An autumn chill filled the Pathfinder Society’s chapter house in Almas as Venture-Captain Brackett briefed you. Normally brash and outgoing, the hatchet-faced veteran’s face instead wore an expression of guarded concern. “I need you to venture into the Aspodell Mountains between Cheliax and Andoran; a dwarven prospector there seeks a lost dwarven site and we want in on his expedition. The prospector’s name is Torvic and he’s obsessively searched for years, hoping to find the hidden galleries of his ancestor, the dwarven craftsman Barek Triongger.”
At this point, the chapter’s librarian Wystorn Telfyr stepped forward and from a small wooden case, he produced several tattered scrolls and a gleaming, strangely phosphorescent pearl. “We recently acquired these from a man called Beggar. They describe the Gallery of Wonders built by Barek Triongger during the death throes of the dwarven Empire of Tar Khadurrm.”
Picking up the strangely-glowing pearl, the librarian continued, “These pearls are only found in the deepest of the Darklands’ seas. While not especially valuable, a cache of these would be a rare find. Divinations revealed that Barek apparently used this one as a key. We could claim substantial favors from the dwarves of Emperor’s Peak should we discover what it’s a key for.”
Venture-Captain Brackett took over. “I’m wagering that Beggar stole these items, as the likelihood of a wandering vagabond possessing legally acquired dwarven heirlooms seems small. Looking through these documents and comparing them to Pathfinder Chronicles on the matter, it’s clear that this Torvic is onto something.” Brackett cocked a thumb toward Telfyr.
“Our librarian was able to glean some information from Beggar about where he acquired these items and was also able to divine a likely location where the dwarf might be holed up. Find him and make an alliance with him; hopefully, he’ll want his pearl back and will show you the way to the Gallery of Wonders.”
The stolen pearl matches nothing found in familiar seas. Glowing like a golden candle, the opalescent stone gleams with hints of fiery crimson.
One of the aged parchments is also intriguing. Written in Dwarven, its runes tell of the dwarven craftsman Barek Triongger and his Gallery of Wonders hidden in a place called the Candlestone Caverns.
Barek’s dream lasted 20 years before the wondrous gallery was abandoned after toxic mold infested the complex’s air vents, triggering violent madness. A handful of survivors returned to dwarven lands, whispering of madness and murder. The amazing gallery was lost, becoming another legend of the dwarves’ fallen empire.
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Sitting in the chapter house sits a man of Ulfen descent, well in his 30's, lounging back in his chair at ease. He wears outdoor clothing, a sleeveless leather vest over an ochre shirt with some of its laces untied, showing ample amounts of chest hair. Covering his square jaw he sports a full beard that he obviously keeps well-groomed. His dark hair is half long, showing faint wings of gray. His eyes of matching color are quite flat, showing either no emotion at all, or depths of sorrow (depending on one's outlook). On the ground next to him there's a traveler's backpack, with a long-handled woodman's axe and a powerful bow propped against the wall. He wears a whip on his belt and a bandolier with several vials around his torso. All in all, he seems the stereotype of the mysterious rugged northerner, which he's found to make him quite attractive to those who fancy men like that.
The man, called Dariusz, stays silent during the explanation of their mission, nodding occasionaly while moving his gaze from one speaker to the next. He seems interested in the pearl, leaning forward when it's shown.
"That's a pretty trinket," he states in a deep bass. "We use it to bribe this Torvic fellow, so he let's us tag along?" He looks skeptical. "Why should he let us join his expedition, though? He'd be stupid to invite the competition, especially over some pearl that he can grab by boatloads once he's found this Gallery." He stares at the Venture-Captain, hoping there's more to the plan.
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Like many Varisians, The lean young woman sitting has the dusky complexion of someone that's been out in the sun for extended times. Her dark reddish-brown hair, which oddly always seems damp, is tied back from her eyes with a red, orange, and turquoise kerchief, while the rest of her hair trails back to pool around her shoulders, and fall a couple inches down her back. She wears a brightly-colored vest and sashes over a well-loved set of protective leathers, using a large, wide green and turquoise sash around the waist to act as a faux skirt.
