"Dozens of stories branch out from this moment." She closes her eyes, cocking her head and rocking as if listening to a music that only she can hear. "It's hard to tell where they lead. They say seers cannot see what the future holds for themselves." Her eyes, tawny and golden, open again to look at Gallako. "Perhaps some day a sphinx will need help -- or just some friends to share stories and pie." She winks at Vralk. "I have heard that your group might have an expert in that subject."
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"Ah yes, we have a connoisseur of pies among our number indeed. But if you wish to stay here and are enjoying your life on the road with the circus, then I am happy for you, for in truth, how many of us truly find a life we like and get to enjoy it? If you ever do find yourself desirous of a change, you have but to reach out to me or the Society and we will aid you in making that a reality."
“Or stories of --” Whatever Jherizhana would have said is lost, because she’s suddenly standing on alert. “Oh, hells.”
“Aaaargh! Get it away from me!”
“Dragon! RUN!”
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Andrietta is glad Hikaru spoke up about the reputation of Pathfinders and the Society. It prevented an uncomfortable moment for her as she was even more bluntly honest than he.
"A gilded cage is still a cage, though. Some folks forget that, and they get wrapped up in adding more gold to the bars on a daily basis, not realizing that they're cutting themselves off further and further from the world. I can only hope that the latter tale is the most common of the lot, and the one that is the reality."
...and then the tableau is rocked by the reaction and what Andrietta is hearing.
"You hear that too, then, dear? What's the rule when something like that happens? Do we lend assistance or stand aside and allow your traveling companions to handle it? This Carnival is YOUR home, and I would not draw steel in it if it is not necessary?"
“I can’t go out. Think the crowds are panicked now? If I go out, it’ll be chaos!” Jherizhana paces her cage, biting her lip. “Andrietta, listen... That's NOT a dragon. It’s a monitor lizard. Don’t let it bite you!”
As you run out of the tent , you see people running, screaming from the “Baby Dragon” who is crouching defensively, snarling and snapping at anyone in reach.
Flying anxiously above the crowd, ears flapping madly, is Phardaen the panotti, tears streaming down his face. “Don’t hurt the dragon! It doesn’t know any better! It’s just a baby!”
Andrietta and Vralk are up!
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Andrietta steps out of the tent and pulls out her katana and shield, banging the hilt of her katana on the shield a couple of times as she holds it up warily.
"Don't kill it, don't let it bite you!"
She holds off on mentioning that the dragon is NOT a dragon for the moment... the fear of a dragon on the loose might actually be something that helps the party.
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"I try and distract it"
Vralk flies above the "dragons" head, staying out of reach but trying to get the dragon to follow it. He is at least 15 feet up (in case it has reach or lunge or the like)
"hey, dragon, come chase me"
Not sure what to roll, so trying several. Just pick which ever seems best to you
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Gallako would head closer to the lizard. If anybody is unconscious he'd stabilize them, otherwise would try and make a handle animal check to get the lizard to back down
(I am assuming there is NOT time to use my masterwork tool. If there is, add 2 to that)
Andrietta runs up, banging her shield, and going full defense. Vralk flies overhead, trying to distract the "dragon". The Panotti, seeing a friend in the audience flies straight for Sarano, and attempts a hover. "They won't hurt him right? He's just a baby!"
Amazingly, makes his hover check and doesn't crash into a nearby tent.
Chak is up.
General Chak moves forward. The "dragon" is faced with a choice of three potential prey: Vralk, fifteen feet up and overhead, or Andrietta and General Chak.
As tempting as Vralk is in all his pie-laden snack-sized glory, the "dragon" focuses on the targets on the ground. He steps forward cautiously, tail twitching, studying the party before him, not attacking immediately, but ready to defend himself if anyone approaches.
Then Gallako orders the "dragon" to back down.* The command causes the dragon to noticeably hesitate. The creature is still not secure, however, and looks pretty likely to bolt in its terror.
The Panotti delays, waiting to see what all of you will do.
Andrietta, Vralk, Chak, Sarano, Hikaru and Stali are all up.
Hikaru attempts to tumble past the baby dragon, but does not move anywhere near fast enough to get past the dragon in its state of heightened alert.
Its space invaded, the dragon snaps nervously at Hikaru and misses.
Andrietta, Vralk, Chak, Sarano and Stali are up.
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The grandmother doesn't know necessarily what the rest of the party is thinking, as lot of them have been quiet or speaking in generalities. Weighted down in the armor, she doesn't think she can 'cut off' the attraction if she makes for the path of escape that's most open to it at the moment.
However, Gallako's efforts seemed to make an impression on the beast, so she remains in place, keeping the shield up but not banging on it now, in an effort to give the shaman a chance to defuse the situation without further incident, but still remaining as a possible target if it lashes out.
