The Undying Dragons - Campaign Thread

Harry Dodds smiles through everything Ethel says, nodding along.

"That's a shame," Dodds finally says. "It's a lot easier to help someone who helps me in return."

He looks over at Gertrude behind the bar.

"They're not going to let her be the Editor of a game anytime soon," Dodds says. "It's likely to be the son. And he's a nasty peace of work."

Dodds furrows his brow for a moment, still digesting what Ethel has said.

"I'm not looking for something to entertain the crowd. I'm counting on the fact you're all holding back a little still while you figure this place out. Just keep holding back for the first few moments of the next match. The odds will tilt heavily in favour of your opponents," Dodds says and then nods. "It's likely to be the hobgoblins and possibly a few nasty beasts mixed in. Just draw out the fight then unleash whatever you have."

He tilts back his head and finishes the rest of his drink.

"Do that, I make a small fortune, and then that gives me the means to do a favour for you."

"Trust is a sometimes bumpy road, Mr. Dodd.  It has many switchbacks, turnarounds and dead ends.  As tempting as the idea of riches for you in exchange for ill-defined, nebulous future favors for us may be, mayhaps you can sweeten that deal a little further."

"I don't need much... not weapons or keys or the master's spellbook... but could you spare a bit of fleece?  Not so much... just enough to rub between my fingers.  I have a friend who might like this gift, you see, and it would go far in showing me you're the kind of fellow I can bank some trust with."

Dodds chuckles a little, then reaches down and unties the laces on his boot. He pulls it off then a woolen sock from his foot. He looks at the sock then inside it but frowns. Then he looks down at this bare foot and laughs again.

He pulls two pieces of toe-jam lint from between his toes and places them on the table before putting his sock and boot back on.

"I hope I'll be able to see what your friend does with these," Dodds says. He looks once more over at the bar before standing and getting ready to leave.

"I don't bank in vague promises," Dodds says. "Do this for me and I'll make sure you get extra food and a few items that will make life in the caves a lot easier."

Ethel grips the lint.  Once Dodd leaves, the cleans the area around his table as if that was what she was waiting for all along.  

Then she moves over near the bar.  When she gets close to Gertrude, she will resume some of her prior conversation with her.  "I regret getting you in hot water with the Family, if that's what this half-price drink fiasco amounted to.  We just wanted to entertain the crowd.  If you're looking to please the crowds, there are ways to do it without giving away coin, if that's a problem.  Consider this... if a ship comes in... Let's call it The Shy Maid, for purposes of this exercise... Announce to the crowd that a particular gladiator is competing on their behalf.  Puff them up with some nonsense about the gladiator that might appeal to the guests; if its a crew of pirates, tell them some a bullshit story about how the gladiator was a smuggler and he's fighting to pay off debts.  Whatever.  Anyway, then tell the crowd that the next gladiator is competing on behalf of another ship... let's say The Skylark... and so on and so forth.  People are easily manipulated.  You'll have a crowd that moments ago had no reason to care about the event... and now they'll be crowing and cheering and emotionally invested in the outcome... whether it's a fight or a race or an archery contest.  You could even suggest that the winning side order the gladiator's favorite drink as a toast to their victory.  Viola... it costs you nothing, but it fires up the crowd and leaves them feeling like they played a part in the performance.  And they'll have no idea you're manipulating them."  She'll keep working her way down the bar and cleaning, and will keep casually talking to Gertrude about entertainment ideas as long as it seems Gertrude is willing to listen.

[Ethel doesn't give a damn about Gertrude or her marketing skills... but the woman seems like she might have a shred of conscience and also seems isolated among her kin.  Ethel wants to play on that and see if there is an opening here to influence the black sheep of the family....]

Gertrude frowns when Ethel starts talking to her at the bar, but she listens.

"My father has being, um, doing this for, er a long time," Gertrude finally says. "He has something called Ribbon Wars that's, well, um, similar. Different, er, parts of the viewing area have different, well, um, colours. Teams match the colours."

She nods as the bartender pats two ale barrels before turning back to Ethel.

