The crowd that has already formed parts a bit for the new comers, and two guards putter back and forth by the tower looking like they have no idea what to do. A few people start suggesting on the old wizard who lives on the other side of the hill the Witch Tower resides on, but no one heads over to check it out.
Rumors start flying again. This time people are claiming dozens of kobold bodies have been found around back, crushed under rubble, and more than a few townsfolk look at Ixen suspiciously. A little investigation proves this rumor false, and only two black-scaled kobold corpses can be seen. After yet another suggestion to go check with the wizard(named Hunclay), the two guards begin to argue over who should go knock on the grumpy old man's door.
Heh, well, I think I know where this is going. Galahot says to himself, he turns to the group.
So, who wants to say hi to our mission guy? I'll volunteer if no-one else wants too. Try out the "roleplaying" thing, finally. He makes air quotes to accompany the word roleplaying.
"So, are we going to do the Candygram for Mungo approach or actually, I dunno, be cool about it? I vote for being cool and all! Because a really pissed off wizard can make it rain in your sever room."
Ahzuma will land and rejoin the party and hopefully head to knock on the key NPC's door to trigger the quest chain, but won't take the glory from anyone else wanting to do it.
"Now, doesn't that just look morbid?" Tsugumi said, looking from the kobold bodies to Ixen. "I'm sorry... candygram? Either way, where's the NPC?"
He thinks about the situation.
"Yeah...this is new to me. Let's go talk to the Wizard, but be polite. I don't know what words may trigger a boss fight. Either way lets get Ixen outta here before someone gets brave."
"...ah crap..." Ixen looked at the other NPCs in the area, frowning. "Figures kobolds are key enemies... hey! Maybe I could convince them to join me and build an army! I do have a high Charisma and I'm the same race..."
At the notion of knocking on a grumpy wizard's hut, Ixen perked up and patted his thin chest. "I'll do it. I've got a strong Charisma, and if he's a paranoid wizard, I specialize in magic and traps, so I could probably disarm anything if need be." If nobody elects to stop him, Ixen will do just that, heading to the NPC's house and rapping on the front door, calling out if it doesn't open.
"You mean you've never seen 'Blazing Saddles'? Eh. Classic. You'll have to watch it sometime after we're done with this beta-testing."
The strix will follow along after Ixen.
"I'll be sure to check out Netflix for it, but there's not really a lot of Western movies where I'm from." He looks to the wizard. "Yeah, better send the guy with the highest charisma. Don't want things to go FUBAR before we even get to level up."
Ixen, perhaps, may find he doesn't wish to touch the door, if the burnt and smoking remains of the kobold on the doorstep are any indication of the of what happened to the last person to try.
"I smell fried chicken. What... ohh... Ew."
Huh. Welp, who else wants to go? Galahot says cautiously.
This seems, uh, not promising for you Ixen.
"Do we have... yes... Tsugumi, you're probably the best bet if the wizard's human. If he's got the door trapped to non-humans, I'm not a good choice, and neither is Ixen or Galahot. Just a thought?"
"...oh come on! Why are there so many kobolds around here?!" Ixen said with exasperation, before pausing and actually thinking that through a bit. "...actually, that's a very good question: why ARE there so many dead kobolds here? Some in the collapsed tower, and now this one here at the doorstep of a local wizard? ...why?"
Ixen pondered that a bit, before turning to the others. "I know most MMOs have fluff and things that isn't particularly useful... but perhaps we should try gathering a little info. Maybe talk to some of the NPCs around here and see what they have to say? I mean... maybe the wizard ISN'T our quest giver..?"
"Why is exactly what I'd like to know." A clear, confident voice replies. Those who look for it's source find a middle-aged woman and a young man have walked up to the group. Both wear finer clothes than the other townspeople. "I am Lady Origena, and this is my son, Arnholde. I'd especially like to know since a kobold is asking as well. Care to explain what you're doing in my town? I don't recognize a single one of you."
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"Good afternoon ma'am. We're here to check out what is going on and we're eager and willing to help out, because this seems like it is the kind of thing that's bad for business and for the people of this community. I'm sure with a little bit of attention to detail we can get this all sorted out."
Well, that is what Ahzuma thinks to say. She wasn't expecting the rather harsh implications of the Charisma dumping she did, though. What actually comes out is.. a lot worse.
