"Maybe he's got a key", Natalyah says pointing to Uchendu and his morning star.
As Atzi finishes a small prayer for Alton, she turns and quirks a small smile as Natalyah points at Uchendu's weapon. "That would most definitely work, hopefully there is nothing to fragile in there" She chuckles lightly.
Uchendu hefts his morningstar thoughtfully, and gives a smile.
"Well, I will see what I can do.."
Moving over to the captain's cabin, Uchendu sizes-up the drawer, and attempts to smack at it in such a way so as to minimize damage to anything inside it...
" So we where betrayed.....Kovack Better make peace with whatever gods he belives in..because when i find him, hes going to meet them.."
You can feel the Air around Inkathru grow humid, the tempture increases untill you are sweating. Rage Burns white hot in her Eyes. After taking a deep Breath she starts to calm down, the Area around her returns to its normal tempture
Uchendu hefts his morningstar thoughtfully, and gives a smile.
"Well, I will see what I can do.."
Moving over to the captain's cabin, Uchendu sizes-up the drawer, and attempts to smack at it in such a way so as to minimize damage to anything inside it...
It takes a few whacks, but eventually the wood around the lock splinters, and Uchendu can (with a bit of effort) force the drawer open.
Inside, there are several items of potential value: a bottle of fine brandy, a ship-in-a-bottle model of the Jenivere, a small coffer containing several hundred gold pieces, and a long leather satchel that contains what looks like several potion bottles, all nealy stenciled with the names of the contents. These include four potions of cure light wounds, a potion of cure moderate wounds, four potions of lesser restoration, a potion of remove disease, a potion of water breathing, and a potion of water walking.
As Uchendu retrieves and sets aside the contents of the drawer, Aerys all but snatches up the brandy bottle, her hands shaking once more. After staring at the bottle for a moment, she mutters, "Ah, to hell with it," and produces a dagger, uncorking the bottle with practiced ease and taking a long pull. She lets out a long, satsified sigh, and the tremor in her hands starts to settle. She retreats out onto the deck with her bottle, ignoring everyone else.
Natalyah watches with some curiosity as Uchendu pounds away at the desk, shielding her face with her hand to avoid any pieces from the desk from hitting her.
She frowns as Aerys snatches the brandy bottle, uncorcks it and takes a swig. As Aerys retreats to the deck Natalyah sighs and mutters to herself:
"O surî..."*
Oh, great...
Then she continues the job of hoisting any supplies or bodies still on the deck up the cliff. Once that's done, she leaves the Jenivere acending up the cliff.
Atzi claps her hands in delight at their good fortune. "Even though these potions are few it will help us greatly when the time comes" She gives Uchendu a hard slap on the shoulder and a big smile. "You are most useful to have around my friend, especially since I would not have been able to avoid breaking the contents of the drawer myself."
Noticing Aerys odd behavior Atzi watches her leave with a thoughtful expression on her face.
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A chill goes down the spine of Amisi when she realizes that the second dead body is from the cook Rambar Terillo. His cooking skills were pathetic - but such bad cooking shouldn't be punished by death.
She then turns around to the group - taking a few bits of paper out of her scroll case - together with a letter.
"Should anything happen to me similar to Alton or Rambar, then please take this letter and the diary I have started to write and bring it if possible to an Osisian merchant in Sargava. Take with it my ring that I wear which is of little material value as well as 20 gp from my money pouch to pay for save delivery. Apart of that - do whatever you want with my other belongings. Take the reminding gold and anything that you feel is of use and doesn't burden you - everything else please bury with me."
After these rather sad story she begins to tell what happened at the clifftop while part of the group was on the ship wreck.
As Atzi waits to hear the rest of the votes of what the survivors need to accomplish, and soon, while giving a small prayer for Alton and Rambar. She is shocked to hear Amisi's humble request, she considers for a moment before saying what she feels.
