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[Criptfeind]

Moubu nodded. "If the beasts of the jungle seek to keep us from our path, I say, let them try. We've already shown them off once before. If they want to try again, I welcome the challenge. And their meat."

[Caellath]

Caern cracked his marble knuckles and stretched his arms and legs, anticipating combat. "Safe trips are good and all, but I don't think I like the idea of losin' memories. Also, I'm still up for some bruisin'. Let's show the beasts who's boss."

[GiglameshDespair]

"I can't say I like the idea of giving up thoughts nice either! And... I don't think I have anything else I can give. I could give the strutting-suit, but then I don't think So-So would forgive me! So it's the jungle, I guess?"
She stomped a foot to cause a greenberry vine to coil out the soil and drop a tender fruit into her hand.
"We won't starve! So even if it takes longer, we should be fine, right? You mighty warriors can fight any - urgh - giant snakes or whatever we encounter, and I will assist!"

[Caellath]

Caern stopped stretching for a moment in embarrassment as he was complimented. That only lasted a little while, until he noticed Wen-Tsu was excluding herself from the group of mighty warriors.

"Hey, ya're mighty as well!" The half-golem seemed unusually serious as he berated her. "C'mon, gimme a pose and a roar!" he added, enthusiastically taking a bodybuilder's pose as an example.

[Dwarmin]

The group, after a short deliberation, decides some deals are better left unconsidered.

Grik seems to accept this, putting away his stone for now.

Jao translates Griks words more precisely as they move on along the bank, since he seems to be a bit more confident in his skills.

"Let's hope you are good at fighting!" He exclaims. "We will walk alongside the river for two days, out this Air rich with Darkness Swamp, through the Full of Giant Snakes Fens, on the third we should see the Bridge of Many Sharp Teeth over the Broken Spine of Olgotha! You can use that to cross over to Wapungo side of the island...better known as Woods with Leaves of Sharpened Spears."

Such nice places to visit!

The rain begins to fall a bit harder.

...

Nothing breaks the mediocrity of the march for the rest of the morning-Grik seems to be relieved, saying that the rain usually keeps the Monkey Bees in their nests, and makes it harder for them to track the group-he seems to imply they have a very keen sense of smell, and whoever has killed one in the past attracts them like a flies to rotten meat.

The jungle is never entirely asleep, and as the sun comes up on another drizzly day, the party is besieged by entirely normal insects-blood sucking flies with long straw-like snouts, about the size of their fists come buzzing in. They are dispatched without the need for a combat encounter-most of the more burly types in the group make a sport of swatting them out of the air. Strangely, they refuse to feed on Anders or Wen-Tsu, and instead Jao gets the share of both of theirs added onto to his own.

As the sun burns off the morning mist, however, the bugs retreat mostly-seeming to only hunt in the time between day and night. Something to remember. What is replaced is the blooming life of a truly amazing place...at least if you love nature. Jungle birds, hunting cats, and skittering creatures under feet in an eternal dance of life and death. Several time the river commands attention with a sudden splash or plop of an unseen watcher, maybe, or the occasional suspiciously toothy log that floats past. A few times, birds shaped like arrows, hit the river from on high in a dive, coming up with a wriggling fish in their mouth...and a few times, a low flying bird is knocked out of the sky and gulped down by a lurking, camouflaged fish shaped like a bell, shooting a stream of water, as fast as a slingshot. It seems everything here is food for something else.

...

An hour before the group would consider stopping for lunch, something does draw their attention. They have come to place where the river is shallow and slow enough, if not to ford, then to dip their toes (not that anyone with sense would consider doing such thing). Something seems to have fetched up on the shore from up the river-a curious, spherical stone, worn smooth and not carved. It bobs up and down in the shallow water...it's dull green and marked with a dim interior light that pulses irregularly. The effect is intriguing to look upon, but it seems as if the current might soon take it away from your reach, if no one acts.

