Minmorc will sheath Helen and will bring Vera to rest at his shoulder. "Clever little Riza gonna chitty chat wid der scaley, and I'm gonna stand guard so yous can go do other stuff now."

The goblin priest is holding his breath and is more than happy to leave Riza and Minmorc to the charnel-house, scuttling back hurriedly to a safe distance before he opens his mouth for a gulp of air.

"If it's catchin' we should burn der hut," Dregz suggests reasonably.

Jurz yawns loudly  as he hangs back from the big hut doorway.  he was happy to let the others deal with it anyway, now that Riza and Minmorc have volunteered so much the better.

"Burning is bad." he reminds Dregz.  "De smoke goes up  and den everyone can see dat someone is here." he admonishes the cleric  "So's we don't start de fire until we is ready to leave."

He looks around to see if anyone is going to brave the last of the small huts -  but the living-clothing doesn't seem to come out of the huts on kits own, and he is ready to get some sleep if he can.

OOC: The 'main building' that Riza suggested everyone else could wait and watch from is the large barn on the east side of the compound, where Oopses, Arlein and Rog are currently resting. Riza and Minmorc will stay outside the large cabin on the south side of the compound. The other four smaller buildings are smaller huts - you have explored 3 of the 4 huts so far.

The goblin reluctanty accedes to Jurz line of argument, though eyes the house of sickness through slitted eyes and gives it a wide berth as he makes his way with the rest to ...

... "Waaagh !" the priest recoils, pointing up at the insignia that hangs over the open door of the only remaining hut left unexplored.  "Dat's ...." he peers a bit more closely "... der sign of der yooman's god O'Baddy !"

Dregz muses. "E's not dreadfully good or anyfin' like dat ... I don't think dat dis whole place is horribly cursed or nuffin'."  He glances worriedly back at the hut with the scalies.

Grakk wh was been surprisingly quiet for a young Minotaur happily follows the others around the huts, axe at the ready should anymore clothing attack. or anything else for that matter.

Minmorc nods, glad that the others are going with the herd.

There seems to be general consensus, or at least no outspoken disagreement, so the rest of the group retreats to the barn while Riza and Minmorc stay to talk with the hooded figure in the cabin.

This certainly seems to suit Dregz as it means he is able to put more distance between himself and the fourth hut with a wooden plaque above its door depicting an oak leaf and acorn, which he says is the symbol of a god called "O'Baddy" – the Gaelic god of men who wear black hats, perhaps?

Everyone manages to find a suitable spot around the barn door or a convenient crack in the walls that lets them watch and listen to the conversation.

Finally the inner door of the cabin opens to reveal the owner of the hissing voice. It is a kobold wearing a grey silk robe, with dark goggles covering his eyes. In fact, some of you get the distinct impression that you have come across this this strange character before. It quickly becomes obvious that this is their spokesman and the taller hooded figure with the scimitar has not spoken at all.

"Yousss can ssstay here for a night, even for the nexxxt day asss well, if you wantsss to, ssso long asss yousss don't come in thisss cabinsss and don't attacksss usss. I'sss gotsss sssomething ssspecial for yousss if you do that. I'sss got a magic wandsss that I will trade with yousss. I'sss identified the magicsss too. It'sss a wandsss of lessssser vigor, which makesss yousss healsss quicker! I even knowsss the passsswordsss and I will tell yousss it when yousss leavesss tomorrow, if we makesss the deal.

"There'sss two choicesss I will offersss yousss. If yousss will fixxx the holesss in the big fence around thisss place I will givesss yousss the wand and the passswordsss tomorrow. Or yousss can buysss it for the sssame price I could sssellsss it at Gorna, plusss what it cossst me to identifiesss it. That comesss to 475 goldsss. Either way, yousss won't getsss the wand until yousss leavesss tomorrow. Keepsss usss sssafe or yousss don't getsss the wand and the passswordsss!"

OOC: Main game map updated.

Minmorcs eyes glow greedily at the mention of another Healy stick, maybe even a better Healy stick and he nods sagely at the mention of the password but then he stretches his head. Bending down he whispers loudly to Riza "errr, whatsa Gore nah?"

