Not having the longer limbs as a full elf, Resa would take the elevator more to save herself the shame of falling flat on her face if she makes the wrong move than a true wish to be lazy, even if the result is the same. She would wash her face for a moment, thankful for the breeze and step away to a more private area, to readjust her scarf, in fact she would switch out her normally bright red one for a more green and gold colored one, as that seemed to fit in more with the locals.
After stepping back, she would check with the others, saying in Elven to get better with it, "I am going to look about, and see if anyone teaches on the history of these cousins. I did not find many books on them, and would like to learn." With that, she would search out either an library, not knowing there is probably not one, or an elder of the people who is willing to talk and teach her.
Ardoinel, stubborn as he is and wanting to impress his hosts, begins climbing.
He scales the trees with relative ease and follows them to the bower, taking a seat and coughing for a moment, before taking advantage of the proffered water to soothe his throat and wash his face and hands.
"You have my thanks, Nketiah, he says. "Even as I stated I find comfort in the heat of the forge, I find water's gifts to us, cold and clear, equally comforting. After all, iron heated in the forge and hammered on the anvil, must then be quenched for its new form to truly take shape."
Vitus follows after Ardoinel. "Not a straightforward climb in plate armor, but I can still manage." Careful to keep three points of contact at all, Vitus methodically climbs up the tree.
Nketiah laughs at Netkin's comment, "It is very warm, but I revel in it! When I was young, I traveled all over Garund with my mother and father. I certainly prefer this heat to the winds off the Barrier Peaks."
"As for the Cinderclaws, I will tell the full story of their history and our struggle against them at the feast tonight," Nketiah grins. "You wouldn't want to spoil a good tale, would you?"
"Speaking of the feast, it's to be held in your honor, and I really must go help with the preparations. Please, make yourselves at home in our village."
Nketiah laughs at Netkin's comment, "It is very warm, but I revel in it! When I was young, I traveled all over Garund with my mother and father. I certainly prefer this heat to the winds off the Barrier Peaks."
"We have something in common, then!" Ardoinel says. "My parents took me and my brothers around Kyonin and the Five Kings Mountains when we were young. It was...kind of a way to keep us occupied as our house was being rebuilt...after the fire...that, erm...that I'd started in my sleep."
He blushes and grimaces a bit.
"I imagine your travels weren't spurred by that kind of necessity," he adds sheepishly.
After Nketiah departs, Ardoinel begins wandering the village to see their artisans and craftspeople, especially their metalworkers, jewelers and enchanters.
Vrosi will help hunt for game for the feast.
“Humbled and honored are we by this feast.” Ellaeaanda responds to Nketiah. “Please allow us to assist in its preparation.” She unslings her bow and joins Vrosi in aiding the hunt for game for the feast.
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"I'm really not sure I'll ever get used to that climate," Netkin sighs.
Still, his predicament does not prevent him from taking a walk around the village (an Elven village! At the heart of the Mwangi jungle! He's never seen anything like it before!). He does have to take frequent stops to fan his face or drink some water.
As you set off into the village, you are approached by two tall Ekujae girls, who seem eager to make your acquaintance (or at least get out of helping with food preparation.
"We are Mauuko and Senyo, our mothers were of the Leopard Clan," they greet you, in Elven. "Come, you must play daikada with us!"
With your Elven-speaking groupmates acting as translators, the girls explain daikada to you. The game involves each player wearing a pair of copper anklets; each set of anklets is designed to make chimes that are
distinct from the other pairs when struck. The goal of the game is to dance along with the beat of a song, while at the same time using fancy footwork to strike the opposing player’s anklets and make them chime. The player that makes her opponent’s anklets chime the most is the winner, but stumbling and missing the beat results in losing points or even outright losing the game.
"Come, who will play with us? If you are old or clumsy, you can clap along or play an instrument!" The girls excitedly offer.
"Brilliant Burnis clang the chimes."
Ellaeaanda gazes through the girls with a look that is both kindly and distant. “No dancer am I, but play I shall.”
" So it is a game of footwork, and skill? I can try, but I am not as practiced as you. But I will play! If you will let me." Resa speaks up, happy to have a chance to find out a fun game that her people have played before. It was going to be a fun learning chance for her, even if it is a kids game.
Ellaeaanda gazes through the girls with a look that is both kindly and distant. “No dancer am I, but play I shall.”
"Nor am I, but I shall try too." Ardoinel adds. "I'd like to take a look at the anklets too when we're done; I'm curious about their design and how they can chime so differently despite looking so similar."
Vitus gazes around the village with wonder plain on his face. "So different from Breachill and Isger. And much hotter." Vitus mutters the last words under his breath as he wipes a river of sweat from his brow.
When the group meets Mauuko and Senyo and they propose a game, Vitus is a bit apprehensive at first but decides to join in. "I'm not the most coordinated person, but I may as well play. It's just for fun, right?"
"Oh, wonderful! Yes, of course it's just for fun," the girls laugh.
They call out to some of their friends to join them so that there will be even teams. A group of youths nearby grabs some drums and woodwind instruments to play for the contest, inviting anyone who wants to play with them.
Daikda
Dancers square off against each other in a 1-on-1 dance contest. Run the game of daikada in two phases, continuing until at least one player has 5 points, at which time the game ends and the player with the most points is declared the winner.
Phase 1. Each dancer makes an unarmed attack roll against their opponent’s AC with a –4 circumstance penalty (due to aiming only for the opponent’s anklets). A successful hit gains the dancer 1 point, a critical hit allows the dancer to strike both anklets for 2 points, and a critical failure applies a –2 penalty to that dancer’s roll in the second phase of the game.
