"It is odd to me that we spent over a month on that island and all I thought of was making it back to civilization. We were in civilization only week before I was willing to kill to get back to the jungle. Will I still feel the same after this journey?"
"heh," Mahjik grins at Ishirou, "just like old times a month ago."
Ishirou nods. "Some things change, but so much remains the same."
"It is odd to me that we spent over a month on that island and all I thought of was making it back to civilization. We were in civilization only week before I was willing to kill to get back to the jungle. Will I still feel the same after this journey?"
Shokambe, still whittling away at his piece of wood (which is now taking on a somewhat turtle-like shape), responds, "The land is like that. It grabs hold of you in ways you don't expect. Once you've lived off the land, civilization doesn't quite match up."
Lorenz shrugs. "I like civilization just fine. It's just Eleder wasn't exactly the most pleasant place to be. All that oppression and political intrigue and people bothering us...if it hadn't been for that, I wouldn't have minded a few more days before hitting the road."
He grins. "But I do love starting out on a new adventure. I'm excited to be traveling again."
Douena dashes under nearby underbrush as the snake rears up. Its head darts back and forth, peering in every direction, clearly looking for her. After a moment, its head stops, pointing directly in Douena's direction, its eyes peering straight at her. "There you are," it hisses in a voice similar to Ieana's in her snake-person form. It's not Ieana, but possibly another creature of the same race. "Come be my meal, you and your friends." The snake seems to smile wickedly, then it lunges forward at her.
Douena awakens suddenly. It's still the middle of the night. Urza and Shokambe are on watch.
Shokambe, still whittling away at his piece of wood (which is now taking on a somewhat turtle-like shape), responds, "The land is like that. It grabs hold of you in ways you don't expect. Once you've lived off the land, civilization doesn't quite match up."
"I believe that. I've grew up away from civilization, and prefer the forests myself. At least in the wild it's easier to tell what will try to kill you, and why."
"It's also a lot more fun," Sasha says as she stretches out on the ground, trying to get comfortable before going to sleep. "There's always something new to see. And of course, there's all the marvellous animals. And the dinosaurs. You've got to love the dinosaurs."
Alton nudges her. "And the flappybites," she adds. Alton nudges her a little more. She sighs. "Oh, all right." She reaches out for her pack lying near her. Rummaging in it, she pulls out a pouch. She carefully unties it and pulls out a small, wriggling snake, which she holds out to Alton. The flappybite gulps it down. "I gathered a few of these while we were hunting," she says. "For snacks." She carefully ties the pouch shut again and places it back in her pack.
"Snake woman with both a snake god and a vampire cult if not god. We'll tell the others in the morning." Urza looks off into the night. "It seems our destiny has yet to show itself. Will it be as I expect, I wonder?"
"I am curious about these dinosaurs," Lorenz says hesitantly. "I just hope we don't get eaten by them."
He smiles as Alton gobbles down his snack. "Good night!" He lies down next to Sasha opposite of the flappybite and goes to sleep.
Makoa takes his watch with quiet contentment, looking up at where the moon was(knowing by instinct) and asking Nature for it's aid.
It's a bright and sunny day, this morning. And hot. The sun beats down quite unrelentingly and by the time you've gotten breakfast, you're already sweating profusely. Pezock seems unperturbed, eager to get a move on as quickly as possible.
Over breakfast, Douena fills everyone in on a dream she had the night before .
"Everyone was trying to claim the city for themselves," Douena explains. "The Pathfinders and the Aspis man and a bunch of other people. They were so busy fighting each other, they didn't even notice the darkness spreading. Oh, and there was a group led by a woman in a red mantis mask, Sasha." She looks to see what Sasha's reaction will be to the news.
Sasha goes pale at the mention of the Red Mantis. "Somehow, it doesn't surprise me," she says. "Although it should. The Red Mantis are assassins. What would they want with an ancient city? But ever since I saw that person watching the Sargava Club in Eleder, I've had this...I don't know...this feeling. You don't think they're doing this just because they're trying to chase me down, do you?"
Lorenz shrugs and makes an effort to comfort Sasha. "That wouldn't make much sense, really," he says. "If they were that concerned about you they just wouldn't have let you go in the first place. There must be something else about the city."
Sasha leans her head on Lorenz's shoulder. "That's true. They exiled me. I haven't broken the exile, so why would they come after me? I'm just paranoid."
"There could be many reasons," Jask says. "Perhaps there's something in the city they want. Or maybe they've been hired to assassinate someone in one of the other groups, maybe even us. Whatever the case, I'm more concerned by the revelation there's another darkness that's going on unobserved."
"Everyone wants the city," Douena grumbles. "Everyone fighting over it, like a bunch of children over a toy. I don't want anything to do with it. I wish we'd never found the inscription; I bet this whole continent would be a lot more pleasant."
Lorenz puts his arm around Sasha. "If they want something in the city then their interest in you is likely due to your relationship with us; you were on Smuggler's Shiv and have the same information as the rest of us. We're all likely just means to that end."
