You grab the egg ad retreat into the jungle. Nothing chases you so its seems you are able to get away cleanly with an egg the size of your thigh. You wrap the eggs and place it in your pack before continuing.
You continue down the coast and within an hour spot another wreck, this time on the shoreline.
You climb down about 50' from the wreck and approach. It is mostly intact although pretty old and moldy looking. The name of the ship, The Golden Bow is evident on its side.
There is a large hole in its side and when you get about 30' from it a large creature scuttles out, a crab the size of a hut! It snaps at you and start to make an aggressize move towards you!
initiative strings:
Order of Combat Round 1:
Nim 20a
Wic 20b
Nora 19
Tragershen 18
Anton 16
Corbrius 5
Crab 2
Nim springs into action at the sight of the enormous crustacean, hoping to take advantage of his quick reaction, he calls on Wicewakan to attack the giant crab with urgency. Nim launches forward teeth bared, following its master's bidding.
Nim charges in tandem with his wolf and ducks low as he reaches the crab, thrusting his spear low and up at what he hopes is the thing's softer underside
...and finds a chink in the things armor, driving his spear up and into the massive beast!
Corbius seeing the monstrous crab emerge from the ship quickly moves up avoiding the giant claws. Just before Corbius strike at the crab Asilande seems to sparkle in the sun Corbius tries to find a weak spot in the creatures carapace
AC 18
HP 9
Pool 3/4
[ooc] Ok after seeing Nim's post I doubt my first round actions are necessary [/ooc]
From his current position, Tragershen draws his rapier and lets it fly at the monstrous crustacean.
To hit
Damage
In his concern to not hit Nim or Wicewakan, the rapier flies wide before returning to Tragershen's waiting hand.
Anton's jaw literally drops as he witnesses a crab as big as a house run out of the wreck, only to be felled by Nim with one blow before Anton can even begin to react. (Well, he supposes that for a human or elf it might only be as big as a hut, but still.) "Wow!" He sits down hard, stunned by the swiftness of events. "Okay. So, it wasn't there, then it was, and now it's dead. Right." You can practically see the sunrod get struck and light up in his brain. "So now it's food!" He jumps up -- and pauses.
"But let's make sure there aren't any more like that before starting in on food prep. It'll keep for a few minutes at least."
Since no one is surprised neither side is flat footed...
This is a larger variety of a standard giant crab. Tougher, harder, more lethal but otherwise the same.
As Wic moves in the crab strikes!
Off balance from the blow of the Crab, Wic is unable to clamp down on the Crab. Nim though moves in and delivers a brutal blow to the crab through its mouth. Fully expecting the creature to fall he is surprised when it hisses back at him, still alive!
Nora/Anton left to go before the Crab since we have Corbrius' action.
Fully expecting the creature to fall he is surprised when it hisses back at him, still alive!
You can say that again! :)
33 damage and it is still alive?! That is not good... not good at all. :?
Knowledge Nature
Don't be disheartened! As far as I can tell, it is just a particularly huge and tough crab. Stay at it and its sure to fall!
And feed us for days... Perhaps there is preserved butter in the hold of this wreck.
Anton's jaw literally drops as a crab as big as a house comes out of the wreck, and then survives such a mighty blow by Nim that he was certain it would be dead. (Well, he supposes that for a human or elf it might only be as big as a hut, but still.) He runs up to help finish it off , and strikes with his lucerne hammer.
Miss
However, the massive crustacean is surprisingly agile, and Anton misses it entirely.
Corbrius sweeps in and buries his blade in the beast finishing it! The massive wound from Nim's spear being too much for the poor defenseless crab... :)
You search the ship, part of the hull filled with water. You fid almost no equipment of use but do find an old chest in the captains quarters intact.
It does seem to be locked.
You spend some tie examing the lock and eventually are able to pick it
Inside you find 3 potions and 2 scrolls. Taking a 10 and using read magic you can determine that you find:
Potion of Cure light wounds
Potion of Cure moderate wounds
Potion of *unknown*
Potion of Water breathing
Scroll of Bless
Scroll of Restoration, Lesser (div)
It is getting late, this seems a good a place as any to rest and feast on your newly acquired supply of Crabmeat.
Plans for tomorrow?
Nim looks on in grim satisfaction with his work. Turning, he kneels to check out Wicewakan's wounds before looking to Nora for help.
This looks like a fine place to make camp. We should return to our own camp in the morning. Get the egg back to Sasha. She should be the one to be there when it hatches. We can return on a more inland route tomorrow as to explore more of the island.
Nim then proceeds to build a fire before cracking off a enormous claw and placing it alongside the fire to cook.
