Davor smiles when he recognizes Athyra. "We found a fair bit of danger and undead, a wanderer that we rescued, and some things that you will want. Shalissa has an amulet and key for you I think." He motions for everyone to continue while he glances back to Neethan. "It won't attack unless she is in danger...."
Once outside the cave, Neethan delights to see the sun again. It’s good to feel it warm his body. Except for sudden thunderstorms and heavy monsoon rains, Neethan feels the seasons are pretty much the same in Sargava. In the cave, there wasn’t even any difference between night and day though.
”Let me show you where we were attacked. Maybe there are signs of anyone else surviving?”, he says pointing northeast.
He then stops as they spot a young woman with a dinosaur. The wizard assumes this is the Athyra they others have spoken of. He’s relieved to see that her dinosaur is of a smaller species than the ones that attacked him before. This one is about a foot shorter and without the feathers. He’s still suspicious though and keeps to the back, letting Davor and the rest deal with her. Neethan doesn’t want any trouble.
Shalissa smiles at the sight of the woman and her dinosaur "We also found an injured man. Neethan. This is Athyra."
The elf makes the way towards the woman and gives her the amulet and the rest of things they found in the salt mines "I believe this is yours... I am sorry for your loss"
Neethan does a polite nod to Athyra but keeps some distance. The woman is from some of the Mwangi tribes and by her looks she's most likely not one to work on the many plantations surrounding Kalabuto or in the city itself. A true ‘native’ as his father would have called her. Neethan tries to be better than his father, but there is often a tension between the colonials and members of the tribes due to the history they share.
He’s not sure it’d be wise to bring up the previous fight with the dinosaurs, as he doesn’t know if she is some kind of nature’s guardian or something. Maybe she would blame him for hurting those bloody monsters!
He waits a little to see how she reacts and what the others ask her. Seems Athyra has some relationship to the mine …
"Thank you for meeting us here. I hope this helps bring some closure, though I don't doubt if it's no small comfort. Blessing of Iomedae to you, Athyra." Father Kerndrew stands ready for aid, but defers to Shalissa to provide the strongest comfort to their new friend.
Athyra takes the amulet from Shalissa and opens it. Looking at the picture starts shaking and tears are rolling down her cheeks.
"Papa, Where have you been. I missed you so much."
Davor sees the effect on the young lady's face. Grief is too easy to recognize... "The evil in there turned the men into wights, senseless undead monsters. If your Papa was there his death was quick, but the evil would have used his body. It probably wouldn't be recognizable anymore."
"But the mine is yours now. A new team of miners could be brought to work here and you would get a profit from it."
"If you don't want that, maybe you could come along with us? It wouldn't be safe, but it should be interesting."
Shalissa hugs the woman as she mourns "As Davor explains, there was a sphere of evilness there. We have destroyed it. It should be save now."
"If you want to come with us to Kalabuto, you will be well received in our group. If you prefer to stay an preserve your way of living, we do understand too." the elf tries to sooth her "If you get some profit maybe you can pay some day for the resurrection of your family."
You slowly console her to a point were your words reach the grieving young woman again. Salissa tells her what transpired 15 years agon in this mine
"Thank you for your kind words. And for finding whats left of my family and put their curse to rest."
When Davor offers her the ownership of the mine she shakes her head. "What would I do with a mine. I don't know anything about mining or organizing people to work it for me. And I am not even sure, I would ever be able to set a foot into that place anyways."
"But if you want me toaccompany you, I would like to do that. You are friendly people and I would like to repay the help you have given me."
"It's clear that our paths were meant to cross; I'd be happy to have you join us on our travels," Father Kerndrew welcomes Athyra. And perhaps our company--and something to do--can keep your mind off of your loss.... he thinks.
Shalissa smiles to the hunter, she takes her by the arm "That is great. It is good to have someone willing to talk about woman stuff and not only about the last model of axe or sword"
With that, Shalissa is well ready to move on towards Kalabuto.
