Rex takes another mighty swing and this time feels it strike true. The thin piece of carapace crumples and splits under his surprisingly powerful hit. "What?" Rex yells over the clicking chitin. He seemed set on at least defeating the ants. They'd stolen into the crayfishes home and stolen from it. He wasn't sure it cared about the pineapple but the least they could do was help it fend off the ants.
"I believe we can fall back now, Rex!" Isamu shouts over to the corgyn.
He has no desire to continue fighting, but can't leave Rex to be surrounded by these creatures, so he steps up and stabs at the nearest ant, striving to hold its attention.
[dice=Attack+PowerAttack]1d20+5-1
[dice=Damage]1d6+4+3Rex takes another mighty swing and this time feels it strike true. The thin piece of carapace crumples and splits under his surprisingly powerful hit. "What?" Rex yells over the clicking chitin. He seemed set on at least defeating the ants. They'd stolen into the crayfishes home and stolen from it. He wasn't sure it cared about the pineapple but the least they could do was help it fend off the ants.
Rex deals a brutal blow. Only the ant's hardy chitin dulls the blow enough to keep the ant from being hacked in two. Isamu, meanwhile, stabs his target in the side, distracting it from Lily for a moment.
The good news for Rex is that the ants seem to be losing interest in the crayfish now that someone else has the pineapple. The bad news is that the party has the pineapple.
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Yeldrid looks at Rex, seeing that he is intent on remaining, and having completely ignored his plan, and yells back to Lily 'We're staying. Defend the crayfish. We can outrun it when it's safe.'
The bullet barely pierces it's chitin, despite being dead on target.
"Pretty sure that bullet used to be a fork. Not using those again."
The fork bullet shears off one of the ant's little antennae.
Taking advantage of the distractions offered, the crayfish adjusts its grip very slightly on the ant that was just shot. A loud crunching sound, and a foul, bitter smell, accompany the sight of the ant being crunched in two.
The last ant in melee with the crayfish turns around and starts skittering cautiously away, towards Lily. It only makes it about five feet before the crayfish's enormous claw lunges down, grabs the ant by the head, and squeezes. The final ant takes an even more cautious route, turning around and skittering straight off in the other direction.
The ants out of the way, the party is able to withdraw, leaving the crayfish to swim sullenly back into its little cave beneath the pond. The party has the pineapple at last.
Rex watched the Crayfish finish off two ants in rapid succession. The last one emits a smell that mad his eyes water and noes burn. But neither effect made him turn from the crayfish. "Yes, well, good day." He bows quickly then sheathes his sword and leaps into four-paw drive. "Tactical retreat. Mission accomplished."
Yeldrid grabs up his ladder and runs towards the trees. When he meets up with everyone again, having unpacked his ladder, he says 'Well, I was hoping to avoid violence where possible today, but I suppose we got what we came wanted from the crayfish.'
Yeldrid pulls out his bullet pouch and starts examining some of the shot. Finding a few 'duds', he puts the fork bullets at the bottom of his pouch and rehooks it to his belt.
Isamu nods. "Without one who understands them, it is impossible to reason with animals, unfortunately. Shall we take our prize to Hob now?"
"I think we got our point across to both parties. Onward then," Rex says. Apparently he didn't feel the slightest bit of embarrassment for sticking around in the fight. Paladins. You get the feeling this won't be the last time you are forced to decide between saving his scruff or watching him lose a fight he couldn't win on his own.
Having acquired their fresh fruit, the party sets out for where Lily remembers Hob's home was. It is a lengthy walk, and the sun climbs and lowers as the group follows the path west. Trin is oddly quiet.
The sun is close to setting when the group of five arrives at a curious cottage just a few feet off the path. It is a thatched-roof dwelling, not unlike those of Barlily, but this particular house has clearly seen better days. Its walls are covered in moss and lichen, the windows are almost impossible to see through for the dirt and overgrown mushrooms on the windowsills, and the roof seems close to caving in—not least because it has been completely covered with wildflowers, some of which quite large and likely quite heavy.
The front of the cottage is about twenty-five feet across. There is but one door, but it doesn't look like anyone's lived here for years.
