Quest #31 "Jungle Beaver"

[ravenn4544]

Alordan remembers fondly his past nets - that now lay tattered across the island. "Third time could have been the charm.."

[Jernau35]

Maag

"Why don't we just get on wiv wot we came out 'ere to do? We can come back 'ere anuvver time to fight dis fing, when we 'ave a net or sumfin'."

"Der water women don't go to der river every day. Dey might not even come down 'ere today. An' I bet dey 'ave bin down 'ere often enough to stay away from sumfin' dat looks as dodgy as dat." Maag points out at the sand again.

[kruk]

Lerrick

The cleric, knowing that conventional wisdom tells her that Maag has the best and safest plan of action, can't bear the thought of a town citizen fall prey to this beast. If anyone wants to take permanently remove this threat to the townsfolk of this island, I will help. I too can't bear the loss of innocent life if we could have prevented it. She waits to see who else wants to help.

[Rex]

Tlachtga

"I am willing to help."

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche

Andronichishche looks down at the morass of creeping insects, then back towards the mounds of sand that presumably conceal the tentacles of a vicious sea monster. He seems torn between the options as he gently nudges a large centipede away from his boot. "You speak wisely, Mr. Maag. We can return better prepared and with our magic items identified to assist us." He moves back onto the beach, however, and plants his bamboo pole at an angle deep into the soft sand. To nobody in particular, he gestures at the pole, asking, "Please add another pole to this one, crosswise. It should serve well as a warning to avoid this section of the beach." He then returns to his position in the line.

After Tlachtga levels again, she'll have access to both Call Lightning and Water Breathing, too.

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche

Andronichishche stops at the edge of the jungle, remembering clearly now their original mission. Assessing the threat of the tentacled sea monster had entirely preoccupied his mind. Barely a month into his arrival on this strange island and he is already extremely protective of its adopted inhabitants. He raises a hand up to the others, "Disregard that request, please."

Andron draws his dagger and cuts off a length of jungle vine nearby, shaking it briskly to scatter most of the clinging insects. He returns to the beach and retrieves his bamboo pole, then uses his dagger again to cut the fibrous stalk in half. Moving back onto the trail, he plants a pole into either side of the packed sand so that they cross above the trail itself. Using the vine, he ties the poles together with a simple knot.

Andronichishche nods in satisfaction and finally returns to his position. "Thank you. Please proceed, Mr. Maag."

[wolfpack]

Didn't we have a potion to breath water? Give me that and ill take it. even if it drags me in I can still fight it.

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche

"Only one potion I suspect is of water breathing, but I could not confirm this from a taste test."

[OGRE MAGE]

Fishing For Experience
Moonday, 22nd of Goodmonth
Very Early Morning, DARK, Warm, Misty, Humid

While some think it might be best to deal with this creature now, before anyone else happens by this way, a few members in the group think they should bypass the area so they can get back to their task at hand.

More ideas are voiced while Andron creates a makeshift barricade from sticks and vines, hoping it will act as a warning to stay away. Gramble volunteers to be the bait to lure the monster out, if the potion will help him breath water.

Maag peers into the jungle again as the priest of Rao urges him to lead the way around the disturbance in the sand.

Actions?

position map:

00A1E195-C5D9-427C-9462-7B73FBB050E8.jpeg (77.89 KiB) Viewed 641 times

Gramble 20/24 Light stone 40'
Alordan 21/22
Andronichishche 10/11 3/4 1st / CL, DM, RM 0/2 1st Light:78
Lerrick 19/20 5/5 1st 4/4 2nd Light stone 40'
Maag 16/17
Tlachtga 15/16 3/4 1st 3/3 2nd Light stone 40' DS&P:7

[Jernau35]

Maag

"Right den!" says Maag, a little more confidently than he feels, surrounded by the carpet of bugs. He looks back over his shoulder and takes a bearing on where the Light spell is still shining on the beach.

