"Sief, no one is yelling at you and no one is bullying you. We just disagree on this." After a pat on Kamatar's shoulder, Kara got up off his lap and went over to where her room was to sort through what was left. It was mostly clothes. "Well, apparently these thieves are all men. If there was a woman among them, they would have taken these too, even if they didn't quite fit. A human woman anyway." She turned to look at the other three.

"We really weren't gone that long. And in that time, these scoundrels found our cave and carried everything away. You may be on to something Sief. If there were scary paintings or warnings on the walls outside maybe it would have given them pause. It's worth trying, but after we chase them down and get our things back. We should be prepared that they won't willingly return them."

In reply to Seferiz Branng (msg # 323):

Kamatar growls softly while closing his eyes, his whole body tenses in anger for a long moment. When his eyes open again,
he lets out a long breath and shakes his body, from his head to his feet. When he finishes, he looks to Seferiz,
"I'm angry Seferiz. I'm angry because our belongings that we need to survive were stolen. I told you what I think we should do,
Seferiz. I'm trying to work together to regain all of our stolen belongings and food."

The half-orc closed his eyes and took a deep breath, when he opened his eyes again, he was almost coldly calm,
"I cannot bully you, Seferiz. If you don't want to be found, I can't find you. I wouldn't even try. I did hear your point and I agree.
We have two goals now. First to find who took our belongings and get them back. Second, to learn why.
I am not going to immediately try to kill someone for taking my belongings, even if I might be justified in doing so.
I'm willing to listen to anyone with a better idea on how to succeed in those goals. But if no one has a better idea,
then I expect Kara and Keeper at least to follow my plan."

When he finished speaking, he looked to the others for their response, while gathering his few remaining items.

Before talking to his friends Keeper needed few minutes spent on calming breath exercises.

"Seif. Of all of you I am the least endangered thanks to druidic arts.

 Do you want to know what would happen if I couldn't invoke druidic arts? We all would starve to death without our food. And while I don't see a problem with harming those who did us harm, am not blind enough to not let people talky folks like Kamatar to lead when dealing with other people.

 But from what I see it wasn't an act of desperation. They didn't stole just food, they took everything they saw as valuable. It means calm mind while pilfering and selecting.

 I can only promise you one thing, Seif. I will be ready to defend myself or you lot, but will not attack first.

 I think Kamatar is best suited with talking with these ... people, because now I'm too angry.
 They took my holy symbol, a precious gift from my respected mentor!"

Afterwards he looked everyone present in the eyes before speaking again. Visibly steeling himself to act.

"Apologies, my friends. I am rattled and lacking composure right now. In my fox form I could try tracking them, but first will need to sample scent of all of you to find the different not-us scents. Am not a ranger, it will take my utmost focus to even try. Will rely on you to watch my back so hungry lizard doesn't eat me alive."

Then he transformed into a small fox, took another deep breath to calm down, and began sniffing around the cave ... starting with taking a good smell sample of everyone. Deliberately making gagging noises with Kamatar and Seferiz. Then combining looking at people's tracks and sniffing around he began tracking.

OOC: Survival check to track 24, yoo hoo!
10:29, Today: Keeper rolled 24 using 1d20+8.  survival to track.

The goblin goes over to the rock once more and sits down, staring at the paint brush and his view on things seems to be ignored. Everyone seems to want to kill everyone else. he listens to the others view, especially Kara who seems to be getting bloodthirsty. And the fact that Kam expects everyone to do as told, ignoring the goblin. Everyone just ignores the goblin. Good and bad.

With a quick shapeshift, the druid turns into a fox and sniffs everyone. So much stuff to process, to feel out. New world, new place. For a moment, Keeper sniffs around the room and gets a feel of it. But the druid doesn't really feel any of them makes sense now knowing everyones scent factor. After getting near the 'makeshif door' he seems to smell something. Something different, not really like the goblin or the half-orc. Just different. And the kitsune stares out of the inner cave, towards the main entrance.

---------------------------------------------------
OOC: Make a Perception Check
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:18, Thu 22 Sept 2022.

"Exactly, Keeper. This wasn't desperation." She raised a finger. "We've only been here a day. At best it's opportunism, and at worst outright malice. And we weren't gone all that long. They might very well have been waiting nearby for us to leave. I'm not going to attack first, but I will be ready."

13:53, Today: Kara Eldwyyn rolled 19 using 1d20+6.  Perception

Keeper transformed his head back to fox-person, smiled at Kara, and spoke softly.
"I also normally am not so angry. But encounter of these strange lizards, running for my life from a pack-hunting group of wolf-acting lizards who were nimble like monkeys? People's malice on top of that is little too much. I found a scent, please watch over my bacon as I try tracking."

