BellaOnline Forums Hobbies and Crafts Role Playing Games RPG: The Mainland (Scene 2)

"You guys really can't keep it down, can you," Derissa smirked. "You also like to invent conclusions based on your assumptions of me. It's humorous. Please, continue--some day you may actually be correct." The last words were punctuated by a hard glare at Randol followed by sweet smile to the group.

"They're complaining. I was just trying to hear if they were planning an attack or something. But, they're not. However, if you don't keep quiet, they may change what they're saying and summon the rest of the horde. Whereas you, Kam, may enjoy that, I'm sure I wouldn't. Do you know how many goblins are in a horde? A lot. I'd rather just deal with fifteen to twenty than a horde. So, let's just put a little trust in each other for a change and let each of us do what we're good at. I will not stop you, Kam, from knocking goblin heads together just as Randol will not stop me from proceeding into darkness and returning with information," she smiled to him again--that smile of will you just get off my back and let me do my job--then continued, "It's what I do. Now, shall we just go forward or do we want to just send Kam ahead to clear the path?"

The goblin prisoner looked as if he might be getting ready to call a warning, but at the mention of Kam he thought better of it. He wasn't sure how many goblins were in a horde either, but didn't want to bet against Kam if it came down to it.

"You plenty strong," he grunts. "Me take you to Goblin King, you kill and make me King. Then I be human friend."

He gets a bit excited, and loud, during the last of that, and the grunts from the goblins up ahead change to questioning ones, followed by footsteps heading toward the group.

"You people are all crazy. Derissa, you made it quite clear from the outset that you have your own agenda. You keep running off every chance you get without saying anything to anyone so we have no idea what you are doing. Kam you are just looking for a brawl and Benedict, I have no idea why you are here either. Are you all looking for revenge for that man being killed back at the pub? And now we have a goblin who wants us to make him a king and he will be our friends. That would be nice to live in peace with the goblins but I don't trust him either. I am here to find a blood diamond."

Then the goblin said, "A blood diamond? Goblin King wears one as necklace."

"Oh, of course he does. Why not? I didn't expect it to be easy or anything." Randol said with a frustrated tone.

"Derissa, it would be nice if before you go running off that you let someone know what you are doing so we aren't trying to guess and left wondering, but of course, you continue to do what you want to. Don't let anything I say or the safety of these other two and the goblin be of any concern to you."

Randol stopped for a moment and took a breath. He knew he was about to get loud and that wouldn't do anyone any good. In a quieter tone, he said to Derissa, "You said something about us drawing conclusions about you but that is all we have to go on. You are very closed off and secretive and there may be a reason for that, but, we are all in a very precarious postion right now and we have to trust each other or people will die. I don't know about the rest of you, but dying here is certainly not on my agenda. Derissa, I said before I would trust you, against my better judgment, but I did say it and I meant it but it would be nice if you throw us a bone or something and let us know something before you go running off."

Then the noise of the goblins up ahead suddenly stopped and there was an erie quiet.

Derissa smiled sweetly. She always did that when she was getting upset. She reached her right hand to pat his cheek, "Awww, poor Randol. His agenda's not as easy as he'd hoped! Whatever is he going to do..." She smiled derisively and then put her hands on her hips. "As for me, I've never once said anything about my agenda. You assume you know what it is. You also don't listen for I've said each time I've gone away from you that I was going...to scout. Perhaps I should use a smaller word so you'll be sure to understand." Her eyes flicked to the side, followed by a slight turn of her head.

"Your pet goblin, there, seems to have alerted the others. Kam, get ready for a fight. Benedict, get ready to...do...whatever it is you do... and Randol... try to keep quiet and just cast your magic."

"What about you? Running ahead again," Randol snarikly asked.

Derissa grinned, replaced the hood of her cloak and grabbed up her crossbow from under her robe before disappearing into shadows, "Maybe...maybe I'll stay and fight. Just keep your pet quiet. As much as I'm loathed to say it...he could be useful..."

Hiding in the shadows, she waited for the onslaught of a small horde--like a classroom--of goblins to come forward. She'd wait to see how things were going before she attacked...or did something else potentially useful.

"Try to keep quiet and just cast your magic." Randol said to himself sarcastically. "I'll cast some magic alright... Smaller words. I'll give her smaller..."

Then he came back to his senses and saw a light down the corridor. The light was slowly getting brighter which meant that whoever was wielding it was getting closer to them. There was no place for them to duck and cover so he made sure the goblin was quiet and he cast a spell to levitate the group high into the air and told everyone to be quiet. The captive goblin was about to do something it seemed to alert their presence but Kam punched him in the head and knocked him out again.

