This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ben:
Having said his piece and waited for the others to speak, Ben pipes up and says, "I, for one, will accept your kind offer of tea. I would also be inclined to help you with fixing your pool, but first there is some unpleasantness that must be discussed."
"We have travelled a long way and endured much to recover what has been stolen from us. Along the way we have helped who we could, returned what was taken, and defended ourselves against those who would have stolen from us further. But Kings of the Soggy Court are deposed and killed with their heads on sticks in rapid succession, embers are burning down the balloon factory, and brigands are roaming the land stealing memories and possessions -- all to the detriment of your own people's lives and livelihoods. Rumor and supposition for the source of these violations of the Rule of Ownership all point to the one named Bavlorna, yet I cannot believe the Queen Matriarch of the Soggy Court would willingly breach the rules of conduct so, much less the condone the theft of the alicorn from the rightful ruler of Prismeer, the archfey Zybilna. Help me understand, Great Queen, what is going on here?" asks Ben, weaving together bits of information they have learned in their travels and hoping to shake loose a stray thread of this mystery so that it will finally start to unravel.
Persuasion: 15
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Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
"Yes, tea!" says Bavlorna brightly. "Sit and join us, my lovely brash thieves. Let us gossip a little. And then you may fix my pool." She whispers to her miniatures, "Tea! Tea!"and they scamper off to fetch some.
The toad-woman invites you to sit with a broad sweep of her arm, but there are no more chairs to be seen – just a filthy warped wooden floor and a clutter of old furniture covered in dirty plates smeared with rotten food. (Well, there is a little room on the loveseat next to Bavlorna, if anyone dares to join her there.)
"I'm sure I know nothing of what you're babbling about, young sir," she addresses Ben. "The former ruler of Prismeer has up and abandoned you, I'm afraid. It's just my sisters and I to save you from the chaos. My new friend Charm here was just telling me how forgetful my sister Skabatha has become! She forgets the first creature she sees each day when she awakens. Is that correct?" She looks to the woman in black, eager for more gossip. Charm smiles back with a prim smile.
The three miniature Bavlornas toddle up with filthy, cracked china cups half-full of weak-looking tea, offering a cup to each of you.
Matilda was almost vibrating at this point but she kept her lips tight together and her teeth gritted to stop herself from screaming at this stupid old thing to give her back her brother....
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ben:
Holding the tea, Ben looks at it uncertainly, trying to figure out her game.
Insight: 5
Looking at Bavlorna, he says, rather directly, "That is quite unfortunate, Mistress Bavlorna. You see, everyone we run into seems to either claim to be stealing for you or blaming you for things--or family--stolen from them." Ben looks sideways at Matilda as he says this last part.
Turning back to the froglike queen, he concludes, "So either you are woefully uninformed or are purposely misleading us. Do you deny that Agdon Longscarf works for you, stealing at your direction? Or that you lure unsuspecting creatures from the Witchlight Carnival here? Speak plainly now, for the people stolen from are quite eager to reclaim their property."
Intimidation: 20
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Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Ben can see that Bavlorna exudes confidence and a solid sense of superiority. She clearly wants some chores done, and is being evasive about these accusations of thefts.
"Agdon Longscarf?" she scoffs. "Witch and Light? My, you do get around!"
"I'll tell you what, my little children," she begins with a motherly tone, "clean up my pool and bring me that package, and we'll have a little talk. No promises, but old Bavlorna will see what she can do for you."
"So why don't you run along now, after your tea, and come back when you've finished up."
A sudden jolt of genuine confusion... or perhaps inspiration... compels Horatio to peak into the room and reply. "Umm... but that's not how it works, is it? You didn't actually offer us anything real just now. How about this: we'll offer to do your chores, if they can be done within safety and reason, if you offer to have those things we seek returned to us which are within your power to do. Isn't that a more fair deal? I've been a carpenter for years now, and when making a deal with a new customer, the details are real important like that."