Grik seems intrigued too.

"Grik thinks this may be a piece of the Star Once Fallen, though he has never seen this color before.

He has heard of a piece of the Star occasionally ends in the River. It is supposed to be a good omen!"

[Criptfeind]

Moubu looks at the stone and shrugs his broad shoulder before moving forward towards the stone. "I suppose we'd better take a look, get a better idea what it is that is causing such a reaction on this island." He said, as he moved forward to try to grab the stone out of the water.

[Draignean]

There was something dreadfully familiar about that stone to Anders. Not as though he'd ever seen one before, but more the deep, ancestral familiarity most people only experience when looking at spiders, snakes, and certain dwellers of the deep. A recognition that transcended personal experience.

Use agility to snag the stone out of the water using a monkey bad wing (to avoid touching it directly) if Moubu doesn't grab it. If he does, stand by with a dagger to cut his hand off when the Stone turns out to be a curled up Arborian stump monster.

[Caellath]

"That looks important. Any of you with more magic feelin' like getting that or should I get it?" Caern asked.

He'd noticed the river looked dangerous, but it probably wasn't that bad in the area with shallow waters. And even if something bad happened, at least he had prosthetic legs to deal with the consequences.

...And before he could do much, his team apparently decided to act.

((Ninja'd after forgetting to post this earlier.))

[Dwarmin]

Moubu wades into the water, finally getting something of a bath.

As takes hold of the stone and tries to lift it up, however, the greenish light begins pulsing faster and faster...also, he can't seem to actually lift it...it seems to be stuck to something underneath the water...not taking any obvious precautions, he reaches down with both hands...and furthermore, now both his hands seem stuck to the stone. Almost immediately, he begins to feel a powerful tug (entirely physical), of something trying to drag him into the river. It's like any powerful adhesive, really, and even his great strength isn't much use when he has nothing to brace himself against-the mud of the bank begins sliding under his feet.

Dc 10 vs Moubu 2d6+1d20=5+16=21, Success!

He manages to stay on the bank!

...

Also, fortunately, Anders seems to have felt this sort of thing was going happen-he's already in the water, by Moubus side. Would that he had actually warned his friend, but this way is much more exciting for everyone.

From his vantage point, he can see the nearly invisible tether of fleshy substance that anchors the 'stone' to...something...residing in the water, that is currently trying to pull Moubu in. He wastes no time in severing this cord with a quick flick of his knife, causing Moubu to reel back. The thread is pulled back into water, leaving a cloud of inky blood that momentarily darkens the water...

Almost immediately, the something rears up from the water a few feet away, sending a gush of swampy water skyward. It's vaguely Draconic by the look of it, but more like a snake, festooned with spines, and scales and horns like thorned wood. It's big enough it could probably have downed Moubu in two or three bites, had he been drawn into its jaws...it's length is completely indeterminate, as it's coils seem to fill the entire side of the river at once.




"Agggh! Why don't my meals have the good sense to lay down and be eaten? Don't you know it is an honor? I am a God! It is an HONOR to be devoured by a God!" It says (probably rhetorically, but who knows). Oddly enough it doesn't seem to be talking on any level of actual words-you all merely hear an angry voice intruding into your minds, as if its pure will was enough to be heard, regardless of language. Anders is well enough used to this (in fact, many of his kind are gifted with this sort of psychic charisma), but for the other, it has them going for their swords, or diving to the safety of the brush.

It doesn't seem to be overly bothered by losing it's lure, which predictably led straight into its mouth-the tip of the creatures tongue only gushes blood for a moment, then closes up, healing rapidly, reforming into the green gem shape you all saw earlier...it seems to take a closer look at the party, hesitating in what it no doubt planned as a ferocious counter attack. He at least seems to recognize you are not the usual band of tribals he might have expected to feed upon.

