Darkness enfolds her and she feels herself drifting. Voices from her childhood yelling, "She's a half-breed! Get her! She's no good!". The soft laughter of her sister as she mounted her horse saying, "Good bye little sister. Until next year." Drifting farther into the darkness, she sees her parents. Her father, tall and proud in his scout uniform. His mixed Kelish and Varasian heritage evident by the color of his skin and hair. A warm smile as he reaches out to take her mother's hand the last time she saw him. Her mom with long dark hair in her dress reaching out to her. Shisa reaches back, stretching her hand toward her mother, "Mother, I'm here.." she says in Elvish. Her hand nears that of her parents, then stops and she watches as they begin to fade. "Your time is not yet child," she hears her father say as they both fade in the distance.
Shisa mutters something in Elvish as memories of water.. of hands gripping her. She feels the claws open her neck as the hands hold tight, holding her in the water as she begins to bleed. Her hand reaches for her dagger, wanting to drive it back into the creature holding her down as she begins to kick and thrash trying to get away from the hands..
... Feeling a lingering warmth on her neck (not to mention being plastered in her own blood), Shisa's eyes flicker open once more.
A look of pure feral panic reflects in her eyes as her hand finds the hilt of her dagger and she swiftly draws it, preparing to drive it back into the foul thing holding her..
'Praise the gods! Gelik teases, with a wink to Marik, 'We don't have to carry her!'
only to stop her arm before thrusting the dagger back into whatever is holding her as Gelik's voice breaks through her confusion. She looks around, disoriented until her eyes settle on the gnome and slowly relaxes. "Um..sorry," is all she manages to croak out, her voice still a bit hoarse from sucking in stagnant water and the damage done by the spawn's claws. Her face turns a light red as she blushes at the realization she almost stabbed one of her friends.
Glancing over her shoulder, she sees Marik still holding her above water and simply nods her head in thanks. She pats his hand and shakily gets to her feet, grateful that most of the water running down her face is from her wet hair.
She sets her eyes on Aerodus fighting the spawn and her eyes narrow. With set determination, she begins to move toward it.
Fort Vs Paralysis DC 13:
Fort Vs Paralysis DC 13:
Swim Check:
Stab:
Damage:
LoH:
Current HP: 2 (12%)
CONDITION: Diseased
As Tonys limbs loosten, he relaxes and turns to his rescuer.
"Ah! Thank you Mar..." His expression turns to horror as he realizes just who it is that rescued him.
"Oh no. Not you! Anyone but you!" He wrenched his way from Ishirou's grip and plunged back into the water.
He had to find something to kill, and the creature facing Aerodus just volunteered.
He swims over to flank the creature and...
Swim check:
Dagger attack: for a possible points impaling damage.
..Crit confirm? for a possible extra points impaling damage.
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"Um..sorry,"
'There, there,' Gelik replies in soothing tones, 'it's not your fault you attract the wrong sort of man... well, maybe it's a little down to the way you dress, but we live in a progressive society!' he grins... :)
As Shisa slips back into the water, Aerodus practices his patented 'floundering fish' style, failing completely to hit the creature menacing him. The corpse-thing grins, it's sharp teeth showing in a shark-like display as it...
... suddenly goes wide-eyed and jerks around a little, Tony's dagger blade protruding through the front of its neck. After a few moments the creature ceases its (un-)death throes, and slips from the blade, sinking to reveal Tony in the water behind it... looking strangely annoyed, despite the impressive (re-)kill...
The bodies of the two corpse-things have sunk to the bottom of the murky pool, rather than floating, but both seem well and truly (un-)lifeless.
At the very bottom of the ten-foot deep pool of water an underwater passage, about five feet across, leads to the north.
