"We'll also need to keep the child wet to make sure the skin doesn't try out. I think there's some magic that's capable of doing that."
"We'll also need to keep the child wet to make sure the skin doesn't try out. I think there's some magic that's capable of doing that."
"I can ask around in the morning."
"For now we should probably set up camp of some sort. And probably break out some more of those trail rations."
Atia shuffles around the area, looking for the least muddy looking spot to set up a makeshift camp, not looking forward to the prospect of sleeping outdoors after several days of luxury in a mattress in a covered building.
"Someone should talk to the kid," Atia suggests, not wanting to involve herself in it. She had no idea how to talk to small children. She found them creepy, and small naga children even worse.
"Camp would be most pertinent." Mateo says in agreement, looking between his comrades for a moment. "I...I think beside all these dried corpses would be bad, right? That'd be...not good?"
"Someone should talk to the kid,"
Lanni nods and goes over to the bank of the pool.
"mrhban 'ayuha alsaghira. nahn nasnae almukhayam huna. ladayna alqalil min altaeam aladhi yumkinuna musharakatuhu. hal tamtalik aisma?"
The naga boy was still skittish, but his hunger, and Terry's earlier gift of food, had warmed him to you enough to reply quietly. "Veja," he said, giving his name. "Speak your words some," he said in Common. "Mama taught," he added, sounding sad. "Not coming back?" Though it was a question, from his tone, it was clear he knew. Though very young, naga understood life and death much sooner than their sheltered human counterparts.
Terry continues talking to the child in Aquan.
"No, we didn't find your mother, Veja. We didn't find anyone else, honestly. We are talking about taking you back to our people and trying to find you a new home. That has to provide you a chance to live a full life, to find joy in the world again. I know there's no sign of joy now, but we hope to help you through this."
Des adds to what Terry says in Aquan.
"We will do what we can to keep you comfy in the meantime."
Veja listens to both Terry and Des a bit sadly. "I was taught to be wary of legwalkers. But...I do not like to be alone. You promise this is no trick? You do not wish to cook and eat me?"
He asked it so simply, as if you'd tell him the truth if WERE planning to eat him.
After reassuring the lad, you camp for the evening, picking a spot away from bodies but where Veja will still have water. The following day, you head back to Rickety's.
"I was taught to be wary of legwalkers. But...I do not like to be alone. You promise this is no trick? You do not wish to cook and eat me?"
Lanni laughs a bit. "We don't want to eat anything that can talk to us. Just ask our cook."
-------
In the morning, Lanni looks around and sighs a bit. "Going to be slim pickings out here in the middle of nowhere." He pulls out his flute and plays a bit of a tune and checks what types of spirits he can get the attention of.
Veja listens to both Terry and Des a bit sadly. "I was taught to be wary of legwalkers. But...I do not like to be alone. You promise this is no trick? You do not wish to cook and eat me?"
He asked it so simply, as if you'd tell him the truth if WERE planning to eat him.
Lanni laughs a bit. "We don't want to eat anything that can talk to us. Just ask our cook."
Smiling, "Yeah, what Lanni said, kiddo, we're not gonna eat you. If we leave you, you'll die out here with no one to take care of you, so we're gonna take you to where you'll be taken care of properly." He gives him a reassuring nod.
"Yeah, don't eat what can talk. Gives weird shakes to those folks. Ask the Pallid Princess's folks..." Mateo muttered as he found a patch of dry ground to set himself up on. "I'll take last watch. Night folks." Settling onto the leather bedroll, he'd grimace a little. The bed had broken him in, going back to sailing would be rough the first few nights.
The next day, Mateo readies himself for the long walk. He gives a friendly little wave to the naga boy, taking the lead and whistling a little shanty as they began the trip back to Rickety's after Lanni's séance concluded.
I shudder to think. but eating sentients was always frowned upon by the maker and crew
Finding a sheltered spot near the group, Seadreamer sets out his sleeping roll.
Wake me in 4, as I have middle watch
Soon resonant snores rise from his sleeping roll.
In the morning, he quickly packs up, and steps off after breakfast.
"Right," Des groaned in Common "Remind me to chat with him on what he's bringing in for food tomorrow..."
The next day, her first priority was checking how the naga child was doing before meeting the others.
Terry tries to spend some time talking with the child, hoping to help calm it.
"Guess I'll take first watch, then."
As he tries to fill the hours, he has a thought. When it is time to Wake 'Dreamer, he can't help but bring it up. "How fast do you think the child can move? Should we build a harness so one of us can carry him on our back?"
Terry tries to spend some time talking with the child, hoping to help calm it.
"Guess I'll take first watch, then."
As he tries to fill the hours, he has a thought. When it is time to Wake 'Dreamer, he can't help but bring it up. "How fast do you think the child can move? Should we build a harness so one of us can carry him on our back?"
