Log:Broken Dolls Go To Market

Broken Dolls Go To Market
Participants Iris, Alonso, Pilar, Allen and Gisa as ST	16 August, 2017 After some hedgefruit modification, a group led by Alonso head out to patrol and test their work. It kinda works. Part of Broken Dolls
Location
Pilar is not only a good assistant when it comes to nearly any task, but she finds a satisfaction in helping others succeed that just can't be beat. No matter how much she loves doing a job well, being able to turn potential failure into sure success for others warms the tiny construct's clockwork heart. When she finds out that Allen could use some help preserving and modifying hedgefruit, she volunteers for the duty after elicitingly only a promise to help her with some construction of a workshop in the near future, and a few moments checking out the tools. When the work starts she's always out of the way, or even out of sight, but everything that Allen needs every step in the way essentially materializes right where he's about to reach for it, or tedious steps that he turns to start working on are simply already done and waiting for him, neat and precise and organized. How the diminutive woman manages to help so extensively while almost entirely staying out of sight and without making a sound unless Allen asks her a question she needs to answer may just be a marvel. Let's be honest: Allen may have slightly overstated his crafting ability regarding hedgefruit elixirs and tonics. He's more of a statuary and jewelry ogre. However, just because it's not his strong suit doesn't mean that the same methodologies and dedication to craft can't be brought to bare. And so, with the more than capable assistance of one Pilar, he goes about his work and manages a very fine assortment of Jarmyn-infused colas. Some time later... It's a sort of trench warfare that Alonso has found himself engaged in. Playing a waiting game of technological development, trying to buy time for the crafters to develop a means to resist the enemy's contracts while hunting for the materials to craft into explosives and mortars for their eventual counter-attack. Reinforcing the hobs on a nightly basis has been tiring and expensive. The constant patrolling is clearly starting to wear at least Alonso's nerves a little thin. But, thanks to these patrols and their reinforcement of the hobs, the incursions have lessened and their impact has been blunted altogether. Which of course means Alonso is anticipating-- or perhaps has foreseen --a strike by the enemy, in force, on a high value target. Such as the Market, for example. Resource rich, remote, and full of hobs to fuel their literal and figurative grist mill. The fires are lit, Gondor has called for aid, and Alonso is fully equipped and expecting the worst. Despite this fact, he's in clear view of anyone and everyone who might be casing out the market itself, riding his horse, and carrying his bow across his lap with an arrow nocked. Iris has been doing her best to keep up with helping the patrols as well, and does so without complaint or seeming to get bored and wander off. It might be other than what people have expect from the dragon, but she seems rather devoted to doing what she can to stop this army. Or at least to doing what she can to be AWESOME, which amounts to the same thing. Since she has started to become familiar with the local hedge, and knows how to find the market, she offered to play escort to take Allen and Pilar out to meet up with Alonso, let him know they have some sleep-b-gone cola, and maybe provide him a chance to rest a bit since he has been out there a lot. When she wanders into town it's like she often tends to meander through the hedge, which is to say without any weapons or armor on her, like a lunatic. It's hard to miss her when she strolls into the market and waves vigorously toward Alonso, since she's quite brightly colored, and then adds to it by having ribbons nearly as bright tied here and there on her clothing. Having been decked out in Iris's castoff equipment for the trip, since her own things haven't arrived yet, Pilar is wearing a bulletproof vest a bit too big for her, carrying a sword on a hip, and has a bow in one hand. She moves like she's used to having the extra weight or bulk, and isn't a stranger to going armed, but she also tends to be adapable and prone to not complaining about things that inconvenience her, so she might just not be saying anything. Given how alert she is to her surroundings, watching everything and lingering on nothing, comfort with the weaponry and being used to dangerous situations is probably the better guess. "That's a lot of civilians to protect," she says in accented English when they reach the market and she takes in the hobs, the market stalls, and everything else. Despite towering over any and all villagers, Allen looks to be trying (and obviously failing) to blend into the crowd. The result is laughably