(Market Watch) Possible Permanence

[Titania]

It goes without saying, when the Wyrd wants something to happen, it's a matter not of IF but of WHEN.
And indeed, that's where her impeccable timing comes from.
So she's not surprised that even this hedge trek is gonna be blessed - or cursed, mind you - by yet another random encounter of the (let's hope not) potentially violent kind. It's just one of the main characteristics of the Hedge and the main dish of their last N hedge trips.
Anyway, she's not much of a combat buff. She's a social butterfly and the party - self entitled - spokeswoman. That's why she decides to take a couple steps back and fall between the Darkling (James, was it?) and Grandpa

[Sonnie Wu]

Sonnie's quarterstaff came out of a pocket when she heard the crunching. She came to a halt. The hedgespun weapon started as something small, barely a foot in length. A flick of her wrist, however, and it instantly sprung to a full six feet. She spun it, with a flourish, into a ready position as she scanned about for the source of the voices.

4 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2020-11-01 09:01:08	Sonnie Wu rolls 6 to Perception: Wits + Comp (10 Again)	8, 4, 7, 4, 10, 2, 10, 10, 4	4 successes

[Anatole]

Anatole finally catches up - or rather, crashes into the group.

He takes his cue from Sonnie Wu and muscles his way forward, slapping the axe from his shoulder and into his free hand. Ax in two hands now, he takes up a readied position and waits.

[Saber Sloth]

The Lost ready themselves, James and Sonnie hear it first, the vague sounds of arguing forming actual words, heralding the sped sounds of the wheels crunching through the underbrush.

"Oi-oI-OI! Faster! Faster! Faaaaster!"

"We ain't got no more legs to go fastah!"

"We ain't got no legs fir anyway! It's wheels! It's wheels!"

"No legs! No legs! We can get more leeeeegs!!"

"Shut ya gob ya warped uggo dolt!"

Then.

BAM!

Three hobs piled up on top of each other - or rather, one hob strangling the other with the third stears a creaking cart, with yes. Just four wheels to crunch through the underbrush, no legs in sight.

[James Turner]

James was baffled and confused by the sight before him. He was always wary of hobs, he found them to be fickle and always searching for the upper hand. The drawn weapons around him likely didn’t make for a great first impression but he was currently worried they’d try and take their legs. He could craft a clever lie but lies without information could dig you deeper rather than pull you out, for now he remained silent and observed the situation.

[Titania]

Here they are, a merry band of clumsy hobs and their cart.
She only hopes they aren't part of a larger caravan.
Well, only partially, she really wants the market to be big, it would be underwhelming otherwise, especially after the tales of the SPIDER MALL.
Perhaps something in-between?
Welp. She hides behind Anatole.

[Sonnie Wu]

Sonnie blinked in surprise, but it wasn't unpleasant. There was a sense of delight upon seeing the hobs and their cart. This was like something out of a Lord of the Rings movie, but with better special effects.

Smirking, she held her staff like a walking stick, so as to appear less of a threat, and headed towards the commotion. She cast a friendly wave and a big smile at them.

"Hidey ho! You fine gentlemen wouldn't happen to be headed to the Market, would you?"

Was caution warranted here? Perhaps, but the Monkey sometimes let her amusement of the world before her override caution. Also, the hobs were outnumbered. Hopefully.

Besides, the other three Changelings didn't seem prone to making contact. Somebody had to be the instigator.

[Anatole]

The burned dwarf is showing his teeth as he readies his axe.

When Titania moves behind him, he takes a step forward.

And stares at the hobs - as their company turns on itself.

He exhales loudly and slowly, lowering his Ax.

For the moment, he is content to hold his position and let the Emerald Monkey make the introductions.

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2020-11-07 04:14:40	Anatole to notice anything off with the Hobs rolls 1 to Wits + Empathy - 1 unskilled (10 Again)	3	failure

Anatole is not exactly empathetic and is an even less adept judge of body language - human or otherwise. He has no clue if the apparent pythonesqe violence is genuine (for Hobs) or if it hides a more sinister trap.

[Saber Sloth]

The Pythonesque violent shenanigans continue even as Sonnie speaks, the hyper one scrambles, clawing at the hands round his throat, when they relent, he bites down on worty fingers.

"HA! HA!" he cries, before bulbous eyes scan down towards the Lost, "Oooooooi! LEGS! THERE! THERE! Eighteighteighteight!" he's the one who choked him, wacks him across the face.

"We ain't need no legs. So shut-shut-shut!" he barks out a scowl fierce upon his face.

As the two carry on, the third sighs, but focuses on the Monkey Girl, watery eyes roving between the Lost, smirking when Titania's starry globes flit from behind Anatole.

"What's to you?"

[James Turner]

James could step in, weave a tale of couriers and merchants but Sonnie had stepped up and he had no issues letting the Springs do their thing. He could step in for "corrections" as needed in case Sonnie was too loose lipped but for now he was mostly eyes and ears. Keeping an eye on the surroundings and watching the mood of the hobs trying to make sure they weren't about ready to strike. He gave a nod of confidence toward Sonnie but rest his hands at his waist in case he needed to draw his own knife.

4 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2020-11-08 14:38:22	James Turner rolls 7 to Judge Mood (Wits + Empathy) (10 Again)	8, 10, 4, 1, 7, 4, 7, 10, 8	4 successes