Anton extracts the large piece of white meat from the top of a leg, using his lucerne hammer to sunder the shell when necessary. He then wraps up the choice crab meat in broad leaves from the jungle, and places it an empty sack that he kept in his backpack for treasure.
"Anyone else want to bring some back? We might as well take what we can. The more we live off what the jungle sends at us, the less time we have to spend foraging, and the more time we can spend exploring."
Tragershen will take another stab at identifying that one mystery potion.
Then he'll see if he can recall any culinary tricks in cooking the crab meat that might help preserve it for an extra day or two.
Profession (Cook)
He'll see if he can find some appropriate leaves (something similar to banana leaves) to wrap the cooked crab in to carry back to camp the next day. If he can, then he'll load up as much is reasonable in his backpack.
To Nim, he'll question Do we need to put the egg near the fire to keep it warm and viable?
Corbius pulls Asilande free of the giant crab wiping it clean before sheathing it. Looking at the huge hole punched in it by Nim Corbius turns with a wry smile on his face. Remind me not to get on the wrong side of that spear of yours.
Corbius then collects one of the crabs enormous legs and sets it by the fire to cook as well. Now if only there was some butter to go with it...
Corbius helps prepare and package the crab meat for transport taking direction from Nim or Anton on how to do it properly.
Anton i am sure this meat would go a long way to helping the mood of everyone back at the camp especially in conjunction with your party idea.
XP is 160ea
Hexes explored G4, F4.5, E5, D5.5, the wreck was in the border of C6.
You sleep overnight on the shore, the fresh breeze blowing until it decides to rain on you about 3am...the spend the rest of the evening in the moldy, groaning ship and wake tired from a not so good night sleep.
Need a Fort save from Nim, Anton, and a new save from Corbrius.
Encounter chance dawn
Encounter chance noon
Encounter chance dusk
Encounter chance midnight
Disease chance Nim
Disease chance Anton
Disease chance Nora
Disease chance Tragershen
Disease chance Corbrius
Disease chance Aerys
Disease chance Gelik
Disease chance Ishirou
Disease chance Jask
Disease chance Sasha
Go ahead and give me your route back but you are able to get back to camp safely and without anything major occuring. If you go south into C6 and then head back it will take you about 7 hours.
Nim likewise yanks his spear out of the crab, looking over at Corbius. I cannot foresee any reason we would ever come to blows my friend.
Later around the fire, Nim acknowledges Tragershen's question. I had been thinking the same thing. The fire might be too hard to regulate... we do not wish to cook it. Perhaps if we just make sure to keep it warm with body heat? We can take turns and whoever is on watch, can keep the egg warm?
Like many of the others, Nim cuts, wraps and prepares some extra crab meat to return to the main camp.
In the morning Nim meditates as usual, picking different patterns to focus on this day.
Once everyone is ready, Nim converses with Anton to decide the best inland return route to their base camp... ...and the group heads out, Anton leading the way as usual.
UPDATED MAP (assumes above travel completed)
Corbius readies his spells and gathers his gear together in the morning and prepares to follow the rest of the group.
By the time you get back to camp you feel terrible. Sweats, diarrhea. You feel like you want to die. non-lethal and you are fatigued and staggered.
You will need another save tomorrow morning so go ahead and roll it.
You brought me the egg! Thank you thank you! I will make sure it stays out of your way, let's get it situated over here. This is so exciting...
Later that night you are aproached by Sasha, she whispers to you.
Thank you Nim, you have shown me favor, I would like to return it. Can I show you something? Follow me.
Assumes you follow her....she suddenly draws her blade and has it to your throat, take off your clothes...you are going to enjoy this stoic one! her manner seems more playful than threatening, do you play along?
You notice later that evening that Sasha and Nim disappear quietly into the woods...sometimes your own keen eyes tell you too much...
Still flush with yesterday's victory and feeling much healthier, Anton proposes a feast. "We defeated a gigantic crab, and now we can have it for dinner instead of the other way around. I think it would be good for us to all take a little break, eat, talk... maybe even make some music."
As the campfire pushes back against the growing dark, Anton takes off his breastplate and plays a cheerful island rhythm on his improvised drumset. With a belly full of crabmeat, he plays as long as it looks like everyone is having fun, until he has to go to sleep so that he can get up early for the last shift of watch.
He was in a pretty foul mood back then, not that it has changed much but at least he keeps his mouth shut.
He explained that he is an orator, not a musician and doesn't know how to make instruments.
You noticed two other things that you never commented on, Aerys book or journal and Nim/Sasha disappearing into the woods. Can I assume you ignore both?
You can go ahead and make a diplomacy check to talk Gelik into telling some stories.
