Thea kisses Curly on his nose and says to him in Bantha, "Go back to town and stay safe! I'll find you when we get back! Be safe Curly!" She nods to Stasolya, "Yes! I don't want Ereni to be in trouble!" She scrambles up on her back. "Thank you for the lift! Let's go!"
Curly rises and starts back toward Jappiter, looking over his shoulder more than once at the kind girl, and the kind people, who he had come out here with. He moaned sadly as he went, but went nonetheless.
Thea holds on tightly and has to stifle herself from crying out “Wahooo!” as Stasolya takes off lightening fast! Her butterflies give away her excitement as they flutter about them both. She watches to make sure Cinder and Malenia are doing ok and keeping up and she peers ahead to look for Ereni (perception 13).
Jogging back in the deepening twilight, Ereni spots her companions rushing to meet her, Thea upon Stasolya's back. She finds she is not sure whether she feels accomplishment or apprehension at what she has done. She decides to tell the exact truth. (See flashback below).
When she and the others reach each other she stops. Sweat streaking and smudging the rock dust on her face, she speaks in a near monotone.
----- <Flashback> -----
Ereni reaches the mine and proceeds carefully. Becoming invisible to darkvision (and of course regular vision) once she enters the darkness. Using her 90' darkvision herself. Being as stealthy as she can and sensing for hazards to the best of her ability, she proceeds with caution to the central room where she had conversed with the Kruthik leader before. She begins for a minute slamming her foot down on the rock floor of the cavern rhythmically, hoping that the Kruthiks will hear her. She then uses her last primal magic to cast Speak With Animals, hoping that the vibrations in the ground carry her message:
"Danger. Danger. Humanoid army approaching through tunnels. Subternia. Using it to pass under the large mass of water near the surface (ocean). NOT the humanoids in the town here. They keep to our agreement. Those that dug down to your home tunnels and stole your stones were spies going against the hive here, helping the army that comes and sabotaging their hive-mates here. Army is coming to attack the humanoids above here but will not hesitate to attack you to clear the way. Not your war and you have no obligation to fight for us. But for your own safety, collapse what tunnels you can that lead to this mine from underground. Block it from underneath. And be ready for attack. The army likely comes between 8 and 30 hours from now."
She describes Vader's orcs and stormtroopers as best she can. "I believe we ourselves will fight them here if they get to the surface, though we will be greatly outnumbered." She continues repeating the message, hoping that the Kruthiks will hear and come up to talk.
Three adult Kruthiks emerge after just a few minutes and begin to click, growl, and make a series of noises to communicate with. The Kruthiks communicate that they've heard strange rumors and noises from the underdark for some days now. They understand that the humanoids from the desert do not wish conflict now, but vehemently say they will defend their realm with lethal intent. They agree to collapse the tunnels, and say they'll start tearing down every tunnel that descends into Hyboria.
Ereni understands and does not attempt to deter them from defending their realm. She imparts whatever she knows of Vader's orcs and stormtroopers and their tactics and armaments from her time with the Ivory Infantry, attempting to choke down the lump that arises in her throat as she does so. She describes Vader's ruthlessness and power, and how he uses fear to try to control his enemies and sow discord and plant spies. She discusses how the Kruthiks might set traps for the encroaching army in the tunnels they cannot collapse. In the end, she wishes them luck and gives them what passes in the Kruthik language as a formal and respectful salute, with tears in her eyes. "We will fight them above as you do below."
The Kruthiks are not afraid to fight Vader, regardless of his imposing capabilities. They say they will defend their realm to the last. They listen intently to her advice, and then, when she is done, they return to Subternea. It isn't long before the sound of collapsing tunnels rumbles Hyboria...
Wearily, she makes her way out of the mine, emerging smudged and emotionally exhausted out into the darkening sands.
----- </Flashback> -----
She pauses to catch her breath at the end of her tale. How does that bard do it, all that singing and chanting and poetry? I feel like a wrung out towel. She adds in a softer voice. "Might be I just doomed every last one of them. The Kruthiks, I mean. Damned if I thought they were going to collapse so many tunnels that the sound was going to be louder than Big Borresqieu's snoring after he got into the Captain's moonshine. But I don't see how they stop Vader all the same. Slow him down maybe. We have to plan, and not much time for it. What to do with the townsfolk, the explosives, with ourselves?"
