"Last time I checked, elephants don't cause fires, so yeah. Let's sneak about."
Yasami pulls out her blade and attempts to be quiet as she moves.
But it seems she needs directions to move.
The two elephants immediately turn towards Lisi, flapping their ears in an obvious threat display, not soothed by Lisi's words but not instigated to trample him yet either.
Those stealthing past do so with ease, and in the house furthest from the elephants you find an old man, dark skinned and frail, with white hair that's balding on top. He's trapped under a fallen log that was once part of the house.
Caiten looks over at the trapped old man. "Hmm... Can someone give me some assistance?"
"We could use Oren or Joran in here. But they are a bit occupied with the elephants."
Catalina sighs and rolls up her sleeves, ready to try...and fail.
Dario gets on the other side, rubbing his hands together before trying to help lift the log off of the man.
With a raised eyebrow and looking a bit concerned, Joran holds a hand up toward the elephants and takes a defensive position. "Lis, buddy, talk to me. They don't look too happy. What's the matter with 'em? Was it something you said or what?"
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"If you accidentally said something offensive in Elephant, please apologize. I'm not really up for fighting an elephant today."
"They are very, very, very upset. Joran, go help that man. Rocco and Shadow, stay back."
He looks to the elephants. "We will stay back. We won't get any closer. You have my word. Are you hungry?"
"They don't speak a language. They are very intelligent, though, and they understand tone. Keep your voices low and non-threatening. When they are this upset, they may charge, so stay as far away from them as you can."
"Well, not exactly a language. They make low rumbles that indicate emotion."
Lisi feels sweat dripping on his nose. "By all the gods and demons, my dear bruisers, I'll give you the animal communication lecture at a less pressing hour."
"They are very, very, very upset. Joran, go help that man. Rocco and Shadow, stay back."
He looks to the elephants. "We will stay back. We won't get any closer. You have my word. Are you hungry?"
Looking over at the others seemingly having trouble, Joran nods. "You got it, Lis. Will do. Will carefully make my way over there and help that man." Joran calmly takes the long way around to the other team. Calmly. As in, not aggressively. The last thing I need is to get everyone trampled.
Once he finally makes it to the others, he looks down at the man pinned by the log before looking up at the others incredulously. But that look fades quickly as he grins and shakes his head. "Back up, people. Hopefully, he's still breathing." Reaching down, Joran grabs the log and lifts it with ease, supporting it on his shoulder. "One of you better check on him, see if he's still alive." Joran then carries the log a few feet and drops it before returning to the others.
Lisi continues to make reassuring sounds at the elephant pair, his mind racing a bit. He's familiar with the creatures. They're such a unique, intelligent species that menageries often use them as a mascot of sorts. Several parts of the world tame them and use them as mounts, or to help with heavy labor. Lisi knows that such creatures are social animals, and it is odd to only see two, and not a whole herd.
Joran backtracks into the jungle far enough the elephants likely cease to see him, circling around. Lisi has their attention for now, and he hurries to help the rest of you. The old man has cried out in pain a couple of times as the attempts to free him have caused the wooden beam atop him to shift painfully.
Hearing his cries, one of the elephants performs a mock charge, suddenly rushing towards Lisi but stopping partway there.
Joran, hearing the trumpeting exclamations, finally enters the small hut and a flash of familiarity dawns as he is briefly reunited with his former job, and hefts the massive log onto a shoulder with ease. More ease than he used to, he'd realize. This adventuring stuff had made him even stronger.
"Great Spirits' bless you," the old man said in Mwangi, sitting up and holding a hand to and injured shoulder. He hears the trumpeting elephants and struggles towards his feet.
"I can heal you," says Lisi in Taldane and then in Elven. "Can someone translate? I hope this man is a friend to the elephants, as I could use some diplomacy, heh."
Catalina steps back and lets Joran life the beam, eyebrows raising slightly at the ease with which he could move the log, and quickly turns her attention back to the old man. She nods in response to Lisi's request, translating the half-elf's words into Mwangi.
The old man is already on it, and he calls out to the elephants, reassuring them he is safe. It takes a minute or two, and him hobbling painfully towards the great beasts, but he lays a comforting hand upon one's trunk and they seem to have calmed. "I am Edka. I, and the wise ones, thank you for your help." He tried to bow but thought better of it with a wince.