"If this place becomes the end of my journey, then take everything I have so you can make use of it and allow me to rest in the comforting embrace of a tree if you can." She gives a small smile after such a grave statement, she thinks of her sister for a moment before continuing in a lighter tone. "If you pass through Nantambu please send a message if you have the time to Xoco wife of Jassym, he is a prominent Merchant there. Simply tell her how my journey ended and how it was on my own terms... I will not burden her anymore then that."
With that she waits quietly stroking Quetza's head as she waits for everyone to make their choice.
She gives Amisi a small smile as she comes to stand beside her. "I'm not sure of all that happened below deck, other then seeing the body of a large creature that look quite fearsome. Perhaps it crawled on-board and was scavenging, but no one was harmed from what I can tell in the confrontation. Other then the supplies everyone found there wasn't much else about the wreckage that was of interest. I had hoped to save the poor creature from its fate but I was unable to" She shrugs "But that is its fate, besides that I'm most glad that everyone returned from our task."
"There was a sea scorpion," Ishirou says with a shrug, "and then the big man turned that elf sword of his on it, and then there were two sea scorpion halves instead." He blinks and swallows a little, as though the memory is not quite as off-hand as his version of the tale makes it seem.
The group gathers up the two dead men, and makes a slow funeral progression back to the beach where they first woke up. Putting shovels to good use, a pair of deep graves, just far enough back from the beach to avoid the water table, appear, and the bodies are lowered into them with due solmenity. Jask speaks a few words on the men's behalf, wishing each of them a safe journey and fair judgment in their afterlives.
By the time the short funeral is done, the sun stands high in the sky, and the tropical heat is swiftly building.
After giving a prayer in polyglot to wish the two men safe travels in the here after. She bows her head and is quiet for a moment as she cries soft tears before saying in common, "Although I did not know Alton very well he showed me that he was an honorable and good man in how he treated Quetza during our journeys and I think the world suffers this loss along with us" With that she lays her hand on his still form once more before dedicating herself to the task of building a shelter.
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Amisi moves towards the grave of the two dead crew members
"a life cut short is a life no longer able to bring beauty into our world. Let Shelyn have mercy on you."
She then moves on and tries as best as she can to help the group build a camp at a good spot
survival untrained
Once shown what to do - Amisi shows astonishingly adapt in following instructions and helping.
Uchendu silently assists with the grim task of transferring the corpses from the wreck to the cliff-top, and then begins to systematically transfer the equipment as well. Whilst shifting some of the canvas, he discovers a small, pathetically bedraggled form shivering in one corner of the store-room.
With a cry of "Ruthoc!", Uchendu drops the canvas, rushes over to the forlorn little figure, and picks it up, cradling it in his arms.
He immediately goes to the galley and rummages around for something vaguely edible, and carefully proffers it to the little monkey, whilst making soothing clicking noises in Polyglot.
Once it has finished, he pops it up on his shoulder, where it clings tightly to his hair, and returns to assisting with the transfer of goods up the cliff.
Once the wreck has been stripped clean, and all of the gear has been transferred back down to the beach, Uchendu assists with digging the graves. He does not offer to conduct a service, sensing that at least some of the other passengers might balk at that, but he does offer a few words:
"Both men died in combat. May they face whatever they encounter in the Great Beyond with equal fortitude."
When it comes to selecting a suitable camp-site, Uchendu is more than happy to attempt to assist...
"And may they always have enough ale to quench their thirst when they're done fighting," Storian adds, his head bowed in respect.
Inka Stands Silent During the Proceedings, leaving to help for a Campsite the moment the burial is finished.
As Natalyah reaches the top of the cliff she notices the blood on Storian's clothes but does not make any enquiries he seem to be in good health and there's no sign of any danger. She also notices at Jask is free of his manacles and makes a quick grimace, but decides not to persue an argument, since she guesses that she would be outnumbered if she voiced her oppinion. Best to keep an eye on him, she thinks as she inventories the supplies from the wreck.
