Tribal Stride Part 3
"No, ssers. That iss not what we are here to do." Chay lowers his weapon as the last one falls. He walks then, towards the giggling shaman. His look is focused and wary, as though too, the slaves might be wearing a double's skin. "Where did they capture you?" he asks. "Pleasse, it may help uss undersstand what is going on. In your own wordss," he encourages.
"What he said!" Dubtle points at Chay. So far as he's concerned, that guy has the right idea.
The man stares at the others, Chay and Dubtle especially, then shrugs his shoulders and looks back toward Tirrynelth. <sylvan>
And like a good reptilian translator, Tirr translates everything, pretty much verbatum... Even Dubtle's littel exclamation....
Nasrin is taking a moment to clean her weapon and collect herself. Deep, slow breaths, long stares at the carnage around them. Then she is nodding slowly in agreement with Chay and Dubtle. The clericdoesn't appear to have a lot to say to the group of Sylvanori. Not that she would be able to make herself understood with Tirry's help anway.
"What are they saying?" The man asks of Tirrynelth. Then his eyes widen and he nods his head a few times, "Oh I see. We people of the jungles. There's many of us here, many... families." He nods his head and looks toward Tirrynelth still. "We defend near south toward border, they not respect and walk wher the spirit wills." He looks back to the others in his group of slaves. "We defend." <sylvan>
Talia careens in from space to crash land on the icy surface. Watch your step!
Talia has arrived.
<OOC> Chay waves.
<OOC> Talia curtsies.
Chay looks at them a while, and then towards the shaman. "Make clear, sshaman," he wishes her. And, "Pleasse. Their wordss are unknown to uss." His tail flicks this way, that.
GAME: Talia refreshes spells.
Tirr, of course translates the sylvan for the others, the very odd Sith Makar making everything quite plain for everyone.. "Soo what is it you want to say to them?" She asks the others, then waits for them to speak before starting to translate their words to Sylvan
And there's a Talia! Has she always been here? Who knows? The dark skinned woman simply listens for now, bowing her head as she does what she can to remain inconspicuous for the most part, at least at this point as she makes mental notes.
"Perhapss we sshould assk them what happened?" Chay says to the shaman. He then reaches carefully into his pocket and in the universal language of the downtrodden, pulls out one of his rations--some dried bread. He steps forward and breaks off a piece. He eats this himself, before holding the rest, the better part of it, out.
Granit has connected.
<OOC> Granit says, "Okay! :)"
"Asking what happend is always a good idea," Nasrin suggests as she returns her axe o her shoulder, holding the haft easily in her left hand. "Though given that they were screaming thatall elves neded o die I suspect we don't need to learn that much to know what we need to deal with next."
<OOC> Dubtle is dead btw.
<OOC> Dubtle says, "Damn you, Bolide. xD"
Naturally Tirr looks to the Sylvan folk, translating what the others say into Sylvan so they can understand. When the Sylvan folk speak she of course translates back to common tongue and whatnot.. Tirr then smiles and asks "They wish to know your story, how you ended up captured and all." <Sylvan.>
Granit leans in his polearm, listening in, nodding at Tirr's words. He's obviously paying attention -- like he understands -- and not hiding that at all.
<OOC> Chay says, "Tirr, it looks like this to us: "blrgl bleh blah beagle" The man asks of Tirrynelth. Then his eyes widen and he nods his head a few times, "bleh sandy bleep bleh bleh sandy blrgl bleep beagle sandy bleep bleh blah beagle sandy" He nods his head and looks toward Tirrynelth still. "bleep bleh bleh bleh beagle bleh sandy bleh bleh blah blrgl beagle blah beagle bleep" He looks back to the others in his group of slaves. "bleep beagle" ^^;"
<OOC> Chay says, "Tirr will need to paraphrase. ^^;"
<OOC> Dubtle says, "That is why I am dying. xD"
<OOC> Tirrynelth says, "oooh we haz language code!!!!"
