Carl stays where he is, pulling out his carved owl, working on it a little further. Every now and again he glances up at Auriel and Hildigrim. He sends Squirt Mudbottom closer to them, nearby in order to act if necessary, if the sending stone can be passed off and run out of there by the servant.
He smiles and adds, "So, are you waiting for your boss? I take it the negotiations are going well?"He gestures toward the stone. "I suppose someone's been keeping you informed through that," he remarks, even though he already knows it's not the case.
"Uh...yeah, that's right," Sharrak's left head says.
"Something troubling about the negotiations?" He takes a step, casually adjusting his position to cut off an easy retreat toward the cult's camp. "If there's a problem, perhaps we can help."
"No, sod off," the right head says, frowning at Hildigrim while the left head looks behind itself toward Jeralla's camp. "Jeralla can handle things. You should leave your boss to handle things too."
The left head whips back to the conversation and responds, "We should be going now. Thank you for the offer."
"Why the rush?" Auriel adresses Sharrak's left head, as his hand clamps down on his shoulder—not gently, but with quiet insistence. The paladin's grip is firm, meant to still rather than steady."Pray tell, what is going on? What were they telling you through that stone?"
Hildigrim can't help himself. He peers at Sharrak like a scientist presented with an entirely new specimen.
"I'm sorry, but what exactly are you? The only two-headed humanoids I'm familiar with are ettins, but you are clearly not an ettin. Are you part ettin? Perhaps a grandparent?"
His eyes narrow in thought as he continues, tilting his head. "Or is it something else? A magical mutation, maybe? Some kind of alchemical experiment gone right — or wrong? You don’t have the brutish proportions of an ettin, which suggests something more refined. Are both heads of the same mind, or do you argue with yourself? And do you see independently, or is your vision shared?"
He takes another step closer, adjusting his glasses. "Fascinating. Are you a unique case, or is there a whole family of — well, whatever you are?"
"Pray tell, what is going on? What were they telling you through that stone?"
"Oh, this?" the left head says sheepishly, holding up the stone, then moving it behind its back. "Nothing!" the right head shouts. "It's none of your business!"
"Fascinating. Are you a unique case, or is there a whole family of — well, whatever you are?"
"I'm a kobold," the left head says when Hildigrim finishes his line of questioning. "I'm special, I think. I don't know any more like me."
"I'm far more than a kobold," the right head retorts, sneering at Hildigrim. "I bet you wish you had two heads."
Hildigrim’s head jerks backward as his face opens in surprise and wonder. Did he wish he had two heads? What an interesting proposition.
The practical benefits alone are staggering. One head could sleep while the other keeps watch — imagine the productivity! He could read two books at the same time, cross-referencing theories at double the speed. And if each head had independent vocal control, he could hold debates with himself! No more waiting for an opponent intelligent enough to keep up — he could play out entire philosophical arguments in real time, refining his reasoning with each exchange.
Of course, there would be challenges. Would both heads experience hunger separately? That could be a bother, requiring twice the food budget. And what of personal disagreements? Would one head insist on extra sugar in his tea while the other preferred it black? Would they bicker over the optimal trajectory of an arrow shot? A catastrophe in battle — if they couldn't agree on a course of action, paralysis could set in!
Then there’s the question of perception. Would two sets of eyes grant a wider field of view? Could one head focus on a chessboard while the other scanned for threats? But if their vision overlapped too much, might it cause unbearable sensory confusion? What if one head were nearsighted and the other farsighted — would that create a bizarre sort of equilibrium?
Hildigrim’s mind races faster. What about memory? Would they share the same thoughts, or would each head store knowledge separately? If the latter, he’d have to develop a system for cataloging what each side had learned. Maybe a running dialogue — "Right head, did you catch that detail about the Zhentarim’s smuggling routes?" "Left head, don’t forget to note down the enemy’s escape patterns!" Oh, and what about dreams? Would they dream separately? If so, could they compare dreams? An endless source of bedtime entertainment!
But what if something tragic happened — what if one head suffered a grievous wound? Would it simply fall limp while the other continued? Or worse — what if one head died while the other remained alive, forced to carry a lifeless twin? A shudder runs down his spine. No, no, best not to dwell on that possibility.
Still, the advantages are compelling. Could a wizard achieve such a thing? A polymorph spell gone terribly right? Maybe there are spells that can split awareness between multiple bodies? The astral projection of the mind into two forms at once? That’s an idea worth researching.
