Zorg's Lost Souls III

     Allowing the thoughts of daggers to disappear from his fingertips, Mulligan takes up the banjo instead and plays a quick little chords asking the grass where this invisible foe is.  He figures the plant life may not be all that educated but even a blade of grass should know if they are being stepped on or not.  Mulligan shares any information he gets this way via the Group Chat to try to help direct his friend's aim and other efforts?  And he will ask the plant life to make things difficult for said foe...

Action: Speak with Plants to ask the invisible dude's location and make the area around them difficult terrain...  30' range.  But I don't imagine they can make the terrain difficult only for the foe so the effect would affect anyone within 30' of Mulligan,

Rowan pops back up after shouldering the small attacker.

"You're the assassin," Rowan says, finding it easier to remember the faces of the puppets from the carnival than he is to actually remember what this real life assassin looks like. "Zarak. right? And Kelek, you said Kelek. He's your boss, right?"

Rather than trying to grapple this wiry little person, he again strikes out with his sword.

"Oh, and I think Charmay was one of them too," Rowan says after taking his first swing.

The idea of fighting puppets that have come to life overwhelms Rowan's emotional controls and he loses control as he attacks.

Bonus - Rage - Wild Surge - 1 - dark tendrils made of shadow burst forth around Rowan, but as he can't actual see his opponent, they lash about wildly without connecting - still Rowan does get 5 temporary HP.

Attack 1 - 19 to hit for (10+2 from rage) = 12 slashing

Attack 2 - 11 for (10+2) = 12 slashing

Barria is relieved that so far the malevolent little creature hasn't gotten away.  She hears Rowan spout things about puppets and whips her head towards her friend when he says a name she recognizes.  "Charmay?  She was a puppet?  At the carnival?  Weird...  I wonder if this one knows anything else."  

Instead of attacking it this time, she attempts to reach out and grapple it if she can.

(I know this is disadv and grappling rules seem to have changed, so just let me know what you want on discord!)

The invisible assassin's voice makes the dwarf and the elf turn and love toward it. At the same moment, in response to Mulligan's sudden banjo music (and presumably his voiceless plea to the local flora) the grass lengthens like an overgrown lawn, causing Barria and Rowan to slow as they are forced to wade through it. Barria reaches out, feeling the brush of the orc's clothing, and grabbing on to one sleeve, pulling the orc off-balance...

Rowan swings wildly, threatening to strike Barria if there is nothing else in the way... but there is something in the way... in fact, with Barria's pull, Zarak is much closer than Rowan realises, and instead of hitting the creature with the blade, he thumps him with his fists and the sword hilt. The mini-orc assassin materialises into view, and slumps down into the long grass, one arm twisting awkwardly as it is still in Barria's grip.

It's a chaotic and clumsy finish to the conflict, but Zarak is down, and after a brief check, it's clear that he is alive and unconscious.

Seeing the creature is unconscious, Barria lets go of his arm.  She then holds her palms up to Rowan, "Hang on!  I would like to hear more about these puppets and what is going on."  She opens her pack and sighs, "Anyone have any rope to tie up this little bugger?  I seem to have lost mine along the way."

Rowan, wide-eyed and breathing hard, stops and smiles when Barria brings up the puppets.

"It was a great puppet show," Rowan says, already sheeting his sword and returning to normal. And in one fluid movement, he pulls his own rope from his pack and helps Barria type up the mini orc.

"There was this League of Malevolence and they were pretty bad. Kelek was their wizard leader. I think this one we're trying up is Zarak, he's the assassin. Skylla was the witch but puppet Skylla looked a lot like Charmay. Then I think there was Warduke. He had a sword. And a necromancer. I can't remember their name - Ziggy, maybe Zaggy. No, no. I've got it now. Zargash."

He looks, down happy with the knots.

"They were after Iggwilv, but I think that's Zybilna. Or someone else. It's hard to keep straight. Maybe they helped the hags get rid of her." 

     Assuming the creature lives long enough, Mulligan digs though his pack and dumps out a variety of odd knick knacks - some stolen from the costume shop, some taken from Endelyn's bedroom, some one could only guess at - and eventually pulls out a set of manacles.

