It's Good To Bee Liam

[OGRE MAGE]

Snarku holds the unique looking grey sphere and continues squinting.

“I can assure you that those dead monsters are coming from the ooman in the temple.”

“Your ooman friends who went into the temple never came out again. There were explosions and much burning fire. We smelled burning flesh, so they are all likely dead, or soon will be.”

“Will you continue to send more of your people out there if this current group doesn’t return?”

“I am afraid that the magic of this relic is limited.” He holds out the stone sphere even closer.

“I will not be able to reply again, but I want to finish by saying that I don’t think your tactics against the evil one are working.”

With that, the phanaton chieftain opens his eyes and awaits your reply.

[Bluehorse]

Liam

Nods. I agree that this is grim news. We need to organize a measured attack on this Grey Man rather than random groups to the slaughter. First we must get some scouts in place to share what they can find. This was something I hoped your people would be able to help with both the Gray Man and the pirates.

I enjoyed our talk. I hope we can do this again soon. We part as friends, and I invite you and your people to visit me any time. I hope we can make this alliance work. On behalf of Beachtown, thank you for hearing my words today.

[OGRE MAGE]

The chieftain commands his dozen warriors to stand down as he nods at the words of Liam.

He looks into the mans eyes and points to his own before making a hand signal towards him. He points one finger on one hand up towards the sky and lays his other arm flat below the upraised arm. He then slowly lowers his pointing arm until it lays flat upon the other.

Then he points back to the rope through the hole in the platform, clearly showing them the door.

Raythan gladly leads the way back down the tree, pleased to be leaving with their heads still intact.

“They seemed far less friendly this visit. I wonder how Owen is faring up there with them. Hey, is that who you were asking me about before? Owen?”

When the climbers get close to the bottom of their trip back down to the ground, Liam spots a pair of familiar figures on the outskirts of his farm. It is none other than Grimm and Powstap. Has 3 days already passed so quickly?

[Bluehorse]

Liam

He makes it a point to bow to Snarku in a show of respect and backs away to the rope where he follows Reythan. I noticed they seemed less friendly than I had been lead to believe. I can only hope now that I did not somehow make things worse. At least he had his warriors stand down.
That is a good sign. And Owen, I hope he has done well. The limitations of his stone orb are going to be a problem. There isn't much one can do in three replies.

On seeing Grimm and Powstap, Liam's heart sinks. Oh no...


Grimm and Chief Powstap. Good to see you both. I have just spoken with Chief Snarku of the Phantons. We have s problem. The magical item he uses to communicate is limited to 3 uses per day. Any further attempt to speak to him will have to wait until tomorrow. What we need is to locate a druid to open communication with him. He speaks of more attacks on his people, and they have grown impatient. Relations are tense, but I hope to have smoothed things over for the moment. They also speak of the gray man who some of the adventurers saught out a few days go. He is killing them by the hundreds. I feel he agrees a true alliance would be good for our peoples, but we are on shaky ground.

Let me tell you... the outnumbered us by the thousands.
We do not want conflict with them.

[OGRE MAGE]

Powstap is clearly unable to follow the long string of words Liam recites, but he does pick up on a recurring theme.

“Why ya keep call Powstap chief? Powstap no chief! Mo like........”

He looks to Grimm and remembers a conversation they had a few days earlier.

Mo like.........holy man.”

[Bluehorse]

Liam

Liam nods.  Holy Man.  I'll remember that... then he gets and idea and ask.   Are you one of the holy men that can talk to animals?

[Karaunios]

Grimm is glad to see a familiar face in the town, but Liam's expression and then the news he brings aren't precisely conforting. "That's bad news indeed. We didn't fare that well either. We got to capture two pirates and I interrogated them for a while. Then we were attacked and almost killed by some of their lot who ambushed us in the middle of the forest. We managed to escape through a well amd I got bit by... A giant big or eel or something and fainted. Two od Powstap's friends didn't make it. And I fear I bring even more bad news... The indigens' chieftain is ensorcelled by an elf woman. She convinced him to run me out of their main village up to the north, where the river begins, so to say. Powstap wanted to remain with me. He's a good and loyal friend. I hope I'll be able to repay him some day." He pats him on the shoulder as best his height allows.

"About the pirates... The two we captured told us that they take the natives' plantations to sell the herbs their produce. They've taken... They have a camp in the southernmost of the natives' villages. They've killed some of them..." He's anger is almost palpable when he says this. "Although I think you already know that.

