"I don't like pushing further in to the island today. We don't know what's out there and neither does Gruk. We could get caught out in a storm with no shelter, or find the area overrun with hostiles. We need to proceed with caution."
The group moves cautiously over the few rolling hills before being deposited in a lush valley, all the while scanning for tracks or other evidence of their assailants. Nagl strays from the pack for a few moments drawing curious stares from the others. Cutting off any questions, Nagl gestures toward the ground where faint, bare footprints can be made out in the soft dirt.
"If they haven't made it to our old grounds then they have no idea we're behind them", Sasha reasons in hushed tones. "It's best we turn back on them and destroy them, lest they overtake us on their return trip". Sasha draws a wickedly pointed dagger, twirling it in her hand as if to accentuate her readiness.
Gelik pipes in, loudly at first, "Well, we don't have to...", before being shushed by everyone in unison then speaking more quietly, "...fight them, do we? Would it not be prudent to avoid deadly engagement?".
Jask thinks for a moment before agreeing with Sasha, "They mean to kill us or worse, my friend", turning his eyes to Gelik. "These men have chosen their path, to be murderers and devils".
"They won't expect an attack from behind," says Kororinda, in agreement with Jask and Sasha. "Gelik, the more we kill when they are scattered, the fewer we have to deal with later. These could be even more scouts. Furthermore, if they find Ishirou and Aerys, they will sound an alarm. Sasha is correct."
The sorcerer steeples his hands together in resolve, his banner carefully balanced in the crook of one arm as customary, and awaits other opinions.
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"I am sure there be an argument in there somewhere 'bout how strikin' down too many devils makes a devil of you...but stayin' safe is important. More they loose, less a threat they might be. That said, more they loose, more dangerous we are seen, fer better or fer worse."
"Point is, we want to be safe, they want to kill us. We are safer without them, regardless of who killed or wanted to kill the other first type moral yip yapperin'. But, we do this only if we know we'll crush em."
"Follow them back to the camp. Trap them between us and the traps Sasha set."
"Traps would hurt them. Slow them. Give us time to see if there are too many to fight now. Get safe shelter now is more important than kill them. Malick has point: The more of them don't come back, the more dangerous we seem. Unless they come as mob, that probably good. 'Thing goes bump at night.'"
He rubs his nose.
"Let's pin them between traps and us."
"They are slowest when they are dead, Nagl...even a wounded bird can sing," says the sorcerer. "Anyhow, we are fairly in agreement, with some differences in...execution. Belor, would you and your furry friend care to lead? We'll attempt some quietude as we follow."
Gelik swallows nervously when it becomes apparent that the group is taking a detour. Gruk, remaining silent since leaving the beach, moves past and takes to following the tracks himself. Everyone, including Gruk, keeps as low as possible to the ground, following a crisscrossing pattern of footprints. Pursuing them for only a few minutes finds the party in a small clearing, littered with boulders and small shrubs.
Their voices reveal them first, cursing in the same intentionally lisping, sharp vernacular. Belor throws up a fist to call for a full halt. Obliging, everyone squats behind a stone that easily hides the large group. The raiders must be ahead of schedule, as their makeshift camp is only ten minutes from the beach encampment.
"You idiot! We ssshould throw you to the lizards for your foolishnesss!". The berating continues along with echoes of snapping branches. Moving to just the edge of the boulder, Belor peers down a narrow channel between rocks to see five visible natives, dressed in much the same garments as the others, milling about a pile of broken wood and twine. Sasha's traps. One man sits with his back against a rock, holding a cloth over his eye, creating a deep crimson stain. A few of the others look cut and beaten, as well, obviously they've stumbled into a few of the simple but effective snares.
Koro moves to one square south of Belor's position.
"Grease at their bottleneck. Hit them from range while they can't get through."
Belor draws a shortspear and steps out from behind the rock.
A rapier with an indiscriminate red glint is pulled from a sheath to accompany Sasha's kukri blade, creating the perfect precipice for action. Floating into formation you descend on the bottleneck leading to the hunters, leaving Gelik in the rear, loading a bolt onto his crossbow with Jask beside him preparing life-saving magics. Gruk does not hesitate to fall in and he seems more in control than before, suppressing his primal tendencies to revel in the fight. As has been custom Sasha tails Gruk closely, using the shaman's girth as a bestial shield.
