|
"Yaiho say do all three. Get supply of mint tea plus have merchant owe favor for possible future use."
Arin turns to Yaiho.
"Possibly, but lets see how long the first two take us before we get ahead of ourselves."
To Murqual, "Do you have a manifest or inventory sheet for this shipment, so we can be sure the gnolls are not witholding?"
After the merchant answers, he again addresses his group. "Well, let's get down to the savanna and take care of our first task."
"Excellent! And for what it is worth, I agree with the big guy..." The translator says as Murqual claps and starts gesticulating, "It is a shame you do not wish to be an apprentice, but I'm sure we can discuss other business arrangements at another time." He gestures a few more times to his servant and the slim man retreats further into the shop, returning soon after with two heavy looking sacks, "It seems you are most qualified to deal with the gnolls first. I’ve had dealings with this tribe before. I trust that they will not shortchange me, this, after all, is not the city to be doing such things. However, they do tend to 'forget' the agreed upon price. You’ll be carrying some additional funds—I regard it as a standard tax when dealing with them—but beyond that, I expect you to convince them that they’re not getting any extra." The slim man passes you the sacks, each filled with 100 gp, and gestures for you to follow him. At the back of the ship, the slim man sets you up with a small donkey-pulled cart. Most of its contents consist of trade goods, bolts of cloth, and several casks of liquor, "My exalted master says you are to meet the gnolls at the Ruined Monastery, in the Twilight district, and that this is their payment. He looks forward to your swift return with the goods."
By night, the streets of the Twilight Gate district are mostly empty. The courtyard surrounding the Ruined Monastery, a popular tourist attraction by day, is even more deserted than the surrounding streets. Perhaps this is what made it the choice location for Murqual's gnoll "distributors," or perhaps the gnolls feel comfortable in the shadow of this former home to Lamashtu's faithful. In either case, the shadows lie thick underneath these crumbling walls.
Two gnolls are already waiting, behind them in the gloom is a small wooden crate. When they spot you approaching, one of them hisses, "Koj tsis yog cov Marqual feem ntau xa!" The other starts barking, "Dab tsi! Tsuas muaj ib tus nees luav xwb? Lawv puas xav tias pawg neeg yuav tshaib plab?" They don't seem hostile, but they are certainly recalcitrant. One steps forward and points accusingly at the cart before howling, "Cov neeg zoo dua lawv muaj ntau dua, cov linens yog npauj npog."
"What! There's only one donkey? Do they expect the tribe to starve?"
"You better have more to give, those linens are mothridden."
|
|
Yaiho easily picks up the two sacks of gold as if they weighed nothing. Carrying them outside where the donkey and cart waits, Yaiho decides to bury the sacks of gold underneath the fabric. Knowing it would be not good to raise undue interest in their group while on the way to gnolls.
Spotting the gnolls in the distant, he grasp his earthbreaker tighter and licks his lips. When they speak, he just watches them.
|
Brock follows the group along to the meeting point not so secretly hoping the gnolls do something stupid so he can test his new musket on live targets.
Arriving at the point he stands a bit back, musket in hand and not quite aimed at the two dogmen as he waits for Rook to do the translating.
"And bow wow to you too fuzzface" he mutters under his breath, looking around for unexpected guests or ambushers.
|
|
Rook steps forward and puts up a palm to slow their demands.
Rook finishes speaking Gnoll and making gestures about the goods waiting for a reply.
He nods to the others that he should have it handled .
|
Danicka is quickly lost again amid the bartering and negotiating. Eventually she gives up and takes a drinks her tea with Yaiho.
As the group reaches the ruined monastery she grips her staff nervously. She jump and squeaks at every stray sound.
Oh, my! How nerve wracking!
Stop it! STOP BEING A COWARD!
In the shadows of the ruined Lamashtan monastery, Danicka shifts nervously. Seeing the gnolls she shrinks in on herself.
My, what big teeth they have.... I wonder if they work as well as Yaiho's...
Suddenly feeling faint, Danicka fans herself.
Don't faint. Don't faint!
