A New Beginning

[spanningtree]

Ragnar - Fighter

What the heck happened here. He will say wandering deeper into the village looking about. Looks like they were hit by surprise...

Leena - Mage

Leena will cover her mouth with her hand as she also moves deeper into the village.

[sonofotho]

Ragnar and Leena walk around, trying to pick up any clues as to what may have happened. The huts of the village are placed in a rough circle around a small clearing, in which most of the villagers lie. Fishing nets hang over simple wooden structures next to the fish-drying racks.

The hirelings join Finton in trying to spot any tracks or signs of struggle. The hard, sandy ground of the village is well-worn with small pockets of weeds sprouting up here and there. The mage notices two trails leading out of the village and into the woods - one to the south and another to the southeast. Both trails seem to be well worn. Most of the tracks in the packed sand are human or animal, deer most likely, but some strange tracks are also seen. Finton notices three-toed claw marks heading down both trails. The beasts, as there appear to be more than one set of tracks, appear to be four-legged.

Brother Wylo examines the bodies more closely. The eight dead villagers look to have suffered violent wounds from the claws and teeth of some monstrosity. A number of the dead also appear to have been half-consumed - whether by the original attackers or subsequent scavengers, the cleric is not sure.

Wylo scratches his head as he examines the four men without sign of injury. They are indeed alive, but their breathing is very shallow. Wylo tries to shake them awake, but with no luck. The cleric surmises that they are unconscious, perhaps magically induced. He ponders what methods he could try to wake them.

ooc: Actions?

[spanningtree]

Leena - Mage

Seeing the pensive look on Wylo's face: Could be poison. She will say pointing to the uninjured folk.

Ragnar - Fighter

My bet is that whatever did this are the only things left on the island.... should we start looking for them? One thing I know for sure, I don't want to camp anywhere. I'd rather sleep on the ship when the time comes.

[badams30]

Wylo

Wylo shakes his head in sadness and says "Why would they leave these men alive? Odd." He looks about then says "We have no idea who or what did this. Shall we follow the trail and try to avenge these poor souls?"

Finton

Finton gets wide-eyed at Wylo's suggestion of trailing the presumed bad guys. "Huh? Follow them? That sounds a bit too dangerous to me. Let's just go to the temple place and do what we came to do. From what everyone said these folks were a bit out there, so let's just get on with this."

Finton glances at the others, knowing inside that it's not right to let this go, but wishing to stay alive just the same...

OOC: Wylo wants to chase em, and Finton wants to ignore em.

[sonofotho]

ooc: The temple is on the far southeast corner of the island. The original plan had been to get a guide from the village, but you can of course strike out on your own. Do you follow either of the trails? Any further activity in the village or with the villagers?

[spanningtree]

Ragnar - Fighter

Aye, let's follow the southeast trail and see what we see.

Leena - Mage

Let's get away from here. She will say moving toward the southeast trail.

[badams30]

wylo

Wylo points to the sleeping men and says "perhaps we should try to awaken one and see what they can tell us. Maybe this temple has something to do with this?"

[sonofotho]

wylo

Wylo points to the sleeping men and says "perhaps we should try to awaken one and see what they can tell us. Maybe this temple has something to do with this?"

ooc: Let me know if/what you do to try and wake the sleeping/unconscious men.

[spanningtree]

Ragnus - Fighter

Stops and looks at Wylo then the fellow he's standing over: Tis up to you but he's likely to waken and think we had something to do with the rest of this village.... or be stone cold crazy.

Leena - Mage

What do you think Finton?

[badams30]

Wylo

Wylo shakes his head in resignation and says "yes, you are correct. Let's at least place them in some shelter so they just aren't laying out here in the open. And let's take a few moments to bury the dead, shall we?"
Brother Wylo says a quick prayer over the dead, and will search for some shovels about the village to help bury these dead.

Finton

Finton nods at Leena and says "Yeah, I want to get out of here as quickly as possible, but perhaps Wylo is right. It does seem sad to leave these people out in the open." Finton will help search for shovels as well, and will do his part to drag bodies to a central area, assuming others help.

