The old druid sighs. "You might not like the answer..." He says. "But I have seen the jungle goblins wearing that symbol a lot. Sometimes its just a crude representation made out of wood and white stones, but I'd swear that the symbol is the same."

"The Batiri are insane. Even if they are wearing a holy symbol, I really doubt that they honestly worship your goddess" Jobal interrupts. "Maybe they saw the symbols once, thought they were pretty, and now they wear them without having any clue as to its true meaning. Knowing how vicious they are, I wouldn't be surprised if they went out of their way to murder clerics and paladins of Selune to try to steal the real thing." He visibly shudders as he mentally pictures his grisly theory. "Be careful of those masked goblins on your travels, they are despicable!"

Qawasha seems deep in thought for a moment, but says nothing. 

 Edwin closes his eyes, considering the information on the Batiri that has been presented.

"Having a follower of their deity in our midst could prove useful in a tight spot. Something to keep in mind."

"They wear these symbols," Dryn replies looking like she struggled a bit to remain composed. "I would ask to know where these goblins are if you know," she then says her brows furrowed. "Selune protects us all but she teaches to welcome everyone regardless of heritage. If you think these goblins however are carrying the symbols as trophies...." she pauses touching her own amulet with a hard look, "I would want to find out," she adds without further elaboration.

"It's hard to say. They are nomads, and they are everywhere, we are bound to find them on our journey without searching them out... For good or for bad." Qawasha explains. His voice is deep, calm and oddly relaxing, like the soothing voice of a loved grandfather. "But I know there's a tribe of them roaming the ruins of Camp Righteous. After the Gauntlet abandoned it, they had seem interested in claiming that territory for themselves, but something seems to be scaring them off from entering. Maybe they are still scared of being killed by the Gauntlet or by their gods if they go inside, or maybe it is the horde of undead keeping them busy..."

"The Batiri have also been giving Fort Beluarian hell ever since the Flaming Fist built that damn base" Jobal adds. "If there's a good thing that came from those ruffians coming here is that they have been keeping the savage tribes busy. Hopefully they'll do us all a favor and end up killing each other, the jungle would be a lot more peaceful if they did"

"Such a hateful wish..." Qawasha mutters under his breath, but if Jobal hears him he says nothing.

He replies to Edwin. "That would be nice, but keep in mind things might be more complicated than that. I believe that the Batiri worship many things, including primordials and nature spirits, and some might worship malevolent deities as so many goblin tribes are known to do. Some tribes could really be worshipping the Moonmaiden, but others might be followers of the Nightsinger, and many more might just be servants of the Beastlord. We'll just have to be prepared for anything."

Erbert considers, "You seem quite knowledgeable and capable of the task.  If we help you with the undead as we travel, would you reduce your fee?  If we are headed to Fort Vengeance and Mbala, how would you propose to get there?  What would you suggest that we use for mounts?"

If Erbert is satisfied with the answers, he will say : 

"Otherwise I would say that I have heard enough and I'm ready to proceed with you, if you would join us.  Does everyone agree?  We will go see Ifan to ask about mounts next and then be on our way..."

Cuervo, sitting on a table, looking hard at the vegepygmy, squawks his approval and flaps back up onto Erbert's shoulder.

"If you ask me, having a loyal mount can work wonders. On my travels, I was once chased by a murderous tribe. I managed to lost them at the river... but then the strong currents pulled me in. Had not been for my moorbounder saving me, I would have drown!" Jobal says.

Qawasha chuckles at the story before giving his opinion. "It is true that a mount can be useul at times and can make a long travel go faster, but they are not a necessity. Moorbounders can help kill some enemies, they swim long distances and can hunt their own food, but they can only bond to one person and they go back to being savage creatures should anything happen to their master. An Ankylosaurus is strong and tough, perfect to carry heavy equipment and treasure around, but they tend to not be very agile. And the Deinonychus is just a larger velociraptor, with all that implies..." He shurgs.

"They could also buy a Triceratop..." Jobal suggests, but the old druid shakes his head.

"They are huge and strong, yes, but their huge size makes them an easy target for foes and predators to spot, and they get aggressive when subjected to too much stress." He explains. "Perfect for a caravan or a dinosaur race, not so much so for an expedition into dangerous territory..."

"If you choose, we could go see the beast merchant and ask him his opinion, see what he has to offer, or we could begin our expedition now. It is your choice." He says. 

Qawasha turns to look at Erbert. "Normally, I would demand payment... but the undead menace must be stopped at all cost. If you and your crew think they might uncover what's causing it and put a stop to it, I will join you in your quest, no gold required."

Edwin nods, "Well, I, for one am convinced. It seems as if our goals align well and you seem more than knowledgeable enough to lead us through the wilds. I do think we should still talk to the beast merchant, Ifal was it? To decide if we need any creatures for our journey."

Ice nodded his head in agreement. "I can't speak for the rest of the group, but I am happy to help you out. If both of us can get what we need out of this than there will be no complaints from me."

