Gobi joins in, helping as much as possible.
Baldrech feels uncomfortable with his role in the ritual -- perhaps with arcane magic itself? He watches the scene quietly, completely paralyzed...
Anarak can't make much sense of what Vel is doing and, still embarrassed from his earlier outburst, doesn't try to help out. Instead, he stands guard and tries to look imposing while keeping an eye out for anything untoward. He focuses mainly on the fish-people, not completely convinced they are friendly.
Under the awed and intrigued eyes of the others, Vel completes her ritual. The fish man steps towards her. He speaks slowly and carefully.
Vel
"Can you understand me now? It seems you mean us no harm. My family and I wish to leave this place. It is no longer safe for us."
He looks with enormous interest at Vel's collection of alchemical reagents and flaps his gills awkwardly.
Vel
"Would you be prepared to barter with me? Knowledge for knowledge?"
"Can you understand me now? It seems you mean us no harm. My family and I wish to leave this place. It is no longer safe for us."
Vel smiles and nods, saying, "Yes." She gestures at the fish man, then at the ocean, and does her best to mime swimming motions, then puts on a questioning expression.
He looks with enormous interest at Vel's collection of alchemical reagents and flaps his gills awkwardly.
"Would you be prepared to barter with me? Knowledge for knowledge?"
Vel nods and smiles again. She gestures at the remains of the ritual and makes another questioning gesture.
Vel can now understand Primordial for the next 24 hours. I will assume that she will relay her conversation with the fish man to the others.
Diplomacy (1d20=20)
The fish man follows Vel's gestures with some difficulty.
Vel
"If you will teach me this magic, we can converse like civilised beings. Your companion with the beard is similar to some of the new ones here. Similar but different. The scaley man is almost familiar too, but again different. I have lived here many years with my family, but the stones will no longer protect us. The magic you used would help us to find a new home. May we engage in honourable barter?"
Vel smiles and nods again (more smiles than the rest have seen out of her to date).
She sits down beside the silk square again and gestures to the fish man, indicating he should sit on the other side.
She begins the ritual again, this time carefully sorting out exactly how much of each ingredient the ritual calls for and clearly indicating them. If the fish man allows, she will move his (hand?) to select the ingredients as needed.
The fish man proves surprisingly deft at following Vel's instructions. Once he realises that Vel is trying to teach him, he calls to his companions.
Vel
"Come out. You need to write this down so we keep the knowledge. Use the old book youngling found."
The smaller fish people emerge from the water. One of them is carrying an extremely battered book. She dutifully notes down the process as Vel takes the fish man through the ritual.
Vel
"This will take time I think. Let us prepare fire and food for you. It will be a small token of comrade-ship."
The remaining fish people start to build a fire and produce various cooking implements. The young one dives below the waves and surfaces with an assortment of shellfish, which are coated in herbs and fried. Soon delicious smells waft over the beach. The family gestures to you all to join them and eat.
Realizing that the ritual and first encounter with the fish people could take some time, and that the strange beings pose no threat, the restless shifter decides to occupy himself with other tasks. "While you're busy making friends with the locals, I'll scout ahead up the trail..."
Baldrech slides easily between the trees and notices that the path seems completely un-used. There are no fresh tracks of any kind coming up or down from the beach apart from a few old marks. Close inspection suggests that they were made by the fish folk and not recently either.
Baldrech
Kia eagerly joins in the feast and make 'mmmmm this is delicious' gestures.
"Where has Baldrech gone?" She finally asks.
Whiteclaw also joins in the meal, sitting by the fire. "Oh, I he went down the trail. I'm sure he'll be fine."
Vel focuses on the tutoring while the others prepare to eat.
After inspecting the trail for a half hour or so, Baldrech returns in mid-feast. He raises an eyebrow, surprised to find this kind of camaraderie developing between his companions and the fish people. He sniffs at the air, clearly suspicious of the food that has been laid out by the strange creatures. "Vel, Kia, have you learned much during the time was away? The trail goes up for a ways, but no one has travelled upon it recently... As a matter of fact, the only tracks I did notice seem to have been made by these fish folk... so it's safe to guess that they may know what we may stumble across inland... But what exactly are these fish folk, anyway?"
Not that Anarak really intends to communicate via sign language, but here's my check just in case:
Diplomacy: 1d20+1 = 17
Anarak looks on with curiosity as Vel sits down with the fish-man. Once he realizes they'll be occupied for awhile, he returns to add the finishing touches to his skiff camouflage, walks up to the gnoll.
"Baldrech went to scout? If these fish-folk are friendly, we should find out what happened to the other boat, and whoever arrived on it. And if our boat will be safe. We could leave someone to guard it, but I think we're all eager to explore the island..."
