Quest #19 "Mapping Out The Jungle"

[Karaunios]

Grimm gets bakc his breath once he comes out to the surface. When he sees his companions urging him to remain silent he immediately remains still and looks where the pavilion is burning to the ground. He points northwards with his finger and starts walking in that direction, hopping that the loud noise from the fire plus the running water will keep the pirates from hearing their wadling through the river. Nevertheless, he will get close to the western bank of the river, as risky as it may seem, bringing him closer to the pirates, since there they can make use of the underbrush and reeds to hide from the pirates and go as far as they can from that place, till they get to secure territory.

He doesn't like the pirates taking the native villages. He doesn't like what just happened. This thoughts almost overriding his current desire of survival. What there'll be time for retaliation. From the time being, they're alive.

[OGRE MAGE]

The Search Continues
Starday, 13th of Goodmonth
Early Morning, Warm, Humid, Buggy

Soaking wet and fighting against the current, the four nearly drowned river rats make their way to the bank behind the pirates. Unable to hear what they are saying in all the noise of the rushing water and raging fire, the pair of warriors grip their javelins and begin crawling towards the backs of the laughing slavers near the blaze.

They jerk their heads in Grimms direction once they see him moving further up the river bank, stopping their advance on the enemy and looking to Powstap. The wise elder whispers something to them before all three reluctantly follow the dwarfs lead, moving away from the action using the cover of the vegetation growing on the bank to slink away and fight another day.

After walking away from the danger through the muddy shores, far enough to feel confident about his escape, Grimm starts to feel something slimy crawling up his lower legs.

Action?

Grimm 8/8

[Karaunios]

"What the-!"

Grimm's reflexes take over and he tries to jump aside as soon as he notices the slimy thing coiling around his calf. He unsheathes his long sword and tries to violently poke the thing with the tip of his weapon (trying to hack with it would be slowed down by the water).

To hit with long sword [1d20] = 15; dmg [1d8] = 8

[OGRE MAGE]

The Search Continues
Starday, 13th of Goodmonth
Early Morning, Warm, Humid, Buggy

As Grimm draws his blade, the leach like monster crawling up his leg bites into the soft flesh of his lower thigh. 2 dam He stabs into the rubbery thing, killing it instantly, then starts to feel a little woozy. Save vs. Poison, and please proceed if successful.

Action?

Grimm 6/8

[Karaunios]

Saving Throw vs. Death, Paralysis, Poison: 14

Saving Throw against magic wands, staves, rods, spells and poison [1d20+4] = 2+4 = 6

[OGRE MAGE]

The Search Continues
???
Late Afternoon, Hot, Humid, Buggy

The dwarf tries to convince the others that he is fine right before he splashes face first into the shallow water.





When he awakens again, he finds himself lying on a bed of reeds inside of a small thatch hut. The spaces in the roofing material let bright sunshine through, telling the groggy Grimm that it is now somehow much later in the day.

Powstap walks over to check on the now conscious dwarf, smiling at him once he sees that he is awake.

"Well cum bak, fren. Ow ya feel?"

Action?

Grimm 6/8

[Karaunios]

Grimm opens his eyes, oretty stunned after what happened to him. "Dammit, Powstap. I failed you." He looks around him. "Where are we? How long have I've been thus?"

The dwarf feels embarrassed at being so weak in such a critical moment. He fears that the natives, already in a dangerous situation not that far from the pirates who have taken some of their near villages from them, might have had to carry with his inane heavy body.

He grabs the native's arm. "We'll come back and get them. I swear!"

[OGRE MAGE]

The Search Continues
???
Late Afternoon, Hot, Humid, Buggy

"You safe fi now, fren. At nex village.

The friendly native holds up two fingers. "Ya been out fi tree day!"

Action?

Grimm 6/8

[Karaunios]

The dwarf sits up in a rush: "Three days!?" He gets himself together and shows the fingers: "Three days or..." he hides one fine, showing the remaining two to Powstap: "Or two days?"

The dwarf starts to ponder that maybe they won't have enough time to get to see the chief of the tribe and then go back southwards again, as dangerous as it is, something he has 'just' experienced.

When Powstap answers his question he will make him know about his worry and ask him if they can get to the reunion after talking with the chief in less than one day!

[OGRE MAGE]

The Search Continues
???
Late Afternoon, Hot, Humid, Buggy

Powstap looks confused again, but when doesn't he? He holds up two fingers and says, Tree day! Then he looks at his 2 fingers and exclaims, "no! Two day!"

"Mi still tink we can make it back n back, if ya waan."

Action?

Grimm 6/8

[Karaunios]

"Good!" The dwarf stands up suddenly (if that's even possible) and starts looking around for the little equipment that he still has after the plunge in the well. "We'll need some food and water for the trip too!" When he gathers his things he goes out to what time of the day it is. "Let's go see the chief!"

[OGRE MAGE]

The Search Continues
Moonday, the 15th of Goodmonth
Late Afternoon, Hot, Humid, Buggy

Eventually figuring out what day and time it is, Grimm suggests heading back to the natives main camp to speak with their chief. When he exits the small hut, he finds that they are back in one of the small riverside villages somewhere between the now burnt pavilion and the last village on the trail. He and his new friend are the only ones around in this village at the moment.

Powstap agrees to head back and begins preparing for the trip. "We close now. Get der befo dark if we urry."

Action?

