Hmm's PF2 #1-07 Flooded King's Court and Other Tales (Inactive)

Game Master Hmm

HOLD IT. TIME WARP!

As exciting and cinematic as all that was, the GM realizes (with the benefit of a full night's sleep) that she needs to roll back some of the previous fight. In this bar, with tensions high, the Storm Acolytes would not have drawn their weapons until the beginning of the fight. Oops. So let's roll back much of this last turn, shall we?

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Pink Acolyte only drew their weapon, and then moved and positioned. meaning Grams never got hit.

Actions:
◈ Draw Weapon
◈ Stride
◈ Stride

Blue Acolyte drew their weapon, strode to Scratch, and... still missed.

Actions:
◈ Draw Weapon
◈ Stride
◈ Strike

Yellow Acolyte drew their weapon and double moved!

Actions:
◈ Draw Weapon
◈ Stride
◈ Stride

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Round 1
Active conditions:

Sandstone

================================

Storm Acolytes
Pink
Yellow
Blue

================================

Loola
Iqu
Scratch
Tess
Grams

================================

Port Peril Bar Fight
Section 1
Section 2
Section 3 (location of Storm Acolytes)
Section 4 (location of Party, pacified!)
Section 5
Section 6

"BAR FIGHT!" Loola shouts gleefully. She calls on her draconic heritage with a word, "නියපොතු" and her hands transform into blue dragon claws, and dragon scales ripple across her skin.

The goblin leaps off her chair into the corner of the room, and she attacks one of their assailants. "You not start trouble with us!" she warns as her claws tear at the Storm Acolyte.

◈ dragon claws. This also triggers her blood magic, giving her +1 bonus to AC.
◈ Step
◈ Strike
dragon claws attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
claw damage plus electricity: 1d4 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + (6) = 8
flanking? Not sure if Iqu is flanking if she is still flat-footed. But at least I'm providing a flank for her.

Bloo grows claws and slashes at the Yellow Acolyte!

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Round 1
Active conditions:

Sandstone

================================

Storm Acolytes
Pink
Yellow (-8)
Blue

================================

Loola
Iqu
Scratch
Tess
Grams

================================

Port Peril Bar Fight
Section 1
Section 2
Section 3 (location of Storm Acolytes)
Section 4 (location of Party, pacified!)
Section 5
Section 6

Note; I moved the "3" on the map; I think it got moved by accident and was just to the left of all of us, while the one section to the west had no number.

Grams is pretty sure the acolyte isn't playing around and would do her real harm if it got the chance. She can almost see it attacking, and her moving out of the way at the last second, but she decides not to let that happen.

"Settle down!" she barks, though she grins at Loola's antics. She has to admit part of her is thrilled with the idea of being in a real bar fight, with real pirates! "Don't make me give you a time-out!"

They're not your grandchildren, Brynsil. They're pirates, and they'll probably kill you if they get the chance.

She pulls her weapon and shield, and using the flat size of her axe tries to put down the tengu. Maybe it would appreciate her caution.

"Yeehaw!" she lets out a cry of her own joy as she feels the weapon slam into crow-flesh.

Action 1: ◈ Interact to draw axe
Action 2: ◈ Interact to draw axe
Action 3: ◈ Strike! (but nonlethally)
Battleaxe Strike (nonlethal): 1d20 + 8 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 8 - 2 = 19
Slashing technically, though I don't know how you do nonlethal damage with a slash: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

And I have moved the 3 back!

Grams hits the Pink Storm Acolyte non-lethally with her axe!

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Round 1
Active conditions:

Sandstone

================================

Storm Acolytes
Pink (-7, non-lethal)
Yellow (-8)
Blue

================================

Loola
Iqu
Scratch
Tess
Grams

================================

Port Peril Bar Fight
Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4 (location of Party, Storm Acolytes, pacified!)
Section 5
Section 6

"Woah now, looks like our drinkin' buddy just stirred the pot with us in the middle of it!" His scowl quickly turns to a slight smile, who doesn't like the idea of a bar fight? As the patrons advance with blood in their eyes and scimitars in their hands his smile goes back to scowl.

"Back in MY day we settled bar fights with knuckles, not steel!" He grumbles before giving the aqua pirate the Dwarven stink eye, stepping to flank with Tess then attempting a head butt.

