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Bair rages, and scores two solid hits, even as blood continues to pour down his leg.
Thorax mvoes in and takes a swing, but his blade is turned aside by the Sahuagin's scales.
Dran'Thor, deciding that electricity doesn't work so well, tries fire instead...
...breathing a sigh of relief when he discovers that these things do, in fact, burn quite well.
Mara then finishes the job, shanking it into oblivion!
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Responding to Dran'Thor, one of the crew notes:
"Aye, we call 'em Sea Devils, but they look more like shark/human hybrids, if ye ask me..."
Searching the bodies reveals a bag stuffed with small gemstones, loose coins, a set of expensive glass marbles.
The invaders defeated, the lookout in the ship’s crow’s nest calls down to the rest of the crew that they’ve sighted a small village on the distant coastal beach. The crew manages to direct the ship ashore in hopes that whoever lives in the village can lend the adventurers materials and grant them shelter while they work on repairs, especially since the ship's compasses continue to spin wildly...
As the Grinning Pixie drifts onto the sand, a dozen figures approach... which turn out to be Iruxi!
The Pixie’s lookout searches the horizon for signs of the Glorious Payoff and the Sea Sparkle, but these ships are nowhere in sight. Mirian Raas and Eras the Needle focus their efforts on marshalling crew members and necessary goods to land, leaving the party to lead the conversation with the Iruxi.
Unfortunately, although they appear to be friendly, none of them speak any languages that you understand... However, remembering the presence of Mirian's 'brother', you are able to inveigle upon him to act as a translator!
It turns out that you are in a small village, which the locals call 'Kihirat'.
The iruxi villagers are sympathetic to the plight of the shipwrecked crew, and they offer the party and the crew assistance, including beds, food, and shelter. Only minutes after you arrive in Kihirat, an elderly iruxi makes his way through the crowd of villagers. The elder puts a hand to his chest and introduces himself as Nahansa, and waits patiently, in case you have any questions...
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Noticing suddenly that some of his companions are wounded, the dwarf offers to treat the wounded ones.
Baird, show me your wounds and be quiet when I put on herbs and bandages.
Nature, Natural medecine DC 15:
Damage healed:
Mara, I can treat yours as well.
Nature, Natural medecine DC 15:
Damage healed:
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"Your people's generosity is greatly appreciated, Nahansa," Adalan tells the iruxi elder with a slight bow. "We are on a diplomatic mission to Ekkeshikaar, but our charts may be somewhat out of date. Is your village in contact with that city, and do you have any advice on how to get there from here?"
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The elder shrugs apologetically.
"I know it not. You must be quite some way off course, in that case. This is the village of Kihirat! It has been on this coast for centuries. Millennia, perhaps? We can trace the name Kihirat back to three families of Iruxi farmers and fishers who rebuilt here after a severe storm of some kind, though records are spotty regarding what may have been here before then."
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Nahansa’s expression grows grim. “Oh, yes. I can explain. The ancient gargoyle Paravaax lives in the jungle to the east of here. He’s old, cruel, and has an unusual connection to the Plane of Earth. His body has the properties of a giant lodestone, capable of disrupting compasses for miles around. When he rests or moves it causes all kinds of problems for anyone trying to navigate with such devices. Your compasses will not work while Paravaax is active in the region, and we are not safe so long as the gargoyle hunts the edges of our territory. If you are willing to seek the gargoyle out and deal with him, you would be helping both our people!”
"Gargoyle have treasure?"
...and then when the party gives him dirty looks...
"Like gold and gems?"
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"Almost certainly... He is creature of Earth, after all..."
The Iruxi Elder's voice trails off, as an echoing metallic clang rumbles through the nearby rainforest. As waves of fleeing birds take flight from the canopy, it’s easy to see that whatever is causing the sound is making its way to the coast—right toward Kihirat...
Howling with rage, a pack of metallic dogs bound from the forest’s edge. Their silver scales glint in the sun’s light, and their howls echo like an
otherworldly metallic clang!
