Depends on how you define practical I suppose...but probably me.
He glances at Mes to see how he replies
Mesdoram just sighs.
I'll deal with the nuts and bolts Rameth, you go figure out where to stash your arrack.
As Mesdoram talks to the Gurkhal and Rameth inspect the lizard, the priestess sways towards you.
My, my, who have we here?
Just a fellow who appreciates the finer things in life. he offers her his flask.
Rameth and that is Dor. You?
I, she practically purs, am Mohini. Your Quintus Blackoak has hired me to guide you in the jungle.
Her voice is a cross between something feline and human, and she smells of the jungle after a fresh rain.
Tell me Rameth, what do you seek in the jungle?
What's the story with Little Miss Sexpot over there?
She is a jungle priestess, supposedly she ministers to the villages and hunters in the wild and helps them with the wildlife. Quintus Blackoak found her however so we haven't dealt with her. She is very beautiful but was quite aloof from me and our men.
Great. You guys are Gurkhal's right? How much for a supplementary contract? Finding the expeditions is important and all but I'd like all of us to get out alive.
Mesdoram and Yaduraya get down to some serious haggling.
Find this expedition, some coin and I would love to find out more about the multi armed jungle goddess.. Rameth says bluntly as all hell
Mohini gives you a sultry smile - white teeth in red lips.
You speak of the Goddess of Beasts, yes? I can teach you...very much about her.
You can feel her fingers brush up your arm.
She seems to be the soup de jour. so I would be interested to know what is going in with her of late.
You can hear Mesdoram look at both of you and say something that sounds terrible in a series of clicks and whistles.
He's already found a slut. This is going to be a disaster.
Mohini smiles. I would be glad to teach you. Tell me, have you ever been alone in the wild?
She'll try and draw you away from the group for a quick...consult.
Many times. I also fought death literally
sm
Mohini's motives are pretty plain to you - especially when she brushes your thigh "accidentally" with her hands. Some women love their men big and ugly after all.
I suppose we have a few hours before we have to leave. I always say I need to learn more about cultures. He says as he puts is arm around her and lets her lead the way
Rameth comes back with Mohini and finds Mesdoram, Yaduraya and his men sitting and waiting for them. Once you saunter back into the grounds they stand up and begin shouting orders and directing you into the jungle.
Mohini smiles at Rameth and then moves to one of the bearer lizards, which allows her to mount up on it.
Mesdoram moves over to Rameth and shakes his head.
Get it out of your system? Because we've got to move.
After you exit Niswan and move through the fields, you come to a hard line of jungle less than 20 miles outside of the city. Mesdoram pulls out a map and looks at the available options in front of them.
What do you think? The left path or the right path?
Bah, nothing wrong with a bit of pleasure before we go off and get eaten by crocodiles or whatever is in this forest.
He takes a nip of booze, then puts it away. Alright time to work! I want to get you to teach me their language, will ya?
He points to the more challenging looking path Nothing good was ever easy. That way!
Uh, first of all you just met her - she could have some sort of disease that causes your flesh to rot. Second this is a jungle not a forest. Maybe you call it a rainforest, but the machetes they bundled tell me otherwise. Third - crocodiles? Really?
He looks at the map and the paths.
No, no there isn't that I can see. This map doesn't really have a, uh, scale. But if I'm right, one path takes us to a canyon and a fast moving river we don't have a boat for. And the other takes us to the hidden city.
Mesdoram pulls out a coin and bounces it up and down in his hand and then flips the coin in the air. It lands on a side showing the profile of a Pactmaster's mask.
OK, we're agreed, left.
He tucks the map into a pouch on his sash and you start into the jungle.
Meh alcohol kills germs, and she's a priestess, so obviously she can cure any diseases she might have. As to what this is, there are trees everywhere right? That makes it a forest, just like the presence of alcholhol makes any beverage delicious. And third, we live in a world where people can summon things from all over, would you really be shocked if a crocodile showed up? Hell we fought crocodile type things in Wati.
Rameth grumps as the humidity already starts to make him irritable.