Caiten starts to panic a bit as the group of them are unable to free the trapped person from under the log. He is about to try something rather drastic when Joran walks in and simply grabs the log and walks out of the hut with it.
Startled, Caiten doesn't immediately notice when the man stands up and follows Joran out of the hut - while still being noticeably injured.
"Wait, you are injured. Don't injure yourself further." Caiten follows him out, drawing his wand again.
It takes a minute or two, and him hobbling painfully towards the great beasts, but he lays a comforting hand upon one's trunk and they seem to have calmed. "I am Edka. I, and the wise ones, thank you for your help." He tried to bow but thought better of it with a wince.
Caiten keeps a wary distance from the elephants as the old man slowly approaches them and calms them down. Afterwards Caiten comes over. "Let me see what I can do about your injuries."
The old man is already on it, and he calls out to the elephants, reassuring them he is safe. It takes a minute or two, and him hobbling painfully towards the great beasts, but he lays a comforting hand upon one's trunk and they seem to have calmed. "I am Edka. I, and the wise ones, thank you for your help." He tried to bow but thought better of it with a wince.
Dusting off his hands, Joran nods in greeting and smiles. "A pleasure, Edka. Name's Joran. I hope you don't mind me asking this, but, what happened here? Why is everything burned?"
"Thank you Joran." Dario says, brushing the soot off on his pants as they emerged out of the building. The gunslinger kept a respectable distance away as the elder almost effortlessly calmed the angered animals that remained there.
"Greetings to you, Edka." He said once the great beasts were calmed down, stepping up cautiously but respectfully towards them. "I am Dario Zuz and these are my comrades." He would let each of them introduce themselves in turn before looking around the village. He waited for the elder to answer Joran, though the bodies near the front gave them an answer. The Cinderclaws were making moves in the jungle, an enemy that thought their greatest foe was held at bay so they could move with impunity. He just awaited the confirmation.
"How can we help? Are there others nearby?" Dario added, trying to keep an ear out for any other voices crying out for help.
"How can we help? Are there others nearby?" Dario added, trying to keep an ear out for any other voices crying out for help.
"That's a good point," Caiten mentions, almost to himself.
"Sulee, we can go sweep the perimiter. See what you can sniff out."
Caiten pulls out his longbow and moves around the perimiter of the buildings.
"Sure."
Sulee goes over and inspects the trampled Cinderclaw cultists, then follows Caiten around the outskirts of the village.
"Hold on K10, let me get this."
Cevendyl opens his holy symbol, and takes some time casting heal on the injured gentleman.
"Thank you Joran." Dario says, brushing the soot off on his pants as they emerged out of the building. The gunslinger kept a respectable distance away as the elder almost effortlessly calmed the angered animals that remained there.
Smiling and giving the gunslinger a nod, "No problem, buddy."
Catalina continues to translate as needed, keeping a wary eye on the elephants. The big creatures made her nervous.
Edka expresses his gratitude for the healing, rotating his shoulder experimentally and finding the pain is gone. One of the elephants affectionately distracts him as he answers your questions.
"We were attacked. They came for the wise ones. Set fire to our shelters, and in the chaos that followed, made off with several of their young." He pet the trunk that was probing his formerly injured shoulder. "My people, and the herd, fled to the south. I returned to see if the huts were worth salvaging, if they could be rebuilt, but I was clumsy and dislodged that beam -- I've been stuck there since yesterday. These mothers came with me, hoping to find their young, but the charau-ka have taken them. When I heard their sudden agitation, I hoped it was not our enemies returning. I was fortunate you came along." He frowned curiously. "What purpose did you have in coming here?"
Yasamina keeps to herself while others interrogate the man. She looks at his legs crushed by the beam, then Caiten and Cevendyll fight to fix him up quick. She nods, and keeps listening to Catalina's translation.
"Tell him we're here to clear the place of charau-ka and were hoping their tribe could give us directions. Well, try to clear."
She keeps looking out the window for survivors, although it's clear to everyone they will not be near the elephants.
"Also, ask him if they have a well here, so we can try to put out the fires. And buckets."
She shrugs.
