Mulligan hears Shae's song as he is departing and cannot help be pause for a moment... But it is just a moment. The sound of her voice brought a small smile to him but it could not fully break the malaise and funk of weariness he felt. Despite a deep regret inside of him, he carried on to his bunk and laid himself down for a much needed sleep, occasionally swatting and itching about his ear and collar as an unseen presence pulls and tugs at him...
But as he falls into a deep, deep sleep he does dream. It is dreams of song and color and they do stir his spirits and refresh his soul.
I never meant to cause you any sorrow I never meant to cause you any pain I only wanted to one time to see you laughing I only wanted to see you Laughing in the purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain Purple rain, purple rain Purple rain, purple rain I only wanted to see you Bathing in the purple rain
When he awakens he is himself again and while he's still unsure that he belongs he's damned sure he's going to make himself useful...
1) If you need this song cited you need to educate yourself!! :D
2) Just kind of dealing with some RL time consuming things at the moment so taking Mulligan out of party scene as I just don't have the time to really have him try to be the life of it as he normally would.
Fang stands near the group, enjoying the magical displays from Shae and Glasses. Though he does seem extremely tense considering the situation is very calm and peaceful. Most probably due to his having lived in a world of near constant danger, he was always wary of his surroundings. The butterfly however, did catch him a bit off guard as he sneezes rather loudly shortly after it lands on his nose.
This of course causes Mushu to poke his head out of his pouch and see what all the commotion is about. He happily dances/flies/flits around Shae during her next performance.
Reng’s eyes become glued to Shae as she begins her song. It’s been a long, long, long time since she’s heard music like this. Mulligan was very good, she had to admit. And fun. This was pure and sincere and well-meaning. Reng’s been careening a long time, in flight. Leaving Waterdeep, getting taken at sea. She’d heard some shanties of course, as a pirate. But then nothing - castaway, running through the jungle, living mostly along. Captured and taken to the city, the fight in the pit, falling in with this group. Her mind goes back to some singers that came through the tavern where she was a bouncer. The ones the crowd didn’t like, who didn’t play the drinking songs but still got feet tapping and a dance starting.
But not like this. Light, and butterflies! Mulligan would love this - where was he going? Not his taste? She touched her cheek, and came back to herself. She bursts to her feet and goes around to the soldiers, exhausted, some enraptured. She did her best to encourage them to get on their tired feet, to forget for one minute they were stuck in a rotting forgotten jungle hideaway. To feel release, feel themselves again. Forgetting the best of civilization was a route she didn’t want to follow again. She dances - not with a lot of grace but more than you’d expect. She meets Shae’s eyes with some bashfulness, but plenty of delight and more exuberance than she’d revealed thus far. If enough people join in, she takes out the decanter of endless water and aims it directly overhead, spraying water up and letting it fall as happy raindrops, through the light and among the illusory butterflies.
And Shae was. Alone at first. She held her smile and kept snapping the beat.
”Everybody here is out of sight They don't bark and they don't bite They keep things loose, they keep things light Everybody was dancin' in the moonlight”
Berrus would step up and join her. Having been one she didn’t expect, gave Shae the little boost of encouragement to keep going.
“Dancin' in the moonlight Everybody's feelin' warm and right It's such a fine and natural sight Everybody's dancin' in the moonlight”
Berrus gave genuine effort to dance. Although he would stumble and step on her toes, she was giggling and glowing. Having gained his fill, the warrior would be gracefully returned to his seat to rest his dwarven feet.
“We like our fun and we never fight You can't dance and stay uptight It's a supernatural delight Everybody was dancin' in the moonlight.”
It was then Mushu and Whiff would join in the jubilee. Shae’s blue hues widen in awe at their display and the comfort of Fang and the Professor’s presence, Snively’s magical additions always lifting her up and guiding her along.
“Dancin' in the moonlight Everybody's feelin' warm and right It's such a fine and natural sight Everybody's dancin' in the moonlight.”
With her eyes up in the sky, Shae didn’t notice at first, but she was soon met with more individuals on the ‘dance floor’. It’d instill a refreshed breath of energy through the space like another pick-me-up, causing her to spin in excitement.
“Everybody here is out of sight They don't bark and they don't bite They keep things loose, they keep things light Everybody was dancin' in the moonlight”
Coming out of the spin, Shae’s eyes meet Reng’s after catching a glimpse of her dancing. Shae’s heart would swell with intuition of Reng’s addition to the celebration. Her smile would grow wide and her feet would take her over in spinning steps.
