The afternoon turns to evening, and the searing heat subsides, though the blanket of humidity remains, giving halo to the moon as she rises, cold even here, pushing the stars out of her way as she wanders the dark byways...

13 Utkar, 1375

Up with the dawn, early the next morn, gathering all your things, and waiting until the high pallisaded gates are thrown open.

Ahead of you, a dry track through the cultivation fields, and beyond, the edge of a colossal jungle, so dark–green as to be almost black, hewed straight, like a ruled line, far, far away...the sun was fierce, and the land seemed to glisten and drip with steam.

Ever practical, Balrok gets straight to details.  "Duin's Left Eye if I gots a clue where wure goin'," he says gruffly, as he moves to the front of the line,"but I'm goin' der first.  Rest of ye can line up behind me as it pleases ya, but if you want me advice I'd have Sabu at du back an' me brudder jus' in front uh her cuz he got a keen eye (not jus' for Sabu).  Wizard, Muley, an' Wicky somewhere in du middle.  I 'sume our elf an' jungle boy are scoutin' an guiden', so I'll let ye two work dat out fer yerselfs.  Maybe one shuld stay with us so we don't get lost an du other look ahead for stuff wantin' to eat us?  Anyways, we're burnin' daylight!"  Balrok draws his dwarven waraxe, slinging it easily over one shoulder, and stumps off towards the edge of the jungle.  When he gets there he will peer in while waiting for the others.

OOC:  Balrok knows how fast Ovi can walk (slow!), so he will set that as a pace.  Probably can't move faster than that through the jungle anyway.  Hopefully we are following some sort of guide to at least find game trails if nothing else.  Balrok will keep his axe out and chop a trail when necessary.  (Endurance feat, Tireless feat, drinking lots of water from his cloak!).
This message was last edited by the player at 01:42, Wed 06 June 2007.

Ovi appeared particularly enthusiastic this morning, as they went about preparing to leave. Yer damn right, brudder. We're burnin' daylight...time is money. An' ya know what me motto is? Heh. He turns to the others and lowers his voice a bit. Now, it might be best t' not listen to most o' what me brudder says, but I think he's got a good sound plan here. He looks over his shoulder at Balrok. You dun worry 'bout a thing brudder, I'll keep a sharp eye on da rear... Heh, if somethin' comes our way, Sabu'll charm 'em wit' her good looks an' all trip 'em up somethin' fierce. He winks at Sabu and laughs while raising his coiled chain as if demonstrating a tripping motion.

OOC: Ovi will take his position in the line while keeping his eyes and ears open. And, of course, drinking plenty of fresh water as they travel.

He will use take 10 on both Spot (14) and Listen (14) checks
This message was last edited by the player at 02:47, Wed 06 June 2007.

"I'll guide,looks like the three of us are going to become good friends..."Alexandru states dryly to Balrok as he takes point.
"...Lumpy already likes you soley based on your blood."
He adds,taking up his spear and unslinging his Darkwood shield as he walks a few paces infront of Balrok.
"And I don't believe your half as bad as your going to smell after a day in this jungle and in that armor."
The jungleman of unknown origins draws upon his expertise as he leads the foolish adventurers into the green jaws of Chult.

OOC:
Some skill checks,not sure which ones you'll deem relevant but here they are!

00:31, Today: Alexandru rolled 15 using 1d20+3. Knowledge:Local Check.
00:32, Today: Alexandru rolled 21 using 1d20+10. Track Check.
00:33, Today: Alexandru rolled 14 using 1d20+10. Survival Check.
00:34, Today: Alexandru rolled 27 using 1d20+9. Spot Check.
00:34, Today: Alexandru rolled 4 using 1d20+3. Listen Check.

Sabu listened to the dwarves banter and nodded. As they set out into the jungle, she disregarded their suggestion and walked alongside Khalid. When the path grew narrow she took her place slightly behind her charge.

A few times during the walk, she made sure to embellish the sway of her hips to taunt Ovi. Her previous irritation at his remarks was forgotten.

After spending much of the morning gathering and arranging his things, then speaking with his father's household servants giving them instructions and whatnot for while he is gone and what to do if he shouldn't return, the Calishite nobleman will briefly describe what to Alexandru what information he has on where the mine could possibly be found.

He is dressed down, no longer in silk and sashed garments, favoring instead an open chested and sleeveless brocade with loose fitting pants that open up at the knees.  His equipment is light and easily accessible and he carries a staff which he uses for balance or brushing away obstacles while traversing the natural terrain.  One might also notice a toad perched on his shoulder, blinking indifferently at the surrounding jungle.

"Each of you would have the advantage of me when it comes to the strategies of movement.  If you think it best I find a spot in the middle, than that is where I will be," and does as stated.  With a few squinting glances through the jungle canopy above, he dabs at the sweat along his forehead with a cloth as me moves.  "Any advice on what to avoid touching or stepping in while we move, Alexandru?"

