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"Good, because I've got jungle fever!" the deep, gravelly voice comes from a greenish, ghostly form sitting next to an unassuming man holding a scythe.
"Gob, please--I told you I'd only let you attend the briefing if you didn't embarrass me," the man sighs.
"Nykal, you're embarrassing yourself. I get more action than you and I'm dead!" the ghost elbows the Shaman on the other side of him, leaving a trail of ectoplasm. "This nerd gets it!"
Nykal sighs again. "I'm really sorry. He's been bottled up all day."
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Seemingly oblivious to both the Knight Captain and the phantom comparing exploits of carnal prowess with its person, a scrawny fellow sits quietly off to the side, peering into a voluminous tome entitled The Life and Death and Life and Death and Life Again of Geau Beste: A Historical Account. A once-hot brew of tea sits untouched beside the book, now barely tepid in the next-to-last day of Calistril chill.
Seemingly oblivious to both the Knight Captain and the phantom comparing exploits of carnal prowess with its person, a scrawny fellow sits quietly off to the side, peering into a voluminous tome entitled The Life and Death and Life and Death and Life Again of Geau Beste: A Historical Account. A once-hot brew of tea sits untouched beside the book, now barely tepid in the next-to-last day of Calistril chill.
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Clever enough to know that sitting beside the seemingly haunted Nykal, a lithe woman in leather armor sits on the opposite side of Blodgett. She seems minimally armed, with only a pair of daggers visible.
She gives a quick head nod to Blodgett and says, "Hey there, I'm Miri. Not met you before. Is that book really that interesting? Just the title alone is off-putting."
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Arriving unfashionably late, a green-scaled Nagaji enters the room. His chest, painted with yellow rings down his spine, is exposed due to the fact that he is wearing nothing but brown rags around his waist. He beams at the other Pathfinders, though is a bit cautious of the one wielding a long-titled tome. The nagaji stares at an empty chair for a few moments before seating himself with a swift move and a loud thud.
"Hello, friends and fellow Pathfinders! The Dragon's name is Rayquaza, but you may refer to him as the Dragon. Or Ray."
After another glance at Blodgett, Rayquaza pulls a book of his own out of a fold in his rags - a brightly illustrated pamphlet titled Rayquaza - the Emerald Guardian. The nagaji stares at the pamphlet, smiling to himself at its contents.
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"Good eeevening!" Says an unnaturally tall and attractive, and excessively well-dressed, man with eyes that gleam like newly-minted coins. "Wait, is it evening?" He tries looking out the window, then sits back down and smiles. "Ah, well, it is always evening somewhere."
"Cards, anyone?" He proffers an exquisite deck made from rosewood.
The pleasantries among the newly aquainted agents continues.... and continues... and continues. The trip from the Grand Lodge to the Mwangi Expanse takes a lot of time
Despite the sweltering heat of the midday sun, the marketplace outside Sharrowsmith’s Exports is bustling with customers. Merchants stand in the shade under colorful awnings behind enticing displays of all manner of goods, from fresh fruits to intricate works of art. In the center of the marketplace, two large, vaguely humanoid statues rise from a fountain. Water pours from their gaping mouths as they stare up at the sun. A dark-skinned woman with gold-colored eyes sits on a bench under the fountain surveying the scene. As she catches sight of the newest arrivals, she rises and strides toward the market’s entrance, the crowd parting to allow her past. She speaks in hushed tones.
“Greetings, Pathfinders,” she says. “I’ve been expecting you. For those of you whom I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting, I am Aya Allahe. There is much to discuss, but here is not the place. Follow me, please.” She leads you through the crowd to an immense stone building decorated with carvings of fierce apes, giants, and reptilian figures.
The heat inside the building is far less stifling than in the market outside. Allahe opens the door to a small, private meeting room. She presses a hidden switch on the wall, revealing a doorway into a well-appointed lounge.
“Welcome to the Nantambu Pathfinder Lodge,” she says, gesturing widely with her hands. In contrast to her animated gestures, the expression in her eyes is weary. “As you have probably heard, the local venture-captain, Nieford Sharrowsmith, recently passed away on an expedition. His unexpected passing left behind many loose ends. I’ve done my best to help the Pathfinders with the day-to-day problems, but the current task is beyond my abilities to handle alone."
