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Round 6 continued
Zaghigoth's animal allies push forward to hem in Mellistra. This is a golden opportunity with her entangled in the spider's sticky strands. The summoned great boar squeals as its razor tusks raker her arms and belly - it's a grievous wound! Oshok'arr follows suit, but her thumb spike serves to part some of the webbing. Zaghigoth attempts a spell to wreathe the succubus in faerie flame, but the spell is defeated by her innate magical defences.
Round 7
At this point Krolmnite comes barrelling into the fray. Greatsword swinging, the paladin roars with righteous fury as he cleaves another gaping wound across her chest and shoulder. Mellistra cries out in true pain and alarm now.
Rowena continues to harry Osumare. She doesn't land any hits, but she keeps the dancer from creating any more mischief.
With a final burst of strength, Yekskya breaks free of the plants that were binding him. He strides away from them and brandishes his sword, a flat expression on his face. He still seems to be suffering from the sickening sap and thorns of the entangling plants.
Nkechi presses his attack with his trident. The wizened old mystic scores a lucky hit, but amongst her other wounds Mellistra hardly seems to notice it.
Hampered as she is by the webbing, the succubus variously known as Mellistra, Zakkiya, and Lani tries move out of reach of her enemies. She summons a quick spell, addressing you just before completing it. All humour and guile are gone form her face now. "You've had your fun, but we'll have to finish this another time." You see that she's managed to position herself out of reach of paladin, priest, and dinosaur. As she utters a final command to complete her spell, both celestial spider and dire boar beside her leap on the succubus. The spider misses, but the boar manages another ripping gore with its tusks. The pain of the attack puts her off her casting, and the spell fails! The demoness looks around in shock and pain.
Initiative
27 - Krolmnite
27 - Rowena
24 - Yekskya
17 - Nkechi
14 - Zakkiya/Mellistra
13 - Quinta
9 - Osumare
8 - Zaghigoth
=======
Cat melee
damage
Yeks Escape Artist
Nkechi trident
damage
Mellistra concentration
dire boar gore
damage
spider bite
damage
Whistling its fury, the spider closer to Mellistra spits more webbing at her, hoping to restrain her once more!
The spider closer to Quinta hisses its annoyance at the shove it received from Krolmnite. Clicking and muttering, it likewise spits webs at the succubus!
And finally, there is Quinta.
"You are not getting away to bother us again and cause more carnage, demon! YOU ARE !"
That last 'NOT' seems to echo in Mellistra's ears, louder and louder, until her whole skull is ringing with the din set up in her brain!
Unable to reach the demonic temptress, I satisfy myself by making sure she can't use the dancer against us. No longer trying to kill her, my attacks are a little awkward, as a rapier is hardly the best weapon for dealing non-lethal damage; making for impressive sword play, but without the desired results.
Zag commands his animal allies to continue their assault on the demon, hoping to finally bring her down.
Boar Gore:
Damage:
Oshok'arr:
Damage:
Oshok'arr: 35/41
Boar: 44/52
Spells remaining:
0 - Detect Magic, Resistance, Read Magic, Create Water
1 - Calm Animals, Produce Flame
2 - Barkskin
3 - Plant Growth
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Round 7 continued
Quinta's spiders spin their deadly webs. The first spider casts another net of spider silk over Mellistra, but doesn't do much more to impede her than the strands that are already hampering her movement. The second spider is more fortunate, the webs doing more to anchor her to the spot. She's really getting bogged down now.
Lastly, Quinta uses her potent voice. A sonic scream buffets the succubus, causing her to whimper in pain and misery.
Rowena may be taking care not to kill the dancer Osumare, but the dancer is taking no such care with her. She flicks forward with her knife, and would have skewered the half-elf but her blade was turned by Rowena's armor.
Mellistra cries out. "Please, please! I surrender! I'm sorry I hurt you"
Which is when Zaghigoth's summoned dire boar barrels into her trampling her form into the dust. The beautiful demoness' form looks crumpled in the dust, unconscious but you see she is breathing in short gasps.
Initiative
27 - Krolmnite
27 - Rowena
24 - Yekskya
17 - Nkechi
14 - Zakkiya/Mellistra
13 - Quinta
9 - Osumare
8 - Zaghigoth
======
Mellistra Fort
Osumare melee
damage
"If she yields, we cannot take her life!". The gnome delays, waiting to see if the others had the final dancer in control. If not, he would begin moving toward their final conscious enemy.
