CH 3: Pulp Adventure!

[JadedDM]

"Maua," the woman repeats.

Grey continues to sort through the potions, not giving any feedback on Ouragana's idea.

Oren, however, picks up his axe with purpose. "Does that really seem like the best idea?" he asks. "We've killed half a dozen of her people already. If I was her, I'd be out for revenge."

Dalaim gets to his feet, casting one final cure spell on himself before stretching. "That reminds me of something," he notes. He then turns to the mage. "Whatever you decide to do, keep in mind we can't spend all day here. Sooner or later, another patrol is bound to come by." He then heads over to the two corpses of the tribals the party did kill.

=============

Dalaim casts Cure Moderate Wounds on himself, restoring (1d10+1): 10 HP.

[Jenara]

Realising the world was moving around her, Arei sheaves her blade and heads back to the group. "Could I possibly take one of the healing potions? I do not plan to run in blindly again, but..." She pauses, "Val should have the strength potion, it will aid her effectiveness."

She waits for a response and then packs up her gear, thankful she was no longer weak.

[Breila]

Ouragana nods to the dwarves. "Yes, you are right, we should get moving. What about the unconscious prisoner? Do we leave him here, reasonalby well cared for? I would like to take the woman with us, though. As a hostage, she might safeguard us. And perhaps in time, we will be able to communicate. After all, if I understood you well, we do not want to eradicate the tribals here, but just make sure someone can investigate the ruins in peace."

[JadedDM]

Dalaim looks over the bodies. "I suppose it would be supremely ironic to wipe out a civilization for the purpose of studying it," he admits. "But they've been quite hostile so far. Still, the idea of using them as a buffer is a good idea, and it need not be limited to the living. Their dead can be of use, as well."

[HorizonsDream]

"What do you mean their dead can be of use?" Jocelyn asks as she takes one of the healing potions and hands it to Areilon.

[JadedDM]

After Jocelyn passes the healing potion to Areilon, Grey hands the other to Oren and the strength potion to Val. He pockets the fire resistance potion himself, which just leaves the flying potion remaining. "Anyone?" he asks.

Oren, meanwhile, sets his folded up tent and his pitons into one of the other tents. "I'll come back for these later," he says to himself. "They're just slowing me down."

Dalaim looks over his shoulder to the group. "I asked for a new spell while we rested that will help bolster our ranks, should we be attacked again," he explains. Turning back to the corpses, he holds his holy symbol over them and speaks as his eyes glow green. "Gonto, Cradle of Life...imbue these empty shells with your energy, so that they may serve you, even in death!"

Slowly, the two dead tribals stir. They groan as they get to their feet, their movements jerky and uncoordinated. The male's head is still partially caved in from Dalaim's hammer and the female's throat is still cut open so that when she groans, it creates a disquieting gurgling noise. Flies still buzz around them eagerly and there is no life in their glassy eyes.

"There we go!" Dalaim says. He shrugs off his backpack and hands it to the male. "Carry this." The dead man complies, putting the pack on. "Not only can they help us fight, but they make good pack mules, too."

Maua watches all of this with a wide eye expression. It's clear she has no idea what is happening or why.

==========

Areilon receives a Potion of Healing.
Oren receives a Potion of Healing.
Val receives a Potion of Hill Giant Strength.
Grey receives a Potion of Fire Resistance.
Oren drops from light to no encumbrance.
Dalaim casts Animate Dead, creating two zombies.
Dalaim drops from light to no encumbrance.

[HorizonsDream]

Jocelyn wrinkles her nose in disgust. "You know, that isn't exactly putting us in the best of lights in front of his tribal woman," she points out.

[Breila]

"I think the flying potion could be useful for me" Ouragana says and stretches out a hand to take it from Grey.

When Dalaim makes the zombies, her face shows disgust as well. "I hope you will release them for a proper burial once we don't need them any more" she says, accepting their necessity for the time being, despite her dislike. "I repeat my question, what do we do with the unconscious man?"

She unties Maua's foot bindings and helps her up gently."Come" she says smiling, finding a place for them in the middle of the marching group. She follows the druid's gaze to the zombies and says "I'm sorry", making sure her face and gesture show the meaning of these words.

[JadedDM]

"Hmm? Nonsense. If we bandage them up a bit, maybe they won't be able to tell the difference," Dalaim says.

"As for the unconscious one, we can either kill him or leave him here. We can't drag him with us, it will slow us down. Unless Jocelyn wishes to waste a healing spell on him," the old dwarf points out.

"Hey, speaking of which, I could use a little healing before we head on," Oren says to the acolyte. He still had a couple of nasty stab wounds from the druid's spear.

Maua, however, does not seem disgusted or horrified, but rather fascinated by the feat she has witnessed. She begins babbling rapidly, but whether she's speaking to herself, the zombies or Ouragana isn't clear.

==============

Ouragana receives a Potion of Flying.

[Jenara]

Arei's face falls at the sight of the animated dead, life was sacred, one did not play with the dead in such a way... Shaking her head she turns away.

"As does Val." Arei suggests, taking the potion she slips it in her pack, "Thank you." She adds to Jocelyn.

"As for him." She says looking at the fallen Tribal, "We have fishing line do we not? The plan to tie him up works does it not?"

[Breila]

"So we leave him here" Ouragana states. "I guess it does not matter if he's tied up or not, he can't follow us now and when others of his tribe come, they will untie him.

Now, which way do we go?"

Is there a path leading from the camp (not the way we came, obviously)?

[JadedDM]

The trail leads deeper into the jungle, but it's clear that it will be more difficult to traverse. The foliage becomes much thicker from here on out. The canopy beyond the clearing is so thick, it nearly blocks out the sunlight altogether.

[Jenara]

Arei waits for a response to her suggestion, before moving on...

(OOC: Perhaps I should have made it clear that Arei was looking ahead, when she went into the forest, that way you would have known what I was doing.)

[Nuke]

Val readies herself for travel as best she can.

[HorizonsDream]

"We don't want to keep him tied up too tightly," Jocelyn points out. "If we just leave him here, tied up tightly, then he will probably end up dying of starvation," she explains as she walks over to Oren. Gently, she places her hands upon his shoulder, and begins praying to Octhanus to heal the man of his wounds. A light blue light shines through her hands as Oren's wounds begin to heal.

Cure Light Wounds (6 hp)