Kamoa frowns a bit at her whispered comment. "Others? Did you have friends that maybe escaped the attack?" He glances over at the tied up person, and says more quietly, so it doesn't carry. " Where do you think they might go if they did get away? We could try and find them and get them to safety."

Shisa appears a little surprised (or irritated) that Kamoa heard her comment. She replies, voice low. " I don't know. I was separated from the others when the temple was attacked; we had an escape plan in case of emergencies like this. Hopefully the other priests were able to get everyone out. Besides, everyone should be heading to the other temple. It was only me that was separated, so Teacher Saah told me to flee with Phoon. "

Kaoma nods at her comment. "Well, try not to worry, we'll make sure you get to your people. The Force moves in mysterious ways, and I don't find it strange at all that we were led here. " He affectionately pats her head twice. "Is it far to the other temple from here? More than a day's journey or so?" His tone curious, as he gathers his few belongings in preparation of setting out.

Takane listened quietly to the conversations of the others, focusing slightly more on Kamoa's conversation with the young girl. She was tired, having stayed up longer than needed to guard the hostage, and now worked through her own rations, sitting near the man to observe him as she cleaned and sharpened her blade, dousing it with water, wiping it with the silk cloth she carried, and inspecting the edge and refining it with her whetstone.

Zik extinguishes the fusion lamp and hangs it from his staff so that it can cool before returning to his pack. Maybe the cold will convince Chadrik to get up? He then glances back over at the captive to see if he's eaten the ration bar yet.

8 hours ago, KungFuFerret said:

Kaoma nods at her comment. "Well, try not to worry, we'll make sure you get to your people. The Force moves in mysterious ways, and I don't find it strange at all that we were led here. " He affectionately pats her head twice. "Is it far to the other temple from here? More than a day's journey or so?" His tone curious, as he gathers his few belongings in preparation of setting out.

"It's on the far side of Yaht Gurghan. We have to turn north at Gilgal, cross the Great Waterway Bridge, then head west. It's in the far mountains."

3 hours ago, SavageBob said:

He then glances back over at the captive to see if he's eaten the ration bar yet.

The man seems uninterested in the offered food, and has barely moved. Only the faintest movements of his chest show that he is still breathing.

A loud snort came from Chadrik as he sat up quickly from his sleep. He blinked a few times, looked around him slowly and stood up. Leaving the party for a minute, he wandered off into the woods. A bit later he made his way back refreshed and plopped down were he had slept and appeared to go back to sleep. However, this time he rolled over so that he could see what everyone was doing.

[Chadrik will continue to lie here until the party decides to move or some other major incident occurs.]

1 hour ago, Blackbird888 said:

The man seems uninterested in the offered food, and has barely moved. Only the faintest movements of his chest show that he is still breathing.

Zik frowns when he sees that the captive hasn't eaten. He kneels before the onetime combatant and looks him in the eye. "Only a fool won't eat. Perhaps you aren't a fool, though." Zik retrieves the ration bar. "Once, there was a man with two wives. Each of them bore him a beautiful child, and the family was very happy." Tthe storyteller places the bar inside the man's collar so that it extends enough to be eaten should the man decide to do so. "But the child of the junior wife did better at sports and at school, so the senior wife grew jealous. She hatched a plot to do away with her junior co-wife's child." Zik moves behind the bound man and grabs his bound hands. "Now, the senior wife knew that her co-wife's child came home earlier each day from school and ate a morga pie. So she hid some poison in the pie and awaited the child's return. But on this day, it was her own child who returned home earlier. His mother watched in horror as her child ate the morga pie and died immediately! The wicked woman lost her precious child for her evil deeds. That is the moral. But perhaps you think you detect a different moral? You think we have poisoned your morga pie?" Zik puts his hands under the captive's elbows. "Believe me, Sir. If we wished to kill you, you would already be dead." He then pulls on the captive's arms to make him stand up.

Kai maintains his watch, while the party breaks their meager camp and awaits Phoon's return. (If he can track a spider in a snowstorm, surely he can find his way back to camp.) Slowly masticating a piece of jerky from his dwindling supply, he wonders aloud: " Tu-whit tu-whoo! I hope Phoon is bringing breakfast for all?"

