"Charming,... Charming,... I may be able to help with that,..." Ben says thoughtfully, patting his worn satchel.
Search Posts
Ben looks to Bertom, a puzzled look wrinkling his brow. I think you sell yourself short Bertom. You are a perfectly personable young rogue. If you forgive me for saying so. You are young, charismatic, and irresistibly energetic in a sincere, non-sneery way. You may have some challenges speaking with the afore-mentioned 'upper crust' and their hereditary predispositions, but they can get over themselves." Ben says with a wave of his hand to indicate they are of no consequence. "Besides. While we may need some aristocratic involvement in order to provide supplies and such, I believe you will find that most of our recruitment will come from the common folk, who stand to suffer far more under the newest regime than the upper crust ever will." Ben points out. Then Ben fixes Bertom with a keen eye, and gives a small smile. "Although, you do make a strong point. Your natural skill set will also be invaluable in setting up an information network. You may be doing double duty Bertom. You may soon be one of the public faces of the best kept secret society ever established!" Ben says cheerfully, clapping Bertom on the shoulder. Ben has to visibly restrain himself, in his imagination he is clearly already halfway done with establishing this so far purely hypothetical organization,...
Ben makes a thoughtful face. "True, I suppose. Possibly. Sadly, I find that while individuals can be smart, and even logical at times, groups of people are generally,... less than fair-minded, let's just say." Ben frowns. "No. Let's just call a spade a spade shall we? Groups of people are stupid. Irrevocably, inexplicably, 100% Grade-A stupid. Something about the Mass Mentality and relinquishing all rights and responsibilities to intelligible thought to the rest of the group." Ben looks at the others. "What? There are some fascinating papers out there on the subject if your interested. It is this same mentality that allows the current regime to hold and maintain it's power. People are so much less likely to go to the trouble to fight back if they are either comfortable, or convinced it has always been this way. Fortunately we can use this same mentality to our benefit, if properly motivated, led, and fed the correct information,... Yes,... I think some research might be in order."
"Well. We don't want you to feel unappreciated." Ben replies sincerely straight-faced. Sometimes it is REALLY hard to tell if he's serious or not.
Ben grins at Dee and salutes her with his flask. "Thanks. I think." Ben frowns, shrugs, and chugs a swig of suspect liquid from his flask. "I like chaos." Ben announces suddenly. "It keeps life,... interesting."
Ben raises an eyebrow at Dee's take-command attitude. Not that he wasn't aware of it, it's just that Dee didn't usually show that side of herself when their friends got together. But he could appreciate her enthusiasm. "Well,... Ben said slowly, rubbing his now-stubbled chin. "Apparently, I am a terrible judge of character. And I don't do 'subtle'." He smirks as he pats his bomb bag. "However, I excel at note keeping, organization, and fact-organizing. And I know a trick or two I've picked up from the more talkative, but less reputable of my customers. I surmise that I may be the most help in organizing cells activities or overall strategy."
His friends know that Ben is possibly not giving himself enough credit. (And he's not normally known to be modest) With his brains and natural dexterity, he has often jested that if he weren't so enamored of the Alchemists' profession, he would have made a fair burglar.
Ben idly waves in return as the avians introduce themselves. He seems totally engrossed, but not grossed out, by his impromptu dissection/exploration, occasionally making interested noises as he makes an observation about the creatures anatomy. Afterwords, Ben washes up as best he is able. Then he rejoins the group as they are deciding what to do next. "Oh, what's that?" Ben asks, eying what is clearly a satchel.
"Oh! Where exactly?!?" Ben asks Val excitedly, his small, sharp skinning tool already in his hand. he begins to examine and plot the best place & way to slice the creature open without waiting for the reply,...
"Ah. Yes. Of course. One should always try to help family." Ben agrees sympathetically. He is still obviously saddened at the lost opportunity to examine new Flora. He soon returns his attention back to the strange albino beast, making certain that there no potentially useful samples left behind. Teeth? Check.
Ben cannot help but eye the body of 'Cough', but out of respect for the apparent feelings of their new 'friends', he refrains from investigating the corpse for samples. (He is not insensitive to the feelings of others. He just doesn't generally allow his personal feelings to get in the way of interesting research!)
Ben furrows his brow in puzzlement at the conversation behind him. Finishing his examination of the reptile (and carefully sealing up the various samples he took from the remains before placing them in his bag), Ben turns back to the group and raises an arm to get the bird-persons attention. "Excuse me, but you said that Cough wasn't always violent? She became so after being down here? That sounds pharmacological to me. Did she eat anything that you did not? Or was she exposed to anything that you've managed to avoid? Any strange moss or fungus perhaps?" Ben asks, unable to keep the excitement out of his voice at the possibility of examining a new Flora.
Looking around, Ben seems momentarily confused, then his mouth opens in an 'O' of understanding, and rapidly tucking the vial into his pouch, he makes a show of his own empty hands. "Ah, I see." Ben murmurs to himself. "The gator wasn't their pet, it was preventing them from leaving. Although 'Chough' seems to have been rather attached to it?" Ben looks at both the dead bird-person and the albino alligator. Leaving the others to continue talking, (and easily bored by conversation) Ben lowers his hands and moves over to the soggy corpse. The state of the body does not seem to bother him as he examines it, looking for a means of identifying it to their host above.