Several Iruxi warriors move to engage part of the pack, whilst the civilians flee, but it will be up to you to handle the remaining ones, so that the tide of battle turns in favor of the Iruxi...
Bair
Dran'Thor
Adalan
Mara
Thorax
Deshacerla
MSH (-, -, -)
Thorax leaps into action as though the most apocalyptic of enemies had appeared. He sprints behind the one with the red collar and hamstrings it!
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Adalan channels electricity...
...slightly scorching both dogs.
Mara then hustles forward, and shanks Blue deep in its metallic flank!
Following Adalan's lead, Deshacerla tries the same trick...
...and her attack is far more effective, melting blue into a small pile of slag, whilst Yellow is injured.
Yellow, howling in agony and anger, moves to engage Bair...
...delivering a respectable bite, and knocking the redoubtable Goblin prone.
Bair (-15, Prone)
Dran'Thor
Adalan
Mara
Thorax
Deshacerla
MSH (-22)
Thorax coordinates his movement with Mara so that they both surround the evil canine at the same time.
vs FF
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Bair, thoroughly incensed, stands up, and slaps the metallic dog on the flank with a CLANG!
Thorax then manoeuvres around, and shanks it into oblivion!
The Iruxi warrior manage to fight off the remaining metal hounds, and a cheer goes up!
Non-combatants come back, and tend to the wounded, including Bair.
Once the worst of the injuries are treated, the Elder speaks with the party. Nahansa informs you that he does not believe this attack to be a coincidence; rather, he believes the strange metallic creatures are connected to Paravaax — a sign that the gargoyle has grown bolder than ever before. He explains that the gargoyle has taken roost in the Iruxi’s old observatory: An ancient, abandoned building that once served as a place for observing the skies and learning for centuries before the native Iruxi were driven out by Paravaax and his monsters. The gargoyle has been spotted in that same area by scouts to this day, so Nahansa suspects that he still lives there.
With the mission clear, Mirian Raas and Jekka volunteer to stay behind in Kihirat to help protect the village while the party hunts down Paravaax.
Nahansa also introduces the party to an Iruxi astrologer named Lumki who Nahansa says can guide the party to the observatory, navigating by her knowledge of the stars. Lumki is bright and friendly. She has been waiting months for an opportunity to travel to the observatory, a journey that is a rite of passage for Iruxi astrologers in the area. She promises to stay out of the way and help however she can.
Nahansa also gives you a gift as thanks for your assistance against the metal hounds: A magical Scrollstaff (containing a 2nd-level Animal Form spell).
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In predictable fashion, Thorax sets to butchering the carcasses...
"...this meat high in iron."
After the new Iruxi joins the party, Thorax seems unusually interested in their star charts and instruments. He keeps questioning the poor astrologer, even though they can't understand the Goblin's words. Never one to give up, he tries to impress the lizardfolk by pointing towards the sky and breaking out in song!
"Goblins love stars!
Really makes us think.
Burning balls of gas?
Pee-Yu! It'd stink!
Oh look! The big dipper!
What's it used for again? Stew?
And over there! The mad whipper!
His face all askew!
Up there be the centaur,
Half Longshank, half horse!
What a miserable life,
I can't imagine worse!
Don't you worry, Lizardshanks,
Thorax Toothlicker is here!
And that mean ol' gargoyle?
We'll slit his throat, ear to ear!"
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The Iruxi seems to appreciate the spirit of Thorax's words, even if she remains utterly clueless as to their contents.
After a 30-minute trek inland, the jungle becomes unforgivingly dense and oppressively humid as the trail winds deeper into the canopied depths. Dappled light shines down through gaps in the leaves above, and although nothing stirs but the dew dripping from the branches above, the sing-song sounds of the jungle wildlife are a constant reminder that one is never truly alone here.
Emboldened by Thorax's display, Lumki cheerfully natters on throughout the journey, pointing to various plants and trees as she does so.
like tree leaves!”
