Still sharing those choicest bits of slaughtered moose, the goblin and the White Rabbit walk happily along behind the group. The two both break out in spontaneous song during the trek. The both seem to be singing different songs actually.
Eyes bulging with unsurpassed hungar at the sight of the tapirs grazing, Strongjaw and the White Rabbit stop, stare and begin retrieving what looks like picnic accessories.
What you say makes my ears bleed and my stomach to do flipping flaps!
The White Rabbit is seen fainted on the ground.
Armed with Imek's knowledge, the scouting party ventures deeper into the grove. It doesn't take long to find the tracks of the tapirs, unmistakable—large, cloven hoof prints leading further into the woodland. The chatter amongst the scouts subsides as they focus on the task at hand, remembering Imek's words about approaching animals carefully and respectfully.
Soon, the group spots the tapirs in a small clearing, but something is immediately off. The animals are limping, their movements jerky and distressed. They seem to paw at the ground nervously, snorting and wheezing as if in discomfort. You'll need to get a little closer before you can figure out what is going on here.
Valda kneels to examine the tracks. ”Two tapirs. One young, one older. This way!”
She leads the way to the clearing, pausing when she sees them. ”Are they sick? We must get closer.” The young Kellid hangs back, following the lead of somebody with more experience with animals.
Kadosh hesitantly approaches the tapirs, pulling out several tufts of feathers and fur from his pouch, soothing talismans that he imagines could help the creatures.
Veshka beckons to Catamoch to stay back, giving the demon boar a hard stare when he proves truculent.
"What'd that little brat say? Berries?" Veshka fills a palm full of them, calling on the spirits for guidance as she tries to seem as unthreatening as possible.
Leading the group into an open clearing, Valda spots the tapirs but soon steps back, allowing someone with a greater understanding of animal behavior to handle the situation.
Kadosh takes the initiative, walking cautiously toward the distressed creatures. He clutches talismans of feather and fur in his hands, intended to call upon spirits of calm, though he can't be sure how the tapirs will respond.
As the scouts approach, the tapirs seem to sense their good intentions. Raising their hooves as if begging for relief, they give the scouts a clue about their agitation. Closer inspection reveals poison barbs, clearly man-made, embedded in the sensitive skin of their hooves.
Amazingly, the tapirs seem to understand Kadosh's intent as he nears them. They visibly relax while he holds his talismans high, softly chanting words meant to soothe and reassure.
Veshka signals Catamoch to remain at a distance, fixing the demon boar with a stern gaze when he shows reluctance. She then fills her palm with berries and murmurs a prayer to the spirits, aiming to come across as non-threatening.
Extracting the deeply-embedded barbs would usually be straightforward, but in this case, it requires the careful hands of both Veshka and Kadosh to remove them without causing further injury to the tapirs. Once the barbs are out, the tapirs tentatively test their footing. Satisfied, one of them rushes towards Veshka, nuzzling them in an unmistakable gesture of gratitude.
The snares here look similar to the ones the Broken Tusks craft, but something is different...
Veshka drops into a deep squat as she spies unfamiliar footprints. "Catamoch, come here, don't trouble the tapirs. Can you scent their trail?"
”I don’t understand. Who placed these snares?” Valda asks, mystified.
"I scent only blood. Fool. Find the prey and I will pierce it; I will tear it. Then I will read much in their blood."
Strongjaw and the White Rabbit begin to approach the tasty little snaps. Each seem to be holding a knife and folk, along with wearing a bib....
Here wittle tasty morsels. Wees best wanting to eats you.
The White Rabbit frowns in exasperation.
Hakata inspects the traps while the others are considering.
"Two humans set them. Probably from out to the east. The poison on the barbs if from the mountains. We rarely see it on our circuits."
Valda frowns. "We need to bring these tapirs back to the following. We will tell the elders what we have found here and seek their advice on how to proceed."
