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Ri'el nods in satisfaction at the team's handiwork, but is anxious to keep the group moving.
"Good job everyone. But we haven't found any trace of Sandara yet. Let's keep pressing on towards the island's interior."
He takes a quick look at the frogs to make sure that none of them have anything that might have belonged to Sandara before moving on.
"Oh, um, and Cog," he adds...though the interim was long enough that his failure to mention Cog at the beginning is just a little awkward.
Eli rattles his quiver, noting the shrinking complement of arrows. He knocks another arrow but holds it loosely against the string and moves out along the trail - silent and attentive.
As earlier, the group finds tracks that cross the path, barefoot human tracks. The choices now would be to follow the path or strike out into the jungle.
Eli scratches his head and points with an arrow. "The fresh footprints go into the jungle. Don't you want to talk to him?"
"I don't care wich way we go, I just want out of this swamp."
Eli nods. "I'm no tracker, but I'll keep an eye on you." With that, the green goblin vanishes into the undergrowth.
Garavaen says grimly, "I suppose it's too much to ask that this guy be friendly... or know where our friends are..."
"And ill bring of the rear guard, let me know if there is trouble and ill be right there but having people sneak up on you is simply the worst kind of trouble" Morgrym says, as he does so he is looking about the4 enviroment for a place to clean the slime and blood off his axe, these frogs were certainly not the most disgusting thing he had ever seen, but slime seems to gross Morgrym out
Following the tracks into the jungle, you soon see that they lead back to the path, and off to the other side, almost as if something has been patrolling this path for a while now.
Garavaen nods, "I haven't got any better ideas."
Morgrym pipes up from the back of the group "Feet mean people, people mean information, i say we would be silly not to follow em"
Arenya considers the discussion. "We should proceed with caution. We have no idea how many or what creatures patrol the area. It may well be our undoing. Though unlikely, perhaps we can get the drop on them. If they are more than we can handle we retreat or else confront them a to their purpose." She says warily as she drinks from her canteen.
Eli nods and again vanishes into the bush paralleling the group following the trail.
The group fans out a bit in the jungle cover, using it to stay hidden (with the exception of Morgrym, who bulls his way through). The trackers in the group follow the footprints, noting that there are several sets, of varying ages, but most seem to be following the trail, trying to remain hidden in the brush. If you had to guess, you would think that something is patrolling and stalking the trail. They also seem to follow more or less the same routine, over and over again.
Garavaen winces and whispers, "If this is a hunting trail, I'd hate to think what they might be hunting."
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"They were following the trail but trying to remain unseen whilst doing so. They were hunting people then...if that's the case, it seems at least possible that they had some sort of routine, some sort of intelligence... and some sort of lair."
With that observation, Ri'el casts a spell of guidance on himself, then stoops down and assesses the relative freshness of the tracks, the general directions in which they head and the direction in which the branches have around the tracks have been broken, trying to ascertain which tracks would be likely lead to the lair of track-makers.
Arenya watches Ri'el work. "I didn't realise he was so fond of Sandara. His zeal and drive are amazing. He's a good companion. Loyal. That's a surprise on a pirate ship, but then again all our group have been."
"What do you see Ri'el?" she inquires. A hint of concern audible in her voice.
Following the tracks into the jungle a bit, they lead to a clearing, and a sight that is both puzzling, and somewhat disturbing. The swamp itself usually a heavy source of stench is overpowered by the stench that fills the air here. A fetid mixture of cheap perfume and rotting flesh. A huge tree stands in the middle of the clearing, draped with and lashed by some sort of huge tent. Lurid, painted faces cover both the tree trunk and tent, and both are decorated with rotting humanoid body parts and carpets of squirming insects.
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Ri'el recoils reflexively at the stench, but firmly fixated on his goal of finding Sandara as soon as possible, he lifts the lapel of his outer-shirt to cover his mouth and nose and trudges onward.
"Don't know, don't If Sandara's here, I'm going in. If whatever lives here has harmed her in any way, it dies," he snarls as he moves forward, watching his surroundings warily for danger, but also for signs of his beloved flame-haired priestess.
