(PrP) Tunnel Crawl II

[Mhairi Ankaa]

"Everything changed when Sal's closed. Found a wandering Market a few months ago. Mighta been 'round here, but I don't really know how long I was walking. Trods, time..." Mhairi trails off.

"Or something," like freeholders, nodding and not saying more letting the chatter box Circe was proving to be speak and Sera to cover where the Summer floundered.

Holding onto that fear, even as relief nearly chokes her. The others played along. They just needed to play at this for a while longer...

[Yumyumcrow]

The Cyclopean blinked and snorted.

"Evergrowing Ivy grows on the ground. Or clings to trees and other things in the Hedge. It'll just choke everything around it as it takes over. Once its done that, it'll get aggressive and start grabbing anything that moves. This makes it fucking nasty when it grows over a Trod or path through the Thorns. Unless you know what the vines look like you might wander right into a patch and it'll surround you."

The Cyclopean gestured to the vines that they could see: long, gnarled, and woody.

"The others are Tanglevines. They hang down, yeah. Hang down from the Thorns or the trees or whatever. They'll snatch you up and carry you off. Heh! Most Lost and Hobs don't look up. The only one you hear coming is Howling Tanglevine. At least you get a chance to get out of its way."

He laughed.

Tobias raised his brow ridges at Seraphina.

"Easy, was it? Not what I heard. Still, its all rumour; don't believe a word of it. I don't care much for Freeholds - its why we cut this Hollow here, nice and out of the way. Stories? Depends on what I need, when I need it. I value information and if is going to help me, I'll listen. Right now I'm hunting Hobs. You got any stories?" He shrugged, still watching the Fairest.

Gordon Glob, the Cyclopean Ogre, turned his attention to Mhairi but not by much.

"Humf! Yeah. Tell me about it. Sal's was the biggest market round here. Now no one can find anything. And now we got this shit coming from them Bay Freeholders! Exiles and war bands looking for sport or loot. Drawing the deep riders from the Hedge and their bosses. The Brim is getting antsy so you don't want to cross 'em neither."

Strangely, the big Ogre sounded... hungry... at the prospect.

"So what you trading?"

[Circe]

The vines were a unpleasant topic. Hedge was going to be extra lethal with these things growing in it. She looked at Mhairi with a grin on her face as she held up her left hand with her index and middle fingers crossed, "Cross yer fingers girl, that yer being' a human torch makes vines back off."

Circe laughed as Gordon complains about exiles and the bay. "In my defense Gordon, I left before shit really hit the fan. And I'm a merchant myself so I am sad ta here there ain't a market around no more. Makes it a little harder to sell guns safely over here," she giggled, "But at least ya don't have to worry about Market Taxes am I right?"

Circe deflated at the mention of trade, ears drooping down as she frowned, "What I got with me ta trade ain't that good. Flashlight, gatorade, or glamour is it. My shit knife, I won't insult yer craftsmanship by offering it." She shrugged with both hands raised, "Like I said, my merchandise is guns but I didn't expect ta do business on this trip. More fool me." Circe sing songed the last sentence.

[Quick]

Stories, huh? Another disheartening blow - Quick hasn't spent much time around Hobs. Only ones he's seen recently were those annoying little sprights from Autumn's Coronation. And throwing them pizza hardly counts as 'hunting'.

Quick's eyes shift to Mhairi involuntarily. She's been quiet, too. She might have the right idea. As long as someone has something these 'charmers' are willing to trade for. Then again... these guys look hungry.

"How about an agreement?" he asks, sounding somewhat more confident. He smiles, charming, and looks first to Gordon and then to Tobias. "We need a guide... and you could always use more meat, right? Maybe you show us around and we give you a portion of whatever..." Is he really saying this? "unfortunates we come across." Yep. He said it.

[Seraphina]

A slight shrug, “Guess you had to be there when it went down. For what it’s worth, I can assure you it’s quite dead.” But she was sure he wasn’t going to be believe her, not that she cared.