Stasolya slides to a stop to meet Ereni, swinging one hand behind her to make sure Thea doesn't fall off at the abrupt halt. "Hail, friend! We heard the quake back in town."
After Ereni finishes her tale, the centaur nods. "Good job, Ereni.... thank you for warning the Kruthiks. They may be able to protect themselves and do a lot of good besides. Let us hope that Vader's troops will be well routed by their efforts. As for the townsfolk..." Stasolya glances sadly back towards the town."I don't know that they need us anymore. Atreyu wanted us to get south as quickly as possible, to the Goron Mountain Range. Beyond that... he did not say. Only that we must find the Princess."
The almost... familiar... invocation of the great hero Atreyu's name catches Ereni's notice and she recalls that Stasolya now bears the AURYN.
Who are these people?
"Seeing as I have fewer ideas myself than a lone pikeman amidst light cavalry, I don't see why not," she replies to the centaur. "Not as if I expected to leave Jappiter alive. Hope the townsfolk put the explosives to good use as I know this one would have." She gestures to Cinder with a lopsided grin.
"Evacuate and booby trap the town. Detonate once Vader's troops are well inside, investigating." She licks her lips almost eagerly, but then sighs.
"Trouble is not knowing how long those Kruthiks will delay them, so south to the Goron Range it is for us, I suppose. Just seems strange to be crossing desert and mountains if it's a monster from the sea that took Princess Andromeda in Argos."
"So how are we getting there, forced march? Wouldn't be the first time.". She looks at Thea with a half-smile. "You add a bantha to your butterfly collection, m'lady? Or you planning on staying atop the centaur the whole journey?"
Thea looks a little sad. “Curly got really scared when the tunnels collapsed and didn’t want to be in the desert after that happened….” she looks up with hopeful eyes, “I’d like to go back to town and see him one more time? I think he might just join us! At least I hope he will! And maybe we can get some horses from town for the rest of you? In terms of where to go? I defer to you all. This is all very new to me. I would like an hour to summon Skot if I can before we go?” She smiles at Ereni. “I’m so glad you’re ok!”
Ereni looks in the direction of the mountains for a while, then back at Thea. "Thank you m'lady. For thinking that I'm ok."
She turns back to the town. "Not wrong about the bantha and the horses either. All of us except m'lady centaur are faster riding than walking and, for whatever 'tis worth, maybe we deprive Vader's army of a couple extra mounts once they arrive in town, 'ssuming they get past the Kruthiks."
"And I came here when I heard my old mate Emmett got killed by the Kruthiks, not on account of the reward. But not for nothing, weren't we supposed to get paid for clearing out the mine? Got no personal use for too much gold, but we might need it to buy horses or ship's passage maybe."
First, Daelar had already set his meager guard force to do something with the cart full of explosives, which where being hauled back to the storage sheds behind Cole's compound where they would, hopefully at least, be in a safer and more secure location than just sitting in the middle of the street.
Second, there was a crowd around the Mayor's office that was chanting raising crude, makeshift signs, and demanding justice for being sold out by Cole to Lord Vader. This crowd had a satellite crowd near the guard barracks and its stockade, where Cole was no doubt being held. Neither Daelar nor Mayor Ivo were having much luck controlling the volatility and anger of the crowds outside their facilities, though they were trying to keep the peace and prevent any vigilante justice from taking place.
Third were the docks, which were busy. There were several ships packed into the port, some large merchant vessels, at least one mercenary ship, and several smaller vessels, from oyster and crab boats to fishing boats to pleasure skooners. Bored sailors were sitting everywhere, talking, playing cards and dice, getting drunk. Lots of getting drunk, in fact. It didn't seem like there was much activity in the port, or any effort to get to work.
Ereni senses the anger of the vigilantes in the crowd and knows that, at least in part, it was her angry words about Cole's culpability (however accurate) that set it in motion. But she knows that while someone like Stasolya might be able to influence that crowd, Ereni likely can no longer.
She does try to pull the Mayor aside (if no one else does) regarding the reward for clearing the mine, knowing that at least she will likely need it for things like passage on a ship. And she informs the Mayor and Daelar of the situation with the Kruthiks and Vader's impending attack, including suggestions of how they might use the explosives tactically if they are inclined to resist Vader's army if and when they arrive. (But not insisting that they do).
