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Sabert takes a trip to the market after leaving the VC's office along with anyone else that cares to join him. His first stop is to a wizard he knows that works for the Society, where he uses his Chronicle reports to requisition a wand of healing. Second, he finds an alchemist, where he buys a few items before heading out for dinner and a drink or 6. He finally returns to the Lodge for some sleep before meeting the rest of the party the next morning on the docks.
Venture-Captain Valsin shakes his head, "The only supplies will be what you bring with you. You'll be boarding the Sea Sylph, Captain Zaerim will be working with us for some time hopefully."
You meet Count Falroun Matsanda the next day before the Sea Sylph. He takes you aboard minutes before the ship shoves off for Jalmeray. You are introduced to Baron Bomande Rudyahm, a handsome, dark-skinned Garundi gentleman of advancing years, with a thick black mustache and graying hair at his temples. He walks with a prominent limp, and carries a finely crafted walking cane to help him amble about.
"Welcome aboard Pathfinders. Please join my son-in-law and me for dinner tonight."
The Baron and Count treat you to a lavish meal with all sorts of different fruits, vegetables, and meats. They each have questions for you, the Baron's most prominent being "Have any of you been to Jalmeray before? Wonderful land, I'm surprised more people don't go when they have the opportunity."
Count Falroun seems more intrigued by your lives as adventurers, never having been on something of that nature himself. "Please tell me of your most recent adventure! I don't get to head out all that often and my travel opportunities have been limited."
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Kelris digs into the wonderful food, once asked about their adventure he looks around the table then back to the Baron.
"Well we stopped a bunch of slavers from taking people and subjecting them to working for others against their will. Killed some interesting creatures I have never seen before."
Kelris takes a long hard drink.
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As he attends the dinner aboard the ship Sabert tries to engage the nobles, but horribly botches their titles and lineages. Finally, Count Falroun steps in, asking about the teams adventures.. a subject Sabert can talk about! Once Kelris and Aura succinctly answer, Sabert fills in the holes in their story with much more detail, excitedly waving his hands and gesturing madly. He makes a model out of the gravy boat and buns and acts out the battles with silverware and condiments. When he gets to the part about the troll hound, he jumps from his seat, lost in the story and completely forgetting his manners and surroundings. His hands are clasping his belt buckle as he talks about the ugly wound and the nice neat scar.. he stops in midsentence and peers around the room at the horrified silence covering the room with baited breath.. "Well, anyways.. umm yea. Long story short, I got healed, we dealt with the captain, and brought the ship in for her bounty.." he sits back down, face as bright as a sunburnt tomato and thoroughly embarrassed.
As the silence breaks the baron lets out a loud laugh, "Wonderful story! Reminds me of the time I was fighting Ruthazek's simian armies, but those apes used less teeth and more claw!" He goes on to tell the war story in as vivid detail as Sabert used, even pulling off his shirt to show the impressive scar running from his lower rib across his stomach to the opposite hip.
The party continues on into the night where many stories are told and drinks shared. It is not too long the next day before you arrive at Jalmeray. Your first stop in Segang is at a local hunting lodge, where Count Matsanda hires an elephant, a mahout (elephant driver), and a dozen porters. The elephant seems well past its prime, but it’s the only suitable mount available at the lodge, so Matsanda takes it.
of the jungle.
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After getting up the next morning, Sabert goes about the camp speaking to any who will listen to him, but also keeping his eyes and ears open. Later, over lunch, he relates to the others what he has found out.
"Well, that tiger is certainly out there making itself known.. there have been several other hunting parties wiped out!" he says. "And if that not enough, the locals are convinced that the monkey around here have some sort of magical powers. Not sure I believe that one, but hey, each to their own, right?"
He concludes on a more serious note though. "I also learned that despite the Society doing its best to keep things under wraps, there are several other groups actively searching the jungle for our temple. We should hurry up and get this hunt taken care of and move for the temple as quickly as we can!"