As she listens to the initial debriefing, Lissa focuses on each speaker in turn, eager to attend to this mission.
"It's more then a trinket. Torvic may not be able to enter or even find the Gallery without this pearl, so that gives us an advantage." Lissa leans forward slightly to gaze at the pearl for a brief moment before settling back in her chair. "How did we get these from Beggar, where is he now, and did we get any information about where he found these from him?"
After a brief moment to think, she adds,"In any case, what's the ultimate goal here? Is this just an 'Explore, Report, Cooperate' mission or is there a further aim?"
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"Ah, a key. Strange, but could be true. That would make it a much better bargaining chip, indeed." Dariusz nods at the women's questions, seeing the sense of them.
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Getting up from one the old leftover pews in the Lodge, a tall dark-haired Ulfen man makes his way to Venture-Captain Brackett's desk, pulling and scratching at his ill-maintained beard. He picks up the pearl, winks at the Varisian conspiratorially and brings it up to the light to get a better look.
"Boris remember this one, has seen before. Is to be from Orv. The deep layer of Darklands. Is priceless, very rare pearl. How is man-thief Beggar to have takened so rare pearl? Is not making the sense much."
He puts the pearl back down and draws a sheath of parchment. He scans it, nodding at times, before offering it back at his fellow pathfinders for inspection. It seems to be written in Dwarven. "This paper, it talked about place called Candlestone Caverns. Who is to know where is? Paper say is it "Galleria Ihmeitä" of Barek Triongger. Long place of Wonderful things of his."
He frowns and reaches under his well-worn explorer's outfit, underneath the chain shirt below to scratch pensively at the dense patch of dark chest hair that seems to want to crest above his clothing and armor. Something not right here. No is sure what, but is. Rolling a shoulder to rid himself of a cramp, he turn back towards the venture-captain.
"We to go in mountains? Is cold? Is warm? Is need to climb?" He passes a hand through his close-shorn hair. "Is embarrassed, no have taking the time to get things. We having the time?"
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Stood to one side of the room, Volar listens carefully as the Venture Captain and librarian explain the particulars of the mission.
Volar isn't too tall, he has black hair and a long black beard he keeps tidy in a Dwarven style beard clasp. It's clear from his weathered skin that he has spent a many years in a country that sits under the heat of the desert sun.
"This 'Beggar' does not sound like a trustworthy man. Why did he give this pearl to the Pathfinders, i wonder. Could this man be giving away riches to try to trick us somehow? he says with a mild Osirion accent.
Volar nods hid head as the group talks of using the pearl as a key.
"It is not uncommon in my homeland for the ancient Pharaohs to use gems and baubles as special keys to lock their treasure vaults. If this pearl is a key it could be worth much more than it seems.
The big Ulfen's talk of cold mountains sends an involuntary shiver down Volar's spine.
"Boris asks a good question also. I am very much at home in the heat, but i do not have clothes suitable for this mild northern weather. If these Aspodell Mountains are cold and covered in snow i shall need some warmer clothes i think."
"Make him understand the importance of cooperating with the Society for his benefit and ours. He can keep the trinkets for sale, but he will be sure to overcome the dangers in the area with our help." Brackett states plainly.
"I need you to leave for the Aspodells immediately and buy some parkas, fer chrissakes. Last group we sent out thought loincloths were enough. They'd been with the Ulfen men too long." he concludes.
"Meet up with the dwarf where we scryed him, hopefully, and get him to join our side." the VC relays before ushering you out of his office. You see four other fresh Pathfinders waiting for instructions in his waiting room. "If you have any other questions, then use yer best judgment."
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Boris blinks. Fresh out of Skyreach and already being shooed out from a Venture Captain's office. "That is the different, it is Lissa eh?" He goes to slap her on the shoulder but thinks twice of it at the last minute, turning a jovial back-slap into something more of an awkward tap on the shoulder. "Boris remembered moving Markus one foot the last time. Worked on the gentle being, yes." At which point the rather shaggy Ulfen man motions forwards and sets off, past the cramped cells where Pathfinders can find a place to rest momentarily while in the Almas Lodge.
