Ghosts of Gauntcliff, Chapter Seven

[Adam]

Bennedict walks through the ruins with his crossbow out and in his hands. He sweeps his gaze back and forth, looking through the buildings.

[ewancummins]

Bennedict walks through the ruins with his crossbow out and in his hands. He sweeps his gaze back and forth, looking through the buildings.

Benn notices a low, uncannily straight ridge of sand in the shadow of a dilapidated wooden wall. The miniature dune runs very straight for about four feet, and then drops off to nothing in a few inches on either end.

[Adam]

"I found something odd," Benn shouts to the others. "Evie, could you be a dear and tell me whether or not this is hiding a tripwire or something?"

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"A moment," Everline says as she stalks closer, her oddly purple eyes glittering weirdly.

(First Search check: 10.)

"Be patient with me," Everline says, and she rubs her eyes with vigour. "I need to be certain... A moment..." Again she focuses on what Benn has found, the glitter in her eyes even more pronounced.

(Second Search check: 19 Augmented with Detect Magic. Everline has Trapfinding.)

[ewancummins]

There is no sign of magic or traps.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"It looks safe," Everline reports, but nevertheless backs off to a safe distance. "No guarantees, though."

[ewancummins]

Around the lee of a nearby dune, out of sight of Benn and Everline-

Eustace finds some little clumps of scat scattered on the sand near one of the huts. These look fresh.

[Ail]

Around the lee of a nearby dune, out of sight of Benn and Everline-

Eustace finds some little clumps of scat scattered on the sand near one of the huts. These look fresh.

Without desguising his repugnance, Eustace points to Primeiro
"There's been recent activity here." Then he tries to understand the kind of animal responsible. This includes human, if that is the case. If at all possible, he does not touch it, and approaches only enough to make a proper judgement.

[ewancummins]

Around the lee of a nearby dune, out of sight of Benn and Everline-

Eustace finds some little clumps of scat scattered on the sand near one of the huts. These look fresh.

Without desguising his repugnance, Eustace points to Primeiro
"There's been recent activity here." Then he tries to understand the kind of animal responsible. This includes human, if that is the case. If at all possible, he does not touch it, and approaches only enough to make a proper judgement.

It doesn't look like a human made this.


(OOC, give me a knowledge:nature roll)

[steveflam]

VIEW CONTENT:

The Chief creeps up next to you. He asks “What we gonna do now, Master?” The little fellow adjusts his tin crown and then strikes a self-important pose, leaning on his wooden scepter.

Jürgen is looking at the Chief, then at the Chief's stick. Something in the back of his mind nags at him. Everline’s voice..... “If ya see a scepter down there.... If ya see a scepter down there.... If ya see a scepter down there...." He frowns.... looking at the Chiefs stick. “Mein Gott!”, he swears under his breath. “It was here the whole time and I didn’t even see it.” His eyes narrow and he swallows real hard. He blinks, as if surprised and then smiles real big! He is now excited! "Chief, I have to ask you a very important question. Your scepter, I need to look at it. It is very important. Dark One, go find Dorgio and Benn now! I need to know where they are."

Dark One glides out of the cave.

"Dark One tell them we have the scepter!"

The Chief looks up at you and blinks. ''My boss-stick? You wanna see it? Umm....okay." He hands the carved wooden rod to you.

The boy inspects it and removes the splinter from his bag
to see if it fits on the scepter.

The splinter matches a chipped area near one end of the scepter.

"Cool..........." mutters Jurgen "Chief, I need to ask you a great favor now."

The Chief puffs up his chest and his cheeks like a puffer fish. He tries to speak, but whistles instead. Slightly deflated, he says in a pinched voice'' Yes, Master?"

"I have a deal to make with you as you are the Chief." Jurgen swallows hard, removing the ring his father gave him. He looks down, sad, but knowing it is the right thing to do. "My father gave me this ring and he is now dead. It is very important to me. I will give it to you if you let me use the stick. Plus I will give you anything else you like from my bag or back pack. This is very important. The stick may very well help us against the bad bad man."

''Boss ring for me?"

"Yes, for you only. What is your name?"

''Chief"

"So yes, I will give you the ring, you can wear the boss ring.”

''Okay, we swaps."
The Chief begins to rummage through your pack, looking for the free bonus item you promised him...
He removes a gold plate!
''Plate, yaya yaya!"
''This be my boss-plate, Only for me to eat on."

"Yes, Chief. And remember you have done the Master a very most important favor."

The other little goons approach to ooh and ahhh over the Chief's new swag.
It's late afternoon. The light is still bright, but not as bad. The sky is partly cloudy

"Where did you find this stick, Chief?"

