Feel free to dot in and have Chuffy, Poog, Mogmurch and Reta chat among themselves. We'll kick off 6 October.
You gather outside Chief Gutwad’s moot house having received a summons to come.
You hear the high pitched, nasal tones of Slorb (advisor to Chief Gutwad and also his spokes-goblin since the Chief’s voice is so powerful it would frighten all the word from your head and maybe make it explode. No Mogmurch, DOWN!.) bid you to come inside. You enter the moot house, a little trepidatious as to what the chief would want with you. You look about and see the familiar trappings of the chief’s meeting hall. There are pickled creatures in bottles (mostly dogs) weapons taken in raids and other shiny trophies and trinkets displayed to show the greatness of His Mighty Girthness Chief Rendwattle Gutwad.
You may sit in the place of honor, in the dirt before His Greatness’s chair. Just as you settle yourselves, pushing and shoving to get the best spot you hear an unfamiliar voice, that of the chief himself.
You all be heroes. Each of you. You are best Licktoads but for me. And maybe but for Slorb. That you aren’t fleeing in terror from mighty sound of my voice is all the proof you should need. Yet soon, all Licktoad goblins will know your might, for I have picked you for a dangerous mission. “You know about fireworks and map we found in Scribbleface’s hut. Fireworks were fun. But map is more fun. It shows a route to a place near the coast where Scribbleface found fireworks. And it says there are more fireworks there!
I want them for Licktoads. You all go get them tomorrow. Tonight we have big bonfire to burn bad luck away from you, and we play many games. Much fun. Tomorrow you fetch me fireworks. If you meet men, you make them dead. If you meet dogs, you make them dead. If you meet horses, you make them dead. If you meet Lotslegs Eat Goblin Babies Many, you maybe should run. And if you not find fireworks, you not come back or we feed you to Squealy Nord!
His words spoken the chief waves his hand toward Slorb who hands you a map and shoos you out of the moot house.
In preparation for your quest into the swamp you search your memory for what you know.
The sole female goblin in the group quickly takes center spot before the chieftain, fighting and biting off anyone who even gets close to her. She then serenely adjusts her veil to accentuate her bulbous head. The veil seems almost out of place with her eclectic outfit of leather armor, halfling corset and dog ear-covered quiver. Taking a moment to check her appearance, Reta gives a confident smile, yet further reminder she has a big head in more ways than one.
She listens to the chieftain's words, visibly shaking a little, before retorting with confidence. "Of course Reta be hero! Reta strong! Reta not fear chieftain's words, man, horse or dog! Reta find more fun fireworks. This time set poog's hair on fire!"
The little alchemist comes in and looks around, laughing at the other goblins. You be ca ca poo poos
"No YOU be ca ca poo poos! And Poog, we know ya Poog, not poo poos, now shuddup!"
She stops for a second to think, the strain of it showing on her face for a few seconds. "Oh we go tasty marsh, but I no want to meet Lotslegs. He scary!"
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Goblins toil all afternoon to build the bonfire out of branches, sticks, and unburnt timbers taken from the ruins of Scribbleface’s hut. As night falls, a group of four struggling goblins carry the Teeter Chair (with Chief Gutwad sitting atop it) out to the bonfire, and the chief lights a fireworks and shoots it into the bonfire sparking it, and the celebration, into life. The party has begun and will go all night. There are lots of good things to eat (snails, fish, and snakes) and even before the sun has set the chief brings out a barrel of fermenting cider apples.
As the night progresses word of your impending trek into the swamp has gotten around. Several goblins think that they should be going instead of you. They are clearly better at fighting and general goblining than you. They approach you and dare you to prove your skills. You are free to accept or refuse each dare. There is a prize for each successful task, provided by the chief no less, but only 1 prize per task so no point doing one that has already been successfully completed.
The first dare comes from a small notch-eared goblin. He looks wirey and fast. He has clearly been partaking of the “cider” and sways slightly as he yells I dare you to dance with Squeely Nord. I bet he eat you
Another goblin approaches your group. She is overweight and has a pinched expression on her face. She carries with her a wicker basket covered with a ratty cloth and a napkin made from a soggy leaf. I have Bullslugs here. I dare you to eat this bag of slugs real quick.
A third inebriated goblin staggers up to you. He wears a pair of goggles clearly pilfered from a creature larger than himself. I see you, I always see you. Whole tribe see you. I dare you to play Hide of Get Clubbed
A cry of You think you brave? I brave. I do Rusty Earbiter. I dare you to do Rusty Earbiter comes from a goblin with only 1 ear. And a number of scars down its face, arms and legs. The announcement of this dare is met with many hoots and whistles from everyone surrounding you.