Stunned by her dismissive attitude, even after being requested a second time to respond plainly, Ben is at a loss for what to say next. Realizing his allies are on the razor edge of combat and seeing Bavlorna’s dismissive and infuriating attitude, Ben sets down the teacup, unsampled, Stepping back, he looks at the others and shrugs, letting his dominant hand rest on the pommel of his tiny sword.
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Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
"Oh, goody," remarks Bavlorna, fiddling her long, filthy fingers in the air. "A deal! Yes, the pool has been clogged up for days now. Just look at my skin! It doesn't fill properly. And I need those bullywug skins right away before they start to deteriorate. Those bullywugs haven't the first idea on how to properly cure a skin."
The crate, she explains, is in a bullywug dwelling due south of Bavlorna's cottage, on the far side of the river in which you arrived.
"You do those chores and then we'll talk about how we can find whatever it is you're looking for."
Titaani fights a gag. She has ignored the tea given to her, and everyone can see that she is starting to slump, sort of slowly sliding down the wall.
"I - I can't do...please don't make me fetch the skins," she whines, her sliding ending as she lands into a sitting position on the ground, hugging her legs to her chest. "Someone else can go, and I'll stay here, and help with the pool. It can't be that different from jewellery, right?"
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Pronouns: She/her/her's
Currently playing as Titaani Leelathae in The Wild beyond the Witchlight
"Oh, stop your blubbering, child," retorts Bavlorna, sharply. "We're all reduced to an empty skin eventually. Your bunny there will make an extraordinarily fine jacket one day," she adds, nodding at Tiny with admiration. "But you do look like a fine pool mechanic. Why don't you and bunny take care of my pool and leave others to fetch my crate. That sounds like a very clever idea."
”I believe Horatio has the right of it, Mistress Bavlorna. We are talking about that which was stolen from us right now, so your deal promises nothing. We might as well demand you return our stolen items and then we will talk about doing your chores…We need assurances that if we do these two chores for you that you will return our stolen items, not vague promises of further discussion,” replies Ben with a nod to Horatio’s reasoning.
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Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Titaani barely hears Ben, she is so affected by Bavlorna's words. She can't help but feel trapped, alone, as if she was deep underwater and drowning. How did Bavlorna know about Tiny? I told him to stay outside! How -
A soft nuzzle against her cheek interrupts her thoughts and she turns with tears in her eyes to see her familiar, who seems to have followed her up, clearly too loyal for his own good.
"No! No, Tiny, I told you to stay outside! It's dangerous here!" she chokes out in gnomish. "She's...she's going to hurt you! Turn you into a coat! Why didn't you listen to me?" she says the last sentence in common, and buries her face into her giant bunny.
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Pronouns: She/her/her's
Currently playing as Titaani Leelathae in The Wild beyond the Witchlight
"Sonny," Bavlorna says wearily to Horatio, as if she's getting bored with this conversation, "you're not making much sense to old Bavlorna. Why don't you go fix my pool, and then we'll talk. I don't know why you're barging into my house making demands. You seem to think I have something that belongs to you, and I assure you that's not the case. Just my old, dried-out body and my Lornlings in my modest little home. Desperate for a nice bath. But I'll look through my things and check for you, if you just do poor old Lorna a couple of kindly favors."
Matilda looked at the thing calling itself Bavlorna, " Sod this. Is the real Bavlorna around somewhere or is this demented old biddy really supposed to be the one running this world?"
" Why would someone who controls an entire world and snatches children and things from other worlds need help with a simple bit of plumbing? None of this makes sense, surely someone as powerful as her could just snap her fingers and have it done?"
Cad has been watching the exchange, trying to glean some insight into the creature named Bavlorna. But they seem to be stuck in a circle. He agrees that doing her chores with nothing more than a vague offer to maybe help is a bad deal. But he also has no better plan. If the thing has their lost items, they're not in sight, so even killing her -- if indeed they can -- would gain them nothing. Frustrated, he heaves a loud sigh.
