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"Or how about we let him overhear that we work for the Apspis and are trying to get the desert tribes to band together to attack his town. Something that will distract him from us. We'll still have to get a different boat back, or make a lot of changes to this one and wear disguises. That way we at least distract them from us and our real mission. A bit of a worry that others know of and are looking for the braid though."
Sun Cheyeng seems completely clueless about the storm that hit a nearby town. "There was bad weather a while back... what's that have to do with...?"
Bulgo then pulls the rest of the team to the back of the boat for a quick conference out of hearing of the captives.
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"Or how about we let him overhear that we work for the Apspis and are trying to get the desert tribes to band together to attack his town. Something that will distract him from us. We'll still have to get a different boat back, or make a lot of changes to this one and wear disguises. That way we at least distract them from us and our real mission. A bit of a worry that others know of and are looking for the braid though."
"Attempt to be an Aspis? They had attempted to gauge my interests, but I felt the Society had more success. I could act as the man who attempts to gain my favor when leaving home." he states as he straightens himself up, before hunching back down as the pain of his leg shoots through him.
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"I hear Aspis are bullies. We want him to be thinking more about an attack from land and having his people able to flee by boat, than interrupting river travel. Ideally we want that chain left down so we can sail up the river without pulling in. If they were expecting a night attack from desert bandits that might do the trick."
Bulgo ponders for a moment.
"Okay, we let them overhear us talking about a Silver Agent, and the word Aspis. That will hopefully send them in the wrong direction about who we work for. We also discuss a night attack and the troubles we had with getting the desert bandits to agree on a time. Somehow we need to then let them escape. "
Bulgo looks out the porthole.
Are we still in the river, or going along the edge of the lake, or something else?
"Maybe we just tell them not to mess with The Aspis Consortium again and that we won't be feeding them and put them ashore with a reminder that they owe us for their lives and expect to have the favor repaid in the future."
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Theron looks with a questioning frown at Negi's words.
"...Where did you say you were from?"
"Carpeden, Andoran, why do you ask?" Negi said. "All I'm saying is that he gives his word not to harass us on the way back, and if he goes back on that, we make sure to kill him in the ensuing fight." He paused to scratch his chin. "Had that same thing happen to us in that slaver incident in Absalom. Bastard found out the hard way that you never lie to a Gnome Paladin!"
...
"While I'm all for pinning the blame on the Aspis," Negi mused, "I worry about putting a bigger target on our backs. They just might send somebody else after us to find out what we know."
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"At the moment, Sun doesn't know anything about us, so we are no larger target than any other boat. Pity we couldn't resolve the situation peacefully on the shore. "
Taking matters into his own hands Bulgo approaches Sun and the guards.
"If you had been less keen to cross blades with the Aspis consortium you wouldn't find yourself in this difficult situation. I have no desire to feed you on our trip, so I'm left with the choices of feeling the eels.."
Here he pauses for a moment.
"Or putting you on the shore. If I put you on the shore line then would you agree that you owe me your life?"
He looks hard at the three men, but mostly at the officious official.
"Think about your answer for a moment.."
He retreats towards the back and speaks just slightly too loudly as if he is trying to convince his allies not to kill them.
"I don't want their blood on my hands. The desert tribes will be wiping their poxy town from the face of the planet in a few days anyway. I say we just let them go without their weapons."
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S'arkee shakes his head.
"Look, we are arguing in circles. Killing them may cause us problems if we were to run across a legitimate checkpoint, but releasing them won't help us either as they may get more men to start another fight. I like the idea of fooling them into thinking we will come back from another direction." he states, going over their options.
"We didn't know you're with the Consortium!" you hear Sun Cheyeng's panicky voice announce from the room next to yours.
"We were told there people with an item we wanted, people from the Pathfinder Society! Your dreaded enemies! We would never wish the Aspis Consortium any harm!"
"You can let us go," he says, panic changing to desperation. "We'll never bother you again!"
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Bulgo stalks back.
"Evesdropping?"
His eyes are stern.
