As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/

[D&D 5E] Whispered Curse, Day 60- Offshore/Abbott of the Eternal

1868789919296

Posts

  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    edited January 2022
    Jack rains his blade down upon the Goblin, but each time, the wiry little sniper manages to dodge his blows! The Goblin Agent's lips curl into an evil grin...but his cockiness costs him, as Jack, with a final burst of energy, breaks through the Goblin's defense and slashes one of the creature's legs out from under him! Yelping, the Goblin somehow catches himself with the butt of the gun, and rather than falling into the clockwork below, springs off from the beam!

    Bouncing about the rafters, the nimble Goblin dances artfully around the Shifter, jumps the beams near the fire, and makes his way out of melee range to the rafters in the East, before at the last second turning back, swinging the large rifle up to eye level (with some difficulty), and firing upon Lucky Jack!…
    NOTE: Chic is taking a shot with his Heavy Rifle (which takes an Action to reload), then using his “Nimble Escape” skill to Disengage from Jack as a bonus action and move away

    Geth roll 1d20+5 Heavy Rifle (Jack)
    Geth roll 2d6+3 piercing

    Urixes and Kasha: Perception DC-12 to mark the location of the gunshot and the small creature running across the rafters!
    The Bird-Creature flails against the Barbarian, uselessly attempting to gain a hold as the Shifter ducks and weaves out of the flurry of talons and teeth! The Corvian reeks of death and decay. His vision going red, Oak grips the handle with a vice-like hold and retaliates with the Axe, sending a devastating slash into either of the creature’s wings! The Demon-crafted weapon, glowing a faint blue, cuts through the Bird’s stone-like flesh as a knife goes through butter!

    Across the way, Pom, pulling themself up atop the railing with one hand, draws their sword from its sheathe with the other. Muttering an incantation, the Lieutenant’s blade begins to cook red-hot, and they channel a spell through the sword, which bursts from the tip of blade, and fires in three separate directions! As the spell flies, they turn to jump down into the waters below the boardwalk…
    Pom casts “Scorching Ray” on Oak, Kasha, and Urixes

    Geth roll 1d20+6 Ray#1 (Oak)
    Geth roll 2d6 fire
    Geth roll 1d20+6 Ray#1 (Kasha)
    Geth roll 2d6 fire
    Geth roll 1d20+6 Ray#1 (Urixes)
    Geth roll 2d6 fire
    Kasha the Hadozee, bellowing a battle cry, pulls a shortsword from a scabbard at her back, as she charges in to assist Oak against the Bird-Creature! Kasha swings the blade once, twice, three times, furiously, but the steel blade has trouble gaining purchase against the bird’s tough hide, glancing off more often than not…
    Geth roll 1d20+7 Shortsword#1 (Vrock)
    Geth roll 1d6+4 piercing
    Geth roll 1d20+7 Shortsword#2 (Vrock)
    Geth roll 1d6+4 piercing
    Geth roll 1d20+7 Shortsword#3 (Vrock)
    Geth roll 1d6+4 piercing

    Urixes’s eldritch blasts surprise the Changeling, and catch them directly in the chest and midsection! The fleeing Lieutenant’s trajectory is suddenly changed mid jump, as they are forced off their controlled descent by the Warlock’s magical bolts of energy!
    NOTE: The Changeling was going to leave you all with one last cheap shot spell, before gracefully jumping from the tower and disappearing into the waters below Chaff to be seen at a later time. Instead, the two concussive force blasts from Urixes are going to knock Pom off balance, maybe dramatically. Making a Dex Save to see how badly the eldritch blasts just made Lieutenant Pom’s day!

    Geth roll 1d20+6 Dex Save (Pom)
    The Foul Giant Bird, hissing and spitting under the assault from the Barbarian and Hadozee, flies overhead between Oak and Kasha, centering himself among the combatants along the roof. As the foul creature makes beady-eye contact with Urixes, it turns back to the pair at it’s heels, and lets out a devastating *SHRIEK*!
    Singed Vrock using its “Stunning Screech” ability: Each creature within twenty feet that isn’t a demon (Urixes, Oak, Kasha, Chic the Brick) must succeed on a DC-14 Constitution Saving Throw or be stunned until the end of the Vrock’s next turn

    Geth roll 1d20+2 Con Save (Kasha)
    Geth roll 1d20 Con Save (Chic the Brick)

    Heavy Rifle (Jack):
    1d20+5 18 [1d20=13]
    piercing:
    2d6+3 12 [2d6=6, 3]
    Ray#1 (Oak):
    1d20+6 19 [1d20=13]
    fire:
    2d6 8 [2d6=3, 5]
    Ray#1 (Oak):
    1d20+6 16 [1d20=10]
    fire:
    2d6 3 [2d6=2, 1]
    Ray#1 (Oak):
    1d20+6 17 [1d20=11]
    fire:
    2d6 8 [2d6=4, 4]
    Shortsword#1 (Vrock):
    1d20+7 24 [1d20=17]
    piercing:
    1d6+4 10 [1d6=6]
    Shortsword#2 (Vrock):
    1d20+7 14 [1d20=7]
    piercing:
    1d6+4 5 [1d6=1]
    Shortsword#3 (Vrock):
    1d20+7 10 [1d20=3]
    piercing:
    1d6+4 7 [1d6=3]
    Dex Save (Pom):
    1d20+6 9 [1d20=3]
    Con Save (Kasha):
    1d20+2 20 [1d20=18]
    Con Save (Chic the Brick):
    1d20 15 [1d20=15]

    mrpaku on
  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    Jack slashes wildly at the goblin, barely managing to land a single hit and looks impressed, "Wow, nice footwor..." He staggers at the sudden rifle shot, the step back to keep his balance luckily landing on another rafter.

    "...ow." Eyes locked on Brick he reaches up and slowly pulls down the wolf mask, then follows the gobbo with unhurried, deliberate steps before darting forward, saber swinging.

    Geth, roll 1d20+7 Saber Strike
    Geth, roll 1d20+7 Saber Strike
    Geth, roll 1d8+5 for Saber Damage
    Geth, roll 1d8+5 for Saber Damage
    Geth, roll 1d8 for Trip Attack if hit (STR save, DC 15)

    Saber Strike:
    1d20+7 8 [1d20=1]
    Saber Strike:
    1d20+7 25 [1d20=18]
    Saber Damage:
    1d8+5 8 [1d8=3]
    Saber Damage:
    1d8+5 9 [1d8=4]
    Trip Attack if hit (STR save, DC 15):
    1d8 5 [1d8=5]

  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    From somewhere far below, the familiar voice of Pom cries out in a sharp, sudden pain, before the sound is almost immediately cut off! Whatever just happened, the Lieutenant’s dive into the waters beneath Chaff did not come off cleanly…



    While above, the young Shifter, shrugging off the rifle’s blast, pursues “the Brick” along the rafters, the two continuing their delicate dance atop the beams as the fires grow nearby. Once more as he descends upon the little devil, Jack attempts to hack at the fleeing sniper, missing the first slice, but sinking deeply into the creature’s other leg with the backhand slash! Chic winces and falls to one knee, catching himself against the beam below by almost hugging his body to it.

