Bloody Toes raised an eyebrow at Brutrumukk's words and her eyes were scrutinizing him even as Gabriel spoke up to try and help with the Deception.
But her eyes narrowed. It's clear that the Deception was unsuccessful.
But...she started to laugh...
"Ha...haha...HA! HAHAHAHA! 'Pointed' Questions! HA! I get it!"
She then finished laughing and she gave a wide sneering grin, "Yer here to kill Bavlorna Blightstraw, aren't ya! Don't take me fer some idiot,"
After a few wicked chuckles, she speaks again, "Listen, I hate everyone...but I hate Bavlorna Blightstraw the most. So, I'll tell ya a little secret, as per the Rule of Hospitality," She sneered upon saying the rule.
She reveals, "Bavlorna Blightstraw is allergic to Widdershins. Can't stop sneezing!"
That seemed to catch Vansel's attention as he asked in surprise, "She has a Widdershins allergy? Wow! I never would've guessed!"
"She's allergic to Widdershins, eh?" Brutrumukk said while thoughtfully staring at the ceiling, despite not knowing what Widdershins actually were. "Good to know. That'll definitely come in 'andy when we pick a fight with Bav." Brutrumukk then returned his gaze to Bloody Toes and spoke again. "You said you 'ate Bav the most, yeah?" Brutrumukk said. "If that's so, I don't think any of us would mind if you wanted a crack at the 'ag as well."
Brutrumukk attempts to convince Bloody Toes to help kill Bavlorna. He rolls an 18.
Jub looked so genuinely surprised by Zavakri's compliment of his magical skill that for a moment, he didn't really know what to say. Eventually he gave an awkward cough and laugh before saying, "Oh, err, it was nothing really." He then bashfully ducked his head and turned his attention back to Brutrumukk's conversation with the redcap.
After trying (and failing) to deceive the fey into their true intentions, their group must have struck some cord with Bloody Toes because she revealed a piece of information, "Bavlorna Blightstraw is allergic to Widdershins. Can't stop sneezing!"
That seemed to catch Vansel's attention as he responded with, "She has a Widdershins allergy? Wow! I never would've guessed!"
Jub looked blankly from Bloody Toes to Vansel, before looking back over to Brutrumukk. He expected the bugbear to ask what Jub himself was thinking, but instead the barbarian came out with, "She's allergic to Widdershins, eh? Good to know. That'll definitely come in 'andy when we pick a fight with Bav.""
Jub gave a frustrated sigh and began rubbing one of his temples. "I currently feel like I'm in one of those reoccurring dreams I have where everyone knows what's going on except me. What in the Hells is Widdershins?" he asked.
Bloody Toes smirks at Brutrumukk and she wickedly chuckles, "Great minds think alike, eh?"
She then answers his offer, "Tempting offer, but I'll pass. I already helped you enough by giving you that secret,"
Then Jub asks his question and Vansel speaks up, curious but lacking in judgment, "You don't know Widdershins? Everyone knows Widdershins...." He then shrugged and he reveals, "Well, it's not something to get and show, it's something to do,"
He then offers, "I can do that for you, as long as you guys keep me safe and unharmed. Does that sound good?"
"Suit yerself." Brutrumukk said with a shrug when Bloody Toes turned down the offer. "More blood fer the rest of us that way."
"You don't know Widdershins?" Vansel then spoke up when Jub revealed that he didn't know what Widdershins were. "Everyone knows Widdershins...."
"Yeah, fer some reason Widdershins ain't all that well known outside the Feywild." Brutrumukk explained to the satyr. "Weird I know, but it is what it is."
"Well, it's not something to get and show, it's something to do," Vansel continued. "I can do that for you, as long as you guys keep me safe and unharmed. Does that sound good?"
"I'll see to it that yer outta this place in one piece." Brutrumukk vowed. "So you go ahead an' show this lot 'ow it's done. I'd show 'em meself, but I ain't done it in a while, so I'm a little outta practice."
He nods with a smile and answers Brutrumukk, "It's a deal then! Leave the Widdershins to me! I'll show you how it's done!"