bad, of course, which he can clearly see, but crowds have always made him nervous, even if the crowd is mostly hobs. Of course, the crowd gives him a wide-enough berth, since he's carrying a sledgehammer over one shoulder, a four-pack of Jarmyn-cola and clad in riot gear. That's just fine, though. The wider the berth, the better for the introverted Stonebones. Pilar's observation receives a nod in reply. "Hopefully we won't see any trouble," he answers hesitantly, his tone betraying how much of a lie he thinks he just told. -> >> Iris to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 4 Successes < 2 3 4 4 5 5 6 7 7 7 7 9 9 9 10 > ===============================-> >> Dexterity + Wyrd No Flags << <- GAME: Iris spends 2 Glamour with reason: Elegant Protection -> >> Iris to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 6 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 4 4 6 6 6 8 8 8 10 10 10 > ===========================-> >> Dexterity + Wyrd + 4 No Flags << <- -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 7 Successes for an exceptional success. < 5 7 8 8 8 9 9 10 10 > ==============================-> >> Wyrd + Expression No Flags << <- GAME: Iris spends 2 Glamour with reason: Songs of Distant Arcadia -> >> Iris to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 3 Successes < 1 2 2 3 3 4 5 6 6 8 8 9 > ==============================-> >> Wyrd + Expression No Flags << <- -> >> Iris to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 5 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 1 2 2 4 4 6 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 10 10 > ===============================-> >> Dexterity + Wyrd No Flags << <- GAME: Allen spends 1 Glamour with reason: increase Strength, Brawl, and Intimidation dice pools GAME: Allen spends 1 Glamour with reason: increase Strength, Brawl, and Intimidation dice pools GAME: Pilar spends 1 Glamour with reason: Wizened /9 on Dexterity rolls GAME: Allen spends 1 Glamour with reason: add Wyrd value (3) to armor rating for the rest of the scene GAME: Pilar spends 3 Glamour with reason: Blessing of Protection on Iris's bow (Pilar is borrowing) -> >> Pilar to Here << <-============================================= Rolled 5 Successes for an exceptional success. < 2 3 3 5 5 6 8 8 9 10 10 > ====================================-> >> Wits + Wyrd No Flags << <- -> >> Pilar to Here << <-============================================= Rolled 4 Successes < 1 1 3 3 3 4 5 7 9 10 10 10 > ====================================-> >> Wits + Wyrd No Flags << <- -> >> Pilar to Here << <-============================================= Rolled 3 Successes < 3 4 4 6 7 7 8 8 9 > ===============================-> >> Dexterity + Wyrd No Flags << <- -> >> Allen to Here << <-============================================= Rolled 1 Success < 1 1 1 1 2 3 3 10 > ===============================-> >> Wits + Composure No Flags << <- -> >> Pilar to Here << <-============================================= Rolled 5 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 9 10 10 > ================================-> >> Wits + Composure 9-Again << <- -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 9 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 9 9 10 10 10 10 10 > ============================-> >> Wits + Composure + 7 8-Again << <- -> >> Iris to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 3 Successes < 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 > ===============================-> >> Wits + Composure No Flags << <- There's no one who doesn't hear the noise from the opposite direction, the way they just came, back where the trod meets another path. Alonso and Pilar can both pinpoint the sounds of tank treads on earth, and can tell about how far away it is -- about 60 yards, around the bend, just out of sight -- but everyone hears noise. Yelling. Screaming. The Pilgrims can smell the oil and smoke, too. Well. Here we go. -> >> Pilar to Here << <-============================================= Rolled 1 Success < 1 2 3 3 3 3 4 6 9 > ===============================-> >> Dexterity + Wyrd No Flags << <- GAME: Iris rolled 8, putting herself on the initiative roster at 18. GAME: Alonso rolled 9 + 7, putting himself on the initiative roster at 27. GAME: Allen rolled 6 - 4, putting himself on the initiative roster at 8. Allen's head snaps back towards the noise, a noise that he's never actually heard in the Hedge before now. "I spoke too soon about trouble," he intones as he passes around the Jarmyn Cola. He pops the cap on his bottle, raises it as if toasting the party to good fortune, and, in stereotypical Ogre fashion, downs the surprisingly cool and fizzy liquid in one gulp. He then promptly, heartily belches. GAME: Gisa directly set "Tank" on the initiative roster at 13. GAME: Gisa directly set "Murderkin 1" on the initiative roster at 16. GAME: Gisa directly set "Murderkin 2" on the initiative roster at 12. GAME: