"They were something like that--apes with bows, and there were a lot of them. Dibbets hasn't been right since the monastery. We were fighting this mud man thing there--me and Kaul did for it after a bit of hard fighting. Dingus' magic didn't always bite on it. Dibbets was going to use that lightning trident spell of his on the thing, but it shut him down somehow."
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"He ain't answerin... I try tae call an he's turned aside..." despondent and curled sitting prostrate to nestle his fractured leg.
"Apemen, huh? Did they just look like regular apes? What kind of monastery?" he asks Jim.
He bends over to peer more closely at Dibbets. "I don't think oracles have any idea what they're doing or even who they're praying to half the time, but I felt Her touch on this one and now it seems he's unknowingly been spurned."
The old priest pokes at Dibbets. "Hey, get hold of yourself and we'll see if I can figure this out." He unties a woven bag from around his throat and shakes the little bones and shells within.
Jim will describe the creatures. "Funny thing about those ape-men--they didn't leave tracks, even on the ground where we fought them. The monastery looked to be Abadarian. Keys and gold all over the place."
Nkechi scratches his chin. "Sounds like kech if the apemen were marked to blend in with the trees. Why was there a mudman in the monastery?"
Jim shrugs. "No idea. It wasn't the most engaging of conversationalists, hey? About the only thing it said was 'HUFFALUMP!' Then it got me in the face with a glob of mud before we started dancing. Thing swallowed Kaul whole 'fore he could wriggle free, too."
"Hmmm," Nkechi considers as he juggles the bag in one hand. "I might need to see this place to understand. We can see what the shells say-" he smooths a place in the sand and looks questioningly at the crew.
Dingus stands aside as the conversation continues, staring at the fresh holes in his robe, particularly the one in the back.
He almost chokes when Nkechi mentions seeing it himself. "You got a dragon to carry you there. The bridge is a wreck, and the woods are full of violent ape men. How do you expect to get there"?
Nkechi stands up from his crouch, joints creaking a bit. "Same way you did- in the morning though. Kech are hard enough to see in the light. They're not any worse than charau-ka though and we beat them. A broken bridge might be a problem..."
"You can fly?" he asks Jim Stork. The sailor grimaces and shakes his head. Nkechi shrugs, "Cross that bridge when we get there then. First, ask the shells. Then, fix you up. Robe, too. Then we rest."
Nkechi kneels again and dumps the bag of shells and bones onto the beach studying them. "OK, good idea." He eyeballs Dingus as if daring him to counter his Deity's forecast. Then with a nod repairs the sorcerer's pretty gown with a few mumbled words while weaving his fingers together.
Kaul grins at the recounting of the mud-man battle;
"Hur... Would take a Meg tae swallow down Ol' Kauly whole!" he growls proudly.
The brute accepts the healing and looks to Dibbs;
"Hur. You always say yer god ain't the fussin' type. Maybe's he just needs a kick up the stern? Summit to make him take note o' ye again?"
Jim Stork sighs loudly at the turn of events, "Don't know that I like wasting a day sightseeing, Lanteri's getting an awfully big head start and all we've got is the jolly here."
"Head start? What's happened?"
Stork rubs his long nose. "Well, we're marooned! What did you think we were doing out here? Jenkie told the captain about him, Anatoly and Zossrov being weresharks. She kept him aboard as a witness and sent the rest of you off on this lark. You didn't think it odd the away team was just you and two biters? With you all ashore, it didn't take her much effort to convince the crew of your treacherous intentions with Jenkie's confession and your omission, eh? Poor Rafe stuck up for you, but he didn't look to be feeling that well either come moonrise. Nkechi and I jumped ship to come and warn you just before she sailed off."
"Turns out she don't need those finger bones either. Said she found a lock of her ex's hair during the careening which worked fine with the nail. Forced our hand, but I've got a spell to find the Magpie. We won't be traveling fast in a rowboat though."
Jim shakes his head. "No, we were thinking that having Anatoly and Zossrov with us was all to the good--keeping them away from Lanteri. Didn't think that Jenkie was going to spill his guts over it. At least we know where they're heading." He gives a slightly forced chuckle. "Maybe we can get a ride from the Princess, hey?"
Kaul mulls the chatter, clearly his unhinged cogs are turning as that expression akin to when he takes a $hite plays across his scarred features;
"Hur... Maybees the old mad lord has a ship we can... "borrow" hur-hur... These monied types always have a schooner or two jus' fer show..."
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Dingus stomps off scrowling. "I knew we should have taken over the ship when we had the chance... but no we've got to do this first, and do that first. Just wait; I'll take it by myself next time if I have to... that is if there even is a next time. We'll probably live out our lives here, till we become monkey poop".
"I'm going to go to sleep, by head and nether regions ache".
Dingus looks for somewhere to hole up and pout.
Jim Stork shakes his head. "Princess? Lord? One day ashore and they've established the Kingdom of Cuckoos."