Bloody Toes shakes her head before she looks to Gabriel, "Oh yeah. Ye asked where the study was, didn't ya?"
She then thumbs towards a room (B10) and she tells the group, "Study's that way. But don't expect to get the jump on her. She already knows yer here, and is prolly expectin' ya,"
Brutrumukk chuckled darkly when Bloody Toes informed the party not to expect to get the jump on Bavlorna. "You'd be surprised by 'ow easily a bugbear can get the jump on someone." Brutrumukk said as he pulled the vulture corpse off the javelin he was holding, stowed it away for later consumption, and put his javelin back in its holder. "Especially when that someone is expectin' 'em."
With that said, Brutrumukk turned to the others and spoke again. "Alright, just to make sure we don't botch this as badly as when we went after Agdon, let's 'ave a plan this time." Brutrumukk said. "I'm thinkin' we wait until this other guest Bav 'as in the study leaves so we don't 'ave to worry about 'em muckin' anythin' up. Once they're gone, you lot go into the study to talk with the 'ag while I 'ang back fer a bit. If she asks why I ain't with you, tell 'er I'm eatin' vulture shish kebabs an' drinkin' 'er beer or something like that. Either way make sure she 'as 'er back to the door. That way when I come in, I'll 'ave an easier time sneakin' up on Bav an' clubbin' 'er over the 'ead. Once I do that, we all start throwin' everythin' we've got at 'er while keepin' 'er on the backfoot with Widdershins. That sound good to you lot?"
When Brutrumukk had finished relaying this plan, Jub nervously raised his hand. "Err, there is one teensy problem," he said. He motioned to himself. "As I've mentioned before, the Carnival took my ability to keep secrets," he said. "Which is... the last thing you want when you're planning a surprise attack." He looked down at the ground, almost ashamedly. "I'm probably going to have to hang back with you Brut. Unless someone wants to be constantly covering my mouth during this exchange... which would probably look very, very suspicious."
"Yeah, that's a good point." Brutrumukk said as he walked back onto the balcony where Jub was standing. "I'll keep you with me while the rest 'ead on through then." With that said, Brutrumukk plucked Jub from where he stood and returned him to his proper place on the bugbear's shoulder. Brutrumukk then regarded the rest of his party. "Anyone else got any problems I've missed?" Brutrumukk asked.
"None that I can think of my furry friend." once his nerves had settled somewhat the bard had taken to leaning against the wall where he listened to the conversation, shaking his head when whatever a Whiddershins was when it was brought up by the redcap and their glutton of a acquaintance Vansel "Rory, you and I should take the lead." he lacked the keener senses of his trueblooded elf companion, and thus far Aurora had been their eyes to some capacity "I believe we are far better off if you take point if any undesirables decide to get the leap on us. I hardly would think there would be only one servant in this house."
Aurora climbed out of the cage after Jub brought it up and over to the edge of the platform. "Thank you for raising the cage up. Hopefully that'll be the last time we end up in a situation like that. At least until I'm able to get my picks back." She told Jub as she walked i to the room. A quick glance around didn't tell the elf much that the rest didn't already know.
The discussed plan seemed well enough, least what she heard of it. She didn't know what Widdershins was, and at this point she wasn't sure she should ask. The red cap may ask for payment later for having helped them in their fight with the hag. That would need to be something dealt with later potentially.
"I can go with the other two while you. I do not know how well we can surprise her. We may need to have a back up plan. Perhaps telling her one of the other Coven members made a deal with us to take her out. I seem to remember someone mentioning that the Coven do not trust each other. It may help keep her distracted while we wait for the rest of our group to join us." She shifted her short sword so it would be concealed on her back under the cloak but still reachable in case of emergency. Doubt had wedged itself into her mind, she wasn't sure what Bavlorna had in store for the group. Part of her suspected that there was more that the hag had at her disposal than what the party knew. "Everyone ready, or is there more we need to try to account for?"
