:
Kaul gathers his iron and mulls Tum Bo-Bo's offer, before scooping up the idol and eyeing it curiously;
"Hur... Magickal nanas would go down a treat right enough... Reckon your due some shinies or a stogie hur-hur..."
The burly thug shoots a growl at the captives;
OI! You lot! Any smokes around ere? An nanas?? Tell me true or yer next fer the breakfast pot!"
the Groom brings up the goblin chest and put in on the dining room table. "The Mayor hid our chest in his bookcase. I pulled it out last night. Got some coin out of it, but Dingus, it also has some vials you might want to look at and well as a shriveled up hand that you better get to before Dibbits starts scratching away with it, or Kaul invents an even worse perversion for it."
The captives look at Kaul as if he were mad. "There is fruit in the kitchen and the mayor's cigars are in the parlor."
Dingus casts detect magic, and examines the new stuff.
Spellcraft (If needed)
Spellcraft (If needed)
Spellcraft (If needed)
Spellcraft (If needed)
Mouth suddenly dry with the remembrance of what happened to his last booze, Dibbs follows Kaul into the parlor to look for some kind of alcohol.
Perception:
The only thing in the goblin chest that radiates magic is the nasty old hand, but there are multiple auras and Dingus can't figure it out. The 5 vials it so happens contain that perennial goblin favorite- alchemist's fire.
Dibbets keen eye spots a half dozen bottles of some sort of local wine in a side cabinet.
Stumping his way to the side cabinet, Dibbs pulls out a bottle, pops the cork and gives it an experimental swig for flavour.
"Hey, mate--before you get too far into that bottle, care to use that wand to get us back into fighting shape?"
Swirling the wine around in his mouth before swallowing and moving back to Jim "Feh, life's too dull iffin ye ain't got a bit o' liquor to make it more interestin" before he moves to any and all in turn to deliver Gozreh's indifference.
the Groom takes a swig for breakfast while Dibbets cast his spells. "'Preciate that Dibs. Stock up on those vials for when we find the mansquito, or he finds us."
Seeing the Groom snatch the bottle of wine from his hands before getting a shot of Gozreh's juice Dibbs looks aggreived a moment before moving back to the study and grabbing another couple of bottles. He takes the vials of liquid fire carefully, stowing them where they might be easily reached - yet not where they might be accidentally crushed.
Kaul also grabs a shot o' Gozreh's Bottled Indifference as he gathers up some ripe bananas and all of the mayor's stogies.
The thug clomps back to his monkey idol, popping a cheroot into its gob with a toothy smile;
"Hur. "Smoke em if ye got em"... eh Tum? An feel free ta healify this fine nana fer yer loyal subject!"
Kaul lights the cigar in the idol's mouth, before sparking his own cigar and blowing a large smoke ring towards the captives;
"Hur-hur-hur. Iffen we're going on a bug hunt lads... reckon we'll be needing this lot as bait..."
Puffing enthusiastically which is strange since coconuts don't usually have lungs, Tum-Bobo lays his blessing on a bunch of bananas.
Feeling drained from his efforts Dibbets looks over Jim after expelling the last of Gozreh's gifts. "Yer still not lookin too flash there Jimmer... best give ye a shot o' the stick" pulling out the wand and applying it's power to Jim's leg...
Cure Moderate:
"Don't want ye fallin over iffin the skeeter comes knockin"
Half-Hitch appears to have procured some toast and jam from somewhere and asks between mouthfulls, "So, mhrrm. What's the plan? The sooner we're off this blighted island the better."
"Well, mate, there's a small matter of a great flyin' bug out there, which I figure will do its best to kill us when we set foot outside for any length of time. Dibbets, I think I need another shot from that stick."
"We have the raft. The skeeter is this town's problem, unless it tries to stop us from leaving. I say we send these fine folks out there to get its attention and then make our break to go back to the cave while it might be occupied."
Dibbs give Jim a second poke...
Cure Mod:
"Ain't no objection from me tae leavin these inbreds tae the demon of their own makin."
Half-Hitch considers, "I ain't for going after it, but if there's any bit of the govner left in the horror, it might not return the favor. We got anything to clip its wings?"
Jim considers. "There's the alchemist's fire Dibbets grabbed, Dingus should have a few vapor vipers up his sleeve, and there's that wand of his can 'chant our weapons so they'll bite on the beastie. I'm thinking Kaul's first--I can draw its attention whilst our thug carves it up from behind. He lands a few shots with Bess or Mara, and that should put paid to it."
"Yes". "Let's kill this thing before we go". "Knowing our luck, he'll just attack us on the raft while we're leaving, and he's got us all stuck in one place". Let me 'Magic' up the weapons, and let's have at him".
"Fine. Let's play the hero." the Groom pulls back a curtain to look out the window. "Thing is. My blessings will last three minutes tops. Not sure if that wand is the same, but likely less. We need to know that the bugger is out and about before we expend all our magic."
Kaul nods as he stows his newly enchanted nana bites.
"Hur... Don' mind tusslin' with the Bugger mayor again, jes as long as Bessie can bite him back... Otherwise we're jes pishin' in the wind again..."
The thug then rubs his scarred temple and his eyes go all glassy like...
Kaul grins as he re-focusses on the room;
"We go fishin' lads... Bug fishin... Use these mooks as bait, then when bugger-sucker comes callin' drop a net on 'im... keep 'im down and me and Jimmer can carve him a new one..."
the Groom's look out the window reveals a thick haze of smoke and nothing moving. It's quite a desolate scene.