    The goblin looks battered; weakened. Though obviously a highly competent marksman, the Goblin Agent is clearly not accustomed to up close confrontations. Jack notices a thick ichor of blood coming from the twin wounds in each leg…the goblin is bleeding, like a stuck pig

    As Jack looms over him, the Goblin cowers for a moment…but its a trick! From a hidden sheathe inside his boot, the Goblin produces a small, sharp dagger, and attempts to plunge it into Jack!

    Once again, the goblin flees away from Jack’s reach, leaping back the way they had came over the nearby rafters, and brandishing his small blade back fiercely at Jack!
    NOTE: Jack, the dagger is poisoned. On a successful hit, make a Constitution Saving Throw (DC-15) or take 2d10 poison damage and become poisoned for 1 minute. Then Chic is using “Nimble Escape” once more, disengaging, jumping across the rafters back the way you both came, and using his remaining movement to back up…five feet. He looks beat to hell!

    Geth roll 1d20+5 Foul Stab (Jack)
    Geth roll 1d4 piercing
    Geth roll 2d10 poison damage (Jack, on a failed save)

    Foul Stab (Jack):
    1d20+5 6 [1d20=1]
    piercing:
    1d4 3 [1d4=3]
    a failed save):
    2d10 10 [2d10=3, 7]

  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    Kasha the Hadozee falls to the floor, covering her large ears with both hands as the Vrock’s awful din breaks out over the Tower! She sees Oak and Urixes each fall as well, both overwhelmed by the brain-shattering noise of the foul demon! As the Changeling leaps (or more accurately, falls) from the edge of Tick Tock Tower, and the Giant Evil Bird bears down on the Big Man with the Axe, Kasha pulls herself up, and roars back in quixotic defiance, once again letting loose a barrage of blows on the backside of the Corvian!
    In return, the Foul Thing laughs; a harsh, bitter, high-pitched sound. Scraping back carelessly against the Hadozee’s offensive, the Demon takes in the sight of the fire, and the fallen Tiefling and Shifter. With a grating, self-satisfied noise, the Singed Vrock peels away from Oak and Kasha and, a growling, hungry sound in its throat, makes for the Warlock!…
    NOTE: Kasha gets an Attack of Opportunity before the Vrock peels off from the front line fighters and goes for Urixes

    Geth roll 1d20+7 Shortsword#1 (Vrock)
    Geth roll 1d6+4 piercing
    Geth roll 1d20+7 Shortsword#2 (Vrock)
    Geth roll 1d6+4 piercing
    Geth roll 1d20+7 Shortsword#3 (Vrock)
    Geth roll 1d6+4 piercing
    Geth roll 1d20+7 Shortsword (Vrock- AoO)
    Geth roll 1d6+4 piercing

    Geth roll 1d20+6 Beak Attack (Urixes)
    Geth roll 2d6+3 piercing
    Geth roll 1d20+6 Talon Attack (Urixes)
    Geth roll 2d10+3 slashing

    Shortsword#1 (Vrock):
    1d20+7 18 [1d20=11]
    piercing:
    1d6+4 5 [1d6=1]
    Shortsword#2 (Vrock):
    1d20+7 8 [1d20=1]
    piercing:
    1d6+4 9 [1d6=5]
    Shortsword#3 (Vrock):
    1d20+7 27 [1d20=20]
    piercing:
    1d6+4 8 [1d6=4]
    Shortsword (Vrock- AoO):
    1d20+7 27 [1d20=20]
    piercing:
    1d6+4 7 [1d6=3]
    Beak Attack (Urixes):
    1d20+6 23 [1d20=17]
    piercing:
    2d6+3 12 [2d6=6, 3]
    Talon Attack (Urixes):
    1d20+6 18 [1d20=12]
    slashing:
    2d10+3 12 [2d10=7, 2]

  • AustinP0027AustinP0027 Registered User regular
    edited January 2022
    Oak's hand clamp tightly over his ears, bending slightly as the bird's wail pierces his brain. His eyes shut tightly for a moment, before he finds himself bent down on one knee, his axe falling to the ground.

    As he blinks away the pain, his eyes clear just in time to see it charge Urixes. "No." he growls. "Come after me ya damn bastard!"

    His hand finds his axe as the other pushes him back up to his feet. In one motion, he pops up and grips his axe in two hands. Charging ahead at its backside, he lashes out, putting his weight into his strikes as he both wants to draw it's attention and also put it down permanently.
    Reckless attack, so it gets advantage if it attacks me next turn.

    Geth, roll 2d20k1+8 for Attack 1
    Geth, roll 1d12+7 for Damage 1

    Geth, roll 2d20k1+8 for Attack 2
    Geth, roll 1d12+7 for Damage 2

    Attack 1:
    2d20k1+8 22 [2d20k1=[14], 9]
    Damage 1:
    1d12+7 14 [1d12=7]
    Attack 2:
    2d20k1+8 15 [2d20k1=[7], 2]
    Damage 2:
    1d12+7 14 [1d12=7]

    AustinP0027 on
  • DenadaDenada Registered User regular
    Urixes' eyes glow red as his blood begins to flow, causing hellish flames to whip up around the vrock.

    Hellish Rebuke as a Reaction: the vrock takes 3d10 fire damage (DC 16 Dex save for half).
    Geth, roll 3d10 for Hellish Rebuke

    Meanwhile, spider-Hex takes the opportunity to climb onto the vrock, and begins a series of annoying bites that aren't particularly damaging, but are definitely distracting.

    Familiar will use the Help action.

    Then, in the blink of an eye, Urixes disappears, reappearing some distance away in a swirl of purple smoke. He raises his hand and fires off a series of blasts, hoping to catch the vrock before it has a chance to react.

    Casting Misty Step as a bonus action to teleport away from the vrock, reappearing just south of the pillar that Kasha and Oak were standing next to, then attacking with Eldritch Blast.

    Geth, roll 2d20k1+8 for Eldritch Blast 1
    Geth, roll 1d10+4 for Force Damage 1
    Geth, roll 1d20+8 for Eldritch Blast 2
    Geth, roll 1d10+4 for Force Damage 2

    Hellish Rebuke:
    3d10 12 [3d10=5, 4, 3]
    Eldritch Blast 1:
    2d20k1+8 24 [2d20k1=[16], 13]
    Force Damage 1:
    1d10+4 13 [1d10=9]
    Eldritch Blast 2:
    1d20+8 19 [1d20=11]
    Force Damage 2:
    1d10+4 10 [1d10=6]

  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    Jack waggles the saber and murmurs, "Sorry sword, looks like no dessert for you..." He pulls out the flintlock with his other hand and aims it at the elusive goblin. Getting toasty up here.

