Red Throat Ghoul Quest Redux 2

>>Begin investigation into Rippers
If we get to them sooner we might just be able to get them to turn into regular ghouls instead, this is the time sensitive option. And it's not like we've got any idea how to help Sweetie yet, we might figure out something working on the Rippers.

>go visit talon
>Begin investigation into Rippers.

>Begin investigation into Rippers
Roll me 2d100 best of first 3 please

Rolled 72, 13 = 85 (2d100)

Rolled 77, 27 = 104 (2d100)

Rolled 41, 28 = 69 (2d100)

Knowing that time is of the essence Tatters and Dust seal themselves away inside their Lab after moving the four infected to be bound to the tables. Within they quickly turn to dissecting the two Rippers, nearly taller than their tables were long when laid out flat, under the light of two Radiant Ferals. Scalpels and surgical tools taken from the Rogue Magisters refuge they carve through cold flesh and crack open rips to pull out and begin their thorough investigation. Organs are weighed, slivers carved from heart and liver and tasted and blood drained for processing.

In time one of the infected awakens, hissing in pain at the ragged bite in his shoulder, then lifting his head in confusion. The human lays eyes upon the undead hunkered over the corpses whispering to each other as a goblin and hobgoblin, their skin pulsing with ruddy light, perch on nearby tables. Letting out a scream of terror the ghouls swiftly turn their heads to stare, glowing eyes shining through the murk renewing his screaming. His shouts rouse the other infected and soon their screams and shrieks fill the air as Dust approaches them with a cruel grin on her fact, sealed jars of glowing Radiant Blood cradled in one arm, a funnel and rubber hole grasped in the other.

As the muffled screams are silenced one by one Jaw prepares a squad of ferals to accompany her to the Reservoir. Arming themselves and their murkhounds she was almost ready to leave when one of the ogre ferals whimpers in its deep bass of a voice, talons like pickaxes scraping against the ground. Rolling her eyes and patting the bloated feral on its massive arm she motions for it to follow and soon they are out in the tunnels, the ogre feral crawling along with surprising grace on all fours behind her humming a mindless tune that's quickly picked up by the other ferals.

The trip to the Reservoir is a well-traveled one, a path of Networked fungus and mycelium linking patches of Glowcaps and waving sentryshrooms to guide the ghouls on their way. They pass a patrol of goblin ferals and Fungal Guards that pause to salute Jaw and the others before continuing on their route. Walking alongside a sewer river Jaw admonishes the Ogre when it nearly falls in snatching at a catfish just below the waters surface.

As they near the Reservoir proper there was a sudden spray of water as a great white beast bursts from the river to land in front of Jaw quickly followed by the dark dappled formed of smaller but still still large humanoids. The ferals hiss and hoot at the sudden appearance but Jaw laughs and moves forward to wrap her arms around the broad neck of one of Grubbilechs Children, the albino rumbling happily as the ghoul drags her talons along the underside of a jaw, "Good to ssee you, Akal."

The albino nearly buckles Jaw when she pats her on the back with a large hand as her younger half-orc siblings milled about her or pointed and chattered at the shy ogre hiding behind the other ferals, "Good to see you too, Jaw. Come, Mother and Talon wish to speak to you and make introductions."

Jaw blinks in surprise as the crocodilian slides back into the water, "Introductions?" she mutters then resumes her trip.

>the ogre feral crawling along with surprising grace on all fours behind her humming a mindless tune that's quickly picked up by the other ferals.
What is this, a traveling band?

The Reservoir had grown over time to become the ghouls main source of food, the bounty of surprisingly large fish and crustaceans harvested by ghoul and crocodilian. Piles of stone in the shallows of the shores let ferals perch with bone fishing spears and baskets for their catches. Aquatic ferals, naturally mutated or with fleshgrafted gills, float lazily along the surface, picking at mussels that grow in thick clusters on the rocks. Nets are lifted from the water, fish and eels thrashing as they're pulled up, the traps baited with the entrails and rotten remains of previous catches.

Rooms carved into the stone walls house the ghouls and store their supplies and catches. A large hole half-submerged in the water leading to Grubbilech and Wey-Longs personal den where the latest clutch of eggs incubated.