"I will be returning in some days. Keep a watch out for this ship. I don't want to have to put in again to get that chain lowered. Am I clear?"
Heading back to the others he nods to the side of the ship. "Untie them one at a time and let them climb down to the river an go ashore."
Sun Cheyeng nods quickly. "Agreed! Yes, that's good!"
You set Sun Cheyeng and his guards free. They then hurry off, most likely to inform their superiors about the desert tribes. The next day, you continue toward the Sea of Eels. You estimate it'll take you nine more days to reach it from where you currently are.
------
During the fourth day after the encounter with Sun Cheyeng you arrive at a narrow sandstone canyon. The canyon is 30 feet wide on average, with cliffs that are 30 feet high on either side. The sickening stench of death and decay wafts out of this narrow sandstone canyon. Half-eaten fish and bloody humanoid bones litter swaths of the shore, attracting clouds of buzzing black flies. Banyan trees grow along the top of the ridge, partially concealing with their thick, leathery roots the network of holes and tunnels that riddle the face of either cliff.
Because the terrain of the river has become much rougher and more difficult to predict, mishaps in steering your vessel will be more dangerous.
As you float through the canyon, a few dozen red-haired, goblin-like creatures emerge from the caverns on the northern cliff face and jabber at the party. "Waxa aad halkan ku samaynayaan? Maxaad samayn?"
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S'arkee smirks as he steps foward.
"Please, let me speak with them." he states as he looks over them and decides to be careful in this talk.
"Gnnamatac aai lakk nip nono gaaasst hhhee ggnoook tok." he states back in their language, hoping that take his word.
"Not worry. We just passing through and mean no harm. We only seek passage."
While the bulk of the hairy goblinoids remain in their caves, two of them drop onto the deck of the boat.
"Waxaan ula jeeddaan waxyeelo!" one of them replies to S'arkee, then cackles.
Round 1:
Theron
Bulgo
Red
Blue
S'arkee
Negi
Rolan
Theron shoots an arrow in the knee of the nearest gremlin impostor.
The other opponent reacts to S'arkee's warning by sticking out his tongue. "Bleeeh!"
Bulgo steps out of the cabin and sticks a knife in the back of the goblinoid that was sticking out his tongue, disabling him. The goblinoid yelps and wobbles on his feet, then counterattacks with his spear.
The spear hits Bulgo in his side. The goblinoid then wobbles a bit more and passes out.
The other goblinoid tries to stab Theron's roc, but misses. He clenches his teeth when he sees his partner's down, but looks determined to fight on.
Round 1:
~
S'arkee
Negi
Rolan
Round 2:
Theron
Bulgo 20/24HP
Blue -3HP
S'arkee
Negi
Rolan
Negi doesn't want to get in the way and signals Jon to attack the last enemy, but Jon only succeeds in biting the air in front of him.
S'arkee uses his powers to hurt the goblinoid's brain and see some of its memories. He sees images of how the red-haired goblinoids use both nets and spears to catch fish.
Rolan wants to pull out his blade and move toward the enemy attack when he realizes he has to continue steering the ship.
Despite the short distraction, Rolan steers the ship just fine and ensures the safety of everyone aboard.
Theron spooks the enemy with his sudden yells, and his roc rips the goblinoid's stomach open.
Bulgo then steps up to the enemy and stabs him in his back, taking the enemy out while announcing that the enemy should stay off his boat.
The spectating goblinoids grow fearful once they see Negi draw his bow. When Bulgo's yells reaches them they immediately retreat into their caverns.
Theron's roc safely retrieves the campfire bead Bulgo spotted. You then toss the goblinoids overboard and continue your journey.
Half a day later the scent of rich earth permeates the air as the canyon narrows into a small gully barely wide enough to let the ship through, muddy cliffs bordering each side. The river lulls here, and mud from the overhangs of the walls drips onto the deck as the boat slowly makes its way toward a channel leading to the northeast.
As the mud falls from the face of the cliffs onto the boat's deck, a giant leech also ends up on the boat.
Round 1:
Negi
Rolan
S'arkee
Theron
Giant leech
Bulgo