Around her, Rook and the gnolls growl at each other.
Beside Danicka, Prickles growls--a deep rumbling down in his throat. He stands alert and aggressive, ready to protect Danicka at any sign of danger.
The gnolls bare their teeth at Brock, obviously understanding what he said, "Peb tsis quav ntsej txog qhov txuas ntxiv tom ntej, qhov kev pom zoo no yog qhov tseem ceeb! Lwm cov neeg muaj ntau kub, tab sis koj muab cov lus xwb. Koj xav tias peb yog neeg ruam! Peb tsis fools, peb mam li qhia koj, koj yuav pom leej twg yog tus neeg ruam!" The lead gnoll hisses back at Rook, and you don't need to understand the language to know he is very upset. Suddenly both gnolls pounce forwards with spears and teeth at the ready, yapping and howling.
___
As the gnolls charge towards Rook, their squeaky cackles are cut short by a sudden *Bang!* of Brock's carbine. The bullet grazes the shoulder of the less dominant gnoll, and it spins around, snarling in pain and anger at the shooter. It starts to move towards Brock, but the more dominant of the two truculent tribesmen barks, "Cia nws tawm! Peb coj lawv tus thawj coj, thiab tus so yuav khiav tawm..." And stabs Rook in the side, the spearhead slipping through a gap in the alchemist's armour, "Peb yuav muaj cov khoom dawb rau lub sij hawm no! Qhov ntawd yuav ua rau lawv pom tus neeg ruam." At the sight of blood, the less dominant gnoll switches targets, howls, and barrels into the other side of Rook. Fortunately, his spear only scrapes against hard leather.
"We'll have the goods for free this time! That will show them who the fool is."
___
Rook slips out of reach of the snarling gnolls and their poking spears, "Cov lus loj rau ib leej twg-" When the fireball clears, the gnoll stands perfectly still, panting softly as shock overtakes his now mostly furless body, "Brourrg! Koj tuaj yeem hnov kuv? Brourrg?" His fellow tribesman yaps in concern, but before the singed gnoll can reply or act any further, Danicka strikes him in the arm, spinning the already teetering gnoll around and then to the floor.
"Brourrg! Can you hear me? Brourrg?"
___
|
|
Yaiho looks amused as the gnolls suddenly rush to attack. When he sees Danicka's attack actually drop one he shouts, "Danicka get kill!" He then looks down at the gnoll so foolish to get between him and Forrest. "You die now!"
He lifts his maul then swings it like a bat into the gnoll followed by him chomping down with his jaws.
|
|
Mildly dissappointed that he didn't get to do more to take down the gnolls, Brock still manages to snigger as Yaiho goes for his signature face ripping.
"What pathetic monsters these were, even Danicka got one. Though maybe we should save them if we can. I don't want to have to do a third favor because these things were too stupid to live."
With that he begins reloading his musket.
Arin emboldens his comrades with the blessings of the unknown, filling them with a warm glowing feeling that swells from their chests. Then Forrest springs to action. The remaining gnoll proves to be a decent dancer after all as it deftly dodges Forrest's lunge and turns his blade away with a flick of his spear. However, the gnoll is forced to turn his back on Yaiho and never even sees the massive hammer coming, *Arrp!* It is swept aside with the sickening sound of cracking bones, and is too already on the floor and too far away for Yaiho's follow up bite to strike true.
One gnoll lays unconscious, he's quite badly burnt, and most of his fur is gone, but he is alive and stable, currently murmuring softly and twitching his leg. The other looks to be in slightly more trouble, laying completely motionless, blood slowly pooling under his body.
The crate you were sent to buy sits in the dirt just behind the prone gnolls. It is made from sturdy wood with small holes drilled into the top and sides. The lid is closed and held fast with a barrel bolt, but is not locked. And as you get closer, you can swear you can hear movement from inside...
|
|
Danicka lets out a little squeal of concern as the gnoll goes flying away in a broken heap, but is grateful that Yaiho didn't get to bite the poor fellow.