OOC: Just assuming everyone will help bury these guys, if not, Wylo will do it, Finton will too, grumbling, but feeling that it's the right thing to do.

[spanningtree]

Leena - Mage

Leena will keep her hand over her face and sort of kick smaller body parts into a mound for burial.

Ragnus - Fighter

All right then, let's be quick about this. He will use whatever tools are available to him to shallow grave bury the dead. Not sure what to do with the live ones but let's at least get them into the shade. He will say as he drags one or two under a tree.

[sonofotho]

Some shovels are finally found behind one of the huts and Orstad and Dermox help to dig the shallow graves. The unconscious villagers are taken into one of the huts and placed on the simple straw mattresses found therein.

After an hour or so the corpses of the slain villagers are all buried. You stand about in the hot sun, roasting in your armor and gear, glancing about the village clearing. The sound of frogs and other insects provides a constant background noise, but there is no sight or sound of anything else.

Leena again suggests the path heading southeast. Without a guide, you'll need to find the temple yourself. You recall from Captain Everett that the island is about 10 miles long and about half as wide, running roughly northwest to southeast. With a final glance around the village you leave the village, heading into the woods and hopefully towards the temple.

The way is obviously well travelled, the sand hard-packed and devoid of undergrowth. To either side of the passage the vegetation is dense - live oaks and leafy bushes form verdant walls with the occasional game trail piercing the green.

You keep to the path and after a couple miles you reach a large clearing. The opening in the forest is several hundred meters in diameter and mostly taken up by a circular pond of clear water. You notice a figure lying facedown on the ground near the water's edge. You see two trails leaving the clearing - one continuing to the southeast and another heading west-southwest.

ooc: Actions?

[badams30]

Wylo

Wylo doesn't pause and heads toward the figure, mace out and ready.

Finton

Finton starts to shout "WYLO! Wait, dammit!" And he exhales loudly and starts to follow him a few steps behind.

[spanningtree]

Ragnus - Fighter

Crossbow at the ready he will follow behind Wylo. The carnage continues.

Leena - Mage

Leena will bring up the rear.

[sonofotho]

Brother Wylo reaches the prone figure and sees no sign of blood or other violence. The cleric cautiously examines the villager. He is alive but in the same unconscious state as the four from the village. The man lies with his one arm outstretched towards the pool as if he was reaching for it before losing consciousness.

Wylo looks at the pool. The water is crystal clear and the sandy bottom can be seen a few feet below the surface. The cleric calls out to the others, pointing to an interesting sight beneath the water. Scattered about on the sandy floor are what appear to be pieces of brightly colored coral, golden trinkets, and a few pearly stones. You also spot a few brightly colored gems.

ooc: Actions?

[badams30]

Wylo

Wylo stares at the pool, fighting the urge to try to reach into it to see what happens, if anything. He looks back and says "Mighty odd, isn't it? He looks at the man, and a sad feeling crosses his thoughts. He looks back a second time at the others and says "I don't know what's doing this, but I'm tempted to reach in and see what happens. What do you all think?"

Finton

Finton says "Wait, Wylo." And he walks cautiously around to both trails, seeing if the drag marks or evidence of recent traffic favors one path or both, if any?

[spanningtree]

Leena - Mage

Treasure like that does not just lie about, there has to be some danger here. Be careful!

Ragnar - Fighter

Aye, careful then.

[sonofotho]

Finton says "Wait, Wylo." And he walks cautiously around to both trails, seeing if the drag marks or evidence of recent traffic favors one path or both, if any?

Finton doesn't notice any drag marks in the clearing, and the clawed track marks appear to go in both directions. It looks like perhaps the path to the southeast is the more-travelled. The hirelings shift about nervously as you contemplate what to do next.

ooc: Sorry for the lag guys...

[badams30]

Wylo

Wylo looks back and says "Keep an eye out, let's see what happens." Then he'll brush the water cautiously with his mace. If it has no effect, he'll try to sweep a gem or something toward him with it.

Finton

Finton shakes his head, glancing briefly at the others, then he scans the paths as Wylo tests the pond.

[spanningtree]

Ragnus and Leena

Keep and eye out and watch for the outcome of Wylo's adventure.