Chapter 2: The Land of Sulan

[Woe]

Haha. I was worried about that. You finally write a looong post and you get back really short responses. This is what Kanya thinks about what she hears:

Kanya finds the tales of dragons inflated, and likely a myth passed down years over years to keep the tribesmen away from the area; and the fear of a dragon is an easy tale to leverage. If true, though, she doesn't think she wants to take this group of individuals against a grown dragon, in its lair. She doesn't quite scoff at the tale, but she definitely appears unimpressed.

Oh, but the evil cult! That sounds like a great way to spend the afternoon. However, she left her "International Cultists Secret Society" at the ship, so she's a bit wary about the initial introduction. Better to start slow, learn some more about them, and make sure these evil cultists are the kind that welcome other evil cultists.

The ghostly wizards are surrounded by many many lizards. The way the tribesmen can count, that is about eight. Still, she'd prefer finding out how the "old stones" can be tapped before wading into a lizard breeding ground. She's also fought enough wizards to know that even one wizard is a challenge, and multiple wizards... that'd be downright dangerous. Best to avoid that area unless she has a good reason to be there.

The monkey folk sound like they'd be good for nothing more than enslavement, though the numbers are a bit high to pursue that. She doesn't have the numbers/firepower to enslave a whole civilization, and that halfling seems to entertain odd thoughts of morality and goodness. Now if she could find someone with the motivation of the monk's sword, she might consider the option more rigorously.

So for her, the immediate goals are:
- take the magic of the old stones
- free Scrawny's old man so the villagers help repair the ship
- leave

There's much easier pickings on the high seas than a dragon.

[MevlyTM]

Maju listens to the descriptions that Teruk provides, translating to the rest of the group. He says to his party, "True or not, it seems this island presents many dangers. We must proceed with caution. It's fortunate that we've met up with these locals, they can likely help us to avoid many hazards. In any case, in spite of this new insight, we should proceed with our plan to free their village. Whatever dangers we will face may be relieved by having secured these allies." He then reflects a moment and says, "Still, if there once was a dragon who is now deceased or vacated his or her lair, there may be some interesting plunder and artifacts there…perhaps we might explore this later."

[Woe]

"We're not freeing the village for the fun of it, and definitely not for the chief's goodwill. After the native wants his father rescued, he'd better send his laborers to repair the Ari-Ari or else there'll be hell to pay. You can go fight the dragon later, if there is one. I have better things to do than attack a dragon in her lair."

[Longman]

Moving right along...

After dino-brunch, you keep moving south until you hit the old road.

AkaRoad.jpg (480.04 KiB) Viewed 5811 times

It's made of stones, and has small walls to the side. Some effort has been made to clear the worst of the vines and tree saplings but it is pretty overgrown in some places and the villagers clear obstructuions ahead of you.

You had east, and the open forest quickly turns to dense jungle. You make good progress throughout the day. (It's fortunate there is a path. if you had to go through the jungle with the camel you would be very slow indeed.)

At dinner time, you are preparing another dino bbq on the road, when there is a loud buzzing droning sound from the east, and the villagers alert you to the fact that some GIANT BEES are coming your way.

'We should run,' say Teruk. 'They must be making a hive around here, and they'll try to protect it. If they sting you, you can die from it.'

No one is surprised and everyone can act. The villagers are all fleeing westward along the path, except Teruk who is waiting to see you are all OK.

Tanya, you are on the camel with a move of 50 if it goes into a gallop but you will have to make a dex roll (10) to hold on. Saracen, your move in banded armor is 20 so you are likely to be last to get away. Jaali is 30, in leathers. Everyone else is 40 or more.

[SerGavin]

Hey Maju! Do you think you can make these things sleep?
Saracen will then grab his ten foot pole, and set the end on fire, on the logic that smoke makes bees very sleepy.

[quozl]

Yuian-Cheng gives Saracen a look. "Do not poke a beehive unless you are prepared for the swarm."

Yuan-Cheng will follow the villagers.

[mTeasdale]

Jaali will run an follow the villagers.

If the bees seems to follow the group and are faster than Jaali, he will throw a a bit of his stuff on the ground to be less uncumbered, so quicker.

Some of his stuff being 2 dry rations, putting Jaali just under his max light load. That would put his movement speed at 40'.

DM edit: um, nope. He's in leather armor. Lightly loaded he's at 30. If he's heavily loaded its even worse. Core Rules, Movement and Encumbrance.

Response : Magic Leather, which unless you rule otherwise, should be the same as unamored.

DM response: You are right. Forgot it was magic.

[Woe]

As the party passes through the forest, Kanya stares at the scenery with a sense of deja vous. She leans closer to the camel and mutters, "Dungbreath, does this remind you of Boldenwald?"

----

Kanya watches Fhajah start rummaging through his pack for oil with an incredulous look on his face. "What in fel's blazes are you thinking?!? Run, you fool! Or you'd better set the whole damn jungle on fire with what you're thinking."

I'd rather not take a 50% fail rate to ride away fast, especially since I only need to ride away from Fhajah... who dammit I'm supposed to ensure his survival. That pirate captain better pay well for bodyguard services. So much for my original plan to not needing to outrun the bears^H^H^Hees.

Is it possible to split the difference, between "too likely to fall at 50'" and the slower "mosey along safely at 25'(?)" rates? Given the captain's request, I don't want to abandon the other pirate until it's clear he's gone completely insane.

[Longman]

OK I got 4.5 out of 5 so I'm going ahead. All moves assumed to be double moves.

The villagers flee at 100'. Yuan Cheng flees at 120', which looks almost ludicrous, especially with the giant sword hanging off his back.

The halfling Jaali flees at 80, his little legs hitting the path at well over twice the speed of the leaping monk ahead of him.

Kanya backs up the camel, moving at a stately 50, away from the sea-elf and Maju. She looks behind her always, hoping the other two will end up moving with her.

The sea-elf spends the round pouring oil on his 10' pole and lights it off the newly lit BBQ fire. There is a decent amount of smoke. He looks at the mage expectantly.

Teruk sighs and mutters: you people are insane. Only Maju can understand him.

The bees appear. They are now 100 yards away. There are 10 of them you can see. There sound like more behind.

Maju. You going to cast sleep, or another spell, or are you running?

[Woe]

I'm not insane! I've just been asked to keep the captain's secret love-child alive.