Tura looks at Shin and pokes him in his belly and giggles."Okay maybe you, but gotta make sure we work them muscles a bit more too" She says laughing as she then looks to the others and shrugs.
"True, priest needs to show so we can eat"
A female goblin steps out from around the corner. She carries no weapons and wears no armor, only a simple robe of surprisingly good quality. She leads three more monkey goblins in leather armor, kukris sheathed. She says, "Headstink sarit longshanks mei gifts viet see. Sto gifts fal set dur?"
Shintaro translates.
Trying not to look bored, Cole shuffles his feet and tries not to say anything annoying at this particular critical juncture. It's a testament to his willpower that he hasn't screwed things up already.
Looking around to see if this was his castle where would he put secret doorways at.
Rodan, dwarves put secret doors deeper in their design. You’re unlikely to find secret doors outside of a front gate that is magically sealed at this level.
"Haakhec Muul'dec Heraan! A al Tekaguun Muulaan, maagaan duun taagaan rhuur o ac daan kuukac an dakakhuur. Daan rhec shuukhen dhuul ac al'duul'tuuch, muukaan shakuur, kaaraan, ac a gharlelach dhegaan rhaal dar shac rhaan kaal'der dhuugaagaar! Ac kaakhor, daan taash tuugen ac akuugakhec! Or huukhaar man mekaal or dhegaan ogaar merlaar, ac daan den duun tuul kaaraan!"
Cole can't help himself, points at Shintaro and smirks.
"What he said."
"I shall show you respect by using your language. My name in your tongue is Razzle. I was raised by the prophet since I was little. She is great and wise and your respect is deserved. Your gifts are welcomed. I believe gifts are usually balanced. Is that your goal?" Razzle says, with a deliberate pace to the speech.
"Yes. These men look for stories and knowledge. As you speak their Taldan language with greater ease than I approximate your tongue, I will now let Razzle, Priestess of the Great Prophet, Her Fires Surging All Those Who Follow Her."
"Ooo Female leaders, I like as well as the fire part. Like that too" She says smiling at the little goblin and then looking at the others.
"I'm just happy to eat and drink, but I know the others want to know things and whatnot so let them do what they do" SHe says in the air not to anyone just out there.
Cole winces and glances sideways at Tura, snide remark dripping out of his mouth quietly.
"You are just a never-ending Font of Wisdom are you not?"
Tura smiles and responds."I try!"
"Thank you for showing respect and using our language. Our ally Shintaro has done a tremendous job to translate for your My name is Gustavus Bartonius Larimentius the III but you may call me Lar. Priestess Razzle, forgive us our curiosity, but we are scholars of Sarenrae, goddess of mercy and fire. We are curious about your prophet and her teachings but also how you came to be here. You see, our allies and fellow students of divine guidance and justice were here, but we have not heard from them. While most stories are best told from the beginning, we wonder if you could reverse common wisdom and show your uncommon wisdom in relaying what happened and how you came to occupy this keep." Lar says.
"So great is our curiosity, we do hope to reward you for any information you can share and the return of those noble souls."
Razzle pauses to gather her thoughts, "Your allies are our guests. They have not been civil nor respectful so we have kept them detained. I suppose their safe return is part of why you've been respectful?" she ends, with a questioning tilt to her tone.
"Sarenrae's mercy teaches us to respect others. We know our allies are from schools of thought where that is not a key tenet. Our apologies for their unbending nature."
"So much good in this world could be accomplished with open minds and ears. So we hope you can forgive them and release them to us."
Razzle says, "Their freedom is not mine to offer. I can take your offerings to the prophet to seek her wisdom and ruling. Do you agree?"
"I believe Tura and Cole will agree if that means they get to eat. We can certainly bring in food and provide you the bead to take with you if you wish to show her the seriousness of our offer."
Cole shrugs quietly.
"I could eat."
| 4 people marked this as a favorite. |
Lar shouts out towards the wagons, "Bring in the food! We'll have a feast while we negotiate."
Kabong appears carrying a large bowl of pita chips with a hummus dip in the center.
The first goblins eagerly wait while Razzle inspects the platter, and despite a hungry look in her eyes, declines to eat.
"Thank you for the offer. I shall eat later. We feed as we work closer to the prophet. Agreed?"
Razzle gestures for the goblins to come over, and with that, they break what little discipline they could muster and swarm Kabong, who sets the bowl down to allow the goblins easier access to the food. They begin to eat quickly and with great gusto.
"I'll be back with more." Kabong says, and leaves.
Kabong scurries off and returns very quickly with another bowl.
