We found Kaishas Gan in her cabin. She looked expectant, almost holding her breath for good news. The man next to her, Tailas, was positively scowling however.
"Were you ... successful? Did the beasts fall before you?" she asked us.
"They did, and now our way is clear," Jaheira announced. "We can escape as soon as you show us where your new ship is."
Not hardy likely, based on what the wolfweres said about Kaishas Gan. We were about to find out for sure if we would be allowed to leave the island peacefully.
Kaishas Gan sighed in relief. "Then you are truly deserving. No more thought of fight or flight, for now you will belong as we. Hear the tale, and join our humble legion.
They did not wish to become as we are. They fought our mothers' grandmothers without thought, and would not reason. Balduran led them, and because of his leadership many on both sides died. I do not know his fate, only that he killed many, and so the ancestors left him to his sinking ship. He would not belong, and now we know not to ask. You will know peace with us, because we do not wish to harm our saviors. You who would help us leave.
Do you see these simple people before you? They are your kin now. Look at their smiling faces. Take their hands and know peace. We can sense within you that the beasts have unwittingly given you the thirst, and you can belong. Our fate is now your fate, an in time you will be as we, not as the beasts. We will shape and guide, for we are masters of ourselves. We are man, then animal, but more than both.
Now you will belong. It not so bad, and you will begin to feel as we in a short time. It may be... unstable for a time. You may... hurt... but you will live, and we shall all go to new forests and plains with your maps and our ship-home. I will hold the sea charts for now, please you will give. We welcome you to wolfen-kind and to family you now belong. The beasts you have killed were animal and evil, but we are proper lycantho, and noble in our peace."
In case it wasn't obvious, she's saying we've been infected with lycanthropy from the wolf-weres, regardless of getting bitten or not. The curse from Anchorome was that strong. That was definitely going to be a problem we had to deal with. (this was also why the entire quest was on a 3 day time limit)
"You sent us on this task knowing fully well we would be infected," I said, teeth clenched tight. "You really think we will see you as kin after such treachery? You are delusional."
Kaishas Gan shook her head. "Not so. We have a gist as a race and wish to share with many. You will see, now that you are welcome. You who would help us to leave will belong and be welcome."
In other words, if we bring them back with us, they'll infect the whole Sword Coast with lycanthropy. Keep in mind this curse didn't need an actual bite, just proximity was enough.
"I say NAY, Kaishas Gan, and others with me!" Tailas shouted. "These mongrels are NOT welcome! We pure blood from ages of the change. These cattle not as we! We should kill those that take the bite! They will only dilute our grace!"
Kaishas Gan was aghast. "They would be our saviors, Tailas, and you threaten? What sense is this?"
"The best sense! I sense their filth, their... their difference! We are pure and should stay so! None will let them live! I have told to the village their hatred, and the things that their kind do to we! Believed me our people have! These mongrels will not leave alive, but we shall! With ship and maps!"
"You would turn our own against those who would save? Fools you are! Sonny, I absolve you for what you must do. I must take your charts, as I cannot see them damaged in the coming conflict. Defend from what comes. i will decide later what to do about the gift."
Tailas transformed and lunged at us, confident of his victory over the party of 6 adventurers who had defeated Karoug, their greatest enemies. We showed him the results of his hubris by cutting him down without much hassle. He fell with his face twisted in disbelief that he was dispatched with such ease.
But Kaishas Gan had escaped in the chaos of battle.
-
Even as we left Kaishas's cabin, all around us the whole village was turning into werewolves and attacking us on sight. How's that for gratitude for helping them?
"Now we're fighting werewolves, not wolfweres," Jaheira muttered under her breath as she and Khalid moved forward to intercept.
"Eh... I can't really see the difference?" Imoen said.
Neither could I, really.
"No point slaughtering them all. Our priority is escape," I barked orders as we provided support fire for our front-liners. "Remember the secret door I found to the west? I bet that's where Kaishas went."
"Not hearing- HAH!- a better suggestion!" Jaheira responded while slashing a werewolf with her scimitar +2. "Let's go!"