"Boris was telled that this was Aroden church too, like cave in mountain of Kortos. Church of him must be to run out of money, is second big church not to belong to the Aroden priests. But speaks to the money, Boris say we go get the warm clothing and the climbing things, then Boris let someone who know how get to Aspodell mountains to get to brother Torvic and help to find "Galleria Ihmeitä".
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Dariusz raises and eyebrow when he looks at Boris, unable to figure out more than the basic meaning of his sentences. Is he addled?
"Don't worry," he replies to the Venture-Captain in his smooth, dark voice. "We'll get him to cooperate..." The large Ulfen picks up his backpack and weapons, ready to go.
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Lissa looks slightly dazed as she and the others are shooed from the Venture-captain's office. "Very much so, Boris. I think Janira and master Shaine were coddling us a little on the last trek." she responds, smirking faintly at the image of Boris almost bowling over a halfling they knew in a good-natured move.
That smirk, however, disappears at the mention of Boris's next line."Boris, the church of Aroden is all but gone nowadays. After Aroden died over a century ago, it just fell apart. I'm sorta surprised you hadn't heard about that from either the dwarves that rescued you, or from the group that you went with to those caves." she says, looking slightly awkward about the topic at hand.
Turning to the rest of the group in an attempt to actively change the subject, she asks, "Are either of you trained navigators? While I know about natural things, travelling well among them isn't something I've learned yet, and I'm fairly sure that Boris is in the same boat as me."
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Boris nods; "Is true, has much disappear; but Boris is to hear of some place that still having church. They no care about no having power; they believe and that is all that matter for them.' He bats his hand, as if chasing the thought away. "Is getting the sidetracked. Boris is saying, is surprised organization of church of Aroden is not endure, especially in big cities. Boris know Aroden disappear, everyone is know. But if gods immortal and Aroden not dead, is very disappointing many not keeping the faith long or to ... erm ... fixed? No... MAINTAIN! Yes. Disappointing they not maintain what have in city."
He grunts in obvious discomfort at having to try and convey his thoughts in Common. "Lissa, you speaked any other language that is not the Common? Boris thinking he sound like fool and better speaked dwarf, skald or song-speak for complicated things. Or scream-speak if is necessary. And enough talking about religion. Is too early, and is no need."
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The journey from Almas up into the Aspodell Mountains is uneventful, save for dismal frigid rains. In the plains, the dreary autumn weather carries promises of a harsh winter, but the mountain weather is much worse. Telfyr’s divinations placed Torvic’s location in a cave about four days’ hike from Piren’s Bluff in northwestern Andoran.
After enduring weeks of relentless mountain wind and sleeting rain, clambering past jagged stone faces and slogging through ice-crusted mud, you finally reach the valley holding Torvic’s encampment. Gnarled conifers surround the mountain trail, their fallen needles carpeting the rocky valley. The trail cuts back and forth upslope toward the cave described by Telfyr. A plume of smoke rises the cave’s mouth and a few roughly hewn contraptions stand near the door. One looks to be a chair and the other a hanging rack of some sort.
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Dariusz shakes his head at Boris. "Well, you brought Aroden up yourself. And you're wrong: Aroden was supposed to return to the people, but he flamin' got himself killed. Dead. He betrayed his people, so they were right in abandoning their faith."
He then turns to Lissa. "Don't worry, miss," he says smoothly. "I've spent many years on the road, and I'm sure I can get us there safely. Just stick close to me. I'm Dariusz, by the way."
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Indeed, Dariusz turns out to be a capable outdoorsman. He has some colourful language to spare for the rainy weather, but he keeps the pace in their expedition, telling some stories of how he used to lead trade caravans across the inner sea region.
"Well seems like we're here. That dwarf got himself nicely holed up, although he doesn't seem in a rush to get going."
"Wait, do you hear that? That's not good. There's fighting inside the cave. Let's go!" Dariusz draws his axe and starts running for the cave entrance.
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"Although my outdoor skill was honed in my desert homeland of Osirion, i'm sure this skill will still be useful if we find ourselves getting lost."