Then he stops, blinking rapidly.
He clears his throat and smooths his cloak, bringing himself back to reality, though his fingers still twitch with the urge to take notes.
Auriel is watching Sharrak intently, but the moment the kobold tells Hildigrim about having two heads—and a long silence follows—the eladrin turns to his companion. What the hell? Is he actually considering all the implications of having two heads? Judging by the halfling's distant expression, he just might be.
Dumbfounded, Auriel snaps his fingers in front of Hildigrim and exclaims, "Hey! Can I get some focus here?"
Then, turning back to the dual-headed kobold, his patience visibly fraying, the paladin snaps, "Look, friend. Whether the negotiations are going well or not is my business. Is anything threatening them? Speak now, for your own good. Neither of your heads are going anywhere until I get a satisfactory answer."
Hildigrim glances up at Auriel, then back at Sharrak. With a practiced motion, he adjusts his glasses up his narrow nose, clearing his throat as if resetting his thoughts.
"Right," he says, half-processing Auriel’s words — until they replay in his mind. Then, with more conviction: "Right."
Deciding now is no time for subtlety, he fixes one of Sharrak’s heads with an inquisitive look. "And just so we're clear — are you calling Jeralla a heretic, or is there someone else you have in mind?" His gaze shifts to the other head. "Or … minds."
From somewhere beneath his voluminous cloak, the Watcher produces his rapier, angling the tip into the dirt. He extends his arm forward, letting his hand drape lazily over the hilt — relaxed in posture, but not in intent.
"Look, friend. Whether the negotiations are going well or not is my business. Is anything threatening them? Speak now, for your own good. Neither of your heads are going anywhere until I get a satisfactory answer."
"And just so we're clear — are you calling Jeralla a heretic, or is there someone else you have in mind?" His gaze shifts to the other head. "Or … minds."
"Threatening them? No, no," Sharrak's left head says, flapping its wings. His right head snorts derisively. "Unless it's you that threatens them," it says.
His left head cocks its head curiously. "Heretic? Oh, you must have misheard me. Jeralla is our leader, she is no heretic!" His right head immediately disagrees, "Yes, she's a heretic! She cares not for the Claws, only for herself!" Despite its initial insistence, the left head of the winged kobold quickly adds, "You don't like Jeralla? I will serve as your spy, yes? You want to defeat her?"
Hildigrim amends his earlier musings on the pros and cons of possessing two heads. On reflection, it’s definitely not a good idea.
He regards both of Sharrak’s heads in turn before drawing a breath and pressing forward.
“We hold no allegiance to either camp,” he admits, his tone measured. “We escorted one of Krulek’s people here, yes — but we’re not with Krulek.”
He glances around, as if checking for prying eyes or stray ears. Then, leaning in slightly, voice low with professional curiosity, he adds, “Are you planning to double-cross her?”
Carl inches closer, his unseen servant standing nearby the group as they talk. Carl keeps whittling on his owl, trying to play it casual, but not tooo casual. He glances over from time to time, trying to make out what is happening.
Auriel is not sure they can trust Sharrak in the slightest, but as Hildigrim questions him, he adds his own.
"Who else thinks Jeralla is a heretic? More of her kobolds? Or do you mean the one that was whispering into your ear — ears — through the stones? And what’s this about Jeralla having a monster, and a book that writes messages for her, hmm?"
He pauses, thinking for a moment, then says, "Look, I don't know if we can trust you — you seem awfully eager to betray your boss. But if you bring us her book, maybe we could."
"Jeralla is weak!" Sharrak's right head responds, seemingly unbothered by Carl's movement; at least, not any more bothered than he already seems. "But it is not a double-cross, no!" the left head interjects. The right head rolls its eyes. "What I mean is, I am not double-crossing her," it says.
"Who else thinks Jeralla is a heretic? More of her kobolds? Or do you mean the one that was whispering into your ear — ears — through the stones? And what’s this about Jeralla having a monster, and a book that writes messages for her, hmm?"
"No, just me!" the right head says, seemingly happy to take credit. "A monster?" the left head asks, before realizing, "Oh, yes! As big as a bear, with the head of an owl! Jeralla keeps it in a cage, and sets it loose when she raids the caravans!"
"Her book, yes, her book speaks and she speaks to her book," the left head continues.
"Look, I don't know if we can trust you — you seem awfully eager to betray your boss. But if you bring us her book, maybe we could."
