Surkoff once again rears back and attempts to strike the remaining cannibal with all his might.
Torch turns his blade on the woman. Her movements are too quick, however.
Ralf steps to the side to try to help his friends flank the cannibal and feebly swats again.
Hrakar moves back 10 feet so the radius of channel energy doesn't hit the cannibals, then he channels energy to heal his fellow castaways.
Channel Energy:
The cannibal lady finds herself outnumbered and tries to turn and run, provoking AoOs from Torch and Ralf.
Torch's scimitar cuts the feral woman deep, but she still manages to run off. Are you going to pursue her or will you continue to search for a place to set up camp?
"Get back here! No running home to mama for you!"
Surkoff attempts to pursue her, drawing a javelin and hurling it at her as she runs.
Surkoff's javelin whizzes by the fleeing woman, but she still manages to vanish into the jungle. Unless you are going after her.
Ralf uses his Soothing Touch to stop the cannibal from bleeding to death.
Surkoff pursues the cannibal as far as he can see tracks (and also to see if he can recover his wayward javelin).
Surkoff finds his javelin but the cannibal is nowhere to be seen. Her mate, however, is breathing, but still unconscious.
"Hmm...maybe we can question this fella when he wakes up," Ralf muses. "I don't know what kind of lingo he might speak, but I know a simple charm that allows someone to read all sorts o' heathen writing. If he don't speak our language, mayhaps I could use it on him and we could show him some messages."
These bastards have a way pf wanishing through theseTorag-forsaken woods it seems... Well, let's wake the unwashed savage up and ask him a couple of questions about his friends! I would dearly love to know where they are keeping their cooking pots...
"I'm something of a linguist," Torch notes, "so I might be able to translate. I'd be surprised if he knows how to read."
Once we get him awake , Torch greets him in the various languages he knows in hopes of getting a reaction. He starts with Common, and then tries Polyglot, then works through the rest with less enthusiasm from there.
As the remainder of the party catch up with you, Jask channels energy for 4 points (in case anyone is still hurt) and the cannibal comes to life, spouting what sounds like a string of curses.
It turns out that the cannibal only speaks some sort of pidgin Infernal. Unless anyone can speak Infernal you'll have to communicate with gestures (and possibly magic).
Listen to him! His gibberish actually hurts my ears! Does anyone understand what he's saying? says the dwarf with obvious distaste toward the captured cannibal.
"Obviously some sort of crazed primitive culture, if you can call it culture. What is that around his neck? Are those ears? What kind of beast wears a necklace of ears? Are those nibble marks in them? That just isn't right." Surkoff stands back and puts his hand on his sword, looking as though he is ready to draw and pronounce judgement upon him and carry through with punishment.
Surkoff:
Surkoff:** spoiler omitted **
The NPCs (with the exception of Quij) are all in favor of killing him but the decision is yours.
Ralf doesn't object to an execution, but he's disappointed nobody can speak the guy's language.
"We can not keep him with us and I dare not release him for he will only return to his clan and continue the evil practices. He is not fit to live with crimes he has obviously committed, the only option seems to be a quick and merciful death. Unless of course you want to just leave him to die of thirst and hunger, or if he is lucky then some animal will kill and consume him?"
Surkoff draws his blade ready to strike unless someone steps in to stop him.
Ralf doesn't object to an execution, but he's disappointed nobody can speak the guy's language.
Once it's clear that the party's opinion is pretty much against him, Torch shakes his head and turns away. "Do it then, and get it over with," he says angrily. Though he remains focused on helping the group's efforts, Torch remains sullen and distant for the rest of the day.
Surkoff approaches the bound cannibal, sword drawn, motioning for the him to raise his head as he goes around behind him. If he struggles or refuses, he asks a couple of the party to hold him still. "For crimes that are beyond forgiveness I judge you to be unfit to continue living. May the gods have mercy on your soul." With that said, he plunges his long blade in through the neck and into the chest, slicing cleanly through the heart.
You let the cannibal lie where he fell as a dire warning to others and carry on looking for a place to set up camp. Not long thereafter you strike gold, as you find a sheltered spot, with a stream nearby and will sheer cliffs on one side that makes it easy to defend. You start putting up some awmings to shield yourselves from the midday sun.
