Closing the box, Davin takes the item and places it in his backpack.
"Well, thank you for all your help. Stay here for at least an hour after we leave. Do not follow us."
Davin will go up the stairs to the wharf, then heads back to the store.
The party managed to locate the smuggling passage, thwart all the deadly traps with little effort and deal a blow to its leadership. The strange artifact in tow, you walk the streets more purposefully than before. Somehow the fear of this new place has been replaced with a certain resolve, knowing each of you can indeed affect change, despite its exotic nature.
Klevin is seated in his shop playing chess with an old grey haired gorilla, the tabaxi still stocking shelves and twirling her tail idly. "Oh, you made it? What was it like down there?"
Bhoors still favors his side and doesn't quite have his carefree spring to his step as you make your way through town. When he makes eye contact with Dwalar he thanks him, "You brought me up from the brink. Thank you."
He enters and nods to the Tabaxi in polite greeting but lets those who took the job speak for now.
Klevin's is a variety shop specializing in decorative garments and trade goods. There is also a small section containing self-published pamphlets detailing local cultures and traditions.
Nella is almost entirely fixated on the velociraptor eggs, cooing and growling gently over them as she walks. Nothing can distract her. Nothing, that is, until they walk into Klevin's shop and her head snaps up to see the gorilla playing chess. She stomps inquisitively and speaks respectfully to the gorilla
Do you know the speech and games of men, oh wise one of the jungle?
Klevin? I am Davin Grey. I spoke with your assistant there yesterday about a job you wished completed. I have the items you were seeking. This group and I were able to defeat the smugglers and retrieved these items."
Devin pulls out the old box, as well as the tiger-eye gem.
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When he makes eye contact with Dwalar he thanks him, "You brought me up from the brink. Thank you."
Dwalar claps a strong hand on Bhoors's back. "That's me job, boy. I never liked yer way o' doin' things, I don't think that's any great secret. But that makes not the slightest difference when things turn dangerous. I protect me friends. That's enough fer a simple dwarf like me."
* * * * *
"What it was like down there," he says to Kevin, "was dark. In more ways than one. There's some evil magic here, I think."
Nella, the gorilla smiles that awkward chimpy grin of the primates before blowing a raspberry and checkmating Klevin.
"Excellent! Now that you've softened them up, perhaps the Brigade can actually get in there and clean them out. And you recovered the artifact, wonderful!" he listens to Dwalar "...evil magic? Let me take a look here..." he examines the box carefully and opens it a hair, this seems to upset the gorilla quite a bit who jumps up and climbs up some shelves on the opposite side of the room. Klevin seems unperturbed, reaching in and grasping it with his hands for close inspection "...yes, this is definitely an object of power. What did you learn from whoever was in charge down there?"
Spike pokes his head out from behind an armload of Velociraptor eggs and says, "They seemed to think that we were from something called the Ytepka society. Even after we handed them their butts, they seemed less scared to know we weren't part of that society. Who are they?"
Nella nods respectfully at the gorilla and stands around watching the proceedings.
"Ah yes, I had heard rumors the Ytepka Society was also looking for this...you're from the Sword Coast, right? Ytepka are similar to the Harpers, shadow organization. The port used to be under Amnish rule, but a rebellion for independence occurred years ago...the Ytepka are the remnants of this rebellion. They are a force of good, but sometimes their methods are a bit...questionable. Their symbol is the triceratops skull...should you ever find an iron coin in your pocket bearing that symbol...your days are numbered. Any word who the buyer was supposed to be for this artifact?"
Bhoors' head shoots up, "A coin with a skull on it? A Triceratops that's one of the rhino looking beasts with the big fan shaped heads and the horns? Right?" He looks around, "These Ytepka they slip the coins on people or do the coins draw attention to themselves some how?" Oh Manny what did you get me into?
The tabaxi Blackleaf looks intrigued at Bhoors' remark "...they're a mysterious lot. No one ever knows how they get those tokens...they expect the wrongdoer to figure it out, like as part of the penance or 'summat."
"So its a curse? Or like a calling card for friends or a warnign to enemies." He looks at the pamphlets, "Perhaps you have some writings on the matter. I would love to learn more of the region. Your write all of these yourself?"