He looks over to Douena. "Of course everyone wants the city. It's only the biggest find that's happened out here in...ever. Honestly, what scares me is that Ieana...or whatever Ieana was...had been looking for it too."
Jask nods at Lorenz's words. "Yes, that's what scares me too. I'm sure it must be linked in some way to the darkness in Douena's dream. The Pathfinders and the Aspis Consortium and the other groups are looking for fame and riches in this city. I think we need to seek out and stop the darkness. If it weren't for that, I'd be inclined to agree with Douena that things would be better off if the city weren't found."
"Bah!" Pezock scoffs. "What point is there to stopping darkness? The Little One can make lighted rocks. Just throw a couple of those at the darkness and then it's light. Done. I want adventure!"
"The lady has chosen us as her agents of fate. I will not shy away from that. Ever forward."
Lorenz grins at Pezock. "I'm looking forward to the adventure too. There's surely plenty to be found where we're going. And all manner of beasts who must be slain!"
"Then let's get moving!" Pezock declares. He draws his sabre and holds it out high, pointing east. He then begins to march in that direction. With some coaxing, you get him to agree to wait until everyone's finished breakfast.
The sweltering heat of the day makes the journey tedious, but nonetheless, Shokambe feels you make good time, even though the rest period in the middle of the day ends up being longer than normal. The landscape remains much the same as it was yesterday, although the foothills of the mountains to the north are getting closer.
"The trail will eventually lead us through the south end of the foothills," Shokambe explains. "There'll be a lot of branches in the trail, too, each branch leading to one of the numerous mines dotting the hills. Most of the mines are dry now, so that's why you don't see many travellers on this path. There's very little to distinguish which branch goes which way. The main trail travels basically eastward, but so do many of the branches, so if you don't know where you're going it's easy to end up in the wrong place. But don't worry," he adds with a smile. "I've travelled this route many times. I know which way to go. At any rate, we won't reach that portion of the trail until tomorrow afternoon sometime."
In the afternoon, clouds begin to gather overhead and by early evening, heavy rain begins to fall, finally alleviating the heat. You unpack camp as the rain soaks everything.
Pezock paces about anxiously while the rest of you set up camp. "This is taking too long. Where's the adventure?" He turns to Shokambe. "How much longer till we get there?"
"To the city?" Shokambe responds. "A little under two months, give or take a few days."
Pezock scowls.
"We'll need to hurry if we want to be first then - it sounds like Desna is saying there are more rival groups than I was anticipating." Mahjik pauses for a moment, contemplating, then he adds, "Wise man would nurture the passing moment to remember it fondly tomorrow. We could warn other groups, but it's unlikely they'll pay much attention; or be friendly in most cases."
You settle down once again, Sasha and others going off hunting, while the rest handle camp set-up. Eventually, you settle down to sleep.
Over the next couple days, the trail takes you into hillier territory just as Shokambe said. The mountains rise up to the north of you as the trail winds up and down and around hills. It's a tiring journey, especially in the oppressive heat, but you manage it. The trail branches many times. Once in a while, Shokambe has to pause for a minute or two to examine each branch before deciding which is the correct route, but he never seems to determine incorrectly, as you never find yourselves at a dead end and each day's journey takes you farther east.
Morning dawns on the 14th. According to Shokambe, you should only have another day or so before reaching the M'neri Plains. "At that point, the route planned by the Pathfinders takes us off the trail. The main trail turns north to Freehold before turning back towards Kalabuto. The Pathfinder route will take us across the plains directly towards Kalabuto. It should save a day or so of journey time over what it would take to go through Freehold first. However, if you wish to do any resupplying in Freehold, it would not cost us much time."
"Excellent, thank you Shokambe," Mahjik nods towards the future, "do you expect trouble up anywhere?"
Lorenz looks at the choices before them and shrugs. "I don't feel any particular need for resupply. I say we continue on to Kalabuto and save the time."
Having settled into a comfortable rhythm during the last few days, Urza is in agreement with Lorenz. "Me either. Plus it would keep us from any possible entanglements that could happen to us there."
"Straight to Kalabuto it is, then," Shokambe says. "Either way, we are still a good week away at least."
"Then let's get moving!" Pezock declares.
You finish up breakfast, pack up camp and head out along the trail again. It's another day of going over and around hills, and finding the right direction each time the trail branches. Shortly before noon, as you round a bend in the trail, several of you (Douena, Makoa, Urza, Pezock, and Shokambe to be precise) notice a tuft of bushes on the hillside about 50 feet ahead. There's very clearly a figure ducked imprecisely behind them, trying to hide. The figure looks humanoid.
"Hello!" Douena calls, waving, eager for anything to break the monotony of the uneventful journey. "You're not hiding very well!"
Urza prepares to cast a spell in case their observer is hostile. "We're being watched." he says as he points to where the lurker is hiding.
Lorenz stops in midstep, raising his hand to his bow. Then he remembers Douena's preference for talking to people before killing them and reluctantly lowers his hand, wishing he were better at making himself a small target.
