Map of Road
The camp grimly prepares for leaving, even though the hour is dark. The hours* spent fuitlessly searchin the area have done little to restore the convival mood of the previous night. As soon as one shape is distinguishable from the other in the gloom of the swampy jungle, the caravan begins to move.
Once upon the road, the going is easier.
Now a choice comes upon the company. Shall they move with great speed, hoping to overtake the captors of their friends, or shall they move cautiously, both to guard against ambush and to seek tracks and clues to Drummel and Handle's whereabouts?
If the former, they should come to the baked mud flats by afternoon. If the latter, they will still be hilly region that lies just short of the flats by camp time.
The flats would afford excellent protection from further ambush since visibility is high and cover is minimal.
Camping in the hills is riskier, but there is less chance of missing a clue.
Choices?

* The clues and tracks you found represent hours of searching. I'm also figuring you move at about 1/3 speed if actively tracking.

The plucky 'coon offers his services as scout to move along the flanks of the caravan looking for clues while the 'head and tail' do the deeds previously discussed by the Guides of the Troupe.

With that in mind, I vote for the slow, camp in the hills choice.

If it is decided otherwise... Ricco may attempt to talk some other like-minded individuals into defecting to find the missing comrades.

We need to go slowly to make sure we don't lose them. While we might overtake them if we move more quickly, it is just as likely we will miss them because we don't know where they are going. We need more information about the raided sanctuary you found while... collecting Celeste. I will go speak to Brother (hmgaheoijf) to see if he knows any more about it but I need someone to come with me that actualoy saw the area.

OOC: The witnesses were Nuyok, Lekchock, Vagrant and the hapless Handle. Any takers to Beka's offer?

OOC: Uh, yeah, don't forget the chopped liver over there, she was there too.

OOC: Oops. I forgot that was after, not before. Well, are ya gonna help Beka or whut?

OOC: I'm gonna 'whut'.

"I will go with you Beka, though I believe that Lekchock, Vagrant and...Handle actually searched the area outside the sanctuary."

Well then, let's you and I go see Brother Cadburry and see what he has to say.

(We go we go!)

Celeste nods her assent and moves off with Beka in the direction of Brother Cadbury.

The caravan has been moving as quietly as possible; the mood is terrible. People are looking over their shoulders and Konnur has to be reminded constantly not to run ahead looking for his brother.
Borther Cadbury has put on a wide brimmed, yet shallow straw hat, since the sun is intermittently lancing through the canopy with warm golden light. He nods as you approach, then wipes the sweat from his brow.
"Did you need something, sisters?" he says softly.

Sorry, I posted an answer to this yeasterday. It seems to have vanished mysteriously.

Celeste looks at Beka, waiting for her to begin her queries of Brother Cadbury.OOC: bok bokOOC: Ah, the old disappearing post....I am well familiar with it.

"Brother, several of my caravan came across a small sanctuary where the people had been slain and there was evidence that it might have been the same type of attack. The sanctuary was just outside the city. Celeste was there and she can describe it to you. Do you know anything of it, the people that were there, what they were doing, or why they might have been attacked?"

I have spoken of this to your Master Nuyok," he bgins. He is obviously troubled at the thought of the Sanctuary. "Abbot Derano and his wife, Sister Berta were the caretakers. She always fed me soup. They never even refused protection to a gator. The sanctuary did have a symbol of the faith within, fashioned of silver, but apparently it was undefiled. No, whoever did it were killers of the purest and most debased kind."

"Brother Cadbury, just before Sister Berta died, she said 'yaraza' or at least something that sounded like it. The word has the feeling of familiarity to me, and yet I cannot recall anything about what it might be. Have you ever heard any such word?"

OOC: I happen to know the GM is going to be a bit busy for the next few days so I recommend we take over and tell the story our way! I believe Beka is going to become the new Demon King. (I Arthur!)

OOC: If we are going to take over this game, then I submit that the word 'yaraza' is just another word for 'vegemite'. You know the GM has never acknowledged whether or not Brother Cadbury is familiar with this word...I think Cadbury is hiding something....let's feed him to a Carnobroc and then see is that loosens his lips.....