Their ship, with Bing, comes and goes once a week, roughly. It docks above a deep hole on the other side of the rocky outcropping near the cliffs."

He then looks at Powstap and tries to explain to him what Liam just said: "He says that the Phanaton, the Moonkoons, there are many of them

A gray man is killing them. They're angry. They don't trust us... ANY of us.

It's difficult to talk to them. We need a druid, holy man of the forest who can speak with them."

[Bluehorse]

Liam

Liam takes a long breath as if to keep his cool and nods.  One name goes through his head at the mention of an elf woman holding the chief in thrall...  Bonnie. he thinks to himself but makes no mention of it out loud.  He is fully aware of his own bias against the woman but would be more surprised if she was not the culprit at this point than if she wasn't.

I see.  I apologize again, friend Powstap.  I had taken it that you were the chief or some other form of leader among your people... but perhaps that is a good thing, too.  Do you have friends of your own that are not friends of the chief right now?  People who would follow you until the Chief is cured?

Shifting topics if only slightly.   We still have the problem of the pirates.  You have seen them recently, do you think they will threaten a team of water bearers if a team was sent to resupply us?  How are they organized?

Also, you should know, Bing's ship was sank a couple of days ago.  Captain Quark came across the wreckage.  These pirates, so far as we know, are not going to be getting any support anytime soon.  This might well be the time to strike since there are no reinforcements coming.  Or, we might even begin harassing them at a distance.  A guerilla war might be our best option.  Keep them scared and at a distance.

[Karaunios]

Grimm

The dwarf suspects that the native hasn't quite understand what Liam said, so he decides to intervene: "Powstap is still welcome in the rest of the villages on the way up to the cascade. The last one, the main village, where the chieftain lives, is also where he got booed when they saw he was still with me." He clears his thorat. "Concerning those water-bearers, I really think those pirates will do whatever they want and seeing unarmed poor people won't stop them. Maybe they'll take them as slaves even. I wouldn't trust them."

When he hears the news about Bing's ship he's countenance lights up. "Well. That's good news! At least something... This guerrilla warfare you speak is for sure our best option, I reckon. I don't know if we're enough though and I don't know if the Moonkoons will collaborate with the natives after having been hunted down by them for food... With the indigens alone there's nothing we can do, I can tell you that. They've already been run out of one of their villages, as I told you. I don't want them to die, much less unncessesarily."

Then he remembers something: "By the way, Powstap has mentioned several times a friend of his who helped them in the past, but who was captured by Captain Bing. Some Kelief. Do you kow anything of that?"

[Bluehorse]

Liam

He nods a bit and offering looks of what seems to be apology, Well, I suppose we have done all the damage we can here.  What say you to heading to the cookfire and seeing if there is anything there to eat.  We can get together with the Council... or what there is of one so far, and share what we have learned.  Powstap?  Hungry?

Looking to Reythan.  On our way let's see if Joe has gathered the eggs yet.  I am also curious to check on our layer and see if we have anything in the way of chicks brooding.  It might be a good thing for our guests to see what we are trying to do.  I would bet Powstap could teach us a thing to two about caring for animals out here and maybe can identify the footprints of whatever has been harassing my coup.  Besides... Fresh eggs! 

[OGRE MAGE]

Powstap doesn't get all the long sentences, but he picks out words where he can.

"Yesa! Kelief fren, like Grimm now fren. But........if Bing kill, den Kelief kill too?"

He continues listening to the men speak, getting frustrated that things dont seem to be working out in their favor.

"Powstap no chief, but still haffi udder fren. Is no safe to go to river, no while dem is der. But, dem pirates weak now, an gettin weaker. Too bad der wasnt a group of folk we could get to join us and go back to wipe dem out fi good!"

He looks hopeful that the men will understand what he is trying to tell them.

[Bluehorse]

Liam


Liam looks a little grim.  I think Kelif is dead if he were on that ship.  I am sorry Powstap, but the Captain that found the wreckage said he found no survivors. he keeps the secret of the escaped shapeshifter? to himself for now.  No reason to get everyone up and worried so soon after getting some forme of order in place.   I agree, if the pirates are weak, then this is the time to strike.  We will share what we know to the Council.  Your information will be very valuable.  Then we can morn the loss of your friend Kelif.