"We defend near south toward border, they not respect and walk where the spirit wills." He nods he head, "We defend." He looks between the others and gives another shrug of his shoulders. "I tell you this. We kill, they kill, they capture. That's how." He nods his head again a few times. <sylvan>
(Addendum to Tirr's pose) "They're asking what you're saying, then go on... "Oh I see. We people of the jungles. There's many of us here, many families... They say they defend near south toward the border, they not respect and walk where the spirit wills, we defend...."
Tirr then goes on... "They say they defend near south toward border, again... They Am assuming the slavers, do not respect and walk where the spirit, they defend, ummm I tell you this,. We kill, they kill, they capture, that's how..." Tirr says and smiles cheerfully. Yup she's doing a great job translating, it's something she can do and aid the party with!
<OOC> Nasrin says, "I need to run for 30-40 minutes. RL is being stupid, I'm sorry."
<OOC> Dubtle says, "<3 Nas"
"...ah ha," says Dubtle to Tirry, nodding.
"Well, slavers again..." He looks towards Chay. Trusting the Sith here, it seems.
Granit's lips press into a thin line, "Slavers." He drops his chin, hiding his scowl and the angry set of his shoulders. "Maybe..." He cuts himself off.
Chay's expression sort of goes this way, then that. Then, he looks to the slaves. "I do not undersstand a word of either of you--you or my kinssman, I am ssorry. You will not undersstand thiss one'ss words. ..." He tucks the food away, since it was not accepted, back into his pockets. Then, goes to pick up the undone shackles, and put them into his pack. If they have been undone, that is!
Slavers are never a good thing. Crossing her arms over her chest, Talia continues to listen, pursing her lips as she's lost in thought.
<OOC> Bolide says, "ACK! I'm so sorry Chay."
<OOC> Chay says, "It is good. XD"
<OOC> Tirrynelth says, "is anything tirry saying understandeable? o.o;;"
When the food is withdrawn, one of them looks and then moves over in Chay's direction. Clearly they are interested in what exactly was put back into the back with a bit of a frown, they seem to not be too clear on exactly what was offerd to them in the first place by that Sith-makar.
<OOC> Bolide says, "Hehe, you're just translating verbatim and they're not understanding."
<OOC> Tirrynelth iz repeating words and stuffs? Just asking if she has the code right? Hasn't tried to use language code :P
<OOC> Bolide says, "Seems so!"
"We..." He frowns, "We don't quite understand what you ask about." He looks out toward the jungle again, seeming a bit intent on leaving perhaps. <sylvan>
Tirr peers at Chay "I think the elf's interested in the food." she says and looks to said possibly hungry elf "You want the food right?" (sylvan) She then looks back to the speaking elf and ummms "We're wondering how you were captured, and what these people are you're dealing with? Do you have a clue as to nationality or where they may be from?"
Chay looks up from his crouch near the unfastened shackles. He collects one of the broken ones, storing it in his pack. Then, he reaches carefully into his pocket and in the universal language of the downtrodden, pulls out one of his rations--some dried bread. He steps forward and breaks off a piece. He eats this himself, before holding the rest, the better part of it, out.
The one near Chay looks to Tirr and then back to Chay, "That food? We want food." A nod to Tirr and then a look back to Chay. Expectant perhaps. As Chay holds it out they look at it, a look that says they don't really trust this. Perhaps it doesn't look like food to them. They watch Chay eat it, then they lean in and give it a sniff. A wrinkle of their nose but they take it and start gnawing on it anyway. "This smells bad as taste."
The one Tirr is conversing with continues as well, pausing from heading back into the jungle as the group stays together. "We... lost. When lost, they capture, yes? They... dig." A nod of his head, "They dig big. From the city." Chances are these words would make even more sense if Tir understood the exact dialect instead of the root language. <sylvan>
TIrr tilts her head "Am soo gonna need help on dialects.." She mutters quietly... "Soo from what I'm gathering they got lost, they got captured? Also These slavers are doing some kind of big dig fromt he city?"
