Oranir raises his finger and furrows his brow at Vladimir, "I really don't think they hav..." but gives up midway through and looks back at the receptionist, "Seems like we'll also be taking a look around." and smiles as he moves to follow his companion.
Sayax smiles at the receptionist as she greets them, and as Oranir asks about the guides, "Yes, are there any here at the moment? We would like to find one to assist us in the jungle, and if you have any recommendations, I would be very grateful." he gives her a wide smile, then realizes it might be a bit much coming from a dragonborn, he tries to tone it down. As the other two start off, he waits for her answer, and then will follow the rest.
Laderan collects the money from the approaching thong, a little disappointed in the overall haul, but somewhat saddened that it is a far cry from the figure K'lahu was expecting. That meant they would still need to gather the rest of the gold from Taban himself. Returning to Ashtear and Merrick, he listens as Merrick challenges Taban and tries to minimize the risk. Quickly realising his firbolg comrade could be in more danger than the rest of them if that spear stayed in the equation.
"Indeed, many know of tall Taban's prowess with the spear, and have seen his battles in the arena to prove it. None would question his skill and indeed none should dare. Here and now though, we lack the glory of the arena. We lack the august majesty of the dance upon the sand. Let us not sully this exhibition with blades and bloodshed, instead let us see the truest form of a man. For we all know that no matter the edge, the swordsman's reflexes must be his sharpest tool. No matter the reach of his his weapon, the fighter's speed is all he needs to strike his foe. His shield is but a barrier which defends the true strength and endurance of a warrior. Let the nobles prance about with their flimsy rapiers, let the soldiers on the training grounds play at war with their polearms and swords. We need no weapons here, in these streets a man's fists are his most reliable tool!"
Ashtear’s influence on the crowd seems to take hold, as one and then another onlooker begin to chant “Fists! Fists! Fists!”
Taban halts his stalking of the perimeter. He stands upright, a strange snarl spreading over his face. Then, he laughs. “Ha! You think Taban need these toys? Toys is for children!” He drops his shield and spear, letting them fall heavily to the earth. He cracks his knuckles, then his neck, before beating his fists against his muscled chest. He crouches down again, adopting a more relaxed stance this time, his hands flexing and relaxing as they seem to claw at the air. “Alright, come on big man! Come dance with Tall Taban!”
Oranir, Sayax, Vladimir:
“Of course, sir. Each room contains a single, generous, pillowed bed that can comfortably accommodate two persons. Depending on the preferences of your party, you could do very well with three rooms. In addition, we offer many luxuries that allow our guests to escape the oppressive heat. Prices are listed here…” and she presents a piece of parchment with various services detailed (see Discord #library).
“Jungle guides? Yes sir. We maintain a list of available guides, although the most complete listing will be found at the Harbormaster’s office. This is the information I have at this time…”
The list contains two guides previously disclosed (Faroul and Gondolo, River Mist and Flask of Wine), as well as four new possibilities:
Eku:
Hew Hackinstone:
Qawasha and Kapalue:
Salida:
Vladimir follows the laughter into a spacious restaurant area that includes eight indoor tables and three private booths. The walls are decorated with traditional Chultan artwork such as Batiri masks and symbols of a circular maze. The bar is staffed by a rock gnome who is preparing incredibly looking libations. Behind the bar is a chest containing continual flame torches and candles. The guests are set upon by servers offering drinks and advising on choices of food. Further ahead is a restaurant glasshouse, a bright and open area with large windows, additional tables, and even comfortable looking armchairs.
Oranir smiles at the receptionist and quickly makes his way to look at the guide notes, shaking his head and commenting on them after a while "Lovely, and the trend of offering umbrage on other guides more than speaking of their own achievements continues... to an extent." he brings up his own quill and parchments to make some quick notes, "We have much to discuss with the others."
