Olwer, you avoid the gnome's ire as it stomps out of the tent, cackling almost as if insane. Halflings and gnomes are clustering around the stage to see what happened, and gathering into worried little knots.
CENTRAL TENT
OLWER
Olwer crawls out from under a table. He brushes off his clothes and hustles over to the stage.
He looks about for the Mayor-turned-batrachian. If he spots the toad, he squats before it and says in a low voice,
Olwer, the toad is easily spotted on the stage, surrounded by a growing crowd of faire-goers. A woman, presumedly the mayor's wife, swoops in and scoops up the toad, cradling it in her arms and saying, "Oh no, oh no, Mors, are you alright?"
Your attempt to speak with the toad is met with the toad's unintelligent yellow-eyed stare and a "ribbit."
Olwer, the toad is easily spotted on the stage, surrounded by a growing crowd of faire-goers. A woman, presumedly the mayor's wife, swoops in and scoops up the toad, cradling it in her arms and saying, "Oh no, oh no, Mors, are you alright?"
Your attempt to speak with the toad is met with the toad's unintelligent yellow-eyed stare and a "ribbit."
THE STAGE/CENTRAL TENT
OLWER
---
Olwer, still crouched low, addresses the Halfling woman with Mors the Toad in her hands,
"Madam, forgive my intrusion in your moment of distress. I pray your husband will return to normal soon."
He stands, bowing as he exits the stage.
Then, on the ground, he rounds on the nearest Gnome or Halfling who isn't holding an ensorcelled amphibian, and asks in a firm but polite tone, "Excuse me, but who was that Gnome who blew the green stuff on the Mayor and...toadified...him? And do you know what they two were arguing about?"
The halfling you're questioning shrugs and says, "No, I missed it, I was trying to knock Roger off the tables with some unripe tomatoes I brought--"
He's shouldered aside by a rather large (for a gnome) older lady, who eagerly blurts out to you (and to everyone around), "I saw the whole thing! Ol' Patcher Moldwarp, that's his name. We almost never see him 'round here. I reckon most folks don't even know 'im. He's down from the wild hills beyond Threepenny wood, and he was drunk as a skunk! He was pitchin' a fit to Mayor Mors Barleydew cuz he wanted to be crowned the Pudding King without even trying Yondalla's Luck. The Mayor knew that Patcher's been causin' trouble all morning with his sour attitude so he was tryin' to get Patcher to leave, only that made Patcher get real angry, and then you seen the result. I didn't know Ol' Patcher could do magic, did you??"
The halfling you're questioning shrugs and says, "No, I missed it, I was trying to knock Roger off the tables with some unripe tomatoes I brought--"
He's shouldered aside by a rather large (for a gnome) older lady, who eagerly blurts out to you (and to everyone around), "I saw the whole thing! Ol' Patcher Moldwarp, that's his name. We almost never see him 'round here. I reckon most folks don't even know 'im. He's down from the wild hills beyond Threepenny wood, and he was drunk as a skunk! He was pitchin' a fit to Mayor Mors Barleydew cuz he wanted to be crowned the Pudding King without even trying Yondalla's Luck. The Mayor knew that Patcher's been causin' trouble all morning with his sour attitude so he was tryin' to get Patcher to leave, only that made Patcher get real angry, and then you seen the result. I didn't know Ol' Patcher could do magic, did you??"
''No, indeed not. I shouldn't like to be changed into a toad, so I mean to keep wide of him from now on."
Olwer frowns.
"Maybe this change will simply wear off after awhile? I don't suppose Honeypuddle has got a local mage or holyman who can reverse curses and lift enchantments?"
He glances doubtfully up at the toad and the woman holding it.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Erevan's heart goes out to the child. Certainly thievery is wrong, but she's just a child. (Meanwhile, Fez slips back into invisibility.)
