Ahah! I recognize that one.
I don't think we ought to risk the casting of Comprehend Languages for some time yet, unless it's looking dire. If we do need to, I'll try, being a little slow never slowed me down, heh. Gallak chuckles at his little joke more out of nervousness than mirth.
A large owl with fur made of snow lands among everyone in camp.
The white owl glances around looks before speaking.
"If you wish to exchange some information, you may wish to visit my mistress' camp. It appears the dark dwarves and the Society of Secrets have decided to collaborate. I hear they have at least one thing in common, they have run across dwarves and were not happy with their meeting. As the First White Princess, I would not like to come up empty here."
Turning to Gallak, Kragg motions for him for a second before responding to the bird. Whispering quietly to him, Allies we are in need of. What do you know of this White Princess? If positive I suggest an exchange of three languages. We ask for one we know to determine the truth of their deciphering while we ask for the two we don't know. Also try to determine how many languages they haven't figured out yet. Also is there a we to summon a creature that speaks a multitude of languages that could help decipher the scrolls?
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"I ain't much help here, but I do know that we dwarves are oft penalized because we go our own way. Insist upon it. Without help. I don't like being in line for the stew pot. Make nice with the owl and the white princess. That's all the insight I have."
Kiptera doesn't speak much so her voice carries, I suspect, due to unusual participation in the conversation. She returns to tending the campsite.
Ye mean like a flamin angel? Shouldn't be hard to find, hehe.
Need to ask them about the riddle.
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Checks on white proncess...
Know local Gallak
Kragg know local
Kragg sense motive
Gallak, the cosmopolitan bard, informs you: The witches have a fuedal society with a full court of Queen, Princess, and Ladies of varying degrees of power.
The Princess is a fairly high noble title. The gnolls and witches have allied in the past. Boog-Boog and others went to the witches to get magic.
The next day the winds change by
Difficulty now at 13 (more than moderate winds).
The four loose camp sites erected allow you to visit the Society of Secrets campsite or the Witches and their gnoll confederates site.
Studying the monastery across the curious span reveals a large stone building of master construction. The monastery is approximately 150 feet high with a huge spiral tower that adds another 150 feet on top of it.
Another monk comes to visit you dressed in white robes with gold braid. He is wearing the insignia of the multinational society of light headed by the White Wizard. You recall this society is dedicated to spreading good throughout the world, mostly through enlightenment and knowledge.
He informs you that the challenges were developed to ensure that the worthy had access to the ships of power. He also informs you, that the elves already have two ships. "We can see that the Society of Secrets will use the ships to preserve the status quo. This alliance with the duergar, which has been going on for some time, has many of us worried. Duergar are not typically seafaring. The witches are quite adept at ocean vessels. Do you have any training with ships?"
Wind change by -4 means an increase to the wind?
turning to the monk, No I do not have experience with ships. That being said we are quick learners and with some instruction we will be capable soon. How many ships are left and is it possible to obtain 2 like the elves did? Also I would like to know more about these elves. I have not met one and heard they are 'interesting' creatures.
Will leave the diplomacy check to Gallak though.
The monk smiles and replies: "Your reward is all in how you behave during the trials. As the elves are far away, I only hear the news from many retellings. They seem the more diplomatic group, although I hear your exploits in battle are significantly greater."
He adds: "Have you seen that joining our cause is the only way to reunite a shattered world? There is too much devotion to clans and country to allow the world to heal. You should rethink your worldview. I am sure traveling has made you less....provincial I think is the world. Why, you even have a gnoll traveling with you."
He reflects a moment. "I will communicate with our leader tonight, as the wakening of the great ships is quite an event. What shall I tell him about our offer?"
Ironic to first ask us to join you, then point at clannism and societies as the bane of peace. Know that we hold on our hearts, stony as they may be, the same hope for peace. We may not wear your sigil, friend, but we fight for your cause, and you ours.
Later, to Kragg... I'll visit the princess and her camp tonight. Should we be open with our allegiances, or keep them separate? They'll likely want to know what happened to Boog-boog, as well.
The dwarves assemble a delegation to a camp set up similar to yours. Gnolls are situated in the outer cabins. At the far corner, there is a cabin inhabited by the witches.
Four gnolls greet you at the perimeter and ask: "What is your business here?"