Erbert smiles at Qawasha and says "That is our very task.  Welcome aboard." he pauses and turns to everyone else, "if.. no one has any objections?  If not, let's be on to Ifan's house.  Unless you have any last words of advice for us Jobal?"  Erbert stops and waives at Volo, "See you around, Volo!  I plan to write a book, perhaps you would like to read it one day.  "The Explorer's Guide to Chult" I plan to call it.  What do you think?"

"Yes, I hope to discover any Selune pretenders but this undead menace will be rooted out," Dryn replies looking retrospective. "I would be honored to travel with you," she adds offering a hand to Qawasha with a smile.

Insight on Qawasha: 12

Dryn, you don't find anything suspicious on Qawasha.

"Thanks for having me. I shall do my best." He answers with a bow. Kupalué imitates him with a songbird-like chirp and a smile.

At Erbert's comment, Volo smirks. "That sounds like an interesting read, my gnome friend"

"Be careful out there. The jungle hides many wonders, but just as many dangers." Jobal warns as he bids you and Qawasha farewell.

When you arrive to the villa, you see that Ifan Talro’a decorates his villa and gardens with relics and vases plundered from Chultan ruins, and colorful flying snakes swoop and glide freely through the spacious hallways.

The villa looks absolutely huge, with kennels and large cages where the man keeps the beasts, both exotic and mundane, he has for sale: Squawking parrots in gilded cages, a litter of wolf cubs locked up inside a kennel growling at the mastiff pups barking back at them playfully from the other kennel located at their left, axe beaks and giant lizards with riding saddles on their backs, dinosaur roars coming from the larger cages located deeper inside the villa...

You find Ifan at the villa's entrance, selling a flying monkey to a client and bidding them farewell. The client leaves, their new winged companion on their shoulder, as he turns to look at the newcomers. He doesn't look very friendly.

"The Emerald Enclave again, huh?" He asks, glaring at Qawasha. "Search around all you want, you won't find any evidence of poaching, cruelty or anything like that. Everything I sell here is completely legal..."

"I'm not here for any of that." Qawasha interrupts his rant calmly. "I'm just this group's guide. They are preparing for an important expedition and they wanted to see your mounts."

"Oh" Ifan turns to the party and puts on his best salesman smile. "In that case, please come on in!"

He invites you inside and guides you towards the cages and the stables. "Anything in particular you'd like to see? I'm all ears."

Edwin glances around at the myriad of beasts offered by Ifal before speaking up, 

"Good day, sir. As Qawasha mentioned we are beginning an expedition into the wilds of the peninsula. Our primary goal is to find and root out the source of the curse which has been plaguing these lands. I would think we'd be looking for creatures that would speed our journey and be able to survive the dangerous situations in which we are likely to find ourselves. Based on what I have heard so far, moorbounders sound like they might be a good option, but I am curious as to what you'd recommend."

Dryn just stares half in shock and half in wonder at all the creatures around her.

"Yes, uh something that would be a good mount but not eat one of us should it decide to, to be more specific," Dryn adds smiling at Edwin.

Erbert greets Ifan in grand fashion, bowing low, and then looking him in the eye.  "Greetings.  It is an honor to meet you.  Do you have anything for a rider as small as me?  I am interested in the moorbounder as well, but only if I could hold on to him.  Wound a giant lizard or axe beak be better?  What do you suggest?  My legs will get tired quickly walking through this land."  Erbert pauses to hear what he suggests.  

He then turns to Cuervo and says telepathically to him "Looks like I could find a replacement for you here.  Look at that!  Flying monkeys, snakes, what do you think?"  Cuervo flaps around his head, pecking him once or twice.  Erbert then waves his hands and Cuervo disappears, into a pocket dimension.  "That'll show you.  Maybe I should replace you... heh."  Erbert rubs his chin.

O'waac walks around, as if inspecting the animals. His real purpose is to see how they will react to his...unique nature. If a mount couldn't be found that would accept him, it would be a long trip indeed.

((Long post incoming...))

"Speed and survival, huh." Ifan looks back to look at Edwin. "I might have a few suggestions for that. But first things first..."

He points to the kennels where the axe beaks and the giant lizards are located. The big birds' feathers ruffle a little at the sight of O'waac for some strange reason, but the lizards react with indifference. "In terms of suvival, I'm afraid the axe beaks might be a disappointment, as lots of predators can kill them with ease. They can also be very clumsy sometimes, and they are not very bright. Still, their speed is nothing to laugh at, and they are a good choice for small riders." He adds, turning towards Erbert.

He opens one of the kennels and brings one of the lizards outside to show it off. The docile reptile does not protest having its bridle pulled and walks obediently. "You won't find these beautiful beasts anywhere in Chult, my friends: All of them are descendants from riding lizards I bought from my contacts at Faerun, whom in turn got them from the depths of the Underdark, where the drow and the duergar ride them into battle. They are fearless and perfectly obedient, can see in complete darkness, and can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings. If you are to explore old ruins and mazes, these guys are perfect for the job!"

