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His nerves finally overcome, Korech takes a step back, a second step back, and then wordlessly drops his bow and flees at top speed, sheer panic on his face.
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Merephel, startled by the appearance of the lizardfolk, is rocked by the effects of their magic. It hits her harder than it should, and she takes off, trying to run past a pair of lizardfolk before they can get her. She sprints as fast as she can, trying to lose them in the trees.
As she runs, she shouts incoherently.
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Shirzon quickly flees, jumping above the fallen tree branch and reaching Korech on the other side. Calden fights bravely: his first attack knocks down one of his opponent, and his second attack hit another dark lizardfolk almost putting him down as well. The two lizardfolk split their attacks: one of them retaliates against Calden. A solid blow from the lizardfolk morningstar hits the Kassenite right in his face, but Calden soon regains his balance and nimbly avoid the two remaining attacks.
The other lizardfolk chases Shirzon and Korech: the creature jumps on the fallen log and hurls a javelin at Korech, but although he’s panicked, the half-orc manages to avoid the ranged attack somehow. Terrified by the attack, Korech continues to run away, just like Merephel does on the other side of the battlefield. Her movement allows a lizardfolk to strike at her while she flees, but her armor does a good job in protecting her as she runs away.
« | | | | »
The biggest lizardfolk roars furiously and vents his hissing rage on Calden. Unfortunately, this time luck smiles on the chief, and he’s able to hit Calden twice, landing a solid blows right in his face and biting him on the neck, causing the Kassenite to lose rivers of blood as the razor-sharp teeth delve into his skin.
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Shirzon
Calden
Korech
Merephel
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Shirzon cringes as Calden continues to fight, hearing the sound of the lizardfolks' attacks as weapon hits flesh. Idiot! Doesn't he see that this is hopeless! she mentally chides, but despite her harsh thoughts, tears form in her eyes as she continues to flee from the hulking reptilian creature following her. ...He better not get himself killed.
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Still under the effect of the fear aura, Merephel continues to run. Her eyes are wild, and she has the appearance of one fearing for their very life.
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Calden drops his quarterstaff and clutches at his neck to stem the flow of blood. Still, he feels lightheaded and unable to reason properly. I'm getting slaughtered! He panics, puts his all in warding off any more attacks and runs away.
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Shirzon keeps fleeing desperately while Calden fights bravely for his own life, surrounded by twisted lizardfolk: his first attack knocks down another one of his opponents, and the second one hits the lizardfolk chief with violence. Now it’s only Calden versus the chief.
The other lizardfolk, the one chasing Shirzon and Korech, jumps down from the fallen log and goes after the two half-orcs waving his morningstar and hissing furiously. Korech keeps running just like Merephel.
« | | | | »
The biggest lizardfolk hisses at Calden and tries to knock him down with another quick series of consecutive attacks. Both if his attacks manage to connect with the Kassenite’s head once again, knocking him down on the ground, unconscious and bleeding.
Calden fought bravely, but he was eventually defeated by the joined forces of three lizardfolk. Now it’s time for you to return the favor and save his life.
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Shirzon
Calden
Korech
Merephel
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Shirzon finally calms down and turns back toward the lizardfolk. She catches sight of Calden taking down a couple of the reptiles before he falls himself. She balls her hands into fists as her expression becomes hurt and furious. She moves up to the lizardfolk pursuing her and Korech, taking out her spare dagger. "Korech!" she calls out, "Go help Merephel with Calden. Kill that big bastard over there. I'll keep this one busy. Go!"
As she shouts to Korech, her eyes don't leave the lizardfolk in front of her, her glare burning with revenge. She draws back to strike, but fakes to the side, trying to throw her foe off balance.
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Korech's pounding heart slows and he looks around wildly, realizing how far he is from the battlefield, and that Calden is in a very bad way. He hears Shirzon cry out and he shouts back.
"Understand!"
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As the fear magic leaves her system, Merephel realizes what she has been doing. Ashamed, she turns and runs back as fast as she can.
"I'm coming Calden, hold on!"
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Calden reels from the chief's attacks. I thought I could hold off longer. He didn't seem that strong, at first... As he goes down, he sees that the others have come to their senses. At least we didn't leave their weapons behind, and they're outnumbered now...
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Shirzon’s feint proves ineffective against the lizardfolk, who reacts hissing furiously and then launches himself at the half-orc. The first strike, with the morningstar, is quick enough to hit Shirzon in her belly, almost causing her to throw up for the violence of the impact. The other attacks are far slower though, and the Kassenite half-orc manages to evade both of them.
