While the hag's notes and Shae's vision are both vague, there's nothing speaking against these two things being one and the same, particularly since anything the hag mentioned is more likely to be within the vicinity of where she had resided. According to the calculations and the sketches that Shae made, you reckon that the ruins lie about fifty or sixty miles to the northeast of Palebank.

(Palebank? Can not find it on the map)

Maxine waited worried but ready to take an action if visions become too violent and Shae would have to be helped out of it. Then she studied the resulting map with her and Professor. "Impressive, sure, but what does it has to do with us? Should not we, like, try to get out of here? Now that at least this part of the woods is pacified? Seems like the Refuge Bay is not that far from here. Relatively, of course."

Glasses:

"You have a good point, Maxine, but I would certainly like to explore a forgotten city," says Snively, thinking about the look on his fellow researcher's faces when he brings back a first-hand account of a forgotten city.  "And it appears to be on our way also.  Of course, we should work on our spells and ensure we leave the Grung and Lizardfolk in good condition before we go."

"On our way where? Do we have a clear destination? If we do, we can as well get to the civilization first, equip ourselves and organize the proper expedition, instead of diving unprepared and without a backup and any way out head on into the cursed long lost city full of undead". Maxine shook her head: "Did you ask others - the Captain or Faeking - if they want to delay their return home and instead go to an unnecessary danger for the sake of your sudden curiosity?"

Glasses:

The Professor looks at Maxine with concern, saying, "This buried city is not the Tamoachan of the Hag's journal and powerful undead artifacts, Maxine.  It is the location Shae had a vision of on the way to Refuge Bay, our original target."  Pointing at the map, Snively shows her the relative position of the locations.  Suddenly deciding to speak his mind after Maxine's latest outburst, the Professor turns to face her directly and says, "You have been acting more strangely since the battle with Koro-arak, Maxine, extending your experiments with toxic plants into puppeteering recently dead corpses.  I worry you have become mentally unstable out here in the jungle--perhaps you should let Shae take a look at you and see if you have a fever of some kind."

Insight:  9

If Professor decided to explain his vision of Maxine's action, she was happy to oblige. "Mentally unstable? In what way, Professor? When I made that one single experiment, we were dying without medications, and some had to try the potentially healing herb. When it did not work as expected, I warned you about probable danger. Does that sound as an act of a "mentally unstable" person?""Or my concerns about dangers of exploring without a proper equipment with injured crew sound so wild and unreasonable to you, that you want Shae to check my mental stability?"

She looked the gnome straight in the eye: "So because I risked my life with that experiment, you thought me crazy? All this time? And expected what? That I will bite you? Kill you in your sleep? Am I spoiling your view of my "condition" by not doing it?"

"As for the magic that I have found here, this is Chult, hoards of undead everywhere - you read about it as well as I did. No wonder the famous magic originated here is of necrotic type. It served us well during battle, and to me sounds no more "mentally unstable", than toying with wild tribes of slavers and cannibals - no offense, Fang".

She did not plan to begin this conversation, only Professor's complete disregard of the group's dire situation made her to remind about the obvious, but if things were that bad between them, she would tell her mind as well:  "We had a goal - to get those who lived through the crash back to civilization. If your answer to the suggestion "bring the people to safety first, equip yourself and then go to explore" is to "go check your head" - I am not sure who have become mentally unstable out here in the jungle".

Berrus is leaning against a wall observing the exchange

Glasses:

"Actually, Maxine, I have no idea of what you might do next.  I hope you are still on our side, but your emotional outbursts and strangely skewed vision of making friends with the native tribes as 'toying with slavers and cannibals' worries me," answers the Professor, with a strange level of calmness in the face of Maxine's fiery temper.  "Experimenting with the necromantic arts is a dangerous path, and much of what I have read represents necromancers in a rather poor light.  That is, however, your choice as long as you don't turn on us," he says carefully.  

"You are right, Maxine, that our primary goal should be to get back to civilization as safely as possible.  If you think avoiding the buried city along the way to the ocean is the right call, we should discuss it....rationally and calmly....after Shae checks you out to make sure your erratic behavior is not due to some jungle disease," he concludes.

