Will save
OW! Greblak not feel so good....
Fire gonna get real big soon, Greblak running now!
GM:
What is the scene between me and this priest who just roasted my marshmelon for 9 points please?
Is he in the fire; behind the fire; obscured; we are in a hallway right?
the play was to run and set up another ambush; so Whosi moves out
fallback to gits em again
he looks for a place to hide and pick his next target and see what the other gobs do and get out of line of fire of that priest and wipe his bleeding ears and nose and mouth and eyes.
stealth
Greblak and Whosi share a look over the smoking explosive Whosi has just lit, and simulataneously realize that that thing is ABOUT TO EXPLODE. They both scatter, diving behind rocks trying to get out of the zone of boom.
The Priest howls a laugh as he lower jaw falls off, the damage to the obese body a bit too much to bear. He starts to make a speech, but he's rudely interupted by an explosion of fire and sound!
BOOOOOOOMMMMMM!
Blast damage:
With a rush of fire and heat, the blast explodes, catching the Obese Priest square in the blast. The other goblins dive for cover, propelled by the shock wave and take some bruising for their trouble.
For a moment, thick black smoke obscures everything, followed by a rain of pebbles and dust as part of the cavern shakes and shifts. The surviving goblins cough and hack, brushing dust and dirt and pieces of ghoul from their eyes.
However, when the smoke settles, the Priest is gone, but in his place is a giant worm, disgustingly covered in what remains of a fleshy body. The worm is singed and scorched, but its four-part mouth opens and a high pitched mockery of the voice that came out of the Priest issues. "Fools! You think you can stop me? You believe a mere explosion can end the rise of the favored servant of Kabiri? I will wear your skins like puppets! I will devour you from the inside out! I will open the GAT...<WHOMP!>"
The worm's speech is cut short as a piece of the ceiling, weighing around two tons falls and lands squarely on the worm, ending its life in a spray of gore.
In the larger cavern similar pieces of the ceiling have fallen, scattering any remaining resistance and leaving the way clear, if not wholly safe.
On the far side of the cavern the human in the cage coughs and weakly calls out: "Anyone? Please? Help me."
The explosion has revealed a strange door inset into the demonic statue, a silver door lined with blue fire in the shape of runes. From here you can see two holes in the door: one round, about the size of a cannon ball and one slot about the size of an overlarge keyhole.
Splurg burst into a fit of giggles about the worms untimely ending... Spot's just shakes his shaggy head at his master.
After a moment Splurg adds "Wez need resty, I tired... take human to ship and come back tomorrow..."
Crang picks himself up and looks around, picking a few bits of rock out of his back.
Then he notices the human and a big smile splits his face: Food!
Woo hoo; now that be a fire!
Ank-hore giggles about the fire even as it burns him, Then looks at the human when he speaks licking his lips "mmmmm, humie tasty!!!! he grins at the human showing his pointy teeth.
Not eat humie! Talk with humie, learn things. THEN eat humie!
Greblak says this with a big grin, thinking he's very smart for coming up with such an idea.
Ank-hore looks a little strange at Greblak "Not Eat First Then talk, You not Right, I not wanna learn from Humie scum. Ank-hore looks at the Humie "Everyone knows Humie's taste better with learnin' inside themz." He scuffs the ground.
"I has idea, Greblak and Splurg talkz to him and then Ank-hore eat brain see if learns things"
"Goods Idea I gets brain, I likes brains them tasty." Ank-hore licks his lips and starts to sharpen his sickle
As the ravenous goblins settle upon a fiendish plan, the man continues his plaintive call. They approach him and he croaks a thanks: "Oh thank Besmara! They took the others and I was last. Wait. You're pirates? PARLEY! I invoke the right of PARLEY!"
Splurg is a little taken aback he has heard the word and thinks it means something nice he has to consult with Gun Captain and First Mate Buz who understands these pirate things much better... "Waz this parsley? Is this somethign for Gutbucket?"
"Parley? You're pirates, right? Parley is the right for one pirate to talk peacefully with another without violence. Listen, get me out of here and off safely, and I'll tell you all about that Gate that worm-thing was so eager to open. Agreed?"
"It is spice for cooking humies, here is deal you tell us about gate and our cook will get you all the parsely you want." crossing his fingers behind his back "then we not eat you."
"Does yea know of treasure? does yea know of shipbuilding or gots any skillies cause yea loot likes yea been given de black spot ta meez, how youse gets here?"
Da Par Lay! Crang's mouth falls open in shock ().
If we do not Par Lay then we get rot-rot and our bits fall off Crang grabs his crotch defensively. But only if he a proper Pie Rat and we a proper Pie Rat. Is we a Pie Rat?
The human in the cage nods vigorously. "Yes! Yes! That's right! If you don't parley then your ships will sink and you'll never see treasure again and your privates will wilt and fall off and whores will recoil from your touch and gold will burn you!"
"Eck! me marbles and me treasure!" Spots just shakes his head at Splurg
sense motive
Crang starts looking for the correct thing to chop in order to open the cage.
The cage is a rusted iron affair, with a large sturdy lock. A few good hacks should bust the lock and free the man.
so again yea swab; hud yea gits here on dis island all alone
Crang finds a tool (not his precious axes) and hacks at the lock until it busts open.
Bustin' makes Crang feel good.
