In reply to Trysk (msg # 41):

Warwick bows his head in silence before putting his spoon into the stew.  "Thank ye for this meal," he says to his host.  Sampling the stew, he nods appreciatively.  "Very tasty.  Would ye mind sharing the recipe?"

In reply to Warwick (msg # 42):

You all receive some stew and the drink of your choice.  Dualis has a pomegranate blueberry herbal tea and Kaine gets a cup as well.

In response to Warwick, "Of course, although some of the herbs are only found here in the Cove. "

The group eats and drinks, the subordinate druids attend to whoever wants more of anything.  A few minutes go by and Kaine abruptly directs a question at Shorty.
  "Why is someone of your ilk interested in defending the things of nature and the weak when your kind typically destroys and tramples the weak?"



--DM2

In reply to Ron, The DM (msg # 43):

Dualis stops sipping his tea and rises.  "Pardon the interruption.  It appears there is an issue that requires my attention.  I shall return momentarily."  He disappears with a pop.

Kaine takes no notice, he continues to look at Shorty, waiting for an answer to his question.

--DM2

In reply to Ron, The DM (msg # 43):

OOC. Sorry, traveling and did not get a notice of new message. Mail instituted new filters and I am losing a lot of stuff.


Shorty pauses for a second and things about the question then he slowly replies.  "Not be ilk.  Momma be people.  Father be ogre. Me not know any but ogre till mets Drud an elf lard.  Not all ogre follow,war.  Some be angry some just not bees smart nuf no betters.  Me all be smallest.  Gets pick on lots.  But me berry strong.  Momma teach protect all who be smaller den me. Me do.  Now me da momma, me teach baby same rule.  Him gonna have big job cause him gonna bees big. An me likes tree.  Be better place to live in wood den in smelly cave.  Drud takes good care Shorty.  Brings lotta little animals toplay."

Shorty pauses for a second then asks, "How's come hates so munches?  Me hates dragons one times fer kill drug n lard.  Me kills dat dragon.  Feel better den.  Now me momma to pretty red dragon.  Me friend wid Penny Dragon n Rigel Dragon.  Can't be hatin all time."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:20, Sat 27 Feb 2016.

In reply to Shorty (msg # 45):

OOC:  I am not getting the notices either, it is a bit of a pain.

Kaine ignores Shorty's question and then asks another.

"If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"

--DM2

In reply to Ron, The DM (msg # 46):

Morteft takes a sip of his tea and says, "I would think a druid would understand that nature allows for difference in all things. While every flower looks the same, they are very different. There are always differences and there are always changes over time. Perhaps Shorty is the next stage for his people."

In reply to Ron, The DM (msg # 46):

Shorty shrugs and asks, "how youse know ifn it falls down ifn nobody round to hears it?  Dat eyes pretty dummy question.  Why asks?"
This message was last edited by the player at 03:57, Sun 28 Feb 2016.

In reply to Shorty (msg # 48):

Kaine frowns a bit. "The question is not whether the tree fell or not.  The question is, If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" he takes a sip of tea.

--DM2

In reply to Ron, The DM (msg # 49):

Morteft frowns and asks, "Do you want help with the crisis here? Dualis asked us to come and help. We are here to help."

In reply to Morteft (msg # 50):

Kaine continues to looks at Shorty.  "The crisis is not here.  The purpose of your visit is for me to assess your friend and little else.  Whether I go to this other world is dependent on the outcome."

--DM2

In reply to Ron, The DM (msg # 51):

Morteft puts down his tea cup. "Shorty has proven himself time and time again. He is a stalwart and true friend who has risked his life for others many times. Your assessment of him is not relevant. You may go or not, but we are going to go and Shorty is going with us whether you like it or not."

He stands. "Thank you for the tea."

He walks outside.

In reply to Morteft (msg # 52):

Warwick gets up from the table and bows to Kaine.  "Thank ye for yer hospitality."

He then floats up so that he's at the same height as Kaine.  "Lad, ye're letting yer past experiences with ogres affect yer judgement of Shorty.  Ye see the kinds of people that he associates with.  Ye already know that he's different.  If he was attacking ye, then ye'd be right.  But he hasn't.  Ye already know what ye need to know.  The rest of what ye're doing is coming quite close to bigotry.  And Morteft is right.  We're going with or without ye."

