At the Professor's prompt, Shae finally pulled her attention away from the notes. "Mhmm." Realizing she had not blinked in a while, her lashes flutter. "I fear I've only strewn further away from our current objective, uncovered more questions..." Still bent over her work, resting on her elbows, she shifts her weight and rubs her eyes as she exhales.

When inhaling a new breath Shae would pull away, blinking a few times before standing upright. She'd take a moment to stretch her limbs, popping up on her toes and reaching up high to her finger tips. After another deep breath she'd correct her posture. "Though, as a collective, we really did acquire a significant amount of insight and knowledge." A warm smile tugged at her lips as she'd reflect back on the time others spent with her, on her questions and requests. There was gratitude on her visage, ensuring a positive tone. "Only my dress and I was harmed in the making of these documents." The medic would give a playful wink. "Simply paper cuts, I assure you." She'd add reassuringly.

"I have not used the mirror yet." Shae would admit a bit sheepishly. "With so much new information to digest, I know I must go back and rework more items than expected. I have some of my own assumptions to correct and things to adjust on the overall picture..." Catching herself trailing on, she didn't want to waste the Professor's time with excuses. She'd pause and start again. "I was hoping this morning review with you would help me refocus on what's most efficient to investigate in our current situation." There was a bit of pink in her cheeks. Blue hues would glance away.

Catching sight of the younglings eyeing them from a distance, Shae's face would brighten and soften at the same time. "We've agreed to help them."

After a few moments, she'd partially turn herself to reach for and gather a few things from the table. "So I should have focused more on the visions you shared with the mirror yesterday." The scholar would slide over her loose drawings of them to the Professor. She'd already feel her brows knitting as her mind swirled with uncertainty of what, if anything, she did gather was related or helpful. "There's the identity of that emperor/high priest..." Shae would start. "But what I can't get out of my head is that warrior with the flaming sword, if it's the same sword we discovered, and if Berrus is now the wielder of it." She'd gesture to the sword he left in her possession. She had her suspicions, but didn't feel that any of it was confirmed or denied.

Feeling herself clench her jaw and begin to grind her teeth in self-doubt, Shae would step back from the research to free herself from the cycle she was trapped with in her mind. Her eyes would then look to Snively, "Professor, what do you think?" Her eyes were almost pleading for his guidance to point them on the right path.

References

Giving the Professor space to go over his own thoughts, Shae would step away with her journal and some breakfast. Slowly moving herself closer to the curious younglings, she'd tilt her head a bit to mimic one of the little kenku to show returned curiosity. The medic wore a warm welcoming smile as she'd lower herself to more of a crouch to ensure she wasn't towering over them. "Have you ate yet?" Inviting them to come closer, she'd present her helpings, willing to share anything that were attractive and appropriate for a young kenku to eat for breakfast. "Would you like to sit with me?" She'd encourage those curious enough to join her as she'd also open up her 'picture book' for them to flip through together. The scholar was simply making efforts to engage positively with them while also wondering if anything in her work (preferably nothing traumatizing...) would be picked out by them.

     Mulligan would awaken slowly and grumpily, as was his custom when he had the luxury to awaken on his own.  He would resist the waking world until it was inevitable and then finally surrender and wonder where some coffee and sustenance could be found.  If his nose or ears didn't quickly pull him into the properly direction he would curse, rummage through his own kit, and start preparing them for himself.

     Mulligan's mood and temperament would quickly brighten and become warmier as he ate, drank and saw the faces of the young Kenny's.  He would reflect their curiosity back at them but make no moves to approach or call out.  Instead Mulligan would openly and slowly go about his morning waiting for them to come to him...  His only proactive move to encourage their curiosity further would be to take out his flute and start to play with it.  ((The instrument...  The MUSICAL instrument!  Get your minds out of the gutter!!  There's kids around!!))  He would chose something soft and light, as it was early yet and he did not want to awaken anyone lucky enough to sleep in.  He would choose something easy as well - Nothing the could be perceived as mimicking birdsong but rather something that birdsong could accompany if it chose to.

     If/when Mulligan saw others in the party or from the boat he would greet them with a tilt of the head and a meeting of eyes, then shifting his eyes to the younglings to indicate that they were watching.  Any were of course welcome to break fast with him, be they friends or Kennys...

