Hearing Nkechi's explanation regarding the red mountain devil Nim remarks, It would seem your interaction with it is similar to our own. It would seem that it is an unfortunate coincidence that it should be here at this time. There are those of us who harbor strong feelings regarding the creature Grolick.
I accept your explanation and do not hold your association with it against you. Others here may not be so accommodating however.
Turning to Corbius, he adds, We aren't asking him to lead us. We are seeking the assistance of someone knowledgeable with the terrain and natives. And if his interaction demands we shun him then I guess we need to send Anton away as well. He openly displays his admiration for Grolick...
Surprising since it said you brought it here to these lands. I am sure it is a conniving beast but I did go ahead and make sure it isn't evil...I am afraid I would have had to kill it if that was the case. Chaos still runs in its blood though, but so does it in mine! he grins.
I had read in some fish entrails that I would have visitors...so what do you wish of me?
Anton waits silently while the others express their feelings about Grolik, since defending him could just make it worse. "I haven't spoken with him since the last time that I told you about. We already knew that he likes caves in high places, so in retrospect, his presence here is not that surprising. We've been through this over and over. We can agree to disagree on our judgements of someone's character, and still work together." He turns to Nkechi. "We have a job offer, but you would have to promise not to associate with Grolik while you're working with us. Some have... strong opinions."
Work with him...he he he, why would I do that? I just made him promise me to not cause any harm to the area in case I had to leave.
Truth spells can be very useful things! He seems to like the area, but as you can imagine by his appearance he causes quite a raucus.
You have impressed me that you didn't bother killing the crabs. Where are you going and why do you need me? I have no interest in sharing your information with others...I have actually heard some things about you already, if you are the ones of which I have heard of, but I wish to hear it from your mouths.
Mihai listens, though his face remains inscrutable and closed. The hermit speaks as though the devil is merely an acquaintance... but it is welcome in his home, and trusted to remain there alone while he is gone. And the mention of hearing of us... surely there is only one voice that could speak of that...
While he watches, Mihai assesses the hermit's words for hint of deception, and attempts to assay his truthfulness...
Sense Motive:
The old man seems a little deranged, but he seems to be speaking the truth.
Your group is actually quite infamous in Eleder by now. You reflect that since he is telling the truth (unless he is a gifted lier) it could also be possible that your names and stories of each of you have traveled outside of the city.
You are also slowly gathering from your discussion that he sees himself almost as some type of protector of these parts.
Mihai's brow furrows as he sighs before catching Nkechi's attention "I am Mihai Soarta, and if my words resonated with my companions the om dat draculai would have never left the rock it was birthed upon. It has preyed upon human flesh, lorded over a tribe of cannibals as their god - and attempted to extort our aid under threat of death to those that we had brought under our wing to protect."
"And yet you allow it free reign in your home above..." pausing before altering tack "If you have heard of us, then you should already know where and what we seek. We have been told by others that your assistance would be key to speeding our party to the goal before the others would reach it... but I am unconvinced"
"You care for this place, yes? - yet you allow the om dat draculai to establish here also. You judge our character by the lack of killing... but the devil is a predator, it will kill... if not here then nearby. Why should we trust you who welcome such a beast?"
I also allow the hawk and man to live in these parts. Are they not both predators? Will they not also kill because it is in their nature?
Should I try to shun their nature or embrace them and guide them...I see from your symbol you are a follower of Sinashakti. If you plan to walk his ultimate path then you know you will meet others, unlike yourself from distant places. Not all will need fighting. I believe the creature above is as such. Through spell and speech he has committed to me as such and I know his nature to be not evil. If I find he has broken his bond to me I will help any that seek to end it.
Remember you seek my help. I have roamed these parts for better than 40 years and will do so until my dying day, I have much to offer.
If you wish my help Gozreh demands you prove yourseves to him...and to me by completing two tasks. If you refuse I will not help you.
