After scanning the room and witnessing all the commotion, Marnu determined that he did not want to fight with these adventurers. He'd always fancied himself as more of an entertainer frog than a warrior frog. More importantly, he didn't want to mar his finest set of performance clothes. He quickly pulled Vandal and Hustus aside and suggested that they engage in the art of diplomacy by attempting to achieve a truce with some of these other glorious adventurers. If they were to be successful in this task, he was sure it would bolster their reputation with the others, and perhaps even the king!

Yet if Marnu valued one thing, it was his friends. He was very open to their opinions about how to handle this barbaric bar brawl. Should they decide that diplomacy is not a desirable option, he was fully willing to cheer his party on from the sidelines with his inspirational singing voice (whilst his companions wreaked havoc on the others).

As everyone else was initially scrambling to gather weapons in a free for all, Marnu stood back and allowed the adventurers to squabble over the potential weapons. But as the crowd thinned and he took inventory of which weapons remained, he realized that the remaining selection is quite poor. There was a longbow, but he truly did not wish to harm anyone and the bar was rather cramped to be using such a long distance weapon. The other remaining weapon is a very stylish looking exotic weapon - a few metal star-shaped blades that he could potentially throw at his opponent. Unfortunately, it occurred to him that he would have no idea how to use them even if he *did* want to fight.

As he began to resign himself to the fact that the remaining weapons have no appeal to him at all, he started to think that his only option may be his fists. But then his eyes settled upon a large wooden stool sitting directly beside the table. Were he to use it as a makeshift stage and stand atop it, there is no way that his voice could be lost in the crowd. He felt confident that his inspirational croaking will reach the ears of his companions no matter how chaotic things got in this inn.

##Wooden Stool

Dagger - Canassa
Long sword - Ahron
Short sword - Rok
Longbow
Crossbow- Faerora
Mace - Greaseface
Glave - Calius
Falchion - Murder Bunny
Scimitar - Randall
Rapier - Lavina
Sickle - Tuuluuwaq
Shuriken
War hammer - Khanarak
Shield - Boobarella
Quarterstaff - Malus
Spear - Ordella
Whip - Rara
Sling - Cyrillus
Wooden stool - Marnu
Fists
None (hide) - Pastor Sandro

Ever since he was a tadpole, Marnu had always been lucky. When he was born, he had 84 sisters and 126 brothers. By human standards, Marnu knew this would constitute a rather large family, but Frog society worked differently. Frogfolk frequently laid 1000 to 2000 eggs at a time, though it was rare that many of them would survive to adult hood. The world was not a friendly place to frogs - they were seen as easy prey by some, and seen as a component for a spell or potion by others. Few in the world even knew that some Frogs could grow into full fledged sentient should they survive long enough.

His parents, Charlow and Schmorna had to always look out for him. He loved being the center of attention and was constantly swimming ahead of his family to greet the cohabitants of their bog. Fortunately for Marnu, the bog's creatures came to find Marnu adorable rather than annoying. Despite multiple instances of interacting with otters, ducks, storks and even a heron, not one of the swamp's frog-predators had ever eaten him. Marnu was one of only 35 in his family to live long enough to sprout legs, and one of 9 that lived long enough to become an actual frogfolk.

As an fully grown Frogfolk, Marnu began to find the bog confining. He felt as though he had explored every inch, discovered every secret, and met all the animals that lived there. His days were spent foraging for sustenance, and he knew in his heart that there was more to life. Whenever he expressed these grievances to his parents, they would reminded him of the dangers associated with the larger world. These warnings fell on deaf ears, and Marnu began to find himself feeling resentful.

One day, Marnu decided he wanted something different from his normal dinner, and he made his way to the outer perimeter of the marsh where the berries were plentiful (he didn't like to kill innocent bugs when other sources of nutrients were available). As he was searching, he heard something he had never heard before - something serene that brought him a strong feeling of peace. He followed the sound until he could see what it was. A young maiden was sitting on a log, holding some sort of wooden device with strings, and she was speaking. But instead of speaking normally, her words had an inflection to them that made them sound beautiful to him.

He knew that he would get in trouble for it later, but he worked up the confidence to introduce himself to this pretty girl with the mesmerizing voice. At first, she was startled, and she regarded him with wide eyes and an expression of terror. Fortunately, Marnu was quick thinking and offered her the berries he had been collecting, and she began to realize that he was no threat to her. After briefly contemplating her circumstance, the girl tried communicate with Marnu and explain that the wooden device was a harp, and that instead of speaking she had been singing. Her attempts were unsuccessful at first because the language barrier proved to be too significant, so the girl began to sing again and Marnu sat and listened.

