"With us? Are you kidding me?!" Elthana looks aghast as Muir wants the people who just tried robbing them to come with them as they try and traverse this place. "Griff I'm sure is more than capable!"
Elthana puts her hand on Vin's shoulder, a rare scene of affection for her and gives him a small smile, "Vin, please don't pick apart every little thing you do or don't do, you'll drive yourself crazy. If something seems off with you, we'll let you know, but this? This was just chaos and none of us were in trouble."
Griff takes everyone's suggestions and translates for you all. There appears to be some disagreement between the pair of captives as they discuss their situation. But they are both visibly relieved to see Sam shrink to a more normal size, Griff translates the main chunk "The girl here thinks that they would already be dead if you weren't being people of your word... the genasi is not being convinced. They are wanting food up front and are refusing to come with us to such an accursed place."
"Well if they don't want to help, we should be on our way...no sense loitering about waiting to be pickpocketed again"Muir places the young child down and smiles. "Go little one"
Vin listens to Elthana as she tries to assuage his uncertainty, and then to Griff as he reports back what the captives have said.
"Thanks, that helps", he whispers to Elthana before more loudly saying, "I know that back in our plane, a Wraith is some kind of undead creature. And undead in general are most likely to have been summoned rather than naturally occurring. I guess that would be really unlikely here. What with the view on that sort of thing being, well, even more frowned upon. Is there even such a thing as undead here, Griff? What do you consider accursed here?"
A look of shock comes across his face for a moment, "Well, I had no problem remembering that". He then looks off into space as if something else has crossed his mind before shaking it off and focussing back on the conversation.
As the Aarakocra girl is put down she takes two big steps away from Sam, not daring to look at him and then watches what happens with the genasi.
Griff stands and looks to the group, "wraiths are being a part of our lesser known history, though I thought they were all being gone with the fall of nectyran. They are, or were, being creatures of concentrated suffering never dying in the shadowfell, they crossed over here and sought to inflict that pain on others dwelling in that suffering. They cannot be being defeated in a way that matters they are just returning to nectyran, their souls belong to him. It is making sense that one would be appearing at a healers house though, a place with echoes of suffering long past. But why now?" Griff sighs, and draws his sword, looking to vin "should we be giving these more food for the information they are thinking they have, or we should be using this vinegar instead"
As he pulls his sword the Aarakocra girl goes side eyed and begins running away, the genasi similarly panicked and looks for an exit finding none as he us surrounded by the group and Sam's animals.
As Griff draws his sword, Sam frowns and attempts to grapple him - Grabbing him and yanking him away from the captives.
Athletics check vs his Athletics or Acrobatics: 23
Second attempt if needed: 22
"Put it away or go through me," Sam glowers at the bird-man.
Looking to Elthana and the others he tells them "Give them food. Whatever rations we can spare. We can always cook Griff if we run low..." Sam also signals the animals to stand down and relax. Slowly. Not wanting the captives to scamper off before they can get the rations out...
Vin's mind is already considering Griff's first question regarding the wraith as he asks the second whilst drawing his sword.
He is about to reply when Sam springs into action defending the genasi from Griff with the same vigour as he defended his pouch from the thieves. It clicks in his mind that Sam is an all or nothing person, with his own personal sense of right and wrong.
He can't help but smile a little as the big guy once again does what he considers right.
"I think Sam has answered that question suitably. But to clarify, when honey is working, it is generally not necessary to resort to vinegar. And in truth, drawing your sword kind of soured the honey".
Griff is handily yanked away by Sam on his first attempt, and looks to the half orc with narrowed eyes, "I am guard, I am already not being welcome or accepted here. The honourless guard of gojiin already saw to that, this is why this isle is being in chaos, they are needing to be taught honour and discipline. You will not get what you are wanting from these people by bending to their demands." He looks over to vin, "which question? This honey you are speaking of was not working"
Muir puts the food away and brushes himself off. He looks at each of his friends and very matter of factly states "Perhaps we should leave....If they are of no help, giving them food won't change their circumstances. If their leader won't help and try to teach them how to grow food, sustain life, raise animals, work with nature in harmony then we are only fueling the fire for the next group to do the same to us....They will tell their friends about the weird group who hands out food. I am sorry for being so callous Sam, and if we had more time, I would do what I could to help them learn how to live harmonioulsy with nature....but we have dawdled enough. We have to get this stone and save all the people you care about back home. We can help the people back home more than here. We should leave."
