Of Scrolls and Snails
3rd of Rova 4707 A.R. (Absalom Reckoning)
"I think that you saw enough when I got kicked out of my tribe. I did never fit in, always an anomaly. Yet I... found companionship with all of you. What I am might influence my possibilities, but not what I decide to do with my own life. I think that the same applies to you. I have far too many doubts about my ancient heritage... well, you have a more concrete question about yours, but, I mean, we can find more about our past together. The world is wide enough to find a place for all of us afterwards," the words come out in a rush, a flood down a gully from some unknown height. Maybe it's rain, falling from the emptiness above.
Mina turns to look at your more closely, her gaze following the lines of your face in a way that makes you feel suddenly uneasy, not as though expecting a blow more... more something you would rather not name, even in your own head. That has never lead to good paces in your experience.
"I think you would make a good stargazer for all you have grown up without the stars. That is what the Fifth Scroll of Desna says, or at least that I think it says... what I
hope it says."
"That is one of the Eight Scrolls?" You half ask. She had spoken of her faith and its holy texts before, but you had not paid as much attention as you perhaps should have, another reason to turn your gaze away, but somehow it stays steady. "How it is unclear? Don't you... know the tongue?"
The question seems to cheer her at a bit so it can't have been all bad. "Oh no, the scrolls have more than one interpretation, but especially that one, priests and laity alike have been arguing over the precise meaning since before the walls of the Gilded City were raised. Urion of Absalom wrote in his commentary that the Goddess made it so we would not become too content and stuck in our ways and laws."
"And let me guess, a lot of stargazers disagreed with him?" you ask, trying out a smile.
"Exactly," she laughs. For a long moment the two of you sit in companionable silence. "I think that the thing I am most scared of is that all this, the magic, Pepper is just a free sample of
pesh and one day I'll have to pay for all of it in full. I'll look in the mirror and not see
me."
Akorian Knowledge (Dungeoneering): 1d20+5 =12 (Success)
"The smoke-sleep?" you ask bemused. The smoke is mild and slow to hook you, slower by far than any drow decoctions of the sort. It is said they use it to buy men's souls. Even you've taken a few puffs now and then to keep nasty dreams away.
"They sell
pesh down here? Don't know why I'm surprised, they sell slaves after all," Mina shakes her head wearily.
"Not that this is an answer to the worst of your fears, but you know I've taken pesh and here I am, none the worse for it..." At her dubious, almost offended look, you counter. "Have you ever taken any, even talked to someone who has?"
"No, it's horrible stuff. It'll rot your wits like weevils in wood, that's why the Qadirans..." she stops herself and glances at her familiar. "Alright, I take your point. I've never met a Qadiran, so it's a bit odd for me to claim to know their mind ,isn't it?"
Before you can ask what exactly a Qadiran is, the lessons in Burnlands geography had not mentioned them so far, Gorok returns to camp, head low to the ground and tail whipping from side to side. Even before he open his mouth you know the news from up ahead is not good. "
Boulder Shell Snail, a female. I think she is nesting in the shallow water up ahead, worst time to catch one, but she's not alone. There is a band of
stick-puffs pocking and prodding at her, trying to tempt her with food. I think they are planning to steal some eggs. Two ways we can get past this, blood or bargain."
Gorok Stealth: 1d20 +12 = 21 vs Mite Guard Perception: 1d20+4 = 19
"Blood? Whose blood?" Cob pops up.
"Stick-puffs," Gorok does not so much sigh as hiss deep in his throat on the last 's'. "You and me can try to get the snail angry, get it to eat them. It'll go to sleep once it's gorged, or we can help them tame it. They're said to have a way with all manner of boneless beasts."
"We could turn back too, couldn't we?" you ask, looking back at the halflings. The last thing Iolda wants to risk is another fight on the journey and she's right too. It had been pure luck that no one died in the last ambush.
"Four more days," Gorok holds up as many clawed fingers. "In that time maybe more fights, maybe we run out of food, maybe-maybe, lots of tangles to get caught in."
"I say we talk to them," Mina offers
"I wanna fight," Cob looks around until he spots Warty. "So does he." At least he'd gotten the concept of consensus down, can't fault him that, you think amused.
"I say talk," Gorok puts in after a moment. "Maybe we learn what's up ahead, corpses can't talk, not without corpse-talk magic."
Mina shudders at the mention at which the scaled warrior stops, tasting the air uneasily, unsure you realize of what the problem is or how to ask about it. Instead he looks to Iolda: "Thoughts?"
"I say we turn back, take our chances with the delay. Mites are vicious little things and if this snail is as big and dangerous as you say, all the more reason not to get in its way while it's nesting. Do snails nest?" She mutters something likely uncomplimentary in her own tongue under her breath.
What does Akorian think the caravan should do
[] Attempt to negotiate with the stick-puffs
[] Try to set the snail on the stick-puffs and sneak past
[] Turn around and take the long way
[] Write in
OOC: Well not the worst encounter you could roll, and this time Gorok's stealth actually worked. 
