Quest #19 "Mapping Out The Jungle"

[Karaunios]

Grimm stands up. Thankful that, despite his carelesness, nothing has eaten them tonight. Nevertheless, after all the action they've gone through these last few days, a night rest is most than welcome.

He sheathes his sword and pats his friend on the arm. He makes a mental note on to where this cave is. It just picked his curiosity. The dwarf then follows the native, starting some conversation along the way: "That cave was done by people. Did you know?"

Did the cave go further into the mountain?

[OGRE MAGE]

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

Looking over the cave in the dim morning light, Grimm can tell that it doesn't lead any deeper into the cliff wall.

Once Powstap leads Grimm from the cave opening, he is astonished to find that the cave is only a short distance away from some of the main huts in the natives camp.

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As they head outside again, voices can be heard as the tribe awakens as well. As they move away from the cave, native voices can be heard shouting. Apparently the pair has been spotted leaving the camp.

Then one single voice rings out above the others at the backs of the fleeing duo. Grimm sees Powstap wince, but neither of them turns around or slows the pace of their escape.

Once they hit the foliage of the jungle again, Powstap darts inside and the voices behind them soon subside. The shouting natives don't seem to pursue, but Powstap is clearly hurt by the words he heard. When they arrive back at the trail again, where they heard the growling last night, Powstap stops to address the dwarf.

"Yesa. Mi pee-pole carve dat cave from da black rock. It very hard." Powstap doesn't say any more than that, but it is obvious that he has something else on his mind.

"We take small trail inta jungle now?"

Action?

Grimm 7/8

[Karaunios]

Grimm goes through the ordeal acting like his friends and ignoring their reactions as much he can. A shudder runs down his spine when he sees Powstap wincing, though. Something is not right and he doesn't like it.

The dwarf, although aware that his native friend took his own decision, risking having the treatment he just had, and did it anyway, can't help but feel devastated by just what happened, having lived a similar situation in the past. Nevertheless, he decides to just not talk about it right now and let the native be with his thoughts.

But now it's time for planning and survival. His senses get back to their surroundings and his thoughts focus on the task at hand. With an attentive expression, he nods and just answes: "Yes. Let's find this whore and make her pay."

[OGRE MAGE]

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

Powstap leans backwards slightly at Grimms response, not sure what a whore is, but thinking this might be a bad time to ask. He nods his head and darts up the trail into the jungle. “Ok. Powstap no welcome anymore here now either. We go.”

After the first bend in the tight confines of the tiny trail, Powstap freezes and points up ahead at a huge ugly tree that is directly in the center of the trail. He whispers to Grimm without moving a muscle. “We go round. Long way. We go now.”

Action?

Grimm 7/8

[Karaunios]

Grimm follows Powstap along the trail. In answer to his first assertion he states: "You'll be back with yours once we've killed this bad elf."

The dwarf's first reaction is unsheathing his sword, just in case. Without averting his eyes from the strange tree, he decides it's best to heed the native's words, since he knows the jungle and his creatures, and go around the alien being.

[OGRE MAGE]

The Search Continues
Moonday, the 15th of Goodmonth
Mid Mornning, Warm, Humid, Buggy

Powstap leads the way, darting into the thick jungle as quickly as he can. His fluid, unarmored movements allow him to slip through the thick underbrush much more quickly than the dwarf and he is soon a good distance ahead.

Grimm can hear the foliage behind him shaking and crashing together as something large is obviously in pursuit of the duo. He doesn’t look back, trying to keep an eye on Powstap so he isn’t left all alone again.

After a long, grueling slog through the thick, relentless sharp leaves, vines, thorns, and spiky branches, the two eventually find themselves back on the tight trail again. Powstap is bleeding in a few places from being badly scratched, but seems glad to have escaped.

“We no mess wit dat ting. Bad ju-ju. Oldest tree in jungle. Always angry.”

Powstap looks both ways up and down the trail but sees very little in either direction “Ya ready ta keep go?”

Action?

Grimm 7/8

[Karaunios]

Grimm takes some moments to catch his breath and nods at the native's question. He sheathes his sword again now that they don't seem to be in immediate danger anymore. He'll try to keep the information about the old tree, but doesn't think he'll forget it after the risk they just took.

Now, noticing the conviction with which Pawstap's leading the way, the dwarf can't help asking a question:"How do you know where to find this elf?"

[OGRE MAGE]

The Search Continues
Moonday, the 15th of Goodmonth
Mid Mornning, Warm, Humid, Buggy

Powstap looks back at Grimm and stops in his tracks.

"Whayasay? Mi taught you was trakin er! Mi taught ya could see footprint er someting."

Action?

Grimm 7/8

[Karaunios]

Grimm stops also, astonished. "But you were leading the way all the time! You told me to follow you!" He stumps with his foot on the floor as he says it, grumpy.

[OGRE MAGE]

The Search Continues
Moonday, the 15th of Goodmonth
Mid Mornning, Warm, Humid, Buggy

"No man! Mi say ta follow I away from bad tree. Mi hafi no idea where elf go!"

"Dinna ya say ya was gonna meet you fren at da beach anyway? When was dat?"

Action?