Korech rushes to reach Calden and the lizardfolk chief, passing through mud and slimy waters in order to reach his friend. Just when he climbs up the fallen tree log, the lizardfolk chief notices him and moves towards him waving threateningly his morningstar and trying to hit the Kassenite hunter.
« | | | | »
The swampy area though makes his path arduous, and as a result the chief resorts to his javelin, hurling it at Korech as he hisses savagely in roaring rage. The lizardfolk chief is accurate enough to hit Korech and pierce his flesh with the javelin.
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Shirzon
Calden
Korech
Merephel
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Merephel runs back to the group, headed straight for Calden. She runs as fast as she can, not attempting to skirt the lizardfolk.
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Shirzon wheezes as the lizardfolk's attack forces the air from her lungs. Aside from the pain in her stomach from the Morningstar, something sick and burning from the weapon's coating leaves her middle in pain.
Grimacing, she holds her stomach and tries to fool the lizardfolk again. Unfortunately, the pain in her gut makes her flinch, and she has to take a second to recover.
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Weakened by the effects of the poison, Shirzon’s attack is slow and predictable, and her lizardfolk opponent easily avoids it. With Calden still unconscious on the other side of the battlefield, the lizardfolk facing Shirzon tries to attack her again with all of his attacks. Shirzon nimbly avoids the morningstar, but she’s surprised by the accuracy of the creature’s claw attack: the lizardfolk’s claws delve deep in her skin, causing her a serious wound. Fortunately, Shirzon manages to dance away from the last attack, avoiding the bite of the creature.
Korech nimbly jumps down the fallen branch and tries to hit the lizardfolk chief with his axe, but his attack is slow and predictable just as Shirzon’s one and it’s easy for the lizardfolk chief to avoid it.
« | | | | »
The lizardfolk chief instantly retaliates, taking advantage of Korech’s unbalance to hit him with all of his attacks. Fueled by anger and the will to protect Calden, Korech proves surprisingly nimble and avoids all of the chief’s attacks, parrying the morning star strike with his greataxe and dodging the others.
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Shirzon
Calden
Korech
Merephel
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Finally both back to her senses, and back in the action, Merephel bends down to where she dropped her mace, and picks it up.
She hustles over to Calden, and kneels down next to him. Healing magic is radiating from her hand.
"Shelyn, grant life back into this servant, and sooth his aching breast."
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The lizardfolk's claw rakes across Shirzon's face, leaving a gash across her cheek and mouth. She nearly gags at the taste of blood and filth in her mouth from the claw, but spits to the side and gives one wracking cough. After the initial shock, she recovers, becoming acclimated to the pain in her body as it diffuses.
Steeling her nerves, she concentrates on trying to open up the lizardfolk's defenses again, knowing that she can't easily defeat her opponent in a straight brawl. At least, not without her maces.
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Face to face with the chief, Korech snarls trying to feint before sweeping out with his axe with a clumsy swing.
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Shirzon successfully feints against the lizardfolk, but the creature, even losing his balance, somehow manage to attack her three times in quick succession. Not expecting such an abrupt reaction, Shirzon gets hit by the lizardfolk’s morningstar, but the following attacks are far more predictable and the half-orc is able to avoid them all.
Korech tries to hit the chief, but his strike is slow and inaccurate, and he misses.
« | | | | »
The lizardfolk chief instantly retaliates, hitting Korech with the morningstar and also biting him on his neck, causing him a sudden pain and a series of deep wounds.
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Shirzon
Calden
Korech
Merephel
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Shirzon grunts in pain as the morningstar hits her, but dodging the other attacks gives her some breathing room. She spits a gob of blood on the ground then goes in for a quick strike. With the lizardfolk off balance, she aims for their vulnerable belly before they can recover a proper defensive stance.
After her attack, she steps away and pulls a small, dull brown ball from her pocket. Without taking her eyes off her opponent, she yells over toward the others: "I've got this one's attention for now, but I can't hold 'em back forever! What's the situation over there?"
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Merephel looks at Calden, still injured, and decides to help him further, rather than attack the lizardfolk.
She clenches her holy symbol, and in her haste, ends up slapping Calden on the back as part of the spell.
"Shelyn, heal this young servant of Justice, and heal his...oops! Um...sorry Calden!"
