The night has been quiet apart from the usual buzzing of insects. Ishirou nods in response to Mahjik's question. "It is true," he says.
At that moment, Mahjik notices something from the corner of his eye, at the edge of the jungle to the east of the camp. When he looks more closely, he sees nothing. Perhaps just an animal passing. But when he looks away, he sees it again from the corner of his eye: something watching the camp. But looking again, there's nothing there.
Aerys looks over at Urza. "So, have you been altering my water?"
You are on watch with Makoa, talking amiably. The night has been quiet apart from the usual buzzing of insects. Suddenly, you notice something from the corner of your eye, at the edge of the jungle to the east of the camp. When you look more closely, you see blood-red eyes staring out of the jungle straight at you, boring straight into your soul. You look away, but there's still something at the corner of your eye. It's there for the rest of the night, and every time you look, blood-red eyes bore into you.
Lorenz listens to Sasha's chatter with some amazement. It was hard to reconcile this bubbly, vivacious woman with the one who had been so cold and dismissive with him in the beginning of the voyage. Despite himself, her enthusiasm brought him out of his withdrawal and he laughed with her over their mutual misunderstanding.
"I do know what you mean about the Red Mantis. I was scared silly of them while I was there."
When she comments on the egg, he looks closely too. "I don't know either. I never really paid attention to how long it took for the hen's eggs to hatch at my father's farm. Most of the time we just ate them." That set him to musing further.
"I wonder what lizardwing chicks eat, anyway?"
Aerys looks over at Urza. "So, have you been altering my water?"
Urza's shocked by Aerys' question. He thinks, No wonder she kept looking at me. "What makes you ask that?" He asks noncommittally.
Once she explains he has no choice but to come clean though. "I know we didn't get off to a good start, but I wasn't trying to be mean or play a joke on you. I was trying to help. You just seemed to need a drink and you were bringing bad energy into the group because you couldn't get it. No one seemed to be able to get through to you. You were talking about suicide. I had to do something. So I did the only thing I could do. I don't know if it helped, but at least you seem better now." Urza pauses. "Want me to do again?" He points at her canteen.
"I wonder what lizardwing chicks eat, anyway?"
"Meat," Sasha answers matter-of-factly. "It could probably be just about any kind of meat, although from what I've been able to observe of the flappybites in the daytime, I'd say fish is a large part of their diet, but they also eat birds. Small lizards will probably work fine too."
"Want me to do again?" He points at her canteen.
Aerys looks at her canteen and shrugs. "A couple of days ago, I probably would have flown into a rage to learn what you were doing. I would have...I don't know what I would have done. Probably wandered off into the jungle. I was very close a couple of times to just leaving you all behind and wandering into the jungle to die. I was confused. And hurt. And desperate for a drink. I'm still confused, but perhaps not as much. And I'm still desperate for a drink, but I've kind of accepted the fact that there's nothing to drink. Changing the water may have helped me do that. I'm not really sure. I do know it doesn't satisfy my desire for a drink--or rather, it does for about a minute or so, but then my body figures out that it didn't really drink any alcohol and then it gets its revenge on me by making the urge to drink worse. I've heard about people like me, people so drawn to alcohol they can't think straight. It's not easy to get over. I wish it was easier, but oh well. I don't have much choice, do I? So, I guess my long-winded answer to your question is...no, don't do it again, but thank you for doing it before. And don't give me any real alcohol either. I might regret telling you that, but if I should start demanding alcohol from you or anyone else, don't give into me. I might hate you for a little while, but I'll get over it in the end. I hope."
At that moment, Mahjik notices something from the corner of his eye, at the edge of the jungle to the east of the camp. When he looks more closely, he sees nothing. Perhaps just an animal passing. But when he looks away, he sees it again from the corner of his eye: something watching the camp. But looking again, there's nothing there.