Berrus awakens and grabs a small bite. Says good morning to those awake.   Seeing Shae in consultation with the professor. And with her still in possession of his sword. He goes and finds a suitable branch from among the firewod.  Going a little bit away from the group he first scans the area around the camp for any potential dangers.  If finding none he lets out a breath. Closes his eyes and starts going through sword forms...the branch substituting for the weapon

Professor, you notice several things in the research and are actually able to point some new things out as well.

-Nature of Berrus' Short Sword

Though a nice short sword, the visions in the mirror showed a towering figure with a sword almost as long as them. You recall that it seems to have been wreathed in flames and you recall tales of the North of similar weapons, the famed Flametongue swords. While tales abound of enchanted shortswords that erupted in blue flame near orcs, or others that shed light in the mines of the underdark, there are also plenty of examples of long- and even greatswords wreathed in flame and used to hunt trolls and giants, sometimes even dragons. As far as you've seen Berrus use his shortsword, you don't recall any burning flame bursting out of the blade. Overall, you've gotten several pieces of evidence suggesting that the blade in the vision is a different one.

-Theory as to the Nine and the Five

Counting the different mentions of shapeshifting animal deities, you stumble over the snippets remembered by Mulligan and Reng. Writing the phrases down and counting them out, you note the following on a piece of parchment:

The Five:
The Bat, the Sandworm, the Boar, the Snake, the Vulture

The Nine:
Jaguar, Eagle, Crocodile, Ant, Ape, Elephant, Turtle, Spider, Lighning Bug

While these by themselves don't ring any bells, you are strengthened in your conviction to have gotten a step closer to the truth, as you match up the two snippets. While the five has the bat being both first and last, Reng's recitation ends on a sacrifice of the good. Actually, reading over the recitation, you get the sense that the nine seem to talk in the abstract and more allegorical than the notions of the five.You get the sense that the five likely represented five different entities, while the nine may instead refer to beings or a being with multiple aspects, otherwise the notion that one stood as a symbol for their sacrifice doesn't make sense. What you still struggle with though is trying to place these snippets in some sort of context: What calamity are they referring to? While it could be a creation myth, the fact that all fourteen of the mentioned creatures still exist, gives you a clear sense that it actually refers to a specific event or period in the history of Chult.

-Theory as to Mezro and Tamoachan

Thinking about the whole mythological aspect and what they could be referring to, you can't help but be drawn to the snippets of information you have of Tamoachan. Whatever calamity befell the city, it seemed to have been "sundered", and the notes seem to indicate a connection to Zotzilaha, or the bat. The destruction of Tamoachan was therefore steeped in myth and may actually be part of the calamity that the tale of the five and the nine refers to. Looking at the destruction of Mezro meanwhile, you seem to have a clearer idea of what happened, thanks to the visions in the mirror. While it seemed that human motivation brought about the downfall of Mezro, you can't help but notice the connection to the rest by the mention of the children of the night serpent and the connections that that allows for with both the bat and the snake.

-The Winged Snake

You have been thinking long and hard about the nature of the symbols of the winged snake. While it stands for certain shady organisations up North, and actually references snakes with wings, you haven't seen any of them here on Chult and you doubt that the Zhentarim are ancient enough to have their symbol feature on Chultan tombs. Given the other hints about the nature of the five and the nine, it seems unlikely that the winged snake is referencing the combination of the bat and the serpent, since they don't appear to be mentioned in connection with protective forces, while the mural seemed to show exactly that. The connection with the famed Quetzalcoatls is a possibility, but as far as you are aware, they were only sentient in mythological retellings and nowadays mostly roam the mountainranges and skies above the Chultan forest in small packs. Only the monks at Kir Sabal are known to have formed a bond with some of the coatls and keep them as flying mounts, for those of their number that can't fly themselves. As mysterious as the order is though, you don't doubt that there might be some exaggeration to the tales. As you follow that train of thinking however, you're suddenly struck with an idea- what if the mural showed something that had since been exaggerated as well? Was there a chance that the mural showed a dragon? After all, depicting a winged snake seems to come close...

Glasses:

The Professor speaks for some time with Shae, even calling on Mulligan and Reng to repeat some of their musings from last night (feel free to read his discoveries in the previous post). 