"Deal with her," Quinta says, flicking her fingers at Osumare. "Keep Yeskya busy!"
While the others - hopefully - do just that, the Bard runs over to Mellistra and kneels over her. She places the edge of her rapier gently against the demon's jugular.
"You can hear me, demon," she says. "End your control spells now. After that, tell me your True Name, and I will convince the others to release you. Return to the Abyss and stay there, or I will spread your True Name to every two-bit spellcaster I meet and every Celestial being I can summon. Agree to these terms, or you. Will. Die. Even the least hint of a lie and you. Will. Die."
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Round 8
Krolmnite stays his blade, bending to check that Mellistra is truly unconscious. Could it really be that easy?
Rowena lunges with her rapier, trying her best to knock out the remaining dancer Osumare with a blow to the side of her head. It's awkward though and she misses her opportunity.
Yeskya still seems ensorcelled. Too late to help the succubus, he rams his sword into the side of celestial boar. It didn't seem to be expecting that attack at all, and the blade inflicts a terrible gaping wound.
Shouting on you to deal with the dancer Osumare, Quinta places her rapier at Mellistra's throat. She appears to be unconscious, but she might be listening. In any case, she doesn't respond, lying limp at your feet. The dire boar looks set to trample over her. At her words, Nkechi makes his way over to help Rowena deal with the dancer.
Despite being surrounded and outmatched, the remaining dancer Osumare fights with abandon, viciously thrusting her knife at anyone who comes close. She seems desperate to reach Mellistra and tries to push Rowena back so that she can move closer to the downed demoness.
Initiative
27 - Krolmnite
27 - Rowena
24 - Yekskya
17 - Nkechi
13 - Quinta
9 - Osumare
8 - Zaghigoth
=======
Osumare
damage
Yekskya melee
damage
"Ah, forget this nonsense. Time to end this!" Frustrated by my inability to deal with the dancer in a less-than-lethal way, I attack Osumare again, this time going all-out.
Zag commands his animal friends to try and subdue Yekskya until he is no longer enchantment, hoping the boar might put the archer on the ground while Oshok'arr keeps him there.
Boar Trip CMB:
Oshok'arr Grapple/Pin CMB:
Zag takes up a similar strategy against the remaining ensorcelled woman, charging her with aims to take her out of the fight.
Zag Grapple CMB:
Oshok'arr: 35/41
Boar: 36/52 (Boar remains for 1 more round)
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Round 8 continued
Zaghigoth commands his animal companions to take Yeskya down - gently. The boar attempts to sweep the fighter off his feet, but the Mwangi attempts to hold the boar back with a sweep of his blade. The sword chops down with a swoosh but the boar has already moved, its tusks catching Yekskya's ankle and bowling him over. His sword goes flying while Oshok'arr settles a heavy foot on his chest to keep the archer on the ground. Yekskya might have had the strength to throw off the dinosaur, but in his sickened state he is held fast.
Zaghigoth lopes forward, trying to get into position to tackle the remaining dancer in much the same way.
Round 9
Krolmnite too heads in the direction of the running duel between Rowena and the Zenj spirit dancer, Osumare. Finally, throwing caution to the wind Rowena throws the weight of her skill and experience in swordplay into the attack. Not worried about pulling her punches, she drives four inches of blade into the woman's chest.
Yekskya struggles feebly against Oshok'arr's pin. She obliges by settling a bit more weight on him.
Nkechi moves to Mellista's side and produces a bit of hemp rope, which he uses to try to bind her hands and wrists.
Initiative
27 - Krolmnite
27 - Rowena
24 - Yekskya
17 - Nkechi
13 - Quinta
9 - Osumare
8 - Zaghigoth
======
Yeks AoO
damage
Quinta presses the edge of her rapier against Mellistra's throat and shouts at Yeskya and Osumare: "Surrender now, or I rip her open like a hog! I mean it! Stand down!"
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Round 9 continued
At the sound of Quinta's commanding voice, Osumare and Yekskya stay their blades. Both look conflicted, borne out of a compulsion to aid the succubus that wars with their native spirits. But in the end, they lower their arms.
The dire boar looks ready to gore Yekskya, circling round the fighter. It keeps its distance, but snorts angrily.
