Session 48
General Summary
- The party has a plan to stop Baxton before Sol, the guy who just gave them a house that "doesn't currently have an owner on the books", gets back and does something drastic. Step one is to unite the gnolls under one banner.
- Guards at the Cathedral of Light are unusually disinterested in doing their duty. The Monk of Imagination publicly mocks them.
- Isaiah has been convinced to host peace talks between Lizardtamer and Grittooth two hours after sundown tonight, over strong objections from Alice, who thinks that the party is taking advantage of Isaiah's kindness to put the church in danger.
- Isaiah also seems extremely disinterested about who runs the House of Crystal: to him, all politicians are the same. His main concern is what would happen if Annu is unleashed.
- The party manages to use Grittooth's tooth to convince Tinpaw to get them an audience with Lizardtamer, though it appears that she suggested that the party would be servants. Lizardtamer is disappointed that the party is not actually willing to act as servants.
Full Recap
The session opens with the party (minus
Barry) in
The Spire of Beasts, having just convinced
Grittooth to ally with them.
Spireling Outward
The party discusses a plan that involves setting up peace negotiations between Grittooth and
Lizardtamer. The ultimate goal is to try to get the two into the
Cathedral of Light for talks.
Dwardazik: They need to sort out their differences so we can move on.
Grogery: We need to unite the gnolls under a single banner.
Dwardazik: The Sol / Baxton / Annu situation needs to take priority at some point.
Dazki: This is a step on the path.
Grogery: If we can get them to work together and to stop harming our dragon friend, then he could be of some help I suppose. I'm not entirely sure we can get him free in this short amount of time, but at least putting him in a better situation for defending our stuff would help. How about we head over to Tinpaw's territory, negotiate to have them meet there [at the cathedral], but before we go do that, we tell Grittooth and followers, "meet us at this other specific place kinda close to sundown... if a meeting is on, we'll take you to the cathedral of light"?
Kesmet: We need to go to the cathedral to make sure it's OK with O'Malley, and also go to Copperfoot... can't we send that one little bird to ask them if we can use the space?
Grogery: It might require more in-person discussion to get him to just hand over part of the temple to negotiate...
Kesmet: Yeah... especially with gnolls.
After some more discussion, the party decides it would probably be best to travel together, as they are all still wanted. Kesmet somewhat objects, pointing out that they keep getting caught despite their disguises, and it's perhaps because they keep traveling together. Grogery suspects that the guards are probably just searching everything and getting lots of innocent people arrested.
Grogery: OK, first we duck out real quick to the Cathedral of Light to make sure it's all good and give them time to get ready, then go back to Lizardtamer and set it up, then back to Grittooth, then to the cathedral.
Better the Temple You Know
Dazki scouts ahead to look for guard in
Temple Row. He does see several,
but they don't actually seem interested in doing their actual jobs right now, so the party can proceed safely. The
Surviving Ashport Monk of Imagination is actively mocking the guards, taking pleasure in pretending to stand guard, marching back and forth wielding a large, straw hat as a shield and a bamboo pole as a polearm slung over its shoulder. Its mask is slightly different now: there once was a horrible crack, but it has been painted over with gold.
Grogery: Wow, I'm actually surprised we got here without getting bothered.
Dazki: The guards don't seem to actually care.
Grogery: I wonder if they're here to keep an eye on Isaiah.
Dazki: I think they were just told to be here and don't care about their orders.
Grogery: Good for us, then!
The party arrives as the Zenith sermon has just ended and the congregation is still milling about.
Alice Wellhear is in the back conversing with some folks. Grogery calls her over and, upon seeing the party, Alice heads over in a determined and angry manner. When she gets closer, she walks right up to Dazki and punches him right in the face. This draws the attention of several of the other members of the congregation, who watch on.
Grogery: Whoa, hold on, when is that called for?
Dazki: Hey, you're supposed to buy me dinner first!
Alice: That's for taking advantage of the Archfather's altruism and compassion and putting him in distress on your behalf!
Grogery: Wait, what happened, and why is it his fault?
Dazki: It's OK, I deserved it.
Alice: Just because he's not as strict or assertive as you're used to, that's no excuse to use him for your own awful schemes.
Dazki: That was warranted... perhaps we can go speak and I can confess and we can see about getting this absolved? I'm sure you wouldn't want to burden all these other people with my sins.
