The two androids examine the bodies of the gnolls, and discover various symbols carved into their chests and faces. They determine that the gnolls died about two weeks ago. Two of them were clearly killed from puncture wounds to the neck and chest. The other two show only signs of internal bruising and ruptured eardrums. None show any bite marks.
While investigating the clearing, Baròleg spots several circles of lovingly tended mushrooms. One of the circles has been crushed by gnoll footprints.
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"If we are here to kill the thing, then sure. But, if it is the power in the swamp that we need to deal with, perhaps the better thing would be to make our presence known in a more peaceable manner."
Rastar called out loudly, "Greetings to the power of the swamp! We are here to determine is you also know you are trapped int he this place, with no hope of escape unless one of the three powers here becomes dominant. We would also like to know if you are willing to negotiate a truce with the yetis. we have no wish to harm you, but will defend ourselves if necessary!"
The puncture wounds are pretty big, about what a spear might make, and the symbols were definitely made postmortem. You don't recognize their meaning.
The damaged mushrooms look to be a lost cause.
Seven examines the area around the bodies and determines that the bodies were dragged here and positioned after their death. They also spot the tracks of some sort of hoofed creature throughout the area.
Only the mushroom circles show signs of being tended.
Rastar calls out to the forest in greeting. As his words fade, you all spot a flash of light deeper in the forest. It blinks once...twice...three times, before vanishing.
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"It would seem there's only one way to find out... Let's try to watch our step, avoid crushing anything cultivated." With that Baròleg flashes his flash three times mimicking the light in the forest, and starts moving forward. He's is careful to avoid stepping on any plants or mushrooms that appear tended, and watchful for signs of ambush.
As you head deeper into the swamp, avoiding the cultivated mushrooms forces you to walk through the more muddy parts of the swamp.
Soon the path through the swamp becomes clearer, becoming a hard-packed earthen trail winding its way between grasping branches beneath a canopy of gigantic mushrooms. A scraggly heap beneath one particularly large mushroom seems to contain at least a few unmoving limbs.
You cautiously approach the mushroom and discover the body of one of the Yeti lying under it. The Yeti has some obvious puncture wounds to their chest, like those found on the Gnolls. A little further up the trail you spot a second body.
The way deeper into the swamp is hindered by thorny and jagged branches. To continue forward you can try to pick your way through safely, cut a path through, or just tough it out.
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Baròleg places a hand on Pangea's shoulder as he draws his knife. "I'd hold on that, see if we can't find a way through without damaging anything. This species seems to value plant-life, we should avoid damaging it if we can. Avoid provoking whatever, whoever is watching us." He turns to the group, "Though I'm open to other theories?"
Rastar's words echo in the thick air of the swamp. As if in response, you see flashes of light again through the thorny branches. You wait a few moments longer, but no other reply comes.
Cooler heads talk Donovan out of trying to antagonize the creature, and the party proceeds forward as cautiously as they can. Pangea and Baròleg find a way past the worst of it, while the others have a bit more difficulty.
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Baròleg mimics the flashes again, before moving careful through the thicket. He tries as best he is able to guide the others through the more difficult patches.
As he moves closer to the origin of the lights he lifts his left hand and activates his field agent implant, then in a calm even tone, "We are emissaries from the Starfinders. We are attempting to learn about this place, its inhabitants, and a strange power source near this swamp. We are not aggressive, we do not wish to harm your or this place, we do not wish to participate in the domination experiment. If you can understand me, please respond." He repeats the last sentence in each language he knows (stopping if there is a response).
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Donovan figures that the others will eventually see things his way and let's the matter of the mushrooms drop for now.
Once he realizes that the foliage can hurt him, Donovan takes more care in picking his path.
After making through the brambles, he asks, "Can we rest a moment? I'm afraid these thorns will begin to interfere with my armor's operations."
You break thought the undergrowth into a clearing. The crumpled stem of a giant mushroom blocks the path at the far end of the clearing, its faintly glowing cap knocked halfway from its base. Thin, wispy fog blankets the ground, swirling about in curious patterns and eddies. Overhead, the largest mushrooms yet stand sentinel, with occasional bursts of spores lighting the sky like flashes of lightning.
Standing before you in the clearing is a magnificent looking white horse, its mane almost glittering in the light. From its forehead extends a long, dangerous looking horn. Taking it all in you are stuck by just how out of place the grenade launcher it is carrying looks...
The creature speaks to you in Common, "You are new here, and different. How did you come to be here, and why should I not kill you for invading my swamp?"
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"Oh, there you are! Thought's we'd be all day running about in here looking for you. We were sent into this place to look for the energy source powering it, and to talk with any sophonts we found. That's you. We've already chatted with the yetis, and then a little drone told us none of us would be leaving this place alive unless one group dominated the rest. So, we thought we'd come talk to you and see if you wanted to work with us to get out of here."
"As for why you shouldn't kill us, I would think was obvious. We offer the best chance of escape from here. Cooperation gets us all the best chance to succeed at whatever this fool place wants to see. Well, that and we'd likely break that horn off and shove it up your..."
Rastar broke off as someone behind him cleared their throat loudly.
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Baròleg gives the beast a short bow, "We don't come as invaders, we come as diplomats." He holsters his pistol before continuing. "As my companions haveWe are new to the cavern, and trapped here like you and the other races. We do not seek to dominate, but to cooperate so that all can leave this place. When we entered the cavern, we were not sure there were other life forms here. We were sent to find a power source that could be useful to us. Shortly after entering we receive a message about dominating the other races here, and in our explorations encountered the Yeti. They informed us of you, who they believe is a ghost, and the gnolls." Motioning broadly across the team, "I apologize for our defensive demeanor. The Yeti were not openly hostile, but were... Very different in how they approached diplomacy." Baròleg continues in an even tone, "Your swamp and the power source are in close proximity, so we sought you out next. There is no reason we cannot work together to avoid any further conflict or deaths, and to allow everyone captured here the chance to leave."
"It is good to see that at least one of you does not have a death wish," she says to Baròleg. "I do not care to play along with the creators of this place, but I will listen to your proposal."
You've succeeded in impressing her enough, both in your treatment of her swamp and your words, that she will support your efforts, within reason. She will not leave her swamp, nor does she want the gnolls or yeti to enter it. Beyond that she is open to your suggestions.
She knows she is not native to here and that her memories have been altered. She does not know the purpose of this place beyond the the same welcome message you heard when you first arrived. She has been to the power source/temple, but was unable to gain entrance.