As the combat comes to a close, Danicka rushes over to the dying gnolls. She mutters a few words in a strange language and places her hand upon their wounds, causing them to stabilize. Their bleeding stops and their breathing regulates.
She wipes a hand across her forehead in relief, accidentally wiping blood all over her forehead.
"Thank goodness," she replies, giving the ever vigilant Prickles and pat on the head.
Danicka waves Yaiho over.
"Yaiho? Can you carry these gnolls into that room over there?" she asks him, pointing to the ruined monastery's nearest chamber. "We can leave the goods they're owed with them in there."
She then pulls out a piece of paper and begins to write them a stern note!
Wandering over to Rook, Danicka asks meekly, "Ex-excuse me, Rook?" She blushes feebly then continues, "How do you write, 'Next time be respectful!' in gnoll?"
After composing the curt letter, she signs it 'Danicka'
---
Note in hand, Danicka pins it onto the chest of the healthiest looking gnoll, and wanders over to the cart. "Sh-sh-should we give them everything owed? Or is there a v-v-violence tax in Katapesh?" She blushes brightly. "This country's laws are so confusing... Well, they definitely don't get the gold."
Danicka urges the donkey with the cart and its contents (minus the gold) over to the building with the unconscious gnolls and tells it to stay.
|
|
Rook laughs as they go down and heads over to inspect the crate.
"Let's load up what we are here for. And leave half their payment, no gold...that is more than they deserve but our employer may want to preserve their arrangements."
When he hears the request from Danicka he wants to deny the request but she did share her spellbook with him. He takes some creative liberties in showing her what to write.
"Of course. Or at least as close as we can get in their language not that they could ever learn anything."
|
|
"Th-th-thanks Rook."
As Rook begins taking some of the goods out of the cart as a 'violence tax' Danicka tries her best to help.
---
When they load up the crate, Danicka lets out a shriek. "There's something alive in there!"
"What if... What could...?" Danicka looks very nervous about what might be inside...
Eventually she takes the lid off the crate and peeks inside.
"OH!" she exclaims loudly. "THEY'RE ADORABLE!"
Danicka reaches into the crate and pulls out a fluffy white lion cub.
"Now, now, don't scratch," she tells the baby lion as she cradles it. "You are just precious!"
Prickles growls aggressively at the fluffy lion cub.
Prickles looks VERY proud of himself.
|
|
"Huh, they are cute. Surprised they didn't end up lunch for the gnolls...they aren't good at impulse control. Our friend from the desert does not look happy though...I might just have to talk to Marqual about keeping one. We could name him Brourrg!" as she puts them back in the crate he gives it a playful growl.
|
|
"As much as I would prefer to gut the gnolls, burn the wagon, eat the donkey and keep the gold. We want to preserve our working relationship with a potentially lucrative contact. So, leave the goods" with a heavy sigh, "And return the gold."
Ignoring the adorable animals in the crate, Brock looks through his gear and muses. Eventually turning to Rook and Danicka.
"Our next task involves defeating a magic guardian. Do you two think silver or cold iron will be most useful?"
He asks, deftly juggling a cold iron and silver musket ball along his fingers.
|
|
Yaiho looks down at both of the gnolls as Danicka saves them and then ask him to drag them to the building. Yaiho shrugs, grabbing the left leg of one gnoll and the right leg of the other gnoll, he drags them to the building and leaves them there.
Yaiho temporarily thought about bashing both gnolls' heads but Danicka might here it, so rejoins the group smiling. "Gnolls wake up later. Crawl back home with tail between legs."
|
|
Forrest does his best to help with the packing, keeping a wide distance between him and the upset Prickles. " It's amazing the merchant could maintain any relationship with these savages. Tell me, Rook, how did you learn Gnoll in the first place? "
He strikes up conversation with Brock afterwards. "My strategy? " He pulls out two other rapiers, one much shinier than the other. " Stick 'em with both and see which one bleeds better. "
|
|
"Back in Belkzen my intellect was what kept me alive. In my tribe, The Steel Eaters, I handled a lot of the actual selling of our siege weapons...since I was less prone to just use them on the first thing I saw like most of the tribe. Even some gnolls would trade for our...easier to use...explosives. Got tired of not understanding their yapping so I learned it over time." he shares with Forrest when he asks.
|
|
Brock nods to Forrest, "Aye" slapping his pick and morning star dangling from his belt, "I also have an accessory for every occasion. But I only get to shoot something for the first time once, might as well try for the best average."
