Our conversation with the Rakasta continues. Bael notices that Isis is now stroking one of the tigers and points it out. Razasaska’s eyes narrow with suspicion. Bael points out yet again that we have proved our considerable power. He fixes Razasaska with his gaze and tells him/her(?) that (s)he should tell us where to bring our boat so that we can meet them to trade. His ‘suggestion’ seems to be effective and the great southern bay is mentioned. A hollow threat is uttered and then we decide to let the Rakasta go.
After some brief posturing they summon their tigers but only one responds.. There’s a bit of a hiss but they walk away peacefully enough, having been returned their blades.
We camp for the night and return the next day to the tree people and meet Morgan and Amber. Morgan still looks in a bad way but is cheered to hear that we have found the way north that the squirrel king told us about.
The next morning we head back north, camping in the tower again before setting off through the mountains. Eventually we reach the foot of the bridge and step on.
It seems worn but sturdy, although it does seem to sway slightly in the wind. We reach the plateau without incident and see that it is around 30 miles across, with grassland and patches of woodland, rather than jungle. Dominating the view is an extinct volcano. The base is 10 miles across and it must be 18,000ft high.
As we trek across towards it’s based we are dive bombed by a flock(?) of flying reptiles. Arrows are loosed, and then Varys casts Sleep – they all drop to the ground and are quickly despatched. We butcher the beasts, and feed the tiger too. Deer are spotted, but they scram before we get a chance to hunt them. We camp at the base of the volcano and cook the pterodactyl for supper.
During the night we hear wolves howling, but it seems the smell of a giant tiger wards them off.
In the morning we begin our ascent of the mountain. Morgan’s weakened state is doing him no favours as he slips and falls, bashing his head on a rock and losing conciousness. Between us, although it’s mainly Minerva, we manage to drag him to the summit. It’s very cold and snowy and we need shelter. Isis and Varys both polymorph themselves into bears in order to be more efficient diggers and they dig out a shelter in the snow. Varys’ transformation only last 90 mins and so he and the others suffer from frostbite and lack of sleep. Isis is unaffected in bear form, and Morgan is wrapped in a dire wolf pelt.
Rosy fingered dawn spreads her fingers across the land and we all marvel at the view. As the sun starts to shine down into the volcano we can see jungle and a lake below. Amber and Rob agree on what looks like the easiest route down and we descend without any incidents. Morgan is still unconscious. Before we depart, Isis morphs into bat form and flies back down to reunite with her tiger in order to maintain her magical friendship with it. She will find us again in a day or so.
As we descend we can make out a village and all agree that it must be our destination. We skirt the lake and reach a palisade wall. There is a gate and our knock is answered by a native human. He speaks in a very old dialect of Thyatian, but we are able to understand each other. Bael explains our predicament and the guard rushes off to consult his tribal elders.
After 15 min the gates open and we are beckoned inside. We are presented to two incredibly old men. Bael introduces the party and again explains our need for aid and offers our services. The ‘Talking Chief’ welcomes us and says his medicine man can cure Morgan but that we must complete a quest. We immediately agree and the second old man steps up to the slumped fighter. Some laying on of hands and chanting seems to do the trick and Morgan awakes looking better than he has done for days and days.
The chief declares that it is time for a feast of welcome before any discussion of tasks will happen. He also explains that he is only the ‘Talking Chief’, we are still to meet the real chief of the tribe.