Part 6: Wherein many Batari are slain to rescue hostages and discover the truth

{Sorry this took so long to put together, March break is over where I live so I'd been getting back to work. It's extra long to make up for it! Might edit in corrections tomorrow morning though.}


: Another good day's sleep. I look forwards to when our activities next synchronize with the phases of the sun and moon.
: Better that we have the cover of darkness. Better still if we did not have to go, but the captain is unlikely to rescue herself.
: Yes, yes, fine - but while the sun's still up I've got one more stop to make. Need to see a woman about a boar.
: That's a new one!





: My hatred of busy work, conflicting directly with my love of being paid money I won't have to split with five lumps of dead weight. The life of an adventurer is difficult indeed.



: Here we go again.
: It had not been my intent to come to Samarach just to wear a rut in the beach.
: Come on, they can't have taken the captain far. We'll find her in no time.



: There, see? I can see a cave along the cliffside.
: So long as we're done with the damned shipwreck a cave will suffice.



: Caves are fun! Beef had club-cave as kid!
: I can already taste all the fungus spores and moss. Let us rescue the waif before my allergies finish me off.



: Fascinating, more Batari. I hadn't realized they were so prolific.
: They're still flammable, so I'm hardly bothered.
: Yes, we haven't time to study them, I'm afraid.



: That should speed things along.
: Hey! Leave some for Agda! Agda's not here just to look pretty!
: Whoops it appears one of them has gutted master Napalm.



: On your feet, Heronius. Your sterilizing fiery blasts are all that keep this swamp air breathable.
: If you don't start keeping those filthy savages and their pointed sticks out of my guts I will make the air in your very lungs 'sterile' and 'breathable'.



: Yay! We win!
: Another triumph for swords and sorcery!
: Yeah… that!



: The way ahead is clear of traps. The captain should be somewhere near the back.



: Pick you are fired forever from everything.
: I was looking for poison darts and pitfalls, I didn't expect them to just be standing a little ways to the side!



: Woah wait hold on, Pick's just letting the Batari go?
: We can't kill them, they surrendered. They have an alibi for their actions, and we have no evidence otherwise.
: He is right. We have no proof of any evil deeds performed by these Batari, and killing women and children sits ill with me.
: Everything sits ill with Pasquale! Except coward-ness!
: I agree with the tiny ruffian. They tried to kill us - as a rule, I don't give people the chance to try twice.
: Wait, what we do?
: Nothing. We do nothing but what we're here for, and that is rescue the captain to help us find out who the saboteur of the vigilant is. Stay focused, we already have a target of revenge to uncover.
: Pasquale, Agda thought Hoar was a god of vengeance! We need to take revenge!
: Please don't appeal to his imaginary disapproving father figure.
: Hoar is a god of suitable and appropriate revenge. We cannot say they did anything worth avenging, so I must do nothing. Besides, if I did kill them, Hoar would probably expect me to eat them for it to be more 'poetic'.
: Goblin taste awful.
: Forget it! Forget everything! Let's just find the captain and get out of here.





: Glad to see Agda's not the only angry Halfing lady around here.
: Beef helped again!



: I hope she makes it back okay. It'd be a let-down to come all this way only for her to get killed trying to make it to Samargol, maybe we should-



: We have located mountains of loot.
: Never mind!



: A night spent alternatively slaying and sparing Batari, then categorizing rocks and recovered cash. I somehow feel less enthused this dawn.
: Agda's still angry.
: The daylight reminds me that we are painfully close to the Vigilant's wreck again. If I ever see it again, I will grant only ten minutes for you all to get clear before I find a way to make waterlogged wood burn.
: Come on, let's just forget it all and go back to town.



: I am beginning to get seriously tired of this place. Almost as tired as I am of that damnable beach and its monsters.
: I confess, I had hoped my explorations of the subcontinent would have taken us deeper in by now.
: Until this matter with the Vigilant is sorted, we cannot leave - although I admit this is taking longer than expected.
: Better report to Sa'Sani and get paid, at least.





: Luaire fought with us after the ship wrecked. I find it hard to believe he was a traitor, he seemed so timid.
: Few people are as they appear, Halfling.
: Beef tired. Want nap!
: With noted exceptions.
: I propose a few hours' break to recover ourselves. This Luaire business can wait.
: Acceptable. We will rendezvous outside of the inn just after midday.