[ooc] Yekskya, still there? Go ahead and make another Will save to break the domination and get your character back! You get a +2 bonus to the save. [ooc]
Initiative
27 - Krolmnite
27 - Rowena
24 - Yekskya
17 - Nkechi
13 - Quinta
9 - Osumare
8 - Zaghigoth
=======
Osumare Will
Yeks Will
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You move on from the scene of the fight beside the river, taking your prisoners with you. Trying to locate a place to make camp, you find that the dancers were telling the truth at least in part, as you find a simple, clean hut beside the river not far from where you met them.
Amongst the gear the dancers possessed, you recover three blowguns, a total of 24 darts, three gourds containing 15 doses of blue whinnis poison, finely wrought obsidian knives, three whips, three woven amulets with tribal and spirit markings, three sets of ornamental bracers which match the amulets, spell component pouches, and each with a set of quills and ink - you think they might be tattooing sets.
The following day, you are able to break the powerful charms holding Yekskya and the dancer Osumare in thrall to the demoness. Yekskya is a little sheepish about his actions during the previous day's fight. Osumare explains that she and the other two Zenj spirit dancers, Masoze and Alala, often dwell in the wilderness to commune with the spirits of the land. Not long ago they were approached by the woman calling herself Zakkiya - the demoness you know as Mellistra. She offered to teach them secret rituals which would allow them to draw closer to their totem spirits, and enchanted with the charismatic woman they readily agreed. When she revealed her true nature to them, they were horrified but were unable to break the hold she had on them.
Osumare asks that you let her go. At one time, she may have been persuaded to perform a ritual to summon your own totem spirits, a more powerful version of the ritual that Nkechi conducted with some of you. Now, with the death of her sister priestesses, she wishes to be allowed to return to the wild and seek atonement. Both she and Yekskya glance over to where you are holding Mellistra, bound and gagged. The demoness is conscious now, and glares at you with cold hatred.
Quinta approaches Osumare first.
"I am deeply sorry for what happened," She tells the priestess. "It was I who initiated violence, after all. One day, I hope you can forgive me. You are of course free to go, but do you have people near here who can take you in? If not, perhaps you would travel with us a while, at least until we come to another settlement. I understand your desire to atone, but leaving you here alone would leave an even fouler taste in my mouth than the battle did. And... we can help you bury or burn the bodies of your sisters, as you prefer."
With that done, Quinta draws her rapier and approaches Mellistra. The Sorceress lightly places the tip of her rapier against the succubus' throat.
"I am fed up with you. You have dogged us and tried to murder us, manipulated and tricked us. Here is what is going to happen. You are too twisted a freak to understand or appreciate mercy, so I will bind you. I will bind you by fear. Either you tell me your True Name, by which you can be summoned and commanded, or I am going to summon a Celestial and let him go buck wild. Either way, we will be rid of you. Understand? After giving me your Name, you will answer one question from each of us, and then you are going home to the Abyss. If any of us ever sees you again, if you ever give us any trouble again, if we even find out you've returned to Golarion again or done business there directly or through proxies, we will scatter the secret of your True Name throughout Golarion and the Celestial realms. You will spend the rest of eternity a slave to every third-rate hedge-witch with an itch, if you are not simply brought low forever by an angry Leonal. Staying out of Golarion for the remainder of our lives is a far lighter price to pay. Nod if you agree to my terms. Or shake your head and I will summon your executioner. Choose wisely."
Krolmnite approaches the sorcerer. He'd let the little charade go on a bit longer, but he wanted to be sure that he could intervene and ensure there would be no actual violence taken upon the captured prisoner, demon or not.
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Osumare thanks Quinta for her concern. She is keen to leave and explains that it is the way of her people for her to act as a bridge between the spirit world and the world of man, and that quite often to do requires speding time in communion with the wilds. Nkechi confirms that this is so.
All the same, she responds to your encouragement and announces she has reconsidered offering to awaken your spirit totems. If any of you are willing, she will conduct the ritual, though she will need Nkechi's assistance and perhaps Quinta's as well if she is agreeable. However, she adds that something needs to be done with Mellistra - her very presence may taint the proceedings.
Meanwhile, the demoness responds to Quinta's challenges in a pitiful, small voice, sitting huddled on the ground. "I promise. You have all proved yourselves. I will be glad to go back to the Abyss, I can see when I have been defeated. I will not grant you my True Name, mortal, but I will consent to answering your questions, as best as I am able. What have I to lose?" She turns her gaze beseechingly on Krolmnite, who stands watch over the proceedings with an impassive demeanour.
