Willard will give Vyr a good kick. "Wake up, you great lump! No time for a nap on the job."
Vyr stands and gives Red the gentlest of kicks in the kidney. "Up, up!"
"Red you get that one, I'll get the other." With that, Vyr heads to block green's creepy advance.
Willard will cast grease on the ground under green.
Willard lobs a glob of acid at pink, hoping for a lucky shot.
for
The acid splatters harmlessly.
Vyr moves up and attacks the green doll.
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Red and Vyr land solid shots, though the dolls seem to resist some of the damage. As the echo of Annalise's scream fades away, you hear the sound of leathery wings beating and a cadre of tooth fairies emerges from the eastern hallway. Each one of them wears a sash of varying fabrics and shades of red.
Prince Uspid demands to know what is all this racket! demands the lead fairy. At his shouting, the dolls hang their heads like scolded children.
We were just playing dentist Pink mewls.
And who are your patients? His majesty is not aware of them.
"Ah, word from the top! Yes, yes. We're travelers. And we already made a deal to come on in here and speak to your leader."
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Hmm, the tooth fairy rubs his chin thoughtfully. You better come see the prince. You girls clean up this mess. What have I told you about playing dentist on the stairs?
The flight of tooth fairies lead you past the shamefaced dolls. As you make your way down a once-elegant corridor, the lead fairy turns and says, You've got some nice chompers there. You ever want to part with them you come to me first, okay?
They lead you to a room that looks like it was once an elegant study. This room has floor-to-ceiling bookshelves along the walls, a pair of heavy desks, and several overstuffed chairs. Most of the books have been shredded, their pages and covers forming small nests. The chairs have all been sliced open, their stuffing removed and likewise fashioned into small nests. An unsteady chair made of stacked books stands atop the larger of the room’s two desks. Loose teeth are piled on the shelves, affixed to the ceiling, and heaped on the floors in strange, spiky patterns. The only exit from this room is a door leading south.
A tooth fairy reclines atop the jury-rigged chair high atop the desk, twirling an obscenely long mustache. A crown of teeth sits askew on his head.
The tooth fairy who led the way stands up straight and announces, with as much dignity as he can muster, The glorious Prince Uspid, First of His Name! Behind his hand, he adds, You may grovel if you like.
Well, well, well, the prince says before anyone can abase themselves. Whadda we'ave here?
Vyr will turn to others, hoping they have a better sense of how to deal with fey royalty.
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"Greetings Prince Uspid. I am Annalise of House Wilblund. It is an honor to make your acquaintance"
Annalise will say in her most deferential voice as she curtsies
"My companions and I are living travelers who have mistakenly come to the banks of the river of souls. We simply wish to pass through that we may find our way back home. We negotiated for passage with your gate guards earlier in exchange for a tooth, but it seems some miscommunications have occurred. We would be happy to move on and cease disturbing you, if you would send us on our way through the gate.
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The prince seems pleased by Annalise's honeyed words.
Lady Annalise, this court recognizes you and thanks you for yer visit. Yer situation is an unusual one, but we are sympathetic. We will be happy to see you on yer way. There is only a question of the ah--, he looks around the room, Tax. Yes, the toll that must be paid. And the fees. Yes, the tax and fees. We are sorry to hear that you were taken in by an unscrupulous guard, but our treasury has not benefited from the tooth in question.
What you need to traverse the Dead Roads is a stamp from the three keepers, of which we are one. In exchange for a tooth from each of you and certain other, ah, expressions of fealty, we will grant you what you need.
"We are not your subjects, just guests in your abode. Is there no respect for the guests here in the Boneyard? We only ask what it expected of us in return for the stamp. Surely, good king, one as mighty as you is not so rude. I'm sure it is due to the your subjects attacking us again and again that has made you think we are not peaceable guests. Let me assure you, we only want the stamp and to be out of your demesne."
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Let me get this straight: You bribed your way into my castle by paying off one of my soon-to-be-disciplined guards and you tell me if I want to collect my toll I can just get it from him. Then you presume to lecture me on my responsibilities to my realm?
What's more, if I understand you correctly, you need me far more than I need you. You love your teeth so much? Keep them. Enjoy you stay in the Boneyard.
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"No, no, no, that is not at all what I am saying. I'm so sorry for the confusion, and I certainly did not mean any insult. Your guard told me it was the price. I certainly never thought I was bribing them; nor would I ever have attempted to. It just seemed fair to me that part of the discipline of the guard, as you say, would be collecting the tooth from him. Might that not be acceptable?"
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Perhaps we've been misunderstood. The toll that we require is one tooth per voyager, so the one you gave to the guard is somewhat beside the point. But look, we require a service and perhaps we can forget about the teeth if you complete it for us.
The guard speaks up, Majesty, is it wise to involve outsiders? The guard has the situation under control.
The prince scowls. The guard has shown itself to be all too willing to be bought off. So here is my proposal: a usurper seeks my throne. Calling herself the queen, a rival tooth fairy has barricaded herself in the upper floor of this palace. Go, slay her, put an end to her rebellion, and you may have your stamps.
"Betrayal, treason, and mercenaries. If nothing else, we've learned how seriously people take their dental health." Willard scratches his chin.
"I'd certainly be amenable to taking care of that problem for you in, exchange for your stamp. Is the budding tyrant alone up there? How has she been holding off your guards?"
"No we are talking a language I can understand. Yes, we can take care of the problem for you. As Willard asked, any information you have will help bring about a swift end to this."
"What sort of information can you give us about this usurper's forces? Can you provide a sketch of the third floor's layout so we might be aid you?"
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I really don't know who she's got up there. Probably more of these nimwits, he says, gesturing to the tooth fairy guards.
The prince is able to sketch a rough drawing of the third floor (slide is here)
You gain entry by the southwest tower, downstairs. The only way in is via this footbridge. These brainiacs couldn't find a way across it without taking fire from her side.