Game is scarce on the first day of the safari. The baron explains that animals are skittish this close to the hunting lodge, and the real trophies are to be found deeper in the jungle. At the end of the first day the hunting party sets up camp in a clearing atop a low rise. The night passes uneventfully.
Early in the morning, you hear a loud crash coming from the count’s tent.
Baron Rudyahm reaches the tent just ahead of you. “What the devil happened in here?” he asks as he enters. The interior of this spacious canvas tent is richly decorated with portable darkwood and silver furnishings. Torn mosquito netting hangs above the bed, and a mirror, basin, and various shaving implements lie scattered on the ground. A black leather boot lies on the floor next to the crumpled remains of a large black spider. You see Count Matsanda lying on the bed clutching his bare right foot in pain.
The count replies in a fearful voice, “Something in my boot bit me—a spider I think. I fell back onto the bed in surprise. My god, Bomande, what if it’s poisonous? I could lose the foot! You brought some antitoxin, didn’t you? Fetch it quickly!”
Unfazed, the baron replies, “Ah, bit of luck then. The spiders of Segang aren’t dangerous, not like the scorpions. It’ll probably smart for a bit, that’s all. Next time, check your damn boots!”
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Aura stops up short when she hears the Baron's voice booming through the tent door. She waits for him to leave before going in.
"Your Countship, you're never going to win your father-in-law over like that. He's a 'manly man'. You should work on being stoic and understated when dealing with him."
"Also, and this is critical, you never want to scream in the field, unless you need immediate help. It can attract too much unwanted attention. You have to remember that most of the things here want to kill you. the plants, the animals, and the insects."
Without waiting for a response, she walks out.
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"I have examined your foot. There is no poison. You're going to live. I imagine sitting up on an elephant will do wonders for you. Allow me to be clear, you do not need to stay off your foot. walking may be the best thing for it. You do need to stop screaming. It is bothersome." On his way out the door, the cleric mutters, "Sabert didn't make that much noise when his leg was chewed off. Although that sent him directly into shock. Still, he was appreciatively quite about the whole ordeal."
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Kelris just looks the man up and down as the other talk to him and leave. Kelris stays wit the man till he is ready and geared up.
"I agree with Fethril's assessment. Walking will help the blood flow and it will also show your father in law that you can take the pain, if you cannot take the pain you show him that you can and keep a straight face."
Kelris then turns and walks away.
The count nods and accepts your advice, "I will consider it. One thing before you leave, I’d really like to impress the old man today, but you see, I’m not much of a hunter,” he admits. “In fact, I’ve never really been hunting before! Is there any help or advice you can give me?”
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"The secret to a good hunt is to know what you're hunting, how it thinks and what it's wants are. All you need to do then is wait for it to indulge itself on it's wants, and attack it while it's either sating itself or it is sated. There are a great many more things that go into it, but I would reccomend patience, planning, and quiet."
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"What is your weapon of choice ser? If this Tiger is like the other big cats at home they like to ambush their prey, it will hit at someone that it thinks is alone or not ready. The Beast probably attacked yer father in law while he was out alone."
Kelris will look through the weapons they have assembled.
Count Matsanda nods while putting on his gear. "Thank you all for your advice. My favored weapon is the one least understood by those not from Alkenstar, the musket. Excellent at range and liable to explode in the face of an enemy that tries to use it."
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retcon:
Sabert is woken from his slumber by the commotion coming from Count Matsanda's tent. He grabs his gear and heads out at a run, only to find the noble complaining of a rookie mistake. "Well, my Lord.. it seems that you have learned a valuable lesson the hard way!" he exclaims. "ALWAYS check your boots, if I may be so bold. You are lucky.. it could have been much worse!" He chuckles as Fetheril begins muttering. "Well, my not screaming may have had a bit to do with being unconscious, I have to agree with you.. Rather glad that I passed out for that one!"