Mahjik grows more alert, his abrupt change drawing Ishirou's attention. He beckons towards the camp's edge at the east. "I'm worried. Maybe I'm just spooked, but I'm pretty sure something is there. Watching us." He waits for Ishirou to ready himself, then Mahjik cautiously walks towards and then along the eastern edge of the encampment. He does so with utmost caution and cautiously sees if he can find any sign of strangers.
After a few minutes of searching, Mahjik returns to Ishirou. Smiling apologetically: "Wise man would worry to trust his senses, and worry not to trust them as well. Thank you for being ready."
Ishirou draws his katana and waits at the ready while Mahjik investigates the jungle edge. He sheaths the sword again when Mahjik returns, but he remains tense for the remainder of the watch, and watches that particular area almost exclusively the whole time.
"Well, how about you?" Douena responds politely. "How did you decide to become a ... big ... bitey ... guy?" She smiles up at him expectantly.
"It wasn't a decision to be a big bitey guy. It was a survival instinct. You see, I was raised by wolves the first decade of my life. That's also why I make wolf references, and why I have no problem biting into things others would want to touch, like the bugs and those skeletons. I was raised on wolf milk and raw meat! Living out here like this, it's like the first years of my life, with everyone here a member of the pack. Strange pack we are too, since we all seem to be the leader."
"For the past few nights, I've been seeing what I thought were just my memories. Now, thanks to your story, I think the wolves are calling to me. It's exciting, thinking I'll see them again..."
"Just between the two of us? I think we're some of the least normal of the group. But since these aren't normal circumstances, I think that's a good thing."
"Well, how about you?" Douena responds politely. "How did you decide to become a ... big ... bitey ... guy?" She smiles up at him expectantly."It wasn't a decision to be a big bitey guy. It was a survival instinct. You see, I was raised by wolves the first decade of my life. That's also why I make wolf references, and why I have no problem biting into things others would want to touch, like the bugs and those skeletons. I was raised on wolf milk and raw meat! Living out here like this, it's like the first years of my life, with everyone here a member of the pack. Strange pack we are too, since we all seem to be the leader."
"For the past few nights, I've been seeing what I thought were just my memories. Now, thanks to your story, I think the wolves are calling to me. It's exciting, thinking I'll see them again..."
"Just between the two of us? I think we're some of the least normal of the group. But since these aren't normal circumstances, I think that's a good thing."
Douena laughs. "I'm a gnome," she explains. "We specialize in 'not normal'. If we don't...." Her voice trails off, and she shivers a bit. "Do you think there are wolves on this island?" she asks, changing the subject. "I thought they lived in places that are less ... jungley."
Makoa looks out into the jungle as he answers.
"I thought so too. I think any wolves on this island were either brought here or walk on two legs." He looks at her with a smile. "I don't mean I think there are werewolves on the island, just people who try to act like a wolf."
Douena nods sagely and stares off into the darkness. "Mahjik might try to act like a wolf," she says after a long moment. "He wouldn't be very good at it, though," she adds after reflection.
"Like Sasha, I could teach him. Or anyone. Well, I could try."
When the sun rises and Aakif and Gelik move around the camp to rouse everyone, they find Douena already awake, looking ill-rested and a little worried. "Something's watching us," she tells them.
Urza's eyes glaze over as he looks into his past. "I was raised by my human mother and was able to spend some time with some of my orc kind as well. The orcs understand strength like no other, but my mom taught me that overcoming your weaknesses is a form of strength. Admitting those weaknesses is the first step." He focuses on Aerys to convey his sincerity. "In my estimation, you have already shown strength. I'll do what I can, continue to do what I can, to help you if you'll allow me. I suspect the others feel the same way.' With a smirk he quips. "Except for maybe Gelik."
Lorenz rise from his bed and stretches, drawing his rapier as he does so. "Did you have another dream, Douena? Are you sure it's not just Desna watching?" He was privately grateful not to be awoken by a scream for a change.
