Swamp Trek III: The Search for Ter-raen

[covaithe]

ooc: Huh. I suppose I really ought to have seen that coming, but I totally didn't. Well, on we go, I suppose.

[sblock=Karl and Weel]With heavy hearts, you make your best speed away from the site of the unlucky battle, heading back the way you came. At least, you think that's the way you're heading. It doesn't take long, however, before you're no longer sure which way you're heading. Without any other options, you press on.

Fortunately -- or perhaps not -- the next creature you encounter is a lizardman. He steps from behind a tree, with a javelin poised and ready to throw. He hisses at you in an unfamiliar language; from the tone it is clear that it is a command, that he expects to be obeyed quickly. Movement at the corners of your eyes catches your attention, and half a dozen other lizardfolk show themselves, armed with crude weapons and clearly ready to use them.
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[sblock=Gildrim]The hydra's are fresh and, where they cross land, obvious, and Gildrim has little difficulty retracing the route to the site of the recent battle. All is quiet there, and save for a few muddy footprints from Karl and Weel's flight, there is little sign of a life-and-death struggle taking place less than two hours ago.

ooc: let me know what you end up taking off of Richard's body.
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[jkason]

Weel Naxel, human cleric

[sblock=Karl and Weel]Weel, exhausted both physically and emotionally, caked in mud, sweat, and other assorted grime he really doesn't want to contemplate, quickly stows his crossbow and raises his hands.

"I'm sorry, but I don't have your tongue ... speak your tongue," he says weakly, though he tries his best to move slowly and make it clear he's surrendering to the lizardfollk.[/sblock]

 

[Trouvere]

Gildrim plunges back into the deep bog and feels around for his and Richard's swords.[sblock=OOC]

ooc: Huh. I suppose I really ought to have seen that coming, but I totally didn't.

Ironically, not entirely unlike R,G,K&W and the hydra itself.

ooc: let me know what you end up taking off of Richard's body.

Let's see. There's his potion of CMW, 2 potions of CLW, a flask of holy water, his breastplate, a dagger, and a finger. Gildrim is staggered to discover that Richard's belt pouch contains the equivalent of more than 2000 gp.

I've checked with RR as to whether he'd be interested in Gildrim attempting to find a 7th level druid among the lizardmen (whose favoured class is Druid, after all) and try to arrange to have Richard reincarnated, and he's indicated that he's not.

Gildrim can't get any use from Richard's arms and armor. Since it doesn't sit right with me to profit from looting a dead companion, he'll eventually find something else to do with the money. He might know that Richard worked on and off at Tarag's forge and that his sword was made by Tarag. I don't really think handing the sword back to Tarag is good enough, though. Maybe he'll commission a nice respectable memorial statue/symbolic tomb near Red Dragon Square.[/sblock]

 

[Scott DeWar]

[sblock=Karl and Weel]Weel, exhausted both physically and emotionally, caked in mud, sweat, and other assorted grime he really doesn't want to contemplate, quickly stows his crossbow and raises his hands.

"I'm sorry, but I don't have your tongue ... speak your tongue," he says weakly, though he tries his best to move slowly and make it clear he's surrendering to the lizardfollk.[/sblock]

OOC: I honestly thought this thread would end. I see that we have lost our tank and so we are basicly headed into anothor death trap (the first being the hydra encounter), just that we are prolonging this death to a slow and horrific process.

 

[jkason]

OOC: I honestly thought this thread would end. I see that we have lost our tank and so we are basicly headed into anothor death trap (the first being the hydra encounter), just that we are prolonging this death to a slow and horrific process.

((OOC: Well, we were actually out here in part to warn the lizardfolk about the excursion from the town, weren't we? Lizardfolk, at least, are intelligent, which is what Weel's banking on (though as he said, if they don't speak common, it's all pantomime to do any warning). The reason we wanted to warn them was because they *aren't* mindless nasties like a hydra, yes? They're being hostile, but aren't attacking yet. Weel's doing his best to try to avoid that situation changing in the direction of violence. ))

 

[Scott DeWar]

((OOC thanks for putting things into perspective Jkson.I will now post a response ))

Karl will slowly set what ever weapon he may have had in his hand on a dry patch of land, if he can find one. He will otherwise make a show of non aggression by standing with his hands open and empty.

