The pary approaches the treeline.  The vegetation has been getting taller, longer, lusher as they near it.  They've even passed a few pools, although it's unclear where the water's coming from.  At least one additional set trap is spotted near a watering hole.  It appears primitive, but effective.

The forest ahead is a rare place of cool shadows.  The sounds of wildlife can be heard from within.  At this time of day, the sun is casting the shadows northward.

Hoa Sen picks her steps more carefully; there's no point in rehearsing for a conversation if one is not able to reach it or is forced by circumstances to conduct it at the wrong end of a weapon. She has so often been better trusting her instincts than her plans, anyway. "Traps for animals, perhaps. It will be a trickier passage through the shadows."

Derrick nods in agreement. "Larger game might be found on the plain than in the forest. I agree that we might have to be more cautious in the woods, but I think we should investigate the structure before moving on to the road."

Artor nodded, "Now we know what to keep an eye out for... Besides, the shadows beneath the trees are much more my preference than the bright burning sun"

No further complications inhibit progress out in the open, and the group passes into the shadows of the forest.  Birdsong continues, largely from the canopy.  A dozen or so fliers flee to the skies, their escape betrayed by the rushed flapping of wings and the drifting fall of a couple iridescent feathers.

Beneath the greens (and blues and oranges and purples) of the canopy, the ground is clearer and progress likely easier.  The ground is wetter here, too, and there are small pools surround by mud near some of the trees.  Hints of the road are just barely visible in the distance, through the gaps between the trees.

Derrick picked his way through the mud, stepping carefully around the pools as he continued inexorably towards the structure at the center of the woods. "I think it's best to avoid the pools. The water could hide more traps."

Even as Derrick said this (avoiding the stickiest mud), he felt a rope tighten around his ankle and yank him upside down.  In less than a second, he was ten feet above the forest floor with the blood rushing to his head.

Bird cries filled the air as the violent thrashing of the trap broke the serenity.

"Whaaa...!" Derrick let out a shout of surprise as he was yanked up into the trees by the hidden snare. He managed to contain the curse that came to his lips next, but only just. It took several additional moments for him to compose himself enough to focus though the blood pounding in his ears and look around for his companions.

He adopted a good-natured smile. "You see? It's quite easy to hide a snare in this terrain. I can't seem to reach my dagger, would someone find where this is tied and let me down?" As he said this, he tried unsuccessfully to reach for his trapped leg and the blade presumably stored in his boot.

Even as he struggles to figure the safest way out of the snare, two arrows whiz by Derrick's head in quick succession, landing near the feet of the trio still on the ground.

"Agatho, get him down, please." Hoa Sen snapped. "Artor, find them."

The kasunda fell into a loose, ready stance, hands up and weight precisely balanced. Her senses strained to find the attackers, hoping despite her instincts that this could be resolved without deadly force.

Shadowy tendrils of shadow and refracted light swirl up to consume the cloaked and swaddled figure as he attempts to vanish from sight once more. In the ledgerdemain it is hard to tell, but he seems to be humming to himself

Hoa Sen quickly scans the jungle, using her intuition nearly as much as her eyes, trying to infer the source of the arrows from the path of their flight.

Hoa's keen eyes spot a pair of humanoids 30 feet or more up the trunk of a red-spotted tree.  They are largely human shaped, but the color of their skin is very different.  It's difficult to tell, given the shadows of the canopy and the various colors of the leaves that the light is filtering through, but the pair appears to be yellowish with darker spots.  They are dressed in more primitive garb, leather with bits of synth or metal sewn on.  They appear to be female, although, again, it is difficult to tell with the shadows.

Each archer has another arrow nocked, but not drawn.  Each has a leg wound around a branch, securing a firing stance.

Even as Hoa locks eyes with one of them, the other turns and issues a string of what sounds like bird calls toward the direction of the towers.  A third humanoid rounds from behind a tree, the one Derrick is dangling from, and begins walking toward the group.  He is dressed similarly to the others and bears a bladed polearm of some sort, although he carries it in relaxed fashion.

He stops about 40 feet away and stares at the two of you (Hoa, Agatho) curiously, occasionally taking in Derrick as he continues to swing.  He makes bird-call noises also, directly toward you, as he cocks his head to one side.

Hoa maintains her ready pose. "Hold, please."

She tries making one of the warbling noises experimentally—but quietly. Then she quickly whistles a few low notes, almost beneath her breath. Her brow creases in concentration, then she repeats the warbling, louder and more confidently.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:52, Sun 05 Jan 2020.

Circling to beneath the tree where the archer's perch, Artor remains in the shadows whilst Hoa Sen attempts to speak to their ... representative

Derrick is having increasingly more trouble concentrating through the blood pounding in his head. He does his best to remain calm and not to struggle as Hoa 'speaks' to the new arrival. He tries to catch Agatho's eye and silently ask his friend to cut him down.

The older man gives a friendly nod to the three newcomers, and speaks gently to his companion.

"Peace, friend Derrick.  Our hosts may misconstrue my blasting through the rope holding you, and the fall might not be pleasant.  If we wait a few moments, they may lower you of their own accord.  If not, I can free you in a few moments, after the immediate danger has passed..."

The humanoid on the ground cocks his head and stares at Hoa curious.  He tweets and twitters again.  After a brief pause he does it again.


Meanwhile, overhead, Derrick's blood pressure is beginning to equalize, and the pounding in his head abate a bit.

Hoa Sen frowns and mutters, "It's a very strange syntax." She does make an effort to shift her posture, convinced that immediate hostilities are unlikely. The arkus spreads her arms, holding her hands well away from her sides, palms up.

The older man replies gently.

"If I could touch one of them, I could communicate with them telepathically, regardless of language barriers.  Shall I attempt to do so?"

Hoa seems to make out the "words" for "tongue" and "mimic", but not together in the sentence(s?).  She's also unsure if it was a command or a question.

At the base of the tree, Artor cocks his head to one side and mutters to himself, "Ka-kaawr"

Hoa frowned. She wanted this to happen faster. She knew that it wouldn't, though, that every scenario she'd gone through in her training with the Order of Truth involved arduous work unless the most miraculous numenera were involved.

"I am not certain I can convince them to let you touch them. It would make matters easier. I am managing only to pick out isolated words, and am not yet able to put them together in any meaningful way."

She turns back to the strange humanoids and tries to make the sound for "tongue." She then opens her mouth, sticks out her tongue, and points to it.

The older man nods.

"I propose that you and I first face one another and gently reach out to touch each other's fingertip."

"Then I can gently step forward and reach out and offer my fingertip to them."

"Shall we proceed?"

IF Hoa agrees, then the older man proceeds as outlined, and invitingly waits for their response...

The humanoid on the ground again whistles and chirps.  He still has a curious expression on his face, as if he's trying to understand something.  One of the women in the trees "speaks" and he turns to her.  They seem to have a brief conversation, maybe about Derrick?