"I'm going to take a look at this pool. Maybe we unclog your pipes, and then you give us a little more surety about the lost items before we commit to retrieving your pelts. Mistress Charm, I would enjoy the privilege of speaking to you when you have finished your tea. Please see me before you leave." Then he spins on his heel and walks out, down the stairs, to check out the pool. Rather than splashing out into the pool straightaway, he clears a little space and begins the ritual to detect magic. Perhaps there is something more than a hairball the size of a pony clogging the drain.
Bavlorna's gaping mouth droops even lower as she fiddles her fingers listening to Matilda. "Oooh, aren't you a tasty little morsel! If you're such an expert on plumbing, little girl, I suggest you take the first crack at my plugged well downstairs. The fresh water isn't coming up properly, you see."
Cad makes his statement and exits. Charm smiles and nods politely. After Cad leaves, she adds out of his earshot, "Unfortunately, I don't speak with thieves and ruffians." She goes back to sipping her tea and smiling at Bavlorna.
Matilda shrugs and looks at the others as she sighs and then follows Cad, " Maybe we should go talk to her two sisters? Maybe they are the ones with the real power?", she mutters as she leaves.
Titaani, afraid of being alone with Bavlorna and Charm, gets up and leaves as well, making her way downstairs with Tiny. She fetches her boomerang from where she dropped it earlier, then sits cross legged on the floor net to Cad, watching him do his ritual.
"You know, Matilda's got a point," she says, dusting off her weapon. "I'm confused. Is this Bavlorna really powerful enough to do the things everyone claims she can do? This place is a mess, and I certainly don't see too many stolen items."
She takes a moment, then continues, seeming to have lost her earlier train of thought. "What does that spell do, Cad?"
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Pronouns: She/her/her's
Currently playing as Titaani Leelathae in The Wild beyond the Witchlight
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Ben:
Having said his piece and waited for the others to speak, Ben pipes up and says, "I, for one, will accept your kind offer of tea. I would also be inclined to help you with fixing your pool, but first there is some unpleasantness that must be discussed."
"We have travelled a long way and endured much to recover what has been stolen from us. Along the way we have helped who we could, returned what was taken, and defended ourselves against those who would have stolen from us further. But Kings of the Soggy Court are deposed and killed with their heads on sticks in rapid succession, embers are burning down the balloon factory, and brigands are roaming the land stealing memories and possessions -- all to the detriment of your own people's lives and livelihoods. Rumor and supposition for the source of these violations of the Rule of Ownership all point to the one named Bavlorna, yet I cannot believe the Queen Matriarch of the Soggy Court would willingly breach the rules of conduct so, much less the condone the theft of the alicorn from the rightful ruler of Prismeer, the archfey Zybilna. Help me understand, Great Queen, what is going on here?" asks Ben, weaving together bits of information they have learned in their travels and hoping to shake loose a stray thread of this mystery so that it will finally start to unravel.
Persuasion: 15
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Titaani looks horrified and motions with her hand for Ben to stop, mouthing: "Don't drink the tea!"
Pronouns: She/her/her's
Currently playing as Titaani Leelathae in The Wild beyond the Witchlight
Matilda is getting very twitchy and is beginning to panic as she fidgets with her blade....
"Yes, tea!" says Bavlorna brightly. "Sit and join us, my lovely brash thieves. Let us gossip a little. And then you may fix my pool." She whispers to her miniatures, "Tea! Tea!" and they scamper off to fetch some.
The toad-woman invites you to sit with a broad sweep of her arm, but there are no more chairs to be seen – just a filthy warped wooden floor and a clutter of old furniture covered in dirty plates smeared with rotten food. (Well, there is a little room on the loveseat next to Bavlorna, if anyone dares to join her there.)
"I'm sure I know nothing of what you're babbling about, young sir," she addresses Ben. "The former ruler of Prismeer has up and abandoned you, I'm afraid. It's just my sisters and I to save you from the chaos. My new friend Charm here was just telling me how forgetful my sister Skabatha has become! She forgets the first creature she sees each day when she awakens. Is that correct?" She looks to the woman in black, eager for more gossip. Charm smiles back with a prim smile.
