Carson looks in wonder around the cavern, taking in all of the sites.
[b]Oh wow, this is simply fantastic! The whole thing is bioluminescent! There's been a whole village under our feet for who knows how long! And you've got your own government and buildings. This is all so wonderful, thank you so much for helping us.[b]
After finding that he's had no luck persuading Horgus to not be just a horrible person, he puts his energy towards marveling at the surroundings as they approach the island.
"Meet the Chief at his home? Which one is his home?" Lorena asks.
"The one with the largest of us standing in front of it." Lann points to the largest of the homes as well. Lann hands Crel off to another of the Mongrelmen and goes and talks with the Chief, after a while they come back out. The chief walks over to the group.
"Thank you for bringing my people back safely, you didn't have too but you did." The Chief looks around at the group. "In your travels did you meet any other of our people?"
Horgus isn't happy about the job that you asked him to do but he also has no desire to be around these people.
"We found an old campsite, sir." Firinn speaks up, scouting after all has fallen into his purview. The sir just seems natural somehow. "It was abandoned, but we found a few items there." He presents the brooch and other nick-nacks that the group retrieved. "Unfortunately we didn't met any others of your people - simply a rather vicious dwarf and his trained darkmantles. It was not a pleasant experience."
Khaz held his peace, waiting to see how this went.
As Firinn holds up the brooch you can see a visible change in the Chieftain, his cloudy eyes start to water a bit.
"That is the mark of my family, might I see it?" The Chieftain holds out a large hand like that of a bear.
Carson would do some show of respect that seems appropriate as they meet the chief, but would also allow the more eloquent members of the group to do the talking.
Firinn steps forward and hands the broach to the chief, saying nothing.
The Chief's eyes get more misty, "This was my sons, he left 2 days ago after we had a fight over what to do about the traitors to the south. I will give you this in hopes that this just means that he lost or left this behind when he broke his camp." The Chief hands you over a crude looking mace, when Firinn takes it he can feel the buzz of magical energies in it.
"You can rest here as long as you need and trade with our people as you wish. If you need me I will be in conference with Lann and our oracle." The Chief takes his leave and heads back into his house.
Lorena hands the brooch over to the feathery man when it's mentioned, who then gives it to the leader. Before he leaves, Lorena asks: "Traitors to the south? We saw a couple of them too - dead, in the...spore monster's chamber. What do you know about them?"
"They were once of our tribe but wanted more and to kill others who didn't bend to their ways."
Khaz asks around and goes to whomever acts as the tribe’s healer.
”I apologize for botherin ye. The name’s Khaz. I just met with your chieftain. I have injured comrades who could use some real care. Do ye have a healer’s kit that I could use? If so, it’d be mightily appreciated.”
Carson will look around the village, talking to people and learning what he can, possibly asking about a way back to the surface. He's very polite and doesn't press too hard if people seem uncomfortable.
Firinn spends some time with Lan, asking about this other tribe and how one should get to the surface from Neatholm. The rest of his time is spent staring across the darkened lake with Rhionnag.
Base Value 200 gp; Purchase Limit 1,000 gp; Spellcasting 2nd
Minor Items +1 arrows (8), +1 buckler, ring of protection +1,
earth elemental gem
Lann tells Firinn about the other tribe and how they left to follow some woman who recruited them for the greater glory.
Carson finds that people are slow to talk to the surface dwellers, but eventually warm up to them and offer food and places to stay if needs be.
Khaz meets the Seer of the community, a woman with whispy hair, dark black in spots and bright white in others. She doesn't talk much but has the look of someone always deep in thought.
"Nothing I can do for them, beyond my skills they are." She tells Khaz in a voice that should belong to a man.
”Oh, aye. Mine too. The elf’s eyes will take powerful magic. But a broken leg? We could make a proper splint, not the ad-hoc one I put together. Make it easier to walk, ensure no more damage comes. Perhaps a proper crutch? There’s good we can do. I only have a few gold on me, but I’d gladly pay to cover your costs”
Wis:12
Skill 3 at lvl 3
Skill bonus 3 for trained.
The witch gathers some supplies and puts out and order to some of the craftsman on the village to help with building a more sturdy split, Khaz will have to explain what a crutch is to her though.
Khaz gladly hands over five gold coins to pay for the supplies, and then gets to work. He explains what a crutch is, having fitted several for injured crusaders in the past. He goes about his work with a smile, glad not to only help his injured companions, but to also increase the tribe’s medical knowledge. Though, from watching her work, he had to admit that she was more experienced than he.
He also makes Arivashanal a walking stick. This is so that he can tap it in front of him to ensure that he does not walk into any obstructions, holes, or walls.
It is, to him, time very well spent.
Lorena stays with Lan and Firinn as they discuss the other tribe, then once they're done, she wanders the underground city, taking in the sights of the lake and lights. She feels more welcome here than anywhere, and the thought of staying drifts across her mind more than once, but every time she remembers her visions and dreams, telling her to keep moving on...this isn't where she's supposed to end up.