Brother Cadbury looks thoughtful. "Yaraza... Ya-RA-za. YA-raza. Yara-ZA. Hmm.. I'm afraid I can't think of what it might mean." He looks genuinely concerned over it. "The 'Raza' is a dance that Adalan farmers do. It's some kind of celebration of harvest or reaping. 'Rassa's' is the name of a popular inn where there's a lot of ehh, temporary matchmaking, so to speak. Yara was the name of a Boothian sympath-- prophet your folk might say. It's also a kind of knife, I think. No, that's a 'Savaak'. Zarya is a folk heroine of children's stories. She uses a fabulous sword to fight Riven who come to steal naughty boys and girls."

Celeste, as the clergyman works his way through the word, you remember what seemed familiar to you. Some tribes of the Shattered isles have similar-sounding suffixes. The Kokuza, who are cannibals; the mysterious Alidza, who run from contact; and perhaps the walled Thuada, which is kind of similar. They all come from islands to the west of the Red Tide and your adopted tribe. Not much is known of any of them, save they tend to be small and reclusive.

Nevertheless, there does not seem to be any direct corellation to what Cadbury is saying.

Celeste will ponder this when she has a moment, as in when the new 'crisis' is over and speak with Nuyok and Brother Cadbury again. But for the moment, she is off and running....

OOC: Zarya? Our very own Amazon?

OOC: I figured it was a cute OOC reference. No superheroes here, move along. Nothing to see.

We need to go slow for any chance to find them, as we cannot keep up with them.

Nuyok reminds everyone to ponder ideas on a way to trap our assailants, if anything can be thought of.

Dashel says, "Oi don' have no prob'em wif trappin animals anna like, but oi got no experience, y'might say, on trappin' people. They're a whole lot smarter then, you know?"
He scratches his scalp, carefully. "These folks strike me as bein' after somefin'. None o' your lot do anything to piss anyone off, lately? Steal somefin? Kill some'un?"

"Yes, that would appear to be the case. Given their previous assault on the sanctuary, the only known connection we have between the two is Brother Cadbury..."

" 'E's just a priest, though, inn'e? Wha's that lot got that would get someone mad enough to follow 'em frough a'jungle, eh?"
He looks back over the assemblage. "Nah, If'n you don' mind some speculation, my silver's on 'at Vagrant fella. 'E's got more mystery 'an my mum's stew meat. Or that bear. Oi 'eard of Sangiyok, his boss. 'E's a rough customer, no doubt. Or your pirate queen, there. Or Mister 'I'm just a traveller' bloody Arkis. Stones, even Will's a reg'lar watchaallit Tabbelarouser."

"Yes, there is plenty of suspicion available, but as for Vagrant or Celeste, I have travelled with them for some time, so they do not concern me so much so as some of your new companions such as Arkis."

"You can vouch for 'em all you like, but Oi'm gonna keep me eyes wide open, jussa same. No disrespeck, a'course. It's jus' by keepin' me eyes open, they ain' shut permanently, eh?"
He hesitates, "Besides, how well do you really know those two?"

OOC: I understand porcupine tastes alot like chicken....

"I know them only from our trek from Tallon to Adala, but between fighting alongside one another and the fact that I have known them well before the present abductions, I have no suspicion about their involvement in such. At least, not knowing involvement."

Vagrant continues with the caravan taking on a role of jungle watcher and protector. He silently wants amongst the party as they move taking note to people's locations and safety. Once or twice he will allow Dashel's eye to fall on him and will suspiciously turn away. Perhap out of his normal character, he can't help but have some fun with the little creature.

"Maybe I shoul' scout ahead. I might catch up to dem an' can git back to da caravan an' tell ya what I saw. Dey might move fast, but I'm not tryin' to carry prisoners, so I'll be able ta catch dem."

"That sounds like an excellent idea, given your similar ability in the jungle."

OK, Leckchock. The jungle here slowly climbs. The road is fairly well marked, and the ground is not as boggy as it was last night. The trees are still thick and the ground rough and impassable.* Riccoco is advance scouting along the road, which makes many switchbacks.
What route do you want to take, what precautions and what equipment?

---

*For normal folks. You have pretty much freedom of movement. You still have normal visibility limitations, though. The jungle is dense here.

I'll take my tomahwak .oO(Wish I 'ad my knife) and that's about it. Used to livin' off the land. I'll take to the trees but follow the road, stopping every now and then to check tracks or signs of passage.

