BEO's FUN FUN INTRO

[beowuuf]

Sorry, seemed to lose the whole weekend!


Ssssil said to Kass that he thought that being inside the caravan for now would be best. If tension became to great without revealing any traitors, then Kass could 'kick him out'. Perhaps that would convince a traitor, perhaps some external force might approach Ssssil, or at the very least Ssssil could indeed follow and look for evidence from without. Ssssil also felt unepectedly happy at Kass's praise. He was used to being alone with his thoughts, and with the unconditional affection of Hissssa. It seemed strange to have someone external affirm his life choices. It strengthened Ssssil's resolve to aid the caravan, and Hasssta and Kass in particular.

Afterwards, Ssssil tried to play off Growlgra's concerns, which he had not really thought of himself. "No, lizar not like your people. We all individuals. My fall lets others rise up. As long as they not think I a detriment to themselves, I'm sure they will keep me around to be butt of scorn." Ssssil realised even if that was all that happened, that did not sound pleasant either. Ssssil then bid good night to Growlgra, sad that the magic would soon fade and stop him fron communicating so easily. While silence was fine, as many strange thoughts and situations arose, Ssssil was finding he was missing being able to open up at times. Perhaps he could learn Growlgra's language? Then again, even saying the hunter's name was hard enough.

Of course, as easy as it was to speak to Kass and Griowlgra was as hard as it was to speak to the mages. Amazingly, it seemed that a hutner of another species was easier to communicate with and gain trust from that someone who shared his originas and language. Ssssil had known it was a bad idea.

Still, while he could communicate, Sssssil ran to where Westian was, and despite the mammal's odd appearance, tries to explai nthe situation. That some of the moss gather by Sssil earlier, when combiend by a rare plant, could help Growlgra. Crushed leafs for an infusion existed with the mage Kalisssa, but scne the cure was a swamp lizar cure then the mage did not believe him. Ssssil lookeed pleadingly at Westian, even smiling in a manner he hoped would be trustworthy. Knowing he had communicated the basics, Ssssil asked if Westan could persuade the mages since he spoke the language of magic too. Ssssil took off the translation stone, offering it pleadingly to the mammal and then gesturing i nthe direction of the lizar.


Of cours,e Sssssil could simply have mentioned it to Kass and seen if Kass would have asked Still,that's less fun and less in character. Ssssil will be behind Westian unless Westian tells the lizar not to be, and try to only aid another for WEstian's attempt. Umm, invisible caste is being annoying, which is sad cause my all powerful red die just rolled a natural 1. Hmm. I guess Ssssil helped perfectly!

[raixel]

Westian takes the pendant from Sssil and puts it around his own neck.

"We should hurry, there isnt much time left in the hour since you activtaed it." he tells Sssil as he moves towards where the mages are sitting as quickly as his exhaustion will let him.

As he and Sssil approach, Sssil notices taht Vaathi and Kalissa are again deep in a conversation about magic. Kass is holding up a bright blue iridescent butterfly wing and saying "Yes, the wing of the blue shine, when powdered, can improve the speed at which any incantation using RA mana gathers energy for casting." The two look up at Westian as he stands in front of them.

"Greet-ings mamm-al." Kalissa says very slowly and precisely, trying to aid Westian's comprehension. "How are you to-day? Vaa-thi and I are talk-ing about mag-ic. You are wel-come to talk with us a-bout the mag-ic of your pe-ople."

Westian nods to her and says "That would be nice. However, I have a favor to ask. I have heard of a plant called 'gesh;'. If you have some, I would like a sample, if it wouldnt be too much trouble."

Kalissa looks startled at Westian's perfect speech, even pronouncing Zaangardian's many siblants like a natural speaker. Vaathi's eyes inside the depths of its hood grow wide, and it hisses something in a foreign language. But, then Kalissa's eyes narrow.

"Odd, that Sssil just came and asked me for that plant, then you come. I highly doubt you are looking for it for research, as you say. Most likely Sssil put you up to it. After all, you are obviously communicating with magic, and I have seen Sssil do the same thing earlier." she says, sounding slightly nanoyed.

Oddly, Westian's face turns red and he looks at the ground. Sssil wonders if something is wrong with his skin.

"Yes..." he admits slowly. "Its just, Growlgra is really sick and Sssil says that plant can help him. Perhaps we could trade for something?"

Kalisssa's face softens a little bit and she no longer looks angry.

"I understand you and Ssil wanting to help your friend. But you have to understand my position. That herb is very rare and nothing can be substituted for its mana. It also is an absolute neccesity in some of my spells taht i may have to cast on this trip and I only have two leaves."

Westian sighs and nods. "I understand your position. But...Growlgra..."

Vaathi raises a hand, and Sssil can see taht the scales of its hand are extremely fine and a bright silver-flecked green with gold edges, like nothing he has ever seen before. The fingers are very long and slender, and Sssil realizes they have an extra joint directly beneath bright gold claws.

"Perhapsss I can help you," the odd mage says. "Gesssh isss not rare in my home."

The bright gold eyes deep within the hood turn to face Sssil, and a shiver runs through him at their penetrating gaze. "If you agree to owe me a favor, payable at ssssome time in the future, I can give you one of my leavessss." it says.

K, im gonna stop there and let you decide what you want to do here. You could go get Kass if you wanted to, as well.Check out Westian's diplomacy roll Westian dip (1d20+8=9) Maybe you woulda had better luck.

[beowuuf]

Wow, ok, I know I saw this, so apparently I double closed a window or something and hadn't realised I hadn't replied??? And lol, if Ssssil and Westian both roll 1, it kinda says somethign from the gods up above. It says 'a character that is crap at speaking/being with people can't alter his fate, not even if the sneaky player tries to angle an NPC to do his job. Still, I like the opening that seems to have occurred because of it... nothing potentially wrong with it at all! Sssssil isn't the sort oto realise in the moment he has other options, so the Kass one is player spotted character unnoticed I think.


Ssssil felt his heart sink as he realised that there was no way to get the plant. He had tried, and Growlgra's friend had tried, and nothing could be done. It was frustrating, but Ssssil was already doubting what he had heard and learned. Afetr all, if they did not know what Sssil had heard, would it not be far more likely that Ssssil was mis-informed? After all, while Ssssil did not quite have the distaste for the swamp lizar that others had, but it did not mean he fully trusted them either.

Ssssil bowed out already, sorry to leave the mammal spluttering, however there seemed to be nothign to be gained. No reason in making enemies in the camp more than he was going to when Kass started treating him badly. Ssssil stops when the one known as Vaaathl. Ssssil is quite intimidated, and it will only be later that Ssssil realises that the odd mage said that such a rare leaf was common where he came from. Where did sucha strange creature come from?

Still, at the time, all Ssssil could do was nod emphatically. Only one small hesitation crept in to his mind - Ssssil realised he could be clever here. "Kass...lira not like me much just now. Not sure what I can do for you. But will do anything I can." Ssssil happily nodded his head, earnest in his desire to gain the leaf for his friend. He turned to Westian, smiling then stopping smiling to indicate his joy at tthe matter having been resolved so easily and positively.


Nothign can go wrong! Anyway, he's happily agreed to owe an unknown weird person a favour. For later, Nature roll to work out what the odd mage is. (1d20+7=12). Probably not gain too much out of that roll!

[raixel]

Vaathi seems to smile in the dephs of its hood, although Sssil cant see its face at all. "Very well." it hisses. The cloaked being takes a slender needle that appears to be made out of a crystalline rock from a pouch and before Sssil can protest, grabs his hand and swiftly jabs his finger with the needle. As a drop of Sssil's blood wells up, the mage quickly pokes its own finger with the same needle and squeezes around the hole. Sssil notices the blood the flows out of the tiny puncture is not red like the blood of most beings. Instead it reminds Sssil of a metal some lizar alchemists use called flowsilver (mercury). Quickly, Vaathi touches the two blood drops together,then nods its hooded head.

"It isss done." it says while rummaging around in a waist pouch and producing a small vial of gesh extract. Sssil gratefully takes the vial of thick yellow resin mixed with alcohol and examines it.

"Sssshake it up before you ussse it, otherwisse the resssin will be too thick to leave the vial. The alcohol will not affect the quality of the mixture you are making, and will evaporate very ssshorty after contact with air." the hooded being says.

Sssil takes a few seconds to examine the puncture on his finger, and also the mage that caused it. He doesnt feel any dfferent. Perhaps it was just a ritual of promise for Vaathi's people. But with mages, one can never be too careful. He glances at Vaathi. There isnt much he can see, as the heavy robes hide the mage's form. Oddly enough though, the mage does have pheremones like a lizar that Sssil can taste in the air. They are much more subtle than a lizar's, and he wouldnt notice unless he was actually looking for them. They are familiar, and yet foreign. He realizes Vaathi is...a female? He gets feeling from Hisssa of amusement, as if to say "You just now figured that out?" Of course, the snake's senses are far more sensitive than Sssil's own.

There is not much else he can tell, beyond the fact that whatever race she is, it is not something unnatural, like one of the walking dead. Changed in the past, perhaps. But based on the fact that she has lizar-like cycle pheremones, he can tell that her race is born of a joining of male and female like all other natural races of Zaangaard.

The mage seems to notice his scrutiny, and he again can detect a sense of amusement. "You ssssaid Pathfinder Kassss is not liking you? Odd. It sssseemed ssshe was pleassed with your companion driving those sssummoned ratsss away. Well, assss long asss you do your job, persssonal isssuesss ssshould not matter." she says, seeming to want to cheer him up.

"Now, go aid your friend. Kallissssa and I have been ssstudying the corpsssess of the ratsss, and I fear that the dissseassse taht they have wasss magically inducced by the ssssummonning token. The gesssh should ssstrengthen the power of the bloodmosss enough to cure him if it is given to him in time."

