---
Bavick replies in Polygot so Tizgah can understand. His tone is neutral.
Rory adds, also in
While he speaks, Rory gestures to the additional eggs wrapped in cloth and carried in the cauldron for easy transport.
Zaahku turns a quick eye towards her daughter who glares at her defiantly in return. She looks back at you all. "Well, in any case," she says still speaking in Common. "I give you the thanks of our family for returning our magical cauldron to us."
"It has been difficult recently. This storm is grossly unnatural. Its presence angers Gozreh; it stings like a personal insult. There’s little doubt in my mind it has something to do with the expedition the Mireborn attacked, mucking about in those dreadful old Storm Kindler ruins.
"The Mireborn returned to the area unexpectedly recently, and fell upon your fellow tall-folk without mercy. A few of our hunters looked on, but could hardly have turned the tide either way. They said one woman in orange and green escaped, and a handsome young tall-folk began to parlay with the Mireborn’s shaman."
"My grandfather used to tell scary stories of the Storm Kindlers who arrived in the delta when he was still a child — some sort of Gozreh cult as he recalled, but selfish and rude and arrogant. He claims they bred storms like other tall-folk breed dogs. They built a small village nearby, and later constructed a temple in the Jungle of Hungry Trees. The entire cult vanished in an enormous storm before my grandfather had grown his first whisker, though, and I have upheld his order to let the ruin rest in peace, wherever it may be...
"The Storm Kindlers claim to honor Gozreh, but I believe them to be heretical and dangerous. I don't know where the Sky Tempest Temple is located." She looks around at the other villagers and you realize another reason why she's speaking Common. "I've taken great pains to prevent my people from seeking it out or recording its location if they stumble upon it. I can give you directions to where their village was located."
"I do wish to show our thanks for you help and hope these treasures are a small recompense for your aid."
She pulls from a bag at her side a slender wand and a leather scroll.
She also holds out an old brass key covered in geometric swirls.
"My grandfather found this exploring the ruins of the Storm Kindler village. He said it would ease the rage of winds."
Tizgah, who's expression has grown from annoyed to angry as her mother continued to converse in a language she couldn't understand, finally speaks up. "I'm going with them when they leave, Mother," she says in Polyglot. "You can't keep me a prisoner here. I passed my trial of womanhood two moons ago and I am allowed to decide for myself."
Zaahku draws a deep breath. "You are free to make your own decisions, my ... Tizgah. But these people are also free to make their own decisions regarding who travels with them. Forcing yourself upon them when they don't wish your company is the height of childishness." The older woman gives you a meaningful look.
|
"WE ARE HAPPY TO HAVE HER!" Ashlion booms, completely missing the subtleties involved. "SHE SWIMS WELL AND IS GOOD COMPANY. A STRONG WARRIOR TOO I AM SURE! TYGRAH AND I ARE HONOURED TO HAVE HER AS A FELLOW WARRIOR! WARRIORS PROTECT EACH OTHER - ALWAYS!"
So perhaps he wasn't quite as deaf to Zaahku's concerns as it appeared...
"Yes, the more, the merrier!" Tygrah declares.
"That's fair," says Bavick (in Polyglot). "I'd be happy ta have Tizgah along, now that you can hear her sayin' it's what she wants. That was my biggest fear - she'd get killed with us and you'd think it was us lurin' her away what done it.
It's dangerous, I reckon. Mireborn could kill us all. But Tizgah knows the risks, and she knows the land, and her home too is affected by these storms. Unnatural, you say.
I thank you for your gifts."
Bavick tries to recall the significance of a woman in orange and green.
"Hamsa Gadd. An advisor to the Count. Was pushin' ta blame the Song'o for the attack on the fort even after all that we found. Said you had attacked her expedition, not the Mireborn. Why say that? Just wants you all gone? I'll find out the truth of that."
”Bavick, it seems that someone here has to be lying about who attacked Hamsa Gadd’s expedition. These Song’o have shown themselves to be honorable, so I am inclined to agree with you that Hamsa has put forth a falsehood. That being said, believing it and proving it are two different things.”
Thinking a moment, Rory continues, ”As much as I would like to see if we can help the shipwreck victims, you are probably right that they have either found their way back to town or perished by now. We should follow up when we can, of course...But the ambush site where Hamsa’s expedition was attacked is probably the most urgent, as we will need proof to exonerate the Song’o and accuse Hamsa.”
