Adventure: Food of the Gods (DM: ryryguy, Judge: renau1g)

[LadyLaw]

[sblock=ooc]Since your ooc comment sounded like a question, figured I'd voice an answer.

A little bit of both on my part. I don't even know how to react to all this at this point because Az isn't happy and she's currently viewing this situation as lose/lose and I'm trying to figure out how to rectify this.

She's not happy they were attacked by an "ally." She's not really content with the explanation given, but doesn't want to make a bad situation worse by saying anything else. She doesn't like undead and has no desire to help one as she fears it may stain her soul; yet doing so seems like the only way to achieve the goal she doesn't want to tarnish her honor by abandoning.

She voiced her opinion on what they should do, but at the moment is so fraught with inner turmoil that further ideas are lacking and she's just doing her best to watch her own back, and those of her companions, while they try to work things out.

She's a puzzle-solver, so in theory she should be into this, but the surrounding circumstances are making it hard. In addition to which, I, as a player, have no idea what to do about our lich taste problem.[/sblock]

As the group walks back into town and Azryah spots the arguing parties her nerves reach a point of no return and she snaps. Wading into the middle of the group, sword out, she whips the sword around and buries the point in the dirt between the two groups. The ground two to three inches around the sword tip crackles and cracks as it freezes.

"Enough!" she states firmly, and loudly enough to be heard over the yelling. "I don't speak Magari or Dwarven, so I have no idea what your argument is about. It clearly has something to do with the zocaltipapatlaca because I can at least make out that much. Here's what I have to say about that: They are petty theives, and given the chance I will take their heads for their crimes against Merkari. If someone here is harboring them, I want to know about it, and I want to know about it now. Otherwise, arguing will solve nothing; so state your problem in a language we can understand and maybe we will have an answer. Krassus over there looks like he'd like to sink into the ground, so I'm going to venture a guess that this all started over something he said. What was it?"

She looks sternly at each group, meeting the eyes of the people in front and doing her best to look fearsome and strong.

If she gets no answer, or no one interrupts her speech, she repeats it in each of the other languages she does know, in case someone there understands.

 

[Mezegis]

As Chaku watches Azryah separate the two arguing villagers, a memory begins to worm its way into his thoughts. A memory of his youth.

It was a harsh winter this year. The herds had moved too far south, and the hunters and fishermen were having a rough time keeping everyone fed. Old Bors has just buried his wife, it took all day to dig deep enough in the frozen ground. Poor thing, wasted away to nothing keeping their children fed, that the cold got her. Droll had been drinking, one of the few things we had an abundance of, and started running at the mouth. He said that it was Bors fault his wife was dead, said that if he just kept a bit of every kill for himself and his family, they would have had enough. Well, Bors didn’t like that, and roughed him up a bit. Droll never had a chance really, Bors was better than him in an even fight, and with Droll drunk and Bors enraged, the other menfolk needed to pull him off before there was another hole to dig. The Jarl realized what Droll had said, and ordered his house searched, and under a pile of blankets they found a hole with some trapped rabbits being hoarded. When Droll woke up 2 days later, the Jarl had confiscated the food and Droll had to hunt the next week with no food at all, punishment for cheating the tribe.

Hmm, ponders the goliath, perhaps… Focusing his thoughts toward Jynxx, he broadcasts his thoughts.
[sblock=Telepathy/Jynxx]Jynxx, you there? It’s Chaku. I just had a thought. I think I remember someone commenting about trying to have Castofle make some zocalti dishes for the dwarf right? How closely do you think he will be watched? What if we take some of what is supposed to be used for the dishes, and pocket it instead. He could intentionally “ruin” some dishes and load it up with beans before having one of us “trash” the dish? Do you think we could skim enough to make the remaining bushels we need? Then, even if baldboy doesn’t like it, we still get what we need? Plus, if Castofle actually succeeds in making something the hairlessone likes, we get double the beans, for maybe double the rewards, or we could use them to give Krassus’s goblin pals. Good thought, or bad?[/sblock]

 

[ryryguy]

Azryah's outburst silences the crowd for a moment. They turn to face the newcomers, stress and anger written on many faces. Most of them don't seem to be directing their anger at the group, but a few do.

