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Post by Snowfire on Mar 15, 2011 21:24:08 GMT
Probably to the former. To the latter, almost definitely. My apologies.
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Post by jokester on Mar 15, 2011 22:11:23 GMT
Oh great. And why are we expected to come? Some of us are actually remembering we have jobs.
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Post by Professor H. Talhoffer on Mar 15, 2011 22:45:42 GMT
"Well, all this started when we arrived. Sailors are a notoriously superstitious bunch..."
On a side note, it's not a heroic scheme, we're running away.
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Post by jokester on Mar 15, 2011 23:02:33 GMT
They often start out like that. Talk to Rincewind... if you can catch up with him.
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Post by Professor H. Talhoffer on Mar 15, 2011 23:14:10 GMT
Yes, but as yet no heroism is intended.
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Post by Snowfire on Mar 15, 2011 23:21:53 GMT
And can you be certain that coming along won't actually help the completion of that job? I shoot back. And unless you have a surefire way of getting us out of here, it's really the only thing we can do. Deal with it.
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Post by jokester on Mar 15, 2011 23:28:24 GMT
Well, I could always try and Elflock ya... but y'know what? Sure. Why not. Let's say I trust your betta judgement and am willing to tag along and find out what ya actually think you're doin'. Poysonally, I think you're insane, but for some reason Tink here has faith in ya. I gotta warn ya though, every second we waste is a second we aint findin' who killed you-know-who.
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Post by Snowfire on Mar 16, 2011 0:15:48 GMT
You think I don't know that? I reply. However, as the Impartial Ruler and Her sister were one and the same, sane members of other races will likely be willing to work with us. And we won't even have to lie to them to obtain that help. Free help too, I might add. At least in most cases. The other races are far more valuable than many of our people like to realise. Or admit.
I smile and turn away from Talhoffer before starting to make my way up on deck. "Come on, Hod and Tink will be up there soon."
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Post by jokester on Mar 16, 2011 0:26:46 GMT
Hod and Tink are indeed on deck by the time the two get up there. Hod looks distinctly unimpressed, and is surrounded by distrustful-looking pirates.
"Ok, so, are we leaving? Cos these guys aint too overzealous to keep us around longer than they have ta."
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Post by Professor H. Talhoffer on Mar 16, 2011 11:03:34 GMT
"Yes, I'll just lower the boat, then we can get in. Thank you, gentlemen, it's been a pleasure sailing with you."
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Post by jokester on Mar 16, 2011 13:15:43 GMT
Talhoffer's words are met by a range of expressions, from naive waving (Cap'n) to pained irritation (Kapn, who's just got back from the Sawbones) to nondescript disapproval (the Somalian) to outright rage (Fuhrer). Jim-Lad gestures down a hatch in the deck. "Longboat's down there," he says. Talhoffer shrugs and heads down, muttering to himself about the idiocy of keeping a longboat down a set of narrow stairs which it will be so awkward to drag it back up... Oh. Well, it is a boat. And it is long. But how the hell did they fit one of these: ...inside the tiny hold in their tiny fecking ship?!
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Post by Professor H. Talhoffer on Mar 16, 2011 16:15:22 GMT
Ah... see, I was expecting one of these: Alas... How hard, precisely, would it be to get it out?
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Post by jokester on Mar 17, 2011 23:39:49 GMT
In absolute terms, very easy. But considering you probably don't want to destroy the pirate ship, it's closer to 'nigh-on impossible'.
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Post by Snowfire on Mar 18, 2011 1:05:47 GMT
I give the longboat a look. Then I look again. Then I suppress a sigh. I really don't want to know what Talhoffer's done to piss these people off to this degree...
"Cap'n, could we possibly borrow one of your cutters? This is slightly...large for just the four of us." I look at Talhoffer. "Or five of us if your dwarven friend wants to join us."
Don't. I send at Hod and Tink.
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Post by jokester on Mar 18, 2011 1:27:22 GMT
"Oh... well..." Cap'n pauses to consider. "I suppose so. Ha-Haar. Jim-Lad, does we have a barber on board?"
"Err... I don't think that be what he means, Cap'n," Jim-Lad whispers.
"What be ye sayin now?"
"I thinks Cutters be what they calls the little ships we got out back."
"They does?"
"Yes, Cap'n."
"Why?"
"I doesn't know, Cap'n. Maybe they cuts stuff."
"How?"
"Well... maybe they cuts through waves."
"Waves be liquidy, Jim-Lad. Ye can't cut them."
"I believe," sighs Kapn, overhearing their debate, "that one can metephorically refer to a sufficiently speedy ship as 'cutting' through the waves. It's used for poetry and suchlike. Yes, Cutters are the little boats, Sir."
"Ah," nods Cap'n wisely. "Poetry. Of course. Good thinkin', Kapn. Ye be promoted to Coxswain."