Elthana watches in surprise as Sam grapples Griff and talks about feeding the man to these wretches. "Sam! This man is your friend, you know his children and he has taught us much about his world and others. He is here to help us and you're going to fight him over these people who tried to steal away your animals? You have no idea what they are like, if this area is like your home, the tangles, you don't know and as Muir astutely pointed out, we have a job to do to actually help save the people you know. Let Griff go, we leave this area now."
Hackles all up and ready to fight, Elthana turns from the situation and starts moving off the way Griff had pointed out, frustration boiling off of her.
“The guard stole from us as well,” Sam points out. “He was just more snobby about it. Wanting wine and luxury while those he guards goes hungry.. .”
Sam releases Griff but gives him a warning look concerning his sword.
“Funny thing about needing help, those who need it most are likely the hardest to do it for. They’re dangerous or dirty or impolite… They’re leaders aren’t good leaders, they didn’t get to grow up floating above everyone else,” Sam says as he digs out his 10 rations and sets them on the ground.
“Let’s go. Any chance of help likely died when feathers there drew his sword… But if I see hungry kids I’m going to feed them when I can.” With that Sam looks to the captive and gives him his best sympathetic nod before walking off. A whistle bring the animal pack along with him…
The genasi scoops up the food putting some dried meat directly in his mouth as he bags up the rest, he says something making direct eye contact with Sam, but in a language he simply doesn't understand. Then the genasi is off, near falling as he tries to get away faster than his legs will take him.
Griff isn't impressed, he stows his sword and scoffs incredulously at the words said by the escaping genasi, "thanking you Elthana, for your words... I am understanding you Sam, but your experiences are being your own. You are judging others experience and knowledge too readily."
“A hungry kid is a hungry kid,” is Sam’s only reply. At least til a minute later when he asks “What they say as they were leaving?” while trying to not actually look at Griff.
"he is saying that kobolds go in the healing house, it is collapsed and abandoned since long ago deep down in the core of Ilse. Wraiths are near the top, but not to tell anyone or old man will kill him..." Griff replies, not looking at Sam either but instead taking the lead and walking the group further into the winding passage ways of the slums just under the surface of Gojiin.
"Well, I guess what is done is done, but it seemed to me we were just involved in a negotiation. We had something they wanted, they claimed to have something we wanted. From there it was just about the details", Vin says with a shrug as he moves on as well.
"And they told us about the kobolds and wraiths, that is information we didn't have before", he says before adding, "I know, I know, it may not be true. But I would rather be prepared for no reason than be unprepared".
"Do not tell anyone or old man will kill you," Sam paraphrases, inserting an implied threat of his own into the words.
To Vin, after a few more footsteps, Sam nows a bit before saying "It may not be true but there was no value in lying. He had gotten the food, he was free to go. Talking to the authorities for one like him is a dangerous thing... Risking others seeing him collaborating? Not healthy. No, I believe him. Quicker to just flee and curse us on the run. To offer any information? Well back home at least, when I was on the streets, only reason to do that would be if you felt you owed it to someone who did solid by you."
Gewyn nods to Sam's words. "He did not seem to be particularly concerned with guile in that moment. Street kid like that won't do something for nothing. You don't kick the beehive unless you'll starve without the honey, so I doubt he'd just lie out of spite. He'd either say something helpful or keep his mouth shut."
"We avoid them, if we can," Sam suggests. "We try to catch us some kobolds and see if they can lead us to some load stones. Our job ain't wraith hunting if they're not in our way..."
Sam truthfully kind of figures they'll be fighting wraiths if wraiths indeed are there. No point getting the kids with his scrambles brains all worried about it though. From what little Sam knows about the things they're undead of some kind. Silver or magical weapons should work on them, he supposes. He's heard they're nasty though. How so varied in the telling but thinking too much on it almost brought a shiver out of him.
"If we do face them maybe Neferox can negotiate our way past them. Kindred spirits and all that, eh?"
"was maybe being translation error, genasi was saying old man would kill him if people find out that he talking to us, but I am not knowing old man..." Griff interjects as Sam muses the response.
As the tunnels get darker a breeze starts to kick up in the groups faces and along a particularly cracked and deserted stretch of walkway, Griff stops looking around and appearing lost. "We can be following breeze or getting to surface to be getting our bearings, but after such a long time being walking in this direction I am thinking we are close, be ready" he glances at Sam making sure the half orc isn't going to stop him this time as he draws his sword and keeps it out ready to fight should something happen, Griff waits to see what the group would like to do.
"With us? Are you kidding me?!" Elthana looks aghast as Muir wants the people who just tried robbing them to come with them as they try and traverse this place. "Griff I'm sure is more than capable!"
