"We're not up to anything. Are we, Hurg? See ... not a thing," replies Esteban. "Right, Hurg?"
"Mmm..arffum ... muable-mumple," mumbles Hurg.
"Just tidying up the boat," adds Esteban.
"Aww, by Cayden's Frosty Mug!" cries Carlus, cracking under the pressure. "They're stowing the gold. They broke into Gorse's office and are emptying the strongbox!!"
Carlus eyes the bottle hungrily.
Esteban grimaces as Carlus spills the beans. Hurg shrugs and smiles guiltily.
Whispering to the others with a humorless smile, "Let fight Ekujae for gold."
"We're not up to anything. Are we, Hurg? See ... not a thing," replies Esteban. "Right, Hurg?"
"Mmm..arffum ... muable-mumple," mumbles Hurg.
"Just tidying up the boat," adds Esteban.
"Aww, by Cayden's Frosty Mug!" cries Carlus, cracking under the pressure. "They're stowing the gold. They broke into Gorse's office and are emptying the strongbox!!"
Carlus eyes the bottle hungrily.
Keliwyn hands tosses the bottle to Carlus and says, "You're a snake, Esteban, but we knew that and I certainly don't expect you change what you are. However," he continues with a nod towards Carlus, "it does sound like we're all going to be here another day or two, and we're still need each other if we're going to get out of here alive."
Whispering to the others with a humorless smile, "Let fight Ekujae for gold."
Keliwyn looks at Sykala with more than a little surprise. After a brief pause, he responds, "As tempting as that is, I'd like to consider that our last option. Let's try and negotiate with them first, and try and explain that we've defeated those who have been fighting them and that we will be abandoning the station. Let's also figure out what's left here that we can offer them."
After a few moments of pacing, he looks up. "Let's give them Petrune. Personally, I have no problem explaining to them that the was the one behind everything that happened here."
Sykala simply nods at Keliwyn apparently having little to no difficulty with the suggestion.
Sykala simply nods at Keliwyn apparently having little to no difficulty with the suggestion.
Petrune has a great deal of difficulty with the suggestion.
You require Baas to carry Petrune. At one point Petrune appears to be attempting to cast a spell. He soon finds it difficult to so with Baas' fist in his mouth. Not having had time to memorize his spell book, he was reduced to the lamest of spells anyhow.
Once you reach Sykala's little safehaven/embassy/nest in the jungle, the Ekujae soon make themselves known.
In Elvish:
"We spoke enough," says one as they step out of the bush with bows drawn.
Fippin whisper to Keliwyn- "Keliwyn explain to them that we helped rescue their kind and that Petrune is the one that is responsible for animating them into zombies. We are happy to turn him over to them, so that they can deal with him as they see fit. We only ask that they allow us to leave in peace, and we promise that we will not come back."
Fippin whisper to Keliwyn- "Keliwyn explain to them that we helped rescue their kind and that Petrune is the one that is responsible for animating them into zombies. We are happy to turn him over to them, so that they can deal with him as they see fit. We only ask that they allow us to leave in peace, and we promise that we will not come back."
The Ekujae turn to Keliwyn waiting for a translation.
The Ekujae listen and glare at Petrune. One of the emaciated Ekujae that you recently freed shrugs and nods. She knows him to have been involved in desecration of the bodies of her kin. An older and obviously well-respected man speaks, "We know you freed our kin from that place of death. You will have our thanks. Return to your dwelling."
Sykala seems satisfied with the Ekujae destroying the place. Turning to the others after they leave, "You go now. I wait here. Watch place burn. When Gozreh happy than I follow. You camp when dark, yes? I Fly. Meet you down river. See fire you make."
Tarren:
The Ekujae took Petrune.
Fippin has Keliwyn thank the Ekujae for their generosity and he heads with Keliwyn and Baas towards the canoes.
He calls out to Esteban and Hurg as he goes. Are you two coming with us or are you going to stay here and help the Ekujae burn the place to the ground?
Ixius reluctantly follows the others to the canoes.
"Be safe." he tells Sykala before he leaves.
Esteban begins loading on the gold, somewhat reluctantly. With no place to hide the wealth in the small canoes, there is no hope of him keeping more than his fair share. There's a lot of gold ore. It's quite cumbersome and will make the canoes difficult to handle. You still can manage to get everyone in.
Esteban my greedy friend. If you wish to bring your gold then you and Hurgh share a canoe. Whatever the two of you can fit in there is fine by me. Just don't try to load any of it in the other canoes. I want nothing to do with it.
Fippin and Keliwyn can take one canoe. Bass and Ix another. Esteban and Hurgh can ride in the third, and we'll tow the forth behind us as a spare.
Esteban my greedy friend. If you wish to bring your gold then you and Hurgh share a canoe. Whatever the two of you can fit in there is fine by me. Just don't try to load any of it in the other canoes. I want nothing to do with it.
Fippin and Keliwyn can take one canoe. Bass and Ix another. Esteban and Hurgh can ride in the third, and we'll tow the forth behind us as a spare.
Carlus is standing on shore looking somewhat overlooked.
