Gathien looks at Kayle and then Lionel, and then shrugs, "Can we tell how old the print is? I don't like the idea of finding them in the middle of the night, not when they may know the island and may have darkvision like our friend here. I can be sneaky, but not when I'm carrying a light. I'd say if it's a recent print, we should follow -- but if not, this might be a good time to head back to relative safety..." He pauses and then looks up and adds, "I'd have to think the lot of us are leaving prints behind too, so it might be worth taking a misleading sort of route back."
"The footprints are shod, if that tells us anything."
x10=50ft
The explorers make their way back to the north side of the island. Passing through the territory of the predator they noted earlier directly south of their camp, they notice a tall section of cliff in the dying light of the day. Fifty feet up, they notice two nesting winged creatures: colorful reptilian things with oversized beaks. As the castaways push through the foliage, it appears that the creatures consider them a threat, or prey, and take off from their perch before diving down threateningly, bearing a mouthful of needle-like teeth!
Image
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"Beware of its bite!" the elf warns. "Poison!"
Sil starts casting a long spell (summon nature's ally)
Sil directs Sticky to get in front of him to attack so that Sil can finish his spell without interruption.
Kayle will stay where she is standing and start casting Sleep.
The creatures swoop down quickly, snapping at Gathien and Lionel with their oversized jaws.
Sticky takes a swing once one of them is close enough, but it's too quick for him. Each one sinks their respective rows of teeth into the halfing and Tiefling, but their assault has left them exposed as they maneuver to stay in the air above their new pret, rather than crashing into the ground.
-----
Releasing his characteristic roar at the pain inflicted upon him, Lionel lashed out at his assailant. "Gods damn it, is everything on the island poisonous?!"
Sil finishes his spell and an eagle appears next to the first beast!
Sil then punches at it to help his bird friend.
He then orders Sticky to swing at it too.
The pterosaurs manage to avoid all attacks from below, swooping out of the way flicking aside blows with their long tails. The one closest to the druid is caught off guard by the sudden attack from above, though, taking a claw to the face and a vicious bite to one of its wings. It shrieks a creaky, reptilian shriek, but looks more angry than hurt at this point.
When Kayle's spell goes off, a burst of soothing magic washes over the airborne combatants. The eagle manages to shake off the compulsion, but the pterosaur above Lionel slows its wing flaps, before half-landing half-falling on the tiefling, before bumping off him and landing on the ground near the cliff, asleep.
-----
Gathien winces as he's stricken by the flying lizard, and quickly draws his greatsword to try to fell the beast above him. As he swings, he reaches within himself and feels the flame burning within him and directs it out, the flames wrapping around his blade.
"Someone kill the sleeping one before it wakes up!" She retreats from the remaining creature, stepping carefully over ferns and underbrush to stand near the fallen, sleeping dinosaur.
She'll try to knock it from the sky with a spell. Folding her thumbs under index fingers and making an odd symbol in the air with both hands, she mumbles a few words. The creature can feel her magic clawing at its mind, seeking to gain purchase.
Kayle will move near the fallen dimorphadon and hurl a dagger overhand at the flying lizard. for
It's a tricky shot, but Kayle manages to land the thrown dagger right in the reptile's eye. Fortunately for it, it's the hilt that hits it, leaving only a bruise.
It lets out a short screech at her, but then turns its attention to the apparently more dangerous eagle above it. It bites at the eagle then attempts to fly away from the cliff and upward.
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the flying lizard
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---
As Sil drops his shield and pulls out his bow, the eagle disappears.
Sticky will stand on guard in case it swoops in on him.
Sil's called eagle tears into the pterosaur, drawing blood with its vicious hooked beak.
Bruised and bloodied, the dimorphodon continues flying south, flapping its bleeding wings with obvious effort. It obviously retains no interest in fighting.
The other reptile sleeps peacefully beside you.
