DM Talomyr's Serpent's Skull (Inactive)

Game Master Talomyr

Anyone else doing anything specific during the day you spend in camp?

Hana nods approvingly when Lawdraw brings out his reincarnation of Sharpmaw. As usual she has little to say, but seems to accept Lawdrak's explanation without question.

For the day that the team spends in camp, she alternates between practicing sword stances and performing various bits of survival labor to keep the camp safe and functional.

For the first night, I need DC 15 and 14 Fort Saves from Adara

Lawdrak spends some time bonding with (new)Sharpmaw, then begins to prepare supplies for their next foray.

"When we are all ready, where to next?"

"We made some progress in learning the terrain to the east, and seeing some of the shipwrecks. Should we try following the land as it bends south and see if we find anything different?"

Just to be clear, by time you made it back to camp with Sharpmaw I's body it was after night fall. I need to make the rolls for the 2nd night after you spent the day making bullets, summoning new companions, etc.

Adara Fort Save Night #1: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17 - Red Ache Cleared
Adara Will Save Night #1: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9 - 1d4 ⇒ 4 INT Damage

Adara Will Save Night #2: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11 - 1d4 ⇒ 1 INT Damage

The second morning arrives much as the other have before, hot and humid. Something seems to have gotten the better of Adara as she is obviously having difficulties focusing on much of any and repeatedly clutching her head.

Adara joins Sasha and studies with her, but her thoughts are slow. She has difficulty understanding what people are saying, and she may not have fully understood what Sasha was trying to teach her.

By the second day, it is pretty clear, Adara is not well. However her symptoms seem drastically different from a few days ago.

"Walk fer wile see wat ken be fount," she says seeming to nod in agreement with what Mizu said. "Ishy Roo's treshur wood be best two look Kate!"

Her speech seems to be nigh incomprehensible at first, but the words do seem to sound familiar even if it takes a moment to decipher their meaning.

"A... sound plan," Dereje says, looking at Adara with transparent concern. It had taken him a moment to unravel the oracle's mad ravings. He makes a mental note to watch over her, make sure that she does not do anything... rash.

"We should press on as far as we can today."

Return back in the direction of where you fought the crab or another direction?

Estietre gives Adara a warm smile for her not letting her ailment get her down, and nods to Dereje in agreement.

She displays the map, and traces her suggestions with her finger as she speaks... "Cut through the center here?... south of this dimorphodon nest, and head south-southeast - angling toward the shore south of the Golden Bow wreck. I have little doubt we will be able to find midday shelter with all the wooded areas, caves, and cliffs."
She rolls up the map, and straps pack to back.
"After that, down the east coast... see if we can find Ishirou's wreck."

'Sounds good, Mum'

Sounds like a plan. I'll update in the morning.

Hana nods in agreement. "It will hopefully expose more of the interior of the island to us, as well. Perhaps we will find additional variety of edibles."

Refreshed and rejuvenated, save for poor Adara's increasingly fragile mind, the party heads off in the direction suggested by Estietre.

Mid-morning Sharpmaw II discovers what appears to be an empty snake's nest containing the remnants of a few egg shells and numerous outgrown skins. By time the mid-day heat begins to swell, you have reached the eastern shore of the island again.

Looking over the beach you see the remnants of a quickly rigged shelter and evidence of a small campfire sit well above the high-tide line on the narrow, sandy beach.

Approaching closer to the abandoned camp, Lawdrak notices a bit of discarded refuse, including both Captain Kovack’s tricorn hat and a few brightly colored scarves identifiable as once having belonged to
the scholar Ieana.

"Interesting...IT seems we might be the only survivors...but given the journal we read..."

IF no-one objects, LAwdrak will gather the hat and scarves and wrap them in a spare tunic.

"If we want to track them down, Sharpmaw should be able to follow their scent from these."

Then the young druid will look around for obvious tracks.

survival: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18

Lawdrak finds a set of track leading to a narrow trail to the south of the campsite.

Adara wanders over to the campsite once Lawdrak has pointed out the now obvious signs of the survivors (architects?) of the shipwreck. She takes the captain's hat from Lawdrak. She stares at it for a minute with a frown.

"We must look Kate them!" she bursts out. She trembles with anger. "If joornal can be trusted...must answer for this sit-chew-a-shun!"

She waves the hat emphatically with her words. Adara notices Lawdrak looking around for indications of their passage. Joining him she tries to see anything he missed.

Survival Aid Other: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

Adara looks at the others as if to say something, but she stops squeezing her eyes shut and clutches her temples. She's slightly bewildered to discover the captain's tricorn hat on her head, but makes no attempt to remove it.

Does anyone care if Adara wears the captain's hat?

"Best to let me tuck that away, Adara. IF they split up, we should try not to confuse the scent of each."

No objections to the hat.

Dereje chuckles at Adara's antics despite himself, knowing full well that it was all a symptom of whatever was ailing her. If she has any memory of this once she recovers, I hope her pride won't be wounded too badly.

Very quickly, the paladin exchanges the tricorne on Adara's head with his own, before handing the former back to Lawdrak. Whether she would notice the difference, well, who was to say?

"Let us see if we can find our traitorous captain," the now hatless paladin says, his expression turning serious.

...Mid-morning Sharpmaw II discovers what appears to be an empty snake's nest containing the remnants of a few egg shells and numerous outgrown skins. By time the mid-day heat begins to swell, you have reached the eastern shore of the island again....