With the shortcut through the mines secured you are sure to that the expedition will save at least a day in these hills. .
Happily you pick up all your belongings and follow Shep and Mate who are leading your mules down the path back onto the main road.
The travel downwards goes much easier and within Hours you are back on the wide plains between the Bantu Hills and the Laughing Jungle. This time the road slants towards the jungle and follows its border. The mighty tress stand menancingly in the east seemingly forbidding any entrance. You decide to better move onwards fast.
Two days you travel undisturbed through the land only interupted by sightings of native groups of hunters or herdsman, but these are mostly keeping in the distance.
So you are very happy when you finally spot a human settlement near the path before you.
A small cnglomeration of huts are standing on the border of the jungle on a clearing between the trees and the natives seem to be very happy to see you, inviting you to get closer.
Neethan wonders on how to bring up the subject of his lost teammates without mentioning them fighting dinosaurs, now that Athyra is with them. They haven’t stepped far though before he stops, seeming perplexed. The scenery is a bit weird. While the piles of rock outside the old mine are about the same, there are now some bushes even higher than him and also a few smaller trees. He does definitely not remember them being there when he tried to find cover from the dinosaurs in the stony terrain. Could plant life have been held at bay due to the necrotic energy seaming out of the cave and was now taking it back lost ground with a vengeance? He looks back into the cave. It seems a bit far for the evil force to reach out here. He feels uncomfortable when another suspicion creeps up on him.
”What date is it? I mean what year?”
Shalissa looks at Neethan with a bit of a surprise and worry "According to the counting you humans do with respect Absalom Reckoning, I think it is 4719. Why?"
"The natives here seem open. Let's try to get some supplies and news on the region" the elf will smile at the welcoming natives and try to speak in Polyglot with them to both get supplies and information.
Neethan is aware that different races and different cultures have their own way of counting years, so he is glad Shalissa is clear with her answer. The information makes him downhearted though. He looks out at the plain and sees that high summer has likely passed too.
4719! More than four bloody years!
He painfully realizes that he’s likely presumed dead by now.
Why hadn’t they tried to find him earlier?
Because no one found out about it.
He both asks and answers the question himself.
Going looking for signs of others surviving, seems pretty pointless now. He hangs his head, then remembers to be polite. Lifting his head, but still looking sad, he answers the elf’s question.
”It doesn’t look the same here as when I fled into the mine. By your answer, I understand why. I was somehow captured in there roughly four years and two months.”
He thinks about his parents and siblings. Have they stopped grieving me by now? No body to bury and no grave to mourn at.
He gets an impulse to head back to Eleder but going alone would be reckless. He had been saved for some purpose and risking it again, seems stupid or even ungrateful. So much more important to make it to Kalabuto instead and report to the Gold Crown office.
--
Neethan’s mood improves some when he can prepare his spells again. A couple of cantrips helps him clean and mend his bloodstained and ripped clothes. With the help from the others, he is now also healed. The wizard is very careful about having his waterskin filled though. The dreadful thirst he felt in the mine, seems hard to just leave behind.
The sign of a small village or at least a group of huts, lightens up his mood further. Maybe a chance of sleeping in a bed again.
The villagers are greeting you friendly in Polyglot and broken Common.
"Welcome with our people. Come inside. You look wary, You Want something to eat? Place for sleeping?"
Davor joins Shalissa and nods at the greeting. "Yes Thank you. We don't want to impose though. There are a number of others that will be joining us."
Inside the village you see people setting up quick impromptu food displays to show you their stocks in fruits and cured eat as well as beautiful local adornments.
Neethan watches how the tribe welcomes Athyra and her dinosaur. If they are herdsmen, he imagines they might have an opinion on having such a predator close by. He also tries to learn to which of the Mwangi tribes, they have been invited to determine if they are generally friendly.
Kyra puts down a couple of bags with heavy supplies "Yes, please, the would-be heroes are going to ask you about information but what the ones who do the hard work need are roasted beef, mashed potatoes and a good bed."
