"You welcomed us with open arms and have been a great help so far, young one. I, for one, have come to like you."
"It must be strange having someone who is no longer in his mind where you once lived."
"Perhaps another time." She says as she puts the rock in her pocket. "It may seem odd, but we would like to try and speak with him. We only have an idea of what he's saying, from other people who ignore him because he lost his mind. We think we can get more from the lunaman since we are more willing to listen."
"Thank you kindly little one." says Graxx as he slips the rock into his pack.
Graxx taps his head with his finger.
"My grandmother used to tell me this here noggin is like any other muscle and sometimes I can get hurt and not work right. This might be what's happenin' to this feller. I'd like to have a minute to talk to him without rocks." says Graxx.
"Biscuit sure does. As for me, welllll... ya haven't given me much of a reason NOT to like ya. So, sure. I like ya." Doozey confirmed along the way, and Biscuit, if only because he heard his name perhaps, barks in apparent agreement. Once he reaches the house and sees its state, the halfling cannot help looking at Elisande in a new light. "Oh... eh, thanks for the rock, but uh... What they said. Or at least, the rest of ya can handle that part, yah. And I'll keep our friend here company."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Answering Utar's question about rock-throwing, Elisande shrugs: "Aye, all de kids do. It's fun 'nd he almost n'ver complains." She follows that up with a response to the cleric's second question: "Over dere," she points at another hut.
As Neya, Graxx, and Doozey shower her with understanding and affection, she becomes more agreeable to not throwing rocks. Instead, she tries to talk to the man sitting on the ground. She shows a warm smile and even seems to get a bit red on the cheeks. You all get the impression she is not shown affection very often.
Utar: Isn't the Chill Fever just a severe case of the flu that goes untreated and may cause death? Or was that Cold Sweats? Regardless, many different ailments are referred to as Chill Fever by the common folk. Which one might have killed Elisande's parents is anyone's guess.
Now knowing that the party wants to talk to the lunaman, Elisande tries to be helpful and start a conversation: "Oy, lunaman, 'member when dat cabbage washed ashore? I brought ye a piece. T'was yucky, but I knew ye were hungry like me..... so... sorry I threw rocks at ye...."
The man shifts his weight on the ground and looks up. His gaze crosses those of the other adults in the room. He mutters: "The eyes of the dracolich are upon you."
"This one is speaking in complete sentences. That is a quite an improvement, comparing Yip's condition." Neya says as she's assessing this new witness.
She then directs a question to him, "What do you mean? Is a dracolich watching us from afar?"
"Very good, Elis. Very, very good. Even if one is a bit strange, if'n ya do harm, 'nd not mean ill will by it, it's always good to apologize." Doozey says brightly, patting Elisande on the shoulder. Biscuit, meanwhile, had taken to squeeze -- or at least trying to -- slip past the others to start sniffing at the man all over. Though this gets raised brow from the halfling, he holds off on pulling the dog back until either the man starts to look hostile, or the oversized body of the beast risks destroying the hovel further than it already is.
(@Lerus: Same deal as with the girl. His sniffing to see if there's anything particularly off putting about the man.)
Elisande did not actually point to a specific hut when telling you where she lived. She was looking at the ground while responding, and you also noticed that she was quite brief in her response. That was the first time she wast brief since you met her.
"Thank ye!" Elisande answers Doozey. "I like Elis," she smiles and continues: "It reminds me of dat one time Warsh traded for beans. I stole some and he yelled at me, callin' me Elis too, but I think dat's because he couldn't 'member me name."
Meanwhile, Biscuit begins sniffing again. The mastiff soon begins to exhale hard through his nostrils, as if something had gotten stuck in there. Something smells both foul and new to Biscuit.
"The eyes of the dracolich are upon you,"the lunaman replies to Neya. He continues to twitch frantically and begins looking in all directions once more. "Ship of shadows... undead spirits walked out of the waves... on the back of dracolich... breathed fire... laid waste... the eyes of the dracolich are upon you."
"The eyes of the dracolich are upon you," he repeats. Elisande nods as if she had heard this story before.