Turning to Zaahku, Rory asks, ”Is it possible that the ruins of the Storm Kindler village are the same ruins we have been told about as Ghol-Gan?”
Tizgah's face beams triumphant at the group's acceptance while Zaahku just closes her eyes in defeat.
At Rory's question, the older woman opens her eyes and attempts to put on a neutral expression.
"The Storm Kindlers were just tall-folk like yourselves - not Ghol-Gan. The Ghol-Gan have been gone from these lands long before we arrived. The only remnants of their culture lies way up on the western coast. We don't go there. I can tell you how to get there, though."
Rory accepts the items from Zaahku, and studies them. ”I think I should be able to activate these items, unless someone else can use them. Pai, are you interested?”
Rory turns to Pai, as she has been uncharacteristically quiet.
Pai shakes her head in response to Rory's question. He notes that as well as her uncharacteristic silence, she seems to be sweating more than normal. Granted, even at this time of the morning the heat is fairly strong, but you all have become mostly acclimatized to it. The halfling seems more flush as well.
A worried look falls across Rory's face. "Yolar, could you come over here and check on Pai? I think she might be ill."
The gnome waves off the attention. "I'm fine," she says. "It's just ... hot here." You can now see that she's swaying slightly.
Zaahku looks at Pai a little closer and her eyes narrow. "She has jungle fever," the woman says in Polyglot. "It's something that strangers to these lands get sometimes. Many of the tall-folk died from it when they first came here, but I am told they found a way to treat it. We know not the way for it doesn't affect us."
"We should get her to Pridon's Hearth for treatment," says Rory worriedly, "Unless you know where to get the herbs, Yolar," he continues, looking to Yolar.
Yolar kneels beside Pai. He places his hand on her forehead and examines here skin and eyes...while whispering a prayer to Gozreh.
"I can heal some of the effects of this disease, but I'm afraid I am not skilled enough to remove it completely. We need to get her back to Pridon's Hearth quickly."
After listening to Zaahku, Yolar agrees with Rory, "We must search for these...", he makes a disgusting face as he says sarcastically, "Storm-Kindlers. They are perverting the teachings of Gozreh by acting in this manner."
"Tizgah, do you wish to come with us to the tall-folk town? It will be different from what you are used to. If you do, I will try to make sure they treat you well. You can ask Muhdzuzi about his visit.
If you do not wish to go, we can come back here and meet you before we head to either the old Storm Kindlers' village or the ambush site."
"As much as I would like to have proof of what really happened at the ambush site, I think we need to get Pai treatment at Pridon's Hearth right away. We can follow this river to the west all the way there."
"Then we have a decision to make. With a boat at Pridon's Hearth, we could head directly west and look for the shipwreck, continue along the coast and check out Ghol-Gan ruin, then head east on the big river and be set up to check out the ruined village."
"It would be really good to have someone familiar with the area who is also good with watercraft--Tizgah, what do you think?
"Or we could come right back here after delivering Pai to Pridon's Hearth for recovery, leaving the more western sites of interest until later."
Pausing for a moment, Rory asks Zaahku, "There was some talk about tar pits nearby, with possible Mireborn activity. Do you know where those might be?"
"I like the idea of a boat, Rory. We could get Pai back to Pridon's Hearth much quicker."
Tizgah is quite enthusiastic about joining you and seeing the tall-folk town for the first time. Her mother less so, but she makes no protest and, in face, gives you directions to tar pits that she knows of north of the village.
The Song'o make three small rafts available to the group to speed your trip for Pai's sake. And Tizgah finds the groups lack of experience with watercraft amusing.
Travelling downstream by way of rafts and the small river cuts your travel time significantly and with no rampaging lizards, you reach Pridon's Hearth by nightfall. Tizgah cranes her head left and right and her eyes are open in wonder to see so many buildings all clustered together.
Bringing Pai to the Counting House of Abadar, Banker Sifreth recognizes the gnomes symptoms immediately.
"Malaria," she says succinctly. "We've got the treatment for that, don't you worry. We'll have you as good as new in a couple of days." Pai just nods her head wearily.
"Glad you got her here when you did," the priestess says to the rest of you quietly as two volunteers escort the bard to a more private chamber. "In the early days, we lost people left and right to the fever. Without the right treatment it's pretty chancy. But she's in good hands."
