One of the lizardfolk notices Tal. He promptly kneels and says (in the language of the dragons but with an accent you can scarcely understand) "Welcome, holy one." The other lizardfolk, as they spot him, all do the same. Soon all of the lizardfolk are prostrate before Tal.
Emerging from the hut is a striking figure. Tall but slender, it appears to be a reptilian humanoid of a sort you have never seen before. It is dressed for war, with two short swords, a shield, and dressed in metal armour. Even more unusually, it has four arms.
Emerging from the hut is a striking figure. Tall but slender, it appears to be a reptilian humanoid of a sort you have never seen before. It is dressed for war, with two short swords, a shield, and dressed in metal armour. Even more unusually, it has four arms.
Ashshar realises that this is a kasatha, a legendary emissary from the dragon gods. For one of these to visit the village is an omen of great portent.
"A kassatha, emissary of the dragon godss... I can't believe my eyess" loudly explains Ashshar to the rest before kneeling himself.
After the reverence, the lizardfolk stands up again and walks to the others. "We ssshould talk about what happened, but firsst we musst talk to Pooma and the Emisssary."
He sits to try to gather his thoughts. What would mother do? Since his gear is here, he isn't strictly a prisoner. She would play the social angle and try to talk or charm her way through whatever this was. Coming through the door fully armed might offend his hosts, or might just be the smartest thing to do.
In the end he decides on a compromise. He belts a dagger on over his leathers and slings the curve blade over his back. He leaves his other gear behind. He waits a second by the door looking at the light streaming around the edges so that his eyes are well adjusted and then pushes open the door.
Rehil emerges from his hut dressed in his leathers with a dagger at his belt and his curve blade slung on his back. The elf looks all around. A small smile touches his lips for an instant as he catches sight of the party members. He steps toward his companions.
And stops as the lizardfolk prostrate themselves. His eyes follow the grain of the crowd toward the four-armed lizardman at the center of their attention.
Tal makes a dismissive motion to the lizardfolk, and then his lower two arms raise. "ლოდინის , მე არ უნდა თაყვანს, მე ვარ, მაგრამ მსახური ღმერთებს." Once they begin to stand up, he continues. "სად ვარ? როგორ მივიღო აქ? სად არიან დრაკონები? მე უნდა მოახსენოს ჩემი მეთაური. არ სარიტუალო წარმატების მიღწევა?"
"Stand, I am not to be worshipped, I am but a servant of the gods."
"Where am I? How did I get here? Where are the dragons? I need to report to my commander. Did the ritual succeed?"
As he talks to the lizardfolk, he pings anyone within 30 feet, checking for evil. His eyes glowing lightly purple with each check.
"როგორ შეიძლება არ ვიცი, რიტუალი ? ომი? რა თქმა უნდა, თქვენ იცით, თუ ომი დღესაც გრძელდება ? ცხადია, ჩვენ არ დაკარგა, მსოფლიოში არსებობს."
"How can you not know of the ritual? The war? Surely you know if the war is still going on? Obviously we have not lost, the world exists."
He looks at the strange mammalians. "რა არის ის არსებები? მე არ მინახავს , როგორც ადრე."
"What are those creatures? I have never seen their like before."
Bokehn breathes in deeply before replying. "I think a long time has passed since you were last in the world, emissary. We will try to explain as well as we can. I am Bokehn, and I will try and answer your questions."
"მე ვხედავ. მე ვარ ზოგადად Tal'Va'Nocht . მე ვარ მოძღვარი Dol Arrah . თუ თქვენ არ იბადება ჩემს კითხვებს, სად არიან დრაკონები ? რა თქმა უნდა, არსებობს ერთი ახლოს? ან არის ამ სოფელში ძალიან შორს ცივილიზაციის ერთ-ერთი აქ? როგორ ხანგრძლივი ზუსტად გავიდა, იცით?"
"I see. I am General Tal'Va'Nocht. I am a priest of Dol Arrah. If you don't mind my questions, where are the Dragons? Surely there is one near? Or is this village too far from civilization for one to be here? How long exactly has passed, do you know?"
But most bizarrely, the lizardfolk all seem to be kneeling in adoration of a figure he hasn't seen before. A reptilian humanoid, dressed in metallic armour and with two swords and a shield, the creature seems to have four arms. Bokehn is currently engaging it on conversation.
The four armed lizard stares at Wultram for a moment, his eyes flash purple as he does so, as if a film had slid down over them.
The creature used a spell like ability, Detect Evil, on Wultram.
The large creature performs an elaborate arm folding ritual, and dips it's snout down, before speaking in Draconic.
"Greetings.. uhm, whatever you are. I do not recognize your species, although you speak the Tongue of the Elders in a passable fashion. If friend Bokhen is correct that I have been gone a long time, it is perhaps I who no longer speak the Tongue correctly." His manner of speech is very formal and incredibly archaic. "I am General Tal'Va'Nocht, of the Dol Arrah First Tender's Regiment. I am also a Priest, needless to say."