Hardly has Valda concluded her statement when the sound of a snapping branch echoes from the underbrush behind the group. All eyes turn to find Pakano, who has clearly been trying to eavesdrop. Caught red-handed, he strides forward as if he'd intended to join them all along. "Alright, Valda, I'll allow you to escort the tapirs back to camp. We have more pressing matters to deal with. We'll follow these tracks to get to the bottom of this."
He then addresses the group, "Anyone who's interested in doing something worthwhile can come with me, while Valda takes care of the trivial stuff. Let's move."
"He's not being totally senseless. Interlopers laying poisoned snares across our pasture need to be dealt with. And if they bothered to lay these traps they won't be far."
The White Rabbit opens an eye. He looks at Strongjaw then at the loud mouth idiot. He shakes his head--sadly--in agreement!
Strongjaw just sighs.
We tink that finding the poisoners would be prudent...also.
"This is foolishness. We shouldn't confront an unknown number of outsiders without letting Eiwa know." Hakano goes and stands next to the tapirs.
Pakano nods when Veshka agrees with him and then lets a full blown smile show when Strong Jaw and White Rabbit does agree with him as well. He moves to stand beside the two of them, eyeing Kadosh and wondering where he will stand.
"This is foolishness. We shouldn't confront an unknown number of outsiders without letting Eiwa know." Hakano goes and stands next to the tapirs.
"Foolish? What if we lose the trail because we took too long and whatever hope we have of understanding who is hurting our tapirs will be forever lost? Are you a scout or a child who needs guidance? Hmm?"
Valda grunts. "Fine. Imek can watch the tapirs. Let us follow the trail for a time. If we end up straying too far, though, we should turn back. I would prefer to be back at the camp before nightfall."
As Valda joins Pakano's side, Kadosh hesitates for a moment before agreeing to accompany the group on their new mission. Using their rapport with the tapirs, Veshka and Kadosh manage to calm the creatures enough to ensure they'll stay put until the scouts return. Satisfied that the animals are safe and well-hidden, the team moves on to track the mysterious footprints.
Uncharacteristically quiet, Pakano leads the way without his usual banter or verbal jabs, a stark contrast to his demeanor during yesterday's moose hunt. The group proceeds in silence, eyes trained on the trail, for roughly an hour until Veshka motions for everyone to stop. Using a series of hand signals, she indicates that she's spotted two humanoids about sixty feet away to the west, in a small clearing. They appear to be Kellid natives, similar to the members of the Broken Tusk tribe, but they are unrecognizable. Their faces also show something odd, but from this distance, it's impossible to discern what exactly is amiss.
Pakano's eyes widen, and he struggles to restrain his excitement. Raising his fingers, he starts signaling a countdown, clearly preparing to charge in as recklessly as he did during the moose hunt.
Three. Two. One.
Veshka gives Pakano an exasperated look. "Did that moose kick you in the head too? Let's get closer in case they run."
Kadosh tries to size up the creatures to see what he knows about them. Maybe he can figure out why they don't look quite right. But he's just not sure.
As he can't quite tell what's wrong, his stomach churns. Is this a sign that he should just avoid these two? Will their strangeness spread? But he doesn't want the others to think he's a coward.
"Something wrong ... but I don't know what," he whispers. He nods as Veshka suggests getting closer, thinking however that he'll wait and charge in when they attack to give him a better chance.
Strongjaw and the White Rabbit are seen donning black ninja outfits and both begin sneaking towards the weirdo human(oid)s.....
Battle spirits sing around Hakata.
Does Pakano have a good idea, for once?
Valda grips her blade. "Why are waiting around? Let's go!" She gets ready to charge alongside Pakano.
Pakano's face splits into a broad grin, his spear poised for action as he bursts forward, Valda keeping pace beside him. Their rapid advance doesn't go unnoticed; the two foreign hunters turn swiftly to face the oncoming scouts.
As the distance closes, the details of the strangers' faces come into sharper focus. Each bears a large, jagged burn scar, bright red as if freshly inflicted. Shaped like claw marks, these scars are too precise and elaborate to be mere accidents. The hunters look at the approaching party with a sneer of pride, unfazed by their advance.