    Geth, roll 1d20+9 for Flintlock Shot
    Geth, roll 1d10+4 for Damage
    Geth, roll 1d20+9 for Flintlock Shot
    Geth, roll 1d10+4 for Damage

    Flintlock Shot:
    1d20+9 23 [1d20=14]
    Damage:
    1d10+4 12 [1d10=8]
    Flintlock Shot:
    1d20+9 14 [1d20=5]
    Damage:
    1d10+4 7 [1d10=3]

  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    Jack's shot hits home! As a trickle of blood runs down his face, the Goblin's eyes roll up into his head, and slowly, the creature slides from the beam, and falls into the clockwork below...

    Nearby, the Vrock, overwhelmed by the Hadozee's fury, has it's neck suddenly snapped! The creature hits the roof, wings still twitching, staring up in beady-eyed shock at Oak and Kasha...

    From the face of the clock tower, the fire and smoke continue to build...

  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    Well, he did warn him. He puts his weapons away, then coughs, the mask doing little to help with the build up of smoke up here. Jack carefully leans over the rafter he's standing on and yells downwards, "Hey Oak, you wanna grab that rifle off the goblin for me? Would be a shame to let it burn! Also, Mister Fusspot? Go with Oak, I don't want you catching any embers up here."

    Right, time to get out of here before he's a cooked wolf. But first. Oak and Urixes have it sorted, yeah? Yeah, they're fine, why it'd be downright irresponsible not to do this.

    He swifly makes his way to the hidden cache, humming to himself as he digs through it, retrieving his prize and slipping it into his pack before braving the fire. "Well. Here we go.

    Any moment now.

    Boy that's hot..." Wincing, he sprints through the inferno, trying to make his way down to rejoin the rest safely.

    Geth, roll 1d20+7 for Con Saving Throw
    Geth, roll 3d20 for Treasure Treasure Treasure!

    Con Saving Throw:
    1d20+7 9 [1d20=2]
    Treasure Treasure Treasure!:
    3d20 18 [3d20=4, 1, 13]

  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    ((OOC: Who stole my lucky dice! ))

  • AustinP0027AustinP0027 Registered User regular
    Oak says nothing as the Kasha drops the Vrock. The fire had reached the point of being uncontrollable, and they were far too high up for anyone to feel safe with that.

    His eyes straining, he stares through the smoke and fire trying to find the hatch that leads them down. They didn't know what was happening on the floors below, but it had to be safer than staying up here.

    Geth, roll 1d20+6 for Con Save

    Con Save:
    1d20+6 22 [1d20=16]

  • DenadaDenada Registered User regular
    Urixes was quite unfazed by the heat, but he wasn't immune to smoke ... yet.

    "At least they'll have something new to blame us for," Urixes quips, his eyes darting around for a way out.

    Geth, roll 1d20+1 for Con Save

    Con Save:
    1d20+1 19 [1d20=18]

  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    Fires continues to consume the clockworks. Oak strains at the hatch door, the veins in his neck bulging! Mister Fusspot stands atop his shoulders, chittering nervously. Jack walks slowly up to the Barbarian, tottering unsteadily, before collapsing with a loud thwump a few feet away. Emerging from the smoke nearby, the Tiefling drapes himself over the fallen Lucky Jack, attempting to cover the young wolf's face from the smoke...

    Suddenly, with a slow, but steady give, and a triumphant roar from Oak, the nails begin to pop out of the hatch door one by one, ricocheting around the top floor before the hatch finally springs open!

    And running up the stairs at the very second as the door is opened, Gorgeous Grigmar and his men come upon the Wild Bunch! The Orc halts for a single moment, once again appraising the Barbarian, but with a much different look upon his face this time. He turns and takes account of the Clock Tower, specifically the bodies upon the floor: that of the ruined Vrock, and the mangled goblin, and the young Shifter. At the sight of Lucky Jack, Grigmar urges some of the pirates behind him forward to assist. Two men rush up the stairs, kerchiefs wrapped around their faces to guard against the smoke, and pull the young Shifter up between them. Jack is firmly passed out.

    Gorgeous Grigmar turns to Urixes and Oak. "Quickly...this way!" Holding the hatch up overhead, Grigmar urges the Wild Bunch through the door, as the top floor of the clock tower continues it's building inferno...

    The Wild Bunch runs down a large set of steps, back down towards the city. Around them, they can see the remnants of the Black Robes: a handful being apprehended by Grigmar's men, but most lying dead and battered along the railings.

    "We've sorted em' out." Grigmar says at the sight of the arrests. "And the ones we didn't have either fled, or gone into hiding. We're instituting a lockdown and curfew fer' all non-essentials this evening, while we restore order to the place, attend to the wounded and missing."

    "Thanks fer' putting the Bird down...we owe ya a solid, for that. An yer Ship, the "Whispered Curse"? Was safe last I heard, but Hook's End is blocked off by a bunch o' Modrons that need to be convinced the fighting is over. And," Grigmar gestures back towards Jack. "Yer little friend here needs attention now! We got a few quality doctors aboard the Apollo and Athena...and we got a couple questions for all you folks, anyways. Don't worry!" He says, putting up his hands defensively as Oak turns on him with a glare. "We know it weren't you that fucked up the place en' fled! But the folks that did do it...well, they committed an act o' war. An' I think it would interest us both to know why they choose to do it wearing yer' faces..."

    Gorgeous Grigmar and his crew escort the Wild Bunch back through the ruined city, towards the "Town Square" of the Apollo and the Athena. The riot has ended and the boardwalks are being cleared. Armed guards patrol the street, urging citizens off the streets...

    The APOLLO and The ATHENA
    Grigmar sees the Wild Bunch into their room. "I'll be right back to have that chat o' ours," the Orc says with a firm nod. "Gotta check on how things have transpired in my absence, make sure there's no other emergencies that need tending to. But I should be back real soon..."

    Jack and the group are taken inside a private room in the large ship, somewhere below the forecastle deck of the Apollo. The place is quality, and luckily seems undamaged by the recent riot. A team of sisterly looking dwarves immediately descend upon the injured Jack, clucking and clutching to check for injury. There are other injured here as well, including two people you recognize: Fiver the Lapine sits bedside of the kenku Whistler, who appears to be hurt. Both look up and give Urixes and Oak a small nod of recognition.

    On the dresser next to Jack's bed sits a familiar looking sending stone.

    Gorgeous Grigmar should be back very soon...

  • AustinP0027AustinP0027 Registered User regular
    Oak says very little as they are lead to somewhere safe. His eyes take in the ruined city along the way, and he knows eventually there is going to be a conversation about what caused all of this, but his main focus right now is getting Jack somewhere safe. Thankfully, it doesn't look Jack's going to be too worse for wear, but he certainly isn't going to feel great for a bit.

    Grigmar leaves them in a room of some familiar faces, but it's the sending stone on the dresser that grabs the Shifter's attention first. He grabs it, picking it up while musing aloud "How do these damned things work again?"

  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    edited January 2022
    OAK/ URIXES
    As Oak speaks into the stone, a faint glimmer goes through it, before quickly going out again. A few feet across the room, an identical glow can be seen momentarily coming to life within Urixes's coat pocket, as the twin feebly attempts to acknowledge it's mate.