Taking this as his cue to leave, Sssil and Westian make their way back to where Grolwgra tosses fitfully in his bedroll. The dog-man's fur is matted, and appears darkened with some kind of liquid. His whole body vibrates, and Sssil can hear his breath rasping in his chest. Westian's face grows concerned, and he kneels down and grips Growlgra's wrist gently wiith his fingertips fo a few seconds before resting the palm of his hand on the canine's forehead.

"His pulse is weak and erratic, and I fear he has taken l'tha-e. Whatever word that is, he stone cannot translate it. Seeing Sssil's confusion, the elf says "When a mammal gets sick, it's body temparture goes up to try and drive the bad vapors out with heat. But, in doing so, the body gets weakened if this heat goes on for too long. My people's word for this weakening is l'tha-e. I suppose lizar have no similar word, as your bodies do not produce heat. However, I am sure taht when one of your people is sick, they wish to go to a hot place, am I right?"

Sssil knows that in the temples that treat the ill, they have heat rooms, with RA mana channeled in to provide warming light like the light of the RA orb itself, and heated stones and pools for the infirm to bask in. But he did not know the purpose of these. Perhaps it is as Westian says.

I need a knowledge nature roll to prepare the extract. Westian will aid you.

As Sssil sits down and gets ready to prepare the extract, he hears footsteps behind him and he turns to see Kass and Thesssan walking up. They respectfully wait until the mixture is prepared and then Kass crouches down next to the two, Thessan standing behind her. The large warrior looks upset, and keeps fingering the hilt of his sheathed sword.

"I don't like this," he mutters quietly after looking around to make sure no one is in earshot. "It puts Sssil and the mammals at great risk, not to mention having everyone in the caravan turned against them. And because the healer and dog man are mammals and not lizar, one of the other guards might not be adverse to removing them from the picture. Kallissa and I should be the ones under suspicion. We hav dealt with situations like this before, and at least we would have each other."

Kass shakes her head. "I dont think that would work, Thessan. It is common knowledge that my sire and you and your mate are long-time companions, that my sire mentored you after you became a hsssir.(As it says in the glossary, non-nobles have a less strict, less formal, form of the hsssir test in which they prove that they are competant in their chosen vocation. In Thessan's case, a warrior of the swamps.) No one in the caravan would believe you a traitor, and the actual traitor might become suspicious we were tryi9ng to draw him or her out."

Thessan clicks his teeth to show his annoyance and dislike of the plan. "Still. It is Sssil and his friend's choice if they want to do this. I dont want them to feel pressured into this, as it coul be very dangerous."

Both lizar turn to Sssil. "Well, have you discussed this with the mammals?" Kass asks. "In any case, if you decide to go through with this, we should wait until Grossga..." she stops as she stumbles over the bika's name. "...until the dog man is healed. It woudnt do to have him weakened and under suspicion. We should also start planning how this is going to work if the..."

"You can always say no," Thessan interjects, as Kass shoots him a dirty look for interrupting her.

[raixel]

Wtf. It double posted again!?

[beowuuf]

Very strange Didn't notice it when you posted last night, so I guess you cleaned it up quickly, or the second post happened after I saw the first post on its own!

Ssssil shrinks back from the strange behaviour of the mage - even though he knew theier bahaviours were alwaysstrange. Still, the profferring of the needed item puts Ssssil's mind temporarily at rest, and he takes the offered potion with many quietly spoken and hesitant thanks. He grins to Westian once, hoping this will aid Growlgra. Ssssil still feels a little uncertain about the truth of his memories now, especially afetr the strange thing he has just gone through to get it. The fact that Vaathi isn't imediately identifiable as a lizar, without effort - and also the fact she is apparently female - make Ssssil a little uncomfortable, however the jibbing form his friend and the desire to help Growlgra as swiftly as possible soon push the matter from his mind. "Realised I drew the rats out," said Sssssil hesitatnly in explanation to Vaathi before he rushed off. "No pleased now." Ssssil shook his head, then moved off swiftly. It was only as he moved off he realised that Vaathi seemed to be tryign ot cheer him up, and that she seemed to be certain his strange cure shouldwork. More importantly, he worried that he had just alientaed someone that might have been friendly to him with his comments on why Kass was angry now. Of course, that was the whole point, and Ssssil cursed his slow thinking. He really needed to help Growlgra, especially if the disease was magical, so he could think clearly again.

Ssssil doens't really know exactly what Westian means for mammals, distracted but recalling the rooms of the temples. He shrugs and nods, but is far more concerned with helping Growlgra than thinking on the differences of the mammal and lizar physiology.


Make growlgra better roll! Come on luck 20s (1d20+7=9) Nooooooooooooo!


Sssil is not quite sure he is doing thigns correctly, worried about the timing and the urgency. He mostly leaves matters to Westian, even thoguh it is Ssssil himself who knows more about how to prepare this particular compouund. The scion really just wishes he were not in this situation, and that someone far more knowledgeable and skilled could simply make this matter become alright. Still, that was the nature of the hisssr test. Top realise, as an adult, one had to make ones own decisions and realise there was ultimate no help. One had to stand on ones own feet and find a place in the world.

For all Sssssil had wished it before, he sudden't had sickening qualms about the pressure of that when it applied to being part of a group, any group, where his input was necessary.

Of course, it is at that time that Kass interrupts his thoughts, asking for input on a situation Ssssil has created. Why had Ssssil volunteered to be necessary, instead of simply doing as he was told? Lookingto Growlgra being ill, and being reminded that no matter if Ssssil alone was under suspicion the mammals were already associated with him and alreayd outcasts, Ssssil felt his nerve go.

Sadly, it was not courage that came to him. Sssssil thought about how easy it would be - not caring of the danger - to not be relied upon by the caravan group. To be left as an outsider once more. And to let Thessan and Kass worry afetr his safety, to have them as a safety net to fall back upon, to let them worry about things. Ssssil didn't look to Westian nor poorly growlgra, for he had not fully told them of the dangers yet with everythign else that had gone on. Westian was unaware, and Growlgra had seemed far too keen to be useful, and not thought of his personal safety due to his illness.

"Yes, I agree. Will do it," said Ssssil, not looking directly to Kass or Thessan either.


Awww, Ssssil was doing too well and being too good for his starting character and low stats. I like him carrying on with the idea, but perhaps not having the best of motives to carry on doing it

[raixel]

Aww, I had assumed that part of Sssil's doing better was to show him growing up and realizing he does have strength and value. I will say though, as a DM, it is interesting to watch a PC with a real inferority complex, because as im sure you know, most PCs are gung-ho stick it to em "i am a hero" ego maniacs . The closest Ive ever seen before this was when my ex roomie played a schizophrenic homeless punk in a modern zombie game (called all flesh must be eaten. Its pretty cool) one of my friends was running. I was playing a gung-ho stick it to em ego maniac "i am a hero with a dark past", of course .

Kass nods at Sssil and says "Good. Meet me in the morning to discuss how we will work this out. You too, Thessan. But for now, I'm for bed. It has been a long night." If she notices Sssil's apprehension, she is choosing to ignore it.

Thessan, however, notices, and hangs back after Kass says her goodbyes and goes to turn in for the night. The older warrior sighs and says "WEll, if thats what you really want to do, i'm not going to stop you. However, I don't like this and I will be keeping a close eye on you and the mammals to make sure you arent in danger, amd so will Kalissa." He stops for a second as he apparently gets an idea. "You know, I wonder if Kalissa could concoct a spell or mgic item to keep an eye on you. Nothing major, just something to alert us if anything were to happen to you. With your permission, I'll ask her. In any case, all you or your freinds need to do if someone is trying to hurt you is yell for me, I'll be right there." With that, he too says his goodbyes and goes to turn in.


Sssil prepares the extract as he remembers the swamp lizar shaman instructing. However, since she wasn't actually teaching him how to prepare the extract, just mentioning the steps in a discussion, he isnt quite sure he has it down. He seems to remember her saying that it isnt so much how they are mixed together as the proportion sof each herb. A scale's worth of resin to a claw of bloodmoss. Or was it the other way around? He racks his brain for the memory, but it just isnt coming to him. He looks helplessly at Westian, the vial of gesh and some ground bloodmoss on a clean linen sheet in front of him.

Westian eyes both herbs and passes his hands over each briefly before sighing and saying "I don't know much about the herbs of your people, but in my studies on healing, we were always told that when adding two herbs together, the resinous one was always added in a smaller amount, epsecially if it was only the catalyst and not the main ingredient." After speaking, he blinks and brings his hand to Sssil's pendant at his throat.

"Aye vveeer zzhat zee tahlizzmun hazz run owt uv mahnna." he says in his heavy accent, as he takes the speaking stone off his neck and hands it back to Sssil. He motions for Sssil to mix the herbs, and without anything else to go on, the tracker decides to follow Westian's advice. Sssil takes a claws worth of the yellow-streaked bright blue moss and mixes it with a blob of gesh resin the size of an average lizar scale. The resin has an intense, but not unpleasant smell that reminds Sssil of rain in the deep swamps. However, WEstian wrinkls his nose (which Sssil amusingly thinks makes him look like a rabbit) and says "Ugh, zzzhhat zzzhtink izz awefil. It zzzhmellzz like muhd."

