“You did more than just invade our land, Ayatsuka. Take your plundering blood hands back to where you came from! For Alanhuran!”
The remaining Gaian of the hollow are not ready to parley, and so they are slaughtered. The Expeditioners search the bodies, but find no hint of what the Gaian are doing. Edwina collects the bark map of Kuljak and they set down to rest. In the morning, the expeditioners expedition back towards Kuljak.
6 hours later and a mile ahead of their party, the scouts Edwina and Millicent realise, despite their compass, that they are lost. As they try to get their bearings, a ropey green goblin moves toward them unnoticed, silent limbs groping from branch to branch. He is joined by at least 15 others, arranged in a circle. They close in as Edwina recognises them: Tasloi!
The Tasloi have their javelins at the ready, but are more curious than violent. They speak to each other in a snuffly tongue that neither of the pair speak, but then question Edwina with broken words: “Gaian?” Happy to capitalize on the misunderstanding, Edwina offers the jungle scavengers some food, which they readily accept. Once she runs out, the Tasloi (now 30 in number) begin to squabble amongst themselves - those who missed out on the charcuterie are annoyed. Before their anger can turn on the pair, Edwina offers to fetch more food if the Tasloi lead them back to the trail. They accept, and lead the scouts towards Kuljak, away from their party.
Lagging behind, the rest of The Expeditioners grow weary. The time for their scouts to report comes and goes with no sight of them. Following markings left for them, they find the abandoned charcuterie boards and that the trail has suddenly turned west. Despite the unknown status of their scouts, they are well rested and well fed. The group are in high spirits. That is, until Prold is leapt upon by a vicious tiger! It bloodies him well, but a quick round of melee sends the tiger back into the jungle unfed. As the sun begins to sink, The Expeditioners rejoin as one party.
The next day they find the trail without incident, and after several hours of slog in the brutally high heat, they arrive back to the farmland surrounding Kuljak.
After turning in their wares, Maddox fills in the paperwork (marking the 200 retrieved Royals as stolen property, which as such are confiscated). In the meantime Millicent, Edwina, and Mr Gurgle Golorok follow the bark map to a potters house on the southern edge of Kuljak.
A potter of 30 years sits, talking idly with a man in the glow of sunset. Millicent initiates the conversation by smashing a pot, drawing the ire of the man. She accuses the pair of being Gaian sympathisers. Edwina scurries away while tensions rise in a stand off between the man, Sifan, and Mr Gurgle Golorok. This results in a punch to the face, which doesn’t phase Mr Gurgle Golork, and luckily his temper remains in check. The pair of expeditioners depart.
The next day, the report is returned with a commendation, and a letter demanding Millicent and Mr Gurgle Golorok answer summons to Governer Gashesh of Kuljak. There they receive a severe telling off, and the punitive duty to clean the quarters of Magister Oregati, who is arriving in town that day. In fact, they see his lieutenant in the tower. The lieutenant, Salvan Kwandi, is recognised by Edwina in The Expeditionary Hall. She now faces the added complication that he is, as a distant memory reminds her, the prime candidate for marriage between the magistrate house Kwandi and her own, Talani.
Rumors Learned:
Hexes Explored: 3
Commendations: 1