If you want an escort back to Pridon's Hearth, we can bring you back there on our way back. but I think for now we need to continue doign what we set out to do and bring this one back to his tribe. you can either go back alone, wait for us to return, or travel with us.
Muhdzuzi looks with eager eyes towards east where his village is located. In polyglot he says "Kuyangizwisa ubuhlungu, kepha ngike ngaba sesimweni esifanayo. Ngiyakuqonda ukwahlukana kweMaese. Ngizobuyela emuva nawe uma ufisa kanjalo futhi ngisize uJheri enze kanjalo."
"It pains me, but I have been in the same situation. I do understand Maese Splits. I will head back with you if you wish so and help Jheri doing so."
Jheri overhear you and says "Oh, you do not have to worry, of course, you have your own businesses and I do understand. I have made this trip many times, do not worry about me" Jheri smiles at you and walks towards the door to show you. Now he nearly faints out of weakness and when he reaches the door frame he tries to support himself but fails because his lack of one arm and almost falls to the floor.
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Tonny doesn’t pull his nose out of the book until Jheri almost falls. ”Whoa! You can’t go off through the jungle by yourself like that!” he blurts. ”And you can’t stay here by yourself either - what if another ooze gets blown through the roof again? We can walk you back.”
Turning to Muhdzuzi, the scholar nods gratefully. ”Unomusa kakhulu, Muhdzuzi. Uyangithoba.”
With Jheri your way back is much slower than the time it took you to reach his plantation, but fortunately you know better the way. There is a constant drizzle and rain, which helps to keep mosquitoes and predators away from the party, making your trip otherwise calm and without surprises.
By sunset you reach Pridon's Hearth completely wet and a bit tired, but you soon manage to heat yourself and rest at the Stone Hall. Everyone is surprised to see you back so soon with the Song'o, and get very engaged with your story about rescuing Jheri from the Jelly Ochre.
It does not take much time for Sheriff Adaela Praet to know about your arrival and she presents herself at the Stone Hall. She smiles wide and hugs her cousin "Thank you so much for saving Jheri and bringing him back"
Out of thankfulness the woman gives you a bag with 400 more gold pieces. Out of generosity for not only saving him but escorting him to the colony Jheri also gives back 100 gold pieces.
Adriana makes sure that during the journey back to Pridon's that she is able to keep an eye on both Jheri and Muhdzuzi, echoing the sentiment to the Song'o that his kindness was inspiring. "I have found, friend, that even small acts of kindness can go a long way; and may make for good stories." She says in common, unsure of how her polyglot would sound and not wanting to mangle the meaning of her words through misinterpretation.
With Jheri bought to safety and the small but enjoyable sense of satisfaction at having both found and kept Jheri alive, Adriana gives everyone a moment to enjoy their reunion and leaves to wander the town - they were going to return to the jungle to take Muhdzuzi home almost immediately, no sense in not buying supplies while she had the time and gold to do so.
Splits shakes his head, "Unlikely, we will walk you back." Hearing Tonny speak back with the Song'O, the druid agrees, "Thank you, we wouldn't have asked so much."
He wondered if there was a way to speak with his people, "I do not know how close we are but we can send a message once we approach within 3 miles; hopefully that can assuage your fears."
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Eventually making it back, he was worried about the incoming storm. While he was doing the right thing, sometimes the right thing isn't always easy.
"It was no problem, but we need to move on ahead, the storm comes and frankly I worry."
He didn't know what else he could say, but he was struggling to remain stoic.
Ingolf told Sheriff Praet, "I'm glad we could help. But now we really need to get Muhdzuzi back to his tribe."
Muhdzuzi smiles back "Ngiqondile ukuthi kukhona abantu abahle phakathi kwenu. Ngingathanda ukufunda ulimi lwakho. Mhlawumbe ungangifundisa?"