As the resn mixes with the bloodmoss, some of the moss's bright blue color leaches nto the gesh, turning the whole mixture a shade of emerald green. When the consistency seems right and the resulting inch wide pellet is sticky to the touch but keeps its shape, and the moss finely ground into the resin, the lizar goes to pry open Growlgra's jaws, noting that the canine's skin is very warm to the touch. When Growlgra feels Sssil's hands on his face, his eyelids flutter open and he weakly opens his mouth before lapsing back into unconciousness. Sssil places the pellet on the back of Growlgra's tongue, and gently holds the hunter's mouth shut until he sees Growlgr'a throat move to show he has swallowed, before carefully opening his mouth to make sure the pellet is gone.

Westian says "There zhhould be a khange in zee mournin eef zee pill had worrkt. But vour now, Aye zhhink Aye am going to zhlleep. Aye vill bring my bedroll herre and vatch over Growlgra. Yoo are velcom to zhleep here as vell. Eeet izz a good zzhhing zhhat zee zwamp is varm. Vee dont hav to vorry abowt Growlgra catking a khill or movve heem by zee fyre."

And with that, the elf goes to where he has stowed his pack under the food supply wagon and pulls out his bedroll, setting it less than an arms length from Growlgra os he can be there if the bika awakes in the night.

"Goodnyte Zzzheel. Goodnyte Heezzza. I vanty yoo two know zzhat Aye am glad Aye met yoo, and Heezzza two." the priest says as he dozes off. Hissa pops his head out of his pouch at the compliment, and Sssil realizes that all the compliments and being noticed have puffed the little viper's ego up. If Hisssa was a swamp crane, the snake would be preening his long back-crest feathers as Sssil had seen the male birds do in their contest to attract a mate.

A mental image of the cage with the rat inside appears in Sssil's mind, and belatedly the lizar realizes that Hisssa never actually got to eat his catch, and unlss someone has put the baby rats body in the fire or otherwise disposed of it, it was probably still laying smashed by the fire. Probably wasn't a good idea to let Hisssa eat it, even if the viper would be willing to eat a ground into the dirt and smashed rat, on the off chance that the baby was somehow carrying the disease of the others.

[beowuuf]

Lol, yeah, Ssssil was kinda 'taken in' by the new group and the new value he seemed to have. I just reckon that enough time's passed from all those pretty frequent set of highs, especially with thew Growlgra worry, that doubts and uncertainties can start to set in again and swamp the high. I do want Ssssil to slowly have that arc from insecurity to actually feeling of value. However, for now he's got lots of duff stats, Charisma being the worst, so best to play to that. I see his progression as a hopefully upwards trending wave, and the high he's been allowed as the single character here making lots of decisions has been really cool to build upon. But yeah, for the moments doubts and second guessing and fear are gunna give him some troughs along the way, including this one. That's half the fun, right? Plus means he won't be too far advanced when he joins the group. Which will - eventually - happen, honestly!


Ssssil looks to Thessan. He does not wish to ruin any illusion the other guards have for him, but he cannot disguise the relief he feels knowing the guard will be looking out for him. And hopefully for the other two. "Check mammals more," says Ssssil a little guiltily, more so for having to call his friends mammals. He hopes Westian , if the tall one understands, does not take offence. Ssssil's eyes then widen at the thoguht of the extra level of protection. "If she can," he tries to say with a neutral tone, but once more eagerness and relief come to him.

Ssssil shakes the resin he has been given before handing it to Westian, going back to Growlgra's healing. The translation pendant failing is an irritating inconvenience, making Ssssil even more nervous for the small hunter's wellbeing. He does not quite understand what Westian is speaking of until the mammal brings his bedroll. Ssssil lies on the ground too, not sure if he will be ato sleep, and hoiping his friend shows some sign of recovery.

Ssssil thinks he understands what Westian has said, and allows HIsssa to come out and receive the praise and say good night to the mammal - though aside from wishing the mammal tro do more falling, Ssssil is not sure if his serpentine friend actually likes Westian in return. "Goodnight," said Ssssil simply, looking to Growlgra, and trying to recall any lizar dieties and heroes who might look kindly upon the situation and answer a prayer for the small hunter. "Hissssa," says Ssssil softly to his friend, "maybe if you ask your namesake, he will hear and speak to Grey God in the other lands? Your namesake liked mammals, it is said he travelled with them and beat bad gods and bad men."

Ssssil is a little irritated at Hissssa thinking of food, especially the rat, until he recalls that his friend did not eat due to all the commotion. Sending a silent apology, Ssssil reluctantly moves away for the moment to go get the cage, asking Hissssa to keep watch on Growlgra's breathing and heat to make sure the small hunter does not get worse.


Yeah, Ssssil will let Hissssa eat, and keep watch over Growlgra afterwards until he falls asleep or morning comes. I'll roll perceptio nand will if needed for anything:

Perception (+5) and Will (+1) (1d20=2, 1d20=1)

Ok, clearly he dozes off

[raixel]

Yeah you got it, saying 'mammals' is kinda like saying 'gaijin' in Japanese. It has insulting connotations of 'outsider' and 'less than a Zaangaardian', but is really the only word that exists in the lizar-dialect of Zaangaardian to describe someone of mammalian ancestry from outside the swamps. Hmm, perhaps I should come up with a word for 'mammal', so it could translate to something like 'weak ones'. After all, the bika word(I havent developed a bika language yet, beyond some basic grammar rules and the 'look' of it) for non-bika translates to 'grass-eaters'(whether or not they actually eat any plant matter), and in the bika language it has connotations of 'herd-beast'.
This is what happens when you get a DM who is also an anthro major, with a main focus in linguistics. If all my going in detail about language and societies bugs you let me know and i'll tone it down, but honestly creating the societies and language/accents is the main fun for me.

God, there is a big gross horse-fly in my room. It must have came in when I was carrying my groceries in earlier tonight. Its driving me nuts cuz every time i stand up to swat it, it flies away. I can constantly hear it going "ZZZZZzzzzZZzZZZZzz" as it runs into the walls and distracting me. Yuck!


"Yes, I too am worried that the mammals will face the brunt of the agression from the others," says Thessan. "I will ask Kalissa if she can help with her magic. But for now, we have long days ahead of us, and unfortunately due to all the excitement, I wasn't able to follow my own advice about getting sleep. So, I am turning in now. I will be on the edge of the fire closest to you, if you need me."

The warrior nods to Westian and lets Hissssa scent his hand before he looks down at Growlgra for a second. "May Sssslarhatha's gaze Makanasssht's mate, and the High Lord who watches over sick and injured lizar, especially those wounded in a hunt or combat. I'm going to add a gods section to the lizar words post. Makan lizar really only have two major ones, though fall upon you, brave little hunter." he says to the unconsious bika. Sssil knows that for a hsssir warrior, especially one as experienced as Thessan, to ask for the blessing of a lizar god for a mammal is a big deal, and shows that Thessan has accepted Growlgra as a warrior equal to a lizar.

The big hssir leaves, and Sssil is left with the sleeping Growlgra and Westian, who is also getting ready for sleep.

Sssil looks worriedly at Growlgra, and he too, sends a silent prayer to Ssslarhatha. Figuring it wouldnt hurt, he gets Hisssa's attention and asks him to also send a prayer to his namesake, the legendary warrior Hissssa. It is unknown how much the snake understands of High Lords and heroes, but Sssil has explained to him before, in a way the little creature could understand, that the viper was named after a great food-catcher who got much food, and fights the ones who would hurt the lizar. Sssil gets a sense of 'away', as he does when Hisssa is concentrating on something to the exclusion of everything else. Then an image pops in his head, of a giant lizar warrior(who's face strangely looks a little like Thessan mixed with the picture-book pictures of the hero Hisssa that Sssil often read to his younger siblings) cleaving through a mountain of rats, and then the warrior speaking to one of the snake-people with solid grey scales The grey snake person walks over to an odd being laying on the ground. Sssil realizes the being is how Hisssa sees Growlgra. In the image, Growlgra appears like a bika-shaped form of reddish brown hair with two giant triangles on the top of his head. The grey snake-person touches Growlgra, who then jumps up and pulls a sword to help the others kill rats. The image is followed by a sense of explaining, and Sssil realizes Hissa is letting him know what he concentrated on.

Again, the image of the rat cage appears in Sssil's mind, and the tracker gets up to go get his pack and bring it over to where he and his friends are camped. Hisssa stays behind to watch over GRowlgra. When Sssil returns, the snake is curled up on Growlgra's chest, his face less than an inch from Growlgra's muzzle, tongue flicking in and out as he tracks the bika's breathing. Sssil reflects that it is probably a good thing Growlgra is unconcious, as the tracker thinks that Growlgra might not enjoy having the poisonous viper that close to his nose. Hisssa sends Sssil a feeling of sameness, as well as a feeling of warmth and comfort.

Although Westian has told Sssil about mammal's bodies producing heat to ward off sickness and that it can be dangerous, Hisssa appears to be enjoying it and sends Sssil an image of spraying Westian with the acidic goop from the rats, then Westian getting sick and being warm with Hisssa curled up next to him, followed by a feeling of teasing. The snake seems to like Growlgra a lot, although he seems to have no real use for Westian, being that someone with Westian's talents serves no purpose in Hisssa's world.

Upon seeing the cage, the viper grows excited and slithers down off of Growlgra and over to where Sssil is standing. The tracker examines the cage, and sees that it has a clever door in the top which woud allow snakes to put their head inside the cage and strike the rat without allowing the rodent to escape. Sssil flips the latch and opens the door, revealing a hole in the top of the cage. Hisssa catches on immediately and eagerly sticks his head in the hole. The cage shakes and a SQUEEEE comes from inside as Hisssa strikes. The viper retracts his head, his jaws gripping a weakly struggling rat, and retreats under the wagon to enjoy his meal in peace. Even though Hisssa is different than a wild viper, he still shares the same instinct to hide while and immediately after eating. Sssil knows that Hisssa will seek out the armor pouch as soon as he has swallowed the rat.

