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2023-09-27 12:06:00 +00:00
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<title>Townies &amp; Taverns</title>
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<body>
<header id="title-block-header">
<h1 class="title">Townies &amp; Taverns</h1>
</header>
<p>Townies &amp; Taverns is an experimental freeform role-playing game
taking place on the <code>list+town@tilde.town</code> mailing list
(internal only).</p>
<p>It started when ~mhj asked the following question:</p>
<div class="pc mhj">
<p>What are some good play by email games? It would also be cool to do a
play by email dungeons and dragons campaign maybe? I dunno how that
would work, but yeah…</p>
</div>
<div class="dm dozens">
<p>oh snap guess what, it’s already happening</p>
<p>~</p>
<p>Defeating the demon hordes and sealing the Bloodmoon Gate was King
Ardan’s greatest accomplishment. Afterward, he shattered the Staff of
the Archmage into five pieces and flung them to the farthest regions of
the Silver Yonder to ensure that the foul gate would remain closed
forever.</p>
<p>Each of the five pieces of the staff were entrusted to one of Ardan’s
most faithful warriors. They developed over the years into five
powerful, secretive sects. Together, they are known as the Hand.</p>
<p>The years that followed the closing of the gate were ones of peace
and prosperity. Generations were born and grew old during Ardan’s reign.
Such was the fey-touched king’s lifespan elongated. The terrors of the
Demon Plague soon faded into legend.</p>
<p>Now, fools and villains have meddled where they ought not. And the
Bloodmoon Gate has started to open once again. Imps, gremlins, and other
minor demons—harbingers of the demon horde—have been spotted causing
mischief throughout the Yonder.</p>
<p>The king, now wizened and enfeebled, has assembled his greatest and
mightiest adventurers to recover the lost pieces of the Staff of the
Archmage. For only its power can save the Silver Yonder from the demon
hordes.</p>
<p>Unfortunately they never came back.</p>
<p>So now the king’s quest has fallen to you! The kingdom’s second
greatest and mightiest adventurers! You must not fail!</p>
<p>~</p>
<p>You are at The Famous Shrub, one of the busiest taverns in Woodhome.
And tonight is your last night in town before heading into the Flooded
Lands to confront the clan of barbarians known as the Pinky and recover
the first artifact.</p>
<ol type="1">
<li><p>Who are you?</p></li>
<li><p>Why do the Woodhomians fear the Pinky?</p></li>
<li><p>What terrible creature lurks in the Flooded Lands?</p></li>
<li><p>What evidence have you seen of demonic presence?</p></li>
<li><p>How are you spending your last night in Woodhome?</p></li>
</ol>
</div>
<div class="pc stux">
<p>Oh, sounds like fun!</p>
<ol type="1">
<li><p>I am Stux RowHammer, nearly renowned worlock</p></li>
<li><p>The Pinky are rumored to have a weapon able to destroy entire
villages. No one’s ever seen it or seen proof of it, but it’s so scary
that no one’s every questions it</p></li>
<li><p>None have ever returned to tell what dark beasts stalk that
land</p></li>
<li><p>I spend it enjoying food and games with my family</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Did I do that right?</p>
</div>
<div class="pc">
<blockquote>
<ol type="1">
<li>Who are you?</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
<p>oh! oh dear, i figured we’d met already, but i understand if you
didn’t se–hey! down here! please watch where you step! gnomes don’t have
very strong bones you know. my name is tato, the illusion! i enjoy card
tricks, and making people disappear</p>
<p>…</p>
<p>ME I MEAN. PAY NO HEED TO THE RUMORS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD</p>
<blockquote>
<ol start="2" type="1">
<li>Why do the Woodhomians fear the Pinky?</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
<p>like my good friend stux mentioned, it is rumo–huh, what do you mean
you don’t know me either? i’ve followed you for weeks now</p>
<p>no matter</p>
<p>the destruction of entire villages is actually only the second
scariest trick this weapon this is proof enough for me, it’s just
science! but to be fully rigorous, i sought to investigate further</p>
<p>upon discovering the author and asking where these visions came from,
the author replied “hell awaits you for breaking into my house at this
hour!”, which i believe refers to the coming demonic invasion</p>
<blockquote>
<ol start="5" type="1">
<li>How are you spending your last night in Woodhome?</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
<p>woodhome means a lot to me, so i will check in with all of my
friends!</p>
<p>none of them are much the speaking type, i do not believe any of them
have ever spoken a word to me! but their company comforts me
nonetheless</p>
</div>
<div class="dm">
<p>When the world was young, the bountiful earth and the hungry sea fell
in love with each other from a distance. The earth would make eyes at
the sea, and the sea would bashfully wave. They agreed to meet face to
face to consummate their love, and the waters rose up and flooded the
land. When the great flood receded, the devastation was total. Great
cities were erased. Entire civilizations were wiped out. When they saw
what they had done in their carelessness, earth and sea agreed that,
though their love may continue to burn, they must never see each other
again.</p>
<p>But see each other they did. Quietly and discreetly, their passions
held in check by the fear of losing control once more.</p>
<p>The Flooded Lands are the last place where earth and sea mingle.
