Pyrus raises an eyebrow at Jamie.  "And here I thought cure light wounds was on every novice witch's spell list."

He takes out a small book of trivia to double-check he was remembering right.

To answer the kobolds, he explains, "As Johnny Briz just implied, they are the newest members of the team.  The lovely ladies are Angel and Sarah.  Good work on remaining unnoticed by the Dark Elves."

Pyrus nods and smiles to Tark.  "You're welcome, my deserving friend."

The kobolds all bow to Pyrus when he commends their efforts at remaining unnoticed.

Angel is secretly thinking these kobolds don't realize how hard competence can be to find sometimes.

Kruthkrix says, "Please come in! We have made some changes to accommodate your greatness and your traveling companions!"

When the group enters the kobold cave, they find the kobolds have actually cleaned the place up a bit, put a red carpet down, have a pile of copper coins in the corner that probably amounts to 100 gold or so, and have apparently gotten a hold of a number of chairs (More than enough to accommodate Pyrus, his team, and the kobolds) along with two extra tables. There is a surprising lack of traps, given the kobolds don't bother mentioning anything about watching out for such.

There are strange additions as well; Hanging on the walls and ceilings are some kind of targets and doodads.

In reply to Angel Bard (msg # 415):

"Wow," JB said as he took that all in, never leaving Angel's side in the process.  "I never expected Kobolds to be this serious in their work."

When Pyrus asked Jamie about Cure Wounds, she replied.  "That's more of a Divine spell than a Witch spell, but I'm not without a healing potion or several.  Brew them myself, for a better taste."

After that remark, Jamie appeared to have heard someone that wasn't there to the others, and then looked like she just remembered something.

"Oh, I almost forgot!  I do know that spell, or rather, one of my spirit partners taught me.  Used to be a cleric before he died, and his spirit stayed with me ever since I helped him."
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:49, Sat 09 June 2018.

"Wow you have a really nice cave here. I'm sure your very proud of it too as you should be. " Sarah was very taken aback by the very nice cave they had here.

  Furniture does tend to make caves better than ones without it, yes.  Unless you are trying to live the Scrooge McDuck lifestyle of just lounging in piles of valuables, which that pile clearly wasn't big enough for yet.

  "Now, targets have an obvious use. But could you explain the doodads to me?" Ah, the questions an adventurer asks with a straight face.

"Is it presumptuous of me to expect your cleric friend would be OK with you healing Kruthkrix's foot?  Or would a sip of your special brew be more tactful?"

Pyrus smiles proudly from the compliments to his minions. "How blessed I am to have a team of Kobolds who work together so diligently.  I think they deserve a cut of the reward when we foil the evil machinations of the Drow."

Kruthkrix looks hopeful at Pyrus mentioning the healing again. But all of the kobolds looks extremely happy at all the compliments to their work and when Pyrus mentions rewarding the kobolds with a percentage, Churtrk faints like a fangirl at a Beatles concert. Muklk bows to Sarah and JB. "Thank you."

Kevin answers Tark, "You once had an energetic centaur with you... we made an obstacle course for her so that she could be kept busy without worry of breaking things..."

Angel doesn't take it for granted that JB is sticking with her. But she is kind of busy examining the area, taking it in. After all... targets all over the place is like a Chuck-E-Cheese's play place to Angel. Even if she won't say so out loud or act out her excitement. As usual, she has that confident smile. She heads for one of the seats. "I suppose the plan is simply to wait until around sunset, set up an ambush, and wait for the drow to surface. Then we cut off where they came from, surround them and demand their surrender. But I personally would rather knock them out before they even know we are there since drow poison is some really annoying and potent stuff."

Jamie heads over to Kruthkrix.  "Sit down, sweetie, let me take a look at that foot."

As the kobold does so, she kneels down and reaches for the leg, as she touches it ever so gently, the kobold can see the witch's eyes light up with an inner glow, and her lips begin to move in a way that's not quite her own.

Inside Jamie's mind, one of the 'residents,' the ghost of a cleric named Mervick who's cleric garments how has the same color scheme as Jamie's witch's gown, assumed the same position Jamie's body assumed over the kobold. "Hmmm, the Calcareous healed a bit off alignment, fortunately with you assisting me, Jamie, fixing this would be a cinch."

To Kruthkrix's eyes, a soft warm glow enveloped the foot, producing an intense numbing sensation.  While that was in effect, he could just hear the bones in his foot slide and push ever so gently, without even a tinge of pain.  The numbness resided as the bones restitched themselves in their proper location.

