The count, trained in delicate political matters, picks up a slight exchange between Sahba and the Baron, but doesn't catch her implication.
He turns to Wilm and says Of course there will be no lasting effect! Sahba's knowledge of herbal remedies may have just saved me the usage of my foot. Many thanks.
He takes Sahba's hand in both of his and shakes it profusely, while the baron chuckles to himself and exits the tent.
Shortly before departing from camp, Count Matsanda approaches all of you, spring in his step and apparently feeling much better.
I’d really like to impress the old man today, but you see, I’m not much of a hunter, he admits. In fact, I’ve never really been hunting before! Is there any help or advice you can give me?
Note--whatever action you take during this hunting time, it occurs during the first heat check. So those that failed the first fort save: Erevan, Febida, Raman--you will be fatigued for whatever check you make, unless you heal all of the following nonlethal damage before you roll:
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Erevan jumps at the opportunity to participate on the hunt.
He tries to give the count some advise on how to hunt, but it always involves displays of bravado or elaborate swordplay. However, the half-elf does also participate in trying to flush game toward the hunters, which he seems to do fairly well.
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Erevan looks at Faellyn with derision.
"Certainly not all are capable of performing such techniques. That much is clear. But rest assured, with the correct training, they work. Laugh all you want, but the swordplay of the Aldori is unparalleled."
He continues his efforts to flush game out to the others.
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Wilm will hang about in the morning, not really able to help with the hunting, not willing to grant the count false glory. He spends his time trying to get to know the rest of the retinue, listening out for rumours and generally trying to connect.
Sahba, Wilm, and Raman remain with the baron, porters, and mahout, while the others go off hunting...
Sahba eventually finds the baron cleaning his firearm in his tent. He looks up when you approach: So, do you think my pampered 'son' can catch anything bigger than a slug? He is out of his element, but too proud to admit it.
When Sahba asks about the tiger, Baron Rudyahm’s face grows stern as he recalls bygone events.
There were four of us on that trip, plus a half dozen porters or so. It was our seventh day in the bush. We’d had a bad day hunting on the trail, so we split off to the west to follow a little stream deeper into the jungle. The tiger came for us that night, despite our campfires. He must have been young to be so bold. I never saw most of the carnage. All I could hear were screams, gunshots, and men begging for help in the darkness.
With the gun smoke and the darkness, I could barely see the end of my musket. Something took a right nasty bite out of my leg, but I wheeled and unloaded my gun in its direction. I must have only clipped it, yet that was enough to startle the beast. The only glimpse I caught was its striped haunch and tail bleeding as it ran off into the darkness. I managed to limp my way out of the jungle on my one good leg, and that was the end of it. Ah, but we’re going to catch that stripey bastard this time, eh? We’ll give him what for this time around.
Erevan starts to demonstrate his swordplay for the baron, who looks at him dubiously, but remains politely quiet. Faellyn saves his diplomatic dilemma You'll be made a fool if you heed such advice, Count, she says bluntly then proceeds to describe the proper techniques to stalk prey.
Certainly not all are capable of performing such techniques. That much is clear. But rest assured, with the correct training, they work. Laugh all you want, but the swordplay of the Aldori is unparalleled.
With that, the swordsman stalks off to loudly drive some prey towards the count and Faellyn. Meanwhile, Faellyn's patience and advice pay off, as do Erevan's bravado.
A magnificent sloth bear charges right towards Count Matsanda's gunsight. He takes aim and fires a clean shot, felling the beast without damaging the pelt. He beams with pride and thanks Faellyn and Erevan excitedly, asking for help in bringing the kill back to camp.
Baron Bomande approaches as the three successful hunters return to camp, carrying with them an enormous sloth bear
Which one of you bagged the bear? The huntress or the swordsman? Wait... he steps forward, examining the kill. That's a musket wound, well-placed. Well done, Matsanda,
The baron nods approvingly and fetches the porters to prepare the hide/pelt.
After the hunt, the heat starts to get to some of the party again.
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Wilm enjoys his morning hanging out at camp and chatting with various folks - he likes the way his stories get bigger wows than from the adventuring types. He does go out to meet the returning hunters.
Wow, that's 5 times the size of me, good catch! I had a dwarf friend who used these new blackpowder weapons, not the same as a dashing charge of lancers for sure, but impressive none the less!
So, friend, it's good to hear all about you and your life. I wonder, would you be willing to aid me, and my friends, we simply want to know a bit more about what happens in your life, who comes to visit, anything they say. Of course there will be no danger to you, and if you hear anything interesting you will be rewarded. More importantly than that, you will be part of something bigger, something glorious...