After a short distance the passage turn sharply upwards, into a second vertical shaft - this one only the five foot diameter of the passage. Above the ten-foot deep level of the water this shaft continues up another five feet, and holds a pocket of stale, but breathable, air. This cramped space appears devoid of anything, save a narrow ledge carved just above the water level, on which sits what looks like a large and expertly crafted sea chest - mostly likely waterproof and airtight (unless someone tries to open it down here...). It seems that the passage was constructed to be just wide enough to man-handle the chest in... and one assumes, at some point, out again when the depositor decided to return for it.
As the chest is set down on the surface, there's that distinct 'chink' which can made only by lots of coins packed closely together... Kneeling down and examining the sturdy-looking lock, Ishirou frowns, then glances at Shisa,
'You have tools, yes? Then best you open it... I'll aid as much as I can...'
Tony helps wrangle the chest down the passage, to the bottom of the shaft and then helps to rig the chest for lifting to the surface; all the while avoiding Ishirou as much as possible. Once up top, he will rest as much as possible, tending his injuries.
If possible Aerodus will search for his dropped weapon.
For the retrieval of the chest of goodies, Aerodus will try and hook up the block&tackle for aiding in bringing it up.
knowledge religion:
Once the chest is obtained, Aerodus will take his time and drag the bodies up and ask for assistance in building a small pyre to burn the bodies. "You see priestess, this is what the eating of the dead can bring. Be cursed to roam this world as one of these abominations." He mentions to Taki, while tending to his wounds while the others work at the chest.
As the party prepares to enter deeper into the tunnel, Shisa joins Aerodus in looking for dropped weapons. Once she has secured her short sword, the young half-elf helps the others in retrieving the chest.
Once back topside, she nods to Ishirou and kneels beside the chest and begins to work the lock. After a while, she sighs and turns to the older man. "I'm sorry Master Ishirou, I cannot unlock this. It's beyond my skill. Perhaps Tony or Sasha can open it." She packs her tools and turns silently to walk to where her bedding lays.
As Aerodus pulls the last of the spawn from the pit, she stops in her tracks watching. Her eyes narrow as she pulls her short sword from its sheath and walks over.
"I'll help with the pyre Aerodus.. by making less for you to burn. "I'll put this on a stake.." She grabs one of the corpses by the hair and draws her sword back to sever the head from the body.
Tony just shakes his head.
"Sorry, I just never learned the knack for locks."
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A comprehensive search of the murky depths of the pool retrieves discarded weapons, the remains of the two corpse-things, and also a set of humanoid bones which appear to have been thoroughly chewed on...
"You see priestess, this is what the eating of the dead can bring. Be cursed to roam this world as one of these abominations."
'They're children of Mother Thrunefang,' Taki replies, kneeling by the remains of the corpse-things, 'chosen for life-after-death.'
Glancing at the corpse-things as he heals various wounds Jask frowns,
'Whatever the young lady calls them,' he comments, 'they're generally known as 'lacedons' - aquatic ghouls. They carry a terrible disease known as 'ghoul fever' which kills over the course of days... and makes its victims rise as ghouls themselves after their deaths...' examining the various bites people have received, he adds, '... we better get these cleaned up as soon as possible...'
"I'm sorry Master Ishirou, I cannot unlock this. It's beyond my skill. Perhaps Tony or Sasha can open it."
"Sorry, I just never learned the knack for locks."
'Perhaps with the guidance of Nethys?' Jask suggests, placing his hand on Shisa's shoulder and chanting prayers to the god of magic as she works...
Between Shisa's skills, Ishirou's advice, and a little divine inspiration, the lock finally clicks open...
Ishirou lifts back the lid of the chest, revealing a fortune in coins , as well as a silk pouch full of garnets and amethysts , a half-dozen moldered and ruined noble's outfits, a finely made bejeweled starknife forged of an unusual blue-silver iron , a well-crafted buckler of darkwood, and a watertight scroll tube made of a glittering silvery material! A wide grin spreading across his normally stoic face, Ishirou reverently examines the treasure, piece by piece. Opening the scroll case he pulls out a velum scroll, which he passes to Jask. The middle-aged cleric examines the scroll for some minutes, his eyes widening as he does, until he declares,
'By the Mask of Nethys! This scroll is enchanted with a spell to restore the dead to life! Not the half-life of these poor wretches,' he adds, gesturing towards the lacedons, 'but to actual living, breathing, life! Amazing - a real prize!'
