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Corvus attends the pot that is obviously brewing something of a simple broth. It is meagre rations and one sniff tells her it lacks any real flavour.
Stirring the pot, Corvus take a small sip and winces. She then removes her backpack and rumages inside. Within a few moments she has added a variety of spices to the thick liquid and now a delicious aroma eminates from the pot.
As Ceer speaks to her she nods in acknowledgement. "It is my destiny to help travellers in need. I believe you would have handled the great ape even without my help but it never hurts to lend a hand when you can."
Chacall Ties off the bandage of the wounded villager he was tending to. He didn't have the divine healing grace of his mentor, but he had learned to compensate at least a bit with his skill in first aid. He patted the young villager on the shoulder and smiled before standing to his full height.
Chacall’s 6’8 frame looms over most of villagers he passes despite weighing only 146 pounds. His gaunt figure is further exaggerated by the black and white tattoos that cover nearly the entirety of his body. The elf’s face itself seems to be a stylized horned white skull upon a black tattooed background. Brightly colored feathers from the arrows filling his quiver stand at attention and draw attention to the various stark white geometric lines and swirls begin upon his emaciated shoulders and twist and coil down and around his lean arms to the tips of his spindly fingers. The white lines follow his spine and branch out contrasting upon the blackened flesh of his exposed legs in rigidly geometric shapes. His hair is as white as the ink placed into his skin by the fangs of the seven-coat serpent and held back into wild rope-like dreadlocks. Dangling from his sharp ears are various perhaps sharper ivory tusks which appear to have came from the ape men of the jungle. He wears a simple loose mantle and loin cloth of leather adorned with fur and assorted feathers and bound by a Leather belt. He carries a masterfully crafted longbow the ends of which bear multiple feathers like those on his sleeveless cloak. At first glance the bow might be confused for a staff. Across one shoulder a well used haversack is slung. A rune encrusted Long sword hangs from his belt. His pale amber-flecked eyes are narrowed as sharply as the fangs of the amber-flecked viper which winds its way nonchalantly around the dark wood headdress that crowns the proud Ekujae elf.
He sauntered to his mentor's awning where he saw him tending to another elf."Is there anything I can do to help?" he offers while he kneels to wash off his hands off in the pan in the healer's area.
The aged elf ponders for a minute before answering Ku'ada: "I do not recall meeting a Tameka Hite, though the name sounds familiar. The dwarf and halfling you speak of are known to me. They came through here not three weeks ago. The dwarf boasted loudly of the riches they would carry upon their return, though the halfling was more reserved. It appears that they have angered the Beast King, though that in itself is no difficult feat. Still, they must have done something truly terrible for him to have sent his apes so far south. The apes say they are looking for a red rock of some kind. Perhaps it is merely a valuable gem... or perhaps it is something more..." The elf pauses and looks at his apprentice. "Yes, Chacall... bring my incense, and please help me to light a sight-fire..."
Chacall nods agreeably as he retrieves the incense from it's usual place and lights them as he places them strategicaly in all the places around his master just as he had for years. After this he stood at attention and waited to help his mentor light the sight-fire as the viper coiled around his arm and observed Ku'Ada.
As the stew cooked, Mo'butu took notice of his surroundings. He saw the elven holy man and what appeared to be his apprentice set to work on healing wounds, and approached the scene. "Greetings wise one. I too, took a scratch from one of the apemen. If you have any healing left today, could I ask you to spare a bit for my wound? If not, I should be able to take care of it myself in the morning." He also nodded a respectful greeting at the tall gaunt elf he took to be the elder's apprentice.
After securing Garboko with a length of rope, the roguish warrior approaches the aged elf to receive the restorative magic. "Thank you," he says to the elven healer, a grateful smile on his face as his wounds knit together.
"Was anyone seriously hurt by the ape-men?" he asks concernedly, looking around at the members of the camp.
The guards all help Rheed to tie up Garboko, securing the knots as well as they can. One guard is left to watch over Garboko and warn the others if he awakens, which seems unlikely to happen soon, given the injuries that the ape sustained.
Some of the other camp followers were slightly injured, and Lo'guru treats them as Chacall helps make preparations for his "sight-fire." He is unable to use magic to heal everyone, but he bandages their wounds and tells them to return to him the next day to receive his magical healing. The followers of the camp all seem to respect Lo'guru a great deal, even going so far as to hang small gifts and trinkets from his awning and tent-poles after receiving his healing.
Nodding to the healer, the ex-mercenary excuses himself to speak with the other members of the camp.
Approaching the guard overlooking the large ape-man, Rheed clears his throat to announce his presence. "Not pretty is he?' he asks conversationally, "have you had any trouble with the Beast King's followers before?"
The guard nods respectfully to Rheed as he approaches. "We have never had any problems with the apes this far south. Often we hear of them harassing travelers who go too far into the jungle, but... we at the camp do not usually get involved unless we feel threatened. We are all wondering what Malgri will want to do. We are not powerful enough to challenge the Beast King, but we also do not wish to move our camp. We have been here a long time."
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After Lo'guru has finished giving aid to the wounded, he turns to Chacall. "You have completed the preparations, I see... thank you, Chacall."
He looks around at those who have gathered at his "tent," and says, "I fear that there is more happening here than we suspect: The Beast King would not reach so far unless he had discovered something truly valuable, and anything valuable to the Beast King will cause danger for us. I must look into the fires and see what the spirits can tell me. Please give me some time..."
Chacall knows it will take Lo'guru about ten minutes to complete the ritual.
