Quote from LaRue >>

"Your nana is quite apt!" Sir Garamon puffs his chest out some more. "It is quite wise of you to come to me, the great and only Sir Garamon, with your question. Of course, I don't think you should chase geese. I have fought many terrifying creatures, but those ducks are quite scary! No, I think you should ride a pegasus to the Skysovereign. I think that would be best!"

"Did you say duck?" Merrick asks excitedly. He is beginning to really like Sir Garamon. "You know, it's really nice, and I mean really nice to finally meet someone that gives ducks the respect they deserve! What other animal is as majestic, and as fierce, in the three realms? Land, air, and water? I have a feeling that even on ice, nobody beats the mighty ducks!"

"Look, I don't usually show people this, but I have a good feeling about you," confides Merrick earnestly. He pulls out his silver duck figurine and shows it proudly to the knight. "Isn't it beautiful?"

Sir Garamon nods solemnly at the king as he draws his not-very-shiny blade. Actually, the sword is elegant around the hilt. There is a complex pattern that features what looks like gold rings overlapping, but it's hard to see the whole design due to Garamon's hand. Something about its design tickles Muireach's brain. Maybe he's seen something like it before? 

"Please do not judge me for using such a simple weapon!" Sir Garamon cries as he steps forward and takes a swing at Muireach. (Attack: 20) "I am trying very hard to be the best knight, you see, and sometimes I have to mow the lawn instead of polishing my weapon..." He is definitely making excuses. He swings one more time. (Attack: 13)

With each blow that lands, Sir Garamon is not trying to harm Muireach. Instead, he seems to be trying to show off any fancy footwork.

(Oh my god, I missed this. So, before the fight. Garamon...)

"Ducks are incredible creatures, yes. They are truly a beauty and a scourge..." Sir Garamon nods with approval. Once the silver duck comes out, you can practically see eyeballs pop out of his helmet. "Egads! That is magnificent!"

Dyoken remains, for now, with Urich, still a bit untrusting. As the sound of blades and armor emerge outside, he feels a tug of excitement. He remains standing, yet distracted, for the moment.

Muireach is taken aback by Garamon’s speed, only barely managing to bring up his blade to prevent the strike. If this was a real battle, Muireach would have a sword in his side. He doesn’t dare underestimate the knight’s next swing as he steps back quickly, avoiding the blow.

”Garamon, forgive me for underestimating you. I will be certain to come at you with my full strength.”

Muireach swings at him with the blunt of his blade, 23, and then, as he flips the blade, swings with the other end, 13.

"Hey, what are you two doing?" exclaims Merrick, just now noticing that everyone has their weapons drawn. "Are you crazy? Why are you fighting? We have to find a pegasus now!"

“Sparring, Merrick. It’s a sign of respect between heroes.”

Merrick sighs, exasperated. "Okay hurry up and get on with it. We have a pegasus to find!"

In danger of boredom already, Merrick starts looking around the courtyard for any interesting items or crawlspaces.

Luthok follows Urich into the laboratory to make sure Vivi doesn't get into any trouble. The moment Dyoken changes his body language, at the beginning of the fight, he tugs in the large mans clothing. "Go outside and play with the Ricks. You don't have to stay inside all day, I can take care of myself AND Vivi." 

"Well, I don't imagine she'd like everyone she knows coming along either. I'll wait out here." He says indicating the entryway.

Dyoken slips over to the porch to watch the fight, gauging the strengths and weaknesses of the pair. (Perception: 17)

Muireach's first blow manages to strike the side of the knight's body. "What a fine swing!" Sir Garamon praises as he brings his blade up in time to deflect the second attack. "A worthy challenger!"

"Ah yes, the pegasus! Such a wonderous creature!" Sir Garamon muses as he strikes toward Muireach again. (Attack: 11) "The one I rode was white with white hair. I named it Daisy!" He laughs heartily as he goes to strike Muireach's low inside - the waist. (Attack: 18)

From what DK can tell, it would appear that Muireach and Garamon are evenly matched for the most part. It is possible, however, that the knight hasn't displayed his full potential. He may have a card up his sleeve.

