Sending a bit more time performing in the tavern, ensuring that the general mood is a positive one, Saoirse retires for the evening making sure to avail herself of a nice, long hot bath, unsure of when the opportunity would arise again, now that they were setting back out on the road.
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Vinni gets himself a room in the inn. He takes some time to meditate and listen to the wind, while sitting outside. He finds it hard to concentrate with so many people coming and going, so he grumbles and moves a bit farther from civilization. On the way, he chuckles at the irony. He both likes the city for its commerce and sounds of iron on iron, but he cannot stand to be near it for the lifestyle he chose for himself.
In the morning, he communes with nature again, preparing a set of spells for the fight to come.
Albert turns in early, arising at dawn to study his spellbook. He repeatedly reviews the magic missile spell he learned from Rillka, ensuring that he knows all the words and the proper way to twist his hand at the end to make sure he channels the energy correctly and can direct as much of it as possible into a single attack.
"This will take everyone working together," he thinks to himself. "I have to make this count."
Rillka will replace Snowball with Comprehend Language so this time we can understand the lizard folk.she readies her gear, and checks in with Veronica to be sure she has everything she needs for the next day.
Veronica is glad to see Rillka before the trip.
"How far away are these lizardfolk?" she asks. "I need to know how much food to bring. Are they usually friendly, hostile, or suspicious? Do we traditionally bring them a gift when visiting? Any taboos, things to definitely not bring?"
The questions come out in a long torrent, then she puts a hand over her mouth.
"Sorry, got carried away. I just want to make sure that I don't accidentally do something that causes a problem."
Oh, don’t worry, we caused enough problems when we were there last.We swam out to their island camp, snuck in and that’s when things went sideways.
The lizard king wanted to sacrifice Tig to their god, some wisp thing. Another groupof lizard folk tried to help us. Of course none of us could talk to one another, so things went badly. Another time when Andreas almost died. He did lose his sword and while we did rescue Tig, we ran away to save our lives. Sooo the friendly lizardfolk may not be so happy to see us again, assuming the unfriendly lizardfolk won… so unless the friendly lizardfolk won; which is unlikely, none of them will be happy to see us at all.
Rillka will also give a detailed account of where all this occurred, and bumping into the hydra while being pursued.
She then grins, No need to apologize, knowing things is what gives us an advantage in helping Tall Folk not wind up unconscious…. again.
"If the Wisp is posing as their god, a fight may not be optional. Religious fervor...or fear of an overlord can make for a relentless opponent." Saoirse adds as she joins the others, her armor and clothing freshly cleaned, eager and ready to set out.
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As they travel, Vinni thinks a bit about life. He is impressed at how far humans can get with so short a lifespan. He tries guessing Andreas' age and imagines he must not be more than 30 years old. He then remembers where he was at that age.
His parents were very busy running a shop, so he spent most of his time with his uncle Peddah, who was more of a free spirit. He was the crafter in the family and his role was to produce the weapons that the family sold in the business. But his crafting dedication was more for pride in his production than an actual sense of duty.
Just by being this way, uncle Peddah taught Vinni that it's impossible to judge a person's motives just by watching what they're doing. His uncle was an extremely focused crafter. But to any outsider, this could be easily mistaken as the typical dwarven sense of duty to his family, when in reality uncle Peddah couldn't care less about the business.
These lessons were strengthened in his time with the druids. There are many limitations to the druidic life, regarding how one interacts with nature. There are even limitations regarding what type of armor a druid wears and teaching the secret druidic language. The typical person believes that druids follow these tenets due to their extreme dedication to nature. However, most druids he met only follow these rules because they would otherwise lose many of their powers. Only the most powerful druids and leaders actually revered nature fevorously. That made him wonder if these things are related.
He wakes from his daydream to look again at Andreas. All these lessons he has learned when he was about twice the man's age. Still, the baron seems to carry much wisdom. He wonders if humans experience life faster than a dwarf, or if there's more suffering, which expedites learning. He takes a sip of water, breaking his train of thoughts. He's sure he's going to learn these secrets with time.
