Out of the edge of the trees emerges a small green and brown creature. As it gets closer you realize it is a goblin covered in rags and scars and chewing on a rather large log in its oversized maw. And what a maw it is! Lined with a row of sharp teeth and powerful jaws, it gets set to work on the stick in its mouth, grinding it to a pulp.
Then it speaks around a mouthful of wood.
Whats up doc?
Vat? Who are zese new people? I better tell zem to hide before ve're all discoveret.
Moving stealthily towards the new arrivals, he gestures for them to take cover behind some of the crates.
He then addresses them in a hushed whisper.
"Vat are you doink here? Who are you?"
A strange, slender leopard-man steps out of the shadows, skulking on all fours. An excited-looking goblin sits above his shoulders on a strangely-crafted saddle.
The leopard-man widens his eyes, puts a finger to his lips, then reaches into his pocket and retrieves a small wooden board. The edges of the board have been thoroughly gnawed by tiny teeth. On it are carved the words "Shhh! Time to be quiet, Moneez, we're hunting monsters"
The excitable goblin is near bouncing around atop the crouched humans shoulders but as soon as he sees the board he starts nodding his head vigouriously, shaking it up and down with great force.
He then removes a well chewed piece of wood strapped to his shoulder and using a piece of charcoal scratches on a poorly drawn K.
He then jams the board about an inch in front of the humans face for a second, then pulls it back, scrawling something else on it. He thrusts the board back in front of the human with a huge, toothy grin on his face.
FUUD?
The leopard shakes his head. Maybe a bit of actual explanation is necessary, and the others seem to be still hiding in the shadows, perhaps less trustful than he is of the newcomer. He gestures to his traveling companions, and then attempts to whisper to the silent metal man as best he can.
"Hunting," he purrs, trying to keep his words to a minimum, "Giant insects. Bad taste. Attacked villagers. Need more information."
"Vell, our compatriot" "Is tryink to confince most of zem zat peace vould be better san ein var. Most of zem so far are razer hostile. I keep en zee schadows for surprise if he doesn't succeedt."
"So, you're hunting too. Annie? Moneez? Do we trust these strangers enough to wait for this diplomacy to work?"
Perhaps introductions are in order, Leo thinks, But maybe not while we're all so close to the giant insects. Better to see what the strangers can do first.
And then he has another thought. "If anyone would like to get closer, I can give you seven minutes of invisibility."
"Zey hafe not noticedt me yet. Zey seem...distracted. Somevone else might benefit more from zat." He turns his unwavering green gaze back on the arguing ankhegs. He thumbs the hilt of the scimitar at his side while looking to see if the situation has escalated at all or if their presence seems to have been detected.
Slinking from behind the leopard a little girl with fiery red hear and purple dress and a pink backpack decorated with bear designs. wearing a barrette with pink bear ears. she also wears a purple hooded cloak.
straped in a modified holster on her hip, sits a raggedy stuffed bear. parts of it fur is singed and it looks like its had several homemade repairs done to it.
Tibbers doesn't like bugs, they bite and sting. do you think we should burn them all up? she ask in a whisper like the others.
as she says burn her hair starts to crackle dance like a fire. tiny embers floating off of the ends of her hair.
The shadow's behind Leo shift slightly and your eyes instinctively look that direction.
The shadows themselves seem to shift to the form of a humanoid. He's covered in a tight black outfit that covered everything but his eyes.
As he takes three steps his clothing shifts. The shape no longer looks like a would-be assassin in the night, but instead a perfectly groomed Drow who looks as though he wouldn't be out of place in the highest queens court. It's a bit of an oddity in these dark dusty tunnels.
"Well, isn't this a motley crew?" He says in a friendly voice. "I'm sure all your life stories are endlessly fascinating, but we seem to have a more immediate issue to deal with. We're all here for the ankhegs, yes? Might I recommend we deal with those immediately threatening, splitting the profits accordingly of course, then have a long pleasant discussion at a quaint country tavern somewhere that's not in these poorly kept tunnels with danger looming? What do you say? Hummm?" David says as he shifts his eye contact from person to person. You can't help but notice his eyes are a very unique yellow/gold color. Almost as an after thought he adds, "Oh! How rude of me. My name is David of house Duebillon."
"Further, I believe I heard some of them speaking...which is odd...since they aren't normally are about as intelligent as a wild dog. " David sounds genuinely perplexed.
Leo shakes his head. "Not the time to be flashy, David," he whispers. "Speak softly, quickly, they're right over there."
"But if they're unusually intelligent", he adds, "Maybe wait before we fight , see if they agree to peace... If not, we pounce."
Leo shakes his head. "Not the time to be flashy, David," he whispers. "Speak softly, quickly, they're right over there."
"But if they're unusually intelligent", he adds, "Maybe wait before we fight , see if they agree to peace... If not, we pounce."
"Buzzkill, But you have a point."
Responding to mental commands David's clothing pulls tight to his body looking very dark, mobile, and dangerous.
" What's the plan then? Are we merely waiting to see if they'll attack or are we going to try to negotiate. Seeing as how we've been hunting them for money they may not be to amenable to banter. " David asks flatly.