Shaking his head to clear the cobwebs, Dreamer replies
Never thought about it. But I don't think he will be moving fast
In the morning, Lanni finishes up his seance having found someone wandering by that was willing to work with him.
He calls out to the naga as well. "Veja, we are heading back home. It would be great if you come, but I am not going to force you to."
Spirit Type: Trickster
Seance Boon: Pick a skill, any skill. Get +1 bonus to it and count it as a class skill. (appraise)
Spirit Bonus: +2 to Dexterity checks, skill checks, and Reflex saves and when you use Spirit Surge you can disable traps as though you had Trapfinding.
Influence: ①
Penalty: none
Taboo: none
Lesser Power: Trickster's Edge: Choose any two skills. These skills count as class skills for you, and you are treated as if you had an additional number of ranks in those skills equal to your medium level (to a maximum of your character level). (acrobatics, disable device)
1st: 2 - used 0
Innate
1/day: Dancing Lights, Ghost Sound, Prestidigitation, Speak with Animals
Cantrips
Medium: Light, Mage Hand, Message, Stabilize
Level 1
Medium: Oneiric Horror, Silent Image
Veja shyly agrees to accompany you back to Rickety’s, and before folks settle in for the night, your concerns about his mobility are laid to rest. He wriggles out of his pool, bottom half of his body undulating like that of a snake, just as effective on water as on land. He wouldn’t keep up with you all if you sprinted, but he is not a burden. He spends the night near the fringe of the camp you make, keeping to himself a lot, resting on his coiled tail, but gladly partakes of whatever meat you have available. There’s enough water, albeit murky water, in the river for him to take a dip if he starts to feel too dry and uncomfortable.
Around noon the following day, you’re nearly back to Rickey’s. You can hear the surf in the near distance. But then, you hear something else…
Screams. And a hell of a lot of buzzing…
But then, you hear something else…
Screams. And a hell of a lot of buzzing…
Lanni looks on in concern at the screaming and buzzing. "If those undead disease carrying flies followed us here, I am going to be very annoyed."
He hurries towards the buildings to get a better look at what is happening.
"If it makes you feel better, even I feel that's improbable," Destinie replied. "But I think we still have a can of that alchemist fire... just in case."
Atia walks alongside Joran, hand in the barbarian's, while they make their way back to Rickety's, the naga child in tow. The wizard pauses a moment when she hears the screams and buzzing at Rickety's, brows furrowing in confusion. "That...can't be good," She mumbles, glancing up at Joran with a determined look on her face. She pats a bit of leather over her chest and mutters the trigger words, setting off her Mage Armor spell in preparation for the fight to come.
"Yeah . . .. Not a good sign. Veja, stay back."
So, what's going on up there? Terry asks himself as he draws his rapier.
Looking down at Atia, "You're not kidding about that, darlin'." Drawing his greatsword, Joran surveys his surrounding, wondering what it is this time they're going to be dealing with.
Peering ahead, not quite back in the port yet, you see what looks almost like a cloud of... birds? swarming over the docks, above the treeline. Only you realize you're far enough still that those "birds" have to be the size of horses.
Finally making it to the edge of the jungle, you see they weren't birds at all. A swarm of giant wasps is attacking the little settlement. They seem unable to get into the buildings, and you see most workers have taken shelter inside already. A few wasps have stung and paralyzed people, who are being dragged off to be made meals of.
One figure seems especially hard pressed at the moment. Syl is not far from the Commons, and could run into them within seconds. Instead, she's holding her ground, barely, against five of the massive things. Mateo recognizes she's behaving fully defensively, not even trying to attack, which he's never seen from her before. The reason becomes clearer when you all see the paralyzed form of Rickety on the ground at her feet. If she leaves him he'll be torn apart. She isn't acting out of heroism -- without him, there is no deal. No squib operation. No boat. She looks injured already, and running out of time, barely holding her own.
Mateo had been humming his song when he realized there was a discordant tune, one that interfered with his shanty. Frowning, he then heard the sound of screaming echoing from up ahead. His good eye caught sight of the birds buzzing around the dock, the realization that they were much much bigger than birds. He would step out into the settlement to notice that what were birds was truly massive wasps attacking and taking whoever they could for themselves.
His eyes scanned the horizon, looking only for crew members to rescue, when his sight settled on his beloved. Bloodied, fighting for her life, the sight filled him with awe and satisfaction...until he saw her fighting defensively. She was being pressed, so much so that she needed to fend them off. His brow furrowed, an angry glare filling them.
If anyone was going to kill her, it was going to be him.