“I always have stories. Some fun, some not. But I don’t have any stories about Hobs, they aren’t a creature I deal with a lot. More by personal choice, have yet to find one of any real use.” She sounded disinterested.

The Bay huh? She’d heard stories about the mess that was that Freehold. No good seemed to come from there.

Then trading again. That was Mhairi’s thing, as she seems to be the only one who brought anything.

But then Quick speaks up, catching her by surprise.

Was he trying to strike a deal with these things?

Well, this should prove interesting.

[Mhairi Ankaa]

"Got some food, water, but I doubt that's what you're after. Didn't bring a lot. Like you said. The Flesh Market's gone, grabbed a few things just in case Y'know?" the wisp hims, "Got a first aid kit if you're interested. Other stuff more momrntoes. Stuff with resonance. Don't know if you'd be interested."

She babbles out and hopes the redcap and the Cyclops won't notice the inconsistencies spoke by them all and focus on the babble.

Well fuck. Quick's hardcore.

Mhairi nods in her agreement to his offer.

...and hopes he's lying.

[Yumyumcrow]

The Cyclopean grunts in agreement with Circe's assessment of 'Marker Taxes'.

  

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2018-02-13 02:47:10		The Cyclopean to pick up stuff rolls 3 to Wits + Empathy -1 untrained penalty (10 Again)		2, 9, 4		1 success

He lapsed into silence, apparently disappointed. His small eyes seemed to glint and linger on the group, perhaps longer than they should for a Lost with his myopia. His head tilted a certain way too.

  

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2018-02-13 02:50:03		Tobias Yazgad to pick up on things rolls 3 to Wits + Empathy (10 Again)		8, 8, 3		2 successes

Tobias Yazgad, the Redcap, appeared to notice... something... about the exchange, too. Although that could have been picking up on his Cyclopean companion's vibe more than the group. But who could tell.

In addition, the Gristlegrinder seemed energised by Quick's attitude. Tobias' face lifted as he grinned in a most mirthless and mercenary fashion.

"No experience with hobs, huh? What? Well I guess that'd explain where you came from. So. Where do you want to go?" Tobias took in Seraphina and Quick both. His hard eyes were on the Onyx Elemental, however. "And how safe do you want your passage?"

[Circe]

Circe scrunched up her face in disgust at Quick's suggestion. She mumbled out, "No party like a Donner party," at the prospect of helping cannibals. Then she quickly put on her friendly face whilst rubbing her chin. "Well Tobias, I'll be honest. Bullets are cheap, but shootin' plants is boring. If the dangers ain't weeds I'm cool with it," the elf giggled as she pointed at her lit up comrades, "But I think they're totally safe for weeding. What about yer guys' opinions?" She looks at the rest of the party.

[Quick]

Why did he have to open his mouth!? Oh, right... he'd been trying to get these weirdos to stop asking questions. Now he has to actually think of something to say. Fun. He hadn't expected to find anyone here. Some vines? Yeah. Whole point of the trip. But people-eating Ogres and that dog-lizard-thing? Think.

"We need to check what's out there. Past the Ever-growing Ivy. Or, I guess, as far into it as you can get us. Figure you know how to handle the vines, so it shouldn't be too hard for you." Quick smiles as charmingly as he can - given the company. "And the spoils, like I said, will go to paying you back."

  2 successes

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2018-02-18 14:22:04		Quick rolls 5 to Manip -1 (Persuasion Untrained) + WP (10 Again, WillPower)		1, 8, 4, 2, 9		2 successes

He glances back to the ladies-in-waiting (or maybe just ladies who are waiting) to see if they were on board.

[Seraphina]

She watches the exchange, eyes moving from one to another.

Circe was still talking about guns. Mhairi didn't seem to have anything they wanted to trade.

So that left Quick. And his charming personality.

Seems he knew what he was doing, so she simply observes. Ready to chime in and try and persuade should it be needed.