The middle-aged woman takes a long drink from her waterskin and seeing how Neethan looks at the water, she winks an eye to the new hero in the team "Can you translate that to the natives cutie? Or do you prefer to share a drink with Kyra?"
The tribes living in the laughing jungle are mostly hunter/gatherer Groups although this one has also a few fields where they grow Roots and vegetables.
Mostly these people are known to be rather reclusive. but since this village lies near aan old trade route, it makes sense that they would be friendly.
Seeing all the activity, Father Kerndrew guesses that the villagers not only welcome the appearance of this advance group, but that they'll delight in knowing an even larger group follows behind. He moves near Shalissa so she can translate for him. "Thanks for your welcome! We do indeed need a good place to rest, and some food would be very welcome. We have money to pay, and a much larger group behind; we would love to make arrangements for them to stop here on their way too!"
Neethan decides that these are likely members of a friendly tribe rather than one of the hostile ones. Its location along one of the trade routs hopefully vouches for that. He remembers earlier rebellion and unrest though and is a little careful since he doesn’t know the current status of things yet.
His thoughts are interrupted by one of the other members in the team he has not spoken to much before. He is a bit surprised by her forwardness, but he’s not one to turn down a drink of water.
”Yes, I can speak Mwangi.” he answers, reaching for the offered waterskin and taking a swing at it.
The wizard is not very smooth when it comes to diplomacy or befriending the natives, so he lets the other do the talking. He listens carefully though.
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The eyes of the chieftain light up when you mention looking for a good place to rest and some food. He leads into the viallage proper where other
Villagers smile, toting baskets of fruit, meat, and laundry. Others sit in the shade weaving leaves and vines and greeting you in broken common. Barefoot children dart about chasing each other around the small huts.
Everybody seems to converge to greet you and the only person who seems uninterested in the heroes is an older woman with a painted face who, upon their arrival, ducks into her hut and pulls a cloth across the doorway.
You are brought toward the central fireplace and soon people start preparing a delicious smelling meal consisting of flatbread, fresh fruit, and a tasty porridge seasoned with sweet tubers.
Shalissa is happy to translate to Polyglot and reverse when needed. She engages on the fruits eating and offers some of the manufactured goods she bought to carry as coin for trade with the native tribes. A mirror, a pillow and a steel handaxe is offered as a gift "Do you have news of what is going on in the region? We are heading to Kalabuto and plan to continue travel through the Screaming Jungle and beyond to the north. Is the season acceptable for travel? Any dangers ahead to look after?"
Noticing the woman closing in her hut, she also asks about it "Is she ok?"
Davor follows, watches and listens. There had been people from the other groups that had attacked their warehouse. Could they have agents ahead of them here? Or was she one of the crazies that fought against anyone moving in to the jungle?
Neethan is looking forward to some fresh fruit and vegetables. He is ready to pay for a good meal but doesn’t have much in the way of gifts to give away.
While he waits, he instead entertains a handful of children with a few simple cantrip tricks. The wizard uses the Ghost Sound spell to mimic the sound of different animals moving back and forth. He makes them guess what animal he is thinking of, but doesn't get all the ones right according to the children, and they laugh with him.
"“She is our shaman! Don't worry about her, she is old and wary and not of a festive spirit.” Shalissa is told when asking about the old woman. But you keep looking for her and find her hut tightly closed for the whole evening.
Davor is watching varily for insurgents following them to this place, but sees nobody suspicious. You are not quite sure why everyone is so happy to see you, but maybe they are just freindly people.
Or maybe they just enjoy Neethan tricks very much.
"You say big party coming our way? how many people are? How many food need?" The local chieftain is trying to find out more about this opportunity.
Having assured a friendly connection to the natives, Neethan tries to learn more about the lay of the land. While the tribesmen here might not travel far, their village is by a trade route. He asks them how often there are caravans passing through and tries to discern the recent situation in Kalabuto, like who are running it now (the colonials or the Mwangi tribes) and if it’s peaceful (as far as they know).