As you leave the temple and make your way to the Stone Hall, Tizgah whispers to Bavick, "That building was made of stones. I've never seen anything like that. What could be even more incredible?" Her question is answered as you arrive at the inn and she sees her first two-story building.
You're greeted by Tomas who takes an immediate interest in the young halfling. "And who is this pretty lady?" he asks with a raised eyebrow.
”Don’t worry, Pai, they’ll get you all fixed up and we’ll check in on you in a few days,” says Rory with a sigh of relief now that Pai is going to be taken care of.
Where do we want to go next?
Leaving the Counting House of Abadar:
---
Inside the Stone Hall, Bavick greets the halfling proprietor.
---
Yolar wanders down to the shore. He is troubled by this news of a cult dedicated to Gozreh.
He walks down the beach until he comes across a piece of driftwood. Taking out his knife, he sits on the beach and starts to carve while staring out into the ocean...lost in thought. He looks down after what seems to be an eternity. He has carved the driftwood into the rough shape of a leaf. He wades into the surf...says a blessing and sets the leaf upon the ocean.
The priestess of Shelyn arrives at Stone Hall about an hour after the evening meal. Her eyes seem to light up for just a moment at the sight of the monk, but her expression quickly reverts to its normal assumed disdain.
"So, the jungle hasn't consumed you yet, Not-a-turnip?" she asks with a smirk.
He takes her aside and presents his find to her, regaling her with his story of the group's encounter with Guughwa and a lengthy description of the pond and waterfalls. "Shall I sketch it for you? Is that your desire?" she asks with a raised eyebrow.
~~~~~
3rd of Gozran, 4718 ar
The next morning, the group is greeted by Sheriff Praet. She seems quite pleased to see you have returned safe. "I wish to offer my heart-felt thanks for rescuing my cousin. Please accept an invitation for dinner at my home this evening so I can demonstrate how grateful I am."
~~
You spend part of the morning asking around the village for any eyewitnesses to the final fate of the Cobalt Eye. The closest directions you find are that it was somewhere to the west of the stretch of land west of Pridon's Hearth.
~~
Arriving at Oyin's Emporium, Mirya seems her normal cranky self. She purchases the surplus gear you've found at standard rates , which according to some of the people you've talked to is incredibly generous for her. As you take your coin and prepare to leave, she calls out, "Wait, um ... I was wondering if you could do a favor for me. I did give you that backpack after all." She seems a little uncomfortable.
"I was ... uh ... wondering if you could ... um ... take something off my hands. I found this." She produces a pie and sets it on the counter. "I think Cassie made it so it's probably not very good, but I'd give you a house credit of fifty gold if you'd be so kind as to take it. I found it under some old stuff and ... um ... I don't need it around here. Strictly a business arrangement, you understand."
~~
"Dit is 'n klein dorpie?" Tizgah responds with wide eyes. "Hoe kan so baie mense saam woon? Hoe vind hulle genoeg kos?"
~~~~
Tizgah looks down shyly as she's introduced to Tomas.
"Ek sal bly wees om oor so 'n mooi jong vrou te kyk," Tomas responds with a smile and a quick glance over his shoulder towards the bar.
Rory responds to Annabella’s question a little shyly, “It was quite a beautiful location, priestess, and I couldn’t help but think of yo....uh, Shelyn as I saw it. I could describe it to you for now if you wanted to sketch it, or I could take you there once things have quieted down a bit so you could see it in person, if you like.”
...the next morning after conversing with the sheriff and the eyewitnesses...
Rory turns to the others after questioning a few of the locals about the shipwreck, ”Why don’t we spend the day looking for the Cobalt Eye survivors and crew manifest? From what they have said, it should be just west of here on this side of the river—we could even take a raft if that would be faster. Afterwards, we could come back into town for dinner with the sheriff and check on Pai.”
"She's the chief's daughter. So just mind that she don't say that you made any trouble, 'kay? Like, don't go givin' her the strong ales."
Bavick stays in the common room for a while, then heads to the party's rooms for the night. If Tizgah wishes to stay downstairs, and seems in good spirits, he will bid her goodnight. If she seems at all uncomfortable, he'll show her to the rooms.