"Perhapss we offer to escort them back to their tribe, and they may sshare their sstory in their own words?" Chay asks. He takes out another piece of bread, and repeats the process: taking a bite first, then offering the rest.
Granit's finger knuckles are white. "Unless they already know. It can be hard to miss human inturders stealing your people," he says with a goodly amount of bitterness. "But if they don't, they need to know now."
"That is an excellent idea. It would also serve to keep them and us out of additional trouble, hopefully," agrees Dubtle, cheerfully.
"What this?" One of them asks, pointing at Chay.
"It's bad food." Says the one with the bread, gnawing on it still and sort of smacking thier lips.
"But it food?" The first one asks again.
"Think so. They eat. Must be okay."
The person takes the bread from Chay, staring at it, then starts gnawing on it as well. <sylvan>
Tirr peers at the others and umms "It's travel tack... it keeps a long time, doesn't require much preparation and stuff..." She says to the elves and all "Futher more it mnight not taste great, but it is filling and will keep you alive when other options aren't available.." <silvan> She says and then asks "Sooo would you like us to escort you back to your village?" <Silvan>
Dubtle scratches his beard. He looks between the others. He does not look thrilled that he doesn't underwstand most of what's being said.
His raven opens its beak wide as if to make a mocking yawn.
<OOC> Tirrynelth says, "tirr is trying to help!!!"
The elves stare at Tirr, not seeming to quite understand what is being said in relation to this travel tack but they still keep gnawing on it in a general way. "This tastes terrible. How could they eat?"
Another shrugs and gnaws on the tack as well. "Better than dirt."
The first one is still looking at Tirr and then gives a look back toward the jungle. "Yes. This okay. We escort you to village." <sylvan>
Tirr nods slowly "Amma thinking they are gonna take us to their village.." She says and tilts her head curiously "This works then?"
<OOC> Tirrynelth says, "eep"
"Ssa, ssshaman. Thank you," Chay says. He looks towards the fallen slavers then. "I would look at the sslavers, to ssee what might be found before we go. If that iss okay? Or perhapss ssomeone more sskilled in healing, and the body sstudy than I?"
Tirr tilts her head, then does the best to relay CHay's words to the elves... "Anyone else able to help with this?"
"I don't know any healing, but I can check if there are any magical items or any remnants of magic that remains back with the fallen slavers?" Talia offers, finally speaking up as she idly runs her fingers through her long dark locks.
Granit folds his arms across his chest. "Shall we spike up their remains when you're done as a warning to other would-be slavers?"
"We will help you. We know not of slavers for you look at see things." They nod and a few of the others in the group of elves seem to be looking around into the woods as if they're checking for something. Perhaps something was lost in translation.
There's more gnawing on the biscuits too. <sylvan>
Granit cuts the talk, and scouts the perimeter, though.
<OOC> Granit has decent Perception and tracking. He might be playing charades, but he at least knows how to scout :(
<OOC> Bolide says, "Okay, whatcha all doing? :D"
<OOC> Chay'd like to try some survival/heal, and look over the dead slavers. See if they have some notes on them. Any currency. Maybe one has a bag with their original clothes in it; someone might could ID that to figure out where they're from?
<OOC> Chay says, "Survival, heal, profession. I dunno. Whomever is willing to team up! ^^;"
<OOC> Granit is as above, walking the perimeter, both for tracking and for perception -- making sure there's nothing out there, and also seeing what else has been through here lately.
<OOC> Bolide says, "Sure Chay! Roll perception. :D Granit, survival."
GAME: Granit rolls survival: (12)+11: 23
GAME: Chay rolls perception: (5)+9: 14
<OOC> Talia will do detect magic in case there's anything mystical afoot.
