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So you... depend on whichever wizard is in this tower to stay existent... At the end of this, the wizard keeping you alive might end up dead, or worse, brought to justice... Will you end up ceasing to exist then?"

It's a slight indignity that the goblin stayed true to his word, reducing the cups with every game lost... And so, having gotten somewhat used to the goblin's speed, she resolved to follow the marble's cup to the very end, pointing at it.

"... Can any kind of magic work?"

Mama's a sayin' that e'ery one but th' TinCan here has wha'er goes in this [expletive deleted] thing. Damned if I knows what goes innit.

Jack continues his examination of the door, looking for any small openings, depressions, shiny spots that get touched frequently, or any form of hidden apparatus attached to the door, basin, or walls adjacent to same.  He also checks the floor under the basin, and asks mama to smell to get any indication of what liquid was dispensed into the basin in the past.

"I think I've had my fill of 'fun stuff' yesterday. It's placebo at this point, but their blades still hurt."

Dixie made sure to observe more carefully this time, but may have lost track of it halfway. She pointed at the leftmost cup.

"So, you're actually not enslaved or bound to defend this gate? Were you turned or cursed into an automaton? Merely summoned?"

Jack rolled his eye.  Kids these days.

Giving mama a scratch on the way past the group, he begins the arduous task of checking such a colossal and garishly lit space for traps.

"Wow, they didn't notice. It worked." Dixie around a tree and towards the goblin automaton's table, scratching her cheek. "Well, now that the game's over, will you then let me hear your story? Let's play the game too while you do it, I'll just point at a cup wordlessly, is that okay?"

"It's in none of them. " Dixie interjected with confidence.

!? Ah, so that's what's going on... This guy's just bored. Is it because he's bound here? But he doesn't really seem obligated to do this, if he'd let his game stoop that low to the point of being moot...

Dixie looked up, at the tower. Her eagerness to find out what's in there just rises. She glances at the table.

"... Let's play. "

"Sooo, if we turn you into scrap metal, that gate still won't open?"

Dixie unsheaths the daggers on her waist again. "Is it not worth a shot?"

MIND YA'OWN BUSINESS, YA RUSTY OL' BUCKET!! rasped the hobo back at the sassy tincan, before gently knocking the slayer on the metal of his helmet with his fist for attention.

Pipe down 'ere lad-- This goes a sideways, You' be getti' yer chance at 'im, now jus' be patient.

"Perhaps a riddle or some puzzle to proceed on the gate?" Laemmle spoke on the goblin statue. She approached it with non combat mode, yet her right arm is ready to pull her sword and her left arm is with the shield. Keeping aware from danger, ready to fight back.

Doctor Doak walks up next to GSH and places a hand on his shoulder.

“If you don’t mind I’d like to take a more subtle approach. If it doesn’t work...” he glances back toward the rest of the group, “well, we’ll figure something out, I’m sure.”

Doctor Doak then approaches the goblin statue.

“Uh... good morning?”

Dixie approaches the statue as well, following Doak. Daggers unsheathed and held at her back, just in case it tries to attack their possibly frailest member.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Jack was frowning. This situation had his danger senses tingling like fire down his back, to the point it was distracting.  He had been in a bit of a sour mood since the day before, when he had the argument with the elf-girl.  It wasn't the argument itself that had him so sour; it was more he felt elves were above such pettiness.  He tried to resolve it internally that maybe this was why that clan he encountered were so strongly insistent upon his being kept at arms-length from their younger members, and his only being interacted with by those 200 and older. 

Maybe they had a reason... he wondered to himself. Perhaps the city-elf girl had experienced a poor upbringing, and had taken on the more impetuous behaviors of human peers.

He shook his head. The idea disturbed him greatly.  1000+ year lifespan, with that level of disregard.  The harm that could be done in a single lifetime, should they go bad. He found himself wishing that the point-hatted do-gooder was there with them-- Something he rarely considered in a favorable light since his mandated exodus so many years ago. He KNEW that she would set this girl straight though. That ice-queen could put out ANY fire.

