Shalelu looks at Derric and smiles a little. "Giant leeches, ticks, poisonous frogs, snakes, fire ants, and there is rumors of a river monster that lives in the swamps with a very large pincer like jaw but I think its just hog wash." She then scratches Derric behind the ear "Nothing a strong man such as your self can't handle though I'm sure.
As you get to the bridge she is the first to cross and makes it almost effortlessly across the bridge. "Just mind your step the structure is still sound just some missing planks. The moss is a little slick as well but I'm sure you all will be fine."
Leokian follows Shalelu over the bridge, walking carefully to avoid slipping.
The kitsune wondered if Shaeda knew what she was talking about but decided to leave the matter be.
"There now, that wasn't so hard."
Derric nodded slowly, hoping it was indeed hog wash. He didn't want to meet a distant cousin of the Sandpoint Devil, or something worse!
His mood did improve a bit when Shalelu scratched him before his ear. That was his weak spot when it.
"Sure thing Shalelu. And thank you."
Derric quickly followed the others crossing the bridge...
Unfortunately, he stepped on a rotten piece of wood, which surpisingly didn't look like it was rotten, causing him to fall through into the river!
"Easy for you to say," the kitsune yelled as he fell into the water.
Spitting out the swamp water while making a face, he was a bit annoyed at the fact that he fell face into the murk.
"Well, at least my backpack didn't get wet," he said, dripping wet a bit, with a smirk on his face. "Sometimes life has an odd sense of humor," he thought to himself as he got some murk off his face.
Rhis grumbles a little, yawning as she walks, as if paying no attention to the rickety bridge or Shalelu's oh-so-informative list of swampland denizens.
By the time they come to the second one, the Priestess appears distinctly unimpressed with their muck-swollen environs and, blowing a lock of hair aside, sighs, "Congrats Derric, it's a second chance at fa--"
...before the grotesque humanoid decides to rudely interrupt her quip.
Oh. Well then.
The smell of the swamp annoyed Derric's sense of smell as the odor of rot assaulted his nose. As they made their way to another bridge, the kitsune was about to roll his eyes at Rhis's quip when a strange hideous creature came at them!
"Thank the gods it isn't the Sandpoint Devil at least but still this thing is probably just as bad!"
Having decided to keep his katana out just in case, Derric held it tight as he barred his fangs at the strange humanoid monster, readying himself to stop it upon its approach.
Shaeda sees the creature and asks, "that's a very strange looking goblin, yes?" She draws her rapier as she does so and prepares to defend her life.
Leokian steps to the side of the group for a slightly better view of the creature. He utters a single, harsh sounding word and extends his hand. A bright flash streaks out from his fingers and flies toward the creature, hitting it.
Derric felt sick to his stomach, after almost being mauled by...whatever that thing was. Still, it wasn't the thought of almost being killed by the strange creature, but the thoughts of killing his companions and all those he cared about that made the incident worse. Luckily, his resolve and determination to not to give into such...sinister thoughts prevailed.
Rubbing his neck where the halfling warpriestess had healed him, he was glad that the healing magics left no scars, as he did not want to be left with a reminder of the creature or the thoughts it had forced into his mind.
"Thank you Shaeda for healing me. I'm sorry about that everyone. The...whatever that thing was had attacked me so quickly I was caught off guard. I won't let that happen again. If it wasn't for Leokian and Shalelu, well, I don't wish to think about it. But still, even wounded, the monster is still out there and I have a feeling it will be looking for a rematch against us. I should warn you that there is something...just downright evil about it. When it attacked me, it...seemed to force thoughts of killing those close to me, including all of you, into my mind. But as my father has often said, I'm quite hardheaded, so I no longer possess such thoughts!"
The kitsune rubbed his neck again before adding, "Again thank you Shaeda for saving me. Next time we're back at the Rusty Dragon, I'll get Ameiko to serve you a hot meal and drink on the house."
He smiled at Shalelu and Leokian, nodding his thanks. "And thank you both as well for driving the beast off. I've never understood wizards that well, but I'm glad we had your cousin with us today, Shalelu."
Shalelu turns as Derric is speaking, an angry look on her face. "You all should be more careful. There are apparently things of great danger in this swamp. I mean to have a word with the Sheriff about sending unskilled people here...those interested in the bounty that aren't as skilled as you lot are stand little chance of survival. It makes me wonder why the Sheriff announced the bounty at the Rusty Dragon where all the worlds dolts gather. Come now its getting dark we best be on our way. Oh and before I forget" She reaches into a pouch on her belt and pulls out a folded and wrinkled piece of paper and then presses it into Leokian's hands. "It's a map...just remembered I had the silly thing. I trust you know how to use it seeing how you've been following me around for ages."
At Shalelu's words Leokian's face darkens and his eyes narrow. At the same time he almost smiles.
"I.Have been following you. Around for ages have I? You've always been poor with words cousin, and you've always lacked even basic social graces. But I don't think you've miscommunicated this time. Since that is how you see an occasional visit and some correspondence, I will take my leave as soon as possible. I hope you can endure the inconvenience of my presence for another day or so until our business in this reeking bog is finished. That will be the extent of it I promise."
Shaeda hears Derric's offer and finds it peculiar, "First of all, you are quite welcome. Second, if I understand your proposal, you feel indebted to me for the healing meted out at my hand, but by the grace of my Mistress and it is your intent to have Ameiko comp me a meal to pay back your debt?" She chuckles, "rather than have someone else pay off your debt, to me, for something my Goddess directed that I do, and for which I was merely a conduit by Her grace, how about we leave it at 'thank you' and 'welcome' and say nothing more of it?"