“Everybody's dancin' in the moonlight Everybody's feelin' warm and right It's such a fine and natural sight“
Shae swoops in taking one of Reng’s hands in hers and wrapping a gentle arm around her waste. She’d start to lead Reng in an enthusiastic waltz as she’d sing.
“Everybody's Dancin' in the moonlight Everybody's feelin' warm and right It's such a fine and natural sight.”
Having been built up by those around her, Shae grew in vibrance from her hair to her toes. She gained life in her voice and momentum in her dance with Reng. Shae’d swing round, dipping Reng, pausing to present her with a full dimpled smile.
“Everybody's Dancin' in the moonlight Everybody's feelin' warm and right It's such a fine and natural sight“
Shae appreciated the energy of those who were able to spare what they had, while also respecting those who desired their space. Although originally inspired to try to hopefully rouse one wary soul, it spread to others. She’d share her light where she could, shedding it on those who welcomed it and embraced those who had some to give. Her heart grew with warmth with every addition along the way, as did her smile.
“Everybody's dancing in the moonlight.
Everybody's Dancin' in the moonlight Everybody's feelin' warm and right It's such a fine and natural sight”
And as the song was coming to an end, Shae would twirl Reng one last time. She’d bring her to a gentle stop by extending out for bowing out of the dance before releasing her hand.
Shae would kick off and take flight into the night sky.
“Everybody's dancing in the moonlight.”
Reaching height she’d clap her hands together and her butterflies would scatter into dozens of little balls of light resembling fireflies to rain over the campsite.
The festivities and the dancing last until the early morning hours. Though flying in the face of the clear and present danger that much of the environment here poses, the soldiers are glad for the distraction and the reminder of what they are fighting for and for you all it is a great way to relieve the tension before heading off into more danger the coming day. Intent on getting at least some rest before setting off, you all retire a few hours before the first rays of the sun harken a new day on the Camp and this outpost of civilisation.
(Everyone, you get inspiration for the party.)
The goodbyes in the morning are brief, after last evenings festivities. Before most of the soldiers rise to have their first meal, you are already on the river journey further south, on five small rowing boats. After having cleared Hope from all the supplies for the camp and your gear, Thessalandra used the magic ritual imbued in Hope to transform it into one of the rowing boats you're currently using.
Despite the leasurely pace of the stream, you make quick progress south. The first few hours of your trip are made somewhat eerie by the morning mist rising from the river and, now that you are all closer to the water, engulfing you almost entirely. The moisture clings to your faces and clothes and lingers there for a while longer, even as the morning sun slowly burns away the mist. As the sun rises to its zenith and beats down on the flat surface of the river, you pull up your boats onto a shaded sandbank and make rest for a while, dipping into a mixture of nutritious berries, some fresh fish courtesy of Fang and Mushu, and part of your long-lasting rations. Berrus and Mulligan both take the opportunity to continue their combat training of the two kenku, while the Professor, the sailors and Shae study the rudimentary maps and decide on the best courses to follow for the second half of the day. Once the sun had lowered somewhat, you all set off on the joruney south again. While the current started to increase in speed, the accompanying rapids made the journey quite taxing, requiring your full focus to pull through without tipping one of the rowboats, but thanks in part to the Professor's elemental magic and Berrus' strong arm, the boats are held steady even through the worst of the currents and come evening, you are past the worst stretch in your journey.
The night is uneventful, compared to the previous night at Camp vengeance, though the eager kenku are able to convince the Professor to give them a further lesson in the arcane arts, much to the obvious joy of Whiff and the wizened gnome.
