Grubgullet spends a fair portion of the morning trying, and failing, to catch fish with his bare hands. It only serves to make him hungrier.
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Aury switches to Ancient Draconic in her response, as goatlings work on the camp around them. "It seems like it's most likely his presence, but I haven't asked any further. Perhaps we can ask some questions about the goatling's history on our walk back to their camp, but we should be careful. I might not trust Akluzzar, but these people seem straightforward and friendly enough that I don't want to insult them."
She thinks to herself how nice it is to have a reason to speak her native tongue.
Responding in kind, Sly says, "And that's why you do the talking and I do the looming."
As the group reassembles, Golden Ram and his entourage move out from the lake. You hear the drums and horns from here. Shaeyl, Grub and Hseir have spent the better part of the day hunting, foraging, and crafting basic simples supplies. After a few false starts, Shaeyl's baskets are looking reasonable. The hardest part was finding appropriate material and collecting the sticks. After wetting them and bending them the baskets take shape, and then dry in the sun to harden.
When the others return Shaeyl whips out his most recent creation Ta da!
Seriously though, what's new? Are we staying here for a while? Relocating to another part of the valley? Moving out immediately?
Aury excitedly claps for the basket backpacks, "Oh! Awesome! We can put our food in them so they don't have to sit on the ground"
She steals a glance at the pile of fish that Hseir had gathered today, in addition to the others they had gathered the day before.
"Well we talked to Golden Ram and the elders, and they agreed to give us some supplies to help us.[/b" She points a thumb back at Sly, with an armful of supplies. [b]"We asked if there was anything we can do in return for their help, but it sounded like the problems they really have is that they can't really stop the rogue miners and loggers from the south from encroaching on their lands, and the dwarven leader probably can't either. It might not be a problem we can solve simply.
Golden Ram asked us to keep an eye out for a place where his people could move to instead, and he thinks it might be possible to sell the lands to the dwarves. We should keep that quiet until they can find a new home to move to afterwards."
Aury shrugs and she takes a seat on a log after the long hike, and stretches out her legs.
"Otherwise, it's up to us on what we want to do. We got a simple map, and it looks like the mountains to the north probably aren't a real option."
... She points a thumb back at Sly, with an armful of supplies.
Grubgullet spends a fair portion of the morning trying, and failing, to catch fish with his bare hands. It only serves to make him hungrier.
Grubgullet while you were fishing you noticed something in the water watching you. A big set of eyeballs near a floating log.
"Who there? Hello?"
A voice in your head says, "You aren't having much success with the fish are you?"
Shaeyl assists with dinner preparations. Hey guys, we're having berries, again. At least they're good...
Shaeyl curls over and laughs at his own joke.
Shaeyl assists with dinner preparations. Hey guys, we're having berries, again. At least they're good...
Shaeyl curls over and laughs at his own joke.
"Uh huh. Fishes keep running away."
Aury wiggles one of the caught fish menacingly towards Shaeyl. "You have a sword, come clean these fish and we can have something else. I dunno, smoosh a berry and nuts on top and it's a meal, right?"
Aury thinks she's getting better at cooking.
Aury hears Sly laugh and realizes the pun and buries her face in her hand.
Grubgullet, the eyes grow larger and a face peers from the water from its spot further out. You recognize the giant turtle from the beach party the night before.
"I don't think ogres are meant to fish. Maybe you need a net."
"Hungry, though... don't want tiny berries."
Day 3 - Morning - Grubgullet gone fishin'
You hear a whoosh under the water and a bunch of bubbles and froth come to the surface, shortly thereafter a bunch of dead fish float to the top. They look perfectly boiled. They float slowly to shore. There must be a good dozen or more.
Aury looks at the sun and thinks for a moment.
"From how the elders described it, I bet we could even get to the goatling's camp before it gets too dark, and I'm sure they have extra space for us to stay the night. It would save time tomorrow, for sure."
Grubgullet immediately begins gathering the fish, and chows down like they were popcorn as he wades back onto land. He now completely trusts the Dragon Turtle.
Day 3 - Later Afternoon/Early Evening and into Night
The group decide to make the trek to the goatling village, a bit later than the other groups, but isn't particularly worried about travelling into the night. You make your way somewhat slowly, with plans to return to your camp. You follow the river south out of the gap into the hills below. From there you wend your way south and southeast. Although it is dark, it is easy to see the trail left by the very large group that passed through only hours earlier, even by those untrained in tracking and given the night that has fallen.
You find your way to the village and encounter a patrol of goatlings who welcome you in, and find you late night accommodations. They set you up with a large tee-pee tent and some food.
Shaeyl walks behind Grub, figuring anything that Grub trips over in the dark will be flat or pushed to the side by the time Shaeyl gets to it.
So, an interesting couple of days... I suggest we plan that that the days in the future will be as the past, fraught with unexpected violence. Shaeyl shifted the wicker pack across his shoulders,
'tis unfortunate that Hseir choose to head off.
It seems like the goatling's are rather primitive, even by our 10000 year old standards. I see two options before us. We can head off into the lands of man and dwarf, see what changes and threats are out there while blindly searching for lost temple.
Shaeyl sighs as a branch whips back to tear another hole in his threadbare pajamas. Or, we stay with the goatlings and drag them into the iron age.
Grubgullet smells very fishy, as you drift off to sleep the night of day 3, in the goatling village. Hseir made the journey with you, but then parts ways the next morning.
