Ghogg says, "ok, a pirate says, "Ahh, he's bloody stupid, ain't he, mates?""

DiegoValdez says, "(grinning in spite of everything) Buenos dias."

Ghogg says, "A pirate says "Ahh, just leave him there for now.""

DiegoValdez asks, "(taking a quick look around. Where am I?"

Ghogg says, "pirate says, "I got ye a few questions. Well, one. What ye be doin' here?""

DiegoValdez says, "Well ... my friend here and I were hired for entertainment ... walking down the corridor he happened to mistake one of your fellows for someone who owed him money."

DiegoValdez says, "He's very tight about his cash, he is."

DiegoValdez says, "You have no idea the number of times I've had to bail him out of scrapes. I'm sure you understand."

DiegoValdez asks, "Why, I wouldn't be surprised if he's messed up the correspondence as well. You do, er, know about us coming, right?"

Ghogg says, "do your talking roll"

DiegoValdez asks, "Uh ... Panache or Wits? + Oratory/Acting?"

Ghogg says, "panache + acting"

DiegoValdez asks, "-2?"

Ghogg says, "naw"

DiegoValdez says, "Yay"

[7thsea] DiegoValdez rolls 4 dice: 5 2 7 1

DiegoValdez says, "Blergh. 14."

Ghogg says, "also, no it doesn't work"

Ghogg says, "Pirate says, "You be lyin'...I can smell it."

DiegoValdez says, "Well, if you don't believe me (shrug) put a guitar in my hands and I'll prove it."

Ghogg says, "Another pirate says, "Maybe it's one of those runaways Shorty was talkin' about""

DiegoValdez says, "Mine was sadly lost in the storm last night."

Ghogg says, "Pirate says, "Arr, runaway slave, it fits, but what be he wanderin' around in the manor like that?""

DiegoValdez says, "(laughs) a runaway running back to home base? That's a good one ... here, pull me other leg."

Ghogg says, "Pirate says, "Ok." and yanks really hard on your leg"

Ghogg says, "it hurts."

DiegoValdez says, "(Begins humming the most Crescent-ish song he can think of)"

DiegoValdez asks, "Ow. Not literally. How am I supposed to perform if you injure me?"

DiegoValdez says, "(Am I still tied up? And where's the sword?)"

Ghogg says, "no sword. still tied up and on the floor"

Ghogg says, "Pirate says, "Anyway, tell us why you were in the manor or we start breakin' teeth.""

Ghogg says, "also, you notice Jack lying unconscious in the corner"

DiegoValdez says, "(thinking quickly....)"

Ghogg says, "A pirate kicks you in the leg"

DiegoValdez says, "Oh, alright...."

DiegoValdez says, "I'm looking for an uncle of mine. We thought he'd be here, since it's about the only sensible place anyone would be."

DiegoValdez asks, "You don't, er, happen to know of a Diego Montero Valdez?"

Ghogg says, "The pirate kicks you again"

DiegoValdez says, "Diego Montero Feliticio Valdez. Last I recall, he said something about a secret treasure...."

DiegoValdez says, "A wild goose chase, if you ask me ... if grandfather's directions were really accurate.... (shrug dismissively)."

Ghogg says, "ok, try another acting roll"

[7thsea] DiegoValdez rolls 4 dice: 9 9 6 8

Ghogg says, "Pirate says, "So, where be this treasure, and what be its nature?""

DiegoValdez says, "grf. 26"

DiegoValdez asks, "Magic, I've been told. Some sort of northern thing. Why a northlander treasure should be this far south ... as I said, it sounds ridiculous. But I really need to find my uncle, so if you've seen him...?"

Ghogg asks, "what kind of magic, though?"

DiegoValdez says, "You don't really believe in it, do you? Oh, northern ... Vesten, I think. I don't understand that sort of thing at all."

Ghogg asks, "arr, where be this treasure?"

DiegoValdez says, "Oh, somewhere off to the east. There's a rock someplace with a rune on it."

DiegoValdez says, "When the (judges time, chooses time approximately one hour from now) sun strikes it, it's supposed to reflect onto a hidden passage in the ground."

Ghogg asks, "in the manor?"

DiegoValdez exclaims, "(laugh) IN the manor?? Don't be silly. That would be the first place a burglar would look!"

DiegoValdez says, "No, according to Uncle Diego, it's somewhere along the eastern shore."

Ghogg asks, "so, why were you in the manor, then?"

Ghogg says, "you didn't answer my first question, runt"

DiegoValdez says, "Like I said, we were looking for my uncle. We figured that since it wasn't the right time for the sun-on-stone thing and all, that he might be holed up here."

Ghogg says, "the pirate pokes you once with a sword"

DiegoValdez says, "Keeping the rain off his head, perhaps? Where else would he have been sleeping for the past week? (worried look) assuming he made it to the island...."

DiegoValdez says, "You sure you haven't seen him? (describe uncle Diego)"

Ghogg says, "Arr, well..."

Ghogg asks, "where be this treasure exactly, then?"