She shrugs releasing an apathetic meow "I don't know, every story I heard ended with a contract killing. That kind of murder is legal here, you know." she states matter of factly before adding "Klevin makes those based on stories we pick up from the bush, I don't think we have one on Ytpeka...Id recommend the one on fruit. Not free though." she points one of her claws at the end of the rack.
Klevin's last inquiry about the buyer still hangs on the air.
"How much for the pamphlets?"
At Dwalar's inquiry she says "'Nahurali'...I just have a name, I swear I've never met them in person. Doesn't work in this business..."
Bhoors looks at the others and then offers the name mentioned, "The one in charge in the tunnels said they were holding the goods for Nahurali."
The tabaxi says "Four." but as Bhoors fiddles with his coins she corrects "No, not the price of the pamphlets, 'Nahurali' means 'Four'. Its ancient tabaxian."
Klevin smiles "Ah Blackleaf, you sweet little kitten, of course! I always suspected the smuggling ring was being led by The Twelve. This Nahurali must be one of them!" he plops a huge sack of gold on the table "Id say you all have earned your pay. Don't let me hesitate any further."
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"You know, I cant help but think this is just a single piece of the puzzle...it looks like this has been broken off of some larger work. Keep your eyes and ears open for any further talk of artifacts, I suppose...
Davin alone, being the sole member of the Lord's Alliance, also receives 1 renown point!
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Nella turns away from the eggs for a moment and speaks to Bjorn.
You spoke of an unnatural plague on the folk of this land. Let us end it. I must see to the care of these young ones. Someone should see to the distribution of the goods we found and some of us may require rest but I would delay as little as possible.
She turns back to the eggs and resumes her soothing noises.
downtime: 5 days
Nella turns to the rest of the group.
I wish to rest before another dangerous attempt to help this land. I will be ready at the Thundering Lizard in the morning.
With Spike's help, Nella smuggles the velociraptor eggs discretely into her room, where she keeps them in a warm corner. She curls up next to them and sleeps.
"Well then, let's take a day to rest and gather ourselves for our next task."
Davin escorts the halfling lass to the tavern and offers to buy her a meal.
Nella accepts Davin's generous offer after she sees to the well-being of the eggs.
Who do you believe are these 12 of which they spoke? They sound a plague.
When you have information on new ways to help, let me know. I will be sure to stop by the inn each day to see how the search is progressing, but for now I have important work to do." Spike leaves the shop to distribute the food among the poor in the worst off parts of the city.
He spends the next 5 nights sleeping on the ground outside the temples in the city(using his Shelter of the Faithful ability). During the days, he splits his time between playing his flute in the streets for coin and then giving that coin away almost immediately. As he plays and gives, he keeps his ears open for clues.
Street performance:
Insight to figure out which rumors will be helpful and which ones won't (I can re-roll this as another skill if that seems more appropriate):
Spike, you pick up some rumors in the Old City of people disappearing in the night, only to return later as undead.
Bjorn's contact stumbles through the door out of the afternoon rains, a great slash across his arm "Ssebo! Sire, quickly, Screaming Wind is under attack!"
"I am not sure, but I think the more we help the people here, the more we would learn about this plague."
"So tell me a little more about yourself. What brought you to this...place?"
Spike happened to have been in the inn comparing notes with the others. When the wounded man burst into the room, Spike started for the door. As he ran, he asked over his shoulder, "How, exactly, does one get to Screaming Wind from here?"
Nella's head snaps up, seeing Spike running for the door. She also begins running after him, though she has some difficulty keeping up on her shorter legs. If there is an attack, she is ready to help.
In a thick Chultan accent the man clicks "Malar's Throat, you come, we go!"
As you reach the furthest outskirts beyond the city walls, the terrain rises again along the ridge leading to Malar’s Throat. The pouring rain begins to fall even harder, dashing all your hopes of the storm receding anytime soon. You continue along the wet, muddy path while summoning the resolve topush through the curtain of heavy raindrops.
The view of Malar’s Throat itself is as astonishing as it is unsettling. A massive ravine runs along the entire area. Along the edge of the ravine are rows of small houses made of old wood and patched stonework, all of which have seen much better days. Narrow rope bridges extend to the other side of the ravine with similar homes skirting the opposite ridge. Several buildings cling to the steep wall which roughly ramps down to the bottom of the ravine.
A cry for help nearby forces your focus to narrow to where you barely make out a figure on one of the bridges in the distance fighting two winged humanoids!