"Let's come inside the tent," says Bokehn, "We can debrief there." He makes to enter one of the tents.
The reptile's muzzle dips and waggles slightly as it does so, apparently in agreement, for he follows Bokehn and Wultram into the tent.
Sensing Wultram's disapproval, Tal bows and waves him in first, using an elaborate four arm display.
"If I might suggest, we should all likely withhold judgement on other's manners and manerisms, for the duration? If indeed it has been as long as indicated, then our cultural references are significantly dispersed. It would be well for us to keep in mind that what is polite for one might be an insult for the other, and that the reverse is true as well."
"Honestly, now may not be the best time and place for the politest of discourse, given what we have just endured," the human says in draconic, "Though one cannot always know the trials of another. We can give it a shot, but we are liable to be a little 'rough around the edges' after our time in this jungle."
Nalverren turns to Bokehn. "It is good to see you up and about. This discussion wouldn't happen to involve a way out of this jungle, would it?"
How am I back here? I had a mission, I should be there. I must return to the group.
He tries to exit the hut....
Rehil cocks his head. "Fine. No one here means to give offense, but I have one question that must be asked first. Did any of you speak with the Silver Flame?"
Tal looks to Rehil, and then points his muzzle up and extends his neck a couple of times. He taps the side of his head afterward.
"I am sorry, I do not understand the individual who is speaking."
Cole pauses in the doorway for a long time, simply watching Bokehn and Pooma. Finally, he lumbers from the hut, watching the discussion ... and the strange new creature. He had struggled to pick up the lizards' tongue in the weeks in the jungle, and the version this new creature spoke was even more strange.
When he begins seeing his comrades, his bearing relaxes (as much as a 7-foot warforged frame can be said to relax). Bokehn gets a small wave, but the warforged is obviously conflicted in the presence of his employer. Each comrade, though, gets a friendly nod, and Rehil's question causes the warforged to cock his head.
"You experienced the flames, too?" He looks over at Pooma, Vaard, and Ashshar. "Is this a thing of your people? Or is it something of the dragon?"
He looks sideways at the strange new creature with too many arms. And touches his own chest.
He then looks over at Pooma, nodding his head briefly.
Rehil watches Wultram carefully while he replies. One corner of his mouth droops slightly and he throws a quick glance over his shoulder, before he nods with his eyes downcast.
The elf straightens slightly when Cole speaks up about the sliver flame. He makes eye contact with the 'forged and shakes his head slightly from sided to side while he jerks his thumb twice across his chest in the direction of Bokehn? Poomba? Or the four-armed Tal?
Then he drifts closer to Nalverren, looking for the customary running translation.
But most remarkable is the strange figure standing with his travel companions. A tall, slender reptilian humanoid, it is dressed in metal armour and bears two short swords and a shield. It also has four arms, and Vaard realizes, but doesn't quite believe, it is a kasatha, one of the legendary emissaries of the dragon gods. Quite what it is doing here in his village or how it got here is unclear, but it is clearly an omen of great portent. It also explains why his fellow villagers are all bowed down in worship of the exotic figure.
Nalverren will translate to common for Rehil, as well as recap what he missed.
Vaard walks out of his hut and looks about.
Cole catches Rehil's gesture, then clangs his mouth shut, though he continues closer to Pooma and Bokehn.
Otherwise the big 'forged seems content to wait until the conversation moves to a more private location ... if that's what indeed happens.
Tal's eyes widen as the golem talks.
"You have talking golems now? I guess that it has been a very long time. I am not sure my commander would have approved, he always hated golems. Does it posess a spirit, or is it just pretending to a semblance of life?" He asks Bokhen, his muzzle going up and down as he looks the golem up and down, from head to toe. "It looks like a combat golem, yes?" He draws himself up, and addresses the golem. "Golem Cole, I am General Tal'Van'Nocht. You may address me as General, Golem."
Turning to the rest of the group, he waggles his head in what appears to be the equivalent of shaking for humans. "I am finding it easier and easier to believe much time has passed. No dragons around, talking golems... Who does it belong to?" He asks curiously. "And how much do they cost, I could foresee one being useful."
When Cole asks about the silver flame, it's quite obvious Tal reacts, as his scales actually flick up and down along his entire body. "Golem Cole, you saw silver flames? Detail this please. I am curious where you saw them. Do you know what their significance is?"
It takes a moment for Cole to translate what the creature is saying, and his body becomes most UN-relaxed as he stands to his full 7 feet in height. His deep voice hardens, and there is a quiet churning sound from within his adamantine chest … the team has heard this sound a few times before. During combat.