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Back in the hall the sheriff nods understanding "It is already late, and you must be tired. I advise you pass at least the night and wake up early if you wish. Meanwhile, you can explain me what have you uncovered so far about the Storm and the Mireborn lizardfolk"
When some of the locals hear you want to bring the Song'o back to his town they tell you "Be careful. The halflings command terrible spirits, steal from the farms all the time" another of the townfolks adds nodding "They stole all the livestock at Henry Sockings farm"
Another one adds "Yeah, they eat human flesh. You are warned"
"I would be happy to." He does his best to help the halfling learn some basic words, but knows it won't come so easily. Hearing what comes from the townsfolk, he spends his time avoiding the questions the halfling asks about what they are saying.
"You judge without reason? Generations ago my magic would have been seen as witchcraft yet people come to me for sustenance, for their crops and for their livelihoods. Speak not which you don't know."
Ingolf replied to Mahdzuzi, "Ningefurahi kukufundisha jinsi ya kuzungumza Kawaida. Tutaanza na misemo michache rahisi."
He told Sherriff Praet about their encounters with the lizardfolk, "Their shaman called them the Storm Kindlers. Kamjo Arram also said that his master Magdi Kukoyi is a Storm Kindler, one of the sects of Gozreh. Magdi didn't return from an expedition searching for an old temple built in the region by a first-generation cell of heretical Storm Kindlers. Perhaps those two things are related?"
He said to the locals talking about the Song'o, "My halfling friend Mahdzuzi seems quite nice. No tendency to eat human flesh that I've seen"
Mahdzuzi is happy his friends are eager to teach him. Soon he speaks a few words and some basic sentences.
Adaela Praet nods to Ingolf, thanking him for the summary effort "That the group was called the Storm Kindlers is suspiciously related. I suggest you try to find that temple. Have you found indications of such an structure in the region?"
"Also, finding the remains of that expedition might proof useful. Perhaps they left behind some leads to where they thought those Storm Kindlers where working" the Sheriff adds.
Racial grudge is not easy to take from people minds, but out of respect for Splits and Ingolf, the townsfolk ceases on their comments about the Song'o.
Ingolf replied to Adaela, "Hamsa Gadd was the only one who returned from that expedition. And Kamjo said that she hasn't been willing to talk to him about it. Her behavior is quite odd — she seemed to suggest that it would be best if he were to 'disappear'".
"We rescued him from some thugs a couple of days ago."
Jonah shakes his head "I haven't seen anything that looked like a temple, but we did find an old cyclops ruin on our last outing. it had a big undead guardian, maybe it was some kind of temple. but we sure didn't find much in the way of answers there.
Jonah looks ot the others
there are a lot of things we could look into, but the first thing to do is to get the little guy back with his people. while we're out there we can look for any signs of the expedition, and watch for any temples
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"The Song'o know this area best, once we bring Muhdzuzi back safely we might be able to ask if they know of any temples or ruins connected to the storm kindlers." Adriana muses out loud.
"Even if they cannot, Muhdzuzi has waited long enough, and I fear for his safety; is there anything we need to do before we leave?"
"Again, thanks for your hardwork" the Sheriff then takes Jheri with her in order to help him recover.
You have a few hours to buy supplies and follow personal goals before resting.
The next day you take a breakfast, equip yourselves and begin your march once more, this time Mahdzuzi leads the way.
For the next day you face a constant drizzle and soft rain that accompanies you during your walk. The road quickly disappears as the Song'o leads you towards the east. The dust becomes a murky way, then you enter a swamp.
At half day you find out a large set of marks, something large has walked by this area.
The rest of the day goes uneventful and you finally have to settle for the night.
Mahdzuzi informs you "Cashil. Half. Cashil, here, half"
Splits the Leaves agreed with Tonny, the Song'O had been plenty patient and he had no reason to let him worry and his family worry.
He restocked his healing supplies, grabbed some ink and food for the little dinosaur companion he had.
"I'm ready to go whenever you are. I feel we should make haste."
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Watching the native move through the terrain was interesting. It came naturally to him, unlike the blessing that was required to let the druid do it.
"I can watch during the early night, my vision in the dark is not great."