After the battle, Zaghigoth walks up to the conjured dire boar who he knows will be returning to its home in moments. He stretches out a hand and pats the side of the great beast's snout. "Thank you, my friend. You are a mighty champion. I suspect I will call on you again, I say. Safe passage." The boar snorts as it fades away. He moves over to Oshok'arr, then, and strokes her snout. "Thank you, as well. Come, let us speak to this spirit woman."
Zag cares little for interacting with the demon, though as he walks by as the others engage it, the druid's eyes narrow slightly and all he offers to the situation is a mumbled "best be rid of such a blight on this world, I say..."
He has more interest in speaking with the dancer, though. He approaches her and gives her a deep nod. In Polyglot, if she speaks it, he says "A solemn time. Still, I would speak with you. The spirits will guide your sisters to home, I think. I too know the spirits of the land, its beasts and plants, commune with them as you do. I am a stranger to this place, but these jungles have embraced me and I feel as though I am home. Home for the first time, I say. My senses are heightened here, my powers stronger. The jungle itself sent me a guide and companion, Oshok'arr here. She is beyond her kind in wisdom and insight. I do not know why, but the spirits here have joined with me, taken me in. I am sorry for your sisters. Somehow, I feel as though they were my people, too."
His eyes move over to her supplies, then back to her. "I would be honored to have my flesh marked with your craft, the art of your people who so know the spirits of this land. Perhaps it will better tie me to the jungle and its children, to help better protect this place against forces who would defile it. I can offer you payment for this service, of course. If you wish to leave, I understand."
The demoness responds to Quinta's challenges in a pitiful, small voice, sitting huddled on the ground. "I promise. You have all proved yourselves. I will be glad to go back to the Abyss, I can see when I have been defeated. I will not grant you my True Name, mortal, but I will consent to answering your questions, as best as I am able. What have I to lose?" She turns her gaze beseechingly on Krolmnite, who stands watch over the proceedings with an impassive demeanour.
Quinta's face goes stony, and for a blink of a second her pupils seem to narrow and elongate vertically. Then they are normal again, but Quinta's expression is furious.
"This is not a negotiation, you Abyssal strumpet! I am dictating terms, and my terms will not change! Your performance is transparent; without a reason to keep your vow, you will break your word as soon as you are out of my eyes! Teelith... vaedra... ashaan do..."
With implacable slowness, Quinta casts a summoning spell. The air darkens between her and Mellistra, then brightens as something starts to come through.
"This is your last chance. Your True Name. Now. So long as you go home to the Abyss, stay away from Golarion and abandon all interests and contacts there for our lifetime, I will never willingly use your Name, nor pass it on to another. You are not getting better terms than that, succubus!"
Following Quinta through narrowed eyes, I see Krolmnite move close enough to intervene in case Quinta decides to end Mellistra's life. Getting up from the ground where I am sitting, I too move closer and lay a hand on the paladin's shoulder. Turning towards the gnome, but still keeping sight of the succubus, my voice loud enough for her to understand what I'm saying: "Please stay out of this, Krolm. I understand you do not want to spill the blood of a captured enemy. But she is more than that, she is evil temptation incarnate. And not only that, she caused us, US I say, to spill innocent blood. Osumare lost her sisters to our weapons, beguiled by that Abyssal harlot. If it were up to me, I'd carve her up, one inch at a time, but that would make me no better than her. So, if she gives us her True Name, she can go back to the Abyss, but if not, Quinta will be allowed to do as needed." The grim determination in my eyes is a warning to all that I will do whatever is necessary to make sure we get rid of the demoness once and for all.
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Rowena joins Krolmnite and Quinta as the sorceress puts the pressure on Mellistra. In the face of the half-elf's narrow gaze and Quinta's anger, Mellistra stares back defiantly. Quinta starts to summon something and Mellistra watches with worry evident on her face. Then, her shoulders slump and her shoulders seem, broken. "Alright. It's Melikkiya. My True Name is Melikkiya."
Somewhat removed, Zaghigoth discusses spirit totems with Osumare. She takes in the half-orc with a discerning gaze. "You are like the ones of the Deep Jungle. You are far from home, are you not? Please, help me to care for the bodies of my sister-priestesses, and we will conduct the rites to connect you to your spirit totem. Your friends are discussing the fate of that demoness. I say death would be too kind a fate for her!"
Zag raises an eyebrow, peering over to the demon and the others. "Indeed. Negotiation is a quarry-less hunt with such a thing, I say...only beasts are above deceit. That creature will bring nothing but blight to this world, I say..yet my companions are from more civilized lands and think differently than I, I say. I will let them handle it."