Ereni then spends time socializing with the bored and drunk sailors, her comfort zone, playing dice, getting the lay of the land and learn of any news. Gathering information with respect to when the next ship (especially a large one) might be headed south, particularly near Hyrule Castle.
Mayor Ivo steps aside with Ereni after taking time to address the crowd, and does a fairly decent job of placating them...for now. Though, it doesn't seem like the peace will last. The people of Jappiter are clearly mad and afraid, and it's a bad combination. The whole town feels like a tenderbox that's ready to go up at any second.
Still, Ivo gives over a decent sack of gold to the Fourth Band, and explains that it's all part of Cole's coffers that they've begun to confiscate from his quarters. Of course, he assures Ereni, the rest will be put to good use. As for Daelar, he is vehement that he will not be the lead in an effort to resist Lord Vader. His opinion is that the easiest way for his people to survive, especially out here in the desert where they are cut off from everywhere, is to accept their reality or abandon Jappiter altogether. He does state, at least, that it'll depend on timing, what they are capable of doing. He doesn't want to support Vader...but has a responsibility to his people.
He at least has the decency to look ashamed as he says this.
There is no shortage of vessels willing to bear up the Fourth Band and take them somewhere, but the prices are high, and there is a lot of scuttlebutt going around about ships that don't want to sail or flat out refuse. The Kraken is offered up as one explanation, and offered up frequently. Then of course there are Captains who say that the ports of King's Landing and even the smaller ports off the east coast, nearer Hyrule Castle herself, are in disarray. King's Landing, they say, is glutted with survivors of the battle, while refugees pour in by the thousands and the ports are overwhelmed with people fleeing the continent. The ships getting commissioned has glutted the port with ships that can't get unloaded of their cargo fast enough to evacuate the refugees who wish to flee further. Then, of course, there's rumors of the Nothing having wiped out part of the land mass nearby and...well. King's Landing, it sounds like, is just a mess in general.
When she learns the amount of gold that Ivo is handing over to each of them, Ereni has a hard time preventing her jaw from dropping open. She stares around, trying to discern whether this is some kind of practical joke. More than I would have earned serving decades with the Infantry. Of course, the way things are going, soon enough there will be nothing to spend it on other than smoking ruins and favor from some dark lord as Cole sought.
She clenches her teeth at Daelar's refusal to oppose Vader directly, but she grudgingly accepts. You have a better idea, archer? This is how civilians tactically retreat. You've never had command Ereni. Good commanders do not waste their charges for glory and no realistic benefit as mine often did.
Still, there remains a raw pit in her stomach that she cannot shake. Learning of the wild rumors of chaos and destruction along the coast to the south, Ereni turns to her companions. "Seems we've got choices. Let this payment rot in our pockets on the longer (I think?) overland route while the world goes to hell. I say get gouged by some ship captain to sail us south and drop us off at a shoreline near King's Landing and Hyrule Castle. Figure the gold is a means to an end - ain't worth much to us if one of these dark lords or their lackeys take it from our corpses because we were too late."
Cinder looks around at the sailors at the port after putting her gold away somewhere safe in her bag. I was more gold then she had ever seen at one time and there was not way she was going to lose it. Once she is confident that it is safe, she looks back towards the rest of the group. "Are there even any captains even willing to make the trip? Seems to me that their all scared of the kraken. After seeing it I don't really blame them." She shakes her head at the memory of the monster that had attacked Argos. "We don't even really know where we're going. We were told to find Zelda. That's not exactly a direction on a map."
Thea returns to the town and tries to follow the group’s lead. She accepts the gold gratefully and tucks it away in a safe place. She checks in with the few friends she’d made working for Cole to see that they are ok and to see what their plans are then she hurries to find Curly. Speaking to him quietly in Bantha and petting him, she tries to explain what might be coming- an invasion of the town and incoming danger or he can come with her and face certain danger. “We’re going on a ship and I don’t know if you can fit on one, Curly. Also? I don’t know if my journey will come back this way or not and so if you leave with me, know you may not make it back here either?” Burying her face in his fur, the petite woman hugs him as tightly as she can. “Think about it and tell me what you want to do. Just know you’re a hero, Curly!! We couldn’t have uncovered this plot without you!”
