Giant Bulldust does not look worried up there on the cliff.  He waves towards Minmorc with a calm pat-pat motion.  Then turns back to speak with the dragon, a lengthy discourse punctuated with various gestures: rolling up his sleeves to display forearms, finger-combing up his gel-spiked red hair, pointing vaguely towards the tunnel mouth, a clenched fist of rage, and a series of hand gestures to emphasise a sequence of events and an open-handed gesture suggesting sincerity.

The little hairy goblin looks towards Moffa, hoping, indeed praying, for enlightenment ... but as Bully's distant words reach his ears he pales, shrinking back into the shadows of the tunnel and trying not to get noticed, much less look anything like a prophet !

Investigating the contents of her nose, as goblins do when they're thinking deeply, Moffdust translates what the crystal dragon and Bully said. "De dragon's says don't comes no closers, and what kinds of giants is youse? Den Bully says he's a bugbears wots turnin into a dragons, and he's jus got a spells on him ter makes him big, and we'se all here wid him, an we'se righteously lookin fer someting magics wot der prophet Dregzie says is here. An he's askin if de dragons wants ter play." She shrugs, "I doesn't finks it will, cos dragons doesn't plays nice, even wid other dragons. De dragons says it can fries Bully's eyes, so maybes it blows fire or scorchy beams." She digs deep trying to remember.

She walks into the cave (stopping at H12) to see if she can make sure Bully gets a chance to turn into a dragon. Wolfe trails along too.

19:14, Today: Moffdust rolled 17 using 1d20.  knowledge crystal dragon (+1 nature, +8 arcana, +10 planes).

While giant Bully stands at the top of the wall talking to the crystal dragon, Minmorc races down the main tunnel to reach the base of that wall, with Moffa, Frostie the dire wolf and Raven following a bit more slowly. Dregz opts for a more cautious option, hiding in the narrow side tunnel, while Jurz remains outside on the ledge with Rog and the living statue.

The sound of clawed feet pacing closer can be heard by those below as the crystal dragon slowly moves closer to inspect Bully. At least its shrill voice doesn't sound angry anymore. [Language unknown: "Som pr heespa? Ri il artil. K th butionkor. Na ei is ie are set hountiear st but ticma unee, Ckicai Ectsanthi. Tic Pa il trawa om era san foun at a anno not rond setsetthi evendeave. Ie inas astst i ckou hataol callss erart ardthuthuble a butforore ss her wh eiol la? N whelinwil werwitder ou encthiallsta o arties st esek, etnt Lo st comarther es ardanytha anchce urewi tho stitnc ectas iverre ticicatraersher ich ndoung pohis red. Ar nc evivst ditaal iv ilnt'dipa, un an hobe ekmefi ceio lelileat lencne ul eaueenout ngman lori of weit evederoveoulour isiste wholha teroreateson?"]

OOC: Main game map updated.

Jurz raises his eyebrows, and with a caution to Rog, that the  great bat should wait here for him, Jurz follows the others into the main tunnel.

"Fanks Your Crystalness!  Dey all speak da Common Tongue."   Giant Bulldust lowers himself back over the ledge and jumps down easily to the floor below.  He backs away from the cliff until he can see the dragon again then says a word to shrink back down to his normal 7' bugbear size.

Continuing in Common Tongue he introduces the party.  "Dis is me, not a giant, jus a bugbear wiv some dragon blood.  Dis is my big sister Moffa an our friends Wolfie an da Birdie-Girl.  Here comes Jurzie, he's a druid.  An over dere's Minmorc, he's a Nuffle, pretty famous, p'raps you've heard of him.  None of us are as big or beautiful as you!  We don't much like giants eiver, but we saw a big white one down in da valley.  Have dey been bovverin' you?  If youse got a problem wiv giants, p'raps we can fix dem fer you?  Den p'raps you can help us wiv our Magic Quest?"

08:10, Today: Bulldust rolled 34 using 1d20+14.  jump down DC15.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:32, Sat 26 June 2021.

After Bully jumps down, the crystal dragon soon moves up to the edge of the ledge at the top of the wall and looks down at its visitors.

"What an interesting collection of races you are. I am sure there must be a fascinating tale of what brought you all together. What are those Watchers you mentioned? Tell me about this magical quest and what it is that you seek. If it is something I have seen or heard of we may indeed be able to help each other. Those frost giants are, indeed, my enemies. If they were able to climb up here they may even be a real threat. Fortunately, they have not found a way to reach my lair yet, so the only real danger up here is the rocks they sometimes throw," says the dragon in its high, shrill voice.