"...Nevertheless, your are more intelligent than most of my prey, and worthy of my respect! I am, after all, a kind and understanding God. You are no doubt heathens of some sort, unaware of my divine presence. No doubt when the Crunchy-Grey-One fell for my cunning trap, you all assumed I was merely a simple, marauding beast!

I will thus forgive your unprovoked assault upon me, and allow you one chance-leave the rivers edge, my domain! And, I will allow you to leave. This is my gift. You would be both intelligent and wise to take this chance to flee! Or, perhaps you think I am lying? Then, allow us to concede, that we shall both wait till a more opportune time to strike back in our mutual bloody minded revenge against the foolish morsels who cut off the tip of my tongue...hypothetically speaking, of course. For you are many, and I am one-but strong, and in my element. Of course, I would never lie. Gods never lie!"

The beast undulates endlessly in the river, seemingly awaiting your decision...or, maybe planning its next move...or maybe just distracting you.

...

Grik seems ready to dash out of the combat zone.

"Burp! Island is lousy with creatures that think they are Gods! Most of them were just pets of the Old People...liked Wapuny and Wapungo were...this is why Grik travels the easy way! Wanna-be God creatures usually have things that follow them around, if only to eat the Scraps..."

Also, Moubu might be free, but both his hands are still stuck to what he now knows is the tip of a giant monster tongue. Eww, it's a lot more slimy than he would have thought.

Now what?

[GiglameshDespair]

Wen-Tsu beamed at the giant water dragon thing.
It was as if her smile promised friendship to anyone who saw it.
"Well, Mr Dragon God, there's no need to fight! It was an accident, as you know, since we didn't know it was you."

Begin Operation Dragon Friends using Wen-Tsu's fey nature.

[Caellath]

The giant snake-dragon-thing seemed strong and sounded like a threat to most living beings, what with considering them mere prey, and that was the kind of creature you don't want roaming around. Caern was ready for a good scrap, moving his marble-and-metal fingers in preparation for combat. His battle-lust was tempered by the fact one of his companions still had his hands trapped by the beast's trick.

"Moubu?" he asked, deciding to ask the opinion of the one member of the group in the most danger in case they started a fight or turned around only to be ambushed. The half-golem was confused when Wen-Tsu began talking to the creature in a friendly manner.

[lawastooshort]

Use my charming nasally voice to Truthify the dragony thing.

"Errrr, O Undulating Fiendy Great One Of Much Greatness, you'll let us go then?"

[Criptfeind]

Moubu lets out a deep growl, stumbling back with confusion and anger on his face, forearms flexing as he tried to rip his hands away from each other and the sticking 'stone' between them. After struggling with his muscles for a few moments, he seemed to realize that he was just pulling the strength of one arm against another. Calming down, if just slightly, he started to mutter under his breath. A litany of prayers of mixed with curses at the stone as he called on his ancestors for assistance.

Moubu tried to use Alteration To Transmute the sticky trap into something less sticky, like a rock.

[Dwarmin]

Wen-Tsu beamed at the giant water dragon thing.
It was as if her smile promised friendship to anyone who saw it.
"Well, Mr Dragon God, there's no need to fight! It was an accident, as you know, since we didn't know it was you."

Begin Operation Dragon Friends using Wen-Tsu's fey nature.

Use Truthify on the dragony thing.

"Errrr, O Undulating Fiendy Great One, you'll let us go then?"

Wen-Tsu upends the parties incoming combat encounter through diplomacy.

Diplomacy Check=???

"Indeed, I have no reason to fight you right at this moment! It would serve neither of us if you barely managed to injure me some minor fashion, before I slew all of you in a painful, and indeed, humiliating fashion.

...Ah, but you are an intriguingly delicious damsel-and, you address me with the proper respect!

What manner of creature are you, to be bold?" He lets on, allowing the question to linger in the air. It seems she has captured the beasts attention...

Use my charming nasally voice to Truthify the dragony thing.

"Errrr, O Undulating Fiendy Great One Of Much Greatness, you'll let us go then?"