    No doubt, then: you've found the other of the Sending Stones pair, which you know Arno had used only some hours ago. That the Changeling no longer has possession of it can't mean anything good. Fiver and Whistler both do their absolute best to avoid eye contact...

    ...

    JACK
    Breathing uneasy, Jack snores unhealthily into his pillows, a sound somewhere between a cranking drive ratchet and a chainsaw...
    The Open Ocean. Jack stands alone atop the Main Deck of the Curse. How did he get here? Where is everyone?

    The sky and sea are unnaturally calm. There's no wind...no clouds...no features to take in of any kind. The sky looks painted, and unnatural, like someone had drawn it up there by hand.

    "The Old Boy couldn't see you because he was looking for a person-person." A voice declares matter of fact my from somewhere above. Jack looks around, hand over his eyes (but...where is the sun?), attempting to find the speaker. "The Old Boy saw much of what was to come...but not everything. Things are going to change, from here on in..."

    Jack finally targets the person talking, hidden behind one of the sails, sitting draped over the side of the Crow's Nest. Is that, Arno...or, is it Pom? Whichever Changeling it is smiles when they're discovered, and stands up atop the basket, arms spread out like a bird.

    Their voice is manic; determined. "I've discovered treasure down there, Jack. In the whale's mouth! I can pull it up...but its deep, and it might take a minute. You and Fusspot don't wait up, okay?"

    The Changeling takes a diver's stance. Jack wants to put his hand out....either to stop them, or to go to them, or to do something...but finds himself stuck in place, unable to move. The Changeling leaps into the air as Pom did earlier, executing the twist and a flip they were unable to. Gracefully falling past the decks, down into the water, splashing into the motionless blue ocean, they make their descent into the Deep...

    Jack finally finds a way to wrench himself from from the sluggishness, and pull himself over to peer into the ocean beneath. The Changeling is swimming down further and further, towards the whale which is rising up to meet it. As the giant fish draws closer (and the Changeling swims straight towards the creatures mouth), Jack finally sees that it isn't a fish at all...

    9q0ug4gb3419.png

    Those dead-eyes. The grinning smile, with its false warmth. Jack feels a revulsion...and something else...a realization. The mask isn't the awful part....it's what's contained underneath that is the true horror....dontthinkaboutitdontthinkaboutitdontthinkaboutit....

    Within the dream, Jack feels a tug on his jawline. His nose gets a familiar itch, and his ears begin to buzz. Alone atop the abandoned Curse, the "transformation" begins against Jack's will, while below his feet, the Changeling has been lost...gone, forever, into the Expanse...
    Jolting to, the Shifter suddenly awakens, sitting up in a strange room! Familiar faces (and some, not so familiar) lie or lounge around the room, but Jack is not aboard the Whispered Curse. His pulse races, and he tries to collect himself.

    The young Shifter can only just remember the dream in his waking moments. He feels accutely a deep, deep fear, and a profound sense of loss. As Jack tries to piece together the new area around him and hang on to the threads of the dream, something happens to jog his memory in a horrible way...just as in his sleep, Jack feels a tug on the jawline, and a prickle at the tip of his ears...

    mrpaku on
  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    Jack holds back a suppressed growl...thrashes against the ship's bed....and yet, somehow, stills himself! The fangs recede, and his ears pull back into a more human shape.

    Fiver's ears pip up, and the Lapine looks over in Lucky Jack's direction, but only for a moment. The rabbit turns dismissively away from the Shifter, to nurse his own wounds, and attempt to get back to sleep.

    Meanwhile, Oak and Urixes just saw everything: the Wolf's sudden, scared awakening; his near-transformation; and Jack's strain to put it back down...

    JACK
    You haven't felt that so strongly ever before, at least not since you were first turned. A forceful call back to the Wild, where you lost track of yourself for more than a few seconds, to thoughts of trees, and blood. It...scared you.

    Something about whatever was behind the Sun Prince's mask made you want to bare your teeth...rip meat...embrace your inner beast...

    And that dream...you can only remember odd bits and pieces,...but you're left bereft from it...depressed, but not sure why, and for the first time, scared for the future...

  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    Jack sits up, looking around confused and uncharacteristically distraught, before putting on his usual Jack face. "Well. Looks like the smoke won that time." He grins, then coughs... oof, not pleasant.

    "Hey, did anyone see Mister Fuss..." A cloud of feathers hits his face. Muffled, "Found him." Once the creature has been suitably pacified he waves Oak and Urixes over in what he thinks is a nonchalant manner. He couldn't be drawing more attention to himself if he tried.

    "Hey hey hey! I found something neat up in the rafters. So there was this mural, right? It had five people on it, a large bearman, a thin man with many faces, a very regal looking wolf person, he was the best one, a tiefling and... a pseudodragon. Yeah, that one confused me too, but the rest were spot on, yea?

    And I found this, before fire chased me down the stairs." He digs through his pockets and pulls out a notebook, throwing it to Urixes, "Only word I could read was your name." Apparently Jack's literacy doubled to both his own and Urixes' names.

    He looks to Oak, "So... diiiiiid you happen to pick up that goblin's rifle like I asked?" Hopeful smile.

  • DenadaDenada Registered User regular
    Urixes exchanges a heavy look with Oak when the sending stones light up, his concern clear on his otherwise stoic face. Jack's call provides a timely distraction...

    "At this point I'm not surprised," he says, taking the notebook and starting to flip through it. "Who was this goblin, anyway? Did he happen to say his name?"

  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    "Oh yes, it was..." Long pause. Hm, what was it again? "Don't tell me, I got it... ah! Chicdabrick! He really had it in for you, too, seemed to think you were coming for him."

    He kicks his feet, watching the tiefling expectantly, "...well? What does it say!"

  • AustinP0027AustinP0027 Registered User regular
    Oak's eyes connect with Urixes when the sending stone in his companion's pocket lights up. A flash of realization is shared between them, the Barbarian's mouth opening slightly to say something, when Jack interrupted them both. The Shifter's eyes moved to the bed where the younger man had been recovering, watching as Jack awoke, confused, straining against what Oak was familiar with as the need to shift. Jack's transformation, however, was different than the Barbarian's, which meant that Oak had taken several steps towards the bed and was preparing himself to tackle the wolf before Jack seemed to get it under control.

    "Good to see yer alright, Jack", Oak says, letting the two continue their conversation as he turned away for a moment. His eyes glanced back down at the stone he was holding, and then up at where Fiver and Whistler were resting. He made his way over to the two of them.

    "Hey Lads. Looks like ya had a rough night of it." Oak pulls a stool and sits down on it. "Why don't ya tell me about it?"

