"Mayhaps you can tell what your intentions are, And we can solve it without bloodshed and war? If you are looking for something in this place, Tell us and we'll fetch it for you, in that case.
In that way, it would save both life and time, Both yours and ours, and no hands to begrime. So there's no need to hold your spears high, And let's negotiate this, like wise folks try."
"You're dodging the question, friend." Vaga shows no fear, but of course he feels the immense presence and power of Ixion. "If you are tasked leading them here, then your task is completed. They are here, are they not?"
Vaga rummages around quickly in his thong and produce a piece of bread.
"Let's break some bread together. I've got some butter somewhere as well, if you want? Come, sit down and let's talk."
EDIT: Sorry, missed @Rik_Kirtaniya's post on the next page so Vaga's talk overlap with Ignatius'. I'll let you @nimran choose how/who Ixion reply to and just leave it here for now.
Ixion shrugs and says “The orc king wants the town itself. I don’t know why, I just do what he pays me for. If you want to know his reasons, well, you could always go to his home and ask him.”
“And you people call yourselves civilized...” Ixion says as he observes Vaga. “I have no interest in talking, only gold.” His expression turns pensive, and after a moment he says “If you pay me, say, 5,000 gp, I might even guide you to the orc king’s camp. A few thousand more, and I’ll even help you get in.”
Vaga swallows hard.. they would have had 5000 gold had he not bought that sash of haste.
"We gave away all our gold for a good cause." Vaga tries to lie. It feels a combat is coming, so before all hells break loose, Vaga touches his sash to make its magic ready.
Vaga looks at Igna and gives him some silent wording using only his eyebrows.
Left eyebrow up, right eyebrow down. Then both eyebrows up max and the down again. He ends with a wink, sure Igna got the gist of it.
*Nanna, who has been in a sullen grump on the back of Fiora's broom, muttering to herself the words hypocrisy, distraction and shadow, suddenly becomes alive at Fiora's words.*
Because he is an outcast!
*Nanna jumps down from Fiora's broom, which was flying low so Fiora could engage the scorpion-man in conversation.*
He is an outcast in human lands, he is an outcast in orc lands. The orcs only tolerate him because they appreciate strength. Humans fear it... Perhaps the Orc King had the brains to fear you as well and sent you on this venture.
...
We haven't the money Ixion. It wouldn't buy you the comradeship you crave anyway. Go home. Go in peace. Spilling more blood will never bring them back... ...
Unless I... No... There is limits to what the chair can do... I'm sorry.
Checking the inventory page, we have 4841 GP. A little less than 5000. Though I'm not in favour of giving our hard-earned gold to the scorpionman just like that, we still have an option since gathering another 159 GP wouldn't be hard at all. What does everyone suggest we do now?
Vaga won't initiate the fight, since that's not part of his character to do, but Skatan thinks a fight is inevitable. So, I've made my char ready but I wont cast the first stone, so to speak. I don't think we should throw in all of our cash either.
Let's await the final reply on Nanna's comment. I'm guessing @anduin, who has more knowledge about the grand story, is talking about the throne of undying and its potential power to restore scorpion men as a race, or something similar.
@LadyRhian, you are warmly welcome to participate in this thread, but please use [spoilers] for non-adventure comments, thanks.
“The orc king pays me to work for him,” Ixion says. “You lot don’t know what a mercenary is? If there’s no gold to be made here, then I’m leaving. I can’t stand the sight of human towns anyway.” With that, he turns and starts heading in the opposite direction from the town.
Vaga's muscles relax again. He realizes that he had been cramped up and tense, prepared for combat at any second. This sudden turn of events was unexpected.
"Very well then, let's head back to Callus and help the town prepare for the attack. How many can we fit on that broom of yours, Fi? "
“The orc king pays me to work for him,” Ixion says. “You lot don’t know what a mercenary is? If there’s no gold to be made here, then I’m leaving. I can’t stand the sight of human towns anyway.” With that, he turns and starts heading in the opposite direction from the town.
As Ixion is about to leave, Ignatius says to him:
"Maybe we can give you something better than gold, That lustrous metal, dry, hard and cold. If any such thing you wish, you may name it now, For we know many secrets, and their "what", "where" and "how".