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Awakened by Merephel's healing magic, Calden stands up groggy, getting his bearing. "Thanks. You were all gone, and I couldn't fend them all of. I..." Seeing Korech in danger, Calden takes a quick sprint to aid the half-orc. "Where is Shirzon?" When he arrives to engage the chief, he finds - to his surprise - the temple sword in his hand. Huh? When did I draw that?
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A few weeks ago, back when the party was in the Temple of Razmir, it was Shirzon’s lucky day. Today, Desna clearly does not wish to favor the half-orc, whose attack misses again despite the successful feint. The lizardfolk facing her takes advantage of Shirzon’s unlucky moment to unleash his fury against her with a quick chain of attacks. Fortunately, the lizardfolk isn’t luckier and Shirzon easily avoids all of his attacks.
Korech tries to hit the chief, but his strike is slow and inaccurate again, and he misses.
« | | | | »
The lizardfolk chief instantly retaliates, hitting Korech twice, first with his Morningstar and then with a bite. Korech starts to be deeply wounded.
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Shirzon
Calden
Korech
Merephel
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Merephel rushes to Korech, hand outstretched. She lays it upon him, and healing magic radiates out.
"I've got you Korech, don't worry!"
She looks much calmer now, seeming more in tune with the ebb and flow of combat.
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Korech staggers back from the repeated, brutal hits and realizes he's in quite a lot of trouble. Rather than attacking, he adopts a defensive stance.
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"I've got your back, Korech." says Calden as he hefts his new sword high and chops at the lizard-folk chieftain. He still looks worried, though. "Merephel, where is Shirzon?" After his overhead slash, he guide the blade to the side and gracefully launches a second attack.
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Hearing Calden's voice after Merephel's spell, Shirzon breathes a sigh of relief. "I'm over here! Don't worry about me, take down that lizard!" she calls out before concentrating on her opponent.
She fiddles with the pellet in her hand, her mouth contorting into doubt. Hope this works... She steps back and takes a deep breath, then throws the pellet at the ground underneath her. A plume of smoke explodes out of it, rising thick and gray around the half-orc. She ducks down, trying to conceal herself from the lizardfolk in preparation for an ambush.
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Shirzon tries to conceal herself in the smoke, while Calden, now finally ready to join his allies in battle, attacks the lizardfolk chief and hits hit with his temple sword. Although his first attack is successful, the following one is not as lucky and the lizardfolk manages to parry it with his morningstar.
The lizardfolk facing Shirzon, now unable to see her, tries to see through the smoke but his eyes betrays him. Right when he thinks to have detected Shirzon’s shadow dancing in the smoke and he attacks with his morning star in an attempt to hit the half-orc, he finds out that his weapon only swings at the smoky air produced by Shirzon’s smoke pellet. Frustrated, the lizardfolk hisses furiously.
Korech drops into a defensive stance in an attempt to resist to any further attack.
« | | | | »
The lizardfolk chief focuses his attentions on Korech, trying to knock him down before attacking Calden once again. Fortunately, Korech’s defensive stance proves effective against all of these attacks, allowing the half-orc not to suffer any damage. The lizardfolk hisses in frustration and steps back to avoid being flanked again.
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Shirzon
Calden
Korech
Merephel
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Easily skirting to the side in the smoke, Shirzon would sigh with relief if it wouldn't give her away and fill her mouth with acrid smoke. Shirzon holds her breath and fishes another smoke pellet out of her pocket. Before the smoke fades completely, she quickly jumps to the side and tries to thrust her dagger into the lizardfolk's side.
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Relieved to hear Shirzon's voice calling from back down the road, Calden can dedicate all of his energy to work with Korech and deal with the Chieftain. "Working on it!" he calls back to Shirzon. "Come on, Korech. Let's get this over with."
With that, Calden takes a step to follow the chief, sweeps his sword from the low right to above and to his left, then pulls back for a quick thrust at the lizardmen's shoulder.
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Still next to Korech, she leaves her hand upon his back, and chants loudly to her Goddess. This spell is a little different, however, as she works in a few Holy words of the Erastilian faith as well.
The spell completes, but rather than being a holy light, is a pale amber glow that stretches out to encompass Korech, and cover his exposes skin.
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Bolstered by Merephel's magic, but still very much cautious about going down after one major blow, Korrch fights defensively, trying to give Calden the opportunities he needs to break some faces.