Mahjik pipes up when Douena mentions something's watching them. "Wise man would accept confirmation. I am pretty sure I saw something during my watch; at the east-side of the camp. I couldn't catch a proper sight of it; but twice I caught it in the corner of my eye. Ishirou and I paid extra attention to the area, but we couldn't find anything."
After explaining that much, Mahjik searches the eastern side again; hoping that the light of day would help spot some traces that weren't evident at night.
Hearing Mahjik's words and seeing the area he is searching, Douena hops up excitedly. "Yes, that's just where it was! And the dream started during your watch, after you'd relieved us. In my dream, Makoa and I were still on watch. We were talking about building his swing, and I was going to f-l-y out over the edge of the cliff with the flappybites." She gestures enthusiastically with her arm. "Then, I thought I noticed something out of the corner of my eye, right over here at the edge of the jungle." She indicates the area Mahjik is inspecting. "When I turned to look, glowing blood-red eyes were staring at me, like they could see all the way inside me to the lizard I had for dinner." She frames her widened eyes with her hands for emphasis. "I turned and looked away so I wouldn't have to see it anymore, but even when I turned completely around so I was looking in the other direction, I could still feel it there, still staring right into me," she ends glumly. "I kept having the same dream all night."
Mahjik moves out to investigate the spot from last night. Ishirou follows him a short distance behind. At first, he doesn't notice anything, but then he catches sight of something dripping off some leaves a little ways into the jungle. Pushing through the undergrowth, he discovers a small pool of blood on the ground and on the leaves of a plant beside it. Looking up, he sees the carcass of a monkey draped out along an overhanging tree branch. There is a long slit down the monkey's chest to let the blood run out onto the ground.
"Maybe it's ... friendly?" Douena falters, without any real conviction. "It did leave us meat."
"Well, that's creepy," Sasha says.
"I something is watching us," Jask says, "then we will need to be extra vigilant about watching back."
"I'll help out with guarding the camp today," Aerys says. She looks a bit pale, but she puts a brave face on.
Gelik casts a spell to tidy his clothes and hair, which don't actually need tidying at the moment, but he does it anyway.
"We're being warned."
"Douena, you said you kept having dreams about snakes right? That was a warning from Desna. Now, after we move the camp, we're getting warned again. Something or someone doesn't want us to find out what this island holds."
Lorenz looked at the monkey's corpse, his face rather pale. "Do you suppose it has something to do with that big thing that flew by the other night?"
"Makoa, you were talking about wolves. Could a wolf have done that?" she asks, pointing to the exsanguinated monkey.
"Wolves don't climb trees, and they don't leave good meat to rot in the sun. No, it was no animal that did this. I agree with Makoa; there is someone else living on this island, and we are being warned or threatened. Since we cannot leave, however, we have no choice but to stay on guard and get to the bottom of things." Aakif looks grim, although it's impossible to tell how pale he's gotten thanks to his naturally bronzed skin.
"Unless I was wrong when I said I thought there were no werewolves on the island."
He calm puts on his armor, checks his javelins and darts, straps his shield on, and places his axes in their usual spot.
"Guess I'm hunting more than lizards today."
"We didn't have any problems at the old campsite. Maybe whatever it is likes this clearing, too; maybe it likes to sit and look out at the bay and the stars. I love the view," she concludes unhappily, "but maybe we should move south and look for a new campsite today. Maybe if we get out of its hunting grounds, it won't bother us."
"I don't know..." Lorenz says, turning away from the monkey corpse. "I agree that the monkey thing is a little creepy but it's not like it's all that big. Anyone could kill a monkey. I think we're overreacting a little, being a little afraid of something with red eyes that kills a monkey. There are lots of us and only one of it that we know of. No reason to move the camp for something as simple as that."
He looked out over the bay. "Besides, I like it here."
"I suspect," Aakif says slowly, "That moving south in the first place is what brought this on. I do not have any proof of this, but I believe that whoever left this warning lives south, closer to the center of the island, and we are starting to tread on its territory."