After he is finished, the elf approaches Vladimir, "Liking what you see, I assume? I can certainly vote for this one if we're to bring it to that with the rest of the expedition, but we still need to circle back and meet them at the Thundering Lizard, at least. I myself am interested in a closer look at those masks later, peculiar little piece of local culture, that one, would look amazing on a wall on Sumarath estate back in Cormanthyr one day." then looks over at Sayax, "What about you, friend? Anything picks your interest so far?"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Merrick breathed a sigh of relief after Taban dropped his weapon and shield looked back to Laderan and Ashtear for support. "Erm... Well, here goes, uhhh... nothing."
He turns back to Taban as the crowd roars in excitement for the upcoming battle. Taking a deep breath, Merrick spins his arms in a windmill before bringing his palms together and bowing to his opponent. He calls out in as deep of a tone he can manage, "If it's a dance you want... Erm... It's a dance you'll get!"
Immediately, Merrick's shoulders slump as he embraces the teachings of Master Rhurker. His form like wine, he sloshes forward in sweeping stumbles towards the gladiator. Arms flowing, torso contorting, tossing, turning, back and forth the monk weaves the movement as he approaches. Zoning out any astonishment gasps from the crowd, Merrick closes his eyes and let's loose a salvo of blows as he gets close to Taban.
Action - Unarmed Strike against Taban: Attack: 13 Damage: 5
Bonus Action - Martial Arts against Taban: Attack: 25 Damage: 5
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ashtear, Laderan, Merrick:
Merrick’s hand strikes out in a high chop directed at Taban’s throat. Taban blocks the blow with his forearm, but Merrick responds quickly by recoiling and planting a fist in Taban’s solar plexus! Taban gasps in surprise, wheeling away, turning to the side, and bouncing on the balls of his feet. Shaking his hands, his muscles rippling, he moves forward and delivers three quick jabs at Merrick.
Vladimir looks at Oranir, saying, "Yes, I'm well satisfied. This looks to be a wonderful place to stay. I'm sure the others will prefer it to the commotion in that other place. But do you really think we need to rush off? I don't think Laderan will have let them get into too much trouble. And I'd like to try one of those interesting drinks the gnome behind the bar is making."
Laderan watches as Merrick seems to strike first and lands a solid hit, then immediately winces a little at the first exchange of blows, wondering whether the fundamental flaw in his plan was uncovered that easily... He speaks to the crowd, flailing his arms like mock blows as the fighters step back and re-assess each other. "A promising counter attack for Taban, though his thunderous blows seem to have brought a storm with them!" As he speaks, and his arms swirl around, a chill wind flashes through the street and a small eddy of moisture quickly forms in between the combatants. Dark droplets seem to form as a mist swiftly spreads out and obscures the entire affair. He makes his move towards Ashtear, skirting around the fight and crowd after the mist has formed.
@DM - Laderan is trying to hide his spellcasting in plain sight by misdirecting the crowd. Rolls in spoiler for you to pick from depending what you want.
Sayax raises his eyebrow at Vlad when he starts talking about grabbing a drink. "Well, we have visited the temple and have decided on where to stay. Yes, I agree with the two of you, this place is delightful. But we have yet to shop for supplies and pick out a guide. I do not think we have time to dily daly."
He looks around the restaurant and bar, "Once we finish our tasks, this looks like a great place to unwind. Honestly, looking at these guides, I am inclined towards Eku and Qawasha. Moreso than any we saw at the Thundering Lizard. Eku's outlook on life is just like my own!" he lets out a hearty laugh, "and Qawasha.. I mean if we ran into undead, of course we would take them out, so this might lower our costs?" He looks at his friends expectantly, "What do you two think?"
Oranir shrugs, "They seem like good people yes, I wouldn't oppose. As long as we're avoiding those who openly antagonize others I guess we'll end up with tomeone more pleasant to dealth with. As for their skill in the jungle, there is not much we can learn, and trust, from what they talk about themselevs, I guess that the jungle itself will be the test of that. Other than that, I'd just welcome the input of our other companions on this matter, just to be safe, as we have another day before we set out on our quest." then crosses his arms and nods, "But you're right, we still need to see to the supplies before we meet back with the others, we'll be free to enjoy a whole day in Port Nyanzaru tomorrow. I hope they haven't got in any trouble."