Maxine only shook her head - so, this is true, Professor just declared her crazy for whatever reasons he saw fit, and decided he does not trust her. So be it. "Your friendly tribe kept slaves for centuries. One of them was Faekin, just a day ago. They poison those slaves with a toxin, that keeps slaves docile. (Potent stuff, by the way, I have to ask for some when we get back there.) Thinking those ways will be forgotten in a day is ... what is beyond naivete? But I will not be the one to destroy your believes". "Do hope, though, that your paranoia would not get the better of you on the way to the Bay. I hate to sleep with both eyes opened."

Glasses:

”My fervent hope is that, after seeing what Kori-arak’s evil did to the tribe, Gruk will make better decisions, Maxine,” says the Professor, “as I hope you will make wise decisions, my friend—starting with letting our healer take a look at you.“

“You have undergone some, uh, physical changes as well,” says Snively,  holding up his mirror and showing Maxine her own reflection.

Maxine, you're quite shocked at what you see: your irises have turned an unhealthy shade of yellow, and your pupils have elongated to resemble those of a cat or a panther. Your skin has lost its natural rosy hue, instead looking pale and colourless, much like gray ash. Several strands of your raven-black hair have started to turn white. You look at least ten years older than when you started on your journey.

Maxine gave a long look to her new face. "I guess everything has it's price." She looked back at Professor: "Did not expect you, though, to judge others by their look". 

"Well, it settles it, I need to get to the big city and as fast as I can. Unlikely anyone here can explain what is going on and help, if the help is needed."

Glasses:

”As your friend, Maxine, I am concerned that your changes in appearance and demeanor may indicate an illness of some kind.  If that makes me judgmental, so be it, but it is only out of concern for your well-being,” says Snively sadly but earnestly.

Turning to Shae, he asks, “Is there anything you or Kam can do for her?  I know not what else to say, and I am no medical expert in any case.”

""I hope you are still on our side" are hardly the words of a friend, Professor and for "not a medical expert" you are quick to slap a diagnosis. But let's not dwell on it. There is a map to the nearest town now, thanks to Shae's notes. Someone there could know what is going on and nothing keeps us here anymore anyway. I am going there. You can keep your distance, if my look is so appalling to you and you suspect me of evil intents - I will not bother you. But we need to tell the news about found path to the crew, they might want to finally return home."

"Shall we go?"

Glasses:

”A friend cares enough about you to try and help you face difficult truths.  If I didn’t care about your well-being, I would have just avoided this whole conversation, Maxine,” the Professor answers gently.  “If you wish to talk about this later or give Shae a chance to see if you are ill, your friends will be here when you are ready,” he finishes, unsure of what else to say but concerned that his friend is headed down a dark path.  Snively glumly goes back to his studies for the evening.

Satisfied that they arent going to come to blows Berrus goes outside (to the fire. If there isnt one he will start one)

Shae's eyes would go wide at the exchanges between the Professor and Maxine, especially when her name got pulled into it. She'd side glance to Berrus. Help? Not that she expected the quiet protector to weigh in on this conversation to save her, but a conversation with him one of these tendays would be nice. Maybe?

The warlock will close her eyes, take a deep breath and exhale before picking herself up off the ground. She'll dust herself off a little to buy herself some thinking time before words would leave her mouth. Holding out her hands to either party as if trying to calm some imaginary flames, Shae will start. "I think there's been a little bit of a misunderstanding, some miscommunication and obvious difference of opinion." Considering how long they've all been together on this journey, it's actually impressive that they've all made it this far without more bickering or arguments. In this case, from her perspective, Shae sees two vocally passionate individuals engaging in conversation turned debate. There's balance to be found here... "Weighing in from my perspective..." She'll place a hand on her chest to indicate that she's speaking on behalf of herself. "I share the Professor's curiosity for investigating the buried city, especially if the information in the journal is correct. It would mean that we eradicated an evil looking to abuse an already existing source of darkness. There's more to the history of this place and the shadows that plague it..." Shae will pause to let that hang in the air for a moment before she continued. "I have nothing to return to. I have no place I considered 'home'..." She'd glance down to her feet. Except with the people or places that give me purpose... She'd think to herself. Her eyes will glance back up to Berrus before resting on Maxine. "BUT." She'll emphasize before turning to the Professor. "I agree with Maxine's point that there are others who are ready, and deserving, to have the opportunity to return to their way of life sooner than later. They have already followed us through surviving the crash and following us into a battle for a home that is not their own. My desire for knowledge should not come at their expense." Shae will take a breath.

