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When Ronk holds her hand, Twitchy squeals for joy.
So many stories lie ahead
So many books I haven't read
Oh... Together we'll discover
As we read cover to cover
Flipping through the pages
(Except when Ronk rages)
We'll learn about the world
Our imagination unfurled!
She pulls out a stick, writing letters on the ground, and shows it to Ronk.
We'll catch the Underbelly spies
See the world through brand new eyes
I taught myself halfling and common
And how to sound out goblin
I've even learned orcish words
Sometimes they look absurd
But that's okay... it'll be like play
Learning what dragons have to say!
Turning to the others, she sings:
Just think, aboard our pirate ship
We can use books to make a trip
Learning about places we've never known
Finding magical formulae to hone
Becoming the fiercest and most learn-ed
And our illiterate enemies burn-ed
We'll be the Pirates they all dread
Clever, inventive and well read!
She reaches out to Gurp and Medge.
Please say this isn't a fantasy
Say that you'll learn to read with me
And with sky rockets and fireworks
And a barbarian who berserks
With slugs, a talking cat, a pirate king
Yeah, we can do just about anything
Fueled by literary super powers
There'll be no goblin tribe like ours!
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"Twitchy, books are a fine thing,I agree,
But save them for a rainy spree.
Why would you be sitting in to read,
If you could be out there, doing great deeds.
Treasures and magics all abound,
Just waiting for us they are to be found.
Out there the call to adventure awaits!
For reading there will be other dates.
Ronk, you must not let Twitchy,
Spend her days on her bum.
If the sun's out she should be,
Out in the swamp having fun. "
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Medge has been dancing around singing "Medge has a shiny, Medge has a new shiny!" since the Queen put the amulet around her neck. She finally realizes that something else is going on. "Wait, what we doing?"
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Gurp scratches his chin in thought. "Gurp not sure. Sounds like lot of effort. What in it for Gurp?"
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"Put it this way, we get to live, for one. We're in the middle of a foreign encampment, if it hasn't occured to YOU. Queen Janka has not only allowed us free passage, she has even graciously given us a Gift."Mortimer glares at Gurp."Is that not enough for you?"
Twitchy grins at Mort.
I won't give up on fun and parties
Or being pirates with piratey talk
Like 'Avast, land ahoy me hearties!'
Our enemies the plank will walk
In the crows nest way up high
Fluffer and I will wait to boom
Then launch fearlessly into the sky
Immolating others in a fiery doom!
And much later in the cozy hold
Ronk and I will go to be alone
We'll let our bitey romance unfold
With a brand new set of skills to hone
I'll still be there for adventure's call
Whether in the swamp or further afield
Why can't Dread Pirates have it all?
All the joy books and action can yield?
Her voice soaring, she raises her arms to the sky and spins. "Oh... This will be great!"
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When Twitchy starts to sing about books Ronks eyes widen and he goes ridged. Ronk will not run, Ronk will not run,
Gulping air his head turns back and forth quickly depending on who is talking. And then his eyes go distant when Twitchy mentions their alone time.
Ronk's acting very strangely. Mortimer butts Ronk on his shoulder to check if he's still there.
He raises his voice to inspire the Dread Pirate Goblins.
"Lets build our empire together
With our hopes and dreams.
We will be the greatest pirates
Golarion has ever seen.
Merchants will learn to fear our name,
Our reputation spread far and wide.
For to plunder and loot is our aim,
And there's no where for them to hide.
We'll raid their ships then loot their treasure
Which makes us rich beyond all measure.
Of powerful magical artifacts that we loot,
We'll use them to give our enemies the boot.
We shall collect a mountain of gold,
and find ourselves an island stronghold.
We'll build our ship to be as powerful as a storm,
With such wonderful plans, there's nothing that could go wrong.
We'll fight as one together,
For our hopes and dreams.
Together we can achieve our goal to be
The Greatest Pirates Golarion has ever seen!"
Turns to Mortimer, “My S’adow Scales are very distinct. Zey all are so dark green and brown zat zey look black. Zey all wear special camouflage armor to ‘ide zemsleves. Many of zem do speak goblin if not try ze common language of Taldan and zey will definitely understand you.”
Janka looks hopefully to the group. “I was wondering if you found a golden fan wit' Vorka? It was a gift from my first ‘usband. S’e probably burned it but I ‘ave to ask.”
Janka turns to Medge, “If you wis’ to track ze folk zat lied to you, zen you better hurry. I guess from ze stong reaction you did not ‘ave many people watc’ing zem? If need to rest you may stay in ze True Flame Lodge, but you may lose track of the Underbellies.”
