** spoiler omitted **
This is regarding the Knowledge: Nature - 20. Just to clarify, was that all the information that the check revealed? In basic terms would I know of their Hit Dice; BAB; Special Abilities; or anything else about them? If not, that's okay; I was just curious is all.
Meanwhile, I have to say - "Thank you" for the option of doing some detective work, I enjoy a good mystery! :)
That said, as for the Tracking roll, I didn't expect much, but the fact that they all came out of the river at the same time, at the same general location seems pretty likely to suggest a higher motivation than simple animal intelligence, right?
I mean; the relative amount of required protein that these things would theoretically need to eat on weekly basis (given their approximate size and body mass) would seem to suggest that each frog would require a massive amount of animals to feast on.
Now, given the frogs approximate size and movement rate, they'd be able to cover large areas - but as they are a predatory creature it would suggest (assuming that they correspond to most types of predatory animals) that the animals that the frogs hunt would likely flee to safer distances to avoid such predatory creatures; and we certainly haven't seen enough animals to feed creatures of such size yet.
That is to say, that given the relative nature of most predatory beasts on a size/mass ratio, I would assume that each frog would consume at least 150-200 lbs of protein per frog per week (based on the average Body Index required for average predators based on their average size). in other words, that's a lot of swamp creatures that would have to be there for each frog to eat on a weakly basis; and we haven't seen that many yet in the swamp so far.
Of course, this is all guesswork, but given the relative clues and facts that you guys have given I'm assuming that there is something much more than simple hunting animals.
Anyhow, I'm eager to see how it plays out, at least from a detective/clue finding part.
After making your respective and collective observations regarding the giant bullfrogs, you move back into your usual marching order and proceed down the narrow trail, ensuring you do not wander into the more boggy ground on either side of the sturdy, dirt trail. (Some of you are rather dirty -- Bart, Ayreth and Paul -- from your earlier sojourn into the swamp muck.)
When you have moved 30 feet, you all get a clearer view of the Grackle River, just up ahead (it's another 20 feet until you reach the end of the trail and are at the river’s edge). You're all wary since your encounter with the giant bullfrogs not that long ago and so you can keep out an eye out for any other creatures in the surrounding swamp or along the river (to the west and east) from where you are currently standing.
The typical marching order for them was slightly different now. Alar walked amongst them openly, unwilling to leave Bart's side after the lad was nearly eaten, and Bart seemed just as unwilling to let him go. The kid was not very perceptive, but the Lion, now armored by Bart's spell, kept constant vigil. Or tried to, at least. The swamps confused his sense of smell and made it hard to discern anything with that.
Paul pulls out a cheroot and lights it.
He glances at his companions, than he glances at Gii -
"Say Gii - what's that?" he says, directing Gii to some point.
As Paul waits for Gii to let them know what he sees, he takes his musket and loads one of his special shots into it.
Then he takes another draw from the smoke.
With your group's combined, keen eyes, you note something down by the west side of the riverbank (30 ft from the end of the trail).
Your group rushes forward, still vigilant, but wondering if it's another clue as to the whereabouts of the missing cook, Leeara.
Walking along the riverbank, as you near the spot, you can see the mostly skeletal remains of a pair of, what you believe to be, adventurers, lodged among the roots and mud of the riverbank.
The bodies are clad in rotten leather armour, but one of the two skeletons is clutching a mud-caked yet still very fine looking shortsword. The other body is carrying a rotted leather bag. Upon closer inspection of it, you discover five vials inside: two potions of an unknown variety and three potions of what you recognise to be Cure Moderate Wounds. And a pouch containing 438 gold pieces.
"Lots of shiny things!" she smirks
"Who gets the stuff? Just curious and all that!"
-Posted with Wayfinder
Paul is mildly curious about the potions - though more curious about the weapon.
However, before he even begins to worry about it, he examines specifically the corpses themselves.
He also looks for other obvious things; such as what caused their death (as in; massive contusion in the skull; penetration of upper torso; or other more obvious things - broken bones indicative of edged weapons (as in straight slices or cuts in the bones, as opposed to damage from blunt weapons which would leave crushed or pulped bones), arrow heads in the body, bullets in the body, that sort of thing).
