Rehil swings his head from side to side as he tries to follow the conversation. He's not sure he likes the direction things are going. The group should be trying to reach the last camp and report, not embroiling themselves in lizardly politics. Still, he'll back the party whatever they decide. An elf alone wouldn't last long in the morass of this jungle.
As Nalverren departs, Rehil decides no one should wander in the camp alone, and he's interested in what Bokehn might say.
"I'll come with you." The elf falls smoothly into step just a half pace behind Nalverren.
"Alright," Nalverren says, something else weighing heavily on his mind.
Rehil and Nalverren find Bokehn lying on a pallet of woven palm leaves. His pallor is sickly grey but he seems clear-eyed and alert.
"Alright, what's going on?"
William will make sure his stuff is packed and ready to go.
on cole as his looks on the big warforged.
"well this should help a little."
Portforged turned to its remaining companions. "I suggest we leave soon, even if Bokehn needs to stay behind. The task ahead is urgent."
Cole listens impassively as the Chief lays out his wishes and suggestions, simply nodding a response at the end. Then he cocks his head, looking at the lizard-man.
“Chief, do you have a longspear you could spare for me? My longhammer was lost in the fight on the river’s edge.”
[dice=CLW] 1d8 + 1 on cole as his looks on the big warforged.
"well this should help a little."
Cole nods down at the little healer, “Again, thanks. I’ll try not to waste it.” He seems to consider his own words, “Though the predators in these jungles seem to have a different opinion on the matter lately, huh?” He rubs emphatically at a row of tooth indentions in his armor he hasn't been able to fully hammer out.
As Nalverren and Rehil depart for Bokehn’s tent, Cole touches the elf on the shoulder. “Will you ask Bokehn’s instruction on all this? This Khyber-touched job seems determined to go wrong, and it’d be good to know what our employer wants in all this.”
A report on lizardman tribal politics is not the sort of thing likely to win him favor. Besides he will get to hear all about what goes on in that conversation when they are on the trail.
"From Pooma's description, sounds like Therashk is looking for something within the lizardfolk ruins. The poisondusk faction is gathering up the other tribes with threats of violence when impassioned speeches don't work. We repelled on attempt just as we arrived with your body to this village."
Nalverren takes a deep breath, lets it out while looking for a response, then continues.
"While Therashk has their hands in the temple, the lizardfolk will attack all humans. If we are to stop the attacks down here, we need to stop the cause... Therashk. Even with my skill in draconic, the poisondusk will not hear reason from Pooma, much less a softskin. I know not what Therashk seeks in the temples, but I'd wager it is either extremely valuable or extremely powerful for them to risk so much."
"In conclusion, I see two courses of action. Stop Therashk, and make it too inconvenient to continue seeking... or leave the jungle. And leaving would be ill-advised, as I believe they intend to keep you due to your infirmity."
"We leave now, if we delay too long it gives the poisondusk enough time to gather enough tribes to raze this village
"Tharashk?" Bokehn's eyes narrow. "I've heard nothing about that. What's your evidence?"
"Nothing but the lizardfolk Pooma's words."
Bokehn considers Nalverren's words.
"Hmmm, well I can think of plenty with the means, though the implications of what that might mean... Anyway, you work for House Tharashk, remember - show some respect. And don't leap to conclusions either when you don't have much to base it on other than lizardfolk gossip.
"So what are you going to do?"
"Well, I'd like to consider what you think about the situation. Who else has the means? Is there something else or someone else we should be considering? And yes, I work for them by virtue of having signed on with this group, but they haven't paid me yet. I shouldn't have leapt to conclusions. I thought these Lizard folk were a trusted source of yours, perhaps alsoman undue lap. "
"The lizardfolk don't really know much of what happens outside their territory - they aren't very sophisticated even if they don't lack for wisdom. They'd probably struggle to tell one group from another. As to who it might be, there's a few candidates - other Houses, New Gallifar, other governments even, and splinter groups and factions of any of those." Bokehn pauses to have a coughing fit. "There's probably merchant houses that could pull something like this off too.
"I don't see Tharashk as a good candidate, unless it's something unauthorised by the top brass. The shard business here is good and makes a pile gold. It'd have to be a pretty compelling score for them to risk all that by riling the tribes. Others wouldn't have to worry about that so much. Any idea what they are trying to achieve?"
Portforged turned its gaze from Bokehn to Nalverren, and back again, pondering the situation.
"Perhaps...perhaps there is no other human group, and the alleged attacks are merely caused by the poisondusk? The poisondusk seem to be looking for excuses to attack the non-lizardfolk. Maybe the poisondusks themselves have been behind these attacks?
I do not have any evidence to support such a claim, I am merely speculating, though it would certainly be convenient."
"True," says Bokehn slowly, thinking about Portforged's comments, "Though like most lizardfolk, the poisondusk are rarely subtle. But it isn't beyond the realms of possibility."
"I'd need to see what they're after before I could guess at a purpose. Could just be art, or old relics. Or there could be some source of power in the temples."
"Many of the ruins supposedly date back to the Demon Age. There could be anything in there."