Sssil uses his pack as a backrest and sits, fully intending to keep an eye on his friend all night. However, the next thing he is aware of is sunlight shining in his eyes and a hand on his shoulder. He open his eyes to see the bright scaled female looking down at him and holding out a wooden plate heaped with fried venison and gorsshhat eggs.

When the female sees he is awake she gives him the plate then steps back and averts her eyes "Here, eat. Kass asked me to bring this to you. Aftter eating, she asks that you see her." she says in a rush, obviously very uncomfortable in Sssil's presence and eager to be away from him.

The food smells good, and Sssil eats hungrily. Growlgra is laying in front of him, still sleeping and Westian's bedroll lays empty. Apparently, the elf has been up for some time, as his gear, besides the bedroll, is all neatly stowed and ready to go.

Sssil sees Growlgra's nose twitch, and the bika opens his eyes. The small hunter eyes the plate of food, and then mimes eating, then points to himself. He attempts to stand, but only gets as far as his knees before falling back into the bedroll. Althugh the bika appears weak, he seems a bit healthier and more alert than yesterday. A quick inquiry to Hissa reveals that the warmth radiating off of the canine is less than it was yesterday, or even late last night. The snake pops his head out of the pouch and looks around, obviously enjoying the bright morning.

"Hoi Zzzheel!" Westian calls as he walks up. "How arr yoo zhis fyne mournin? Khaz iz ovar in zee mayne khamp aireea. Chee aiskkd mee two thel yoo two zee hair ven yoo avoke."

The elf sees that Growlgra is awake, and says something in a language that Sssil is beginning to recognize as the trade tongue of the mammals. It is different from both the language of forest dwellers, which Growlgra seems to understand but not speak, and the growling tongue that must be the language of Growlgra's people. The bika responds in the same tongue, and Westian smiles. Turning to Sssil, the elf says "Growlgra zzhayz zzhat hee iz veelin a bhit bhettar, alzho hee iz shtil zhik. Zee gesh ahpears two hav zhum ahvect. Zzzhiz iz gud."

The dog-man mimes for Sssil to help him to his feet, ad them motions towards the main camp area, then rubs his stomack. Help me go there. Food. Even though he is still weak, the small hunter seems to want to still try and patrol with Sssil this morning, although the lizar isnt really sure that is the best idea. Sssil can see Kass sitting by the fire talking to one of the drivers, who is frying up strips of venison from a fresh kill. The other guards sit around eating, talking, and getting ready to pack up the camp. The pathfinder sees Sssil and motions him over to talk to her.
If you want to do anything else before talking to Kass, i'll retcon it in at this point

"Ahh, good. You are awake." she says, when Sssil makes his way over. "Now, you have two options for your task today. You could eaither take point, or go hunting, as even though your elf friend was able to save much more food than I had dared hope, for which I am grateful, we are still down to half supplies. We need to restock. But, its up to you as to which one you want to do."

She doesnt seem to be saying anything about the secret plan, but there are many lizar within earshot here. Perhaps she will approach Sssil later.

[beowuuf]

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! The part with Hissssa being concerned and praying is so sweet, as is his perception of reality. And yeah, I have no problem with you having your own fun with the background of the DM world. After all, you need to get your fun where you can while players constantly break your story, right? I'm assumign you have dealt with the fly by now!


Sssisl is glad that someone is looking out for the others. And his is very touched when he understands what his friend Hissssa is conveying. While he guessed the serpent might now have much patience for Westian, he was glad Growlgra and Hissssa might have a chance to bond. Ssssil made sure to let Hissssa know that the lizar would find more food for the cage whenever he could find it. Though he sent a teasing flash of a little baby rat to his friend, with others following.

Of course, thinking on Growlgra's condition made Ssssil sad and nervous, and so he went for the cage happy with the distraction. It was a shock that, once the lizar settled in to sleep, the day sudden;y struck him. ssssil needed to focus for a moent to realise what had happened, and then he quickly looked ot the bika after the female had gone. His stomach argues that Ssssil should eat, but both the summons from Kass and the concern for the small hunter means Ssssil does not really taste the food.

Unusual emotions swell in Ssssil when he sees the small hunter awake. Especially if the strange heat is going. Ssssil offers what remains of his food to the bika, then once the elf has come over, helps the bika to get some for himself. "Good," says Ssssil simply to Westian, and makes a hand gesture and then smiles to indicate the same to Growlgra.

For some reason, despite the questions that Ssssil might like to ask, and the comments he may wish to ask, a great reluctance overcomes him. He is happy to be motioned ot by Kass, and with another happy gesture and smile that comes from the soles of his feet and works its way out throgu hhis whole body, he then quickly moves off to Kass.

"Hunt," says Ssssil, nodding and feelign nervous. "Alone?" he then asked, trying to keep his tone from being too hopefuly. How is he suppsoed to act around Kass when she is aroudn others? He does not trust himself to say anything more, even though he wished to make suggestions. Still, perhaps it was best he did not stick his neck out.

Ssssil also looks to Hissssa, making sure his friend knows that Ssssil means that he does not even wish Hissssa's company. Ssssil wants Hissssa to keep an eye on Growlgra and Westian - partuially for their sadfety, and partially for signs of sickness again. Although, of cours,e secretly Ssssil just feels the need to go out alone. Perhaps he is feeling anxious from so mcuh time n a group, or perhaps it is the odd emotions from Growlgra being better today. Ssssil would just like some quiet, simple time to himself.

He does not see there is any reason to worry. At worst, he would be drawing danger from the camp.


There we go, Ssssil's kinda feeling overwhelmed right now and wants to go it alone,. Whether this is a good idea or not - and whwther Kass and Hissssa let him - is another matter!

[raixel]

I finally shooed it out, and then was like "I should put the screen back in" (I live in a 115 yr old building which is ancient for the northwest US, the windows have no screens beyond those removable expanding type that you wedge between the window well and the frame but have to remove to close the window) cuz I had it out in the hopes the fly would want to go back outside. Then as I was getting the screen to put it in "ZzzzZzzzZZ!" There goes another one! Its currently in my kitchen. Sigh.


Growlgra grins at Sssil and accepts the leftover food, wolfing it down hungrily. Even though he has been sick, it didnt seem to damage his appetite any. Westian seems pleased that Growlgra is hungry, and when the bika motions to the main camp area, Westian jumps up to help him walk, and Sssil decides to help. As Growlgra shakily gets to his feet, an image pops in Sssil's head of baby rats all walking in a line into a cave with two long stalactites hanging down. The image pulls back, and the cave is really a giant Hisssa's open mouth, who lays there letting the parade of little rats enter.

The two ecort the bika to where the other caravaners are eating and beginning to break down the lean-tos most of them slept under and pack the camping supplies. Westian and Sssil are on either side of Growlgra helping him walk and the bika is leaning heavily on their support although it is obvious to Sssil he is trying to use their aid as little is possible. The driver-cook dishes up a plate of fried meat for Growlgra, and the bika digs in hungrily. Sssil wonders where the small creature is packing all the food, as the quickly disappearing mound of venison is the size of his head.

As Growlgra eats, Sssil decides to go talk to Kass. The pathfinder nods when the tracker says he wishes to hunt, but then frowns when he says he wants to go alone.
"I don't think going alone is a good idea. But you seem capable. Just keep in front of the path of the caravan, so if you need aid we can find you if you call. If you agree to do this, I will let you go, otherwise I'm afraid I can't allow it. I will be joining you later in the day on point." the female says. Judging by the look on her face when she said "will be joining you" Sssil surmises that she plans to meet up with him later to discuss the secret plan. The pathfinder turns and digs in a large trunk at her side and then pulls out a piece of grahhssk vellum. She hands the scroll to Sssil and says "Here is a map of our route so you know where to go. Don't stray too far, and if you make a kill, come back or signal and I will have one of the outriders take their grahhssk to claim it.

She nods at Sssil and stands to oversee the final preperations for the packing of the camp. This being Sssil's first caravan trip, he is amazed with the speed that the experienced divers, cooks and grahhssk handlers complete their tasks. Sssil sees Thessan, Lisssak(the very young grey and white male), Dassrak, and the brown female with the bad eye all mounted on the male grahhssk that had been attached to the last wagon in a long string, along with a few remounts and extra females. Those must be the outriders Kass spoke of. Sssil knows that they will ride at a slight distance from each of the four corners of the caravan, alert for attacks in the distance. Normally there would also be a few scouts travelling at a much farther pace out, but since this caravan is small and travelling through the deep swamps, Kass and Hassta obviously decided to sacrifice more guards for mobility.

Within a half-bell the caravan is close to being packed and nearly ready to go. Kass approaches Sssil and says "Alright, get going. I want you, since you are not riding, to be able to get about a half bell head start on us. Oh, and here, take this." She reaches into her waist pouch and pulls out a bone whistle shaped like a bird beak about the length of Sssil's hand. On its top there are two holes. Kass covers up the top hole and blows through the whistle and a loud hoot sounds, nearly exatly the call of the tri-crested swamp mandrill. Sssil can hear the whirr of nearby songbird wings as they take off into startled flight at the sound, probably thinking it is that call of the bird-eating primate itself. Then she covers the bottom hole and blows another note, this one much higher than the first, and much more like the call of the day-owl.

"Alright, so you blow the low note, the one that sounds like the mandrill, if you spot an enemy or some danger the caravan should be aware of. We will stop and the outriders will start circling. Come back immediately if you can. Two blasts means you are in danger or have been injured, and you need aid. Three means send all guards to your location. The other call is used if you have made a kill, an outrider will travel to your location to pick it up. If you need more people, blow as many notes as people you need. Ok, so you got that? Now, unfurl your map and i'll show you our route." she says as she hands him the whistle.