     Maybe better than a rope?

     That is questionable though as the manacles were indeed taken from the costume shop and may or may not actually be effective.  Either way, Mulligan certainly does not have a key to unlock them once they are secured so unless someone is good at picking locks...

(Cross post since I didn't refresh before I got to it so...)

     By the time Mulligan actually comes up with the manacles he finally notices Rowan has already produced a rope and set to applying it to their prisoner.

     Well then, I'll just save these for playtime then...

The lakeside scene returns to its former tranquility, marred only by some blood on the grass and the unconscious captive orc. Barria is hopeful that the unicorn will return, but after waiting for over an hour, it becomes increasingly unlikely that the glorious creature will be seen again. In due time, there is a groan and a stir from Zarak as he regains consciousness, struggles briefly against his bonds and then blearily looks around for his captors.

So, it's ransom then, is it? Kelek will pay a small fortune for me, you know...

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((Not that anyone probably needs it, but you can credit yourselves a short rest))

Disappointment settles on Barria as the unicorn doesn't return.  Wasn't she going to show them to Will?  Maybe it was because this ugly little guy was still here?  She hoped so.

Turning to him as he awakes, "Ransom?  Oh no, dearie.  Just some questions.  So you were one of the puppets at the carnival, yes?  How did you get here?  And what about your friend puppets?  Where did they all go?"

Puppets? Carnival? You've been eating fairy mushrooms, haven't ya? Zarak sneers derisively, but the look of genuine bewilderment is clear on his face... he has no idea what Barria is talking about. But the absurdity of the dwarf's questions seems to have loosened his tongue...

As fer the rest of us... Kelek and Warduke are still at the Palace, guardin' the cauldron, and keepin' and eye on Strongheart and Ringlerun. Zargash is out huntin' fer Molliver, who never showed up. And Skylla... we dunno where she went, but reckon the crazy ***** took off with the unicorn horn. So Kelek sent me to find another one.

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All these names stir up Rowan's memory of the carnival's puppet show once more...

Ringlerun. Strongheart. Molliver... Who were the other two? Oh yes: Mercion and Elkhorn, that's it...  The noble adventuring party knows as Valor's Call...

Names from bedtime stories... Fictional characters all the children in Rowan's village acted at (and Rowan would have too, if he'd been included) now being encountered in the flesh, like a dream come to life.

Kelek. Warduke. Zargash. Zarak. Skylla. The League of Malevolence, a group of evil-doers, pursuing Valor's Call, because their leader, Kelek, covets Ringlerun's magic staff.

((Here's the text from post #75 for reference))

Greg takes some time as the miniorc is sleeping to identify some of the golden gifted items if he has not done already. 

Once the creature wakes and Barria begins questioning, G'Reg is happy to let Barria take the lead, bit when word about the cauldron and it's situation comes up, the gnome can't help but to interject, "they're guarding the cauldron? at the palace? Tell me more about kelek and warduke..."

Rowan looks from Barria to Zarak and then back to Barria.

"Have you ever seen a puppet?" Rowan asks then he points back at Zarak. "That's not a puppet. He's little but definitely alive. The puppet show was about him and his evil friends league and the heroes they were after."

Rowan does his best to recount the entire play to the group. Then waits for the answers to Greg's questions.

     Mulligan... takes in all this chatter though me mostly doesn't understand it.  Rowan and his puppet talk is very headache inducing.  Though talk of a cauldron does stir up some memories.  When Skebatha mentioned a cauldron there was a vivid picture in her head, a large golden cauldron with a shadowy figure, as if silhouetted out, near it.  That blank figure had brought Mulligan's mind to the woman with white hair, the one he saw / dreamt / imagine in the Brigganock cave.  She was trapped, somehow.  She wanted him to rescue her..

     So yeah, at the mention of the cauldron Mulligan too perks up and starts paying more attention, though he is quieter about it than the g'nome...