"Let's make those lying lizards pay! Onwards! This way!"
and heads off to the direction they left the lizards.
Zeli looks miserable.
"Kingie, Zeli no likes going around in the dark and nice Queen Janka has just offered us place to stay."
"Nonsense! A King is true to his word. He does not let things like fatigue get in his way. Onwards!" Mortimer retorts.
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”Ok, so, you teach them the reading, Medge teaches you the numbers. Medge knows all about numbers, that’s how you know how much loot you have! Very simple cost analysis shows how Queen gets more value in the long run by having us occupy boat lands. But that’s for later! For now...Queen wants treasure from boat? Can work out deal. Lots of Vorka’s junk left. Why Vorka take your husband fan? Is special fan?”
Happy to realize that this is over Ronk turns around and quickly follows Mort. Lifting his head to glare at Zeli, Dumb birdie knows nothing. Its ok Mort or Ronk will keep you safe. Cant you see in the wonderful dark birdie?
"Both Kingie and I can't see in the dark. But he's too proud to admit THAT!" she whispers to Ronk, irritated. "Better make sure HE doesn't lead us into quicksand."
The direction that Mort chose sounds good to Twitchy. She mounts Fluffer and takes off!
Ron will quickly run up and grab Morts face. Mort cannot see in the dark? Its ok Kitty, Ronk will pat his nose, Ronk can and we will guide you. Ronk will try to scramble on Morts back.
“Vorka stole many zings from me, but w’at I really want back is the fan. Ze fan is ony sentmental to me. It is not magical if you must know. I know not w’y Vorka took it. I zink she did it to spite me.”
Mortimer meows sadly. He then rubs his nose against Ronk.
"Thanks most awfully." He remarks snidely at Zeli while giving Zeli a dirty look.
--The Narrators Voice--
As the squabbling Hero’s … Champion’s … Goblin’s … Tribe’s voices settled down it was spoken (Mostly by the large cat that could not see in the dark) that the group would go back to the ship, then track the lizard-folk who had tricked them. They set off on their long half day walk/flight back to the Dread Pirate Boat.
--End—
Medge
Mortimer
Ronk
Twitchy
Zeli
The Dread Pirate gobs are making good time through the marsh. They are making good timing as far easily sided tracked goblins goes. Zeli has made a game of the gobs telling him what certain shadows are. The irate Dread Pirates are still angry from being deceived and marching ahead. As the dust of day dies and large gibbous moon hangs eerily in partly covered cloudy sky. A light mist raises is the sunsets. Unaware of the many, many swamp curses inching towards them. The night air seems to be colder for some reason.
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Zeli is taking refuge from Mortimer and hitching a ride on Fluffer after her kingie's hurtful comments and looks.
Zeli speaks in a hushed voice, into Twitchy's ear"Most people think that shadows are harmless. But Zeli know the truth. The're always watching you. Then, when you're in the dark they get She pauses for a moment to see the effect of her words on Twitchy, then continues whispering, "Like that one over there," and points her beak at that moving shadow.
"I smell a disturbance in the air. Like something just died. We'd best be wary," Mortimer remarks to Ronk.
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Gurp's ears perk straight up, and he sniffs the air. "Cat and bird right. Something not right in swamp. It like swamp eat bad mushroom and have blood in stool. Keep eyes open!"
"Wait a minute..." Twitchy says. "Isn't the point of being a goblin being the scariest things lurking in the dark?"
However, she keeps her eyes open and looks where Zeli is pointing.
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Zeli is crestfallen. She was hoping to see Twitchy jump. Undeterred, she tries again, "Oh no. Goblins aren't the scariest things in the dark. Have you ever seen the oggle-dy boogle-dy boo? It's a horrible creature that flies around in the dark. It has too many eyes, mouth,teeth and tentacles to look upon. The sight of it will drive you insane. It sees all, and consumes everything in its path. Fear its hunger,"and shivers a few times as if to emphasize her point.
Twitchy - it's a dungeoneering roll to guess what the oggle-dy boogle-dy boo is - the CR is higher then you could make untrained...
Medge
Mortimer
Ronk
Twitchy
Zeli
,
,
,
,
,
,
The swamp has been eerily quiet. The group hears something faintly on the breeze. Thought the words are hard to make out.
Thus saith the Lord
Since you refuse to feed my people
All through the swamp of thassilon...
