Jerks! (Part 2)

The good news: Those of you were with Ilwig at the site of the ogres camp have returned to Alexandria safely after the Ogres agreed to leave the haunted site. It's not really haunted, of course, but Kaltain did an excellent job of convincing them that it was so.

The bad news: they revealed that they had been paid by a rival merchant to Ilwa and she's clearly in the mood for confrontation. Some of you depart while others join in at the Guild, apparently at the gnome's willingness to pony up with cold, hard gold coins.

"So," begins Ilwa, "I have a nemesis."

Lollia wasn't here for the ogre camp, but the open offer of cold, hard cash certainly got her attention enough that she's joined the group, frowning a little as she listens and idly checks her nails for imperfections.

There she is, standing and looking around curiously, with a very large book in her arms... Tirry peers and looks around the place curiously, the rather 'pithy' Sith'Makar tilting her head left and right now and then as her tail whips around some...

Tirry at this point unslings her backpack and puts the book away before she slides it back on before she blinks and asks "So we're here to do what exactly? Help a gnome?"

"Yes," Izzy will reply slowly. "And get shiny coins to give to foolish people who don't allow sleeping in parks. Beside the fountain is best shaded rock in Alexandria. Guardsmen do not comprehend without bribing." The enormous crimson and charcoal lizard blinks her yellow eyes once and clacks her jaw. "So let us be doing this promptly so I may nap."

Well, there's lots of reasons for Alaryn to go help. She's getting paid for it. Sure. So there's that. I mean she sucks at selling the goods she acquires, so she needs to make money -somehow-. But maybe she can get her hands on something she -can- sell. She leaves her little pushcart of supplies back in town, but brought the armor she's been trying to sell, "Anyone need magic scale armor?" she asks with a smirk, "I'll letcha use it for free, and sell it if you like it... good price."

Daechir stands in the back of the party, hand held on the pommel of his rapier. He doesn't say anything just yet, more than happy to allow the others to do the talking for the moment. Besides they've already spoken.

Sora is staying mostly quiet right now listening to what is going on around her.

"You've made it to the big time." Strike remarks blandly in response to the gnome's having her first Arch. There's the thought that perhaps a merchant in such an 'enviable' position may need a bodyguard, but nipping at that one's heels is the thought that she's already danced that tune when she wasn't wrapped in all this meat.

"RIGHT?!" says Ilwa, excitedly, to Strike.

"Unfortunately, I know who this is. My old rival from Happy Valley! He got rich when the silver mine went big but he's never liked sharing any prosperity with me or anyone else. I mean, not that it matters. He got rich off OTHER people in the first place. But! That JERK bribed the ogres to stopping my business! It's PERSONAL now. SO I did a little reading and found out he's hunting near the Mythwood, looking for a mythical beast or what not. I say we beat him to it."

She's grinning. Big time.

"And then keep him from killing it."

"So, we are hunting the beast so they can't get it? What sort of beast is it?" asks Alaryn. "And ... why is this your focus when we could just go and have a.... chat.. with your rival?" she asks as she pats the grip of her Dragonspitter as if emphasizing her ability to 'chat' with someone.

Sora nods her head a bit. "So we are to capture it or kill it?" she asks to to get things clear. She looks at the others the. back.

"Capture I suggest." Daechir utters suddenly. "Killing it when /we/ have no purpose for it is not to my liking."

"Depends. Is it good components we can sell?" Lollia pipes up. "I mean, it could be a dangerous beast. LIke, something that would be better off if it wasn't threatening people in the area!" Strike glances at the woman with the 'spitter, "Because it risks involving the guard, as a consequence. That could necessitate fines or bribes. That cuts into profit."

"Not killing beasts?" The Sith-Makar squints slightly as she regards the nome, who is literally one seventh her size at a generous estimate. "I have sharp teeth pierce and claws that tear. How do I not kill a beast that I am supposed to capture?" The Sith might seem to be frowning. With Saurian anatomy it is hard to tell. "This is preposterous."

Waving away Strike's comments, Arlyn shakes her head, "I wasn't planning on -shooting the guy. Merely... making him think that it might be a possibility if he doesn't... oh skip it. Hunting a wild beast then." She sighs and shrugs, "Not really my forte at all."

Tirry looks to the gnome, then to the other Sith.. "SLeeping on a rock at the park?" She asks curiously, blinking, her voice is prim, proper, not really having an accent in common with most Sith, heck she doesn't even have a sibilant note to her voice.. Tirrynelth then peers back and forth curiously between folks. "Soooo yeah, ok well I'll do whatever it is I can help..."

Tirry pauses again, then looks to the other Sith... She looks around and picks up a very large stick, which she offers to them.. "Whack em on the head with this."

"I mean, that's up to you guys. I'm not a hunter. I just want to get in his way the way he got in mine. The beast in question is the 'legendary' pygmy bulette of the north woods."

