The fortune-teller's ears picked up the elf's whispered statement. He gave him a wink to let him know he already picked up the idea. Generally when the scout does anything besides looking, it means he saw something. The thing was he was always ready. Not looking like he was ready is part of his strategy. Hopefully he'd be able to prove his worth soon as it was hard to deal with the faithless, but things were going to change. He had seen it happen already.
A card appeared in his hand out of nowhere and he reached up to idly scratch his cheek with the edge.
Archibald slinks back to the group and says quietly, Something is watching us, be at the ready.
He presses a hidden button on the underside of his cane's decorative head and draws a thin, agile blade before nodding that the message was delivered.
Jin's skin crawled at the thought of something watching her, unseen, in the swamp. It sounds like a scary story mother would have told me.
The rogue drew her short sword from it's scabbard on her hip. It was as sharp as the day she bought it; in fact, it had never been used. Never one to really let her escapades come to real violence, she had never swung a weapon at an enemy. Hopefully her lessons with Ameiko has paid off.
Go figure. Shelby hadn't seen the eyes, but wasn't surprised. Goblins were vicious, cunning little things, and she had no doubt they were adept at remaining unseen out here.
She takes a moment to unlash her shield, strapping it to her left arm. It made her feel somewhat better. She continues onward, looking towards the eccentric scout.
Liera grins as Awd reacts to the touch, briefly tickling the underside of one petal. The plant was certainly interesting - she'd have to ask Datura more about it later.
When Archibald relays the message, she nods, but draws no weapon. The dagger strapped to her belt remains in its sheath, the rabbit, in her satchel. Glancing around, she sees that Tshilaba hasn't drawn a weapon either - was he a fellow magic-user, then? Or did he fight with his fists, like she'd seen Lou do? She moves a little closer to the Varisian man, in a way she hopes doesn't draw much attention.
Shelby spies her foster-sister edging closer to the fool, and rolls her eyes. If she had noticed it, she knew the attention-stealing card reader had noticed it, as well. The girl was too smart and curious for her own good. Or perhaps she was just taken with the man...he was a handsome enough fellow, if you could get past the lying, selfish, aggravating personality that came with it. Either option was trouble.
She reaches out and pats Jin on the shoulder, smiling, before striding over towards Liera, sword still in hand as she plants herself between the fortune teller and her sis. She purposefully doesn't look at the man, instead turning her head slightly to glance at Liera, ghost of a smile curling her lips as she continues to walk in silence.
After hearing the explanation Lou realizes why he never was much help on camping trips. put him in a kitchen he can make some wonderful creations, but hunting and tracking, and hell just know what stuff is? don't count on him.
Lou strains to try and figure out what is supposedly watching the group.
ya know, I kind of hope it is goblins, then I can take some out and show Noro that she ain't the only one that can kick a goblin's ass
Once everyone has gotten the message, Datura turns back to the task at hand, leading these city-folk through the treacherous swamp safely. He turns his attentions back to the trail, and finding these goblins that thought they could take Shalelu on.
Liera swallows and looks away as Shelby interposes herself between her and Tshilaba. The smile throws her off more than she cares to admit, so she focuses instead on glancing around at the various plants and trees of the swamp, remembering several of them from her studies with Koya.
"Does your sister fight many goblins?" she asks Lou curiously.
Slogging through the swamp turns out to be a miserable, exhausting exercise. Even on the fairly well maintained trail, going is slow, and the heat and humidity are stifling. The first creaky, but sound, bridge is crossed without incident. The second bridge looks to be the same, creaky, but sound. A log appears to be caught on some sandbar just below the muddy surface of the sluggish creek.
That is no log, give me a Knowledge Nature check to see if you know what it actually is. :3
Archibald is just behind the front line melee types as his combat style mainly involves making other people better.
Archibald sank many kinds of logs in streams growing up to use as emergency escape paths when one of his brilliant plans went south in a hurry. As a result, he knows what sunken logs look like. That is not it.
He hisses to get Datura's attention and starts pointing at the thing while mouthing, "Not a log!"
Lou looks to Liera, A few since the raid a few years back, she pounded quite a few of them.
Lou look to the Halfling as they walk, Oh look, Charades again
Shelby snorts in mild amusement as the halfling starts gesticulating. She narrows her eyes, looking out towards the swamp and possible danger nearby. She taps Jin's shoulder, indicating her eyes and then the marshy area nearby.
Datura, forward in the role of scout, turns to see what the Halfling is hissing about. Instead of bothering, he just puts a finger to his lips to shush the little man, before pointing at the log and whispering "It's not a log."
With that knowledge, he nocks an arrow and draws it back, waiting to see if the 'log' makes any overt action against them.