“Over the last few weeks, the local Ekujae elves have become... ” she pauses. “Well, they have become rather violent toward anyone they believe to be connected to Nieford or the Pathfinders. They have ambushed or abducted several travelers who fit that description, but have not yet killed any of them. Instead, they return their victims, beaten and severely bruised, near well-traveled roads. As I have been the Pathfinders’ primary contact in the area lately, these victims have come to me and reported their experiences."
“Mostly they speak of being questioned and threatened. The Ekujae claim that Nieford Sharrowsmith owes them a service, and that if he himself will not settle the debt, then his friends or associates will. I have searched what records I have of Nieford’s, but so far all I have found is a single entry in one of his journals describing a path he once followed to the Ekujae, although there is no mention of any deal. Given his penchant for secrecy and relying upon his own memory, however, I have no doubt there is something he said to the elves to strike a bargain. That the suspicious Ekujae were willing to make a deal with him at all speaks to his strength of character. He was an honorable, trustworthy man, and the Society is poorer for his passing.” Allahe pauses for a few moments, bowing her head in remembrance.
When she speaks again, her voice is clear and determined. She hands you a detailed map drawn on a scrap of paper. “Nieford drew this map to help him find his way to an Ekujae village. I ask that you follow this map as best you can and make peaceful contact with the insular elves. If you are not confident of your ability to navigate the jungle, I suggest you hire a guide. Once you arrive in the village, find out what it is that the Ekujae want, and if it is in your power to do so, fulfill Nieford’s bargain. While I doubt the Pathfinders could ever turn the Ekujae into full allies, they are dangerous foes.” Allahe shakes her head, “Let us learn from the Aspis Consortium’s mistakes and not antagonize them.”
Finally she takes a sip of water after saying SO much, "Any Questions?"
The elves of the Mwangi Expanse tend to distrust outsiders. They are hesitant at best, and fiercely xenophobic at worst. Elves make up the largest non-human population within the Expanse and are themselves broken into many tribes. The most well known are the Ekujae tribes of the western Mwangi, the Kallijae of the northwestern jungles, and the Alijae of the northern jungles. Although it’s not clear why, every Ekujae on patrol carries a ceremonial club carved from yellowheart wood.
Jungles are hot and full of dense foliage that makes traversing them a time consuming prospect. They are also teeming with a variety of animal life, including biting insects. The insects around Nantambu are carriers for a variety of tropical diseases. The most prolific carriers, mosquitos, tend to cluster around stagnant water and flooded areas. The thick layers of plant life on the ground make finding footing particularly difficult for horses and most other mounts accustomed to flatter terrain. Many of the most dangerous jungle predators set up their lairs or ambushes near natural features such as quicksand to give them an advantage. Gold and ancient treasures are not the only highly valued commodities in the Mwangi Expanse; various fruits and other plant products can fetch a high price in the markets of major cities.
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Nykal looks at his notes:
Contacts:
Ekujae (western Mwangi) - carry ceremonial yellowheart wood clubs on patrol
Kallijae (northwestern jungles)
Alijae (northern jungles)
Dangers:
Heat
Biting insects - Mosquitos around stagnant water and flooded areas. Carry tropical diseases
Predators ambushes near natural features such as quicksand
Misc
Footing too difficult for mounts
Various fruits and other plant products highly valued
Gob looks at his notes:
Huge Dorks:
Nykal
He grins and looks around for any reaction from the rest of the party.
Nykal ignores his dead brother and looks at the map.
"Any idea how long this should take us to follow? I'd like to pick up some supplies before we leave."
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Oh yes! Blodgett says, suddenly very excited. You see, the subject in question — this Geau Beste — he met a series of unfortunate accidents that caused him to require a raise dead multiple times. It's a fascinating story... Mirilani is rescued from death by boredom by the arrival of Aya Allahe.
Blodgett will share everything in the spoiler with the group.
Professorially.
Mirilani kinda falls asleep during the lecture.
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Rayquaza listens with abnormal eagerness to Blodgett's lecture. He scratches himself at the mention of insects, and his nostrils widen at the mention of ancient treasure, loot and rare fruit.
"This sounds like a mission the Dragon will enjoy; maybe the jungle elves will revere the Dragon as a god! Or maybe even not!"
Mercutio hits the streets with Nykal, looking to get information beyond Blodgett's academic faire.