"No, no, she keeps her book in her wagon! I can't get her book, she will know then that something is wrong. But you are sneaky, Ibet!" the left head says. The right head continues on, "Yeah, you can get her book if you want it. Up there," Sharrak points to a cave behind you and further up the cliff. "You can get around behind Jeralla's camp through there. Or cross the river, but then she might see you."
Auriel studies the cave Sharrak points to, quickly pondering their options. Would they have to climb, or was there another path? In any case, he doesn't waste long on this, and his gaze quickly drops to lock onto Sharrak’s left head—the one that seems a bit more agreeable.
"Hmm. Useful information, Sharrak,"Auriel says, voice low. "But tell me—what exactly are you planning to do while we search for the book?" A rhetorical question, of course. The paladin has no doubt the dual-headed kobold will run back to Jeralla's camp to sound the alarm.
He approaches Sharrak a bit more, and as he does that Auriel shoots a warning glance at Hildigrim. One that says: "We can't let him leave." Then, without hesitation, he steps forward and swings his halberd, aiming the flat of the blade at one of Sharrak's heads, making it clear that he inteds to knock him and not to kill him.
Hildigrim's face lights up at the mention of an owlbear, his mind already flipping through the pages of books long read — accounts of legendary beasts, fierce and majestic. He’s halfway through recalling a particularly vivid woodcut illustration when the whistle of Auriel’s halberd through the air snaps him back to the present.
He jumps back with a startled blink, hastily sidestepping so as not to get in Auriel’s way.
As Auriel suddenly swings, Hex is shocked for a moment and has a delayed reaction. She scrambles to get in front of them so that they run into her invisible body, hopefully slowing them down enough that the others might be able to catch him. She'd rather not have to break invisibility but if push comes to shove, she will.
Movement: Moving in front of Sharrack to try slow them down?
Action: If Hildigrim grapples them, she'll use the help action to give him advantage
Sharrak proves to be quite the slippery one, and both its heads seem to suddenly be in unison as Hildigrim closes in. Bumping into the invisible Hex slows him for only a moment, and before Hildigrim can grab hold of the winged creature, it takes to the sky in flight with a shriek. In a matter of seconds, the two-headed kobold is out of sight, disappearing among the foggy sky.
Hildigrim watches the two-headed creature vanish into the fog. With a sigh, he plants his hands on his narrow hips and gives his head a slow shake. "I really have to stop trying to tackle people."
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Carl stays where he is, pulling out his carved owl, working on it a little further. Every now and again he glances up at Auriel and Hildigrim. He sends Squirt Mudbottom closer to them, nearby in order to act if necessary, if the sending stone can be passed off and run out of there by the servant.
"Uh...yeah, that's right," Sharrak's left head says.
"No, sod off," the right head says, frowning at Hildigrim while the left head looks behind itself toward Jeralla's camp. "Jeralla can handle things. You should leave your boss to handle things too."
The left head whips back to the conversation and responds, "We should be going now. Thank you for the offer."
See my profile for all my PbP threads!
"Why the rush?" Auriel adresses Sharrak's left head, as his hand clamps down on his shoulder—not gently, but with quiet insistence. The paladin's grip is firm, meant to still rather than steady. "Pray tell, what is going on? What were they telling you through that stone?"
Diving deep to the surface ♫ Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren | Lyra | Jadzia
Hildigrim can't help himself. He peers at Sharrak like a scientist presented with an entirely new specimen.
"I'm sorry, but what exactly are you? The only two-headed humanoids I'm familiar with are ettins, but you are clearly not an ettin. Are you part ettin? Perhaps a grandparent?"
His eyes narrow in thought as he continues, tilting his head. "Or is it something else? A magical mutation, maybe? Some kind of alchemical experiment gone right — or wrong? You don’t have the brutish proportions of an ettin, which suggests something more refined. Are both heads of the same mind, or do you argue with yourself? And do you see independently, or is your vision shared?"
He takes another step closer, adjusting his glasses. "Fascinating. Are you a unique case, or is there a whole family of — well, whatever you are?"
"Oh, this?" the left head says sheepishly, holding up the stone, then moving it behind its back. "Nothing!" the right head shouts. "It's none of your business!"
"I'm a kobold," the left head says when Hildigrim finishes his line of questioning. "I'm special, I think. I don't know any more like me."
"I'm far more than a kobold," the right head retorts, sneering at Hildigrim. "I bet you wish you had two heads."
See my profile for all my PbP threads!
