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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Whizbang Dustyboots" data-source="post: 3349017" data-attributes="member: 11760">Hazel freezes as she turns the idea over in her mind."Well, maybe," she says, scratching her head and gesturing toward the cairn. "How long you think you'll be in there? My da'll raise five kinds o' hell if I'm not home at suppertime."Pick shields her face -- even with the hat and the goggles, she's clearly uncomfortable in the sunlight -- and looks at the shadows on the ground."Near high sun now. We go inside before gets too cold. Bad for kobold." She pats Hazel on the arm, an oddly familiar gesture from the creature. "You pick your volunteer, I pick mine. We go with first plan, but not wizard if you don't want."She steps away from the ranger, back to where the two groups are still facing one another."I need a volunteer for hostage exchange! Volunteer for the glory of tribe, step forward ... NOW!"As one, four of the five remaining kobolds step backwards in lock step, leaving one baffled kobold -- one of the two who had spoken earlier -- looking around in shock and horror."Very good, Wormy. You will be our volunteer in the hostage exchange with the gnome-loving humans. We will remember you in our prayers if they betray us, butcher and eat you. Now, hand over your weapons so we can get on with this already*"Wormy quakes in fear as his fellows disarm him and push him forward. Pick turns and smiles the sort of smile a crocodile would make if it was trying to be ingratiating."You tie him up now, OK?"At the beginning of the chaos, Katadid found himself overwhelmed by the constant demands and quick changes between languages. But as the conversation wore on, a calm came over him. As everyone made their demands, human and kobold, he saw it all stretching out in front of him, simply another puzzle to solve."Thank you Hazel," the rest of the party jumping at the sound of his voice, his manic silence being long ago forgotten. "It's obvious that you would be the best candidate to symbolize our trust."And thank you, Renraw, for doing your part to negotiate our release."Kat puts his hand on Bufer's shoulder and shakes his head while squeezing surprisingly tightly as he passes by, hoping the gnome gets the message. Kat turns to Pick and bows slightly."Madam," he says. "I see you are as devout in your duty as you are in your faith. I admit that I know little of what occurred here, but rest assured that I am just as interested as you are in this matter. Mysteries intrigue me. I won't waste your time with lengthy speeches, but perhaps we can both exit this day satisfied. I promise you that as long as no harm comes to our companion, none shall come to yours. And I hope that you shall show us the same respect."Hazel stares dumbfounded at Kat. She shakes her head once, to clear her nerves."Right. Right." She uncoils some rope from her pack and reaches for her hand axe, announcing as she does so, "Just need to cut a couple lengths for tying."She keeps her hands in plain view as she cuts two sections of rope, and sheathes the axe before approaching Wormy."Um, arms behind your back, please." Pick roughly pulls Wormy's arms behind him and supervises as Hazel ties a series of knots sturdy enough to hold a lumberjack in a tree overnight."One of you lot want to take charge of Wormy?" Hazel asks the group, holding the other end of the rope like a dead snake."Uh, hi, Wormy," Tucker says unsurely, taking the rope. "Not your best day, huh? Tell you what: You get hungry, let us know and you can eat the wizard who didn't know when to shut up."Hazel keeps laughs nervously, looking more pale than usual in the winter air."Don't let Renraw do anything stupid, all right?" she says, as she walks over to Pick and holds out the rope."So," Renraw says, visibly relieved. "Right, of course. I'll just be standing up now, yeah? No sudden moves."He climbs stiffly to his feet, his knees audibly popping along the way. As he dusts himself off, he shoots a wry glance at Emmerson."Exoneration. No hard feelings, paladin."Wormy moans in fear."Now, if they do eat you," Pick says, "It's your duty to give them heartburn. Remember that."</blockquote>

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