IC [DW] From the Outside

Isida Kep'Tukari

Adventurer
Supporter
"Hu," grunted the big man, obviously far, FAR from 'satisfied'. "Don't remember asking for your life story." Slice pointed up at the druid (or whatever he was), one armored boot now up on mossy rock near the bottom of the pile: "YOU entered his service. YOU knew something about Him from before. So what - does - He - want? What's are WE aiming at?"

"She," softly corrected Brier, although most of his attention was turned towards the outside woods, fae bow in his left hand.

"What?!" frowned Slice with an annoyed twitch his way: "What part of THAT looked like a woman to you, Notch?"

A new voice speaks up from behind Khirynnax, melodious, almost sing-song, sounding entirely incongruous in the middle of the woods after such a fight.

"The part with the green moss. Female trolls always have green moss. Witching trolls have blue-green moss. That's how you know something of their power as a woman, or at least that's what I've been told."

There's a wink of power, a tiny shift that suggests whatever fold of time or space that brought Khirynnax to be able to remove you from a fight was able to move this person to where you are. She's a tall, thin woman, her sharp eyes a bright shade of blue, her head shaved bald, clad in flowing robes of crimson and blue. She bears an enabled holy symbol around her neck of a cresting blue wave over a red heart. She spreads her hands wide and bows deeply.

"It seems we are all the same impasse - a favored owed to a woman who will not be argued with, elsewise would you not all be on your way elsewhere? I too have been tasked to go and see what must be seen in Hengistad. And I must go with love in my heart, for I can do naught less. Anger will not serve here and now. I am Hawthorne, priestess of Ushane, at your service," she says, rising. "Will you allow me the pleasure of your names?"
 

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Binder Fred

3 rings to bind them all!
"The part with the green moss. Female trolls always have green moss. Witching trolls have blue-green moss. That's how you know something of their power as a woman, or at least that's what I've been told."

"Rivers flowed from her eyes; green, like the sun... shoulders hunching under thick blankets of trees... her teeth sprinkled with diamonds as they bit into our hearts," sort of answered Notch, the only one of them that didn't seem phased in the least by the suddenly-talking girl...

"It seems we are all the same impasse - a favored owed to a woman who will not be argued with, elsewise would you not all be on your way elsewhere? I too have been tasked to go and see what must be seen in Hengistad. And I must go with love in my heart, for I can do naught less. Anger will not serve here and now. I am Hawthorne, priestess of Ushane, at your service," she says, rising. "Will you allow me the pleasure of your names?"
"Urm." Slice just swiveled his head back to the ivy-druid, obviously STILL expecting an answer to his previous question: Trickle was the lady's man, let him handle her.

He couldn't help glancing at 'Hawthorne' out of the corner of his eyes though. Something about her seemed... familiar?

Then he shook his head like an angry bear, flinging the bothersome thoughts away: "Never met the girl," he rumbled and swiveled his boxer head firmly back to the front once more, locking eyes with Khirynnax...



OOC: Welcome to the IC, Isida. :)
 

GlassEye

Adventurer
"Khirynnax," says the elf as he blatantly turns his attention away from Slice and to the woman who named herself Hawthorne. As far as Khirynnax is concerned he's answered Slice's question and has nothing else to say to the warrior. The appearance of the priestess is an interesting development and he briefly wonders how she came to be in the service of the Witching Troll. He doesn't ask but stands from the rock shelf and points into the woods. "Hengistad is that way."

The other human man, not the bulky warrior with the over-sized sword but the slimmer one with a pair of weapons at his belt, steps forward and nods his head in a gesture of greeting and respect, however slight it might be. His eyes shift from the newcomer to Slice to Khirynnax to Brier before he straightens. "I am known as Trickle. Perhaps you've heard of me? No?" He smiles. "I didn't think you would have; I'm just a simple man sucked into the eddies of circumstance by the passage of the powerful."