As Jaw and the ferals emerged onto the muddy shoreline where the river poured into the underground lake they were immediately greeted by a chorus of hooting from the ferals as more of the Children both green and albino emerged to greet their "Aunt" as they'd begun to call Jaw.

It took some time and many scritches and bellyrubs but finally Jaw separates herself from the throng of reptiles to approach where Grubbilech lazed on a large slab of stone in the shallows. Turning her eyeless gaze upon Jaw her lips curl in a jagged smile and bowing her head, "Hello, Jaw. It is good to see you here, the Children missed you."

Jaw grins and moves to crouch on the shoreline, "I misssed them too," she hisses and looks around, "I had heaard that Talon wished to speak to me. Akal saaid something about introductions?"

The albino queen huffs in annoyance, "That child can never keep her mouth shut," she grumbles and trails off. Jaw almost pressed her for more but they were interrupted as Talon's head pops up from the water further in, her fleshgrafted gills flaring as she waves in greeting.

Diving back under she quickly reemerges near Jaw and Grubbilech, siluro hide armor slick and shining in the distant light of glowcaps, a stringer of eels and fish in one hand. The two Enlightened stand and embrace briefly in greeting before pulling back. Talon grins, "Finnally you arrive. They were staarting to get worried?"

"They?" Jaw asks eagerly.

Talon laughs and lets out a whistle. Further in where the darkness descended on the Reservoir and large pipes rose from the water to the ceiling, a head popped out of the water with glowing red eyes. Disappearing a moment later Jaw eagerly scans the water, her grin turning to a confused frown as she looks at the dark water.

She let's out a startled yelp as mere feet from her a human ghoul suddenly stands from the water, somehow sneaking up on her unseen. The ghoul stands before her in siluro hide armor, one of Talon's spares, eyes glowing red with Enlightenment. Bowing their head timidly their voice, new and inexperienced, croaks out, "I aam Toad. Goood to meet yoou, sister," they say before grinning slightly at Jaw.

The Chieftain laughs and hugs the new Enlightened, "Good to haave you, Toad! Welcomme to the Triibe," she says with glee.

Well I was wondering when we were going to get a new enlightened, yay!

New Enlightened joins the Tribe!

Toad is a human ghoul who as a feral was one of the first attempts to fleshgraft gills to a Red Throat, Talon quickly becoming the first amphibious Enlightened.

Jaw joins Talon, Toad and Grubbilech in a small meal of centipede and grilled human brought with them, chatting cheerfully with the new Enlightened. Despite his initial timidness at meeting the Chieftain Talon and Grubbilech spoke so highly of he quickly warms up to Jaw and eagerly wishes to visit and meet the other members of the Tribe.

Talon asks Jaw how Echo was doing, then smiles satisfied that her partner was in good shape and proud of her with her work training the newest goblin Enlightened Dart. Proud as she was of the goblins accomplishments she seemed a little bitter that it had been so long since they'd seen each other.

Eventually Jaw and her ferals prepare to return, Toad helping strap sledges loaded with urns and nets full of fish and shellfish to murkhounds and ferals. The newly Enlightened is hugged one-by-one by the green-scaled crocs, the reptiles growing close to the new Enlightened they swam and hunted with.

Returning home the Tribe is a flurry of activity as they prepare a small feast to greet their new brother to Enlightenment, Toad quickly accepted by the pack. He is even able to meet Brute as the orc ghoul returns with a group of ferals for supplies to build their outpost with the fungals. Agreeing to stay for the feast the large undead is quick to show off the collection of paints the orc was mixing for unique colors.

Didn't you guys get your own board for this?