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"Ooo, look!" Tonny pauses to point at the large tracks in the wet ground. "It's an ankylosaurus - well, not an actual ankylosaurus, but one's been through here recently and left tracks! You can tell by the deepness of the prints and their spacing that it's a heavy creature that walks on all fours." He pauses for a moment. "I'm pretty certain they're herbivores, so unless we deliberately provoke it or threaten its young or startle it by popping out of the grass when it wasn't expecting us it shouldn't attack us. Definitely shouldn't be hunting us. I think." He turns to Jonah for the resident dinosaur-expert's opinion.
Ingolf was reassured that Tonny believed the large tracks to be made by herbivories.
When they stopped for the night, he nodded and replied to Mahdzuzi, "Halfway to Cashil. We're making good progress."
When it came time to arrange watches he told the others, "I don't see well in the middle of the night either, unless there's good moonlight. But Ebba can smell things coming from upwind."
Be it your campsite fire, your numbers, or mere luck, the night passes uneventful.
The next day you wake up to your morning routines and have an energizing breakfast. Mahdzuzi explains you in Polyglot a few things about his culture "Kubalulekile uma sisondela ungazikhombisi izikhali zakho. Vele ubabonise sheheed. Okunye futhi ukuthi kufanele uhloniphe abadala. Induna yamanje nguZaahku. Singabantu abanokuthula, kepha sihlala ehlane futhi siyazi lapho kufanele sizivikele khona. Futhi okubalulekile, yamukela ukudla uma unikezwa. Ukudla kubalulekile emasikweni. Yidla konke okunikelwayo."
"It is important when we approach you do not show your weapons. Just show them sheathed. Also important you be respectful with elders. Current Chieftain is Zaahku. We are peaceful people, but live in the wilderness and know when we have to defend ourselves. Also important, accept food if offered. Food is important in culture. Eat everything offered."
The morning goes uneventful and after a good lunch you arrive to Cahshil while a soft rain is falling in the afternoon.
The settlement is built upon a particularly deep wetland, and the halflings construct all their huts atop bamboo stilts. Seeing Muhdzuzi approach ahead of you, you find the halflings cautious but welcoming. They watch you from the top of their huts while a couple of Song'o armed with spears stop you and start talking with Muhdzuzi.
Your halfling friend says things are going well but you should wait. Eventually, the Song’o elder Zaahku approaches you flanked by several warriors, "Muhdzuzi says you saved him. We thank you for that, but you should know we do not like the tall ones to walk in our settlements" the Song'o Chieftain talks a quite good Common.
Muhdzuzi seems to spot someone among the people and runs towards inside the village.
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"Impela, ubunhloko bakho," Tonny answers with a bow that turns into a one-legged kneel about halfway down. "Sithole leli qhawe elinesibindi enqabeni eyakhiwe ngabantu abade, silwe nokuhlaselwa kwe-dinosaur nokufa uqobo." He glances up at the others and tries to not-obviously indicate they should also show their respect. "Kube wukuzihlonipha kwethu ukuhamba naye lapha, futhi into esizisola ngayo ukuthi asisukanga ngokushesha okukhulu ukumhlanganisa nomndeni wakhe nabangane."
The druid hears the conversation. He was happy he had a chance to inform the others of their customs beforehand .
Hearing Tonny speak, Splits the Leaves puts his hand gently on Lightfoot's head. He held no weapons, simply a walking stick and holly. He worried how the others would react to their weapons not being of use, but hoped it wouldn't matter.
Ingold nodded to Mahdzuzi and covered the head of his polearm with a sack, tying it on securely. He made sure to translate the halfling's instructions to the rest of the group, stressing the importance of not displaying weapons. He wondered at what food they might be presented with.
He greeted the chieftain respectfully, "Nimefurahiya kukutana nawe, Mzee Zaahku. Jina langu ni Ingolf, na huyu ni mwenzangu Ebba."
Ebba bowed to the halfling elder.
Visibly comforted to see the group masters Polyglot, Zaahku continues the conversation in her own language "Mahdzuzi is one of our greatest hunters. The loss of the rest of his patrol is yet another sign we should not be confident on the tall people though"
You feel Zaahku wants to tell you more things, but she has distrust on you even after saving Mahdzuzi.