Just as Pakano and Valda get within striking distance, the hunters take quick aim and launch projectiles toward them. Both attacks whistle through the air but miss their intended targets. Undeterred, the hunters swap their ranged weapons for spears as everyone prepares for the inevitable clash in close-quarters combat. The tension in the air is electric, each side sizing up the other before the first spears and swords clash.
The scars have healed unevenly; one of them even appears to be partially blind in one eye due to the clumsy maiming.
Scarification and branding aren’t unknown practices in these lands—some Broken Tusks bear such decorations. However, the graceless, violent application of the hunters’ brands is quite jarring.
Valda lashes out with her gleaming blade, missing with the first swing but slicing into the hunter on her second. Her moon mark begins to glow as she steps up to the second enemy.
Kadosh rushes in, axe raised. Something isn't right here. He doesn't know what, but his stomach churns.
"Sister Cinder, bless my ax," he whispers, clutching one of his many religious symbols to the haft as he swings. As he sees Valdra quickly dispatch the first of the foes, he swings around the other one into a flanking position.
Having progressed to within 30' of the two lone remaining weird human(oid), the Witch begins chanting, tossing a bit of Frost at the Hunter!
◆ Clinging Ice Hex
The frosty Goblin then provides a few more words of powers to cause a frosty ray to Strike out at the freezing Hunter!
The White Rabbit is seen pantomime an epic battle!
The budding Songsinger then begins to sing for fun!
It bees gitt'n cold in 'ere! So put on all dem clothes!
Even spoiling for the fight Hakate is shocked by the speed of the battle. He releases the tension from the arrow he has pulled back and examines the fallen enemies.
"I stopped the bleeding there, but I don't think that one is going to make it." He points to ice-covered corpse at his feet.
"Does anyone recognize those brands on their faces? They look deliberate, but...they were applied so carelessly. Who would leave such lasting damage on a following member?"
One of the hunters is too far gone to save, but Hakata manages to stabilize the other one and prevent him from dying. Pakano frowns, "What?! Why are you saving him!"
Pakano's expression doesn't soften, but he doesn't interfere further as Hakata finishes binding the captive's wounds. When the captive groans and tries to sit up, he locks eyes with Pakano, delivering a biting insult.
Pakano, temper flaring, lands a swift kick to the man's ribs, eliciting a pained grunt. "Feeling brave, are you?" Pakano sneers, leaning down to the captive's eye level. "Maybe you'll be more talkative now. Who are you and what is the meaning of those scars?"
The tension is palpable as everyone waits for the captive to speak, aware that his answers could shed light on the enigmatic scars and perhaps even reveal who has been laying the poisonous snares.
The prisoner opens his mouth to speak, but just spits in Pakano's face. The young scout appears ready to undo Hakata's handiwork...
Kadosh's face darkens with an unaccustomed grimace. "The spirits have chosen to spare you for now, but they may not do so for long. There is a reason they have done that, so you can tell their story. Don't anger the spirits more than you already have!"
Unfortunately, he's not very intimidating following the heat of the fight.
"Your friends won't get to you in time; speak or not, but it is not our fate that hangs in the balance."
Strongjaw stomps over to the bound poisoner. The Goblin pointing at Pakano.
Someone want to kick this asshat in the mouth, while me and the White Rabbit begin to decide which portions of this other asshat we want for dinner!
The Witch speaks a rough word of Primal magic!
The White Rabbit is seen wearing a crisp, clean white chefs outfit. He appears to be sharpening knives....
Despite their best efforts, Kadosh and Veshka can't seem to make the captive more willing to talk, but the menacing presence of Strongjaw and the bizarrely outfitted White Rabbit appear to have some impact.
Finally, the prisoner seems to weigh his options. His eyes dart from Strongjaw to the White Rabbit and then back to Hakata. "Fine," he grumbles, a note of defeat tinging his voice. "What do you want to know?"
"Who are you and why have you been laying these poisonous snares?" Pakano asks, taking the initiative.