After inspecting the trail for a half hour or so, Baldrech returns in mid-feast. He raises an eyebrow, surprised to find this kind of camaraderie developing between his companions and the fish people. He sniffs at the air, clearly suspicious of the food that has been laid out by the strange creatures. "Vel, Kia, have you learned much during the time was away? The trail goes up for a ways, but no one has travelled upon it recently... As a matter of fact, the only tracks I did notice seem to have been made by these fish folk... so it's safe to guess that they may know what we may stumble across inland... But what exactly are these fish folk, anyway?"
Although he's been trying to atone for his outburst by sitting by the fire and nodding to the fish-folk whenever he catches their gaze, he's growing quite bored of this conversation he can't understand. He uses Baldrech's return as an excuse to get up.
"No tracks? I suppose that's a good sign. Are there any other access points to the beach? Also, I wonder how long that wrecked boat has been here..."
With an expression that might be approval of Anarak's suggestions, Baldrech moves swiftly up the beach looking for other access points. Finally he returns to the longboat and looks at it for a long time before re-joining the picnic party.
Baldrech's rolls - nature/perception: beach access and wrecked longboat - (1d20 7=25, 1d20 7=20)
He can see no other way onto the beach apart from the route you've just taken through the reefs.
The wrecked longboat has been there at least 15 years and to his experienced eye the modifications have been made more recently by the fish people. Nothing about the wreck suggests that anything other than natural bad luck, the reefs or dangerous currents caused it to crash.
Vel concludes her tutoring. From the ease with which the fish man understands the ritual, she feels sure he has some familiarity with the principles of spellcasting. They can now communicate easily and the atmosphere around the fire has grown more convivial.
Vel
"I thank you for this gift. My name is Matsendra and we are, I think part of a race called the Locathath. My father was a sea-guide for our people and he came to this island before I was spawned.
That was an accident, but he was a seeker of knowledge and curious. The stones on the hill fascinated him and so we stayed."
Matsendra pauses and looks at Anarak and Baldrech examining the beach and the longboat.
"This longboat sank years ago. We tried to rescue the survivors, but they feared us and we could not save them. The boat is shelter of a sort, nothing more."
"Matsendra, I am called Vel." Vel does not introduce the rest. "We cam here to examine the stones. What have you learned about them?"
Kia listens to the conversation.
"Don't forget to ask them about the strange beings that look like Gobi, and why they are so frightening."
"Don't forget to ask them about the strange beings that look like Gobi, and why they are so frightening."
"He understands you."
"Matsendra, I am called Vel." Vel does not introduce the rest. "We cam here to examine the stones. What have you learned about them?"
Vel
"There are six stones. They're very ancient, carved with the wisdom of the old gods. This one,"
Matsendra points at Gobi
"this one is like the strangers. They are grey and have fearsome beards, fiery eyes and no kindness in their souls. They and the small scaley creatures are making mischief here.
It was in my father's mind that the stones should be protected and kept from the eyes of all but the learned. I have tried to follow his path, but the strangers came last year. Nobody knows how. It was not by boat - we would have seen and known. But one day they arrived ..."
"They arrived? They just appeared out of nowhere?" Gobi says "Would have to be some magic to get a lot of them in at once, if that'd even be possible."
Matsendra shakes his head at Gobi.
Vel
"We don't know. They arrived overnight. Long ago, there was a copper mine on this island. We have never explored it, but perhaps they came from there.
Something has been disturbed. The old barrows have woken as well. I will not go near them. Believe me when I say the stones have power. They should not be tampered with.
I do not know your purpose in coming here, but I hope that you respect the stones. I wanted to speak to you before we left to warn you. You will not be alone here. I think the mines are occupied again and the barrows are dangerous. Avoid the barrows if you can."
Matsendra shakes his head at Gobi.
"We don't know. They arrived overnight. Long ago, there was a copper mine on this island. We have never explored it, but perhaps they came from there.
Something has been disturbed. The old barrows have woken as well. I will not go near them. Believe me when I say the stones have power. They should not be tampered with.
I do not know your purpose in coming here, but I hope that you respect the stones. I wanted to speak to you before we left to warn you. You will not be alone here. I think the mines are occupied again and the barrows are dangerous. Avoid the barrows if you can."
"We wish only to study the stones. We will not move or damage them.
"Could you draw a map for us, to help us find the stones and avoid the barrows?"
Matsendra thinks for a moment, smooths a patch of sand and draws the following for you.
All
Whiteclaw listens to the translations from Vel, and doesn't add anything to the discussion for a while. When she does it's short and to the point. "We should get to the stones, get what we need, and get out as fast as we can. Worry about these mines and barrows another day."
Matsendra's gills widen with curiosity as the gnoll speaks.
Vel
"This is very good sense. Forgive me, but what type of creature are you?"
Matsendra's gills widen with curiosity as the gnoll speaks.
Vel translates the question.