Sssil unfurls the map and finds the glyph for Makan. Tracing his finger up, he finds the glyph "mother and son rocks" with an x next to it. Kass points out a black line travelling from the X near the mother and son rocks to an X just on the edge of the deep bogs. "Alright, so this is as far as im hoping to make it this day. We will set up camp here tonight (pointing to the second X) and hopefully float the entire bogs tomorrow, if we can convert the wheels to mud-runners fast enough. I do know of some large islands in the bogs, but dont fancy spending the night on them. We should be leavin the well-kept roads about here (pointing to an area some miles west from the mother and son rocks) and from that point on will be using hand cut trails. So, at that point I'd appreciate it if you'd check in, so we know you are alright. I might join you and show you how to walk point then too." she tells him.

Sssil looks at the sky and estimates taht gives him about 4 hours of hunting time. Hisssa seems eager to be off and images of Sssil and the snake alone in the swamp flash through the tracker's mind. Sssil tells his companion that he is to stay in the wagon and watch over Growlgra, and a feeling of disappointment washes over Sssil. The snake gets sulky, curled up in the armor pouch, and when Sssil sees Westian helping Growlgra to climb up the side of the wagon and realizes he needs to leave soon, refuses to leave the pouch and join the two mammals. You can try and get him to go, or just let him stay with you.

The wagons are packed and the last preperations are being made. Thessan rides his grahhssk up to Sssil and says "Good hunting. I'll be on the right forward side, so if you stay on that side of the trail, I most likely will answer your call if you need anything."

The warrior salutes Kass and rides his grahhssk over to the grahhssk handler, who begins to check it over one final time. Sssil sees WEstian and Growlgra waving at him from the top ofthe wagon the companions rode i yesterday, Growlgra witha look of regret on his furry face, although the little hunter seems to know he is too ill to be out in the swamp. The bika draws an imaginary line down his muzzle like he did in the blood of the animals they had killed, and then points at Sssil, before grinning and motioning him off.

Kass mounts her grahhssk and rides up when she sees Sssil still standing around. "Wel, what are you waiting for? We are leaving soon, get going!" she says to him, in a sligtly impatient but tesing tone.

Sssil looks at the map to find out where he can go without straying too far and realizes there is a decent hunting ground just a mile or two southwest. There are large swamp turtles, of which the eggs are quite tasty, many flightless marsh birds, wild erlosssa horse like hooved animal) and other prey known to be in this area, which is marshy but dry enough to have many islands covered in plants. There is also a series of small ponds to the south west, with other prey, although crocidiles and wild hippos have been known to live in the ponds in much greater numbers than elsewhere. He could also just follow along the road and see if he could flush anything up.

K, so choose where you want to go and make the appropiate rolls (perception, survival, know nature are the absolutely needed ones, but you could also do a move silent as well as any other ones you think might come in handy)

[beowuuf]

Sssssil is overjoyed that Growlgra seems well, and is eating. The lizar certainly had not thought it would be possible the night before. After seeing Growlgra eat so much, Ssssil sends Hissssa a mental image of Growlgra with many snakes inside him, all digesting the food for the mammal.

Ssssil signs at Hissssa's reluctance to stay behind, but he is not in charge of his friend. And better his friend wishes to stay with him, instead of going off on his own. Ssssil has spent much time 'alone' while still having Hissssa for company, and is not too distraught to do so again now. Especially as Growlgra seems to be able to move better.

Ssssil nods to Thessan's words, relieved that Thessan will be in earshot in case of danger, and is even more relieved that the lizar is not pushing against Sssssil's actions anymore. Ssssil is a little more confused with the bika's gesture, but assumes it is some form of hunting good luck. He replicates the gesture, then nods and waves, before he turns around. He feels a little guilty that everyone is paying him fond tributes when he just wishes to get away.

Ssssil is able to lose himself in his hunting mode as Kass gestures for him to leave. Hmm, the ponds seem risky - getting close to predators, and close to anyone who might also be lurking. Perhaps the swamp turtles would be the best bet. The variety of food was sometimes welcome, he supposed, but more importantly it was harder for predators and others to hide. And any predator would not send a terrified herd of erlosss at him.


Sorry this took so long! Stupid internet and then updates restarting my comp. Only realised I'd not replied when mentioing restarts to Ameena yesterday, and realised I'd probably left the window for this open as a reminder

Rolls: Perception, survival, knowledge (nature), knolledge (geography), intelligence (1d20=13, 1d20=16, 1d20=7, 1d20=8, 1d20=11)
Oops, move silently would be good (1d20+3=23)

Perception: 18
Survival: 33
Nature: 14
Geography: 13 (trying to aim for a place where he won't be hidden from the caravan, or where the land might hide a dip with swamp lizards/predators)
Intelligence: 10 (basically looking for flaws in the above logic....I'm guessing no further alarm bells or confidence )
Move Silently: 23 (just remembered, nat 20!!!)[/b]

[raixel]

Hm. For some reason I thought I posted this yesterday, but when I turned on my monitor, it was just sitting there.

S'ok. It gave me time to add more detail to my story! Not that I need anymore, really, with my average 1000+ word posts . Question: When do you estimate the main game wrapping up? I ask because where you are now is the best place to change the length of the adventure by adding or removing encounters, or having a few uneventful days that can be glossed over, ect. You were only supposed to be with the caravan for 3 days, and then a few more to the pixie village. When I was writing the adventure, i figured 6 to 8 in-game days would be short. Little did I know

So I'm assuming youre going to the marsh and not the pond area? There was a typo, the ponds are supposed to be northwest from your current location.


The sounds of the caravan and other travelers at their camps fade into the distance as Sssil walks down the main road away from the mother and son rocks. Hisssa pops his head out of the pouch once they are away from the caravan, obviously he thinks that they are far enough away that Ssssil wont change his mind and make him stay with Growlgra. The small viper's tongue flicks in and out rapidly as he scents the morning breeze. Sssil glances at the position of the RA orb and estimates that it is about 4 bells before No Shadow. This is a good time to hunt, as herbivores will be out foraging for food. Of course, predators also knew that this was a good time to hunt.

An image flashes in Sssil's mind of eyes watching the camp in the dark last night, and he decides to leave the road and backtrack a little to check the general location where Hisssa saw the eyes in depths of the swamp across the West Road. He searches the area, noting that he can see the camp site and the caravan through the foliage, although not well. It was well enough to watch for a commotion or a good out-of-the way location for a clandestine meeting spot, however. Within minutes, the tracker's sharp eyes pick out scuffed bark along the side of a tree and a few broken leaves on the lowest branches, as well as matted down ground-cover underneath said tree where something bi-pedal apparemtly stood. Although Hisssa saw the being standing, it seemed that it had climbed up in this tree, probably to try and find a better vantage point. Sssil looks around for tracks and finds a couple half-prints in the mud, that seem to be the size and shape of shod lizar feet. They are leading nearly due south away from the camp deeper into the swamp. There are also a bunch of uniform light scrape marks in the mud, and a leafy fern branch covered in mud that was obviously used to sweep tracks away, causing the scrapes.

Frm this loctaion, the city of Makan is about 3 hours due east(walking fast, the caravan moves slower), the place you hunted earlier with the creek is 2 or so hours south east, the road goes almost straight west for a while then gently curves southwest, and the hunting grounds with turtles is about an hour directly southwest. Also note lizar do not have infra(dark, whatever)vision, but the eyes Hisssa saw was using it (in my world, like I said, night-sight using eyes glow in the dark when another night-sight using being looks directly in them and so can give you away the same way a cat's eyes shine in the dark when light hits them. A sucessful hide check can avoid this.)

Whatever this being was, Sssil realizes taht it was wilderness savvy and also took pains to hide its trail. The tracker glances at the caravan and realizes that it is lined up, the drivers doing the final checks of their grahhsssk and harnesses before starting to move. There is most likely nothing to be gained here, and Sssil hurries away so he can at least get a little head start on the caravan.

The lizar moves in the brush along the West Road for a while before angling to the southwest, hoping to come across a herd of erlosss or a swamp-turtle nest before he gets too deep in the swamp. 50 yards off the road the ground starts to get more marshy, although nowhere near as bad as the area to the northwest with the ponds. It should be easy enough for one of the outriders and their grahhssk to find him here, as he isnt taking any pains to cover his passage. He moves easily through the wilderness, happy in the silence with only the sound of his footsteps and the calls of small swamp-creatures to keep him and Hisssa company. Suddenly the distance ahead of him, he hears the loud warning chirp of a swamp-deer that is chopped short. At least one other creature was hunting here today, but as it had just made a kill, it probably wasnt going to bother the two hunters.

Hisssa becomes interested in something, and sticks nearly half his body out of the pouch, swaying back and forth as he tries to track its scent. An image of a viper appears in Sssil's mind, although this one is much larger than Hissa, about 6 feet and colored differently. Definately not large enough to kill and eat a swamp-deer though.

While watching out for the snake, Sssil finds the peculiar dragging line and round indent tracks of a large swamp turtle heading towards a bowl shaped depression with about 4 feet of standing water in it down in a small valley to Sssil's left. Although he can't see the turtle from where he is, as they blend in quite well with their environment unless they are moving, he knows taht they usually build their nest right next to at least a foot of standing water, but water that is small enough to not house large pedators thta might disturb eggs or be able to break through the turtle's shell. Even if there was no eggs to be had, the turtles themselves make good eating, although the meat of the older females can be tough. Sssil also realizes that the water might be a good place to search for other tracks, as there isnt much standing fresh water in this area, so most creatures living here might have to come by for a drink.