You all rise at dawn, rested and ready for the day ahead. After a mere two hours on the river with the clearing mist, you get your first good look at the grippli trading post. Small adobe or mud-brick shelters decorated in bright colours and geometric patterns are clustered around a large permanent building adorned with flags in vibrant colours. The low rumble of many voices softly croaking can be heard as your ship pulls up to the dock, where grippli bearing weapons are waiting to meet you. You're immediately reminded of the grung you encountered not too long ago, but the grippli before you seem larger, uniformly green and clad in simple, yet functional tunics of woven seagrass to keep themselves cool even outside of the water. You all gather from the presence of many elderly and young grippli among the group at the dock that something out of the ordinary has happened. As you approach, two of the grippli warriors approach with tridents, and the larger of the two asks in a coraking voice: "You with tall-ones with hard-and-shiny-shells up river? If friends you be, to Pond-Mother. Now!" Their tone is insistant, though not threatening. What do you do?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Union!- Errydha (Homebrew) Setting Embers in the Dark - Errydha (Homebrew) Setting Welcome to the Jungle- Far Realms Citadel of the Unsleeping Sun - Erathis (Grim Hollow) Setting
Yevelda the Mutt- 3rd Level Half-Orc Battlemaster Fighter- Far Realms Rehgys- 5th Level Satyr Bard of Eloquence- Far Realms
The Professor has the kenku observe his elemental water magics during the day using their newly found capability to Detect Magic, offering to show teach them the Shape Water cantrip if they desire. Otherwise, that evening he focuses on teaching them some defensive magic for combat -- the spell Shield.
When they meet the Grippli, Snively says to Berrus, "Indeed, let us leave the crew with the boats and move quickly to address this new threat of which the Grippli are aware."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
At first Shae thought the Grippli were describing a tortoise-like race, causing her to tilt her head in genuine curiosity. But it wasn’t until Berrus spoke up and she heard the sound of his chain mail. Eyes glance to his shield. Shiny shell. Then it dawns on her who they’re speaking of. So with Berrus and the professor discussing who should stay with the boats, Shae stands. “I will speak with Pond-Mother.” She responds to the Grippli with a respectful dip of her head.
Berrus turns and smiles with a slight bow (hopefully showing the Grippli that Shae is the leader) "Tween ye an the professer im sure we can get to tha bottom o this"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Mulligan looks around and takes mental notes for future reference. The colors, the patterns, it is often the background details that add truth to a story, even when fictional. Mulligan begins to feel a bit tense at the sound of so many unusual (to him) voices and then by the armed grippli waiting to meet them…
“You with tall-ones with hard-and-shiny-shells up river? If friends you be, to Pond-Mother. Now!"
“I will speak with Pond-Mother.”
It was all happening before Mulligan could get his bearings and he certainly wasn’t going to contradict Shae. He was curious about these new people though…
((Insight: 4 - Looking to see if they do view us as friend or foes and if that changed at all with Shane’s agreeing to see the Pond-Mother.))
Mulligan does his best to act casual while staying on his guard for now. He moves forward with Shae and the others and follows their lead, but with his head on a swivel.
“The tall ones you speak of… Tall like us? Come from same direction as us?” Mulligan asks smoothly, looking for more information. “We lost touch with some of our people. The ones you speak of could be them… or could be why we lost touch.”
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Reng's head is on a swivel, looking for hidden threats. She volunteers to accompany the others to Pond-Mother, but she stays quiet, acting more as a bodyguard than a diplomat.
With Thessalandra and the sailors staying behind, the rest of you are escorted towards the decorated central building. The creatures around you are about the same height as the professor, but underneath their seaweed wraps, you can see lean muscles from a life of subsisting in close proximity to both the river and the jungle. Though they may not be formal warriors, there is no doubt in your mind that each and every armed grippli here knows how to use their bows, spears and blowguns. Appropriately wary therefore, you move through the throng of grippli assembled. The more perceptive among you can make out a host of complex emotions on the frog-like faces of the young grippli and some of the bystanders. There's hope, after seeing your arms and armour. There's fear, of whatever caused them to flee to this place. There's uncertainty, not knowing how to move forward. But among some of the armed grippli, you can also see anger, at whatever forced this situation upon them.
Stepping into the decorated central building of the trade post, you are surprised by how cool the adobe construction is on the inside. Once your eyes adjust to the dim interior, you can make out a central divet in the floor, filled with rainwater as a way for the grippli to keep their skins from drying out. It's clear, that this is more akin to a meeting hall for the rainy season, when the fresh batches of rivercrabs are sold to the traders from further up north, rather than any permanent installation. Behind some curtains, you suspect the living quarters of Pond-Mother and her attendants to lie, as it is from there that the tribal elder emerges.
With a lumbering grace, she slowly takes her seat on the northern side of the central pool and indicates to you all to sit down as well.