----
Early in the morning, Bavick goes to check on Pai at the Counting House. "Ya got some good tucker for her? Nothin' too rough, but enough ta get her strength back? Soft biscuits and tea? A bit o' jam okay? I brought a few things for her brekky if that's all right."
Then he finds Tizgah. "Good mornin'. We are goin' ta talk ta the fellas in the town. They might look at you strange, but they won't hurt you. Would you like to come with us?"
He joins the party in their investigation, with Tizgah along if she wishes.
At the Emporium, he looks at the pie appreciatively, but takes care to not embarrass Mirya with excessive gratitude. "Ah well, suppose I could do," Bavick says casually. "Be a shame for it ta go ta waste. Good find there."
Something doesn’t quite add up with the pie being “found”, but still being warm. Rory has no reason to mistrust Mirya, so he wonders if she is trying to pass a secret message or something with the pie (or something hidden in it)...
...Oh, hey, pie!
Tizgah seems quite happy to sit in the common room and watch the tall-folk. And when Tomas provides her with an ale - her first, judging by her reaction - her smile widens even further.
~~
"Me? In the jungle?" Annabella responds to Rory's question with soft laughter. "I'm sure there is much beauty there, but I don't need to see it myself to show it to others." She pulls a sketchbook from her bag. "Describe it for me again. Tell me about your visit with this creature, Guughwa."
Rory spends some time describing in more detail the pond, the waterfalls, and their negotiations. As he does so, Annabella's eyes take on a faraway look as she puts charcoal stick to paper and proceeds to translate the images in his words. Just moments later it seems - although, more like an hour or so - she turns the book towards the monk. "Does this seem close?" she asks.
The image on paper is filled with details that Rory doesn't remember mentioning but now that he sees the rendering, he remembers as being there. The clouds of mist rising as the water from the falls descends. The greenery draped a certain way. And even Guughwa herself which he didn't describe hardly at all is rendered in minute detail.
~~~~~
When Bavick finds the young halfling the next morning, she looks a little green as she chews on a dry piece of bread. "Ek kan nie saam met jou gaan nie. Ek dink nie hierdie kos is goed nie. Ek voel siek en my kop seer," she says in a quiet voice.
"Don't you be insultin' my food," Tomas' wife barks in Polyglot as she slams down a bowl of porridge in front of the queasy girl. "A hangover's a trial of your own indulgence and nothin' else."
"A 'hangover'?" the girl questions. She looks at Bavick. "I don't know this word, what kind of sickness is a 'hangover'?"
Rory looks at Annabella’s work with undisguised wonder. ”You really are quite remarkable, priestess. It has been my pleasure to share your company.”
Rory excuses himself and heads to bed so he will be ready for new adventures the next morning.
Stopping by the bar on his way out, Rory murmurs to Tomas, ”Better serve Tizgah some water in between those ales if you don’t want a mess in the privy tonight...”
"It's a divine gift from Shelyn," Annabella responds with a slight tip of her head.
As Rory rises to take his leave for the evening a flash of disappointment crosses the priestess' elegant face, but is quickly masked. "Perhaps tomorrow than?" she asks.
Stopping by the bar on his way out, Rory murmurs to Tomas, "Better serve Tizgah some water in between those ales if you don’t want a mess in the privy tonight..."
"I'nd be doin' that," Tomas replies. "But Merta has made it painfully clear ..." He rubs the side of his head. "... that she'll be seein' after the young lass tonight."
"Tomas, was I not clear enough? I was tryin' ta not insult your intelligence by spellin' it all out." Bavick sounds a bit irritated. "Well, she'll be all right soon enough."
He switches to Polyglot. "Tizgah, a hangover is a very mild sickness from too much ale - that drink last night that you are not used to. You are young and healthy, so it should be gone by noon."
"Merta, thank you for seein' after Tizgah."
Tizgah's eyes narrow as she attempts to follow the mixed language conversation. She turns to Merta. "You're telling me that the way that I feel ... this 'hangover'," she growls out in Polyglot. "Is 'my own fault' because I drank too much of ale? The ale you kept bringing me last night. The ale that you said I should drink?" The halfling innkeeper pales slightly, but she doesn't step back and her face hardens. Tizgah's anger seems to be growing. "My mother was full of warnings about how terrible the tall-folk are to us. I didn't think I needed to worry about one of own kind trying to poison me."