-
Most of the people we had helped turned into werewolves and attacked us. We cut down the ungrateful louts without mercy.
Thankfully, Maralee, the mother whose child we saved, did not. "Heroic friends, I am sorry for what is happening. I fear that we are led by one with evil heart. In the large hut northwest of here, there is a hidden door that leads to our homes below the ground. Within you shall find an exit to the ship."
That's the confirmation we needed. "Many thanks, Maralee. This is not the place for us," I said as we rushed past.
"Your home is no place for my people. Take the ship and go. With the evil ones dead we can make a good life on our island. Farewell! Peladan will grow to learn of your courage," she shouted after us.
-
Likewise, Dradeel who had given me a peck on the cheek earlier, was not hostile at all. "Adventurers, you must leave this place. These are the spawn of the cursed ones that murdered us so many years ago. They have broken into two factions. The dark ones inhabit the ship and the lighter ones have built this town. These ones have built a ship. If you hurry, you may yet escape."
"What else have you discovered?" I asked her.
"This headwoman, Kaishas, had the ship built months ago. She has been waiting for her husband Selaad to return with maps that they may use to return to the mainland. At present, she only knows that it is east. She has gone to the ship that they have built. I have discovered a series of caves, warrens really, that the wolf monstrosities live in. There is a hidden door in this hut. The caves will lead you to the ship. I warn you now: The way is fraught with peril. Head east through the caves and you may find the exit. Hurry friends! I thank you for my freedom. Would that I had the power to help you escape myself. Ah, well, perhaps we shall meet again someday and I will repay you for your assistance."
She ran away a moment, then ran back and gave me another peck on the cheek, then ran off for good.
Behind me, I heard the pink-haired irritation growl in frustration.
I... don't get it?
-
We slashed and hacked our way through werewolves, eager to leave, to the large hut to the west. In the hut, we found the secret door. Through the warrens we continued to cut a way through the werewolves, reemerging in a cove on the surface. In the distance, there really was a ship. But someone waited for us there on it.
Kaishas Gan had a look of regret on her face. "You have done what must, but now I stop. Here you hold, and here you must die."
That surprised the party. Not me of course, I remembered this part.
"You really want to pick a fight with us after betraying us? You could have suggested leaving together," Jaheira said, sneering.
Not that we would agree, after she hoodwinked us earlier.
"Cannot let you leave knowing all this. We could have existed peacefully, but now you have fought and will never accept. Others will come to kill or capture. Adventurers like you always come, do they not? No, I must fight, and you must die! We may still have hope if Selaad returns, but you cannot help anymore.
And Kaishas Gan transformed, into a far greater form than a mere werewolf.
-
Kaishas Gan was a dreaded Loup Garou! 78 hitpoints, AC 0, magic resistance 55, and cannot be hit by non-silver weapons! The only weapons that could touch it was The Flaming Tongue +1 from Durlag's Tower (which Khalid was using), Werebane from the Balduran's ship (I used this), Kondar +1 bastard sword from Cloakwood, and the Sword of the Balduran, that golden bastard sword from Balduran's ship. That's it, those are the ONLY weapons which could harm her!
-
Kaishas Gan, as a Loup Garou, ran full tilt at Khalid, and slammed into his shield with her sharp claws.
Perhaps if she had not given up her human form so quickly, she may have noticed that only five out of six adventurers were before her.
Kaishas let out a yelp of pain when Werebane (+4 vs lycanthropes) dug deep into her spine from behind. I had drunk a potion of Hill Giant Strength, so you can bet my backstab hurt like hell.
Loup Garou would resist 55% of any spell, so we buffed ourselves instead. Neera cast Haste, Jaheira cast Bless and Branwen cast Chant. We would be relying on Khalid and my damage output mostly for this fight since only our weapons could harm her. Imoen and Neera threw out Magic Missiles, and Jaheira and Branwen used wands of Flame Strike, but only the occasional spell went through that 55% magic resistance.
The blows of the Loup Garou were terrible to behold, but Khalid's defences were too formidable. With her weakened by my first strike, in the end Kaishas Gan fell to typical tank and spank without us needing to take further steps.