>>5335161You feel hot breath on your neck and back, and feel the faint endothermic warmth of bodies pressed in close. You don’t dignify these bugbears by flinching, or turning to face them.
“I am proposing an alliance, to take on the dwarves, to take all their wealth. You said yourself: it is too hard to do alone. Together, though… Would that interest you?”
The Bugbear Boss dares to turn his back to you—you suppose he has his defenders at the ready. He paces the chamber once, then twice, then comes back and gets right in your face. You elan back from his foul breath as he pushes a thick, rough-nailed digit into your chest-plate.
“You want alliance, after making war, killing bogbarri brothers?” he asks, then smiles. “yes! Of course! But you pay up. “Devourer’ had many things hidden away in den. Used to pick at it, when we could. You took it ALL. I want half.”
“Half?” you blanch. “That’s—”
“And half of what we take from dwarves. And half of dwarf-meat.”
This savage is dictating terms to you—and what ABSURD terms! Who does he think he is, to demand a dragon’s treasure? But then… You are surrounded, alone, and it is YOU petitioning HIM for aid, in this bandit baron’s like fiefdom.
How do you respond?
>Accept this proposal—you are in a weak spot to negotiate from, and if your attack on the dwarves goes well, you could make back all this wealth and THEN some>Haggle with him, making a counter-proposal [specify terms, diplomacy roll will follow with variable DC based on terms]>Absolutely fucking not—he will get a share of spoils from the raid and NOTHING else [intimidation roll, DC 18]>Challenge him to a contest of strength—you and him, winner sets the terms of the alliance and holds authority over the loser for the duration of the war against the dwarves>Sucker-punch him, and take him down—establish dominance the old-fashioned way, by conquest and overthrow>Write-in 