Part 26: Wherein missing associates are accounted for

{Sorry guys, I had a larger update in the works but suffered some more delays including an injured foot. So I've broken the update up a bit to buy myself some more time, but hopefully should get the rest of it up much faster now. Hope you like it!}





: Okay, everybody up!



: Can't you let a Dwarf drink in peace?
: No time for that. News for the boss, from that meeting in Cornberry. I think she's going to have work for us.
: So now that her better muscle is spent she falls back on us, her back-ups? How gratifying.



: Hold up for a second Agda. I was going through Sa'Sani's mail-
: Pick…
: Which she totally _mostly asked me to do, and found the actual report from the party she sent to Cornberry. Or more like the survivors.
: So it was a trap? Big surprise. Meetings are always traps, especially if somebody at the meeting's a suspect for some trouble-making.
: That's not all. Take a look at the message itself. It's not signed, but…
: …"Infuriating fools"? "Threatened my august person"? "Offensively resistant to fire"?
: Sound familiar to you too?
: What's that smell… is that gravy?
: So Beef's still with him. That's good, I think.
: What's all this about Heronius "swearing off Halflings and all their diminutive ilk"?
: Best not to dwell on it. Still, good to know.



: Lady Sa'sani keeps looking at us. Are we supposed to be doing something?
: We're here to deliver the message, you goof! …Uh, what's the message then Pick?



: Well well, we made her short list of trust! It appears she likes us after all.
: Funny way of showing it, giving us the obvious trap mission.
: I love trust friends! We can share secrets, and have sleep-overs, and talk about boys…
: Just don't tell Sa'sani any secrets worth money, Aka. Sa'sani and money are BFFs 4evar.
: Uh, I don't think we should have this conversation right here in front of her. Let's get moving, the inn's a bit of a hike…



: Come on, lass! Keep up! I'll not be carrying you to Night's Rest.
: Just be a minute! Getting a funny feeling. Hard to say. Like things not gonna be the same when we get back.
: Don't fall to pieces on us yet, Aka. Trouble or no we should be back at Crossroad Keep by nightfall.



: Bye for now, Crossroad Keep. Thanks for not having any goats.
: _Goats?
: _{Long story.}



: This inn is somewhat… secluded.
: Good place for meeting missing business associates who might be in danger.
: Aye, also a good place to lay a trap and double-cross your old mates.
: We're not anybody's mates though, right? So we should be fine!
: Being murdered honestly instead of as part of a backstab? Yes, I suppose that is fine.



: Something's not right here…
: Y'can say that again - I've never been in a tavern this long and not gotten a drink! Terrible service.
: I don't hear any minstrels. Or happy singing.
: Or breathing.
: No breathing?
: No. But… some hissing.



: Who abandons a kitchen? There must be half a bakery out here going stale!
: Still a fire burning in the oven, too. This desolation is fresh.
: Fresh points in the 'trap' column, Agda says.
: Can I take some of the bread? We skipped lunch.
: Uh… I don't think that's a great idea.
: Phooey.



: Definitely some people up ahead, but they're not armed and ready.
: Good! Let's get the drop on 'em.
: No! Just… keep your guard up for the moment, okay?



: Aha! Illfloss and Kudzu, Agda presumes?
: Close enough. At least we finally found them.



Editor's note:

Some more background on the Yuan-ti may be necessary at this point.

An ancient race, the Yuan-ti trace common heritage with races like the lizard men and the naga to a forerunner race of powerful creators. Despite this heritage, they have never quite outgrown their creator's shadow. They attempted to sustain the empire of their forefathers as it decayed around them and have since spent millennia living in decline and ruins, plotting and scheming. Even their god is but a fractional aspect of the great World Serpent originally worshipped by their predecessors.

This deity, reborn as Sseth, is a slumbering god. His priests therefore encourage caution, the biding of time, and carefully laying plans for the reestablishment of the ancient empire of the Yuan-ti. This sort of long-sighted religion unsurprisingly causes a great deal of unrest amongst Yuan-ti society, and although Zehir was the latest he may not have been the first to try and wrest the mantle of lord of the snake-folk away with promises of greater participation in the affairs of worshippers.

This phenomenon is common amongst all races of Faerun, and some gods have even intentionally marketed themselves towards disaffected younger generations trying to throw off the shackles and restrictions of the gods of their fathers. This "No, fuck you dad!" effect was practically the entire foundation of the cult of Cyric, amongst others.

: Our first villainous monologue scene! I'm so proud.
: Did she say Sa'sani is a Yuan-ti?
: Not totally surprising, but I think we've got bigger problems.



: What, everybody getting all hostile?
: Looks to be that way, yeah.
: Shall we fight them to the death, you think?
: Oooh! Let's.



: Time to get a little closer, I think!
: Now that's the kind of intimacy I can get behind! Time to penetrate some personal space!
: So long as your smell remains with us, Haalgrad, no amount of personal space is safe.
: Hey! Save some for the enemy, would you?



: Bet snake-folk wish they brought real armour now, huh?
: Why didn't they?
: Tryin' to pretend they wus tavern-goers. In disguise to trick us, see?
: But… they have scales!



: I'd usually feel bad about axing a woman, but… oh who am I kidding? I love axing! Iiiiiiuhuhurgh…



: Ouch! Hot hot hot! What was that?
: Fire spells? So not cool.
: Uh, duh?
: Agda thought Haalgrad was keeping the backstabber lady at bay?



: Oh great, Haalgrad's gone all weak in the knees.
: Can't hit a woman?
: No. Charm spell.
: …_{of course I find your scales attractive my dear… so distinctive and shiny…}
: Credit to her for having the strength of will to go through with her magical seduction, though. Akadi give me strength, there were some minds women were not meant to probe.



: Speaking of my divine patron, if these defilers are going to play dirty it may be time I summon up the good stuff. Witness my divine might!
: Good idea! Hold off their melee warriors. Aka, cut their support!



: I only have a flail, so I hope knee-capping their support is okay too!
: Now start pushing the snake-men towards Haalgrad and…



: Ouch! Ahhhh, thank you, friend! Thank you for the reminder about what side I'm on!
: Good to have Haalgrad back! Start putting that axe into bad guys already!
: Two swings ahead 'o ya!



: They're getting desperate! Darkness spell!
: Hah! Like I could give a toss.
: I would be more worried myself if everyone's weapons did not glow in the dark.



: Everyone's down! Just Kazooie left!
: Quit playing, Aka! We could use your help!



: Just finishing up, be right there!



: Holy hells Kizmo's good at this.
: I want to modify my earlier statement. I wish I could hit girls with my axe.
: Dancing will not save her.



: Shanked! I think she's down.
: Kazhak bleeds like everybody else… except the undead. And gelatinous cubes. _{And constructs like golems. Do Outsiders bleed like us? Hm…}



: So, uh… did we get betrayed? Or befriended?
: Hard to say. Maybe Sa'sani thought it was a trap and sent us to kill her traitorous business partners?
: Or maybe the bitch is a Yuan-ti who's playing us for fools and using us to clean house? Maybe she thought we were a loose end and these two buddies of hers told us that line about Zehir in case we made it out alive?
: Very few minions, no matter how loyal, will prepare an alibi for their actions in case they are killed.
: That, and… something I read makes me believe this Zehir guy's the real deal.
: So what now? Agda can't tell if we should be heading back to make friends or break shins.
: I don't know… guess it depends what we find when we get there.