The small horde of goblins troops down the tunnel, bickering just like a classroom of small children. They move past Derissa without seeing her, and stop just under the levitating group. They seem to be arguing, and one hits another on the back of his head. Or maybe that's an accepted goblin gesture of respect. Few scholars have managed to return with details of goblin culture.

Regardless, there seems to be a debate going on.

[Those with a bit of goblin can tell that they're arguing about who heard what, one is complaining about having to leave a dice game he was winning at, another claims he was cheating, etc.]

Randol wondered if Derissa was alright or even if she was still with the group and if she could hear the goblins and what they were saying. He was also hoping they wouldn't look up. It was then he decided to use the cloaking spell so if they did look up, the group wouldn't be seen.

Moments later, Randol and the group heard something further down the cavern and the goblins got distracted by the noise and went to check it out. Randol heaved a sigh of relief.

Good, Derissa thought. The rock-trick worked.

She had thrown a rock down the hallway and the goblins seemed to be distracted enough to go chasing sounds. She looked up...she knew Randol, et. al. were up there...but she couldn't see them. She hoped that meant he found a ledge and not that they were captured.

Silly wizard.

Stepping from the shadows, she replaced her crossbow under her robe, then moved the hood back, shaking out her hair. Her eyes looked over the area, looking to see if any stragglers were left, and just /where/ to go from here. She didn't want to just run ahead without letting Randol know what she was doing. The lout would likely make a lot of noise and follow her...then lecture her to death. She sighed and leaned against the wall. "Five minutes. If he and the rest aren't here in five minutes, I'm going to look for Caleb myself..."

Four and a half minutes later, Randol and the group appeared near Derissa. Ever so quietly, they crept up near her and this was the first time Randol saw her without her hood on and could get a good look at her.

"Stunning. Absolutely stunning." he murmered in a low voice.

"Did you say something Randol?" Derissa asked and glared at him.

"*Ahem* Yeah I was just thinking out loud about what we are going to do. We are going to have to fight our way out of this tunnel or we will have to find another tunnel but its obvious that unless we plan on living in this cavern, we are going to have to fight that horde to get out. I don't know if they are guarding the mouth of the cavern or not and fighting them may bring more."

"Good, the more the merrier." Kam said as she was chomping at the bit to get into a brawl.

"I talk now." the captive goblin said. The members of the group looked at each other and decided to let him have a say.

"Goblins brothers no look for you. It was cavern patrol. They patrol all caverns. They will check noise down there and keep going to another cavern. Outside this cavern is forest and through forest is Goblin Kingdom. Not so many dangers in forest but lots of dangers in the kingdom. Lots of prisoners too. Goblin Kingdom full of wonderful treasures that people try to take so they get captured and soon put to death. Tried to put one to death other day but he escaped and made it back to big city across the water."

The cavern was getting darker. Must be nightfall. "We need to make camp somewhere and get some rest." Randol said.

"Anywhere is safe. Goblins afraid of dark. They will not be out." the captive goblin said as he grasped Randol tightly. He was afraid as well.

"I will take first watch and in hours, I will wake someone up to relieve me." They carefully walked until they were outside of cavern and found a secluded spot to make camp.

Derissa was growing impatient. She leaned against the wall, tapping her fingers on her arm. She was just about to push off and go forward when she heard Randol murmur something.

...did he just...say stunning?!

She listened to his very bad lie about what he'd said and just smirked. So cute when he was trying to be deceptive. She'd have to train him. She felt her cheeks flush and thanked Loki it was dark enough that no one could see that. What was she thinking?! Randol'd be an awful thief!

"So...you're planning on stunning the goblins, then? That's the great plan? Stun them with what? Your karmic wisdom? Good luck there..." She smirked and chuckled, looking away. Her raven waves hid her face--which was probably best.

That's when the goblin decided he wanted to talk. As he spoke of the prisoner, her mind flicked back to the guy that'd started this adventure--the one who said he'd swum the channel. Injured. Good to know...maybe that meant this Caleb guy was still alive. She hoped so...

Randol's words sort of glossed over her ears. Something about camp and guarding and hostile take-overs--wait, that was her thought. "Hmm?" She finally asked, coming out of her consuming thoughts and plans for accomplishing her mission. "Watch? Oh, right... sleeping," she gave Randol her signature smirk, "You sure you're a good choice for first watch? I mean...if something happens, what are you going to do? Mesmerize them?" She lifted her hands next to her face and wiggled her fingers in mock-spell casting. "Maybe you should let me take first watch...or don't you trust me to not run off and leave you alone to die?" Her smirk grew a little dark--as if she hadn't thought of that idea before. It was kind of appealing. Kind of.

"...fine. You take first watch, Kam can take second, and I'll take third..." She reasoned to herself this would give those that needed to prepare spells enough uninterrupted sleep. She just hoped no one questioned...