The other castaways like the idea and you do have a makeshift feast, eating a fresh claw that wasn't eaten the night before. Each claw weigh about 25lbs so there is plenty of meat.
Without going into too much detail, Sasha is an agressor so you both enjoy the fruits of your labor as she is quite beautiful and fairly muscular, a fine example of good breeding stock, although a little more meat on her bones wouldn't hurt. You do notice a large number of scars on her, something you would expect to see on a fighting man.
Sasha, When this egg it will be an excellent scout for us once I get it trained. I have heard that these beasts are fairly easy to train and domesticate.
Also starting tomorrow I have a few fighting tricks I would like to show you in our spare time I learn from the Red Mantis', you will find them useful.
Feel free to RP some that night but what is the plan for the next day?
Anton watches over everyone as they gradually wake up. He waits until they're all ready to discuss what to do next. "We still have some terrain near here that we haven't explored. Even without Corbius's intuition, it would make sense to know this area better. I think it would also make a nice change from exploring the shoreline."
That's an excellent point. It would makes sense to check the immediate area to make sure that no predators are laired nearby. Who knows? Perhaps we'll even chance across some sort of marker that will help us find the ruins we can here for initially.
To the others on the way back to camp... Nim bringing this egg back to Sasha makes perfect sense. It will help keep her mind occupied and give her a sense of purpose. Perhaps that is what Gelik needs as well. We would just need to find out what that might be. Perhaps if we find out why he was traveling so far from the civilized lands to begin with? I can't help but believe that his knowledge and abilities could help us here if we can just break out of his depression.
As the party returns to the camp Corbius begins to walk more slowly and is beging to develop a noticeable shaking. At about the halfway point he begins having to make numerous stops in the woods to relieve himself and is clearly looking in discomfort. Oh... I just do not feel well at all lets keep moving I just want to return to camp.
Nora I think I may have what Tragershen had a few days ago. I feel like death is there anything I can do to get over this? He begs of her when he gets a momment.
At her offer of sharing her combat expertise Nim responds with genuine interest and obvious attraction. I would be honored... Perhaps there is something I can share with you in return?
Nim meditates on her mentioning of familiarity with the Red Mantis', and their techniques, but does not broach the subject other than to casually remark, It seems there is more to you than one would first assume. Mighty interesting company you seem to keep. Nim smiles broadly to show that he makes no judgement. I must say I find you intriguing! He then grabs her and pulls her back down onto him...
Nim sits cross legged meditating to the rising sun as is his custom. When he finishes, he stands and stretches his muscular body before adding to the morning conversation, Exploring the immediate area seems prudent. We can concentrate on the area immediately around our camp, and work our way out from there in circle. This should keep us relatively close enough to camp should we need to return for any reason.
Anyone interacting with Nim can tell he seems especially invigorated this morning. A knowing glance between him and Sasha should tell you all you need to know about the past evening's events...
Nim remarks to Tragershen,You will find Sasha is very much more agreeable since we brought her the egg... perhaps you are onto something. Turning to Gelik, Nim calls out, How about you? What is it that we can do for you to ease your burden at being stranded here with us? Make it a practical request and we will see what we can do. Obviously Nim's nighttime activities have clearly had an effect upon him.
When everyone is ready, Nim calls Wicewakan to his side and nods at Anton to lead them out for the days explorations.
Corbrius, come here right now! after a thorough examination, You are correct you have Dysentery. Here drink this, and eat this. No Crab for you, only brews and solid foods.
With Jask and now Nora working on you even your poor health seems to not be able to keep you from feeling better the next morning due to their aid.
Jask and Nora both look the group over. Working as a team they seem to to get into a easy rythm tending to your wounds and other issues.
** spoiler omitted **
Turning to Gelik, Nim calls out, How about you? What is it that we can do for you to ease your burden at being stranded here with us? Make it a practical request...
Find me a way off this deserted hell-hole before the flies eat me whole! he semi-jokingly says....
Morning of the 9th of Lamashan 4708
Encounter chance dawn
Encounter chance noon
Encounter chance dusk
Encounter chance midnight
Disease chance Nim
Disease chance Anton
Disease chance Nora
Disease chance Tragershen
Disease chance Corbrius
Disease chance Aerys
Disease chance Gelik
Disease chance Ishirou
Disease chance Jask
Disease chance Sasha
Go ahead and travel up to 8 unexplored hexes or more if you fully explore some hexes you have already travelled in. It is a quiet day and you encounter little of note or interest.
No you can go through 1 hes per hour or spend 3 in one to fully explore it.