New Day:

Leader: Chieftain Jaw

Population: 15 Enlightened, 115 Human Ferals, 95 Hobgoblin Ferals, 11 Orc Ferals, 58 Goblin Ferals, 1 Troll Feral, 2 Ogre Ferals, 5 Radiant Ferals

Prisoners: 4 Ripper infected (three humans, 1 hobgoblin)

Livestock: 46 Murkhounds, 20 Clackers, 25 Centipedes

Bases: Sepulcher (Home), Reservoir, Abandoned Mansion, Industrial Outpost (joint Fungal operation)

Guests: Sweetie

Tatters and Dust finally emerge from their Lab, hands and robes stained with fresh and decaying blood, but they eagerly greet their new brother. Dust eagerly inspects the ghouls gills, proud of her work and making sure they were still working properly. Toad was unnerved at first by the ghouls lack of boundaries but he says they were working perfectly, just requiring him to keep them wet when out of the water.

Brute says his goodbyes to his new younger brother as he leads his team of ferals back into the tunnels dragging sledges of tools, bricks, and food. As he leaves he passes a group of Fungals bringing in their weekly shipment of fish, scrap metal and fungal rope and cloth. Bug is quick to trade for the typical shipment of metal tools, fertilizers made of fish scales organs and bone dust along with the compost and scraps from their farms.

The Unity approaches, saying they've seen patrols of Skum nearing tunnels closer to their levels but they continue to hold back as if waiting for something and disappearing at any sign of the Unity's probes. It also brings news of Echo and Dart, saying they heard screams in the night and the smell of Rippers on the night breeze, the ghouls requesting more urgently a visit from the others. The Unity says they appear frightful but Fist just swats at the floating eye saying his sisters were tough and brave. The slime waits for Bug to leave into the tunnels to check on the centipede farm and the clackers before revealing they'd spotted a pack of murkhounds near the Industrial tunnels and Jaw was about to shrug it off when the Unity further reveals the pack was dominated by several of the druid warped Roach mutants responsible for Bugs further disfigurement. They seemed to be searching for something, murkhounds clawing at walls and searching for tunnels that weren't there.

There is much to do and tend to. What shall the tribe do today?

Choose two actions:
>Investigate Skum sightings
>Visit abandoned Mansion outpost
>Investigate the Roach sightings
>Diplomacy (who?)
>Other

Radiant blood was in fact used to convert him since they were afraid he would not survive his wounds otherwise. He still appears as a normal feral but the Tribe is keeping a close eye on him.

You mean the dead trial board?

>>Investigate the Roach sightings
I feel like a raid on the Skum would be better served with the backing of our allies. And I've been meaning to ask Graves, how much of our unlocked tech is still available for use in this quest. I'd really enjoy making a couple of designated flamethrower ghouls.

>Visit abandoned Mansion outpost that is where Echo and Dart are right?
>Diplomacy (goblins)

>Visit abandoned Mansion outpost
I'll second Dipolimancing the goblins as well

Seconding.

Guys, please think about this. If we make peace with them we will have removed the last available source of fresh ghouls we have left below ground. We've already pretty much exterminated both guilds' presence below ground, and any attempt at attacking people on the surface will bring the paladins down on us, hard. The goblins meanwhile are theives and scavengers who would loot Grubbi's children out from under her if given the chance, and are in contact with the powers that be on the surface. I don't see how we can afford to befriend them.

That's perfectly functional and it being dead means your thread will be safer for longer?

Yeah, that one.

>Flamethrowers
>Underground

Fire feels like a very, very bad thing for us to weponize in our current situation.

I have no interest in letting the goblins that far into our territory, but having some sort of peace with them would be useful. Additionally, we may be able to work something out with their wounded or sick and converting them.

Are you kidding, that's where flamethrowers are the most effective. That fire will just scorch every corner of a narrow passage, going around corners and into the nooks and crannies. There is nowhere to run, and impossible to defend against. There's a reason that in WWII flamethrowers were standard armament of guys clearing out tunnels. And it's not like we'd be fighting exclusive in incredibly tight spaces either, just look at how the terrorclaw company used them against us in the second battle of the bridge.

Man, even the snapping anvil hate those guys, and they're not even dead. Every way I look at this deal I get the impression we'd be the ones getting the harder deal in the long run.