"Look, 'Lady', we're here trying to get to the bottom of whatever situation caused that noisy collapse before, and we're here between jobs after our last employer was a complete idiot. Didn't know we were supposed to touch base with you when we entered in town, whups?"
As the words tumble out of her mouth and she hears what she's saying she takes on a bit of a mortified look and kind of takes a few steps back, looking for another party member to hide behind.
I can't believe I just said that.
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Ixen looks up at Ahzuma, before thinking quickly and talking into his mic, hoping to smooth over the situation. "Uh... sorry! We're having a bit of a language barrier, please be patient! My name is Ixen and these are my friends. We're here to help, we promise!"
What instead happens is Ixen bows gracefully and speaks out in a squeaky, but well measured tone. "My sincerest apologies for my companion's gaff, milady. She is not used to dealing with such nobility like yourself and your fine son." The kobold motions to the younger man with the woman before continuing.
"My companions and I were part of the caravan that arrived in town recently. I believe the wagon master was involved in less than legal behavior, and now we are stuck here with no way of passing through, though the innkeeper has been most kind giving us temporary lodging. However, it seems our delay is most fortunate - if you'd allow us, we'd like the chance to investigate the collapse of your tower. I am ashamed to learn my kind are involved in some way, and I'd like to help any way I can to keep the peace."
Ixen blinked as he finished speaking, putting a claw to his mouth as if he'd just been equally insulting, before looking back at the others. "(Swear to god, I have no idea how that happened!)"
Danfarth laughs at what Ahzuma says.
"Idiot indeed! had us escort him to bein' arrested."
Raises an eyebrow at Ixen's words.
"Well spoken, ain't he? We heard the tower collapse, and we came to tend to the injured, if any, and see what caused the havoc. I be Danfarth, this here is Ixen, that's Ahzuma, and the other two are Galahot and Tsugumi."
"That's racist." Tsugumi chimes towards Ixen as he wonders allowed why there were so many Kobolds in the area.
She joins Danfarth in laughter. "Whups?"
"What the f**# does gaff mean?" Was all she could muster after Ixen's eloquent speech.
She waved at the woman.
"Hi."
"Fine evening, milady. Though it certainly appears that my Kobold compatriot may be involved in this recent calamity, I can assure you with the utmost confidence that he is as innocent as the rest of us, and that you have nothing to fear from our party of explorers."
She blinked.
"The f&$~?"
Galahot decides to add his piece to get the point going, also to join in.
Can we just get going already, Cryptkeeper?
We may facilitate utmost synergy within our lot, if you would have the graciousness and efficacy to allow us to investigate further, my Elder.
...
{GRP} Jesus tittyf&!#ing Christ I sound like a nerd! Maybe we don't need to worry so much about what we say.
{GRP}Hey, watch the language, okay? It's probably just a bug. Document it, move on.
Ahzuma tries to calm down and was about to say something else witty and intelligent but stops when the first sound that emanates from her is the start of a grumble.
Her wings slump a little bit and she looks a bit cross-eyed for a moment before recovering.
{GRP} *sighs*
{GRP} I think the game is translating for us based our in-game CHA scores. That would explain why I produced a flowery monologue...
"Sure hope that has an off button." Tsugumi muttered, her eyes falling back to the woman, who must have been confused at the conversation by now.
"Sorry about the detour." She muttered.
{GRP} I don't know man, I don't even know what "effistacy" is. It might be using our highest mental though. I shot my Int as high as I could afford. Pretty crazy thing that answers my question of how that would be handled though.
{GRP} I can't seem to find the 'Report a Bug' feature. Can any of you? This is a bit disturbing.
"Maybe it's on the home menu or something." Tsugumi said, doubtful, Azhuma placing that thought in her head, and once there, she had a hard time shaking it. "At the end of the day, I'm sure it will be right there for us, I'm sure of it."
Lady Origena seems unphased by the conversations and in fact shows no sign of even hearing them. Her son talks quietly to her for a moment, pointing out that the town guard was bit understaffed at the moment, and she nods.
"It seems today is your lucky day to prove yourselves if you'll have it. I want to know what happened here, and Mulle and Hod" she gestures to the deputies that were just puttering around before, "Are in over their heads without the Sheriff holding their hands. For the price of four hundred gold apiece, I'd like you to check out the Witchtower and find out what went on here." She pauses and looks at Hunclay Manor with a frown. "And if you find any sign of Hunclay in their, there is an extra hundred in it for you. It seems strange he isn't our here strutting like a roaster over the tower's fall."