" 'ere's der plan lads. We're gonna walk in der about thirty or forty feet. Den turn right. Den we're gonna walk dat way, until we're past where der light is shinin' over der."

"Once we've done dat, we can get back on der trail again. Sound good?"

Maag gets his sword and a bamboo pole in hand, ready to clear a way forward. "Follow me!"

[Rex]

Tlachtga

Tlachtga follows along.

[wolfpack]

Gramble follows

[ravenn4544]

Alordan follows. He watches the bugs as they pass to see if there is something that is attracting them so uniquely here.

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche

Andronichishche silently nods in response to Maag's plan. He glances down at the writhing carpet of vermin then back towards the beach, still unsure which horror he would prefer to face. He does find the lack of flying insects to be rather unnatural ... as much as it can be on this strange island. While Maag hacks through the vegetation, Andron keeps an eye on the foliage above them for any sudden movement.

[kruk]

Lerrick

The cleric follows in her place in the marching order.

[OGRE MAGE]

Fishing For Experience
Moonday, 22nd of Goodmonth
Very Early Morning, DARK, Warm, Misty, Humid

The number of flying bugs on the open beach is much worse than inside the foliage, but there are still plenty of them to endure in the jungle as well. The sheer number of crawling bugs is far worse once the party hits the thicket though. Alordan looks around as they move in, noticing that the bugs are a bit more numerous in this area, but he can remember from his past travels here that they are pretty bad no matter where you are on this island after dark.

Maag chops his way north, inside the nearly impenetrable wall of greenery, sending insects flying in every direction with each swing of sword or pole. The going is definitely not pleasant, but it does seem slightly better than being eaten by a sea monster, so the party endures. Through sheer grit, the group makes their detour around the disturbance on the beach, getting chewed on, bitten, and stung the entire trip. By the time they finally exit the bush on the opposite side of the presumed danger, they are all reeling from the onslaught, wiping away clingers from their clothes and armor, while swatting away at the buzzers trying to get into any open face hole they can find. 1 dam each

The dark sandy beach appears clear now from their new vantage point, and their destination at the mouth of the river is only a couple of more hours walk towards the east.

Actions?

I assume you will revert back to the usual marching order from here?

Gramble 19/24 Light stone 40'
Alordan 20/22
Andronichishche 9/11 3/4 1st / CL, DM, RM 0/2 1st Light:73
Lerrick 18/20 5/5 1st 4/4 2nd Light stone 40'
Maag 15/17
Tlachtga 14/16 3/4 1st 3/3 2nd Light stone 40' DS&P:2

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche

Andronichishche stumbles rather than walks out of the thick jungle foliage and back onto the packed sand trail. His arms and hands moving in what could be mistaken from a distance as part of a ritual dance. In truth, he had simply fallen into a rhythmic pattern of constant movement, brushing every seam and open area of skin. There are far too many insects for this to be of any real help, but it certainly had a cathartic effect.

He begins to jealously peek at the pocket Alordan carries the Dansden cube and the promise of magical shelter contained within. The whole idea of joining in this hunt was feeling like a very poor choice, indeed. "Where on Oerth are these bugs coming from?" He says between swipes of his hands. "I've read accounts of the Amedio jungle, but I don't recall anything about insects in such numbers! Why doesn't the minotaur island suffer in this way? Another failed experiment of the wizard, I'd wager ..."

[wolfpack]

Gramble wipes thcks globs of mud on his skin tryign to protect from bugs.

these beavers better taste like beef

[Rex]

Tlachtga

"Excellent idea Gramble." Tlachtga follows suit and starts covering herself in mud.

[Jernau35]

Maag

Maag brushes and swipes away as many insects as he can. Finally, in an effort to ward away some of them, he retrieves a torch from the side of his pack and his tinderbox from his beltpouch. Lighting up the torch, he starts to swing it around as he walks, hoping a combination of smoke and flame will drive off at least some of the pests.

1 torch deducted.