Shalissa takes the word given and shrugs, not everyone is a festive spirit after all. She does take mental note to remember and check with the shaman when things are a bit calmer.
"Well, the rest of the expedition is no more than a hundred people. They should arrive with their own supplies, but anything you can provide, it will be of help." the elf eats a strange orange and meaty fruit she has never tasted before "They will come with tools and beautiful stuff you can trade with."
Other than that, she will dance and talk, trying to learn as much as she can from the culture of the natives and the news they might have of the region.
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Davor also enjoys the food, especially focusing on the things that he had never tried before, and might never get a chance again. When Shalissa moves to join in the dancing and socializing he tries and demonstrates his two left feet....
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The political situation in Kalabuto is as always. There are many more natives than colonials living here and there is always a certain unrest in the city.
The villagers also tell you about an Ankheg colony a day down the road.
Shalissa performs a perfect imitation of Davor's dance. She laughs a lot taking her by one hand while spinning around the fire "I never thought you land ones had these funny dances"
She tries to follow up on the political implications of the natives and colonists differences, and gets more surprised about the ankhegs "Might these be the dark force your temple sent you to keep at bay Father Kerndrew?"
After a long night of dancing and feasting the villagers lead you to a hut which apparently has been reserved for you, located a bit apart from the village.
[spoiler=Please make a Fort Save DC 14)
The wine consumed has gone to your head and for the next 6 hours youre are slightly sickened (The character takes a –1 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.
[/spoiler]
You have just started to settle in and Shalissa contemplates if it si too late to walk over to the shaman, when the door mat is opened once more and the old woman can be seen standing there. She waits until being invited by you and then sits down by the fireplace.
“I am an old woman, and set in my ways. My master taught me long ago that foreigners like yourselves carry curses. But this village suffers under a curse already, and all my magic has so far failed to lift it. The spirits do not help me and I have nowhere else to turn. Perhaps I have been wrong all these years, and perhaps you are the ones who can help free us from the curse.”
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Neethan normally wouldn’t drink much, but it seems his time in the mine has made him unaccustomed to alcohol, at least temporarily. Or his lingering thirst made him drink more than he thought. He feels a bit sluggish but tries to follow the conversation with the shaman. He doesn’t like to hear about curses and starts to think the tribe had been a little too friendly to them before.
Even though Neethan is better than his relatives, he has been brought up to look down upon the Mwangis and his father’s prejudices have not left him totally untarnished. His time attending to The Academy in “The City of Thorns” is also hard to just shake off. There, devils literally walked the streets and selfishness was in the curriculum. Add to that the treachery the last Mwangi scout had dealt him and his team. He’s therefore not the first one to jump to help these people, but wants to learn more and see what the rest of his party is thinking.
Shalissa got perhaps a bit carried over with the wine. She is way too happy and friendly by now for her typical elven ways "You have come to the correct ones shaman. Have we told you how we did already undo the Shiv's curse? Breaking curses is practically a job for us. We are the Curse Undoers. It is not possible we bring curse but we will hear what can we do for your people. After all it might help our expedition if you are happy with us. Don't you think?"
The woman looks a bit worried at Shalissas speech, but then she reminds herself that she is rather is desperate.
"Our village is plagued by malevolent ape-bear. The beast visits every night and preys on the weak and lonely. It delights itself in human brain, and has already killed more than 5 of our children."
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Maybe it was his terrible dancing, and the totally enjoyable way that Shalissa had made him feel OK about dancing so poorly. He just hoped that he hadn't hurt her feet too much!
When Shalissa responds in her uncharacteristic manner to the question about the curse Davor realizes that she must have drank more wine than he did. Or.... He steps up beside her to focus better on the woman. "Children? Such a beast must be stopped. Is there anything more that you can tell us about it? What direction does it come from? How large is it? Have your men tried to fight it? Sorry! That was a stupid question. What I meant was What happened when the men tried to stop it? Did their weapons not harm the creature? Some monsters need magic to harm them."