After leaving Curly with a pile of cactuses to contemplate his future, Thea finds a quiet space to cast her spell. Lighting incense in her brazier, she sits and meditates for an hour, connecting with the mysterious weave of magic that surrounds everything. As the spell concludes, a shape starts to appear in the incense smoke - a shape of a tiny winged man reaching for something. As he becomes more solid and real, the blissful look on his face as he tries to steal some unknown treasure turns to fear as he ducks and shrieks! Gathering his senses, he looks around and sees Thea. Flying over to her, a sheepish look on his rakishly handsome face, the sprite says, “I got the broom again didn’t I? For trying to steal that pie?” Trying to look stern but eyes fully amused, Thea says, “Yes, Skot! Now no more pie stealing! We have important work to do!” She fills her naughty familiar in on all that’s happened since he tried to steal a cooling pie from the tavern keeper’s windowsill.
When Thea has finished her meditation and revived Skot, she finds that Curly has returned. He seems set on going with her, and, for better or worse, has brought friends. There's another Bantha, who, according to their body language, looks like his mate. Then there's a little one between the two of them, big enough to carry one person.. A Landstrider stands nearby and looks from Curly to Thea, and behind him is an old Hadrosaur wearing a saddle.
Stasolysa nods in agreement with Ereni. "We have no need to keep this money. It would be put to good use to compensate a ship captain for his risk in bearing us to Hyrule." She looks at Cinder. "Zelda is the Princess of Hyrule; if she is not there, my guess is that someone there will know where to find her."
Ereni eyes the bantha, landstriders and hadrosaur with the long-earned doubt of an infantry scout who has spent her whole life on her own good two feet. Or at worst, on a horse. She sighs and smiles at Thea resignedly. "Good work. If we fall off and break our heads open, it'll deprive Vader the chance to torture us. And if we lose this gold the mayor just handed us, we've got a future as menagerie-managers."
"Speaking of losing gold..." Ereni walks up and down the docks, feeling oddly at home, speaking to sailors and inquiring after a captain willing to sail their vessel south for a handsome reward. She lets slip in her customary drawl that they'd be transporting five people and as many beasts, and would want to be let off as near to Hyrule Castle as possible. Did she mention that they were the ones that just cleared the mine? And that they would pay well. Oh, they also put down the orc uprising led by Cole and could fight to defend the ship. And, never forget, would pay well...
Thea rushes to meet Curly and meet his friends so she can make proper introductions keeping an eye on Skot and repeatedly bamfing him back to her to keep him out of trouble. He eventually resigns himself to temporary goodness and flies up to perch on the landstrider’s head. “I’ll keep a look out from up here!” (He totally takes a nap) Thea helps to ready her things and assist the others and is ready to go where the band leads.
Many of the ship captains laugh Ereni away as she asks her questions and makes her offers. She's called all manner of stupid, and crazy, and stupid and crazy, and is reminded, repeatedly, that there is a Kraken out there. They also make it known that there is a full fledged war broken out near the castle and that the Hylians are doing very, very poorly. One sailor berates her and asks her what the @#$% she thinks she's going to do near Hyrule Castle when the stronghold has fallen and there are more of the undead there than the living....if any living whatsoever.
Still, there are three ships that offer to take them on their journey...but the prices are steep.
The Captain of the Halcyon, a Kalashtar named Alwyn Olovaris, is the cheapest, and offers to take them for 750 gold. He shrugs and says that's his rate for risking his life, the lives of his crew, and the ship. He's also completely opposed to taking the mounts. He's kind of shifty about where he'll drop them.
The next ship, the Arundel, is more expensive. at 1,000 gold. They will take the mounts, however, and can even drop them close to shore just a few days north of the castle. The Dwarf Captain, Sargruk Dragonguard, even offers up the services of the onboard smithy.
The third and last ship to make the offer is the most expensive at 1,250 gold. Captain Sabub, a sort of shady looking Orc with two hooks instead of two hands, says he'll drop them off right in the mouth of the Hylian River, within a days march of the castle.
