Esa suggests half could go ahead to further scope out. While the non-combative bullywugs shouldn't be a threat, especially with the chieftain showing to be compliant, if everything suddenly went pear-shaped it wouldn't be smart to have us all blocked in potentially surrounded by enemies
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Grimbald will try to persuade the 'non-combatants' he means no harm by showing some rations, nibling on some and offering to them. < please dont roll a 1> 10
The bullywugs are scared of the party, the adolescent bullywug has told them that everyone in the caves except the chief is dead. They shrink away from Grimbald's attempts to offer them food. The bullywug chieftain gives some croaking which might be orders or comfort. Kind of hard to tell. Either way the bullywugs, about 15 of them, appear not to be a threat.
Stryke and Grimbald know that this is not a viable population. They must intermingle with other tribes of bullywugs, likely downriver in the Harken Forest, otherwise they would succumb to inbreeding. But if this is the tribal chief then they must have small tribes that interact frequently.
The way through to the passage where Stryke the wolf can smell the humans is clear. Moving forward you all come to the last cave. Here is a cage made of wood and vines, containing about 15 human adults of both sexes. Dirty and muddy, but otherwise seem to be uninjured. They stare with a resurgence of hope that was all but lost at the sudden appearance of the party.
Their responses seem to be genuine. Some are from the village of Marl, that was destroyed as an example of what will happen to any community wanting to resist the Iron Circle. Some are from Harken Village, and Augustin recognises these and they recognise him.
Between you the people are free. Some of them want to run out, but you decide an orderly exit is better. When they see the bullywugs in the next room some of the prisoners demand that you kill them all, but most just shy away from them.
As you go through the cavern, heading outside you see them looking at all the bodies. The bullywug chieftain follows you, and the other bullywugs too but at a distance. Most of the non-combatant bullywugs stop and hop over to one or another of the bullywug bodies, mourning their death.
Two prisoners, one man and a woman, come up to Augustin (and Esa because she's on his shoulder), and say that "The Brute" isn't here among the bodies.
When Augustin asks they say The Brute is what they named him that because he was as big as the chieftain but looked stronger.
"He was very angry about us being here," the woman said, "not angry at us, but just for us being here. He and the chieftain were toe to toe loud croaking. Looked like an argument to me."
"At first we thought he was arguing that we should be killed and eaten right now," the man said. He was tall with long dark hair and a bedraggled, muddy beard. "But The Brute just ignored us, like he didn't want us there, like he thought it was a mistake. Maybe he didn't like the deal the chieftain made with the Iron Circle."
Through more questions you ascertain that The Brute was actually keen to not have the prisoners abused, and stopped other bullywugs from mistreating them, even though he obviously did not like the humans or want them there.
They reply some hours ago, but The Brute didn't often come into the area where the cage was.
A couple of the ex-prisoners suggest the bullywugs didn't really know what to do with them, they were fed only a little and watered, and they weren't very kind, even cruel sometimes, but there had not been any suggestion they were going to be eaten and the bullywugs didn't seem to have a concept of slavery. Maybe the Iron Circle made an assumption about the bullywugs that wasn't true?
At this point a loud croak comes from outside the caves. This seems to provoke a reaction from the other bullywugs, who make lots of croaking sounds of their own and many of the frog creatures start doing their hopping run towards the cavern entrance.
Esa tells the humans to stay behind the party and be quiet. She leaves Augustin a flies ahead, keeping behind a larger bullwug to obscure her presence from whatever lies ahead.
Outside the bullywugs are clustered around some new bullywug arrivals. A hulking bullywug - this must be the Brute the prisoners referred to - stands listening to the other bullywugs who came out of the cave mouth. It towers over the other bullywugs and holds a crudely made spear, in contrast to the human made spears that you've seen the other bullywugs use. The big bullywug is accompanied by two other bullywugs, also with crudely made spears, and a giant toad, about the size of a bullywug, which appears uninterested in events although that changes when it sees the party.