"Welcome, people-we-have-never-met-before. You coming here is good luck." Her voice cracks, and she looks to you all, before asking in primordial: "Is it alright, if I switch to a tongue more native to my own? Your guttaral speech is not for our types." Seeing the Professor understand, she gives an appreciative nod, before continuing, with the Professor translating and the Pond-mother taking time in her account. "My people are one with the river. That has always meant that we move when the river does. Our houses are made of the rivers' gifts, and when the river washes them away, we resettle after the river has found its path again. It has always been so. Our people don't cling to the past, other than to learn from the wisdom of the elders. A moon ago, strange creatures, half man and half snake where spotted travelling from the direction of the rainclouds, a days' travel from our village. Many of the young ones didn't know why they travelled there, but I remember our old village, before the river shifted course. We kept an eye on them, and before long, they set up a camp in the ruins of our old village and started digging, like we do when we want to build new houses. It was strange, but because they were leaving us alone, we didn't think much of it. Then, about four sundowns ago, the other hard-shells had come to our vilalge, and after learning of the strange snake-people, wanted to go and talk to them. I don't know why, but the snake-people ran when they saw the hard-shells. We were weary, but that night several dozen of the snake people overran our village. Many of the guards were slaughtered or imprisoned, but because of them and the hard-shells, the rest of us could set out onto the river and get to here. Unfortunately, I don't know what came of your hard-shells. And what's worse, our young are still in our brood pools back in the village. Whoever these snake-people are, they have our young." Her voice cracks again at this, now from emotion.
Reng, while the Pond-mother speaks, you see one of the grippli guardians look at her with a mix of anger and wounded pride.
Union!- Errydha (Homebrew) Setting Embers in the Dark - Errydha (Homebrew) Setting Welcome to the Jungle- Far Realms Citadel of the Unsleeping Sun - Erathis (Grim Hollow) Setting
Yevelda the Mutt- 3rd Level Half-Orc Battlemaster Fighter- Far Realms Rehgys- 5th Level Satyr Bard of Eloquence- Far Realms
Translating as he goes, the Professor introduces Shae, saying, “We have come to determine what has happened to the other hard shells. These half snake people attack the bird people along the river and threaten our fellow hard shells as well. We all have a voice in our decisions, but Shae speaks for us.”
Snively bows and defers to Shae, Help on Persuasion if needed.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
"Seems clear what we have to do," Reng says, checking her armor and readying herself to go. Her expression had darkened as she heard the translated tale of the abductions and attacks.
Mulligan leans in to whisper to Shae before she can speak. “Obviously you’re going to offer our assistance and all… but try to find out how many half-snakes they think there are. How many Hard-Shells went looking for them. And if we’re going to try to rescue their young, how do we take care of them and return them? I do not know how to tend to a brood pool…”
Other than the whispered suggestions Mulligan moats just stays alert and tries to read the room…
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After a bit Berrus joins the dance
Perf: 13
Then red faced he goes back to the table and just watches
Laissez les bons temps rouler
Mulligan hears Shae's song as he is departing and cannot help be pause for a moment... But it is just a moment. The sound of her voice brought a small smile to him but it could not fully break the malaise and funk of weariness he felt. Despite a deep regret inside of him, he carried on to his bunk and laid himself down for a much needed sleep, occasionally swatting and itching about his ear and collar as an unseen presence pulls and tugs at him...
But as he falls into a deep, deep sleep he does dream. It is dreams of song and color and they do stir his spirits and refresh his soul.
I never meant to cause you any pain
I only wanted to one time to see you laughing
I only wanted to see you
Laughing in the purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain
I only wanted to see you
Bathing in the purple rain
Fang stands near the group, enjoying the magical displays from Shae and Glasses. Though he does seem extremely tense considering the situation is very calm and peaceful. Most probably due to his having lived in a world of near constant danger, he was always wary of his surroundings. The butterfly however, did catch him a bit off guard as he sneezes rather loudly shortly after it lands on his nose.
This of course causes Mushu to poke his head out of his pouch and see what all the commotion is about. He happily dances/flies/flits around Shae during her next performance.
Whiff:
Seeing Mushu come out to play, Whiff does too, adding flair and a bit of steam to the jubilant dance.