Endless bogs, wetlands, swamps, and marshes. Neither the children of the
earth nor the children of the sea are entirely at home here. Rather,
this is home to those born of the flood. Things made of mud and clay.
Slimy, scaley things with and fur and gills.</p>
<p>Your goal here is to find the Pinky, Ardan’s champion, and recover
the first artifact of the archmage.</p>
<p>Two paths lie ahead of you.</p>
<p>One is through the Swamp of Sorrows. It is the most direct route and
will get you to the Pinky’s monastery the quickest. But it is also the
most dangerous. For the swamp is full of Dreadlights, Bog Rot, and
Oneirophants.</p>
<p>The more circuitous route is also the safer option. It will take you
around the swamp, through the Trollfen, and over Turtle Mound. A longer
journey, but one less fraught with danger.</p>
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
</div>
<div class="pc stux">
<p>I look at the rest of the party</p>
<p>“What do you all think? I’m no ranger, I don’t know much about the
wilderness. I’m not afraid to take the quick route, but I also see the
wisdom in the more cautious approach”.</p>
</div>
<div class="pc krunn">
<ol type="1">
<li><p>Who are you?</p>
<p>Me Krunn with club who go BONK!</p></li>
<li><p>Why do the Woodhomians fear the Pinky?</p>
<p>They too have club go BONK!</p></li>
<li><p>What terrible creature lurks in the Flooded Lands?</p>
<p>Big thing with big bite that ouch.</p></li>
<li><p>What evidence have you seen of demonic presence?</p>
<p>Big foot that wide as arms.</p></li>
<li><p>How are you spending your last night in Woodhome?</p>
<p>Eat drink sleep</p></li>
</ol>
</div>
<div class="pc krunn">
<p>Krunn say go swamp more to thing to BONK.</p>
</div>
<div class="dm">
<p>The story thus far: you are on a mission to re-assemble the Staff of
the Archmage and seal the Bloodmoon Gate to prevent the Demon Horde from
sweeping across the Silver Yonder. The first piece of the staff is in
the possession of the Pinky somewhere in the Flooded Lands.</p>
<p>~</p>
<p>There is a long footbridge of rotten, moldy, wooden planks that leads
out across the fetid water. You follow it into the Swamp of Sorrows.</p>
<p>The swamp is putrid. Almost nauseatingly smelly. A thick carpet of
orange algae undulates with the rippling of the water beneath it.
Pockets of swamp gas escape the mud far below and belch noisily when
they reach the surface. Clouds of insects float above the water, and nip
at you as you pass by. Large swamp trees grow here, with gnarled,
twisted roots. Moss and thick vines hang from the branches and block
your view. Between the trees, in the distance, you can see sulphurous
yellow dreadlights bobbing up and down, just waiting to lure an
unwitting traveler out into the waters.</p>
<p>Just up ahead, a large portion of the bridge has collapsed. About as
far across as a wide road. You look down and see five or eight
emaciated, milky white bodies floating suspended in the water below you.