Meanwhile, Gelik is also looking over the treasure,
'A nice piece,' he declares, holding up the starknife, 'I'd say it's worth about, oh, something in the region of six hundred and fifty gold pieces.' .
'Mithral!' the gnome declares upon examining the scroll case, 'worth five hundred, easy!' .
'This one is mildly enchanted,' Gelik declares upon examining the darkwood buckler, 'not a bad haul at all, Master Ishirou!' .
"I'll help with the pyre Aerodus.. by making less for you to burn. "I'll put this on a stake.."
'Shisa cook head?' Taki asks, 'Not good to eat - become sick... become like them...'
'I'm not sure that further defiling these poors souls is the best way to avoid additional incident,' offers Jask, 'perhaps a simple service and the cremation good Sir Aerodus suggested would serve better to ease their passage... and avoid further tempting fate...'
'Shisa cook head?' Taki asks, 'Not good to eat - become sick... become like them...'
Shisa shoots the girl a quick glare. "No, not to eat.. to display as a warning."
Steading her grip on the creature's hair she's about to follow through with her plan when Jask's voice stops her.
'I'm not sure that further defiling these poors souls is the best way to avoid additional incident,' offers Jask, 'perhaps a simple service and the cremation good Sir Aerodus suggested would serve better to ease their passage... and avoid further tempting fate...'
Closing her eyes tightly to fight off the rising emotions coming from her near death, she lets go of the thing's hair and quickly reverses the grip on her sword. She lets out a loud, frustrated yell and plunges it into the creature's chest. Her shoulders slump as she walks off without another word, leaving her sword stuck in the vile creature.
Returning to her bedroll, she plops down and crosses her legs beneath her to stare out over the jungle below.
As the songstress imbeds her blade into the dead ghoul, Aerodus will give the songstress a sympathetic look as he dislodges it from the corpse.
For the Ceremony:
After placing the bodies on the pyre, Aerodus will sharpen a small twig into a sword-esque form and place it on the bodies. Grasping his symbol in one hand his voice takes on a more solemn tone. "Divine Queen of Heaven, though these beings were not your own please guide them to their judgement. Let this blade fight for them that they may rest eternal." He will then allow anyone else to say any words, before lighting the pyre to cremate the corpses.
At the mention of ghoul fever and a slow death, Aerodus face will lose much of its regained color after the cleric's healing. "Not the way I figured I would go. Just say what you need me to do Cleric." As he removes what remains of his clawed/torn shirt to allow better access to the bite marks.
Tony is astounded at the treasure revealed and looks closer at one of the nobles outfits. He looks at Ishirou speculatively.
"Just who is your family anyway?"
He is even more astounded at the notion of turning into one of those undead monsters.
"What? I had enough trouble with a rash! How do we beat this?"
Aerodus thinks over Taki's words about the lacedons. "If they are this 'Mother Thrunefang's children then..." He starts while slowly connecting his ideas "wouldn't that mean she is some sort of ghoul queen? And your people worship her?" He asks of the priestess.
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"No, not to eat.. to display as a warning."
Taki frowns,
'Who Shisa warn? Thrunefang know about Children of Mother Thrunefang. Children of Mother Thrunefang not scared by anything... and now you all know about Children too... who left to warn?'
"Divine Queen of Heaven, though these beings were not your own please guide them to their judgement. Let this blade fight for them that they may rest eternal."
Jask solmnly bows his head as Aerodus speaks, then adds,
'And by the Will of Nethys... please don't let them come back again...' he glances at the paladin and shrugs, 'Well I for one would rather they stayed dead this time...'
"Not the way I figured I would go. Just say what you need me to do Cleric."
