"We've walked I reckon 15-16 miles."
The Deceiver observes everyone.
"Really, you want kill Calebra? If you go Calebra then Calebra not go you."
What is Calebra? I wanna meet him and give him some cheese.Yes you take me to Calebra now eh?
"Ryor cheese tasty. Ryor climb rocks good?"
Look at that bug Wetslands!
"Tasty."
We'd be saying that too once we've gone through our supply of pork.
The Bhuka spend the midday hours snacking pre-cooked foods, drinking water, and laying in a torpor on the cave floor, occasionally chattering and laughing but barely moving. A cool breeze comes from the crevasse at the back of the cave and keeps the chamber much cooler than that outside.
Their afternoon rest lasts all afternoon.
Jon is curious about what's in the cave. He is waiting. If the crew go into to the cave, he will go in.
I have heard stories of this tower, although I thought it a manmade tower and not one of natural stone. I would like to proceed within but I will be needing people to go also, as my arcane focus leaves me vulnerable to physical attacks and there is safety in numbers.
What is the story with the children? How do we keep them safe? I have no wish to see young ones injured or placed in danger.
Jon is curious about what's in the cave. He is waiting. If the crew go into to the cave, he will go in.
"I'll stay here and watch the young ones when you guys scouts the tower out."
Everyone has noticed that Turin and Katella have been very friendly since last night's party.
"We'll build a wall at the opening just like Wetsands said. We'll be fine. After what we've been through how bad could it be?"
Nods at Katella. "Brave."
To the PCs: "You want kill Calebra maybe Bhuka help. But Calebra badbad strong."
What is Calebra? I wanna meet him and give him some cheese.Yes you take me to Calebra now eh?
"Calebra flying lion ugly face. Probably like cheese. You short walk there now. Bigstones finish crap you there." At this Wetsands points out the cave opening.
Wetsands, if you would help us to protect the children that would be a most welcome bit of assistance. I know the Bhuka are brave and strong but perhaps Calebra is too powerful. I don't want your courageous warriors to die. Perhaps a couple of your strongest could come with us to help find the dangers that may be within the tower?
Nods at Katella. "Brave."
To the PCs: "You want kill Calebra maybe Bhuka help. But Calebra badbad strong."
What is Calebra? I wanna meet him and give him some cheese.Yes you take me to Calebra now eh?"Calebra flying lion ugly face. Probably like cheese. You short walk there now. Bigstones finish crap you there." At this Wetsands points out the cave opening.
Hmmm... 'flying lion ugly face'....
The Bhuka chatter amongst themselves for a long time with much pointing and hand waving. As they finish there is some foot stomping among those who seem to be his lieutenants, and Bigstones, his burly lotus-addled brother.
"Wetsands come with. These Sandwhisper, Palmseed and Scorpion come too. Bigstones mightiest protect tribes. Tribes most important - many warriors."
He gestures toward three other Bhuka who smile and nod while he's talking. Two are gracile while the third, Palmseed presumably, is stout and has a head like a... well... a coconut.
"Agreed?"
Aref's best guess is that Calebra is a sphinx, which is confirmed by rumors you have heard among merchants who travel north from Katheer.
Aref's lore on the sphinx suggests that they are good creatures and only a danger to those who would rob the treasures they are tasked to protect. But there are also said to be some who are warped, weakened, and have fallen to evil. These gather their own hoards, or occupy strongholds of their own will. From what you have heard of battles with these creatures good or evil, fighting them in the open is exceedingly dangerous unless you possess ranged weapons of tremendous power.
It could also be a Manticore, which all the Varisians among you know all about. But no mention has been made of the tail, and Wetsands earlier mentioned that Calebra asks "dumb questions", an affectation from which sphinxes are said to suffer.
"I have heard such tales on the docks growing up in Magnimar of such creatures cunning to say the least. We must not dilly dally with such a creature!
The Bhuka chatter amongst themselves for a long time with much pointing and hand waving. As they finish there is some foot stomping among those who seem to be his lieutenants, and Bigstones, his burly lotus-addled brother.
"Wetsands come with. These Sandwhisper, Palmseed and Scorpion come too. Bigstones mightiest protect tribes. Tribes most important - many warriors."
He gestures toward three other Bhuka who smile and nod while he's talking. Two are gracile while the third, Palmseed presumably, is stout and has a head like a... well... a coconut.
"Agreed?"
