Nibs looks in Jub’s direction as the goblin spoke. After the offer to assist him was made, Nibs lets out a sob as tears soak his blindfold. He answers Jub, “That is very kind of you, Sir. But, I am afraid I don’t know, and I shudder at the consequences of shunning this curse and losing what hope I have for atonement,”

He then has a look of realization, and he begins knitting the gold threads again. He tells Jub, “Oh! Here…let me make you something in return for your kindness and in hospitality…”

He knits quietly and quickly, but what he makes isn’t any form of clothing this time. No…this time, the threads seem to harden and become a wand with a golden sheen! Jub can even see stars carved into the handle, decorated after his attire.

Once the wand was completed, he hands it to Jub, “Here you are, Sir,”



@Vertigo@Lurking Krog@Dark Cloud@fellsing@rush99999@Necroes

Once everyone had entered the cave, Voth decided to step inside. What the man was doing with the gold was strange to him, but ultimately he dismissed it as simple transmutation. When he saw the man flinch, though, and the small shadow poking at him, Voth knew there was powerful booyahg at play. The spell he had cast told him that whatever the strange shadows were, they were not any kind of creature. While their effect on the man was obvious, Voth could not tell if the shadows were actually moving, or if it was some manner of hallucination his mind conjured to cover up whatever was actually happening.

Either way, whatever was happening was none of his business. At a guess, Voth assumed this man had likely upset some powerful fey, given his claim to be cursed. Whether or not the rest of it was true - that he asked for the punishment to make amends for past wrongs - was not something Voth cared about, one way or the other. What Voth did care about, though, were all the gifts the old man was giving out. Regardless of what the man said, in Prismeer, Voth had learned that nothing was free. Though, as Voth had learned some time back, just because nothing was free did not mean a bet could not be won.

As he approached, Voth would reach down to the small pouch at his side. Pulling it out, he would begin to shuffle up the deck of cards he had taken off his eldest brother those many years ago. "Must have something big needs doin', given away such fine gifts as them in the middle of Prismeer. I've a likin' your fancy booyahg, but I've no interest in fallin' for your tricks. Instead, how's about you be a good host, and indulge us in a game?"

"Nothing over fancy. Simple cut and draw, with the high card wins. 'Course, simple game is no fun without a bet. I win, then those fancy things you're handin' out are the winnings, and each o' us here is getting one. I lose, and whatever it is you're trickin' people into helpin' with, you win my help with it for free. Deal?"

Of course, Voth had no intention of leaving any of this to chance. Voth intended to lay the deck face up for the game. That way he could see what card was taken, and just draw a higher one on his turn. There was no cheating, to his mind, since the deck was face up for both players. He could not be blamed if his opponent chose to not take off the blindfold. Of course, even if he did, then Voth could just flip the deck and use the marks on the back to win anyway.

Nibs jumps in his seat, startled by Voth's voice. He looks in Voth's direction and listened as the bugbear spoke. He looks very confused when Voth stated his suspicions that Voth was tricking them into doing something for him in return for the gifts.

When he suggested the bet, he answers Voth in kind, his hands trembling, "But-But sir, I am already handing out the gifts for everyone. The-There is no need for such a bet or the game. And I am not asking anyone to do anything for me. I apologize if I missed you. The only way I know if someone is there is if they approach me and speak to me,"

He then takes another handful of gold, which transforms into thread, and he begins knitting quickly once more with the needles. This time, the gold threads form a satchel. This time, the golden sheen lingers on the smiling face pattern stitched onto the satchel's lapel, while the rest of the satchel becomes leather and cloth.

As he knits, he adds, "I cannot play the game anyways, Sir. I would have to take my blindfold off, and...I don't dare to do so..." He lets out a sob at the last sentence.

As he continues to knits, he clarifies, "While I am grateful for anything you offer in return for my gifts, I'm not looking for anything; Let alone a way out of the curse. As long as Granny Nightshade is in control of Thither, there is no hope of escape for me,"

Nibs takes the finished satchel and hands it towards Voth's voice, "Please, accept this as a token of my hospitality,"



@Vertigo@Lurking Krog@Dark Cloud@fellsing@rush99999@Necroes

When Jub brought up the possibility that the gold might be cursed and Nibs confirmed that the guess was accurate, Brutrumukk reluctantly pulled himself away from the piles. After that, he watched as Nibs worked to create gifts for everyone. It seemed to him like the items were being created at random, but Brutrumukk figured it wouldn't hurt to make sure. "So this whole 'turn gold into stuff' thing you can do..." Brutrumukk said. "Is the stuff you turn the gold into random or could you make it turn into something specific if we asked ya to...? Also, the curse on the gold goes away when you turn the gold into stuff, right?"

