Kozibi's face started to pull in to a frown a bit more and more as they talk went on. First the threat, and then...a ridiculous discussion about the threat. He rolled his eyes and let out a sigh, then rubbed his temples a little.

Besides, he was much more interested in something else. Something was different, in him. He could feel it. He had been thinking over something, with his connection to magic and sound, for the last day or so. He thought he might have unlocked it, or at least another piece of the puzzle.

He walked over to Breya and quietly asked, "You are hurt. I think I might be able to help a little. Do I have your permission to touch you?" He then quickly added, "Um, you shoulder or your hand or something I mean."

Breya was fuming, about to just punch that pirate, but she stared at Kozibi.  Not in a mean way, but a bewildered one.

"A'ight, I get what you're trying to do.  But you should have stopped after I might be able to help a little, the rest of that... made it weird.  Like the spirit of it, just... little awkward, not a big deal just letting you know because you were trying to help.  Are you a cutman?"

Kozibi hesitated. "I'm...not familiar with that term."

He then gestured at the pirate she'd 'downed'. "I simply didn't want to make the mistake of touching you without permission and...ending up like that if you took offense or thought I was being too forward with you."

At that, he did smile at her finally. He was teasing her a little apparently.

He then cast a spell that he had never cast before, almost fumbling part of it. But a healing warmth washed over Breya from his hand on her shoulder. It wasn't a lot of healing but...it was better than nothing maybe.

OOC: Of course I hit enter when I was still typing in the +3 bonus AND rolled low to boot. Oh well. Breya - heal 5 hit points.

22:05, Today: Kozibi Januson rolled 2 using 1d8.  Cure Light Wounds on Breya.

In reply to Kozibi Januson (msg # 189):

Lief, each of the pirate gentlemen is wearing a suit of rather shoddy looking leather.  None of them Gnome sized.  Red kerchiefs on their head.  Boots.  Nothing special.

Pirate 2 sighs.  "Look.  I'm already sayin' I'll tell you.  Making more threats just makes it look like you don't have any...whatchmacall'em...listening skills.

"Anyway.  If you want and you got some paper, I'll draw you a map.  How's that?

"As far as who all is down there...lemme see.

"There's Wilma and Jox.  And they got the...whatchamacall 'em...Momma and Poppa cats.

"As far as other guys...I think there's Fred and Karla an' Biff and Roscoe.  I don't know if you can count Biff though.  He's kinda stupid.

"There ain't no more dead guys.  Jox drove 'em all out of the house.  'cept that one cold guy.  We had him boxed up in the tower.  Course you guys killed him.  So...you know.  No more dead guys.

"I don't know who's buyin' the slaves.  You'd have to ask Wilma.  She and the Cap'n are the ones who make the deals.  I just fetch what they tell me to fetch.  There's no more slaves left here, other than the ones that were up here.  Wilma shipped the ones downstairs out this mornin'.  They'd be headed off to wherever.  You'd have to talk to her about 'em.

"Some lizards are buyin' the weapons though.  That I know.

"So?  You wanna let me down and give me some paper so I can get to drawin' that map?  Or do you just wanna make a bunch more threats cos you ain't go no...whatchamacall 'em...smarts?"

Pirate 2 is fun.  You guys should try to recruit him.

Fight breaks out. Zale gets ignored. Fight ends. Zale gets ignored. And what Lief did seems ti be ignored. Everything seems to be that way. He just watches the pirate seeming to ask for death with all the armed people standing over them. And the pirate is such a smart a**. He tries to keep his cool and take a long, deep breath. In and out. They have the smarts and listening skills-the pirates lost. His hands go from being taught to being more relaxed. He just listens to the pirate and all the things going on with the group. The undine wants to kill the pirates but he knows it won't solve anything. What he wants to do and what he needs to do is all mixed together but seems to be getting better. Sort of. Lizardfolk buying the weapons. Pirates ain't the main goal. The lizardfolk are. And the sharkmen. Slaves that will need to be saved. Just as long as they were less annoying then Lief! Perhaps what the pirate said was true. Maybe not. Pirates will do anything to save their lives...

Memories seems to pop into his head but what is real? Redheaded merfolk. Strange.

Pirates. Undead. Lizardman. Catfolk. Mimics.

Zale stands up, brushing off his legs. He grabs his backpack and turns to leave going towards the old libary and stops "I am going to check out the library." Its something he wouldn't normally do but he made a promise to Bell.

Willma. One less pirate to kill. Momma and Poppa cats. Whats this with all the damn cats?

The wheels are starting to turn.....

Jevin had continued to sharpen his axe and got it razor sharp.   Putting it away, he began to sharpen his dagger.

He waited a moment and listen intently as the pirate spoke.   Waiting for the others to speak,  he noticed no one wanted to give the pirate rebuttal.