When Marnu returned home that evening, his parents asked where he had been and he lied to them. He claimed that he had spent his day collecting berries and their suspicion quickly faded. The next day, Marnu decided to return to the clearing where he had found the girl, and she was there again very happy to see him. This became a ritual that the two engaged with on a daily basis, and before long, she was teaching Marnu how to speak the common tongue.

He learned that she was a Princess named Cilanna, and that his marsh existed on the border of her kingdom. The clearing was a secret place where she could truly be alone from both her family and their servants. She explained that her family had never understood her, and that she had bigger aspirations than a political marriage - she wanted to marry for love. Marnu could very much understand her frustration, as he too felt he was being led by his parents into a life that he didn't want. The two became fast friends, and Cilanna taught Marnu how to play the harp, sing, dance, and read. Marnu taught Ciilanna how to forage, and showed her all the secrets of the swamp that he knew of. Marnu truly felt as though he had found someone that he could spend the rest of his life with.

But one day, he returned to their secret clearing and she wasn't there. Resting beside their log, was her harp, and an envelope. Marnu hastily opened the envelope and to his horror he read that after returning home the previous evening, Princess Cilanna's father informed her that he was no longer willing to wait on her to grow up and that he was sending her to the court to find a suitable husband that could offer stability to the realm. She wrote to Marnu that her heart was broken by her father's decision and that she would never forgive him. The harp was left as a parting gift to remember her by, as she would not and could not ever forget Marnu.

Marnu returned home that night feeling defeated and dejected, and he decided it was time to come clean to his parents. He expected them to be furious, and for them to disown him on the spot. But both Charlow and Schmorna knew what it was like to be in a loving relationship. Rather than scorn, he was met with empathy and curiosity. They wanted to hear more of this 'music' that had brought Marnu and Cilanna together, and they were overwhelmed with delight when he pulled out his harp and began to sing.

For the first time in his life, Charlow and Schmorna encouraged Marnu to live to his potential. The only way that he was going to win her over was if he ventured outside their home and found her. Marnu decided that he may not come from a noble background, but if he were to become the world's greatest performer and tell the world's greatest story, even the King would be unable to keep him and Cilanna apart. The very next day he set out into the larger world, unsure of what to expect, but ready to meet the challenges life threw at him. Within a few weeks, he found himself in a very crowded tavern standing next to an armored bear and a magical faun...

It is said that ever since Marnu departed from his swamp, the frogs that live there can be heard croaking in harmony.

Wow that was longer than I realized it was as I wrote it lol.

Also, just wanted to check that despite the fact that Hustus has to shoot an arrow at another team, is our group still allowed to choose diplomacy?

Marni is so bad at thinking of clever names but he is thinking on it.

What about 'The Forest's Finest'?

Sounds like it could be fitting for a faun, frog and bear.

Zersch @ 6/2/2021 21:16

Vandal twitches at being called a bear again.

Marnu expresses his most sincere apologies. He doesn't know how he got so mixed up.

Perhaps there is a more fitting name than his initial suggestion. Something related to nature feels fitting though.

It sounds as though our team all agreed on this course of action.

##C. Attempt to talk your way out of it and come to a truce

Oh wow didnt even notice that it was already posted lol.

After hearing Hustus make his suggestions, Marnu croaked with delight.

'Keepers of the Woods? I positively love it. With a name like that, stories of our party are sure to reach the ears of the King. You have an undeniable way with words, my friend Hustus!'

But the smile on Marnu's face quickly disapeared as he looked down towards Greaseface, Ahron and Malus, each of whom had an arrow protruding from their knees.

'But unfortunately Hustus, it seems you do not have quite the same way with weapons. What a terrible, terrible accident to have occured. My friends Ahron, Malus and Greaseface, please forgive us. Prigatt, perhaps you can assist them with some of your divine healing? I'd ask Pastor Sandor but he's nowhere to be found, and it seems quite rude to ask Greaseface to cure his own wounds. What say you?"

Vandal's story was very tragic indeed. Marnu was quite sad upon reading it. Fortunately the cute picture of him as a young pup with his little rubber ducky cheered Marnu up.

I'm so sorry Vandal! I am such a clumsy frog.