Hildigrim’s head jerks backward as his face opens in surprise and wonder. Did he wish he had two heads? What an interesting proposition.
The practical benefits alone are staggering. One head could sleep while the other keeps watch — imagine the productivity! He could read two books at the same time, cross-referencing theories at double the speed. And if each head had independent vocal control, he could hold debates with himself! No more waiting for an opponent intelligent enough to keep up — he could play out entire philosophical arguments in real time, refining his reasoning with each exchange.
Of course, there would be challenges. Would both heads experience hunger separately? That could be a bother, requiring twice the food budget. And what of personal disagreements? Would one head insist on extra sugar in his tea while the other preferred it black? Would they bicker over the optimal trajectory of an arrow shot? A catastrophe in battle — if they couldn't agree on a course of action, paralysis could set in!
Then there’s the question of perception. Would two sets of eyes grant a wider field of view? Could one head focus on a chessboard while the other scanned for threats? But if their vision overlapped too much, might it cause unbearable sensory confusion? What if one head were nearsighted and the other farsighted — would that create a bizarre sort of equilibrium?
Hildigrim’s mind races faster. What about memory? Would they share the same thoughts, or would each head store knowledge separately? If the latter, he’d have to develop a system for cataloging what each side had learned. Maybe a running dialogue — "Right head, did you catch that detail about the Zhentarim’s smuggling routes?" "Left head, don’t forget to note down the enemy’s escape patterns!" Oh, and what about dreams? Would they dream separately? If so, could they compare dreams? An endless source of bedtime entertainment!
But what if something tragic happened — what if one head suffered a grievous wound? Would it simply fall limp while the other continued? Or worse — what if one head died while the other remained alive, forced to carry a lifeless twin? A shudder runs down his spine. No, no, best not to dwell on that possibility.
Still, the advantages are compelling. Could a wizard achieve such a thing? A polymorph spell gone terribly right? Maybe there are spells that can split awareness between multiple bodies? The astral projection of the mind into two forms at once? That’s an idea worth researching.
Then he stops, blinking rapidly.
He clears his throat and smooths his cloak, bringing himself back to reality, though his fingers still twitch with the urge to take notes.
Auriel is watching Sharrak intently, but the moment the kobold tells Hildigrim about having two heads—and a long silence follows—the eladrin turns to his companion. What the hell? Is he actually considering all the implications of having two heads? Judging by the halfling's distant expression, he just might be.
Dumbfounded, Auriel snaps his fingers in front of Hildigrim and exclaims, "Hey! Can I get some focus here?"
Then, turning back to the dual-headed kobold, his patience visibly fraying, the paladin snaps, "Look, friend. Whether the negotiations are going well or not is my business. Is anything threatening them? Speak now, for your own good. Neither of your heads are going anywhere until I get a satisfactory answer."
Diving deep to the surface ♫ Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren | Lyra | Jadzia
Hildigrim glances up at Auriel, then back at Sharrak. With a practiced motion, he adjusts his glasses up his narrow nose, clearing his throat as if resetting his thoughts.
"Right," he says, half-processing Auriel’s words — until they replay in his mind. Then, with more conviction: "Right."
Deciding now is no time for subtlety, he fixes one of Sharrak’s heads with an inquisitive look. "And just so we're clear — are you calling Jeralla a heretic, or is there someone else you have in mind?" His gaze shifts to the other head. "Or … minds."
From somewhere beneath his voluminous cloak, the Watcher produces his rapier, angling the tip into the dirt. He extends his arm forward, letting his hand drape lazily over the hilt — relaxed in posture, but not in intent.
"Threatening them? No, no," Sharrak's left head says, flapping its wings. His right head snorts derisively. "Unless it's you that threatens them," it says.
His left head cocks its head curiously. "Heretic? Oh, you must have misheard me. Jeralla is our leader, she is no heretic!" His right head immediately disagrees, "Yes, she's a heretic! She cares not for the Claws, only for herself!" Despite its initial insistence, the left head of the winged kobold quickly adds, "You don't like Jeralla? I will serve as your spy, yes? You want to defeat her?"
See my profile for all my PbP threads!
Hildigrim amends his earlier musings on the pros and cons of possessing two heads. On reflection, it’s definitely not a good idea.
He regards both of Sharrak’s heads in turn before drawing a breath and pressing forward.
“We hold no allegiance to either camp,” he admits, his tone measured. “We escorted one of Krulek’s people here, yes — but we’re not with Krulek.”