"Although we are very different people..." She'll scan the group, "And most of us here come from what we would consider 'civilized', the truth is, all parties have customs and ways of life that are different and can be difficult for us to understand and accept. But we all need to be reminded that no civilization as a whole is perfect. And although we may not agree on culture and customs, I think it's fair to say that when we've come this far, together, and have experienced losses, together, we should honour and respect each other to the best of our abilities until we part. You don't have to agree to show respect." Shae will breathe.

"Now." Shae will look between Maxine and the Professor. "I'm the one who hears voices and sees visions. I'm the designated mentally unstable one of the group, kapeesh?" She'd raise her brows and point with her fingers at an attempt to try to lighten up the conversation a little bit. "No one questioned what would have been obvious alarming mental instabilities and symptoms in me since the beginning of this trip." The scholar would pause to let the others think that over, "Not once, to my knowledge anyway, has anyone deemed me a threat. Sure, Maxine had some questions during my confession to her, but she still trusted me because I gave her no reason not too." She'll look to the Professor, "I understand that Maxine's experiments and her state of sickness in the past can justify a chemical change to warrant concern. Obviously we cannot deny the change in her physical features... but we've all changed since we've been here. Okay, so, not as drastically as Maxine." She'd gesture to her friend, "But I had a unicorn come down in a random cave in the middle of the jungle and give me the ability to fly. I don't have wings." Shae would flap her arms. "We brush that off, accepting it as okay because it's a white fluffy fey unicorn. That's much easier to accept than cannibalism (to reference 'savages'), or now in Maxine's case, Necromancy." She felt like she was rambling and taking a long time to get to a point, so she'd sigh yet again. "Yes it's an uncomfortable change to adjust to, but Maxine obviously still has strong beliefs and morality attached to her. She now has to battle a stigma placed against her simply due to the stories we've all read or heard about necromancers. Hells, I'm a warlock by definition. How many warlocks have you read about that do what Kam and I do? Can we not all agree that Maxine has given us no reason not to trust her?" Shae will pause. "Great. We all know that it's best not to judge a book by its cover, yes?" She'd glance to the Professor.

"Okay." She'll clap her hands together, "Now with all that said. I WILL do a medical check. On EVERYONE. Like I ALWAYS do, at least TWO times a day." Her eyes will pan everyone individually. She will satisfy the Professor's request to evaluate Maxine, but the truth was, she never took her eyes off her, or any one of their team members' health for that matter. Shae specifically remembers praying to Kam for the ability to cure the fever that ailed Maxine during their early days. And since she's used that magic, there were no other symptoms that developed. Maxine was either cured or stabilized from the sickness. Shae wouldn't single her out for a medical review for something that's given her no reason to suspect folly, but she also didn't want to dismiss the Professor's concerns or feelings either. By checking everyone over, as she usually does, maintains the equality in the situation.

"As for my final suggestions on what I'd like to prioritize... We pay respect to the dead by attending both services if possible and keep an open conversation with the Grung and the Lizardfolk. Next, I believe it to be fair to lead those who wish to return home to port. Then, I'd care to participate in an expedition to investigate the ruins. I couldn't care less whether we have to backtrack twenty times over. Convenience isn't the priority to me." Shae will finally put her hands down at her side and let out some air. And now that she's run out of words to say, for now, hopefully... Hopefully she didn't just add fuel to the fire

Shae will grab her healers kit and start her medical checks with Fang and would finish with Berrus. She'd be ready to march at his go.

Maxine hugged her friend and smiled: "We will do that". Later, when Shae was done with her medical checkups, Maxine just asked: "Is it really that terrible? Ah, don't answer. In the worst case I can always return to this jungles - psycho monkeys don't care how their food looks like. Though I would love to see the ocean before that. Refuge Bay is not a city, if I remember right, but we can walk along the shore from there, can even get lucky and catch a ship. Anyway, time to rest. Will be happy to leave that place behind tomorrow." 

Berrus finally speaks.   "My vote if it matters is t'get the crew back to a proper town.   Then ill go looking where ever you wish.  I was sent t try n find our ancient homeland. And t'be honest im nae expected t return.