As it is rolled out you see 3 partial severed goblin ears tangled in the coils and those rolling it out are sustaining cuts to their fingers as the slicing coils roll around.
Squeely Nord is tethered to a peg in the ground. Mogmurch approaches and bravely climbs aboard the piglet and Nord is released. Mogmurch rides well for the first 12 seconds but then begins to slip as Nord moves erratically. When almost at the time limit Mogmurch falls from the pig's back and strikes the ground.
But Mogmurch lands gracefully on his feet avoiding any damage from the fall.
Meanwhile Poog attempts the slug dare. A basket covered with a napkin made from a leaf is brought out and placed in front of him. Slecting a slug and popping it into his mouth it takes 4 attempts to swallow the first slug, 2 for the second then the third slides straight down, but the fourth wriggles a lot more and takes 3 attempts. As the time limit expires Poog looks down and sees a single slug remaining.
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"I try to ride Squeely Nord. He and I talk lots."
Poog approaches slowly gesturing towards Squeely Nord with an open hand.
Reta Glares at Mogmurch as he repeats his deriscive statement. "Stap meanin' Poog! Only me can meanin' Poog!"
At the party times, Reta eats her fill of the snakes, snails, slimy swamp grass and toasted frog brains. She also drinks heavily of the "cider" challenging a few other goblins to drinking contests.
When the talks about how the four of them aren't good choices to go, Reta gives them a slightly swaying version of her Glare and screams out,"YA INSULTIN' ME? I CLABBER YA HEAD OFF!" Hopefully restrained so she doesn't do something too stupid, she settles down when Poog starts talking about riding Squeely Nord. Her eyes bug a little at the thought. "Poog, THE Poog, ridin' Squeely Nord? Everygobwn know he na good ride! I have ta see!"
Reta gives a laugh, "Poog fail again! Here I shaw ya why I best Licktoad rider!" Before jumping into the pit and onto the pig.
Reta gives a snort at the bull slugs challenge, claims it's,"Easy!", and sits down to slurp the slugs up.
As the Rusty Earbiter gets rolled out, Reta gives it nervous glance before declaring, "Everygobwn knowin' I can best earbiter. No need prove!" Despite her confidence, though, she starts to sweat furiously...
Poog attempts to ride Nord, but just cannot hold on for the full 18 seconds, slipping at the last moment.
However Poog manages to land without injuring himself.
Reta is the next to try Nord and manages to hold on for the whole time. Her veil flies wildly as Nord jumps and bucks, but she holds on grimly. The jolting however seems to have upset her stomach as she fails to eat the whole basket of slugs before the time has expired.
Reta is rewarded for her riding skill with the Dragon's Breath Gourd
Reta takes the Dragon's Breath Gourd with a self assured ear to ear grin. "Told ya, I da best!"
She laughs heartily with Mogmurch at his comment, before slapping him on the back of the head. "Hey, Meanin' Poog MY job!"
Mogmurch musters his courage and jumps aboard Nord. Cursing and flailing, he nevertheless manages to stay aboard the swine and is rewarded for his riding prowess with laughs from the crowd. Reta already has the prize for riding Nord so Mogmurch has to settle for his own sense of pride.
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Poog some mud out whiping some from his face after being tossed by Squeely Nord. "Stupid pigs!!" Poog spits at the pig and then runs off to go try another helping of bull slugs.
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"Chuffy!!!! Yous should bes doings this!! Where is you?!?" Poog yells at Chuffy as he attempts to tackle the Ear Bighter still covered in Mud from his trials with Nord.
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"Mes nots so good at hiding but I gives it a try."
Poog runs off into the bog toad in hand hoping to not gets spotted.
Reta is biggest poo poo ca ca there be he declares
"Ya jast hate I betta than ya! And you biggest poo poo ca ca! Reta retorts to the alchemist's comments, before she trounces off, glad to have the last word.
She wanders up next to Poog before he goes and hides in the woods. "Me much betta at hidin' than Poog. I no get find!"
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[Poog, I need 1 more escape artist check for the Rusty Ear Biter. I'll roll it for you. [/ooc]
Poog manages to gulp down the bag of slugs and not vomit them up. For his efforts he recieves Gorge of Gluttons
He also manages to make it through the Rusty Earbiter earning the Chief’s Personal Very Useful Robe That Is Useful
Poog runs into the swamp and is persued by 5 goblins.
Poog cannot be found and gets yet another useful tool,a Ring That Lets You Climb Real Good
The chief will need the Gorge of Gluttons and the Ring That Lets You Climb Real Good back when you are done, so don't lose them.
The nights revelry winds down and you find your beds.
