Jesla looks with interest upon the camp up ahead.  Time to begin the next step of our journey she thinks.  The camp reminds her of her home somewhat.   She watches the captain and crew carefully for any signs of aggressive action on their part.  

Kiven tries to look relaxed, leaning on some of the cargo and looking towards the sprawling camp, but really he is making sure his bow is nearby and ready; an arrow as well.  He takes note of which crew members are closest to him, and if any of his Knot allies might be in a bad position if a fight breaks out on deck.  Otherwise The Prince waits to see how Eya and Respar deal with the frightened captain and crew.

Replying to Snowflake, Eya says, "Good to know, thanks and good job. Well, a deal is a deal. What would you prefer to be called? I like Snowflake, but if you don't like it then how about Kili. Kiliketz is too long. Any preference?"

---

Eya looks to the captain and adds to the conversation, "Let us do the initial talking with them before we begin unloading, captain. And you are far too late to begin turning around now. Just make no sudden movements until we talk to their leader and get permission to unload safely. If we are attacked, we crush them with no mercy." She looks to Jesla at that last statement, then continues, "Bugbears absolutely hate humans and value strength above all else. Backing down or showing weakness would be suicide here. Do you understand, captain?"

"Martha" smiles calmly at the captain and crew. 

  Jesla grins happily at the camp ahead.  " Now we get to experience the real world Kiven.   No more sheltering behind books and bows.  There wil be many fellow worshippers of Gorum here I'm sure. Dont be fearful though.   This tigress wil protect you.   " 

  She glances at Odenkirk and the crew.   '" Well done, well done getting us here safely.   I appreciate a job well done.   I think that you and your crew deserve a bonus for your troubles.   I will consider this while you get us to our destination.  "  Her green eyes glitter as sometimes it is fun to toy with your food.  

"Jesla, I think you should be the one to communicate with the bugbears initially. As you've alluded to, your tribes share similar values. The bugbears respect raw strength. Intimidation or brute force may be necessary and your ferocity would no doubt go a long way into either gaining their respect...or their fear. Grumblejack will be right there with you of course and I have no doubt that Respar will be prepared to jump into the fray himself should things go south. I'll help where I can too of course, assuming the situation requires it. So what do you say, Jesla? Are you up for it?" Eya asks the tigress. 

"Remember, just make it clear that we need to speak to their leader, Chieftain Sakkarot Fire-Axe. Otherwise, just...be yourself," Eya says with a smile.

Odenkirk stares at Respar, mouth agape, he can't seem to figure how to respond, eventually he says, "The shipment's goin' to bugbears? Are you mad? I was thinking hobs, they put up a pretty coin for goods like this if you're careful about how you do the tradin'. But bugbears don't pay for anything. you're, you're not doing this for the money are you?" That thought seems to scare him more than anything else.

He shuts up after that though, and soon enough has the Frosthamar slid up to the shore for unloading. You notice that the ship has been maneuvered into position for a very quick unmooring.

Your arrival has not gone unnoticed, and a band of bugbears has trooped out of the camp, weapons at the ready. As they approach, one of them laughingly calls out, "Is the humies lost? Youse don't belong up here."

The band looks like they're about to assault the ship before it can get away.

  Jesla throws her head back and laughs.  " I'll handle this, " she says quietly to the others.  She saunters over to the gang plank and fearlessly heads towards the approaching bugbears.  She draws her great sword and holds it up against her shoulder.  " I am Jesla of the Kellids, warrior of the Ghost Wolves in the land of frozen water. I am the master of this ship.  We didn't come here by mistake.  I come to meet with your chieftain,   Sakkarot Fire-Axe.  We have important business with him.  Take us to him  or risk the wrath of both your chieftain and of Jesla the Tigress.  " She stares at them with hungry green eyes.  

Eya follows the group but hangs back a ways to allow Jesla and the others to engage first. She keeps an eye out from behind on the sailors. If any seem like they are thinking of fleeing, they hear a mental message from "Martha." 

"Not so fast, fool. You won't move this raft 10 feet before they've filled you with javelins and arrows like a pincushion. Stay put and help us unload when we are ready."

The bugbear apparently leading the small band looks surprised, then grins, "The little humie has teeth! Good, I is bored. Show me claws little tigress!" He bashes an axe against his crude shield, and the other bugbears start circling out wide. It appears that Jesla has been personally challenged to a one on one fight.

Kiven stands on the ship with one hand atop his bow as the other end of the weapon rests on the deck.  The tall elf watches the interaction between Jesla and the bugbears, but also Captain Odenkirk and crew.  He watches for any drawn weapons or other suspicious actions that could pose a thread to his fellow Knot members.  He also sneaks a glance at where they hid the chest that Odenkirk thinks is to be his payment to ensure the bugbears won't see it and no crew members are near it.

Respar is torn.  He decides that Jesla should be able to handle herself, so he pretends to watch her duel, but is also watching Odenkirk and his men...

   Jesla smiles at the challenge.   " This will be fun   Remember that you asked to see my claws.  " Holding her sword up she salutes her opponent respectfully.  She then moves in to engage.  The huge blade sings as it whips towards her opponent   After the strike her eyes turn feral and she drops her sword.  She shifts  rapidly into a muscular tiger that lunges at the bugbear quickly.  She becomes a blur of motion as she strikes repeatedly with both tooth and claw.  