Warwick floats towards the door.  "Oh, and we had several urgent missions to choose from.  We're doing this one first, because Shorty argued this was the most urgent.  Ye'd be a fool to damn a world because of ye can't see what's obvious to the rest of us."

Warwick leaves the cottage and joins Morteft outside.

In reply to Warwick (msg # 53):

Shorty grins at his friends and gets up to follow.   "Me glad ken do potant stuff now.  Wastin toos much time talkin."  He pauses as he reaches the door and turns back to Kaine.  "Tank youse fer good stew.  It make stomach happy.  But you wrong.  It do matter why here.  Helpin Sticks an his Drud be saving tree.  An question not be if tree make noise.  Maybe not be eben if tree fall.  What matter be why tree fall.  If tree be old and it be time den tree fall.  If tree fall cause somethin killin trees.  Den be potent to fix problem.  But ifn sits an asks silly question bout makin noise.  Nudder tree gonna die and gonna bees all yer faults.  Goodbye now.  Me save tree.  Me help Lady eben if not bees night.  Me do n you sits.  Ifn Sticks die be yer fault not Shorty."

Shorty moves outside.  "Needs get back Dullis place.  Be door to Sticks right by room where Joe stay.  Maybe should ask Joe come too.  Him feels better if ken helps somebody elses."

In reply to Shorty (msg # 54):

Kaine does not react to any of you, just takes a sip of his tea.

Trysk is the last to get up.  He hesitates momentarily, he senses something is not quite right; but not sure what it is.  He turns and walks to the door.

Kaine puts down his cup and whispers, only Trysk's elven ears can hear, "Shame, he was close."  Then Trysk is outside.

Dualis reappears on the front porch and exclaims "Mission accomplished." he has a slight smile which turns into a frown when he looks at you all, then grunts

"I take it things did not go well?"  he looks over his shoulder at the cottage  "Nothing broken .. can some one explain?"

he waits.

--DM2

In reply to Ron, The DM (msg # 55):

Morteft shrugs and says, "The man cannot accept that the world changes. His mind has solidified. Surprising in a druid if you ask me. I know that as one ages, the mind tends to close to new ideas, but nature is ever changing. I expected something different here. We can work without him."

In reply to Morteft (msg # 56):

"He was more concerned about that old philosophical question if a tree falls and no one is around to hear it, does it make noise.  I've argued both sides of that question successfully, but it's not really answerable."

"He was being very rude to Shorty and we had enough of it, so we left.  If he can't figure out that Shorty ain't like any other ogre he's ever met, then his brain is addled."

In reply to Warwick (msg # 57):

Dualis listens to both Warwick and Morteft.  He then rubs his face with his hand, goes to speak and then hesitates.  "It appears something got lost in translation and I suppose it is my fault as I must have explained the purpose of our visit unsatisfactorily.  Let me have another go." he pauses again "Now, we came here so Kaine could get a look at Shorty and determine if he has some necessary qualities.  Not for the purpose of joining your little band to fight on Arcturus.  No, it was for the purpose of coming to Arcturus as a representative of this worlds sylvan guardians and support Shorty's candidacy for the Green Knight.  A most prestigious position with the utmost dedication needed."  he looks at you all

"Without Kaine's support Shorty has no chance to become the Green Knight.  Kaine is not going to give that support blindly.  I tried to warn you that his questions may be a little sharp, to see how Shorty reacts.  Does he react with anger as a normal ogre would or has he grown beyond that aspect."  he rubs his chin  "You are telling me you walked out after the falling tree in the forest question!?  That is one I thought Shorty would do well with answering."  he looks over at Warwick  "You are only looking at the surface of the question.  For the druids it is a much deeper question, concerning nature itself.  You and I would work out some logical answer; but the druids have a different view point." he takes a breath

"Have I made anything clearer?"

--DM2

In reply to Warwick (msg # 57):

Shorty looks at Dualis sadly.  "Him no Drud.  Him not care.  Say sticks not potent.  Me save friend now okay so?  Go to stocks.  Save him place.  Not wanna be night no more.  Just wanna save friend..  Maybe Druids not be so smarts as me think."


Shorty pauses and takes out the holy symbols from within his shirt.  He touches them gently one last time and then snaps the chain.  He places them on Kaine's porch and sighs.  He then turns back to the group and asks Dualis, "Ken takes to Sticks now please?  Me gots job ta dos."