He pockets the vial of liquid as he speaks to the herbalist. "I thank you for the medicinal assistance, m'lady," he says with a smile. "But let's not have the misguided act of a wee child ruin the fun spirit of the fair, eh? Perhaps I could offer you at least partial compensation for the child's poor, poor decision?" He doesn't pull out any money but waits to hear her response.
As he waits, he looks down at the child. "That is neither wise nor kind," he says. "But nor was it vicious. Stay right there while we get this sorted out."
The child sniffles, trying not to cry, and says, "I just needed a salve for my legs, I ran into some stinging nettle in the woods." She shows her legs, bare under a knee-length dress, and red angry-looking splotches are evident.
The herbalist sees your kind and calming reaction and her face softens. "Here, child", she says, reaching for a cream in her wagon. She applies the cream and says, "Now off with you."
The child scampers away.
The herbalist gives you an appraising look at the end of all this. "You are both kind and wise, visitor. I thank you. My name is Arabella. Please, have another healing potion."
The mayor's wife shakes her head ruefully, "No, we have no renowned magic-users here. Perhaps I'll take him to Nanny Cowslip's cart, she's the oldest and wisest halfling I know. If she doesn't know what to do, then no one will!"
A few in the crowd that were listening murmur in agreement. "Yes, take him to Nanny Cowslip!" The woman, holding the toad, begins to exit the tent, with a knot of curious faire-goers escorting her.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Erevan thanks the herbalist and leaves her 5 silver pieces. He then realizes he better catch up with Olwer and heads over to the tent, swigging down one of his potions as he goes. He keeps his eyes open for their quarry--or for anything else unusual that might be happening, such a woman holding a toad being followed by a bunch of other halflings and perhaps his fellow bounty hunter.
OOC note, let's say the copper piece tip Olwer gave the Gnome girl and one of those five silver Erevan just laid down for potions came out of our group expenses (1 sp, 1 cp) , so we can just scratch that off now.
The crowd is heading back to the faire entrance. They approach the cart with the three pony-sized kittens. An ancient halfling is there with a brightly painted chariot, to which the kittens are harnessed. She's selling candy and chatting with faire-goers. Her face is so weathered and wrinkled that you've no doubt she has seen hundreds of annual faires, yet the sparkle in her eyes is quite lively and sharp.
"Goodness me," says Nanny Cowslip with a smile. "What a delegation! I hope I have enough candy for all of you."
"Nanny Cowslip," says the mayor's wife, holding forth the toad, "Mors has been turned into a toad!"
The old gnome who saw it all go down has come with the group, and she leaps forward again. "I saw it happen, it was ol' Patcher Moldwarp who done it!"
"Has he now? You don't say? Better hand him over, I'll take a look at him."
Nanny Cowslip sets the jar of candy she'd been holding down on her yellow chariot, next to a larger jar full of mildly glowing jelly beans labeled "MAGIC CANDY". She takes the toad from the mayor's wife's hands and cradles it close to her face, whispering to it and making croaking noises. She hands the toad back and says, "I do believe the spell will wear off. Patience, don't lose sight of him, and I reckon he'll be his usual self later in the evening, in time to crown the Pudding King!"
She speaks with a simple confidence that calms the crowd, including the mayor's wife. She accepts this pronouncement and walks away, cradling the toad in her arms protectively. One of the enormous kittens takes an interest in the toad and looks like it may want to pounce or swat, but Nanny Cowslip makes a tsk'ing noise at the kitten and it loses interest in the toad.
Erevan watches how Nanny Cowslip handles the crowd. He's no stranger at manipulating groups and individuals himself, but he can't help but be impressed. As the crows thins out, Erevan remains, lingering nearby. He then saunters up to the elderly halfling woman with a smile of his own.
"So," he says quietly, with a smile, "did the mayor really get transformed into a toad?" He laughs and adds "You certainly have a way with an agitated crowd, m'lady."
Nanny Cowslip looks Erevan up and down and gives a shrug and a smile. Her face is incredibly wrinkled.