Urich chuckles as he leads Luthok and Vivi through the next room deeper into his tower. They see there a hearth, but not much else. He takes Luthok and Vivi through an archway and up a spiral staircase that is molded into the center of his tower.

"So you guys found some trouble, huh?" Urich speaks. It sounds like he is making small talk. "Not everyday you run into the daughter of death." 

They all pass the second floor completely, only seeing a glimpse of bare, dusty floors.

"Hey... I think I recognize you," Urich looks back at the dwarf as they climb the stairs and spill out onto the third floor. "Aintcha that mushroom man everyone is scared of? Ol' Oozebeard who gobbles up the bad children?"

Finally, Luthok and Vivi are in his lab, or so he calls it. They first see a desk with various papers, books, and scrolls scattered about. He leads them through a circle that shows small cages, only big enough to contain things like small birds, critters, and maybe small cats or dogs. The most interesting stuff you see on this floor are two large glass tanks. They are filled with a putrid green liquid. The smell probably doesn't bother Luthok or Vivi.

"Welp, if you don't mind, please disrobe enough for me to see the mark again." Urich goes to a small desk nearby. He seems to search through it.

Vivi looks to Luthok for approval. 

Map:

Muireach weaves around the first strike, but only just manages to brace himself as the blow strikes him. He flips off from Garamon. “Really? That seems like something that you would keep...” Muireach spins the blade once more and, in a flash, strikes both sides almost simultaneously, 16 and 27! 

"I wanted to keep it, but-" Garamon parried the first blow, however, left himself wide open as his voice seemed to become a bit sad. 

Muireach's follow-up attack caused Garamon's armor to ring like a gong. The knight vibrated in place as the sound seemed to echo from inside the suit of armor. "N-n-n-n-n-i-i-i-i-c-c-c-c-e-e-e-" still vibrating, Sir Garamon lunges forward and makes two quick strikes. (attack: 23, attack 2: 12)

Muireach is struck by his blow mid-swing causing the blunt of his blade to strike right into Garamon’s helmet. Muireach shakes his hand as he recovers, “Bah... bee stings... ouch...”

"Ha! Excelent shot!" DK calls out clapping his hands after Muireach's exceptional strike. "Leave some for the rest of us, eh." Then Muireach follows up with a clumsy, awkward maneuver and the clapping ends abruptly.

Luthok ignores the remark about trouble, he only rolls his eyes at him. When Urich mentions Luthok being the boogeyman of Shepherds Crossing he snorts. "Pff, it was one time, and i didn't eat her, only threatened to if she kept rummaging through my back yard." He contintues to follow Urich through his house eyeing the cages as they walk by. 

"Oy strange'un, what are those cages for? Experimenting on mice?"

Vivi gets a silent nod of approval from Luthok when she looks to him.

"Ugh, kids, am I right? Always trying to nose through your things and making weird rumors." Urich shakes his head. 

Urich seems to pocket some stuff and throws everything off the table. He gestures for Vivi to lay on it. "On the table with your back up, please." Urich keeps looking away from you both. Vivi obeys. "Yeah. I experiment with animals. Mostly the raising part. I don't kill anything. Unless you count making undead dead again 'killing.'

"'Course that don't stop the rumors from happenin'. You gobble up the kids, and I gobble up the cats. So it goes." Vivi lays on the table on her belly. Luthok is thankful she apparently wears shorts under that dress. Urich turns and pulls out a pair of sewing scissors and starts laying what looks like a blue gem on Vivi's mark. "What do you druidic types do anyway? I imagine you can't like what I do, but I try not to judge."

Muireach's latest swing causes a large crack to form on the top of Garamon's helm. "Clever. Very clever..." Sir Garamon announces in a whispery voice. The crack begins to split the helm in two. "Honorable hero... You must be anxious to behold my beautiful and glorious face. Well, the wait is over-!"

The helm bursts open at the seam Muireach created entirely on accident and lands on the ground in two pieces. What's left shocks you to your core?

