Who takes watch with Corbrius?
I would not say we are opposed to confronting this wood witch. Can you tell us something more about her (I presume it is a her) that we may broach the subject with our peers? For example, where she lives and why it is she poses and threat to you and us alike?
Rasping as it seems to be looking for the right words, The creature looks like one of your...weaker kind, points to Aerys sleeping form, but it is not what is seems. It wants to make this island its own, I oppose it. The island is mine! I have helped you and yours. Now you do this for me. Yes or no?!?!
Mihai grumbles quietly in his sleep, enjoying a vivid dream involving a troupe of Varisian gypsies, a gnome troubadour and a plate of large pickles.
Corbius tilts his head as he listens to the creatures response to Tragershen's questions.
Curious. You want us to eliminate a threat to your dominance on the island that you have obviously been unable to do yourself. Yet you think that we may be able to eliminate this threat for you? Why?
I am not against dealing with her, but I seem to be unable to understand why you cannot do this yourself. If you are powerful enough to destroy us as you claim then surely she can destroy us as well. What is it you think we can do differently than you?
Nestled on a branch of a large tree, Anton sleeps very still. (He learned how when he tired of surprise attacks in the Molthune army.) His stillness belies his mental activity, as he has yet another nightmare about his inability to save Larissia or Nora.
She has magic and can hide. She knows I am threat and always seems to know when I come for her...and her witch powers are strong.
She wants something...she may seek you out. As group you strong warriors...alone you much weaker. Remember that. You think to much...make decision before I change my mind.
What do you say?
vs DC 15
You awake to voices. As you look around you hear a gutteral voice speak the last spoiler in this post to C & T...you are still a little groggy from just waking up and it sounds like it is coming from above but you are not in a place to get a clear view of the voice. Please wait until either Tragershen or Corbrius responds before doing anything yourself.
Anton, it seems you are outside of the ruin? You can see a shadow of the beast on a rock outcrop above the ruin, in dim light.
I assume this means that although Anton still awoke to voices (thanks to his great Perception), he couldn't distinguish what was being said?
Sorry I guess I didn't pick up on the fact that you would be in the room below the trap door, so you can't see anything but you did wake up from the voices and heard the last spoilered statement from the creature. Still waiting for Tragershen or Corbrius to respond and the rest of you can act or say something.
Also, from PMs there may have been some drama with Nim wondering what happened to Anton, the others start to look around, and then he drops out of a tree and is all "Sorry guys, I'm fine, just don't want to sleep where that *thing* can find me. This is where I'll be tonight, and I promise to communicate better next time."
Anton wakes to a guttural voice that he recognizes from the night before, and even his sharp ears can barely make out the words. Turning carefully on his chosen branch, he sees a dimly-lit shadow of the beast on a rock outcrop above the ruin.
Grabbing his backpack and dropping from the tree, Anton races back to the nearby camp as best he can, tired as he is from sleeping in his armor (for once). As he jogs, he hears his erudite elf friend respond, apparently carrying on a civil conversation with the Red Mountain Devil.
I agree we can look into dealing with this wood witch if the others agree.
It is agreed then...you will deal with the wood witch. Good, I will be watching you!...it flies off into the night, everyone who is awake is able to catch a glimpse of this creature
Red Mountain Devil
Nim rousts the others before approaching those already awake while hastily donning his hide armor and weapons. What now? Why weren't we awakened? What news does the night visitor bring us now?
Seeing Anton returning from the sleeping in the jungle, Nim remarks, Do you think that wise? I do not think that this devil should find it difficult to pluck you from atop that tree. And we know that it is observing us... so one can only assume he will know when you stray from the group.
Anton opens his mouth, then closes it again, looking up and away in thought. "Those... are actually very good points." He shrugs, palms up. "It made sense at the time? I guess we should just all stick together as much as possible."
Having caught the tail of the conversation "It would seem that the beast has asked us to kill a witch... under threat of death"
That is correct, Mihai. The veils over its threats were rather gauzy. However, I do think we should consider what it has told us. A witch that is a threat to it may be a threat to us. We should consider confronting the witch. Not necessarily violently at first, if at all. But if she can elude that beast and is not at odds with us, then perhaps she can advise us on dealing with it.