"I've lived long enough to learn a thing or two, young whipper-snapper. As for the mayor, I hope I'm right. I've seen a little magic in my day..." Her eyes slide over to the kittens as she says this, then they return to meet your gaze. You get the distinct impression that she did it on purpose, that she's having a bit of a joke with you, but good-natured.
"But what about you?" she asks, changing gears. "I hope you're having a grand time at the Faire?"
Erevan laughs as she calls him a whipper-snapper. His eyes follow hers to the kittens and he wonders just what they are. He meets her eyes as she looks backs to him.
"Big kittens," he says before responding to her question. "Oh, it's a very interesting event. I've already seen the mayor turned into a toad. Now that's going to be quite a tough act for the Pudding King to follow. Do you have any recommendations on what to take in here at the Faire?"
Nanny Cowslip strikes a pose as though giving the question much thought.
”Hmmm, well I do enjoy just about everything at the Faire. A big tall fellow like yourself may do well at the eel-eating contest or the wrestling ring. The stand-up comedy stage may appeal to your theatrical interests. The psychic is a new addition to the Faire this year and I hear she’s quite good at what she does, maybe even a real psychic. Honestly wherever you go, I don’t think you can go wrong. You already visited the livestock pen, of course, I’ve heard all about it.”
Erevan laughs at some of her suggestions. "I assure you despite my height, I have no business in the wrestling ring!" he says. "Now a psychic, though, that is intriguing. Do you know her name and where I might find her?"
OOC: I will refer back to the map as well (meaning me the player, I'm not even sure Erevan has it)
“Straight down the main path is the central tent, keep going past that and you’ll see the eel-eating contest. Back a bit more and to the right you’ll find the psychic. She’s in the back right corner of the Faire.”
Nanny Cowslip turns and gets her jar of glowing jelly beans labeled MAGIC CANDY, and presents it to the both of you.
”Before you young lads go, please, take a candy. I heard of some of the trouble you went through to help Farmer Butterweed, and that was mighty kind of you. Please, pick a candy.”
You see glowing jelly beans of various colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple.
“Straight down the main path is the central tent, keep going past that and you’ll see the eel-eating contest. Back a bit more and to the right you’ll find the psychic. She’s in the back right corner of the Faire.”
Nanny Cowslip turns and gets her jar of glowing jelly beans labeled MAGIC CANDY, and presents it to the both of you.
”Before you young lads go, please, take a candy. I heard of some of the trouble you went through to help Farmer Butterweed, and that was mighty kind of you. Please, pick a candy.”
You see glowing jelly beans of various colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple.
Olwer waits for Erevan to pick first. He will choose an orange candy and thank Nanny Cowslip with his best manners.
CENTRAL TENT
OLWER
Olwer crawls out from under a table. He brushes off his clothes and hustles over to the stage.
He looks about for the Mayor-turned-batrachian. If he spots the toad, he squats before it and says in a low voice,
''Excellency, can, you, ah, speak?"
perception, if needed
13
Olwer, the toad is easily spotted on the stage, surrounded by a growing crowd of faire-goers. A woman, presumedly the mayor's wife, swoops in and scoops up the toad, cradling it in her arms and saying, "Oh no, oh no, Mors, are you alright?"
Your attempt to speak with the toad is met with the toad's unintelligent yellow-eyed stare and a "ribbit."
THE STAGE/CENTRAL TENT
OLWER
---
Olwer, still crouched low, addresses the Halfling woman with Mors the Toad in her hands,
"Madam, forgive my intrusion in your moment of distress. I pray your husband will return to normal soon."
He stands, bowing as he exits the stage.
Then, on the ground, he rounds on the nearest Gnome or Halfling who isn't holding an ensorcelled amphibian, and asks in a firm but polite tone, "Excuse me, but who was that Gnome who blew the green stuff on the Mayor and...toadified...him? And do you know what they two were arguing about?"