'Don't go getting yourself bitten by any more ghouls for a start...' Jask mutters as he tends to Aerodus's wounds, cleaning them and smearing some of Taki's specially prepared 'stink ointment' on them...
"Just who is your family anyway?"
'Family? What?' Ishirou blinks in confusion, then glances towards Shisa, 'You... you better ask her about all that...' he suggests.
"What? I had enough trouble with a rash! How do we beat this?"
'Oh, I'm sure you'll be fine,' Jask suggests... not sounding quite as confindent as you'd hope, as he slaps some stink ointment on Tony's wounds too...
"If they are this 'Mother Thrunefang's children then... wouldn't that mean she is some sort of ghoul queen? And your people worship her?"
Taki looks a little confused, but takes a few moments to think it over before answering,
'Mother Thrunefang live forever... in ground... in big hole under village. Not queen... once priestess...' she uses Aerodus's word, but you're pretty sure she means witch, '... long ago, Taki think... not sure... maybe come on big boat which bring Thrunefang to island? She stay happy if Thrunefang put people in ground for her every now and then... not sure what happens if she not happy... not sure Taki want to find out!'
Brow furrowed in thought for a while longer the local girl finally points to the pyres and adds,
'Children of Mother Thrunefang all over island. Some like them...' she gestures towards the burning ghouls, '... some just dead people who move. It's what happens if you put dead people in ground instead of eating them... or if they fall in sea when big boats crash...' glancing once more at the pyres she giggles and concludes, '... Aerodus good chief, but Aerodus bad cook - burn everything! Next time Taki cook - taste good! But not Children of Mother Thrunefang... they not good to eat...'
After sitting quietly, going over the day's events in her head for the hundreth time, Shisa stands and stretches to ease the soreness from her muscles. Looking out across the jungle again, she sighs and walks back over to where Ishirou is standing. Looking at the older man, she begins talking to him quietly in Elvish.
"Jask, do what you can so I don't turn into one of those things.. please?" The worry is evident in the tone of the young half-elf's question.
At Taki's comments about his horrid cooking skills, he will give a chuckle, but as her previous statement sinks in, his tone will change drastically "Everyone who dies on this island... comes back as a ghoul?!?! May the Inheritor have mercy on us all." As he wards off evil, he feels the weight of the situation over take him as he sinks to his knees.
After a few moments, he raises his head and his eyes burn with an inner fire. "Of course... of course!" He whispers to himself. No wonder the Inheritor sent us here! There is a great evil to be vanquished!
Tony sheds his shirt to have yet more monkey poo smeared on his wounds. Ugh. He looks on with some uneasiness as Aerodus gets that gleam in his eye. Looks like something is going to get smited in the near future.
Later he approaches Shisa, looking around to try to achieve some privacy.
"Milady Shisa, what pray tell did Ishirou mean when I asked of his family?"
Later he approaches Shisa, looking around to try to achieve some privacy. "Milady Shisa, what pray tell did Ishirou mean when I asked of his family?"
Shisa looks at Tony and raises an eyebrow. "What? How am I supposed to.." She stops and shakes her head and starts laughing. She looks around to see if anyone else is nearby, then puts her arm around his shoulder and draws him closer before telling him in hushed tones:
"See, it's like this.. Ishirou had a map to treasure but was afraid he'd have to divvy it all and be left with nothing. Quite understandable mind you. So, in order to keep that from happening, and still get the treasure, I simply said, and quite truthfully I might add, that the map had been in his family for a while. Well.. Ishirou is in his family right? Since it's been in Ishirou's possession, it was therefore in his family for a while.. however long that was. Thus, it became his family's treasure. See, it's all how you spin it. I didn't lie, I merely played on the semantics."
She grins at the young nobleman and gives him a wink before she starts laughing again. Once she's able to compose herself, she looks at Tony with a more serious look. "Thanks Tony. I needed that," she says then turns to walk over to Aerodus.