Sssil goes to follow the tracks, and he gets a warning flash from Hisssa who has stopped swaying and is pointed straight in the direction Sssil was moving. The lizar looks around and easily spots the brown and black viper sunning itself in the middle of the trail the turtle had been using about 2 feet in front of him, once he realizes its on the ground and not in the branches where swamp-vipers normally live. Since Sssil had been moving so quietly, the snake didnt notice him until he was nearly on top of it, and was startled. It quickly coils itself in a defensive ready-to-strike posture, head raised and tongue flicking in and out as it tries to deduce whether the lizar is a threat.

So you have a snake! Well, a second one. Well, you dont *have* it, its just sorta there. Fortunately it failed its hide check vs your perception. Unfortunately, its 2 feet away and could strike at Sssil if it chose(although it was suprosed due to your move silent)! Now, what do you do?

[beowuuf]

Yeah, PbP is hard to gauge with movement, especailyl if you have opeople less able to post, DM included! It won't carry on passed it's 2nd year anniversay at the start of Sepatember. Thoguh I am doubting it will wrap up before the end of this month. SoI say we've still got a month to go.


Ssssil is shocked, his hand instinctively cradling Hissssa. He takes a few steps backwards, while sending a mental image of hacking the viper's head off walkign aroudn the thing. Did Hissssa think they could get around it? Shoudk they even try. Ssssil reluctantly send an image of silcing the viper's head off, though he thought this might be in poor taste for his friend.

Ssssil's hand drifted to his throwing axe.


Yeah, non-provocation. In game terms I guess it would map to a withdrawl for a few steps combinign it with a unsheath action... Not sure how Hissssa feels about killing its own kind, though I assume Ssssil would know by now? So if Hissssa would be offended, then try to avoid/communicate, if Hissssa is happy to have aggressive others removed, them perhaps try to get in to a striking posiiton - ready an attack against its own attack, sort of thing

[raixel]

Crap. The short in my keyboard is getting worse. I almost thought I lost it right now. I need to strip the cord ad see if its splice-able, but I dont want to do that until it goes out completely, just in case it makes it worse. This is a 60$ fancy logitech keyboard with customizable color backlit keys and 12 macro keys. I casnt believe its got a short after only 7 months.

When Sssil asks Hisssa how he feel sabout harming the snake, the lizar gets a feeling of irritation and fear at the other viper. It seems Hisssa views the snake as a rival. It is most likely male, and Hisssa seems to be afraid of it, as he retreats into his armor pouch and seems grateful for the shelter of Sssil's hand. Sssil knows enough about the vipers of the swamp to know that even though this snake is a different species than Hissa, if it was a male, it wouldnt hesitste to attack or kill the smaller male, as Hisssa could be potenial competition for mates and food. In the wild, snakes are solitary and only come together during mating season or for territorial disputes among males. Most femaels abandon the babies or eggs as soon as they are born or laid. In addition, Hisssa comes from stock bred by lizars as pets and companions for trackers over milennia and is as different from a wild snake as those "dogs" that mammals keep (which Sssil once read about) are from a swamp-jackal.

The small viper seems happy at the image of the headless snake, and Sssil gets an image of his axe, although in Hisssa's mind, the axe looks stragely like a snake fang. Sssil also gets an image of a giant Ssssil roaring like a tiger and chasing the scared snake off of the path, followed by a grateful Hisssa.

Ssssil backs off, and the snake relaxes slightly from its aggressive posture, although it makes no attempt to flee. Sssil knows that most snakes are shy, and just want to be left alone by larger creatures, fleeing at the slightest opertunity. However, it is also possible that the snake scents Hisssa, and Sssil knows that if the snake flees, it would be as if it ceded its territory to the smaller male. Altbough Hisssa is domesticated and has no interest in keeping territory like a wild snake and has been bred to be semi-comfortable around other males, settiing competition for mates with non-lethal wrestling matches and mock-strikes, of course the wild viper doesnt know this.

Sssil moves into a good position for a strike I'm assuming your going to throw your axe? about 10 feet back down the path. From this position, he can make a clean throw with his axe, but the snake couldnt strike back in return without moving 5 feet closer. Hisssa seems afraid, and doesnt want to leave the armor pouch. The image of the headless snake appears repeatedly in Sssil's mind, along with a sense of urgency.

When Sssil backs away, the snake relaxe more, although it still watches the tracker closely. It seems slightly confused, as if wondering why this snake-smell is coming from a two legged thing taht also smells like a reptile. However, being a simple wild beast, it seems ready to defend its territory against the large two-legged snake that has clearly come to steal any potential mates.

So backing away seemed to relax it more. However, it also isnt going anywhere. You can choose to attack it, if you want. Or being a ranger, Sssil culd try to use animal empathy to convince it he isnt a threat and it should go away. Or you could go around. Or do any other number of things that make tapletop so much more fun than cRPGs ;D

[beowuuf]

Yeah, why do expensive things fall apart just as much as cheap things? Can't expensive things just be bounce-off-floors proof? Ok, that's more what I do with expensive thigns than you. Anyway, good luck splicing! And apologies for having stupid thigns come up and distract me from posting a simple action here. Harry Potter and tiredness and birthday meals (someone else's) and early walks! Stupid things! Update here first, then the main game thread.


Ssssil was glad to avoid the confrontation, but knew Hissssa's feelings in general regarding rivals. Clearly Hissssa regarded this one as a rival, and there was no guarantee that the other would not sneak back upon them to attack later. Were Ssssil on his own, he would have tried some peaceful interaction with the snake, even given a wide birth and tried to co-exist. After all, he had done that with many denizens of thwe swamp he had come in contact with, living and let living no matter how strange. And after all, it was how he had befriended Hisssa. Perhaps that was the important thing though, he did not wish Hissssa to feel jealous nor threatened. Hissssa had been a true friend, and despite any misgivings,. Ssssil felt that he owed that friendship something now.


Yeah, I know I could do many clever thigns here, but at the end of the day Ssssil will back up his friend and prove his friendship and kill some harmless (from a certain point of view) snake. Wasn't intending to before, but if the snake is holding back, then yeah, throw the hand axe at it, then draw the short sword and prepare for the counter-attack, moving backwards (narratvely so it can't just spring and strike, mechanically trying to get out of its attack range so that a five foot step can be used to get in to attack range next turn

Throw: Hand axe throw (and damage) (1d20+7=12, 1d6=5) Hmm, probably not!

[raixel]

Heh. Im sure the short came from me dropping my keyboard on my wood floor repeatedly, as I dont have a computer desk, just a lounge chair with a tv on a stand and my tower on the floor next to it, so my bpard and mouse(laser, I run it off my knee) sit on my lap. My next door neighbors who I am friends with go "you are really quiet, but ocasionally theres this loud crash..." "Um. That would be my keyboard, sorry..." S'ok, Ive been going back and forth between being too busy to even get on the net, and having NOTHING to do. Ahhh, joys of sporadic work.

Sssil aims at th snake and throws his axe. Unfortunately, the axe flies right over the snake's head to plow into the mud by the coiled body. The snake reacts to this new threat by quickly retracting its head into the safety of the coils of its body and hissing in startlement. As Sssil watches, the snake slowly lifts its head again, staring at the half-buried axe. Its tongue flickers in and out as it assesses whether or not the axe would suddenly leap at it before turning to face Sssil again once the axe does not move for a few heartbeats. The snake's head weaves back and forth as it tracks the lizars movement. As Sssil moves backwards, the viper turns to flee into the brush on the side of the trail, obviously deciding a rival that could throw its fangs around was far too powerful to try and attack.

There is a slight noise on the side of the trail, a sound like leaves rusting as the snake moves its long body off the trail and into the undergrowth. Finally, its tailtip disappears in the brush, and the rustling sounds grow faint as it moves away. Hisssa sticks his head out of his pouch and mock-strikes in the direction of the fleeing snake. An image of a giant Sssil tying the snake in knots around a tree appears in Sssil's mind, and a feeling of pride.

The turtle tracks continue towrads the small water-filled depression, and in the distance, coming from around the area of the water, Sssil hears the crashing sounds of a large creature or creatures moving through the bush, although not quickly.

Yeah, it failed its morale. After all, a giant axe flashing by your head when you just wanna catch some sun inst exactly conductive to hanging around. Hissa seems satisfied, although you could still hunt it down if you wished

[beowuuf]

Lol, ok, I have slightly less sympathy for the keyboard, but far more for how thin your walls must be!


Ssssil was secretly glad that he had not struck the snake, a little sad to have forced the snake to move away from its own hunting and sunning activities. Still, Hisssa is happy, which is the most important thing. And Ssssil is not sad to know they are marginally safer now.

Ssssil goes back to trying to move stealthily, stopping only to retrieve his axe. Short sword in one hand, axe in the other, Ssssil encourages Hisssa to sit back for a moment so Ssssil can try to be stealthy. Clearly, there is game ahead.


Move back to the main prey. And hope they aren't giant worms or hydras or something evil and karmic like that Do my rolls carry from earlier or will I need fresh ones?

[raixel]

Your rolls carry on from before, as you actually didnt get in combat, just chased the snake away.

Hisssa follows Sssil's directive and calms down, retreating into the armor pouch with just his head sticking out. That mental image amuses me, a lizar warrior in studded leather armor with a small flap up by the collarbone, and a snake's head sticking out examining the area. After he spends a few seconds cleaning the mud from his axe, the hunter continues to follow the turtle tracks down to the depression, moving stealthily down the gently sloping valley.

He again hears that large crashing sound as he gets closer, and pinpoints the sound as coming from across the small water filled depression. This close, he can also hear a noise that sounds like splashing as well coming fom the same area. The ground gets muddier as he moves down the valley, although his wide feet and swamp-boots keep him from sinking too deeply. An image appears, of Westian walking this way, and then getting stuck up to his knees, followed by amusement. Clearly HIsssa has developed a opinion of the elf's wilderness savvy.