Then, thinking, then smirking. Then angling his buckler to show off the pair of barrels built into it, "Then again, I'm not against shooting things more than once."
Spinning the two bullets in his hand he stops, holding up the silver one.
"I'll just go with shiney to start"
And proceeds to load his musket with a silver bullet.
|
|
As he finishes muttering the blessing (?) in abyssal, streaks of electricity glide up over his body and fizzle out above his white hair. More electricity erupts from his eye sockets through his glowing red eyes.
As the last gnoll drops, he re-composes himself, wondering if anybody noticed. He begins to approach the gnoll in bad condition to stabilize it with his sacred touch when he notices that Danicka already has it covered. "Ah, Miss Danicka, it looks like you've been studying some different magic techniques. Excellent!"
Oh bother, it's really getting worse...
-----------
When Danicka opens the crate, he wonders about the fate of the cubs. "I hope they are to be exotic pets for some spoiled noble child, and not to be trained as exotic creatures for some arena."
-----------
He turns to the rest of the group, "Oh, by the way. Back in the merchant's shop. The supposed assistant is actually Marqual himself. The signing between them was meaningless. I'm not sure what the point of the ruse is. Perhaps some of you picked up on this too?"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
When you return to the shop, Palhuna Murqual's 'translator' meets you outside with a surprised look on his face, "How did you manage to talk them into taking only half the agreed upon price? That has never happened before..." He looks askance at the donkey and cart, "And I'm surprised they didn't take the donkey, they are always most insistent on requiring a nice fat donkey." While you fill him in on the scuffle, he opens the crate and holds one of the cubs in his hands, "Aren't they adorable? My esteemed master's niece's birthday is imminent, and these are to be his gift to her." Cuddling the young animal in his hands, he continues, "I do believe he spoils her, but don't tell him I said that..."
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Eeek!" Danicka shrieks as lightning crackles over Arin. Hurrying over to his side she begins to ask "Arin! Are you o--"
Noticing his ominous glowing eyes her own eyes widen. "--kay?" she squeaks nervously.
As he compliments her magic, she blushes and smiles shyly. "I have." she admits, temporarily forgetting how terrifying he looked a moment ago.
---
"He was Marqual?" Danicka confirms. "I... I didn't notice. How odd."
---
"They're beautiful cubs, sir." Danicka replies with a fond smile. "Your master's niece is a lucky girl."
|
|
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Forrest notices Arin's eyes and shrugs. First two companions with those newfangled "guns", then a cannibal rage-warrior, a wizard who doesn't know how to cast Magic Missile right, and a guy who carries bombs around for fun. I guess she fits right in. He attempts to walk next to Arin on the trip back. "So, that sure is a scary language you speak when we fought. That like a mental condition or something? I once had an aunt who, after falling off a ladder, could only speak Tien. I didn't even know she knew Tien! "
---
Forrest bows to the assistant, now that he knows how things actually are. "Funny, buying wild cats from wild dogs. I suppose the cats are less likely to start a sudden but inevitable battle, though. " He shakes his head. "So, where was this warehouse? "
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"You are full of surprises, little gnome! Arin, was it? You've got some power in you from the looks of it...embrace it. If the gnolls weren't stupid they might have actually been scared." Rook says quietly to Arin when he approaches the gnolls and claps him on the back.
---
"That annoying whelp was Marqual?! RAH, if he doesn't hold up his end of the bargain that shop will be a crater." he growls livid that he didn't see through the ruse.
No. I can't just blow everything up. That is what makes me different than the orcs I left behind. We'll see how this works out.
---
"Yeah, well make sure the next group that meets them knows what they are walking into. Those gnolls are dumb enough to want revenge but I'd be glad to show them how wrong they are." he smirks and shows him one of the bombs he used toying with it.
