As they travel, Beachhead comes out of hiding to talk to the other heads.
"Sooooo... I've got kind of a bad feeling about this whole 'knighting' thing. I don't think the humans are taking us very seriously. I mean, aside from food, have they actually given us anything tangible? We've asked for armor, magic things, a paper outlining our contract... I don't even have a strip of cloth with eyeholes cut out!
"I'm beginning to suspect that they are using us to do the dirty work, but they have no intention of giving us anything real. Being knighted is supposed to mean something, right? And the queen didn't even say anything about it. No commendation, no statements about duty, or anything like that. Just a general sort of, 'I'll tap a sword on your shoulders and maybe we'll actually give you something that costs us something, someday.'
"My ninja sense says we're being played."
In all the long years, have you ever heard a single tale of a knight going back on their word? Of destroying their honor?
Do you really think Torlgrith is messing with us?
"Actually, no I don't. I think he's sufficiently afraid of us. I think that his leaders -- the people he's sworn to serve and obey -- are messing with us."
Grash snorted. "Well, I dinnae know much about all that. I have nae even asked fer anythin' yet, and I dinnae need much. I be fine just havin' regular tips for where ter go fer good fights. Maybe look inter getting a drum. But canne blame them fer not havin' what have nae been asked fer."
"I'm not really into possessions either...I'm just here to see new places and make more friends." Ziphora shrugs.
"It's not that we don't have 'possessions,'" Beachhead says, getting frustrated. "It's that they are promising us things with no intention of giving them to us.
"I know at least some of us care about whether or not we're respected. More than that, if they don't respect us, they will think that they can betray us when they think they don't need us, anymore."
"So what Beachhead is saying is that I should use my magic on our "friend" to get him to reveal to us what is really happening! Right, that's what you're saying right Beach?" Entycer asks all the while watching her new little minion lead them along.
"They have a memory of a goldfish? Or maybe there was a supply bottleneck. But yes, that's a good point. I'm sure if we ask him he'll have an explanation for it. " Ziphora answers. "Also don't forget who fixed your blue funk, besides didn't Tom get a fancy hat out of them?"
To Entycer: "If you think that will work."
To Ziphora: "Fair point. But that directly benefited them because we were able to complete their tasks, better. Plus, I've seen heads cast spells, before. The spells come back the next day. That human curing our funk didn't really cost them anything.
But I did forget about Tom's armor and shield, I guess. Still, I'm suspicious. I would feel better if the rest of you were, too."
"I'm suspicious of anyone who is my friend without magic!
Well, except you guys of course. I mean, we're family, it's different".
Right, it's different, between us we couldn't be enemies, because we're in too close proximity.
Grash snorted a bit. "Magic be fine for some things, but it dinnae be reliable enough fer me. Spells wear off or can be resisted, but a good solid roar will seldom let ye down."
You rest the night, keeping careful watch over your new 'friend' (I'm imagining this consists of him having to sleep with several heads around him). In the morning your stomach is rumbling for another meal, but before you do anything about that your first lizardfolk guide asks a question.
"Do we go to my village first," she asks, "And then to fight this priest of the enemy?"
"Fight the priest of the enemy!" Ziphora declares. "Once we're done we will return to your village for the victory feast!"
I myself am a bit hungry, I'd prefer to go to the village first. No use fighting on an empty stomach.
"We will be sustained by our faith in doing what is right," Ziphora proclaims. "Or just freaking eat berries along the way," Ziphora adds huffily.
Grash dithers back and forth, torn between being hungry for food and hungry for a fight. Eventually, though, he gets an opinion. "Alright, I can agree with goin to the fight first. They be sure to be warned already, but that will just make things more exciting! And we can eat them big beasties that they be probably going to have ready to fight us with! Yes, this seems a solid plan." Grash gets more confident in his decision as he goes along, before ending up quite enthusiastic, as he remembers that fighting and eating are not mutually exclusive.
I've heard that our bodies release toxic chemicals when we get hungry. I'm above it all down there, but I'm not above the stuff that's up here, and I'm up here, so I'm not above myself.
Which means being hungry is something I want to avoid. I'd rather visit the village, it's not like there's any benefit to attacking first.
"We get to eat whatever we kill."
What if, because we're weak and famished, we can't kill anything?
"What if we're famished because we take too long to kill something?"
"I think we can all eat berries. And spinach. If it's good for sailors, it's good for us." Ziphora answers
I disagree, since it will take us even longer to kill the plants than it will to hunt animals.
"Well, since there's no animals to hunt at the lizard man village, we should go hunt he beast, first! Good thinking, Tom!"
Grash looks around. "Isn't this usually when Mo comes around with somethin' tasty? Or maybe we'll have to hunt for ourselves. Either way, I be nae sure that the friendly lizardmen will have aught fer us to eat; iffin' these other ones have been harrasin' them, they probably nae have extra food ter spare. I say we go fight things, then eat them. That be the proper order!"
Grash feels strongly about this point.
That's a fair point Grash, I suppose I can agree that we might as well go visit the monsters first.
I would like to be out of here as soon as possible.