"Ah. That. Yes. Good question! In our defense, he DID attack us first. Quite successfully I might add."
Ben touches his tongue tip to the bottles contents, then swiftly caps it again. "Healing potion. Decent quality. Variant ingredients from my own recipe. But not bad. And usable. A peace offering perhaps?"
Ben looks at the others inquisitively. "Well. Don't look at ME. Diplomacy is not my strong suit. Much to Mother's dismay." He says. Then begins looking at his ripped and slashed attire in dismay. "Well that's just perfect, That was my best everyday shirt and vest!" He huffs. At the clinking sound of the vial Ben perks up, his tattered clothing forgotten. Well then, what have we here?" He asks aloud, picking up the vial. (IF no one else beats him to it.) He picks it up up, either ignoring, or missing, Dee's well muscled legs in the process, as he does not give them a glance. Ben peers at the vial, examining it.
:) Ben bounces a bit on the second jab, coughing and then struggling into a sitting position. Noticing Val tucking away her wand, he nods. "Thank you Val." Ben says hoarsely, coughing once more, although this cough sounds a lot less strenuous than before. "THAT was, quite the interesting phenomenon. Very educational. Also not an experience that I plan to repeat anytime soon. Thank you." Ben slowly regains his feet, stretching cautiously and experimentally as he tests his magically re-knitted muscles. "Um, did anyone ELSE hear that? Or am I also having a near-death experience and hearing things that weren't actually there?"
"Yes!" Ben grins only slightly maniacally as his bomb goes off in the bird-man's face. "NO!" He cries, more panicked than maniacal as he realizes that the creature's trajectory is headed straight for him! Ben is slammed down to the floor, the bird-man's claws tearing at his chest. Ben grabs at the claws, trying to prevent them from doing further damage, and his face takes on an intense, almost bestial look as he starts to growl at the creature pinning him to the ground. Suddenly, Ben's face relaxes, and his eyes widen in surprise. "Oh. So THAT'S what sudden, massive blood loss feels like. Going into shock now." He says pleasantly, and then goes limp, his head hitting the cave floor with a surprisingly loud thump.
Ben, being on edge in this dark, dank cavern, and adrenaline still running hot from the close encounter with a giant lizard, hastily decides that the creature's tensing and glaring at HIM constitutes 'aggression', and hurls his bomb as the creature crouches to leap!
Ben looks at the bird-person, then his crossbow, then shakes his head and pulls a clay flask from his pouch. "Uh-uh! Stay RIGHT there! Or we're having flash-fried chicken for dinner! I've had QUITE enough of things trying to eat me! It's MY turn!" Ben says determinedly, fueled by anger, or slight panic, or perhaps a bit of both. :)
'Too close for a bomb. For Ensis anyway,...' Ben thinks quickly, trying to figure out a way to do the most damage to the beast with the least likely chance of adding more injuries to Ensis or the others, [/ooc]
b]"Well. We DID manage to get it's attention at least! Although 'Be careful what you wish for' DOES spring to mind now,..."[/b] Ben says dryly as he quickly snaps his own crossbow into position and fires at the scaly beast!
"Spare parts. Absolutely unnecessary." Ben retorts a little too quickly. "Wait. You WERE talking about the traps, weren't you?"
"Well. I know a bit about how traps work. I've disassembled enough of them that figuring out how to make one shouldn't be too difficult." Ben chimes in. Leaning over to observe the contraption,...
,... He points out the obvious in an attempt to help make it better. Whether or not he's pointing out the CORRECT flaws are another question entirely,...
"Well, I suppose you COULD use actual meat,... " Ben says, obviously crestfallen that the thought of using alchemically preserved tincture doesn't hold the same appeal for all. "But with Val's magics, and this broomstick, and I carry a bit of rope,... we can produce a suitable trap I think! Ben says with a smile. Holding the aformentioned parts, Ben raises an eyebrow. "I don't suppose that any of you know how to actually CONSTRUCT a trap? Ropes and knots are NOT my specialty."[/b] Ben asks, clearly not intending the obvious pun.
Ben brings out a rag from his pack, and applies a portion of foul-smelling liquid from another of his multiple flasks and vials. Once all is arranged, he checks and readies his 'baby ballista' as he calls it, and aims the crossbow in the general vicinity of the trap,...
"I would rather the beast came to us, rather than the other way around. I don't know about tug-of-war though. Unless, you happen to be very handy with snares?" Ben asks Bertom hopefully, since the lad made the suggestion. "Otherwise, keep making a disturbance near the edge, hopefully tempt it, or antagonize it, enough, and it will come out after us. Much better than a swim in it's terrain."
"Hm. It's a carnivore, then like most carnivores they likely are attracted to the scent of blood. I happen to have a vial in my bag, and I have a few chemicals that when mixed properly give an odor of rotting meat,... What?" Ben asks looking up from his satchel. "What? You don't carry vials of,...? Oh. Right. Nevermind,..."
