Rory lets the clean rain run down his skin as well, although he is not quite as sanguine about being soaked as the nature priest.
Answering Yolar, he says, "I don't know much about Lizardfolk, but they seemed to have wiped out the Songo patrol and the Fort soldiers quite viciously. For now, I will be happy to get back to Pridon's Hearth safely with the one person we were able to rescue."
After working with Pai on learning Polyglot during the trip back, Rory says haltingly to Muhdzuzi in the new language, "You tell story to sheriff Preat? We warn town, then help you get home."
"If they are anything like nagaji, they are vile, sadistic creatures," Tygrah growls, her wet furs clinging to her curves. "When we find them, I will show them no mercy."
Muhdzuzi's eyes go wide at the mention of talking to the sheriff. He shakes his head in the negative. He explains that the Song'o have never had good relations with you tall-folk. Tall-folk have always demonstrated a peculiar brand of viciousness - present-company excepted.
*Polyglot* "I understand. Tall people put me on my backfoot sometimes too. And I am the tallest in my family! Heck, most of them can't even speak properly." Pai shoots another wry grin at Rory. His polyglot is pretty good considering he just picked it up, but it is still terrible.
*Polyglot Con't*"We do have to let the sheriff know what happened to her people though. So why don't you stay here at the edge of town and we will come get you in a couple of hours when we head out to take you home. We'll make sure the sheriff knows that the Lizardfolk would have attacked the fort with or without Song'O being there."
Pai pulls out a piece of copper wire and holds it close to her mouth as she casts a spell.
*Messaged Polyglot*"Hide the best you can. If we can't find you when we are leaving I will call you with this. It allows us to talk back and forth over short distances. That way I can let you know it is safe to come out and join us."
”Let’s get back to the Stone Hall, dry off, and get some hot food,” suggests Rory, ”Then we can contact the sheriff and make plans to visit those for whom we had errands.”
"Well, I can vouch for ya, Muhdzuzi. I'll protect ya. We got proof it was the lizardfolk that attacked the fort, and since you saw them first near your camp, that's probably where we should go next.
If ya really don' wanna meet the sheriff, then you'll need a place to stay overnight. Leastways I can't see in the dark, don't think you Song'o can either? We can find a room for ya."
Bavick will try to persuade Muhdzuzi to accompany him to the Sheriff.
The hunter reluctantly agrees to accompany you into town. Although it's clear that he's very uncomfortable with a 'large' settlement like this one filled with so many large-folk.
You make your way through the drenching rain and mud to the Stone Hall. It's dry inside, but not really more comfortable. There are a number of people here and the warmth of all the bodies combined with the dampness of the air combines for a potent mixture.
Tomas sees you come in and brings you to one of the few open tables.
"H'Yeah'n I see you made it back. Hope'n ya got good news," he says with a grin. He eyes the Song'o halfling with a suspicious gaze.
Rory notes that Annabella is sitting off by herself in the corner with a book in her hands.
"Well, we are here to get refreshment from this sticky weather, so that is good news for you yes? A mug for each of us and one for my new friend here?
Also, has the Sheriff been in yet today? We will need to talk to her."
Shaking off as much water as possible just outside the inn, Rory enters and sits with the others, still dripping wet. Hearing the innkeeper’s optimistic greeting, Rory feels the weight of all the dead and mutilated bodies found at the Fort crushing his spirit. He looks gratefully at Pai for so artfully deflecting Tomas’ question.
Looking up, he sees the beautiful Annabella. He offers her a shy smile, wondering idly if she liked the sketch book he gave her. Even her fair countenance cannot lift his spirit though, and he turns back to his drink with a sigh.
Tygrah only has eyes for Ashlion!
"Uh'yeah," Tomas answers in response to Pai's question about the sheriff. "She's been in'n out here'bouts. She'll pro'ly be back in a'for nightfall." He moves off and returns a few moments later with drinks for all of you.
Sure enough, fifteen minutes later a very soaked looking Sheriff Praett comes walking in. She seems relieved to see you all and approaches your table.
"So, please tell me you've got good news because I could use some," she says with a hopeful expression.
Rory looks around the room and at his companions at the table. Wincing, he suggests, ”Is there somewhere private we can speak? Our eyewitness is uncomfortable with such crowds.”
"Eyewitness?" Praett questions before seeming to notice Muhdzuzi for the first time. "A Song'o? You brought a Song'o into town?" She doesn't seem pleased with the concept and you notice that her hand moves closer to her weapon. "Yes, please. Let's move somewhere a little more private."