Alice: Why do I gotta deal with you now?
Grogery: Is Isaiah not back yet?
Alice: He's just in the back, but why do you lot have to be here?
Grogery: After what happened with Annu, we talked to a few people and arranged for Isaiah to be let out of prison. We wanted to make sure he got here OK, and talk about a few other things.
Alice: We're all doing fine here, no thanks to you.
Grogery: We're sorry things got out of hand and some innocent people got caught in the crossfire.
Dazki: It was partly us! We were the ones who arranged for your release!
Dwardazik: It's not like we did anything to you directly. We didn't want this to happen. This town is corrupt.
Alice: Just say your piece.
Dazki: Fine. Say our piece? We're sorry for what happened. We weren't trying to bring trouble into the cathedral or Isaiah. We did everything we could to get him out, and it seems like it worked, and we just want to make sure that everyone who was maligned by our actions is OK.
Alice, crossing her arms in front of herself: I suppose I will accept your apology. Perhaps it was too forward of me to slot justice all over your face.
Dazki: I've had worse from worse-looking women than you, so don't worry about it. Might we be able to speak with Father Isaiah for just a few moments?
Alice: What's this about?
Dazki: There are a few topics we wish to discuss with him that would probably not be best for prying ears.
Alice, suddenly aware that they are in the middle of a not-empty church: Fine, let's talk in back.
Dazki: Thank you very much.
Alice leads them to the small office with the library on the back wall. Isaiah is in there, going through a book, probably from the sermon from earlier. As he goes through, he takes little notes on the side of it. He doesn't seem any worse for the wear, and he acknowledges the party and Alice as they approach.
Isaiah: Oh, it's the adventurers! How goes your day today?
Dwardazik: Something I wasn't really expecting. I could use a stiff drink at the end of this one.
Dazki: Better now that we see that you are out of the trouble we got you into.
Isaiah: It was no trouble, my children. There are always bumps on the path.
Dazki: We apologize, nonetheless, for any bumps that we have caused.
Isaiah: Any reason why you're visiting me here this afternoon? I figured ... don't take any offense, but I feel like you guys would have been ... busy?
Grogery: No offense taken.
Dazki: We have been very... busy.
Kesmet: In fact, we are undergoing one of our complicated machinations right now.
Dwardazik: We were wondering if we could use your sanctuary here to facilitate a meeting between two hostile parties. He shrugs and looks at the party. Might as well get it out, right?
Grogery: There is a follower of Pelor in dire circumstance. To secure his well being, we want to broker peace between two groups.
Isaiah: I thought you had already made allegiance between the kobolds and their dragon?
Dazki: Made allegiance with kobolds, yes, but not with the dragon. The kobolds treat him well, but the... He explains the situation with the back half of Morn'Tharur ... and we've been trying to stop that from happening.
Isaiah: You have been busy!
Dwardazik: One of the many things we're trying to right in this city...
Kesmet: This is just step 1. We've still got steps 2 thru 5.
Dazki: Would you allow us to use one of your smaller meeting rooms as a neutral ground for these negotiations?
Isaiah: Between who?
Dazki: Their names are Grittooth and Lizardtamer, a pair of gnolls.
Isaiah: Gnolls??
Dwardazik: Lizardtamer is the big head honcho, the gnoll who is supposed to be running the gnoll side of the Spire of Beasts. Grittooth is an upstart who's trying to rattle the whole entire city and take out Lizardtamer. We want them to work together in order to try and deal with the subtle issues of the gnolls so that they can be negotiated with about this dragon issue.
Grogery: Lizardtamer has made her power by having access to the dragon and the "currency" he "provides". Grittooth dislikes the security and stagnation under Lizardtamer. Our hope is that we can work out an agreement where the gnolls do not depend on dragon scales for currency anymore, and in exchange, Grittooth will no longer try to end Lizardtamer.
Alice's gaze intensifies during the proposition to bring more hostility into the church.
Grogery: To be perfectly honest, even if hostilities were to break out in the church, we can subdue them. It's happened before, and we've done it before.
Dazki: The point is not to bring violence into the church in the first place.
Dwardazik: I can drag them outside?
Kesmet: Dazki is right, we can't really desecrate a church. I have a better idea. We saw the Monk of Imagination outside, yeah? Why not do it in the Temple of Imagination? Nobody's using it! It's, like, haunted or something.
