Thats a good idea Doc. Who here can speak with them?
"Lets get ourselves ready. I found some new recruits an volunteers fer mah old job!"
"Biter was the linguist. Well damn."
"I can speak their language." Cort says with a dismissive shrug. "Forced myself to learn it before coming to this backwater corner of the world." He smiles to show his words to be a joke. "Can't promise it'll be pretty but I know enough to tell them 'Bugs here.' and point to the big ugly corpses."
The mwangi warriors draw nearer and you can start to make out fine details. They are barechested and most have superficial scars across their chests and face. They all wield javelins in a wary though not threatening pose... yet. Their eyes scan the dead ankheg with recognition and they accept your victory over the prey - but are not overwhelmed by it.
The older one that bears the most of the scars approaches and barks in Polyglot "Why do the city men hunt the isilwanyazane-khulu? Their meat is bad."
"Go ahead, we're not gonna eat it." Doc says, wildly misinterpreting the mwangi's gestures.
"I don't speak their language but they must be smart enough tah put two an two together."
Grusk moves forwards and taps his morningstar against his breast-plate pointing to the dead bugs......
Furrowed brows cross the Mwangi before they have a lightbulb moment and follow Grusk's pantomine. Adding in Polyglot the older one says "They steal the umoya of the isilwanyazane-khulu for their own!" before addressing Grusk "Are you a umthakathi?"
Sure glad you're here to keep things peacefull Cort. You're going to have to teach me their language when we have time.
Sentis realized that they could be intruding on these people's tribal huntings grounds and hoped that they took no offense.
"Wha tha hell is this guy jabberin bout?"
Grusk stands his ground but stays about 10 feet in front of these guys.....
"Err they friendly?"
"Well, they ain't tryin' t' stab ye. Tha's better 'n some folks we meet. Cort, ye wanna talk at 'em b'fore they change their minds 'bout the stabbin'. Ye know th' effect Grusk can 'ave on folks."
Sorry, I'm not great at this language." Cort muddles through and then replies in Polyglot, standing tall and showing a warrior's bearing. "We hunt them for their hides and in revenge. One of our kikosi was hunted by them. We kill them so it does not happen again. We are not umthakathi, but simple men, wearing the skins as we would those of..." Cort makes a pantomime "Deer?" he says in common, not sure of the appropriate word. "The skins of any other animal. Like clothing. For Protection."
The mwangi are taken aback by the admission and you feel they eye you a little more warily. However given that you have shown no aggression towards them by this stage, they ask for an exchange of knowledge "Can you show us how this is done? We have none of the insimbi-khanya, but have strong wood" throwing a quiver of arrows and clutch of javelins at your feet for you to inspect.
"These look like pretty good arrows, might be a good trade."
"Doc, its your call, you're the genius behind alll of this so do as you will with that knowledge, I'll stand by your choice"
Doc squints in thought. "Ah 'ad an idea tha' ah dinna think'd work 'cause there weren't 'nough o' us, but wit' their 'elp it just might pay off. Right now we c'n keep 'em from runnin', but we cannae keep 'em from chargin' us. Ah think if'n we catch a bug wit' a grapple on each side, it won' b' able t' move much."
Nodding to himself the surly dwarf waved Grusk over. "Gimme a hand makin' a second launcher. Cort, ye git our new friends up t' speed on th' way we operate. Sentis, find us 'nother hole. Blaze, ye an' Kaavel git th' wagon moved."
Cort attempts in his broken Polyglot to explain that the squad would attempt to take out the rest of the creatures and that afterward they would share the secrets. "Do we want their arrows and javelins as well?" He asks the others in Common.
Sentis grinned as Doc started to get to work and directing everyone. These were the times that he lived for now. He gave a chipper - Sure thing! and set off to do his part.
Perception -
Survival -
The mwangi don't take to instruction too easily, though with the patience of Cort and a few phrases taught each way so that you can communicate in at least a stilted manner the work does begin to take shape.
Once the second apparatus is complete, you are able to bring down another couple further solo ankheg. The mwangi become too excited when the first bursts forth and beset it with spear and javelin and forget about the grapple; though the second proceeds a little more easily.
After the two solo captures, you don't find any more luck in luring them out to the extremities of their tunnel system... you gauge that it you're to have further success... you'll need to plumb deeper towards the center...
"Do we want their arrows and javelins as well?"
"A'course lad, it'd b' rude not to."
"Anybody else interested in these arrows at all?"
"Javalins seem handy, but not mah ting."
Well, it tlooks like we've exhausted this route. Nothing else to do but explore the tunnels from here. Want to see if the Mwangi are game to follow us down into the dark Cort?
"Gonna have to say no to that idea Sentis. It's one thing for them to help us above ground, where we can make use of Doc's launcher and they weren't in serious danger. But we can't let them follow us down into the tunnels where who in the Hells knows what might be waiting for us down there."