  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    edited January 2022
    Urixes takes the journal from Jack. Before long, the Tiefling has cracked the cypher, and the journal reveals its contents:
    It’s a large, loose-leaf, leather-bound notebook, containing a long encoded message from Urixes’s previous self (the “Old Boy” aboard the Sanguine Seeker) addressed directly to the present day Urixes. He somehow knew you would return to find it, and would be the only one able to read the document properly. The cypher is an irritating jumble of letters and numbers in most places, the sole exception being Urixes’s name itself, which is usually in capital letters, or underlined twice, for some strange reason

    - Urixes learns that his current self was not his first attempt at ending this immortal cycle. The “Old Boy” (once entering “The Teeth” had failed when they lacked the proper keys, and Jennie Goldenmane subsequently sacrificed herself to protect the other survivors from the Sanguine Seeker) had decided then and there he was done, and made severe attempts to end his servitude to Ghanadaur shortly afterwards, but found every action thwarted.

    - As a last-ditch effort, the “Old Boy” apparently tried something forbidden. Making his way to a “certain space” within the Expanse (there’s a Map drawn here, but even to Urixes, it’s practically unreadable. It seems to be…pointing…to somewhere either at the center, or underneath, or above the entirety of the Twilight Expanse?), Urixes intentionally conducted a ritual to split his soul into two separate halves (referred to in the cypher as a “Twinning”), hoping to parlay the action into severing his contract with the Elder God.

    - The ritual seems to have half succeeded: the souls were split, and the voice of Ghanadaur was quieted (for awhile). But it sounds like the two halves were seperated violently, and the half that would go on to become Urixes immediately vanished. The next few entries are dire, sounding lost. The Old Boy pines for the part of themself that has gone “missing across the waters”. It reads like one long apology: Urixes’s handwriting begs forgiveness from their other self for what he had done, and for what they were unable to do…

    - There is a space of several months missing. In the next entry the Old Boy’s tone is shaky, frightened. He tells you that he recently “went away” for awhile, and when he came back to his senses, he found that Ghanadaur had been wearing him for the past sixty or more days. He has no memories of where he had been or what he had done, but when he came to, he found himself the sole occupant of a galleon, the crew of Changelings aboard having been slaughtered.

    - A few weeks later: He remembers now. He wishes he didn’t.

    - The final entry is…hopeful. Confident even! The Old Boy laments briefly the fate of the Sanguine Seeker and its crew, before eagerly addressing present-day Urixes in their belief that the cycle will finally be broken! The Old Boy speaks of having having been shown a prophecy through the “Lens of the Observatory”, where he (you) were at the center of the Expanse again, among a different crew of Friends…(here, the Old Boy seems to roughly describe the Wild Bunch: the account of Oak as a “Gruff Man, with a “Large Heart” seems to be fairly accurate, but the descriptions of Arno and Jack seem to be subtly “off”, as though he had only a rough, fleeting impression of them, or simply someone like them…)

    - The “Old Boy” passionately informs the present-day Urixes that they can “bring us together again and end this.” Old Boy informs Urixes that he is going on a journey now, to attempt to right some of the wrongs that you’ve both done. He’ll be stopping by Tick Tock Tower first, to leave this notebook somewhere he knows you’ll find it, and to paint the mural as a farewell gift to the Orphans/a promise that Urixes will return here again one day, and to watch out for his return. He hopes the little bit of money he has left will help Urixes ‘s own journey. From the tone, it doesn’t sound like he expects to return from this trip.

    - Old Boy apologizes to Urixes once more, and says after all he has done, he must now ask you a favor. He wishes it were different, but he can’t go any further: the rest will have to be up to you. When you return and find this book, you will need to discover three items, and bring them “back”:

    1.The Old Boy’s Heart- He somehow had it magically removed: so he could “live with himself once more, and not be effected by fear or emotion”, to better complete “his mission”. He says he’ll “put it in the usual place, and I’m sure it will find you” (Urixes, the text seems to imply that a. Urixes’s former selves removing their hearts was something that came up often, and b. The Old Boy had not a single doubt it would, somehow, find you again, if it hasn’t already. Hmmm…)

    2.The Gloves of Ghanadaur- The tool given to Ghanadaur’s Champion, all those cycles ago. Immensely powerful, but lost to time; Urixes probably hasn’t seen them in over a thousand years. But, you’ll need them, to break the contract for good.

    3.The Old Boy Himself- Urixes’s former self says that you’ll need to find him as well, but the way he says it, he’s very intentionally writing around the point of “I probably won’t be alive when you find me”. He says he is eager to see you once more (Urixes, the last time you saw “The Old Boy Himself”, he had Jack’s Red Skull Sword blade jammed through his ribcage aboard Evdia’s Far Realm Whale Craft)

    Once all the necessary components are assembled, he’ll “join you back at where it all began, below the ocean and beyond the stars”. The notes point you back to the strange Expanse map near the beginning of the journal as the place to complete the Ritual


    Whistler’s left wing looks partially smashed, and there’s blood and mud smeared into his feathers. He tries to answer Oak, but his throat gives a low gurgle, and he rasps uselessly.

    “There’s a good lad, now,” Fiver says, patting the Kenku consolingly. “You rest up, yeah?” the Lapine turns back towards Oak, wide-eyed and serious. He looks battered (once again), but not seriously hurt. Remarkably, he seems to be sober!

    “Lord, the day we had! Me and this guy hit the gambling ship….got a real heater going too! Competition got heated, and we made a personal side bet…one of my bottles of whiskey, the good stuff! Well, I lose to him, but win the rest of the table…so I says, “if you want it buddy, it’s yours, but you’re gonna have to go get it!”

    “He takes off, I’m up four-score gold…next thing I know, all the shit outside starts on fire! People started running, trampling each other…it was a mad house!”

    Whistler chirps, morosely. “Just wanted to wet mah’ beak!” Fiver pats him on the shoulder, and nods understandingly.

    “So Whistler here, comes on a bunch o’ guys in black robes trying to sneak something onto the Curse…he sends up a holler, next thing ya know Killian comes running, an there’s a brawl! They came out on top, but barely…Killian’s apparently pretty banged up too, but when Grigmar’s guys tried to get him to leave the ship and come get patched up, he made to bite one of em’!”

    Fiver gesture over toward the bedstand next to Whistler, where smashed machinery sits in a rough heap that might’ve resembled a beetle, once. “That’s what the black robes were tryin’ to sneak aboard, but it looks like Whistler smashed it good. You know what one of these are?”
    Oak, Intelligence Check to see if you the smashed machinery means anything to you in any way
    ”Anyways,” the Lapine continues. “I snuck along the back alleys an’ railings as best I could, made my way back to the center o’ town…that’s when I came across a preacher-man, pulling that…Stone outta the sea.” Fiver looks around worryingly at Oak and Urixes. “Knew I’d seen that Stone before. An if you three are here, then…” Fiver looks down at his floppy feet, kicking them awkwardly. “…well, I hope they’re alright. Er’ Bluurg is gonna be absolutely inconsolable!”

    Fiver wipes a grubby eye with a delicate claw. “Hrrmph. Not gonna be the same, returning to a Ship without them, or Rax on it…” The Lapine’s ears both spring up, and he places his hands over his mouth as fast as he can. It is clear that he definitely wasn’t supposed to mention Rax…

    mrpaku on
  • AustinP0027AustinP0027 Registered User regular
    Oak listens intently, eyes glancing over at the pile of parts. "No clue what that might be, not seen it before." He wonders briefly if they should find someone who might, though. Since Pom's crew seemed to want to sneak it on the Curse, that meant it was important to the Sun Prince's plans somehow.

