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"Closed for the day, my good sir? That is a shame," says Arturo, "Pray tell me, when do you expect that it shall reopen? We have about a dozen of us who would like to cross as soon as it is operational again."
Arturo waits for the expected bribe request, thinly veiled as some kind of favor that he could do, if only.... Blah, blah. I've heard them all. Just for once, I wish they'd add the required bribe to the posted fee and have it over with.
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Looking at the water, Ophiuchus scans for signs of the elusive arctic duck.
"Tell me, have you seen the rare, white arctic duck. I have been searching for it for sometime. I hear that you need to flap your arms and mimic its mating call. Sorta like this."
Ophiuchus proceeds to flap his arms and shout, "Chirrup, Chirrup, Blee-up blee-up"
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The brute stays on his feet, keeping his scythe put up as he tries to, with Rudi's help, keep the goblins reined in. Slapping at hands that slip into pockets, pushing the little beasts back into the cluster he desires they be in, finally offering them a bit of food, he silently hopes that the others come back soon, as he is just about ready to throw them across the river and take his chances.
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"As I said, my good sir, there are about a dozen of us. We have six hired mercenaries - adventurers, I prefer to be called - and six goblins along with us," Arturo pauses for a moment to catch his breath, the next lie had to be good, "We have been hired in Whitethrone by a representative of Queen Elvanna - her nicce I think - to escort the goblins to an larger force of goblins massing to the west of here. What they're doing or why, we didn't ask. We're not paid to ask.
"The mission's hush-hush. No paperwork in case we get captured, but the duchess (is that the proper title for the niece of a queen?) gave us the names of those we could trust with the information I just gave you. Rimetusk was amongst those names. She said your ferry was vital to the empire and the safest place we could cross. She also said you were the strongest and most competent ice troll in these parts... and capable of operating that ferry for the Queen no matter what the circumstances. Was she wrong?"
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The ice troll turns a little pale, and says, "Yessir. I will get the ferry ready right away!"
You hear Rimetusk mumbling, [b]"Stupid humans, never let me have fun. 'I'm an agent of jadwiga Elvanna. You have to let me go.' Blah, blah, blah. I'd have let 'em go for a wrestle. Humans... never any fun.
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"Sir Ice Troll, that is very generous of you. Most people in town said that you would try to take all our money and beat us up, but that is not what happened. As a show of appreciation, I can sense that you would have liked a different outcome to this negotiation. You perhaps wanted to show us your considerable strength.
I would be willing to enter into a competition with you. What say you Sir Ice Troll? My companion will retrieve the rest of the party while we make preparations, and then we can begin when they all arrive."
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The ice troll looks at Ophiuchus, sizing him up. "That would be most excellent, you strange snake-man. Just some good old-fashioned wrass'lin', mind you. No fancy stuff... no weapons, no claws, no bitin'. No cheatin' neither. You beat me, you can say you beat the Mighty Rimetusk. I beat you, you can say you were beaten by the Mighty Rimetusk. I'd also let you use the ferry if you beat me, but..." He looks nervously back up the trail to where Arturo left.
Arturo is able to get the goblins and everyone back the ferry. Remarkably, there is no problem moving them through the village, though there are a few times they are reaching for a merchant's wares before someone stops them.
Rimetusk sees the goblins and the others coming. "You ready now?"
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"That sounds most excellent. Just let me limber up a moment."
Ophiuchus does some quick warm up activities and is ready to go.
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"Now, everyone," says Arturo before they get within earshot of the ferry, "You goblins are not to speak to Rimetusk. If you do, Strong Brute will help you to be quiet. The story is that you are being escorted to a larger force west of town, but if anyone is to speak on the matter, it will be me. Rimetusk looked very suspicious of me!"
As Arturo leads the column, he looks at the strange nagaji waddling around and remembers to inform his companions of something, "Oh, and Ophiuchus is going to wrestle the troll." Desna save us all.
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"Sir Ice Troll, I have hugged many creatures in my life. I once hugged a Wooden Statue that shot arrows at us, and I hugged Mr. Hariylips once after he had too much to drink and took his pants off. That didn't sound right. I didn't hug him, more like carried him to bed while trying not to look at his manhood. We kept trying to put a towel over it but he kept pulling it off screaming, Too bad none took him up on his offer. I have hugged the pretty wolf too many times to count. The best hug was my Merian. I wish that I could hug her once more. But this is not to be. This will be a different hug."
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"Sir Ice Troll, I know that I smell so good. I recently took a bath in the mountain stream. It was nice to wash all the wolf intestines, and goblin brain off. I smell fresh and clean again. Can you smell the wild Winter Daphne on me? I rubbed a little on my neck and them some on my man parts. It has been so long since my dear departed Merian has been here. One never knows when one will find a pretty woman in a remote winter village ruled over by a mean Ice Troll. And Ophiuchus never wiggles. He "
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"Har Har Har! Little man in armor breaks. I think that will be true, that I will squeeze you and maybe pop you. I am sorry if that happens, Rimetusk just doesn't know his own strength!"
He then reaches for Ophiuchus once again.
"Har! Rimetusk have you again! You not escape so easily, I think, this time!"
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Ophiuchus tries a different line, but fails to trip the larger creature. The goblins are cheering nonetheless,, chomping on their goat meat.
"Nice try, little snake-man. Let's end this, shall we?"
The troll modifies his grip, pushes Ophiuchus to the ground, rubbing his face in the dirt.
"Say 'Uncle'!! Admit your defeat at the hands of Rimetusk the Mighty! Or do you want to smell what Rimetusk ate today?"
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The cheers from the goblins get louder, with flecks of meat flying everywhere, as somehow the oracle escapes the troll's grasp! Rimetusk chuckles, obviously relishing the encounter.