Graxx nods at the mention of the ship of shadows knowing they are in the right spot.
Graxx then turns to Elisande.
"Elis, before we traveled here Warsh had said that you all were able to protect yourselves from an attack. If this dracolich or ship of shadows showed up do you have a group of warriors to fight it?" says Graxx.
Deciding that discretion is the better part of valour, Utar chooses not to push Elisande any further down this line of questioning. Loss of that magnitude, how she lives now, probably best left alone for now.
Utar swallows hard, biting down on his own loss. Touching his amulet he invites Torm's aid for Captain Burral, no matter how far she might have strayed from his hand.
Turning his attention to the Lunaman, he asks, "And you, are his eyes upon you too? Or are you his eyes?"
Utar narrows his eyes, judging the response and trying to read the Lunaman. Where Yip had seemed frightened, terrified even, this man appears calm.
Taking in this new testimony, Neya starts thinking out loud, "That's strange... Most of what he said matches up with what Yip said. But the some things don't add up... Yip's mentions of 'the smalls' and 'click clack' and this one's reference of the undead might be about the same entities."
"But, according to the notes of that gnome healer - as messy as they were - the bones that Captain Burral had collected as evidence had no trace of magic on them. Could that mean that whomever these raiders are include small creatures that are only acting in disguise?"
"If they are not an undead threat, then we should start to question if this dracolich is truly one at all. Yip's 'wet before the eyes' and this new "on the back of a dracolich' statement... Could they be related as well?"
Doozey promptly ushers Biscuit back away from the man, whispering such things as"What is it boy?" and "It's gonna be okay" among other things. It is only when Biscuit turns back on the man growling towards the man that the halfling, while still half-way wrapped about the mastiff's neck to hold it back, looks to the Loon with a wary gaze. A faint light or glow(perhaps?) flash over Doozey's eyes. "I... don't see why not, Miss Neya. It is all very, very, VERY strange. But, we must be patient, and preserve." He said, but his eyes never leaves the mandman.
(@Lerus: Using Doozey's second charge of Hunter Sense on the Looney man).
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
"Attack?" Elisande asks Graxx. "Dey'll attack de Folk? A boat of monsters? I thought he was just crazy..." the girls looks like she is about to cry.
The man does not verbally reply to Utar's questions... but he doesn't need to. As the cleric observes and Neya begins pointing to some inconsistencies, Utar comes to a realization:
The crazed man's clear speech is quite the telltale sign. Paired with the selective complaining that Elisande alluded to and Biscuit's reaction, the evidence begins staking against him. Chances are, he is playacting his insanity.
Biscuit continues exhaling. Before Doozey can fully take him away from the man, the mastiff begins pawing at one of the lose stones near the man's haunches. The lunaman shifts his weight a bit, as if to sit atop the loose stone in question. He yells: "The eyes of the dracolich are upon you!"
Doozey analyses the man for weaknesses, but comes up with nothing special.
Still interacting with Graxx, Elisande makes a request: "We need to be leavin'. Leave de island. Take me with ye. Please! I'll even give ye de beet I buried... please!"
"Don't worry girlie. He may just be crazy. We just want to make sure he is." says Graxx.
Graxx desperately wants to comfort the girl.
"If any monsters show-up you need not fear for we will protect you." says Graxx.
Graxx pulls out his Charlatan's Die and extends his palm to show it to Elis and he eeks out a smile.
"This here's my magic die. Once a day I can ask it a question." says Graxx.
Graxx holds makes a fist and holds his palm to his chest.
"Oh magic die. Let the number be a six of Elisande here is going to be just fine." says Graxx.
Graxx rolls and meks the die be a six. Graxx smiles.
"Look there, Elis! Looks like you'll be just fine. Nothing to worry about." says Graxx.
Persuasion: 3
Graxx replaces the die in his pocket and stands. He turns his back to Elis where he smiles drops away. He closes his eyes and says a silent prayer to Tempus as he knows battle is coming.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"I think we are dealing with someone very different from Yip,"
As he speaks, Utar moves around the ruins of Elisande's former home, looking to close of any possible lines of escape.