You think the Song'o and specially their leader might have a broad knowledge of the region. Probably she knows things that are completely unknown by the humans at Pridon's Hearth.
"You must be tired and hungry" a couple of Song'o approach and serve you with fresh water in wooden cups, and some kind of dough mounted over a large leaf.
Mahdzuzi comes by soon carrying a bunch of stuff "My family are all good and happy to see me. They were very worried. As I promised, here you have some help for your mission in the swamp"
The little halfling gives you a headband of inspired wisdom +2 and four potions of remove fear.
Inolf explained to Zaahku, as best as he could in his shaky Polyglot, "Kwenye ngome ambayo tulimpata Mahdzuzi, tuliona ishara zilizoonyesha kwamba mjusi anaweza kuwa ndiye alikuwa nyuma ya shambulio hilo, na vifo vya washiriki wengine wa doria. Makazi ya watu mrefu pia yalishambuliwa na mjusi. Mmoja wao alidai kuwa ni Storm-Kindler, ambayo ni dhehebu la Gozreh.
"Tumesikia pia hadithi za hekalu la zamani msituni, lililojengwa na kikundi cha wazushi wa Storm-Kindlers. Je! Umesikia juu ya mahali kama hapo? Tunashangaa ikiwa inaweza kushikamana na mashambulizi haya yote."
"We have also heard stories of an old temple in the jungle, built by a group of heretical Storm-Kindlers. Have you heard of such a place? We wonder if it may be connected to all of these attacks."
He graciously accepted the water and dough on a leaf, and ate.
The druid knows that the elder is hiding something, most likely not maliciously but out of fear from prior experience.
"What Ingolf speaks is true. In fact one of our villages as well was attacked by this cult, and they would have killed many. This goes far beyond big and small Elder Zaakhu."
Taking the drink and dough the druid eyes it for a single moment.
As soon as he feels it on his hands he almost knows what it is.
Splits knows the food is made of corn and edible berries, all safe, but the leaf is only a dish and should not be eaten.
"Not know" Mahdzuzi says with the few words he has learnt from you, while negating with the head.
Noticing she has been caught Zaahku breaths deep before answering "Kungenzeka kube nento encane engiyaziyo ngalokhu okhuluma ngakho. Kepha ngizimisele ukukunikeza usizo noma ngiphendule imibuzo kuphela uma unikela ngosizo oluphathekayo kithina, ngakho-ke ngiyazi ukuthi ningabantu abalungile uqobo, abathembekile. Ngabe uzimisele ukunikeza lobu bufakazi ngokusisiza?"
"There might be a few thing I know about this you talk. But I am willing to offer assitance or answer questions only if you offer concrete help to us, so I know you are personally good, trustworthy people. Are you willing to provide this proof by helping us?"
Ingolf replied to Zaahku, "Nitasaidia, ikiwa ni kitu tunaweza kufanya. Je! Unahitaji msaada gani?"
Zaahku is clearly satisfied by your answer "There is a tojanida—a strange outsider aligned with the element of water—who lives upriver beneath a grand waterfall"
"While we have occasionally benefited from the capricious creature’s insights and lore, the bullying brute exacted high tolls from us when they first settled in the area. The tojanida, calling herself Guughwa, claimed our tribe’s cauldron of brewing as a trophy in exchange for letting us settle in “her” river." Zaahku breaths deep, clearly pained by the memories "I do prefer that you don’t kill Guughwa—a large monster living so close keeps more aggressive river predators at bay—but I want the cauldron back and fear to confront Guughwa by ourselves, as the outsider’s mood swings can be dangerous."
"As you have escorted Muhdzuzi back, I will give you some extra advise that might help you. We know the tojanida adores coral capuchin eggs, and there is a large flock of the creatures nests to the north."
The druid nodded, "I would hate to kill such a thing, even if it is doing what it is meant to do. Such a being could be reasoned with." He wondered if it would have heard about the elemental they were chasing after, but decided it would be a question for the outsider itself.
"A flock of coral capuchin? I will see to it that perhaps we can make a bargain with this tojanda." Leaning his chin on his staff he thinks for a moment, "Your cauldron, what sets it from others? Would it be easy to find?"
