Having successfully killed the cyclops, the Combative Companions decide to hold back on their mission of mapping the shores in favor of pursuing one of the many offers and request they've been given over the past week. For them, they'll now be pursuing treasure for a group working under Kirk Serpent-Eyes, because treasure is always of the upmost importance. Now they just need to find Rod Bullbrow in the mountains, and he will guide them to the site. There was also something about Halthor being kidnapped for the night and some huge conspiracy to commit regicide, but once again, treasure is of the UPMOST importance.
As the group travel through the woods they come across a group of one dozen men who, based on the reverberations of Bodhi's sword, are likely part of some cult. With demands of a maiden to sacrifice for the Kraken, Halthor tells them that they're fresh out of offerings as any women they had to offer have succumb to the terrors of these woods. They were not too fond on the response, but it at least made enough sense for the men to give them peace. They turn their backs, and walk away.
And then everybody shoots them while their guard is down.
What remained of the men scattered as they realized, along with the party, just how devastating those mysterious items Halthor picked up a few days ago were, as he, Axrid, and Zanorak fired beams of light that pierced through the cultists leaving melted holes through their chests. Apparently these men now wield "ray guns", and it is utterly terrifying. Even Axrid's a little intimidated by what his weapon can do, and Sain's concerned that using these guns may have adverse side effects. But with a weapon so powerful, of course they'll continue using it.
Later that night, a rustling is heard as a group approaches them. At first they assumed it was the cult from earlier, but thankfully they had not come for vengeance. Rather it was an entirely different cult that just so happened to have found them and wants to take their blood. How comforting. The men were actually semi-civil of the entire matter, requesting that they offer blood to their deity The Lord in Veins via bloodletting, and that they may even be granted protection for doing so. There were even implications that Sain may be able to serve under the Lord in Veins if he participated, but he declined, as he viewed their group as "unforgivably lame and embarrassing". No one wanted to participate, and the party were open to simply murdering them, and calling it a night, but before they could do so Zanorak decided "On second thought, I'm gonna do it" and the end result became Zanorak and Bravello the hireling offering to perform enough bloodletting for one dozen people. So, they are given an urn with black shards to stick their hand into that would cut and draw blood from them. Zanorak draws blood for six people, making him slightly lightheaded, but otherwise he was okay. For Bravello however, this was a different case.
Bravello didn't say anything as he wanted to be a brave boy when Halthor asked if he wanted to participate, but Bravello has a slight problem with hemophilia, and he had an overwhelming feeling that if he tried sticking his hand in the not-blender, he could die. Halthor picked up on the fear Bravello was experiencing, so, despite not wanting to do this in the first place, he took Bravello's place and performed bloodletting for six people, ruining his hand with a series of scratches and tears. The cultist left, the party gained nothing from the experience, and only Zanorak was okay with this.
As they make it to the mountains a storm begins to form, forcing the party to find shelter for the night, but with a heavy downpour soaking them and leaving them at risk of freezing over the night, those with oil cloaks, Bodhi, Matthias, Halthor, Zigfried, Axrid, and Viglaf set off to find wood suitable to make a fire with. As they travel through the storm, they can just barely make out a few men in the distance, at first they had hoped they could gain insight on the locale and where they could obtain wood from them, but as they noticed their green complexion, and the stinger-like trinkets on their belts, they realized these were the same creatures they had found punctured with arrows a week ago, and they're also carrying ray guns on their belts. Well...time to murder them and steal their shit.
Matthias had plans of distracting them with conversation while their gun wielders Halthor and Axrid ambushed them, but as the group quickly became hostile upon noticing them, that plan was thrown out the window, and Halthor and Axrid fire first, killing who they think is their leader, and one of the lackeys. Then the most surprising thing happens. The green men begin to unload their weapons into the corpse of their leader. It turns out, these green men are Namekians, a proud race of copyright friendly people who were captured, and enslaved by the Aresians, which their "leader" was attributed to. They were under hypnosis, but once their leader was killed, they were able to break free of his will. Despite unintentionally murdering their companion Picolo, the trio of Fluut, Obo, and Klaranat were grateful for their aid, and viewed the Combative Companions as companions despite being combative. With no ill will, they settled with the group for the night before leaving the next day in search of a Kingdom on the other side of the bay, where they may be able to settle.
Hopefully, they're paths may cross in the future.
Oh, and a dinosaur was set on fire after getting struck by lightning in the middle of the night. Not important, but interesting none the less.
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