Sil will let the other one fly away but will approach the sleeping one and start bandaging its wounds and making sure that it is not badly hurt, trying to express to it as it comes to that he is friendly.
The sleeping reptile has no wounds to treat.
Seeing the beast flee, Lionel gave pursuit, hefting a javelin and hurling it with all his might. "Slitherin' snakes and flyin' snakes, this is gonna be one interestin' stew!"
Before it wakes up Sil will try to secure it somehow.
Lionel's javelin catches the reptile in mid-flight, and it crashes to the ground, tumbling through the canopy's branches as it goes.
Silmayre ties up the dimorphodon carefully, trying to avoid jostling it too much. The end result is a still sleeping pterosaur, its wings pinned to its body and feet tied together. Its enormous head droops when it is picked up.
With the reptiles defeated, the exploration party makes its way back to the camp after nightfall, to be greeted by the warm crackling of the campfire.
Sil takes the sleeping pterosaur back to camp but insists that it is not food. He will make a collar for it (with a generous leash to allow it to fly a bit) and will treat it as the camp pet. In his spare time he will feed it and try to get it to calm down.
Gathien asks the druid, "Are you sure about this? It's a little big to carry back easily, and I don't think it would find being dragged or banged into trees as very friendly.... Plus, it's another mouth to feed when we already have a limited food supply?"
"Hes right you know." Lionel agreed as he returned with his kill dragging behind him, pulling his javelin from its flesh. "This whole nature friend deal you got goin', fine by me, but when the critters go pickin' fights, I dont see why we shouldnt stick em right back and eat em." He shrugged. "Seems fair to me."
"Oh, I understand both of you. But it's not hurt and I just thought an extra pair of eyes guarding the camp wouldn't be a bad thing. You know, if I can get it to trust us."
Gathien nods, "As much as I like the idea of another guardian or hunter... I'm not sure our fellow campers will love the thought of being watched by something that was recently trying to eat us, either, to be honest."
He then shrugs and says, "But if you're sure about this -- and are willing to accept that you may be leading it to its death at camp if the others object, then I'll help."
"If it tries to hurt us I have no objection to eating it. But I thought it was worth a try."
As Sil, Lionel, and Gathien discuss the pterosaur situation, there is a sound of rustling from the edge of camp--luckily, it is just Sasha, a slain jungle goat thrown over her shoulder. She smiles to greet you with a wave, but her eyes catch sight of the collared reptile, and her jaw drops. She looks astounded at her gathered fellow castaways, placing her game on the ground slowly, but never taking her eyes off the group. "I can't believe you brought one of these things back to camp..." she says, stunned. She brings her hands up to cover her mouth, then makes several muffled squeals of delight. "It's so cuuuuuute!" She takes a strip of jerky from her pocket and approaches the dimorphodon slowly, offering it the morsel which it quickly accepts. She makes gentle cooing sounds at it, feeding it more strips of meat, and is soon scratching it under its proportionally huge chin. She returns to the others, beaming. "Please, you have to let us keep it! I can take care of it, I swear! I saw some of these while I was out hunting, and I just had to have one! Did you know that their poisonous?" she exclaims, excited and bouncy. "I promise, I can take care of it! If you let me train it, I'll...Oh! I know! I can show you some combat tricks! You lot are always going off into the jungle--I can show you some techniques that might just save your life. What do you say, you let me keep that cutie, and I'll train you tomorrow! Deal?"
Lionel leaned away from Sashas outburst of enthusiasm, looking uncharacteristically dumbfounded by the display. As her eagerness intensified, he squinted in concern, as if he expected her to explode any second. "Eeeeh.." He started, looking around at everyone. "...I guess??"
He raised his arm to continue eating his meal, pausing midway and looking down at the hunk of meat in his hand that used to be another pterosaur. "Awh hells..." He muttered, before almost reluctantly taking another bite.
Gathien chuckles at Sasha's reaction and says, "Or I may be completely wrong about the reaction back at camp."
