Davor sneaks towards the nest letting his eyes roam over the structure. Luckily for him the Rain has washed a large undamaged feather from its postion, lying just there to be picked up.
Davor grabs it and makes his way down the Mountain again.
Shalissa holds her breath looking at Davor quickly descending from the top of the mountain "He is coming back too soon. I expect problems... let's be ready"
Davor could hardly believe the luck of finding a perfect feather. He carefully wraps it against damage and moves back to the route of his climb. Looking down at the team he signals that all is good and starts his climb down.
"Wow! That was easier than it looked!" Father Kerndrew exclaims with praise for Davor's efforts. "Well done!"
Hearing Father Kerndrew's words Davor looks back up at the nest. "Hmm.... I guess Pharasma didn't want me today, or Desna is happy. That was kind of stupid of me!" He shrugs. "But it's done. I got lucky and found a nice, whole feather without having to disturb an egg. Really didn't want to touch an egg!"
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They way down is almost as easy as the way up, and Davor is already halfway down the slope when he hears a loud swooshing sound comning from the north.
He is trying to press himself as tight into rock as possible, abd the large bird is heading straight to the nest to look after his eggs again.
Relieved by his successful escape the sailor continues his climb down but is starting to get a bit overconfident and steps onto a loose ledge, which gives way almost immediately.
davcor looses his footing and hangs precariously in the air for a few seconds before he is able to get his left toes into a fissure in the rock.
Now more careful again he manages the rest of the way without further problems.
Shalissa utters a deaf shout as the half-orc clings on the last ledge. She runs to receive the hero of the day "That was awesome Davor! Right before the bird arrived. The goddess was with you today"
Smiling happily, she presses the group to go back and visit Tempest before it gets too dark.
You rush southwards again to get back to your new acquaintance. But you barely managed a few minutes when yu are met by a group of natives rushing towards you.
When they reach you, their leader shouts "Chirok Taboo! No place for northener! what you do here?"
"The great bird is a mother. Never disrespect a mother!...."
He agrees, hands the feather to Shalissa and quickly follows back to Tempest.
Shalissa picks up the feather hesitant by what Davor wants leaving her in trouble in front of the natives "Chirok Taboo? Erm, we just needed a feather, we got it, and we are leaving home now. No one got hurt. Hope everything is good..."
Rising an eyebrow, the elf adds trying to use the native language, Polyglot "Can we help you with anything?"
Confused by the natives' reaction Davor steps just ahead of Shalissa. "We were here following instructions from Tempest. We will leave you if you direct us to go."
Gregor and Enzi sat at the bottom of the cliff as Davor climbed up and down with fair bit of ease. He brought the feather and Gregor clapped him on the back. Well done indeed.
on the way back when the tribal figures emerged and started talking about 'taboo' Gregor put his hands on his axe hilts and waited. standing slightly in front of Shalissa to the left. Noone was going for her unless they went through him. He motioned for Enzi to stand near by and ready, nd so she did.
"You say no harm to Chirok, but we not know you lying. Northerners always lie. Hiyehaya will go and ask bird."
The Leader has clearly had a few negative experieces with Sargavian adventurers, so he is not trusting you for now and sends one of his man back to the cliff.
In the meantime he and his man block your way forward and stare at you menecingly.
"Who is tempest? He not own Chirok"
Shalissa looks at the others, getting a bit nervous, what if the bird has suffered an accident?
"Yes, those Sargavians are a bit violent, but we are good people, we have no reasons to lie to you" the elf tries to calm down the natives "We do not know Chirok, but she is sure a powerful bird, if we had fought we would have perished. But look, none of us is injured, we just found a feather fallen around her nest and came back"
Leaving the explanations about Tempest to anyone else.
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Davor tries, "Tempest, or Nkechi, is a priest of Gozreh, possibly a prophet. He lives in a cave over on the bluff there." He points in the direction of the cliff. "He's also known as a guide to the jungle here. We seek a lost city in the jungle so we asked him to help. Finding a feather without disturbing the great bird was a test to prove that we were worthy."
"Let's just everyone stay calm," Father Kerndrew asks as his hand instinctively retreats to the hilt of his sword. "We mean nobody harm here; we're happy to wait while you confirm that, but we will have to be on our way when your man returns."
"Nkechi send you? he good wise man, but only have your word." Still with your calm demeanor and friendly behaviour you are able to defuse the situation quite easily.
Fifteen minutes later Hiyehaya returns. "Great bird is in peace. They did not steal eggs or attack."
Their leader turns towards you. "Still you stole feather from mother bird, but you say it is for Nkechi. Hokachis believes this taboo, will birng no good. But Nkechi good man. He wiser than Hokachis. You may bring him feather."
Davor steps forward with the calm reply. "The Great Bird is a mother. We would never harm a mother or her young. Would you like to come with us to Nkechi? The feather was but a test. Perhaps he would want you to have the feather once he sees it, since you are loyal guardians of the Great Bird?"