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Reng’s eyes become glued to Shae as she begins her song. It’s been a long, long, long time since she’s heard music like this. Mulligan was very good, she had to admit. And fun. This was pure and sincere and well-meaning. Reng’s been careening a long time, in flight. Leaving Waterdeep, getting taken at sea. She’d heard some shanties of course, as a pirate. But then nothing - castaway, running through the jungle, living mostly along. Captured and taken to the city, the fight in the pit, falling in with this group. Her mind goes back to some singers that came through the tavern where she was a bouncer. The ones the crowd didn’t like, who didn’t play the drinking songs but still got feet tapping and a dance starting.
But not like this. Light, and butterflies! Mulligan would love this - where was he going? Not his taste? She touched her cheek, and came back to herself. She bursts to her feet and goes around to the soldiers, exhausted, some enraptured. She did her best to encourage them to get on their tired feet, to forget for one minute they were stuck in a rotting forgotten jungle hideaway. To feel release, feel themselves again. Forgetting the best of civilization was a route she didn’t want to follow again. She dances - not with a lot of grace but more than you’d expect. She meets Shae’s eyes with some bashfulness, but plenty of delight and more exuberance than she’d revealed thus far. If enough people join in, she takes out the decanter of endless water and aims it directly overhead, spraying water up and letting it fall as happy raindrops, through the light and among the illusory butterflies.
Berrus sits back watching the display drinking a little and laughing heartily
Laissez les bons temps rouler
The show must go on.
And Shae did.
“Everybody was dancin' in the moonlight”
And Shae was. Alone at first. She held her smile and kept snapping the beat.
”Everybody here is out of sight
They don't bark and they don't bite
They keep things loose, they keep things light
Everybody was dancin' in the moonlight”
Berrus would step up and join her. Having been one she didn’t expect, gave Shae the little boost of encouragement to keep going.
“Dancin' in the moonlight
Everybody's feelin' warm and right
It's such a fine and natural sight
Everybody's dancin' in the moonlight”
Berrus gave genuine effort to dance. Although he would stumble and step on her toes, she was giggling and glowing. Having gained his fill, the warrior would be gracefully returned to his seat to rest his dwarven feet.
“We like our fun and we never fight
You can't dance and stay uptight
It's a supernatural delight
Everybody was dancin' in the moonlight.”
It was then Mushu and Whiff would join in the jubilee. Shae’s blue hues widen in awe at their display and the comfort of Fang and the Professor’s presence, Snively’s magical additions always lifting her up and guiding her along.
“Dancin' in the moonlight
Everybody's feelin' warm and right
It's such a fine and natural sight
Everybody's dancin' in the moonlight.”
With her eyes up in the sky, Shae didn’t notice at first, but she was soon met with more individuals on the ‘dance floor’. It’d instill a refreshed breath of energy through the space like another pick-me-up, causing her to spin in excitement.
They don't bark and they don't bite
They keep things loose, they keep things light
Everybody was dancin' in the moonlight”
Everybody's feelin' warm and right
It's such a fine and natural sight“
Dancin' in the moonlight
Everybody's feelin' warm and right
It's such a fine and natural sight.”
Dancin' in the moonlight
Everybody's feelin' warm and right
It's such a fine and natural sight“
Dancin' in the moonlight
Everybody's feelin' warm and right
It's such a fine and natural sight”
just an unstable unicorn.
Reng waltz check: 14
The festivities and the dancing last until the early morning hours. Though flying in the face of the clear and present danger that much of the environment here poses, the soldiers are glad for the distraction and the reminder of what they are fighting for and for you all it is a great way to relieve the tension before heading off into more danger the coming day. Intent on getting at least some rest before setting off, you all retire a few hours before the first rays of the sun harken a new day on the Camp and this outpost of civilisation.
(Everyone, you get inspiration for the party.)
The goodbyes in the morning are brief, after last evenings festivities. Before most of the soldiers rise to have their first meal, you are already on the river journey further south, on five small rowing boats. After having cleared Hope from all the supplies for the camp and your gear, Thessalandra used the magic ritual imbued in Hope to transform it into one of the rowing boats you're currently using.