<OOC> Chay d'oh. XD
GAME: Talia casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 3 DC: 14
<OOC> Dubtle is just gonna have his raven keep an eye out! Also, will be doing anything he is asked to do. Dubtle feels a bit out of his area of expertise here. ;)
<OOC> Tirrynelth does too! But Tirr can try translating!
Chay crouches near the bodies. He works carefully, sorting the clothes into one pile, and belongings in the next. About midway through though, he leaps, wiping at his clothes and leaving half the bodies uninspected. "Sspider, sspiider..." deep breath. "I am ssorry. I...I am...I am afraid they only had the one sset of clothess, but I found thesse," he says. He takes out some papers, and holds them out to Garrin. They look like ID papers, mentioning the Ashnata Consortium.
<OOC> Granit says, "Garrin's here?"
<OOC> Dubtle says, "..no? XCD"
Granit returns, "This is a regular but ill-traveled pathway." He gestures along the line of travel. "Maybe a couple of groups a week." He exhales. "Still, that is a couple of groups a week."
"There's no magic in the area." Talia offers, not thinking she's being that helpful, but at least she's trying.
<OOC> Bolide says, "Okay! What else? :D"
<OOC> Granit will try searching the bodies, too, to see if he finds anything else?
<OOC> Bolide says, "Perception. :D"
<OOC> Dubtle will help!
GAME: Dubtle rolls Perception: (18)+3: 21
GAME: Granit rolls perception: (11)+18: 29
<OOC> Granit says, "So, 31?"
<OOC> Chay says, "Dubtle was wantin' someone to ask him to help, so I did! I just derped on the name."
Granit comes up with the keys to the cuffs. He nods to Chay, "That's about it. Official papers don't make them any nicer people, though." He holds up the key. "Anyone need their bonds broken?"
<OOC> Dubtle says, "OH"
<OOC> Dubtle says, "Haha"
<OOC> Dubtle says, "I missed that in Chay's pose."
<OOC> Dubtle was just like 'what? XD
<OOC> Bolide says, "It's all up to you depending on what you wanna do! The Elves said they will take you to their village - or maybe it was they'll escort you there... depends on how you look at it."
<OOC> Nasrin says, "Well, that took forever."
<OOC> Chay is all for heading to the village!
<OOC> Talia says, "Off to the village!"
<OOC> Granit says, "Yup, the village works."
After sharing the papers with Dubtle-Garrin, Chay begins to pack samples from the slavers. Bits of clothing, bits of this, and that, that might be useful for identification and study later. Or at least, records. Then, he stands. "Ssa, one is ready to travel. ..." he then pauses, looking towards Tirrynelth. "Sshall we leave, sshaman?" he asks her.
GAME: Dubtle rolls Knowledge/History: (1)+12: 13 (EPIC FAIL)
<OOC> Dubtle says, "Ofc."
Tirr tilts her head "Whenever you guys are ready to go... I'm just helping and trying to translate for you two!" She says and looks around again... "I don't get out much..."
Granit ghosts along, moving out to take point. He looks to the other elves to guide -- he just takes spotting duties.
As you strike out into the jungle, the Sildanyari take up posts around you that looks a bit like they're taking you all prisoner, or perhaps just escorting. The differences would be subtle in this context - mostly revolving around the fact that you all aren't chained or tied up. You are watched closely though. The guide sticks closer to the front, keeping his eyes open as well, but the elves are clearly making it a point to be the ones furthest out and try to usher you all back toward the center of their group.
"Oh, I know them," says Dubtle in response to Chay.
"Well, marginally. They're an easternm based merchant guild that's eben around for a really long time. They're not in Alexandria, but I've seen the name in Khazad Duin a time or two." He scratches his beard.
Now that they're on the trek once more, her hawk familiar rests on her shoulder, like some giant oversized parrot. Talia nosewrinkles as she glances around furtively, looking towards the elves as she hrmms, trying to keep alert the entire time.