Grogery: Well, we'd need to talk to the monk.
Kesmet: He's probably still right outside. We can conduct the meeting in a place that's already run-down anyway! We don't need to try to sneak gnolls into a well-known church.
Grogery: Anybody should be able to openly enter the Cathedral of Light without resistance.
Kesmet: Right, but we're wanted criminals! If we bring gnolls through the good neighborhood, we'll attract more attention. At least let's take it to the Temple of Imagination's backyard, if it's all right with him. We saved him, he might be grateful. Though... I can't really tell with him. He's hard to read.
Grogery: There's something symbolic about trying to hold a peace meeting in a temple to Pelor, though. I'm not sure if that would really have an impact on the gnolls, though.
Kesmet: They're not really the ones who care about that. The backyard of the Temple of Imagination is like a training course, it's made to take punishment. They might even be able to vent frustration on their training dummies we saw back there. We already "picked the lock" on the back gate.
Dazki: That's a fair point.
Isaiah, rubbing his forehead in a mix of confusion and fatigue: I'm not quite following... um... so you wish to bring gnolls into my church, to put it succinctly?
Kesmet: We did at first, but I'm second guessing the plan now.
Dwardazik: That was the idea, because the church is hallowed, neutral ground, and there is much respect for Pelor in the Spire of Beasts with the kobolds. However, upon some additional advice, he glances at Alice there might be an alternative that can work in this area!
Grogery: I suppose that what we're trying to say is that we would prefer to hold these peace talks on hallowed ground to demonstrate our seriousness about finding peace and harmony on both sides. However, I can understand that you do not wish to bring more violence and discord into these hallowed halls. So while it would be nice to have these talks in a holy area with skilled mediators to help broker this peace, which may lead to benefit, we do have a backup option if you do not wish us to bring these people here.
Isaiah thinks hard and contemplatively, closing his eyes to fully address his thoughts, as if reading through the notes of a book.
Isaiah: Protect those from suffering and corruption, regardless of privilege or skill, for the light shines equally on the face of a feeble man and on the face of a powerful man. Grogery recognizes this as a passage from scripture. It's not one of the 7 tenets.
Isaiah, sighs heavily, opens his eyes once more: I don't see any reason why we shouldn't allow gnolls to enter the church's grounds.
Alice: You gotta be kiddin' me!
Dazki looks at Alice, points to Grogery: You're letting a goblin in here. What's different about gnolls? Are they any less people?
Alice: This whole thing is ridiculous!
Dazki: I don't disagree with you there, but they're as much people as you, myself, Grogery, or anyone in here.
Kesmet: OK, so it sounds like we're doing it here in the church?
Dazki: It sounds like it, if that's still OK with father Isaiah.
Isaiah: If you need to use the church for your peace talks, I can think of no better location for you to do so.
Dazki: Thank you very much. That is exceedingly generous of you.
Alice slams her fist frustratedly at the wall and then walks out in a huff, no longer capable of bearing the situation as she perceives it. Grogery follows.
Grogery: Alice, wait, please.
Alice: Wait? You got what you wanted.
Grogery: It's clear you didn't, though. Why exactly do you dislike this?
Alice: it's like Isaiah said. I'm meant to protect people from suffering and corruption, regardless of privilege or skill. That includes the Archfather. His heart is too kind for the cruel world that he lives in, and people like you keep taking advantage of it.
Grogery: There is no intention of taking advantage of him. In order to protect the world from dangerous things, then yes, you have to give those dangerous things a safe place where they can talk and make peace. Sometimes people actually need to be shown that there is a better way. I know it probably wasn't easy having you and him being arrested for the things we've done, but we're just trying to make the world a better place. The world needs people like me and my party, just like it needs people like you.
Alice: A cathedral is no place for a paladin...
Grogery: Someone needs to be here to fight off the next Annu that comes around, right? Not everyone can be reasoned with. If you give people a chance, sometimes they will take advantage of it, but otherwise the risk was worth it. If you want to be there, I'd be happy to have you there.
Alice: Oh, I'll be there! What is the world coming to when a paladin has to protect her own church in the middle of a city?
Grogery: Our hope is that if we can get these people to broker peace, then that's one less problem to deal with.
Alice: I just hope your selfishness doesn't hurt the Archfather again.
