Round 1:
Brain still only half-working Dibbs feels aggrieved, muttering [smaller]"Oh aye, only mention the humies like... me an Kauly ain't worth no mention" shuffling from foot to foot as he regards the icky box with a jaundiced eye.... I need a drink... too early in the day fer this...
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Round 1:
Rapier held at ready, Jim holds off on attacking as well. "Come on, Groom. If vomiting on someone's an attack, Dibbets is in serious trouble."
Kaul watches the lawdog coated in spew;
"Hur. Kinda like this thing-in-a-box... Got the same disdain fer the law as we do... hur-hur-hur!"
The thug taps the handle of his belted ax, but does feck all else.
With a wry grin attempting to emerge out from eyes with overnight bags residing below them Dibbets chuckles "Careful now Jimmer... say she almost looks like your type... should we give ye some privacy like?"
Constable Dewey staggers away to gag against a nearby crate. No further threat appearing, the strange being floats puffing above your heads. In the same monotone voice it observes, "Intelligent life. This is fortunate. My name is Beldar. I require your assistance. My parental unit and sibling have been stolen."
"Stolen, is it? Not to put too fine a point on it, and not that we're turning you down out of hand, but what's in it for us, hey?"
Dibbets' eyebrow lazily rises at the suggestion of intelligence... but the halfling refrains from challenging it and instead staggers to a crate where he can sit down and take a dram of amber kickstarter into his gullet.
"Do you require compensation? We have little to offer you. We have come from Remulak to speak with the Eyes of Mount Keeba. We have an important message. It is possible that they may be grateful for your assistance. Also, I could not help but to overhear that you have had something stolen as well. The same human has stolen from us both. I know his coordinates."
Sense Motive:
"Well Belder, so we do have something in common. It seems one of our crates have been stolen and you were left in it's place. How exactly did that come to be? And before we set off aftr any humans at any coordinates, tell us...You have any dealings with a bird-fellow, goes by the name...what was it?..oh, yeah, the Grackle? "
Dibbets thinks the strange floating jellyfish talks pretty. It replies to the Groom. "I believe the wrong box was taken unintentionally. This Grackle has a companion named Dusky. Dusky was lacking in brain matter and made this mistake. I believe they are planning to take a vessel named the Angelina when this planet begins its nocturnal cycle."
"Is there profit in stealing the like of you? A vomiting gas bag seems of little monetary value, no offense."
Constable Dewey recovers and slumps to the ground reeking and pale. "Argh, I doubt the Grackle even knows what he got in the boxes. The damned crow has been raiding gifts en route to the Cauldrons. Not even the local thieves' guild is that bold. Course that doesn't explain how the damned squids got in the boxes in the first place."
Still puffing as he hovers above, Beldar responds, "We are aware that our appearance is unsettling to your peoples. To avoid attack, we arranged to be sent to the oracles after we secured ourselves in the receptacles."
"So wait lemmee get this straight. The walkin roast chicken stole off one of our boxes o' dirt... an left one with tentacle mcpukey pants there innit?" squinting up at the longshanks from his place of repose "But iffin thass right, why'd he only switcher one of em?"
The constable enlightens Dibbets, "Are you rat-arsed? He just said the accomplish, this Dusky, must'a grabbed the wrong box leaving squiggles behind. I'll tell you what though. If you can catch the Grackle, there's a price on his head. I'd go after him myself, but... I'm not feeling too well at the moment."
Dibbs holds up a hand at the constable's accusation "Now now, I ain't intae that crap" before realising he's probably misheard...
...after the lawman finishes Dibbs enquires "How much is the price?"
Ever the thinker, Kaul mulls over the situation, then mutters his thoughts to all and none with a toothy grin;
"Hur. Find Dusky. Hur-hur-hurt em til we get Grackle. Find Grackle. Hur-hur-hurt em til we get dirt box. Find Dirt box. Get reward. Sell dirt. Deliver squiggles tae Oracles... Hur."
The thug gives a quick nod to himself, fires a glob of chew spit near Constable Dewey;
:
"Right then. Lets go shake the nest an see if anyone sings o' the Grackle... eh lads?"
"Reward's five hundred Sails." Dewey replies. Then, "Hey!" as a large black gob of spit lands near his foot splattering his boot and pant leg.
The strange creature spins slowly responding in a faintly whistling voice, "I will remain here until your return. I wish you success." It then ascends to the rafters puffing and waving its tentacles.
Jim nods. "Pleasure doing business with you, Master Beldar. We'll get your kin back. Off to find the Angelina, mates?"
"Aye Jimmer, fair a place as any... less Groom ken pick up any tracks?"
"Aye. We know the when and the where. But if'n we can find them before then, might get the drop on them and our crate."
the Groom will take a moment to look for recent and distinguishing tracks.
Kauly wracks his noggin for any memory o' the Angelina from when he was trollin the docks fer Half Inch;
:
The hard floor of the warehouse and cobbles of the street yield no clues other than the feather the constable found. Kaul is fairly certain he saw no ship of that name at the docks either.
Dibbets starts emerging from his early morning funk and posits "So we've got tae find a ship, or track a big ol' parrot down... which do ye reckon's the better angle mateys?"