Mama disturbed him from his dark reverie with a hard headbutt.  He turned to see what had her so insistent.

"he (shiny ass) smells (stupid) (again)"

Jack looked in the direction she swung her head, and sure enough, the shiny metal [expletive deleted] was wringing his gauntlets together in a slightly hunched over position looking at the seated statue behind the table in dubious anticipation.  The frail old man with the thick glasses stopped him momentarily, said something to him, then approached the sitting figure, but the shiny nitwit seemed completely undeterred, and began slowly reaching for the pig-sticker on his back.

Jack groaned. Mama was right, they had to intercede on this, before things could go sideways AGAIN. This kid seemed to never learn his lesson (nor how to keep his mouth shut.)

Jack looked back down at Mama, who was looking up at him apprehensively and urgently.  He agreed that they would take preemptive action to keep this under control, and he conveyed the plan. She cheered up almost immediately, and became filled with ornery delight at the prospect.  The two swept into action with no further communication.

Jack waddled up behind the armored fool, and tapped him on the shoulder, much like the old Doctor had, interrupting the slow sword pull, and getting a slight jump out of him. "WHAT DO YOU WANT YOU---" was all he said before spinning around and seeing Jack. "Oh, I thought you were a greenskin! Don't do that friend-- it's--" but that's all the further he got.

Jack effortlessly stepped to the side, as mama stood up behind the slayer, then put both her fore-arms down on his shoulders with a shove, pushing him to the ground, then finishing with a headbutt that pushed him forward. "WHAT ARE---"

Jack sidestepped back over the slayer and sat on his back, much like he had to the city guard some nights before. Mama took her perch on the slayer's butt and legs.  Good girl mama. the hobo rasped lovingly, accepting face licks and a nuzzle.

"GET OFF ME! THE GREEN SKINS---" wailed the armored man, his arms swinging impotently against the ground repeatedly as he tried to get up from being pinned face-down under a 500lb bear, and a 200lb man. "SHE'S HEAVY!!" he wailed.

Jack chuckled despite his best efforts. Ye' should try sleepin' with 'er.

There was a momentary pause in the struggling, followed by intensified struggling. Jack's chuckling turned into bellicose laughter.

Mama nudged him again, and indicated toward the doctor approaching the seated figure. She radiated apprehension, demanding if this was wise, pleading with him to just leave.

Jack stopped laughing, (perhaps to outside observers a bit abruptly), and began formulating secondary and deeper plans of how this could go... Mama did not like his mind running wild like that. So many layers-- "Not now" she blasted at him. She looked down at the flailing metal clad man underneath her, and her previous ornery humor returned, conveying the idea to Jack.

Jack smirked.  He spoke out loud Not a bad idea.. Should be fun ta watch...

"WHAT ARE YOU TWO PLANNING!? LET ME GO!!" shouted the man underneath him, his struggling never once ceasing.  Jack leaned over, and opened the man's visor, which let out a sharp high-pitched squeak of rusty metal. Jus' what we intend ta do if'n this goes sideways despite stopping yer fool ass. Jack rustled in his bag and extracted one of the remaining health potions in his bag, and shoved it unceremoniously into the visor's blackness, before shutting the visor with a clang. Ye might be needin that fer the landin, ifn' things go sour-- Else, I'll be wantin that back.

Muffled wails and the continued beating of arms was the only response.

Maslarein looked on as Bear sat on Armoured Rival. He stared blankly for a second, as if trying to comprehend what he just saw, until he burst out in laughter.

“HAHA! Well, you seem to be in quite the predicament, Friend! I would help you, but I am needed elsewhere!” Maslarein gave Armoured Comrade’s struggling body a thumbs up, his grin halfway between it’s usually infuriating cheerfulness and a more natural looking mirth. “I believe in your strength! Good Luck! HAHAHA!”

Maslarein then ran to catch up with Dagger Girl (Dixie) and Smart Person (Dr. Doak), just in case they needed any help.