Adjusting his horse to get a better angle on the frog, Andreas draws his weapon and brings it down on the frog.
Maybe this is the cause of the odor ?
:: Gozran 21 - Late Morning - In the Forest ::
As Kazmuk gets grabbed the groups pushes forward in a coordinated assault, felling the creature.
A quick investigation shows that while the frog does smell slightly of sulfur, the smell gets stronger still upstream.
Turning his horse around as he scans the area for more threats, the large knight scans the river for a few moments to ensure that no more frogs will come out at them. Adjusting himself so that he can get a better angle on the dead frog, Andreas brings his weapon down on the still extending tongue, severing it in one swing.
Is every one ok? How bad are you injured Kazmuk?
As the words come out he flexes his shoulder.
Fine and dandy here, my friend. - says the duelist, as he turns his head upstream - It seems our batrachian here wasn't the real thing with that smell, as much as some of it rubbed on it.
Rillka moves to help de-tongue Kazmuk... Pity, I have heard Salientia legs are a delicacy.
She then takes a moment to cast prestidigitation Ukuzikhohlisa and multicolored sigils swirl around her hand. She uses it to clean tongue goo off of herself, Kazmuk, and Andreas and for Gird and Allyo if splattered by their swordcuts.
Rillka looks to Allyo If you are correct, that means there is something worse awaiting us.
Kazmuk can't contain himself from Rillka's comment and laughts, which causes her flesh wounds do ache. "HEHE, neverr called delicious beforre! Argh, the crreaturre is dangerrous, but the Forrgefatherr vill help me."
With a quick prayer Kazmuk asks Torag for a healing blessing, explaining to Him what happened.
"Perrhaps the place just stinks... not everrything that stinks is evil. My socks forr an example, had neverr done any harrm to me!" He jokes as he gets cleaned.
If it is all the same to you, I would prefer that you kept your socks to yourself then...
He nods a slight thanks to Rillka and looks further up stream.
Let us continue upstream then.
:: Gozran 21 - Late Morning - In the Forest ::
Continuing upstream, the group remains cautious and watches the water a bit more intently. After another half hour, you see a large boggy patch maybe fifty feet across. In it are two large toad like creatures oozing slime, with large walrus-like tusks.
What do you guys think? Only toads? - whispers Allyo, trying to stay in a somewhat hidden position - I don't really like their tusks, to be honest. Probably even less than I like the Dwarf's socks.
Rillka scans the bog for other creatures or dangers.
Lets watch the bog to see if anything else might be lurking reveals itself. Or perhaps we just hurl Kazmuk’s socks at them.
"I'll keep my socks, thank you." Kazmuk decides. "Arre ve surre ve need to kill them? If they arre just animals prrotecting theirr lairrs, ve arre doing morre harrm than good."
They do not look like normal animals to me...can anyone tell what they are?
:: Gozran 21 - Late Morning - In the Forest ::
Rillka doesn't see anything else in the bog, but everyone notices the smell of sulfur wafting off the bog. The smell is getting stronger, you haven't smelt it from this far before.
Everyone wracks their brains trying to figure out what the creatures are, but no one can identify them. Gird does realize that they are not animals though, but magical beasts of a sort.
Kazmuk shakes his head. "I do not... how about ve leave them alone? If they cause any harrm to anyone in the futurre, ve know vherre to find them. Killin' crreaturres forr no rreason seems vrrong to me."
How does everyone else feel about this...
Hey I don't really care one way or another... but just help me understand...
We align with kobolds -known for being harmful creatures.
Kill a pair of boars defending their territory and young... essentially just being animals.
But we aren't going to attack the sulfur spewing things lurking in the swamp, why? It would seem to me that this stuff they are oozing is not a good thing.
Rillka takes a few measurements to update her maps and notes her journal.
Seriously, I don't really care if we slay them or not, but whatever they are oozing can't be good long term. I would suspect that whatever it is will kill the vegetation and create a larger swamp.
Rillka has some good points...
To answer those points...
He looks from the frog creatures to the halfling.
We are not sure as to what these things are...We do not know if they are in fact spewing this sulfur. I have not heard any reports to say that these creatures are a threat to the locals. If that should change we should deal with it...As for the long term effects...I agree this could be bad for the environment. Would you be willing to make notes on these creatures so that we can find out what they are sooner rather than later?
