Tobias shakes himself free of the ghoul's touch.
"Wuu! Nicely done, Rosanne. Nicely done, all!"
"Let me think about that a moment, Rosanne...."
"I promise we didn't draw on your face while you were paralyzed Captain." Rosanne assures Toby very insincerely. :)
The specific disease that creates ghouls is called ghoul fever. It gradually weakens the victim until they die, also causing necrotic wounds. It is usually transferred by bodily fluids in an infected bite. Luckily none of you were bitten, only stunned by their paralyzing agent and you should not get sick unless you spend too much time close to the ghoul's bodies. Many diseases can also be carried by rats, birds, bats, even insects which can pass on the disease through their bites also. You realise this island is a lot more dangerous than you anticipated.
"No one was bitten, so the odds of contracting ghoul fever are slim. We are on an island with many types of rodent, avian, and insect life. Many of which might bear diseases of their own. Perhaps if we stay here long, we should take precautions against them. The druidess says quietly.
"I suggest we claim the valuables now and then set out again while light remains. I see in the dark fairly well, but we do need some light to continue to try to find your other stormlost companions. Unless you have other thoughts?"
Tobias sighs. "No reason not to. Only I can imagine what might have happened in this tent that gives me the willies."
"Tragedy. All that happened here was tragedy. And that tale is now over." The druidess shrugs, beginning to collect the valuables.
Nothing but the heat and the flies bother you as you take the valuables that the women no longer need. On the other side of the small clearing from where you came is another overgrown path through the jungle. Thankfully you seem to be through the marshiest part of the jungle and the ground is mostly firm, if still wet from the recent storm. After another hour of pushing through the jungle the trees start to thin and soon you can see that the path is leading towards and along a beach.
Towering palm trees stretch along the white sand beach for a mile or so, each around 50 feet high and crowned with a wide canopy of palms brimming with coconuts.
To the west, the mountain is visible, along with a path that goes up to a stockade that the ghoul's former ship crew had built. Further to the south are fields fully planted but overgrown and unharvested for some time. The island could have been habitable if not for the ghouls that had accidentally been let loose. Still no sign of the waterborne menace that had kidnapped Sandara.
Rosanne suggests checking the beach first. "Best to make sure we can get off this stinking place quickly!"
She looks around, clearly unhappy with the thought of undead lurking here.
The elf woman searches along the beach for anything salvagable from the storm, or for signs of native life...or not so native life.
Tobias follows close behind Earthsong, watching for any clues to Sandara's disappearance.
Along the beach are many coconut palms. Here and there you noticed the smashed remains of coconuts fallen to the base a a few of the palms. A look up finds giant crabs that have climbed to get at the coconuts. Giant crabs are known to eat almost anything, including humanoids that get too close.
The beach would make a much better landing spot for the ship once it is repaired to refill on fresh water if you are able to find some. There are no tracks or indications of anything here other than the giant crabs and their much smaller cousins.
"I see no signs of anyone here. If we wish to dine on crab, we can stay here I suppose, but if we're looking for others we need to go elsewhere."
[b]"Agreed. Lets get some height on that mountain and see if we can spot any trouble before we walk into it headfirst."[b] Is Rosanne's thoughts on what to do next.
"I see no signs of anyone here. If we wish to dine on crab, we can stay here I suppose, but if we're looking for others we need to go elsewhere."
Tobias ponders his options and stomach rumblings. "Hmm. Well, If we can't find anyone else here on sea level. I suppose we ascend."
As you leave the beach and its skittering inhabitants undisturbed, the jungle welcomes you back. The ground is more solid and the trees not as thick as the northern half of the island. The path splits toward the overgrown fields south and toward the elevated stockade east up the mountain.
Flies continue to buzz around you, but apart from the insects and the crabs, there isn't much other life here. Few birds can be heard and evidence of ground life is absent. It's not long before the trees thin a little and the path becomes steeper, turning from a dirt path to a rocky one. At several very steep sections the marooned had tried to cut steps into the rocks. Unfortunately the recent storm had caused a part of the path to crumble, leaving difficult and dangerous terrain.
The young sailor ponders the current problem. "I think I can make it over. If we had some rope, I could take the other end and help the rest of you come across." Tobias looks back to the beautiful elf and adds, "Unless our druidic friend has some type of earth-moving magic to help make steps?"
"I have rope, but not magic to move earth and stone I'm afraid. That is beyond me." The druidess passes the rope to Tobias.
Tobias takes one end of the rope and using his Lineage Domain power Agile Feet (Su) to get across the dangerous terrain.
Tobias slips as he tries to cross the steep section. Luckily he is holding on to the rope.
Rosanne barely keeps hold of the rope, long enough for Amuro to step in and help and pull Tobias back up. Scree tumbles down the incline over 100ft. below.
Tobias thanks the others as he get pulled up. The young sailor tries again.