Matsendra's gills widen with curiosity as the gnoll speaks.Vel translates the question.
Kia considers and, for a moment, looks as if she is going to opt to explore everywhere. Then she looks around, taking the fish men in:
"Well, we're only being paid to looks at the stones, so I guess that's what we should do. Are the beings you described near the stones? Can we get there without alerting them?"
Kia considers and, for a moment, looks as if she is going to opt to explore everywhere. Then she looks around, taking the fish men in:
"Well, we're only being paid to looks at the stones, so I guess that's what we should do. Are the beings you described near the stones? Can we get there without alerting them?"
Matsendra flickers his fins uneasily.
Vel
"I do not know. I have felt anger in the stones since the strangers came and will not visit them. You should be careful approaching them, they stand on a hilltop - if anyone is there they will see you approach."
"I am a gnoll." Whiteclaw says, wondering how that can be translated into whatever language the fishmen speak.
Matsendra seems to be processing this information. Finally he shrugs.
Vel
"You are strange to me, but no doubt I and my family are strange to you."
Something makes him look inland and his fins flutter in alarm.
Vel
"Your gift to us is beyond price. Trust that we will use it well. Allow us to give you a gift before we leave."
He turns to one of the smaller fish folk.
Vel
"Bring the old flask and the blue stone. These people will know how to use them. We must leave now. May your spawning be fruitful and your catch great. May the tides guide you to your rightful destiny."
A small bag is brought from the longboat wreck and handed reverently to Vel. Then the fish folk turn, dive gracefully into the water and are seen no more.
Something makes him look inland and his fins flutter in alarm.
A small bag is brought from the longboat wreck and handed reverently to Vel. Then the fish folk turn, dive gracefully into the water and are seen no more.
Vel accepts the bag graciously, then turns to where the locathah had been looking.
Whiteclaw listens to the translations from Vel, and doesn't add anything to the discussion for a while. When she does it's short and to the point. "We should get to the stones, get what we need, and get out as fast as we can. Worry about these mines and barrows another day."
"Agreed," Anarak nods. He looks briefly at the sand-drawn map until he determines the path to the stones. Once the locathah take their leave, he begins to put out and cover the fire with sand. "Shall we be off then?"
Allowing Baldrech some time to take up a scouting position ahead, if he so chooses, Anarak sets off down the path, weapon drawn. He'll briefly stop every 30 paces or so to glance into the forest and listen for movement.
"Well, that went well, I think. We should prepare for a fight though, given what the fish man said and did. What did he give you Vel? Do you know?"
She looks where the Locathah pointed.
Perception - what frightened the fish man? (1d20 1=15)
She will go with the party towards the stones, if that is where they are going.
Whiteclaw rises too, checking her weapons, just in case, and when we do head out, she'll slip in as the rear guard.
Gobi is still relaxing by the fire when he catches notice the fishman's sudden urge to leave and grabs for his weapon clumsily while looking back inland.
Baldrech moves cautiously up the trail to the point that he's just within sight of the group. The path winds further inland, but his visibility is severely limited.
Sighing to himself, the brusque shifter climbs a tree and from this vantage point can just see that a further 30 squares will bring the party out into the open. As he waits in silence, he can hear something. A faint creaking noise and some voices. While he can't understand what they're saying, he does get a sense of urgency from them.
He gestures to the group to join him on the trail as quickly and quietly as possible.
All
Vel stows the pouch for the moment and follows up the trail.
Anarak recognizes the urgency in Baldrech's gestures and hurries to join him on the trail ahead. In his haste, his great axe accidentally knocks against a nearby boulder, making a loud noise and negating any attempts at stealth.
Baldrech waits for the rest of the group to catch him up and moves deftly further up the trail, effortlessly avoiding twigs and branches, a mere silent shadow. Stealth check (1d20 7=24)
He raises a cynical eyebrow at Anarak's attempts at stealth, but makes no comment.
Muttering under her breath: "Try to be a little quiet please" as she daintily tippy-toes along the path.
Gobi stands in the front trying to move along as stealthy as he can.
Despite Anarak and Vel's best efforts to attract attention, the party continues cautiously up the trail without interruption.
The tangle of trees in front of you and the brambles snagging at your legs make this difficult terrain and you make slow progress.
At the head of the group, Baldrech gestures to you all to halt.
"There's a clearing up ahead." he whispers.
Now you can all hear creaking sounds and voices. They're speaking in common, but with a heavy accent as if this is not their natural tongue.
"Get a move on. Can't this beast haul any faster?"
"You want faster, you pull beast."
All
Seeing Baldrech's signal, Anarak immediately stops in his tracks and motions to the others behind him. Staying as quiet and still as possible, he scans the forest around him, wary of a possible ambush. He also tries to listen in on the conversation ahead.
He'll continue this action until he spots or hears something, or Baldrech provides further information.