OOC: Damn, are we really that close to it?

Olive will go after Isabella before she gets too far from the rest. "Easy there, Iz! If you keep walking off, we might have to put you on a leash!" She chuckles.

Jove would like to cast that mean old detect magic on the statue, as a ritual if possible, when we get there, as well as read any text that is on it.

Bui speaks for the first time, staring calmly at Olive, his hands still crossed into his sleeves. His voice is quiet, monotone, but carries strength. "Does it not strike you as odd that four humans travel unarmed through the wilderness and yet live? They are a threat to us until they prove otherwise."

Abraxas does not see any reaction from the nomads at the suggestion of walking to the statue.

The air grows immediately cold within 120 feet of the Ice Basilisk. Up close you can see that it seems to be a massive carved statue of a snake, at least 240 feet long and 60 feet tall, entirely encased in ice. It is intricately detailed, and masterfully carved.

Jove begins a ritual to detect magic, but quickly notices that he is likely to be interrupted within 10 minutes. The goblins from the camp in the swamp have noticed your approach and are rushing toward you and the statue.

Harmony heard as the nomads wanted the statue destroyed but the pilgrims and goblins won't let them, the pilgrims thinking that it's a gift from their god and the goblins seeking power. She was surprised to hear from Abraxas that they may not need to visit the goblins due to the Ice Basilisk being between them and this camp, wanting to walk up and make their investigation. Then she heard the nomads respond to Olive about how the humans managed to survive out here despite not having weapons, believing that they must be just magic users then. Soon he asked if they were ready to go, nodding. "Yeah, I'm ready." Harmony had said back, soon taking the lead as they go towards the statue. They get there but she sees that the goblins are coming, knowing that she needs to cast Calm Emotions again. "We are simply looking over the statue, nothing more. We do not wish harm on you or the Ice Basilisk. Please, won't you at least listen to us calmly first?" she called out to them and once they got within range, she will cast Calm Emotions over all of them. This worked on the nomads, it should definitely work on these goblins hopefully.

Isabella whistles a happy tune as she pulls her shield onto her offhand then holds her blade and out. Her longsword unsheathes itself from her scabbard and floats to her waiting hand. She grasps it, twirls it with a flourish, then slices it downward and holds the blade pointing downward in a readied but at rest position while she raises her shield. She continues to whistle as the goblins approach, her eyes squinting trying to determine their intent.

insight : 18

Jove sighs. "It is never this easy, is it?"

He stands and is ready for battle. IF AND ONLY IF Harmony's calm emotions fails on the majority of them, he is going to use phantasmal force to cause a huge pillar of flames surrounding them on all sides. The illusion includes the ground below them turn completely clear revealing the face of a devil directly below them, shooting flames while they scramble around. (DC 15 Int Save for them)

HOWEVER, if calm emotions does work, Jove will shoot an eldritch blast at any of them that fail (up to 2). Eldritch blast attack. 16 and damage for 1st bolt 2 and the 2nd 4.

Crap. I only made one attack roll for the E blast. Here is the second attack roll. 27

(All these fancy casters and here's Olive, who only has a bow.)

Olive keeps her bow pointed towards the ground and loads an arrow.

Abraxas watches for any spell casters among the goblins. He plans to target them first, depending on how Harmony's calm emotions goes.

Harmony's spell washes over the goblins as they approach, but there is not much of a change to their demeanor. It quickly becomes apparent that the goblins on this world are unlike those that you are used to. Though they appear similar in color, with gnarled and slightly misshapen faces, they are much taller - the size of an elf at their smallest, just shorter than a human at their tallest. Six in total, the goblins speak much more fluent common that is typical of goblins on Toril. Though they carry jagged knives and javelins, none of their weapons are drawn.

"Lower your weapons," one says through crooked teeth. "If you want a fight we can give you one, but we're not here to kill you. We just noticed you gave a courtesy call to everyone here but us. What do you want with the statue?"

For Isabella:

For Abraxas:

Isabella sheathes her sword, her squint turning to a nonchalant smile. "Apologies. And I was just scolding the last group of humans for their lack of manners. Isabella, you can call me Iz if you prefer. We were sent to investigate. Don't know what we want with the statue with the exception that we're not from here and mysteriously appeared ourselves. Now I've shared... what do you want with the statue?"

