Necroes

The Wild Beyond Witchlight

Voth

It took a considerable force of effort on Voth's part to not turn and leave in that moment. He did not care to interact with others on the best of days. A gnome claiming to be, in actuality, a bugbear was already enough to push him to his limits. Given his tribe's views of those of their species that chose to live alone, his view of the situation was growing darker by the moment. Then the goblin stood up and began speaking like he had some authority.

Voth was a breath away from giving up and finding his own way. Then his thoughts retreated to the last time he had made that decision, back in his home forest. He recalled the thoughts that had crossed his mind. How there was no way Grankhul would ever test him, his favored servant among the tribe. That and how, even if he was tested, surely the consequences for failure would be minor. The next memory was Voth waking up in the feywild, lost and confused, with a mark crossed through one of the eyes on his holy symbol.

With a breath, Voth would gather his thoughts. He was not inclined to convince people of things, but he was damn good at reading people. Given his inclination to believe it was the truth, he decided to do as he always did in these situations. Lay his cards on the table, and trust what he read on the other's face.

"You think the brothers have abandoned you," he would begin, doing his best to speak in as plain goblin as he could. "You worry this curse is by their consent if not their doing. That some words you spoke brought their ire upon you. For Hruggek, I can not speak. He takes serious any challenge, and forgives rarely."

"But it is Grankhul I serve. The Ever-Staring is known to test his faithful, and I believe you are such a test. While he may take issue with what words you spoke, there is one thing I know for true. Grankhul would never let that piss ant shit-eater Garl Glittergold take what's his. If your path leads to free yourself of this gnome you wear and back into yourself, then Grankhul would offer you his guidance on that path. Grankhul's creed is clear. Those able to follow deserve their guide. As named his scout by my tribe, I would offer myself as that guide."

The Wild Beyond Witchlight

Voth

Voth nodded at the description, though in truth he had never tasted a wealthy human. The rest was accurate enough in his experience. Given everything else, it was enough to convince him that he was speaking to no ordinary gnome.
"Is enough, as now, t' say I am convinced." Voth would respond, continuing in goblin speech. "Though, a curiousness I have. Is th' curse made you gnome same as t' blame for th' cloth you're wearin'? Or is it your thinkin' if a gnome you are, would be best to seek th' favor of the brothers by givin' t' them a sacrifice cut from your own pride?"
It was a legitimate question, Voth's dry delivery would make it hard to tell. Either way, the answer was less important than what he actually wanted to know.
"A matter important it's not, to my thinkin'. What I care to know is th' name your tribe takes, and what territory they hunt. Been in these wilds longer than as I would like to care. If seek your home you do, and if it is neighbor enough to mine, I would offer Granhkul's favor from my hand t' see you returned."

The Wild Beyond Witchlight

Okay, now I feel like I have to address this as a point of order...

No acts of Cannibalism in the game please. ^_^

@Guardian Angel Haruki

My creative freedoms have been stifled. I shall never recover from this horrid violation of my narrative liberties.

Jokes aside, this will make that first personality trait I gave Voth resolve a bit differently.

The Wild Beyond Witchlight

Fun Fact: Brutrumukk being a cannibal wasn't actually something I had envisioned as being part of his character back when I made him. But when Haruki ruled that eating the Bunny Brigands counted as cannibalism, I sorta just went with it and made him into the man-eating glutton he is today.

@rush99999

I wasn't actually aware of that; I just knew Bugbears were among the races for whom eating sentient creatures is normal. To the point they've been known to eat goblins.

The Wild Beyond Witchlight

Rolling to see if a character remembers the difference in flavors between humans and elves?

Ah, the things D&D makes us talk about.

The Wild Beyond Witchlight

Voth

Voth would frown at the gnome's remark. He sensed no deception, but that only deepened his displeasure. Before his time in the Feywilds, Voth would have dismissed the claim as gnomish trickery. That was not so much the case now.
"A hard claim to make, even with vouchin'." Voth would continue the conversation in the goblin tongue, his speech dripping with distrust. "Possible, a place like this to thank, but not as like t' be true. If truth you speak, then say this to me; What difference is there to taste, 'tween human and elf meat?"
The question was not one only a bugbear could know the answer to. It was just the first Voth thought a bugbear would answer that a gnome couldn't.

The Wild Beyond Witchlight

I'd like to continue the conversation, but I'd also want to refrain from depriving others the chance to respond.

What's the table etiquette, for lack of a better term, for this group on the matter?

The Wild Beyond Witchlight

Voth

Following the small group through the mists had proved more of a challenge than anticipated. Voth had been forced to get closer to them than he had wanted to. It had not been long after he first spotted them that they headed into the mists. As the group wandered through the magically dense fog, it was only their smell that had let Voth track them.

That smell had been the only indicator that they were the ones he was after, when he first came across them. While the swamps of Hither were as strange as the rest of the fey wilds, they still ultimately smelled like a swamp. By contrast, the little group he had been following smelled of the Carnival. A mix of sugary sweet and fruity scents that radiated through the air of the Witchlight Carnival and clung to its visitors. If anything, it had been a blessing from Grankhul that he had found them in the swamp. Moist air and a backdrop of earthy smells made that distinct Carnival scent stick out all the more.

When they first emerged, he was upset to see he stood just behind them. Voth had hoped to trail further, but after one of their group had wandered off in the dense mists he knew he would need to stay close or risk losing the trail. At the very least getting this close meant he could match the look of the group to the description he had been given. Admittedly little to go on, but when he looked past and saw the shape of a goblin lying on the ground amidst some flowers he knew he had passed the first of Grankhul's tests.

Before he had a chance to speak, he was addressed. Not uncommon for Voth, being slow to speak up, but hearing the goblin tongue surprised him. If he had any doubts before about this being the group from the carnival, the sight of the speaker put those out of his mind. As odd a place as Prismeer was, he had never seen a gnome in a jester's outfit before. To his mind at least, Witchlight alone was the origin for such a sight.

"I've not come looking for a gnome," Voth would reply in the goblinoid language, as he had been addressed. "I'm here looking for a one like me. The word 'round says this group has one. Looks not like they are with you, but if you swear to take me to 'im then I can offer a pact of aid to your band. Not looking for trouble with 'im, or like. Just some questions, then a chance at bargain."

Something about the gnome caught Voth's interest, and made him feel certain he was on the right trail. While it rarely came up, the three kinds of goblin-kin all spoke their language slightly differently. Hobgoblins had a lot of unique phrases they liked to repeat, and spoke the language the most formally. Goblins varied the most among the three, but in general they all spoke a lot more through the nose in a way those who learned from them usually replicated. Bugbears, on the other hand, cared the least about getting the words right. This gnome was speaking like a bugbear, and naturally enough it sounded like he had learned from one. As odd as that was, it told Voth he was getting close to what he was after.

The Wild Beyond Witchlight

@rush99999 I saw they were listed in your inventory, under the inventory tab. Suppose I've never really had cause to question whether someone's inventory and the things currently in their possession are not the same category of item.

But, again, that's why I asked instead of just assuming. Got the answer I was looking for, ultimately.

The Wild Beyond Witchlight

Brutrumukk isn't carrying any javelins. He lost them when he died.

Also, Brutrumukk didn't run up to Voth. He's still sitting in the spot he woke up on and called out to Voth from there.

@rush99999

See, this is why I asked; Your character sheet still has javelins listed in your inventory.