As she nears, she hears him muttering something about dead coming back to life. Walking up to the paladin, she asks, "Can I have my sword back? If these things are children of Mother Thrunefang, she needs to die, and I'm in." The grim look on her face borders on pure hatred.
Looking over at Taki, she asks, "Can you find me something strong to poison weapons with? Preferably something that will paralyze quickly."
She looks over at Aerodus anticipating his response and holds up a finger. "Don't lecture.."
At the Songstress's initial approach, Aerodus is still lost in his thoughts and it takes him along time to give a response. Finally realizing she is there, he turns his head and at the mention of slaying the ghoul queen/priestess, he leaps to his feet! "Of course.. of course! You see it too?!" Handing her back her blade, he continues, his hands a flurry as he tries to convey his ideas. "Why else did we survive, where all the others perished? She has great things in mind for us, and has tasked us with a holy quest!" Seeing the look in her eyes gives him pause as he offers a few words of advice: "Temper that hatred Songstress, lose yourself not in rage, but in service to the divine."
At the mention of poison he shakes his head "I doubt they will have any effect on her or her children, nothing moves them but dark magics. To say nothing of becoming like them by using their methods."
As Shisa leaves, Tony just stands there stareing at the space she used to occupy, still boggles at the scam...
Seeing the look in her eyes gives him pause as he offers a few words of advice: "Temper that hatred Songstress, lose yourself not in rage, but in service to the divine."
"Don't worry Aero. I'll be fine.. once this Mother is dead, she says as she takes the sword and slips it back into the scabbard.
At the mention of poison he shakes his head "I doubt they will have any effect on her or her children, nothing moves them but dark magics. To say nothing of becoming like them by using their methods."
She looks at Aerodus and gives him a feral grin. "It's not for her children. Taki says she's some kind of witch right? Well, what better way to keep a witch from bespelling us than to remove her ability to move. Plus," she continues with less anger in her voice as her brain begins to fade back to normal, "if there's an entire village of cannibals, we may need to neutralize some of them to get to her."
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'Not a problem. If it comes to that I'll do the lot of you...'
"Can you find me something strong to poison weapons with? Preferably something that will paralyze quickly."
Taki frowns for a moment or two, then smiles,
'Taki find something,' she replies, then scoots off towards the jungle...
"It's not for her children. Taki says she's some kind of witch right? Well, what better way to keep a witch from bespelling us than to remove her ability to move. Plus, if there's an entire village of cannibals, we may need to neutralize some of them to get to her."
'Unless she's an undead witch,' Jask offers, whilst coating Shisa's thigh with stink ointment, 'it's not unheard of...'
'And it's all fascinating I'm sure,' Gelik interjects, 'but I still think we need to find the Nightvoice first... if it's here at all. There could be all sorts of useful undead-witch-slaying magics just strewn all over that ship!'
'Before you do anything,' Jask comments, 'maybe you'd all better stay in camp for a day or two, to make sure the ghoul fever isn't progressing any. Aerodus's wife and I can tend to your symptoms... and I doubt you'd want to start suffering the effects whist out in the jungle...'
'I could teach you some tricks of the blade I know,' offers Ishirou, still smiling as he walks over, 'if you'd like a way to fill in the time. In way of thanks for helping recover my treasure.'
Fort Save#1:
Fort Save#2:
Tapping his chin, Aerodus muses: "A ghoul witch queen, ruling over a tribe of cannibals."
With a nod towards Ishirou, [b]"I would be honored to learn from an accomplished swordsman such as yourself."
Hopefully while they are practicing, Aerodus will try and get the swordsman to open up about his life prior to the shipwreck. "So tell me, what brought you onboard the Jenivere, if you don't mind my asking."
Diplomacy:
Tony sighs at being stuck in camp for days.
"I could wish that I had some of the Taldoran liquor left to me; that always seemed to help with such afflictions."
Fort save #1:
Fort save #2:
Fort save #3:
Fort save #4:
Fort save #5:
Fort save #6:
Fort save #7:
At Ishirou's offer Tony jumps up a smile fixed on his face.