>Visit abandoned Mansion outpost
>Diplomacy (goblins)

Roll me 2d100 for traveling, best of first three

>how much of our unlocked tech is still available for use in this quest. I'd really enjoy making a couple of designated flamethrower ghouls.
Ashamedly that's something I'm still working on. As for the flamethrowers, the Tribe and the Snapped Anvil both can make replicas of it. Bone though, fearing the danger of fire underground, made modifications to a type that can spray the centipede slime

>We've already pretty much exterminated both guilds' presence below ground
There are still guilds operating underground but not nearly to the extent of what the Lockpickers and Safecrackers did. Fear and Claw though are hearing scuttlebutt about how there is a new Guild rising to power in the vacuum left behind

...

Rolled 94, 51 = 145 (2d100)

ONWARD WE MUST GO!

snapping anvil hate goblins? I didn't know that. And I don't really know that much about goblins either other than there slaves.

Yes, for clearing out tunnels, not for defending them.

I would recommend we focus any fire based weapon development purely on defence against fire and incendiary explosives that can be used without being nearby.

Rolled 39, 25 = 64 (2d100)

Rolled 93, 3 = 96 (2d100)

Have we tried to breed or just create rat ghouls because red rot can survive in any mammal so why don't we create a breed of canabalistic giga-rodents

Hearing Echos and Darts reports Fist is quick to arm himself and several of his best fighters and a pair of goblin murkhound raiders. He briefly pauses to bid farewell to Jaw with a quick embrace and touching their foreheads together before he leaves. Moving faster with a small group they make good time as they pass through tunnels and sewers, quickly exiting the borders of their territory.

The Royal District was much like any other district at least underground. Above it was a heavily patrolled and guarded area in the foothills leading up to the distant mountain ridge to the south. Divided up among the nobility of Meldric the Royal District encompassed the various plots of land that housed grand mansions home to the elite and rich of the city. Each noble and merchant-lord seemed to have their own small platoon of soldiers and army of servants and slaves that lived in the tunnels and basements below the grand buildings.

It was during one of Echo's extensive patrols into new territories that she stumbled upon what appeared to be an abandoned mansion after she discovered a hidden doorway leading into the basement. The remains of a distillery, likely illegal, littered the basement along with crates covered in dust. The mansion was seemingly long deserted, the remoteness from the slums and market district meaning not even the homeless had found their way to the decrepit building.

A goblin murkound raider sent ahead excitedly sends back an alert signalling they'd found one of the goblin sentries and soon Fist was greeting Echo and Dart in the basement nearly larger than the sepulcher.

The masked goblin hops up to tackle her brother, hugging him before hopping off to a crate nearly eye level with him. Tipping the bronze mask back from her scarred face she grins her ragged smile of black fangs and gums, "Good of yoou to come, Fist. Been getting lonely," she turns at an indignant snort to toss a rusty nail from the crate at the goblin perched nearby, "Y'know what I mean," she rolls her remaining eye and turns back to Fist, "Annywaays. Would ye like to sssee more?"

Fist waves at the goblin nearby where they were repairing one of several crossbows with new strings and tightening gears, the goblin waving back before returning to their work. The Warleader looks to his best scout and nods, "Show me whaat you've gotten for uss," he croaks out and Echo begins the tour.

The mansion grounds were tucked back far down a lonely road that seemed to get little traffic from the District guard patrols, the grounds left to grow wild and unchecked full of plant and animal life. Indeed the grounds didn't seem to have much of a back border from Echo's hesitant exploring in the light of the moon. A copse of trees loomed in the distance but she reported hearing large beasts in the brush and rushed home. A greenhouse with shattered glass panes sat overgrown next to an equally green pond that seemed to teem with frogs and small colorful fish.

Could we somehow afford to buy this place? If it's abandoned to this extent then people probably think it's cursed or shit. Might be a good place for Fear to use as a cover for dealings with the above.

The mansion itself seemed to have been left alone for years from the layers of dust. Yet it was the abundance of furniture and decorations that remained that confused Fist. Everything appeared as if the inhabitants had left for town and just never returned. Paintings faded and molded over lined the halls or sat in glass frames. A stern faced woman gazes firmly from her portrait above a cold hearth, another showing an elaborately dressed hobgoblin. Throughout the mansion there was a wealth of materials the tribe could salvage from cloth and simple wood from the walls and furniture to the tools and kitchen cutlery to be melted down.