Tracking 14-
3d6: 11 Tue February 10, 2004 @2:58 PM (CST)

Survival 14-
3d6: 9 Tue February 10, 2004 @2:58 PM (CST)

AK: Jungle 11-
3d6: 15 Tue February 10, 2004 @2:58 PM (CST)

and anything I forgot just so Keith doesn't roll for me
3d6: 9 Tue February 10, 2004 @2:58 PM (CST)

The first thing you notice as you take to the brush is that there are many places where the road is very visible. Ambushes would be easy to a skilled party. The second thing you discover is that the current road is probably not the original road. There are remnants of older trails that are now long overgrown, but still would afford easier passage than the fll jungle. If you were carrying a body or two through the jungle, these are the routes you would take. Sure enough, at least twice you see clear signs of the passage of those moccasined feet.
You believe you found a spot where a number of them congregated together for some time. Counting carefully, you do not believe there are more than five or six of them, assuming they were all present. They seem to have gathered about a tree. By going over the bark very carefully, you can determine that a rope was slung over the tree at one point, and something heavy was suspended from it. In fact, this appears to have been done on two different limbs. There are no signs of blood anywhere.
Your searching is interrupted by the strident call of Faliol's noisemaker, coming from somewhere on the other side of the Lizard Road. It is the signal to come quickly!

Edited to reduce visibility

[EDITED on Wed February 11, 2004 @12:47 AM (PST)]

Lekchock will run back towards Faliol's noise maker.

Edited for visibility

[EDITED on Thu February 12, 2004 @8:34 AM (PST)]

Lekchock, you run and swing your way through the branches and underbrush. As you get closer to the source of the noise, you notice there is blood on some of the vegetation and nearby ground. From your perch above, it looks as though it has been spread about intentionally. In the clearing below stands Faliol, who is circling a large tree, looking intently at the ground (tracking). Tied upside down to the tree is the body of Drummel, cut by a hundred cuts. You cannot tell if he is alive or dead, but Faliol is saying comforting things to him.

Please post your actions in a post visible to yourself and Faliol. I will add the others as they approach.

OOC: Keith I'm having issues so have to do everything by email, I can't add Faliol and if I use a different post I'm not sure where it would fall, so I'll just let you edit it

From up in the tree you hear a voice:
"He still alive? I'll cut 'im down 'elp me lower 'im"

Paramedic 12-
3d6: 12 Thu February 12, 2004 @5:11 PM (CST)

Herbal Remidies 12-
3d6: 13 Thu February 12, 2004 @5:11 PM (CST)

The party has been moving slowly, up and down a series of ridges and dips, climbing ever higher before the anticipated long road down into the reiver valley that comes from Black Lake (and its associated mud flats). The sun peeks through the canopy from time to time, hot and blazing. The scouts have been taking turns tracking and checking for traps.
Trackers, please submit tracking rolls. I ain't-a-gonna take the rap for this one. I believe, Lekchcok, Faliol, Riccoco and Dashel are taking turns, probably in shifs of two each. Here is Dashel's roll:
Tracking, 13-
3d6: 9 Sun February 8, 2004 @9:14 PM (PST)

Riccoco moves quite slowly, sometimes enough to likely be reprimanded by the others. Still, he's using all of his Beastly Faculties in order to find what he can concerning the missing Handle.

Tracking 13-
3d6: 5 Mon February 9, 2004 @9:29 AM (CST)

Perception 15- (complementary?)
3d6: 11 Mon February 9, 2004 @9:29 AM (CST)

Riccoco, you have come across an overhang of rock that has a good view of the trail your caraavan is taking. In fact, from up here, you can see quite a few intermittent stretches of the Lizard road for about five miles. Down below, you can see the tiny caravan headed towards you (you have scouted ahead). They are well beyond shouting distance.
Just as you are thinking that this would be a good place for a scout to be positioned, you notice something odd.
On the ground is a fruit pit, something like a mango in texture. It has been recently gnawed on by what you would guess to be human teeth. Checking very carefully, you find some broken twigs that indicate a human-height figure passed this way.

From this you can surmise

1. They do not appear to have been satsified with taking Handle and Drummel.

2. They must be on the move, since this is farther than they could have walked last night.

3. They are watching your caravan.

4. They are not far away; the pit is still moist.

This last realization suddenly makes you aware of just how far away you are from the others. And how very alone...

