"Wouldn't it be faster to just go north of these mountains and straight to Tazion?" Douena asks, tracing her finger north from Eleder and then cutting northeast straight to their goal. "Traveling through the jungle is slow, and this line is much shorter than snaking back and forth along the river. There's hardly any jungle until we get there, either."
"Or alternatively," Mahjik suggests, "easier to go by boat along the river on the route Amivor plotted, rather than near its shore?"
Lorenz shakes his head.
"Have you ever climbed mountains, Douena? Believe me, that'd take a lot longer than traveling through jungle. Or maybe taking a boat like Mahjik says. Of course, a boat would be pretty unpleasant in its own way."
He looks at all the land displayed on the map before him. "I still think we should get a guide."
"We would have to be careful about the guide we get. If he or she works for a competing group, we could find ourselves lost and guideless one morning."
Amivor nods as Lorenz speaks. Then he says, "The Bandu Hills are small as mountains go, but make no mistake, despite their name, they are mountains. They're also infested with the Bandu, a local tribe of slavers. They like to sacrifice foreigners to their gods. As for travelling by boat along the river, as I mentioned before , you'd be travelling upwards against the current. There are sections of dangerous rapids, and numerous small, but rocky, falls that you would have to climb up. Also, parts of the river are too shallow to navigate. Overall, you're much better off on foot than on water. Of course, in the end, how you get there is your decision. The main expedition will be following the route outlined here."
[b]"We'll travel according to this map unless we get a guide that we trust that suggests a different route. Amivor, can you suggest someone for us?"[b]
"The best guide I ever had was a mystic named Nkechi," Amivor says thoughtfully. He frowns slightly. "Unfortunately, he lives on the Pallid Bluffs to the north of town, which aren't easy to get to. He's also utterly raving mad. A better bet would be a local guide named Shokambe. He knows the land like the back of his hand. I've worked with him before, and he's trustworthy. He'll work for anyone who'll pay him, but he won't betray a client once he's taken the job, and he doesn't take spying jobs, so as long as you get to him before anyone else, he's a good choice. If he's not available, Finze can probably get you a list of local guides you could try." He looks to the halfling who nods. "Shokambe can be a touch expensive, but since we're paying the bill, you don't need to worry about that."
Thinking of Pezock, Lorenz says, "I don't know, I kind of like people who are mad. On the other hand, it's probably not a good idea to have...one." He just barely keeps himself from including the word 'another.'
"Where can we find this Shokambe?" He did wish the name was easier to pronounce.
"Where can we find this Shokambe?" He did wish the name was easier to pronounce.
Douena has been staring at Gelik across the table. Now her lips move.
"Well," grins Mahjik, "I'm prepared and ready to leave at a moment's notice. A trustworthy guide might be hard to come by, if we can't find one - we've managed the Shiv by ourselves; we have what it takes to best the jungle once more."
Lorenz shakes his head. "We were stuck on an island. That's a lot different than traveling through something as big as the jungles that await us. On the Shiv if we got lost, all we had to do was pick a direction and go there until we hit water. It's a lot harder most other places. Believe me, I've had lots of experience being lost. I'd rather not do that again, particularly if we're in a hurry."
"Where can we find this Shokambe?" He did wish the name was easier to pronounce.
"As long as the stars stay relatively the same, I should be able to keep us from getting lost, and our guide should be able to do the same."
"Where can we find this Shokambe?" He did wish the name was easier to pronounce.
Douena has been staring at Gelik across the table. Now her lips move.
** spoiler omitted **
Gelik looks across at Douena, his eyes narrowing in anger. Then he looks away. With a scowl, he straightens his hat. He doesn't respond.
"He lives in..." Amivor starts to respond to Lorenz's question, but he trails off as his eyes turn to look at Douena. He listens for a moment, then looks at Gelik. With a sigh, he turns back to Lorenz. "He lives in Lower Harbour, just northwest of town. There are a lot of people who know him there, so he's pretty easy to find."
He takes another look back at Gelik, who is still scowling, and shakes his head slightly.
She sighs.
Gelik sighs and mutters under his breath.
Perception:
Perception:
Perception:
"I rather agree with Douena. We should be ready to leave at once. We'll try this Shokambe and if he isn't available and ready, we go to Nkechi. If he isn't available and ready, we go on without a guide."
"About time we got moving!" Pezock declares. "I'm bored of this town. Onwards to adventure!" He marches for the doors. As he goes, he draws his sword and holds it high before him in a sort of salute.
Amivor looks on amusedly as Pezock departs. "Not a subtle one, is he?" he says with a smile.