A bleached skull rests on the shoulders of Sir Garamon. It would appear that he is, in fact, an undead. A skeleton to be exact. Somehow his face is emoting as you can see his eyebrow bone is raised, though that seems hardly possible. Also, you note, that you have all fought skeletons before. None of them have ever spoken to you. 

"It would appear that I, too, shouldn't hold back!" Sir Garamon levels his sword at Muireach. You can see his neck bone. His speech must be magical somehow. "So I'm going to hold back now and let you show me what you've got, nyeh heh heh!"

(Reference below. BGM: I am the worst DM.)

Luthok looks upon Urich with a newfound respect. "I KNOW! CHILDREN ARE AWFUL! Finally someone that understands." The moment Vivi lifts up her skirt Luthok lets out a relieved sigh as he notices her shorts. He watches closely as the wizard does his business with the mark. 

"Well, we mostly take care of nature, and we.." Luthok looks over to the cages to see if there are any cadavers or bones left in them. "well.. experiment a little less than you arcany ones. I myself am a little different than most druids, this mushroom 'ere.. " Luthok flicks one huge lump of goo over at the glass vials in the corner, it sticks to the glass. "It's a part of me now, it's a blessing and a curse really, i can sense some necromantic energies emanating from them, but not enough to kill me." Luthok seems glad to finally have someone that understand the pain of having rumorus spread about them to talk to and observes the wizard dispelling Vivis magic with great interest. He realises he hasn't said anything to Vivi yet..

"You alright there lassie? Does it hurt ye'?"

Quote from LaRue >>

Muireach's latest swing causes a large crack to form on the top of Garamon's helm. "Clever. Very clever..." Sir Garamon announces in a whispery voice. The crack begins to split the helm in two. "Honorable hero... You must be anxious to behold my beautiful and glorious face. Well, the wait is over-!"

The helm bursts open at the seam Muireach created entirely on accident and lands on the ground in two pieces. What's left shocks you to your core?

A bleached skull rests on the shoulders of Sir Garamon. It would appear that he is, in fact, an undead. A skeleton to be exact. Somehow his face is emoting as you can see his eyebrow bone is raised, though that seems hardly possible. Also, you note, that you have all fought skeletons before. None of them have ever spoken to you. 

"It would appear that I, too, shouldn't hold back!" Sir Garamon levels his sword at Muireach. You can see his neck bone. His speech must be magical somehow. "So I'm going to hold back now and let you show me what you've got, nyeh heh heh!"

(Reference below. BGM: I am the worst DM.)

Yes. Yes. I am going there. I literally cannot resist.

 Muireach just stares at Garamon for a moment, “I was not ready for today...” However, not one to be outdone Muireach leaps toward Garamon and spins the blade beneath him, 8 and 13.

"Woah, that's impressive." Urich grins at the fleck. "I might have to study any spare spores you have. A symbiotic relationship with a fungi... yea, I'd say you're a bit different from the tree-huggers by the gardens."

Luthok is able to see thin, shimmering strings as Urich runs some fingers by the mark. He sees the gnome shiver, remembering that touching the mark was an unpleasant experience. Soon Urich seems to be playing Cat's Cradle with these magical strings.

"It doesn't hurt," Vivi nudges her head in a short shake. One look at her face reveals puffed up cheeks. She's turning red. "Nnn. It. It tickles." 

"I'm glad someone's having fun, cause this feels awful." Urich chuckles as he carefully snips a couple strings with his scissors. "Not much longer now, promise."

"I see that my unparalleled handsomeness has stunned you," Sir Garamon teases as he blocks each strike with a flick of his wrist. "Do not be alarmed that your heart is pulsing. My visage has made many a lady swoon!

"Enough idle prattle. Let me show you my special abilities!" The skeletal knight raises a hand and shouts, "Behold! My bone attack!"

Three bones, which if you were Luthok you'd know were shaped like a humerus, appear over his head and fly toward Muireach. They all strike true! (Damage 1: 4 Damage 2: 4 Damage 3: 3 force) 

Meanwhile... Merrick has wandered into Urich's house. Without someone to watch him, he is looking for fun and secrets! There was that chest in the waiting room from earlier. A preliminary look reveals that it isn't locked. 

Will Merrick peek?