    He was going to speak up on putting it into a bag when Fiver mentions Rax. Oak's eyes widen, the narrow when Fiver attempts to cover up the mention of Rax. That's not the type of reaction you'd expect for someone who is lost to the battle. "Fiver..." he says softly. "Whatever you're 'bout to hide, ya better think real careful about. I ain't the Captain, so ain't no punishment coming from me. But you can't hide this back, not when I gotta go talk with Grigmar here soon and I can't protect info I dun know about."
    Geth, roll 1d20+1 for Persuasion

    Persuasion:
    1d20+1 6 [1d20=5]

  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    Fiver’s ears and whiskers twitch, and his brows furrow. A slow growl builds in his throat. Rather than attempting to laugh it off as he usually would, Fiver slowly stands up from his bed, and places his hands on his hips, standing directly in front of Oak in a defiant (and comically dwarfed by size) display. This is a much different Lapine than the group is used to dealing with.

    “Ya…you know what!” the heavily scarred Rabbit-kind says, muscling up the courage to point an accusatory finger at Oak. “Ye’ ain’t respected me one copper since the moment we met each other in the streets of Far Aeston, have ye? Ye ignore me when you walk past me on deck… we’ve worked together, you me and the wee’ wolf… near every day….fer a month an some change! An’ I don’t think one time, even once, did ye’ ask about me?! Do you invite me to your,” he looks around accusatory at the lot of the Wild Bunch, “secret late night get togethers? Er’ check in, see how me leg’s been mending, before ya ran off to start a damn revolution? No.” The Lapine is full-on, bawling crying now as he yells, and nearby, the startled Whistler is forcing himself to sit up, and grab Fiver’s arms in a comforting, calming manner. The Lapine turns, and sobs into the bird’s shoulder for some time…

    Finally, he turns back to Oak, making a feeble effort to wipe his nose and eyes first. “Dunno’ enough about Rax’s plans to hide from you, or the local authorities, “Captain’s Pet”. You think he tells us anything? Fsssshhh. You wanna throw me to some sharks? Fine. Go ahead. Been that kinda day, right? But all I know is, he’s gone….an’ he told us two seconds before we docked this morning, then vanished. Said to take care, an we'd all “find out soon enough”.” Upon saying these words out loud, Fiver chokes up again, and returns to crying on the Kenku’s shoulder. Whistler looks confounded, but continues to console the Lapine with his good arm. Fiver is unresponsive to further attempts to talk

  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    Jack just stares as Fiver lays out a whole torrent of repressed feelings at the shifter twice his size easy. Boy, is he's glad he's not on the receiving end of that. He pretends to fuss over the little griffon, pay no attention to the wolf behind the curtain.

  • AustinP0027AustinP0027 Registered User regular
    Oak stares at the Lapine silently, waits for silence, then stands up, towering above Fiver, twisting he head to the side and causing his neck to crack.

    And then, he sighs. "Yer alright, Fiver. Good solid lad, dun get into much trouble."

    "Dun ya worry bout Rax. He'll turn up and we'll have our answer. You rest up, get back to the ship. Seems to be the safest place around here."

    Oak turns away from Fiaver and Whistler and walks back to Jack and Urixes, a grim look on his face.

  • DenadaDenada Registered User regular
    Urixes' face darkens, his characteristic frown deepening as he reads through the journal. It was a strange feeling to be reading his own words, addressed to himself. Navigating his past lives was usually a journey in the other direction.

    He's oblivious to the heated conversation happening nearby, his mind a thousand miles away. He puts the journal in his bag, then gets a distant look in his eyes. You got what you wanted, he thinks to the Lurker, Chic is dead. With his "mission" finished, perhaps he'd get some time to unpack these new mysteries...

    Geth, roll 1d20 for Insight Check

    Insight Check:
    1d20 6 [1d20=6]

  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    URIXES
    The Lurker in the Deep doesn’t reply. The God is fickle like that. Urixes is in no doubt that he’s well aware of what has transpired here, and probably pleased beyond measure at the sacrifices this day’s events have given to the ocean.

    As to the other…
    Urixes searches the memories of his past lives for a common factor, frustrated at failing to find one. Well…that’s not necessarily true. There’s always the Ship: a different one in each life, but they become the same craft each night in his dreams. A home, an escape, a piece of himself which can stay safely above the waters. He remembers feeling “whole” aboard the Sanguine Seeker. He remembers seeing the Whispered Curse that day in Far Aeston, knowing which Ship he would be boarding without ever having seen it before.

    But the Sanguine Seeker was thoroughly, utterly destroyed. As were the gods know how many other Ships I’ve voyaged upon over the years! Hmmm. Just before Urixes is about to leave the matter for the moment, a question springs into his mind, unbidden: Do the two Ships have something in common besides me, maybe? There might be someone among the Crew who knows…someone who’s been aboard for awhile, or was around for the purchase of the Curse…


    There’s a brief, heavy knock on the door. A few moments more, and the door to the Athena’s Sick Beds swings open, with Gorgeous Grigmar standing behind it. The large, bruised Orc nods, awkwardly, and pulls up a chair to sit down across from the Wild Bunch.

    x947hn1i1ogh.png

    “Greetins’” the orc says, brusque but politely. His throaty rumble occasionally, involuntarily whistles through a freshly broken nose as he speaks. “Yer’ little pal finally sitting oop? Good. Sorry fer’ keeping y’all waiting…few more fires needed putting out than I’d thought.”

    “Me name’s Gorgeous Grigmar, an’ I’m second-mate to her ladyship the Queen. Wanted to apologize, fer’ the attempted arrest earlier. We thought you was someone else, maybe even sumfin else! Can’t be too careful these days, ya ken? Fer’ yer inconvenience, we’ll be putting ye up at The Copper Camel duration o’ yer stay, free o’ charge. Know it ent’ gonna unfuck yer day, but we figured it were a nice leg up from yer morning.”

    The orc flips through a notebook (one far too small for his hands) slowly, using his large claw-like nails to pore through the pages for information he seems to be unfamiliar with. “Ye’ came in with the…”Whispered Curse”? Should know, she’s in good shape still! Kobolds held down the Shipyard fairly tight, from what we can tell. Heard there was a near incursion from some of those Black Robe fellers, but I guess your crewmates took care of it. Well on’ya!”

    “Listen,” the orc grumbles somberly, starting at the Stone in Oak’s hand. “Head o’ our Hunter’s Guild, Barnabas, he met your friend Arno in the streets out there: ‘pparently, they were at the head o’ a pack o’ pups, trying to stop the riot by sheer force! Barnabas is the one who found me an’ cleared yer’ names right before thur tower. Errm, an’ he’s the one who brung the Stone here. Went back out right after, looking fer yer’ friend. We’ll send word, iffin we find em’, but…” the orc shakes his head glumly. “Lotta missing. Lotta injured. Lotta dead…”

    “Got some questions for you all, iffin you don’t mind,” the orc transitions thoughtlessly. “Try not to take up too much more of yer time, but after today, I got a fresh war en’ my hands…and for some reason, you lot are done stuck plum in the middle of it!”