Chief says, ''Um....maybe found it in Dodds' house?"
''On floor?"

"Chief, I don't want a maybe. Try to remember please."

The little guys closes his single eye and hums.
''Yup, on floor. Dodds got no body. He don't pick up stuff."

Jürgen frowns. "No body? But then , where is his body? Do you know?"

''Dunno that."
''Maybe he never got a body? He is shadow-man."

"I think he was a man before a shadow body, Chief. Maybe his body is buried somewhere....Chief, thank you for the stick."

''Okay, you nice."

Jürgen looks around at the gathered goons. "When I have more items to give, I will share them with you all as you are part of my family now. We all share like I said. Now, do you all know how to count?"

Several of the things shake their heads. Gruz raises a hand. ''Got question."

"Yes?"

''What is count?"

"Ok."

Jürgen grabs ten pebbles.

Gruz frowns. ''Those rocks."

"Yes but they will help me show you how to count. Okay, this is one rock."
He holds up only one pebble.

Smezel walks up to the pile and points at the rocks. ''Oh, like this-- one, two, three, umm, four, five, six...rocks?"

"Not bad Smezel. But it is like this."
Jurgen counts each one up to ten slowly so they all can see.

The creatures repeat after you in sing-song fashion.

Jurgen does it again, this time giggling because he finds it funny that they sing along.”

Some of them seem to have a lot of trouble with this counting stuff, but others get the basic idea after a few tries.
Smezel and the Chief do the best.
Gruz picks his nose and eats his 'nose goblins' during the lesson.

Jurgen notices but figures there is time for everything yet.

"Chief, I would like to learn how to speak like you do with your clan."

''We talks the Gobbely patter. We show you?"

"Yes and I could try to show you another way to speak words soon, if you like?"

The creatures listen as you attempt to teach them. While you talk, they munch on chopped up sailor bits.

Jürgen looks away when they do, pretending to look at something interesting.

The Chief presents you with an ear. ''We share, like you said. This um...'' He says something in the weird goblin-talk these things use. Smezel translates ''Big honor."
The creatures watch you in silence.

"Um, I thank you," as he holds the ear. "Um can I be honest with you all?"

The Chief nods.
''Ear best part of head"

"Chief, you have seen fat ones and what they eat, right?"

''They eat what we eat. Meat. Other stuff. Same like us"

"Yes, but the difference is I am like the fat ones, I eat meat of dead animals like a cow or a fish, not a fat one. Does this make sense? I am not saying this is not good, but I do not eat a dead fat one. Do you understand what I mean?"

The creatures looks sad. Some of them begin to cry, or hide in the crevices of the cavern.
''We bad?'' One of them asks.

"No, you are not bad,,,, come here, please, ,,,,,,,,,,,, listen to me very closely, ok?"

The creatures creep closer to you.

Jürgen sits ... "Ok let us all sit together now. I am like a fat one, in that my eating habits are I eat the dead meat of cows, or fish or sharks or birds. That is my way of eating. You're way of eating is, you eat fat ones like Benn or Dorgio after they are dead I presume, though you did eat Benn's ear even though he was not dead. Fat ones, we are called humans. We humans tend to like our animal meat cooked. I wonder if you've ever cooked your human meat before?
Now I have a strange question. If, say one of you was dead, would you eat him?"

Smezel answers your last question.'' Course. Dead is dead. Meat is meat. Dead guys is meat."

"Okay. You see, I was teached that to eat a human is wrong. You were taught it is ok to eat your dead or humans. It doesn’t mean that your way is wrong. It just means that your way is different from my way. No way is bad or good. You are all still good in my eyes is all I have to say. I do not think you are bad because you eat what you do. I just do not eat the same things you do. That makes us a bit different, right?"

Smezel frowns at this. “Ummmm.... but you is one of us?”
“ONE OF US, ONE OF US!
GOOBLE GOBBLE”

Jürgen sighs "Very well, but this is my first time." He swallows and blocks his nose. Holding the nose between his fingertips he closes his eyes and brings it to his lips. He opens his mouth and pops it in crunching it a few times before swallowing. He grabs his waterskin and brings it to his lips taking a healthy swig.

Jürgen finds the ear needs some salt and maybe some cooking.

[Adam]

Satisfied that it is safe, Benn squats down on his haunches and examines the line closely.

[Ken of Ghastria]

Without disguising his repugnance, Eustace points to Primeiro.
"There's been recent activity here." Then he tries to understand the kind of animal responsible. This includes human, if that is the case. If at all possible, he does not touch it, and approaches only enough to make a proper judgement.

