"They don't look happy. I will defend myself but they are clearly elements and they don't look evil so I would prefer not to."
Malakar cautiously stands near Sho with his Shield raised. Moving slowly as to not be threatening.
Brannart sighs.
"We are at an impasse. Maybe we can find a way to communicate with them later. Let's just go and leave the stones."
Brannart sighs.
"We are at an impasse. Maybe we can find a way to communicate with them later. Let's just go and leave the stones."
"That seems wise. My goals as a druid I endeavor to learn the languages of the elements but currently I only know the language of water natively do to my heritage."
"Sounds appealing to me. Do you think they will let us pass?"
As you put down the stones, the creatures back off.
There is a passageway continuing out of the cavern, or you could go back and check a previous route.
As the creatures back away, Vexas watches them intently for almost a minute before moving at all. He looks at Malakar, for implied confirmation and then back at the creatures. Once he's convinced they are in fact not hostile he slinks forward silently on his padded feet to resume scouting in the next passage.
Fenna slips by the creatures after Vexas.
Brannart follows Fenna, and soon loses track of Vexas as the halfling slips ahead.
Vexas, using his button for light, follows the next passage. He furthers his distance from the crystalline scorpions as he makes his way. Looking back, he only sees darkness past his light source, the curvature of the tunnel splitting the Halfling from his companions.
Vexas, looking ahead, notices that the cave tunnel gradually begins to slope upward and there is a slight warming of the air temperature. Also, piercing the darkness ahead of him is a light source slowly bouncing off the cavern wall and moving toward him.
This reflecting light... I wonder if this passage continues to the surface.
Hearing muffled footsteps, he stops abruptly and turns to the next party member behind him, whispering.
Something or somewhat is walking about up ahead. Who with Darkvision could sneak up ahead without a light?
Fenna must offer the same answer as Sho. She also stops and waits for Malakar.
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"I can see but I am not very quiet but I can try"
Malakar moves past Vexas. Out of range of the Lighted button, Malakar's eyes adjust to the darkness. Various rock shapes of black and gray take form as the Undine stealthily moves down the tunnel. A light source up ahead alerts the Druid of Vexas's find. Peering through the darkness, then light, Malakar makes out a bearded human wearing breastplate armor. He carries a lantern in one hand and a longsword in the other. After watching the the man move closer, recognition sets in. It is one of the guards from the colony. Malakar believes his first name is Carver.
Malakar slinks back down the tunnel to inform his companions still waiting in the cavern beyond. At the guards current pace, Malakar figures it will take the Human about a minute to reach them.
Vexas quickly confirms with Malakar what he thinks he heard...
So, it's someone we know? So it's okay if we announce ourselves and make our presence known?
Malakar wonders if we are still in the confines of the colony.
Cast know direction.
Malakar closes his eyes and calls upon Gozreh. He delves into Golarian's elemental forces and feels earth and fire below the surface coalesce with the wind and water from above. The Druid visualizes Talmandor's Bounty to gain a sense of where he is. Opening his eyes, Malakar knows that he less than a mile northeast of the colony limits.
"Yes Vexas, I think we should make ourselves known."
"Why wouldn't we?"
But Fenna doesn't yet since there seems to be some question about it.
Brannart steps out.
"Carver, is that you? What brings you here?"
Sense Motive Rolls
Perception Rolls DC 23
Coming out of the dark, lantern in hand, "Brannart is that you? How? What?" the guard stammers for a moment as he views all of you with his lantern light. "I was on duty over night along the East palisade. I heard about the commotion with Daib and the strange footprints. I heard you all went down the well near the Levin Farm and disappeared. I stayed extra-vigilant all night. Come daybreak, I spotted some of those starfish footprints Daib was mentioning outside the palisade. Decided to follow them. Led me here. Tunnel entrance is just back that way." Carver finished pointing with his lantern the way he came from. "You all alright down here?"
Malakar trusts his and Vexas' gut. Carver is a long way away from the colony alone.
Vexas whispers from the back of the party. His metal armor is making no noise... something is very wrong here.
He draws his rapier and takes a step back.
Brannart thinks the man's story sounds entirely plausible. He isn't sure what Vexas is talking about.
"I hardly think that merits drawing steel on him."
He'll step up and talk to Carver.
"I appreciate your efforts, but these creatures were dangerous enough that following them by yourself could have gotten you killed. Next time, send for us.
Anyway, we took care of things. Let's get back to the Colony and report in."
"Oh! That's so much better than climbing back up the rope back the way we came. Thanks Carver."
Fenna starts down the tunnel in the direction Carver came.