"Ah, that's right--you weren't ashore when we met the Grand High Admiral Kelizar, or whatever the feck he called himself. He moved Storm Eyes' body up to the monastery from the lagoon, which is why we had to go inland in the first place. There was this big old sea turtle in the lagoon here and he called it the 'Princess.' Had the idea that it was an actual princess under a spell." He grins. "He was a mite taken aback when she laid her eggs and swam off, hey? Anyway, he might have something more than just the jolly. He's at least a bit kindly disposed towards us, as we fought off the sea cats that were attacking his turtle."
Nkechi wanders off a short way like Dingus, but not near Dingus, to stretch out and presently snores. The other Jim considers what he's been told. "Huh. And where's this Baron now? The toothy twins eat him?"
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At the announcing of the newest pile of sh1t to be dumped on top of the yet fresh last load Dibbets laughs with the empty hollow cackle of a man devoid of hope. "Feck it, feck her, feck tha Red b1tch, feck em roight from the skelpt bastard got us intae this festerin' heap right through tae tha c*nt that stranded us." laying down flush with arms wide in submission "Feck it all sideways. Ain't nothin come fer us frae tha salt an now there ain't feck all comin frae tha sky."
Poor b@stard...guess that's what it's like when Heaven really does turn indifferent. "No idea. We left him at the beach. I don't really feel like trying to follow a trail at night--let's look for the nutter in the morning."
"Yeah, let's get some sleep. Nothing to be done tonight."
He looks down at Dibbets with disgust. "Aw. Quit your belly aching. Weren't such a whining whelp last time I saw you." The sailor moves up away from the tide line to dig a shallow pit in the sand to sleep in.
*******
Sleep comes easily and you're roused by a cry of welcome from the strange knight far too early, "Good morrow and well met, Milords and Sirrahs! Thou hath completed your quest? And who arteth these errant personages? I doth hopeth thee not be vassals of mine jealous and treacherous enemy!" You see Anatoly and Zossrov lagging behind him, thoroughly soaked, bloodshot and bedraggled.
Dingus awakes with a start, feeling refreshed by the infusion of magical energy. Richard lying close by his side.
Then groans and turns over when he hears the familiar and irritating voice, refusing to make eye contact until he absolutely has to.
Kaul wakes at the sound of their visitor, and stretches; cracking various joints afore he lumbers toward the oncoming Lorded Knight;
"Hur... Here comes trouble... an I ain't meanin' the Good Knight..."
The brute scowls at the shark-tainted crewmen.
Jim yawns and stretches. "Oh, he--I mean, greetings, Sir Kelizar! I see you found our wandering guards."
Jim Stork stands and gives Madman a crooked smile before bowing low to the knight. "Good morning, Sir. We're with them." He looks past the shining loonie to his mates. "Ho, Anatoly, Zossrov. Where you been?"
The ragged duo give the shining knight a sideways look. "Uh, Kelizar here had a safe place for us to spend the night. What are you doing here?" Zossrov answers.
Stork looks down his nose. "Captain heard about your condition and decided to move on without. We took our leave to give you the word."
The Taldan looks over at Anatoly and Zossrov quizzically.
Jim catches the look from his Magpie mates, but isn't sure what it's about.
Sir Kelizar continues, "I hopeth that the natives didest not hinder thee progress overly much. They are wicked creatures."
Jim shrugs. "Nothing we couldn't handle, though having something chase them off was quite timely." He pauses, considering the erratic knight-errant, before continuing. "Say...when you laid Storm Eyes to rest, was there anything in the crypts? That's where we fought our mud man."
Kelizar strokes his shining brown beard. "Aye, Sirrah. I did senseth a peculiar presence back beyond the crypts, but didst not sound those deaths. I be somewhat betwixted to admit this glorious armor didst I taketh from the crypt in use for myself offering a goodly amount of coin in place. I wouldest not normally do such, but it were only in service to the Princess and well, the Mud Lord seemed not to mind. I couldst not ken his earthine ramblings, but he couldst manage a bit of Aquan. As can I."
Kaul leans in, with an enquiring tone;
"Hur... So what did the Mud Lord have tae say for hisself?"
Nkechi also gets up and wanders over to listen now that the conversation has turned to the monastery mystery.
Sir Kelizar shrugs. "He sayeth that his own duty be vigilance to ensurest the monastery crumble and never be repaired or dedicated to any other God."
"Other God than who?" Nkechi asks.
"I doth not knowest having enquired not. I would assumeth Thee One of wild winds and dripping water, Gozreh."
"Huh...well, that's probably what happened, hey? Now, we didn't attack the mud man--we tried to parley at first. Didn't think to talk in Aquan, though, and he didn't say anything either. And I know a bit of Aquan myself."
The anchor sinks in and Kaul looks at his forlorn wee shipmate;
"Hur... So Muddy was like Dibbs? A dirty wee servant O'Gozreh? Feck... We need tae make amends... Get the wee man back in the good books like!"
The thug eyes the two shark-tainted crewmen;
"We could sac-re-fice them two? Would Ol' Windy be partial to a drop o' crimson?"