Please make another Perception roll.

Ricco freezes, becoming quickly immobile. The pit is forgotten and his other paw grips subconciously tight on his trident. his eyes are very big and wide, he doesn't turn around though. If he does, they'll know he knows and plunge the knife in his back...

He tries to look down past his muzzle at the whistle he got from the Piner... One blow and the others would come for him. They'd never find him clear up here, though. One dead 'coon, laying forever on this rocky escarpment. No return to the bray. No Chuckichis. He could feel the hair on the back of his head moving with the breath of the hooligan...

Unable to take it any longer, Ricco drops on his haunches and quickly turns around. Hopefully, the move is quick and clever enough to surprise the Dirt-flinger.

Perception 15-
3d6: 10 Tue February 10, 2004 @7:42 AM (CST)

Ricco spins about, knowing what he will see. He is not surprised. A man crouches in a nearby tree limb. He is dressed in a loincloth, various strips of ragged cloth mixed with leaves and vines. His skin is smeared with patterns of dirt, ash and berry juice. It is effective camouflage. Though he is dressed like a savage, the weapons and tools he bears are definitely the product of technology. He has a sheathed short sword, and in his right hand he holds small disks of metal with sharpened edges. His arm is cocked as if he intends to throw them.

Old words spoken about a campfire at the Bray flit through Ricco's mind as he attempts to keep a steely-eyed gaze on the kidnapper. He's ready to dodge to the side and close with this devil, if need be, though. Staring into the foliage, Ricco says, "Let's be lowerin' the 'Coon stickers, eh?"

OOC: If it comes to a fight and the vine-swinger joins in HTH, Ricco will use the club portion of his trident. He'd like to take the bastage alive! If it starts to go bad... Ricco will flee. He's not one for stand up fights, anyway!

"Infidel. Defiler," the man hisses. His accent is strange and he does not lower the odd litle disks. "Why should you be shown any mercy, consort of thieves?"

Riccoco can't help but frown in confusion. "Ol' Riccico don' be knowin' the count, fella, but he bein' sure steel won' help the endin'."

.o0O(Talkin' be better 'en stickin'.)

"On the contrary, steel will make a final ending to all. No defilers will remain. That which was stolen shall be returned. All who have aided the accursed one shall be slain. It is unfortunate for you that you are one of them."
His hand moves like ligthning and hurls the spikey disks in your direction.

He has a higher Dex and a missie weapon as well as elevation. I have thus given him the first action. You may abort to a dodge if you wish, or hope he does not hit. In any case, you are unlikely to see the results of the first phase until I return from DDC Monday evening. Please post your actions and contingencies.

Ricco dives into a roll, carefull not to fall off the ledge of the escarpment. It wouldn't do for poor Faliol to find the remains of his friend off in the jungle.

He hadn't come all this way to become the target for some jungle slugs throwing stars.

Abort to Dive for Cover. Dodge if there is no cover. All skills into DCV.

Contingency plans:

If there's some cover, hide behind it while keeping an eye on moccasin-guy.

If he can goad him down into HTH, he'll try to capture him.

If the zealot will not come down and there isn't cover, Ricco will make a break for surviving a leap from the cliff into some nearby branches/foliage.

If the zealot flees... Give cautious chase. There's obviously a few of these bastards out here.

When I first started building Ricco... We talked about him having some throwing javelins for a ranged weapon. Did we keep that in the chargen process or ditch it eventually? I'm thinking it got lost in the thinking that he's not much for that. Besides, he's used a bow when necessary.

I hope all this helps. If not, let me know! I hope you had a ball at Dundra Con.

OOC: Forgive the switching from first to seocnd person in the narrative. DDC was a blast and I haven't gotten into the swing of the narrative yet.

