Quest #23 "Even The Jungle Wanted Them Dead"

[Urson]

Luther

Luther forces himself to study the head closely, holding his breath. Can he get a sense of how long it has been decaying? Are there any distinguishing marks on what's left of the face?


When's the last time anybody saw Nehru?

[ChubbyPixie]

“A pleasure, I’m sure...” says Chauncey perfunctorily upon the appearance of the woman warrior, by all appearances totally unmoved by her charms. He is brought up short when the head is revealed, a thoughtful look creeping over his visage.

“Are we to deduce that Mr. Nehru was snatched bodily from the encampment? He did not strike me as the adventuring type, and unlikely to have sauntered off into the woods. This confirms my suspicion that the confrontation of this evil priest cannot happen quickly enough,” he says.

With that, he begins gathering up the darts he heroically threw in the recent battle.

[SirOwen]

Avaala The Grey

Avaala stares at the head for a moment and then draws a slow breath and looks at the note from the backpack.

[Jernau35]

Wes

Wes winces when he sees what has befallen Nehru. Then he replies to Luther. "He came up this trail about three days before us. He was supposed to be on a survey mission with Liam, Bonnie, and some other fella I've Never Personally Confronted."

Wes looks again at Nehru's head and exhales heavily. "Bonnie....again".

[SirOwen]

Jaxsen Reiter

Jaxsen, ever the pragmatist, only spares the head a cursory glance before gently taking Galanthas and Luther by the arms. "We need to see to our healing," he says. "Before something else comes out of the jungle with our flesh on its mind." He doesn't force the idea, but unless either pulls free, he will lead them to Brother Gilbert and Wes. "Can you help us?" he asks the Cleric and the Druid.

[OGRE MAGE]

Luther

Luther forces himself to study the head closely, holding his breath. Can he get a sense of how long it has been decaying? Are there any distinguishing marks on what's left of the face?


When's the last time anybody saw Nehru?

Luther doesn't notice any distinguishing marks on the head, but he is pretty sure that this poor chap has been dead a good long while already.

A few weeks at least, possibly as long as a month.

[Jernau35]

Wes

"I'm afraid there's nothing I can do about these wounds right now," the druid replies to Jaxsen. "I'll have to rest and pray to The Shalm to get my healing magic back".

Wes wipes the sweat from his face and looks up through the jungle canopy above. "It's been a long hard day already and it's not yet noon. I hate to suggest making camp so early in the day. But with three folks heavily wounded and us still not through the vegepygmies, it might be the wisest thing to do."

[Bluehorse]

Monocar

Wes

"I'm afraid there's nothing I can do about these wounds right now," the druid replies to Jaxsen. "I'll have to rest and pray to The Shalm to get my healing magic back".

Wes wipes the sweat from his face and looks up through the jungle canopy above. "It's been a long hard day already and it's not yet noon. I hate to suggest making camp so early in the day. But with three folks heavily wounded and us still not through the vegepygmies, it might be the wisest thing to do."

Pointedly doesn't look at the head. Well... We have a cabin here... We could fortify it maybe? Make it a little more defensible until everyone gets enough rest and prayers? I mean.. It's at least shelter, right?

[Karaunios]

Galanthas stares at the severed head, his eyes wide open and his face pale.

When Jaxsen approaches him and Luther he reacts: "Eh... Yes, yes. You're right. I almost forgot my wounds with all this hustle and bustle..." He seems to suddenly feel the pain and, led by the monk, he sits next to where Brother Gilbert stands.

[SirOwen]

Avaala The Grey

Avaala looks up from the note with a confused look on his face. The confused look slowly devolves into a soft grin. "Well," he says. "It seems Gorman expected this little sortie of his to wipe out the majority of Beachtown, and this letter is an eviction notice to any survivors." He turns the note around for anyone that cares to inspect it. "The good news is this: He called this pack of zombies and skeletons an 'onslaught of undead minions'. That makes me think he has emptied his camp of them. And he has declared the entire island to be his, so he's got to be a bit delusional. The natives, the Phanaton, Beach Town, Bing and his forces, and the Dwarves are all here, and he thinks he can just take it all? Sounds insane to me."

