FCG rode further down the road towards the Eisfus River, using Triple J’s spiritual steed as a substitute for the recently deceased Alfred. When they stopped to rest for the night, Conan again poured his consciousness into the obsidian blade. This time he was not stricken with visions of terror from his past, but instead felt a faint thrum denoting kinship with the blade. After a peaceful night’s rest on the outskirts of the Labenda Swamp, the party reached the Eisfus River crossing before noon the following day. As the party began to cross, a horn blew from just beyond the swamp’s tree line, and before they could react, FCG found themselves surrounded by a band of reptilian-like humanoids.
The party was shocked when Soren began uttering guttural tones and hisses, conversing in Draconic, with the Lizardfolk. The paladin relayed that the Lizardfolk wanted their horse, and that in exchange, the party would be able to proceed without conflict. FCG agreed to the terms, knowing full well that Triple J could re-summon his steed at any time. The Lizardfolk departed with Frank, the horse, and Conan and Soren were left to pull the group’s cart onward. After traveling for a few minutes, Triple J felt safe enough to begin summoning his horse again. However, as soon as he dropped the arcane connection tethering Frank to the material plane, a similar horn blared in the distance. Within minutes, the Lizardfolk set upon them once more, this time with violent enthusiasm.
Unfortunately for the scaly bandits, FCG proved to be far superior in combat, dispatching many of the initial attackers before the rest of the band could arrive. Greeted with the corpses of their fallen comrades, the pack’s leader bade his warriors lay down their weapons and cease hostilities at once. Soren picking up on the dialect, instructed FCG to do the same and begin conversing with the Lizardfolk leader. FCG learned that the Lizardfolk had recently been ousted from their hunting grounds by a group of serpentine outlanders, and were now in desperate need of food, hence their desire for the party’s horse. In concordance with Bahamut’s tenets, Soren urged the rest of her party to aid the downtrodden Lizardfolk in recovering their hunting grounds. Kind hearts prevailing, the rest of FCG agreed.
The Lizardfolk deftly led them through the swamp to the series of small lakes where they used to hunt. As many of the Lizardfolk were still too wounded from Endrin’s gravitic onslaught, FCG headed into the fray alone. A quick scout revealed a large group of similarly scaled humanoids carefully combing the marshland for something, this group however, appearing more snake-like in nature. As Soren attempted to creep closer, she stepped on a large frog which croaked loudly before splashing away. After a moment of tense silence, a cacaphony of hissing began filling the air around the party. Soren whirled around and found herself staring straight into the slitted eyes of a slender, humanoid female, patches of scale dotting her tanned skin. “What’ssss thisssss?” the snake person mused. Not waiting for another syllable to fly from her forked tongue, Soren drew her blade and charged into combat.
Through mud and poison, FCG fought against the Yuan-Ti usurpers, and while it was Soren who’s blade illuminated the battlefield, it was Conan who truly shined this day. Augmented by arcane alacrity, thanks to Endrin’s haste spell, and fiendish speed, the raging warrior tore a bloody path to and through the largest of the Yuan-Ti warriors, seemingly absorbing their life essence into the gleaming black blade with which he slew them. Soren dispatched many of the Yuan-Ti with Bahamut’s might while Triple J provided support and inspiration to his comrades. Endrin concentrated on maintaining his spell on Conan, while simultaneously fending off a serpentine archer who managed to flank the group from behind. With the tide of battle turning against them, the lingering remnants of the Yuan-Ti force began to flee into the swamp, but were unsuccessful in their endeavor as Triple J put them to sleep and Soren and Endrin finished them off. As the muck settled, only one Yuan-Ti, a young female, remained alive in Conan’s clutches.
The Yuan-Ti hissed and snarled as FCG began their line of questioning. The serpentine woman claimed she was doing the work of god and was in search of something of great importance to her people. As the group began probing further, she refused to reveal any further information about herself or her quarry without assurance of her survival. Endrin quickly tired of the Yuan-Ti’s callous demeanor and slights against his gnomish height, and catapulted a rock straight through her head, thus ending the interrogation before anything of real value could be gleaned. Triple J was irritated with the wizard’s rash action, claiming that they could have gotten more out of the girl by means of the bard’s psychic ability. Regardless, the deed was done, and the battle won. FCG was received with gratitude and acknowledgement upon reporting their success to the Lizardfolk. The tribal leader swore to remember Princess Eris and the efforts of FCG, and Triple J managed to inspire and, perhaps, convert one of the Lizardfolk to the way of the Grinners. With their business in the swamp hopefully concluded this time, FCG returned to their cart and set off once more for Hupperdook.