"Of course Ishirou! I couldn't possibly turn down an offer to spar with you!"
Tony will engage in hard bruising bouts with Ishirou.
Tony also looks forward to go looking for the Nightvoice.
"Just think Aerodus! More chances to swim!"
Day 1 fort save (with Jask assist):
Day 2 fort save (with Jask assist):
Shisa spends the next couple of days covered in the notorious (yet effective) island poo goo. Despite the smell, she works out with Ishirou to learn from him.
She also approaches Sasha to see if the red-head will help her with the two-weapon dance.
All the while, she awaits Taki's return with something to help in their upcoming fight with the spawn mother.
"Think we need to fill in this hole before someone stumbles into it in the dark?"
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The next eight days pass in relative peace. Ishirou gladly passes on the various simple tricks of the blade he's picked up, and Sasha happily shows Shisa the basics of her prefered rapier and kukri fighting style... when the redhead isn't out hunting to keep the group supplied with food. Mundin refuses to fill in the hole near the camp, instead incorporating it into his increasingly complex series of defenses - ditches filled with wooden spikes, pallisade-topped berms, pitfalls, trip snares... after a time you begin to suspect his innate dwarfiness is getting the better of him... but he does manage to catch several two-foot long rats over the course of the week (which taste pretty good... after Taki's boiled the filth fever out of them and seasoned with some local herbs...) and, near the end of the week, even manages to skewer another ghoul which wanders a little too close to the camp...
In regards to Ishirou's background he reveals that he's been working off his debt to the Aspis Consortium for the last ten years - as a sailor, thug, messenger, soldier, and guard. He'd finally worked off the debt, and boarded the Jenivere in search of a new life in Sargava. When it comes to his earlier life he's less inclined to share, but he does privately reveal to Aerodus...
After sparing with Tony, and observing the swashbuckler's slower recovery from the disease than either Shisa or Aerodus, Ishirou does suggest to Shisa that they 'do him now'... 'just to be on the safe side'... but it seems to be a jest... mostly...
Along with helping to tend to the diseased, finding food and herbs, and cooking, Taki manages to render down a viscous dark blue liquid for Shisa which she explains should do something close to what the elven-blooded woman asked...
Finally everyone is healed, healthy, and ready to return to the jungle...
Both Taki (as guide) and Gelik (as interested party) choose to accompany the expedition to find the Nightvoice, the rest of the group prefering to remain in camp for the moment...
About two hours trek after leaving the camp at dawn, Taki has led the group west, where they emerge onto what appears to be a game trail, enlarged somewhat through frequent use.
'We follow path,' Taki explains, 'much quicker than struggle through jungle...' she glances at Aerodus and Gelik in particular as she states that, but doesn't elaborate further...
Mopping his brow, Master Gelik leans over, hands on his knees, trying to regain his breath, and glances down the trail,
'Oh yes,' he observes, 'much better... a veritable highway to be sure...' Rolling his eyes a little, the gnome casts a quick cantrip to clean himself.
Pointing up the trail to the north-west Taki says,
'Follow trail to other side of island... then along coast to place of little men...' she turns to point down the trail as it snakes off towards the south, adding, '... that way big boat camp... old... all dead now...'
"How many days travel to the big boat camp?" Is Aerodus's response, glad to be relieved of baggage duty of the strength drained party.
Once again clad in his splint mail, his skin has darkened from the oppressive light during their now two week stay. His beard had been growing rampant as of late until he trimmed it a more manageable length.
At the trail, Shisa stops to adjust her pack to a more comfortable position. Already, the heat of the day is beginning to wear and she's thankful she was able to keep her morning routine to help adjust to the heat.
She reaches down to rub the bare spot on her leg where her leggings were ripped by the ghoul's attack and mutters something in Kelish.
Gripping her bow, she looks down the trail in both directions. "Well fearless leader, which way?" She keeps her eyes and ears open while the party catches their breath.