"I sure hope you understand us, because we were actually looking for you people.There were two more of us, but we all ran into a bit ao a nasty problem and the fate if the other two is presently unknown."

 

[covaithe]

[sblock=Gildrim]With the events of recent hours painfully fresh in his mind, Gildrim has little trouble locating the exact spot he was standing when the sword finally fell from his nerveless fingers. It takes a little longer to actually locate it; sifting blindly through soft mud looking for a magically sharpened object is a tricky business best taken slowly. But eventually he does locate both swords. [/sblock]

[sblock=Weel and Karl]It's not clear whether the lizardfolk understood your speech or not; they make no response, but do move forward to collect your dropped weapons, then fall in around you in a loose circle, weapons ready but no longer trained directly toward you. They do not bother to strip you of any other weapons about your person; either your cooperation has convinced them that you are not currently a threat, or they are confident enough of their ability to deal with whatever threat you do represent.

The one who spoke earlier beckons you, then turns to head deeper into the swamp. When you hesitate, one of the others behind you barks something unintelligible, making little jabbing motions with his javelin. Clearly, they intend you to follow, and do not intend to leave you a choice in the matter. [/sblock]


[sblock=ooc]Regarding the adventure continuing... Well, to be honest, I thought that if Gildrim died, it would be best to cut it off there and move on to other things. Two people isn't a workable party, and gods know I could use the free time. But three people can be a pretty reasonable party, and I did have one or two things in mind for how to proceed if the hydra fight went south, taking things in a more social, less combat-focused direction for a while. I'm willing to carry on with those ideas if you guys are interested in continuing. If you want out, that can be arranged, too.
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[jkason]

Weel Naxel, human cleric

[sblock=The further misadventures of Weel and Karl]Weel doesn't speak further, instead only glancing to Karl to make sure his remaining companion is willing to go along. Then he follows the lizardfolk leading the way, giving a silent prayer to Phyrah that this new road is less perilous than the path so far.[/sblock]

[sblock=OOC]Weel's a bit shell-shocked at this point. The party's first encounter nearly killed Karl. The second (as far as Weel knows) killed both Richard and Gildrim, and Weel found himself taking a rather cowardly road to saving his own skin. Knowing that the mansion further in already killed three *more* people, I don't see him being inclined to go after the urn, at least. Karl certainly wouldn't be able to convince him to; Gildrim might, if only because his survival might strike Weel as rather miraculous and therefore give his opinion some added divine weight. That assumes, of course, that Gildrim tracks the pair down.

I think, given his still-fresh guilt at leaving Gildrim and Richard to die, though, he'd at least want to relay a warning to the lizardfolk before heading back. Or try to.

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[Scott DeWar]

Trying to remain calm, Karl sees Weel look to him for encouragement. He nods his aquiescence and follows the lizard folk into the swamp, making no gestures that could be misconstrued as aggressive.

 

[covaithe]

[sblock=Karl and Weel]The lizardfolk lead you quickly through the swamps, seeming to effortlessly find the easiest and least obstructed paths. In places they even swim briefly, and there they have to pause to let you keep up.
By the time you reach your destination, you are exhausted and even filthier than before. The sun has been down for perhaps an hour or two, and the last stretch was lit only by feeble moonlight.

The lizardfolk usher you into what is clearly a temporary and hastily constructed settlement, built on a cluster of four small islands close together. Crude shelters of wood and woven leaves are held up by rough-cut saplings, split at the top and lashed together with their own bark around crooked ridge-poles, and driven into the ground. Small fires burn here and there, over which roast various unidentifiable swamp denizens on spits. You are happy to note that all the roasting creatures you can spot are either snake-like or four-legged. Dozens of lizardfolk pause their conversations and watch you silently as you are led by.

Your captors stop as another group of lizardfolk approaches, led by one with several recent wounds, who carries a shortbow and a quiver of arrows slung across his back. They exchange words with your captors, after which the wounded one addresses you in badly accented Common: "Explain your business een thees swamp, please."

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[sblock=Gildrim]ooc: You there? What's your move?[/sblock]