She gets up from the table and you follow her to a side room that has a small table and a few benches. Once you're inside, she shuts the door perhaps a little harder then totally necessary.
"Now let's talk. Please explain to my why you brought a spy into my village?" It doesn't take much to tell that she's quite angry.
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Seeing Muhdzuzi's discomfort, Bavick continues to make small talk with him in Polyglot (or Halfling, if he understands that) and offers some of his observations about the tall-folk.
Humans tell tales of some who became gods. At least five than I know of. Now there's talk of one halfling who became a god, but he keeps it real quiet. Or should I say, there's one god who won't tell nobody where he came from, and talk is that he was a halfling. But we're a modest people, you know."
---
At Praett's outburst, Bavick speaks up. He actually forgets his folksy drawl and sounds a bit cross himself.
"Muhdzuzi is not a spy and I don't think there's any call to make that accusation. He's an eyewitness to what happened to the fort. We have evidence to back up his story. Pridon's Hearth isn't going to survive if you make an enemy of the locals. I'm trying to do my bit to make relations a bit better, okay? We saved his life and he's going to tell his truth and then we're going to escort him home. Or I am, at any rate."
Bavick waits a moment for another party member to jump in with the explanation.
Rory pipes in, ”Let me guess...You have found ‘evidence’ of attacks by Song’o tribesmen on the people of Pridon’s Hearth. Very convenient evidence, almost as if it were staged to implicate the halflings?”
The sheriff looks between Bavick and Rory and her expression hardens.
"If by 'staged evidence', you mean have I been attacked by Song'o tribesman? Then, yes, I've 'found evidence'. Myself and two of my deputies fought off an attack of tribesfolk when we went to investigate a farm that we hadn't heard from in a couple of weeks. Count Narsus' own advisor, Hamsa Gadd is the sole survivor of a Song'o attack on her expedition."
The woman looks away for a moment and seems to be trying to contain her anger. She takes a deep breath and looks back at you all.
"So please, do not try to explain to me what I do and do not know. You have not told me what you found at Fort Breakthrough. You say that this person ..." she gestures towards Muhdzuzi, who's eyes look around nervously. "... was an eyewitness. An eyewitness to what? What happened at the fort?"
”It sounds like we’d better start from the beginning, Pai,” says Rory. ”It would not surprise me if the Lizardfolk are trying a similar tactic on the Song’O to get them to turn against us. Let us include all the detail.”
After hearing the sheriff describe the attack on them from the halflings, Yolar glances at Muhdzuzi.
*Polyglot (directed at Muhdzuzi) "The sheriff mentioned an attack on the tall-folk at a farm a few weeks ago, Muhdzuzi. What do you know about this?"
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While Yolar and Muhdzuzi have a side conversation, Pai addresses Sheriff Praet.
"The news we bring is only good in that you are hearing it, and will hear it in the light of truth rather than the shadow of obfuscation that it was intended to be delivered in. It is still sorrowful and painful though, so I advise you brace yourself.
Fort Breakthrough as been overrun and all hands stationed there were killed."
She proceeds to explain to the sheriff the state that they found the fort in. How the bodies of all the dead were mutilated afterwards in what appeared to be an effort to implicate Song'O halflings in the murder. Fortunately, the true culprits were not able to expertly hide their own hand in the massacre.
"...we did find a Song'O spear piercing the body of the soldier in the courtyard, but it was apparent from the disposition of the body that the weapon had been placed their after the soul had passed..."
"...After we subdued the grippli, we gave her life back to her in exchange for information. She confirmed that she saw a battleparty of Lizardfolk leaving the fort with the bodies of several dead halflings. They couldn't very well leave the dead halflings behind, it would make it even more obvious that someone else was to blame for the destruction..."
"...the killing blow had been delivered by someone taller than the deputy sitting at the desk. Far taller than a halfling..."
"...and then we found this Terbutje had been discarded in the well. Notice one of its obsidian teeth is missing, it matches this tooth that we found in the body of the slain soldier. This weapon is far too large for a halfling to wield..."
Pai sat back on her stool. A sadness crossed her face, having completed the tale of woe. "I don't know why the lizardfolk wanted you to go to war with the Song'O. But it is quite apparent that they did. Perhaps they have used similar methods on the Song'O to instigate the attack on the farm 2 weeks ago. What I can tell is that the destruction at Fort Breakthrough was not the result of a Song'O raid. There are greater dangers in the darkened waters that we swim in."
"Don't forget the severed hand we found in the barricaded room--the lizardman hand. It had fallen into a corner, and must have been missed when the lizardmen were staging the scene..." adds Rory.