Grimm 6/8

[Karaunios]

Despite him still being somewhat injured from the ordeal he went through, Grimm diligently gets ready for their trip to the next village to the north. He notices something amiss though and turns to Powstap: "Powstap, where are the other two?.", he says, referring to the two companions who came with them all the way til now.

While they talk about it, he starts walking where his friend leads him, hoping to arrive before the night sets in.

[OGRE MAGE]

The Search Continues
Moonday, the 15th of Goodmonth
Late Afternoon, Hot, Humid, Buggy

Powstap looks at the ground for a few moments when asked about the other natives. He points back down the trail to the south and then up to the sky again before mumbling something that Grimm doesn't understand. By the look on the mans face, whatever happened to the 2 scouts, it wasn't good.

Carrying his burden along with him up the trail, Powstap stays pretty quiet on their journey. Once you reach the first village on the trail, the same one where you found Powstap initially, the natives all get together for a long discussion. After several minutes of speech that Grimm doesn't understand, the meeting abates and Powstap motions you to follow him the rest of the way to the natives main camp."Much happen since here last. We go speak chief now."

Action?

Grimm 6/8

[Karaunios]

Grimm follows along with a serious demeanour, looking at the faces of the natives in order to extract any information from their facial expressions.

[OGRE MAGE]

The Search Continues
Moonday, the 15th of Goodmonth
Early Evening, Warm, Humid, Buggy

The only vibe that Grimm picks up on as they travel through the populated villages is that the natives don't have it easy out here. Life in the jungle is hard, in many ways.

After another long stretch of marching, the pair finds their way back to the main native camp. The dwarf can see that there has been a lot of construction done since his last visit. Some of the buildings that were burnt to the ground have been rebuilt, along with a few new smaller huts as well. The main attraction at this part of camp is the massive waterfall that crashes down at the back of the village.

As the sun sets and darkness starts to creep in, Powstap appears very glad to be home again. It looks like there is some kind of communal meal going on when they arrive, so Powstap starts leading his friend in that direction.

Action?

Grimm 6/8

[Karaunios]

Grimm follows his friend all the way along, waving his hand at everyone they meet. "Powstap, do you know what happened these last days?". He joins the communal meal and waits for his native pal to do all the necessary introductions, since he can't communicate with the rest.

[OGRE MAGE]

The Search Continues
Moonday, the 15th of Goodmonth
Early Evening, Warm, Humid, Buggy

The natives in this village appear almost terrified by seeing the dwarf walking into their camp. If it weren't for the well respected Powstap, Grimm feels like he might be treated with outright hostility. Most of them sneer and scowl from a distance.

Powstap stops Grimm before approaching the chieftain at his private table. The two natives converse for a long time, the chief becoming more and more aggressive as he speaks. He points up at the waterfall several times and then to his warriors sitting around the table. He points at Grimm several times, still shouting and spitting angrily as Powstap tries to explain why he is bringing another stranger into their camp. Eventually the elderly native rejoins the dwarf with disappointing news.

"Chief say dem haff big problem here since I gone. Stranger invading camp many times. Causing trouble." The man hangs his head in embarrassment.

"Chief say you no stay here. No more outsider stay here. What we do now?"

Action?

Grimm 6/8

[Karaunios]

The news feel like a punch on the dwarf's stomach. The fact that other strangers have been attacking their camp and the way the natives were looking at him, makes Grimm suspect that those invaders had the same looks about them as him... "The Stoneguts..." he mutters to himself. He raises his gaze up to his native friend: "These invaders... Did they look like me?"

After the impression that the Stoneguts might have given the people in Beachtown, Grimm feared that he himself will be enshourded in a bad rap and that the farmers over there will look at him... well... exactly like the natives are staring at him right now. Living in the wilderness with these peoples would have been his only chance of finding a place where he could belong. He always was a loner and a wanderer but he was so with the security of one who could always come back to clan and family at the end of the day.

Despite the last turn of events, the dwarf still thinks that he can do something to demonstrate to this people that he could help and be a friend of their tribe. The thing that he's looking for in order to be accepted again in his own clan, far away from this hostile island, will take time to be found and he won't be able to be on himself that long. No one could. And this time he was being expelled from a clan... for the second time in his life.

He also realises that, now, coming to an understanding with the natives, the Phanaton and the Beachtowners is definitely going to be a difficult enterprise. He hoped he could have been that link that would facilitate the dialogue from the part of the In-di-juns.

Regardless of his usually serious semblant, now his mien palpably expresses the sadness that the situation creates in him. He looks again at his friend, undecided. He doesn't want to compromise his position in his tribe and also understands that, though a tough man who's been hardened by the rough life he has to go through out here, he isn't in his best years anymore. Grimm finally pats him on his arm and says: "Don't worry, my friend. You've done enough for me." But he knows something must be done. If the natives stay on their own, assailed from several fronts, they're bound to lose everything. "But tell me everything you know about this attack."

[OGRE MAGE]

The Search Continues
Moonday, the 15th of Goodmonth
Early Evening, Warm, Humid, Buggy

Powstap can sense the emotion in the dwarfs words and mannerisms. He continues to speak as they slowly walk back towards the trail.

"No! Attacks not from dwarf like you."

"A Elf do dis. Female Elf. She got chief talking all crazy now. Him say tings dat don't make sense to Powstap. Chief tink dis she-elf......" He struggles to find the right word for a moment "........possess!"

Action?

Grimm 6/8