Half-Hitch grimaces, "Sounds like a plan I guess, but where are we getting a net? I don't expect these farmers to have one and it'll take a long time to make one. Do you reckon we could make a harpoon from the govner's fancy spear?."
Looking at his mates as though they've all gone barmy Dibbs is rendered speechless for a few moments before shaking his head muttering "all gone feckin mad they ave" and adding "Groomy - any idea iffin this thingy's still got smarts or is it dumb as a post-like? Whatever we're plannin, might be worth a reccy roundabouts tae see what an who's still standin?"
Stumping over to the Lupescu's "You there, any of yer kin got steel hidden away? or rope an such?"
Stumping over to the Lupescu's "You there, any of yer kin got steel hidden away? or rope an such?"
"Ain't much in the storehouse," Ma says. "Just scythes, flour sacks, and the like."
"If you want something woven, I guess old Aliza the town weaver is the one you should talk to," Pa adds.
"Not sure we have time for that, mate. Now, we might be able to lure the thing inside a building so it couldn't fly off, though once inside I'd be sore tempted to burn the building down around it."
Jimmer's third poke with the happy stick...
Cure Mod:
The Taldan sailor eyes the spear suspiciously. "Here, that's not the sort of weapon I prefer. Takes too many hands to use. And didn't Dingus say something about it harming the fellow on the non-pointy end, too?"
Channelling my inner Sid James...
Kaul utters a throaty chuckle at Jimmer's weapon dilemma;
"Hur - Quit braggin Jim, seems tae me yer spear gets ye inta trouble regardless o' how many hands it takes... hur-hur-hur"
The thug then looks to Tum Bo-Bo and nods to himself as if in secret council...
Aye Tum - good call fer the bad Kaul...
"Reckon we don't need a net... big sack'll do. Over the head pressgang style, then "BOSH!" we nail the fecker with everythin we got..."
The half orc proudly shoots an angler fish grin, having seemingly come up with yet another fool proof plan o' action...
In response to Kaul's idea of bagging the skeeter, "I will leave it to you to bell this cat."
"For bait, it seems us or them," with a nod to the tied up townsfolk. "We can let them run home and follow at a distance. Or do a jig outside this door and try to draw it in here. Or even make a go of it for the barns and release one of them damnable pigs. Enough pigs out there, should distract 'im plenty."
Spitting to the side "Well iffin ye be needin bait, I ken always do tha honours... I'm slow enuff fer ye tae keep up no problems." Must be bloody goin mad as them...
"You guys can try to net it if you like". "Personally I intend to shower it with the blessings of Vapor Vipers". "I could use this wand to make your weapons more effective before combat first however".
The Lupescus listen with plenty of trepidation as to what their role in the scheme will be. Ma chimes in, "If'n you want a big sack then the mill's your place. You could make your stand in the gin gang, it's got a low ceiling. We won't hinder you none. Jes' let us go."
Dibbs takes a few long drags of wine from the bottle he holds and fills up both flasks with the liquid for good measure. Moving to the side of the house he takes a peepsie outside...
Perception:
Although it is likely late morning, the sun is dim and obscured by the thick black haze of burning corn husks that enshrouds the village. Even sharp-eyed Dibbets can't make out much more than the dim shapes of the village buildings around the stockade and he sees no one out and about. All is ominously quiet.
"I'm thinking it's time to let you folks go." Jim draws his kukri and slashes the Lupescus' bonds. "Take a good look around, hey? If you'd been smart and handed over the chest when we asked, your little village'd still be in one piece." The still soot-stained sailor grins wolfishly at the trio.
With a mildly deranged smile that suggests that his senses have been left behind, while also signaling that it's time tae get dangerous Dibbets shadows the Lupescu's out into the village. Keeping to their trail and hidden as best he can.
Stealth:
Perception:
Jim follows along, sword drawn and ears open.
Dingus whispers to Richard as they move along.
"Keep your eyes open, and tongue out Richard". "Don't want that thing to sneak up on us". Then looking at the others as they leave.
"Remember to come to me to enchant your weapons as we get closer". "Would anyone like it done now"?
"Same here. I will give out a protective blessing, as I can."
Kaul pops a bless'ed nana morsel , scoops up Tum and draws Bess
"Hur...Dunno Dingus - will the 'chantment keep fer good and long? Iffen not we'll leave makin Bess all magicked fer laters like..."
The thug prowls at the head of the group; smashed nose and tattered collie ears twitching as he goes;
:
The Lupescus stay huddled together, supporting each other as they quickly move down teh path to the village center. Dibbets disappears into the smoke skirting the trail while the others take the more direct route. The quiet is unnerving, only the scuffing steps and involuntary gasps of the freed hostages and the crew's banter break the oppressive silence.
The Lupescus' safely reach the square and run into their house slamming the door shut behind them. The sound echoes around the square for a moment and then you hear the buzzing from somewhere in the smoke above.
Calling upon the strength of Gozreh's tempest to gird his form, Dibbets looks to the sky... trying to zero in on the buzzing.
Kaul will make for the mill at a run, half breed eyes narrowing as he does so;
:
Dingus will start casting Magic Weapon out of the wand, trying to stay out of the conflict at first. "Who's first"!