"I think we're dealing with someone who can maybe start answering our questions."
Continuing his approach, getting closer to the Lunaman, Utar stops a short distance away, dropping to his haunches. He lets a grin creep across his face, letting his tusks show and trying to look as menacing as possible.
"While eyes of the dracolich might be upon us, you are very much in our hands. Might be best you drop this act, start talking. Maybe let us see what's under that stone?"
"What? Ya say'n he be know'n somethin'?" Doozey shoots the Lunaman a glance, and then starts trying to loose up a hand to hover over his new rapier. "Hm. If he is, I'm start'n to--" He catches himself, remembering Elisande's worry. "Uh... Listen, Elis. Don't let Graxx poor, uhm... showmanship get the best of ya. He really means it when he says we'll watch out for ya. But we still gotta a job to do here." He said, as he went over to throw a hand over her shoulder, assuming she isn't too much taller than his three feet and thensome height. "Though if there's a problem, and if things get bad, we'll make sure to spirit ya safetly away. I... I promise." He says on a more serious note.
(@Lerus: Not sure if I can retroactively give Graxx help given PbP format. But if possible, his last thing is meant to be taken as such.)
(@Grx: Fantastic use of that die. DM Inspiration die to you, sir!)
(@Ori: Sure. I'll roll on his behalf below so we can move forward. That said, I think @Grx used the wrong modifier above.)
-> Graxx's additional persuasion roll to account for retroactive advantage from Doozey's help: 17
Elisande watches Graxx perform his trick. She is so taken by it that she doesn't really pay any attention to what Doozey is saying. Despite being mesmerized at first, the sensation passes quickly. Whatever comfort the bauble provided was momentary, and the girl resumes her fearful behavior once it passes. She hugs Graxx's leg tightly and says: "Can ye take me away with ye when ye leave de Village? Please? Can I hold de magic die for a bit too?" She is very clearly frightened.
A bit upset the girl involuntarily ignored his comforting words, Doozey focuses on helping Biscuit instead. Even getting close to the dog's face is not enough to feel whatever stench caused him to react that way. He's calming down a bit now, so it was probably not something too harmful... probably.
Utar, in turn, ignores the girl for now and focuses on the man in front of him. Where they darted aimlessly before, the man's eyes now closely follow the half-orc as he circles around the room. He does not move from atop the loose stone. Instead, he raises his two hands in an apologetic gesture: "Listen, listen... you got me. I'm no lunatic. My name is Verik... I'm a fisherman. My village was destroyed by those things and I had nowhere to go. When I wandered into that ferryman, I played up the crazy, hoping he'd pity me. I thought no one would believe what I saw. I thought it might strengthen my story or at least convince these folk to take me in.. and... it worked. I mean no harm... I just wanted to be safe and pass on my worries in a way they'd listen."
He breathes hard now, and his face has a sorry and afraid look to it.
Neya accompanies Utar into the hut, "Is that so...?"
"If he's less than helpful, we could just tell the village leader. According to Elis, he is not very fond of outsider as he is. I'm sure he won't like his village's resources are being used on an outsider who could very well take care of himself."
She then turns to the lunaman, "Why don't you do yourself a favor...?"
(OOC: Should I also roll Intimidation as well, or does this count as a help?)
(Edit: @Lerus: it looks like you posted as I was making this post, I guess it's too late to help?)
(@Drache: Utar's intimidation check was successful. I lowered its DC after that great insight check. Feel free to make that your own separate intimidation or other check).
Neya approaches both Utar and Verik. The man looks at her after delivering his apology. His facial expression is still quite an ugly one...
"You welcomed us with open arms and have been a great help so far, young one. I, for one, have come to like you."
"It must be strange having someone who is no longer in his mind where you once lived."
"Perhaps another time." She says as she puts the rock in her pocket. "It may seem odd, but we would like to try and speak with him. We only have an idea of what he's saying, from other people who ignore him because he lost his mind. We think we can get more from the lunaman since we are more willing to listen."