Zavakri answers Aurora, "I'm ready. I'll go with you two as well. Might as well do my part to add to the distraction," Vansel pipes up, "I'll come as well. That way, I can do the Widdershins when it's time,"
After the plan was agreed upon, the group find themselves waiting...and waiting...and waiting...
It seems like it was going to take a while for this other guest to leave...
When the party quieted down, they could hear some fragments of the conversation through the door while Bloody Toes went to work butchering the vulture and other meats for Bavlorna. The conversation inside the study seems to be gossip...
Gabriel, Aurora, Zavakri, and Vansel, who are closer to the door, would be hear an interesting snippet of conversation...
"Lyn's as reclusive as ever, but at least her performers aren't giving her any trouble. Skab's slaves on the other hand...Haha, I heard that one of them is still causing her migraines,"
"Ha! If it wasn't for the rules Zybilna established here, I'm sure Skab would've killed that slave by now! I wonder...does that slave have a name?"
"I believe that slave's name is...."
"...Detara,"
Aurora would see Zavakri's reaction instantly. Her eyes widen and her mouth opens in shock for a brief moment, before anger overtakes her, and she starts to move towards the door!
@Lurking Krog You're up if you want to do something.
Aurora followed Zavakri and reached out to grab her arm before she could open the door. "Not yet. They don't have her here. However rushing into that room right now might mean we cannot help Detara later. We need to wait until we have better odds. I know Bavlorna is in there but not who the other is. I may not know exactly how you feel in this instance but I just ask that you wait just a moment longer. You will get your answers in time." She said in the softest whisper she could manage. There was an element of surprise that needed to be kept. With it was patience to make sure this confrontation went in favor of the group. Last time the bandits had surprised everyone and got several lucky hits in. Aurora was not wanting to have that happen again of she could help it.
Zavakri quickly tugs her arm out of Aurora's hand. She hisses vehemently in response to Aurora's words, "You don't understand! It's clear I've waited too long! I--!"
She looks to Aurora, her eyes showing the elven rogue all of the emotion that was stuffed at the back of her mind, now coming to the surface: Worry, Anxiety, and Regret. Years worth of pent up emotions all bubbled to the surface for Zavakri and overwhelmed her rational thoughts. Aurora can see all of those emotions in Zavakri's as her eyes tear up, her irises currently a normal shade of brown.
"Detara's my sister!"
And without another word of argument, Zavakri forcefully open the door.
Two creatures are having a conversation over tea in the middle of this room. The first figure is seated in a timeworn armchair. She is a tall, lean woman of gray complexion, dressed in black with a wide-brimmed hat obscuring her eyes. The other figure is a toad-like creature with bulging eyes and cracked skin. It is clad in a shapeless garment and sits on one end of a love seat with its legs pulled up beneath it. Flies flit into and out of its mouth, which hangs agape when it isn't speaking. Two tiny versions of the creature cling to it like pets.
When Jub sees these tiny versions of the toad like creature, he finds that he recognizes them!
He's seen one of them before! At the Witchlight Carnival!
The memory comes back to him clearly: He was with Brutrumukk at the Dragonfly Rides. He saw the creature for the briefest moment on the lily pad before it quickly dove into the water after your eyes landed it on it.
The room is filthy. Dirty dishes and bits of discarded food lie everywhere. The furniture was perhaps once of fine quality, but now stains of mysterious origin mottle every surface, and the upholstery has been patched numerous times. Set with its back to the wall in one corner is a hulking wooden cabinet. Sturdy legs support the bottom of the cabinet six inches above the floor. A decrepit wooden staircase climbs up the wall in another corner.
Both occupants within the room, turn to face Zavakri, Aurora, Gabriel, and Vansel as the door opens and the four of them are visible.
Zavakri storms in as the toad-like creature speaks in a low croaking voice.
"What act of desperation compels you to enter my home, little darlings?"
"Detara! Where is she?! Where have-"
The toad like creature seems to let out raspy chuckles and she speaks, "You are quite rude, aren't you. If you wish for me to listen to your desperation and help you, you and yours must do three chores for me first, while I continue attending to Charm here,"
You notice that the figure wearing the Witch Hat, Charm, is not casting a shadow at all. Everyone else is casting a shadow, but not this person...