Will you take a break during the midday heat or do you want to get your camp up as soon as possible?
Also this is a good time to chat up some of the NPCs if you like. The mood is steadily improving as you are starting to get a bit more comfortable. You're still dangerously low on rations but Ilum has turned out to be an adequate hunter/gatherer.
Aerys and Ishirou are having a good-natured discussion of where to put the traps while Quij and Gelik are having a rhyming contest.
Surkoff finishes putting up a bit of shelter just as the sun is climbing to it's highest point. "Hells that sun is just not right. Man is not supposed to live in climates such as these, let alone be productive. Come let us cover ourselves from the sun and then get to work on the camp after it cools a bit."
As everyone sits under the little shelter that was assembled Surkoff again tries to figure out Sasha. "I obviously touched a nerve the last time we spoke and for that I apologize. What has happened in your past is none of my business but I am hoping that we can start anew and work together to make this predicament a little better."
"I suppose killing the savage is for the best, cannibalism is a dire sin after all, and worshipping devils isn't exactly good, either" says Hrakar after the deed is done.
As for shelter the dwarf helps with the camp, and keeps to himself, thinking on what could possibly be the better course of action. After a long time he resolves himself and announces: "I think we have better set up camp near the beach, we need a safe side they can't exploit in an attack..."
Will you take a break during the midday heat or do you want to get your camp up as soon as possible?
Ralf finds a shadowy spot to take a nap (unless otherwise disturbed).
Maybe it is the comfort of the new camp, but Sasha seems a bit more mellow. Laughing at Quij's and Gelik's antics, she says: "You know, you're not half bad for a pally. I bet the stick only goes half way up your ass." She laughs raucously. "You know, I guess I could get used to this island. The wildlife is kind of adorable, especially those large flying lizards that you killed. I'd love to have one for myself. I bet I could tame it if I raised it from an egg." Then she gets an idea. "Or why don't you catch one for me? I promise that I could keep it under control. Pretty please?"
A few hours later it's cool enough to set up the camp proper, but I guess you'll want to explore some more. Where would you like to go?
Ralf suggests trying to build up a food surplus, since they're almost out of supplies.
"I guess if we stumble upon a nest somewhere we could bring one back or have you come collect it. You really think that you could train one of those wild beasts? Do you have any skills in tracking that could help your own cause?"
Sasha smiles. "I do, but how about I use them to keep you fed for now while you go find me a pet?"
"I could probably find a nest, if that's really what you want," Torch says, shrugging. "I don't know if having a poisonous reptile around the camp is a terribly good idea, but we're pretty short on good ideas at the moment as it is." He doesn't look at Surkoff as he says this, but his not-looking is almost as heavy as an outright glare.
Hrakar snores loudly, after finding a nice spot near the steam, where the foliage protects him from the sun. It's perhaps fortunate he didn't hear the conversation about flying reptiles, or he would have pointed out how the last thing the castaways need is another voracious mouth to feed... one who may very well decide the castaways themselves are an acceptable form of meal...
"Well how about this for an idea, lets finish the camp and then as Ilum and Sasha try to keep us fed we go out and explore a bit more?"
Which way would you like to go then?
Where do we go from here? This spot seems pretty nice actually, but I don't count on an extended stay... So what's it people? East or west? North or South? Personally I'm partial to the eastern approach, as I think we may get fortunate and be spotted by a ship passing nearby, and it's a tad difficult to do that from the middle of the DAMNED JUNGLE!!! Fat chance of that... but better a little hope than none...
Ralf rubs his belly. "I don't know about you all, but stomach is just about touching my back, and there's diddly squat in the larder. I think we ought to do a double shift of hunting today, if you ask me. Of course, I'm just an old man, not a brave explorer like some of you..."
"Ralf's got a point," Torch nods. "Maybe this new spot will have a bit more to offer, foodwise, than our last one."
"Keep dreaming the dream Hrakar, if what I have heard is correct then nobody purposely sails anywhere near this place. If we are to get off this hell then we will have to do it ourselves. I am not saying that we shouldn't head to the coast I just think that we need to explore the whole thing in order to maximize our chances. I say we head to the west for now and explore the beaches there as I hoping the currents will not be as turbulent."