"Right." Mateo muttered, drawing shield and blade as he rushed in across the way. He charged across the battlefield, uncaring about his safety and well-being, as he went after the closest one of the fluttering wasps. The creature turned to strike at him but not before he lunged out with his blade in a powerful, thrusting strike.
Even vulnerable, Mateo prepared himself for the others with his blade and buckler in hand. "Protecting our investment, love? Sorry that I left you to take all the fun!" He said with a wide, wicked grin as he struck.
"Why would the Savored Sting want to take him out?"
Terry drops his rapier (<gasp>) and pulls his bow loosing an arrow at the wasp high above the others.
"Why would the Savored Sting want to take him out?"
"Savory sting? Wasps don't normally talk, but I'm not sure I would want to eat them either."
Atia makes a quick assessment of the scene: wasps all over, Syl standing over Rickety...they were coming in to save the day, something she was certain Rickety would be grateful for, even if Syl were recognized. The wizard frowns and rolls up her sleeves a moment, speaking the trigger word for her memorized spell to fire off two Magic Missiles at the closest wasp.
1st: touch of the sea,
2nd: blur, scorching ray, summon monster II, summon monster II
Mateo charges in, puncturing the nearest wasp's thorax with his blade. Atia's magic slammed into it immediately after, and then Terry's shot hit it right through the head, killing it, the giant body crashing to the ground.
"You're late," Syl said through gritted teeth. She spared an instant to flash him a private, relieved glance. Then her grim expression became a grin, as she anticipated the battle dance to come. She knocks away another stinger jabbing in towards her, and ducks another still, their stings missing.
Lanni thinks through his spells, but can't think of one that would affect the wasps. "Stupid, brainless buggers. Can't even talk to them."
He moves into a safeish position while pulling out his crossbow. Then with a few quick words and a gesture, he casts Stabilize on Rickety just to be safe.
Seeing Syl surrounded by a party of wasps and Rickety down on the ground, Joran lets his fury take over and charges the nearest bug.
Lanni manages to stabilize the old man lying on the ground, just to be certain -- he's too far to tell if he's breathing or not, with the wasps paralysis in effect.
Joran charges in and does what he does best. His massive blade comes down, severing two legs from the nearest wasp.
The one injured by Joran turns to attack him, and the remaining two continue trying to get Syl.
Joran manages to dodge as the giant insect tries to sting him, but Syl has been holding down the fort for some time, and her movements are growing tired. In spite of her defensive movements, one of the wasps breaks through, its stinger taking her in the side and jabbing deep. Her arms grow heavy, her defense dropping as her stamina flees her, and another stinger tears into her from behind, large enough to puncture all the way through her shoulder. She looks towards Mateo, deliriously grinning as her consciousness slips away.
"Fun while it lasted, hm?" She collapsed to the ground, gravely wounded.
When it came to the question of how to handle Syl, it was a difficult situation. She was hoping to talk about it once they left the island and away from one of her victims. Yet it didn't occur to her that she just might end up being her savior.
Her other else had the same idea.
Atia glanced at Syl, her mouth set in a grim line and moves to stand near the woman's fallen body--just enough distance from the wasps not to provoke, but enough that she would draw attention from the bugs. "Alright, bugs. That's enough," She mutters to herself, tossing out more Magic Missiles at the nearest wasp.
cantrips: acid splash, detect magic, prestidigitation, read magic
1st: touch of the sea,
2nd: blur, scorching ray, summon monster II, summon monster II
The shout that comes from Mateo is too earnest to be faked as he rushes to stand over her body, he sees Destinie coming in and takes the lead, provoking the wasps to try and strike at him.
Standing over his fallen love's body, Mateo grits his teeth like a mad dog and nearly snarls. The rapier twirls in his hand as he regards each of the cold, insect creatures with a hateful gaze. The first one that lashes out at him has their stinger parried up before he thrusts his blade upwards, aiming to pierce through its body from tail to head.
With all the people gathering in tight, and Terry's only passing familiarity with archery, he decides it is time to get back to basics. With his drawing arm he picks up his rapier and then moves towards the melee.
Terry rushed forward to help, as did Atia, who blasted off a barrage of arcane energy from just behind Joran.
But it was the Devil of Ostenso who became death made manifest.
Finishing off the wasp Atia's magic had nearly slain, he rushed forward, leaving tempting openings for the wasps to instinctively try and exploit. One, after another, after another, they attacked him, ignoring Des as she rushed forward to help the dangerous, dying woman. Mateo was ready. He parried each one of the massive stingers, returning quick, precise thrusts that stabbed deeply into the insectoid carapaces, ichor leaking from the holes he made, coating his blade.
Destinie slid to the ground beside Syl, recognizing the woman's life was rapidly slipping away. She channeled her power, reaching out a divine hand to pull Syl from the very gates of the underworld. She was still unconscious, so grievously injured the magic was not enough, but the jagged tears to her side and shoulder were slowly knitting closed.
