As the others rest and recover, Dahlia attempts to gauge the size of the structure. Without getting more than 40' away from the group, She gets a better look.
Returning to the group after being able to see little more through the haze of the heat, Dahlia turns to their newest companion.
"Tumsy, you did quite well back there. It was a tough situation to keep your wits in, but I couldn't have asked for better from someone with your experience level. I'm sure your parents would be quite proud." She says, as she nibbles a bit more of the bitter fruit.
As the crew rests you hear the occasional weird noise coming from the trees above. It sounds like an animal making a few pitch sound “kau-kar-eeee-keeee”.
Dahlia is able to pick out a few times where it appears a curious monkey pops it's head out to look at the group but ducks back into the canape as soon as it feels it was seen. There must be at least 6 from what you can tell. They do not seem to be acting aggressive... just curious. You never get to see much beyond their head and hear their noise.
You are still a large distance away from the structure. You would guess it is about a 15ft by 15 ft. It appears to be square shaped. There does not appear to be any windows or openings, but you would need a closer look to be certain.
Tumsy joins the group for a brief rest. He also indulges in a few figs. It's not the best food, but beats more trail rations.
Hey, I just knew if I got separated from you fine folks, I would be done for out here, yes I would! I just tried to keep up and maybe shake off one of those beasts if I could. I wonder what that noise was that spooked them... it sure wasn't me, no it wasn't! And you were pretty brave out there yourself! You just reached out and touched one of them, yes you did! No way I would do that! I am glad we just made it through that all. I appreciate your kind words!
"Anything you can share with us about those monkeys, Tumsy?"
Alim finally takes a moment or ten, and catches his breath.... For someone who was trained at being a skilled and agile warrior, this jungle certain has done a number on him. As Alim sits, his orb seems to almost melt into his shoulder, clearly tired from trying to keep up with Alim's klutzy movements.
As he sits, Alim listens to Dahlia and Tumsy's conversation about the strange tree-dwelling creatures.
Well based on Zan's notes, I would say they are likely what he called "Stingbats". But after reading his journal, it was pretty clear these are the creature called "kaukariki". Tumsy's stops for a moment, and begins spouting off a description, as if it is straight from a textbook. Kaukarikis are inquisitive pests named after the sound of their warning vocalizations in the presence of threats. Primarily frugivores, kaukarikis scamper about in woodland canopies and glide from tree to tree, each troop migrating widely over its claimed territory to exploit seasonal food sources. The creatures readily take advantage of other supplies of food as needed, including insects, young leaves, bark, and even meat on rare occasions. In fact, particularly large troops— especially those with a newly ascendant alpha female—sometimes organize a hunt to take down modest prey and share the kill to reinforce social bonds within the group.
Kaukariki mating habits often coincide with massive feasts of fruits, with the male that consumes the most food being seen as the most desirable mate. The alpha female chooses first from among the potential mates, followed by the other females that have the alpha’s permission. A female that attempts to take a mate without permission is often attacked and driven off by the rest of the troop. Such a kaukariki is then left to fend for herself, and sometimes she becomes the alpha of her own troop.
He stops focusing memory and looks to Dahlia, as if to ask if he passed the test. Ohh one note that might be important for adventures is that their tail is said to be poisonous... but I don't have much detail on that. I just know it is smart to not let that thing touch you!
You still get flashes of a kaukariki head and can hear them quietly making noises at each other.
"If they make a specific call when they are frightened by something, we can also use that as a warning if we hear it." Dahlia muses, almost to herself. "Thank you, Tumsy. Once again you prove your worth admirably." Turning to the others she addresses the group.
"I'd like to get a closer look at the structure. If the group we are after has passed through here, there should be some obvious signs."
Striking out (if there are no objections from the others), Dahlia slowly makes her way through the thicket toward the strange tower. "If someone purposely spooked those creatures back there to harass us, we could be in for another ambush."
The group starts to head toward the tower. Besides the think trees and plant life, there does not appear to be any hazards yet.
As you travel, there seems to be more Kaukariki activity above. They seem to be moving around a lot more and it sounds like you have attracted the whole troop, which Tumsy tells you is normally made of between 10 to 15 of them.
Suddenly Alim gets hit in the head with an overly ripe Ralyrian fig. It is more shocking than painful as it is soft and a bit mushy. Right after it hits, you hear a chatter above as if they are laughing about it.
You catch one of the Kaukariki's sneaking up behind you. It doesn't appear aggressive, just curious.