Primeiro looks around the area, wondering if the creature responsible is still nearby. "A beast marking its territory..." he mutters. Then, more loudly, he continues, "Sand and time have covered so much that it could take days to properly search this area." A pause. "Eustace, help me look for an area where the sand or ground seems to have sunken in a bit. That might suggest a building that had a small basement or cellar. Considering the equipment that the settlers likely had available, I'd hazard that only an important building or dwelling would have had a cellar."

[steveflam]

VIEW CONTENT:

"Smezel, come here a minute, please."

''Yeah?" Smezel approaches.

:

"Okay, I want to see what else you can do, besides open door to the dark place you come from with your dagger."

''I can dance!"

Smezel begins to hop about in a crazy fashion.

Jürgen laughs and says, "No, not dance my friend."

: "Slow down a minute. Here, I want you to use the stick for a minute, ok?"

''The boss-stick?"

"Yes, I am giving you special permission to use it, ok?"

''Ooooohhh!"

"Ok now. What words do you say when you open the special door to the dark place?"


Jürgen holds the sceptre out but doesn't let go yet.

Smezel reaches out with his hands--which are actually bigger than your hands-- and grabs the sceptre.

''What do I do?'

: "Do what you do when you hold the dagger. Say your special words that opens the door to the dark place."

Smezel repeats the words. Nothing unusual seems to follow his incantation.

''Uh, what is this gonna do, master?"

"Well I want to see what you can do, Smezel. NOw, the words you said, what do they mean exactly? What words are you saying?"

''Magic words make the knife work. I learn them from Fatbeard."

"Okay that is good. Now how is fatbeard? Dodds?"

''Nope. Fatbeard is man with fat beard. He came to Nightmare City. I stole his knife when he wasn't looking."

"Do you know any other magic words?"

Gruz walks over. ''Yeah, Smezel good thief. He stole me cheese. GIVE CHEESE!" Gruz jumps on Smezel and begins to bite and punch him.

Jurgen pulls Gruz off of Smezel

The other pint-sized holligans gather in a circle, laughing and cheering.

"Stop!"

Jürgen separates the two without great difficulty.

"Gruz, we are a family and family we do not ever bite or hurt one another. Do you understand?"

Gruz looks down at the cave floor. Yes, me sorry."

"Good, now apologize to Smezel and shake hands."

The two creatures shake their hands (hands as big as those of a grown man).
Now the others begin to shake hands.

"Wait a minute. What I mean is this." Jürgen takes Smezel’s hand in his and shakes it gently but with affection
"That is shaking a hand."

''Oh."

"Ok so, Smezel, do you know any more magic words?"

Something squeals in the back of the cave.

Jürgen looks.

Smezel shakes his head. ''Nope. You teach me more magic words?"

Looking back, you see that one of your followers has caught a rat and is eating the rodent live.

Jurgen shakes his head, laughing, but soemwhat disgusted. " I do not know any magic words, Smezel I am sorry."

''Does the Fat Man, the Benn, got some magic words?"

"Yes, he does. And so does Dorgio. Smezel and you all. we need to find Benn and Dorgio before the sun sets, or is gone. I want to find
them before the sun sets because the bad man, Dodds, will be awake. Do you know a way to find them, Smezel? It is very important to me.
I know I sent my shadow friend, Dark One but maybe you can help me?"

Gruz points outside-''We hate it So bright.'
Smezel adds' Our good time is coming. When the sun gets real low or hides, but is not all the way dark"

"Is that also the time of Dodds?"

''He only go around at night."

"So you are telling me that we can go outside and find Benn and the others before Dodds is awake? Or there is not enough sun left?"

The Chief puts in ''So bright! They will see us!"

"Not now, Chief. But the time you are good outside before dark, will there be enough time to find the fat ones?"

''Maybe?"

"Smezel can you use the dagger and say words to help find Benn or Dorgio?"

Smezel adds- ''We like the um.......what is called the little light times? Before sun is up high, before night gets real dark?"

Smezel pulls out his iron knife and turns it over in his hands. ''Don't think so..."

“Just before the sun goes down, you mean?"

''Yeah, around that time.'' Smezel answers. ''And before it comes up, but when there is some light in the sky"

"Ok, so you are telling me that the sun will go down, then it will be dark. Later on, it will be your time, before the sun rises in the sky, right?"

''Yeah'', several of them say.

"Ok , so maybe we rest now and when it is your time, we go. how does that sound?"

Nods all around,

"Hey, I have a question,Chief."

The crowned goblinoid turns back towards you. ''Err??"

"And anyone else who might know. Ok. Dark One was telling me about mating. You know, a male and female do things together."