The 19th of Rova is the Day of the Inheritor, which is honored by some followers of Iomedae among the community through a show of fellowship and brotherhood among friends and neighbors and a moment of silence in remembrance of fallen allies.
Wealday, Rova 20th, 4711 AR
Description: Cloudy
Temperature: Moderate
High: 60°F (15°C)
Low: 43°F (6°C)
Relative: Colder than normal
Wind Force: Light
Wind Speed: 6 mph (9 kph) from the NW
You set off on Wealday, the 20th of Rova and travel along your previously explored path to avoid encountering anything dangerous with the looming expectations of a difficult fight ahead. As you draw close to the Lizard Folk settlement, you meet up with a small patrol of two younglings.
They chirp and hiss in the Draconic tongue, but their body language doesn't seem hostile at least. One of them points at the Baron and seems to gesture toward the sword he carries. The other bobs his scaly head and raises a claw in a beckoning gesture as they lead the way toward the island.
Veronica keeps a hand on Moondancer's neck and says, "Hello children!"
She glances over to Rillka and says, "I don't speak what I presume is their language, but aren't they cute?"
"They seem friendly."
Full sized are not so cute when they are hissing and trying to kill you... Rillka replies to Veronica, but all children are cute in their own way. Rillka continues to steer her riding dog Lucca in among the tall folk horses, keeping close to Moondancer.
"I suppose I'll meet the parents soon enough," quips Veronica.
Chuckling to herself as Rillka describes her previous encounter with the Lizardfolk, Saoirse perks up as she hears the lizardfolk younglings encouraging them to follow, moving her horse forward to meet them.
"Bkra shis bde legs/ khyod kyis nga bcas khyod ra'i gtso 'dzin lu blta bar 'bag 'gyow in na?" She asks with a little smile, reaching into a bag on her saddle and producing a pair of plump field mice that she offers to the pair.
"Hello little ones! Are you taking us to see your Chief?"
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Vinni watches the scene with care and follows. He carries his new quarterstaff ready to use it against any threat, although if he doesn't have a chance to magically enchant it, he will drop it in no time. He walks, wondering whether lizards became lizardmen through natural processes or if there was a magical mixing of men and lizards for this effect.
Andreas nods towards the younglings.
We follow.
The look of trepidation is plain on his face as he allows his gaze to focus on the distant island that these creatures call home.
I pray that we are not too late.
What did I do.
Albert keeps close to the king, his face taciturn at the clicks and hoots of the young lizardfolk leading us. His hand inches occasionally toward his blade, though he does not touch the pommel.
"At least this is a better reception than last time," he mutters under his breath.
The exchange goes much easier without the language barrier. The younglings grow excited to hear their own reptilian tongue spoken back to them, as evidenced by joyful chirps and hops as they reply.
They lead you on to the island, showing you the best spot to leave your mounts before wading/swimming out to the island encampment. It is much more sparsely inhabited than when you were last here and the population consists of more younglings than adults and elders.
Some of you recognize the new chief as one of the lizardfolk who led you to find Tig when you came in search of the boy. He has grown and bears a number of scars from the ordeal but bobs his head in an accepting way, almost as if he expected you. Inside his dwelling, displayed seemingly in a place of pride, is Andreas' long lost sword.
He gestures toward the sword as he speaks.
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Veronica watches warily, always keeping Moondancer under control. The wolf seems simultaneously cautious and excited. As the team crosses the mud and the village, Veronica examines the decorations of the lizardfolks' huts, admiring their simple crafts and arts. A rustic community... surely the kind of place that could have Erastil's favor.
"Well, this is good. They can be friends and neighbors, perhaps even trade partners," she opines.
"I suppose I should try to learn their language."
The best part is, they don't mind wet dog smell! Rillka gives Moondancer a friendly smile, and reaches up to hug the creature, believing the wolf somehow understands her.