"Easy. Easy. Don't corner it. Cover escape route, don't get close. Gallako has this. Hikaru back up."
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"I make sure cage door is open."
With that he flies down to the cage and tries to open the door (if it is closed) or swing it further open (if it is closed)
Hopefully this will NOT need a strength check but in case it does:
"Vralk is mighty and powerful. Tremble before his strength"
Note, he is above the cage to the extent that a tiny creature can be :-)
Vralk calls out that the cage door is wide open. Andrietta directs the crew, as everyone else cautiously steps forward. The "dragon" hisses a warning, turning around and around as he watches all of you.
It gives a warning snap at Hikaru again, but its heart is not in the attack. It then takes a couple steps forward, away from the swashbuckler, its tail twitching nervously.
The panotti, fascinated by the action, madly flaps its ears.
"A-a-a-aack!" With its usual flying grace, it crashes into a tent.
Everyone is up!
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"Hikaru, unless you're going to murder it in cold blood, pull back cautiously and give it the option to do as Gallako suggests."
The grandmother might even use some of the 'angry mom' voice on that one. Guilt is a great motivator, sometimes.
"Sara, dear, go check on the crashed kid and make sure he's alright?" Andrietta asks, implying the Panotti friend she made earlier.
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Gallako murmurs more calming words, Andrietta calls out directions, and Hikaru backs up.
Sarano backs into the tent wall and then color sprays the dragon.
The dragon is blinded and stunned.
Vralk, Chak and Stali are up!
Chak successfully grapples the poor Dragon. What is your plan to return it back home?
Vralk checks on the panotti, who is lying just outside the Sphinx's tent, groaning and completely tangled up in his own ears. "Owww! I hate when I do that!"
As you are drag the stunned dragon back towards its cage, the Master of Beasts and his assistant, Gerald, run towards you from the Big Tent. Both of them are wearing sequined high-heeled boots and tailcoats with bow ties. “Where’s--” Berthold and his assistant stop, dumbfounded for a moment. “The dragon? Is it alright?” The carnies are flushed and winded.
Gerald touches the beast. “Not a mark on him,” he says wonderingly, helping you lift the dragon back to its cage.
“We were doing our show under the Big Top when we heard the screaming out here,” Berthold says, shaking his head. “We came as soon as we could, after securing the tigers. How in hells did the dragon get out? Did you see? I locked this cage myself.”
Gawkers start pouring out of the Big Tent on to the Midway and many of those who had run screaming are slowly returning.
The panotti picks himself up, shaking out his enormous ears. "Yeah, I heard nothing," he mumbles.
He's not meeting your gaze with his eyes, and he's speaking a little too quickly.
The dragon's tail swishes from side to side and it hisses. "Bad men poke. Hurt. Sharp sticks. Door open. I go."
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"Wow. I can talk to dragons. At least baby dragons. Excellent.
He tells me that bad men poked it with sharp sticks after opening the door. This was a deliberate act"
Gallako sidles up to the PAnotti and whispers into his ear
"I really don't want to embarrass you but you're lying. Or at least not telling the whole truth. Tell us what you know or I'll have to make that clear to your boss"
Probably
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Chak moves up to Gallako and leans over to him.
With ears like those I don't think you have to get close, near, or along side this creature for him to hear you... Is it that you think someone else is listening, eavesdropping or snooping on us?
Chak looks at the panotti with a quizzical gaze.
You should really look at people and speak, enunciate and vocalize clearly when answering or else they might, think, assume, and conjecture that you are lying, fibbing, and fabricating your answer.
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"We will have words, Master Berthold, Gerald. It is of importance but getting the situation secured is more important at the moment."
The child is lying, but those two seem to be well on it. Why would we be out here unless..
The paladin turns and quickly makes her way toward Jherizhana's tent-cage, visible feathers fluffed up a bit.
"Please tell me that the sphinx is present and in good condition and we haven't been led astray by this wild dragon hunt?"
"Words?" Berthold asks. "Sure, anything for you, my lady. You and your people got my dragon back, unharmed." He's so focused on his dragon that he's missed the suddenly chilly tone from Andrietta.
Phardaen's eyes widen and he covers his face with his ears. "I didn't do it! I would never hurt the baby dragon! It's just a baby!" He slumps, miserably. "But maybe I heard something."
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As Gallako is talking to the animal, Stali looks at the cage door and it's lock. "Someone tampered with the lock." he announces. He the points to some small scratch marks on it. "Looks like they were rushed."
Looking to the Master of the Beasts he says "We were in the tent with Jherizhana" gesturing with a claw towards the Sphinx's tent "but perhaps one of your people saw someone?"