Bulldust listens wide-eyed through a crack in the barn wall.  "Oo Oo!  Ve lizards are giving out magic wands!  I bet we could fix a hole in a fence.  It'd be like digging a hole, only backwards."   He sounds too excited to sleep, but eventually, after eating some more from Oopses sack and searching the barn for any longspear-like poles, he settles near Moffa still wearing his black chainmail which does not seem uncomfortable over his thick hide and makes him feel more grown up.  Sleepily he mumbles "...an we can share ve treasure..."  He falls asleep counting potions.

Jurz draws back to stand by Dregz and grins as he hears the scaley one's words.

"Sleep bits and work bits, so we is ready to leave here in der nighttime, when we can see der yumans and dey can't see us." the druid suggests as the other seem keen on working to get the wand of vigour.

Turning to Dregz he continues "We's can look at de O'Baddy place den too." before his voice drops to a whisper.

Minmorc nods to something Riza whispered in his ear and stands up to face the kobold. "So here's der deal. We gonna check der other hut and den sleep den we gonna fix der wall. You gonna stay in yer hut den yer gonna give us der wand and der password, deal?" Minmorc will spit on his hand then offer it to the kobold to shake.

Dregz grinds his teeth as Minmorc cements the offer.  Obviously it should be a goblin giving the orders and having the final say ... but the goblin priest has no intention of shaking the hand of a known plague carrier, so resolves to let it past just this once.  "As it is written," he mumbles with resignation before turning to converse quietly with his druidic kinsman.

The kobold nods agreement but doesn't even look at Minmorc's extended hand of friendship.

"That'sss good. Good dealsss. Yousss can sssearch all yousss want, jussst ssstay away from thisss cabin. Yousss fixxx the fence, yousss getsss the wand and passswordsss tomorrow when yousss leave. We ssstay here. Sssafe place for yousss to come and trade again if yousss ever comesss back thisss way. Now clossse the door pleassse!"

Minmorc will give the kobold his biggest tootheist grin and will swat the door closed, leaving a long smear of green saliva. He will then walk over to the last unexplored hut, prop Vera against its wall and unsheath Helen. He'll wave over Nurzhan, Riza and anyone else that is still awake, then with a roll of his shoulders and a crack of his neck he will get ready to kick open the door, look for trouble and if he lives loot the room.

Nurzhan joins Minmorc and Riza at the last hut as requested and Minmorc unceremoniously kicks the door open and peers inside.

In reply to Wyrm of Wyrd (msg # 356):

Seeing everyone coming back to the barn oopses askes"Is it save now?"

"Yes." Jurz responds off hand to Oopsies as he watches Minmorc push his way into the house of O'Baddy.  While he doesn't have much truck with the gods, he has always found it best to stay out of their way, rather than go looking for trouble.  Angry priests can be be unpleasant things. And theis O'Baddy one doesn't sound too band, from what Dregz says.

Still, it isn't Jurz challenging the god head on, it is Minmorc the Destroyer. He leans into Dregz and mutters something quietly. 

"Cummon Rog" Jurz says as he strolls out of the barn to watch as the Orcs take on another challenge in the only way they seem to know how.

Lazily the big dog stands and stretches carefully, before following Jurz out of the barn.  He takes up a position just behind the goblin and sits down before idly scratching at one of his ears with a big heavy paw.

Minmorc will stomp out of the house of O'baddy, grab Vera and sheath Helen. Seeing the others gathered around he points his thumb over his shoulder and harrumphs "nuffin in der." Clearly disappointed he'll stomp over to the last hut he found raynments in and will start carefully searching the room with the tried and tested orcish kicking method.

Curiously, Jurz will edge closer to the door of O Baddy's hut and have a look inside.

Rog follows along a couple of steps behind.

Nurzhan stares at Minmorc as he walks away. Then he stares at Jurz as he approaches the hut. He leans over Jurz's shoulder and follows his gaze as he too looks into the hut.

"Stay there Rog." the goblin mutters as he walks slowly and carefully into O Baddy's hut.

Nothing happens to Jurz when he enters the fourth hut. But some of you start to think he might be a little bit braver than you thought - walking in front of Nurzhan's line of fire like that ...

"Zzzzzzz ..."