[sblock=Sheets][sblock=Trickle][section]
Trickle
Human Thief (level 1; 0 xp)
Shifty Eyes, Cropped Hair, Fancy Clothes, Lithe Body

STR 9 DEX 16 (+2) CON 12 INT 15 (+1) WIS 13 (+1) CHA 8 (-1)
Max. hp: 18 Current hp: 18

Alignment: Neutral: Avoid detection or infiltrate a location.

Gear: (Load 6/9) – Base Dmg: d8
Dagger (hand, 1 wt.) and Short sword (close, 1 wt.)
Ragged bow (near, 2 wt.) and bundle of arrows (3 ammo, 1 wt.)
Adventuring gear (1 wt.)
Bloodweed poison (touch, 3 uses): target deals -1d4 damage ongoing until cured

[sblock=Thief Moves]Human: When you spout lore or discern realities about criminal activities take +1

Trap Expert: When you spend a moment to survey a dangerous area, roll+Dex (2d6+2)
10+: hold 3
7-9: hold 1
Spend hold as you walk through area to ask questions:
  • Is there a trap here and if so, what activates it?
  • What does the trap do when activated?
  • What else is hidden here?
Tricks of the Trade: When you pick locks or disable traps, roll+Dex
10+: you do it, no problem
7-9: you do it, but GM offers two options between suspicion, danger, or cost.

Backstab: When you attack a surprised or defenseless enemy with a melee weapon, you can choose to roll your damage or roll+Dex
10+: choose two
7-9: choose one
  • You don’t get into melee with them
  • You deal your damage +1d6
  • You create an advantage, +1 forward to you or an ally acting on it
  • Reduce their armor by 1 until they repair it
Flexible Morals: When someone tries to detect your alignment you can tell them any alignment you like

Poisoner: Bloodweed (touch) is no longer dangerous for you to use. When you have time to gather materials and a safe place to brew you can make three uses of Bloodweed for free.
[/sblock][sblock=Bonds and Backgrounds]
I stole something from Needles.
Slice has my back when something goes wrong.
Artur knows incriminating details about me.

After a year and a day of service the Witching Troll will teach Trickle the secret of Witch's Tears.

In the course of his work Trickle came across a poisoner’s tome (no longer in his possession) that described a potent poison called Witch’s Tears. The poisoner learned the formula for the poison (frustratingly not written down in the book) from a powerful unseelie sorcerer, a troll…
[/sblock]​
[/section][/sblock][sblock=Khirynnax][section]
Khirynnax Skinchanger, AKA Khir
Elven Druid (level 1; 0 xp)
Wild Eyes, Messy Hair, Practical Leathers

STR 15 (+1) DEX 12 CON 13 (+1) INT 9 WIS 16 (+2) CHA 8 (-1)
Max. hp: 19 Current hp: 19

Alignment: Neutral: Eliminate an unnatural menace.

Gear: (Load 3/7) – Base Dmg: d6
Token of the Mire: the Copper Coil, age-blackened armband in shape of snake
Hide armor (1 armor, 1 wt.)
Staff (close, two-handed, 1 wt.)
Poultices and herbs (2 uses, 1 wt.)

[sblock=Druid Moves]
Elf: In addition to any other attunements, the Great Forest is always considered your land.

Born of the Soil: Attuned to the Stinking Mire—when shapeshifting you may take the shape of any animal who might live in your land. Your tell (a crown of ivy) remains no matter what shape you take.

By Nature Sustained: You don’t need to eat or drink. If a move tells you to mark off a ration just ignore it.

Spirit Tongue: The grunts, barks, chirps, and calls of the creatures of the wild are as language to you. You can understand any animal native to your land or akin to one whose essence you have studied.

Shapeshifter: When you call upon the spirits to change your shape, roll+WIS.
10+ hold 3
7-9 hold 2
On a miss hold 1 in addition to whatever the GM says.
You may take on the physical form of any species whose essence you have studied or who lives in your land: you and your possessions meld into a perfect copy of the species’ form. You have any innate abilities and weaknesses of the form: claws, wings, gills, breathing water instead of air. You still use your normal stats but some moves may be harder to trigger. The GM will also tell you one or more moves associated with your new form. Spend 1 hold to make that move. Once you are out of hold you return to your natural form. At any time, you may spend all your hold and revert to your natural form.

