More than Nothing: A Tale of Creatures

[Part of the Party Time journal]

At the next stop of Wallen they learn bandits had recently robbed them and kidnapped purple haired Pellestina, so they go track and take them down which was easy because they were all drunk and celebrating a big pay day for selling the woman to the Brown Buzzard who lairs further in the woods. Despite already having the money, the continue on to try rescue the girl finding strange violent hooded men who speak in buzzes and explode into bee swarms when "slain". 

The swarms eventually leave and the team finds Pellestina tied by vines in the hollow of a tree. The woman pleads to be taking back to her village but also starts speaking in buzzes. Ughh tells everyone to leave first and blind folds the woman before using "his knowledge of being a colony of possums" to "possum-no-jutsu-massage" the bees out of her, saving her life!

Upon returning to Eagley, Aah assists in fighting off a few more attackers then learns that some of their soldiers have deserted - especially after finding out what Eagley did to "take care" of the previous troublemaker. With a number of arrested bandits now in tow, Eagley also sends a squad of soldiers to take the prisoners back to Partopia while they press on into the lands of Goatgetterville ruled by Empress Palisa. It's well known that she was in love with the late Aeternan Emperor Julian and that she would be also working on her own claim to the throne so Eagley suggests of an opportunity to support a drug trafficer in the capital city which would benefit them and hurt her. The team flatly disagrees and bypasses her city altogether and continue onto Twain.

En route, Aah saves a little girl who had snuck into the tomb of Ug "father of the pack", from its resident Jba'fofi (giant spider). The over a hundred years old leader of Twain, Jerg, thanks them and lets them rest in town but says they have no funds to give as the Empresses' tax men have already come. There's supposedly treasure in a canyon tomb nearby, which is where he sent the other tax men, but the team have no interest in confronting them. Jerg then tells them that a now "over" protective magical statue (constructed by a wastard / "a son of a witch" hired by Mama Yapa) blocks the way between Twain and Goatgetter village, making trade difficult. Magical waves of force push people back but Aah is the one who finally reaches the thing and deactivates it.

In thanks, Ma, the new leader of Goatgetter Village provides them with spears and funding. She also warns them of the dangerous forest they plan to travel to next but it doesn't stop them from going right down the middle of it to a large clearing where the corpse of a giant rainbow snake is pinned to the ground with a spear. Angry apes soon surround them, confirming that they slew their own god for demanding too much tribute, and they don't let any who enter their territory survive. Mamita leads the troops in an excellent spear throw, keeping nullifying the first wave of apes while Jerghonson rushes up the giant snake corpse and pulls the god spear.

Suddenly the great snake QQ quickly regenerates and in a rage begins to wipe out the apes. Eagley gets everyone moving before it turns on them!