Nasrin just shakes her head and walks along toward the front of the adventuring roup. She keeps her axe in plae and scowls when peopple bother to look at her expression It would be fair to say that she does not appear particularly pleased with the current circumstances.
"Khazad Duin?" Chay's brow furrows in confusion. "I am afraid I do not know of them, sser. How far are they from here?" he asks Dubtle. He adjusts his pack, hitching it slightly so that it drops more comfortably along his back. "Are thesse your kin, sser?" he asks their guide.
Granit is somewhat resistant to the other elves' efforts. He, however, tries to make himself useful during the trek in recompense. He does cycle back in and asks: "What is a dwarven trading company doing here supporting Charnese slavers, other than making money hand over fist?"
SOTD: Bolide goes to frolic at the Spot of the Day! Type +sotd to follow!
"They're not based there. I'd just seen the name. We dwarves do al ot of business," explains Dubtle to Chay, "I'm afraid I don't know anything more specific about them than that they're old and often busy."
<OOC> Tirrynelth peers O.O;;; RL is being a pain, just found out I get to get up at 4:30 am
.
It's 12 am nao
Talia has left.
SOTD: Talia goes to frolic at the Spot of the Day! Type +sotd to follow!
<OOC> Granit says, ">.<"
Talia has arrived.
<OOC> Tirrynelth peers Well Bolide and Talia have fooped... ummmm okie Talia is back... I just suddenly haz to go bed ;_;
<OOC> Tirrynelth says, "tirr will continue to be all translating and stuff, but I gotta go ;_;"
Tirrynelth has disconnected.
<OOC> Dubtle says, "Bolide was being mean to me :("
<OOC> Chay D:
<OOC> Nasrin says, "We're mean because we love you, Dubtle."
The elves continue to guide them deeper into the jungle. The more observant of you notice that the larger predators seem to be even further off than usual - like they're staying away from the territory. It also looks a bit more traveled.
More importantly, there's a tenseness to the air as if there's something that's just out of sight constantly watching the party. The elves surrounding them seem to notice as well and several time there's calls out into the jungle, unanswered, but still called all the same.
They pause at the edge of a clearing, then slowly guide you all out into it. On the other side of a small stream you all watch as a lady seems to simply materialize from the jungle on the other side. Stepping free from a tree almost, her hair tied and filled with vines and flowers. Her clothes a mixture of hides and cloth with thick threads holding it together.
The guards kneel as they see her - your guide follows suit.
After a subtle pause, Chay thumps his tail against the earth, and then lowers himself to the sith's three-pronged crouch. A hunter's nerves tremble over his form and down his back. Wired of course. His caste is. Is that way.
Granit considers the person-like form appearing, then bows, formally, even making a leg. Kneeling seems to be a stretch for him, but he conjures fancy nonetheless.
<OOC> Dubtle says, "So mean :("
What to do? Talia raises her brows as she looks towards the seemingly magical woman head in their direction. Glancing about once more, she does make mental note of the lack of predators before she curtsies low instead.
Hair filled with vines and flowers? Dubtle adds, "So they really do that?" and then quietly, he starts to kneel on his stubby legs because everyone else is. It's the polite thing to do, right?
As the guards kneel Nasrin does so as well, though perhaps grudgingly. It's not the most comfortable thing to do in full plate, but the obisance is definitely feasible withsome effort. Blue eyes staye trained on the lady who has just appeared.
"You have come." She says, her voice thick with accent but still in trade all the way, "With others. You catch, yes?" She gestures about, then looks to the elves you rescued from being slaves. "They walk where the spirits say. Or you were walking where spirits are." She looks to the elven guards then, nodding and beckoning them close.
The conversation is in that language that Tirrynelth understands but it's hard for her to keep up with how fast they talk and the dialect differences. The conversation continues for nearly a minute before they stop and she finally says in the trade language again,
"We Iikuhae. I am Yassanithil. Why are you here?"