While inventorying she listens intently to Atzi and Amisi as they recap the events that took place on the top off the cliff to each other. She gives a small sigh when the two women begin to discuss what Natalyah interprets as their funeral arrangements. Try and focus on survival, and that won't be necessary..., she complains to herself. The sigh is quickly replaced by a sharp inhale as Natalyah's eyes darken at the mention of the captains betrayal.
"MITË*?!", she exlaims and rushes over to the two women. "What did you say?!". Her temper boils over and for a moment she looks around as if searching for something to strangle. "Ettâ poia kërmeitë"**, she half shouts and starts to pace around muttering curses in elven.
She grabs her gear and heads for the beach, intent of finding examining the beach abit further. She looks for footprints and impressions in the sand if she can find some clues as to whom pulled them up on the beach, where they went and most importantly if she can pick up some tracks from either the captain or Ieana. She ignores the the burial ceremony until she finds something or realises her atempts are futile, at which point she tries to calm down and head over and help with digging the graves.
(+1 for following tracks)
Natalyah does her best to aid in Atzi's search for a suitable camp site.
At the end of the burial ceremony Natalyah walks up the "loot pile", picks up Alton's sword and weights it in her hand. She walks slowly up to Storian and, clearly uncomfortable and uneasy, says: "This is a good sword. Do you think it is ok for me to keep it?", at times stumbling over the words in an atempt to be diplomatic. This is obviously an inexpert moment for Natalyah, but the tone of her voice hints that she is trying.
Jask shakes his head in confusion. "And then there's First Mate Devers," he continues. "He was suffering from two different kinds of injuries. One was sea scorpion stings, which are what killed him, I think. But sometime before that, he seems to have been in a battle, for there were rapier cuts on him as well. What happened while we slept, madam? I do not know, and the not knowing makes me..." He shakes his head again. "At least on the ship I did not have to wonder about what had happened to me or was going to."
After some consideration and discussion with the rest of the group, Atzi leads the way into the forest in search of a good campsite. After perhaps half an hour of travel, she finds a decent-sized hollow, made from a fallen tree, the thick truck of which still lies on one side of the clearing, like a natural rampart, more than six feet high. The toppled tree has breached the canopy overhead enough to let some light in, but the collapse was long enough ago that the hole is mostly closed, so the site remains largely shaded through the day.
Work on the site begins swiftly, using canvas and ropes to make simple tents, shovels to dig a latrine trench off to one side and a simple firepit in the center for cooking (and, at least as important, to create smoke that will deter the biting insects already swarming around the group). Most of the other castaways pitch in, with Ishirou and Sasha grabbing shovels and Gelk and Jask cutting rope and clearing away some of the smaller brush. Only Aerys ignores the work being done, sitting with her bottle on a small rock to one side, drinking steadily and remaining wrapped in her own dark thoughts.
Gelik, watching her drink, says to Jask (loudly enough for all to hear, however), "At least we know that she would've been okay if she'd gone down with the ship - her lungs're full of liquid as it is!" Aerys ignores this as well, but Jask shakes his head.
"We are all dealing with things in our own way, master Aberwhinge," the cleric replies. "I cannot say what drives her that way, but I know that-" but he breaks off as he moves aside a rock and finds himself face to face with a pair of long, vicious-looking snakes!
** spoiler omitted **
As the group trecks in search of a suitable camp site, Natalyah recount the findings from her "investigation".
"Someone, most likely a human with think boots brought us from the Jenivere's life boat and laid us on the shore. I couln't find any tracks leading from the shore into the jungle so i'm guessing who ever it was left with the life boat. He took only a few trips back and forth to get us all to the shore, so he must have been strong. Taking two or three of us each turn."
Unaccustomed to the jungle the hike takes more out of Natalyah that she expected. She let's out a sigh of relief and unloads her backpack as the party reaches a suitable camp site. She starts to wearyly scan the surroundings for movement before she leans against a tree to catch her breath.
As she notices Jask plight she spins around to face the snakes.