After taking a few pulls from his waterskin and rearranging his gear. Aerodus motions with his hand towards the north-west. "We press on, we should cover as much ground as possible today."
Tony is practically skipping along after so much lying around in camp. He looks forward to exploring the wrecks...
"We press on, we should cover as much ground as possible today."
Shisa gives nod as she redoes the binding around her hair. "Agreed," she says simply. Gathering her bow, she steps off, once again taking the point, eyes scanning the trail and surroundings as she walks.
perception while moving:
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Hope Taki or someone had an empty vial / bottle to put the liquid in.. or was able to fashion something out of a hollow reed / bamboo (since we're in a jungle). Otherwise, Shisa will coat her old dagger with it and hope it doesn't rain..:)
"How many days travel to the big boat camp?"
Taki laughs,
'Not days... path very fast! Shore very close here.'
Heading up the path to the north-west, Shisa taking point, the group's pace is, true to Taki's word, much faster than treking through the jungle...
The group's been on the path for a little under a mile when Shisa spots something up ahead...
Walking along the path, her eyes are in constant motion as she eyes her surroundings. She reaches up to adjust the shortsword angled between her shoulderblades and suddenly freezes. She holds up her hand to the others to do the same.
Slipping out of her pack, she squats down on the path and eyes the surroundings again. She then begins moving her hands very lightly across the ground, brushing leaves away from something. Finding what she's looking for, she begins to work on what she's found. Her hands move quickly yet carefully.
disable divice (taking 10): 10 + 6 = 16
Once she is satisfied, she turns to the others and says quietly, "Spike trap. Apparently, someone doesn't like people using this path." She points to the spiked-work hanging in the trees. "Personally, I'd hate to be on the receiving end of that."
Satisfied that the trap has been disarmed, she retrieves her pack and slips into it. "Shall we?"
"Can you tell who made it? It doesn't seem... ghoulish, if you know what I mean."
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"My guess would be Taki's people, the Thrunefangs. Probably an attempt to protect their territory and catch the occasional meal"
Taki nods, then kneels by the disarmed trap,
'Yes... but this one old... not checked for a while...'
The trek continues as the group head further westward... around an hour has passed when...
A vine noose tightens around Shisa's ankle...
The half-elven woman is yanked high, soaring through the air, as a bent tree snaps back upright...
Shisa gets smacked against the tree trunk... and the sharpened stakes therein...
Dangling ten feet from the ground by one ankle, bleeding from her fresh wound, Shisa bobs slightly from the motion of the tree...
'Ouch!' observes Gelik, helpfully, with a wince...
Shisa dangles updside down for a moment, thankful that the natural in-flight twisting was all that prevented her from feeling both stakes.
She attempts to look up at her feet but her pack bangs against the back of her head with the movement as gravity attempts to pull it from her shoulders. She quickly hooks her free foot behind the ankle of the other to help stop the spinning motion and to keep her leg out of the way.
"Ouch? Ya think?? From the ground, it's hard to tell if the redness of her face is due to the blood rushing there or from some other cause.
The deep gouge in her side just adds to the discomfort. Running her hand over the damage, she begins to fume, "Dammit, I just bought this armor." A string of explitives follow, some in Elvish, some on common.. as she works through the range of her vocabulary..
She takes a deep breath and calls out, "Someone catch my pack," as she squirms to let it slip from her shoulders to the ground below.
"Well, that'll teach you to get cocky," she chides herself, then begins to work on getting loose.
escape artist (CT): (DC22)
"Um.. guys? A little help here?"
As the songstress is launched above, Aerodus will move forward with his sword drawn. "Worry not! I shall cut you down... although someone may want to catch her." As he prepares to cut the rope.
Tony lays a hand on Aerodus' arm.
"Aerodus, pause a moment; I think you should play catcher here as you have the strength. I will climb up and release her."
He grins and calls up to Shisa dramatically.