Items are traded for coin that is from the surface, the trader is a mostly normal looking Mongrel, his hands are over sized but could be hidden in a pair of gauntlets to not show the mutation. It is Night Time as best as anyone can tell. Your group is given a home to stay in and some food, a few of the towns children come to stare at the Strange folk from the surface but nothing happens during the night.
In the morning you meet again with the Chief and Lann also with the Healer.
"I wish to send Lann with you to the surface, I want our peoples to come together to fight this menace and restore the city above. This is not a request." The chief tells you matter of factually.
Carson takes out his wand and does some simple and innocent magic tricks to entertain their 'audience' before retiring.
The next morning as they head out, he helps to get their blinded companion ready for the day as best he can, even helping him with his spell book as necessary. Carson also prepares his own spells, now refreshed and ready to take on the day.
We appreciate your support. We don't really know what state the surface is in, but if anything will bring our societies together, this is it. Thank you all very much for your assistance.
Firinn simply nods at the chiefs request - one warrior to another. The mace still hangs at his belt for now. "We will be glad to have him."
The mongrel men bring some boats over from the far shore and take the group across the lake, this journey is slow and the lake is like black glass. If asked the mongrels will tell you that they are not sure how deep the lake really is as anyone who went down never came back up.
Carson's eyes widen a little at that news and he pulls all of his limbs further into the boat, away from the edges.
Khaz looks at the water with tredipation. It was the first time he had shown true fear down here. Slowly, he got into the boat.
As everyone gets off the boat, Lann leads the group to a tunnel that he explains is very long and winding, Lann has not been down here in a few weeks since the woman came and lead some of the villagers away.
Lorena doesn't voice any objections to Lann going with them, nor does she say anything about the lake...though her eyes betray her uneasiness. Nothing as bad as Khaz, though.
As the group approaches the new tunnel, Lann mentions the woman again. "What do you know about this woman? Is she one of you, or an outsider?"
"An outsider, she looks more like him." Lann points at Carson "I know that she came with promises of glory and battle."
Carson raises an eyebrow.
"I don't have any female family. Just my uncle. I guess you just meant she looks human?"
"You are the only mostly human looking one." The travelling is long and winding, Aniva trips once but her new brace and crutches help her from falling. After about 20 minutes you come to a spot where Lann stops you.
"Up a head is an old dwelling of my peoples. They may have guards out front."
”Dry land? I’m sold.” Khaz gripped his axe as he looked longingly ahead, ready to get off of the boat.
Terry works not to stare at the various mutations of the mongrels, eventually relaxing enough to simply play with the children when they come to stare at him instead.
He doesn't spy anything he knows he wants in the village, but recognizes the relative poverty as something common across the cultures. Choosing also not to take from those with so little, he works to return every kindness with smiles and appreciation as best he can.
Terry frowns as Carson is called the only most human looking one (but the player gets how easy it would be to get there).
"An old settlement of your people? With guards? Friendly people, I hope?"
"Somehow I doubt that." Firinn responds from the front of the boat. "We wouldn't need warning if that was the case. We have to go through their settlement to reach the surface? Do you think we can sneak through or purchase our way?" Firinn is rubbing at his arms, running his hands down the smooth plummage of his forearms. He's nervous...
"Hmm. If it's inhabited by the other tribe, led by this woman...then we may need to fight our way through. Let's hope it doesn't come to that." Lorena's tail swishes nervously under her cloak, making it ripple somewhat like the waves in the lake.
Lann looks at the group.
"THey are not friendly no, You can try talking to them but if I am there they may become more hostile."
Carson thinks for a moment.
"Well, if we can get someone from the village with some kind say in things, we may be able to convince them to help us through. And if that fails, I could try charming them. And it that doesn't work, we're about as likely to get into a fight as if we just walked in."
"It won't work." Firinn speaks from the front of the boat. "If it's a tribe we can't charm one of them. Besides," He hefts the magical mace attached to his belt. "Chief Sull gave us this to smash some traitor skulls - that doesn't sound like a diplomatic introduction. Speaking of which," He looks around. "Does anyone want to wield it? I can, but its a little heavy for me."
"I'd prefer to stay a bit farther away", Lorena says, nodding to her longspear for extra emphasis, "but if nobody else wants it I'm sure I could put it to good use."
Khaz shrugged. ”Such a gift is an honor. It’s a bit small for my taste.” He lifted his axe for emphasis. ”Lets see whether it is needed for. I hope this is just a political difference. But something tells me it is theological...”
The boats dock and everyone gets off, the tunnel leads a head rather straight for a natural formation. Once you get within' 300 Lann stops you, "Up ahead, who is leadign? I will stay with the injured."
”I will be up front.” Khaz looked around. ”I’m not the fastest of runners, eh? But, I’m no orator. Anyone want to take the lead on this?”
"I definitely wouldn't be able to talk us through anything other than a library. Also I'm twiggy and break easily..."