Quest #15 "Taking Down Captain Bing"

[ChubbyPixie]

After his discussion with Lightfinger, Chauncey will retreat to where the others are gathered.

Monocar
"...and this is the sword the big guy had that tried to cut me in half. It's magicy... but I'm not sure how... "

"When I identified the sword's magical properties, Monocar," he says "I got a rather distinct vision. This sword spent some considerable time at the bottom of the sea. How it came to be there was not revealed to me, but a mermaid discovered it and brought it ashore - in a land far away from here - to give to her terrestrial lover. She, at least, I sensed, referred to the sword as 'Ripple.' I did not consider this important until you brought it up just now, but perhaps it is of interest to you."

[ravenn4544]

Alordan putters about camp until dark. Checking his trip wires, clearing the path south of any traces of tracks (of their own and so any new ones will stand out), and smiling at the natives. With time remaining, he'll set up a quick target and offer to show the natives how to use a bow. Before dark, he'll try using the river bank mud to cover any exposed areas to fend off the relentless bugs...

[OGRE MAGE]

There are no natives here. Alordan is clearly delusional.

[ravenn4544]

must be all of those residual fumes.

[OGRE MAGE]

Heading Back To Beachtown
Godsday, The 9th of Goodmonth
Early Morning, Warm, Buggy

Monocar lets Lightfinger have a closer look at the shortsword after he and Luther go out to collect plenty of fuel for their evenings fire. He also mentions the javelin, but gets no interest. Luther is able to bag one fat jungle squirrel and a large carrion bird that he doesn't recognize for dinner.

Chauncey tells a rather believable tale about the broad sword Monocar retrieved from the enemy, though even the mentally challenged fighter wonders how a simple spell could have given the mage so much detail.

Alordan keeps a close watch on the trail while the others prepare the pavilion for the night. He checks his trip wires often, but none of them are set off throughout the night's long rest.

With an enclosed sleeping area, a nice fire, and a hot evening meal, the group rests peacefully enough through the night. Watches are set in vain as nothing confronts the party in the dark jungle. The morning comes soon enough and everyone feels a little better after their nights rest. (healed 1 hp ea.) The party readies to finish their long trip back to town.

Actions?

map link:
viewtopic.php?f=446&t=6346#p336365

new xp rewards have been posted:
viewtopic.php?f=446&t=6230&p=398995#p398995

Luther R3 21/26
Chauncey MU3 11/16 CL, DM, RM 2/2 first 1/1 second
Monocar F3 22/31
Lerrick C1 8/8 3/3 first
Lightfinger T4 12/19
Alordan R3 11/18
Talaris C1 9/9 3/3 first

[kruk]

Lerrick takes a deep breath and smiles. It feels good to be at full strength again. After a morning prayer she gathers her stuff and moves to join the others.

[tkrexx]

Lightfinger yawns and stretches.

He stirs the coals a bit to liven the fire in case anyone intends to warm breakfast, then meanders to collect his trap materials and get a good look at what the morning brings their impromptu campground.

[ravenn4544]

Alordan wakes refreshed and ready to move on. He, of course, worried about Bing returning with a sizable force and keeps his eye on the river and alert for unwanted activity on the trail ahead. He recovers his trip wires.

[Urson]

Luther

Luther disposes of the unusable scrap from the animals in the river. He makes a hoop of a long, flexible twig and stretches the squirrel hide on it to dry.

Monocar, your ideas about a more direct path to the tribe's fields is a good one. After I've rested and healed, I may try to scout a route through the jungle and break a trail.

[kruk]

After doing a visual check of the party to see who could use some more healing Lerrick moves to the Monocar and Aldoran , knowing that the final leg of this journey will most likely not be easy. You two need to be at full strength so that you can protect me from getting killed. She gives them a warm smile as she heals them. Again, she shakes her head after healing Aldoran. I'm sorry it couldn't have been more. However, some is better than none.

Monocar and Aldoran respectively : [1d8] = 4, [1d8] = 1

[Bluehorse]

Monocar

Smiles to the Cleric again. Thanks again! I am feeling much better now than even yesterday. At this rate I will be ready to go dancing by the time we are back to town! he jokes happily

[ChubbyPixie]

Chauncey rises early and studies his spellbook. When the others are up and about, he suggests they head out for the settlement ‘with all haste,’ as there is no telling what obstacles they might encounter upon the way. “Remember the lizard-bird? We’ll need to have our wits about us and our heads on a swivel, as it were.”