Yeldrid spends most of his time talking about this and that, while also fiddling with a few contraptions he carries around with him. For one, he appears to be trying to get a small cog device to rotate down a small hammer. The device makes an occasional 'ping' noise, which elicits a giggle from Yeldrid.
Yeldrid looks the building over, and leans into the group to say, 'She's a old building, but she isn't falling in any time soon. If the extra roof weight were to cause it to fall in, it would have done so a long time ago.'
The chime has the added bonus of causing one of Rex's ears to flick in its direction every time. The paladin is more than happy to be on all four, nose down, as they walk. He slowly sways back and forth along the path, taking in all the new smells. Even with his nose occupied, he still manages to converse. His voice is sometimes muffled or interrupted by a new smell but he still manages to stay involved.
Rex looks at the house skeptically but trusts Yeldrid over his own knowledge of engineering. He waits for Lily to knock since this was her acquaintance.
Isamu notices Trin's quietness. "Is something the matter, Trin? I'd think you'd have questions about our odd little fellowship." He gestures at his companions with a vulpine grin.
*****************
Isamu nods at Yeldrid's words, but also says nothing for the moment.
Trin bites their lip. "Uh...maybe." They look between the party, eyes settling on Yeldrid's gadget. They blink, momentarily snapped out of their muddle. "What's that for?"
'Not sure yet. Just got this bit to work. If you wind up this dial, it drops the hammer after a few seconds. If I can get it to work on a small scale, maybe I could with a bigger device. Then work from there.'
Yeldrid gives the small device to Trin and shows them how to wind it up. 'You hang onto it for now. Maybe you could think up something for it that I haven't. I have lots of small gadgets like that with me anyhow.'
Trin takes the device with clear fascination. They tinker and fiddle with it as they walk. It seems to be a helpful distraction for their uneasy mind.
Yeldrid walks towards the door, putting his finger to his lips and gently knocks, saying 'Hello? Er....Good Hob?'
He waits for a response with a raised eyebrow to the party.
There is a pause. After a moment, a strip of the wood of the door seems to peel back. Golden eyes shine through, glaring across at Yeldrid. "Who goes there? It's bad luck to kill a Hob, you know!"
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Over Yeldrid's shoulder, Rex's head pops up and appears for a moment before disappearing. For a few jumps he swivels his head quickly until he locks unto the slit in the door. "What's...a Hob? Oh...Hello...We're here...seeking help...We brought...a gift," he says, his sentences broken by the time between bounds.
Hello Hob, it's always bad luck to kill friends I find; speaking of which, I've brought a few who are new to the wood.
"A gift? You brought me a gift?" The eyes brighten slightly. "Where is it? Where's my gift? Lily Shadow, why is a dog talking to me?"
Yeldrid pulls out the pineapple and lets Hob get a good look at it.
'Hows that?' Yeldrid has to stand on his toes to give Hob a good look.
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I suppose the easiest answer is because he wants to. Lily says with a trace of a smile. But we've come here to find safe haven for these ones, she nods in the direction of the Aasimar while we find a safe passage back to town. The forest is alive with gangles, and perhaps worse.
"Ooooh!" The eyes glitter. "The Cray's Apple!" The slot of the door slips closed again. A moment later, the door bursts open.
The first thing the group notices is that the hob is up on a stool, as she herself is extremely short—even shorter than Rex, though not by much. The second thing they notice is that she is extremely hairy. Furry, even. Her sideburns, eyebrows and feet are covered in thick, dark fur, and her long hair cascades down her shoulders. She is dressed in a simple, practical dress, and a large wooden club is clutched in one hand. Her bright, golden eyes gleam as she examines the party. "A lost soul! Goodness gracious, Lily, what have you got yourself into? 'Alive with gangles' is right. You know they've blocked the way east, don't you?"
"If I might ask, just how blocked is 'blocked', Lady Hob?" Isamu asks, giving her a small bow.
"The Visitor has the gangles patrolling that end," the hob says, squinting at the fox. "They know lost souls gravitate towards the east. There is a blockade across the Writhing Wood, Mister...?"