    Gorgeous Grigmar returns to the tiny notebook, gingerly flipping through its pages .“Now then…”

  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    The Orc begins, taking on a serious tone. “Mural at the top o’ Tick-Tock was one of the more well-known tourist sites in Chaff. Been painted up there for well-on thirty years now, and built up a good bit o’ cultural cred in that time. Local legend passed down among der’ Urchin population is it was left by a mythical creature know as der’,”Grigmar makes a theatrical display of flipping back to the front of the notebook once more. “ “Undying”, who left em’ a good bit o’ scratch, an told em’ to keep an eye out, should he or his other buddies ever come back.” Gorgeous Grigmar shrugs dismissively. “One o’ dem little-kid tales you used to tell when you was wee, but stories get around…”

    The orc leans over his knees and peers intently at the Wild Bunch. “Ye’all know anything about it? Get a good look at the mural, or ever hear the tales?”

  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    Jack watches the orc, his face rapidly going through a series of emotions before settling on a neutral expression as he stands up and walks closer to the large man, "I saw the mural. It looked..." He glances at the other two, then back at Grigmar, "Familiar? 'Cept Mister Fusspot is a griffon, last I checked."

    He steps up next to him, his lanky figure looking even smaller next to the orc than he usually does, and puts a hand on his shoulder, "You want a cup of tea? You look like you could do with a sit down and a cuppa."

    Jack smiles, looking like he's trying to comfort his younger brother. If said brother was several times his size and age.

    Geth, roll 2d20k1 for Comfort the Orc

    Comfort the Orc:
    2d20k1 13 [2d20k1=[13], 4]

  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    Grigmar grunts back at Jack in the affirmative. “Familiar is fookin’ right! The Expanse is pretty diverse, but Tieflings around here tend to be rare to come by, and fer you to just so happen to be travelling with a Changer, too? An’ yer’ boy here the spitting image o’ the Bearman? Ken’ only imagine that must make you the Lupine, although you don’t look it...”

    Grigmar shakes his head, annoyed. “Look, I’m not the superstitious type…but a lot o’ folks out here is! When those folks who was impersonating you rolled through the city, they had the damn red carpet rolled out for em’, Queen’s orders. They got the run o’ Chaff, and treated like kings. Legend had been built up that the return of the Undying mean big change fer the Expanse, an' Chaff in particular. S’why when the bastards pulled a damn heel turn, it was a gut punchlast thing the city needed right now. An’ those fookers musta’ knew it.”

    Gorgeous Grigmar growls a bit under his throat at Jack’s touch, but is gentle when he goes to remove the hand. “Hey ye’ just… watchit there, alright? No need to get too familiar…but yeah, tea…tea might be a good call!” Grigmar nods over towards a corner of the room opposite Fiver and Whistler, with a small stove and kettle set next to a dresser of drawers. “Ye’ ken find some bags in there and cups below…liquor for sedations, coffee, too. Help yerselves…just set the kettle to a boil.” Grigmar yawns involuntarily, and rubs his eyes. “Y’know…think I’ll change mine to coffee. Black. Been a long one.”

    Grigmar gets back to the questioning. “So the Prince’s people start an open war with Chaff after murderin’ every last one of the Traders Union…an they use you all to do it.”

    “Do you have any reason why they’d go to all this trouble to set you up? Is there any truth to this “Undying” legend, or are the four of ye’ sailors just here by sheer coincidence?”

  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    Jack responds cheerfully, "Coffee, got it. What about you guys? Yeah? Be right up." He hums an old sea chanty under his breath as he busies himself with two pots, one for tea, another coffee. "How do you take it? Black? Gotcha."

    He prepares an extra strong mug for the orc, returning with a tray and handing out people's drinks, "Here you go Fiver, mug's a bit chipped... and Oak and Urixes, oh, wouldn't wanna forget Whistler. Aaaaand coffee for Grigmar."

    Nursing his own mug (so chipped it's barely fit for purpose) he sits himself down opposite the orc, blowing over the liquid to cool it down and seeing how the other two want to play this.

    ((OOC: Jack feels bad for Grigmar and just wants him to be more at ease ))

  • AustinP0027AustinP0027 Registered User regular
    Oak tenses up involuntarily as Grigmar starts to speak, still remembering the scene at the bar when they first arrived. He wasn't sure what he was expecting to happen here, acknowledging that the tone had changed, but he was still cautious at the same time. They were guests, but for how long?

    At the mention of a mural, Oak's eyes glance over at his companions. He hadn't seen any mural up there, but he had been a little focused on other things. Still, it sounded like it depicted them all. At this point, the Shifter had stopped being surprised when something almost prophetic started happening. To say this journey had been strange would be far underselling it. They've reached the point where he almost expected things like this.

    Oak opens his mouth, but then looks to Urixes. The Tiefling's story was his own, the Shifter realized, and not his to share. "Settin' us up just be part of it. Fellow at the top of the tower said the Sun Price was lookin' to take over, tried to pay us off to help. Ya can guess how that went. Figure they might be usin' whatever they can to get in and deal Chaff a solid shot across the bow."

  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    Grigmar growls under his breath at Oak’s revelations, rubbing the beard upon his chin in deep consideration. “Wanted to buy ye’ too, eh? After all this. Hrrm,” The Orc takes in the Wild Bunch again, as if trying to see them through fresh eyes. He ponders for some time, wheezing through his broken nose. He speaks again with deft consideration for his words. “What zat says to me… is dat’ da Prince believes you’re the real deal, too…or, least zat’ ya look close enough to pass, fer’ purposes. ‘Magine it’s gotta be pretty good for business, saying you’ve got a literal myth en’ your employ…”

    Gorgeous Grigmar takes a deep, depressed sigh, and droops a bit further into his chair. Jack’s offer of a black coffee comes at the perfect moment. The Orc sits up and takes a deep drink from the steaming hot cup. His back relaxes just a bit, and when he leans forward this time, a bit of the “official business” has dropped from his tone. “Gotta say, off da’ record, s’fer the best ye’ didn’t take Pom’s offer. I’ve seen how their deals come out, end of da’ day…even had em’ make me an offer meself”. He leans forward, sad eyes and a look of deadly seriousness upon his face. “It don’t work out, ya know. Ever. The Sun Prince brings in a lot of “outside contractors”…promises a lot o’ fellas an early retirement on a private island somewhere. An some get their wish, fer’ few months at least. But after that?” Grigmar shakes his head slowly, making a cutting motion under his throat with a thumbnail. “Prince don’t keep anything around that ain’t makin’ him a price. Second ye’ain’t worth it to him, or put a thorn in his side…..bastard’ll shake yer hand with one arm, an’ shank ye with the other, then watch ya’ die.”