Their eyes are closed and their skin is pulled taught across their
bones. Their hair spreads out like a halo around their heads. These are
Oneirophants, slumbering prisoners of the swamp. If you’re lucky, they
won’t bother you. If you disturb their slumber though, they may try to
pull you down into the swamp to join them.</p>
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO?</p>
</div>
<div class="pc glarg">
<p>A few paces left of the entrance to the collapsed bridge is what
appears to be a boulder with an arm sticking out the side of it. It
seems to give off a very faint hum.</p>
</div>
<div class="pc krunn">
<p>Tell Stux and little gnome to stand back. Krunn will roll boulder
cause Krunn strong.</p>
</div>
<div class="pc glarg">
<p>As you study the boulder you notice the arm protruding from it is
made of the same burnt umber stone as the rest of the boulder… peculiar
because the ground around it is… well, swamp coloured.</p>
<p>The boulder begins to visibly vibrate. At first faint, but then as if
a stampeed of horses was going on around it.</p>
</div>
<div class="pc krunn">
<p>Stux what we do ? It might be woo woo magic. Krunn slowly backs away
waiting for Stux or the gnomes reply.</p>
</div>
<div class="pc stux">
<p>Hmmmm… Something strange is going on here. I’m going to put on my
sunglasses of true sight and see if anything becomes obvious.</p>
</div>
<div class="pc glarg">
<p>Through the sunglasses you can see the outline of a large bulky
humanoid curled up into a tight ball with its arm sticking out.</p>
<p>All of a sudden, with a loud, deep crack, the leg dislodges itself
from the ball and starts kicking the ground. Now the boulder is rocking
back-and-forth in place with the leg kicking the ground when it gets
close.</p>
</div>
<div class="pc stux">
<p>“Hey Krunn, its BONKING TIME! Somtimes you gotta BONK first and ask
questions when they regain conscienceness”</p>
</div>
<div class="pc krunn">
<p>With a solemn nod to Stux, Krunn raises his club over his head with
both hands and runs at the rock. BONK!</p>
</div>
<div class="dm">
<p>While Stux and Krunn were fussing around with the leggy one-armed
boulder, you inadvertently attracted the attention of the swamp’s least
desirable denizens.</p>
<p>Three oneirophants—the lanky, clammy, pale drowned creatures who
sleep at the bottom of the swamp—have crawled up onto the pier. They
slither around on their bellies grinning and grabbing at your
ankles.</p>
<p>“Come swim with us!” says the one with no teeth.</p>
<p>“Yes, come sleep under water!” agrees the one with far too many
teeth.</p>
<p>“Such sights you will see!”</p>
<p>“Yes, such wonders!”</p>
<p>The third oneirophant’s mouth is sewn shut so you have no idea
whether or not it has an appropriate number of teeth. It is awkwardly
fumbling around with the ankle of the humanoid boulder but seems
incapable of getting a hold of it with its cold slippery hand. It looks
frustrated and uncomfortable.</p>
<p>One of the bobbing dreadlights—alerted to your presence by the
commotion—weaves its way over to the pier and shines brightly in your
eyes so that you have to squint.</p>
<p>“hEy dO YoU YoU WaNt tO SeE A WeIrD TuRtLe?” says the dreadlight.
“iT’S RiGhT OvEr hErE, fOlLoW Me. It’s rEaLlY WeIrD. yOu gOtTa sEe
iT.”</p>
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO?</p>
</div>
<div class="pc krunn">
<p>Krunn BONKS! one of the oneirophants that talks to much.</p>
</div>
<div class="pc glarg">
<p>After Krunn BONKS the boulder, its shaking slows to a rumble and then
stops. Then <strong>CRACK</strong>; a squat hemisphere pops out of the
top of the boulder. The hemisphere rotates 180 degrees. As the… head?…
completes its rotation, what appears to be crude facial feature become
visible, like a sculpter was making the rough draft of a head in
clay.</p>
<p><strong>CRACK</strong> another arm pops out of the side of the
boulder. Now the fingers on the hand of the first arm are starting to
move. The boulder rocks back and forth, pivoting around where it’s
fourth leg should be.</p>
<p>The mass suddenly stops wiggling as the oneirophants start talking.