Malakar senses nothing amiss with Carver’s story, but notices Vexas unsheathing his blade.
As Fenna walks past down the tunnel, Carver speaks toward her, "Hey wait. The rock is uneven. Do you want my lantern light?" He makes his way toward the Bard, holding up his lantern to illuminate the way.
Turning back to Brannart, "So what kind of creatures did you find down here? Any sign of the missing colonists?"
"Aberrations, no evidence of colonists except a few tokens and trinkets but this colony of creatures couldn't have wiped out the colony. Too few of them, likely scavengers. Here let me take the lead I can see in the dark."
Malakar trusts Vexas gut still despite his own intuition not senseing any wrong. He moves forward and places himself between Fenna and Carver keeping a tight grip on his Scimitar but not drawing it, meeting Vexas' eyes as he dies so.
Vexas catches Malakar's gaze, and while something seems very off he's at a loss for an explanation. His eyes narrow at the man as he continues to think about what may be up.
Is it... the man's spirit? Is he dead and doesn't know that he's dead. His lantern looks real...
Say, that's some very quiet armor you have. What's it made of?
"Chokers, Carver. Dangerous things, but I don't think they are responsible for the missing colonists.
Also some strange crystal scorpion creatures, and I don't think they are responsible either.
You'll have to forgive Vexas. He is our scout and I think he is envious of your skill at moving quietly. I assume you've had some training as a scout yourself? I'm more of an infantry sort."
Brannart is nowhere near as suspicious as Vexas, just slightly curious if the man might be a ranger or something.
Sense Motive Rolls
"Aberrations? Chokers? Crystal Scorpion Creatures? My you all had an eventful night." Carver speaks in well-articulated Common with a slight Andoren accent. As he finishes, the tunnel ends. You find yourself on the northeast side of a small hill, as a sunlit dawn warms you from your right.
You all get a better look at Carver now. The guard is of average height with short, wavy-brown hair. A full, well-groomed salt-and-pepper beard and moustache cover the sides and lower half of his face. Deep Blue eyes stand out from his tan complexion like shining sapphires twinkling in a dark sand. His steel, well-polished breastplate gleams in the morning sun as he shutters his lantern and sheathes a well-made long sword. A crossbow also hangs from his belt.
Pointing south-west, "Well, a short walk this way and we will be back at the colony." He turns and smiles at Vexas, "After years of experience, you learn to maintain your armor. It is one of many things that bridges the gap from life and death. The ability to move quietly is another." After a brief pause, Carver continues, "How did you arrive in that cavern anyway? Last I heard, you went down the Levin well."
Carver listens and asks seemingly appropriate questions regarding the night's activities during the walk back. No one senses any reason not to believe Carver and his voice seems to put everyone at ease. After a short hike, you all reach the colony.
Vexas keeps his eyes trained on the man. His senses aren't giving him further clues, but he's holding on the earlier mismatch desperately like a fading memory.
It can't just be me...
"Yes, we went down the well and found a way through to that cave.
Well, Carver, it is good to know you have skills. There have been a few dangerous missions that we have taken on for the Colony, and our numbers have dwindled. Should you wish to accompany us in the future, I'd be happy for your assistance."
Years of experience... who is he?
Brannart tries to think if he knows the man from Almas, or has heard a description of someone like this.
Brannart will glance over at Fenna. "I think we could all use some more sleep. I do want to follow up on the missing colonists, but we can head out mid-day or else tomorrow morning."
Brannart definitely has plans for the future, although the urgency with which he views the missing colonists means he won't get to work on those plans much in the near future. Still, if the party isn't heading out until the next day, he will spend the afternoon working on boat-building.
Before parting ways and retiring to his living quarters, Carver nods to Brannart at his invitation, ”I have a feeling we will be needing each other in the months ahead. Time to get some rest. Farewell, for now.”
As Brannart watches Carver walk away, he tries to remember if they have ever met before or if his name rings a bell, but he has no memory of the name Carver Hastings from his time spent in Almas.
Brannart will ask Ramona, "You've sailed around the island, right? Did you see anything elsewhere, any structures or signs of occupation? Anything really unusual?"
If she saw nothing on the coast, then we should map the interior. Maybe a series of short day-hikes to scout, then if we find a lead we report back, gear up, and follow the lead.
Ramona corrects Brannart, "I have only sailed along the Western coast with Peregrine to the rendezvous point. You and your companions have probably seen more of the island than I have. Although, myself, Perrell Beys, Lyra Heatherly, and Milo Cattenbury have been teaming up to survey and map the nearby area for future colony expansion. We have not come across any structures or anything unusual though."
Already awake Malakar figures he will do some foraging and exploring for the rest of the day.