Unarmed Head Butt! (Finesse)(Flanking): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Damage, Precision: 1d4 + 1 + 1d8 ⇒ (1) + 1 + (2) = 4

So, Hunt Prey, Step, Strike. All for naught!

"Well, that was rude," Iqu remarks, a little dumbfounded. "Bloody pirates."

Iqu draws her club and clobbers the tengu with it, being careful to aim for places that won't deal the pirate lasting harm. Taking a penalty to deal non-lethal damage.

Power Attack: 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (12) + 9 - 2 = 19
Nonlethal Bludgeoning Damage: 1d10 + 4 + 1d10 ⇒ (5) + 4 + (4) = 13

Interact to draw great club (1A), Power Attack (2A).

Click. Whirr.

BOTTING TESS

Non-Lethal Rapier: 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 4 - 2 = 3

Non-Lethal Rapier: 1d20 + 4 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 - 2 - 4 = 18
Piercing damage: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (6, 4) + 2 = 12
Sneak Attack: 1d6 ⇒ 1
Deadly: 1d8 ⇒ 7

Tess draws her weapon, than strikes twice non-lethally at the Blue Storm Acolyte she was flanking with Scratch. The first action was an utter miss, but the second is a crit, bringing it down!

Action 1: ◈ Interact to draw rapier
Action 2: ◈ Strike! (but nonlethally)
Action 3: ◈ Strike! (but nonlethally)

Scratch sets up for a fantastic headbutt and misses! Iqu clobbers her opponent with a power attack! Tess does the same, aiming a non-lethal rapier attack that brings Blue down!

The Port Peril Bar Fight is raging everywhere but in your section, where only the Pink Storm Acolyte is still fighting you!

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Round 2
Active conditions:

Sandstone

================================

Storm Acolytes
Pink (-7, non-lethal)
Yellow (knocked out)
Blue (knocked out)

================================

Loola
Iqu
Scratch
Tess
Grams

================================

Port Peril Bar Fight
Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4 (location of Party, Storm Acolytes, pacified!)
Section 5
Section 6

Due to his tumultuous upbringing, Sandstone knows how to make a fist. Rushing to the pink acolyte, he throws two haymakers.

Stride, Strike, Strike

Punch: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
Punch damage: 1d4 ⇒ 1

Punch: 1d20 + 4 - 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 - 4 = 14
Punch damage: 1d4 ⇒ 4

@Sandstone: I think you still add your Strength bonus to damage from unarmed attacks.

Ah, thank; in that case, those would be +1 each.

With Loola reminding Sandstone not to pull his punches, he manages to knock out the remaining Storm Acolyte before she gets too feisty!

With the Storm Acolytes down, all that is left is to pacify enough of the bar so that you can exit with your signed contract! Your little corner is the only calm spot in a sea of thrown beer steins and raging fists!

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Instead of representing the bar fight as a single swarm that fights at its full strength until it is defeated, this encounter divides the bar fight into 6 sections, marked by dotted lines on this encounter's map. I’ve numbered the sections to help all of us track which sections of the bar have been pacified.

Each round on its turn, the bar fight will do damage to everyone in an unpacified section of the bar. To pacify a section of the bar, you must go to that section. You can pacify a section of the bar in one of three ways:

1. Knock it out. Go in and fight them, and knock some sense into their heads!

2. Intimidate them! Scare them into behaving themselves!

3. Sweet talk them! Use your honeyed and diplomatic tongue to get everyone in that section to stand down.

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Round 2
Active conditions:

Sandstone

================================

Storm Acolytes
Pink (knocked out)
Yellow (knocked out)
Blue (knocked out)

================================

Loola
Iqu
Scratch
Tess
Grams

================================

Port Peril Bar Fight
Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4 (location of Party, pacified!)
Section 5
Section 6

Loola leaps up onto the bar, flashes her claws, and shouts above the crowd,
"You knock that off now, in name of Apsu!"
◈ Stride
◈ Intimidate (Area 3)
Intimidate: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

If she is allowed to try again...
◈ Intimidate (Area 3)
Intimidate: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
"I SAID! YOU KNOCK OFF!" A hint of a dragon's roar can be heard from the throat of the wee goblin lass as she chastises the unruly crowd.

Scratch will delay to see if the others can commute the only option he has a reasonable chance to succeed with: a good head crackin'.