The turtle tracks go right to the edge of the water and then disappear. The ground is quite churned up here. Sssil can make out more turtle tracks in the churned muck, of about the same size, as well as a few of the two-toed bluntly clawed tracks of an erlosss herd. He heras a "KKKRRRIK" and sees the head of a diving-bird pop up out in the small pond a few feet from the shore. The bird ignores the lizar and continues swimming around. It obviously doesnt consider Sssil a threat. An image of GRowlgra's bola appears in his mind which then wraps around the bird, followed by regret.

At least Sssil knows there is much game in this area, although the turtle is no-where to be seen right now. It could be under the water in the pond, or hidden in the brush across the way. If it was female, its nest would be buried in he mud right at the edge of the water, and Sssil knows that if he follows the shore of the pond, he might be able to see the mud-covered brush lump that the turtles used to incubate their eggs.

Again, the crashing and splashing sounds from across the water, a little bit deeper in the swamp and screened from Sssil's view by the plants growing n the area. Whatever the noise is, it doesnt seem to be moving at all.

K, so youve got a bird, (the diving birds are about crane sized, but shaped like a duck.) a potential turtle and eggs, some tracks, and a crashing and splasing sound. If you want to search for the eggs, or track anything, make the appropriate rolls. Your move silent still carries, as you havent stopped moving silently and it was a nat 20. The water i sabot 8 feet across by 8 feet long, and looks to be about 5 or 6 feet deep, shallower on the edges.

[beowuuf]

Yeah, for some reason Ih have in mind the Half Life aliens now with the little front claw thingie!


Ssssil appreciated the sounds of nature, feeling them wash over his awareness. He has no sense of irony regarding feeling a part of this place, accepted by the bird and included in the life of those around. Ssssil thinks mostly of the nest, deciding to look for it along the edge in the bushes. However, the constant noise is curious, and Ssssil biases his search aroudn the edge of the pond to take him the best side to look further off in to the brush while under some form of cover.


Perception for eggs and work out the noise, hide if required, and a general survival check regarding understanding what is around him. (1d20=13, 1d20=10, 1d20=12) - so 18, 11 and 29 respectively for perception, hide and survival

[raixel]

Sssil stands at the edge of the water surveying the area. He sees to his right there are many turtle tracks leading to and around an embankment that stretches off into the trees nearly on the opposite edge of the pond where he is. Wandering over there, he sees the embankment appears to be the bottom of a huge ancient tree that toppled many many years ago, slowly being covered in mud and plant growth, the place where its roots were near the water forming a small half submerged "cave" about 4 feet high and 4 feet wide at the mouth. He makes a mental note of the hollow as a good place to check for the eggs. He again hears the sound very close and just beyond the mound shape of the mud covered dead tree. From this distance he realizes that at first there is a large but muted spla-splash, as of something large heaving itself out of water, followed by a noise like crashing branches and then another splashing. It doesnt seem to be going anywhere, so Sssil decides to check to make sure it isnt something dangerous.

His sharp hearing easily pinpoints the sounds, and he stealthily creeps toward the noise. The ground here is getting quite muddy, and even Sssils swamp-boots are sinking deeply n the mud, causing a slight sucking noise as he steps. The tracks of many erlosss are here, and still pretty recent, as in within the hour. The crashing and splashing sounds are directly in front of Sssil, and he freezes. Peering through the branches ahead of him, he sees an erlosss up to its haunches in catch-slime (kinda like quicksand but more muddy and you dont sink as fast, more just taht the mud has such a strong grip on you, you cant get out.) As Sssil watches, it tries to heave itself out of the muck, thrashing and managing to catch its front legs in the bushes nearby before falling backwards into the puddle with a sucking muddy splash. The mud-splattered creature seems exhausted, its mouth open and sides heaving. The erlosss tracks wind around the catch-slime and it seems this one was just unlucky enough to get too close to the deadly puddle and then in its panic not be able to free itself.

The erlosss would make a fine meal, if there would be some way Sssil could get it out of the muck. But for now, it isnt going anywhere, so Sssil goes back to search the area around the pond, especially the hollow. As he approaches, he hears "KRRRRIK" "KKRRIK" and the beating of heavy wings. Looking up he sees a small flock of about 4 diving birds land in the pond to join the solitary bird, who "KRRK"s in greeting at the newcomers. Near the hollow there is a rippling, and Sssil sees a huge swamp-turtle's shell rising out of the water. Eventually the turtles head is visible, and Sssil sees it turn its small eyes toward the raucously cackling birds before ponderously stumping its way into the hollow. This is one of the largest swamp turtles Sssil has ever seen, its shell easily being 4 feet in diameter and three feet hig, and it scrapes mud from the sides of the hollow as it enters. The turtle completely disappears in the "cave", and Sssil realizes the hollow must go back a ways before ending. A turtle of this size would make a fine catch in addition to any eggs, and Sssil realizes he could probably also make some gold off of the shell, which lizar craft into armor. However, a cornered swamp turtle can deliver a nasty bite with its hooked snout strong enough to snap an adult lizar's arm bones.


What Sssil knows about erlosss. An erlosss is a cloven hoofed brown horselike mammal with some black striping. They are larger than horses, but more compact with a shorter and broader muzzle, large splayed cloven hooves, and stockier legs and body. Heres a pic of zorses and zedonks (zebra/horse or donkey hybrids) so you can get a general idea of what they look like. Zorse pics: http://true-wildlife.blogspot.com/2011/04/zorse.html (the one on the bottom is closest to an erlosss as far as coloration) Zedonk pics http://www.copyright-free-pictures.org. ... zedonk.htm .They average 31/2feet at the shoulder and around 1200 lbs, lighter for females. Erlosss make no vocalizations, instead signalling others with pheremones and body language. They live in herds of 6-9, usually one stallion and his mares, although there may be an immature stallion in the herd. Lizar believe they cannot be domesticated as all attempts ever made to bring them within the city and train them hvae failed, although ther have been reports in Makan of swamp lzar using them the way Makan lizar use grahhssk. These rumors arent believed by the Makan lizar, however.

[beowuuf]

I had a strange dream last night! Or maybe the night before... anyway, I drempt about the little pond as if it was at the bottom of a normalgarden, and I was me but also pretending to be Ssssil, and trying to stalk around seeing what was ahead. Very weird! I'm dreaming about the game!


Ssssil was distressed to see the animal in distress, even though if it had been injured on the ground he would have killed it and turned it to meat without much more thought. At the very least, he looked around for markers to share, so he could warn the caravan of the spot later in a meaningful way.

If the Erloss was still above the mud later, Ssssil might come back to it. Perhaps he could ask Hissssa to perform a mercy kill and poison the creature so it would stop resisting? No,his friend might be dragged down, and besides the meat of the erloss could be lost.

Ssssil turned back to the formed cave where the turtle was, and thoughts for a moment. Sssssil had items he could use to create a quick seal over the front of the cave. And he still possessed the charged smoker device from earlier. Could he throw it in to the cave and poison the turtle? At worst, the turtle would be disoriented and forced back out in to the open, where Ssssil would have more tactical chance to attack it and move away from its powerful beak.


Very cool Erlosss stuff. I assume you are still enjoying world building here then Anyway,that's Ssssil's plan - use his bedroll as a screen for the front of the cave, and throw the smoker in after yelling the activation code. He'll try to stand behidn the entrance, if that puts him slightly elevated all the better. Obviously he'll look around to seeif the smoker leaks out and so is not being effective, otherwise he'll wait for the turtle to appear and make an attack from behind. Heck, jump on it's back

[raixel]

Ok, I'm going to allow you to try and put the bedroll up with the smoker in there, cuz thats seriously a rockin idea, even though really I dont think the smoker would produce enough smoke. Its just so cool i cant pass it up tho.

Are you serious? Oh, that is so cool. You are getting in touch iwth your inner lizar! I never dreamed about being/acting like a specific char, but once I dreamed I was in a dungeon fighting orcs with a trident with some other people, and there was a treasure chest at the end of a two square hallway on the ground. The walls n chest looked like an old CRPG, only real(perfectly square corridors, torches on the walls, same perspective). I woke up and went *damn damn damn* and tried to force myself back to sleep.

Oh, on a side note, I changed the AC of the turtle a little bit to account for the shell. Basically, it has 2 acs. One is for head, legs, tail, and the other for shell. The shell has a lower AC, but a hardness rating.

Sssil realizes as he creeps up to the cave taht it is just a shallow hollow about 6 feet deep that widens slightly at the dead end. He can see the turtle has turned itself around so its head is facing outward, although the stupid creature doenst see him. Looking around, he realizes taht he could easily climb up on the mud-covered hollow tree and hang the blanket of his bedroll off of it. Hisssa tracks the idea, and in incredulous sense of something that could only be translated as "here we go again" washes through Sssil's mind as the snake retracts his head into his pouch.

The mud covering the log is slippery, but Sssil manages to run up the side. Once on top, he peers down and sees that he is at the perfect angle to eaither jump on the turtle once it exits or try and strike it from his higher vantage point. However, there is a very good chance that he would hit the solid shell, and so decides that maybe jumping onto its back is the way to go. Reaching into his pack, he pulls out his bedroll and hangs the thickest blanket over the entryway and stands on it, then pulls out the censer. He holds the censer up and says "skkaki" before quickly pulling up a corner of the bedroll and tossing the smoking contraption inside.