As Zale left to check out the library, he nodded to him.

Turning back to the pirate who had spoken, he put his dagger away.

"I am interested in seeing a map of the area and going into detail about what is where on the map.   Quick question though.  The momma and poppa cats, describe them for me. Go into detail describing everything you can about them.  Are they the cats that made the little cats that were with the crazy cat lady up here?"

A chill went up his spine as he thought about it and what these cats could be.

"I say we take this pirate with us.   Would you be willing to fight for us and with us?"
This message was last edited by the player at 01:20, Tue 14 June 2022.

Breya was getting pissed off by every word he said and was about to punch his lights out, but Jevin asked good questions.  Bloody and angered, she was practically feral when she shook her prisoner to answer.

 Cassandre went around the pirates, and gathers those red kerchiefs. She collected them and mentally labelled them, trying in the process to work out if there was a ranking system to them.

 As Jevin was offering a job to the subdued pirate, she approached and prosaically said:
 "Allow me to verify something firstly..."

 "What is your name, Mr Pirate? the petite magician asked with an inquisitive look, and followed with a flurry of magical gestures and a whispered incantation.

 She grabbed the pirate's hand, read the lines on his palm, mused.
 "Hmmm... oh I seeee. Wow. Ah ok that makes sense... sort of..." she mumbled half to herself.

---

Cast Discern Next of Kin - trying to gauge the morality and reliability of the Pirate in the process.
 Lagrene rolled 19 using 1d20+4.  sense motive. 

Well its a damn good thing that Zale didn't hear the fact that Jevin seems to be trying to get the pirate to join the group as he seems to really hate them for very good reasons. Slavers, murderers, setting weapons to the highest bidder. The works. And most likely it will turn on the group for revenge. Of course Jevin nods to him as Zale left...he's up to no good! Course Zale couldn't do much. No one will listen to him anyways, just that he might be the last undine because of the pirates. And the sharkmen. He's bitter towards them.

Rummage rummage rummage inside the library with the otter at his side.

An easy enough fix, Lief would grab up the leather [and the pants] from the bandit breya stripped, as well as from the unconcious bandit, another 2 cross bows, three stabby daggers, and one of the cutlasses. There was a lot of bolts, he'd probably take a hold of about 125 bolts and if they are metal tipped then only the bolt head off of another 100 bolts.

Setting to work with this, he will cut down breyas' bandit's leather to something more gnome sized before then making leather cordage with those cut offs and turning the other leather into strips and carefully preserving any of its stitching. Intent to make a makeshift backpack from leather cord and the pants.

He will then reinforce the shody, now gnome sized, leather to have a decent piece.

Kozibi's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. He stepped towards the talkative pirate and said, "Now, hold on there! Give us a minute."

He angrily yanked Jevin back and spoke quietly, "what the hell do you think you're doing?? why would we be offering to have pirates join up with us? we aren't a pirate crew! they're murderers and slavers! Zale won't stand for it, and I don't like it either."

OOC: Define “yanked back”.

As Kozibi grabbed Jevin and tried to yank him back, Jevin simply stood his ground.

He sheathed his dagger that he was trying to sharpen and attempted to tuck the stone away in his pouch.

Jevin walked back with Kozibi away from the others and out of ear shot as he listened before responding.

"You ever gut a deer or fish?  How about you think you have skinned as many furred animals as I have and traded them?  Ones that were overpopulated and causing problems?   Probably not.   Look, I am used to people hating and being angry at me cause my heritage.   If he thinks he has a chance he may work with us.  If not why give us anything?  I asked you about skinning animals because I can cut either pirate open real easy.  Let them cling to hope and want to impress us to get in good.   Can always kill them.   Why don't you go check on Zale and stay with him.   Maybe calm him down or see if he's alright.   He's flying off and upset and needs a friend.   Before you go though I'm going to pat you on the shoulder.   Let's see how good your performance is.  Knock my arm off of you and curse me as you storm off...to check on Zale."

Finishing his statement that was a borderline whisper to Kozibi, he lightly patted him on the shoulder...like you would a kid that doesn't understand.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:17, Tue 14 June 2022.

Kozibi listened but shook his head at Jevin. Of course he'd never gutted an animal, of any kind. He'd never even hunted an animal before! Well, one time, when he'd gotten lost and run out of rations - but he didn't want to think about horrible that had gone for him. He repressed a shudder.

He frowned even more deeply at Jevin, which might actually enhance his performance he supposed, but did as he'd been...'asked'. "That's absurd! You shallow-brained thug! You-" He kept cursing as he 'stormed' off.

Honestly, he wasn't even sure he shouldn't be angry and cursing at Jevin. Jevin might not be sure if Kozibi was angry and actually cursing him either really.

18:39, Today: Kozibi Januson rolled 24 using 1d20+5.  Perform - Act? If Bluff, it's +4 more.

