With the signs pointing to Turhalu Point as the location with the party that had kidnapped Dr. Solstami, the party decide to acquire some gear before contacting the smuggler Twonas En and traveling to Ukulam. Professor Muhali provides them with contact information for a local weapons facility where they can equip themselves, and, after a call placed to Qabarat law enforcement, secures purchase and carry permits for them.
Yiris purchases 10 cartridges of bullets and a ysoki refractor suit. Nict acquires five shock grenades. Bratrizik buys an Estex suit II armor equipped with two quick release sheaths and jump jets, one cartridge of darts for his needler, 10 flares, and one ultra-capacity battery. Nict purchases the same armor, also equipped with one quick release sheath. Each of them also purchase six serums of healing, mk 1.
After the Gap - March 6, 317 @ 15:00
Now equipped with better gear, Nict calls Twonas En and informs him they are interested in the smuggler's route to Turhalu Point. En replies he can arranges this for 2300 tonight, or he can be ready to go by 19:00 but it will cost more than the 1000 credits they had discussed the previous night. Time being of the essence, the group agrees to the earlier travel date despite the expense of credits. En arranges to meet them at a rundown hotel, the Classic Hotel in the Gateway district.
Yiris sends an encrypted message to Chiskisk about what they discovered so far, and that they are heading to Ukulam in pursuit of Dr. Solstarni. Bratrizik purchases a tracker and provides the coordinates to Muhali so she can track them. She tells the vesk she has arranged for a colleague of hers, Dr. Khair al-Nuaf, to meet them at Turhalu Point and help them in any way he can, as well as provide the most current information about Paqual's group.
After the Gap - March 6, 317 @ 19:00
Arriving at the Classic Hotel, they meet En in the lobby. He takes them to a little used gate, and after some tinkering the gate activates. Bratrizik, Nict and Yiris step through the gate with their gear, and after a brief moment of feeling nauseated, they find themselves on the edge of a large clearing, with the scientific station of Turhalu Point about a mile southwest. It is a bright and steamy morning, as they are 11 hours behind Qabarat.
After the Gap - March 6, 317 @ 8:03
Looking at the ground, Bratrizik finds several sets of footprints on the soft prairie ground. A large group has recently transited through here. The footprints head northwest, towards the border of the jungle and the mountain peaks barely visible in the distance. The party takes the opposite direction, and soon find themselves at the science station. They meet Dr. Khair al-Nuaf, who explains to them that the scientific station monitors the climate of the eastern edge of Ukulam, and they are also tasked with keeping an eye on intruders.
He provides them with a series of digital maps. Nict is able to use that data to merge the information they have from Halkueem Zan to create a possible route through the jungle. Bratrizik asks Dr. al-Nuaf if the station possesses a boat they could borrow. al-Nuaf replies that there are a few boats, but they would have to purchase one as there is a risk they will not return. The doctor is also concerned that if they were traveling on the river they might miss the tracks left by Paqual's group, as they may not be following the river. He is willing, however, to share medical suplies and equipment, and soon the party finds itself in possession of 4 tier-1 antitoxin, 4 doses of sprayflesh, 3 weeks's field rations, and two large tents.
They also review video surveillance of the area. The footage shows the enigmatic Paqual cloaked from head to toe, Dr. Solstarni, in a state that suggests she is groggy or ill, and several heavily armed lashunta mercenaries pushing what appear to be heavy crates of equipment on hoverlifts. Labels on the crate seems to indicate it is some sort of archaeological survey equipment.
Having decided to trek through the jungle, they are driven to the edge of the jungle where Paqual's forces entered. The trail is evident and not hard to follow, as a path about ten feet wide has been cut through. Nict thinks of putting a blaze on trees, and he begins to mark them at regular intervals.
After the Gap - March 8, 317 @ 18:00
Bratrizik takes the lead and for the first day the tracks are easy to follow. On the second day they encounter a dead yaruk. They discover a camp site used by Paqual and his group. The remains of the camp fire are still smoldering, indicating that they were here less than 24 hours ago. The three friends have made good progress. Nict picks up charcoal to mark the trees. They decide to camp here overnight.
After the Gap - March 7, 317 @ 07:53
After a restful night, they continue on the trail. By now the width of the trail has reduced to five feet, and Paqual's group seems to now be moving in a single line. Bratrizik is the first to notice that spores have been widely sprayed on path, and yaruks are consuming them. There are over twenty of the animals, but the jungle makes it difficult to determine if there are more. Yiris mentions that these are probably the spores that Paqual had brought with him. They now face a decision. Should they attempt to go through the yaruks, or should they go around. If they go through, they risk spooking the great beasts, but going around will lose them precious time and they also risk losing the trail. They decide go carefully travel through the yaruks.
Unfortunately the great beasts are spooked when shots ring and one of them is hurt. A stampede occurs. Though they saw the flash of a muzzle in a tree a few hundred feet beyond, none of them are able to locate the exact spot, and the stampeding yaruks make it extremely difficult to travel towards it. Both Bratrizik and Nict are hurt during the stampede, with the shirren finding himself way off the path, but Yiris manage to find a safe spot beneath a large rock.
Following the stampede, Bratrizik finds himself by a rope bridge of elven origin. It is in bad shape. Bratrizik waits for a few minutes, but none of his friends come this way. Using the jump jets, he heads up and flares, creating a flashing light that Yiris notices. She heads towards the vesk. Nict also spots the rising vesk, and soon the party is reunited by the bridge.
The bridge looks treacherous, but there is evidence that Paqual and his group crossed it recently. Nict sends his drone across the bridge first, and when nothing breaks the shirren crosses, followed by the android and the vesk. Unfortunately the bridge cannot handle the vesk's weight, and Bratrizik slams into the cliff side. Nict and Yiris have to pull him to safety.
They soon begin to be trailed by a group of mischevious kaukariki, who do their best to annoy the party. They eventually arrive at a ruined obelisk, which is very similar to what was mentioned in Halkueem Zan's notes.
The kaukariki take this opportunity to attack them, but they are able to repulse the assault after killing seven of the monkeys. Bratrizik fills six darts with the kaukariki poison. Yiris, for her part, collects some of the poison glands off the body.
Taking a look at the ruined obelisk, Nict and Yiris notice that unlike Zan's description of a tall obelisk, this was in fact some sort of observation tower, and the stones that appear to randomly litter the area belonged to it. The ruins are covered with vines, other plants, and brightly colored flowers. They all notice that, through some of the spots where stone is visible, are elven letters. Deciding to spend the night here, they begin clearing the vines so they can read the elven letters...
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