Tribal Strife Pt 4

"Slaverss bad," Chay repeats from time to time, just to make sure he's understood. The sith-makar paces after, his movements agitated, just a bit. Just that side of nervous and trying not to show it. And yet, and yet...yet he /does/ follow, being led more deeply into their territory. Yet, if he didn't say he didn't clutch as his cestus. ...it would be a lie.

<OOC> Dubtle says, "AH HA"

"Very bad," says Dubtl;e, a firm,ness in his tone. He's... following the advice to be careful. Uncertain. Uncomfortable. Thjis whole time he's been uncomfortable, actually, when he's not the victim of the raven on his shoulder pecking him over and over.

As you all slowly work your way through the jungle - escorted by the much larger group of elves now - the jungle subtly starts to shift. Moving from thick undergrowth among towering trees to a more controlled growth. Several small buildings seem to rise up from the ground, woven branches and grass.

In the surrounding trees above are other buildings, they match the same style and flow into the trees - matching into them and growing out of them in a way. Colorful birds and noisy monkeys let their voices be heard, but they're quieter here than they were in the jungle itself.

Elves seem to simply drift out of the foliage around you and a few quick words are exchanged between the woman guiding you and these guards. They nod and drift back into the trees and soon you see the people of the village as they go about their every day life. More than a couple pausing to whatch you as a curio.

Eventually you near the center of the village, a 6-foot wide area where the canopy has been pulled back and bright light shines down. A single 20-foot tall tree stands in the middle of it with a straight trunk and smooth gray bark, a crown of emeerald leaves. A series of stones, smoothed by water, surround the tree all two to four foot wide and spaced out seemingly at random. Drawing up to the stones, elves start to sit at them and the heroes are offered rocks of their own to perch upon.

There's too much to look at! Chay takes note of the houses as they pass, from the canopies to swinging bridges. He can't help it if his eyes are as wide as saucers. They totally are.

Wide enough that, were he not hunter-caste, he'd have missed the rocks in front of them. As it is, he leaps atop the one indicated and stands on it, perhaps rudely, as he looks around them. It's only at the rustle of branches does he come to himself, and quickly sit down.

The shift does not go unnoticed by Dubtle, even if most things do with him being distracted half the time. He's noticing. Noticing. And then! Then they are at a village center, eyes wide at the stones and water. He sits upon one with a nod of thanks, beaming. The bird flies up awd away from him, apparently interested in exploring a little.

After a couple minutes, three elves approach the tree, patting it, before heading toward the group of heroes. These elves have a look to them that seem older than the others you've seen. Probably the oldest here, with paints that decorate their body and faces in a weave of designs both intricate and colorful.

The Elf that greeted you near the stream, the one that guided you hear, she greets one of these elders with a smile and fast words in their native Sylvan-based tongue. They look toward you all with a bit of weariness, but seem closer to friendly than not with the way they regard you all. The older woman steps forward of the three, speaking in perfect trade, "Welcome. Now, who are you and why are you here?"

Chay looks over towards Dubtle, "...sser, thiss one is only a guide. We were assked here by a member of your rasse, to assk why the merchant caravanss were being attacked. They were consserned and did not undersstand why thiss happened."

"What we discovered, ssers, were sslavers, who we do not ssupport. We defeated a band of them, then freed their captivess. Thiss one hass their falsse uniforms, if your magic may learn from them," he says. "Thiss one is hopeful that it would be."

<OOC> Bolide says, "So, long story short, there was an Ambassador that died, this ambassador was in responsible for keeping the peace with indigenous groups of Sylvanori. Unfortunately when he died, the communication broke down and they started attacking caravans. Chay was actually part of the group that researched how to handle it and - in the end - how to get out here quickly. Since then, you managed to procure a guide to get you out into the jungles to hopefully take you to a village of the elves that were attacking the caravans. Along the way - as Chay mentioned - you ran across slavers. :3 AAaaaand I missed that you mentioned that, so yes you're totally on the money Chay. XD"

<OOC> Chay hooray! :D

<OOC> Chay strut, strut, strut. :D

"That is what we are hoping, muchly," says Dubtle. A finger is pointed at Chay. "He's a smart one, you know," he adds.

"UNlike you," squawks his raven.

"Shut up!"

He clears his throat. "We hope that what we can do is, well... /more/."

"There wass an ambassador who died as well," Chay says, after a careful, uneasy look towards the raven. "This one apologisses, sser. We have been traveling for ssome time, and I am not accustomed to sspeaches."

