Parallel Lines

[ShaggySpellsword]

Systar

"Massif, stop! I am in no position to command you, but by my ancestors long-dead, if you endanger us and our job by throwing accusations at our employer, and bring shame to my memory and the memory of my ancestor, I will haunt you until the end of my days! Listen to the warforged, he knows what he is talking about. I thought the Mror left hot-headed barbarism behind years ago. "

 

[DEFCON 1]

'Haunt me to the end of your days? Yeah right. Hey elf... watch out for any more sparrows that might knock you unconscious again. Those parrots and bluejays can be real nasty...'

...Massif snidely remarks as he continues up the stairs. If the responses from either the warfogrged or the elf had any impact on him, he doesn't show it.

When he reaches the top deck, he makes a beeline for the door to the Captain's quarters where Sorren still stands guard. The serious look on Massif's face tells the paladin that he's in no mood to argue or discuss the right or wrong way to interact with people. The dwarf raises a fist and bangs it two times on the door to the Captain's quarters and shouts through the door to her...

'Captain?!? You in there? This is Massif Dardungren! Your wizard passenger is still gone, but she left behind her little lizard! He's downstairs with the rest of the group! You wanna come out here and tell us what to do with the stupid thing, or should we just kill it? You hired us to protect this crate, and who knows what this lizard is capable of! You give me the word and I'll chop it's stupid head off!!!'

And he ends his little speech with a final word under his breath that he doesn't expect anyone to hear...

'You don't have us doing nothing else of note anway.'

 

[Zweischneid]

'Captain?!? You in there? This is Massif Dardungren! Your wizard passenger is still gone, but she left behind her little lizard! He's downstairs with the rest of the group! You wanna come out here and tell us what to do with the stupid thing, or should we just kill it? You hired us to protect this crate, and who knows what this lizard is capable of! You give me the word and I'll chop it's stupid head off!!!'

'I don't think so Massif.'
Celebren exclaims, skidding to a stop a few feet behind the dwarf.

'You're here to protect the ship, not to slay his passangers.. not even the small and scaly ones! As far as I can tell the Lady Samea is the victim here and you're the one picking a fight.'

Fishing for his wooden practice-sword with one hand while carefully shielding the little pet-dragon in the cradle of his other arm, the young monk growls
'And unless you have definite proof against the captain, I'm still here to protect both her ship and the captain herself... against any threat, even stunted dwarfish ones.'



(OoC: Incase Massif goes violent, Celebren readies an action to keep out of his reach with superior speed/full defense)

 

[DEFCON 1]

Massif hears Celebren's voice right behind him as he stands at the door, and all of a sudden the wind gets knocked out of his sails as he realizes his bluff has just been blown by the stupid half-elf. His head drops to his chest, and he slowly turns around to look at the half-elf standing behind him with the small creature in his arms. His eyes grow narrow and he huffs and puffs under his breath to Celebren so hopefully less people hear him than they heard the young monk.

'Well thanks A LOT!!! Now there's absolutely NO REASON for the Captain to tell us a damn thing since my one threat has probably just been blown by your big mouth!

Are you so naive that you actually thought I'd KILL that thing if she didn't tell us what was going on?!? By the gods, would you GROW UP!!! Look you... casual asking for info didn't work with the Captain... Sorren using his godly influence didn't work with the Captain... the threat of a wizard loose on this ship didn't work on the Captain... the only thing we had left was the threat of violence to see if she'd finally open her yap... but instead YOU had to do it!

And now she's probably in there...' he motions behind him to her cabin door... 'laughing at all of us because she has some big secret that'll PROBABLY COST ALL OF US OUR LIVES...' he actually shouts at the top of his lungs so that if she is in there she actually WILL hear this part of his speech... 'BUT SHE WON'T TELL US BECAUSE SHE HAS THE NEED TO FEEL ALL HIGH 'N MIGHTY. NEVERMIND OUR FEELINGS OF HOPELESSNESS HERE... SHE HAS A SECRET AND DOESN'T WANT TO SHARE!!!'

All energy thus drained out of him, the dward throws Celebren one last digusted look, then walks across the deck to the keel, where he plops down and sits with his back to the rail.

 

[Zweischneid]

Winceing notably with each word the enraged dwarf shouts at him, the blushing half-elf grows smaller and smaller.

'But.. uh. I mean you could have told us. A bluff? I .. uh ..'