Despite the leasurely pace of the stream, you make quick progress south. The first few hours of your trip are made somewhat eerie by the morning mist rising from the river and, now that you are all closer to the water, engulfing you almost entirely. The moisture clings to your faces and clothes and lingers there for a while longer, even as the morning sun slowly burns away the mist. As the sun rises to its zenith and beats down on the flat surface of the river, you pull up your boats onto a shaded sandbank and make rest for a while, dipping into a mixture of nutritious berries, some fresh fish courtesy of Fang and Mushu, and part of your long-lasting rations. Berrus and Mulligan both take the opportunity to continue their combat training of the two kenku, while the Professor, the sailors and Shae study the rudimentary maps and decide on the best courses to follow for the second half of the day. Once the sun had lowered somewhat, you all set off on the joruney south again. While the current started to increase in speed, the accompanying rapids made the journey quite taxing, requiring your full focus to pull through without tipping one of the rowboats, but thanks in part to the Professor's elemental magic and Berrus' strong arm, the boats are held steady even through the worst of the currents and come evening, you are past the worst stretch in your journey.
The night is uneventful, compared to the previous night at Camp vengeance, though the eager kenku are able to convince the Professor to give them a further lesson in the arcane arts, much to the obvious joy of Whiff and the wizened gnome.
You all rise at dawn, rested and ready for the day ahead. After a mere two hours on the river with the clearing mist, you get your first good look at the grippli trading post. Small adobe or mud-brick shelters decorated in bright colours and geometric patterns are clustered around a large permanent building adorned with flags in vibrant colours. The low rumble of many voices softly croaking can be heard as your ship pulls up to the dock, where grippli bearing weapons are waiting to meet you. You're immediately reminded of the grung you encountered not too long ago, but the grippli before you seem larger, uniformly green and clad in simple, yet functional tunics of woven seagrass to keep themselves cool even outside of the water. You all gather from the presence of many elderly and young grippli among the group at the dock that something out of the ordinary has happened. As you approach, two of the grippli warriors approach with tridents, and the larger of the two asks in a coraking voice: "You with tall-ones with hard-and-shiny-shells up river? If friends you be, to Pond-Mother. Now!" Their tone is insistant, though not threatening. What do you do?
Union!- Errydha (Homebrew) Setting
Embers in the Dark - Errydha (Homebrew) Setting
Welcome to the Jungle- Far Realms
Citadel of the Unsleeping Sun - Erathis (Grim Hollow) Setting
Yevelda the Mutt- 3rd Level Half-Orc Battlemaster Fighter- Far Realms
Rehgys- 5th Level Satyr Bard of Eloquence- Far Realms
"We shoul probably go but mebbe leave tha crew wi tha boats?" Berrus says softly to the professor
**side note Berrus is wearing his chain mail again
Laissez les bons temps rouler
Glasses:
The Professor has the kenku observe his elemental water magics during the day using their newly found capability to Detect Magic, offering to show teach them the Shape Water cantrip if they desire. Otherwise, that evening he focuses on teaching them some defensive magic for combat -- the spell Shield.
When they meet the Grippli, Snively says to Berrus, "Indeed, let us leave the crew with the boats and move quickly to address this new threat of which the Grippli are aware."
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
At first Shae thought the Grippli were describing a tortoise-like race, causing her to tilt her head in genuine curiosity. But it wasn’t until Berrus spoke up and she heard the sound of his chain mail. Eyes glance to his shield. Shiny shell. Then it dawns on her who they’re speaking of. So with Berrus and the professor discussing who should stay with the boats, Shae stands. “I will speak with Pond-Mother.” She responds to the Grippli with a respectful dip of her head.
just an unstable unicorn.
Berrus turns and smiles with a slight bow (hopefully showing the Grippli that Shae is the leader) "Tween ye an the professer im sure we can get to tha bottom o this"
Laissez les bons temps rouler
Mulligan looks around and takes mental notes for future reference. The colors, the patterns, it is often the background details that add truth to a story, even when fictional. Mulligan begins to feel a bit tense at the sound of so many unusual (to him) voices and then by the armed grippli waiting to meet them…
“You with tall-ones with hard-and-shiny-shells up river? If friends you be, to Pond-Mother. Now!"
“I will speak with Pond-Mother.”
It was all happening before Mulligan could get his bearings and he certainly wasn’t going to contradict Shae. He was curious about these new people though…
((Insight: 4 - Looking to see if they do view us as friend or foes and if that changed at all with Shane’s agreeing to see the Pond-Mother.))
Mulligan does his best to act casual while staying on his guard for now. He moves forward with Shae and the others and follows their lead, but with his head on a swivel.