As dawn breaks on the following morning you are kicked awake by Slorb. He ushers you to the moot house again. Chief Gutwad is in his chair alread and again speaks to you Get fireworks and bring them here to me. He waves at Slorb, who escorts you outside and gives you a package containing two Desnan candles, four paper candles, and a skyrocket. This is what remains of Scribbleface’s fireworks.
Each time the alchemist tries to point out her location, Reta's faint response comes from a different part of the forest from which Mogmurch is pointing. "No YOU Poo Poo Ca Ca!" She then scurries about to find a new hiding spot.
As the Gorge of Gluttons is presented to Poog, Reta's eyes go wide. "Oohh, slimy! Trade me! Dragon's Breath Gourd for slimy sword.... and no meanin' for hour? Two? Until tomorrow? .....Don't make say!......please?"
The next morning, her large head swimming with form the apple cider still, Reta moves up and grabs the bag of fireworks. "Ok, Poog and Poo poo ca ca, we go!"
You follow the road that Chief Gutwad told you to follow through the swamp. There are trees and vines and mud holes, but there is a cleared path used by humans or something and you follow it as it moves in a generally eastward direction.
About halfway to the place where the fireworks are you begin to see webs stretched between some trees. The webs increase as you move along the path and even are over the roadway like a sort of roof. As you walk along being good Licktoads and hardly setting fire to ANYTHING you hear a slight rustle behind you. You turn and see a massive spider as it finishes climbing down from the treetops onto the path behind you.
Round 1 - Bold may Act
Poog
Mogmurch
Chuffy
Reta
Lotslegs
Reta doesn't even turn to look at Mogmurch and just replies "No, YOU pooist poo poo and caist ca ca, no othe' gobwn ev'n CLOSE."
When Lotslegs appears, Reta feels a shiver crawl down her spine. Trying to keep a confident s$&~ eating grin on her face she reaches into her pocket and gives LuckySpotol a few squeezes to calm herself, before starting to direct everyone. A few insults, poopoo cacas, and strong arms later, she pulls out her trusty dog slicer, sad that it isn't the Gorge and rushes up to the spider, her bossery reaffirmed and assured she can handle the spider.
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"Yay!! I beats Chuffy." Poog screams in excitement as he is handed the items.
"Being smartest goblin, Except for big big chief, I think I lets you use this stuffs but remeber whi haves it to you. Reta you can haz The Gorge you don't heave to threaten with Pwease... eww... I be keepin the robe as it great honor to wear chiefs clothes. Mogmurch you can haz... Have this ring.
"Ahhhh it's lots legs watch out!!! Poog gestures out with his hand wiggling his fingers and a bolt of fire shoots from his left pink.
Chuffy swings his dogslicer at the spider.
Reta and Poog both attack the giant spider. It wobbles as it seems to be close to death.
Round 1 - Bold may Act
Poog
Mogmurch
Chuffy
Reta
Lotslegs (-14)
Mogmurch swings his club at the spider's legs.
He misses.
Lotslegs retaliates against Chuffy.
The fangs bounce off Chuffy's armor.
Round 1 - Bold may Act
Poog
Mogmurch
Chuffy
Reta
Lotslegs (-14)
Poog narrowly misses Lotslegs
Chuffy swings his dogslicer to try to cut down the giant spider.
Chuffy cuts the spider down and it falls, dead.
Among the bodies of Lotsleg's vicitms you find 24 gp, a small masterwork light crossbow with 11 bolts, a single pearl worth 100 gp, 2 potions of cure moderate wounds, a potion of bull’s strength, a potion of bear’s endurance, and a wax-paper-sealed package containing six pieces of licorice-flavored taffy.
You continue along the path that Chief Gutwad showed you on the map. After an hour or so you begin to hear the faint sounds of waves which get louder over the next 30 minutes at which point you reach your destination. It is not on the coast, but you can certainly hear the waves off in the distance.
A two-masted ship lies mired in the mud in this clearing, its rigging thick with moss and decorated with lanterns and windchimes made from goblin skulls and bones. Strange writing is faintly visible along the ship’s prow, while the soggy, swampy “yard” that surrounds the wreck is encircled by a rickety wooden fence. A thin curl of smoke wafts up from a chimney that protrudes from an unusual box-like structure near the ship's bow.
As you approach you swear you can hear neighing and barking coming from the direction of the wreck, but that’s where the fireworks are, aren’t they?
Mogmurch and Poog see a wild eyed horse bolting around the fenced area around the wreck. The horse has not seen you yet.
Poog makes it to the hull and leans against it.
The horse surges around the vessel, churning the mud with its hooves ass it goes. The stallion is grey, you think, under the layers of mud and grime. It is clearly not well cared for.
Poog calls upon Zarongel and a wave of negative energy flows forth from him striking the horse.
Round 1 - Bold may Act
Mogmurch
Chuffy
Reta
Stomp (-5)
Poog