Krassus says softly, "All I did was tell them what happened at the plantation. That's all."

An older woman glares at the deva. "You outsiders no come here, zocaltipapatlaca no come and kill my niece." She spits at the frozen ground around the sword.

A youngish looking dwarf near her waves a hand in dismissal and says, "They don't not know anything. But some who do know about zocaltipapatlaca, they know they come here and they say nothing!" He points an accusing finger at a middle-aged man in the other group, who shrinks back.

The accused man looks over at Azryah. "I knew they were coming, they told me to stay home," he says. He has an accent, but his Allarian is a cut above the others. He turns back towards the first group. "But I don't know that they going to kill everyone!" he says defensively. "They just say they going to kill Krassus, not everybody! Sorry, Krassus," he says to the plantation manager, who is still cringing but manages to look a bit indignant as well. "They say they will kill me and my family if I tell you, or if I tell anyone else."

A halfling in the second group speaks up. "Outsider say, she will kill the zocaltipapatlaca . Good! I say good! We all happy if zocaltipapatlaca is gone!"

A woman next to him swats the top of his head. "Fool! What if zocaltipapatlaca kill her? Then they mad, they come back again, maybe kill you!"

The halfling shakes his head. "Outsiders strong! Krassus say they kill zocaltipapatlaca already!" He and the woman continue their argument in Magari.

A dwarf in the first group raises his hands to the sky. "Where headman? Why headman no help us?" Others near him begin shouting in Magari. With a swell of angry words, all the villagers seem to be arguing with each other once again. The two groups have more or less dissolved though, as it turns into a free-for-all.

The adventurers stand mostly ignored once again, but a small girl walks over and tugs shyly at Azryah's hand. "Hello strange lady," she says. "You don't like the zocaltipapatlaca ? I don't like them too! They tell my mommy, I don't allowed to go to the Daunton school any more. But I like school. I like the teacher very much. I want to go back!"

 

[Mewness]

Azryah's outburst silences the crowd for a moment. They turn to face the newcomers, stress and anger written on many faces. Most of them don't seem to be directing their anger at the group, but a few do.

Krassus says softly, "All I did was tell them what happened at the plantation. That's all."

An older woman glares at the deva. "You outsiders no come here, zocaltipapatlaca no come and kill my niece." She spits at the frozen ground around the sword.

Papolstaanas looks stung by the suggestion that the mere presence of himself and his companions might have been responsible for so many deaths. "We-we didn't mean-" he stammers. "We-we just, we came to fetch--we didn't know wh-what would... And I'm s-sorry if... We cuh, could try to fix it, if we had time, I mean I know we can't fix anything, be-, because, people died and there's nothing... except maybe we could prevent... But we still need the be, the beans, even though it's terrible what these people..."

The adventurers stand mostly ignored once again, but a small girl walks over and tugs shyly at Azryah's hand. "Hello strange lady," she says. "You don't like the zocaltipapatlaca ? I don't like them too! They tell my mommy, I don't allowed to go to the Daunton school any more. But I like school. I like the teacher very much. I want to go back!"

"That sounds like a good school," Papolstaanas mumbles, looking at the little girl sympathetically.

 

[ryryguy]

"It isthe good school," the little girl answers gravely. "I am scared, the zocaltipapatlaca will hurt the teacher too."

 

[LadyLaw]

Azryah looks down on the child and her expression softens a bit.

"Kiddo, if you want to go to school, then go. Don't let anyone stop you. I will deal with the zocaltipapatlaca if I can, but I can't promise that they will cross my path and I have something very important to take care of. I'll at least try to get word to the headman that they are harassing you like this. I'm sure there's something he can do because if they are here, then they have to answer to him."

She turned her attention back to her group, ignoring the arguing villagers since they can't even be bothered to help themselves by answering her questions. Adults more interested in arguing than helping themselves weren't her concern right now. She closed her eyes for a moment and tried to block out the noise, then she turned to Papol and the others.