Avaala points to the head. "And, apparently, he thinks that was Nehru. I can't tell for sure. If he's wrong, then we still have the mayor out here somewhere. If he's right, we need to set up some kind of leadership when we get back."

The mage the turns to the new, if temporary, addition. "So," he asks. "Is Gorman really so nuts he thinks he can take the island? And please, what else can you tell us about him?"

The hand written note is in a tiny scribbled script, barely legible, and reads as such.....

To the good people of Beachtown:
(if any of you actually survived my onslaught of undead minions)

Please know that I didn’t want things to turn out this way. I never intended for any of you to have to suffer due to the consequences of this man. But let me assure you that your suffering is now over, and you have me to thank for that.

I know that only a handful of you know me or remember who I am, but I assure you that I am a man of action, as you can see by the contents of this pack. Your leader is gone. You no longer have anyone to goad you into doing things you don’t want to do.

Now I must demand that every one of you leave this island immediately. It is for your own safety. Have your ship captains take you back to whatever shit pile you crawled out from under and get the hell off my island!!! If you are not gone by the end of Goodmonth, I will return to the beach to convert any remaining survivors into my growing army of undead.

This will be your final warning!

[SpinwardMarch]

Brother Gilbert

As the battle has finally ended, he can now tend to the wounds of the most injured. He inspects the wounds and cleans up the areas around them. Then, piously, he asks Pelor to help heal them.

May the blessings and healing of Pelor be upon you, Luther and Galanthas.

For Galanthas: Cure Light Wounds- spell [1d8] = 1
He tried...

For Luther: Cure Light Wounds- spell [1d8] = 5

And that is all Br. Gilbert can do today with his spells.

[Karaunios]

Galanthas seems toughtful for a couple seconds. "Thank you, Brother Gilbert. You did all what you could." he says with a seemingly forced smile. "We still can go to the cabin and rest for the night."

Having heard Avaala's summary of the letter: "So if those were the big part of his undead army, we're on the right track." He coughs, pressing one of his wounds with bloodied hand. "If, on another vein, Beachtown now lacks leadrship because Nehru is dead... Well, that's bad news. If we have to think of a new leader for the town, I haven't been that long here, but I know of someone who the people back in town really appreciate." And he points to Wes.

[Bluehorse]

Monocar

Galanthas
Having heard Avaala's summary of the letter: "So if those were the big part of his undead army, we're on the right track." He coughs, pressing one of his wounds with bloodied hand. "If, on another vein, Beachtown now lacks leadrship because Nehru is dead... Well, that's bad news. If we have to think of a new leader for the town, I haven't been that long here, but I know of someone who the people back in town really appreciate." And he points to Wes.

Thinks about this for a minute... with a strained look on his face. Yeah, having a spiritual leader might work well. he nods as if warming to the idea. Do you guys think that we should send a message back to town about what happened? Maybe one of the badly wounded with an escort? I mean... Nehru is dead... This is important news, right?

[Urson]

Luther
Luther raises his voice a bit, to make sure he's heard.

First of all: Thanks for the healing. I've said before that I won't leave the God of my ancestors- but I also owe Pholtus quite a bit.
If you saw Nehru in town three days ago, this ain't him. This poor fella has been dead for weeks. I like the idea of Gorman having sent most of his monsters out, leaving him with less defense. I wouldn't count on it, tho. And stopping to recover sounds good to me.
He pauses, a sour look crossing his face. Mebbe I'm thinking too hard about this- do you suppose this Gorman has some way he can listen to us with this deadhead?
,. Whatever else we do, we should give this poor slob a proper burial.à

[Bluehorse]

Luther
...Whatever else we do, we should give this poor slob a proper burial.à[/b][/dialog]

Monocar

Looks around at all the corpses. That would be a lot of digging... What if we made a funeral pyre and said some prayers and stuff?
I mean... I feel like these folks have been desecrated enough... But this is a lot of carrion to leave laying around somewhere we might be sleeping soon. Could attract a lot of big predators and the like. What say you, preachers? I mean no disrespect, but... well... It doesn't seem right to just leave it all laying about but I don't think we have the daylight to do much more.

[Urson]

Luther
Good idea, Monocar.

[OGRE MAGE]

Seeking Out The Jungle Priest
Starday, the 13th of Goodmonth
Midday, Misty, Hot, Buggy

Really great role playing everyone!