Jim shakes his head. "Gozreh is indifferent to that sort of thing, I'm thinking. What we could do, though, is either bring down some of the monastery--do the work of wind and water ourselves--or ask someone else to stay here and watch it in the place of the mud man."
Anatoly and Zossrov scowl and take a few steps back, hands on their weapons at Kaul's not so indirect threat. They take Jim's words at face value, but remain wary.
Nkechi ponders the new news. "She don't want a sacrifice. She wants a proper guardian. Kech brought the temple down, but they are too easy to corrupt. A mudman isn't much of a guardian either though. About as good as an oracle, I say. No, this is the job of a proper priest."
"OK, you talked me into it. I am tired of foolish villagers and shipmates both. I can keep the Kech in line and make certain no missionaries start sniffing around. I'll stay."
"Just so you can keep the Kech from attacking us when we take you up there, hey? That still leaves us with the small problem of how to get off the island and after Lanteri. Sir Kelizar, you wouldn't happen to have a ship to hand, would you?"
"A ship? Forfend it no. 'Twas sent to unsounded deeps to foil mine enemies' intentions. But, Sirrah. Havest thou a fine craft here to make way from this fulgent shore. 'Tis no great distance between the isles. Even the primitive cannibals make way here a time." He gestures to the jolly.
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"Well if that's what makes you happy. You did fix my robe... though I can't imagine why you'd want to stay anywhere near a jungle".
Dingus looks at the Jolly boat, and tries to imagine a life on the high seas, as commanders of a fine sailing vessel... his thoughts come up short.
Kaul looks at little disappointed at the prospect of no-bloodhsed, but his spirits are buoyed as a potential solution to Dibbs' doldrums is found;
"Hur. Right we 'ave it..."
At the prospect of the jolly boat, his good humour dissipates like a fart on the wind;
"... Hur. The Good Ship indeed... Reckon it'll do us..."
"Better than that raft, hey? Kaul, mate, I have a small request of you. Step over here, if you would." Once Jim and the half-orc are out of easy earshot of the others, he continues. "You need to apologize to those two for that comment about sacrificing 'em. I think we can move pretty fast in that boat - but only if they pull their weight. You take my meaning?"
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Kaul flashes his angler-fish smile;
"Hur... So we gets 'em turned an' they tow us like good wee sharkies... Like it..."
Jim grins and nods, clapping Kaul on the shoulder. "Figured you would. Come on--time for you to make nice on 'em."
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Dibbets wakes up ornery and empty - not touching any food or vittles and the most animated he gets is to cough up a particularly greenish and blood flecked lump of phlegm. The story of their marooning just draws a haggard sigh and faint darkened chuckle.
Even as talk of his return to the blessed indifference of an uncaring god doesn't draw any hope from his breast. His head and eyes stay downcast, covered by lank and straggly hair. His lips are moving though... turning words over in his mouth, though no sound issues forth.
Nkechi stands over the splayed and unresponsive little oracle and scratches his grizzled beard. He speaks about Dibbets as if he isn't lying at his feet. "I do not understand oracles; too many mysteries. Why would a God need to hide in mystery? How does the oracle even know which one he really serves. I wondered if the halfling truly serves the Wind and the Waves. This crew seems favored by Besmara, who might call or quiet storms." He purses his lips considering and looks up at the high ruined monastery.
"I think now that he does serve Gozreh, at least enough that She can compel him to serve as a warden. I can do this job for him. She will not care who does it as long as it is done. Once I consecrate the place, he should be better."
So saying the old Mwangi kneels to put a hand on Dibbets' shoulder. "I take your place brother, until the sky or sea claims my dead flesh." He rises with a little creakiness. "He does seem the type Saltbeard would approve of anyway. He really should learn the elemental tongues though."
He moves to the surf and with a half wave of his hand that seems more a dismissal of the crew than good-bye, sinks into the lagoon. A dark otter-like creature is seen swiftly swimming away to the cliffs beneath the high ruins. It emerges and moves up the cliff and you can see that it is Nkechi though transformed so that both arms and legs end in long fingered webbed hands and a long tail with a fin hangs behind him. It is a disturbing final image you are left with for the reclusive Mwangi as he makes the top of the cliff and disappears from view.
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Dingus watches the exchange with waning interest. Divine stuff is just too complicated. Relying on someone or something else to make you powerful. I prefer to bring the power from within from my blood...
"Ahh ha ha ha ha ha ha! " The sorcerer cackles out loud holding Richard high above his head... then realizes that last part was out loud, and turns whistling to look about the area, as though checking out the new day.
Kaul too observes the strange exchange, uncomfortably bemused at first the cryptic words of Nkechi, then Dibbs' mire of melancholy and finally capped by Dingus' maniacal mirth:
"Right ye are... Hur..."
Monkey$hit crazy. Every one o' them! Me, Lopps and Jimmer are the only sane ones left!
"...Best we be making tracks eh lads? Hur..."
"Good morning, Princess!" Kelizar suddenly shouts and the crew finds that the giant sea turtle has begun dragging itself up on the beach near their boat.