Tettia opens her mouth as if to respond, but then closes it with almost an audible snap. She then returns her attention to her sketch which she seems to finish quickly and turns to a fresh page to start a new one - her face flush. She seems to give this image much more energy as her hand moves quickly and with purpose.
Aurelian -- not understanding the strange burbling from the women (and creepy ghost) -- keeps his eye on the strangers, thinking he's not likely to have to intervene but being ready nonetheless.
Sarine tries not to act flummoxed by being left out of the conversation, something she has not become accustomed to as yet.
"I believe we could do that," Sarine comments while looking at the rest of her allies for agreement. "How many sahaugin warriors are you facing? What kind of area do they live in?"
"Our colony is hoping to stay this time," she tells the locanth. "It would be good to have friends in the region. Do you know of any other tribes we could contact that might be friendly? We're also looking for good sources of wood and stone to build with as well as mining sources for precious metals and so forth. Do you have any advice for us?"
[ooc]The picture here is of Koloshkora. Gives you a general idea.[/i]
"We don't know much about resources on land." Koloshkora says, shaking her head sadly. "We would help if we could. Maybe find old settlements? Our tales say you are not the first people here - maybe others found good things for you?"
When asked about the sahuagin her face twists and her common becomes less clear, as she almost spits with rage. "Scum, horrid murderers! They live on a reef, deep water, cold. Wrecked ship in two large parts. Vriskirsa would know more. We should talk to her!"
"Great! Where is she?"
"That suits me just fine, Master Carver," Jenner says with a polite bow in Carver's direction, before hurrying off to pack...
***
A myriad of emotions flickered over Jenner's face during the initial exchanges, and the Elizar outburst, and the exchange between Tettia and Ashlyn. His lips perhaps twitch here and there, despite himself.
Clearing his throat, he adds in in careful, slow common:
"We thank you for your help so far, and your welcome. Peace between our tribes will be good. Your enemies sound like they are also our enemies. Is there anything else you need beyond help in fighting them? Tools, or items? We may be able to get them from the other side of the sea. You work in bone and coral, it seems: we have steel, and we can make more."
Jenner draws his dagger-- slow and careful, not as an act of war. He h olds it out hilt first to the fish-woman. "Steel. A gift to you, new friends. As a servant of the god of trade, I swear to you all trades between our people shall be fair.
"How is it you come to know our language?"
"In our explorations of the island interior, we came across some ruins where we fought strange creatures, some of which referred to a Master. Do you know anything about them?"
Ashlyn nods. "Oh, yes. That's an important question. Oh! Or have you seen any other people like us earlier than the last few weeks? Ones who may be survivors from the original colonists? We're curious where some of them have gone."
"Yes, who is this Vriskirsa? We should go talk to her, so Aurelian Fache can know the best place to stab these sahuagin ... or skum. Whichever they are," he agrees.
Aurelian Fache is certain if he had ever been taught about such things, he would know sahuagin and skum are very different.
Without looking up from her sketching, Tettia explains in a voice suited to a lecture hall, "Sahuagin stand about seven feet tall and weight in at about two hundred and fifty pounds. They're ravenous and cruel, but they're among the most prosperous oceanic races. They have many great fortess-like cities in the deep oceanic trenches from which they launch raids against their air-breathing enemies who live near the shore. They're war-like and proud and normally don't ally with anything other than sharks. They compete with most other aquatic races such as aboleth, merfolk, and, of course," she gestures towards the newcomers with her drawing stylus. "The locathahs."
She glances up at Aurelian as if that's something that's self-obvious. She continues.
"On the other hand, Skum, or Ulat-Kini, as they're more correctly known, are a slave-race created by aboleths. They dwell in underwater ruins because they don't create anything of their own. All skum are male because the aboleths didn't want them breeding. Although they can breed with humans. They don't age and are effectively immortal, barring violent death."
Her lecturing voice vanishes and she smiles shyly.
"That's really just a summary. I got an 98 on that paper." Her smile is replaced with a slight frown. "That was only a B, though. The professor was grading on a curve."
She glances nervously at Ashlyn before returning to her sketching.
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"We trade with surface breathers." Koloshkora says, baring her teeth in an approximaton of a smile. "We haven't seen any of your friends recently though."
At the question about 'Masters' her smile disappears and she turns to her companions, giving short commands in Aquan for them to return to the hunting party and guard well until she returns. With that done she takes the dagger offered by Jenner and turns to slowly lead you away from the beach and into the interior.
It quickly becomes apparent that you could make the trip a lot faster yourselves. Koloshkora is painfully slow on dry land, although she is clearly trying hard, and the slow pace gives you all time to talk.
"This 'Master'," She says, "I think it might be one of the deep Gods of the Sea. You call them Abolets I think? There is a sea hag on this island, a powerful witch and she fights with a Deep God often. If creatures speak of a Master then maybe the Deep God moves against Helekhterie again. I hope she can fight him off."
Aurelian's question and Tettia's subsequent lecture get an impressed look from the hunter.