He shakes his head at the enthusiastic onslaught and then finally says, "Sure." Anything I can learn in terms of fighting better out there is probably worth knowing..
Sil beams, glad to have another animal-lover in the group, and turns to Lionel and Gathien with a satisfied 'I told you so' look.
"I think that's a swell idea!" the elf says.
While a little nervous about Sil bandaging up the reptile, Kayle doesn't seem to mind much. "Well..as long as it doesn't bite me!"
She laughs at Sasha and shrugs, looking at Lionel. "Alls well that ends well? And Sasha, I, for one, would be happy for some combat practice! I'm a bit too much scholar for this island."
"It hasn't ended til we are off this island lass. Remember that." Lionel answered through a meat filled maw, chewing messily before tossing the bone aside.
"I'm turnin' in. It may not have dropped me, but Ive got some poison to work through and id best be gettin' an early start."
Gathien nods at Lionel's pronouncement, I don't think we need to always be at full alert, but he's right to make sure we don't let our guard down too much, then grabs himself a piece of the now-roasted reptilian to eat. He nods at the clawed man and then suggests, "I'd imagine one of the healers could probably help you with a poultice for that, Lionel, to help shrug off the effects of the venom..." He winks and adds, "...if only to make sure we're both hale when more venomous creatures try to eat us tomorrow."
Sil will take his time wrapping up Sticky's wounds before he lays down for the night. As usual, the sapling treant remains awake all night, alert for any intruders.
Kayle will spend the night trying to get Ishiru to open up, his help could be useful in coming days.
She'll bring him some water and meat from the days exploration. "Ishiru, mind if we talk for a little? You're always so quiet..which was fine on the ship, but out here we have to learn to trust one another. I wouldn't mind hearing your thoughts on our situation or any ideas you may have of getting off the island. We also wouldn't mind your help with some of the daily chores!"
Sasha lets out an even shriller squeal of delight at being allowed to keep the pterosaur. "Thank you so much! Eeeeee! I promise, you won't regret this! Does it have a name yet?" she asks, looking chiefly at Sil, who seems the most willing to enable her reptilian husbandry. "Oh, hold on!" she says as Lionel gets up to go to bed. She follows him, and then chummily leans on his shoulder with a grin. "It looks like you've made yourself useful after all, Leo!" she jests. Before he can respond, she leans in close and whispers, "I really do appreciate this. Tomorrow, I'll come clean to you lot about that tattoo. Least I can do. Also, it's not what you think, although I guess you'll hear more about that tomorrow morning." She winks at him, then goes back to Sil to discuss possible pet names before bed.
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Ishirou nods curtly when he's handed his meal, but seems surprised when Kayle stays. "I--uh--" he starts, clearing his throat. This turns into a short coughing fit, which he stops with a drink of his provided water. "Er, sorry. What was your question again? Oh, right, trust and all that. Look, I'm sorry, but I don't know anything about you people. If we get attacked I'll lend my blade to the defense, but I'm starting to think we'll never get off this island--not alive anyway." He glances off toward the campfire, its dancing glow reflected in his tired eyes.
Sil suggests a few long and complicated elven names before realizing that it might be difficult on everyone's tongues. He relents and leaves the naming up to Sasha.
---
The next morning Sil performs his usual ritual of meditating in front of a different tree and then replenishes everyone's water before addressing everyone. "I think we should head back to where we saw those footprints. Either that or the lighthouse; perhaps both if we have time."
Lionel returned Sashas smile with a raised eyebrow, replying to her quickly in a whisper of his own as she was moving away. "Well that explanation should be interestin' at least. You aint exactly actin' all assassin-y right now." He held his hands up in front of him, making a joking mock look of delight, then quickly nudged her shoulder with a fist. "Hows about "Snookums?" He said plainly for all to hear, following it up with a loud laugh.