I can use a spell to speak it, but it is much easier with Saoirse able to speak their tongue, and we have been luck to have been joined by good people... and their animals.
Saorise, can you find out what happened to their "god"?
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Moondancer happily accepts the halfling's hug, then bends down, stretching her front paws out and letting her tongue loll out in a smile. Then she bonks her head against Rillka, taking care not to push too hard.
Veronica says, "She understands simple Taldane. A small, child-like vocabulary, but she can understand simple questions and even count a bit."
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Rillka smiles and is genuinely happy. I knew you knew!! she leans in close and whispers something to Moondancer, smiling all the while,
Rillka then turns to Veronica, I love it! I knew you belonged with us! her expression then turns serious, We stand together, until the end. Rillka smiles again and continues on giving Moondancer scritches.
"nga bcas kyis khyod kyis byams brtse gi thog las phebs bsu zhu mi lu bka' drin che zer zhu ni in/ khyod legs shom sbe 'abd sa mthongm da legs shom in/ mi rigs 'di lu 'go khrid 'di bzum sgring sgring yodp mthongm da lu dga' yi/" Saoirse says with a warm smile.
Turning to Andreas, she translates, gesturing to the sword as she explains that it has been held here for him. As Rillka inquires about the Will o' the Wisp parading as a god, she turns back to the Lizardfolk Chief.
"'go khridp nga gis dri ba bkod pa cin 'go khridp rnyingm tshu gyo sgyu 'abd ni'i don lu lha sbe rang gis rang gsal ston 'abd mi wisip lu ga ci byung yi ga ?"
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Vinni approaches, using his new quarterstaff a bit as a walking stick, but more because he thinks it looks cool than any actual usefulness. He hears the discussion with the chief and admires how Saoirse is able with diplomacy. He wonders how he would approach this and realizes he would much more direct, which would be stupid.
He decides to observe the lizardfolk's way of living and how it would differ from a typical human town.
Rillka smiles and is genuinely happy. I knew you knew!! she leans in close and whispers something to Moondancer, smiling all the while,
Rillka then turns to Veronica, I love it! I knew you belonged with us! her expression then turns serious, We stand together, until the end. Rillka smiles again and continues on giving Moondancer scritches.
Moondancer is only too happy to jump, play, and bark. Which means Rillka now has a large wolf splashing mud all over the place and trying to run up and bowl the halfling over into said mud.
Veronica chuckles and says, "Well, there are downsides. Like when she thinks I'm hiding treats in my bag. Or when she decides that she wants the blanket. Or when she thinks I won't notice if she takes just one of my arrows and uses it as a chewing toy."
Veronica pats Moondancer affectionately while Rillka deploys scritches and says, "But she's still the bestest girl in the world!"
Andreas is uneasy as he walks through the village. He takes note of the change in the population.
He opens his mouth several times to ask a question but stops himself as he begins to wonder if his actions caused the current situation.
Where are the adults?
When he sees where they are taking him, he sighs inwardly. Taking in the site of his weapon, brings another round of discomfort for him.
Truthfully, we came back for your village...to check in you and to finish what we started. Granted the sword is a beautiful weapon but it is just that...a weapon. It can be remade but a life cannot. I am sorry that I failed you. It took us some time to get back here but I hope we can finish what was started those days ago. What has transpired since we were forced to flee? Where are the others?
His words come out heavy and with much trepidation. His shoulders remain broad and sturdy but to those that know him, they have bent with the weight of failure.
what...were the results of our interference...of my choices.
He does not move towards the sword.
Saoirse continues to translate.
The lizardfolk chieftain listens gravely to the translation, his blue tongue flicking out to swipe across his scarred eye.
The chieftain shakes his head fatalistically, though you sense no blame directed at you for the current situation.
Once he hears the translation, Andreas' should slump even lower. The lord appears distraught and lost.
This is my fault. My failure cost this to happen.
He turns shaking his head but weather this is in disgust at what happened or at himself, it is unknown.