HE looks back to the frog creatures again.
The one boar in question was a menace to the locals and the other one attack us...yes it was defending its territory and young...that is true. They are nasty creatures when defending their area. We would not have gotten away without a fight.
He again turns to look at her.
The kobolds are a gamble in of itself. The benefits are worth the risk to the region. If we are wrong about them then we will deal with the fall out of that decision.
He looks to the others
It would appear that leaving these things alone is the way we will go. Anyone have any other objections to this.?
I don't actually care at all about these things. Do we see anything useful they may be hiding from here? Are they simply, like... Magic smelly toads of sorts?
He approaches Andreas, shaking his head in agreement with Rillka.
Honestly, these things are clearly unnatural, so it's not like we'd be making anything wrong against the local fauna or flora of this place. But if they don't threaten us and don't look like holding anything truly useful for us, then probably we shouldn't spend our resources just to get some blade action and sweat.
Kazmuk nods. "I agrree in parrt vith Andrreas. The boarr, vhile defendin' its young vhen ve found it, vas also a menace to the people o' the rregion and the kobolds... vell... I've alrready voiced my discontent about the pact."
"I'm also not surre they arre the sourrce o' the smell... look at how vide this crreek is... 20 to 25 feet I believe and o' unknown depth! Vould two frrogs be able to taint it? Perrhaps it is the otherr vay arround, like the smell o' the place has attrracted both these tusked frrogs and the one that just attacked us."
On it. Rillka replies to Andreas' request to sketch out the creatures and note any distinguishing characteristics. As she works she interjects additional comments absently over her shoulder as she continues to draw and note the ooze-tusk toads.
Its not the kobolds that are your problem. She repsonds response to Andreas comments about the kobolds being a problem, but clearly her focus is on her work, and her comments aren't meant as discussions just thoughts she is speaking out loud.
I have never smelled water like this and it seems to be growing worse. Could just be the wind. I have no desire to go killing these things... but, my friend, Rillka points the feathered end of the quill back over her shoulder towards Kazmuk, Nothing good ever comes crawling out of swamps. If these things are polluting this place, and we have to come back to clean it up later - you are sooooo getting an I told you so! from me.
Perhaps we should skirt the bog perimeter and continue our explorations?
Let us finish exploring the area and continue following the river south.
:: Gozran 21 - Late Morning - In the Forest ::
Uninterested in pursuing the frog creatures or sulfur stench further at the time being, you continue your exploration of the area.
:: Gozran 22 - Evening - In the Forest ::
After a couple long days exploration you feel that you have found most of what you area able to. North of the bog you left the two frog creatures at the river continues and ends in a large swampy area, likely a series of springs have surfaced in the area. There was a slight smell of sulfur from the edges of the bog, but it was easily over a couple thousand feet across, so you could go into it and still explore the area efficiently. You do notice a couple other frog creatures in the large swampy area.
The end of the second day of exploration draws near and you need to determine what direction to head in next.
:: Gozran 23 - Evening - In the Plains ::
Waking early on the 23, you continue northwest. After a few hours travel you notice the forest thinning, and by late morning you are out on the plains again.
With the easier terrain and better lines of sight, you explore the area rather quickly compared to the forest. As night nears you set up camp again.
Shall we head south from here. Turn back towards the river...I guess we now know why it is called the Skunk River...once at the river we cross and head back towards the temple to rest and resupply.
Rillka rolls out the party map, participating in the lively discussions of which way is north and where to go next.
:: Gozran 25 - Late Afternoon - In the Plains ::
The group continues surveying the area, making good time out on the plains.
In the middle of the afternoon, you notice an odd shape in some undergrowth out on a hill. Coming closer, you realize that it is a cairn of some kind.
With his natural connection to stones, Kazmuk will also inspect the cairn.
Allyo approaches as well, but gives enough space for his companions to do their analysis first, and keeps an observant silence from behind. He considers what he knows about history overall to see if he can make any correlation with this place.
Thola Umlingo As she casts Detect Magic blue sigils float in front of eyes. She then concentrates on the pile of rocks.
What is that...over there?
Andreas points to the shape in the undergrowth.
As the others move to inspect, the large knight keeps his eyes to the surrounding area as well. Thinking that his could be a trap to get explorers to let their guard down...
Careful and be on your guard.
Andreas approaches last as the others look about the odd shape.