“The tall ones you speak of… Tall like us? Come from same direction as us?” Mulligan asks smoothly, looking for more information. “We lost touch with some of our people. The ones you speak of could be them… or could be why we lost touch.”
Reng's head is on a swivel, looking for hidden threats. She volunteers to accompany the others to Pond-Mother, but she stays quiet, acting more as a bodyguard than a diplomat.
Perception: 19
With Thessalandra and the sailors staying behind, the rest of you are escorted towards the decorated central building. The creatures around you are about the same height as the professor, but underneath their seaweed wraps, you can see lean muscles from a life of subsisting in close proximity to both the river and the jungle. Though they may not be formal warriors, there is no doubt in your mind that each and every armed grippli here knows how to use their bows, spears and blowguns. Appropriately wary therefore, you move through the throng of grippli assembled. The more perceptive among you can make out a host of complex emotions on the frog-like faces of the young grippli and some of the bystanders. There's hope, after seeing your arms and armour. There's fear, of whatever caused them to flee to this place. There's uncertainty, not knowing how to move forward. But among some of the armed grippli, you can also see anger, at whatever forced this situation upon them.
Stepping into the decorated central building of the trade post, you are surprised by how cool the adobe construction is on the inside. Once your eyes adjust to the dim interior, you can make out a central divet in the floor, filled with rainwater as a way for the grippli to keep their skins from drying out. It's clear, that this is more akin to a meeting hall for the rainy season, when the fresh batches of rivercrabs are sold to the traders from further up north, rather than any permanent installation. Behind some curtains, you suspect the living quarters of Pond-Mother and her attendants to lie, as it is from there that the tribal elder emerges.
With a lumbering grace, she slowly takes her seat on the northern side of the central pool and indicates to you all to sit down as well.
"Welcome, people-we-have-never-met-before. You coming here is good luck." Her voice cracks, and she looks to you all, before asking in primordial: "Is it alright, if I switch to a tongue more native to my own? Your guttaral speech is not for our types." Seeing the Professor understand, she gives an appreciative nod, before continuing, with the Professor translating and the Pond-mother taking time in her account.
"My people are one with the river. That has always meant that we move when the river does. Our houses are made of the rivers' gifts, and when the river washes them away, we resettle after the river has found its path again. It has always been so. Our people don't cling to the past, other than to learn from the wisdom of the elders. A moon ago, strange creatures, half man and half snake where spotted travelling from the direction of the rainclouds, a days' travel from our village. Many of the young ones didn't know why they travelled there, but I remember our old village, before the river shifted course. We kept an eye on them, and before long, they set up a camp in the ruins of our old village and started digging, like we do when we want to build new houses. It was strange, but because they were leaving us alone, we didn't think much of it. Then, about four sundowns ago, the other hard-shells had come to our vilalge, and after learning of the strange snake-people, wanted to go and talk to them. I don't know why, but the snake-people ran when they saw the hard-shells. We were weary, but that night several dozen of the snake people overran our village. Many of the guards were slaughtered or imprisoned, but because of them and the hard-shells, the rest of us could set out onto the river and get to here. Unfortunately, I don't know what came of your hard-shells. And what's worse, our young are still in our brood pools back in the village. Whoever these snake-people are, they have our young." Her voice cracks again at this, now from emotion.
Reng, while the Pond-mother speaks, you see one of the grippli guardians look at her with a mix of anger and wounded pride.
What would you like to do?
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Glasses:
Translating as he goes, the Professor introduces Shae, saying, “We have come to determine what has happened to the other hard shells. These half snake people attack the bird people along the river and threaten our fellow hard shells as well. We all have a voice in our decisions, but Shae speaks for us.”
Snively bows and defers to Shae, Help on Persuasion if needed.
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
"Seems clear what we have to do," Reng says, checking her armor and readying herself to go. Her expression had darkened as she heard the translated tale of the abductions and attacks.
"Aye that be what im thinking" Berrus assist Reng with the back of her armor. "We shou' get their kin back home"
Laissez les bons temps rouler
Mulligan leans in to whisper to Shae before she can speak. “Obviously you’re going to offer our assistance and all… but try to find out how many half-snakes they think there are. How many Hard-Shells went looking for them. And if we’re going to try to rescue their young, how do we take care of them and return them? I do not know how to tend to a brood pool…”
Other than the whispered suggestions Mulligan moats just stays alert and tries to read the room…