Kelek... well he’s the thinkin’ one. Always got a plan, always schemin’. Warduke... he just swings his flamin' blade and does what he’s told.

Under Barria's watchful eye, Zarak squirms around until he is in a seated position. Whether the little orc is just extremely chatty, or whether he has an ulterior purpose, he begins to explain the reason for his presence in Prismeer...

Kelek knew them V.C. lot were plannin' to come here and see Queen Zybilna about somethin'. Said he had some kinda blackmail he could use on the Queen… somethin’ she didn’t want known. Said in return he would get her to hand over Ringlerun’s staff nice and easy. But the hags... yeah, them three... they caught wind of the plan. Slithered in, all smiles and promises, even before we could meet the Queen. Said they’d help get the staff.

Heh. “Help.” Yeah right! So many things went wrong. Mercion shows up first, all alone. That weren’t the plan. Hags didn’t like that, so they took her out real quick.

Then eventually the rest of 'em show up... well, three of em... not Molliver. We figured we’d wait, let the hags do their bit, get the staff, then clear out. Didn’t go that way. Turned messy. Fight broke out. Steel, spells, shouting... whole place went mad.

Then: nothing. Next thing I know, everything's quiet, and everyone in the castle is frozen. Like statues. That was the hags’ trick. Their plan the whole time. Use the fight to distract the Queen, then bam! some kinda witch-cauldron magic to freeze everyone... the whole palace in one go. They used a unicorn horn to thaw out me and the rest of the League. One of the hags, Skabbie, I think, she took a likin’ to Elkhorn and unfroze him too. Kept him for a pet or slave or somethin'.

Kelek weren’t happy. Not one bit. Told ‘em to wake Ringlerun and hand over the staff like they promised. But the hags? Pfft. Too busy bickerin’ and snarlin’ over who gets the cauldron. Like dogs over a bone.

And then... Hah! They go and lose the horn. Just like that. Gone. Now they can’t unfreeze no one. Not the Queen, not Ringlerun, not nobody. Can't use the cauldron to do it neither.

Ringlerun... he's still frozen. Strongheart too. Queen as well, and everyone else what lives in the palace. Mercion dead. Elkhorn chained up somewhere. Skylla gone... I’d wager my blade she stole the horn. Molliver never came, so Zargash went lookin’ for her. Hags are sniffin’ around for the horn. Everyone’s scramblin’. Kelek sent me out to find another horn. Said we don’t need the hags if we got our own way to break the freeze.

So that’s what I’m doin’. Or… was. But hey! I know the way to the Castle. I can help you get there, if you untie me...

     So who?  What?  Was there?

     Mulligan is trying to follow this all but not really knowing any of the players he finds the whole jumble a mess.

     So did the hags freeze the Valor people or the Malevolence ones?  Or both?  And is Zybilna frozen as well?  And just where are all these frozen people?

Rowan nods along.

"Sounds like they froze everyone. Zybilna is the Queen. I hope she can fix all this mess if we unfreeze her." Rowan says then pauses. "What happened to unicorn they got the horn from? Is he still alive?"

Rowan mulls over how many people and creatures they need to rescue. He was starting to wish he had the habit of writing things down more.

"Do you know a Wild Will, or Will of the Wild, or somebody named Will you might be wild? He lives around here somewhere?"

Greg paces, and thinks. Thinks, and paces... "You allegiance is to kelek and your group, but it seems you are simultaneously both working for, and against the hags." Greg paces right up to the miniorc, looking him in the face and making sure the orc can read the seriousness of the truth he is about to speak. "Listen, it is important that you remember this so you can tell kelek. You should be working against the hags, they used you and then betrayed you, one of them stole the horn. For all of the bickering amongst themselves, those three hags were never going to give your group what you wanted, because that is what they do. They cannot even trust eachother and they are siblings. You, Kelek, Warduke and the rest of your band, you are nothing to them. Less than nothing and they will keep treating you as such, using you and betraying you for as long as you let them. Just like they do to one another. Their alliance right now is unstable and rests on the fact that each of them cannot take the power of the cauldron whilst the others live. The only way to get the horn back is to draw out the one who has it. By taking the power from the others. Once all of them have nothing left to lose they'll make a play for the cauldron, where I assume kelek and warduke will be waiting, right? Be clever, find the rest of your group, focus on destabilising the hags seats of power in whatever way you can, Kelek will be impressed by your bravery and smarts hm? Your other option is to keep trying to steal Lamora's horn, for this we will kill you and kelek will be most disappointed. So what is it to be?"