"Ort said that hunters disappear if they get too close to her home, much like how hunters disappear if the Red Mountain Devil is displeased with them. Maybe she hates strangers. Maybe she just doesn't want to be anyone's dinner. And maybe the chupacabra wants us to eliminate a competing top predator. I will hope for the best, and prepare for the worst."
"I would not trust it's words.. nor those of the cannibals. But it would seem our path is plain, we must move towards the witch. Once we meet her we can decide if she is friend or foe..."
Ishirou wanders out from his bed, tired but looking better.
I have been listening for some time and been thinking long on the matter.
If the beast wants the creature dead, we should try to play both sides. Find out what you can about this wood witch as Mihai says. Maybe you kill it, maybe not. But at least this buys us some time while we explore more.
If the wood witch is located near the Cannibals, it may take you a little time to get that far anyways and at least we will have the beast off our backs even though we should stay wary, in case it get impatient.
24th of Lamashan
Encounter chance dawn
Encounter chance noon
Encounter chance dusk
Encounter chance midnight
Disease chance Nim
Disease chance Anton
Disease chance Mihai
Disease chance Tragershen
Disease chance Corbrius
Disease chance Aedalis
Disease chance Aerys
Disease chance Gelik
Disease chance Ishirou
Disease chance Jask
Disease chance Sasha
You leave that morning and take the route that leads you by the wreck. There is some normal jungle life and you deal with the afternoon showers but encounter no dangerous predators nor ruins and return to the camp that evening.
25th of Lamashan
Encounter chance dawn
Encounter chance noon
Encounter chance dusk
Encounter chance midnight
Disease chance Nim
Disease chance Anton
Disease chance Mihai
Disease chance Tragershen
Disease chance Corbrius
Disease chance Aedalis
Disease chance Aerys
Disease chance Gelik
Disease chance Ishirou
Disease chance Jask
Disease chance Sasha
You leave that morning and take the route that leads you to the other side of the island. Again, there is some normal jungle life and you deal with the afternoon showers but encounter no dangerous predators nor ruins and return to the camp that evening.
Your turns to give me a DC 16 Fort save.
Next routes?
Fort Save:
I seem to recall this being a lot more fun on your side of the GM screen :P (the disease inflicting I mean).
Sitting by the campfire, Anton pulls out the sketch of the island that he inherited from the Pathfinder that hired him, Larissia Landor. "So if we're about *here* and we've explored around *there*... then it looks like we'll need to spend at least one night away, and we could explore more the longer we took. Maybe two nights, but I don't like leaving the others alone for too long, so soon after the cannibals and the chupacabra."
Nim spits and remarks in a hushed voice, aware the devil may be watching and listening, I am no assassin! Nor anyone's lackey! I decline to be ordered on some errand by an overgrown flying lizard! If this "witch" opposes both the cannibals and this red devil, I say we find her and help her!
Did the night visitor give you directions on where to find her?
Nim consults the map with Anton and proposes another set of routes. I agree that leaving the others at the mercy of the red devil is not ideal, but I see no other option at this point.
Anton considers the route and nods thoughtfully. "Yes, I see what you're doing there. We should be fairly familiar with that southerly stretch on the east side by the time we get back, which will help make up some for not really exploring that much new territory. But even so, on the trip after this one, I expect that we will have to stay out two nights to make it worth it."
Flex time: Devil/Witch discussion.
Nim spits and remarks in a hushed voice, aware the devil may be watching and listening, I am no assassin! Nor anyone's lackey! I decline to be ordered on some errand by an overgrown flying lizard! If this "witch" opposes both the cannibals and this red devil, I say we find her and help her!
"Make no mistake; I am not suggesting that we do the devil's bidding. I am merely observing that it was correct about the threat the cannibals posed to us. It is possible, though by no means certain, that this witch is a similar threat as well. Perhaps she is a vicious hag, stalking us as we speak! Perhaps she is a shipwrecked patron of Desna that we should join forces with. But if she is a powerful enough entity that the devil fears her and hates her, it is certainly worth investigating as our time and abilities allow."
Regular time:
Tragershen nods along as Nim proposes a route. Given how unerringly he has lead them so far, he strongly agrees with the route he proposes.
