"Whew, thanks, Cao! I didn't think he was going to believe me."
Anna grins at Alruc. "Never hurts to try, right?"
She sizes up the goblins as they leave then scans the area for tracks, trying to figure out how many goblins there might be and who might have been moving through the area.
I wait. Seeing the goblins move away, I flip the pouch of Bruno to let him know I am here. Then slowly begin to move the rocks one by one and inch or two at a time till they are almost all in somewhat easy reach of Bruno.
Cao offers a toothless smile to Anna, Of course, we are allies after all. And I love a good ruse.
Cao stretches as he considers the group he is with, It seems we have, in a sense, paired off and I think it wise we maintain that pairing in combat if we can if things get harried. I know the mysterious Jyste seems to favor Bruno while Mei and I are a bit of a professional duo. If Anna and Alruc wish to help keep an eye on each other then we all shall be, in a sense, protected?
Sounds good to me. Bruno says while still scanning the brush
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Mei takes a protective position beside her "employer" her spear remain ready for ambush.
The goblins don't remain confused for long. All six of them puff out their chests and stand a little straighter. The braver of them even begin to talk as if they could take the party single-handedly.
"Gork no scared! Gork beat five longshanks once with pickle. Then eats them and pickle whole!"
"Sneerk do even better! Sneerk beat ten longshanks with bare hands! Then SNeerk make them bring more longshanks so Sneerk could eat them all!"
"Bah! Frook not even work up sweat with ten longshanks. Frook so strong an' big longshanks beg to be eaten when they see Frook!"
Needless to say, the tales are getting out of hand quickly.
Anna listens to the tall tales with amusement. She doesn't forget their surroundings, though, and she stands at the ready.
Bruno does his best not to laugh too hard at the little guys. They were only little agents of chaos. They couldn't help it.
Mei gets Cao's attention, we should wait to hear from the leader before we decide upon a combat. If these creatures are in fact responsible for the carnage earlier, then they will pay appropriately. otherwise, a peaceful solution should be sought.
CAo keeps his eyes on the goblins but smiles nonetheless, Oh I wouldn't dream acting with any hostility but they might break down and do the work for us...
Close enough to ply his particular gifts, Cao dramatically cups his hands around his mouth, though not without fidgeting with the ring on his finger before he does so. Stepping forward with a spot of flair the eliciter directs his attention at the closest goblin, If anyone insulted MY strength, I would attack them on the spot I say...
"Yeah, I'll prove I'm the strongest, most bestest goblin ever! I'll beat all of ya!"
"Y'will, will ya? I'll beat y'all with one arm behind me back!"
It doesn't take long for the goblins to begin brawling amongst themselves, which in turn doesn't take long to turn lethal. By the end of it, only two goblins are still breathing, much less standing.
"See! Tolds ya I was strongest, bestest goblin!"
"Y-yes boss! Ya is strongest, bestest, most handsomest goblin!"
The two of them have seem to completely forgotten about all of you. The less wounded of the two basking in the flattery of his more wounded underling. Soon he's contemplating taking over the tribe.
"If only it were that easy all the time. Wretched little creatures, I still don't fully understand why we're talking to them."
Bruno is now leaning against a tree with a smile on his face. Because it's fun. I mean look at them. They love killing themselves so much is a wonder they're not extinct!
Cao pulls at his cuffs idly with a subtle self satisfied smirk on his face, Never do yourself what others would willingly do for you...
Looking back at Alruc the arcanakin tilts his head at the melee, Now its about thinning. To discover the full story of what happened at the carriage, and find our objective its easier to not waste our energy. Especially when dealing with those who have too much for their own good...
Mei looks to cao, I hope that is not how you view our arrangement.
"They could have information to share. Maybe they know where the princess is."
As i watch the fiasco I grin with anticipation of what might happen in future adventures with Cao and his "people" manipulations and My object manipulations. hmm lets see if I can help a bit. Reaching out I jump a stone to right above the "winning" goblin and let it "wink" back in causing it to drop on/near him.
I'll flip Bruno's pouch so he knows I am still around. Hopefully he catches on when the stone "appears"
Cao's smirk dissolves utterly and he views Mei with great sincerity, I play my games, it is in my nature but I also know how sacred the power of the mind and emotions can be. You will find me unsettling at times in the pursuit of what is right as I weild my abilities against our foes but I assure you that my arrangement with you is based in forthright trust and transparency. I will only bolster you with my abilities. I will never test, challenge or harm you...unless you try to stab me. The elf cannot help but wink at the warrior as he finishes.
Hopeful that he has set Mei at ease Cao turns to Anna, I'm thinking the leaders might know more than these. I'm actually quite curious to meet their leader.
As the "strongest" goblin exposes on the virtues of pickled cheese, his back is turned to the only other surviving goblin. Which of course means that Jyste has the perfect opportunity to finish the job Cao started.
In an amazing display of telekinetic prowess, Jyste pegs the "strongest" goblin in the head with the rock in a way that exactly mimicked the way a hurting goblin trying to pass it off on someone else would have thrown it.
The two remaining goblins finish each other off in an amazing display of ineptitude better left to the imagination lest one's hand remain permanently stuck to one's forehead, covering the eyes.
Fifteen minutes, then twenty, then an hour pass by with no sign of the goblin that had left.
"Bah! I say we head on, and kill any little gobbo who sticks his big oval head up!"
Alruc readies an arrow and prepares to take point on the groups' advance.
"Talking was going pretty well at first. We could track down the leader goblin and try to talk to him again."
I jump to a closer location to the group.
and try to stay hidden.
Cao shrugs at the half orc but grabs his gear and indicates he is fine too move on.
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Anna tries to follow the trail of the goblins' tracks.
It takes about fifteen minutes to find the goblin camp, though there's no sign of the leader of the goblin patrol that you ran into. There are roughly thirty goblins here. The tents are ragged and appear to be made up of mostly patches. As you approach two goblins, both wearing an item of women's clothing on their heads challenge you.
"Halt! Who dares approach the camp of King Krosk, Lord of the Glug'lurch tribe!"
"Speak before King Krosk decides to kill you all with a wink!"
Anna pulls her vest from the back of her pouch and sticks it on her head, all the better to fit in.
"Did your patrol leader not tell you? We have come to parley!"
The goblins blink, then look at each other.
"Par-lay? What is par-lay?"
"Me thought Blik said dey want to talk?"
"But dey say they want to par-lay."
"Is dis some test?"
"I dunno, let's ask!"
The goblins turn back to Anna, eyes as wide and innocent as a little, three-foot monster's could be.
"Um, is dis test? We not so good with tests."
"We gets itchy alls overs we does!"
So they've heard about us.
Anna is getting pretty fond of goblin logic.
"You've convinced me! You've passed the test, so now let's talk. Take us to your king!"
I am staying to the shadows hoping to have found somewhere inconspicuous to watch.
Cao smirks after Anna and nods appraisingly at her quick response to the goblins.