Tumpsy seems to get get even more excitable when Dahlia makes an effort to validate his assistance. Just doing my job, yes I am! If I couldn't give you information on these guys, how could I even call myself a guide! I am really excited to see the Rune Obelisk though, yes I am!
Dahlia see the small creature approach them from behind and falls back to be closest to it in the group. She smiles at the beast without showing teeth and reaches out her hand to see if he will touch it.
As soon as Dahlia notices the sneaking kaukariki, it freezes. When she moves to the back of the group, it decides to give up and runs up a tree. It disapears into the canapy and the noise from above quiets for a moment.
Letting the creature flee without making any sudden moves, Dahlia sits down where she is crouching and digs through her bag. After searching a bit, she produces a small copper earing. Holding it in her hand and letting it dangle in the sunlight, she plays with it a little.
After a long pause, activity above seems to pick back up. Lots of movement and chattering. Finally one of them pokes it's head down out of the canopy... then over the next couple of minutes you see more and more of them popping their heads down to investigate.
Tumsy looks to Dahlia and whispers as quite as he can, Careful! They are called stingbats for a reason...
After a few more long minutes, she catches one of the kaukariki slowly climbing down the tree silently. It is actively moving towards Dahlia.
The kaukariki continues to creep closer and closer to Dahlia. It finally gets close enough for it to try and touch the shiny thing in her hand. It reaches out painfully slow, and finally grabs it. It turns to run away trying to rip it from Dahlia's hand, but it makes contact with her in the process and is able to channel her mindlink though that contact.
Alim watches all of this take place, and stands as still as possible. Still pretty shook up from his klutzy moments in the stampede, and now from being hit in the head, he watches Dahlia lure the creatures to her. Seeing one of them approach her, Alim watches the creatures tail swing about behind it. Alim's orb slowly lowers itself closer to Alim's hand, just in case things take a turn for the worse.
But would an attack here work? Alim's eyes glance over the area, realizing swinging a sword or taking a shot would be a difficult task.
Okay, should things take a turn for the worse, maybe I could try communicating with them... Stingbats look like reasonable creatures... right...? Alim watches intently, and feels the fungus in his throat prepping to intervene, if necessary... At least, he hoped that's what it was doing...
As the creature makes contact with Dahlia, she sends it a message she hopes will be helpful.
Hello, little brave one. I am Dahlia. Keep this little toy as a gift from me. We are moving through the jungle in search of others like us. If you follow us, they will have many more toys for you and your friends.
As soon as Dahlia lets go of the kaukariki, bolts up the nearest tree seeming terrified about whatever it was that it just experienced. As it runs, it shouts . Then it is gone. You still hear them above but they do not come down again... yet.
"Strange little things, but still more likeable than most humans I've met." Dahlia says as she rejoins the group.
Retaking a spot at the front, she continues cautiously toward the obilisk. (Expecting the others to follow.)
After about 5 minutes of walking toward the large tower and about 100 feet from the tower, you hear a large shout from above
Seconds later four of the stingbats drop from above! It is clear that these ones are aggressive. It is hard to say the reason, but they mean to attack. Above, you can see bunch of them hanging from trees to watch and are even cheering them on.
You feel the fungus in your throat reach out and grab your brain. This allows you to hear the red kaukariki is saying Come on, come this way...
Clearly the drop from the trees has thrown the things off as their they are not able to react as fast as you... maybe they should learn to not announce their ambush before they attack.
Tumsy is clearly startled by the falling stingbats. Watch their tails! He does not like how close some of them are so he steps back and draws his really interesting gun and points to the dark blue one and shouts You should get that one, yes you should!
Wasting no time, Dahlia targets the stingbat with a blast of mental anguish.
Hux eager to try out his new sonic weapon draws and fires it at and directs jib to turn his full attention towards the stingbat as tumsy directed.
Jib moves swiftly through the group and and stabs at the stingbat
Katara fires his arc rifle at the stingbat.
The red stingbat's head starts to hurt... suddenly bleeding from the nose but manages to fight off the worst of the pain.
Hux sends a sonic blast into a tree causing a bunch of birds to scatter, but no damage done.
Jib steps forward and stabs at the stingbat that Tumsy called out, causing a lot of damage to the poor monkey like creature.
Katara takes two shot with his new rifle, the first shot drops the injured monkey. The second shot zaps the yellow monkey as well but seems to just barely hit.
Tool turns quickly shooting at the yellow on hopeing to get him off guard
Alim feels the fungus in his throat connect with his brain as he hears the red tinted one calling, and Alim freezes in his place.