He looks back to the dancer and strokes Oshok'arr's side. "Who are these ones of the deep jungle you speak of? If what I say reminds you of them...I would like to meet them someday. I am no true priest or shaman, but I will do what I can to help you with your fallen. I thank you for helping me make a stronger bond with this land."
"Then upon your True Name, Melikkiya, VOW," Quinta says, her tone of voice implacable.
"That as soon as we release you to do so, you return to the Abyss without delay. VOW.
That you will remain in the Abyss, accepting no summons from the mortal realms nor doing business with any mortal who seeks you out in the Abyss in any fashion if it is within your ability to refuse, until each of us mortals present here has died of old age, by natural causes. VOW.
That you will not seek revenge upon any of us mortals present, nor our relatives, nor our loved ones, nor our allies, nor our acquaintances, nor any of our descendants, neither directly nor indirectly, for the duration of your own existence. VOW.
That you will answer from each of us a question, truthfully and in full, seeking neither to withhold critical information, nor to mince words or play word-games.
To all this, Melikkiya, VOW upon your True Name.
In return, I, Quinta Wist-Thrune, shall release you to return home to the Abyss once our business is done and vow not to use nor disseminate your True Name for the duration of my mortal life, so long as you hold true to your vows."
If the succubus agrees and swears, Quinta asks her question: "Why did you seek us out?"
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Mellistra, Melikkiya, responds in a small voice. "I swear it, on my name. Unless summoned and bound again to this world, I will not return. Your descendants and loved ones will be safe."
"A dark artefact allowed me to slip into this world, initially. Ah, what delight in the havoc I caused amongst you mortals! I was tasked with tempting powerful individuals to dedicate themselves to my patron, the demon lord Sifkesh. The dragon I aided was one such. My lord determined that, though young now, Khlorphraxus would grow to become a terrible terror in the lands of Sargava. But he was also lazy, and greedy. All he wanted was for me to recruit adventurers to eliminate one of his rivals, so that Khlorphraxus could claim his lair and hoard. It was in Eleder that I overheard two gnomes talking, one of them that paladin over there," she gestures towards Krolmnite, "the other his lady love. It was so perfect! Taking her image and asking your help to hunt a dragon was too easy by far."
"Yet, as I travelled across the wilds with you, you revealed an even greater treasure. Saventh-Yhi, the lost city! My master would be very pleased. You unmasked me, in the end, but I've been hunting the city ever since."
-------
Osumare mulls over Zaghigoth's questions, and tries to answer. "They are legends, mostly. Every few years jungle orcs and those of orcish blood raid out of the jungle. More beast than anything else, dark and primal. Dangerous."
Yekskya glowers at the demon as she answers. Its words seem likely enough to be truthful, but he has been warned before of the ways demons and their kind can twist words to their own purpose. "I have no questions for her Quinta. When you are done with her, send her back to the Abyss."
"End this now. We have other business to attend to."
"I have no questions either Quinta, but I will ask one in your place if you have more questions you want answered. If not, I'm with Yeks and Krolm. Send her back and be done with this evil blight."
"We need to kno whether she was acting in concert woth the Aspis or any other competitors, and whether there are more demons like het about," Quinta tells the others.
Turning towards the succubus, I repeat Quita's words: "Are or were you working in concert with the Aspis Consortium or any other groups looking to find Saventh-Yhi?"
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=======
Once things are settle with the demoness, Osumare leads Zaghigoth through the ritual to awaken his spirit totem. In the half-orc's case, it was the iguanadon form that he adopted when participating in Nkechi's dream trance way back, well, quite a ways back in Sargava.
Osumare begins dancing to summon forth Zaghigoth's spirit guide. She then inscribes a dinosaur tattoo with a long, slender quill dipped in a localized numbing toxin. The process is painful, even with the anesthetic, but the druid endures it all stoically. The process takes several hours, but when complete the dancer explains that you will be able to call upon the spirit's help for the rest of your life.
=======
Tazion
Your journey takes you from the grasslands back into the deep jungle. This is the fabled Mwangi Jungle proper, little explored and highly dangerous. In that time Hskoro continues educating Quinta in the ways of Nalinivati. Zaghigoth finds he has an even closer relationship with the jungle, and his spirit guide even helps to find shortcuts through the jungle paths. Krolmnite and Yekskya ably protect the group, and Rowena is learning to adapt her stealth skills to the jungle.