[OGRE MAGE]

Heading Back To Beachtown
Godsday, The 9th of Goodmonth
Late Morning, Hot, Humid, Buggy

Talaris spends the morning in deep prayer, eventually coming out of it looking like a new half-elf. He immediately puts his newfound powers to good use, healing Alordan and Lightfinger with his prayers. Lerrick helps out Monocar and Alordan as well, bringing everyone back up to reasonable health.

The rangers and thief do their thing, collecting up any supplies that were left out during the night. There is no indication that the camp was messed with at all over their rest.

Chauncey warns the group that they need to stay alert upon this last stretch of the trail, assuming that the remaining smugglers must have holed up somewhere. He also warns about the threats that could come from above.

After a good breakfast and some moderate training, the group is ready to set out again. They travel for some distance south, moving through yet another abandoned village. After passing through that without incident, the group knows that it must be getting close to the last standing village that they saw on the way out here. Alordan's worries about Bing's men seem to be justified once they round the next bend in the trail. There they find a blockade stretched across the narrow trail. Trees and brush lay haphazardly directly in their path. Luther the woodsman can tell that this was all recently cut foliage.

Actions?

map link:
viewtopic.php?f=446&t=6346#p336365

Luther R3 21/26
Chauncey MU3 11/16 CL, DM, RM 2/2 first 1/1 second
Monocar F3 26/31
Lerrick C1 8/8 1/3 first
Lightfinger T4 16/19
Alordan R3 18/18
Talaris C2 14/14 2/4 first

[Bluehorse]

Monocar

Looks at the blockade and whispers to the others. Look... we're close to the end of the river right?
We have two rangers and a damn good scout in Lightfinger here. Why not cut through the jungle here to the southwest and see if we can go around and catch them from the backside?

[ravenn4544]

Alordan freezes at the site of the blockade. He looks at the brush covering the trail and whispers "let's back up. those could be hiding snares or pits... they are expecting someone to come down the trail but they may not have seen us yet. Let us observe for a bit and listen.."

[tkrexx]

Lightfinger freezes.

they are expecting someone to come down the trail but they may not have seen us yet.

They've seen us, The Hobbit replies barely above a whisper, Or heard us. They did not just throw a few fresh limbs across the path and depart. They are aware of us right now. We are in very real peril at this moment. So saying, he does what he can to silently blend into the greenery to his left, staying about 5 feet inward, and awaits the party's decision.

[Urson]

Luther

Luther scowls. This is trouble we don't need. Let me scout a path around this mess. He moves into the underbrush, dead slow, looking for a safe route clear of hidden booby traps.

[ChubbyPixie]

Putting his stealth skills to work, Chauncey also scampers into the underbrush and hides behind a shrub.

[kruk]

Lerrick moves to the underbrush with Chauncey.

[OGRE MAGE]

Heading Back To Beachtown
Godsday, The 9th of Goodmonth
Late Morning, Hot, Humid, Buggy

Scattering into the jungle on both sides of the trail once the blockage is spotted, Lightfinger already fears the worst. Before the halfling scout can finish his sentence, he hears a dull whistling noise that sounds kinda like an island bird, but not really.

Monocar suggests leaving the trail and plowing through the jungle the rest of their way back. Luther and Alordan look for an easy path through the jungle around the fallen trees and branches. They find only dense jungle to the west and the raging river to the east. If this area will be bypassed, it will need to be done with old fashioned hard work and lots more chopping. The party can remember how miserable it was slogging through the bush on their way here, but it looks to be the only solution if progress along their trip is to continue.

Nothing jumps out at the hiding party while the rangers search, but the odd sounding bird calls don't abate.

Actions?

map link:
You think you are north of the second village along the river trail.
viewtopic.php?f=446&t=6346#p336365

Luther R3 21/26
Chauncey MU3 11/16 CL, DM, RM 2/2 first 1/1 second
Monocar F3 26/31
Lerrick C1 8/8 1/3 first
Lightfinger T4 16/19
Alordan R3 18/18
Talaris C2 14/14 2/4 first