Maksim disappears into the undergrowth deftly amd moves off in the direction Anza indicated.
The ground shelves away to the east of the skunk river quickly and you find yourself wading into a mire, through the breaks in the trees on the downward slope you can see the smoke raising from the clearing and the top of a ruined tower.
As the ground levels srface water becomes frequent and you take care with your advance, approaching closer to the ruins you see a large stone building mostly submerged in the mud and water with a smaller building standing on slightly higher ground with the broken tower. The smoke comes from the smaller building though a noise like many frogs comes from the larger building.
After watching patiently for half an hour you catch sight of a strange human figure, dressed in hide armour with a warhammer hanging from its belt the warrior has strange purple skin covered in greenish warts, its head is bulbous with a wide mouth and large eyes that stick out like a frogs.
Maksim is gone for quite some time...
Maksim goes it alone carefully making his way towards the ruin. He sees what he sees. Satisfied that he has seen enough he returns to the party as carefully as he came. If he arrives safely he tells about all he has seen.
How long shall we give him? Egan asks his companions, referring to Maksim?
"We're at least a quarter of an hour away moving carefully, i'd give him three quarters." Anza says dismounting for a while and stretching out.
Maksim returns...
Egan regards Maksim wet and muddy appearance. Well? his eyes seem to say.
Andrej was distracted with the horses as Maksim slipped off and he considered it wiser to allow Maksim to return rather than blunder off after him.
On Maksims return Andrej comments, Better to travel in pairs - we can help one another
Maksim says, "Sunken ruin with a broken keep and some manor house sunk in the mud. Frog people seem to occupy it, a warrior with hide armor and a warhammer was there. Sounded like many more were inside. Well defended, by the endless mud as much as walls."
Maksim listens to Andrej, "Aye that'd be wise."
Egan listens then adds I think we should risk talking to them.
Egan listens then adds I think we should risk talking to them.
I agree Egan. We are here to meet the locals and end the threat of banditry. Making as many allies as possible seems like the best approach to me.
I must admit to not knowing what they are. Are they related to goblins? he asks worriedly.
"I suppose just showing up peacefully and introducing ourselves would be a way to judge the intentions of these beings. These frog people didn't look big enough to be swallowing anyone whole did they?"
"Sounds like Boggards, they're common in the Slough." Anza muses at Maksims description. "i've never seen one, or even heard of them this far east."
And are they usually friendly Anza? Do other races trade with them and are they generally peaceful?
Anza shrugs, "I don't know, but i'd guess they aren't that friendly. Most people will trade when its good for them, but most people will fight as well when they have to."
"Maybe two of us could attempt to speak with them will the rest hang back in the woods watching? They might be less likely to attack if they don't feel threatened."
i hope language is not a barrier. Egan hopes.
"I'll stay with the horses, i can keep them at the edge of the mire incase you need to escape quickly." Anza says as she stands and remounts.
Egan looks to Silva. You and I go talk? he asks.
I would be willing to do that Egan. How will we speak to them?
I doubt they will understand Ignan so I recommend common. Egan jests. We approach from the most open approach with no weapons drawn announcing ourselves. They others stay back, ready to come to our aide if we need it.
"They do seem to have some numbers, so take care, maybe find out if they are kindly folk or folk of the dark paths." Maksim looks for a postion not too noticeable that has a clear line of fire to where Silva and Egan will make parley. He has bow ready but not aimed.
Stealth
Perception
Arielle will try to find a decent place to keep an eye on the guys without being seen. Breeze is several feet back from her after being told to lay down behind a bush.
Egan and Silva ride forward until they are in sight of the ruins, as they advance the warhammer equipped Boggard described by Maksim appears from the tower and dashes to the sunken ruin. Shortly after he rides from the ruin carrying a lance, on the back of a strange frog beast.
Halfway towards you he pulls his mount up and calls out, "Truce! Truce! Truce!" Planting his lance in the muddy ground he holds up his hands in a gesture of peace, his left hand is a badly mangled mess.
