"Fine. You can have fun investigating it without me. I'm going in search for the one supply we are in desperate need of...for the one gnome who has the best chance of ever getting us out of this place."

He surveys the others, his gaze firm and his body posture unyielding. "Anyone else coming with me?"

Even though Linni gazed longingly a the stairs she agreed with Jibril, "I'm sure once repairs are underway there'll be plenty of time to come back and poke around." She stood up and slung her diminishing waterskin over one shoulder, "But we need water, and the materials to start the repair first."

Thaniel instinctively checks his person to make sure all parts are present and accounted for, before passing a nod of respect to Fareeda. "Powerful magic, are the healing arts. Many thanks," he adds with genuine appreciation before moving to look over the now sunken monolith. "I'd wager the professor would not object if we were to inspect this. Though, I'm not keen to head down alone. Perhaps water, then a quick inspection."

Abbas politely interceded an arm to bar Jibril's way into the jungle - or down the stairs, for that matter.  The priest had missed something the elven warrior, with his better vantage point perhaps, or lack of distraction from injury, had not.

"Not all these undead fell to our steel and art," Abbas noted quietly, walking unhurriedly to the far skeleton to examine the javelin that had so mysteriously appeared from the jungle cover.  "Judging by appearances, enemy of my enemy, perhaps we have another ally in the verdancy.

"If you mean us no harm, please come join us in the clearing," called out the untouched blademaster.  After a moment's pause, he repeated the suggestion in elven, then a handful of other languages.

"Lambrac, would you mind fashioning a truncheon for me as well with your axe?  It seemed more useful than the bladed weapons, and I would rather be prepared should we encounter the skeletal opponents again below."

Edit: corrected my misreading of Jibril's post
This message was last edited by the player at 15:04, Fri 13 Jan 2012.

Krogan looked at Jibril, puzzled.
What do you mean?   That was the most fun we've had all day.   

Certainly better than the endless slogging through the musty undergrowth.   Krogan was glad that no one was that seriously hurt, but looked at the cavern opening.
It would be a shame for us to not go down into the tunnels, after we fought for the privilege, right?    And doesn't the professor want us to explore things down here?   If that's the enterance to some long lost tomb or lair, it might well have water and repair materials, eh?

He shrugged.
Though telling the professor about it, and what we're doing, is probably a good idea.

Yes, the orc was daft, he concluded. Useful as a brute perhaps, but hopelessly daft.

As a result, he purposefully repeated his words in a slow, steady voice this time in hopes that they would sink into his thick skull.

"Have...fun...investigating," he says waving his hand goodbye.  "I...am...going...searching...for...water...but...not...there!"

Krogan frowned, looking at the cleric in confusion.

Are you feeling well, Jibril?   You seem to be having trouble enunciating your words.   Were you hit in the head or something?     Is that why you want to wander off into the jungle by yourself?

"Come on Linni," Jibril states, ignoring Krogan and the verbose elf.  "Let evolution take its course with them in the jungles of Chult. At least you have enough sense to see the forest through the jungle trees..."

Meanwhile, as Jibril prepared to ensure his safety by marching off into one of the most dangerous environments in all of Faerun, and possibly Toril itself, alone, Abbas walked cautiously over to the second archer that had been taken out by a presence not belonging to the group.

He bent down to investigate the javelin. It had obviously been crafted from the environment around them, as good a job as most could muster but far from a fletcher or blacksmith's standards. The crude shaft was still marked where twigs from the branch had been hacked off and the heavy flint tip was bound with some sort of dried root.

The elf stood up and peered into the foliage, he could feel eyes on him but the being he sought obviously knew how to keep hidden. Abbas spoke up, offering this unexpected ally into the clearing to be met.

He squinted more closely, his elven eyes working to sight even the smallest hint of something or someone out of place. There! A pair of eyes, fierce and wild, stared back out of the jungle...

Lambrac had no real desire to explore the crypt, or whatever it was, but seeing Jibril pretend to walk off into the jungle, only to have to walk shamefully back again, was worth whatever danger. "If Hingleswip insists on not going back empty-handed, we can always come back here." he mused.

Abbas's discovery of an unseen ally was much of a concern. He nodded to the elf's request for a club, then eyed the javelin. "You'd do better to ask whoever made this... A native hunter, perhaps?"

He called out in broken, accented Chultan, repeating Abbas's words. "We mean no harm... Come join us!"
This message was last edited by the player at 13:41, Fri 13 Jan 2012.

Abbas allowed a soft smile around the corner of his lips.  "He is quite good at his stealthcraft - I nearly could not see him," the elven swordsman noted neutrally, quietly.  "There could well be others I have not seen or heard, with his skill, but I believe we have one fellow with a little bit of more natural-styled equipment.

"Three trees left of the split tree, four feet off the ground - crouching, I'm presuming." A quiet pause later, and Abbas sheathed his blades.  No further javelins had come flying seeking breastbones, which seemed a good sign.  Crouching down, Abbas retrieved the heavy javelin, shaking the rib cage from it.  Extending it in direction of the pair of eyes, Abbas waited to see if the words or gesture would result in action from the jungle.