Douena smiles after the tengu fondly. "No," she agrees with Amivor. "Isn't he great?" She scrambles after him. ""
With Douena and Pezock gone, Lorenz takes the opportunity to spend time with his friend.
"Well, Gelik! How's it feel to be back in the fold? Are you enjoying the research? Did you find anything we should be aware of?"
"You do realize that we could just leave them two here to distract anyone who'd want to horn in on our expedition?"
"I wouldn't want to come back and find out they have either made a guild of their own and have taken over, or that they've been imprisoned." Makoa says with a grin.
"You do realize that we could just leave them two here to distract anyone who'd want to horn in on our expedition?"
Gelik laughs, then flushes red with embarrassment. He turns away slightly to avoid anyone noticing, but it's too late for that.
With Douena and Pezock gone, Lorenz takes the opportunity to spend time with his friend.
"Well, Gelik! How's it feel to be back in the fold? Are you enjoying the research? Did you find anything we should be aware of?"
After he's had a moment to compose himself, Gelik turns back to Lorenz to answer his question. He clears his throat and adjusts his hat. "Lorenz, yes, you were asking about the research. Yes, I'd have to say I'm most definitely enjoying it. It's great to be back in the fold again, working with experienced and knowledgeable Pathfinders." He glances nervously at Amivor and Finze, but the two of them don't seem to be paying attention to him at the moment.
"I think we've covered everything you need to be aware of, but if we discover anything else, we will certainly try to send word ahead to you."
"You're probably right, Makoa, my friend, but I can still dream can't I? Thank you all so very much. We should be off, after those two first then after a guide." Urza shakes hands before leaving.
Mahjik imposes himself a bit from behind Lorenz, "The Pathfinders don't happen to have some way that we can communicate once we go off? It would be a significant boon to both the advance and the main expedition to be able to let each other know what is happening."
"Lower Harbour is this way," he says, pointing with his sword. "I think. Let's find this guide, gain his services and get moving before I go mad from boredom." He sheathes his sword just as a couple of town guards seem about to come over to him (although that would seem to be just coincidence; there's no indication Pezock actually saw the guards).
In order to get to Lower Harbour, they have to head around the bay, which means passing through pretty much the entire rest of the city first. They've gone only a couple of blocks when a human woman comes up beside them. "Greetings, friends," she says. The woman is dressed in light, flowing clothes with a brightly coloured tunic and pants. She wears a sash on her head to hold back her dark hair. A sabre is sheathed at her belt. "Might I have a few words?" she goes on. "I might have an interesting offer for ye."
Mahjik imposes himself a bit from behind Lorenz, "The Pathfinders don't happen to have some way that we can communicate once we go off? It would be a significant boon to both the advance and the main expedition to be able to let each other know what is happening."
Gelik shakes his head. "I don't think so," he says and looks to Finze for confirmation. The halfling shakes his head. Gelik continues, "I was referring to simply sending runners ahead with messages. Obviously, we would only be able to do that for important messages."
Gelik's eyes suddenly light up. "Although, perhaps we can get hold of a trained falcon or other bird to carry messages back and forth." He again looks to Finze, who just shrugs. "Well, I can look into it," Gelik continues. "At the very least, it might make Douena happy for a day or two."
"Sasha? Do you think Alton could do that? He's growing up pretty quickly - by the time we reach the first stop on our journey he'd already have come of age."
"Sasha? Do you think Alton could do that? He's growing up pretty quickly - by the time we reach the first stop on our journey he'd already have come of age."
Everyone looks about blankly for a moment. Then Gelik says, "Uh, Sasha's not here, Mahjik. She didn't come in with you."
Finze chuckles. "Don't worry about it, my friend," he says to Mahjik. "I've made that sort of mistake before. I'm relatively confident it's not a sign of madness."
The woman smiles. "It's an offer that could make you very rich," she says.
"Bah!" Pezock responds. "People keep making that offer. I want adventure!"
The woman's smile broadens and she laughs a little. "I can also promise you adventure, sir tengu. I represent a client who is very interested in the discovery you and your friends have made. My client wishes to remain anonymous for the moment, but if you take up the offer then my client will be happy to reveal herself to you. Or himself," she hastily adds. "We know that you have been meeting with the Pathfinders, and that both the Aspis Consortium and even the Sargavan government have shown an interest. But my client is not interested in the same things they are. My client isn't looking to be famous. My client only wishes information about the find and does not want her name attached to it at all. She--I mean, my client would pay you very handsomely just to send her periodic updates about your expedition. You could even continue to work with the Pathfinders or whichever other group you are working with. My client would see no conflict there, and even encourages it. Of course, you should probably not tell the Pathfinders, perhaps not even the other members of your group, as they may not approve entirely. Does this interest you at all?"