He glances around, as if checking for prying eyes or stray ears. Then, leaning in slightly, voice low with professional curiosity, he adds, “Are you planning to double-cross her?”
Carl inches closer, his unseen servant standing nearby the group as they talk. Carl keeps whittling on his owl, trying to play it casual, but not tooo casual. He glances over from time to time, trying to make out what is happening.
Auriel is not sure they can trust Sharrak in the slightest, but as Hildigrim questions him, he adds his own.
"Who else thinks Jeralla is a heretic? More of her kobolds? Or do you mean the one that was whispering into your ear — ears — through the stones? And what’s this about Jeralla having a monster, and a book that writes messages for her, hmm?"
He pauses, thinking for a moment, then says, "Look, I don't know if we can trust you — you seem awfully eager to betray your boss. But if you bring us her book, maybe we could."
Diving deep to the surface ♫ Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren | Lyra | Jadzia
"Jeralla is weak!" Sharrak's right head responds, seemingly unbothered by Carl's movement; at least, not any more bothered than he already seems. "But it is not a double-cross, no!" the left head interjects. The right head rolls its eyes. "What I mean is, I am not double-crossing her," it says.
"No, just me!" the right head says, seemingly happy to take credit. "A monster?" the left head asks, before realizing, "Oh, yes! As big as a bear, with the head of an owl! Jeralla keeps it in a cage, and sets it loose when she raids the caravans!"
"Her book, yes, her book speaks and she speaks to her book," the left head continues.
"No, no, she keeps her book in her wagon! I can't get her book, she will know then that something is wrong. But you are sneaky, I bet!" the left head says. The right head continues on, "Yeah, you can get her book if you want it. Up there," Sharrak points to a cave behind you and further up the cliff. "You can get around behind Jeralla's camp through there. Or cross the river, but then she might see you."
See my profile for all my PbP threads!
Auriel studies the cave Sharrak points to, quickly pondering their options. Would they have to climb, or was there another path? In any case, he doesn't waste long on this, and his gaze quickly drops to lock onto Sharrak’s left head—the one that seems a bit more agreeable.
"Hmm. Useful information, Sharrak," Auriel says, voice low. "But tell me—what exactly are you planning to do while we search for the book?" A rhetorical question, of course. The paladin has no doubt the dual-headed kobold will run back to Jeralla's camp to sound the alarm.
He approaches Sharrak a bit more, and as he does that Auriel shoots a warning glance at Hildigrim. One that says: "We can't let him leave." Then, without hesitation, he steps forward and swings his halberd, aiming the flat of the blade at one of Sharrak's heads, making it clear that he inteds to knock him and not to kill him.
(Halberd to Hit: 10 / Damage: 9. Non lethal)
Diving deep to the surface ♫ Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren | Lyra | Jadzia
Hildigrim's face lights up at the mention of an owlbear, his mind already flipping through the pages of books long read — accounts of legendary beasts, fierce and majestic. He’s halfway through recalling a particularly vivid woodcut illustration when the whistle of Auriel’s halberd through the air snaps him back to the present.
He jumps back with a startled blink, hastily sidestepping so as not to get in Auriel’s way.
Sharrak shrieks at the sudden attack, diving quickly away from the brush to avoid the halberd.
OOC: Sharrak lost the initiative, so Hildigrim, Carlthuzad and Hex each have a chance to act if they would like.
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Hold action: If Sharrak comes within melee (fleeing), Hildigrim will attempt to grapple them.
As Auriel suddenly swings, Hex is shocked for a moment and has a delayed reaction. She scrambles to get in front of them so that they run into her invisible body, hopefully slowing them down enough that the others might be able to catch him. She'd rather not have to break invisibility but if push comes to shove, she will.
Movement: Moving in front of Sharrack to try slow them down?
Action: If Hildigrim grapples them, she'll use the help action to give him advantage
Sharrak proves to be quite the slippery one, and both its heads seem to suddenly be in unison as Hildigrim closes in. Bumping into the invisible Hex slows him for only a moment, and before Hildigrim can grab hold of the winged creature, it takes to the sky in flight with a shriek. In a matter of seconds, the two-headed kobold is out of sight, disappearing among the foggy sky.
See my profile for all my PbP threads!
Hildigrim watches the two-headed creature vanish into the fog. With a sigh, he plants his hands on his narrow hips and gives his head a slow shake. "I really have to stop trying to tackle people."