Datura holds up a hand to pause the others, then tries to offer a simple deterrent to the creature. If he can just let it know that there is no food here, he can get it to seek a meal elsewhere. With his free hand, he reaches out for a ray of sunlight peeking through the leaves, and tosses it at the face of the creature. "You'll not see prey this day. Move on to safer hunting."
Instantly identifying the creature, Liera watches Datura's spell, hoping it works. If it didn't... well, she had something that might help.
The flash of light blinds the predator, sending him into a frenzy, but it does get the message across. After snapping at the bridge, the crocodile swims away very quickly.
Crossing the bridge is uneventful, though the deeper into the swamp you go, the more stifling and foreboding it becomes. Vines and branches seem to move on their own and occasional growls seem closer than they are as the day grows long. You come to a clearing created by a long fallen tree and find that the sky is turning gold, and night will be upon you within the hour.
The fortuneteller was surprised that the log wasn't a log. It looked like one to him. Of course he didn't consult the cards, that would have been silly. The creature could have delivered a wicked bite, but it just as well could have had a deer or something else looking for a drink and not one with swords or armor. He was glad they didn't need to fight it.
He spent the rest of the trip tossing cards up in the air, spinning them and catching them and after that he simply kept his hands in his pockets, gazing as much at the sky as he did his feet looking very bored.
When they finally got to the clearing, he hoped that they would be done for the night. He had become unaccustomed to travel since he had settled in Sand Point. His feet were killing him. He kept quiet to his credit though and took a look at Datura for his cues.
Datura looks at the clearing, then at the others of the group, specifically the Halfling and many humans. "It may be best for those of you with limited eyesight, that we take this sign from Gozreh as one of safety and comfort. Here would be acceptable to make camp. You should all make whatever preparations you need to rest comfortably out of doors. While you do that, I will gather some of the bounty that Gozreh provides."
As always, Awd is right on Datura's heels, constantly on the prowl for food. As is their routine, she also hunts for food alongside him, Datura tending towards plant-based food, while Awd looks for fresh meat.
Archibald makes camp using his small size to his advantage. In no time he has made a cozy shelter out of the underside of the log by using a torch to rid it of any unwanted creepy crawlies before laying down in its shelter with his bedroll and blanket.
Just let me know if you need me to keep a watch.
Shelby nods to Datura, too proud to admit the heavy pack has been chafing her shoulders for the last couple of hours and that she would love the rest. She sets about getting her bedroll unraveled, making sure she is far from the fortune teller (although she won't play games, she makes her place once, and if he moves, she just grits her teeth and bears it).
The warpriestess nods at the halfling's words. "A watch would be wise. I would be happy to take the first watch with another of you." Her brown eyes look at no one in particular at this point.
Lou pokes around the perimeter some gathering some twigs and kindling to start a fire. he seems lost in thought as he does so.
eventually returning to camp he has enough to get a fire started but not enough to keep it going.
apparently not realizing that, he starts to build the fire anyway. distracted by his thoughts as he works
Tshilaba hadn't brought anything with him but his cards. He prepared to find a comfortable spot to just lay on the ground when the subject of watch came up. He reached over and plucked some grass by the side of the trail and made a few adjustments to their length. "Doubling up on watches is a good plan. Since there are eight of us, how about we draw straws for time and partner. I'll take whatever's left." He makes sure to look everyone in the eye to check their willingness to comply.
Lou
Shelby
Archie
Jin
Liera
Datura
Awd
Tshilaba
Grouping like numbers and fixing Awd and Datura because I don't think Awd would be reasonable otherwise...
1st watch Lou and Archie
2nd watch Shelby and Jin
3rd watch Datura and Awd
4th watch Liera and Tshilaba
Hard brown eyes meet the fortune-teller's. The plan was fair...but too chancy for her taste. Regardless, she didn't have a better idea beyond the usual bickering over the choice watches, so she holds her tongue. She smiles in delight as she and Jin are partnered up, only to scowl fiercely as the conman and Liera are also paired. It was too late to mention anything now, so she sulks on the way to her bedroll, laying down and immediately closing her eyes.
Snapping twigs, a low hiss, and the gleam of moonlight off the head of something bald in the brush just outside the clearing reveals that the group is not alone.
The fire goes out shortly after the first watch begins. The air is no less stifling in the night, and it seems as if the setting of sun has done nothing to lessen the heat and humidity in the swamp.
For her part, Liera seems to relax somewhat as the sun begins to slip below the trees, often wandering slightly to walk in the patchy shadows cast by the foliage. When the group stops to make camp, she chooses a dark spot, on the edge of the clearing, setting up her bedroll and letting Speckle out of the satchel, allowing the rabbit to hop around the camp, sniff at people's shoes, and stay far away from Awd.
After a moment's hesitation, she slips off her shoes, keeping her legs crossed under her long skirts, trying to keep her hooves hidden from view. She makes no objection to the watch order, nodding in compliance as she slides into her bedroll. With a whistle, she calls the rabbit to her side, keeping him nestled in the crook of one arm as she falls asleep, at ease in the darkness.
