Gaio thanks Brenda for mking sure that the conflict was ended and for gleaning the field of battle. “The three of us should probably spread out those bodies before scavengers, or worse, larger predators are attracted to the smell. I do not want to risk further harming Belaria or even Brock by trying to move them. After that, I will set out some snares and take a look at that bag of dried herbs, to see if I can determine what it is.” This was likely the most words Gaio had likely said at any one given time.
Garin readily helps move the bodies of the fallen enemies farther away. “We should carry each of them in a different direction. I think it will help.” Afterward, he will also help examine the collected spoils.
Since there are nine javelins and five party members, once Brock is up and functional he elects to be the odd one out. “Hey, I doubt I will ever be trying to throw one of these, so I will take just one and the rest of you can have two each, and while I am thinking about it, thanks. I think I was about gone, there.”
While moving the bodies, the carrion beetles that discovered them begin to scurry about. Each is about the size of a person’s fist. The three are able to step on and collect the carapaces of 16 of the shellacked beetles, knowing that they can be traded for some value back in South Road Fair.
Gaio Verde discovers that the herbs are not something he would want to be adding to food or make tea. They are, in fact, dried Muddle Herb, and the party is already familiar with its use. Garindell discovers that the dark burgundy stone, called Heartstone, if bodily carried by any member of the party, could augment the impetus of resilience and vitality (Confluence +1). Brenda discovers that the other stone, called Waterstone, if bodily carried by any member of the party, could augment physical movement (Motility +1).
Brock: full wellness
Garindell: full wellness
Belaria: full wellness
Gaio Verde: full wellness
Brenda: full wellness
Collections:
15 ocrin
beetle elytra: 16: 1 clam each
Muddle Leaf: 3: {Muddle x2}
Shellacked Elytra: 5: 10 clams
OOC:
Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions. Provide 2 random rolls.
The next morning, seeing that everyone has recovered sufficient, Gaio reverts to his natural quietness and allows Belaria to do the talking for them. Belaria expresses her greatfulness for her recovery and then suggests that the party continue moving southwest. “I think we should give our exploration another day before we try a different direction.”
Feeling much better after that terrible ordeal with the Haunts, Brock rises early and practices mock combat with his newly acquired javelin. “I do not want to go down so easily the next time we meet trouble.” He says it aloud, but it is mostly to bolster his own confidence. He turns to Garin. “Stick, you might have just been lucky in that last fight, but I am glad that you were. You should get in some physical training and quit staring up into the trees.”
Garin rolls his eyes. The comment meant that his friend was indeed feeling back to normal. He does not quip back; instead, he turns to Belaria. “I agree with you.” He smiles to himself. Brock might think that the answer is for him.
The one more day brings about a significant change in the environment. Brock notices the change in ambient temperature, first. Garindell notices that the readily seen species of birds and insects are different, then everyone starts motioning to one another as the change brings confidence to the last decision.
The land becomes wetter, so wet in fact that standing puddles and pools of water must be avoided. The dominant species of trees are different. The acorn and nut trees are replaced with prickleball, tupelo, and persimmon, none of which have leaves at this season. The undergrowth shows more green, and there are more vines. By the end of the day, it becomes more difficult to avoid the standing water, and the landscape is dominated by gigantic cypress trees. The group realizes that they are traversing a swamp. If it were the Drenching season, water might cover all of the ground.
Late in the afternoon when the party is beginning to look for a place to camp in an area that is still holding water, a cluster of cattails is growing. The roots of this grass are known to be edible, something like a potato. In that same wet area is a small flock of strange looking, larger ducks. This particular variety does not migrate but lives all Cycle in the warmer South. The odd ducks are about twice the size of a person’s head and their heads look like a turkey’s. Unfortunately, none of the youths has the mystical or projectile skill to take one, and the flock spooks.
On a higher bowl of land, Gaio Verde sees a rodent that looks like it may be about half of his own mass. It is covered in long quills and busily digging around the roots of a large prickleball tree. The strange rodent looks rather dangerous and Gaio gets a bad feeling about trying to approach it.