The elf continues to read the options shown by the receptionist, "Excuse me, miss. Would you require any measuring for these masks?"
Vladimirsighs. "You're right of course. We must see to the supplies. But shouldn't we wait until we have chosen a guide first? They will surely offer advice regarding what to bring. I think we should wait until after we've made that decision before we purchase whatever we'll need for the journey." You get the impression that maybe Vladimir is enjoying this inn a little too much.
Oranir nods, "Well, we're half of the group here, as capable as any and having talked to one of the guides ourselves. We may as well make the decision, as you say... care to count votes, friends?" the elf brings up his crumpled parchment once again, along with the guide notes ripped from some of the murals, "So, minus the ones with sufferable words to share on their notes and the ones looking to drag us into quests of their own, we've got these... Eku, Hew Hackingstone, and Qawasha and Kupalue." considering for a moment, Oranir eventually shrugs, "I'd say Eku would be my preference, I guess? Even though the promise of a cheaper deal with Qawasha sounds good, I'd say it has the pottention of being a liability under some circumstances."
Vladimir says, “I agree that Eku and Qawasha and Kupalue are our best bets. I also think Azaka is worthy of consideration. I lean toward Azaka and Qawasha myself. I think we should present our preferences to the group, but we shouldn’t hire someone until we’ve talked to everyone.”
Oranir snaps his fingers at his companion's comment, "Indeed! Azaka would be a strong second choice for me, a better one than Qawasha, though her preference o heading to that particular location..." he consults his notes, "Firefinger, might be troubling if that happens to fall outside our path. At least she does not sound as pushing as some of the others, like Musharib who sounded single-minded set on heading towards Hrakhamar. But indeed, a solid choice, I'd say Eku and Azaka for me."
"Alright! Sounds like we have some contenders. So, shall we get the shopping done before the rest of the group gets back? Would be nice to have everything accomplished today so we can enjoy the races tomorrow!" Sayax beams.
Oranir nods, "Very true. I have a rough list prepared for us to start, but let's be open to what surprises the Grand Souk and the Red Bazaar have to offer us." then the elf leads down the road, not necessarily the right one.
The receptionist looks devastated. “I beg your pardon, sir, but the masks are culturally significant artifacts of Chult and are not for sale. They are recovered from the various bands of goblin tribes, collectively referred to as the Batiri.”
(it is late afternoon. Races are the day after tomorrow. Still planning to go shopping?)
Oranir raises one eyebrow at the receptionist, circles back and narrows his eyes at the menu shown by her, "Face mask... clay... Oh! Mask! Of course!" the pale elf blushes sligthly, which is kind of a surprise given how deathly he usually looks. He waves dismissively "Seems I misunderstood, pardon me, I meant no disrespect to the significante of the masks, madam. In any case, we'll probably return in some hours." then embarassedly turns about and rejoins his companions.
((Oh, we can either do it now or do it tomorrow, maybe along with the others and maybe even the guide so they can offer sugestions? Thoughts @kqstark @LorenzotheGreat?))
Oranir raises his finger and furrows his brow at Vladimir, "I really don't think they hav..." but gives up midway through and looks back at the receptionist, "Seems like we'll also be taking a look around." and smiles as he moves to follow his companion.
Art Portfolio
Sayax smiles at the receptionist as she greets them, and as Oranir asks about the guides, "Yes, are there any here at the moment? We would like to find one to assist us in the jungle, and if you have any recommendations, I would be very grateful." he gives her a wide smile, then realizes it might be a bit much coming from a dragonborn, he tries to tone it down. As the other two start off, he waits for her answer, and then will follow the rest.
Laderan collects the money from the approaching thong, a little disappointed in the overall haul, but somewhat saddened that it is a far cry from the figure K'lahu was expecting. That meant they would still need to gather the rest of the gold from Taban himself. Returning to Ashtear and Merrick, he listens as Merrick challenges Taban and tries to minimize the risk. Quickly realising his firbolg comrade could be in more danger than the rest of them if that spear stayed in the equation.