Tobias is able to nimbly dash across the steep and loose portion of the broken path. Now with a rope secure on both ends you all can cross without fear of falling.
Finally you make it up the ridge and to the stockade. A well-built timber stockade surrounds a small lodge in a jungle clearing. Vines wrap and strangle a great tree that rises next to the lodge, blocking light from
above. Beside it is the main reason this location was chosen. A bubbling spring that trickles out and under the stockade wall. A source of fresh water for you and your crew once they have the water barrel repaired!
The stockade gate is ajar and the walls are made of sharpened wooden stakes 7 feet high . The inner lodge is also covered in vines, its roof degraded over time.
Tobias climbs up the wall to better look around.
"Earthsong, could this be one of your people's lodge?" The young sailor asked the elf maiden.
Rosanne stays quiet and keeps an eye out for trouble.
The wilderness is not her customary environment and she feels uneasy.
The druidess eyes the stockade critically. "Unlikely, as my people prefer not to build walls but live higher in the trees to avoid trouble. Walls are a sign you are there; living in the trees, some may never know we are present."
She peaks over the stockade wall to quickly get the lay of the land within the walls.
Inside the stockade walls there is a small pile of moss-covered firewood against the stockade. There is also an old spyglass affixed to the south-west wall.
The sharp-eyed druid knows to check the trees and notices that some of the vines are not the same as the rest. She follows them up and find they are connected to lithe bodies suspended from the branches above. The strange vines are their arms, laying in wait for an unsuspecting meal to pass below. They see that they have been noticed and spring towards you.
The creatures move quickly towards Tobias and Rosanne who haven't seen them just yet.
XD
"Gozreh loves irony it seems, 'ware the vines!"
The druidess snaps off a shot but it flies wide.
Rosanne calls out what she knows of these things and then takes a 5' step to clear the way for Amuro, firing her crossbow at the nearest creature.
These creatures are called vine chokers, a cousin of the regular strangler. They have adapted to the forests, their long arms blend in with the trees and they hide in wait to grab and hang their victims in the air being unnaturally strong for their small size. They have no special defenses apart from their adeptness at climbing and staying out of reach.
The two shots from Earthsong and Rosanne go wide.
A tentacle hits Tobias but is unable to grab him.
No tentacles hit Rosanne.
Jacques fires a shot to aid Rosanne, hitting the choker.
Amuro makes use of his shortbow, hitting the choker near Tobias.
Round 2
After the initial attack, Tobias fights defensively, hoping his other crew mates with ranged attack can fell the plant monster in time.
[damage]1d8+1[/dice]
Earthsong nocks another arrow and let's fly towards the monster attacking Tobias.
Rosanne takes another step away and tries again to shoot one of the Vine chokers.
As Tobias busies himself with keeping the vines from making a meal out of him, the others riddle the vine chokers with arrows and bolts from below. The creatures fall out of the trees as their grips are loosened as they die.
There seems to be a nest of sorts high up in the tree that the creatures were using.
There is also a spyglass affixed to the south-east wall of the stockade.
And the stockade building itself. Its door lies on the opposite side to you.
When the creatures collapse, the druidess spots the nest in the trees. "I'll see what is up there of use." She tells Tobias and Rosanne. And with that, she works her way up the tree to the nest.
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Tobias takes a moment to catch his breath and watches the nimble elf druid climb the tree.
Lovely.
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Rosanne will take a careful peek through the telescope to see what it is trained on?
Noting Toby's wandering eye with some amusement.
Up in the treetop nest of the vine chokers are many bones and cloth rags but also several valuable items taken from their prey.
A potion, a trio of silver shoe buckles worth 5 gp each, a ghoul finger
with a gold wedding ring on it worth 50 gp, and a silver hatpin worth 5 gp.
Rosanne passes to the south-west corner of the walls and finds a small 'window' cut into it to allow viewing through the spyglass. It looks out to sea. Several miles away you see the faint silhouette of a shipwreck below the water. There doesn't seem to be anything else of interest until you catch some movement on the coast down the mountain from you.
Adjusting the spyglass you can see two of the Grindylow creatures dancing about. If you're not mistaken, one of them is wearing a hat that looks remarkably like the one Sandara wore. If your lost friend and crew are here, it will be down there where the creatures have made a home.
The coast is steep and getting there on foot is perilous. Though coming at it from your ship's boat will give away any element of surprise.
The druidess returns to the ground with the potion and various bits of silver and jewelry. "Not much of use, perhaps they are attracted to shiny objects like crows." She presents her findings to Tobias and Rosanne, unaware of anything Tobias or Rosanne have done.
"I've found where the Grindylow are lairing!" Rosanne reports. "Whoever lived here liked to keep an eye on them it seems?"
She then moves to the lodge door and checks it for any dangers.
"Who would blame them? Shall we go that way? They have your shipmates do they not?" The elf woman inquires.
"Likely." Tobias said with grim resignation.
The young sailor drew both his rapiers.
"Let's get them back!"