bloodmoongate/groff/src/story.ms

.ds TITLE TOWNIES & TAVERNS: THE BLOODMOON GATE
.ds AUTHOR dozens and the tilde.town players
.ds DESC A silly little role-playing game
.ds CREATED 2023-02-13
.ds UPDATED 2023-03-25
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.P1 1
.PI 0v
.OH ''\*[TITLE]
.EH ''\*[TITLE]
.OF ''%
.EF ''%
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.de Heading
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.B \\$*
.XS
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.XE
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.RP no
.TL
\*[TITLE]
.AU
\*[AUTHOR]
.AI
dozens@tilde.team
.AB no
.LP
.I "Townies & Taverns"
is an
unfinished experimental freeform role-playing game
that took place in the spring of 2023
on the internal 
.CW
list+town@tilde.town
.R
mailing list.
.LP
It all started when ~mhj asked the following question:
.QS
.I
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...
.R
\*[-]mhj
.QE
.LP
What follows is the answer to that question.
.AE
.ND 2023-09-26
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.2C
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.Heading DOZENS
.LP
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.
.PP
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.
.PP
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.
.PP
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.
.PP
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.
.PP
Unfortunately they never came back.
.PP
So now the king's quest has fallen to you! The kingdom's second
greatest and mightiest adventurers! You must not fail!
.PP
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.
.IP 1. 3n
Who are you?
.IP 2.
Why do the Woodhomians fear the Pinky?
.IP 3.
What terrible creature lurks in the Flooded Lands?
.IP 4.
What evidence have you seen of demonic presence?
.IP 5.
How are you spending your last night in Woodhome?
.PI
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.Heading STUX
.LP
Oh, sounds like fun!
.PP
.IP 1. 3n
I am Stux RowHammer, nearly renowned worlock
.IP 2.
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
.IP 3.
None have ever returned to tell what dark beasts stalk that land
.IP 4.
I spend it enjoying food and games with my family
.LP
Did I do that right?
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.Heading MHJ
.IP 1. 3n
Who are you?
.PP
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
.PP
ME I MEAN. PAY NO HEED TO THE RUMORS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD
.IP 2. 3n
Why do the Woodhomians fear the Pinky?
.PP
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
.PP
no matter
.PP
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
.PP
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
.PI 5. 3n
How are you spending your last night in Woodhome?
.PP
woodhome means a lot to me, so i will check in with all of my friends!
.PP
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
.
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.Heading DOZENS
.LP
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.
.PP
But see each other they did.  Quietly and discreetly, their passions held in check by the fear of losing control once more.
.PP
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.
.PP
Your goal here is to find the Pinky, Ardan's champion, and recover
the first artifact of the archmage.
.PP
Two paths lie ahead of you.
.PP
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.
.PP
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.
.PP
WHAT DO YOU DO
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.Heading STUX
.LP
I look at the rest of the party
.PP
"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".
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.Heading KRUNN
.IP 1. 3n
Who are you?
.PP
Me Krunn with club who go BONK!
.IP 2. 3n
Why do the Woodhomians fear the Pinky?
.PP
They too have club go BONK!
.IP 3. 3n
What terrible creature lurks in the Flooded Lands?
.PP
Big thing with big bite that ouch.
.IP 4. 3n
What evidence have you seen of demonic presence?
.PP
Big foot that wide as arms.
.IP 5. 3n
How are you spending your last night in Woodhome?
.PP
Eat drink sleep
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.Heading KRUNN
.LP
Krunn say go swamp more to thing to BONK.
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.Heading DOZENS
.LP
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.
.PP
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.
.PP
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.
.PP
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.
.PP
WHAT DO YOU DO?
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.Heading GLARG
.LP
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.
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.Heading KRUNN
.LP
Tell Stux and little gnome to stand back.  Krunn will roll boulder cause Krunn strong.
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.Heading GLARG
.LP
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.
.PP
The boulder begins to visibly vibrate. At first faint, but then as if a stampeed of horses was going on around it.
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.Heading KRUNN
.LP
Stux what we do ?  It might be woo woo magic. Krunn slowly backs away waiting for Stux or the gnomes reply.
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.KS
.Heading STUX
.LP
Hmmmm... Something strange is going on here. I'm going to put on my sunglasses of true sight and see if anything becomes obvious.
.KE
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.Heading GLARG
.LP
Through the sunglasses you can see the outline of a large bulky humanoid curled up into a tight ball with its arm sticking out.
.PP
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.