He takes another breath, then says, "My people did not do this, but others who lived in the steppes did: they would take the skulls of cows or horses -- or even humans and orcs, for some of the crueler tribes -- and place them on sticks at the edges of their territory, to frighten away intruders. I believe this to be much the same thing."
"Well, what should we do? Should we stay here today and let Sasha teach us to be quick, quick, quick so we can catch it if it comes back? Or should we explore further south and see what we can find?"
While everyone else talks about what to do, Makoa searches around the the area below the monkey for any sign of tracks or footprints.
"I want to stay here and train with Sasha today. If the rest of you want to explore some more, that's fine too. Makoa said he'd do the hunting while we trained, however, so it seems like it'd be a good time to do it. Besides, maybe we can all use a break from pushing through the jungle for a change."
"Staying and training also allows a bit more time to see if Aakif's theory is right. And I agree, a break from the jungle would be welcome."
While everyone else talks about what to do, Makoa searches around the the area below the monkey for any sign of tracks or footprints.
1d20+5
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He finds definite signs of something having been there. Whatever it was took care to avoid detection, however. There are no tracks or disturbance on the ground, other than the pool of blood. However, Makoa does discover evidence of something moving through the branches and leaves above. It looks very much like whatever it was never actually touched the ground. It either climbed through the trees or flew. There are no clear signs on what it was though.
Mahjik is not quite finished looking at the corpse yet - he takes his time to investigate the cadaver to determine the cause of death. Specifically if he can determine whether the monkey was sliced open with a blade of sorts, or torn open with claws or other natural weapons. Later he asks Douena to create some water for him to clean off the congealed blood from his hands.
Afterwards, Mahjik grins. "Wise man says that judging intentions too soon risks losing sight of the bigger picture. I agree with staying in the camp today; I am very curious what mysteries Sasha will teach us. Also..." Mahjik lifts Aerys' hat off her with such baffling grace that she is left speechless and unable to react. He proceeds to flick and spin the hat from hand to hand, flipping it onto his neck, dropping it behind him just to catch it with the heel of his foot and nudge it upwards to his knee - and further on his hips, hands, elbows and chest rotating faster as it climbs until it reaches Mahjik's face. It looks as if he's blowing the hat as he nudges it slightly with his forehead and it spins forward coming to a slowing rest back on Aerys' baffled head, only slightly off-center. "I heard say that you would like some training in the arts of unarmed combat, yes?"
"Well," Sasha says brightly, "with Makoa hunting instead, I will gladly train everyone else. How many have I got? Lorenz, Douena, Aakif, Urza, Mahjik, I presume. Gelik?" She looks over to the gnome, who shakes his head, seemingly shocked that she would even consider asking him. Sasha shrugs. "Aerys? Ishirou? Jask?"
Ishirou shakes his head briefly. "Someone must remain on guard. Perhaps another time."
"I'll help Ishirou," Aerys says.
"While I seem to be doing well," Jask says, "I am not fully recovered from this illness. I would be best off continuing to rest today."
"Okay then!" Sasha says. She pauses a moment, looking a bit uncertain. "I have to admit that I've never actually taught anyone anything before. So be patient with me. We'll start after breakfast."
"I heard say that you would like some training in the arts of unarmed combat, yes?"
Aerys blinks a couple times in confusion and tries her best to stare up at her hat. "Um, yes," she says. "I wouldn't mind getting a few pointers."
Looking over to Douena who looks very excited and is trying really hard to swallow her mouthful, he chides to Aerys: "Excellent, and don't worry - in spite of Douena's expectations you do not need to preface any of my teachings with wise man said. We should find some time to start in between Sasha's lessons."
