You can see some prints..you would guess they were made by a single humanoid..probably female.
Setebo cocks his head in some confusion.
"Look at these.. Barefoot, humanoid, alone..... Small feet but a human-like stride. Not like the prints left at Dead men's ford. Odd..."
Barring other directives Setebo continues to lead the group directly towards the great tree. His attention divided between looking for threats and staring in wonder at the baobab.
Atzi nods to Setebo and does her best to keep up with him as they cross the open area towards the Boaboa. She kept a wary eye out as they didn't know if whoever left the mark was a friend or a foe...
Knowledge (nature): (taking ten)=17
Helga laughs.
"Of course! Hold up a moment, Setebo, we must ask permission." She calls out in sylvan:
"Hail, lady of the tree! We must ask your kind permission to approach, that one of our number might climb to your branches to look out over this island, if we may!"
Diplomacy:
Atzi chuckles, moving aside as Helga calls out politely. "Best we are polite lest we anger the Great mother. Good thoughts friend Helga, let us hope she finds us worthy."
Helga's call is met with a gentle laugh that seems to fill the clearing..
"Well met Travellers..I Acenyia, you in the name of this Island" A figure deteaches itself from the tree and walks towards you..she is unarmed, bare of foot clad only in broad leaves and her hair looks like vivid green plant fronds.However for the males in the party the impression is one of overwhelming femininity.
"Many seasons have passed since I spoke with any mortal..and yet I knew that sooner or lateer you wouyld come to me.You have freed this Island from a great curse by your actions regarding the fungus folk and their false god and for this I thank you.
She turns to Steebo "You wish to climb my tree..I grant you permission and will make it easier for you" she gestures towards the tree and vines spring up and entwine themselves around the trunk
Atzi stares in shock as Acenyia appears, barely hiding her surprise as she bows her head. Quetza stares on, strangely intrigued by the goings on near the clearing. "We are glad that we could serve the great mother, the island was indeed in need of aid and that fungus was too strange to be natural."
She smiles as the vines spring up. "Forgive me but you said you have not spoke with... mortals, what can you tell us of the savages of this isle? Are there no other tribes?"
Atzi
Acenyia's face takes on a serious look.."The Savages..ah..they are a great burden on this place but they do not threaten the balance as such. It must be three score and ten summers since they came to this place.Their ship was cast up like so many others and like so many others they survived as best they could for a time until they began to turn on each other. I have watched them over the years as the evil consumed them from within.You have done well so far not to fall into their clutches."
"The village lies to the southwest a rough wall of wood surrounding a few paltry huts and the great tower of stone that was built so long ago I cannot remember the faces of those who built it"
"It was our honour to expunge the island of that ill," Helga bows to the strange tree-woman. "I am Helga Evadottir Alfchild," she introduces herself. "I hail from the far north, the place called in the south the Lands of the Linnorm Kings. We have all been shipwrecked here, and beset by cannibals who speak no tongue we yet know."
Atzi bows her head reverently to Acenyia. "Thank You Great One. I am Atzi, servant of the Mother and child of the Mwangi. Helga speaks the truth, these savages have showed no kindness to us or those who came before and we have returned their ill will with spear and blade. The bloodshed will not end quickly and we have no choice but to fight them, tribe against tribe. As you must know we have taken the fungus peoples isle as ours, it was the only safe place for our sick and injured to remain while we continued to search this island."
She looks at Acenyia as she asks. "You have been here a long time do you know of a great building, what many call a lighthouse? And is there any other place that you need me to heal while we are here?"
Quetza, ever the intelligent reptile, waddles closer and gives Acenyia a crude appraisal. Sniffing the air and staring at the odd human before him, didn't smell human, looked human. Talked Human. But no smell Human. Strange.
"Light...house?" the dryad replies.."Did I not speak of it just now..perhaps I was unclear..this beacon tower lies at the heart of the savages camp"
her hand goes out and Quetza waddles closer letting her scratch between his eyes."You serve our mother well Atzi of mwangi..this one is well fed and healthy." she clucks with her tongue and Rollo trots up to her much to Caithens surprise "As is this one..both are happy I can tell.."
"Well, now we know where they dwell," Helga sighs. "It seems that the only way we can attain the tower, and perhaps escape this island, is to do war upon them."
She looks thoughtful.
"What evil has consumed them, Acenyia? We know they have fallen upon those other victims of shipwreck and slain them. If they were once ship-faring people something has gone much amiss with them."
Natalyah's hands move instinctively to the hilt of her blades when the voice fills the clearing, but freezes there as the dryad steps out of the tree. She stares dumbstruck in amazement at the dryad, following the conversation with wide eyes.