Mulligan:

"...the Bat, first of the five. Hidden in the dark, it outlasted the sandworm, was wiser than the boar, stronger than the snake and less greedy than the vulture. The bat, the last of the five who were brought low by the nine."

Reng:

"Jaguar warriors who protect the pact
Eagle sages who know the secret
Crocodile tricksters who watch for infractions.
The Ant that grants strength and the Ape to render judgement, but the Elephant's persistence that carried the day.
The worldmaker turtle, the fatespinner spider
now only remains as the symbol of their sacrifice:
the lightning bug."

In the end, he summarizes each point succinctly as he ticks off each one on his fingers.

"From what I can tell, Berrus' shortsword, while magical, is not akin to the much larger flaming swords called 'Flametongue' depicted in the murals."

"The Bat, the Sandworm, the Boar, the Snake, and the Vulture seem to represent five different entities important in the sundering of Tamoachan, perhaps led by the bat Zotzilaha in that effort. The nine seem to be aspects of a single entity who may have sacrificed eight of their facets during this struggle to defeat the five and "bring low the bat", though the magnitude of that struggle may have riven Tamoachan even as the nine tried to save it.  The remnant of the nine may now be hidden as a simple and innocuous lightning bug.  We should stay on particular alert for any such iconography as we travel."

"The most concerning revelation is that of the winged serpent.  I believe it to be a dragon, most likely the one referred to as the Night Serpent.  That would make the warrior with the flaming sword the betrayer paladin and the Yuan-Ti the children of the Night Serpent intended to rule over the conquered Mezro.  Armies of undead are ever the tool of evil, but the corruption of the emperor or high priest into a Yuan-Ti as shown by the mirror suggests more than one betrayer was corrupted by the Night Serpent to precipitate the fall of Mezro."

Taking a deep breath after working thorough his reasoning, the Professor concludes, "We have known about the rising undead threat--indeed, supplying those who combat the undead incursions is the purpose of our current quest.  Yet these Yuan-Ti seem to be involved as well, perhaps occupying Mezro on behalf of the draconic Night Serpent.  If my conclusions are accurate, we have much work to do to blunt the evil rising in Chult, and helping these Kenku against the Yuan-Ti seems to be a small but significant step in the right direction, should we be able to locate their nest."

As the Professor worked through the findings, presenting the confirmed theories and debunking other ones, Shae followed along. She’d offer sheepish smiles and silent apologies as he’d siphon through correcting all of this lore first thing in the morning. Within her own writings Shae would cross out entire sections she worked, stroke out portions in other parts, as well as jot down many amendments. The process reminded her of how much of her own hope and bias make it through to her work, and reminded her why she was an assistant. It was also the reason why she respected Snively and his insight. She knew she could count on him to set them on the right path. His work and research was always thorough and academically confirmed. 

“Thank you Professor.” Shae would bow her head in gratitude.

The woman watched the young Kenku’s attention perk to the music. If any of them were actually around her, with a small smile she’d encourage them to go that way and play. Then sitting herself back in the seat she found herself in, Shae would push her book and meal to the end of her knees and lay her head back. Closing her eyes to simply rest them from words on page, she’d listen to the sound of the flute and its music carry amongst the canopies, allowing her mind to flow away with it.

Seeing Shae and the Professor finish their discussion Berrus comes over..... "So. What be tha next step?"

Glasses:

”I suggest we start the process of portaging around the dam.  I am assuming that will take a good portion of the morning, so we should have a few hours to look for the Yuan-Ti bothering our new friends,” says the Professor.

The silence that’d follow hung in the air felt like a void, leaving Shae uneasy with a sense that enthusiasm was waning. She’d chew on the inside of her lip as she tried to calm her thoughts and give time. Though, as moments pass, she became even more uneasy. Finally, she couldn’t take it any longer. The medic would exhale a breath. “Thank you, again, Professor.” She’d push herself to her feet. “I’ve delayed us long enough with my research requests.” She’d begin gathering her loose research papers and collecting her equipment. “And let us not forget our original purpose either.” Eyes distant, yet focused straight ahead on her hands picking up sheet after sheet. “Berrus, your sword.” She’d gesture to his weapon resting amongst the items to ensure he wouldn’t leave it behind with the expectation that she’d take it. Heck, she can barely handle it with care. “We better get moving if we wish to make most out of daylight.” She’d add just for the sake of her on going attempt to continue some conversation instead of silence. Once Shae returned all her research and belongings to their rightful place, she’d excuse herself to begin collecting dishes so she could help finish cleaning up after breakfast. 