Studied Essence: When you spend time in contemplation of an animal spirit, you may add its species to those you can assume using shapeshifting.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Bonds and Background]
Trickle smells more like prey than a hunter.
The spirits spoke to me of a great danger that follows Slice.
I have showed Needles a secret rite of the land.
Artur has tasted my blood and I theirs. We are bound by it.

After a year and a day of service the Witching Troll will reveal a secret of the fae's primordial essence.

Khirynnax was an outsider, too fey for the humans, too unseelie for the elves. He didn’t care because he sensed a deeper essence, pure and powerful, that he needed to understand. When a halfling told him there was one who could put him on the path that might lead to his understanding Khirynnax didn’t hesitate. He made his way to the Witching Troll and readily accepted the bargain of service that the troll required as payment.
[/sblock]​
[/section][/sblock][/sblock]
 

Binder Fred

3 rings to bind them all!
Beating the 'eyes and ears' of their (apparently supremely magical and oh so generous) new patron to a bloody, squirming pulp was probably not a good idea... Probably.

Slice STILL spit in disgust right at Khyrinnax's feet. "You aren't making any friends down here, 'Khirynnax'," he pointed out through clenched teeth. "Hope that doesn't cost you down the road."

That might as well have been a solemn promise...

Needles remained silent as Trickle spoke and the big man just gave a sideways jerk of his head after that, signaling the druid to go ahead and lead, if he was in such a hurry.
 

GlassEye

Adventurer
Khirynnax turns his wild-eyed stare back to Slice. "Back off. I'm here to pay a debt, just like you. You got a problem paying your debt take it up with the Witching Troll."

[sblock=Sheets][sblock=Trickle][section]
Trickle
Human Thief (level 1; 0 xp)
Shifty Eyes, Cropped Hair, Fancy Clothes, Lithe Body

STR 9 DEX 16 (+2) CON 12 INT 15 (+1) WIS 13 (+1) CHA 8 (-1)
Max. hp: 18 Current hp: 18

Alignment: Neutral: Avoid detection or infiltrate a location.

Gear: (Load 6/9) – Base Dmg: d8
Dagger (hand, 1 wt.) and Short sword (close, 1 wt.)
Ragged bow (near, 2 wt.) and bundle of arrows (3 ammo, 1 wt.)
Adventuring gear (1 wt.)
Bloodweed poison (touch, 3 uses): target deals -1d4 damage ongoing until cured

[sblock=Thief Moves]Human: When you spout lore or discern realities about criminal activities take +1

Trap Expert: When you spend a moment to survey a dangerous area, roll+Dex (2d6+2)
10+: hold 3
7-9: hold 1
Spend hold as you walk through area to ask questions:
  • Is there a trap here and if so, what activates it?
  • What does the trap do when activated?
  • What else is hidden here?
Tricks of the Trade: When you pick locks or disable traps, roll+Dex
10+: you do it, no problem
7-9: you do it, but GM offers two options between suspicion, danger, or cost.

Backstab: When you attack a surprised or defenseless enemy with a melee weapon, you can choose to roll your damage or roll+Dex
10+: choose two
7-9: choose one
  • You don’t get into melee with them
  • You deal your damage +1d6
  • You create an advantage, +1 forward to you or an ally acting on it
  • Reduce their armor by 1 until they repair it
Flexible Morals: When someone tries to detect your alignment you can tell them any alignment you like

Poisoner: Bloodweed (touch) is no longer dangerous for you to use. When you have time to gather materials and a safe place to brew you can make three uses of Bloodweed for free.
[/sblock][sblock=Bonds and Backgrounds]
I stole something from Needles.
Slice has my back when something goes wrong.
Artur knows incriminating details about me.

After a year and a day of service the Witching Troll will teach Trickle the secret of Witch's Tears.