Finally, he is studying the trees themselves with great suspicion.
He recalls tales of travelers who have dealt with trees that have feasted on the flesh of men before; drawing them into their roots to make a meal of them.
His eyes lift above for a moment, searching for any crows, but he is very careful to touch the trees themselves at this point.
Gii examines the weapon and the vials, looking rather impressed with each. "This blade is magic - it explains why it's in such good shape, even if the rest of these pour souls are not," the Nethian states from his position kneeling next to the bodies.
He sets everything on the ground, presses his hands together, and says a short rite for the deceased. Once he has finished, he picks the items back up and turns to face the others. "These potions will allow the imbiber to breathe underwater for a period of time. Let us hope that we will not need to use them," he says, thumbing towards the swampy water. He switches his grip on the sword, offering the grip to each party member in turn. "This will serve one of you well, I have no doubt."
Yuki extends her hand
"if i may?"
The sword will come in handy
Bartholomew wasn't interested in the weapon, or the vial in the end. His curiosity was drawn to Gii. When the others had their chance to speak Bart would step up and try and detect the magic on them. Though he could see it, he had no idea how to discern what sort of magic they were, and he looked at the stuffy priest with a bit more respect. "Ya can teach me to do that?"
Gii examines the goods with an appraising eye, picking up the magical blade somewhat gingerly.
"This will serve one of you well, I have no doubt."Paul glances at this new weapon with interest. However, before he can say anything, Yuki extended her hand
"If i may?"
Paul glances at her, his eyes noting her magical rapier. His head cocks to the side as he studies her for a moment.
"No offense, but how many swords you reckon on using during a fight?” he asks her slowly.
He himself used two weapons in a melee fight; but he could only afford one magical sword.
While he never saw Yuki use two weapons in a melee fight, if she could use two weapons to advantage then maybe she should have a second magical sword...
Either way - he knew the law: she claimed it; he didn't.
That said, he wasn't going to argue about it.
”No offense, but how many swords you reckon on using during a fight?” he asks slowly, than shakes his head.
She smiles at him
Well, this one is for stabbing, and this one will be for slashingShe sticks her tongue out in a goofy grin
She smiles at him.
Well, this one is for stabbing, and this one will be for slashing
She sticks her tongue out in a goofy grin
He holds up his hands.
"Whatever; you claimed it. I ain't going to argue with you about it," he says with a flat voice.
He turns away from Yuki and moves up to the river to study the terrain.
He glances at his companions.
"The dead folk are adult male... I think they may be human, but I don't know... They been there a long time, but I don't know what killed them..."
As he talks, he continues to study the terrain thoughtfully, trying to learn as much as possible.
The Nethian nods when Bart questions him. "I am capable of showing you how. It is mostly whether you can pick it up or not," he states matter-of-factly.
Gii hands the weapon to Yuki after she and Paul discuss it. "Use it well. The last person who owned it, did not."
Paul glances at the opposite shore.
”The far side of the water’s got a steep cliff. I reckon if we got to the other side we’d have to climb it... Climbing a cliff when you pull yourself out of water's tricky business... Meantime, the water’s about maybe… fifteen… nah… I’d say closer to twenty feet,” he says slowly, glad that he knows a bit about how to swim.
He spits into the water thoughtfully and thinks a moment; studying the cliff for a while.
”Well… we could try swimming across, dangle on the cliff there, then try to pull ourselves up to the top… maybe…” he says, then shakes his head.
”Point is – we might do this – aye… never mind the horse… but the thing is; why?”
He turns to look at the others.
”I’m just saying, we’re looking for this lass Leera, right? We could do this, maybe… But would Leera do it?”
”Never met her, but I’d figure no…” he says as he studies the opposite side of the water.
”Likely we explore the bank for a while we’ll find a better place to cross; probably the same place she crossed…”
He looks at the crew.
”What do you all think of that plan?” he asks them.
"The plan is sound."
Gii nods. "If she has made this trek before, then she surely would know a better way. This strikes me as something that only the impatient or foolhardy would do more than once."
As your group walks along the foreshore, your eyes scan the places across the river, looking for a good crossing point.
You start to move 30 ft east, back toward the end of the dirt trail you were previously on.