Grogery: It's not selfishness, we're just trying to fix the world the only way we know how.
Alice: We'll see.
Grogery returns to the rest of the party, still with Isaiah.
Grogery: She's going to be there during the negotiations, to be ready in case something goes wrong.
Dwardazik: Well, uh, I suppose that's a good thing, assuming that Grittooth doesn't decide to pick a fight with her. Trying to separate those two won't be easy.
Grogery: We can make it clear that we won't take it well if they instigate violence in this holy place.
Isaiah: It's so tough for her to be cooped up. She's used to seeing the worst in people. You'll have to forgive her.
Dazki: There's nothing for her to apologize for. She's trying to protect you and these walls.
Dwardazik: That was a good punch.
Grogery: If you see only the best in people, then you miss danger. If you see only the worst in people, then you miss hope.
Pause for effect. This went over really well.
Dazki: Did you get a chance to speak to Baxton after he helped get you out?
Isaiah: I heard he was the one who did it, but we haven't met since. He seemed busy.
Dazki: His plans, as we know, are somewhat coming to fruition. My offer still stands: full interrogation, I'll tell you anything you wish to know, under Zone of Truth.
Dwardazik: Oh man, I'm glad I didn't agree to that!
Isaiah: I think it's best that the church stay out of it. The people need a solid rock in times like this.
Dazki: That is true. My concern is that he is making a strong play for the House of Crystal.
Isaiah: So I've heard.
Dazki: What are your thoughts on that?
Isaiah: A politician is a politician. I do hope that if Baxton does become leader of the House of Crystal, that Annu isn't free to do as he pleases. I do worry what would happen if such a creature were unleashed.
Grogery: Baxton wouldn't take that position without making sure Annu isn't going to be around.
Isaiah: I don't think that's possible.
Dazki: Baxton has access to very powerful magics.
Isaiah: I don't doubt it, but I don't think he would, and I don't think he could. If Annu could have been dealt with, it would have been done a long time ago.
Kesmet: Maybe being direct would have political ramifications?
Grogery: Perhaps there's just some risk, and he's fine taking the risk of unleashing Annu.
Isaiah: It seems like the other houses are also in favor of the switch, so...
Grogery: Ahh, maybe that's another reason why he's had to wait this long. He had to get more houses on his side.
Dazki: Who would you see in charge, Father Isaiah?
Isaiah: To speak frankly, I don't have much of a taste for the bureaucratic. A politician is a politician. I'm sure whoever gets the role is going to do, and I say this sarcastically, "great".
Dazki: Perhaps it shouldn't be a politician who gets the role, then?
Isaiah: It's probably going to be Baxton, and he's a politician, so... as long as Annu doesn't go on some weird rampage once he's no longer tethered to the rules there, I say it's fine. He couldn't possible do worse than any other politician.
Dazki: You do recall he's the one who enlisted us to steal the box?
Isaiah: And?
Grogery: I can only imagine that's going to happen on a much larger scale. Say what you want about Annu, but at least his flavor of demagoguery is stable.
Dwardazik: Stable? Are you kidding me? Did you see him cast a fireball on all those civilians? He's anything but stable!
Grogery: When you're bound to the law, you're predictable.
Dwardazik: Because I'm sure the law says go ahead and blow up a bunch of civilians.
Grogery: I'm concerned that if Baxton is allowed to get this position, he will use it to acquire more of these boxes, do more of this, and then we'll see more of what happened at the library, only much worse!
Isaiah: So, you guys are still working towards that?
Grogery: Yeah. Honestly, our ideal outcome is where neither Annu nor Baxton leads the House of Crystal.
Isaiah: You definitely have ambitions!
Grogery: We've learned that you have to, in order to get anything done.
Isaiah: Remember, my child, that excessive attention to things like "evil" can blind one to the truly important things in life.
Dazki: Thank you again for allowing us to use a room here.
Dwardazik: Now we get the glorious task of meeting up with Lizardtamer.
Dazki: That seems to be the case. We would expect them to be here around sunset.
Isaiah: Sunset is a very important time for the church.
Dazki: Would you prefer a bit later, then?
Isaiah: I would very much prefer for it to be later.
Dazki: Of course.
Dwardazik: It's going to be a long night, then...
Dazki: We always have long nights...