The old Dwarf lifts up the brim of his helmet as the goblin roars above the crowd, holding that bottle of rum tightly in one hand and the other keeping rowdy patrons at bay.

Grams' eyes widen as Blue's dragon roar shakes the walls of the inn for a moment. She didn't realize the girl had that in her.

Raising her shield, she follows Blue into the fray, bringing her axe to bear if that roar wasn't enough to calm things down. If there are no foes, she keeps moving, ready to knock some heads together. Second action depends on whether section 3 is pacified; if it is, I won't Raise my Shield, and will instead Stride 10 more feet to the west, into section 2.

Action 1: ◈ Stride
Action 2: ◈ Raise Shield (+2 AC) OR Stride
Action 3: ◈ Strike

Battleaxe Strike (nonlethal): 1d20 + 8 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 8 - 2 = 25
Slashing technically, though I don't know how you do nonlethal damage with a slash: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Loola's second roar is so amazing that it cows all of Section 3, and Rivanti passes her a beer after he rises from behind his bar!

Meanwhile, Gram's knocks a bunch of heads together non-lethally with her axe, knocking out the main assailants in Section 2!

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Round 2
Active conditions:

Sandstone

================================

Storm Acolytes
Pink (knocked out)
Yellow (knocked out)
Blue (knocked out)

================================

Loola
Iqu
Scratch
Tess
Grams

================================

Port Peril Bar Fight
Section 1
Section 2 (pacified)
Section 3 (pacified)
Section 4 (location of Party, pacified!)
Section 5
Section 6

Blue takes the offered beer and pours it over her own head adding to her intimidating mien.

She's under age, and really should not be drinking. :)

Scratch nods as the others handle their business. He leads the escape route towards the door. "Follow me ladies n gents!" The warmth in his belly making its way into his brain.

Stride x3

Blue takes the offered beer and pours it over her own head adding to her intimidating mien.

She's under age, and really should not be drinking. :)

Rivanti mutters, "My beer's not that bad!"

Meanwhile some of his clients are saying, "Nope, it's swill alright. The oysters are good though!"

I think it's reasonable for me to do this now even though it'd technically be in the next round of combat:

Sandstone moves quickly in Scratch's direction, picking his way through the flipped-over tables and stools.

Stride x3

Tess grins at Blue's fierce command and sets off after Sandstone and Scratch. She yells at the patrons in area 5 to get out of the way, trying to channel the imperious "Order in the court!!" she's heard shouted by a local judge to an unruly courtroom. "Settle down, mates! Why fight when there's drinking to be done?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Stride, Stride, Shout!

(She doesn't really have the same volume the judge achieves, sadly. Tess'll have to ask her for some pointers!)

Iqu heads over to the still rowdy (6th) section and tries to scare them into calming down.

Intimidate: 1d20 ⇒ 4

Seeing her presence has no effect she sighs and raises her club high...

Stride, Stride, Intimidation.

When her turn comes up, after end-of-round and after Sandstone...

”Aaaarrrrr!” Loola roars a wee roar, then runs across the length of the bar and leaps onto a table in the midst of the fray.
◈ Stride
◈ Jump
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14
◈ Intimidate (Area 6)
Intimidate: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
"LISTEN UP! All you stop fighting now! I mean it!" The goblin lass is an interesting sight to behold: snarling, dripping with beer, and holding her claws above her head in what is meant to be a menacing pose.

I've indicated on the map where she will move when the time comes.

Oh no! Three characters are in unpacified sections of the bar!

The Port Peril Bar Fight first proceeds with General Mayhem against each character!

Non-Lethal Melee vs Scratch: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
Non-Lethal Melee vs Tess: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19
Non-Lethal Melee vs Iqu: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

Thrown Beer Bottles: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Tess takes 6 damage as one of the beer bottles hits her head!

Jinx Gone Wrong! 1 Scratch 2 Tess 3 Iqu: 1d3 ⇒ 1

Action 1: ◈ General Mayhem
Action 2: ◈ Jinx Gone Wrong!

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Loola then strides into Section 6, pacifying it!

