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Morgana stared at the long cooked meal by eating a piece came in admiration. Putting aside the dish later.
- Dear Seytiko, very nice cooking. Never thought to serve cooks at the court, I know a couple of influential persons to whom you very much. But in the case, I have not found anything efficient, to admit this is not my profile.
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- Nonsense! I didn't interrupt any conversations, I was here all the time, when you lot arrived with Hayato.
But Hayato did learn something interesting and important to our mission. There is a man-eating tiger in the jungle and sereal hunting parties have gone mising already. I think that is our tiger! I mean baron's tiger.
Kitsune definitely looked excited.
- Also there is some talk of some weird monkey magic in th jungle. Probably that is a lead for our Pathfinder mission for Ambrus-sensei. What do you think? Do you know of any local monkeyes using magic? I don't think so! It is a clue.
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I knew one man... Crow. He is experienced Pathfinder. He told me about visitors of Blakros museum was transformed into monkeys by the hoodoo-voodooo magic from Mwangi. He also noted that scarf around the face can solve this problem. So - if tiger is near, let's solve that fast, then switch to monkeys. And keep an eye on any strange mists in the jungle.
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After the meal, Count and Baron were eager to get expedition moving so they loaded most of their equipment to porters and elephant and moved deeper into jungle.
As dense tropical forest unwrapped before adventurers, they start to suffer from local climate. Air was hot and sticky under the jungle canopy. Almost no game could be found during this first day, The Baron explained that animals are skittish this close to the city and party needs do go deeper to find a real trophy.
At the end of first day, the hunting party set up camp in a clearing atop a low rise.
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It is rather hot, but unlike Osirion... Hot and humid. I'd best make some tea for us not to get boiled alive.
Kheferu took a set of familiar onyx cups from his pouch, then summoned his serpentine eidolon once again. The creature obediently set some dry twigs on fire, after which Kheferu threw some dried herbs in the bowl and started to heat water.
Soon enough a faint haze of steam appeared above brew's surface. Flaming snake then slithered up Osirian's hand and casually coiled around his neck. Patiently waiting for tea to start boiling, Kheferu waved to invite his companions to the campfire.
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- So... Here we are! - Borislav finished arrangement of his berth and squeezed his underwear before wear it again - Last time they wanted us fried and now they want us boiled... Great! - He tried to sit and drink Tea with Kheferu but after a minute or two his patience goes off and he got up rapidly - Arrgh! How can you drink something so hot in this climate, Kheferu?! I can't sit in this Banya anymore! Going to overwatch our camp before we went to sleep... Hope it will refresh me a bit. Moreover - looks like I'm the only one who doesn't suffer from the darkness.
Borislav put on his armor, take his ammunition and start patroling the camp, trying to invent some way to attract a tiger while walking.
So... we going to met with the tiger... Gorum! Bring the battle closer to us! I praise you for a fair fight!
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So hot-blooded... Well, that only means his blood will boil first. - Kheferu didn't even flinch when Borislav hastily stood up. - And now, Kayi, keep vigil.
Kheferu subtly turned towards his eidolon and whispered something in Ancient Osiriani with his lips alone. The serpent hissed monotonously in agreement and tasted moist air with its tongue, then raised its head and started watching, smelling, listening - waiting for something (or someone) to reveal its presence.
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Worthless weather, worthless jungle, worthless insects and sounds.
Morgana was read on her face irritation, and hatred of everything and everyone. Fumbling in the bag and fished from there, cotton blanket. Fell to the nearest announcement tree, and slowly began to snore, finally saying:
- Who will wake up, have to eat his ear...
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The interior of count's spacious canvas tent was richly decorated with portable darkwood and silver furnishings. Torn mosquito netting hangs above the bed, and a mirror, basin, and various shaving implements lied scattered on the ground. A black leather boot was on the floor, next to the crumpled remains of a fist-sized black spider.
Baron Rudyahm reached the tent just ahead of the Borislav: "What the devil happened in here?" he asked as he enter.
Others saw Count Matsanda lying on the bed clutching his bare right foot, in pain.
The count said in a fearful voice, "Something in my boot bit me—a spider I think. I fell back onto the bed in surprise. My god, Bomande, what if it’s poisonous? I could lose the foot! You brought some antitoxin, didn’t you? Fetch it quickly!"
Unfazed, the baron replied, "Ah, bit of luck then. The spiders of Segang aren’t dangerous, not like the scorpions. It’ll probably smart for a bit, that’s all. Next time, check your damn boots!"
"Are you absolutely certain, this is no trifling matter!" the count replied. "It would be safer if I took the antitoxin anyway.."
The conversation quite quickly escalates into a heated argument.
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For Gorum's sake...
-I'm not sure about severity of this bite, let me take some Salve for you.. - Borislav get to his backpack, and creating a 'salve' using an empty bottle, a bit of ink and some rum, then he write 'Grandma salves'(Skald) on the bottle and comes back to Count - It's the salve from my Grandma, I don't know how it works - but it will help - wanna try?
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"Phff.. What did I say to you," the baron exclaims. "For a moment I thought, you're going to tend to him as if he's suffered some deadly wound? I have seen men fall in battle, claimed by horrible diseases, poisoned by toxins that act faster than the eye can blink. I tell you: this man is in no danger."
The baron said that, moves out of the room. The count, however, is pleased at the proper care is he getting, and since Seytiko says that the wound is harmless, the count already seems to calm down as he spots the wound not getting any worse. When Borislav brought him "Grandma's Salve" he even becomes more inclined to talk about private stuff.