Mihai sighs before holding empty hands to the side "By your words..." before bowing and turning away, walking back to the vessel that brought them there.
"What tasks would you have us do?"
Nim bristles at the demand that they prove themselves yet again to some stranger. No. I will not be "proving" myself to anyone.
Nim joins Mihai...
It appears as though your friends aren't interested in my help then. Unless you are planning to split your group I am guessing this is goodbye.
Good luck to you then.
As Nim walks with Mihai he thinks out loud. If we truly feel we need a local guide, surely there are others in Eleder we can approach. Ones that don't demand we prove ourselves to them? Ones that work for coin...
"As we are seeking a place hidden... one wonders what guide could know where it is and yet have not already yielded the knowledge to another... At any rate, if we set out now - no doubt any modicum of time the hermit would have saved would have been offset against the time it would have taken to prove our 'worth' to the indifferent one."
I have had enough of "demands" from others. My apologies for disturbing your home.
Corbius turns and follows the others back to the boat.
Does no one in this land ask for help? Must everyone demand or manipulate us to their own ends? Corbius says to no one in particular as he trudges through the water back to the boat.
Aedalis saw little point in speaking up against the will of so many of the group.
"We mean to see this endeavor through. If you wish for your own reasons to travel with us and contribute as you are able, feel free to contact us. We were told of your competence and would not lightly turn such away. However, we have faced many true trials of nature and have even more ahead of us without the imposition of more arbitrarily."
Tragershen will describe where they can be reached, and then turn to make his way back to the boat.
I accept no payment for my skills young Elf. My powers are beyond your own and I know paths that are unknown to most men in these parts. I am sure you have faced many trials in your days on the Shiv, I don't doubt your ability, skill, or tenacity. But the challenges you faced there are nothing compared to what you will face in your upcoming journey.
Since I accept no payments, money means nothing to me, the price for my help was two short, but possibly difficult tasks.
Gozreh told me that you would be coming and set these tasks before you, I was just the messenger. I believe he wanted me to help you, but I can not without payment to him.
It is apparent that some of your members feel they have proved themselves already and can walk their own path so we must part ways here unfortunately. Good luck to you.
You are actually the scouting group. You will be blazing the trail so to speak. I will not be with you, I will actually be in the main caravan 2-3 weeks behind you with general Rotilius. The 6 men will be under your orders and are very loyal.
I am to serve as Rotilius' chief of staff and camp healer.
We will work with you on the best route to your destination and be following behind you.
To search for and find a city such as this will require a large amount of supplies and a trade route with armed guards.
There will be the following in the rear group:
50 legionnaires, the general, myself, about 30 porters and the same number of pack animals going with our group to carry various supplies. As you can tell we will need about another 2-3 tendays to get ourselves ready for a long treck.
We want you to be able to move swiftly, in fact we may have a source to assist us with this as well.
I think you could be ready to leave in about a 10 day once we have your supplies ready and the route set up.
The 500gp will be paid to you now if you are ready to read over and sign the documents?Basically part of the agreement once both parties have signed is for you to work with them on the route you will be following, which means giving up part of the secrets you have found.
Per the above you had to share the route with them to the area. Basically you get them to about a 100 square mile area but only your group knows the right landmarks to find the outpost. They wait for you at a staging area until you have found the outpost and tried to locate the fabled city.
At this point the government could potentially go it without you but it would take them some time to find what you have definitive clues to find. There is a measure of trust that needs to be extended by both groups.They are not really equipped to go looking through ruins quickly. They are more of an army battering it's way through the jungle.
Map to come later today.
Anton looks disappointed and speaks up as they leave Nkechi. "The kind of aid he could give would be invaluable. Would it make a difference if you looked at it as payment in kind instead of proving ourselves?"
I doubt it is invaluable...
...and that is the difference between demanding and asking. The latter is generally better received... and would have been this time as well I have no doubt.