Schwartz looks at David's clothing with interest. Hmmm, maybe I schould get somesink like zat for meinself.
"Zee plan is for Aleumos to negotiate viz zem. If he needs it, zen I back him oop. As long as yoo do nosink to endanger mein krew, yoo kan do as yoo pleasen, ja?"
Alzough perhaps sendink zee von viz zee ankheg body in his bag vus not a vise choice. But he is zee most diplomatik of ahs. Let ahs hope zat zey do not searchen sie him.
Straining for a moment to grasp Schwartz's accent
"Alright then. We seem to be on the same proverbial page. Which of you is Aleumos? Off you go then. Chop Chop." Clapping his hands together in silent pantomime.
"He is already talkink to zem." Schwartz indicates the group of ankhegs by the horses.
"He is already talkink to zem." Schwartz indicates the group of ankhegs by the horses.
Happy to not be the sacrificial lamb David nods approvingly and waits.
You see an armored warrior with a giant lion speaking to the ankhegs in abyssal. He seems to be convincing them all to get their leader, and go to a main hall area. As the ankhegs begin to leave with him you can see him writing in a journal, tearing out a page, and then dropping that page onto the ground. None of the ankhegs seem to notice.
You see an armored warrior with a giant lion speaking to the ankhegs in abyssal. He seems to be convincing them all to get their leader, and go to a main hall area. As the ankhegs begin to leave with him you can see him writing in a journal, tearing out a page, and then dropping that page onto the ground. None of the ankhegs seem to notice.
"I presume that's for us."
Schwartz waits until all the ankhegs have moved away from the area and then starts to creep towards the dropped note.
When he gets there, he picks it up to read.
Well, that's something, then. "Give me a second, everyone," Leo says, waiting for Moneez to step out of his saddle. Six seconds later, casting a spell, he turns Schwartz invisible, for extra stealth.
Annie just rolls her eyes at the drow, being all "dark and mysterious" It apparently amuses her somewhat.
Annie, growing bored with the talking, takes a seat behind a crate. and is having a pretend tea party with her stuffed bear. (no actual cups or tea just imaginary)
Schwartz gives the small girl a weird look. Vat on Earth is she doink? After a brief pause while he watches this strange behavior, he has another thought. Maybe she, like Imperius, needs somevone to tinker vis her harddrive.
A tall golden skinned man with a scimitar steps from behind one of the crates, where he has been this whole time.
"Hello" he says sheepishly. A hand on his sword and the other tugging at his metallic hair.
Moneez hops down onto the ground and ambles a few feet over, apparently having seen something. He stops near a fist sized stone as if pondering something. Then, in a split second he scoops it up and pops it in his mouth, chewing furiously and bounds back to Leo, a big smile on his face.
Spitting out half a rock, he mumbles to himself Not very tasty...
As soon as Leo starts casting invisibility Moneez has a peculior look of fear in the arcane mixed with absolute trust in Leo , painfully deciding not to eat the magic THIS time.
He then trundles along after Leo, when he starts going somewhere.
Schwartz finds that the note is written in common probably to stop any of the ankhegs from finding out what it says.
If you are reading this then you and other person need to get ready to slaughter all of these foolish ankhegs. We are going to the main hall in the tunnels ahead. All of them will be in attendance so just set all the other entrances on fire and wait at the final entrance to kill them all. I will support from inside the hall as soon as their numbers wear thin. Best of luck and try not to die as finding competent new companions would be very difficult.
Moneez hopefully notices the android sneaking over to read the note.
Whispering in the loudest, quiet whisper he can
What is it? Time to eat??
Schwartz quietly returns, grabs Imperius' hand, and drops the note into it, so that it is once again visible and readable.
"Vell, it looks like zee little vons vill be gettink vat zey vant; our friend is going to zee main hall ahead. He vishes ahs to set all but von entrance on fire." It's impossible to tell since he's invisible, but he may be looking at Annie as he says this. "Zen vee kan vait by zee von remainink door, vere zis von can hafe his snack." Most likely that last comment was directed towards Moneez.
"I vill head tovards zee tunnel now. Yoo," most likely he is making some kind of gesture at the group "Are velcomen to join me." There's a pause. "Just don't shpringen sie das trap before all zee ankhegs hafe arrived."
The silence that is left suggests Schwartz has left.
"Annie, David... you're both far better with fire. And maybe the newcomer as well? I'd prefer the main entrance... from the size of that bug corpse, I'd say they might bottleneck pretty easy."
Ill go with leo. Especially if i can eat!
The little goblin says, then flashes an evil, tooth filled smile.
Annie, growing bored with the talking, takes a seat behind a crate. and is having a pretend tea party with her stuffed bear. (no actual cups or tea just imaginary)
[dice=not so stealthy tea party]1d20+7
"Annie, David... you're both far better with fire. And maybe the newcomer as well? I'd prefer the main entrance... from the size of that bug corpse, I'd say they might bottleneck pretty easy."
"The direct approach? How quaint. Alright then. Let me see what can be done. Annie, Why don't you bring out some pets to liven the place up." In a much lower tone, "and stir the hornets nest to see what they really have. "