Caithan keeps his council but raises his eyebrow as the normally cautious rollo pads up to the dryad like a puppy on the verge of wetting itself. Letting the druid take charge in this matter of the fey he simply makes sure his gear is very well secure on himself.
Acenyia pauses at Helga's question and her brow furrows as if she is trying to dredge up memories of long past.
"The ship grounded on the shore not far from where the village stands.The crew came ashore..I did not approach them because I sensed a darkness about them even then.They began to repair the ship but that suddenly stopped and there was some sort of conflict amongst them.After that one man left he built a cabin over there" she waves towards the ridge you know as Plant Woman. "Then a woman took charge..I could see the madness in her..she set her followers to securing the island though they avoid me and my hill..they fear me, as well they should. That woman died but she had a daughter one who came into her mothers power..she is old now and I doubt she will live many more seasons..once she is gone I expect the savages to fall into disarray..and when the last one is gone then perhaps the balance will return to the Island."
She turns to Atzi
"You ask if there are any other threats..I can think of only one..to the East lies a cave in which dwells a ferocious beast outside of the natural order.I have no knowledge of its abilities only that it can fly and kills for sport more than for food "
Helga chews the words for a moment.
"I think we need to go back to that ridge and find what may be left of that cabin," she says slowly. "I think we may find some clue there as to what drives these savages. If we can defeat them, we can perhaps use parts from two broken ships to make one whole one."
softly. "You are a beautiful....tree?"
"Th. Thank you" Setebo swallows and looks to the Captain for conformation that he should leave them alone with the strange tree-lady.
Caithan nods at Setebo.
Atzi looks to Acenyia and nods. "I made a promise to my friends that we would take the Lighthouse first and I promise you that I will deal with this menace once we have obtained the lighthouse." She chuckles at Setebo's reaction and watches him climb the massive tree. She turns to Acenyia again and bows her head. "If you can help us restore the fungus island I would be indebted to you Great one."
The Dryad nods then smiles "Give it another day and the last of the infestation will have died off..after that it will provide good fertiliser for seedlings blown in from other parts of the island..there is no need for me to force the growth. Our Mother will see to it in her own time."
"You are welcome to make your camp here..you will not be molested if you do this is a place of peace..and maybe some off you.." she looks at Natalyah with eyes that seem too old for such a young face "..will find some peace of mind"
Natalyah shys away from the dryads gaze. Uncomfortable at being the object of attention her eyes dart back and forth as if looking for a place to hide. "I'll find peace of mind when we're off this island", she mutters. "What would stop the savages from coming here?", the ranger then blurts out, eager to switch the conversation.
Atzi smiles and leans on Natalyah's shoulder and waves her hand wide at the great Boaboa and Acenyia. "All you see is a tree and a woman. But a servant, to the Great Mother, such as Acenyia is much stronger then she appears and the savages are wise to avoid her. Besides we know where we must go and soon we will have what we seek. So rest your weary mind Natalyah and rest awhile. She looks to the others standing now asnd smiling at the faint figure of Setebo high up in the bows of Acenyia's tree. "Why don't we rest awhile in this clearing and think of our next steps friends? Obviously we must find and map out the savages village but we must also consider what Caithan had spoke of earlier... tactics. We defeated one group easily but the entire village will be more tiresome."
Climb
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Climb
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Climb
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Climb
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Setebo
Sure enough you can see in the distance..maybe a mile and a half in a straight line from you the grey shape of a tall stone tower with a platform atop it.Around the base of the tower thatched roofs cluster closly like chicks around their mother.
"I know what she is", Natalyah says and shrugs away. "If the savages aren't a threat, then why are they still here? Why haven't you rid this island of them? This clearing is to open. What will stop them from finding their way here? We did!"
"Who says they didn't?" Caithan says. "Relax for a moment girl, on this hill we can see them coming and cut them down at bow range long before they can throw their shoddy spears at us. But they won't even try that will they?" Caithan finishes looking at the dryad.
"Hmmm a mile and a half.... Not a great deal to see with the mist rising like that... Could be a cook fire but..... Oh well best take a full look see if there is anything else to see."
Setebo clambers around the crown of the tree looking in all directions. Can he see the camp on Dead Island? Plant woman ridge? Anything flying about?
His acrophilia satisfied for the moment Setebo makes his way down the nice lady-tree.
"They have not found this place because I do not wish them to" Anceynia replies to Natalyah calmly. "My powers can confuse and hinder them enough that they have taken to referring to me as an 'Evil Spirit'.But I am no Warrior or Huntswoman to challenge them to combat..you would be doing me a service if you removed them a service I would gladly repay with all the powers at my disposal"
Setebo
Setebo arrives from above in the company of a stray bit of moss and two butterflies.