"Papol, don't let them fluster you. They're just looking for someone to blame for their misfortune and inabilty to stand up for themselves. Our presence doesn't have anything to do with what happened at the farm. It would still have happened if we didn't come, but Krassus would be dead as well. We saved a man, we didn't cause the deaths of the others.

Now, what are we going to do about our present situation? We can't just sit here all night, although we will need to rest at some point. However, the way these villagers are talking make me think here or elsewhere we will be equally safe. We need those beans. The library indicates that something spicy may be the key. We could try to go back for Castofle, the question is will he help. Given his interest in food in the Astral Sea, he'd probably be delighted to cook for a Lich," she spat the word 'lich' with serious disgust in her voice. Her tone for the rest of the speech seems normal enough though, "but he'd also probably bombard the thing with questions first and we've already been told that would be bad. Do we take that risk? Can anyone think of a better plan?"

She took a moment to gather her own thoughts, realizing that she hadn't said much herself lately. There was so much going on in her head it was all getting muddled and confused.

"Wherever we rest, I need to pray. There is so much going on here that my path is being trampled and I need guidance before I can think straight."

 

[OnlytheStrong]

Jynxx shakes his head at the whole ordeal, "Forgive us, we are foreigners of this land. We apologize for the hostilities and the ... pain we have caused. Our intentions are noble and just."

He looks at his companions, "Restrain your words, for we are guests in this land. Any discomfort or complaint I will be happy to address with each of you privately, away from these natives."

"I again apologize, I fear I shall be the one to blame for any that were hurt. You see, it was my intention to seek out Krassus. I had heard a tale that his life could possibly be in danger and did not wish to see an innocent man die to in such a horrible way."

Jynxx kneels, and bows to the child. "I am a nobleman of Daunton. Though I have denounced my own birthright. So child, a noble bows before you. I am humbled by your eagerness to pursue knowledge even in the face of great danger. You think before you act, as I vow to do now. You have been a great aid little one. You have pointed out a darkness that would of soon consumed me and lead my great companions to their dooms. Thank you." Jynxx reaches into his coin purse and pulls out a single gold piece. "I regret that I have no more to give you, nor anything of any more value. Please accept this gift knowing that I owe you more."

Jynxx stands and address' the group again, "I admit I do not know why you fear the zocaltipapatlaca as you do. They a fearsome lot, but their power is drug induced. And as this little one pointed out a mere moment ago, lack of tact is the path to death. Surely you have one among you who knows the ways of tactics and combat?"

Jynxx pauses, then looks at his group. He gives them all a questioning look, as if asking permission...

[sblock=if the group gives permission]

"Perhaps we can aid you and relieve some of your fear of these men-beasts. With your leave, I ask for a moment of privacy for my companions and I, so that we may be able to come up with a proper plan. [/sblock]

[sblock=ooc]

Okay... got an idea/question: Can we..... return our gift to the lich, and claim the right of redress to be for the lich to obtain control of the zocaltipappappacacacca and eliminate their attacks/threats on villagers?

At this point, I don't see the lich's gift as much of a gift. We are still hosed. Even if we don't get the zocalti... we might as well protect people. At least that is Jynxx's thinking.

[/sblock]

 

[LadyLaw]

[sblock=ooc]It is my understanding that we actually haven't been given anything yet. I thought the idea behind the dwarf's suggestion that we either fix the zocalti or find another obsession for the lich was that doing so would pursuade him to fulfill the right of redress properly by handing us the 7 bushels of beans. Since I don't see any other real way to get the beans, I don't think it's a good idea to remove that possibility.[/sblock]

 

[Mezegis]

Jynxx's words echo through the goliath's head a moment, which sparks a thought.

Jynxx, you want to help townspeople yes? And Headman supposed to protect town right? What if we make a deal with the Headman to remove the Zocalapapadingos in exchange for the beans we need?. Town saved, beans retrieved. Sounds good, no?

Chaku seems exceedingly pleased by his plan, after all; kill bad guys and get stuff, it's the barbarian way.

 

[BenBrown]

Kaeysari looks around at the townspeople. "Do you know where these bandits are?" she asks. "Are they likely to return soon?" She's almost ready to abandon the job she was hired for if it means that these murderers can be dealt with.