Moving closer through the rain you find the figure is another tabaxi, looking quite drowned in the heavy rain. She is being assaulted by what looks like a cross between a pteradactyl and a halfling. Glancing back in a split second she shouts "Screaming Wind. You must be the visitors, you here to help or to sightsee?!" and with a slash of her claws, spills the guts of one of the pterafolk, sending it crashing to the ravine far below.
Weakened from the fight, or just perhaps because of Bjorn's great strength, the flying creature's throat is promptly snapped and the body goes limp on the bridge. Screaming Wind seems relieved "*ahem* Well, not anymore! Thank you. They are getting more and more brazen...they nearly got Nchak, my neighbor. Are you the one who came by yesterday? Ah, and you've brought friends, excellent...Come, let us talk about what I have in mind...are you with the Enclave?" she leads you over to her shack nearby.
"These pterafolk attacks I theorize are linked to a number of other strange occurrences...all of which are coming from the jungle just over the ridge. The foliage and flora has become blighted and overgrown, rapidly overtaking a number of homes...expanding very quickly indeed! More and more undead are being sighted nearby recently, but these pterafolk we know are capturing the poor from the Throat and taking them off away! We sent a rescue party a few days ago but they never returned...I was offering 50 gp per person to go investigate the area and put a stop to this. The Brigade is overwhelmed by these multiple threats and was already stretched thin here. Please. What do you say?"
Davin bolts out the door as well after throwing down money to cover their meal. If she needs a boost, Davin will scoop up Nella and run on.
Nella accepts Davin's aid.
As Nella and Davin hurtle along, Nella speaks into Davin's mind.
I agree that helping those we encounter is all we can do for now.
As to your other question, my people do not often leave Chondalwood but a seer in my tribe saw that a great disaster would come upon us if one of our kind did not leave and learn the ways of other folk. We are unsure the form of this disaster and what must be learned but I volunteered. What brings you here?
She arrives with Davin just as Bjorn dispatches the second pterafolk. She stares silently at it in sadness and confusion. She folds the creature's wings across its torso.
Something has cursed this poor creature.
When you have information on new ways to help, let me know. I will be sure to stop by the inn each day to see how the search is progressing, but for now I have important work to do." Spike leaves the shop to distribute the food among the poor in the worst off parts of the city.
Bhoors notes Spike's interest in the supplies and clothing, "If you are giving stuff away I know where some needy kids might be. But either way I will help get out the things to the fortunate." He shrugs, "I was less fortunate just a few days ago."
If Spike has not spot picked out Bhoors will take him back to where one of the street kids tried to pick his pocket. Hoping to find where some of the kids have gathered.
"You play music. We should jam together."
When an opportunity away from adventure hits Bhoors offers to buy Dwalar a drink in thanks.
When they reach the rain drenched Tabaxi. Seeing the pterafolk still fighting Bhoors unleashes a vulgar tirade of a limerick at the ptrafolk something about an always randy rooster who was curse with ill sized equipment. The bird looks mildly perturbed before Bjorn ends its threat all together.
Bhoors looks toward the section of jungle the Tabaxi points out, "50 gold. That's a ton of need." He smiles, "Well I gots needs too. So I can help."
She nods at Bhoors comment of need "I'm tired of Malar's Throat being terrorized. This is exactly the thing the Emerald Enclave is supposed to prevent. I am glad you've answered the call."
And to Bjorn "I'm going to get up on the other ridge with my crossbow and snipe at the next wave to break through. I'll be eagerly awaiting your return! It's that area there that seems the most blighted...I've not found any tracks or a path through the jungle...take this machete..." she unsheathes one off her kitty cat back, pointing the way.
The area beyond is a sprawling collection of massive trees and foliage beneath a thick canopy, shutting out what’s left of the daylight. The rain, however, still seeps through with ease. Welcome to the jungle...
The ground is damp and overgrown but also covered in brush and twigs making it difficult to navigate. Its very hot and humid, anyone wearing more than light garments is extremely uncomfortable...its going to require lots of water to stay hydrated.
The air even is hard to breathe and the annoying drip drip drip of the rain drops tickle your nose like an allergy. The weather and the vegetation is making it hard to see, you only have 10 ft of visibility (without darkvision or additional light sources). The blighted area is musty and smells like rotten fruit and ass.