Jamie looked back at the kobold with a smile.  "You might need to be gentle on your foot for a bit, I had to reset the bones, but I doubt you'll feel any pain and after a night, you should be good as new."

[bar]

Johnny doesn't really need to read Angel's mind to know what she's thinking.  The sparkle in her eyes as she looked at all these targets made her look like a kid at a candy store.

"Don't you wish you had your bow with ya now, Angel?" JB said as he pulled a seat for her.  "This has target practice written all over it.  Might even need a whole wing in your castle just for things to shoot at."

Sarah giggled and looked over to Johnny and Angel. "If you like miss angel I can loan you Meiou's crossbow. It's not much but its something." She was kinda envious of this spirit granting healing magic to Jamie but also knew she was of the darker arcane variety of magic.

  Tark considers pointing out that since they give Pyrus their money anyways, it would be faster to just keep it in the first place.  But this way the Kobolds have another thing to give baseless praise over, so win win.

  "Zerry would have loved it if she were still traveling with us, so thank you.". Best partial horse person.

  "We may not even be able to set up traps in the meantime, because then the Drow might realize they've been spotted already."  He then adds "I do have a bag of darts I keep forgetting about, Angel.  Not exactly up to standards as a-yes, that. Actual crossbow would be much better."

  ...Wait a minute.  "Sarah, Meiou needs that to fight the drow. Even if he was astonishingly absent, it's still rude to try and give away weapons that aren't yours."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:49, Thu 21 June 2018.

Sarah did say "loan," but yes...  Pyrus was kinda surprised she'd spontaneously offer to just hand over her mannequin's possession to someone else.  But he's not going to lecture about "how would you like it if Meiou just up and loaned your tea set to someone?"  For all Pyrus knows, Meiou was the one to suggest the offer.

"Smart," he comments of the obstacle course with an amused look, imagining Zerry's glee.

Pyrus smiles endearingly at the adorable doting of the witch over the kobold.  "That castle of yours would do well to have a toy shop that sells little witch plushies.  I know I want one with a nurse outfit.  Knew I could count on you, Jamie."

He focuses on Angel and nods with a somewhat teasing smirk.  "Sounds like a good plan.  And it looks like already your subjects are eager to provide you with your favorite pastime while we wait for nightfall."

Angel says, "I appreciate the offers of weaponry, I'll keep it in mind."

She then looks at Pyrus with a smile. "I guess when it comes to hitting targets, I can't hide my desire to do so."

Angel looks at Sarah. "Meiou can hear anything you hear... right?"

Kruthkrix blushes from how Jamie is treating him. Then glances at the other kobolds with a smug smile. But he quickly glances back to Pyrus, sees Pyrus is pleased at Jamie treating him nicely, and asks, "Your majestic greatness, Pyrus... do your friends speak draconic? And if not... is it permitted to speak draconic around them?"

Under NORMAL circumstances, a kobold couldn't care less if non-dragons got offended by them speaking draconic, and they would know a dragon would feel the same. But Pyrus has made it clear THESE non-dragons are his honored guests and friends. So Kruthkrix is playing it safe by asking permission rather than presume too much.

In reply to Angel Bard (msg # 425):

As Jamie gives the kolbold a warm smile, thinking about whatever she could woo one to be a minion, Johnny whispers over to Angel.  "Maybe we could let Sarah turn back into Meiou so we can make sure he's on the same page.  Of course, we should make sure he doesn't pull anything.  I'd suggest tying her to a chair or something."

Of course, being that he was behind Angel so that he can whisper that right into her ear didn't help his cause.

"Oh yes miss Angel. Sees what i see, hears what i hear. He would be fine if the mouse would stop purposely pushing his buttons and taunting him. " sarah said looking about some more.

  "While I don't speak Draconian Kruthkrix, I'm pretty sure at least some of us also know Draconian. Though Pyrus having a private conversation with you is hardly a problem, unless he takes so long we start to wonder if he fell down a hole."

  Pyrus probably has the self awareness to realize how amazing it is to be a Dragon without people worrying they will make plots behind their back out of pure habit.  Even good dragons supposedly love to dress up as old men and lie to adventurers, for some reason.

Pyrus watches to see if Jamie gets embarrassed by talk of a nurse plushie in her image.  He takes no apparent notice of Johnny's whispers to Angel.