(-1 due to dex penalty from fatigue)
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Seeing the snakes - Amisi tries to figure out what is going on. Wasn't this supposed to be a 'save' place to rest. How do unsafe ones look like. Amisi is just glad that Atzi didn't go off hunting on her own.
Knowledge Nature check
Survival check
Slighly confused about what's happening around her Amisi seems not to know what the actual danger is.
Fortitude check
Quetza Initiative
Atzi Initiative
Quetza Fortitude
Atzi Fortitude
Atzi Knowledge Nature
Atzi Survival
Listening to Gelik running his mouth about Aerys caused Atzi to have a growing frown forming on her face, she looked over at the idle Quetza as he stared at everyone as they went about their tasks with a look of confusion as he tilted his head at them. She sighed as she finally decided to talk some reason into Gelik, but Jask intervened before she got to speak and Atzi listened closely nodding approval at his choice of words.
Suddenly hearing Jask's speech cut off mid sentence Atzi turns her head to see what is wrong and sees his plight!
With a Smile on her face, Inka basks in the heat of the Jungle even though it seems to be Saping her Strength. When Jasks stops his rambling due to the snakes, She Ready's Her Axe for a fight!
Fort save
Initiative ( -1 due to fatigue)
Setting-up the camp is grueling work, but Uchendu does what he can to help, and continually reminds people that they need to remain hydrated, using Create Water every so often to do just that.
He gives a start when the snakes are revealed. Although he does not recognise the species, he doubts that they are harmless, and draws his blade, ready to cleave one of them in twain!
At the end of the burial ceremony Natalyah walks up the "loot pile", picks up Alton's sword and weights it in her hand. She walks slowly up to Storian and, clearly uncomfortable and uneasy, says: "This is a good sword. Do you think it is ok for me to keep it?", at times stumbling over the words in an atempt to be diplomatic. This is obviously an inexpert moment for Natalyah, but the tone of her voice hints that she is trying.
Storian sighs. "Yes, you can use it; there's no point leaving it in a pit in the ground when it can help keep the rest of us alive. Same goes for the armour; I'd like someone who can use it to do so. Still, the first mate was a friend of mine and I'd like to return his belongings to his family once we get off of this rock."
Just a rough idea on the initiative.
Jask: 20
Amisi and Quetza 17
Atzi 16
Gelik: 15
Uchendu 11
Inkathru 11
Ishirou: 10
snakes: 10
Natalyah 9
Storian Ini: 7
Sasha: 3
"If no one is in need of the armor, then I would be honored to use his armor and return it to his family once our journey is done. As his friend it is your decision who utilizes what until his this journeys end."
Jask leaps away from the snakes with a cry, then hurls his dagger at one with an odd air of concentration about him. The blade strikes one of the snakes, but seems to deal little actual damage before flying back through the air to the cleric's hand once more.
Reacting fast Amisi start chanting. She then casts the last seemingly useful spell of the day and a single Magic Missile springs force from her fingers.
Magic Missile 1d4+1
She then takes out her dagger - well aware it isn't of much use in her hands.
The snake hisses in pain as the mystic force strikes it, and it rears up in a menacing display.
Edit:
With no other choice now that the snakes are angered Atzi does what she must to protect her comrades. With a sudden blaze and a quick throw she lobs a ball of fire at the wounded snake to put it down.
Edit
With no other choice now that the snakes are angered Atzi does what she must to protect her comrades. With a sudden blaze and a quick throw she lobs a ball of fire at the wounded snake to put it down.
Natalyah takes a breath to gather her strenght and darts forward into the fray to engage the snakes. She makes one swift cut in an atempt to disable one of the beasts.
Uchendu charges one of the snakes, attempting to cleave it in twain with his blade!
, for damage.
Inka Jumps forward and attacks the un-injured snake with her Great axe
atk roll
dmg
Atzi conjures a ball of flame and hurls it toward the snake, but the finely-dressed gnome standing partly in the way throws off her aim, and the fire scorches soem bushes beyond the battle.