The three miniature Bavlornas toddle up with filthy, cracked china cups half-full of weak-looking tea, offering a cup to each of you.
Matilda was almost vibrating at this point but she kept her lips tight together and her teeth gritted to stop herself from screaming at this stupid old thing to give her back her brother....
Ben:
Holding the tea, Ben looks at it uncertainly, trying to figure out her game.
Insight: 5
Looking at Bavlorna, he says, rather directly, "That is quite unfortunate, Mistress Bavlorna. You see, everyone we run into seems to either claim to be stealing for you or blaming you for things--or family--stolen from them." Ben looks sideways at Matilda as he says this last part.
Turning back to the froglike queen, he concludes, "So either you are woefully uninformed or are purposely misleading us. Do you deny that Agdon Longscarf works for you, stealing at your direction? Or that you lure unsuspecting creatures from the Witchlight Carnival here? Speak plainly now, for the people stolen from are quite eager to reclaim their property."
Intimidation: 20
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Ben can see that Bavlorna exudes confidence and a solid sense of superiority. She clearly wants some chores done, and is being evasive about these accusations of thefts.
"Agdon Longscarf?" she scoffs. "Witch and Light? My, you do get around!"
"I'll tell you what, my little children," she begins with a motherly tone, "clean up my pool and bring me that package, and we'll have a little talk. No promises, but old Bavlorna will see what she can do for you."
"So why don't you run along now, after your tea, and come back when you've finished up."
Horatio:
A sudden jolt of genuine confusion... or perhaps inspiration... compels Horatio to peak into the room and reply. "Umm... but that's not how it works, is it? You didn't actually offer us anything real just now. How about this: we'll offer to do your chores, if they can be done within safety and reason, if you offer to have those things we seek returned to us which are within your power to do. Isn't that a more fair deal? I've been a carpenter for years now, and when making a deal with a new customer, the details are real important like that."
Ben:
Stunned by her dismissive attitude, even after being requested a second time to respond plainly, Ben is at a loss for what to say next. Realizing his allies are on the razor edge of combat and seeing Bavlorna’s dismissive and infuriating attitude, Ben sets down the teacup, unsampled, Stepping back, he looks at the others and shrugs, letting his dominant hand rest on the pommel of his tiny sword.
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
"Oh, goody," remarks Bavlorna, fiddling her long, filthy fingers in the air. "A deal! Yes, the pool has been clogged up for days now. Just look at my skin! It doesn't fill properly. And I need those bullywug skins right away before they start to deteriorate. Those bullywugs haven't the first idea on how to properly cure a skin."
The crate, she explains, is in a bullywug dwelling due south of Bavlorna's cottage, on the far side of the river in which you arrived.
"You do those chores and then we'll talk about how we can find whatever it is you're looking for."
"Would you like some more tea?"
Titaani fights a gag. She has ignored the tea given to her, and everyone can see that she is starting to slump, sort of slowly sliding down the wall.
"I - I can't do...please don't make me fetch the skins," she whines, her sliding ending as she lands into a sitting position on the ground, hugging her legs to her chest. "Someone else can go, and I'll stay here, and help with the pool. It can't be that different from jewellery, right?"
Pronouns: She/her/her's
Currently playing as Titaani Leelathae in The Wild beyond the Witchlight
"Oh, stop your blubbering, child," retorts Bavlorna, sharply. "We're all reduced to an empty skin eventually. Your bunny there will make an extraordinarily fine jacket one day," she adds, nodding at Tiny with admiration. "But you do look like a fine pool mechanic. Why don't you and bunny take care of my pool and leave others to fetch my crate. That sounds like a very clever idea."
Ben:
”I believe Horatio has the right of it, Mistress Bavlorna. We are talking about that which was stolen from us right now, so your deal promises nothing. We might as well demand you return our stolen items and then we will talk about doing your chores…We need assurances that if we do these two chores for you that you will return our stolen items, not vague promises of further discussion,” replies Ben with a nod to Horatio’s reasoning.