As Pai relays the narration of your investigation of Fort Breakthrough, Sheriff Praett listens. Her initial reaction seems to be skepticism, but as the bard offers some of the evidence you found, the woman's demeanor seems to change.
Once the story is finished, Adaela shakes her head. "This is hard for me to accept because we don't see the lizardfolk this far south and they've never been this aggressive. But it seems fairly clear that the Song'o aren't responsible for this incident." She eyes Muhdzuzi with the same suspicion as before. "That doesn't mean I don't want him out of town as soon as possible."
She reaches into her bag and produces small slips of parchment. "You can redeem these writs at the temple for fifty gold each. I do thank you for discovering what happened at the fort." She nods at each of you. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go back out into that rain to inform some families of the bad news."
"Ya know he don't want ta stick around here neither, Sheriff. In the mornin' we'll take him back ta his tribe. And mebbe that'll do us all some good 'gainst the lizards."
”Well-said, Bavick. We have some errands to do as well. Shall we go back out into the rain together or split up?”
Yolar steps up next to Rory to take a look at the potion.
"Hmmm...", he says as he swirls the liquid around and around...
"I'm not sure. Perhaps Mrs. Oyin or Hari couldn't tell us more about it?"
After hearing the sheriff describe the attack on them from the halflings, Yolar glances at Muhdzuzi.
*Polyglot (directed at Muhdzuzi) "The sheriff mentioned an attack on the tall-folk at a farm a few weeks ago, Muhdzuzi. What do you know about this?"
The diminutive hunter narrows his eyes at the Yolar.
~~~~
Muhdzuzi expresses no interest in wandering around the town, so with Tomas' nervous approval, you leave him to partake of a warm meal sequestered in the meeting room in which you talked to the sheriff.
The rain seems to have lessened just slightly as you make your way to the temple of Abadar. After entering, you're approached by Head Banker Sifreth, the elderly woman you met before.
"Back already?" she asks as she shuffles towards you. "Please tell me you have good news?" she asks hopefully.
As the group trudge through the rain to the temple back Pai hurries to keep up with Rory's longer legs. "Did you see Turnip at the bar? She was making eyes at you from behind her book. She wants to get together and make a salad!"
*later at the temple*
"I'm afraid everyone is shopping for something that we find ourselves in short supply of matron."
She gingerly removes the recovered holy symbol from her side pouch and places it on the counter.
"The good news I can give you is that we laid your apprentice to rest in a proper burial and she no longer had to experience the pains of this life. Our condolences"
Having caught her eye, Rory stops by to speak with Annabella on the way out. He speaks softly, saying, "It is good to see you again, priestess. The people of Pridon's Hearth will need Shelyn's blessing sorely in the days to come, I fear."
Seeing the others exit, Rory turns to follow. "I must go...perhaps we will speak again soon," he adds, hopefully, then leaves.
[dice=Do I get to tease Rory?]1d20+7
As the group trudge through the rain to the temple back Pai hurries to keep up with Rory's longer legs. "Did you see Turnip at the bar? She was making eyes at you from behind her book. She wants to get together and make a salad!"
A quizzical look crosses Rory's face, "A salad? What the heck does that mean? Oh..." His face flushing a bit, he smiles and attempts a quip back at Pip, "I hope she likes cucumbers."
"If you need advice on how to perform the mating ritual, you can watch my husband and I later tonight," Tygrah offers.
A look of horror dawns on Rory’s face as the amorous half-orcs speak, and he looks around furtively to see if any of the townsfolk are listening in. Obviously out of his depth, Rory quietly says, ”Thank you, I shall be fine,” but the flush on the tips of his ears and at the base of his neck betray his mortification at their discussion.
"We should find this Hamsa Gadd and ask about her expedition that she claims was attacked by Song'o."
----
Bavick will indeed stay with the group.
He fails to notice Annabella's interest, but picks up on Ashlion's and Tygrah's subtle hints.
He sighs.
Let's hope they're right and that's what she's after. And not a robber, or crazed cultist, or... well, he doesn't seem the most perceptive or intuitive sort. Would be easy to fool, I think.
Annabella looks up at Rory as if noticing him for the first time.
"Oh, I see you've returned, Mr. Rory Not-a-turnip," she says with a subtle smile. "The wilderness hasn't eaten you up yet."
As he turns to make his leave, she reaches out and puts her hand on his arm. "Wait," she calls, but then as if realizing how forward she's being, her hand pulls back to her lap. "I wished to thank you for the sketchbook. I have to ask, though, where did you get it?"