"Truth," says Dubtle to Chay, nodding. "The ambassador's death was the start of our involvement." HE glances towards Chay, giving him a nod.

<OOC> Dubtle adds that in real quick. xD

"You mean the men of that guild? They are not the problem." She nods and gestures about, "This is all our land and more, we take them prisoner some time, they take us some times. It is the way of things - change and strength." The elf looks to the other elders "We all know this, we all live it. With the death of the Ambassador, the agreement changed."

"...you are..." slavers? Chay almost, almost finds himself asking. Instead, he sits very still, and looks at her.

"Thiss one iss listening," he says, while he mentally thinks about exits.

"...ahh.."

Dubtle clears his throat. "Perhaps the old agreement can be rebuilt?" He offers. "There were advantages, and these things... they have their costs, you see." He gives them a sympathetic look.

<OOC> Bolide says, "diplomacy! :D"

<OOC> Chay laughs.

GAME: Chay rolls diplomacy: (7)+9: 16

GAME: Dubtle rolls Diplomacy: (9)+6: 15

<OOC> Dubtle says, "OH GOOD"

Chay does his best not to look towards Dubtle. This may not be good. At all, it may not be good. He's gone as still as stone, this one. Quiet.

<OOC> Dubtle says, "There's Tirry. :)"

<OOC> Dubtle paged her.

<OOC> Chay hee. :3

Tirrynelth has arrived.

<OOC> Dubtle says, "Mayube she can bail us out."

<OOC> Chay waves. :D

<OOC> Bolide :D

<OOC> Chay says, "There's a logger, Tir. +log/create to read so far. :D"

<OOC> Tirrynelth reaches out and boops Chay repeatedly

<OOC> Chay boop!

<OOC> Dubtle will wait on Tirry's pose, then!

<OOC> Dubtle says, "NO PRESSURE TIRRY"

<OOC> Dubtle stares./

<OOC> Chay XD

<OOC> Chay says, "Take your time. :3"

<OOC> Chay says, "We're picking off from where we were; we just have a Translator Tree!"

<OOC> Chay says, "Also, Chay is now afraid the sil are slavers. Which is an evil thing. Also bad. <.<"

<OOC> Bolide says, ">_> <_< Translator tree?"

<OOC> Chay says, "It is working teh magics, mebbie!"

<OOC> Dubtle grins!

<OOC> Dubtle says, "Yeah, the logger (<3 Bolidew for coding that) makes life much easier."

<OOC> Chay rar. :3

<OOC> Bolide says, "It needs fixing, but thank you!"

<OOC> Chay <3

Granit careens in from space to crash land on the icy surface. Watch your step!

Granit has arrived.

<OOC> Granit waves!

<OOC> Chay wave.

<OOC> Dubtle says, "RP is in the logger, Granit. :)"

<OOC> Granit says, "Sifting. :)"

<OOC> Bolide pokes Tirry and Granit. :3

<OOC> Dubtle pokes too!

<OOC> Dubtle says, "We're waitin on you guys to pose :)"

<OOC> Granit says, "was reading :("

<OOC> Dubtle says, "This is mostly us poking Tirry anyway"

Granit listens, generally giving off a halo of anti-slavery hostility. He, too, goes very still. "What, then, changed about the agreement?" His voice is calm, no really, it is.

<OOC> Dubtle thinks Tirry got AFk'd. :)

The elders give Dubtle and Chay a look that says they're asking for something they clearly aren't ready for - or that htey're bordering on something that might be offensive. It's hard to say, except to say that they don't seem to much like Dubtle's idea.

Granit on the other hand gets a look toward and an arch of an eyebrow by one of the other elders. He says something in the Sylvan language, and the lady repeats soon after in Trade, "We had an agreement that we would allow free passage through our lands, so long as the evil was removed. This has not been done."

"Thiss one apologizes if he hass offended," Chay says, his heart racing as he sits there. He takes the opportunity to stand, and to bow in the softskin style. "It wass not intended, and iss only the ignorant wordss of an outssider. Perhapss you might help thiss one undersstand."

"Were we wrong to intervene with that guild? One doess not undersstand thiss relationsship, and may have unduly trodden on it. Could you pleasse essplain?"

Tirrynelth has disconnected.

<OOC> Bolide D:

<OOC> Chay waugh.

"I surely did not mean any offense, indeed. Tell us of this evil? If something remains undone perhaps, then, we can take action against it."

Dubtle is more than eag er to figure out something that will not involve getting smote by these fellows.