"Nakano Isamu," Isamu replies, with a proper bow this time. "Swordsfox of Ysidar. Do you know anything more about this Visitor, Lady Hob? Or perhaps of somewhere to the west we might safely go to find this lost soul a home?"
When the door opened, Rex was looking up at the spot Hob's voice had been coming from. When he saw nothing up there, he looked confused. He looks around a bit before looking down and finally finding Hob. He has to take a double take just to adjust to what he was looking at. For a brief moment he thought he might be looking at another Corgyn. But he was almost certain that was impossible. But he wanted to be sure. "Are you a First Worlder?"
"Don't you talk to me about the Courts, son," Hob snaps at Rex. "Lily, who is this dog? Why is it talking to me? I'm so tired of talking dogs! Had it up to here, I have!" She brings her hand up level with her throat.
She turns to Isamu. "Well, Mister Isamu, I know that the Visitor's bad news. A bloody old sinner, toothy, hungry. He's not from around here. Loped to the Squirrwyrd from somewhere deeper.
"The Ghost Children are alright." Hob shrugs. "Strange, maybe, but no stranger than the Barlily folk. People wear lilypads on their heads. 's nuts. The Ghost Children are as good a place as any for the little one to..." She trails off, frowning at Trin. "What? Why're you looking at me like that, kid?"
Trin blinks. They lean over to Rex. "She's even smaller than me."
'I'm Yeldrid, in case you were curious. So who are the Ghost Children? And where exactly are they? Are they very far from here?' Yeldrid tries to take a peek past Hob to inspect the interior of the building. He wants to get a sense of what keeps it standing despite the structural flaws in the buildings current condition.
"Oh, just a bunch of brandy brewers." Hob waves her hand dismissively. "Not far, not far."
Looking closer, Yeldrid sees that the whole cluttered interior is tied together with wiry ropes, forming complicated knots and weavings to keep everything solid. It takes the catgirl a moment to realize what he's looking at—it's human hair. Or, well, Hob hair. Probably.
Rex opens his mouth to inform her that he had no such intention. The Corgyn's were associated with the Spring Court, being their favorite season and they needed the protection, but that meant little on the Material Plane. He closes his mouth as she implies speaking with other "dogs". "Have you met other Corgyns? I was sure I was the only one to leave."
At Trin's remark he looks affronted. "And what's wrong with short people?"
Yeldrid nods and chooses not to think on what this house is held together with too much.
He asks, 'So, you believe the brandy brewers could help protect Trin? Fair enough. I reckon we ought to head out that way then. Got directions?'
He also listens to Rex and Hob talk for a while, somewhat confused. As he listens, however, something clicks in his head.
"Wait...so you're saying this person is a 'visitor'? We had them described to be a 'politician' by some gangles. And you're talking about courts. Which I guess Rex is from, but I don't quite understand what he means by 'first world' but I would assume they are one and the same. Is the visitor something from these courts or this world? What does that even mean?"
"Oh, no. Not the Courts. Not the Courts." Hob shakes her head irritably. "I said, somewhere deeper." She lifts one of her feet up and scratches her chin with it, looking distinctly uncomfortable.
Rex opens his mouth to inform her that he had no such intention. The Corgyn's were associated with the Spring Court, being their favorite season and they needed the protection, but that meant little on the Material Plane. He closes his mouth as she implies speaking with other "dogs". "Have you met other Corgyns? I was sure I was the only one to leave."
"No, no." Hob rolls her eyes. "Not other whatever-that-is. The Visitor is...different from you. I can't say it easily."
At Trin's remark he looks affronted. "And what's wrong with short people?"
"I'm a short people! I just never met a short people who was more short!"
"Got directions?"
"Got a map?"
Yeldrid pulls out his map and shows Hob.
"Your descriptions aren't exactly...helpful. Know any name for the creature other than 'Visitor'?"
Isamu keeps one ear on the conversation while keeping his eye out for trouble. It seemed like his companions were pelting Hob with enough questions without his trying to ask some of his own, and it wouldn't do for a gangle to be sneaking up on them right now.
Now Hob, is that really any way to speak of Rex. Surely not all dogs are bad, even amongst the talking ones? Lily chitters at the prideful fur-ball, fangs twitching with an exasperated sigh.