Echo grins as she leads Fist to a room with a heavy door, "A gift, dear brother," she says and motions for him to open it. As the door swung open his grin grew wide as he laid eyes upon an armory of swords and spears, likely meant for the former inhabitants guards. There were even breastplates and helms of dull and tarnished steel, shirts of chainmail that only needed a scrubbing to break free the rust.

Fist could hardly believe their luck at finding such a bounty of supplies. Echo says she wants to get Bug and maybe even the Sporemancer or a Snapped Anvil up to check the greenhouse, some of the planets smelling very unique with a variety of colorful flowers. She says they had heard screaming the night before from a neighboring mansion then the baying and screeching of bloodhounds and terrorbirds throughout the night, the ghouls staying within the mansion to avoid any confrontations.

The Mansion offers a few useful options to the Tribe.
>It is a wealth of raw supplies the ghouls could strip to bolster their supplies at home
>They could form a new outpost here to further expand their territory
>The greenhouse and mansion grounds could be investigated for possible discoveries

That sounds like a good idea.

Outpost time
Also can we experiment on rats and their ilk with red rot

>>They could form a new outpost here to further expand their territory
>>The greenhouse and mansion grounds could be investigated for possible discoveries
Both, really.
Se about purchasing/claiming the land to give Fear a better cover for business dealings, then see if the Snapped Anvil would like to work with the greenhouse for any reason.

Plus, I'm betting that our neighbors are probably the shadiest fucking creatures of the night in the world.

Sporemancer AND Snapped anvil, that is. They could use the greenhouse as a place to try out their own growing and shit while under the relatively neutral ground of our outpost.

I mean, unless I remember wrong and they're best bros, but they could stand to work on a project together.

>>The greenhouse and mansion grounds could be investigated for possible discoveries
What ever happened to our brewery, by the way, could we negotiate with the mayor again the same way we got that place? This reminds me, we could totally start selling our glow in the dark beer for fun and profit.

>They could form a new outpost here to further expand their territory
>The greenhouse and mansion grounds could be investigated for possible discoveries

That is certainly an option that Fear could pursue. The wealth of the Tribe is growing with the Brewery and their regular shipments to the Chitinsmith (who is becoming moderately wealthy himself, hiring several apprentices to help with the increased workloads).

Fear originally purchased the Brewery through the Lord-Governor after encouragement from Qaza. The Lord-Governor said they never wanted to see Fear or Claw again but they could try to arrange a proper meeting with him.

>Also can we experiment on rats and their ilk with red rot
That's certainly an option. Giant rats are a common food staple of the ghouls, commonly caught while out on patrol. Their hides are commonly used for the tribes leatherworking. Rats get pretty dang big in the sewers of Meldric. If they have a population bloom it can end up much like the beginning of Metro 2033 book

>They could form a new outpost here to further expand their territory
>The greenhouse and mansion grounds could be investigated for possible discoveries

Well, if Fear is the business owner of the Brewery, and it's fairly successful, that should be enough to manage a meeting.

If not, we could always ask the newly-wealthy smith about how merchants get in touch with the Lord-Governor.

Let's just get some kind of appointment, so as to not force our way in like we did when we got Qaza's help. Make it official and shit, so he doesn't think we're some kind of undead savage abomination.

Your point with the metro rats is? What? How is that not somewhat good? They eat everybody else, we eat the rats

We should try to Fleshgrafting Rath some new hands.

I rather we don't start a plague.

He was just letting us know that it is possible and saying how crazy the rat populations can get, not saying it was good or bad. You alright m8?

No I meant it's happened before where the slums or goblin tribes will suddenly disappear under an adorable tide of fur and teeth and death.

The brewery has several clients so far. A few local inns and a few nobles have been buying kegs and word is starting to spread of the new brew in town. So far they've only been selling the standard mushroom beer made from the breadshroom but the orcs have been experimenting with other recipes and Mikal has been as well in his off-time as his legs continue to heal.

>They could form a new outpost here to further expand their territory
>The greenhouse and mansion grounds could be investigated for possible discoveries
Seems to be the general consensus. We'll handle who to send to investigate the grounds later.