Granit nods slowly to the elder and the lady. "What is the evil that was to be removed?" A pause. "Forgive my simple questions, but I want to be clear."

The Elders look to them all still, a short bit of conversation amongst themselves and finally the lady turns back again. "There is an evil to the south. We do not know exactly what it is. The place where the evil resides is Dehu Inu. The evil there only seems to strike at night and, lately, has grown more clever. It targets us, sometimes making entire families disappear. The Ambassador promised to take care of this issue for us."

Granit turns his head towards the others in the group, and raises his eyebrows. His voice is low. "That sounds like something that needs to stop."

<OOC> Dubtle says, "Can I try a knowledge/religion or history roll to see if the name has any resonance? <.<"

"Ssa," Chay says. He dips his muzzle, holding it there for a while. "One iss ssorry for your loss," he says. When he lifts it, he looks towards the sil in front of them. Then, looks to the side, as though observing who else stood there. In reality, he's looking for...well. What, humans in chains?

<OOC> Bolide says, "It'd be awful obscure, but you can try!"

<OOC> Dubtle says, "WHich one or both? :)"

<OOC> Bolide says, "Really, it'd be more of a Inguistics but... You could try History! :D"

Tirrynelth has connected.

<OOC> Tirrynelth flails and punts her connection

<OOC> Bolide :D

<OOC> Chay waves. WB. :3

GAME: Dubtle rolls Knowledge/History: (16)+12: 28

<OOC> Granit says, "Would K/geography help... nevermind :)"

<OOC> Tirrynelth is trying to figure out last poses of logger

.

<OOC> Chay says, "/last is a little broken atm. I'll page you. ^^;"

<OOC> Chay'd like to look around, see if there's any nonsil there.

Pursing his lips, Dubtle nods.

"WE will do what we can, should you let us. That there was ever a failure to contend with it in the first place is a problem, but I assure you, such promises can not be left undoine. We will b true to the word given to you." He glances towards the others, clearly hoping they'll back him here.

<OOC> Chay thinkthink.

Tirr is well, here she is! Really! She was here the whole time, off probably studying stuff... Who knows... Tirry pauses next to Chay and asides... "Umm So what goes on?" She asks, voice all prim, propper as is usual for her. She now peers at the elders curiously, studying them for now.

Granit nods back to Dubtle. He leans on his polearm for a moment.

<OOC> Bolide says, "Can you be more specific Tirr?"

Chay is quiet. He's quiet in that way where he'd been, ages ago. At length though, he finds words enough. "Thiss one assks, ssers. What happens to those of that guild that you capture? We are not of them, but we are outssiders. You can ssee thiss causses ssome conssern."

Chay glances at the shaman, and then back to the sil. He'd answer, but something is on his mind, and he schools his features to just show the concern he feels.

Dubtle gets a nod in return from the last elder as the lady speaks up to Chay. "We capture them of course and put them in our-" She pauses, a purse of her lips, "-the closest word is prison." She nods her head, "But if you wish to know more, then tell us where they hold ours."

The sith-makar thumps his tail after that, "Then one iss glad to help," Chay says simply. "Thiss one did not think they were kind, and ssuspects the uniform they wore to be falsse." He then looks towards the shaman of his people and says, "We are sharing wordss, sshaman. There iss an evil the ambassador promissed to defeat, and did not before they did."

"We will help. We would need to know all that you know of this place. I know the name has somerthing to do with blood but your dialetc eludes me, I'm sad to say." Dubtle gives the others a glance. "

<OOC> Chay says, "'before they died.' XD"

<OOC> Bolide needs a little, "I'm finishing cleaning the kitchen."

<OOC> Chay <3

<OOC> Bolide pokes the others to pose!!

<OOC> Dubtle justr did!

<OOC> Chay flops. I need to collapse. Guys, thank you for RPing. Bolide! You are amazing. THank you so much for bearing with us. <3

Granit nods back towards Dubtle, and echoes the question. "Can you tell us of Dehu Inu? Even if you do not know of the evil itself, could you tell us about the place?"

<OOC> Bolide says, "We'll have to skip next week, I need to go out of town. D:"

<OOC> Dubtle says, "Oh nooooes. XD"

"Ah." A nod of her head and she looks to Granit again, "It means Blood Maw. It is a... not sacred, but sacred, not forbidden, but forbidden. We don't think you have a word for this in trade. That is to us, however, you would be permitted to go if you are to take up the Ambassador's charge."