Gelik also jumps back from the snakes, scrambling to put some distance (and some of the larger group members) between himself and their angry hisses. "People say I have a venomous tongue," he says, laughing shakily, "but come on!"
The massive half-elf splits one of the snakes in half, causing it to twitch and thrash violently before lying still.
Next to him, Inkathru tries her own swing at the other snake, and though she connects, the attack is awkward and seems more to anger the creature than injure it.
The remaining snake lashes back at its half-orc attacker, fangs flashing in the noonday sun. The fangs find a chink in Inkathru's armor, and she feels both pain and a terrifying chill up her leg.
Ishirou runs across the clearing, drawing his sword as he goes, circling to place himself opposite Inkathru from the snake, whose head lashes back and forth between him and the oracle.
Natalyah steps up next to Inkathru and makes her own strike against the snake, but it dodges her blow easily.
fort save
Inkathru Feels the venom flow into her Veins from the snake Bite, She lets out a Snarl and attacks again
atk(-1 fatigue, +1 courage]
dmg(-1 fatigue, +1 courage)
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Next round(s) action Amisi
Amisi takes out a small vial and tries to pour it into Inka - provided she has no objections.
"This hopefully helps to prevent the poison to spread' I hope it isn't too late to be of benefit."
Storian grumbles as a snake tries to bite him. He raises his blade and cuts at the one nearest to him. "Damned predators; sooner we're off this rock the better..."
Storian efficiently eviscerates the second snake, while Inkathru feels a sudden, horrible weakness sweep through her.
Once both snakes are dead, Jask raises his holy symbol and two bursts of brilliant golden light sweep over the group.
Bowing her head in respect to Jask. Atzi moves toward the fallen snakes and stumbles from the fatigue that grips her. She kneels near the largest of the two snakes and begins checking to see if they are edible.
Satisfied she takes the sharpened head off of one of her shortspears and begins using it to skin one of the snakes and filleting the snake meat into thin slices. Throughout the entire process she chants quietly in polyglot and she goes about her task with a solemn and respectful hand. Finishing her prayer she continued the bloody work of cutting the meat, she threw choice bits toward the eager Quetza which he caught in the air and swallowed down almost immediately. After a few tosses he began to move toward her until he was looking over her shoulder and snatching pieces from her open palm. It was hard work and her fatigue was wearing her down faster then she thought. With one of the snakes taken care of she cleans and reattaches the spearhead back to her shortspear before she starts casting purifying magic on the sliced meat.
[ooc]She casts Purify Food and Drink on the snake meat
"If I can find some berries, I think I can make these into dried strips for us. It'll last longer and be easier to carry as well." She looks at Gelik as she says "The tongue is like a sharp knife: it kills without drawing blood, what Aerys does is her own business and she will pitch in when she can. We must not speak ill of each other when we must rely on each other to survive."
Without another word she finds a flat rock to settle the sliced meat on, hopefully near the fire. To tired to finish the other snake Atzi cleans her hands in the grass and moves over to where Aerys is sitting and settling nearby her Atzi gives her a small smile before speaking quietly.
"If you don't mind my company, I would like to know your story. Why your journey led you here, but if you want space I shall leave you alone until you are ready" She says all of this quietly trying to keep their conversation private. Quetza walks over awkwardly and settles down near Atzi still looking alert for danger and satisfied from his recent snack.
With the last snake down the fatigue takes over and Natalyah collapses against a tree. The jungle is not at all what she expected. I can't imagine why mother would want to travel here, she thinks to herself while smacking a mosquito from her neck.
"Jos vain tietëst"*, she mumbles to herself as she looks towards the sky.
As she sits trying to collect her strenght she curses herself. She was not prepared for this. Back in Barrowood she could patrol for hours without breaking a sweat, but the humidity and unfamiliarity with the new enviorment has turned a ordinary trek into a overwhelming challenge. She remembers feeling like this when she first left the orphanage in Cheliax. Feeling weak and helpless, and Natalyah doesn't like it. She will have to adapt fast if she's going to survive. This will not suffice.