Unfortunately I have to turn in, have to be into work even earlier than usual tomorrow. If the thread is still up tomorrow when I get off we'll continue with Jaw diplomancing the Goblins

Thread is archived, please vote for it if you can.
Hope folks had fun playing, I know I did running it! It's been good to get back into this.

Thanks for running Jyoti!

Thanks for running.
I had fun playing this.
And is Fleshgrafting Rath some new hands a thing we can do.

I misread, but it would be amazing to create a red rodent tide

It -might- be possible with experimentation.

Fleshgrafting, as Dust knows it so far relies, on the Red Rot to control the mutative reaction of the Punra. Red Rot can't survive in a reptilian host, rendering Terrapins, Grubbilechs family, and to an extent the Murkhounds, immune to infection.

His brother Don is looking into creating clockwork prosthetics that have been developed in the colleges but he's hitting a roadblock with it

So we should get our smarter enlightened to help him out, then. Got it.

Oh, and thanks for running!

Hmm, time for a raid on the colleges, perhaps? Thanks for running dude.

bump

Bump

Bump

Bump

How would we go about pulling something like that off?

Bump

So about the talks with the goblins. We know they have a raw deal with the other surface dwellers, so what if we try pulling a kind of proletariat propaganda on them? Try to get them to help us as our surface agents, gather food for us and give us intel.

This new greenhouse could offer a good food replacement, and we could start infecting rats as meatshields to offset any decrease in ferral recruitment.

What do you think?

That sounds good.

Quest shall resume sometime today once I finally get home.

Surprised this is still up

bump

One last bump.

With Fist away visiting Echo and Dart Jaw finally decides to pay a visit to the goblin tribes. She knew that Fist would try his best to deter what he'd call a fool-hardy attempt and she felt some small guilt as she, Fang, and Shield prepare a sizable guard to accompany them. Both Bug and Bone share their apprehension to the plan, Fear agreeing that the Goblin tribes could be a useful asset while Tatters tells Jaw that she trusted her judgement. Embolded with her plan the ghouls set out into the tunnels, a pair of hobgoblin ferals dragging a single sledge behind them.

The tunnels the goblins had once tended were rapidly deteriorating. Several passages the Ghouls relied on flooded with either sewage or deadly gases with the loss of their unrespected caretakers. As they traveled and navigated the new obstacles Jaw couldn't help but feel somewhat guilty at the current state of the underground. While she had no remorse for the early hunts against them she knew the goblins could be a powerful tool in the underground.

As they neared one of the larger settlements they started to see more frequent graffiti and signs of actual repair. Ahead of the main group Fang begins to disarm several traps laid out for them, tripwires and pressure plates leading to spikes of rusty scrap metal on spring-loaded hinges.

He was carefully lowering the arm of a saw-like trap, resisting the powerful spring to silently close it when only slightly further down there was a raucous jangling of metal and wood. Glaring at the feral goblin who tripped over a tripwire that sent a series of chimes made from scrap and driftwood further down the tunnel. Only a few moments later could the keen-eared goblin ferals hear the screeching shouts of goblins and the deeper voices of either a human or hobgoblin.

Fang is quick to relay the situation back to Jaw through the weak telepathic control they held over the Ferals. How shall they prepare for the incoming goblins?
>Write-in

Uh........

Pull back, hide the majority of the forces and see if we can put up enough of a barricade to slow them down so we can actually attempt negotiations?

Seconding

This, we need to get ready to make a hasty retreat if things go south, and it is looking like things will. If we've got any molotov cocktails on hand we can set the barricade or tunnel we're using on fire to prevent anyone else going over it to chase us.

Falling back to a junction between several of the utility tunnels Jaw and Fang wait in the center with a handful of ghouls and the sledge in front of them. Shield leads the other ferals to hide further back just in case they needed to intervene and waits for their signal. Fang whispers to his murkhound mount, petting it's scale and chitin hide as it fidgets at the shouting rushing toward them. A few goblin ferals clung to the shadows of the ceiling, tucked away in cracks in the stone with sporegrenades held at the ready.