She reaches down and Rory can see a cloth bag sitting on the floor leaning against her chair. From among the books within it, she pulls the leather-bound book that he requested to be delivered to her. She opens it to the first page and the drawing of Mirya.
"I must know who drew this. The texture and emotion are sublime."
~~~~
At Pai's revelation Sifreth closes her eyes.
"I had hoped otherwise," she says after a moment. "But I think I knew what you would find." She takes the holy symbol with frail-looking but firm hands.
Her gaze travels off into the distance. "The world consumes the young and innocent and leaves the old and sinful to carry on." She looks back at all of you and seems to push the sadness away. "But I have a role to play and duties that require my attention."
She takes the writs you give her and with determined steps, shuffles out of the room to return a few long minutes later with a tray. There's a small pouch on the tray for each of you containing 50gp. There is also one additional pouch.
"That is for bringing the truth to an old woman. Thank you."
*Edited*
Pai smiles a sad smile as she takes her pouch and the additional one.
"Thank you Sifreth. Oh...one other quick question. During our battles to clear Breakthrough we came across this other symbol. It is to the god Erastil I believe? Do you know who in the town would find it significant?"
"I understand, thank you again. May the Wealthy Father smile upon all of your future dealings."
As she turns to the group as they each gather their own pouch.
"I will hold on to this extra pouch for now until we are in a place where we can split it. Let us leave this kind matron to her work so that she may grieve in private."
With that she walks back out into the rain. As she walks she addresses the group. "Where to next? The construction supplies probably came from the Emporium. I Imagine that would appreciate it if we brought it back. We also have those dried jungle plants that Quinn was supposed to take to Heri. Since we are here maybe we should deliver those as well. Does anyone have anywhere specific they want to be?"
"There are a number of followers of the Stag God here in town," the Head Banker says with a dismissive air. "I'm not sure who carried that at the Fort, so I wouldn't know who would be best to return it to. And it's clear that it did them no more good than this." She glances down at the recovered symbol of Abadar still clasped in her hand.
She takes a deep breath and looks back up at all of you. "But again, I'm neglecting my duties. Would any of you like to open an account with us to keep your assets safe?"
~~~~
The rain is increasing as you make your way down the road to the smithy. Vethorn seems to be in the process of closing up his shop as you enter.
"Ah, so the beautiful woman and her friends return," the burly half-elf says with a smile as he sees Tygrah enter the shop.
...to Annabella...
"I know not who did this sketch. I bought this book at the Oyin Emporium, not realizing it already contained a sketch. I suggest, though, that Mirya herself would know who sketched her, and it might give you an opportunity to engage in a discussion of art with her."
Looking at the closing door, he smiles quickly and says, "I really must go. I am pleased you enjoyed my gift."
...to Vethorn...
"We have brought back the supplies you had sent to the Fort--regrettably unused in its defense. We have additional items you might find a use for as well," says Rory, showing the weapons the rest of the group does not need, including several masterwork items.
"Additionally, I now have the funds for the downpayment on the specialty weapon we discussed," Rory adds, handing over the 50 gp he just received from the banker.
"Perhaps I will," the priestess says with a wistful tone.
Vethorn seems satisifed to see the returned shipment.
"As agreed," he says with an eye straying to the ranger. "I will give you a discount on future purchases in exchange for the favor you have done me." His words seem to be directed at the monk, but his eyes don't leave the handsome woman's visage. "And I hope you visit frequently. I would like to get to know you ... all of you ... better. I can start on your special project tomorrow morning."
At the display of the additional weaponry, he nods. "I can give you coin for this as well," he says.
Tygrah casually stretches, giving Vethorn a show. "If you can craft me some masterwork swords, I will definitely be coming back again."
"I would be happy to craft you some swords, min vakre blomst," the smith says with a smile. "What kind would you like?"
Tygrah shows the smith her curved blades. "These kind, kei te kata koe," she replies sweetly.
At the mention of Heri's Yolar says, "Ahhh...I almost forgot." He pulls out the mysterious vial that he purchased. He takes a whiff...
The smith looks over Tygrah's curved blades and then glances over her curves as well. "I could make you high quality versions of these. It would take some time, however. And it wouldn't be cheap. For you, I could do it for two-hundred and eighty gold per blade and I would need a fifty gold down payment each."
Tygrah offers the smith most of the gold she just received. "Deal."
The smith looks over Tygrah's curved blades and then glances over her curves as well. "I could make you high quality versions of these. It would take some time, however. And it wouldn't be cheap. For you, I could do it for two-hundred and eighty gold per blade and I would need a fifty gold down payment each."