After a bite to eat for breakfast, you gather with Sasha in the centre of the large clearing. She looks you all over and begins pacing back and forth a bit. She clearly looks a little nervous. After a couple minutes of pacing, she finally speaks, "Okay, so this is the schedule. I'll start with some demonstrations of the basic techniques. That shouldn't take too long. Then we'll start practicing the forms, but I want you to see how they're applied, so while we're practicing I'll occasionally try to sneak up on you and get the jump on you, as it were. But I also want you to try to do the same to me. If you think I'm not looking, try to jump me or something. Then, after we break for the hot hours, we'll move things closer to the cliff where I'll push you all off the edge. Err...I mean, not literally off the edge, but um...basically we'll just up the stakes a little. Don't worry, I'm not actually going to make it dangerous or anything." She smiles and looks over everyone to make sure you're all still smiling with her. Satisfied that you haven't all decided to drop out, she says, "Ready? Let's begin!"
She starts, as she said, by showing you some basic forms and then getting you to practice them. Then the fun begins when she tries to trip Lorenz while he's practicing.
She blushes slightly at her utterly unsuccessful attempt that almost results in her falling over instead. She clears her throat and tries to act nonchalantly about it. "Good work, Lorenz. You're learning well. Keep it up."
"Your mistake was trying to trip him," Douena whispers to Sasha when she comes near. "If you just sat back and waited for a few moments, he would have tripped himself up."
While the main group practices techniques with Sasha, Makoa begins his hunting expedition for the day.
Aerys takes up guard duty and Ishirou begins fortifying the camp, setting up snares and alarms to help secure the camp better.
Gelik watches the main group practicing with Sasha and begins making jokes about it, keeping Jask, Aerys, and Ishirou fully entertained. Those of you doing the practicing can't always hear everything he says, but what you do hear is generally funny, even if it is at the expense of one of you.
Mahjik takes the moment when Sasha is flustered and distracted over Lorenz to slip into her blindspot
then grabs and near-trips her, catching her fall before she lands on the ground in a basic arm bar.
Makoa tries to work his way silently through the forest as he hunts, keeping an eye on the trees above just in case...
Lorenz grins with delight throughout Sasha's training and outright beams when he succeeds at avoiding her attempt to trip him.
"This is fun! I'm feeling more alert already!"
Sasha does not see Mahjik coming and ends up looking quite embarrassed when he gets hold of her. "I'm not sure any of you really need my training!" she laughs.
Sasha next makes an attempt to grapple Aakif.
She instead tries to make it look like she intended to fail all along.
It's fairly obvious to most, however, that her nerves are making her clumsy. She immediately whips out a foot, though, to trip Douena.
And can't even succeed at that!
The training goes on in much the same manner for the rest of the morning. Despite Sasha's clumsiness, the techniques she's teaching you really do seem to be having an effect on your readiness and ability to react to sudden stimulus. With a bit more practice, you all feel sure you'll benefit greatly from it. As noon and the hot hours approach, you break to rest.
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1d20+5Makoa tries to work his way silently through the forest as he hunts, keeping an eye on the trees above just in case...
1d20+5
Makoa stops back in camp every so often during the morning to drop off his latest catches. On one such stop-over, Sasha takes a brief break from the proceedings to look forlornly that he's already caught as much as she did when she was hunting and the day has only just begun. She then returns to the practicing.
As the group sits and rests during the hot hours of the day, Douena's eyes can't help wandering over to where the dead monkey was found. "Do you suppose it could have been a snake? Desna kept warning me about snakes, and the snake that bit Aakif was up in a tree."
Makoa stops back in camp every so often during the morning to drop off his latest catches. On one such stop-over, Sasha takes a brief break from the proceedings to look forlornly that he's already caught as much as she did when she was hunting and the day has only just begun. She then returns to the practicing.
As the group sits and rests during the hot hours of the day, Douena's eyes can't help wandering over to where the dead monkey was found. "Do you suppose it could have been a snake? Desna kept warning me about snakes, and the snake that bit Aakif was up in a tree."
Jask shakes his head. "I don't think so, Douena. The monkey's body was slit open in a very definite cut. It was not done with a knife, so probably a claw, which would rule out a snake. A snake biting it would have let puncture marks."