Lo'guru sits amongst the drifting smoke from his incense and the low-burning fire before him. Slowly the flames die down and turn to embers, which seem to glow more brightly than usual. Lo'guru begins muttering in some strange language, and the embers begin to spark and sputter. After a few moments, Lo'guru opens his eyes widely and the embers cease to glow, becoming no more than coals.
The aged elf signals for Malgri and Chacall to come hear what he has to say, and speaks to all of those gathered: "I have spoken with the spirits and asked them of the stone which the Beast King covets. It is as I feared: he seeks the Nishati'moto, the Strong Fire. It is an ancient and powerful stone, once used by the elven kings of this land. There are many legends which speak of its might. The Beast King does not yet have the stone, though. For this, we must be grateful."
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Malgri narrows her eyebrows and says, "The halfling must have found the stone, or taken it from the Beast King's apes." She turns to the adventurers who saved the camp from Garboko and the ape warriors. "You said you seek this halfling and his companions. If you find them, you must warn them of the powers of the stone they carry. Perhaps they know it is valuable, but are unaware of the danger it brings."
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Lo'guru says, "I do not know where the halfling and his friends are now, but I can tell you where they likely acquired the stone. They must have gone to the ruined temple called Chak'ro. It is merely two days' travel to the northeast. It was thought that Chak'ro had been emptied of its treasures long ago... but I knew that somewhere within the temple, the Nishati'moto was hidden, and hidden well. I hoped that none would ever discover it, so I did not speak of it. Had I known where Sharrowsmith and Thornleaf were going, I might have diverted them, but perhaps they already knew the danger, and knew what they sought." The elf slowly shakes his head. "I do not wish that you go to Chak'ro, for it is a cursed place, but perhaps you will find some clue there as to where they have gone. The apes said that a halfling "stole" the red stone from them... perhaps the halfling and the dwarf parted ways?"
Nodding at Lo'guru's words, Ku'ada's attention is focused inward. Looking up at the last he says, "Perhaps you are correct, wise one. The Beast King's creatures have not yet mentioned the dwarf, Sharrowsmith, and we were too busy to question it." He ends, by tsking at himself, and shaking his head.
Looking to both Malgri and Lo'guru Ku'ada asks, "What can you tell us about Nishati'moto and Chak'ro?"
Chacall awaits diligently as he listens to the tales of his ancestors ruins. His heart beats faster as he listens to his master's words. Once he gets a moment he pulls Lo'guru aside."Master I have learned much from you. Allow me to go with the adventurers to make sure they honor the ruins. " His eyes wander off as he traces the horizon"I believe it is time, respectfully."
Lo'guru raises his eyebrows at Rheed. "Yes- Bersathon was the elf who commanded the powers of the Nishati'moto. But, he was killed by the very spirits who gave him strength, a very long time ago."
When Chacall draws his attention aside, Lo'guru nods slowly. "Yes... it is time that you go into the world and walk your own path. May that path never be obscured." He smiles and grasps the younger elf's hand lightly with his own aged fingers. "You know that you may always return to me if you need guidance."
"Off at first light then it is."
Nodding to Chacall with a grin, "I would be glad to have you join us, brother. Perhaps, together, we can keep these impetuous humans from disaster."
Next, bowing to Corvus, Ku'ada continues "Thank you for your assistance with Garboko. A strong arm is always of use in any fight, and I foresee many such struggles ahead. Would you be interested in joining our search for the missing Pathfinders?"
Chacall nodded simply at the elf. The tattoos he wore were of a tribe that Chacall did not recognize. "Yes," he begins before glancing around the group"Perhaps if we're lucky." He turns now towards his possessions." I'll gather my things.." He says amongst other things as he trails off to make preparations.
That night, it rains lightly until dawn, when a hazy mist falls across the jungle. It seems that rather than facing a heavy downpour for a few hours today, the adventurers will have to contend with the constant mists. They set out for Chak'ro with some new allies, hoping to find some sign of the missing Pathfinders......
With all of the skilled survivalists in the party, the group is able to make good headway through the jungle despite the oppressive mists. They are also able to forage for food along the way without slowing themselves down, so they are able to preserve the foodstuffs they carry with them.
In the late afternoon on the second day of travel, Chacall and the others believe they are nearing the possible site of the ruins of Chak'ro. They have passed by some crumbled and abandoned ruins already, which bear the markings of the ancient elves. As the group crests a gradual rise in the terrain, they stop to survey their surroundings. The mists make it difficult to see very far, but there seem to be ruins all around- and, to the northeast, at the bottom of the hill, a large and mostly intact structure is marked with ancient writing. However, as they are approaching for a closer look, Chacall notices something odd...
Chacall Pauses at the front of the group as he extends a long arm in front of them" Hold." he says simply as notches an arrow upon his bow."It is an assasin vine. Be wary of it's grasp. A mere ten feet more and it'll have no trouble grabbing one of you." he warns and wastes no time in firing an arrow crackling with arcane energy at a thick vine hanging above the entrance.
Indeed, there is a thick vine hanging above the entrance to the ruined structure, obscuring some of the runes. When Chacall fires an arrow into the otherwise normal-seeming vine, it shudders and twists and begins to uncoil itself from the ruins, stretching out with smaller vines which sprout out along its length and crawling down and forward...
If you succeed in making a DC 20 Perception, Survival, or Knowledge (nature) check, you may take a single action in the surprise round. Otherwise you do not notice the creature even as it is pointed out. Then we'll move on to Round 1.