Switching back to common she nods sadly. "Yes, your wise woman is right. Skum were made by the Deep Gods, Sahuagin - we have fought them for many many tides."
Conversation continues as you continue to trek across the island. After a few days travel the group comes to the edge of a strange copse of trees, all with blood red leaves. The stream that you have been following (making the trip easier for Koloshkora) disappears into them and seems itself to be tinted red as it disappears.
"Fastest way is to follow the stream." Koloshkora says, "But these are strange... what should we do?"
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Aurelian's question and Tettia's subsequent lecture get an impressed look from the hunter.
Aquan:"You know much of the sea peoples! You must be a wise woman among your kind. But tell me, what is this graded over curve? Some sort of wise one's weapon?"
Tettia looks around at the others nervously before responding.
"It's a way to get revenge on someone when she ... they ... point out that you're using Dawfwood's Species of Water when it's clearly been superseded by Nak-Nak's Races of The Sea and why you'd have to get all pissy about it and call me ... them ... out in front of the entire class and ... "
Realizing that her volume is rising, Tettia hunches back down and tries to hide her red face.
"Sorry," she says.
~~~~
Tettia looks at the red-tinted stream and then at her companions.
"It's just red water. It should be safe, right?"
"Where is this Helekhterie? Maybe she can be a friend?" Aurelian Fache asks early in the conversation.
"It looks like autumn has come to Galt, but it is not so cool here," he observes at the trees. "Do your studies say why tree leaves would be red when the weather is like this, oh fair Tettia?"
"Ummm ... " Tettia says as she looks over the trees and the stream.
Jenner warily looks around at the red tree leaves and the tinted water once their guide says it's not normal. Something might be hiding...
"Neat!"
Sarine looks about, trying to determine what might be afoot in the red-tinged woods.
"Helekhterie is a powerful witch." Koloshkora explains. "She is not a friend of Deep Gods, but says she is in charge of island. I don't think she is a good friend."
Scanning the woods carefully shows nothing obviously amiss, but Tettia recalls an obscure botany tome she read which talks of carnivorous trees which would exsanguinate their prey. The blood then leached out of the tree through its root system staining the ground around it red. Could this be related?
"Trees are not things to be worried about," Aurelian says dismissively of the carnivorous foliage. "They are to look pretty or be made into useful items like chairs and houses."
Tettia smiles shyly at Aurelian's confidence.
"Sure," she says. "What's the worst that could happen."
She looks again at the tinted water and imagines it as blood. Her face pales slightly, highlighting her freckles.
"Ummm... yeah. You guys have fought trees before, right?"
"Not...usually... Why do you ask Tettia?"
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"Well, I remember reading in 'Trees of the Dangerous Wild' about trees that ... or was it 'An Exploration of Fantastical Flora'?" the scholar pauses and frowns. "No, I'm sure it was 'Trees'."
She taps her quill at the journal held in her hands.
"It was 'Trees of the Dangerous Wild'. I remember that because the facing page had this really elaborate drawing of a Dryad and she wasn't wearing ... " The girl's face flushes. "Anyway ... Toggle wrote about trees that drained the blood from creatures that approached them. Rather gruesome. He didn't include any drawings, but ..."
She gestures with her quill towards the trees of discussion.
"So should we go around, just to be safe?" Ashlyn asks Tettia.
Tettia's eyes widen slightly.
"You're asking ... me?" she manages to squeak out. She blinks once and then again. "Yes?"
She clears her throat.
"Yes," she says with more confidence. "We should go around. Because losing all our blood would be ... bad."
"Aurelian Fache would like to see what this dryad was not wearing, but if you will feel safer, we will go around these trees," Aurelian says.
"But how could you see what she's not ... " Her slight blush goes full crimson and she looks away. "Oh."
"Right, we'll make a note of those trees on our maps. Maybe we can test some other time to see if they're the ones you've read about; for now let's not risk it. Maybe they'll burn, at that. Good eyes, Tettia."
Jenner claps the blond woman on the back in a not-at-all-flirtatious way; Aurelian has that sewn up, after all. He hikes up his pack. "We'll add a few more blisters on our feet avoiding the trees, but that's leagues better than wounds on our bodies."
Tettia beams with pride at Jenner's compliment.
"Sounds good!" Ashlyn agrees. She follows the others around the creepy trees, then turns back to Koloshkora. "A witch, huh? So she can do magic and stuff? What kind?"
Elizar follows close beside Ashlyn, eyeing the monster trees with suspicion as they circle around...
Bypassing the forest takes the better part of a day, but eventually it is achieved and by noon the next day the party arrives at a cave which Koloshkora identifies as the current lair of the sea naga.
"You go in." She burbles. "Ask for help. Remember, you kill sahuagin and let her return to the reef!"
Inside you find a surprisingly pleasant cave, lit by a natural occulus, illuminating a pool of clean water. As the group enters a snake-like creautre emerges from under the surface.
"Yeeessss?" It hisses in recognisable common. "What do you want?"