"We understand. We are grateful for the feather and we can offer some food for the bird and her breed" Shalissa takes one of the baobab fruits given by Aycena and offers it to the natives "This is an exotic fruit that heals when it is needed. Please take it"
If the natives are satisfied with this, the elf nods to her companions and profits the opportunity to say goodbye and look after Tempest once more.
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"You show good respect to Chirok! We accept your offer and you may go back to Nkechi."
Convinced that you have done nothing to hurt the bird, they let you pass and you are on your way back to the tempest.
In the next afternoon you finally arrive back at the cliff and call out to the Tempest.
"So show me, have you fulfilled your tasks?"
"You tests were dangerous Nkechi, but Gozreh had it that we should be successful" Shalissa reverently offers the man both the black pearl and the feather "We are blessed with the help of Davor and Gregor. If you decide to join our expedition, you will discover they are both great scouts and explores, able to adjust themselves to the largest dangers"
She is a bit hesitant, but in the end she asks "We have proved ourselves. Will you join our expedition now?"
"Yes, Please join us. I would know more of Gozreh. I pay reverence to Pharasma, and occasionally thank Desna when the winds of fate blow well for me. I'd like to learn some of all of the gods and know little of Gozreh."
"I see you seem to have done well. But lfirst let me check, that you really deserve my help."
The Tempest takes your tokens of success and retreats up the cliff once more. HAlf an hour later he returns and invites you up to his cave.
"Congratulations. you have proven yourself. Come up and lets have a talk. There is still one more thing to do."
He then leads you up the path into his hermitage.
Shalissa looks at the others with a mixture of surprise and concern "Let's hope the last test involves filling the belly"
The elf follows Tempest slightly thereafter. She looks around to have an impression of how the man lives in the cave "The place must be damp at winters. Do your bones not pain all day?"
Gregor watched Shalissa and Davor masterfully handle the tribal leader and then they made their way to see the Druid, who seemed to accept them. He said there was one more thing...Gregor nodded and said What is this one more thig you speak of. Of course we will see you to your cave, but perhaps some light can be shed?
"Of Course we are going to speak to Gozreh! We need to find out if he approves of your Journey."
Inside he asks you to sit on his floor in a circle about a large clay brazier filled with herbs. "Gozrehs gifts are never paining me. I relish in the winds and the water he sends for me."
Then Nkechi picks up a wooden mortar filled with reddish paste, and proceeds to draw mystic symbols your faces with the paste as he walks around the circle chanting esoteric words.
When the priest mentions speaking to Gozreh Davor is surprised, and a bit curious. Not being a religious man though he does as directed.
Shalissa's heart turns around beating excitedly "It will be an honor to hear the Sky Father herself"
The elf takes sit and observes taking mental note of every move Nkechi does, memorizing how the ritual is done "Is this some secret from the Mwangi tribes?"
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The runes are verious names of Gozreh, but you are not able to make out a real pattern to the ritual. (used DC for Spellcraft to define Success)
When Nkechi finished the patterns, he pulls out a pouch filled with some small roots, eats a piece, and requests that each of you does the same.
Make a Fort Save DC 17 to not partake in the hallucination and instead feel Sickened for the next hour.
If you fail you take part in the ritual.
You perceive yourself exiting your body turning into a column of smoke and drifting up into the night sky. You feel your companions being sround you without really seeing them.
As you travel onwards you see all of the explanse below you. Slowly, the sky turns red and you reform as a strange spirit animal in pale translucent colors.
Davor
Gregor
Kerndrew
Shalissa
Gregor had heard of such rituals in his wanderings. He nodded and took a piece of root and chewed it up swallowing and leaned over to offer some to Enzi, who smelled it and grimaced turning her nose up at him and shook her head. He shrugged and gave her the command to guard him. He allowed roots properties to take hold of him and went with the feeling.
He felt he was being drawn up to the sky in smoke his body transforming as it rose up. Black and white stripes appeared on his arms and legs as his fingers melded into each other. His snout began to elongate and he found himself transforming into a plains animal, the Zebra he thinks it was called. He thinks to himself Dont eat me Enzi but only a neigh comes out as he looks at the others.
In for a copper....
Davor follows instructions and takes the root.
The area around him fades and he sees his body turn into smoke and float up. He is curious about the magic but then his body swirls into a shapeless mass as he continues floating upward. Is this his end? To be ripped apart by the winds? But then his cloud shape swirls together again, into the shape of a dog. He curiously examines his.... paws, and wonders if he really is a dog. Running around on his four legs he starts barking at anything that moves.
Approaching you from ahead is a giant crab waving his claws at you. First you think your drream has brought you visions of Pezocks former home, but when the Dream Crab starts talking you realize that you are looking at Nkechi in his spirit form.
As you float over the jungle of the Expanse you start looking around. From time to time you notice a few more details about the places you are flying over, but mostly the looks are quite hazy.
A small mountain range pops out of the mist, and you see a opening leading deeper into the underground. A group of misty shapes seems to vanish inside that tunnel and later you see a group of humans trunning out of the same tunnel.
You remember flying over a large lake. When you approached a huge exotic creature brakes through the Surface with a body as large as an elephant but with a neck like and giraffe and the head like an dolphin, snapping at you before it retreats into the lake.