"Why would he? Not from around here, right?" Despite the almost barked tones, Ahzuma is forcing herself to be at least a bit 'nicer', trying not to pick a fight with the locals.
{GRP}grrrrrrrrrr
"Welp, since we were gonna look into it anyway, might as well earn some coin too, methinks."
{GRP} "Methinks"?! Who talks like that?
"Standard adventurer's response."
"Fine, fine, we'll do the job. It beats not being able to do anything by far."
{GRP} Someone PLEASE gussy that up and talk to the local woman and make it good, because I can't seem to talk without pushing buttons and being like a customer?
"Ya Gramma, and we gonna get this thing done hella fast, too. You can bet your retirement fund on it."
{GRP} Sorry guys... I did that one on purpose.
If Lady Origena showed any signs of frustration or bewilderment at the responses, they are lost on the party. In any case, she gestures back at the Witch Tower.
"It appears the door is blocked. Probably by the collapse. You'll have to go in through the second floor or dig your way through. Come and find me when you've discovered why the tower fell to receive your payment."
And with that, the Lady and her son walk off back towards town.
{GRP} Okay, someone toss me a rope, and I'll fly up there and see what's what about getting it tied down. Hopefully there's no AA emplacements or anything silly like that.
Ahzuma will start stretching her wings and hopping on her feet a little bit, preparing to take off as soon as someone else in the party gives her the rope she requested.
Tsugumi pulls up her rope and grappling hook from her side and hands it to Ahzuma.
"Here ya go." She said. "Careful not to lose it."
"*grunt* As if."
The Strix launches herself skywards and attempts to get to the window offered without smashing into the tower. If she's able to do that, then she'll hook the rope into place and head on back down.
*Looks around*
"Ok, I guess I'll go first..."
He grabs the rope, and gives it a go...
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Something tells me I shouldn't bother. Galahot says, remembering his strength stat.
"Don't make me come down and fly you up. You won't like it." The winged humanoid's comment is half-threat, half-joke, and it may be hard to tell if Ahzuma is being serious.
Try me, turkey. Galahot says expectingly.
While it looks easy enough to climb -moreso with Ahzuma's rope- the rubble doesn't look very safe to climb. Careful foot and hand placement is likely going to be needed for those without wings.
Tsugumi looked up, considering if she should risk climbing even though she didn't put any ranks into what she shortsightedly deemed to be something that wouldn't find too much use in the average adventure.
"Ah, what the hell..."
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Open to the sky above, this exposed floor contains only some smashed furniture and a sprinkling of rubble. A trap door is set into the floor against the the northwest, but a stout timber has fallen across it. Working together, everyone can easily move it though, and descend into it.
The tower's large ground floor has mostly collapsed under the rubble, but along the western portion of the room a section remains clear of debris. An iron trap door set in the floor is directly below the one you just came down through. Shattered wooden furniture lies scattered around the corpses of two more green scaled kobolds....
Danfarth looks around...
{GRP} Wow...darkvision is neat.
"There's an iron trap door and dead kobolds..."
He'll draw his hammer and shield, in case any other hostile kobolds are about.
The strix will be a bit fidgety as she gets into tighter and tighter spots, and relaxes a bit at the more open ones.
"See 'em. Traps?
{GRP}That's what THAT is? I thought it was night-vision or something. Neat. Hope I'm not pointing out where my location is, though.
"I ain't fer findin' traps. But...I can take a look at the stonework and see if it looks like it will hold while we're under it..."
{GRP} yeah...looks like bad nightvision...also, dwarves must not be fond of grammar...
Tsugumi searches around the dark cave.
"Yep... Human."
She puts her hand to the closest surface and primarily focuses on searching the area through her hearing.
"So if you're very grammar is changed, that should mean.... something." She humms, tapping her chin. "Gotta say, I was hoping the above-average Wisdom score would make me feel more... enlightened."
{GRP} It may be an 'intangible' that you just 'know' things in your gut or something? They've figured how to model darkvision and language, so I'm sure they figured something out to give you a hint? Maybe you're more centered or something?
"Anyone else feeling a little bit cramped?"