He looks to the young chief and then to his weapon where his eyes remain locked. The weapon, by chance or by divine message, rests with the blade tip facing east. He nods his head up and down and his stance returns to a more rigid frame.
Blessings from Iomedae. I thank you for your faith in me. I had doubts of my abilities to do the right thing. I did bend but I did not break.
The Lord moves in to collect his weapon. His voice echoes back as he concentrates on the weapon. HIs voice is strong and assured.
Rillka, on your maps, what resides to the east of here. The Tuskwater continues up to the city but only Elga is east of here. Could they have gone across to Kamelands?
I know what you are thinking Tall Folk. Rillka says unrolling her map and placing it so the others can look. But you are not responsible for going after the egggs because of some past failure, or because you are responsible for them being taken.
Rillka looks up from that map, in an attempt to look Andreas face to face, You are responsible because you have the ability to take action, and if you do not act this tribe will die out, and the rest will remain enslaved to that thing. So focus on getting those eggs back here safely.
Rillka surveys the map and points out the Shrike River or the island on Candlemere lake as likely destinations.
Veronica, Vinni, you probably know more about where they would go - what do you think?
"You said exactly what I was thinking, Rillka," says Veronica.
"Sadly I don't know much about this region. This is the first time I've seen a map of it!"
She points to the island to the southwest. "That island—am I reading this right, there's a tower or castle or ruin there? Seems a likely choice, if so."
The chief peers at your map, squinting his good eye and bobs his head as Veronica taps the Island on Candlemere. His voice rasps sharply as he shares what he knows of the place.
And from the rumors of the townsfolk and what Elga, the Old Beldame, told you, Candlemere is home to more than just one will-o-wisp...
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Vinni studies the map carefully. He has studied the land with detail and hopes to find something to add to the discussion.
He also mentions "At least we don't have any doubts of what we'll encounter. We can guarantee we'll find resistance. However..." He stops to think more strategically then says "Saoirse, can you please ask the chieftain about the Lizardfolk that went on this excursion? Typically, in a community, some people do things out of peer pressure even if they disagree with the actions taken. Some may still be swayed, especially if they see how fruitless their destination is."
"$#!+. If they're headed there, it's likely the Wisp is leading them to join with the others of its kind. They'll likely enslave the tribe for generations." Saoirse says, both in Common and Lizardfolk, explaining the likely outcome if left without intervention.
As Vinni questions the likelihood of friendly sentiment, or at least dissent within the tribe, she relays the Chief’s earlier words.
”The slain King convinced many that the Wisp was the spirit of an honored ancestor to win them over. There are those that saw the lie in this but chose to follow their King. Those are the one’s most likely to be convinced to return. The opposition will come form those that embraced the Wisp’s cruelty and choose that as a way of life, though ironically they are more likely to be won over by a show of force.” she points out.
”It seems that the King’s harem may be leading them now in following the Wisp as they took the clutch of eggs in hopes of raising the future King.”
"I, too, agree with Veronica's assessment," Albert adds.
"I care little for the future of this tribe, though perhaps they may be useful allies if we help them," he remarks.
"But we must destroy these creatures, lest they cause more harm and make Grigori's work easier. I only hope that our preparations to deal with one will be sufficient for them all."
Andreas moves to stand before the new chieftain, his reclaimed weapon in hand.
We are leaving right away for this island. We need to know anything you can tell us about these others that left. Numbers, equipment, allegiance. The more we know the better our chances are of bringing your people home...all of them.
He looks to Saoirse with appreciation.
Please translate.
The bard continues to translate, relaying both Andreas' vow and the request for any pertinent details.
The chieftain considers the questions of numbers and explains that 28 of the surviving Lizardfolk Tribe have followed the King's former Harem. The Harem themselves number only 3 but he guesses that another 10 are "true believers". This leaves 15 who have followed primarily to safeguard the eggs, many of whom are females who have eggs among the clutch. None among their number are warriors on par with the slain King.