His head transformed back into fox's and he began looking around, and checking the tracks.

OOC: Perception 19. Keeper, of course, fully transformed to talk to Kara. I just made it funnier with flavor description.
21:17, Today: Keeper rolled 19 using 1d20+10.  Perception check.

After he finished gathering the remains of his gear, Kamatar addressed the goblin, "Seferiz, I'm asking for your advice,
for your thoughts on our current situation, your plan. What do you think we should do?" With that said, he sits beside
Kara and looks expectantly at the goblin. "What are YOU willing to do to get our food and equipment back?
What do YOU want us to do about the theft of our belongings? "

While waiting for the goblin's answer, he calmly added, "By the way Seferiz, calling orc-kindred bullies is not going to stop most
of us from bullying. I fight the instinct to dominate everyone around me all the time. If you think I'm bullying you,
then do what Kara does, tell me what I'm doing wrong, ask me to stop, and give me a better choice."
This message was last edited by the player at 07:46, Fri 23 Sept 2022.

"Seems you are in charge. So why does it matter my plan when everyone will do what you want? That's unfair." The goblin stops realizing he's going against 'authority' apparently. But instead of stopping the arguement he goes with it "Everyone bullies me! It has nothing to do with you. Does it matter what you did wrong anyways?" Seif bites his lip "I'm not afraid! So you better back off! I'm not like Keeper who does as you want! Or Kara that acts all pretty towards you! I'm just a goblin that everyone ignores until until they need something! Who cares if I get hurt! Think it matters to anyone here? You'd leave me behind." Seif looks up at the burly half-orc and walks up to him. For some odd reason Sief doesn't seem to be afraid. He puts his hands up "I want to be your friend. But I expect to be treated like one. Not ordered around. You need to show some respect!" Whatever brought this one? He expects to be berated, and possibly killed but unlike most goblins he will look at the ones doing it and knows what he did was right.

Catching his attention, the goblin follows the fox and gets down on all fours. He just watches for a moment and glances at the others.

The ground seems to shake a bit then goes silent. And the water in the pool begins to move slightly. Another shakes. Another move in the water.

"That ain't good right?" The bard gulps.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:56, Fri 23 Sept 2022.

"Something big, no shouting. Big lizard can kill us as easily as pack of small ones."

Kitsune transformed briefly back to speak quietly to the party, before shrinking into a fox again and hiding under the leaves to the right.

OOC: Nooo! Only 23 Stealth.

19:40, Today: Keeper rolled 23 using 1d20+8.  Fox shaped Stealth.

This message was last edited by the GM at 09:09, Mon 26 Sept 2022.

Turning his attention towards the source of the Kamatar whispered to Kara,"Unless you object My Enchantress,
I will carry you deeper into our cave where we can be safer from whatever that is outside. Lets go."

Unless she speaks or shows other signs of resistance, Kamatar will immediately pick up the Kara and attempt to quietly carry
her deeper into the cave, following through on his word.

At the sudden rumble, Kara looked around as if she could see the source or maybe see that the ceiling was going remain above. When it came again, she took a step back.

"Yes, I object, Kamatar." She put a halting hand on his chest. "If I wanted to hide, I'm perfectly capable all on my own. But nothing that big is getting in here, so let's not panic just yet, shall we? Instead, maybe we should investigate."

Of course the half-orc ignores the goblin Seif doesn't stay inside or maybe he did-man he can hide but he watches Kara push Kam back. Lovers quarrel. Keeper curls up in a ball trying to hide. Maybe that's what the goblin intends on. Hard to tell. Everyone seems to ignored him unless a fight breaks out or if he does something stupid, and even afterwards-he gets ignored. Or laughed at. And when he tries to make a point-it seems to be ignored. So why bother? Maybe he should go off on his own.

The druid seems definatly afraid of well everything. He jumps just as the ground shakes in the area seeming to get closer. Whatever happened to the goblin remains unknown. Shivering, Keeper looks up at the big hole above.

Maybe it can get through it! The wide eyed fox druid stares up at it looking petrified.


It sounds like its right outside the cave!

RRRRROOOOOAAAAAARRRRRR! RRRROOOOOOAAAARRRRRR!!!

It echoes through the cave, bits of debree fall to the ground.

In reply to Kara Eldwyyn (msg # 334):

Kamatar nods to both the goblin and Kara, falling silent and squatting in place, as they were already about as deep inside the cave as they could be.

