((Hyperion would probably be second, behind Garu, but still close enough to jump into melee if needed.))

Hyperion scans their surroundings, perturbed, but curious.  Every new experience was something to be filed away, though he found himself wondering how much was new and how much he had simply forgotten.

Harmony listens to Aisha, agreeing with her about going to the village and would stay in the middle/back now as they make their way.

DM Screen:

The village lies mere hours away from the forest, and its beauty becomes apparent as you draw near. Bipedal frog-like humanoids tend to large orchards of trees growing purple and teal fruits on the outskirts of the village. Irrigated lines of water stretch from the river that flows around the back of the town, helping to yield crops of sugar cane that grow along the edges. Curious and wary eyes follow your approach to the village proper, but none speak or approach. The dozens of structures within the village are small and hold no signage. They seem poorly constructed, with some leaning at odd angles and others appearing to built on odd numbers of supports, leaving them lilting. One even seems to have fully collapsed under its own weight.

Garu looks around for the frog creatures to see if they notice our group. If so, she will try to engage in conversation.

As the group drew near, Aisha cooed at Tsavi, whispering for her to relax and show no signs of 'being ready to pounce' or other obvious agitation, and she made no move.. for once... to have her bow at the ready. The 'village' itself reminded her of her own, aside from the dilapidation. Her home was in a place not-too-unlike this, in a high place as well. Though despite all this, she wasn't all that fond of the 'frog folk' if only because they looked like...frogs. But they didn't seem hostile. As Garu seeks to make conversation, Aisha begins trying to pantomime to them (since she wasn't sure if they spoke a common language) that her group meant no harm (Deciding to leave out the 'unless you start it..') while saying as much, aloud, in all the tongues she knew.

We are not here to harm. We are here to learn, and then leave.

Aisha can speak: Common, Elvish, Kraul, Primordial, Sylvan, Thieves’ Cant (or can they?!)

Hyperion silently watches as they move along.  The frog people seemed. . . strangely carefree for having a band of armed outsiders march into their territory.  He draws no weapons, but his armor does continue to hum with eldritch energy. 

Harmony was surprised to see the frog people, smiling and waving hello to them. She would also like to engage in friendly and peaceful talk with them along with Garu too.

Around a dozen of the frog humanoids cautiously circle around you, seeming more curious than defensive. One steps forward, hunching over to all fours as it speaks. Its words are guttural and croaking, but the Common speech is still easily understood.

"Greetings. We. Are Ranik. Are you. From the Order?"

The others surrounding him stare intently, awaiting an answer. Some shuffle back and forth, seeming almost nervous.

"Yes, we are!" Harmony had said back to them, nodding and smiling.

Aisha draws her bow and proceeds to murder them!

Aisha was about to speak when Harmony, the most extroverted of the group beat her to the punch. Yes. Apologies if we furrightened you. We .. for lack of a better word, had a disorrienting experrrience getting herrre. her rolling of 'r's seemed to be heavier than usual. We just came through, what we can only assume is a porrrrtal nearrrby. This one takes it that you werrre expecting someone then? If so, forrr what werrre you expecting them forr? Aisha asks, curiously.

Garu smiles at them, nodding in assent. “Ranik is the name of your people?”

The tension seems to fade from the Ranik speaker as he nods back at Garu.

"Ranik. We are, and so is here," he answers. His pace of speaking quickens as he motions to the mountains behind the small village. As your view is drawn to the fields nearby, you notice that swaths of the crops closer to the mountain are deadened and black.  "We sent word. To the Order. Requesting help, for our cane. The ooze comes down. At night, it eats our cane. Burns ground. Burns us, if we fight."

Around the speaker, the other Ranik nod excitedly. Dozens more draw near, forming a circle around the scene and watching intently.

“When did this blight begin?”, Garu asks. “Has there been other odd behavior accompanying this?”

Harmony hears them, nodding. "When does it appear at night? What does the ooze look like?" she then asks them as well.

The Ranik speaker shakes his head at Garu. "No, not odd, except ooze. Began twenty moons ago. The ooze comes from caves. Ranik who go to caves do not come back."

He looks over to answer Harmony, "The ooze is creature. Grey, and fleshless. It burns as acid when touched. We can do nothing. It eats our weapons. Our tools. It will come in few hours, when night is true."

The other gathered Ranik release frustrated sounds as the ooze is described.

Aisha sighs, wishing that the wizard was still with them, since after hearing this her plan would have been able to rely heavily on that fact alone... Regardless, she speaks up. Is there time to get to this cave before they 'come out' rrright nyow? if so, we may be able to consider something. Do you know if they exist only within the cave until they come out or do you know if 'some' ... uh.. wander near it, but not inside it before they all move out?

Regardless... And to save time oocly... Aisha's plan would be to lure them out from their hiding place and combine spell-might against them.. but we ... lost our caster, and I'm the only one I know of with spells that can harm larrge grrroups... *sigh* Though I do not know Garu's spells, or if anyone else among us has them either.  But if someone among us also did we could use the fact they are within a cave to 'funnel' them through to harm themselves, and if someoen else had spells capable... we could finish them off at a safe distance... by the end of it Aisha's ace seems contemplating the possibilities of 'how' it would work. Hoping that others within their group might share their offensive area of effect spell repitior if they have any.

Garu responds to Aisha: "I am wracking my brain to figure out if I have heard of these creatures before. That would go a long way to figuring out how we approach them."

To the rest of the group, Garu asks, "Anyone heard seen or heard of these oozes before?"

Returning her eyes to Aisha - "I have a spell that allows me or someone protection from acid - the Ranik said it burns 'as acid'."

Finally, Garu looks back to the Ranik, "Have the weapons that were eaten by the ooze been magical?"

Harmony was hearing Aisha, shaking her head. "I don't have spells that can damage a whole group really. More like one at a time and I've got spells for charming/paralyzing them, but I don't know if that would be possible with them being oozes." she said back, sighing. Now she really missed having Abraxas with them.

"One can reach the caves before night falls. Yes. We do not know about inside the caves. Three Ranik were sent, twice. None came back to tell what they found," the Ranik speaker answers Aisha in his croaking, lilting speech, before turning to Garu. "Our weapons are simple steel. We do not fight often. We are threatened by little. Until now."

“I think we can care of this. Is everyone up to the trek?”