Elthana puts her hand on Vin's shoulder, a rare scene of affection for her and gives him a small smile, "Vin, please don't pick apart every little thing you do or don't do, you'll drive yourself crazy. If something seems off with you, we'll let you know, but this? This was just chaos and none of us were in trouble."
Griff takes everyone's suggestions and translates for you all. There appears to be some disagreement between the pair of captives as they discuss their situation. But they are both visibly relieved to see Sam shrink to a more normal size, Griff translates the main chunk "The girl here thinks that they would already be dead if you weren't being people of your word... the genasi is not being convinced. They are wanting food up front and are refusing to come with us to such an accursed place."
"Well if they don't want to help, we should be on our way...no sense loitering about waiting to be pickpocketed again" Muir places the young child down and smiles. "Go little one"
Vin listens to Elthana as she tries to assuage his uncertainty, and then to Griff as he reports back what the captives have said.
"Thanks, that helps", he whispers to Elthana before more loudly saying, "I know that back in our plane, a Wraith is some kind of undead creature. And undead in general are most likely to have been summoned rather than naturally occurring. I guess that would be really unlikely here. What with the view on that sort of thing being, well, even more frowned upon. Is there even such a thing as undead here, Griff? What do you consider accursed here?"
A look of shock comes across his face for a moment, "Well, I had no problem remembering that". He then looks off into space as if something else has crossed his mind before shaking it off and focussing back on the conversation.
As the Aarakocra girl is put down she takes two big steps away from Sam, not daring to look at him and then watches what happens with the genasi.
Griff stands and looks to the group, "wraiths are being a part of our lesser known history, though I thought they were all being gone with the fall of nectyran. They are, or were, being creatures of concentrated suffering never dying in the shadowfell, they crossed over here and sought to inflict that pain on others dwelling in that suffering. They cannot be being defeated in a way that matters they are just returning to nectyran, their souls belong to him. It is making sense that one would be appearing at a healers house though, a place with echoes of suffering long past. But why now?" Griff sighs, and draws his sword, looking to vin "should we be giving these more food for the information they are thinking they have, or we should be using this vinegar instead"
As he pulls his sword the Aarakocra girl goes side eyed and begins running away, the genasi similarly panicked and looks for an exit finding none as he us surrounded by the group and Sam's animals.
As Griff draws his sword, Sam frowns and attempts to grapple him - Grabbing him and yanking him away from the captives.
Athletics check vs his Athletics or Acrobatics: 23
Second attempt if needed: 22
"Put it away or go through me," Sam glowers at the bird-man.
Looking to Elthana and the others he tells them "Give them food. Whatever rations we can spare. We can always cook Griff if we run low..." Sam also signals the animals to stand down and relax. Slowly. Not wanting the captives to scamper off before they can get the rations out...
Vin's mind is already considering Griff's first question regarding the wraith as he asks the second whilst drawing his sword.
He is about to reply when Sam springs into action defending the genasi from Griff with the same vigour as he defended his pouch from the thieves. It clicks in his mind that Sam is an all or nothing person, with his own personal sense of right and wrong.
He can't help but smile a little as the big guy once again does what he considers right.
"I think Sam has answered that question suitably. But to clarify, when honey is working, it is generally not necessary to resort to vinegar. And in truth, drawing your sword kind of soured the honey".
Griff is handily yanked away by Sam on his first attempt, and looks to the half orc with narrowed eyes, "I am guard, I am already not being welcome or accepted here. The honourless guard of gojiin already saw to that, this is why this isle is being in chaos, they are needing to be taught honour and discipline. You will not get what you are wanting from these people by bending to their demands." He looks over to vin, "which question? This honey you are speaking of was not working"
Muir puts the food away and brushes himself off. He looks at each of his friends and very matter of factly states "Perhaps we should leave....If they are of no help, giving them food won't change their circumstances. If their leader won't help and try to teach them how to grow food, sustain life, raise animals, work with nature in harmony then we are only fueling the fire for the next group to do the same to us....They will tell their friends about the weird group who hands out food. I am sorry for being so callous Sam, and if we had more time, I would do what I could to help them learn how to live harmonioulsy with nature....but we have dawdled enough. We have to get this stone and save all the people you care about back home. We can help the people back home more than here. We should leave."
Elthana watches in surprise as Sam grapples Griff and talks about feeding the man to these wretches. "Sam! This man is your friend, you know his children and he has taught us much about his world and others. He is here to help us and you're going to fight him over these people who tried to steal away your animals? You have no idea what they are like, if this area is like your home, the tangles, you don't know and as Muir astutely pointed out, we have a job to do to actually help save the people you know. Let Griff go, we leave this area now."