Chay gestures towards the rolled-up bundle at his side. "Sslavers caught your people, sshaman. We have brought thiss news. We have brought piesses from the sslavers, that the sspirits may learn from," he says. He lifts his hands just enough, and keeps them out and to the side so that one of hers could take the indicated bundle. "Our other warrior," he says, with a flick of the tail towards Granit, "notissed thesse sslavers come. Thesse sslavers go. Sseveral each week."
Nasrin's diplomatic training is in how to start a war. Sensing this might not be the best time for pitched battle she chooses to remain silent.
Granit nods solemnly, lifting two fingers. "Not often enough for the plants to avoid the path, but enough for the ground to remember." As precarious as their situation is, he does seem more comfortable in this setting.
<OOC> Bolide says, "You know... this could be the tribe you were looking for to begin with? >_>"
<OOC> Nasrin figured it was and that someone would say it. Nasrin will speak up no one else does!
<OOC> Nasrin says, "She's just really good at pisssing people off."
Being a very recent addition to the troupe, Talia remains quiet, deferring to the experience of the others...
<OOC> Chay wasn't sure if we were looking for a particular tribe or not; mostly that things were fuzzy, and no one wanted to talk. That's on me, though. <.<
<OOC> Bolide says, "It's not on you! :D"
<OOC> Bolide is just politely nudging.
<OOC> Chay XD
Finally Nasrin clears her throaat and speaks up, "We were asked to speak to the Gweriapen tribe about some incidents in the area... We thought the slavers might have been involved.. Would that be your tribe?" She is a little tense, mostly because she is trying to beo n her best behaviour. Anyone who dealt with Nasrin on the way here through all that jungle knows that she's not typically in a good mood of late. Maybe it's the sun, humidity, and all of that metal.
She stares at Chay as he talks, looking to the others for a moment, then nods her head before her brow furrows, "You slavers?" And then there's more talking in rapid-fire of that other language. "They say you not take as slaves."
Nasrin then speaks another pause and her mouth pulls down in afrown, "Gweriapen is bad. We Iikuhae. Gweriapen no tribe. Why you come for Gweriapen? You from city?"
<OOC> Bolide says, "We're just about to wrap."
"No." Granit's growl is definitive, almost angry. "We. are. not. slavers." Then, he inhales, exhales, and visibly resettles his shoulders. "We do not like the slavers at all."
Chay quiets. Then, undoes the bundle himself, slowly. Then places it on the earth. "Not sslavers," he says. "Kill sslavers." He points to the bag. "Dead sslavers. Sslavers killed. Sslavers bad ssmelly wrong gonorrhea."
"<name of person who hired them> not know." Chay points at the bag. "Not know. You," pointing at shamanlady, "talk <name of person who hired them>. Talk. Talk. <name of person who hired them> need know. Slavers bad."
<OOC> Chay is wibbly and my notes are on 3 diff't comps. XD
<OOC> Dubtle XD
<OOC> Dubtle says, "I had to step away for a bit. Mom needd me."
Granit makes a circle with his hand. "We do not know the jungle. We are looking for people who do not like slavers. If you do not, then we look for you, right name or wrong name."
The woman looks between Chay and Granit, she looks very confused about many of the things that Chay is saying, though at least there seems to be one thing that's gotten through "You not slavers. Yes, slavers bad." But she shrugs and otherwise looks confused. A the mention o the name by Chay of the dead diplomat her eyes grow wider and she beckons, "Come! Come! I take you village."
She nods her head again and turns, beckoning again, "Come!"
Granit raises his eyebrows at Chay, and exhales a breath, then nods and follows the woman, lips pressed into a thin line.
"Everyone be careful still." Talia warns, muttering it softly to her companions as she watches the others warily. One never knows what to expect when entering unknown territory afterall.
The reptilian thumps his tail, and then follows.