The huge bullywug sees the chief and hops/walks over. The toad makes to come with it, but the Brute turns and gives it a command and it stays put with the others but watches the party carefully, especially Esra.
The Brute and the chieftain have words, the Brute loud and the Chieftain quiet. The eyes of the Brute flick to the party on occasion. Then they finish and the Brute approaches the party. He touches a silver amulet on his neck and speaks a word. Then he starts croaking at you and you all find that even though he is still speaking bullywug, you can understand him.
"I am Uggloor of the Mud-Hide tribe, the tribe you have probably condemned to extinction. I name you Bringers of Death, but I do not blame you for we would do the same if our people were taken by yours. What do you want to leave us in peace?"
Stryke will revert out of wolf form into his normal form.
Team huddle time, I think we want information on the Iron Circle and what help the tribe gave to the Circle in exchange for the prisoners and why the tribe were approached, did they assist with the Circle gaining access to the town we had to flee from? I think we also want to know what will happen to the chieftain, do we want further retribution for the prisoners or will it face punishment for bringing the tribe into a dangerous agreement?
Finally, Stryke would not want the tribe extinct, can we negotiate something between the humans and tribe to ensure both can exist as neighbours even if not as friends?
“Surely slaying the ones we have would be enough of a lesson for the chieftain? I agree that we should try to create a pact between the humans and the tribe, though it may be tricky during these hostile times…the bullywugs may even be of aid to us against the Iron Circle”
Vakiel will not participate in persuasive conversations but can assist with any future intimidating :)
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Vakiel mentions a recollection of prisoners being traded to the Bullywugs.... wonders (out loud) could that be what Stryke is smelling?
Esa suggests half could go ahead to further scope out. While the non-combative bullywugs shouldn't be a threat, especially with the chieftain showing to be compliant, if everything suddenly went pear-shaped it wouldn't be smart to have us all blocked in potentially surrounded by enemies
Grimbald happy to scope ahead.
Grimbald will try to persuade the 'non-combatants' he means no harm by showing some rations, nibling on some and offering to them. < please dont roll a 1> 10
Stryke will follow Grimbald to smell out the way to the humans, tongue hanging out and trying to look like a dog and not a wolf
The bullywugs are scared of the party, the adolescent bullywug has told them that everyone in the caves except the chief is dead. They shrink away from Grimbald's attempts to offer them food. The bullywug chieftain gives some croaking which might be orders or comfort. Kind of hard to tell. Either way the bullywugs, about 15 of them, appear not to be a threat.
Stryke and Grimbald know that this is not a viable population. They must intermingle with other tribes of bullywugs, likely downriver in the Harken Forest, otherwise they would succumb to inbreeding. But if this is the tribal chief then they must have small tribes that interact frequently.
The way through to the passage where Stryke the wolf can smell the humans is clear. Moving forward you all come to the last cave. Here is a cage made of wood and vines, containing about 15 human adults of both sexes. Dirty and muddy, but otherwise seem to be uninjured. They stare with a resurgence of hope that was all but lost at the sudden appearance of the party.
Grimbald introduces himself, asks who they are, where they are from. insight check on their responses 21
Their responses seem to be genuine. Some are from the village of Marl, that was destroyed as an example of what will happen to any community wanting to resist the Iron Circle. Some are from Harken Village, and Augustin recognises these and they recognise him.
The cage door is tied closed with vines.
stryke will try to bite through the vine holding the cage door closed
if not Grimbald will use handaxes
Augustin flexes and ties to just tear the doors off the cage Strength 8
Between you the people are free. Some of them want to run out, but you decide an orderly exit is better. When they see the bullywugs in the next room some of the prisoners demand that you kill them all, but most just shy away from them.