They escort you to a large campfire that four more gnolls and four more humans are sharing.
As you approach, one of the humans remarks:
"Welcome to the edge of the world or the armpit of the world, however you want to think about it."
The humans are wearing an insignia with a white bear. From your recent experience with mercenary companies, a color and an animal are common for mercenary company names. These must be the White Bears, a group of sellswords.
A grizzled human is puzzling over a map, while the gnolls are trying to keep warm. Two attractive human women appear with pale white hair. They carefully avoid the fire and seem quite comfortable.
"So, do you want to combine forces?"
She gestures to Gralk:
"I guess you are here to join your people. I tend to get the cosmopolitan gnolls. There are not that many."
No, Gralk's place is with the Dwarves.
Joan, knowing she is far from the leader, keeps quiet, until she lets out a snort of laughter at the witch's comment.
"Would you say they are more or less common than cosmopolitan dwarves?"
No doubt as rare as wild humans, Gallak says with a smile.
I think of no reason to split our efforts, but we would maintain the element of competition. An exchange, perhaps, of languages, would be appropriate. With your talent for academia no doubt has given you an edge here- I propose we exchange three languages.
The witch nods and looks at you while speaking deliberately: "Well, you would probably want languages you have not figured out. You would probably not take the common language, for instance."
She thinks: "Well, we will only make an exchange of languages if it gets us all the languages. Especially if it helps complete the set for another group. But as we are not teaming up to the extent the dark dwarves and those mysterious humans, I will make an overture to the dark dwarves after you have pitched the languages you will exchange."
The witch looks somewhat excited: "I am sure when it comes to a riddle, we can prevail over the competition as long as we do not grant an undue headstart. i just do not trust them to pervert the clues, as the riddles can substitute or omit a single word to make it unsolveable."
Kragg looks bemused by all of the talk of cosmopolitan dwarves and gnolls, but says very little. Previous experience had taught him to shut up at times like this. He did look to Gallak though when the talks got serious. An equal trade was a reasonable offer but if it hinged on everyone being equal he wasn't sure how that worked. It also depended on how many languages the White Princess needed. It would be possible to exchange some and sell others. They could turn a profit while doing this trip in addition to acquiring the ships. Regardless, Kragg gave a slight nod for Gallak to continue to see where this played out.
I see a lot of strange teams here, I admit. I wonder at times should not some of them fly a single banner, but alas, pride I suspect divides them.
The duergar, Society of Secrets, and the witch/gnoll group are here.
You are told the duergar and Society of Secrets are teaming up. If you recall, they seemed kind of cozy in the mines.
The witches and gnolls have worked as a single group from the beginning.
I think you are missing three languages (one of them a difficult/ancient language). Durgen was quite the linguist.
The monks of Irori seem to be charged with determining the worthiness of challengers by trial. There is a physical trial (crossing the bridge) and a mental trial (deciphering the languages and solving the riddel).
Kragg again remains silent on the matter but nods his head towards the white princess for him to continue negotiations with her. Of the three groups, the white princess seems to be the most likely to hold some of the same standards as the dwarves. That and the white princess has not tried to kill them yet which can't be said of the other two groups. If an alliance is to be made, the she is the closest they have to an ally thus far.
The white princess prepares a note for the other two camps and sends a runner to deliver the message.
"Let me see if I can clarify your position. So, you only need two languages and only will trade two languages. You do not want to develop a full partnership, only a temporary exchange although you face two competent adversaries. You do not wish to help finish what Boog-Boog has started here by getting one of the legendary vessels for his people. "
She continues: "If my exchange with the others is successful, I will trade the two languages clues you need for any other two language clues in one hour. Is that amenable?"
Compiling the clues you have now:
Scroll 1=The hobbit has brown hair.
Scroll 2=The gnome has a lizard familiar.
Scroll 3=The human drinks honey mead.
Scroll 4=The wizard with white hair lives just left of the wizard with black hair.
Scroll 5=The wizard with white hair drinks mulled wine.
Scroll 6=Unknown
Scroll 7=The wizard with gray hair is a diviner.
Scroll 8=The wizard in the center house drinks strong ale.
Scroll 9=Unknown
Scroll 10: The evoker has a neighbor with a cat familiar.
Scroll 11: The transmuter drinks well water
Scroll 12: The wizard with the raven familiar lives next to the diviner.