"I wouldn't..." Shokambe starts as Douena speaks up, but he stops as he realizes he's too late.
In the distance, the figure rises up to stare at the party. She is a tall Mwangi woman with dishevelled and matted hair. She is dressed only in thin, tattered animal skins, and she carries a nasty-looking glaive. Beside her, another figure rises up, one that had gone unnoticed by the party. It is an upright dinosaur just a little taller than the woman. It bends its neck and head to stare and hiss at the party, its tail sweeping wide behind it. The woman begins yelling at the party. After a moment, she pauses, as if waiting for a response.
Shokambe turns to the group. "How many of you speak Polyglot?" he asks. Jask, Ishirou, and Sasha raise their hands. Shokambe nods. "I will translate for..."
Before he can finish, Pezock calls out a response and Jask groans.
With a sigh, Shokambe quickly says, "She says this her territory and wishes us to leave. Your friend is telling her to get lost. Now, she is getting angry."
"Tell her we're just passing through, and don't want to take her territory from her."
"Why should I tell her that?" Pezock demands, but Jask puts a hand on his arm.
"That's enough, Pezock," he says. Pezock looks angry but backs off. Jask turns to Shokambe and says, "Let me speak to her."
Douena quickly rearranges her mind to understand what the woman is saying. "Ooh, ask her where she got her dinosaur. And show her Sasha and Alton."
Intimidated by the appearance of the strange woman and her anger, Lorenz decides to keep silent for the meantime. Dealing with a crazy insurrectionist is one thing but if Douena has taught him anything, it is to keep quiet in the presence of a woman of uncertain temperament. That this woman has a large reptile creature with teeth like knives only serves to underscore that particular token of wisdom.
Jask begins speaking to her, and after a moment, she hesitantly responds. They then begin a short conversation, calling back and forth to one another. She strokes the neck of her dinosaur, which relaxes. At one point, Jask points to Douena. He then indicates Sasha and looks about for Alton. Noticing the flappybite flying off to the south, he points just as Alton dives down (probably at prey). The woman glares, and yells something angrily at Jask. He quickly responds in an apologetic manner and her anger seems to subside a bit.
"I think we're getting through," he says to the rest of you.
"Then why are you here in such large numbers and with weapons?" the woman replies.
"The weapons are for self-defence only," Jask says. "We are merely travellers on our way eventually to Kalabuto. We need to get to the other side of the hills and cross the plains."
The woman considers for a moment. "Very well," she says, stroking the neck of the dinosaur, relaxing it. "But I will watch you until you leave."
"We understand," Jask says. He points to Douena. "My friend, Douena here is interested in your dinosaur and where you got it. Don't worry; it is simple curiosity. No one has any desire to take the dinosaur from you. My friend Sasha has a dinosaur, too." He pauses to look for Alton, noticing the flappybite. He points. "Over there."
At that moment, Alton dives down, presumably attacking prey. "You said you would not attack anything in this territory!" the woman yells angrily.
"My apologies," Jask says, "but he is a young dinosaur and not well trained yet. I will see to it that Sasha keeps him under control."
"Oh, I suppose it's all right," the woman says. "Animals must eat, after all."
Jask nods.
1d20+9
"Ask how far her territory goes," Douena whispers to Jask. "Animals have to eat, but so do we. How far will we have to travel before Makoa and Sasha and everyone can go hunting again?"
Jask nods. He carefully takes a few steps closer to the woman and calls out to her again. They have a brief conversation before Jask looks questioningly at Shokambe.
The guide shrugs and says, "Probably a mine."
Sasha leans over and says quietly to Lorenz, "Something about the entrance to the underworld."
Jask addresses the woman again and some more conversation ensues. Finally, Jask turns and addresses the party. "She says everything from here until the entrance to the underworld is her territory. Like Shokambe said, it sounds like a mine. It is four hills from here, although she's rather vague about just how far that is."
"A few hours journey, probably," Shokambe says. "We should be near the old Fzumi Salt Mine, which could be the underworld she's speaking of. There was some sort of disaster there about twenty years ago. Everyone who worked there was killed."
Mahjik staggers about in a fantastic portrayal of the walking dead. "The Fzumi Salt Mine... it doesn't sound like anything worth our while could be found there. Just the dead and those that don't realize it - as Douena described them previously."
"Did you step on a sharp rock?" Douena asks sympathetically, seeing Mahjik stumbling around in pain. "And if there are undead there, shouldn't we go put them to rest? If they were poor slaves like the crazy man back in the city said about the mines, don't they deserve to be at peace at long last? And it would keep them from being a danger to anyone else." Obviously looking for something more interesting than more days of walking with nothing happening, she turns to Pezock. "You'd like to fight some undead, wouldn't you, Pezock? Jask, ask her if she'd mind if we went into the underworld and tried to make it a safer place."
Lorenz pales a little at Sasha's whisper but he perks up at Douena's words. "That's a good point, Douena. Undead shouldn't be left to lurk in the world of the living. So long as the mines don't literally lead to the Graveyard or something like that. I'd be willing to destroy some undead."