"Actually, never mind. Rain will probably get it. Just the directions, I guess. Wherever the charau-ka are, we will find the-" she makes air quotes "-elephant people, as well."
Catalina continues to translate, this time for Yasami, and adds her own comment in Mwangi: "We come from Akrivel, at the request of the Ekujae people there. They recommended we speak with you about the troubles."
Edka frowns a bit. "The charau-ka are aggressive people, and not very bright. But to 'clear them'... we value life, and all things have a place in this world. They have simply been led astray. Their numbers have been increasing, and they have been whipped up into a fury. I do not know for what purpose." He glanced up at his two massive, gray companions. "I do not wish to be party to genocide...but they mourn the loss of their calves, and if there is a chance you could bring them home..."
He took a stick and began sketching in the dirt. "My people travel, we follow the herds. This village is one we use when we pass through, and we are familiar with the area. We've been moving south, and saw a number of strange pillars being erected, topped with carved dragon skulls. And there was a quarry to the west, our scouts found -- the charau-ka have been mining. We believe they plan to use the young wise ones to pull their machinery."
Catalina translates before replying to Edka. "We met some kobolds on the way here who had been enslaved by the Cinderclaws and ill from arsenic poisoning. I have a feeling that something similar may be happening with the charau-ka. We aim to do what we can...we are not murderers. But if we must defend ourselves against the charau-ka, we will."
After speaking, Catalina will also translate what she said for the rest of the party. In Taldane, the thaumaturge speaks: "As expected, the Cinderclaws are at the center. They must be dealt with. They are disrupting the balance."
In Taldane, the thaumaturge speaks: "As expected, the Cinderclaws are at the center. They must be dealt with. They are disrupting the balance."
Caiten returns from the perimiter sweep to hear that last statement from Catalina. He also notices the sketching in the dirt.
"There was also the quarry they are mining gold and other resources from. Perhaps if we shut down their source of income it will slow down their ability to progress their plans."
"Agreed. It sounds like our focus should be getting to this mine and putting an end to their operation, especially since it seems to be hurting the people of the area."
"Sounds like we have a direction," Catalina agrees, hands resting on her hips in a relaxed manner as she listens to the discussion.
The thaumaturge turns back to Edka, cocking an eyebrow, and says in Mwangi: "Are you going to be alright, getting back to your people? Do you need us to escort you?"
"Not to worry. We will simply cull the herd a bit. They are causing problems in our home, so we decided to put them in their place."
She pulls out small vial of oil from her medicine kit and hands it to the man. Rub it on your legs when you're in pain. Do -NOT- drink it, or you will spend the better part of the week with stomach pains, and probably vomiting."
Edka thanks Yasami for the oil, nodding at her translated instructions. "I will be fine. You do not live to my age in these wilds without learning self reliance.
"I plan to wait here for a spell, and see what can be salvaged -- I'll be careful not to bring any more roofs down on my head. Should you find the children, please, bring them back to us. Wise ones' blessings upon you. Safe journey, and stay alert -- not all dangers in this jungle come with a warning."
"I suggest we go to the mine," says Lisi. "They probably check the pillars from time to time, or may have a way of knowing if we disable them. What do the rest of you think? That way we can bring Edka the young elephants as soon as possible."
He shakes his head. "Between the bunch of us, we have a small hospital," he says with a chuckle.
Nodding, "I'm with Lis. I'm all for getting the calves back too as soon as possible. Hopefully, they won't kill 'em."
"Very well," Caiten says to Edka. "We will leave you to salvage what you can from your encampment."
He turns to the rest of the group. "We should be able to make it back to our own camp by this evening."
Caiten looks at the river and the hastily built raft that is barely keeping the group of humanoids afloat. "If we do find young elephants at the quarry, does anyone have suggestions for how to get them back across the river?"
Caiten recovers the pillar that was brought here and tries to better understand how it works. Hoping to reverse engineer the item's magic and use it to break the petrification that it causes.
"I'd need an idea of heavy they are but I could modify the raft as needed. This was a quick job; with more time we could probably set it up so it is more durable." Dario offers when the question of the how to bring the young elephants back to the ruined village. "I don't think we should take the raft down to the mine though; little cover if we get spotted and ambushed let alone if something swimming decides to take a bit out of us. Maybe only go a bit of the way and then bring it to shore?"