The man steps out of the cramped cage and stretches, his muscles nearly creaking as he does. "Oh thank Besmara! I thought I was dead for sure. I didn't come here alone. I sailed on the ship HMS Asmodean, under the captaincy of Quinn Geistford. We were a Chelish privateer, sent to raid vessels for plunder. We came here a month ago, seeking something the Captain called 'The Demon Mother's Pride'. I don't know what it was, but he was willing to risk our lives. We encountered the village above and joined them for a meal. I fell asleep only to wake up here. There were nine of us who were taken; I'm the last. One of the men, Smitty, said the little bastards drugged us and ate three other men. The Captain fought his way out with the others, but left those of us who were asleep. The bastard. Funny, though, that mace there looks like his. Huh. Anyway, the Worm kept coming for us, every few days taking a new person when the old body wore out. He was trying to open that Gate back there, said he needed the 'Skull and the Sword' whatever that means. I guess none of our skulls worked, cause he never did open it. Anyway, thank you for rescuing me. I'll be happy to take a rowboat, some water and food and head off. I'm done with this life. I hope to never see a filthy island again."
Crang eyes the long-talking longshanks suspiciously: So, how do we know you is pie-rat?
The man looks at you for a moment, unsure if you're slow or stupid or both. Finally he puts one hand over one eye and says " Argggh!"
Splurg nods at the person who is very obviously a pirate and Arghh's back to him...
Speaking to himself and Spots..."Hmm skull and sword... me sword?? and the skullz we find on ship??"
What in da gate? does we want to open it? Maybe someting scary in there?
Crang reaches up, puts his hand over the man's eye and says: Arghh!
Then he embraces the man in a brotherly hug.
Whoosi goes over to examine the curious gate
<not sure which of my skills to roll as I have several that might be applicable>
The gate is large; probably about 20 feet tall and 30 feet wide. In the center, at around head height is an indention in the shape of a bowling ball and a keyhole, sized for something about the size of a blade. If you touch the door, a voice whispers in a harsh tongue.
Testing his theory Splurg is going to move this sword close to the gate.
The sword begins to hum, almost with a note of anticipation. At the same time, the skull (whoever has it) begins to vibrate as well.
Splurg yanks the sword back and quickly sheathes it... "Let's take the pirate back to our shipz for Parsley, I needs restin." Without further ado Splurg and Spots start heading out of the cave motioning this way.
when both blade and skull start to hum, Ank-hore begins to pray to the Lady Last Breath, then looks at the human and thinks he will dining well tonight. "Put them in the doors together? Maybe it then work?"
The man shrugs. "I guess. I know the fat priest worm said they were the 'keys'. Seemed pretty eager to find the right ones."
Me's not sure we's want to open it. Les go back to da ship!
Before anyone can react, a strange look comes over Splurg. He draws the sword and in one single graceful movement, quite at odds with the goblin's usual movements, he plunges it into the slot in the wall. It turns with a click and a strange sense of excitement washes over the room. At the same time, the skull flies from the backpack of whoever holds it and sets itself into the door, its mouth flying open and the room resounding with a series of harsh syllables!
The strange gate seems to shudder and break into four pieces which roll into the surrounding walls. For a moment a great cloud of dust, evidently built up over the course of centuries fills the air, then it clears to reveal...
A figurehead. A ship's figurehead. It sits in the center of the room, a wooden statue made of darkwood. It depicts a shapely woman with a jackal's head and a very pregnant, scarred belly. She holds two kukris and her arms are crossed at her breasts. At her feet rest the Scimitar, the Skull and a small chest, about a cubic foot, also covered in dust. It bears no lock, but is closed.
Wassit say?
Whoosi; momentarily surprized gathers his wits and eyes the figurehead specutively.
Aye what a beauty of a Maid fer a right proud ship; we be pirates bold and fierce and that beau would be mighty fine on our ship; Look at her fine lines; the promise of full belly; her glorious curved swords of victory and the hunger of the sleek lines o' that glorious muzzle; Aye me mates; let all pay homage, oh will yea consent ta glorify our ship?
Whoosie is spellbound by the mighty masthead, his mind frantically working out how to get it to the ship and mount her well.
I dont understand that mushmouth; but it shore is a bodacious beaut of terror aint it [b] says Whoosi with affection and appreciation
Whoosi stare intently trying to determine its craftsmenship and quality
(dice dont fail me now)
Appraise
[b]Wassit say?
GM; can I take that is Whoosie wouldnt know who would buy it so with out a buyer cant determine value rather than poor craftmenship?
Whosi: the statue doesn't seem to have been carved; there are no chisel marks or carving signs on it. It seems to have been grown into its present shape. Also, you're not sure who the statue is of, though you're pretty sure you remember someone lecturing you on religion once. Maybe that's it?
Also, the statue is surprisingly lightweight. Two of you could probably carry it back to the ship. And it does have mounts for attaching to a ship...
"What happen why me not on way to ship! What is statue it ugly-pretty, we take to ship let's go! Splurg picks up his Sword like nothing happened and grabs the statue trying to pull it to the ship."
Crang peers into the chest and takes out the hat. He spends some time comparing the hat with his scraped out pteradon skull and, eventually, opts for the skull.
He then starts trying to wedge the diamond into an eye-socket of the skull.
Splurg begins to pull the statue, which to everyone's surprise, floats leisurely off the ground and is easily pulled behind. Crang pokes at the hat, trying it and the pterandon skull for maximum barbarity. He eventually settles on the skull, but the other goblins as somewhat confused, as everytime he places the hat on his head, he disappears...
The diamond, meanwhile, soon becomes wedged in the skull, giving the pteranodon a winking look to it.