As you go through the cavern, heading outside you see them looking at all the bodies. The bullywug chieftain follows you, and the other bullywugs too but at a distance. Most of the non-combatant bullywugs stop and hop over to one or another of the bullywug bodies, mourning their death.
Two prisoners, one man and a woman, come up to Augustin (and Esa because she's on his shoulder), and say that "The Brute" isn't here among the bodies.
When Augustin asks they say The Brute is what they named him that because he was as big as the chieftain but looked stronger.
"He was very angry about us being here," the woman said, "not angry at us, but just for us being here. He and the chieftain were toe to toe loud croaking. Looked like an argument to me."
"At first we thought he was arguing that we should be killed and eaten right now," the man said. He was tall with long dark hair and a bedraggled, muddy beard. "But The Brute just ignored us, like he didn't want us there, like he thought it was a mistake. Maybe he didn't like the deal the chieftain made with the Iron Circle."
Through more questions you ascertain that The Brute was actually keen to not have the prisoners abused, and stopped other bullywugs from mistreating them, even though he obviously did not like the humans or want them there.
Esa asks when they last saw The Brute
They reply some hours ago, but The Brute didn't often come into the area where the cage was.
A couple of the ex-prisoners suggest the bullywugs didn't really know what to do with them, they were fed only a little and watered, and they weren't very kind, even cruel sometimes, but there had not been any suggestion they were going to be eaten and the bullywugs didn't seem to have a concept of slavery. Maybe the Iron Circle made an assumption about the bullywugs that wasn't true?
At this point a loud croak comes from outside the caves. This seems to provoke a reaction from the other bullywugs, who make lots of croaking sounds of their own and many of the frog creatures start doing their hopping run towards the cavern entrance.
Stryke will try and herd the chieftain outside but not let him run away and literally keep one eye on him while hoping the party folows
Esa tells the humans to stay behind the party and be quiet. She leaves Augustin a flies ahead, keeping behind a larger bullwug to obscure her presence from whatever lies ahead.
Outside the bullywugs are clustered around some new bullywug arrivals. A hulking bullywug - this must be the Brute the prisoners referred to - stands listening to the other bullywugs who came out of the cave mouth. It towers over the other bullywugs and holds a crudely made spear, in contrast to the human made spears that you've seen the other bullywugs use. The big bullywug is accompanied by two other bullywugs, also with crudely made spears, and a giant toad, about the size of a bullywug, which appears uninterested in events although that changes when it sees the party.
The huge bullywug sees the chief and hops/walks over. The toad makes to come with it, but the Brute turns and gives it a command and it stays put with the others but watches the party carefully, especially Esra.
The Brute and the chieftain have words, the Brute loud and the Chieftain quiet. The eyes of the Brute flick to the party on occasion. Then they finish and the Brute approaches the party. He touches a silver amulet on his neck and speaks a word. Then he starts croaking at you and you all find that even though he is still speaking bullywug, you can understand him.
"I am Uggloor of the Mud-Hide tribe, the tribe you have probably condemned to extinction. I name you Bringers of Death, but I do not blame you for we would do the same if our people were taken by yours. What do you want to leave us in peace?"
He waits for a response.
Stryke will revert out of wolf form into his normal form.
Team huddle time, I think we want information on the Iron Circle and what help the tribe gave to the Circle in exchange for the prisoners and why the tribe were approached, did they assist with the Circle gaining access to the town we had to flee from? I think we also want to know what will happen to the chieftain, do we want further retribution for the prisoners or will it face punishment for bringing the tribe into a dangerous agreement?
Finally, Stryke would not want the tribe extinct, can we negotiate something between the humans and tribe to ensure both can exist as neighbours even if not as friends?
“Surely slaying the ones we have would be enough of a lesson for the chieftain? I agree that we should try to create a pact between the humans and the tribe, though it may be tricky during these hostile times…the bullywugs may even be of aid to us against the Iron Circle”
Vakiel will not participate in persuasive conversations but can assist with any future intimidating :)