Quest #15 "Taking Down Captain Bing"

[Bluehorse]

Monocar

Seeing they are heading into the extra buggy jungle, MMM doesn't think twice and walks over to the muddy bank. He sets to rolling around in the mud like a pig until he is covered in the stuff head to toe. Rising back up like some kind of swamp monster, he even pats some extra around his neck and under his arms, hoping for protection from the bug bites an to mask his scent a little more. He breaks into a big grin, holding a big claud of muck and looking them all over. Next? he eyes Lightfinger micheiviously.

[Urson]

Luther

I was considering a scouting trip. Maybe, if we rangers broke a trail around the construction site, the travel would be easier for the group. But then again, there is more safety in numbers.
I do like your idea of an extended recon, wizard. The more we know beforehand, the better.

Do you know how long your wand will last? I've heard that some wands can only provide a certain number of miracles before they wear out.

Luther checks his gear again, making sure nothing will shake loose or rattle. He drinks plenty of water, and gnaws down what little food he has available.

[tkrexx]

Lightfinger agrees.

This is a good plan, learn our enemies! He states, Know their strengths, weaknesses, defenses... And precisely what is their end purpose out here is. He observes Monocar taking a mud-bath, much as Arte's Father's huge old sow used to do. He's ready to make comment on the resemblance when he sees the evil twinkle in the Man-Mountain's eye, and he quickly moves to put other party members between them.

[Bluehorse]

Monocar

Lightfinger agrees.

This is a good plan, learn our enemies! He states, Know their strengths, weaknesses, defenses... And precisely what is their end purpose out here is. He observes Monocar taking a mud-bath, much as Arte's Father's huge old sow used to do. He's ready to make comment on the resemblance when he sees the evil twinkle in the Man-Mountain's eye, and he quickly moves to put other party members between them.

MMM grins. Come on Arte. It will keep the bugs off. Didn't they get enough of you last night? Might stop some of the itching too... I feel better already.

[ravenn4544]

Alordan is realizing that an ambush is not likely to happen and that the group is planning on moving on. He examines his carefully placed and hidden nets and quietly starts to collect them back prior to moving on...a little grateful he didn't have to use them - yet.

[Urson]

Luther

That trap is better than I could have done, Alordan! Excellent work!

[OGRE MAGE]

Emancipation
So Close Now
Freeday, The 5th of Goodmonth
Mid Afternoon, Warm, Humid, Buggy

Monocar has a little fun slopping himself with handfuls of mud, wiggling his finger towards the halfling to come on in and join him. Lil' Arte does not comply.

Luther inquires about the wand that Chauncey claims will save their bacon against this entire band of pirates. The mage crinkles up his face a bit at the thought of his own response.

"The wand does indeed have limited charges, master ranger. Only three if I was informed correctly. So I will need to be very cautious about using it at the most precise moments. Hence the need for several hours of good surveillance." The mage deliberately says nothing more about his extremely powerful new trinket.

Lerrick and Talaris continue to follow the lead of the more experienced members, hoping that they know what they are doing. It is obvious that the newcomers are becoming quite worried about being surrounded out here. Knowing that they will soon be going up against an entire group of hardened criminals doesn't make them feel any better, either.

Alordan retrieves his trappings and looks around at the edge of the jungle trail. He points out a spot that the group might be able to enter fairly easily, but the way will become tangled and nearly impassable soon enough. He leads the group into the dark bush, holding his finger up to his lips in the universal sign for STHU.

The bugs are annoying as hell now. The traveling is difficult, bordering on impossible once you get into the untamed forest. You move at a snails pace, but eventually make it about half way around the clearing with the storage barns. Trying to move silently through the underbrush soon becomes a lesson in futility. The ranger leads you deeper into the bush, hoping that the noise of the construction will drown out the noise from your travels.

After several hours of this misery, Alordan and Luther both nod that they think they have traveled far enough past the clearing to try to make for the trail again. That is when the whole group starts to notice a strange sound that seems to be coming from the west. The noise is soft and carries eerily on the breeze, barely audible over the normal roaring of the many other jungle noises. After listening for a moment, it starts to sound like music from a single horn or flute of some kind. The group starts to look around at each other, wondering why they would be hearing such a thing this far out in the middle of nowhere.

Actions?