Vexas, a little tired from their being awoken in the dead of night, decides to take a couple or few lighter days around the colony. He spends a lot of time inside, studying a borrowed spellbook.
However, with a bit of free time he asks around only shortly about Carver, still having his nagging suspicion.
He doesn't spend long on it at all so as to not draw attention.
Malakar makes his way Northwest, walking a route relatively parallel from Talmandor’s Bounty to the rendezvous point, but a good mile or so inland. Remembering this landscape, after leaving the Azlanti dais and illusory projection, with its forests, hills, and river, the Druid is sure it will be bountiful with food to forage.
Malakar walks for miles, the natural terrain welcoming to the Druid. During his travels, he finds boar tracks, several varieties of edible mushrooms, a few medicinal plants, and a grove of white flowering shrubs showing red seeds which are of particular interest. Moving closer to the shrub, Malakar confirms that he has found a small grove of coffee plants.
After crossing a river, Malakar comes across something strange. An unusual swath of ground lies ahead. The section of ground contains a path approximately ten feet wide. The path is grooved and covered with minute depressions and trampled grass. A first impression suggests a path left by hundreds of thousands of insects marching in a tight formation, but none of the plants appear to be eaten or damaged. Where the strange trail intersects with obstacles, it either splits and goes around the obstacle like water, or veers to avoid it entirely.
Vexas learns that Carver mainly keeps to himself. He does spend some time behind closed doors with Ramona. but no one seems to know what they are discussing. His home is filled with various tombs, and he is often found reading on his porch when not on duty. He is excellent at his job and has an interest in the terrain and topography of the island. In fact, whenever Perrell Beys or Lyra Heatherly, the two main scholars in charge of surveying and mapping the island, create a map, Carver always receives a copy.
Fenna watches Carver talk and wonders to herself why have I never noticed HIM before...
She can't put her finger on it, but whatever exactly it is that he has, he has it in droves, even if he is a little on the older side. It isn't really a problem anyway. Being a half-elf, all humans are a bit on the older side no matter what their age.
When they part ways, Fenna gives Carver a very cheery "Bye, maybe I'll see you around soon."
Fenna catches a few more hours of sleep. Afterward, a good chunk of the day is gone so she finally gets the rose bush she brought with her planted in the ground in front of the house.
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Sho gladly explores the surrounding areas with Malakar, as they both have common interests and similar skills.
There is no feelings of competition, both being evenly matched in competence. They treat the new lands with awe and respect, taking only what they need on their trek, being careful about not disturbing the wilderness
Upon finding the strange tracks Malakar takes pause and turns to consult his companion.
To Sho:"My first thought is that these are insect tracks but they avoid everything in their path. More like a patrol. Should we try and follow them to their source? Or maybe we should get the rest of the group so we don't get caught without support? We yave found tons of good food so this trip was already a success. I am sure the colony will be very happy to hear we have our own source of coffee I hear it is a valuable trade good among the large cities."
Perception Checks
Malakar and Sho take some time to study this path. Working together, they discover that the trail is almost a uniform ten feet across. Only minor variances occur due to uneven terrain. Closer examination also reveals that the holes are tiny pointed impressions, like the trail was formed by hundreds of stabs from small spikes.
Meanwhile, back at Talmandor’s Bounty . . .
It is late afternoon. After some rest, Brannart, Fenna, and Vexas sit outside waiting for Malakar and Sho to return. While Fenna tends to her rose bush, Brannart attempts to ease his tension by repairing a well-used fishing net. He feels compelled to continue the search for the missing colonists, but he knows that he’ll need the aid of all of his companions. Vexas, in and out of sleep, sits on a porch chair leafing through the borrowed spellbook. Some of the symbols begin to make sense, but he needs to find the way to make them all come together.
The three look up as heavy footsteps approach. It is an old friend casting a large shadow to the east. Nymbleth smiles at you while his tail swishes excitedly back and forth. ”Greetings my friends. Alba and I are setting up our Alchemy shop and we have a business proposition for you. May I sit and discuss this with you?”
Nymbleth goes on to explain how he and Alba need to build a stock of raw material and base compounds for their alchemical and curative items. They acquired several maps from Lyra Heatherly that show promise for the necessary flora to be growing in certain areas. Nymbleth is aware that you plan on searching the island anyway, and thought that this could be a secondary mission. For helping, Nymbleth and Alba offer to use half of the harvest toward whatever alchemical items or potions desired.
Vexas nods, but then considers the sheer volume of the potential harvest.
Sure thing, but I suspect you'll ultimately want more than we alone can carry. Will others follow closely behind after we've cleared any danger?