Tizgah pulls a knife from her belt and Merta does take a step back. "In my village, if two people don't like each other they settle it between them like civilized people. I don't know how you 'tall-folk'..." She literally spits the word out at the woman. "... settle your differences. But if it's through this ale, I want no part of it." She sticks the knife in the table and turns and walks towards the door. "I will help you today, Bavick," she says over her shoulder as she leaves.
Her exit is only slightly marred as she stumbles to her knees outside the doorway and vomits the contents of her stomach into the mud.
~~
With Tizgah's assistance and direction you utilize the rafts to travel westward around the section of land to the west of Pridon's Hearth. About lunchtime you see the wreckage of a ship scattered along the shore. Beaching the rafts and leaving the young halfling to watch over them, you approach the debris along the sand. Getting closer, you can see the name still visible on the prow of the shattered ship - the Cobalt Eye.
You also notice something else - bloated figures rising from the choppy waves. Four figures - and they don't look alive.
"I warned Tomas about the ale," says Bavick to Merta as he follows after Tizgah. "And I am sorry this all happened. But thank you for taking care of her."
He leaves 5 gold on the table and takes the knife.
Bavick makes sure to get some of the right tea to make Tizgah feel better, and brings it on the boat. While he doesn't indulge her in her misdirected anger and accusations, he still looks after her.
---
"Uhh, dead things. Yolar, which kind are these?"
Bavick waits for advice from Yolar before drawing one kind of weapon or another.
"I warned Tomas about the ale," says Bavick to Merta as he follows after Tizgah. "And I am sorry this all happened. But thank you for taking care of her."
He leaves 5 gold on the table and takes the knife.
Merta seems to recover her voice as Tizgah leaves. "Yeah, well, you just keep that little drunken slut away from my Tomas," she growls. "Maybe I'll give her more than just ale next time." She snaps her fingers towards the doorway and stalks off back behind the bar.
"Sorry about her," Tomas says with a guilty shrug and a nod of his head towards his wife. "I was just going to give her one ale m'self. It bein' her first. But Merta ..." He shrugs again and pockets the coins before heading off.
Assuming Rory started his "Ki Armor" (Mage Armor) as soon as they came within sight of the ship, in the first round of combat, he will call down "Irori's Blessing" (Bless) on the group.
"May the god of perfection guide your strikes!"
"Hmmm...", Yolar mutters with a puzzled look on his face...
Yolar speaks an incantation and a shadowing form of a trident appears by the nearest creature.
Rory calls down Irori's Blessing on everyone and then Ashlion draws his greataxe and goes charging across the sand. Bavick waits for more information from Yolar who seems not to have any knowledge of the undead you're facing. The cleric's summoned trident pierces one of the figures who looks down at it uncomprehendingly.
Heedless of the divine weapon, the bloated figures move forward across the sand towards you all.
Tygrah shouts a battle cry as she charges towards the closest foe, slashing with her terbutje!
Bavick moves, drawing his bow (surprise round action).
Then he moves again and takes a shot at an undead (the SW one; first full round action).
Now that the half orc power duo has charged, Rory follows along behind, looking for a good shot with one of his shuriken. Seizing his opportunity, he draws his clear shuriken and hurls a pair of “Ghost Shuriken” at the nearest enemy still standing.
Tygrah lays in to the closest creature and it drops to the sand, twitching and oozing seawater and more noxious fluids.
Rory's 'Ghost Shuriken strikes the southern larger undead and seems to have an impact upon it. Ashlion follows up by charging the figure and his axe strikes it down.
Bavick redirects his arrow towards one of the further shamblers and his aim is true. However, the small arrow seems to have little to no effect as the creature moves closer.
The mystical trident that Yolar summoned moves closer to the larger of the remaining undead and strikes at it, seawater and other foulness draining from the creature's bloated body.
One of the creatures shuffles through the sand towards Ashlion, but the swing of its fist is clumsy and easily dodged.
The other, larger, undead spews forth a stream of foul, slippery water towards Tygrah, but she manages to avoid it.
Rory continues to move east and south ending up with a clear line of sight to the creature on Tygrah. He draws his green shuriken and executes a lightning fast mystical Kata, sending an acid shuriken towards the dead thing.
Yolar moves up and casts a spell.
Tygrah lunges at the bloated monster, slicing with both blades!