It then looks at one clawing at its leg. It bends over at the middle
forming a waist until its head is about a foot from the dreadlights. It
opens its mouth indentation and makes a noise clearly not coming from
its throat, but somewhere deep within it, a noise that sounds deep,
gutteral, cosmic, and earthy.</p>
<p>“ggglllaaaAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGG!!”</p>
<p>It moves its arm down towards the oneirophant in an attempt to grab
it and throw it back into the lake.</p>
</div>
<div class="dm">
<p>The oneirophant slithers around on its belly, grinning up at you with
its sharp little pointy teeth and its large wet eyes.</p>
<p>“Come sleep and swim with us!” it hisses at you. “You can be like a
shark! Sleeping and swimming with one eye open and—ACK!”</p>
<p>Krunn BONKS the talkative oneirophant right on its noggin. Its skull
makes a squishy sound and flattens—ejecting a surprising amount of
water—and slowly, slowly returns to its normal shape like a sponge. It
looks up at Krunn, insulted and cross-eyed and kind of lopsided, and
slinks away off the side of the pier and back into the swamp with a
plop.</p>
<p>Meanwhile Glarg is glarging out super hard. As the oneirophant tries
in vain to grab your ankle, you in turn wrap your giant rocky fist
around its entire torso and lift it up. It hisses and slither wriggles
in your grasp. You squeeze a little too tightly, and it pops out of your
grasp like a slippery fish. You comically juggle it a few times,
squeezing and shooting it from your fist. Until finally it flops onto
the pier, and back into the water.</p>
<p>The remaining oneirophants make rude faces and wag their fingers at
you, disgusted at your inhospitable behavior. And they too slither off
the side of the pier.</p>
<p>Only the dreadlight remains, bobbing up and down in the air. It is a
small orb of light about the size of your fist. It glows a sulphurous
yellow a couple arm lengths away from the pier, hovering over the
water.</p>
<p>It buzzes as it speaks in a slightly muffled, undulating voice,
“tHeRe’s a tUrTlE OuT HeRe tHaT Is tOtAlLy wEiRd. It’s lIkE, yOu
wOuLdN’T EvEn bElIeVe iT. yOu’vE GoT To cOmE SeE ThIs wEiRd tUrTlE,
c’mOn.”</p>
<p>Meanwhile, your way forward is still blocked by the washed out
bridge.</p>
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
</div>
<div class="pc glarg">
<p>Glarg squints its eye indents at the the dreadlight. Mistaking it for
a shiny rock, it walks on to the pier in attempt to grab it.</p>
</div>
<div class="pc krunn">
<p>Krunn like blinky light too. Krunn also like turtle. YUM! Krunn
follows Glarg.</p>
</div>
<div class="dm">
<p>Glarg grabs at the dreadlight.</p>
<p>“WHoA ThErE BuDdY!” cries the dreadlight as it dances away,
tantalizingly just out of your grasp, luring you closer and closer to
the edge of the pier. “lEt’s nOt bE So gRaBbY OkAy bIg gUy? I CaN’T ShOw
yOu tHiS WeIrD TuRtLe iF I’M AlL CaPtUrEd aNd sTuFf! aNd tHaT WoUlD Be
sAd wOuLdN’T It? FoR ThErE To bE ThIs tOtAlLy wEiRd tUrTlE, aNd nObOdY
GeTs tO SeE It?”</p>
<p>Krunn sees Glarg grasp repeatedly at the annoying, bobbing light.
Finally, inevitably, they overextend themself and start to lose their
balance, teetering on the edge of the pier.</p>
<p>And then–KerSPLASH!!–down they go.</p>
<p>Glarg floats like a stone in the water. Which is to say, not at all.
