"Shall we have a look around. Just to be sure our missing cleric hasn't met her doom here?" Nachni approaches the tent cautiously, looking for any threats or traps.
After she cannot continue to follow the ghouls, Obi stands and continues to watch where they went:
They will be back. We should move on soon and will have to watch our backs carefully.
Obisyth sees off the ghouls as they disappear into the swamp. It doesn't take long off the path before they start to fade into the brush and bog... their local knowledge of the paths to follow telling easily as they leave Obisyth in their wake.
Inside the tent are more rotting human remains, a huge pile of filthy clothes, and a vast bed of moldering cushions at the base of the tree. Clouds of flies dance above the decay. You get a distinct sense of the base of your stomach approaching your throat in a heaving motion as the charnel house stench slams into your olfactory senses with murderous intent.
But pirates you are... and many an action taken that was distasteful... and many more to come... Wading through the debris you get to work... The nature of the pile of viscera makes it difficult to slog through as displacing one section causes a miniature gut slide to cover up another. To make a decent stab of it you'll need to work as a group...
After waiting for a minute or two for the ghouls to reappear, Obi turns to see what the others are doing. Seeing Nachni heading to the tent, Obi joins her to help.
Someone needs to keep an eye on the ladies of the night. I will help Nachni search through whatever lies within.
Fort Save:
After working her way through the mess, even the tough druid has to call it quits from the horror within.
Not a lot of value, a few daggers, one looks nice. A wedding dress, kinda strange, but it had these three rubies and some small pearls on it. And a whalebone corset inlaid with mother of pearl. These should be worth something.
Fish joins her friends in looking through the slurry, using her pike when possible to minimize contact. Why is it us girls searching through this?
After looking through, Hey! I found shinies! Now can we please wash off?
Nachni picks her way through the disgusting leavings of the ghouls, struggling to swallow the bile that keeps rising to her throat. "Apparently we got stuck with the pretty boys. I found a flask that looks like it might be worth something, but more importantly a chest with some bottles of that fire that burns when you throw it. Some bottles of what these whores felt was useful for chasing the stink away too...clearly that didn't work."
"Not our fault you could not wait to search through... that, is it now?" Even though the tone behind his words is a little dry, still Joneth's lips curl into a little smile. "All fun aside though, I agree with Obisyth. We should not stay more than needed. Are we ready to move on?"
Obi looks over at Fish and Nachni: You have any idea what is in that bottle? Is it magic?
Fish begins conjuring salt water on herself to wash the filth away. Not sure. I'll take a look.
Nachni catches sight of Fish washing off the stench, "I've got a much easier way to deal with that Fish." She waves her hands over Fish leaving a glistening, water coat of salt water.
Thank you. Where to now?
The flask is a Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds.
A wary eye is kept for the ghouls, but their return is not seen. As thoughts turn to the way ahead - you recall Shadow's scouting and figure you're just about at the edge of the swamp, but still have a ways to travel towards either the farmland - or the lodge seen on the higher area of the island.
Obi looks to the others. Lets head to the cabin. Seems there must be something there, cabins don't just build themselves.
She then thinks for a moment.
Strange that those ghouls were dresses as ladies of the night. Wonder how they came to be here?
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"Captains whores? Passing vessel putting in on the island and either didn't leave or they stayed behind? Not sure of the details of their arrival, but curious as to why no departure, and why they'd be camping and not permanently housed"
"Never mind, suppose we will find out as more of this island is uncovered to us... lets start with that lodge"
"Possibly a wreck like our own? But, I think you're right. If we see more of the island, we may learn more. I'm with the rest of you on checking out the lodge."
It takes most of the rest of the day for you to slog through the swamp, across the island along the coast and then take the high road towards the cabin. You see the farmland from a distance, but far too distant to make out any real details. A wary eye is kept open for the ghouls as well, though they fail to emerge to assault you.
In the dimming light of late afternoon you come across the 'cabin' that Shadow scouted. 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 a bubbling spring.
The gate to the stockade lies slightly ajar and you spot a spyglass affixed to the top of the stockade fence, curiously fixed so as to point a specific direction. The door to the lodge in the stockade's center also lies slightly ajar.
"Looks like a nice place. Suppose they're expecting company or has something happened here recently? Anyone see any tracks or evidence of who might live...or have lived here?"
Nachni cannot see any tracks or evidence of recent habitance.
On Nachni's comment, Obi carefully examines the ground for any tracks or other signs that may be important.
Survival:
Perception: <-- I assume we are not in "water terrain" at this point. Add +4 if we are.
Obisyth does not see anything that concerns her, and Cedrick approaches the door to the interior.
Cedrick looks inside and sees a single chamber, crowded with a large amount of wooden furniture that has begun to succumb to rot and moss. When pristine it was likely a comfortable bed, a small writing desk, cooking gear, and several barrels of now putrescent rotting food. The stench of rot is overpowering and flies swarm within the room, particularly around the hooded corpse hanging from a chain off a beam in the middle of the room. A stool lies on the floor nearby where it was kicked.
Obi looks at the corpse, but after to putrid remains that comprised the ghouls home, this is not unexpected.
Interesting. This looks like an execution, with someone trying to send a message. I suppose this person could have killed themselves, but one would wonder why.
Obi then begins to carefully search the room for anything of interest.
Perception:
Obi also attempts to determine how long the body may have been hanging here.
Heal:
"I do not think it was suicide," Joneth offers, taking note of the hood covering the dead person's face. "Execution sounds more plausible. Whoever did it took care to put a hood on their head."
The tiefling moves just a little closer to get a better look and ascertain whether it is the corpse of a man or a woman.
Obisyth moves into the room beginning to poke about and notes that the body has been hanging there for some time. Joneth can easily tell that it is a male corpse... and Cedrick wisely remains outside where the stench is somewhat lessened.
Deader doesn't seem bothered much by the smell. He moves inside with the others and starts opening doors, drawers, windows, casually looking around the ghoul-whores' home.
Deader doesn't seem bothered much by the smell. He moves inside with the others and starts opening doors, drawers, windows, casually looking around the ghoul-whores' home.
Having already helped to explore one disgusting domicile today, Nachni follows Cedrick's suggestion to help keep watch for the ghouls or other trouble outside while listening for calls for help.
Stand back everyone. Let's see if this corpse is as lively as the others. Fish waits until everyone is away, then extends her pike to maximum reach and jabs the corpse, ready to yank the pike back if it moves.
Sticking his head into a cabinet, Deader looks up as fish abuses the corpse.
"That isn't very nice. We was just hanging there, minding his own business."
Fish's warning proves apt... but unfortunately not in time to save Obisyth from her brash investigation of the room. As her head bobs up to acknowledge Fish's words... the hanging corpse lunges for the tiefling druid...
Grapple:
...getting a firm grip around her shoulders as the hood becomes dislodged and reveals a face not dissimilar to that of the ship's comfort ladies... distended by hunger and thirst.
As the creature strikes to action, the stench deepens around it and invades your senses. The buzzing of the flies also intensifies in it's timbre...
Botfly Swarm :
Vine Chokers :
Deader :
Fish :
Nachni :
Obisyth :
Joneth :
Cedrick :
Action Tracker (Round 1): Joneth, Deader, ?, Hanging Body, Cedrick + Hound, Nachni, Obisyth, Fish, ?
Drawing the dagger hanging from his belt, Joneth throws it at the creature, pausing for but a moment before his attack to account for the fact that it has grabbed Obisyth. As soon as the small blade has left his hand, his other, curved dagger appears in it, courtesy of the spring loaded sheath on his wrist.