Riccoco sees the discs shoot from the hand of the stranger. There is no room to dive safely on this craggy overhang, so he twists his body as nimbly as possible. The three weapons go hurtling past. Two hit the rock where he was standing, the other goes sailing over the edge into space. The oddly-garbed warrior curses at the loss.
Riccoco recovers his stance and finds a good place to make a stand. He delivers a scathing, "Ya great pinkie! Come down here an' fight lessen' yer afraid of a wee 'coon!"
To his surprise, the stranger complies. He drops lightly to the ground, drawing his short sword in mid-motion.
The raccoon prepares for combat. If he can just wound this guy...
The stranger advances, but Riccoco makes a lightning stab. The man avoids it easily.
"Your every movement is as plain speech to me, beast," he hisses. His own sword makes a darting motion at Riccoco's eyes, seeming to dart past his guard. Riccoco whips his head back, saving his life.
Again the trident strikes and the man evades, though not so nimbly. His eyes narrow, "Someone has trained you."
The sword again sweeps towards the 'coon's eyes, this time catching fur, but leaving the vital organs of sight untouched. He's getting closer, and for some reason, that part of your anatomy feels particlarly vulnerable. Unconsciously, the raccoon takes another step backward, closer to the edge.
Desparately, Riccoco lunges with the trident and scores a hit. This man is very fast and skilled. All thoughts of capture leave Riccoco's mind. This is a fight to the death. The trident sinks into his arm, eliciting a cry of surprise and pain.
"You-- have hurt me, you insolent little mockaman! This charade has gone far enough. No one draws Yaraza blood and lives." And then amazingly he tosses aside his sword.
He makes a gesture, and with a sinking heart and icy stab of fear, you realizee where you have seen this before. Master Ash gestured just so when he nearly killed Handle all those weeks ago.
Riccoco doubles over in pain, hissing in agony as his body seems to erupt from the inside. Blackness over takes you, and you feel the ground spinning away.

Tracking 12- +1 level=13 or less
3d6: 11 Tue February 10, 2004 @5:47 AM (CST)

Faliol, Ricco has scouted ahead, Lekchock off to one side. Dashel has just finished speaking with Nuyok and dropped back. You have gone off to the other side to make sure you are not being paced. So far, you have found nothing suspicious, until you discover the blood. There is fresh blood on the leaves and branches near you. Following cautiously, you discover more. Finally, you hear a faint, "h-hel...p" from nearby. The path and party are not too far away (you cannot travel like Leckchock).
Do you investigate further or go summon aid from the party?

OOC: Sometimes this sounds like a Choose Your Own Adventure book...

Faliol quietly pulls his sword from its sheath...
Stealth, 12- plus 1 level=13-
3d6: 13 Tue February 10, 2004 @12:10 PM (CST)

Then he pulls out his little noisemaker and gives the signal to come running...

Then he charges after the noise...

The noisemaker breaks the silence with satisfying volume. Then you charge through the underbrush, weapon at the ready. The trees thin out to reveal a small clearing nearby. At the far edge is a huge and gnarled tree. Suspended upside down from a low limb, and otherwise bound to the trunk is the body of Drummel. You assume he is still alive, since you heard his voice. You would not guess it by looking at him. He has been covered with a hundred small cuts. His legs are pale and only the fact that his head is at the bottom gives his face any color. He has been much abused, and makes no sign of recognition. indeed, he barely seems to be moving at all.

The ground around him is soaked with blood and there seems to be more of it on the leaves and trees about.

Faliol tells the upside down man, "You are among friends now. Your brother approaches. Where is Handle? Are those who did this lurking nearby?"

Faliol does not approach Drummel, but circles clockwise looking for signs of the direction the abducters went after hanging Drummel.

Tracking 12- plus 1 level=13-
3d6: 13 Wed February 11, 2004 @5:39 AM (CST)

When the others approach, Faliol calls out, "Bring Nuyok and Brother Cadbury! I found Drummel!"

Cas will spend her time near Wickersticks. She trusts him and is trying to help create some cross group adaption. Besides, he has some very interesting stories and in the lulls of travel, she may very well get him to share some of the more interesting ones.

Will doesn't mind sharing company and stories, though he tells little about himself. He is interested in your fox legends and lore. He shows you some elementary weaving techniques, but so far they are beyond your clumsy paws' ability to perform.

Faliol's tracking skills make him wonder how Drummel's blood could get all over everything. It doesn't follow the path a dragged body would take, and some of it is on nearby tree limbs and such.

Then from up in the tree Faliol hears a voice:
"He still alive? I'll cut 'im down 'elp me lower 'im"

Looking up reveals Lekchock, who is looking with concern at Drummel.

Look for this thread to start up at the top again as more people arrive.