Jevin frowned at Kozibi's departure.

Turning back to the pirate he smirked.

"Any of you have anything to write on?  I believe we need a map drawn."

He rested his hands on his weapons as he waited to see if anyone else wanted to chime in or the pirate had anything to say.

In reply to Jevin Holt (msg # 201):

Zale, the library is mostly full of old tomes which long ago turned to dust.  You can see where some volumes have been taken off the shelves, probably by Bellinha when she was in here.

The room is quiet.  And for a moment, you have a space all to yourself.

---

Pirate 2 watches the interaction between you both Jevin and Kozibi.  He then watches Kozibi stomp away.  He studies you for a moment Breya, and frowns slightly but does not resist your touch Cassandre.

He then looks back at you Jevin.

Someone comes up with paper and ink...

And we will move to a new thread in a moment.  Thanks

Koz headed to the library, looking around for Zale. Upon finding him he asked, "So. Eat any good books lately?" He flashed a friendly smile for just a moment.

Then he sobered and shrugged. "Come on. I believe we are about to venture downward and encounter more pirates that require your harmful touch."

"So against pirates I can't kill? There is no point. I'd rather sit and watch the group kill eachother." Well Zale seems to be in a bad mood. He sits at a table, looking at old books but not getting anywhere as they are dusty, dirty or falling apart. His crossbow sits on the table aimed at the door. He leans back, looking tired and frustrated "First Bell now you?"

Kozibi bit back his initial gut reply. He took a deep breath. "I can't begin to understand what you've gone through, what you're feeling. But I can understand wanting revenge, wanting to kill." He shook his head. "I don't care if you kill the pirates, personally. My fighting style requires me to start with a non-lethal intimidating first hit, to shake their confidence and their ability to fight back. Then I start stabbing. and for the record...*I* never told you not to kill anyone."

He waved a hand. "Do whatever you want, Zale. I'm not here to save you, or move you along, or to make sure you stay with the group. You don't want to travel with us anymore because we won't help you kill?" He shrugged. "That's on you. We haven't travelled together long enough to be friends so you don't care about me or Bel. I get it. Sorry to have bothered you."

He turned and started exiting the library to rejoin the others.

"I am not asking to be saved. Or need it. I don't want revenge!" He snaps out "I want my family back. I want to remember my past and I can't. You try to be around people who want to use you as a weapon. Everyone here does. I don't care? Have you even tried to talk to me about this? No. You didn't. You don't understand and I can't explain it to you to make you nderstand."

Kozibi paused at the door, turning his back to half-look towards Zale. "I'm not asking you to be a weapon. I thought you wanted to hurt and kill pirates. If you don't...don't." He shrugged. "Do you WANT to talk? I've tried to ask you about this and how you are several times, but you have wanted to be angry and stormed off alone every time."

He turned halfway and looked at Zale. "Nothing can bring your family back, I'm sorry. I wish I could say differently. I can't help you remember your past either. I don't have that kind of magic, at least not yet."

Once again Zale was lashing out and claiming no one could understand and no one wanted to. So he waited a moment.

"I want them to fell the pain that they put me through but I can't. And everyone else wants me to fight but then I get yelled at when I do. It makes no sense and I am tired of being used. And you never asked me anythng. Not once. I don't want to be angry but right now its how I survive." He rests his hands on the table "If I get attacked, I fight back to kill them. When I get order to stop, no one understands. They are the enemy. Not a friend, not someone they can pull to their side. But the others they don't care. They want to fight each eachother and it won'd solve a damn thing. I got a mission. You with me or against me?" He stands up, grabs his backpack and goes to leave but not towards the group-towards the southern east tower and heads downwards but not fully. Ha makes sure they are gone before he grabs a few more bolts to be fully stocked, checks to see if there is anything odd or something useable and waits. The undine casts a spell upon himself.

OOC
Mage Armor. Last 3 hours

16:31, Today: Zale Morcant rolled 15 using 1d20+3.  Stealth..
This message was last edited by the player at 01:51, Wed 15 June 2022.

Kozibi looked at Zale for a long moment. His voice was calm when he spoke, no hint of anger or anything in it. "Just to be clear, I reached out to you twice. I asked if you were alright and I asked if there was anything I could do for you, so don't throw me under the wagon and act like I don't care."

He shook his head. "I'm not against you." But he silently added, Time will tell if I'm with you.

"If you truly care, help me." The undine looks at him and holds a hand out "Please." A strange sight. Does Zale mean it? Maybe. Maybe not. He does this before he slinks down into the cellar (SE)

Kozibi showed great willpower and restraint as he held back the first couple of things that came to mind. He wasn't sure what Zale really wanted. He shook his head slightly but then gave a shrug. "Fine. Don't make me regret it. Let's go." And he followed after the undine.