Nice Kitty, Bad Thayans

Upon waking it is now raining but has cooled somewhat. Fang finds her bearings and we head off. As we are traversing the jungle, Nisus, whilst scavenging hears a ‘meow’ sound and goes to investigate the source. He sees two large trees that have broken into each other creating a cave like structure. He suspects the sound is coming from there. He pulls out some rations and calls the creature as he walks towards the cave. As he enters, he sees a kitten like creature on it’s back, it has yellowy/white fur with black spots on lying on a bed of thick, oddly marked vines. The vines are moving. As he continues to look, the vine pops up and it’s the head of a snake, then another snake head. The kitten rolls to it’s side and the snakes, 6 of which, are attached to the back of the cat. At this point, Nisus tosses the cat the meat, the snakes grab it. The kitten meows again so Nisus throws another piece of meat to the cat specifically. The cat eats the meat. It then sits down, the snakes drop and the cat speaks ‘Hello Nisus, what brings you to the Jungle’. The voice sounds echoed and almost partially inside Nisus’ head. ‘I don’t have long Nisus’. ‘I am here for the death curse, are you talking to me cat, or through the cat?’ ‘this is often my personification’, ‘I was sent to investigate the death curse as you probably know, in Chult, who are you?’ ‘I am Shagambi’ ‘What are you’ ‘I am like Moa, but more practical’ ‘I do like Moa’ ‘What has Moa ever done for you?’ ‘Well, specifically nothing but she has inspired my companion Bjorn’, ‘there are worse than moa but she is constrained by the book’ (and the snakes writhe) ‘what book’ ‘the book of rules, they can be helpful but sometimes they need flexing do they not. As long as we strive for what is right, the abasement of evil’ ‘yes these were my teachings, why have you chosen to speak with me?’ ‘I can sense there is stirring within the threads of the patterns of fate, we have been graced some slight room of reaching out where we feel a strong connection of where the future may come to individuals, I have sensed you possibly, I need a champion, someone to bring balance, someone to spring back chult from where we were to help me’ ‘that seems like our goals do align, I have a view that helping chult helps the world. A champion like my companion is for the Moa’, ‘yes for the greater good, what are you willing to do to solve’ ‘at the moment I am willing to do everything within my power for the mission’ ‘mmmm come closer to me’. Nisus moves forward and kneels down, face to face. It approaches ‘for the good, we stretch the rule, don’t break them, stretch them to free our lands once more and to help the world from this evil which infects us all’ It licks Nisus’ face, he licks it back. The snakes all bite his face. ‘Don’t fail us’. Nisus blacks out. Nisus awakens, the creature is still there, he hears a mighty roar and a crack nearby. Nisus runs out and sees a massive cat crash into where he was, snakes 8-9 foot long hiss at him. He has an urging feeling to head in a very certain direction (something high up in the rock). Nisus runs straight into Kailyn and bowls him over. Nisus creates a mirror, he sees a waterfall in a pool before he sees himself. He then tells us the story. Whilst talking to us Nisus subconsciously is taking steps in a very specific direction. Fang goes to check and believes he is heading correctly so we adjust our course and follow.   Fang smells something ‘off’ ahead. Smells of a mixture of rot and smell that reminds her of taverns. She waits for the group to catch up. Fang goes to investigate. The area thins and she sees what looks like a humanoid figure, headless on a spit over a well extinguished fire. The body is charred beyond recognition. Next to it is the body of a slumped triceratops, large female. It is injured, has various wounds and is currently being nibbled at by several vulture-like dinosaurs. Whilst observing, the triceratops tries to shake off the dinosaurs. Fang roars in triceratops and the small dinosaurs scamper off. She runs over to the injured dinosaur and tries to heal it. As she comes into the vicinity it smashes its leg into Fang. Fang calms it down. She desperately tries to heal it. It’s wounds close just as the rest of the party arrive. The triceratops rises, glances Fang (gently) with it’s horn onto her face and plods off into the jungle. Fang’s horns have turned slightly more straight and her nose seems to have a bit of a protrusion from her nose. There are broken battari weapons on the floor. It does appear to be a human with a pile of tossed aside items from it. The head is a clean shaven tattooed head and the clothing nearby are red robes. As we are inspecting the site we notice that Nisus is nowhere to be seen. Kailyn inspects the body. He can’t tell how it died. He moves to the decapitated head and asks ‘are you in there?’. Nothing.   Fang climbs a nearby tree and finds that Nisus was heading again in the correct direction. Nisus again, subconsciously, heads in a very specific direction. The party follows. The temperature is cooling and thunder clouds roll in. A storm is heading our way and it begins to rain heavily. Yesne fashions a hat like an umbrella, as she does so she feels the weight of Ilonas around her neck. Fang, utilising Nisus’ direction, takes the party the most direct route through. Bjorn finds some small dinosaurs, a bit like a furry reptile, feeding in an area of disturbed earth, he quickly kills them and brings them to the party for dinner.   As we continue on, there are visibility challenges. We hear a sudden crack and creak and a large tree falls behind us. Up ahead another tree is felled and lands on both Fang and Nisus. A small creature with a vicious looking mask, holding a horned bow comes out and speaks (in goblin) ‘We’s got you’. Kailyn notices a couple of creatures ahead in the trees. He launches a marble in their direction. They burst in to flames and crumple to the floor.   Kailyn shoots the goblin at the front, as he does so the goblin picks another out of the dirt and switches places with him. He gets an acid arrow in the face and dies.   The main goblin pulls on a vine and in front of us a giant panther like creature with tentacles coming out of it’s back comes from the ground (a displacer beast). It attacks Fang and then Nisus. Having killed the Displacer beast and 15 goblins the party takes stock. Kailyn finds some magical items.   