Walking past Kayle and Ishirou he overheard her request and the subsequent answer. Stopping in his tracks, he turned, walked up to them and crouched down between them. "Ya know..." He started, rubbing his chin. "...Man refuses to do his part on a ship...Well lets just say if he dont know how to swim he better learn fast." He glared at Ishirou a long moment. "I aint goin' out there, lookin' for a way off this speck of sand, just for you to lounge about all day waitin' to be fed." He poked him rather hard in the chest, the claw digging in painfully. "I dont care what Sugarbuns here says. You earn your keep or I make you take your chances with the jungle."
Snorting angrily, he got up and marched off to bed.
---
Getting up in the morning, Lionel did some stretching, checking that the effects of the previous days encounters had left his body. Satisfied, he grabbed some cold meat from the previous night, munching and nodding at Sil. "Yeah, tracks take priority. Hopefully they dont know about us yet. Better make use of that fact before it changes."
Seeing Lionel poke Ishirou in the chest, Gathien winces, Nothing like threatening the people who may be called on to save your life.... I'm starting to think that one is actually as primal as he looks. I hope Kayle can smooth over whatever may result from that....
He sighs again and then turns his attention to the fire, watching the embers and flames dance and trying to throw his frustrations and doubts into that flame, the way he does when going into battle. Sadly, despite the pleasant distraction, that's just not the right kind of fire...
Finally, he quietly creeps around the perimeter one last time, just to ensure that everyone is where they're supposed to be before turning in.
---
Gathien nods, "As much as I like the lighthouse just for the elevation and letting us see the terrain, I agree that we should find out who else is on the island."
Before Lionel can storm off, Ishirou stands up, whipping his sword out of its sheath in an instant. "HALT!" he shouts, leveling his katana at the tiefling, his face now contorted with rage. "You've been nothing but an insulting and arrogant fool for as long as it has been my displeasure to know of you. I helped build this camp, and I maintain it during the day, but I will not be called out because I do not wish to venture into the jungle and risk my neck for a slim chance at rescue. I challenge you to a duel to the death!"
Turning slowly with a murderous, almost excited glare, Lionel looked Ishirou up and down, weighing his opponent. His gaze settled a long moment on the blade, then returned to look the man in the face. "Oh thats lovely that is." He sneered, turning fully to face him. "Bunny lass asks you to help around camp, you dont bat an eye, I tell you to, you get high and mighty." He flexed his gnarly hands in anticipation. "And you call me arrogant. Big talk from a big liar that is. But if you fancy yourself a piece, yer welcome to come and get it."
He flashed a wicked smile as he thought of another taunt. "For someone unwillin' to risk his life in the jungle, yer sure eager to die."
Kayle snorts and pushes at a stick with one finger. "No chance of getting off? Didn't I tell you? There's an old lighthouse here. Besides, have you seen all of the ruined ships around here? We can bloody well build one! Or make a raft! Or..you know..something! Worst case scenario, I'll just practice my spellcasting and make us all swim our way there." She smiles smugly.
"Don't take this as a ship-wreck but rather as a chance too--"She cuts off as Lionel storms in, tongue wagging like a fish out of water.
"Lionel, that's--!" Gasping as the tiefling pushes a finger against Ishirou's chest, she trails off as he walks away.
Kayle backs away from the two as Ishirou rises, pausing and glaring angrily at Lionel. "Bunny?! I don't know what kind of slang you pirates use, but that isn't the sort of thing you go around calling people trying to help you! And you!"
She points at Ishirou. "If either of you even attempts some silly duel like..like some crazed Aldori swordlord, I'll knock you both out with magic! Now. Lionel. Go sit down! Ishirou, we thank you for the help you've provided, I'm sure Lionel was trying to knock you out of your sad-looking state..I mean he did, kind of..now you're all active and we know you're all about honor duels and stuff!"
The shouting scholar smiles at both of them, trying to sound optimistic.