Rehil stares at the other men in turn as they speak. He smiles slightly when Nalverren is put down for suspecting House Tharashk, and the smile widens at the man's retort.
Eventually the elf clears his throat before addressing Bokehn.
".. We are blind. If we want to find out what is going on we have to go to these ruins to see what is happening there. Or we run for the nearest settlement. Cole wants orders from our employer."
"IF you send us inland, it will be a dangerous mission in a hostile tribe's land. I think we should renegotiate the contract because we signed on for river guard duty."
Bokehn glances up sternly from under his shaggy eye-brows at Rehil. Then he grins before coughing again. "Y'know, elf, you might be useless in a fight but I like your style. Here's the deal. We need to know what's going on here. A tribal uprising will impact on House Tharashk interests" - he gives Nalverren a pointed look - "no matter which way you look at it. I'm too weak to travel now but I'll get Pooma to send some of his lads downriver with a message to send some help and transport up here. In the meantime, you are to find out what's actually going on. Don't take any unnecessary risks. But if you can gather useful intelligence on this, I'm sure the House will be duly grateful - if you catch my drift. I might even put in a good word for you."
Rehil looks back at the half orc. He wonders whether to push his point about renegotiation, but the backhanded compliment, and offer to put in a good word have him a little off balance. These are quite frankly the nicest words Bokehn has said to him all trip. In any case I will earn a great deal of favor with Tharashk if we succeed.
".. I am sure you will. That is enough for me. Another day of rest and healing before we go would be good. If that is all right, we will tell the others."
"Sure, sure.." Bokehn waves his visitors away.
Wultram then looks at Cole. "If needed I can borrow my spear, I don't have that many arrows for my bow but it should be enough, I prefer my magic anyway."
Cole nods, "If the chief doesn't have one for me, I'll use yours." He dips his head, "Thanks."
Cole nods his thanks to Pooma and whatever lizard-man hands him the spear. Then he turns to Wultram, holding the spear up. "Never hurts to ask, right?"
Nalverren weighs against leaving if those with healing magic are expended.
Portforged suggests leaving today as well.
Rehil nurses his wounds and wants to wait until tomorrow.
If the party wants to leave right away, Rehil will approach Pooma about healing.
"If people cannot survive leaving right now, then I will concede we should leave tomorrow."
The group decide to rest for another day.
The morning of the departure, Poom introduces two lizardman braves - Ashshar and Vaard. Ashshar is lightly-built and quick-witted, speaking decent Common, and knows the river well. Vaard is hulking and powerful, one of the elite warriors of the tribe, taciturn and speaking only Draconic. Pooma explains that they will accompany the group as guards and guides. He also allocates to them two large dugout canoes for their journey.
The day before their departure is anything but idle. Cole spends what time he can repairing more of the damaged tissues and plates of his chest. And while he is unable to repair to his full capacity, he seems to be confident about the day of their departure.
He joins in any planning discussions about their trip, speaking up only rarely. He coordinates with the team to accommodate the portage of any additional equipment the chief and his tribe offers . When the chief offers the fine war maul, Cole’s ocular irises expand noticeably. He accepts the weapon with a surprising level of care, then takes a few huge steps away from the gathered group. He spins it a few times idly… getting its weight. Then he spies a few pieces of chopped wood stacked on a firing stone. Without warning, he steps over and brings the war maul down in a massive strike. The wood explodes and the rock splits.
He steps back over, his metal head cocked in the fashion everyone now equates to his own version of a grin. “This is a powerful weapon.” He slides his own greatsword from its usual home across his back and leans it against the tent next to where the chief stands. “We’ll trade back when I return.”
For the remainder of the day, Cole splits his time between finishing his own repairs, doing slow circuits of the village as he watches the surrounding wilds, and spending long stretches simply watching the lizard people… a massive, passive statue.
Though once or twice, a team member or two will catch an interesting sight. The lizardfolk children seem as curious and eager about the strange metal man as the children of any other race. And the gentle giant finally warms to them, letting them run between his thick legs and climb up his powerful frame. The careful observer notes the care with which he moves around the tiny creatures… and the way his head is often cocked as they play on him.
Pooma shakes his head at Cole's proffered weapon. "No, you might need it. You will use it to help the village, that is enough."
Cole nods, then re-straps on his greatsword. Then he rigs a second strap for the war maul. With the two massive weapons forming an equally massive X on his back, thick handles jutting over each shoulder, a quickly-filling backpack, and a longspear in hand... the warforged looks every inch the war machine.
Just after dawn on the second day in the village the two canoes push out into the river and begin paddling upstream in the warm rain of a tropical downpour.
After realizing that his weight made it nearly impossible for his canoe to launch with him in it, Cole wades into the water and helps launch, then nearly flips the canoe as he tries to climb in.
Despite his inexperience (and the near-drowning of his canoe-mates on his early attempts), he rows powerfully and tirelessly.
Portforged hops into the boat alongside Nalverren.
Portforged's mechanical arms flail wildly around the canoe. It is clear it has never attempted to row before.