    Gorgeous Grigmar sits back in his chair, fingers locked and pressed behind his head as he thinks. When he next speaks, he seems to be talking more to himself than to the Wild Bunch. “With der Trader’s Union wiped out, s’gonna be the pirates o’ Chaff that have to keep der order in da Expanse now, or people will starve. Prince is gonna be looking to lock down markets…drive out our outposts, starve our supply lines, then jack up da prices once da competition’s been broken. Gonna have to reinforce each’n every one o’ our ships an’ shanties at sea, fer the coming war…” Grigmar huffs, irritated and angry. “Perfect fookin’ timin’, right while the city’s burning da fook’ down…”

    Grigmar’s mood darkens considerably, and he turns back to the Wild Bunch, his brow furrowed and his eyes cold. “Which reminds me’” the orc says, his tone becoming deathly quiet. “Tick Tock Tower…the Balloon…the fire…zat you lot?”

  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    Jack takes a sip from his mug, then hisses as he burns his tongue, hot hot hot! "Ow, yeth, kind owf..." He sticks his tonguetip out and inhales deeply to cool the scorched flesh, smacking his lips experimentally. Ah, works again.

    "We were given the balloon by the profethor to take the fight to the attackers that took over th'a tower. Unfortunately on the approach their shots must have hit something pretty thensitive, as we were suddenly on fire and out of control." He glances at the floor, "Lost some folks in the process, too..." Back up, snapping into Jack mode once more, "We did the best we could to get the balloon to the tower, then the fight happened and fire and..."

    Illustrative arm gestures of flames and gunshots and swordfights.

    "'s a shame Pom got away, but we got the rest, yea?"

    Geth, roll 2d20k1 for Charisma

    Charisma:
    2d20k1 20 [2d20k1=[20], 1]

  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    ((OOC: Yep, that feels right. ))

  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    Gorgeous Grigmar’s breath quickens, and he seems about to reprimand the Wild Bunch, goes to raise a chiding finger, maybe even begin to yell…and then he sighs sadly, defeated and worn out. Gorgoues Grigmar slumps back into the chair, exhausted. He takes another long, deep sip of the coffee, eventually slurping it down to the bottom of the cup.

    He seems at a loss when he next speaks. “Well, just…fook. Fook!” Gorgeous Grigmar slumps his shoulders. “Not like ye’all had experience flying, I suppose. Yer hearts were in the right place, anyways… just trying to stop the riots, I suppose.” He shakes his head thoughtfully. “I’ll miss zat blighted eyesore o’ a tower. Gonna be another log on the fire, too. Dem’ orphans used the Tower as their personal apartments. They’re gonna have to take to the City, now. Ain’t gonna help our crime er’ food shortage problems, that’s fer damn sure…”

    Gorgeous Grigmar abruptly changes the subject. “What do ye’all know about the mass Rak’ta exodus zat occurred right as the riots were kicking off?” Nearby, Fiver accidentally sucks a load of boiling hot tea up his nose. Eyes watering, he fights to keep from spit-taking…

  • AustinP0027AustinP0027 Registered User regular
    edited January 2022
    Oak can almost feel Fiver snorting the tea in his nose. Like his enhanced sight, it's just one of those senses that has started working strong, for better or for worse. He clears his throat loudly in the moment, attempting to cover Fiver's noise.

    "What exodus? We had some Rak'ta on the ship, but haven't been back to check since the fightin' started. What are ya hearin'?"

    Geth, roll 2d20k1+2 for No no Look over here

    2d20k1+2 19 [2d20k1=[17], 12]

    AustinP0027 on
  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    ”Hrrmph,” Gorgeous Grigmar says, looking over strangely at Oak before flipping back through the notebook. Nearby, Fiver, thumping himself quietly between the ribs, painfully chokes down the hot tea. Oak sees the Lapine’s face , nose dripping snot and eyes watering, just before the rabbit turns away, suddenly becoming very interested in the corner.

    Grigmar finds the page he was looking for, tapping it with an eager finger. “Villamzat was the place.” He grins, momentarily pleased with himself, before returning to the business at hand. Grigmar addresses the Wild Bunch. “Rumors started ‘bout a week back that Villam had been wiped off the map. Most o’ the talk was coming from the Rak’ta community, but they was being real quiet with it. All we knew was it had something to do with some new religious leader named “Strike”, there was some rumors o’ Rak’ta talking looking to “rebuild their people”, an’ then lizardfolk started disappearing from service work an’ public life…started gathering up their money an’ goods from the vault, like they were waiting fer’ something…”

    “Then, today, right after your Ship docked, this hook-handed lizard showed up at the Ratshit preachin’, claiming to be this new guy Strike’s “Herald”. ‘Pparently, he was at the head o’ the lizards an’ locked the area down, kept everyone safe when the riots broke out. But now, when we go to take account of everybody, we find Ratshit damn-near emptied out, an’ nearly every Rak’ta in the city missing.”

    “Doesn’t seem like they were working with the Dogs, since they were out there fighting em’. There’s some rumors there were skiffs and Rak’ta rafts that departed quick-as-you-please north while we were trying to put out the tower-fire, but nothing definite. All we know is, they ain’t here now. An’ I like that as little as I like anything that’s happened today.”

    Grigmar makes a frustrated, grating sound under his throat. His hands grip the notebook until his heavy fingerprints are left embedded into the cover. Shaking his head, he returns to Oak and the others. “’Preciate yer patience, just a few more questions and I’ll let ya’all get out of here.”

    “Yer’ Ships still being patched up….so, what are yer’ plans while yer still in town? An’ what’s the Curse’s next destination out from Chaff?”

    Grigmar scratches himself behind the head, uncomfortably. “Also, ummm, bit awkward to ask this after our earlier run-in, but the City’s been pretty well beat to hell…if you bunch could spare the time er’ the men, gotta say me and the Queen’s Men would greatly appreciate it.” He looks around at the Wild Bunch, apologetic but hopeful. “Us pirates, you know…we gotta look out fer’ our own!”

  • AustinP0027AustinP0027 Registered User regular
    edited February 2022
    "All gone" Oak says wistfully, staring off in the distance. He snaps to a moment later.

    "Given what ya told me, no hard feelings. You have ma' word when I find the fellow who was trying to wear my face, he won't be makin' that mistake no longer." A small growl escapes Oak's lips. He doesn't like being used and it didn't need to be said the type of trouble this other fellow was in.

    "As fer plans, ship needs resupplyin', so does crew though might not be as many eager just yet. Then," Oak leans in a bit, "Got a writ to be cashin' in. Suppose you can point me the right way to get that done."

    "All said, I ain't afraid of puttin' in the sweat, 'specially when I caused some of the damage, so you can sign me up for helpin' out round here."

    AustinP0027 on
  • DenadaDenada Registered User regular
    "I have research to do. I want to know more about this Undying myth. About who the man in the mural was and what he did here. Where he went. Hopefully the library is still standing."

Sign In or Register to comment.