Seriously? Pygmy Bulette?

Ilwa nods. "Pygmy Bulette of the North Woods. We can catch it. It's real, apparently, and we can track it and stop him from getting it. He's probably got ogres with him, though."

Lollia eyes the pair and rolls her eyes in a 'why me?' manner, before she says. "Well, let's find this beastie and spoil the guy's day then." she says simply, tapping her foot.

Daechir steps forward slightly, eyeing the other members of his party. "I am not for killing a possibly innocent magical creature. If that is your intent; we will part ways here."

A shrug, and Strike's vote is, "Nothing should need to die." 'Need to'. After 'should', which means something 'probably' will.

Lollia rolls her eyes again! "Oh my goddess, fine! We won't kill it!" She puts her hands on her hips. "But in my experience, bullettes are deadeyed killing machines that want to eat your face, and it'll probably eat people's faces."

Looking to Lollia, Arlyn nods, "Exactly. They are very aggressive and charge anyone who comes into their area. All I know is that if this one is trying to run me over, it's getting blasted."

"I eat faces," Izzy observes. "Faces are tasty. The bulette is a proper hunter."

Tirry tilts her head curiously againa nd ummms... "Well lets maybe try to capture it? Though I don't know any spells that might help with that... I might have a bok some where on making traps?" And while Izzy is like apex rawr eat face predator, Tirry? Well she's 7 feet of priss.... Even the thought of trying to kill this thing without very good reason is kind of making her 'green'

"The bulette isn't the target. If it attacks, defend yourself, but our focus should be on whatever the client's rival sends after it." Strike counters, "We're being paid to screw up his plan, how we accomplish that doesn't matter overly much to me."

"Oh, come on. It's a pygmy. You're not likely to have to blast anything. How big can it be?" says Ilwa.

Were this some kind of comedy, there'd be a fast cut to everyone running way from an enormous, ironically named Pygmy Bulette.

Instead, you're soon on your way by horseback (or other preferred steeds) to the north west woods in hunt of the quasi-mythical creature, having had a chance to stock up on supplies. Ilwa and her Dire Corgi (really) are coming along, of course. "Once he sees we're in the area, Adderack might get hostile with us real fast. He's pretty ornery. He won't try to murder us, that's not his style, but he won't hesitate to have us beat pretty bad."

Lollia just...looks at Izzy. "...of course you do.' she mutters, rubbing her face. But then to the horses! And then they're there. "So, did he hire more ogres or something to be his hunting party?"

Sora rides along with the others. The fingers of her artificial hand and arm flexing like a nervous tick. Her silvery greatsword strapped to the back of her silvery breastplate, the hilt over a shoulder where she can grab it easily.

Amazingly, for someone who isn't really comfortable around horses for the most part, Arlyn seems to know what she's doing. Her parents taught her about them years ago. So she's riding along with everyone else, keeping mostly quiet and to herself for now.

Daechir rides his horse quietly, his red eyes watching his companions with a general air of distrust. He has no intention of slaying the creature unless it attacks them first and... Well he suddenly smiles a low mischievous smile. The horse under him catches up a bit and his general sense of dishumor has faded entirely.

Strike never quite got the hang of horses, either. She was too heavy, before, and after, well... Reasons. She endures the ride as well as can be expected, but she spends the trip mostly silent, scanning the area warily as they go. At least she hasn't had to puke, yet.

Tirry is following along! The tall, lanky Sith'makar is sooo not riding a horse though, she's following the group while riding on a wagon, this being pulled along by a pair of horses... "Soo I see, with my little eye... Something green." Yes she's trying to start a game with anyone who also chose to ride in the wagon with her.

GAME: Tirrynelth rolls survival: (14)+1: 15
GAME: Strike rolls survival: (20)+2: 22
GAME: Itzpapalotl rolls Survival-2: (16)+0+-2: 14
GAME: Alaryn rolls survival: (7)+1: 8
GAME: Lollia rolls survival: (4)+2: 6
GAME: Sora rolls survival: (13)+10: 23
GAME: Daechir rolls survival: (2)+1: 3
GAME: Lollia casts Mage Armor. Caster Level: 2 DC: 16
GAME: Alaryn casts Endure Elements. Caster Level: 3 DC: 15
GAME: Tirrynelth casts Mage Armor. Caster Level: 4 DC: 15

"... I... don't really know anything about hunting, if we're honest," says Ilwa as she goes with you. Her corgi stops to sniff a tree. Then pee on the tree.

Before long, you're fairly deep in the woods and they're definitely getting thicker. It isn't long, indeed, before Sora and Strike smell woodsmoke and find the remains of a campsite that's been doused in the last few hours. Given the size of the footprints, you're in the right area. What a stroke of luck! Confirmation you've gotten /that/ much right.