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.Heading STUX
.LP
"Hey Krunn, its BONKING TIME!  Somtimes you gotta BONK first and ask questions when they regain conscienceness"
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.Heading KRUNN
.LP
With a solemn nod to Stux, Krunn raises his club over his head with both hands and runs at the rock.  BONK!
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.Heading DOZENS
.LP
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.
.PP
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.
.PP
"Come swim with us!" says the one with no teeth.
.PP
"Yes, come sleep under water!" agrees the one with far too many
teeth.
.PP
"Such sights you will see!"
.PP
"Yes, such wonders!"
.PP
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.
.PP
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.
.PP
"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."
.PP
WHAT DO YOU DO?
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.Heading KRUNN
.LP
Krunn BONKS! one of the oneirophants that talks to much.
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.Heading GLARG
.LP
.PP
**CRACK** 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.
.PP
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.
.PP
"ggglllaaaAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGG!!"
.PP
It moves its arm down towards the oneirophant in an attempt to grab it and throw it back into the lake.
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.Heading DOZENS
.LP
The oneirophant slithers around on its belly, grinning up at you with its sharp little pointy teeth and its large wet eyes.
.PP
"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!"
.PP
.PP
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.
.PP
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.
.PP
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.
.PP
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."
.PP
Meanwhile, your way forward is still blocked by the washed out bridge.
.PP
WHAT DO YOU DO
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.Heading GLARG
.LP
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.
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.Heading KRUNN
.LP
Krunn like blinky light too.  Krunn also like turtle. YUM!  Krunn follows 
Glarg.
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.Heading DOZENS
.LP
Glarg grabs at the dreadlight.
.PP
"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?"
.PP
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.
.PP
And then\*[-]KerSPLASH!!\*[-]down they go.
.PP
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.
.PP
The surface of the water is only five or six feet out of your reach.
.PP
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.
.PP
WHAT DO YOU DO
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.Heading STUX
.LP
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.
.PP
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.
.PP
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."
.PP
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"
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.Heading CREMINI
.LP
"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!"
.PP
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.
.PP
"This one is Cremini!" It beams. "What a wonderful day for a poolside party!"
.PP
It turns to the water and begins to blow bubbles along the surface of the
swamp from the top of its head.
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.Heading GLARG
.LP
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:
.PP
"Twaarrrrr-taaaal"
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.Heading CREMINI
.LP
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!"
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.Heading DOZENS
.LP
recap:
.PP
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.
.PP
And now:
.PP
Stux the party warlock fishes Glarg out of the swamp.
.PP
Glarg picks up Cremini, the small agreeable mushroom creature whose
rock content is currently unknown.
.PP
Krunn assesses the landscape for potential things to bonk.
.PP
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.
.PP
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.
.PP
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.
.PP
The dreadlight bobs up and down excitedly, "oH HeCk yEaH LoOk aT
ThAt tUrTlE! oH MaN It iS So wEiRd hAhA! hAhA, wHeEeEe!"
.PP
WHAT DO YOU DO?
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.Heading KRUNN
.LP
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.
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.Heading CREMINI
.LP
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.
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.Heading GLARG
.LP
Glarg is vibin~~
.PP
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.
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.Heading DOZENS
.LP
The party starts ROCKING OUT.
.PP
It is a total raver!
.PP
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.
.PP
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.
.PP
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.
.PP
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!"
.PP
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.
.PP
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.
.PP
WHAT DO YOU DO
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.Heading KRUNN
.LP
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.
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.Heading GLARG
.LP
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.
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.Heading CREMINI
.LP
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 *blip bloop* sounds. Like a chipmunk's tune, with only 8 bits.
.
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.Heading DOZENS
.LP
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.
.PP
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.
.PP
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.
.PP
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.
.PP
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!
.PP
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?"
.PP
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.
.PP
WHAT DO YOU DO?
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.Heading GLARG
.LP
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.
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.Heading CREMINI
.LP
"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.
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.Heading KRUNN
.LP
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.
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.
.
.Heading DOZENS
.LP
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.
.PP
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.
.PP
Cremini blows a few tiny green bubbles.  The toadstools bop out a
little melody.
.PP
Jr, the gilpin flesh elemental, smiles happily and groans, and waves
their arms around in time with the toadstool song.
.PP
WHAT DO YOU DO
.
.
.
.Heading CREMINI
.LP
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?"
.Heading GLARG
.LP
 "DRaaagaaaarMArrrrrb?"
.PP
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."
.PP
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.
.PP
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:
.QP
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