Hedge Patrol VII

[Saber Sloth]

Circe pulls her desert heat as far under her skin as she could, forgoing Fairest dignity for a more Summery ambushing advantage. Vincent perhaps in response of Circe's movements, gives up his previous briar born shadows, and slipped a little to far into the light.

The hob that comes around the bend is short and squat, wider than a tree trunk, and only coming up to just above Vincent's knee. He's in rough spun wool, and has a belt with some sort of blade hanging from it. As he comes closer, they can see his face is wet with sweat.

"The fuck you doing down there?" the hob calls out to Vincent, "Lookin' for yer glass-ass?" he asks chortling and pointing to his eyes.

[Circe]

Well, so much for stealth and observation. She screwed up, then Vincent did. Terrific!


And it look like a hob, hopefully more bark than bite. Circe should avoid saying that, but on the plus side the hob's blade was sheathed.


Well, not much point in stealth now. Diplomacy it was? Well, she was kin to the hobs more than to the Gristlegrinders hunting in the Hedge.


Circe raises up, rifle pointed downwards but not all the way down. Easy enough to snap up. "If I said," her tone is that of a friendly used car salesman, "I lost a contact lens, would ya get the reference?"


Wool spun? Like from fur? Hunter for sure. She smiles and it can be heard in her voice, "Nice coat. You the one been offing the briar mutts? Damn, wish I did have a beer ta give ya fer that. Good work. We were worried it was some hungry Gristlegrinder filling its bottomless gut."

4 suxx Hob Kin we b friends

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2023-11-28 19:41:27	Circe rolls 11 to Manip + Persu + Glamour 2 (10 Again, WillPower)	2, 4, 7, 7, 5, 9, 10, 1, 2, 2, 8, 8	4 successes

Harsh to the natural cannibals? Sure, but she was trying to butter up the hob for diplomacy, not food. "Seriously, I wish I had a beer ta give ya, but alcohol and guns don't mix."

Stats & Equipment

Armor: 1/2 bulletproof
Def: 3
Speed: 12
Equipment: Colt 45 with suppressor, 4 mags and 20 spare rounds. 3 Dream-a-Drupes flasks, lockpicks, hedgespun multitool, hedgespun glasses, Skin suit and thin kevlar vest [1/2], AK47 with 4 mags, bayonet & light mount, hunter's carry vest, duster jacket, fanny pack, 2 water bottles, 4 protean bars, bubblegum, 10' twine, knife, lighter, flashlight, small LED flashlight, duct tape

[Vincent Black]

Vincent cursed under his breath, "Nah, I was following a scent, but I lost it. But it seems like my companion said that you guys are the ones hunting down the briar wolves. Saw a trap a few yards back, would not happen to be yours?" Vincent was being polite but kept his hands at the ready in case this turned into a fight.

Beast’s Keen Senses: +2 dice bonus to all Wits rolls relating to perception for the next full scene.
In addition, he gains the chosen animal’s most notable sensory ability

Weapons & Equipment

Weapons:
Recurve Bow (Damage 2L)
Beretta M92 (Damage 2L)
3 Clips of Beretta Ammo
Quiver (20 arrow)


Equipment:
Kevlar Vest (Defense 1)
Burner Phone
Digital Camera
Handcuffs
Flashlight

[Saber Sloth]

The hob jumps a little when Circe speaks, having not seen her. "Yer get Contracts on lenses?" the hob squints, his thick wormy lips curving into a exaggerated frown, he'd obviously missed heard what Circe had said. "Now, how's that supposed ta work?"


"Nah, ain't no changelings our way." He spits after 'changeling' but doesn't offer anything concreate about their numbers, besides, "Briar wolves' has been growin' in numbers, thinin' ours, figured we thin theirs's back,"

Looking between them, "Now you know what's what. Kindly fuck off."

Vincent can I get a Pres + Socialize or another appropriate social roll, to get this conversation to start on the right foot?

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2023-11-30 14:18:40	wide hob rolls 3 to we not friends (10 Again)	1, 4, 10, 8	2 successes

[Vincent Black]

Vincent standing upright, "See that is what we were wondering what was going on as they seemed to be getting hunted. I am glad that you are working to get their numbers down, it makes the hedge better for everyone here." Vincent say sincerely he did not want the hob to think he was being disingenuous.

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2023-12-02 16:01:01	Vincent Black rolls 3 to to Persuade Hob (Wits2 + Socialize1) (10 Again)	4, 5, 4	failure

He knew his words came out as not very convincing but hey it was the best he could do in regards to the circumstances.