The captive remains on his knees, refusing Zik's unspoken suggestion that he stand. The storyteller circles back around and squats down in front of the captive. "Look. You're going with us go Gilgal one way or another. But this doesn't have to be unpleasant. You have food if you want it. And I know the sting of binders. Why don't I wake up that snoring Rodian over there and get him to loosen these a notch or two for you? But my people say it is easier to do a favor for someone who is not a stranger." The human taps his chest. "I'm Zik Adid-Yati. Zik." He points to the captive. "What's your name?"

The man raises his head and stands, looking Zik and Bralane in the eye. He keeps his voice level and his face stony. You can't understand what he says, of course, but Shisa offers to translate.

" He says his name is Amanojaku ," she explains. " Which is a kind of... mischievous, spiteful demon creature. I don't know if that's his real name or if he's mocking you. "

3 hours ago, Blackbird888 said:

The man raises his head and stands, looking Zik and Bralane in the eye. He keeps his voice level and his face stony. You can't understand what he says, of course, but Shisa offers to translate.

" He says his name is Amanojaku ," she explains. " Which is a kind of... mischievous, spiteful demon creature. I don't know if that's his real name or if he's mocking you. "

"Amanojaku, is it? You're lucky. I have a soft spot for mischievous, spiteful demon creatures. I myself come from the people of the jubba bird—a more mischievous demon than you're likely to find around these parts." Zik pulls again on the captive to get him to stand up. He then calls to the snoozing Rodian. "Chadrik! Can you loosen these binders a notch or so? Old Amanojaku has earned a slightly more pleasant walk to Gilgal, I think."

Kamoa gathers his things, and moves to stand close to Shisa. He takes out his flute and lightly thumps it against his shoulder, thinking. He looks down at Shisa and asks, smiling. "So does Shisa mean anything? Or Phoon?"

Chadrik sits up and stretches. He had been listening to these conversations even though his the particular spot of ground on which he lay was quit warm. He walked slowly up to the prisoner. "Mischievous, spiteful demon creature? Generally, I usually tighten the binders on mischievous demons. Not to mention spiteful. But since Zik is the one who will be running after you if you escape, I'm willing." He winks at Zik Adid-Yati. He loosens the binders enough to make a difference but is careful to keep then tight. "A bit of advice. Try to escape when Kai isn't looking. You don't need him on your tail." He patted the prisoner on the back in a friendly manner as he went back to get his backpack.

" Ksssskkk! Kai is always looking."

On 8/5/2017 at 11:06 PM, KungFuFerret said:

Kamoa gathers his things, and moves to stand close to Shisa. He takes out his flute and lightly thumps it against his shoulder, thinking. He looks down at Shisa and asks, smiling. "So does Shisa mean anything? Or Phoon?"

" Yeah, I think so, " she answers. " I don't know who named Phoon, but its short for something. They usually give the orphans names--if we didn't have one--usually after a dead priest or some kind of legendary, beneficent creature. There are a lot of both, so I'm not sure where our names came from. I'd have to ask the priests. "

After everybody packs up their belongings, the group sets out. The path back down the mountain is the same as it was ascending, and soon they are on the main road. Phoon rejoins the group partway down, and Shisa trades walking for riding on his back. Progress is steady though slow through the forest road. Shisa and Phoon alternate between leading the way with some of the others, but the pair stays close to the front. Amanojaku--for lack of a sure name--remains near the middle and offers no resistance, though he doesn't speak again and ignores any more offers for food.

By early afternoon, the group reaches the city of Gilgal. It is far from glamorous, but is larger than the small fishing village you left the day before. Unlike that seemingly cobbled together settlement, Gilgal has something resembling organization and purpose; the structures seem to be made of natural stone and wood and colored in pleasing earthy tones, instead of metal or prefabricated materials and gray colors, calling to mind a mix of Arconan, Ithorian, and Gran architecture. There is nothing fancy about it, but it has a simple sort of elegance. Only the outer wall, a four-meter structure made of metals and composites, differs significantly from the rest of the town.

There is a gate and guards, but they don't stop you as you pass into the town. There is a true mix of alien species, too many to clearly see a majority; there are Gran, Twi'lek, Arconan, Duros, Sullustan, Human, Ithorian, Gamorrean, and many, many more milling about. There looks like some kind of outdoor market or bazaar on the main north-south thoroughfare, though it's not truly bustling.