Grogery: 2 hours after sunset, then?
Isaiah: I will prefer a space for then.
Grogery: Thank you.
Dazki: Thank you, and be careful not to let your light burn out.
The party takes their leave. Isaiah seems tired.
Dwardazik: Man, ya really know how to make an inspirational speech. Light burn out? Ale run out, more like it!
Grogery: We still need a name for our group.
Dazki: It'll happen when it happens.
Grogery: I'm partial toward "The Lighthouse Brigade", myself.
Dazki: We said there'd be food. Can you cast that again, or do we need a food cart?
Grogery: Here, and at the time, would be most convenient. I can do it.
The party starts making their way to the war room back, in Lizardtamer's + Tinpaw's territory.
You Can't Fight in Here, This is the War Room!
Dazki
perfectly remembers the way through the maze, how to dodge all the traps, and probably what color the third building on the left was. Kesmet
is totally overwhelmed, but manages to keep it together enough to just follow Dazki. They do so well that they get to the war room without even being noticed: recall that Tinpaw never promised safe passage, she just said she would "try, probably".
Dazki look around for gnolls,
seeing 2 betas watching through a peephole drilled in a wooden wall. He sees their gnoll eyes, and they hide around a corner when they notice that they've been spotted.
Dazki: Hey, you two! Get Tinpaw! Tell her the people who were going to help solve her problems have returned. And don't act like I don't know you're there. You're not very good at being sneaky.
Kesmet, lighting a small fire in his hands: Do it or we'll light this on fire!
Grogery: Why do you always have to light things on fire?
As soon as Kesmet makes his threat, arrows come from above and whiz by his head. Two gnolls show up wielding bows.
Dwardazik: We're expected. You know that, right?
They nock arrows again, but a third gnoll runs out.
Third gnoll, addressing the other gnolls: No need! Nope!
Third gnoll, addressing the party: You guys are back so soon! It's really... soon, isn't it!
Dazki: We get stuff done quickly.
Dwardazik: We're efficient. We don't waste time.
Dazki pulls Grittooth's tooth out of his pocket.
Third gnoll: What is that supposed to mean? It's just a tooth!
Dazki: This is Grittooth's.
Dwardazik: We made contact with Grittooth.
Third gnoll: Can I have it?
Whole party: NO!
Third gnoll: OK...
Dazki: Go get Tinpaw.
The gnoll scampers off without a word. Other gnolls have started trickling into the area around the war room. Word seems to have gotten out, and there's excitement in the air. Much like the crowd around Baxton earlier, at the palace, some are ready if shit goes down, some WANT shit to go down, and some DON'T want shit to go down, but mostly, they're just here so that they can BE here if shit goes down.
Tinpaw arrives.
Grogery: Long time no see.
Tinpaw: You have a lot to prove, and you've spent such a short amount of time proving it.
Grogery: Perhaps that proves it better. Anyway, we were successful in making contact with Grittooth.
Tinpaw: And then you slayed 'em, right? Do you bring me proof or just words?
Dazki shows her the tooth and allows her to come right up to examine it. She smells it, taking such a big whiff that Dazki is momentarily worried that it's going to go right up her nostril. It doesn't.
Tinpaw: That is the betrayer, for sure! You must give it to me!
Grogery: Do we, or do we not, have an audience with Lizardtamer?
Tinpaw: Yeah, yeah, sure, give me the tooth!
Dazki: Take us to her.
Tinpaw: No, I will be the one to gain the favor of Lizardtamer, I must have it!
Kesmet: I'm very confused. I thought we explained this already, and we already threatened you.
Tinpaw: That was then, and this is now.
Kesmet: It's all the same timeframe, which is the timeframe where we're slowed down.
Grogery: If we get what we want, you can have the tooth.
Tinpaw: If I have the tooth, then I will gain the favor of Lizardtamer. I need the tooth!
Grogery: Grittooth attacked us, and look what happened to her. You don't need this tooth.
Tinpaw: What's that behind you? Oh, no! It's an ogre! A half-dozen or so of the other gnolls turn around to look.
Grogery: The reason why Grittooth got what was coming to her was because you gave us guidance.
Dwardazik has had enough and tackles Tinpaw. The gnolls, eagerly excited, start making all kinds of yips and gnoll noises. A few have weapons. Tinpaw steadies herself on Dwardazik's shoulder.
