You heed Ralf's advice and leave the wreck where it lies, following the river north. The next day is uneventful, but as you bed down to sleep, I need Perception checks and some sleeping arrangements.
Ralf will go to bed early because he likes looking at the stars.
Perception: , +7 if it doesn't involve hearing
Aerys will take whatever watch she is given, though she cannot see in the dark, she will keep a camp fire going during her watch to see into the night.
As you are preparing to bed down for the night, Torch spots a Mwangi man sneaking around in the foliage.
Roll for initiative.
The men are about 20 feet from you when Torch spots them, spread out in the vegetation (so about 10 feet apart), and they have concealment. It's difficult terrain but you should reach any one of them with a 30 feet move. I'll get a map up if I must, but Torch is the only one that gets an action in the surprise round.
Their initiative is 13, so Torch goes first.
Torch calls out a warning to the others as he assumes a defensive posture. "Who are you?" he shouts into the forest. "What do you want here?"
The men spend the surprise round getting into position and then fire. Two of them miss Torch, but Ralf is hit for 17 points of damage and Aerys for 15 (their arrows seem to be magically enhanced).
Then you are all up.
Gelik moves forward until he's just in range of the hostiles (15'), then casts a spell, violently spewing colors from his hands (he'll try to catch 2 opponents in the cone if possible).
Aerys runs towards the nearest archer, waving her arms in the air shouting in a strange language, "Kuacha, kuacha kurusha, ni wajinga kufikiri unaweza kushinda! Kuacha sasa na hakuna haja ya kuteseka zaidi." She makes a grab at the man, attempting to envelope him in her strong arms.
Stop, stop firing, it is foolish to think you can win! Stop now and you need not suffer further.
"Oof!" Ralf blurts out. "What did I ever do to you fellas?"
Ralf gives Aerys some healing and then tries to get behind cover.
Boosted Moderate Cure:
HPs:
The warriors shrug off Gelik's magic and turn their attention to him. He's hit by an arrow for 6 points of damage.
Aerys takes hold of one of the men, but he manages to wriggle loose. His friend comes to the rescue, axe in hand but fails to connect.
So two of them are attacking Aerys, two are going for Gelik and you are all up again.
Torch runs forward to protect Gelik, aware of the gnome's vulnerability. He takes a firm grip on his scimitar and lashes out at the nearest archer.
Aerys trries to restrain one of her attackers, she once more attempts to grab hold of him, trying to move his body between her and the axe weilding warrior.
Ralf uses Glitterdust to try to blind as many of the attackers (and as few of the defenders) as possible.
Gelik happily makes room for Torch to get into the fight. He backs up a bit and casts another spell.
Torch rushes to attack one of the men and Gelik sets him on fire. He takes a swing at Torch and then keels over. Ralf blinds his comrade.
Aerys grapples one of the other warrior, but once again he manages to break free as the other man hits her for 5 points of damage.
You are up again.
Without her weapons, Aerys' face is as red as the blood that seeps out of her cuts. "Now you're making me angry." she swings at the man with her fists of steel.
Gelik continues to back away from the melee, until he's about 25' away. He casts again, muttering something about wasting perfectly good spells on hostile savages that don't appreciate his power.
Turning his attention to the other archer, already burning from Gelik's spell, Torch slashes again with his blade.
Ralf heals himself a bit.
Gelik sets another man on fire and Torch cuts him down, while Aerys punches the warrior she tried to grapple, with deadly results. He keeps fighting though, draws his axe and hits Aerys for 7 points of damage.
Then you are up again. Two opponents still standing, currently flanking Aerys.
Torch turns toward the last two, circling to put the wounded man with the axe between himself and Aerys. He slashes again with his sword, hoping his luck holds.
With no other option, Aerys continues to pummel at the native she hit before, whilst moving slightly to get out of the way of the other warrior behind her back. She says loudly "Wewe utakuwa si kupata bora ya mimi, hata kama wewe ni mbili. Kutoa up kabla ya kifo inachukua wewe." Her wounds look red and raw, the many slices look as though they would have killed a strong farmer.
"You'll not get the better of me, even if you are two. Give up before death takes you."
HPs:
Aerys knocks out one of her opponents and wounds another, but he dodges Torch's blow. Gelik and Ralf delay.
Desperately the last warrior hews at Aerys, but she easily steps out of the way. You are up again.
"Mjinga, Mimi niliwapeni nafasi, sasa kifo itakuwa yako" Aerys speaks clearly to the last remaining warrior. She then starts to pummel the man once more, dancing on her feet, bobbing and moving in close to club he face with her hands.
Fool, I gave you a chance, now death will be yours
Torch matches her swing for swing.
What's the point of lighting them on fire if you're going to kill them before they burn properly? Gelik complains in Torch's general direction, casting a simple spell.
He turns and screams in Ralf's face, MEDIC! I've been pierced with an arrow here.
The last man falls, and you'll need to decide what to do with them. They are carrying masterwork composite shortbows (+2) and you find 4 magical arrows as well as a number of nonmagical ones.
The rest of the night is uneventful and you are able to continue your journey in the morning.
Ralf heals Aerys again.
Gelik stares dumbfounded at Torch. Humans. There is so little logic in your actions, on both sides of this conflict, that I don't even know where to start! First, these ambushing attempted murderers were driven by the fact that we are "white devils", which is totally racist, and also not accurate in my case, since I'm more of a nut-brown color. Anyway, if we let them live, they'll go get a bunch more of their racist buddies to come back and try again. Also, why would you tie them up AND give them the means to escape? I don't get it.
The gnome loots their fallen attackers, unconcerned whether they bleed to death or not. White Devils. Pfft.
"Perhaps we should talk to one of them, though if we let them go they will return and seek revenge. We could take them on as prisoners, they might not like being shown as being beaten by 'White Devils'. They might loose their honor. Besides we need to know where they came from and who if anyone sent them." says Aerys concerned that they should understand what threats they will face.
Aerys takes one of the bow, "If you don't mind?"
A short conversation with the captured warrior reveals that he's a part of the Mwali tribe that you have been warned about. Under the rule of the child-god Walkenna they are waging a slow war on all foreigners and have tried to raze Kalabuto repeatedly. They tend to hang any non-Mwangi or sympathizers they catch from the "gallows trees" (one of which you have encountered) or simply skin them alive.
Your journey continues northward. On the third day after your encounter with the Mwali you actually enter the Screaming Jungle. At this very point the river widens and in the midst of it a herd of hippopotami are grazing.
Ralf goes into a trance and thinks about hippopotami.
(minimum 26 result)
"Let's not upset those beasties. Slow and quiet, that's the way to move by 'em."
Gelik leaves the Mwali where they lay, neither helping or harming those that survived their ill-advised ambush.
When he sees the hippos, Gelik smiles widely. Not one to normally regulate his voice, he does manage to whisper in this case, trying his best to listen to Ralf's advice. Look at those ridiculous things. Magnificent.
He stands and stares at the animals for a while, simply enjoying a few moments of quiet contemplation. I think fat animals are inherently humorous. I don't know why, but I think it's true.
He'll move on, reluctantly, when everyone else is ready.
"Why, they just look like oversized river cows, must have plenty of meat on them." says Aerys to Ralf. "Why shouldn't we take a few for food?"
"No, Ralf is right," Torch whispers. "These things are some of the deadliest animals in the jungle, believe it or not. I'd rather not upset them."
As you try to sneak past the grazing and wallowing animals, suddenly three lizardfolk emerge out of the water, banging their clubs on their shields and prodding a hippo bull with their spears, sending the agitated bull charging in your direction.
Roll for initiative.