Quietly, "Leckock! Be careful. Something is amiss. They wanted us to find him. We may be in the jaws of a new type of trap."

If nothing jumps them, Faliol moves below to support Drummel while Lekchock cuts him down, "From all this blood I see a strange pattern. These people either fly like a bird or have the ability to run through the trees carrying prisoners... either way makes it easier for them to jump us."

Lekchock, looking for traps, takes his hatchet and begins to cut the rope suspending Drummel.

PER 14-
3d6: 13 Fri February 13, 2004 @11:45 AM (CST)

The obligatory Keith-don't-you-dare-roll-for-me roll
3d6: 4 Fri February 13, 2004 @11:45 AM (CST)

You see no traps, Lekchock. Drummel appears to be tied by stout cord. Although it is no match for your axe, Drummel himself is wound and bound tightly. A quick knife slash won't do it without hurting him even more. It's also possible that some of them are restricting his bleeding (not that he appears to have much blood left.)
I'll give you your KDYDRFMR of four on paramedics, to check his condition. He is alive, but probably not for long.
None of the wounds he received were mortal, or even particularly deep. They seem designed to bleed him. In fact, the only wound of any depth is on his left arm, which is drenched in blood. He has a winding of cord that is acting like a tourniquet. The other wounds were likely applied later.

Faliol, you discover a large fruit rind, like a scooped out canteloupe, nearby. it was obviously filled and re-filled with blood. There is a human hand-print on it.

Neither of you are sure if Drummel will survived being moved. Also, due to the nauter of his many wounds, it is impossible to stop any remaining blood loss. You guys can discuss and take a few quick actions at this point, but the other players are still telling me which ones are coming and which are staying with the wagons. They will probably arrive on scene, mere moments from now, on Monday, when I return from DDC.

To Faliol: "Whatchu make o' all dis? Why dey do all a' dis? Not right to do dis to a man."
To Drummel: "Can you speak? Who did dis to you? Which way dey go?"

"You know, you humans can be quite disgusting creatures at times! Look at that fruit rind, they were drinking his blood! I feel queasy..."

Lekchock, you don't know about drinking, but that rind would have made an excellent vessel for flinging blood around in the pattern you could see from above...

Keith said, "KDYDRFMR of four on paramedics..."

What does that mean, in English?


Faliol has paramedics...

OOC: KDYDRFMR is refering to my Keith-Don't-You-Dare-Roll-For-Me roll that I've learned to put at the bottom of all my posts so Keith won't roll 18's for my character anymore...The only person who rolls worse than me is Keith.

OOC Thanks, Brian!

Feeling no better after yelling for help, Faliol will attempt to use his paramedics to determine the best course to save Drummel.

Paramedics, 12- (I think)
3d6: 9 Sun February 15, 2004 @5:38 AM (CST)

.oO(Dice God, we have a love/hate relationship but don't punish poor Drummel for the mild distaste you feel for me. T'wouldn't be fair, old bean....)

OOC See Brian? The Dice God can be reasonable!

"Lekchock, where are they?"

Yelling LOUDLY, "Drummel will DIE of blood loss if we don't get a healer RIGHT #$@ing NOW!"

All discussions and interactions are suddenly interrupted by the strident noise of Faliol's noisemaker, coming from somewhere off to the right of the path. It is the signal for "Come here, quickly!" It is not far off, but definitely out of sight range. There is no way on Prometheus' green earth the wagons and draft animals can leave the road.
Note that Lekchock and Riccoco are also on scout duty. The forest man is running sweep and the other side of the path, while the plucky Riccoco is checking the road ahead.

Konnur is already running towards it, in hopes of finding Drummel.
Who goes and who stays?

Reacting with his cat-like reflexes, Nuyok turns to respond to Faliol's call, and as he dashes off, calls for Celeste to follow.

At the sound of Faliols noisemaker, Celeste whirls in that direction. Moments later she hears Nuyok beckon her to follow. With long legged strides she quickly catches up to him, her sword unsheathed and at the ready.
OOC: Runs with scissors? Not this girl---RUNS WITH SWORDS

Vagrant pulls his crossbow from under his cloak and follows behind Celeste as best he can.

Yes foreward on the go!

Cas will go for sure.

OOC: Wow, anybody staying with the caravan?

OOC: That would be no fun!

That's what NPC's are for.....