocak مبارزه کنید، چرا که شما با درب آشنا هستید. اگر او به شما ضربه می زند ما جشن می گیریم اگر شما او را ضرب و شتم ما جشن می گیریم پس از کلاکاک کشته می شوید، پس چرا قبل از کلاکاک کشته می شوی؟"
Taking down the pistol may be a disappointment, although the exterior is gorgeous, shiny and chrome, rust and the sea air have jammed the works and rusted the interior of the barrel - making it unusable as a weapon.
The first wax-sealed chest proves to have the supplies to make alchemical cartridges. All nicely preserved from the elements by the magical seal. (Aine may reconsider opening the chests, given the daily rainstorms that you often have to travel through.)
"I'll see what I can whip up," Zaine says. After preparing his position, he'll get to work on flash powder and hope for the best.
Taking down the pistol may be a disappointment, although the exterior is gorgeous, shiny and chrome, rust and the sea air have jammed the works and rusted the interior of the barrel - making it unusable as a weapon.
"Salvageable," Zaine says, turning the weapon over in his hands. "Don't worry, we'll get you back to your glory days."
"Good news," Zaine says, emerging from the alchemist hut an hour later. "I've invented a way to make an hour, and all the hair on your knuckles, disappear."
He does have a small bowl in hand. "Managed to get a bit of flash powder, though."
"Good news," Zaine says, emerging from the alchemist hut an hour later. "I've invented a way to make an hour, and all the hair on your knuckles, disappear."
Áine chuckles.
He does have a small bowl in hand. "Managed to get a bit of flash powder, though."
"Cool!" Áine says, then pauses, "Uh...what does it do?"
Assuming Áine finishes what she planned to do in the camp, she makes nice with the Shiv Dragon (did I say that already? don't remember)
She uses some rations and a small dead animal as incentive or whatever else Shiv Dragons might have a preference eating, assuming she can find something quickly in the area:
Faith looks at her and shakes his head slightly."The spell wore off," he says. "Can't understand her.
"oh." Áine says with a little chuckle, "Well, half of the reason for you to be up in the boudoir was to keep the hussies off me if it turns out they don't approve of what we're doing. If you can't understand them anymore, are you still okay with them being so...mobile?"