Overall, it seems a lively and established place.

Kamoa stops as they pass the guards and asks politely. "Excuse me, where is the local Marshal or Constable for this city?"

As Kamoa approaches the lawman, Zik considers moving quickly through the gate to avoid the guards. The details of his exile to this world were never really clear, after all—perhaps best not to test the legal waters on where he's allowed and not allowed to go?

But as Shisa brushes past him on her companion's back, Zik remembers the village children back home. This man tried to buy this young girl for who knows what reasons.

Zik pauses and takes a deep breath. Better to stay back to help Kamoa deliver the man over.

Takane stayed with the captive, quietly boiling. She understood compassion, but Zik's kindness to their prisoner seemed out of place. The man had attacked them unprovoked and would have killed them, and taken Shisa for who knew what purpose (although it was unlikely to be good).

But now that they'd arrived, it was no longer a major concern; the local law would take him, review their statements, and then pronounce his sentence. Justice would be done, and they could be on their way. So she stood in stony silence as Kamoa retrieved the guards.

"Szheewww!" Kai whistles appreciatively at the defensive walls. (This town should, indeed, have a place where we can rid ourselves of our prisoner.)

Taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling market, Kai relaxes a bit, feeling less conspicuous amongst the diverse species represented. And the smells! "I really must find something proper to eat, once we cede custody of this child-thief."

His thoughts are not entirely on his stomach, however, as he keeps a sharp lookout for any hats, masks or cloaks that might indicate an enemy presence within the town.

On 8/7/2017 at 9:23 PM, KungFuFerret said:

Kamoa stops as they pass the guards and asks politely. "Excuse me, where is the local Marshal or Constable for this city?"

One of the guards, an older, scar-faced Arcona, scrutinizes the the group for a moment.

"Head to the town hall, outlandnder," he answers, "biggest building you can find, yes? Right in the heart of town. Look for the Pantoran woman with the gauged eye. Not bringing any trouble, I hope?"

2 hours ago, Blackbird888 said:

One of the guards, an older, scar-faced Arcona, scrutinizes the the group for a moment.

"Head to the town hall, outlandnder," he answers, "biggest building you can find, yes? Right in the heart of town. Look for the Pantoran woman with the gauged eye. Not bringing any trouble, I hope?"

Kamoa scrunches up his face at the question. "Well, considering the situation, I'd have to say yes, we are bringing trouble." He gestures to the captive they have. "This one attacked us, along with several of his allies. We didn't feel inclined to leave him loose to do more harm, or kill him outright, so we thought we'd try and put him in the hands of the local law enforcement." He nods pleasantly to the guard as he scans the buildings for the tallest one. "Thanks for your directions."

"Come along, Demon-of-Mischief," Zik says, once out of earshot of the guards. "You have someone you need to see. And if she's Pantoran, she probably won't care that you're a Human. That is too bad for you."

Chadrik eyed the town as they passed through it. Unfortunately, he was in one of those moods in which he didn't really care about much. Maybe he just hadn't got enough sleep. The force moved through him. He could feel that. Yet, he felt that it passed him while he stood still. He yawned. As they passed some of the bazaars he brightened up as he saw some mechanical tidbits. Then his mind wandered back to their prisoner. At first he had initial apathy towards him but as they had come into Gilgal, his apathy had turned into an icy anger. Not flaming but more simmering. He finally came to understand why Kai had been so angry. This man wanted to buy a child. Did this man want to buy the people in this town? The love that he had for his freedom connected with the folks here.

He looked towards the "Demon-of-Mischief" as Zik called him. He had better get some demon justice.

Despite the bustling street, the trip to the town hall is quick and straightforward. The building has a cylindrical shape to it, and only stands apart by being taller and larger than the surrounding buildings. Still, it holds no candle to even some of the Outer Rim cities in size or grandeur.

The inside is arranged somewhat like other town halls: a lobby with some places to sit and wait, a few desks. There's a stairway guarded by a burly Gamorrean wearing a uniform similar to the gate guards, and a Gran female is sitting at the desk closest to the center of the room. There are a few other beings, but its mostly empty.