The well spoken Ulfen skilfully leads the way, so Volar puts his skills to use in mapping the route. When the group pauses in their travels to rest Volar takes some time to focus on the local ley line network and try to pinpoint major intersections to mark on his maps.
"It seems that the ley lines are as strong here as in my homeland..." he says to himself.
"Your sense of direction is very good my friend. I think you could even navigate your way across the deserts back home!"
"It seems your sense of hearing is also very good. I see signs of life ahead but I do not hear this fighting you speak of. Even so, we should still be cautious i think."
Volar readies his spear and follows Dariusz.
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"Sorry, Boris. I only know the Taldane lingua franca and my own home tongue,"Lissa replies with an almost apologetic tone in her voice.
When Dariusz introduces himself, she startles a little. "Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Lissa, a pleasure to meet you."
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While the weather bothers Lissa, and she mutters about it frequently in Varisian, the travel doesn't faze her until they leave the beaten path in Piren's Bluff. Her stories are more about traveling with her family, mostly in Varisia, and slightly crazy things she's done in the larger towns and cities. Upon approaching the cave, however, she breathes a sigh of relief.
"Thank heavens for some place dry tonight, let's hope Barek isn't to put out by our appearance."
"I don't hear fighting either, but your senses have been good so far. If our prospector 'friend' is fighting something, we best to help him. " And with that, Lissa starts gathering water around her right hand and pulls out her wayfinder in her left, for the possible fight ahead.
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Boris is briefly startled by the bitter, aggressive tone of his fellow northman; he then frowns, dangerously so, before shrugging. People still is very upset by Aroden's disappearance. Boris, you need to take a step back, remember to cooperate and maybe only talk about religious matters with people of faith.
Boris nods to Dariusz and begins running as well. "Is heard. Skynd deg, og la oss håpe vi ikke er for sent for dverg" he says curtly, drawing his blade as he pushes himself to go faster.
You rush across the snow-covered valley as the sound of battle dies down and a small cheer goes out. As you approach the cave, you see that there is something blocking your path. The entrance to the cave is barricaded by boughs of evergreen trees lashed together.
As you approach the barricade, you hear an unfamiliar sound almost like chittering.
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"Høyre du er, venn. Ting ser dystre for Torvig," says Dariusz as he rushes alongside Boris. "Hurry! he shouts over his shoulder at the others.
Once he reaches the cave entrance, Dariusz starts hacking at the barricade, large overhead slashes with his axe.
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Boris recognizes the language and curses viciously in Aklo. He never quite learned the patois the many creatures from below used, but it's sybilance is unmistakable. He rushes the stacked branches and takes a moment to gauge the effectiveness of the blows Dariusz is raining on them.
Should they prove effective, he will join in.
Otherwise, he shouts in common "Help me!" before continuing in Skald, a language he is reasonably certain won't be understood by their foes: "La oss skyve disse greinene tilbake på hva freaks gjemme seg bak dem ; la oss se om de kan sette dem på plass en gang." as he puts his shoulder into moving the barricade backwards, hoping to roll it onto his foe.
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While Lissa doesn't speak Aklo, cursing in a language that odd has an unmistakable intent. Trouble, plain and simple. As such, when Dariusz and Boris begin to assault the makeshift barricade, Lissa moves up behind them and calls her usual roiling mass of water together for a brief moment, before crashing it into the barricade in hopes to hammer though it.
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A woodland dressed half elf joins the group. Her appearance is more of a ranger or druid than anything else. She is armed with a longbow and scimitar.
"Apologies for being tardy. I was out ensuring some loggers were not despoiling the woods more than necessary. I just only learned I was needed for this mission. It seems you all are well prepared regardless." she says un-slinging her bow and drawing an arrow. "What do you want me to do?"
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Lissa bites back a rather rude and unkind comment about the Venture-Captain, then takes a brief moment to give Xarkyn a once-over as she reaches for more water for her next assault.
"At the moment, top priority is getting in there." Lissa curtly responses. "Prospector Torvic is in there, and his assistance is our goal. He's fighting something though, so be ready for anything."