"And, I, um, I don't like the fighting," Gertrude says. "I mean, fighting is okay if you have to, but not to put prisoners up to it.  I sometimes, um, wish I was somewhere else. Have you been anywhere? Have you been to a city?"

Gertrude starts getting animated in her speech and gestures, but then suddenly realizes what she's revealing. She waves a hand to the three guards who brought Ethel, Ula, and Geffroi to the tavern.

"They're done."

The guards, start gesturing you to the door.

(That was a fun read between Ethel and Dodds/Gertrude)

Avaria smiles as Marrin mentions heading back to their cavern and nods.  As the three of them return, she notices that Ula and Ethel are missing.  Not wanting to engage in conversation with anyone else, she shrugs and hopes it isn't due to the arena.

She finds a quiet spot to sit down and motions for Marrin and Jan to join her, ignoring the food.  "I'm sorry, I don't know how much to trust the orcs so I didn't want to say any of this in front of them."  She talks in a low whisper to her friends, but doesn't look at them, she watches the rest and if anyone comes near them, she'll frown and shake her head keeping a good distance between the three of them and the rest.  Even Hammerdasher for the moment.

"I found a lot more.  The end of that tunnel ended in a large pool in a dark cavern, but it did have a tunnel off of it on a ledge.  I left the water and explored the tunnel, it led to another large cavern.  I found six bedrolls and three bodies.  Murdered bodies, from a very long time ago."  She describes the scene she found. "There are definite weapons down there, and three more tunnels to explore.  The air is dank and musty, but breathable.  I do worry that if the five of us disappear, what will happen to the ones here?  Or should we take everyone with us?  It's a swim, but I know the way now."

"Three dead bodies doesn't make the dwarf escape sound like the solution we hoped for. How long did you have to hold your breath? I'm not sure everyone can make it if it's far."

"Three bodies... What would have killed some of them down there?"

Marrin looks around at those in the chamber as Ava asks about what will happen to them.

"They will kill the lot of them."

She thinks and looks at the different caverns,

"Haguur doesn't want to just escape, he wants his vengeance. We give him a weapon and point out a Hargrove and he'll die fighting. The goblins will probably disappear once they get out, maybe stabbing a few people if we're lucky. The hobgoblins will turn us in. These people look like they've given up already and I am not sure Xanthe will support anything that puts any of them at risk, despite the status quo already doing that."

Marrin taps the stones,

"We talk with Ethel and Ula first but I think what we need to do, after whatever murderous plan the Hargroves throw at us, check out the spider cave with the orcs up front and get a goblin to check the small tunnel. We can check to see if there is one Jisthelek trusts. At the same time I think you, Ava, and Ula should keep checking those tunnels in the orc pond."

She checks the two with her for their thoughts on the plan.

"Well, they could have either killed each other or three were able to escape.  I wasn't able to figure things out beyond that, and it was silent as a tomb in there."

Avaria nods as Marrin states the obvious with those in their chamber.

"Do you think we can trust Haguur with the info on what I just found or should we wait?  I am fine with continuing to check the tunnels with Ula, I think it would be good to know all our options.  We can just tell Haguur I found tunnels to explore, nothing about the bodies and weapons."

"'Think we wait on giving Haguur too much information, he doesn't seem the patient type. As soon as he has a weapon in his hands he is going to use it. We wait to do that until we get him a target, a target we want and, preferably, he wants."

She looks around again,

"I guess I can go check with Jisthelek about rounding up a goblin scout while we wait for the others."

Ethel, Ula ,Geffroi are quickly hustled back through the passages, tunnels, stairwells, and guardpost back to the prisoner caverns. The only thing of note different than when they came was a sound that the trio heard from the direction of the arena. A loud roar of an animal of some kind reverberates out of the arena. Geffroi turns sharply when he hears it. 

As Avaria, Marrin and Jan discuss what they've learned and next steps, the door clangs open and Ethel, Ula and Geffroi move quickly in before the door clangs shut behind them and the sound of the lock turning echoes through the cavern.

Marrin gives the trio a wave as the come in and will quickly and quietly fill the two of them that are not a npc in.

On the way back to the prisoner pens, Ethel quietly asks Geffroi... "That sound... did you recognize it?"