Wow, this is a lot more odd than I thought it would be... Let's see if I can get this fungus to work for us!
Alim looks to the red tinted creature, and takes a step forward without much thought. Making eye contact with the creature, Alim's voice rumbles as he calls out- "
Save yourselves! They do not understand! Run!
Tool is able to pull off his trick attack, surprising one of the already flat footed monkeys, burning it.
Alim suddenly starts speaking the same language as the kaukarikis and it sounds weird for such sounds to be coming from a kasatha. It appears it understands him, but does not react favorably.
The red kaukariki's tail swings out, catching Alim in the arm. The pain isn't bad, but you feel the poison that Tumsy warned you about entering your veins. It then steps back and says kau-kar-eeee-keeee again.
Come, this way
The yellow kaukariki, looking very injured, takes a causous step forward and tries to sting the sneaky android! But his injures must be more than it realized as it was unable to muter the strength to swing the tail hard enough.
The light blue kaukariki also steps forward, and tries to take out the lizard who killed his friend. But he seems to be suffering the same problem a the yellow one, can't get the stinger through your armor.
Dahlia looks over her options. perhaps they will consider withdrawing if they are all injured
She targets the light blue monkey with another mental blast.
Katara, confident that the stingbats can't break his armor, takes a shot at the stingbats near him.
Hux fires his sonic pistol again, this time at the stingbat
jib stabs at the stingbat
crit damage
tool quick draws the right gun takes a shot then moves behind jib
Dahlia sends another mind blast, this time at a new stingbat, but somehow the creature resists the worst of it again.
Katara makes the risky move and shoots twice at the kaukarikis. The first shot hits the yellow one hard. The thing was almost died but now it is fried. Before dying, it swings its tail but it bounces off Katara's powerful armor. The other one also tries to take advantage of the opening but once again what seemed to be an accurate swing bounces off the armor. . The other shot hits the light blue stingbat hard as well. It is clear it is on the brink of death.
Hux takes a shot at blue kaukariki but gun doesn't seem to be working right.
Jib takes a careful step over and manages to put the light blue stingbat on a skewer. The one is not even recognizable as a kaukariki anymore.
Alim takes another step forward, trying again to get his new skill to work for him. Maybe try saying something more simple?
""
Not looking back, Alim addresses his comrades. "This one wants us to follow, but is unsure of us. Stay alert!"
Tumsy shouts See that one... get him! as he is pointing to the yellow sting bat. The group took his advice and took care of that stingbat. He doesn't want to shoot the one that Alim is talking to so instead tries to encourage Alim.'
That sting didn't look too bad, no it didn't! You don't look poisoned or anything. You will be okay! Just breath and move through it! I have faith in you, yes I do! And with that, Alim's pain does not feel nearly that bad.
The red kaukariki doesn't attack, just runs around the obstacles toward the ruin obelisk.
[/ooc]
Hux seeing it scamper off relaxes slightly and watches how his comrades react to the situation content to let the stingbat live and move on with the adventure.
Dahlia thinks briefly about sending another magical attack at the last kaukariki on the ground, but thinks better of it as she remembers her promise to make as little impact as possible on this place.
Betting that Alim's hunch is right, she moves to follow the little beastie.
Alim watches as the red tinted kaukariki flies away, and notices it stop and look back, to see if it has any followers. Walking carefully, Alim tries calling out to it again.
""
Huh. Maybe I'm getting the hang of this...
You see a very very pretty violet blossom next to the Rune Obelisk. You just want to go to it because it is so pretty.
You see a very very pretty violet blossom next to the Rune Obelisk. You just want to go to it because it is so pretty.
The kaukariki looks at you and says, Sorry
Hearing that the last stingbat isn't a threat, and seeing Dhalia and Alim run after it, Katara decides to follow it as well.
tool follows the others
Alim looks to the red tinted creature, just before approaching the violet blossom. Realizing something was wrong, Alim calls to the creature again.
""
Looking back to his comrades, Alim addresses them. "Don't go near those violet blossoms... There is something dangerous about them..."
I don't like this, no I don't! We are splitting up. I am not tactics expert, but I know that is never good! I feel saver with the bigger group, yes I do!
The red kaukariki looks to Alim with sad eyes again.
Sorry...
It then runs off into the trees.
Tumsy is unushally quite as he begins walking toward the rune obelisk.
Tumsy is now adjacent to that same plant that drew you in.