Varjeela> Any sign of movement?
Dave Black> No.
Nijehl> Shall we approach Varjeela... after all, we are here
to trade with these villagers
Varjeela> No guards, no nothing? Surprising. Probably means
we haven't seen them, not that they aren't there. OK, make sure I'm presentable,
then approach. Staff and runes nice and visible.
Nijehl> I move to her side, just a step behind.
Dave Black> You get about 10 paces when a young duckling (?)
appears from in between two huts ahead. He was kicking a ball and it happened
to go out onto the main trail so he followed. He sees you almost
immediately and freezes on the spot.
Varjeela> Presumanbly Mawth, as an obvious shaman, will be at
the front also? Greet the child in Trade, looking as harmless as I can.
And offer it a sweet.
Dave Black> The young duck looks possitively bewildered when
you speak to him and then begins backing away - obviously terrified, from
the group.
Nijehl> I look around for any other signs of movement.
Varjeela> Poor little thing: all right, I'l stop scaring it.
Mawth? Want to try Boatspeech?
Dave Black> Nothing else is visibly happening
Varjeela> Perhaps if the more war-like members of the group
were to back off? No-Bison at least, and perhaps Joss?
Dave Black> One look at Mawth's tattoos and scars convinces
you that he is not a good choice. A second thought bounces through your
minds that despite Joss' unusual sentence construction he may prove to
be the least frightening amongst the group...
Varjeela> And a third thought: Dave will have to do Joss' accent
:) Well, if you can cope with it....
Dave Black> :(
Nijehl> :)
Varjeela> So Mawth and No-Bison at least back off, and Joss
takes over handing out sweeties to little boys?
Dave Black> "P'raps Huff?" pleads Joss when he notices everyone's
attention focused on him...
Varjeela> Let them both try. I have no idea which a small duck
would find less intimidating.
Dave Black> Joss and Huff take a step forward. Thinking that
it would be good not to appear so tall Joss proceeds to sit down on the
road cross-legged. He gestures to the boy to do the same. The boy
(duck) doesn't move.
Nijehl> Still keeping a lookout for any other movements...
Dave Black> Joss shows him the candy and coaxes him a second
time. The Duckling takes off like a bat out of hell.
Varjeela> Keep the rest back, and wonder how he managed to be
scared of me.
Nijehl> Shall me move a bit forward and see what's gonna come
out next?
Varjeela> Nice try, Joss. Strange that he should be so
timid. Usually when you approach a camp the kids mob you, not run.
Dave Black> Joss rises to his feet and says something unintelligible...
Varjeela> (presumably this is a bit of Boatspeech he doesn't
intend to teach me?)
Dave Black> OK Jane - sounds good to me (It was really just
the GM trying desperately to avoid having to attempt a
replication of Joss' dialect).
Varjeela> (V. suspects if she asked, he'd say something like
"a lady like you doesn't want to know words like that")
Varjeela> I suspect the kid's gone for his parents. Can we find
a flat, dry bit of ground where we could set out some goods for trading?
Dave Black> Yes, there's a spot right close where trade goods
could be laid out for viewing
Varjeela> In that case let's prepare to trade.
Nijehl> (Thinks Jane is in a REEEEAAAALLLLYYYYYYY good mood
today)
Nijehl> I help Varjeela set up the items for trade as she must
have instructed me...
Dave Black> Yep. In full form today!
Dave Black> OK Ivan. The others help as directed.
Varjeela> I'm in a wonderful mood, and so's Varjeela.
She will instruct her apprentice in as much detail as if he really did
want to enter into this new life. (Well, you never know!)
Nijehl> :) Thanks...
Dave Black> It takes a short while but you all soon hear the
sounds of commotion not too far off .
Varjeela> Preparation to include a Trade rune drawn on the ground,
and anything else that says "we're peaceful" we can think of.
Dave Black> Moments later a group of ducks rounds the corner
and begins spreading out across the trail. Actually it's more like a road
here - not a trail.
Varjeela> Do they look aggressive? Or merely ready to defend
themselves?
Dave Black> More on the defensive side
Varjeela> So we stay still and look non-threatening.
Nijehl> I put on the sweetest face in the world, the one I used
to use in the street of pavis:)
Varjeela> Well, they're too far away to have their pockets picked,
so that must be non-threatening :)
Dave Black> Shortly thereafter a large duck with black plumage
around his eyes and brown plumage elsewhere
appears and steps to the front with two armed comrades both with
brown
plumage.