The woman seems a touch nervous, but that seems to be more from the fact that she's not used to being an intermediary for an "anonymous" client. Thus her blunders with her use of pronouns. She does seem sincere in what she's saying.
"Sasha? Do you think Alton could do that? He's growing up pretty quickly - by the time we reach the first stop on our journey he'd already have come of age."Everyone looks about blankly for a moment. Then Gelik says, "Uh, Sasha's not here, Mahjik. She didn't come in with you."
Finze chuckles. "Don't worry about it, my friend," he says to Mahjik. "I've made that sort of mistake before. I'm relatively confident it's not a sign of madness."
Mahjik looks round, "I could've sworn I heard the distinctive pitter patter of her footsteps. Something like this." Mahjik sashays through the room, all subtle hip-whip and Sasha'ian grace. And yes, there's indeed a distinctive tap to "her" step.
Pezock grunts. "Bah, what's the fun in keeping and passing secrets? You promised adventure!"
"You're headed to an ancient, lost city full of untold dangers," the woman says. "How is that not adventure?"
Pezock shrugs. "I was doing that anyway. What adventure do you add?"
The woman sighs and looks to Douena. "I think you understand me better than he does. What do you say?"
Douena and Pezock make their way across town. There are a lot of eyes on them as they pass through New Haliad, particularly from guards. They get stopped a couple times, too, and asked their business. Douena notices Pezock getting impatient, but he manages to keep his cool.
The same happens when the others pass through New Haliad some time later.
Lower Harbour is outside the wall to the northwest of town . There's a very different feel to it that's noticeable immediately upon entering. There's a much larger mix of races. Humans are still the predominant race, but humans of Mwangi descent are much more numerous than any other, unlike within the walls. There's a large rocky beachfront with old rickety piers along it. The businesses and homes of Lower Harbour are lined up along the south end at the base of the ivory cliffs that form a natural wall and separate Lower Harbour from the area known as Outer Wall up above. The streets of Lower Harbour are unpaved and the buildings are of a noticeably lower quality than those within the Eleder Wall. However, the people, while obviously poorer, seem generally happier and even a little bit friendlier (although there are still a few suspicious stares).
Asking around after Shokambe quickly leads both groups towards a small shack at the southwest end of the district. Douena and Pezock arrive first, but only by a couple of minutes due to Pezock frequently getting distracted along the way.
Shokambe is there when Douena and Pezock arrive. He's seated in a chair outside the door of the shack whittling away at a piece of wood. He's a short, muscular Mwangi with wiry hair. He looks up as the two approach and eyes them carefully.
"Hello!" Douena waves cheerfully. "Are you Shokambe? The Pathfinders sent us to find you. They thought you might like to help us find our way through the jungle."
Lorenz bids farewell to Gelik sadly, wishing the gnome didn't have to hang back with the main expedition. He is quiet as he accompanies the others out to find Shokambe.
The man nods in response to Douena. "That's me," he says. He places the piece of wood he was whittling down on the ground and stands up. "The Pathfinders sent you, did they? Tell me more."
"We're looking for a city," Douena obliges. "Or we're looking for a place that will tell us how to find a city. Anyway, we have to go through the jungle, and the Pathfinders thought we could take someone with us who has been there before so we don't get lost or eat something poisonous or anything like that. And we want to leave right away, well, once we can get everyone together, that is, because everyone else wants part of the deal too and it's getting awkward. I'm Douena, by the way, and this is Pezock. There's more of us; they'll probably be along in a while."
"Douena! Pezock!" When they turn they see Mahjik jogging towards them. After he had spotted them, he made some effort to catch-up to them quickly. "You totally missed it Douena. I was sexy! Like Sasha! Who is this? Shokambe? Pleased to meet you."
"We will have great adventures!" Pezock declares. "We will kill many evil creatures and find great treasures and secrets. We shall achieve glory and excitement!" He slaps Shokambe on the shoulder. "You have a great opportunity here, my friend: to travel with me!
Shokambe looks a bit taken aback by Pezock and he takes a couple steps back from the tengu. "Well, we shall have to see," he says. "Can you pay?"
"Pay?" Pezock responds. "We don't need to pay. We offer adventure!"
Shokambe's eyes narrow. He's about to say something else as Mahjik arrives. "Pleased to meet you," he responds uncertainly as the others arrive too.