Chapter Four: The Manifest of the Harikan Squall

"Bloody hells," mutters Zangua. To the Queen, he states, "Look, all I know is that this woman is on the run from a group marked with a six-pointed crown. Her dad got offed because of some iron sphere and these six-pointed crown guys have been leaving bodies around in their chase. We fled here, tussled with some goblins, got away from some crazy king with hair problems and a bad temper, got our asses nearly handed to us by some metal man-thing, and now we'd like to get through to see if her mom has some answers."

"That is about the size of it, your majesty. Zora's father stole the Iron Sphere of Sthombo under duress, but hid it from the people who forced his hand - a group called the Six-Pronged Crown. They think she has it or knows where it is, but she does not. If you want to know more about that, you will have to allow her to speak. She was instructed to go to Hazard to contact her mother. I'm not sure I understand what you mean about a disease, but if you mean the Six-Pronged Crown, we all nearly died killing some kind of construct called The Implacable that they sent after Zora."

Zangua looks at Zora. "There another way through?"

"My lady, we have no quarrel with you. If the corruption of which you speak is no match for us, then what concern is it of yours if we are destroyed by it? If it is as terrible as you say, we must try to stop it, whatever the risk to ourselves."

Shamush pales as the conversation seems to take a turn. He puts his hands forward, palms up in a beseeching gesture, saying quickly, "Wise lady, who has seen much more than we, please... this is our journey. We don't ask the gods to hold our hands, because we would not learn anything. Surely you have made sacrifices of your own to achieve your deep knowledge, sacrifices others might scorn or not understand. We travel with eyes open to the danger, even if we can not see all the angles you do."

He looks around and thumps his bear, sweaty chest, saying with force, "Some day I might like to return here, to live and learn. It seems like a deep well containing much truth, but I am too young yet, too young and foolish and full of piss and fight to gain much from settling here just yet. It isn't my time, and not my friends' time yet either. We would wither here. We may seem fools, but in truth I believe we are heroes, only still just rough metal being beaten into blades! You nurture potential here. Help us find ours, even if it means a short end for us!"

Zangua takes that cue and makes to depart the chamber. "Bloody hells, Shamush," he says to the barbarian as they leave. "How come you never talk like that to me at night?"

Shamush bows so low that his tuft of oily black hair brushes the dusty ground before him. Its fringe barely obscures a wide, exuberant grin. He whispers loudly, "Thank you! Thank you! Some day I will return and tell you our story and share the white... stuff... with your people." He backs out awkwardly, catching one last peek at the strange woman before he leaves.

What is there in town? Any stores or other businesses?

Leth looks at Shamush incredulously as he speaks, and shakes his head in wonder as the Queen grants their request and sends them out. As they leave, he leans over to the barbarian and simply says, "Nice speech."


1) Leth would buy some arrows, if possible. I haven't really been keeping up with the exact amount I have since you said I'd normally be able to retrieve them, but I figure there's been enough combat and whatnot that he'd probably be running low.
2) Is there any place we could pick up some health potions, and maybe a bag of caltrops or ball bearings?
3) If it's cool with the group, would it be possible for Leth to use some party funds to pick up a set of Studded Leather armor?