:: Gozran 25 - Late Afternoon - In the Plains ::
The ground around the cairn seems to have heaved over the years, the stones toppling somewhat and the earth cracking. The many nomadic tribes that would have roamed the plains and forests would have buried many heroic champions of battles past. The stones are old enough for the markings to have faded and become hard to read, but an old emblem that may be that of the Tiger Lords tribe is inscribed upon it.
Rillka can see a faint transmutation aura coming from a couple feet underground.
Rillka continues to concentrate....
Whoever is resting here was buried with some sort of magic.
Kazmuk thinks for a while before giving his opinion. "Norrmally I'd be against diggin' a cairrn, but if therre is a magic veapon orr arrmor inside, it vould be a shame and a dishonorr to the one who forrged it to leave it burried forr any longerr. The Forrgefatherr teaches us that a veapon, magic orr not, is a tool and as such only has a purrpose if used."
"Ve, dvarrves that follow Torrag, arre neverr burried vith trrue veapons and arrmorr."
Allyo crossed his arms, letting his head bubble around.
I have no issues with digging, assuming we don't disturb the dead. - says the Pharasmian, before continuing - They certainly have no use for some of the goods that are buried with them.
The duelist briefly touches his holy symbol, muttering a prayer. In his core, he was mostly preparing for the case that sacrilegious undeath gets unearthed, in which case to send such souls back to their final rest.
I would be agreed to retrieving the item, so long as we respectfully re-inter the dead within.
:: Gozran 25 - Late Afternoon - In the Plains ::
Carefully digging a couple feet down, you slowly unearth a decrepit skeleton. Once exhumed, the body still wears tattered and rotted remnants of hide armor, and the skull still displays the crushed-in side that spelled this barbarian’s doom. Of all the barbarian’s gear, only a strange ring made of green wood on one finger seems of interest—the ring depicts an eel and a frog locked in a tangle.
Andreas' attention is brought back to the group as he hears the words spoken.
Hold!...We will not desecrate any grave..friend or foe. We will show respect for the fallen and allow them to keep their dignity in death.
The knight moves his horse closer to the cairn and dismounts.
He steps slowly to the pile of rocks and kneels before it.
His voice is deep and filled with a respectful tone as he speaks to the stones.
I know not whom you may be...but I suspect that this is a place of hallowed ground. A resting place that was earned with the ultimate sacrifice. Within these rocks is some form of magic that we do not know the nature of. I am want to leave it be but for my task in these lands...I am not certain I can. I am sorry for disturbing your rest. I vow on my honor that I will not allow your body to be desecrated while we search. We will replace the rocks as best we can and mark the location so that one day your kin will know where you rest. I beg of your forgiveness for this transgression.
Andreas stands again and removes his weapons belt. Hanging it across the pommel and looks to the others.
Show this person respect and be careful.
He looks to Rillka.
If you can direct us to the area of magic....We may be able to limit our digging there thus limiting our intrusion of this person's rest.
Kazmuk frowns to Andreas. "I'm actually offended that ye'd think I'd desecrrate a burrial site, Andrreas. Vhile I'm a prriest o' Torrag, know ve dwarrves also have an utterr rrespect forr the Lady o' Grraves."
and without missing a beat...his voice is filled with calm and understanding for Kazmuk's reaction.
...nor would I expect that you would. It is not my perception of your intentions that I am worried about. The dead do not care who we venerate or our sense of worth. It is their perceptions of our actions that I am trying to interpret and respect. If you are offended then it is you that misunderstands what I am trying to do as my words were not offensive.
then his voice shows a tint of sadness.
I am disappointed that you would think so lowly of me...after all this time together.
and just as quickly that sadness is gone.
He helps with returning the cairn to its original condition. Laying a hand on the stones as they finish...
Rest now and thank you for understanding our actions.
Turning to Rillka...
Would you please write down this location and any other notations you feel necessary. Thank you.
Rillka will help re-inter the barbarian warrior and note the cairn for the map, making a detailed drawings in her journal of the warrior within.
Kazmuk also makes a quick prayer in order to keep the spirit from awakening and making sure the grave is well kept.
Allyo keeps to himself - he already said his prayers to Pharasma and believes he understands death in a whole different way than his companions, but would rather stay away from the discussion at this point. Instead, he looks at the ring not for its magical characteristics, but trying to recognize the depictions.