The party continue on at a fast pace. Fang and Nisus guide us on. The rain continues, the ground turns to mud but we stay on top. As it becomes dark we find a suitable location to make camp. The weather remains cool and the rain stops.   Inete – are you still at Vengeance? We’ll be back soon. Is anyone still alive? Is breakbone still there? Love you. Reply back 25 words   Hi at vengeance yes, still sick people, breakbone here - a dick. Azzaka grumpy, needs dick. Love you   Kailyn ties Nisus to the bed in order to stop him wandering off.   As we are making camp we hear ‘Friend approaching’. Is it not a voice we recognise however, Fang and Nisus realise it’s not a Chultan voice. Walking out of the forest is an armoured individual, human male, stocky. Bjorn allows him to enter and he calls back ‘they say it’s ok’. Three other individuals approach. None of these people are Chultan, they have adapted armour for the jungle, mercenaries. Behind them are 4 other individuals all in red robes with their hoods up. Yesne queries who the cloaked people are, as they are not friendly people. One of them takes her hood down, a young 18 year old beautiful individual, half of her face is old, with a milky/cataract eye. ‘I am Zagmia, I appreciate you sharing your camp with us, these are difficult and frustrating environments we find ourselves in’. They all take a ‘seat’ (in mid air) by the fire. Two male and one more female. On seeing the robes, Yesne sits in the hut with her back to them. She will not engage with them.   Nisus – greetings, what brings you here? And why are you obsessed with red robes, they are hideous. Zagmia – I will ignore your comments on our robes if you do not recognise us Nisus – I only saw one, not far from here, he had been attacked by a battari. Zagmia – yes we have lost one of our party, they were clearly not strong enough to survive. We have filtered out the weak. What brings you into the jungle? Kailyn – we are looking for an autonotom, it was lost here in the jungle and we are here to try and find it Z – on behalf of who? K – a chultan in town who was paying handsomely Z – what brought you to chult in the first place K/N – wealth, items of great power in the jungle that we wanted to claim for ourselves N – we answered yours, but you did not tell us why you were here Z – we are in search of an artefact of great power, it appears to be influencing the world in a negative way K – sounds important Z – yes we need to capture it and study it. We were sent by Zastham himself. And when he calls then we come   (Yesne is aware that Zastham is the number one leader of all of the red wizards of thay and is known to be a lich himself)   N – where have you been in your searching Z – travelling across various parts of the peninsula itself, trying to gather knowledge of it’s whereabouts. We believe it may be in a ruined city to the south K – be wary that the cities to the south are overrun by the dead Z – yes N – and you are not worried? Z – not excessively, no N – I envy your power if you find the undead a mere inconvenience Z – it depends what they are, undeath is a great thing, the ability to never die N – do you not find it a philosophical problem, that normally you live every day as if it could very well be your last, but now there is no need, indefinitely. Z – Not necessarily, I don’t have any granddaughters at this stage to inhabit…. I am getting old, so I inhabited my granddaughter. she didn’t need it as much as I do. We have food to share and water too if you would like. Meats, fruits. B – we have food too if you would like.   The other female looks toward Zagmia, looks away again and Zagmia ‘I believe that you do know what we are looking for’.   N – and how do you know this? Z – because your surface thoughts suggested you did. N – we may have heard rumours, same as you probably. Nisus feels a spike in his mind at this point. The lady again looks at Zagmia Z - it would appear that you don’t know that much yourself but your fellow colleagues might. There is no need to be suspicious, we are potentially searching for the same thing. K – suspicion comes when you look inside minds without permission. Z – I don’t need it. But I will ask her not to do it again Z - we are just curious K – about what Z – what you are looking for in the jungle K – looking for stuff like we said Z – maybe we can help one another K – no, you are powerful and well equipped, if you beat us to it then fair enough. N – a wager perhaps? Z – interesting, what kind of wager? K – simply a race, if you get there first then we have clearly been too slow. If we get there first well as you said the jungle weeds out the weak. We trade information. Z – two pieces of information each. It must be a truthful answer. Would you like to go first or us? K – you can ask Z – we seek the device called the soul monger, if you seek it as well, where do you currently believe it to be? K – a ruined city to the south of the peninsula K – where have you sought out information on the soul monger here on chult? Z – many different locations and sources have we spoken to for information on it’s locations. I am conscious of one of our parties, is currently coming back from visiting a ziggurat where it was visiting a sage of knowledge. K – your second question? Z – how do you intend to discern the location of the city in the south you seek K – an ancient being seems the best place to find information, that is our assumption Z – final question to you then K – how do you pass with ease through undead? Z – most of us from a very early age learned to control them and equally, just destroy them. Unless there are masses or some more powerful and deranged ones – they are definitely a challenge. Lets just say we have quite a lot of experience with them. Question time is over, good luck to you and may the best people win. K – yes, I think they will   Kailyn makes some classical music and leaves it with them.   They create two domes like Yesne.   Nisus says if you get there before us leave this to let us know you beat us. And flicks a coin to her. Kailyn says we will leave one of these and points to his bead.   Z – bring me one of the bones A man comes to her with a human femur Z – you can leave this B – I am not ok with this, we will leave a bead, not a bone Z – fair enough, it is a good reminder for them, never fall asleep on watch. ‘take the bone back’.