Fantasy Cursed Island

[Fangs9090]

Niudisa blinked. "Huh. That might work then, if the pattern holds."

 

[Deadwood Deer]

It took a moment or two for the reflection to wake up from getting conked out. The reaction upon waking was pretty much what one could expect from Jerry at this point when things go sideways. A shiv tinged off of Emfa's armor as Jerry sat up rubbing her head.

"And Jerry's back."

"Ooh," Jeri apparently found her copy incredibly interesting, bouncing around and poking and prodding.

"Get off me!", Jerry hissed, shoving Jeri off of her and standing, "Okay, what was the idea, here? You pull me out, hit me, and now this, what do you want?"

 

[Fangs9090]

Niudisa spoke up. "We need a strategist. Jeri's not really able to fill Jerry's shoes, if that makes sense. So we need another Jerry."

 

[Deadwood Deer]

Jerry and Jeri both had the same look of confusion on their faces. Adran face palmed for giving the dragon soul so similar a name. "We need the one with a brain," he clarified.

"Oh," the two Jerry's said in unison. Jeri lost interest in the conversation at that point and kept poking and prodding, Jerry trying to brush her off.

"Okay, what's the situation, I need details to make a plan, you guys know this." Joanne explained the situation to the thief. "Huh, well I'll need a mirror to be able to move around, and I'll need Poli to blend into walls if it goes south- other me let go of my chest or I will stab you." Jeri pouted and sat down.

 

[Fangs9090]

Poli nodded. "I can manage that. And you can probably take Jeri's mirror."

 

[Deadwood Deer]

"Alright," Jerry looked around for anyone elses input before turning to Jeri. "if you would?" Still pouting, Jeri rummaged around for the mirror on her hip and handed it over. Jerry hooked it to her own hip. "Has someone been keeping track of my map?"

"No, but we'll fill you in when you're all back to normal."

"Good." Jerry went over to Poli to get suited up, gave Shuffle a pat on the back, and booped Asta's nose. "You keep these idiots out of trouble for me."

 

[Fangs9090]

Poli formed up the suit as commanded. They were getting better at doing that quickly. Asta and Shuffle both nodded. "I will."

 

[Deadwood Deer]

Jerry smiled and straightened up to go do her job as a master thief. "You guys should be able to keep an eye through the mirrors, if these work," she said before starting down the area the goblins had.

"So," Adran looked around at the group, "I guess take a break?"

 

[Fangs9090]

Niudisa nodded. "Maybe a little further from the carrion. Not all of these bodies were fit for reanimation, and the stronger beasts will see us as part of the meal."

 

[Deadwood Deer]

The group agreed with that idea, and Adran offered the abandoned goblin camp they'd ran into on their way here.

"You are just interested in the alchohol," Beri accused.

"Valid, but, and this is the big one," Adran made eye contact with everyone in the group, "It's an abandoned camp with a dead plant there, which means nothing is gonna bug us."

 

[Fangs9090]

Erina nodded. "He has a point. And he picked up all the alcohol he could the first time through, so there's not much point keeping him away."

 

[Deadwood Deer]

"Hey, booze is for me like 'shrooms are for you!", Adran turned on his heels and started walking, not elaborating on that at all.

Beri shook his head as he started to follow, pausing and looking at Erina. "He's gonna get drunk tonight, promise me you'll tie him up if he starts acting stupid? I can't control him."

 

[Fangs9090]

Erina smiled at Beri and nodded as she followed along with the others. "I'll do what I must."

 

[Deadwood Deer]

"Thank you."

It took some walking to get back to the abandoned camp. With so many rooms, even though they weren't very large there was space for people to find somewhere to be and begin to form a semblance of a camp. There wasn't much else that could be done, since they'd committed to this stealth approach. Joanne sat down with a mirror and watched Jerry through it, Jeri hovered over her shoulder intrigued by what she saw.

Veo found a place to lay down and took a nap, Emfa just paced around. Beri curled up for a nap. Adran, predictably, popped open a bottle of strong-smelling liquid and took a swig once he found a room.

 

[Fangs9090]

Emil found a place to sit, idly strumming on his lute. Erina settled where she could keep watch on Adran, working on her dress some more. Fia settled down to sleep a bit. Shuffle sat down before digging the larvis out of her clothes to check on it. Asta joined Joanne to watch Jerry. Niudisa parked her thralls away from the others, fluttering among to check on them before settling one of their heads.

