"Well either we cut off the head of the snake or make a deal somehow I think either way is going to be a fight. Best we get too it so these good people can sleep well."
"I make peace or war by the dictates of my heart which is in turn guided by my mind. Let's keep our minds open."
Zaranna says nothing.
She sends Vala up to see if there are any threats nearby, and then she just waits.
Jack nods, "I'd say so. Thanks for your offer." He crouches by the body of the caster, picking up the scroll and unrolls it. "Hm, looks like a map with some writing I can't quite make out. One of y'all might want to take a crack at it. Might want to see to your captive too. Again, thanks for your help. I'm grateful."
While not speaking Nahuaña, you are able to make out enough to to realise they are orders to attack the Smiths, along with the phrase "American dogs."
Speaking Nahuaña, John Thomas is able to make out the message in it's entirety. It reads as follows, "The last time the Mexica attacked the homestead, they were defeated by the American dogs. The war may be over, but our anger is not. Crush them, and give their hearts to the sun, and their blood will fuel our strength to make a new Aztlān. Such is your command, you will succeed or you will die.
-the Hand of Huitzilopochtli"
Angus can't make out where the map references, the Mexica have different styles of cartography from the Americans which Angus never learned. However, he is able to make out a name of a fortress, Kaxtilkali, and a reference to a location, Postektlitepetl, or Broken Mountain in English, to the South of the fortress.
Wnen Vala gets back from scouting, Zaranna makes sure she is packed up, and asks So, do we know where we are headed?
Kuruk points at the map:
"We can scout it, see if there's an opportunity to learn more."
The party sets off to the west towards Postektlitepetl. Given the scale of the map, the journey should take about a week. The first three days are uneventful, rambling through the scrublands of Texas, the vast sky above and the packed earth below. As night falls, the group settles down around a crackling campfire. Despite the calm of the night, John Thomas and Angus hear something off in the distance, a susurrus of strange shuffling and an indecipherable muttering.
Will he give such an oath, or is he one of your snakes?
Zaranna hears nothing, but puts her soup down and picks up her bow, in case it is a drake.
Shambling out of the darkness come two bizarre creatures. While they are humanoid, their similarities to humans end about there. Gray skin is stretched taut over their emaciated frames, bones clearly visible. Hands with five thin, wickedly sharp talons at the end of long arms with one many joints twitch and convulse seemingly of their own accord. One, taller than the other has elaborate scarification on his face and back. For a moment, the creatures stare at you with beady black eyes before the taller speaks in a raspy voice, its fanged mouth struggling to pronounce words, "We are M'win'a and U'um'ir. As two we greet four. We hope four will greet two in equal measure."
Zaranna is somewhat repulsed by the gray creatures, but attempting to respond to this strange politeness while still staying wary, she says
We are Zaranna, Kuruk, John, and Angus. As four we greet two.
The taller creature which seems to be named M'win'a extends its wickedly clawed hands to show its palms, and says in the same tone as before, "We extend our grasp in companionship. Two would wish to share the flame of four in this darkness or return to our burrow so six might share consumption. What strange names four possess, the tongues of two stumble."
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Angus isn't sure what these creatures are, although he remembers a few native legends of thin men that creep the night.
These things are a bit out of John Thomas experience. He smiles his best but holds hit tongue.
Nice thing about fighting with my fists its easy to looks unarmed.
Trying to figure out what these people are, Zaranna scans her memories to see if she can think of anything she might have learned that seems to fit:
Let us be six then. M'win'a and U'um'ir be welcome. Please share our flame and join us in consumption. She offers them some food.
Zaranna believes these are creatures known as thin men, though they are not known to possess gendered traits. Despite their horrific appearance, thin men are very hospitable and enjoy conversing with outsiders. However, they are somewhat easy to offend, and if their generosity is rebuffed they are liable to get violent.
The thin men eagerly devour the food, using their claws to tear it into small chunks that they swallow whole. Once they have eaten their fill, U'um'ir speaks in a slightly higher voice, much better enunciated than M'win'a, "Two believe four have traveled far. Few come here without cause. Two wonder what could be the cause of four?"
The four travel in order to make the land safe for the many who come after, as well as trying to protect and preserve the homes of those who came before. Are the two part of a larger group? If so, perhaps we could find a way for the group of the two and those who come after the four to live in peace.
U'um'ir, in a tone that sounds a bit like interest, says, "Once, two lived with others, but now two have left those that dwell deep beneath. One says that more will come? Perhaps two must move on, find some another cavern. But for now, we wander as we will." M'win'a chimes in, "We thank four. It is not many who would speak with us. Two would wish to give a token of thanks, that you may remember this. It shall aid you when things seem lost." It slings a hide bag off its back and removes a strangely carved bone. It seems like nothing a fully sane mind could carve, and provokes a sense of unease when contemplated for too long. The two stand and U'um'ir says, "If it is peace four seek, then they have come to the wrong land. New forces, not as cruel as ancient ones but far more zealous seek to make this place their own. We bid you farewell and ask you to heed our warning."
We thank you for your warning and bid you well.
Zaranna nods gratefully as she takes the bone, but asks
What new forces do you speak of?
She listens carefully to their answer, but if the conversation is over, she thanks them for sharing the flame and consumption and bids the two farewell.
"Two know not exactly what the new ones are. They rampaged through here with fire and blade, taking hearts for their gods, upstart beings of war and flame. Two have little need for flame, but two thank you nonetheless." With that, the two melt into the darkness, seemingly vanishing.
Zaranna shows the bone to the others to see if they have any ideas about what it might be able to do.
John Thomas looks at the interesting bone, curious.
"Well those were some unusual fellows. I don't like the idea of people taking hearts, might need to be dealt with."
"I liked them, they used fewer words. I find humans use too many especially at taverns."
I agree, it also may be wise to have the amgical things we have found checked out.
Zaranna nods at both suggestions, and points her horse towards the village mentioned.
"We have just tipped our toe into this but heading to town might be wise. I don't think any of us know much about magic."
It takes a few days, but eventually you get to the village. It is a small affair, a few buffalo hide tipis scattered around a central fire pit. An older woman sits by the fire and looks up at you, before standing and walking back into the tipi. A discussion can be heard coming from within, before a tall Apache warrior walks out, brandishing a war club, and says in a deep voice, "Why are you here?"
We were told that the legendary tracker, Halftail, could be found here. Is this true?
"Halftail? There is a ridge a half day from here. You might find her there. If your business is done then leave us be."
"So I am guessing you don't care for outsiders? Any particular reason?"
John Thomas smiles big as the sky as he asks.
"You have fought the Mexica? You do us a service. My mother has some skill with magic, if you can pay then she will try to identify them."
Zaranna stays quiet, thinking that Angus was handling things well, and waited to see if they had found anything especially useful.
Kuruk is curious to see what the gear turns out to be but is otherwise attending to his Celestial Buffalo. If any children turn up to look at the white buffalo he'll help them mount for small rides.
As surely as he can be the dwarf softens considerably around children and will actually smile.
After being told there may be someone to identify the items they foudn John Thomas takes a step but stops quickly as Angus keeps talking.
Bright chap that one. Best let him do his thing.
The warrior nods, "If you have food or weapons, we will trade those. What do you have that you want to be identified?"