Chapter 3: Meeting The Natives

"The maimed..." Ygne murmurs curiously. "Oh! She exclaims, "Jarveena, yeah? Mhm, she's down there." Ygne shrugs helplessly, "I wouldn't go down there, though. They're having a little talk, and Rygnar - y'know, the big one? - well, I just had to put him in his place a bit, earlier." Ygne cracks her knuckles, "That's what the shouting was."

"So," she starts, changing the subject, "What's there to do for excitement in Pan-.. Pantinu-.. In your village?"

From what I understand, we can either break a pearl a speaking undead claiming to be god told you about, kill that "god" or run away risking being stopped by unknown monsters... I feel we could use more info, and if the map is right there is at least 3 villages just north of this island. I think we should start there and find more info before making a decision.....

"What 'more info' do you need?" asks Elspa. "Destroy the pearl and leave. And I ain't trusting no villagers if they's a part of this."

What I mean is the info we have comes from one source only, how do we know we can trust that source. What if this "god" that spoke to you is in fact a demon that wants to kill everybody. Maybe the story is true and it's the villagers we can't trust. I think we just need to have more info because from what I can see the only ones I can trust for now are you guys.... All I'm saying is we should be careful before doing anything that could backfire on us.

"If the demon wants to kill me after we've destroyed the pearl, it will be a glorious battle," says Elspa. "And you are right to trust us, but that should be enough. We have a path now. It is plain and simple, and whatever lies or treachery might be there will be dealt with."

"Doan' be so sure, Elspa." Jarveena warns. "Moss migh' be righ' -- we doan know what this god's really got planned. Remember what it did to me! It's got power we can't righ'ly match." she scratches at a phantom itch in one of her missing fingers. "But I ain' lookin' forward to visitin' any more villages either!"

"Don't care what this god's gonna do," Elspa grunts. "If it wants to stab me in the back after I smash its pearl, I'll be sure to turn around and repay the favor. At least it dealt with us direct, not like some people on this rock." The barbarian glances up the stairs briefly before returning her attention to Jarveena. "I figure the river is better, right?"

Jarveena nods. "Aye. Though sailin' 'round th' coast migh' be dicey on our shit raft. Better if we can get a proper boat."

Ygne crosses her arms and watches the old lady carefully. Her expression is somewhat sour, seemingly dissatisfied that there is nothing exciting that she could distract herself with, thinking not of the losses that the village had only recently suffered. At the mention of attacking the pirates back, her expression brightens a bit, and the more the lady talks about it, the wider Ygne's smile grows. "Now there's a fine idea!" Ygne shouts enthusiastically, "You're real smart, y'know that?" Ygne snaps her fingers and exclaims, "They probably have a lot of expensive shit, too. And those stupid birds they were riding on... oh, wow, hey! I could capture one!"

Ygne takes off, running toward where she last saw Khiva and the Seventh. She turns as she jogs, waving to the old lady and her friends, "Thanks!"

Elspa says, tipping her head to the crab-covered pile of bodies, "These guys won't be needing their boats. Got a couple pulled up on the beach down that-a-ways. No sail, though; gotta row.

"Walking over land might be better. Most like that river going into the island is running to the sea, right? Might slow us down trying to row against the water. Still, I'd like to bring along at least one boat. 'Island within an island' means there's gonna be water somewhere."

"Riverbank's still better for walkin' than messin' about them jungles, I think."

Jarveena's right, and there would be less chances of getting lost.