"I'm sure Johnny would relent to refraining from provoking Meiou if his queen so ordered.  As for speaking in Draconic in the presence of my friends, you may do so if you feel it would be less rude than saying what it is you want to say in Common.  I will then explain to my friends where the culture clash was in words they can accept."

Kruthkrix glances from Tark to Pyrus and says, "N...nevermind, your greatness." he stares at the ground, blushing. "Besides... we should focus on the task."

Angel glances at Pyrus. She remembers asking JB not to provoke Jamie and it took a while before that request finally took. "Johnny... I'm not going to tie up my childhood friend. I trust him. Even if he doesn't remember me... I believe in him. And so, since you believe in me, I ask you stop provoking Meiou."

She then looks at Sarah with a soft look. "Meiou, since you can hear me, please don't hurt Johnny. He was nice to me and stood up for me when a crowd of people falsely accused me of cheating. We're on the same team."

Angel then looks at Sarah a little differently. More of a grateful smile. "Thanks for offering to let Meiou out again. It was a pleasure to meet you."

Jamie just giggles.  "There are some friends in my personal spirit realm who would go gaga over having outfits, Pyrus."

[bar]

"I still say that we tie her up before she turns back to Meiou," Johnny said, "Judging by what she says about him."

Sarah smiled to Angel and her kindness before sighing and looking to
Johnny. "If you promise to behave then you will have no issues from the rabbit. If however you continue to push his buttons i can't promise he wont find a way to make you into the toy you want to be."

  "Johnny, if what Jamie says was true even half the time we should drop you in an active volcano before you doom the land.  So I'm honestly surprised at you taking her claims seriously in regards to Meiou."  Okay, so there is very little surprise involved.

  "Either way, having to stop to untie Meiou before he can help with why we came here would be counterproductive."

OOC: Distraction, the month.  But at least taking a shower doesn't cause water to leak into the kitchen anymore, so far as the largest one went.

Pyrus smiles to Jamie and winks, "Perhaps later I can provide your friends with what they'd like to wear."

Pyrus shakes his head at Johnny's continued insubordination.  "Meiou has been a model gentleman in my experience.  He helped bring a villain to justice without any promise of reward, for example.  I daresay, if someone were crass enough to provoke such an honorable man to violence, I doubt that someone is wise enough to learn from the experience.  Should they survive it.

"I will not allow Meiou to be tied up.  Let's not forget that it is the Dark Elves that are the suspects we're wanting to investigate."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:10, Sat 21 July 2018.

Angel says, "Thank you, Sarah. Go ahead and let Meiou out. You and I can catch up s'more later."

She looks at Johnny. "I will not abide either you hurting Meiou or Meiou hurting you. We are a team; let's focus on working together and fighting the enemy rather than each other. So unless it is something positive or useful for the mission, I ask you no longer speak about Meiou. You wouldn't want to upset your queen, would you?"

Angel then looks expectantly at Sarah for her to let the Meiou out. "And since you can hear all this, Meiou, I'd like your thoughts on how we're gonna catch these drow."

Kruthkrix eeps a little. "...queen?" and looks up at Pyrus. Of COURSE the great and powerful Pyrus has a queen working for him. This is what dragons do!

In reply to Angel Bard (msg # 435):

Johnny tries not to show it to Sarah, but Angel could see that what she said gave Johnny's heart aflutter.  "As you wish," Johnny said as he bowed and stood behind Angel, giving Sarah a sort of expression that just screams, "You don't want to hurt me, do you?"

Sarah smiled softly to Angel and nodded quietly before looking to the mouse. She was starting to wonder if he was abit dense or something given how many times she has explained its not her that would like to hurt him. Maybe shed ask someone to give him a check up when they had some free time. Yes maybe Jamie could check him out or at least teach him some manners.
She whispered the words to activate the bracelet as a bright flash would occur swapping out Sarah for Meiou.

He stretched out for a moment looking back to Angel. "Well do we know what they are specifically looking for or are they just out to cause problems. If the former than I would suggest spreading word that we have it and leave a trail to find us. If the latter then I would suggest scouting them out and learning their numbers before attempting an attack.

  "So far Meiou, it's been vague lurking. So for all we know it's just a setup to give a tearful speech about how nobody understands them if we treat Drow sneaking around somebody's home like everyone else who does that sort of thing."

  But that would merely be annoying rather than life threatening. So probably not going to be the case.  Comments along the lines of 'But it's just kobolds, who cares?' seem equally likely in both cases though.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:52, Sun 12 Aug 2018.