The hideous odor assaulting her nose, Davina manages to gag out, "Oh goddess that's awful. And here I though the bilges were bad." She turns away and starts retching.
Eli hisses caution and tries to fade back into the edge of the treeline. He slowly circles the encampment clockwise, keeping his eyes open for obvious entrances to the tent and any sight of the owner, bow ready.
Seeing his companion begin to move forward Morgrym doesnt even hesitate to move with him bringing his shield up and scanning the surroundings. He nudges Ri'el and talks while continuing to look about "Weapons up lad, there is danger here and we know it, no need to be caught off guard. Do yer eyes see anything?"
Garavaen nods grimly, "Just as smelly, and probably as likely to be filled with things trying to kill us..." He then sighs, "..and Ri'el charging in blindly. We've already lost too much to let the fool get himself killed."
Arenya nearly wretches at the smell. She breathes through her mouth and follows, drawing out her dagger, out of a growing sense of duty and loyalty. "By the gods that stinks. I wish I could say I have smelled worse." she exclaims.
Morgrym seeing the figures inside the tent moves his arm in front of Ri'el's path "See that lad, there be someone inside, the look o this place dont make me feel to welcome either. perhaps we should have our friends lay an ambush and you and I announce our presence here? id feel safer with them at the ready for both our sakes"
Eli stops along his path, points at the hole in the tent and wiggles two fingers, indicating the number of figures he sees. He takes aim and holds it, waiting to see what his comrades do.
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Ri'el's head cools enough to see the sense in Morgrym's words, though he still speaks briskly.
"I can't see that Sandara would be lounging is a place as filthy as this. In fact, if they are comfortable in such a place... I'm not sure they are...well, I don't know what they are. We should still try to greet them, lest they prove friendly... We should keep our guard up, but let's not waste too much time."
Once the rest of the group has hidden and readied themselves, Ri'el calls out "hello the people inside the tent! Could we have a word with you?"
As Ri'el cries out, Garavaen raises his crossbow, "Consider it a diplomatic aid."
Initiative:
As Ri'el calls out, the two women shriek and race towards the openings in the tent. As they burst out of the tent, their pallid grey skin, and red rimmed eyes, along with the hands that end in blackened claw like fingernails and fang filled mouth belie that they are indeed not human.
***************Combat Round 1 ********************
INIT: Morgrym, whore 1, Davina, whore 2, Arenya, Ri'el, Astein, Eli, Garavaen.
Morgrym sees the creatures turn agresive the moment they heard the party anounce themselves and prepares to make them into mince meat. "Stay behind me lads, take em out one at a time and they should drop fast! anyone know if these things can talk? should we take one alive?"
Morgrym sets his feet in the soil and calls up the strength of the earth to make him stronger and harder, he feels his skin toughen and he knows that he is a force to be reconed with. he raises his axe and readies himself for the first creautre to come within swinging distance and plans to bring the axe down hard.
As the things get closer you realize they are a mockery of life. Dressed in scandalous clothing, and wearing perfume that only seems to make the undead stench worse, rather than covering it up. Maybe in life they were attractive, but now that long lost attractiveness only makes them that much more hideous.
The first creature runs up to Morgrym as he calls upon his magic and takes a wicked blow that leaves a gash that oozes fetid, black blood. The thing then all but bodily throws itself at him, gnawing and clawing at the Stonelord. The teeth of the creature clamp down on his armor with a loud clang, and one claw screeches against his shield like fingernails on a chalkboard. The last clawing attack finds flesh along Morgrym's arm, leaving furrows in the dwarf's skin. The wound burns unnaturally for a moment, but the sensation fades.
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INIT: Morgrym, whore 1, Davina, whore 2, Arenya, Ri'el, Astein, Eli, Garavaen.
Davina moves to the side for a clearer shot at the monstrosity before she sends a ray of divine fire into it.
Arenya watches in horror as the filthy creatures emerge. She is about to retreat when she remembers her allies. She summons a force of will and focuses on her inner reservoir.
If the other one charges up as well and they are both within range of it, she will us grease DC 14 to get both of them, else she will start bardic performance. (You guys know the drill for that)