"Obviously we want to..." the goblin looks to his companions, who pause and shrug. "Actually that is a very good question. It brought us here with visions, and we want whatever it is offering. This is as close as we have been able to get, thanks to those filthy humans," he spits on the ground, then his eyes dart between Jove and Olive. "No offense..."

"Anyway, whatever you said to them, they did not stop us from getting to you, so they clearly want us to fight each other, then finish off the scraps so they can have the statue's power for themselves. Let's make a deal, so that one of us can have it instead of them. We play a game of Skunkpaw Slap, one of you against one of us. The winner can have the statue and the loser has to leave. What do you say?" the goblin says, as a female goblin behind him holds out a deck of cards.

Iz barely takes a moment to consider. "Agreed! But first you'll explain to me the rules, and no cheating! We should play a game for you to teach us, and then best two out of three!" She nods to Roxy, who blinks at her dumbly. "And don't go being sore losers now."

A smirk crosses Jove's face. He does his best goblin impression, "No offense? Haha! You guys crack me up!"

He casts minor illusion and reaches over to his bicep. The illusion matches his movements as he appears to lift up his skin, revealing the same color and texture of the goblins before him. "I ain't no human. Neither is this one." He points at Olive. "But these disguises puts them slimebags at ease." He spits.

"Where I come from, we ain't never heard of no Skunkpaw Slap. I's from orc country. We play Snagtooth Smash. But maybe's it be similar? But I will warn ya, I was the runner up three years in a row before the homeland got fireballed by a dragon."

Abraxas is watching the statue, but listening to the conversation. He's not sure a game is the best way to decide whether or not they will get closer or not. On the other hand...

"While you all learn and teach the game," he says to the goblins and the party, "I'll check and see if the statue is worth playing for. Just wander a little closer and draw and map it. I can share what I find if you like." He shows everyone his pen and ink. "Perfectly harmless, I assure you."

While searching for paper in his bag, he also looks for his Boots of the Winterland, hoping they were packed. 

The goblins don't seem thrilled by Jove's explanation. "Orks aren't much better, if you ask me. But a deal's a deal, I guess. No tricks! We'll be keeping a close eye on you while they play," a goblin says, pointing at Abraxas.

Oli leans over to Jove. "I don't know if orks here are the same where you come from," he offers.

The goblin woman explains the card game. Requiring a straight face and when to time the slapping of the deck, the game is decided when all the cards end up in one player's hand. 

"Now, best two out of three it is. Which one of you will play?" the goblin asks Isabella.

For Abraxas:

Jove speaks to everyone using telepathy. "This seems to be a game about having the quickest hands. Who here has the best sleight of hand? My vote is they will play. The others can be quick on the draw if things go south"

Abraxas turns to walk toward the Ice Basilisk. He hopes to catch someone's eye, Olive perhaps, with a little more martial skill that he has, and then nod in the direction of the statue. He hopes to investigate it while the others play with the goblins.

Olive catches Abraxas' glance and shakes her head. She isn't too keen on leaving her friends behind with the Goblins.

Harmony was surprised as the goblins didn't noticeably change, confused and then realized that they are much more different compared to goblins back home as they got closer. She heard as they told them to drop their weapons and talking about how they are not here to kill them, having noticed that they gave a courtesy call to everyone but them and asking what they want with the statue. "Yeah, we are only here to investigate." she had said along with Isabella before listening to the goblins. Apparently the statue gave them visions, wondering what kind of visions they were and why it wanted the goblins to come to it. Then they talked about playing a game called Skunkpaw Slap one on one, the winner having the statue and the loser needing to leave. "Oh, a game? That sounds like fun! Yeah, we need to learn how to play it properly first." Harmony had said back, nodding and agreeing with Isabella again about explaining the rules and no cheating. She listened as the goblin woman explained the card game, thinking that it seems simple enough. Then she heard Jove in her head, thinking. 'I have pretty fast hands from all my dancing, posing, and instrument playing.' she had telepathically said back to him, smiling happily.

(OCC: +5 to Sleight of Hand)