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Coming in with Xarkyn Wildmoon is G’Boar Hulighan, a rugged sort from the northern clans, betrayed by his ancestral tribal tattoos, ethnic kilted tartan, and abundant scars which tell the tale of his tempestuous upbringing. He is tall for his people, at 6’3”, but his air of confidence and self-worth make him appear somehow taller; his demeanor not being one of arrogance, but instead one of supreme confidence. His build is athletic and supremely defined, like that that of a wild animal who challenges his very essence with every physical endeavor. Such strength and endurance comes from repeated exerting ordeals, as if his very existence relied on his body’s ability to perform.
As comfortable as snow is on the mountains, so is G’Boar’s comfort in the wilderness. Having been banished from his village at the age of 9 for the accused misgivings of his father, G’Boar existed quietly on his own at the fringes of society as he honed his woodland aptitude. On the contrary, the circumstances that honed his martial and predatory skills dulled his ability to trust others.
G’Boar wears masterwork studded leather armor and bracers and is as equally lethal fighting in his traditional clan structure wielding his masterwork cold iron longsword and masterwork buckler as he is with his bastardized version of a woodsman’s axe. And his years of needing to hunt to stay alive have perfected his acumen with the composite longbow and hunting knife .
"We heard the sounds of battle and came as rapidly as we could."
The two wildlings rush to meet with their Society brethren to the sounds of combat dying down. With a rush, the group blasts open the barricade with ease as Volar detects two fey on the other side of the evergreen boughs.
Once the shattered wood is cleared, you see a small blue, ugly thing riding a giant ant and another blue thing standing with a short sword near a fallen dwarf.
Initiative:
Initiative:
1st: Lissa; Dariuz; Volar; Boris; Xarkyn; G'Boar
2nd: Mites (1; 2); Ant
3rd: Clara
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As the barricade falls, Lissa looks upon the situation and gets a slightly frightened look on her face. "No!" she yells before reaching for a new gout of water, pushing herself far earlier then she expected to. By taking on an edge of wariness, she propels her water much farther than normal as she tries to hurt what looks to be the largest threat in the situation.
Lissa reacts first, blasting the ant with water. It looks injured, but the vermin still stands. The mite standing next to the ant, however, is not so lucky as Boris cleaves through the fey in a single swipe, cutting him in twain through the abdomen. His little blue head clatters against the floor as his disembodied lower half slumps down.
Xarkyn, however, has less luck with her arrow and it flies wide, disappearing down into the cave's darkness.
Initiative:
1st: Lissa; Dariuz; Volar; Boris; Xarkyn; G'Boar
2nd: Mites (1); Ant @ 8
3rd: Clara
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Dariusz rushes forward next to Boris, but chooses the other target and aims his axe at the blue creature riding the ant. Seeing how easy the other one fell to Boris' sword he holds back, valuing precision over brutality.
"Well, they had that coming," Dariusz says matter-of-fact. "I just hope we were still in time."
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The Ranger see's the martial expertise of his new companions is high and feels comfortable to be adventuring with them, as long as they have no sinister or nefarious underpinnings to their motivations...
G'Boar levels his arrow at the ant and picks a small spot where he believes the vital organs lie and releases the nock with a release of breath, but the monstrosity's hardened carapace deflects the arrow with ease.
Dariusz handles the mite in the same way that Boris did: by severing its head from its body. The dead mite falls to the cave floor near the unconscious dwarf as the rest of the party easily cuts through the ant.
You resuscitate the dwarf back to consciousness and he seems disoriented for a second until he sees his seven saviors. "Oh thank Torag for sending me earth angels!" he bellows as he throws himself at your feet. "You are the greatest people to have ever set foot on the ground!"
"But do I know you? How did you find me? Where am I?" he says, looking confused.
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Dariusz beams a suave smile at the prospector's praise. Earth angels? This will be easy, he'll out of our hand in a minute. Still, best get the caravan rolling while we have the advantage.
"Indeed, Torvic. You're lucky that we arrived when we did. Don't worry, though. We know of your quest, and we're here to see that you make it. With us at your side, you'll succeed, surely."