[Karaunios]

Grimm feels his stomach gurgling when he hears about food. He hasn't had a real meal since... well, since before he came to this island! The situation is dire enough though, so first things first. "What's this council you're talking about? Are there any warriors that we can count on?

If the pirates are weak... They don't a ship anymore... We should attack soon... And I'm all for giving them what they deserve." he adds frowning and hitting his right fist against the palm of his left hand.

[OGRE MAGE]

Powstap looks hungry as well.

"But der is only tree of we. How can tree take down so many?"

[Bluehorse]

Liam


Liam begins leading them to his modest and still houseless farm. I agree, Three is not enough.  We will ask for help.  And I suspect the Phanatons are watching more closely than we think.  I hope that if they see us making a move, a sincere move against these pirates, they might surprise us for the better.  I cannot fault them for being so cautious.  To them, we probably all look alike.


To Grimm:   After what happened to Nehru, I did some thinking... scary, I know...  but I thought the people would do better if there were a council of representatives rather than a single leader.  I proposed this and after some talking, and some help from some of the more respected heads in the town, they agreed.  It still needs some work, but it is coming along.


He walks up to his chicken coop and sees if the overnight visiter has come back.  He points to the repairs and describes the footprints and what Joe had seen the nights before as he heads into the coop itself to check for eggs.   Hopefully our little effort will be enough to keep them away for now.  I don't want harm coming to my animals.  Hopefully, some of my bigger critters have pregnancy bellies by now or at least soon.  I plan to dedicate at least one suckling pig to the cooks.  Same with one lamb and one goat.  The rest will be raised up and divided out to villagers who could benefit from the wool, the milk, and hopefully after a few more births, a stable supply of meat.

[Karaunios]

Grimm nods: "Yes. I think a council is a good idea. It's always better than depending on just one individual. A council will keep working even if what of it's members disappears... About attacking the pirates... Do you know of any group of warriors and adventures in this town that might be willing to do it? I'd gladly join them."

[OGRE MAGE]

Constable Glansandi just happens to be walking by with three unknown young humans when he spots the meeting between Liam, Grim, and Powstap.

"I couldn't help but overhear." The elf looks at Grimm before pointing to his ears and shrugging.

"Did I just hear you ask about anyone going out to address the pirate threat at the river?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Glansandi, a constable of sorts here in town." He looks a bit suspiciously at Grimm and his native companion.

"I don't believe we have met. Do you mind telling me who you are?"

[Karaunios]

Grimm listens to the elf, trying to look as harmless as he can. He doesn't want to stir up any bad sentiments towards him, being a dwarf and all that. He extends his right hand. "Greetings. My name is Grimm. I came here with the Stoneguts, wrecking my back as a thrall. No, no. Don't look at me so susipciously, I don't belong to that clan I just worked for them in order to gain passage to this island. I left them as soon as I could. Nasty fellows. Bad with their own animals and their own workers. He points to himself.

"My clan, the Ironhelms, stablished itself in the Barony of Ratik centuries ago. I'm searching for an important object for my clan in this island but... I think, in the meantime, I could help around a little bit." He then extends his left hand to Powstap, as if wanting to call the elf's attention to him: "This here is Pawstap. He's a holy man in one of the indigenes' clans. He knows someone called Kelif or Kelief or something like that."

He then makes a quick summary of his adventures in this island, starting to when he meet Liamn Bonnie, Hrothgar and Mr. Nerhu and then Daisy. He omits the part concerning the Pro-tec-tor, not wanting to offend Pawstap.

[OGRE MAGE]

Glansandi takes in everything the dwarf tells him.

"Well then Mr. Grimm. You have already proven yourself worthy of being here, regardless if I know you or not. I have heard of the Ironhelms and know them to be in very good standing in the Ratik Barony."

"I believe that you and this fine gentleman Powstap here will be welcome in Beachtown, and may even be more helpful than you could ever imagine. What did you say their tribe was called again?" He looks a little confused by the Indigen comment.

"I dont know of any Kelief, but if you know of these Stoneguts, and Powstap knows his way around this jungle, your information will be invaluable in the future. I hope that you will both consider becoming part of our little community."

"If you are looking to seek revenge on those damn pirates, there is a group leaving tonight to go route them out of the native villages along the river. Perhaps you two would be willing to help them?"

[Bluehorse]

Liam

Steps back and lets the exchange happen, not interfering. Then he hears about the pirate raid...
So you and the rest of the scouting group were able to gain information on them? Do we know their numbers and routines?
Who are those going on this raid?