Granit nods slowly, solemnly. "Excellent. That is exactly what we are offering. Blood Maw is an imposing name -- how did it gain this status? For what?" He is as a dog with a juicy bone.

"We are, indeed, opffering exactly that," says Dubtle.

HE glances over aty Chay again and then turns his attention back to the the elder speaking with them. "We would wish to deliver upon his promises and seek an end to the current situation."

Tirr tilts her head curiously Forcred? Sacbidden?" She says quietly, trying to think of a goo dword to be both sacred and forbidden... She then glances around and peers at the natives and whatnot...

<OOC> Tirrynelth fuzzles Bolide!!!! ruthlessly! Also noms on noggins before perching on said noggin too

"It... is a very long story." The Elder says to Granit, a nod of her head, "One that requires trust - absolute - by the teller and the listener. It is part of our history and our reason. That is to say... the name is tied with the history of us, and the history of us is tied with the name. It would be a disservice to give only part of the story."

And then Tirr invents words, she gets a slightly bewildered look from the elder, a reach up to stroke her chin with a slide of an index finger and a thumb, "Both would suffice if only for our conversation but would bear little meaning in standard conversation and nomenclature."

"We would hear this if you would share it with us. I fear that if we go uininformed in your ways, your culture, whatever we do might wind up doing more harm than good somehow," says Dubtle, "though I understand the reluctance you must feel, given taht you do not know us." He smiles, sympathy oozing from him.

Granit inclines his head. "Understood, and I would not presume that trust. Is there anything we need to know seeking out an evil there?"

Tirr tilts her head "Well y'said there is no word, So I was trying to figure one out." She says rather primly, still smiling.

A slow nod of a head in Tirrynelth's direction from one of the other elders. The lady who has been speaking to them in trade just gives her an unamused look and a thin press of her lips together. The gaze shifts over toward Dubtle and Granit instead and she ponders for a moment. A slow nod, "If you wanted to come back after it was dealt with, then perhaps we could start the process of gaining out trust. That first step would be necessary though, and the journy would take months. Learning of our base traditions and meanings, our language, and then of our magics. The twist of herb and mana."

<OOC> Bolide pokes.

<OOC> Dubtle ios posing!

Tirr tilts her head curiously.... "Sooo basically we're to go to this place in the south and investigate stuff? Is that what I'm understanding?"

"I understand," says Dubtle. "WE'll do our best to muddle through in the hopes of the right end to the affair." He cracks his knuckles while his raven pecks his beard once.

"I hope we can help these lands know... more peace, if not be peaceful."

Granit nods back. "Thank you for the invitation. I would like to take you up on that offer, but the first step, as you say, is the most important. But there is nothing taboo we must avoid doing when there?" He turns to look directly at Tirr. "There is something evil stalking these people -- making families disappear, only coming out at night -- and we are to stop it. Not just investigate and report."

"There are none." The lady responds back to Granit, then looking back to the other two as one starts talking in rapid Sylvan again. Tirr can pick up words like curse and prosper among others. It's hard to say if those are the exact words or a derivative of them with how different their tongue is. Then the lady turns back.

"No, there is no thing taboo you need to avoid." She nods again and looks back to the other two who stay quiet this time.

"Okay, then," says Dubtle.

"Let's do this. We can leave in the 'morrow?" He glances towards Granit, Chay and Tirry.

Granit nods his head again, satisfied for the moment, "Thank you." Whether that's wise or not, well, the jury can remain out on that. He nods to Dubtle. "Yes, we can."

<OOC> Bolide pokes Tirr. :D

<OOC> Granit is crashing hard. Thanks so much for running! :)

<OOC> Dubtle is glad we got to play!

<OOC> Dubtle has been wanting to get this moving. :D

<OOC> Dubtle says, "Since I felt bad about missing a couple weeks."

<OOC> Dubtle says, "Due to being exhausted, but still"

Granit has disconnected.

"Well, to be honest, investigate doesn't mean just investigate and report. Generally one must find out what it is they are after before they remove it, hence investigate... So instead mayhaps I should ammend my statement to investigate and dispatch."

<OOC> Bolide says, "Don't worry!"

<OOC> Dubtle says, "I ALWAYS WORRY"

<OOC> Tirrynelth perches on Bolide... again

The Elders nod there heads then and they give you all a place to lodge for the night.

In the morning they guide you off to the south, toward where this Dehu Inu is. Your guide goes along with you as well, making sure that there's nothing funny going on.

Soon the elves stop, and they gesture forward, this is where they stop. From here forward, it's upon you heroes.