Derric was a bit puzzled by Shalelu’s words. He knew that they were all still a bit inexperienced compared to her. However, the elven ranger was merely worried about them. Still, it would be best to try and calm her down some.
”Again sorry about that Shalelu, but we all appreciate you looking out for us. Besides, all of the heroes in the stories my father told me as a child started out green like us. But still, it is nice knowing that you were looking out for us.”
As he listened to Leokian’s remarks to Shalelu’s scolding, Derric thought about speaking up for the female elf, but choose to keep quiet the moment he saw the elven wizard’s smile.
”Maybe this is some sort of family rivalry,” the kitsune thought as he said to the wizard, ”Now Leokian, I think Shalelu is merely saying that we should be extra careful from now on. She means well and I highly praise her skills and experience!”
He then cleared his throat, coughing a bit, and glad that Shaeda had changed the subject, he replied to the halfling’s words, ”Well, I was merely trying to be nice after all. You have a strong connection to Calistria that's for sure. But if you insist that we keep it to being ‘thank you’ and ‘you’re welcome’ I guess that works too. But seriously, thank you.”
Shalelu looks at Leokian, a faint smile tracing her lips as well. "Oh is that all I needed to do huh? Well I guess we can work together to help figure out whats going on here at least. After all your arcane trickery comes in handy sometimes."
At Derrics words Shalelu shakes her head "Green adventureres get themselves killed. Your just lucky I was here to handle that thing...it tried to rip your throat out. Though I am impressed you took the full brunt of its attacks and are still breathing, thanks to Shaeda of course. You might be tougher than I give you credit for...might being the key word."
Casting guidance first.
Reflex:
Acrobatics:
Shalelu, wanting to show off a little bit tries to flip up into a hand stand and cross the bridge on her hands. She manages to hand walk all the way across the bridge but her shirt slides down and her ample chest is exposed momentarily. Not noticing she turns back to the rest of the group, still upside down, and says "There can any of you beat that?"
Derric nodded at the elven archer, although he was a bit surprised at her words. Still she did at least give him a compliment right?
Upon getting to another bridge, the kitsune rolled his eyes. Were the gods trying to punish him!? He did glare a bit at the show offing Shalelu a bit while Leokian went over the bridge next.
He quickly looked at the bridge hoping he could find which places were safe to walk on.
"Before you get thoughts in your head Derric," Shaeda teases, "those farmer's daughters scenarios aren't set in the swamp. Swamp cabin stories are decidedly more macabre."
Derric's eye twitched as he slowly looked over his shoulder at Shaeda.
"Are you instigating that I go around chasing after other women's skirts!? I'm not someone who goes after every woman who moves to get his jollies off!"
He smirks before adding, "Of course, you probably know a lot more about romancing people of various types. If you know any advice to help me with a certain someone I have my heart for set on then I might be willing to carry you halfway through this swamp."
The kitsune gives the halfling a wink.
"Advice I have aplenty and free. Good advice, is likely in smaller supply, but equally free."
Leokian looks irritated as he swats at clouds of flying bugs around them.
That's where we're heading for information? Nice. Who are they supposed to be again?
"Walthus Proudstump, halfling ranger lives there. He should be able to tell us where the goblins make camp." Shalelu says and then moves forward toward the house. The muddy trail your on now leads up to a swampy lagoon. The open ocean is visible just beyond these shallow waters, while an old two-story building, its walls soggy with moss and its roof sagging with age, sits on the lagoon’s eastern shore. Shalelu makes her way up to the door of the house and knocks. After a moment there is no answer.
"Come now Leokian where's your sense of adventure? Your cousin seems to like adventure so I'm surprised that a wizard like yourself wouldn't be tripping over himself trying to gain power from adventure," Derric said teasing the elven mage nudging him with his elbow.
After Shalelu told the group who they were supposed to meet, Derric began to wonder.
"Um...should I change into something...more appropriate? I don't want to scare him."
"You don't suppose the goblins got him do you?"
Leokian mutters under his breath and shoots the samurai a dirty look as he swats at another bug in his face.
Shalelu puts her ear to the door and then a finger to her lips silencing the group. As she does this there is a loud thrump heard coming from inside the house. Shalelu jumps and her hand reflexivly goes to the short sword at her side but she doesn't draw it. A few seconds later a voice comes through the door. "Yes...who's there?"
Shaeda responds, "well, it aint Goldilocks, and it aint bears neither. We's a group of people from Sandpoint come a'lookin' for goblins is all. And we was hoping you could give us directions."
Derric did not notice the mage's glare as they approached the house. Hoping to sense anything odd about the swamp hermit since being in this marsh had him extremely on edge, Derric then said, "Is there any chance you can let us in? Some of us are wounded and we need to rest and restock our supplies before we continue searching for the goblins. We would greatly appreciate it and we will be willing to pay you for supplies if that's alright as well."
The kitsune kept a close eye out for any signs of trouble while talking.
Derric smiled, wagging his tail a bit, although the kitsune was a bit...puzzled for lack of better words by the halfling's tone and conditions.
He looked around, wondering why Walthus had said his house was a mess, while also trying to figure out if it was something that they had said or done to make the swamp hermit upset.
"So are we going?"
Leokian follows Derric inside. He looks around at the mess with consternation.