When Jub had posed the hypothetical of trying to help Nibs, he had certainly not expected Nibs to make something for him on the spot. A small part of him even felt he should refuse the gift out of politeness... but it was a very small part of him.

Jub took the wand and held it up to the light, somewhat in awe of it, both from its physical appearance and because he could sense magic within it. It took a small nip on the head from Eighteyes to get to snap out of it. "Err, yes, t-thank you," he stammered out after a moment, before having to clear his throat a few times to avoid himself choking up. "I, erm... really do appreciate it." However, before he could say anything else, Voth stepped in, acting accusatory and instead offering to play a card game for a gift instead. In truth, he probably had a point in being so suspicious about such nice things...

... but he was Voth, so Jub refused to acknowledge that.

"Wow, Voth, you really are a barrel of laughs, aren't you?" Jub said drily to the bugbear. "You must be invited to lot of parties. Life and soul of them, in fact."

It was at that point Brutrumukk spoke up. It seems he had actually taken Jub's warnings to heart for once, and was actually asking Nibs some pretty good questions about the gifts and how his curse worked. Jub nodded to him approvingly.

Nibs jumps a bit at Brutrumukk's voice. He answers him, "If there is something specific you desire, I can make it. The only thing I can't make are weapons," He explains as he weeps once again, "I'm already guilty of causing numerous deaths through neglect. I can't handle being the cause of more deaths by providing weaponry,"

He continues, "You do not need to worry. The curse does not affect the gifts I give,"

@Vertigo@Lurking Krog@Dark Cloud@fellsing@rush99999@Necroes

Brutrumukk grinned eagerly when Nibs confirmed that he could make things on request. That grin soured into an annoyed frown when Nibs insisted that he wouldn't make weapons. Stepping up to where the gold spinner sat, Brutrumukk leaned in and whispered something into the man's ear that caused him to turn pale and shudder in fright. "An' that is why it's important to always 'ave somethin' better than a dagger danglin' off yer belt to defend yerself with." Brutrumukk spoke at normal volume once he'd finished whispering to Nibs and stepped away from him, too occupied with talking to Nibs to notice the jingling sound that was emanating from one of his pockets now. "So 'ows about you go ahead an' whip me up a nice morningstar. One what can warn me of anything sneakin' up on me if you really can make anything." Since many of the biggest problems Brutrumukk had faced in Prismeer had stemmed from Agdon Longscarf and his crew successfully ambushing the party, the bugbear gnome enjoyed the thought of having something that could prevent that from happening again just as much as he enjoyed the thought of having a morningstar again.

Nibs does indeed pale and grows stiff with fear. He never noticed Brutrumukk taking the gold coins from the nearby pile and stuffing them into his pouch. After Brutrumukk spoke in a normal voice and made his request, Nibs sobs loudly as tears fell down his cheeks. He grabs another handful of gold and knits the transformed thread into the very requested weapon.

After the weapon is completed, with the silver metal having a gold sheen in the light, Nibs does his best to hold it. But it is heavy for his frail hands.

He hands the weapon to Brutrumukk as he cries fearfully, "Here! Take it!"



@Vertigo@Lurking Krog@Dark Cloud@fellsing@rush99999@Necroes

Voth once again made no attempt to engage with Jub's heckling, which made the goblin's ire towards him only grow. However, he didn't have much time to think about that, because Brutrumukk approached Nibs. He seemed to take issue with the fact the man said he would not make weapons, and decided to threaten into making a morningstar. Jub was annoyed with this, but what he took far more issue with was that the gnome had also disregarded what he had just been told and sneaked some of the cursed coins into his pockets.

"Alright," Jub muttered as he took a few steps forward. "Brutrumukk, I saw that. Empty your pockets." The barbarian had already gotten himself killed, turned into a gnome, and briefly convinced he was weretiger. They did not need to add 'cursed to spin gold for the rest of eternity' to the ways the Feywild had screwed him over.

Brutrumukk eagerly accepted the weapon from Nibs. "Thank you kindly." Brutrumukk said as he found a good spot in the cave to give the new weapon a few practice swings. While the bugbear gnome wouldn't quite say his arm was complete again, Brutrumukk was certainly happy to have the holy weapon of his people back in his hand.

"Alright," Jub muttered as he took a few steps forward. "Brutrumukk, I saw that. Empty your pockets."

