CH. 9: Road to Tu'Valie

[Jenara]

"You have walked it once, more than I have." Arei grins, "That's experience in my book. If we encounter trouble I will step aside and let the warriors fight."

"And yes, Val you need to redistribute the weight, I want to move as quick as we can."

[Nuke]

OOC: add her fishing net (5lbs) and rations(2lbs) to poor Thunder. That, with the rope(8lbs) should get her there.

[JadedDM]

Val adds a few more things to Thunder's load, which allows her to walk faster. This also helps with the pain of the injuries she suffered yesterday at the hands of the would-be assassin.

Eager to push on, the party continues following the trail in relative silence. They don't encounter anyone or anything along the way, until about mid-afternoon, around lunchtime. There's an old statue standing just off the trail, weather worn and covered in vines. It looks like a snake with feathers covering it.

Ancient Statue.jpg (67.78 KiB) Viewed 7493 times

"Shall we take a break for lunch before moving on?" Andar asks.

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Val is no longer in encumbrance, her movement rate increases to 12.
The party's movement rate increases to 12.
The party has traveled 3 miles in five hours.
It is now 3:00 PM.

[HorizonsDream]

"Sure," Jocelyn says in agreement with Andar. Though, she takes a moment to walk over to Val, place her hand upon her shoulder, and prays to Octhanus for her healing power.

Cure Light Wounds (5)

[Nuke]

"Thanks Jocelyn. I don't like it in here. All closed in I almost feel as if we are being watched." With that, Val grabs a light lunch, but really doesn't relax.

[Breila]

Ouragana eats some of a ration, too, and nods to Val's remark. "I don't like it either, it reminds me too much of that other jungle adventure. The only good thing that came out of it was that we could free Andar." After eating and drinking a bit, she walks over to the statue and examines it. After some time, she turns away, frustrated. "I'm sorry, I have no idea what this might be" she confesses.

1d20=19

[JadedDM]

The power of Octhanus flows from Jocelyn into Val, soothing the pain and healing the first dagger stab, as well as the pain from the poison. The second stab wound remains, however.

Ouragana and Val have some dried rations and water, and Andar does likewise. "The merchants I traveled this path with before told me about it. They said long before the elves came here from across the sea, humans populated these islands. They did not worship the gods as we know them, but ancient elemental spirits. This statue is a left over of that time; I think it's some kind of air spirit, meant to help the lost find their way. It's probably been there for over two thousand years."

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Jocelyn casts Cure Light Wounds on Val, restoring (1d8): 5 HP. Val is no longer severely wounded; she's now moderately wounded.
Val eats a meal of dry rations and drinks a pint of water.
Ouragana eats a meal of dry rations and drinks a pint of water.
Andar eats a meal of dry rations and drinks a pint of water.

[BishGada]

During the morning as the flies buzz around and the heat makes him sweat Baeros grunts, mostly to himself. "Tolasi... Spiders... I kinda like spiders... why do they always thinks badly of them... of course when they come at their natural sizes..." after few more minutes... "Better these Tolasi than these flies! Come little grinish monsters... I'm sure even them hate these flies and heat."
When arriving to the stop point and Ouragana admits she doesn't know what the statue is, Baeros suggest his vast knowledge dipped with a lot of sarcasm, "Why... obviously it's a snake with wings! He is a friend of the spiders with boar hoofs under the command of the Tolasi that are getting crazy with these flies!!" his ton rises with the sentence. But than when Andar gives his explanation, Baeros listen and stays quiet, taking a corner to sit and relax.
When everyone eats, after resting in the shadow, Baeros compensates somewhat of his behavior, sharing fresh cheese and dry fruits with the party. Then he walks to the statue and asks Andar while checking the carvings from the base of the statue to it's head with his hands, and try to look from the view point of the statue at the forest, "You said this statue meant to help the lost find their way? So does it point to cities directions? Did you see other such statues along the way last time you walked here?"

[Breila]

Ouragana listens to the conversation between Bearos and Andar and asks, somewhat puzzled. "But we are not lost, or are we?"

[Jenara]

"Interesting." Arei muses stroking her hand along the line of the statute. "No we aren't lost, but the statute would aid those that might be." Sitting on the ground she cracks open her rations and sips some water.

"We are making good time, it appears." She motions to the path.

[JadedDM]

"You said this statue meant to help the lost find their way? So does it point to cities directions? Did you see other such statues along the way last time you walked here?"

Andar shakes his head. "As I said, the statue was built two thousand years ago, at least. Tu'Valie didn't exist back then, nor did any other civilized settlement. That was back before the elves came across the seas, when humanity lived in primitive hunting and gathering tribes, with no knowledge of magic or technology. If these statues ever led anywhere, that place likely doesn't exist anymore."

"We are making good time, it appears."

Andar nods in agreement, wiping some sweat from his brow. "We are. It has been a long time, but I remember that when I traveled this road with those merchants, it wasn't until the end of the first day we reached this statue; this is where we camped for the night. Yet here we are, with several hours of daylight remaining."

Despite their progress, however, the mosquitoes are annoying and the summer heat is oppressive. The trees offer some shade, at least.

Further along the path, about 50 yards down, a buck emerges from the forest and sniffs around, unaware or unconcerned of the party's proximity.

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Baeros shares a pound of cheese and fruit with everyone, and eats a meal of rations and drinks a pint of weak wine himself.
Areilon eats a meal of iron rations and drinks a pint of water.

[HorizonsDream]

Jocelyn nods quietly to Val in answer to her thanks, and then decides to eat what little she can. "It could still exist, but it would be in ruins," she says. "And I think I would like to avoid ruins at the moment."

[Breila]

Ouragana points out the buck to the group. "Look! Could that become our dinner?"

[Jenara]

"The journey would be almost pleasant, if it werent for the flies." Arei suggests, her eyes shooting to the Buck. "Bearos, your a hunter, what do you think?" Pulling her pack off her back she places it on the ground, and quietly places a bolt in her crossbow. "Should we get some fresh meat for supper?"

[BishGada]

Baeros already knocks an arrow in his bow, "Aye..." he says quietly, estimating the distance. "Don't move you all. Stay still. I need to get closer." Baeros, as he have a way with animals, reads the buck movements, tries to move as quietly and reassuringly as possible. Catching Takit's alert in the corner of his eye he gives him a nod that means the dog will make a large round about in the woods and try to chase the buck off towards the company, keeping his distance from the game. From time to time Baeros stands still and waits until the buck to relaxes and grazes some grass before slowly gaining another pace or two. As he moves towards the buck Baeros also checks if another hunter from the company tries to get closer and if so, try to coordinate their movements with small gestures of his hand so it won't threat the buck. When getting to effective range, and judging by the time passed that Takit might be in place, in safe distance from the buck and watching him already, Baeros slowly raises his bow and shoots the buck.

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(Rolls:
Move silently (27%) = 87; Animal empathy (I rolled 1d20 and there is a 1 modifier that should be good but I didn't know if to add or subtract, so without the modifier the result is = 14, Attack roll (1d20+1) = 19 Damage (1d8+1) = 1+1 (by mistake I didn't add the modifier to the damage in the roll)