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Message: <blockquote data-quote="peteyfrogboy" data-source="post: 462131" data-attributes="member: 5677">Dangers Of The RoadThe three unlikely companions passed the night uneventfully, meeting again in the morning to discuss their plan. Puzzling over the crude map, they decided that they essentially had two choices: either they could try to make a straight line for the supposed mine, which would take them across the slope of the mountain, or they could go around to the north coast of the island and then go straight up toward the peak. The former plan would potentially be quicker, but the latter made for easier navigation. The only strong opinion was expressed by Emiko, who preferred the coastal route. Sagwa was unsurprised; the woman smelled like fish.After eating breakfast they set out on the road, which was little more than a wide dirt path through the underbrush. They were within sight of the sea, but well above the high tide mark. Travel was easy, especially for Sagwa who found the pace to be rather leisurely. After a few hours they came to a small wooden bridge spanning a creek running out to the sea. To one side of the bridge was a wagon that looked as though it had run off the road and fallen into the small gorge cut by he running water. From up on the road it was hard to see any details of the wreckage. Sagwa was able to make out what looked like a human foot sticking out from under the front of the wagon, and she could smell the stench of death. She also smelled rats, which was no great surprise if there were corpses. Curious about what valuables might be among the wreckage, she began to pick her way down toward the wagon. As soon as she approached the wreck, however, rats the size of large monkeys began swarming out from under the broken wood.Sagwa scurried back up to the road, receiving a couple of bites from the filthy creatures. The nine rats rushed up the bank, surrounding Rafiki and Sagwa. Rafiki received several bites as he tried to fend off the creatures, managing to strike two of them down. Sagwa was surprised by the rats' speed, and was quickly overtaken. Emiko was able to evade most of the rats and attempted to heal the multitude of wounds her companions were receiving, but her powers were reaching their limit quickly. Sagwa succumbed to her wounds and fell beneath the swarm, which crawled over her to try to get to Emiko. Just as things looked very bleak, a frightful moan arose from the wreckage of the wagon. The sound chilled Emiko and Rafiki, but fortunately it caused the rats to flee in terror. The monk and shaman looked on in horror as the two corpses pulled themselves from beneath the wagon and began shambling toward them. Exhausted from the battle with the rodents, the two picked up Sagwa between them and hustled over the bridge. The rat-eaten corpses tried to give chase, but they found themselves unable to cross the bridge and stayed there howling with frustration. After putting some distance between themselves and the bridge, the group stopped to rest and tend to their wounds.DM Note: I somewhat overestimated the party's rat-killing abilities. Fortunately, this is a exotic, mystical land where the dead often conveniently rise from the dead to avoid a first session TPK.</blockquote>

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