Guldarin strolls along after Greeg.
Kagash points across the desert.
"Something is coming. I see movement."
Market
Don scowls, "If its another giant spider, worm, scorpion, or giant anything else, you can count me out." He looks towards the marked place, his knuckles rolling over the hilt of his dagger.
"Not a spider, it is too small."
Kagash's hands go to his scimitar and he leaps over the wall to investigate further, inspired by Don.
"Ah, it looks like we have a welcoming party. Funny looking chap, and coming out on his own seems a bit risky unless they're very sure we're friendly of course in which case it's not risky at all, though I have heard of cases where the person sent out to say hello is always the most formidable warrior in which case he or of course she might be rather dangerous, at the same time there are also groups who send out people they think are expendable and wait to see whether they get, well, expended. Let's not hurt him unless we have to." Guldarin waits till the welcoming party gets nearer. "Hello there neighbour, have you seen any of our companions? One of them is rather large, like Greeg here." he points appropriately, "and the others, well, they aren't so large but they make up for it in other ways."
Kagash grinds to a halt, struggling to process Guldarin's verbal onslaught.
"We have a mighty oma much like this one," he gestures politely at Greeg, "although without a hat. Why have you come here? Do you bring word from the Masters? We much desire to speak with them on their imminent return. With the help of the oma the Skittering Death is destroyed, or you would surely not be living. Her nest lies in those ruins. You have been most fortunate."
Words spill out of Kagash in a way which might surprise those who already know him.
"He's going to get himself killed, running off like that."
His expression unchanged, Don takes a few moments hesitation before following Kagash.
As he recognizes the other group, the bandit puts his hands on his hips as he walks forward, "Well well, looks like you guys aren't dead after all." He makes a point of counting heads, and despite missing Dram Rao and Dirt, he nods, "Yeah, everyone's kicking. Good, good." With a sly grin, he chuckles, "What'd you end up doin? I killed a giant spider, it nearly ate the one armored guy."
Kagash turns to Don and states the obvious.
"They are not flying as you said."
"They were the last I saw of em."
He adds, "Hey that's right, tell em who you guys were going with, he don't believe me."
"I never thought you would be such a welcome sight, Mr. Zaloog," Nayce says. "We were among the Trignotarbs, foul insects that they are," he adds, having never gotten over their penchant for absorbing others into their hive. "Dram departed on quests of his own down below. It looks like our number shall be seven for the time being."
"No, no. You have made an error. The Trignotarbs exist only as eggs in the museum of our Masters. When they return soon, you will see for yourselves."
Kagash explains the non-existance of Trignotarbs.
"Let us rejoin your comrades."
Without more ado, the oklu heads purposefully back to the rest of the group and the waiting gatekeeper.
Don grins, crosses his arms, before giving a non-committal shrug to Kagash, "Too bad you didn't bring one with ya. Anyway, so these guys re sayin that they might know some guys who could've done the water issue, BUT.....well, its complicated. Come on over here, we'll figure it out I guess."
Cronin is delighted to see Greeg and the others. When Kagash denies the trignotarbs, Cronin just says, "Yes, it will be clear when the Masters return," with a cautionary look at the returning party.
"The trignotarb queen had notions of her own, which is why they brought us here," Nayce says.
Cronin sighs quietly.
Kagash and the gatekeeper look at each other and shrug.
"They have been in the sun," suggests Kagash. "Take care of your friends, oma and do not let them spread strange stories. Not all oklu will be understanding."
Bowing once more, he departs, leaving you to the tender mercies of the gatekeeper.
"I am Gafto. I will bring you to the lothaar and she will speak with you. Will you leave your weapons with me as a sign of good faith?"
"Yes, yes, of course." Guldarin hands over his warhammer.
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Gafto looks suspicious.
"You appear to have a rod of some power. That is also a weapon."
Cronin looks surprised, but shrugs and leaves his halberd.
Nayce reluctantly divests himself of his large sword.
Thievery
Don hands over his standard daggers, but keeps a mundane one tucked away safely.
Greeg embraced Croninin a crushing hug when they first met, happy to see his old friend alive and well. He was eager to share the tale of the Trignotarbs but found time and company were against him.
When the gate keeper asked him to hand over the weapons, he complied readily enough. "I wouldn't try and use the hammer, friend. I think something is wrong with its balance."
He lay the javelin down too, having to do so twice after forgetting to deactivate the returning magic imbued within the weapon.
"Um, yes, of course, the rod too." Guldarin hands it over. "Though I have to point out that while it's powerful, I am capable of doing a fair variety of things without it, and there's not really any way to take those away short of chopping my head off which would work perfectly well not that I'm suggesting you do that of course."
Don fakes a wracking cough for a moment, trying to draw attention away from Guldarin's foolish words. The entire time, his eye is locked onto the dwarf, incredulously.
"I shall remember."
Gafto collects the ironmongery and gazes with interest at Guldarin. Doing so, he misses Don's failure to hand over his entire arsenal.
Kevaras reluctantly hands over his weapon to the gatekeeper.
To Cronin, Kevaras, Andaros and Don, there are subtle differences between the northern and eastern oklu enclaves. Whereas the northern part of the city was uniform in design, there is rather more individuality on view here. So too with the inhabitants. All the castes mingle to a greater extent than their northern cousins.