Grimm 7/8

[Karaunios]

"Oh... You're right."Grimm strokes his beard while he thinks. "Yes. We should go there. And tell them about what happened... C'mon!" The dwarf starts walking down the path southwards.

[OGRE MAGE]

The Search Continues
Moonday, the 15th of Goodmonth
Mid Mornning, Warm, Humid, Buggy

Powstap shrugs his shoulders and nods his head. "Shoe-er, shoe-er. Bak ta da beach den. Ya no, we was juss der yasaday?"

The friendly native still seems confused, but that isn't unusual for him. He starts leading you back towards the natives camp again, looking for the place that you detoured through the jungle around the tree on the way here.

Action?

Grimm 7/8

[Karaunios]

Grimm chuckles when he sees Powstap so good-humoured after all the things he's done him gone through. "I'm sorry, lad. Too many comings and goings." He follows the native back to the native camp. "You don't think they'll kill me there, do you?"

Just to make it sure: we're not heading to the main village, where we got kicked out, but to Powstap's camp, more to the south, right?

[OGRE MAGE]

The Search Continues
Moonday, the 15th of Goodmonth
Mid Mornning, Warm, Humid, Buggy

That is correct, though he does intend to skirt the edge of the main camp as you return to his village.

"Whayasay? Why would dem kill ya? Da chief no evil man. Him juss real worry now. Him no want to loose camp to pirate again."

Action?

Grimm 7/8

[Karaunios]

Grimm admits the sense in the native's words. "You are right. They didn't kill me." He chuckles. "But they were hard with you... When we came out of the cave." He looks his friend in the eye: "Why do you help me? It looks like your people don't like you now! You could be with yours. Instead, you came with me. Why?" He keeps walking down the road.

[OGRE MAGE]

The Search Continues
Moonday, the 15th of Goodmonth
Late Morning, Warm, Humid, Buggy

Powstap leads the way back around the trail entrance, slogging through the jungle again the way you came. He eventually leads you back into their massive farm clearing and skirts the edge out in the open for a while as you talk.

"Rememba mi talk bout mi fren, Kelief? Well, Kelief say dat him try to make peace fi pee-pole. All we pee-pole. Him Say dat all pee-pole should work togedder to make better fi all. Mi tink dat a good cause and mi gwan try to keep mi fren word."

Skirting back into the jungle about half way to the village before you can be seen, Powstap trudges through the bush as he continues.

"Chief mad now, but him cant stay dat way. Him need Powstap fi guidance."

Eventually finding the trail that winds along the riverside again, the pair begin to make their way south towards the beach.

Action?

Grimm 7/8

[Karaunios]

Grimm listens attentively to the native. He smiles when he heards what he thinks about Kelief's words. "I agree. I will help you." When they continue on down the trail and Powstap tells him about his chief needing him, he asks him: "Are you the shaman of your people?"

He realizes they're getting into occupied territory. He's senses become alert now while they follow the riverside southwards.

[OGRE MAGE]

The Search Continues
Moonday, the 15th of Goodmonth
Mid Afternoon, Warm, Humid, Buggy

The pair of footsore hikers continues down the trail until they make it back to Powstap’s village again. There they have a quick meal before continuing on towards the beach. Powstap takes some time to discuss things with his tribe mates before leaving, and the two stock up on some new mystery rations for the rest of their trip.

They continue to talk as they make their way to the next village to the south.

“No man. Powstap no shaman. Mi juss old enough to no sum im-por-tant tings.”

“Kelief say him pee-pole called hoomans, but Grimm is no like udder hoomans. Why you come ere, mi fren?

Action?

Grimm 7/8

[Karaunios]

Grimm accepts with readiness the natives' hospitality. He even smiles when they give him something to eat. When they resume their conversation as they go the their next village, he thinks it's about time to tell Powstap what he's doing here on this island:

"I'm no human, yes. I'm a dwarf. Short, beared and strong." He makes a gesture, as if flexing his muscles, then chuckles. "I'm from a tribe far in the mountains. Not in this island." He makes a short pause, thinking about the next thing he's about to tell him. "There's an important object for my people. A horn. It's actually a cup, where you can drink from. It belonged to a hero of my tribe from many many years ago." He makes another pause, so the native has time to digest his words. "This horn was lost long time ago but I, with other, managed to get it back from some... errr... people selling it... On our way back, I was carrying the horn in my backpack." He points with his finger at his back, where his previous rucksack was, before having to abandon it back at the pavilion. "When we came home, we wanted to celebrate. But the horn wasn't any longer there... My people got very very angry. They said I stole it and sold it. They told me to go from my clan." He looks at his friend with a melancholic smile. "I didn't do it. It was just missing. So I went looking for it. The last I heard is that I can find the horn here."

[OGRE MAGE]

As the pair continues down the path, Powstap tries hard to follow everything the dwarf is saying about his missing drinking cup.

"Dwarf, eh? Mi neva ear ov dat befo. Mi taught ya all hooman."

"Mi don't tink mi eva see dis drinking cup, but Powstap truss and bleve ya, Mi will elp ya search if ye like."

He looks around for a bit on the ground and up in the trees.

"What it look like?"