"Let us make haste."
Bartholomew nods vigorously, and turns to look at Alar. The lion gives a brief nod as well and moves forward toward the cave that Ayreth pointed out, disappearing into the shadows quite readily the moment he's in them.
"Give Alar a second to check things out before we go in. Might be a trap or more of those critters awaitin."
Alar swims across the calm river with no issue. When he reaches the other side, the starry lion can feel a slippery platform of rocks beneath his feet, under the surface. Alar will need to carefully traverse these rocks or he will slip back down into the river.
Paul looks at the river, shaking his head.
"Don't make any sense," he mutters with a dark growl.
"Why'd the girl pick a cave if she has to swim across a river to get to it? I mean, is whatever she's getting out here worth facing goblins and massive bullfrogs that could eat a man whole with one lash of its tongue - and then after all that, swimming across rivers and such..." he shakes his head in frustration.
He looks at Ayreth.
"Well, at least horses can swim without much of a trick," he says to her, a little encouragingly.
"Thing is - what'll we find when we get there?" he adds, almost to himself.
"Give Alar a second to check things out before we go in. Might be a trap or more of those critters awaitin."
Paul glances at Bart and nods.
"Sounds good, kid," he says.
Paul then raises his musket and drops a knee; if anything comes out to attack Alar when the lion moves across, Paul is ready to fire on it.
"Just keep us posted on what your buddy sees," he says with a nod.
Alar attempts to climb the slippery surface, doing so with a bit less grace. He didn't appear to have fur that could get wet but the lions ethereal coat still held water like any other lions coat might. 'There is a slippery surface climbing out of the river.'
"Seems like climbing out of the water's going to be about as hard as swimming through it. Lot of rocks, lot of slippin and slidin..." Bart was already glad he had sent Alar ahead for this warning alone, but he bade the creature near the entrance and inspect inside for danger. Perhaps the cave would be less swampy in smell and allow the lion to pick something up? And if not his eyes could pierce any darkness easily enough.
|
** spoiler omitted **
Ayreth considers the situation and then looks for a piece of driftwood, log, or rock that would be large enough to offer resistance for Diamond's lead rope, but not so heavy that it would impede her if she truly needed to bolt. Ayreth doesn't want to hobble her with giant frogs around.
|
|
"Don't make any sense," he mutters with a dark growl.
"Why'd the girl pick a cave if she has to swim across a river to get to it? I mean, is whatever she's getting out here worth facing goblins and massive bullfrogs that could eat a man whole with one lash of its tongue - and then after all that, swimming across rivers and such..." he shakes his head in frustration.
He looks at Ayreth.
"Well, at least horses can swim without much of a trick," he says to her, a little encouragingly.
"Thing is - what'll we find when we get there?" he adds, almost to himself.
"I agree, though appearance can be deceptive." She gives a quick look towards Yuki. "We can not know until we look, unfortunately. It is the first cave that we have seen, and that is the best clue we have. To disregard it when it seems to have been visited by someone, that would be foolhardy."
Alar manages to find a firmer foothold into the cave and eases himself up into the entrance.
There is no immediate threat as Alar stealthily enters the cave. The smells within are not too bad at the present time - the usual dank smell.
After the entrance, the path winds slightly to the left and up (a slight incline) for about 15 feet or so. At this point, the cavern v's -- there is, what appears to be, an alcove to the right, and 20 feet to the left, it opens into a small area, which appears to have two barrels pushed to the back with sacks draped over them and what appears to be two bodies slouched against the back wall, one lying on top of the other (Using scent, Alar can tell that the corpses are at most two days old). The corridors leading the way into the cave/cavern are never more than 6 feet wide (the exception being the small open area Alar has spied from outside the opening - that has a 15 ft diameter.)
Alar reports back his findings to Bart (via their link) and waits for further instruction.
Bartholomew winces as word of two more bodies comes through their link and he turns to the others. "Might be that others came this way. Two bodies, two days old at most. No traps, no other critters waitin, but sometin ain't right, I'll tell ya what."
Bart wrinkles his nose, then tells Alar to return. Bart wasn't exactly a strong anything, including swimmer, and he would nee his shadowy/starry companion to help him out.