(I will allow Grigori's player to define one thing about these octopoid beings. If he declines, I'll do so myself...)

"I do not recall the name these things use for themselves, but the drawings are uncannily accurate. There is a signal that they share to identify friend from stranger, one that was interpolated to human hands and well described by the ancient nautralist, Hemsly Morrowbind. It looks something like this." He makes a series of maneuvers with his fingers and wrists to show The Lady. "We should step out together and show them this gesture, they'll offer succor. Assuming their tradition has not changed, that is.

The octopoids have gathered very near ground level, but not yet stepping off the slanted surface of the dark Chrome Mountain range.

A few more octopoids start emerging from the holes above...

Aesop licks his lips unconsciously. He likes seafood. He looks at his companions. They don't seem overly aggressive. Fine. Aesop lays down lazily. A signal that he doesn't feel threatened and isn't intending to be threatening himself.

---

ooc: just some flavor text to show that I'm still reading along.

The Duke has enjoyed the strange treasure at some point even trying to lick if to see how it tastes. When its cold it should taste like icecream!

When they reach the strange creatures The Duke gets protective and puts both hands over the light glaring at these things.If they would try to steal their light he would smash them all.

When The Duke tastes the ball of ice that looks like stone, he finds that it tastes like fresh basil.

But that was on the way to the mountains. By the time the expedition party reaches the mountains, the ball feels like it's just that, a ball of inflated rubber.

Looks like a ball of rainbow-colored yarn, though.

Smells like woodsmoke.

...It's making a sort of very quiet powered-on-electronics hum.

“Why, of course”, The Lady said, entwinning her arm through the gentleman’s, and allowing him to escort her.

Grigori lowers the walker to the ground and hooks his elbow for the lady to take. He opens the hatch and leads the way out onto the ground in front of the octopoids. He stops and begins the hand dance with his free hand, allowing The Lady to perform the other half of the greeting with her free hand.

The Duke is raptly facinated by this strange ball and beyond shooting a glance at his friends and the strange creatures he keeps focussed on playing with it. totally lost in this strange thing that fools all senses. As it starts to hum he tastes it again wondering if it tingles and if he can actually manipulate the ball.

The Lady joined Grigori in greeting the mountain folk.
She was magnanimous, and charming ... inspired and intrigued by these strange peoples.

"Can you speak their tongue, though", she teasingly smiled at her companion.

(Since The Lady has a higher Charming stat, I'll let her make a Charming roll now, please...

The Duke, make an Insightful roll...)

Ha

-rolled 6 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 3,2.  Cham roll, as requested.

"I hope they speak the same language as the rest of us. If they're the one's the old woman wanted us to meet, she said they would identify themselves." He whispers to the lady as she moves forward to charm them.

As the adults talk The Duke enjoys his toy.

ooc: 09:24, Today: The Duke rolled 12 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 6,5.  Lick my ball.

JJ let Grigori and The Lady speak, however ze did search zir database for any data ze had on this species.

06:00, Today: JJ rolled 7 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 3,3.  Shapeshift.
06:00, Today: JJ rolled 10 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 5,3.  Insight.

It seemed that he had extensive files, and ze opened them to discover...

It has a taste like mangoes and oranges and mint. (The Duke gets a +1 on his next roll.)




(The way this generally works is that a shapeshift roll of 7-9 is slightly flawed. Describe how you shapeshift to search for information, please, JJ...

Also: So I take it that no one is going to try to Aid The Lady in her failed roll? (Or is that what JJ is trying to lead up to doing...?))

Grigori will continue to gesture in the typical friend greeting to the octopoids as an assist.


12:12, Today: Grigori rolled 6 using 2d6 with rolls of 5,1.  Charm.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:29, Sun 02 Feb 2020.

(No no-- when I said

quote:

If you want to try to Aid someone, just say how you help in the narrative, then roll based on how you help, then report your roll and I'll decide what happens and narrate from there.

I meant roll normally-- 2d6 and your Charming modifier, in this case.

You may attempt to help/assist someone who has failed a roll, but we're not using the PBTA Aid move as such.)
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:45, Sun 02 Feb 2020.

OOC: Oops, edited to reflect the right roll.

(Before anything else:

The Lady, Grigori speaking to you earlier caused you to Hold 1 Attention.

I don't want you to use it retroactively-- only for things that haven't already been posted-- but I was remiss in not pointing this out sooner, so I offer to let you instead have 2 Attention right now instead of just 1.

Is this compromise acceptable to you...?)

In reply to The GM (msg # 111):

Yeah that's good with me!

(Er, that's nice, but I was asking The Lady)

OOC: so, I have 2 Attention currently, but cannot use it to modify my failed Charm roll.  Correct?
That sounds just fine to me.  Thank You



Never the less, The Lady stepped forward to greet them in the traditional way of many such primitive peoples, by showing them that she wished to acknowledge their ownership of this land.

Almost ceremoniously, she crouched and scooped up a handful of dirt and small stones, and threw it into the face of the nearest octoperson.

(Yeah thumbs up)



The octopoids throw a few spears at the party. However, only Grigori and The Lady are close enough to get hit.

(Grigori and The Lady are each now Somewhat Wounded.)

The throws aren't very damaging to Grigori... they seem... sort of lackluster? Ceremonial? Either these things aim differently than humans, or they weren't throwing to kill...

Of course, the spears don't hurt The Lady physically at all, but it's a rejection by a thinking people, and that hurts her a little...

"Ack! Good lord! back to the walker!" Grigori throws his hands over his head to protect his soft parts and dashes back to the walker, sustaining some cuts and bruises but no life threatening injuries in the process.

"What was that, Lady? You seem to have insulted them! Can't say I blame them. I've never been a fan of having dirt thrown in my face, either!" He looks at her with consternation and strokes his beard with agitation.