10 Jan 2022 17:05
Setting
Plot was mostly just making stuff up based on who might be around in the area, and possibly talking to my other gaming group about what to throw at people.
IC Play
The group continued to scout ahead for the caravan. Kosa and Saronil came across some rather odd baboon tracks. They were surprised a few minutes later to see a naked man burst from the bushes. Saronil tried to follow him, casting Detect Enemies, but he just ran away.
Then there were naked men and women everywhere. Saronil thought he could see an elephant-human hybrid in the distance.1 Everyone else counted naked people and rather odd-looking bipeds. They went to report this to the caravan master, who knew what it was - a Morokanth herd. They went past carefully, not disturbing the slavers.
Soon they reached a caravan where the usual band declaring arrivals would have to fight for water had been replaced by a group of just four people, some wearing heavy-duty iron. They negotiated; the leader, a man dressed in an iron breastplate that incorporated a large Moon Rune, was Duke Raus, a border land-holder. Kosa recognised him from her time in New Pavis. He asked the group to help him get back a man of his who had been taken as a slave, and then reduced to a herd animal by the Black Claw clan of the Morokanth, who were nearby. Raus said the man would prefer to be dead than to be an animal, but was wanted back very badly.
With the agreement of the caravan master, who would get water out of the deal, and with 100 L for expenses, they went to find the morokanth. There were impala riders following the herd, but nobody challenged them. The Morokanth were good hosts, and offered them food, including what was obviously (to the non-Praxian observer) human meat. While they were cooking, the group worked out that the bipedal posture was for show - the Morokanth were happier on four feet. Aria pretended to eat, successfully, while others ate, or politely refused.
The price they had for Daine the herdman was 125 L, and for another 100 L they were prepared to sell the information on who had sold him to the group. They paid this, with Saronil footing the bill, and then set off. On the way away, they were held up by Impala riders, who took another 50 L in 'tribute' but warned them about rhino riders who were in the area.
Raus was happy to see his man again, and Saronil got re-imbursed. Raus offered hospitality if they were ever in Sun County, and the group travelled on, reaching New Pavis.
Fargast passed a message from Eril to Roneer, High Sword of the Temple of Humakt.
Kerentha went to visit the Argan Argar Temple, where after she talked about the Morokanth, she was blindfolded and taken to speak to a Mistress Troll. This time, night vision magic was cast on her, and she could see the troll - it was vaguely crocodilian, with drooping ears made droopier by lead earrings, and clothing that was probably made of the skin of trollkins and humans. Kerentha told her everything about the Morokanth and Daine, and was told not to say anything.
Aria did her usual sort of trading.
Kosa, after training in the Humakti Temple for a while, went to her own Temple. She was told to watch herself around the White Bull, and that trolls might be making people go missing.
Other Things
It was nice to have a completely non-Praxian group, so that basically everyone went 'ew' at the slave-eating and didn't get that the naked humans were just animals.