"Er... I'm not sure that counts as a promotion, technically, but thanks. Um... what exactly do I have to do as a coxswain?"
"I doesn't know, do I? It's your position. I wouldn't expect ye to know about Captaining."
"Of course not, Cap'n. Well thought-out."
Eventually, Xylia and Talhoffer both tune out of the incessant, inane rambling. Hod sighs and leans, arms folded, against the "longboat".
"Well, aint this a quaint li'l adventure we're shapin up here? A li'l old ragtag bunch of assorted races who're supposed to be fighting each odda suddenly waltzin off inta the unknown for poorly-defined poyposes. And I neva liked marine mammalia."
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Post by Snowfire on Mar 18, 2011 1:42:00 GMT
I shoot Hod a half-hearted glare. "If you know anything about me, you should know that I'm not exactly a normal member of our race." I gesture, drawing the attention of Cap'n and Kapn.
"Sirs, please. Could we have the use of one of your cutters to make our way to that monastery?"
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Post by jokester on Mar 18, 2011 1:49:43 GMT
"Course not," Hod replies, deadpan, raising his eyebrows. "The rest of 'em aint quite so irritatin. And they have betta senses of huma."
Kapn looks at Cap'n, glances irritably at Talhoffer, then at the others. Hod waves in mock-happiness. Tink tinkles something and flies in a weird loop. Kapn sighs.
"Oh very well. They're off that way. Shall I find the dwarf?"
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Post by Snowfire on Mar 19, 2011 3:50:20 GMT
"Please." I respond pleasantly to Kapn before turning back to Hod. "Hod." I pause, allowing myself a sigh. "You got your reaction back home. If you want another one, I'd wait until I get over almost dieing. That's probably going to take a few months. At best." I smile slightly. "I know what you're trying to do and I know that there's really no point in asking you to stop - the fact that it's part of your personal freedoms notwithstanding. So keep it up." My smile fades, as does most of my facade and I give him an incredibly open look. "In a few weeks you might even get something from me." I finish regretfully.
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Post by jokester on Mar 19, 2011 17:07:49 GMT
Hod gives an expression that could probably be best summed up by the phrase 'are you kidding me?'.
"Ok Toots, that was a real moving speech and I'm really gonna have ta award ya points for sincerity. But I couldn't help but notice a couple of things there - firstly, it's 'dying'. Yeah, I can detect spelling errors in a person's voice; so sue me already. Secondly, technically speaking ya did die, and then I got ya back here - an act which I have considered reversing once or twice but which I find myself unable to due to a combination of pressure from Tink, an intimate understanding of what'd happen when I got back, and a simple lack of being botha'd. And thirdly -" he grins "- I'd count what ya just did as a reaction, Toots."
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Post by Professor H. Talhoffer on Mar 20, 2011 22:38:27 GMT
"Right. Can we go now?"
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Post by Snowfire on Mar 21, 2011 4:04:18 GMT
"Good." I say in response to Hod. "Talhoffer, if you could prepare one of the cutters?"
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Post by jokester on Mar 21, 2011 8:44:17 GMT
Kapn returns with Wotri in tow and pushes him towards the assembled group before leaving again with a farewell grunt.
Talhoffer prepares and lowers the little boat and the elf, hobgoblin, sprite, dwarf and whatever the hell Talhoffer is all set off towards the land and the monastery.
"Well," Wotri smiles. "This is shaping up to be a pleasant little adventure, isn't it? Where are we going now?"
Now that you're closer, the monastery is starting to look a bit less like a monastery and a bit more like a massive old-style boarding school. Either way, there are no obvious signs of life.
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Post by Professor H. Talhoffer on Mar 21, 2011 11:57:08 GMT
Right, well that's a good thing. Do I still have that telescope?
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Post by jokester on Mar 21, 2011 13:30:06 GMT
Y'know, I believe you do. Technically that's stealing, but there you go.
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Post by Professor H. Talhoffer on Mar 21, 2011 13:40:58 GMT
Cool, I'll take a closer look at that there building then...
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Post by jokester on Mar 21, 2011 17:00:07 GMT
Looks a bit like this: But without any people around outside. There is light coming from a few of the upper windows, though.
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Post by Professor H. Talhoffer on Mar 21, 2011 18:30:12 GMT
Hmm... That seems oddly familiar. Ok, let's go. Everyone agreed?
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Post by jokester on Mar 22, 2011 12:43:27 GMT
Wotri looks at the building and nods happily. Tink tinkles something that doesn't seem to be an obvious disagreement. Hod rolls his eyes vaguely noncommittally.
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Post by Professor H. Talhoffer on Mar 22, 2011 13:52:25 GMT
Xylia?
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Post by Snowfire on Mar 22, 2011 16:14:05 GMT
"Sure."
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