Are you going to press on now during the heat or find shelter for the next three hours?

We should find shelter.

Dereje gives the sun a look and frowns. "...after we wait out the heat, anyway. Most inconvenient."

Whoops, sorry, that part flew over my head for some reason.

Because you no longer had your hat to catch it!

Adara doesn't notice the exchange at all, and missing Dereje's addition nods and says, "Yes, yes, yes. We follow them, make ants her or burn..."

She raises hand and a burst of fire briefly appears before being quenched as she clenches it into a fist. She begins walking in a random direction but suddenly looks up at the sun.

"...too strong now. Don flour much too strong..."

Utilizing the nearby tree cover and the remnants of the Captain's camp, the group is able easily cobble together a temporary shelter to wait out the worst of day's heat.

As the sweltering heat finally subsides enough to travel safely, the group resumes their exploration/pursuit of the Captain.

I'll take a survival check for tracking purposes. Declare a lead for the check and feel free to aid other as needed.

Lawdrak has a +11 survival. Sharpmaw has Scent, but no survival skill. Not sure how that would work.

Mechanically, scent really doesn't come into play until you are within 30 ft. It does allow tracking at a DC 10 plus 2 to the DC for every hour the trail is cold. Based on the age of this trail, the check is damn near impossible.

Survival aid (trained): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

Survival: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19

21 with aid so far.

Once the impact of the sun's rays has lessened, Adara tips back Dereje's hat and begins to help look around.

Survival Aid Other: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

Lawdrak leads the way, with the aid of Adara and Mizu, finding the traitorous Captain's trail leads inland and to a narrow river. Following the trail/river for roughly an hour, you find a large grove of thorny vines grow on these river banks, presenting a seven-foot-tall wall of green leaves and intimidating six-inch red thorns.

Survival: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

"Looks pointy."

Survival: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

Adara stares at the wall of leaves and thorns. Something tickles her brain about them, but...

"Ow..." the oracle moans once again clutching her head.

"Oh! Viper Nettles... what Aerys was looking for.. I'm quite certain of it."

1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20

This grove is a patch of poisonous plants called viper nettles—the bright red thorns on the vines can grow up to 6 inches long in places. Moving through the patch counts as difficult terrain, and each round a creature moves through the nettles, it must make a DC 12 Reflex save to avoid taking a point of damage from the nettles—any creature that takes damage from the nettles must then make a DC 14 Fortitude save or develop a painful rash that sickens it for 24 hours. The woodland stride ability negates this hazard entirely. A large quantity of bright red berries lies at the center of the patch of nettles, but reaching them requires passing through 60 feet of nettles. Harvesting the berries takes 10 minutes (during which the harvester must make four DC 12 Reflex saves to avoid nettle damage—the thorns are much smaller at the center of the patch but still present). Fully harvested, the berries provide a dozen handfuls. These berries, apart from being delicious, have an unusual side effect—they help with recovery from sickness and even addiction, particularly the sickness caused by alcohol withdrawal. Eating a handful of these berries also grants a +4 bonus on saving throws against disease for 24 hours.

Assuming you would like to stop and gather the berries, whoever is gathering them please make the appropriate rolls (if needed - I know Lawdrak has woodland stride). Otherwise, I will take survival checks as before to pick the Captain's trail back up.

The young Kellid calls a halt at the edge of the viper nettles.

"Best let me handle this one...I'll be back. Stay, Sharpmaw!"

Woodland stride for the win!

Lawdrak wades into the thicket and a few minutes later comes out with a bag full of berries.

See above description. You have 12 handfuls of the berries each handful is a "dose". Might not be a bad idea for Adara to eat a handful.

Where to now?

"Well done! Aerys will be so pleased."
She leans in to Lawdrak... "You be sure to hand them to her yourself.", and winks.

"On to the shore!"

Southeast to the east shore, yes?

"Adara? I think that you could really use a handful of these."

I have one for resuming you original direction to the shoreline.

You started to follow the Captain's path which takes you southwest, which direction is the party going?

Dereje gives Lawdrak a nod of approval, impressed by his skillful retrieval of the berries. It was almost as though the vegetation allowed him to pass through unharmed.

"Can you see where the captain went from here, Lawdrak?" the paladin asks him, glancing around.

"LEt's see if we can keep on his trail"

Hana nods. "At the very least, that gives us a coherent goal."

Adara stares at the berries Lawdrak offers uncertainty, confused and clearly having trouble understanding. She hesitantly takes them and begins to eat them one by one.

"Um.." she mumbles. "Plant candies taist delishush."

Okay, if you are still trying to follow the captain I'll take survival checks.

Survival (trained): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

Hana squints and surveys the horizon, then glances about the bushes and landscape. "He could be nearly anywhere... where would he go on this island? Presumably he does not know it any better than us."

1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20

Lawdrak is able to pick up the Captain's trail again, noticing that the Captain has not been traveling alone. After traveling for roughly three hours, your pace slowed by continuing to search for and following the Captain's trail, you come across a fifty-foot-diameter clearing in the jungle here allows the sun to beat down upon a field of wilted-looking plants, their leaves a sickly, diseased yellow.

knowledge (nature): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
"Hmm.. poor plants don't appear to be doing well here."
She tsks the wilted plants... "If you can't stand the heat don't grow in the clearing."