Dwardazik: No weapons, we're doing this legit!
Gnolls have a terrible stereotype for cheating. They will
always cheat if they fall behind in anything. In fact, in gnoll culture, it's practically
expected that you'll cheat if you are losing. So when Dwardazik starts getting the upper-hand in their brawl, Tinpaw
throws some dirt at his face, blinding him, stands up, and draws a scimitar. Dazki shoots the scimitar out of her hand with an arrow, which is enough to get her to concede.
Tinpaw: Fine, fine. You know, just... had to make sure you were the same group as before!
Dazki: Sure, no problem, we understand.
Dwardazik, cracking his knuckles: Well, it was a good start. Next time, don't use the dirt, though. It's dishonorable. You've ruined the fight!
Kesmet: Actually, it was a compliment. It meant she was taking the fight seriously. In their culture, if you don't cheat when you're losing, then that's dishonorable for them. It's an insult, because you're not taking it seriously. They're fucking dogs... they make no sense.
Dwardazik, to Tinpaw: So let me get this straight... you pulling a sword on me was you respecting my strength? Next time we fight, no weapons. I don't care about your customs, we're doing it The Dwarf Way™. Anyway, didn't we have negotiations? Weren't ye gonna take us to Lizardtamer?
Tinpaw: You don't want to go there. Wasn't the idea that you would meet somewhere?
Editor's note: there was a really fast argument here, and I caught none of it other than this fact.
Tinpaw: All you have to do is give me the tooth.
Grogery: If we give you the tooth, how do we know you won't just go to Lizardtamer and claim that you killed Grittooth yourself?
Tinpaw: Don't you base your relationships on trust or something?
Grogery: Trust, but verify.
Kesmet: Please take us to Lizardtamer.
Tinpaw: That's the plan, but you're not going there. We're meeting at a secondary location.
Tinpaw grabs an arbitrary gnoll from the crowd, dragging it back to the party. Still holding the gnoll, she pulls out a rough-looking piece of parchment and asks to at least borrow the tooth. Dazki assents, and then Tinpaw rubs the tooth on the parchment, creating a line of dry blood, before harshly shoving the parchment into the gnoll and thrusting him back into the crowd. In that action, she tries to use sneaky sleight-of-hand to pocket the tooth for herself, but Dazki catches her out, so she hands it back.
Tinpaw: See? All yours. And now we wait.
Dazki: How long do we usually have to wait?
Tinpaw: I am not in charge of the time.
Dazki: Do you have a guess?
Tinpaw: I think it would be rude to try to estimate when Lizardtamer will arrive, because then she can be late.
The party takes a short rest here.
Dwardazik waves over some gnolls and shares some of his booze with them. "This booze ain't free: ya gotta give me a story." They share vague stories, and the gnolls share some racist jokes:
- What's the difference between an elf and a flower?
- What did the skeleton say to the elf?
- Why do elves write so much poetry?
Kesmet starts juggling a mace, a crowbar, and a candlestick holder. He uses a minor illusion to make it appear like they're on fire. "Is there anything you guys want me to juggle?" A gnoll tries to hand him a child gnoll. He puts away the other stuff, saying "Do you have anything more stick-shaped, or maybe ball-shaped and smaller and not alive? Because living things might twist and turn." Both the adult and the child gnoll look disappointed, but regardless, Kesmet is really making an impact on this crowd. They probably don't get much entertainment down here.
Dazki just continues reading the mysterious book, managing to get an hour into it.
The short rest ends when the gnolls suddenly scurry back into crowd formation, not to be singled out.
A wide berth opens up to reveal a new gnoll that he party hasn't met yet. In stark contrast to the bulging form and aggression of Grittooth, standing in the gap made by the other gnolls is a clean, feminine gnoll. She steps forth adorned in fine, black silks. Copper coins dangle decoratively from her shawl and veil: a distraction from the occasional battle-worn scars peaking through her soft fur.
Lizardtamer: You come to me as willing servants? A unique perspective for ones of your kind.
Dwardazik, to Dazki: Maybe you should handle this one... I can't help but feel like my brand of "negotiation" might not be the best here.
Tinpaw, intercepting: Yes, these are the ones I told you about, and I found them, and they will totally follow, and...
Lizardtamer: Silence! Tinpaw fucking vanishes. I want to hear it from them.