"Eh?" Brutrumukk said in confusion before doing as asked and staring in mild surprise as 11 gold pieces came tumbling out of a pocket he had previously thought empty. "...Bugger me. I didn't even notice I'd done that." Brutrumukk said. "Nice save, booyagh."

Aurora was surprised to see someone from Waterdeep, especially with the stories she had heard of the upper class and nobility. Perhaps Nibs was one of the few who actually tried to right their wrongs. When he winced in pain Aurora looked at him with concern until she realized the ghostly figures that were around the cave. It seemed part of his curse was to live with the spirits, or manifestations that looked like, those he had wronged. There was part of her that felt sympathy for the man.

She smiled some when Jub talked about removing the curse. Nibs' fear over losing what little chance he had at redemption should the curse be lifted softened her smile. "Hope in a hags curse is a poor form of redemption. Did you attempt to do anything else to improve yourself and make right what you could before you were cursed, or did you see it as your only way to make it right?" Aurora said rather bluntly.

When Brutrumukk had leaned in to whisper something to Nibs, Aurora noticed him pocketing some of the coins. That and the shear terror that the blindfolded man exhibited only soured her disposition towards Brutrumukk even more. However, before she could say anything Jub spoke up and called out the gnome on pocketing the gold. Much to her own surprise, Brutrumukk didn't seem to realize he had picked it up and willingly returned it. The matter in which he had bullied Nibs into making a morningstar still bothered her. "You truly must have your way all the time don't you? By the gods I hope you remain a gnome till the end of your days."

At first, Voth was less than inclined to take the satchel offered to him. However, when it touched him and he learned what it was, he could not bring himself to refuse. As he lifted the bag and reached his hand inside, he was happy to find that his arm could not reach the bottom. While the others squabbled, his mind filled with all the possibilities this new item offered him. Eventually, though, his mind focused back in on the present and the best way to solve problems at hand. He had no idea where the group was headed next, but there was one issue that needed addressed, no matter where they went.

"Said anything you could craft, yea?" Voth would cut in, addressing Nibs as the rest bickered among themselves. "What can you conjure by way of food? Not but a bit ago, we stumbled across a beasty. Owner was snatched by some such, and the beasty was left to fend. Took pity on it, this lot did. Not near to enough food to feed it, though. Not even betweenst us. Any chance your gift to the beastie could be food enough to feed it? Eats meat, best way we know. Fillin' up this bag you give my way should keep it from running off and munching up whatever odd passer by stumbles in front of it."

Holding out the bag, Voth would open it and wait to see if the old man would do as asked. He had no intention of threatening it out of him. The wild magics that governed Prismeer might take that as theft and punish him for it. However, maybe the fellow would be eager to provide more tame fair after such a violent request.

"You truly must have your way all the time don't you? By the gods I hope you remain a gnome till the end of your days."

"What was that just now, knife ears? You want me to test my new morningstar out on you?" Brutrumukk asked with a slight growl to his voice. "Well I mean... I suppose I could if you really want me to."

Jub had been so surprised with how easily Brutrumukk had co-operated that he was not prepared for what happened next. Aurora's comment about hoping Brutrumukk would remain a gnome for the rest of his days made Jub actively wince, as he knew that was likely not going to go down well with the barbarian.

Sure enough, he was right.

"Er, how about we don't engage in violence inside this gentleman's abode?" Jub said, reflexively stepping between Aurora and Brutrumukk. "I'm pretty sure that's gonna infringe on the Rule of Hospitality."

"You heard me and I will not withdraw what I said because it upsets you. If threats had any effect on me I would not be here. Now, why don't you save that aggression for when we actually have to fight for our lives, not some petty reason." Aurora snapped back before starting to clean her boots. "Don't worry Jub, I will not fight him here. Fighting him at all would mean nothing to me, especially if all it was for him to save face or inability to handle someone telling him something he does not want to hear."

"If this is how my behavior was towards my own family, I owe them an apology" She muttered to herself in Elvish. Cleaning the boots did not take too long as she muttered the incantation and made the hand gestures for prestidigitation.

Brutrumukk was about ready to let things be when Jub called for peace. But then Aurora decided to prod at him again. The beginnings of an angry growl rumbled in his throat, but then they died down as he recalled the presence of the others. If Brutrumukk started anything, they'd likely take Aurora's side. With an annoyed grunt, Brutrumukk made for the cave's exit while taking a few more practice swings with his morning star. "I'm gonna go find some talkin' flowers or somethin' else just as defenseless to piss on." Brutrumukk said. "I'll stay within earshot, so gimme a shout when you lot are done 'ere." With that said, Brutrumukk departed from the cave.