While agile enough in the water to avoid danger, the currents are far stronger than the little man's muscles. Reginald continues his valiant fight.
Barker swam hard toward those of his companions that seemed most in danger of sinking or being swept away from the others. He tied them together with his long rope, then headed for the next.
Finnian sees his companions swept away and races along the bank trying to keep up. Seeing Alexander struggling, he pulls out his rope and attempts to throw an end to him.
Finnian sees his companions swept away and races along the bank trying to keep up. Seeing Alexander struggling, he pulls out his rope and attempts to throw an end to him.
Finnian hurriedly casts the rope to Alexander.
Seeing Grutsnick make it to shore, Finnian turns his attention to the others. It appears that Lorelei is having the most trouble so he attempts to get her the rope next.
Round 2
Grutsnick will quickly take the rope out of his pack and attempt to lasso Reginald with it.
Barely getting the rope around him, he will then angle Reginald like bait to pick up Barker and any of the others while bracing himself on the shore.
Swimming hard for Grutsnick's rope, Regi's hand slips at first, but he quickly regains a firm hold and pulls hard
The waters rage around the group as they are thrown this way and that. Everyone seems able to avoid the debris floating in the water or the submerged rocks that seem to pop up with disturbing regularity.
Grutsnick snarls silently as he begins paddling for shore, making some headway against the rivers strength. Reginald, seeing the big half-orc's determination, attempts to follow his lead but is unable to match Grutsnick's raw power.
Finnian, the only one who managed to avoid the brunt of the river's power began racing along the riverbank, trying to keep pace with the others although the flood's speed was making it a losing race. Casting out with his rope, he managed to get a strand into Alexander's hands who was able, after much grunting and struggle, to pull himself on to shore.
Barker helps fasten a guide rope to Lorelei amongst the river waters and a good thing too as she begins to be pulled out further into the flow.
Round 2
Seeing that the river current is nothing he can't eventually handle, Grutsnick will move towards Reginald rather than shore for his first move.
Round 2
Spotting Grutsnick headed for Reginald, Barker began to fight his way toward the shore with Lorelei, swimming around the obstacles in the way.
Lorelei manages to keep hold of the rope tossed to her while avoiding all the debris swirling in the water around her.
"Holy smokes,boys! Regi yells as he gets tossed out of the water as often as he he is in it.
Alexander begins summoning a Dire Bat that can hopefully pluck Reginald from the river, knowing that he has little chance of hitting him with the rope.
The waters continue to push everyone downstream, the noise almost too loud to stand. Grutsnick changes his direction at the sight of his companion Reginald foundering in the water and begins to make his way towards him.
Hooking her arm around Finnian's rope, Lorelei manages to haul herself to shore, dragging Barker along with her despite the current's pull.
Alexander shuts out the distractions around him and begins casting a spell, an otherworldly light glowing in the air around him.
Round 3
Grutsnick continues to swim through the river, the weight of his gear hardly slowing him down and the various detritus causing him no concern.
Not trusting the bat and worried about their swimming ability, Lorelei grabs a scroll out of her haversack and casts fly upon herself. She can fly at a speed of 60ft.
"Reginald, I hope you aren't afraid of heights."
Regi struggles again to reach for some form of safety to pluck him from the jaws of death. Seeing the giant bat winging around above him, the small gunslinger makes a grab for his friend.
Lorelei pulls a scroll out and quickly reads the incantation within. Suddenly she is flying through the air out over the waters. Diving low she manages to help pull the bedraggled halfling out of the water and sets back to shore.
Finishing his spell Alexander stands before a giant bat that flaps its wings in the air and looks around for something to hurt. It takes some hand gestures and not a few curses but finally the bat seems to understand the task before it and flaps its way out over the water. Taloned feet dipping low it grasps on to the large half-orc and with some struggle manages to hoist him aloft and start winging toward shore.
After what felt like hours but could not have been more than a few seconds, the group of you collapse exhausted () to the ground. Moments later your porters stagger up the treeline, more the worse for wear. Surprisingly all 3 canoes managed to survive the flood unharmed although the same can't be said for 2 of the porters. One lies in the bottom of the canoe clearly dead, his neck at an odd angle while the other is simply missing, lost to the waters of the jungle.
Consulting the rough map you have, Barker knows that you will need to cross the river to progress in your journey. That being said, jungle floods are known to be fast but temporary and you all decide it might be best to camp at this point and wait for the waters to calm some.
"That Regi was what we call a Mwangi Boat Ride!"
Grutsnick seems to be exhilarated by his brush with death, although truth be told he never seemed to be in any danger. He will spend extra time checking all of his gear and drying it out, as well as oiling his weapons and armor.
Lorelei is looking rather bedraggled at the moment with bits of leaves and twigs stuck in her long hair, so she gives in to vanity for a moment and casts Prestidigitation upon herself. Soon she looks much cleaner and drier, though no less tired for her brief swim in the river.
"I'd rather not go on that ride again." Lorelei checks all her gear and will also cast Prestidigitation upon it as well to help it dry out and clean it of river mud.
Barker spoke a few words of condolence to the remaining porters in their own language. Then, sodden and sheepish, Barker approached Lorelei as he drew his precious crossbow from its case.
"I don't suppose you could take care of Alexina with that magic too? She's a trooper, but I'd prefer that she wasn't so wet all the same."
Lorelei casts Prestidigitation upon both both Alexina and Barker. "There you go, all dried out and cleaned up. For now at least, it seems impossible to stay dry for long out here. I stay so wet I'm sure I'm about to grow gills."
Looking around and seeing how thoroughly soaked everyone else still is, Lorelei decides to cast Prestidigitation upon everyone else. Hopefully no one takes offense to this.
With a laugh Regi responds,"Grutsnick, ol' boy, that was the best I've ever been on! In fact it was so good I should hope to never have another, hahahaha. Casting Prestedigitation on everyone who still needs drying out or cleaning up, Reginald sits down beside Grutsnick and begins his evening equipment maintenance. "They are going go crazy for this story back home,Gruts. One of these days we may be able to take every piece of gold them jokers from the north have to their names."
Grutsnick grins and the fire light shines from his tusks.
"That sounds good to me."
Barker looked surprised; it seemed he hadn't even considered drying himself out. "Much obliged, Lorelei. Well, at least none of us were eaten by the fish, and wet or not, they can't quite catch us on land yet," he said with a grin.
"It's not the fish, Barker, but the Screaching Eels that worry me." he says with a grin. Finishing up the maintenance on his pistol, the gunslinger gives it spin around his finger holstering it in one smooth motion. "Well. Who's first in the chute for watch this fine evening?"
Satisfied that her gear is now all dry and clean, Lorelei turns back to the others. "I don't think I've ever seen a screaching eel before, are they in the rivers around here? I'm fine with taking either first or last watches."
"In fact they are, Lorelei. They always get louder when they are about to dine on human flesh...or so I was told once by a little bald fellow."
Where I am from they are called the Shrieking Eels. I had heard the same things though about them getting louder. The way I understand it the only way to escape is to give them a solid smack on the head as they are about to attack. Knocks them senseless for a moment so that you can escape. Alexander says around a mouthful of his pipe. A haze of blue smoke wafting from his perpetually raised cowl.
"Well that sounds like a job for Grutsnick to me!"
"Agreed, he looks strong enough to knock nearly anything senseless."
"I've heard of these ROUS. I don't think they really exist."
Grutsnick laughs heartily with the group.
Good they keep their spirits up.