Extended Signature
Graxx takes a rock and nods to the little girl.
"Thank you kindly little one." says Graxx as he slips the rock into his pack.
Graxx taps his head with his finger.
"My grandmother used to tell me this here noggin is like any other muscle and sometimes I can get hurt and not work right. This might be what's happenin' to this feller. I'd like to have a minute to talk to him without rocks." says Graxx.
"Biscuit sure does. As for me, welllll... ya haven't given me much of a reason NOT to like ya. So, sure. I like ya." Doozey confirmed along the way, and Biscuit, if only because he heard his name perhaps, barks in apparent agreement. Once he reaches the house and sees its state, the halfling cannot help looking at Elisande in a new light. "Oh... eh, thanks for the rock, but uh... What they said. Or at least, the rest of ya can handle that part, yah. And I'll keep our friend here company."
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Pocketing the rock as if he's going to use it later, Utar tries to recall what he can about any Chill Fever.
"Elisande, where do you live now, if Lunaman lives where your home used to be? Who takes care of you?"
Medicine 5
Answering Utar's question about rock-throwing, Elisande shrugs: "Aye, all de kids do. It's fun 'nd he almost n'ver complains." She follows that up with a response to the cleric's second question: "Over dere," she points at another hut.
As Neya, Graxx, and Doozey shower her with understanding and affection, she becomes more agreeable to not throwing rocks. Instead, she tries to talk to the man sitting on the ground. She shows a warm smile and even seems to get a bit red on the cheeks. You all get the impression she is not shown affection very often.
Utar: Isn't the Chill Fever just a severe case of the flu that goes untreated and may cause death? Or was that Cold Sweats? Regardless, many different ailments are referred to as Chill Fever by the common folk. Which one might have killed Elisande's parents is anyone's guess.
Now knowing that the party wants to talk to the lunaman, Elisande tries to be helpful and start a conversation: "Oy, lunaman, 'member when dat cabbage washed ashore? I brought ye a piece. T'was yucky, but I knew ye were hungry like me..... so... sorry I threw rocks at ye...."
The man shifts his weight on the ground and looks up. His gaze crosses those of the other adults in the room. He mutters: "The eyes of the dracolich are upon you."
(@MB: Please give me an insight check).
(OOC: Here goes nothing...)
Insight 10
"This one is speaking in complete sentences. That is a quite an improvement, comparing Yip's condition." Neya says as she's assessing this new witness.
She then directs a question to him, "What do you mean? Is a dracolich watching us from afar?"
Extended Signature
"Very good, Elis. Very, very good. Even if one is a bit strange, if'n ya do harm, 'nd not mean ill will by it, it's always good to apologize." Doozey says brightly, patting Elisande on the shoulder. Biscuit, meanwhile, had taken to squeeze -- or at least trying to -- slip past the others to start sniffing at the man all over. Though this gets raised brow from the halfling, he holds off on pulling the dog back until either the man starts to look hostile, or the oversized body of the beast risks destroying the hovel further than it already is.
(@Lerus: Same deal as with the girl. His sniffing to see if there's anything particularly off putting about the man.)
Bisception: 13.
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Utar notices something:
Elisande did not actually point to a specific hut when telling you where she lived. She was looking at the ground while responding, and you also noticed that she was quite brief in her response. That was the first time she wast brief since you met her.
"Thank ye!" Elisande answers Doozey. "I like Elis," she smiles and continues: "It reminds me of dat one time Warsh traded for beans. I stole some and he yelled at me, callin' me Elis too, but I think dat's because he couldn't 'member me name."
Meanwhile, Biscuit begins sniffing again. The mastiff soon begins to exhale hard through his nostrils, as if something had gotten stuck in there. Something smells both foul and new to Biscuit.
"The eyes of the dracolich are upon you," the lunaman replies to Neya. He continues to twitch frantically and begins looking in all directions once more. "Ship of shadows... undead spirits walked out of the waves... on the back of dracolich... breathed fire... laid waste... the eyes of the dracolich are upon you."
