Jerks! (Part 6)

When last we left our heroes, they were now inside a rather oversized inn along with Ilwa. There's another gnome, of course, one who's surrounded by a few ogres in this largely, predominantly giant-born catering tavern.

The seats are too big by half.

This doesn't seem to bother Daechir, who sits comfortably lounging in one such chair. He has a huge mug of drink at hand which he hasn't touched, and an order of food put in so that he doesn't seem out of place. He nods at those who look at him, but doesn't really make conversation. No, he wouldn't have on a normal day, and so he doesn't now either.

GAME: Alaryn casts Disguise Self. Caster Level: 4 DC: 15

Alaryn disguised herself just to look.. different and unassuming. The silvery metal and glowing blue of her scale armor disguised to appear as leather as she stands around waiting. She has her ammunition belt prepared, and is ready to start shootin' like she was in a John Woo flick. But otherwise, she stands by.

Ilwa's arrival creates a marked silence. Mostly from the way she's staring at the other gnome, who is staring back.

"Oh," says the second gnome, small and rotund and amused. "Oh, Ilwa. Have you come to celebrate my victory? I've gotten exactly what I said I would and, yet, here you are. Empty handed.'

Ilwa snorts, saying, "So let's see it, then. Let's see your 'pygmy Bulette'. If you have it, anyway."

"I do. Ha!"

Daechir says nothing for the moment but puts on a bit of a show of being mildly interested in the ongoings. The interest isn't hard to fake as that's the reason he's here, but he schools his face to keep from showing too /much/ eagerness.

Tirry is of course wandering in with the others, not really completely knowing what's going on. But when does the Book Wyrm have much of a clue on anything, outside of books. The prissy-ish Sith'Makar, Ok she's really 'prissy' or high educated for a Sith, watches the gnome and company curiously, whilst idly using a clawed hand to scratch at a spot on the underside of her chin. Otherwise she doesn't say too much....

Finding a wall to help hold up with her shoulders, Alaryn sucks her teeth but observes some more. Not really anything -to- do until the big reveal, right?

Itzpapalotl really fits into a crowd. Yes. She even tries to smile. Jagged teeth don't lend themselves to gestures of civility however, so the lizard quickly learns to simply stand around and stop terrorizing small children who thought her scales were shiny.

"Boys," says the rotund Happy VAlley gnome, "It's time. Ladies and Gentlemen and.. I'm sorry, but what ARE you?" he asks of Itzpapalotl, "Anyway, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN AND... LIZARD! I PRESENT TO YOU, THE PYGMY BULETTE!"

"Ruh!" the bulette in a cage is held aloft on the table.

It is a tiny bulette, but still the size of a small alligator. You know, a baby bulette.

The crowd just kind of stares. You know that it's been painted white, of course.

Daed remains where he is, but moves subtly so that he's ready to move if and when the time comes. The ale hasn't been touched of course, but he's ready to go. The sight of the 'pygmy' brings a mischievous glint to his eyes though.

Itzpapalotl gives a brief clack of her jaws and stares openly at the bulette. She doesn't have much to say and probably shouldn't do anything she thinks might be a good idea. Discretion being the better part of valour the lizard chooses to wait for now.

Watching the 'big reveal', Alaryn can't help but snort a little bit. Then then she looks down to her belt. She blinks and looks back up, and then down. Then... a sly grin spreads slowly over her face. As everyone is watching the two gnomes, she starts to slowly work her way around the room. She's not trying to get right up -on- the fake albino thingamagoober yet. But she wants to get closer. She has... a plan.

"...well.. I've got to hand it to you. That's impressive..."

She looks back and forth. The crowd is a bit more appreciative, of course, but it's your job to start planting the suggestion that it's not what it seems. Ilwa isn't going to do that herself. She seems... taken aback! Acting!

As she circles about, Alaryn glances towards her party-members and tries to catch the eyes of at least one. She gestures towards the other gnome, and then towards her eyes, and lastly towards.. well, away from her.

Daechir moves forward, carrying his big mug of ale. "It looks painted to me." He offers eyeing the thing. He catches Alaryn's glance and shrugs his shoulders. Then with a quick grin... tosses the mug of ale liquid-first at the cage's door.

