Is there any objections to following the horrible swamp creatures into their obvious trap?
With no objections forthcoming, the group packs up their equipment, and follows the terrifying swamp monsters into the darkness. Great plan!
...
Always one step ahead with their huge, loping strides, the shadowy swamp dwellers beckon the group steadily to the West. Through fen and bog and marsh and other swampy analogues, etc, etc.
Perception=?Wen-Tsu, perhaps more afraid being eaten due to her nature as a tasty morsel, seems to be alone in noticing something is very off about the creatures. Their bodies don't move right...she thinks some part of them is an illusion designed to fool the party about what they really look like.
She also notes they have some similarity to the six-armed monkey beings who pestered them all night long, as both groups seemed very careful to stick to the shadows, concealing their finer features and details.
...
Well over an hour later, the party seems to arrive at their intended destination.
The clearing ahead opens upon a small swamp village. About a dozen houses are scattered about between dirt paths, of significant length, and irregular height-each house looks as if a single huge log was dragged here, and then the interior was literally carved from the inside. Some of the houses are connected to the canopy overhead by rope ladders and pegs, suggesting additional buildings overhead.
It's seemingly abandoned now, though judging by the state of the buildings it must have been a recent evacuation-most of the buildings are still in well made condition, and there's even well tended farms, under some of the crudely carved windows.
...
Wen-Tsu notes, somewhat abstractly, the wood chips from the hollowed logs make excellent mulch for the growing of swamp veggies in their little gardens. If they're not entirely carnivores, maybe they're nice!
Moubu sees no provisions for city defense here, certainly no walls, gates or spiked palisades. They must be confident in their ability to defend themselves through other means, or have no natural enemies.
Jao wonders what they would need gold for in eejit swamp. What would they have to spend it on, anyway?
Anders realizes there must be freshwater here. In fact, they must be close to the river Grik indicated on his map...
Emilia feels light as feather, but this place seems heavy to her soul. As if there was once great violence here, long ago.
...
Seemingly as the centerpiece to this quaint little burg,
your friend Caern is located in the center of the village, tied to a skinny tree, bound with a length of heavy black iron chain. He seems awake and aware, but unable to free himself...
"Gooooo! Help friend! Then trade!" The Swamp Thing comments, pointing to Caern. He and his fellows form a wall between the party and the entrance to the village.
He holds out a shadowy appendage toward
Jao"Make deal. Yooooou get that one, and we get The Shiny Gooooold. Swear to Spirits?"He seems to be waiting for Jao to agree, before parting and allowing the party to pass. Jao himself feels a certain...pressure...that is not entirely earthly. Perhaps, it's just the gas from the beans he ate for dinner, or maybe this deal might be binding magically.
...
Caern himself, is no doubt happy to see his allies, within shouting distance.
He has little memory of what brought him to this place, only that he was flung off the ship during the storm, and he was barely able to make it to shore before passing out...he had horrible dreams...and when he woke up, he was bound here in this empty little village, feeling very confused.
He tried to break the chains, naturally, but it seems the Swamp Beings had done something to him...stolen an essential part of him...he reckons he should feel hungry, but he doesn't. He should be able to break free, but his strength seems to be sapped by some sort of strange magic. As if he's been torn in half, somehow, on a deep spiritual level. It feels wrong, whatever it is. And, the feeling of that...dissonance...he sometimes gets with his golem half is completely gone. It should feel good, but it doesn't.
All in all, he might feel desperate to be out of here. Like, he doesn't have much time left.
((OOC: Caern has entered the game!))
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Topic: ASOF (Game Thread) Day 1-Jao is useful (Read 29997 times)