Scroll 13: The elf is an abjurer
Scroll 14: The dwarf lives next to the bald wizard
Scroll 15: The evoker has a neighbor who drinks apple cider. (Ancient Elothean)
Scroll 16=Who has the frog familiar? (Ancient gold dragon)
Gallak smiles at the witch, his own white skin creased charmingly in an uncommonly warm dwarven grin.
I would imagine any exchange would be worthless were it to not complete your set. Is three not sufficient? We would be more than willing to exchange more for either the promise of help later, or even simply sell them to you for a reasonable sum, assuming the first few were exchanged.
"I would say that we treat others as we are treated. If it helps, it's a wonder we haven't decided to start razing everything in our path as often as we wind up on the wrong end of pointy sticks."
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A slow and low chuckle is easily heard from the campfire, where Kiptera sits. "That cuz we are not really a force to be reck'nd with yet. We come out of our hole when disturbed, thrash around a bit in a tantrum, and usually they leave more out of annoyance not fear or respect. She is about to say more but gauging the faces around the camp, just shuts her mouth with visible effort.
After an hour and a half, the white lady visits you with four gnolls.
They are burdened down with scrolls and a table. After the table is set up.
"Let us take turns naming languages and trading. First one we need is ancient Elothean. What do you want in return?"
As the scrolls are copied at the table and messengers sent off, the final two scrolls add:
The dwarf lives in the first house
The conjurer has an owl familiar.
As the scrolls are translated, the witch retires back to her camp.
Scroll 3 was given to you translated as Durgen did.
The race is on.
A day of musing over the scrolls has revealed some clues. Kiptera thinks she is close to solving the riddle.
The monk explains there is a magic painting that you can journey to and enter one of five houses. If the wrong one is entered, it will not be pleasant.
"This is a puzzler. I'd rather do the acrobatic challenge."
Once the wind dies down a bit Kragg will be ready to go across as well.
I am certainly ready for the crossing!
*Groooooan* "Why couldnit been archery, or how to track a giant? Or what not to do with rabid wolverines?"
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Kiptera pulls out the stick she has been poking the fire with. Scratching into the dirt the clues being bandied about, crossing some off as she makes notations into another crosshatch doodle to her left. "For want of a nail, a kingdom was lost. Where is the nail that brings it all together?" The words escaping her, lost in thought, not contributing to the complaints nor concerned with speed. She'd rather be right than fast, which explains her lack of rank and reputation but does provide answers as to how she survived as long as she did. "hmmmmmmm. Sleep is good. New day brings fresh start."
She closes her eyes and pointedly ignores everyone.
The hen scratching doodles beside her?
1)Dwarf, diviner,Cat,Grey hair, Cider
2) Human, evoker, Raven, Bald, honey Mead
3) Hobbit, conjurer, owl,Brown hair, Strong Ale
4) Elf, abjurer, frog, white hair, mulled wine
5) gnome, transmuter, lizard, Black hair, well water
Durgen looks at Kiptera's doodles and nods and says, "Yes...I have come to the same conclusion as you. Well done!"
Gralk peers over Kuptera's shoulder.
Looks like scribbles to Gralk, but you know better.
He smiles a toothy grin at the female dwarf.
The wind is currently
fairly strong, but much less severe than the last two days. You would guess that the wind strength is slightly less than average for the region.
"Would a dwarf really want a cat familiar. Do cats like to live underground?"
The monks get excited as the duergar engage a group to attempt a visit to the magical painting. Near the bridge, a large painting is produced with five houses and the duergar touch the painting and venture in as they disappear and can be seen to appear in the painting.
The monks cover up the painting.
"It would be unfair to reveal where they went." the elder monk comments.
"Magnum that is true, but he lives in a house!"
After working the clues over in his head Kragg comes up with the same answers as Kiptera and Durgen do. With that being settled, Kragg looks at everyone before asking, The wind is down but the duegar went into one of the murals already. Do we follow suit if they chose correctly or do we attempt the crossing with the wind as light as it may get? I would as soon cross with the wind down as we don't know when we will get a chance again. The mural can wait till we get back from crossing. That is my opinion but would hear yours as well.
Gralk cross first!
Gallak sniffs the air.
Best cross now, give the academics some time to mull it over. Which house do we want, anyways?