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Taylar holds off on ending the Evipaun, but he searches them and collects all the weapons, looking carefully for hidden blades and talismans. He replies in Maldrog, "You can try to speak with them, but I don't know what that will do. I think the answers we seek about the children are back with the Yenisha. Since we have found our culprits, we will not have to be subtle anymore and can ask openly about them. I do not agree with leaving these villains. I put down my enemies as quickly as possible to ensure they will not trouble anyone again. We do not have time to waste on torture, and I will not leave here while they are alive." He turns and looks at the spire, "Here is a question that needs an answer: do we continue to the spire now or return to the Yenisha camp at once? It's possible the quickest way back to our home is located in that rock." Taylar makes a note of any landmarks to give them the best chance of finding the spire again.
If the spire is relatively close, Astarte will propose to check it out. If not, she'll say: "Let's go back to The Oasis. We can find out later if this rock is "the quickest way back to our home."
Taylar quickly ends the two Evipaun that he put down, before the words from Plumeir can register. It is of little consequence: there are three more still breathing. In a matter of five seconds, the same time necessary for Taylar to have generated the dust cloud, he causes it to cease, the dust slowly settling to the ground. Once it does, the spire suspected of having been the destination of the Evipaun is once again visible in the near distance.
When Taylar reaches the other two to further engage in conversation and help Astarte, she has drained the kidnapper laying across her legs of all remaining life, allowing her to stand. At the simple touch from him and Plumeir, the remaining damage to the body of Astarte will repair itself in just over three hours, an amazing act compared to the 110 days her body would have taken without the mysticism.
Though Plumeir is the most convincing speaker of the group, he readily agrees to the greater benevolence suggested by Taylar to quickly end the remaining Evipaun once any attempt to speak with them is concluded. Coincidentally, the one remaining Evipau near to the three can speak some Maldrog, if very crudely. He responds. “Wir verkaufen Kinde en Yenisha. Mann in ganz Rot in Östliche Oase. Das Danach weiß ich nich. wir haben bezahlt. wir verlassen,” which is to say, “We sell children to Yenisha. Man in all red in Eastern Oasis. I do not know the after. We paid. We leave.”
The man is not particularly afraid nor does he possess any kindness. He knows his life is forfeit and he spits some curse in Evipaun as he expects what is coming. One of the other spoke some Markidian but the information is the same and seems to be completely truthful in its entirety. The Evipaun always leave the valley before the children are moved elsewhere. With this admission, it becomes evident to the Investigators that they may very well still be held back in the valley. The previous short time there did not put the party in contact with anyone dressed all in red.
The six Evipaun are well-equipped. As indicative of their malice, each has some souvenir from the children that were taken. Each also carries typical travel supplies of water and dried food. It is noted that all six are dressed identically but with some variance in decoration. The dyed markings on their skin seem to be personal, though there are a few symbols in common among all. If these have any significance or meaning, it is not known. Since their gear was not damaged during the conflict, there are six pairs of standard leather arm guards and six pairs of boots. Each is also adorned with a mantle of the same material. Good leather has commercial value. Each is equipped with a pair of quality tomahawks that are manufactured of a dark, iridescently black metal. The handles of each tomahawk are uniquely decorated to suit each individual.
All six are also adorned with a rudimentary looking, leather thong necklace containing pairs of teeth or fangs. Two appear to be boar tusks, two, wolf canines, and two spider fangs. All six also have a skull fetish that looks to have been fashioned from something avian; but if birds, they are of larger varieties. A total of six stones and six metal ingots are recovered, none of which is recognized. Lastly, each was carrying a carving knife made from the same dark metal and one had a blowgun with 8 feathered darts made of a golden tinted metal.
Ferguine, Mining Commissioner
4 missing children from Mining
3 missing from Vineyard
Francis, Priest of Dawn at Vineyard (Centrin)
cherry orchard, 1 day north of Vineyard
Rheini village: Grandfather of Maka: Pardal
Kol and party: Maldrog Explorers
OOC:
Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions and provide a random roll.
Andraste will copy the dyed markings that the foes have on their skin and are in common among them all. She'll take the knife of her victim and later will sell her old.
Taylar separates the Evipaun gear from the personal items of the stolen children. "We might be able to trade these weapons and armor to get the children back. Since they buy and sell human beings I doubt they Yenisha will just hand them over." He looks at the spire. "I think we should return to the camp at once to try and find the children, then return to the spire. We might lose too much time if we investigate first."
Plumeir considers the suggestions, looking around at his environment. "If we cannot trade the weapons to the Yenishae for the children, perhaps we can sell them to the Kozzog smiths and use the coin to buy the freedom of the children. We have been warned by more than one source about combat in the Oasis, so attacking the slaver is not going to be a viable option. I wonder how much a child is worth from the stand point of a business transaction." Like he had seen Taylar do, Plumeir looks at their arrival path, the environment, and the position of the Daylight, to try to make a mental note to accurately place the spire.
As an afterthought, he says, "I can examine those other items to see if they harbor any proclivity for waylines."
Astarte copies the skin markings that the Evipaun have in common and stores the copy in a belt pouch for future reference. Perhaps it will be enough to show others who might know if there is any significance. As the party begins the long trek back to the Eastern Oasis, Plumeir takes each of the unknown items in hand, one at a time, to see if anything mystical can be learned about them but is unable to discern anything.
Once arriving back at the oasis, the party feels certain that each can return to the previously discovered spire. Coming in from the northwest, each person can also see, on the far north of the oasis, a figure dressed all in red, standing outside one of the familiar, gigantic tents. None of the tents on this side of the community has previously been visited.
standard leather bracers: 12 pairs
standard leather shin guards: 12 pairs
standard leather mantles: 6
tomahawks: 12
fang or tooth necklaces: 6: ??
skull fetishes: 6: ??
curious stones: 6: ??
metal ingots: 6: ??
Ferguine, Mining Commissioner
4 missing children from Mining
3 missing from Vineyard
Francis, Priest of Dawn at Vineyard (Centrin)
cherry orchard, 1 day north of Vineyard
Rheini village: Grandfather of Maka: Pardal
Kol and party: Maldrog Explorers
OOC:
Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions and provide a random roll.
Taylar will also help identify wayline artifacts from the Evipaun. As they approach the Yenisha community, he cautiously examines the tents and area around it to make sure there are no enemies waiting.
