"Sounds reasonable," says Tobar. "After we get the palisade built, you think we should see if we can find stone worth quarrying? Hopefully the original colonists picked a site that won't be a problem for water and food once we get some crops in the ground."
"Machi," he says, turning to the tattooed woman, "Any thoughts? If these fine men are gonna be building new buildings, what kinda home you lookin' to live in?"
Daib nods. "Aye, we'll need to find some high-quality stone if we want to make structures that will stand the test of time. There ought to be some good deposits on the island--we'll just have to find them."
Machi shrugs. "I'm not looking for anything too ostentatious. I came here for a simpler life, and a simpler home will suffice. Just give me four sturdy walls and a roof over my head and I'll be content."
Thrilled with the gift, Gideon thanks Kulena for the bracelet with enthusiasm, immediately putting it on his wrist and, in a moment of spontaneity, giving her a hug to boot. He makes a mental note to find some small gift that he can give to her in return the next time he has a moment to go exploring or on their next assignment.
Soon after, Gideon approaches Anya and Hondren to see if they might need any assistance or if they'd be willing to take him on to teach him their trade so he can make his own contributions to the island's economy.
Kulena blushes when Gideon hugs her. "Um, I-I'm glad you like it. But I've made some for some of the other colonists, too, so, uh, don't let it go to your head, okay?" She glances away and brushes back one of her long braids behind her ear, trying to hide her smile.
---
Gideon find Anya and Hondren in front of the food storage building, working on preparing the boars for consumption. The Shoanti woman shows the bard how to use every part of the animal while the cook offers tips on which cuts of meat taste the best, all while jumping and swatting at flies and mosquitoes that may or may not actually be there.
It's around this time when a crash can be heard from the large house by the chapel. Soon thereafter, an angry-looking Kurvis Nurpico emerges, robes stained with ink. Eamon Caranth follows in his wake, the half-elf bearing a sheepish expression.
"That's it! That is the final straw!" Kurvis shouts. "I cannot live with this clumsy buffoon a moment longer!"
"It was an accident, you old windbag! The ceremonial antler-helm was broader than I remembered!" Eamon retorts.
"And what would you know of that? You've never touched a broad in your life!" Kurvis says.
"That is by choice, unlike in your case. How many women have rejected you know, Father Grouse? I ran out of fingers to count them on."
"Keep it up, and you'll have a few less fingers soon, Father Easy!"
The two bickering priests make their way to the government house, where they tell Ramona that, for the sake of their friendship and sanity, they have decided to live apart and relinquish their claim on the house. Ramona accepts their decision, and will work to find new tenants for the prime real estate.
Calvin is hauling a bag of soil to the farm nearby and sets it down after approaching the two bickering clerics.
"Woah, woah, gentlemen!" Calvin says, standing with a hand on each man's shoulder. "You needn't fight! Please come have a drink when you've calmed down and I'm sure everything will work itself out. First one's on me! And don't think I've forgotten to work on that ceremonial wine."
"Ah, good! Alcohol! One of civilization's finest inventions, since it makes being in your presence actually tolerable!" Kurvis says with a glare towards Eamon.
"I'll take you up on that offer too, Calvin," the half-elf says with a grin. "I think we'll be okay once we have some space to ourselves. We make better friends than roommates."
"I never said we were friends!" Kurvis grumbles.
"You've had over twenty years to say otherwise!" Eamon laughs.
Gideon gives a slight chuckle, a bit amused by the bickering of the two men. "Probably best to just let them split up for a while, as Eamon said." Gideon adds, shaking his head at the continuing antics of the pair.
"Y'know...if there was a road, I'd say you two should take your act on it. Avistan's best priestly comedy duo!"
"I am a priest of Abadar. I am not a clown," Kurvis says indignantly.
"Could have fooled me!" Eamon laughs.
The two continue to bicker, though it does seem to be good-natured. They share a drink with Calvin before going their separate ways.
The next morning, after breakfast, Alba Divenvaar approaches the four of you. The older dwarf has a weathered, tan complexion from years spent in tropical climates, with a few sun wrinkles on her forehead and around her eyes. Her hair is threaded with streaks of silver. She wears leather armor over short, comfortable clothing.