You are currently somewhere just north of the "storage huts", but well west of the river trail on this map.
viewtopic.php?f=446&t=6346#p366477

Luther R3 26/26
Lightfinger T4 19/19
Talaris C1 9/9 3/3 first
Monocar F3 30/31
Chauncey MU3 16/16 CL, DM, RM 2/2 first 1/1 second
Lerrick C1 8/8 3/3 first
Alordan R3 18/18

[Bluehorse]

Monocar

By any chance is the mud bath helping?

The big youth looks around trying to be careful and quiet as he moved through the undergrowth. Surprisingly, he even keeps his mouth shut the entire way. When they begin to hear the music, he looks a little concerned and a thought occurs to him as he rubs the area where his shoulder and neck meet. He looks at Luthar and mouths "Veggiepygmies?"

[tkrexx]

Lightfinger recalls.

Didn't we hear flute music once before? He queries, That Man near the ocean, he had those kids circling him... Right?

[ChubbyPixie]

So far today, Chauncey's seemed not quite himself. Not as incredibly brilliant as usual. Perhaps he's just been preoccupied with thought...

(wiiiiiiink!)

He suddenly speaks: "Fellows - the bulk of this activity - mercenaries. Faithless rabble. Well, they do seem to be extraordinarily skilled rabble... never mind! We must observe. Locate this Captain Bing. I will not waste the wand's charges on the rabble unless I can bring direct harm to the villain. Once the head of the snake is cut off, the body will writhe aimlessly. Then, we can tramp on it with the boot of Justice. Or melt into the canopy. Either way." He eyes the others. "In addition to, and before destroying Bing, we must contrive to release the prisoners and see to their safety. And don't forget! According to Wes, there is a magician of some skill amongst them. Be on your guard!" He thinks a bit more, then adds: "This crop seems precious to them. A well timed fire in one of the storage buildings, after we've sussed out the place, should keep them preoccupied?"

Sheesh. Sorry guys. RL's been insane. I've been trying to post, but just couldn't... Thanks for not killing Chauncey.

[Bluehorse]

Monocar

Just can't hold it in anymore. Oh! Burn down the barn?
I did that once... never mind... could we do it with one of those fire arrows like the bards always talk about in their stories? You know, aim it where all that dry weed seems to be and kablewy! The whole thing would go up in flames and we don't even have to be close. We can already be on the other side of all this while they are too busy watching the fireworks. Maybe we can get the slaves in on it and they can cause some xhaos at the same time. Bing is sure to show up then, and Chauncy can go all Kablambicus on him with his magic pokey stick.

And then... Monocar perked up and looked more or less southwest towards Beachtown as if he felt a disturbance in the force. His Monocar senses were going crazy. Food on the island... Bacon...

[ChubbyPixie]

"Hmmm. Yes, yes. Fire arrows? It sounds exciting, Monocar..." Chauncey replies absently, having already moved on to further planning in his mind. Suddenly he speaks again. "Or, perhaps the best method of freeing slaves and setting fires is to not do these things ourselves at all. After observing the camp activity and routine for a time, we might, through the use of magic, enlist the help of a man on the inside, as it were. By which I mean, of course, a Charmed individual... or two?... to carry out our dirty work for us." He steeples his fingers and grins, absorbed in a vision of his plan. "Then, yes, fire, commotion, boom. The main thing is, we must ensure the slaves are not sent to deal with the fire. So they must in some way be freed first."

[Urson]

Luther

Luther says nothing, but every time the term 'slave' is used, he bristles a bit.

I'd love to know what the flute music indicates... but we need to stay on-task.

[Bluehorse]

Monocar

He nods in agreement with both. I want to see those guys free. We can go hunting weird noises later. So... do we keep moving and get a better spot to watch? How wide do you think their perimeter is? How will we keep from getting eaten alive by the bugs while we are here? You saw what happened to Wes... I like the idea of watching these guys a few days but the idea of sleeping out here and being a bug buffet? No thanks.

[kruk]

Lerrick nods her head in agreement with Monocar

[ravenn4544]

Alordan worries about the music. "Remember when we heard music last? It was that old man and the flute music when we found those lost kids? He vanished after that and we never found out what it was all about."

He considers the suggestion of the fire and watching the smugglers. "Well, if we go back to town now, what have we gained? Burning this crop to the ground would put a dent in their desire to be here. More likely it would piss them off! Could we actually charm one of those guys to learn something more about what they are on about? That would be the most helpful thing I can think of - unless it does south..."