Belor: 18
Nagl: 12
Koro: 11
Malick: 7
Group Initiative: 12.25
Gelik: 18
Sasha: 14
Jask: 6
Gruk: 5
Group Initiative: 10
Native 1: 14
Native 5: 14
Native 2: 10
Native 3: 5
Native 4: 5
Group Initiative: 9.6
The first tribal's face takes on a mix of terror and confusion as he is the sole man to behold the small militia marching on his battered brethren. He lets out a shrill croak not resembling any real word but its enough to startle the others and get them to turn about face in a clumsy second. Weilding spears, some in 2 hands and some overhead, their eyes flash with uncivilized ferocity, spurring themselves to fanaticism in mere seconds.
Belor opens negotiations with a shortspear from afar.
He draws another spear and puts his free hand against Lavi's head as the lion tries to push past him. "Not yet little one."
Koro casts Grease on the 10x10 squares just east of "Gibraltar" to keep the natives from advancing. "Salubona!" he says, jauntily, and then some other words.
"Hello! We're here to kill you."
Gelik, crossbow loaded and in-hand, begins to hum a tune that grows to a rhythmic chant, his crossbow swaying side to side. The volume of his voice grows until it seems unnatural for his little body to produce, weaving Polyglot words that seem to follow the beats of your heart.
Gruk keeps pace with Nagl and Malick, presenting himself as the primary target. He stops just short of the magical grease glistening on the ground and stands tall on his squat legs, beating his chest in time with Gelik's foreign lyrics. Sasha keeps low and follows close behind Gruk with a blade in each hand, ready to strike.
Jask begins right away putting his hands together at odd angles and whispering words of worship. The effect is almost instant, a curtain of sparkling light, just barely visible, surrounds Gruk then disappears.
Having little regard for shiny tricks, the first native, a hugely tall and lanky man who looks starved and emaciated, comes barreling around the corner.
He immediately starts sliding forward but catches his footing, digging his bare feet in and thrusting his spear forward toward Gruk.
vs 14
⇒ vs 14
The gorilla bares his great chest with a primal scream as the spear deflects upward, bouncing off the transparent veil. The man stumbles slightly, confused and angry, trying to grip the earth beneath the infernal grease.
Deciding to ignore the grease, the two furthest men begin to mount the rocks with several spears tethered to their packs.
While the closer native ascends with ease, his colleague has more trouble, throwing his pack up first then attempting to hoist himself. Ignoring the struggling man, the built tribal man pulls loose a crude but sharp spear and hurls it directly downward toward Malick.
It sticks in the dirt, Malick easily sidestepping the haphazardly thrown weapon. Another javelin comes soaring from the throat of the rocks, thrown by the supporting, remaining hunter.
vs 14
⇒ vs 14
⇒
A bright puff of glinting light isn't enough to stop the projectile, as the curtain around Gruk wavers but the javelin does not, planted firmly in the gorilla's shoulder. The men let loose bestial howls at the sight of blood but Gruk does not stand down.
Belor hustles forward and hurls another spear, shouting "Told ya they'd be climbin' the rocks!"
Stepping out, makes an effort of slaying the felled native
Kororinda unfurls his banner and moves up.
He gestures and mutters at the native on the rock, emitting a rather familiar jolt of electricity.
It fizzles. "I don't recall you saying anything about 'up on the rocks'!" he says to Belor, as if accusing him of spoiling his aim.
Belor's spear plants firmly in one of the native's chest, making the savage crumple to the ground, gurgling on blood as his lungs fill with blood.
Nagl's swings his massive blade with fervor, his blow catching a native on the shoulder and cleaving several inches through bone and flesh, causing the man to drop to the ground screaming in pain.
Malick's rapier pierces another native in the arm who roars in rage at him. The man seems almost emboldened by the pain!
Kororinda's electric blast misses another native, who howls with laughter, his bone jewelry clattering as he does so.
Suddenly, a piercing shriek is heard in the air and the natives halt in place, assuming a stance reminiscent of a frightened animal. On the side of the cliffs, screaming can be heard, along with several wet, ripping sounds. The sound of beating wings fills the air and the natives begin running off. Looking towards the source of the noise, a giant winged reptile the size of a house, it's blue and yellow hide stained with blood. A native lies sideways in the creature's mouth, screaming in pain. The creature throws its head back and gobbles the man up within mere moments. It looks at all of the two-legged creatures before it, then lets out a shriek and flies towards everyone!
"This island is full of surprises. I think we should retreat to the safety of the forest and let the monster finish off the baddies."
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Malick had been ready to come to blows with the natives, as swords, spears, and even the occasional bite were to be expected in this sort of fight. He did not expect a giant lizard. He really did not expect a flying giant lizard.
"We picked this fight to pick them off. Looks like the beast can finish them while we get gone!" Malick says, all to aware that a buckler and short sword are poor matches against a massive lizard.
"Run," advises the sorcerer.