Lollia groans. "...dammit. Ogres." she grumbles. "Well at least it'll be easy to track them...as big as they are they're probably making a mess wherever they walk."

Sora nods her head, "Sort of expected that. A few hours old. Should be able to catch up. Wonder what contacts he has to hire so many ogres."

"Whoa. Ogres are big." mutters Arlyn. She looks down at her Dragonspitter and shakes her head, "That's likely to just annoy'em." That said, she reaches to the back of her belt and pulls out what looks like a scepter with a crystal head. A few control studs activated and it extends to full staff length, "There. This will work much better on Ogres."

Strike took some coaxing before she indulged in the 'game' during the ride. She hops down to consider the footprints once the wagon stops, "It is kind of impressive that he managed it in the first place. Troubling, but impressive."

Daed nods as though he understands these things. To him the foot prints look like natural crevasses in the ground. The stink of the cori's urine makes his horse skitter to the side and he shakes his head. He'll follow the lead of those that know better than him how to track things.

Tirry pauses in trying to play 'I spy'. She tilts her head and looks over to Lollia "Soo I read somewhere that Ogres were like onions? Is that true?" She asks curiously, there's a straight faced look to her as well... Seems someone reads waaay too much...

Lollia mmmms. "That they smell and make people cry? I'm pretty sure they don't have layers or go good in soups." she says thoughtfully.

"Probably the hill giants," answers Ilwa as she kneels down and the corgi sniffs at the prints and then pees on one.

"There's a hill giant tribe that trades with us from time to time. While there's no love lost for obvious historical reasons, money is the great equalizer and even giants like things that are shiny, you know? So we're closer than I'd hoped. And this means thye haven't found the pygmy yet. So! Here's the plan. Bulettes hunt through vibration and burrow around mostly. Soooooo...." She clears her throat and turns towards Itzpapalotl and Alaryn, "You two are artificers. I talked to one who said that he could simulate prey-vibrations with a doohickey and I boiught it from him. Do you think you can use it? If he's in the area, it might work."

"They're harder to peel than onions, and much noisier." comes the half-Mul's blase' reply, though she does correct, "They have several layers, actually." She doesn't expand the list of creatures that share that particular trait. It'd probably disturb someone. The gnome's nature advisory draws Strike's attention.

Sora reaches over her shoulder with her artifice arm and grabs the hilt of her greatsword. She pulls the silvery blade from its hanger to hold it easy in her hands, "Just to be on the safe side, if there are ogres nearby." she murmurs and checks her armor and her blade to make sure all is in good working order.

"Let me see your thingamagoober." offers Alaryn. "Hard to say what I can and can't do with it until I've had a look at it. Or.. we.." she adds as she gestures to Izzy. "Though I suspect our -methods- may differ."

"This one expects she could use it." Izzy will exchange a glance with Alaryn before looking back to the gnome. "Our methods might be more similar than you might expect." There's a pause. "We should be setting up now. Show us the device."

Tirry blinks a few times "Ummm... Well umm... yeah, I have no clue what you're doing, I'll lend magical help where needed I think." She says, while still sitting on the wagon...

The blonde elf folds her arms, her lips quirking in a little moue of a frown. "Sooooo....after we get it here. What are we doing with it? Netting it temporarily or something? Snare? Something? "Well, that depends on if we're in the right place. It's clear that they have reason to believe /they/ are in the right place."

Ilwea begins rooting around in her pack before producing a long, metal rod with circular discs attached to the end, alongside a great deal of artificer gadgets on what is presumably the top.

She holds it out to Izzy and Alaryn.

It looks...complicated.

GAME: Itzpapalotl rolls craft/artifice+2: (3)+7+2: 12
GAME: Alaryn rolls craft/artifice+2: (19)+10+2: 31

Izpapalotl is staring at the device in question for a long moment. she blinks those yellow eyes once, those nictitating eyelids covering them once transparently, and then with the second layer, fully hiding her gaze for a split second. Then the lizard turns away. The deep, burnished red of scales catches the light and causes Izpapalotl almost to glow as she turns toward Tirrynelth. When her weight shifts the makeshift technological marvel that is her titan's armor shudders with the movement.

Izpapalotl lets out a loud hiss, arching her whole body toward Tirry. "You are Sith. There is nothing here to fear here. You should come. Stand by the machine. Stand up proudly. And-" *RAAAAAAAWR* izzy demonstrates with a draconic roar of her own. Helpfully. She waits for Tirrynelth to comply, the artifice forgotten.

Lollia eyes Izzy. "...Yeeeeeeah. I'm going to go sit in the tree there where I can't get eaten by a bulette." she decides, moving over to try and find a higher perch.