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Shirzon emerges from the smoke, but her attack is inaccurate and she misses her target. In the meantime, Calden successfully hits the lizardfolk chief with his first attack, slashing through his black skin with deadly accuracy. The lizardfolk is now badly wounded, but somehow he manages to avoid Calden’s final blow.
The lizardfolk facing Shirzon vents his hissing fury on her with a quick succession of attacks, but Shirzon is nible enough to avoid all of the attacks except for the bite, which does not cause her any serious harm anyway.
Korech drops into a defensive stance in an attempt to resist to any further attack and tries to attack himself, but his attentions are so focused on defense that he’s completely unable to focus and misses his target.
« | | | | »
The lizardfolk chief keeps focusing his attentions on Korech, trying to knock him down before attacking Calden once again. Even though he’s clearly badly wounded, the chief fights with ferocity. Korech parries the first attack, but he’s caught by surprise by the second one, far too quick to parry or dodge. Fortunately, Merephel’s shield of sacred energy protects the Kassenite archer, with the glowing area around him taking the shape of the antlers of an elk deflecting the lizardfolk’s morning star. The divine shield cannot prevent Korech from being hit, but has saved his life.
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Shirzon
Calden
Korech
Merephel
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Shirzon yelps in pain as the lizardfolk buries their teeth in her arm, but shakes off the bite before it can do any serious harm. She does wrinkle her nose as the scent of blood mixes with corrupted reptilian saliva, though. "Round two..." she mutters to herself as she takes another step back. She hurls her second smoke pellet at the ground and attempts to make herself scarce in the smoke.
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Korech staggers back as he is hit, blood pouring from his many wounds. He looks to his bow nearby, but realizes he can't reach his beloved weapon in time. Watching the lizardman's movement, he roars at the top of his lungs, chopping down brutally, desperately.
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Merephel shrieks at the sudden violence of the Lizardfolk, and touches Korech again. This time she channels her Goddess' Luck power, and channels it into Korech.
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Calden grows angry with the lizardfolk chieftain. "Haven't you had enough? I know we're invading your territory, or something, but we don't have any quarrel with you. If you'd just let us pass...!" Knowing that the rant is probably lost on the twisted creature, Calden doesn't let up his attack.
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Shirzon uses her smoke pellet again to conceal herself. In the meantime, Calden kills the lizardfolk chief with two deadly strikes of his temple sword.
The lizardfolk facing Shirzon, unable to see her again, hisses in frustration and tries to see through the smoke just like before, but to no results. Right when he thinks to have detected Shirzon’s shadow dancing in the smoke and he attacks with his morning star in an attempt to hit the half-orc, he finds out that his weapon only swings at the smoky air produced by Shirzon’s smoke pellet.
With the lizardfolk chief down, Korech steps back, grabs his bow and fires an arrow at the lizardfolk in front of the column of smoke. The lizardfolk goes down, Korech’s arrow piercing his heart.
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Merephel moves about, stabilizing all the injured.
After she is done, she gathers the group together, and Channels Positive Energy to heal everyone.
"I feel terrible about this. I'm sure they didn't mean us harm; they probably thought we were with the Razmirans. Did any of you understand their language? I could have sworn I heard Korech speaking it in the thick of things..."
She turns to Korech.
"Was I imagining things? It may be worth tying one up, and we can ask them a few questions. I'd be glad to heal one to consciousness."
After firing his arrow, Korech collapses face-first onto the corrupted ground, bleeding out all over the place.
"I think they mean us harm..." he gurgles into the earth. Merephel's healing magic manages to get him back on his feet.
"These lizard-people not... normal, and normal lizard-people are not nice. Maybe they answer questions if we talk, or we find way to make peace. They know we are strong now."
Korech pulls out his own wand, and concentrating on his reverence for Erastil, he heals himself.
"You others okay? We heal lizard, Pathfinder stone will let me talk with him. I talk better lizard than common!"
Calden looks physically well after the burst of Merephel's healing, but he seems preoccupied. He cleans the sword blade and stows it in its scabbard on his back, then proceeds to retrieve his quarterstaff. Ugly thing, having to actually use that blade. It's so... easy to cleave flesh.
He nods at Merephel's suggestion. "If you think it helps, we should definately try to talk to them. But I don't see how they could be reasoned with. If you look at them, the way this landscape changed them. If it changed their bodies like this, what will it have done to their minds? But, it's probably worth a try."
"Okay, then I will heal one. Any suggestions on which one?"