The angry insects try to attack Mateo, but he dances easily aside, entirely focused on ending this threat.
Seeing that Des already has Syl taken care of, Lanni loads and fires his crossbow.
"Hold still so I can shoot you." Lanni glares in frustration at the wasps. "Stupid bugs."
Turning his focus upon the nearest wasp, "Get Syl out of here, Mateo! We'll take care of these stupid bugs!" Joran steals Lanni's term as he raises his sword overhead and brings it down hard toward one of the flying pests.
Lanni's shot misses and flies wide, but Joran makes up for it, striding forward and cleaving one wasp in half. The odds are beginning to look up, and many of the other creatures plaguing the town are beginning to disperse.
Shifting around to try to gain an advantage on one of the bugs, Terry then attempts to convince it to lie down and stop harassing people.
She was still bleeding there under him, still so bloody and still. She hadn't moved yet, her breathing erratic and shallow. A rage billowed up in him, his muscles tightening as he looked at the surrounding insects.
"I'll kill them all. I'll kill every last one of you." He hissed behind clenched teeth. The first one that launched itself towards him would not expect a sudden kick in the face, knocking it off-center for him to drive his rapier deep into its body.
Atia will pull out the little pouch and candle and prepares them swiftly, using the smoke from the candle to fill the little pouch and then pull a celestial giant frog from its home plane to assist her here.
The frog will appear near one of the wasps and launches itself at it, biting.
cantrips: acid splash, detect magic, prestidigitation, read magic
1st: touch of the sea,
2nd: blur, scorching ray, summon monster II, summon monster II
Once the healing had been applied, she checked the woman's neck for a heartbeat. It was there, but it felt pretty weak. That and the fact that she was still unconscious seems to indicate that she still needed some more help.
There was a bit of a surprise that she didn't attack, but figuring that out can wait. Her main focus was getting her back up.
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Terry took out one of the remaining wasps, and Mateo ended the last of them. . A few stragglers buzzed about, but the hardy men of Rickety's Squibs were fighting them off, and had it under control.
Syl, at Mateo's feet, was still being tended to be Destinie. Light and warmth spread from the oracle's hands, and the grisly injuries were closing as if time was being rewound. Finally, the dragon stirred. It wasn't much -- a soft groan, and a sharp intake of breath, her brow furrowing in pain as the injuries were still quite severe. But she yet lived.
The poison from the wasp stings had paralyzed Rickety badly, and the old man would need time or magical healing to fully recover, but he was alive.
Before the final wasp had been rebuffed from the town, before any of you could move to Rickety's side, or do anything more to help Syl, a new alarm cry rose. Could it be more of the bugs? Several people scatter for cover, seeking the danger.
It's easy to spot. A Chelish galleon had anchored in the cove, and a launch of sailors is even now clambering up onto the docks. You know enough about this place to understand -- the value of squibbing is hiding your ship's identity. As such, only one ship is ever admitted at a time.
With the wasps causing a commotion, this vessel has slipped in unescorted -- with the Promise / Good Intentions plainly visible in it's transitional state. Your secret on display to these newcomers. And the man in charge lies unmoving on the ground.
Hey Cap'n, we got someone that you're going to have to deal with.
Dreamer points at the longboat and party.
Lanni hears the commotion and quickly scans the area - noticing the unfamiliar ship almost immediately.
Hey Cap'n, we got someone that you're going to have to deal with.
Lanni glares at Seadreamer for a couple of seconds, then turns back to the new sailors coming up the docks. "This is why I didn't want to be captain in the first place."
:⁂:
Lanni gets a shrewd look on his face. "That's true. With Rickety out of commission at the moment, I might as well be in command of the place in the interim. Certainly doesn't hurt that we have already hired almost half of the people here."
"And Rickety was rather upset about that - though he tried not to show it. Looks like we have found some replacements. They should be able to learn the rules of this facility well enough after a year or two of service."
Noticing Syl has her eyes open and is starting to stir, but Rickety is doing neither, Lanni bellows over to some of the people nearby. To Syl he comments quietly, "You might want to make yourself scarce fairly quickly. Go rest up in your room. And good work - this situation would be even more tricky if Rickety was no longer with us."
He looks over at the rest of the officers. "Well, shall we go inform the new dock workers of where things stand?" Lanni starts walking over to the incoming sailors while trying to put on an air of authority and an expression of annoyance.
Seadreamer will walk with Lanni towards the dock.
"If you're going for that ship, I'll attend to Rickety and Syl. I don't have the means to remove the poison, but I might be able to bring him out of paralysis with the right spell." She let Syl get herself back up before looking down at Rickety. "...I'll also need help bringing him to a safer place for him to rest," she added sheepishly.