Since your task for the orc-king appears finished, So surely another contract you wouldn't want missed? A mercenary like you must be wise to appreciate, Every brilliant chance you happen to get!
For the impending truth is the orcs shall perish, And in such a case, employment you shall miss. And then again, why work for the king's sake, When your own destiny you yourself can make?"
"Why do you hate humans so much? Sure they are big and stupid and clumsy, but they TRY to do good."
Fiora will ask her question after Ignatius' check is resolved. Also, I wrote that as joke, but is Fiora unknowingly racist, or just trying to placate Ixion's distaste for them?
Ixion stops and ponders as he looks over the party. “I am always open to making a deal, though it would have to be worth it to me. The price depends on what work you would have me do. If you don’t have anything I want, then perhaps someone in your town does. It matters not to me where I get my payment from, just that I get it.”
Fiora: Diplomacy: 16+3=19
He turns to the halfling and snorts before saying “I don’t know why you’d care, but I suppose there’s no harm in telling you. There is not much to tell, in any case. Humans are responsible for the deaths of my kin.”
Vaga stands idle for now, looking at the conversation unfold.
Sorry for the lack of action on my part but I was ready to close this chapter and move on hehe.. Not sure what to do now. I hope someone of you have a planned next step!
"Hello everyone! Sorry about my interruption, but i overheard some of your banter, and i have a suggestion. Arranging a meeting with the orc king sounds good, but we should discuss some details with the leaders of the city. The party can offer you 2000 gold as advancement and we can talk about the exact sum and task later."
And hello everyone here too! Sorry for my absence!
Glutinous Maximus? He must be larger than I thought he was! I know, I know, I suffer my own problems with spellchecker. Still, unintentionally funny.
I don't even know what that is and I'm afraid to even google "glutinous maximus" on my work comp. Apparently Skatan and Vaga are equally stupid in this case, hah..
Vaga doesn't even try to remove Nanna's probing hands this time. It's interesting how fast you can get used to being treated as an object. Vaga quickly reflects over this and decides he have to try harder to turn down his celestial charisma. But how!? When you are born this pretty, always seen as an object of desire and lust, it grows weary. Vaga sighs quietly and resigns.
"OK, I'm ready to go now. Let's head for the camp. Khaled, it's great to see you join us again. You've been missed, my friend. With so many people now I guess we should stick to walking instead of flying." Vaga emphasizes this last sentence with slapping his meaty thighs, giving rise to a loud smacking sound.
@Skatan Gluteous Maximus is your rear end, Basically, butt cheeks. Glutinous is something oozing, sticky, like glue in texture.
"Glutinous Maximus" gave me the mental image of this giant sticky mass. Thus, "Bigger than I thought".
Hahaha, what a revolting image that just popped up in my head! But in Vaga's case, it's safe to assume this ascetic monk's butt cheeks are very firm and solid, as Nanna can surely attest to.
@Skatan Gluteous Maximus is your rear end, Basically, butt cheeks. Glutinous is something oozing, sticky, like glue in texture.
"Glutinous Maximus" gave me the mental image of this giant sticky mass. Thus, "Bigger than I thought".
Hahaha, what a revolting image that just popped up in my head! But in Vaga's case, it's safe to assume this ascetic monk's butt cheeks are very firm and solid, as Nanna can surely attest to.
And sticky... Probably blood...
It was a spelling mistake... @LadyRhian was correct.[/spoiler]
Comments
"Mayhaps you can tell what your intentions are,
And we can solve it without bloodshed and war?
If you are looking for something in this place,
Tell us and we'll fetch it for you, in that case.
In that way, it would save both life and time,
Both yours and ours, and no hands to begrime.
So there's no need to hold your spears high,
And let's negotiate this, like wise folks try."
Vaga rummages around quickly in his thong and produce a piece of bread.
"Let's break some bread together. I've got some butter somewhere as well, if you want? Come, sit down and let's talk."
Ixion shrugs and says “The orc king wants the town itself. I don’t know why, I just do what he pays me for. If you want to know his reasons, well, you could always go to his home and ask him.”