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Raman—apparently unused to the heat—lays low during the hunting hours of the day. She practices her archery. She tries to stay near shade. She spends a bit of time just listening to the caravan and jungle. But mostly she sweats the day out.
The one other thing she is intentional about doing while the camp is quietly watching for the returning hunting party is seek out an appropriately sympathetic follower of the Baron … looking, as always to, to spread the message of the Sovereign Court.
Count Matsanda beams at Wilm's praise, but not so much as at the baron's grudging acceptance.
The porters prepare some food for dinner (rations, as no one caught anything else significant) and the night passes about as well as can be hoped when you're camping out in the jungle.
The next day Count Matsanda wants to try his hand unassisted at hunting.
The heat is not so bad as it was yesterday .
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It is hot enough out that Sahba isn't sure she'll make it through the day. She had a bad experience with the heat the previous day, almost going unconscious and delirious from heat stroke, so decides discretion is the best course. She stays in camp, and seeks stories of past explorations from the Baron.
Faellyn stays behind, on guard for any jungle predators.
Sahba remains and the baron, quite taken with her company, tells her in great detail about his last exploits in the jungle, though focusing more on the role of his companions than on his botched tiger hunt.
Matsanda returns from the hunt, again triumphant with a magnificent shot. This time his prey was a golden jackal. He shows it to Faellyn first, declaring I couldn't have done it without your advice. Look!
Raman finds a rhinoceros, but the beast senses her and charges, forcing her to retreat to safety and back to camp empty-handed.
Wilm and Max travel through a small swamp within the jungle, unwittingly stirring up a crocodile in the water. They, too, have to flee and the creature, defending its territory, follows the pair onto dry land. Erevan witnesses the whole thing and leaps into action, driving his sword into the creature's brain and killing it before it can harm Wilm or his pet.
On the morning of the hunt’s third day, the smell of wood smoke fills the camp as porters busy themselves tending various cooking fires. Outside the camp, the jungle is alive with the sounds of monkeys, birds, and chirping insects. If the PCs bagged any game on the previous day, the porters offer to skin, butcher, and cook any of the animals for the PCs to eat. Otherwise, the count provides sufficient provisions to feed the party.
The smell of food soon attracts the attention of a band of macaques that gather at the edge of the camp. These macaques are not hostile at the moment, and they merely cause trouble by overturning containers,
stealing trinkets, and raiding unguarded food supplies.
The porters act reverentially toward the monkeys and offer them prayers along with bits of food and water.
Baron Rudyahm, however, is incensed. Get rid of these damnable creatures at once! Any means necessary! he shouts, stamping off to his tent in search of his musket.
The porters are so excited to be giving presents to, and praising, the monkeys that they don't answer your questions.
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Erevan spent the previous evening recounting to anyone who would listen his exploits with the crocodile. Enough of the party saw his efforts to appreciate his bravery, though after enough time his bragging becomes tiresome.
After resting for the night, however, even the half-elf swordsman appears ready for new adventures, and simply asks that enough of the crocodile skin for a pair of boots be saved for him.
Once the macaques begin to harass the camp, Erevan looks for a way to drive off the creatures without upsetting the porters.
What might encourage them to be elsewhere?
Erevan notes that the monkeys seem to like it when the porters give them food and water...
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Wilm is appreciative of Erevans' save happily swapping stories of adventures and excitement. At some point he tires a little of the bravado, but only because he can't keep up!
After his exhausting day he happily skips a watch and sleeps it off.
Hey the monkeys! These guys were telling me about them, let's definitely not kill them. Baron, there's no glory in such killing. Look they're being led away already...
Wilm joins in the monkey-shuffle.
Erevan and Raman peacefully chase off the monkeys as Baron Bomande returns with his rifle raised and his face flushed.
He casts his eyes down and lowers his weapon, seemingly ashamed of his behavior.
Thank you, I...the sounds of those creatures they...brought me back to a bad place. Thank you for resolving that peacefully.
Later on, the Baron requests Sahba to ride up in the howdah if she would like.
The porters travel on foot behind the elephant. You all are traveling a bit further on the main trail today, so I just need to know who is up in front with the elephant, who is back towards the group with the porters, and if Sahba wants to ride up in the howdah. I also need one fort save for today, if you please.
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Sahba thanks the Baron for his offer. As they travel, she inquires about the Baron's plans for the tiger hunt, and, if the Count does not join them, remind the Baron of the Count's successes this adventure. "We were all inexperienced once," she says wryly.
The heat today is a bit more bearable. Sahba enjoys the heat—it reminds her of her childhood in Qadira—but this jungle has taken some getting used to.
The heat starts to wear down some of the travelers again.