Once with the others, Ethel will gesture them to gather round close.  She hands the piece of fleece to Jan.  "A gift, from Ava and Ula's friend."

Then she fills them in on her conversations in the tavern.  Their next match is being arranged by the younger Hargrove... and he has a reputation for cruelty.  We should expect a three-way fight, likely with the hobgoblins and a monster of some kind.  

To Ula and Ava:  "Your pal is really hoping you play-act some struggles in the next fight so he can play the betting odds for a big payday.  I'm not sure its worth the risk, but if you trust him, I will play along."

On the way back to the prisoner pens, Ethel quietly asks Geffroi... "That sound... did you recognize it?"

Once with the others, Ethel will gesture them to gather round close.  She hands the piece of fleece to Jan.  "A gift, from Ava and Ula's friend."

Then she fills them in on her conversations in the tavern.  Their next match is being arranged by the younger Hargrove... and he has a reputation for cruelty.  We should expect a three-way fight, likely with the hobgoblins and a monster of some kind.  

To Ula and Ava:  "Your pal is really hoping you play-act some struggles in the next fight so he can play the betting odds for a big payday.  I'm not sure its worth the risk, but if you trust him, I will play along."

Geffroi had nodded to Ethel. "I heard similar when I was in Gheldaneth. It sounded like the desert jaguar they have there. It's stupid I know but when I heard that roar at night in the desert, it sounded evil; like the creature enjoyed hunting and killing."

Marrin, not hearing any dissent, stands and heads over to speak with Jisthelek.

She'll wave him over and say quietly,

"Had a chat with Haguur, turns out we have a lot in common."

She gives the goblin a wane smile,

"Either way we've agreed to work towards our shared goals. Part of that including exploring some caverns that run off from their area, one filled with spiders and then another small tunnel that we can't fit in."

She lets him digest that before continuing,

"I think you know where I am going with this. I would ask a halfling over there but I honestly haven't been impressed by their general complacency. Do you know anyone that would be willing to check it? Preferably someone that would come back if it does lead out to mention that to us."

Avaria nods at Elthel, "Yeah, I'm willing to give play-acting a try for the man.  Guess it'll depend what they throw at us, but then we can see what he can actually do.  Especially if we're all together, I'm more willing to chance it."

Jan has been resting against a wall, having a bit to eat, but when Marrin gets up to head off to talk to the goblins, she gets to her feet and trails after.

Jisthelek, his curiosity getting the better of him, comes over almost as soon as Marrin waves him over.

"So you're blood thirsty sellswords bent painting the walls of this luxurious hideaway with the blood of our captors too?" the goblin says when Marrin mentions having a lot in common with Haguur.

When she mentions the caves that run off from the orc cavern, Jisthelek's eyes narrow a little.

"How much exploring exactly did you do?" he asks. "Enough to find things that might not have been yours?"

Jisthelek looks over at the halfling in the home cavern and chuckles. 

"You take that one any where close to Haguur and he'll shite himself." The goblin then looks at the goblins in his own cavern. "And this lot? If they find a whiff of a way out the only way you'll know is if you never see them again."

He scratches his shoulder, his hands idly, and apparently subconsciously, tracing the patterns of his many tattoos. Finally he sighs.

"If you found my slings, give them back and I'll see where that burrow hole goes." Jisthelek says. "Unlike these idiots, I'll come back. I for one know we're on an island and am going to need help getting off."

Marrin smiles sourly at Jisthelek's comment on kinship with Haguur,

"For every fight they put me in I'm more inclined to start painting. Haguur wants out, we want out. Once he's out, I'm happy to have a distraction and I honestly would wish him well on his goals."

Her smile turns halfway genuine,

"I think your companion here made clear this morning with the dagger business that if you can't keep track of your things they're better off in someone else's hand's."

Before he can get upset she waves him off,

"Returning a sling isn't a problem, but wouldn't you say sharing that second sling would be more useful? Also, how did you get them over there?"

Persuasion: 8

Marrin gets down so she is looking eye to eye with the goblin,

"Jisthelek, that is exactly why I came to you. You're the smartest person I've met since I came here, we work together on this and we will get out and get off this island."

She offers the goblin a hand.