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Tatiana glances over to Hangust. “I was thinking something along the same lines.”
Tatiana moves closer to the Baron and begins talking to him softly. “Milord, if we are unsuccessful in a peaceful attempt to rid the camp of the monkeys, might I suggest that we allow them to remain. Besides keeping the local help happy, the monkeys should provide an early warning if the tiger attempts another ambush on the camp.”
Despite Shonne's pessimism at the prospect, the swarm of monkeys seems to be momentarily calmed by Sparkle-Weave's words. They look at the gnome curiously, surprised that a 'big one' can speak their language.
The mass of monkeys talk over each other and seem quite disjointed to Sparkle-Weave, but their advance stops and Tatiana manages to assuage the Baron's patience, for the moment at least.
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Tatiana approaches a couple of the porters in an attempt to acquire the items necessary for preparing tea. Afterword’s, she makes herself comfortable by the fire and tries to take the Baron’s mind off the monkey problem.
"It was a wonderfully successful day. I believe Count Falroun has proven to be quite a marksman."
Tatiana looks over to the Count with a smile. "Count Falroun, could you embellish on your thoughts just before the big kill?"
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Sparkle-Weave says in common "I think they're hungry. What's the closest thing we have to some bananas?"
Sparkle-Weave’s instinct is correct and the monkeys’ attention span wavers as she goes on. But at her request for bananas, some porters and Falroun bring out a large bunch of the fruit and proffer it to the simians. The group of macaques screech happily at this, and make their way back into the woods with their treasure even as the baron grumpily waves them off.
”Bah, good riddance!” Bomande shakes his head. ”That was some nice talk gnome, but it’s a hell of a lot kinder a response than they needed to get. We saw plenty of them right alongside the charau-ka in the Gorilla Wars; a beast is a beast, no matter how cute or curious it may look.”
Still, for all his carping, the baron seems satisfied that at least the monkeys are gone now.
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" Sparkle-Weave, I hope you're around every time I need to travel the jungle!"
Settling back down after all the commotion Hangust looks toward the Baron.
"Any exciting stories from the war? I'm afraid growing up in slavery doesn't make much room for learning about world news. Why were you fighting?"
As he talks Hangust secures a cup of tea and a banana for himself.
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Resting comfortably, Tatiana seems impressed with Sparkle-Weave’s ability to negotiate a peaceful remedy with the local wildlife.
With the night growing long, the young bard stands and politely excuses herself. “Well, it would seem that today was an interestingly busy day. I am thinking tomorrow will prove to be equally trying, so I’m going to turn in for the night.”
Taking her leave, Tatiana beds down for the night.
"Out in Alkenstar, you always see plenty of action. The Mana Wastes are never calm for long." Bomande reminisces to Hangust. "But the one they titled me for was the assault in '90, when that damn Gorilla King and his men went full tilt at the city. By the time it was over, half my men were dead and I was down to my last three shells. But our flank held, and so did the city."
Bomande grows a bit somber and his voice trails off. He excuses himself politely, then goes about rustling the porters together to get ready for the day's march, yelling they've wasted enough time this morning as it is.
With camp packed, the baron and the count climb back into the howdah atop Kieta and your party continues down the trail. The hours pass as the path winds through the jungle.
Suddenly, the grass to the south of the trail rustles and you spy four small snake hatchlings writhing out from recently cracked eggs. Kieta gives a great bellow and begins to stamp about wildly, flailing in a panic. The mahout driver falls out of his seat to crash into the dirt, then stumbles into the jungle for cover. The baron and the count remain in the shaking howdah however, with Bomande struggling with the reins to control their mount.
Just as you take this in however, the porters scream as a large emperor cobra slithers from behind you towards the crowd. The porters try to drive the beast back, but their amateur attempts seem ineffective.
”Hurry” Count Falroun calls out to you as he clings to the howdah to stop himself from falling. ”Help calm Kieta before she gets out of control!”
”No!” barks Bomande through gritted teeth. ”Protect those porters, before they get themselves killed!”
Initiative
Shonne
Bennybeck
Bennybeck moves in and stabs to the cobra, but his spear seems to bounce off the beast's hard scales.
Shonne
Shonne's arrow pierces the large snake's scales. With an angered hiss, it turns from the porters and advances, lashing out at Bennybeck
for
Meanwhile, one of the cobra hatchlings moves forwards and bites at Kieta. Its fangs don't break the skin, but the elephant cowers and shakes in fear all the same.
for
Silass
Sparkle-Weave
Silass swings at the nearest hatchling, but it's tiny size lets it jsut barely slither away from the fellow reptilian's blade.
Sparkle-Weave
Sparkle-Weave's soothing words appear to calm Kieta, partially at least. The elephant still appears paralyzed in panic, but stops thrashing about wildly. With the howdah steady again, you see the Baron and the Count start to regain their balance.
Meanwhile, the second hachling also slither up to Kieta and bites at her, though Sparkle-Weave's efforts keep the mount from panicking anew.
for
Tatiana
Orin
Hangust
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Feeling uncomfortable standing between an extra-large venomous snake and a panicking elephant, Tatiana decides to move to the north side of the behemoth while drawing her 15’ braded whip. Comfortable with her new location, she begins reciting words of encouragement in an attempt to inspire the group.
It is this fate, I solemnly assure you, that I dread for you, when the time comes that you make your reckoning, and realize that there is no longer anything that can be done. May you never find yourselves, Pathfinders, in such a position! Yet in any case, it were better to die ten thousand deaths, than to do anything out of servility towards evil, or to sacrifice, any of those who speak for our cause. Let those who stand before us, lay down their arms, step into the light, or forever find themselves beyond Pharasma’s door.
As Tatiana begins singing, Hangust makes his way towards the snake, but the cobra sees through his attempts to juke it and it lashes out at the halfling, scoring a vicious blow
for
Hangust's returning strike can't pierce the cobra's hide
Shonne
Bennybeck
Orin
Blades, sticks, and arrows slide off the scaled skin of the cobra, but Orin's bite hits home and draws blood.
The cobra lashes back at Orin but misses the mark.
for
Near simultaneously, one of the viper hatchlings makes another bite at Kieta.
for
However, now that Kieta has stopped shaking, Count Falroun manages to grab his musket and take aim at the large mother cobra, while the baron readies himself to do the same.
for
Silass
Sparkle-Weave
As Silass' blade misses again, the second hatchling makes another strike at Kieta.
for
Atop the elephant, Baron Bomande takes a shot of his own at the heavily bleeding cobra.
for
The bullet hits home, and the large snake drops.
Shonne
Bennybeck
Tatiana
Orin
Hangust
As the party brings the full force of its might on the two hatchlings, Hangust manages to dice the closest serpent while Shonne skewers the other. As the two remains animals lie dead, Bennybeck looks around for any further predators or threats. But the jungle, while noisy, seems calm.
While the porters slowly slink back towards Kieta and the gear, the Baron drops down from the howdah and praises you for your efforts. "Some fine fighting work there. No hesitation. Bad luck as it was to walk right by a nest, if you help me like that when we see our prey that tiger will go down without a hitch."
"Here," Bomande digs around in a bandolier and produces two vials of liquid. He offers one to Hangust. "Let's tend to that wound."