Thank you, gracious one. *stamp, stamp, stamp* I agree!
When should we go?
"A sailor told of a tale of evil sphinxes that uses the hearts of men in their mating rituals. I jest you not!"
Thank you, gracious one. *stamp, stamp, stamp* I agree!
When should we go?
*stomp, stomp, stomp*
"Go evening Calebra hunt? Eat food. Gather rope."
As the sun drops from the noon sky Wetsands and his three soldiers get some supplies together.
"If we can be sure the children are safe here I'm willing to go explore the "Tower" too."
"I have never heard of these creatures of which you speak, but they seem like flying predators and we must take our precautions if that's the case."
*stomp* *stomp* *stomp*
"Me like fight next Bohdan and Sydley. Orcsons strong like Bigstones but smarter."
That huge goblin grin.
"We tomorrow eat Calebra."
The Bhuka finish their preparations and have an early supper, as do all of you. A few blocks are moved around the mouth of the cave to make a sturdy and defensible entry. Wetsands' burly brother stands in the entry and practices some of his moves with a human sized longsword that he seems to handle with no difficulty... then he says something in Bhuka and falls over laughing on the floor.
Everyone is prepared: Wetsands, Scorpion, Sandwhisper, and Palmseed from the Bhukas and Sydley, Bhodan, Ryor, Pulsifer, Aref, Jon, and Cordoba from the suvivors. Everyone tightens their armor straps and shoulders the extra coils of rope salvaged from the shipwreck.
The young ones and Bhuka warriors big you good look and you set off.
300 XPs for smooth roleplaying and sagely turning potential enemies into your allies. I think that's 900 so far.
Evening - Pharast 25th, 4708
Now that the direct sunlight of the afternoon has eased the heat becomes bearable. The Bhuka lead you across alternating dunes and packed scrub toward the larger mesas, ancient volcanic plugs eroded into grooved towers. On the ground around you evidence of ordered walls and columns is visible here and there in the form of carved chunks of rock and rows of rubble. On some of the mesas in the distance you can see what looks like entryways and balconies hewn right out of the igneous rock. It’s easy to speculate that the temple is not the only prize here.
Most of these igneous ‘tables’ are stout, but at the core of these one looms much higher, about 500 to 600 feet high but only 350 feet in diameter at the base and possibly 300 feet wide on top. While approaching it the Bhuka keep their eyes on the sky. There are several false alarms when some of you spot birds and what looks like very large wasps flitting in and out of the vertical grooves carved in the sides of the towers. Wetsands tells you again that the entrance is at the top. Climbing the stone columns is going to be exceedingly difficult.
If there is indeed a temple inside this structure there must be ground level entrances, but none are visible around the sand swaddled base, not from the direction you are approaching from anyway.
Wetsands scrambles up the sand built up against the side of the monstrous stone tower. He pats it and looks down at you.
"Calebra's Tower. Dead god temple."
"So, 'oos fer a bit o' goin' up the riggin'?" Syd asks cheerfully, " 'ow 'bout, you Smily?" he asks 'Cordoba' "Fink ya can have a crack at it? Dere's nuffin to it."
Syd whistles a sailor's jig as he sets about checking the rope.
"Me no understand you Sydley. You make knots good-good. Me live you teach me?"
Syd laughs, "Righto, Wetsands, me ol' mucker, we bofe talk funny. I'll teach yer sum right good knots."
"Boska!"
"Tobeera!"
"Spasteelia a bunkadunka."
"Nugala, Sushurra."
To Syd: "Sandwhisper want race. Me too fat."
"Heh, now if it were riggin' I'd race yers all up, no prob."
"Well. We too fast die. Calebra see we dead. Big problem. We pray Pharasma now."
"You pray Pharasma Cordoba? We big risk now. You play dice good?"
"Well. We too fast die. Calebra see we dead. Big problem. We pray Pharasma now."
As he climbs down, the Deceiver silently prays:
"What is the terror of death?
That we die our work incomplete.
What is the joy of life?
To die knowing our task is done."
Wetsands waves his hands at the other Bhuka.
"See fah luto eetheen, ee yaba ma dukey massa.
Eeth wong che coh pa na-geen, nah meeto toe bunky dunko.
Lo choda!"
"Lo choda!"
I will go but I am not much of a climber. Ending this monster's reign of terror on the Bhuka is more important than my own skin. I have some rope but I use it mostly for rope tricks and minor magics. 50' of fine silk though!