"The lighthouse is there! It's about a mile and a half south. Right in the middle of what looks like a small village.
"There's a lot of daylight left," Helga points out. "We could foray to the ridge to see if there is anything there first. I like to know what I am fighting."
"Good idea Helga. I didn't see anthing on the ridge so whatever is left there must be overgrown." Setebo taps his captured saber. "But we can hack our way through if we need to. Shall we go?"
"No need to hack and crash your way through the jungle..there is a path that leds eastwards and then a spur off that path that leads up onto the ridge.There you will find the remains of the cabin the man built before his own people descended on him an slew him..they make a pilgramage there once each year.The last one was three moons past so you should be safe as they shun the place at all other times"
Atzi nods to Acenyia and picks up her pack. "Alright everyone lets get moving, we can speak of how we will face them and take the lighthouse." Bowing her head in respect to Acenyia she waves Quetza to follow and leads the way eastwards to the abandonded cabin. "We will pass this way again Great One, hopefully I will have dealt with the creature you spoke of. Thank you again." With that she leads the way.
"Our thanks Acenyia, we will meet again soon!" Helga adds cheerfully.
The Dryad sends you on your way and you move off down the hill and back to the junction of paths you discovered ,then head east for about a mile before you find a slightly overgrown path that swings north west a way then climbs to the edge of the Plant Woman Ridge.
An overgrown jungle path leads to a small clearing where a partially collapsed hut stands on the banks of a gurgling stream. The hut itself seems to have been made from a combination of driftwood and tree trunks, with a roof of wide leaves and strips of rotten canvas sail. The front door to the hut hangs partially ajar. Dozens of bones and skulls—quite obviously of human origin—decorate the hut and the surrounding area, each bearing numerous nicks and scratches.
Atzi hangs back for a moment before edging forward into the small clearing and quickly covering the distance to the hut. She gave the bones a small amount of attention before moving up to the hut door and slowly, gingerly pushing her way inside.
"Let's tread carefully," Helga murmurs, examining the site before approaching the cabin.
Perception:
Survival:
Natalyah puts her hand on Atzi's shoulder. "Wait here", she says and breaks her silence that she's maintained since leaving the dryad's clearing. She draws her two blades and stalks towards the cabin, stopping beside the door to listen.
Atzi follows Natalyah across the bones. "There is nothing to fear here, this... is a holy place"
Setebo picks up a skull with clear teeth marks.
"You have a strange idea of holy....."
Setebo watches the edges of the clearing while the others search.
"Heh." Caithan chuckles. "It's a bloody graveyard. Don;t be surprised if we kick up some foul carrion eater."
Atzi shakes her head at Setebo. "Their are places in my homeland much worse then this, but Acenyia said it herself. They visit this place once a full turn of the season, pay their respect and depart. But Caithan is rightas well, this place is a grave, for someone they thought was important at the time... Lets see what lies within, hopefully something useful."
"How can anything 'they' do possibly be holy?" Natalyah snaps. "This place should be snapped off the island and drowned in the sea."
"I think she means, 'holy to them'," Helga points out with exasperation.
Inside, only fragments of life remain—bits of an old chair carved from a tree stump, fragments of fabric, and rusted bits of metal. Natalyah's keen eyes spot a thin, leather-bound journal wedged in a sheltered niche.
While the journal was quite well made, the years have not been kind to its contents, and now only fragments of notes remain. These fragments are
presented below
Fragmentary Journal Notes
...many survived, the Thrune’s Fang will never sail again. Sargava’s
assimilation must proceed without...
...fine hunting on the Shiv, but the bugs are a constant
distraction. Nylithati’s skills at healing help fight the sickness, but I fear she has...
...founded. Nylithati has seized control of my crew. They are hers
now. And so I have abandoned...
...fine home. Fresh water nearby and I need not endure Nylithati’s
ceaseless raving about...
...will not be returning to that gray, silent island again. There is
nothing there but horror...
...crew lurking about the area. They seem strange, almost feral. It
has been almost a decade since the wreck. I wonder what strange
beliefs Nylithati has...
...changed. There was no sign of Nylithati in the camp, but the focus
of their ceremony was a cauldron they must have salvaged from the
Thrune’s Fang at the base of the ruined lighthouse. It was into this
they threw the half-eaten body of the still screaming man...
...all around. I can hear them chanting in the green even now. They
call Nylithati “Mother Thrunefang” now, and promise me immortality
if I lay down my arms and submit. I know what their immortality
consists of, and I’ll have no part of that corrupt life after...
The notes are written in common with a strong male hand
"Chelaxians", Natalyah mutters in distain and tosses the book across the room once she's read it. "There's nothing. We should keep moving."