Before heading back to the feast, Ose Atsu and Ose Panin tell the group a bit more details of the mission they are entrusting them.
The curse, or "sickness" that afflicts their people, are pillars in the shape of dragons. And the Mwangi Expanse is where the battle with Dahak took place, and where the Ekujae elves expelled him.
On the way back to the feast Harriet gives Andromeda a "What's up with you?" look. Andy waves at her and mouths "I love you", but Harriet seems to not take much interest and turns her back on the group.
Betty asked Nketiah about any Alchemists in town and any rare formulas she could purchase, but was told they are not common here.
Alosrin Wythe asked about more information about the relationship between the Ekujae and the Aspis Consortium.
The enslavement of Ekujae ended 10 years ago, and Akosa was the one most involved at the time. Alosrin mentioned knowing about people taken into slavery.
Once the group returns to the feast, everyone's reaction is one of excitement, as understanding sinks in that their return means they will be helping with their issue.
Akosa offers the group to carry the boar in with him, even if not customary, and the group agree.
The party carries the massive beast on a palanquin, and Bjørn enters with the most swagger, as he's the one who effectively hunted it.
During the feast, Nketiah approaches the group along some young elven children. She explains, that they have been growing extremely hot peppers, and wish to challenge the "Northerners" to eat some of them.
The party gracefully accepts.
When it comes to the first and mildest of the peppers, Alosrin uses prestidigitation to make the flavor of the Hot Pepper a bit more mild, but then also casts Burning Hands, to pretend he's spewing flames out of his mouth, to the children's delight.
Everyone else seems to be able to handle the peppers fine, except for Krystoff, who's visually affected by them and unable to keep a straight face about it.
When the second pepper comes, everyone manages to handle it, except for Andy, who can't control the tears flowing from her eyes, and immediately excuses herself along with Alosrin.
On the third, and final pepper. Betty decides she needs a bit of an edge, and drinks up a Juggernaut potion.
Betty and Bjørn manage to resist it, but Krystoff is completely overwhelmed by the flavor, and rushes off to the side where Alosrin offers him some cool water to alleviate his misery.
As Bjørn and Betty managed to pass the test by the children, they offer them four salves of Anti paralysis, which is split up amongst the group.
Nketiah then points at Akosa and Jahsi, who are at opposite side of the room.
She annoyingly tells the party that they both have been friends since childhood and been in love with each other for a decade, but have never told each other how they feel. They are very traditional, and Jahsi thinks him having a relationship would be a betrayal to Nketiah's late mother, and yet, according to Nketiah, her mother would just want him to be happy. She tells the group that she's sick of waiting and wants to act, and asks them if they'd like to help making the evening more romantic.
The party decides to try to play matchmaker for these two, and Bjørn agrees to seduce one of them to make the other one jealous.
Alosrin approaches Akosa to both get information about his experience with the Aspis Consortium and also to try to get him to open up about his feelings to Jahsi.
Alosrin tells Akosa about a friend he is seeking that was taken into slavery. Wondering if maybe the Aspis Consortium had something to do with it. Akosa mentions the Aspis Consortium came looking for gold and instead found people. He and his family were taken and worked literally to death. This is the reason he is the only member of the Hawk Clan in Akrivel.
After much fighting, the Aspis Consortium deemed it was not worth it to continue their operations in the Mwangi Expanse, and withdrew, leaving all the slaves behind. He assures Alosrin that his friend is not here.
(context?) Akosa tells Alostin that he is more kind than wise, and gifts him with a Wan that has a particularly odd spell to it.
Alosrin is annoyed by that comment and takes offense at being called unwise.
Meanwhile Bjørn approached Jahsi and challenges him to empty one of his magical mugs. Jahsi says he usually does not partake in such bets, but that all things considered, will accept this time.
After drinking from the mug and seeing it refill, he notices that it is magical, and is extremely amused at how unapologetic Bjørn is about the deception.
They both talk about loss, and Bjørn makes a compelling argument about how people are important in ones lives, but they are temporary. The memories of loved ones are to be cherished, but not dwelt upon, and one must move on.
Jahsi then points Bjørn to a hut that's a few platforms down, and mentions that some there are some Orcs in the jungle that specialize in magical tattoos, and that he may be interested in meeting them.
Bjørn heads over to the hut, and meanwhile, Akosa and Jahsi head off together.
As venters the hut, he introduces himself to two traditional tattoo artist orcs. After some work, they enhance his tattoos to be able to cast Haste once per day.
As the night progresses, Nketiah hushes everyone to tell the story their tribe's time of Darkness.
“Come, children of the Leopard Clan!” Nketiah’s voice calls out, clear and strong above the sounds of the festivities.
“Dusk has fallen! Let us call a moth to tell us a story!” As one, the Ekujae stand and hold their hands cupped in front of them, each conjuring a ball of light into their palms.
“I have caught a little moth!” Nketiah says, dramatically clutching the air in front of her. “It has a story to tell. It is a story of a Great Darkness.”
“We will listen,” the others reply.
“There was once a time of anguish. A time of destruction. A time of night so dark that even moths refused to fly. From a hole in this night came a Great Darkness, who saw the world suffer, and thought only that it wanted to see more suffering. The Darkness sought to burn all that remained, until there was nothing left but ashes.
“The first people that the Darkness found were a brave people, who stood before the Darkness with their weapons and did not run. The Darkness sought to destroy them, saying, ‘You shall fall before me, for I am Death and I am
Fire.’ But the people were not afraid, and replied, ‘You shall not break us, for we are the guardians of this land, who stayed to defend it when all others fled.’
“Oh, what a terrible battle it was! The people shattered their spears against the Darkness again and again, but no living being could pierce its hide. At last, the greatest among the people, the kindest, the most righteous, gave
their lives to forge their souls into weapons for the people to wield. Oh, how their souls burned, like bright coals in the night! The people took up the souls of those they had most loved, and in wrath split the skin of the Darkness. They spilled the blood of the Darkness across the whole of their lands. They broke the horn and teeth from the Darkness and flung them into the sea. Yet still the Darkness would not die!
“The people forced the Darkness back into the place from whence it had emerged. The people trapped it in the space between spaces. The people swore they would stand guard so that the Darkness could never escape to threaten the land again.
“Could the people imprison the Darkness forever, when even the best among them could not defeat it? Was it foolish to expect them to try?”
Nketiah pauses, then says,
“That is the story that we have been given.”
“We will remember,” the other Ekujae reply.
Nketiah present the group with a map of the nearby jungle, and marks the areas of interest and the totems we will need to investigate.
A ceremony starts where she presents us with gifts to help us on our journey.
Bjørn receives access to the Tattooist orcs.
Asoka presented Alosrin with a wand with a specific effect on it.
Krystoff receives a runestone with the "Ready" rune on it, which will allow him to don his armor more quickly.
Betty receives a platinum inlaid box. Inside is a bi-resonant wayfinder and a gold nodule Aeon stone.
And Finally Andromeda, as a child of the woods, receives a Verdant Staff.
Before bed, Bjørn and Krystoff decide to have a friendly sparring match.