CH. 9: Road to Tu'Valie

[Jenara]

"Andar wake up." Arei nudges the man gently, "There is something out there." Crossbow in hand she slips to the north edge of the camp, keeping the others in sight she stands next to Val.

Her face next to Vals ear pressing closely, she whispers in the Orcs ear. "You need a bath Val. What do you think it is?"

[JadedDM]

Val approaches the north side of the camp, trident in one hand and burning brand in the other. The brand prevents her from utilizing her infravision, but does serve as makeshift torch.

Andar rouses quickly, getting up and grabbing his cutlass. As he was given no instructions, he simply remains where he is and watches over the camp. He can't see beyond the campfire light, anyway.

Areilon then joins Val. The buzzing sound is louder, further to the north. Whatever it is, it is beyond the range of the torchlight, so neither can see it.

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(OOC: If you want your character to hear the noise and wake up, make a WIS check. If passed, your character wakes up. BishGada can roll for Takit, too. Assume the dog has a WIS score of 12, with a +2 bonus due to heightened senses--so a 14 or lower to pass on a 1d20. Jocelyn has the Alertness NWP, so she gets a +2 to her WIS score, as well, making it a 19 or lower on a 1d20.

Although it looks like Invisible Castle is down currently, so just let me know if you want to roll, and I'll take care of it.

There is a cantrip that will create a ward against insects. It lasts one hour per level, so three hours for Ouragana. She could conceivably cast it once before she went to sleep, again when she woke up for her watch, then a third time when she returned to sleep. This would keep her bug free the entire night. As she gets 7 cantrips a day, she could conceivably also cast it on a second person three times, as well.

Note that Jocelyn and Val suffer the 'lightly stiff' condition, meaning they have a -1 DEX penalty due to sleeping on the ground.)

[Jenara]

(Her plan was for him to keep the others safe)

"Insects? Or something else?" She asks, the crossbow leveled near the noise. (How would she need to move to get away from the torchlight?)

[HorizonsDream]

(Invisible castle is still down, so you are going to have to roll for me with the WIS check.)

[Nuke]

"Yeah, bugs, big ones. Let's go back to the fire. We'll need to build it up and get some long sticks in it." Val says. "And, what makes you think I need a bath?"

[BishGada]

Baeros sleeps like a log, snoring here and there, at one point he mumbles out of sleep about the Empires Destroyer little Elf.

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(OOC: Takit on the other hand sleeps lightly so he might be awakened by the noise. Please make the WIS check for Takit. Baeros trusts the others completely so he would be awakened only if someone kicks/shakes him or if Takit will be awake and alert, since he is tuned to the dog reactions.)

[Breila]

Please make the WIS check for Ouragana.

[JadedDM]

Jocelyn and Takit stir, waking up from the sound of the buzzing and the sound of Val and Areilon walking away from camp. They find Andar crouching by the campfire, cutlass in hand, looking to the north. Val and Areilon are there, the former holding a torch.

Ouragana remains blissfully asleep.

Meanwhile, back on the northern end of camp, Val and Areilon speak in soft tones about what the noise is. Suddenly, something moves into the light of the torch. It appears to be a mosquito. But it's significantly larger than one would expect--at least as big as a person's hand.

Perhaps attracted to the light of the fire brand, it gets closer, buzzing around the fire in a harmless fashion.

Before either woman can react, something long, pink and slimy--about the width of a person's arm--whips out from the darkness, snags the giant mosquito, and then pulls it back into the darkness. There's a crunching sound, and the buzzing stops. Then there is an audible "ribbit" sound.

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Jocelyn makes a WIS check [17+2] (1d20): 16, pass. She wakes up.
Ouragana makes a WIS check [10] (1d20): 18, fail. She remains asleep.
Takit makes a WIS check [12+2] (1d20): 5, pass. He wakes up.

[Nuke]

Val adds fuel to the fire hoping they won't need to fight anything in the dark. "Stay close, the fire should offer some deterrence."

[HorizonsDream]

"That has to be a huge frog," Jocelyn says as she gets to her feet to join Andar.

[BishGada]

Baeros dreams subtly change to swamps scenery as the "Ribbit" sounds affect his subconscious.

[Jenara]

(Flashback..)
"Just because." Arei says with a shadowy grin, turning quickly she jumps backward seeing the tongue shooting out. "What in the name of the Gods is that!"

(And now back to the present.)
Moving close to the fire she gives Andar a little motion of her hand, "Whatever it is... I don't think its after us. Still keep close to the fire."

[JadedDM]

Val doesn't appear the least bit phased by the giant tongue that ate the giant bug, and turns her back to return to the camp, muttering something about the fire offering protection.

Areilon, on the other hand, has a much more expected reaction. "What in the name of the Gods is that!" she demands. In answer to her question, a massive toad leaps into the edge of their torch light. It is at least five feet in length. The wings and legs of the mosquito hang out of its mouth, twitching slightly.

More loud ribbits are heard further north. However, due to the light of Val's fire brand, neither of the women can see beyond 15 feet. They can't tell how many more frogs there are, or where they are.

[HorizonsDream]

"Does anyone know what exactly is going on?" Jocelyn asks.

[Breila]

just in case it was time for another die roll to see if Ouragana wakes up now: 1d20=13, fail