You approach a river crossing in the jungle, when suddenly a large ape jumps out of the Jungle, pounding his fists on his chest to chase you away. You also notice a mysterious black smoke wavering around its head.
Shalissa takes the root with curiosity and willingness to know more about this ritual. She consumes it without hesitation.
Soon, she is flying over the plains in the form of a Tortoise Spirit. She looks down over a mountain range and flies down to observe the human figures there.
Almost at the same time, as if everything is happening ensemble but nothing is, the tortoise takes flight over a large lake.
She looks around to see what the great crab and his friends are doing.
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totally caught up in the experience of flying as a zebra Gregor was curiously distinterested in the land that flowed beneath him and his flying friends. He tried to make sense of whos who...Davor The Dog? that made him mentally smile...He neighed and blew wind out his nose in an amusing snort and it sounded like it came out Davor You Dog!
Then saw Shallissa the tortoise looking around calmly. He wondered if that form was chosen by her mask wearing...
The last Kerndrew the Bull...well that kinda fit. but why Zebra...he had no shortage ofwonderment about why he was a Zebra.
then looking at the Giant Crab form of the druid and laughed in a horselike laugh...well that sure is appropriate...He is rather crabby
Further on you see a part of the jungle unveiling, revealing the ruins of of a forgotten city of an ancient civilization.
As you witness the scene, you here Nkechis voice inside your head. Or is it Gozreh himself speaking:
"Secrets may be unveiled but you are not the only one racing to the ruins in the jungle. Andd Beware.There is darkness hidden inside that place. Deeper than the blackness under the roof of the jungle at night."
Tortoise Shalissa brings her hands instinctively to her holy symbol "What... what is that Darkness hidden inside Sky Father?" she then moves the other arm to try unveil what is behind the jungle and the ruins, but there is no hand, instead only the palm of a tortoise leg.
Davor's spirit dog shape is howling at the moon when he hears Nkechis voice. It gets his attention and he stops playing at being a dog. "Darkness hidden in the ruins? The snake lady, Yarzoth, hinted at something, from history. Maybe it's more of her people? And her religion, Zura or something?"
Father Kerndrew sat down with the others and looked at the root with concern. He didn't think that Iomedae would place him with this representative of Gozreh is this wasn't required, but this situation still made him nervous.
He had a good idea of what might be coming, and that would make anyone nervous, the Father thought. And then he bit down and started to chew the root.
He can't make much sense of what he sees yet, so he flies across the skies, trusting that the spirits forms of his friends would help him find a way through to what they were looking for.
While Nkechi speaks in your mind about more and more obscure events which are bound to happen, you suddenly notice a giant dream serpent marializing in front of you and moves to attack the giant crab.
Shalissa squeals something in Turtle, rushing towards the Crab, in order to defend him.
The tortoise opens her mouth and a ray of electricity sprouts from it towards the snake!
Realizing the danger Davor moves in, ducking to one side as he closes and bites at the snake. While he had enjoyed barking before, he attacks in silence, as usual.
Father Kerndrew decides to lean into his new dream form, and works up a real head of steam, causing spiritual dust clouds to form beneath his churning hooves before he actually begins moving swiftly to charge the serpent threatening their crab-guide.
Feeling really like you are in your true form, you have no problems rushing forward attacking the new enemy.
The serpent then raises its head and strikes at the Crab, easily puctuating its armored leg with its fangs.
With another squeal, Gozreh knows what she meant, the tortoise-Shalissa keeps her speedy race forward, opening her mouth to launch another electrical zap at the snake!
With the group of allies all attacking the snake Davor calls on his rogue training, as much as would apply to his current shape, and snaps another bite at the big snake....
but completely misses the enemy this time. He barks in his frustration.
Gregor's nostrils flared as the serpent was seen. he reared up and his hooves pawed the air before he landed on all fours and charged forward to club at the serpent with a hoof.
St:18 Dx:14 Cn:12 In:11 Ws:14 Ch:10
(normal Zebra Stats-St:14 DX:15 Cn:13 In:2 Ws:14 Ch:6)
Large
AC:15 T-11 FF-13 (-1 for Large, +4 for Natural, +2 for Dex)
Attacks 2 Hooves +10 1d4+2 x2 Bite: +5 1d4+1
Speed 50'
Low light vision and scent
Slowly Gregor manages to get his hooves underhis body and rushes towards the snake hammering it with his hooves, while Shalissa lets out another lightning bolt fly at the Serpent.
The claws of the giant crab turn into blocks of wood and Nkechi lashes out at the serpent. But the snake quickly movea out of the way. Unfortunatel for her she moves just into the path Kerndrews horns.
Bleeding green ichor from it wounds the Serpent keeps Attacking the hated priest of Gozreh sinking her fangs once more into its body.
Davor continues barking and biting at the big snake. His allies are all piling on to the thing so it can't last much longer!
Shalissa slowly blinks with her cute turtle eyes in disbelief for the snake evilness. She shoots another ray of electricty at the reptile and what it signifies!
And almost beheads one of her friends with the clumsy aim of her crackling ray!