Izpapalotl... Doesn't really move. Or do anything. Those who know her will understand this is her typical mode of observation. Stealth by way of being so obvious no one pays attention any longer.

The drink is hurled!

The gnome's eyes get wide and so do the ogres, but they're a bit caught off guard. The drink splashes into the painted bulette.

It's certainly splattered now, within its cage. It growls. It hisses. It flings itself viciously at the front of the cage! The crowd oohs! The crowd ahhs!

But damage has been done. He won't have long before the paint begins to run, perhaps...

"Ha!"

Okay! Everyone is looking at the mug-chucker. Alaryn grins and reaches down to her left bracer to activate a control there. Her speed, agility and accuracy are briefly boosted and she reveals what was in her hand. A small vial. She takes aim and hurls the vial at the same little whosamawhatsis that got the ale splattered on it. She's hoping her contribution may be even more effective. After all, it is alchemical solvent, which has -very- similar properties to Paint Thinner.

....well combined with the dampening from the alcohol, the pain thinner is doing the trick at this point. Dissolving away the paint and leaving it streaked and plainly not a pygmy bulette, but rather, a rather opdinary one.

Several of the giant born are sitting up and taking notice.

They seem to be taking this matter seriously, for some reason, and one doesn't easily miss the impression that there is rapidly a brewing riot beneath the surface.

Ilwa bursts out laughing. "OH MY... YOU... AHAHAHAHA.. You PAINTED a baby DIGGER?"

She's twisting the knife here.

Daed casually looks at the creature. "I think the paint is thinning. What do you think?" He smiles at the other man and then laughs with the twinkling of bells echoing him.

Izzy actually moves, but only to look around at the group. SHe nods once and clacks her jaw, apparently satisfied with her outcome. Who can really tell with eight foot tall terrible lizards? But at least she advances toward the cage. Slowly.

Tirry peers and watches from one person to another... She shrugs and curiously heads to the cage too... "Sooo ummmm... Maybe we can ummm, yeah what is it we're supposed to do?"

"Oh... my... it's a fake." calls out Alaryn. But she is a terrible actress. She turns and backs away into the crowd... and then dismisses her spell so that she no longer looks anything like the girl who just tossed that vial. Nope. I mean sure, she's wearing armor of scales composed of half blue crystal and half silvery mithral but... she didn't throw that. Nope!

GAME: Daechir rolls sense motive: (18)+1: 19
GAME: Alaryn rolls sense motive: (17)+1: 18
GAME: Itzpapalotl rolls sense motive: (11)+0: 11
GAME: Tirrynelth rolls sense motive: (7)+1: 8

Well, this isn't good. All of you can sense the riot about to break out, easily. People clearly had money riding on this show. On the Pygmy Bulette. On whether or not it showed. One Giantborn is up, screaming at the top of his lungs.

"Oaths! YOu have broken them!"

The ogres are up.

The fight. It's about to be on.

Ilwa says, "I have the pygmy!"

But no one is listening.

Over the voices Daechir's spell is almost inaudible, but the effect that it has upon the room is not. It sounds rather like choir of people all spoke up at the same time with one voice. It said firmly, and as loudly as he could make it simply; "Ilwa has the pygmy!" His fingers fell to his side, his own voice echoing the one he had caused to cut into the disturbance with a brief cough. "If you would all just listen to her."

GAME: Itzpapalotl casts Magic Weapon. Caster Level: 3 DC: 13
GAME: Itzpapalotl rolls intimidate: (4)+1: 5
GAME: Daechir rolls Diplomacy: (5)+3: 8

The lizards and their magic, the artificers and their magic, Ilwa and her bulette.

She's managed to produce the pygmy from its cage and hold it aloft for everyone.

There are angry gnome and his ogres, sputtering about how he's been tricked. There's cheering from the Giantrborn, who are very confused as to how this other gnome they've never heard of has gotten the bulette in the first place. They're impressed... but then the brawl breaks out anyway and you're soon enmeshed in a bar fight between ogres, giant born and yourselves.

It is not a good place to be.

In the end, the guards are arriving....

...and some of you are definitely spendin the night in jail.

-END