As planned Egan dismounts showing his hands so that the Boggard can see he holds no weapons and agrees Truce. Waiting for Silva he slowly advances to the point they can have a normal conversation and not have to shout.
The Boggard lowers his ruined left hand and waves with his right, advancing to meet Silva and Egan he points at himself. "Boggard, truce?"
Egan agrees. Truce. nodding his head. You have traveled far to the East from your home. Why do you travel here?
The Boggard's wide mouth lifts at the sides in a smile, "Truce!" He points at you, "Hungry?" Then to the tower, "Go."
Silva nods to the boggard. Truce! You would like for us to go the tower? Silva points to the tower.
Egan shrugs, nods to Silva and begins to move towards the tower, Sparky in tow.
Turning and croaking at his mount he joins you for the walk up to the tower, "Slurk." He tells you pointing to the frog beast. He looks you both over as he walks smiling all the time, "Hungry, bugs?" After gauging your reaction he shakes his head, "Ah, snake!"
Silva follows the two towards the tower.
Egan pats his mount, helping to calm him and says Sparky. Then pointing to himself he says Egan.
Maksim keep careful watch from cover. Seems to be friendly, hope things go well. Maksim hopes for the best but looks at the ground to the keep to plot his advance, if he needs to come rescue his friends.
The boggard points at Egan and says "Agen." Then to himself and makes a throaty croaking noise, it sounds like Garuum.
Silva points to the boggard Garumm. Then to himself Silva
Silva waves the others to he and Egan.
It is ok. They are friendly.
Arielle will call Breeze to her and then walk over to where Egan and Silva are, smiling and giving the frog guy a friendly wave.
"Sylpha?" Garuum struggles to pronounce the name.
As you arrive in the tower you see a small fire with ten homemade torches nearby, a shield is propped up against one wall and a dense patch of mushrooms grow nearby. The are several jars full of live insects on a makeshift shelf near some damaged stairs, on the second floor underneath what is left of the roof sits a large nest made of vegetation and salvaged cloth.
There are no chairs but Garuum gestures for you to make yourselves comfortable, he will introduce himself to everyone individually and try to pro ouce their names with varying degrees of sucess. "You hungry? Bug?" He offers one of his jars up for inspection, "Snake?"
Egan looks around to see if there is anything cooking over the fire before he declines both bug and snake. He will slowly retrieve some of his rations, take a small bite of some dried meat and offer it to his host. Food.
"Food? Ah, bug food!" The boggard unscrews the cap and catches the live insects with his tongue, before chewing and smiling.
Garuum seems to be searching his limited vocabulary, interspaced with croaking noises he gestures around him and says. "Boggard. Me." He then points at you and gestures at his bugs. "You hungry, you go." He then crosses his arms and waits.
Egan explains. I am not hungry. No Hungry. No Boggard. Gnome. as he puts up his food and then gestures to himself. He then asks More Boggards? Where?
"Boggards? Me! Boggards..." He points to himself then gestures around him before shaking his head. He then nobs slowly and repeats, "Me, Slurk. Me, Slurk."
He points to the ruins, "Me. Slurk." He then points at all of you and shakes his head. "You, go."
Silva awaits Egan's response. He seems like he can figure out what the creature is trying to say.
First we talk. Then go we go. Egan agrees. Why Slurk? and he points to the runes. [b]
[ooc]Enhancing diplomacy with a gesture.
"Tack?" Garuum looks confused. "Slurk, Garuum. Garuum, Slurk." He holds his hands up and grips his fingers together as he says this.
Not being able to even attempt eating bug, Arielle takes out a bag of sweets and pops one into her mouth. She'll then offer one to the Boggard, saying 'sweet?' several times, each time in a new language. Starting with common, then gnomish, then sylvan, then elven and finally goblin.
I wonder if there is any chance he speaks any other languages better than common?