[IC] Chapter 1-6: Three is a Company

[DM Surranó]

Present: Boo, Portho, Toot, Torin. The thread may contain spoilers for the other players so I emphasise I strongly discourage them reading on.

A thin but convincing voice comes out of the ambient light of the western part of the tunnel, spoken in Common.

  "There may be three of you brutes, plus the bear, but we are powerful, you have no idea how or when we could attack. Perhaps it's best if you just let us pass."

The youthful gnome halfway between the center and the eastern end of the tunnel responds in some language that neither of the invisible creatures can understand, yet, Portho feels it has a touch of relationship to Sylvan.

The young gnome can hear some whispering from the generic direction of the light but can't make out a word.
More so can he make out the words of someone casting a spell and he even recognises it! (Spellcraft 27) Not the one to like bathing too much his muscles become tense like strings of an upkey lute and when water appears abovehead he jumps aside and the bulk of the water pours down on poor black bear instead.

A more throaty voice booms from the unseen but the young gnome can't make heads or tails of what's being said apart from the spiteful tone.

OOC - I deliberately did not use names and characteristics above that shouldn't be known to the characters. Still, I presume you are pretty clear about who's who as players so I leave it up to you how much you reveal of yourselves. Even if you refer to each other by names, races, classes or other specifics the characters shouldn't know yet that's fine, as long as it's commentary and not dialog.

[Torin]

Torin waits about 10 seconds and if there is no response for his mockery, then he whispers to Portho:
- I think he doesn't understand the undercommon. Can you increase my voice, to became more louder?
He casts a Comprehend Languages and a Longstrider spell to himself, while he is waiting for the response.

[Portho Nihilbuck]

A tiny whispered voice responds to the deeper...
"I cannot simply enhance your voice that way, as my Sculpt Sound is already used. What I can do is create a ghostly sound from any point within 40 feet of us, and I can mimic any sound yoou want it to be, such as you speaking if you say it beside me, I can then amplify that to as if there were nearly thirty of you doing it, but from that spot. So say what you want and then I will repeat it, but loud."

[Toot]

Toot had wondered how many foes he was facing.  Considering the first voice had indicated, 'there may be three of you plus the bear,' then added, 'but we are strong,' makes Toot think he's sort of saying, "there may be more of you but we are strong," because why would someone say, "there may be less of you but we are strong," so there are likely less than the number Toot lied about.  The second voice confirmed that there is at least two foes.  So there could be between two and three opponents.

[OoC: Did Toot hear the Dwarf in Adamantine armor moving toward him?]

Then suddenly Toot spots something --Water-- appear above his head causing him to panic and instinctively dive out of the way.  "What kind of sicko screams nonsense then uses water to attack someone?" the teenage gnome whimpers.  "You could have drowned me!  You fiend!  Oh the humanity!!"  

Boo was doused with the water but he didn't care.  Bears don't mind water.  But his master's body language and cries cause Boo to become defensive.  Boo couldn't see what to attack but he could smell that they were still there.  He could smell two of them within range so the bear moves toward them [5'] and growls. [If the foe can understand Bear, he would likely hear something like, "Stay back from Alpha or I bite you!"]

It was true Toot had threatened to use force if the creatures approached any closer until he could determine if they were friend or foe.  But these creatures were actually attacking Toot and Boo and at least one of them weren't being particularly quiet.  Especially considering that Toot just told them there are two other allies close by which indicated to Toot that not only were they violent but they were likely stupid too!  Toot would normally fall back upon his old saying but both groups were scary!  

Toot backs up slightly and hides in the shadow of Boo...

[Portho Nihilbuck]

[OoC: Did Toot hear the Dwarf in Adamantine armor moving toward him?]

[OoC nope, complete and utter silence, and an ambient light that is now emanated from the torch lying on the ground.]

While awaiting a response from Torin, the high pitched voice suddenly growls and grunts back at Boo. "Get your Alpha and his Beta's in the hallway beyond to let us pass. We want no fight. You are not food and there are no mates to fight over."

[Toot]

Boo replies, "You attack and scare Alpha!  You bad!"

[OoC: Even if Boo was willing to listen to Portho, I'm not sure how an animal would convince people that they should let a hidden foe move by them.  All Boo knows is that you've made his master feel upset.  Boo has a bond with his master that is greater than just a normal pet.]

[DM Surranó]

Ooc restricted to post briefly so just a comment. Familiars have 6+ int. Companions don't. Plus, Portho speaks a primitive language do let's agree he said the last sentence only.

Also since bears don't live in packs I'm not sure there is such a thing as alpha. I think a bear's superior is mostly called mom.

[DM Surranó]

As the chitchat of the invisible and hiding creatures continues fourteen gallons of water trickles down from the bear towards the creatures hidden by their invisibility. By the time they notice the bear's master spots the stream breaking on some boots, some forty feet from him (almost at the corner). All he can tell though is that there are at least four legs, of which the closer ones are larger than the farther ones.

[Torin]

A tiny whispered voice responds to the deeper...
"I cannot simply enhance your voice that way, as my Sculpt Sound is already used. What I can do is create a ghostly sound from any point within 40 feet of us, and I can mimic any sound yoou want it to be, such as you speaking if you say it beside me, I can then amplify that to as if there were nearly thirty of you doing it, but from that spot. So say what you want and then I will repeat it, but loud."

Torin whispers to Portho:
Do you understand the draconic, dwarven, goblin, undercommon languages? If yes, then let's continue in that language.
I can teach you some very rough dwarf invectives. I you will shout this, then the gnome's duergar "partner" will reveal himself. I hope.

[Portho Nihilbuck]

The high pitched voice whispers back.
"I can speak goblin with you. You do not speak elven or sylvan? Do you wish the ghost sound or not..?"