"The eyes of the dracolich are upon you," he repeats. Elisande nods as if she had heard this story before.
Graxx nods at the mention of the ship of shadows knowing they are in the right spot.
Graxx then turns to Elisande.
"Elis, before we traveled here Warsh had said that you all were able to protect yourselves from an attack. If this dracolich or ship of shadows showed up do you have a group of warriors to fight it?" says Graxx.
Deciding that discretion is the better part of valour, Utar chooses not to push Elisande any further down this line of questioning. Loss of that magnitude, how she lives now, probably best left alone for now.
Utar swallows hard, biting down on his own loss. Touching his amulet he invites Torm's aid for Captain Burral, no matter how far she might have strayed from his hand.
Turning his attention to the Lunaman, he asks, "And you, are his eyes upon you too? Or are you his eyes?"
Utar narrows his eyes, judging the response and trying to read the Lunaman. Where Yip had seemed frightened, terrified even, this man appears calm.
Insight 22
Taking in this new testimony, Neya starts thinking out loud, "That's strange... Most of what he said matches up with what Yip said. But the some things don't add up... Yip's mentions of 'the smalls' and 'click clack' and this one's reference of the undead might be about the same entities."
"But, according to the notes of that gnome healer - as messy as they were - the bones that Captain Burral had collected as evidence had no trace of magic on them. Could that mean that whomever these raiders are include small creatures that are only acting in disguise?"
"If they are not an undead threat, then we should start to question if this dracolich is truly one at all. Yip's 'wet before the eyes' and this new "on the back of a dracolich' statement... Could they be related as well?"
Extended Signature
Doozey promptly ushers Biscuit back away from the man, whispering such things as "What is it boy?" and "It's gonna be okay" among other things. It is only when Biscuit turns back on the man growling towards the man that the halfling, while still half-way wrapped about the mastiff's neck to hold it back, looks to the Loon with a wary gaze. A faint light or glow(perhaps?) flash over Doozey's eyes. "I... don't see why not, Miss Neya. It is all very, very, VERY strange. But, we must be patient, and preserve." He said, but his eyes never leaves the mandman.
(@Lerus: Using Doozey's second charge of Hunter Sense on the Looney man).
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
"Attack?" Elisande asks Graxx. "Dey'll attack de Folk? A boat of monsters? I thought he was just crazy..." the girls looks like she is about to cry.
The man does not verbally reply to Utar's questions... but he doesn't need to. As the cleric observes and Neya begins pointing to some inconsistencies, Utar comes to a realization:
The crazed man's clear speech is quite the telltale sign. Paired with the selective complaining that Elisande alluded to and Biscuit's reaction, the evidence begins staking against him. Chances are, he is playacting his insanity.
Biscuit continues exhaling. Before Doozey can fully take him away from the man, the mastiff begins pawing at one of the lose stones near the man's haunches. The lunaman shifts his weight a bit, as if to sit atop the loose stone in question. He yells: "The eyes of the dracolich are upon you!"
Doozey analyses the man for weaknesses, but comes up with nothing special.
Still interacting with Graxx, Elisande makes a request: "We need to be leavin'. Leave de island. Take me with ye. Please! I'll even give ye de beet I buried... please!"
Graxx pats Elis and he kneels down.
"Don't worry girlie. He may just be crazy. We just want to make sure he is." says Graxx.
Graxx desperately wants to comfort the girl.
"If any monsters show-up you need not fear for we will protect you." says Graxx.
Graxx pulls out his Charlatan's Die and extends his palm to show it to Elis and he eeks out a smile.
"This here's my magic die. Once a day I can ask it a question." says Graxx.
Graxx holds makes a fist and holds his palm to his chest.
"Oh magic die. Let the number be a six of Elisande here is going to be just fine." says Graxx.
Graxx rolls and meks the die be a six. Graxx smiles.
"Look there, Elis! Looks like you'll be just fine. Nothing to worry about." says Graxx.
Persuasion: 3
Graxx replaces the die in his pocket and stands. He turns his back to Elis where he smiles drops away. He closes his eyes and says a silent prayer to Tempus as he knows battle is coming.