Ghogg says, "well? speak up then? The pirate brings a sword at your neck"

DiegoValdez says, "(sigh) Eastern shore, look for a granite rock with a rune on it ... (describe a random rune from the temple, one of those that got Bjorg all excited) ..."

Ghogg says, "hrmmf."

DiegoValdez says, "When the sun strikes it, the light should reflect onto a hidden passage in the ground. Go through the passage and there you are."

DiegoValdez says, "We assume it's near the easternmost point of the island, probably just within the wooded areas."

DiegoValdez says, "Now if you'll tell me if you've seen my uncle? We really really need his signature ... family business, you know."

Ghogg says, "The pirate kicks you, hard."

DiegoValdez exclaims, "Ow!"

Ghogg asks, "Wooded areas, eh?"

Ghogg says, "I bet you've never been on here 'till you got washed up from that slave ship"

DiegoValdez says, "Or whatever you call it. Not on the sand, because things there get washed away."

DiegoValdez asks, "Well I don't know about this slave ship of yours, but of COURSE I've never been here before. You think I'd still be looking for my uncle if I had?"

DiegoValdez says, "I'd have turned up here long ago! First thing I'd do once I land, look for the most likely residential spot."

Ghogg says, "Well, we better be askin' Shorty first"

Ghogg says, "he's the one who described y'all"

DiegoValdez says, "Go ahead, then. It's no matter to me."

Ghogg says, "The pirate hauls your body so you are sitting up against the wall now"

DiegoValdez says, "Perhaps he might know a little more about my uncle. If he isn't my uncle."

Ghogg says, "you look like you are in part of an old stables"

DiegoValdez asks, "No horses?"

Ghogg says, "well, first I gotta find him, I only saw him last night when we were playin' dice"

Ghogg says, "no horses"

DiegoValdez says, "Wait ... "shorty" ... He wouldn't happen to be ...."

DiegoValdez says, "(describe Hafkris)"

Ghogg says, "ya, that be him"

Ghogg says, "he cheated better at dice than any of us, too"

DiegoValdez says, "(frown) Odd ... uncle Diego described someone like him ... they were supposed to be in this together ..."

DiegoValdez asks, "...and you say you've never even heard of my uncle?"

Ghogg says, "The pirate spits"

Ghogg says, "Well, keep rambling on' if you like, I'll take meself a swig now..."

Ghogg says, "The pirate extracts a bottle and opens it"

DiegoValdez exclaims, "Oh Theus! The bastard's probably gone and killed my dear uncle! Santa Maria ... he probably wants this, this fantasy trove for himself!"

Ghogg says, "ya, ya..."

Ghogg asks, "want a swig?"

DiegoValdez says, "What, how can I think of rum when my uncle.... ."

DiegoValdez says, "(muttering just loud enough to be heard) ...'sides ... I could hardly take a swig, tied up like this...."

Ghogg says, "sure ya can...see..."

Ghogg says, "the pirate takes the bottle and pushes it into your lips"

Ghogg says, "than he pulls it back and some nasty-tasting rum pours in"

DiegoValdez says, "...erg ... gulp ...."

Ghogg says, "The pirate gets back in his chair and takes another swig"

Ghogg says, "Well, but anyway, tell me more 'bout yer uncle"

DiegoValdez says, "Oh, he helped take care of horses on a rancho in Torres, Castille. That was before the Montaigne invasion."

DiegoValdez says, "When the Montaign army took the rancho, he decided to try for this treasure he'd heard about from his father. (We're related on his mother's side, see)"

Ghogg says, "The pirate "mmfs.""

Ghogg says, "and takes another swig"

DiegoValdez says, "Naturally the family tried to talk him out of it ... we never really believed in any of great-uncle Esteban's stories."

DiegoValdez says, "But he insisted. Now his daughter (my cousin) needs his signature on a legal document so she can get married, and we can't find him."

DiegoValdez says, "We always did say Uncle Diego was a strange one."

DiegoValdez says, "He used to keep birds, you know. condors, ravens, that sort of thing."

DiegoValdez says, "As if taking care of the horses weren't enough."

Ghogg asks, "Did he do falcons?"

DiegoValdez says, "Si. If it had falcons, he probably did."

DiegoValdez says, "(er, "if it had feathers")"

DiegoValdez says, "He liked them black, though."

DiegoValdez says, "I figured that if he weren't at the manor, I could always look out to see if he'd started keeping birds here ... perhaps one would lead me to him."

Ghogg says, "well, he ain't at the manor, I ken tell you that"

DiegoValdez says, "Then he must be dead. Unless he's hiding out someplace else."

Ghogg says, "arr."

Ghogg says, "The pirate seems to be dozing off"

DiegoValdez says, "(mutter, mutter, mutter lullaby lullaby lullaby....)"

Ghogg says, "the pirate seems to be conked"

DiegoValdez says, "(smiles. Any sharp rope-cutting implements handy?)"

Ghogg says, "well, to get you the picture, both your arms and legs are tied"

Ghogg says, "both tightly"

Ghogg says, "you can barely move the tips of your fingers"

DiegoValdez asks, "barely? Can I wiggle over to Jack and pick at his knots?"

DiegoValdez says, "hmmm ... how to escape....."