About 3 hours into their trek through the jungle, a narrow river rushes through the area, shattering the quiet murmuring of the jungle’s wildlife with its chiming roar. A simple log, coated with moss is the only “bridge” in sight, leading to a small island in the centre of the river.
Lumki quickly races across the log, her clawed feet finding easy purchase. She turns back, and waves encouragingly.
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Before departing Kihirat, Adalan adjusts his spell selection slightly to prepare himself for the fight against Paravaax.
When he sees the rather limited infrastructure available at the river crossing, he tries to think of a magical solution but can't come up with anything practical. Resigning himself to the necessity of a mundane crossing, Adalan ties one end of the rope in his backpack around his waist and asks, "Would anyone be willing to willing to hold onto the other end of this so I'm not swept too far downstream if I fall?"
He then attempts to traverse the log, hopefully repeating the procedure with the rope for the second part of the crossing.
Thorax takes off his shoes and promptly follows the Iruxi without a thought, digging his clawed feet into the soggy wood in the same manner.
"This is why Goblins never trim toenails."
...but his overconfidence gets the best of him...
...so he tries again...
...but breaks a toenail...
...requiring him to doggy goblin paddle...
...and then start the whole process over again...
...where he shakes himself dry and puts his shoes back on.
"Easy!"
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Mara grimaces at the sight of the log. Of course they couldn't have an actual bridge, no, that would be too easy...
She gingerly starts stepping across.
The log proves easier to navigate than she had thought, given how much trouble Thorax was having with it. She's much more confident as they switch over the 'bridge' to the other side, bringing a rope of her own to make it easier for the others.
"Come on everyone, you've got this!"
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Bair looks at the tomfoolery, "Why you all not jes ledda bear toss ya?" He waits till all have decided if they want to be thrown across the river or not, then attempts to scramble across, realizing that he can't throw himself.
Move Log.
Sploosh! Swim to last destination?
When Bair swims across, Thorax consoles him.
"Longshanks got legs twice as long! We need twice as many steps. That's four times chance of failure!"
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Noticing that the rope continue after the island until the next shore, he advances to be on the other side.
Acrobatics:
And he arrives at the point of the last sentence of Thorax.
You're right, I'm also short legged. But I may move quickly if necessary. And I've proved to be enough nimble to this task. But thanks for the rope anyway.
"...I'm sure you wanted to search for defy, didn't you?
Thorax looks around frantically, before smacking a mosquito.
"Got it!"
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Everyone makes it across to the island (some more agilely than others!).
In the process of moving the log, the party finds a small cache on uncut sapphires, that appear to have been stashed at the base of the log quite some time ago...
After wrangling the log into its new position, Thorax dashes across, and the rest of the party follows him.
About four hours later, the party comes upon a small clearing:
A small, three-foot tall stone statue of a hooded Iruxi with its tail curled at its feet rests underneath a tree. The dappled light shining on it glints off of a small plaque attached to the statue underneath the carved Iruxi’s feet.
Lumki smiles, and chatters away in Iruxi:
She points her claw in the same direction the statue’s tail points, while simultaneously imitating the statue with her own tail.
Lumki then eagerly leads the party on!
An ancient, partially ruined building looms out of the jungle. The stone walls are almost completely covered in creeping ivy, with a few glimpses of crumbling red sandstone and metallic fixtures showing through. There is a deep sense of foreboding radiating from the time-worn structure.
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Mara listens to their guide, wishing she could understand her. I really should pick up Mwangi as a language. It wasn't all that useful in Absalom, but with all the different places we've been going it's a good idea to know as many languages as possible.
Although by the time they get to the observatory, she's pretty sure she knows what most of the gestures mean. Mostly they seem to be variations on 'we're going this way now.'
She examines the building from a distance. "Well. That's not ominous at all. I'm guessing this is where our gargoyle friend lives."
"I'll scout ahead a bit, make sure there's no traps. Hopefully without alerting anything that we're here."