The Savage Tide III: Tides of Dread [IC]

[lostsole31]

R2T15: Corrin stops focusing on his invisibility, letting his mastery of illusion keep the spell anchored to his form for a few more moments. Instead, Corrin uses this time to cast a piercing blast of destructive energy at TB4 (dropping it), staying mobile and silent as he does so to keep his enemies guessing at his location.

R2T12: Seeing Hoggie get a bad go of it, Rabbi Cohen puts as much power as he can behind his swings and attacks TB2. His first blow is enough to just drop TB2, then he focuses on TB5 and with two mighty blows, TB5 is barely standing.

R2T4: TB5 is so badly wounded and frightened, it withdraws to the west.

End Round 2, Begin Round 3 ...

R3T28: Vona, what do you do?

Skald on deck, Rusty in the hole ...

[digiman619]

Vona fights with the terrain again to get in position to get a decent shot and fires on the nearest axebeak.

Spoiler: OOC

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Move southwest one square and west one square so I'm diagonally between Hoggie and the Rabbi.
(1d20+11)[30] vs touch; (3d6)[1][4][6](11) + 3 (16 total)

[lostsole31]

R3T28: Vona fights with the terrain again to get in position to get a decent shot and fires on the nearest axebeak, hitting it for 16.

R3T27: Skald, what do you do? Both TB3 and TB5 are badly wounded.

Rusty on deck, TB3 in the hole ...

[BuckGodot]

Skald will continue his assault on TB3, aware of it's wounded state and ready to switch his attack to TB5 should 3 fall...

Spoiler: TB, or the other TB... That is the quest...

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Attack 1: (1d20+13)[33]
Attack 2: (1d20+13)[29]
Attack 3: (1d20+8)[17]

Dmg 1: (1d8+4)[9] E: (1d6)[5]
Dmg 2: (1d8+4)[12] E: (1d6)[1]
Dmg 3: (1d8+4)[9] E: (1d6)[1]

[lostsole31]

R3T27: Skald continues his assault on TB3. His first attack punctures the lung of TB3, dropping it; the second shot likewise drops TB5!

Combat Ends ...

The hunters fall on the birds, and cut out the hearts of the terror birds. The heroes are offered first bite of the hearts of the birds (including TB5, which was killed at a distance).

[digiman619]

Vona accepted the offered organ, taking out a moderate bite. While she much preferred her meat well done, she knew the importance the ceremony. Once swallowed, she created herself a drink to get the taste out of her mouth. She then turned to the rest of the party. "Take a bite. Swallow it if you can. It's a sign that the Olmans accept you as a hunter. It'll be more than a faux pas if you refuse"

[Blackhawk101]

Hoggie totters over on unsteady legs and takes a large bite out of the proffered organ.
“Tastes like chicken!” he says in Olman as he chews.

[bcool999]

Corrin having worked in a kitchen and knowing the dangers of raw meat, will spend a spell point on his Terror Bird heart to alter it into an edible substance which he hopes will prevent any disease from it and then chow down on it.

Spoiler: OOC

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1SP to use Sustenance from Creation to make the heart edible and count for food for the day. Whether or not this has any effect on any disease which may or not be present is unknown.

[BuckGodot]

Skald will partake out of respect for their culture.

[lostsole31]

Though Corrin does not speak his spells, it is obviously a magical display he performs. The Olmans look at him, confused, not sure if they should be offended or not.

[digiman619]

Thinking on her feet, Vona responds to their confused looks in Olman.

Spoiler: Olman

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Do not mind him; his god demands that he bless any meat he eats, as a sign of respect to the animal and those who created it.

Spoiler: OOC

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Roll me a bluff check and spend an Inspiration point on it, 'Cause I don't have any Diplomacy. If they ask what god, roll me a K:Religeon

[lostsole31]

So convincing is Vona's bald-faced (and possibly heretical lie), that the Olmans start to bother Corrin, asking how they may propitiate the gods so as not to incur the gods' wrath!

[bcool999]

Not understanding the Olmans, Corrin merely keeps to his vow of silence, but does throw a questioning glance at Vona.

[digiman619]

Vona explains that most of it is in tribute Oghma, a god from the distant lands he's from, but also partly it in tribute to Zotzilaha, as a symbol of respect. She goes on to explain some of the tradition of Oghma that she remembers and states that the magic blessing isn't necessary, but since he knew how, he wanted to be as respectful as possible.

Spoiler: OOC

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K:Religion and/or Bluff, as needed.

[lostsole31]

Obfuscation through confusion works, Vona finds out, as the Olmans try to follow along and then shrug and go about rending the birds.

Anyone do anything else while you're here, and before moving out again?

[Blackhawk101]

“cough! Cough!” *bleed. Bleed.*

[digiman619]

Vona, relieved that her fast talk worked, turns back to the party and sees that Hoggie is injured. "Okay, Hoggie, I can help you." she says as she creates a dose of troll styptic. "Now this may take a few applications and it's not the most fun, but give me a minute or three and you'll be right as rain." She then applies it to the wound and creates another dose, intending on applying the new dose before creating another until the wound is fully healed.