 

[Deadwood Deer]

Through the mirror, the three looking could see that Jerry was at this point just searching for something, following tracks with Poli's aid, since the mimic's entire body was a sensory organ more precise than any of Jerry's it was much easier to pick up the trail once the blood ran out. They could hear the sound of goblins squabbling and occasional cries of pain as Jerry ducked to the side, a pair of goblins carrying a wounded third blasting by.

-------
"Hey, you wanna try some?", Adran called, offering Erina a drink. "I'm warning you though, it's a bit harsh, these goblins aren't very good brewers." He shrugged and took another swig.

 

[Fangs9090]

Poli had already made sure Jerry was blending in, so she was easy to miss, especially with the goblins in such a hurry.

----------

Erina looked over at Adran. "That doesn't sound appealing. Why are you drinking it?"

 

[Deadwood Deer]

The larvis didn't seem to be animate, but it was warming back up, its gold starting to soften. That could have also been the heat of Shuffle's body from all the fire-breathing, but considering how quickly it had recovered when blowing doors out, it was probably the former.

"Well, it doesn't taste so bad, after the first sip," Adran shrugged, "It's just harsh, not horrible. Strong, though. Try it, or are you too scared?" He gave an evil grin at that goading.

------------
Once the goblins were past, Jerry scooted onward and poked her head around the corner to see a fully functioning goblin camp. It looked like they'd been set up here for a while. There were little shelters made out of the skin of the creatures of this place, a large fire in the middle where several animals were being prepared to be eaten, even the beginnings of another attempt at a brewery and a partially operating forge where they made their weapons. Apparently, these goblins liked their alcohol. There were even goblin children running around! "You guys seeing this?", Jerry whispered.

 

[Fangs9090]

“Scared?” Erina stood up. “I’ll not be intimidated by a drink.” She walked over to him, setting her dress on her arachnid half.

—————

Niudisa nodded. “A whole community. That’s something, considering how harsh this place can be.”

 

[Deadwood Deer]

"I knew you'd come around!", Adran passed her the bottle and fished out another, uncorking it and taking a swig.

-------
"It will not be something for long," Joanne replied, "Jerry, how high proof do you think that alcohol is?"

"I can smell it from here, I don't drink much, so I don't know beyond that." Jerry hid again as more goblins ran past.

"See if you can spill their ale, and set it on fire."

"What?"

"Goblins do not like fire, and you have demonstrated yourself to be fireproof. It should be easy for you."

 

[Fangs9090]

Erina took the bottle and sniffed, recoiling a bit. "Oh... Goodness..." She braced herself before taking a drink.

----------

Poli spoke up, quietly. "Hey, she may be fireproof, but I'm not."

 

[Deadwood Deer]

The drink burned at first. If anythign Adran said about it not tasting as bad after the first sip was true, that was probably it burning away her taste buds. It wasn't a familiar taste, certainly, but once the burning passed it wasn't that unpleasant.

---------
"I know, you will have to find somewhere to hide, perhaps Jerry could shield your with her body." Joanne didn't sound like she particularly cared either way, as long as the scourge was ended. "With the corpses burned to ash, no feeders will come to eat them, and we will be free to move on on our own time."

"Uh," Jerry looked around, "I only promise to try."

"That is all I ask. If it is impossible, find another option."

 

[Fangs9090]

Erina coughed and wheezed from the first drink, which was unfortunately large. It was a miracle she didn't cough any of it back out. If not for the fact that Adran was drinking the same thing, she would've believe it to be poison.

----------

Poli chipped in again. "And if there's a way to do it non-explosively, or at least get clear before it does explode, that would be convenient."

 

[Deadwood Deer]

"There you go!", Adran cheered, "It's rough, but it's what we've got!" He stumbled a bit when he stood up and leaned against Erina and waved his arm like he was gesturing at something massive and amazing. "Out in the world, I've had drink that goes down like sweet water, and I've had drink that goes down like wet sand, this is one of the better ones, actually," he took another swig.

-------------
Jerry and Joanne thought about that. "I can try to leave a trail of alcohol on the ground leading away?", Jerry offered, starting to be careful about talking above a whisper if she could help it now she was close enough that goblins might hear anything louder. "Give us some distance when it goes up in flame?"

 

[Fangs9090]

Erina still coughed a bit as he leaned on her, looking towards whatever he gestured at. “I’ll take your word for it.” She kind of rasped a bit when she talked before coughing again. He’d said it got better after the first drink, so she tried again.

—————

“That could work. Keep us clear of the panic as well.”