It seems a bit annoyed, but turns to Jao anyway. Looking upon him with baleful swamp-fire eyes.

"Quite! I will graciously allow all to flee before my unlimited terrible power. I'd need a dozen of your kind to even make a mouthful, anyway!" It comments, looking around to see if Jao brought any more Halflings, before turning back to Wen-Tsu.

...

Jao should normally be more careful using this sort of thing-most beings don't like having their minds intruded upon, and react as if you had brandished a knife. But, this being is so arrogant it literally doesn't deign to notice his prying, for whatever reason. Dragons are like that. A careful touch of the creatures overwhelming sense of self importance shows that it is, at least, telling the truth about letting you go...for now.

Moubu lets out a deep growl, stumbling back with confusion and anger on his face, forearms flexing as he tried to rip his hands away from each other and the sticking 'stone' between them. After struggling with his muscles for a few moments, he seemed to realize that he was just pulling the strength of one arm against another. Calming down, if just slightly, he started to mutter under his breath. A litany of prayers of mixed with curses at the stone as he called on his ancestors for assistance.

Moubu tried to use Alteration To Transmute the sticky trap into something less sticky, like a rock.

Moubu's mingled prayers seem to get some response...the damn thing seems to be resisting, though...

Dc 20 vs 2d6+1d20=9+17=24, Passed

Meanwhile, in the Ancestors Realm...

"How did he get himself into this mess?"
"That boy is always getting into trouble."
"When he gets here, we'll call him 'Sticky Hands Moubu'!"
"No true orc Warrior would fall for such a trick!"
"We should probably help him."
"I figure. He's been properly Orcish lately, hasn't he? Real brave and bloody minded."
"Back in my day, he would have already eaten the Rabbit-girl.'
"Well, these times are what you call, 'civilized'. He only eats what tries to eat him. I don't pretend to understand, but I get it."
"I'll handle it. I'll teach 'em how a proper Orc acts!"
"He's lived alot longer than you, Thokk! Maybe he'll prefer to be an 'improper' Orc, than a dead one?"
"We all die one day!"
"If he had been thinking, he'd not be in this mess in the first place. Let me help you, so you don't turn his hands into a stump or something..."

...

After a few moments of violent tension, his ancestors grant his blessings by gracefully transmuting the sticky lure ball into stone. Unfortunately, while this actually does nothing for the adhesive already on his hands, the stone is very light and easy to smash-much easier than weird elastic flesh stuff.

That'll teach him to pick up strange balls in rivers.

He notices the sphere hastwo Orcish runes engraved on it. A message from the ancestors?

The first rune really one stands for one word.

REVENGE

Hmm, that looks like Uncle Thokks chiseling. He went headfirst into a Dodongo (Think of a Giant Lizard, sort of related to this thing in the river) with a bomb in his hands...he forgot to light the fuse, though. Poor Uncle Thokk.

The second rune is much smaller, and he doesn't recognize the craftsmanship...it stands for two words together.

Think, Act

[lawastooshort]

"Right. Well. Well, comrades, I believe this 'ere Great Dragon Lord of Mighty and Disturbing Undulatingness when he says he will let us go. Hmm."

Perhaps his comrades didn't know it, but that hmm was meant to convey that, despite Father Jao's inherent and unending Goodness, he thought this undulating fiend was a gobshite, and could probably do with a good dose of Orc and Flexer.

"Perhaps, sir, when I return this way, I shall bring with me a dozen corn-fed halflings. I note that I have never eaten corn. Ooh, by the gods, that reminds me of Auntie Clara and the time she once ate corn - it is perhaps an undulatin- no, that's not the word. An unctifyin- no, that's not it. Udderfying? Bugger, what is it... Anyway. It's a tale. Gave her terrible gutsache it did, this raw corn. Guffed like a dwarven woodwind orchestra for a fortnight, she did. Crikey, but you know what..."