Pilar rolled 8, putting herself on the initiative roster at 15. GAME: Gisa directly set "Terrified Hob Marketeers" on the initiative roster at 10. GAME: Gisa directly set "Unpromoted Murderkin 1" on the initiative roster at 14. GAME: Gisa directly set "Unpromoted Murderkin 2" on the initiative roster at 17. -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 4 Successes < 1 3 3 4 6 7 8 8 9 10 > ====================================-> >> Wits + Wyrd No Flags << <- GAME: Alonso spends 2 Glamour GAME: Alonso spends 1 Willpower -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 12 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 4 4 4 4 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 10 10 10 10 > =========-> >> Dexterity + Wyrd + Firearms.Archery + 6 8-Again << <- -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 3 Successes < 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 7 7 7 7 8 9 9 > =========-> >> Dexterity + Wyrd + Firearms.Archery + 6 8-Again << <- -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 6 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 7 8 9 10 10 10 10 > =========-> >> Dexterity + Wyrd + Firearms.Archery + 6 8-Again << <- -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 8 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 9 9 10 10 > =========-> >> Dexterity + Wyrd + Firearms.Archery + 6 8-Again << <- -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 7 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 5 6 6 6 6 7 8 8 9 9 10 10 10 > =========-> >> Dexterity + Wyrd + Firearms.Archery + 6 8-Again << <- -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 9 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 4 5 5 5 5 6 6 7 7 7 7 8 8 9 9 9 10 10 10 10 > =========-> >> Dexterity + Wyrd + Firearms.Archery + 6 8-Again << <- GAME: Gisa removes "unpromoted murderkin 1" from the initiative roster. "To arms, comrades!" Alonso's voice calls out bright and clear as the rumble of the tank draws nearer. He doesn't draw his saber for this charge, he keeps to his bow. His horse is the recipient of the spurs, however, which quite literally kicks the beast into action. Horse and rider are off at a full gallop, which has Alonso riding high in the stirrups as he begins taking aim on the enemy. In quick succession he draws and fires three bow shots at the most immediately obvious infantry. All three arrows appear to connect-- the trail of electricity through the air serving as telltale tracers of the arc of his fire --but the results leave two of the larger hobs staggered, and only the third smaller hob collapsing to the ground as a result of its wounds. It bubbles briefly before exploding in a fountain of gore a short moment later. -> >> Gisa to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 2 Successes < 1 3 4 6 7 8 10 > =========================================-> >> 11 - 5 No Flags << <- -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 2 Successes < 2 3 5 7 8 10 > ===========================-> >> Presence + Expression 9-Again << <- -> >> Gisa to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 3 Successes < 1 1 2 3 4 4 6 7 7 9 9 10 > =============================================-> >> 11 No Flags << <- Iris is a Standard Bearer and a dragon, so she does what tends to come with the territory when you're dealing with those sorts of people: she sees enemies and runs straight at them, all brightly colored and out there in the open like an idiot. The thing is, she does this every time, and so far it always seems to work out for her! "To arms alright!" she shouts as she charges. "Maybe this time I'll actually get to fight the tank!" -> >> Iris to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 2 Successes < 2 2 3 3 3 3 4 5 6 6 8 8 > ==================================-> >> Resolve + Wyrd 8-Again << <- GAME: Iris spends 1 Willpower -> >> Iris to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 1 Success < 1 2 4 4 7 10 > ==============================================-> >> 5 No Flags << <- GAME: Pilar spends 1 Glamour GAME: Pilar spends 1 Willpower -> >> Pilar to Here << <-============================================= Rolled 5 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 1 1 3 6 6 7 8 9 9 10 10 > ============================-> >> Intelligence + Wyrd No Flags << <- One of the little versions of the murderhobs screeches something that's not coherent at this distance and hacks into the wagon that the terrified hobs are trying to flee. It's a brightly-painted vardo bearing the words 'FABULOUS HARRY'S DISCOUNT ELIXIRS -- HEALING, STRENGTH, LIFE, & RESTFUL SLEEP!' in gold on the side. The cybernetic briarwolves of myth and legend and Alonso's nightmares are up in the trees, of course, and one of them bounds from tree to tree, bouncing toward the incoming group. It stops and howls long and loud, "Motherrrrrr!" -- their usual war-cry -- and Iris feels the tug of glamour around her