Thea kisses Curly on his nose and says to him in Bantha, "Go back to town and stay safe! I'll find you when we get back! Be safe Curly!" She nods to Stasolya, "Yes! I don't want Ereni to be in trouble!" She scrambles up on her back. "Thank you for the lift! Let's go!"
Curly rises and starts back toward Jappiter, looking over his shoulder more than once at the kind girl, and the kind people, who he had come out here with. He moaned sadly as he went, but went nonetheless.
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
Stasolya nods. "Hold on!" And she takes off at a gallop after Malenia.
Thea holds on tightly and has to stifle herself from crying out “Wahooo!” as Stasolya takes off lightening fast! Her butterflies give away her excitement as they flutter about them both. She watches to make sure Cinder and Malenia are doing ok and keeping up and she peers ahead to look for Ereni (perception 13).
Jogging back in the deepening twilight, Ereni spots her companions rushing to meet her, Thea upon Stasolya's back. She finds she is not sure whether she feels accomplishment or apprehension at what she has done. She decides to tell the exact truth. (See flashback below).
When she and the others reach each other she stops. Sweat streaking and smudging the rock dust on her face, she speaks in a near monotone.
----- <Flashback> -----
Ereni reaches the mine and proceeds carefully. Becoming invisible to darkvision (and of course regular vision) once she enters the darkness. Using her 90' darkvision herself. Being as stealthy as she can and sensing for hazards to the best of her ability, she proceeds with caution to the central room where she had conversed with the Kruthik leader before. She begins for a minute slamming her foot down on the rock floor of the cavern rhythmically, hoping that the Kruthiks will hear her. She then uses her last primal magic to cast Speak With Animals, hoping that the vibrations in the ground carry her message:
"Danger. Danger. Humanoid army approaching through tunnels. Subternia. Using it to pass under the large mass of water near the surface (ocean). NOT the humanoids in the town here. They keep to our agreement. Those that dug down to your home tunnels and stole your stones were spies going against the hive here, helping the army that comes and sabotaging their hive-mates here. Army is coming to attack the humanoids above here but will not hesitate to attack you to clear the way. Not your war and you have no obligation to fight for us. But for your own safety, collapse what tunnels you can that lead to this mine from underground. Block it from underneath. And be ready for attack. The army likely comes between 8 and 30 hours from now."
She describes Vader's orcs and stormtroopers as best she can. "I believe we ourselves will fight them here if they get to the surface, though we will be greatly outnumbered." She continues repeating the message, hoping that the Kruthiks will hear and come up to talk.
Three adult Kruthiks emerge after just a few minutes and begin to click, growl, and make a series of noises to communicate with. The Kruthiks communicate that they've heard strange rumors and noises from the underdark for some days now. They understand that the humanoids from the desert do not wish conflict now, but vehemently say they will defend their realm with lethal intent. They agree to collapse the tunnels, and say they'll start tearing down every tunnel that descends into Hyboria.
Ereni understands and does not attempt to deter them from defending their realm. She imparts whatever she knows of Vader's orcs and stormtroopers and their tactics and armaments from her time with the Ivory Infantry, attempting to choke down the lump that arises in her throat as she does so. She describes Vader's ruthlessness and power, and how he uses fear to try to control his enemies and sow discord and plant spies. She discusses how the Kruthiks might set traps for the encroaching army in the tunnels they cannot collapse. In the end, she wishes them luck and gives them what passes in the Kruthik language as a formal and respectful salute, with tears in her eyes. "We will fight them above as you do below."
The Kruthiks are not afraid to fight Vader, regardless of his imposing capabilities. They say they will defend their realm to the last. They listen intently to her advice, and then, when she is done, they return to Subternea. It isn't long before the sound of collapsing tunnels rumbles Hyboria...
Wearily, she makes her way out of the mine, emerging smudged and emotionally exhausted out into the darkening sands.
----- </Flashback> -----
She pauses to catch her breath at the end of her tale. How does that bard do it, all that singing and chanting and poetry? I feel like a wrung out towel. She adds in a softer voice. "Might be I just doomed every last one of them. The Kruthiks, I mean. Damned if I thought they were going to collapse so many tunnels that the sound was going to be louder than Big Borresqieu's snoring after he got into the Captain's moonshine. But I don't see how they stop Vader all the same. Slow him down maybe. We have to plan, and not much time for it. What to do with the townsfolk, the explosives, with ourselves?"