She begins looking through her bag for some rope.
After the lizardfolk is tied up, she uses another Channel to heal him.
Shirzon is about to lunge at the lizardfolk when Korech's arrow punctures their chest. She stands tense, but slowly relaxes as a relative quiet sets over the bloody dirt. Letting out a slow sigh, she makes her way back to the group, picking up her weapons and shaking off the mud. "Well that could have gone better. Something about this island is just... unnerving. Good job, though, everyone."
Nudging the chief's unconscious body with a boot, Shirzon looks the reptilian leader up and down. "I don't imagine this lot has much of value on 'em. Worth looking, though. Let's tie one of them up and wake them up. Maybe they can tell us where those Razmiri freaks sent. Hey, anyone know where Dremlock ran off to?"
You tie up one of the survived lizardfolk, and Merephel's channeled energy proves enough to bring him back to his senses. At first, as soon as he opens his eyes, the lizardfolk struggles to break the rope his black clenched muscles growing at every attempt.
After a few failed attempts, however, the lizardfolk appears to resign himself and starts hissing furiously at you, his forked tongue spitting insults in Draconic.
Whatever he's actually saying, the lizardfolk does not appear to be much collaborative.
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"Korech, would you like me to magically calm him for you? I don't know what he's saying, but it doesn't sound helpful..."
She looks pensive, trying in vain to understand the captive.
"That's always worked well for us in the past," Shirzon chimes in. "If it helps, tell 'em that we're just here to follow the Razmiri. They can keep their mud."
While Merephel and the others deal with the lizardfolk, she crouches over the others, looking for useful supplies.
Korech looks dispassionately at the lizardman before hissing back.
"We come here to kill the other humans who come to your territory. When we are done, we will leave. We want no part of your land. If your people attack us, they will die as your chief did. If your people give us peace, we will do our business and leave."
He turns to the others.
"He say that we are in his territory so we die and more will come. I say that we here for other humans, and will go when we done. If they attack us, they die like chief."
Calden looks blank. "Well, that was to be surprised. It might help to calm him for now, but the spell will wear off once he gets back to his tribe. Let's hope we can convince him that they shouldn't come at us with all they've got."
As soon as Merephel comes close to the lizardfolk and calmly crouches in front of him, speaking reassuring words of tranquility while invoking the power of her goddess and looking straight into the creature's black as onyx eyes, the lizardfolk attitude toward her appears to be abruptly changing. His muscles relaxes, and he stops struggling to break free from the rope holding it. The lizardfolk's eyes widens and his breath become more regular, and in general the creature's attitude seems to become much calmer than before. The lizardfolk calmly listens to Korech and then answers in his Draconic tongue, with a rough voice.
---
In the meantime, Shirzon crouches over the defeated lizardfolk and searches their body in an attempt to find something useful. She finds 16 doses of a strange poison, most likely the one the lizardfolk used against the party in battle. It was a potent poison, so it's maybe worth keeping it. The poison consist in small wooden and quite crude flasks containing what appears to be black water. Apart from that, each lizardfolk hunter carries a crude morningstar, a heavy wooden shield and 3 javelin. The lizardfolk chieftain carried a pair of ornated bracers, two masterwork morningstars, two javelins and 31 gp, likely taken from the cultists. Each of the defeated lizardfolk bears a Razmiri mask worn as a trophy on the shield, around the belt or (in the case of the chieftain) on his face.
---
Meanwhile, Dusan comes back, emerging from the foul-smelling waters of the swamp where he sheltered during combat. He whistles as Shirzon to draw her attention, pointing to the place where the corpses of the dead cultists and lizardfolk lie. Shirzon quickly joins him and together they search the area. The battlefield is awash in dropped or tossed-aside gear. Shirzon and Dusan find nine suits of studded leather armor, nine light wooden shields, 12 daggers, a light crossbow with 12 bolts, two masterwork rapiers, nine saps, seven short swords, four potions, three iron Razmiri masks, two smokesticks, two sunrods, a set of thieves tools, and 150 gp.
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"It say that they surprise cultists, kill lots but lost dozens of own. Cultists sound strong. The Whisperscales - that their tribe - gonna hunt and kill us no matter what 'cause we intruders."
"The masked men who remain and seek to do great harm to my people, and yours. We will avoid conflict with your people where possible, is there any way your people will tolerate our presence? And what can you tell us about the old human ruins and what lies within?"