The bound hunter takes a deep breath, his eyes filled with a mix of defiance and resignation. "We are part of a warband, the most powerful following west of the Tusk Mountains. We've traveled far to hunt; our own lands are barren now, stripped clean by the needs of the war band."
Pakano raises an eyebrow. "You've come all this way just to hunt tapirs? What about the poison barbs? Did your war band lay those traps?"
The captive sneers. "The poison is a necessary tool. We do what we must to feed our people. As for the tapirs, they're fair game. All creatures are, when survival's at stake."
Pakano, unable to hold back, interrupts sharply. "By endangering other tribes? What gives you the right?"
The hunter seems unapologetic. "Rights are earned, not given. If your tribe can't protect its own hunting grounds, that's on you."
Ignoring Pakano, the captive turns his attention back to Strong Jaw . "I've answered your questions. Now what? What will become of me and my fallen comrade here?"
"We should take them to our camp and let the elders decide their fate," Valda opines. She cleans the blood off of her gleaming sword and returns it to its sheath across her back.
Both Gobl7n and White Rabbit look a bit disappointingly at the special hot sauce concoction that they are holding....
"Yes, if there's a warband in the area, the elders should be told right away. Hopefully, they'll steer clear of us." Hakata considers the warrior's concerning story and pushes to rush back to the following.
Gathering the possession of the hunters, you secure your prisoner and head back to camp, picking up the tapirs along the way. The animals are happy to see you and move quickly to nuzzle Veshka and Kadosh.
You begin make your way back to camp, keeping an eye on your tapirs and your prisoner. Just as you are reaching camp, a bellow erupts from the grazing grounds of the Broken Tusk mammoths. The herd tenders quickly move to quiet the trumpeting mammoth, who lifts an injured leg to reveal several quills embedded in her foot. While the herd-tenders soothe the injured mammoth and begin tending the foot, one of them calls out, “Porcupine here! Someone come look!”
Two older herders named Chultei and Inig have the mammoth’s care well in hand. They tell you "Unless you can locate the porcupine responsible for the mammoth’s wound, it’s only a matter of time before the animal strikes again!"
Valda leads the search for the porcupine. After a few minutes, she points out its burrow. ”There! And it looks like it has babies!”
Strongjaw and the White Rabbit both jump in the direction of the found porcupine.
Babbitt! Dat means we gits ta be using da hot sauce anyway!
The White Rabbit is seen resharpening those knives!
Veshka glares at Hakata. "Get the beast out of here or I'll let Catamoch eat it."
Kadosh shivers. Very bad signs," he declares. "Poison barbs in the tapirs, but this porcupine, here, tells us that we must beware such barbs among our mammoths. Dark days are coming, very dark indeed."
"Shh...it's just protecting itself and its babies. Strong Jaw, if we take care of them we can add porcupine to the menu on a more regular basis."
"Quietly, quietly," he says to the porcupine. "Come away from the mammoths and I'll give you some nice tubers."
Hakata slowly approaches the porcupine's burrow, showing his empty hands as a sign of peace. He locks eyes with the animal, squatting down to its level and whispering words of comfort, and offering a potential food reward.
The porcupine hesitates at first, eyeing Hakata and the food suspiciously. After a moment, it cautiously steps out of its burrow, sniffing the air before making its way to the tubers. It takes a bite and then lets out a soft, contented sound.
Encouraged by their mother, the tiny porcupettes eventually venture out, sniffing the tubers curiously before nibbling on them. It's a heartwarming sight that momentarily puts everyone at ease.
As the party backs away, the porcupine gives one last look as if in gratitude or perhaps understanding before going back to her burrow with her porcupettes.
Strongjaw and the White Rabbit sit and carefully watch the burrow.
I counts more Den 12 of the tasty critters!
The White Rabbit is seen drawing up a menu....
After your encounter with the porcupines, you escort your captive to the first available elder, dragging Strong Jaw and Whtie Rabbit along before they decide to cook up the porcupettes.