In reply to Shorty (msg # 59):

Trysk sighs and says to Dualis, "As the outsider of the group, I believe Kaine was just testing Shorty...testing his patience for one. While he may have found Morteft and Warwick's defense of Shorty admirable, he was not here to judge their character. Leaving was probably not the right response."

In reply to Trysk (msg # 60):

OOC: Should have gone back and looked through the archives. Oh well.


Morteft says, "No sense crying over spilled milk. While I cannot speak for Shorty, my guess is that he cares more about saving things than a prestigious title. I know I certainly do and I sure don't want to have to go around trying to gain favor with ignorant, closed-minded and rude people. Leave that to the politicians."

In reply to Morteft (msg # 61):

OOC: I went back thru the archives and it did not appear that I explained reasons and proceedings very well. Anyway...

"I whole heartedly agree with you Trysk." remarks Dualis "and while I agree with you to a point Morteft, I have found that the ignorant, closed-minded and rude are often starring at you in the mirror.  My reputation is less than sparkling due to similar instances.  It seems you have judged another on very little information .. food for thought."  he quickly continues

"Now the prestige is not the title such as 'hey why don't you come to dinner or endorse this product' the prestige is in what the title represents in the individual.  Those who know the title know the type of individual associated with it, strength of character, dedicated to help those weaker, those in need, those taken advantage of, exploited.  The very earth knows the individual.  With great power comes great responsibility."

--DM2

In reply to Ron, The DM (msg # 62):

"In any case." Dualis continues "it appears Shorty has made up his mind.  I should say my farewells to Kaine and then we can be off."  Dualis goes back into the cottage.

--DM2

In reply to Ron, The DM (msg # 63):

Shorty looks confused now.  "Me not understand.  Him not wants to help Sticks.  Friends leave oso,Shorty go.   Shorty serve Lady always.  Always wanna be Lady's night.  Do potent thing she wann dos.  But not Let friends fight fer Sticks lone.  Not let Sticks fight lone neither.Why matter bout tree make noise when fall down?  What matter be ifn me sits n talks all day den Sticks n him trees gonna fall down.  Not makes sense.    Me know not be berry smart.  But me know how save friends.  Not understand how him be Drud n says Sticks no matter.  Me not care him not likes Ogre.  Me care what Stick think and Lady want do not what man in house think.  Me not knows him.  Me knows Sticks n sticks say Shorty must come when time.  Dullis says time now.   Why him think tree noise more potent den Sticks?  Dullis knows why?"

Shorty sighs in frustration.  Between the disagreement with Kaine and asking Duallis for help twice in a few minutes time.... He is having a bad tough day.

In reply to Shorty (msg # 64):

No one knows where he came from or how he got there but now, next to Shorty, there is a middle-aged gentleman about 6' tall, slightly balding and shoulder length brown hair.  He wears a green shirt and loose fitting brown trousers.  Shorty doesnot see him yet. He looks up at Shorty, places a hand on his shoulder and he says in a soft gentle voice:

"Shorty, you seemed troubled, is there anything I can do?"

Shorty turns and looks down to see Knowman

--DM2
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:19, Fri 04 Mar 2016.

In reply to Shorty (msg # 64):

Shorty looks up and smiles but not with his normal enthusiasm.

"Hullos ol friend.  Me glad see youse.  But not knows how ken help.  Me makin mess a eberythin.  Me fail test.  Let Sticks down.  Maybe let Lady down.  Me leave dat."  Shorty points to his holy symbols on the deck.  "Dat break promise to Old Drud.  But man inside ferget dat protect Sticks be potent.  Dat always makes Shorty member why Old Drud die.  Die protectin.  Maybe makes him member why protect Sticks be potent.  Only ting Shorty have fer givin to makes him help Sticks.  Maybe ifn me not wanna be night, him ferget me ogre n help Sticks bees safe."

Shorty looks at his friends.  "Dem goes help Sticks cause Shorty need save friend.  Me no ken let do lone.  Gots to protect friends.  Sides, me promise Sticks me come when time.  No ken see answer.  No time go sit under tree n wait fer answer.  Elf Lard bees night me tink.  When him have hard think, him wait under tree for horse wid horn.  Me watch from tree sometime.  Horse neber come to Shorty.  Fail test so neber gonna come."

Shorty smiles again at his friend.  "Now me talk to muches.  Almos talk muches as Dullis.  You ken walks wid us til time help Sticks?  Me likes dat."