"I’d really like to impress the old man today, but you see, I’m not much of a hunter," he admits. "In fact, I’ve never really been hunting before! Is there any help or advice you can give me?"
After saying so, he looked outside to ensure the baron doesn't hear a word.
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To impress the Baron - is one thing. To Survive - is another. - Borislav looks at Count like at little child, - On the hunt you can't allow yourself to panic like that. Only with Gorum's blessing you can be loud on the battlefield. Anyone, who loud enough - attract an enemies. Especially - wild beasts. Be quiet, stay behind me and be sure who is your target before you shoot. If you want some wild-life tricks - I'll try to teach you when we have a time for it
While hunt is going, Borislav really trying to teach Count how to survive in wild life.
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Forgetting to check boots for presence of some unexpected wildlife. It seems looking for Count will be the task as arduous as tiger-hunting. - Kheferu slowly opened his eyes. As he had fallen asleep whilst meditating at night, Kheferu's eidolon went back to his home plane, so mage sat up to enact a summoning ritual. As he started hushed chanting in Ancient Osiriani, a sleek faintly glowing sigil manifested at Kheferu's forehead once again.
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"Thank you, Borislav!" the Count is grateful as he heard some words of support, "it would be really nice, if you tell me more about animals and their behaviour, or help me make a good shot."
Count started equipping himself for today's day of hunt.
It took some hours for you to move. Some garundi men were helping with minimal stuff, some left behind to keep an eye on camp. Count was glad, tried to keep close to Borislav while walking through the jungle.
After several hours of walking and tracking, you find a pack of golden jackals. "Ha..." announced baron, taking an aim, "those are usually cunning, but we could catch them"
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Kindred of Anubis... It's time to show which god holds real dominion over life and death.
Kheferu slowly came towards the jackals, then quickly raised an open palm in front of him. Summoner's golden eyes turned a shade of dark brass as his serpent threateningly darted in perfect attunement with master's hand.
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Several next days were mix of travelling and hunting. Party effort was enough, for count to impress baron and he was quite a good hunter. After third day, your game was a nice antelope, which took some effort to bring back to camp. You left all the skinning and butchering stuff to porters to wake up in the morning and find out how does Segang Antelope taste like.
But the smell of food also drawn the attention of other guests. A band of macaques monkeys gather at the edge of the camp. The porters seem to regard these monkey with some reverence, one of them even starts offering a prayer, along with a small offering of food and water, while the wild creatures overturn containers, steal small trinkets, and raid unguarded supplies.
Baron Rudyahm, however, is gruff: "Bah, monkeys. I fought too many char-ka to trust these prancing creatures. Stupid pests, that's what they are!"
"They must disperse, get rid off them!"
Map link - duplicated in the header of the page (below title).
Add your character icon to the map, in case everything goes wrong
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As Borislav started his performance, most of the monkeys start to scream and drop their stuff, while running away into the forest. More courageous specimen step forward, trying to catch some stuff or grab something from the camp supplies.
"Stop playing with them, make them leave camp, until they spoil everything or I will take care by myself" screams baron, taking his musket out of waterproof sheath.
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Despite any expectations, monkey followed summoners orders and quickly dispersed in jungle.
"Oh, so you can do things without your magic tricks," commented Baron, putting away his musket. Kheferu heard a note of approval in his voice. But that was a very slight note. As incident was resolved, party had their meal and soon moved further through the jungle.
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After monkeys gone, Borislav wants to track the traces... maybe it's a trap... or maybe beast is here, just waiting for darkness.
Team, I think our beast is near... And maybe not only the beast. This monkeys, strange rumours we heard about this jungle... Let's be alert as much as possible. No more jokes till we reach the target.
Borislav became even more grim than usual. Anyone who approaches him while he is searching can hear that he is whispering prayers.
=,_,=
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Borislav found no tracks around the camp, except numerous left by monkeys. Baron decided not to wait for long and soon, camp started moving further the thin jungle road, leading somewhere to south.
While moving, Borislav tried to stay ahead of group and watch for new tracks, but he could not see the great jungle cobra coming to rescue its younglings almost crashed by elephant. Old elephant panicked as he saw several snakes around him. Mahout felt from his seat and ran to north side of the road, away from being stomped by the elephant. As all that happened, several porters found themselves facing immediate danger. As one of them wasn't prompt enough, he was bitten by snake.
Elephant auto-success with +21
Party perception:
Init Block:
Baby cobras attack:
Damn, missed eidolon rolls:
Only Seytiko and Marcel were quick enough to start acting promptly.
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Surprise round, Init 5
hp 11/11; AC 19, Touch 13, FF 16, CMD 15; Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +3;
Borislav, watch out! That's not Iomedae coming to bless us!
Marcel spured Gladiator 20ft forward trying to push porters away from Cobra and using much of his riding skill to dodge snakes bites (Mounted Combat: Ride check to avoid AoO).
Step away, guys! Prefer to live for a while, dont you?
In hope for Borislav to help to flank the beast, Marcel drew his sword ready to fight it if necessary.
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As Marcel moved past the great snake, it made a rapid move and despite he tried to move his horse sideways, the blow was aimed not at the mount, but the rider itself.
But Marcel was able to dodge that as well.
Elephant was trying to shake multiple snakes and started to shake the howdah on it's back. Baron and Count were holding there, trying not to fall down.