Ghosts of Gauntcliff: Chapter Five

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Jonas, sweetie," Everline says as she bends down to look the little boy in the eye. "Can you come closer to me? Come within reach? If not, try to turn around and show me where you're tied up. I'll try to cut the ropes from here."

[ewancummins]

THE WOODS-

If Juergin can get the bag down by himself, he will. If not he will ask Benn for help.

OOC: Presuming Benn will help if Juergin needs it.

Juergin opens the bag.

Once the bag is down, Juergin looks inside to find....


Gruz and Smezel!

The creepy little clowns are bound hand and foot, with dirty rags stuffed in their big mouths. Arimaspian eyes bright with tears, the two monsters begin to whimper in a most pathetic manner.

[steveflam]

"Mein Gott! Here, let me untie you both. I am glad to see you! And I have my friend Benn with me. Thanks be to luck you were found!" Juergin unties and ungags both his new friends.

"Are you okay? It's okay, you're safe now. I'm here." Juergin smiles at them both, relief on his face.

[Adam]

"Yes indeed, he's here with the fat man." He fixes the two cyclopian fools with his most withering glare. "You're welcome, by the way. Perhaps I should find someone to sell the pair of you to? Some horrible creature who wants to make YOU run through a maze like a rat?"

[steveflam]

Juergin frowns, not totally realizing. "Why are you stern with Gruz and Smezel? They helped me escape and finding you."

[Adam]

"Prior to this, they sold me to the Lost Princes," he says. He turns, pointing to the ruined remains of his ear. "They also gave me this to remember them by."

[ewancummins]

Gruz says, ''No! That was 'nother one!''

Smezel adds,''We good, we helps the boy. Fat helps."

[ewancummins]

THE DUNGEON, IN THE BOLTHOLE

"Jonas, sweetie," Everline says as she bends down to look the little boy in the eye. "Can you come closer to me? Come within reach? If not, try to turn around and show me where you're tied up. I'll try to cut the ropes from here."

Jonas wriggles on the floor. He begins to cry. After a couple of minutes of fruitless struggling, the boy flops over to face away from Everline. She can see the rope binding his wrists. He remains a couple of arm length's deep, out of reach.

[Adam]

Gruz says, ''No! That was 'nother one!''

Smezel adds,''We good, we helps the boy. Fat helps."

"I honestly don't care," he snarls, "I am here to get my son back and get home. If you can help us do that, then we will be fine together. If not..." he trails off, giving them an ominous look.

[ewancummins]

Gruz says, ''No! That was 'nother one!''

Smezel adds,''We good, we helps the boy. Fat helps."

"I honestly don't care," he snarls, "I am here to get my son back and get home. If you can help us do that, then we will be fine together. If not..." he trails off, giving them an ominous look.

Gruz points at Juergin,''Uhhhh.......I finds this boy! You got son. Yay! We go now?"

The other one-eyed brute makes no comment; he's busy urinating on the smoldering corpse of the crazy old man.

[Adam]

"This is not my son," he flips a head towards Juergin, "He did, however, tell me that your son was in your dungeon. Is he still there?"

[ewancummins]

"This is not my son," he flips a head towards Juergin, "He did, however, tell me that your son was in your dungeon. Is he still there?"

''Your son?Uhhh...."

Smezel hikes up his pants and walks over to Gruz. He slaps the other creature on the back of its oversized head.

"Fat man mean the little boy, small one. Dodds got him. Dodds like to play with kiddies. "

Gruz nods.
''Yeah, me 'member now. The Dodds is real mean. He make us do bad stuff, but we nice."

[Ken of Ghastria]

THE DUNGEON, IN THE BOLTHOLE

Jonas wriggles on the floor. He begins to cry. After a couple of minutes of fruitless struggling, the boy flops over to face away from Everline. She can see the rope binding his wrists. He remains a couple of arm length's deep, out of reach.

Getting up from the crouch he's been in, Primeiro begins to unbuckle the thin scabbard of his rapier. "Perhaps between this and the length of my arm, we can reach him or push something to him." He looks around the floor suddenly, as though an idea has occurred.

"Could one of you climb up the pit and search for loose metal, perhaps something that could be fashioned into a hook? We could attempt to use the scabbard as a makeshift gaff and hook Jonas by his arms or his bonds."

Another thought enters his head. "His bonds," he repeats. "Why in Ezra's name would a creature of shadow tie up the lad with ordinary rope? Unless it wasn't the shadow beast that tied him up...? " He shrugs. "I trust we'll get the answer once the poor lad is freed."

[ewancummins]

Petrie says,

''Yes, that's strange. Ghosts don't tie people up in any stories I have heard. "
The big man removes his pack and begins rummaging through it.

''Hmmm...."

He brings out a three inch steel hook and some twine.

''Here's a hook I use for big fish. It may work to snag the bairn's wee breeks."

[steveflam]

"This is not my son," he flips a head towards Juergin, "He did, however, tell me that your son was in your dungeon. Is he still there?"

''Your son?Uhhh...."

Smezel hikes up his pants and walks over to Gruz. He slaps the other creature on the back of its oversized head.

"Fat man mean the little boy, small one. Dodds got him. Dodds like to play with kiddies. "

Gruz nods.
''Yeah, me 'member now. The Dodds is real mean. He make us do bad stuff, but we nice."

"Okay. Look we freed you from that beast man there. You owe us your lives now, right? And don't forget, more gold Gruz and Smezel. More gold. Just for you two, okay? Now we need you to help us find the little one. Then, get us back home to where you first took us from. If you two are so afraid of the Dodds, then maybe you can come with me and Benn, it is a nicer place than this one I assure you."