Jaw leaning against the sledge was the first thing the first goblin saw as they tumble into the semi-circular room and she grins, baring black fangs at them. The gray and green skinned creatures shouting in alarm and tripping over themselves as they tried to rush back they way they came only to collide with those still rushing forward, torches flailing or dropping to the wet floor.

Fang shakes his head at the slapstick routine but Jaw could only snicker at the sight. There came a gruff shout from the tunnel and a human and hobgoblin pair strode through the throng of waist-high goblins, each carrying a studded cudgel and a lantern. They freeze at the sight of the ghouls, eyes going wide with fear, the scent of it growing thick in the air.

Jaw spreads her empty hands, shield resting on the sledge and sword sheathed at her hip, "Pleease, be nnot afraaid," she says with eyes glinting in the flickering light of torch and lantern.

Roll me 1d100 best of first 3 pls

Rolled 100 (1d100)

Holy FUCK!

Rolled 54 (1d100)

So... they are completely at ease due to overwhelming fear? Fine by me.

Motherfucker!

Rolled 96 (1d100)

I don't see that coming.

The human and hobgoblin's stares become ones of confusion at hearing the ghouls words, their raised cudgels lowering. It even surprised Fang as the goblins trying to hide behind the two larger goblinoids seemed to calm and cease their chattering. Instead the pair look at each other before the hobgoblin shoves the human forward.

Cautiously stepping forward the human lifts his lantern to get a proper look at the undead, his face twisting in momentary fear but he swallows a lump in his throat, "Uh, w-who are you?"

Jaw blinks in surprise, expecting a lot more shouting and weapon waving, but as the faint glow of the Red Rot fades from her skin she bows her head, "I aam Jaw. We aare Red Throat Tribe. Do yoou speak for your tribe?"

The human just looking increasingly confused and shakes his head, "Uh, no, that'd be Chief Loor. Did..." he pauses and looks back to the hobgoblin who shrugs, then back to Jaw, "Did you want to talk to him?"

It took all of Jaw's will not to burst out in laughing, fearing that would send the group into a panic once more. Instead she nods and spreads his hands to indicate herself and Fang, "We woould be honored if Chief Loor could speaak with us," she says and clasps her hands behind her back.

The human and hobgoblin speak in hushed tones that Fang and the others could hear clear enough until finally the hobgoblin looks to them, "Stay here. I'll get the Chief," he says with a rough voice and turns to leave with a small portion of the goblins, the rest staying with the human to stare in wonder at the ghouls and their murkhound pets, whispering among themselves.

Fang looks up to Jaw and in a quiet voice, "How?"

Jaw just shrugs.

Nobody can stay mad at our undead cannibal glow in the dark diplomancers!

...

It took some time of awkward silence as the living goblins and human stared at the undead but eventually there was a commotion coming from the tunnel and soon they could see the light of many torches illuminating the tunnel. A handful of human and hobgoblins make their way at the head of a procession of goblins that packed the tunnel full, Fang tensing as he sees they each carried weapons cobbled together from scrap and tools.

The small circle of taller goblinoids part and a fat goblin steps into the junction room, his head bald as the ghouls gleaming in the torch light. Rings of copper and tarnish brass hang from his overly large ears and maze-like tattoos cover his arms as he squints at the ghouls. Leaning against a cane that was more walking staff he points a pudgy finger at Jaw, "Yer a rotter," he says, turning to the hobgoblin that retrieved him, "Yeh were righ'. They're rotters," he looks back to Jaw and scratches his head, "Not somethin' yeh see, rotters and shadow rats NOT eatin' us. Whatchu want wit' Chief Loor?"

Jaw bows low while still keeping the sledge between them. Almost regretting and yet relieved she'd left her gristly crown of teeth and bones behind she smiles her winning grin of dark teeth, "I am Jaaw. Chieftain of the Red Throat Tribe. We wish to speaak," she raps her knuckles on the fat barrel of mushroom beer Fear had forced her to take, "We brinng gifts," she says and nearly laughs as the goblins slowly pressing into the room perk up at the sight.

>Chief Loor seems amicable
What shall Jaw speak about with him?