Mulligan

 ALL

Zarak just shrugs at the question of the fate of the male unicorn. Regarding the mention of Will of the Wild, however, Zarak's head snaps up and his eyes narrow.

That kid that lives in a tree? Maybe I do... I can take you there, if you let me go afterwards.

Hearing this, it occurs to Barria that this encounter with Zarak might qualify as the final 'milestone' in their directions... to 'speak with the invisible'. Maybe they don't need to seek Grandfather Gum after all. Perhaps, in fey logic, there is more than one true path to a goal.

Then Greg pushes in and faces off with the assassin. Zarak looks startled at first to see the little gnome get so serious, but after a few moments, the orc's eyes narrow once more and he listens with suspicion. When Greg is finally done, Zarak replies:

Pfft. You'd get along well with Kelek. Thinkin' and talkin'. Talkin' and thinkin'. Too much thinkin' for me. Besides, what do I care if things go pear-shaped? Kelek pays me to solve his problems. More problems, more pay. And I reckon havin' three hags arguin' is better than one in control... more likely to get somethin' out of 'em this way.

Then, with undisguised look of hunger, Zarak changes tack:

Tell you what, I'll leave the unicorn alone, if I can get compensated. So tell me... where'd you get them pretty gold shoes...?

Whether the rogue has seen the other gold items or not, he must have caught a glimpse of the boots at least.

     Mulligan notices attempts to communicate and rolls his eyes.  Being a step or two behind the others in his group, Mulligan makes an exaggerated shrug and then uses his hands to kind of bring attention to his drab manner of dress and style.  A kind of pantomimed "Duh, what do you think?"  With a subtle flick of a wrist and a specific flashing of finger formations Mulligan also gives a "yes" in the cant of those who walk the more backroads and hidden trails. 

     I myself find it easier to communicate this way, however.

     Mulligan says this through a direct mental connection with the orcling and does not share it over the Group Chat.  Yet.

     Going silent for a bit, I think they want to talk to me.

     Mulligan tells the Group Chat that and then the connection with the others is lost.  They don't notice a difference.  Not really.  The sensation is similar to that of realizing your hiccups are done.  It's awareness by omission.  Mulligan then sets up a new Group Chat between himself and this Zarak alone that will last up to 5 hours, though he cannot imagine himself maintaining it that long.

     Alright, now we can talk directly to one another mentally like this.  No others can overhear.  All you have to do is think your words to me.

     To himself Mulligan thinks he really must find a way to cover up his new boots.  They are mighty comfortable, surprisingly, and the way the muffle each footfall surely will be advantageous in the future...  But silence is only really golden if every flicker of light doesn't bounce off the shiny thief trying to sneak around in very obvious and eye catching footwear.

     Nibs made the boots.  And plenty more for us besides.  All of gold, all free of charge.  I'm sure he'd make you whatever you wished.  I could direct you to him.  IF, of course, you answer our questions the best you can.  And if you promise not to harm Nibs.  There's really no need.  He offers his services free to all.  Still, I would need your word.

Rowan can't help himself and starts to immediately look up into trees all around them to see if anyone who could be Will is living in one. He decides mid scan that he probably doesn't need to restrict it to anyone that could be Will, since all he has to go on is that Will lives in a tree so if there's someone living in a tree then it's probably Will. So, Rowan goes to looking at the trees to see if anyone is living in them.

"Will? Hello?" Rowan calls out.

He tries listening to Greg's discussion and nods along at points he thinks it makes sense to nod along at though he's not sure if gets that right as he's not keeping all the names that straight.

He also takes a look back to see if the lake is still here even though the unicorn has left.