In other respects, however, the places are similar. Like small towns everywhere, the center is dominated by a market and here you are lead by Gafto.
Near the centre, a group of blue-skinned oklu are holding court, settling disputes among their comrades. At Gafto's approach, one of them looks up and smiles a greeting.
"You bring strangers. They are welcome."
"Greetings, and our thanks. I am Cronin, and we are oma who visit the oklu of the Eastern wall."
"Oma? You have power then, and knowledge?"
The assembled lothaar exchange glances and then a small nod in the direction of the orginal speaker.
She rises.
"I am Thiir. We will speak. We desire knowledge above all things here."
Thiir heads out of the marketplace, assuming that the group will follow her.
Greeg ambled along with the group, looking around interestedly at the gathered creatures. He subconciously placed himself at the edge of the party nearest these things, shielding the smaller members of his new group with the bulk of his body.
He whispered to Cronin as he went "You shoulda seen the size of the Queen bug we had to kill. Tough chick, but we took her down. Oh yeah, when we get our weapons back, can you do a prayer or something over my hammer, I think its broken or something. It was like trying to hit with a wiffle bat."
His whisper sounded like flint grinding slowly on stone though, so almost everyone could hear it.
Cronin follows Thiir, and mutters back to Greeg, "Good. It might be interesting to see if they want to hear about the bugs. The others didn't. And of course."
Nayce follows along, ready to finally unravel this mystery.
Near the centre, a group of blue-skinned oklu are holding court, settling disputes among their comrades. At Gafto's approach, one of them looks up and smiles a greeting.
"How quaint! They're resolving disputes with words instead of daggers," remarks the drow, after having grown a bit tired of violence.
"I'm beginning to like the eastside already, presuming we're not being led away to detention again."
He lay the javelin down too, having to do so twice after forgetting to deactivate the returning magic imbued within the weapon.
Thiir's skin glows slightly as she listens to the conversation behind her, leading the group to a slightly more private area. To Kevaras's relief, there is no sign of immediate detention.
"The trignotarbs live? I must know more. This is of great interest to me."
"They do," Nayce says. "A new queen has arisen from their ranks who aided us in our investigations. Their hive continues."
"Amazing. They are not supposed to exist. It seems things are moving faster than the Masters believe. Perhaps this is a sign that Kaima will awaken and take her rightful place."
Nayce decides that, since the lothaar are intrigued by his information, perhaps he can get some information in return. "What do you know of the Malsilix? We believe some of it has contaminated water supplies in the area."
"Which..." Don mutters, "is the reason we're here at all." He folds his arms, irked by this whole mess.
"Malsalix. Speak quietly. Not all here wish to think of that."
Thiir looks around her and whispers.
"You are fortunate you have met me, rather than some others among us. I believe the stories. It is a vicious plant and like the Trignotarbs, does not officially exist. If that too is awakened, then Kaima's time does indeed draw near. It is time to make contact with the Cult of Rebirth."
"Okay...so how do I phrase this delicately...," Don rubs his scruffy chin, "You can go do that, *We* need to get rid of the plant...because it's poisoning the water....which is why we're here."
Thiir rubs her own chin, unconsciously echoing Don.
"You will need the Cult's help to do that I believe. More is at stake here than poisoned water, devastating as that is."
So far, Thiir is the only oklu to respond positively to Don's brusque approach.
Don is very tempted to poke his finger well into beneath his eyepatch to see if the oklu would do the same, but refrains. He puts a hand on his head, and sighs staring downward, exasperated, "Then lets go do it before I change my mind."
Nayce is puzzled by the odd, imitative gestures of these beings. He crosses his arms over his chest as he asks, "To what do you refer? What is at stake?"
Thiir turns to Nayce and folds her arms as she explains.
"Kadralu was built to house the goddess Kaima. She has been sleeping for a thousand years in the sacred tank, deep inside. When she awakens, she will rule once more. We ... I ... some of us ... believe that she is being sabotaged. If you are right about the Malsalix as well as the Trignotarbs, the water that sustains her will be tainted. The Malsalix must be eliminated. Our aims are similar, you see."
Don looks over at Nayce, then starts scratching at his ear, a bemused look on his face.
"So uh...that's where this Cult of Rebirth comes in? Guessin these boys are...hum...well they're either protectors of the well, mebbe or the guys sabotaging, and I dunno which, so where's they fit into this?"
Greeg watches in bemusement as his companions begin displaying all sorts of strange body movements. Maybe these creatures were emitting a chemical that was irritating his less robust companions which made them scratch and twitch in wierd ways?
He coughed politely and asked "Also, have you heard of any Sand giants visiting the city recently. We heard tell of a fella by name of Faez who may have something to do with all of this. Anything you might know about him?"
He rubbed at his beanie, then pulled up short realsing he too was starting make funny gestures around these creatures.
Apart from that, he was ready to accompany Thiir to see the Cult of Rebirth.
As before, Thiir unconsciously echoes Don's movement and then Greeg's. The goliath realises that the oklu is entirely sincere and her body language is expressing her need to work with the group.
"The Cult of Rebirth believe that Kaima must be awakened. They have had visions. Of the sand giants I know nothing. I may not leave this enclave, but I may tell you have to reach the Corpse Commons. That is where the Cultist reside."