Beast’s Keen Senses: +2 dice bonus to all Wits rolls relating to perception for the next full scene.
In addition, he gains the chosen animal’s most notable sensory ability

Weapons & Equipment

Weapons:
Recurve Bow (Damage 2L)
Beretta M92 (Damage 2L)
3 Clips of Beretta Ammo
Quiver (20 arrow)

Equipment:
Kevlar Vest (Defense 1)
Burner Phone
Digital Camera
Handcuffs
Flashlight

[Circe]

Circe sighs and makes a sad face, "No. I was referencing an Iron Side comedian. Nobody ever laughs at me, well, at the jokes I make. Look at me," she says to the hob, "I'm a fucking blueberry. People laugh AT me plenty. I know, sad boo berry, go and cry ta Count Chocula. I've heard that one."


Insulting herself? Well, the hob clearly didn't like 'lings. If Vincent couldn't butter him up more than she had, they were out. And officially not their problem either. "Still, props on that." She digs into her duster and pulls out a roll of duct tape, "Not beer, but useful. Iron siders use it for everything. The thanks I can give right now for killing the wolves."


She looks to Vincent, "I'd say we are done here. Respect they've earned, so we should show it."


Hopefully he'd be willing to leave and not, you know, pick a fight with an unknown number of hobs. And for now on Circe would enter the Hedge with a couple cans of Yuengling beer. Just in case.

Stats & Equipment

Armor: 1/2 bulletproof
Def: 3
Speed: 12
Equipment: Colt 45 with suppressor, 4 mags and 20 spare rounds. 3 Dream-a-Drupes flasks, lockpicks, hedgespun multitool, hedgespun glasses, Skin suit and thin kevlar vest [1/2], AK47 with 4 mags, bayonet & light mount, hunter's carry vest, duster jacket, fanny pack, 2 water bottles, 4 protean bars, bubblegum, 10' twine, knife, lighter, flashlight, small LED flashlight, duct tape

[Saber Sloth]

Squinting at both Vincent and Circe, the hob will grunt, "Ya, ya, we did it for the thanks."

The hob doesn't get closer to the Lost. But if Circe is willing to throw the duct tape over to him, he'll take it, peel off a bit, fat fingers will stick and pull from the back of the tape, "Heh, sticky." he'll say.

"Now, if that's all. Kindly fuck. off." he repeats. Hand off his blade (perhaps still sticking-unsticking his fingers from the tape), and jerking his head for the Lost to leave.

Seems like the Hob didn't want to fight with them, and in fact, wanted the Lost of leave as quickly as possible. The question now was, would they leave?

[Vincent Black]

Vincent got the feeling they would be out manned if they continued. Vincent was confident in his skills and the skills of his companion, and he was certain that she would agree with him that they get the hell out of dodge. "Come on Circe it looks like we may not be needed here at this time. Let's go back." Not really wanting to goad the hob and have him attack when he clearly did not want a fight.

Vincent was still cautious as made his way out of his failed hiding spot and back in the direction they came from, not wanting to say anything until he was sure the hob was out of earshot.

[Circe]

Circe tosses over the duct tape as it is always good to bribe a hob goblin. "Enjoy and good hunting in the future," she nods to the hob goblin and follows after Vincent. For he was right, this was not their problem. Very much so, as someone else was solving the Briarwolf problem for them. She'd leave any trapped briarwolves in their traps after popping a round in their heads from now on.


"Remind me Vince," she says to him, "Pack Yeungling cans for future hob encounters. That is a good beer right?" She is honestly asking him. Beer doesn't agree with her intestines, so she goes by what is always sold out as the good stuff.

She will join Vincent in leaving the hob and start heading back to their original path, "Not our solution back there, but a problem is solved fer sure." The patrol was either done or needed to move on. Best not to antagonize the hobs. And to watch out in case they were hunting more than briarwolf.

Stats & Equipment

Armor: 1/2 bulletproof
Def: 3
Speed: 12
Equipment: Colt 45 with suppressor, 4 mags and 20 spare rounds. 3 Dream-a-Drupes flasks, lockpicks, hedgespun multitool, hedgespun glasses, Skin suit and thin kevlar vest [1/2], AK47 with 4 mags, bayonet & light mount, hunter's carry vest, duster jacket, fanny pack, 2 water bottles, 4 protean bars, bubblegum, 10' twine, knife, lighter, flashlight, small LED flashlight

[Saber Sloth]

A solution is found alright, if the Lost wont do something, the Hobs sure will. They're the ones that live here. Questions still linger, what were the hobs doing to the briar wolves, and why in every hell did everything smell so fucking bad?

The wide hob, still sticking and unsticking his fat fingers, grunts at the Lost, an eye on them, as they turn to go. "Good ta see ya fuckin' off!" he calls out when it's obvious that's what they're going.

With unknown numbers and the skills to trap and drag briar wolves back to whatever hollow these hobs had laid claim to, Solstice and Summer decided to retreat. There was always tomorrow, where they could bring more numbers, and more firepower.

It looks like this Patrol is over now, but they know there's always still more to do.

End Scene!