"I think we are dealing with someone very different from Yip,"
As he speaks, Utar moves around the ruins of Elisande's former home, looking to close of any possible lines of escape.
"I think we're dealing with someone who can maybe start answering our questions."
Continuing his approach, getting closer to the Lunaman, Utar stops a short distance away, dropping to his haunches. He lets a grin creep across his face, letting his tusks show and trying to look as menacing as possible.
Intimidation 12
"While eyes of the dracolich might be upon us, you are very much in our hands. Might be best you drop this act, start talking. Maybe let us see what's under that stone?"
Ignoring the man's shout, and even that of Elis' worry, Doozey tries to check Biscuit over and make sure whatever he sniffed hadn't been too bad.
Medicine: 14.
"What? Ya say'n he be know'n somethin'?" Doozey shoots the Lunaman a glance, and then starts trying to loose up a hand to hover over his new rapier. "Hm. If he is, I'm start'n to--" He catches himself, remembering Elisande's worry. "Uh... Listen, Elis. Don't let Graxx poor, uhm... showmanship get the best of ya. He really means it when he says we'll watch out for ya. But we still gotta a job to do here." He said, as he went over to throw a hand over her shoulder, assuming she isn't too much taller than his three feet and thensome height. "Though if there's a problem, and if things get bad, we'll make sure to spirit ya safetly away. I... I promise." He says on a more serious note.
(@Lerus: Not sure if I can retroactively give Graxx help given PbP format. But if possible, his last thing is meant to be taken as such.)
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
(@Grx: Fantastic use of that die. DM Inspiration die to you, sir!)
(@Ori: Sure. I'll roll on his behalf below so we can move forward. That said, I think @Grx used the wrong modifier above.)
-> Graxx's additional persuasion roll to account for retroactive advantage from Doozey's help: 17
Elisande watches Graxx perform his trick. She is so taken by it that she doesn't really pay any attention to what Doozey is saying. Despite being mesmerized at first, the sensation passes quickly. Whatever comfort the bauble provided was momentary, and the girl resumes her fearful behavior once it passes. She hugs Graxx's leg tightly and says: "Can ye take me away with ye when ye leave de Village? Please? Can I hold de magic die for a bit too?" She is very clearly frightened.
A bit upset the girl involuntarily ignored his comforting words, Doozey focuses on helping Biscuit instead. Even getting close to the dog's face is not enough to feel whatever stench caused him to react that way. He's calming down a bit now, so it was probably not something too harmful... probably.
Utar, in turn, ignores the girl for now and focuses on the man in front of him. Where they darted aimlessly before, the man's eyes now closely follow the half-orc as he circles around the room. He does not move from atop the loose stone. Instead, he raises his two hands in an apologetic gesture: "Listen, listen... you got me. I'm no lunatic. My name is Verik... I'm a fisherman. My village was destroyed by those things and I had nowhere to go. When I wandered into that ferryman, I played up the crazy, hoping he'd pity me. I thought no one would believe what I saw. I thought it might strengthen my story or at least convince these folk to take me in.. and... it worked. I mean no harm... I just wanted to be safe and pass on my worries in a way they'd listen."
He breathes hard now, and his face has a sorry and afraid look to it.
Neya accompanies Utar into the hut, "Is that so...?"
"If he's less than helpful, we could just tell the village leader. According to Elis, he is not very fond of outsider as he is. I'm sure he won't like his village's resources are being used on an outsider who could very well take care of himself."
She then turns to the lunaman, "Why don't you do yourself a favor...?"
(OOC: Should I also roll Intimidation as well, or does this count as a help?)
(Edit: @Lerus: it looks like you posted as I was making this post, I guess it's too late to help?)
Extended Signature
(@Drache: Utar's intimidation check was successful. I lowered its DC after that great insight check. Feel free to make that your own separate intimidation or other check).
Neya approaches both Utar and Verik. The man looks at her after delivering his apology. His facial expression is still quite an ugly one...