Working up a tiny speck of courage once more, Celebren tries to steady his faltering voice.
'Well, if the threat of violence and mutiny is the only thing you can come up with.. than thats your loss. One trained in the honorable tradition of Kalan Desh certainly doesn't surrender so quickly.'

Looking once more at the little dragoncreature cradled in his arm, the young monk adds.
'Besides, I can't believe the Captain wouldn't see how Lady Samea is the victim of all this. The Captain after all is the one who hired us to keep the ship safe and thats what I'll intend to do. If one would include Lady Dresda in the planning, I'm sure she'll gladly contribute with any information she may have.'

Intend to prove the volatile dwarf wrong, Celebren repacks his wooden practice sword and walks up to the Captains door, knocking politely.

 

[Badger]

Digger lowered his crossbow as the others arrived on the upper deck and listened to the exchange between the dwarven and half-elven warm bloods. Digger was confussed on the concept of bluffing, as he himself had never thought of saying anything other than what was on his mind. However, the concept must have been a good one as it made Celebren shrink down slightly once it was revealed that the bluff was all Massif had been trying to do.

Perhaps I will have to speak to Massif to explain to me further the concept of a bluff

Keeping his mind on the task at hand, Digger brought his crossbow up once more when Celebren knocked on the door.

I may only have one shot at the Magus if she is casting when the door opens...I must not waste it.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Massif smirks as he sees Digger raise his crossbow and aim it at the door when Celebren knocks on it. He leans forward a bit and shouts out...

'Hey Celebren! If you're so worried that the threat of violence isn't needed when dealing with the Captain... you may want to tell that heap behind you to stop preparing to shoot whoever answers the door through the head!!!'

Heh heh... dumb, dumb, dumb...

 

[Badger]

Digger looks down at Massif and as the fiery tempered warmblood referenced him as that heap, Digger felt confusion flood through him once more.

Was I not clear on my intentions?

Lowering his crossbow, Digger turned to speak to Massif and was surprised to detect another hint of frustration creeping into his voice.

'I have no desire to shoot the Captain Massif, I was merely hoping for a distracting shot at the Magus should she be inside of the cabin. At the time of my suggestion, Celebren had not called your bluff and I thought you sought to enter the room alone, a situation that I felt was unwise to make. However, if you feel that my actions also carry too much rashness, perhaps it is best if I leave the social dealings to those who have more understanding in that area.

Moving through his companions, Digger returned to the main deck behind them and looked down, waiting to see what they would do next.

I do not know how I will be able to interact with them if all of my decisions are wrong...

 

[DEFCON 1]

The dwarf hears Digger's explanation, and shakes his head in amusement that the warforged missed the possible intention of his actions. He gaffaws once, then lifts his right hand and crooks his index finger a couple times to get Digger to approach. While Celebren continues to wait at the door for the Captain's answer (with Sorren still standing next to him), Massif comments to his metallic friend...

'Hate to break it to ya... but if Systar's and Celebren's opinions hold any weight... the uh... "Magus"... is that what you called her? The SPELLSLINGER... ain't necessarily our enemy. They still seem to think that she might be on the up and up, since she disappeared without taking her little lizard friend there with her. So you aiming a crossbow over the shoulder of that half-elf right at whomever opens that door there... ain't gonna think you're doing it as a defensive manuever. They're gonna think you're there to kill them. ESPECIALLY after probably hearing me yell at them too.

Us fleshy types are a lot more emotional and prone to misunderstanding than you solid ones. So while I happen to think that aiming a crossbow at our Captain is in fact a GOOD idea... I'm speaking from the point of view that I want her to open her trap and a crossbow to the chest might be the impetus needed for that to happen. From what YOU'RE intending... all that crossbow's gonna do is make conversation harder. But hey! If it turns out that the wizardly woman with the bag o' tricks IS waiting behind the door and she shoots a stream of fire at Celebren when the door opens and fries him to a crisp... then I'll be happy to apologize to you an accept my "Told You So!". How's that sound?'

He then grins at Digger and shrugs his shoulders in amusement... anxiously awaiting what will occur at the door to the Captain's quarters.

 

[Badger]

Still confused by the chaos raging around him at the various thoughts of the warm bloods, Digger stands beside Massif with his crossbow loaded, but held in a neutral position.

It would be so much easier if they all simply spoke the truth of what was on hand and allow the ramifications to fall where they would...