Ingolf said to Zaahku, "We will try to reason with Guughwa. What language does she speak?
"It sounds like the best course of action for us is to first gather some coral capuchin eggs, in advance of our negotiations with Guughwa. Hopefully we can persuade her to trade your cauldron for the eggs."
Zaahku explains "The cauldron is a cauldron of brewing. It looks like a fine bronze cooking pot with four stout legs and has a frieze of geometric motives my people saw in the mountains generations ago"
"I appreciate your help, I have been always too afraid to approach the creature myself. I do not know what he talks, but my grandmother said it talks the language of the creatures of water"
The creatures of water...
He wondered if there was a spell to speak with them, he could only hope that body language and intent could help save the day.
"I can promise I will do what I can. I'm sure they must feel the same."
Ingolf said to his friends, "I'm afraid I don't think I can speak th language of creatures of water. Can anyone else?"
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Tonny swallows and shakes his head. "No, only to understand..." His face falls, then suddenly lights up. "Oh! But I could brew up a bottle of that extract and give it to her! Him? Them? Sorry, not important right now. But then they'd be able to understand us, and if I brewed a second dose then one of us could understand what they're saying and translate for the rest of us." He grins happily.
The Song'o allow you to rest at Cashil for the night providing food for the group, but they do not let you in farther deep than the entrance. A couple of halfling guards stand always near you making sure you respect this.
On the morning, the north walk to the Coracap Rock is not long.
The landscape along this bend in the northern river fork breaks up into dozens of small islands crowded with trees. Countless tropical birds roost in these islands, but one island—called Coracap Rock by many local tribes—is where the Song'o told you a flock of coral capuchins lie their eggs.
It seems the worsening weather has made the capuchins flee elsewhere more safe, and the severe winds and driving rain have since knocked many of those eggs to the ground.
You spot three tiny amphibian creatures with dragon-like aspect and pink wings studying you from the rocks.
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Jonah leaves with the others, encouraged by the hospitality they were shown. He sticks to guarding the others in the group, but does not spot anything as they walk
Splits the Leaves stops and holds out his staff. "There are some things looking at us from the rocks." He tilts his head in their direction, "The pink ones. Do you see?"
Ingolf replied to Splits the Leaves, "I can't see anything. What do they look like?"
Ebba was too busy sniffing the ground to notice anything else.
The creatures hide behind the rocks when they do notice that Splits points towards them, so when the others look in the direction they only see rocks and a few coral eggs sprawling around them.
These are coral capuchins the ones that post the eggs, who happen also to love stealing brightly stuff.
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The druid stamps his staff into the floor. "No matter. They were amphibian, almost like pink dragons. I'm sure if they wanted to come for us they would. I can certainly tell you that it isn't anything that I had seen before in the natural world."
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"Well, there's lots of natural things that are pink," Tonny protests, not quite understanding the druid's point correctly. "There's that jungle flower that smells like rotting flesh, and tulips, and sunsets, and coral, and orchid mantises, and orchids, and those birds with the really long tail feathers and rosy chests, and roses, and river dolphins, and..."
Splits the Leaves looks at Lightfoot with a silent sigh.
"Focus Tonny. It was a pink dragon."
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Ingolf briefly wondered if Splits had been partaking in hallucinogenic herbs, but dismissed the thought. "I've never heard of a pink dragon! How big are they?
"We're going to have to get near them if we want to collect any eggs. Does anyone need to prepare?"
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Feeling danger might be afoot, the druid casts his spell upon the companion he has.
0th (4 slots) - Guidance, Create Water, Detect Poison, Detect Magic
1st (3 slots, 1 domain, 2 pearls) - Entangle, Faerie Fire, Shield Companion, [Whispering Wind], [Pearl], [Pearl]
2nd (2 slots, 1 domain) - Elemental Speech, Gust of Wind, [Wind Wall]
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"I hope not big enough to be trouble. A Drake I will fight, but a dragon? That might be beyond us..." Adriana trails off as she unsheathes her scimitar and looks about, keeping a general eye on the environment while Ingolf and Ebba moved to collect eggs.