"We won't let it take any more children!"
Neethan is glad to hear the curse is about an animal. He’d been afraid that it was something that would be more difficult to understand, like ghosts, sickness or crops not wanting to grow.
”If it bleeds, we can kill it.”
Hearing children have been killed, touches him. He has always liked children and had enjoyed making the little ones laugh before.
This is something that he can more easily commit to. Yet, if a whole village can’t stop such an ape-bear(?) to hurt their own children, it's clearly a beast they must not underestimate. He listens more to the conversation and tries to remember what he has heard about such an animal.
Neethan also watches Arytha's reaction, e.g., if she opposes killing it or any suggestions on how to trap such a beast.
"We won't let it take any more children!" Shalissa echoes Davor's words while holding herself over his shoulders to avoid falling.
Shalissa is in no mental state to make tactical choices, but she will rather follow directions on what needs to be done to uncover the beast "Shall we pose as children tonight?"
"An ape-bear you say? This are terryfying creatures. I once had one hunt a nearby heard of dinos and he was able to kill 3 of them before they were able to drive him away."
Seeing that everybody is willing to help the shaman paints a strange marking across the threshold of their hut with fresh goat’s bloo.
"This should draw the beast to your hut tonight. I wish you good luck and hope that you will have the strength to drive that evil beast off." Then she leaves for her own hut.
"This one is in no condition to have a fight" Kyra holds the elf who is still smiling as the shaman leaves the hut "I am staying. But I do not like how that sign she made in the hut looks like."
The pirate takes from a pack a bow and a quiver with arrows.
Davor looks at the smear of blood on the tent. "If the blood draws the beast it could have been used to draw it into a trap." He draws and sheaths his dagger, "But I guess we're the trap this time. Athyra? You've seen one fight? Do they have any special abilities? If Father Kerndrew stood ready inside would the creature charge him? That would let me be hidden behind the door to fall on it from behind. Might that work?"
Neethan sees the wisdom in staging a fight a bit away from the rest of the village huts, but he still wonders about the purpose of this hut. Is it just for visitors or is it for hosting sick ones in quarantine in? He does not want to catch any jungle fever or such a thing.
Kyra then draws his attention to the sign the shaman has done with blood and the wizard tries to discern if he recognizes it. He still doesn’t totally trust that shaman.
?
?
After that, Davor is sharing his thoughts about setting a trap, and Neethan listens. If it’s such a large, fearsome beast, he’s not for just trapping it and letting it go, whatever Athyra may think. The animal has a habit of killing humans rather than other wild prey, and it needs to be killed.
As for preparations, Neethan doesn’t think they will get much sleep, waiting for an attack and at least half of them must be on guard at any time. The wizard does not have any physical armor that takes time to take off and on though, but relies on casting his Mage Armor spell when needed.
"*I* am ouk*hic*" Shalissa prepares her trident "I can *faight*"
But when Kyra releases her to ready her bow, the elf just stumbles and falls over the bed.
Trying to stand up with effort but falling again she nods to the others "Trap *shounds* ok Davor. *Ya* will summon a monster to fight back. We can *shet* trip wire in the entrance *four* help."
@Davor:
"An ape-bear you say? This are terryfying creatures. I once had one hunt a nearby heard of dinos and he was able to kill 3 of them before they were able to drive him away."
@Neethan:
If they decide to wait inside the hut rather than setting a trap outside, Neethan will wait as far as he can from the door, ready to cast his protective spells quickly. He will have his crossbow ready, but leave the quarterstaff in a sling on his back.
"If you *jave* something to block *earsh* it might be a good idea to use it now against the creature's roar" proposes Shalissa making an effort to stay focused.
The elf holds her trident up. She does not cast any spell as they do not really know how long might it take for the creatures to approach, but if there are clear sounds of the attacker outside, she will cast shield of faith on Davor for preparations.