As the party prepares to make camp on a dry patch of ground, it looks like a stone structure may be farther off in the swamp to the south. There is enough interference in the line of sight to make the vision uncertain, and it is rapidly getting darker. Perhaps on the morrow the five will learn if they have discovered their destination.
Brock: full wellness
Garindell: full wellness
Belaria: full wellness
Gaio Verde: full wellness
Brenda: full wellness
Collections:
15 ocrin
beetle elytra: 16: 1 clam each
Muddle Leaf: 3: {Muddle x2}
Shellacked Elytra: 5: 10 clams
OOC:
Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions. Provide 2 random rolls.
Jay will watch the strange rodent for a time, but he will not disturb it in any manner. Having satisfied his curiosity, he will wade into the pool where the cattails are growing to collect some of the roots. Belaria helps. “It will be nice to have some addition to the meat. Speaking of meat, we should set some snares. I figure this particular pool will attract rodents, at the least.”
She then calls over to the others. “Hey you three, does that look like some ruins over there?”
OOC:
86, 98 + 56 = 154
Brocks nods before he speaks, even though the nod is pointless. “You see that too? Yes, it looks like we may have found our destination. In the morning, I will take lead.”
Garin shakes his head. “Make sure that you do not lead us straight into trouble. One should not be so focused on the destination that he cannot see the path. We should try to find a dry path to walk. I will lag back with Brenda. Belaria, you and Jay should take vanguard.”
With the potential of the future occupying everyone’s thoughts, the acquisition of food becomes a routine action without thought. There seems to be no direct path to the stone structure that is much more obviously lying in the distance come the morning. The crew wanders an erratic path until it is noticed that there are four distinct paths which are raised above the surrounding swamp and would likely be dry, even in the Drenching Season. The four paths are not natural. They are perfectly straight and lead to the midpoint of the four sides of the stone structure.
The structure is heavily overgrown with vines and other vegetation. There is an outer, columnar wall that looks to be perfectly square. It was obviously originally meant at a decorative border not a protective one. Parts of it are no longer standing. The central structure, which is perfectly centered in all directions from the outer wall, is a four sided pyramid. If this is an ancient Yahdram structure, it does not fit the history of their architecture. It may very well be even older and have still survived the Sundering.
Walking toward the structure from the northern path, as soon as the party passes under the outer wall, no further assessment is possible. Between the wall and the structure is camped a group of barbaric looking people who resemble Faethrins. They are tall if Faethrins, an inky black color, and lithely built. All individuals, of which there are four males and four females, are completely hairless. Each has lines of scars cut into their forearms. Whether male or female, each is only clothes in a crude loincloth and is armed with a pair of reed javelins equipped with a bone head. At the sight and sound of the party, they all rise and charge forward savagely making yiping noises like jackals. With the yiping noises, the party realizes they have encountered a group of Goblins, known cannibalistic monsters. They may look similar to people, but they are believed to be something else. Brock, in the lead, is about 10 strides from the hostiles. Everyone else is staggered by another stride each; but due to the nature of the columnar wall, it is easy for everyone to spread out.
Brock: full wellness
Garindell: full wellness
Belaria: full wellness
Gaio Verde: full wellness
Brenda: full wellness
Collections:
15 ocrin
beetle elytra: 16: 1 clam each
Muddle Leaf: 3: {Muddle x2}
Shellacked Elytra: 5: 10 clams
OOC:
Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions. Provide 2 random rolls.
Belaria exclaims, “Yuck, Goblins,” as she and Jay fan out their right. She will attempt to launch a javelin at one nearest her. Having thought more about the when the party was outnumbered by the Haunts and the cost of delay whem trying a projectile assault, Jay moves farther to the right than Belaria and charges directly at the goblin on their left flank. He intends to cause the addition of caustic damage if he can stab that one with his javelin.
OOC:
89, 57
Brock exclaims, as he charges straight ahead, “I hate cannibals!” He hopes to slam into the Goblin with his shoulder and knock him down before following through with a stab.
Garin says, “It does not matter where you lead, trouble seems to lay in the way.” He moves up beside the column to his left as he launches one of his javelins.