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Stasolya slides to a stop to meet Ereni, swinging one hand behind her to make sure Thea doesn't fall off at the abrupt halt. "Hail, friend! We heard the quake back in town."
After Ereni finishes her tale, the centaur nods. "Good job, Ereni.... thank you for warning the Kruthiks. They may be able to protect themselves and do a lot of good besides. Let us hope that Vader's troops will be well routed by their efforts. As for the townsfolk..." Stasolya glances sadly back towards the town. "I don't know that they need us anymore. Atreyu wanted us to get south as quickly as possible, to the Goron Mountain Range. Beyond that... he did not say. Only that we must find the Princess."
The almost... familiar... invocation of the great hero Atreyu's name catches Ereni's notice and she recalls that Stasolya now bears the AURYN.
Who are these people?
"Seeing as I have fewer ideas myself than a lone pikeman amidst light cavalry, I don't see why not," she replies to the centaur. "Not as if I expected to leave Jappiter alive. Hope the townsfolk put the explosives to good use as I know this one would have." She gestures to Cinder with a lopsided grin.
"Evacuate and booby trap the town. Detonate once Vader's troops are well inside, investigating." She licks her lips almost eagerly, but then sighs.
"Trouble is not knowing how long those Kruthiks will delay them, so south to the Goron Range it is for us, I suppose. Just seems strange to be crossing desert and mountains if it's a monster from the sea that took Princess Andromeda in Argos."
"So how are we getting there, forced march? Wouldn't be the first time.". She looks at Thea with a half-smile. "You add a bantha to your butterfly collection, m'lady? Or you planning on staying atop the centaur the whole journey?"
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Thea looks a little sad. “Curly got really scared when the tunnels collapsed and didn’t want to be in the desert after that happened….” she looks up with hopeful eyes, “I’d like to go back to town and see him one more time? I think he might just join us! At least I hope he will! And maybe we can get some horses from town for the rest of you? In terms of where to go? I defer to you all. This is all very new to me. I would like an hour to summon Skot if I can before we go?” She smiles at Ereni. “I’m so glad you’re ok!”
Ereni looks in the direction of the mountains for a while, then back at Thea. "Thank you m'lady. For thinking that I'm ok."
She turns back to the town. "Not wrong about the bantha and the horses either. All of us except m'lady centaur are faster riding than walking and, for whatever 'tis worth, maybe we deprive Vader's army of a couple extra mounts once they arrive in town, 'ssuming they get past the Kruthiks."
"And I came here when I heard my old mate Emmett got killed by the Kruthiks, not on account of the reward. But not for nothing, weren't we supposed to get paid for clearing out the mine? Got no personal use for too much gold, but we might need it to buy horses or ship's passage maybe."
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
The return trip to town reveals a few things.
First, Daelar had already set his meager guard force to do something with the cart full of explosives, which where being hauled back to the storage sheds behind Cole's compound where they would, hopefully at least, be in a safer and more secure location than just sitting in the middle of the street.
Second, there was a crowd around the Mayor's office that was chanting raising crude, makeshift signs, and demanding justice for being sold out by Cole to Lord Vader. This crowd had a satellite crowd near the guard barracks and its stockade, where Cole was no doubt being held. Neither Daelar nor Mayor Ivo were having much luck controlling the volatility and anger of the crowds outside their facilities, though they were trying to keep the peace and prevent any vigilante justice from taking place.
Third were the docks, which were busy. There were several ships packed into the port, some large merchant vessels, at least one mercenary ship, and several smaller vessels, from oyster and crab boats to fishing boats to pleasure skooners. Bored sailors were sitting everywhere, talking, playing cards and dice, getting drunk. Lots of getting drunk, in fact. It didn't seem like there was much activity in the port, or any effort to get to work.
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
Ereni senses the anger of the vigilantes in the crowd and knows that, at least in part, it was her angry words about Cole's culpability (however accurate) that set it in motion. But she knows that while someone like Stasolya might be able to influence that crowd, Ereni likely can no longer.