Hackles all up and ready to fight, Elthana turns from the situation and starts moving off the way Griff had pointed out, frustration boiling off of her.
“The guard stole from us as well,” Sam points out. “He was just more snobby about it. Wanting wine and luxury while those he guards goes hungry.. .”
Sam releases Griff but gives him a warning look concerning his sword.
“Funny thing about needing help, those who need it most are likely the hardest to do it for. They’re dangerous or dirty or impolite… They’re leaders aren’t good leaders, they didn’t get to grow up floating above everyone else,” Sam says as he digs out his 10 rations and sets them on the ground.
“Let’s go. Any chance of help likely died when feathers there drew his sword… But if I see hungry kids I’m going to feed them when I can.” With that Sam looks to the captive and gives him his best sympathetic nod before walking off. A whistle bring the animal pack along with him…
The genasi scoops up the food putting some dried meat directly in his mouth as he bags up the rest, he says something making direct eye contact with Sam, but in a language he simply doesn't understand. Then the genasi is off, near falling as he tries to get away faster than his legs will take him.
Griff isn't impressed, he stows his sword and scoffs incredulously at the words said by the escaping genasi, "thanking you Elthana, for your words... I am understanding you Sam, but your experiences are being your own. You are judging others experience and knowledge too readily."
“A hungry kid is a hungry kid,” is Sam’s only reply. At least til a minute later when he asks “What they say as they were leaving?” while trying to not actually look at Griff.
"he is saying that kobolds go in the healing house, it is collapsed and abandoned since long ago deep down in the core of Ilse. Wraiths are near the top, but not to tell anyone or old man will kill him..." Griff replies, not looking at Sam either but instead taking the lead and walking the group further into the winding passage ways of the slums just under the surface of Gojiin.
"Well, I guess what is done is done, but it seemed to me we were just involved in a negotiation. We had something they wanted, they claimed to have something we wanted. From there it was just about the details", Vin says with a shrug as he moves on as well.
"And they told us about the kobolds and wraiths, that is information we didn't have before", he says before adding, "I know, I know, it may not be true. But I would rather be prepared for no reason than be unprepared".
"Do not tell anyone or old man will kill you," Sam paraphrases, inserting an implied threat of his own into the words.
To Vin, after a few more footsteps, Sam nows a bit before saying "It may not be true but there was no value in lying. He had gotten the food, he was free to go. Talking to the authorities for one like him is a dangerous thing... Risking others seeing him collaborating? Not healthy. No, I believe him. Quicker to just flee and curse us on the run. To offer any information? Well back home at least, when I was on the streets, only reason to do that would be if you felt you owed it to someone who did solid by you."
Gewyn nods to Sam's words. "He did not seem to be particularly concerned with guile in that moment. Street kid like that won't do something for nothing. You don't kick the beehive unless you'll starve without the honey, so I doubt he'd just lie out of spite. He'd either say something helpful or keep his mouth shut."
Vin smiles at Gewyn's version of the proverb.
"You've never tried to gather honey, have you Gewyn?", he says with a chuckle. "But I like the fact you ran with the honey theme".
"So, how do we protect ourselves from wraiths?", he asks, looking also to Nef for a solution.
"We avoid them, if we can," Sam suggests. "We try to catch us some kobolds and see if they can lead us to some load stones. Our job ain't wraith hunting if they're not in our way..."
Sam truthfully kind of figures they'll be fighting wraiths if wraiths indeed are there. No point getting the kids with his scrambles brains all worried about it though. From what little Sam knows about the things they're undead of some kind. Silver or magical weapons should work on them, he supposes. He's heard they're nasty though. How so varied in the telling but thinking too much on it almost brought a shiver out of him.
"If we do face them maybe Neferox can negotiate our way past them. Kindred spirits and all that, eh?"
"was maybe being translation error, genasi was saying old man would kill him if people find out that he talking to us, but I am not knowing old man..." Griff interjects as Sam muses the response.
As the tunnels get darker a breeze starts to kick up in the groups faces and along a particularly cracked and deserted stretch of walkway, Griff stops looking around and appearing lost. "We can be following breeze or getting to surface to be getting our bearings, but after such a long time being walking in this direction I am thinking we are close, be ready" he glances at Sam making sure the half orc isn't going to stop him this time as he draws his sword and keeps it out ready to fight should something happen, Griff waits to see what the group would like to do.