"Depending on how young they are, they might be able to just ford the river," Catalina adds on the subject of the younglings.
As they travel, Catalina is quiet, endlessly fidgeting with something or another on her fingers or around her neck. To her credit, she manages to avoid making her fidgeting noisy - Nikolai had scolded her out of such a habit, so she was mindful of the imposition her nervous energy caused.
Caiten sits with the pillar, studying it, trying to sense the weave of magic within. He runs his hands over it, inspecting the carvings, and discovers a seam -- the pillar is made of two halves sealed together. He can feel something within, some sort of power source. Though the crystal is broken, and the pillar can no longer target anyone with its petrifying ray, the real source of the magic still pulses strongly within. If it were destroyed, it might end its hold upon the stone figures. It would likely cease to keep the Ekujae at bay as well.
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"I don't think we should take the raft down to the mine though; little cover if we get spotted and ambushed let alone if something swimming decides to take a bit out of us. Maybe only go a bit of the way and then bring it to shore?"
"Yes, I would definitely not want to get involved in a battle while trying to balance on that raft."
"Also, I think that if we completely destroy this totem and its magic, then it will end the effects that it has caused. I would like to do that in the vicinity of the petrified people. Destroying it here would likely also work, but I would like to remove as many possibilities of failure as possible."
"And if we are going to the pillar location, we may as well walk the entire way."
You all find rest at your former campsite, and travel the following day back to the camp where you found Gerhard Pendergrast. The half dozen porters are still there, and there is no sign the pompous man returned since your scouting team parted ways with him.
Yasami looks at the totem and the porters.
"This is not my area of expertise, but I am willing to learn. Sooooo... We just burn it? Isn't there like" she thinks of the proper words to use "I don't know. A metaphysical essence to the enchantment? Destroying the object will do it?"
She shrugs. "Honestly, no idea. You are the experts here."
"This is not my area of expertise, but I am willing to learn. Sooooo... We just burn it? Isn't there like" she thinks of the proper words to use "I don't know. A metaphysical essence to the enchantment? Destroying the object will do it?"
"There is. When I am casting magic directly, I am controlling and guiding the energies involved. In a permanent item such as this, the energy still has to be captured or generated, and then guided and controlled. By destroying the structure, it will disrupt the magical energy."
"There is a bit of risk involved in that. It is not fully know what will happen when that energy is unguided. Permanent magical items built with quality and safety in mind will dissipate the energy harmlessly when destroyed. However, I strongly suspect that these totems were not created with safety in mind."
"Burning them may indeed be a good option though. That can be set up to happen while we are at a reasonable distance."
Catalina looks pensive as she listens to Caiten, tugging at her bottom lip in thought. "Would it be worth it to try something that can...unweave? the magic first? Smoke gives away our position..."
"This is not my area of expertise, but I am willing to learn. Sooooo... We just burn it? Isn't there like" she thinks of the proper words to use "I don't know. A metaphysical essence to the enchantment? Destroying the object will do it?""There is. When I am casting magic directly, I am controlling and guiding the energies involved. In a permanent item such as this, the energy still has to be captured or generated, and then guided and controlled. By destroying the structure, it will disrupt the magical energy."
"There is a bit of risk involved in that. It is not fully know what will happen when that energy is unguided. Permanent magical items built with quality and safety in mind will dissipate the energy harmlessly when destroyed. However, I strongly suspect that these totems were not created with safety in mind."
"Burning them may indeed be a good option though. That can be set up to happen while we are at a reasonable distance."
"We could probably spend a little more time studying the first one we come across which is intact - I can pray for a little more guidance as well. Burning would be great in general ... other than they may be dedicated to a god who has fire in his/her portfolio."
Caiten considers Catalina's suggestion. "I don't currently have any ability to unmake magic carefully. Do you have something specific in mind? We could try chopping it into pieces instead, but that would mean that at least one person would have to be in close range while the item is being destroyed."
He looks to Cevendyll with a bit of a worried expression. "Studying a totem while it is actively attacking you with magic may be a bit difficult. Perhaps if it has to be activated manually before it begins attacking, and we can prevent the enemies from activating the item we could study it reasonably safely. Otherwise, damaging or destroying the totem first may be necessary."