Fantasy Cursed Island

[Deadwood Deer]

"I'm sure you will, little one," the tollkeeper smiled at Shuffle and stood up as some of the party gathered up their things to leave. Adran's palm was now bleeding in the identifiable pattern of a summoning circle to anyone that could see his hand.

 

[Fangs9090]

Shuffle and Fia stood up and stretched.

Niudisa, seeing Adran's hand, dropped down onto his head.

 

[Deadwood Deer]

Adran reached up with his other hand to brush the fairy off as he started walking briskly. Other party members followed soon after, leaving the tollkeeper a little confused, like he'd missed something. "Perhaps you are unfamiliar with the rules of hospitality?", he called, "When someone offers you the run of their lands, you should at least stay for a night." Well, that was confusing.

"Do we have a choice in the matter?", Joanne asked.

"You do not," the toll keeper replied.

 

[Fangs9090]

Shuffle looked over. "Do we have a choice in the matter?" Referring to herself and Jerry, of course.

Niudisa grumbled as she was brushed off before fluttering back close to Adran's ear, speaking quietly. "Look, I love a bit of chaos myself and this guy certainly deserves it, but for my own safety I would not recommend doing anything while he can catch up with us."

 

[Deadwood Deer]

"You do," the Tollkeeper nodded. Jerry looked confused as she leaned into Joanne to task, who explained what rules he was likely referring to. Jerry mouthed "Shit!", but stood up straight and nodded.

"You'll have to forgive us if we're not willing to remain with a host who has yet to identify himself," Jerry did not sound particularly interested in the idea either way, but ticking the Tollkeeper off at this point was not a good idea.

The Tollkeeper was silent for a moment. "Yes, apologies, I've not had to use my name for some time. You may call me Urodor."

"You're gonna be a door," Adran muttered under his breath. He was just a couple insults from dropping a pit fiend on the dragonewt and letting them fight it out.

 

[Fangs9090]

Shuffle gave a nod. "That name sounds big. I think it fits."

 

[Deadwood Deer]

Urodor smiled at Shuffle, "I should hope so, it was the name my mother gave me. Will you not tell me your names?", He glanced between Jerry and Shuffle on that, apparentlly not at all concerned about the others.

How can someone be so stupid yet so powerful?, Jerry wondered. "I am Jerry, this is Shuffle and the others are-"

"Not important."

"Yes, they are."

 

[Fangs9090]

Shuffle gave a nod. "Our friends are as important to us as your territory is to you."

 

[Deadwood Deer]

Urodor groaned, looked down, and then back up. "Alright, introduce yourselves, Jeri's companions."

"I am Joanne."

"Adran, and Beri," the elf didn't sound too happy with the situation.

"Veomas, this is Emfa."

 

[Fangs9090]

"Erina." She dipped her head.

Emil gave a bow. "My name is Emil."

Fia raised her wings. "Fiametta!"

"Niudisa."

"And I am Asta."

 

[Deadwood Deer]

"Hmm," Urodor didn't sound like he was devoting any energy to remembering those names.

 

[Fangs9090]

Shuffle gave a smile. "See? We can all be friends."

 

[Deadwood Deer]

Urodor nodded, "Indeed," ge spread his arms to gesture to his lawn, "I would offer you rooms in my home, however it was never built for guests. If you would, you can camp on my lawn."

 

[Fangs9090]

"Thanks. Um... Were you going to deal with the turtle now or later? 'Cause I think I'd rest a bit better knowing it was dealt with..."

 

[Deadwood Deer]

"Oh, I will settle my business with the dragon turtle later," Urodor smiled, "In the meantime, the rules of hospitality prevent me from leaving my guests unattended." He vanished into his shack for a bit while the party began setting up a camp. Fortunately, the deck of Household needs did have several tents in it, so the group was able to set up a more or less secure campsite, not that Adran and Emfa were particularly willing.

"Just give me the word, and I'll drop a pit fiend on his ass," Adran hissed as he tossed the deck to whoever needed it.

 

[Fangs9090]

Erina looked at Adran as she was closest at the time. "He is terribly rude, despite claims of hospitality, but the fewer enemies we make, the better. Let us endure for now and avoid starting a fight."

 

[Deadwood Deer]

Adran shook his head, "He takes a swing, and he dies," was all he said.

"This is a strange situation," Beri agreed with Erina, "Did anyone note the positioning of his scales?" He turned his head to look at Jerry as she pitched one of the smaller tents. "It was very similar to what Jerry has been turning into."

 

[Fangs9090]

"I hadn't been looking that closely. It is odd, but if it earns part of our group some favor with him, that's good. It already stopped us from getting attacked right away."

 

[Deadwood Deer]

"That's not much better," Adran griped.

"Our options are limited, warlock," Joanne shrugged, "We will endure and move on when we can. For now, he has not attempted to kill us, which means he has some invested interest. It is quite possible that can be leveraged in our favor."

 

[Fangs9090]

Emil shook his head. "Hopefully, this night will pass quickly and we'll be on our way soon."

 

[Deadwood Deer]

"He seems determined to be courteous," Beri gave a leopard shrug.

"He's determined to be courteous to Jerry and Shuffle," Adran replied.

"Would you rather he be trying to kill us?" Adran didn't have much response to that.

After some time, the Tollkeeper came back out of his brick shack with a folded cooking set up. Clearly it wasn't meant for feeding fifteen people at once, but under his own rules of hospitality, he had to at least attempt to feed his guests.

 

[Fangs9090]

Shuffle tilted her head as she watched him and his setup. She certainly found him odd, compared to the other corrupted creatures they'd encountered.

 

[Deadwood Deer]

Urodor was apparently not corrupted, though, at least not by very much, anyway. Soon after putting the set up together over the fire pit in the center of the camp, he went to a pump on the side of his house and began filling a pot. From the smell of the water that came out, it was the same purity water as had been coming through the springs and wells in much of the dungeon's safe zones. More than likely he was just a little insane. That didn't excuse his behavior, but it did explain it.

 

[Fangs9090]

Shuffle tilted her head as she watched. Not corrupt then, but she still found him weird. Since they'd be hanging around bit, she settled where she was and laid down to wait.

The others had similarly settled to wait. Emil was making sure his lute was clean, but he was hesitant to play anything, in case their host took offense.

 

[Deadwood Deer]

Tents pitched and set up for people to sleep in, Jerry and Veo returned to the main group with chairs. In between bits of trying to cook for fifteen on a set built for two at most, Urodor tried to make conversation with the party. Party meaning, of course, Jerry and Shuffle. At least that meant, for the most part, the party was more or less free to go find things to do and explore the grove, or make conversation with each other.

"How did you come to wind up in the ruins?", Urodor asked, "I've not seen another sane humanoid in some time, you can't have come by accident."

"I came seeking treasure," Jerry shrugged, "Gotta make a living somehow."

Urodor nodded, "When I was last on the surface, it was quite difficult to maintain one's hoard, yes."