Percy's Log - Day 48

Upon our approach to Orolunga we were greeted by some tiger men. With Azaka gone I was hoping we were past these abominations. They offered us a warning that if we remained in the city after dark they’d hunt us down and kill us or at least that was the gist of their cowardly message written on a spear they threw.
Considering we had the oracle to see and Artus to find their threats weren’t going to stop us and we continued further in. It wasn’t long before we spotted Artus and an odd looking Lizardman as his companion. This “Dragonbait” as he’s referred to doesn’t speak but instead deploys smells. I wasn’t able to interpret them but Artus seemed to have some idea as to what they mean… that could prove problematic because he didn’t seem to like me much.
Artus explained he was happy to see Arden was no longer petrified, which was no thanks to him seeing as he ditched us as soon as it happened. Artus also explained Dragonbait was a Saurian no idea where they come from, but like I said he may prove difficult to get around regardless of what he is. Artus went on to do his regular impromptu of hitting on any nearby woman and targeted Beira before we started questioning him about the ring. Artus suggested that the ring was his and would only work for him because of some unknown factor. He said it came from the sky and that along with the ability to allow its wearer not to age could also freeze the world. Suffice to say it was easy to spot why the Frost Giants wanted it. Along with the Frost Giants there are many who want the ring, the Red Wizards of Thay, the Zhentarim, and the Harpers who he initially took the ring from. The ring may prove more trouble than it’s worth but then again the power it holds could accomplish much and that’s just accounting for the ability to halt the aging process.
Artus also spoke of him needing the ring to get back to his wife… he didn’t explain how the ring played into it but his wife was that of Beira’s sister Alisanda. How neither Biera nor Artus recognized each other despite knowing each other I’m uncertain. I’ll draw it up to standard incompetence or the large amount of time that has passed despite neither aging… well in the traditional sense anyways.
After the long discussions over the ring and what not Artus and his friend had been stopped from seeing the oracle due to some sort of game she played to keep travelers away… a game at least according to Biera. Beira called the oracle Grandma Saja N’baza despite the two not actually being related. Before we could solve the first “game” Beira called up to her “grandma” and was allowed entry. The rest of us had to solve the puzzles which amounted up to little more than watching the forest spirits walk through the puzzle and then repeating as they do.
Eventually we made it to the chambers of the oracle after having to devour a live snake… don’t ask. When we entered we appeared to be in our own rooms with the oracle because despite Arden going in first I didn’t see him inside and when it was time to leave we all appeared at its entrance at the same moment…aside from Artus who just so happened to be able to get out before us and make his way to Mezro according to Zamisi who decided against devouring a snake to enter the structure to begin with.
While I was in the oracle’s chamber however I asked her of the Arm’s call and where I could find the power it spoke of. She told me this:
"This arm of yours is dark and powerful; it comes from a land far far from here, a land one cannot reach without miracles. Wherever the hand is the other piece of this ancient puzzle is not too far away... You seek it, The Evil Eye of Vecna.... the eye lies in the forbidden city of Omu... behind the guard of Ras Nsi and his armies of darkness... guarded by an even stronger evil. "
It would seem I have quite the task on my hands… While I enjoy the hand’s gifts I still question if I’m able to handle the power it gives and if I were to recover this eye… would that tip the scales towards something I’m not ready for? …I suppose I will be on the lookout for this eye and determine in the moment if it’s worth it.
I don’t know what Azzaun and Arden asked of the oracle but Xandala asked about her forgotten past in which she was told she was a part of the Harpers as well as the Zhentarim and Biera asked about her family, her dad is apparently in the Tabaxi lands while the others are in a location unreachable to her. Our time with the oracle was much longer than we had believed as according to Zamisi we were there for 5 hours which meant the sun was already set and the moon was in the sky which in turn meant that the weretigers would be after us.
Low and behold on our way out of the city we were stopped by two weretigers and their dinosaur companion. There was no talking to these savages and so they were dealt with. I tapped into the hand’s dark gifts, Beira summoned some magical creature, Azzaun swung his sword, Zamisi did some heals, and Arden and Xandala did their magic things. These beastmen aren’t worth more words than that, they were killed end of story. Beira’s magic creature did offer up a wish I suggested a powerful item but the fool turned her away.
We journeyed a bit outside of the city and rested just in case there were more such savages lurking within and waiting to pry on sleeping foes.