"Indeed, many know of tall Taban's prowess with the spear, and have seen his battles in the arena to prove it. None would question his skill and indeed none should dare. Here and now though, we lack the glory of the arena. We lack the august majesty of the dance upon the sand. Let us not sully this exhibition with blades and bloodshed, instead let us see the truest form of a man. For we all know that no matter the edge, the swordsman's reflexes must be his sharpest tool. No matter the reach of his his weapon, the fighter's speed is all he needs to strike his foe. His shield is but a barrier which defends the true strength and endurance of a warrior. Let the nobles prance about with their flimsy rapiers, let the soldiers on the training grounds play at war with their polearms and swords. We need no weapons here, in these streets a man's fists are his most reliable tool!"
Bring out your inner chatacter class...
Ashtear, Laderan, Merrick:
Ashtear’s influence on the crowd seems to take hold, as one and then another onlooker begin to chant “Fists! Fists! Fists!”
Taban halts his stalking of the perimeter. He stands upright, a strange snarl spreading over his face. Then, he laughs. “Ha! You think Taban need these toys? Toys is for children!” He drops his shield and spear, letting them fall heavily to the earth. He cracks his knuckles, then his neck, before beating his fists against his muscled chest. He crouches down again, adopting a more relaxed stance this time, his hands flexing and relaxing as they seem to claw at the air. “Alright, come on big man! Come dance with Tall Taban!”
Oranir, Sayax, Vladimir:
“Of course, sir. Each room contains a single, generous, pillowed bed that can comfortably accommodate two persons. Depending on the preferences of your party, you could do very well with three rooms. In addition, we offer many luxuries that allow our guests to escape the oppressive heat. Prices are listed here…” and she presents a piece of parchment with various services detailed (see Discord #library).
“Jungle guides? Yes sir. We maintain a list of available guides, although the most complete listing will be found at the Harbormaster’s office. This is the information I have at this time…”
The list contains two guides previously disclosed (Faroul and Gondolo, River Mist and Flask of Wine), as well as four new possibilities:
Eku:
Hew Hackinstone:
Qawasha and Kapalue:
Salida:
Vladimir follows the laughter into a spacious restaurant area that includes eight indoor tables and three private booths. The walls are decorated with traditional Chultan artwork such as Batiri masks and symbols of a circular maze. The bar is staffed by a rock gnome who is preparing incredibly looking libations. Behind the bar is a chest containing continual flame torches and candles. The guests are set upon by servers offering drinks and advising on choices of food. Further ahead is a restaurant glasshouse, a bright and open area with large windows, additional tables, and even comfortable looking armchairs.
Oranir smiles at the receptionist and quickly makes his way to look at the guide notes, shaking his head and commenting on them after a while "Lovely, and the trend of offering umbrage on other guides more than speaking of their own achievements continues... to an extent." he brings up his own quill and parchments to make some quick notes, "We have much to discuss with the others."
After he is finished, the elf approaches Vladimir, "Liking what you see, I assume? I can certainly vote for this one if we're to bring it to that with the rest of the expedition, but we still need to circle back and meet them at the Thundering Lizard, at least. I myself am interested in a closer look at those masks later, peculiar little piece of local culture, that one, would look amazing on a wall on Sumarath estate back in Cormanthyr one day." then looks over at Sayax, "What about you, friend? Anything picks your interest so far?"
Art Portfolio
Merrick breathed a sigh of relief after Taban dropped his weapon and shield looked back to Laderan and Ashtear for support. "Erm... Well, here goes, uhhh... nothing."
He turns back to Taban as the crowd roars in excitement for the upcoming battle. Taking a deep breath, Merrick spins his arms in a windmill before bringing his palms together and bowing to his opponent. He calls out in as deep of a tone he can manage, "If it's a dance you want... Erm... It's a dance you'll get!"