In the course of his work Trickle came across a poisoner’s tome (no longer in his possession) that described a potent poison called Witch’s Tears. The poisoner learned the formula for the poison (frustratingly not written down in the book) from a powerful unseelie sorcerer, a troll…
[/sblock]​
[/section][/sblock][sblock=Khirynnax][section]
Khirynnax Skinchanger, AKA Khir
Elven Druid (level 1; 0 xp)
Wild Eyes, Messy Hair, Practical Leathers

STR 15 (+1) DEX 12 CON 13 (+1) INT 9 WIS 16 (+2) CHA 8 (-1)
Max. hp: 19 Current hp: 19

Alignment: Neutral: Eliminate an unnatural menace.

Gear: (Load 3/7) – Base Dmg: d6
Token of the Mire: the Copper Coil, age-blackened armband in shape of snake
Hide armor (1 armor, 1 wt.)
Staff (close, two-handed, 1 wt.)
Poultices and herbs (2 uses, 1 wt.)

[sblock=Druid Moves]
Elf: In addition to any other attunements, the Great Forest is always considered your land.

Born of the Soil: Attuned to the Stinking Mire—when shapeshifting you may take the shape of any animal who might live in your land. Your tell (a crown of ivy) remains no matter what shape you take.

By Nature Sustained: You don’t need to eat or drink. If a move tells you to mark off a ration just ignore it.

Spirit Tongue: The grunts, barks, chirps, and calls of the creatures of the wild are as language to you. You can understand any animal native to your land or akin to one whose essence you have studied.

Shapeshifter: When you call upon the spirits to change your shape, roll+WIS.
10+ hold 3
7-9 hold 2
On a miss hold 1 in addition to whatever the GM says.
You may take on the physical form of any species whose essence you have studied or who lives in your land: you and your possessions meld into a perfect copy of the species’ form. You have any innate abilities and weaknesses of the form: claws, wings, gills, breathing water instead of air. You still use your normal stats but some moves may be harder to trigger. The GM will also tell you one or more moves associated with your new form. Spend 1 hold to make that move. Once you are out of hold you return to your natural form. At any time, you may spend all your hold and revert to your natural form.

Studied Essence: When you spend time in contemplation of an animal spirit, you may add its species to those you can assume using shapeshifting.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Bonds and Background]
Trickle smells more like prey than a hunter.
The spirits spoke to me of a great danger that follows Slice.
I have showed Needles a secret rite of the land.
Artur has tasted my blood and I theirs. We are bound by it.

After a year and a day of service the Witching Troll will reveal a secret of the fae's primordial essence.

Khirynnax was an outsider, too fey for the humans, too unseelie for the elves. He didn’t care because he sensed a deeper essence, pure and powerful, that he needed to understand. When a halfling told him there was one who could put him on the path that might lead to his understanding Khirynnax didn’t hesitate. He made his way to the Witching Troll and readily accepted the bargain of service that the troll required as payment.
[/sblock]​
[/section][/sblock][/sblock]
 

Binder Fred

3 rings to bind them all!
"I got a problem with YOU, you secretive son of a bitch," snarled back the big man, since apparently that hadn't been clear enough. He forcefully stabbed the air between then with an armored finger: "YOU'RE the one getting in the way of 'paying back our debt'!" Mostly by being an uncooperative bastard. "As if you didn't know any SHRED of info would help at this point."

Needles turned his hood minimally their way, though most of his visual attention was still spent looking for anybody trying to sneak up on their resting spot.
 
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GlassEye

Adventurer
Khirynnax turns to the others. "You need to get your rabid dog under control."

Trickle looks over at Slice. "Let it go, mate. You're making a lot of assumptions, and you know what they say about that."
 
Last edited:

Binder Fred

3 rings to bind them all!
"Hu," dismissed Slice: there was only one reason he needed to make a lot of assumptions, and that reason was pretty clear to him.