"Good day, my friends. I have a request to make of you. I brought several raw materials for alchemical crafting with me, but I will need to build a larger stock if I hope to open my own business one day and support those in the colony who need my aid now. I have a list of alchemical and curative items the settlement needs for health and quality of life, such as antitoxin, and so I am searching for certain base compounds derived from rare plants, which I can use in a variety of different alchemical weapons, goods, and potions. I have a good lead on where these plants might be found, based upon some scouting performed by Lyra Heatherly. Lyra didn't actually find the plants in question, but her reports on the climate and local flora confirm that the conditions are right for these natural reagents to grow naturally.
"I have a map to the general area. I would like you to head to the location and gather the reagents. In exchange, I will use fifty percent of the value of what you harvest to create whatever you want in the form of potions or alchemical items."
"...I have a map to the general area. I would like you to head to the location and gather the reagents. In exchange, I will use fifty percent of the value of what you harvest to create whatever you want in the form of potions or alchemical items."
"Of course! You came to the right Gillman. I am a herbalist myself, as you know. It would be our pleasure!"
Weyve looks at the others.
"Perhaps we can survey the forest at the same time for the loggers. What do you think?"
"It's cuttin' into my time making crossbows, but if it needs doin', I'll do it," says Tobar.
"If it's more exploring, count me in!" Gideon replies, making a mental note not only to look for potential logging, but also to keep his eyes open for any local mineral deposits...not to mention something that would make a gift for Kulena.
Alba hands you the map, which shows a trail leading east out of Talmandor's Bounty into the woods near the southern coast of the island.
You are preparing to head out when you hear shouting coming from the center of the colony. A small crowd has gathered around Harcourt Carrolby and Luetin Calewick, who seem to be the cause of the disturbance.
"You are just one man. You don't need all that space for yourself," Harcourt argues.
"It's the closest house to the smithy. Are you a blacksmith? Didn't think so," Luetin counters.
"When my fiance arrives, we will need the space to start a family."
"Yeah, I got a family coming too. My son and daughter. What makes yours better than mine, huh?"
Harcourt sighs. "We also will be extending the Carrolby family's business interests to this island. A working class man like yourself wouldn't understand the demands placed upon people of business."
"Oh yeah?" Luetin snarls. "I think I understand enough. I understand that you're a coward! You only want this house so you can hide behind the safety of the palisade. 'Oh, save me from the scary monkey goblins! I don't want to break a nail!'"
Harcourt fumes, curling his hands into fists. Luetin sneers and cracks his neck. It looks like the two want to kill each other.
Tobar nudges Gideon. "You think you can break this one up to everyone's satisfaction?"
Gideon casts a glance at Tobar and draws in a breath. "Gonna find out..." he murmurs, then steps forward and clears his throat loudly.
"Gentleman, forgive me for interrupting, but I think you might be getting somewhat ahead of where we presently are. I understand completely that you will need to have spaces for your families when they arrive, but therein lies the key to this...'when they arrive'. The third ship is...wait? Four weeks away, bare minimum? We have time to make adjustments to the fence perimeter and make sure that we are ready for the family and loved ones of you both to arrive."
He turns his attention to Harcourt then. "Mr. Carrolby, your family's business interests on the island are very important to ensuring its commercial success and I believe we all will acknowledge that; that being said, the priority right now is still ensuring the colony's safety and stability. If there is danger here, then anyone on the mainland who might otherwise be interested in the opportunities here will pass them by."
After speaking to Harcourt, he turns his attention to Luetin."Mr. Calewick, insults are not likely to help resolve this situation; you are correct that this is the closest house to the smithy, but none of the houses are a particularly long way, and likely will not be, until we have gotten further along in expanding the colony's borders. There's no reason to let this entire situation turn hostile; none of us came here seeking a fight and I don't believe you are that desperate for one right now. Please, take a breath, and let's talk about this for a moment." he encourages.