Immediately, Merrick's shoulders slump as he embraces the teachings of Master Rhurker. His form like wine, he sloshes forward in sweeping stumbles towards the gladiator. Arms flowing, torso contorting, tossing, turning, back and forth the monk weaves the movement as he approaches. Zoning out any astonishment gasps from the crowd, Merrick closes his eyes and let's loose a salvo of blows as he gets close to Taban.
Action - Unarmed Strike against Taban: Attack: 13 Damage: 5
Bonus Action - Martial Arts against Taban: Attack: 25 Damage: 5
Ashtear, Laderan, Merrick:
Merrick’s hand strikes out in a high chop directed at Taban’s throat. Taban blocks the blow with his forearm, but Merrick responds quickly by recoiling and planting a fist in Taban’s solar plexus! Taban gasps in surprise, wheeling away, turning to the side, and bouncing on the balls of his feet. Shaking his hands, his muscles rippling, he moves forward and delivers three quick jabs at Merrick.
Attack 1: Attack: 26 Damage: 5
Attack 2: Attack: 19 Damage: 5
Attack 3: Attack: 14 Damage: 5
(Your turn!)
Vladimir looks at Oranir, saying, "Yes, I'm well satisfied. This looks to be a wonderful place to stay. I'm sure the others will prefer it to the commotion in that other place. But do you really think we need to rush off? I don't think Laderan will have let them get into too much trouble. And I'd like to try one of those interesting drinks the gnome behind the bar is making."
Tamryn - lvl 4 Wood Elf Rogue - Circle of Light Campaign || Drusilla - lvl 1 Half-Elf Ranger - Sleeping Gods || Grrzark - lvl 1 Goblin Barbarian - Danger at Darkshelf Quarry || DM - LTG - Curse of Strahd
Laderan watches as Merrick seems to strike first and lands a solid hit, then immediately winces a little at the first exchange of blows, wondering whether the fundamental flaw in his plan was uncovered that easily... He speaks to the crowd, flailing his arms like mock blows as the fighters step back and re-assess each other. "A promising counter attack for Taban, though his thunderous blows seem to have brought a storm with them!" As he speaks, and his arms swirl around, a chill wind flashes through the street and a small eddy of moisture quickly forms in between the combatants. Dark droplets seem to form as a mist swiftly spreads out and obscures the entire affair. He makes his move towards Ashtear, skirting around the fight and crowd after the mist has formed.
Deception 18
Stealth 15
Flat 20 if you want something else... 18
Action: Fog Cloud
BA: nope
@DM - Laderan is trying to hide his spellcasting in plain sight by misdirecting the crowd. Rolls in spoiler for you to pick from depending what you want.
Bring out your inner chatacter class...
Sayax raises his eyebrow at Vlad when he starts talking about grabbing a drink. "Well, we have visited the temple and have decided on where to stay. Yes, I agree with the two of you, this place is delightful. But we have yet to shop for supplies and pick out a guide. I do not think we have time to dily daly."
He looks around the restaurant and bar, "Once we finish our tasks, this looks like a great place to unwind. Honestly, looking at these guides, I am inclined towards Eku and Qawasha. Moreso than any we saw at the Thundering Lizard. Eku's outlook on life is just like my own!" he lets out a hearty laugh, "and Qawasha.. I mean if we ran into undead, of course we would take them out, so this might lower our costs?" He looks at his friends expectantly, "What do you two think?"
Oranir shrugs, "They seem like good people yes, I wouldn't oppose. As long as we're avoiding those who openly antagonize others I guess we'll end up with tomeone more pleasant to dealth with. As for their skill in the jungle, there is not much we can learn, and trust, from what they talk about themselevs, I guess that the jungle itself will be the test of that. Other than that, I'd just welcome the input of our other companions on this matter, just to be safe, as we have another day before we set out on our quest." then crosses his arms and nods, "But you're right, we still need to see to the supplies before we meet back with the others, we'll be free to enjoy a whole day in Port Nyanzaru tomorrow. I hope they haven't got in any trouble."
The elf continues to read the options shown by the receptionist, "Excuse me, miss. Would you require any measuring for these masks?"