Brother Gilbert does what he can for the most seriously injured, though he is only a single simple servant of Pelor. Avaala tells the other what is in the note, handing it out to anyone else who wants to see it. It reads as follows:

To the good people of Beachtown:
(if any of you actually survived my onslaught of undead minions)

Please know that I didn’t want things to turn out this way. I never intended for any of you to have to suffer due to the consequences of this man. But let me assure you that your suffering is now over, and you have me to thank for that.

I know that only a handful of you know me or remember who I am, but I assure you that I am a man of action, as you can see by the contents of this pack. Your leader is gone. You no longer have anyone to goad you into doing things you don’t want to do.

Now I must demand that every one of you leave this island immediately. It is for your own safety. Have your ship captains take you back to whatever shit pile you crawled out from under and get the hell off my island!!! If you are not gone by the end of Goodmonth, I will return to the beach to convert any remaining survivors into my growing army of undead.

This will be your final warning!
Gorman

With what has been mentioned so far, Luther is pretty sure this isn't actually Nehru's rotting head. Now that he mentions it, a few others who had close dealings with the man doubt its authenticity as well. It looks similar, but not exact.

Scattered gear is gathered and discussion about what to do next is approached, most of the group seemingly content to hike back to the loggers shack to rest out the day and heal as best they can. Talk about burying or burning the bodies is also brought up. Avaala questions the leather clad woman standing amongst the party. She fills the group in on what she knows of this man.

"Gorman came to the island on the second ship. He acted as the settlers cleric and healer for the first month or so that he was here. I think Nehru knew that he didn't have the best intentions in mind right from the start, but they needed the man around desperately in the beginning. He is powerful. More so than me, and....." She peers around the group, looking each member up and down slowly before continuing. "Far more powerful than any of you, too. He was eventually ousted by the settlers after they realized that he wasn't the most wholesome chap to have around. I heard stories about a few things he had done to some of the young girls around town, but never confirmed any of that for myself. Needless to say, he wasn't well liked."

"I met the man early on, and we had an agreement to work together for a time. But once I found out what a weirdo he was, and that he had other women doing the same thing I was for him, I decided to take my leave of the creep. He asked me to watch over the town and its surroundings, and to report to him if any really powerful people came ashore, which I did for him, until now. He told me that this island has great meaning, and that he was in the process of figuring out what that was. He told me about a ring of towering crystal obelisks that dominate this island as well, though I have never seen one myself. His desire for power is unprecedented, and I believe everything he wrote in that note. He is definitely crazy! And it will take every one of you and all of your skills if you plan on confronting the man."

Actions?

Wes 26/34 2/6 first 0/4 second 2/3 third
Jaxsen 2/14
Galanthas 4/12 CL, DM, RM 1/1 first
Luther 7/26
Avaala 11/12 CL, DM, RM 1/2 first 0/1 second
Treasure
Chauncey 20/20 CL, DM, RM 0/2 first 1/1 second
Mr. Wrenly 4/4
Brother Gilbert 12/16 0/4 first
Monocar 15/31

[SirOwen]

Avaala The Grey

Avaala looks at Treasure. Quietly, he says,"A ring of obelisks.... I think these must be the obelisks we spoke of before. It seems others are interested in them as well." He runs his hand along the back of the dragon's head. "Your clues are starting to pay off!"

Louder, Avaala says, "I think the story he told the young lady about the obelisks must be true. Treasure recalls seeing them long ago. So they are there, and Gorman didn't lie about it. I think that makes anything else he might have told her more likely."He stops, and looks at her again. "I'm sorry, did I ask your name before?"

[SirOwen]

Jaxsen Reiter

Jaxsen listens to the woman's words. "Since we face so formidable an opponent, we need two things," he says. "Some idea of where he is, and a chance to heal up. We beat his monsters, but this hive is wounded, and I do not think we should go after him until we can swarm him properly."

[Bluehorse]

Monocar

Jaxsen listens to the woman's words. "Since we face so formidable an opponent, we need two things," he says. "Some idea of where he is, and a chance to heal up. We beat his monsters, but this hive is wounded, and I do not think we should go after him until we can swarm him properly."

It'd be good to wait until we could fight him too.