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Round 3
Active conditions:

Sandstone

================================

Storm Acolytes
Pink (knocked out)
Yellow (knocked out)
Blue (knocked out)

================================

Loola
Iqu
Scratch
Tess (-6)
Grams

================================

Port Peril Bar Fight
Section 1
Section 2 (pacified, Grams)
Section 3 (pacified, Sandstone)
Section 4 (pacified!)
Section 5 (Tess & Scratch)
Section 6 (pacified, Loola & Iqu)

If Section 5 becomes pacified and someone wants to grab Loola by the scruff of her neck and haul her out, I 100% approve. :) The less dignified the better. And this goes for all the time: if you ever want your character to carry Loola, you have my permission.

"Enough, I said!" Grams yells as she makes her way into the scrum near the door, axe swinging. "Look around, nothing good is going to come of it!"

Action 1-2: ◈◈ Sudden Charge (yay! I get to use my feat)
Action 3: ◈ Stride? Raise Shield? (if the area's not pacified by my turn, I'll Raise my Shield; if it is, I'll Stride again to the spot marked with the blue star on the map.

Battleaxe Strike (nonlethal): 1d20 + 8 - 2 ⇒ (5) + 8 - 2 = 11
1d8 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Sandstone strides toward the others in the area nearest the door (that's section 5). Again channeling his memories of endless nights in the desert, he raises his face to the ceiling and gives a creditable impression of a coyote howl.

Intimidate: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

Not sure that roll's gonna do it. If not:

His voice broke a little, and besides, these tengu aren't from anywhere that they'd know what an angry coyote sounds like. Sandstone thus bares his teeth and his fists and wades into the fray.

Punch: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21
Punch damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

So that's Stride, Intimidate, and Strike for my three actions.

Iqu hurries closer to the exit and tries to scare the patrons into clearing the way.

Intimidation: 1d20 ⇒ 14

Most of the Party clusters in Section 5, which is still quite rowdy. Grams and Sandstone both successfully hit some members of the crowd, but haven't reached the damage threshhold to encourage the crowd to disband. They haven't busted enough barstools yet.

Neither Iqu nor Sanstone manage to intimidate the group in Section 5, but maybe Tess and Scratch can calm them down somehow?

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Round 3
Active conditions:

Sandstone

================================

Storm Acolytes
Pink (knocked out)
Yellow (knocked out)
Blue (knocked out)

================================

Loola
Iqu
Scratch
Tess (-6)
Grams

================================

Port Peril Bar Fight
Section 1
Section 2 (pacified)
Section 3 (pacified)
Section 4 (pacified!)
Section 5 (Grams, Iqu, Sandstone, Tess & Scratch) (-7 to crowd)
Section 6 (pacified, Loola)

Will Save DC15: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8 Stupified

Scratch feels something odd come over him, which is odd since he ducked that beer bottle. Sorry Tess! He starts to slur his words a bit, must be that fine, fine rum kicking in.

"We ain't gut time fer this crap! I'mma gonna knock ye on yer lilly Key-ster buddy!" He goes flailing out at the nearest rowdy patron with fists and headbutts. "Why you barefoot? Who serves someone that ain't gut shoos??!?"

Knuckle Sammich, Hunt Prey: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
Damage (B) Nonlethal, Precision: 1d4 + 2 + 1d8 ⇒ (1) + 2 + (1) = 4

Knuckle Sammich, Hunt Prey: 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (4) + 6 - 4 = 6
Damage (B) Nonlethal, Precision: 1d4 + 2 + 1d8 ⇒ (4) + 2 + (1) = 7

Scratch's first knuckle sammich pacifies Section 5, and the tengus all look sheepishly at you. "Oh, sorry!"

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Round 3
Active conditions:

Sandstone

================================

Storm Acolytes
Pink (knocked out)
Yellow (knocked out)
Blue (knocked out)

================================

Loola
Iqu
Scratch
Tess (-6)
Grams

================================

Port Peril Bar Fight
Section 1
Section 2 (pacified)
Section 3 (pacified)
Section 4 (pacified!)
Section 5 (pacified, Grams, Iqu, Sandstone, Tess & Scratch)
Section 6 (pacified, Loola)

"Yeowch!" Tess yelps when the beer bottle connects with her skull. "All right, that's it —" she braces herself against a table and prepares to yell at everyone again (with feeling), right as the area settles down thanks to Scratch laying down the law. "Oh. Right, then."