Oh that did it, that was the last gods damn straw. He woke up in a cage, trudged through a swamp and hadn't had a single bloody drop or alcohol for what seemed like an eternity and this random old bat had the audacity to ask-no tell them to do some chores? SOME CHORES?!
"I don’t give a damn about your chores woman, I don’t care about your guest! I HATE THIS PLACE, I HATE YOU I HATE THE FEYWILD! I WANNA GO HOME WOMAN THATS WHAT I WANT! WHAT THE HELL IS EVEN A WIDDERSHINS? WHAT THE HELLS IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE? AND ANOTHER THING..." he kept yelling this and that about how done he was with the singing and the fairytale nonsense, how could anyone even deal with this place sober? Were they trying to make him into an even worse alcoholic?
After his voice grew hoarse and he had to lean over panting for air he quieted for a moment, then sighed shrugging "Ah fuck it, on behalf of the honor of which I put my name upon. You Bavlorna shall taste my steel." he drew his weapon. He had made a promise to the tavern owner, he had a date with Bavlorna and she had a sword with her name on it.
"No no no no no! Fuck!" Brutrumukk cursed as he watched Zavakri storm into the study and Aurora fail to stop her. Brutrumukk then growled in frustration as Gabriel entered the study and commenced his tirade. As the swordsman ranted, Brutrumukk looked to the goblin on his shoulder. "Did those two fuckwits learn nothing from Agdon?" Brutrumukk rhetorically questioned in exasperation before looking over at the door that didn't lead into the study. "Y'know what? Bollocks to this. Time to go, booyagh." With that said, Brutrumukk broke into a run, making for the door to the other room and hopefully a way out that didn't involve going through the hag who was now very much ready for them.
"Huh?" Jub seemed genuinely surprised when Brutrumukk started attempting to make his way out of the house. "Wait, so we're just leaving now?" He didn't sound dissaproving, just confused. Normally he would be all for bailing and getting out of a bad situation, but this was very much not the behaviour he expected from Brutrumukk.
"Just chargin' in with no plan was 'ow we ended up in those cages." Brutrumukk said in response to Jub's words. "An' that was when we were fightin' rabbits. I ain't stickin' around to find out where an 'ag would put us."
Jub considered Brutrumukk's words. He did have a point. "Fair enough," he said after a moment. "Though I would like to point out that we don't exactly know what's waiting for us outside either." He imagined hags lived in some pretty scary places, and given that they had no idea where their boat was, he wasn't entirely sure how they were going to get out of here.
"Oh hells...." Rory muttered to herself as both Zavakri and Gabriel rushed into the room. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Brutrumukk taking off to another room with Jub. She cursed at him quietly in elvish but knew he couldn't be faulted entirely for trying to save himself and Jub. The plan had fallen apart before it could even be enacted. Making the choice to stay with Gabriel and Zavakri, she stepped into the room and tried to recall and play out what she could of her families tutoring of manners.
"Please forgive my companions rude interruption. I tried to get them to wait for your other guest to leave but alas impatience won over. Let us know what it is you would like done and I will see to it as best as I can." The elf spoke looking towards but not directly at the stooped figure that was Bavlorna. She did her best to mask the discomfort that looking at the hag brought her.
However the other guest of the hag was as curious as she was also unsettling. The lack of shadow being cast reminded the elf of a fairy tale she had heard when she was still a little child. One character had used a pair of scissors to separate the shadow from another character. On top of that the shadow had acted as if it was it's own entity. Aurora was not sure they were ready to face Bavlorna now, with the other being still here and, Brut and Jub both moving on to another room unlikely to be of help. "Stow your blade, it is rude to bare steel to you host. I know the Rule of Hospitality is new to you but it is sacred here." She said with a glance to Gabe hoping he would catch on and help salvage what little of the plan they could. Aurora tried her best to keep her own face a mask revealing little emotion at this time.
