Faruq looks at Keliwyn and says: "Oh, not just the head in the bag. That's not so unusual. He never did rush in to help people ... Danner has been with us for a couple of months ... Speraggo was on crew when Esteban and I were slug-running out of Cheliax. He just doesn't seem to care about anything ... anyone ... anymore."
The half-orc's eyes get a bit misty as he stares up at the pilothouse. "Oh well, people change, right?" he says as he gets up to leave.
Sykala
Survival check (with +2 for Knowledge Nature) (1d20+15=30, 1d20+15=33, 1d20+15=18, 1d20+15=18, 1d20+15=33)
[ooc]I'm sure that there are rules for this somewhere but I don't know where. If you know of any, let me know. I'll just say that for every point by which you exceed DC 15, you find 1gp worth of ingredients that could be put to use in bug repellant, tangle foot bags, smokesticks, and the like. These would still require a craft check, however. So, you have 15+18+3+18=54 gp worth of raw materials(assume that you need 1/3 the selling price in raw materials for any of these items).
I excluded day 3 as you said you would avoid danger. I was a little suspicious of your idea of using detect animal to go through the list of possible dangers. There are a lot of possible dangers. But, you specically said "no wandering into a spiders web hopefully" and the random encounter that came up was four spider swarms. I will assume you didn't venture off the boat that day.
[ooc]
Tarren
Tarren:
I was a little suspicious of your idea of using detect animal to go through the list of possible dangers.
Tarren
** spoiler omitted **
Keliwyn will spend the rest of the time wondering what the hell he has gotten himself into, and trying to find out what he can about jungle elves from Faruq, Esteban and Choul.
"Choul, you mentioned you grew up in the heart of the Mwangi. What do you know of jungle elves?" Keliwyn asks. "I have to say, I am intrigued. I've never heard of such a thing."
Keliwyn will spend the rest of the time wondering what the hell he has gotten himself into, and trying to find out what he can about jungle elves from Faruq, Esteban and Choul.
"Choul, you mentioned you grew up in the heart of the Mwangi. What do you know of jungle elves?" Keliwyn asks. "I have to say, I am intrigued. I've never heard of such a thing."
For Tarren:
Keliwyn will spend the rest of the time wondering what the hell he has gotten himself into, and trying to find out what he can about jungle elves from Faruq, Esteban and Choul.
"Choul, you mentioned you grew up in the heart of the Mwangi. What do you know of jungle elves?" Keliwyn asks. "I have to say, I am intrigued. I've never heard of such a thing."
For Tarren:
** spoiler omitted **
Chuol:
Chuol would probably know that the Ekujae are wild elves and usually nomadic.
Keliwyn will spend the rest of the time wondering what the hell he has gotten himself into, and trying to find out what he can about jungle elves from Faruq, Esteban and Choul.
"Choul, you mentioned you grew up in the heart of the Mwangi. What do you know of jungle elves?" Keliwyn asks. "I have to say, I am intrigued. I've never heard of such a thing."
"Sorry, fren. I am not familiar wit' dis part of de jungle. All I know is dey call demselves de Ekujae, and dey are nomads, like Chuol's people."
The next day, the heat wakes you. The half hour or so for the healers to prepare themselves to protect you from the elements are unbearable. The sweat begins to wash away your bug repellant and, yet, you don't want to waste it so you wait until the divine protection cools you before applying it.
Although the day is hot, there is a chill in the air. Faruq and Esteban are not speaking to each other and whereever one is, the other is most decidedly not.
Esteban considers for a moment taking his anger out on Baas, staring long and hard at the barbarian but then Hurg calls him down to the basement for something related to the magically powered engine.
When the boat moves, a very slight breeze augments the magical protection and makes the day more bearable.
The jungle smells of the endless cycle of the great green growth and the slow, hot rot.
Later that day:
Whitebridge Station suddenly rises out of the haze and mist of the river. It spans the river more than 40' above it.
To your left is a flight of stairs that slowly climbs toward the station, allowing goods to be brought up without overly taxing the strength of those who carry them.
To your left, is a steeper cliff face.
Several of the shops that sit hanging over the bridge have windows facing the water but you see no one looking expectantly out at you.
You see a ballista platform, but the ballista is unmanned.
You see no one.
You hear no one.
You hear only the jungle.
"No one is dere. I have a bad feeling about dis." Chuol draws his trident and readies his shield, preparing for trouble.
Sykala seems unconcerned, "Jungle take back. Is way things. We stop stairs? or go upriver?"
"No one is dere. I have a bad feeling about dis." Chuol draws his trident and readies his shield, preparing for trouble.
"I do as well." Ixius nervously grips his bow.
He moves close to Sykala in a bit of a guardian stance and as he keeps watch over his surroundings, makes deliberate glances at Estaban, if he is present. After he makes a few visual passes, he speaks aloud but to no one in particular
"I told you this journey was folly. I feel a bit irritable. I may have to kill someone soon." He says with a perfectly calm demeanor and no inflection in his voice.
"Sykala, I would be happy if I thought the jungle took back this settlement, but I expect there is something more here. Something that was the result of malicious intent."
