Chapter 3: Meeting The Natives

ELSPA, JARVEENA, and RYGNAR

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The three return to the cave. They make their way to the cathedral, where they see Auntie Zilla swinging a pole net around at a red-tinged glowing ball of light, not much bigger than a firefly.

"Come on, come here my sweet one, he he!"

With a swift stroke of her net she swipes the red ball of light and produces a small black sack. She loosens the drawstrings, and as the sack opens, you swear you can hear screaming at the edge of your hearing. She deposits the red light into her bag, and then draws it tightly closed.

She turns to see you three as you enter, her face a mess of wrinkles and boils.

"Ah, welcome back to Auntie's cave! Having an interesting night tonight? Feel free to make yourself at home, Auntie will be retiring in a moment."

FRICK, MOSS, and YGNE

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In their exhaustion, the three heroes did not realize that a small crowd had gathered. More and more gather as the three accept their pendants. Seeing all three accept, the cave erupts in a cheer. An adorable young girl brings over leis and drapes it over each of you, giving you a little hug after. There is much applause, and you wonder at how this tribe has rebounded psychologically so quickly.

"You are part of the tribe now! Rest well, Heroes of Panitube!"As tired as you are, you find sleep somewhat elusive. But, in time, your minds lose consciousness. And as your mind begins to walk the paths of the Dreamlands, you find your path darkening.

FRICK, MOSS, and YGNE

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You awake the next day in the cave, the morning light filtering through the waterfall. Everything appears calm, most villagers are already up and about, and are freely entering and leaving the cave.

The Seventh stands at the entrance beside She Who Has Been Beyond the Reef, his arms folded across his massive chest. His expression is hidden beneath his skull mask.

An old woman approaches you as your rouse. You recognize her as the stern woman who chased you away from the mead brewery in the cooking hut. She speaks in her language, but you understand her words as if they were Low Atlantean.

"Brave Heroes from Afar, I'm afraid the mead distillery was blown up in the attack. Pirates!"

She spits on the ground at their mention, and then smiles mischievously at you.

"But, I do have a secret stash to help you wake up this morning."

She hands each of you glass flasks of strong, smooth rum and a wooden bowl rice porridge with chunks of fish in it.

Once he's finished eating, Moss speaks to Ygne and Frick... I'm leaving to see if Elspa and the mountain of muscle are still alive, if you want to come, meet me at the entrance of the waterfall in 15 minutes. Then he goes to prepare himself.

ELSPA, JARVEENA, and RYGNAR

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As Elspa and Jarveena fall asleep in the cathedral cave, Rygnar stays awake and watches over them. Auntie Zilla mutters on to herself in some foreign tongue for awhile before falling asleep.

In the meantime, Elspa ad Jarveena's minds darken with nightmares

In the near-darkness Rygnar realizes that among the pictographs on the wall, one is faintly growing red. It appears to be of a smaller figure with 2 swords fighting a larger one with 1 big sword. By morning, the glow has completely faded away. Rygnar is still sharp, the adrenaline from his wounds acting as an antidote for fatigue.

FRICK, MOSS, and YGNE

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A small band of children have gathered around Frick and Ygne, curiously watching from a distance. Some of the boys are gossiping about Frick:

"They call him the Killer of Shit That Needs Killing!" says one boy. "He is so badass. Did you see his weapon? He took on the Ancestors! Like, 6 on 1 at one point. I saw it! I think he could challenge The Seventh!"

Another group whisper about Moss:

"The Healer? yeah he just got up and left. He's definitely the scariest of them all. Did you see his eyes? And when he fights, he just disappears in the dark. I don't think he is a man. No, a demon maybe. But still, he dived into the ravine to save his friends ..."

A group of girls gossips about Ygne:

"Killer of Lizards, Saver of Kings! Did you see how she saved the Killer of Shit That Needs Killing? Do you think they kissed after? She sounds just like a heroine out of the stories ... Oh!"

They suddenly realize that the two of you can hear them and freeze.

---

In the meantime, Moss makes his way into the village. As he passes Khiva and The Seventh, the huge man pushes out a massive fist to bar Moss's path. His face is concealed by the skull mask, but you can tell he is not smiling in the least.

"The Healer, your group performed adequately during last night's attack. Enough so that I will offer you a reprieve for your part in the disaster."

The huge fist opens to reveal the fiery amulet that you delivered for Auntie Zilla.

"However, if you bring any artifact into this village, you will first bring it to myself or She Who Has Been Beyond the Reef. Or the new Spirit Mother when she arrives."

The fists closes again, tightly.

"Do you swear to obey this instruction?"

ELSPA, JARVEENA, and RYGNAR

---

Elspa and Jarveena awake to the light pouring in from the opening in the cathedral's ceiling to see Rygnar and the pictographs still watching over them. Sounds of jungle birds and rolling surf filter in from the distance, but are not enough to drown out the rumbling of your empty stomachs. The strong briny rotting smell coming from Auntie Zilla's room does at least dull your appetite some.