Finally, he turns his attention to both men again. "Think of the colony's future. When your families arrive, they are going to expect this colony to be growing, thriving. Mr. Carrolby, you are here to start a ranch and a stable, correct? I'm assuming that means you plan to have horses, and that means you're going to need a smithy to shoe the horses. Mr. Luetin, Mr. Carrolby's business prospects are going to be a very important part of the colony's growth and success."
"You both want your families to succeed here, don't you? You both want your children to be established here, to grow, to have children of their own, to bounce grandbabies on your knee and talk to them about how things were when you first arrived, how with your own hands you raised a village, a town, a city. That future, your legacy, starts right here, right now, with the decisions we make today. I believe with all my heart that we can leave this island better than we found it. To do that, it's going to take us all, working together. Can we not settle our grievances, things that weren't even here this morning, like men, and all work as one for that dream?"
"Not to mention," Tobar adds, "You ever lived next to a smithy? If your family's in the house next door, they'll get treated to the sounds of banging metal and the smoke of the bellows all day long."
Harcourt and Luetin glare at each other for a few moments more as they consider Gideon's words. Finally, the blacksmith grunts. "I guess you're right. We're all here to work together, right, pretty boy?"
"Hmmph," Harcourt scoffs, but he nods his assent. "Very well. But there is still the matter of who gets the house."
"Ramona gave me first rights to it," Luetin says. "Someone needs to keep an eye on the smithy."
"There aren't many other houses large enough to suit my purposes," says Harcourt.
The two look at Gideon to see if he has any ideas.
Tobar nudges Gideon. "You think you can break this one up to everyone's satisfaction?"
Gideon ponders the question for a moment, then asks the two men to give him a moment, calling Ramona over and taking a few steps away, out of earshot, before he makes his proposition in a low voice, again trying not to be overheard.
"You are the leader of this expedition, and of course I will defer to your wishes, but would you be willing to, temporarily, allow Harcourt to live in the governor's house? It would put him inside the fence and allow him, for the moment, to feel like he'll have somewhere for his fiance to go when she arrives."
"I think such a gesture would do a lot to solidify your position here, showing your willingness to abdicate the larger residence for the better peace of the colony, and it would certainly only be temporary, until the wall is extended or some larger homes constructed."
"What do you say?"
Ramona had been conferring with some of the farmers south of the palisade during the confrontation, but once she returns, Gideon pulls her aside to explain the situation. She listens to his proposal and taps her lip with a finger.
"Hmm... I suppose I could live with that. I don't need a whole lot of space anyways--the house was more of a status symbol than anything else."
The two bards return to Harcourt and Luetin and tell them of the plan. Luetin gets to keep the large house near the smithy, Harcourt will move into the former governor's house, and Ramona will relocate to Harcourt's old residence, a smaller house outside the palisade. All three parties are satisfied with the arrangement.
As the blacksmith and rancher head out, Ramona gives Gideon a smile. "That was a good solution to the situation. Well done."
Gideon shakes his head, a bit shy of the praise. "Thanks...not really that big a thing to my notion. Just seemed like the best way to keep everyone moving forward. I didn't figure you'd mind the swap, but I'll admit I kept my fingers crossed."
"Hopefully we really will be able to have some more houses up by the time the next wave arrives or we'll have to consign more to the barracks than I think we'd like to."
Ramona nods in agreement. "We'll have to find some good sources of lumber and stone so that we have enough supplies to build those houses. Keep your eyes out while you're exploring the island."
Once you are ready, you depart Talmandor's Bounty, heading east towards the island's interior. According to the map, it should take you about half a day to reach your destination. You travel across a wide stream and through the forest, passing by a field of boulders.
As you are passing by one particular boulder, a rubbery appendage suddenly whips out and grabs Weyve around the neck! Spiked claws dig into his flesh as the owner of the tentacle--a choker--strangles the gillman!
Tobar is shocked at the sudden attack and it's pure reflex that has him load his crossbow and bring it up to fire. Somehow he manages an amazingly accurate spot against the choker even as it has Weyve in its clutches.
The choker shrieks as Tobar shoots it point blank in the chest. Blood pours from the deep wound.