Staring out of the woods, Zane watches Abbas. If he understands the elf, he doesn't respond in a normal fashion Strangely, the man is hanging upside down from a tree by his feet. Holding onto several vines, he tilts his head and grunts a few times before sliding up the vine into the trees. A few moments later he emerges a few yards off on the ground and on all fours. Wearing very little but a torn up dark green shirt with strips of hide here and there, and a loin cloth Zane is definatly unique. With a quiver full of javelins, a strange circular weapon (boomerang) and a well made half-spear as well as a dagger in his best he grunts quite often especially towards Abbas.

With narrowed eyes, he grunts loudly as the javelin is torn from the undead. He haunches up and then stands slightly. Pounding on his chest he seems to growl at the elven swordancer.

Skittering away from him ne stops in his tracks when he sees Linni. Head tilting to the left then the right he goes to try and tap her nose then bites his lip. A odd look crosses his face as if confused.

Backing away again he circles around the interesting gathering, a grunt here and a grunt there. He sneers at the dinosaur looking as if ready to pounce on it then stops as he sees Fareeda. Moving to her, he leans backwards and stands awkwardly. The man grunts and starts sniffing at her. He circles her a moment, snorts and moves very close, staring at the woman. Making a loud barking sound, he turns back to Abbas.

A loud growl and he points at the javelin as he drops to all fours again.

Lambrac watched the bizarre display with confusion and concern. The man was Faerûnian, but what was he doing here, in the heart of Chult, acting like an ape? The wild man was unpredictable, and dangerous. "Well met." he said in Common, hoping he understood.

Asha watched the man curiously, wondering if she should try to communicate with him as a man or as a beast. Signaling Yaotl to stand down, she approached him and used a combination of subvocalism and body language to indicate that the group was curious but not a threat. Perhaps her tactic would succeed where basic communication failed.

[OOC: Wild Empathy]

Krogan assumed that the strange man wandering out of the woods was an ally in the fight with the undead, but that didn't necessarily mean that he was an ally after the fight.     He made no sudden moves, but he is ready to protect the others from the new arrival, if needed.


And, honestly, he wasn't ready to stop fighting, and was a little depressed that it was over so soon.

Thaniel's interest is drawn away from the adventurous stairs towards the new arrival to the clearing. He walks peacefully up to where the other stands inspecting it, and rubs his chin. "I suppose this is what happens to men who try to live like an elf," he quips, his lips curling slightly at either end.

The man growls at Thaniel, eyes narrowed on the elf. He stands up, pounds on his chest then points at the man. A utteral growl comes.

Abbas, not being particularly gifted in the handling of animals, had still picked up a few points.  Retreating or pushing forward could trip the wrong manner of response, so Abbas did neither.  Instead, the elf reached forward, to one side, put the tip of the javelin against the ground, and gently pushed it in (in truth, unlike Krogan or Lambrac, it might not have been much difference from his full strength, but why quibble).

He took a half step away from it to show intention to return it, but without looking like he was intimidated or surrendering.

"I am Abbas," the elven swordsman tried again.


19:48, Today: Abbas rolled 14 using 1d20. HA.

Jibril gave the elf a dark look when he tried to block his way into the jungle, but now that Tarzan had shown up, he decided to try a bit of his own bit of aboriginal diplomacy. He wrinkles his nose at the man's reeking odor.

However, a bath could come at a later time.  Pointing at himself dramatically, he utters, "Jibril!"  He then pulls out his waterskin and drinks a gulp, pointing to it with flourish.  "Water!"  Finally, he points back and forth repeatedly to the native, "You show us water!"

"Lambrac." he said, patting his chest.

But Jibril had the right idea, for once. This man, right now, was their best of finding fresh water. "[Language unknown: Ncchdi.]" he said in Chultan.

Krogan was at a bit of a loss, since diplomacy certainly wasn't something he'd learned growing up with orcs.   He'd been working hard to master it among the civilized races, but with mixed results.   Having the strange man hanging around them was probably a risky thing, but he HAD killed one of the undead warriors.    So perhaps he could be useful.

Without any other ideas, he took out some dried meat from his pouch, and tossed it to the jungle human.   It might not be as fresh or tasty as the raw or cooked meat he was used to, but it might be a salty and tasty snack treat regardless, and a good way to be friends.    Good food made for good friends, as he'd heard Calimport.

"Ab...Aba..." The strange man snorted and grunted again after growling loudly at the elf. He grunts and tilts his head, watching Lambrac. Pounding both hands to his chest he makes a odd growling sound as if emptying out his stomach."...Aqua. Aqua." He points at Jibril and backs off slightly for some reason. Pulling what appears to be a waterskin from his side, he pours it over his head and grins. He's either foolish or something else.

Shifting slightly he moves swiftly to the javelin, points it at the group one by one save the females and shoves it into his quiver before moving about fifteen feet off. When he sees Krogan throw the meat, the forest warrior rushes forwards and grabs it quickly. Yet he does not eat it, the man sniffs it for some time and shoves it into his pouch.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:48, Mon 16 Jan 2012.

Krogan still isn't totally sure what's happening, but 'putting away a weapon' is a good universal sign.
I'm thinking that we wants to lead us to water, since he has access to enough to just pour it over his head like that.   I say we follow him.

Jibril pours some water from his own waterskin over his head, enjoying the refreshing moment for a minute. He points back to the man, and then mimes pouring some more water back into his skin.

Krogan was impatient to continue.  He understood the benefit of making friends, though, so he was prepared to wait a bit to get things settled.   Perhaps it was the heat, but he was chomping at the bit, like an eager warhorse, to rush off to explore everything, and killing everything in their way.