Once again, Riva readies to blast a wisp, or other threatening creature, the moment it makes itself known.
When he goes, Adular will attempt to help Mallichatti by guiding the the wisp with a swat meant to distract more than strike so that their warrior can get a bead on it.
waiting for Mallichatti.
The later. The fight is not getting very far.
"F#%% that! Swinging in the dark at little invisible balls of "shocks the hell out of you"!?!?! How bout we back up and think about this like sane people!"
Yes the wisps are invisible and of course you can't see them doing anything.
Riva falls back, heading out of the structure.
"Yes, perhaps we should come back another time."
"We got the hermit, I think he was the target," Adular starts to back up as well
You get out with no problem.
"Well that was... fun, Rory says with a fake smile once they're safely away from the hut. "We need to remember this place so we can take care of the wisps when we're ready. Until then, I think we're ready to go back home."
Mistaking Rory's fake smile for sincerity, Riva responds, "You have a queer idea of fun Lord Mayor."
"Sorry, was being sarcastic. I guess humor doesn't translate well between races. Lets go before it gets dark."
You get back without trouble.
Riva stretches out her legs in her library and prepares to get a few more days work down around the kingdom.
You have not cleared the hex. So it is not explored.
Adular says, "I hope those things don't breed quickly."
Riva responds "They feed on the strong psychic emanations of terrified creatures. If we steer travelers away from them, they aren't likely to be able to multiply much."
"Interesting. I wonder if there is some way to make them visible against their will? Eventually we might run into them or something like them again, and that invisibility is a tactical challenge to put it mildly,"The priest contemplates, "I doubt sprinkling flour or the like would work."
Well if you know the rules then why ask me?
"I shall look into it."
Sure.
The traveling bard Grigori has been making up catchy and insulting limericks about the kingdoms leaders.
Bravely bold Sir Rory
Rode forth from Allania.
He was not afraid to die,
Oh brave Sir Robin.
He was not at all afraid
To be killed in nasty ways.
Brave, brave, brave, brave Sir Robin.
He was not in the least bit scared
Of women in green.
or scary smiles,
And green dragons frightened him not a bit .
To have his kneecaps split
And his body burned away,
And his limbs all hacked and mangled
Brave Sir Rory.
His head smashed in
And his heart cut out
And his liver removed
And his bowls unplugged
And his nostrils raped
And his bottom burnt off
And his pen--
Brave Sir Rory ran away.
Bravely ran away away.
When danger reared it's ugly head,
He bravely turned his tail and fled.
Yes, brave Sir Robin turned about
And gallantly he chickened out.
****Bravely**** taking to his feet,
He beat a very brave retreat.
Bravest of the braaaave, Sir Rory!
But seriously do we want to just like send out for some scrolls of faerie fire or glitterdust or something?
He is packing it in and packing it up
And sneaking away and buggering up
And chickening out and pissing off home,
Yes, bravely he is throwing in the sponge
"Whatever became of that bard, Grigori, Mallichatti? I rather enjoyed his songs about 'brave Sir Rory'."
Adular hears the song when he returns to the temple, and snorts...
"The song skips the bit about the supernatural involved, I see. I have spells that could strip the bravest man of his courage. Doesn't make him a coward anymore than me making him bleed with a sword strike makes him a weakling."
Later when meeting the other council members, he listens to Riva, "The tune was catchy, but the lyrics got repetitive fast."
"Selene told me about him the other day. I went to listen to one of his shows and he's not bad. The guy needs a little work but its catchy nonetheless. Don't like what he's doing though. We could probably pay him a visit and try to get him to stop."
"Get him to stop? Whatever for? What harm could a mere musician possibly do? Greater would be the harm to our image if he were to suddenly turn up dead in an alley, or elsewise be forced into silence, I would think. Perhaps we could hire some minstrels to counter him if you are truly that concerned? Surely you know a few who would be willing to help us in that regard, Rory. I'm sure most respect you enough to not believe you a coward. They would likely help revere any potential damage to your reputation by simply drowning out this snake-tongued Grigori with the true tails of how we've come to this land and tirelessly work to make it safe for all."
Sarjenka is really a sod.
She's a bellicose, terrible fraud.
She's a nerd and a weenie,
An androgynous meanie,
She's truly demonic and odd.
She steals from the treasury
To line her own Library
Mistress of Coin that's laud
"Rory dear. Would you please get your minstrels out there? Now."
"You know, once strikes me as just some singer trying to earn some coin, but two songs tailor made for two different leaders? It's... pushing coincidence," Adular says
MEanwhile Mallichatti works the dungeon a little more than concerned about the horrors witnessed in the woods.
"I don't know anymore, I think he's rather charming with his verse." Rory says with a taunting grin. "I'll have Selene and a few others do their best." He paused for a moment before adding more. "Also, i never meant killing him. I meant getting him to stop spreading slander. The common people love gossip about their Lords, especially ones that are based in truth. I truly believe that if not handled carefully, this... Grigori was it? this Grigori person could be more more dangerous to us than the wisps we stumbled upon in the woods."
"So we counter slander with truth, then? Sounds like a plan."
Adular grunts and goes to pray for anti-gossip style spells
"I'll have my best men on it," Rory says.
So what is this Truth you want to get out?
So what is this Truth you want to get out?
So do you want to make some songs or poetry of your own or do you want to do some kind of check?
Rory makes a quite flattering song about himself and his fellow rulers. However praising songs don't tend to be as effective as insulting ones especially self made or commissioned ones.
Another song is also heard, a few folks may not catch the meaning, but some do
There once was a warrior who had a trusty shield.
It was sharp at the edges, and ugly as sin
Yet it protected him through thick and through thin
It blunted the fangs of beasts of the wild
and it came to good use to ward wife and child
And it might sometimes bend, but it never would yield.
Oh, it might get bent but it never would yield.
The warrior could settle with shield safe in hand
Under its shadow he tamed some land
Where once he lived in fear of Bandit's arrow
Now the shield helped him survive live gauntlet so narrow
And he looked to the shield, and said with a grin
"You're sharp at the edges, and ugly as sin."
"But damned if you aren't by me, through thick and through thin."
The land wasn't gentle, the land wasn't soft
and bettering your life always comes at a cost.
But the warrior was safer than he ever had been
Able to live side family and friend
all thanks to the shield that was ugly as sin.
Then one day a fellow with silver tongue
came riding into town.
He gazed upon the warrior's shield
with quite a sneering frown
"Your shield isn't very pretty" the stranger unasked declared
"And its edges are sharp, instead of proper squared."
"Other lands have grander shields, why not throw yours away."
Now the warrior had forgotten,
how well the shield had served
and so silver tongued was the stranger, the warrior felt unnerved
In a fit of foolish vanity, the warrior threw the unyielding shield away
And what do you know, new bandits came and killed him the next day.
And the stranger on the warrior, had played an awful joke
the shield might have been a bit bent
but it was the warrior who had broke
So hold to your shield, ugly as it seems, in the right light it still gleams, protecting home and field
And while it might be bent abit, it will never yield!