She does try to pull the Mayor aside (if no one else does) regarding the reward for clearing the mine, knowing that at least she will likely need it for things like passage on a ship. And she informs the Mayor and Daelar of the situation with the Kruthiks and Vader's impending attack, including suggestions of how they might use the explosives tactically if they are inclined to resist Vader's army if and when they arrive. (But not insisting that they do).
Ereni then spends time socializing with the bored and drunk sailors, her comfort zone, playing dice, getting the lay of the land and learn of any news. Gathering information with respect to when the next ship (especially a large one) might be headed south, particularly near Hyrule Castle.
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Mayor Ivo steps aside with Ereni after taking time to address the crowd, and does a fairly decent job of placating them...for now. Though, it doesn't seem like the peace will last. The people of Jappiter are clearly mad and afraid, and it's a bad combination. The whole town feels like a tenderbox that's ready to go up at any second.
Still, Ivo gives over a decent sack of gold to the Fourth Band, and explains that it's all part of Cole's coffers that they've begun to confiscate from his quarters. Of course, he assures Ereni, the rest will be put to good use. As for Daelar, he is vehement that he will not be the lead in an effort to resist Lord Vader. His opinion is that the easiest way for his people to survive, especially out here in the desert where they are cut off from everywhere, is to accept their reality or abandon Jappiter altogether. He does state, at least, that it'll depend on timing, what they are capable of doing. He doesn't want to support Vader...but has a responsibility to his people.
He at least has the decency to look ashamed as he says this.
There is no shortage of vessels willing to bear up the Fourth Band and take them somewhere, but the prices are high, and there is a lot of scuttlebutt going around about ships that don't want to sail or flat out refuse. The Kraken is offered up as one explanation, and offered up frequently. Then of course there are Captains who say that the ports of King's Landing and even the smaller ports off the east coast, nearer Hyrule Castle herself, are in disarray. King's Landing, they say, is glutted with survivors of the battle, while refugees pour in by the thousands and the ports are overwhelmed with people fleeing the continent. The ships getting commissioned has glutted the port with ships that can't get unloaded of their cargo fast enough to evacuate the refugees who wish to flee further. Then, of course, there's rumors of the Nothing having wiped out part of the land mass nearby and...well. King's Landing, it sounds like, is just a mess in general.
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
When she learns the amount of gold that Ivo is handing over to each of them, Ereni has a hard time preventing her jaw from dropping open. She stares around, trying to discern whether this is some kind of practical joke. More than I would have earned serving decades with the Infantry. Of course, the way things are going, soon enough there will be nothing to spend it on other than smoking ruins and favor from some dark lord as Cole sought.
She clenches her teeth at Daelar's refusal to oppose Vader directly, but she grudgingly accepts. You have a better idea, archer? This is how civilians tactically retreat. You've never had command Ereni. Good commanders do not waste their charges for glory and no realistic benefit as mine often did.
Still, there remains a raw pit in her stomach that she cannot shake. Learning of the wild rumors of chaos and destruction along the coast to the south, Ereni turns to her companions. "Seems we've got choices. Let this payment rot in our pockets on the longer (I think?) overland route while the world goes to hell. I say get gouged by some ship captain to sail us south and drop us off at a shoreline near King's Landing and Hyrule Castle. Figure the gold is a means to an end - ain't worth much to us if one of these dark lords or their lackeys take it from our corpses because we were too late."
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Cinder looks around at the sailors at the port after putting her gold away somewhere safe in her bag. I was more gold then she had ever seen at one time and there was not way she was going to lose it. Once she is confident that it is safe, she looks back towards the rest of the group. "Are there even any captains even willing to make the trip? Seems to me that their all scared of the kraken. After seeing it I don't really blame them." She shakes her head at the memory of the monster that had attacked Argos. "We don't even really know where we're going. We were told to find Zelda. That's not exactly a direction on a map."
Thea returns to the town and tries to follow the group’s lead. She accepts the gold gratefully and tucks it away in a safe place. She checks in with the few friends she’d made working for Cole to see that they are ok and to see what their plans are then she hurries to find Curly. Speaking to him quietly in Bantha and petting him, she tries to explain what might be coming- an invasion of the town and incoming danger or he can come with her and face certain danger. “We’re going on a ship and I don’t know if you can fit on one, Curly. Also? I don’t know if my journey will come back this way or not and so if you leave with me, know you may not make it back here either?” Burying her face in his fur, the petite woman hugs him as tightly as she can. “Think about it and tell me what you want to do. Just know you’re a hero, Curly!! We couldn’t have uncovered this plot without you!”