Advice:
Sabert thinks for a bit.. and finally bestows the best advice he can think of on the spot. "My friends here have the right of it. I would also add that knowledge of the terrain is just as important as knowledge of your prey. This goes for hunting man or animal.. the more that you can prepare the field to your advantage, the better! Choose to fight where your quarry has restricted movement or options.. while you yourself are able to maneuver for the best attacks. However, never leave them completely without options.. a cornered enemy is the most dangerous enemy of all!"
Hunt:
Sabert gladly takes the chance to ride on top of the elephant with the Baron. He entertains the "old man" with stories and songs as they move through the country to the hunting areas, then prepares his cross bow when they settle in for the hunt. From the top of the elephant, he has a great view of the surrounding forest, and easily spots his quarry! Unfortunately, as much as he has enjoyed the new experience of riding atop the elephant, he is very much not used to shooting from the top of a moving creature and his bolt disappears into the jungle, barely missing one of the porters!
Everyone joins in the safari, though only Fethril and Count Matsanda have any luck, due in most part to the help you've given him. Kelris, staying by the count's side, manages to scare a magnificent Sloth Bear out of hiding. It is wounded by the set spears of several members of the expedition and Kelris himself takes a swing at it, but it is the Count that delivers the finishing blow, the musket ball ripping through its thick hide and stopping it in its tracks. Everyone, including the Baron is incredibly impressed, leading to much backslapping and celebration.
Aura, despite moving quietly through the undergrowth, is too loud to take an antelope by surprise. It bounds out and is taken down by another member of the safari. Sabert keeps Baron Rudyahm entertained while sitting in the howdah with him. He is one of the first to spot the massive rhinoceros coming the other way along the path the elephant is taking. His shot is indeed wild, but gives the Baron enough time to line up his own shot and take the beast through the eye. The musket ball does not have the velocity to escape the skull leading to a rather clean looking kill for the Baron.
Fethril hunts with his longbow, something the porters from Alkenstar think too primitive to be effective. It is when they are talking a leopard pounces from the trees with a yowl. Fethril's arrow takes it mid-flight, the body jerking in mid-air but continuing on its path to crash against one of the men. He screams when he sees blood, but soon realizes none of it is his and that Fethril saved his life. As with Count Matsanda's kill much celebration and backslapping ensues.
On the morning of the hunt’s third day, the smell of wood smoke fills the camp as porters busy themselves tending various cooking fires. Outside the camp, the jungle is alive with the sounds of monkeys, birds, and chirping insects. The porters offer to skin, butcher, and cook the leopard for the party to eat.
A small crash and ruckus can be heard from the edge of the camp. Investigating it finds several macaques overturning containers, stealing minor trinkets, and eating unguarded food. The porters treat them reverently, offering them prayers and small bits of food and water. The Baron is much less happy with the monkey, his face flushing a dark and dangerous color. He manages to growl out, "Get rid of these pests by any means possible."
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Sabert spends his few day thoroughly enjoying himself and the company, making sure to experience all he can with this hunt. These things are, after all, the meat and potatoes of a Bards life! He is in the middle of trying to compose a new song about the hunt when the monkeys descend upon the camp. Immediately, the perceptive man notices the reverence being given to the monkeys, and he remembers the porters claiming that the monkeys are holy or some such. Looking over to Fetheril, he laughs and replies "Although entertaining, I doubt it will do much for the taste of tonights stew.. Lets see what I can do."
He feels the divine guidance as Fetherils prayers infuse his song, and he lifts his voice in a calming lullaby of a tune. Grabbing some of the spilled meat and offal littering the area, he begins offering it to the monkeys and trying to coax them back away from the camp.
The monkeys seem more curious and hungry than harmful, which is why they've been taking from unguarded food stashes while their companions cause distractions.
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Sabert stops singing as he is completely ignored. Still waving the bits of meat about, he starts trying to to coax the monkeys back out of the camp. He coos and gestures at them, leading them on with bits of the meat until he can get closer to the jungle where he tosses the meat hoping that they will follow.