"Logical." Ben nods at Val's deduction. "Agreed that getting this creature up on land to deal with would be better. I for one am not the strongest swimmer. Especially when being perforated by that many teeth." Ben raises an eyebrow at Ensis. "My friend, you know that I have great respect, and not a little jealousy, of your ability to charm the ladies. But I'm not, entirely, certain that THIS 'crocodile' is the same as that one girls' mother that one time."
Ben nods absentmindedly, still watching the water. "Albinos are not unheard of in most species. And are more common in those raised underground, away from sunlight and their usual habitats. Few things more dangerous than an adaptive carnivore." "Lots of teeth these, Crocodile-gators." Ben observes dryly.
"Hrm. Maybe TWO bombs."
"Hm. Well. I suppose just ONE small bomb wouldn't hurt. Would it?" Ben asks the others. He pulls a clay flask from his bag, and looks expectantly at the others, waiting for a Yay, Nay, or indifferent (which the excitable alchemist would likely take as a 'Yay'.)
"Clownfish?" Ben offers. "Nah. never mind. Clowns aren't funny." "Well, I suppose that I could try to blow it out of the water. Literally. But I'm not entirely certain that my bombs will work once wet. And I am entirely convinced that this underground passage was not occupied with the idea of explosions in mind. On the plus side, I'm unlikely to catch it on fire, so,..." Ben shrugs, the pluses balancing out the negative in his mind. More or less.
"Perhaps we should check out the rest of the area? First?" Ben asks hopefully. "If not,... then how do we try to draw out our fishy friend over there? Where is it anyway?" Ben asks, hoisting his crossbow into position.
"Hrm, I don't want to be an alarmist. But as humanoid physiology IS one of my fields of expertise, I feel required to point out that the humanoid body, alive or dead, does not tend to fall apart without undue cause. Meaning if our soggy friend here is missing bodily parts, it is likely that whatever Dee saw in the water probably took the rest. In other words,..." Here Ben pauses and takes a large and very deliberate step AWAY from the water. ",... I advise against further immediate examination of the water without prior preparation. And preferably multiple, large, projectile weapons." Ben looks at the others. "Just a suggestion." He adds brightly.
"Ah. Allow me then. After all I AM used to cleaning up my own messes. In the workroom at least." Ben adds wryly at the end. Ben attempts to use the short broom to push the (presumably floating) corpse to where Ensis can grab it.
"Huh. Not exactly a 10' pole is it? Will this help?" Ben asks Dee, leaning back out the doorway and waggling the short broom in the air.
"Hang on." Ben replies softly, and inches cautiously into the room, holding his lantern high in order to find Dee a long pole or stick of some sort. His other hand holds his loaded crossbow against his side, ready to fire.
"This room seems to have been set up for a cozy campground for halfings. Or similar -sized persons." Ben calls quietly over his shoulder. "Looks like somebody decided they don't like camping. The place is trashed even worse than I would do on a bad Mutagen trip."
"Not a problem. Our encounters thus far seem to indicate an excessive willingness of any damp denizen to come to us!"
"It's coming from that direction,..." Ben says helpfully. Indicating a general direction that basically includes the entire body of water, and that half of the basement cave,...
"Oh. Calistra. Nice statue. If your into that sort of thing." Ben says, indicating the statue sticking out of the water. He sniffs the air, but does not cringe at the rotting meat smell. He likely deals with worse smells in his lab.
Ben rolls his eyes, his blush invisible in the lantern light. "Not manhandling, more like a gentle prodding,... Oh, Wait, that STILL sounds terrible,,... I think I may need some liquid courage if I'm going to survive THIS verbal onslaught. I'll leave the clever quips to you lot. I'm just here for moral support." Ben says, jiggling the lantern for emphasis. "And Artillery, If needed." He adds with a small smirk. "SO,... Back to business. Do you see anything in the water? I can't see anything from behind your armored backside." Ben sounds a trifle grumbly, possibly still embarrassed.
Ben gently prods Ensis.
"Understood. Onward then?" Ben says resignedly. He holds up his lantern for Ensis and follows the duelist down the steps,...
"It was just a thought." Ben Grumbles softly. He does, however, hold his lantern higher. AND sticks his free hand into his bag.
"Sneaking sounds good. maybe we should try it?" Ben asks in a slightly worried voice. He winces visibly at Deanna's cry.
Ben sniffs, lighting his own lantern. "MY enthusiasm and sense of adventure are right here, thank you." The alchemist says, patting his satchel of tricks. "I'm,... just saving mine. In case of emergency." He adds, holding his lantern high and following Ensis cautiously down the stairway.
Ben peers into the gloom barely dispelled by Rexus' lantern. "It is dark. You are likely to be eaten by a grue." Ben intones tonelessly. Then in a brighter, chipper tone continues, "Very dangerous. YOU go first!" He smiles at Ensis.
Ben looks around, patting his satchel as he does so, as if reassuring himself it is still there.
"Yep. It's a storeroom alright." Ben decides at last.
|