throat, tugging at the backs of her eyes, trying to make her sleep, before there's a fizzy feeling that flows up from her feet to her brain, and she's super awake! Zoomity zoom! -> >> Pilar to Here << <-============================================= Rolled 4 Successes < 1 1 2 2 4 4 4 4 6 7 8 9 10 10 > =========================-> >> Dexterity + Stealth + 2 9-Again << <- -> >> Gisa to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 3 Successes < 1 2 3 3 4 5 6 6 8 8 9 > =============================================-> >> 11 No Flags << <- Allen pulls himself up to his full 7'2" and throws his empty cola bottle on the ground as the panic-stricken crowd races around him in all directions. He glowers at advancing enemies and, unshouldering his 9-lb. sledge, starts trotting in their direction. He slowly builds to a a full run and full bellow, charging headlong at the tank. The tank sets the surrounding woods -- in the direction the wagon was coming from, away from the Market -- on fire, making retreat pretty much impossible for the marketeers. And, as well, the second briarwolf howls, and then the driver of the hob wagon falls over, snoring. The murderkin jumps down on the top of the vardo, as the other two hobs try to grab their friend and drag him along. "CLETUS NO!" Pilar makes it all of about two steps before she vanishes from view. "I have an idea for the tank," comes her disembodied voice from nowhere, only just audible over the din of combat, and the sounds of her footsteps on the ground can be heard for a few more paces, and then they fade from most perception as well. -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 2 Successes < 2 2 5 6 6 6 6 8 9 > ====================================-> >> Wits + Wyrd No Flags << <- GAME: Alonso spends 2 Glamour -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 11 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 10 10 10 > ========-> >> Dexterity + Wyrd + Firearms.Archery + 10 9-Again << <- -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 6 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 5 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 9 9 10 > ========-> >> Dexterity + Wyrd + Firearms.Archery + 10 9-Again << <- -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 9 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 4 4 4 4 4 5 6 7 8 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 10 > ========-> >> Dexterity + Wyrd + Firearms.Archery + 10 9-Again << <- -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 8 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 8 9 9 9 9 10 10 10 > ========-> >> Dexterity + Wyrd + Firearms.Archery + 10 9-Again << <- -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 6 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 9 9 > ========-> >> Dexterity + Wyrd + Firearms.Archery + 10 9-Again << <- -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 8 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 9 9 10 10 > ========-> >> Dexterity + Wyrd + Firearms.Archery + 10 9-Again << <- GAME: Gisa removes "murderkin 1" from the initiative roster. Alonso's charge continues, as his hand keeps snapping down to his equestrian quiver to draw up the next bow shot. Three more arrows sail through the air, one glancing off the tank's armor, but the other two landing solidly in their intended targets. One of the giant hobs topples to the ground, the other clutches at the newfound arrow in its chest with some semblance of alarm. Where'd that come from? The spaniard's charge carries him through the thinning ranks of the raiding party and out their far left flank. He gains a good bit of distance from their claws before turning his horse around and arcing back around to lead him in an arc that will bring him across their front line for another pass. Iris continues to rush headlong toward the enemies and their tank (which is also an enemy), but when she gets most of the way to them, right on the edge of rushing into the fray, she changes from her usual tactic of just jumping in and surrounding herself. Instead she steps, rears back to take in a deep breath, and then lets it out. Usually when dragons do that kind of thing it's fire, or acid, or a cone of cold, or something, right? Well, for Iris it's brilliant, nearly-blinding rainbows that fill the air, reflect off anything they can, and then just hang around being epilepsy-inducing. -> >> Gisa to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 0 Success < 4 4 5 6 7 > =========================================-> >> 12 - 7 No Flags << <- The tiny murderkin, with Sgt stripes on its arm, swings at Rojo's legs... and misses. GAME: Pilar spends 3 Glamour GAME: Pilar spends 1 Willpower -> >> Pilar to Here << <-============================================= Rolled 6 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 1 1 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 5 7 8 8 8 8 9 10 > ====================-> >> Presence + Wyrd + 3 9-Again and Rote << <- -> >> Gisa to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 7 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 3 4 4 5 5 6 9 9 9 9 10 10 10 > =============================================-> >> 11 No Flags << <- -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 5 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 2 2 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 8 8 8 8 9 > ==============================-> >> Resolve + Wyrd + 2 8-Again << <- As far as anyone can actually tell Pilar is still just gone. She did say that she thought she could do something about a problem like the tank, though, and a few seconds after she says that the thing starts to make truly dreadful sounds. There's a harsh grinding from somewhere inside of it, like gears just started up a battle royale against each other, and then a hideous shrieking of metal tearing. A moment later the whole vehicle shuts down and smoke starts billowing out from underneath it in choking clouds of an unnatural blue-grey. Either Pilar made good on her promise to try to stop that tank or its crew has the worst luck possible. Allen continues his very un-Allen-like bellowing run towards the main enemy force. Screaming Meemy, indeed. -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 3 Successes < 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 7 8 9 9 > =========-> >> Dexterity + Wyrd + Firearms.Archery + 6 9-Again << <- -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 15 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 7 7 8 8 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 10 10 10 10 10 10 > =========-> >> Dexterity + Wyrd + Firearms.Archery + 6 9-Again << <- -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 3 Successes < 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 8 8 9 > =========-> >> Dexterity + Wyrd + Firearms.Archery + 6 9-Again << <- -> >> Alonso to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 8 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 1 1 3 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 7 7 8 8 8 9 10 10 10 10 > =========-> >> Dexterity + Wyrd + Firearms.Archery + 6 9-Again << <- GAME: Alonso spends 1 Willpower GAME: Alonso spends 2 Glamour GAME: Gisa removes "unpromoted murderkin 2" from the initiative roster. GAME: Gisa removes "murderkin 2" from the initiative roster. For a brief and beautiful moment, Alonso falls asleep. Ah. Sleep. So quiet. So pleasant. And then he slumps out of his saddle, off the back of his horse, and rolls ass over teakettle across the ground. The nice thing is, being all loose and untense probably saved him a lot of pain in the process. His training kicks in once he comes around mid-tumble, and he manages-- miraculously --to take command of his roll and come up on a knee with his bow at the ready. He fires his first bow shot from a crouch, and reaches to his back for his footman's quiver to fire his second shot. Just like that, the field is cleared of visible infantry, and the hob marketeers are relatively safe from that immediate peril. As the fight narrows, Allen steers himself over to the side, rather than engaging the enemy directly, he positions himself to defend the hobs who are sobbing and trying to wake their slumbering comrade. One of them is bleeding pretty badly from a wound in his side, too. -> >> Iris to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 3 Successes < 3 3 4 5 5 6 6 7 8 8 9 > ================================-> >> Strength + Wyrd No Flags << <- GAME: Iris spends 1 Glamour GAME: Iris spends 2 Glamour GAME: Iris spends 1 Willpower GAME: Iris spends 1 Glamour with reason: Draconic blessing -> >> Iris to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 8 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 7 7 8 8 9 9 9 9 10 10 > =======-> >> Strength + Brawl + Persuasion + Wyrd + 5 No Flags << <- -> >> Iris to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 6 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 8 8 9 9 9 10 > =======-> >> Strength + Brawl + Persuasion + Wyrd + 5 No Flags << <- Since all of her enemies are dead except for the tank, Iris goes for the tank. Billowing plumes of acrid smoke aren't really her jam, but she can cope! She rushes the disabled vehicle, springs into the air to put one foot down on the top of a tread, and then vaults easily onto the roof of the tank to look for the way in. When she spots the hatch a wicked smile spreads across her face, bearing teeth made for ripping flesh from bones, and she takes two steps over to where the hatch is and leans down to make a swipe at the hinge. Her claws rip through the metal, scoring the armor and ripping the hinges off of the tank entirely, and they go sailing off to bounce along the ground a good twenty feet away. Then the dragon picks up the hatch, casually chucks it off into the woods like the world's most deadly frisbee, and