A gleeful oneirophant burbles with delight as you sink past, “Yes! Haha,
yessssss!”, and finally you come to rest in the mud at the bottom of the
swamp.</p>
<p>The surface of the water is only five or six feet out of your
reach.</p>
<p>You notice that you came to rest near a large, smooth, oblong,
patterned stone. And as you watch, the stone opens along its seam and a
large, striped turtle head pokes out and looks at you curiously. Then a
second striped head emerges from the shell! The second head continues to
regard you while the first one extends its neck and experimentally
nibbles on your arm with a gentle bite.</p>
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
</div>
<div class="pc stux">
<p>Suddenly you see a rope peirce the surface of the water and make it’s
way to you. You grab on to it, and someone starts pulling you out. You
notice it feels too soft to be a rope, and it’s full of knots.</p>
<p>As you come out of the water you see the warlock Stux pulling you to
shore. That’s when you finally see that the “rope” is actually a series
of brightly colored hankerchiefs tied together.</p>
<p>Stux says: “Guys, I have a confession to make. I didn’t exactly tell
you the whole truth about myself. You see, I am a warlock, but I’m a
party warlock. Like kids parties. My deity is Bozo The Clown. I really
do have magic, but it’s not the cool or useful kind.”</p>
<p>He looks down at his feet. “I just wanted to feel cool, like a real
adventurer and not a 38 year old party entertainer that live’s in his
grandmother’s basement”</p>
</div>
<div class="pc cremini">
<p>“Did someone say magic and parties?” says a giggling voice from
somewhere under the pier. A small round head wearing a flat hat with
pops out from among the algae and rocks to peer curiously at Stux with
beady black eyes. It smiles softly at the party warlock. “Entertainers
are cool! Are you holding a party? That’s useful for having fun!”</p>
<p>The round head clambers up to the surface, it becomes clear that the
brown flat hat is in fact the top of the stubby creature’s head. It is
also apparent that they have no arms and legs (or at least no visible
appendages), but it manages to wobble closer until it is standing about
a warlock’s arm’s length away.</p>
<p>“This one is Cremini!” It beams. “What a wonderful day for a poolside
party!”</p>
<p>It turns to the water and begins to blow bubbles along the surface of
the swamp from the top of its head.</p>
</div>
<div class="pc glarg">
<p>Glarg looks at, what it perceives to be, a talking rock. Glarg picks
up Cremini and holds it close to its bosom turn to look down at the lake
and rumbles:</p>
<p>“Twaarrrrr-taaaal”</p>
</div>
<div class="pc cremini">
<p>The talking mushroom rock — or is it a rock mushroom? — giggles when
Glarg picks it up. “You’re very strong!” It exclaims. They look
downwards at the lake as well. “Turtles all the way down!”</p>
</div>
<div class="dm">
<p>recap:</p>
<p>the Bloodmoon Gate has started to open once again and harbingers of
the Demon Horde have been seen in the Silver Yonder. Your mission is to
recover the Five Artifacts and reassemble the Staff of the Archmage, the
legendary weapon that can seal the demon gate forever. You are currently
in the Swamp of Sorrows seeking the Pinky, guardian of the first
artifact.</p>
<p>And now:</p>
<p>Stux the party warlock fishes Glarg out of the swamp.</p>
<p>Glarg picks up Cremini, the small agreeable mushroom creature whose
rock content is currently unknown.</p>
<p>Krunn assesses the landscape for potential things to bonk.</p>
<p>The swamp water bubbles, froths, and churns. As though summoned by
the Glarg’s words, a two-headed turtle of enormous girth breaches the
surface.</p>
<p>Its shell is black and covered in spiraling geodesic patterns. Its
heads are also black, and have colorful stripes that run from behind
their eyes along the back of their heads and necks.</p>
<p>You think that if you play this right and pacify the turtle somehow
with your unique skills and talents, that it might ferry you across the
washed out bridge to the other side.</p>
<p>The dreadlight bobs up and down excitedly, “oH HeCk yEaH LoOk aT ThAt
tUrTlE! oH MaN It iS So wEiRd hAhA! hAhA, wHeEeEe!”</p>
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO?</p>
</div>
<div class="pc krunn">