He pauses and pets the lion cub making a little growl at it.
"If YOUR niece gets tired of them...let me know. Prickles there is fond of them!"
He squats down and pets Prickles or at least tries while addressing the group.
"So what next?"
|
|
"Eeek!" Danicka shrieks as lightning crackles over Arin. Hurrying over to his side she begins to ask "Arin! Are you o--"
Noticing his ominous glowing eyes her own eyes widen. "--kay?" she squeaks nervously.
As it fades away he tries to avoid really getting into it, as the latest symptoms are new to him too. He softly replies, "I'm fine, Dancika. Just side effects of not knowing who your choosing dieties are." and moves on.
------------
Forrest notices Arin's eyes and shrugs. First two companions with those newfangled "guns", then a cannibal rage-warrior, a wizard who doesn't know how to cast Magic Missile right, and a guy who carries bombs around for fun. I guess she fits right in. He attempts to walk next to Arin on the trip back. "So, that sure is a scary language you speak when we fought. That like a mental condition or something? I once had an aunt who, after falling off a ladder, could only speak Tien. I didn't even know she knew Tien! " .
"It's just abyssal. Actually I believe Rook knows it as well. Mental condition? Kind of... more of a divine condition that can effect me physically and mentally. To be honest I thought I had a hold on who my mysterious benefactors probably were. I assumed Sarenrae or the like, given how my mysterious blessings emphasize healing and life. Now, I'm not so sure. I hope your aunt's condition is simpler than my curse!"
"You are full of surprises, little gnome! Arin, was it? You've got some power in you from the looks of it...embrace it."
"I would like to embrace it, but it's a little unsettling not knowing the source, and so not knowing who or what I'm really embracing."
------------
"So what next?"
"I suppose finding a place to dispose of this guardian of a cursed mask?"
He turns to Marqual. "If we could kindly have it now we can proceed quickly with the next task."
As Rook reaches out a hand to pat Prickles, he growls ferociously.
|
|
"Oh! I'm sorry R-r-rook!" Danicka stutters in embarrassment. "He's still learning who's a danger to me and who isn't."
Turning to Prickles, Danicka meekly begs him, "Be nice to Rook, Prickles. Please?"
Blushing brightly she whispers to the dog, "Well at least don't eat him, okay?"
She smiles in embarrassment at Rook. "He's really quite sweet..."
Prickles continues to growl like a vicious beast.
Murqual picks up on Danicka's intonation, and sighs theatrically when Rook makes it obvious that you have seen through his ruse, "She deserves it though, my niece, she brings such joy to all our lives." He speaks proudly of his niece, but seems nonplussed when he realises how the meeting with the gnolls went down; he is happy to receive the shipment for half the price, but annoyed that he may need to find a new gnoll tribe to work with in the future, "But then again, maybe it will teach them to stick to the agreed upon price in the future, who knows? At any rate, since you are so eager to help me with my mask problem, please follow me." He leads you back inside and promptly dismisses the obese man who was still sitting comfortably on the sofa, then invites you to sit and enjoy some more tea while he heads around back to retrieve the items you'll need. The slim man returns a little while later and gives you a crimson-and-white lacquer mask, plus a scroll containing its command word 'chalifan', "Try not to practice the pronunciation until you are ready to call forth the guardian." Marqual says with a wink, as if the whole translator business never happened, "Now, I'm not entirely sure what kind of guardian the mask has, but it has the stink of Abaddon about it. Given the origins of the mask, I believe it's a creature called a div. They are difficult to hurt unless you have a holy weapon, or one of cold iron." He smiles and gestures towards a section of his shop with several weapons, "As it happens, I do have some cold iron weapons in my shop. Available for purchase, of course."
_______
Murqual's directions lead to a rickety iron ladder in an alleyway that climbs the side of a long, low warehouse. The roof is canted at a slight enough angle that it might as well be flat. Several other rooftops are adjacent, at more or less equal height, forming an L-shaped superstructure.