Cowering in the side tunnel, Dregz tries to remember the details of his last dream, hoping to garner some insight as to the right path forward.

It seems likely that the crystal dragon is the glass statue that moved and spoke, and the white giants are the frost giants that are the dragon's enemies.  Though as he recalls, both were equally scary ...

"An deres de rock man outsides.  Dregzie bringed him here and Moffa can talks to him.  He's might be able to catch de rocks and frow dem back?" Jurz suggests, trying to avoid either of the solutions that Min might come up with.  While Frost Giants might be good at Nuffle Ball,  Jurz worried that he might finish up as the ball.

"Oi Dregzie, der pretty dragon ain't tryin ter eat us, come an show im der stick!" Minmorc will go looking for Dregz.

Bulldust nods at Jurzie's suggestion about Rocky, that's a great idea.  And he hopes Min can find Dregzie to explain the magic stick and prophesies.  Meanwhile he does his best to explain it all to the dragon.  "Well, da Watchers are Da Nights ov Da Watch, dey're humies in iron suits on horses wot's killin' all da gobbos in Da Grain Duchy ov Geoff - whoever Goeff is?  A prince I fink.  Now Dregzie, da prophet wiv da holy book, has been collectin' bits ov a Magic Stick from all over da world an putting dem togevver.  He gets visions ov where da next bit will be, an den da Magic Stick takes us dere by magic.  I fink when we've got all da stick bits stuck togevver den we can defeat da Watchers.  But Dregzie would know fer sure.  Anyhow, he saw a vision wiv you, your beautiful Crystalness, so da Magic Stick brought us.  Da next bit would be black an metal an magic an somewhere round 'ere.  So if you can help us find dat den we can do wotever yer need wiv da giants - talk to 'em or beat 'em up or turn 'em all inta Nufflers - easy!"

Moffdust nods enthusiastically when Jurz suggests how Rocky could help. "Rocky says he likes it here, an he wants ter stays on de ledges where he can looks at de valleys."

She hides her face in her hands as Bully gives his helpful suggestions for how they can deal with frost giants. She stomps on his foot to shut him up. She doesn't really know either why they've been trailing around the world, but its been fun so far. Anything bigger than her is bigger than it needs to be, so frost giants are entirely excessive, a troubling size to brain ratio, goblins being perfect. Where's the fun in being beaten up by those.

Hidden safely in the side tunnel, Dregz whimpers as Bully betrays his presence and moreso as Minmorc comes looking for him.

That the big Orc can and would drag him kicking and screaming from his place of concealment, the little goblin has no doubt ... and is equally certain that any dignity or credibility he might have would not survive the experience.

With much trepidation and heavy heart, the priest marches out of the tunnel, Magic Stick held high, striding forward with a confidence he does not feel to stand besides his companions.

"It ise writtenses !" he formally intones.

"Wese seeks der bits of der Magic Stick so dat we can make der wyrld safe fer der Goblins ... an' Orcs an' birdy-gulz an' lizz'ds.  An' dragins !" he adds this last in a flash of divine inspiration.

"Der great god Bargrivyek 'as sed dat wese'll find der missin' bit ov der Magic Stick 'ere."

Eventually all of Team Arda-Nuff are gathered at the northern end of the cave staring up at the huge crystal dragon in the wide opening 20 feet up the eastern wall of the cave. Even the living statue slowly follows behind Dregz and Minmorc as though finally curious about the high, shrill voice from deep in the cave.

The crystal dragon listens silently to Bully's explanation about Watchers and goblins in the Duchy of Geoff but raises its head more attentively when Dregz arrives and points the Black Mace directly at it.  It is perhaps fortunate that the statue-like stone creature walks in shortly after Dregz and Minmorc, as its arrival distracts the dragon's attention away from Dregz for a moment or two.

"A Galeb Dhur? I never would have expected to see one of your kind travelling with this odd collection of races," the dragon commented in its high, shrill voice.

The dragon's attention soon switches back to Dregz but its initial tension has vanished.

"You certainly are hairy, for a goblin," the dragon observed. "Your black stick, as the bugbear called it, looks more like some sort of weapon to me. I haven't seen anything around here that looks like part of that."

The living statue looks at Moffa and asks a question in the language they have been communicating in, [Language unknown: "Si o p aststrsom evisar. Us ournt re hou?"].

