laid back apocalypse

"Oh, I'm sorry. Wow, my hearing really took a hit, it seems." Reghys was almost ready to chuckle at that. Almost. They felt that Ebele wasn't doing well, and they could only imagine how terrifying it would be if one was suddenly completly deaf and blind at the same time. Hearing Ebele whisper, Reghys leans in close and whispers in her ear: "Don't worry, inside this bear cage, no lightning can touch us. You're safe from the storm."

The downpour increases

"Mud is actually pretty good for your skin! How do you think mine is so baby soft?" Hawke jests as he enters into the makeshift shelter, settling himself down wherever he could fit. "Guess it's a good thing you guys kept this cage, huh? What's the story behind it? Since, you know, we got the time for stories n' all."

Ebele would take a breath and slowly begin to calm with Reghys' assurance and the sound of the others chatting near by. She'd focus on the voices and where they were coming from, testing the quality of her hearing. A mud bath sounded nice and relaxing after being shaken to ones core. Should she need too, the blonde would shuffle one way or the other to make room for others. It didn't sound like Kerric had joined them yet.

"Any one cold, or need more cover?" The monk would pull out her bed roll to offer what possible comfort she could to the cart for story time. It's the least she could do. She figured the tale would probably best be told by one of their bards, and someone who actually saw it happen.

Kerric:

"I am here, Ebele, keeping watch.  I am a soldier, and the water does not bother me," responds Kerric to Ebele's invitation.  

While he would prefer to keep moving, Kerric will stand watch if they decide to pull off to the side of the road.

Xalkas gives T'chal'fronack'zcinicker a nod of appreciation at the makeshift cover. Then checks his books to make sure they’re not too water damaged. 

Looking around, Reghys realises that they were all under cover, apart from Kerric who wanted to sit outside. "Well, if we're all in the mood for stories, why don't we use this time to share a little about ourselves. I know this fun game, it's called Two lies and a Truth. It's really simple, each one of us is going to tell three stories, two of which have to be lies, and one of which is the truth. If everyone or no one guesses the truth, the person telling the story needs to drink a sip, if only a few people guess right, everyone that guessed wrong needs to drink a sip. Who's in?"

Reghys' sentence is punctuated by a loud crack of thunder

Wincing from the thunder, Ebele would shakily raise her hand. She’d be willing to indulge in Reghys’ game. It could be a distraction from the storm, unless Kerric needed a hand with watch or if there was something else she could be of some help with.

Hawke shrugs at the idea of playing a game while they wait out the storm. "Ah, **** it, why not? I'm in."

Kerric:

Dripping but smiling at the game going on under shelter, Kerric watches carefully through the downpour for any threats, ready to give the alarm if they are attacked.

Perception:  6

Kerric sees rain and roiling clouds   he estimates visibility right now is about 1/4 mile

T'chal'fronack'zcinicker grins, "Ooooh, I like this game. We have an alternative where I'm from called Two Tails and a Fang....of course Tails being a play on words. I'd be happy to start, I'm quite good at this game.  My three stories are as follows.  First, when I was a youngling, my father beat me for trading our dretch servant for a lock of hair. However, when he realized the lock of hair was from one of my fellow trainees' father, a demon of some prestige, he forgave me and awarded me my first name portion, 'chal', which means roughly one who takes the long view."   He pauses and looks around, grinning.  "Second story, Fron was earned in my 2nd year of university, awarded to me by the the professor of Structured Contracts, Professor Radlon'Morentus-Sivelous'Par'Canook, for finding a flaw in one of his subclauses that gave the undersigned an ability to nullify the contract by failing to pay a fee. Fron in Infernal meaning 'finder'."  He stops once more as thunder rolls, "And then my final story. 'zcin' was awarded to me upon graduation. I received top honors and gave a speech regarding the benefits of the use of un-symbolized identifiers in common contracts. 'zcin' is an addition in infernal that means 'completionist'." 

He smiles broadly and opens his hands to the each side in an expression of being done.  Deception roll vs any insight rolls (though 1 roll vs many almost guarantees a loss....) : 24

Xalkas regards the tiefling quietly and with great curiosity, trying to figure out with of those stories was false. 

Insight: 4

Hawke listens to T’chal’s stories with rapt attention, hoping to figure out which one was true and which ones were false.

Insighty: 5

Reghys listens to the tale, and as soon as T is finished says: "Unless I've not been paying attention in my college- which is likely to be fair- I have no recollection of devils and demons interacting without bloodshed, so the first story seems fishy to me. But I'm ready to drink if I am wrong."

Not able to make heads or tails of which story is the falsehood Xalkas chimes in “I think that last one is the ... Fang you called it?”

Ebele would pat her nose while she’d ponder. It was hard not to have an influenced pick with the others providing their guesses, especially Reghys with their educated reasoning for their guess. She had been leaning towards the first one as well, but a thought passed through the monk’s mind. The tiefling was clever, and paid attention to many little details. Perhaps that’s where he would choose to stump them, with something as simple as an incorrect detail, such as a professor’s name. Figuring she didn’t have much to lose, Ebele would take her guess. “The second one.” Besides, she could go for a drink to calm her nerves. Sadly remembering her empty whineskin, the half elf would make a mental note that she needs to get a batch of cider started ASAP.

T'chal'fronack'zcinicker glances around the group..."Remember, two are incorrect, and one is correct...yes....the fang!  And Xalkas and Hawke have surmised the only truthful answer. The third one, I did indeed give a speech and earn 'zcin' at graduation with a speech on un-symbolized identifiers. The first was a gimme, since i'm part Devil, not part demon...and dretch's are also demons. We had a lemure servant and the father was a devil, but otherwise the story is true. The second is incorrect as well. Professor Radlon'Morentus-Sivelous'Par'Canook purposely left that flaw in the contract to distract from a more insidious flaw that nobody found, and had to be pointed out to us.  But....anyway. I believe I have at least two drinks to take."  

He smiles, and glances around at the downpour. Though...his eyes narrow as visibility drops...and he glances at Kerric to see if he looks comfortable or concerned.  He takes two swigs from a wineskin.

"Well done T, that was an excellent start. Why don't we go clockwise? Xalkas, you're up!" You notice that the proposed order would make Reghys go last.