Ovi walks along, keeping a keen eye on his surroundings, though occasionally being distracted by Sabu's embellishments. Heh, despite bein' a li'l lonely back here all by meself, I can't complain one bit 'bout da view.

"Everything."States Alexandru tersely without looking back.
"Follow in my step and do not disturb any plant or animal lest it disturb you back."
After having gleaned as much information as Khalid had to offer,Alexandru forges a trail through the thick sea of green towards where he believes the mine lies.

"Smell, lad?  A week in du jungle in dis armor an' gettup an' no dwarven lass wuld be able tu resist me--true as Truesilver. " Balrok explains as the group troops into the jungle, expounding upon the subject as he hacks at jungle vines with his axe.  "Dwarfs ain't got nambsy-pamsy human perfume, yu know--hurts me delicate nose.  'Stead, we jus' use sweat!  If I'm fer gettin' extra of it here in du jungle, I'll jus' bottle it up an' bring it back to du Great Rift an' sell it fer some coin.  Can't do bedder den freshly-bottled Balrok jungle sweat!"

If Balrok hears "Lumpy" speaking to Alexandru (out of the ground or otherwise) complimenting him on his dwarven heritage, he will reply in Terran:  "An' ya got du good sense not to be no water or air creature, so 'sider it mutual.  Guess yur druid friend ain't all bad if he spends more time hugin' rocks den he does huggin' trees."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:35, Wed 06 June 2007.

Nikolai walks into the jungle full of quiet anticipation, as the ambition of half a lifetime is fulfilled. He tunes out the good-natured banter of his companions, and instead focusses on the sound of the jungle, trying to gauge its subtle tones and rhythms, all the better to detect any potential predators. Nikolai stays towards the rear of the group, although he has made clear he is willing and able to scout ahead when necessary.

"Your own sweat as an aphrodesiac eh?Just as the creatures of the wild,perhaps there is a bit of druid burried somewhere beneath all that steel and sweat."
Alexandru jests with a smile.
"Tell me now,how is it you've strayed so far from your element to this great green graveyard?Few things can motivate a dwarf to do so,must be something dire or of ardent desire."
The jungleman cranes his head back for a moment before continuing.

"And speaking of desire,who is the pretty piece of flesh and what in the nine hells is she doing with a troupe of "nobles" such as ourselves?"

OOC:Lumpy has yet to speak or make his presence known to the group and Alexandru will ignore or deflect all questions regarding who exactly Lumpy is.But it's good to know that you speak Terran,now if Alexandru and him have a conversation you'll be in the know!

At the edge of the jungle, Balrok will pull Alexandru and Nikolai aside and coordinate with them as to scouting, guiding, and danger warnings.  When it is said and done, Nikolai has (with a certain enthusiasm) agreed to scout ahead of the group, moving quietly and keeping to foliage, and Alexandru is going to walk beside or just ahead of Balrok and guide us.

Alexandru will communicate directions to Nikolai as necessary, and Nikolai will ask Alexandru about local knowledge as necessary.  The three also set up a signal system, with Alexandru giving us three different bird calls to learn, one each for "stay where you are", "come to me", and "I see things the dwarf will want to kill!".  This call is repeated twice if it is urgent.

Balrok is takes the situation with dead sincerity as he leads the trio in a round of practice hooting and squawking.  Presumably Alexandru and Nikolai are excellent at bird calls, and hopefully Balrok can do a passing job of them himself [4 ranks Survival].  Anyone else who wishes to learn them can also join in.

When that is done, the group will venture into the jungle, in the following order:

Nikolai (advance of us; scouting; moving quietly etc.)


Balrok | Alexandru
Wicky
Mule
Khalid
Sabu
Ovi (watching our backs, at least when he isn't watching Sabu's).

OOC:  The OOC post was becoming long enough I thought we should have a summary IC.  Hopefully this is accurate.  Nik, if you have a specific scouting routine, post away.

Balrok nods as he hacks aside a vine.  "Aye, der probly is uh little bit of druid buried somewhere in me armor--last time I killed one of 'em it was downright messy, and I ain't cleaned it since."



"Treasure--both Khalid's fer du dwarves, an' then a liddle somethin' of our own on du side.  Uh lost temple..." Balrok gets a far off look in his eye, as he remembers the stories told to he and Ovi as they grew up as wards of the Laughing Dwarf. "... du Lost Temple of Vergadain.  Richest temple of our god of riches, packed with gold and gems and relics and tomes--disappeared milinea ago, ain't nobody found it yet, leastwise whose come back alive and stayed dat way.  Fer dat matter, we've been huntin' it off an since 'fore yu were born, jungle boy, since we were knee high tu a nome, and ain't seen hide of it and ain't heard hair of it, tell recent.  But we heard tell of a dwarf who, lost an crazed in du deep jungle, stumbled on uh temple with dwarf runes, one dat looked more like it shulda been buried in stone den covered in vines."