When Vaard is able to meet up with the group, he inquires
"I understand nothing of what occurred. I saw an emissary of the Great Dragon Gods, and my mortal leader, as well as your former leader. Are we all dead?"
Tal's eyes widen slightly, and his tail tip twitches. "I see, well then go.. Cole. I wonder, are you really alive with a spirit, or does your magic merely cause you to believe so? Can you be healed by healing magic? Can your spirit be raised to life again if your body should fail? Can you be reincarnated?"
As Vaard enters, and proclaims to have seen an Emissary of the Dragon Gods, he looks excited. "You have? Excellent! Where is this Emissary? I must talk to them at once!"
"They're quite like people, General. Healing works. I haven't seen anyone try to resurrect one, but I hear it works."
Tal's head tilts to the side, as he examines Col. "I see... Well, if the gods choose to send their spirits back when a Priest requests it, then it is almost certainly the case they have them. My apologies, Friend Cole. Please pardon any insults on my part, I have never heard of your kind before today." The lizard stands back up, and makes an elaborate four armed bow to Cole.
Bokehn enters the tent and the other follow. Inside there is a folding table and a few chairs, although not enough for everyone. Everyone arranges themselves inside the cramped space and Bokehn begins.
"Alright, this is it from our side. Pooma sent some of his braves downriver with a message while I recuperated here. About a week after you left, a new boat arrived with a team to extract me and you lot. Thanks to Pooma I was much better by then, and we were getting rumours that there had been a big dust-up in Finback territory. So we followed you upriver.
"When we got to the Finback village there wasn't much left - just a lot of burnt huts and churned mud, and a few survivors saying that the new leaders of the army had sworn allegiance to the dragon-lord of Haka'torvhak and had gone to meet him. Whatever was going on, the Finbacks didn't seem to have much fight in them. Apparently, a bunch of humans had shown up, killed their totem beast and their chief, and then disappeared. Not really much tribe left at all. Wasn't anything to do with you, I suppose?
"So we carried on towards Da'sheth. Again, we faced no resistance. As we moored up and headed up the path, we noticed that all of the jungle around the crater seemed to be dead or dying - all the leaves shrivelled and falling, wood brittle and falling apart. And there were dead animals everywhere - birds lying like they had just died in flight, some big dino caracasses. It was like that all the way to the crater. It looked like someone had been camping in the ruins but packed up and gone, leaving just this strange tower contraption and the control hut next to it.
"And that's where we found you lot - inside the hut, stacked up like firewood. Two of you were dead - a human guy I'd never seen before and what looked like an apprentice Finback shaman - but the rest of you were all unconscious but otherwise unmarked. Except for you, General. We found you lying outside by the machine.
"So we buried the dead and brought you back here. You didn't stir for the two days it took to get you here, and that was yesterday.
"I notice that not all of you who left here are still with you. So what happened?"
..."I notice that not all of you who left here are still with you. So what happened?"...
This comment elicits a stifled grunt of amusement from Rehil, but the elf holds his tongue.
"Near a crater? Ah, that explains it. Hmmm..." Tal looks throughtful, and one hand scratches at his throat scales thoughtfully. "I believe the ritual was undone. Near the end of the war with the Rakshasa and their demon hordes, my commander, High Priestess, Arch-General Geer'Ar'Jarsh assigned me to perform body guard and healing support for Elder Orzaxes, the Elder Dragon in charge of the ritual to bind the Demons. As the coatls performed the Great Ritual, Orzaxes attacked the Great Demon, holding it at bay while the ritual completed. My job was to keep him alive until the ritual was complete." The lizard grinds his rather sharp teeth, and spits into the dirt nearby. "I succeeded, in the most technical sense. The ritual completed, and a great silver flame spread over the demon, called into creation by the Coatl to seal the demon away. Elder Orzaxes was wounded, and a bit overzealous in rejoicing that we had succeeded. He lost his focus, and was torn from the sky by the demon. We fell into the demon's body as the flames took it." He pauses, then sighs. "If the Ghost of Flames who spoke to me is to be believed, I am needed again to fight the demons. I had hoped to have some respite in death from the Great War. It appears that is not to be. Nor was I able to join my Goddess. I suspect the ritual bound me as well, trapped between life and death. If that is true, then someone has undone at least part of the sealing that held the Demon. It was not fully undone, for we are alive, and the land was not destroyed around us."
"Sounded pretty destroyed, but I suppose it could have been more destroyed. In a world said to be comprised of three warring entities, it seems peace is an anomalous state for the world to be in. That said, the five nations are technically at peace. Also, since you weren't around to know this, there are more than five nations. We just have five big important ones who signed a treaty ending the last war. Hearing even a fraction of your account of what I assume was from the end of the age of demons, I regret to inform you that you will likely consider life in our time rather mundane. That said, our lot tend to get into the most... interesting of predicaments."