[Adventure] Serpent's Skull: Souls for Smuggler's Shiv (DM: Mewness; Judge: THB)

twilsemail · Aug 22, 2011

OOC:

I swear I remember rolling the dice. I'm incredibly sorry for holding things up for 3 days.

The Irregulars scatter, searching the jungle along with the rest of the party. The Pict is a whirlwind of search-ing-ness. Everybody helps him in some way and eventually he disappears into the brush. He comes out a few minutes later and hitches a thumb towards the south, along the ridge. Wordlessly he re-enters the jungle. Captain Dartmoor whistles loudly and the swarm of piskies and grigs that follows him assemble quickly. "They're moving south along the ridge. The trail is getting harder to find. Do we want to follow or return to camp before nightfall? If we stick to the trail, we're not likely to sleep in our new quarters."

Pentius · Aug 23, 2011

Noriaki speaks up first, concealing a hint of weariness underneath a disinterested tone. "I'll not sleep on the ground, like an animal. If Kovack is willing to do so in his madness, we may as well let him. Men have done more foolish things for a woman before."

OOC:

At least we made the roll. And it was close enough to make the aiding worth it. I'm open to pressing on as well as going back, don't let Nori's attitude fool you.

GROMkill · Aug 23, 2011

Takahaan gazes into the jungle as he considers the party's options. He raises his voice, offering his opinion. "I believe we should head back to our shelter. It is already midday and it would be dangerous to be caught out in the jungle at night, unprepared. If we make it back and there is enough light, we could, as Kane suggested, check out the shipwreck near our campsite."

He looks at each of his companions, lost in thought, and finally his eyes reach Ishirou.

"Ah. I worry for the others back at the shelter, as well... I wouldn't want them to worry that we had lost our trail back, or found ourselves killed, or something worse."

Dekana · Aug 23, 2011

"But Kovack could be in trouble..." Castile says, concerned. "It's a wonder those two were not caught by the giant plants, to say nothing of the other monsters in this place." She looks back and forth from going forward to turning back, apparently not sure where to go herself.

"I'm not tracker, but will we even be able pick up the trail again after the next downpour?"

BenBrown · Aug 23, 2011

"I have slept out of doors before," Hú Lí says, "but like Takahaan, I would not wish to abandon our companions at the camp. Yet I would like to find the captain, and this woman who has so captivated him. How much longer could we go on before we must turn back to reach the camp by dark?"

jbear · Aug 23, 2011

Kane is unsure continuing is wise but holds his tongue unwilling to let his fears influence the group's decision. He rests his hands on his hilt and awaits in silence. If those who rescued him feel it necessary to pursue their lost companions he is willing.

OOC:

I'm pretty sure we will lose the trail if we don't pursue them. It's risky, but we can handle at least another hard fight (maybe). It will be disasterous if we are attacked again after that before we can rest and recover surges though probably. At least we know their general direction. Maybe we can pursue the trail at least a little way and then turn back to camp. I'll sit on the fence on this one.

Mewness · Aug 23, 2011

GM:

To get back to camp from where you are is about 3 miles of rough terrain (assuming you head north along the river, which is the most direct route). That takes about 2.4 hours. Your forward progress is slower than normal owing to having to follow obscure tracks, but you do still have some time to play with if you want to go a bit further.

So far it looks as though Noriaki (in character at least), Takahaan, and Hú Lí are for trying to get back to camp before nightfall, and Castile is more in favor of pressing on.

twilsemail · Aug 24, 2011

"Perhaps we should follow the trail just a bit farther? I'd surely love to return to the others, but to leave the captain in the clutches of that enchantress... who knows what she may be up to."

OOC:

I'm game for either option. Leaning towards following the path. The Captain mostly wants to return to see Sasha. Though, in truth, he's a bit over-confident now that he's spent so much time around her.

Mewness · Aug 24, 2011

The group continues to follow Ieana and Kovack's probable path, hurrying the pace just a bit, as it seems unlikely that they would have suddenly climbed up the steep ridge, and it would be comparatively easy to find the signs if they had entered the jungle.

After a couple of miles, the ridge turns a sharp corner, and the direction the group is heading in leads once more towards thick jungle. Here, after careful examination, the Pict determines that the pair they are following did indeed head southwest into the jungle: the foliage has been slashed by a sword.

But it is now getting late.

[sblock=ooc]I am updating the map in the first post now. Game time is about 4pm; if you want to get back to camp tonight, you will need to turn back.[/sblock]

GROMkill · Aug 25, 2011

Trying to be reasonable, Takahaan changes his mind and agrees with his companions to continue ahead after some discussion. After the Pict points out the foliage and vines cut away by human (or humanoid at least) hands, Taka's heroic side start to pull at his mind.

"Ah... I was wrong at first. Maybe we should continue to press on, as this is solid evidence that they came this way. There is no mistaking it. Captain, is there any way to know how recent this undergrowth was chopped through? Are there any tracks?" he asks, eagerness in his eyes.