<p>Stux even though you party lock I still your friend and won’t bonk
you. Krunn like to party. Krunn sees turtle and licks lips. He decides
not to BONK! turtle but to use ancient barbarian turtle charming
technique. He starts to play drums on his club.</p>
</div>
<div class="pc cremini">
<p>From its cozy nook in Glarg’s arms, Cremini bobs its small rock-y
head to the beat of Krunn’s club drums. They send tiny bubbles floating
in the air towards the turtle with light popping sounds in sync with the
rhythm.</p>
</div>
<div class="pc glarg">
<p>Glarg is vibin~~</p>
<p>It feels moved to “sing”. A sound emminated from it that is
reminiscent of an inactive volcano trying to sing the A-B-Cs to the beat
of the Krunn’s drum.</p>
</div>
<div class="dm">
<p>The party starts ROCKING OUT.</p>
<p>It is a total raver!</p>
<p>Krunn is drumming, Glarg is singing, Cremini is blowing bubbles. And
Stux the Party Warlock is doing all kinds of cool party tricks. Making
balloon animals. They even managed to produce a small xylophone from
somewhere and are banging out a jaunty melody with a tiny mallet.</p>
<p>The giant, two-headed turtle freezes in place. Both heads regard you,
wide-eyed and silent. And then they both start bobbing up and down in
time to the music.</p>
<p>After the performance, the giant, obsidian turtle drifts over to the
edge of the pier. You climb aboard, and continue to party hard and rock
out as the creature happily ferries you safely across the swamp.</p>
<p>The dreadlight, still bobbing up and down in place, cries out, “oMg
tHaT Is sO SiCk! HaHa wHaT A WeIrD TuRtLe! YoU GuYs aRe tOtAlLy
cRaZy!”</p>
<p>You land on the other side and de-turtle, climbing out onto the slick
grass and mud of the far shore. The turtle sinks back into the swamp
with a small smile on each of its faces and settles down into the mud
for a long nap.</p>
<p>You follow the path through the swamp and eventually come to a
large-ish clearing. It is a small glade full of silvery blades of grass.
It is full of eviscerated gilpins—small swamp gnomes that kind of
resemble fish-like bunny rabbits; it is kind of unfair how cute they
are—strewn about in piles and pieces. The center of the glade is
completely clean and clear of the gore that fills the rest of the space.
It is empty except for a circle of small toadstools, in the center of
which sits a tiny black cat which looks up at you with huge round yellow
eyes. It mewls pathetically and rolls on its back.</p>
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
</div>
<div class="pc krunn">
<p>Krunn looks sternly at the cat. “Why you kill all gnome thing? You
going to get a BONK for that. Bad Kitty!” Krunn walks toward the black
cat with his club raised. Ready to BONK it.</p>
</div>
<div class="pc glarg">
<p>Glarg, is new to being around fleshy lifeforms. It is left assuming
that the gilpins must’ve gotten carried away while playing and fallen
apart. It clumsily tries to put one back together and wait for it to
turn back on.</p>
</div>
<div class="pc cremini">
<p>Spotting the toadstools, Cremini sends out tiny pink bubbles that
land on each toadstool’s head in some convoluted pattern that may as
well be random were it not for the <em>blip bloop</em> sounds. Like a
chipmunk’s tune, with only 8 bits.</p>
</div>
<div class="dm">
<p>Cremini blows some tiny pink bubbles and plays some dope toadstool
chiptune. The toadstools light up in a neon pastel pattern of bright
pinks and yellows and blues and purples. You can’t help but think that
the dreadlight would think this is tOtAlLy aWeSoMe.</p>
<p>Glarg puzzles over a few gilpin pieces and clumsily tries to assemble
them. They end up with a cluster of two or three torsos and a few too
many limbs jutting out at odd angles. Almost as an afterthought they
thrust a head into its center. It is a furry, scaly, rabbity, fishy
abomination. They set it down on the ground and make some coaxing,
pleading sounds at it. It sounds like smooth river rocks rubbing against
each other.</p>
<p>Krunn severely scolds and chastises the very bad kitty! In reply, it
rolls onto its side and does a big streeeeeeetch, clawing at the ground
and doing a cute meow-purr.</p>
<p>Krunn crosses into the toadstool circle and the small cat leaps to
its feet, arches its back and hisses and spits at the sudden intrusion.