After leaving Curly with a pile of cactuses to contemplate his future, Thea finds a quiet space to cast her spell. Lighting incense in her brazier, she sits and meditates for an hour, connecting with the mysterious weave of magic that surrounds everything. As the spell concludes, a shape starts to appear in the incense smoke - a shape of a tiny winged man reaching for something. As he becomes more solid and real, the blissful look on his face as he tries to steal some unknown treasure turns to fear as he ducks and shrieks! Gathering his senses, he looks around and sees Thea. Flying over to her, a sheepish look on his rakishly handsome face, the sprite says, “I got the broom again didn’t I? For trying to steal that pie?” Trying to look stern but eyes fully amused, Thea says, “Yes, Skot! Now no more pie stealing! We have important work to do!” She fills her naughty familiar in on all that’s happened since he tried to steal a cooling pie from the tavern keeper’s windowsill.
When Thea has finished her meditation and revived Skot, she finds that Curly has returned. He seems set on going with her, and, for better or worse, has brought friends. There's another Bantha, who, according to their body language, looks like his mate. Then there's a little one between the two of them, big enough to carry one person.. A Landstrider stands nearby and looks from Curly to Thea, and behind him is an old Hadrosaur wearing a saddle.
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
Stasolysa nods in agreement with Ereni. "We have no need to keep this money. It would be put to good use to compensate a ship captain for his risk in bearing us to Hyrule." She looks at Cinder. "Zelda is the Princess of Hyrule; if she is not there, my guess is that someone there will know where to find her."
Ereni eyes the bantha, landstriders and hadrosaur with the long-earned doubt of an infantry scout who has spent her whole life on her own good two feet. Or at worst, on a horse. She sighs and smiles at Thea resignedly. "Good work. If we fall off and break our heads open, it'll deprive Vader the chance to torture us. And if we lose this gold the mayor just handed us, we've got a future as menagerie-managers."
"Speaking of losing gold..." Ereni walks up and down the docks, feeling oddly at home, speaking to sailors and inquiring after a captain willing to sail their vessel south for a handsome reward. She lets slip in her customary drawl that they'd be transporting five people and as many beasts, and would want to be let off as near to Hyrule Castle as possible. Did she mention that they were the ones that just cleared the mine? And that they would pay well. Oh, they also put down the orc uprising led by Cole and could fight to defend the ship. And, never forget, would pay well...
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Thea rushes to meet Curly and meet his friends so she can make proper introductions keeping an eye on Skot and repeatedly bamfing him back to her to keep him out of trouble. He eventually resigns himself to temporary goodness and flies up to perch on the landstrider’s head. “I’ll keep a look out from up here!” (He totally takes a nap) Thea helps to ready her things and assist the others and is ready to go where the band leads.
Many of the ship captains laugh Ereni away as she asks her questions and makes her offers. She's called all manner of stupid, and crazy, and stupid and crazy, and is reminded, repeatedly, that there is a Kraken out there. They also make it known that there is a full fledged war broken out near the castle and that the Hylians are doing very, very poorly. One sailor berates her and asks her what the @#$% she thinks she's going to do near Hyrule Castle when the stronghold has fallen and there are more of the undead there than the living....if any living whatsoever.
Still, there are three ships that offer to take them on their journey...but the prices are steep.
The Captain of the Halcyon, a Kalashtar named Alwyn Olovaris, is the cheapest, and offers to take them for 750 gold. He shrugs and says that's his rate for risking his life, the lives of his crew, and the ship. He's also completely opposed to taking the mounts. He's kind of shifty about where he'll drop them.
The next ship, the Arundel, is more expensive. at 1,000 gold. They will take the mounts, however, and can even drop them close to shore just a few days north of the castle. The Dwarf Captain, Sargruk Dragonguard, even offers up the services of the onboard smithy.
The third and last ship to make the offer is the most expensive at 1,250 gold. Captain Sabub, a sort of shady looking Orc with two hooks instead of two hands, says he'll drop them off right in the mouth of the Hylian River, within a days march of the castle.
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York