[lostsole31]

Hoggie is fine the first time around. Oh, sure, it is weird and uncomfortable, but it is the second time around that he begins to feel noticeably queazy. That sickness lasts through the third application, and he only barely rallies on the fourth and final application.

Since Vona no doubt created as many doses of troll styptic as possible (so as not to waste her magical efforts, the only other person is Rabbi Cohen. While he normally would prefer his own magic, for the sake of understanding a more semi-mundane medicinal he subjects himself to two applications of troll styptic before he is fully healed. He does not get sick, but it is unpleasant.

Anything else?

[Blackhawk101]

Hoggie sways a bit and is a little green around the gills, but he is smiling at something over Vona’s Left shoulder as he says:
“How 'bout getting off these antibiotics
How 'bout stopping eating when I'm full up
How 'bout them transparent dangling carrots
How 'bout that ever elusive kudo
Thank you India
Thank you terror
Thank you disillusionment
Thank you frailty
Thank you consequence
Thank you thank you silence”

Spoiler: credit

Show

Alanis Morissette, “Thank you”
Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie
1998

[lostsole31]

The meat properly rended by hunters from both parties, the combined party gets in a few more hours of travel.

That evening, after the party sets camp, Corrin and Vona look at the trees about, figuring what types are local to Farshore, and discuss marine engineering and shipbuilding. The terror birds were set up to attack and ambush with pack tactics, there is no doubt about that, but Skald does feel that - while good meat is had by all for awhile, well-earned by the rules of tooth and claw - he needs to make sure his gentle side is felt as well, and gets permission to stray a little distance so as to attempt friendly or neutral connections with what fauna he finds. Using telepathic meditations, Hoggie helps Tom and Rabbi Cohen work on mental resistance training.

---

DAY 23

Another day of Skald assisting Hoggie in moving through trackless jungle. Luckily, the local hunters are able to help the heroes make a little better time. Though Hoggie is better in long-term planning, the Olman hunters have an intuitive understanding of short-term navigation that aids nicely.

Vona and Corrin continue their rousing discussions of both marine engineering and magical creation. It certainly helps that Vona has a "living chalkboard" like Corrin. Though Corrin is nowhere near as mathematically savvy as the gnome, some tutelage has helped Corrin act as a visible sounding board for the inventor. An unlikely joiner for this discussion is Skald. He may be a storm druid, but he is still knowledgeable enough about woods with his skills as a bowyer/ fletcher to add to the conversation. Admittedly, he actually surprises Vona with how brilliant he is, but the fey human's demeanor is one of the most humble Vona has seen for a man of his intellect. Rabbi Cohen spends his time with the Olmans (with Tom as a silent observer), talking with each of them and learning about life among their people. Hoggie realizes he has neglected his bond with Rusty and they run around and play together.

Night passes uneventfully...

[lostsole31]

DAY 24

The party breaks camp, which happens to be a small area of grasslands on the border of the central jungle and the swamps surrounding the great Bloodwater Lake's western edge (which is not visible at this time, and much farther east. Skald is no longer the best aide to Hoggie, having left the jungle, but now it is back to Rabbi Cohen, who can use celestial navigation to aide the uncanny psychic's even uncannier sense of the land around him. The intention is to cross due southeast, even skirting Bloodwater Lake for many miles, before getting to Fogmire. It is an unfriendly place, but Rabbi Cohen and his people have been there to that accursed place already, and know its dangers. Once out of Fogmire, it is due south a few days to the isthmus leading to the Great Wall and Tanaroa.

That's the plan. But for now ... once that is shared with the Olman hunters, they bid the PCs farewell. They are not in need of a rush, and they will take the longer way around and possibly for good hunting. They will not for love, money, or religion continue with the party to Fogmire (and even the swamp itself spooks them). Though the Olman hunters will miss the party's protection, Acacoatl and her families know smaller little encampments to keep them safe at night. But again, the PCs - working against the clock - do not have that luxury.

Goodbyes are given, and Rabbi Cohen makes sure that the hunters have the lion's share of the meat rendered from the terror birds, while still keeping enough to be polite (otherwise, the hunters would infer that they are unable to do their job, having been given such "charity").

The party heads out, with the normal "rations" of endure elements. It is a tough slog, and over the course of the day, the party will travel about 8 miles through the trackless swamp, about as quickly as in the jungle. The party encamps on the western elbow of Bloodwater Lake. With the lake on the party's left (east), travel tomorrow should hopefully be a little quicker as they have a visible landmark to help them keep more focused direction.

After camp is set up, but before the PCs have put down, Rabbi Cohen will come to the party. "There are massive dinosaurs out there - six of them. They are slowly foraging this way. I want everyone to prepare for a fight, since we are in their territory. But before it gets to that, Skald, do you think you can use your druidic powers to convince them to leave us alone?"