A alliance and some thing about fixing the pipes and we will give guards if the need them and what this guy said about goblins. That all I can think of I'm not the best at this.

Without the goblins maintaining the tunnels they have begun to fail. This impedes our efforts and attracts significant, violent, attention to the sewers from the surface and we would like to avoid this. We shall not harm any goblins who enter these areas for maintenance and we would be interested in engaging in trade, if you have anything worth trading that is.

Additionally, if you have any who are injured or sick we may be able to give them new life in our tribe.

Hows that? Sorry Grave, went to play some EU4 until the update and apparently I just missed the post.

With the rats we could have them infect mass populations with the red rot

Leaning against the keg she looks down at the goblin chief as he approaches to get a better look at her and the contents of the sledge, "We nnoticed that goblins haave stopped working. Too danngerous to, yes?"

Chief Loor squints up at her again, thumb tucked behind a belt sized for a human, "Aye. Those Siluro an' the monsters keep eatin' our kin," he looks to Fang and the goblin ferals standing behind them, "Suspect yeh also did some eatin' too," his shrewd gaze turning back to Jaw, "Why speak an' not hunt an' kill us?"

Waving a hand dismissively at the accusation she focuses on his question, "The tunnels and sewers. Theey fall apart, grew danngerous. Your tribes keep aall our homes intact, the City nneeds you all, too."

Snorting then spitting a glob of brown saliva to the floor he frowns, "If the City valued us, they'd protect us, y'know. Let them drown in their own shit for all we care, eh?" he says bitterly.

Jaw shrugs, "We haave no love for the surface but theey will send punishment. You knnow this."

Jerking a thumb over his shoulder at the teeming mass of goblins and his taller guards, somehow roped into serving the goblin, "Let em try. They'll regret every moment."

"Yes but it woould be best for all if they staayed away, above. We offer a truce and a chance," she says simply.

"Truce? What chance?" he asks suspiciously, his hand gripping the gnarled cane and Jaw could see the hidden muscle packed under the layers of deceptive fat.

"The tribes returrn to work. Goblinns fix and tennd the tunnels without fear of Ghoul attaack."

"Not enough," he says sharply.

"We offer protectionn. We Red Throat protect those thaat live under the City. We will maake sure goblins aare safe in our territory," she reaches down to an open pack, the goblinoids tensing with hands on weapons, and she pulls out a clay cup. A hobgoblin feral moving to help her tip the keg so she could fill the cup with the thick beer, "The Tribe also ennjoys Trade."

An alliance and a "donation" of giant rats every week/month

Chief Loor stares at it intently as she holds it out to him before taking it from her. He sniffs at the liquid then motions a goblin over. The gray-skinned goblin shakes its head furiously and jabbers in their native tongue before Loor cuffs his ear and the goblin nervously takes a few sips then long gulps until the chief shouts and shoves him back, the goblin letting out a hiccup with a grin. He sniffs once more then downs the brew before handing her the cup and motioning for a refill she gladly gives him.

Goblins chatter behind him, asking about the beer and for portions of their own when Chief Loor holds up a hand to silence them. He looks at Jaw, scrutinizing as he drained the cup once more. Smacking his lips he scoops up a portion of the foam lining the cup before finally replying, "Seems like a start. I gotta speak to tha Big Chief tho'. My lil' tribe listens to me but tha other tribes listen to Big Chief Gyr. Big Chief will wanna speak wit' yeh. Goblins work only if goblins get pay an' protection. We goblins are no longa slaves, y'undastand?" he says with a stern look.

Jaw straightens then bows respectfully to the goblin, "From Chief to Chief, I sweaar the Red Throat take no slaaves."

Jaw and the ferals unload the keg and a few sacks of fresh fish and a mound of breadshroom larger than some of the goblins, the short creatures chattering excitedly at the gifts. Jaw felt she could someday convince the goblins of the benefits of becoming a ghoul but for now she was satisfied with the progress made.

>Chief Loor will speak to his "superior" Big Chief Gyr and bring word of the Tribe and their request to him
>Chief Loor seems open to the proposition but likely needs further convincing