Day 4 - Morning
The village awakens early, and the sound of goatlings going about their morning business quietly and dilligently fills your ears. Life in the village appears simple but full of work. Most of the effort revolves around food gathering, preparation and storage. There is also leather crafting and pottery work to be done.
Your group rises and partakes in breakfast, and goes about its morning routines. In time the various children of Goodwin, mingle and chat. After breakfast, some goatlings arrive with supplies to distribute. Each group is given the following:
1 waterskin per person
1 personal hide tent per person
leather for clothes (the goatlings do not wear clothing, so you are expected to craft it yourselves)
large belt pouch per person
1 healer kit per group
1 bronze handaxe per group
1 bronze knife per group
oat cakes/leaves/goat cheese - 3 days worth of food per person
wicker ware - baskets or containers for carrying items - 1 large item or 2 small per person
ceramic ware - pottery, flasks, vials, mugs, bowls - a small set per person
minor tools, scrapers, needles, awls, punches, leather working - 1 set per group to work leather
After the goatlings give you your goods, they move on to the next group.
Tolhemia stops by shortly thereafter to greet you and to help answer any questions you may have.
"I have sent two messengers to the Dwarven Thain who runs the Cliffside Fort town downriver. It is the nearest civilization with a chance to provide us with information. I have not heard back from my messengers yet, although familiars we sent to spy have returned with proof that the messengers made it safely to the fort. If the meeting goes well, I had requested an audience for our people and a chance to move into their society. The tension between the goat people and the dwarves and their human allies makes this a diplomatically awkward situation, but we must remain focused on finding Master Goodwin. I have assured Golden Ram of our intents to win greater security for his people. I also seek to secure safe passage for our own people if not a chance to provide services for the dwarves. As we have no resources to afford food or good, I fear the Thain may look distastefully on us as refugees and vagabonds who will stir up trouble and disrupt order. None of this even addresses the racial issues sure to spark problems. I seek your input should you have any. I would also learn of your plans so that I may keep informed of our people's whereabouts."
They give you a large tent. Some of the pots are larger and other things you will have to improvise a bit.
You get a double helping of food, and a larger waterskin, basket and pottery items. Tools and weapons are all medium sized.
Aury'tss grabs her supplies and the bronze knife, and staggers over to an open patch of grass with her tent, to organize all her things into a wicker basket.
"Sure, sure, we'll leave soon - I doubt the dwarves know anything truly helpful to our cause, or those scouts would have rushed back to tell everyone."
"Is there anything we can do to gain trust with the dwarves? We don't need to get lodging or anything, I just don't want to be hunted down if we travel through the lands."
She sorts through some of the leatherworking tools and the raw leather to find some that would suit her.
She sits down and tries to quickly put together some simple clothing for herself. Wyrwin tries to help by holding pieces of leather for her, and fetching the tools she needs, but both are a bit too untrained at leatherworking for it to matter.
Shaeyl sits near Aury', repacking his items as well. The dwarves were known for their craftsmanship. We may be able to barter services and upgrade our equipment.
Grinning at the leather working tools, Shaeyl sets them to the side, These will come in handy!
Shaeyl starts measuring out the leather for a set of clothes (explorer's for the sake of ease).
explorer's outfit
Shaeyl sits near Aury', repacking his items as well. The dwarves were known for their craftsmanship. We may be able to barter services and upgrade our equipment.
Grinning at the leather working tools, Shaeyl sets them to the side, These will come in handy!
Shaeyl starts measuring out the leather for a set of clothes (explorer's for the sake of ease).
[dice=leather working vs dc15]1d20+10
Yes if you like. You can also get glue from the goatlings, or they included some so you can glue together leather for soles. They don't use or make footwear themselves, having hooves, so they don't have things like tacks or other metal fasteners, but you can cobble something crude together.
Moccasins
Ctha'at lets Tolheimia finish, all the while sizing up his new companions. He recognized them all at least by sight from his time at Goodwin's, but knew none of them personally.
Remembering suddenly that it was probably expected of him to introduce himself to the new group, Ctha'at lets out a bubbling hiss of introduction.
I suppose I will travel with your group for now. I have been travelling with Tolheimia for the past few days, but I feel that travelling in a smaller group will be more effective at finding the Archmage. I am Ctha'at Sebek, who are all of you? I recognize many of you from training at Goodwin's, but I am afraid I have never known any of your names.
Aury waves to the new mindflayer. "Hi Ctha'at Sebek! I'm Aury'tss, but you can just call me Aury for short. Come on over, we're working on making clothing at the moment." She holds up a piece of leather that looks vaguely like pants.
Ugg, another squid. Well, Goodwin had always preached not to judge a scroll by its case...
Shaeyl waves from the leather he's working on, Shaeyl Nygct, call me anytime.
"Grubgullet!"
He grins, proudly, as he introduces himself. His breath smells even worse than usual after all that fish.
Ctha'at hisses out an acknowledgement to his new party members before asking "So we leave in the morning for the dwarfish lands?"
"I think that's the plan! We need to find out what they might know, or at least make sure we can travel through their lands without problems."
She looks over to the smiling, smelly ogre and grimaces.
"Though I don't think dwarves are too fond of ogres and giantfolk."
Grubgullet considers the question for a moment, then counts up to three on his fingers.
"Lots?"