peers at the inhabitants with reptilian eyes. "Hello there. Do you happen to be in the market for your own lives? Because I'll let you buy them with answers if you start talking." -> >> Pilar to Here << <-============================================= Rolled 4 Successes < 1 3 3 5 6 8 9 9 10 > ================================-> >> Wits + Medicine No Flags << <- GAME: Pilar spends 1 Glamour GAME: Pilar spends 1 Willpower -> >> Pilar to Here << <-============================================= Rolled 4 Successes < 1 2 2 3 4 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 10 10 > =======================-> >> Wits + Medicine + Mantle No Flags << <- Pilar, hidden and silent, makes her hidden way to where the injured and frightened hobs are. It only takes a moment to realize how badly injured one of them is, and since she doesn't think a stranger's presence is going to help anything she just starts healing without revealing. Wounds start to knit themselves closed with the breath of Spring's touch, and only after the hob is nearly mended does she speak. "I think that healing should keep you well. I'm one of the Changelings who fought the attackers off. You should be safe from them now." She doesn't appear, though, and turns to head back over to check on the others. When the hobs in the tank attack her, Iris is terribly disappointed. They don't even come close! When the first of the two lunges for her she casually swats the attack aside, and then she glides into the tank through the hatch like a viper slithering after it's prey. The grace of her movements is far from human, and there are a couple of seconds of the sounds of creatures stirring in the tank, the tear of flesh, a brief yelp that gets muffled before it can do more than begin to form, and then silence. A couple of seconds later Iris springs back out through the hatch, jumping from the tank's interior floor to its roof without using her hands. "That smoke is terrible," she says like she didn't just kill two people, and the nictitating membranes slide over her eyes to keep the smoke out. She looks around from that vantage and says, "Allen, Alonso. Pilar! Are you hiding out there somewhere?" And suddenly there's mostly silence, except for the whimpering of a panicked hob, the snoring of another, and the soft crackling of the Hedge burning. There's sound from the direction of the Market as people are starting to come and see what all the ruckus is about, and then... the one who was just bleeding and is no longer turns toward the sound of Pilar's voice. He pulls himself up to his full 2.5 feet of height and clears his throat. "Thank you. I... thank you. I'm Fabulous Harry." He doesn't look that fabulous right now, in his traveling duds, with his face like a pug's, and blood, but. "Please, allow me to graciously show you some thanks, while my comrade tries to wake up our driver." He backs away slowly -- look, maybe he doesn't believe Pilar -- and dodges into the vardo. Pilar shimmers into view, like the sun coming back out as morning's fog burns off, walking back toward the tank. "I'm here," she says, and she comes to a stop a short distance away. "Do I need to fix that thing and train the hobs in how to use it, or take it apart the rest of the way?" She turns in the direction of the hob again, who is talking to the air where she had been before. "Do you need a tank?" she asks the hob as he's baking away. "Pilar!" Iris jumps down from the tank, blood dripping from her claws. She seems to have managed to rip a couple of people apart and somehow not get a drop of blood on her other than talons. "Did you see what happened? That tank soiled itself when it saw me coming at it! And..." she looks after the hob who just ducked off. "Did you hear? That hob is FABULOUS! Are you really going to give them the tank?" "I... I don't want a tank," Fabulous Harry answers, carefully setting two small metal tins on the footrest in front of the driver's seat. "Here. Please take this preserved amaranthine. We were bringing a new shipment after the last one was stolen, and without your intervention, this one would have been, too. It's the last of this season's crop from our best supplier!" As if he has to sell it to Pilar. "Apparently I'm not giving them the tank," Pilar tells Iris, after Harry answers the question for her. "Are you sure? I could rig it up to pull your vardo, or maybe set it up with a plow so it can till fields." Tanks to plowshares! She does take the offered amaranthine from the hob. "Thank you. I'll make sure that it's put to good use," she says. She looks at Iris. "That's how it happened, is it?" "Possibly," Iris responds with a sharp-toothed grin. "It makes a good story, doesn't it?" She turns unblinking gaze on Harry, hides the teeth so he doesn't think she's going to eat him, and then says, "do you need an escort the rest of the way? It's not far, obviously, but I'm here so I might as well, if you'd like.'