His lips actually curled at the druid's call for help, like an eerily-aware polymorphed bull-wolf-shark that's just sniffed... fear. He spread his bulging arms with the gentle creak of leather buckles and armored plates: "Convince us then, Khyrinnax: how does a man come to seek out a pile of rock for service without knowing a single thing about HIM?" His fingers were half-closed.


Strangely enough, the semi-reasonable tone of Slice's question caught Brier's attention much more than the shouting had. He turned his hood most of the way towards Khirynnax and his hand casually firmed on the grip of his bow.

This argument would be ending very soon.

One way or another.



OOC: Want to pause here until Doghead can fill us in on what Khirynnax and/or Hawthorne does or does not know about the troll, GE?
 

GlassEye

Adventurer
"First you don't want my life story, now you do? Make up your mind." Fully fed up with this fool of a bully who is too blind to see when someone is speaking the truth to him Khirynnax shifts into the form of a red-winged blackbird and flies off into the forest.

"Not our argument, mate," says Trickle shooting Needles a warning look. He pushes past Slice in the direction of Hengistad. "You know, you mighta got a little bit more out of him if you hadn't been so quick to shout him down in the beginning. Catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, ya know." The tone of his voice makes it very clear he's tired of this puerile posturing and ready to get on with paying off this so-called debt.

[sblock=OOC]I already know what Khirynnax knows about the Witching Troll.

2d6+2=8[/sblock][sblock=Sheets][sblock=Trickle][section]
Trickle
Human Thief (level 1; 0 xp)
Shifty Eyes, Cropped Hair, Fancy Clothes, Lithe Body

STR 9 DEX 16 (+2) CON 12 INT 15 (+1) WIS 13 (+1) CHA 8 (-1)
Max. hp: 18 Current hp: 18

Alignment: Neutral: Avoid detection or infiltrate a location.

Gear: (Load 6/9) – Base Dmg: d8
Dagger (hand, 1 wt.) and Short sword (close, 1 wt.)
Ragged bow (near, 2 wt.) and bundle of arrows (3 ammo, 1 wt.)
Adventuring gear (1 wt.)
Bloodweed poison (touch, 3 uses): target deals -1d4 damage ongoing until cured

[sblock=Thief Moves]Human: When you spout lore or discern realities about criminal activities take +1

Trap Expert: When you spend a moment to survey a dangerous area, roll+Dex (2d6+2)
10+: hold 3
7-9: hold 1
Spend hold as you walk through area to ask questions:
  • Is there a trap here and if so, what activates it?
  • What does the trap do when activated?
  • What else is hidden here?
Tricks of the Trade: When you pick locks or disable traps, roll+Dex
10+: you do it, no problem
7-9: you do it, but GM offers two options between suspicion, danger, or cost.

Backstab: When you attack a surprised or defenseless enemy with a melee weapon, you can choose to roll your damage or roll+Dex
10+: choose two
7-9: choose one
  • You don’t get into melee with them
  • You deal your damage +1d6
  • You create an advantage, +1 forward to you or an ally acting on it
  • Reduce their armor by 1 until they repair it
Flexible Morals: When someone tries to detect your alignment you can tell them any alignment you like

Poisoner: Bloodweed (touch) is no longer dangerous for you to use. When you have time to gather materials and a safe place to brew you can make three uses of Bloodweed for free.
[/sblock][sblock=Bonds and Backgrounds]
I stole something from Needles.
Slice has my back when something goes wrong.
Artur knows incriminating details about me.

After a year and a day of service the Witching Troll will teach Trickle the secret of Witch's Tears.

In the course of his work Trickle came across a poisoner’s tome (no longer in his possession) that described a potent poison called Witch’s Tears. The poisoner learned the formula for the poison (frustratingly not written down in the book) from a powerful unseelie sorcerer, a troll…
[/sblock]​
[/section][/sblock][sblock=Khirynnax][section]
Khirynnax Skinchanger, AKA Khir
Elven Druid (level 1; 0 xp)
Wild Eyes, Messy Hair, Practical Leathers

STR 15 (+1) DEX 12 CON 13 (+1) INT 9 WIS 16 (+2) CHA 8 (-1)
Max. hp: 19 Current hp: 19

Alignment: Neutral: Eliminate an unnatural menace.