Anton takes a break from drumming to get some water, then joins Aerys where she sits a bit apart from the others, as if she were as much observer as participant. Sipping from a crude wooden cup -- since his clay mug went down with Clopper and the ship, blast all the luck -- Anton strikes up a quiet conversation.
"Aerys, you're looking well and I'm glad. But you're 10% of the other people here (if we include Wicewakan), and I hardly know you. I care about your health, but I also want to know you as a person. We offered you weapons and you rejected them; I've noticed you with pen to paper more than once, but I have no idea what you're writing. Where my life is an open book, you're a mystery; and while I don't expect a solution, I would love some clues." Anton gives his most charming smile...
When he finishes his water and re-fills it, Anton seeks out Gelik, who appears to be taking little joy from the proceedings. "I think I know what would cheer you up: telling one of your favorite stories. How about the one with a prudish Iomedaen crusaderess, a wanton Varisian dancer, and a penniless noble's clever daughter at a Taldane masquerade ball, all trying to get the ear of the same -- but what am I saying, it's your story. And then the otyugh! Heh. I know it fairly well by now, so I could give you a percussion background... or I could try to tell it and drum at the same time." Anton leans forward mock-threateningly. "And I think you know how that would work out, considering how hard it is for me to do one at a time."
Anton then tops off his half-full cup of water and returns to his drums.
Nim discusses his plan with the others over breakfast of crab and berries... We should head back south to the shoreline of the bay and then make our way east into new territory. I am ignoring the bit to our west for the moment, unless someone has reason to think we should fully explore that part of the island.
At some time during the walk, Nim mentions to the others that at some point in the near future it would make sense to move the base camp to a new location... something further south as the distance will begin to be a factor.
Find me a way off this deserted hell-hole before the flies eat me whole! he semi-jokingly says....
Nim has a vision of a large catapult with Gelik seated in the basket... but he pushes the thought from his mind. We are working on that very thing as a matter of fact... each day that we spend exploring is another day we might find a way off the island. As any signal we might try and raise currently would likely be ignored by passing ships, due in no small part to the irrational fear and reputation of this place, our only hope is too find a way off ourselves. I am sure if we spend the time, and work together, a solution will present itself in due time. You just have to have faith!
Nim stands and walks another piece of crab meat over to Gelik. In the meantime, why don't you try and focus on the positives for a change? You are eating well, there is plenty of water, our shelter improves each day and most of the company is interesting and pleasant... myself excluded of course! he says with a wink.
What would really help to improve things around here is some entertainment... it would be a regular celebration at that point! Enjoy this evening, don't worry about what you cannot control! Tomorrow is another day, don't waste time worrying about it!
During mealtime, Tragershen will sit near Gelik and tell him about the wrecked ship and the giant crab, as well as the daring egg theft.
I have every confidence you could weave these tales into quite an epic when we get off the island. Every inn around the Inner Sea will be blessed to have you regale them. Your reputation will preceed you wherever you go. If you are interested, I can share the details of our outing each day. In fact, I have a bit of paper, pen and ink I'd be willing to share with you if you'd like. he says, patting the pouch with his scroll tubes. Until then, why don't you consider this your tavern? It is surely a bit of a dive and unlike what you are used to, but the patrons still need energizing distraction from the day's toils, just like any other establishment.
Diplomacy
Nim discusses his plan with the others over breakfast of crab and berries... We should head back south to the shoreline of the bay and then make our way east into new territory. I am ignoring the bit to our west for the moment, unless someone has reason to think we should fully explore that part of the island.
At some time during the walk, Nim mentions to the others that at some point in the near future it would make sense to move the base camp to a new location... something further south as the distance will begin to be a factor.
"I think that moving the base camp to the south is a good reason to fully explore the west part of the island. We really have no idea where anything that we're looking for is at, so all we can do is eliminate where it's not. Then, once we're sure that we've been thorough, we can move our whole camp without any nagging fears that we might've missed something important."
Previously...
During mealtime, Tragershen will sit near Gelik and tell him about the wrecked ship and the giant crab, as well as the daring egg theft.
I have every confidence you could weave these tales into quite an epic when we get off the island. Every inn around the Inner Sea will be blessed to have you regale them. Your reputation will preceed you wherever you go. If you are interested, I can share the details of our outing each day. In fact, I have a bit of paper, pen and ink I'd be willing to share with you if you'd like. he says, patting the pouch with his scroll tubes. Until then, why don't you consider this your tavern? It is surely a bit of a dive and unlike what you are used to, but the patrons still need energizing distraction from the day's toils, just like any other establishment.