It backs away but doesn’t leave the circle, and soon it is cornered, and
Krunn gives it a solid BONK right on the head, leaving a small gash
across the top of its head. It falls to the ground in a heap and doesn’t
move.</p>
<p>The toadstools audibly exhale, and a pinkish cloud of spores engulf
the cat. It yowls and jumps up and puffs up to an enormous size. Its
eyes bulge. And its warping, twisting bones outgrow their fleshy
enclosure, starting at the skull where Krunn split it. When its
transformation is complete, a huge skeletal beast with a mane of black
fur across its shoulders stands inside the mushroom circle. It roars,
baring its long fangs, and swipes at Krunn with its sharp boney
claws!</p>
<p>The spores waft throughout the glade. A few of them drift over and
land on the flesh golem Glarg made of gilpin pieces. They seep into its
skin and its eyes shoot open. It looks around in apparent confusion,
gasps for air, and moans. It cautiously reaches out to Glarg with its
tangle of limbs. “Ma… Ma?”</p>
<p>Crimini notices that—although they have stopped making music at this
point—the toadstools continue to pulse weakly but rhythmically in a
repeating pattern of colors.</p>
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO?</p>
</div>
<div class="pc glarg">
<p>Glarg is delighted that the flesh elemental has reanimated! It looks
over its shoulder and is alarmed by the new calcium/keratin elemental
that appeared out of nowhere. It picks up Jr, the flesh elemental, and
puts it in the crook of its left arm while shifting Crimini to the
right, and slowly backs backs away towards the entrance to the
grove.</p>
</div>
<div class="pc cremini">
<p>“Oops. Should’ve started with a demo cut. Hee hee.” says Cremini from
the crook of Glarg’s arm. It emits a few more teeny green bubbles
towards the toadstools, just for a few opening notes of an adagio to
float out. A midi playing on air.</p>
</div>
<div class="pc krunn">
<p>Wide eyed, Krunn takes a few steps back. “Krunn sorry for BONK. Maybe
we can be friends” Kronn says. He reaches into his belt pouch and pulls
out a piece of yarn. “Look kitty I have to for you.” he says as he
dangles it in front of the monster cat.</p>
</div>
<div class="dm">
<p>Krunn entices the skelebeast with a piece of yarn. It stops and cocks
its head to the side. It flops onto its side, and bats at the end of
string with one big skeletal paw. Its long tail swishes back and forth
in a wide arc.</p>
<p>Glarg backs up with Jr in one arm and Cremini in the other. They
notice a cylindrical item rattling around inside the beast’s rib cage.
It is the size of a small torch, or some kind of baton, or maybe a large
rolled up scroll. It seems to be made of some kind of a dull silvery
metal.</p>
<p>Cremini blows a few tiny green bubbles. The toadstools bop out a
little melody.</p>
<p>Jr, the gilpin flesh elemental, smiles happily and groans, and waves
their arms around in time with the toadstool song.</p>
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
</div>
<div class="date">
<p>Wed, Apr 12 at 8:13 PM</p>
</div>
<div class="pc cremini">
<p>Following Glarg’s line of sight, Cremini squints at the skelekat’s
ribs, “Hey, party people! What’s that inside the skele? Could it be a
treasure map? Should we ask it for a looksie?”</p>
</div>
<div class="pc glarg">
<p>“DRaaagaaaarMArrrrrb?”</p>
<p>Glarg squints its eye sockets at the mineral/protein elemental. It
puts Cremini down gently and then carefully balances Jr on top of his
“hat.”</p>
<p>He then starts a sprint/gallop on all fours, faster than you might
expect a sentient boulder to move. Its goal is to climb the elemental
and grab the curly rock trapped inside.</p>
<p>It tries to communicate in one of the common elemental language that
its here to help disloge the foreign body from the chest cavity, which
sounds a little like:</p>
<pre><code>++++++++++[&gt;+&gt;+++&gt;+++++++&gt;++++++++++&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;-]&gt;&gt;&gt;+++.&lt;++.&gt;&gt;---.++++++++++++.&lt;&lt;.&gt;&gt;-----.---.+++++++++++++.-------------.&lt;&lt;.&gt;&gt;+++++++++++++++.-----.&lt;&lt;.&gt;&gt;-------.---.+++++++.++++.&lt;&lt;.&gt;&gt;+++++++++.----------.++++++.&lt;&lt;.&gt;&gt;----------------.+++++++.-------.++++++++.--------.+++++++++.++++++.-------------------.+++++++++++.&lt;&lt;.&gt;&gt;------.++++++++++++.---------.----.+++++++++.----------.&lt;&lt;++++++++++++++.</code></pre>
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