Grogery: I take it you are Lizardtamer, then?
Lizardtamer: An astute observation.
Dwardazik: Oh boy. I shouldn't have had that extra booze.
Grogery: To be clear, what has Tinpaw told you about?
Lizardtamer: You have come before me as servants. You have been sent to deal with a problematic itch of mine. I've been told you were successful, so your servitude is valuable to me.
Dwardazik: To be frank, it looks like your minions are exaggerating things, as is to be expected. Show her the tooth from Grittooth, we were able to get negotiations sorted out. Grittooth means well, though she's not exactly the most cooperative. We figure you two might be able to work out some kind of alliance and work out yer differences, with us.
Lizardtamer: Don't worry little dwarf, you do not need intelligence to be a decent servant.
Dwardazik: I'd arm wrestle ye, if I didn't worry about ruining your dress.
Dazki: We are friends with the dragon from whom you are procuring your economy, and at his behest, we are attempting to broker a peace between you and Grittooth that perhaps he may see some rest, some respite from the constant procurement of his scales.
Lizardtamer: Such a beast of burden is in no position to hold opinions. It would be like one of your kind asking the cattle whether or not it wants to be milked.
Dazki: We do have druids. We do have conversations with our livestock.
Grogery: Interesting that many people among the "civilized races" tend to regard people like us as though we were no more than beasts of burden, locking us away in warehouses to do their work for them, or just flat ignoring us. It would seem unwise to make such assumptions of other creatures.
Dwardazik: Aye, the worst company I've had here has been the humans.
Lizardtamer: As endearing as you lot seem to be, it's a waste of my time if you have no proof that you are of service to me.
Dazki, showing the tooth: This is from Grittooth's mouth herself.
Lizardtamer makes a quick hand gesture, and 3 gnolls show up. Not closing the gap herself, she directs them to retrieve it on her behalf. Dazki hands it over, and the gnolls return it to Lizardtamer. She grasps it in her well-manicured claws. A slight reddish glow emanates from it: the casters among the party recognize this as some form of magic, though it's not one of the traditional forms of magic that they're used to. It seems to have been a Cleric version of the Lore spell... it feels relevant that the spell was cast on a tooth or bone. She inspects it closely.
Lizardtamer: And what does this prove, exactly? Maybe you are just dentists. I have dragon scales, and yet I have slain no dragon.
Dazki: We have not slain Grittooth, nor do we desire to. What we seek is a way to make peace between the two of you and to make the gnolls a stronger people. To unite them and to assist our friend, the dragon, in doing so. We invite you to negotiate something that might be an idea for a possible future for your people where they are respected not only by those in this portion of the city, but in the greater city, and indeed in the world at large. It is not a simple thing, nor will it be immediate, but we want to negotiate to try to find a path in that direction for you, that you may earn more power as you and your people rightly deserve.
Lizardtamer: And why not just slay this small number of gnolls that are causing trouble?
Dwardazik: You want to slay Grittooth? Are you crazy? That was one of the best arm wrestling competitions I've had in a long time!
Dazki: Why have you not slain them yet?
Lizardtamer: Grittooth is a danger to the clan, but she is wily. Unpredictable. I was hoping, as I was promised, that these outside servants would be able to solve my problem.
Kesmet says something here about never being servants, and needing to get to Dennis... I didn't fully record it, everything was too fast here.
Grogery: Tinpaw was a bit too promising. We don't intend to be your servants.
Dazki: Nor do we intend to murder Grittooth.
Lizardtamer: I think it would be in your best interest to reword some of your thoughts. I have a very important place here, and it would be a shame if you were not part of it... at least in the pieces that you are now.
Dazki: If you work with us, we can make your place even larger in the city, and that may involve some negotiations with Grittooth, and possibly a small change in the style in which your economy is run. However, it would earn you the respect of the city at large and get you a place amongst the other races as well. A place of respect and honor.
Lizardtamer: I am a gnoll. I know my place.
Dazki: Do you want more territory, influence, and power?
Lizardtamer: Your words do not address the question I have asked you.
Dwardazik: You seem to be in some mighty fine garments. Does your dwelling have craftsmanship equally as refined?
Lizardtamer: More distractions?!
Dwardazik: I'm just curious!
Lizardtamer: Curiosity can come later. I want answers.