Nods and titters

"Have any of you, well, you know, had a mate?"

More giggles.
The Chief points out one of the creatures in the back of the cave. Peering closer, you realize it has small breasts, like a girl.

''You want to make the grind with that one?"

Gruz points at your trousers. ''Master has fat spear. He will kill her."

"Um, uh, um, I never did that, but it is not that I do not want to, I just um er.. never did it. I hope you are not offended, miss.... " Jurgen smiles shyly embarrassed.
"Spear? Ohhhhhhhhh . Hahaaahaahahahahahahahahah! That was funny Gruz."

"Chief, I am a human boy of 12 years. How old are you and each of your clan? What are you exactly?"

Most of them just shake their heads in confusion

"Okay you know I am human, right? Fat Ones are Humans"

Smezel looks at you ''Are you sure?"

Yes I am sure. Why do you ask?"

''You are , um, not like other fat ones. You have the teeth. You have the thingies on your face."

"Yes because I am a young fat one. Does that make sense?"

''Nope"

”Okay.”

Smezel says, ''We know about kiddies. You are not look other kiddies."

"Um Benn and Dorgio are fat ones but have lived longer than I have. Oh yes that is true. But I mean, um, before I had not teeth or
whiskers, right?"

''They are old'' Smezel says. He adds ”For Fat Ones. Them humans get old real fast."

"Yes I guess they do from your point of view. Smezel, how long will you live? Okay let me put in another way.

Do you know that every time the sun comes up it is a new day?

Ok. Hey, do you have a birthday?"

''Birthday? Oh,day when I was birthed?"

"Yes!"

''Dunno when that was. Long time ago. Maybe (more alien gibberish)..."

"Okay well for me, once every year, I have a birthday which is how I know how old I am."

''How is that? How many years?"

" I am 12 years old. How old are all of you?"

''Twelve? Only twelve? Wow, you humans grow real fast!"

"Yes I guess we do."

''We get this big, but I don't mean fat or big..."

"Yes. Okay so I am curious."

''I mean you change a lot real fast."

"Yes we do I guess."

''We change real slow after we get so tall."

"I see."

''We get old real, real slow- if we get old."

"Okay I have a question."


Jürgen points to the only woman cyclops person and beckons her.

The female comes to you. The female smiles, revealing crooked teeth.

"Hi" he tells her. "Ok, any of you all" and he has her sit next to him as they are all sitting "Feel free to answer my words...... Now, let us say that um, Gruz here mates with you"
he taps her shoulder "how long would it take for a baby to be born?"

Someone calls out-''A few moons'

"Ok. If I mate with a human girl it takes 9 months."

Some of the creatures try to count to nine, but most give up after two or three.

Jürgen refreshes their memory

"Ok so you are the only female?"

The 'girl' shakes her head. She points at a couple of other ugly little humanoids

Jurgen nods

Gruz sidles up close to you. ''You gonna get them with your fat spear, Boss?"

Jurgen blushes a deep red. "Um no, er I mean it isn't that I don't want to, but I just am not inteersted in using my spear for that, Gruz. I think if I was older, liek you, perhaps I would want to. Do
you remember when you were younger? Did you want to use your spear for that? I use my spear for urinating or as we call it peeing."

Gruz pulls out his tiny pecker and pisses on the floor.

"Yes that is peeing. Chief are you Chief because you are the oldest?"

''Yup. I came first. Cept the Other Chief. I ate him.”

He points at the girl goblinoid. “Her name Magga. She make you happy."

"Chief, are there more of you somewhere else?"

''Yeah, maybe some in Nightmare City.'

''Before that, we come from (unstranslated weird word), back far through the fog"

[ewancummins]

Satisfied that it is safe, Benn squats down on his haunches and examines the line closely.

Looking closely, Benn sees a splinter of wood sticking out of the sandy ridge.

[ewancummins]

Without disguising his repugnance, Eustace points to Primeiro.
"There's been recent activity here." Then he tries to understand the kind of animal responsible. This includes human, if that is the case. If at all possible, he does not touch it, and approaches only enough to make a proper judgement.

Primeiro looks around the area, wondering if the creature responsible is still nearby. "A beast marking its territory..." he mutters. Then, more loudly, he continues, "Sand and time have covered so much that it could take days to properly search this area." A pause. "Eustace, help me look for an area where the sand or ground seems to have sunken in a bit. That might suggest a building that had a small basement or cellar. Considering the equipment that the settlers likely had available, I'd hazard that only an important building or dwelling would have had a cellar."

Eustace and Primeiro discover some odd prints in the sand not far from the scat---tracks sort of like hands, but not like human hands.