"Greetings, Vriskirsa. I am Sarine Dulciare, a recent arrival in these lands. Our people have come here to settle the area and hope to form good relations with our neighbors. We have spoken with the locanth tribe in the area and they told us that they have had problems with the local sahaugin. We are hoping to help them with that, but they also said we should speak with you."
The appearance of the creature seems to be a surprise enough that Tettia doesn't even attempt to sketch it. In fact, she might even be trying to catch a fly if her open mouth is any indication.
"What she said," Jenner tacks on helpfully to Sarine's words, his thumbs hooked in his belt. He does give a respectful nod to the snake-creature. While inwardly wondering why snake-creatures an ocean away from Taldor happen to speak the common trade tongue.
"I understand what it's like to be kept away from your home, ma'am."
"Perhaps..." The Naga replies slowly. "Yes. I wisssh to return to my home, and my collections. I thanks as you for your offer. You may take one of my treasuresss to help you against the ssskum!"
With a sinuous motion she turns to the back of the cave where part of the wall disappears, to reveal two neat shelves of items.
When Vriskirsa reveals her cache of items Tettia's eyes go even wider, but her mouth closes.
"Is that ... an ioun stone?" she asks, stepping forward to examine it. "A friend of mine did her thesis on them. They're amazing." She picks it up. "A clear spindle ... " Her eyes go out of focus and it's clear she's rummaging through her mental catalog. "Keeps you warm? No. Food!" She smiles victoriously at the others. "Food and water, I'm sure of it. You don't have to eat or drink if you're using this one."
She sets the spindle back on the shelf and pulls out one of her journals to create a quick sketch of it.
"Yes, but Aurelian Fache likes to eat and drink," the swordsman says, pleased that the naga was so easy to deal with.
He looks much less excited over the various items than Tettia and nods to let her have the choice.
"Perhaps we should send someone back to the colony to let them know what we plan to do. They might get upset if Aurelian Fache is missing for more than a few hours," he suggests. "Ashlyn might be able to do that if the creepy man can stay out of her for a while."
"Oh, I'm sure they'll be fine without you for a while Aurelian," Ashlyn replies with a grin. After a moment she cocks her head to the side. "Though, I'm sure they will miss you," she admits. "Lots of them, anyway."
Ashlyn turns and gives the nice serpent lady a curtsy. "Why thank you! That's so generous!"
Ashlyn heads over to the shelf and looks at the objects... "You know what these do?" she asks Tettia. "Neat!"
"We thank you for your gift and we'll do our best to help return you to your home," Sarine addresses Vriskirsa again. "Is there anything you can tell us about the sahaugin or the area they are in that might help us?"
Aurelian nods.
"Yes, these are good questions. Is it best to stab them in the head or the body are things Aurelian Fache would like to know."
The pearl dolphin can maintain its nofigurine status for only 24 hours aeach week. The duration need not be continuous but must be used in one hour increments.
"Ssssahuagin are strong, but not ssssmart." Vriskirsa offers. "They had many sssshark friendsss from the deep. If sssssomeone bleedssss in the water, they will become sssstrong."
-----------------
At Koloshkora's suggestion Vriskirsa accompanies you around the island, a trip which is quite a bit faster than crossing the inland, thanks to a boat Vriskirsa had stashed away and Koloshkora's sailing skills.
A few hundred meters from the reef the water naga hisses and chants in a guttural language and blesses the party (apart from Elizar) with waterbreathing!
"Go. Reclaim my home!" She says, her words much clearer under the water.
As the group swims, a jagged crescent of coral appears out of the gloom. Faintly on the other side of the reef part of a wrecked ship can be seen.
Jenner squints through the gloom...
Both Jenner and Sarine catch sight of figures approaching through the gloom - sahuagin! Four of them. Just as Jenner catches sight of them they see the heroes as well! They level spears and kick forward, battle is joined!
As Ashlyn gets ready to dive into the water she takes off her backpack, and leaves everything unnecessary in the boat -- including her pants, shoes, and plenty of gear. She moves to pull off her armour, but then hesitates. "Hmmm... I guess I'll need this, hey...?" she asks no one in particular. Eventually she decides to leave it on, looking rather uncomfortable with the decision. Finally, she passes Elizar the everburning torch.
With only the necessities, she and Elizar dive into the water looking completely at ease. Elizar no longer wails -- for the moment. He sticks close to Ashlyn, ready to protect her from harm and light the way forward for her with the torch.
- Ashlyn: dagger, potion of cure light wounds (2), wand of goodberry (48 charges), wand of mage armour (16 charges), mithral shirt, meridian belt, ring of protection +1, a good man's rest, belt pouch (for potions), belt pouch (for 8 berries)
- Elizar: everburning torch.
---
At the sight of the sahuagin, Ashlyn imagines a magical trident that pokes and prods at her enemies... Suddenly one forms in front of the sahuagin and pokes the nearest one in the shoulder!
Then Ashlyn swims forward...
Elizar swims right for the nearest sahuagin, zipping off through the water like he was born to it and slamming into the nearest sahuagin!