Quest #29 “Raiders of the Lost Obelisk”

[Monsieur Rose]

Bonnie

"Bing's coin was used to indicate allies, it allowed the bearer to pass through without being harmed from pirates. A password, if you will. Gorman's coin was used to keep all of his undead from bothering the holder. Kinda like what you said you did with that scroll. I don't think Bing's was magical, but I'm sure Gorman's was."

She looks over towards where Wes and Grimm were. "Shall we wait for a few minutes, say, six? The same six minutes that they gave me. It's the least we could do for friends." She says with a wink.

[SirOwen]

Nope. The cloak is just a reliable bug-proof ass covering.

[Paladin]

Cealwyn Blackthorn

The ranger sends Paul a look that's half-amused and half-concerned, as if to say "What have we gotten ourselves into?" He winks at the younger man and turns his attention to picking up the trail of their two wayward comrades. He'll move to the last place he saw them and strike a trail, if he's able.

[Jernau35]

Wes

Wes calls out: "Over here! We're on our way!"

[Karaunios]

Grimm also comes back with Wes.

[ChubbyPixie]

“Hmmm. Perhaps this coin, then would make the bearer invisible to the King and Queen? Something to investigate at a later time,” Says Chauncey. “Wesley! Luther! What is your final advice, sirs? The path? Or the straight route, uncovering, let us say, whole hexes of ground, revealing their jungle secrets and imparting such experience as that sort of adventuring is wont to do?”

[Urson]

Luther

If we were just out here mapmaking, I'd agree. But we're on a mission. Pushing through the unexplored jungle, we run the risk of bumping into something we can't handle. Unless you're hunting for copperheads, don't turn over every rock you see.

Luther looks relieved when he hears Wes and Grimm coming back.

[Jernau35]

Wes

"I'd advise we stick to the trail," Wes replies. "We'll still run into things. It's not just folk that think trails make life easy."

"But cutting through heavy jungle like this? Way too many drawbacks. Too slow. Heavy going. Think of how much more water we'd have to drink from hacking through everything. Too noisy. Every predator for miles would hear us. And you wouldn't see anything until you fell over it. Then think about trying to run away from something that's adapted to living in all of this."

"Of course, that last one isn't so important." Wes claps Chauncey on the shoulder. "I reckon I can run faster than you". He grins.

[SirOwen]

Avaala the Grey

Pleased to hear that they will not be blazing new trails through the hot, overgrown, vampirebug-infested jungle just yet, Avaala gently puts Treasure back on his shoulder and grabs his staff once more. "Ready when you are, folks!" he says cheerfully.

[Urson]

Luther
When the group is ready, Luther leads the way. He proceeds with caution, watching for tripwires and potential boobytraps. He keeps an arrow nocked, ready for whatever. He'll also look back occasionally, making sure the group stays together.

[ChubbyPixie]

"Very well. The trail, then," says Chauncey, "I think you'll find I am a very able sprinter, though, Wesley. Quite spry. In case that affects your calculations," he adds after a slight hesitation, having almost gotten Wesley's joke.

[OGRE MAGE]

Grey Ooze Growing
Sunday, 21st of Goodmonth
Early Afternoon, Hot, Humid, Buggy

Avaala offers his cloak to cover his fellow mages fresh wounds and his incredibly pasty, dangerously exposed bum before they take a closer look at the coin he found in the fountain. Bonnie joins the pair, mentioning the coins her former associates were using. The gold coin is a bit larger than the ones they carry, and from a mint they dont recognize. Guessing that it is pretty old, one side is stamped with the impression of what must surely be a wizard's profile, complete with long beard and pointy hat. The other side is stamped with 2 letters from the common tongue. SW, or is it MS? There are no other markings or indicators as to what purpose the coin might serve, if it is indeed something more than simple currency.

Luther and Cealwyn find Wes and Grimm exiting the jungle with concerned looks spread across their features, glad to see them unscathed. It is eventually agreed upon to take the trail at the back of the temple for as far as they can to avoid all the obvious dangers that blazing a new trail would bring. Leaving the purple tinted grey ooze to its feast of dead mule, the group departs this area, walking to the back of the dilapidated wall and entering the jungle on the now well overgrown trail that leads back to the main native village, allegedly.

Not far from the temple wall, the group starts to hear a soft weeping and wailing noise that sounds like a woman crying. Apparently they have located the area in the thick bush that Bonnie colorfully coined as the "Wood of Eternal Lamentations". Nothing can be seen from the trail, but the noise is clearly coming from just off the less-than-beaten path.

Actions?

Bonnie AC5 17/17
Luther AC3 30/30
Wes AC7 34/34 first 5/6 second 4/4 third 3/3 FF:8
Chauncey AC8 18/26 CL, DM, RM first 2/3 second 1/2 Lev:31
Mr. Wrenly AC7 4/4
Avaala AC8 12/12 CL, DM, RM first 2/2 second 1/1
Treasure AC2 12/12 35%MR
Cealwyn AC3 17/19
Paul AC6 7/7
Grimm AC5 10/10
overall map: viewtopic.php?f=446&t=6346#p366477

[Urson]

Luther
Luther glances back at Bonnie. This the place? He scowls in the general direction of the sounds. Probably a lure of some kind.
He continues his slow, cautious pace.

[Monsieur Rose]

Bonnie

Right on cue, the crying starts. "Yup. I mean, it's where I found it before. There are probably other areas of crying in the jungle. Maybe." She creeps forward with Luther. "Oh, it's definitely a trap, possibly designed to lure in overly chivalrous males." She winks and whispers to Luther: "Partly why I gave an advance warning."

[Karaunios]

Grimm

"Brrrr! This place gives me the creeps! It's gonna be all the time like this?" He readies his crossbow and holds it tight, just in case, eyes the sides of the road suspiciously.

[Paladin]

Cealwyn Blackthorn

The sound of weeping startles Cealwyn and he sweeps a curious gaze over the surrounding foliage. "How strange," he says. "This place is a web of dangers and deceits."

He rests one hand lightly on the hilt of his sword as they proceed.

[Jernau35]

Wes

Wes recalls their previous jungle trip. ""Remember that horse-badger thing? It made strange noises too." He tries to compare the noise he's hearing now with the noise that creature made.

When Bonnie makes her remark about chivalrous males, Wes concurs. "There are some beings that do try to lure in men. Dryads for example. This might be one of those. Might be why Bonnie got past here unharmed before".

He reaches into his beltpouch and pulls out a candle. He breaks a piece off the end, and divides that piece into two, one for each ear. Wes holds off inserting them for the moment, however. He holds out the candle for others to take a piece as well.

[Karaunios]

Grimm

"Horse-badger thing?!" He starts taking pieces of candle from Wes until he realises he only has two ears.

[ChubbyPixie]

Chauncey says cooly, "If you heard the same weeping here before, logic dictates it is indeed a trap, as an actual person in distress would have perished by now. Or starved. Or simply been eaten alive by these incessant vermin! ...of course it could be a ghost, which, this near to Gorman's former base of operations, seems more than likely. Let us ignore it and proceed."

[Urson]

Luther
When Wes offers the candle, Luther shakes his head. I'd rather be able to hear everything else. Thanks. He leads the way on down the trail.
Chauncey, let me know when you think we're as close as we'll get, and need to start bushwhacking.