"So... is there a local bargeman or -woman we can hire? Getting to that island and rescuing the clutch isn't something that could easily be done just by swimming," suggests Veronica.
"While I can swim, I don't really know anything about handling a boat."
"It sounds like we'll need a reliable way across to the island." Saoirse says after relaying the information.
We should head back home and get some proper help. Someone that knows these waters. A person that can ferry us across the waters to that island. I do not want to swim across with a potential enemy that has the advantage of terrain. We will reassess our options and change our tactics if we need to before we advance on the island.
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Vinni comments "That would be wise. From what I've learned of these waters, there might be something in the water. If we are to hire someone to ferry us, we might need to ensure them we can repel water creatures as well. I might need to rethink my natural spells for this during my morning meditation."
He combs his shortened beard with his hand and says "Otherwise, I think we have a destination and a plan."
I don’t swim, so definitely a boat. Good thinking Vinni! I was thinking with wisps we may need to be prepared for the air, but the water is far more dangerous.
The chieftain and his diminished tribe bid you farewell and swift journey. The pair of younglings who led you in also provide the escort out, returning you to your mounts. You make it back without trouble, travelling along previously explored paths.
You do not doubt that you will be able to charter a fishing boat. Sturmulme residents dine on fresh-water fish daily given it is the prevalent source of local fare. New farms and ranches in the area are still struggling to become sustainable and the increasing predation of hunters has driven prey further away from the borders of the community.
The fishermen are, however, understandably wary of Candlemere. The only one who steps forward when you ask for volunteers is a Gnomish gentleman named Arven. Rillka remembers him asking for aid regarding a monstrous turtle terrorizing his favorite fishing spot.
"Aye, I'll take ye there. Mayhap I can show you the spot I mentioned to ye along the way too. More birds, less stones, as they say." He says with a brisk nod.
Rillka smiles, I remember you, and your plight! Please do not think we had forgotten you, and thank you for your kind and generous service to the community. I am sure Tall Folk will be more than willing to help you once we resolve our immediate issue.
Veronica takes a knee and offers a hand to Arven.
"Greetings, we haven't met yet. My name's Veronica. Pleased to make your acquaintance, and of course I'll be glad to help with whatever you need, like Rillka said."
Master Arven, tis good to see you. Lady Rillka is correct, we have not forgotten you. We will gladly accept your assistance, and it will be appreciated if you could point out this turtle last location.
Andreas feels the weight of the reclaimed sword resting on his hip.
We have time sensitive task to accomplish on Candlemere.
"Aye then, we'll keep to the westerly bank of the Tuskwater, so we will. And well met to ye new folken. Yer canine companions are welcome aboard but I've no room for horses, so I don't. We'll be ready to launch a'fore sunrise. Ye don't wanna let the sun set on ye on Candlemere, if'n ye can help it, nay."
Oathday, Rova 21st, 4711 AR
Description: Fog
Temperature: Moderate
High: 79°F (26°C)
Low: 60°F (15°C)
Relative: Warmer than normal
Wind Force: Light
Wind Speed: 10 mph (16 kph) from the W
The pre-dawn darkness lies heavy and opaque, a thick, muggy fog oppressing vision over the docks. It seems almost as if the ceiling of yesterday's clouds fell from the sky overnight to blanket your surroundings and obscure the way to your destination.
"Weather is far from ideal, so it is. But we know the Tuskwater well, so we do. Settle in and we'll get you there." Arven assures you, though his face looks a good deal grimmer than yesterday.
Arven's boat is something of a curiosity, clearly a result of Gnomish ingenuity. It is propelled by a paddlewheel which is powered by a complex system of gears and chains, allowing a pair of crewmembers to provide the driving force by turning a crankshaft.
You travel more slowly than you might wish, erring on the side of caution in the low visibility. Though the warmth of the day burns away the worst of the fog so that your progress goes easier as the sun climbs. By noon, you have reached the western shores of Candlemere Island. Though, with no piers or docks, the boat can only approach the shallows near the bank.