: Yeesh, she didn't seem very happy even though we rescued her.
: Agda's not happy either. Pick's in the dog-house with all Halfling women at the moment! Will have to marry gnome, like Twillfaddle Shortstick.
: Er… who?
: Twillfaddle! Or was it Twiffladdle? Anyways, Twill married a gnome because 'Shortstick' really meant-
: I just remembered all of this adventuring we need to do let's go.



: I thought I'd find you here.
: What, working? Being productive? Earning my magical talents instead of being gifted them like a petulant child?
: I was going to say 'wasting your time', but it appears you've been pre-irritated for my convenience.
: Then what brings you here? Renting this lab space wasn't cheap.
: That's precisely the matter I wanted to sound your opinion on. The purse-strings. I'm wondering if you're finding it as inconvenient as I am to have the Paladin hold on to our collective funds.
: As opposed to who? Banks aren't exactly friendly to foreigners in this part of the world.
: Then why shouldn't each of us carry our own fair share? Should Pasquale be killed in action and go missing in some way we'd lose everything. If we simply divided up the funds so that-
: So what? So you can swindle the simplistic half-Orc out of his share, steal mine while I sleep, and away into the night? Don't think your fanciful persona hides your true self from me, sorcerer, and I would trust our resources to that dupe of a false god before you.



: I can see you won't be persuaded, a pity. Your opinion is so low of me when I have been nothing but helpful!
: Helpful my left foot! Away with you, you young ruffian, and practice your crude magics elsewhere!
: Perhaps I will. Sleep well, old man.



: Are we all sufficiently recovered?
: I want to propose a detour. The ship's captain wants us to rescue her second mate, whom she still thinks is alive.
: Does the job pay?
: Pay? Uh…
: Pays lots! Ship's captain took out a life-insurance policy on the whole crew! The rescue's part of an insurance scam and then we split it fifty-fifty!
: Receive job, do job, receive coin, repeat. Is this what honest toil feels like?
: Approximately. The 'receive coin' and 'insurance scam' are new for me.
: Receive coin best part so far!
: Never mind. Little people, lead the way.



: We are off to a good start. Skeletons.
: Skeletons?



: Whole men can't beat Beef! Why does only bit of man think can? Maybe send just blood next time, do better!



: More Batari, too.
: Oh gee but can we kill them? Wouldn't want to mess up anyone's feelings.
: It's no big deal, we're probably almost there. These are just some unlucky encounters.



: OH COME ON
: Once again I am reminded never to trust to the judgement of children and those that look like them.
: My patience with this distraction has ended.



: There, finished. I just hope we won't need that spell against anyone guarding the second mate.



: You lead us back to the ship. We are back at the shipwreck right now.
: The second mate's held here! We think he's behind that stone seal we couldn't pass earlier.
: You remember what I said I would do if we came back, yes? The clock is ticking, little man!



: You got lucky ship, this time!



: Okay Beef, now all you have to do is push this stone key into the slot on the door. We'll stay well back and observe.
: I'm not sure it's right to ask Beef to do this. Can he even give informed consent?
: Pasquale, don't Paladins have some sort of oath to do this sort of stuff?
: Oh, probably.



: Did Beef do good?
:…Kind of underwhelming.



: AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!



: Back.



: Don't mind me, just clearing the chaff.
: Watch out, Heronius! You don't want to… roast Beef!
: You were holding that one in for way too long.



: These Batari are no match for us. We shall be through in moments.
: Today Beef matchmaker - green thing, meet axe!



: The way is clear. Forwards!



: There they are!
: They have the hostage as well, he seems uninjured.
: Should we try negotiating again? That worked pretty well last time.
: Why not? I happen to have a passionate opening statement prepared.



: Now go prosecute with extreme prejudice!
: This will officially be the terrible jokes section of my memoirs.



: These guys are pretty tough! Have you got any more magic to help us out?
: I'm low on spells. Hopefully this will be enough.



: Waaagh! Wizard shrunk whole world except Beef!
: That's… startlingly close to the physics behind the actual spell.