Both witch and rabbit continue to sleep soundly.
Making her rounds dutifully around the small camp, Shelby hears the faint snapping of twigs and a hissing sound. Peering into the night, she catches a glimpse of a figure in the darkness.
Her brow furrows in indecision, on the fence whether to try and wake everyone quietly in order not to alert the things out there, or to yell a warning to everyone to expedite the process, but surely tip off the things out there. Her blunt, straight-forward manner wins out, and she yells out, "Everyone up, now!" The hiss of steel leaving a scabbard can be heard as she draws her weapon, donning her shield and interposing herself between her companions and the creature she had spied.
The fortuneteller startled awake when Shelby shouted, giving her a dirty look as he awoke regardless of the danger of which he was completely unaware. He propped himself up on his elbow. "What's got you all animated?" he asked, half awake and mostly annoyed.
Archibald starts awake and pulls his sword from its cane before standing.
By the time Datura returns from hunting with Awd, the others had already settled on locations and an order of watch. He decides to not say anything, as what they do won't affect how he acts. He walsk Awd to the center of camp, near the fire, but not too close and gives her a single command. Once that's done, he sates himself from the food he foraged, and curls up for the night.
He doesn't notice anything himself while he sleeps, but jumps up as soon as he hears the call to alarm.
Awd stares at Datura when he commands her, then stares at the spot where he pointed. Taking one long look around the whole area around her, she leans back and opens her mouth to expose her petals. The whole night, during each of the watches, that's where she stands.
Lou groggily awakens, it seemed like he just lay down a few minutes ago, oh wait he did lay down only a few minutes ago.
I hope this is something good, I was just about dream of...never-mind. he decides it best not to divulge anything further.
Jin wakes with a start when Shelby shouts. Embarrassingly, she had fallen asleep on watch. Reaching for her short sword, she scrambles to gain her feet and see what her partner was looking at.
"There's something out there..." She half-turns her head so her companions can hear, keeping her eyes trained on the shadowy creature in the brush.
Shelby races to stand over her sister after shouting a warning. Apparently, the creature had hoped to make off with her quietly. The pale thing glares at Shelby as it regains its senses with a snarl.
As the beast makes its irritation known, Shelby keeps her cool, her knitted brow the only difference between her training regimen and this real-life encounter. She swings her blade powerfully in a side arc, trying to limit the creature's defensive options.
Realizing what's going on, Tshilaba raises to his feet and takes a step toward the beast, blinking away bleary eyes. Foolish or not, he was not going to let something like this take the girl quietly.
"I foresee that it will not go well for you." He says to it as a card instantly appears in his hand.
Liera wakes to yelling and the sound of a blade swishing through the air. With a yelp of surprise, she reaches out a clawed hand to the creature. Her eyes flash yellow in the dim light, and her lips curl back in an animalistic snarl, showing a mouth full of too many teeth. A loud rustling sound heralds Speckle's mad dash into the undergrowth, where he takes refuge.
The witch hisses, nostrils flared, as she spits out a curse on the creature before her. All thought of her physical characteristics leave her mind as the shadows whisper to her, the sussurus whipping out almost tangibly towards her enemy, the dark magic tugging at its limbs and the corners of its mind.
Jin clutches her sword and follows Shelby, looking to find a spot to flank the creature.
Reginald moves in beside Shelby and defends the gaps where her lack of armor has left her vulnerable.
Datura doesn't have much time to act, so he first focuses on standing up, to be better ready to fight. He also calls Awd, points at Selbarina, and says something to his companion in the language he uses with her.
Lou simply wakes up at the sound of alarm. he does not have much time and is quickly to his feet.
Awd looks at Datura as he speaks, before rushing up to stand protectively beside Selbarina.
HP: 15
AC 14
Fishermen are know for spinning yarns, and recently the Soggy River monster has become a favorite, or at least appears too.
Looking back, it seemed like the men telling those "yarns" were terrified of the thing.
It appears that the Soggy River monster is a Sinspawn, one of the creatures that Sandpoint had to contend with during the events after the Swallowtail festival a few years ago. It probably escaped and has made its home here in the swamp.
On top of that, it appears hungry.
The creature steps fully into the moon-lit clearing, a horrid thing with dog-legs and arms ending in talons and a bottom jaw that is split and yawns wide as the thing roars.
It moves to rip the life from Shelby, but it hesitates as the shadows seems to seep into its skin.
Archibald moves to distract the creature and give Shelby the opening she needs. He waves his fancy sword about and hoots loudly.
Shelby nods to the halfling, grim smile on her face as she sidesteps to flank the creature with the flamboyant man. She waits for the disgusting thing to be distracted by the halfling, then chops down viciously.