"I told you this journey was folly. I feel a bit irritable. I may have to kill someone soon." He says with a perfectly calm demeanor and no inflection in his voice.
Keliwyn is scanning the surroundings, but on hearing this, his head stops and turns toward Baas. Not seeing any indication that the large man is joking, Keliwyn says, "Yeah, well, I think about to find something for you to smash."
Estaban, where is everyone?
Esteban puts aside his hostility for the first time today.
"It's never this quiet. This is wrong. Very wrong."
Something that was the result of malicious intent.
Sykala suddenly laughs out loud and shakes her head slowly at Baas' display of naivete, "What make you think jungle not malicious?" Becoming serious and looking into the recesses of the foliage, "There dark side nature, not let guard down or die easy. What do, not matter, jungle take back soon."
"It's never this quiet. This is wrong. Very wrong."
"You take boat stairs? You want us look?
I believe nature is neither good nor evil, it transcends such things. It is the structure of the universe we either choose to live in harmony with or not. When nature destroys, it does so to bring an end to disharmony, to lay the groundwork for rebirth...though destructive to those looking at a single event, it is just part of a cycle of renewal...but evil it is not.
If nature was the cause of this, I wonder what disharmony was brought back into balance."
Faruq quietly explains that Whitebridge Station is an Aspis Consortium owned outpost that provides a rest stop for travellers. It is never this quiet.
Esteban docks The River Queen at the main pier, on your right at the base of the stairs.
"Faruq, go with them," he says. "The halfling and I will stay here in case we need to get the boat moving quickly. First sign of trouble, get back on the boat."
Chuol steps forward with Faruq, taking point, unless anyone objects. He will walk cautiously, looking around for any signs of danger.
"Stay behind me. Be watchful."
Chuol steps forward with Faruq, taking point, unless anyone objects. He will walk cautiously, looking around for any signs of danger.
"Stay behind me. Be watchful."
Chuol steps forward with Faruq, taking point, unless anyone objects. He will walk cautiously, looking around for any signs of danger.
"Stay behind me. Be watchful."
Ixius follows right behind Chuol and Faruq.
If nature was the cause of this, I wonder what disharmony was brought back into balance."
She nods agreeing with Baas' words and then lowers her voice so only those close can hear, "Yes, Gozreh not evil, not good. But angry dark nature spirits, some fey. Very cruel, very malicious, evil." Pointing to herself, "Some who follow Gozreh not like me, walk dark path. Kill. Destroy things not agree with. Nature is them too. Evil. Is way wrong? Times yes. Times no. One side of balance. Dangerous. Be careful." She shrugs, "You part nature. You be malicous if want. You make sense." She smiles at him, "but lots of good too."
She follows the others.
Sykala notices that the earth near the foot of the stairs has attracted a number of flies. Looking more closely, she can see that blood has soaked into the sand here.
"Is that blood?" asks Faruq. "You might just get a chance to kill something soon."
"Is that blood?" asks Faruq.
Kneeling to examine the spot, "Yes, blood. Day old." She stands and continues to follow.
Fippin is fine to stay on the boat for the moment, but he'll have his bow trained on the bridge area, and he'll be ready to use his daily teleport power to move himself up onto the bridge if he hears trouble from the rest of the party.
Keliwyn follows along with the others, bow in hand.
Faruq gestures towards the stairs, "Up?".
Chuol nods to Faruq, and begins climbing the stairs, slowly.
Sykala follows next to Ixius.
Keliwyn takes up the rear, keeping an eye out for anything coming up behind the group.
Fippin is fine to stay on the boat for the moment, but he'll have his bow trained on the bridge area, and he'll be ready to use his daily teleport power to move himself up onto the bridge if he hears trouble from the rest of the party.
Seeing the blood, Faruq turns towards the boat and gestures to Fippin.
"He's some kind of healer, right?" he asks the others. "Esteban and Hurg can hold down the fort."
In that case Fippin will join the rest of the party. He has his bow out and sword and wand at his side.
Fippin is fine to stay on the boat for the moment, but he'll have his bow trained on the bridge area, and he'll be ready to use his daily teleport power to move himself up onto the bridge if he hears trouble from the rest of the party.
Seeing the blood, Faruq turns towards the boat and gestures to Fippin.
"He's some kind of healer, right?" he asks the others. "Esteban and Hurg can hold down the fort."
Baas shakes his head and says to himself "This time she is going to be the death of you." He pushes towards the front next to Choul.
When you get to the top of the stairs, you see, to your left, an open gate leading to the bridge. To your right, you see a well-establihed trail leading into the jungle. There is blood in several places here but you see no sign of bodies, living or dead.
"I think we should scout out the bridge before venturing into the jungle."
"I think we should scout out the bridge before venturing into the jungle."
"I agree. Everyone be ready and stay close to me." With that, Chuol begins walking towards the bridge, trident held high.
"I agree. Everyone be ready and stay close to me." With that, Chuol begins walking towards the bridge, trident held high.
"I'm right behind you. Be ready to step aside when I say so. I will burn them."