I'm not sure I'm the best candidate to scoop up Loola, so I'll delay/hold for now. Once we start moving to section 1, Tess will go as well, using diplomacy if needed to pacify the area.

Tess pacifies Section 1, and you are all free to make your way out of Rivanti's! Rivanti raises a feathered arm in salute as you leave.

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

Hlar is at Sam's Clams, just as she said she would be.

Anything you'd like to do before leaving town?

Grams grins as they make their escape.

"That was great! Fighting pirates! Just what I wanted to do, kids!" she says enthusiastically, wiping beer and an oyster (at least that's what she hopes it was!) off her.

"Should we go look for some more?" she asks the others, grinning.

Loola, badly in need of both a bath and a nap, but admitting to neither, catches up to Grams. "Was really great, Grams!" She yawns. "We go look more pirates for fighting."

Hlar asks, "Ye were fighting pirates without me? I thought we were going to have a fun date, but you went off to have fun without me!"

Hlar's ego is soothed as she joins you in your pirate brawling for one night, and then rows you back out to the sandbar the next morning. She gives Scratch a kiss on the cheek, and says, "Look me up for another date when you're next in town, aye?"

After another couple of hours of waiting (and a very bored Loola) the clipper ship that was scheduled to take you to Minkai shows up to pick you up. Your shipboard journey is mostly without incident, with Scratch sleeping off the effects of his rum stupor, and the rest of you helping out along the ship as you can. Two days into the journey, an origami swan floats in, lands in Tess's hands, and then pecks her once to get your attention.

It unfolds.

The contract? I still need it. Put it on this paper, please.

Ambrus Valsin.

Tess puts the tube on to the paper, and the origami swan folds itself back up, and takes off flying once more.

A couple days later, another origami swan falls into Sandstone's hands and immediately unfolds.

Excellent work. Turn in this paper at the lodge for a discount if any of you ever decide to purchase your wayfinders with cash rather than with faction credit.

Ambrus Valsin.

This time, whatever magic animated the origami swan has seemed to run out. The piece of paper does not refold itself. You continue your journey to Minkai's port city, Sakabe, without incident.

THE END

Lost on the Spirit Road

Sakabe turns out to be a large and busy cosmopolitan port. Ships from all over dock here, and hundreds of uniformed porters run to and fro, efficiently loading and unloading all the ships. Although tien is spoken everywhere, you hear plenty of common and a smattering of languages from all over Golarian.

Even from the docks, you can see the hills of the rest of the city rising ever higher in the distance. Sakakabe is constructed on a series of steep, concentric terraces that extend from the port to the top of the hills, where the richest houses are built, while the lowest terraces lean on the ruins of a stone fortress built millennia ago. The whole city is green, with hundreds of public gardens, stone benches, and flowering trees decorating the landscape. The ancient stone walls are adorned with reliefs of ancient warriors, but these images are now almost completely hidden by modern structures.

When you ask for directions to the Kiniro Kyomai teahouse where you are supposed to meet Amara Li, the assistant harbor master raises his eyebrows and looks you all over before hesitating a moment. "Are you sure? The Kiniro Kyomai teahouse is... it is expensive. Still, it is very good. Popular with well-to-do locals and tourists alike. There are geishas, samisen music, and the food is delicious." He tells you that the town is known for its hanamachi. "That's our entertainment district!" He says with a bit of pride. "The hanamachi's built on one of the highest terraces, centered on a large street called the Way of the Songbird."

He points upward.

"Follow that path up, and keep climbing. The Kiniro Kyomai teahouse is near the top, with a view of this very harbor!" It's a good thing there are so many benches scattered about on the hilly paths. Climbing the steep paths is a bit tiring, especially for a group of travelers that just came off a ship, and don't fully have their land legs yet.

The signs you pass are mostly written in tien characters, the beautiful calligraphed pictographs, but here and there you do spot occasional signs with taldan translations, especially as you rise to the hanamachi district. You pass lots of humans, dwarves, elves and tengus as you walk, many of them in colorful kimonos, most chattering in tien as they pass you. They bow politely as they pass, but don't engage you in conversation. Each time you pause for breath, the view to the harbor becomes ever more striking.