"We gave away all our gold for a good cause." Vaga tries to lie. It feels a combat is coming, so before all hells break loose, Vaga touches his sash to make its magic ready.
Vaga looks at Igna and gives him some silent wording using only his eyebrows.
Left eyebrow up, right eyebrow down. Then both eyebrows up max and the down again. He ends with a wink, sure Igna got the gist of it.
"So ok. I guess this talk is over then?"
Because he is an outcast!
*Nanna jumps down from Fiora's broom, which was flying low so Fiora could engage the scorpion-man in conversation.*
He is an outcast in human lands, he is an outcast in orc lands. The orcs only tolerate him because they appreciate strength. Humans fear it... Perhaps the Orc King had the brains to fear you as well and sent you on this venture.
...
We haven't the money Ixion. It wouldn't buy you the comradeship you crave anyway. Go home. Go in peace. Spilling more blood will never bring them back...
...
Unless I... No... There is limits to what the chair can do... I'm sorry.
Let's await the final reply on Nanna's comment. I'm guessing @anduin, who has more knowledge about the grand story, is talking about the throne of undying and its potential power to restore scorpion men as a race, or something similar.
@LadyRhian, you are warmly welcome to participate in this thread, but please use [spoilers] for non-adventure comments, thanks.
"Very well then, let's head back to Callus and help the town prepare for the attack. How many can we fit on that broom of yours, Fi? "
"Maybe we can give you something better than gold,
That lustrous metal, dry, hard and cold.
If any such thing you wish, you may name it now,
For we know many secrets, and their "what", "where" and "how".
Since your task for the orc-king appears finished,
So surely another contract you wouldn't want missed?
A mercenary like you must be wise to appreciate,
Every brilliant chance you happen to get!
For the impending truth is the orcs shall perish,
And in such a case, employment you shall miss.
And then again, why work for the king's sake,
When your own destiny you yourself can make?"
He is gone... Although... Perhaps... We should hire him to work for us...
...
Maybe...
Ixion stops and ponders as he looks over the party. “I am always open to making a deal, though it would have to be worth it to me. The price depends on what work you would have me do. If you don’t have anything I want, then perhaps someone in your town does. It matters not to me where I get my payment from, just that I get it.”
He turns to the halfling and snorts before saying “I don’t know why you’d care, but I suppose there’s no harm in telling you. There is not much to tell, in any case. Humans are responsible for the deaths of my kin.”
Sorry for the lack of action on my part but I was ready to close this chapter and move on hehe.. Not sure what to do now. I hope someone of you have a planned next step!
And hello everyone here too! Sorry for my absence!
I can ensure our ventures together will be profitable and fulfilling.
*Nanna bows. Then walks over to the runes and hastily rubs them out.*
Don't need them anymore... Job done...
"So.. does this mean we intend to have the scorp.. ahem, Ixion here guide is into the camp or are we going back to Callus?"
Oh, my special little man. We are going back to camp. But don't worry, Nanna's here to do the thinking.
Glutinous Maximus? He must be larger than I thought he was! I know, I know, I suffer my own problems with spellchecker. Still, unintentionally funny.
Vaga doesn't even try to remove Nanna's probing hands this time. It's interesting how fast you can get used to being treated as an object. Vaga quickly reflects over this and decides he have to try harder to turn down his celestial charisma. But how!? When you are born this pretty, always seen as an object of desire and lust, it grows weary. Vaga sighs quietly and resigns.
"OK, I'm ready to go now. Let's head for the camp. Khaled, it's great to see you join us again. You've been missed, my friend. With so many people now I guess we should stick to walking instead of flying." Vaga emphasizes this last sentence with slapping his meaty thighs, giving rise to a loud smacking sound.
@Skatan Gluteous Maximus is your rear end, Basically, butt cheeks. Glutinous is something oozing, sticky, like glue in texture.
"Glutinous Maximus" gave me the mental image of this giant sticky mass. Thus, "Bigger than I thought".
It was a spelling mistake... @LadyRhian was correct.[/spoiler]