The bugbear gives a whooping cry as he and Jesla dash towards each other. He holds his own at first, but the fight quickly turns against him as Jesla shifts form. Within a matter of moments, he's downed, with an arm that will likely never see use again in the unlikely event that he lives long enough for that to matter.

The bugbears look on stunned for a bit, then start laughing and shaking their weapons. One steps up and kicks the fallen one, "Hah! Idjit shoulda known youse nots a real humie. Good fight, good fight. You wanta see chief? Come on den, dis way."

  Jesla revels in the savage combat with the bugbear.  She is disappointed that he didnt put up more of a challenge.   It is a struggle to let go of her feline side as the blood lust roars through her veins but she does.   She hides her fatigue from the bugbears while picking up her great sword.  Wiping it on the grass she resheathes it.  " Gorum be praised.  " She looks over at her companions and back to the bugbears.   " We are ready.  Lead us to your chief.  " She stoicly ignores the pain from a nasty slice she received on her left forearm.  Blood trickles down her arm as they walk.  

Eya grins wickedly as Jesla rips into the bugbear and tears its arm off. She can't help but be excited at the sheer power of Tesla. Still smiling ear-to-ear, she laughs and then motions to the captain and crew, "Come along then, unless you want to stay here alone with an entire army of bugbears."

She walks up behind Jesla as she pulls out a wand from her bag. To Jesla, she whispers, "This will sting and burn for a bit, but it will take care of that nasty wound on your arm before it festers. Come on, don't make that face. Just try to relax and stay still for a bit. You did well." With that, she mutters a few words in Infernal as she presses the wand against Jesla's forearm. Jesla feels her blood boil as the dark magic begins coursing through her veins and stitches up her wounds.

Kiven is impressed with the ease and violence of Jesla's victory, even with her previous displays of feral power.  As Eya addresses the captain, Kiven raises an eyebrow at him and nods for him to follow the others into the bugbear camp before following himself.  The tall elf can't hide his pride and feeling of superiority over such beasts, but does avoid looking any particular one of them in the eye out of fear.  He ponders the various magics available to him to escape this whole situation if things go south.

Odenkirk likes the idea of wandering into the bugbear camp even less than he did stopping the ship here at all. But eventually, with much grumbling, he and his crew gather their weapons and follow.

You are led past the camp's sentinels, which include a trio of fire giants, huge red haired monstrosities that easily dwarf even Grumblejack. A large pavilion at the center of the camp is your destination, and you are brought within. Chieftan Sakkarot Fireaxe sits at the head of a long table, with several figures seated along it. Most of the latter are bugbears, but there is one incredibly ugly ogre woman, at whom Grumblejack stops in his tracks and stares. She in turn glares back at him and starts growling.

The chieftan himself is an impressive sight, even larger than the average bugbear, his armor is thick, and his well muscled arms carry what is apparently his namesake, a long handled battleaxe which glows with fiery magic.

Your escort barks out several phrases in the harsh tongue of the goblinoids. Sakkarot waves him away and stands. His eyes glitter with unusual intelligence for his kind, and when he speaks, it is clear he is well used to speaking the Common tongue. "You must be the Talirean traitors. Welcome to my camp. I trust that you have my weapons?" This last is said with just the slightest hint of a threat.

 Respar looks to Jesla, as she has established herself as their spokesperson to these bugbears.

   Jesla nods at Eya and ignores the distasteful feel of the magical healing.  " Thanks Eya, " she says softly.  The firehaired barbarian strides confidently through the camp.  She looks the bugbears and fire giants in the eyes as they pass through them.  Approaching the chieftain she nods respectfully.   " I am Jesla the Tigress.   " She  grins at the bugbears. "   We have your weapons.  We are not fools enough to come here without what we promised.  " 

Eya chuckles as Grumblejack is infatuated by the ogre woman. As they continue walking towards the center of the camp, she whispers to him in a teasing tone, "Do you like her, Grumblejack?"

Suddenly, her eyes widen as a realization hits her like a ton of bricks about the next part of their mission. She remembers the words of Cardinal Thorn, "Your next destination will be the town of Aldencross...Using the circlets I granted you, you will infiltrate this place, learn its weaknesses, and crack them open just in time for the assault." Eya's expression turns to sadness, the kind of sadness that she hasn't experienced in a long, long time.

What comes next is extremely difficult for her. She remembers the first time she met Grumblejack. He was locked up inside Branderscar prison just like her, poisoned and malnourished by the incompetent guards there. They were no doubt going to make the intelligent ogre suffer just because he was different than them, just because he did what he to do to survive on his own in the wild. She remembers when he saved her from the big hopper. She remembers how happy he was to finally eat good food at the mansion and the smile on his face when he accepted his new weapons and armor. And she remembers the multiple failed attempts at concocting an anti-poison for her good friend, her son.

"Grumblejack, do you want to stay here for a while?" her voice cracks a little bit as she asks the question.

---

When they finally arrive to meet the chieftain, Eya is quiet for a time as she looks to the ground in contemplation. After Jesla introduces herself, Eya snaps out of it, and does so as well, "I am Eya. Our mutual master has asked us to deliver these weapons to you."

Then, still holding on to her copper wire from before, she looks to Sakkarot and whispers into her hand, "The captain and crew with us are betrayers of our cause and wanted to turn us in to the Mitrans. Would you perhaps want some more slaves for your army? All that we ask for in return is some help renovating our new boat and for the captain's belongings."