A Grim Harvest
23 of Arodus 4707 A.R. (Absalom Reckoning)
Though he is not usually one for cooling his mouth with words instead of water, Gorok is unsurprisingly eager to hear of how his folk have changed over the time he has been away. At first your friend seems attentive, but untroubled, his tail making lazy arcs through the reeds as you walk along, but the motion gets slower and slower... as Mina's expression grows grimmer. Without warning he motions for the guide to stop and mayhap to explain himself, to which the younger iruxi seems ever more confused and starting to grow worried.
At least that spear hasn't been put to use...
That is when you hear it, the sound of many clashing wings, uneven though and accompanied by far too many screeches. Head turning to the left off the main path, as much as there could be said to be one, you see them; sturdy cages, each holding one of the beasts, though smaller than you had encountered before.
Gorok Diplomacy: 1d20-1 = 16 (Success)
"A red robed man came to Chief Sirkan unarmed and unafraid," Gorok explains, his tone as heavy as your heart. "Three winters past it was. Said that he had need of guides who knew the swamp and if he was given this the warmbloods would not bite into the trunks of the trees with teeth of steel for a time and for a time it was good. The hunters of the people lead the red-robe's servants through the paths of the swamp and hunted the moss-guts, the giants who would would devour us skin and bone if they found us in their territory. And so the chief was gifted hooks for fishing, arrowheads and spearheads for hunting, and strange sour juice which he did not love and called foul."
"Wine," Mina whispers. "But why would they...?"
"The red man apologized and to atone for the insult he gave the tribe leave to hunt the warmbloods who wandered into the lands of the Black Tooth and even to eat of them, but the elders did not wish to take too much too soon and so they settled upon taking just the right hand of the trespassers to eat."
Sure, that made them a lot of friends, you think as some part of you, used to skulking away from danger, wonders if there is still time to make a run for it.
No, I vowed to Gorok I would be here.
"So the red robe came again this past winter and offered to share with us meat and fish if the people would find for him stirge eggs and raise them, teach them the taste of man-blood from the captives and send them to him. To Chief Sirkan he offered a helper, a small red thing that could take the shape of a toad to give him counsel and teach him the use of things.
Mina Knowledge (Religion): 1d20+11 = 19 (Success)
"That is an imp," Mina hisses urgently. "A petty devil, but a devil just the same, one who answers to the master of the stirges, Inquisitor Vicio." She glances at the baby currently in Cob's arms. "If that thing sees him..."
"But why?" you shake your head. "You said they did not like those of other blood than theirs in this land. I would not think that this inquisitor is different. Is he doing something hidden, secret with the beasts?"
"Matters not," Gorok proclaims. "Better to make steel than take gift-hooks." The double meaning is clear for all to hear. "I will challenge Chief Sirkan, name him fool in front of elders. You three will watch for imp?" The last three words rise into something like a question just as your guide is starting to look impatient, like he is working himself up to prodding the veteran Gorok along his way.
"Other hunters made strong, might choose to stab in back?" Cob trails off. "Do your people stab in tail?"
"Maybe we don't have to fight," Mina offers. "A devil's gifts are only as sweet as the fruit of the
graveyard tree. Maybe we can explain."
What does Kori suggest?
[] Challenge from the start
The Chief will have to accept the challenge from a wanderer returning with such success and he will have no time to prepare himself
[] Try to persuade the chief that the Inquisitor and his infernal allies do not mean his people well
If you succeed the tribe will keep both the gifts of the Inquisitor and the newfound lore, but if you fail Gorok will be fighting at a disadvantage
[] Write in
OOC: Whoever called devils on the tribe's turn in fortunes good instincts. It seems this Inquisitor of Asmodeus has some kind of pet project in the works.