As you travel through the jungle the sun falls and you get the uncomfortable feeling that you're being watched.
When you do come to a clearing you decide to spend the night.
Let's set camp! Who are the guards. Let's get a watch set! Mesodram lets drink!
That's Mesdoram. The "d" comes before the "o" you drunken oaf. How hard is it to remember that?
Mesdoram picks three guards, who seem remarkably friendly with him all things considered.
And I'll be on first watch too so no drinking there. You can get some sleep. He glances at Mohini as he says that.
The guards go about setting up camp.
After evening, where Mohini presumes she's sharing your tent to "teach" you more about Chamidu - particularly about indulging animalistic desires - you hear rustling in the foliage beyond the clearing.
Son of a... Rameth grunts in frustration.
If that is Meso I am going to be pissed.
Hey come on out, or I am coming in. If I come in I am coming in stabbing the crap out of you! Want to join me Mohini, perhaps we can have a different kind of fun.
He throws back his mutagen, and pulls out his spear and advances towards the sound in the foliage.
Mohini does seem to get ready for something but she takes her time.
Meanwhile you see Mesdoram and the guards killing several tigers that seem to have been attacking the camp.
The tiger that emerges is massive, and rumbles a warning as it crouches. Two saberlike fangs jut downward from its powerful jaws.
What the hells were you doing in that tent!
Thinking of you sweetheart!
Rameth studies and charges
for
The massive tiger roars in pain due to the attack, then it responds
by trying to bite you.
Rameth grunts and responds
for
fails on a 1, this is to aid the attack of anyone near by
Little help here!
Rameth says as he plunges the spear into the beasts flank
Mesdoram charges across the clearing and tries to spear the tiger on his sword.
The tiger roars and attacks again, angry at all the blood streaming down its flanks, trying to rend flesh from Mesdoram and catching a good bit of him.
Mesdoram roars in pain and hauls his sword out of the tiger.
Mesdoram spears again and is pleased at the blood.
Dammit, this thing needs to die soon because it's ruining our chance to sell its pelt! Inconsiderate monsters are the worst!
Aim for the eyes then!
Rameth slams down a curative extract, as he launches it up from his belt
then attacks
for but Rameth winds up missing wide
fails on a 1
The tiger is hurting now, panting for breath and life.
It takes another bite out of Mesdoram.
Mesdoram again spears the tiger who collapses, panting with its tongue lolling out of its mouth.
Rameth attempts to put it down again
for non lethal damage
fails on a 1 to boost Mesdoram's AC
Mesdoram looks at the tiger, whose eyes were previously burning quite brightly as it looks much more tired and Rameth realizes it was covered with wounds not caused by him or his companions.
It's covered with a few scorch marks and its claws are missing - a terrible wound on a jungle cat, even a massive one like this.
Nature
Someone calm this beast down
Mesdoram will - cautiously - approach the cat and avoid its mouth as he inspects the wounds.
The other tigers get a good once over and don't have the same wounds, but this smilodon
Good gods, what happened to this thing? It looks...well it kind of looks like it was in an arena. I've seen gladiators with fewer wounds.
As Mesdoram gets his wand out and heals his own wounds, wincing at the cost.
Mohini will approach Rameth and whisper in his ear.
You should kill this beast - it's been driven near mad by the taste of human blood. You can never trust such a beast.
Trip meanwhile will be sniffing at the poor tiger, and eventually lick its wounds with its three heads.
Trip seems to like him. Let's tie it up so we don't get devoured and heal it a bit. See if it comes to its senses.
Rameth will clean its wounds
heal
Mesdoram simply nods.
I'll spend some time with the tiger, I get along with animals just fine. Did I ever tell you about the crazy druid pirate who used to hang with a kraken?
He pulls out his own skin of arrack and takes a swig, sitting outside the tiger's reach.
Well, anyway there was this fleet and I was left stranded on a Chelish ship by myself. Normally I'd have been a little hard pressed, but then the kraken decided to take an interest in the ship and let me tell you those tentacles...
After a bit Rameth realizes Mesdoram is actually telling the tiger the story, not him.