Diplomacy 1d20+0
Jask also pipes up and urges Gelik to tell his stories...eventually he relents and tells a pretty stirring tale about a group of adventurers lost in a swamp. They fight Lizard folk, Otyugh's, and eventually a Black Dragon before winning their freedom.
It seems to be a breakthrough for the little man and for the first time since he was shipwrecked he smiles...genuinely.
Sasha tells you that it will probably take about a week of working with you a couple of hours a day in order to learn some of the techniques she want to show you. That will mean need to cut your exploration time down by 2 hours per day in order to do this.
The murmer of the voices is there...in the back of your head...urging you south into the main part of the island...Larissia!!
Also Ishirou comes to you again..You should tell the others about the treasure map, I don't mind sharing it with the 5 of you but I don't want to share it with the others as well. You will help me get it but they are different. What do you say, will you talk to them about it the next time you explore?
Aerys hesitantly answers you
It...it is a book I am writing. It is a story about overcoming great challenges and facing great odds, not unlike what we are facing now. It is probably nothing you would really be interested in.
It is pretty obvious by now that Aerys is still suffering from something, Nora has seemed pretty tight lipped about it other than to say something about her being sick...she just seems to be struggling most of the time...
You leave that morning to search the area around your camp. You have to stop more often because of Corbrius' illness, but the tea that Jask and Nora came up with seems to be helping him make it through the day.
You finally break out of the jungle to see a large bay. South of you Anton can hear the squakes of more Dimorphodon's, maybe another nest. Looks like there might be a couple of beach areas on the southern part of the bay. It is really quite pretty until your eyes fall on a large island directly west of you.
Even from this distance the island looks odd, out of place. Whereas the green of the jungle and its potential for life cry out, there appears to be little or no vegetation on the island and it is a weird gray color. It is too far for even Anton to pick out any details but there is definitely something unnatural about that island. Probably someplace to be avoided you think to yourselves.
Something about the island leaves a lump in your stomach. Your memory stirs around the look of it but for the life of you you can't remember what it is. Maybe if you can get a close look at it sometime it will come to you...
You head back into the jungle after the noontime rains and complete the circuit around your camp feeling better that you have not seen any signs of major predators in the area.
Nim takes Anton's desires into account and plans a route to explore the area to the west of the base camp the following morning.
I wouldn't mind a closer look at that blighted island we spotted yesterday. Something about it stirs within me, but I cannot determine the reason. As an possible aberration of nature, I am inclined to investigate.
I am inclined to agree. I would like to finish exploring this pennisula of the island before we move our camp to the south.
Corbius recovers quickly from his sickness in no small part do to the ministrations of Jask and Nora. However, Corbius still seems drawn and distracted most of the time around camp though he still busies himself by taking his turn on watch, working on the camp and doing whatever tasks need to be done.
Corbius does take a break when Gelik finally shares one of his stories with the group. Leaning against a tree he listens to the story closely smiling at the conclusion of the story. Excellent Gelik. I hope you have more like that in store for us in the future. Clapping him on the shoulder in a friendly manner before returning to work.
When the discussion comes up about exploring... Corbius bites his lower lip as the discussion about where to explore next. I think we should head south... I feel that there is something important to the south. I can't say why just that I really think we should go south.
Corbius frowns at the groups decision but makes no further arguments just turns and heads off to prepare his gear for the trip ahead.
Aerys hesitantly answers you
It...it is a book I am writing. It is a story about overcoming great challenges and facing great odds, not unlike what we are facing now. It is probably nothing you would really be interested in.It is pretty obvious by now that Aerys is still suffering from something, Nora has seemed pretty tight lipped about it other than to say something about her being sick...she just seems to be struggling most of the time...
Anton gives her an Are you kidding? look: head tilted to the side, chin down, eyes narrowed, mouth straight. "A halfling, not interested in a story? Come on. Of course I am. And it sounds like exactly the kind I like best, or I wouldn't have chosen this mission."
As they finish breakfast, Anton considers what everyone has said. "So, we're agreed on not moving the base camp south before exploring west. But Corbius feels strongly about exploring south now. As long as we don't move our camp before finishing exploring to the west, it doesn't really make any difference to me whether we explore some south now or later, so let's go ahead and do it now."
I would feel better exploring a bit more to the east first. To create a larger buffer between the base camp and the unknown, before moving off to the west to explore.
Once we have finished to the west, we can resume our explorations to the east and south, keeping an eye out for a new location for our base camp.
Satisfied that the plans for the next few days are complete, Nim retrieves his gear and calls Wicewakan to his side. As the party begins to move away from the camp, Nim calls back to the castaways, We shall return this evening. He then looks at Sasha directly and adds, I look forward to some of your lessons tonight when we return.