Dewey hobbles past clutching his stomach and snorts, "Doncha think we'd have him by now if we just had to look for a blackbird? The Grackle don't look like a tengu. He's got spells for hiding that fac'!"
Dibbets retorts back "Well you jus lost yer lunch at somethin that don't really rate even in me top hundred most disgustin things I had tae witness... so excuse me fer outright dismissin yer competence."
Constable Dewey looks as if he might respond, but instead makes a gagging sound and clamps his hands over his mouth. He then proceeds to shuffle away taking the stench with him.
"So then, a ship sounds easier to find then a Mockingbird."
"Agreed. Sailors, as we all know well, have a difficult time keeping their mouths shut where free drink is involved. Mentioning no names, of course. Let's to the waterfront and make some friends, hey?"
Kaul rubs his chops;
"Already been down and made plenty o' friends...hur-hur-hur... Am tellin ye lads ain't no tub by that name in port..."
Indeed, Kaul is correct. A follow up inspection finds that there is no Angelina currently docked at the wharf.
"I'm thinking more of finding someone who'd cop to sailing on a ship with more than one name, or who knows of a ship such as that. This being the Shackles, and all.
"Now that brings another question to mind: even here, there are likely those who don't want to show their true colors in port. Kaul, when you were out and about did you happen to hear a whisper of other places on the island where an anchor might be dropped, surreptitious-like?"
"Ah, now that's interesting. According to the convenient fellow I just buttonholed, she was here, but she's anchored at the mouth of the harbor at the moment. A bit easier to find, though harder to reach quietly for more than one of us at a time."
Stepping onto the pier he leaves the interrogating to Jim, but at the mention of the ship casts a weather eye horizon wards...
Perception:
...spotting the ship in question and pointing it out. "There she is... an I've a thought that might make it easier tae sneak up. I ken give ye a few minutes worth of breath that don't need ye tae have yer head 'bove water, an Kauly's coco nutter ken help us come intae the ship side-like iffin we bribe the wee bastard... Plus Smeekit's gettin cooped up an needs a bit of a walk like"
Kaul nods sagely like at Dibb's plan;
"Hur... Like it... Cunning lil' bastich ain't ye Dibbs hur-hur-hur"
The thug fishes for his nut and pops him out;
"Well O' Great One... Will ye help yer follower? What would the Almighty Tum like as an offerin... coin? shinies...grog...smoke..?"
"Well O' Great One... Will ye help yer follower? What would the Almighty Tum like as an offerin... coin? shinies...grog...smoke..?"
The scowl on Tum-bobo's furry coconut face sure doesn't look very helpful. "What me want? Don't want nuttin' to do with lil bastard's plans. O feckless follower, I tire of man lands already. I wish to go back to the jungles."
Dibbs regards the coco-nutters recalcitrant tone and turns to Kaul, asking simply "Kindlin?... or chamberpot fer Smeekit?"
Tum-bobo's mica chip eyes flash as it mutters darkly at the insolent halfling.
Will Save:
Feeling a skitter of intent bounce off his alcoholically fuelled mental scarring / barriers, and putting said skitter into connection with the muttering of Tum-Bobblehead... Dibbets snaps his fingers and a brief flash of flame can be seen. He then turns to the coco-nutter and raises an eyebrow while readying his fingers to snap once more...
The coconut idol doesn't seem all that bothered by the spark and tries to stare down the shaggy halfling only to look away after a moment and fall silent.
Kaul scowls at both Tum, then Dibbs;
"Oi! Cut it out... the pair o'ye!Fine Tum - iffen that's yer wish I'll not stand in yer way..."
The thug stows away the magical nut idol, removing temptation from Dibbs gaze...
"Aye, Dibbets. Don't be maligning Tum-Bobo; he's helped us out more than a few times, but it's clear even to one such as me that he's not a spirit of the vasty deep. If it's the jungle he wants, I'll deem that setting him on a path there squares all debts between us and him. It may be that there are people more to his liking to be found in Plumetown--let's keep our eyes open."
Kaul grunts in agreement, before looking wistful...
Only idol I need is me ax... Ah fair Bess how fair ye now?
"Dibbets, will your magics get us back? That is a long way by the look of it. Maybe we should look to a small boat to get us close."
Shaking his head "Nei, they'll only last a wee while. We'll need to get closeish wiv a little boat like ye say."
"Hmmm". "Well I've been studying, and though I can only do it one at a time, and for only a few minutes I can lift us up. "Can't move us forward, but maybe Dibbs could take care of that". "I can also make us invisible for a short time, but I"m limited as to how many times I could do that". "So if that helps with the plan". Dingus offers joining the conversation.
"Whatever we do, best we be about it sharpish. The gasbag talks funny, but I think it was saying that Angelina will be setting sail tonight."
Jim does some quick calculations and reckons that if they're heading out with the tide tonight, it will likely be around the start of the first watch (2000 hours) which gives you plenty of time to hire, borrow, or steal a boat.
Dibbs casts eyes towards the harbor to see if there's any small fishing boats that have not yet gone out with the dawn. If he can pick one out, he jerks his chin to'wards "Should we be seein tae a tub? I'd wager a glint o' gold should be enuff to get a short hire fer the day."