Tirry stares at Izzy curiously for a bit, her crest raising and lowering some, yeah she has a -very- strong resemblance to a bronze dragon.. "Ummmm, yeaaah, so! I'm a mage, a sorceress to be precise, I am very much so not a front line fighter... You can ummm... Stand next to the machine and roar and stuff.... I'll stay back and fling magic..." She says and nods a few more times.. "And hopefully not get eaten by a giant creature..."

Examining the thing, Alaryn's eyes widen, "Oh my. This... this is ingenious." She does her best to study its workings and is planning on someday trying to replicate the effect. "I should be able to get this in the ground over there and... I think I will call it a thumper."

Daechir remains in the back, grateful to go unnoticed for the most part. He clearly doesn't envy the sith-makar being spoken to. As a spellcaster in fact, he sympathizes.

Sora just watches the area as the device is used, wanting to be ready for anything, she hates being caught by surprise. The smaller human lass smiles as she does listen to some of the words by her associates, but doesn't add anything right now.

Strike gently pats her assorted pouches to make sure all her special friends are in the right places, cranes her neck to either side to pop the tension out... and waits.

"I got this." says Alaryn with a smile to Izzy. "Next one is yours." She adds before sliding down off of her horse and striding over to a mildly open area. She turns the device over and presses it to the ground, digging it in just a bit before she stands up, lifts her foot and uses her body weight to dig it deeper. Then... she moves back to her horse and climbs aboard... only then does she reach a hand towards it and summon a mage hand effect to -activate- the thing from way over here.

"You are Sith," Izzy insists in a serious tone. SHe reaches out a clawed appendage toward the bronze Sith-Makar in front of her. "Come. Stand with me. Fling magic from here. We will need it." Izzy continues to watch Tirry intently but she does give Alaric a nod. "The thumper will summon the underground worm. It could perhaps be modified to assist miners as well. I have engineering designs that would suit it." She'll contentedly let Alaryn do her work while she attempts to co-opt Tirry to join her.

GAME: Alaryn rolls perception: (15)+7: 22
GAME: Sora rolls perception: (20)+7: 27
GAME: Strike rolls perception: (10)+10: 20
GAME: Tirrynelth rolls perception: (13)+6: 19
GAME: Daechir rolls perception: (1)+3: 4 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Lollia rolls perception: (17)+6: 23

With the device activated, the ground begins to..... vibrate. Really, you can /feel/ it. It's subtle, but powerful. If something does indeed hunt through vibration, it's bound to find this spot

And now? Well, now you wait.

And wait...

... and wait...

GAME: Itzpapalotl rolls perception: (6)+6: 12

Sora shakes her head, "That feels weird." she sayts as she feels the vibration. She tries not to let it distract her though, so she can be ready should the ogres be drawn this way, or their target be very hostile.

Strike continues to do the patience thing, though she keeps looking around so as not to be snuck up on by ogres whilst waiting for their order of landshark to arrive.

Patience may be a virtue. But it is not a trait that Alaryn is good with, "When is it going to show up?" she asks, likely for the seventh time as she fidgets and such

Daechir continues to stare off into the distance. A part of the group but not really a part of it. Looking out for the creature in the hopes of spotting it first.

Lollia peers down from her perch. She's switched from her bow to a wand, as it's it's a bit easier to balance with one hand free where she can shoot with the other one. "No sign of it?" Lizards don't snore so it is hard to tell, especially given how somnolent she usually is. But some time after she was rebuffed by Tirrynelth it appears the Sith Artificer... Fell asleep. Oh hey.

You know what else hunts through vibrations? Spiders.

They hunt through vibrations. Guess what just burst out of the earth to grab Lollia?

GAME: Lollia used a Wand of Magic Missile.
GAME: Lollia rolls 1d4+1: (3)+1: 4

Lollia lets out a shriek as something lands on her, flailing wildly! Then quickly points the wand at WHATEVER it is and there's a flash as a magic missile smashes back into the spider as she tries to knock it off her!

GAME: Tirrynelth casts Scorching Ray. Caster Level: 4 DC: 16 GAME: Tirrynelth rolls ranged: (16)+3: 19 GAME: Tirrynelth rolls ranged: (13)+3: 16

The first spider does indeed leap at Lollia, only to be caught by a blast from her and Tirry in the process that leaves it badly harmed. A spray of ichor lands ALL OVER The blond sorceress as it falls at her feet, twitching.

GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d20+4: (3)+4: 7

Another spider leaps from the trees! It's aiming right at Strike!

Eek!

GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d20+1: (12)+1: 13
GAME: NeverSleepsPool rolls 1d6: (1): 1
GAME: Strike rolls fort: (20)+5: 25 (CRITICAL SUCCESS)
GAME: Strike rolls weapon0: (20)+5: 25 (THREAT)
GAME: Strike rolls weapon0: (5)+5: 10

-TBC