I suppose we could take them to the ghost children, although it does seem a bit out of our way.
Rex had a hard time understanding all this and he was used to First World craziness. Or maybe he wasn't anymore. Now it sounded like there was a Visitor from deep in the First World and was riling things up here. Wait. "Is this Visitor the politician the other Gangles talked about? And it wants...ones like Trin here?"
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I suppose we could take them to the ghost children, although it does seem a bit out of our way.
Hob taps the portion of the map marked 'Halfling Ruins'. "Yep, yep. Can't read what that said, but that's where it is. Just follow the path and you'll get there eventually. Good news for you is it puts the gangles at your back. Bad news is, it puts gangles at your back.
"'Course not all dogs are bad. But this one is. A nasty one. I call 'im the Visitor. The gangles call 'im the Politician. You humans have a few names for 'im and his business..." Hob taps her chin. "But I can't think of them. See, it's hard for me to describe what he is, Yeldrid—my tongue's tied. He's clever, he's mean, and he's hungry. Hungry for ones like..." Hob pauses, eyeing the child.
"I know. He wants to eat me." Trin's tone is somewhat jaded for one of their age. "But he can't beat Rex and Isamu and Lily and Yeldrid! Rex is a much better dog!"
"Hm. He's a good deal bigger than your Rex, too." Hob raises a bushy eyebrow as she surveys the (comparatively) tall corgyn. "Now, I may've misjudged you earlier. Sorry. I'm on edge. Fact is, the Visitor's already tried to kill me once. As long as he's on the hunt for the lost soul, I'm stuck here, hiding like a rat in a burrow. Hopefully, when the soul moves on, he'll give up and go...home."
Yeldrid hums for a bit before saying 'We'll go meet the halflings, then. Seems like it'd be too hard to get Trin through the blockade without having every gangle in the bush come running. And then...well, we'll think about that when we get to it I reckon.'
"You'll want to mind the path when possible." Hob's brow furrows. "But better the untamed wild than an ambush. The gangles'll have to catch up to you when they realize Trin's heading the other way, but they move fast.
"Is there anything else I can help you with? You've brought me a nice little treat here." She gestures to the spiny pineapple. "It'd be a shame if you were to all get eaten out there."
"Given our recent luck, I think we should be good. Enjoy the pineapple, Hob. Maybe you'll be able to get out of here soon enough."
Rex stands a little taller (which isn't a lot) at the praise. Then he realizes he'd also been called a dog. Well, she was a child. It could be forgiven. "Fear not, he will not make a chew toy out of you," he says to Trin.
He then turn to hob. "Actually, Miss Lily here had mentioned that we might be able to leave the child here while we deal with this Visitor. I believe you said your home was fairly safe from him. Once they are free from the threat of being eaten, we will return with the good news. The pineapple was to be payment."
"I get the impression we might be overmatched, Rex," Isamu states. "Better to save the child's life by getting them out of here than risk all of us dying and then Trin too."
"You want to face the Visitor?" Hob peers at Rex. "Aah, that's right. You're one of the Sun's favored, aren't you? Adds up. Well, far be it from me to tell a paladin his business, I'm sure you know it better than I, but you may end up in the belly of the beast if you try a fair fight." She shrugs.
"And who's to say it won't follow them wherever they go? The only place we could lead them is Barlily and it would be rude to lead a monster to their door. Nice people. Overly curious about the fur on my head but nice people. We certainly can't protect them forever either. We already have an adventure to the west. Best to end this now and protect them for the foreseeable future rather than a few days or months."
"I'm not going to say no here, Rex, but I think we have other things to think about first. Most importantly we need to get Trin to safety. Hob's given us directions to the halflings, and that seems like a good place for Trin to lay-low while we handle the gangles. I think that ought to be our first priority. We'll think about heroics afterwards."
Yeldrid's tail flicks about. He seems a bit on edge.
Isamu nods. "I'd rather get Trin to safety first, myself. After that, we can see about facing this being."
I much prefer knowing Trin will be safe while we deal with the threat in the wood, lets journey to the halfling village.