I send a pestilence and plague
Into your house, into your bed
Into your streams, into your wheats
Into your drink, intill you’re bled
Upon your spicy, an’ your sweets
Upon your meats in the battlefield
Into your dreams, into you defeat
Until you break, until you yield
I send forth a throng, I send the Acid
say the Lord Assassin
The voices are nothing like Ronk has ever heard, but he does remember a friend tell him a story long ago how the voices of the undead sound distorted and raspy … much like these voices. Ronk knows he could be wrong, but he also knows these voices sound wrathful and vengeful.
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Ronk leans his head down bringing his mouth closer to Morts ear, Mort Kitty did you hear a song about food? Creepy voices are singing about Lord ah fashion bringing Ronk food.
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"Ronk, I think we might be on the menu.I hear something that shouldn't exist. Tell me, once things die, they're gone for good, ok?"
"Who goes there? Show yourselves. I know you're out there." he bellows, as he glares towards his left. He puffs up his fur, arches his back and growls at the darkness. His tail waves threateningly like a battle banner.
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Gurp's face hardens, and he turns to his left and shouts into the darkness. "Spirits of swamp! Heed call of Gurp! We not want trouble, and you not want taste wrath of swamp curses! Leave now, and Gurp won't tell swamp you been naughty!"
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"I hear them too, but not what they're saying... Ronk, can you make out the actual words? It just sounds distorted and really raspy. Like they're sick or something." Twitchy looks around, trying to see them.
Creepy voice is angry we did not feed them so they will feed us a pest-u-lance. Is that a big bug? Lots of talk about food and stuff then we are getting acid?..Frowning deeply as he starts to think about the actual words.
Creepy voices only want bad stuff to happen to Dread Pirates..
“Thus saith the Lord
Since you refuse to feed my people
All through the swamp of thassilon...
I send a pestilence and plague
Into your house, into your bed
Into your streams, into your wheats
Into your drink, intill you’re bled
Upon your spicy, an’ your sweets
Upon your meats in the battlefield
Into your dreams, into you defeat
Until you break, until you yield
I send forth a throng, I send the Acid
say the Lord Assassin”
Voices get progressively louder to where everyone can hear them, but then get quieter. The voices are still raspy and bubbling sounding.
To the left Medge and Twitchy see the waves lapping with humanoid shadows under the water. The shadows move slightly but not far almost as if rooted to the spot. Zeli see a shadow moving behind and left again.
"Empire of thassilon? What the crap was that? And threats? Some things were just too cowardly to face them head on and tried to scare them away? He'd show them who'd be scared"
"Only cowards hide behind anonimity. Come out and face me if you've got balls," Mortimer screams out a challenge at the darkness.
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"AAaRGH! The Oggle-dy Boogle-dy Boos are here! BEHIND AND TO THE LEFT! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" Zeli screeches as she flies off in the opposite direction of the shadows.
Mortimer heads in the direction Zeli told everyone to run from, happy to tell those weird voices what he felt about them - by sticking a pawful of claws into them.
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"Oohh. This is a Haunt. Repeats voices of the dead- Hey, where you going?" Medge calls as Zeli and Mort take off in opposite directions. "You can't see! Oh, Medge has an idea" Four balls of light shoot from Medge's hands to hover over Mort
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Ronk, who is still on Morts back, screams with joy as his Kitty charges into the creepy voices with his Bonking Stick raised high. Once the lights fly out and circle him and Mort he swings at the lights and then yells,
Grinning manically and raising his Bonking Stick up again to swing,good now the fight can see us!
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"Not talking to you, duh!" Medge shouts back
As Mort charges blindly into where Zeli saw the shadows move. He sees he is a bout to run over a quaking grave that seems oddly magical.
Twitchy looks around. "A haunt? How the heck do we fight a haunt?"
Now that there is a light contrast the the group can see a shadow. Hovering close to a tree by the grave.
Now that there is a light contrast the the group can see a shadow. Hovering close to a tree by the grave.
“Slash it through
Make em join you
To my crew
More us we accrue”
The shadow whispers in a raspy but non gurgling voice.
"This freakin thing here isn't natural. Shouldn't even exist, for one. But something down here is powering it. If we don't destroy the source, we can't kill this thing for good! If any of you know what the source is just yell it out!"
"And now YOU, stalker. Here's what I think of you trying to scare US!"
He moves to the shadow and slashes it with his claws.
"Monster is inca....incan...incorporeal. Only hurt by magic stuff! Magic weapons, magic spells...is bombs magic? Medge doesn't know!"
Medge racks her brain for ways to damage the creature. What she comes up with is unusual for her. "Medge thinks, we run away! This someone else's problem!"
From Morts back Ronk screams and swings his bonking stick.