He looked towards the source of the booming and readied an arrow in his bow, his face becoming expressionless.

When the creature roared just outside the cave, Kamatar maintained his squat and took aim at its eye if visible.

There was no way they they were going to see anything from so deep in the cave and whatever is was was too big to get in. But to learn about this place and the creatures that lived there, she felt they should try to see the beast outside. Kamatar had squatted in place and aimed at the entrance, but Kara didn't feel like anything would appear there.

"Kamatar", let's get a look. She tapped Kamatar on the shoulder, then carefully crept forward until she could see out.

As much as the goblin wants to see the half-orc get splattered by the huge dinosaur (well he's a goblin) Seif realizes its Kara pushing him along and that's not good either! He pops out from behind some rocks near the door and throws his hands up "No go out there! Not smart at all. I'll go first. That creature won't seem me." Well hopefully. Between able to go invisible and being all sneaky. Course he didn't expect them to listen anyways.

Everyone knows its coming from outside but the cave roof shakes a bit and some dirt and debree fall down. Sief's eyes go wide and he points up.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:22, Thu 06 Oct 2022.

"Seif, it certainly can smell you and it sounds angry. Please don't go. It'll leave soon enough ... I hope."

Scared expression on the face of humanoid fox-person told it all.

Kara edged nervously to the front of the cave until Sief warned her off. He volunteered to go because he could hide better. But then Keeper warned that the monster outside might be able to smell him. Kara's curiosity was bigger than her fear. "I don't know animals as well you do Keeper, but I suspect a bear wouldn't waste his time on a butterfly. Especially if it was just the scent. Sief, it's up to you, but If you don't look, I will."

In reply to Kara Eldwyyn (msg # 340):

Kamatar swiftly put a firm hand on Kara's shoulder, preventing her from going further. Looking into her eyes, he spoke words of caution.
"First, we can be sure that the animal making that noise isn't any regular animal we've seen before. Second, it doesn't make sense to walk out to meet a predator when you know that the predators here are giant sized and usually hungry. Third, your assumption about what might try to eat you or not because of your size does not consider how hungry or aggressive that monster might be."

With a slightly apologetic smile, he holds Kara by both shoulders and adds, "I don't want to lose you to some monster. Don't you think we've seen enough by now, my Enchantress?"

Keeper only nodded his head, not wanting any of his new friends getting eaten by hungry predator.

She probably should have predicted that Kamatar would prevent her from going outside, but she felt burst of righteous ire when his halting hands gripped her shoulders. Her rage fizzled almost as soon as it began, however, when she realized her was right.

"You're right." She conceded. "There's no reason for anyone to go out there. Whatever that is can go unseen for now. We know what it sounds like and it cannot move without shaking the ground. We should let it pass, then go after the thieves."

"Fourth! Stop assuming anything." The goblin chines in. But as soon as he does, he claps a hand around his mouth. Great. Now he's sticking up for himself against something a lot bigger then him. Lovely. Good way to make friends.

Rocks from above start to fall down. Seif puts up his umbrella out of instinct. Sure that will help. Probably not.

The roar outside gets louder and louder as the massive creature can be seen from below through the hole. It looks down into the hole, sending out another roar. The cave above seems to slightly shift probably due to its massive weight. After a few minutes, the creature seems to move off away from the cave and it sounds like its heading back to the forest. But as it moves off, it seems to be limping. Probably due to the three-horned beast attack.

"Let's go find our stuff. Least we can agree on that right?" Sief seems to be a bit aggrivated. He jumps up on the rock, umbrella over his shoulder unfurled and looks like a little kid.

Keeper was so relieved that he smiled and nodded to the goblin, before slumping a little. And grumbling something under his breath.

OOC: Anyone evasdroping can hear words in Kitsune language. Let's assume it sounds like Japanese.

Looking around at all the others as the echoes of the huge beasts passing fade, Kamatar observers,
”So we are in agreement that we'll carefully go after the thieves who took our belongings. Good.”
He pauses to look at both Seferiz and Keeper, "I'm suggesting that those of us who can move the most quietly
and possibly track the trail of our thieves, go first, with the rest of us following behind. Does everyone agree with this?”

"Let me translate that suggestion. You two lead. Kamatar and I will follow because we're likely to muck it up if we go first."

Keeper nods.

"And please keep watch, look up at trees and around us as well. I'm not a good tracker, so I won't be able to see if some hungry animal readies to jump on me."

With that said, Kitsune transformed into a small fox and begun sniffing after scent he found earlier. Before the great predator terrorized them all.