Brenda, who is in the middle of the group, runs to her left. She hopes to launch one javelin before a Goblin reaches her. She will then fight with the other javelin, increasing her damage with mystical heat.
Brock runs forward and drops his left shoulder down to the torso as he slams into the closest Goblin. The powerful blow knocks the cannibal off of his feet and sends him several strides through the air to land on his back, then roll over and over, stopping 8 strides away. The fall almost causes him to lose consciousness. The next nearest Goblin stabs her javelin toward Brock; but having lost her double-team advantage, he knocks the thrust aside with his own javelin.
Gaio reaches his chosen target next, before the Goblin can act. He thrusts his javelin forward but barely makes a scratch; however, that scratch becomes more irritating as Gaio stops his forward movement with his bare left hand on his torso. Gaio blocks the return thrust of the one he struck, but a second stabs him in the right side. The cut is not deep but it does hurt.
The remaining Goblins stop and throw one of their javelins before anyone else in the party can act. Two throw at Garindell. He manages to avoid the first but takes a minor, irritating cut from the second. Another bone javelin flies at Belaria, barely nicking her shoulder. The last flies at Brenda, making a very slight cut along her thigh.
Belaria launches a javelin at the Goblin who threw one at her, but her throw is little more effective than the cannibal’s. Brenda launches her javelin, last. It barely makes a scratch as it flies on by. The Goblins, who had thrown a javelin, continue to run toward their chosen targets.
Having knocked down the male, Brock turns his attention to the other Goblin facing him. “Feel this!” He intends to punch the female in her midsection with his left hand, sending her backward with a push of air. Suddenly realizing that his javelin throw was successful and his previous target is hurt, Garindell runs forward to meet him. Instead of trying to stab him, he holds his remaining javelin across his body for defense and tries to double-punch the Goblin in the chest, sending him backward with a pulse of air.
OOC:
100 + 59 = 159, 71
Preferring to keep her distance, Belaria realizes that this is not feasible. She whirls her javelin above her head as she runs toward the Goblin who had thrown at her. She hope to stab at him, carrying through with her body to make contact and cause caustic damage, as well. Trying to be tuned to nature Jay realizes that with his lack of experience and underdeveloped talent, he needs to rely more on his god. Still engaged with the same enemy. In one motion, he releases the javelin in his left hand and grips the shaft of the one in his right, thrusting the butt end forward, hoping to also make contact with his hand. “Oh Wind, come to the aid of my need,” he says quietly.
Brenda, having thrown her first javelin, charges toward her original enemy. With only minor mystical skill yet, she employs that same tactic as Brock and Garindell, though she knows it not. Almost 2 seconds after Brock hits his second opponent, Brenda punches hers. The punch does not have much for power, but the cannibal still stumbles backward a couple of steps and falls down.
Brock leans to his left, bending his left knee, and jabs his left hand forward while gripping the shaft of his javelin. He punches the Goblin exactly where he intended, knocking her backward about 2 strides. The combination nearly takes her consciousness. As that one cannot respond yet, the other cannibal, who had been thrown away, launches a javelin back at Brock. It barely scratches him.
Gaio acts next. He slides his right foot back to his right as he thrusts the butt end of the javelin forward, catching the Goblin in the ribs and knocking him down. Still having to deal with 2 enemies, the one laying on the ground cannot effectively respond, but the other rakes his bone javelin across Gaio’s thigh.
Belaria runs forward, plants her left foot, and thrusts her javelin, making a significant cut across the side of the Goblin’s gut and follows through with her elbow. The wound immediately begins to fester. Perhaps it is the significance of the injury, but the cannibal, though still standing, does not make contact with his return thrust.
Garindell is the last of the party to act. Though he does not consider himself in the least as a physical threat, he punches a Goblin in the chest with both fists while holding his javelin. The punch knocks the wind from the cannibal, and the pulse of air sends him onto his back 2 strides away. The previously attacked Goblin is able to respond. Despite defending himself against two opponents, the first is only able to make a slight scratch.
Though they are not having much success, logic is not a strong trait of psychotics. The Goblins continue to make yiping noises like jackals and attack. It seems highly likely they will not stop until they can no longer continue.
