Sure there were women also begging them to aid in killing the Kraken, but priorities are priorities.
Traveling deep into the woods they were warned of those who inhabited the dense foliage. Worshipers of the tigers existed in those woods and to let them know of their intents would surely lead to an assault by what could be an entire village worth of people. But the true terror of the woods was a threat no one was truly prepared for. Riddles.
As they traveled a man by the name of Marduk stopped the party demanding some form of duel if they are to pass. Unlike the others who were merely armed with the most basic iron tools they could acquire, this man was armed with a well crafted sword that could surely rend and tear the party if they were not careful. Perhaps they could overpower him if they disrespect the duel and attack him together, but with a moment of quick thinking, Klaatu suggest they duel in wits rather than brawn. Much to everyone's surprise, he agreed, and decided he would test them with a pair of riddles. Having a situation they could not stab or burn away, the combative companions had put everything they had into answering his two riddles:
I am the black birth of the bright mother,
I flee to the heavens as a wingless bird,
I make each eye weep, but not from grief
At my birth I vanish into thin air.
What am I?
When you cast your gaze to me, I cast mine to yours
Though you see me, I am blind
I am jealous that you speak, but I cannot speak.
My lips merely hang uselessly.
What am I?
After nearly experiencing a self imposed aneurysm, Klaatu guessed smoke and one's reflection accordingly, which thankfully, were both correct. The party continued their travels. Needing a place to settle for the night, the party had found a nearby village that they had hoped would harbor them. Based on the decorative saber toothed skeletons and pelts they were donning however, it quickly became obvious that the combative companions came across the very people they were warned about. Despite the tension of the encounter, they were able to hold their tongues of their plans and were allowed to stay the night in their village. They were requested to leave in the morning however, as some of their deformed, Zaba worshiping frog friends left a bad impression with their cult activities and incessant ribbiting.
So, they left and began their continued search for the tigers. After spending nearly an entire night hoping a tiger would wander into a trap they built, they eventually decided that they had spent enough time in the woods and would go find one themselves. Their search led to a cave, and after luring the great beast out with food, Oodi and Halthor proceeded to shoot it in an attempt to weaken and eventually subdue it. As this was happening however, a second tiger emerged from the cave. Smaller, weaker, definitely easier to bring, they had uncovered a saber tooth tiger still in its youth that would make their lives a whole lot easier to attempt catching instead.
Oogi shoots it in the face and it dies.
After essentially fighting a small family worth of tigers, thoroughly desecrating the traditions of the villagers that gave them shelter, the party net the original tiger and drag it away over the course of multiple days back to the boat. No one has any real experience in animal handling, but hopefully the merchants will be able to keep this great beast without someone losing their face.
Session 10 Downtime Events
The party returned to Krem's ship, their captured tiger in tow, and left to sail to Samarta.
As thralls of Lord Zaba, Hurass and Thorvid were further changed. Hurass's left arm began to wither and it's flesh turned grey and slimy. Across several days his fingers began to bulge and ended up with thick pads like that of a frog. Thorvid's skin began to change turning cold and clamy and he began to lose his body hair.
They traveled westward for a week and arrived at the southern shores of Samarta, docking to the port of the Yahzi tribe.
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