Keliwyn gathers his things and makes sure to collect any stray papers he can find regarding the Aspis Consortium, and then joins Fippin and the others as they prepare to load the canoes. He can't help but turn to Fippin and say, with a wink, "Well, that worked out rather nicely, If I do say so myself!"
Oh, and before we leave, Ixius moves his chest of bow making stuff to Sykala's sanctuary and tries his best to hide it. He takes all the arrows out of it and the extra bow and puts them in the canoe.
Keliwyn gathers his things and makes sure to collect any stray papers he can find regarding the Aspis Consortium, and then joins Fippin and the others as they prepare to load the canoes. He can't help but turn to Fippin and say, with a wink, "Well, that worked out rather nicely, If I do say so myself!"
Esteban is livid at the suggestion that some of the gold be left behind. He sputters and fumes for a minute until he works himself up enough to speak, "How could you be so cruel?! How could you even think of leaving some of these innocent gold nuggets behind? Do you think the Ekujae will appreciate them? Will they take care of them? THE EKUJAE DON'T SHOP!!"
He glances around at each of you and wipes a tear from his eye, "I miss Faruq. ... would [i]never have abandoned these poor pieces of metal. He would have found a way! Found a way to rescue them, refine them, trade them for spendable currency ... and then spent it all at the most expensive haberdashery he could find!"
Esteban proposes again that you evenly distribute the gold amongst the four canoes.
If you continue to refuse Esteban's proposal, he threatens to remain behind proudly declaring "A captain must remain with his gold! ... ship! His ship is as good as gold! Gold shipment ... or something!".
The canoes don't have room for all that gold, and as far as I'm concerned it's blood money. The gods know its story and they will curse anyone who tries to spend it. I have no wish to anger the gods. If you are that greedy then you can fill your canoe as full as you want.
The rest of us push off and start making our way down river with 3 of the 4 canoes, which we have loaded with what useful supplies (fresh water, rations, etc... as we can scrounge).
The canoes don't have room for all that gold, and as far as I'm concerned it's blood money. The gods know its story and they will curse anyone who tries to spend it. I have no wish to anger the gods. If you are that greedy then you can fill your canoe as full as you want.
The rest of us push off and start making our way down river with 3 of the 4 canoes, which we have loaded with what useful supplies (fresh water, rations, etc... as we can scrounge).
Sykala completely agrees with Fippen, "Gold ripped from ground. Gozreh angry. Gozreh not protect you. Jungle eat you, like Faruq."
Sykala completely agrees with Fippen, "Gold ripped from ground. Gozreh angry. Gozreh not protect you. Jungle eat you, like Faruq."
"I thought it was you or one of your pets that ate Faruq," snaps Esteban and trudges off with a bag of gold towards what remains of the barracks after the battle.
Keliwyn stares as Esteban walks off. "Don't be a fool, Esteban! You'll be dead before the midnight if you stay here!" After a moment's pause, he adds, "IS THAT WHAT FARUQ WOULD HAVE WANTED?!?"
Esteban seems adamnant about remaining behind. He waves Keliwyn off and continues with whatever he is doing.
Esteban seems adamnant about remaining behind. He waves Keliwyn off and continues with whatever he is doing.
Sykala just silently watches Esteban's actions from a distance to see what he is up too.
Keliwyn stares as Esteban walks off. "Don't be a fool, Esteban! You'll be dead before the midnight if you stay here!" After a moment's pause, he adds, "IS THAT WHAT FARUQ WOULD HAVE WANTED?!?"
The boat Keliwyn is piloting will make it safely back to Bloodcove.
Esteban seems adamnant about remaining behind. He waves Keliwyn off and continues with whatever he is doing.Sykala just silently watches Esteban's actions from a distance to see what he is up too.
Esteban carries bag after bag of gold from The River Queen to the barracks. Then he goes into the barracks for about an hour. When he comes out, he's carrying a lit torch. The barracks begin to smoke ...
While Esteban is happily involved in his work, Sykala pushes the forth canoe into the river and watches it drift out of sight.
One after the other, Esteban torches the barracks, the Station House, the barn, the workshop with The River Queen inside, and the 'cold storage' full of bodies. That done, he strides off into the jungle with a grim look upon his face.
dexterity check: 1d20+2=18
One after the other, Esteban torches the barracks, the Station House, the barn, the workshop with The River Queen inside, and the 'cold storage' full of bodies. That done, he strides off into the jungle with a grim look upon his face.
Curiosity gets the better of her, she transforms into an owl and follows Esteban through the canopy for about half an hour.
Curiosity gets the better of her, she transforms into an owl and follows Esteban through the canopy for about half an hour.One after the other, Esteban torches the barracks, the Station House, the barn, the workshop with The River Queen inside, and the 'cold storage' full of bodies. That done, he strides off into the jungle with a grim look upon his face.
Esteban definitely spots the owl following him and eyes it suspiciously. He continues on though until, soon enough, a band of Ekujae surround him. He stands stock still and wordless while they eye him with open hostility. After a few moments of being barked at in a language Esteban clearly doesn't understand, Esteban reaches into a vest and draws out something sparkly. He offers it to the Ekujae with a friendly smile and quickly gains some new friends. They head off into the jungle together.
dexterity check: 1d20+2=18