"Shisa my love! I am here to rescue you!"
He discards his hat and claps a dagger between his teeth as he swarms up the tree.
Climb:
Nodding at Tony, Aerodus will move to take his place underneath the soon to be falling rogue.
"Shisa my love! I am here to rescue you!"
"Ugh, I'll never live that down. Ok girl, let's see if you can get out of this before he *really* decides to climb up and help," she says quietly to herself. She let's out a laugh at the thought. "At least Sasha's not hear to see this, or I'd be in serious trouble."
She begins to twist and move, trying to pull herself up to reach the rope holding her foot. Her side screams in agony due to the open wound, and eventually, she's forced to admit, she'll have to suffer the rescue..
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"Shisa my love! I am here to rescue you!"
Tony bounds towards the tree... his footing slipping almost immediately, sending him crashing to fall on his bottom...
Taki bursts out laughing, doubling over at the combined sight of Shisa sent bobbing again by Tony's attack on the tree, Tony sprawled on the ground after his heroics, and Aerodus shuffling about under Shisa as he tries to line up to catch her... not to mention she seems to think the idea of Shisa and Tony being an 'item' is hilarious...
Grinning, Gelik sits cross-legged, pulls out his journal, and starts to sketch...
Watching as Tony lands flat on his butt, Shisa almost laughs.. until she sees Gelik pull out his book.. "Oh no! You! Don't you even think it! Argh! Put that book down!"
Of course, it's hard to be taken serious when you're bobbing like a fish on a hook, thanks to Tony shaking the tree..again.
"Aero, tell your wife to quit laughing.. this is *SO* not funny.. Put that quill down, I said! Ugh!" The combination of Gelik and his ever-present book and Taki's laughter draw another string of expletives in multiple languages..
Bounding to his feet after his undignified sprawl, Tony approaches the tree again.
"OK, THIS time I'll rescue you, maiden fair!" He swarms up the tree again...
Climb:
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"OK, THIS time I'll rescue you, maiden fair!"
Second time's the charm, as Tony bounds up the tree and finds where the trip-vine is tied off. Carefully bracing himself, he releases the knot and slowly lets out slack until Shisa is lowered into Aerodus's waiting arms.
Stepping over, still smiling, Taki lays a hand on Shisa's side... almost at once the pain of her wound fades as a soothing feeling spreads through the elf-blooded woman's body...
'Taki nice witch,' declares the local girl, 'Shisa all better now!'
Gelik, meanwhile, finishes up his illustration with the title 'Shisa LeCroix demonstates a cannibal trap',
'Excellent,' announces the gnome, 'that's definitly one for the archives!'
A little beyond the trap, the trail divides, one branch leading north-east, the other south-west. Pointing along the northern branch Taki says,
'Different big boat camp on shore that way... all dead, of course...'
Indicating the south-western path she offers,
'Follow this path... then turn north... last big boat camp there, near shore - then easier to follow shore to island of little men...'
'Taki nice witch,' declares the local girl, 'Shisa all better now!'
Her feet finally back on the ground, Shisa feels the warmth spread through her body at Taki's ministrations. She looks over at the young native and gives a brief smile. "Thanks Taki.. I guess I can forgive you for laughing," she says with mock seriousness. With a wink, she turns to pick up her pack and mutters at the hole through its side where the second stake caught her pack instead of her. "Great, all my gear is getting trashed. That'll teach me to spring for the cheaper stuff." She takes a moment to go through her things to make sure nothing is too damaged, especially the gourd.
Gelik, meanwhile, finishes up his illustration with the title 'Shisa LeCroix demonstates a cannibal trap',
'Excellent,' announces the gnome, 'that's definitly one for the archives!'
Hearing the gnome's voice, she stands to walk over to Gelik and slips into her pack as she does. "May I see?" she asks kindly, holding out her hand for the book.
When everyone is ready to continue, she looks at the group and asks, "Anyone up for taking point?" She grins at the others and flutters her eyelashes.