Just over sixty days after leaving the city of Kalabuto, you reach Tazion. The crumbling remmants of a massive enclosure wall mark the perimeter of the ruins. In its current condition, the wall provides little defense. Entire sections have eroded away or lie buried beneath sediment, while vines and vegetation strangle what little exposed stonework remains. You hear shrieking animal cries from within.
After the demoness has answered every last question, Quinta calls Hskoro to join her -- and drags Mellikiya into the jungle by her heels.
Once they are far enough away from Osumare, she cuts the bonds holding her wings and legs bound in place - but not the rest.
"Go home," the Sorceress orders the demon. "By your name you are bound. I never wantvto see nor hear of you again. Return to the Abyss."
Zag sits as motionlessly as possible while the dancer does her work. He embraces the pain, or at least tries to, understanding it as a payment of endurance to the spirits. He watches the woman as she works, moving his glance from her to the tattoo, sometimes closing his eyes and listen to the jungle. He is silent for the duration but when it is finished, he stands and looks fondly at the decoration. He looks at Oshok'arr who seems to look back at him knowingly, and he nods.
"Thank you, Osumare. I will wear this with honor"
Quinta had listened very attentively to Hskoro's stories of Nalinisvati during the trek through the jungle, nodding along quietly and occasionally asking questions to the best of her ability. When the ruins of Tazion come into view, however, she calls for silence and squats, watching the ruins from a distance.
"Move in close," she calls the others. "We need to discuss how we're going to handle this. Now, we didn't actually see any of the other groups during our journey, but that isn't to say none of them have managed to pass us. Especially the Aspis wouldn't have any bones about pushing their animals to the breaking point and beyond if it got them a lead.
It seems to me that just charging into the city is a good way to run into an ambush; I'd like to suggest we do a stealthy circuit around the place first, then find a back door or something to sneak in through and scout the place out, find a secure building to use as a base for the duration of our stay.
How say you all?"
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For one who irritatingly always had something to say, Mellikiya seems silent and meek as she is dismissed to her home plane.
After blessing some of you with your tattoos, Osumare departs from the riverlands. You wonder if your paths will cross again.
------
Hskoro backs Quinta's proposal to circle the city. "As it is now, I see just two ways in to Tazion: through the front gate and over the wall. Both seem like a risky proposition to me."
"The spirits have granted me new powers. I can shift my shape into that of a beast or bird and look upon the place through those eyes, I say."
"I'm not much of a scout. I prefer a head on approach, but if you prefer, scout away. The Twice Blessed will add support if any of you require it!"
"You can fly, can you?" Quinta asks of Krolmnite, drily. "Zaghi, before you go putting yourself in danger, can you catch and bring me a live reptile? A lizard or a snake? I could get us some local intel."
"I'll see what I can come up with."
Without another word, Zag marches off into the jungle to find one.
Survival:
When Zaghigoth returns with a live reptilian specimen, Quinta proceeds to question the creature about Tarzion and any people who might have arrived before the party did.
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In tune with the jungle fauna, it doesn't take long for Zaghigoth to return with a sleek lizard the size of his palm, bedecked in vibrant green and black stripes. It seems quite content to sun itself on the half-orc's arm. Bending low, Quinta communicates with the lizard via her serpentfriend knack, a legacy of her serpent-kin bloodline. Lazily, the lizard provides this report:
"Yes, lots of two-legs come and go. Lots more than the monkey-men that usually flit through the area. The first strangers were a small group of quiet two-legs. Their leader wore red and moved quiet and deadly, like a mantis. They came and went. Then came a large group. They crashed through the trees and were blind to the jungle, and their leaders cast magic that blasted animals. One of them had a creature with it, all fur and teeth but it didn't smell natural. They entered the Place of Caves(you reckon he means the city and its ruined buildings) and spoke to the monkey-men. Then they left. That was several suns ago, only monkey-men since."
The lizard then becomes distracted by a bug and loses interest in the conversation with the interesting two-legs. Monkey-like hoots and hollers echo from the ruins.
The paladin thoroughly enjoyed watching the woman talk to the lizard he wasn't sure exactly what they were saying, but the seemed to be having quite the conversation. He waited for an update on what the little creature had revealed.
Asta dutifully reports the lizard's information to the others.
"So. The Red Mantis and the Aspis got here before us. We need to find a good medium between speed and caution; we're falling behind."