[Bluehorse]

Monocar

He was thinking REALLY REALLY hard... You know... if we actually did charm one of the folks that knew what was going on here... Maybe we could get all the information we needed without having to spend the next four nights in the woods... Hey Lightfinger... if we can find where all the slaves are working, you think you could pull off some extra sneaky sneakilage to get close and talked to a few of them?
See what we could find out from them too? Find out how likely they are to riot on cue? Maybe we could all wait until tonight when everyone is settling in for the night and make hell break loose... Fires over here... Riots over there... Find out friends and him them hard when they are not looking... you know, kind of like hunting turkeys. Always take out the one in the back of the line and move your way up before they figure out what is happening since they don't see their buddies falling over from the arrow. Ow... my head is starting to hurt...

[OGRE MAGE]

Emancipation
Final Decisions
Freeday, The 5th of Goodmonth
Late Afternoon, Warm, Humid, Buggy

Though the mud slapped all over the mountainous Monocar helps with the insects initially, tromping through the untamed jungle proves to be incredibly difficult and sweaty work. It isn't long before the fighter has sweat most of the mud off of the vital places like his face and other exposed skin. The blotchy and streaked wet mud that runs down his face makes the huge human look even more disturbed than usual.

The progression around the clearing is slow, but no repercussions are noticed and no alarms are sounded. The eerie music is a concern for the party, though none seem willing to investigate it further with so much work to do ahead of them. Freeing the natives from the torment of the slavers seems to be first and foremost on several members minds. The tromp through the spiky, prickly, and intensely hot jungle resumes as Luther tries to lead the pack back towards the ease of the last section of trail before reaching the smugglers camp.

As the group travels, they discuss ideas about how to handle an entire camp full of bad guys. A few sound ideas are tossed about for the others to feed off of and some good tactics are discussed. Once the rangers think they are getting close to the trail again, they hold up the sign to stop and be silent. Another patrol is discovered just before the group bursts back out onto the trail, causing them to backtrack and wait a bit longer for them to pass.

Two more times the group tries to get back onto the trail and both times they are stopped by movement and noise coming from near the river. Eventually it is discovered that the smugglers must be attempting to navigate down river on their little rafts. They are making noise and shouting as they float down river from their camp to the storage barns.

If the trail can eventually be used again, the group has about another hour of travel before they reach their destination. Staying hidden in the rough jungle as they tackle the final stretch will alleviate the possibility of being detected, though it would take considerably longer, likely putting them at the edge of the camp closer to dark. Monocar mentions that the bugs will be a problem during any overnight stakeout unless proper shelter can be found. Even he knows that normal sleep and rest will not be possible out in the jungle after sundown. Fortunately, the group has been cautious and the spell casters haven't drained any of their precious magicks yet this day. Unless a safe place to camp comfortably is found, they may not be able to regain their mystic powers.

Actions?

Will you be staying in the jungle the rest of the way or trying for the trail again? The one thing you remember Wes saying is that the trail opens up right at the edge of the pirates camp. The jungle route would bring you to the clearing somewhere closer to the farm fields, a bit further away from the main action.

Luther R3 26/26
Lightfinger T4 19/19
Talaris C1 9/9 3/3 first
Monocar F3 30/31
Chauncey MU3 16/16 CL, DM, RM 2/2 first 1/1 second
Lerrick C1 8/8 3/3 first
Alordan R3 18/18

[Bluehorse]

Monocar

Will you be staying in the jungle the rest of the way or trying for the trail again? The one thing you remember Wes saying is that the trail opens up right at the edge of the pirates camp. The jungle route would bring you to the clearing somewhere closer to the farm fields, a bit further away from the main action.

I vote we keep bushwacking. Don't want to wind up like Bonnie and the others and get caught if we can help it.

The big man thumps a tree softly to get everyone's attention and points to the trail shaking his head as a sign he thinks it is a back idea. Then points northward with a shrug.

[Urson]

Luther

Luther looks around at the jungle. If we stay in the brush, we won't get to the camp much before sunset. But, like Ranger Jax used to say- "The important things are simple, the simple things are hard, and the easy way is always booby-trapped." I'd suggest we stay under cover.
If we can work in the darkness, we may be able to get ourselves some advantage- and even if we don't, it's harder to put an arrow in someone you can't see.

He sits down, sighing with relief. I like the ideas I'm hearing. A charmed enemy who 'turns' at the right moment, a diversionary riot among the slaves he spits the last word like something bitter, a fire in the storage barns or the barracks, they're all good.

He relaxes a second, ready to move when the others are rested.