The halfling you're questioning shrugs and says, "No, I missed it, I was trying to knock Roger off the tables with some unripe tomatoes I brought--"
He's shouldered aside by a rather large (for a gnome) older lady, who eagerly blurts out to you (and to everyone around), "I saw the whole thing! Ol' Patcher Moldwarp, that's his name. We almost never see him 'round here. I reckon most folks don't even know 'im. He's down from the wild hills beyond Threepenny wood, and he was drunk as a skunk! He was pitchin' a fit to Mayor Mors Barleydew cuz he wanted to be crowned the Pudding King without even trying Yondalla's Luck. The Mayor knew that Patcher's been causin' trouble all morning with his sour attitude so he was tryin' to get Patcher to leave, only that made Patcher get real angry, and then you seen the result. I didn't know Ol' Patcher could do magic, did you??"
''No, indeed not. I shouldn't like to be changed into a toad, so I mean to keep wide of him from now on."
Olwer frowns.
"Maybe this change will simply wear off after awhile? I don't suppose Honeypuddle has got a local mage or holyman who can reverse curses and lift enchantments?"
He glances doubtfully up at the toad and the woman holding it.
Erevan's heart goes out to the child. Certainly thievery is wrong, but she's just a child. (Meanwhile, Fez slips back into invisibility.)
He pockets the vial of liquid as he speaks to the herbalist. "I thank you for the medicinal assistance, m'lady," he says with a smile. "But let's not have the misguided act of a wee child ruin the fun spirit of the fair, eh? Perhaps I could offer you at least partial compensation for the child's poor, poor decision?" He doesn't pull out any money but waits to hear her response.
As he waits, he looks down at the child. "That is neither wise nor kind," he says. "But nor was it vicious. Stay right there while we get this sorted out."
Persuasion 12
Erevan:
The child sniffles, trying not to cry, and says, "I just needed a salve for my legs, I ran into some stinging nettle in the woods." She shows her legs, bare under a knee-length dress, and red angry-looking splotches are evident.
The herbalist sees your kind and calming reaction and her face softens. "Here, child", she says, reaching for a cream in her wagon. She applies the cream and says, "Now off with you."
The child scampers away.
The herbalist gives you an appraising look at the end of all this. "You are both kind and wise, visitor. I thank you. My name is Arabella. Please, have another healing potion."
She gives you a total of 2 healing potions.
Olwer:
The mayor's wife shakes her head ruefully, "No, we have no renowned magic-users here. Perhaps I'll take him to Nanny Cowslip's cart, she's the oldest and wisest halfling I know. If she doesn't know what to do, then no one will!"
A few in the crowd that were listening murmur in agreement. "Yes, take him to Nanny Cowslip!" The woman, holding the toad, begins to exit the tent, with a knot of curious faire-goers escorting her.
Olwer decides to go along and see Nanny Cowslip.
Erevan thanks the herbalist and leaves her 5 silver pieces. He then realizes he better catch up with Olwer and heads over to the tent, swigging down one of his potions as he goes. He keeps his eyes open for their quarry--or for anything else unusual that might be happening, such a woman holding a toad being followed by a bunch of other halflings and perhaps his fellow bounty hunter.
Healing Potion 6
OOC note, let's say the copper piece tip Olwer gave the Gnome girl and one of those five silver Erevan just laid down for potions came out of our group expenses (1 sp, 1 cp) , so we can just scratch that off now.
Cool?
OOC: Sounds good to me. Thanks!
The crowd is heading back to the faire entrance. They approach the cart with the three pony-sized kittens. An ancient halfling is there with a brightly painted chariot, to which the kittens are harnessed. She's selling candy and chatting with faire-goers. Her face is so weathered and wrinkled that you've no doubt she has seen hundreds of annual faires, yet the sparkle in her eyes is quite lively and sharp.
"Goodness me," says Nanny Cowslip with a smile. "What a delegation! I hope I have enough candy for all of you."