"Might be a hella big bug down thar, but Docs gonna want tha tah deck out his pimp wagon!"
"Speakin o which maybe they could guard tha wagon an wait fer us tah gets back."
Cort turns to the mwangi and says in Polyglot "We continue forward into the lair, to destroy all those who would hurt our tribe." He motions back to the wagons. "But we would like to have our whole kikosi as we go forward. Would you mind watching our gari while we fight?"
The Mwangi look upon you again with a mixture of fear and respect as you state you go into the belly of the beast. The most scarred one speaks out "We watch for you ibutho, keep it safe.... but you not come back in two days we keep maybe?" smiling as he speaks.
"Wonder who the f#@~ is goin down tha dark hole first!"
"Innit nice o' him t' volunteer like tha' all th' time? His momma'd be proud."
"I can go first Doc." Kaavel says after everything is said and done. He stayed quiet during the exchange because he did not know what to say. He thinks to himself "I better see if I can learn the lock language next time I am at the barracks."
"Once we git down there we're back t' usual operations. Non o' mah tricks're gonna help us in them tunnels. Squad formation's up t' the Corporal. Ask 'im who 'e wants t' be lead bug bait."
And I will go beside Kaavel if Sunny has no objections.
Sentis will give Baran a good ear scratching as he cast a spell making him able to speak to his friend.
~You stay here with the Mwangi, Baran. If we havent returned in two days time and the Mwangi leave; you go find Darkbiter. If theres other danger you run as far as you have to. But I dont think we'll be gone that long so no fear.~
The wolf cocked his head both ways as his tall two legged friend spoke to him. He rather enjoyed these times that they were able to communicate on a deeper level than normal and he was learning to use the strange words that went with it. While at first he was worried about being seperated he knew that the tunnels were no place for him and that the druid was entrusting a special task to him.
~I will do as you ask. If I must flee then I will run for one sun's tracking across the sky before circling around. I remember Darkbiter well but fear returning to that city without you. Stay wary in the dark friend.~
Skylar perchs high atop Docs pimp wagon watching as the squad goes under-ground.....
"Darkvision first it looks like one team ahead an some back-up right behind wit plenty o light."
Stealth (taking point)
Perception (looking around)
Survival (too pick up the trail)
Initiative (just in case)
Grusk decides that taking a steady and measured approach to tracking and perceptive endeavors is more reasonable and with Sentis' assistance is able to re-establish the blood trail that was initially found.
Good eyes Grusk. Let's keep following this blood trail. Maybe we'll be in time for survivors...
Sentis doesnt have much hope but he tries to stay optimistic.
"Good call Sentis. Shall I shed us a little light or do we to keep it dark? The young Magus says as he moves forward, a bit behind team green.
"Light at mah back is fine I ken see ahead plenty, but tha light is handy tah confirm tha trails."
"Light it up. Sentis says these things sense vibrations. No point in tryin' t' be sneaky. Hell, we want t' git their attention."
"Not being sneaky is my specialty." The multi-colored duelist says with a smile as he readies himself for combat, falling in a bit behind the lead group.
"Lady Sarenrae, bring forth your light to this dark cave"
"Ah made alla ye headlamps a few weeks ago, dinna I?" Reaching up to his helmet he flicked a switch and suddenly light poured out of his forehead. "Yeh. Deff'nitly dinna dream tha' one."
Flicking another switch the glowrod lamp mounted to the underside of his musket opened and lit the way in front of his barrel as well.
Points at Docs blunderbus...
"Yer not settin tha ting off in these small tunnels er yah mah ears will be ringin fer days!"
"Hrm. Ye got a point. Damn." Doc says, shutting off the barrel light and sheathing his musket.
Drawing his shield and his obsidian-headed battle axe, doc grins. "Bout time ah got back in touch wit' mah roots anyways."
Sentis smiled as the Wolves fell into what was becoming routine as they made their way through the tunnels. The banter was always a welcome sound to the druid and at the rate it was going it was sure to draw the ankhegs attention. He took Sunny's lead and called up a ball of light on his drawn blade as well.
The squad moves through the tunnels under the flickering light of their various luminescent sources. Grusk and Sentis are able to work together and track the various scrapes and bloodstains as they wend through the tunnels in a direct line towards the center. Following their lead you travel for what seems to most hours, but to those less claustrophobic below ground was more like a thirty minutes.
Grusk squints his eyes and observes that the tunnel opens up into a large chamber ahead. Although you have passed through a number of sinkholes, this seems different somehow. The tunnel is angling downwards somewhat and the chamber seems to be much larger than the small sinkholes you've traveled through.
Survival
"Got some kinda light ahead green tint to it."
Survival -
Perception -
Sentis was focused on the tunnel walls and didnt notice the eerie light ahead that Grusk was talking about and silently appreciated the half-orc's exceptional vision for spotting it.
The gouges on these tunnels are not looking good. Im not really sure but it appears that theres been alot of acid use or the acid is still effecting it.