Within a few seconds, he can see smoke starting to leak out from the edges of the bedroll. He reflects that after this, he is probably going to have to air his bedroll out, lest he smell like a smoked lizar. Within a minute, there is an angry hissing from inside the little hollow, and an angry turtle rushes out in a giant cloud of smoke. The stupid beast snaps at the offending blanket, ripping a small hole in it and tearing it from Sssil's hands.

The turtle is directly underneath Sssil, and he must take his jump before thecreature either realizes he is up there or goes to hide in the water.

K, so if you choose to jump, I need a jump, a balance, and a either strength check (to force the turtle's head) or a handle animal (to use your tracker knowledge). If you choose to hit it you get the +1 higher ground bonus.

[beowuuf]

Thanks! Wasn't sure if it was feasible given the dimensions and equipment. And yeah, that was fun yet sad really to be dreaming D&D stuff Ihave a friend who dreams some fun adventure FPS and spy movie jkinda stuff, I never get anythign that exciting!


Ssssil ignores his friend's 'encouragement' and got in to position uncertainly. Seeign the turtle up close Sssil realised how powerful these beasts were. He re-adjusted his sword and axe after the climb, and leapt at his currently unaware prey, finding he already missed the thought of a fellow hunter to back him up.

Even as he leapt, he felt that this hasty plan maynot have the best of outcomes...


Jump, balance and strength (1d20=5, 1d20=11, 1d20=5)
So that's Jump = 7, Balance = 12, and Strength check of 5 against the head. He may just stay upright if the turtle does nothing, but will apparently have jumped wrongly and unless lucky the strength check will go badly too

[raixel]

OMG I literally LOL'd when I saw your rolls. Oh to be an evil DM instead of a poor helpless player! ...

Sssil takes aim squarely at the turtle's back and leaps gracefully down the embakment onto the center of the shell. Or at least that is what he envisions himself doing. However, when he goes to take his leap, the heavy mud and rotted log that makes up the "mouth" of the hollow crumbles a bit, and Sssil finds himself having to leap early, his heavy feet causing a shower of mud, rotten wood, beetles, and wood grubs to rain down on the turtle's back along with the jumping lizar. T he turtle feels the debris hit it and it scoots forward barely a second before Sssil lands. Instead of landing squarely in the center of the shell as he had planned, the lizar hits near the tail section.

The turtle hisses in shock as it feels the heavy lizar land by its tail, the force of the blow driving its back legs into the mud. It churns its legs for traction in the heavy mud, spraying the lizar with marsh slime, and heads right for the pond. Sssil gamely hangs on, attempting to reach for one of the solid legs to try and trip the turtle up, however his strength is no match for the ponderous beast and the turtle easily rips its leg from the tracker's grasping hand.

The turtle digs its way out of the mud, giving Sssil time to right himself only to see the turtle's churning legs carrying it straight into the pond. Water quickly rises up around the shell as the turtle dives for the bottom.

Ok, so that wasnt an epic fail, but it was pretty damn close. And the DC's werent even that high! So, basically, Sssil is on a quickly sinking turtle island near the edge of the pond, being carried towards the center.

[beowuuf]

Awww, punishing me for bad rolls? What have I ever done to deser- oh, wait, nevermind, I remember now


Ssssil has a literal sinking feeling. Throwing his axe to one side, he takes his short sword in both hands, knowing its point will be better for stabbing underwater, and takes a huge breathe before submerging himself to fight.

Perhaps he should have warned Hissssa of his plans first.


Con check for holding breath, swim check for swimming down, perception for seeing the turtle, and attack roll if possible. (1d20=9, 1d20=2, 1d20=15, 1d20=3)

Con check 11, swim check 4 (thank god for racial bonuses or else that could have been epically failing! Oh, wait, it still is Just less so), perception 20, attack 11

[raixel]

Sssil goes to take a huge breath, however the marsh slime coating his face goes in him mouth and he gags for a second and scrubs at his face. He manages to take a breath before the stangant, algae encrusted water closes over him. A sense of annoyance floats through his mind and he feels Hissa brush by his arm as the snake leaves the pouch and swims for the surface. As soon as Hissa is clear, the lizar stabs downwards with his short sword, aiming for the turtle's head. However the creature is as agile underwater as it is clumsy on land, and it swings its head out of the way as it feels the water currents pass by it.

Ssssil has to let go of the turtle to attack, and the creture swims downward, disappearing in the murk. Sssil tries to follow, but is encumbered by he weight of his armor and gear. It is all he can do to keep himself upright as the weight of his armor and weapon tries to drag him upside-down.

As the lizar struggles in the water, he feels the water churn by his feet and suddenly the turtle's open beaked maw comes out of the gloom, aiming right for his feet. The tracker tries to dart out of the way, but the beast grabs his ankle and crushes it in its massive jaws.

Damn. That turtle kicks ass. You take *14* points of damage.

Sssil clamps his jaws over the yell that builds up in his throat as he feels the sharp beak slice through his boot and flesh and scrapes his ankle bone. A feeling of concern washes through his mind, as well as an image of Sssil slithering along the ground like a snake.

K. You're underwater, your foot is hurt and theres an angry turtle right underneath you. Oh, and you have 5 feet visibility due to how gross the water is. What a great thing to come back to, eh?

[beowuuf]

I forgot I had endurance, even though the note is right by my bonuses! My hold breath check should have been 15 not 11. Otherwise, yeah, what a wacky mess I seem to be in!

Ssssil ignores the pain and Hissssa's mental image, and tried to immediately lock the turtle's head in a scissor with his other leg. It huirts immensely but Ssssil can only think to use the grip of the turtle and trap the turtle. The creature can swim better than Ssssil, but is still bulkier than the thin Lizar. Ssssil can, even underwater, surely spin around faster than the turtle can react. Maybe Ssssil can snap the thing's neck before it bits through his foot. He also tries to stab down on the thing's head with the point of his short sword.


I know he hasn't the stats nor would it be mechanically possible for such an insta-kill, but maybe he can inflict some damage and get some caution induced in the turtle. Assuming it doens't have thick neck muscles of course! Not sure how you want to map this out. I'll just provide some rolls. Obviously if it's a grapple move, then the short sword stab will be narrative . Otherwise, I'll roll it as a secondary attack.

Rolls as needed: 7, 10, 1, 2 (ouch, hopefully you don't need nos 3 and four)
Secondary short sword attack if allowed (on its head): 21 (hope that is allowed!) Damage: 2 (lol, no strength and light weapons = eeeeshk damage!)
Four random rolls as needed, and fifth attack roll (1d20=7, 1d20=10, 1d20=1, 1d20=2, 1d20=18)
Shoert sword damage (1d6=2)

[raixel]

Weeeeeee! Here we go again! Lets see if you can get out of this one! BTW I lost stats for turtle, so recreated them. Maybe you'll be lucky and it ended up weaker Or maybe I made it way stronger without realizing it! . K, you really arent in much danger of drowning due to your lizardfolk hold breath. I'll give you a break since we're just re-starting and say you managed to catch a breath which allows you (not the full 4xCON rounds (1/2 that for combat), but you get 1 1/2 times con score so 21 rounds, -1 you've been underwater already. so 20 rounds. Originally I wasn't gunna do that and say you get the normal hold breath cuz Ssssil inhaled a mouthful of mud. See, I'm nice.

Um, question, Did you drop your pack before you went in?

Sssil fights through the pain and peers through the swirling murk at the creature latched onto his foot. The pain is excruciating and Sssil clamps his teeth down so that he doesn't release the precious air he is holding in the small extra lung that lizars have as a throwback to their swamp-dwelling lizard ancestors. Before the turtle can react, the lizar spins around and latches onto the creature's head, doing his best to wedge his sword in the creature's mouth to free his foot. The ploy works, and the surprised turtle releases its hold on Sssil's ankle, although the fast movement nearly throws him off balance due to the weight of his gear.

The tracker lashes out with his sword and plows a shallow furrow down the side of the turtle's head and neck. Unfortunately, the sword catches on the side of the shell and skips off before it can do any real damage. The great creature's blood mixes with Sssils in the muddy brown water, turning an odd shade of reddish-brown in the area of the combat. Angry now, the turtle thrusts its head forward and snaps with its heavy jaws, trying to catch another one of the tracker's limbs. Sssil feels the water currents shift as the creature begins its strike and dodges out of the way.

After striking, the turtle dives again, its outline quickly fading into the dim, slimy pool. As he floats there peering around to gauge where the creature will come from, Sssil again feels a frantic sense of concern. In his mind's eye, he can see Hisssa slithering back and forth along the bank, as if pacing. From the snake's perspective, the pond is a mud encrusted lake that churns as if it was boiling due to the combat. This image is replaced by one of the "lake" calming, and then a Sssil-shape floating limply to the surface, followed by a sense of worry and a sense of "out, out, out!"

K. Welcome back! Have fun with this one. Theres a ton of stuff you could do here!

[beowuuf]

The pack was probably on the ground when he pulled out the bedroll? Can't imagine he'd want to take the time to put his pack back on and manoeuvre with it and a sensor. Still, willing to talke a luck roll on that since I didn't say one way or the other!

And *sniff* I almost forgot Hissssa! Been out of it too long!


Ssssil feels Hissssa's worry, and also feels the pressure of the air in his chest. While he can still breathe for a few moments, the memory of the clamping jaw and the murky depths makes Ssssil feel less brave. If not for himself, he decides that running away is a kind thing to do for his friend. Ssssil#s egs are already kicking out as he nods at his rationalisation, and he moves off to where he feels Hissssa is.

As he starts though, a little bit of resentment and pride sting him - stronger than the stinging in his legs. Perhaps if he goes to the cave entrance again, maybe the turtle will come back? And in the meantime, maybe she left something...?


Discretion is thebetter part of valour...Ssssil will run away to check out the nest left, for now. You know, until he gets attacked again