26th of Lamashan
Encounter Dawn
Encounter noon
Encounter Dusk
Encounter Midnight
Disease Nim
Disease Anton
Disease Mihai
Disease Tragershen
Disease Corbrius
Disease Aedalis
Disease Aerys
Disease Gelik
Disease Ishirou
Disease Jask
Disease Sasha
Disease type Aedalis
Disease type Mihai
1=Boot Soup
2=Dysentery
3=Pulsing Puffs
4=Sleeping sickness
Encounter noon type
You wake this morning and your feet are killing you. You suffer dex damage and your base movement is reduced by 5.
Go ahead and give me another save, Mihai or Jask could potentially help you so yo will have an additional +4 from them, you have heard of this from the others, it is most likely Boot Soup.
You get ready to leave and Aedalis limps out. He complains about the pain and after a quick checkup by Jask and Mihai you confirm he has contracted Boot Soup.
Assume you still go out for the day? You will cover one less hex due to his reduced movement.
That is the plan yes. If we decide to remain out of camp for longer stretches we can wander further afield. Everyone would have to agree to that course of action of course...
The threat the cannibals posed, and still likely pose to us, was likely the direct result of the devil's own machinations as well. Its only interest was to see the both of us fight. Weakening one group and hopefully destroying the other. The better for it to remain unchallenged for dominance on the island. If this witch is a threat to us, you can bet that the devil had a hand in turning her upon us as well. The devil serves only itself.
Silently to himself, Nim muses upon the night visitor's use of the term "wood" witch...
Spying Aedalis' limp, Nim re-plots his course, shortening the intended path to account for the slower pace.
Although he understands it is the way of the jungle, Nim cannot help but be a little frustrated by the rampant diseases ravaging the group on a daily basis. We keep a clean camp. Drink fresh water and eat enough food to keep us nourished and still this island finds a way to lay us low. Are we weak or is the island strong? He wonders...
You head south past the wreck of the Bloody Doll. You are resting out the afternoon shower when 4 human skeletons wonder out of the rains towards you.
You dispatch them easily but they seem to have come from directly south of you. Their trail easily tracked heading due south. Do you follow the tracks to their point of origin or continue on your planned path?
Retcon, Aerys comes to you before you left on the 24th.
I want you to read this, it is my book I have written. Tell me what you think of it...I hope you will like it. It is still private though, so don't tell any of the other what it is please?
Anton eyes the tracks and taps one booted foot, resting the butt of his lucerne hammer on the wet ground. "We're already cutting short our exploration west, due to Aedalis's boot soup. Not blaming you, I've endured several ailments myself since arriving here." He looks up at the abrasive arcanist and nods. "It's this island. I'm just saying, we might as well see where those skeletons came from, and maybe stop another threat before it can come to us. There will always be time to explore westerly later."
Aedalis refused to let the disease get him down and did his best to keep up. Alas, his limp hindered him and Tilsini could be seen nudging his master along when he was being especially slow.
Its a matter of acclimatisation he explained to anyone interested. I have no doubt that the cannibals here no longer suffer from such diseases, or at least do so on a far less regular basis. Perhaps if we end up making this place our home, we too shall become acclimatised.
As the group easily dispatched the four skeletons, Aedalis mused at what their presence could mean.
Hmm... Undead like these are usually animated in nature. Perhaps this witch has a strong grasp of the necromantic arts. Is this the first walking skeleton you have witnessed in your time here?
"Skeletons?" Anton looks up and scrunches his face in concentration. "There were some ghouls in a shipwreck... some ghosts in the surf --" Anton looks at Aedalis and Mihai, hand outstretched, palm down, fingers spread. "Don't tell the others about the ghosts; it was their first night here after we rescued them from some giant sea scorpions, and I didn't want to hurt their morale. And... that's all the undead I can recall offhand. Unless you count the muskies."
The short ranger shrugs. "Mostly it's been shocker lizards, giant snakes, monitor lizards, those batbirds -- I mean dimorphodons -- a swarm of bats, a crab the size of a small house... some really ill-tempered goats... things like that." He snaps his fingers. "That reminds me! We once came across a monkey that had been basically torn in half, and there weren't any tracks that we could see. I wonder if it was the chupacabra?"