Balrok's eye gleams in excitement as he talks, but he quickly comes back to himself.  Caught up in his childhood memories he had given more personal information than he was comfortable with.  Gripping his axe tightly he coughs uncomfortably, then takes a few particularly savage swings at the foliage.  "Damn vines," he grumbles, "Anyways, dats why we're here, more or less--temple culd be in du deep jungle, an we gotta job collectin' a debt."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:50, Thu 07 June 2007.

Alexandru grins at Balrok's druid slaying comments but falls silent as he speaks of the lost temple.



"Ardent desire it is."

As they pass through the heavy undergrowth, Candlewick peers excitedly around, pointing out wonders of the jungle and telling tales of the spirits that are said to inhabit this domain.

"Ahh, do you see that dead tree trunk?  Well, it's not really a tree trunk, it's actually a log buried halfway into the ground - you see, some of the ancient tribes used practice a ritual where they buried their dead with a log sticking out of the ground.  No, no, don't touch it, those things are said to be cursed should the burial sites be disturbed.  Probably a minor warrior fell in battle here, the carvings do not denote anyone of importance.

The ancient tribes believed that burying the dead with the log on top would keep the spirit from rising.  I didn't know that the ritual was still followed in current times.  Amazing!"

Nikolai ranges ahead of the group, sometimes pulling further away, sometimes slowing the pace and sometimes remaining hidden until the party has passed to check for any pursuit. He makes certain to leave a clear trail for Alexandu, and frequently checks back with the scout for directions.

OOC: Taking 10, I get Hide 20, Move silently 20, Spot 19, Listen 18, Survival 16

Seein' as how da lady's right here, ya might want t' address her directly wit' dose questions, rather den askin' me brudder. He dun know nothin' 'bout women anyway.... Well, 'least not 'bout dun ones wit' no beards.

He pauses a moment before continuing. That ain't a bad question doh. Wicky? Nikky? Jungle boy? What brings all you t' dis place?


As they they were proceeding along and Balrok spoke of the temple, Ovi jumped in at the end.

Hell, I like money an' all. But damn, when you think 'bout it, ya act like I do when I see a pretty face. Why dun ya tell 'em yer baby stories while yer at it? Am I gunna have t' start thumpin' ya too?

He gives an exasperated sigh and resumes watching his surroundings.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:33, Thu 07 June 2007.

Balrok grumbles under his breath and takes several additional vicious whacks at the foliage.

Balrok one way, Nikolai and Alexandru other ways, Ovi with muley, Khalid, Candlewick and Sabu all in the middle-ish...

The slog through the jungle takes it's toll as they press from the edge of the cultivation fields, swallowed up as swiftly and completely as a stepping through velvet curtains, the faint trappings of civilization left swiftly behind.

As the sun creeps ever higher, the heat and humidity increase; the biting insects grow hungrier, and the sweat mixed with dirt and detrius forms a thin hot mud that seeps into every crease and fold, clothes stuck to skin, and armor steadily rubbing skin to raw.

It's somewhere near a half-day, with the canopy filtering the blazing sun into swathes of dim, dark, and darker.  Absolute thickets are interspersed with sections of fallen trees, the thin, nearly invisible paths made only slightly more open from the disturbances of those scouting.

One thing that the scouts do discover; that moving quietly and blazing a trail are not both possible.

And it's Balrok's bad luck to hack at an obstructing sheet of beautiful yellow and black creeper vines only to disturb, nay - surprise - a beetle of such size and magnificance that can hardly be described.  Three upwardly curving horns from it's comparatively small face - but wicked sharp, scissor-like mandibles, and a large black body nearly twice the size of a horse are good indications of the danger it presents.

It charges.

Heh, well look at da size o' dat thing. Yer not gunna need all dose rations at dis rate, Balrok!

He shouts to the others Scatter!

Ovi will glance around to make sure no other giant beetles or spiders are sneaking up on them while uncoiling his chain and beginning to swing it slowly in a circle as he moves out of the line and off to the side, making his way around into a flanking position.

OOC: Ovi will move to be in a flanking position (if possible) and will stay at reach range (10') from the beetle when preparing his attack. He will then attack the beetle with his spiked chain.

22:13, Today: Ovi rolled 3 using 1d6. Damage, Sneak Attack (if flanking).
22:12, Today: Ovi rolled 7 using 2d4+3. Damage, Spiked Chain.
22:12, Today: Ovi rolled 14 (16 if flanking) using 1d20+5. Attack, Spiked Chain.
22:07, Today: Ovi rolled 14 using 1d20+2. Initiative.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:13, Fri 08 June 2007.