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"That creature and it's ant like mount did not seem very friendly at all. Did you do something to anger it friend Dwarf?"
Volar listens to the group ask their questions as he looks over the oversized ant creature.
I have never seen a creature such as this grow to be so large. And to be used as a mount, this is amazing!
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Lissa smiles genuinely as she approaches the dwarf. "Torvic, My associates and I were sent by the Pathfinder Society. , she state, showing her wayfinder as a means of proof. Lighting the wayfinder, she continues. "The Society wants to help you in your quest for the Gallery of Wonders, so we were sent to assist in your efforts."
"As for where you are, that I'm not sure of the exact location, only that our directions to find you directed us to your cavern. We came running from what I believe was your campsite when we heard fighting from over here."
"Do you have any idea why the mites were interested in you? I heard them chittering about something, but I don't speak their tongue."
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Boris approaches the fallen dwarf, sheathing his blade away, clasps his hand and pulls him to his feet. He taps him on the shoulder before saying solemnly: "Tämä on kaikki olla hyvin hämmentävää sinulle , mutta olla varma olemme täällä auttaa sinua veli Torvic . Toverini on paljon kysymyksiä , ja he pyytävät heitä nopeasti kuin ontapanamiesten alta taivaalta . Älä kadehdi heitä heidän innostuksensa , ja luottaa siihen, että heidän sanansa , ja minun ovat kuin yksi isän Torag n terät . Suora ja annettiin kunnialla."
He releases Torvic's hand, and beats his chest twice solemnly, continuing: "Nimeni on Boris , poika Thrun Gleamseeker , ja minä ja toverini tässä puolestaPathfinder Society , kuten toverini Lissa onihmiset juuri sanoiyhteisen kielen . Ja kuten hän sanoa , olemme täällä tukea sinua quest. Kun olet takaisin teidän hengenvetoon , vastatkaakysymyksiin . Jos sinulla on vaikeuksia puhua yhteistä , voin auttaa sinua."
Torvic brightens briefly at the sound of dwarven and begins speaking rapidly in his mother tongue about his ancestor’s gallery.
The dwarf's quick words turns into stuttering and pensive looks.
Turning to the rest of you, he admonishes you. "You should not sleep. It isn't safe, but you should take me with you to the Gallery. I might be able to remember something and I feel like if I see it again, then it will come to me!"
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Boris frowns. "Torvic is the confused. He say that he was in Vault already but now is not and is not to make the sense for him. He is remember that was woman there. Woman speak low low about nightmare? Hmmm, is maybe the woman to speak the scream-speak. Or is not woman but thing that look like. Or is to wear skin of woman. Boris stop talking now because it all make Boris very mad."
He looks back the way they came and Boris pauses. Beggar's pearl ... is to be big trap???. Quickly snapping out of it, he calls out to the Kellid G'boar and the elf Xarkyn: "Shaggy-dress elf woman and big wildman who not is Shoanti or Ulfen; what is name and is to see anyone that follow you in wild? Boris suspect maybe Beggar is to follow. But not sure. Argh!!! This all very very..." at which point he devolves into Skald. "...uærlig , og jeg liker ikke en bit av dette ! Vi blir ledet av nesen av noe mer enn en perle , og den som leder oss ler hodet av. Jeg håper du kvalt liten pikk geit lover."
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Volar listens intently as the large Ulfen and the Dwarf talk in a language he doesn't understand, then Boris tries to translate, which is only a slight improvement on trying to listen to the unknown language.
"If he has been there already the gallery must be very near. This 'woman' does not sound like the hospitable type though. If she is the reason that Torvic has lost his memory then we must be cautious."
He turns to the Dwarf and says.
"We will help you find the gallery again Torvic. Please be careful though. You do not appear to be in the best health just now, and I predict tha this journey may get quite perilous before it is over."
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"I am called G'Boar, and by Tinker's tusks I can promise you we were neither followed nor led here except by the sounds of battle. I am a caretaker of Nature, as Nature has nurtured me since I was young... And this woman, and the gallery and the pearl all sound unnatural to the core."
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