Varjeela> When they're close enough to talk to without shouting,
offer to trade in all possible languages: Joss may have to help with the
Boatspeech.
Dave Black> It is obvious that he cannot understand but the
tall black-eyed duck says something in a strange language to his people
and one of them rushes off somewhere. For the next long moments he
surveys each of the group members closely as well as the goods spread out.
He does this from a distance of course.
Varjeela> So we wait for their interpreter to arrive. Looking
at the ducks, are there any obvious trading needs we can fulfil here?
Dave Black> After what seemed to be a long time the duck who
had run off to do the bidding of his leader returned bringing in tow a
human bound at the wrists.
Nijehl> And what about weapons? How well are they equipped?
Dave Black> There is no metal amongst any of the villages that
you can see.
Varjeela> Oh. A slave intepreter, makes sense. Anyone I recognise?
Dave Black> You would say he's a Lunar.
Nijehl> I grin.
Varjeela> (Second-guessing the plot here): any resemblance to
any Lunars who may have vanished from Corflu in the recent past?
Dave Black> The fellow would be middle aged but in rough shape.
His face and body are covered with numerous bumps, his hair is long and
straggly, and his left arm is badly mangled with teeth marks.
Dave Black> Not much sense in Jane watching any Mystery shows
on TV is there...
Varjeela> Teeth marks? What sort of teeth? (Possibly relevant
quote from Sandy Petersen: "Of course ducks have teeth, how else would
they hold their cigars?")
Dave Black> In a thin wavering voice the human says, "Lord Avax
wishes to know who you are and why you have come here." This spoken first
in Pelorian and then in Tradetalk
Nijehl> Still quietly observing the lunar.
Dave Black> The teeth marks would be more along the lines of
crocodile
Varjeela> "I am Varjeela, a trader from Pavis, and these are
my companions. We have come to see if he and his people wish to trade."
Dave Black> The Lunar translates this and listens intently as
Lord Avax replies. "You are trespassing on our territory and have seen
things you were not meant to see. We will need to bring this matter before
our council in order to decide what to do. In the meantime
you may trade but we will not let you leave. We have too much at stake.
Nijehl> (Dave, there is still the 100silver reward on a duck's
head?) (Not that I am tinking of... hehe...)
Dave Black> I'm not sure Ivan. Let me check into my RoCradles...
Nijehl> Don't worry about it for now dave...
Varjeela> (Dave: the head-tax might well depend on which Lunar
you talk to. So never mind looking it up: make it up!) .
Dave Black> OK. In the Corflu area the head-tax has been relaxed
and is no longer in force.
Varjeela> "Very well, if that is what he wishes, we will be
happy to stay for a while. Though if we stay too long, others may come
searching for us, of course."
Dave Black> With that Lord Avax instructs his guards to stand
watch over the group presumably to make sure the group doesn't go anywhere.
Varjeela> Do we manage to do any trading? And if the Lunar stays
to interpret, ask his name.
Dave Black> Slowly at first and then picking up steam as the
ducks become bolder and word of what you have spreads.
Varjeela> Oh, good! What do they have to offer? (Apologies to
the football-playing duckling: I did not bring any Man. Utd. Tshirts)
Dave Black> The Lunar is told to stay and interpret. He claims
to be Koronius Falabdur.
Varjeela> Does he indeed? I take it Varj. knows as much about
the name as is given in Roc?
Dave Black> You would know he's an Etyries priest and that he
disappeared from Corflu recently.
Varjeela> Bearing an enchanted hyena skin, as I understand it.
Varjeela> Fortunately that curse only applies to Garzeen, not
Goldentongue.
Dave Black> The hyena skin thing would be a bit of innuendo
from your perspective. Possibly very doubtfull information.
Varjeela> Oh, OK. I'll chat to him in the gaps, anyway: find
out how long he's been here, what he knows about the ducks, and so on.
Dave Black> Since the trading is likely to be primarily a concern
of Jane perhaps Jane & I can correspond over the week and report back
to the group next Sunday as to how the trading went?
Varjeela> Fine by me, though surely my apprentice is eager to
learn these things?
Nijehl> Yes, I agree... but Nijehl will stand there and watch,
trying to learn the techniques of smooth talking:)
Dave Black> OK. So I should include Ivan in the emails.
Nijehl> Yes, thanks Dave... I will just follow, and if there
is something relevant for my character, i will comment... you can send
the emails on my normal address since I will be here almost all week...
Dave Black> OK Ivan