Razzle leads the group on to the front of the cathedral. Another group of goblins await, curiously, and are similarly fed from the offering.
You stand in front of a pair of double doors while Kabong goes back for another bowl of food.
Razzle says, "Are there any other questions you wish to ask the prophet?"
"Wow I thought some of the prisoners were starving." Rodan says under his breath, watching the goblins eat.
If this prophet tries to detain us as well, at least they can die with full bellys
Still Rodan keeps a watchful eye on the area searching for the ambush.
Outwardly calm, Cole keeps he eyes and ears open for betrayal and his hand casually near the hilt of his antique blade.
Tura grabs what she can and gives the goblins high fives or head pats now and then.
Shintaro eats wistfully as always, amidst goblins if they'll allow it.
Suddenly bored out of his skull, Cole begins wondering the best way to burn the structure down around them...
Target a few specific support beams...even rock burns if you can get it hot enough...
The younger goblins are ill at ease with the masked, frightening hobgoblin skulking around but you hear snippets of 'Praise Razzle' as they eat. Some of the older goblins draw back in deference, suggesting they've served under hobgoblins before.
Shintaro is more welcomed by the goblins, who find the notion of a strange longshanks speaking goblin amusing, especially one with such fine manners.
Tura is somewhere in between with an initial wariness that suggests familiarity with the saying 'ain't no one happy if mama ain't happy'.
Cole, you recognize the best way to burn the place down would be to harvest the bushes from outside the keep, pile them high, and create a magical bonfire. The smoke would likely be deadlier than the fire without the walls to keep it from affecting the occupants of the keep.
Rodan, you are the first to spot a similarly bedecked goblin and her entourage approach from the south.
Rodan walks over to Lar and whispers "Another group of goblins approaches from the south." And then steps away for a better vantage spot.
The priestess continues forward with a calm assuredness and when Razzle sees her, she calls out, "Sister! These outsiders have come to bring us gifts in exchange for our guests."
"Gifts? Friendship? Longshank lies. What did they bring? Horses and dogs?" the new arrival snarls, showing sharp teeth.
Cole subtly draws his ancient blade and begins emitting a heat shimmer around his form...
Smirking, Cole speaks up finally not able to help himself.
"Dog? You shouldn't speak of Tura in such a manner. She might get offended. You wouldn't like her when she's offended."
Shintaro eats!
Lar and So try to speak, saying, "We didn't bring horses..." and "So the gifts are real..." but the newly arrived goblin priestess snarls and says:
Roll initiative.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Initiative:
Dazzle's Entourage
Lar
Dazzle
Razzle
Shintaro
Razzle's Entourage
Rodan
Cole
Tura
Hadri
Omni
The entourage member nearest Razzle tosses a dagger at her.
He hits, dealing damage.
He moves up, drawing a kukri as he advances.
The other two, emboldened, move to flank her. The movement is too far to allow them to attack this round.
Lar draws his sword and says to the priestess, "You are destroying a wonderful future for your side. We bring food, we bring fire, we bring much that you desire, and you ask instead for death?"
Dazzle is demoralized for four rounds.
She moves up and punches Razzle
... and hits for .
Razzle says, "Sister! What games do you play?" but holds her action, despite being badly hurt.
Shintaro tries to figure out what the other goblin's problem is.
You get the feeling that Dazzle is aware of something that Razzle is not, and sees the outsiders as a threat to her power and position. She keeps glancing to the cathedral doors in both fear and hope of some new development.
"Gherlec Heraan, a duurac akhuul'duurlen! Ghec Shakhac taash magec rhor dol'dec: daan agaan maagaan duun hegaan an ghon an daan haar, ar khruur ghuugaan. Daan taash akuugakhec, khruur shuuken. Daan shac ach huukler dhuul den, ogaac ar or dhegaan agaan shuulkekaal okec tuugec, daar maar ac kec dech rhaan huugen!"
Razzle says, "Sister, if longshanks come to us, with kind words and open hands, the glory that the prophet has preached is surely come! They have fed our brothers behind us, and you may strike me down, but the gods shall know it was I who was right!"
She begins to preach aloud, "Oh what games the gods play? We are but pieces in a game we do not understand! Let not my new allies forsake me nor my sister and brothers strike me down!"
Her entourage also begins to pray, silently, keeping an eye on the opposing side through half veiled eyes.
Not sweating in the slightest, Cole smiles and merely waits to see what happens next, sword in his right hand and fire starting to build in his left fingertips...
"Wait what is this? Are we having a show?" She asks as she cracks her knuckles.