But the moment has passed. No sense dwelling on it. If the success or failure of this expedition hinges on Nkechi's participation, then I suggest that we should carefully reconsider our decision to move forward.
Nim makes eye contact with the whole group before continuing.
We are still in control of the situation. We alone possess the notes and maps necessary to locate the city. The missing aide was only aware of the general location of the expedition's destination. And if Nkechi is the only, or most qualified, guide in these parts then that means the other factions are similarly disadvantaged in that regards.
It may take us longer to get where we need to get... and it may mean more danger... but when has that deterred us before?
Nim stops as he is beginning to work himself up. Let us get our gear and depart as soon as possible. I grow tired of all the talk... and "civilization" in general.
Mihai shakes his head at Anton's optimism "The hermit heard that the om dat draculai was a cannibal, played pretender at being a deity and extorted us under threat against those less able to defend themselves... and all he could muster in response was a shrug and that we should somehow trust him. No... I would not want one such as that guiding my steps as we walk. Nim is right, we will forge path ourselves... and the less we rely on any other the better."
Jask and the General are disappointed when you return without the guide but don't push the issue sensing your frustration as well.
You talk with the General and Jask, looking at the maps and the general route you discussed before to get to the area where Tazion is supposed to reside.
You determine that the best course for your groups and especially the larger group is the straightforward route.
To make up lost time you figure it is best to travel light and stop in the city of Kalabuto to restock on supplies.
The general states that they have allies in the city who can make arrangements for you all to stay and continuing your journey. He also warns you not to stay at an inn, and to limit their interaction with locals who might be working for any rival factions.
When you arrive in Kalabuto, you should make contact with a dwarf named Cheiton in the Shrunken Head, one of Kalabuto’s most popular taverns.
He can be recognized by the distinctive cave-and-pick
tattoo on his shoulder. Cheiton owns a house near the tavern, and you all can safely lodge there while preparing for the next stage of the expedition.
According to the map, the fastest route to Kalabuto is to travel overland through the wild scrublands and savanna, along the older trade routes that skirt between the Bandu Hills and the Laughing Jungle. These routes were used primarily by early colonists, most of whom were prospectors seeking their fortunes in salt, gold, and diamonds. While
several successful mining operations remain, the trails are far less used than they were in the past, particularly because merchants using them are easy targets for brigands and wild beasts.
This same remoteness should lessen the chance of you encountering the allies of rival factions seeking to block or sabotage your mission. The caravan routes lead to the edge of the M’neri Plains, at which point you can break from the trail and head west to Kalabuto.
Once you have resupplied in Kalabuto, you should follow the Upper Korir River north into the Screaming Jungle. Here the terrain climbs upward through a series of rocky falls and churning rapids, greatly impeding
passage via boat, and in many places the water becomes too shallow to navigate, so overland travel is recommended over riverborne travel. Leaving the Screaming Jungle, the trail continues to follow the Korir until it comes near the northeastern Bandu Hills and then turns east. At this point, the trail leaves the river, heading almost due west through the northern foothills of the Bandu Hills until it reaches the
southernmost reaches of the Mwangi Jungle.
Somewhere beneath those trees lies the Azlanti outpost of Tazion, which
should show the way to the lost city of Saventh-Yhi.
Seeing how much open plains they will be going through, Tragershen will purchase a bow. Also, he'll buy some dried fruit to serve as a personal stash of rations in case he gets separated from the main group.
Camping atm. Posting from phone. Will get a real post up on Sunday evening.
The Sargavan government has fresh light warhorse mounts for you as well as 4 weeks of rations, tents, and most of the mundane gear each waiting for you. You know you will be walking the mounts quite a bit but it is better than carrying all that gear.
The morning starts out miserable, wind and heavy rains lashing you. It is a bit of an ominous start to your journey but by the afternoon the rain let's up and you have left the city behind. There are plenty of local workers around and the first couple of nights you see patrols from the city. You set up watches but nothing bothers you this close to the city.