"Ok, little man, you asked for it! You gonna get ALL OF THIS!! he yells, flexing. He then grabs for Ophiuchus again.
Amazingly, to all involved, he fails to establish the grapple.
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Suddenly, the nagaji speaks in a harsh, focused voice, belying his normal happy-go-lucky attitude. He reverses the grapple, and now holds the much larger ice troll within his arms. The two are covered in each others' sweat (well, more like Ophiuchus the Fierce is covered in Rimetusk's sweat and drool, but who's counting?). The goblins start cheering, "Uncle Poochie! Uncle Poochie!"
Rimetusk laughs, "Har! Har! Har! We'll see who weeps like a little girl!"
The sweat and spittle seem to make it tough on Rimetusk, but he barely reverses the grapple*.
The crowd looks very confused by Arturo's odd cheerleading.
*
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Ophiuchus tries to re-establish the grab on the troll, knowing that to win, he still has to pin the creature. Rimetusk is not able to take control of the grapple, so Ophiuchus goes in for the 'kill'. Unfortunately, the girth of the troll is too much for Poochie, and he looses control. Rimetusk regrabs the nagaji, who is not able to squirm around, and is still in his grasp. Ophiuchus is then pinned again, but tries one more time to get out, but fails. At this point, Rimetusk gives the oracle a noogie while pinning him, demanding once more...
"Say 'Uncle', damnit! I will put you down, if you do not yield!"
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"Yes, we did well to have you along on this mission," Arturo says, patting Ophiuchus on the back and stepping forwards into the leadership role once more, "You fought long and hard - I thought you might have had it there for a moment - but you were fighting against the best wrestler this side of the Rimeflow! Why, I bet this powerful troll's strength is whispered about even so far as the Lands of the Linnorm Kings - may those curs be ground into the dust by the... oh, best not say any more."
Arturo turns to Rimetusk, "I am glad we could provide you with such good sport. Now please, oh mighty Rimetusk, our business is still in front of us. Let us get yours behind you." Arturo indicates the ferry.
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"Come on Poochie, be a good sport, and say what Mr. Rimetusk wants. It was a fair game and you lost. Well, as fair a wrestling match between a smaller reptilian and big troll can ever be. Yeah, the setup wasn't not exactly balanced, but both played fair, so that makes it fair."
Roudantaimi let's his hand drop to his bandolier which hides his weapons. Sometimes his nagaji friend is slightly unorthodox in his actions, and the troll looks pretty serious about this. Attacking an opponent after losing a fair game isn't exactly according to the Shelyn's teachings, but neither is letting a friend to be crushed by a monster. The troll is bit on the ugly side, and Shelyn does support for vanquishing the ugliness from the world, so maybe the scale is on the side for supporting his friend. Fingers crossed, the gnome hopes Poochie comes to his senses and no violence is needed.
"Yes, please do say it my dear Ophiuchus. I worry what that brute will do to you if you do not give him what he wants..." Merian starts biting her nails as she looks on.
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Ophiuchus blinks a few times, looks at the Troll and begins, "Sir Ice troll, I do not understand. You looked like you wanted to have a fierce contest of strength, one in which I gladly entered into with you. We both fought bravely, like two drakes over the prettiest duck, with the most beautiful feathers. I lost, you bested me, and I said what you asked me to say. Then you struck me most foully. That was not how a winner should act."
"I was bested in a fair contest by Rimetusk the mighty! Unmatched in strength and prowess."
Ophiuchus places his hand on his flail, and turns to the troll, "Touch me again, close this ferry, and we will be in a different match. One you might not like as much. Remember there is fun, and there is fun. I have enjoyed meeting you Sir Ice Troll, and I will remember the wrestling match fondly. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors. Come let us load our passengers and begin our crossing."
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This would be an interesting fight... Though how to keep the goblins out of it, I have no idea... Jaender cannot make up his mind whether he is excited or nervous in these tense members before boarding the ferry. He waits for something to happen either way.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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When Ophiuchus gives him what he wants, Rimetusk smiles, and says, "Yes, it was all in good fun. Now hurry, get on the ferry, and you can be on your mission. Besides, that was a friendly slap. Had I 'struck you most foully', you would have known it." You do notice the troll's claws, teeth, and the very large battleaxe leaning against the mooring post.
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The party walks for several hours before turning east to cross over into Hagreach, finally leaving Irrisen. Natural trails wind through these woods, allowing passage through the thickets and shrubs. A sudden opening reveals a little house, no larger than a small child’s tree fort, built atop bundled tree branches lashed together like stilts or legs. The woodwork on the exterior of the house is exquisite, almost delicate in its craftsmanship. The only entrance to this small, one room structure is an open doorway facing west. The miniature house stands 10 feet off the ground.
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"Well said, Ophiuchus," says the youth, ever impressed by the nagaji's always positive outlook. At his side, Vox's hand strains slightly, as if it wants to move of its own accord and grasp the deadly hammer with lethal intent. Restraining this impulse, the youth also sees Einhardt fidgeting, her protective instinct kicking in while watching her beloved Ophiuchus, one of her pack, in pain.
Ophiuchus did exactly what you asked, Rimetusk, Vox thinks to himself. Hurt my friend again, after he has relented, and my hammer will find you.
The youth looks on, smiling at Rimetusk.
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"Oh, this just reeks of a trap," says Arturo so that the goblins may all hear, "Frostfurs, please, please, please stay here while we investigate that hut. See if you can set fire to the forest if it will keep you occupied, just don't come forwards until we give it the all clear."
With that, Arturo draws his scimitar and warily approaches the hut. As he nears, he starts searching the hut and the area around it for any traps.
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"I've got your back Arturo." Jaender says, going over the words and motions for his scorching Ray spell.
-Posted with Wayfinder