Finally, you reach a street with charming little statues of songbirds playing in fountains, as well as plenty of trees with hanging bird feeders for them to perch. Everywhere the jade green flag of Minkai flaps in the breeze, and there are artisans and artists along the sides of the road with little kiosks full of exquisite crafts.

"Are we there yet? How much farther?" Loola whines and huffs melodramatically for the dozenth time along the slow walk up the winding path.

Then, when the group of Pathfinders reaches the street filled with artists and artisans, the little goblin girl chirps with laughter and runs off to splash in one of the fountains alongside the ornithological statuary.

The fountains are delightful! In addition to the ornithological statuary, there are also real songbirds that fly off in alarm as soon as Loola splashes in the fountain!

Iqu looks around with interest, spinning this way and that in a mix of curiosity and awe. "What an interesting place! My kin are distantly descended from the people of Tian Xia, among others. But I've never seen a place like this. It's beautiful."

She stops to look at the kiosks and buys a bracelet, tying it around her wrist.

Tess loves tea and is eager to see the tea house, but is also distracted by the artisans' gorgeous crafts and the charming songbirds. While she peruses kiosks with Iqu, Tess asks one of the artisans about the tea house. "We're new to the city," she adds. "Do you have any suggestions for what we should order at the Kiniro Kyomai?"

"Well, they have only seven types of tea, but each one is lovely. They're known for their seafood, and they have excellent dumplings," the little gnome selling painted fans tells you. "But I always like to order their bento lunches! So many tasty little treats packed into a pretty lacquer box, and so artistically too!"

Up ahead, you see a large tea house with a beautiful half-elf geisha wearing stylized white make-up and an ornate gold-embroidered kimono as she greets customers with a bow and a smile.

The sign behind her reads:

~ ❁ 京舞紀郎 ❁ ~
きにろ きょまい てあほうせ
Kiniro Kyomai House of Tea

Sandstone bows to the geisha. "Is Amara Li in?" he inquires politely. He pauses, and then asks, "And what is 'tea'?"

Iqu bows back to the woman and smiles while Sandstone speaks.

Scratch grins sheepishly after Hlar gives him a good night kiss. He's not sure he earned it being all drunk and dopey, but at his age he was just happy for the fun night out. "I'll stop in next time I'm 'round. We can go divin', drivin', and brawlin' again!" He boards the ship and takes a seat on the nearest barrel, holding on for dear life as the world gets topsy turvy.

--------

Before he knows it the group is off the ship and hiking up some godforsaken mountain at a breakneck pace "Can't ya take shorter steps? Ya know us Dwarves got short legs n all." He looks to Grams for a bit of backup as he leans on a cherry tree to catch a breath and admire the view.

"Been a while since I've seen a view like that. ALMOST makes the climb worth it it do." He coughs up a solid chunk of flem and hawks it into the bushes. "Aight, aight, I'm movin'! Stop badgerin' me Blue!" He leans back and pops his ailing back a few times and continues the march to the top.

---

"Tea? Umm... ya must have had tea before... its when ya take a pinch of grass n twigs and boil the taste of salad outta it? Most drink that stuff when they're sick 'er outta beer. Or when its free." He looks up and smiles at the hostess, peering around her for a view inside.

Grams gives Scratch a strange look.

"Our legs may be short, but this is hardly a mountain, old man!" she shoots back. "I had to walk uphill every day, both going to and coming from the nursery. We can't all be from the lowlands, after all!"

She continues making good time, short legs moving like pistons, propelling her ever upward as she takes in the sites with wide eyes. She's not sure about most of the foods the gnome suggested, but not time like the present to try them.

Venture-Captain Li’s name works like magic. “Ah, yes, the honored guests of Li-sama." She glances over you. "Would you like us to... loan you some kimonos to wear while here? Perhaps you could wear them while your own honorable clothes are cleaned and mended?” The geisha asks, hopefully, looking you over. “Do not worry about the cost. Li-sama has a tab open with us.”

"Nah. Me good." Loola brushes off the suggestion of a change of clothes, oblivious to the implied meaning.

Tess whispers in Blue's ear about new "costumes," like in the goblin play! Then she looks up and smiles at the woman. "Thank you so much for your kind offer. We would love to freshen up after our travels."

As they head inside, Tess begins to gush about the intricacies of tea to Sandstone. "Just wait, friend, I think you'll love it. Maybe we can get a flight with all seven varieties..."