OOC: Main game map updated.

The little goblin frowns at the Magic Stick, holding it up and shaking it before pointing it at the Crystal Dragon once more.  Hlooks puzzled, though sheer terror emboldens him to speak.

"Der Magic Stick wuz a lot more sticky-like when wese firs' started lookin'," Dragz admits.  "Dunno wot it iz now."

"Der ting iz, it iz tellin' me dat der's a bit ov it in your mouf."

"Youse aven' got anyfin or anywun stuck in yer teefs av youse ?"

"I woods make a good toof docta! Shiny dragon, can I ava look in yer mouf?"

Moffdust replies to Rocky in Undercommon.

To the dragon she adds, "Rocky likes de views from youse windowsills. Can he stays dere?"

She listens agog as Dregz reveals where the next piece of the wand is, tilting her head and squinting up at the dragon to catch a glimpse. She even manages to keep a straight face when Minmorc offers to play dentist for the dragon, but her stomach does a flip thinking of an orc with a 'touch of decay' poking at her teeth. Hopefully a dragon will see it differently.

Just for a change, Jurz does what every good goblin should do, and keeps his mouth firmly closed.

Bulldust also leans forward to look when Dregz reveals the prophesy of the dragon's mouth.  Dregz is so brave and so good at talking that there is nothing more required for the bugbear to say, so he too wisely helps his mouth shut.  He nods in agreement when Min offers to look in the dragon's mouth ... he's the strongest, so it has a sort of logic to it.  He wonders what the dragon will want done with the Giants, and if Min will have to look in their mouths too...?

The crystal dragon pulls its head back and up higher and turns its head away when Minmorc offers a free dental inspection.

"No thank you, that will not be necessary. I have already eaten this week," the dragon replies indignantly in its shrill voice.

However, Moffa's question quickly distracts the dragon from the unpleasant thought of Minmorc's offer.

"Stay here? Outside on the ledge? What an interesting suggestion," the dragon muses. Then it speaks directly to the Galeb-Duhr in the language Moffa used to communicate with it. [Language unknown: "P oulwi verut ofla ancom ineardthe? Il ioniil eniete nick atwhli n laion whmoec n a, larandter thi. Ie M menonsess la ul il, oertr urday alek k wh? Ie ioti p nclohe icstiv k whove ear Nc utpani di sanerafor vor nce utacpe o ndonll."].

After a few moments the Galeb-Duhr responds in the same language. [Language unknown: "A os t thieauwhi. Se ratfi anstin canoca cehoio E wist. Nd, ad sa nde notallive O tedndeday, acpr ainnceouttin He thuur ourdinica."].

The dragon lowers its head to the level of the ledge (20ft above the tunnel floor) and replies to Moffa.

"Yes, the Galeb-Duhr can stay here with me."

Moffdust claps her hands and pats Rocky on the knee. "Dey is goin' ter tell eachudders stories an watch de sunsets." She looks at Jurz and shrugs, "Rocky didn't says about catchin' rockses. P'raps dats too soons... "

That settled, she looks to Dregz and Bully and shrugs, "Dey doesn't says anytings about de wands or de giants."

She grins at Minmorc. "She doesn't wants us lookin in her moufs, an she doesn't wants ter eats youse Min."

She sits down comfortably on Wolfie's warm shaggy paw to watch the unfolding negotiations. She waves to Cat to send him flying down the passage to the south for a look.

Leaving the tricky negotiation of how to get something you want out of a dragon's mouth, Bulldust delicately addresses the other topic.  "So, d'ya wan us ter bash up da giants, Yer Crystaless?"

Minmorc will frown at the dragon. "Now I gets dat yer didden ask us ere but wees ere an coz we fink dat der stick wees lookin for is in yer mouf we ain't leavin til we find it. Aint all bad fer yer dough, mebbe we can make a deal an yous can get somefing you wants too."

Jurz nods as Moffa translates, but leaves negotiation to Billy and Min.  However, he does glance over his shoulder, just to check that he can still get outside, if the need should arise.

"Not der mouf !  Not der mouf !" Dregz quickly interjects.

"Ise tinks dat I saws whats wese is afder wen youse turded youses head.  Oh mitey Dragin," he adds, hoping and praying not to have offended the great crystal beast.

"Der bit ov der magic stick seemses tah be stucks to der backs of youses hed !" the goblin priest explains, fearfully and most respectfully.