VI. Returning to The Mistress

[AleBelly]

"Them's man-catchers on those roots!" hisses Bingus. "Now it's a right shame about Phineas, but he trussed his own duck. If them biters are below us, I ain't waiting here to give them a second meal. Let's go on and get out of here and head back to the ruins" continues the thin mage. With that, he returns the way they came, staying about 20' outside of the forest's edge.

[dmw71]

Let's go on and get out of here and head back to the ruins"

Is this the ship's ruins? The ruins of the lost city with the tribesmen and armored guards?

[Zhym]

Pendleton sighs. "I suppose you're right," he says. "The probability that Phineas is alive after being captured by spiders is quite small. We should probably leave bad enough alone. That's a policy that might apply equally to the ruins."

He starts to turn to follow Bingus, then looks for a moment at the webbed root ball. "I wonder if we could burn those webs from afar without also setting the forest alight—or cooking Phineas, if he's still alive."

"Sasha? What do you think? Do we try to rescue Mr. Codswallop on the low chance that he's in a condition to be rescued, or should we avoid messing with giant spiders?"

[AleBelly]

Let's go on and get out of here and head back to the ruins"

Is this the ship's ruins? The ruins of the lost city with the tribesmen and armored guards?

The ruins of the lost city - Bingus is so desperate to get out of there that he's suggesting a return there.

Of course, he won't head there on his own just yet. He's primarily concerned with getting out of that forest.

[OGRE MAGE]

Sasha thinks Pendleton's question over for quite a while.

I hate spiders.


But, that little guy was just starting to grow on me.

The she elf approaches the web covered roots, hoping she will see some sign of Phineas being here. She brushes away at the webs from arms length with her sword.

We will need everyone's help if we ever want to see civilization again. I don't think he would simply abandon us, maybe. We need to help him if we can.

[GreyWolfVT]

Dorin shrugs "Eh I could just go back n wait at tha ship ya know." wondering how Bingus went from scared of the forest and spiders to being bold enough to suggest some odd ruins in the forest as the destination. "Howd ya get from lets be careful ta oh lets go charge off ta some odd ruins. Far as I can tell yah all don't speak highly of them ruins sounds like yah've lost a bit of yer number and runnin back ta where it all happend aint soundin a great idea ta me." the dwarf uses his hands as he speaks gesturing wildly and ending with a stubby finger pointing at himself at the end of the speech.

[dmw71]

"I hate spiders," Sasha starts. "But that little guy was just starting to grow on me." she concedes, approaching the web covered roots. Arm fully extended, the elf begins to brush away at the webs with her sword. The webs are cast aside easily, and don't seem to elicit a reaction.



Actions?

[Zhym]

Is there any sign of a hole around where the root ball came up? Something that might be an entrance?

If not, we're probably at a dead end (as it were).

[dmw71]

There is a hole of sorts beneath the exposed root ball, but it doesn't not appear to be housing anything or leading anywhere.

[OGRE MAGE]

Sasha pokes around in the hole with her sword a bit.

Phineas? Phineas! she calls out in despair.

[GreyWolfVT]

Dorin joins in the calling though thinking it likely a foolish thing to start bellowing loudly in unknown territory. "Phineas! Phineas! Ya there Phineas?"

[Zhym]

Pendleton keeps an eye on the trees, growing ever more convinced that something's about to drop on them.

[dmw71]

While Bingus begins to make his way towards the lost city, Sasha takes a few moments and begins to poke around in the hole beneath the root ball with her sword and begins to hail their missing companion. Dorin, somewhat reluctantly, joins in Sasha's efforts. Pendleton, meanwhile, keeps an eye on the trees, growing ever more convinced that something's about to drop on them.


Nothing happens.

There is no response from Phineas, and only some dried up leaves and normal sized insects scurry about when the contents of the hole are disturbed.

[Zhym]

"I suppose that settles it," says Pendleton. "The trail is cold. We might as well go back to the Mistress—or return to the ruins, if we are feeling bold."

[AleBelly]

Bingus waits at the forest's edge, hoping to see his companions emerge from the foliage.

[GreyWolfVT]

Dorin nods at Pendleton "Back ta the boat it be then."

[OGRE MAGE]

Sasha looks dejected as she gives one last effort to find a trail to follow. She shudders to think what it must be like to be captured by a giant arachnid and to have your body fluids slowly sucked out of you until your dead.

She misses the short human but, reluctantly follows the others back to the ship to regroup.

Maybe he is still ok? Maybe that was spider blood that we saw?

[dmw71]

After failing to locate their missing companion, the foursome regroup just outside the treeline and are faced with the decision of their next course of action. There are proposals for returning to the ship, and also to follow the trail back into the forest and return to the lost city.



Actions?

[Zhym]

"So now there is just the four of us," says Pendleton, shaking his head. "I'd suggest a moment of silence for the departed Mr. Codswallop, but it doesn't seem appropriate. Silence wasn't really his style."

"Where to now?" he asks, kicking idly at the sand. "I confess that I am still curious about what's down there with the armored men. But we are even less imposing a force now than we were when we had our collective behinds handed to us yesterday. Bingus and I have not used our spells yet today, however; perhaps that might be enough to make a difference." He shrugs.

"Alternately, we can focus our efforts on our predicament here on this island. We may not be able to return the Mistress to seaworthiness, but patching the holes in her hull would at least make her a safer shelter. Or we could build tree houses and use the contents of the Mistress to furnish them." He casts another look toward the trees where the spiders seem to have taken Phineas. "Then again, perhaps we should stay out of the trees," he says.

"We could also continue exploring the perimeter of this island. If this is to be our home until another ship wanders by, we should probably learn more about the neighborhood."

[GreyWolfVT]

Dorin combing his beard with his fingers "Well tha way I'm seein it, we can keep the ship as is just fortify it as best we can. Er we can use it ta build a shanty on tha beach er somethin. Shelter of some sort more house like ya know."