The monster squeezes Weyve hard until the oracle passes out from blood loss. Then it drops him and scuttles away as fast as it can run.
"Urkkk..." Weyve says as he struggles with the tentacle before passing out.
Calvin charges after the choker and takes a swing at it's back.
"No one chokes my friend and just runs away!" he bellows.
With the choker in full retreat, Gideon focuses on Weyve, trying to bring him back to land of the conscious.
The choker whips a tentacle at Calvin as he rushes through its long reach, but the gillman dodges the attack. He slashes at the monster, but it hops away from his sword.
Gideon heals Weyve's injuries, restoring the oracle to consciousness.
Tobar steps after the creature, reloading as fast as he can, and fires again with keen precision.
Tobar's crossbow bolt grazes the choker's arm, lightly wounding it. The creature snarls as it withdraws from Calvin, running with long, loping motions as it uses its tentacles to grab the ground and pull itself forward, running for the safety of the forest's undergrowth.
"Ohhh..." Weyve says as he massages his neck. "What the devil was that?"
He presses his palm over the wound and his hand glows softly.
He then picks up his crossbow and gets to his feet.
"Where did it go?"
"Thataway." Tobar points in the direction of the underbrush. He takes one more step (putting distance at 90'), reloads, and fires again.
Tobar's bolt narrowly misses the choker as it continues trying to escape!
Gideon quickly brings his shortbow to bear, despite the range of the shot, and fires an arrow at the fleeing choker!
Calvin stops chasing, frustrated at the fleeing creature. "Is Weyve all right?" he asks, letting the creature continue fleeing as he returns to the group. "I can't tell if it's trying to lead me into an ambush."
Gideon's arrow streaks across the distance and buries itself in the choker's back. The creature collapses, its body leaving a brief furrow in the dirt as it slides to a stop and lies still.
Gideon gives a whoop of triumph as his arrow strikes home, pumping his fist into the air.
The short-lived celebration accomplished, he turns his attention back to Weyve, who still looks on the verge of passing out. "How you feeling? You need more healing before you'll be able to patch yourself up or will you be alright? I still get pretty drained after casting...I don't think I could manage more than a couple more before I'll be tapped out."
Gideon also calls out to Calvin. "Hey! Don't hang out over there by yourself! Might be more of 'em! If it wasn't carryin' anything, join us over here!"
Gideon gives a whoop of triumph as his arrow strikes home, pumping his fist into the air.
The short-lived celebration accomplished, he turns his attention back to Weyve, who still looks on the verge of passing out. "How you feeling? You need more healing before you'll be able to patch yourself up or will you be alright? I still get pretty drained after casting...I don't think I could manage more than a couple more before I'll be tapped out."
"Yeah..." Weyve places his hands on his throat and gurgles something to himself.
"How is our berry situation right now?"
"We need to figure out a way to keep those things from getting inside the village," says Tobar. "And if they can climb, the wall isn't gonna be enough." He scratches his chin again. "Not sure of a plan yet."
Calvin trots back. "That's the second one we found, and that one's not drunk." he observes. "Wait. Why did he get drunk in that house?" he asks. "No. I don't mean why get drunk. I sell alcohol I get that part. But why THAT house? It wasn't even where the booze was being stored. What did that place have that the original storeroom didn't?"
"An easy way to get in?" says Tobar. "Not sure, really. But those things would kill a lone traveler, or a child, with no trouble. We can't let 'em get into the village." He checks his crossbow a bit, then reloads it again warily. "We may be half a day out, but those things travel fast. Seriously, we need some kind of militia watches."
"We've still got four of those goodberries left from before, but the wand still has plenty of charges left in it. We can make some more when we get back if we need to." Gideon answers.
"As for why that house...it's a good question. Dragging the barrel back would've taken effort. Maybe it felt like it would be more secure where we found it. Either way, it's dead now. This being the second choker we've come across though...I hope there's not a breeding population or something somewhere..." he trails off, then changes his train of thought.
"Regardless, we need to find those herbs and medicines for the colony. That's first priority." he says, getting out the map they were given to see where they need to head now on the way to that spot.