: Don't mind me again, I'm just saving you from being stabbed to death now that you're out of spells.
: My hero.
: If the little old ladies are done playing chit-chat back there…



: We just kicked some evil bad guys to the curb!
: Beef bigger hero than ever before! In lots of ways!
: Hah! Reminds Agda of the story of Twillfiddle Longstick, who-
: Oh hey look the second mate let's save him now.



: Hello! We saving you now!



: This is more like it. Some real, honest hero-work. It's not about the reward, you know? It's about the heart. It's about-



: So apparently these Batari hoarded gold and small gems.
: Wooooo! This is the best adventure!
: Surely you and Pick intend to make up your share of the treasure with the money from this supposed insurance scam?
: Yes. Of course. Thank you, Cornelius. For reminding me.



: Well, another day wasted.
: It weekend yet?
: We cannot pursue Luaire tonight, we need rest and perhaps re-equipment. This trip will take us far from Samargol - we might not even return.
: Don't get my hopes up.





: I didn't think she was going to come round about us.
: Pick'd be surprised what a little time and good work can do. Agda's impressed Pick even let things go without getting a reward.
: Yeah, it's no big deal. You can't pick-pocket a paladin anyways.
: Bad karma?
: Long reach.





: Well, I have completed the traditional 'ask the bartender for rumours' step of an adventuring paladin's mission. I may remove it from the training curriculum in the future.



The Next Day

: Beef, all of her axes are of the same make. There is no need to test them.
: Beef want axe can trust! Axe found on beach was spur of moment, can't always be like that. Sometimes need find right axe, not next axe.
: Normally I would be surprised by your profoundness but the rest of the party is waiting! Just pay the woman and let's be off.



: Ooooh, Pasquale got some full plate armour!
: I need the extra protection, but it is a nightmare for my back. Once again I marvel that my god's grace will cure Mummy Rot but not scoliosis.
: And Beef! Nice axe!
: Thanks! Beef think we be very happy together.
: You're quiet this morning, Heronius.
: Just savouring our long-overdue change in direction.



: Hey, a new town!
: We might as well take the opportunity to get our bearings and some directions.



: The sign says "Stay out of Taurin".
: Sounds good. If Agda sees a Taurin, Agda will stay out!
: I think this town is Taurin.
: A welcoming place, then.



: This is more like it!
: A little more lively than that hole, Leira's Trick, anyways.
: Make some investigations. I will see if I can find a buyer for the ore and lumber we recovered on behalf of Sa'Sani.
: Make some investigations is Waterdhavian for drink!





: I've no interest in being an errand boy, but the wine could be valuable for my… research of local customs. I'll add it to the shopping list for when Pick finds that market.



: This is breathtakingly convenient. We cannot even fully use the trade bars we are making, and yet we are set to rake them in. I wonder if Hoar allows internal transfers within the temple towards finance…



: Well now, this is more like it.
: Lady's pretty!
: That she is. Oh, if only I hadn't stashed my petty cash in Samargol - I doubt the damnable paladin would release any funds for… release.
: Beef don't understand.
: Never you mind. Just watch the pretty lady.



: I return with almost disheartening ease. What have you found out.
: That the jungles back across the bridge and to the west are our best bet, and that Agda should specify her drink orders in Halfling sizes.
: I wuz a Avenshurer once, _you know? Knew a guy, looked juuuuust like yoooooo_u!



: Come on, let us take our leave while we can all still walk.
: I think she's trying to bite my hair.
: That good sign! Beef bite things Beef like all the time!
: Remind me to buy him a chew-toy next time we're in Samargol.



: This jungle is vast and pestilent. I hadn't realized my field research was going to involve so much… going into the field.
: Be on your guard. The slightest thing could give us away or lead to ambush.



: Look! Someone needs our help!
: Or it could be a trap! I could incinerate him to be sure.
: Your kind offer is unnecessary.



: Fire proof spiders? Now I wish I had incinerated him. Oh well, at least I know what my nightmares will be about for the next month.



: Uuuuugh, Agda's head. This endless jungle is not helping.
: Back among the living then, I see?
: Pronouns are back out. I suppose that's meant to be a good sign.
: Can it, magic man. Agda's head is too woozy and this jungle is too big. We are going to be lost out here forever and ever.



: No wait there's the gnomes.



: Interesting.
: Exciting!
: Big.