Gear: (Load 3/7) – Base Dmg: d6
Token of the Mire: the Copper Coil, age-blackened armband in shape of snake
Hide armor (1 armor, 1 wt.)
Staff (close, two-handed, 1 wt.)
Poultices and herbs (2 uses, 1 wt.)

[sblock=Druid Moves]
Elf: In addition to any other attunements, the Great Forest is always considered your land.

Born of the Soil: Attuned to the Stinking Mire—when shapeshifting you may take the shape of any animal who might live in your land. Your tell (a crown of ivy) remains no matter what shape you take.

By Nature Sustained: You don’t need to eat or drink. If a move tells you to mark off a ration just ignore it.

Spirit Tongue: The grunts, barks, chirps, and calls of the creatures of the wild are as language to you. You can understand any animal native to your land or akin to one whose essence you have studied.

Shapeshifter: When you call upon the spirits to change your shape, roll+WIS.
10+ hold 3
7-9 hold 2
On a miss hold 1 in addition to whatever the GM says.
You may take on the physical form of any species whose essence you have studied or who lives in your land: you and your possessions meld into a perfect copy of the species’ form. You have any innate abilities and weaknesses of the form: claws, wings, gills, breathing water instead of air. You still use your normal stats but some moves may be harder to trigger. The GM will also tell you one or more moves associated with your new form. Spend 1 hold to make that move. Once you are out of hold you return to your natural form. At any time, you may spend all your hold and revert to your natural form.

Studied Essence: When you spend time in contemplation of an animal spirit, you may add its species to those you can assume using shapeshifting.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Bonds and Background]
Trickle smells more like prey than a hunter.
The spirits spoke to me of a great danger that follows Slice.
I have showed Needles a secret rite of the land.
Artur has tasted my blood and I theirs. We are bound by it.

After a year and a day of service the Witching Troll will reveal a secret of the fae's primordial essence.

Khirynnax was an outsider, too fey for the humans, too unseelie for the elves. He didn’t care because he sensed a deeper essence, pure and powerful, that he needed to understand. When a halfling told him there was one who could put him on the path that might lead to his understanding Khirynnax didn’t hesitate. He made his way to the Witching Troll and readily accepted the bargain of service that the troll required as payment.
[/sblock]​
[/section][/sblock][/sblock]
 

Binder Fred

3 rings to bind them all!
Khirynnax shifts into the form of a red-winged blackbird and flies off into the forest.

"Whoa!" startled, Slice fell back into a defensive pose and Brier's first arrow was (somehow) already notched, bow hurriedly rising to track the fleeing bird when Trickle intervened.

Then the blank hole of the cloak just looked at him -- with what might or might not be a mildly questionning eyebrow, hard to tell...

But anyways, the bow didn't rise any further.

He pushes past Slice in the direction of Hengistad.
OOC: Ah. Well. As to that, trying to bully Slice aside at this point - most physical contacts, actually - WILL earn Trickle an automatic, reflexive fist-punch from the big man, and Trickle would likely know this.... I'm therefore going to assume he doesn't go ahead with this part and/or reconsiders when he spots Slice's adrenaline-fueled state close up?

"You know, you mighta got a little bit more out of him if you hadn't been so quick to shout him down in the beginning. Catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, ya know." The tone of his voice makes it very clear he's tired of this puerile posturing and ready to get on with paying off this so-called debt.
"He's hiding - everything," Slice fired back. He tried to recover from that sudden burst of startled fear by breathing it out repeatedly as he looked down and forcefully brushed off imaginary debris from himself. "YOU'RE the subtle one, usually: why can't you tell?"




OOC: EDIT= You know, I'm going to edit one of Slice's bonds to read: "Khirynnax has secrets important to me, I must find out what they are"... I'm really liking the Bond system. I just might incorporate it into my face-to-face games.

EDIT2= Nice solution to the problem by the way. :cool:
 
Last edited:

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