The (friendly) lizardfolk nods. "Then I will go tell my people they do not need fear longer," she says, and departs for her village.
Mo, meanwhile, takes the hint about hunting and leaves to go throw rocks at animals.
Your lizardfolk captive grudgingly leads you onward. Mo returns after a couple of hours with most of a deer, which at least gets your stomach to stop grumbling.
Before long you reach the edge of the swamp. Well, 'edge' is perhaps too strong a word. It would be more accurate to say you recognize the ground is getting marshier, and you can see mucky water off in the distance.
"Thanks Mo!" Ziphora thanks Mo, then starts picking up some herbs to sprinkle over the venison and starts eating it raw. "Sir Tolgrith really should have passed us some condiments."
"I'm sure he'd promise some, but then never deliver." Beachhead also eats a deer part.
He'd deliver if I asked him to, I think. That's what seems to be the case, anyway, that he listens to me more than the rest of you.
Tomorbataar eyes their captive lizardfolk carefully. Are you planning something? You should know, if you run, that I'll smash you even at my own expense. Likewise, if there's an ambush, I'll fight you before I fight our attackers, and you won't be in a position to defend yourself.
Anyone see anything in the bushes?
I don't. Better not try to run.
Entycer is hungry, again. She is brooding when hungry so says little.
Tom's suspicion is enough for Entycer to act she casts Shield upon herself. Let them throw their javelins now. She sneers mentally.
"Now friend, you would not want any harm to come to us would you?" She asks her new "pal".
Beachhead hides.
More importantly, do you value your knees?
I'd bite off his knees, but not his feet.
"Do you know something we don't?" Ziphora raises her eyebrow at the captive.
The lizardfolk shakes his head emphatically. "Not planning anything!" he insists. "I am not wanting to die!"
He turns to keep moving. "Follow, follow."
Well I can assure you, lizard man, that you'd better be much more afraid of us then you are of whatever it is you used to call master. Now tell me, is there anything in the water?
If there isn't, then Tomorbataar votes to follow.
Grash senses they must be getting closer to something. Trap, ambush, village, whatever, there's sure to be some excitment.
"Onward to battle!"
Grash votes to charge recklessly onward regardless of whether or not there is a trap.
Vote = Follow
"For our friends!" Ziphora hollers a battlecry as she zaps the entire party with electricity.
Beachhead hides faster!
You walk for a little while through increasingly marshy ground before reaching the edge of a large, murky pool. Looking across it, you can see this is the true edge of the swamp, with dry land being much more scarce than muddy water ahead.
The lizardfolk slips right into the water with one more, "Follow!" He begins swimming swiftly with strong flicks of his tail.
Mo, however, hangs back, sinking almost up to his ankles in the muddy ground. "I not good swim," he states fearfully, looking out over the clouded water.
Ziphora is happy for a dip. "It's OK Mo, you can wait for us here."
Knowing Tomorbataar would have issues, she hollers back, "Don't worry Tom, I'll clean you up when we're done. A little mud bath won't kill us, I've heard from some two leggers it's a beauty treatment!"
That's okay, I have a plan.
Tomorbataar sticks his neck up straight as an ash tree, closes his eyes, and starts to count.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5...
Still voting to follow.
The lizardfolk swims swiftly ahead of you as you wade into the water. It's not really deep enough here for you to swim yet, so your progress is rather slow. Mo waits on the shoreline as you walk forward. The water stops getting deeper about when it reaches your belly--not really deep enough here to hide anything that dangerous.
The lizardfolk doesn't seem to be accounting for your speed, and is quickly pulling ahead of you, swimming out into the murky lake ahead.
"Hey not so fast! Wait for us!" Ziphora shouts.
Ziphora votes to follow
...6, 7, 8...this is boring. Tomorbataar opens his eyes just in time to see a scratchy looking branch coming towards him. He ducks out of the way, narrowly avoiding danger. Whew, that was a close one, Tomorbataar looks down,
He quickly stuffs his head back up the air, which is still full of trees. Bewildered, Tomorbataar ducks down again, then suddenly focuses on the escaping lizardfolk. Very well, I suppose I shall be the bigger man, swamp, he says under his breath. You win this round.
Tomorbataar also votes to follow.
Grash looks back to Mo momentarily. "How about ye head back tae the humans and let them know what we be up ter? That probably be more up yer skills than swimmin, Mo."
Turning back to the lizardman, Grash eyes him narrowly. "Oi, ye be gonna try ter outpace us, ain't ye? Well, ye be welcome to do so, but be warned what that I always be up fer a good chase, ecspecially iffin' it ends if fighting. Make sure ter let yer fighty-types know we're coming! Twould be a shame to do all this without a right big brawl at the end."
"Accelerando!" Ziphora hoots as she zaps the body with electricity."Oh no you ain't gonna out swim us!" Ziphora seems to have been infected by some of Grash's competitive spirit.
Wait, hang on, I'm pretty sure the lizard just forgot that he's faster than us.
There's not going to be any unwarranted splashing...I mean...smashing, when we catch up, is there?