By day three the weather holds enough where you actually start to make some decent time and you leave any major trails behind.
The first leg of the your journey runs through the foothills
between Eleder and the Bandu Hills. After 5 days of travel, the main trail snakes northeast around a tall section of hills, and then detours north connecting with several of the region’s more profitable and still operating mines. Your map shows the location of an abandoned mine to the southeast marked as the Fzumi Salt Mine.
The map of the area of the Fzumi Salt Mine is a little vague but you swear it appears to lead to the edge of the M’neri Plains, suggesting that passage through the mines provides a shorter route south through the hills.
While the map contains scant details concerning the nature of the property and who once owned it, it might be a short cut that copuld decrease your overall travel time by 1-2 days if you decide to take this route. Of course if there is no real passage through you will lose at least that amount of time.
Aedalis reacted rather poorly to the rain, grumbling a lot. He makes little effort to hide the fact that he was quite enjoying the self-pampering in the city.
While several of you miss the creature comforts of the city and the villa, including the servants that were provided you definitely feel a monkey is off your back. You don't have to look over your shoulder for someone following you or worry about the political intrigue.
All that surrounds you is the brush and rolling hills as you apporach the Bandu range. Of course now you have left civilization, the outdoors presents its own challenges...
Knowledge Geography
Knowledge Local
While making it clear that Tragershen defers to Nim and Anton for the guidance of the group while actually traveling, he is quite glad to provide his own insights when the maps and notes are concerned.
"Here on the map, where it notes the Fzumi Salt Mine. It is hard to tell, but it appears to lead to the edge of the M'neri Plains. To me, that suggests we may be able to use the mines to cut through the hills and save a day's travel time, perhaps two days."
He purses his lips before continuing. "Unfortunately, I don't know who has controlled the mines, or who works them now. Nor can I say with certainty that they do go all the way through. By trying them, we do risk losing time, perhaps even the day or two we would hope to gain."
Mihai looks to Nim as arbiter of their overland journey and whether the mine should be breached.
I think that it might be worth the risk. If we don't explore the mines... or competitors might.
Mihai inclines his head to nod "Mines it is."
As everyone's head nods in agreement you follow the trail until you see an old branch, one that is most likely no longer used.
Without the detailed maps provided by the government, it would be easy to miss or disregard. It takes about half the day to get to an area of steep hills, really low mountains that seem impassible.
The trail starts to open up...
Surprise Round:
vs stealth
Corbrius and Anton whisper to the group, There is a human women hiding just off the trail in the brush ahead of us. She appears to have a large weapon in her hand. She is about 50 feet ahead to our left.
Sense Motive:
Nim does not react in a threatening manner while halting the group with a gesture. He then calls out to the woman both in common and polygot, Hello there! Greetings and blessings upon you! We seek peaceful passage and mean you no harm! May we approach?
She steps out from the trail and speaks in broken common, Why you here? My territory, you no hunt here! You go away.
You believe she understood Polyglot from her initial reaction bt for some reason chose to speak in common.
The women stands near 6 feet tall with a perfectly muscled figure and stunning features, her dark hair woven into clumped tangles. She dresses in scraps of animal hide and carries a glaive crafted from the toothed jaw of some fearsome jungle beast. She reminds you of a panther, beautiful but dangerous.
Mihai, you pick up some things from her tone and body language. A little anger, some fear, which you would expect from confronting a dozen armed men, but also great courage from being able to do the same.
Nim remains at distance and admires the woman, both for her beauty and her apparent bravery. He calmly replies as he scratches Wicewakan under the chin, As I said, we seek peaceful passage. We are on an expedition. We travel to Kalabuto and parts beyond. My colleague here, motioning to Tragershen, thought that we might save some time by travelling through the Fzumi Salt Mine.
Do you know of the mine? And more importantly, is he correct?