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

[Mewness]

GM: Also, if you have a wishlist, please make sure it is updated (you should have items in the level 5-9 range).

 

[BenBrown]

Hú Lí looks around intently, pausing to listen for sounds up ahead, and occasionally sniffing the air.
[sblock=roll]Perception: 15(1d20) +8 = 23[/sblock]

 

[GROMkill]

OOC: Sorry for the inactivity. I had a really busy week but now I'm free for some RP goodness and arse-kicking, as Mewness stated.

Takahaan, having only been responding in murmurs and grunts throughout the duration of the day in response to his allies' sour moods, speaks up, offering a discussion question. "What do you think the captain is doing right now? I mean, we've seen those cannibals. We've seen some vicious plants. I sure hope that he's not being eaten alive by either of the two. That woman, too. I can't grasp what her role in all this is."

[sblock=Perception Roll]1d20+1=13[/sblock]

 

[Mewness]

[sblock=Perception checks for Kane and Noriaki]Perception, Kane; Noriaki
1(1d20) +4 = 5; 18(1d20) +2 = 20[/sblock]

Pezock shakes his head ruefully. "If she deliberately wrecked your ship, she must be crazy--or a monster of evil. But there's all kinds in the world."

As he is speaking, the group is following the trail southwest. On their right is the rocky island coast; on their left, thick jungle. The coast is curving very slightly outward, and Hú Lí and Noriaki see something in the distance--a tower. The group is still too far away to see very much, but the sight of such a structure on the Shiv is arresting, to say the least.

GM: You are far enough from the tower that any inhabitants (if there are any) may well not have observed you yet. However, owing to the way the coast curves, the entire trail is within view of the structure. You can enter the jungle so as not to be observed. You could also send out scouts (Pezock is stealthy and would be willing to scout. Hú Lí could also use her shapechanging ability to appear in a form that would hopefully not attract attention, if discovered.) Edit: Map has been updated.

 

[BenBrown]

"A tower, here?" Hú Lí says. "Is there indeed civilization upon this island?"
She taps her drum idly, apparently lost in thought.
"The tower has a good view," she says, tapping her drum for emphasis. "If we approach, we will be seen." another tap. "And I suspect they are not friendly." yet another tap. "But Hú Lí is crafty. Perhaps she can approach without being noticed!"
She smiles confidently, athough her bright robes and loud tapping of her drum give no confidence in her ability to sneak up.
"Say the word, and Hú Lí will be off!"

 

[jbear]

Kane nods. He has seen the bard perform and trusts in her ability to make whatever plan she might be brewing work.

"I-I-I'll go around the s-side ... th-through the jungle. G-get as close as I c-can."

 

[Mewness]

GM: [MENTION=1642]BenBrown[/MENTION] if you want Hú Lí to scout the area, pick the form that she's adopting, and then make: • A Stealth check • A Bluff check • A Perception check.

 

[BenBrown]

Hú Lí smiles, then dashes into the brush and is quickly lost from view. A large black-furred cat-like creature of some sort, possibly an ocelot or a small jaguar steps through the woods, rather noisily. A particularly astute observer might note that its tail is rather brush-like for such a cat with a pronounced white tip. The cat crashes towards the tower, keeping to the woods, but glancing at the structure intermittently.[sblock=rolls]Bluff while being catty: 1(1d20) +15 = 16
Stealth with cat-like tread: 1(1d20) +7 = 8
Perception with cats eyes: 18(1d20) +8 = 26[/sblock]

 

[Mewness]

Pezock sneaks after Hú Lí, while the others enter the jungle to circle around from the side.

Not far from the path, Hú Lí suddenly hears the hissing of a giant lizard--one very much like the creature that the cannibals brought along when the group ambushed them at Pezock's old camp. The lizard is chained to a tree, but lunges at Hú Lí, who barely manages to avoid it. The noise attracts the attention of two cannibals who are stationed on a platform about twenty feet off the ground. They yell something at the lizard (which appears to have no effect on its behavior at all). One of them spots Hú Lí in the trees and throws a javelin at her, hitting her in the side. Hú Lí does not give them a chance at another shot, and retreats into heavy cover.

The sentries do not raise any alarm, however--they don't seem to have noticed anything odd about Hú Lí's animal form, despite the unusual tail.

Circling around the camp with greater caution, Hú Lí manages to get a reasonable view of the layout, though she dares not venture too close. Eventually, she and Pezock rejoin the others.

GM: Cannibal javelin vs AC, Black Fox; damage 14(1d20) +8 = 22; 3(1d8) +6 = 9 Hú Lí is hit for 9 damage. You can heal and take a little rest, if you like. Anyone heard from [MENTION=6676736]Pentius[/MENTION] lately? He hasn't posted in a while. Anyway, a map is posted below. The characters are now in the jungle south of area G. Here is what Hú Lí managed to notice: A: The tower. A sturdy construction, although it doesn't seem to have been built for defense. In fact, it looks like a lighthouse. Could it be functional? B: A fenced area connected to some sort of outbuilding. Outside the fenced area is a revolting pit of refuse. The smell is absolutely vile, and made all the worse by the heavy, moist jungle air. C: A wooden building. Out the back is a sort of guard tower with two cannibals on top of it. D: This dilapidated hut looks like some sort of storage area. E: This is another fenced area. Hú Lí saw some humanoid forms in it--prisoners maybe? F: A dilapidated hut that looks rather disused. It also smells pretty horrible. G: An open area with a firepit in the middle. The sentries are reasonably alert, so any overt action (either moving into view, moving anywhere noisily, attacking something) is likely to cause an alarm to be raised. However one of you can perform at least one surprise action before we go to regular initiative (assuming you want to fight, which I hope you do by now).

 

[jbear]

OOC: Edit: Re-read. Got it. We are south of G ... thinking about actions now. Kane is going to pick a fight ... prepare yourselves!

"W-we found their c-camp. L-let's finish them!"

Kane creeps as close to the camp as he can without automatically giving away his presence, hoping his companions join him. His eyes roll back in his head. Moments later a haunting melody of a flute sounds from the makeshift outhouse surrounded by refuse. Kane stands ready to unleash his arcane attacks should the music draw attention from the guards.