You soon locate Letsua and brief him on the situation. Although he poses some additional questions to the prisoner, he gleans little new information. Finally, Letsua concludes that the Broken Tusk tribe simply doesn't have the manpower to handle prisoners at this time.
He then offers the captured hunter, whose name turns out to be Wola, the chance to join the Broken Tusks. Wola flatly declines, asserting that your following is weak and pales in comparison to his own tribe, the Burning Mammoths.
Given that Broken Tusk punishments typically range from additional chores and social ostracism to exile in the most extreme cases, Letsua ultimately opts for leniency. He sternly warns Wola and releases him, confiscating his possessions and advising him to never set foot in Broken Tusk territory again.
The day's events have left you both physically and emotionally drained. The air seems to thicken with exhaustion as you finally sit down, your muscles aching from the tension and activity. Your stomach growls, reminding you that amidst the day's whirlwind of events, you've barely had time to eat.
As you nourish yourself with a well-deserved meal, your thoughts drift to the responsibilities that still lie ahead. The upcoming Green Moon requires preparations that cannot be delayed. You still have two significant tasks on your to-do list: scouting and clearing the ritual site at Rockloom, and transporting delicate ceremonial vessels filled with sacred water from the Gornok River.
You realize that both tasks are not to be taken lightly. The ritual site at Rockloom is known for being susceptible to encroaching wildlife and other, more mysterious disturbances. It needs to be both safe and sanctified before the ceremonies begin. As for the water from the Gornok River, its spiritual significance demands the utmost care in its transportation, lest you risk offending the very spirits you aim to honor.
With these ponderous tasks still to be tackled, you make the decision to prioritize rest for the evening. After all, tomorrow promises to be another demanding day, and you will need all the energy you can muster. You finish your meal and prepare for sleep, hoping for a peaceful night that will recharge you for the challenges ahead.
Valda eats heartily of the dinner to fill her ravenous hunger. She is still unsettled by the encounter with the Burning Mammoth scouts. Their following must be somewhere nearby. How many in number are they? Will they prove to be a threat to the Broken Tusks?
There will be no definitive answers tonight. She bids the others good night before doffing her heavy armor plates and settling in to rest in her tent. The next morning, she is up early as usual, stretching and warming herself up for the tasks ahead.
"We should scout out Rockloom next," she suggests once everybody has gathered together again.
"Yes, I look forward to visiting that space. The spirits there are ancient, and it will be good to commune with them after all that violence today." The longest speech Hakata has made in a while. Fatigue seems to have loosened his tongue.
In the early light of morning, the scouts gather around wise old Grandfather Eiwa. His voice, tinged with both gravity and reverence, explains the importance of their mission. "Rockloom is an ancient place of animal spirits, a site we've honored since before we were who we are. You must go and ensure its sanctity before the Green Moon ceremony," he instructs. He emphasizes that while they must be wary of violent fauna, native animals have as much a right to be there as they do. It's a mission of balance, not conquest."
Armed with Eiwa's guidance and blessings, the group sets off, following the well-trodden path toward Rockloom. They trek for several miles, each step carrying the weight of generations of tradition. Finally, the iconic standing stones come into view, massive and imposing, rising like ancient sentinels on a grassy mound. They form a semicircle, each stone carved in the visage of a sacred animal, all in descending order of size from the mammoth centerpiece to the two bird stones that frame the formation.
As they approach, however, it becomes immediately clear that something is amiss. The last stone to the west, the Raven Stone, is broken. Its upper half is entirely missing, leaving a jagged, truncated monument where once stood a full representation of the revered bird. The sight sends a shiver down the spines of the scouts. This isn't just a damaged rock; it's a desecration of their history and spiritual practice, a glaring issue that must be addressed before the upcoming Green Moon ceremony.
Investigating the stone, you quickly spot footprints embedded deep in the soft earth nearby.
Kadosh pales at the sight. "This is bad, very bad," he says mournfully.
"There was a man here," he says, "carrying a great weight. He went ... this way. But, the tracks just end here!"
He starts looking around the large boulder.