[BuckGodot]

Skald nods to the esteemed Rabbi and steps out of camp, becomes airborne and attempts to locate the herd.

[lostsole31]

Skald flies out and easily finds the half-dozen parasaurolphuses. They are definitely foraging towards the party, and the way the swamp is laid out - and the reason the party chose that point - it is definitely in the dinosaurs' "path."

What does Skald do?

[BuckGodot]

Skald will observe the formation for a minute or so to determine best who leads the pack... Then he will land and take on the form of a slightly smaller parasaurolophus than the leader and slowly and cautiously emerge in a non-threatening fashion. Using the knowledge he has he will graze in the direction of the herd and get close to the leader. Once there, he will communicate that there is danger ahead and to save the herd any harm, it would be best to either turn back or take a different path.

At least, that is his intention.

Spoiler: Wonder Twin Powers! Activate! Form of... A tube of toothpaste...

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Using Wild Shape to take on the form and then Wild Empathy to influence the leader.

[lostsole31]

Cool idea. Roll your Wild Empathy: Animals, please.

[BuckGodot]

Spoiler: Roll on highway... roll on along...

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(1d20)[15] is my roll.

[lostsole31]

Without any benefit of true communication, still Skald's gentle but firm nature comes through, and the herd of parasaurolophuses veer off in a different direction to keep the party's encampment unburdened. Skald will change back to form and bring news of his success back to Rabbi Cohen, before using his ability to change shape again to take the form of a small swamp shrub to get a sense of the land around him, and the nature of flora as they compare to the forms of fauna, seeking the limits of his growth.

Meanwhile, at Rabbi Cohen's request, Vona will hold training for general spell focus for the rest of the party.

The rest of the night continues uneventfully.

[lostsole31]

DAY 25

The party heads out. Though technically the swamp is trackless wilderness, Hoggie just takes the party all allong the SW length of Bloodwater Lake (heading a relatively even SE the whole time). As such, by the end of the day Hoggie calculates that the group moved 12 miles, instead of the normal trackless jungle/ swamp travel of 8 miles.

That evening, Tom and Skald will get into a discussion regarding atmospheric phenomena, and what it's like to fly in varying weather and sea states. Corrin will work by himself with awareness meditations and defensive kata. Vona likewise meditates, but concentrates on the mysteries of creation and creativity. The Rabbi puts himself through grueling strength training, using logs, vines, and dragging things through mud. The rest of the camp wouldn't know it to look at him, since he found some interesting fen ferns to dry and smoke, but Hoggie completes the trifecta of "meditating" members of the party.

The night goes by peacefully and uneventfully.

[lostsole31]

DAY 26

The party heads out again along the the final southwestern edge of Bloodwater Lake, and sloshes out of the swamps by mid-morning, keeping well-clear of the mists to the east that spell the border to a place that Rabbi Cohen and his people have already been to when they first came here .... a terrible place of chaos and evil known as Fogmire. (Rabbi Cohen can tell anyone interested about what they found there .... players can look up past Savage Tide thread to learn.)

At this point, this is the final leg of the journey that will take a couple days along the open plains. Though the party will skirt around the jungle in a day, Hoggie and the Rabbi both expect party speed to pick up tomorrow once you catch sight of game trails from previous Tanaroan hunting parties into the mainland.

That evening, after camp is set, Rabbi Cohen will have a chat with Tom (his first mate) about ways to deal with raising the Sea Wyvern - he is already thinking ahead to the next mission before the group has even returned to Farshore. He then invites Vona and Hoggie to discuss various engineering options that might be needed to get a ship that is sunk mid-way and raised) so that a sailing option can then be implemented. Corrin finally joins the conversation in his silent way, considering his specific nautical engineering expertise.

There is a hard rain on the plains that day, and Skald is allowed to go out to fly and revel in the storm.

Night passes uneventfully ...

[lostsole31]

DAY 27

The party travels this day without hindrance. However, about the middle of the day, the party spots a large figure flying high in the sky with wide circles, giving the group a wide berth. At first the silhouette seems like a bird, but with a long tail. Finally, it is seen that it is some type of dragon .... but instead of four legs it only has two. Vona is able to figure that it technically is a "dragon," but not a "true dragon." Basically, a wyvern is a bestial creature with a poisonous stinger. Still, the wyvern keeps a wide circle. After a half-hour .... because it does take a lot for several wide such passes, the wyvern flies off to the northwest.

The party camps on the northermost part of the isthmus leading to the peninsula where Tanaroa is (but that is on the south). They will reach Tanaroa tomorrow afternoon.

Skald again goes off to fly into the sky, shooting off several lightning bolts to "knock the dust off of the conductors." Vona will run Hoggie and Corrin through several AoE avoidance exercises. Tom and Rabbi Cohen each meditate separately.