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Titaani barely hears Ben, she is so affected by Bavlorna's words. She can't help but feel trapped, alone, as if she was deep underwater and drowning. How did Bavlorna know about Tiny? I told him to stay outside! How -
A soft nuzzle against her cheek interrupts her thoughts and she turns with tears in her eyes to see her familiar, who seems to have followed her up, clearly too loyal for his own good.
"No! No, Tiny, I told you to stay outside! It's dangerous here!" she chokes out in gnomish. "She's...she's going to hurt you! Turn you into a coat! Why didn't you listen to me?" she says the last sentence in common, and buries her face into her giant bunny.
Pronouns: She/her/her's
Currently playing as Titaani Leelathae in The Wild beyond the Witchlight
"Sonny," Bavlorna says wearily to Horatio, as if she's getting bored with this conversation, "you're not making much sense to old Bavlorna. Why don't you go fix my pool, and then we'll talk. I don't know why you're barging into my house making demands. You seem to think I have something that belongs to you, and I assure you that's not the case. Just my old, dried-out body and my Lornlings in my modest little home. Desperate for a nice bath. But I'll look through my things and check for you, if you just do poor old Lorna a couple of kindly favors."
Matilda looked at the thing calling itself Bavlorna, " Sod this. Is the real Bavlorna around somewhere or is this demented old biddy really supposed to be the one running this world?"
" Why would someone who controls an entire world and snatches children and things from other worlds need help with a simple bit of plumbing? None of this makes sense, surely someone as powerful as her could just snap her fingers and have it done?"
Cadwallader:
Cad has been watching the exchange, trying to glean some insight into the creature named Bavlorna. But they seem to be stuck in a circle. He agrees that doing her chores with nothing more than a vague offer to maybe help is a bad deal. But he also has no better plan. If the thing has their lost items, they're not in sight, so even killing her -- if indeed they can -- would gain them nothing. Frustrated, he heaves a loud sigh.
"I'm going to take a look at this pool. Maybe we unclog your pipes, and then you give us a little more surety about the lost items before we commit to retrieving your pelts. Mistress Charm, I would enjoy the privilege of speaking to you when you have finished your tea. Please see me before you leave." Then he spins on his heel and walks out, down the stairs, to check out the pool. Rather than splashing out into the pool straightaway, he clears a little space and begins the ritual to detect magic. Perhaps there is something more than a hairball the size of a pony clogging the drain.
Bavlorna's gaping mouth droops even lower as she fiddles her fingers listening to Matilda. "Oooh, aren't you a tasty little morsel! If you're such an expert on plumbing, little girl, I suggest you take the first crack at my plugged well downstairs. The fresh water isn't coming up properly, you see."
Cad makes his statement and exits. Charm smiles and nods politely. After Cad leaves, she adds out of his earshot, "Unfortunately, I don't speak with thieves and ruffians." She goes back to sipping her tea and smiling at Bavlorna.
Downstairs, Cad begins his Detect Magic ritual.
Matilda shrugs and looks at the others as she sighs and then follows Cad, " Maybe we should go talk to her two sisters? Maybe they are the ones with the real power?", she mutters as she leaves.
Titaani, afraid of being alone with Bavlorna and Charm, gets up and leaves as well, making her way downstairs with Tiny. She fetches her boomerang from where she dropped it earlier, then sits cross legged on the floor net to Cad, watching him do his ritual.
"You know, Matilda's got a point," she says, dusting off her weapon. "I'm confused. Is this Bavlorna really powerful enough to do the things everyone claims she can do? This place is a mess, and I certainly don't see too many stolen items."
She takes a moment, then continues, seeming to have lost her earlier train of thought. "What does that spell do, Cad?"
Pronouns: She/her/her's
Currently playing as Titaani Leelathae in The Wild beyond the Witchlight