Before Shae walks off Berrus gently puts his hand on her shoulder.   "Ifn itwernt fer ye we wouldna ha'e the pieces we do.   Ye are doin great Shae n yer right. We better nae waste tha day"

He picks up and sheaths his sword. " portage or snake things first?"

Reng wakes up a bit after sunrise, wiping drool off her cheek and rubbing her head to get the wrinkle marks out of it. Sleeping on tables was old; sleeping on books was new. She watched the others bustle around, physically and mentally. Still getting used to the rhythms here. Listening to Shae and the professor was confusing, but also calming. She recited the poem... song? when asked, but unfortunately had no insight to lend. She nearly joined Berrus in his forms, but that was not her style. She never really practiced. Maybe she should. Maybe her luck would turn from getting taken by pirates and then discarded.

"I can help portage, and I'd also like to go hunt these creatures. Can I do both?" she says, when asked.

The crew onboard Hope had already risen and, given your discussions the previous evening, they had started to unload a good third of the cargo already. Captain Thessalandra approaches you all with a smile: "Nice change of pace for once... We started on the cargo,  Set it up so the Professor could do his thing with the floating disc. Have the kenkus given you any indication as to where we would find the threat they're so afraid of?"

     Mulligan entertains himself interacting with the little Kennies, though he does try to keep an eye and an ear towards the group.  He regretfully breaks from the kids for a bit to make any clarifications, explanations or recollections needed for the Professor and Shea, then returns to the more lighthearted shenanigans.

     When the proposition of portage or snake hunting comes up, Mulligan shouts out his definite vote for the snake hunt.  “Have yo do what we can to keep these guys safe, don’t we?” He suggests.  Besides, risking one’s life is always preferable to actual manual labor.

Shae pauses abruptly, almost a flinch, as if startled by the unexpected touch. She’d try not to look so surprised when Berrus would speak to her. It was assumed on her that spirits needed to be lifted due to the research, but it wasn’t that at all. After a moment she’d clear her throat, “It’s a group effort.” She’d respond simply before returning to busying herself with collecting plates and tidying up as she’d listen to the others decide what direction they should take. 

Glasses:

The Professor smiles when he realizes they plan to have him use his floating disk to help transport the goods--"Just like old times," he says.

First, though, he speaks with the Kenku elder and asks, "Are the Yuan-Ti close by?  Is there a nest we can help you with today?  Or is the threat more distant and sporadic?"

Having by now learnHaving by now learned to accompany any words with gestures to help the Kenku understand the meaning behind what was said, even if nuances might be missed, the elder responds in the voice of the shaky knight: "The other option", before adding in a more neutral tone akin to the Professor's manner of speaking "more distant".

     Mulligan will amble over to the professor, having overheard a bit.  “Ask if there’s anything we can do within the next day or three that’ll help?” he suggests.  “Build up defenses, help them move… I’m not sure, but I hate to think of them here defenseless.  I’ve grown a liking for these Kennies…”

Hearing the Professor’s first comment brought a small smile to Shae’s lips. She’d absentmindedly play with her bracelet as she watched him arrange and use his floating disk to assist with the portage. Although the medic couldn’t offer much in strength, she’d notice Reng’s enthusiasm to help and would eventually approach her. “I could use assistance with loading or unloading some of the medical supplies...” She’d tuck her hair behind her ear. When in doubt, Reng could also shadow Berrus or assist the Captain with tasks that require the extra muscle. At least now Berrus would have some help with the heavy lifting.

Berrus assists with the loading.    Loking at his mail and axe he puts the axe over his back in its customary place.  But puts the mail in the disc

Glasses:

The Professor invites the Kenku elder to walk with him as he makes with the floating disk magic and does his part to transport the goods for their portage.  With Whiff flitting about (and incidentally keeping an eye out for threats), Snively points to common jungle objects and says their name…then pulls out his tinker’s firestarter and uses motes of fire magic to cause an image to form of the item pointed out.

Speaking the name of each item, he causes the object to morph into its name in fiery letters, then separates the letters, pronouncing them all and finally reunifying them to speak the whole word.

Intelligence Check to teach the Kenku elder about the written word:  7