Right outside, they get to work. Within minutes, you meet a man named Jolan , a Mwangi man who has lived and worked in this part of the Mwangi Expanse for over 20 years. "Good morning! You look as though you know your way around but not like a local! Let Jolan help you. I like the cut of your jib, so for the low price of say settling my bill, I'll help you find out whatever it is brings you here today."
You look up to see the cook cleaning up, who then laughs a bit before breaking into a smile. "He owes for quite a few meals. Five gold coins should do it."
With a hearty laugh from Jolan and the cook alike, he slides out of his chair and begins to show you around. He lets you lead, but he seems to be telling the truth about being a local. When all is said and done, you discover some things that Blodgett didn't know off the top of his head.
The Ekujae see themselves as guardians of many ruins scattered throughout the jungle. They rarely explain why they guard them to outsiders. The few stories they have shared reveal that some of these places are connected to a “great darkness” that they were able to defeat but not destroy. Elves of the Ekujae tribes, like most other jungle elves, paint their faces and bodies with various patterns. Some indicate status or role in the tribe, while others are marks of accomplishment and achievement.
Excellent.
As the party reconnects after shopping and asking around, Jolan offers one final bit of free advice, "If you're comfortable with the dangers of the Expanse, then good luck to you. If not, then I recommend a guide. I can point you to a good one. And to Jolan good means quality and price with a hefty dose of honesty!"
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"You know, a guide may not be the worst idea. Unless any of you guys knows your way around the Mwangi?" Nykal looks at the rest of the party.
"Come on, Nykal! Where's your sense of adventure? What are you, chicken? Co-co co-co co-co caw!" Gob starts awkwardly dancing around Nykal exactly unlike a chicken.
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Blodgett nods at the idea of a guide as he taps everyone with a wand. That should do nicely for everyone. In fact, this reminds me of an amusing little anecdote about jungle affectations driving someone slightly mad. Let me tell you... Everyone but Ray at this point has learned to scatter when Blodgett starts telling stories.
To Nykal, "The Aspis Consortium’s business practices rarely take respect for the prosperity of local people into account. When people protest violently, the Consortium is in the habit of taking captives and selling them into slavery. In response to the Consortium’s activities, the Ekujae elves razed a fortified Consortium outpost called Nightfall Station to the ground."
While the pool of guides looking for a job is vast, only a few seem to pass a simple vetting process. All seem to charge the same rate, 150 Gp, but it looks like it could be money well spent:
1. Kubalu a Mwangi wizard trained at Magaambya. He's a bit of a know-it-all whose knowledge of nearly everything can prove to be a useful boon during this adventure.
2. Lisratak a towering woman and ranger whose skill at understanding and avoiding the dangers of the flora and fauna could also be a boon.
3. Mitarat, a taciturn Bonuwat druid who has first hand experience dealing with the Ekujae, a boon to anyone seeking to do business with them.
You meet up with Mitarat. Despite his taciturn nature, his keen sense of people makes him a skillful salesman, and he makes a humble but secure living as a trader. He is one of the few people in Nantambu who has engaged in successful trades with Ekujae in the past. "My services are not free, however. We are looking at a week in each direction. It will cost you 30 Gold coins total."
With terms agreed to, the party prepares for the week long trek. Mitarat proves himself a capable guide. Your route is hardly as the parrot flies, but it avoids the worst of it. The hot, humid jungle is full of streams, bogs, fallen trees, and thick underbrush. Numerous hills, valleys, and cliffs require the somewhat circuitous route. Like clockwork, heavy rains begin at 4 p.m. each day and last until the following morning.
Blodgett's spell of Endure Elements is a true gift, but the jungle has more dangers that simply heat.
The jungle traversing is hard, and it takes its toll. After five days of marching, you begin to wonder if it'll ever end.
Mirilani: 3 Saves
Nykal: 3 Saves
Mercutio: 3 Saves
Rayquaza: 3 Saves
Blodgett: 3 Saves
Bhielli: 3 Saves
Mirilani: 3 Saves
Nykal: 3 Saves
Mercutio: 3 Saves
Rayquaza: 3 Saves
Blodgett: 3 Saves
Bhielli: Done
Mirilani: 3 Saves
Nykal: Done
Mercutio: 3 Saves
Rayquaza: 3 Saves
Blodgett: 3 Saves
Bhielli: Done
Mirilani: 3 Saves
Nykal: Done
Mercutio: Done
Rayquaza: Done
Blodgett: 3 Saves
Bhielli: Done
Just Mirilani remains, and I think he's working or on travel.
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