Art Portfolio
Vladimir sighs. "You're right of course. We must see to the supplies. But shouldn't we wait until we have chosen a guide first? They will surely offer advice regarding what to bring. I think we should wait until after we've made that decision before we purchase whatever we'll need for the journey." You get the impression that maybe Vladimir is enjoying this inn a little too much.
Tamryn - lvl 4 Wood Elf Rogue - Circle of Light Campaign || Drusilla - lvl 1 Half-Elf Ranger - Sleeping Gods || Grrzark - lvl 1 Goblin Barbarian - Danger at Darkshelf Quarry || DM - LTG - Curse of Strahd
Oranir nods, "Well, we're half of the group here, as capable as any and having talked to one of the guides ourselves. We may as well make the decision, as you say... care to count votes, friends?" the elf brings up his crumpled parchment once again, along with the guide notes ripped from some of the murals, "So, minus the ones with sufferable words to share on their notes and the ones looking to drag us into quests of their own, we've got these... Eku, Hew Hackingstone, and Qawasha and Kupalue." considering for a moment, Oranir eventually shrugs, "I'd say Eku would be my preference, I guess? Even though the promise of a cheaper deal with Qawasha sounds good, I'd say it has the pottention of being a liability under some circumstances."
Art Portfolio
Vladimir says, “I agree that Eku and Qawasha and Kupalue are our best bets. I also think Azaka is worthy of consideration. I lean toward Azaka and Qawasha myself. I think we should present our preferences to the group, but we shouldn’t hire someone until we’ve talked to everyone.”
Tamryn - lvl 4 Wood Elf Rogue - Circle of Light Campaign || Drusilla - lvl 1 Half-Elf Ranger - Sleeping Gods || Grrzark - lvl 1 Goblin Barbarian - Danger at Darkshelf Quarry || DM - LTG - Curse of Strahd
Oranir snaps his fingers at his companion's comment, "Indeed! Azaka would be a strong second choice for me, a better one than Qawasha, though her preference o heading to that particular location..." he consults his notes, "Firefinger, might be troubling if that happens to fall outside our path. At least she does not sound as pushing as some of the others, like Musharib who sounded single-minded set on heading towards Hrakhamar. But indeed, a solid choice, I'd say Eku and Azaka for me."
Art Portfolio
"Alright! Sounds like we have some contenders. So, shall we get the shopping done before the rest of the group gets back? Would be nice to have everything accomplished today so we can enjoy the races tomorrow!" Sayax beams.
Oranir nods, "Very true. I have a rough list prepared for us to start, but let's be open to what surprises the Grand Souk and the Red Bazaar have to offer us." then the elf leads down the road, not necessarily the right one.
Art Portfolio
Oranir, Sayax, Vladimir:
The receptionist looks devastated. “I beg your pardon, sir, but the masks are culturally significant artifacts of Chult and are not for sale. They are recovered from the various bands of goblin tribes, collectively referred to as the Batiri.”
(it is late afternoon. Races are the day after tomorrow. Still planning to go shopping?)
Oranir raises one eyebrow at the receptionist, circles back and narrows his eyes at the menu shown by her, "Face mask... clay... Oh! Mask! Of course!" the pale elf blushes sligthly, which is kind of a surprise given how deathly he usually looks. He waves dismissively "Seems I misunderstood, pardon me, I meant no disrespect to the significante of the masks, madam. In any case, we'll probably return in some hours." then embarassedly turns about and rejoins his companions.
((Oh, we can either do it now or do it tomorrow, maybe along with the others and maybe even the guide so they can offer sugestions? Thoughts @kqstark @LorenzotheGreat?))
Art Portfolio
Vladimir says, “I still think we should wait to buy supplies until after we’ve chosen a guide. Let’s find the others so we can discuss it.”
Tamryn - lvl 4 Wood Elf Rogue - Circle of Light Campaign || Drusilla - lvl 1 Half-Elf Ranger - Sleeping Gods || Grrzark - lvl 1 Goblin Barbarian - Danger at Darkshelf Quarry || DM - LTG - Curse of Strahd