He returns the lizard to its kennel, and guides you all to the stables.

Upon entering, you see the moorbounders: As tall and big as horses, these muscular, panther-like beasts are in caged stables to keep them from attacking and eating the other animals. Most of them are pure black, like the one you saw back at Jobal's villa, but some of them are spotted, with the light-colored fur and black spots and rosettes you'd see on a leopard or a jaguar. They all have elongated tusks and sharp, retractable claws.

One of them purrs at the sight of Ice, like if it is confusing him with a fellow wild cat, while others sniff at O'waac's direction with curiosity. They are all staring at you with their big, fish-like eyes.

"Two of you seemed interested on the moorbounders" Ifan says. "But as the paladin lady here has asked for something that can't decide to eat you, I can't fully recommend them. You'd need to choose a single member of the group to ride it while the rest walks, or buy one for each of you: These furballs are loyal to one master, and one master only. Once they have bonded with a rider, it is dangerous to try to bond it to another, as it could get confused and try to eat one of the two. Other than that, though? Really strong beasts, I'd pity any foe who tried to kill someone while their moorbounder is close by..."

Leaving the stable with the moorbounders behind, Ifan guides you to another stable. Once you enter, you are greeted by the sight of the Deinonychuses: Feathered, bipedal dinosaurs that are roughly as tall as a human. Their feathers make them similar in appearance to birds, but when they open their 'beaks' you see that they have lots of sharp, pointy teeth.

Kupalué, nervous, hides behind Qawasha, who proceeds to calm him down by speaking to to him with the sign language they both share.

"If you are looking for speed, there's nothing better than these ones" Ifan proclaims. "Here, we call them razortalons, and they are as fast as their velociraptor cousins, with the added bonus that these ones are big enough to ride. They are very intelligent too, and when they hunt in packs there's very few things that can stop them. A pack of these can pin down a hill giant and feed from him while he is still alive." He explains with morbid admiration.

He turns back to see Qawasha's disapproving look and huffs. "...Of course, these ones have been trained to not attack their riders. A domesticated razortalon sees its rider as one of the pack, not as prey. They are completely harmless."

To prove his point, he steps towards one of the stables and pets one on the head. The razortalon nuzzles against his hand before he leaves.

"Of course, if you want something that does not have fangs to eat you with, I have the perfect choice for that." Ifan says as he leaves the stable. "Follow me."

He guides you all to another stable, where the ankylosauruses are being kept: Huge dinosaurs with thick armor-like skin and knobbed tails. Some of the ankylosauruses you see have spikes on their tail and in their "armor", making them look as if they are armored for battle. Despite their intimidating appearance, they seem quite docile: When Ifan opens one of the stables, the beast completely ignores the unknown newcomers in favor of grazing on the grass. 

In contrast to his reaction to the razortalons, Kupalué walks towards the dinosaur to pat its head. The ankylosaurus sniffs the vegepygmy for a moment before continuing to graze.

"If you want a mount that can survive any danger you throw at it, you can't go wrong with a macetail." Ifan explains. "There's very few things that can harm these behemoths: The thick plates protect their body, and they can defend themselves against foes with a single devastating strike of their tails. They are also herbivorous, so you all don't have to worry about it deciding to eat you during a famine or anything like that: They only eat plants and leaves."

"They apparently only eat plants that can't move, too" Qawasha comments as he sees Kupalué climbing the macetail's head while the beast ignores him. "Their spikes look like they'd be uncomfortable to ride on, though..."

"Do not worry about that. That's why they have saddles made especially for them." Ifan answers. "I'll give them to you if you choose to buy one of these."

Ifan then turns to the group. "So... Has anything of what you've seen so far interested you? Or where you expecting to see horses?" He asks with sarcasm.

Going up to the kennel with the giant lizard Dryn smiles looking inside at it.

"So, this fine fellow hasn't eaten a rider," Dryn asks raising an eyebrow skeptically. Dryn looks curiously at the macetail but seems to avoid the axe beak as well as the moorbounders and razortalon. "You think you'd like to carry one of us," she asks the giant lizard with a smile.

Animal handling: 5

O'waac turns to Ifan and asks, "Is it your suggestion that we each purchase the same type of mount? Were it up to me alone, I would choose a moorbounder for extra....security. But if the animals don't get along, that would present a problem."

Edwin nods, confirming O'waac's question. "Yes, that is an important distinction to make. Having a few different beasts have some benefit to us." He pauses for a moment as if continuing to process the information which has been presented. "A few additional questions come to mind. Firstly, Can the macetails bear more than one rider? I could see that being a particularly useful quality. Secondly, I believe our initial plan is to set out towards Mbala, was that correct?" He looks around at his group for confirmation. "Are any of these fine creatures particuarly suited or not suited to the terrain we may encounter along that journey?"