"Nanny Cowslip," says the mayor's wife, holding forth the toad, "Mors has been turned into a toad!"
The old gnome who saw it all go down has come with the group, and she leaps forward again. "I saw it happen, it was ol' Patcher Moldwarp who done it!"
"Has he now? You don't say? Better hand him over, I'll take a look at him."
Nanny Cowslip sets the jar of candy she'd been holding down on her yellow chariot, next to a larger jar full of mildly glowing jelly beans labeled "MAGIC CANDY". She takes the toad from the mayor's wife's hands and cradles it close to her face, whispering to it and making croaking noises. She hands the toad back and says, "I do believe the spell will wear off. Patience, don't lose sight of him, and I reckon he'll be his usual self later in the evening, in time to crown the Pudding King!"
She speaks with a simple confidence that calms the crowd, including the mayor's wife. She accepts this pronouncement and walks away, cradling the toad in her arms protectively. One of the enormous kittens takes an interest in the toad and looks like it may want to pounce or swat, but Nanny Cowslip makes a tsk'ing noise at the kitten and it loses interest in the toad.
OOC: Assuming Erevan caught up here ...
Erevan watches how Nanny Cowslip handles the crowd. He's no stranger at manipulating groups and individuals himself, but he can't help but be impressed. As the crows thins out, Erevan remains, lingering nearby. He then saunters up to the elderly halfling woman with a smile of his own.
"So," he says quietly, with a smile, "did the mayor really get transformed into a toad?" He laughs and adds "You certainly have a way with an agitated crowd, m'lady."
Nanny Cowslip looks Erevan up and down and gives a shrug and a smile. Her face is incredibly wrinkled.
"I've lived long enough to learn a thing or two, young whipper-snapper. As for the mayor, I hope I'm right. I've seen a little magic in my day..." Her eyes slide over to the kittens as she says this, then they return to meet your gaze. You get the distinct impression that she did it on purpose, that she's having a bit of a joke with you, but good-natured.
"But what about you?" she asks, changing gears. "I hope you're having a grand time at the Faire?"
Erevan laughs as she calls him a whipper-snapper. His eyes follow hers to the kittens and he wonders just what they are. He meets her eyes as she looks backs to him.
"Big kittens," he says before responding to her question. "Oh, it's a very interesting event. I've already seen the mayor turned into a toad. Now that's going to be quite a tough act for the Pudding King to follow. Do you have any recommendations on what to take in here at the Faire?"
Nanny Cowslip strikes a pose as though giving the question much thought.
”Hmmm, well I do enjoy just about everything at the Faire. A big tall fellow like yourself may do well at the eel-eating contest or the wrestling ring. The stand-up comedy stage may appeal to your theatrical interests. The psychic is a new addition to the Faire this year and I hear she’s quite good at what she does, maybe even a real psychic. Honestly wherever you go, I don’t think you can go wrong. You already visited the livestock pen, of course, I’ve heard all about it.”
Erevan laughs at some of her suggestions. "I assure you despite my height, I have no business in the wrestling ring!" he says. "Now a psychic, though, that is intriguing. Do you know her name and where I might find her?"
OOC: I will refer back to the map as well (meaning me the player, I'm not even sure Erevan has it)
Nanny Cowslip gives directions:
“Straight down the main path is the central tent, keep going past that and you’ll see the eel-eating contest. Back a bit more and to the right you’ll find the psychic. She’s in the back right corner of the Faire.”
Nanny Cowslip turns and gets her jar of glowing jelly beans labeled MAGIC CANDY, and presents it to the both of you.
”Before you young lads go, please, take a candy. I heard of some of the trouble you went through to help Farmer Butterweed, and that was mighty kind of you. Please, pick a candy.”
You see glowing jelly beans of various colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple.
Olwer waits for Erevan to pick first. He will choose an orange candy and thank Nanny Cowslip with his best manners.