Phase 2: Each dancer must succeed at a DC 15 Acrobatics or Performance check to keep up with the beat of the music. A critical success here grants a +2 circumstance bonus to the dancer’s AC for the next round, failure removes 1 point from the dancer’s total, and a critical failure removes 3 points. A player who critically fails and has fewer than 3 total points is disqualified from the game. A dancer can also accept a –4 penalty to their Acrobatics or Performance check to gain a +2 circumstance bonus to her next attack roll while playing the game.
Vitus, Ardoinel, Resa, Burnis: Please make unarmed attack rolls (at -4 penalty) for the first round.
Taking a few minutes to get out of his full plate, Vitus tries his best to play daikada. "Go easy on me. I'm not the lightest on my feet!" Vitus says playfully to his opponent.
Round 1 AC 23
Round 2 AC 23
Round 3 AC 23+2=25
[oops, lost a point]
Round 4 AC 23
Round 5 AC 23+2=25
Not the best dancer, or even the quickest on her feet truly, as she was not a dancer. So what that turns into is a series of equally weird steps to get another dancer, but her feet work did also keep her in the game, moving very gracefully at first so far. She had a few different earrings that would softly bounce in her ears to keep in time with the music, a small twitch here and there would they clink together.
Ardoinel's armor clanks a bit as he attempts to strike the anklets of his partner.
Mauuko and Senyo miss their first attempts, Mekuna and Tesista (who ran up to join the contest) manage to make Resa and Ardoinel's anklets ring.
Phase 2: Perform!
Vitus tries his best to stay on best with the music.
Vitus hopes to keep up his good luck so far.
Ardoinel's mind drifts to the forge chants of his father, the jingling of the anklets reminding him of the clang of hammer on anvil.
Resa is trying her best to keep the time and the beat while also attacking one of the others. She is hopeful she is doing well.
Vitus lands good hits, but messes up the beat so much that he loses all of his points! Vrosi continues to score points, and Resa critically hits her opponent.
Phase 3: Perform!
Dancers, could you make rolls for round 3, 4, and 5? I don't want thinkgs to slow down too much.
Keeping the beat going, Resa keeps up her attempts to defeat and remove the others from the game. It was not until the final round she truly faulted with the dance, but perhaps it was more from her lack of knowing the dancing had ended.
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
While Ardoinel's edge falters and his tromping dwarf-blooded are easily dodged by his opponents, preventing him from scoring more, he's still able to keep up with the rhythm of the dance.
All of the participants have a thoroughly good time, and Resa is declared the winner, as she got to 5 points the fastest. Your good sportsmanship has definitely impressed the tribe.
Once everyone catches their breathes, you're able to find the settlement's hunting party, preparing to catch meat for tonight's feast. The small group of hunters is being directed by an elf with striking hazel eyes and twists of dense curly hair that falls around his head like a lion’s mane.
He introduces himself as, "“Akosa, of the Hawk Clan. My mother is of the River Clan.”
“Well met, Akosa. Ellaeaanda of Kynoin am I, as was my mother.” She glances down at the halfling. “Truth Netkin speaks—we know also of the leopard and stargazer clans, but none others. How many Ekujae clans exist, and what meanings have they beyond heritage?” She knows that, in some culture, certain lineages reflect a particular social standing or expectation.
Ardoinel cheers as Resa wins the game.
"Well done, Resa!"
Afterwards, as they meet the hunting party, Ardoinel bows to Akosa.
"It is an honor and a pleasure, Akosa. I am Ardoinel, child of Kyonin and son of the dwarven clan Oreflame both."
"Brilliant Burnis bash bads."
Akosa pointedly ignores anyone who greets him in Taldane, and nods at those who greet him in Elven.
"If you want a say in what we have for dinner tonight, you can come along with us," Akosa offers. "There's red river hogs and waterbucks. Otherwise, there’s river turtles and bats, if you like to work for your food. Or crocodiles, if you like fighting to see who gets to bite first."
Whomever wants to can join the hunt, although its possible that those who aren't skilled in woodcraft might scare off game. During the hunt, participants can decide whether to roll for themselves or Aid. The hunt consists of three phases: Seeking the Animals, Positioning the Hunters, and Hunting the Game. The hunt will take 3 hours, so there will not be too much time before dinner when you return.
Seeking the Animals
You help the elven hunters look for signs of animals. Attempt a Nature or Perception check.
“A tree to a vine am I,” Ellaeaanda replies cryptically to Akosa. “Great meat for a great feast.” She joins the hunt, keeping an eye out for tracks or droppings or any other signs that would lead them to fine prey like a waterbuck or river hog.
Surprisingly she won, and takes the congratulations with stride, and a bit of confusion. That slight delay caused her to be a bit late trying to memorize all the clans she had met already, trying to figure out if there was some connection to be seen in perhaps their clothing if it told of their clan or not. Her lessons had spoke of uniforms that others wore, so perhaps that would give help?
" So we are looking for animals, what kind can we expect to find? Are they similar to what we would be back home?" She asks in Elven, though her accent is a bit clinical. Still not used to it fully with her own accent.
Despite feeling a high level of concern that his lack of stealthiness will negatively affect the group's changes, Vitus doesn't want to miss out.
"I've learned a bit about the beasts around Breachill in my travels. Hopefully, the jungle isn't too different."
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Although he does speak and understand Elven, Markus doesn't switch to appease the huntress. He talks to Vrosi while the others discuss things in Elven. He has spent too much time in his life bending to the will of others. Now that he's a free man, he decides that if someone won't respect him by acknowledging him, ha can choose to withhold his respect as well.
The mage doesn't really care what there is for dinner, he is thankful to be fed. However he does join in on the hunt, at least to see what it's about.